How do I split hotel payments across multiple credit cards or budgets?
Most hotels can split payments across multiple credit cards at checkout, but policies vary by property and payment system. The real challenge isn't getting hotels to accept multiple cards: it's tracking which charges go to which projects without drowning in manual reconciliation work.
How many credit cards can I split a hotel bill across?
It depends on the property. Hilton generally allows guests to split room charges across multiple credit cards at check-in if requested, though this is not governed by an explicit, formal policy. Marriott prohibits split payments entirely. Hyatt, IHG, and Wyndham don't have standardized policies.
The limitation is software, not hotel policy. Properties running Oracle Opera, Cloudbeds, or Mews systems have built-in split payment functionality.
Even when hotels accommodate split payments, you still need to manually document which amounts went to which cards and track multiple authorization codes. Without automated project tagging at booking, companies spend hours weekly chasing receipts and reconciling charges.
Can I assign charges by night?
Hotel charges cannot be allocated to different payment methods by individual calendar night in most systems. Most hotel PMS systems lack the technical infrastructure to automatically allocate charges on a per-night basis. Even systems with split payment features can divide charges by amount or percentage, but can't assign different nights to different payment methods.
When your crew's assignment shifts mid-stay from Project A to Project B, hotels typically lack automated folio splitting capabilities. For extended stays crossing budget periods, you'll need separate reservations or manual allocation through journal entries.
Do all hotels allow split payments?
Split payment capabilities depend on the software each property uses, not hotel chain or property tier. Online booking platforms like Booking.com and Expedia don't support multiple card payments during booking. This limitation stems from how OTA payment systems process single transactions.
What's the best way to track split payments across projects?
Tag expenses to projects at booking time through centralized booking platforms. This removes month-end reconciliation challenges entirely.
The most effective approach combines several integrated systems: capture project attribution when booking occurs, consolidate all charges into a single monthly invoice with pre-tagged project codes, and automatically retrieve digital receipts from hotel systems after checkout. Custom field systems that require project managers to assign job codes before reservations complete provide the critical upstream control that cuts weeks of post-trip manual allocation work.
Virtual cards offer another approach: generate unique card numbers for each project to maintain clear separation. When your crew needs accommodations split between Project A and Project B, issue separate cards for each project rather than attempting hotel-level payment splitting.
How do companies avoid split payment complexity entirely?
Stop splitting payments at the hotel and start separating costs at booking. Sims Crane cut the chaos of tracking crew hotel costs across multiple job sites by using Engine. They avoided $40,000+ in hotel modification fees, and achieved 5x faster booking by requiring project codes upfront.
Engine takes this approach: travelers select project codes from required dropdown menus before completing any reservation. All charges flow to a single monthly invoice with granular project attribution already attached, compatible with QuickBooks, NetSuite, and Xero. Direct Bill removes individual traveler charges entirely while maintaining project tracking. No receipt-chasing. No month-end spreadsheet reconciliation. Just clean data from day one.
