Most of my stays with IHG are in the southern U.S. at the HIX chain. Internet access is free.

Most properties have a choice of wireless or wired access. The quality depends on how many other guest are using it at the same time.

This week download speeds varied between 55 mbs and 5 mbs. When it slows down I use my Verizon card.

Free access is fine but when it slows to a crawl using business app's can be impossible.

My Verizon card cost $70 a month so $10 a night for paid hotel access seems a bit high.

Nothing, i generally have little need for Internet on holiday but always get to use the concierges if my wife smiles nicely at him;if I do need it.

Now why would you think I may?

Do you not ask for your plane seats to be confirmed , and are then delighted when they print your boarding passes for you. I think it is called service.

Laughing, it is more like he USES his wife for her pretty smile. 

IIRC £25

at Crowne Plaza once. IHG have dropped their prices but it is still obsene. I use a mobile dongle.

Incidently CP Zurich does not charge...

In my home town the city council is promising city wide free WI FI. I would suggest then that if a city can do it for free why not other institutions? Am I missing something?

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/zdnetuk/news/communications/0,1000000085,39884653,00.htm

The city of Swindon will be offering basic, get you on free Wifi.

No particular speeds for access have been given nor how much you can up and download yet, but I imagine they won't be must faster than double dial up speeds and downlaods will be limited to 2 Gigabytes. What they are hoping for is that people will sign up for faster access and more download capacity, thus making the service pay for itself.

We shall see in the coming months what will happen.