One of Davos's biggest parlor games is working out who fits where into the hierarchy of players. Color-coded name tags are one way to decide if someone is worth buttonholing in the hallways; mode of transport (limo vs communal shuttle bus) is another. Then there are the hotels. The World Economic Forum forces participants to book through a centralized booking agency, which enables the organization to control who goes where. Given that most of the hotels here are not exactly the five-star accommodations usually occupied by top executives, Davosians (yup, they really call themselves that) have devised their own ranking systems: A guide:

If you're in a hotel with a metal detector at the entrance, then you've made it--you're staying in a hotel with heads of state. If your hotel has special computer terminals linked to the WEF intranet--enabling you to sign up for sessions just by swiping your ID card at it--then you're also pretty important. No terminals, no metal detectors, but there is a shuttle bus stop at your door--phew, you just make it to the A minus list. Then there's proximity to the conference center. You may not be as important as you think if you aren't within walking distance. When should you worry? If you get stuck in neighboring Klosters, a charming little town favored by Britain's Prince Charles--but, in Davos terms, the equivalent of Siberia. Better luck next year.