InterContinental declares 'free Internet' for all Priority Club members
By David Flynn, March 26 2013
The InterContinental Hotels Group has pledged to offer free Internet access to all members of its Priority Club Rewards scheme, regardless of their status.
The deal will cover all properties under the IHG umbrella, including flagship InterContinental properties to the hip Hotel Indigo brand, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Candlewood Suites.
Free Internet will kick off from July 2013 for Elite members "and extend to all members in 2014" IHG promises.
IHG's decision to set the Net free comes as the group reveals the results of a global online survey which show nearly half of adults (43%) would choose not to stay in a hotel that charged for Internet.
23% of respondents said free Internet in rooms and throughout the hotel is the most important amenity when staying in a hotel for business, well ahead of the 7% who chose room service.
Travellers from the UK (18%) and the US (14%) both listed paying for internet as the second most annoying thing when staying at a hotel, after noisy guests (22% and 24% respectively).
July 2013 will also see the group's loyalty program change its name from Priority Club Rewards to IHG Rewards Club.
IHG says the revamped scheme will also offer "the ability to earn Elite status faster by staying in three or more of IHG’s hotel brands" with reward nights now counting toward earning Elite status and "Platinum Elite members’ 'extra' nights will roll over toward maintaining their status in their next membership year."
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
QFF
06 Nov 2012
Total posts 46
The news should be that in the 21st century there are still hotels which don't offer free Internet to all guests. When low to midrange chains like Citadines and Holiday Inn have been providing free Internet for years (to say nothing of all the little motels all over the world) it's a bit rich that so-called premium chains only offer it to premium guests.
18 Oct 2011
Total posts 11
David: I guess with IHG's move, we can soon see that more and more hotel brands joining suit with the free internet. Reviewing what IHG has indicated in its Press Release yesterday, I probably can sense that since the devaluving of HHonors Points, more and more people can certainly look forward to what IHG has in stall for them when it introduces IHG Rewards Club in July and all its other perks of the newly-conerted loyalty programme.
QFF
20 May 2011
Total posts 1
At this point in time, some Intercontinental Hotels, e.g. Kuala Lumpur provide a slower bandwidth for free and a faster bandwidth if you pay.
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