Priceline Hotel: hotels target Priceline users by photocopying Driver's Licenses?

[OlgaLA]

Hey Everyone who uses Priceline

What is going on with good/nice hotels now targeting Priceline clients by photocopying their Driver's Licenses?

I had heard this rumor from a confused gent posting on another travel board when he checked into an OC 4* hotel...they photocopied his license even BEFORE they asked for his credit card..

Today, My lawyer gf checked into a 3* hotel and they made a photocopy her ID. She was surprised too, asked why, do to concerns of identity theft and such.

The hotel said it was new Priceline procedure and refused to check her in if she did not let them make the photcopy. Are people actually being shady or are they just assuming Priceline folk are shady?

I've just think it is tacky and would expect more from a 3*+ hotel..This would make sense some ghetto Motel 6 or No Tell Motel...

I've used Priceline over the last couple of months and never had any of those horrible "treated like a priceline customer" woes but this seems a bit odd..maybe I will have to go back to Hotwire...

Cheers, Olga

What do you guys think?

[thereuare]

...they photocopied his license even BEFORE they asked for his credit card..

I love the way people tell stories... has anyone been asked for their driver's license and credit card separately OR are they generally asked "Can i have a credit card and ID"?

Are people actually being shady or are they just assuming Priceline folk are shady?

Are you sure this is a policy for PRICELINE customers only... or perhaps a hotel policy and they are photocopying the IDs of all guests?

[dahammer]

for a non-Priceline stay, the Fort Lee Holiday Inn asked me for my driver's license and started to photocopy it, which I refused to allow. The clerk sait it was hotel policy, I told them that it violated my Identity Theft policy. With a PRICELINE or Hotwire reservation, the"default" address that is sent to your Hotel is Norwalk, CT (Priceline) or San Francisco (HOTWIRE)

[OlgaLA]

Mr. T,

My gf was told this was new procedure for guests using Priceline...

I mean I am use to someone asking for my credit card and identification but she was asked for her ID, they photocopied it and THEN they asked for her credit card to confim/incidentals...like I said just odd...I mean I am a female who travels often for business and play...

Cheers, O

[Colfax]

I've stayed at two hotels in LA area, both Inland Empire, not Priceline stays, that had a policy of photocopying the drivers licenses of all guests. One was in San Bernardino. A sign at the desk said that a city ordinance required the hotel to photocopy ID's of all guests and keep them on file for so many weeks or months. I don't know if what the sign said was true or not, or if it applied to all hotels in San Bernardino or just to certain hotels with a history of problems. This was a 2* type hotel. I wonder if they photocopy ID's at the San Bernardino Hilton too?