Free Wi-Fi Is Becoming Increasingly Popular In Hotel Lobbies

Free Wi-Fi Is Becoming Increasingly Popular In Hotel Lobbies

Tourists and travelers may be surprised by the increase of free Wi-Fi offered in hotel lobbies all around the U.S.

Close to 300 hotels will make the change from charging their guests for Wi-Fi in their rooms to offering it for free in their lobbies, said an executive for the huge hotel chain. Free Wi-Fi internet is available for the moment in 185 of the nearly 500 hotels in the Marriott chain.

This is a new move in the plan to reinvent the lobby from a dead space where tourists and guests just pass through to a more alive and busy environment. Libraries, lounges, computers, and even ping pong tables are being added to lobbies to add to the attraction value and to help bring in not just tourists but even people who could just stay for a business meeting or for a meal.

Hyatt, a competing chain is looking to make a similar move but will only offer free internet for a period after which they will begin charging.

The move is considered doomed to fail as many places offer free Wi-Fi and the idea that clients will have to pay for such a readily available service might prove counterproductive in the attempt to make Hyatt lobbies a social hub.

Posted by Sophia Andrews on Friday March 08 2013, 10:22 AM EST. Ref: USA Today. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Travel. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0