DVC Mousekeeping Gratuities??

[dismichael]

Hi Everyone,
My family is always split on how much we should leave the mousekeeping when we go for our annual DVC trip. Some of us think that they only come in for 1-2 days per trip, so they should only be tipped $5-$10 for those days. There are 6 of us in the room, so we are unsure how much to tip per day, and if you only tip on the days they come in, or if you should throw in an extra $5 or something. Thanks!

 

[Mtnman44]

Housekeepers are fully paid, un-tipped positions, so there isn't really an answer for your question since there isn't a standard, or expected amount. Therefore, if you want to pay them extra, just give whatever you feel like giving.

 

[heynowirv]

Housekeepers are fully paid, un-tipped positions, so there isn't really an answer for your question since there isn't a standard, or expected amount. Therefore, if you want to pay them extra, just give whatever you feel like giving.

Mtnman are ou sure they're fully paid?

 

[mdsd8700]

I often wondered about this. We are new to DVC and only have done one DVC stay and only 4 nights so there was no cleaning only trash and tidy. Which I didn't think would warrant too much of a tip. However on all our cash stays we always left Mousekeeping a tip in an envelope on the bathroom sink each day when we left the room. Is this something that DVCer's do after they have their cleaning service? Thanks.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Yes, Housekeeping is considered an non-tipped position. Bell Service, valet parking, yes. Housekeeping, no.

However, if you require extra assistance from the housekeepers because of a problem you create in your villa, you could leave them a tip if you choose.

 

[jstarcze]

I often wondered about this. We are new to DVC and only have done one DVC stay and only 4 nights so there was no cleaning only trash and tidy. Which I didn't think would warrant too much of a tip. However on all our cash stays we always left Mousekeeping a tip in an envelope on the bathroom sink each day when we left the room. Is this something that DVCer's do after they have their cleaning service? Thanks.

Don't forget they cleaned the room for you before you arrive so that (hopefully) you are welcomed home to a clean accommodation. And they will clean the room that you have used for those 4 nights for the next DVC members to stay there.

 

[ssawka]

Don't forget they cleaned the room for you before you arrive so that (hopefully) you are welcomed home to a clean accommodation. And they will clean the room that you have used for those 4 nights for the next DVC members to stay there.

Should that really count as two cleanings for you, since the initial cleaning was cleaning up from the previous guests?

 

[mom of princessx2]

Don't forget they cleaned the room for you before you arrive so that (hopefully) you are welcomed home to a clean accommodation. And they will clean the room that you have used for those 4 nights for the next DVC members to stay there.

I think that is their job description

 

[SINK]

We usually leave a $20 for a one bedroom or larger when checking out or on Full cleaning day, and $2 to $5 for a studio.

On trash and towel days; $5 for a one bedroom or larger, and $2 for studio.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Do you tip the guys who mow the grass at the resort? How about the air conditioning guy who fixes your AC at the resort? The pool cleaners? How about the person who takes your order at a counter service restaurant? What about the person who takes your order at store on Main Street at the MK? These positions are all compensated in the same manner as the housekeepers.

 

[quirty30]

Do you tip the guys who mow the grass at the resort? How about the air conditioning guy who fixes your AC at the resort? The pool cleaners? How about the person who takes your order at a counter service restaurant? What about the person who takes your order at store on Main Street at the MK? These positions are all compensated in the same manner as the housekeepers.

Many people choose to tip housekeepers and I am one of them. Any one that has to clean toilets for me & family is worthy of a tip.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Many people choose to tip housekeepers and I am one of them. Any one that has to clean toilets for me & family is worthy of a tip.

Okay, how about the people who clean the toilets in the theme parks?

 

[quirty30]

Okay, how about the people who clean the toilets in the theme parks?

Let's just agree to disagree. I choose to tip my housekeeper, as do many, many others, because they perform a personal service INTENTLY for my family & I. I would not tip the person who cleans the toilets at the park, as it is not done SOLELY for me. On the other hand, if there were a bathroom attendant who handed me a towel, like at some upscale restaurants, I would tip them as well, because it is a personal service.

 

[jstarcze]

Should that really count as two cleanings for you, since the initial cleaning was cleaning up from the previous guests?

Agreed, I'm just illustrating that they do a little more than trash and towel service for you on a 4 night stay.

 

[jstarcze]

I think that is their job description

Yes, agreed, but don't you tip those who do a service for you like your barber or hair stylist?

 

[jekjones1558]

OP,
As you can tell there is a wide difference of opinion regarding tipping mousekeepers. This subject is debated regularly on this board. I am among those who chooses to tip my mousekeeper, just like I tip the person who cleans my MN home. I read your post as asking about amounts to tip and not a debate on tipping. So here is what we do:
DH and I usually stay in a 1 bedroom. We tip about $10 for trash/towel and about $25 at checkout. If we have kids with us we usually leave a little more. If our room is particularly well done when we arrive, I may call the mousekeeping supervisor and ask who prepared our room. I seek out that person and give a few extra bucks. I do this because I think mousekeeping is a hard job (I have seen what some rooms look like at checkout) and I value good service. Since mousekeepers start at only $8.25/hr, I am sure that a little acknowledgement is appreciated.
If we stay in a larger room we tip more. And, yes, we do gather all towels, start the dishwasher, etc. when we check out. That is part of good timeshare manners.

 

[quirty30]

OP,
As you can tell there is a wide difference of opinion regarding tipping mousekeepers. This subject is debated regularly on this board. I am among those who chooses to tip my mousekeeper, just like I tip the person who cleans my MN home. I read your post as asking about amounts to tip and not a debate on tipping. So here is what we do:
DH and I usually stay in a 1 bedroom. We tip about $10 for trash/towel and about $25 at checkout. If we have kids with us we usually leave a little more. If our room is particularly well done when we arrive, I may call the mousekeeping supervisor and ask who prepared our room. I seek out that person and give a few extra bucks. I do this because I think mousekeeping is a hard job (I have seen what some rooms look like at checkout) and I value good service. Since mousekeepers start at only $8.25/hr, I am sure that a little acknowledgement is appreciated.
If we stay in a larger room we tip more. And, yes, we do gather all towels, start the dishwasher, etc. when we check out. That is part of good timeshare manners.

Very well said. I totally agree.

When traveling with my kids, we stay in a 1 BR. I've never had trash/towel service because we usually stay only 3 or 4 nights at one resort. I leave $10-20 at check out depending on how bad the mess is (although I tend to keep the units cleaner than my own home; I make our beds every day before we leave and do the dishes. When we come back to the room it almost feels like housekeeping has been there!) I stayed in a studio once by myself for a few nights and left only $5 - the room was not particularly clean when I checked in or I'd have left more. When we stay in a room with daily housekeeping or on CL at AKV, I leave $3-5 a day. If after the first day I'm not thrilled with the service, I'll just leave out the "do not disturb" sign and tidy up myself thereafter.

 

[eva]

OP,
As you can tell there is a wide difference of opinion regarding tipping mousekeepers. This subject is debated regularly on this board. I am among those who chooses to tip my mousekeeper, just like I tip the person who cleans my MN home. I read your post as asking about amounts to tip and not a debate on tipping. So here is what we do:
DH and I usually stay in a 1 bedroom. We tip about $10 for trash/towel and about $25 at checkout. If we have kids with us we usually leave a little more. If our room is particularly well done when we arrive, I may call the mousekeeping supervisor and ask who prepared our room. I seek out that person and give a few extra bucks. I do this because I think mousekeeping is a hard job (I have seen what some rooms look like at checkout) and I value good service. Since mousekeepers start at only $8.25/hr, I am sure that a little acknowledgement is appreciated.
If we stay in a larger room we tip more. And, yes, we do gather all towels, start the dishwasher, etc. when we check out. That is part of good timeshare manners.

Excellent answer! We choose to tip MouseKeeping too.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

This thread is very interesting since we are trading into DVC from RCI, so I have no idea how housekeeping is covered on the DVC side. At our own timeshare we pay a housekeeping fee (I have 1 housekeeping token/year so above that I pay a fee depending on room size). I had to pay for housekeeping for the weeks I traded into RCI already.

We normally do short trips with our own timeshare (a long weekend at most) so we don't fee the need to tip above that. I'll probably tip for the trash and towel service mid-week unless we decide to take our own trash out. At the end of the week I guess I'll decide if I'll tip more depending on the state of our room. We are good about starting the dishwasher, wiping down counters, etc. before we leave anyways. Usually all we do is leave a few dirty towels.

 

[Dean]

This thread is very interesting since we are trading into DVC from RCI, so I have no idea how housekeeping is covered on the DVC side. At our own timeshare we pay a housekeeping fee (I have 1 housekeeping token/year so above that I pay a fee depending on room size). I had to pay for housekeeping for the weeks I traded into RCI already.

We normally do short trips with our own timeshare (a long weekend at most) so we don't fee the need to tip above that. I'll probably tip for the trash and towel service mid-week unless we decide to take our own trash out. At the end of the week I guess I'll decide if I'll tip more depending on the state of our room. We are good about starting the dishwasher, wiping down counters, etc. before we leave anyways. Usually all we do is leave a few dirty towels.

DVC members pay a housekeeping fee as well, it's included in their dues. I am one who does not feel tipping for housekeeping should be automatic and since it is labeled by the employer as NOT being a tipped position, I don't think tipping is appropriate for the standard. However, if they do something specifically and extra for you, that is an entirely different matter and they often do. I also chose to see their cleaning of the room as their job and not a personal service but each are entitled to their own view. A few years ago I saw a hotel survey talking about this subject and the article said that hotels were split right at 50/50 as to whether they considered housekeeping a tipped position or not. For timeshares in the US, I can't think of a single one that consider housekeeping to be a tipped position.

The positions that are considered to be tipped positions are merely a transfer of labor costs from an employer to the customer, kind of an additional tax. It's a poor system but we're stuck with it for the time being. As pointed out above, where do you draw the line. It really is a legitimate question to ask why one who tips non tipped positions why they don't tip other non tipped positions that work just as hard for the same group of people and often make less money than the housekeeper like maint, gardening, etc.