IMHO, Wifi is a necessary evil!
However, I would provide it as a free add-on service if I were you and not part of you rental package (you can always tweak your rental rates to include it) as some guests expect fibre optic speeds even in the middle of the countryside!
We had a nightmare guest recently who threatened all sorts of legal action because the Broadband kept dropping out. We were able to point out that we provided the service FOC and not as part of our T&C's
WIFI or no WIFI
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SandyBeaches
- Posts: 1071
- Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 8:35 am
- Location: Norfolk Coast
Wifi is essential for us when looking for somewhere, and is a deal breaker. We provide free unlimited usage in both our properties.
There are companies which will provide wifi equipment and guests can then pay for access. You get income from this too.
We looked at this option but decided as we're pitching ourselves at the upper end of the market that free unlimited wifi was the best choice for us.
There are companies which will provide wifi equipment and guests can then pay for access. You get income from this too.
We looked at this option but decided as we're pitching ourselves at the upper end of the market that free unlimited wifi was the best choice for us.
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waterwitch
- Posts: 271
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- Location: Conwy, North Wales
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I'm in the middle of wifi dilema - we do get asked quite a lot but have resisted as it is very expensive (unfortunately we can't get any of those cheap Plusnet deals in our area and would need to pay for phone line installations) and the linespeed we would get would be slow. There is no way we want to take on the additional expense on top of ever increasing costs.
We all use 3G on our smartphones and tablets and the service is ok provided you are on Orange - the problem is it is very expensive for oversea's guests. If we go abroad, for me wifi is essential.
I'm thinking if we did instal it that we would make it optional at a charge, say £10.00 per week - then it is fair to many of my guests that don't want it. I stayed in a 4 star hotel in London last week and was charged around £5.00 per day for wifi so I think that sounds a reasonable cost.
Has anyone else covered their costs by charging for wifi?
We all use 3G on our smartphones and tablets and the service is ok provided you are on Orange - the problem is it is very expensive for oversea's guests. If we go abroad, for me wifi is essential.
I'm thinking if we did instal it that we would make it optional at a charge, say £10.00 per week - then it is fair to many of my guests that don't want it. I stayed in a 4 star hotel in London last week and was charged around £5.00 per day for wifi so I think that sounds a reasonable cost.
Has anyone else covered their costs by charging for wifi?
I have to say to say there are few things that bug me more than being charged for wifi, and a quick search on Google will show that I am far from being alone.
Many hotels do, but there is a huge backlash and rightly so in my opinion. In fact, if I stay at any hotel that does this (and it's always the big swanky ones!) I knock two stars off whatever review I write for them, and tell them why. A while ago I stayed in a lovely place in Santa Monica that was charging $12 a day, on top of a $370 room rate. The cheek!!
There are some exceptions obviously (remote areas are an obvious one)
I wonder if you could put it another way and offer the £10 as a discount for people who don't want to use it?
Many hotels do, but there is a huge backlash and rightly so in my opinion. In fact, if I stay at any hotel that does this (and it's always the big swanky ones!) I knock two stars off whatever review I write for them, and tell them why. A while ago I stayed in a lovely place in Santa Monica that was charging $12 a day, on top of a $370 room rate. The cheek!!
There are some exceptions obviously (remote areas are an obvious one)
I wonder if you could put it another way and offer the £10 as a discount for people who don't want to use it?
Chalet la Foret, Chamonix
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Joanna
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We considered charging extra for it and then decided a small blanket rise in rates was easier to manage. So far the increase in price hasn't affected our bookings at all.
You could argue that some guests don't use the oven, washing machine or TV but wouldn't expect to pay less than guests who do.
The other factor is that if they pay extra for it then they will expect it to work and if it doesn't (as these things occasionally don't) it could be difficult to sort out, particularly for us as we are not on site. The extra payment could add extra stress to that situation.
You could argue that some guests don't use the oven, washing machine or TV but wouldn't expect to pay less than guests who do.
The other factor is that if they pay extra for it then they will expect it to work and if it doesn't (as these things occasionally don't) it could be difficult to sort out, particularly for us as we are not on site. The extra payment could add extra stress to that situation.
Jo
Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
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Lindisfarne
- Posts: 251
- Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2011 3:48 pm
- Location: Bamburgh, England
Great call Joanna !Joanna wrote: The other factor is that if they pay extra for it then they will expect it to work and if it doesn't (as these things occasionally don't) it could be difficult to sort out, particularly for us as we are not on site. The extra payment could add extra stress to that situation.
I was in an overseas hotel recently and they charged Euro 19 per day for WiFi which I thought was excessive - I did get 3 days credit as it didn't work though
I'm in the Free camp !
People in Stone Houses should not throw Glass
Website : lindisfarnecottages.co.uk
Website : lindisfarnecottages.co.uk
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waterwitch
- Posts: 271
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- Location: Conwy, North Wales
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SandyBeaches
- Posts: 1071
- Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 8:35 am
- Location: Norfolk Coast
It seems to be a chicken and egg scenario. Wifi might get you extra bookings which might pay for the £624. I don't know what your rates are or even if you have spare availability throughout the course of the year, but that might be one way of looking at it.waterwitch wrote:I can't take on an extra £624.00 pa in costs between the two houses (one of which is un-rentable for 6 months of the year)
Hard to tell though! I know a lot of our guests specifically ask for wifi and use it.
I understand where you're coming from as I have the same dilemma myself. I can supply Wi-Fi but it's from an outside provider and the guest logs in and pays direct. People still expect me to able to assist when there's a problem though.waterwitch wrote: Yet I can't take on an extra £624.00 pa in costs between the two houses (one of which is un-rentable for 6 months of the year)
Why can you not rent one for six months of the year?
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harcourtv57
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- Location: Southsea, UK, Porto Cristo Mallorca
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We have free unlimited wifi in the house but not the apartment - this is because the apartment is in a managed block and we have been waiting for 2 years for Sky to be installed for the whole block (it kept being put off) it finally happened last autumn. So having waited 3 months (although their website says 2 weeks max) for the engineer to install it, he turned up last week and says that he cannot because we are too high for a cherry picker to put in the line (!!).
I know that we have lost bookings due to not having wifi and have also had some disgruntled guests who assumed (without checking the ad or with us) that it would have wifi.
However, with the advent of Smartphones and Hotspots and with nearly every cafe, bar, shop providing wifi, we manage when we go away by sitting in the sun with a sangria and catching up with our e-mails etc!
I know that we have lost bookings due to not having wifi and have also had some disgruntled guests who assumed (without checking the ad or with us) that it would have wifi.
However, with the advent of Smartphones and Hotspots and with nearly every cafe, bar, shop providing wifi, we manage when we go away by sitting in the sun with a sangria and catching up with our e-mails etc!