On the surface, The Flamingo resort in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., doesn't meet a lot of the criteria that would indicate its potential as a successful wireless hotspot. The venerable luxury Bed & Breakfast only has 25 rooms. Its business has always been predicated on the getaway weekend traveler. The Flamingo is all about a relaxing setting and a restful experience. However, a deeper look reveals the Flamingo to be a prime target for a wireless hotspot.

Researching the Location

Bryan Kidd, the CEO of Anywhere Internet, began providing network support services to the B&B almost a year ago. Kidd founded his company to vend services of several types to the luxury hotel niche. He was initially hesitant to approach the business as a hotspot despite that fact that such public access wireless LANs (WLANs) were a very exciting new business for his firm. However, Bryan found the fundamental appeal of the Flamingo as a hotspot to be too compelling to wait.

The Flamingo caters to a very luxury crowd. Its suites run from $189 per night up to $300 per night, indicating that its clientele are successful and often wealthy. Many of them are business owners and executives seeking that prized getaway weekend.

Also the Flamingo is a historic building and the owners are very sensitive about any kind of wall penetrations.

"As we found when we began deployment, drilling a bunch of holes would not have been tolerated by the owners," says Kidd. "The Flamingo strongly emphasized that its guests not be disturbed by a noisy install."

Anecdotal conversations with the reservation staff revealed that up to thirty percent of guests inquire about the availability of a broadband connection. Additionally, Kidd determined that many guests say that they would consider extending their stays if they could access their offices and customers more easily. Kidd found that on Thursday through Monday the B&B stays packed. However, the location experiences a drop-off in business midweek.

"The Tuesday, Wednesday business lull was just amazing," Kidd says.

Kidd saw opportunity for the venue and his company. Despite this the Flamingo was uncertain about the change.

The Flamingo Resort prides itself on being a very high-service, old-world style luxury escape. This mindset comes directly from its very conservative owners, according to Kidd.

"We struggled at times just to get the Flamingo to consider upgrading its computers to speed reservations," he says. "A hotspot seemed out of the question until we hit upon the proper approach."

Kidd says that the continuity of service provided by his company served to build the trust level that got the owners of the venue to listen. Yet despite this existing customer relationship it was no sure deal.

He first had to educate the B&B on the services that upgraded computers could provide to its guests. The Flamingo basically understood that it would improve productivity for its staff and reduce costs. However, the opportunity to improve the quality of its guests' stays was the deciding factor in adding hotspots to the equation--that and the notion of increasing the length of those stays.