tipping question

[kayt]

I've just read about envelopes for daily expenses, and mention was made about tips for mousekeepers. Sounds like it's best to leave a tip daily rather than at end of stay. I'm at a total loss -- How much is appropriate?
kayt

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Originally posted by kayt
I've just read about envelopes for daily expenses, and mention was made about tips for mousekeepers. -- How much is appropriate?
kayt

I have heard that $1 for each person in your room is appropriate depending on the "mess" that you may leave for your housekeeper to clean.

Denise

 

[safetymom]

$1-2 per person in the room. Yes leave it every day since the maids may change.

 

[mic_key_mouse]

Fodors.com says $2.00 per night.

Blessings.

 

[HenDuck]

I leave a doller per person per day. If we stay in a suite, I kick in an extra dollar since it's for two rooms. If we ask for something extra or get some extra nice service, I tip an additional dollar or two for that day.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

We always leave $1 a day per person in the room. And we do it daily because you don't always get the same person to clean your room the entire stay. Leave the money in an envelope clearly marked for mousekeeping.

Here is a website that was listed on another thread that allows to make cute Mousekeeping envelopes.

http://users.adelphia.net/~heidiw/

 

[HaleyB]

The amount, as you can see, varies a good deal from person to person. Leave what you feel you should. Do make sure to make it very clear you mean it as a tip for the house keeping staff or they will not take it.

 

[frstimer128]

Here is a link someone on the boards gave me for printable mousekeeper envelopes. I printed out one for each night of our stay and I put our tip money in them already. It helps me to budget our money. I have envelopes set aside for a few other inevitable expenses like parking and PS dining.

http://www.themouseforless.com/mousekeeping.shtml

 

[disneychrista]

Remember tipping is not required and Mousekeeping is NOT considered a tipped position. So do what you would normally do at any other hotel.

Personally I have never tipped at Disney or any other hotel.

 

[safetymom]

I tip at every hotel I stay at. I travel for business and if the service is good then I will tip the housekeeper.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I usually tip $2... even though we have 5 in our room. there is no way I'd tip $5-10 a day for 12-14 days when our room is NO dirtier or more work than anyone else's. In fact it's probably less- considering I end up putting everything up to make sure nothing gets lost, considered as trash and accidentally thrown away by mousekeeping, etc. AND considering that we use our resort room (atleast in the past) as only a place to sleep and change. We don't "live" in our room... and it shows. Our mousekeeper has only had to clean a toilet (I imagine they do this daily? Maybe not...), makeup the beds, empty the one or two little trash containers, and run a vaccum cleaner (or sweeper- whatever they use). IF that... and that's it. I don't leave messes (we use the trash can and clean up after ourselves just like we would at home) and we're hardly in our room besides sleeping. So I think to leave $1-2 per person is not always justified in the amount of work they are doing- and THAT is what the tipping is for... after all. Payment for services rendered in addition to their hourly wage- so if they aren't having to do anything more than they would if one person was staying in the room- then why pay per person if you have more than one person?

That's my thoughts on the subject.
I have left more than $2 before- but that's my base and what I stick to... I wouldn't leave $5-10 per night just to make 2 beds and sweep/vacuum.

 

[beglluvr]

I tend to take an opposite view from the previous poster. My mom used to work in housekeeping at a Marriott in Niagara Falls and I saw how hard she worked for very little pay.

During our May trip to WL, I left $4 every day for 3 people and got some of the greatest service I've ever had (not to mention tons of towel animals). On the morning we checked out, I left $10 with a note for Mousekeeping saying thanks for helping make our trip so special.

I feel that this is one of the most thankless jobs out there and, by tipping them a bit, it shows that I appreciate the hard work they do. JMO.

 

[canwegosoon]

Agree with beglluvr, we leave $5 a day(each morning). We got great service. Mousekeeping also left several towel animals, as well as plenty of towels (no special call needed). And the day before we were set to check out there was a ton of soaps, shampoos, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc. I took it as a way Mousekeeping was saying thankyou. But did not need most of it.

Tipping is always at the discression of the tipper, but I think it is nice to leave $4-5 a day to make someone's day brighter, in a thankless job of cleaning toliets, bathrooms, trash, and making beds.(IMHO)

 

[DonnaSue]

There are 4 of us (myself, DH, DS17, and DS14) and I leave $5 a day in an envelope marked "Mousekeeping"!!! I usually leave it on the vanity in the bathroom where they are sure to see it!

Donna

 

[ksy8384]

earlier in June I had made up the tip enveloppes, left them on the vanity shelf AND on the pillow (different place after shelf location didn't work) and they were left in place. I think the tip was only taken one day out of the 6 that we were there. <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/3/3_13_7.gif' border=0></a>

I was quite frustrated after having gone to the trouble of making the enveloppes so they would know it was for them.

Kalen

 

[Aisling]

I usually tip $2... even though we have 5 in our room.

This is what I'm planning. We're very neat and clean up after ourselves.
I've also experienced mousekeepers not taking the tip, so then I just stopped leaving it.

 

[skiwee1]

I leave $5 a day for two adults and a child. We are very neat but always leave tips no matter what hotel we stay at. I was brought up this way and think it appropriate.

 

[Jana49]

Years ago, when I was a single mom, and before I got an education, I did housekeeping as a living. Please know that housekeepers DO earn those tips! It may be different now, but they didn't used to make even minimum wage, and counted on tips just like waitresses.

It is so much harder to clean a room when people stay over than when they have checked out! They still have to clean the sink, clean the tub, clean the toilet, sweep and mop the bathroom floor, make the beds, clean AROUND the guests' belongings, leave fresh towels and soaps, dust everything, empty the trash, check the stationery, and sweep the main floor.

If you want to make sure your housekeeper takes the tip, mark on the envelope "Mousekeeping" and leave it away from your personal items.

 

[jann1033]

i left $2 a day (happened to have 2 people also but think that is enough anyway unless you are really slobs or eat a lot of meals in the room or something) along with a thank you note...got great service at vero beach, towel aminals ect, ok service at pop century no animals but a couple little soap fancy wash clothes and had to call housekeeping to come get the tip they didn't take( thought it would be obvious with the note but guess it wasn't and they never came when I called so guess they didn't care!)

 

[DonnaSue]

Gosh, I've never had housekeeping NOT take the tip envelope - WOW!!!

Donna