Tipping Mousekeeping?

[eva]

On T&T day we usually leave anywhere from $5-$15 and a nice note telling them how much we appreciate the hard work that they do. The amount all depends on the room size and what the room was like at check-in. I do sometimes leave a note for them to clean a miorror or sweep up the bathroom and tip them extra for that. I don't expect others to do this too. I think that it is a personal decision and no one should be flamed either way. I do like the extras we usually get in the room on T& T day. Nearly everytime we have cute animal towels, extra coffee and extra detergent. I usually ask for extra laundry detergent. As a matter of fact I haven't ever had to buy any while we are there. I just bring Bounce sheets in my suitcase. When the girls were young they used to bring a number of stuffed animals with them and the mousekeepers would often leave them posed around the room. It really made their day. Now that they are 19 and 21 I kind of yearn for those days!

I guess that I leave a tip not only to brighten their day, but hoping that they might possibly brighten my day a bit too.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by Cruelladeville
Other timeshares most certainly do have housekeeping!! Marriott timeshares have daily housekeeping, a full cleaning each and every day! You can even make an appointment if you want them to come before/after a certain time. Honestly, you paid $20,000, and you don't think housekeeping should be included?! Puleeze! It's common sense to at least clean in between guests. Why would I pay $20,000, and then have to do a thorough cleaning when I arrived? Yuck!! That really is a disgusting thought! You would never pay for a hotel room where the manager handed you a mop and bucket and told you to start cleaning when you checked in, so why are you willing to lower your values just because it's Disney?:

Marriott timeshare have NO daily cleaning. They clean after you leave and before the guest. No more unless you pay extra. This is the case for MOST timeshares in the US or some are more like DVC.

 

[Simba's Girl]

Sherri,

We have yet to stay as members so I don't yet know exactly what we'll do but I'm leaning toward not tipping. The reason for this is because, I feel like housekeeping (the little we get even) is part of our dues. When we stay in December we will only get T&T do I really need to say "gosh you really went above and beyond when you walked in here and took my trash and replaced my towels?, That was a mighty fine way to do that!" in a word *no*.

 

[canda]

Other timeshares most certainly do have housekeeping!! Marriott timeshares have daily housekeeping, a full cleaning each and every day! You can even make an appointment if you want them to come before/after a certain time. Honestly, you paid $20,000, and you don't think housekeeping should be included?! Puleeze! It's common sense to at least clean in between guests. Why would I pay $20,000, and then have to do a thorough cleaning when I arrived? Yuck!! That really is a disgusting thought! You would never pay for a hotel room where the manager handed you a mop and bucket and told you to start cleaning when you checked in, so why are you willing to lower your values just because it's Disney?

what are you talking about? No one suggested that we should not have housekeeping. Nor lower any standards to match other timeshares. We all expect a high level of standard from Disney.
The question was asked as to what the lower timeshares do about housekeeping. There are some real nasty places outthere. I do not think that DVC will age like other timeshares do. That is because Disney maintains a good housekeeping and maintance on the entire property.

We are just saying that the people that clean your rooms are poor. Not one single person in DVC is in their shoes. You would not have DVC if you were.

We are suggesting that it is not just T&T day that they do things. They still have 5+ days worth of stuff to clean.

IF everyone tipped for the service of cleaning crap stains, hairs down there, and other disgusting filth that humans leave behind, then they could get an extra 200-400 dollars a month.

That would be huge for me. I would love to get that much more each month. And I have lots of money. I think tipping for that service is a rise in values, not lower values.

Now if your room was nasty when you checked in, then no, you would not tip. But it is a rare thing that a room is like that. I have been a part of DVC since 1999 and have been going twice a year since. I have not checked in to an unclean room. And I am paranoid about other peoples filth. Before I bring one thing in, I pull back all the covers, I look in the tubs and toilets, pick up the cushions and smell the fridge and kitchen sinks. Not once at HHI, VB, VWL, and BCV have I seen any dirt or worse.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I am grateful to the people who clean up after us. We tip $5 for a 2 night stay, where ever we are. We've only stayed in studios/Inn rooms so far at DVC so I haven't thought about larger accomodations.

Bobbi

 

[poohnpiglet3]

What a lively conversation this has turned out to be!

Thank you all for your varying opinions - it's so nice to have a bit of a cross-section of what others do, then base your actions on that.

Thanks again!!

Sherri

 

[kweaver]

We (well...I) will gladly tip housekeeping for going above and beyond...or fulfilling a special request (or being especially nice to my kids! ). However, I do not tip them for doing their regular job.

Just because it is a low paying job doesn't mean that tips should be expected. If I take a job, I know how much it pays and how much work is involved. Either you accept that amount of pay for that job...or you find another.

Some say that they have 5 days of mess to clean up...but I just don't buy it. When they wipe down the counters at the end of a stay, they do it once and they are clean. Same goes for vacuuming, cleaning toilets, cleaning showers, etc. The only thing that could really pile up is garbage...but I think the vast majority of DVCers take the garbage out themselves.

Maybe it's just me...but when we stay I keep our villa clean and organized. I can't stand to have a big mess around.

 

[Beca]

Jean (and everyone else),

Here's the link to those envelopes, http://users.adelphia.net/~heidiw/maid_envelopes/movies.html
but, either the server is down, or the link is no longer up there!!

If anyone has another link, I would appreciate it!!



Beca

 

[tjkraz]

More often than not, we do tend to leave a tip. I guess I fall into the line of thinking that if we can afford "X" dollars for the room, a little bit more to thank the staff isn't gonna break me.

That said, I often feel very conflicted when it comes time to leave a tip. Why? Two reasons:

1. When you tip a waiter or valet, you're tipping based upon the quality of service just received. In a hotel room, it's impossible to tip the person that cleaned the room before you arrived--you're essentially tipping the person who will clean the room for the next guest.

2. I've always viewed tipping as being a way to send a message. Excellent service = good tip. Poor service = poor tip. But there are so many different philosophies on tipping housekeeping, as evidenced by this thread. When people choose not to tip for excellent service (which is clearly within their right), am I really sending a message when I don't leave a tip for rotten service? I guess my point is this: Do CMs really go above-and-beyond to try and earn that tip? Or do they just accept the reality that they may or may not get a tip?

 

[dianeschlicht]

Originally posted by kweaver
We (well...I) will gladly tip housekeeping for going above and beyond...or fulfilling a special request (or being especially nice to my kids! ). However, I do not tip them for doing their regular job.

Just because it is a low paying job doesn't mean that tips should be expected. If I take a job, I know how much it pays and how much work is involved. Either you accept that amount of pay for that job...or you find another.

Some say that they have 5 days of mess to clean up...but I just don't buy it. When they wipe down the counters at the end of a stay, they do it once and they are clean. Same goes for vacuuming, cleaning toilets, cleaning showers, etc. The only thing that could really pile up is garbage...but I think the vast majority of DVCers take the garbage out themselves.

Maybe it's just me...but when we stay I keep our villa clean and organized. I can't stand to have a big mess around.

ITA. We keep our villa just as clean as we keep our house. I take pride in knowing I am leaving it in the same condition I found it in on arrival. I do not make the beds on checkout morning. I feel they would prefer I not do that (makes stripping them easier if I don't). I do wipe out the tub each time it is used, just like at home. I throw trash in the trash and don't leave full trash bags for housekeeping to take care of. I wash the dishes and put them away as well as wipe down the stove and counters. I don't do mirrors or vacuum, but I don't feel the need to do that either. We have never tipped, because Disney does not consider it a tipped position. Besides, I suspect you would never be tipping the person who actually did the work for you before you arrived.

 

[bus driver lady]

Hi everyone...great talk here! I personally feel tipping is a very much appreciated "thank you" to the housekeeping staff whether it be a timeshare, motel, hotel, B&B, etc. They are all doing the same job and likely none make much more than $5-something an hour. We made our first trip "home" this past August and left a $20 tip after our 8 night stay in a 2BR at OKW ($2-3 per night is our usual). No, they didn't come in every day (just once for t/t) but the room (more like an apartment/condo in size) was in very nice order when we arrived and I'm sure the next occupant found it satisfactory also. Though you (and I) feel we leave our "home" in nice condition, the units still need to be thoroughly cleaned (recleaned) between guests. I am quite certain DVC re-vacuums, re-wash towels and linens, and do a thorough unit cleaning (no small job). In fact, upon entering our room after check-in housecleaning was still there finishing up and they did remove clean/dried towels from the dryer and remove them to their carts unfolded (fresh towels already replaced in the bathrooms).

Though DH and I are not wealthy, we feel priveleged to own a home and now another "home away from home". And though we don't feel tipping should be a written rule in any line of work regardless of base pay (we once walked out of a restaurant without tipping because the waiter was inatentive, stood talking to friends, and did not "earn" it), if the service provider is at least satisfactory they will earn what we feel is an appropriate "thank you" (generally the standard 15-20%) for the service provided. In comparison, if we entered our timeshare and found it a disgusting mess, sheets unchanged, etc. a tip would be unlikely!

Suzy

 

[DIZNYFAN]

ITA. We keep our villa just as clean as we keep our house. I take pride in knowing I am leaving it in the same condition I found it in on arrival. I do not make the beds on checkout morning. I feel they would prefer I not do that (makes stripping them easier if I don't). I do wipe out the tub each time it is used, just like at home. I throw trash in the trash and don't leave full trash bags for housekeeping to take care of. I wash the dishes and put them away as well as wipe down the stove and counters. I don't do mirrors or vacuum, but I don't feel the need to do that either. We have never tipped, because Disney does not consider it a tipped position. Besides, I suspect you would never be tipping the person who actually did the work for you before you arrived.

We feel the same way mind you we do vaccum and cean the glass doors and mirrors before we leave so they have to change the sheets and maybe mop up the flor if they even have to do that so we will never leave a tip.

 

[crisi]

We are only there for seven days, so we get trash and towel - and our "full cleaning" is the one that happens between guests.

I don't tip for trash and towel - and am actually thinking about cancelling it next trip. Last trip they took my nice laundered towels and replaced them with their scratchy institutionally laundered towels and I rewashed them all! And the trash I'd taken down the hall that morning - I don't count days on vacation and had "forgotten" when trash day was.

We do tip when we leave. We keep a change cup and leave it behind. Its usually $10 or more - if it isn't, I throw in a few bills. Plus we leave all our leftover pop, snacks, frozen pizza, etc. I understand from people on this board that housekeeping is allowed to help themselves from unopened food left behind at checkout in the Villas - I suspect most DVC mousekeepers don't ever need to buy chips or pop!

We also "preprep" our checkout - we get the dishes running in the dishwasher, strip the beds - particualrly the hideabed - I don't want a housekeeper forgetting to change those sheets for the next guest. Part of it is just making sure I don't forget anything by doing my own tidy - part is I have plenty of time while my kids dally to get the dishwasher loaded. So the housekeeper should only need to change linens, put dishes away, dust and do the floors and bathroom. Plus restock the magazine, etc.

 

[wintergreen]

We generally leave a tip when we leave ($1-2/night) and any change that we have accumulated during the stay.

 

[rocketriter]

I've got to say I'm impressed by the good housekeepers who have posted on this thread. Just bear in mind that the many, many people who treat their rooms like pig styes don't brag about it on this board.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Originally posted by rocketriter
I've got to say I'm impressed by the good housekeepers who have posted on this thread. Just bear in mind that the many, many people who treat their rooms like pig styes don't brag about it on this board.

I would like to believe that those who have spent $13,000 to $40.000 or more for a vacation timeshare would treat it with respect.

 

[jmminarik]

Originally posted by dianeschlicht
I would like to believe that those who have spent $13,000 to $40.000 or more for a vacation timeshare would treat it with respect.

I'd like to believe in life on other planets.

Put me in the "my mother didn't raise a slob, it's embarassing to leave a mess, housekeeping isn't your personal Superfund clean-up team and just because you're on 'vacation' doesn't mean you've shed the responsibilities of being an adult human being " column.

-Joe, who is in lots of columns all by himself.

 

[idratherbeinwdw]

Originally posted by jmminarik
I'd like to believe in life on other planets.

LOL Joe, I was thinking something along the same lines. Yes it's nice to think everyone would have the attitude towards their homes at DVC as the posters on this thread do. But the sad fact is that slobs and boors and selfish people exist in all walks of life. There's no doubt in my mind that Mousekeeping has to deal with all categories of extremely unpleasant human messes.

I think it's great that it seems like most of us are good citizens when it comes to our DVC. But that does not take away the fact that someone had to clean the room before you got there. Granted it may be less messy sometimes than others, but these people do a dirty job for not a lot of pay. I don't worry about my tip going to the person who did the room, I sort of figure the law of averages works all that out so tips are somewhat evenly distributed.

My feeling is that my tip, especially combined with others who tip, can make a real difference to folks whose income is limited. I am FAR from wealthy, but I can afford DVC, planefare, towncar to and from airports, AP's, eating out if I am in the mood or I don't feel like cooking at the villa, souvenirs, etc., etc. Surely I can spare a decent tip for some hard working people who do a job I feel grateful and lucky that I don't have to do.

Even it is not an official "tipped Position". Just call me irresponsible.

 

[jmminarik]

Originally posted by idratherbeinwdw
Even it is not an official "tipped Position". Just call me irresponsible.

I agree for many if not all of the reasons I didn't quote...but I also understand the position of the people who don't tip mousekeeping for all of their reasons.

-Joe

 

[Maria395712]

idratherbeinwdw
I agree these people don't make much more than $5.15 an hour I would guess and someone said they know how much it pays well maybe that's all they can do and a few bucks won't break you and I also clean my room just how I feel when my kids also work in tipped positions and give good sevice and many peple tip bad
maria