Marriott Hotels and Resorts is installing high-speed internet access in 9,000 UK hotel rooms.

The firm has signed a deal with vendor iBahn covering 60 hotels in response to customer demand for the technology.

‘We want to ensure that all hotels are covered by a wired or wireless solution in guest rooms and in key locations,’ said John Tattersfield, vice president of information resources at Marriott International.

‘It’s a brand standard that our hotels have internet access due to customer demand,’ he said.

iBahn has already deployed WiFi hot spots in public areas at a number of Marriott hotels and provides internet PCs and managed conference services.

Tattersfield says convenience and security of the new services are critical. ‘Large firms, our biggest customers, want security,’ he said. ‘High-speed access is easy, but the middleware iBahn adds to the equation ensures each guest room has a discreet link.’

iBahn’s services are supported by a patented, end-to-end network architecture with multiple layers of protection for hotel partners and end users.

‘It is secured in such as way as to be as unobtrusive to guests as possible,’ said Tattersfield.