Re: Sunday I reentered America at LAX and US Immigration "entry stamped" my US Passport.

re: passports held in european hotels.

I was once told that because passports are extremely valuable, hotels were
required to hold them in a secured place to ensure they don't get stolen while
the guest is inside the hotel. (this was in switzerland, the only place I was
asked to hand my passport during a stay - and that was at a youth hostel in
Luzern. At smaller gasthous in the countryside as well as a large business
hotel in Zürich, I was not asked to hand over the passport.

However, in many countries I was asked to enter my passport number on the
hotel registration form.