gavinman

I have a question regarding tipping housekeeping. I usually leave a dollar or two a day by my bed for the housekeeping staff. When I stay in New York at an expensive hotel the staff doesn't take the money. Are they not permitted to take tips? Or should it be left at the end of the stay?
Do most people leave tips for the cleaning staff?

bamboola

I usually leave a few dollars each day, rather than wait until the end of my stay, because the housekeeping person may not be the same one each day.

I also leave a note saying "thank you" so that the housekeeper knows it is for her.

obscure2k

A note of thanks is a nice gesture.
Here is a thread which might be helpful
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...hlight=tipping
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...hlight=tipping

allisonflyer

USA Today had an article on this the other day:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/hotel...or-a-day_x.htm

Strawb

There is a fierce debate concerning this topic over on the TravelBuzz forum.

Alinlondon

Leave it on the pillow each day.

WildRice

Don't leave it by the bed. They don't want to be accused of stealing.
Leave it either on the pillow, or like I do, on the bed, under a pillow. Or sometimes with a note requesting for more fresh towels. You'd be surprised and how much better the service gets for you!

I leave a minimum US$ 2 when travelling within the US. Anything less is tacky.

peter11

I dont think that housekeepers receive tips from the majority of their rooms. However, I often feel that they deserve a tip. Certainly the wages are not great, and as we are often traveling on business the expense is deductible. Even if its not, when you are staying in a $300 or $400 a night room (especially at a resort you are staying at for 5 nights or so) an extra $5 or even $10 (I guess I overtip!) is not a big deal. It is amazing how appreciative the housekeepers are. I once left a $5 tip at an airport hotel that I had stayed two nights at. On the morning of my checkout I had a meeting in one of the conference rooms at the hotel. Even though I was checking out that day the housekeeper came and made up my room. I saw her in the hall and she thanked me for the tip and explained that she knew I was leaving but just wanted to have the room fresh for after my meeting. Her actions reaffirmed for me how much the few dollars are appreciated and probably needed by the housekeeping staff. If you can afford it I say spread the wealth.

Marin 1K

I second this; of all the employees, housekeepers deserve a tip. I always try to catch one of the people actually cleaning my room and give them some cash. At a minimum, when I check out, I leave some cash under the pillow.

DataPlumber

Nope, I don't want the cleaning staff to think there is an American staying in that room.

svenskaflicka

You get more with sugar than you do with vinegar.

Oceanbound222

Tipping a couple dollars a day is the least expensive way to garner respect and top-notch service !!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't even begin to count how much wonderful service I bought for three dollars a day. Talk about a bargain !!

observer

I passionately feel that tips should be left. I leave $2/night at a Sheraton or Marriott and $4 or $5 a night at a St Regis or Ritz or Four Seasons. To my mind, the housekeepers have one of the hardest jobs in a hotel. And they generally make little more than minimum wage. If I can afford $300/night for a hotel, I can surely afford $5 for the housekeeper.

I always leave the money with a note, "For Housekeeper/Thanks." Otherwise, the housekeeper might not take the money, lest she be accused of stealing.

Another thing: I always tip daily, rather than at the end of a stay. Housekeepers have days off, rotate floors, etc. I see no sense in leaving $15 at the end of a three day stay, when the housekeeper servicing my room after my departure may not have serviced it previously.

catwings01

I think salaries for room attendants vary widely, depending on the location. In NYC, for example, room attendants make about $17 per hour - not minimum wage by any means and certainly more than tip employees earn. I agree with an earlier post that although attendants work as hard or harder than bellmen or waiters their wage is not based on tip earnings.

Bruiser

We have always left $2 per person per day at the end of the stay, but in reading the posts I agree it makes more sense to leave it daily due to the difference in daily maids. Now, does anyone have any ideas for leaving something for the nightly turn-down who also have a job to do, and good ones do indeed do a good job?