Another hotel giant is taking a step toward making Wi-Fi free to more guests, including people who've never once slept in its beds.

InterContinental Hotels Group announced that it will give free Internet access to all members of its newly named loyalty program, regardless of whether a guest is checking into their room or just stopping by to hang out to their lobby. IHG claims it has become the first in the industry to commit to free internet access for all loyalty programme members worldwide.

The move comes as IHG research reveals that free internet is more important than room service to travellers.

The global online survey shows that nearly half of adults (43%) would choose not to stay in a hotel that charged for internet.

Also, 23% of respondents said that free internet in rooms and throughout the hotel is the most important amenity when staying in a hotel for business, compared to 7% who chose room service.

Travellers from the UK (18%) and the US (14%) both listed paying for internet as the second most annoying thing when staying at a hotel after noisy guests (22% and 24% respectively).

The move comes as IHG announces it will rename its loyalty programme Priority Club Rewards as IHG Rewards Club in July and introducing a range of new benefits for members.

Richard Solomons, chief executive, said: ‘In today’s fast-paced world, we know that travellers need to stay connected and free internet access is increasingly important.

Before you start using any free Wi-Fi there are a few special considerations and things to do before you get started working out of a hotel:

Make sure your system is up to date and use a VPN to secure your information. Most hotel wireless networks aren't password-protected or encrypted with strong WPA2. Open wireless networks or ones that use the WEP older protocol are not safe, making any information you transfer over the network prone to hacking. So, first, make sure you have a firewall installed, the latest system updates, and the latest antivirus updates. Then, secure your browsing session by using VPN.