The limitations of using WiFi in a hotel

I'm at the Village Hotel in Elstree, London...  (Don't know where that is?  Well, y'do now!)

Anyway, I'm using the WiFi here to get on the internet...  It's provided free, so I guess I shouldn't really complain...  But I'm going to complain anyway!  And that complaint will take the form of a list...  (Several lists, in fact!)

Here is list of internet-based stuff I've so far been able to achieve, from my hotel room -
- Facebook (although pictures don't always load first time around)
- Dailybooth
- Blogger
- Google (although slow)
- 365 Project
- Last.fm
- The BBC (standard site - I haven't tried to use iPlayer on this connection!)
- The Daily Telegraph

Here is a list of internet-based stuff I've so far not been able to achieve, from my hotel room -
- 1&1 internet
- Send or receive emails (I can access my emails through my iPhone, but not from my laptop!)
- Spotify

Here is a list of internet-based things which seem to work, and yet don't quite make it, and thus are extremely confusing -
- TwitPic (I can access the site, and view my pictures, but it won't let me log in!)
- Amazon (I can access the site, log in, browse, and add items to my shopping basket, but as soon as I try and "go to checkout", I can't!)

I am perplexed and frustrated, infuriated and puzzled...