Do you tip your hotel maid?

[Deberg_1990]

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."

[Why Not?]

Absolutely. Usually a couple of bucks per night.

[rockymtnchief]

I leave a couple bucks and any loose change.

[Sorce]

I do, normally the first day with a nice note, the next day if you need extra anything just leave a nice note asking and you'll probably get more than you need. Extra towels or shampoo, I have gotten thank you notes back as well.

[L.A. Chieffan]

Usually if she's hot

[Sorter]

Spoiler!

[Bearcat]

No, unless they go out of their way. And I'd say **** the Marriott, but they would probably charge me for that, too.

[Shaid]

Nope, never even considered it.

[LoneWolf]

Dear Marriott,

Pay your employees more if you think they deserve more income. For what you charge for your shitty rooms you should be able to afford it.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by LoneWolf

Dear Marriott,

Pay your employees more if you think they deserve more income. For what you charge for your shitty rooms you should be able to afford it.

great breakfast buffet though - so consider that bud.

[TinyEvel]

I was actually gonna start a thread with this question a few months ago.

I used to always leave a few bucks, but in light of recent economic adjustments I have changed my policy:
I am a neat freak so I never leave anything a mess. Always put all random papers in the wastebasket, leave the towels in a pile, etc. so...

If it's just me traveling on business for one night I normally don't.

If I'm there a few nights I usually do, especially if they straighten up my toiletries, replace everything, put away the ironing board, etc.

If with my family, they are a messy bunch, so it's up to $5 per night, especially the first night because there'a a lot or personal property in the room, and they have some cleaning up to do.



(whoa, did I really just type all this? WTF. I better go watch TV.)

[Rain Man]

My wife always leaves a generous tip. I occasionally begrudgingly leave a little, usually if I'm in the room for more than a day.

Of course, I always put the "Do Not Disturb" sign out for my whole trip unless I'm staying for 3+ days or even 4+ days. I don't need or want people coming into my room if I'm there for two nights. You stay on your side of the door and I'll stay on mine.

[BucEyedPea]

Emily Post says you tip hotel housekeepers. I was taught you tip. Nevertheless, a survey showed only 30% do, because the task is invisible. You should especially tip if you're messy or are the type demanding extra pillows and blankets. It's customary to tip $2 for each night up to $5 for higher-end hotels. These workers do make above minimum wage, around $10 depending on the area as opposed to waiters who make less than that.

Still, I don't dig the envelope idea. I also hate those tip jars at "SELF" serves. But I read $1-2 for those who clean off tables should be tipped.

Some restaurants in NY had putting in mandatory gratuities because there's so many foreigners who aren't familiar with tipping as we do in America.

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

My wife always leaves a generous tip. I occasionally begrudgingly leave a little, usually if I'm in the room for more than a day.

Of course, I always put the "Do Not Disturb" sign out for my whole trip unless I'm staying for 3+ days or even 4+ days. I don't need or want people coming into my room if I'm there for two nights. You stay on your side of the door and I'll stay on mine.

Oh yeah, same here. I don't make my bed at home. I can live with it not being made at when I'm at a hotel.

I do wonder though--do the maids get paid by the hour, per room, per day, or what? If it is per room or hour, then I'm costing them $ and I feel a little bad. If I'm in the room when they come by, I'll usually exchange the towels and have them empty the trash. I figure they can count that as a room they cleaned.

[Bugeater]

**** no and I never will.