Comments on: Hotels and Price Gouging http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/ apparently much happier in person Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:32:35 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: dnorman http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129318 dnorman Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:38:10 +0000 http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129318 I'll hold off on the semi-public humiliation until my colleagues have finished their presentation. Although I'm sure their network lackeys don't read the blog, I don't want to rock the boat until they're in the clear :-) I’ll hold off on the semi-public humiliation until my colleagues have finished their presentation. Although I’m sure their network lackeys don’t read the blog, I don’t want to rock the boat until they’re in the clear :-)

]]> By: David Esrati http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129317 David Esrati Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:35:42 +0000 http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129317 Producers of the conference should be supplying the wifi. If they can't get it included with the deal- they should move it. I agree- the "not be evil" part- I'd name the hotel- and shame them. Let them learn their reputation has to be earned every day. Producers of the conference should be supplying the wifi. If they can’t get it included with the deal- they should move it.
I agree- the “not be evil” part-
I’d name the hotel- and shame them.
Let them learn their reputation has to be earned every day.

]]> By: dnorman http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129315 dnorman Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:25:09 +0000 http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129315 @David: the presenters and attendees don't control where the conference is. Sure, they could all boycott the conference for a year or two, and things might change. But that seems a bit heavyhanded. Better for hotels to just Not Be Evil™... @David: the presenters and attendees don’t control where the conference is. Sure, they could all boycott the conference for a year or two, and things might change. But that seems a bit heavyhanded. Better for hotels to just Not Be Evil™…

]]> By: David Esrati http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129313 David Esrati Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:20:52 +0000 http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129313 It's simple- shop hotels- and move. Tell them exactly why too. I find it funny that Marriott is still charging- while the Drury Inn has free wi-fi. It's a free market economy- and if the hotels want to gouge- they can loose the conference. Another option- in Dayton we just had "Clearwire" enter the market- it's a wireless modem operating on funky frequency. $40 a month gets you near DSL speed. Check into alternates. Another option- contact the local DSL providers- or ISP's- and see if they want to be named a "Sponsor" in exchange for donating access. It’s simple- shop hotels- and move. Tell them exactly why too. I find it funny that Marriott is still charging- while the Drury Inn has free wi-fi. It’s a free market economy- and if the hotels want to gouge- they can loose the conference.
Another option- in Dayton we just had “Clearwire” enter the market- it’s a wireless modem operating on funky frequency. $40 a month gets you near DSL speed. Check into alternates.
Another option- contact the local DSL providers- or ISP’s- and see if they want to be named a “Sponsor” in exchange for donating access.

]]> By: dnorman http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129300 dnorman Wed, 31 Oct 2007 03:07:36 +0000 http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129300 @Brian: right. because you just KNOW they're laying a fresh line each time, not just plugging a wire into a jack in the wall... ;-) @Karen: I think that's a great backup plan, but data plans are generally too expensive here in Canada to make that feasible. Yet... @Brian: right. because you just KNOW they’re laying a fresh line each time, not just plugging a wire into a jack in the wall… ;-)

@Karen: I think that’s a great backup plan, but data plans are generally too expensive here in Canada to make that feasible. Yet…

]]> By: Karen http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129281 Karen Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:23:42 +0000 http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129281 This is just why I use my cell phone more as a wireless modem than as a phone. It's gotten me through all kinds of demos and other weird network situations. With 3G, it's almost as good as a "real" connection! This is just why I use my cell phone more as a wireless modem than as a phone. It’s gotten me through all kinds of demos and other weird network situations. With 3G, it’s almost as good as a “real” connection!

]]> By: Brian http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129278 Brian Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:06:17 +0000 http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129278 I think you are underestimating the complexities of setting up a phone line. I think you are underestimating the complexities of setting up a phone line.

]]> By: techwall » Blog Archive » Hotels and Price Gouging http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129233 techwall » Blog Archive » Hotels and Price Gouging Tue, 30 Oct 2007 21:14:49 +0000 http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129233 [...] can read the full story here This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 30th, 2007 at 10:08 am and is filed under hotels. You [...] [...] can read the full story here This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 30th, 2007 at 10:08 am and is filed under hotels. You [...]

]]> By: PatrickQG http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129226 PatrickQG Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:55:56 +0000 http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129226 Oh yes, hotels love to charge through the nose for internet access. Thankfully the ones I've done conferences in have at least had the guest wifi available in conference areas, and sure it's still stupidly expensive at ~ €20/day, it's less than the prices quoted above. My rule? The more stars a hotel has the more they will nickel & dime you for _everything_. Oh yes, hotels love to charge through the nose for internet access.

Thankfully the ones I’ve done conferences in have at least had the guest wifi available in conference areas, and sure it’s still stupidly expensive at ~ €20/day, it’s less than the prices quoted above.

My rule? The more stars a hotel has the more they will nickel & dime you for _everything_.

]]> By: Tim Wang http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129207 Tim Wang Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:48:08 +0000 http://www.darcynorman.net/2007/10/30/hotels-and-price-gouging/#comment-129207 Funny I experienced the exactly same thing 1 week go. Before went to Educause, I was invited to present at a symposium, located in a hotel downtown Vancouver. When I learned the organization had to pay $250 for my wireless internet connection, I was outraged. Then I realized it's quite common among Hotels. They actually took the extra effort to block available wireless signals in the meeting areas. Quite amazing. One thing you can try is set your Firefox refresh date to 90 and cache size to 999MB and stay off line. It caches quite a lot of contents from the sites. Including dynamic pages from CMS like WebCT etc. But there is some trick in doing it... Good luck! Funny I experienced the exactly same thing 1 week go. Before went to Educause, I was invited to present at a symposium, located in a hotel downtown Vancouver. When I learned the organization had to pay $250 for my wireless internet connection, I was outraged. Then I realized it’s quite common among Hotels. They actually took the extra effort to block available wireless signals in the meeting areas. Quite amazing.

One thing you can try is set your Firefox refresh date to 90 and cache size to 999MB and stay off line. It caches quite a lot of contents from the sites. Including dynamic pages from CMS like WebCT etc. But there is some trick in doing it… Good luck!

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