Am I the only person on earth who leaves a tip for the maid when checking out? My momma taught me to always tip the maid—it’s hard work, they could use dough, it’s only right—but I suspect that I might be the last person in America who still leaves a tip the maid. I’ve had more than one friend react with shock when I’ve checked to make sure I had a $5 bill before heading back to the hotel so I could tip the maid in the morning. And this morning, leaving a hotel in Boston, I left $5 for the maid. I also left something else behind in my room and when I went back up the maid was already in there, stripping the bed. When I told her I had forgotten something… she handed me the $5 I’d left for her on the nightstand, thinking it was a mistake, or that it was what I’d forgotten in the room.
Am I all alone? Does anyone else tip the maid?
WHEN CHECKING OUT I…
Mr. Savage – your question assumes that the readers of Blogtown stay in hotels. I suspect the majority of readers simply crash on associate’s couchs or pass out in the alley behind the bar in whatever town they may be in.
At least $10
@blogtown you fucking cheapskates
As a housekeeper, I appreciate your concern. You’re not alone, but you’re rare I think. The hotel I work at in Portland is small and local, but I’ve worked at another (How do I say it; uppity?) joint and in 2+ years doing so I have received 6 dollars total. $2 of which was at this little hotel I’m at now. I was shocked (I don’t ever expect it) and pretty grateful someone even thought to leave a tip. This is Portland, OR though and I can say I’ve been left a couple 6 packs of some tasty beverages, so you won’t ever see me complaining. I guess what I’ve learned with tips is this: We may get paid very little, but so do a lot of other workers who do even harder work in fields that don’t ever receive tips. (I’m also a caregiver for the elderly with dementia.) We get paid though, and that’s what matters. But again, your generosity is much, much appreciated.
I’ll normally tip whatever stray bills I have at the end of my stay if the housekeeper has come in to make the bed, and tip on a per day basis.
However, if it’s a situation where I’m getting into the hotel room at midnight & catching an 8am plane (for instance), then I might not tip. It depends on how much work I perceive.
HOWEVER, if it’s a situation where there’s multiple spent bottles all around the room… I’ll just try to get those all out into the hallway before leaving.
I usually tip if I’ve stayed several days at a place, just as a way of saying thanks for helping keep my room tidy. If it’s just a single overnight, however, then, no, I don’t tip.
We definitely tip if we threw up on anything.
I voted never because I never have, but really that is just because it never even crossed my mind to do so, though like umber Six said, I have very rarely stayed in a hotel. I think it’s a great idea however, I will definitely do that next time.
When I visited Havana (damn, almost ten years ago now), the maids at the Hotel Deauville wouldn’t bring fresh towels unless we tipped them. And in the tropics, you need fresh towels. I do, anyway.
Having said that, I don’t usually tip at hotels. The owners should be paying the staff. I schlep my own bags, and I don’t make too much of a mess, so I should be able to stay there for what I paid at the front desk.
I once worked at a B&B in Taos. A ski lodge like place. I was dirt poor, and sometimes people left tips, and sometmes they didn’t, but I never felt like i deserved a tip, or was pissed at people who didn’t leave one. Iwas also a cabbie, a waiter and a tour guide. All are “tippable”,, but I rarely felt slighted if I didn’t get one. And I loved getting tips, don’t get that wrong!
I was taught hat a tip was for “exceptional service”. I still have some issues with tip jars at cash registers. I agree with Todd in this: I’m not of an economic class where I can compensate for what an employer should be paying. I do, however, always tip if someone is so good at what they do, or goes to an extra effort in some sincere way. A few weeks ago I ate in a place where the waiter was a total douchebag, I actually got up to get my own water (after waiting about 15 minutes-he wasn’t busy with people, just texting) and he seemed o have an issue when he got the order wrong. No tip for douchey waiter.
I think we’ve created a guilt economy with tipping. Feel guilty for your economic priveledge? Leave a tip? Don’t feel guilty? Don’t.
The only time I tip is when they have to let the hooker out of the closet.
I stay at hostels, you’re made to clean up after yourself and I like it that way.