Tips

[terry55]

I am going to be staying at the AKL in a couple of weeks and I have a question I have not seen on these boards. I am wondering about tips, when and how much? I have stayed at Value and Moderate resorts but never at luxery so I was wondering what is standard at this resort. I don't want to offend anyone.

Terry

 

[Figaro]

We usually give $1 a bag for the bell service and leave a $1 per person each morning for housekeeping. (basically, I think that just buys us some extra soaps :animwink: ) With a preschooler and an extremely messy husband, I'll sometimes leave a little extra....depending on if I have time to straighten out the room myself or not.

 

[MinnieFan]

No matter where we stay, we usually tip the same. $5.00 a day for housekeeping. At least $2.00 per bag for the bellman, sometimes more if they are really heavy or they or if they do something special.

 

[VinnieG]

I always tip $3.00 a day for Housekeeeping and when I have to use Bell service $1.00 per bag.

 

[celticdog]

Here's another question. When tipping Housekeeping, Do you tip at the beginning of the trip or everyday or at the very end?

 

[VinnieG]

I tip Housekeeping at the end of my stay. It is a good way to really determine if the HK staff deserves a little bit more or less on the tip.I had HK staff who were really great & deserved a nice tip and there were others that were just did not seem to care much and would get the tip they deserve.I never would tip day by day.

 

[Figaro]

We tip daily. Since there are different housekeepers which clean the room, I figure they each deserve something rather than just the person cleaning on the lst day.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

I tip housekeeping daily, $5 a day. I give the bellhops $2-3 per bag.

Pam

 

[crazygirley]

We usually stay for about three weeks at a time, so we don't tip housekeeping as often. We usually try to tip at least once, usually about $10. I in no way, however, feel obligated to tip them, but they give great service when you do (complete with the animal shaped towels all over the bed, extra towels, soap, etc.) and they are always very grateful for the tip.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Perhaps its because we live this side of the pond or perhaps its because of the jobs we do, but quite frankly I find the denmmannds of tipping overstated. If youve done a good job you get a tip but if youve done your job , arnt you already paid. After all no one has invaded the UK during my 22 years of service so I must be due a bloody huge tip. Likewise my wife has had no kids die on her ward so she must be due a tip so huge that shed cover a 12 week stay at the Grand Floridian.

IF staff rely on tips to make up their wages wouldnt it just be more honest for the employer to charge more in the first place and pay them a proper wage.

Im sorry but the Jock in me refuses to tip a waitress for brining me a drink. Mnay drinks over a night I have no problem with but per drink? Have a weerddd!!!!

 

[PhotoDave219]

Its an American thing, i guess. You grease the wheel, you get better service. (Or so thats the perception, rational, etc....)

Personally, i will tip at the end of my stay or at the end of a night at a resturant. The service industry is pretty hard IMO and gets paid squat, so if someone does a very good job of taking care of me, i equally reward it.

On the flip side if the service sucks, the tip goes down and i'll express my displeasure in pocket change.

 

[Hurricane]

Disney service is akin to the service in many 5 star hotels, the waitstaff is always attentive with impecable attention to detail. It would be unconscionable to not tip the staff at a hotel of this caliber, just as it is unconscionable to not tip housekeeping at Disney.

Further I was taught that you always tipped the housekeeping staff regardless of the duration of stay or quality of service, which of course makes me the odd man out in Europe but well liked in the States

 

[The Mom]

I'm afraid this topic will turn into a real debate!!!

I ALWAYS tip wait staff, as the IRS assumes that they will make a certain amount in tips per year, based on the restaurant's/bar's revenues, so taxes them accordingly. However, I tip in cash whenever possible, as I've had many friends who've waitressed, and know that the money is needed immediately.

I also tip housekeeping, usually at the end of my stay.

I worked "housekeeping" while in HS at a local hospital...we were NOT allowed to accept any tips (but small gifts for the whole staff were OK...like candy, etc) I suspect that my benefits were better than the average housekeeper; back then, hospitals still called the shots, so were even able to provide free medical care to employees. (Now the insurance companies won't allow it)

There was another thread on this topic last year; it might be interesting to take a look.

 

[Nansafan]

We tip daily, as previously stated, the housekeeping crew is different each day.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Message to self:

Dont post late at night, especially if youve been drinking.



Clarification time, we do tip in Europe, I just have a problem with the rates advised in US travel books. I also have a problem with waitresses standing waiting for a tip after every drink I am served.

 

[Dwarful]

at Disney service for us has been top notch. Our kids like to leave "extras" like $2.00 bills or "golden dollars" heck on our last trip we gave the lady 4 beach towels and an unopened 12 pack of coke because i wasn't about to mess around with hauling that stuff home on an airplane. Still, I don't think anyone should feel forced to give a tip.

When I had my second daughter my husband came back to the hospital the next morning at 5 am with 4 dozen hot Krispy Kreams (and a big box of chocolates for each of the other shifts) we went home with so many extra "Pampers for Preemies" and i was constantly being checked on, maybe it was normal service or maybe it was the nursing staffs way to say thanks for being remembered.

 

[Nansafan]

Hey Dwarful, fellow Illini here. My mom always had us bring a box of Fannie May for the nurses station whenever she entered the hospital. If dad was in, she picked up the box herself. Just a little surprise was what she'd say. I don't know if she got any better care, what did happen was that everyone knew who the Fannie May lady was.

 

[lamarvenoy]

I believe in tipping and I feel pretty strongly that service is better when you tip. The amount depends on the hotel. I tip, housekeepers, bellboys and especially the Valet. I generally tip 20% at a meal or bar or more if the service merits it,I find the service much more friendly at repeat visits. I know in Florida the Canadians have a very bad reputation for poor tipping- mostly because they feel slighted on the poor currency exchange, the running joke in most restaurants poor tip-must have been from canada! (I can say this because I have family in Canada even though they are not cheap)

 

[RogueHabit]

I have to say that we NEVER tipped housekeeping, and we didn't use the Bellhop service at all so no tip there either.

However we always tipped between 10-20% in restaurants and we also tipped the guy at the Car Rental place $5 because he set up all the car seats for us, which he didn't have to do.

Personally I can't get my head around the rationale of tipping BEFORE the job is done. A tip, to me at least, is for a job well done. Giving a tip before the job is done seems more like a bribe.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Clarification time, we do tip in Europe, I just have a problem with the rates advised in US travel books. I also have a problem with waitresses standing waiting for a tip after every drink I am served.

Okay, that i agree with. I wouldnt go with what what travel guides say, i go with what i feel is appropriate. Travel books are sometimes only looking out for the travel industry rather then me.

With waitresses, if they do that, i tell them not to worry, they'll be taken care of at the end of the night.