I went and asked at the registration desk. And here is what Hilton Hotels thought "complimentary high-speed Internet access" meant: if you are a guest, and you register for Internet access in your room, and agree to have the $9.99 charged thereto, then after that you can also use your laptop in the lobby for no extra charge. So if you pay $9.99 for the relevant 24 hours it's free.
Pullum was pretty surprised at this rather creative interpretation of the word "complimentary," so he explained to the manager why it was idiotic by using an analogy:
Suppose (I invited the assistant manager to imagine) they said there were complimentary apples on the lobby level, and when you went to get some they explained that they actually meant that if you went up to your room and paid for an order of room-service apples to be brought up and signed for, you could then bring one down and eat it in the lobby area. Would you not be mildly surprised?
In the end, the manager had Pullum log onto his hotel account and pay for the $10 Wi-Fi charge, and then she reversed the fee. As far as Pullum is concerned, this solved the problem—"I don't tell this story to criticize Hilton Hotels," he writes—but of course it doesn't solve it for anyone else who reads the description on the official hotel website and shows up expecting free Internet access in the lobby.
"Complimentary Internet in the lobby" [Language Log] (Thanks to Lisa!)
]]>Access to Hilton's outtakes perhaps?
]]>I should drive by and get my free vacuum... although if they have any brains they will stockpile some super cheap vacuum's to give out to customers like me.
]]>To add to the fun, you were at least allowed to print boarding passes for free, but only if they were airlines that had an agreement with the hotel. Guess who was flying on an airline that didn't have the agreement?
]]>@Cant_stop_the_rock: Yeah, I just had a braindead moment :).
]]>Based on the article, it seems NOTHING was available for free (ie complimentary) in the lobby.
]]>It has worked for him every time. Of course, most of us normal people don't ever stay at a hotel for that long.
]]>Had the manager refused to budge even after the analogy offered by the OP, the OP should offer the manager a "complimentary Lexus LS 460 on him," then charge him $125,000.
]]>Complimentarly wifi in the lobby is for downloading the latest Paris Hilton sex video ONLY.
]]>If you must use insecure protocols use a VPN connecection
]]>I think there are internet kisoks in the lobby of many hitons that are free , I think that may be what they are referring to. They should clairify - the charge is for the wireless access
]]>Rebooted into XP, launched Firefox and was online with no password or anything.
It's a Java security thing my FF has turned off.
]]>Free Internet in the lobby doesn't cut into their pay-per-view porn ;)
]]>That would still be "complimentary." If it were "complementary" they'd have said "your laptop goes well with (complements) our wifi. Please give us $10 to use it."
]]>To me, the Hilton's terms mean that I have to pay to get my laptop on the wireless, period, but they have a crappy little 'office' in the lobby with a public terminal for people that didn't bring a computer, or don't want to pay the fee. Or possibly LAN jacks in the lobby for people to plug into. I've seen it both ways.
I think it's much more plausible that the desk clerk thought the OP was asking how to use her laptop in the lobby, and not asking where the complimentary lobby access was.
]]>The free network in the lobby and the un-free network up by the rooms were both named hhonors, so maybe his laptop was connecting to the base station on the 2nd floor? Perhaps a re-scan was in order?
It worked fine for me. It was nice and fast, even with over 2000 student convention attendees hammering the hotel's network.
]]>Those who are not on an expense account get screwed. My solution was to figure out ahead of time where places that had free wifi were nearby.
]]>What's next? Free speaker, window access and drive through lane access to place an order? A few years from now there will be fees for all those....
]]>Hopefully the jerk who placed the ad without the asterisk on that line as it should have been will learn the lesson.
]]>Local Wash DC reporters might find it fun too...and that's before the EECB and creative protest signs outside...
All depends on how far the OP wants to take it. I love the apples analogy.
]]>As a Hilton Honors Diamond VIP (and very frequent traveler) I think I can explain the issue here - or at least what I have experienced, since one of the "Diamond VIP" benefits I can choose is free internet access (in my room, but it mirrors the lobby issue).
It's pretty pathetic, really, but the problem is that the hotel's hardware / software set-up cannot differentiate between registered guests eligible for the perk (or lobby dwellers) and those paying in their rooms for 24 hours worth of internet service. Many Hiltons simply do not have a mechanism to input a password that would tell them that you fit in to one of these two categories.
Some do have a mechanism for this, and if their staff is well educated they will give you a password if you ask.
But some don't have any mechanism to even do that, so you have to let them charge you, and then reverse the charge. Just check your bill to make sure they do it! I, myself, got tired of the hassle, and I just bring a broadband card with me when I travel now (and choose a different "VIP Benefit."
I suspect most people don't complain, so Hilton does nothing to address this problem that has been going on for years now.
]]>@nybiker: From my experience, Hilton sets the bar for paying the most and getting the least. I'm surprised they didn't have one of those taxi meters mounted by the toilet paper dispensers so they could charge you by the foot.
]]>I'd call them crooks but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and call them dumb instead.
]]>This is why you don't stay in a hilton hotel. They nickel and dime you for everything. Cheaper hotels are nicer anyways and have free parking/internet.
]]>@dwasifar: I don't know about contract issues, but I agree with you that the answer is most people at the expensive joints are probably expensing it or if not, it's not a budget buster anyway.
]]>I think this is probably about one-third true and two-thirds self-serving. The larger reason is likely that people who stay at expensive hotels won't be driven to Motel 6 by a ten dollar daily fee. Probably a lot of those fees wind up on expense reports anyway.
]]>Obviously the hotel meant to say "complementary," not "complimentary." As in, "Something that completes, makes up a whole, or brings to perfection" (def. courtesy Answers.com)
Of course, that's a stupid feature to advertise. Why not also advertise there is a "complementary seating area in the lobby" as well?
]]>With today's advertising, the word "free" is on the cusp of dividing into two dictionary definitions. (1) at reasonably low cost; (2) [Obsolete] free of charge; having no cost.
]]>@cluberti: And apparently I can't spell *complimentary* properly either.
]]>Hotels that charge will lose out. I specifically search for hotels that offer free internet. It doesn't cost them that much and makes my hotel experience that much better. I'm not gonna pay $10 for a day when I pay about $35 a month for 10Mbps service at home for an entire month.
]]>I can understand the charge - it appears you're paying for 'net access, in the hotel room and the lobby, for $9.99 a day. However, calling it "complementary" without denoting that it's complementary *only if you pay for 'net access in your room bill* is false advertising at best.
]]>I've stayed at hotels in Europe where in-room Internet access can set the guest back between $30 - $40 per DAY.
]]>I hear all Courtyard hotels have free Wi-Fi
]]>From [dictionary.reference.com]
noun 3. something given or supplied without charge, as lodging, transportation, or meals, esp. as an inducement to prospective customers.
What part of that does Hilton not understand?
My suspicion is that they don't want neighborhood people hanging out in the lobby and using free wi-fi. But they have to make it clear in the ad.
]]>