Yes, someone else can book and pay for a hotel room for you, but it requires specific steps to ensure you are not denied entry at check-in. The most important requirement is that your name—matching your government-issued ID—must be listed as the "Primary Guest" on the reservation. If the person paying for the room will not be physically present at the front desk, the hotel will likely require a "Credit Card Authorization Form" to be submitted and verified before your arrival. This form gives the hotel permission to charge the absent person's card for the room and tax. Even with a prepaid room, the hotel will almost always require you (the guest) to provide your own credit card upon arrival to cover "incidentals" like room service, mini-bar charges, or potential damage. For corporate travel, companies often use centralized billing systems to handle this automatically. If you are booking through a third-party site like Expedia or Booking.com, ensure the "Who is staying?" field is filled out with your legal name. Without the proper authorization or name on the manifest, the hotel’s security policies may prevent them from handing over the keys to anyone other than the cardholder.