Hotel Tipping

[sturner]

What's the going rate for tipping these days? I usually tip the bellhop who takes our bags (and us) to our room. I also leave a tip at the end of the stay for housekeeping. How much is acceptable? We're staying at the Polynesian for 7 days.

 

[ducklite]

Bell services should be tipped $1-2 per bag for smaller bags and up to $5 per bag for very large/heavy bags.

Houskeeping, most people tend to leave $1 per person per day, $2 per person per day if they are messy. Most people tend to leave a tip each day, as there's no guarantee that the person who serviced your room all week will be the one doing it on check out day.

Other people to tip are the valet, we do $2 on drop off and $2 on pick up, and room service (we usually do 10%, as there is already a gratuity built in that they get part of). We also tip $1-5 if housekeeping brings a special request to our room.

Have a great trip.

 

[tjmouse]

I tip $1 per bag for the bellhop. We also tip $1 per person, per day for mousekeeping. We leave a tip daily rather than at the end of our stay because sometimes you have different mousekeepers on different days. This ensures that each mousekeeper gets a tip and not just the last one to clean the room.

 

[sturner]

That's a good idea to tip each day for housekeeping. Do they leave envelopes or do you just leave the tip on the table? Sorry for the stupid questions.

 

[bleeps]

Just another voice agreeing that tipping mousekeeping is "best" done daily since the staff can change daily, and that we usually leave $2 or more per day. Be sure to indicate that the money is there for a tip, otherwise they won't touch it. (We make little fold-over cards that say "thanks!" and have Disney characters on them, but any little note will do.)

 

[lilyv]

We bring enough $5's for our stay. Each day, we leave one for mousekeeping, and pop the rest in the safe-no scrounging around for $. Also, we bring a pad of sticky notes-I write a thank you to housekeepers, then stick part to the bill and part to the desk-keeps the note and $ together, and they don't get lost.

(We're not messy, we just appreciate the service.)

Bell services-it's usually a tip of about $8-10.00 for all our bags. (two of us)

 

[Brad Bishop]

This is something that started about 10-15 years ago and that I don't really get. Tipping housekeeping at motels/hotels. Started about the same time that valet became 'standard' everywhere.

I'm not against valet for a hotel or a high-end restaurant. I'm not really against it at a Mall if they can make money at it. It seems dumb to pay someone to park my car at the mall, though. At some restaurants I've been do they do valet and they literally drive it 20ft. It's 'complimentary' but you're a jerk if you don't tip (or, at least, that's what I think the game is - bilking you and others out of a couple of bucks here or there for supposed service).

At a sit-down restaurant, I get it. Your bill is basically a little cheaper because the wait-staff is getting paid less but working for tips. At Subway (yep - I've seen tip-jars there, too) I don't see where I need to pay you extra for making a sandwich that you're being paid to make in the first place. I sort of feel the same way about housekeeping. To my knowledge, they aren't paid less like wait-staff and are expected to make it up in tips. They are paid what they are paid.

I just think it's a con. It's like the guys who approach you and a date with a bunch of roses when you're trying to get to a game or a show or something. They're betting that you won't want to look like a jerk by not buying a rose from them for your girlfriend. I think it's a great con, but it's still just a con.

One other thing on tipping: Whenever they force gratuity on me, I never leave anything extra. Normally they'd be getting more out of me, tip-wise, if they didn't force it. When you force it, though, the tipping game is off.

 

[bleeps]

This is something that started about 10-15 years ago and that I don't really get. Tipping housekeeping at motels/hotels. Started about the same time that valet became 'standard' everywhere.

I'm not against valet for a hotel or a high-end restaurant. I'm not really against it at a Mall if they can make money at it. It seems dumb to pay someone to park my car at the mall, though. At some restaurants I've been do they do valet and they literally drive it 20ft. It's 'complimentary' but you're a jerk if you don't tip (or, at least, that's what I think the game is - bilking you and others out of a couple of bucks here or there for supposed service).

At a sit-down restaurant, I get it. Your bill is basically a little cheaper because the wait-staff is getting paid less but working for tips. At Subway (yep - I've seen tip-jars there, too) I don't see where I need to pay you extra for making a sandwich that you're being paid to make in the first place. I sort of feel the same way about housekeeping. To my knowledge, they aren't paid less like wait-staff and are expected to make it up in tips. They are paid what they are paid.

I just think it's a con. It's like the guys who approach you and a date with a bunch of roses when you're trying to get to a game or a show or something. They're betting that you won't want to look like a jerk by not buying a rose from them for your girlfriend. I think it's a great con, but it's still just a con.

One other thing on tipping: Whenever they force gratuity on me, I never leave anything extra. Normally they'd be getting more out of me, tip-wise, if they didn't force it. When you force it, though, the tipping game is off.

Brad -- I certainly respect your point of view, and, yeah, I get a little tired of the "tips" jars at places like Dunkin' Donuts, etc. etc.

I do not know -- does anyone out there know? -- if the pay scale for hotel housekeepers assumes some percentage of tips as part of their salary. And to be 100% honest, we do not tip at every hotel we ever stay at.

But at WDW, we always tip. You can laugh at me for being overly sentimental, or for being "conned," even. But there we are, spending an ungodly amount of money for our vacation, and I see the women (I've just never happened to see a male) who push the carts through the halls and clean the rooms, and I see the efforts these women go through to make our room special for us, and I think -- I can sure as he** afford to tip for the service I'm getting and share some of the magic, if you will, back with the people working the low-paying jobs who make my day better. I probably haven't expressed that very well, but that's why we tip at WDW.

 

[ducklite]

This is something that started about 10-15 years ago and that I don't really get. Tipping housekeeping at motels/hotels. Started about the same time that valet became 'standard' everywhere.

I'm not against valet for a hotel or a high-end restaurant. I'm not really against it at a Mall if they can make money at it. It seems dumb to pay someone to park my car at the mall, though. At some restaurants I've been do they do valet and they literally drive it 20ft. It's 'complimentary' but you're a jerk if you don't tip (or, at least, that's what I think the game is - bilking you and others out of a couple of bucks here or there for supposed service).

At a sit-down restaurant, I get it. Your bill is basically a little cheaper because the wait-staff is getting paid less but working for tips. At Subway (yep - I've seen tip-jars there, too) I don't see where I need to pay you extra for making a sandwich that you're being paid to make in the first place. I sort of feel the same way about housekeeping. To my knowledge, they aren't paid less like wait-staff and are expected to make it up in tips. They are paid what they are paid.

I just think it's a con. It's like the guys who approach you and a date with a bunch of roses when you're trying to get to a game or a show or something. They're betting that you won't want to look like a jerk by not buying a rose from them for your girlfriend. I think it's a great con, but it's still just a con.

One other thing on tipping: Whenever they force gratuity on me, I never leave anything extra. Normally they'd be getting more out of me, tip-wise, if they didn't force it. When you force it, though, the tipping game is off.

If you don't want to tip valets, then self park--no one is bilking anyone, it's a choice that you can make for yourself.

I'm with you for the most part on tipping for counter service--although I do tip at my local Barnies because the two girls who work there weekday mornings are GREAT! But that's my choice. I do feel that if you sit down at a full service restaurant, you better be willing to tip minimum 15%, normally 20% (or more) unless the service is dismal--and then speak up to management to let them know.

As for the rose vendors, it's no different than the cigarette girls of the 1950's and 1960's--heck I still saw them in a few places into the early 1990's. If you aren't interested, say "no thanks" and they will move on.

 

[NJRRK]

Other people to tip are the valet, we do $2 on drop off and $2 on pick up

Have a great trip.

The only time I didn't tip the valet was when I was standing, undercover, waiting for my car to be delivered and they left it in the POURING rain. If I have to get wet, you don't get a tip.

 

[Brad Bishop]

That's kind of my deal. If you're just doing your job and your job is paying you to do that job, I just don't see the need to tip (Dunkin Donuts, Subway, etc.). If you're going out of your way to see that I'm happy, it's another story.

I don't tip out of guilt and it's pretty easy to get caught up in that. To me it's not a "I'm so sorry your life sucks"-sort of thing but more of a, "Wow - you really took care of me - this is my way of saying thank you. You did a good job." It seems more respectful that way.

I also don't keep a tip-jar on my desk. Although...

 

[ducklite]

Brad -- I certainly respect your point of view, and, yeah, I get a little tired of the "tips" jars at places like Dunkin' Donuts, etc. etc.

I do not know -- does anyone out there know? -- if the pay scale for hotel housekeepers assumes some percentage of tips as part of their salary. And to be 100% honest, we do not tip at every hotel we ever stay at.

Tips are not considred as part of housekeeping salaries like they are for waitstaff.

But at WDW, we always tip. You can laugh at me for being overly sentimental, or for being "conned," even. But there we are, spending an ungodly amount of money for our vacation, and I see the women (I've just never happened to see a male) who push the carts through the halls and clean the rooms, and I see the efforts these women go through to make our room special for us, and I think -- I can sure as he** afford to tip for the service I'm getting and share some of the magic, if you will, back with the people working the low-paying jobs who make my day better. I probably haven't expressed that very well, but that's why we tip at WDW.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[lilyv]

Tipping doesn't annoy me. If I don't want to tip, I don't. But, as another poster mentioned, I truly appreciate all the hard work the housekeepers do. I imagine most are moms and grandmoms, with lots of responsibilities both at work and at
home. I'm more than happy to leave them a "thank you". Their efforts really do have a positive effect on our vacation.

 

[ducklite]

That's kind of my deal. If you're just doing your job and your job is paying you to do that job, I just don't see the need to tip (Dunkin Donuts, Subway, etc.). If you're going out of your way to see that I'm happy, it's another story.

I don't tip out of guilt and it's pretty easy to get caught up in that. To me it's not a "I'm so sorry your life sucks"-sort of thing but more of a, "Wow - you really took care of me - this is my way of saying thank you. You did a good job." It seems more respectful that way.

I also don't keep a tip-jar on my desk. Although...

I do! I charge co-workers a quarter for using a "word" that's forbidden by our company. (It's not a curse word, just a term that our sales team freak out over.)

I also accept quarters from the field as a joke. When someone asks me for something "as a rush" I tell them it will cost them a quarter. it's become sort of an inside joke and most of them actually send the quarter! I must have $25 or so in my "tip jar." I'll wrap it all and cash it in and treat my co-workers to pizza on some cold, dreary day this winter.

 

[Brad Bishop]

If you don't want to tip valets, then self park--no one is bilking anyone, it's a choice that you can make for yourself.

Sorry- I don't think you understood. If there's a choice, I park myself. It's different if I just drove in and they're going to take my bags and get rid of my car in the parking garage. I appreciate that and have no beef tipping there. They are providing a valuable service to me.

I've been to places, though, where all the parking is valet (complimentary). You're basically stuck giving them the keys to your car so that they can go park it 20 ft from where you stand. They are not providing a valuable service to me but trying to guilt me into paying them. Personally, for me, I don't see the need to have someone else park my car at a restaurant.

As for the rose vendors, it's no different than the cigarette girls of the 1950's and 1960's--heck I still saw them in a few places into the early 1990's. If you aren't interested, say "no thanks" and they will move on.

No - I think there's a slight and important difference. Cigarette girls aren't trying to set you up to look bad if you don't buy from them. The guys on the street (rose vendors) are. Their whole game is: "If you don't buy a rose for your lady then what does that say about you?" Me? I don't buy. I say, "No, thank you," and walk on. All that being said, I'm not against them trying, but it (moreso for them than others) is a bit of a con. They're playing you.

To be clear: I'm not trying to equate the rose-vendors with housekeeping. I think with housekeeping you've got two kinds of people: Those just looking for extra money and those looking to give you extra service.

Also, I've got no beef with anyone else tipping whomever they please whatever they please. It's your cash, afterall.