How to Check into a Hotel Without ID? (Is It Possible)

When you’re an experienced traveler, checking into a hotel is second nature.

You book online or via an app, turn up at the hotel, give your name and booking details, and the key card is pretty much handed over.

But what if you don’t have an ID?

Maybe you’ve lost it.

Or maybe you’re trying to stay under the radar.

Whatever the reason, read on to find out how you can do it.

Table of Contents

Why do Hotels Ask for ID?

First up, let’s look into why hotels ask for ID.

Hotels and other establishments ask for ID for a few reasons.

If a room hasn’t been paid for in advance, the hotel staff may ask for ID so that they can get accurate details of who to charge. The ID is often shown at the same time a credit card security is added on check-in.

Another reason they ask for ID is for your own safety. If something were to happen to you, particularly if you are traveling alone, the hotel staff need to know who you are so that they can tell emergency workers as well as try and contact your next of kin in emergencies.

Some hotels have age restrictions for their guests, and this may well be why they want to see your ID. There are adults-only hotels that specify that their guests must be at least 21 years old, for example, whereas others accept single travelers who are 18 years old or even younger.

Asking for ID in hotels is pretty standard, particularly if you’re traveling overseas.

What Kind of ID do Hotels Usually Accept?

hotels accept passport — Types of accepted ID

There are a few kinds of ID that hotels accept when you check into your hotel.

They usually accept any kind of government-issued ID, including foreign identification documents.

Sometimes, folks encounter problems with non-US-issued identification docs, but mostly this is not a problem.

Smaller establishments that are less familiar with foreign IDs may make more of a thing than the Hilton or the Marriott would.

Common types of accepted ID include:

Passport
Driver’s license
Health Card
Student Card
Military ID
Police Officer ID

What if I’ve lost my ID?

Traveling brings with it many challenges. Perhaps one of the most difficult to overcome is losing your ID en route.

The way to handle this is to explain to the clerk at the reception desk that you’ve lost your ID on the way to the hotel or at a previous destination.

Stay Under the Radar — Staying under the radar 🙂

If you reported the loss to the authorities, you could always show them the incident log as proof that this has happened.

Hotels may accept a photocopy or photograph of your ID, it’s always a good idea to take a photograph of it before you set off anywhere!

Other hotels may accept a different non-government-issued form of ID such as a bank card, bill or travel pass.

What if my ID has expired?

If you’re trying to check into a hotel and you’ve brought your ID and just noticed it’s expired, try not to worry.

Normally, hotels would accept expired ID at check-in, particularly if it expired very recently (a few weeks or months ago is usually ok, but a few years to a decade, probably not!).

Hotel managers understand that sometimes people don’t check their ID expiration dates, so usually allow you to show an ID that’s not valid anymore.

Can I Check into a Hotel Under a Fake Name?

If you want to keep under the radar, for whatever reason that might be, you’ll be wanting to know how you can circumnavigate the ID question at check-in.

Of course, you could go along the whole “I’ve lost my ID” route, but there are other ways to get around this too.

Can I Check into a Hotel Under a Fake Name? — Book a hotel room under a different name

It is completely legal to book a hotel room under a different name.

You could book yourself a room under the name Miranda Smith even though you’re really called Georgia Carmichael. However, the hotel may still ask to see your ID.

Depending on the circumstances, you can show your ID to the hotel clerk and simply explain that you’ve booked the room under a false name.

Quite often, celebrities will use this tactic when booking accommodation so that hotel staff don’t get wind of their arrival before the event and let slip to the press or the public.

If you’re going to do this, don’t give yourself a whacky ‘out-there’ name that’ll cause the hotel staff to raise an eyebrow before you even arrive.

Now is not the time to call yourself “Robin Batman” 🙂 (unless, of course, that is your real name). Save the odd-ball laugh-out-loud names for your next trip to Starbucks.

Other Ways to Stay Under the Radar

Hotel privacy rules — Keep your identity private

Aside from giving a fake name at a hotel, there are other things that you can do to keep your stay there private.

Firstly, if possible, let the hotel know that you’d rather keep your identity private. Hotels don’t tend to give out guest information without your consent, but it doesn’t harm to remind them of this whilst you’re there. You can also ask to read their privacy policy if it isn’t already on their website. Regardless of whether you’re honest about using a pseudonym and have gotten away without showing ID, the hotel staff will address you by the name in which you’ve booked the room even if it doesn’t match the credit card you later pay with.

Another tip is to choose a hotel that is discrete and one that you feel you can trust. You need to feel protected and safe (why else would you be trying to be discrete?), and so choosing the right hotel can make a huge difference to your stay.

If you’ve booked online, you can choose an address that isn’t yours, but it should be one of someone you know and trust. Also, ensure that you delete any cookies on your device if it’s used by others.

Lastly, don’t use a fake ID. Using false identification or giving completely made-up addresses is not wise. Hotels are normally happy to be extremely discrete, so completely false documentation should not be warranted. Plus, it’s not exactly legal to have a false ID.

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Final Thoughts on Checking into a Hotel Without ID

Checking into a hotel should be a relatively straightforward process. Not having ID certainly complicates it somewhat! However, the vast majority of hotels are understanding and accommodating of issues such as lost passports or expired driving licenses.

Just bear in mind that the hotel is doing you a favor here – they’re not obligated to let you stay if you can’t give them the documentation that they ask for. So, in that regard, be kind to the staff. If you rub them up the wrong way, they may well not give you what you want.