What is the ruling on a veiled woman hosting her veiled female friend in her home in the presence of her husband, and does the ruling differ if the husband sleeps outside the home, or if the friend stays in a nearby hotel, or if she comes accompanied by another female friend?

A woman's travel without a mahram (definition) for purposes other than the obligatory Hajj and Umrah (definition) is not permissible, even if she is accompanied by a friend or trustworthy women. It is not permissible for a Muslim woman to be an aid in this sin. If a woman arrives with a mahram, or violates the Shari'ah and arrives without a mahram, and wishes to stay in the same house, this is permissible if the house is spacious and her room is independent with its own entrance and exit. As for a woman staying alone in a hotel, although it is permissible if she feels safe, she should not do so for fear of being exposed to what is displeasing.