AvMax8

I'll be leaving for my honeymoon in a couple of days for five nights in Bali at the Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay and five nights at the Peninsula in HK. I've never stayed at hotels of this level of luxery before and I'm unclear about tipping. Both of these hotels include a service charge in the price for the stay. Does this mean that no tip is expected for porters, bellmen, room service, etc.? If tipping is expected, what is an appropriate amount at these properties and for what services. I certainly don't want to short-change anyone but I also don't want to look like an idiot by tipping anyone/everyone wildy inappropriate amounts. Any input is very much appreciated.

JohnG

I tip the same amounts, regardless of whether its a 5* luxury hotel or normal hotel.

There are minor exceptions such as the concierge at a luxury property going to great length to help out with something. However, this is simply because a normal,cheaper hotel would not have this service. Bellhop, Maid..etc...receive the same tips,regradless of what I am paying for the room.

Pickles

I don't know about Bali, but at the Pen no tipping is expected, and the restaurant bills and room charge already include a 10% service charge. Having said that, there is always a line for "tip" at the restaurant, which you might fill in if you think the service was above and beyond (which it will be, trust me), so you may leave a little extra, but no obligation. One standard way when paying with cash is to leave the coins they bring you back in change.

Also, I've seen people tip the bathroom attendants. There is no place to leave their tip, but they'll discreetly put it in their pocket. By the way, what's the view from the participants on tipping the bathroom attendants?

OT, if you are ever in Central, and in need, the bathrooms in the second floor of the Mandarin Oriental are good enough for surgery, and there is a nice picture window overlooking the Cenotaph. Very inspiring.

[This message has been edited by Pickles (edited 05-18-2003).]

Marysunshine

I agree completely with JohnG. Tip the same as you would at any nice hotel. Have a great honeymoon!

Doppy

I don't agree for maid service. At cheap hotels, they don't do very much. At top hotels you get the regular service, plus turndown. On top of that, depending on how detailed they are and how big your room is, two people might be needed to service your room.

So, I'll usually tip an extra $1-5 at nicer hotels than I would at cheap hotels, especially if they go above and beyond.

d

GoodKarmaGuy

First, I would think that tipping in some coun tries really depends on the culture. I would be interested to see what others post here re Bali and Hong Kong tipping. When I stayed at the Oriental in BKK I believe all tips were included. This was a few years ago. I also remember thinking that a lunch bought from a street vendor was about 44 baht. At that time that would have been not quite $1(USD). I used that perspective in my tipping.

Secondly, a friend did something I had never really thought of before. He left $1 each day - on the bed - for the housekeeper. We were staying in a Radisson on Miami Beach.(BTW it was a dump but was supposed to be 4 star - YUCK.) Now, I leave $1 daily for the housekeeper and put $1 on my pillow for turndown. I'ved notice a little extra service when I do this, especially at the mid and low range hotels. (Even the maid at the Ritz-Carlton in SFO left me some extra shampoos and lotions! ) I don't think I would do this in Asia... if I did in Europe it would be less, I think.

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There are days when it takes all you've got just to keep up with the losers.

Robert Orben.

daniellam

As a general rule, I only tip when I am in Canada (only at restaurants) or the U.S.

I don't tip in places like Hong Kong or Singapore where service charge is usually already added to the bill.

stimpy

It's been a while since I've been to mainland China, but I recall a notice on the landing card that said you should NOT offer tips in China. Didn't Singapore used to have the same thing on their landing card? Some luxury places will refuse tips. Even in the U.S.!

In any case, I usually try to tip if it's deserved or if I expect better than usual service. For me (as a former Chicago bartender) TIPS stands for "To Insure Prompt Service".

fastflyer

There have been some other general tipping threads lately, including one currently active in OMNI.

Tipping is a custom practiced less and less worldwide. It is customary in the US for a narrow segment of the population, those who are paid a sub-minimum wage. I support the 15% tip on food service at US restaurants and $1 per drink for US restaurants and bars.

Otherwise, no tipping is expected.

jsmeeker

Hmmm... Seems that everyone wants a tip in the USA... Don't you tip the bellman at the hotel who gets you a cab and carrys out your bags?? Do you tip taxi drivers?? All pretty standard.

For places where I *won't* tip... look at all the places with a tip jar on the counter.. (Starbucks, etc..).

danpic

What about tipping at "fine" hotels in Europe, let's say Italy, call it the Danieli; are you expected to tip the "manager" who shows you to your room after check-in? Or the bell desk everytime you drop-off or pick-up your room key? Bags delivered to the room? Water taxi called for you to their private dock?
It seems that some of these instances *could* be "rewarded" with a tip, but when your paying $$$ for the room, it also *feels* like those services should be included. At least that is how I feel (besides confused about hotel tipping).


Yeah, what is up with that? Donut stores, Starbucks, a lot of places now.....do these people forget that pouring your cafe into a cup and putting a lid on it IS their job? ???

number_6

Great choice of hotels! Two of the 10 best in the world (or something like that). Personally I think the Pen in HKG is the best hotel in the world. Be sure to have tea in their lobby (and listen to the remarkably talented orchestra playing on the balcony upstairs), have drinks at Felix, and dinner at Yu (across the street at the Intercontinental). And have your travel agent annotate your reservation that you are on your honeymoon, both of these hotels will really make it special.
As for tipping, it is entirely optional. None is expected, and you won't be considered boorish or an ugly american if you don't tip at either of these hotels, for any function. That said, my own personal opinion is that it is my responsibility as a traveler to spread the wealth, and I tip (sometimes frugally, sometimes lavishly) in proportion to the hotel cost. It really does not change the standard of service that you will receive at either the FS or the Pen -- they are far too good hotels for that. The tip is not to buy service as it is so often used, at these properties it is to applaud excellence. The staff understand that (or they don't stay there for long; as an aside, these are the most coveted jobs in town and they don't depend on tips for a livelihood). Obviously my comments are specific to these 2 hotels (and a few others of similar quality), different rules apply in other hotels.

HKTraveler

Can't comment on Bali but in HK, here is how locals tip and what the staff would expect at a good restaurant or hotel:

1) For bell-boy's and others, probably $10 or $20 for fetching you a taxi or carrying your bags. For example, if one uses valet parking, it would definitely be $20.

2) At restaurants, 10% service charge is always added. Usually people would round it up by a little say to the nearest 10 or 100. For good service, i would tip as much as another 5% like the time that the captain in Toscana gave us free drinks and dessert.

3) For taxi's, before 1997, people use to round up by a couple dollars. But after the crisis, the economy has not been doing well and peole only round up to the next dollar.

4) Bathroom attendants used to expect tips of 5 or 10 and there was a silver plate for tips with a couple of coins on it to illustrate the point. But in recent years, I think some of the hotels dislike the practice and have removed the silvery plates. For good service (i.e. turn on the faucet, hand you the towel and open the door), I would still give them 5 or 10 but this is pretty discretionary these days.

luxury

In places where "service" is included in the rate (Lanesborough) or added to the rate with any tax (hotels in Tokyo for example) I usually do not leave any extra for housekeeping, nor give a gratuity to bellmen, doormen, etc.

In NYC, I tend to tip generously at high end hotels. At a Hilton, I would leave $3 on the bed per day for housekeeping -- I would tip the doorman/bellman but usually there aren't any around to help!! At 5* hotels, I leave $10 for housekeeping for a room and $20-$50 for a suite; $10-$20 to the bellman (depending upon amount of luggage); and $5-$10 for the doorman upon arrival. Once at a hotel in NYC I was upgraded to a 2700 sq ft. suite which took 2 chambermaids 2 hours to clean. Here I left $50 a night....

While these are general guidelines that I tend to follow I do evaluate each situation individually and adjust accordingly. At restaurants I use 10% as a standard tip. If everything was great, I leave 15%-20%. If things were aweful, I have no qualms in leaving nothing.

I think the best is to tip what you are most comfortable tipping. Tipping, afterall, is discretionary.

Fliar

I don't tip outside the US when staying at high-end hotels. Having grown up in Holland and living in New Zealand (both countries where tipping is rare), to me tipping is a chore. Who should get a tip? How much? When? When I am spending top dollars for a 5* hotel I want those worries to be taken away from me. Most properties can be expected to look after their own staff reasonably well at least. I'd rather tip local people in say rural parts of a poor country.