Mousekeeping tips

[jgates]

It is totally optional - yes.

Would I do it if the room was not cleaned well? No.

But I have walked by some rooms & seen the mess that has been left in there. Some people are totally & completely disgusting - just because we are nice normal people on here, trust me, a lot of the traveling community is NOT. I'm not sure I could do the job for any amount of money. I tried to get my DD to get a hotel housekeeping job when she turned 16 so that she would actually APPRECIATE other jobs she had in the future.

Yes, I waitress on weekends. Base wage is $2.13 per hour. So the housekeeper may start at $11 an hour & make a bigger base wage than I do? Don't care, I'll still tip. She won't turn over as many rooms as I can turn over customers in a shift, so the amount of tips she gets assuming 50% leave one will not be monumental.

I never have had envelopes pre-made for any trip (will this time), but normally there is a notepad on the table (in most hotels), so I will write 'Thank you' on a slip & leave it on the pillow with the tip.

Totally optional - do NOT feel guilty if you decide not to do it. I just know it gives me a good feeling myself when someone is doing something for me that I hate to do myself. I just consider it part of my budget, just as when I determine if I will park on-site or off at the airport, do a rental car or taxi (Vegas) or ME (Disney), do table service or counter, etc. It's all part of the equation for me.

 

[kmedina]

Disney is NOT Vegas. Their housekeepers are unionized and start at $11 an hour. Their job is not a tipped position. If you want to tip, go ahead, but don't try to make others feel guilty.

You're right about Disney not being Vegas. Most housekeepers on the strip (in Vegas) start higher than $11 an hour, which I knew prior to posting my first response. An $11 per hour wage is all the more reason for me to tip them. That is a lot of hard work for $11 an hour. If they clean 1.5-2 rooms per hour and receive a $3-$6 tip from one of the two rooms, they are still averaging less than $15 an hour. That is less than most waiters average per hour after tips.

If you carefully read my post, I specifically said do not tip if you do not want to. Anyone reading that who feels guilty has nothing to do with me. It may make someone feel guilty if he/she does not tip but feel he/she should. If someone is opposed to tipping, there is nothing anyone else can say to make that person feel guilty for not tipping.

Unless a job is not allowed to take tips (there are some that are not), any person can tip who wants to. That makes housekeeping a tipping optional position. Their starting salary is higher than a waiter, because there are still many people who do not tip them and they have way less rooms to clean than tables for a waiter to serve.

The last paragraph even mentions that tipping is optional. However, whether it is Disney or Vegas, most people tip. If you want to be in the minority, that is up to you. Every controversial topic has people from both sides. As mentioned in the first post, you will have others tell you they think you are wrong about not tipping. Which you will in return tell them they are wrong. It is an opinion (not a fact) when it comes to whether or not one should tip, so no one can ever really be wrong.

 

[jgates]

I was a bit curious as to what they did make in LV to be honest. I know the bartender I know out there earns over $15 an hour & he makes a ton in tips of course. I was very surprised his base wage was that when that is a more commonly 'tipped' position vs. that of a housekeeper. (He also gets insurance, retirement & they have an onsite clinic - I was very surprised).

 

[goofy4prez]

Here's what I don't get about these should I or do you tip Mousekeeping......

Why do they always have to turn into an argument thread???

Who cares, if you want to tip, fine tip. If you don't want to tip, don't tip. Nothing to argue about there.

 

[brunette8706]

Here's what I don't get about these should I or do you tip Mousekeeping......

Why do they always have to turn into an argument thread???

Who cares, if you want to tip, fine tip. If you don't want to tip, don't tip. Nothing to argue about there.

*
heh heh! Totally agree with you there Prez!

Brunette

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

Disney is NOT Vegas. Their housekeepers are unionized and start at $11 an hour. Their job is not a tipped position. If you want to tip, go ahead, but don't try to make others feel guilty.

I think you over-estimate the usefulness of Disney's unions. And I can guarantee that housekeepers don't start anywhere near $11/hour.

 

[Pre]

I know tipping is not required, and When I stay only one night I don't tip. But when I go on vacation I always go to the bank and get two dollar bills for housekeeping. The novelty of a two dollar bill is a way to say thank you without breaking the bank.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

Housekeeping starts at $8.25 an hour and goes up from there. (Check the link below.) It is substantially more than a server... does that mean they shouldn't get tips? NO! But I think the point here is it is not apples and apples that you are comparing.

http://disney.go.com/disneycareers/wdwcareers/hourly/housekeeping.html

 

[meredith1]

yep always in any hotel im in and i always pick up too i hate leaving the rooms messy.....

When I am paying 500+ a night for a resort....no, I do not tip housekeeping services. I've never heard of anyone doing this until I read this post.

I tip my housekeeper that I've had for years and love dearly at Christmas time and that's it.

 

[Mrmrezg]

I personally feel the there should be no "tipped" postitions in any field. Workers should be paid an appropriate salary for the job that they do. if they are not meeting the standards of their positions then they need to be replaced. that is how my job functions, and so do a lot of others. I don't tip mousekeeping. My practice for tipping at a restaurant is, 10% that number can go up or down depending on the service that I receive. (and don't tell me that you have "so many other tables", because i hear, "i have so many other tips")

 

[kmedina]

I was a bit curious as to what they did make in LV to be honest. I know the bartender I know out there earns over $15 an hour & he makes a ton in tips of course. I was very surprised his base wage was that when that is a more commonly 'tipped' position vs. that of a housekeeper. (He also gets insurance, retirement & they have an onsite clinic - I was very surprised).

Vegas is a very interesting job market. It is not uncommon for many positions like valet, bellmen, doormen, dealers, cocktail waitresses, waiters at upscale restaurants and bartenders to make high 5 to low 6 figures per year. Some people in other markets make this much too, but it is very common in Vegas for many people to get paid this well. Maybe, it is because tourists have more discretionary income or people tip a lot when they are winning; who knows. I have a cousin who does valet and another cousin who is a bellman. They both make this amount.

Housekeeping however is one of the lowest paid positions, since they average less than 2 rooms per hour and only about one of every two rooms tip on average of $3-$6. Although starting salaries in Vegas tend to be higher than many other markets for a lot of these positions, they still get most of their money from tips. A good dealer at a premier casino should never make less than 6 figures in a year.

 

[goingroundthebend]

i don`t have problem with tipping am aware that it is more common in the USA than the Uk and not worried with the should or shouldn`t I arguments

Resturant i would normally tip around 15-20 %( sounds good but remember only 1 adult 2 dc so not a lot really) but i will vary depending on service

What is a rough idea for houskeeping know its a token amount but what is approximate figure for 1adult and 2 kids in a room

 

[Jedana]

We left $2-3 a day along with a Rice Krispy treat (you know, the ones you get at the store that you can write a message on the wrapper).

The kids wrote thanks and enjoy your day, things like that. the last day, DS stuck a Mickey sticker on it, so that was that.

 

[mousegear]

We just leave $3~5 depending on service during our vacation. We know it's not alot compared to what we leave in restaurants (15~20% of total bill) but waiter/waitress get a lot less than housekeeping so it's all comparable.

 

[SaraJayne]

I've never tipped when staying in any hotel, not just Disney. And I don't feel the least bit guilty about it.

We are neat and don't leave a mess.

 

[GailT]

When I am paying 500+ a night for a resort....no, I do not tip housekeeping services. I've never heard of anyone doing this until I read this post.

I tip my housekeeper that I've had for years and love dearly at Christmas time and that's it.

If spend more then 500 a night when I go Christmas week and I always tip, just seems like the right thing to do. I figure if I can afford a room that high in price I can afford a tip for Housekeeping

 

[dixiegirl]

For the people that tip daily, what do you typically leave each day?

Average I would guess is around $1 per person in the room per day. DH and I tip $5 for each day - we are not messy at all but having done this job myself (many many years ago) I tend to be a little overgenerous.

I tip daily in case you do not have the same mousekeeper during the entire stay. The envelopes make it very easy for me as I have them all prepped and marked with one for each day - and they are very cute!

 

[nkereina]

Haven't read through the whole thread, but I don't tip the housekeeping. Having worked at different hotels throughout the years in my area, the housekeepers have all made above minimum wage and would say 75% of people don't tip because it is not a tipped position. Not all housekeepers are unionized but the ones that are make even more money hourly and have great benefits. Housekeepers also (usually) don't report tips (because it's not a tipped position) and aren't taxed on it. That doesn't bother me but it might some.

 

[pinkle]

On our last trip I brought my envelopes with me and tips ready to go...one day I did forget to take it out of the drawer...I am never sure about this. I always have the money in the envelope so they know to take it but I thought I read somewhere that they weren't allowed to take tips! I think the mousekeeping does a fabolous job and i appreciate all the little extras they do

 

[kycanonist]

I've been told that Mousekeeping might do little extra things for you in the room if you do tip them. Any truth to that?