http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7377055Oh my.
Of course one has to keep in mind the First Rule of Observing the Primitives:
DUmmies lie; all the time, DUmmies lie.
Manifestor_of_Light (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 06:43 AM
Original message
Do you tip hotel maids, and if so, how much?
Saw the thread about wrong tickets and tips in restaurants.
I tip hotel maids five to ten dollars a day.
I leave it on a piece of the note pad with "FOR THE MAID THANKS/ POR LA LIMPIADORA GRACIAS" written on it.
pokercat999 (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 07:13 AM
Response to Original message
1. Me too usually $5.00, but to be PC they're not "maids" today. I think most are called room attendants and they work in the housekeeping department.
Until 2009 and for the last 9 years my wife traveled a lot. Mostly staying in the same hotels for several months at a time. In Philadelphia, Pa she was on a six month assignment she tipped so well the waiters would bring her free drinks (soda or tea) with every in-room meal. The room attendants took special care in her room often leaving small gifts.
We consider tipping MANDATORY when staying in a hotel or eating out. These employers refuse to pay a reasonable wage to their workers so we add tips to the cost of room or food when figuring expenses.
Those employers can't pay a reasonable wage to their workers because primitives are unwilling to pay $150 a night for a room in a $100-a-night hotel, or to pay $35 for an $18 steak.
That's all it is; primitives are cheap.
Yuugal (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 07:14 AM
Response to Original message
2. 5 bucks
Every night I stay. The last place we stayed at we came back each day to find my kid's stuffed animal next to a folded towel animal. My kids were amazed.
Sherman A1 (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 07:15 AM
Response to Original message
3. Yes,
Usually, $5.00 per day and you would be surprised at the number of thank you notes I get from the housekeeping staff.
JNelson6563 (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 08:17 AM
Response to Original message
4. Yes but few people do
Long ago I did that job. A thankless and wretched task as you might imagine. The few that actually left tips were GREATLY appreciated.
Some years ago when I was with my now ex and his family for holidays, they rented these cabins for the family. Real nice place. Lots of grandkids and of course the places got pretty trashed. I talked to mother in law's hubby about leaving a tip for housekeeping. He cited the cost of the cabins, saying "they" were making plenty. I pointed out that the people who cleaned the cabins were likely not seeing anything but minimum wage out of the deal. Asshole. I left a nice tip in the cabin we stayed in, after doing my best to clean it up some (ours had been the gathering spot for all so it was the worst).
Bonhomme Richard (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 08:26 AM
Response to Original message
5. $5.00/Day but I do it the day I leave. I like the idea of leaving it every day.
Orsino (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 08:35 AM
Response to Reply #5
6. I leave five bucks every day...
...because I assume that the same person won't be servicing the room every day.
hlthe2b (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 09:13 AM
Response to Original message
7. Sadly, I don't routinely tip that much now... I don't have the $$ to do so, but.....leave a few dollars in the room for each day I stayed when I leave.
When I was traveling on stipend for work several years ago, I tipped every one I could think of in the poorer countries I traveled, even sometimes unintentionally. I remember inadvertently leaving a cross pendant that had small diamonds in it in a Bangkok room safe by accident... It had some sentimental value, but I decided the maid, who would certainly have found it (the room safes "pop open" when you check out), should have it. I thought that might well do more for her than it might ever do for me.
I applaud the OP on their generosity, but I dare say many people could not do so right now. I rarely eat out right now for the same reason, but on the occasions I do, I would never fail to tip appropriately.
bfarq (73 posts) Sat Jan-02-10 09:19 AM
Response to Original message
8. I guess you folks are more generous than me. $2 usually
But I don't stay in 5-star hotels either. I figure each housekeeper might do 40 rooms a day. If everybody tipped $2, that would be an extra $20,000 of income which would undoubtedly mostly be tax free. Of course, most people don't leave tips, so it is probably more like $5000 annually in a good hotel.
I also tip at any restaurant that buses tables, even the buffet places. Usually $1 if I'm eating alone at lunch. Most people don't do that. The staff at those places probably need the money and appreciate the gesture more than most.
Ms. Toad (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 10:16 AM
Response to Reply #8
13. Well - it's only tax free if the recipient is not complying with the tax laws. It won't be reported by their employer - but they are legally obligated to report it. (I do know from a stint doing taxes that virtually none so - in the 5 years I worked as a tax preparer, not a single person answered "yes" to the question about tips not reported by their employer.)
My tips are more in line with yours - although the $2 is per person in the room per day for me. From the thread it looks like I might be undertipping so I'll need to re-evaluate.
Although I don't leave as large a tip at buffet restaurants, it would not have crossed my mind not to tip at all. You may want to check your assumptions that most people don't tip there. The only places I don't tip are counter-service-only places that in recent years have cropped up with tip jars by the cash register (coffee shops, for example).
The first honest answer in the whole campfire:
spanone (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 09:29 AM
Response to Original message
9. no
Lisa D (9 posts) Sat Jan-02-10 10:02 AM
Response to Original message
10. $5 per day
mmonk (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 10:04 AM
Response to Original message
11. Yes I do. The amount varies on my money at the time.
The second honest answer; probably doesn't want a hotel maid to discover the amphetemine-making apparatus:
aikoaiko (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 10:05 AM
Response to Original message
12. No, I generally keep them out of my room.
Both for green reasons and privacy.
GreenPartyVoter (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 01:15 PM
Response to Reply #12
17. The last place we stayed had a "No change for three days" option with the bedding which we selected.
I thought that was pretty cool.
bigendian (941 posts) Sat Jan-02-10 10:18 AM
Response to Original message
14. A reply from the inside.
I work in a service position for an international chain. My experience has been with domestic properties only. Though I have traveled abroad and realize that culture plays a big part in business transactions, in the USA tips are an honored tradition.
Your housekeeper will do approximately 20 rooms a day in a set period. A checkout (c/o) takes more time than a stay over. So the work load can vary daily. They are constantly under pressure to work fast and go home. Almost housekeeper I know will clock out for a required lunch break but go back to their floor and work. They have assigned floors so that quality can be tracked.
These days it can be a struggle to get the scheduling due to the drop in business that the industry is seeing. So when you are there by all means tip, especially if you have a family or special requests.
The hotel I work at has furloughed a lot of us in all positions. I was supposed to be off three weeks in Dec/Jan. But I have been called back early.
Berry Cool (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 01:01 PM
Response to Original message
15. Usually about $5 a day.
But I think I'm the only person I know who does.
Gormy Cuss (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 01:11 PM
Response to Original message
16. One dollar for each $50 in room cost, more if the room takes extra work like cleaning a kitchen area or second room, vacuuming beach sand, cleaning up extra towels or trash, etc. That's my basic rule and these days I usually don't leave less than three bucks. My family members who do this work at a $150/night place say that the majority of guests leave nothing.
Dream Girl (30 posts) Sat Jan-02-10 01:16 PM
Response to Original message
18. Good discussion.
This actually provided me with some insight into hotel housekeeping. I travel fairly frequently and will now leave $5 every day with an note in English/Spanish. I also like the idea of tipping for the buser at a buffet.
Man, talk about stereotyping.
As if only Hispanics clean hotel rooms.
progressoid (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 01:18 PM
Response to Original message
19. a couple bucks
wish I could afford more.
mainer (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 01:34 PM
Response to Original message
20. Yes, 5 - 10 bucks a day is what I leave.
If I'm staying for several days, sometimes they won't pick up the tips because they're not sure it's for them, so I just leave the whole sum on the last day. That's a good idea to leave a note to make it clear.
Peacetrain (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 01:36 PM
Response to Original message
21. When I check out.. 5.00,., I would love to be able to leave more.. but that is about all I can afford..
mainer (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 01:36 PM
Response to Original message
22. Abroad, I've heard it's unheard of to tip hotel housekeepers
In the UK, my English hosts had never heard of such a thing and thought it was odd that I'd even ask about it.
WilliamPitt (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 02:43 PM
THE BOSTONIAN DRUNKARD
Response to Reply #22
25. Tipping is not big in Europe generally
I once tipped a British bartender a pound after a pint, and she reacted like I'd bought her a Ferrari. I know a lot of service industry people - bartenders, waiters, managers, etc. - and they tend to cringe whenever they get European customers. Eight out of ten times, that translates into a tiny tip no matter how big the bill, or no tip at all. Having been a waiter in a tourist-trap restaurant myself, I've seen it in action.
Wow. The Bostonian Drunkard was once a
garcon.
tonysam (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 03:00 PM
Response to Reply #25
27. In Italy they use service charges on top of the bill, so no, people don't tip.
hunter (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 01:57 PM
Response to Original message
23. I tend to tip more at the less expensive places, especially if they are very clean.
At least five dollars a day in most cases.
It's harder to make an older lower cost room up nice than it is to clean a new, optimized, corporate clone of a room.
This is the kind of work that really screams for a national single payer health plan and a significantly increased minimum wage.
A significantly increased minimum wage would mean $500-a-night hotel rooms at the Super 8 and $20 martinis at Chi-Chi's.
WilliamPitt (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 02:41 PM
THE BOSTONIAN DRUNKARD
Response to Original message
24. Same as you
More if I really blew the room up.
goclark (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 02:56 PM
Response to Original message
26. I always tip for service
My father taught me to do it when I was a young girl.
He was a waiter during the time that he was in Medical School and in college.
He always reminded me of that and pointed out that " without those tips and those jobs I would not be able to be in a position to give you many of the things that you enjoy."
My mother has always felt the same way.
She is 91 years old and will always remind me to tip the mailman at Christmas time, tip the lady that helps us around the house, tip any waiter in a restaurant etc.
Now I just do it without thinking.
I enjoy doing it.
I am reminded of overhearing a conversation at church one day.
One of the ladies was saying that she takes the Bus at 6 AM every Sunday to get there by 7 am.
Another lady heard her and said, "I would never take a Bus to get to Church, don't you have a Car?"
I felt so bad I wanted to slap that lady but I decided that I would save all of my change, Now for the last two years,each Sunday, I quietly give an envelope to the sweet lady for her Bus fare.
She hugs me all the time and thanks me from the bottom of her heart she calls me her Angel.
That makes me feel good.
Hmmmm. Nice little bouncy there, above.
Kansas Wyatt (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-02-10 03:21 PM
Response to Original message
28. Shameful story...
About eight years ago, I went to a very nice hotel for 3 days. I was only use to Holiday Inn and Motel 6 hotels, so I was completely ignorant about tipping and had never really thought of it either. Well, first I get checked in, and then this guy takes me up to my room and insists on carrying all the luggage, which kind of annoyed me, because I didn't think I needed help, just tell me where it is.
Well, he gets me in my room and he's standing there waiting on me, as the light bulb slowly went off in my head... So I said, look, I've never stayed at someplace this nice, so just tell me what I should tip you. No problem, because I made sure I gave him the most he said, just so I wouldn't offend him and he seemed happy.
Then came the question to the valet about how much I was suppose to tip them for retrieving my truck. No problem again, I always gave them the most of what I was told. To be honest though, I would have preferred a parking spot close to the hotel where I could come and go without all the fanfare, but that's just me.
After the first day, the maid who had been cleaning my room, asked if everything was okay or if I had a problem. No, and not knowing why she cared at all. Then the second day came, and she asks me again and seems somewhat confused and hurt that everything was okay with me.
Then it occurs to me... Oh shit, I'm suppose to be tipping her too and I'm checking out tomorrow. So, not having a clue how much I was suppose to tip, I left $30 on the table and a note saying it was for the maid who had been cleaning my room. The room was $100 a night and I still have no clue if the amount I left was enough.
