We all feel the pressure from Big Brother sometimes, and I don’t mean the TV show. Yet there are circumstances when even a good, law-abiding citizen needs some serious anonymity. If you’re avoiding a crazy ex-cheater, you may someday need to check into a hotel anonymously. Can you even do that anymore? The good news is that there are plenty of ways to get a room without letting anyone know. I’ll help you figure out how to hide at a hotel.
Anonymous Vs. Discreet Hotel Check-Ins
Depending on the level of security you need, a discreet hotel check-in might be more comfortable than seeking anonymous options. In fact, it’s easy to remain anonymous without checking in totally anonymously. There is a big difference between the two.
Total anonymity means checking in to stay without any identification at all. That is far more complicated than getting a hotel to respect your privacy. Although it may surprise you to learn this, hotels are used to having people request public anonymity.
Moreover, they’re serious about respecting it, even if you’re not a pop superstar. You can use any name for check-in. However, you need to verify your ID to book. Luckily the staff will respect the name you gave, and the only place your real name would appear is on the bill, which you can easily throw away.
Although no security system is perfect, hotel information security is typically no joke. Choose a higher quality hotel for better information security. Unless your cheating stalker is a super-hacker, they’ll never find you in a confidential booking. You simply have to let the hotel know you need one when you book.
What Hotels Don’t Tell
You may be feeling paranoid in the digital era, but all hotels and even motels have standards. If you request the front desk clerks to use another name for you, they will. Moreover, they can defeat any incoming calls or requests with your name attached.
Typically hotels don’t give any guest information out. Unless the police come looking for you, they won’t be handing out your name. Part of what keeps the hotel industry running is the ability to get-away. It’s not much of an escape if anyone on the street can find out where you are.
Take extra steps to protect yourself in a discreet or anonymous hotel. You can carry an Addalock in a pocket or purse easily. These super-simple additional door latches will give you more security anywhere you stay. Click here to find out more on Amazon before you book.
6 Ways To Get Anonymous in a Hotel
True anonymity is difficult to attain. Sadly, it’s even harder to maintain, but not impossible. To keep your name off hotel records, you’ll have to get creative. Luckily, you won’t have to figure out everything from scratch.
With a few simple tips, you can find a place to sleep overnight, or longer without anyone naming names. Or at least without your name in any records. Hopefully, you’ll never need to hide out anonymously, but if you do, you’ll know how with these easy, anonymous hotel tips.
Anonymous Hotel Check-Ins
- Cash & Friend- Paying cash and bringing someone with you can get you a room no one knows you’re in. Check-in typically requires one person to give ID. You can stay in the car and provide the cash. There’s no trail or evidence you were ever there beyond some hotel security cameras. Finding someone to take your money and check you in isn’t even that hard if you don’t have a buddy who will do it for you.
- Air BnB- Although Air BnB requires verified ID since 2013, it’s still a place to look. You can contact the individual renters and ask to make an arrangement. Especially if you’re in a bind because of a dangerous spouse, they may be willing to let you pay cash on arrival. However, it’s not a guarantee and would be up to the individual renter.
- Alternate Rooming Solutions- A fantastic way to find small, private, short term sleeping solutions is to check craigslist and similar advertising sites. You can find rooms to rent for a night or a year without all the drama of ID checks and contracts. Still, you should use caution and make sure the renter is n the up and up before giving them any money.
- Prepaid- If you share a bank account with, for example, a soon-to-be ex-husband, using your card is a terrible plan. To keep a lousy spouse from seeing something on your statement, you can get a prepaid card. Moreover, you can also get a ‘burner’ phone and use that number to register our stay. Make sure that you turn off the ringer and hide the card well.
- Have Someone Else Book- If you have a friend or family member who’s willing to risk their credit card on your good behavior, they can book for you some places. Likewise, if someone owes you a solid favor, they may be willing. However, this can get tricky.
- Fake Information- I never suggest giving a hotel fake ID or incorrect information. Unfortunately, when you agree to pay for a room, you are signing a contract, and that means it’s illegal to falsify your info.
Cover Your Tracks to Stay Anonymous
It’s easy to panic and make mistakes when you’re trying to get away from a bad situation. Whether you need a weekend to think or a total escape from an abusive cheater, it doesn’t matter. Take a deep breath, and let’s talk about covering your tracks.
You won’t stay anonymous if you leave a trail. To begin with, you should be reading this page in incognito mode. Better still, wipe your history and head to the local library before you book anything.
Incognito isn’t perfect, but it helps. However, the library is about as anonymous as you can get even if the card is in your name. Especially if you don’t often check out books, there are precious few people who’d even think to check, and it would take a warrant to pull your search history.
For those with genuinely savvy cheaters on their tail, checking cars and rooms for hidden cameras and other devices is a good idea. Get a superb Anti Spy RF Detector Wireless to stay safer. I carry mine everywhere, including public restrooms, and it has certainly paid off. You’ll always know if there are hidden signals where you are with a high-quality detector like the Anti Spy. To pick one up from Amazon, click here.
Tracking by Cars & Phones
We already discussed anonymous internet use and paying in cash or by prepaid cards. However, there are a lot of other ways to track a person. A car with GPS is trackable, and so is your cell phone. Despite the illegality of using tracking programs on adults, it’s not hard to find online trackers.
Additionally, your crazy stalker can hire a private investigator to trail you. It’s legal for them to pay for the service and for the PI to follow you. Some stalkers are even adept at tracking their victims on their own.
The first thing you need to do is pull the battery out of your phone and disable your GPS. Still, that’s not always enough to keep them away. Use a taxi, and have them drive through an empty neighborhood to check for followers.
Uber is fine, but if you book on your phone, there’s a record. Instead, pick up a cab outside an airport or hotel. They’re high traffic areas, and you can remain relatively anonymous there.
You can even tell the driver you think someone is stalking you if you feel it’s wise. Tip them well, and they’ll be on your side for now, but have them drop you at a different major hotel and switch cabs.
Pay Cash
Not only your cab, but any gas you put in your car should come from cash only. Furthermore, if you need to park your vehicle, pay cash to a public lot. Do not rent a car, even with paper money. They require ID.
Better still, find someone on Craigslist or a ride-sharing app and pay them in cash to get you where you’re going. People are surprisingly willing to take money for rides.
Don’t Tell on Yourself
One of the biggest giveaways is always friends and family. If you need to be anonymous, stay that way. Don’t tell your mom, best friend, or co-workers where you’re headed. Disappear.
Also, make sure you don’t check or post to any social media. Plus, skip checking emails. You need to stay out of the spotlight completely.
When you need to take your phone or tablet with you, but you also need to be certain no one is tracking them, a Mission Darkness Non-Window Faraday Bag from Amazon is the perfect solution. With no signals going in or out, it’s impossible to tell where a device is. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how effective they are. Click here to check the reviews for yourself.
Bribery is Illegal
While you might be able to convince a dive hotel clerk to let you in sans-ID, your stalker could probably pay the same guy to tell them where you are. Though I don’t recommend bribing your way to anonymity, tipping well is a great way to inspire loyalty.
Realistically, everyone has a limit. If people see you check-in, they can be bought or intimidated into telling. The right circumstances will loosen any lips. So keep your circle of witnesses tight, and pay extra.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you’ll never need to find anonymous hotel lodgings. However, knowing how is still safer than crossing your fingers. With these tips, you should be safe from prying eyes.
No one wants to have a bad-spouse problem, but if you do, then getting away ASAP is your best defense. You don’t owe a cheater an explanation, and you don’t have to take their calls. Leave them in the dust and the past where they belong while staying safe.
Remember to cover all your tracks, not just the ones you could leave at the hotel. If there’s no information to find, you’ll stay anonymous.