Do you tip if basic items are missing and brought up by housekeeping?
 

Just wondering what the proper protocol is on this one. Checked in to a hotel in NYC and there were no bath towels in the room. I called down and requested some be brought up and noted that there were none currently in the room, not that I needed extra. I felt a bit taken advantage of since I then tipped the person for something that should have already been in the room. Thoughts?

don't tip if you don't feel like it

If it is something that should have been in the room, I do not tip.

If I want "extra" of something, I either go down and get it myself or tip the person who brings it to me.

Exactly

I'm with wharvey. No tip to get the standard towel set for the room; that should be included with the room rate. If I want a bunch of extra pillows or something, then yes I would tip.

Hi princess,

You're back in Houston? Been a while, thought you lived in DC now.

Yes, if I call for the amenities I will generally tip even though they should have had the stuff there in the first place. I just do it to be nice. If it's a hotel I'll be visiting frequently I generally try to start the relationship with a good tipping policy. I started this habit at the Intercontinental in NOLA about twenty years ago and it really paid off with free upgrades, concierge services, etc.

However, I'm not in business for myself anymore, so I will have to see how my "employer" feels about my generosity ;)

I wouldn't tip if the missing item is a standard/essential one (but I ought to add, perhaps, that I'm not a big tipper anyway), even though I realise that the lack of the towels (or whatever) in the room is doubtless not the fault of the person who has to bring them up.

No to Tipping, you have paid for the room and service, it's the employers role to pay the operatives, not you.

I am not going to pay anyone in any way for the hotel correcting their own failure.

If they were extra towels, I would give a (smallish) tip at a hotel in the US.

You know me, can't stay in one place. Yes, I have moved to Texas.

This was a large chain hotel in NYC so I doubt that the housekeeper would remember me, nor do I think it is likely that I would get the same housekeeper again.

I would have to agree with the people who say no tip if the items were supposed to be in the room already, but I would tip if I requested anything extra. Tipping for bringing stuff that should already be there might give the employees the idea that they can start forgetting a few things from rooms here and there on purpose in an effort to squeeze out a few more tips from the guests.

Then I probably would not tip. You know NOLA, and building relationships there is usually a good thing, even if service starts out poor :)

No tip for something that should be included.

I don't tip for something that should have been there. I do tip if I want something extra or more of something already provided.

Sorry - not meaning to pick on you specifically...

Having your room cleaned every day is included - do you tip for that?

Just trying to understand your logic.