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I just called the Wynn to confirm an existing reservation. They demanded my driver’s license number before they would confirm the reservation, which I would not provide. I realize I already gave them my license when I checked in on previous visits, but after giving them the confirmation number, my name, address, and birthday, that should be adequate. Is this a standard procedure for Vegas hotels now? Seems very invasive.
It appears to be a coming thing.
Not all the hotels — not even the biggest ones — are doing it (yet), but resorts perceived as trendsetters are. Some are even demanding your passport. That said, at the other end of the spectrum, a number of resorts are taking a laissez-faire approach that consumers will no doubt welcome.
Only one company would explain to us their blanket policy on such things and that was Boyd Gaming.
“Boyd doesn't require a driver's license when booking a room. However, we do require a license (or other form of ID) upon check-in, just so we can verify that the person checking into the room is the same person who made the reservation,” said company spokesman David Strow.
As the question states, that's been standard operating procedure for many years and not just in Las Vegas; hotels want a picture ID and in Las Vegas, they're scanned and deposited in a police database that's compared to others consisting of people with outstanding warrants.
The Strip’s biggest renter, MGM Resorts International, doesn’t seem to have a set policy. We called a number of its hotels and got answers ranging from “It depends” to “It’s random, not anything specific.” At most, they will confirm your reservation with the provision of a credit card number.
A similarly relaxed policy is pursued at Caesars Entertainment, where a combination of your email address and credit-card digits does the trick.
For the rest, here’s what we found out about requirements for making/confirming reservations.
The Nosy Guys
Alexis Park: Driver’s license or passport
Casino Royale: Driver’s license or passport
Downtown Grand: Credit card, driver’s license or government-issued ID
The Semis
Arizona Charlie’s: Government-issued ID
Circa & The D: Government-issued ID and credit card
Ellis Island: Government-issued ID and payment method
M Resort: Government-issued D and credit card
The Pretty Good Guys
Four Queens & Apache Hotel: confirmation number
All Station Casinos properties: exact policies vary
Cosmopolitan: Credit card number
Fontainebleau: Confirmation number and credit card
Four Seasons: Confirmation
Golden Gate: Credit card or email address
The Mirage: email address, phone number, and credit card
Oyo: phone and confirmation numbers
Venetian/Palazzo: credit card number and email address
Palms Casino Resort: credit card number or email address
Plaza Hotel: credit card number
Resorts World: credit card number
Treasure Island: confirmation number and credit card
Tuscany: confirmation number
Virgin Hotel: credit card number and email address
Waldorf Astoria: credit card number and email address
Westgate: confirmation number and email address
Westin: confirmation number
The Really Good Guys (these ask only for your name)
Circus Circus
El Cortez
Nobu
Sahara
Silver Sevens
Silverton
South Point
The English Hotel
The Lexi
The Strat (ironically, the same company as Arizona Charlie’s)
Trump International
Demerits, incidentally, to Ahern Hotel, the Rio, and Golden Nugget, where we couldn’t get through to a live person, in one case after waiting on hold for 15 minutes.