How To Book Hotels Cheap With a VPN in 2025 (+ More Tips)

Hotel booking sites use your location to set prices, meaning you might pay more than someone in another country, which I think is very unfair. They also track your search history, so visiting a site multiple times from the same connection can increase prices.

Can a VPN make hotel prices cheaper? A VPN is a valuable tool that allows you to switch your virtual location to a country with lower hotel prices. It masks your online activity from your ISP and the travel websites you visit, making it difficult for hotel booking services to profile your browsing and inflate prices. A recent survey found that 72% of people polled preferred to book hotels online (Statista, 2023)¹, likely due to the numerous ways to find better deals online.

Below, I’ll show you how to find better hotel prices by using a VPN. I’ll also detail which country servers are the best to start with, and which VPNs our research determined the most helpful. I travel frequently, and have discovered several more ways to secure the cheapest hotel prices, including loyalty programs, auction sites, and more.

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

Booking sites adjust their prices based on their assessment of the willingness of people to spend in each region, among other factors. It’s the same thing with airline tickets; many people try using a VPN to get cheaper flights. It usually takes me less than a minute to see some new prices with a VPN, so I’ll always try at least a few servers when I’m getting ready to travel.

Are all hotels booked online now? No, but the data suggests that over 65% of all travel bookings are currently done online (Travelperk, 2025)², so these booking sites have a lot of leverage. A VPN changes IP addresses, letting you compare rates worldwide and secure better hotel deals. It also encrypts your internet traffic, so no booking site can profile you or use your browsing habits to show jacked-up prices.

However, using a VPN does not guarantee cheaper hotel prices. The economy is changing so fast, it’s impossible to predict which country will get the best rates second by second. With that said, it doesn’t hurt to use a VPN as one of the tools in your search for the best price.

1. Choose a Reliable VPN

First, you need to find a VPN that can truly hide your IP address and replace it with another. If the booking site can see the original address of the device, then it won’t change its prices based on the VPN’s location. After testing hundreds of VPNs for years, I’m somewhat surprised at how many leak your location, so I recommend picking a reputable one.

If you already have a VPN, I suggest you check it out with a leak testing tool. Simply connect to the VPN and visit an IP checker site. It'll show you if your IP is being displayed to websites, or if they can only see the VPN’s server address.

Proton's free app has limited servers, but you can test its security

2. Clear Cookies and Cache

You must clear out any data related to a booking site before re-visiting it. If you’ve visited the site before, it will remember the IP address you used previously from your metadata. That’s why you need to erase it before accessing it with a new VPN location.

If you want to delete all of your data, and not just a limited amount of it, make sure you have your credentials written down somewhere. I used to lose tons of my logins like this before I decided to get a password manager.

Most browsers let you choose a time range for what you delete

3. Switch to Incognito Mode

You can use an incognito window to prevent your browser from storing more information while you’re searching for a better price. This way, you don’t have to keep deleting everything each time a new server is used.

This step isn't mandatory, but it'll make your life easier

4. Connect to a Server

Changing your IP address to a different country involves selecting a server you want to use and then connecting to it. With most VPNs, it shouldn’t take longer than a minute. Ensure the VPN is fully connected before proceeding, as the website may not load or may even reveal your real IP if the VPN isn’t fully connected.

In general, South American, Eastern European, and Southeast Asian countries have been offered slightly cheaper rates on booking sites, so I like to start in those regions. India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Ecuador, and Latvia aren’t bad options. But keep in mind this is constantly changing, and there are tons of other factors that affect the price.

The best VPNs come pre-configured to work great without any adjustments

5. Browse Hotel Booking Websites

It’s good to check out various sites to see what deals are available. The most popular ones are usually Expedia, Booking.com, and Trip.com. They’re pretty similar, and after years of travel, I really don’t have a preference. I choose the cheapest option available on the day I book. If you’re a frequent traveler, you may want to stick with one service to build up loyalty points, but I’ll expand on that further below.

Just be aware that many hotels aren't available on every site

6. Compare Prices

Now you can see how prices differ between as many servers as you want. I’ve actually found that the prices used to change much more drastically in the past. So, while there’s no harm in testing out multiple servers, you shouldn’t waste your whole day doing it to save 10 dollars.

Searching at different times of the day and week can also improve the chances of finding a better deal before booking. Recent studies have found that Friday is normally the priciest night in 85% of markets, while Sunday is the cheapest in 65% of cases (SiteMinder, 2024)³.

The US price was actually a little cheaper in this case

7. Book Your Hotel

Once you’ve found the best price, you can go ahead and make your booking. Just be sure the VPN stays connected the whole time. While finalizing the reservation, watch for hidden fees and currency conversion charges to avoid extra costs. In some rare cases, you may be charged additional taxes or have a payment method fail if it’s not accepted in a different country. With that said, I’ve never had any issues.

Apple, Google, and PayPal wallets usually require less authentication

Quick Comparison Table: Best VPNs for Booking Cheaper Hotels

After my team and I completed our testing, I compiled my favorite VPNs for booking hotels below. You can quickly see what each one offers in the most essential categories for catching better travel deals.

On top of their strong security features and large server networks, each of these choices is also one of the best VPNs for streaming. They can securely access all the top streaming platforms from anywhere. This means it’s possible to continue watching a series throughout any country in the world. So, it’s a good idea to keep the VPN active even after you’ve made your booking.

8 More Ways To Save Money on Hotels in 2025

1. Book Your Flights and Hotels Together

During our tests, booking flights and hotels together 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 usually aren’t my favorite places to stay. But the savings can be pretty significant if you’re fine with these sorts of accommodations.

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 $3,371 for a single traveler at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel. However, booking the same hotel and flights for the exact dates separately totaled $3,712 — an increase of 10.12%.

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 £59 directly with Hilton, compared to £71 on Booking.com.

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

3. Take Advantage of Mobile-Only Prices & Flash Sales

In 2023, 85% of all travel bookings were accessed via mobile apps (Netblime)⁴. Booking agencies often offer significantly cheaper mobile-only prices for hotel and travel reservations to tap into this trend. I could find a 35% discount while booking a NYC hotel this way. Flash sales can slash prices even more, especially on days like Black Friday.

Using search filters on booking websites can help spot these deals, but since they're time-sensitive, staying informed is key. 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. Look for Early or Last-Minute Deals

While everyone knows you get better prices by booking early, I was surprised to find out the opposite is also true. Websites like LastMinute.com and LoveHolidays.com are good places to find exclusive deals super early or just in the nick of time. I searched for a hotel in Spain only 10 days ahead of time. I wasn’t expecting much, but I was thrilled to receive an 18.6% discount on a luxury 4-star hotel room on LastMinute.com.

You can also luck out on RoomerTravel.com — this site lets people list their non-refundable rooms if they can’t make their trip. Since they're happy to get anything back at that point, you might get a great discount

5. Try Your Luck on Auction Sites

Auction sites let you bid on hotel rooms. An example is TravelAuctions, which offers bidding on Australia-based accommodations. However, since they’re competitive by nature, you might pay more than you would on a travel comparison site.

I’ve also had a bit of luck using the site Priceline.com. There, you can name your price, and it matches you with deals close to your bid. I found discounts on many hotels near London, UK. For example, a one-night stay at NYX Hotel London Holborn was only $296, compared to $332 on Booking.com for the same night.

Another tip that can save you money on these sites is to prepay for your room if the option is available. The prepaid rates are usually lower than those paid during your stay. Although it limits your flexibility, it's a good option if you're set on your travel plans.

7. Join Loyalty Programs

Most people know that hotels and airlines have loyalty points, but booking sites also have loyalty programs that can save you money. On my last family trip, my sister got around $45 off her room with her Expedia points.

8. Change Your IP to The Country You’re Traveling to for Local Deals

Sometimes the best deals are offered to locals, but just make sure you’re not breaking any T&Cs with this method. There are times when booking sites will lower the prices for people living in the same country/state/etc. as the hotel. However, you should be really careful and make sure that this deal isn’t exclusively for residents (read the fine print). If it is, they may ask for a local ID at the hotel.

Our Methodology for Testing VPNs for Booking Cheap Hotels

Our regular tests made it easy to find the best VPNs for hotel savings. The most important factor is whether the VPN can functionally change your IP address, and our leak tests showed us which ones are up to the task. We also combed through our spreadsheets to find the providers with the most servers in areas that typically get discounted rates. While most booking sites don’t seem concerned about VPN use, we also found services that can hide VPN use.

Which Countries Get the Cheapest Hotel Rates?

There isn’t a universally cheap country for booking hotels with a VPN, but lower to middle-income countries like Vietnam, Argentina, and Turkey 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.

Often, the cheapest country is the one where the hotel is located. Often, this is because hotels feel they can charge more to travelers. I know I spend my money more freely when I’m on vacation, which makes sense. Using an IP address in your destination country might also reveal local sellers with better prices that aren’t available where you live.

If you’re traveling to the US, the state from which the room is booked also matters. For instance, numerous individuals have noted that cities such as Phoenix and Salt Lake City are charged lower rates for hotels than cities like San Francisco. If you’re interested in getting the best US prices, you might want to use ExpressVPN since it has servers in all 50 US states.

How Do Hotel Sites Determine Their Prices?

I have zero business savvy, but even I know that hotel sites adjust their prices based on supply and demand. If you’re looking to book a 5-star hotel in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, you can expect to pay close to your life savings because everyone wants to be there too.

But hotels also adjust their prices based on your location and browsing history. If they suspect you’re from a poorer region, and they need to fill more rooms, your price could go down. On the other hand, if they notice you’ve checked their website multiple times in the same day, they might increase the pricing, assuming you’re desperate.

These websites use advanced algorithms that adjust their prices based on all these factors in real-time. That’s why the prices change so rapidly. The algorithms can make these adjustments faster than any human can keep up with. Who knows what kind of insane dynamic prices we’ll face in the future as technology advances? Luckily for now, I actually feel like it’s easier to find a cheap hotel than ever.

FAQs on Getting Cheap Hotels With a VPN

References

1. https://www.statista.com/chart/29622/travel-bookings-online-vs-agency/
2. https://www.travelperk.com/blog/online-travel-booking-statistics/
3. https://www.siteminder.com/hotel-booking-trends/
4. https://netblime.com/online-hotel-booking-statistics