Money Do you tip your hotel maid? - Page 4

Deberg_1990 · 09-16-2014, 09:10 PM

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2014/0...ips-for-maids/

HOTELS
Hotel chain's program encourages tips for maids

NEW YORK – Do you leave a tip in your hotel room for the maid? Marriott is launching a program with Maria Shriver to put envelopes in hotel rooms to encourage tipping.

The campaign, called "The Envelope Please," begins this week. Envelopes will be placed in 160,000 rooms in the U.S. and Canada. Some 750 to 1,000 hotels will participate from Marriott brands like Courtyard, Residence Inn, J.W. Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Renaissance hotels.

The name of the person who cleans the room will be written on the envelope along with a message: "Our caring room attendants enjoyed making your stay warm and comfortable. Please feel free to leave a gratuity to express your appreciation for their efforts."

Shriver, who founded an organization called A Woman's Nation that aims to empower women, says many travelers don't realize tipping hotel room attendants is customary. "There's a huge education of the traveler that needs to occur," she said. "If you tell them, they ask, 'How do I do that?'" She said envelopes make it easy for guests to leave cash for the right person in a secure way.

So how much should you leave? Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson says $1 to $5 per night, depending on room rate, with more for a high-priced suite.

Michael Lynn, a professor at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, says his research shows that "30 percent of people stiff the maid," while 70 percent said they usually leave a tip.

Sorenson noted that housekeepers "are less frequently tipped" than other hotel workers because they do an "invisible task." In contrast, workers who carry bags, hail cabs and park cars tend to get tipped because they "make a personal connection" with guests, he said.

Rosario Rodriguez, who works as a housekeeper at Marriott's Times Square hotel, says many guests don't tip and welcomes the envelope campaign as "a good idea."

Jessica Lynn Strosky of DuBois, Pennsylvania, who earns $7.75 an hour cleaning rooms at a hotel that's not a Marriott, says only 1 in 15 or 20 guests leaves a tip. When they do, it's a dollar or two; she's lucky to get $20 a week in tips. "I've talked to lots of people who say they don't know they are supposed to tip," she said.

Unlike waitresses who earn less than minimum wage because tips are expected to raise their earnings, hotel housekeepers are paid minimum wage, and in expensive markets, substantially more. In Washington D.C., Sorenson said, Marriott housekeepers start in the mid-teens per hour.

Not everyone applauds the envelope concept. "It is not Marriott's responsibility to remind customers to tip; it's their responsibility to pay their workers enough so that tips aren't necessary," said author Barbara Ehrenreich, who tried working as a hotel maid for her 2001 book "Nickel and Dimed," which chronicled her experiences in low-wage jobs.

But Scott Lazerson, 42, who lives in Sundance, Utah, said he "had no idea" tipping was customary until his wife told him on a recent trip to Orlando. He said he "feels stupid" for not knowing all these years, and added: "Yes, the hotel industry needs to do a campaign about it."

**BigRedChief** · 09-16-2014, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiTown

How much do you tip the mail man and garbage workers? I mean, these guys work hard for you!

Don't. Shit, I need a list. I've been shortchanging people.

cosmo20002 · 09-16-2014, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

I tipped on cruises pretty heavy. But, never in a hotel room. I had no idea. I will rectify that going forward starting this week.

I have always overtipped because I worked in the field and know how hard they work and underpaid they are. Good service should be rewarded. Why didn't a maid giving good service enter my mind? Especially on multiple night stays.

Now cruise tipping is pretty much expected. They even give you envelopes and a schedule of how much for each type of worker. Between the maid and waiter and whoever else, for a week, its easily way over $100.

**ChiTown** · 09-16-2014, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Don't. Shit, I need a list. I've been shortchanging people.

What about the guy at Quick Trip that hands you back your change quicker than you can say **** me. I mean, he has a wife and kids to feed too! Or, how about the Librarian's Assistant that helped you locate the National Geographic you were looking for. They have Families and have to walk around saying shhhhh all day. It's just not fair!

**BigRedChief** · 09-16-2014, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

At least I might use some of the things the airlines charge for, and I can choose them.

That resort fee is BS at the hotels that don't really seem like "resorts," but I found myself even more annoyed when I stayed at an upscale place on vacation this summer--it even had "resort" in the name--and they charged a $35 resort fee per night. The place is a "resort"--why is there a separate fee for it being what it is? I guess so they can advertise what seems like a semi-reasonable rate (taxes and resort fee not included).

Some from the Miami hotel. Nice one on South Beach.

Early Check-In or Late Check-Out need to be requested in writing and has a charge of $60 for the first 3 hours.

Resort Fees is defined as a mandatory charge that includes daily maid service, bathroom toiletries and towels for the beach.

We require a mandatory Security Deposit. We will place a hold in your credit card in the amount of $250, 48 hours before your arrival. If your reservation is less than 3 nights, the amount of the damage deposit will be less. This transaction is refundable, providing that the property is free of damages after your departure. The funds will be released 1 business day after your departure date. Please be aware that it may take 3 to 5 business days for your bank to process the funds back to your account. International transactions may take longer.

Children under the age of 8 years old will not be charged resort fees.

cosmo20002 · 09-16-2014, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiTown

How much do you tip the mail man and garbage workers? I mean, these guys work hard for you!

They always have those "news" stories with lists of who you should tip towards the end of the year. The mail and garbage guys are always on there and I always think--I've never had two words of interaction with those guys in years.

**ChiTown** · 09-16-2014, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

They always have those "news" stories with lists of who you should tip towards the end of the year. The mail and garbage guys are always on there and I always think--I've never had two words of interaction with those guys in years.

My wife gives them both a $25 Target Gift Card for X-Mas

Mennonite · 09-16-2014, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Some from the Miami hotel. Nice one on South Beach.

Early Check-In or Late Check-Out need to be requested in writing and has a charge of $60 for the first 3 hours.

Resort Fees is defined as a mandatory charge that includes daily maid service, bathroom toiletries and towels for the beach.

[FONT=Arial][FONT=Arial]We require a mandatory Security Deposit. We will place a hold in your credit card in the amount of $250, 48 hours before your arrival.

What a ripoff. It reminds me of that old Daffy Duck cartoon:

Dime to Retire - Daffy Duck & Porky Pig by Classiccartoons4U

DanT · 09-16-2014, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiTown

How much do you tip the mail man and garbage workers? I mean, these guys work hard for you!

I do not tip those guys. The mail men are unionized and get good pay and benefits. In my cul de sac, they just deliver most mail to a single multi-unit mailbox, not to our individual single family homes. We do not have garbage men. Instead, we have very skillful waste management vehicle operators who cover huge neighborhoods every day. I assume they are getting paid well. They have one guy who does the recycling and another who does the garbage. It amazes me how productive they are...way more efficient than when I was a kid.

teedubya · 09-16-2014, 10:53 PM

I've never thought to tip the maid. Never once have I heard that this was etiquette.

I'm a neat freak when I'm on the road, so I rarely have them even come in. Normally, I'm in there working when they knock on the door, "a house a-keeping" NO THANK YOU.

And when I check out, I take the sheets and pillow covers off... I put all trash in the trash. The room has to take less than 5 minutes to clean when I leave.

So, I don't tip. I may start now... however, not much.

DanT · 09-16-2014, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiTown

My wife gives them both a $25 Target Gift Card for X-Mas

That is very classy of her!

**ChiTown** · 09-16-2014, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanT

That is very classy of her!

I married up, but not much has rubbed off on me

Kaepernick · 09-16-2014, 10:56 PM

$1 a day. That's kind of cheap but if everybody did it, it would go a long way.

I think the goodwill you get from tipping makes it less likely they will go snooping through your things or take something I would never notice is missing.

**BigRedChief** · 09-16-2014, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiTown

What about the guy at Quick Trip that hands you back your change quicker than you can say **** me. I mean, he has a wife and kids to feed too! Or, how about the Librarian's Assistant that helped you locate the National Geographic you were looking for. They have Families and have to walk around saying shhhhh all day. It's just not fair!

Why the sarcastic post? Whats wrong with thinking of tipping people who provide good service?

Whats your point?

**ChiTown** · 09-16-2014, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Why the sarcastic post? Whats wrong with thinking of tipping people who provide good service?

Whats your point?

It's who I am. Without sarcasm, I have nothing! Well, I have a few more dollars than you saps tipping Maids, but that's not the point....

**BigRedChief** · 09-16-2014, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teedubya

I've never thought to tip the maid. Never once have I heard that this was etiquette.

I'm a neat freak when I'm on the road, so I rarely have them even come in. Normally, I'm in there working when they knock on the door, "a house a-keeping" NO THANK YOU.

And when I check out, I take the sheets and pillow covers off... I put all trash in the trash. The room has to take less than 5 minutes to clean when I leave.

So, I don't tip. I may start now... however, not much.

You travel alot. You seeing all these fees hotels are adding on at the places you travel?

09-16-2014, 09:10 PM
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $3744454	Do you tip your hotel maid? http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2014/0...ips-for-maids/ HOTELS Hotel chain's program encourages tips for maids NEW YORK – Do you leave a tip in your hotel room for the maid? Marriott is launching a program with Maria Shriver to put envelopes in hotel rooms to encourage tipping. The campaign, called "The Envelope Please," begins this week. Envelopes will be placed in 160,000 rooms in the U.S. and Canada. Some 750 to 1,000 hotels will participate from Marriott brands like Courtyard, Residence Inn, J.W. Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Renaissance hotels. The name of the person who cleans the room will be written on the envelope along with a message: "Our caring room attendants enjoyed making your stay warm and comfortable. Please feel free to leave a gratuity to express your appreciation for their efforts." Shriver, who founded an organization called A Woman's Nation that aims to empower women, says many travelers don't realize tipping hotel room attendants is customary. "There's a huge education of the traveler that needs to occur," she said. "If you tell them, they ask, 'How do I do that?'" She said envelopes make it easy for guests to leave cash for the right person in a secure way. So how much should you leave? Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson says $1 to $5 per night, depending on room rate, with more for a high-priced suite. Michael Lynn, a professor at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, says his research shows that "30 percent of people stiff the maid," while 70 percent said they usually leave a tip. Sorenson noted that housekeepers "are less frequently tipped" than other hotel workers because they do an "invisible task." In contrast, workers who carry bags, hail cabs and park cars tend to get tipped because they "make a personal connection" with guests, he said. Rosario Rodriguez, who works as a housekeeper at Marriott's Times Square hotel, says many guests don't tip and welcomes the envelope campaign as "a good idea." Jessica Lynn Strosky of DuBois, Pennsylvania, who earns $7.75 an hour cleaning rooms at a hotel that's not a Marriott, says only 1 in 15 or 20 guests leaves a tip. When they do, it's a dollar or two; she's lucky to get $20 a week in tips. "I've talked to lots of people who say they don't know they are supposed to tip," she said. Unlike waitresses who earn less than minimum wage because tips are expected to raise their earnings, hotel housekeepers are paid minimum wage, and in expensive markets, substantially more. In Washington D.C., Sorenson said, Marriott housekeepers start in the mid-teens per hour. Not everyone applauds the envelope concept. "It is not Marriott's responsibility to remind customers to tip; it's their responsibility to pay their workers enough so that tips aren't necessary," said author Barbara Ehrenreich, who tried working as a hotel maid for her 2001 book "Nickel and Dimed," which chronicled her experiences in low-wage jobs. But Scott Lazerson, 42, who lives in Sundance, Utah, said he "had no idea" tipping was customary until his wife told him on a recent trip to Orlando. He said he "feels stupid" for not knowing all these years, and added: "Yes, the hotel industry needs to do a campaign about it."
Posts: 66,914

09-16-2014, 10:53 PM	#54
teedubya Most Valuable Poster Join Date: Oct 2003 Casino cash: $9470002	I've never thought to tip the maid. Never once have I heard that this was etiquette. I'm a neat freak when I'm on the road, so I rarely have them even come in. Normally, I'm in there working when they knock on the door, "a house a-keeping" NO THANK YOU. And when I check out, I take the sheets and pillow covers off... I put all trash in the trash. The room has to take less than 5 minutes to clean when I leave. So, I don't tip. I may start now... however, not much.
Posts: 36,659