Swiss Government Demands Private Information to Stay at Hotels?

Pretty common throughout Europe. We've had hotels hold our passports but many/most copy them on arrival.

It is extremely common for a hotel to want to see a person's passport when they check in. It is often a government requirement; i.e., Italy. I haven't been to Switzerland yet, but as long as they're not asking for your SSN, I see no problem with it.

I see you haven't traveled much in Europe :-)

This is normal. Just left Swiss France and Spain. All the hotels have to register you. Just the passport info which happens to have your birthdate. I often stay in Accor hotels and I have all this registered in my own user account so when I check in they do not have to type all this stuff into a computer so my check in is quick; the smaller hotels (i stayed in one in Lauterbrunnen) that do not have the technology make you fill out a form with all this information which kind of gets on my nerves because I'm not use to penmanship anymore. It is the same thing in France Spain and UK (if you think this is intrusive wait til you pass port in the UK). Probably the same if you were coming here to stay in the USA. Why not account for everyone coming and going out of the country?

It is a legal requirement for all Schengen Area countries. All foreign hotel guests have to show their passport, and the hotel copies the details including nationality, passport number and date of birth.
It is to ensure you are who you say you are, and not some fugitive, imposter or illegal immigrant.

I do not understand why you call this "confidential" or "private" information. This is public information, which is as much part of your ID as is your name.
You also have to give your passport details (name, nationality passport number and date of birth) to the airline before you are allowed to check in for a flight. That is a requirement of both the EU and the US government.

Do you object when a hotel in the US asks for your driver's license? Same principle - different document.

When the blue-helmeted shock troops come to take away our guns and put us into FEMA camps with black helicopters circling overhead, they will have gotten our info already using the supermarket loyalty cards, so sharing this info with a hotel desk in Lucerne will be a moot point. /S

It is to ensure you are who you say you are, and not some fugitive, imposter or illegal immigrant.

It may be required, but it does none of those things. Especially since a hotel presumably doesn't have access to a passport database that might provide that type of information.

A police man will collect all the papers from the hotel every night and check whether there's e.g. a fugitive staying in the hotel or a crook who hadn't paid his bill in another hotel.

Providing information to hotels is quite normal and they seem to do that in most countries. In the last year or two, I've noticed that they just scan the Passport and then hand it right back. In Italy (and I'm presuming other countries), the information is passed on to the local Police. I've never been asked for my DOB in advance of the stay, but perhaps this is a new E.U. procedure?

I think they want to find out if you qualify for a senior discount. :-)

Your passport is your official identification when you travel to another country. You have to provide it at the border and to the airlines. It's the same in the US if you are from another country. Switzerland would never ask you for a SSN because that is a US government number for taxes, social security, etc. and not something they would have any use for.

I don't remember showing my passport other than at passport control on my last three trips

This is commonly done throughout Europe - more so in some countries than others. I find that Italy is the most consistent as their police require hotels to keep track of all their guests who register...places you stayed used to keep your passport for your entire stay but now they just take it, make a copy, and then give it back. When I was in Norway two years ago I was asked to produce my passport everywhere I stayed. In Copenhagen last fall I wasn't asked for it except at immigration. In Germany and Austria I have been asked to show it but not everywhere I stayed. Don't worry about it.

If you have ever seen the movie or read the book The Day of the Jackal, you might remember that hotel registration cards had a role in tracking the jackal

A police man will collect all the papers from the hotel every night
and check whether there's e.g. a fugitive staying in the hotel or a
crook who hadn't paid his bill in another hotel.

Yep, here is an example: Raoul Weil. Although why you'd register in your own name, knowing it is going to be reviewed is beyond me. (He was actually my boss at one stage!).

It is not Swiss federal requirement, that stopped along time ago. It is however a regional requirement in some areas, for tax purposes. In some areas hotels, guest houses and even private residents must pay taxes based on overnights. This tax goes to cover the costs of maintaining tourist facilities in the area.

A few years ago, I was staying with a friend in the mountains for a week and on day 4 the police turned to wanting to know why I had not been registered and that I owed the community CHF8.00 in taxes!

You know what is a PNR? It is a record associated with your flight ticket when you place a reservation. It includes your personal data (name and birthdate), ticket informations (itinerary, agents making the booking), and possibly a lot of personal information like your address, the credit card number on which the ticket was charged, the IP originating an online reservation, service data (from requests for special meals on flight you can sometimes deduct the religion of the ticket holder).

All these informations get routinely exchanged between airlines, law enforcement agencies and governments. And, frankly speaking, the US government has not a shining history in respecting privacy and using correctly data they get.

All these informations get routinely exchanged between airlines, law enforcement agencies and governments.

Another reason go not use credit or debit cards and to bring 9900 EUR cash and stay at private rooms that take cash and don't report your stay. You can't do much legaly about the world governments know about your arrival into a passport check zone but if you stay in a cash economy you may be able to go black during your travels within the Schengen treaty countries.

I was in Switzerland in May and had to present my Passport at the hotel as I have done throughout Europe for the last 25 years.
Mike

Every time I check in at a particular hotel for the first time, I can expect them to ask me (in Germany and Austria to fill out the Meldeschein, where I indicate my USA nationality, passport #, address in SF, and sometimes profession/job. At the Pension in Berlin, I asked about that on my 3rd visit, asked the proprietor what she was not having me fill out the Meldeschein. I had done that the very first time staying with them. She said it wasn't necessary because we know who you are, nationality, your address in SF your e-mail address, tel #.. That answered my question. I don't book on-line with them because that is not an option, rather I call up to reserve my room for a single.

Welcome to the world of international travel. That has been common practice for decades. "Papers, please." They just want to know who you are and confirm it. Besides none of that information is confidential. Give me your name and I will send you birthday, home address, probably employment information, etc., back to you in about ten minutes.

Even in the US, the days of signing the register as "Mr & Mrs Smith" are over.

It's a valid question especially if you haven't travelled much and are unaware of how it all works. My hubby hates giving out his information whether it is public or not out so I understand why Mike is feeling a little surprised. It is common practice to be asked for the information though so nothing to be concerned about.