When you are forking out hundreds of pounds for a night in a fancy hotel , you would expect decent wi-fi to be thrown in for free . But luxury hotels are charging as much as £19.50 for 24 hours of high-speed internet access – whereas many coffee shops , shopping centres and pubs give customers a good service for nothing . In contrast , budget hotel Travelodge offers customers a 30-minute grace period then asks for £3 for a day of internet – whereas rival Premier Inn offers customers free internet and an upgraded service for just £5 . Many luxury hotels are charging for a good wi-fi connection , which many coffee shops and pubs offer for free . The Dorchester in London charges guests £19.50 a day for premium wi-fi , but it 's free in one of their top suites . A Sunday Times survey of 50 hotels , including the most expensive and those with budget room rates , revealed a third have extra charges for wi-fi . Almost all hotels that charge for internet use allows guests free wi-fi in communal areas , but the service usually quite slow . The Dorchester in London 's Mayfair describes itself as the 'favourite choice of celebrities , world leaders , royalty and high society ' . But even they would have to pay £19.50 per day for premium wi-fi – although it 's a complimentary perk if staying in one of their elite suites , which cost up to £3,700 a night . The Langham in London , where suites cost up to £24,000-a-night , high-speed wi-fi will cost you an extra £15 . At the Langham in London , the suites cost up to an eye-watering £24,000 a night , high-speed wi-fi costs guests £15 . Guests at the Park Tower in Knightsbridge and the Hilton Manchester Deansgate also have to pay about £15 for wi-fi in rooms . The Sheraton Grand Hotel in Edinburgh 's basic wi-fi is free , but charges £12.95 for a premium service . The Savoy and Mandarin Oriental hotels in Hyde Park , London , offer customers free premium wi-fi for a day , but only if you sign up as a member . Otherwise , it 's £15 and the Mandarin Oriental and £9.95 at The Savoy . The Savoy and Mandarin Oriental ( pictured ) hotels in London offer customers free premium wi-fi if they sign up as members . A spokesman for The Dorchester hotel told MailOnline that guests are offered free access to a connection speed up to 512kb - but charge for those wishing to download larger files and stream video . She said : 'We provide free access to a connection speed of 512kb which enables our guests to stay connected through email , social media , using apps , and browsing the internet . 'To meet the requirements of guests who wish to download extremely large files or stream video content , we bring large capacity fibre internet into the property to offer an optional premium service with extremely fast upload and download speeds which is charged at £19.50 . 'This charge is included in our top suite rates . ' She added hotel guests also have access to a team of eButlers , who are available to assist with any IT requirements . In comparison , budget chain Premier Inn offers customers free internet and an upgraded service for just £5 . Jackie Grech , of the British Hospitality Association , told the Sunday Times the reason for the extra charges is because hotels realise that 'wi-fi is as important as hot water ' for guests . She explained premium wi-fi will continue to cost guests more because the investment costs for delivering the service is greater . The Dorchester , Premier Inn and the Langhan told the newspaper they provided a high-quality service and were committed to ensuring guest satisfaction . Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and Hilton Worldwide cited their loyalty programmes , which offer free connection to guests who sign up to become members . But The Savoy told the paper they were re-evaluating their stance on charging for internet . MailOnline has contacted the hotels for comment .
The Dorchester in London charges customers £ 19.50 per day for premium wi - fi . But it 's complimentary perk if you 're staying in their most expensive suites . In contrast , budget hotel giant hotels Inn premium wi - fi upgrade for just £ 5 . And many retail shops , shopping centres and pubs offer good free wi - fi .