Mousekeeping Tipping Question

[ttfn2u2pooh]

A simple question really... how much and how often should be we tipping Mousekeeping for all of their hard work? Do you normally leave something on a daily basis or is it do you wait until departure and leave something them? I'm afraid that if I leave something the last day of our departure that it will not be shared by all if more than one person had taken care of our room during our stay. Also, I know the amount is totally up to us but is there a typical amount per day that kind of expected?
Thank you!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

1) Tipping is a totally personal topic
2) I don't personally tip any housekeeping at any hotel unless they do something above and beyond the typical room clean up (towel animals, etc)
3) If you want to tip, I'd do it on a daily basis because you may not have the same mousekeeper every day.
4) Hopefully someone can give you ideas on what they typically leave, I've heard things like $1/person in the room per day, maybe more if you have little ones and there is a bigger mess (crumbs, etc)

 

[skiingfast]

Studies are around. Tipping housekeeping at hotels of all dollar ranges is not a common practice.

If you want to tip it's up to you but don't feel stressed that it's nessecary.

 

[cgh]

You tip on a daily basis so the person who cleaned your room gets it. We normally do $3-5.

 

[Sherry E]

To be honest, in the old days of staying onsite I never tipped housekeeping. Now I try to make a point of tipping when I can, although if I am short on cash at that moment I will skip it. During my December stay last year, I tipped $2 per bed daily, for two of the 3 nights - so that was $4 I left in an envelope two mornings in a row when I hit the parks. On the very last morning I had run out of $1 bills, so I just left $5.

I also not only tip the Bell guys when they hand me my bags at pick-up, but I tip them when I drop off my bags at the Bell Desk in the morning for storage.

 

[ttfn2u2pooh]

Thank you all for your answers. I like the idea of doing a little bit, someone mentioned $3-$5, a day which seems fair. We'll have 3 people in our room including a 3 year old so that doesn't seem too much. And I didn't even think about the bellhops so thank you for that one. Getting all my ducks in a row before our trip. Wahoo!!!

 

[poohbear22]

The problem with tipping the mousekeepers is that...

Scenario A:
You generally leave a tip for good service. So you would technically leave a tip based upon the previous days service. Problem is that you could have a different mousekeeper everyday.

Scenario B:
You leave a tip in your room everyday so that the right mousekeeper is tipped for his/her service. However you receive bad service that day. You can't take the tip back, nor would it be right to withhold tip for the following day because it could be a different mousekeeper.

My solution:
I don't tip $$. Instead, I leave notes of appreciate at the front desk to be given to the manager since they know which mousekeepers were assigned which sections each day. I also notify the front desk if I receive bad service. This way the manager will better know who his good employees are that deserve raises and/or better hours.

 

[Susie63]

We tipped $1 per person per day.So for us it was three dollars a day. My dd and I made little envelopes in advance and put the money in before we left. Then everyday it was her job to put the envelope in the washoom on the toiletry tray. We were staying at the DLH and it seemed like we received extra special service. They left little Mickey toiletry bottles for EACH OF US. After 8 days I had 72 bottles to bring homeI loved the turn town service and the HANDFUL of chocolate they gave me every night

 

[CandyMouse]

On our last trip we tipped a dollar per. person ( there were four of us ) each day. That way whoever cleaned that day got the tip. I know when I used to work in housekeeping 15+ yrs. ago it was always a nice surprise! They work very hard!!

 

[tinkcollector]

I also believe in tipping mouskeeping. $1.00 per person in the room is a good rule of thumb. I was never sure what was fair for the bell hop. I watched a travel show the other day and they said $1.00 for the bell hop was fine. And to also make sure you tip when you leave your luggage and when you pick it up. I have to say I never thought of tipping when I have left my luggage.

 

[ttfn2u2pooh]

Go glad I asked this question. I like the rule of thumb of $1 per person/per day. That way I know and I can make up my envelopes ahead of time so I don't have to worry about not having anything to give them. I agree that those who work in housekeeping do a very hard job. It's not something I would like to do.

While on vacation a couple years ago the stomach flu ran through my little of family of 4 in 2 days. It was me, my DH, and 2 DD's (4 and 2 months). Youngest DD had it first, then me, my oldest and DH got it on the car ride home. While at the hotel, my oldest DD "lost everything" right on the bed. It came out of nowhere as she had been up and playing just moments before. The front desk sent up two housekeepers... they had her bed stripped and re-made in about 5 minutes and brought up a tray of crackers and Sprite soda for her. They each got a $20 tip for that one as they were angels for a very sick family during a really bad time of a vacation.

So leave tips I will always do from now on. I just didn't know if there was a standard to go by. I think I found one I like.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

People will make up all kinds of excuses for not tipping (even at hotels costing these 'poor folks' $300.00 per night) so it's great that you see the correctness and honor in doing so. $1.00 per person per day is good, extra if extra is warranted.

 

[SeattleTink]

We always tip $1.00 a person per day.

Over the years we have seen a HUGE difference just a few dollars can bring. We have received extra towels, toiletries, chocolates and even chocolate covered strawberries.

But, we don't do it for the freebies, but, I swear we get better housekeeping services when we tip.

 

[TeresaR]

I've always tipped the housekeeping $1 per person. If we had extra good service we let management know followed by a letter when we got home. On our trip, we had such excellent service from on of the desk staff that we gave him a gift certificate to a restaurant, as well as telling the management about him.

 

[meljensmom]

ok...I am not from the hicks....but I didn't know about tipping mousekeeping. We did tip the bellhops...when we left our bags and picked them up. Needless to say, I like the $1 per person and we will tip when we go next summer.

I love this board for all the information I find and see! Thanks ya'll!

 

[Belle Ella]

I feel like the only person who has never really heard of tipping housekeeping and doesn't understand it. In the case that a PP mentioned where her DD got sick I can understand that - it's not your normal bed changing, etc. - but otherwise it's their job isn't it? I don't mean to come off as dense or rude or anything. Blame my parents for not raising me that way, lol. I just don't understand tipping for anything that's not customary.

 

[mika911]

I leave about $1 per day per person, EACH day. Sometimes I will have a note saying I need an extra shampoo if 1 was running out and this is often honored and saves a call to the front desk.

I figure tipping will make them feel a bit better about having to clean your room.

If it's a long stay, the only day I won't tip is the checkout day since at that point they are cleaning the room up for the next guest, not you.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

I feel like the only person who has never really heard of tipping housekeeping and doesn't understand it. In the case that a PP mentioned where her DD got sick I can understand that - it's not your normal bed changing, etc. - but otherwise it's their job isn't it? I don't mean to come off as dense or rude or anything. Blame my parents for not raising me that way, lol. I just don't understand tipping for anything that's not customary.

I understand it because (1) they only make minimum wage and (2) they are making your EXPENSIVE vacation a lot more pleasurable? Otherwise why tip a bellman, a waiter, a concierge, a taxi driver?

If you can afford the price of the room, no matter how much you had to 'scrimp and save,' you should easily be able to afford to make a bottom salaried employee's life a bit better for very demanding and generally unappreciated work..JMO.

 

[Belle Ella]

I understand it because (1) they only make minimum wage and (2) they are making your EXPENSIVE vacation a lot more pleasurable? Otherwise why tip a bellman, a waiter, a concierge, a taxi driver?

If you can afford the price of the room, no matter how much you had to 'scrimp and save,' you should easily be able to afford to make a bottom salaried employee's life a bit better for very demanding and generally unappreciated work..JMO.

Considering you are quoting my post and therefore responding to what I said, I don't recall saying it was a way to "scrimp and save". Just wanted to point that out.

What I don't understand is why is it that only some jobs are automatically deemed tip-worthy simply because of the job and not for going "above and beyond" that job? It completely boggles me mind.

 

[Sherry E]

Considering you are quoting my post and therefore responding to what I said, I don't recall saying it was a way to "scrimp and save". Just wanted to point that out.

What I don't understand is why is it that only some jobs are automatically deemed tip-worthy simply because of the job and not for going "above and beyond" that job? It completely boggles me mind.

Jessica -

I would bet that you're not the only one who wonders that. In fact, I would bet that a lot of people just don't think about tipping or leaving money each day when they head out to the parks for their adventures. Or they may intend to and then not remember to do it. Or they may look in their wallet and only see $20 bills, and not want to take the time to go buy something to break a $20. Maybe some people just don't even feel it's necessary. I'm fairly positive that some of my well-traveled friends do not think to tip housekeeping daily at whichever hotel they choose - they probably do it only if they have to make a special request or there is a special circumstance.

I think that in certain situations, people instinctively know to tip (like if a bell guy carries bags or brings them up to the room, or a waiter brings them food), but in other situations, like leaving money for a person they will most likely never come face to face with, they may not know to do it or think it's needed. I don't judge them or look down on anyone who doesn't tip the housekeeping staff, for whatever their reason. I think it's a personal choice. The maids will leave extra bath products each day anyway. They will come in and clean the room and make the beds anyway.

Personally, I feel much better when I leave money for the housekeeping staff each day. (Then again, I have been known to give the Bell Desk guy $10 to take 2 bags from me, and the Domino's driver a $10 tip when he brought pizza.) And I, personally, don't leave a huge mess - on my last DLR trip, only one bed was slept in but I still tipped them $4/$5 daily to cover two beds. But if a situation came up in which I didn't have a small enough bill to leave for them and I was on my way to do something else specific, I can't guarantee that I would go out of my way to go break a larger bill to get a smaller bill, to then come back to the room and leave a tip. I would love to say that I would do that, but I am being honest and saying that I may not...and I would bet that many other people in that same situation would not do it, either!