Free Wi-Fi top wish list

BANGKOK Free Wi-Fi remains top of the list of hotel services guests demand, worldwide, according to the latest global Hotels.com survey released Wednesday. Conducted across 28 countries the survey once more confirmed free Wi-Fi remains the number one amenity when choosing a hotel for both leisure and business stays. Free Wi-Fi is the tech amenity 60% of respondents wish would become standard at all hotels, this year, but the response was 6% lower than in 2013. With increased availability of free public Wi-Fi hotspots and enhanced mobile data plans, travellers appear to have lessened their reliance on hotel Wi-Fi. They are using their mobile’s personal hotspot connections and ignoring the often slower and less convenient service offered by hotels. inside no 5In contrast to the global result, the survey showed that Thai travellers were more interested in having a complimentary breakfast and ergonomic mattresses than free Wi-Fi. Twenty-nine percent of Thai respondents choose breakfast as the must-have when choosing their accommodation for leisure travel. At the same time, another 29% of Thai leisure travellers use ergonomic mattresses as the main factor in choosing their hotel. When asked the same question for business stays, 50% of Thai business travellers would like their hotel to have a good proximity to mass transits, restaurants and shops. inside no 5.1Out of the 28 countries the survey was conducted, Thailand was the only country that did not choose Wi-Fi as the primary factor in choosing accommodation for their business trips. Sticky-fingered guests When asked what they have taken (and never returned) from a hotel room, only 27% of Argentinian hotel guests said “nothing,” followed by Singaporean and Spanish guests at 29% and 30 respectively. By contrast, 69% of Colombians and 67% of Norwegians, Koreans, Hong Kong residents and Danes indicated they have never stolen from a hotel. Thailand ranked in the ninth spot at 59%. Globally, the most taken item is stationary at 20%, slippers are in second (12%) and key cards are third (10%), while the most popular amenities which Thai traveller bag home is the hotel slipper (36%). inside-no-5.2Here are some other highlights from Hotels.com’s global amenities survey: Love of Food & Beverage The most desired breakfast items for global travellers are: Fresh fruit and coffee/tea (tied at 16%), meats and eggs (tied at 12%) and bread/toast, and a nice juice selection (tied at 8%). The most desired breakfast items for Thais are: Meats and coffee/tea (tied at 50%), Congee/rice/noodles and eggs and bread/toast (tied at 27%). In-room, high-end coffee makers or espresso machines are travellers’ favourite modern in-room amenity (23%). Hotel Guests’ Second & Third Loves Global travellers also enjoy more than free Wi-Fi and breakfast: Free parking is the third consideration when leisure travellers book a hotel (10%). Wired hotel rooms with one remote control for multiple functions and smart device docking stations are the second and third most favourite modern in-room amenities at 22% and 15% respectively. Far behind free Wi-Fi, the most desired tech items hotel guests want as standard are gadget charging stations and HD TVs (both 8%) and wired rooms (7%). Falling Out of Love Twenty four percent of global travellers say minibars aren’t worth the hype and 17% say they go unused. Thai travellers think that on-site spa/fitness centre, smart devices/tablets for guest and turn-down service aren’t worth the hype (tied at 14%). sourced:traveldailynews.asia