May make me seem like an *@# but...

[deerh]

I have never tipped at a hotel in all my stays. I just never heard of it except here on the Dis. Not that I am cheap, just I think they get paid decent.

Also, as a DVC member, we don't have a regular maid service, they only come in once a week to drop off fresh towels and empty trash, (which I do almost daily in the DVC villas).

I ALWAYS tip rest, valet, on a cruise, etc.

DeerH

 

[Katesdad]

I do a good amount of business travel and tipping at hotels is a common practice for me if the room staff deserve it. Some times they do, some times they don't. I'll usually leave it the first morning and then if it is warrented, daily after that until the morning I check out. Sometimes though you can come back to a room and see that continued tips aren't warrented, such as when items aren't replaced in the bathroom, items are left on the floor, etc. I will say that in all my trips to WDW, I have never had an experience where a tip wasn't warrented and earned. Just like tipping the bell hop, the bartender, the wait staff. the cab driver, or the barber, a tip says "Thank you", and momma always taught me to always say please and thank you.

 

[skiwee1]

I can't tell you the number of hotels I've stayed in that actually have envelopes in the rooms signed by housekeeping asking for tips. We have always tipped housekeeping whenever we've stayed at a hotel. (Unless there was a reason not to.)

Same here. We see the maid envelopes quite a bit on our travels. Even the Drake in NYC has maid envelopes. I've never seen them in WDW resorts but we always tip. I remember my mom tipping on our first trip to WDW in 1977 and we were staying in the 8 Days Inn. I think that is the first time I realized about tipping housekeeping. I tip at all hotels whether we stay one night or 14.

 

[TammiMcMan]

We travel quite a bit and I too tip housekeeping at whatever hotel we stay at. I don't make the beds though, nor do I empty the trash and if we're staying in a suite, I don't put the dishes in the diswasher. I'm on vacation and I'll gladly leave $4 or $5 dollars a day for not having to do what I do every day at home.

 

[brentalex]

tipping is for saying 'thanks I appreciate the work you have done for me' . It should not matter if the person you are tipping is getting paid 2.00 an hour or 100. If you feel that the person has done something you appreciate and feel like tipping, then tip them. We always tip the housekeepers in hotels, we appreciate the work they do. We are on vacation and don't have to make the bed, don't have to clean the toilet and sink. If we choose to make our own bed that is our choice. But since we appreciate the work they do, we tip them.

 

[tubachick]

we always tip, but we had always done it at the end of our trip and were very generous. After I found the dis, (and I don't know why I didn't think of it before) I now tip every day (just incase its someone new) and the amoung is a bit less, but if the same person does the floor for a few of our days (usually 7-10 day vacations) it works out the same. Just my oppinion.

 

[goofy4tink]

We usually tip on a daily basis at WDW when at a 'regular' resort. We tip on Trash/Towel day at the villas. But, with that being said....hasn't Disney gone on record as not listing housekeeping as a tipping position? If you see a list of positions at WDW that gratuities are 'expected' housekeeping is not on it.

We don't tip a lot of money...maybe $3 a day for the three of us and we are pretty tidy. $3 for Trash/towel day. And maybe a $5 tip at the end of our stay. I have actually left nothing when we had not so great housekeeping.

 

[tlev]

We always tip at hotels, but that being said, I do agree that tipping has gotten out of hand. It used to be you would tip bartenders and waitstaff because they were not making any real money without them. Now there are tip cups placed on every counter! I hate the fact that there seems to be an acceptable practice that if someone gives you a donut and a cup of cofee at a Dunkin' Donuts, I owe them a tip. They are making way more than a waitress in a diner does per hour AND THIS IS THEIR JOB!. Housekeepers are doing their job. They are supposed to clean up your room and change the sheets. If someone goes way above the call of duty, (towel animals, etc.) then maybe a tip is deserved. I don't agree with tipping someone for doing the job they are being paid good money to do.

 

[justcruisin]

We always leave a small tip daily at a hotel. (bellman, valet, hairdresser, ...) A couple of dollars for a job done as expected. Though we tip daily at hotels, even though the service has not yet been completed.

(on another note ... if you're in Mexico or a similar "poor" country ... little gifts like pens, pencils, crayons, nailpolish, hair clips, even used picture books and clothing are VERY MUCH APPRECIATED)

It's the tip jars at Dunkin Donuts that I don't understand ...

 

[ducklite]

I think it's backbreaking work and they are underpaid even at WDW's max union scale. So I tip to help make someone's life a little easier. Most of the WDW housekeeping staff are immigrants with families, and it likely means putting a more nutritious meal on the table that night. And frankly I'll never miss the few dollars.

I tend to be a good tipper, I figure *most* people working for tips (or in housekeeping) aren't doing it because it's their dream job. I like to think that I'm making someone's life a bit better, a few dollars at a time. You never know, that money might be going into a college fund for someone's child who will grow up to discover the cure for cancer.

Anne

 

[averill94]

I mightve missed it but what can they possibly make at wdw cleaning rooms.
Even if its around minimum wage what can it possibly be?

Just got back from a few days away and left what I thought was a great tip for the woman- she did extensive house keeping ( that was the expected job)
but as someone else stated they arent doing it b/c its a dream job. This woman was so nice and a hard worker they didnt even give them lunch breaks s o I imagine they really counted on tips.

Ive always tipped housekeepers at hotels thought it was a given-envelope or not.

 

[MandaPerry]

I tried not to post on this subject because it makes me so angry. How many of us could afford to stay or how long would we have to save if we made 8 to 10 per hour? This board is full for threads regarding stays at hotels that cost $300. plus per night or "it's my 4th trip this year" and a one or two dollar a day tip for housekeeping is even being debated. People who work these type of jobs more than likley work 2 jobs to survive and we complain about tipping. Been there and know how hard it is. Now that I'm in the position of the traveller, I don't forget what it was like to be a member of the customer service crew!

Manda's Mom

 

[delilah]

Last time we stayed at SSR, I didn't leave a tip on trash and towel day, because, actually, the maid never came into the room. We were staying with my brother and his family, and they weren't ready to leave the room when the maid arrived, so, she just gave me a basket with fresh towels and soap, and I actually collected the dirty towels and put up the new ones. We only stayed 5 nights, and trash and towel day was a day or two before we left. We left a normal one day tip for the one day that the maid actually came and did something.

 

[LisaInNc]

I tried not to post on this subject because it makes me so angry. How many of us could afford to stay or how long would we have to save if we made 8 to 10 per hour? This board is full for threads regarding stays at hotels that cost $300. plus per night or "it's my 4th trip this year" and a one or two dollar a day tip for housekeeping is even being debated. People who work these type of jobs more than likley work 2 jobs to survive and we complain about tipping. Been there and know how hard it is. Now that I'm in the position of the traveller, I don't forget what it was like to be a member of the customer service crew!

How is a housekeepers personal situation ANY of my concern or business?

If someone can afford a $300 hotel that is their business and if they tip and how much they tip sould be because of the service NOT how rough the housekeeper has.

I tip and I do it because I think that I should. I do it because a few dollars doesn't make a difference in the grand scheme of my life and I do it because I want to not because I feel bad for the housekeeper or I am worried that she is having trouble surviving.

 

[jarestel]

I bought some Mickey bars from one of the cart vendors at MK once and told the vendor to just keep the change. Well, imagine my surprise when she told me she wasn't allowed to accept tips and had to give me my change back. The cart vendors certainly don't make any more, and probably less, than the housekeepers do. So I found it strange that Disney would forbid some of their CMs from accepting tips, while encouraging it for others.

As far as tipping employees who make minimum wage or higher, it's called a gratuity, not a demand. If one wants to reward their housekeeper for good service or just wants to boost the housekeeper's standard of living, by all means do it. But if one doesn't feel like tipping, then don't feel pressured into it by what others want you to do. Tipping is always a choice.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I tried not to post on this subject because it makes me so angry. How many of us could afford to stay or how long would we have to save if we made 8 to 10 per hour? This board is full for threads regarding stays at hotels that cost $300. plus per night or "it's my 4th trip this year" and a one or two dollar a day tip for housekeeping is even being debated. People who work these type of jobs more than likley work 2 jobs to survive and we complain about tipping. Been there and know how hard it is. Now that I'm in the position of the traveller, I don't forget what it was like to be a member of the customer service crew!

Manda's Mom

Exactly right! Why is this my problem! There are people that drive $100,000 cars and live in 1 million dollar mansions, so since I make less than them should they be expected to make up my wage difference. I don't tip housekeepers and I won't. Yes, I tip on a cruise (which I think is ridiculous, just include it in my fare) and I tip waitstaff. I used to be a good tipper. Then I got a bad taste in my mouth, with poor service, and still expecting a tip, and signs that tell me HOW MUCH to tip. Its out of hand!

 

[Camping Griswalds]

Camping Griswalds--
Just curious- Have you ever been on a cruise? If so, did you tip ?

Yes have been on a cruise, and yes we tipped. Our travel agent told us it was expected. I don't know after reading some of these posts if we should have or not, but we did.

 

[Camping Griswalds]

I tried not to post on this subject because it makes me so angry. How many of us could afford to stay or how long would we have to save if we made 8 to 10 per hour? This board is full for threads regarding stays at hotels that cost $300. plus per night or "it's my 4th trip this year" and a one or two dollar a day tip for housekeeping is even being debated. People who work these type of jobs more than likley work 2 jobs to survive and we complain about tipping. Been there and know how hard it is. Now that I'm in the position of the traveller, I don't forget what it was like to be a member of the customer service crew!

Manda's Mom

If you read my original post, you'll see that I have experience with cleaning up after people. I started doing it when I was 10 and it was not for college, we were not immigrants, or anything but Americans trying to make it. That's why my sister and I were taken so my mom could make more $$ faster because we did the dusting, vacuming and took out trash. We did not get tips . As someone else put here, many a day it would have been nice for a cold bottle of water!!! What that experience taught both of us is we want to work hard, get a good education, so we don't have to do this (clean) anymore. We both went to college, and she is a MD and I am an RN. She's been an MD for 10 years and I've been an RN for 13. Neither one of us has ever gotten a tip, we work hard and save lives. When is the last time you tipped a MD??

I take pride in my job, isn't that enough? My family is a success because of HARD WORK. True we would have appreciated any "Thank YOU" that came our way, but why do we feel it has to be money today?

 

[goofy4tink]

Okay, maybe someone can explain this to me.....housekeeping is not a 'tipping position' according to Disney. Yet, Bell Services is. They get tipped $1 a bag, so if we have 6 pieces of luggage they should get at least $6, more likely $10. But, all they do is load the bags on a cart, take them to our room, unload them. If we leave them with BS because we can't get into our room yet, it doubles. You have to tip the kid who takes your stuff away, and then tip the guy who delivers them to your room. Really....I think the housekeepers have a much tougher job. And yes, I realize that they get paid much more than BS does. I think that on our trip last Nov we must have paid out about $60 in tips to BS....we had to have them move our luggage several times.....first room we couldn't stay in (our choice) but we had lugged our own stuff up and then back again. But, when the second room was assigned the manager insisted that BS take our bags. A tip there. Then when they put us in a third room, yet another tip. And then again when we left and had to store our luggage, and then tip again when we picked it up to leave.

Nope, I will only tip if I feel the service has been good....not just because it's 'expected'. Somehow I feel that that expectation does away with any incentives to perform over and beyond.

 

[disneymom727]

I think the "tipping" rules are different for each area of the country. Per another thread about how much to tip, the percentage rate seemed to vary from region to region. Here in the south I think most people tip about 15% and I had never thought about leaving a tip for housekeeping. It seems as though up north the tipping % is higher and a lot of people leave tips at hotels and such. Oh well it may be the start of another Civil War!!