We will be in Germany in a week. First time out of the USA.
Read that hotels etc want to see your passport and or keep it while you are staying. Any truth to that and if so what should a person do?
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9110 posts
In my experience all hotels will want to look at your passport when you check-in. Independent and family run places will usually hold on to your passport until you check-out as collateral against skipping on paying your bill. Chain hotels typically will not hold on to it; as they have more resources to go after those that try and stiff them.
Posted by
Bay Area
3551 posts
what other poster says is true. Perhaps you should make a copy for yourself (as recom any by State Dept.) then you will not be quite so nervous about leaving passport with hotel reception.
Posted by
Richmond, Virginia, USA
345 posts
I only can say - three trips to Europe the past three years. Stayed in large and small, none ever wanted to hold my passport. Very few even asked to see it. I am not sure you should give your passport to ANYONE. What if they lose it, or the building burns down?
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
I had to surrender mine, briefly, when in China, but I've never had anyone want to hold it. In Spain this past spring I had to show it, but that's all. They didn't record the number or make a copy or anything. And I've made four overseas trips (three to Europe) since 2004.
Posted by
Portland, OR, USA
389 posts
Someone asked this previously and the answer from someone in Europe was that all Hotels are required to keep your passport NUMBER on their registry. I know we had to give it to all of the hotels we stayed in, but not the B&Bs.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
Maybe that's why they didn't record the number in Spain. It was called Hotel Cenera but was actually a casa rural.
Posted by
Salt Lake City
1528 posts
I am baffled. We went to Germany the last two years for a total of 25 days and no hotel (chain or small independent) asked to see our passport. I would have been willing to show it but not leave it with them. In Rick's books he notes that you are required to have your passport with you for identification at all times.
Regards, Gary
Posted by
Lake Forest, CA, USA
1633 posts
We have travelled in many countries. While travelling through Italy this past summer, we had to surrender/show our passports at all the places we stayed at. However, in Germany and Austria we weren't asked to present them. So, from what I've read in these forums and from what we experienced, I believe it depends on the country.