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 guests £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 Premier Inn offers wi-fi upgrade for just £5 . And many coffee shops, shopping centres and pubs offer good free wi-fi .