Warning: Tip housekeeper in person

[KristaTX]

We (me, mom, sister, and sister's 3 kids) just returned last night from a great trip to WDW. We had connecting rooms at PO Riverside. However - just to let you know - our mousekeeping envelopes that we made and left for our housekeeper were STOLEN one day. We left two (with a few $'s in each one) on the beds with our stuffed animals. After breakfast we came back up to the room to drop off our mugs, but the envelopes were gone. The room hadn't been touched except for that. I was suspicious, and went looking for the housekeeper. She said she hadn't been there yet, but would be going there in a little while. I asked her if she'd been there at all for anything, and she said she hadn't. When we asked her if she'd gotten the envelopes/tips the day before, she said she had and that she had liked them so much that she took the envelopes home to keep. She seemed very appreciative, and there was absolutely no reason for her to lie (she didn't know we'd be coming back, and she had a legitimate reason to be in our rooms), so we tipped her in person. We told guest relations and security about this, and they said that they could trace back through the room key usage to see who had entered our room. I hope they found the culprit, but at least now we know to always hand the tip to our housekeeper. The thief just assumed that we had gone to the parks for the day and that we'd never know that the right housekeeper hadn't received her tip. Stealing personal property from guests would be obvious, but this type of thievery would usually go unnoticed.

 

[WDW2002]

Maybe I am skeptikle or something but she did have a reason to lie about being in the room and taking the tip and then lieing about it. She could have taken, said she hadn't, so you would give her another tip.

 

[KristaTX]

I thought of her hoping to get a double tip, too. While there may be housekeeping mischief, it seems unlikely that they would have time for this particular plot since in most instances it wouldn't work. Most people are either gone for the day by then (approx. 11 a.m.), or they wouldn't bother giving the second tip. And it would be especially risky for the housekeeper if, as we were told, the room entries can be traced. Maybe she had gone in and taken it before cleaning the room, just to see how much it was, and she was just too embarrassed to admit it. She seemed nice and honest, so all my naive little self can do is hope she's completely innocent of theft or lying. Who knows? I suspect that the person who had cleaned our room earlier in the week may have done it. Also, some maintenance people had been in the room earlier in the week doing something to the smoke detectors, so who knows who all had been in our room. If Disney has a way to find out, I hope they did and fired the person.

No matter what, though, I'll still go back to Disney World in October and will definitely be more careful with any tips.

 

[RobinLyn]

It's really sad that we have to worry about whether these hard working housekeepers who clean our rooms rightfully get the tips we leave them! Thank you for posting this, I never would of thought to actually ask the maid if she received the tips. From now on I will find out who our housekeeper is and hand her the tip envelopes, but I have to say this really stinks that someone would actually do this or that we have to worry about it getting to the right person. Maybe she was to embrassed to say she picked it up before cleaning, but it really makes you wonder. Like you skporter, I'd rather be sure if gets in the right hands.

RobinLyn

 

[Deb8821]

We had the same problem a few years ago when we were on vacation at Yellowstone Park. Housekeeping had done a few extra special things for us one day so we left a larger tip the next morning. (We were staying 11 nights so got to know the maids) We was the maid when we return to the room early that day and after a bit of conversation and finally asking her "did you get the envelope we left for you" she said no. Long story short management got involved and they still did not know who took the envelope when we left 2 days later. We personally gave the person another tip and on the balance of our stay if we did not see housekeeping we dropped the envelope off with the manager at the front desk to deliver personally. Its a shame what can happen so its best to try and tip the person directly.

 

[Pink Flamingo]

Quick question - how do you find out who your maid/housekeeper is?

We have been to WDW twice and have never actually met our housekeeper. We haven't ever been around when they have been cleaning the room. I sure wouldn't want the wrong person to get the tip.

 

[Lissaluv]

I used to work for WDW hotel the All Star and we found that most of the time it was left on the pillow or under the pillow. It seem strange that it dissapered its likely that a different housekeeper had that one before and went to see if it was there again. Its crazy what people do these days.
I worked normal 8 to 5 shifts with lunch around 1 and mostly all of the housekeepers went at once as they have a nice caffeteria for them. That is why most do not see that housekeepers.
It would be safer to leave the tip with her personally just don't throw it on the tab if you are concerned about the housekeeper getting it because Disney doesn't get the tips left on tabs but it does however go to local charities. =)
I

 

[KristaTX]

We only had a couple of days left after that, and we would just wander around on our floor until we found the housekeeper (Joy)whose tip had been stolen. With 6 of us, it was hard to get going too early, so she happened to be around the corner in another room both times we looked for her. I'm not sure what we would have done if we hadn't found her. That's a good question. We're going back in October, so I'll need to figure that out. Maybe I could put a "Mousekeeping - please take" envelope in the bathtub - perhaps a thief wouldn't go looking there. Or I could leave a note in the room telling the maid that I left a "note" for her with her name on it with the manager. (Usually your housekeeper will have left a little card in your room that has her name on it.) "This is for housekeeper Joy - Room 1111 on 1/1/01". I'm sure the manager would love that new part of his job description!! "Distributor of Housekeeping Tips". All this because of someone's greed.

 

[SillyGirl]

On our honeymoon dh and I stayed at a timeshare and we had about 10 rolls of unused film in a ziplock bag on the kitchen table. I didn't realize housekeeping would come by, I thought it was like renting a house. (I was new to the timeshare/hotel/motel thing)

The next morning we realized that there were only 7 rolls of film left. That made us so sad, not really because someone stole our unused film, but that someone stole ANYTHING.

Now when we leave the room I usually put the DND sign out. We just ask for things like towels or toilet paper if we need them, that way if something is missing the hotel knows that no one was supposed to be in our room. I'm just gunshy.

 

[Poohbear123]

Housekeeping starts around 10-11:00am!(probably earlier) I usually go back to my room around 2:00-3:00 and they are just finishing Up on my floor. This is when I give them the tip, after I have checked my room out to see if they cleaned it or not. If you do not want your room cleaned, LEAVE the DO NOT DISTURB sign out, and they will by pass it. If you are in the room and the sign is out, they will knock to ask if you need towels and such. As far as anything being stolen, I use the safe for Cash I do not need for the day, and have never had a problem in the past 6 years!

 

[tink2dw]

At first I forgot to tip the housekeeper but she arranged my Dd's beanie very cute and that jogged my memory. I didn't use the envlopes. I didn't have a copier then.

So we left the cash with the beanie. Well after a couple of days the maid services just went way down hill. Nothing was being done,so I called to have the sheets changed,that was the last we ever saw of the housekeeping staff! The sheets had these black marks all over them. And the same marks stayed on the beds the rest of our stay!!

We got better service before we tipped them!! Go figure??

 

[WDWKim]

Maybe it's me but don't you wait till the end of your vacation before you tip housekeeping? That's what I've always been told, but now when I 'm asking people that I work with, a lot of them said they don't even tip........so can someone clear this up.....are you suppose to tip everyday, if so, how do you know how much?

 

[Tesabat]

There are a LOT of threads about tipping!

I can only tell you what I do, and the reasons behind it. I used to tip at the end of the stay, and when I'm staying at small inns - I still do that. However, once , I discovered upon leaving and seeing housekeeping in the hallways, that the person I had left a week's worth of tips to, was not the person who had regularly cleaned my room all week. When I asked where she was, she had the day off! So, now I tip daily. (I now know I could have gone right back into the room, and left the tip with management instead FOR the regular housekeeper, but I didn't think of that then.)

The reason I tip is because I was raised to. My mother always did if the room was kept to her standards - which were high! That's because she spent many years in housekeeping - eventually as a head housekeeper, but many, many years. She had a second job cleaning offices, and I had to go with her many times, and was always given some cleaning tasks to do. I always said it was the task of cleaning ashtrays out that kept me from smoking. Ugh! Anyway - I know it's not easy, and that this is a low paid position. If someone has done a good job, kept the room nice, didn't touch my personal belongings, etc., then I just feel that person should be rewarded above and beyond their minimum-wage pay.

So - long story...long...I tip!

 

[Pitter]

I want to agree that it is best to tip daily, not at the end of your stay, because the one who gets it at the end is not always the same one who did the job all along.

 

[kimmar067]

...an answer to the other question? How much do you usually tip housekeeping? I am curious, myself. I never know if I am leaving enough....

 

[Steffi]

kimmar...i never know if i'm leaving enough either. i usually go by a rule i saw somewhere that said $1 per person, per day. (??) is that way too cheap??

 

[RobinLyn]

No, that's not to cheap ($1 per person). I also read that here. From what I've been told, anywhere from $3 - $5 a day is enough. I say leave what you can afford or feel comfortable with. Many people leave no tip, so any tip, I'm sure, is appreciated or should be. Just make sure the right person is getting it!!

RobinLyn

 

[Eeyore1954]

I think $1 to $2 per person per day is fine for Mousekeeping. I may leave more if the room is especially messy.

I usually print out Mousekeeping envelopes and put the money in before we leave. I don't seal the envelopes, just in case I want to put in another $1 or two for the extra mess.

The envelopes can be found here:

http://www.buffnet.net/~heidi/maid_envelopes/classic.html

 

[WDWKim]

Steve,

Thanks so much for the "tip envelope" sites, I will sure use them an appreciate you sharing it with us.

 

[takara]

We had an instance at the AS one time. We had left for the parks and left the tip on the table. We were surprised to find the room untouched but yet the tip was gone after getting back. My husband called housekeeping to ask why the room wasn't cleaned but yet our tip was missing. They apologized and a few minutes later a housekeeper knocked and said he was sorry but started our room ( it sure didn't look so ) and then was called for something else and forgot to finish. But he didn't forget to take the money, that didn't sit well with me. I'm one who will fix the bedspreads and pick up so that the room doesn't look so messy..but our most recent trip to CBR and we were left without some essentials for two days even tho a tip was given. And we do a daily tip, would like the CM who actually cleaned our room to get the $.