Troubleshooting · Plain-English answer
Hotel networks often break VPNs in two ways: a captive portal that must be accepted before any traffic flows, and firewalls that block the ports VPN protocols use. Sign in to the hotel's portal page first, then connect the VPN. If it still fails, the network may block VPN traffic deliberately.
Hotel Wi-Fi usually starts every session at a login page, and until you accept it, the network drops everything else, including VPN handshakes. If your VPN connects automatically on joining Wi-Fi, it can end up wedged, fighting a network that will not pass its traffic yet.
The routine that works: turn the VPN off, join the Wi-Fi, open a browser and complete the portal login, confirm a normal website loads, and only then connect the VPN. A kill switch left on during this dance can block the portal page itself, so pause it if the login will not appear.
Some hotel firewalls block the UDP ports VPN protocols rely on, either through heavy handed security settings or deliberate policy. If the portal login succeeded but the VPN still cannot connect, try any alternative protocol or port options in your app, since traffic on TCP port 443 resembles ordinary secure browsing and often passes.
If nothing connects, tethering to your phone's mobile data gets you a clean connection for anything sensitive. It is a workaround rather than a fix, but it is dependable.
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