I don't get to stay in all of the marvelous top luxury hotels mentioned on this forum as much as most of you, only 4 times a year or so when i travel to Asia for work. I rarely venture to the US, but that will change in the future.
When staying in top suites at top hotels in say the US how do you adjust your tipping ?
E.g. $5 a day seems to be the norm to leave for housekeeping in a regular hotel, how much would you leave ? say $20 a day ? or $50 a day ?
I tip more to housekeeping if the room is larger and takes longer for them to clean. The most I have ever tipped housekeeping would be $20/day but that was the 2 BR Skyloft which is 3000 sq feet !
$50/day seems somewhat outlandish but go crazy if you think the service was worth it.
Obviously when eating at high end restaurants in these high end hotels, 20% gratuity may be quite a bit (i.e Joel Robuchon at the Mansion)...
This thread isn't really about how much to tip for each person but how your tipping should differ when staying in a real high end suite compared to a regular hotel room
Let's say for comparative purposes, the Skylofts at the MGM v regular room at the Bellagio
I read the first of the threads posted by Kagehitokiri and I agree with the sentiment that this is a passionate and highly individual matter.
One of the factors that goes into tipping are whether or not you are a regular in the hotel or you want to be one. How do you wish to be remembered?
To me, the first person who gets tipped is the bellman. If you are staying in a suite in a Four Seasons and tipping $1 a bag, you look like an arriviste.
I was once in a luxury hotel where they decided to upgrade us to the presidential suite. I don't remember exactly what I gave the bellman but it was at least $50.
Similarly, if a GM has done something really nice like invited me for a dinner for two in the hotel's best restaurant, I might remember him with a personal gift.
So far, this strategy has served me very well and I have received excellent service.
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Completely disgusting idea to tip the GM!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Landing Gear
I read the first of the threads posted by Kagehitokiri and I agree with the sentiment that this is a passionate and highly individual matter. (...)
Similarly, if a GM has done something really nice like invited me for a dinner for two in the hotel's best restaurant, I might remember him with a personal gift.
So far, this strategy has served me very well and I have received excellent service.
The GM receives a high wage, which is paid by your room bill. To give him some additional money/additional gift will totally rip off the system of everybody paying the room price and getting perfect service + more at a true luxury hotel.
If I was a friendly dictator, I would force all hotels to pay their staff well and to forbid all kind of tipping. It ruins the experience of both sides, because as a luxury hotel guest, I will not have to handle with money all the time and to even think of shopping for gifts for higher manangement.
Last edited by Randy Petersen; Apr 7, 08 at 9:54 pm.
If I was a friendly dictator, I would force all hotels to pay their staff well and to forbid all kind of tipping.
Such place exists, it's called "everywhere except the USA".
[edit: oops, I read forget instead of forbid... Though in many places tipping is forbidden].
Unfortunately, this thread will degenerate on a thread on the "point" of tipping and not the change of habits between "luxury" and "high end" hotels.
As in my culture we consider tipping to be a reward for extraordinary service, I tend to tip less at luxury hotels since something extraordinary for a high end hotel is to be expected in a luxury hotel.
I don't stay in the US, though, so I can't comment on what should be done there.
This thread isn't really about how much to tip for each person but how your tipping should differ when staying in a real high end suite compared to a regular hotel room
Let's say for comparative purposes, the Skylofts at the MGM v regular room at the Bellagio
That was my point...if you are staying in the Skylofts, you may get more attentive service - therefore you end up tipping more. My example with housekeeping was that the room was larger and thus required more work to clean - hence the larger tip. I try not to stay in regular hotel rooms so that is my point of reference. One's tipping should be based on service rather than what the room rate is... Therefore to answer the OP's question again, I do not change my tipping habits depending on the type of hotel, only on the type of service. However, they do tend to go hand in hand.
