Do you tip the housekeeper?

[n2mm]

I don't tip. Housekeeping makes the same salary as other resort employees, especially the folks picking up the trays from guests' tables in the food courts, or the guy outside sweeping up cigarette butts around the lounge/bars/pools, or the folks emptying the trash cans. These folks do a wonderful job at keeping the parks and resorts clean and no one seems to care if they are getting tipped. Why would you tip the person getting paid to keep you room straightened and doing a great job just like the majority of Disney Housekeeping Employees do, whether they are in your room or in the lobby. I guess I'm not staying at the right resort. I've only stayed at all values, all moderates, and WL and I've never had my sheets changed daily, actually management told me that they change the sheets every 3 days, but I could dispute that on many stays and a few calls to the front desk.

 

[fkj2]

I read one of the more recent posts and I think that some of the differences of opinion arise from the word "automatically". I'm not saying one should "automatically" tip the housekeeper, but I've walked past some rooms in which they are working and I wouldn't want a week to try and straighten up some of them, let alone 1/2 hour. My personal experience was that our housekeeping maid not only cleaned the room but organized our stuff to make it more "liveable". Many people go on vacation and throw their clothes and shoes and souveniers everywhere in the room and expect housekeeping to make the room presentable every day.

 

[pdzabe]

Wow! I was quite surprised that most people addressing the issue of tipping housekeeping don't tip. The reason I tip housekeeping, especially when the room is kept exceptionally clean, is so that the staff is reinforced with the idea that people appreciate a clean, fresh room, beds and bathroom when they are away from their own home. Some housekeepers are better than others and really keep the rooms immaculate! They should be tipped to keep up the good work. You can't compare it to other types of jobs because you are likely to be returning to that same room night after night. If a waiter, busboy, hairdresser, etc. doesn't do the job right, believe me you won't be going back there.

 

[kbeverina]

I do tip, but not because I feel obligated to. I leave the room pretty neat, always have everything picked up, always make up the beds, hang the towels over the shower rod, etc. But when I walk in the room after a long day, it just feels like a whole new room and at that moment I appreciate the work that was done there. Tipping is a way to say thank you, well worth the $30 or so when I'm spending thousands on the vacation as a whole. It gives me peace of mind that I'm able to say thanks because I normally don't see anyone from housekeeping face to face.

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10/92 OKW
2/00 Swan
12/01 BWI/Poly Concierge

 

[f-LORI-da]

It's refreshing to see so many people who don't tip. Personally, I think it's a racket. What will the next tipped position be? I wonder if I could work that into my job, too LOL. As someone else said, I too, wouldn't want the job.... that's why I'm not a housekeeper. It's a choice.

 

[noel]

We just got back on Wed of this week and tipped the housekeeper $5.00/day at both the Poly and AS Movies. Our rooms were immaculate, especially at at the Poly when we checked in, and was kept up very nicely during our visit, so I was more than happy to leave a tip for her.

'95 Lodge/Contemporary
'96 Lodge/AS Music
'99 Caribbean (March)
'99 Dolphin Concierge(Dec)
'00 AS Sports & Lodge
<font color=#990033>January 2001
AS Movies & Poly</font>

 

[Lynn CC]

We are leaving in 10 days and now I'm going to have to tip double to make up for all the non-tippers LOL

I like to tip them just for the fact that it makes me feel good to put a little sunshine in someone else's day. That's all

I even give the paper boys or girls a tip, the one's who hawk papers at major intersections. I already get the paper delivered and don't buy a paper from them,.......

but it's nice to see their face when you give them a tip without buying a paper. They are so appreciative!

I know I'm not the only one who does these random acts of tipping

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[eva]

I like to tip housekeeping at most hotels I go to. I feel that they really appreciate it. Most every time I get fantastic service. I feel that extra buck or two is well worth the extras (soaps, shampoos, coffee, ect.)I receive. One time I tipped $2 at a Hilton and asked that housekeeping leave only regular coffee and she left me enough coffee for a month stay plus a nice little note. I guess that I like to be pampered so I tip.

 

[Disneydenise]

They must think we are slobs at the resorts and I guess that is why we never got a cute little towel pool because I think that the best part of staying at a hotel is that I can go out without making the bed. I hate to make the bed. such a little thing and I hate it. So that is why I tip also the bathroom cleanup each morning after 4 people is such a soggy mess. I wish all of you people lived at my house because maybe then my family would start to pick up alittle. Maybe they should live a tip for me.

 

[Patti PB]

because of where I live.

I wonder if non-tippers do so across the board? Do you not tip your waiters/resses, hairdressers, nail person? Cleaning and straightening a room where my family is "living" even temporarily, is way more personal, IMO, than delivering pancakes to my kids at IHOP, or dropping us off at the airport in a cab.

One statement was made that housekeeping at WDW makes the same hourly wage as every other resort employee. Can someone verify this, because it certainly isn't the case here! Housekeeping is considered a tip job and wages are adjusted accordingly. There is a discrepancy between front desk wages and GRA (guest room attendant) wages.

There was also a comment about the IRS and tips not being taxed, and I wonder if any Florida resident can verify that information. Here in Vegas casino/hotel tip jobs are taxed according to IRS Regs right out of your paycheck.

My tipping practices have changed in the five years I've lived in Vegas since I understand the system much more clearly, but I ONLY tip for good to exceptional service. I never advocate tipping for mediocre service, but I've never gotten mediocre service from housekeeping at WDW. I wonder if people who don't tip housekeeping have ever "stiffed" a waiter who served the wrong entree, cold, or a hairdresser who cut your hair so badly you had it redone several days later.

Patti

 

[Lewisc]

Patti--I tip housekeeping, however if you read the resort booklet houskeeping is not listed as a postion that Disney suggests tipping. Disney pays housekeeping enought so that not leaving a tip is not considered the same as stiffing a waiter, bellhop etc.

 

[shirleyb]

Patti-
I consider myself a pretty good tipper, but why would I tip a hairdresser who cut my hair so badly I needed to have it recut? Isn't that the idea behind a tip? To thank someone for a job well done?

As far as WDW, I think tipping the housekeeping is a nice idea. They are very pleasant in my experience, and help to make my stay a great one.

Shirley

Shirley

CBR Jan 2000
Next Trip Jan 2002 Where to stay?

 

[Patti PB]

Does anyone know exactly how much Disney housekeepers make versus front desk personnel or the food court people? I'd be curious to know. I just checked the "Resort Guest Answer Book" and couldn't find the list of who you should tip. I can't remember exactly, but wasn't there an envelope left on the table each night? If so, that is a clear indication that it is a tip position.

Shirley - My point was that I personally wouldn't tip someone who gave bad service, but I know people who will tip someone who they think "should" be tipped regardless of the job they do.

It's an interesting topic---really no right or wrong.

Patti

 

[big dadda]

I have never been before. I thought after reading some of these replies, that I should tip. I will be staying at the PO. Does mousekeeping do that much at this ressort since it is a moderate? I would love to leave notes for the mousekeeper to do special surprises for my kids, but I was not sure if this would really happen or not. I thought maybe that you had to stay at the deluxe resort to get special treatment like surprises.

I would love to hear a response.

 

[2badcats]

Unless we receive poor housekeeping service, my husband and I always tip, either when travelling for pleasure or business. Not a lot, just a couple bucks for each night. Especially at WDW, where 99% of the time they do a great job and take time to "arrange" my kids stuffed friends (we've stayed at CR, DxL, CBR & ASMo and experienced equal treatment at all).

As someone said above, I enjoy not keeping house on my vacation so whoever picks up after us deserves a little extra. Also, if you leave a mess anywhere (food court, etc.) don't you always leave a little something for the person who cleans up

 

[Kaa]

It has been reported several times before that housekeeping at WDW is paid at least minimum wage (full minimum wage) if not more for their work. Whether that matches the wages of the front desk staff, I don't know. I think that tipping the housekeeping staff at WDW is a highly personal matter. It has been my experience that tipping at WDW does not necessarily get you the towel creations or toy arrangements, but it has happened on occasion. It is not just at deluxe resorts, as I have had this happen at value and moderate resorts. If you leave a note for the housekeeper asking for specific surprises, I would definitely leave compensation for that. Disney does not leave an envelope in the room to facilitate tipping the housekeeper and I have seen the list of recommended employees to tip in the resort newsletter given out when you check into a resort and housekeepers are not on that list.

Tammy aka Kaa
Budget Board Co-Moderator
tammy@wdwinfo.com

 

[DixieDreamer]

I tip $2 per person per night (so for the three of us it is $6 a day). I do this anytime I stay at a hotel for anymore than one day (sorry I don't get the benefit of seeing the clean room when I am just overnighting!). I know this is a minimum wage job, and not everyone has the ability to choose to work in more lucrative positions. I am grateful for those who do this kind of work and make my life more pleasant. If it were me and I had to do that kind of hard manual labor - I know the burden would be lighter if I knew it were appreciated. Tipping is a personal choice. I choose to be generous because I have found that you reap what you sow. Generosity and kindness have a way of finding their way home to you. I never "expect" it, but it does happen.

Because part of the tip is to acknowledge the housekeepers - we also do the tip envelopes complete with different clip art for each day. If the service was poor - I would not hesitate to note the problem on the envelope and withhold future tips if not resolved... but by and large I have NEVER had that experience at WDW or DisneyLand.

We do everything in our power to plan ahead of time to cover these kinds of costs (they do add up). One way we do this is to make the tip envelopes up way in advance and stuff dollar bill change at the end of each week into them. Surprisingly this adds up very fast and make the cost painless. I wouldn't feel right not tipping.

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[MalificentMe]

I always try to tip the housekeeper if they do a nice job. We have all stayed at places where the room condition is less than perfect and the housekeeping is inadiquate. When we go to a place where the room is tidy and soap and towels are replaced at a reasonalble time we thank them by a small tip about 10dollars or so for a week. I don't know if this amount is an insult to them or not but that is what we do.