How to Book a Hotel Room for Someone Else: Step-By-Step

Have you ever tried to book a hotel room for someone else? It’s doable, but it isn’t always as straightforward as booking for yourself. Hotels need to verify that the person arriving is the person allowed to check in, which means you’ll need to take a few extra steps when making the reservation.

To make things easier, we created a simple step-by-step guide on how to book a hotel room for another person, whether you’re booking directly, using points, or going through a third-party site.

Typical Requirements for Booking a Hotel Room for Another Person

You’ll need a few key pieces of information before you book a hotel room for someone else.

Guest’s personal information

Most hotel booking channels include dedicated fields to confirm the guest’s personal information. The guest information required can include:

• Guest name

• Home address

• Date of birth

• Passport number

This information will help the hotel confirm that your friend, coworker, or family member is the right person listed on the reservation. It helps prevent check-in fraud, so make sure to enter the details correctly during booking. Updates and changes to the guest’s  information must be made before the check-in date.

Credit card authorization form

You can book and pay for a hotel room for another person online, but the hotel may need additional documentation confirming your payment method.

If you want to pay for your guest’s room, a credit card authorization form gives the hotel permission to charge your card for your guest’s stay, confirming that you’ve approved any applicable fees on their behalf. It highlights that the credit card holder will cover the room rate and fees. That includes any additional service fees, mini-bar charges, etc. These forms are available online and sometimes a part of the booking process, but the hotel’s front desk or customer service representative can help identify which form you need to fill out.

If your guest is paying for their own stay, you typically won’t need a credit card authorization form. These forms are only required when you are covering the room and charges directly with the hotel. And if the hotel allows you to reserve now and pay at check-in, your guest can simply pay with their own card when they arrive.

If you  book through third-party platforms like Expedia or Booking.com, payment is often handled at the time of booking, so no extra paperwork is needed.

A note about the guest’s arrival

It’s always helpful to give the hotel a heads-up about the guest’s arrival to ensure an easy check-in. They will already expect your guest’s arrival based on the name and personal information you provided on the reservation. When booking directly, you can leave a note or contact the hotel to explain the situation. 

A few helpful notes are: 

• Guest arrival time

• Additional guests staying

• Special requests for the guest

Items the Person Will Need at Check-In to the Hotel

Only guests whose names appear on the booking reservation will be allowed to check in. Make sure they have the following items ready upon arrival for a smooth check-in process: 

Guest’s government-issued ID

Hotels want to ensure that the correct guest is checking in under your reservation. To prevent fraud, guests must provide their ID or passport when checking in. The information on their documents must match the guest information you entered during the booking process.

Reservation confirmation number

Give your guest the reservation confirmation number received from the hotel. This makes it easier for the hotel to find the reservation and confirm that the guest arriving is the right person. Also, it will include notes on any additional check-in details.

Credit card for incidentals, if applicable

Many hotels still require a credit card to put on hold for all reservations. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be the same card used to make the booking. 

If you would like your guest to pay for incidentals, your guest will need to provide their own credit card. If you want to pay for incidentals, be sure to provide a credit card authorization form during the booking process, indicating that you will be responsible for the incidental charges instead of your guest.

Considerations for Booking a Hotel for a Colleague’s Work-Related Travel

Whether traveling with a group and making reservations  or sending colleagues on a trip, most professionals expect a seamless check-in process upon arriving at the hotel, especially after a long travel day. 

To keep business travel morale high, consider these when booking:

• Add the traveler’s full legal name exactly as it appears on their ID

• Send the hotel a quick email or call ahead to confirm the authorized guest

• Share the hotel’s confirmation number and check-in details with your colleague

• Include the company name in the reservation notes

• Include loyalty program numbers so colleagues can earn points for their stay

• Note any early check-in or late arrival needs in the reservation

• Provide colleagues with a company credit card for check-in

• Double-check all details before submitting the reservation 

Steps for Booking a Hotel for Someone Else

 Ready to make hotel reservations for another guest? Follow these steps. 

Book directly

Booking direct is recommended when booking a hotel for someone else. It allows you to provide the hotel with your guest’s information and additional notes about their check-in. Also, it will enable incidental charges to be applied to your credit card instead of the one provided during check-in.

This is where DirectBooker comes in. DirectBooker is building technology to make the rate-comparison process smarter and more transparent. Its upcoming AI integrations will surface verified hotel listings, member-only rate details, and direct booking links inside conversational tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. The goal is simple: help travelers see when booking directly unlocks a better deal, without jumping between multiple sites or relying on third-party platforms.

Third-party booking websites also allow you to book a hotel for another person. All payments and information sharing are handled through the third party rather than directly with the hotel. Any check-in issues must also be handled through the third party, which can slow down the check-in process and cause headaches for the person you booked the room for.

Provide the guest’s details

The most important step is providing accurate guest details on your reservation. The hotel uses these details to confirm your guest’s arrival and complete the check-in process. 

Send a credit card authorization form

If you are paying for the room and/or incidentals, a credit card authorization is needed to complete the booking process and before your guest arrives.

Share the reservation number with your guest

Hotels provide a reservation confirmation after completing the booking process. Only share the reservation number with the guest who will be checking in. They will be required to provide it to the hotel upon arrival to help locate the correct reservation and confirm they’re the correct guest.

When booking through a third-party, all booking details will be sent to the guest’s email address that you provided.

Ready to Book a Hotel for Someone Else?

Providing accurate guest information while making the reservation is the key to booking a room for another person. Use these steps to get your guest checked in seamlessly the moment they arrive, giving you, and your guest, peace of mind.

Bryan Shelmon

Bryan Shelmon is a travel writer with bylines in Lonely Planet, Midwest Living, and Wanderlust, known for immersive storytelling shaped by long-term travel across 25+ countries. He combines a background in business with nearly a decade of freelance experience, collaborating with tourism boards and capturing culture through art, language, and local exploration.

Our editorial process: DirectBooker curates insights from global hospitality experts and our network of industry insiders. Articles undergo rigorous fact-checking and quality review before publication, ensuring authentic, actionable advice for savvy travelers.