They were very cooperative. In fact, it was their suggestion. Where they got in trouble was the Regional Manager took umbrage at the operation --- something about separate franchise fees, etc.

When I realized that it could be costing the hotel itself some money, I immediately offered to cease and desist, since I have no desire to .... in my own desk, and, as I've stated elsewhere, they've been very good to me.

Yes, both my wife and I have separate MR accounts. Yes, checking out/checking in is specifically prohibited, no matter how you pay for it.

Hotel-hopping is perfectly legitimate; we were trying to do it in the same hotel. The key point is that the same person cannot check out and check in on consecutive nights and expect multiple stay credit; thus the name/MR number change.

In the current promotion, I (we) have the 3 stay/5K offer. Looking at a calendar, it becomes clear the in order to maximize my return on this promo, I would need 15 weeks. However, there are not 15 weeks between the start and finish of the promo! This was the genesis of the pressure to perform our little switcheroo.

What I will do once or twice (in order to get the full number of stays in) is to check out as BigLar, check in as Joe Blow, and then check in again as BigLar. This will break up a week into two stays rather than one.

It will cost me the points for one night, but gain me the 5K bonus.

OK - break over.

Let the fisticuffs resume.

PS - why is the old Jackson Browne song Lawyers in Love running through my brain?