Ask me a hotel question
May 29, 2005, 1:31 pm
#286
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,039
Originally Posted by HomerJ
I just wanted to know if I handled it properly.
Cheers, Homer.
Cheers, Homer.
Sep 4, 2007, 11:20 am
#287
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SFO / Hawaii / Northern MN
Programs: Catered by me instead of FBO (semi retired)
Posts: 921
This is a great thread. Would it be horrible if I bumped it to the bump? In a somewhat related question -- has anyone else noticed that the word "NO" appears more and more often with hotel staff's vocabulary. Rates are going up, and the attitudes are going with them up...
Sep 6, 2007, 1:56 pm
#288
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,039
This is a great thread. Would it be horrible if I bumped it to the bump? In a somewhat related question -- has anyone else noticed that the word "NO" appears more and more often with hotel staff's vocabulary. Rates are going up, and the attitudes are going with them up...
Still happy to help if anyone has questions that haven't already been answered in this thread. It's been a few years since I've been in the hotel business, but I still have friends there (and a pretty good memory)
.As to your question, I haven't noticed many changes. Totally depends on where you stay, IME.
Last edited by aisleorwindow; Sep 6, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Sep 7, 2007, 12:04 am
#289
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Northern Virginia
Programs: HHonors
Posts: 7
G_Leyser, this thread is wonderful! As a hotel professional myself, most of the things you say are true, and some of the things you shouldn't be telling, lol! Really great information though, I've learned some stuff and laughed because I've been through some of the same experiences that are talked about on this thread, and I'm not even halfway through it.
One thing for people to keep in mind as well, alot of things depend on the particular management in each hotel; some I've worked for have kind of quirky rules for certain things. As a front desk agent, I usually tried to help people out...I wanted them to enjoy themselves at the hotel.
One thing for people to keep in mind as well, alot of things depend on the particular management in each hotel; some I've worked for have kind of quirky rules for certain things. As a front desk agent, I usually tried to help people out...I wanted them to enjoy themselves at the hotel.
Jun 25, 2008, 2:57 pm
#290
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 17
dear g_leyser,
thank you for all the valuable information
i have a question regarding tipping housekeeping. i read on this thread somewhere something to the effect of tips should go inside an envelope and given to the Mgr of Housekpg, so that it would be distributed evenly.
i'm absolutely mortified to hear this because i've always just left the tip for the day on top of a desk, with a thank you note to housekeeping. i shouldn't have been doing this?
also, my tip changes on a daily basis, depending on the cleanliness of the room, etc. i've been assuming that a different person cleans the room on a daily basis. sometimes, i do see notes that indicate the housekeeper's name and when it repeats, then yeah, the same person during those days,...
my biggest question is, so i should stop doing this & just do the envelope thing to Hskpg Mgr? how do i get it to the Mgr? do i just leave the envelope on the same desk, address it to the Housekeeping Mgr and hopefully the housekeeper forwards it? lastly and i'm not sure if i already asked this, i give a tip at the end of my stay? or can this be on a daily basis?
thank you in advance. :-:
thank you for all the valuable information
i have a question regarding tipping housekeeping. i read on this thread somewhere something to the effect of tips should go inside an envelope and given to the Mgr of Housekpg, so that it would be distributed evenly.
i'm absolutely mortified to hear this because i've always just left the tip for the day on top of a desk, with a thank you note to housekeeping. i shouldn't have been doing this?
also, my tip changes on a daily basis, depending on the cleanliness of the room, etc. i've been assuming that a different person cleans the room on a daily basis. sometimes, i do see notes that indicate the housekeeper's name and when it repeats, then yeah, the same person during those days,...
my biggest question is, so i should stop doing this & just do the envelope thing to Hskpg Mgr? how do i get it to the Mgr? do i just leave the envelope on the same desk, address it to the Housekeeping Mgr and hopefully the housekeeper forwards it? lastly and i'm not sure if i already asked this, i give a tip at the end of my stay? or can this be on a daily basis?
thank you in advance. :-:
Jun 26, 2008, 2:35 pm
#291
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,039
Leaving the tip in the room is usually fine - it just might not go to the person that cleaned the room that day, as they do switch around.
The IDEAL situation is to put it in an envelope and have the front desk give it to the housekeeping manager, but not everyone has time for that.
It's great that you tip, regardless of how you do it. It will always be appreciated.
The IDEAL situation is to put it in an envelope and have the front desk give it to the housekeeping manager, but not everyone has time for that.
It's great that you tip, regardless of how you do it. It will always be appreciated.
Jun 26, 2008, 8:21 pm
#292
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 612
tipping vs petty corruption
Tipping in the US is expected for any kind of service provided you, sometimes mandatory as in certain restaurants and room service, a tip auto added to the bill, and sometimes, openly expressed, as in this quote from g_leyser's earlier post about hotel upgrades:
"These upgrades are not given until the afternoon or evening and the front desk agent ultimately has the final say, not unlike a GA for an airline.
So always, always, always, always ask! It couldn't hurt. If it was your birthday or anniversary that week, mention it! Be friendly and complimentary. Oh yeah and tipping helps too!"
In other countries, usually 3rd world or developing, there is what is called petty corruption, where "greasing a palm, passing a jackson, spreading a bit of goodwill, etc..." will help to move a process along, or achieve a result that would normally be difficult without the payment. Oft times, this payment is expected ahead the event, but sometimes, payment is only made during or after the event.
So, is it getting to be where "tipping" is just a form of "petty corruption" in disguise, and that it's a nicer term to make it more acceptable than "petty corruption"? In my travels and living in a SE Asian country, I'm beginning to look at "petty corruption" payments as just a form of tipping, and once I started viewing things this way, "petty corruption" payments no longer seemed bad or excessive and made life much easier and smoother.
Just an observation.
"These upgrades are not given until the afternoon or evening and the front desk agent ultimately has the final say, not unlike a GA for an airline.
So always, always, always, always ask! It couldn't hurt. If it was your birthday or anniversary that week, mention it! Be friendly and complimentary. Oh yeah and tipping helps too!"
In other countries, usually 3rd world or developing, there is what is called petty corruption, where "greasing a palm, passing a jackson, spreading a bit of goodwill, etc..." will help to move a process along, or achieve a result that would normally be difficult without the payment. Oft times, this payment is expected ahead the event, but sometimes, payment is only made during or after the event.
So, is it getting to be where "tipping" is just a form of "petty corruption" in disguise, and that it's a nicer term to make it more acceptable than "petty corruption"? In my travels and living in a SE Asian country, I'm beginning to look at "petty corruption" payments as just a form of tipping, and once I started viewing things this way, "petty corruption" payments no longer seemed bad or excessive and made life much easier and smoother.
Just an observation.