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[greekcypriot]

I am away on a cruise to Erope -Italy- and I realised how expensive it is to have access on the Internet in Hotels.

I am giving below an idea of the amounts asked:

On board the ship was the cheapest. - only 3 euros for 2 hours if you have your own laptop
3 euros for 1 hour if you use their own pcs.

On the first hotel - 3 euros for half an hour
On the 2nd hotel - 5 euros for half an hour.
On the 3rd hotel it was 6 euros an hour.

This is unbelievable, and I wonder how much money a traveller needs if he stays for more than a week.

If you like, give us an idea of the cost of access in your places.
I think many members would be interested to know.

How about UK, and Spain that I am going soon?
What about ASIA?


http://www.travelpod.com/members/greekcypriot

[starlagurl]

We had a little discussion on this before over here: http://www.travelpod.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9489

It seems that the thinking (by hotel operators) goes, if you are already spending a lot on a hotel room, that you won't get upset by a few charges for internet. Chances are, you are a business traveler who can't live without it.

The less expensive hotels always seem to offer it for free, because they realize that their visitors really will go somewhere else if they can't get it, since those charges will impact their budget more than the business/luxury traveler.

[jeremystravels]

When I was hosteling around Europe last year I found a few places that had it for free but most charged something crazy. It seemed like the further I made my way around the loop of countries the more expensive it got.

I think one place in London charged 1 pound for 15 or 30 minutes or something crazy, Paris charged 1 euro for 15 minutes at one place, and like 1 euro for 30 minutes at another. I refused to check my email for about 2 weeks because it was so expensive. It is a bit of a racket going on just cause they know that the people have to check email to confirm airline seats, train tickets, etc.

[mmbcross]

Unless it is free, a hotel is the last place I would use to access the Internet. The more expensive the hotel, the more expensive is the Internet.

Most places have internet cafes nearby at extremely low rates. Obviously not as convenient as the hotel, but certainly convenient on the pocket.

[greekcypriot]

Last year when in Kerry -Ireland the receptionist recommended that we upgrade our room if we wanted.
I remember the first thing I asked was to have the pc of the hotel completely free of charge if we upgrade the room. I got a positive YES, and I was given a pc up in our room for as long as I needed it. (It was a 5 star hotel if not mistaken)

Then again in Milan at a hotel in the suburbs near the airport we had a free pc and internet access in the room.
Last year I wasn’t carrying a laptop and thought it was normal to have internet completely free of charge. Now that I carry my own laptop I am So disappointed.
This IS a problem indeed. I believe we have to ask for access free before booking- don't you agree?
The price they ask is crazy.

I have seen some airports with free internet service while in Asia, but the queue was so long waiting, that even if you had the chance to get a sit there, the idea of having so many people waiting in line was driving you crazy. I had at least 6 people behind me when on line, and in the end I left disappointed.


http://www.travelpod.com/members/greekcypriot
http://www.travelpod.com/dashboard/trip/3
(my recent 8 day trip to Italy)