# Tipping TS Housekeeping



## CalGalTraveler

What is the appropriate amount of tip to leave for TS housekeepers?  Unlike hotels they only clean once a week, with a midweek refresh, however they can have a big job to clean up after a family with a kitchen and two bedrooms.

In hotels it is $1 - $5/day depending on the services.  I thought it was a good idea to pay them daily if you have daily cleaning get better service and to recognize that not everyone cleans the same room. 

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/travel-etiquette/how-much-to-tip-hotel-housekeeping


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## Passepartout

There have been lots of threads on this. But quick & dirty, I leave $20 for a week in a 1BR. More for daily service


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## Panina

I leave $20 for the week too.


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## bbodb1

Okay, the curmudgeon is checking in now. 

I've never left a tip for housekeeping as essentially I didn't (and do not) see the need.  I mean where does this end - should one tip for every service one receives?  I just came from the grocery store - do I tip the cashier?  The bagger?  The guy pulling carts in from the lot?  At the resort, do I tip the check in staff?  Activites staff?

IMO, it is up to the establishment to pay the wages it needs to attract and retain suitable talent.  The establishment's performance (which includes all of its employees / associates) influences whether or not I am likely to return again in the future.  In a hotel or timeshare, I'm already paying a considerable amount of money to be there, the resort (or hotel) needs to pay its employees / associate suitable wages. 

This article looks like a covert effort to transfer more costs from the resort / hotel to the consumer.
Pass.


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## Steve Fatula

I would consider tipping, but I keep getting different people every day. I don't want only one person to get my tip, not fair. I haven't seen many that work like hotels where often it's the same person.


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## Panina

Steve Fatula said:


> I would consider tipping, but I keep getting different people every day. I don't want only one person to get my tip, not fair. I haven't seen many that work like hotels where often it's the same person.


I tip when I leave this way the person cleaning up after me gets the tip.  They are actual doing the most, getting it ready for the next arrival.


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## CalGalTraveler

We actually have started tipping during our recent TS stay by tipping on the midweek refresh. Last time we did it they wrote us a very nice thank you note and there were some nice extra amenities, such as water bottles, flowers, chocolates and shampoos that showed up and extra care cleaning our room.  They also gave us offers for more towels even though it was not our day.

We have also started to tip hotels every other day if not daily and have found much better service.

Sure you can save a buck by not giving a tip. But if you were the maid and had the choice to serve two different customers, one who tipped you mid-week - with the prospect of more to come at the end -  or the one that did not tip, which room would you clean better and which would you cut corners?

You get what you give.


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## pedro47

We normally tip $20 for a week; the only problem is that the person who cleaned your villa may be off the following week.


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## bbodb1

CalGalTraveler said:


> We actually have started tipping during our last TS stay by tipping on the midweek refresh. Last time we did it they wrote us a very nice thank you note and there were some nice extra amenities, such as water bottles, flowers, chocolates and shampoos that showed up and extra care cleaning our room.  They also gave us offers for more towels even though it was not our day.
> 
> We have also started to tip hotels every other day if not daily and have found much better service.
> 
> Sure you can save a buck by not giving a tip. But if you were the maid and had the choice to serve two different customers, one who tipped you mid-week - with the prospect of more to come at the end -  or the one that did not tip, which room would you clean better and which would you cut corners?
> 
> You get what you give.



I certainly see your point and recall the adage that honey is a better attractor of flies than vinegar. 
Perhaps it is a function of where we have stayed and / or how we use our room but I cannot recall ever receiving a mid week refresh (and we've stayed at a variety of resorts for a week (or more) over the past years).  It may also be that how we use our room decreases the likelihood of a mid week (refresh) visit - I can't say for sure. 
It may also boil down to the fact that as long as our room was clean and adequately stocked at check in, I prefer all staff stay out of our room until after we depart (at the end of our vacation).  One reason for this is we do prepare a good number of meals in our room so we tend to have a lot of items out on the counters.   

CalGal, I also wonder if where we have traveled to recently is a factor worth considering - for example, our last two stays were at Wyndham Skyline Tower (Atlantic City).  I mention this because that facility certainly won't appear on any list of upscale destinations.  Perhaps you are staying at destinations a bit nicer?

I think that might play into Pedro47's experience as he mentions 'villa' - which seems to suggest a nicer location.


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## WinniWoman

We do $20 for our Pollard Brook one because they come every day and throw the garbage and change the towels and do a mid week cleaning and fresh bed linens as well.

We do not tip at our Smugglers Notch one as they do not come to the unit all week.


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## Passepartout

These days, we can't be sure that service people are paid a living wage since there is no statutory requirement to do so. And like it or not, in an effort to increase profit, many corporations are downright stingy. Sure, I would like very much if it were like Japan, where tipping is much more than frowned upon, a service person is downright ashamed to be tipped. But in America, service workers are entry level workers, and rely on tips to make ends meet. Most of them are minorities, and thus are not upwardly mobile in their employment opportunities. Put simply, they need the money. And we can afford it. I far prefer leaving a housekeeping tip than seeing a panhandler with a cardboard sign sitting beside a traffic light.

Jim


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## VacationForever

We tip the mid-week clean person as well as leave a tip on the counter before we check out.  I feel that we can afford it, why not?  Cleaning is hardwork and we know that they appreciate the tip more than what the money means to us.


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## artringwald

I have no problem tipping generously for people that work hard for low pay.


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## Panina

artringwald said:


> I have no problem tipping generously for people that work hard for low pay.


Well said, I think I will tip more from now on.


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## bbodb1

artringwald said:


> I have no problem tipping generously for people that work hard for low pay.





Panina said:


> Well said, I think I will tip more from now on.



All this is fine and dandy - more power to y'all - but I'd be curious if the two of you would answer my previous (sort of) question.  Having just come from the grocery store, do you tip the cashier, the cart pusher, the counter clerk at the deli?  Where does the idea of tipping begin / end?  Each of the individuals I just mentioned are also providing you a service aren't they?

Edit: FWIW, let me say that I am asking these questions inquisitively, not from the standpoint that there is a right / wrong here....


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## VacationForever

bbodb1 said:


> All this is fine and dandy - more power to y'all - but I'd be curious if the two of you would answer my previous (sort of) question.  Having just come from the grocery store, do you tip the cashier, the cart pusher, the counter clerk at the deli?  Where does the idea of tipping begin / end?  Each of the individuals I just mentioned are also providing you a service aren't they?
> 
> Edit: FWIW, let me say that I am asking these questions inquisitively, not from the standpoint that there is a right / wrong here....


In the US, most grocery store workers are well paid, many of the stores starting them at $20+ per hour.  When you compare these workers to cleaning folks, the latter are usually paid minimum wage plus physical work is really hard. 

No doubt there is a disparity in expectations of tips vs. whether one should really tip.  Housekeeping is one area that we want to tip because we know they do not get paid much.

The ones that I have an issue tipping and we do tip regularly because we feel we have to, are the folks working at golf facilities.  Loading golf bags onto the carts (2 minute work)... etc.  Then the ones that annoy me most are the ones pretending to want to clean your clubs.  In the majority of my experience, after the tip goes into their hands, the clubs stop getting cleaned.


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## CalGalTraveler

It might be the quality of the place. We usually stay at hotel brand timeshares, HGVC, Westin, Hyatt. The one with the thank you note and goodies was the Hyatt Residences Maui.  They even greeted us in the hallways and knocked on the door the next day and asked if we wanted to change our towels.

BTW...not all grocery employees are paid well. My son works as an entry level cart pusher at Kroger and he only gets $7.50 an hour.


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## Steve Fatula

VacationForever said:


> In the US, most grocery store workers are well paid, many of the stores starting them at $20+ per hour.  When you compare these workers to cleaning folks, the latter are usually paid minimum wage plus physical work is really hard.
> 
> No doubt there is a disparity in expectations of tips vs. whether one should really tip.  Housekeeping is one area that we want to tip because we know they do not get paid much.
> 
> The ones that I have an issue tipping and we do tip regularly because we feel we have to, are the folks working at golf facilities.  Loading golf bags onto the carts (2 minute work)... etc.  Then the ones that annoy me most are the ones pretending to want to clean your clubs.  In the majority of my experience, after the tip goes into their hands, the clubs stop getting cleaned.



Where I live, cart pushers and baggers are paid minimum wage. Cashiers not much more, and, it's certainly nowhere remotely close to $20/hr, it's well under $10. I do want to tip, don't get me wrong, but you have to draw the line somewhere. If I tipped everyone who provided a service to me on my current trip and likely makes minimum wage or so, I'd probably be out 4 figures.

I do recall tipping housekeeping in Cabo, it was the same person every day, and, she did good and was super nice. We gave her $100 USD. She was so happy. That person in Mexico is vastly more poor than the ones in the US imho.


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## VacationForever

I stand corrected on grocery store wages.  I got my pay data from one of the leading grocery store's union that was trying to get other brand stores to unionize.  Costco's wage is also supposed to be in the $20+ per hr range.


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## bbodb1

mpumilia said:


> We do $20 for our Pollard Brook one because they come every day and throw the garbage and change the towels and do a mid week cleaning and fresh bed linens as well.
> 
> We do not tip at our Smugglers Notch one as they do not come to the unit all week.



Mary Ann,

Your post made me wonder about our *upcoming* visits this summer.  Sure enough, when we are at Killington,according to the literature we were sent we will get complementary daily towel changes and garbage renewal along with a full mid week complimentary maid service.  

This will be a first for us.


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## slip

I look at housekeeping as a service type position and that’s how I decide who to tip. I leave them $25 a week. I asked them at my home resort and tips are pooled so I just leave it in an envelope when I leave.


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## Passepartout

In Mexico, grocery baggers work for tips alone. No hourly pay at all. I usually tip a peso ($.05) per bag. It doesn't hurt me, and they (mostly elderly women or pre-teen girls) seem happy. Occasionally, there will only be 3-4 items in a bag.


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## Talent312

I'm disinclined to tip in exchanges where I'm charged a housekeeping fee, but if I feel housekeeping has done or will need to do some service beyond the norm, I will do so.

At the check-out desk at my doctor+dentist offices, I like to joke that their CC slips need a line for a tip. - _They're service workers._ - Sometimes they ask, "Who gets the tip?" I say, "You decide."
.


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## Steve Fatula

Talent312 said:


> I'm disinclined to tip in exchanges where I'm charged a housekeeping fee, but if I feel housekeeping has done or will need to do some service beyond the norm, I will do so.
> 
> At the check-out desk at my doctor+dentist offices, I like to joke that their CC slips need a line for a tip. - _They're service workers._ - Sometimes they ask, "Who gets the tip?" I say, "You decide."
> .



Well, if that's the case, I was a business and IT consultant for 30 years or so, that's a service. And actually, sadly, I often did get tipped in one way or another, companies would buy me dinner, take me out to places, whatever. Meanwhile, the employee grunts would get, well, nothing. They of course would then get jealous and almost blame me. So, at one point, I just started paying for some of them who had been nice, just passing on what the company (incorrectly imho) gave me.

Geez, nothing like taking care of your actual employees!


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## Panina

bbodb1 said:


> All this is fine and dandy - more power to y'all - but I'd be curious if the two of you would answer my previous (sort of) question.  ... Where does the idea of tipping begin / end?  Each of the individuals I just mentioned are also providing you a service aren't they?
> 
> Edit: FWIW, let me say that I am asking these questions inquisitively, not from the standpoint that there is a right / wrong here....



It ends where each of it feels it should.  It is irrelevant who else we decide to tip.  The issue is do we want to tip the housekeeper at timeshares or not.  To each person it is a personal choice and just because I choose to tip I respect everyone elses choice on this matter.

Most housekeeper take the job because of lack of skill set and are out there working hard.  They are an example of a hard working person.  

My dad came to this country, had a high position job from where he came from, but due to the language barrier took a job at a factory sewing hats.  As he learned the language he worked himself up.  What I learned from him, he was proud to work, took a low paying job, worked overtime so he could support his family.  

I see the housekeepers in a similar way to my dad. Being a housekeeper is a very hard, dirty job and I personally feel that the industry pay is unfair to them.  

Thus I do what I can.  I have been and will continue, and because of this thread will tip higher to the housekeepers at timeshares.


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## rboesl

bbodb1 said:


> Okay, the curmudgeon is checking in now.
> 
> I've never left a tip for housekeeping as essentially I didn't (and do not) see the need.  I mean where does this end - should one tip for every service one receives?  I just came from the grocery store - do I tip the cashier?  The bagger?  The guy pulling carts in from the lot?  At the resort, do I tip the check in staff?  Activites staff?
> 
> IMO, it is up to the establishment to pay the wages it needs to attract and retain suitable talent.  The establishment's performance (which includes all of its employees / associates) influences whether or not I am likely to return again in the future.  In a hotel or timeshare, I'm already paying a considerable amount of money to be there, the resort (or hotel) needs to pay its employees / associate suitable wages.
> 
> This article looks like a covert effort to transfer more costs from the resort / hotel to the consumer.
> Pass.



I tend to agree with you, bbodb1. As an example, on my last trip to Villa del Palmar Cancun we received a notice during check in that a daily $3.50 mandatory charge would be added to our ending bill to tip those people that work behind the scenes (gardeners, maintenance staff, etc.). So, in this case, I don't even get to decide if the grounds conditions or my unit's plumbing is satisfactory to justify a tip. Sounded to me more like a way for the resort to avoid giving the staff a raise.


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## pedro47

Automatic tipping for the cruise industry is now normal (it includes your stateroom attendance, restaurant staff, maintenance personnel, etc.).


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## VacationForever

pedro47 said:


> Automatic tipping for the cruise industry is now normal (it includes your stateroom attendance, restaurant staff, maintenance personnel, etc.).


... and we still budget an additional 5% of our cruise fare, split between those who excel in taking care of us and distribute to them on the last evening.


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## artringwald

bbodb1 said:


> All this is fine and dandy - more power to y'all - but I'd be curious if the two of you would answer my previous (sort of) question.  Having just come from the grocery store, do you tip the cashier, the cart pusher, the counter clerk at the deli?  Where does the idea of tipping begin / end?  Each of the individuals I just mentioned are also providing you a service aren't they?
> 
> Edit: FWIW, let me say that I am asking these questions inquisitively, not from the standpoint that there is a right / wrong here....


I usually limit my tipping to places where the employer assumes that the employees are getting tips.


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## artringwald

A couple of months ago, I unknowingly tipped a millionaire. We went to a restaurant, had a good meal and a nice conversation with the server, so I added a generous tip to the bill. Two days later, DW was watching HGTV's My Lottery Dream Home and asked "isn't that our waitress?" I Googled it and found out that in 2015 she won the Minnesota's $11.7 million Hot Lotto. She still works part time at the restaurant because she enjoys meeting the people. Here's the full story: http://www.presspubs.com/st_croix/news/article_da41d134-d702-11e4-aa28-3331ba1d93bd.html


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## Icc5

The hardest physical job I ever did was as a Courtesy Clerk (bagger) in a large grocery chain when I was 18.  Back then minimum wage in California was $2 an hour and I made $2.23 per hour.  Every day I came home soaking wet.  Part of it was me, wanting to move up.  When I finally did move up a year later 3 people were hired to do the job I did.  I was consistently offered tips but had to refuse them because we weren't allowed tips and could be fired for taking them.  I finally learned to tell customers that wanted to tip me that the most help to me was to tell the store manager why they wanted to tip me.  Also, it was a union company and of my $2.23 an hour I had to pay $150 initiation fee and $12 a month to be in the union.  After 90 days I did start receiving benefits of medical and dental (this was 1970).  
The way I view tipping is very mixed.  If someone does something extra for me I tip them and usually very well.  If it is not a tip I can hand them directly I do not tip.  We also clean up after ourselves and when our kids were young we even vacuumed if they made any kind of mess.  We throw out the garbage, strip the beds, and leave the dishes in the dish washer with it running when we leave.  Except for the dishes needing to be put away and clean sheets put on the bed and new towels hung the rooms are ready to be occupied.  We do leave any unopen product we have for housekeeping to have.
Right or wrong that is how we have been doing this for 25+ years.
Bart


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## bbodb1

Icc5 said:


> ...The way I view tipping is very mixed.  If someone does something extra for me I tip them and usually very well.  If it is not a tip I can hand them directly I do not tip.  *We also clean up after ourselves and when our kids were young we even vacuumed if they made any kind of mess.  We throw out the garbage, strip the beds, and leave the dishes in the dish washer with it running when we leave.  Except for the dishes needing to be put away and clean sheets put on the bed and new towels hung the rooms are ready to be occupied.  We do leave any unopen product we have for housekeeping to have.
> Right or wrong that is how we have been doing this for 25+ years.*
> Bart



Bart,

You have pointed out something that has been our experience as well.  When we started using TS for our vacations, the standard check out instructions for the resorts we stayed in included pretty much what you have noted in the bolded part of your quote.  This plays into why I do not leave tips for maid service.  I should note the historical majority of our TS stays have been at RCI and Wyndham. 

Panina,

Might it be the case the majority of your TS stays have been in other systems?


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## Panina

bbodb1 said:


> Bart,
> 
> Panina,
> 
> Might it be the case the majority of your TS stays have been in other systems?



I have stayed in RCI, Wyndham and many other systems.

Doesn’t matter which system.  I tip because I feel it it a hard job that is underpaid and want to show my appreciation and help a person who is probably doing this  job because they do not have many other choices.  It is my Individual choice to help others.


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## clifffaith

We tip in hotels. Never ever occurred to us to tip at timeshares. When I joined Facebook two years ago so I could join Worldmark and Diàmond groups, that was the first time I ever heard of it. Still don't tip at Worldmark, might tip at Diamond in Hawaii since we are there a full week and there is a refresh. I don't tip my hairdresser either. She is an independent operator and ought to be charging enough to pay her bills.


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## LannyPC

Panina said:


> I tip because I feel it it a hard job that is underpaid and want to show my appreciation and help a person who is probably doing this  job because they do not have many other choices.  It is my Individual choice to help others.



Yes, I respect and not criticize everybody's choice in this matter whether to tip or not.  I am no longer a TS owner but this would be my issue if I were one.  What are these skyrocketing MFs paying for?  If the MFs are rising faster than the rate of inflation (at least it seems that way), why aren't maid staff getting raises faster than the rate of inflation?


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## Steve Fatula

If you want to know what the "skyrocketing" maintenance fees are paying for, just read the annual report from your board. Compare to last years report to see what has gone up and by how much. It's all in there, itemized. At least in MVCI.

This discussion will help me rethink tipping somewhat.


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## PigsDad

LannyPC said:


> What are these skyrocketing MFs paying for?  If the MFs are rising faster than the rate of inflation (at least it seems that way), why aren't maid staff getting raises faster than the rate of inflation?


A little off topic, but please compare your MF increases to the rate of increases for hotel rooms (including resort charges, etc.) to get a more apples to apples comparison.  I think you will find that very few timeshares have "skyrocketing MFs".

Kurt


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## LannyPC

PigsDad said:


> A little off topic, but please compare your MF increases to the rate of increases for hotel rooms (including resort charges, etc.) to get a more apples to apples comparison.  I think you will find that very few timeshares have "skyrocketing MFs".



For one thing, I wasn't comparing the rising MFs to hotel room rates.  Hotels never even came up in my post.  I was comparing the rise in MFs to the rate of inflation.  I also mentioned that we no longer own a timeshare.  But when we did, the MFs rose dramatically, probably faster than my wages.

My point was that, with such increases in MFs (isn't that a big complaint from many TS owners?), why aren't the maid staff getting good enough wages that they would not have to rely on tips for a decent living?  What are these MF increases paying for?


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## Passepartout

LannyPC said:


> What are these MF increases paying for?


At lots of TSs, the largest expense on the balance sheet is- yes, bigger than the salaries and wages of our beloved managers, housekeepers and gardeners, is, BAD DEBT! Deadbeat owners who default on MF, and the rest of the honorable owners have to take up the slack. These deadbeats include those who pay thousands to upfront fee outfits. It increases the cost for everyone.

Jim


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## bbodb1

Panina said:


> I have stayed in RCI, Wyndham and many other systems.
> 
> Doesn’t matter which system.  I tip because I feel it it a hard job that is underpaid and want to show my appreciation and help a person who is probably doing this  job because they do not have many other choices.  It is my Individual choice to help others.



Panina, 

Would your consideration to tip be altered if you experienced what is described in this thread ?


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## Panina

bbodb1 said:


> Panina,
> 
> Would your consideration to tip be altered if you experienced what is described in this thread ?



This has happened to me a few times.  I immediately called management and if a trade the trade company too.  There is no excuse for a dirty unit.  Only once I cleaned it myself, after decided never would do it again and I haven’t.

If all is redone properly, yes I tip. Anyone could have a bad day and you never know management could pull someone from the unit for a problem in another and they do not get back. Most resorts now have management check the cleanliness of a room after it has been cleaned so it is ultimately a management problem.

When I leave the person I am tipping is cleaning my stay.  I don’t focus on who didn’t do it right before.


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## VacationForever

The most recent awful dirty unit we had was at Welk at Escondido.  No tip left for them.  It was our 4th and final visit there.  First 3 times were fine.  We just cannot fathom going back there to another filthy unit.  Multiple reports to the management during visit and nothing changed.


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## PigsDad

LannyPC said:


> For one thing, I wasn't comparing the rising MFs to hotel room rates.  Hotels never even came up in my post.  I was comparing the rise in MFs to the rate of inflation.  I also mentioned that we no longer own a timeshare.  But when we did, the MFs rose dramatically, probably faster than my wages.


The reason comparing to hotel rates is relevant is because timeshares and hotels have similar cost models.  The rise in the maintenance fees is not based on labor costs alone -- there is insurance, taxes and many other operating costs that could all explain why maintenance fees and hotel costs increase more that inflation.



> My point was that, with such increases in MFs (isn't that a big complaint from many TS owners?), why aren't the maid staff getting good enough wages that they would not have to rely on tips for a decent living?  What are these MF increases paying for?


The cost of labor is driven by the labor market, and increases in the MFs aren't necessarily due to labor cost.  If you think they aren't paying their staff enough, then really the only way to address this is through the HOA board.

Kurt


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## CalGalTraveler

At HGVC in NYC. On day 2 requested 1 set of fresh towels and 2 water bottles.

Upon tipping a few bucks he went away brought back 6 water bottles and a pile of towels. Maybe because many TS owners do not tip, when you do tip it realy stands out.


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## JudiZ

I am going to digress but promise I'll get right back on track. I stayed at a nice, not terribly upscale city motel with a co-worker. At the end of the five day stay, she left $2 on the dresser. I balked and said it should be $2 a night per person. She refused so I left $20.  We went out to get the car from the valet and she tipped the valet driver $20 for his five minutes. 

I do tip at timeshares. For me it's a mojo thing. $20 as a budget item on my vacation is usually pretty insignificant. To steal a thought from C.S. Lewis, I don't tip to change them, I tip to change me. It reminds me to be grateful for the vacation, the family to spend it with and a job that allows me to take one. But I don't expect it from anyone else; people should do what is right for them in this situation.


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## LannyPC

PigsDad said:


> If you think they aren't paying their staff enough, then really the only way to address this is through the HOA board.



Actually, it was other posters here who felt that housekeeping staff were underpaid.  I honestly don't know what they are paid or how far their wages would go where they live.

My point (even though we don't own TSs) is that with MFs rising so sharply, why can't there be enough in there to pay the housekeeping staff a decent wage, decent enough that they don't have to rely on tips to make a decent living?  Tips are like an extra charge above and beyond the sky-high MFs.  It's like the HOA saying "Yes, the maintenance fees are high.  But can you add to that to pay our underpaid housekeeping staff?"

But BTW, the last few times  we stayed in a TS, we rented and we did leave tips for the housekeeping staff and baggage handlers.


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## klpca

I tip but it's my choice. My 60 year old Auntie, who lives in Hawaii, cleans vacation rentals. She's pretty bummed if there is no tip. I can assure you she's not getting rich cleaning houses. It's really hard work. So when I leave my tip, I think of my auntie, and I think that I'm probably tipping somebody else's auntie and making their day a little bit better.

A few years ago my sister and I went to Kauai for a week. We toured a lot of timeshares while we were there, asking to see unoccupied units. At Hanalei Bay Resort, the unit wasn't cleaned, but we said no problem. It was like a bomb had exploded. Someone was clearly doing something like quilting - there were fabric scraps and threads everywhere. If I had to clean that unit I would cry. Some folks are pigs.


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## Tia

Passepartout said:


> In Mexico, grocery baggers work for tips alone. No hourly pay at all. I usually tip a peso ($.05) per bag. It doesn't hurt me, and they (mostly elderly women or pre-teen girls) seem happy. Occasionally, there will only be 3-4 items in a bag.




Unfortunately I wasn't aware of that when we went to Cancun ~12 years ago. I still feel bad about not knowing so not tipping at the grocery store. Luckily the person we rented the timeshare from mentioned the very low wages and suggested tipping certain amount when they came in.


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## CO skier

klpca said:


> I tip but it's my choice. My 60 year old Auntie, who lives in Hawaii, cleans vacation rentals. She's pretty bummed if there is no tip. I can assure you she's not getting rich cleaning houses. It's really hard work. So when I leave my tip, I think of my auntie, and I think that I'm probably tipping somebody else's auntie and making their day a little bit better.
> 
> A few years ago my sister and I went to Kauai for a week. We toured a lot of timeshares while we were there, asking to see unoccupied units. At Hanalei Bay Resort, the unit wasn't cleaned, but we said no problem. It was like a bomb had exploded. Someone was clearly doing something like quilting - there were fabric scraps and threads everywhere. If I had to clean that unit I would cry. Some folks are pigs.


To add insult to injury, the pigs probably do not tip.  They must view housekeeping staff as servant labor.

I have witnessed on many occasions maintenance personnel entering units before housekeeping.  A couple of times it was "no knock" using a pass key just before checkout time while we were still in the unit!  The new linens were in front of the unit's door; it was obviously a checkout day for the unit.  Am I cynical to think someone may have been skimming tips intended for someone else?  My wife now hides cash tips where housekeeping is sure to find it, but it is less obvious to a casual scouter.


----------



## Carol C

artringwald said:


> A couple of months ago, I unknowingly tipped a millionaire. We went to a restaurant, had a good meal and a nice conversation with the server, so I added a generous tip to the bill. Two days later, DW was watching HGTV's My Lottery Dream Home and asked "isn't that our waitress?" I Googled it and found out that in 2015 she won the Minnesota's $11.7 million Hot Lotto. She still works part time at the restaurant because she enjoys meeting the people. Here's the full story: http://www.presspubs.com/st_croix/news/article_da41d134-d702-11e4-aa28-3331ba1d93bd.html



I tipped a bigtime Jeopardy winner...a NYC bartender I didnt recocognize since he had shaved his beard. But I always tip bartenders and waitstaff...so I can feel good about tipping the dude and it makes for a good story. Dang but I cant recall his name...he was very popular because he made wacky gestures that threw Trebeck off guard at first.

But back on topic...I feel good about tipping somebody that has to clean toilets and make beds at rapid pace. Yes housekeeping is often clocked by supervisors...I have seen this and since then really appreciate these workers even more.


----------



## CO skier

Carol C said:


> I tipped a bigtime Jeopardy winner...a NYC bartender I didnt recocognize since he had shaved his beard. But I always tip bartenders and waitstaff...so I can feel good about tipping the dude and it makes for a good story. Dang but I cant recall his name...he was very popular because he made wacky gestures that threw Trebeck off guard at first.
> 
> But back on topic...I feel good about tipping somebody that has to clean toilets and make beds at rapid pace. Yes housekeeping is often clocked by supervisors...I have seen this and since then really appreciate these workers even more.


How do you know, with absolute certainty that your tips make it into the hands of the housekeepers?  (I just really want to know).


----------



## Passepartout

CO skier said:


> How do you know, with absolute certainty that your tips make it into the hands of the housekeepers?  (I just really want to know).


The only way to know with certainty is to place the tip into their hands. I like to think that at the very least that they pool their tips, but in the end it's up to them. I would think that if tips are supposed to be pooled, and one person was found to be skimming them, that person's co-workers would make it very hard to continue in that employment.


----------



## MULTIZ321

Carol C said:


> I tipped a bigtime Jeopardy winner...a NYC bartender I didnt recocognize since he had shaved his beard. But I always tip bartenders and waitstaff...so I can feel good about tipping the dude and it makes for a good story. Dang but I cant recall his name...he was very popular because he made wacky gestures that threw Trebeck off guard at first.
> 
> But back on topic...I feel good about tipping somebody that has to clean toilets and make beds at rapid pace. Yes housekeeping is often clocked by supervisors...I have seen this and since then really appreciate these workers even more.


Hi Carol,

I think it was Austin Rogers

Best Regards

Richard


----------



## Steve Fatula

Thanks to this thread, I was reminded of and able to tip housekeeping in the Canaries. Put it right in her hands on checkout day. Thanks for bringing this up.


----------



## artringwald

MULTIZ321 said:


> Hi Carol,
> 
> I think it was Austin Rogers
> 
> Best Regards
> 
> Richard


Didn't see Austin on the show, but from this article, it sounds like he's quite the character:

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/austin-rogers-jeopardy-life-changed_us_5a8da36be4b00a30a251bbc8


----------



## WinniWoman

Passepartout said:


> The only way to know with certainty is to place the tip into their hands. I like to think that at the very least that they pool their tips, but in the end it's up to them. I would think that if tips are supposed to be pooled, and one person was found to be skimming them, that person's co-workers would make it very hard to continue in that employment.



But then you have the issue of the fact that the staff is often times different during the course of the week. And- you also are probably out when they come in to change your linens and so on.


----------



## Carol C

MULTIZ321 said:


> Hi Carol,
> 
> I think it was Austin Rogers
> 
> Best Regards
> 
> Richard


Yep that's his name. I remember now... I told him he looked like that guy on Jeopardy Austin Powers and he cracked up. He works at a bar in Hells Kitchen and there was a Yanks game on so it was noisy in there. It was this past October and I was in that part of town to eat at my fave Turkish hole in the wall. I love NY but dont have time to stay for a full week in a timeshare. Hmmm maybe I should start a thread to find out folks' fave bargain priced NYC hotels...and now to figure out where best to post it!


----------



## Passepartout

mpumilia said:


> But then you have the issue of the fact that the staff is often times different during the course of the week. And- you also are probably out when they come in to change your linens and so on.


Mary Ann, if you're looking for justification for not tipping service people (the one I tip might not be the one who served me), go ahead. Stiff them. It happens all the time. Maybe it balances out for those who leave a tip and the 'wrong' worker gets it. But my experience has been that people who work for tips ALWAYS tip other tip-paid workers. ALWAYS.


----------



## WinniWoman

Passepartout said:


> Mary Ann, if you're looking for justification for not tipping service people (the one I tip might not be the one who served me), go ahead. Stiff them. It happens all the time. Maybe it balances out for those who leave a tip and the 'wrong' worker gets it. But my experience has been that people who work for tips ALWAYS tip other tip-paid workers. ALWAYS.



OMG! I always tip at our NH timeshare. I am not looking for justification not to tip! I am just stating that when I do, I always feel like I am not sure it is going to the ones who did the job.

Here comes snarky Jim again....SMH.....


----------



## DannyTS

bbodb1 said:


> All this is fine and dandy - more power to y'all - but I'd be curious if the two of you would answer my previous (sort of) question.  Having just come from the grocery store, do you tip the cashier, the cart pusher, the counter clerk at the deli?  Where does the idea of tipping begin / end?  Each of the individuals I just mentioned are also providing you a service aren't they?
> 
> Edit: FWIW, let me say that I am asking these questions inquisitively, not from the standpoint that there is a right / wrong here....



the cashier does not have to handle my dirty socks lol. 

We usually tip 1-3 dollars per day depending on the country. The way i see it, if I can tip 18$ on a $100 restaurant bill for someone just to bring me the food, I can also pay a couple of bucks for someone who may do 20 minutes of intense and yucky physical work. I think i also noticed an extra care when i tipped.


----------



## Mister Sir

I always leave a tip and a Thank You note when we check out of our timeshare. $50 for the week for each two-bedroom unit(we typically have 3 or 4 for our large family).


----------



## jwayne

bbodb1 said:


> Okay, the curmudgeon is checking in now.
> 
> I've never left a tip for housekeeping as essentially I didn't (and do not) see the need.  I mean where does this end - should one tip for every service one receives?  I just came from the grocery store - do I tip the cashier?  The bagger?  The guy pulling carts in from the lot?  At the resort, do I tip the check in staff?  Activites staff?
> 
> IMO, it is up to the establishment to pay the wages it needs to attract and retain suitable talent.  The establishment's performance (which includes all of its employees / associates) influences whether or not I am likely to return again in the future.  In a hotel or timeshare, I'm already paying a considerable amount of money to be there, the resort (or hotel) needs to pay its employees / associate suitable wages.
> 
> This article looks like a covert effort to transfer more costs from the resort / hotel to the consumer.
> Pass.



Employers are allowed to estimate tips and use estimate as if it is part of their wages to get around minimum wage laws.  To add "insult to injury" they sometimes put the estimated "wages" on their W-2's.  In certain situations the housekeeper may have to pay income tax on tips the employer said you gave but did not


----------



## gatorray

Carol C said:


> I tipped a bigtime Jeopardy winner...a NYC bartender I didnt recocognize since he had shaved his beard. But I always tip bartenders and waitstaff...so I can feel good about tipping the dude and it makes for a good story. Dang but I cant recall his name...he was very popular because he made wacky gestures that threw Trebeck off guard at first.
> 
> But back on topic...I feel good about tipping somebody that has to clean toilets and make beds at rapid pace. Yes housekeeping is often clocked by supervisors...I have seen this and since then really appreciate these workers even more.


 You were referring to none other than Austin Rogers the eccentric Jeopardy winner.  An amazing guy and very entertaining. I suspect the Jeopardy ratings went sky high during his tenure. More recently it was Josh the network engineer. His quirky hand movements included some tiger paw movements.  An awesome fund of knowledge and great entertainment for us older minimal TV watchers.


----------



## MLR

We always tip when staying at a hotel or timeshare OR eating out. 

IF the unit is nice and clean I tip $20 for the week and leave it with a nice note of thanks. I have left notes in Spanish in Mexico - I just type my note into one of those translator apps. :0)

IF I end up having to go to the store and buy cleaning supplies and clean the bathroom, kitchen, etc. myself due to negligent cleaning practices (and yes, I have done this more than once - especially whirlpool tubs) I do not tip. Sorry. I also let the mgmt. know before we leave. Thankfully, this has happened rarely. I usually do not ask them to clean again. Figure if they can't get it right the first time . . . . . 

We prefer NOT to have a midweek clean up - we keep things tidy as we go along. So, I just leave the tip and note as we leave. 

My mom worked in the service industry and my motto is - 'if you can't tip - don't eat out and if you can't tip cleaners - stay home'  She worked HARD for her tips. Perhaps that changed my perspective. 

But in the end - we all do what we 'want to do' - in every thing we do.


----------



## clifffaith

jwayne said:


> Employers are allowed to estimate tips and use estimate as if it is part of their wages to get around minimum wage laws.  To add "insult to injury" they sometimes put the estimated "wages" on their W-2's.  In certain situations the housekeeper may have to pay income tax on tips the employer said you gave but did not



I've never heard of this in any industry beyond food service.


----------



## dahntahn

After a Hyatt Coconut Plantation owner's meeting, we spoke to the housekeeping supervisor who had been present.  Like many on this thread, we want to tip but since the housekeepers who come daily to empty trash and bring fresh towels, or do a full cleaning on Wednesdays, are several different people, we were not sure how to do this fairly. He said that the staff share tips and that our best way to tip is to put what we want to leave (for us, $ 20 per week) in an envelope and give it to the front desk with his name on it and it will be placed in the common pot.  So that's what we do.
It has been interesting to read about many owners' tip or no tip philosophy. We do not judge others decisions, but both having grown up experiencing low paying physically demanding jobs at some time in our teens and twenties and now having the income allowing us to spend some winter weeks relaxing in Florida, we wish to give a bit back to thank those doing that sort of work. For us, it seems the right thing to do.


----------



## Cxt333

This is a good discussion.  I think the only person I tip all the time is the porter that brings up our luggage. Usually $10 for a full cart. I tip once in awhile for the person that brings up extra toilet paper, paper towels, laundry soap etc.  but the problem with that is we usually start with only a roll or two of each. Hard to get through the week with 4 girls with me in a two bedroom. 
I ask to stock me up once but they only bring up what they say is allowed.  
As far as the maid, that I of course never see until check out morning. I hate to say I never tip.
That’s what housekeeping credits are for.....we also never leave a mess.  All garage is taken out, towels in one spot, dishes in dishwasher etc.  I have a hard time tipping housekeeping when I never see them for any service except for walking into a clean room.  
I’ve tipped out many times the girl that gives me my “ update” gift money. she gets 10$ To buy lunch.  Tipped the check in guy when needed for a extra parking pass $20 for a week.  
But housekeeping no. Sorry


----------



## TXTortoise

$5-10 for valet parking?  Each time
$10-20 for luggage drop to room and again for pick-up when leaving or changing rooms at second week. 

Hard not to tip at least $20 at time of mid-week refresh or end of week. 

Amounts might vary a bit between Mexico and Hawaii resorts.


----------



## rpoyourow

bbodb1 said:


> Okay, the curmudgeon is checking in now.
> 
> I've never left a tip for housekeeping as essentially I didn't (and do not) see the need.  I mean where does this end - should one tip for every service one receives?  I just came from the grocery store - do I tip the cashier?  The bagger?  The guy pulling carts in from the lot?  At the resort, do I tip the check in staff?  Activites staff?
> 
> IMO, it is up to the establishment to pay the wages it needs to attract and retain suitable talent.  The establishment's performance (which includes all of its employees / associates) influences whether or not I am likely to return again in the future.  In a hotel or timeshare, I'm already paying a considerable amount of money to be there, the resort (or hotel) needs to pay its employees / associate suitable wages.
> 
> This article looks like a covert effort to transfer more costs from the resort / hotel to the consumer.
> Pass.




Curmudgeon: 
Yes, it's true.  But your for the sake of your "principles," you wind up punishing the worker who likely has no power to demand/receive a higher wage.  Your perspective will have no effect on management, and you won't change the world one whit.  Put yourself in the service workers' shoes, understand the alternatives they face, and your attitude will change.  You'll find yourself becoming more compassionate, get better service, and make yourself a more welcome guest.  Re-enter the world where the people actually live.  All to the good.


----------



## BocaBoy

VacationForever said:


> In the US, most grocery store workers are well paid, many of the stores starting them at $20+ per hour.


Starting pay at $20/hour plus in a grocery store?  That is over $40,000 per year.  You need to check your facts.


----------



## iqmavin

CalGalTraveler said:


> What is the appropriate amount of tip to leave for TS housekeepers?  Unlike hotels they only clean once a week, with a midweek refresh, however they can have a big job to clean up after a family with a kitchen and two bedrooms.
> 
> In hotels it is $1 - $5/day depending on the services.  I thought it was a good idea to pay them daily if you have daily cleaning get better service and to recognize that not everyone cleans the same room.
> 
> http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/travel-etiquette/how-much-to-tip-hotel-housekeeping


Very interesting conversation. In our experience we "tip" based on the level of service we get. In some of our TS locations it's daily service, others it's mid-week. One thing we try to do when we check in is get to know who's responsible for taking care of us.  We also try, when possible to tip the person directly rather than just leaving it on the counter.  A tip of $20 is probably adequate. In our recent trip to Maui we spoke with people in a variety of service jobs. We were told The living wage on Maui is about 36,000, with many people working for the minimum wage, which was 12.50.  Many work multiple jobs.  

Here's something to consider. If like most tuggers you got your timeshare at a steep discount why not spread some of what you saved around to the help.


----------



## VacationForever

BocaBoy said:


> Starting pay at $20/hour plus in a grocery store?  That is over $40,000 per year.  You need to check your facts.


It was the case when I lived in California.  Safeway and Costco were listed as the ones paying around that.


----------



## tfgeren

I tip in Cabo at the Tesoro resort because I have the same housekeeper every day who cleans thoroughly.  I leave $3 daily.  The housekeeper is always truly appreciative.  

I do not tip at the Wyndham properties.  Why?  Because there is no housekeeping service until I check out.  No midweek refresh, no nothing.  I wash my own dishes, take out all my trash at the end of the stay, don't use any of their cheap shampoos or washes, straighten things out as much as possible and so forth.  There are resort fees I have to pay on top of my monthly maintenance fees and being on a fixed income is kind of tough.

When I leave a Wyndham facility, the housekeeper replaces the towels, changes the linen and might vacuum.

I leave unused soda and usable food with a note to "help yourself".  Whether they do or not, I don't know.

I have quite a sour taste in my mouth over the Wyndham hard sell tactics and that might be influencing my thoughts on Wyndham, but I see no reason for tipping for the housekeeping service they provide. 

Oh, one other thing, off subject but just an FYI, one of the concierges at the Bali Hai that I dealt with about 3 weeks ago passed me on to another person when I tried to book a helicopter flight because I wouldn't attend their "resort update".  She told me she gets paid commission for getting people to attend the "update" and since I wasn't going to attend it, she couldn't help me.


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## Anthony Schmid

The first person in the room that sees the money will get it. It could be the maintenance person or house keeping or the last person in your group that is leaving the room


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## skimeup

I have found that many timeshares leave an envelope for community tipping at the end of a stay and I leave about $20.  I figure that no matter how much I straighten up after leaving, a thorough housecleaning includes full bathroom cleaning, vacuuming, etc, in addition to beds and towels.  If I am not sure whether there is daily service, like at The Manhattan Club, I leave a tip under the pillow or beside the bed with a note saying Thank You to the maid.  If the tip disappears, I know that someone comes in daily.  

I often have been thanked for those daily or mid-week tips and I also ask for (and get) extra coffees, towels, popcorn, etc - depending on what sorts of services the ts or hotel offers.  I figure if I have to tip $2 - $3 per suitcase with a porter or a few dollars for someone to get me a taxi, I should tip the hardest working people - the housekeepers.  Of course, I grew up poor and worked scuzzy jobs so I have a sense of what that tip means to workers.  And the thank you's I've received from housekeepers especially make me feel I am doing the right thing.


----------



## am1

dahntahn said:


> After a Hyatt Coconut Plantation owner's meeting, we spoke to the housekeeping supervisor who had been present.  Like many on this thread, we want to tip but since the housekeepers who come daily to empty trash and bring fresh towels, or do a full cleaning on Wednesdays, are several different people, we were not sure how to do this fairly. He said that the staff share tips and that our best way to tip is to put what we want to leave (for us, $ 20 per week) in an envelope and give it to the front desk with his name on it and it will be placed in the common pot.  So that's what we do.
> It has been interesting to read about many owners' tip or no tip philosophy. We do not judge others decisions, but both having grown up experiencing low paying physically demanding jobs at some time in our teens and twenties and now having the income allowing us to spend some winter weeks relaxing in Florida, we wish to give a bit back to thank those doing that sort of work. For us, it seems the right thing to do.



If he starts driving a sports car to work you know why.


----------



## WinniWoman

Cxt333 said:


> This is a good discussion.  I think the only person I tip all the time is the porter that brings up our luggage. Usually $10 for a full cart. I tip once in awhile for the person that brings up extra toilet paper, paper towels, laundry soap etc.  but the problem with that is we usually start with only a roll or two of each. Hard to get through the week with 4 girls with me in a two bedroom.
> I ask to stock me up once but they only bring up what they say is allowed.
> As far as the maid, that I of course never see until check out morning. I hate to say I never tip.
> That’s what housekeeping credits are for.....we also never leave a mess.  All garage is taken out, towels in one spot, dishes in dishwasher etc.  I have a hard time tipping housekeeping when I never see them for any service except for walking into a clean room.
> I’ve tipped out many times the girl that gives me my “ update” gift money. she gets 10$ To buy lunch.  Tipped the check in guy when needed for a extra parking pass $20 for a week.
> But housekeeping no. Sorry




Aren't these resorts so cheap with the toilet paper? I always complain about that. As soon as I get to the unit I call for more. I also bring more with me just in case.


----------



## itchyfeet

We have and always will tip housekeepers, even if staying at a property where we pay maintenance fees.  If we receive daily housekeeping, we tip $3-$5, depending on the size of the unit, and leave extra on checkout day for the extra cleaning.  If there is no daily service, we tip $25 per week.  I also like to leave the housekeeper a little treat.  When in Mexico, I left Hershey kisses every day and the housekeeper was delighted.  She told me she took them home to her children--then I left more so they could all have some. If the day comes that we cannot afford $50-$75 for tips, we will not travel.


----------



## pianoetudes

itchyfeet said:


> We have and always will tip housekeepers, even if staying at a property where we pay maintenance fees.  If we receive daily housekeeping, we tip $3-$5, depending on the size of the unit, and leave extra on checkout day for the extra cleaning.  If there is no daily service, we tip $25 per week.  I also like to leave the housekeeper a little treat.  When in Mexico, I left Hershey kisses every day and the housekeeper was delighted.  She told me she took them home to her children--then I left more so they could all have some. If the day comes that we cannot afford $50-$75 for tips, we will not travel.


Interesting. My TS resorts in Mexico have daily turn down service that the housekeeping puts Hershey kisses chocolates on the bed. More kisses are given if we tip them. 

Sent from my HTC U11 life using Tapatalk


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## itchyfeet

Oh no!  They're giving my kisses away!   We stay at Villa del Palmar Flamingos.  Where is your resort?


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## jbondoux

We like to leave a good tip for the housekeeping staff. We are careful, though - one stay at a very high-end resort with daily full maid service with a very attentive housekeeper led us to plan a significant tip. She asked that we hide it in an envelope buried under the cutlery in a kitchen drawer, as the floor supervisor apparently had a habit of getting to the units as soon as they were vacated and secretly pocketing any tips left behind...FWIW


----------



## klpca

jbondoux said:


> We like to leave a good tip for the housekeeping staff. We are careful, though - one stay at a very high-end resort with daily full maid service with a very attentive housekeeper led us to plan a significant tip. She asked that we hide it in an envelope buried under the cutlery in a kitchen drawer, as the floor supervisor apparently had a habit of getting to the units as soon as they were vacated and secretly pocketing any tips left behind...FWIW


Wow. There's always someone who ruins everything. I'm glad that your housekeeper told you about that.


----------



## Resort Guy

As a timeshare resort Manager I'd like to add my two cents.  I never tipped housekeepers until I saw the behind the scenes issues that many housekeepers have to deal with.  First, many management companies and board members fail to compensate these people adequately as they are low on the resort hierarchy and often out of sight to those who make the decisions.  When budgets have to be tightened it's usually the people who make the resort tick that bear the brunt.  Housekeeping is one of the most vital and most often overlooked aspects of a great vacation and these often under paid people can have one of the most significant impacts on your guest experience.  A million dollar view loses its luster if the windows have finger prints, the place smells, and the dishes aren't clean.  Sure, cleanliness should be a given, but if you could see the way people treat your resort (owners and guests alike) you would be appalled.  Feces, vomit, disrespect, intentional damage, drunkenness are all regular occurrences.  Many will respond to this with "well, that's what a damage deposit is for", but that doesn't help when the next guest is due to arrive in a mere few hours. 

To answer the question.  I tip $20 for a week.  I love to see my housekeepers get tips because it shows in a tangible way that what were doing is succeeding.  Today I high fived a housekeeper who got a $45 tip.    Most importantly, I also clean up my mess before I check out and I make sure I leave the unit in good condition where the housekeepers can do their job quickly.  I


----------



## LannyPC

Resort Guy said:


> First, many management companies and board members fail to compensate these people adequately as they are low on the resort hierarchy and often out of sight to those who make the decisions.  When budgets have to be tightened it's usually the people who make the resort tick that bear the brunt.  Housekeeping is one of the most vital and most often overlooked aspects of a great vacation and these often under paid people can have one of the most significant impacts on your guest experience.



Again, that's my concern.  With such MFs spiraling out of control upward, why can't there be enough in there to pay the housekeeping staff a decent living wage without them having to rely on tips for a decent wage?


----------



## Resort Guy

In my experience there's just no desire on behalf of the BOD to provide a decent wage.  They've never met a housekeeper or much of the staff so they have no empathy.  A housekeeper to most of them is just another tool that can be replaced with a whim.  Their desire is to keep more money in their pockets. Period.  They don't have to personally deal with hiring, firing, constant turnover, personnel issues, or guest complaints so those responsibilities fall on the managers shoulders while they judge success or failure by the total on a spreadsheet.


----------



## shoeie

bbodb1 said:


> Okay, the curmudgeon is checking in now.
> 
> I've never left a tip for housekeeping as essentially I didn't (and do not) see the need.  I mean where does this end - should one tip for every service one receives?  I just came from the grocery store - do I tip the cashier?  The bagger?  The guy pulling carts in from the lot?  At the resort, do I tip the check in staff?  Activites staff?
> 
> IMO, it is up to the establishment to pay the wages it needs to attract and retain suitable talent.  The establishment's performance (which includes all of its employees / associates) influences whether or not I am likely to return again in the future.  In a hotel or timeshare, I'm already paying a considerable amount of money to be there, the resort (or hotel) needs to pay its employees / associate suitable wages.
> 
> This article looks like a covert effort to transfer more costs from the resort / hotel to the consumer.
> Pass.



I take a split view on this, if housekeeping is included, then I do tip. But, at many TS resorts you have to pay for anything more than a mid-week "tidy." So if I'm already paying the resort, then I tend to have the same opinion as above. I paid for the service directly to the hotel, so I'm not inclined to tip on top of what is (typically) a pretty exorbitant housekeeping fee.


----------



## itchyfeet

Thank you for your comments Resort Guy.  Exactly why we always tip even though we leave our unit in very good condition.


----------



## Passepartout

Resort Guy said:


> In my experience there's just no desire on behalf of the BOD to provide a decent wage.  They've never met a housekeeper or much of the staff so they have no empathy.  A housekeeper to most of them is just another tool that can be replaced with a whim.  Their desire is to keep more money in their pockets. Period.  They don't have to personally deal with hiring, firing, constant turnover, personnel issues, or guest complaints so those responsibilities fall on the managers shoulders while they judge success or failure by the total on a spreadsheet.


This may be (and probably IS) true when applied to the corporate- owned TSs like Wyndham, Marriott, HGVC ones. The ones I don't own. But the independent TSs- like those associated with VRI, TPI, who are 'mature' and not in active sales and the BOD are owners, like you and me. Sure, they try to hold costs (and MFs) down- and wages are about the easiest way to do that. There isn't much that can be done to reduce utilities, and the biggest expense on many financial statements- at least mine- is BAD DEBT. That's other owners who want OUT and are willing to default, and risk legal expenses to do it. They cost us all, and FAR MORE than paying housekeepers. There is no easy answer. You can't shame people who have no intention of returning to a resort into paying MFs that are in arrears. Offering to take deeds back for a year or two's MFs and hiring a sales weasel to sell the deed backs to people who want the weeks and will pay MFs might help by giving an 'out' to aging owners.

But that is not what this thread is about. I tip, and feel good about it. Do what you want.

Jim


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## MikeM132

I'm also in the 20/week group. I tip on the nightstand when I check out. I don't usually get any service during the week unless it is not at a Marriott. 
I'm not sure who actually gets the tip, but figure it all works out eventually. I have noticed the good Karma of tipping in hotels, motels and t/s has slowed down my hair loss.


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## MikeM132

???This post showed up 4 times in my browser.


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## SPG900NY

bbodb1 said:


> All this is fine and dandy - more power to y'all - but I'd be curious if the two of you would answer my previous (sort of) question.  Having just come from the grocery store, do you tip the cashier, the cart pusher, the counter clerk at the deli?  Where does the idea of tipping begin / end?  Each of the individuals I just mentioned are also providing you a service aren't they?
> 
> Edit: FWIW, let me say that I am asking these questions inquisitively, not from the standpoint that there is a right / wrong here....



I will take your question as an inquisitive one, so please don't get defensive if I try to explain my point of view since you asked an open question.

I think there are some industries where tipping is an established "norm." I live in the Northeast, and everywhere I've lived, I don't know anyone who tips the cashier in our area. I don't know anyone who tips the cart pusher. I don't know anyone who tips the clerk at the deli. Maybe it's different in other areas of the country.

Some service jobs it's kind of up in the air. If someone washes your hair and someone else cuts your hair, you tip both (usually the washer less). If the owner of a salon does your hair, I think tip is optional, but recommended. I tip the mailman $40 every xmas, along with the people who collect my garbage, and the person who brings my bottled water all year. I'm sure some don't. The mailman deals with all my Amazon packages and occasional neighbors parking in front of my mailbox and brings the mail to the door, always with a smile. The garbage collectors have a tough job and if I can say thank you this way once a year, I do. The bottled water guy lugs the heavy bottles up our walkway to our stoop, sometimes in the snow and rain.

Then there are some industries where you ALWAYS tip, that it doesn't even seem to be up for debate. Housekeeping and waitstaff are on that list as far as I'm concerned, and yes, I see the line for "housekeeping" in my itemized MF every year, and no, for me that doesn't justify not leaving a tip.

I don't tip the activities staff or the checkin staff, and have never seen anyone do either. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

*The way I see it, I own a timeshare. I can afford to be on vacation. It doesn't hurt me at all to leave a $20/week. *We get no mid-week refresh at our home resort. Housekeeping preps the unit before a visit, and that's it. We don't see them again until checkout.

Sometimes my wife, son, and I get two adjoining units just to have more space and we'll leave $40. Even though we strip the beds and put the dirty linens and towels all in one place, we take out the trash, and we put any leftover dirty dishes in the dishwasher and run it, we still tip, and hope that whoever is cleaning up after us gets a pleasant surprise that hopefully there isn't too much work to do in our unit. They have a hard job. I want to make it easier on them so they don't have to clean up our messes. Tipping is our way of saying we appreciate all the hard work you did to make our unit clean, change the sheets for us before we arrived, etc. Really, it's not an imposition, and as I said before, this is one of those industries where everyone just agrees that you tip. It's not really up for debate as far as I can tell.

But of course, I worked in the food industry when I was young and I know how hard people in low-wage jobs work for their pay, and things are getting more expensive all the time.

I think I'll tip $40 a room this year as well since now I know some don't tip. I thought everyone tipped at least *something*.


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## barrey

bbodb1 said:


> - do I tip the cashier?  The bagger?  The guy pulling carts in from the lot?  At the resort, do I tip the check in staff?  Activities staff?



I don't tip cashiers at a Grocery store. I would tip the Courtesy Clerk (bagger) if they carry stuff out to my car.
At the sandwich deli I frequent near home, I do tip the sandwich maker, who now remembers what I like on my sandwiches.

I only tip resort check-in staff if they provide a service above and beyond the norm, such as a view upgrade, etc.
I generally DO tip activities staff at a resort if I think they have done a good job for me and my family.

I tip housekeeping about $20 a week where there's daily service and $10 if it's just a once a week deal. I usually try to hand it to them directly.
If we need an extra "something" (pillow, blanket, dish soap, you know) and someone delivers it without us having to call back, I tip a couple bucks.


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## normab

Interesting topic.

We tip $15 for a smaller unit and $20 for a 2 bedroom.  We've only had a 3 bedroom 3 times, and when there were just two of us we left $20 because we didn't use 2/3 of the unit.  When there were 4 of us we left $30.  I must state we also clean up and don't leave a mess.  My parents owned a summer beach motel when I was growing up and I have seen how messy, seriously grossly, people can leave a unit. I know that it can take an hour longer to clean a messy stovetop (think burnt on food) and fridge (think crumbs, syrupy spills) vs a relatively clean one that just needs a wipe down....  So I choose to tidy/clean up the night before checkout as I am packing and I think that is appreciated in itself!!!

We tend to always tip at timeshares always but less at hotels now, unless I can give it directly to a hotel HK staff near the room. At timeshares I generally see the people who clean the room coming by so I know they get it. I make this commentary because a couple of years ago we had left a tip for housekeeping at a Marriott  brand family hotel (as we always did), and I had to run back to the room 5 minutes after checking out to get something I had forgotten.  I saw the head housekeeper, clipboard in hand,coming out of the room as I was at the far end of the hall.  I went in the room and noted the tip was gone.    Sadly, I cannot assume she shared it with the staff.  She could have left it there.

So when at hotels, and I see the HK staff by our hotel room, I hand them a tip directly or don't leave one at all.


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## Talent312

barrey said:


> At the sandwich deli I frequent near home, I do tip the sandwich maker, who now remembers what I like on my sandwiches.



My pharmacist doesn't ask me my name any more, instead he says:
"We have your refills ready, Mr. B.  How's retirement?" -- even though I don't tip him.

.


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## VacationForever

Talent312 said:


> My pharmacist doesn't ask me my name any more, instead he says:
> "We have your refills ready, Mr. B.  How's retirement?" -- even though I don't tip him.
> 
> .


We have lunch almost everyday at this breakfast and lunch place and on our way back, we drop by CVS whenever we have a prescription ready for pick up.  Almost everytime we end up having a couple of delicious Udis muffins still sealed in their individually wrapped plastic as they are part of the meal and we don't eat them as we limit our calorie intake.  We give away our muffins to our favorite CVS pharmacy staff.  One girl in particular does not ever get a muffin from us.


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## Pompey Family

My local barman used to know what I drank and would pour me one before I'd reached the bar. I never gave him a tip, nor have I ever given a tip to any barstaff in the UK. He knew what I drank because I was a regular not because of any extra money I gave him.

I wonder if those who tip housekeeping give any consideration to tipping the maintenance staff who work around the clock behind the scenes to ensure that their room and resort is running perfectly, just as hard work as housekeeping and more important in my opinion.

It's all so terribly inconsistent and I'm glad we don't have such a tipping culture here in the UK and Europe.


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## SandyPGravel

Pompey Family said:


> My local barman used to know what I drank and would pour me one before I'd reached the bar. I never gave him a tip, nor have I ever given a tip to any barstaff in the UK. He knew what I drank because I was a regular not because of any extra money I gave him.
> 
> I wonder if those who tip housekeeping give any consideration to tipping the maintenance staff who work around the clock behind the scenes to ensure that their room and resort is running perfectly, just as hard work as housekeeping and more important in my opinion.
> 
> As the wife of a "maintenance" type worker and being a former housekeeper(my first job at age 15) the wage discrepancies between those two job categories are astronomical.  Housekeeping makes min wage, maintenance makes exponentially more.
> 
> It's all so terribly inconsistent and I'm glad we don't have such a tipping culture here in the UK and Europe.
> 
> I agree life would be easier if wages made tips unnecessary, but until that happens...


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## Passepartout

Pompey Family said:


> It's all so terribly inconsistent and I'm glad we don't have such a tipping culture here in the UK and Europe.


I made a similar comment waaaay back in post 11. But it is what it is, and stiffing service workers won't help to change the culture. Like in so many things, 'The Land of the Free and Home of the Brave' has it's own rules.

Jim


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## bobpark56

I have left tips on the pillow in Spain, only to have them refused. My understanding now is that in most parts of Europe (and perhaps the UK) workers are paid a decent wage, and there is no expectation of receiving a tip...except perhaps when rounding up a bill at a restaurant. I still do tip a bit if the person had been more than usually helpful.


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## rapmarks

I just read a post on the Wisconsin dells Facebook page, a young girl, living temporarily in a homeless shelter, asking for a room for rent.  Her job is as a hostess in a dells restaurant. Making 6.50 an hour and some shared tips.


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## Panina

I did what I said I would. I tipped $25 for the week instead of $20.

I was at Blue Ridge Village and the unit was very clean.  I was hobbling around with my sprained ankle without socks and my bandage and feet stood clean.

This week was a trade but I also own a week.  My new thought is tip the cleaners well so they stay because they are happy.  I could not find one thing wrong in the unit. Of course, all my previous reasons for tipping I still believe.

What I did do is put the note on the bed with the tip so not noticeable to someone walking in prior to the cleaner.  I got that good tip in this thread.


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## rpoyourow

jbondoux said:


> We like to leave a good tip for the housekeeping staff. We are careful, though - one stay at a very high-end resort with daily full maid service with a very attentive housekeeper led us to plan a significant tip. She asked that we hide it in an envelope buried under the cutlery in a kitchen drawer, as the floor supervisor apparently had a habit of getting to the units as soon as they were vacated and secretly pocketing any tips left behind...FWIW


 
We leave a tip before our last day to avoid this problem.  We find out who is serving our room and when they are likely to be there, and leave a tip under a pillow so it is discovered when the bed is made up.


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## SmithOp

We leave a tip if the unit is clean when we arrive.  I always leave a note of appreciation for the clean room with $20.  I see it as a way to pay it forward to the next person staying.

We had a recent stay in a studio with a murphy bed.  When the bed was pulled down I looked behind it in the dead space and it was disgusting, huge dust bunnies and cracker crumbs, etc.  No tip, just a note telling housekeeping to clean behind the bed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


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## 2saltydawgs

For TS housekeeping, in Mexico we leave about 100 pesos per day, or $5 USD in USA TS.
FWIW - we were told that the baggers in Mexico grocery stores work for tips, and that's their pay - so we always tip them about 20 pesos per bag of groceries.


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## DrQ

*Inside the US:*

I only tip waitstaff. They are paid cr@p as an hourly wage. I hate the system. I worked it when I was in high school. It allows the employer to be lazy and schedule many servers and not incur a financial penalty.

Growing up as a military brat, the other instance were the baggers at the commissary that work for tips alone.

I had a paper route and I got a few tips (I never expected them) and at Christmas about half my customers would slip me $5 (Many times homemade treats which were just as welcome).

If an employer allows a tip jar for regular employees then I see it as being cheap and underpaying their staff. I order my coffee black, no sugar, so why should I tip a barista?

I don't support it.

*Outside the US:*

I know many people work for tips alone.


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## WinniWoman

We were away for XMAS just a few days at an Inn. The gratuity was included in the rate so we didn't leave a tip, though I am thinking since it was XMAS we should have left extra.

As for the restaurants we went to we left an extra 5% - 10% because it was the holidays. So like 25% or more instead of the usual 15-20%.

FYI- our son works part-time in a brewery. Bar tends and serves some of the food and whatever they need him to do.The Sunday and Monday of New Years eve- and the place was only open until 10pm on New Years eve- he made- wait for it- $700 in tips! Of course his salary there is sh$%^&. He loves working there- the vibe and all that and he just does it for extra money in addition to his full time job- which I guess is working out well! LOL!

I am thinking this might be a new career for me! Ha! Ha!


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## WinniWoman

Come to think of it, our XMAS dinner was buffet style, but we still left a big tip. We had two people attending to our table- getting rid of the used dishes to make more room on the table and getting us water and coffee and a drink. Hey- they were working on XMAS- they deserved it.


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## itchyfeet

I've said this before and will say it again.  If we can't afford $20-$25 per week tip for housekeeping, we will stay home!


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## Luanne

DrQ said:


> *Inside the US:*
> 
> I only tip waitstaff. They are paid cr@p as an hourly wage. I hate the system. I worked it when I was in high school. It allows the employer to be lazy and schedule many servers and not incur a financial penalty.
> 
> Growing up as a military brat, the other instance were the baggers at the commissary that work for tips alone.
> 
> I had a paper route and I got a few tips (I never expected them) and at Christmas about half my customers would slip me $5 (Many times homemade treats which were just as welcome).
> 
> If an employer allows a tip jar for regular employees then I see it as being cheap and underpaying their staff. I order my coffee black, no sugar, so why should I tip a barista?
> 
> I don't support it.


My daughter worked in a deli for several years.  They were paid minimum wage and always appreciated tips.  If you are not using the tip jar because you think the place is cheap and underpaying their staff, who do you think you are hurting?  It's the staff.  Those people who are taking your order, making your food, even if it's just pouring you a cup of coffee.  

*



			Outside the US:
		
Click to expand...

*


> I know many people work for tips alone.


I guess it depends where you go.  Some countries don't encourage tipping, and don't even want the tips.  Those are places they are paid a decent wage.


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## Marathoner

If you stay in the same resort unit for multiple weeks, do you leave out the money at the end of each week? 

Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk


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## Passepartout

Marathoner said:


> If you stay in the same resort unit for multiple weeks, do you leave out the money at the end of each week?


Yes. Just like you leave it daily when you stay a few nights in hotels.


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## DrQ

Luanne said:


> My daughter worked in a deli for several years.  They were paid minimum wage and always appreciated tips.  If you are not using the tip jar because you think the place is cheap and underpaying their staff, who do you think you are hurting?  It's the staff.  Those people who are taking your order, making your food, *even if it's just pouring you a cup of coffee.*


I stand in line, they pour my coffee, they call my number while I'm standing, I just don't agree.  Same when I order a meal, I don't consider SERVICE bringing it to my table after I stand in line, place my order, get my own drink and they just bring the order to my table. If you say, "Well they prepared your meal", when I worked in a restaurant, the waitstaff did not share their tips with the kitchen.

I understood TIPS ment *T*o *I*nsure *P*roper *S*ervice.

When I sit down to a table and a SERVER takes my order, brings me a beverage, times my appetizer, main meal and enquires on the quality of the meal and then takes my payment, that's SERVICE.

I don't tip MehC Donalds.


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## clifffaith

I always heard P = Prompt


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## clifffaith

itchyfeet said:


> I've said this before and will say it again.  If we can't afford $20-$25 per week tip for housekeeping, we will stay home!



I see your point, but especially at Worldmark where we never lay eyes on anyone from a 1-7 day stay AND we've paid a $100 cleaning fee, we do not tip.


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## Luanne

DrQ said:


> I stand in line, they pour my coffee, they call my number while I'm standing, I just don't agree.  Same when I order a meal, I don't consider SERVICE bringing it to my table after I stand in line, place my order, get my own drink and they just bring the order to my table. If you say, "Well they prepared your meal", when I worked in a restaurant, the waitstaff did not share their tips with the kitchen.
> 
> I understood TIPS ment *T*o *I*nsure *P*roper *S*ervice.
> 
> When I sit down to a table and a SERVER takes my order, brings me a beverage, times my appetizer, main meal and enquires on the quality of the meal and then takes my payment, that's SERVICE.
> 
> I don't tip MehC Donalds.


I tip because I know these people aren't making much, because they do provide service, no matter how trivial you may think it is.  I tip because I feel fortunate that I can.  We will just have to disagree on this.  And thank goodness for my daughter and others who work in the food industry, not everyone feels like you do.


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## Panina

itchyfeet said:


> I've said this before and will say it again.  If we can't afford $20-$25 per week tip for housekeeping, we will stay home!





Luanne said:


> I tip because I know these people aren't making much, because they do provide service, no matter how trivial you may think it is.  I tip because I feel fortunate that I can.


 Totally agree with you both.


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## DrQ

Luanne said:


> I tip because I know these people aren't making much, because they do provide service, no matter how trivial you may think it is.  I tip because I feel fortunate that I can.  We will just have to disagree on this.  And thank goodness for my daughter and others who work in the food industry, not everyone feels like you do.


Do you tip fast food workers when there is no tip jar, that usually are not making much also?


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## Luanne

DrQ said:


> Do you tip fast food workers when there is no tip jar, that usually are not making much also?


I don't eat fast food.

But yes, I have tipped food service personnel when there isn't a tip jar available.


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## bluehende

How do you feel about the places that supply an envelope you bring to the checkout.  I usually leave my tip in the unit even with this.  I do not trust it will be distributed equitably by the front office.  I know there is a chance that the tip left in the unit will not get into the correct hands either, but feel that at least it isn't pocketed by management.


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## clifffaith

bluehende said:


> How do you feel about the places that supply an envelope you bring to the checkout.  I usually leave my tip in the unit even with this.  I do not trust it will be distributed equitably by the front office.  I know there is a chance that the tip left in the unit will not get into the correct hands either, but feel that at least it isn't pocketed by management.



I've mentioned before that when we stayed one night in a cabin in Grand Tetons NP, rather than return to our Worldmark lodgings, we left a tip on the dresser. We didn't even have the key in the ignition before a male worker bee I was positive was a handyman, and not a housekeeper, was in our unit. That time we should have taken it to the front desk.


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## pedro47

I tip the chef, when I ordered my omelet at a hotel or at a restaurant.


We always tip our housekeeper during our timeshare and hotel stays.

Cliffaith, I liked your statement at some resorts the houseman or handyman sometime is in the villas before the housekeeper. I also feel my tip sometimes may not go to the housekeeper because of this occurrence. IMHO.

We always leave a tip and a note with a smiley face, thanking the housekeeper for an excellent job.


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## bobpark56

Tipping practices depend on the country. In Spain, we have had maids refuse to take the money we left on our pillow. My understanding is that, in most of Europe and In England (unlike in the U.S.), workers are paid a decent wage and do not expect or need much if anything in the way of tips. This goes for taxi drivers, bellboys, & waiters, too...though taxi drivers I have been told have come to expect something like 5% or a bit better.


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