Hotel Online  Special Report

 
Making the Connection Without Wires; Hilton Dallas
Lincoln Centre Finds Positive + Connection
with Wireless
January 4, 2004 - As hotels continue to wrestle with how best to deliver high-speed Internet access, the Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre has found itself with a winning formula.  In a recent survey of guests using the hotel�s wireless HSIA, wireless availability ranked high among business travelers and was indicated as a factor in choosing their hotel.
 
�We are in a business where convenience and service are paramount,� said Joe Palmieri, the hotel�s general manager. �Providing not only high-speed access, but convenience in connecting wirelessly, positions the hotel as proactive in staying ahead of our guests� needs. We know that satisfied customers are repeat customers.�

This winter the Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre installed wireless HSIA with the help of Atlanta based StayOnline, the nation�s leading provider of 100% wireless solutions for the hospitality industry. In addition to its conference space, three restaurants and all public areas, the Hilton�s 500


Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre
5410 LBJ Freeway 
Dallas, Texas 
guest rooms are also wirelessly enabled.

�There continues to be debate on whether or not individual guest rooms really need wireless access,� said Antonio DiMilia, President of StayOnline. �The desk within the room is always near a phone connection.  But business travelers equipped with wireless laptops don�t enjoy being tethered by wires, even within the confines of a hotel room.  It is matter of convenience, and that is an important issue with many business travelers.�

The Hilton hotel reports that demand for wireless has exploded since the installation. Two thirds of guests responding to a recent survey at the hotel said that the availability of wireless influenced their decision to stay there and would influence their decision to return. Sandeep Pal, a guest who has used the wireless connectivity at the hotel, echoes DiMilia. 

�The service provides busy hotel guests the �freedom to work from anywhere � such as the lobby or your bed � without being tethered to a wall or (sic) phone outlet,� Pal said. 

StayOnline�s customer hotels decide whether or not to charge guests directly for wireless access to the Internet.  In the case of the Hilton Lincoln Centre, guests pay $9.95 per day for unlimited 24-hour access. 

�At this point, we feel that the guest expects a reasonable charge and is certainly willing to pay it, given that we offer them a secure, speedy connection,� said Palmieri. �And often, if they are traveling on business, the fee is reimbursed by their company.�

For those guests whose laptops are not wirelessly enabled, the hotel offers StayOnline�s proprietary EZAir, a simple Plug �n Play device that connects their computer to the network seamlessly.  Travelers who have the very latest 80211 Centrino� chipset from Intel can rest assured that the network is fully compatible with their computer. StayOnline�s hospitality solutions are verified by Intel Corporation�s Wireless Verification Program (WVP). 

�Many of the new laptops on the market today offer this latest edition of mobile technology which brings business users and consumers greater freedom to connect in new places and in new ways faster and more securely than ever before,� adds DiMilia, �StayOnline has continuously stayed ahead of the curve as technology advances. It is a win-win situation all around, for both our customers and their customers.��

The Hilton Lincoln Centre has had StayOnline�s service installed for a little under three months, but is already seeing a strong ROI.  So far, the hotel has logged an average of 600 guests per month using the service, with the numbers increasing slightly each month. 

About Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre
The Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre is a AAA Four-Diamond hotel located in North Dallas opposite the famous Galleria Mall and adjacent to two major Dallas freeways. Located within the prestigious Lincoln Centre office complex, home to numerous corporate headquarters, the upscale hotel is nestled within a lushly landscaped oasis that includes a four-acre lake surrounded by jogging trails. The Hilton is committed to providing the finest quality guest experience in Dallas. Its 500 luxury guestrooms offer residential-style comforts combined with the latest in guest communication technology. From the rich look of the full sized cherry wood desk to pillow top mattresses, high thread count linens and lush comforters, every detail has been carefully planned to make the Hilton the hotel of choice when visiting Dallas. The hotel offers 24--hour room service and a variety of onsite dining options. Hundreds of dining, shopping and entertainment venues are quickly accessible through the hotel�s complimentary shuttle service.

About StayOnline, Inc.
Based in Atlanta, Georgia, StayOnline provides secure wireless high-speed Internet access solutions for the hospitality industry.  With more than 200 installed locations, StayOnline operates the largest, 100% WLAN in hotels in North America.  StayOnline meets the highest quality standards and is Intel® Centrino� certified.  StayOnline boasts an impressive customer base, including properties in over 30 national lodging brands, as well as several unique boutique and historic properties.  For additional information on StayOnline, visit www.stayonline.net


 
Contact:

Sharon Kraun
Koser Pendley Koser
770.804.8865
[email protected]

Ellen Cornell
Cornell & Company
469 698-0300
[email protected]



 
Also See: Magna Hospitality Group Selects StayOnline; Wireless Provider to Start with Half of Magna Properties / December 2003
As 2003 Comes to a Close, StayOnline Hits 23,000 Rooms in 203 Hotels / December 2003
StayOnline Installs First High Speed Wireless Connection in Douglas County / November 2003
Cool Springs Marriott Goes Wireless with StayOnline / September 2003
Two More Davidson Hotels Go Wireless with StayOnline; Wireless HSIA Installed at Marriott Hunt Valley and at Park Vista Memphis / July 2003
StayOnline to Market AT&T Wireless WI-FI Service in Thousands of Hotel Rooms Across US / June 2003
StayOnline and Boingo Wireless Announce WI-FI Network Roaming Agreement; StayOnline�s network of fully wireless hotels featuring in-room Wi-Fi hot spots to be integrated into Boingo network / June 2003
StayOnline Connects Hotel Biltmore; Intel campus hotel partners with StayOnline for high speed wireless Internet / June 2003
New Castle Goes Wireless With StayOnline; Leading independent hotel operator to use StayOnline for high speed wireless Internet / June 2003
CNL Hospitality Selects StayOnline - StayOnline becomes approved vendor for installing high speed Internet access / June 2003
StayOnline�s Wireless Solution is Verified by Intel; Nation�s Largest 100% Wireless LAN Provider for Hospitality Industry Now Verified on Intel® Centrino� Mobile Technology / June 2003
Lane Hospitality Goes Wireless with StayOnline / May 2003
Coakley Williams Goes Wireless With StayOnline / May 2003
StayOnline Partners With PrintMe To Add Convenient Mobile Printing To Spectrum Of Guest Services / April 2003
The Warwick Hotel Seattle and the Warwick Regis San Francisco Add StayOnline�s Wireless High Speed Internet Service to Their Formidable List of Amenities / April 2003
StayOnline and iPass Announce Agreement - StayOnline to Integrate its Wireless Access Points into the iPass Global Virtual Network for Enterprises / Feb 2003
StayOnline Announces 100 % Wireless High Speed Internet Installation at 100th Hotel / Jan 2003
StayOnline Introduces Hospitality Industry�s First Online Quote Application / Jan 2003
Top North Shore Hotel Now Offers Full Property Wireless High Speed Internet Access / Dec 2002
Davidson Hotel Company Selects StayOnline to Install Wireless High Speed Internet Access / Oct 2002
Foundry Park Inn & Spa Massages History With High Tech; Adds Wireless High-Speed Internet Access through Partnership with StayOnline / Aug 2002
Innkeepers Hospitality, Inc. Connects with StayOnline�s Wireless High-Speed Internet! / July 2002
Noble House Hotels & Resorts Selects StayOnline for Wireless High-Speed Internet Access Program / Nov 2001


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