Marriott to offer free broadband connections in mid-priced chains
While many of the higher-end hotels charge $9.95 per day for broadband service, Marriott is trying to differentiate its mid-priced hotels by offering free broadband Internet connections in order to court business travelers 75% of whom now travel with a laptop. According to this Wall Street Journal story (subscription required):
The Washington, D.C., hotelier said its Courtyard, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites and SpringHill Suites will offer the free service by year end. That amounts to more than 1,200 hotels in the U.S. Its Fairfield Inns will offer the free Internet service by year-end 2004, the company says. There are more than 500 Fairfield Inns in the U.S. About a third of the hotels in all of these chains currently offer the service, but charge guests to use it....
"We see this as an opportunity to increase market share," said Gordon Lambourne, a Marriott spokesman. "We have research that shows that it's definitely something that travelers are looking for.... Guests tell us that they look for high-speed Internet access when they make their decision on where to stay."