Before we leave the Council...

[Odola]

I disagree. An hour in the common room with the opportunity for supervision, is a much lower risk than hours of unsupervised access to the hallway where locks could be picked or forced and guests valuables stolen from their rooms.
We see that Butterbur is the sort to take responsibility for the loss of guests property even when that loss is due to the actions of people not staying in the inn. We know Butterbur has a club for dealing with troublemakers when the Hobbits return from the south. While the area has become more dangerous in the absence of the Rangers (somewhat ironically for this discussion) I doubt the club is a recent acquisition.

Maybe, but a thief steals and runs usually. And the price for staying overnight exceeds that of several beers. Does not the fact that Aragorns does stay overnight inside after all not suggest that he already has paid for it?

 

[Rachel Port]

But would he have been let in at all not beeing local and not having a room?

Of course he would - in the common room that evening, there are many townspeople - all the other hobbits, not to mention Bill Ferny. And Butterbur does say Strider hasn't caused any trouble in Bree, but Rangers are strange and thus suspect to the Bree folk. Strider tells the hobbits he followed them to the inn, so we know he came in after them, and tried to get in to see them before any of them went to the common room, so he couldn't have a room.

 

[Jim Deutch]

the price for staying overnight exceeds that of several beers. Does not the fact that Aragorns does stay overnight inside after all not suggest that he already has paid for it?

They actually use another room (a parlor or sitting room, IIRC), leaving just bolsters and pillows in the room the Hobbits have paid for. The text takes no notice of any price for this, so I never did either, but they must have worked out a deal with Butterbur. Probably after the episode in the common room. Before that, I concur with the opinion that Strider planned to sleep elsewhere: he can slip in and out unobserved, so he's got options.

 

[Rachel Port]

odola, I don't think it's the hobbits' arrangements that were questioned, but Strider's. The hobbits clearly took care of their own business arrangement with Butterbur. Strider stays overnight in one of the rooms the hobbits have rented, and under the circumstances, I doubt that's an issue.

And Strider has been coming to the Prancing Pony for many years - there is no question of his being a thief. But I don't think he stays in hotels in his travels.

 

[Anthony Lawther]

Maybe, but a thief steals and runs usually. And the price for staying overnight exceeds that of several beers. Does not the fact that Aragorns does stay overnight inside after all not suggest that he already has paid for it?

No. The fact that Merry comes back with worrying news leading to Strider coordinating the decoy actions and then effectively standing guard over the Hobbits all night explains his presence. It does not mean he has a room.