Urban Nomad
Yellow hotel on the cliff above the sea in Positano

Nomad tipsOctober 20263 min read

Before I book: my 2-minute WiFi check

Four things I check before I pay for a room with a view. Number 3 is the one people skip.

Francesco ScilipotiBy Francesco · Impressum

First posted as a carousel on Instagram.

01Step 1 of 4 · Speed test

Ask the host for a speed test

A screenshot beats "fast wifi" in the listing.

I ask before I pay, not after I arrive.

NoteIf the answer takes three days, that is an answer too.

Narrow street in Positano with balconies and flowers
02Step 2 of 4 · Reviews

Search the reviews for wifi

Newest first.

One "my calls kept dropping" and I keep looking.

Piazza in Amalfi, seen from behind a visitor
03Step 3 of 4 · Router

Ask where the router is

Thick stone walls do not show up in listing photos.

Old houses on this coast keep the terrace looking perfect and the signal at zero.

NoteThis is the one people skip.

Carved stone column inside the cathedral of Amalfi
04Step 4 of 4 · Backup

Always pack a backup

eSIM with data, phone as hotspot.

Cheap insurance for the one call that matters.

Garden gate at Villa Cimbrone in Ravello

Your turn

What is your check before you book?

Best answers go into the Nomad tips highlight on Instagram.

Open on InstagramBack to the journal

Photos via Pexels: Small Steps, Eileen Gao, Alexey Dulin, Sara Dery, Mihaela Claudia Puscas. Ask photo: Jordi Vich Navarro (Unsplash).