I have been checking hotels like Hilton mention they have 'Business center' in their amenities. What is a business center ? I am travelling international to Paris without laptop/cell phone. Will I be able to access internet and check gmails ?
asked Feb 3, 2016 at 13:56
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11Able to? Probably. Should you? Probably not. Assume these devices are heavily compromised - physical keyloggers, malware, etc.– ceejayozCommented Feb 3, 2016 at 14:32
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1Firstly gmail is a BIG risk, and without a cell phone you can't set up 2 factor login.– Ian RingroseCommented Feb 3, 2016 at 15:10
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17You can buy a basic tablet for £35 that you can then use on the hotel's WiFi. If you can afford a hotel like the Hilton you can afford a tablet.– Ian RingroseCommented Feb 3, 2016 at 15:11
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2@ceejayoz one mitigation I've often seen is a kiosk mode VM that reboots when you sign out. It's not a panacea but should be a decent defense against malware. It is of course no help at all against hardware keyloggers.– Chris H - UKCommented Feb 3, 2016 at 15:20
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4@IanRingrose you're right, but it means you don't have to trust naive/malicious fellow clients, which is a big dfference. There comes a point when if you can't use your account because you don't trust the machines available, you've as good as DOSed yourself, and in cases like flight cancellations, or online boarding passes released after you left home, that put you in a tricky position. So of course prepare your accounts as best you can in advance.– Chris H - UKCommented Feb 3, 2016 at 16:19
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2 Answers
The business centre is an area with some desks, computers and a printer. Often there is a copier and fax device as well. You can access the internet, print documents, scan receipts and so on. The facilities vary a little bit from hotel to hotel. Often it is next to the hotel lobby, and not very private.
Usually the business centre is not very busy, because most business travellers will have a laptop.
If you go to a hotel without a dedicated business centre, the front desk will usually be willing to print documents for you.
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1They days, often there are no computers, just printers, fax, etc. Commented Feb 3, 2016 at 15:13
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6@IanRingrose If a place describes itself as having a business centre, there is usually a couple of computers, in my experience. Plenty of places don't bother with a business centre any more though. Might be worth giving the hotel a call if it is that important.– CalchasCommented Feb 3, 2016 at 16:05
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1The only time I have been in a hotel with a business center they charged me more than three times what the internet cafe down the road did charge. I think that two visits will be as much as the cost of a cheap tablet.– Willeke ♦Commented Feb 3, 2016 at 16:23
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3@willeke - at some hotels its free/included in the room rate.– CMasterCommented Feb 3, 2016 at 17:08
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@willeke AFAIK Hilton chain hotels don't charge for the business centre.– CalchasCommented Feb 4, 2016 at 11:59
The Hilton website carries mentions of both Business Centres and Business Corners in the description of its hotels. My understanding, from a quick search, is that the difference between these is likely to be the size of the allocate space, and the number of machines available. Just as an example, below is a picture of the Business Centre at the Hilton Malta:
Compare this with a picture of the Business Corner at the Hilton Garden Inn Rzeszow (from tripadvisor):
For completeness sake, note that the Hilton Opera website mentions a 24-hour complimentary Business Corner in its amenities description.
answered Feb 3, 2016 at 16:49
