posted
So I got this job that requires me to travel regularly. However, no one has ever told me the appropriate times to tip hotel employees. I'm a good tipper at restauraunts (always between 15 and 25%) and I know to tip cabbies if I ride in a taxi.
What is the proper amount to tip which hotel employees, and when/where would I leave a tip for the cleaning crew?
Thanks in advance...
Posts: 995 | Registered: May 2003
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posted
My family always leaves about a dollar a night a person, the last day on the bed or coffee table, when we leave. That may not be enough, and if you're just staying one night, alone, you may want to go a bit more, I'm not sure.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
I do the same, breyerchic, except that I leave it day-by-day. I worry that different people would be assigned on different days, and I want to make it as easy as possible to sort it out fairly.
*grin
When I've been in service positions, I found that Murphy's Law always applied to me.
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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posted
If you want to tip every night instead of at the end of your stay (I prefer to do this... you usually get better service that way), put a dollar or two under the pillow instead of leaving it on a nightstand or table. The housekeeper will know it's a tip and not just some random money left lying around that s/he might be accused of stealing.
Posts: 2069 | Registered: May 2001
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posted
maui babe, I leave the money out on a table or the bedspread, sitting on the hotel notepad marked "Thank you!" I hadn't heard about the under-the-pillow trick, but it makes sense.
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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posted
I worked at a hotel for 4 years. Tipping anyone other then a valet or luggage carrier is not typically expected. If you find above average service, its nice, but with the cost of the room its what you deserve. They don't make 2 or 3 an hour like wait staff at restaurants.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Thanks Stephan. How much for the valet bell staff?
And CT, Breyerchic, and maui babe, thanks for the suggestions.
Derrell, I'm staying here for the rest of the week. You wouldn't believe what you find underneath it...
Posts: 995 | Registered: May 2003
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posted
CT, I stayed at a hotel in Atlanta for two weeks in late 2004, and left a dollar or two every day with a note. It NEVER got taken, so at the end of my stay, I left $20 on the table. Since I was checked out, I hoped the housekeeper knew it was for her. A co-worker told me about the under the pillow thing since then.
Posts: 2069 | Registered: May 2001
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posted
Last time I was in NY I tipped the bellhop $1 for storing my bags and another $1 for retrieving them. I can't remember if I tipped anyone else. I have no idea if this was an appropriate amount, either.
I will tip, but I hate tipping. It's all so under-the-table and not-talked-about. I vastly prefer the tip being built into the price (although that kind of defeats the purpose). I don't make a good diplomat.
Posts: 5957 | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
I'm so confused that I simply open up my wallet every time I cross paths with hotel employees, and tell them to help themselves to as much as they want.
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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quote:Originally posted by peterh: Thanks Stephan. How much for the valet bell staff?
And CT, Breyerchic, and maui babe, thanks for the suggestions.
Derrell, I'm staying here for the rest of the week. You wouldn't believe what you find underneath it...
I say no less then $1 a bag, $2 if you think they deserve it. Maybe a little extra if they are extremely heavy, or large. Odds are none of it is being reported to the IRS, so they aren't paying taxes on it either.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote: Before you arrive at a nicer hotel or resort, inquire as to whether gratuities are included in the price of the room. Some hotels are now charging a daily fee that covers all tipping for hotel services. If there is not a daily fee, these rates are appropriate:
Valet or parking attendant - $1-3 is appropriate for parking or returning the car. It is not necessary to tip for parking, but always for returning the car.
Doorman - If he hails you a cab, $1-2. If he helps you with your bags in or out of the car, $0.50-1 a bag. Use $1-2 per bag if he carries them all the way to the room. If he just opens the door, nothing. If he is exceptionally helpful with directions or restaurant recommendations, same as concierge.
Bellman - When he helps you with your bags, tip $1-2 per bag. Give him the tip when he shows you your room. If he just carries the bags to the front desk and then disappears, save it for the person who carries the bags to your room. Upon checkout, tip a bellman who helps with your bags. Tip more for additional services.
Concierge - $5-10 for help with hard-to-get dinner reservations or theater tickets. Tipping is optional for just plain advice. Tipping can be done at the end of the trip or at the time of service, just keep is straight so that you are fair.
Room Service - If gratuity is included, add nothing or $1. Otherwise add 15-20% to the total charge.
Delivery of special items - If you request extra pillows or an iron, tip $1 per item received, minimum $2.
Maid service - $1-5 per day typically, up to $10 per day depending upon how much mess you make. Tip daily because there might be a different maid each day. Leave the tip on your pillow. Err on the side of being generous, and tip on the last day also.
Swimming pool or gym attendant - Nothing, unless you require special services such as extra seating or inflating pool toys; then it is $2-5. If you want the same deck chairs every day, then tip $2-3 per chair beginning the first day.
Hotel maintenance staff - Nothing to replace a light bulb, fix the air conditioning, etc.
posted
Its funny the tips I saw the room cleaners get varied drastically. I saw someone put 25 cents in the envelope, and I've seen $50 left.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
The entire concept freaks me out. It just seems so wrong. If I’m buying something I don’t want to have to feel uncomfortable about weather IK should tip, if I’m tipping enough, or if I’m tipping the right person.
The company who hires the employees should be making sure they’re motivated to do their job. Not only do I get the potential unpleasantness and social stigma of under tipping, but I also end up feeling like I've been coerced out of my money. I don't like feeling that unless I give the people I'm already paying more money, I wont get what I paid for.
Then there’s the whole argument from the beginning of Reservoir Dogs...
Posts: 959 | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
I also pretty much only tip at restaurants.
I tip bartenders when I go out, but not that well. And they get the same whether I order a $1.25 draft beer or a $8.00 Crown Royal.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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quote: The company who hires the employees should be making sure they’re motivated to do their job. Not only do I get the potential unpleasantness and social stigma of under tipping, but I also end up feeling like I've been coerced out of my money. I don't like feeling that unless I give the people I'm already paying more money, I wont get what I paid for.
I agree. It's only a negative for me.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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posted
I just found out that parents want to tip camp counselors, but only about half of camps allow it. I tip at restaraunts (I'm the one who tips even if she doesn't order anything, while there with friends), and when I get my hair cut, but not most other places.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Primal Curve: As a former tipped employee (bartender) who also made $13 an hour at the same time, I'd like to make the following statement:
You're all a bunch of cheap bastards.
That is all.
bartenders get more then minimum wage?
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Life would be much better if restaurants just raised all of their prices by 15-20% across the board and paid their staff more.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
They could take care of the ‘motivation to work better’ factor of tipping by changing it to a commission. That way the burden isn't upon the customer so they eliminate the uncomfortable factor.
Posts: 959 | Registered: Oct 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Primal Curve: As a former tipped employee (bartender) who also made $13 an hour at the same time, I'd like to make the following statement:
You're all a bunch of cheap bastards.
That is all.
bartenders get more then minimum wage?
They do when they're working overtime and 20 other jobs in the hotel.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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quote:They could take care of the ‘motivation to work better’ factor of tipping by changing it to a commission. That way the burden isn't upon the customer so they eliminate the uncomfortable factor.
My only problem with that is that you'd probably see a big dropoff in service.
The one thing I like about tipping is that I have some way to provide feedback about the service I received. If someone is a great waiter, I give them a great tip. If they're a terrible waiter, I give them between 2-5% (I don't like to give nothing, because then they'll just think I don't tip), keeping in mind that sometimes it's really busy or they're obviously having a bad day.
But I wish there was a similar way to tell fast food employees that they're doing a good, or an awful job.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I'm so glad we don't have tipping here (Australia).
The couple of times I've been to the US, tipping freaked me out. I felt uncomfortable and resentful. I'd much prefer to have an upfront (higher) charge, know how much it will be and have whoever is delivering the service be paid fairly.
Posts: 4393 | Registered: Aug 2003
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quote: As a former tipped employee (bartender) who also made $13 an hour at the same time
Isn't $13 / hour pretty good? I got $14 / hour being a law clerk, and that's in Aussie dollars. The best ever casual job I had was $19/hour, and that was ridiculously well paid in comparison to most casual jobs.
From my experience, $1USD buys more in the US than $1AUD will buy in Australia.
Posts: 4393 | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
Same thing in Philippines. Almost everywhere they just include it as a separate line item in your bill.
Posts: 995 | Registered: May 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Stephan: Life would be much better if restaurants just raised all of their prices by 15-20% across the board and paid their staff more.
Agreed.
And in some countries, that is exactly what is done.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Icarus: I'm so confused that I simply open up my wallet every time I cross paths with hotel employees, and tell them to help themselves to as much as they want.
quote:Originally posted by Stephan: Life would be much better if restaurants just raised all of their prices by 15-20% across the board and paid their staff more.
Agreed.
And in some countries, that is exactly what is done.
If everybody refused to tip, then that's the way it would be here.
Just think -- everytime you leave a tip, you are part of the problem.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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posted
If everyone refused to tip, then we'd just have really underpaid waiters who all gave really bad service.
I'll stop tipping when those guys get minimum wage, but I don't expect anybody to make a living on 2.10 an hour.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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