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

"JohnT" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> "PTRAVEL" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> > "Ramon Miquel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> > news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > PTRAVEL wrote:
> > > > "Paul O" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> > > > news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > >
> > > >>And, unlike the U.S., they know every
> > > >>hotel I've stayed in, as my passport is taken from me and the
> > information
> > > >>recorded and forwarded to the local police department.  I don't fear
the
> > > >>procedure, or resent it.
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>What twaddle - very few European countries take passport information
and
> > > >>forward it to the Police Station.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, and the
Czech
> > > > Republic are all countries in which hotels have taken my passport
and
> > > > recorded the information.
> >
> > Well, _I'm_ sorry, but I just returned from Italy on Sunday.  My
passport
> > was taken and information recorded at hotels in Milan, Venezia, Firenzi,
> > Luca, San Gimignano, Siena and Rome.  And I've been in France, Spain,
> > Germany, Austria and Belgium within the last three years, and my
passport
> > was taken, and information recorded, at every hotel I stayed at in those
> > countries as well.  These hotels varied from 3-star to 5-star.
> >
> In the past three years I (a UK citizen) have travelled in the company of
a
> friend (a US Citizen) in France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Austria
and
> Switzerland and neither of us has ever been asked for a Passport. (It was
> requested of me on a trip to Spain several years ago). The establishments
ranged
> from the Fawlty Towers type of place to 4-star.

Well, that's nice.  I don't know what to say about your friend.  I've
travelled to Europe at least twice a year for the last 8 years or so.  The
norm for me and my wife is to be asked to provide our passports, which are
kept for awhile and then later returned.  One thing we always do is make
reservations, and these are made from the U.S., so our nationality is known
to the hotels well in advance of our arrival.  Perhaps that is the
difference.


>
> JohnT
>
>