Hotel Cleaning Staff – To Tip or Not?
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at 15:13 by Swissdiver.
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DavidParticipantI stay some 100 nights a year in hotels around the world and am fairly inconsistent with leaving tips (sometimes I leave one and sometimes I don’t) for the staff which clean the room. I’m curious to know what my fellow frequent travellers customarily do?
17 Nov 2009
at 11:44
VintageKrugParticipantI don’t like the concept of tipping cleaning staff; it is incumbent on the employer to remunerate their staff properly, and that is especially important where those people earn close to minimum wage.
I would never tip by leaving money in an envelope at the front desk, as I would imagine in many establishments little of that actually reaches the intended recipient.
Leaving in the room can be a problem as you never quite know who will end up with the cash; especially with a late check out when the “afternoon” team may be on duty.
If I have received exceptional service, and I know a few dollars will make a real difference, then I will tip the maid. But only ever in person, to ensure it gets where I intended.
Otherwise it’s an American practice which I hope will not spread widely.
17 Nov 2009
at 12:55
NTarrantParticipantI don’t leave any tip for cleaning staff, for very much the same reasons that VK states. Also the room cleaners are not always the same person, particularly in Europe. Felxable working, part time etc. If you have stayed say four nights and you leave a tip on the last morning that person may not have been the person cleaning your room during your stay.
17 Nov 2009
at 12:59
PaulJenningsParticipantI don’t know anyone who tips cleaning staff, partly for the reasons outlined above, partly because most employers now insist on a receipt for every last cup of coffee so we can only add gratuities in restaurants etc.
17 Nov 2009
at 14:29
MarkCymruParticipantI always tip (unless I forget). I’m quite untidy and I don’t envy cleaning up my room. I always leave the money under the duvet or the pillow because few of the other people who come into the room will look there. If the cleaner is kind (leaving me extra teabags or clearing up my messy newspapers, for example), I leave a bit more. I try to leave a small amount every day (100 Indian rupees or 3 Euros or 5 US dollars) rather than a big lump sum at the end — partly because I can put 3 Euros on expenses without the tax authorities complaining and partly because cleaners work on rotas. Even when I can’t claim it back, I leave it. I know that I couldn’t live on a cleaner’s wages and I probably enjoy my job more than they enjoy theirs
17 Nov 2009
at 23:16
VintageKrugParticipantI have been to places in the US which have an envelope with a suggested tip of between 10%-15% which can add up to hundreds to your resort bill. Crazy!
17 Nov 2009
at 23:32
Expat_ConsultantParticipantNo.
At the prices I get charged for hotac, I expect the employer to compensate the staff appropriately.
I don’t tip the mechanic who services my car, either.
I prefer the French approach where service is included in the restaurant bill.
In a taxi, I will usually make up the amount to the next whole number, unless it is a very long trip and then I will give 10% if the driver has been courteous.
18 Nov 2009
at 06:17
VivaVidaParticipantI always leave the equivalent of a US$ or two per night for the housekeepers, sometimes mid-way through a stay, sometimes at the end and sometimes handed directly to a housekeeper. I figure if I can afford the prices of nice hotels I can also afford a dollar or two a day to thank the people at the bottom of the pecking order.
18 Nov 2009
at 07:19
Kaicat75Participant$1 a day left on the pillow of the bed in the USA so the staff that day get it.
In countries with a non tipping culture i don’t but if its their culture then you should. I don’t see why if you tip bar staff and waiting staff you shouldn’t tip your cleaners of your room.
18 Nov 2009
at 10:15
InquisitiveParticipantThis is an American practice and like many other crazy practices, it is not practiced outside USA. People do not realized that cleaning team changes and the tip one might have left, may not reach the intended recepeient. Another snobish ideal is the thinking that by leaving $1 or $5 tip, one has done a great job. If someone has spare money, it is better to give to a charity. I like American for their donations on Charity – I think thay are the best doners – but this tip business, it sucks. In US, in most of the business lounge, the drinks is served at the bar after one hand over the prized coupon and the bar gentlemen almost demand tip. In many instances, I am not sure, why I am paying a tip – including in a Restaurant. There are many people who are part of the whole event, like support staff for the chef, diswashing and cleaning ladies, but tip goes to waiter. The ideal situation shall be a fixed service charge that must be shared by all employees.
18 Nov 2009
at 15:09
Kaicat75Participanti am sure someone will put me right about this if i am wrong but i do believe there are a large number of places in the states which dont actually pay their bar staff and they survive totally on tips. And this is not just your local bar but some higher end places as well (Vegas does spring to mind)
Now i am not saying cleaners dont get paid but i am pretty sure the hotels dont pay them well enough for the job they do, i for one would not want to go round cleaning up after other people on the wages they earn.
18 Nov 2009
at 15:22
Hess963ParticipantHi everyone !!
I think the different aspects/opinions of tipping here are great !!
Regarding tips to be claimed back through expenses report–I do really have to give my previous commentor right here–it does really sound ” sad ” not to give tip–’cause you won’t get it back.
As others have stressed–it is his individual wish to give someone gratitude for a good service done well, beside the normal service charge etc.. Tipping are really helpful and meaningful in such cases– especiall if those people are paid less or definitely depend on tips entirely.
I just give or show my gratitude by giving them the tip personally–especially to the bellboys, chambermaids, waiters… I do not like the idea and feeling of being obliged to give someone a certain percentage of the bill–like in the USA–luckly most of the time, the service I encountered were good and those people really deserve them. In some cases where the service was inadequate–I just did not give any–just as frankly as that !
18 Nov 2009
at 17:34 -
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