Another question about tipping bellboy service

[heidica]

When the bellboy handles your luggage, they end up handling them twice. Once to take them out of the car and then again when they take them up to your room. Do you tip both at the car and in your room? Or just when they deliver the bags to the room? What if it is a different person who takes them out of the car and another person who delivers them to the room? If tipping only when the luggage is delivered to the room, the first person misses out on the tip. There are 7 of us going and I am trying to plan ahead for these particular tips. I don't know exactly how much luggage we will all have yet, but I am estimating about 15 pieces of luggage (we are going for 11 days/10 nights).

I tried doing several searches on this, but mainly found big debates about tipping housekeeping, which is not my question.

 

[Ilovestitch]

We tip both- its never the same person. The first bellhop takes the luggage from your car, puts it on a cart, puts your name on tags and gives you a ticket w/a claim # on it. At the Polynesian, the bellhop told us all about the resort, where to go to check in, etc.

Then, when your room is ready a different bellhop will bring it up to your room.

 

[yecats]

I tip both times as well and I usually move around on my trips so more tips have to be added in. Last trip we stayed at CSR and didn't have to tip anyone as when I checked in my room was ready and went straight there in my own vehicle and brought my luggage to my room. Then I pre-checked in to BWV and had about 12 pieces of luggage/boxes and food items. The bellperson got $15 as he moved absolutely everything out of my car and placed two boxes in cold storage for me, then I pre-checked in. Later that night, I retipped the bellperson (different person) as he unloaded everything in my room and I can tell you I was happy to see him do that. I have had trips where I've tipped bellpeople up to 6 times in a trip because I've moved around (not to mention tipping the driver from the airport to the hotel).

Additionally, I think bellservices does a great job and is probably paid near minimum wage. They greet you graciously and really start your vacation off with the fact that you'll have no worries. I always think would I like a job where I move heavy luggage around all day long - No thank you. So tip away.

 

[Desnik]

It is almost always a different person that takes the bags from the car to the lobby, then to the room. Here's what we do. We also valet park so that's another tip! I give the valet $2. I give the person who takes my bags from the car, to the lobby or holding room if the room isn't ready around $5. Then when the bellman brings our bags to the room we give him $10. He usually brings the stuff into the room, gets us ice for the ice bucket, asks us if we have any questions, shows us things in our room. This is at Deluxe resorts, not sure if the bellman do the same at other resorts. We usually have 3/4 pieces of luggage and a backpack. We will also tip more if someone goes out of their way to help us.

 

[heidica]

Thanks for all the replies. It makes sense to tip both the one taking the luggage out of the car and the one that brings the luggage to the room. We also will be switching resorts during our trip, so we will have to tip again (switching from SOG to AKL half way through the trip). Just wanted to be prepared and have the money on hand, especially since we are going to have a ton of luggage for the 7 of us. We tend not to carry a lot of cash with us (using credit card for most things) and I want to be ready to tip everyone.

By the way, do the rest of you tend to tip the same amount you give the bell services as you do shuttle services?? Like the shuttle service from non-airport parking to the airport and the rental car shuttle from the airport to the off-site rental location? I am planning on tipping $1/bag for the bell services, so right now I am estimating $15 for each time. Should it be the same amount for the shuttle services??