Originally Posted by
ryanm
Thanks, all, for the responses--which as I suspected were varied. I definitely will not be doing anything illegal with the receipt.
We decided to go with the first option, which is entirely in keeping with the rules, and will make sure to request in enough time that the final bill is in my name and of course charged to my card. It's less important where the points go, especially since "my" card is that of an additional cardholder on my partner's Bonvoy Brilliant Amex--so the spend multiplier will reach us either way. My partner had been on a Titanium quest this year, but doesn't look like he'll make it anyway, without or without the nights from this stay. Ultimately, we'd just like whatever platinum benefits are available.
Thanks for the reminder not to get the prepaid rate! It's only like 5 euros or so a night difference, and obviously worth it to make sure I get the whole week reimbursed. As a wise person above noted, free lounge access is not worth it if the lodging doesn't get reimbursed!
Another thing - it is very important that you sort the invoice thing out a few days before checking out - make sure it's on a weekday as here in Scandinavia kids are off for the summer and in Sweden the kids have been off for a couple of weeks so people are also off. Not all front desk can handle changes like this so you need to make sure that someone who knows how to change the name of an invoice is around. Changing a name on a invoice may seem to be a small task but it is not as easy as it seems sometimes (I have tried that but without luck and that was in Asia - the front desk had to change the name on the reservation and it was too late to do that when I asked).
Make sure you communicate this in email before your arrival so that you can show the person if they seem puzzled.