While in Las Vegas, we’re staying at the TI (formerly Treasure Island, a property desperately trying to shed its “Yo ho ho!” image). The rooms have been elegantly redesigned with the new market positioning in mind — think dark wood, smoked glass, and sleek electronics.
On top of room fees — which are pricey — Internet connectivity costs $14.00 a day per connection. We got up today ready to work out — until we discovered that admission to the hotel’s room of treadmills would cost us $22.00 per day. Each.
Had we stayed at a budget hotel, Internet connectivity would have been free. Admission to the exercise room would have been free. And our walk from the lobby to our room would have taken seconds, not ten minutes.
It’s the 21st century, folks. Connectivity isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. Instead of giving me a tray of scented soaps and a designer phone, give me free unlimited wireless. Want to impress me? Forget the down comforter (in the desert!). Give me cheap or free access to to services travelers need to feel at home.
And if you want to shed your pirate image, quit charging guests in your $200+ per night room $20.00 every time they use a service that travelers should take for granted in a luxury setting.
Mark,
Sad to say but many of the luxe hotels assume if you can pay lux prices you won’t even notice that $14 or $22 charge for “services”…
This is why I love my Samsung Blackjack (smartphone) with 3G internet access. I configured it to be my laptop modem for just such a situation. I think you can do similar things with most other smartphones, you just want to be on a carrier with high data speeds!
Also, Vegas used to be a bargain but has become all about siphoning money at every turn, they simply became too successful and started attracted too many non-gamblers.