How to Book & Pay for a Hotel Room for Someone Else

Katie Spence
Verified & Updated Sep 28, 2018

Short Answer

At almost all hotels, you can choose to pay for someone else’s hotel room and/or book a hotel room for someone else. Paying for someone else’s room typically requires filling out a credit card authorization form in advance. Booking a room for someone else is as simple as making the reservation under that person’s name. We have the list of hotel-specific policies below — and information on booking and paying through Airbnb, as well.

Can You Pay for Someone Else’s Hotel Room?

Most large hotels will allow you to pay for someone else’s room using your own credit card, but you will need to arrange for this in advance. To pay for someone else’s hotel room, ask the hotel for a credit card authorization form.

First, fill out the credit card authorization form at least two days in advance, and follow the instructions to submit it to the hotel — some require you to fax it in, others will ask you to email it, etc. Additionally, your guest will need to have a valid form of ID that matches the guest’s name on the credit card authorization form.

Can You Book a Hotel Room for Someone Else?

If you book with a hotel directly — either on its website or by phone — most will allow you to book a room for someone else. When making a reservation, you can book it in the other person’s name or add them as an additional guest to a reservation under your name. The other person should be able to check in without you present. Keep in mind, your guest will need to have a valid form of ID that matches the reservation information.

It’s also possible to book someone else a hotel room on aggregate sites like Expedia. When booking the reservation, add the other person as a guest, just as you would if you were making the reservation through a hotel’s website.

Hotel-Specific Policies on Paying and Booking for Someone Else

Best Western

Country Inn & Suites

Hilton Hotels and Resorts

Holiday Inn

Howard Johnson Hotels

Hyatt Hotels

La Quinta Inns & Suites

Marriott Hotels & Resorts

Radisson Hotels

Wyndham Hotel Group

What About Airbnb?

While it’s not a hotel, Airbnb is an increasingly popular option for personal and business travel. Its policies are as follows:

  • Can you pay for someone else’s room? Airbnb allows guests to split the cost of a reservation. The total will automatically be divided among those invited to pay, but anyone can pay for anyone else’s share. If you are added to a reservation, you can choose to pay the balance.
  • Can you book a room for someone else? For business travel, yes; for personal travel, no. Airbnb for Business account holders can book business trips on behalf of other people. But, Airbnb requires all personal travel to be booked by the person staying at the listing.
  • You can get $35 toward your first Airbnb trip by using our referral link (credit amount subject to change).

In Summary

It is possible to book and/or pay for someone else’s hotel room as long as you plan ahead. Most hotels require a credit card authorization form. And, be sure to remind your guest that he or she will need a valid form of ID that matches either the guest booking information, credit card authorization form, or both depending on the situation.

For more about booking hotels, we list the hotels that accept cash. If you also need to book a rental car for someone else, we explain how to pay for someone else’s rental car.

  1. Best Western customer service (800) 528-1238[↩]
  2. Country Inn & Suites customer service (800) 967-9182[↩]
  3. Hilton Hotels customer service (800) 445-8667[↩]
  4. Holiday Inn customer service (888) 695-4678[↩]
  5. Howard Johnson Hotels customer service (800) 544-9881[↩]
  6. Hyatt Hotels customer service (800) 323-7249[↩]
  7. La Quinta customer service (800) 642-4241[↩]
  8. Marriott customer service (800) 535-4028[↩]
  9. Radisson customer service (800) 333-3333[↩]
  10. Wyndham customer service (800) 466-1589[↩]
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