Anyone NOT tip Mousekeeping?

[G8r4evr]

I travel all of the time and we have never tipped housekeeping, at any hotel. Most of the time we dont think about it, but even if we did....I didnt think you were supposed to. When I am paying $200 a night for hotel, I expect that a clean room is part of the deal. With that, I expect the hotel to pay their housekeeping staff fairly. They arent paid below minimum wage (like waiters), are they?

I should also add, I cant recall a time where housekeeping was bad enough to complain about, so I dont think that the service is directly related to a tip.

 

[thunderbird1]

If you want to skip the full mousekeeping service, you can just leave the "privacy please" card in your door and they should leave you a bag of clean towels. Or you can call mousekeeping and tell them "towels only" or "towels and garbage only" or whatever you want. That way you can skip the tip without feeling awkward about it.

FWIW, we travel frequently, and have always tipped the housekeeping staff. Well, except when I couldn't find any small bills--now I make sure to bring a bunch from home that I save just for housekeeping and bell service tips. My dh travels a few times a year for business, and his company always reimburses him for housekeeping tips, too.

 

[eventsdj]

Reads like they're talking about the Magical Express drivers.

Yes I was, thanks.

 

[Feralpeg]

I travel all of the time and we have never tipped housekeeping, at any hotel. Most of the time we dont think about it, but even if we did....I didnt think you were supposed to. When I am paying $200 a night for hotel, I expect that a clean room is part of the deal. With that, I expect the hotel to pay their housekeeping staff fairly. They arent paid below minimum wage (like waiters), are they?

I should also add, I cant recall a time where housekeeping was bad enough to complain about, so I dont think that the service is directly related to a tip.

I agree. I did tip Mousekeeping, but I have never tipped the housekeeping staff in another hotel and I used to travel a lot. I also believe it is up to the hotel to adequately pay their staff.

Disney's housekeeping is not a minimum wage position. They make better money than most of the CMs you meet in the parks and shops. Also, how do you know if they claim the tips as wages? While I don't really care, I would imagine that many do not. If a Mousekeeper were to clean 10 rooms in one day and receive a $5 tip from each room, that is $50 of possible untaxed money. Pretty good. I will tell you that my sister, who is a CM, does not make that kind of money. She stands on her feet in a shop every day for 8 to 10 hours being pleasant to all kinds of guests and she doesn't get tipped.

I'm not trying to sound cheap, I just think this is a personal decision and people who don't want to or can not afford to tip should not be made to feel guilty.

 

[Tinks1984]

Wow, what a thread! And as the other lady from the UK said, it's no wonder us Brits don't have a clue when it comes to tipping

I do recall on our last trips to WDW, that my parents did leave tips for Mousekeeping and I plan to on my next trip with my DBF.

BUT, I don't think it's any excuse for people to 'attack' the OP in regards to her not leaving a tip. The lady clearly stated that it has taken her and her family 12 years (and thats a very long time!) to save up for this holiday. This lady has clearly paid all her money owed to WDW and if money is tight and they cannot afford to leave a tip, then I think people should understand this. Not every person earns the same wage and to some people saving to go to WDW is very difficult, as I (and many others) well know!

So go, enjoy your holiday OP and even if you only leave a small tip at the end of it (whatever change you may have) I hope you have a wonderful time and get to do everything you wish to see

 

[carrie1626]

I regularily leave $3.00 per day.
As another poster stated, these people are not paid much!
Having worked in customer based related jobs for years, I know how much it means to someone to have a special thank you shown. And that doesn't have to mean monetary. On one of my trips I left a card thanking the maid staff for "being part of my making my WDW vacation MAGICAL". In my case, the room was cleaned in a timely manner, fresh towels(extra sometimes), vacuumed( we had crumbs and they were gone) and doing what they are supposed to do.

 

[edk35]

I honestly feel that if we were supposed to tip mousekeeping....cute little mousekeeping envelopes would be left next to the little cardboard sign saying "HI I am so and so and I cleaned your room let me know if you need anything." Everyone please go forth and enjoy you DISNEY VACATIONS WITHOUT GUILT.

 

[Uncle Remus]

Housekeepin is included in the room price, tip if ya want/can
and don't if ya can't, ain't no big deal except here on the DIS.


Look down below,
we're goin' to Disney!!

 

[minnie61650]

Here's my decision. We are staying at a value resort. I will allow Mousekeeping to come into the room and clean up a bit (as I said though, we're very tidy people so there won't be much to do). I will not be leaving a tip. Purely because I want to save what small amount of spending money I will have. Yes, I would rather spend it on my kids then tip the Mousekeeper. I am at stay-at-home Mom (in order to care for my DS8 who has severe learning disabilities) and my husband works a minimum wage job. This trip was VERY hard to come by and I'm sure will not happen again for many years to come. The next time we go to WDW (whether my boys are teens or maybe when I bring the grandkids someday) I will tip. I'm sure I will be in a better place financially and will be able to do so. Will I feel guilty? No. Thanks in part to many of these wonderful Dis replies! Everyone who visits WDW has a story. For some, visiting every year, or several trips a year, is nothing. For some, they decide on a whim to take a trip. For others, like myself, it's a long road to get here...and I want to enjoy it, by not worrying about how much I have left in my wallet. Thanks to everyone for replying! For those who tried to make me feel better, about not leaving a tip, a sincere "thank you".

I think that makes very good sense.
Back in the 70's and 80's when my children were young and money was tighter I never even thought about about tipping the housekeepers.
Now that my children are grown and money is not as tight I do tip mousekeeping --as a thank you not because I feel it is expected of me.

Go and have a great time.
BTW :
You did mention one of your sons is 8 years old.
May I ask how old the other boy(s) is (are)?

Have fun at Disney!

 

[Marty Joe]

I tip $5 a day. I also tip the ME driver $5 and the bell folks $1/bag. I feel its the right thing to do. If you don't roll that way... don't do it.
I have tried to print those cool WDW envelopes, but my old printer kept eating them! I have a new printer and will try again before our next Poly adventure.

 

[MickeyNicki]

A few years ago I had no clue that we were to tip Mousekeeping...until I came across this board so the next few trips I tipped...noticed nothing different so I do not tip anymore.

Not to sound rude but that is there job to maintain the room and DH and I are pretty neat people so they do not have to do much.

 

[hsmamato2]

I'm really not a horrible person. Just broke that's all....

I don't think so.....broke means you can't afford Disney and if $5 bucks a day to do the right thing means you can or can't go,maybe you should rethink the trip budget.....

 

[hsmamato2]

actually, it's standard procedure in ALL hotels to tip the cleaning staff-I've known this for many years- even just a couple of bucks a day......I think of it like tipping a waitress

 

[CTDis4]

On the chance of being flammed to a crisp...are the threads on this subject ever going to end? As others have said..tip if you want to and don't tip if you don't want to. And whatever you do, have a great trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Feralpeg]

I don't think so.....broke means you can't afford Disney and if $5 bucks a day to do the right thing means you can or can't go,maybe you should rethink the trip budget.....

Wow! Now that's the Disney spirit! Who appointed you conscience of everyone else on these boards? She saved for 12 years for this trip. Have a nice day!

 

[hsmamato2]

Wow! Now that's the Disney spirit! Who appointed you conscience of everyone else on these boards? She saved for 12 years for this trip. Have a nice day!

Oh...c'mon now....I was just noticing the 'broke' thing..... none of us who can spare any at all are broke- it's a vacation- I'm no ones concsience, I don't care who does/doesn't tip- but I know personally no matter how tight my trip budget is, I am in an expensive vacation place,and I have to plan too.... but probably,the OP originally meant the budget was tight,not 'broke'-
I think I agree with other posters that if you feel you should,but aren't tipping to pinch a penny,that's not right,but if you honestly feel' taken' by having to tip housekeeping,then just don't. There's no law. I haven't read disboards for my whole life, but I have always known about tipping the cleaners in a hotel room...so go figure.

 

[famsen]

I always leave a couple of dollars each night of our stay. The last few years, including our stay last month at SSR, I made up cute, colorful "mousekeeping" envelopes where I put the money in each day. Funny thing is "mousekeeping" always takes the money but they never take the cute little envelope.
For next time I am not going to spend time creating the envelope. I am jsut leaving the money on the table with a note that says "thank you".

 

[scrump]

Oh...c'mon now....I was just noticing the 'broke' thing..... none of us who can spare any at all are broke- it's a vacation- I'm no ones concsience, I don't care who does/doesn't tip- but I know personally no matter how tight my trip budget is, I am in an expensive vacation place,and I have to plan too.... but probably,the OP originally meant the budget was tight,not 'broke'-
I think I agree with other posters that if you feel you should,but aren't tipping to pinch a penny,that's not right,but if you honestly feel' taken' by having to tip housekeeping,then just don't. There's no law. I haven't read disboards for my whole life, but I have always known about tipping the cleaners in a hotel room...so go figure.

I agree, I thought the "broke" reference was a bit much, but I get it, budgets are tight and we all have to prioritize. We always tip mousekeeping/housekeeping, but feel that tipping is optional.

 

[SereneOne]

Like i had stated earlier about being housekeeping in a hotel for one summer. Maybe 4 or 5 out of 20 rooms tipped. It was enough for a decent lunch and a snack or two a day. It was much appreciated, but definitely not expected.

 

[jenseib]

I never heard of tipping till a few years ago at a comfort inn where they had left envelopes. I actually found that rude. I had a neighbor that was a housekeeper at a hotel and she said tipping wasn not the norm, when I asked her about it.
I have also traveled alot, and so have my parents. I have never seen them leave a tip either. Now that being said, I will now leave a small tip at the end of my trip most of the time now a days. I don't think it is expected ,and my DH gets mad at me for doing it. he has picked the money up several times and said hey you left this. But I only leave spare change or a few bucks. If I don't have it, I am not leaving it. DO NOT feel guilty if you don't. And have a wonderful trip. The worries of tipping mousekeeping will not even enter your mind once you are there!