WiFi/Internet/Cable --To Wi or not to Wi – How to Recoup Costs?

[John1574]

Yesterday a guest instant-booked at 1:30 pm for a 4 to 6 pm check in for a non-shared space, a discrete AirBnB 2-bedroom apartment.  Her parents coming for graduation.  No problemo!

They just check in:  within minutes she asks, ”Is there WiFi?”  Then, “Is there internet?”

As hosts should know, guests don’t read well:   there is no WiFI or internet promised in my listing under amenities.  If WiFi is a priority shouldn't a guest should make sure it is provided before booking.  Or do I expect too much.

Now, I have prominently featured it in my description that I provide no WiFi/internet.  When travelling, I always buy it from AT&T.  HTFH is that, as the great Tom Brady once asked a teammate.  (Yes, I'm in New England and am a fan.)

Mature, intelligent, careful people understand that if you require WiFi and internet you should book a place with those amenities.  A guest should ask before booking especially if you haven’t read the listing thoroughly.

This guest has three advanced degrees, is in her mid-twenties, so let’s cross out mature and intelligent, which leaves careful.

But my question for this post is the following: is it worth it to provide WiFi and internet for the apartment I’m using for AirBnB?

It’s a large 2 bedroom used only for AirBnB.

So far I can get Verizon internet for $39 per month.

Another provider has a bundle with TV for $90 per month.

I’m thinking this way:  if I raise my current base rate from $125 to $130, and average 20 guests per month, the $5 increase will cover the $90+.

It should average out over time financially and give guests a better experience.

Have I adequately answered my own question?

How do other hosts handle WiFi/internet in a non-shared space, a unit that only guests use?

Are there other, better options? Inquiring minds want to know. Lol

[Jess78]

Hi again John,

I completely understand where you're coming from. Guests have the responsibility to make sure the place they're booking meets their needs. I'm sure they'll probably dock stars now? Will be interesting to see. In my own (humble) opinion, unless it's some place very rustic out in the wilderness, I think people just see WiFi as another unility these days. Right or not, I don't think it's even considered an amenity any more, just something they assume will be there for them. That's how I kind of see it, but I would read the description about the place before I book it too 😉

Between an increase in bookings and the potential increase in ratings that you might get, I would say that it's probably an expense that pays for itself. You should definitely build it into your rate! I think of cable television as more of an amenity, but WiFi access more of a utility. That's probably a generational or cultural thing I'm guessing.

Get the Wifi, up your rate to pay for it.

[Ute42]

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Hi @Jess78 ,

I totally agree with You. People nowadays see wifi as as common thing such as having a bed, a shower and electricity in a place they rent. When looking for a place to stay at airbnb You can of course check under amenities the wifi box, but many people don't do it as they cannont understand that there would be a rental in civilised countries that does not have that feature.

When I rent my place to families with kids 12/14 years old, they need wifi more than they need air to breathe. I have LTE – internet via areal and sometimes the signal goes down for one or two hours. 10 minutes after that happens, there are to kids banging on my door: Wen can't get into the internet. Their faces are red, they can hardly breathe, You think they would be dying any minute. Such kids swallow 10 GB data per day!

@John1574, You will have trouble not providing this. You will get bad ratings, it doesn't matter if You advertisement says we have no wifi, they just expect it.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@John1574

I guess it would depend on the circumstance but considering the world we live in, I would be quick to ASSUME that wifi or some sort of internet access is included for most listings in a residential or urban setting.

Expecially for international guests, it can get very pricey to secure internet/wifi when travelling so I agree with @Jess78 that if you provide wifi and increase your nightly rate it will pay for itself quite easily.

Personally, I do not have a TV but I do have unlimited (very) high-speed internet and a wifi router so guests can stream movies or whatever they want to watch. Many of my international guests also video chat with family back home and most have mentioned how fast downloads are, how good the connection is, and how much they appreciate having "really good" wifi access.

[Hilary79]

Yes, add wifi, increase your monthly rate a wee bit to cover the added expense.

[Rebecca160]

@John1574 absolutely get WiFi! Every guest has depended upon my fast internet connection to stay in touch with family, make travel adjustments, work and relax on their laptops. I do not have tv. Not one guest has complained about that, but they all rave about the speed of the internet. 

It could feel very very isolating to some to not have access to the internet. This is desirable when camping in the backwoods, but not when one is traveling.  

[Michael956]

I agree with all the others.  Wifi is essential.  

[Lisa723]

Going to take a contrarian view here...  think it depends on the space and guests. We didn't have wi-fi at our small cabin for our first year of operation, and it was fine. I put it in the amenity limitations that guests must acknowledge when booking and nobody was surprised. We have it now via a Verizon hotspot, which we added to our plan at $20/month. (Cable/DSL are not options at this location.) But for guests who have a good data plan it's really unnecessary as they can use their phone as a wi-fi hot spot, and I think that's the way of the future. I understand if you have foreign guests with limited data that's a different situation... for now...

[John1574]

@Jessica-and-Henry0   @Lisa723  @Ute42

@Jess   @Rebecca160

Thanks for the great replies, everybody.

I have already contacted the cable company to install WiFi/internet next Tuesday.

I too thought people would be covered with their phones and hot-spots. 

And I goofed thinking my Smart TV, which has has built in WiFi and built in Roku, would allow streaming:  duh, I didn't realize that "built in WiFi" requires an internet connection.

I'm on the right path now.  We want to offer people a good experience while travelling.

[Roy0]

I agree with most people that it's absolutely essential unless it's a very rustic place where people "want" to get away from civilization and even then you might need it for an emergency if cellular doesn't work well, 5G cellular is coming and that's a game changer but I think it will be a few years until most people get 5G