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Whereas once it was considered a luxury that few could take advantage of,
Wi-Fi is now as commonplace as towels and bed linen in hotels, but some establishments are still lagging behind when it comes to extolling the virtues of the technology.
In today's digital age, where people need to be connected 24/7, it is essential that they have constant access to wireless networks, and this can often be the difference between people choosing one hotel over the other. Though an establishment may offer
fine dining, plush rooms and excellent service,
business travellers are unlikely to stay if they cannot access a wireless network and carry out tasks remotely.
It is something recently recognised by
luxury hotel operator
Guoman Hotels, which has begun offering free Wi-Fi for guests and visitors across all five of its London properties, including The
Royal Horseguards and The Grosvenor. The service has been launched in partnership with BT and means that all guests can connect to the internet without a charge, no matter where they are in the hotel, including the bedrooms and public areas.
Gillian Harris,
brand marketing director for Guoman, commented: "We know that our guests, whether they are with us for business or leisure, want to log on and enjoy the internet like they do at home. Whether they are logging on for business or surfing the net for pleasure, they want to be able to stay connected 24/7."
This illustrates the key advantage of offering free Wi-Fi throughout a hotel:
guests have not only come to value the service, but they expect it. Hotels which fail to offer this risk being left behind as rivals introduce more advanced means of connection, while the essential custom presented by business travellers could dwindle. In a connected era where being online constantly is the norm, hotels need to take note or risk losing a connection with their customers.
