Do you tip mousekeeping?

[BeesKnees]

I'm sorry but that is an absurd statement. They know what they need to look for. If they spend less time in my villa because I have removed the bedding and piled the towels in one location, they are still going to make the beds and hang new towels.

I am sorry but your removing of the bedding and stacking of the towels has nothing to do with my question.

 

[dzorn]

Do you ever worry though that if they hit 3 rooms like the one you leave and then in the 4th it is appears to be the same but they overlooked something that you might be contributing to the dirty room problem?

The only way there is a standard of clean is if they clean the rooms even if they appear to be spotless.

Sorry not going to leave a room a mess just because others do. Did you ever think if everyone picked up after themselves housekeeping would not have such a hard time. The person contributing to the dirty room problem would be that 4th person. Housekeeping still has to do their job and check. It is also much easier to quick wipe down a counter than to wipe a counter that has dried stuff on it.

Denise in MI

 

[BeesKnees]

Sorry not going to leave a room a mess just because others do. Did you ever think if everyone picked up after themselves housekeeping would not have such a hard time.

Denise in MI

That is not what I asked either. You made the statement that you leave the room cleaner than you find it which obviously means you clean it. To re-phrase what I asked... do you ever worry that doing that causes complancency among the maids?

I also suggested that the rooms should be cleaned regardless of how they are left. I don't want a room that has been cleaned to another DVCers idea of clean I want them cleaned to a set standard. For all I know the party before us was cutting up raw chicken on the counter and wiped it off with a towel making it appear clean.

If you wash your dishes, pack everything you brought or bought, all of the trash is in bags, and all the towels are in the same general area in the bathroom you have picked up after yourself. Everything else has to be cleaned anyway.

 

[Deb & Bill]

That is not what I asked either. You made the statement that you leave the room cleaner than you find it which obviously means you clean it. To re-phrase what I asked... do you ever worry that doing that causes complancency among the maids?

I also suggested that the rooms should be cleaned regardless of how they are left. I don't want a room that has been cleaned to another DVCers idea of clean I want them cleaned to a set standard. For all I know the party before us was cutting up raw chicken on the counter and wiped it off with a towel making it appear clean.

If you wash your dishes, pack everything you brought or bought, all of the trash is in bags, and all the towels are in the same general area in the bathroom you have picked up after yourself. Everything else has to be cleaned anyway.

I repeat, this is an absurd statement. Just because the room looks better than some, it doesn't mean they skip steps. Of course they still clean the room with the standards they are required to meet. They just don't have to spend time picking up trash, gathering all the towels and bedding and cleaning up after pigs. I'm not remaking the beds, washing the towels and rehanging them. I'm just leaving an easier starting point.

They get enough trashed out rooms that they don't forget how to clean a villa. If some of us leave our villa neater than others, I'm sure the staff appreciate it that they don't have as much to do. I know what my teenaged guests did to the upstairs bedrooms during our stay and I asked the kids to collect the trash, strip the beds, throw the towels in the tub. Not everyone does that and they leave the disaster.

On one stay, we arrived around 8AM and our room wasn't ready until almost 6PM. Why? Because the guests failed to leave the villa and when they did they left a disaster behind for the housekeepers. It took three or four housekeepers nearly two hours to clean up the mess these pigs left behind.

 

[BeesKnees]

I repeat, this is an absurd statement. Just because the room looks better than some, it doesn't mean they skip steps. Of course they still clean the room with the standards they are required to meet. They just don't have to spend time picking up trash, gathering all the towels and bedding and cleaning up after pigs. I'm not remaking the beds, washing the towels and rehanging them. I'm just leaving an easier starting point.

They get enough trashed out rooms that they don't forget how to clean a villa. If some of us leave our villa neater than others, I'm sure the staff appreciate it that they don't have as much to do. I know what my teenaged guests did to the upstairs bedrooms during our stay and I asked the kids to collect the trash, strip the beds, throw the towels in the tub. Not everyone does that and they leave the disaster.

On one stay, we arrived around 8AM and our room wasn't ready until almost 6PM. Why? Because the guests failed to leave the villa and when they did they left a disaster behind for the housekeepers. It took three or four housekeepers nearly two hours to clean up the mess these pigs left behind.

How can it be absurd when we read TRs from DVCers that find partially cleaned rooms?

I can see a scenario where because of one disaster room if the maids find a spotless room they might take the opportunity to skip a step or two or conveniently decide their partner cleaned that part to make up time. However, if they come to my room they might think we cleaned because they would see we were clean people but that doesn't mean there may not be some toothpaste in the sink or some crumbs around the table.

 

[Deb & Bill]

How can it be absurd when we read TRs from DVCers that find partially cleaned rooms?

I can see a scenario where because of one disaster room if the maids find a spotless room they might take the opportunity to skip a step or two or conveniently decide their partner cleaned that part to make up time. However, if they come to my room they might think we cleaned because they would see we were clean people but that doesn't mean there may not be some toothpaste in the sink or some crumbs around the table.

I think it is an absurd statement to think that because some guests leave less of a mess for the housekeepers that it causes their service to be downgraded. It implies that we all ought to be pigs and leave a disaster to get a clean villa.

 

[Dean]

Housekeeping at DVC is way, way, way, way, WAY more work than being a bus driver or even cleaning the bathrooms in the parks.

I think there are a lot of jobs at Disney that are as bad or worse though I don't see how that specific judgement is germane to the tipping question. Essentially the question is why tip this one position in the world that is not employed as a tipped position when not tipping many other people of similar service and pay scale. I can only think of 2 reasons someone would do so without additional and personal services (just cleaning the room does not qualify). The 2 reasons are either one is assuming that it's standard for hotels (I don't believe it is) and is extrapolating that assumption to a timeshare (where tipping clearly is not standard) or the guilt issue I mentioned previously.

It seems tipping has just become part of the service we receive. We no longer tip just certain positons or for service above and beyond, we tip because it has become the edicate of our society, and it seems this edicate is expanding and expanding. There are now tip jars at Starbucks, Panera bread, and the list goes on and on. I actually feel a bit guilty passing these tip jars without throwing a little something in, although I feel they are unwarranted. Now we are tipping non-tipped positions such as housekeeping? I never used to tip housekeeping because it was a non-tipped position, and frankly I had no clue what they made. Here comes that guilty feeling again. I guess I will just tip everyone I come in contact with, than I am covered.

I think you're correct as to what's happening. However, there's no reason to feel guilty about not tipping for positions that are not tipped including mousekeeping at WDW and counter service restaurants. Even where tipping is truly expected, it's still something that should be earned and not gifted.

Not in the room I leave. Usually cleaner than I found it, with the exception of changing sheet and towels.

Denise in MI

Same here, it's just how we're comfortable. We strip the beds, group the towels and linens near the door, wash dishes, etc. We don't feel it's required or expected, only it's the right thing to do. While I understand the question that the maid's may think it's a room that's already been cleaned, I don't think it's a reasonable concern.

 

[jekjones1558]

The 2 reasons are either one is assuming that it's standard for hotels (I don't believe it is) and is extrapolating that assumption to a timeshare (where tipping clearly is not standard) or the guilt issue I mentioned previously.

At the risk of beating this subject to death, neither of these is the reason I tip. In fact I have a totally selfish reason for tipping: I have found the mousekeepers are the most appreciative CMs when they receive a tip and so it makes ME really happy to tip them. Example: The room I am in at SSR right now was absolutely spotless with fancy towels, etc. I called the housekeeping supervisor, Iris, to compliment the mousekeeper and ask to have her come by my room. Amonise came by and was absolutely delightful. She has been a mousekeeper for 5 years and obviously is a professional at her job. Her smile alone was worth a lot more than $20 can buy me anywhere else at WDW. I told her how nice it is to check into a room that has been serviced by someone who takes her job so seriously. I also told her that I really don't need T&T because I am only here for 4 days and I am alone in my room. Still she brought towels, coffee and bath gel and emptied the trash.
I also readily admit that there is a social order bias to my mousekeeping tips. I cannot change the economic macro system that pays professional athletes millions and mousekeepers $8.35/hr. But I can let those I encounter in my micro world know that I think they are worth more than they are paid and their good work matters to me.

As I've said several times in the past few years, I think it's likely that mousekeeping will be converted at some point and if that happens, those who were "trying to help" by tipping would have actually hurt the employees.

Also for the record I do not believe that my tips will matter one iota in whether or not mousekeeping becomes a part of the tip credit pay system. That is another macro issue that is dictated by forces way beyond my control.

 

[BeesKnees]

I think it is an absurd statement to think that because some guests leave less of a mess for the housekeepers that it causes their service to be downgraded. It implies that we all ought to be pigs and leave a disaster to get a clean villa.

Why do people always feel the need to debate in extremes? It doesn't even come close to implying that we should tear up our rooms like rock stars. However, I see no benefit to actually cleaning the room or making it cleaner than I left it since I expect them to clean it anyway. I lived in it for a week it needs to be cleaned.

 

[jimmytammy]

Yes usually $2 for t&t, $5 for full clean days. If they bring an item up we need, usually $2.

 

[Dean]

At the risk of beating this subject to death, neither of these is the reason I tip. In fact I have a totally selfish reason for tipping: I have found the mousekeepers are the most appreciative CMs when they receive a tip and so it makes ME really happy to tip them. Example: The room I am in at SSR right now was absolutely spotless with fancy towels, etc. I called the housekeeping supervisor, Iris, to compliment the mousekeeper and ask to have her come by my room. Amonise came by and was absolutely delightful. She has been a mousekeeper for 5 years and obviously is a professional at her job. Her smile alone was worth a lot more than $20 can buy me anywhere else at WDW. I told her how nice it is to check into a room that has been serviced by someone who takes her job so seriously. I also told her that I really don't need T&T because I am only here for 4 days and I am alone in my room. Still she brought towels, coffee and bath gel and emptied the trash.
I also readily admit that there is a social order bias to my mousekeeping tips. I cannot change the economic macro system that pays professional athletes millions and mousekeepers $8.35/hr. But I can let those I encounter in my micro world know that I think they are worth more than they are paid and their good work matters to me.

Also for the record I do not believe that my tips will matter one iota in whether or not mousekeeping becomes a part of the tip credit pay system. That is another macro issue that is dictated by forces way beyond my control.

So why only tip mousekeeping? It doesn't make sense to me to single out this one group for tipping, essentially in the entire US. However, your stated reason does fit into my two groups, IMO.

 

[sandieb]

At the risk of beating this subject to death, neither of these is the reason I
I also readily admit that there is a social order bias to my mousekeeping tips. I cannot change the economic macro system that pays professional athletes millions and mousekeepers $8.35/hr. But I can let those I encounter in my micro world know that I think they are worth more than they are paid and their good work matters to me.

Agree completely! I very much appreciate coming into a spotless room. I also recognize these are workers at the lower(est) end of any pay scale in the US. I always leave a handsome tip, but last time I was at the BCV I returned to the room to double check on something, and the mousekeeper from down the hall was in there and had taken the tip! I don't even know if she is assigned to this room. I called the manager, and now wonder if I really want to leave a tip. I LOVE the idea of rewarding the effort when we check in. Great idea.

 

[jekjones1558]

So why only tip mousekeeping? It doesn't make sense to me to single out this one group for tipping, essentially in the entire US. However, your stated reason does fit into my two groups, IMO.

Bottom line: I think it is right to tip mousekeepers. So I tip them. I don't think the same about some other non-tipped service positions. So I don't tip them. I don't expect to change the system nor am I trying to convince anyone to follow suit.

 

[Dean]

Bottom line: I think it is right to tip mousekeepers. So I tip them. I don't think the same about some other non-tipped service positions. So I don't tip them. I don't expect to change the system nor am I trying to convince anyone to follow suit.

Fair enough, just trying to understand the thinking and rationale, or lack of.