How to book a hotel room for someone else

Booking a room for a parent, a colleague or a friend is easy. Most problems happen later, at the front desk, when the name, the payment or the guest's card is not what the hotel expects. A few details at checkout prevent that.

Put the guest's name on the booking

The person checking in should be the person named on the booking, and they will be asked for ID. When you book on myhoteloffers.com, choose "Someone else" under "Who is this booking for?" at checkout, then enter the main guest's name exactly as it appears on their passport or ID card.

If two people are sharing and either could arrive first, book under the person most likely to check in, then ask the property whether it can add the second name.

Know what you have paid for

On our site, you pay for the room online when you book, with your own card. That covers the price shown at checkout. It does not cover:

• any amount shown as "Pay at the property", such as a local tourist tax, which the guest pays at check-in
• the hotel's deposit hold for incidentals
• extras during the stay, such as meals, parking or the minibar

Tell the guest about these before they travel, so nothing surprises them at the desk.

The deposit at check-in

Most hotels ask for a card at check-in to place a deposit hold, even when the room is already paid. The guest will normally need a card in their own name for this. If they do not have one, ask the property before arrival what it accepts. Some take a cash deposit and some do not. Our guide to hotel deposit holds explains how holds work.

If you also want to pay for the guest's extras, ask the property whether it accepts a card authorization form. This is a form you sign that lets the hotel charge your card for named costs while you are not there. Each property has its own process, so ask early and keep the reply.

Check the minimum age

Many properties set a minimum age for the main guest, often 18, and some set it higher. If you are booking for a student or another young traveler, check the property's policies before you book or ask the property directly.

Use the special requests box

Checkout has a special requests box and an estimated arrival time. Use them for what the guest needs the property to know: a late arrival, twin beds instead of a double, or a note that someone else made the booking. Requests depend on availability, and the property confirms what it can provide.

Send the guest everything they need

The confirmation and voucher go to the email address you enter at checkout. Forward them to the guest with:

• the property's address and check-in time
• the booking reference
• what is already paid and what they will pay at the property
• the free cancellation deadline, if the rate has one

If plans change, you can manage or cancel the booking from your booking page. What cancelling costs depends on the rate, as explained in hotel cancellation policies explained.