Originally Posted by
giddings
What if I book a free weekend night on a Friday,
my wife checks in during the afternoon, using my credit card,
I am due to arrive after work that evening,
but something comes up and I either have to work all night, or travel to a client elsewhere...?
Do they really try to charge my wife for the stay when she checks out, just because no one physically saw me arrive?
The rules are very specific that this is not allowed. If you are unable to fulfill your obligation to show up, they then don't have to fulfill their obligation to give you the free night. Certainly emergencies happen, but this is a logistical problem not an emergency. If you can't check in, don't book the night.