Various questions re. procedure

Hi,

Lived in Montreal for 5 years in the 90s. Love the city and return now and again to visit friends. This time, however, I'd like to come and stay in a hotel and enjoy some "other" beautiful aspects of my favourite city. I've been reading the board a lot but had some questions. Hope I don't seem like an arse listing them out by number, but I'd appreciate any advice. I'm not an SP newbie, but I am a Montreal SP and hotel newbie:

1) Keycard elevator hotels
Are there any keycard-elevator hotels with very big lobbies, or where the lobby is not in sight of the reception area? I honestly don't mind meeting an SP in the lobby. I also plan on booking afternoon times, so there will probably be other people in the lobby areas. Of course, I would prefer no elevator keycard, but I hope I can be flexible in finding a hotel.

2) Any SP UN-friendly hotels... e.g. if they discovered an SP visiting me, they'd charge me a double rate or kick me out?

3) Do SPs and/or agencies typically verify information with the front desk? Will I have to give out my real name, etc?

4) What phone to use? I am living in the US at the moment (Florida). I am happy to use my phone in Quebec, but I don't think an SP would like to call me back long distance. Should I get a prepaid phone when I get there just for my visit, or in your experience is using the hotel phone easy enough?

5) Any random advice for someone planning a visit in Jan/Feb? I don't mind the cold. I hope to find a hotel attached to 'La Ville Souterrain' (Hyatt, Bonaventure, etc) which will make life easier. What kind of prices should I expect in the dead of Winter?

6) What is the expectation on tipping?

7) Any small gifts from the US or Belgium that would go over well, if I felt like giving a gift to an SP I really had a great time with?

Thank you for any advice.

Thanks for the advice. I am perhaps over-thinking, but I just want to make sure I have a great time.

I'm very glad about no.2.---none of the hotel's business! So I should be prepared to show my ID or give my real name (hotel registration). I suppose I don't mind. Now if they ask me, it won't be a surprise, so it's nice to know.

Great idea about looking about Indy's websites for hotel recommendations. I'll try that. Rates I am not too worried about but was curious. The bidding seems to be a good idea.

No Mars bars here! I'm looking for a fun and respectful GFE/PSE, like you said.

Tipping it sounds like is not done 100% of the time. In some places (not in Montreal) I know tipping is ALWAYS expect, in some other places tipping is strictly not expected (all inclusive). If I have a special request, I suppose, she might mention an additional price, which I prefectly understandable. So I define a tip as a thank-you for service (not something FOR service, which I would define as price). Anyway, is 10-15% a good tip amount? I don't want to seems cheap, but I don't want to give wrong impressions either!