I've had to show a passport in London for the past several years. Ditto for our visits to Spain where we stay at the Marriott timeshare properties in Marbella and Playa Andaluza. Just a sign of the times we live in.

Once you have shown and they've recorded your passport number at a hotel/resort, the number shows up in your reservation locater request on subsequent visits. Sometimes I've still been asked to show my passport and they picture verify me, and other times they do not ask for the passport as the number is on the record. My only curiosity is if this is a resort/hotel specific thing or if your passport number shows up anywhere in the European booking system. We just get new passports before our latest Spain visit and they dutifully record the new numbers. We've a London visit on the horizon and I'll be watching to see if my London reservation indicates the old or the new passport number.

Barry