Is Hotel Wifi Safe? Why I Never Use Hotel or Airbnb WiFi (And What To Do Instead)

Let’s be real—public WiFi, whether at a hotel, Airbnb, VRBO, or coffee shop, is a security nightmare.

I work in cyber security professionally, so everyone always asks me: “Is hotel wifi safe?”. My answer is—in short—no.

You don’t know who else is on the network, what the operator is logging, or whether there’s some poorly secured IoT device just waiting to be exploited. That’s why I simply don’t use it unless I absolutely have to and why I recommend you should do the same.

We need to break the habit of automatically connecting to wifi now that we have uncapped mobile data limits and 5G speeds.

How Do I Keep My Data Safe While Traveling?

I’ll be honest: I’m a full-on nerd.

I host my own VPN and use it whenever I’m on an unknown WiFi network. But I also recognize that not everyone wants to set up their own infrastructure—and thankfully, there are simpler solutions.

For most people, there are three solid options I recommend for protecting your phone’s and computer’s data while traveling:

1. Stick to Cellular Data

This is the easiest and safest approach. Don’t even bother connecting to the WiFi if your cellular data is working well. Most modern cell networks are fast, reliable, and significantly more secure than public WiFi. In many areas, Ultra Wideband (UW) 5G can outperform hotel WiFi anyway.

Believe it or not, large hotels often actually have indoor cellular antennas. In smaller hotels, the exterior of the building itself may function as a mini cell site. I have seen this countless times.

Using cellular data instead of WiFi was not a viable option for most people just a few years back. But gone are the days of restrictive data plans—most carriers now exclusively offer unlimited or high-capacity plans. If you’re already paying for it, why not use it?

However, if you do not have an unlimited cellular data plan, then this option isn’t for you. Skip to #2.

By the way, if you’re not sure what the difference is between cellular data and WiFi—not a problem. Many people don’t. Check out this article to understand the difference..

2. Use a VPN on Public WiFi

Maybe you are in an Airbnb in a remote area on vacation and using cellular service isn’t an option. Or maybe there’s just bad service and you need to connect to the hotel’s WiFi network.

Then I highly recommend you use a VPN to protect your data while traveling. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) encrypts your internet connection and routes it through a secure server, masking your IP address and protecting your online privacy.

There are tons of VPN options at various price points. The best VPN option that I recommend is ExpressVPN. It is easy to use and does a fantastic job.

The key takeaway is that you do not know what the network operator or other users on the network are doing, so encrypting your traffic is critical.

I am already trusting my physical security in a hotel and Airbnb, and I see no reason to add digital security to your list of possible worries when in a new place.

3. Use Built-in Privacy Features on Mobile Devices

If you’re using a modern Apple iOS or Android device, there are built-in options that can add an extra layer of security:

On Apple Devices (iOS)

I recommend using iCloud Private Relay on Apple iOS devices.

iCloud Private Relay encrypts and reroutes your internet traffic, making it harder for network providers to track your browsing activity. While it’s not a full VPN, it provides a significant privacy boost for Safari and certain apps. It is built on Cloudflare’s rock-solid infrastructure.

I personally use iCloud Private Relay to help mask my IP and encrypt DNS lookups. It is free with any tier of iCloud storage, including the $0.99 a month plan, and will cover the whole family on your account.

Learn how to set it up on your devices here. I promise it doesn’t take too much time.

On Android Devices

The built-in option I used to recommend is Google One VPN, but since its discontinuation in 2024, I now recommend simply using a reasonably priced VPN.

Why I Trust My Cellular Provider Over Public Wifi Networks

Everyone has to trust someone with their internet traffic. My mental model is simply to avoid overthinking but still stay protected:

• At home, I trust my AT&T fiber internet connection, but I use iCloud Private Relay and Cloudflare DNS over HTTPS (DoH) to add layers of privacy.

• On the road, I trust Verizon Wireless because cell networks are generally more secure than open WiFi.

Public Networks Are a Risk—So Why Take It?

Main Takeaway: Between fast cell service and VPNs, there’s almost no reason to use hotel or Airbnb WiFi unprotected. If cell service is strong, I just stay on my cellular data plan. If I need WiFi for something data-heavy, I’ll only connect with a VPN running.

And honestly, sometimes WiFi isn’t even worth the hassle. I once paid for a hotel’s “faster” premium internet tier, expecting at least decent performance. Instead, I was met with a painfully slow connection. I gave it a chance—ran a speed test, saw single-digit megabit speeds, and disconnected.

Then, I switched to cellular, ran another test, and hit over 2.5 gigabits per second¹. That’s not a typo—my phone’s 5G was over 250x faster than the hotel’s “premium” internet. From that moment on, I swore off hotel WiFi unless absolutely necessary.

Security doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s just about making small, smart choices that keep your data and privacy intact—no matter where you are. And sometimes, those choices have the added benefit of making everything run way faster too.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. That speed test used over 4GB of data just to measure the download speed! A few years ago, that would have wiped out my entire family’s data plan for the month. But thanks to the death of restrictive data limits, it didn’t even matter. Most carriers offer unlimited or extremely high-data plans at reasonable prices. ↩︎

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