Oct

Do You Tip Your Hotel Housekeeper?

Photo Credit: Hotel Chatter

When we travel, currency is often a universal language. A small tip here and there can get us better service, seats and information. We tip the valet, bellman, tour guide, taxi driver, but what about the housekeeper?

There has long been debate as to whether housekeeping services should be given tips, and if so, how much. The first part of that question has largely been answered, with the majority of people saying housekeeping staff should receive a tip for their work. However people rushing out of their hotel rooms for meetings or sightseeing don’t often remember to leave some currency behind every day.

In addition, very few people can agree to a standard on how much tip should be left for housekeepers. Perhaps a few dollars, a certain percentage, maybe a sliding scale depending on service and length of stay? Tips are at the discretion of the tip giver, so perhaps there shouldn’t even be a set rule, as every traveler has a varying degree of needs and messiness.

An L.A. Times article states that $1-$3 is sufficient per day, at any level of hotel establishment. However, if you ask those who clean at 5-star hotels, they said guests should leave $5-$10 a day. The article also discussed where a tip should be left in the room and how- with a note of thanks.

Here at The Suite Life, we want to know – what are your practices when it comes to tipping housekeeping staff? How much, how often, and why? Let us know what you think and we’ll share with our luxury travelers so everyone can be prepared the next time they check-in.

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