Yeah I used the wifi on my Westjet flight too. It was super convenient to have. I think it's a fair trade if planes have no entertainment system but offer free wifi. I hope it's the standard going forward.

I guess people like me with a dumbphone have to miss out. :badpokerface:

stop using that Nokia already :lol

Or you can read the safety pamplet x100 for entertainment ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Snake for life!

:inoutugh:

If they aren't going to have screens they need to start having some kind of clamp mount for your phone/tablet. Holding it or staring down at the tray for hours sucks. I went back to reading paperback books on flights and not using the wifi, it was kinda nice.

Funniest shit. When I flew to New York last year the plane had Direct TV. It only worked in US airspace because direct TV is not available in Canada. The plane had the signal but they had to cut it.

Starlink is the real deal. Our neighbour at my parents cabin, a true British gent and madam in their 80s, have lived there since 1985. It is in the middle of nowhere with barely a bar of 3G signal for call and they have tried every internet option available to them to stay connected with the family other than their landline.

Like... instead of duke who try to stick old school for whatever reason, they stick old school because there's no other feasible option.

He said he never knew what was the big fuzz about the whole HD, 1080P or 4k thing... until he got Starlink.

You just wait, that wifi will be an add on only, for all flights in a year or two

The same way seat selection useto be free and now its a moneygrab to increase profits

I recall going to a hotel in seattle a few years ago, dont recall what one, but they offered 1hr free wifi, and then 15$USD for wifi.
Gave that hotel a solid 1 star review. And it was a large chain too. 15$ for wifi? What the fuck? I guess someones stock profits are a direct correlation to that

Oh you want a seat mount for your phone? Yeah that will be 8.99$ for this flight

Wow, talk about a cash-grab!

A few questions:
1. Any chance you could dig up which hotel chain this is? (No rush. Just for my own future reference.)
2. Do you (did you?) have a loyalty membership with this hotel chain? I ask because WiFi is often free if you are a member of their loyalty program.

I'm genuinely curious because I've slowly shifted away from Marriott hotels because their prices are becoming outrageous where I'd get better value out of a Four Seasons or Mandarin Oriental some times. And yes, if you don't have a loyalty membership account with certain hotel chains, they rape you on WiFi. I've been staying at IHG Hotels this past year and some Hilton and WiFi has been free as long as you have an loyalty account with the chain.

Thanks in advance.

:badpokerface: :badpokerface: I stick to old school because I don't want to get cancer, COVID, dementia, measles. and ideas to move to Calgary from 4G and 5G towers. :badpokerface: :badpokerface:

IHG hotels are pretty decent but I found their reward points a pain to use because they limit how many rooms can be booked with points at a given time. So if that hotel doesn't have any for the dates you want you have to pay cash for it.

Lost access to my old expedia account, dont know the name

It probably was a "loyalty" hotel, your right. And no i did not.

The fact that you need a "loyalty" account to use basic shit is a fucking joke.

Image going to a restaurant, wanting a burger (a hotel room), and they ask you, "whats your loyalty number?" to which you say you dont have one. "oh ok, the lettus and sauce is not included, that will be an extra 2$ please"

Next up its going to be extra for bedding, washroom access, and blinds closed until you pay 10$ to activate your "view" of the parking lot.


--------------------

I have enough cards, accounts, website logins. The last thing i want is another "loyalty" account, or "membership" that is going to spam my email, send me texts for shit i dont want / shit i only use 2 times a year.

IHG? Sure they have some nice intercontinental and six senses property but you'll be living in a lot of holiday inns.

Marriott is still best in canada cause they have a co-branded amex here. Plus they have a lot of aspirational hotels all over the world to redeem points. Once you hit platinum status they treat you pretty good.

Hilton is kinda like marriott but they diluted the shit out of their rewards program.

Hyatt is the best but too hard to rack up stays cause they don't have a lot of hotels.

100% agreed. Majority of our stays have been Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express. I don't love it, but the price point works. We were supposed to do a two night stay in a Kimpton but had to reschedule our trip due to my school schedule. A majority of our road trips over the past two years have been through the mid-west of America so it works for us.

Also 100% agree. I love Marriot hotels and their sub-brands, but man, they are getting VERY expensive. I don't stay in a lot of Marriot-branded hotels in Canada except when on business, but the glory days of corporate travel in my current role are over (cost cutting / back to office mandates etc.) I really miss Starwood before Marriot took over. My top personal preference is still, by far, Marriott. I have lifetime Platinum and yes, I do enjoy their perks. :D

Hilton for me is just run-of-the-mill. I feel they aren't as great compared to Marriot, but since starting school, price is king. :okay:

My thoughts are the same as your on Hilton where I feel it's kind of like Marriott but with a diluted rewards program.

Hyatt - My cousin is a die-hard Hyatt fan and they travel only where a Hyatt exists. No Hyatt? The reluctance to travel is diminished significantly. I've personally never cared too much for Hyatt.

I love Hyatts - all my stays at Hyatt-related hotels have been terrific. However as pointed out their reach is far smaller than the other three.

Marriott wins for me because the Amex is easy to obtain and pays for itself with the free night every year. Plenty of locations also helps.

IHG is my second choice. HI/HIX typically very safe choice, and Intercontinentals can be quite nice depending.

For some reason never really got into booking at Hiltons, not sure why.

I always go with Marriott or IHG. im gold with both through the credit card perk... so i always get upgraded no matter what room i get. its pretty great! IHG is very easy to collect free nights, it think this year ive gotten like 7 free nights already just from the hotels we used in australia.

Everyone flexing their hotel status.

Don't mind me, a lowly Bonvoy silver over here, which I'll lose this year along with my Westjet status.

My travel budgets are down to zero and will be for the foreseeable future.

No need to flex, just get that amex card, or TD, or CIBC aeroplan whatever elite card for 599 a year. there's a lot of perks!!!!! you also get enterprise presidental status or avis presidental status too. so free upgrade when you rent a econo crap.

When you have enough points to redeem for the park hyatt kyoto :fuckyea:

I find hyatt place and hampton inns the best for their lower end brands, compared to the marriott/IHG equivalent. Hilton has good aspirational hotels, I really enjoyed the conrad hotels.

Maybe I'm not rich enough to appreciate higher end hotels like four seasons, aman, mandarin oriental cause I cant tell the difference between these from the fancy chain hotels aside from fancy shampoos.

If I ever find myself able to travel more again, then yeah those cards can be worth it, no doubt. But right now that annual fee is prohibitive.

^if you have an account with TD or CIBC, they take like 150 or 180 off that amount. As I said, the companion pass alone is already 2-3k in value, and you get one per year.

Its not expensive at all, its the best value in credit cards EVER!!!!!!!!!! trust me, im the ultimate cheap ass chinaman

CIBC about to gimp the rebate amount for premium CCs, sucks.

Amex Plat still king for me, not beholden to Air Canada.

Check out this place in Redmond I found on Expedia.
https://expe.app.link/nkNXXIBpMWb

GFs memory isnt as trash as mine, heres the place, and yup, sure enough it says 15$/night for wifi

There was also no god dam parking at this place, valet only with another 50$ charge or some shit.
Free parking 10 min walk or something.

i have yet been a place where they don't offer upgrades. Each time "oh, since you're so nice, i'll upgrade you even though you rented a piece of shit lowest economy car with zero power winders or even GPS" but here you go... camry it is... cause they have 20 of them sitting on the lot.

Big fan of Hyatt Place/House and pleasantly surprised by the new Fairfield Inns (Revelstoke for example). While I do appreciate the fancy hotels I just like the convenience and low key nature of the 3 stars that come with a solid free breakfast. My past work travels usually stuck me in nice places but I just need a bed, I don't really care for the fancy shit (though I love good toilet paper).