Hotel questions...

[MoonCat]

So, two things...

In a couple of weeks my sisters and friends of ours are driving down to Shenandoah State Park in VA, and after about 3 days there, they're going on to Myrtle Beach.

Thing One: How's the weather been around Shenandoah, if anyone here knows? Was the area hit badly by the storms I've been hearing about?

Thing Two: One of my sisters does not have a photo ID. It is simply impossible in NY state to get one unless you have either your birth certificate or an official copy of one, BUT to get that copy, you need....yep, a photo ID.

She is not paying for her room (they're using separate rooms. don't ask). My other sister is putting both rooms on her card. Is sis-without-ID going to have a problem checking in, even though she is not the one paying? The hotel clerk in VA said no, the person at the hotel in Myrtle Beach seemed confused when asked.

[Slayer]

I'm not in that area at all, but generally hotels only care about id for the person who is paying. And even that is sometimes not even looked at. It's rare that I'm asked for id.

As for the birth certificate, do you have a parent that can apply for one on her behalf?

[ArcticChicken]

Thing Two: One of my sisters does not have a photo ID. It is simply impossible in NY state to get one unless you have either your birth certificate or an official copy of one, BUT to get that copy, you need....yep, a photo ID.

Are your folks still around? According to this website, one of them could get the birth certificate.

She is not paying for her room (they're using separate rooms. don't ask). My other sister is putting both rooms on her card. Is sis-without-ID going to have a problem checking in, even though she is not the one paying? The hotel clerk in VA said no, the person at the hotel in Myrtle Beach seemed confused when asked.

I've never been asked for ID when checking into a room someone else was paying for.

[morgana]

I just got back from a weekend trip, for which I paid the hotel bill; two rooms, four people. ID was handled the same way it's been handled on every other trip I've ever been on. I.E., the only person asked for ID was me. Your sister will be fine.

And the birth certificate thing has me baffled. In Kansas, you can order a certified copy of a birth certificate over the internet.

[MoonCat]

Our parents are gone, so that's out. We did get a copy of her birth cert once, but she doesn't know where it is; it may have been lost when we moved in '05. Hell, I don't know where MINE is, either. There are other requirements and she doesn't have the items needed to meet them.

And yeah, NY is weird. See, in this state birth/death/marriage certs are not considered public information. Only the person named in the cert, or their parent, can get a copy. For anyone else, you have to have an order from a NYS Court.

You can order the copy online, but you still have to provide a copy of your photo ID. Which you can't get unless you already have presented your birth cert or an official copy of it to the office that provides the ID.

[ArcticChicken]

Try writing your congressperson? They can get shit done when other folks can't.

[MoonCat]

Try writing your congressperson? They can get shit done when other folks can't.

Yeah, y'know I've actually thought about that. I really want someone to tell me why they set this up to make it impossible. Somebody needs to change this.

A felon can actually get photo ID here because they have papers from prison. While a person who has never broken a law in her life, and is not on the public dime, can't.

[dboyes]

Thing One: How's the weather been around Shenandoah, if anyone here knows? Was the area hit badly by the storms I've been hearing about?

The area around Winchester and Front Royal, VA are pretty much OK. Most areas have power, and things are getting back to normal fairly quickly. It IS, however, summer in Virginia, and that means a) hot, b) humid, and c) not a great time to be outdoors at all if you can possibly avoid it.

If you're planning to go into West Virgina... don't. Power is still out in large areas, and there is *no* ETA when it'll be back.

Is sis-without-ID going to have a problem checking in, even though she is not the one paying? The hotel clerk in VA said no, the person at the hotel in Myrtle Beach seemed confused when asked

She'll be fine. Only the person who's paying is likely to be asked for ID, and even then, not very often. The police state mentality hasn't penetrated too far out here.

[Andara Bledin]

And the birth certificate thing has me baffled. In Kansas, you can order a certified copy of a birth certificate over the internet.

Ditto California.

Checking the NY state site on the matter, you don't absolutely have to have one; it's a little more difficult without, but not impossible.

NY Office of Vital Records
Mail in Application Form (with type of ID allowed, both photo and non) pdf

^-.-^

[bhskittykatt]

I can't speak for all chains, but my chain only requires ID of the person registering, and all the places I've been have been the same. That person can also put the names of other guests on the room, and we don't need their ID, or even to see the guest. Mainly, it's just so they can receive phone calls (we won't transfer a call if they can't give us the name of someone who's on the room's guest list).

Now, if your sis loses her key, she's SOL unless she's with someone else who has a key. So, you could get a new key, if you put your other sis's on the room she could get a key with her ID, but the ID-less sis can't. If you don't plan on being separated, though, this shouldn't be an issue.

Best bet is to call the hotel ahead of time and ask to be sure.

[MoonCat]

Ditto California.

Checking the NY state site on the matter, you don't absolutely have to have one; it's a little more difficult without, but not impossible.

NY Office of Vital Records
Mail in Application Form (with type of ID allowed, both photo and non) pdf

^-.-^

Well, actually that site's only for New York City. Where we live the requirements are different.