At minimum, a travel router isolates your devices from the other people on the hotel wifi. But it can do so much more. It can allow you to add a streaming device to the TV, as many cannot navigate the captive portal. Many can support a connected USB drive to act as a simple media server to stream to the device you connect to your TV.
Finally, your device can act as a VPN gateway for your devices, something I am doing with my travel router as we speak. Every web request is running through my VPN server in my apartment. My current preference has been the GL.iNet line of travel routers. They run a variant of an open firmware and have general been reliable. I have had several.
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Quick answer: For most travelers, I would start with the GL.iNet Beryl AX. It is small, modern, fast enough for normal hotel Wi-Fi, and usually the easiest recommendation if you are buying today. If you already own the GL.iNet Slate Plus, I would keep using it unless you need more speed. If you want the premium model and do not mind paying more, the GL.iNet Slate 7 is the one to compare.
Quick Picks: Best Travel Routers for Hotel Wi-Fi
| Use case | Best pick | Why I’d choose it | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for most travelers | GL.iNet Beryl AX | Modern Wi-Fi 6, compact size, strong travel-router feature set, and better value than chasing the newest model for hotel Wi-Fi. | Check price |
| Best proven older model | GL.iNet Slate Plus | The model I have used while traveling. Still a practical pick if the price is right and you do not need Wi-Fi 6. | Check price |
| Best faster Slate option | GL.iNet Slate AX | A stronger Slate-series router with Wi-Fi 6 and more performance headroom. | Check price |
| Best premium option | GL.iNet Slate 7 | The premium pick if you specifically want Wi-Fi 7, dual 2.5G ports, USB-C power, and the touchscreen. | Check price |
Best Travel Router for Most People: GL.iNet Beryl AX
The GL.iNet Beryl AX is the travel router I would look at first if I were buying today. It is small, modern, and more than enough for the normal travel-router jobs: isolating your devices from the rest of the hotel network, sharing a VPN connection, connecting a streaming stick, and avoiding the hassle of signing every device into a captive portal.
Buy this if: you want one compact travel router that should handle most hotel Wi-Fi, rental-house, and temporary work setups without spending for the newest premium model.
Skip it if: you specifically want the Slate line’s Ethernet layout or the premium features on the Slate 7.
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Best Proven Older Model: GL.iNet Slate Plus
The GL.iNet Slate Plus is the travel router I have actually been using on the road. That counts for something. Travel routers are not only about wireless specs. They need to handle weird hotel Wi-Fi, captive portals, VPN connections, streaming devices, and temporary work setups without turning every hotel stay into a networking project.
Buy this if: you want a proven GL.iNet travel router and find it at a good price.
Skip it if: the Beryl AX is close in price. At that point, I would usually buy the newer model.
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Best Faster Slate Option: GL.iNet Slate AX
The GL.iNet Slate AX is the better fit if you like the Slate line but want more performance. It gives you more headroom than the Slate Plus, which may be useful if you travel with several devices, share a VPN connection, or use the router in temporary work setups where reliability matters.
Buy this if: you want a stronger Slate-series router and do not mind paying more than the basic travel-router options.
Skip it if: your main use is occasional hotel Wi-Fi and the Beryl AX is cheaper.
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Best Premium Travel Router: GL.iNet Slate 7
The GL.iNet Slate 7 is the premium option. It adds newer hardware, faster networking features, USB-C power, and a touchscreen. Those are useful upgrades, but they are not automatically necessary in a hotel room. In many hotels, the internet connection itself will be the bottleneck before the router is.
Buy this if: you specifically want the newer hardware, 2.5G ports, and the touchscreen.
Skip it if: you mainly want a simple travel router for hotel Wi-Fi. The Beryl AX or Slate Plus will usually be the better value.
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Which GL.iNet Travel Router Should You Choose?
If I were buying today, I would start with the Beryl AX. It is the easiest recommendation for most people because it gives you a modern travel router without paying for premium features that many hotel Wi-Fi setups cannot really use.
- Most travelers: Beryl AX
- Already own a Slate Plus: keep using it unless it is limiting you
- Want a faster Slate: Slate AX
- Want the premium model: Slate 7
Do You Need Wi-Fi 7 or 2.5G Ethernet in a Travel Router?
Usually, no. Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5G Ethernet are useful features, but they are rarely the thing holding you back in a hotel. The hotel’s internet connection, captive portal, room location, and shared network load usually matter more than the router’s maximum theoretical speed.
That is why I would not automatically buy the most expensive travel router. For most people, reliability, VPN support, captive-portal handling, size, and power are more important than chasing the newest Wi-Fi number.
Why I Started Traveling With a Router
I started carrying a travel router because hotel Wi-Fi is often awkward in exactly the ways that matter: captive portals, streaming devices that cannot log in easily, devices exposed on the same network as other guests, and VPN setups that become annoying when every device has to be configured separately.
On my current trip, I have been using the GL.iNet Slate Plus. It still works, which is why I do not think every traveler needs to chase the newest model. But if I were buying today, I would start with the Beryl AX unless I specifically wanted the Slate 7’s newer hardware and touchscreen.
My Pick For Best Travel Router
If I were buying one travel router today, I would start with the GL.iNet Beryl AX. It is the best balance of size, features, maturity, and price for most travelers. I would only move up to the Slate 7 if I specifically wanted the screen, Wi-Fi 7, or 2.5G Ethernet ports.
Related Travel Tech
A travel router pairs well with a compact keyboard, a USB-C charger, and a small power strip. See my guide to the best travel keyboards if you are building a portable work setup.