My father stayed in the Excelsior Hotel Ernst for one week every two years for several decades. Even though it was every two years, most of the staff - not just the front desk - recognized him and would say ,,Guten Abend, Herr Spira`` or a similar greeting. I checked in once perhaps a decade after he had last been there and the assistant manager looked at my name and said ,,Sind Sie der Sohn von Herrn Spira aus New York?``

Whenever I go to the Vier Jahreszeiten in München, the lobby manager always comes over to say hello and asks me if I want my favorite white tea (he´s also the tea sommelier).

What I´m sometimes uncomfortable about is the little note in the reservation, followed by a phone call, followed by a small procession of the GM and one or two others greeting me when I check in.