InterContinental to offer free internet to loyal guests, eventually
Intercontinental has become the first global hotel chain to commit to offering loyalty club members free internet access, but charges won’t be waived until July and initially only those who have gained Elite status will benefit.
The hotel chain won’t offer free internet to all members until 2014, and no specific date has been given for when it will be available in all properties.
The hotel chain said that its decision to offer free internet to its most prized guests followed its own research which revealed that 43% of travellers wouldn’t choose to stay in a hotel that charged for the service.
18% of guests from the UK listed paying for internet as the second most annoying thing when staying at a hotel after noisy guests.
However, a spokeswoman said it wasn’t able to offer free internet to all its 71 million loyalty club members any sooner than 2014 as it would take time to roll out the commitment to its 4,600+ hotels.
"We’re confident that another hotel company won’t be able to launch free internet to all loyalty member guests before us, as we’re starting to offer free internet to Elite members in July," she said.
To gain Elite status, members need to have paid for 15 nights at its hotels or earned 20,000 points.
The free internet access, when it arrives, will form part of a revamp of its Priority Club Rewards loyalty programme, which will be renamed IHG Rewards Club in July.
What do you think? Should hotels offer free internet for all or only for their most prized guests? Have your say by clicking on the Post Your Comment button below.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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