In this hyper-connected world, where everyone seems to be surgically attached to their laptops, smartphones or other wireless devices, it only makes sense that more people expect Wi-Fi connectivity wherever they go, including at meetings and conventions. To meet this growing need, more hotels and meeting and convention venues are wired and ready to offer various levels of bandwidth to customers. But in this day and age when anyone can walk into a coffee shop and access the Internet for free, many facilities realize it’s no longer enough to offer state-of-the-art wireless technology — attendees want it to be free as well.
For some meeting planners, wireless connectivity, including complimentary access, is an important consideration when choosing a hotel and meeting venue. As attendees become more technologically sophisticated, Wi-Fi availability has become increasingly important. And for a budget-conscious group, complimentary access is a big bonus.
The Sheraton Dallas Hotel has had to play such a balancing act. As one of Dallas’s largest convention hotels, it boasts cutting-edge wireless amenities that have the capability to serve up to 50,000 wireless users simultaneously. Understanding that more guests are expecting free Wi-Fi accessibility, Sheraton recently came up with a companywide solution. Enter Link@Sheraton, a special lobby lounge and business area featuring complimentary wireless, PC workstations, webcams and printers. Guests can log on, surf the Internet, Skype and check e-mail, free of charge, according to Ray Hammer, general manager of the Dallas Sheraton, whose hotel boasts a 6,000-sq.-ft. Internet lounge.
“We chose to have Link@Sheraton available throughout our hotels because we do acknowledge there is a need for [free Wi-Fi],” Hammer says. “We try to provide that service while at the same time be able to provide for our more sophisticated client as well.”
Those technologically sophisticated clients will find a host of technological upgrades at the hotel, which were part of the property’s $90 million renovation project, completed last year. Besides 100,000 square feet of wireless coverage that includes the property’s 1,840 guest rooms and 230,000 square feet of meeting space, 75 pay phone booths were converted into high-speed Internet stations that guests can plug into, Hammer says. Although the hotel is willing to negotiate prices and services with groups, Hammer says when it comes to basic versus high-quality wireless, you get what you pay for.
“There’s a whole difference between the infrastructure we have and what some of these hotels are offering as free Internet access,” Hammer said. “They may not have the bandwidth, the infrastructure or the technology. By saying I have free high-speed Internet, it’s a pretty broad statement.”
Written by: Lisa Plummer
