Best -- and worst -- hotels for Wi-Fi

(MoneyWatch) How many times have you settled into a hotel room only to find that Wi-Fi access -- nearly as essential as electricity these days -- costs $15 a day above and beyond the cost of the room? Or you get free Wi-Fi, but it's as reliable as Lindsay Lohan serving as an air traffic controller?

No worries -- HotelChatter has the scoop on the best and worst hotels in the U.S. for Wi-Fi service. Here are the five best chains, based on criteria such as price and connection quality:

• Kimpton Hotels
• Peninsula Hotels
• Ace Hotels
• Fairmont Hotels
• Swire Hotels

And the five worst:

• Westin Hotels
• W Hotels
• Marriott Hotels
• Hard Rock Hotels
• Hilton Hotels

Looking for free Wi-Fi? Here's a short list of hotels that offer connectivity at no cost:

• Hilton Garden Inn
• Hampton Inn Hotels
• Hyatt House
• Hyatt Place Hotels
• Holiday Inn
• Courtyard by Marriott
• Residence Inn
• Wyndham Garden Hotels

For the complete list, be sure to read the HotelChatter report.

Dave Johnson

View all articles by Dave Johnson on CBS MoneyWatch »
Dave Johnson is editor of eHow Tech and author of three dozen books, including the best-selling How to Do Everything with Your Digital Camera. Dave has previously worked at Microsoft and has written about technology for a long list of magazines that include PC World and Wired.

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