I’m taking 4 people around on business over the following weeks and have booked some of our stays at Starwood properties. I will be picking up the tab for all 5 rooms. The fist stay is three nights, but I will be arriving a day later than everyone else, so I will need the others to be able check in without me there. I explained this situation to a platinum service rep (using the click-to-chat feature). Their solution was to make two separate reservations:

- One reservation using my name as main and the names of three of my four guests for the other rooms for nights 1,2, and 3

- A second reservation just for me for nights 2 and 3 also using my name

I have been assured that they will all be able to check in without me there, but somehow I envision problems with this. Should I be worried?

 

I don't think they'll have any issues at all, providing their names are on the reservation (which you state they are). The only problem they may have, is that they won't receive any Platinum recognition without you turning up (and I imagine you'll want those for your room when you arrive).

If in doubt - make sure your companions are well versed on what you've booked... and as a safe-guard, maybe give the hotel front-desk a call, and just explain what is going on, and what you'd like to happen. I'm sure they'll be very accommodating.

No need to panic at all.

 

Contact the hotel, ideally the front desk manager. Have them note the reservations so that guests can check in. You should either get an email or fax agreeing to this from the hotel or note the name and title of the person at the hotel who agreed to this.

Do you want your guests to have to give a credit card upon arrival for incidental charges? This should also be clarified with the hotel.

I fact, it might be better to have the rooms set up for direct billing by the hotel, with clearly defined rules for what incidental charges can be added to the invoice and what types of items will be paid individually by your guest. This works well, with absolutely no expectation that you would be there, but OTOH you would lose points/nights/stay credit for the additional rooms.

 

If you are paying for the rooms in your absence, absolutely contact the hotel to be sure they understand that they should not collect a new credit card. The hotel should insert a comment which pops up at check-in that says do not collect new credit card. Some hotels require a physical swipe unless otherwise stated. You may be asked to fill out a CC authorization form to allow them to bypass that swipe.

 

What does OP want to do about incidental expenses? Pay for anything and everything the guests charge to the room? That could be risky with some guests.

 

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I'll contact the front desk directly. A few points of clarification:

Not all of their names are on the reservation. The first reservation has my name and the names of three of the four other guests. The name of one of my guests (as far as I can tell on the confirmation email) is nowhere to be found.

I will pick up most of the incidentals and if someone happens to empty the mini-bar, I can sort that out at check-out. I'm not too worried about these guys going nuts. I know them quite well and it would look quite bad for their relationship with my company.