Free wifi outside the confines of a hotel room is becoming increasingly common in many cosmopolitan cities. To cater to the growing connectivity demands of the business community, cafés, airports, public transport and even shopping malls are now offering the service. The following are five hotels that take it one step further, providing wifi internet access on various forms of airport transfers, so you can stay connected as you are making flight and hotel connections.
InterContinental Bangkok
This InterContinental property, located directly opposite the Erawan shrine, has recently emerged from extensive refurbishment that upgraded all its facilities – everything from its lobby to technological details. As a result, the hotel’s fleet of 16 cars is now equipped with wifi internet access. The hotel operates nine BMW 7 Series, four Toyota Hybrids, two Volkswagen vans and one Toyota Commuter.
Price: The hotel charges a flat rate for one way and round trip transfers in the BMW cars of THB2,700 (US$88).
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi 
This luxury property has introduced not just wifi into its limousine fleet but also iPads, which were previously only available to guests in the executive lounge. In typical glamorous Jumeirah style, the hotel offers airport transfers in four stylish Audi A8 2012 cars (for a review of this property, click here).
Price: Transfers from Abu Dhabi airport cost Dhs319 (US$87, including taxes) one way and Dhs638 (US$174) for return trips. Transfers from Dubai airport cost Dhs600 (US$163) one way and Dhs1,200 (US$326) for a return.
Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong
In October last year, the Shangri-La in Kowloon rolled out an entirely new fleet of cars, including seven Mercedes-Benz S350L Series sedans and two five-seater Viano vans. All nine vehicles are equipped with free wifi and iPads for guests to use. Another bonus with these airport transfers is that the Mercedes-Benz cars feature in-seat massage functions so that guests can unwind after a tiring flight.
Price: Transfers in both the sedan and the van cost the same: HK$800 (US$103) one way and HK$1,600 (US$206) for a roundtrip.
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
As previously reported (see story here), the large integrated resort has recently launched wifi internet access on the free airport shuttle buses that run around the clock. The service is complemented by a streamlined check-in procedure that provides guests with their key cards en route to the hotel, allowing them to skip the queue in the lobby. The hotel’s fleet of cars, however, is not equipped with wifi yet, but there are plans to introduce the service in the near future.
Price: The airport shuttles are free
The Peninsula, Shanghai
The Peninsula is renowned for its luxurious car collection, particularly Rolls-Royce models. Now, that luxury is combined with practicality as all of the hotel’s nine cars – two Rolls-Royce Phantoms, six BMW 7 series and a vintage 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom – offer passengers free wifi as well as a laptop.
Price: Rates for transfers in the hotel’s Rolls-Royce cars from Hongqiao Airport cost RMB1,500 (US$237) one way and RMB2,800 (US$443) for a round trip; from Pudong Airport the price is RMB 2,000 (US$316) one way and RMB 3,800 (US$600) for a round trip.
Alisha Haridasani
