Rome Inn Demands ID From Pavarotti

ROME (AP) â€” It's hard not to recognize Luciano Pavarotti, with his booming voice and portly frame. But an Italian hotel wouldn't let the famous opera star check in because he didn't have

Monday, November 27th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

ROME (AP) â€” It's hard not to recognize Luciano Pavarotti, with his booming voice and portly frame. But an Italian hotel wouldn't let the famous opera star check in because he didn't have identification.

``Unfortunately in Italy we are required by law to ask patrons for proper and valid identification,'' said Patrizia Bortolotto, a manager at the four-star Sheraton in Padua, northern Italy.

``We did everything we could to help him,'' she said. ``We called the police for help, but after five minutes he decided to find another hotel.''

It was not clear where the tenor spent the night, but in an interview on RAI state TV he declared himself ``very happy'' about his trip to Padua, where he received an award from the local opera committee.