Hotel guests

Roseblum15 · #1 08-03-2003, 08:23 PM

Why do people not understand that it is customary (sp?) to tip your housekeeper when staying at a hotel? All this week we have had EAA going on which draws people from all over the world and the hotel I work at has been booked full. This means many rooms for us to clean. People leave these rooms in terrible conditions and not one bothers to leave a buck or anything for the person who has to clean it. I am getting really pissed and am so happy that I only have three more weeks of work before school starts again.

So to all you wonderful GC's please leave a tip when you check out of a hotel if the housekeeping service was good. Even if it is just a back or so, the person cleaning your room will appreciate it.

#2 08-03-2003, 09:48 PM

I totally agree with you! My mom has worked with the Housekeeping Department w/ the Hilton Hotels for the past 30 years and she's always taught me to appreciate those who clean up after your mess. If you don't leave a tip for the maid every day, at least take care of her at the end of your stay. These people work so damn hard for so little...the least visitors can do is shell out a buck or two a day...AT LEAST!

But damn, if you leave a big mess...do the noble thing.

SSS1365 · #3 08-03-2003, 09:55 PM

I never knew it was the proper thing to do honestly, and I'm sure a lot of people don't. Or maybe I just didn't know cuz I haven't stayed in many really nice hotels. Usually just like Days Inn or something like that. I'll definitely keep it in mind for the future!

SigmaChiGuy · #4 08-03-2003, 09:58 PM

I have never heard of tipping your maids/housekeepers while staying at a hotel in the US. Now, Mexico or anywhere else, I have always heard to leave a little cash in the room for them.

I don't think its necessary to do it, afterall, its their job to clean the rooms. Now, is it a nice gesture to leave the tip, hell yes...but not necessary.

My fitty cent. (We gonna party like its your berf-day)

Roseblum15 · #5 08-03-2003, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SigmaChiGuy
I have never heard of tipping your maids/housekeepers while staying at a hotel in the US. Now, Mexico or anywhere else, I have always heard to leave a little cash in the room for them.

I don't think its necessary to do it, afterall, its their job to clean the rooms. Now, is it a nice gesture to leave the tip, hell yes...but not necessary.

My fitty cent. (We gonna party like its your berf-day)

So this would mean that since it is waiters/waitresses jobs to just wait on tables, then we shouldn't leave a tip. I don't think so. You have no idea how hard we work and how little we actually make.

SigmaChiGuy · #6 08-03-2003, 10:33 PM

Actually, yes I do know how hard you work. I live in Wisconsin and have been to the EAA at least 10 times. Yes, I understand that there are tens of thousands of people who frequent the hotels, and yes, they probably could drop you a tip....but, they shouldn't have to. You chose to take that job, so deal with it. If you are complaining about the money, talk with your manager for a raise, or get a job elsewhere.

As for waitressing, thats totally different. They make $2.05 an hour, and they RELY on their tips - and YES, it is custom to tip for the delivery of your food, not the fluffing of your pillow - especially when they are forking out $150-$200 a night for a king size bed and some bad curtains. Hotel staff probably makes $7-$10 per hour. It's your choice, you shouldn't be complaining.

#7 08-03-2003, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SigmaChiGuy
Actually, yes I do know how hard you work. I live in Wisconsin and have been to the EAA at least 10 times. Yes, I understand that there are tens of thousands of people who frequent the hotels, and yes, they probably could drop you a tip....but, they shouldn't have to. You chose to take that job, so deal with it. If you are complaining about the money, talk with your manager for a raise, or get a job elsewhere.

As for waitressing, thats totally different. They make $2.05 an hour, and they RELY on their tips - and YES, it is custom to tip for the delivery of your food, not the fluffing of your pillow - especially when they are forking out $150-$200 a night for a king size bed and some bad curtains. Hotel staff probably makes $7-$10 per hour. It's your choice, you shouldn't be complaining.

I hardly think that a housekeeper's duties is limited to fluffing your pillows.

Perhaps you should think about the men and women who have to clean the toilets you piss and shit in next time you stay at a hotel and be thankful that you don't have to clean up after yourself.

docetboy · #8 08-03-2003, 10:55 PM

Since I have been a breakfast host at a hotel before, I realize how nice tips are. I recieved nice tips and it helped supplement my $7/hr paycheck...I worked at a Courtyard by Marriott hotel, and helped people with the buffett - I brought them coffee, showed them around the buffett, made sure they were happy, then brought them the check which they could put on their room ($7.95 for the buffett - ouch!) - most were businessmen and were billing someone else for the rooms so they tacked on a one or two dollar tip...some were marriott gold members which recieved free breakfast and left me $5 tips instead, and on the weekends were regular joes who were not expecting to pay for breakfast to begin with...the days I worked the hardest I got the least in tips usually.

You should always tip someone when you recieve a personal service. HOWEVER, that tip should be based upon how good the service was, NOT what is 'customary'. Haircuts, I tip 1-3 dollars depending on how good the barber was. Pizza, two-three bucks usually. Waitresses, depending on the service, anywhere from pennies to 30% depending on how good he/she was. The tips I recieved I recieved because I gave good service...that's why I recieved $5 tips on a $7.95 buffet, or one time, where two ladies were part of a business group that recieved cheaper meals, went back to their rooms, then went to the kitchen area to find me and gave me 10's and 5's because of how good the service was and how they didn't expect it in a small 90-room basic kansas hotel.

Regarding housekeeping service, I think it all depends. In a lot of hotels, the housekeeping staff goes into your room, does what it needs and gets out. If there is a personal touch left - a signed note saying it was a pleasure, an exceptionally well cleaned room, sure leave a tip. But I don't think it's expected, especially at our hotel, where the housekeeping staff was Mexicans and legally retarded people (sounds bad, but it was true). At hotels where rooms are much nicer and fancier, sure you might leave a tip.

The absolute bottom line for me is: A TIP IS A MEASURE OF GOOD SERVICE, NOT REQUIRED. If you recieve terrible service, you show it by leaving no or an extremely small tip. If you recieve excellent service, say thank you with a large tip.

exlurker · #9 08-03-2003, 11:20 PM

For people who are unaware of the custom and etiquette of tipping hotal and motel housekeeping / maid staff in the U.S., may I suggest a quick Google (or similar) search on something like .... tipping hotel . . . or tipping hotel housekeeping.
You'll probably find quite a variety of pages, and the info is generally along the lines of "tip $1 or $2 a day." A few sites say as much as $5 a day, but in my estimation that amount would be appropriate in a true luxury hotel / motel / resort, not in the ordinary Holiday Inns, Days Inns, Hiltons, Sheratons, Hyatts and so on that most business or pleasure travelers use.
At least one site said to leave the tip on the pillow, but I usually leave it on the desk or on a table with a note saying "Housekeeping - Thank you."
I've been amazed at the number of colleagues who were not aware of this custom / etiquette. For several years now, if there are new staff coming along on a trip, I'll try to mention in passing that I need to be sure to have a dollar or two on me to leave for the maid. This sometimes gets a comment or question, and gives me a chance to educate (not to insist, just to educate).
Oh, and as far as housekeeping staff who are "legally retarded" -- I prefer saying "people with mental retardation" if it is even necessary to do so -- gee, they are doing the job, and I'll bet they appreciate the money and the thanks!

CC1GC · #10 08-03-2003, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by exlurker
A few sites say as much as $5 a day, but in my estimation that amount would be appropriate in a true luxury hotel / motel / resort, not in the ordinary Holiday Inns, Days Inns, Hiltons, Sheratons, Hyatts and so on that most business or pleasure travelers use.

ummm what? Hilton is one of the elite chains, they're in the same cluster as Marriot Hotels, Crowne Plaza, Four Seasons, Fairmont, ect. How can you throw them in with days inn...blah?

chicagoagd · #11 08-04-2003, 12:01 AM

I think a "normal" stay is when the guest is truly just crashing there for the night. I think a tip is warranted if it's an extended stay such as: when people clean out all the "supplies" every day, the guest uses every single washcloth/towel/handtowel, leaves trash all over the room, the sheets must be changed every single day because of noticeable stains, and the maid has to maneuver around your stuff that is scattered all over the bed, floor, dresser, bathroom, balcony (and risk someone accusing them of stealing). They have a number of rooms to get done by the end of their shift, if your room is in need of a deep clean every single day I think it would be nice to leave a tip for spending so much of their time on just your room.

33girl · #12 08-04-2003, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CC1GC
ummm what? Hilton is one of the elite chains, they're in the same cluster as Marriot Hotels, Crowne Plaza, Four Seasons, Fairmont, ect. How can you throw them in with days inn...blah?

Hell, I stay at the Super 8 during ALF, and I still tip $5 at the end of the weekend. If anything, the Super 8/Days/Knights chains probably need the tips MORE as those type hotels are usually in poorer towns and probably on the low end of the wage scale. I also am the guest who uses every single towel plus extras, fills the wastebaskets, etc. so they definitely deserve it - not that I'm a bad guest, but if I'm in a hotel, I will take full advantage of what I'm paying for.

exlurker · #13 08-04-2003, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CC1GC
ummm what? Hilton is one of the elite chains, they're in the same cluster as Marriot Hotels, Crowne Plaza, Four Seasons, Fairmont, ect. How can you throw them in with days inn...blah?

Your point's well taken: Hiltons are almost always much more upscale than Days Inns! I guess I was thinking that -- for me, not necessarily for everyone -- a $5/day tip for the housekeeping staff might be more appropriate at, say, the Benson in Portland OR, the Brown Palace in Denver, or a similar super-luxury hotel with, typically, lots of "supplies" and much larger rooms to clean and tidy up. It probably would be a *minimum* at a place like The Carlyle in NYC (where I have never stayed).

Glitter650 · #14 08-04-2003, 12:44 AM

I personally had never heard of tipping hotel housekeeping until a year or two ago. Personally although it has become customary to tip it should never be considered "mandatory" I mean... it's supposed to be for a job well done... if someone really hasn't done their job..if they did a good job HELL yeah... but I'm not going to tip someone just because I think they don't earn enough money... I'm poor
Hiltons are def. a nicer chain type hotel.... but there are nicer hotels in every city... (generally not chains) like here in San Fran there's a hotel that doesn't even have a sign on building and costs like 5000 a night that some of the stars and such stay in while in town. I'd say it's kinda like the difference between Bannana Republic..(still nice clothes, but fairly "standard if you will) and buying Prada...(still nice, but more exclusive) ya know what I mean ??

GeekyPenguin · #15 08-04-2003, 03:09 AM

I tip my housekeepers depending on how good of a job they do - first day, probably not getting a tip. Second day, if you did a nice job, big tip. Some hotels in WI are so ##@#@ lazy about their housekeeping - I stayed at Devil's Head for a College Democrats convention last year, and our towels had MOLD growing on them.

Another horror story - stayed at the Don Q in Dodgeville after SigEp banquet and there was crayon everywhere in the bathroom. It only took like 15 seconds for me to clean up, but damned if that housekeeping staff deserves my money for doing such a crappy job.

I think most people have no idea that it is customary to tip housekeeping - it's not common knowledge.