Tip Your Maid!

[freakazoid]

With Balog and Boomhauer, I had no idea that tipping the maid is a thing until reading this thread.  My folks didn't do it when I was growing up, I've never seen anyone I've stayed in a hotel with do it, and nobody has ever said anything about it to me.

+1

[fifth_column]

When I worked at a ski resort in CO I knew many of the housekeeping staff.  They always had the best booze, because they were allowed to take whatever had been left behind by the tourists.  Since this was a resort, most people would be there for a week on average, and it was easier for them to just leave the half-finished bottles or what-not. 

I've never left a tip for the housekeeping staff.  If I'm in a place for more than a night I use the "Please don't make up the room" option, when available.  I don't mind using a towel more than once, and prefer that my stuff be left alone while I'm out for the day.  I certainly don't feel the need to pay extra for a service I don't want.

I could see leaving something extra if I've "trashed" a room though.

[SADShooter]

If you're not my wife/girlfriend/roomie and you're: replacing coffee service; picking up the dirty towels I left in the bathroom; and dumping my snot rags out of the trashcan, that warrants a gratuity. It's a personal service just as intimate as providing me food & drink. I'm in the approx. $5/day camp, varying by location, quality of service, and length of stay.

[Tallpine]

When I worked at a ski resort in CO I knew many of the housekeeping staff.  They always had the best booze, because they were allowed to take whatever had been left behind by the tourists.  Since this was a resort, most people would be there for a week on average, and it was easier for them to just leave the half-finished bottles or what-not. 

Ladypine used to work as cabin maid at a resort in Colorado (where we met, as they also had a store, gas station, cafe).  I think she rarely got tips but lots of free food and drink left behind (and most of the maids were under 21  ).

We have a funny story about half empty ketchup bottles 

[grampster]

I always leave at least a $5.00 tip per night for housekeeping.  We don't leave any mess either.

[KD5NRH]

With Balog and Boomhauer, I had no idea that tipping the maid is a thing until reading this thread.  My folks didn't do it when I was growing up, I've never seen anyone I've stayed in a hotel with do it, and nobody has ever said anything about it to me.

Yep; if I make an unusual mess, I might toss a $5 on top of the mess, but considering the maid is pretty much the only actual service provided for the ever-increasing room costs, I don't see why I should pay extra for what I've already paid for.

[RevDisk]

It is admittedly very crappy of the Marriott to try to guilt their customers into tipping as many employees as possible so Marriott can underpay.

Yes, I understand they want to make as much money as possible and respect that. And I'll vote with my dollars. Frankly, tipping annoys me and I generally tip well (20-30%). I don't mind tipping for a job done very well, an employee going out of their way or above and beyond. But when businesses demand subsidizing their employees on top of paying for the products or services provided, that irks me. Certain industries, such as restaurants, it's default and harmful to the employee to skip it.

Businesses pushing for mandatory tipping is a bloody friggin annoying practice. Then again, I've regularly "tipped" well for inside information or special favors. Those at least were honest bribes in my eyes. I was paying someone to do something they probably shouldn't or generally wouldn't. Subsidizing stagnate wages OTOH leaves a dirty feeling.

[Scout26]

I had never heard of it either, except at higher end hotels.  Like in Vegas.   But for the Ramada, Comfort, Red Roof, or Motel 6.  Never.

Then again.  Other then change the linens, and empty out a garbage can, we don't make much of a mess.



That was one thing I really enjoyed about Europe.  Not much tipping other then rounding up the check at a restaurant/gasthaus.  Although I did get a attendant in a bathroom at one of the nicer restaurants in East Berlin to thank me in English when I gave him a 5 West German DM tip*.  (It was the only coin I had in my pocket.)



*Which was, roughly $2.50.  But at the then exchange rate of 18M to 1DM, a 90 East German Mark tip.  Plus it was in a "hard" currency and not East German funny money.   

[Ben]

Businesses pushing for mandatory tipping is a bloody friggin annoying practice. Then again, I've regularly "tipped" well for inside information or special favors. Those at least were honest bribes in my eyes. I was paying someone to do something they probably shouldn't or generally wouldn't. Subsidizing stagnate wages OTOH leaves a dirty feeling.

The whole tipping culture bothers me too, actually. Just because half the time I don't know who to tip. This thread is a good example of the confusion of the tipping culture. I'd kinda prefer to just pay for service and be done with it, sorta like if I take my car to the mechanic, I pay for the work and go. Why doesn't the mechanic get a tip (who knows, maybe that's something you do that I didn't know about)? Why wouldn't a mechanic get a tip when the gardener does? Though I've never tipped a gardener, apparently it is supposed to be a common practice and I've been rude. Who knew?

I totally agree on the wage subsidization.

[Scout26]

On the other hand, I do leave the maid that does my house a nice tip/bonus around the holidays.


That's how I learned her name after working for me for three years.  After I did that last year, she left me a Christmas card and signed her name to it.*

 




* I thought her name was "Cash" as that's what she always wrote on the checks I left for her.   

[KD5NRH]

That's how I learned her name after working for me for three years.

Wow, and I thought I was bad for dating a girl for six weeks before I found out her name.  (Yeah, one of those "I can't remember, and if I ask her now, she'll get pissed" situations.)

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Don't feel bad I drew a blank on wife's name for about 5 mins once. And it was at a function where someone asked me her name. Since we had kids I've been call her momma. I went over by her and someone else called her by name and I was able to tell the guy who asked me. He's newly married and was watching in disbelief then awe


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[KD5NRH]

Don't feel bad I drew a blank on wife's name for about 5 mins once.

I had to stop and think about what my ex wife's name is a few weeks ago.  Happiest moment I've had in a while.

Can't quite top my cousin though; his first marriage lasted about two years, ten or more years ago now.  He chatted up his ex in the grocery store a couple months ago until she called him by name and it dawned on him who she was.

[Waitone]

A certain unnamed alternative news outlet reports Marriott corp is encouraging guests to tip housekeeping. 

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Tip the maid?

I thought you only tipped waiters, hookers, and cows?

[zxcvbob]

Growing up, my only experience was staying at Motel 6 on a driving trip to see relatives.  We didn't tip.  I never heard of it until I got older.  

I've never heard of it either.  I have left a tip anyway if I was staying somewhere on a major holiday, but that's rare.

I stay at Motel 6, Days Inn, EconoLodge, and places like that.  I don't make a mess; just change the sheets and replace the towels and the room will be good to go.  *Maybe* the toilet needs a swish, but that's only because they never have a brush.

Someone is just trying to make us feel guilty because they don't pay their staff enough.  (kind of like restaurants.  I'm a good tipper, but I resent it)

I thought you only tipped waiters, hookers, and cows?

Hooker tipping is a thing now?  (they're probably easier to tip than the cows...)

[Hawkmoon]

A certain unnamed alternative news outlet reports Marriott corp is encouraging guests to tip housekeeping. 

Ummm ... did you read Ben's opening post? The article was about Marriott's tip envelopes.

[zxcvbob]

I've also read that you *never* tip a concierge (even tho' you might expect to.)  Has that changed too?

[RoadKingLarry]

Don't feel bad I drew a blank on wife's name for about 5 mins once. And it was at a function where someone asked me her name. Since we had kids I've been call her momma. I went over by her and someone else called her by name and I was able to tell the guy who asked me. He's newly married and was watching in disbelief then awe


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I have the wife's name tattooed on my arm. She swears I'd forget it if it wasn't there for reference.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Back when i was still drinking i once made the mistake of calling a girl the wrong name. I lived. From that day on all girls were "baby"
A policy that served me well.


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[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Back when i was still drinking i once made the mistake of calling a girl the wrong name. I lived. From that day on all girls were "baby"
A policy that served me well.


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That's one of the reasons I rarely call them by their name.

It's a tad awkward when you wake up next to someone you've known quite well for 5 years and suddenly draw a complete blank as to what their name is.

[freakazoid]

Wow, and I thought I was bad for dating a girl for six weeks before I found out her name.  (Yeah, one of those "I can't remember, and if I ask her now, she'll get pissed" situations.)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vq5-dRYp-c
 

[Nick1911]

[Fly320s]

Tip maids? No. Never.

We Americans tip too many people for too little work.

[Jamisjockey]

Always just the tip.

I've tipped housekeeping staff for extras.  Usually when travelling with kids and you demand extra pillows, towels etc.  Or if I make a mess or wreck a toilet