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You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > Why do 5-star hotels mess up the basics? (internet rant)

Why do 5-star hotels mess up the basics? (internet rant)
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mindwaves
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Dec 10, 2014, 11:20 AM
 
I am currently typing this post in a 5-star Hilton hotel in a foreign country. Wifi is very slow (with and without my VPN). A Holiday Inn would be much faster speeds.

To login, I have to select the login name and enter my last name in caps and my room number. I then have to select "Bill my room" despite the hotel wifi being free and then select "24 hours" before I have to do the process again after 24 hours (staying for a week).

The ethernet connection doesn't even work! Why do major 5-star hotels get this simple matter wrong when Holiday Inn or similar hotels get this idea so easy? In those places, the wifi is fast, free, and easy to connect.

background: This has also happened to be in Sheraton hotel and the Ritz Carlton before, not that I often stay in expensive hotels.

edit: The shower head doesn't work properly. It keeps on moving which is quite bad when trying to take a shower.
( Last edited by mindwaves; Dec 10, 2014 at 11:31 AM. )
     
turtle777
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Dec 10, 2014, 11:41 AM
 
I have experienced this as well. For instance in Germany. I wondered why they don't opffer free, open WiFi.

The answer is: f$%&ing laws. They (the hotel) have to be able to track the internet usage to a room / customer, in case some Stasi law enforcement agency needs to follow up on your illegal shenanigans.
That's why they have to provide these shitty login screens.

My guess is that some smaller / cheaper chains don't care and (unknowingly) violate local law.

-t
     
The Final Dakar
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Dec 10, 2014, 11:48 AM
 
Hotels are a crapshoot as far as I can tell. Doubly so with internet.
     
reader50
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Dec 10, 2014, 01:07 PM
 
Tell the service desk that the ethernet jack isn't working. If they ask, you prefer the speed and security of a wired connection. They shouldn't ask - everything should work in an expensive room.
     
osiris
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Dec 10, 2014, 02:55 PM
 
Next time try a six star hotel.

no, actually I've never had this problem in asia - except for China (which is normal). But I would've called the manager if it was really important.
"Faster, faster! 'Till the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." - HST
     
Phileas
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Dec 10, 2014, 03:03 PM
 
The more expensive the hotel, the crappier the internet, in my experience. The chain hotels make a living from having sales guys stay, and by tailoring their prices and services precisely to their needs, which includes fast, free internet. The more expensive places don't really care. Last time I stayed at a Four Seasons there was no wireless. Just one of the reasons, the other is security, I always bring an Airport Express when travelling.
     
mattyb
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Dec 10, 2014, 04:17 PM
 
If the net connection was that good, you would/could stream your films. They want you to pay to watch films via their set-top box.
     
subego
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Dec 10, 2014, 05:55 PM
 
I watch a podcast where one of the hosts often Skypes in from different hotels of varying quality.

Total crapshoot. He ended up getting one of those dealies where you gang a bunch of cellular data lines together.
     
turtle777
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Dec 10, 2014, 06:33 PM
 
None of the hotels I stayed at in the past 4 years would have enough bandwidth for streaming video / skype. No matter if North America, Europe or Asia.

The reason they're not even trying is that you can't win. The more bandwidth you provide, the more people will sukc it up by using Netflix or connecting to their Slingbox.

-t
     
subego
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Dec 10, 2014, 07:09 PM
 
They've gotten it to work. Not in 1080, but good enough not to cancel the show.
     
SSharon
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Dec 11, 2014, 06:31 PM
 
I stayed at a Doubletree last night and got 0.6 megabits from the hotel wifi, 0.9 megabits from attwifi, and 30 megabits from AT&T LTE. The problem is that I wanted to watch something on Amazon Prime and oh yea, their app only works on wifi. WTF? It's my bandwidth why do they care if I use LTE that was 30 times faster than available wifi networks.
AT&T iPhone 5S and 6; 13" MBP; MDD G4.
     
Jawbone54
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Dec 12, 2014, 10:49 AM
 
Originally Posted by mattyb View Post
If the net connection was that good, you would/could stream your films. They want you to pay to watch films via their set-top box.
This.

Cue Jim Gaffigan joke:
"After hoooouuurs..."
"I'm here for my grandmother's funeral!"
"After hoooouuurs..."
     
Cap'n Tightpants
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Dec 12, 2014, 11:51 AM
 
The only premium hotel chain that has great wifi is Mandarin Oriental (always >25Mb), but for what they charge it better be. Four Seasons is usually pretty good too.
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
     
mindwaves  (op)
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Dec 14, 2014, 08:44 PM
 
This has nothing to do with the hotel wifi, but I ordered room service for the first time every in my life, and the menu said $X, but the receipt showed $Y, where Y was quite a bit more than X. I called the lobby and they said that they changed the menu prices, but did not update the book menu in the room. Luckily, they gave me the original price in the book. Overall good hotel, but the taxis that surround the city are all complete scammers.
     
Ham Sandwich
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Dec 16, 2014, 12:32 PM
 
Originally Posted by osiris View Post
Next time try a six star hotel.
Yes, where they have expert monkey catchers...

     
   
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