Wifi at resorts / timeshares?

[Carta]

I've noticed a few people, on this board inquire about wifi...To tell u the truth, I would never go to a resort that does not have FREE wifi...These resorts charge an arm and a leg to begin with... Now they nickel and dime us for something as cheap as wifi....Sorry to vent...


ps.....34 more days to CUN

 

[gnorth16]

Bring your home router and plug it into the wired internet. That is one way around charging for wifi (assuming they don't for wired internet).

this is no different than the "resort" fees at the Tropicana in L.V and at the La Quinta in Rapid City (Yes, Rapid City resort fee). Places of business want to keep prices low. In order to do that they have to collect revenue from elsewhere.

 

[Passepartout]

Discount motels use free wi-fi to attract business and drive-up consumers. Higher end hotels and resorts use wi-fi as a profit center like airlines use check bags and aisle seats. HOAs use pay wi-fi for exchangers to pay for free wi-fi for owners.

Do your fellow TUGgers a favor by including the details in TUG resort reviews. Resort has wi-fi? check. Free? no. Wired? bring router. None?

I've done that for as long as I have been a TUGger. Hope it's helped someone.

Jim

 

[timeos2]

As the other reply above notes motels have a different cost model both high andd low end they use to pay for "free" interent or justify a cost. With timeshare there are no incremental sales to attract with "free" internet - anything supplied costs the owners in their fees.

Having dealt with the expense involved in setting up a decent WiFi coverage for resorts as well as the ongoing expenses of adequate bandwidth I know it is not an inexpensive undertaking (not speaking of a home level router on a single cable modem or DSL line. While it may provide "free access" it will not offer total coverage or anything close to adequate speed / connectivity).

When you tell owner who already have to pay for the required features of a resort that they are also required to pay for extras they may not even wish to have it does not sit well. I feel that charging a reasonable fee for internet to simply recover costs is not unreasonable - assuming all get charged. At $30 or less per week I say it's acceptable. At $20 or below I feel it's a good deal. At over $30 I think they are using it as an income supplement and are overcharging.

So as always one answer does not fit all situations. While a small resort might get away with a single modem/router and "free" service a larger resort won't and usually cannot just eat the costs involved. Since the option is really a reasonable fee or no service offered at all I prefer a low cost service. Of course if the owners are willing to pay for "free" thats great but I don't expect it.

 

[eal]

I am currently in Scottsdale at the Scottsdale Camelback Resort. (Actually I am at a nearby Starbucks with free wifi). The resort charges $4.95 a day PER DEVICE for wifi - highway robbery! They used to have free wifi in the lobby, but no more. The do have 3 laptops for guest use in the lobby, which is better than nothing I guess. The Motel 6 down the street has free wifi...

 

[pammex]

I agree that wifi should be free but I must tell you all that internet in Mexico is very expensive anyway. We do not have close to speeds you can obtain instates and we pay top dollar....I do not mean just at resorts even in my home...so thus when you go to a resort many times the prices are quite high...or outrageous..

 

[taffy19]

We are staying at the Buganvilias Club this week and Internet is free for members. I am not sure if it is free for exchangers too but I will ask and let you know.

Our reception is very good where we are but not everyone has good reception. It depends what unit you are in as I spoke with a couple around the corner from us and their reception isn't good. Our Internet speed is quite fast and even more so during the evening. I upload all my iPhoto images immediately to Smugmug and it goes very fast and doesn't skip any. Also movie clips. I see many people around the pool on the Internet too.

 

[55plus]

Free WIFI Pros and Cons...

There are pros and cons to paying for WIFI. The pro is, local hackers usually aren't intercepting your WIFi signal to steal your passwords, etc., unless they are in cahoots with someone at the resort or are a guest that paid for WIFI. The con is, it's not free...

I can sit anywhere within a resort with a WIFI signal and watch what others are doing online with my laptop if I wanted, but I don't. I'm sure some do, so always assume your data is being seen by others....