Live and learn

[Penelope]

I just checked into a hotel (no comments, please ). They needed TWO forms of photo id to accept my payment of CASH. We do not have a credit card, so it was guaranteed with a family member's card. The front staff knew and recorded on our account that we were paying case upon arrival. But for me to pay cash, I had to provide photo id. Now, I understand the reasoning behind it, but seriously. To pay cash, I had to prove more than to pay with credit card...crazy!!!
Not sure if we'll get a credit card just for travelling or not...just might. Seems like it'll be less hassle!

 

[Alibi Ike]

It is absurd that you need to provide 2 forms of id for a cash payment. You could have a stolen cc and they wouldn't have the slightest idea who you really were!

 

[JBloggs]

What hotel chain?
My parents pay cash only when they travel, but to secure the room in case of additional fees the hotels require a valid credit card. It is standard drill, I wouldn't allow anyone here without a credit card on file (even tho we are more than happy to take green backs). Who HAS two photo id's when they travel (other than passport)?
Do you have a debit card/atm card with the visa or mc symbol from your bank? That is all you need, not a cc proper.

 

[Penelope]

Drury Inn and Suites

 

[user 26]

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.
stayed at a b&b in between those two stays and innkeeper did not ask for anything besides my credit card. actually, i made the rez online and she just asked me to sign the receipt when i checked in.
is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

 

[Alibi Ike]

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.
stayed at a b&b in between those two stays and innkeeper did not ask for anything besides my credit card. actually, i made the rez online and she just asked me to sign the receipt when i checked in.
is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.
The only thing I can find online about WHY hotels ask for ID is proof that you are the person who made the rez. So someone else doesn't take your room on your cc? If you just handed over your cc with the same name on it as the rez what's the big deal? (Which is not the case with the OP as that was cash.)

 

[Alibi Ike]

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.
stayed at a b&b in between those two stays and innkeeper did not ask for anything besides my credit card. actually, i made the rez online and she just asked me to sign the receipt when i checked in.
is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?.

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.

Could be they had your info on file for the second stay. We stay at the same place when we visit daughter in VT and they don't even require a cc to rserve any longer. Of course, we did figure out that they just wrote it on a 3x5 card and stuffed it in the desk so that's why they don't need it. My guess is they will ask again when it expires.
Can you imagine? A motel and they do everything on paper.

 

[Samster]

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.
stayed at a b&b in between those two stays and innkeeper did not ask for anything besides my credit card. actually, i made the rez online and she just asked me to sign the receipt when i checked in.
is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.
The only thing I can find online about WHY hotels ask for ID is proof that you are the person who made the rez. So someone else doesn't take your room on your cc? If you just handed over your cc with the same name on it as the rez what's the big deal? (Which is not the case with the OP as that was cash.)
.

That's right, merchants should not request photo ID, yet retail stores do it all the time!

 

[Copperhead]

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.
stayed at a b&b in between those two stays and innkeeper did not ask for anything besides my credit card. actually, i made the rez online and she just asked me to sign the receipt when i checked in.
is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.
The only thing I can find online about WHY hotels ask for ID is proof that you are the person who made the rez. So someone else doesn't take your room on your cc? If you just handed over your cc with the same name on it as the rez what's the big deal? (Which is not the case with the OP as that was cash.)
.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.

Sure they can ask for ID when using a CC! We get asked every now and then, have no problem doing so.
As for cash paying customers at a hotel, I am sure it is to make sure they have the correct name and address in case of damage, but 2 forms is going too far.

 

[user 26]

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.
stayed at a b&b in between those two stays and innkeeper did not ask for anything besides my credit card. actually, i made the rez online and she just asked me to sign the receipt when i checked in.
is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?.

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.

Could be they had your info on file for the second stay. We stay at the same place when we visit daughter in VT and they don't even require a cc to rserve any longer. Of course, we did figure out that they just wrote it on a 3x5 card and stuffed it in the desk so that's why they don't need it. My guess is they will ask again when it expires.
Can you imagine? A motel and they do everything on paper.
.

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.

Could be they had your info on file for the second stay. We stay at the same place when we visit daughter in VT and they don't even require a cc to rserve any longer. Of course, we did figure out that they just wrote it on a 3x5 card and stuffed it in the desk so that's why they don't need it. My guess is they will ask again when it expires.
Can you imagine? A motel and they do everything on paper.

sorry .... i need to clarify. when i stayed a few months back (i think it was march) this hotel did not ask for license. then in june (after the first stay) i was asked for my license. i don't know if they changed their policy between stay 1 and stay 2 or if it was the different people at the reception desk.

 

[Alibi Ike]

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.
stayed at a b&b in between those two stays and innkeeper did not ask for anything besides my credit card. actually, i made the rez online and she just asked me to sign the receipt when i checked in.
is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.
The only thing I can find online about WHY hotels ask for ID is proof that you are the person who made the rez. So someone else doesn't take your room on your cc? If you just handed over your cc with the same name on it as the rez what's the big deal? (Which is not the case with the OP as that was cash.)
.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.

Sure they can ask for ID when using a CC! We get asked every now and then, have no problem doing so.
As for cash paying customers at a hotel, I am sure it is to make sure they have the correct name and address in case of damage, but 2 forms is going too far.
.

I think it is a Visa rule that asking for ID is a no no. You can refuse to show ID. They still are req'd to take the cc. If they refuse, you can just leave whatever you were purchasing on the counter.
Mastercard rule:
9.11.2 Cardholder Identification
A merchant must not refuse to complete a MasterCard card transaction solely
because a cardholder who has complied with the conditions for presentment
of a card at the POI [point of interaction] refuses to provide additional identification information, except as specifically permitted or required by the Standards. A merchant may require additional identification from the cardholder if the information is required to complete the transaction, such as for shipping purposes. A merchant in a country or region that supports use of the MasterCard Address Verification Service (AVS) may require the cardholder’s ZIP or postal code to complete a cardholder-activated terminal (CAT) transaction, or the cardholder’s address and ZIP or postal code to complete a mail order, phone order, or e-commerce transaction.

 

[agoodman]

Having managed Front office in hotels, if you have ever seen a room trashed - even in a 5 star hotel, mini bar emptied, linens stolen or bloodied etc, you will understand why they need 2 forms of ID
In addition, in order to open charging priveledges (phone, movies, restaurants) they either need extra cash x the number of days you are staying or a cc.
I don't fault them at all, they were doing exactly what I would have told my staff to do.
2 forms of ID - easy enough to steal 1 piece and make it look like you, more difficult to get your hands on 2.
Go to somewhere like appliedbank.com and load it with enough cash next time.

 

[agoodman]

Having managed Front office in hotels, if you have ever seen a room trashed - even in a 5 star hotel, mini bar emptied, linens stolen or bloodied etc, you will understand why they need 2 forms of ID
In addition, in order to open charging priveledges (phone, movies, restaurants) they either need extra cash x the number of days you are staying or a cc.
I don't fault them at all, they were doing exactly what I would have told my staff to do.
2 forms of ID - easy enough to steal 1 piece and make it look like you, more difficult to get your hands on 2.
Go to somewhere like appliedbank.com and load it with enough cash next time.

 

[Samster]

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.
stayed at a b&b in between those two stays and innkeeper did not ask for anything besides my credit card. actually, i made the rez online and she just asked me to sign the receipt when i checked in.
is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.
The only thing I can find online about WHY hotels ask for ID is proof that you are the person who made the rez. So someone else doesn't take your room on your cc? If you just handed over your cc with the same name on it as the rez what's the big deal? (Which is not the case with the OP as that was cash.)
.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.

Sure they can ask for ID when using a CC! We get asked every now and then, have no problem doing so.
As for cash paying customers at a hotel, I am sure it is to make sure they have the correct name and address in case of damage, but 2 forms is going too far.
.

I think it is a Visa rule that asking for ID is a no no. You can refuse to show ID. They still are req'd to take the cc. If they refuse, you can just leave whatever you were purchasing on the counter.
Mastercard rule:
9.11.2 Cardholder Identification
A merchant must not refuse to complete a MasterCard card transaction solely
because a cardholder who has complied with the conditions for presentment
of a card at the POI [point of interaction] refuses to provide additional identification information, except as specifically permitted or required by the Standards. A merchant may require additional identification from the cardholder if the information is required to complete the transaction, such as for shipping purposes. A merchant in a country or region that supports use of the MasterCard Address Verification Service (AVS) may require the cardholder’s ZIP or postal code to complete a cardholder-activated terminal (CAT) transaction, or the cardholder’s address and ZIP or postal code to complete a mail order, phone order, or e-commerce transaction.
.

It is a no-no for both of those type of bank cards according to my dh who works in the industry.

 

[Red Handed Jill]

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.
stayed at a b&b in between those two stays and innkeeper did not ask for anything besides my credit card. actually, i made the rez online and she just asked me to sign the receipt when i checked in.
is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.
The only thing I can find online about WHY hotels ask for ID is proof that you are the person who made the rez. So someone else doesn't take your room on your cc? If you just handed over your cc with the same name on it as the rez what's the big deal? (Which is not the case with the OP as that was cash.)
.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.

Sure they can ask for ID when using a CC! We get asked every now and then, have no problem doing so.
As for cash paying customers at a hotel, I am sure it is to make sure they have the correct name and address in case of damage, but 2 forms is going too far.
.

I think it is a Visa rule that asking for ID is a no no. You can refuse to show ID. They still are req'd to take the cc. If they refuse, you can just leave whatever you were purchasing on the counter.
Mastercard rule:
9.11.2 Cardholder Identification
A merchant must not refuse to complete a MasterCard card transaction solely
because a cardholder who has complied with the conditions for presentment
of a card at the POI [point of interaction] refuses to provide additional identification information, except as specifically permitted or required by the Standards. A merchant may require additional identification from the cardholder if the information is required to complete the transaction, such as for shipping purposes. A merchant in a country or region that supports use of the MasterCard Address Verification Service (AVS) may require the cardholder’s ZIP or postal code to complete a cardholder-activated terminal (CAT) transaction, or the cardholder’s address and ZIP or postal code to complete a mail order, phone order, or e-commerce transaction.
.

It is a no-no for both of those type of bank cards according to my dh who works in the industry.
.

Ike, that's interesting about the id rules. We just spent a week at a resort/convention hotel (one of the BIG guys) and every single time I usd my cc, I had to provide photo id or they wouldn't take it. They'd take the room key though with no id...hmm......
Incidentally, my Visa cc and my visa debit both have my photo on them. Most places will accept that without an additional form of id, but once I was shopping in an outlet mall and had intentionally left my purse/dl in the car to have one less thing to carry. One merchant refused my purchase, wouldn't even run it, because I had no additional id beyond my own photograph on my cc.

 

[Alibi Ike]

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.
stayed at a b&b in between those two stays and innkeeper did not ask for anything besides my credit card. actually, i made the rez online and she just asked me to sign the receipt when i checked in.
is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.
The only thing I can find online about WHY hotels ask for ID is proof that you are the person who made the rez. So someone else doesn't take your room on your cc? If you just handed over your cc with the same name on it as the rez what's the big deal? (Which is not the case with the OP as that was cash.)
.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.

Sure they can ask for ID when using a CC! We get asked every now and then, have no problem doing so.
As for cash paying customers at a hotel, I am sure it is to make sure they have the correct name and address in case of damage, but 2 forms is going too far.
.

I think it is a Visa rule that asking for ID is a no no. You can refuse to show ID. They still are req'd to take the cc. If they refuse, you can just leave whatever you were purchasing on the counter.
Mastercard rule:
9.11.2 Cardholder Identification
A merchant must not refuse to complete a MasterCard card transaction solely
because a cardholder who has complied with the conditions for presentment
of a card at the POI [point of interaction] refuses to provide additional identification information, except as specifically permitted or required by the Standards. A merchant may require additional identification from the cardholder if the information is required to complete the transaction, such as for shipping purposes. A merchant in a country or region that supports use of the MasterCard Address Verification Service (AVS) may require the cardholder’s ZIP or postal code to complete a cardholder-activated terminal (CAT) transaction, or the cardholder’s address and ZIP or postal code to complete a mail order, phone order, or e-commerce transaction.
.

It is a no-no for both of those type of bank cards according to my dh who works in the industry.
.

Ike, that's interesting about the id rules. We just spent a week at a resort/convention hotel (one of the BIG guys) and every single time I usd my cc, I had to provide photo id or they wouldn't take it. They'd take the room key though with no id...hmm......
Incidentally, my Visa cc and my visa debit both have my photo on them. Most places will accept that without an additional form of id, but once I was shopping in an outlet mall and had intentionally left my purse/dl in the car to have one less thing to carry. One merchant refused my purchase, wouldn't even run it, because I had no additional id beyond my own photograph on my cc.
.

I think hotels require ID to verify you are actually the person whose name is on the rez. They already HAVE all the stuff that would be on your license like address. (Except the driver id.) They may also be verifying DOB at the hotels. But I have been told, in Vegas, that they will not give the room to someone other than the person who made the rez. So, never let your kids make plans for you unless they put your name on the rez!
But to require it for dinner or drinks or to rent a canoe or something? Seems silly.

 

[JBloggs]

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.
stayed at a b&b in between those two stays and innkeeper did not ask for anything besides my credit card. actually, i made the rez online and she just asked me to sign the receipt when i checked in.
is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.
The only thing I can find online about WHY hotels ask for ID is proof that you are the person who made the rez. So someone else doesn't take your room on your cc? If you just handed over your cc with the same name on it as the rez what's the big deal? (Which is not the case with the OP as that was cash.)
.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.

Sure they can ask for ID when using a CC! We get asked every now and then, have no problem doing so.
As for cash paying customers at a hotel, I am sure it is to make sure they have the correct name and address in case of damage, but 2 forms is going too far.
.

I think it is a Visa rule that asking for ID is a no no. You can refuse to show ID. They still are req'd to take the cc. If they refuse, you can just leave whatever you were purchasing on the counter.
Mastercard rule:
9.11.2 Cardholder Identification
A merchant must not refuse to complete a MasterCard card transaction solely
because a cardholder who has complied with the conditions for presentment
of a card at the POI [point of interaction] refuses to provide additional identification information, except as specifically permitted or required by the Standards. A merchant may require additional identification from the cardholder if the information is required to complete the transaction, such as for shipping purposes. A merchant in a country or region that supports use of the MasterCard Address Verification Service (AVS) may require the cardholder’s ZIP or postal code to complete a cardholder-activated terminal (CAT) transaction, or the cardholder’s address and ZIP or postal code to complete a mail order, phone order, or e-commerce transaction.
.

It is a no-no for both of those type of bank cards according to my dh who works in the industry.
.

Ike, that's interesting about the id rules. We just spent a week at a resort/convention hotel (one of the BIG guys) and every single time I usd my cc, I had to provide photo id or they wouldn't take it. They'd take the room key though with no id...hmm......
Incidentally, my Visa cc and my visa debit both have my photo on them. Most places will accept that without an additional form of id, but once I was shopping in an outlet mall and had intentionally left my purse/dl in the car to have one less thing to carry. One merchant refused my purchase, wouldn't even run it, because I had no additional id beyond my own photograph on my cc.
.

I think hotels require ID to verify you are actually the person whose name is on the rez. They already HAVE all the stuff that would be on your license like address. (Except the driver id.) They may also be verifying DOB at the hotels. But I have been told, in Vegas, that they will not give the room to someone other than the person who made the rez. So, never let your kids make plans for you unless they put your name on the rez!
But to require it for dinner or drinks or to rent a canoe or something? Seems silly.
.

Last year was the year for us receiving so many third party cc #'s, I think it is prudent to double check they are who they say they are. B&B's are just way lax...

 

[JBloggs]

i stayed at a hotel in june. was asked for license in addition to credit card i was paying with. have never tried to pay by cash.
i stayed there a few months back, same hotel, different front desk person, she did not ask for license.
stayed at a b&b in between those two stays and innkeeper did not ask for anything besides my credit card. actually, i made the rez online and she just asked me to sign the receipt when i checked in.
is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.
The only thing I can find online about WHY hotels ask for ID is proof that you are the person who made the rez. So someone else doesn't take your room on your cc? If you just handed over your cc with the same name on it as the rez what's the big deal? (Which is not the case with the OP as that was cash.)
.

is the id info because of possible damages i might cause to the establishment? or to show that the cc is mine?

I don't believe an establishment can ask you for proof of ID to USE a cc. So, in the case of hotels it is not for the purpose of using the card. I've had to show ID in Vegas & NY but not in CA.

Sure they can ask for ID when using a CC! We get asked every now and then, have no problem doing so.
As for cash paying customers at a hotel, I am sure it is to make sure they have the correct name and address in case of damage, but 2 forms is going too far.
.

I think it is a Visa rule that asking for ID is a no no. You can refuse to show ID. They still are req'd to take the cc. If they refuse, you can just leave whatever you were purchasing on the counter.
Mastercard rule:
9.11.2 Cardholder Identification
A merchant must not refuse to complete a MasterCard card transaction solely
because a cardholder who has complied with the conditions for presentment
of a card at the POI [point of interaction] refuses to provide additional identification information, except as specifically permitted or required by the Standards. A merchant may require additional identification from the cardholder if the information is required to complete the transaction, such as for shipping purposes. A merchant in a country or region that supports use of the MasterCard Address Verification Service (AVS) may require the cardholder’s ZIP or postal code to complete a cardholder-activated terminal (CAT) transaction, or the cardholder’s address and ZIP or postal code to complete a mail order, phone order, or e-commerce transaction.
.

It is a no-no for both of those type of bank cards according to my dh who works in the industry.
.

Ike, that's interesting about the id rules. We just spent a week at a resort/convention hotel (one of the BIG guys) and every single time I usd my cc, I had to provide photo id or they wouldn't take it. They'd take the room key though with no id...hmm......
Incidentally, my Visa cc and my visa debit both have my photo on them. Most places will accept that without an additional form of id, but once I was shopping in an outlet mall and had intentionally left my purse/dl in the car to have one less thing to carry. One merchant refused my purchase, wouldn't even run it, because I had no additional id beyond my own photograph on my cc.
.

I think hotels require ID to verify you are actually the person whose name is on the rez. They already HAVE all the stuff that would be on your license like address. (Except the driver id.) They may also be verifying DOB at the hotels. But I have been told, in Vegas, that they will not give the room to someone other than the person who made the rez. So, never let your kids make plans for you unless they put your name on the rez!
But to require it for dinner or drinks or to rent a canoe or something? Seems silly.
.

Last year was the year for us receiving so many third party cc #'s, I think it is prudent to double check they are who they say they are. B&B's are just way lax...

 

[Copperhead]

It is a no-no for both of those type of bank cards according to my dh who works in the industry.
And they wonder why there is so much fraud!!! And the reason why the interest rates are high - to pay for the fraud... Yet, we as merchants can't ask for ID and have strict PCI compliance procedures to follow.
Rant over!