Room Tips

[juliette]

Quick question. I've stayed at ASMo once in the past and never tipped for housekeeping. I feel really bad now because you guys say you should tip $1pp. Does everyone always tip. I am going back in June and need to know before I make the same mistake twice.

[jilljill]

Our family does not tip housekeeping. My dad used to travel 265 days a year and never tipped as these are customarily non-tipped positions. Some people feel the need to tip. Use your best judgement and don't feel bad if you choose not to tip.

[admiral nelson]

I disagree that these are not tipped positions, as do many etiquette sites. But to each their own. Do what your heart tells you to, and think about being in their position.

[Pat_Elliott]

Personally, I've always felt a tip is either based on performance or to enhance a performance. I don't throw down 15% at a restaurant if the wait staff had an attitude. However, I do hotels in a pre-emptive manor. The first day, we put two bucks in an envelope. If the room shows obvious signs that this was appreciated, we keep it up. If not, we bag it. That's my personal plan of attack, I don't know that there is a set etiquitte.

Pat

[dahess]

Ever been on the Disney Cruise Boat? That is where you tip a lot of money$$$$$. I can't remember the figures exactly, but it was around $300.00, you tip the server, the assistant server, the dining room manager (can't remember his real title), your room keeper, room service, wait staff for drinks by the pool, luggage carriers, I am sure I have left some one off. Don't get me wrong, it is totaly worth it to go on the DCB. We would gladly tip that much again:)

[dcfromva]

dahess
Ever been on the Disney Cruise Boat? That is where you tip a lot of money$$$$$. I can't remember the figures exactly, but it was around $300.00, you tip the server, the assistant server, the dining room manager (can't remember his real title), your room keeper, room service, wait staff for drinks by the pool, luggage carriers, I am sure I have left some one off. Don't get me wrong, it is totaly worth it to go on the DCB. We would gladly tip that much again

That is one thing I don't understand. My sister went on a Disney cruise last year and she said the majority of the wages for those positions are derived from tips and it isn't really optional. I wondered why they didn't just include the crews wages in the price of the cruise so you know how much it costs up front? (She said it was worth it, too. They had a wonderful time).

-DC :)

[dcfromva]

juliette,
The tip for the maid is optional. We always tip, though. We leave $5.00 per room per night and we leave it each day (as opposed to once at the end of the trip). I think the maid will do an excellant job for you whether you tip or not. I just like to leave a little something extra.
-DC

[juliette]

Yes I know with the disney cruise. We are four and it does take a good part of your money. But like it was said before it was worth it. As for the room tip I guess ill tip because then I'll feel guilty.

[CTillberg]

I ALWAYS tip housekeeping now, at Disney and elsewhere. IMO, houskeepers do hard work, get paid very little, and I have found I usually get a little extra special touch when I leave tips.

What I think is silly is tipping bartendenders, doormen, etc. (how hard is it really to pour a drink or open a door?!)

Just my two cents.
Cathy

[mad4themouse]

Originally posted by CTillberg
I ALWAYS tip housekeeping now, at Disney and elsewhere. IMO, houskeepers do hard work, get paid very little, and I have found I usually get a little extra special touch when I leave tips.

What I think is silly is tipping bartendenders, doormen, etc. (how hard is it really to pour a drink or open a door?!)

Just my two cents.
Cathy

I tip the guy who handles my bags at the airport and at the hotel. I tip the housekeeping staff and all waiters and waitresses. I believe in rewarding good service.

However, I have issues with the tip cups that you see placed by the register at every Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks. Puh-leez! There's a big difference between picking up my dirty towels and handing me a dozen pre-packaged Munchkins!

[colleen costello]

I always tip. We were visiting last year, staying in the Ft. Wilderness Cabins, and the cleaning women were coming in as we were going out. My daughter, who was 7, said softly "Boy that's not the job I want someday." We talked a little bit about how hard those ladies work and that yes, there are "easier" jobs out there.

I feel like these women work really hard. Many are here from other countries, and God bless them, they may be sending money back to relatives. I think that for the work they do to help make my vacation a little nicer, I can afford a few extra dollars a day. When you are blowing $3 on a bottle of water, what's a few dollars for the housekeepers?

Just my 2 cents!

[Minnie's Mate]

See:
www.tipping.org

[Snow Brite]

Or it would just be added on to your room bill. The standard is $1 per person per night, left nightly, on the pillow of your bed. This can be adjusted up or down, based on service received, but remember that often maids are not assigned to the same room each day, so the one getting the tip may not be the one the earned it.

Housekeepers, Dishwashers and Bellmen are the hardest working people at a hotel. They have the most physically demanding and, yes, gross jobs. They get paid at or just above minimum wage and do depend on tips as part of their income. To say Housekeepers are not tipped positions is just uninformed.

These ladies (and a few gentlemen) are responsible for cleaning your room as well as probably between 10-20 others in the five to six hours they have between when you leave in the morning and check in time. They do not get to take lunch at the usual lunchtime as that is their crunch time. Their Supervisors are constantly checking on them to see "How much longer" until this room or that is ready because someone is waiting at the Front Desk for their room. It is hot, physically demanding work changing that many beds, vacuming that many floors and scrubbing that many bathtubs per day. They take out your garbage, pick up your dirty towels, and clean the crumbs from your table.

I really think a $1 per person per day is little to ask for this service. Compare this to what is required for the server to take your order and bring you your meal in a restaurant and how much you tip them for this service. The difference is the Housekeeper does her work behind the scenes, never face to face. It is so much easier to ignore this type of service.

But then, having been in the hotel business for many, many years this is a bit of a hot button topic for me... You do what you feel is right and deserved.

Jennifer

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I agree- but sometimes it's hard to keep leaving a tip day after day when it's obvious they are NOT doing all that hard work. I have found, in my own personal experience, that when staying quite a few nights they really do nothing more than empty the trash out and put out new towels.
Seriously.
When your bathtub is still dirty, things are still on the floor so you know it wasn't vaccuumed (tiny bits of trash or crumbs), and your bed isn't made/etc..... you know not much was done. And yes, this has been my experience at Disney also. It just seems like when you are staying 7+ (or 9 nights in my case) nights, they tend to do less than they do when a new guest is moving in that room. A lot less.

[ScarletIndigo]

It seems like I read somewhere (either here on the DIS or somewhere similar) that the All Star Resorts had a policy of only changing bed linens every three days in order to conserve water. Is this just a fable or the real deal? Believe it or not, I don't think I've ever taken a trip where I've stayed more than one night in a hotel room, so I'm not sure if this is the norm or not! ;-)

[jilljill]

If I remember correctly, in all Disney hotels they only change bed linens every 3 or 4 days for the same guest. There is a note in your room about this policy. They will only change your towels if you leave them in the tub.

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

A) I didn't say anything about changing bed linen- I said making the bed. And btw- I stayed 9 nights with the same bed linen-I know because the mascara that got on the pillowcase and part of the sheet on my FIRST NIGHT there was still there on my last night.

B) Not sure why you mentioned the towel policy- I said that was one of the two things done.... new towels and tiny trash can emptied.

[ScarletIndigo]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
A) I didn't say anything about changing bed linen- I said making the bed. And btw- I stayed 9 nights with the same bed linen-I know because the mascara that got on the pillowcase and part of the sheet on my FIRST NIGHT there was still there on my last night.

Hi BibbidyBobbidyBoo! I'm sorry, please don't think my question was directed at your situation, I was just curious in general. Didn't mean to be a thread-stealer! ;-)

Take care.

[CTillberg]

I may be mistaken, since I haven't been to Disney since 1998, but I thought that in Disney's effort to conserve water, mousekeping only changed the linens if you left a special card on the bed saying you wanted them changed and the towels only when left in the tub as a previous poster wrote.

If you receive poor service, by all means, do not tip. But also, you need to call and let the front desk or housekeeping manager know if you are not happy with the condition of your room. You may have a new, inexperienced, or poor worker doing your room every day, and they need to know that and get it corrected so you (and other guests) are not unhappy.

BTW, Jennifer expresed my thoughts exactly as to why I tip my housekeepers.

Cathy

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I may be mistaken, since I haven't been to Disney since 1998, but I thought that in Disney's effort to conserve water, mousekeping only changed the linens if you left a special card on the bed saying you wanted them changed and the towels only when left in the tub as a previous poster wrote.

There was a card explaining about the towels- but they didn't do it that way anyway. They would change the towels even if they were hung back up on the racks. Why, I do not know. LOL

But there wasn't any special card or note about the bed linen, and I don't have ESP, so I didn't know about that. I also didn't know to let the front desk/etc know- because I just figured that's standard policy if the same guest is still in that room. It didn't kill me- I survived. LOL I just was commenting that when not much is done, it's hard to really justify the giving of tips. This thread made it out like they were doing a lot of work, and all I know is in the 9 days I stayed there- all they did was replace towels (regardless of where I put them or whether I wanted them all replaced or not) and emptied the little trash cans. That's it. So they don't ALL, at all times, do a lot of cleaning justifying $1 or more per person per night as tip.
(oh and btw- they also ignore the do not disturb signs on the doors. I slept in one morning- or atleast I should say TRIED to... was awoken by the door attempting to be opened and "hello hello" -if the darn bolt thing is done where the door will only open a little before it's stopped and a do not disturb sign is on the door.... that should mean something. Atleast I thought so. LOL Yes,I still tipped that day, but I did so grudgingly. I figured a DIFFERENT housekeeper probably did the room later since I asked them to come back later after waking me up attempting to come in. LOL)

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by admiral nelson
I disagree that these are not tipped positions, as do many etiquette sites. But to each their own. Do what your heart tells you to, and think about being in their position.

I generally tip housekeeping BUT Disney doesn't consider housekeeping a tipped position (look in the tipping guidelines when you check in).

[colleen costello]

ScarletIndigo, this is true. I live near Indianapolis and some years back an Indy TV channel was the first one to get this "scoop" on hotel policies. Sheets are changed regularly, but blankets less so and bedspreads rarely. It was a real eye-opener. I will never forget, they had a special light they shone and it was highlighting stains that were all sorts of body fluids. YUK! Then they had an infection control guy on, talking about all the nasty illnesses you could get, and how long various germs can live on fabric.

I am not too hysterical about germs. My family is really quite healthy so I guess it's because we have a good amount of "immune-building dirt" in our house! But my fear of being ill when traveling is great. Who wants two kids with the stomach flu during a 16-hour drive to Florida on a trip you've looked forward to all year? When we get into a room I do a look-over on the bedspreads. Anything looks suspicious, I call for new ones. If you have allergies or anyone in your group has a poor immune system, by all means ask for new blankets and spreads when you check in. This is your right. You could also pack wipes and use them on doorknobs and surfaces, and there is a new Lysol fabric spray that you can use of curtains, spreads, etc. I keep forgetting the stuff and I am not real motivated as we haven't been sick on vacation. But recently a poster here had her twin toddlers really ill at WDW, and she wondered how they would "sanitize" her room after they were well enough to check out. THAT got me thinking... when we go in June, I am packing the Lysol!

[diznee25]

Quick question. I've stayed at ASMo once in the past and never tipped for housekeeping. I feel really bad now because you guys say you should tip $1pp. Does everyone always tip. I am going back in June and need to know before I make the same mistake twice.

No, not everyone tips, (as you can tell from reading this thread!)
On my last trip in July 2002, I recall leaving $5 at the end of my stay. The trip was spontanious, and we were almost broke when we left. (plus, I didn't know people actually tipped housekeeping at hotels. I had never heard of it until I came to the DisBoards.) I felt obligated to leave a small tip because housekeeping had left a towel animal for us.

If I was staying at a Motel 8 or a Bestwestern, I wouldn't leave a tip and the same goes for Disney resorts. I worked at a Bestestern a few years ago, and housekeeping very rarley got tipped, and it wasn't expected that guests do that. It's not like housekeeping is going to leave your room dirty if you don't tip!

Diznee25

[DMRick]

that the All Star Resorts had a policy of only changing bed linens every three days in order to conserve water

That was the policy at AllStars and POR.

I think they went more like 4 nights. We've come back to our room and they have been vacuuming. I know our bathroom got cleaned, just not everyday on our last trip (April). We've never had spotless rooms at Disney, but they've been good enough for us. We realize they have limited time. We did get towel animals both visits this trip, and usually they do something by the sink, so I'll know they were there..maybe put a towel fan in a glass, or spread a towell under my sink stuff.
We've stayed at some places outside of Disney where I don't tip...when the coffee pot is still dirty, and the sheets are original form day one.

The Hyatt housekeeping (got for $34 on Priceline) got kudo's for doing a great job. We stayed there for several nights before we hit Disney, and they had the flyer you put on your pillow if you don't want the sheets changed (or vise versa). I've never seen that at Disney. Of course the room was nicer too. Just the note telling me to remove from the rack towels I want replaced.

[sgtdisney]

Disney is very careful to list what positions are tipped and not tipped. If you ever look in the little books that they bring you the dinner checks in you will see a note explaining about the tip. From what I understand, America is different from the rest of the world on how they pay and tip service jobs. Many of the people from foreign countries aren't aware that certain jobs here rely on tips as part of the income. If Disney specifically says in it's tipping guidelines that Housekeepers are a non-tipped position it leads me to wonder if they pay their housekeepers more than other hotels where housekeeping is expected to be tipped, or what the reason would be for them to exclude housekeepers as tipped positions.

[zoesmama]

I've been in the hotel industry for many years and I know how hard working and how underpaid the housekeeping staff is. You should always leave a tip. I usually leave the tip of about $1.50 - $2/day at the end, but I like the idea of leaving one daily to make sure you tip the one that is actually cleaning your room that day. If the service isn't what you expect, you need to report that to the hotel manager or, better yet, the housekeeping supervisor if you see that person. That way it can be corrected while you are still a guest at the hotel.

I also have a toddler and appreciate the person who has to empty the trash full of dirty diapers and then put the room back in order after I've had to move everything out of the DD's grasp. (My DD loves to take apart the guest service guides in hotel rooms, hide the remote and redecorate the furniture with the supplied pen.)

[Mish]

Last year when we went i left $4.00 a day. We had the best mousekeeper, We always had towel animals, plenty of Shampoo and towels and our room was always clean. I am sure she would have done a good job even if we didnt leave it but i think it is nice to reward someone for a job well done. Michelle

[PamCo88]

When I went in 2001, I left tips everyday but on more than one day the tip was not taken. This did not stop me from trying. My room (allstar music) was always cleaned up and vacuumed everyday. One day I called for extra towels (rain storm) and when we had gotten back from dinner they still hadn't returned. I called back and they were there in a couple of minutes with like 8 towels. I think the rest of the week we just kept using those. :)

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

DMRick...
We did get towel animals both visits this trip
If you meant to say both visits this year, which means including the Jan trip where we met?- then I'm very jealous. I didn't get any towel animals! wahhhhhhh
And I tipped even though I had the same sheets and pillowcases the entire trip- 9 nights. You got yours changed during your trip? I wonder how come I didn't. ASMu doesn't love me. *sniff sniff*

I slept on the same bed. I guess maybe I should have switched back and forth in both beds. LOL I just preferred sleeping in that one though.

[DMRick]

If you meant to say both visits this year, which means including the Jan trip where we met?-

Yes..even that trip. We were usually up and out pretty early, and sometimes our room was finished by the time we came back from breakfast (if we went out for breakfast and came back to the resort).

We usually put our towel animals in our window, so we can easily find our room (except the last trip, one of the days, we got what looked like a flop ear bunny...big and ugly..by the second day, I took it apart...it was sort of scary!). Tipping doesn't seem to matter, since we generally tip at the end (not always..if we get something really special we tip early in the stay).

I keep our room pretty darn neat..maybe they figure they have nothing else to do LOL.

IMO, anyone who has to clean our toilet, gets a tip..they don't pay enough money to get me to do that for strangers...no matter how much it is.

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by Lewisc
I generally tip housekeeping BUT Disney doesn't consider housekeeping a tipped position (look in the tipping guidelines when you check in).


Did anyone read this? Saw it online today. It is from Emily Post. It lists maids as a tipped position. I have always tipped the maids whether I'm spending one night at the Hampton Inn or 12 nights at the Polynesian.


Your Money

How much to tip

If you ask 10 people how much to tip in a given situation, you'll get several answers and a slew of hot-headed opinions about the "right" thing to do.

To help start your next debate, here's a quick guide to customary gratuities for various services. The guide is provided by the Emily Post Institute. Those with passionate views about how much to tip the pizza-delivery guy, please see the information in the footnote provided by two other sources.

(For a look at the real reasons we tip and whether tipping has anything to do with the quality of service we receive, click here.)


RESTAURANTS/BARS
Waiter/waitress: 15% of bill (excl. tax) for adequate service; 20% for very good service; no less than 10% for poor service
Headwaiter/captain: often gets a cut of table server's tip; so tip your server extra to reward captain, or tip captain separately
Sommelier, or wine steward: 15% of cost of the bottle
Bartender: 15% to 20% of the tab, with a minimum of 50 cents per soft drink, $1 per alcoholic drink
Coatroom attendant: $1 per coat
Parking valet or garage attendant: $2 to bring your car to you
Washroom attendant: 50 cents to $1




DAILY LIFE
Taxi driver: Varies depending on locality. Assume 15% will be enough; an extra $1 to $2 for help with bags.
Food delivery person:* 10% of the bill (excl. tax), at least $1 for bills up to $10. Should tip 15%-20% for a difficult delivery.
Grocery loader: Check with store policy if tips are accepted. If so, $1 for bringing bags to car; $1.50 to $3 if you have more than 3 bags.
Barber: 15% to 20%, minimum $1, for a haircut. For other services (shampoo, shave or manicure) tip $1 to $2 to service provider.
Hairdresser: 15% to 20%. (It is now acceptable to tip owner, unless he or she says otherwise.)
Shampoo person: $2
Manicurist: 15%
Spa service (e.g., massage): 15% to 20%. If service is provided by owner, no tip.
Staff at coffee/food retailers with tip jars: No tip required. It's completely optional.
Handyman: No tip
Gas attendant: No tip
* Mike Lynn, associate professor of consumer behavior at the Cornell Hotel School suggests tipping pizza delivery folk a minimum of $2 per pizza. His reasoning: Food delivery can be dangerous if delivering to crime-ridden neighborhoods or driving in bad weather, etc. The Web site www.tipthepizzaguy.com suggests the following: 15% for normal service, with a $2 minimum; 20% for excellent service; 10% or less for poor service; at least 10% for orders of $50 or more. Don't assume a delivery charge, if there is one, goes to the pizza deliverer. Ask the person who takes your order.





TRAVEL
Skycap at airport: $1 per bag if you check-in curbside; $2 per bag if skycap takes bags to check-in counter.
Hotel doorman: $1 per bag for help with luggage; $1 per person for hailing a cab
Hotel bellhop: $1 per bag for bringing luggage to your room (but a $2 minimum if you have just one bag)
Hotel housekeeper: $2 per night
Hotel concierge: $5 for getting you tickets or reservations ($10-plus if they're hard to get). No tip required when you ask for directions.
Cruise: Varies. Ask cruise line about customary gratuities.


Source: Emily Post Institute

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by Mish
Last year when we went i left $4.00 a day. We had the best mousekeeper, We always had towel animals, plenty of Shampoo and towels and our room was always clean. I am sure she would have done a good job even if we didnt leave it but i think it is nice to reward someone for a job well done. Michelle

Us too! We had huge alligators, elephants, monkeys swinging from the canopy. angels hanging off bathroom lights and so on. Every day we had at least one towel animal and DD's stuffed animals arranged really cute. Our room was spotless and she always left us at least 5 bars of soap and shampoo a day for 3 people! We never used it as we bring our own but we do collect some for the local womens shelter here. Our mousekeeper was so nice and hardworking and really deserved any tip she got.

[DisneyVillain]

Originally posted by skiwee1
no less than 10% for poor serviceI'm OK with most of these, but I have a problem with this one. A tip or gratuity is "A favor or gift, usually in the form of money, given in return for service." If the service isn't given, then there shouldn't be a tip. The argument that the tip is part of the server's wage doesn't work here, as a wage is "Payment for labor or services", and if they haven't provided the service, then they shouldn't receive the wage.

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by DisneyVillain
I'm OK with most of these, but I have a problem with this one. A tip or gratuity is "A favor or gift, usually in the form of money, given in return for service." If the service isn't given, then there shouldn't be a tip. The argument that the tip is part of the server's wage doesn't work here, as a wage is "Payment for labor or services", and if they haven't provided the service, then they shouldn't receive the wage.

I agree. If I have poor service, not only do I not tip but I also make the manager aware of the waiter in question. Fortunately that is a rare occasion.

[bratdeb]

I think you should always try and tip housekeeping they work hard for the money and deserve it!

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I think you should read the thread and see that they don't ALL work "hard for the money". Atleast not in all rooms at all times. LOL