So, do you tip your MAID?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I've been told the rule of thumb is to leave $5 per bed, per night. I don't have a problem with the rule and leave a tip right before it's time to check out.... when I remember. I frequently forget.

how often do you forget to tip your waitress in a restaurant?

Never.

Not to make excuses, but when I'm checking out of hotel rooms I'm usually in a rush to catch a flight or something. Not the case when I leave restaurants. And besides, at restaurants, when I'm filling out that credit card slip, there's a line for entering the tip amount. They remind me to pay up. Ya'll don't

And how might you suggest we give a gentle 'reminder" to a guest, then? LOL

A line titled "Gratuity" on the final invoice. The same way restaurants do it. Of course that only works if you use a credit card.

[Peggy 1]

It all depends on the service that I receive while I am there.

Plus I would never leave a huge mess for anyone to have to come in after me and clean it. Thats just the way I am. I have never left a hotel/motel room in a mess.

I stayed in a hotel in Panama City for two days, and paid way to much for what the room was like. It was just gross. We could tell that it was not cleaned properly before we checked in. First and last time for that hotel.

I always found it strange too, that when a waitress brings out the food to you. She gets the tip, and not the person cooking it.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Plus I would never leave a huge mess for anyone to have to come in after me and clean it. Thats just the way I am. I have never left a hotel/motel room in a mess.

Aah, on the subject of the reminder to tip - when I do leave a mess (I'm very good at making messes of things in a very short period of time), I always leave a tip. I look at the mess, I cringe and that's my reminder to leave that tip

Edited October 8, 2006 by Gupt

[Lou Lou 1]

I always clear the bathroom surfaces when I stay so the maid doesn't have to move all my stuff out of the way, and it's easier for them to clean. I always put the used towels in the bath so she knows what to do with them all. I've been a cleaner in the past (offices), and know what pigs people can be, so I try to be thoughtful.

I leave a tip if I've had good service, and especially so if they've gone the extra length to make things look good.

If the room is bad I always complain too. There is no excuse for crappy work no matter what you do.

[jodee 30]

In Australia, it was never considered, well as far as I know,..and I was never instructed by a peer or partner, or family member to do as such. IN fact, I had never even heard of tipping the maid, or wait staff. But I guess in Australia, the wages for these things are alot better.

It was on my first visit to the US, to visit my now hubby, that I learnt of this. He left a $10 for a two day visit for the maid in the bedroom, and tipped quite considerably in the restaurants. I never realised the staff were paid so low.

Jodee

[Nikita2Charles 31]

I use to travel quite a bit Locally in the US and overseas, I use to leave $20 tips when I Check out and whatever change i have left, i just leave it also. But i met a nice lady housekeeping one time She was really nice and my room was always tidy, always have new towels, so I leave nice Tips when i check out. Then I found out that she never got the TIPS, apprarently i check out on Monday, and Sunday and Monday is her day off.

RULES OF TUMB

BREAK DOWN THE TIPS DAILY

Even if it's $2 a day you can afford, do it you will see the service, that way the housekeeping lady gets a daily reward for her tips, so WHOEVER actually clean the room gets the TIPS.

For restaurant

It all depends on the service, If the waiter/waitress is nice, Bring some water on time, the menu, always give you a refill, very observant, polite, then 15% tips is the norm, but if the service is bad, to let them know i didnt' llike it I would leave

A PENNY.

Not be being cheap but to make a point i didn't appreciate the service.

[kc456 0]

I've started tipping the maids after I read the book Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich. She worked a series of low paying jobs, including as a hotel maid. That was some back-breaking work!

I try to leave about $2 per day (leave it every day). Although, if I am rushing out in the morning and don't have small bills, I sometimes don't (bad, I know). I've mostly stayed in semi-budget hotels ($100 - $150 per night), so would not know how much you're supposed to tip in luxury hotels.

I've seen cards in the rooms "Hi My name is ____ and I will be your housekeeper" and that does help to remember to leave the tip.

Edited October 8, 2006 by kc456

[PlatyPius 5]

I've mostly stayed in semi-budget hotels ($100 - $150 per night), so would not know how much you're supposed to tip in luxury hotels.

To me, that IS a luxury hotel! LOL! I usually end up in $30-$60/night rooms.

[Jenn! 918]

I generally leave $2 per person.

[kisschick1976 0]

I've only stayed at places like motel 6 and I have never thought to leave a tip I know better now.

I always always ALWAYS clean after myself (restaurants and motels) and I leave things the way I find them.

one horror story tho, I went to go see KISS in San Antonio and I stayed in New Bransfuls, Tx at a Motel 6, when I came home the next day and unpacked. A HUGE TEXAS SIZED ROACH crawled/flew out of my bag

[Savanphil 3]

we never did totally forgot about tipping the maids...

we'll start now

[travlnmannn 0]

I'm on the tipping bandwagon. I dont stay at 5-star hotels but I've traveled extensively in the states and abroad. I always leave a tip. Minimum $2 a day. It isn't much but I hope it at least shows that I appreciate the work of the unseen.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

I ALWAYS leave a tip at hotels. That's a tough job, and I appreciate hard work.

[Cassie 8]

I've been told the rule of thumb is to leave $5 per bed, per night. I don't have a problem with the rule and leave a tip right before it's time to check out.... when I remember. I frequently forget.

how often do you forget to tip your waitress in a restaurant?

Never.

Not to make excuses, but when I'm checking out of hotel rooms I'm usually in a rush to catch a flight or something. Not the case when I leave restaurants. And besides, at restaurants, when I'm filling out that credit card slip, there's a line for entering the tip amount. They remind me to pay up. Ya'll don't

And how might you suggest we give a gentle 'reminder" to a guest, then? LOL

one motel I stayed at had a "tip jar" with the housekeeper's name on it....not sure that would go over well at your 5-star classy place

[Sharon 1]

To those of you who leave tips and those who weren't aware that it's nice to do so and will now start, I thank you.

It really is very hard work. It's strenuous on the back and on the knees and your hands. We in the housekeeping business work our a$$es off for our money. When I get home from work at the end of the day I am almost dead on my feet...and I have a 10 year old and hubby to tend to. (but yes hubby does his fair share most of the time and now my daughter is starting to pitch in too) And it's a mostly thankless job, really. It makes us feel that we've done our job well when we see a tip and as has been said, we might even make sure your room gets "extra" attention too...lol. For most of us, there is a sense of pride involved when we finish a room and do our "double-check" Tho in the establishment that I work in, ultra-high standards are expected of us at all times and each room is inspected 2-3 times before it is released to the guest, first by the executive house-keeper, then by her boss and then again once more half the time by one of the owners of the place. If we make a big mistake in any room 3 times in all, we get a day's suspension from work without pay. So ya kinda make sure you do it all right and that a guest doesn't have anything to complain about and enjoys their stay.

If you haven't already checked out where I worked when I posted the link a few weeks back - here it is..

The Inn at Little Washington.

one motel I stayed at had a "tip jar" with the housekeeper's name on it....not sure that would go over well at your 5-star classy place

I think the owners would sh!t!

Ayuh, we don't even have those "Hello my name is ____ and I'll be your housekeeper today" cards. We just pray that we are remembered...lol. I don't mean to sound like we expect it, ya know? But yep, it sure is nice.

Edited October 9, 2006 by Sharon