HotelChatter || Kimpton Ditches Free WiFi in NYC

As we reported a week or so ago, Kimpton Hotels quietly stopped offering free wireless internet access in their 70 Park Avenue location a few months ago.

When we did some further research we discovered that their other New York City property, The Muse Hotel, (a recently acquired hotel) also does not offer free WiFi. Instead, both hotels are charging $10.95 a day. Yuck.

This saddens us because Kimpton Hotels is a prominent fixture of our Best WiFi Hotels both for 2005 and 2006. We also found ourselves looking for a Kimpton to stay in and meet in whenever we were travelling in the US, mostly because of a Kimpton stay guaranteed free, reliable WiFi--they had us at "Free WiFi".

Even though a Kimpton spokesperson assured us that these were the only two hotels out of all their nationwide locations that were charging for WiFi, we have a sneaking feeling this is the start of something ominous. It is really hard to believe that Kimpton Hotels would just throw away all the good karma they have built up over the last couple of years by charging for WiFi. Let's hope they reconsider the changes in their New York properties.

We're still awaiting an official statement from someone at Kimpton as to why they are charging for internet access in NYC--they know where to find us. In the meantime, you can find us in a W or Westin hotel lobby.

Related Stories:
· Breaking News: Kimpton Hotel Not Offering Free WiFi [HotelChatter]
· Worst WiFi Hotels 2006 [HotelChatter]
· Best WiFi Hotels [HotelChatter]
· 70 Park Avenue [TripAdvisor]
· The Muse Hotel reviews [TripAdvisor]