How to Book Hotels Cheap With a VPN in 2024 (+ More Tips)

Hotel booking sites use your location to set prices, meaning you might pay more than someone in another country, depending on the value of that currency. Just visiting the same booking site multiple times from the same connection can increase the price.

A VPN is a useful tool that switches your virtual location to a country with lower hotel prices. It masks your online activity from your ISP and the traveling websites you visit, making it difficult for hotel booking services to profile your browsing and inflate prices.

After my team and I tested 52 VPNs, ExpressVPN was the best VPN for booking cheap hotels. It has high-speed servers in over 105 countries, so you have many options to find cheap hotel deals in different locations. It's also backed by a reliable money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free. If unsatisfied, you can get a full refund within 30 days. Editor's Note: Transparency is one of our core values at vpnMentor, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process.

Get Hotels Cheap With ExpressVPN >>

Short on Time? Here Are the Best VPNs to Save Money on Hotels in 2024

Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: Intego, Cyberghost, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.

How To Get Cheap Hotel Deals With a VPN — Step-By-Step Guide

Since booking sites detect your location based on your IP address and show you prices specific to the value of your currency (and many other factors), a VPN is a simple way to get better hotel prices. It allows you to temporarily change your IP address to one in a country of your choice. Any VPN should do the trick. However, I recommend a privacy-focused VPN to keep your browsing activity anonymous.

1. Choose a Reliable VPN

Opt for a secure VPN with high-speed servers worldwide to increase your chances of finding a better deal. I recommend ExpressVPN because it has servers in 105 countries. We could save money with all the popular hotel booking sites we tested, including booking.com. Plus, ExpressVPN is easy to use on all major operating systems.

It took less than 3 minutes to install ExpressVPN on my Windows laptop

2. Clear Cookies and Cache

This is essential to prevent booking sites from recognizing your previous searches and inflating prices based on browsing history. Some sites will increase the prices if you revisit the same booking to push you to book before the price rises.

The process is similar for different browsers

3. Connect to a Server

Open the VPN app and choose a server in another country. For example, prices can sometimes be more competitive when you appear to be browsing from countries known for lower living costs, like India and Vietnam. Make sure to clear your cookies and cache or use an Incognito window when connecting to a new VPN IP.

Click the large power button to establish a secure connection

4. Browse Hotel Booking Websites

Searching on sites like Booking.com, Expedia, Rakuten, or the hotel’s official website can reveal different pricing options. Remember to open an incognito or private browsing window to prevent new cookies or data from being stored during your search.

If you're signed into your account, booking platforms can still personalize prices based on your account data, such as past searches and preferences. Incognito mode won't hide this information since it's linked to your account rather than cookies.

Always use booking sites with high flexibility to snag deals fast

Prices can vary by time of day and day of the week, so try searching at different times. For example, when I searched for a 3-star hotel in New York, the cost was $1,416 from Kenya (without a VPN) and $1,404 from the UK while connected to a server in London. However, when I connected to a New York server, the price dropped to $1,109.

5. Compare Prices

Disconnect and reconnect to a different server to see if another location offers a better price. Clear the cache again and repeat the search while connected to a different server. Repeat this process multiple times until you find the best deal.

It took less than 5 minutes to get a significant saving with a VPN

6. Book Your Hotel

Once you find a better rate, proceed with the booking. To avoid price changes, ensure the VPN remains connected to the location with the cheapest deal throughout the process.

Editor's Note: Transparency is one of our core values at vpnMentor, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process.

8 More Ways To Save Money on Hotels in 2024

1. Book Your Flights and Hotels Together

Booking flights and hotels together during my tests was always cheaper than booking them separately. The only downside is that using this method means you’re usually shown hotels near the airport, which might not always be ideal. However, the savings can be substantial if that’s not a big deal for you.

I tried to find the cheapest price for a holiday in New Orleans. Using Expedia to book flights and hotels together, I was quoted a price of $2,953 for a single traveler at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel. However, booking the same hotel and flights for the same dates separately totaled $3,484 — a significant difference of $531, or about 18%. If you're looking for cheap flights, check out our guide to finding the best-priced tickets.

2. Check Hotel Chains' Websites

Even though you can get good deals on popular booking sites like Booking.com or Hotels.com, hotel chains' websites often offer lower prices. For example, when I booked Hampton by Hilton Blackpool, it cost £136 directly with Hilton, compared to £149 on Booking.com.

Also, you may be able to negotiate a discounted price for more extensive stays (a week or longer) if you talk directly with the sales department. You'll usually find a phone number for the hotel on its website and can ask to talk to the sales department. This can be hit or miss, but it's worth a try.

3. Take Advantage of Flash Sales

Flash sales can give you amazing discounts on hotels, for example on Black Friday. Since they’re only on for a limited time, you need to be in the know. The best way to get flash deals is by downloading booking sites’ mobile apps and subscribing to email lists to get notified first.

Websites like HotelCoupons.com offer great coupons that give you discounts on hotels across Canada and the US. I found a 15% discount on the Fairfield Inn by Marriott in Orlando, which saved me a good amount of money.

4. Clear Your Browsing History

Hotel booking sites use cookies, plus your IP or GPS location to determine the price they show you. This is called dynamic pricing. Reading browser cookies allows the site to remember details like the dates you're looking for, the hotels you've looked at, and other details that indicate a definitive (if eventual) purchase. That's another reason why the prices increase.

Cookies can collect information such as your age, job status, income level, too. The travel website’s algorithms use all of this information to give you a quote. Plus, Google also uses a Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID information) from your WLAN access point to get your location and tailor your hotel deals accordingly.

By clearing your browsing history and cookies, hotel booking sites can’t use this information to hike prices. All you need to do is navigate to your browser’s History settings and select Clear browsing data. You need to do this regularly while researching hotels. Another trick is to use incognito mode since all this data is deleted when you close the browser.

When I tested this, it didn’t change the price, but it stopped sites like Bookings from prompting me to continue previous searches.

5. Look for Early or Last-Minute Deals

If you’re flexible with dates and looking to get away soon, you can save on great hotels by booking early or at the last minute. Websites like LastMinute.com and LoveHolidays.com are good places to find exclusive deals on hotels. I searched for a hotel in Spain for 10 days, and I was offered a 22.6% discount on a luxury 4-star hotel on LastMinute.com.

You can also sometimes luck out on RoomerTravel.com — this site allows people to list their non-refundable rooms if they're unable to make their trip. Since they're happy to get anything back at that point, you can usually get a great discount.

6. Try Your Luck on Auction Sites

Auction sites let you place bids on hotel rooms, so you could pay less than the standard rate. An example is TravelAuctions, which offers bidding on Australia-based accommodations. However, since they’re competitive by nature, you might end up paying more than you would on a travel comparison site.

It’s also worth trying out a site like Priceline.com, which allows you to name your price and matches you with deals close to your bid. I found discounts on lots of hotels near London, UK. For example, a 1-night stay at NYX Hotel London Holborn was only $278, compared to $343 on Booking.com for the same night.

Another tip that can save you money on these sites is to prepay for your room. Some booking sites give you the option to pay for part or all of your stay. These prepaid rates are usually lower than those paid at the time of your stay. The only problem is that sometimes this limits your flexibility — for instance, you may not get refunded if you need to cancel your reservation. But it's a good option if you're set on your travel plans.

7. Take Advantage of Fringe Benefits

It’s also worth looking at the added benefits offered by many hotels. Some hotels offer complimentary meals like breakfast, lunch, parking, and the use of a spa or gym. Taking full advantage of these perks help you get the most out of your accommodation expenditure.

They don't save you money upfront but add significant value to the overall cost, making your stay worthwhile.

8. Join Hotel Loyalty Programs

You can also take advantage of the loyalty programs many hotel chains offer if you’re happy to stay there again. These programs often offer members discounted use of facilities, perks, or discounts on future stays.

Just remember that to obtain substantial discounts on accommodations, you may need patience and multiple visits to that particular hotel chain.

Best VPNs To Save Money on Hotels in 2024

A high-quality VPN with servers worldwide makes it easy to find hotel deals from anywhere. My recommended VPNs provide global servers, fast speeds, and robust security to help you grab cheap deals without compromising your speed or online privacy.

1. ExpressVPN — Top Choice for Saving Money on Hotels With a Global Network and Fast Speeds

Editor’s Choice Editor’s Choice Try Risk-Free for 30 Days
Tested November 2024

Available on:

Windows Mac Android iOS

Chrome Router Smart TV More

Try ExpressVPN >

www.expressvpn.com

ExpressVPN's broad distribution of servers in 105 countries makes it easy to access hotel deals. Connecting to a server only takes a second. It was also the fastest VPN we tested, with only a 5% average speed drop — ideal for browsing hotel booking sites without interruptions. Without a VPN, a 1-night stay at this 4-star hotel in Milan was $334. However, when I connected to ExpressVPN’s Czech server, it was only $255.

I found the app intuitive for searching the cheapest countries to book hotels, and you can use it on up to 8 devices. It even has browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, and Edge to conveniently connect to any location straight from your browser window. Plus, the shortcut feature lets you add your favorite hotel sites to ExpressVPN's home screen for instant access once you establish a connection, making deal hunting even easier.

The only negative is that it’s pricier than other VPNs on this list, starting from $6.67/month. However, it regularly offers great deals, and I even saved 48% on its long-term subscription. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it risk-free. If you’re not happy with it, you can easily get a refund via its 24/7 live chat.

2. CyberGhost — Ad and Tracker Blocker Prevents Popups on Hotel Booking Sites

Available on:

Windows Mac Android iOS

Chrome Router Smart TV More

Try CyberGhost VPN >

www.cyberghostvpn.com

CyberGhost’s Block Content feature filters out annoying ads that distract you from finding the best deals on hotel comparison sites. Booking and Expedia are usually full of popups, which slow down page loading times. With Block Content enabled, my search results returned faster during tests, reducing browsing time. It also blocks trackers, so your data won’t be stored and used to quote higher hotel prices. Like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost is beginner-friendly and has a search bar to quickly find a server in a specific country.

Testing its servers across the globe, we easily secured several hotel discounts. For example, a 1-night stay at a 4-star hotel in Paris was $220 without a VPN but only $198 when connected to CyberGhost's Mumbai server. Unfortunately, its monthly plan is expensive and only includes a short refund policy. However, its long-term subscriptions are affordable, starting at $2.03/month, with a longer refund period of 45 days.

3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Unlimited Connections to Browse Hotel Stays on All Your Devices

Available on:

Windows Mac Android iOS

Chrome Router Smart TV More

Try Private Internet Access >

www.privateinternetaccess.com

With PIA, you can compare and find the best hotel prices using multiple devices simultaneously for just $2.03/month on a long-term plan. During testing, we securely browsed booking sites on 14 devices at once (including 4 laptops and 6 smartphones)). We had stable connections on all of them. It was quicker to compare this way than repeatedly switching servers on the same device. Its vast network of 29,650 servers in 91 countries also makes finding the cheapest hotel booking possible.

PIA isn’t as user-friendly as ExpressVPN or CyberGhost — its many customizable options can be overwhelming if you’re new to VPNs. However, the app comes pre-configured, so all you need to do is connect to a server to search hotel deals. Its plans are also backed by a trustworthy 30-day money-back guarantee.

Our Methodology for Testing VPNs for Booking Cheap Hotels

Our extensive testing has led us to the top VPNs that can help you save on hotel bookings. These VPNs all boast fast servers worldwide, so you can swiftly find and book hotel deals. They also offer apps for all popular devices, support simultaneous connections, and provide reliable money-back guarantees. Best of all, they use advanced security features and follow strict no-logging policies to keep you safe online while you search and book hotels.

Countries With the Cheapest Hotel Rates

There isn’t a universally cheap country for booking hotels with a VPN, but lower-income countries like India and Vietnam often offer lower rates. However, hotel prices frequently fluctuate due to factors like demand, season, and the information a booking site has about you. So, it's best to try various locations at different times.

Starting with a low-income country is a good strategy. With a fast VPN with servers worldwide, you can browse different booking sites safely and secure cheaper hotel deals in seconds.

FAQs on Getting Cheap Hotels With a VPN

Is using a VPN to save money on hotels legal?

Yes, using a VPN to save money on hotels is legal in most countries. There are also some other ways you can save money on hotels. However, it's important to note that some countries have strict laws against VPN use due to censorship. Make sure to familiarize yourself with local laws to avoid any penalties or legal consequences.

Hotel comparison sites don’t mind where you are or what price you’re getting; they’re just happy you’re booking through them.

Can I use a free VPN to get better hotel prices?

Yes, but it's not recommended. Free VPNs often have limited server locations, will significantly slow down your connection, and cap data, making them less effective. A better alternative is a premium VPN with servers worldwide and a reliable money-back guarantee.

Free VPNs also often lack essential security features to keep you safe online. Some even sell your data to third parties for profit. Many have even been caught selling user data and installing malicious software on devices.

What is the best site to save money on hotels?

The sites with the best deals I found are on last-minute and auction bookings sites. I saved 22.6% on a 4-star stay on LastMinute.com. Bear in mind these sites are hit or miss — last-minute booking sites are only good for spur-of-the-moment trips, while auction sites can sometimes end up offering prices even more than the original.

The bottom line is that finding the best hotel deals online can take a little bit of trial and error. I got even better deals using a VPN to change my virtual location to shop in other markets that offer better prices. So, I could just use regular price comparison sites like Expedia, booking.com, and Trivago, but with better prices.

To summarize, these are the best VPNs for saving money on hotels…

Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: Intego, Cyberghost, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.

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