Half Way Motel

what should I expect from "free wireless Internet service"?

I made reservations at a motel recently which advertised the above feature in its room. I instantly and instinctively assumed there would be a laptop/ keyboard waiting inside for me to use. Nothing of the sort. Although the clerk referred me to a close, off site internet cafe, I felt mislead and cheated. My boyfriend told me the room was merely "router compatible", that the motel grounds might have an "antenna" for a connection to a laptop that the customer brings with him; in short, he told me I misunderstood the language and that the motel really did deliver. I vigorously disagree and gave appropriate feedback to managment. As a comparison, if an airline says "service to city x", we assume they will provide the vehicle (airplane) to transport us there, right? Is this analogy faulty? Beyond this let-down, my stay was very adequate and enjoyable.

Public Comments

1. Wireless internet service is generally understood to mean that they have a router you can use YOUR computer with.
2. Your boyfriend is correct. "Wireless Internet service" is just that -- a "service" through which you can connect your laptop computer to the Internet. If they provide other means of accessing the Internet, they will tell you that specifically, which might be a computer in their business center or at a kiosk in the lobby. But interpreting "wireless Internet service" to mean that they provide you with a computer is going a bit too far.