Yes, an iPhone is one of the safer devices to put on hotel Wi-Fi, mainly because iOS has privacy features built in that most people never touch. Check three settings and pay attention to one warning, and you've covered most of the risk.
Settings to check
Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the info button next to the hotel network.
- Private Wi-Fi Address. Your iPhone uses a different hardware address for each network so the hotel can't link your device across stays. On iOS 18 and later you can pick Fixed or Rotating, and Apple sets Rotating by default on open or weak networks, changing the address every two weeks.
- Limit IP Address Tracking. This is the per-network switch that keeps iCloud Private Relay and Mail's privacy protection running. If you turn it off, Apple notes that network providers can monitor your Safari activity.
- iCloud Private Relay. It encrypts DNS so the hotel network can't see which sites you look up, but it requires an iCloud+ subscription, covers Safari browsing (not all your apps), and isn't offered in every country.
The warning to heed
If you see "Weak Security" under the network name, the router is using outdated protection such as WEP or TKIP, which Apple flags as deprecated. Open hotel networks with no password offer no Wi-Fi encryption at all.
Because Private Relay doesn't cover banking apps, messaging apps, or games, a VPN such as NordVPN fills the gap by encrypting all traffic from the phone. Keep iOS updated and you're in good shape.