Fast internet: The fast internet connection at the Mandarion Oriental Hotel Jakarta. (Photo courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Jakarta)

In this day and age when most people take their laptops, tablet computers and smartphones wherever they go, wireless internet access or Wi-Fi is becoming an increasingly important amenity in five-star hotels, particularly if the guest is on a business trip.

"If I go for a holiday, the availability of Wi-Fi is a secondary concern and it doesn't affect my choice of where to stay," said restaurateur Budianto Koko Wijaya. "If I travel for business purposes, however, I would definitely look for hotels with Wi-Fi. I guess it depends on the location and type of hotel '€“ whether it's located in a popular tourist area or an area that is good for business, and whether it is more a business or leisure-type hotel," he added.

Moovina Restaurant'€™s culinary director, William Di Nardo, feels the same way.

"If I go for a business trip to Singapore or somewhere else in the world where I know I will have to work and use an Internet connection, I definitely pay attention to whether or not the hotel has Wi-Fi," said Di Nardo. "On the other hand, if I want to have a relaxed vacation away from Jakarta's hustle and bustle - for example, on East Bali'€™s Amed coast - I choose lodgings with a minimalistic style and basic [facilities]. A bungalow with no television, no Wi-Fi and no telephone connection. Just the minimum [facilities] to relax and get out of my normal day-to-day life. A book as a friend for a few days is more than enough."

Many luxury hotels in the capital city have embraced these demands by providing free Internet access to cater to the particular needs of their guests.

Hotel Mulia Senayan, for example, provides a complimentary hot spot area in their restaurants (the Cafe, Orient8, Table8, Edogin, Il Mare) and the Cascade Lounge.

The Sultan Hotel Jakarta offers similar facilities in their Lagoon Lounge, Executive Lounge, Lagoon Cafe and all their meeting rooms.

But only a few five-star hotels in the capital, such as Alila Jakarta and the Shangri-La Hotel, take it one step further by providing complimentary Wi-Fi services throughout the hotel - guest rooms included.

The Shangri-La Hotel recently started offering free Wi-Fi in their limousines as well, thus allowing guests to access the Internet with their mobile devices from the hotels' chauffeured cars. At the end of 2013, free Internet access is already available in the limousines of 82 of the group's hotels worldwide.

"We also provide iPads in the limos, which guests can use freely," Adwina Ami Windari, Shangri-La Hotel Jakarta'€™s communications executive, said.

The fact that some luxury hotels provide complimentary Internet access throughout their establishments and some choose not to is bound to raise questions.

"Most hotels have free Wi-Fi in the coffee lounge or lobby but not in the rooms," Di Nardo said. "If you look at places like Starbucks or any other establishments around, F&B [food and beverage] places I mean, where people hang out, dine, drink and relax, Wi-Fi is always present because it makes a difference and it is considered a basic need in today's lifestyle. So, I go back and think: why don't hotels understand this, yet? Or is it that they don't want to understand it?'€

Perhaps it is more a question of quality over quantity.

Hotel Mulia Senayan Jakarta, for instance, offers Internet-connection-inclusive rates and non-inclusive rates and also additional Internet daily vouchers for those who suddenly find themselves in need of Internet access. The hotel highlights the fact that the Internet connection provided is high-speed with total bandwidth of up to 60 Mbps.

"We also offer an Internet support service via our 24-hour in-house IT division, which we call the "IT Room Service", to troubleshoot connection emergencies at any time of the day," said Adeza Hamzah, the hotel'€™s assistant director of communications.

Guests at the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta can enjoy a massive 100 Mbps bandwidth Internet connection for up to four devices at one time via a Wi-Fi or wired connection, which is available in all rooms, suites and public areas for US$15 per day with the fee added to their bill at checkout.

"Other guests, for example those eating in our restaurants, can buy Internet vouchers," Endamia Karina, the former hotel'€™s communications director, said. She added that the hotel has invested a lot of money on Internet connections and technology and offers unlimited Internet speeds for each of its guests in order to provide the best service.

"At the end of the day, if a guest wants the comfort of in-room Wi-Fi, they usually don't mind paying for it," said Di Nardo.

And if they do mind paying for it, they can always use mobile networks instead.

"For businesspeople, mobile networks are still the main network to access the Internet. It would be crazy if they had to arrive at a hotel first before being able to reply to an email," GolfLink Resorts' public relations manager, Agus Hermawan, said.

Or they can do what Di Nardo usually does.

"I go to the lobby or a coffee lounge, have a drink and use the free Wi-Fi. Sometimes, I even leave the hotel and go to the nearest Starbucks."

This article is written exclusively for online version by The Jakarta Post Digital team.

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