Tipping for Housekeeping

[disneynutz]

This is exact same as us with exception of...our typical stays are 3-6 nights so we never get a full cleaning, just T&T and we opt out of that. So we leave $5 or $10 on check out day. I didn't realize that some hotel housekeepers were a tipped position and some were not (with DVC being not a tipped position). Now I won't be as hard pressed to find change to leave a $5 or a $10 on check out day (when usually our cash has dwindled).

All Disney housekeepers are a non-tipped position, per the contract between Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S. and The Service Trades Council Union.

Another housekeeper fact is that per the contract they receive incentive payments and can participate in flex program payments and they can leave work early if they complete their section.

Bill

 

[Halle]

If I were a housekeeper would I be happy to find a tip acknowledging my hard work? Yes, it would make me feel valued. So I tip.



Often our room has a card in the bathroom with the name of the housekeeper who prepared it. I call the housekeeping number and ask if that housekeeper can stop by our room for a tip. If there is no card, I call the number and ask who it was and ask to have that person stop by. The housekeepers are always so appreciative.

Great idea to call housekeeping and ask for the mousekeeper to stop by for their tip. In the 21 years that we've been members DH and I always hope that the mousekeeper who prepared the room is the one who cleans when we check out. You made my day!

 

[deedisneydream97]

JekJones....thank you for that reply you posted from member services. I've been thinking of placing a call myself about this whole tipping thing because of the information and misinformation posted. I really don't want to leave a tip for someone that presented me with a fabulous room if they have to "share" with the lazies. I think all of us that have travelled around know when care has been taken to present your room vs. ehhhhh....I just want to get done and go home. I once received a heartfelt note from a housekeeper thanking me for my "extra". I do not "resent" having to give out a few dollars more for someone that takes the extra care to make my stay a little more special. When I travel elsewhere (not Disney) I often wonder how much the housekeepers are paid and what kind of union benefits they receive....and should I tip or not? Again...I base my decisions on how my room looks (especially the bathroom....I DO NOT want to see any hairs anywhere!!!) and how pleasant they are when you interact.

We always leave our leftover food and drink on the counters with notes like: water bottles have not been opened; detergent has been used but still good; half dozen eggs in fridge are fine; and on the very RARE occasion, "there is a bottle of wine in the fridge too".

 

[jekjones1558]

JekJones....thank you for that reply you posted from member services. I've been thinking of placing a call myself about this whole tipping thing because of the information and misinformation posted. I really don't want to leave a tip for someone that presented me with a fabulous room if they have to "share" with the lazies. I think all of us that have travelled around know when care has been taken to present your room vs. ehhhhh....I just want to get done and go home. I once received a heartfelt note from a housekeeper thanking me for my "extra". I do not "resent" having to give out a few dollars more for someone that takes the extra care to make my stay a little more special. When I travel elsewhere (not Disney) I often wonder how much the housekeepers are paid and what kind of union benefits they receive....and should I tip or not? Again...I base my decisions on how my room looks (especially the bathroom....I DO NOT want to see any hairs anywhere!!!) and how pleasant they are when you interact.

We always leave our leftover food and drink on the counters with notes like: water bottles have not been opened; detergent has been used but still good; half dozen eggs in fridge are fine; and on the very RARE occasion, "there is a bottle of wine in the fridge too".

We have never left any unopened wine (we put it in our Owners Locker on the rare occasion that this happens) but we have left unopened bottles of beer. Several people have posted on these boards that Disney employees cannot accept any alcoholic beverages but we have found that housekeepers and bell staff are happy to take them.

 

[deedisneydream97]

LOL Jekjones, on the "rare occasion" of wine being left over. But getting back to the OP's original question...we usually leave two dollars for the trash and towel day; five for a whole cleaning day (one bedroom). When we had the wonderful luck to experience Hawaii......OMG...the housekeeping staff there was so wonderful to us. There is a bit of a language barrier there; but once you connect to the wonderful people there....they are just awesome.

Sorry to hijack your thread OP. Do what feels right for you and the service and/or cleanliness you received. Do not hesitate to call housekeeping services if something in your room is gross or dirty!! No reason for you to tolerate that!

 

[brandigregory]

Thank you for all of the feedback! I am so excited to stay DVC for the first time ever. I even donated to the charity of my DVC owner's choice as a Thank You (Crohn's Foundation) because of the headache you wonderful owners go through to allow non-owners access to awesomeness!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

There have been many times that I have felt like a tip was required because someone in housekeeping went above and beyond. I feel a bit like Dean though. If it's not a tipped position, then it seems wrong to leave a tip for the housekeepers and not for the ride operator etc.

I do know that many hotel chains prefer that housekeepers NOT be tipped. The reason is that if some feel it encourages housekeepers to "take" things that don't belong to them. Many housekeepers are specifically told NOT to take money in any form (tips included) from the rooms.

I prefer to offer a tip if I ask for something special above and beyond what is normally provided. BUT...One time at OKW when I had to call THREE times to get the old soap left from the previous occupant removed and the shower cleaned, I was wising I could have had a reverse tip! FYI, I never did succeed in getting that done, so I did it myself, but I did make the call 3 times because I wanted someone to understand what had NOT been done.

When we first joined DVC 17+ years ago, housekeeping was very good. You could eat off the floors! In March at OKW, I kept sticking to the floor in the kitchen, so I tried to get out the steam mop to do the floor.....no mop head. I took a bath mat and rigged it up as a mop head and steamed the floor, only to end up tuning the bath mat BLACK! This was right after we moved in. I took pictures and sent them on, but never heard a thing. At the end of that trip, I did leave a "tip" for mousekeeping. It was in an envelope marked "tip" and inside I enumerated my tips:
1. Steam the floor, that's what the mop is there for.
2. Leave the steam mop pad so that if #1 wasn't done, the guest can use it.
3. If I did my job the way you did yours, I'd be unemployed.

I know it was snarky, but I was just apalled at how dirty our 1 bedroom was, and not at all happy about having to do all the cleaning when we arrived. FYI, I am not a germaphobe, but it should be generally clean and not offensive.

 

[disneynutz]

There have been many times that I have felt like a tip was required because someone in housekeeping went above and beyond. I feel a bit like Dean though. If it's not a tipped position, then it seems wrong to leave a tip for the housekeepers and not for the ride operator etc.

I do know that many hotel chains prefer that housekeepers NOT be tipped. The reason is that if some feel it encourages housekeepers to "take" things that don't belong to them. Many housekeepers are specifically told NOT to take money in any form (tips included) from the rooms.

I prefer to offer a tip if I ask for something special above and beyond what is normally provided. BUT...One time at OKW when I had to call THREE times to get the old soap left from the previous occupant removed and the shower cleaned, I was wising I could have had a reverse tip! FYI, I never did succeed in getting that done, so I did it myself, but I did make the call 3 times because I wanted someone to understand what had NOT been done.

When we first joined DVC 17+ years ago, housekeeping was very good. You could eat off the floors! In March at OKW, I kept sticking to the floor in the kitchen, so I tried to get out the steam mop to do the floor.....no mop head. I took a bath mat and rigged it up as a mop head and steamed the floor, only to end up tuning the bath mat BLACK! This was right after we moved in. I took pictures and sent them on, but never heard a thing. At the end of that trip, I did leave a "tip" for mousekeeping. It was in an envelope marked "tip" and inside I enumerated my tips:
1. Steam the floor, that's what the mop is there for.
2. Leave the steam mop pad so that if #1 wasn't done, the guest can use it.
3. If I did my job the way you did yours, I'd be unemployed.

I know it was snarky, but I was just apalled at how dirty our 1 bedroom was, and not at all happy about having to do all the cleaning when we arrived. FYI, I am not a germaphobe, but it should be generally clean and not offensive.

Your tip envelope should have been given to management.

According to their contract, housekeeping is held accountable for not doing their job correctly, problem is, how do you get the report to management.

Bill

 

[bobbiwoz]

When I emailed Member Satisfaction about whether housekeepers can keep tips, this is the reply I got:

Hello Jean,

Thank you for contacting DISNEY VACATION CLUB®.

We appreciate your interest in a DISNEY VACATION CLUB Resort.

Although they are not required, Members may feel free to leave
housekeeping tips as a form of recognizing their gratitude for the
service provided. Housekeepers are able to accept any tip that is marked
for Housekeeping. Members may, also, leave any unopened foods that they
do not wish to take with them for housekeepers as well.

Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance.

Sincerely,

Donna

Member Services | Online Communications
DISNEY VACATION CLUB

Thanks Jean. We do tip Mousekeeping!

 

[Dean]

I'm of the opinion that you don't routinely tip a non tipped position. IMO tipping the housekeeper simply because they clean the room you stay in but not tipping other low paid people who do just as much such as the gardeners is somewhat hypocritical. There is a risk with tipping that the position WILL be converted to a tipped position, basically the law of unintended consequences.

 

[Shamus]

Since Disney and the unions classify housekeeping as a non tipped position, ...

State & Federal Labor Depts would also consider Disney housekeeping a non-tipped position since they are paid more than the FL & Federal minimum wage rates. ......

I have family members who are CMs. Any non-tipped position that receives one is suppose to turn them in to management for an end-of-the-year party.

When I emailed Member Satisfaction about whether housekeepers can keep tips, this is the reply I got:

Hello Jean,

Thank you for contacting DISNEY VACATION CLUB®.

We appreciate your interest in a DISNEY VACATION CLUB Resort.

Although they are not required, Members may feel free to leave
housekeeping tips as a form of recognizing their gratitude for the
service provided. Housekeepers are able to accept any tip that is marked
for Housekeeping. Members may, also, leave any unopened foods that they
do not wish to take with them for housekeepers as well.

Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance.

Sincerely,

Donna

Member Services | Online Communications
DISNEY VACATION CLUB

Seems like some conflicting information posted here.............or is it all just semantics.

Let me preference by saying that I do not judge anyone on whether or not they tip housekeeping. It is a personal decision and industry statistics show that only 30% of travelers routinely do. What bothers me though is the vast amount of incomplete information that some individuals appear to basing their decision upon.

I would suggest that if you feel tips are warranted but are concerned about the various "Contracts" and "Rules", maybe it would be best to do what I did and ask someone who may actually know how the tips are handled. For me, I asked the resort manager and verified that directly with the housekeeper herself. To summarize what I was told: Housekeepers are classified "Non-Tipped" for Wage purposes only. They are one of the few "Non-Tipped" positions that are exempt from Disney's "no acceptance of tips" rule. They get to keep their monetary tips.

Tip or Don't Tip. That's your own personal decision. All I ask is that you make an effort to find all the facts before basing your decision on partial information.

 

[Dean]

Seems like some conflicting information posted here.............or is it all just semantics.

Let me preference by saying that I do not judge anyone on whether or not they tip housekeeping. It is a personal decision and industry statistics show that only 30% of travelers routinely do. What bothers me though is the vast amount of incomplete information that some individuals appear to basing their decision upon.

I would suggest that if you feel tips are warranted but are concerned about the various "Contracts" and "Rules", maybe it would be best to do what I did and ask someone who may actually know how the tips are handled. For me, I asked the resort manager and verified that directly with the housekeeper herself. To summarize what I was told: Housekeepers are classified "Non-Tipped" for Wage purposes only. They are one of the few "Non-Tipped" positions that are exempt from Disney's "no acceptance of tips" rule. They get to keep their monetary tips.

Tip or Don't Tip. That's your own personal decision. All I ask is that you make an effort to find all the facts before basing your decision on partial information.

I routinely do the same at hotels in general though I'm not trying to figure out whether they can accept or keep the tips, only whether it's a tipped position. While only 30% of travelers may tip assuming that's the number, the % of hotels that pay their staff as tipped positions is only about 50% from what I've seen though that info was from a few years ago. The % of timeshares that do so in the US is essentially zero with allowance for an exception or two.

 

[disneynutz]

Seems like some conflicting information posted here.............or is it all just semantics.

Let me preference by saying that I do not judge anyone on whether or not they tip housekeeping. It is a personal decision and industry statistics show that only 30% of travelers routinely do. What bothers me though is the vast amount of incomplete information that some individuals appear to basing their decision upon.

I would suggest that if you feel tips are warranted but are concerned about the various "Contracts" and "Rules", maybe it would be best to do what I did and ask someone who may actually know how the tips are handled. For me, I asked the resort manager and verified that directly with the housekeeper herself. To summarize what I was told: Housekeepers are classified "Non-Tipped" for Wage purposes only. They are one of the few "Non-Tipped" positions that are exempt from Disney's "no acceptance of tips" rule. They get to keep their monetary tips.

Tip or Don't Tip. That's your own personal decision. All I ask is that you make an effort to find all the facts before basing your decision on partial information.

Bottom line is that I tip based on exceptional service, not because others tip or because the person expects it. A clean room is supposed to be paid for with our dues, I don't tip someone for just doing their job.

Truth be told, in our families experience housekeepers are friendly but the rooms are not cleaned as well as they should be. Disney should do a better job inspecting rooms but their system is designed to turn rooms over between guests with an emphasis on getting the job done, not on the quality of the job.

I don't tip because someone is friendly, I find that most people looking for a tip are friendly.

Bill

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Thanks for posting info on the unopened food. We always seem to have unopened food leftover. I will definitely leave it now for housekeeping!

 

[jo-jo]

What do you do if something is forgotten or missing? Almost every trip we are missing the proper remote control. There might be one to control the tv, but not the dvd player. Or we get new towels but no soaps. Do you tip the people who bring the replacements?

 

[n2mm]

What do you do if something is forgotten or missing? Almost every trip we are missing the proper remote control. There might be one to control the tv, but not the dvd player. Or we get new towels but no soaps. Do you tip the people who bring the replacements?

I don't tip if someone brings something as you mentioned because it's missing. But if I want something in addition to the stocked stuff, like a blender, extra hangers, an extra pillow, then yes I do tip a couple of dollars for the extra trip to my room.

 

[misskari]

I'm curious to know if those that don't tip at first day of service then get mediocre service from then on out? Any thoughts? I tip because I want to get better service going forward, I know that I go the extra mile for those that show appreciation for my time & effort. Now I'm not talking high $ amounts or to tip continually for bad service, but you catch more flies with honey!

 

[Dean]

I'm curious to know if those that don't tip at first day of service then get mediocre service from then on out? Any thoughts? I tip because I want to get better service going forward, I know that I go the extra mile for those that show appreciation for my time & effort. Now I'm not talking high $ amounts or to tip continually for bad service, but you catch more flies with honey!

It's not really applicable given the timing and system. There really isn't any service. I would hope and expect someone prone to giving bad service from a non tipped position wouldn't last very long.

 

[Ms. WDW]

If I were a housekeeper would I be happy to find a tip acknowledging my hard work? Yes, it would make me feel valued. So I tip.

Often our room has a card in the bathroom with the name of the housekeeper who prepared it. I call the housekeeping number and ask if that housekeeper can stop by our room for a tip. If there is no card, I call the number and ask who it was and ask to have that person stop by. The housekeepers are always so appreciative.

l like that idea!

 

[Judique]

I tip my housekeepers most of the time.

Usually they are stalking checkout rooms in the morning and I stop and speak. I ask them if they will be doing my trash and towel. I tell them if there is anything missing. I say stuff like 'I will be here for 2 weeks.'

Only once have I had a problem housekeeper. That's in 14 years of DVC ownership.

I don't make the 'poverty level' assumption about my housekeeper. Just because she works for x amount per hour doesn't mean she lives on that amount per month. I'm sure many belong to dual income families - maybe she's married to the resort manager....or a bus driver....who knows? Or maybe her husband is an accountant or an attorney?

Sure, housekeeping is small pay compared to what I spend on a vacation, or my vacation budget in general.

I respect the housekeepers. Just the same as many of you used to rave about and respect Art the Greeter at BC. Doubtful he was making the big bucks for saying Good Morning or Welcome Home. He had a job to do and did it well. Most of the housekeepers do their job well.

I go to DW several times a year and resort hop often while there. I rarely see all the dirt that is spoken of here. I do see a lot of wear and tear and I do occasionally see dirt and missing this or that - even when I stayed at the brand spanking new Grand Floridian Villa studio.

Bottom line is if you feel like tipping - go ahead and leave what you want. I like to do a $1 per person per day for a studio, or a little more if it's just me.

It's the hostage bag handling that gets to me.