Originally Posted by MaxFlyer
I asked to find out about different customs.
I normaly leave the maid a tip each day just in case it's a different maid at the end of my stay ashs she would get the whole stay's tip which wouldn't be fair on the first maid.
This has been discussed at length in Travel Buzz. If "Search" was ever working, you could find several threads. Consensus broke three ways -
1.) Tip the MAID?? Are you nuts?
2.) Leave a tip after the first night to encourage good service for the stay.
3.) Leave a nice tip the last day, when leaving, if the service has been good.
I'm usually in #3, but won't leave anything if the room hasn't been kept inobtrusively neat and very clean.
On this note, I have actually left something for maids in Japan in a few cases where the service was exceptional. I always wrap the bill/bills - usually 1,000 yen or so - in a note thanking them in kana, since I can't handle kanji.
JR