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will the $20 trick work in Hawaii? (or does it stay in Vegas?)

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will the $20 trick work in Hawaii? (or does it stay in Vegas?)

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Old Apr 3, 2008, 12:48 pm
  #16  
 
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Originally Posted by PBQ
Mobil,
We check into the Westin Ka'anapali on April 2nd. I'll dare my husband to offer and ask. I'll let you know.
Ha, May 18 here! I'm definitely watching this thread! Hell, I'll give $50 if it gets me an ocean view (booked on island view).
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Old Apr 4, 2008, 10:08 am
  #17  
 
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May 19 here! Maybe I'll see you around.
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Old Apr 5, 2008, 7:49 pm
  #18  
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Westin Update

Our 2 year old daughter had a stomach virus so we needed to ask for early check in at the Westin on April 2nd. They got us in a room at 11:30 am (usual check in is at 4, I believe) so my husband did not feel like they would also upgrade us.

Before the Aloha abd ATA issues, they seemed pretty full.
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Old Apr 6, 2008, 5:43 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by turtlegirl
I realize everyone in Vegas is used to tipping and it's condoned. In Hawaii I'm sure they're instructed to upsell the rooms. Do you think the front desk clerks would be fired if they accepted a tip for room upgrade? If so, i don't want to tempt them...
Most probably they will not be fired but .... bribery is wrong, against the law and shouldn't be done. I am shocked to see that this "trick" has spread from Vegas to other parts of the US.
I thought you only find this in some developing countries but it seems it is mainstream in the US now.
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Old Apr 6, 2008, 9:21 am
  #20  
 
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Please shock me with the names of the other US cities.
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Old Apr 6, 2008, 2:16 pm
  #21  
 
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OP--thanks for prompting me to think outside the Vegas box...I will be in Maui staying at Marriott's Maui Ocean Club for three nights (4/10-13/08). I think I will try it and will report back. Has anyone had any luck at this vacation resort?

Last edited by sandyweb33; Apr 6, 2008 at 3:21 pm
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Old Apr 6, 2008, 2:20 pm
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I think the $20 trick works anywhere - just don't make it obvious - hold the money with your credit card! I know it sometimes works in New York according to a cousin of mine!
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Old Apr 6, 2008, 3:52 pm
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by DownUnderFlyer
Most probably they will not be fired but .... bribery is wrong, against the law and shouldn't be done.
What law of morality or the US would that be? It isn't bribing to tip someone for helping you. Its a service. They can do what they want with it. If they go beyond the rules, they could be fired. In that case, it is still THEIR choice to accept the tip.


If anyone has success at the Villas, keep us posted.
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Old Apr 6, 2008, 4:18 pm
  #24  
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Originally Posted by erasmus99
What law of morality or the US would that be? It isn't bribing to tip someone for helping you. Its a service. They can do what they want with it. If they go beyond the rules, they could be fired. In that case, it is still THEIR choice to accept the tip.
Bribing is against the law on a federal level and on a state level in the US. The big question always is, what is a bribe, a tip or what is lobbying?

You call it tipping, some other posters here called it a bribe. There are many threads about it at some of the Hotel sections of this site. Some people are quite happy to accept this, others feel quite annoyed.

It is obviously a cultural thing. If you consider offering someone money so he/she alters her action against the company rule in your favour to be tipping, then this is fine. I just don't agree.

Btw, it might be their choice whether they accept the "tip" or not. But offering a bribe is treated the same way as accepting a bribe in most countries.

This thread is helpful because it helps me to determine which hotels to avoid in the future. Because what's the point of booking a Hilton, Starwood etc. property if I won't get an upgrade due to my status because all the rooms are gone from people bribing the check-in staff?
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Old Apr 6, 2008, 6:55 pm
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by DownUnderFlyer
Bribing is against the law on a federal level and on a state level in the US. The big question always is, what is a bribe, a tip or what is lobbying?

You call it tipping, some other posters here called it a bribe. There are many threads about it at some of the Hotel sections of this site. Some people are quite happy to accept this, others feel quite annoyed.

It is obviously a cultural thing. If you consider offering someone money so he/she alters her action against the company rule in your favour to be tipping, then this is fine. I just don't agree.

Btw, it might be their choice whether they accept the "tip" or not. But offering a bribe is treated the same way as accepting a bribe in most countries.

This thread is helpful because it helps me to determine which hotels to avoid in the future. Because what's the point of booking a Hilton, Starwood etc. property if I won't get an upgrade due to my status because all the rooms are gone from people bribing the check-in staff?
I'm not going to point out all the nonsense in your post, but I will say that if you eliminate all the hotels that "bribing" works at, you're going to end up sleeping in your car.
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Old Apr 8, 2008, 12:02 am
  #26  
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Originally Posted by DownUnderFlyer
This thread is helpful because it helps me to determine which hotels to avoid in the future. Because what's the point of booking a Hilton, Starwood etc. property if I won't get an upgrade due to my status because all the rooms are gone from people bribing the check-in staff?
^
I will also report a person accepting this "tip" to hotel's and chain's management.

This is a bribe plain and simple; it's not any different from offering a GA $100 to be moved to C or F (I don't think anyone here wants to try this).
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Old Apr 8, 2008, 12:54 am
  #27  
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Aloha kakou,

A topic check, please The topic at hand is experiences with whether the $20 trick works at Hawaiian hotels or not. General discussions of whether tipping is ever appropriate, whether tipping is the same as bribery, etc., etc., are better suited for Travel Buzz or OMNI.

Malama pono

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Old Apr 8, 2008, 1:05 am
  #28  
 
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Originally Posted by kaukau
Yeah it works. On O'ahu, we got upgraded to a corner suite once for a bag of beef jerky we brought back from Vegas for that exact purpose; but on the Big Island we got shot down for an upgrade for a box of Krispy Kremes we brought over from Maui - they did, however, send us up a bottle of champagne with a thank you note!
How did you fit a box of krispy kremes between your drivers license and your credit card???
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Old Apr 8, 2008, 11:48 am
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by pmax
How did you fit a box of krispy kremes between your drivers license and your credit card???
LOL!

With a smile!
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Old Apr 9, 2008, 11:41 am
  #30  
 
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I , for one, am going to try it upon check-in at the GH Kauai in May. I'll let you know what happens!
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