Mother's visit

[Marbles]

How internet savvy are your parents? Do they have the knowledge of how to book a hotel online? If they don't, I can see not wanting to do the legwork of calling internationally to find out rates and availability. It would be perfectly natural from that point of view to ask a local person to find and book the room.

Find a few places, get the rates, call your mom, ask where she would like to stay and ask for her credit card info like it's a perfectly reasonable part of the conversation.

[Redneck Gravy]

you need to develope a spine - tell your parents you need the money by ___ date or you will have to cancell the hotel as you can't afford it at this time.

Reserve the hotel with your credit card number, make it plain to your parents that you have only reserved the room and will NOT be paying for it.   And do this now, be clear and you won't have any misunderstandings later. 

Why would any parent expect their child to pay for their visit, particularly when said child is not currently employed??

[RooRoo]

RG, if the OP does that, the nasty parents can stick him with the bill. From what we've read so far, this seems likely to happen. Most PPs have said not to use his own credit card, and I agree.

I've made a lot of reservations at a lot of hotels, and, IIRC, when one arrives the standard question about paying is "Do you want this to stay on your card?" and the standard answer is "Yes." All mean mom has to do is say yes, and the OP is stuck with the whole thing.

Or, she can just fail to show up, in which case the OP is stuck paying a night's room rental. She can claim some kind of excuse, and promise to pay back, and tell him the check's in the mail...

OP, don't let that happen! Make no reservation with your own card, and if you already have, cancel it!

Here! (RooRoo hands him a can of EH Spine Stiffener & Polish^TM.)

[Free Range Hippy Chick]

Do not reserve the room on your credit card - apart from the probability of being stuck with the bill, it ties up the available credit. I got caught this way once - reserved a piece of furniture on my credit card, went to collect it, paid by cheque and found that for the next (I think) 30 days, the available credit on my card was reduced by the cost of the furniture. The credit card company has to assume that the charge will go through at the full amount.

And that's entirely apart from the risk that you'll actually be stuck paying for the thing.

[Redneck Gravy]

Oops, sorry I have never had that happen,  I reserve a room with my credit card and I can cancel the same day as stay before 6:00 pm and not be charged.  For my family I usually let the hotel know that I am only guaranteeing the reservation - payment will be another method, this can be noted on the reservation, then worst case I am only on the hook for one night if they don't show. 

Apparently others have had a different experience so listen to them about using your own credit card. 

You can make the arrangements and use their credit card or they can pick up the phone and do it themselves, then your credit card and line of credit are not risked/utilized at all.