Originally Posted by
PTahCha
I generally carry a wallet with a see through window with my driver license inserted. For hotel check-in, I would show them the ID, and it's good to go.
As of this evening, when I checked in at W San Francisco, the front desk associate asked me to take out the license, since they need to handle it. They also asked to hold the credit card as well. I asked for a manager/supervisor, and her explanation was that front desk associates are trained "to touch the ID to identify fraudulent ones", and stated that this is common among Marriott hotels since she worked for them many years. This was escalated to the point where she was suggesting I should stay somewhere else, when I held my ID too close to her face. Ultimately, she relented, but not before they retaliated by placing me in the standard room, when in fact my SNA had cleared. That took another call to resolve the situation.
Ironically, the same thing happened a few weeks ago at AC Oakland, where the night auditor also asked me to hand her my ID, and was surprised when I refused. And once again, there was a retaliation action, where they added a valet charge to my room when I did not have a car.
I understand the requirement for hotels outside of the U.S. to hand over passports, since they may need to make a copy as part of their local jurisdictional requirements. However, I have never had an issue in a U.S. hotel until now, to the point where they almost refused to check me in. Is this a thing now?
That's despicable conduct on your part. Like why would act so aggressively and essentially shove your ID to someone's face? What do you have to hide? If you don't like the rules, then stay elsewhere. The customer isn't always right. If I was at the front desk and you did that to me, I would call the police and let them take care of you.
Originally Posted by
gcuk
My passport is handled by a gate agent every time I board an international flight all over the world. That is as much a document validity check as it is a visa, etc check.
If I protested and stuck it in their face, I can guess what the outcome would be. Why is ID at a hotel any different.
Exactly. Maybe the OP hasn't done much traveling in his life.
Originally Posted by
arlflyer
Suggestion for the OP - if you don't like this, please don't ever try to check into a hotel in Europe. You will be scarred for life.
Or Asia. I can't imagine anyone in this world would put up with the OP's behavior. It would have been awesome if the hotel called the police.