If you are a WiFi user, don't book with the Marriott hotel chain until you have factored in the price of their WiFi.

Marriott, a 4-star hotel chain which can easily cost $200+ per night, also charges you for internet service: per device!

As this TripAdvisor review shows, if you have 3 devices (which is easily done if you have an iPhone, an iPad and a laptop), you can easily get dinged more than $30/day for in-room internet usage, based on Marriott's WiFi charges of $12.95 per device, per day. See $12.95 Internet per day per DEVICE!!!

In fact, Marriott's WiFi service has been in the news lately:

Marriott caught jamming guest's WiFi:

In October, 2014, Marriott had to pay $600,000 to the US government for jamming their guests' WiFi. It was reported by a consumer that the company was using jamming devices within at least one of their properties so that guests were not able to use their own WiFi hotspots. It was found that the employees were actually using a device to achieve this result. Marriott has said that it is not illegal, and offered a paid service allowing guests to access their system. Although Marriott insisted that nothing that was being done was illegal, Marriott did pay the government $600,000, and will stop the practice immediately.

Marriott finally announced free WiFi - BUT you must book directly with Marriott AND be a member of their Marriott Rewards program:

In November, 2014, Marriott announced that it will be offering free WiFi to its Marriott Rewards members. However, this may not be good news. The new plan has managed to upset the Institute of Travel and Meetings (ITM). The only way to take advantage of the free WiFi is by booking directly. ITM has asked Marriott to reconsider its program.

Why do 4-star hotels charge for WiFi (and other add-on expenses)?

This seems like a strange policy for a hotel that caters to in-house conferences and the business people that attend them. If I was a conference organizer, I would certainly avoid the Marriott chain.

I have been in many $50 1-star hotels that offer free WiFi. And, all the 2-star hotels that I have stayed in were priced under $100 AND they had free WiFi.

However, Marriott - a 4-star hotel that charges more than twice the amount of 2 star hotels -  acts as if giving you WiFi is like giving you their crown jewels.

Why is it that the more you pay for your hotel, the less you get, and the more “extra” charges you get, such as: no free breakfast; no in-room fridges and microwaves; over-the-top prices for the goods in their “mini-bars”; resort fees - and exorbitant prices for WiFi?  

Read more at: 

http://www.tnooz.com/article/marriott-wifi-block-fine

http://skift.com/2014/11/04/skift-business-traveler-marriott-announces-free-wifi/

http://www.tnooz.com/article/marriott-free-wifi-ITM/