Tipping in Hotels

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Mouse_Trap

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I was just wondering, what was considered convention regarding tipping mousekeeping.

Being British, we really don't get the whole tipping culture and even less so when it's to workers you have no contact with.

If it's not too personal of a question to ask, what kind of gratuity would you leave (if any). Would the amount vary depending on the class of the hotel? What factors do you take into consideration in deciding an appropriate amount?

Thanks in advance.
 
Hakunamatata

Hakunamatata

Le Meh
Premium Member
I travel a lot for business. I generally will not tip because I generally will have my room refreshed very infrequently and only if the staff of the hotel has been overly courteous or has provided a service above and beyond what I consider expected. Now that being said, I do not have daily room refresh. I can make my own bed and when I need new towels, I just get them from the staff when I need them. I really do not understand the need to tip someone whose job it is to clean my room when I leave that I may never interact with. Its like being expected to tip the person that changes your oil or delivers the mail.

Wait staff in restraints is a different story. You go out of your way to be positive and interact with me, the food is good, and i don't have to hunt you down to get a refill, you probably are going to get close to 30%, but that being said, wait staff don't make the same minimum as that person cleaning the room .
 
sweetpee_1993

sweetpee_1993

Well-Known Member
Per person per day is how we typically figure. Also, how much is done for us. Any extra touches. We are tidy people by nature so I don't think we're too terrible to look after. In a standard hotel room we typically leave $5-$10/night depending on how many we have present. On a cruise we typically leave a flat amount of $10-$20/night, often more, in addition to the prepaid standard gratuities ($4/per person per night) depending on how many of us are present. On cruises we leave much more because they do sooooooo much more for us.
 
F

fugawe09

Active Member
Technically speaking housekeepers are not a tipped role and shouldn't "expect" a gratuity. They receive minimum wage ($7.93) or higher. I think Disney starts a little above minimum. In Florida, tipped roles like servers expect a gratuity because they are paid less than minimum wage (about $4.91) with the expectation that tips will make up the balance of their wage.

If my room is just cleaned as expected, I consider that the individual has done their job and I don't personally leave a tip, just like I wouldn't for an attractions host (who makes about the same wages). If the housekeeper has shown extra care and hospitality I consider around $5/day because I wasn't able to thank them personally. (Housekeepers are sort of an exception in that they can accept these gratuities. A merchandise or quick service food host cannot accept gratuities and if a guest insists on leaving it they have to put it in the drawer, which then throws the cash drawer off.) For any Cast Member who provides truly above and beyond service, I try to let a manager know or write a letter because it earns the Cast Member a positive note in their file and can help them advance their career.
 
BuddyThomas

BuddyThomas

Well-Known Member
I was a room steward on a cruise ship when I was younger. They paid a wage that you could not realistically live on. Tips made up the bulk of the income. There was always at least one jerk who wouldn't leave a tip, but there was also at least one person who would go crazy and overtip. One time I got $1,000. So, having had that experience of scrubbing toilets and showers, I always, always tip, but yes it is a personal choice. Still, people who brag that they "leave nothing" really get under my skin.
 
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slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
hakunamatata said:
Wait staff in restraints is a different story. You go out of your way to be positive and interact with me, the food is good, and i don't have to hunt you down to get a refill, you probably are going to get close to 30%, but that being said, wait staff don't make the same minimum as that person cleaning the room .
Click to expand...

I think wait staff in restraints should be tipped well no matter what the service is like. That sounds hard.
 
abeachchick

abeachchick

hi
hakunamatata said:
I travel a lot for business. I generally will not tip because I generally will have my room refreshed very infrequently and only if the staff of the hotel has been overly courteous or has provided a service above and beyond what I consider expected. Now that being said, I do not have daily room refresh. I can make my own bed and when I need new towels, I just get them from the staff when I need them. I really do not understand the need to tip someone whose job it is to clean my room when I leave that I may never interact with. Its like being expected to tip the person that changes your oil or delivers the mail.

Wait staff in restraints is a different story. You go out of your way to be positive and interact with me, the food is good, and i don't have to hunt you down to get a refill, you probably are going to get close to 30%, but that being said, wait staff don't make the same minimum as that person cleaning the room .
Click to expand...

I ALWAYS tip waitstaff in restraints. Their lives are hard enough. :(
 
Chernaboggles

Chernaboggles

Well-Known Member
Mouse_Trap said:
I was just wondering, what was considered convention regarding tipping mousekeeping.

Being British, we really don't get the whole tipping culture and even less so when it's to workers you have no contact with.

If it's not too personal of a question to ask, what kind of gratuity would you leave (if any). Would the amount vary depending on the class of the hotel? What factors do you take into consideration in deciding an appropriate amount?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Here is a nicely informative piece from Touring Plans about tipping at WDW, and these are good general guidelines for American hotels in general. I rarely carry cash in the course of my normal day, but when staying at hotels on vacation I always make sure to have about $5 or $10 worth of single dollar bills on me at any given time.
 
WorldDad

WorldDad

Well-Known Member
unkadug said:
Is this something new? I've never heard of waiters in restraints. Why should waiters in restraints be tipped more than non-restrained waiters?
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If your waiter is wearing something like this you are definitely in the wrong restaurant.
ballandchain_zpse8950ab6.jpg
 
4

4disneylovers

Well-Known Member
My father taught me that if you spend one night in a hotel no need to tip. If u spend more than one night you tip. Not sure what the logic was but that was what he said. Anyway...at Disney we have gotten in the habit of $5 per day and lay it out daily. I print mousekeeping envelopes before we go and go to the bank to get exactly the correct number of $5 bills I need for the stay. My daughter loves getting it out of the safe and ready each morning before we leave. I have been told daily is best because it is not always the same person cleaning the room each day. I asked a friend that works at a resort what is a good tip because we always hope for towel animals and he said $5 per day without me telling him what I do. Hope this helps.
 
slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
Back on topic, we're DVC members who usually don't stay long enough for anything beyond the trash and towel service. We'll leave some money behind for the people who will clean after us once we checkout along with a letter thanking them for hiding our sloth. $10-15 depending on if it's a studio or 1BR.
 
Jim Buck

Jim Buck

Active Member
Our last trip we tipped everyday and barely the basics were done in our room. There were no special touches or anything performed. It was a bit of a let down for the DD. When I go alone I usually ask for no service on daily basis and keep after myself and then don't tip. When the family goes it's a tip each day and service each day.

I still don't get tipping them myself but I can afford to do it so I help out. At least they are working to earn a living and not standing on a corner asking for a handout. My hats off to anyone who gets up and works.
 

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