Accor Hotels—which has in its portfolio the Sofitel, Novotel, Ibis and Mercure brands—is putting an end to Wi-Fi charges.
The French company made the move after seeing a survey indicating that the availability of free Wi-Fi is a critical factor when travelers decide which hotel to book.
Conducted by London-based Telegraph Travel, the survey showed that two-thirds of hotels around the world still charge guests for Wi-Fi access.
A subsequent poll by the publication showed that many travelers see Wi-Fi charges as "profiteering" by the hotels.
Accor's decision follows another survey by hotel booking website Hotels.com, which suggested that 38 percent of travelers won't book a hotel unless Wi-Fi access is free.