Do you tip when you're staying at DVC on your points & only get trash & tidy?

[DVCconvert]

We tip whenever Housekeeping comes to our room - T&T, Full clean, last day,or by request.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I've never tipped on T&T because it isn't a full clean. I do tip when I leave but forgot to on my last trip ...mainly because I was managing all the details including packing the car and didn't get any help on remembering the niceties. I do NOT tip on a per day basis because the full cleaning service isn't per day...its per week or per stay. Instead I do it per room...usually a bit less at DVC because I only get a studio...otherwise $10 for the living area and $5 per bedroom. I also strip the beds we used and pile up the towels...not because I want to be helpful but because I hope that if enough people do it I can be more certain the linen was changed out.

Anyway I suspect that Mousekeeping must be paid a bit better than Housekeeping at equivalent quality hotels in the area...either in benefits or wages. I'd also guess that working at a deluxe hotel requires more seniority than working at all-stars even if the pay is the same (because the tips are likely to be better).

 

[rocketriter]

Anyway I suspect that Mousekeeping must be paid a bit better than Housekeeping at equivalent quality hotels in the area...either in benefits or wages. I'd also guess that working at a deluxe hotel requires more seniority than working at all-stars even if the pay is the same (because the tips are likely to be better).

This is a good supposition. Does anyone know for sure if it's true?

 

[OneMoreTry]

There was a big write-up in USATODAY a couple of weeks ago about hotel housekeepers. They presented a (VERY) good case for tipping and said that $2-5 is considered a reasonable amount for a hotel room. I assume a 2BR would be more, but then I guess a Mousekeeper would be glad for anything.

I try to tip, but with our crew of kids I have to say it slips my mind sometimes. We've had T and T day and I didn't even realize it was coming up. And my wife would never think of something like that. She's not a planner by any means.



For you tippers: Where do you leave your tip in a studio? And where in a 2BR? How do you indicate to the housekeeper that it is a tip and not just money you left out (which they can't take).

(There's no way I can remember to bring envelopes on a trip. We're doing good if everyone has shoes and a change of underwear.)

 

[CharlesTD]

ErinC we wash and dry them we don't just leave them in the washer I wouldn't dream of doing that.

 

[Disneyrsh]

Came back to our room at the all stars one afternoon to find the two housekeepers stretched out on OUR bed, drinking cokes and watching soap operas. Saw them through the window, thought it was kind of funny, and decided to head over to the pool directly instead. Came back from the pool an hour or so later and THEY WERE STILL THERE, same spot. Now it wasn't so funny.

Been having a hard time tipping the housekeeping after that. Now I just tip if they go out of their way. I go out of my way to leave the rooms really clean, so I figure I'm meeting them halfway...

In europe and asia tipping is not nearly as out of hand as it is here. It's considered to be a bonus or a special thank you for a job exceptionally well done. That's how I look at it. In Japan NOBODY tips. Ever.

 

[DisNDat]

If a maid was stretched out on my bed I wouldn't tip. But I've never experienced that! I'm a tipper, even when the service doesn't exceed what I expect. I guess I'm trying to motivate staff to stay with their jobs, which are difficult and low-paid. High turnover would make the experience less pleasant for vacationers, so I like to incentivize!

 

[goofy4tink]

Came back to our room at the all stars one afternoon to find the two housekeepers stretched out on OUR bed, drinking cokes and watching soap operas. Saw them through the window, thought it was kind of funny, and decided to head over to the pool directly instead. Came back from the pool an hour or so later and THEY WERE STILL THERE, same spot. Now it wasn't so funny.

Been having a hard time tipping the housekeeping after that. Now I just tip if they go out of their way. I go out of my way to leave the rooms really clean, so I figure I'm meeting them halfway...

In europe and asia tipping is not nearly as out of hand as it is here. It's considered to be a bonus or a special thank you for a job exceptionally well done. That's how I look at it. In Japan NOBODY tips. Ever.

Seems that you're leaving the room a little too clean!!!! Looks like they took that time to relax since they didn't have much to do thanks to your cleanliness. I would have walked in on them the first time.

But, I do tip on T and T days...maybe $3. Then again when we check out. When we have had daily mousekeeping we would tip $5 a day for the 3 of us. We have been lucky in that we have had some good mousekeepers. If my $3 makes their day a little brighter, then I'm happy. Now, if I had found them lying on my bed, I think I would feel a little differently!!!

 

[beattyfamily]

For you tippers: Where do you leave your tip in a studio? And where in a 2BR? How do you indicate to the housekeeper that it is a tip and not just money you left out (which they can't take).

(There's no way I can remember to bring envelopes on a trip. We're doing good if everyone has shoes and a change of underwear.)

I put my mousekeeping envelopes (pre-filled before trip) on the bathroom mirror. I don't know of any other way other then in an envelope to help the mousekeeper know it's for her.

I love doing the envelopes. That way the tip is all set aside even before I leave and I enjoy printing them out. It's all part of the overall trip planning!

 

[SleepyatDVC]

ErinC we wash and dry them we don't just leave them in the washer I wouldn't dream of doing that.

Good for you Charles. However, the mousekeepers just going to throw those clean sheets in the laundry cart, not back on the beds. Those bedsheets are outsourced and go through heavy bleaching and sanitizing and ironing(?) The mousekeepers have no way of knowing whether the sheets were washed with laundry detergent or even washed before thrown in the dryer! So, better safe than sorry.

FYI, I have found linens in the dryer before when checking in. So, the mousekeepers may not even check the washer/dryers during cleaning unless they were running at the time. Instead, they might have thought the DVC member swiped all the bed linens!

So, next time, save yourself some time and energy and just leave the bedsheets in a pile for the mousekeepers to collect.

 

[joycmc]

We always tip ,t/t and full and last day.I tend to be an over tipper ,dh a little under (he doesn't read boards)so we usually split dif and round up.We also have 4 kids and travel with family so things get messy so,I really appreciate any help.
Tipping seems only right to me,maybe because I'M SO HAPPY to be away.
Joy

 

[SleepyatDVC]

I too have left money for the mousekeeper and had it ignored! Now if I leave something, I usually leave a note for them with the money so they know.

Don't usually remember to carry extra envelopes to put the tips in. I have even used paper napkins to write on if I couldn't find paper to leave a note.

 

[addlema]

Call me ignorant but I thought the dues covered that kind of thing? I guess I'll have to start tipping.

I had never even thought about tipping mousekeeping or any other hotels housekeepers before I saw this thread.

 

[patsal]

I guess I'm kind of a messed up person! I tip and clean for myself! On T&T I leave one dollar per person in my party, but everything is already cleaned up and all towels are inside the tub just waiting to be picked up, all trash and recycling is completed so there is no work there. On check out or full clean day I leave a $10 or $20 depending on what size unit I have. I strip the beds and pile the linens, leave all towels in the tub and have run the vaccume as well as the dishwasher, and wiped out the fridge. Of course all trash and recyclables have been removed as well. I figure I just wouldn't leave a mess "at home".

 

[ErinC]

Good for you Charles. However, the mousekeepers just going to throw those clean sheets in the laundry cart, not back on the beds. Those bedsheets are outsourced and go through heavy bleaching and sanitizing and ironing(?) The mousekeepers have no way of knowing whether the sheets were washed with laundry detergent or even washed before thrown in the dryer! So, better safe than sorry.

FYI, I have found linens in the dryer before when checking in. So, the mousekeepers may not even check the washer/dryers during cleaning unless they were running at the time. Instead, they might have thought the DVC member swiped all the bed linens!

So, next time, save yourself some time and energy and just leave the bedsheets in a pile for the mousekeepers to collect.

Thanks for continuing my point Grace. Not to mention that the washers in the DVC units will not even run a full hot water cycle. They will do warm and cold only. I for one do not want to sleep on sheets that have not been washed in HOT water and sanitized. Hopefully CharlesTD will understand the point a little better after reading your post.

 

[CharlesTD]

Yes I do understand it but will continue to do it just out of the pure fact that it is a routine we have and yes they may send them out to get done again but atleast we know we had done it prior to them coming in. Just like we wash the inside of the fridge regardless if we made a mess in it or not. It is just something we do don't ask me why I guess we just feel compelled as we look at the place as our home and we do the same in our own house so why should it be any different in our home away from home. Who knows we may greow out of it one day but for now we will continue to do it this way.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

charles - please don't take offense to this, nothing wrong with picking up after yourselves, but please do not wash the sheets, it would be too easy for the cleaning crew to just throw them back on the beds and not put "sanitized" ones on! Plus the fact that you are running the washers and dryers needlessly, just running up the electric bill. the washers in the rooms do not run hot enough to totally clean the sheets!

 

[CharlesTD]

CB no offence taken it is a valid point you have for some reason we just feel compelled to do it LOL like we are cleaning up at home or something and yes I know it is vacation but we still make sure the place is spotless before we leave for the parks in the AM and before we head to bed at night. I think they call it obsessive compulsive or something like that LOL.

 

[DVCconvert]

the washers in the rooms do not run hot enough to totally clean...

ClarabelleCow-Am I right in assuming therefore that you do not use the in-room washer/dryer for any purpose out of the same fear?

 

[ClarabelleCow]

Not at all, for my own personal clothing, I am not concerned, we wash our towels also at times. Its not a fear at all, just facts. But for sheets, they get washed at a very high temperature and bleached. I don't know all the facts, but there are standards for cleaning items that are for the general public. My uncle owns a laundry service, and explained it once. There is a certain temperature that they are washed at. I personally would never of thought twice, but once explained, it made sense.