Originally Posted by bocastephen

Sorry I am sort-of with the OP here - I don't allow the check-in clerk to handle my ID because I've had issues at some hotels where they try to enter specific information from the ID into the computer and refuse to tell me what they are entering and why. Although not specific to Marriott, I checked in at a discount chain while on a road trip years ago and the front desk clerk took my drivers license and photocopied it and that ended up being a big fight which went no where because she was behind bullet proof glass and I discovered the intention of copying the information was so the local constabulary (Southern Bubba type) could come in during the night and review the list of guests and their IDs to check for warrants and immigration issues - which I believe was illegal, but this was a remote Southern town where "different" laws applied.

In almost all cases checking into a Marriott or IHG branded hotel nowadays I just show the ID held in my hand and I've rarely if ever had someone try to take it. There is no way a hotel front desk clerk can figure out if the ID is valid or not be feeling it, many are barely experts in quality service, let alone counterfeit document detection.

This, and some long ago disputes with TSA before pre-check is part of the reason my drivers license is in a different state than my permanent residence and has a friend's vacation home as the listed address so the ID is no longer traceable back to me personally if the content is ever compromised.

Foreign hotels do not get my license, they get my passport which is often copied due to national law - I get that. And I agree that the temperature here between staff and customer probably got heated unnecessarily on both sides and there better ways to handle it.