Getting My Way Like a Pro

After a spending a pleasant night in Redding, I sprinted south on I-5, barely stopping on my way south until I was in Fresno again. By this time, Fresno had begun to feel like my real "home base" in California. 

Once there I resumed my habit of motel-hopping, in search of the perfect moderately-priced motel that has my favorite cable tv channel. Alas I kept striking out in the last area. So far I've come up completely goose eggs on that score in the Big F.

I decided to explore the discount motels that were situated along Highway 99 at the west end of Olive Avenue, which affords easy access to the nearby Tower District, which is where most of Frenso's hip nightlife happens, and where I spent many evenings last fall watching my friend on stage in an amateur production Stalag 17.

I first stayed a night there at the Rodeway Inn (a Choice Hotels flag), and then hopped across Route 99 to stay a night at the Knights Inn (a Wyndham flag). 

Both rooms were passable and comfortable for the discount price. I had little complaint about, other than the fact that Wi-Fi was inaccessible in my room at the Knights Inn. Ironically I could pick up the wi-fi signals from the motels across Highway 99, including the Rodeway Inn where I had just stayed (unfortunately my access had expired).

I found this out within thirty seconds of checking into my room and immediately took my laptop outside into the parking lot, looking for a signal. Another guest walked by me, and upon seeing this said nonchalantly, "yeah, you have to be in the lobby to get the signal."

The way he said this had the tone of "you just have to accept this."

Well, I don't "just have to accept this." In fact this is completely unacceptable. Within twenty seconds I was back in the lobby raising a big stink about this, and frightening the young woman behind the desk with my threats to demand a refund.

"I'm a business traveler," I told her. "I work from the road and depend on having wi-fi in my room. It's as important to me as having hot running water."

My forceful complains provoked her to act. She suggested that the room on the second floor right next to the lobby might have a good signal. She reswiped my card key. I told her I would have to go check it out before I agreed to the room. 

Fortunately the signal in the new room was fine. The young woman at the desk was quite relieved when I returned with a smile and said "so far, so good." The rest of my stay there passed without incident.

After this, however, I decided to add a new question when I'm checking in. How's your wi-fi signal? If they say it's OK, then I have extra authority in case it turns out I can't get a signal. I asked, after all? 

Fortunately this has been the exception rather than the rule. Usually I have no problem with the wi-fi signal wherever I've stayed.

On this score, I can particularly recommend Motel 6. Perhaps because they are all corporate-owned and standardized, the wi-fi at Motel 6s has been quite reliable (even in Eureka, where I couldn't get NBC on the tube). It reminds me of Starbucks, which as incredibly reliable wi-fi across the country.

This makes paying the three bucks extra per night for wi-fi at Motel 6 quite acceptable. It's something I don't want to have to worry about. I just need it to work. And it does.