Certs are not allowed to be gifted, and there forward CSR's are often reticent to put a second name on the reservation, especially if it is random. However, IME at hotels in the US, contacting the hotel directly to add second guest works fine.
Point reservations can be gifted. Officially, this means that the reservation is made in the other person's name, meaning no status benefits will apply. However, I have yet to find a CSR who actually does that, rather they make a regular reservation and add the other person as the second guest.