By Alex Van Buren, Travel + Leisure
How much should you tip a hotel housekeeper?
“It’s usually, like, a couple dollars a day, and you want to leave them each day, because often times you get different cleaners on different days.”
“It’s usually, like, a couple dollars a day, and you want to leave them each day, because often times you get different cleaners on different days.”
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If you’re spending $350 a night on a hotel, does etiquette dictate you leave a bigger tip?
“I tend not to think so; if you’re cleaning a hotel room, you’re cleaning a hotel room—you’re still cleaning up after people, and I don’t think it should change a tip. I think that would devalue the worker somehow.”
If you’re spending $350 a night on a hotel, does etiquette dictate you leave a bigger tip?
“I tend not to think so; if you’re cleaning a hotel room, you’re cleaning a hotel room—you’re still cleaning up after people, and I don’t think it should change a tip. I think that would devalue the worker somehow.”
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So you’d never leave a big tip?
“You might be able to afford to pay a $20 at the end of your stay; you certainly can, but we’re trying to set some kind of standard here. That’s like people saying that just because you can afford an expensive haircut you [should] leave a 50 percent tip. I think that’s silly. Just because it costs more and you have the ability to leave more, it’s not like a sliding scale … I would never begrudge anyone who has money tipping more, but I’m not gonna tell them they have to just because they have more.”
So you’d never leave a big tip?
“You might be able to afford to pay a $20 at the end of your stay; you certainly can, but we’re trying to set some kind of standard here. That’s like people saying that just because you can afford an expensive haircut you [should] leave a 50 percent tip. I think that’s silly. Just because it costs more and you have the ability to leave more, it’s not like a sliding scale … I would never begrudge anyone who has money tipping more, but I’m not gonna tell them they have to just because they have more.”
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Anything else hotel guests should keep in mind?
“When we interviewed people who worked at hotels, we learned that [if you leave your tip with the front desk or other than in the room], those tips almost never make it to housekeeping. Someone at the front desk takes it, or someone else takes it; it just doesn’t make it to the housekeeper that day. Also, we say “tip every day” because the housekeeper on Sunday is probably making the most amount of money; that’s the day most people check out.
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And I think it’s nice to leave a little note that says, ‘Thanks so much for cleaning today!’ so housekeeping knows that the money is for them; I’ve often noticed that if I’ve left a $5 they’re leaving it there—which is phenomenal because it shows how honest and good the housekeepers are. They’re not just taking the money that’s left out; they’re waiting to see that it’s for them.”
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Anything else hotel guests should keep in mind?
“When we interviewed people who worked at hotels, we learned that [if you leave your tip with the front desk or other than in the room], those tips almost never make it to housekeeping. Someone at the front desk takes it, or someone else takes it; it just doesn’t make it to the housekeeper that day. Also, we say “tip every day” because the housekeeper on Sunday is probably making the most amount of money; that’s the day most people check out.
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And I think it’s nice to leave a little note that says, ‘Thanks so much for cleaning today!’ so housekeeping knows that the money is for them; I’ve often noticed that if I’ve left a $5 they’re leaving it there—which is phenomenal because it shows how honest and good the housekeepers are. They’re not just taking the money that’s left out; they’re waiting to see that it’s for them.”
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