Tipping Housekeeping

[HammerNoMore]

Not to hijack your hijack, but it's Starbucks that I'm really mad at (whine&Cheese coming). They started the tradition of tipping a dollar for a 3 dollar cup of coffee, which is 33%! Ridiculous! And now they've got those tip cups everywhere.

Another place I don't tip...but then again it's another place I don't visit. I'm not a fan of burnt coffe beans.

Though, I really must apologize for hijacking your hijack of my hijack of my own thread...

 

[RLarsen]

I appreciate the very good service and warm hospitality I've received in Mexico. The pay and standard of living for many of the workers is much lower than we enjoy back home. For very little money I'm able to be a generous guy and I'm quick to tip DM's, some boat crew and of course the people who keep my room nice for me ( especially for a weeklong stay). When I'm out getting good food and drinks I also tip generously because the service is almost always really good. I'm not rich and I spend a bundle on dive gear, flying and travel expenses. When I'm having the time of my life I'm happy to be generous with tips and it really doesn't require much money compared to everything else. I also tend to tip a little more if I'm dining or rooming with cheapskates.
Rex

 

[HammerNoMore]

Just a side note here, and yet another hijack . I also tend to tip more generously in a place I'm likely to revisit. Ignoring the fact that if the service was bad, I won't be revisiting anyway, if it's a place I plan to make a regualar visit to, I want my tip to be remembered.

See, I truely consider a tip to say 2 things: 1) thank you for good service and 2) if you give me good service in the future you will be rewarded.

To the guy who tips houskeeping at the end of the week. Kudos's to you, but unless you are a regular at that particular establishment, what do you think you get out of it?

James

 

[hdtran]

..snip...

I agree with you 100%. Everyone should be paid "reasonably" but not necissarly equally. My original statement on who I tip is not based on who get's paid what. I consider what is widely belived to be the original defintion of tip: "To Insure Promptness".

..snip...

Yup, I said reasonable, I meant reasonable. Waitstaff ought to be paid at least minimum wage (or reasonable facsimile), none of this "oh, you'll get tips...", then, the IRS decides how much you ought to have received in tips so you can pay your social security + income tax on unreported tips etc. (oops, started to rant--quit it!). Don't get me started about oversize athletes salaries (Oh, and don't get me started on minimum wage either :11: )

I've heard "To Insure Prompt Service"; but I've also heard that that's an urban legend.

Problem is, for many folks, the tip is the wage. (Or at least, that's what they tell you).

So, to get back on topic, I'm very willing to believe that in Mexico, in many upscale resorts, the housekeeping staff makes diddly wages. A couple of $ every day from us is therefore not unreasonable. I do leave a note (in mangled Spanish) with special requests (if any) along with the tip. I *don't* think hotel management tracks (yet) towel usage or inventories water bottles or chocolates, so this is all under housekeeping control. Housekeeping also cleans the dishes in the sink (they don't have to, but they do), etc.

 

[HammerNoMore]

Yup, I said reasonable, I meant reasonable. Waitstaff ought to be paid at least minimum wage (or reasonable facsimile), none of this "oh, you'll get tips...", then, the IRS decides how much you ought to have received in tips so you can pay your social security + income tax on unreported tips etc. (oops, started to rant--quit it!). Don't get me started about oversize athletes salaries (Oh, and don't get me started on minimum wage either :11: )

Hehe, actually that IRS thing usually goes the other way. Credit card tips get taken as is and cash tips are assumed to be 10%?. If you're a good waitier you always get more so you end up ahead...least that's the way it was for me 20 years ago .

I do leave a note (in mangled Spanish) with special requests (if any) along with the tip. I *don't* think hotel management tracks (yet) towel usage or inventories water bottles or chocolates, so this is all under housekeeping control. Housekeeping also cleans the dishes in the sink (they don't have to, but they do), etc.

So an $X envlope marked "housekeeping" and a note that says:

"más toallas y aqua por favor"

Did I get the spanglish right?

 

[hdtran]

Agua, not Aqua. Aqua is a color, Agua is water. Although in Italian, Aqua may well be water, I don't remember anymore.

I would specify the number of towels, as in "queremos cuatro toallas, por favor" (we would like 4 towels, please).

(edit added)... The accents are great. I don't know how to do them, so you have to assume accents like on "mas"

(one more edit)... Don't mark the envelope "for housekeeping." Mark it "para la criada" (for the (female) maid). Unless, of course, the hotel provides an envelope... If you leave money around, upscale hotel staff are trained not to take it, unless it's marked for them. You can also write "Para usted" (please put accent on correct place), which takes care of the sexist assumption that the maid is female. (I don't know the Spanish for the male form of maid).

(one last edit) (like the Spanish Inquisition...) It's not Spanglish, it's Manglish (Mangled Spanish) or Spangled (Spanish Mangled).

 

[HammerNoMore]

(edit added)... The accents are great. I don't know how to do them, so you have to assume accents like on "mas"

If you are on a Windoze computer:

1. WindozeKey+R
2. Type charmap
3. Find the accent character you want
4. Double click the character.
5. Hit the "Copy" button.
6. Switch back to your SB editor window.
7. Hit "Ctrl+V" or "Ctrl+Ins".
8. Done...

 

[teamheatwave]

We leave $1 per person per day and we leave it at the end of the bed every morning. It's not a lot but when they know you thought enough of them to leave something they usually go that extra mile for you. If we're in the room at the same time they come to clean, we occasionally offer them a cold beverage from the servi-bar in the room.

 

[Divingnthedark]

I like tipping the maid in Cozumel....It's fun to see what happens. One day you may get beautiful hand picked flowers on your night stand, sometimes an extra towel critter on your bed that looks like a swan, somedays an unexpected late day roll down service with mints or chocolates. Even though they usually can't speak English they do understand they are appreciated and the smiles are priceless! I always bring extra dollars for tipping housekeeping and leave 3-4 dollars per day with a gracias note and smiley face. Hope your experiment goes well James!
Loretta

 

[TCDiver1]

... like others i tip housekeeping a couple bucks a day in places like Coz. Tip early and tip often, it really works. Forget the resort owners, it means a lot to the people doing the job.

It cracks me up when non-tippers complain about not getting enough good service. I can't count the times i've advised the same people just tip a buck or two and your service will get much better but they continue to keep that philosophical or just plain cheap death grip on their wallets.

For the equivalent of one nice lunch, you get a week of good service. It's almost free lunch IMO.