Tip envelopes in rooms
Sep 15, 2014, 1:30 pm
#121
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I'd much prefer having housekeeping wages fully baked into room rates. When I'm on the road 4-5 days a week, the last thing on my mind is making sure I have cash on hand for every possible tipping scenario. And on my 2-3 days at home, I don't want to have to make a trip to get cash just for tipping.
Since my company does not reimburse cash expenses, tipping can get expensive. Let's assume 3 nights a week for 50 weeks. That's up to $750 a year in un-reimbursed expense. I'm well-compensated, but that would still be a noticeable figure in my budget.
Since my company does not reimburse cash expenses, tipping can get expensive. Let's assume 3 nights a week for 50 weeks. That's up to $750 a year in un-reimbursed expense. I'm well-compensated, but that would still be a noticeable figure in my budget.
Of course, maybe Marriott's next step will be to start asking us if we want to write in maid tips on our bill.
Sep 15, 2014, 1:31 pm
#122
Join Date: Jan 2010
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Why can't Marriott pay a real salary/hourly wage? If they were really interested in the Maids making more money. Also, Marriott caters to Business travellers. With this system there is no way to expense tips to your company. Average business traveller will then need to pay about 100 per month out of his/her pocket.
Couldn't they just add 1-5 dollars to each room rate and pay their people and leave me out of it? Marriott is going the way of the airlines/cruise lines. Pay for internet, Pay for snacks/coffee in lobby, Pay for airport "courtesy" shuttle, Pay for resort fees, pay for tips for maid, etc.
Another option would be to add a line at check in or check out where you could add a "tip" to the bill. I rarely have spare cash to the exact amount I want to tip. Very often I either have to leave "too much" or "less than I wanted too" because I am a huge hurry. There is a reason the bell man always has change on him. To make it easy to break a bill or give change.
My guess is Marriott will begin to track who tips and who doesn't soon.
Couldn't they just add 1-5 dollars to each room rate and pay their people and leave me out of it? Marriott is going the way of the airlines/cruise lines. Pay for internet, Pay for snacks/coffee in lobby, Pay for airport "courtesy" shuttle, Pay for resort fees, pay for tips for maid, etc.
Another option would be to add a line at check in or check out where you could add a "tip" to the bill. I rarely have spare cash to the exact amount I want to tip. Very often I either have to leave "too much" or "less than I wanted too" because I am a huge hurry. There is a reason the bell man always has change on him. To make it easy to break a bill or give change.
My guess is Marriott will begin to track who tips and who doesn't soon.
This is the real issue and i'm glad someone is talking about it instead of who's wiping who's butt.
Sep 15, 2014, 1:45 pm
#123
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Hmm, I don't think it's quite the same as tipping housekeeping 
"The fact that feeding wildlife is a citable offense is one reason not to do it; for those convicted, it carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. There are other reasons which form the basis for the law.
Why is there a law that prohibits disturbing or feeding wildlife?
· Nutritionally, it is bad for the animals. Human food can make wildlife sick.
· It interferes with an animal's ability to forage for its own food. Animals can become dependent on humans.
· Wildlife fed by humans can become nuisance animals, breaking into tents, cars and homes. Rangers trap, move and sometimes kill nuisance animals.
· It makes an animal an easy target for poachers. The deer that linger near the park roads this summer may be killed by poachers in the fall. (Hunting is not allowed in the park.)
· Animals that expect to receive food from humans can become a safety hazard. Some animals carry diseases that are very harmful to humans, like Lyme disease and hanta virus."
Cheers.
"The fact that feeding wildlife is a citable offense is one reason not to do it; for those convicted, it carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. There are other reasons which form the basis for the law.
Why is there a law that prohibits disturbing or feeding wildlife?
· Nutritionally, it is bad for the animals. Human food can make wildlife sick.
· It interferes with an animal's ability to forage for its own food. Animals can become dependent on humans.
· Wildlife fed by humans can become nuisance animals, breaking into tents, cars and homes. Rangers trap, move and sometimes kill nuisance animals.
· It makes an animal an easy target for poachers. The deer that linger near the park roads this summer may be killed by poachers in the fall. (Hunting is not allowed in the park.)
· Animals that expect to receive food from humans can become a safety hazard. Some animals carry diseases that are very harmful to humans, like Lyme disease and hanta virus."
Cheers.
Sep 15, 2014, 1:57 pm
#124
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: OH
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There has been a movement for some time by America’s elites to browbeat us into leaving daily tips for the hotel maid. USA Today is so pro-tipping that they have printed obviously false information.
. ..In March of 2005 USA Today spent a day with a maid at an upscale Maryland hotel, going from room to room as the maid cleaned. Virtually no one tipped. One maid interviewed cleaned 14 rooms without receiving a single tip. In the face of this fact, USA Today printed the following:
Mike Lynn, a Cornell University Hotel School associate professor who studies tipping, cites polls that found only a third of hotel guests tip housekeepers. ‘The social norm is that you do (tip), though not everyone knows it.’
. . Consider this for a moment. The USA Today reporter just personally observed that very few hotel guests tip. Then a college professor allowed that two-thirds of hotel guests do not tip. And yet we are still told that, "The social norm is that you do (tip), though not everyone knows it." .Sorry, but if two-thirds of hotel guests don’t tip, then the social norm is not to tip.
. ..In March of 2005 USA Today spent a day with a maid at an upscale Maryland hotel, going from room to room as the maid cleaned. Virtually no one tipped. One maid interviewed cleaned 14 rooms without receiving a single tip. In the face of this fact, USA Today printed the following:
Mike Lynn, a Cornell University Hotel School associate professor who studies tipping, cites polls that found only a third of hotel guests tip housekeepers. ‘The social norm is that you do (tip), though not everyone knows it.’
. . Consider this for a moment. The USA Today reporter just personally observed that very few hotel guests tip. Then a college professor allowed that two-thirds of hotel guests do not tip. And yet we are still told that, "The social norm is that you do (tip), though not everyone knows it." .Sorry, but if two-thirds of hotel guests don’t tip, then the social norm is not to tip.
Ding ding ding, we have a winner! I do not usually tip and will not be made to feel guilty for doing so. I have tipped exactly twice - both times when I was messier than usual.
Sep 15, 2014, 2:00 pm
#125
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Goes to cause, hand out are habit forming.
Just like too much sugar, and food is bad for humans.,,causes cancer...an early death...
Just like too much sugar, and food is bad for humans.,,causes cancer...an early death...
Sep 15, 2014, 2:04 pm
#126
Join Date: Oct 2005
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+1. A gratuity is option for going above and beyond. Marriott execs can take payouts to make sure the staff can live on the pay. I paid the bill (or my company) for a level of service, and I got it. The terms of conditions defined the service and it was met. My employer does not tip me daily for exceeding terms. But if someone did a good job, I let management know it. When the customer recognizes me, I don't get cash, I get a pat on the back. So do they. This may be 'cold' or 'mean'. But if we get rid of the handouts, less people struggle to do the only job they are capable of doing. I made myself better with studying and degrees to get the job I have. They can too. And their company should support them, even if the guy at the top needs to get less. That is a far better society
Sep 15, 2014, 2:14 pm
#127
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Toronto (YYZ)
Posts: 6,279
What Marriott is saying is they will not pay their staff and employees and, should anyone complain, they will blame their guests.
Marriott International's Fiscal Year 13 net profit was a shabby $1.71 billion (US).
They had revenue of $13 billion (US) and their profit saw an increase of 7.1%
The company has announced a $200 million (US) expansion into China for next year.
After all expenses they only made 1.71 B USD
All info is public. NASDAQ ticker symbol: MAR
Marriott International's Fiscal Year 13 net profit was a shabby $1.71 billion (US).
They had revenue of $13 billion (US) and their profit saw an increase of 7.1%
The company has announced a $200 million (US) expansion into China for next year.
After all expenses they only made 1.71 B USD
All info is public. NASDAQ ticker symbol: MAR
Sep 15, 2014, 2:27 pm
#128
Join Date: Jun 2010
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I would not be offended by the presence of a tip envelope in my hotel room, I'm under no obligation to use it, just like I'm under no obligation to use the bible in the drawer, the dry cleaning slip, the Papa John's coupons, or the blaring pay per view movie channel adverts when I turn on the TV. There's a lot of stuff in a hotel room I don't need or use, one more envelope isn't going to change my opinion of the place.
That said, I usually tip housekeeping. My stays are usually longer, 8 - 10 days at a time, and I keep the 'don't disturb' sign up several days in a row, so maybe two or three times a trip, I'll have housekeeping in to clean and I leave a $5 or $10 bill if I'm satisfied with the service I'm provided. If I'm short on cash, I've never had a problem taking 90 seconds out of my day to use the ATM in the lobby and stop at the front desk to get change for a 20 on my way in or out of the hotel that day. If my bed isn't made, toilet paper not replaced, trash not removed, or any other issue I feel should have been handled by the housekeeper, I'm less likely to tip as much, or at all for that particular occurrence.
As a matter of personal preference I also tip my barber, skycaps, bell persons, concierges, taxi drivers, tour guides, and waiters/waitresses. Many people who have posted here seem to take offense at leaving a tip for housekeeping, yet they state they do tip other professions as well. What's the difference? Why should Marriott suffer your ire for not paying housekeepers 'enough' but you're okay with tipping the bellman at the same hotel? Why don't Yellow Cab, Ruth's Chris, or Olive Garden share a similar disdain?
Not sarcasm... sincere questions. Why is it okay to withhold tips from housekeeping if the service they provide should be included in the cost of the room and reimbursed to them by the employing company but you go ahead and tip your cabbie or waitress? Shouldn't the service they are providing be included in the cost of your fare or meal and shouldn't it be the responsibility of the company they work for to pay them instead of you having to tip them? Shouldn't you be withholding all tips if that's how you feel rather than picking and chosing which tipping conventions to follow?
Personally, I think some people are simply more generous than others. Some people like to share what they have, especially with those who provide a direct service for them. Some people are raised or have raised themselves to value their money foremost and don't like the idea of being put on the spot or feeling obligated to part with it. Some others may honestly be in finacial situations where they cannot afford to tip. There may indeed be more people who don't tip housekeeping than those that do, so be it... I don't look down on them or expect them to do as I do. As for me, I plan to keep on tipping.
That said, I usually tip housekeeping. My stays are usually longer, 8 - 10 days at a time, and I keep the 'don't disturb' sign up several days in a row, so maybe two or three times a trip, I'll have housekeeping in to clean and I leave a $5 or $10 bill if I'm satisfied with the service I'm provided. If I'm short on cash, I've never had a problem taking 90 seconds out of my day to use the ATM in the lobby and stop at the front desk to get change for a 20 on my way in or out of the hotel that day. If my bed isn't made, toilet paper not replaced, trash not removed, or any other issue I feel should have been handled by the housekeeper, I'm less likely to tip as much, or at all for that particular occurrence.
As a matter of personal preference I also tip my barber, skycaps, bell persons, concierges, taxi drivers, tour guides, and waiters/waitresses. Many people who have posted here seem to take offense at leaving a tip for housekeeping, yet they state they do tip other professions as well. What's the difference? Why should Marriott suffer your ire for not paying housekeepers 'enough' but you're okay with tipping the bellman at the same hotel? Why don't Yellow Cab, Ruth's Chris, or Olive Garden share a similar disdain?
Not sarcasm... sincere questions. Why is it okay to withhold tips from housekeeping if the service they provide should be included in the cost of the room and reimbursed to them by the employing company but you go ahead and tip your cabbie or waitress? Shouldn't the service they are providing be included in the cost of your fare or meal and shouldn't it be the responsibility of the company they work for to pay them instead of you having to tip them? Shouldn't you be withholding all tips if that's how you feel rather than picking and chosing which tipping conventions to follow?
Personally, I think some people are simply more generous than others. Some people like to share what they have, especially with those who provide a direct service for them. Some people are raised or have raised themselves to value their money foremost and don't like the idea of being put on the spot or feeling obligated to part with it. Some others may honestly be in finacial situations where they cannot afford to tip. There may indeed be more people who don't tip housekeeping than those that do, so be it... I don't look down on them or expect them to do as I do. As for me, I plan to keep on tipping.
Sep 15, 2014, 2:30 pm
#129
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Sep 15, 2014, 2:39 pm
#130
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I would not be offended by the presence of a tip envelope in my hotel room, I'm under no obligation to use it, just like I'm under no obligation to use the bible in the drawer, the dry cleaning slip, the Papa John's coupons, or the blaring pay per view movie channel adverts when I turn on the TV. There's a lot of stuff in a hotel room I don't need or use, one more envelope isn't going to change my opinion of the place.
Cheers.
Sep 15, 2014, 2:52 pm
#131
Join Date: Dec 2010
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I'm a really clean guest, and rarely need housekeeping, but I don't get a tip for that.
Otherwise, this could quickly digress into a general whining session about the salaries of corporate executives, which has happened to this story on some other websites today.
Bottom line, this announcement has nothing to do with Marriott's bottom line. This was a deal to grab some left-wing brownie points by partnering with Maria Shriver. If it has the intended effect, getting Maria Shriver followers to stay at Marriott, then good for Marriott, but this announcement was a marketing plan, not a business plan.
Sep 15, 2014, 2:53 pm
#132
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
As a matter of personal preference I also tip my barber, skycaps, bell persons, concierges, taxi drivers, tour guides, and waiters/waitresses. Many people who have posted here seem to take offense at leaving a tip for housekeeping, yet they state they do tip other professions as well. What's the difference? Why should Marriott suffer your ire for not paying housekeepers 'enough' but you're okay with tipping the bellman at the same hotel? Why don't Yellow Cab, Ruth's Chris, or Olive Garden share a similar disdain?
Isn't food service the only profession exempt from minimum wage laws or is it anyone that receives tips? I honestly do not know. Even full on commissionable employees have to be paid minimum wage if they sell absolutely nothing...
Sep 15, 2014, 3:20 pm
#133
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As a matter of personal preference I also tip my barber, skycaps, bell persons, concierges, taxi drivers, tour guides, and waiters/waitresses. Many people who have posted here seem to take offense at leaving a tip for housekeeping, yet they state they do tip other professions as well. What's the difference?
Not sarcasm... sincere questions. Why is it okay to withhold tips from housekeeping if the service they provide should be included in the cost of the room and reimbursed to them by the employing company but you go ahead and tip your cabbie or waitress? Shouldn't the service they are providing be included in the cost of your fare or meal and shouldn't it be the responsibility of the company they work for to pay them instead of you having to tip them? Shouldn't you be withholding all tips if that's how you feel rather than picking and chosing which tipping conventions to follow?
I do tip the housekeeper but find the envelopes to be tacky. If 2/3's of people don't tip than why does Marriott need to inform people to tip? Society as a collective norm has decided that a hotel maid does not a tip. Similar to car mechanics, cashiers, ministers etc. On the other hand the societal norm IS to tip waiters, cabbies, bellman, porters. I would love to see the US move to a higher wage and eliminate tips altogether but I don't that will ever happen.
Sep 15, 2014, 4:12 pm
#134
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Even if minimum wage laws aren't the issue here, Marriott's skin in the game on this is clearly to nudge more of us into paying for their staff. If more and more of us do, it will certainly impact the market for this kind of labor in the direction of Marriott's benefit. Perhaps they attract better talent right at minimum wage than they otherwise would have. Perhaps they can get away with giving maids less other benefits as still attract basic labor to clean the rooms. Maybe they really *are* trying to classify them as tipped employees so they can pay them $3/hr.
As the guest, I don't care a whole lot about Marriott's labor relations beyond the fact that I want the rooms cleaned. But I don't think this is something the guests should be involved in.
And yes, if it was up to me our society would evolve past tipping entirely. Since that isn't going to happen, the best we can hope for is to not add *new* professions to those that are tipped.
Sep 15, 2014, 4:13 pm
#135
Join Date: Apr 2014
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If food service employees receive $0 in tips, their employer must make up the difference so that they make minimum wage. I'm not sure over what time frame this applies (daily, weekly, per paycheck?) but I do know that the general rule is that even those exempted from the minimum wage pay rate must actually make minimum wage either through tips or through their employer.