Throughout 2008 I have actually done a fair bit of traveling and have found consistantly at any place i’ve stayed that I was able to dig out my laptop and log on without any issue. At PEI’s Rodd Mill River Resort, I sat down my wifi kicked in and I was going. In Halifax I was given a code to enter but as long as I was a guest I got free wifi internet. Same for both Trips to Toronto and even in Calais Maine(population 5000) in the summer I stayed at the International Motel, I thought I wouldn’t but at check in they said and you have complimentry wifi internet let us know if there is anything else you need.

So at Christmas my family headed down to meeting up with my sisters and their families for a nice visit and would be staying for a week at The Boston Marriott Long Wharf boasting their ratings on their website as follows;

• Marriott Rewards category: 7
• AAA Diamonds: 3
• Mobil Travel Guide Stars: 3

I thought for sure no problem i’m going to have internet access, I mean Boston even has Boston wifi and we are right down town so I made sure to take my laptop along with me, to keep in contact with clients etc. To my astonishment I found out no Internet was not complimentry it was 12.99 for 24 hours of internet access, so I said well i’ll have to use Boston Wifi and was informed by hotel staff not to bother trying as the hotel blocked the wifi within the hotel. They weren’t kidding could not connect at all but walking about block away and taking out my ipod touch and i could connect to Boston Wifi no problem.

If that wasn’t the biggest surprise, my wife and I took our kids out for breakfast just a block away at a small diner that had a giant sign saying free wifi access. It really through me off so I logged on and setup an auto responder letting everyone who contacted me know that I was away and would have limited access to email for the week I would be in Boston.

For a hotel that is in the heart of Boston less than a block from the famous Quincy Market I really expected complimentary internet but I guess even still you need to check hotels websites to see if you will have to pay for your internet access.