Paying for hotel Wi-Fi is irksome; paying for crappy hotel Wi-Fi is worse

Nobody likes paying for Wi-Fi. Nobody. We could ease you into this post by reminding you of the importance of the Internet in our everyday lives -- but we're going to assume that you use the Internet often, and we're all in agreement here: paying for Internet in your hotel room in 2009 is not awesome.


You know what's even worse than paying for Wi-Fi? Paying for slow, unreliable Wi-Fi -- and not finding out that the Wi-Fi you've just plunked down a hot chunk of change for is slow and unreliable until it's too late. To help you out a little bit, we've rounded up a few popular midtown NYC hotels where you're better off doing the ol' Blackberry squint-and-scroll than shelling out for the in-room connection.


The Bryant Park Hotel:


Wi-Fi comes in every room, and costs a reasonable $9.95/night. But in my room, the signal repeatedly cut in and out. Alternatively, there’s a hard-wired high-speed Internet connection available for the same price.


Marriott Marquis New York


… I got stuck paying $10 for spotty wireless service in the rooms, which didn't work anywhere else in the hotel. (Wi-Fi is free, but equally unreliable in the lobby.)


W Times Square


In-room Wi-Fi costs $16.95 a day, but it's free in the lobby. Unfortunately, the connection is slow.


Marriott New York East Side


Costing $15.95/day, the Wi-Fi isn't cheap, nor is it very fast: I clocked upload and download rates below 500 kbps.


The Milford Plaza, Times Square


Internet in standard rooms runs $10.95 per day, whereas it's free in the club rooms. So if you want Internet access in your room, it's probably worth the upgrade. Wi-Fi at the hotel can be spotty in general. It was out altogether when I visited.