sushanna1

Well said.

Blueblood

Very surprised any Marriott would allow the use of tip envelopes. This is very tacky!

Personally, I usually leave a tip of a few dollars a day, but that's just me. I understand most people don't tip and as pointed out above, maids make at least minimum wage and so do not have to be tipped.

b1513

Even though I've never seen an envelope, I kind of like the idea. I'm a tipper and many times I've left money on the dresser for the staff who cleans the rooms only to find it still there when I come back.

Bobette

hastakala

Many excellent comments and a couple of points not covered. I travel more for business than pleasure and stays average three nights. Although the housekeeper name placard is common, I have only rarely seen a "tips envelope." When I do leave a tip I always leave it in an envelope - usually from the hotel - and write either the maid's name on it or "housekeeping." This eliminates any confusion as to whether it was intended as a tip.

I am an easy guest, neat and clean, and usually inform housekeeping that I don't require daily service. If I do need an extra towel or toiletries I ask. One benefit of knowing the housekeeper's identity is I can greet her by name if I see her in the hallway, and thank her for preparing my room so well. That small gesture of respect and recognition might mean as much as or more than a two-dollar tip.

If the room was exceptionally spotless and well-organized upon arrival, I make a point of telling the GM and / or writing a brief note letting him or her know what a treasure they have employed.

pepsi38

I read through the entire thread and did not find a single complaint about this. I guess people are afraid to appear cheap. I, for one, feel that I am already paying for my room and its service when I pay the hotel bill. Sorry, maids, but it is up to your employer to pay you, not me.

elva

Neither is being a teacher, a policeman, a TSA agent and so on. Do you tip them?

Tautology. Yes, if you give a person a dollar, he/she gets a dollar. That's quite basic math. How is that relevant?

Yes, think about it after taking Economics 101. Room rates are mostly determined by supply & demand, not by expenses (or do you think during the Superbowl hotel employees' wages jump tenfold and hotels are forced to raise the rates accordingly? )

Big business profits may decrease slightly, and I'm fine with that.

Even if the rates increased, quoting you, are you really going to miss a dollar a day to someone who really deserves it?

I'm really fed up with the absurd idea that if someone works hard and his boss pays him measly wage it somehow becomes client's obligation to add some dollars. And if he doesn't, there comes shaming and name-calling... But no, by some convoluted logic not his boss is a cheapskate, it is absolutely fine if the company earns a couple of millions more by paying minimum wage (or below) to hard working employees... No, turns out the client is at fault here, he is stingy and did not tip!

How can anyone (but the boss) advocate for such a system?!...

joshua362

"Why tip someone for a job I'm capable of doing myself? I can deliver food. I can drive a taxi. I can, and do, cut my own hair. I did however, tip my urologist, because I am unable to pulverize my own kidney stones." - Dwight Schrute

angatol

.....

slowly

The rate can't go below the cost though.

9809JD

[QUOTE=writerguyfl;23012779]Just speculation, but I would guess that a formal tip envelope is there to eliminate the "is that a tip or just money left on the table?" that Housekeepers sometime face. QUOTE]

This. In hotels I have stayed at with the envelope, if I left a tip on the bed or anywhere but in the envelope itself the few dollars will inevitably still be sitting there when I get back to the room.

If I had to guess, there was probably a precipitating event at any hotel that uses these tip envelopes- i.e. some guest claiming that housekeeping "stole" the $2 that the guest just happen to leave sitting out for no apparent reason

fastflyer

Like many, perhaps. Not most. Flyertalk had a census on housekeeping tipping many moons ago. Percentage who tipped was under 30%.

ivinsfan

Most awkward tip environment I have ever witnessed was at the CY in Page AZ.

Very nice breakfast buffet style. The waitperson brought your drinks and left the check.
The hotel seemed to have a large portion of touring Euros who were on a package deal.
The check folio was plopped down on the tables with a very loud"there is no tip included in this total, delivered in a somewhat challenging tone of voice. The entire waitstaff did it the same way.

It felt pretty uncomfortable after the first couple of hearings. Of course it was a buffet anyway, so I'm sure some people weren't sure how much to tip. A a US native, I felt the entire episode was over the top and embarrassing to our foreign guests. We got no comment when our bill was delivered.

Alfonso XIV

Did you tip, and if so how much? I'll tip well when warranted, but if the buffet is self-service and the waitperson is just bringing you coffee or a glass of juice, would you really tip 15%-20% on the whole check?

In this case, given the rudeness, I'd be inclined to tip little to nothing, and if need be explain to the manager why.

MarriotTi

I feel that you GET it. Alot of folks on here make some interesting excuses and justifications for not tipping and it comes down to being cheap and then rationalizing it (just calling it what it is) but to each their own. One dollar truly is nothing to the typical business traveller on per diem and I am quite sure they would not want nor understand the job of being a house keeper. Comparing this to other lines of work is deflection - you are still being cheap and stop sugar coating it. While I do think that writing a kudos or talking to the manager about how nice the room is (and I do it from time to time for an exceptional room) nothing beats "show me the $$$". If you truly do not have cash on hand, that is one thing. I will not comment or infer on the demographics in this forum but I can say that it likely comes into play from those making such anti tipping comments!

Bottom line: If you want to tip, do it, if not, don't try to "justify your actions" of being a cheapo! Admit you are cheap and call it a day!

Here is a great article to help put it in perspective:
http://money.msn.com/saving-money-ti...7-5a2f79590dc6

joshua362

"So, what's an appropriate tip for the person whose task is to keep you safe from bacteria, germs, and other icky things, and earns an average of $10.10 an hour? "

I think this says it all! But lets face it, we know when it comes to cleaning, there are different levels of thoroughness and doing a conscious job. The best are probably not driven by money, like most of our moms!