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Hotel showing loyalty appreciation by posting names of all elite arrivals

Hotel showing loyalty appreciation by posting names of all elite arrivals

Old Mar 26, 2019, 6:40 am
  #76  
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Some RIs do this, including posting the name of their "guest of the day." I think it's inappropriate and tacky. For instance, suppose one of their guests was making a business trip related to a future M&A?
What about someone carrying on a dalliance?
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Old Mar 26, 2019, 6:52 am
  #77  
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Originally Posted by ethernal

I don't think the rental car comparison is quite right.. usually airports serve a broad area whereas a hotel is usually very localized.

If you were under surveillance by the police or a private investigator, a spook, an investigative journalist, a rival corporation looking for trade secrets or even your wife's divorce lawyer, it would be easy to determine if you were loyal to a certain rental car company. Once I knew that and your travel patterns I could get there before you, see your name on the rental car board and place a recording device inside the car to monitor your activity.
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Old Mar 26, 2019, 8:37 am
  #78  
 
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Originally Posted by hockeyinsider
If you were under surveillance by the police or a private investigator, a spook, an investigative journalist, a rival corporation looking for trade secrets or even your wife's divorce lawyer, it would be easy to determine if you were loyal to a certain rental car company. Once I knew that and your travel patterns I could get there before you, see your name on the rental car board and place a recording device inside the car to monitor your activity.
You're being a bit paranoid. First and foremost this would be illegal. In all scenarios, it doesn't make sense (the only possible exception is investigative journalist):
  • Police would either work directly with the rental car company if they had a warrant, or if they did not have a warrant, this would not be admissible in court
  • Licensed private investigators would likely never do this because it is illegal. If they did collect this evidence with the goal of using it in a legal setting, it would not be admissible in court.
  • If the CIA or similarly equipped intelligence agency is trying to spy on you, they are going to be able to do that regardless of whether your name shows up a rental board
  • An investigative journalist would at best have a civil suit on their hands if they released this information, potentially criminal depending on the jurisdiction and local laws. That said, it is possible it would achieve their objectives - but at a high personal and potentially professional cost.
  • Corporate espionage - while it does happen - probably doesn't happen by spying on rental cars. This is doubly true in the era of the internet and electronically connected devices that are easily hacked.
  • Your wife's divorce lawyer would never do this. Both because it is illegal, would not be admissible in court, and would likely get him/her disbarred if it was clear that they are the ones that requested this happen.
Just to make it clear, putting a recording device in the car without the rental company and renter's consent is no different than placing a video camera in a hotel room. These are not trivial crimes.

There are valid, reasonable reasons to be worried about hotels posting guest names and rental cars posting names on a board. None of the reasons you cited are reasonable concerns.
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Old Mar 26, 2019, 8:50 am
  #79  
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Originally Posted by hockeyinsider
Wow. I'm surprised by the number of guests with ambassador or titanium status staying at a random Residence Inn.
The list is from a Monday check-in and the property is much larger than a standard suburban RI.

I think the Hertz board is something of a vestigial organ these days now that there's carfirmation text messages and Ultimate Choice in many locations. If I could opt-out of being on the board I would, but having my name up to speed a transaction doesn't bother me as much as having it shown to everyone as a "perk" of my elite status.
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Old Mar 26, 2019, 8:54 am
  #80  
 
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Originally Posted by SpeedyDelivery
The list is from a Monday check-in and the property is much larger than a standard suburban RI.

I think the Hertz board is something of a vestigial organ these days now that there's carfirmation text messages and Ultimate Choice in many locations. If I could opt-out of being on the board I would, but having my name up to speed a transaction doesn't bother me as much as having it shown to everyone as a "perk" of my elite status.
That and I think everyone underestimates how many elites there are these days now that Starwood and Marriott have merged. Everyone is an Elite. If anything stands out to me on the picture posted I'm actually surprised there are not more Ambassadors relative to Plats/Tits* (with the spend requirement and the fact it is a legacy Marriott and not Starwood property, perhaps that is where you see a bigger difference at full service vs. limited service properties).

* This is the right way to say this status level right?
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Old Mar 26, 2019, 9:00 am
  #81  
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Originally Posted by SkiAdcock
I think the signs are pretty much limited to limited service properties, probably in smaller places, & the properties are probably thinking they're doing a good thing vs. a bad thing.
Perhaps so, but ignorance is no excuse for a privacy breach by a business which has been entrusted with customers' personal data. These properties' management needs to get with it and join the 21st Century.
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Old Mar 26, 2019, 9:45 pm
  #82  
 
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Originally Posted by ethernal
If anything stands out to me on the picture posted I'm actually surprised there are not more Ambassadors relative to Plats/Tits*
<snip>
* This is the right way to say this status level right?
That's correct. The same team that brought you the ever-popular BONVoY name and marketing campaign came up with these titles. I guess if a Titanium member was an upgrade, that'd be a Tits Up!
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Old Mar 27, 2019, 7:37 am
  #83  
 
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The first time a hotel does this will be the LAST time I will stay there and I might even ask them to cancel that night's reservation.

I am a single female traveler. We don't need to advertise that fact!
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Old Mar 27, 2019, 7:45 am
  #84  
 
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Originally Posted by Orange County Commuter
The first time a hotel does this will be the LAST time I will stay there and I might even ask them to cancel that night's reservation.

I am a single female traveler. We don't need to advertise that fact!
Why does being female matter? It's 2019. Women are just as well equipped to travel alone as their male counterparts. Equal playing field across all aspects of life now. Pay grades, harassment protections and travel needs alike. Let's not play the women are all the sudden no longer equal card when it becomes convenient. I don't want to see feminism set back after all this progress in recent history.
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Old Mar 27, 2019, 7:45 am
  #85  
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Originally Posted by ethernal
You're being a bit paranoid. First and foremost this would be illegal. In all scenarios, it doesn't make sense (the only possible exception is investigative journalist):
  • Police would either work directly with the rental car company if they had a warrant, or if they did not have a warrant, this would not be admissible in court
  • Licensed private investigators would likely never do this because it is illegal. If they did collect this evidence with the goal of using it in a legal setting, it would not be admissible in court.
  • If the CIA or similarly equipped intelligence agency is trying to spy on you, they are going to be able to do that regardless of whether your name shows up a rental board
  • An investigative journalist would at best have a civil suit on their hands if they released this information, potentially criminal depending on the jurisdiction and local laws. That said, it is possible it would achieve their objectives - but at a high personal and potentially professional cost.
  • Corporate espionage - while it does happen - probably doesn't happen by spying on rental cars. This is doubly true in the era of the internet and electronically connected devices that are easily hacked.
  • Your wife's divorce lawyer would never do this. Both because it is illegal, would not be admissible in court, and would likely get him/her disbarred if it was clear that they are the ones that requested this happen.
Just to make it clear, putting a recording device in the car without the rental company and renter's consent is no different than placing a video camera in a hotel room. These are not trivial crimes.

There are valid, reasonable reasons to be worried about hotels posting guest names and rental cars posting names on a board. None of the reasons you cited are reasonable concerns.
Yes, probably not an issue when dealing with reasonable, law abiding people. However, we do seem to have a fair number of people that choose to break the law and will go to all ends to invoke fear and/or harm for the strangest reasons. Taking steps to improve your sense of security, even as simple as walking on the opposite side of the street, can be useful. Seeing your name plastered over public areas can be nerve wrecking. I know some that travel under assumed names (not just celebrities) and have done so a few times myself. We can not trust everyone else to what issues we have in our lives.
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Old Mar 27, 2019, 8:25 am
  #86  
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Originally Posted by Orange County Commuter
I am a single female traveler. We don't need to advertise that fact!
I'm not sure I follow how a name on a board advertises that someone is traveling alone or not. I'd think if someone were really wanting to find persons traveling alone (male or female), a better option would be to just sit down in the lobby for a few hours to watch people coming and going.
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Old Mar 27, 2019, 10:11 am
  #87  
 
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Originally Posted by Pittie Pup
Why does being female matter? It's 2019. Women are just as well equipped to travel alone as their male counterparts. Equal playing field across all aspects of life now. Pay grades, harassment protections and travel needs alike. Let's not play the women are all the sudden no longer equal card when it becomes convenient. I don't want to see feminism set back after all this progress in recent history.
To a miscreant a single female "appears" to be more vulnerable / desirable.
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Old Mar 27, 2019, 10:22 am
  #88  
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First forum member to report back what happens when they ask the hotel "Would you kindly remove my name from the list, now, please ?" wins an FT double-like bonus.
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Old Mar 27, 2019, 10:25 am
  #89  
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Originally Posted by Pittie Pup
Why does being female matter? It's 2019. Women are just as well equipped to travel alone as their male counterparts. Equal playing field across all aspects of life now. Pay grades, harassment protections and travel needs alike. Let's not play the women are all the sudden no longer equal card when it becomes convenient. I don't want to see feminism set back after all this progress in recent history.
Outside of the prison system, women are much more likely to be raped than men.
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Old Mar 27, 2019, 10:34 am
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Originally Posted by Kacee
Perhaps so, but ignorance is no excuse for a privacy breach by a business which has been entrusted with customers' personal data. These properties' management needs to get with it and join the 21st Century.
But is your name really protected personal information? Or your Marriott status? In fact, does Marriott really own the latter anyway?
I'm a big fan of privacy, and don't want the hotel signs either, but people's names are used in public all the time. I'm unsure how having your name in a hotel lobby is much different than calling your name or having it on a board in a waiting room at some other business.

Originally Posted by Orange County Commuter

I am a single female traveler. We don't need to advertise that fact!
What does this have to do with the topic? If your name is Jane Johnson, and I see a hotel sign with "J. Johnson - Platinum", I wouldn't know if you were either single or a female. I also wouldn't know if you're staying in the room alone or with someone. And then, I wouldn't know what room you're staying in or what you look like. All I know is some human named J. Johnson has Platinum status.

You're 1000x more likely to be spotted as a single female traveler when you enter the hotel and check in than you are from someone looking at a sign.

There are lots of reasons solo female travelers should be aware of their surroundings and such, but I don't see the tie-in to the signs.
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