You can book a hotel room for someone else using your credit card as long as you list that person as the guest on the reservation. The person whose hotel room you book with your credit card will need to provide a photo ID when checking in, along with a credit card that has their name on it for incidentals.

Yes, you can book a hotel in your name for someone else in 2026, but you must follow specific steps to ensure they are not denied at check-in. The most critical step is to add the guest's name to the reservation as a "secondary guest" or the primary occupant. If the hotel expects "John Doe" (the payer) and "Jane Smith" shows up alone, the front desk may refuse entry to prevent fraud. To pay for the room without being physically present, you will typically need to submit a Credit Card Authorization Form to the hotel in advance. This document gives the hotel legal permission to charge your card for the room and tax even if you aren't there to sign the receipt. Alternatively, you can choose a "Prepaid" rate where the room is fully paid at the time of booking. Even with a prepaid room, the person staying will almost always need to provide their own credit or debit card upon arrival for "incidentals" (security deposits for room service or potential damages). If the guest does not have a card of their own, you should call the hotel manager to see if you can authorize a specific amount for incidentals on your card as well.