Leaving Ocean Pointe tomorrow, tip for housekeeping?

[bazzap]

Branching off a little bit, I wonder how many people who don't leave tips for the cleaners think that it's perfectly acceptable to tip the front desk staff in order to get a better unit placement? I've seen that happen, know a couple people who actually admit to it. To me it's different because tipping the cleaning staff doesn't come with the expectation that you'll be treated any better or worse than any other owner, while the front desk payoff is effectively a bribe.

I totally agree, I only ever tip at the end of a stay to housekeeping…
Any payment up front to influence unit placement to me is quite clearly a bribe, should be unacceptable and probably breaks company rules.

 

[KarenP]

I always tip about $20. If I were cleaning, I'd appreciate it.

 

[marmite]

I also tip housekeepers when they bring me extra stuff, stuff that was supposed to be in the unit, etc. To me that's just common sense. Not tipping is being cheap and selfish to me.

Sorry, I don't quite understand what are you tipping for here, if it was stuff that was supposed to be in the unit? My last stay, there were no robes in the room and only 1 shampoo/conditioner/soap per bathroom for the week. Some rooms are stripped of all their "high-touch" items, such as pens or pads of paper. Are you saying when I called to get my robe and shampoo (that should have been in the unit), I should have tipped? If anything, I would think their jobs aren't being done properly if the unit is not equipped for a week stay.

 

[Big Matt]

Last time it was for a non-stick pan and a cutting board. I tipped because the woman that brought it to me did so. I don't try to rationalize why those items weren't in the unit. I just wanted to reward her for good service. Marmite, I think you are being petty and thinking linearly. There's a low chance that the person who didn't leave me with a frying pan and cutting board when the unit was cleaned was the same person who brought me the same items. My guess is that the resort pays a cleaning crew and then has folks to service the units on demand. Different people.

 

[marmite]

Last time it was for a non-stick pan and a cutting board. I tipped because the woman that brought it to me did so. I don't try to rationalize why those items weren't in the unit. I just wanted to reward her for good service. Marmite, I think you are being petty and thinking linearly. There's a low chance that the person who didn't leave me with a frying pan and cutting board when the unit was cleaned was the same person who brought me the same items. My guess is that the resort pays a cleaning crew and then has folks to service the units on demand. Different people.

The OP wouldn't have asked the question if it was obvious what etiquette applies here. One of the top Google results to the question "Is it customary to tip in a timeshare?" answers this way: "Guests staying in a timeshare hotel may choose not to tip housekeeping if the service is not offered daily, as it is often included in the timeshare rental rate. In locations where service is provided daily or in instances where you request a special service, a tip of a few dollars should be given."

That is probably likely what I had also read early on in my timeshare ownership and thought that it was still most often the case. So if asking for the robes that are usually in the room is what is considered "a special service", I will tip for that in the future.

There are actually no people bringing anything to me (face-to-face) anymore with Covid. I can't even pay for a mid-week tidy should I want one. Perhaps you were in a country that they still will actually interact with you and do not have Covid protocols like the places I've stayed, so you were able to thank them. YMMV. During my stays things are now left at the door and they don't even knock to let you know they've brought it. I have no interaction with housekeeping and would have to track down who delivered it to even direct a tip to the right person. There are things that are considered a part of ones job, and things that may merit an extra special thank you. Your personal take on what services fall into which category are your own. Your tipping habits don't make you a benevolent person, just as mine do not make me a petty one. That's just not me. You have no knowledge of the things I have done for staff at the resorts, or others in service jobs (beyond just tipping) so I'll chalk-up your jabs as to you not knowing me at all.

Honestly, I really want a living wage for people in the service industry, people should have a fair and predictable income that they know they can pay their bills with. If that means me paying more for my MF to ensure it happens at my home resort, I am good with that.

Someone should not get tipped more or less because they are white/black/hispanic/asian/fat/thin/pretty/ugly when they are doing the exact same job. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happens when people tip (this isn't my opinion, there is a Cornell University study and others on this). Tipping can be a reward, but it is also punitive. This move to a living wage isn't going to happen overnight, so I will still tip where I feel it is warranted and where it is the local custom. Tipping is not required in certain countries, and even insulting in others, so it is always good to be aware of the expectation based on where you are. This is a very different topic I am sliding into, which goes well beyond the OP's question -- so that's enough out of me on this.

 

[Pompey Family]

Guests staying in a timeshare hotel may choose not to tip housekeeping if the service is not offered daily, as it is often included in the timeshare rental rate.

But surely the same goes for a hotel stay. What you're paying for is a room and accompanying service, there's no difference between a timeshare rental or a hotel stay.

 

[Dean]

But surely the same goes for a hotel stay. What you're paying for is a room and accompanying service, there's no difference between a timeshare rental or a hotel stay.

I think there is a clear difference between hotels and timeshares. Timeshares in most areas are generally cleaned between guests and not while the guests are present though there are exceptions. Also housekeeping in most areas are not in a tipped position with timeshares while they may or may not be with hotels.

 

[marmite]

But surely the same goes for a hotel stay. What you're paying for is a room and accompanying service, there's no difference between a timeshare rental or a hotel stay.

I do not know how much is set aside for housekeeping on a hotel stay, but usually with a hotel I get daily service (which I actually do tip for). A good housekeeper will notice you are going through towels fast, are using the bath salts, or ran out of something or other and will replenish those. Even though there is no quid pro quo going on, there is no question that the tipping improves service.

Since I always pay the same per night at a hotel, I assume they have built that cost into the nightly rate regardless of my length of stay. They are only making money on the room when it is occupied of course. I have no idea if the hotels I go to have salaried employees in housekeeping vs. hourly wages, so can't comment on if they are fairly compensated (pretty subjective, I admit). I imagine it would be harder to manage staffing levels and budgets with fluctuating occupancy.

With a timeshare, each week has an owner paying their maintenance fee on a unit. As an owner, we may not even use our unit, and if no one picks up the inventory in II (as an example, and it sits empty for weeks), maintenance was still paid on it even though there were no services/cleaning performed for that week. The benefit for the timeshare of course, is a steady, dependable income that is not based on occupancy. If they can pass on some of that steady, dependable income to salaried (Union?) employees at a fair-wage, then that is even better.

There was one timeshare that actually has a webpage to explain how their housekeeping fees are charged, and what happens if a week is split (requiring a mid week turnover). I assume the same would be true if I asked for a mid-week tidy -- I need to pay for that if it is not part of the standard service. It may be different for other companies, but thought it was good that this one tried to make their charges transparent. Certainly 100% of that cost does not go to the housekeeping staff, but it does make me want to know what they do get (at my own ownerships).

What is the Housekeeping Fee? - Plantation Resort

When you stay for less than a week then more cleans are needed for that week and the cleaning fee offsets the costs of additional checkout cleans.

www.plantationresort.com

On a pro-tipping note (with references to Marriott hotels, not timeshares specifically), I enjoyed this article from the Atlantic. A little long, but a good read if you have the time for it. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/06/why-dont-people-tip-hotel-maids/590410/

 

[SunandFun83]

[Moderator Note: Edited to remove comments that don't follow the "Be Courteous" TUG rule.] <-- SueDonJ

I talk with the staff and they live paycheck to paycheck and have very little free time. In many resorts, the stafff must drive 30-40 minutes to get to work because housing (i.e. Hilton Head, Newport) is very expensive.

Here is what I do:
$20 per week for the full villa or $10 each side if I have just one side
A full bushel of oranges or grapefruits for the front desk staff at Ocean Pointe (Do you think they did anything for you or getting checked in is a line item on the maintenance fees)
Send in lunch or dinner for the staff if I have more than a few reservations.


I own 11 Marriott weeks and make many reservations with points. My goal is to be treated as a friend/club member whenever I arrive. A friend once gave me good advice on getting great service at restaurants: 1. Be a regular 2. Always tip a little more 3. Learn the staff names and remember them. 4. If the tip is between X and Y, round it up because that dollar or two means a lot more to them than it does to you.

You will not find a Brinks Truck by your graveside.

 

[SunandFun83]

Here are some stories from other hotels:

My daughter was front desk supervisor at a Courtyard. Some families got together there and catered in Thanksgiving Dinner. They brought Thanksgiving dinner to the front desk staff. Did you ever realize that hospitality workers miss time with their families to serve your families.

I stayed at the Hyatt in Carmel and stopped to buy strawberries at a fruit stand on the way to the San Fran airport. I bought the little ice cream cups from the Marriott marketplace and made fresh strawberry sundaes for the two people at the front desk. (of course this was after my daughter told me about Thanksgiving)

My friend sells yachts in the $2 - $10 million range. He is at BeachPlace Towers for the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat show. He took some swag (Company Logo Stuff) to the resort staff.

I was leaving a local deli with my carry-out. An old man with a walker and one very bad leg took at least 5 minutes to drag himself from the curb to the deli. I stayed there 5 minutes to get the door for him. I thank god I do not have his hard path through life, I applaud his courage to fight his way across the sidewalk. I hope some good person will help him next week or help me some day.

There are some good people on this thread who recognize the hard path many of the timeshare workers have. I thank god that my path has been so much easier and more prosperous. Someone on the thread said they tip more as they get older, count me in.

 

[Tcbmcb5]

Personally I always tip even if we leave a room/condo nice & tidy. They still have to strips beds/make beds/vacuum/clean bathrooms/wipe down all surfaces. I’ve had many service industry jobs and my children do too. Hardworking people in that industry deserve it because their pay is probably not a living wage. I feel blessed that we can afford to take nice vacations.

 

[KProuty]

I always tip $20 per bedroom.

 

[sea&ski]

I have left tips, back when I carried more cash. I am always in a quandary about the method of leaving cash. Do you also bring an envelope with you to put it in? Long gone are the days of finding stationary in a drawer (okay, stop laughing, it wasn't THAT long ago) and just leaving $20 sitting somewhere seems a bit iffy...

 

[dioxide45]

Another concern is that housekeeping may also not always be the first people in the room after you depart. It is possible that some other staff makes off with the tip meant for the person cleaning the room.

 

[gln60]

We are at Ocean Pointe now..over the course of the last week we have needed towels..a large frying pan…coffee filters.. we tipped each associate $3…we had 2 beach chairs and a beach umbrella shipped down last week before the start of our vacation..the associate that brought up the boxes was tipped $10…we are leaving this Friday and will leave $20..our usual amount for staying in a 2BR 2BA unit.

 

[Superchief]

We do not tip people for bringing something to our villa that should have been there already. We typically go to the front desk ourselves to pick up extra supplies when needed. Why should we reward someone for the resort not doing their job? Do you tip maintenance for fixing a leaky faucet or toilet? I feel the same way about the new soap policy. We pay high maintenance fees to be provided the basics for the duration of our stay. I also try to minimize requests from housekeeping because they are currently understaffed at most resorts.

We always tip housekeeping at the end of our stay, and others for special services that are provided.

 

[gln60]

I have a feeling that the associates that run things up to a villa have nothing to do with missing items in the villa or bringing a couple boxes up to a villa that saves us a trip over a couple buildings and bringing them up ourselves.