When picking a hotel for your long awaited holiday do you have a list of requirements such as a pool, gym, security safe in room, closeness to beach etc. Some years back these use to be among the most frequently asked questions, but in the current age of technology its whether the hotel has Wifi. The internet has changed how we work, play and socialise and many feel lost when without it.
According to a survey carried out by Hoteles.com, the service most valued by customers when choosing a hotel is free wifi.

Critical for families traveling with children (by which I mean teens), who all seem to be permanently on Facebook, updating their statuses or telling their friends what they have just had for breakfast etc the wifi question can be a deal breaker - and most importantly for the parents, whether its FREE! Curious to know what the hotels in Benidorm offer, I spent yesterday afternoon driving around and speaking to the reception staff at the ones which the Brits tend to favour.

It can certainly add a hefty chunk to your hotel bill when checking out, so if its a deciding factor you must enquire and not assume that wifi is free. Let me tell you, there is a vast difference between them!

The biggest hotel chain in Benidorm, Servigroup - who have 9 hotels and the Medplaya.com group - who have 3 hotels come out top - they offer FREE wifi access at all their hotels - when checking in they hand you the password code for access.

Starting at the top of the Rincon de Loix we have the Hotel Levante Club - they do offer free wifi (but remember this is an adult only hotel)

Wifi only available in the Club Rooms

Next one along is the Flamingo Oasis Hotel.  This was the shocker one for me - they only have wifi access if you are staying in the Club rooms - floor 21-24 but these are adult ONLY. You cannot get wifi anywhere else in the hotel which I find really peculiar. I spoke to the receptionist at great length and he told me that it is because the receiver is on the roof and doesn´t reach! The management are looking into upgrading to allow access for everyone, but at this stage no time scale was indicated. He did let me in on a little secret though - if you are near the pool you can pick up the signal from the Melia next door (but its not a free service). If you are without children and there is availability, you can upgrade to a club room for 24 euros per night - based on 2 people. The hotel is all inclusive anyway but the club rooms have premium brands such as Smirnoff and Gordons as opposed to the local brands, which is what is on offer in the rest of the hotel - this would also give you access to the wifi.

The Melia Hotel do have wifi but it is NOT free and they offer guests two tariff options. The first category is for continuous service of either 1 hour at 1 euro; 12 hours at 3 euros or 24 hours at 5 euros. Once you log on then the clock starts. The second option, probably better but obviously more expensive is you decide how much time you buy but it does not have to be continuous once you start - so if you buy 1 hour you can use 15 minutes one day then 10 the next until it runs out - this is valid for a 1 week period. For this option the prices are 1 hour is 2 euros; 12 hours is 8 euros and 24 hours is 12 euros.

At the Dynastic Hotel you also have to pay for the wifi and they offer both hourly and daily rates. 1 hour is 1 euro; 12 hours is 3 euros; 1 day is 5 euros; 3 days are 10 euros and 7 days are 15 euros. Wifi reception is available in all the bedrooms.

Sol Pelicanos - the most expensive

The Sol Pelicanos, otherwise known as The Solana resort from the Benidorm series. This hotel is obviously very popular with the Brits, especially when filming for the series is going on, but it is also the most expensive for wifi! 1 hour is 4 euros; 1 day is 11 euros; 3 days are 20 euros and 7 days are 30 euros! And once you have paid up your hard earned money you can actually only get wifi reception in the bar and reception areas and NOT by the pool or in the bedrooms. So if you thought you´d be able to relax in your room and email your family back home or upload pictures instantly to Facebook taken on your iPad by the pool, think again.

The Flash Hotel next door offer wifi at a charge and the signal is available in all the bedrooms. He thought it was a strange question when I asked that, but after the Sol Pelicanos thought Id better. The charges are as follow - 2 hours are 3.5 euro; 6 hours are 6.50 euro and 1 week is 19.50 euro.

The Riviera Hotel offer FREE wifi to guests and it is available in your bedroom.

The Ambassador I & II offer FREE wifi which is available and reaches all the bedrooms - the Ambassador I has just had an amazing new reception area open... it looks like a scene from space, very unusual.

Hotel Presidente offer FREE wifi but it is only accessible in the communal areas downstairs, such as the reception and bar areas. The signal does NOT reach into the bedrooms, although the receptionist did say that some of bedrooms on the lower floors may get it intermittently.

Hotel Helios, thehotel nearest to the Wednesday & Sunday outdoor market also offer FREE wifi but like the Presidente, the reception only reaches the communal areas and NOT into the bedrooms.

Where FREE wifi is on offer, access is via a password which you pick up on checking in at the hotel.
Its certainly worth taking into consideration if you are taking iPods, iPads and any other tablets which require wifi as it can add a fair amount onto your bill.
But a word of caution, Wifi hotspots are often unprotected and unencrypted, which means anyone nearby can pick up the same signals and read you information. It is best to avoid accessing confidential data such as bank accounts in public wifi zones. Most importantly, ensure that your firewall and anti-virus software are updated before going on holiday.  There are many free wifi hotspots around Benidorm - especially in bars and cafes, but check the correct network name with the staff to avoid logging onto an "evil twin" - fake hotspots set up by scammers.

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