Hilton will offer free standard wifi to all its HHonors loyalty club members from August.
The offer was announced at the Hotel Investment Conference in Berlin this week.
The change means that standard wifi will be available to Blue and Silver members “when they book their stays directly through a proprietary Hilton channel or one of our corporate travel partners”.
Gold members already had this benefit, and will continue to enjoy it.
Diamond members will receive complimentary premium wifi, where available, beginning from April — although, again, only if they book directly through a proprietary Hilton channel or via one of our corporate travel partners.
Hilton is not the first hotel chain to insist that members book directly rather than through a third party (such as online travel agents). Marriott and Starwood also have this requirement, for instance. In the case of Hilton, however, the wifi offering also includes bookings outside of Hilton-owned channels if made through a corporate travel partner (Global Distribution System bookings are also eligible).
Hilton said booking direct “enables us to provide you with a more personalised stay experience”.
Currently, HHonors members can earn either double points or double miles when staying at participating properties (see news, February 27).
