Wow, Travel + Leisure has released their latest tipping guidelines and they are steep, especially for housekeeping and the valet! Granted, these are for US stays, but I’ve never before heard of $5-$10 per day for housekeeping (I normally leave $2 per day in the US if I’m traveling alone) or $5 every time my rental car is brought around when using the valet. What do you think?
• Bellman: $1 to $2 per bag.
• Concierge: $10 to $20 for performing a special service, such as scoring tickets to a sold-out event or wrangling lost luggage from your airline.
• Doorman: $2 for hailing a cab in rush hour or in the rain; $1 for each bag.
• Housekeeping: $5 to $10 per day. Leave it at the front desk if you want it divided equally among all your housekeepers.
• Room Service: A service charge is almost always included in the bill. To personally thank your server, 5 percent will suffice.
• Valet: $5 when your car is delivered.
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20 comments
I think – as a non-american who is the U.S ALOT – that the tipping culture in america is completely out of control….
^^^^It’s called “Entitlement” and it’s ruining this great country.
Tipping is definitely out of control when the employer includes tipping in the calculation of an employee’s wage.
Tipping at hotels is an absolute joke. If I wanted to go without these services I would get an apartment on airbnb for half the price for a room(s) that is twice the size.
I will say though I did feel compelled to tip the housekeeping when I spent nearly a week at the Four Seasons in Vegas. Whenever they came to my room while I was there they addressed me as Mr. Summy (they somehow already knew my name) and while I was gone the lady folded all of my clothes, organized all of my stuff, etc. Kind of creepy but in a good way. I felt like my mom was staying with me!
$1.50 for the hotel maid (North America only). I carry my own bags, and usually don’t tip the bell staff to hold a bag if my room isn’t available when I arrive. If I leave multiple bags after checking out, I’ll usually tip a lump sum when I pick them up, but never at limited service properties.
I am sick and tired of the , ” tipping culture . I am there to enjoy myself, not to stand around doing guilt based mathematics. If tipping is required then just include it in the bill, and don’t give me the, ” they don’t get paid enough” argument. Pay them more and then charge me if that’s the case.
Rant over….
$5 for a valet is a joke. So if a valet person delivers 6 cars per hour, he/she would be earning $30/hour in tips and make more than the average teacher? That’s just not right.
$5-10 housekeeping per day???? I don’t make that big of a mess to need to tip that much. I think that amount is outrageous. I don’t want them touching my stuff. I just want the bathroom cleaned and the trash emptied.
I definitely think $5/day is reasonable for housekeeping. No more though unless my kids have made a huge mess or I threw up all over the walls or something. I figure the maids clean maybe 2 rooms/hour if they’re lucky. Meanwhile a bellman gets how much for 5 minutes of rolling my bags down the hall? I see overtipping maids as my own personal attempt to close the gender wage gap. Plus, they literally clean up sh*t all day.
$5 for Valet is ridiculous, unless they load my week’s luggage into the car. You’re probably already paying a ridiculous amount to the hotel for parking. $2 is plenty.
Employees at a hotel only exists because there are GUESTS!
We are the reason for their JOBS!
I understand tipping is part of american culture, however, I feel sick to see most of them with a forced and “professional” smile, just because they want TIPS!
Gratuities should occur only in case of exceptional service, not routine obligation!
Staying at hotels in many countries, especially some in Asia, show the contrast of a GENUINE wish to help guests!
too crazy
I only tip for things that are done that are above and beyond. A bellman bringing up a full cart of groceries, housekeeping bringing by out-of-the-ordinary requested items, etc. Maybe a ten at the end of the week for housekeeping if they did a good job for the week. The good tips go to the bartenders and servers that look out.
This is ridiculous. They can dream on if they think I’m tipping at these levels.
The bags is the biggest annoyance to me. Why should I pay someone to make me wait on my bags to be delivered to my room? That’s what those little wheels are for! I aggressively refuse help with my bags whenever possible. The only exception is after a very long trip to a poor country, in which case I let them have the “work” and I relax.
Wow, I never leave that much! I am European and not used to tipping…
I usually leave 1$ per night for housekeeping.
1$ per bag for the bellman.
When I leave the hotel, 3 or 4 $ for the doorman.
I don’t usually use valet parking or room service.
I also agree those guidelines are becoming very silly! Why are we tipping bellmen to hang on to our bags when I can take them up right away? Also, why tip so much for a doorman – good grief it’s becoming ridiculous. I do feel that the cleaning staff should get a good tip each day if they do a nice job (cleaning staff often change day to day so tipping at the end of a stay is not fair), but the valets, bellmen, and doormen are tipped way too much for doing pretty little that is of value.
I always tip and as Steve Martin said. In my blue heaven. It’s not tipping I believe in,it’s over tipping. But 5 or 10 per night for a hotel is too much.
IPW is the U.S. Travel Association conference for selling U.S. travel to international visitors.
Each year I have attended the IPW conference press briefing, an Irish journalist questions executives of the U.S. Travel Association about the tipping culture and extraneous fees associated with staying at U.S. hotels and dining in restaurants beyond the published rates.
He questions why guests should have to subsidize the wages of housekeepers with tips and diners in restaurants need to subsidize the wages of employees who are underpaid.
Last month he questioned why there is not a fight to stop resort fees being added to the daily hotel rate.
The response was the market will decide. Travelers can choose to stay at hotels without resort fees and then the hotels may change the practice.
Resort fees are outrageous, especially with respect to hotel loyalty programs since these fees do not earn credit for points.
As an American I know it is risky not to tip at a restaurant if you ever plan to be a repeat customer.
The rest of the world does not understand our American culture of underpaying employees and the expectation that travelers using services are expected to tip and subsidize the wages of service employees so that employers do not have to pay full wages.
according to somewhere I read we are encouraged to leave the majority of our ‘wealth’ to charity. this line of thinking is in line with tipping everywhere. there is a tip jar at the counter of every restaurant, for to-go orders, the credit card slip the tip line is blank for you to fill in something. this is ridiculous along with the 30% increase of menu price.