Points Scrounger

Agreed that the OP's question may well refer to being helpful in ways other than room assignment.

writerguyfl

In the hotels in which I worked, the acceptance of any cash or gifts by the Front Desk staff was grounds for termination. Since the Front Desk can easily give away something the hotel can sell, any cash/gift was considered a bribe.

Cash was never accepted under any circumstances. But, if a guest insisted on offering a gift, the staff to politely refuse a few times and then take it. Any food was discarded and items of value were donated.

Based on my experience, I'd say that Google is wrong. Tipping the Front Desk is not appropriate and it places the hotel staff in a very uncomfortable situation.

This is what I'd recommend. Complain up; compliment down.

If you have a problem, start at the hotel and appeal upward to the chain, if necessary. If you want to compliment an employee, do it at the corporate level. (Or cc, as SkiAdcock writes.) This process helps the hotel and the employee.

One year, our best PBX (telephone) Operator won Employee of the Year for the entire chain. One reason was because he had a history of compliments given to Corporate over many years. He got an extra week's pay and a free trip to Aruba.

Fizzer

When I get pulled over by a traffic cop I like to tip him for doing such a good job and protecting my safety. You have to do it discretely so his partner doesn't see and get jealous because then he might get angry. If it does happen I recommend tipping the custody sergeant because then you get a nicer cell.

I also tip the triage nurse in the ER and my paper cuts get looked after really quickly. When flying slip a $50 to the SD and they will often move somebody out of their seat and give you a nicer one.

Sound ridiculous or corrupt? Pretty much what tipping the FD to get a better room sounds like to any reasonable outsider.

txpenny

So in your opinion, the OP's question was entirely ridiculous?

JackE

I may have an exception to the actual norm for not tipping FDAs.

You come down to the FD in the wee hours to retrieve your checked bag. The bell staff is gone until early morning. The FDA retrieves your luggage.

The one time this has happened to me, I considered the FDA to have two hats and tipped the one wearing the bellman's hat. She accepted.

controller1

I have done this twice.

But I have never tipped management personnel as below -

dormy

Do what you want with your money. If you want to tip someone go ahead, if its an FDA, I usually give the tip to the supervisor on duty, and ensure the person that it is for is aware, that way the FDA cannot be accused of theft or bribery. Also it usually at the end of my stay, as a thank you rather than an incentive.

htb

I usually just pay for my room and expect that the rest is being taken care of.

If a hotel offers significant additional services, the room charge usually is quite a bit higher as well. So again, I consider that everything has been taken care of.

HTB.

Fizzer

No because of the context in which the OP phrased his question. That was a perfectly reasonable question.
My comment included a qualifying statement and was addressed at others.

writerguyfl

Accepting a tip for something outside the normal function of a Front Desk Representative would have been perfectly fine where I worked.

Another example would be if the Concierge was busy or not in the lobby and someone from the Front Desk used the hotel's name to secure a dinner reservation. Or, if the Front Desk staff member delivered a package to a guest room.

MCOGUY

Many years ago I worked Front Desk at a Marriott while working my way thru College. Never once did it even occur to me to accept a tip, (not that it was offered) for doing my job. As a premium property you are expected when hired to give outstanding service; just part of the job. Now that I'm a road-warrior, I always tip the housekeeping staff, Bellman if I use them, Concierge if something specific they do, but in lieu of tips, will write a nice letter to the GM for Front Desk, Management, and the staff as a token of appreciation. F&B/Bellman etc, rely on tipped wages, while others such as FD make a higher hourly wage and are doing their job. A letter is a nice reward for their file and should help them when their review comes around; anything else could be seen as bribery.

AA_CPA

EDIT: I remembered that I have. I tipped the FD person at a top Dorchester Collection hotel. It was a combination of factors: superior room, genuine care about an unpleasant situation, and an unexpected complimentary drink for the trouble.

The value I get from a great FD person is much more than a bellman or valet. I think the FD tip would also actually be appreciated whereas the bellman and valet expect it. Don't get me started on how many dissapointed faces I've seen when I give a generous $2 tip to a bellman for bringing my rollerbag up on a luggage trolley after great insistance on his part.

Also, to those who say FD people are just doing their job, isn't housekeeping too?

LondonElite

Tipping front desk staff? Are you joking? The tackiness just never stops.

slidergirl

I guess I'm a bad person...

I still work a Front Desk (now at a nice, boutique non-chain hotel). I rarely receive a "tip" and I do not expect a tip. But, when a guest believes I did something above and beyond for them and wants to give me a tip (or a bottle of wine), I accept it and graciously thank the guest. Now, as an example - this Winter season (Dec-to date), I've maybe received 5-10 tips. None were offered before service - I find someone trying to bribe me to get them a better room that what was blocked or a comp upgrade disgusting. I received a nice tip from a couple where I worked all weekend on an issue with their cash card company back in Australia (emails and phone calls), a nice bottle of Pinot from a group lead because I did some extra work for them, a little tip because I found a last-second transportation provider at 11pm after the Concierge was gone. Things like that. No tips for "doing my job."
Any bell services I provide (and I have to do quite a bit when the guys are busy escorting or out driving) I give any tip money to the bell staff pool.

AA_CPA

It's tacky to be generous when someone goes out of their way to help you? Someone who doesn't get paid a fortune, and always has to wear a smile, no matter what might be happening in their lives? OK, then.