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Slightly off topic but...
Do you tip the valet when the hotel charges $18 a night? |
I agree, if any server dares give me attitude of not giving "tips" I would tell them to take off the gratuity. I just leave it blank whenever it is 18% + $2 delivery charge.
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Originally Posted by joshua362
(Post 8627686)
I saw that too and concluded it was some made up fairy tale / urban myth. If you read the story, the waitress gave the kid some attitude yet left a 43% tip.
I'm sure he's all for very generous tipping as he can pay his employees less. Probably a reason he chose this topic for a blog? All the same, I would like to hear what he has to say. Some time ago he addressed the the add-on for in-room internet (and I didn't agree). I doubt that I'd agree with his rationalization for having a "gratuity" line on room service bills when the guest is already being hit with a service fee and a delivery charge. |
Originally Posted by rahmanbar
(Post 8626252)
A few weeks ago, a blog entitled "Tips on Tipping in Restaurants" appeared in the collection of blogs attributed to Mr. M.
http://www.blogs.marriott.com/defaul...85400#comments I'd really be interested in learning his views about tipping in his hotels, specifically when and when not. in his opinion it is appropriate to do so in the Marriott family of lodging establishments..
Originally Posted by joshua362
(Post 8627686)
I saw that too and concluded it was some made up fairy tale / urban myth. If you read the story, the waitress gave the kid some attitude yet left a 43% tip.
I'm sure he's all for very generous tipping as he can pay his employees less. Probably a reason he chose this topic for a blog?
Originally Posted by rahmanbar
(Post 8629180)
Cynic that I am, I have no illusions.
All the same, I would like to hear what he has to say. Some time ago he addressed the the add-on for in-room internet (and I didn't agree). I doubt that I'd agree with his rationalization for having a "gratuity" line on room service bills when the guest is already being hit with a service fee and a delivery charge. Even though I have never seen him write about hotel parking garages/on site paid parking, and the valet which is often required thereto, I am sure that I do not agree with his position there either. Whenever I have complained about parking at any Marriott in the US or Canada, the answer is always the same: "That is not our parking garage/facility Sir, it is owned by _______." Balderdash! Buffalo Cookies! When the garage is in the hotel building, and the valet booth is attached to the lobby, and the valet attendants are wearing Marriott uniforms, then that is a Marriott parking facility! (Whether it ACTUALLY is or it is not, to us consumers it is, because that is what we see and believe.) To get charged to stay in the hotel, of course, to be charged a reasonable amount to park my car, yes, to pay $18 to have my car valet parked uncovered in the Arizona sun is NOT REASONABLE, and then we are expected to tip besides, whether the valet charge is reasonable or not, has always rubbed me the wrong way at a full service hotel such as Marriott (oh, the valet guys are not employees of that Marriott hotel, remember? They work for the owner of the parking facility!) The parking fee should include all of the compensation for the valet employees, coming and going. If I come and go twice in a day, meaning twice in and twice out, and to have to tip maybe $2 each time, on top of anywhere from $18 to $56 per day for the valet parking charge? OUT-F_ _ _ _ _ _ - RAGEOUS!! Enough said? I just now came to a conclusion, WHILE TYPING THIS VERY POSTING. We are paying to stay at a FULL SERVICE HOTEL, and it should be just that, FULL SERVICE!!! I have stayed a few times at one of the best hotels in the chain, The Toronto Marriott Eaton Center Hotel. Has anyone reading this post stayed there? At that hotel, it is the policy for the bellmen NOT to accept gratuities for taking your luggage up to your room or back down to your car/taxi (at least it was the last time that I was there, maybe 2005). If you try to give them a tip, they will say, "No thank you Sir, it is part of our service to you, please enjoy your stay with us!" That is how it should be at a great hotel! FULL SERVICE! No little extra charges here, no little extra charges there. Charge me for my hotel room, the food/beverages/alcohol that I order in the restaurant/room service (but refuse tips from hotel guests, "it is part of our service Sir!"), the items that I purchase in the gift shop, the LONG DISTANCE phone calls, any movies ordered on the TV, outside items ordered through the hotel (such as dry cleaning, flowers, tours, or theraputic massage), and NOTHING ELSE! No tips, no HSIA, no parking, NO RESORT FEES, no local phone calls. After all, Why do limited service hotels such as Courtyard and Fairfield and Townplace have free HSIA, but Marriott and Renaissance (by and large) charge dearly for it? That flies in the face of common sense, as does tipping and paying for parking in a Marriott owned parking facility! Marriott would be surprised if they did this, their business would increase substantially! |
Thats a great point about the internet. If you can get it free at a $69 FF then you should get it free if platinum at FS or Ren. I agree with them charging for parking where they do. When I stay at a full service in a more suburban area parking is free - which makes sense. When I stay at a downtown or property in an area which would charge for parking or meters then it makes sense to charge for parking. And tipping for valets goes back to the point that it is your choice to give extra or not. Some people feel it is needed and generous, others think it is a waste. You just need to do whatever you think is right and not worry about what the person you are tipping (or not) thinks.
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Worked an HR Director in a full service resort and at this property 100% of the 18% service charge went to the server and the $2.00 fee went to the house for incentives to the kitchen team.
Note: room service servers tended to be the least experienced associates as the level of service to the guest is much lower. Deliver the food and retrieve the trays. |
Is it "FULL SERVICE" or not?
Originally Posted by JimJ321
(Post 8629390)
Thats a great point about the internet. If you can get it free at a $69 FF then you should get it free if platinum at FS or Ren. I agree with them charging for parking where they do. When I stay at a full service in a more suburban area parking is free - which makes sense. When I stay at a downtown or property in an area which would charge for parking or meters then it makes sense to charge for parking. And tipping for valets goes back to the point that it is your choice to give extra or not. Some people feel it is needed and generous, others think it is a waste. You just need to do whatever you think is right and not worry about what the person you are tipping (or not) thinks.
When I was growing up, my family used to take vacations to resorts for a week or ten days during the summer. My parents liked to choose the full service "American Plan" resorts. What is that you say? I am not sure if they are still popular or if they are still around, because I have not researched such a thing, but full service "American Plan" meant that the hotel rooms, all breakfasts, all dinners, all resort activities (tennis, golf, boating, etc.) were included in the price. Now way back then, in the dark ages, there was no Internet access to consider as a factor, parking was always included of course, and there was no attitude about tipping, it was not expected every time you turned around. What's wrong with that model? It is the same model that is used on the cruise ships basically, or very similar, though I have never been on a cruise believe it or not. I think that there is a bulk gratuity collected per passenger on some cruises, say $15 per day, which would work out to $105 for a seven day cruise. In any case, if I am staying at a FULL SERVICE Marriott, Renaissance, even a Westin for that matter, I want it to be exactly that, FULL SERVICE. If the hotel is in an urban, downtown location, then parking should be factored in to the price. What would happen if Marriott said that there was no garage and that the guests had to fend for themselves? How would that resonate with guests? FULL SERVICE SHOULD MEAN FULL SERVICE, it really should!!!!! |
USirratated, you raise all valid points and it all reverts back to the articles a year or so ago about all the nickeling and diming going on in the hospitality industry. I fully agree, when I see a price of a hotel room, I would LOVE to see it all inclusive.......jack up the rates if they have to to include parking, HSIA, etc. My boss hates it when I am authorized a certain amount and then go and come back only to see my hotel bill $100 higher.....it is wrong....maybe if we all pitched our money in to start a hotel chain and made all inclusive rates, we would be just as popular as MI, Hilton and Starwoods :) :)
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They could also make it a bit like a Chinese restaurant, at the time of the reservation, each guest could choose one from column A, one from column B, one from column C, and the price would be X, or two from column A, two from column B, and two from column C, and the price would be Y, etc. I am sure that you get the idea. From there the full taxes should be disclosed for all charges, in full, no surprises whatsoever. Then everyone knows, right up front what the price will be, all in, before they get there! Oh, and none of the "resort fee" crapola! Again, full service, full inclusion! I like this idea less than my previous idea, but still, better than what they are doing now!
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Originally Posted by USirritated
(Post 8629325)
The parking fee should include all of the compensation for the valet employees, coming and going. If I come and go twice in a day, meaning twice in and twice out, and to have to tip maybe $2 each time, on top of anywhere from $18 to $56 per day for the valet parking charge? OUT-F_ _ _ _ _ _ - RAGEOUS!! Enough said?
Supply & demand work themselves out in this regard... for example, that's why I have a broadband internet card now and don't rent a car in most cities unless I absolutely need it. That's also why so many hotels offer free domestic long distance calls w/ internet purchase now too - they got way too greedy in the past and everyone stopped using hotel phones. Now they have to entice people back. The same will probably happen with internet service as laptop cards become more common. The room service issue is different, and entirely valid. By adding a "service charge", and then deliberately leaving it undefined, is downright deceptive to the guest and entirely unfair to the staff. I don't mind hotels that do this and then stamp the bill "gratuity included", though I can't remember where specifically I've seen that. But without such a notation, it is worth boycotting room service over. It is an outrageous business practice. :td: |
Originally Posted by USirritated
(Post 8630409)
From there the full taxes should be disclosed for all charges, in full, no surprises whatsoever. Then everyone knows, right up front what the price will be, all in, before they get there! Oh, and none of the "resort fee" crapola! Again, full service, full inclusion!
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Originally Posted by HeadInTheClouds
(Post 8632055)
Redefining the room rate in a deceptive manner with things such as "resort fees" that are mandatory is indeed an awful business practice. But taxes should always be called out separately so people know what they're paying to the government and never "hidden" or cited in the room rate inclusively. But I think Marriott (& most hotels) do a really good job when it comes to disclosing taxes when you make your reservation. They're always clearly listed. If someone is surprised with taxes, they really only have themselves to blame.
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Originally Posted by USirritated
(Post 8632988)
So what you are saying is that when you make a reservation with Marriott, that the reservation line ALWAYS goes out of their way to tell you, or the website clearly shows what the taxes are for each location where you will be staying?
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Summary of Room Charges Cost per night per room (USD) |
I never tip the maid but I tip the valet, maybe becuase I see him.
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My Solution... Order to go!
Many times instead of ordering room service I will call the restaurant and place an order for pickup. I run down and get the food and bring it back to my room to eat. No need to worry about a tip, plus I play on my computer while eating. Since I am gold (almost platinum), I use the free soda and/or water from the lounge and I am good to go.
ZakkW |
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