Internet Access

Free Wifi

FRANKFURT, GERMANY On the flight to Vienna, I discussed the state of our economy with a gentleman who works for a medical intruments company in Tucson. He also found it ironic that the Germans with their spending cuts are having our lunch when it comes to stimulating economic growth. He also told me that he and his firm rely heavily on Skype to conference in and wherever possible select hotels that offer free wifi. Maybe if enough firms do the same, these larger hotel chains will get the picture and drop their wifi fees. In Cologne, Debra, Rachel, and I stayed at a Sheraton Hotel, which not only charged 15 Euro to access their internet but charged that for each computer. If the three of us had wished to use our computers to check emails, it would have cost us 45 Euro. It's odd that it's the expensive hotels that get away with these usury rates. The Sheraton also charged for breakfast and marked up their exchange rate 17% and not to be undone in unfriendliness they turned off the water for three hours just as Debra was soaping her hair. When I complained, the clerk said, "There are notices in the elevator." Contrast this to the Excelsior Hotel I stayed, next to the Hauptbahnhof in Frankfurt: half the price, breakfast and wifi included, and my room was quiet to boot.