Tipping in hotels

[mike carey]

I am shattered by the revelation of this thread. I live in a non-tipping culture where the idea of tipping hotel staff just didn't occur to me. I need to remember this when I am in the US.

[Epigonos]

I tend to over tip because I once had a part time job where much of my income was dependent on tips. I have often heard the the biggest tipper are those who have or had jobs dependent on tip - that is certainly the case in my situation

At hotels I tip daily because, as other have stated, the maid might not be the same every day. I usually tip $5.00 a day.

I have been renting the same condo in Puerto Vallarta for a number of years. During all that time I have had the same maid cleaning the place six days a week. Over the years we have become friends and look forward to seeing each other twice a year. I tip her on the day I arrive and again on the day I leave. Combined I tip her what amounts to around $75.00+ U.S. dollars in pesos. Yes that is way over tipping but salaries in Mexico are low and she is a wonderful person. I also over tip at restaurants in Mexico because again the wager are very low.

On cruises you don't have to tip the amount recommended by the cruise line. If you want to tip more or less all you have to do is speak to the purser. I tip the amount recommended. I always have assigned seating for dinner and if my waiter and her/his assistant are good I tip them extra. The same is true with my cabin attendant.

[Epigonos]

Mike Carey you make an EXCELLENT point. It is extremely difficult for Americans to remember not to tip waiters fifteen percent or more in Europe. Even though I am prefectly aware that his/her tip is included in the bill and that, at most, all I need to do is leave any small change which is returned to me I have to fight with myself not to leave more. Years ago, in Spain, a waiter followed me out of the restaurant to return the change telling me that it wasn't expected or necessary.

[corndog]

It is extremely difficult for Americans to remember not to tip waiters fifteen percent or more in Europe.

I usually tip waiters in Europe, even though I'm aware it isn't necessary. The way I see it, this may help make up for the dismal reputation of "ugly Americans."

[RyanDean]

Add me to the "$3-$5 daily" chorus...

And I, too, leave a note.

[Epigonos]

Over the years and after many miles traveling around the world I have come to realize that the the ugly Americans are frequently NOT Americans at all. They are often the French and the Germans.

[coriolis888]

If you stay at a Marriott hotel, you need not forget to tip.

 

Starting almost one year ago, Marriott began leaving tip envelopes in guest rooms.

 

Check out this link:

 

www.fortune.com/2014/09/16/marriott-tips-worker-wages/

 

 

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[Guest]

I usually leave $5 a day next to a note marked "housekeeping." I don't like the idea of tip envelopes, because that implies it's expected, and it shouldn't be. I don't mind being generous, but I don't like something shoved onto me. When restaurants add 18% automatically, I never add an additional amount. And when the cruise line I use started adding the tip automatically, I also ended up giving less, because prior to their doing it automatically, I was more generous. Apparently, though, the help has done better since the gratuities were done automatically, since there were a number of passengers who apparently stiffed the help (not to be a jingoist, but I suspect more non-Americans).

[gallahadesquire]

I took a particularly upscale cruise - Regent Seven Seas, or whatever they call themselves. All the booze was free. Great food. We'd get up in the morning, go to breakfast: the room was made up. We'd go off for the afternoon: The room was made up. We'd go to dinner: There was turn down service. Me and a 17 year old? You can imagine the room. He ordered a double cheese burger daily as a mid-afternoon snack. [no comments about the 17 year old, please, his parents were in the next room].

 

Regent said "no tips" but I couldn't do that to our lovely Phillopines attendant. I gave her $100 for the week: A pittance compared to the cruise, and she definitely appreciated it. And I really did consider her work above average, even though it might be the norm for that particular cruise line.

 

BTW: If you REALLY want a truly over-the-top cruise experience, go Regent. All of their excursions are free. It's hideously expensive, but you get what you pay for.

[BSR]

I am shattered by the revelation of this thread. I live in a non-tipping culture where the idea of tipping hotel staff just didn't occur to me. I need to remember this when I am in the US.

Don't feel too bad, mike, because plenty of Americans don't know that housekeeping staff depends on tips to make a living, and they're born & raised in this country! When Marriott rolled out their campaign to educate their guests about the importance of tipping, a lot of people had no idea that you were supposed to tip hotel maids (as well as bell hops and parking valets). Of course, no hard numbers on exactly how many weren't tipping these staffers, but Marriott said the numbers were surprising.

 

Having read over this thread, it sounds like my $5/day for housekeeping (plus an extra $5 if bed linens need changing) is about right. I once asked a housekeeper at the MGM what they hope to get as a tip for each room, and believe it or not, she wouldn't answer. Hmmm, maybe she thought I was a corporate spy or something (you're not supposed to tell people to tip). As Starbuck pointed out, housekeeping is one of the most physically demanding jobs in the entire hotel, yet they're usually the lowest paid on staff. Guys, come on, if you can afford $200-300 for an hour with an escort (and let's not even get into what you're paying for multi-hours & overnights), you can afford to tip the maid five bucks.

[Rudynate]

Over the years and after many miles traveling around the world I have come to realize that the the ugly Americans are frequently NOT Americans at all. They are often the French and the Germans.

 

I think European tourists are more cosmpolitan now than they used to be, but when I worked in the hospitality industry in college, most Europeans tipped the way they would back home - a little bit of change. Brits tended not to tip at all.

[Zman]

I appreciate when hotels leave envelopes for the maid's tip. It makes things so much clearer and is a good reminder.

 

Here's an article about how some US restaurants are raising wages and discouraging tipping: http://nyti.ms/1KG0Nu3

[BSR]

As frustrating, and often infuriating, it can be to depend on tips for one's income, I don't like the idea of wage increases instead of tipping or gratuity automatically added. I hear in Miami most bars & restaurants automatically add gratuity because of the majority Latino population. I also hear that service is mediocre at best, and far too often it's flat-out awful. If a server knows s/he will make the same amount of money whether they're terrific with customers or defecate all over them, it's just human nature that the quality of service will go down.

[Diverdan]

I tip daily and it is $2 or $3 per day with a thank you note. If I have special requests for extra towels, etc. I leave $5, but rarely leave $10. When staying more than one night, I always take advantage of a hotel's "green" program, as I don't change my sheets at home every night. The exception is if I have a guest, as someone above has said. I work for a company where we have a policy encouraging our staff who travel to leave $2.00 per room per night and that is to be expensed separately on their reimbursement forms. Now, some staff may expense that $2 per night and not leave it for the hotel staff, but if they can live with that deceit they probably won't be on our staff very long, because those individuals do other things that get them into trouble.

 

For others, such as waiters, bellmen, etc. the tip is directly related to the service. I once had a bellman in a hotel where I was staying frequently, refuse a tip, with the comment," you have given me enough over the past year" and I appreciate your hospitality.

[whipped guy]

I once had a bellman in a hotel where I was staying frequently, refuse a tip, with the comment," you have given me enough over the past year" and I appreciate your hospitality.

Funny you say that as one guy from a NYC hotel where I always stay when in town actually said that I was "family" and did not need to tip. I still take care of him... but not in that sort of way... LOL... an occasional present of something that I know that he likes does the trick.

[Diverdan]

Hey WG... that is a very nice compliment to you and to the guy who gave you that nice recognition. Maybe you can tip him in another way too.. I am sure he would enjoy one of your massages !!!

[Racketjock]

I travel frequently for business and am loyal to a couple different hotel chains. It is my habit to leave a small tip at the end of my stay. I confess I have not given much thought to the housekeeper changing from day to day as I am mostly weekday traveler. Good food for thought and makes sense as others stated. I would also give a shout out to tipping the front desk person/ bellman. They have made the biggest difference in room upgrades, free amenities, free drink at the bar, dinner on the house, etc. This has been my experience 80%+ of the time. If they go out of their way to be nice to me checking in, offering a suggestion for dinner, or recognize me as a returning guest, it has definitely improved my stay and travel.