Is Internet access now so fundamental to our business-travel lives that hotels should bundle it with bedding, heating, air conditioning and water and consider it part of the basic nightly rate?

Or is our insatiable demand for bandwidth so financially disruptive that hotels have no choice but to charge us a premium for in-room access so we can stream audio, video and other megabyte-intense items?

The answer is yes.

For those who think the Internet should be free, take heart in the news from Loews Hotels, which last week began offering free access to all guests. It won't be the last luxury hotel group to stop charging Wi-Fi fees, either. In a few weeks, a global lodging chain based in Asia will make a similar announcement.

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