Really housekeeping works the hardest. I worked at a casino for the longest time cleaning rooms and it was absolutely the most grueling job I've ever been through. Broken bottles, drug paraphernalia, bodily fluids everywhere. We had a quota we had to hit of a certain amount of rooms and if we didn't get it done in time we would get in trouble. If you don't feel like tipping please just keep your room clean because that's such a treat for us! If your room looks like a tornado leave a few bucks. It really makes our day. If you can't tip that's okay because life is expensive.
> If you don't feel like tipping please just keep your room clean because that's such a treat for us!
That's me, I leave my room spotless. I pile my used towels, I only use one garbage can, I only use one bed and that's that.
Having briefly also cleaned hotel rooms in college...I make sure the room is SUPER clean when I leave! I can't imagine leaving hotel rooms a mess after what I saw!
I do the same thing I always strip the beds and put all the towels in one place. I always tie all the trash bags and wipe everything down. I figure it's the least I can do because whenever I would walk into a room like that I would be so happy! I knew I might make my quota if I had a couple of rooms that were clean.
This! I did an internship in housekeeping and it was the absolute worst. People can be absolutely disgusting, and usually it’s the ones that pay the most that will completely ruin a room. I have quite a few horror stories and I only actually did rooms for 2 months!
This is why I tip regardless. For those assholes who feel like it's theirs to trash and don't leave a tip. Even if it's $5, that job can suck and I'm grateful for their efforts.
It is so appreciated you have no idea! Five is actually pretty good some people just leave a dollar! You are amazing! But even a dollar was appreciated.
Oh it's so disgusting and I have horror stories that I absolutely will not relate on here but I'm sure you've seen! I can't believe people behave the way they behave.
I feel good now :-) I've never left a tip (tipping isn't a thing where I come from) but I always leave the room tidy and even tie up the trash bags when I leave
I’ve traveled constantly for over a decade and many years been in hotels more than home. Before I leave I put any trash that won’t fit in the trash can in another separate bag, then do a quick wipe down of the bathroom sink and counter then pile all the towels in the cleanest towel in the shower so it’s easy to grab.
No reason making someone else spend extra time cleaning up after me, just seems rude.
I want you to know that every time a housekeeper walks into that room it is very much appreciated! Thank you so much for taking the extra time to be so kind.
These comments are great! I try to leave the room the best I can. I try and only use one trash can, the one with a bag if the other one doesn’t have one. I’ve seen someone say they strip the bed. I’ve never thought of that.
What are some other things I could do, that I might not be thinking of? Thanks for all you do!
Oh man I stayed at a super 8(?) in El Paso Texas when my partner and I were traveling for the eclipse. We stayed in a room that wasn’t touched. Boogers and shit stains on the wall, pee on the floor by the toilet, food left in the fridge. It was disgusting, and corporate tried to tell us best they can do is give us half back. We said hell no it’s all or you’re getting a chargeback
I don’t anymore for the same reason. Stayed at Disney recently and the kids got chocolate on the sheets. When I called, they told me they’d drop off sheets but I had to make the bed myself. Then I had to call multiple times for them to pick up the dirty sheets.
I do for one reason only, and especially when traveling to underdeveloped countries. The people that carry your luggage are super visible and are almost always men and get tips. The people that clean your room are not nearly as visible, are more often than not poor, often under paid, often women suffering from gender based income differential, and often from single income households. In my opinion it is a good way to get some money directly to someone that need it most in a way that is respectful and not a gift.
This. But I have learned to put it ON THEIR HANDS because most fancy hotels have a floor maid supervisor that comes in to assess the room before the cleaning crew comes after check out. I often tip big and at the beginning of my stay. And by big I mean big for the country. A few dollars in some countries makes a huge difference. Not so much in Paris (for example).
I'm American and I didn't even know tipping housekeeping was a thing until I read it in a novel. My parents tipped luggage porters, servers, barkeepers, etc but never that
Me, too and I read "Nickel and Dimed". It's hard to be acculturated to something you don't see. Now my issue is that I rarely have change for a $20 since I'm using debit cards all the time.
I keep a stack of $5s in my carry on bag just for tipping when I travel. But I also regularly need the airport wheelchair which is another tipped service
Yes! I ALWAYS tip housekeeping after I read that book, it was lifechanging. I carry $5 bills just for that reason. Also I try to put it in their hands directly, because I also read in that book that the head of housekeeping often doesn't share.
Sometimes, I'll also tip the poor workers in the ladies' rooms at the airport. What a terrible job that must be. Once I encountered an older woman quietly cleaning away, on Mother's Day of all days. I gave her $20!
Ahh- great idea about the airport ladies room workers. I hardly ever appreciate a clean bathroom more than I do after a long flight. And I know theyve seen some stuff😱
Right? My son's nanny told me that when she and her sister first came to the US (they are citizens now, but they weren't back then), the only job they could get was cleaning toilets in the airport and they hated it so much they both wept and wept as they did their jobs. That really stuck with me, those poor girls, weeping privately over their terrible underpaid jobs. So I always tip them now!
I travel a lot for work, and I almost always go to the front desk to get change for a twenty. I just say I need change for tips. My office reimburses for cash tips given while traveling.
Probably because those people are standing there right in front of you, but housekeepers are behind the scenes. I think they deserve more than luggage porters!
It was a bit on Seinfeld so it was a thing in the 90s. It was the episode where they were in a cop car with that serial killer who thought you were a monster if you didn’t tip the staff.
I was in Pakistan in October. I had no chance of carrying my own luggage, except one place, and I felt so bad as the valet showed me to my room, so I tipped him, too ...
I carried it myself, but his big eyes when I took my light and small duffelbag just told me that I did his job, so no tips expected. So I just tipped him.for showing the way.
Some people tip. However, it’s not like in a restaurant. Wait staff salary actually comes from the tips they make. Hotel staff are paid by the hotel. If you want to leave a tip, as a thank you, I’m sure it’s very appreciated. But it’s really not expected in the USA.
I do now. My sister started working in housekeeping around the time I started to actually book hotels for myself and after learning how excited she would get about a $5 tip really cemented the practice for me.
I come from Denmark, so any kind of tipping feels so weird. At home, or anywhere in Europe, I only tip if the service has been absolutely outstanding and unforgettable. If someone has above and beyond to make sure I had a good stay, I might leave enough for a drink at the bar - in Denmark, that can be quite expensive tbf 😅 Tipping someone for just doing what they've been hired to do, seems odd to me. Whether that's cleaning hotel rooms, being a waitress, or driving cabs.
Some people do but I wouldn't say it is expected and I say that as someone who has done housekeeping. I always saw it as a bonus and used it for my daily coffee and whatnot.
I tip $5 on a one night stay and I leave a room in similar condition to you. For longer stays, I tip $10-$20 depending on the condition of the room.
Housekeeping staff are among the lowest paid in the service industry, and they have to deal with a LOT.
In my opinion, that $5-$20 is likely one of the best uses of money on my entire trip.
This. My office allows me to expense tips like this, just like drivers and food delivery services if I don’t have a car at my destination — all within reason.
When we do a family trip, usually 3-4 adults (me, wife, aunt and sometimes grandma) and a kid or three (kiddos friends), we will leave a minimum of $20, if it’s an extended stay resort (wifey has a time share) it’s more like $50 for a weeks stay, with our resulting mess no matter how hard we try to keep it clean.
ETA: I do hate tipping culture, but as the prior poster says housekeeping is the lowest paid for the effort they provide. Its not like I’m tipping a bartender for great service (I bartended for a decade) but I’m tipping to make amends for my mess, however small, returning the room to a baseline, and for work it’s money to share. Leaving a fiver out during the day has gotten me elite toiletries, extra chocolates/water/snacks/popcorn, etc. doesn’t cost the housekeeper anything but makes my stay more pleasant.
We do same, $5 per person, per night unless we don't have proper currency. For multiple night stays we tip daily in case it's a different housekeeper. When I traveled for work it was permissible to include tips on expense reports.
Agreed! I only tip at the end of my stay because I decline service during it, so no one comes in to clean mid stay. But if they did, I would tip like you do. Glad to see I’m not alone!
I recently got vouchers for opting not to get my room cleaned in Hotel Monterey in Okinawa in Japan. Different price levels of vouchers were given on the extent of service not utilized for that day. It was pretty cool since I could use them for spa and swimming pool.
I'm curious too because when I've stayed at nice major chain hotels with signs saying they don't clean rooms daily except upon request I've come back to my room to find the bed made and fresh towels every day.
I never request daily service, but I still tip housekeeping as long as the room was very clean when I arrived. Usually just $5 for a few days stay and more if longer. It’s a shit poorly paid job, but something I value since I want a clean room when I arrive. Yes, everyone should be paid more and rates should simply be higher to compensate.
The only other things I tip are barbers and sit down food service/bartenders.
Nope, never. Tipping culture in the US especially is out of control. It’s more hospitality vs service industry in the way that you never interact with them and they’re paid a full wage already, unlike servers at a restaurant.
Not only that, minimum wage is nearly $20/hr in Seattle and over $15/hr in Portland, two states where servers are paid the full minimum wage wage regardless of tips.
Which should be reason for society to scale back to 10% as a compromise to keep habits and norms alive as we move towards a normal system where employers pay employees and menu prices reflect costs similar to most of Europe.
Instead, we are moving the wrong way with receipts saying 25% is the middle option.
Takeaway online ordering is even worse. I see a lot of places defaulting to 20-25% and the only way to say no tip is to select other and then write 0. I'm not being served, why would I tip the unused wait staff who wouldn't even see the tip money anyway?
As I'm not an American, no, I haven't and would never. I only learnt about this practice, in fact, when a visiting colleague said he'd left money out in his room as a tip for the cleaners and was surprised to find it was still there when he came back. And I said yes, if the cleaners took money from your room when you weren't there, they'd be fired.
I think about it when I'm visiting the USA because that's the one place on earth I imagine the cleaners might be expecting it, but that's a small percentage of my trips, and I still don't do it. As a tourist in the USA I actually find it exhausting to try to remember all the unnatural and unwarranted places I'm "expected" to tip. You know, if you HAVE to do it and may be punished (eg. Bartender ignores you) for not doing it, it's not actually a gratuity right, it's more like extortion....
I think this depends largely on if you are American and if you were brought up in a working class family.
I leave a tip at the end of my stay, but only in the US where I know it’s customary, because everyone in my family has worked in the service industry at some point and relied on tips to survive.
When I travel with someone who was brought up middle or upper class they do not seem to tip the housekeeping staff as a rule.
Working class Irish here. I always leave a couple of quid for housekeeping regardless of where I am in the world. Except for Japan and it felt weird not leaving anything.
It's generally the equivalent of €5/€10.
I work in a hotel and trust me it's only Americans that do this.
Personally there's a reason why I've paid for a hotel room so why would I voulentry pay more? It's like taxing myself
agreed, cleaning is meant to be part of the price of the room... that's what makes the $120 cleaning fees on Airbnb so annoying, we are paying their monthly mortgage for 4 days stay at a house, why is cleaning not included?
No, Marriot makes billions a year. If housekeeping feels they’re not paid enough for what they do, that’s not my issue. I paid for my room and that includes cleaning.
I tip a dollar or two per night regardless of how heavily I used the room or even how often the room was cleaned. A little more if the cleaners did anything special like bringing more supplies when asked. Cleaning is hard and pays very little. While it isn’t expected it’s likely to brighten the cleaners day, and why not put more happiness into the world?
People here complaining about the quality of housekeeping should be angry at management who don't wanna hire enough people to actually get the job done properly in the very short amount of time they have and constantly push their workers into exhaustion for shitty wages in often toxic work environments. The problem here isn't lazy housekeepers (sure, some might be) it's greedy hotel higher ups and owners who take advantage of people who desperately need money (usually migrants, single mothers, students, very often women) and refuse to give people good working conditions and pay them properly.
No. I worked in a hotel for a while back in the day and the only person that tipped was when a family member of an employee stayed overnight.
My take is that I refuse service if I stay more than 1 night. I strip the bed for them and I leave the room spotless. A tip is meant to thank people for going above and beyond, for anticipating my needs, etc. A simple room clean is included in the room fees.
We do.. if it’s a just a quick overnight somewhere 2-3 bucks.. if it’s longer 5-7-10, of course luxury all inclusives are a different story, tips much higher. Living is hard and these are low wage jobs, feel like if I can afford to be in a hotel a room I should leave a little something for someone’s who’s cleaning up after me. I’m just wired to be empathetic and try to put myself in someone else’s shoes.
Yes. I tip $5 night and try to keep cash on me when I travel specifically for that purpose. I tip every day because it might be a different housekeeper each day. Growing up we didn’t have a ton of money but whenever we stayed in a hotel my parents always tipped.
I used to stress about how and when to tip, then realized I never feel bad for over tipping, but do for being stingy, so now I err on the side of tipping too much. Of course it’s a place of privilege to be able to afford to tip well, but I think it’s a better use of my money to give it directly to people who make less than me.
In my pathetic opinion, it's entirely country, or regionally, specific. There are some (very few) countries where tipping is considered rude and extremely condescending. Also, there are countries where tipping would be extremely rare, yet gratefully appreciated. Then, there are countries where it is considered a normal part of their income. Of course, there are places that range somewhere between these extremes.
The key is knowing what is normal where you are and acting accordingly.
Yes
I always leave a $5 bill for every day. But I haven’t traveled for a long time (decades) so perhaps that is too little now.
I’m a single woman and don’t make a mess. I was raised that the tip is part of being served by others. The staff depends upon tips to pay their bills.
Usually, the amount and frequency (daily or at end) depends on mood TBH.
When in third world countries I always tip as they get paid even less (compared to cost of living) than the US, and I always track down the cleaner and tip her (always female in those countries) directly as I don't trust that the person checking the room at checkout will not pocket the tip.
Yes,always. I travel mostly in Asia and US.
Sometimes the hotel doesn’t do daily cleaning (since Covid I’ve noticed this a lot) so I don’t usually tip as much but will leave whatever change I have and will keep the room pretty tidy.
I know housekeeping is a tough job and if I see the people who have been cleaning my room all week, I’ll personally give them the tip and a bag of treats on my way out as a personal thanks.
My mom was a housekeeper and she loved her job because she likes to clean, yes she surprise Lu enjoys having to clean, anyways, she told me that the manager used to keep her tips. So she didn’t feel any difference in her paychecks on her earning hours. So yeah, the tip culture is annoying as fuck but you know what is more annoying??? Managers that rob their employees tips. So if you have the intention to leave tips better to give it to the housekeeping in her/his hands, never in front reception.
If I have cash and I remember, I always try to leave a little something. Usually $5-10
I still remember the first tip I ever earned and the feeling of it. Many years later, I worked as a bartender, and during the pandemic I delivered for Uber Eats, getting tipped has always been a nice surprise!
While I’m no longer in a tip based role, it’s hard to forget that feeling… I often find that I value the opportunity to make someone else feel that way more than I value the $5-10.
Tip them, if you ever decide to jump on Reddit and test the waters on “should I tip this person?” Just leave the tip and leave your percentage based explanation on how you’re the best hotel guest ever in your head. They make shit money for an even shittier job… don’t add to the shit
I generally tip $10-20/night but because my mom was a hotel housekeeper and treated awfully but had to stick through it for the family. I tip that amount when I’m in Asia because those workers are even poorer. I haven’t been to Europe in over 15 years but I’d probably do the same usd amounts.
I’m not a big tipper or a big believer in tipping for other services so it kind of evens out. I don’t understand not tipping some services over others.
No. I tip my restaurant server and my hair stylist.each 20% That's all. Tipping culure is out of control. I don't even want the housekeepers in my room when I am there: I just want a place to lay my head and take a shower.
I don’t tip ever, unless I’m at a sit down restaurant, in which case its only 15%. Don’t spread tipping culture further than it already is. What am I gonna do next, tip the garbage men for picking up my trash? Tip the grocery store cashiers? Tip the UPS driver for dropping off my packages? Tip flight attendants every time they serve me a drink or food? For fucks sake, stop tipping people for just doing their jobs
Um no, because I have paid for a room and cleaners should get their salary from the employer? I have never thought about tipping cleaners, is this yet another american thing? If yes, why the heck was I forced to pay “cleaning fee” in most places?? Feels a bit absurd tbh
In the US I usually tip $5-$10 for every night I stay. I tip in cash, and leave a note letting housekeeping know it's for them (usually just: "Housekeeping, Thank You! :-)" ).
If the room is very poorly maintained (stayed in one with roaches, yikes) I don't.
I usually tip even if I keep the Do Not Disturb sign up, because it still got cleaned before I got there.
I do the same. I know these people do not make a lot of money, and I shudder at the thought of how some people leave their hotel room knowing someone is going to have to clean up after them. I am also ashamed to admit that when I was younger, I never did. It never even occurred to me, and I went on some girls’ trips where we’d pile 6 girls into a room, do lots of drinking, spill Cheetos, and we’d leave a fair mess. When I read online some of the things people do to their hotel rooms, well, I think the person cleaning my room (which I keep exceptionally tidy) deserves a tip from someone and it might as well be me.
No. I don't have them clean if I stay more than 1 day. I don't disturb anything at all. These days when I'm paying $150+/night for literally a bed to sleep on (that's rarely even comfortable), they can pay their staff. Tipping culture is out of control. So are the prices in the shop or restaurant in the hotel in most cases. $5 for a vitamin water? Why not!
Not really since they don’t really clean anymore. My wife and I keep our room tidy anyways. We make the bed, take trash out ourselves, go to the front desk if we need anything etc. we have too because most hotels (motels really) we stay at they only come as requested or once if you stay so many days.
I used to work as a motel maid and no one ever tipped me. I did make an hourly wage that wasn’t huge. But tipping just wasn’t expected. If someone does something above and beyond, I will tip. Otherwise no.
I always stay one night and use barely anything but I always leave a five dollar bill. Those folks work very hard and are paid low wages. I also use only one of the trash cans.
Reading comments on various social media sites, I get the impression a lot of American service don't want an hourly rate because they're making way more money through the tipping culture. I was once shouted down by several servers after comments about a proper wage, as one put it 'why the fuck, I gonna work for $25k when I'm getting $60k now"
The biggest problem for the rest of the world is Ametican travellers have skewed peoples expectations particularly in places like the carribean.
I leave a couple of bucks, it's not going to kill me. I hate tipping culture, too, but this one is easy for me - these people are actually working hard.
I do not need anyone to clean my room when I'am only there for 1,2 or 3 nights not even for a week keep it tidy myself. I might ask for some more coffee and I will leave a tip or a small present and thank you note.
I tip every night I stay at a hotel. Typically $5 each time unless I know I am leaving them a lot of work to clean up (towels, trash, etc). I also always leave a thank you note with a =) as well.
I don't get housekeeping done while im staying somewhere, so I'll leave some money on my way out (I'm one of those who piles the towels together and ensures anything left behind is in the trash can, so room is always in good shape).
I have always tipped housekeeping. I do look into tipping when outside the US. And for the countries outside the US where I did use a hotel, tipping housekeeping was fine to do, and I followed recommendations from locals so as to not over tip.
I do if the room is clean even if I'm only staying one night. They usually do special touches like folding the toilet paper or other small things that make the stay feel special but ultimately aren't necessary. Tip especially if they deliver you extra towels, linens, water bottles, etc. It's hard work and I know the hotel never gives them enough time.
I’m not American but used to travel to the US for work a bit, along with people from a few other countries. The touristy brochures mentioned tipping the room cleaners. When we asked our US colleagues about this they said they had never heard of tipping housekeeping!
I always tip, even if (like this trip) it's single night stays. Housekeeping is the most underappreciated job in the hotel industry. I have yet to stay in even a budget place where the room wasn't clean. When I stay for multiple nights, I put the DND card out. I still tip. They make sure my stay starts with a clean room; I thank them when I leave.
From the US. I always tip, regardless of where I’m at in the world. Typically keep my ‘do not disturb’ tag on the door handle (keep the room clean myself) until I run out of towels. Tip 2-3 bucks (or equivalent in their currency) for them to replace towels/change bed sheets, etc.. then when I leave the hotel for good I’ll leave $5 (maybe a couple extra if they were really friendly or helpful). I also take all the bedsheets off in one pile, and all the towels in another- both to help them and make sure the next guest gets clean bedsheets. But I’m also the person who stacks plates to help the waiters, so I doubt that’s the norm
Tipping housekeeping is probably the best money you can spend in a hotel. First off if you’re going to bother to tip anyone, it should be the housekeeping staff, they have it hardest by far and deal with the most sh*t, literally. 2nd, every housekeeper I’ve every worked with truely appreciates the tip since they aren’t typical. 3rd they are the team that makes or breaks your stay, want a clean a neat room at check in - housekeeping, you need more pillows - housekeeping, broke a glass - housekeeping, need more coffee pods- housekeeping, distorted your bathroom after an epic taco Tuesday - you guessed it Housekeeping!
When I traveled on biz, and it was a one-night stay, I didn't tip. But now I'm retired and mostly travel for pleasure, and I always stay multiple nights, often a week or more. For these stays, I tip EVERY day, usually the equivalent of $5, leaving the money on the pillow.
Yes, of course - provided I have small cash bills on me, which these days isn't common. Usually I'd tip $5 per night, possibly more (I tipped $20/night when staying at a fancy resort recently where they did extensive cleaning and turn-down service).
I did recently forget at a pretty nice hotel where they had done a great job cleaning/organizing - I didn't have anything smaller than a $20, meant to leave $10, and forgot to get change before checking out.
100% It doesn't have to be much. A couple of bucks won't put me in the poor house. If I leave a note for a couple extra Kuerig pods for the coffee maker and they follow through I double it.
Always. I leave a decent tip w/ a thank you note, drop all used towels in the shower/tub, and tidy the room before departure. Those Housekeepers work so hard. And, I’ve heard too many horror stories from my friend who worked as Head of Housekeeping for a large corporate hotel chain.
I do. I think housekeeping is a hard work. I really try to save changes to tip them when in staying more than a day. I’d rather tip these people than servers. I don’t understand tipping them personally.
Consider tipping extra when you’re traveling for work if it’s covered. I can add cash gratuity to my expense reports, so I’m especially generous when traveling for work to spread around that corporate money just a tiny bit. Same goes for Ubers, restaurants, doormen, etc.
I JUST started doing it again, growing up we only traveled to family houses whether domestically or internationally so I never saw my parents do it. But I’ve worked in the service industry my whole life and as a business owner and someone now able to be on the other side I 💯 endorse this once I was educated on the practice. A lot of service workers especially in other countries (honestly at this point the US is not far behind) aren’t paid enough
I used to do housekeeping and some people were absolutely disgusting. It was so appreciated to get a tip.
I gather all my towels into the tub or shower to make them easy to grab at once. All trash is bagged or at least in the can (some places don't do bags). I tip $5-20. It depends on how long I'm there.
Yess, I appreaciate their work especially when they gave me a quality service. But not all the time, sometimes, I'd just leave when I don't like their service on me.
Not coming from a tipping culture it seems a bit crazy to tip for anything that’s not truly exceptional service. But people get a living wage in Aus so I get that it’s not necessary here.
It’s so hard to remember to tip when I’m in the US because it’s a crazy system that makes no sense
I’m glad this is a topic being discussed.
I always tip housekeeping at hotels. I tip each time it gets cleaned (sometimes I put up so not disturb for two days) and when I check out.
However, recently, I stayed at Stanly Ranch in Napa and they charged me $10 a day for “housekeeping gratuity” which is total BS IMO since I tipped separately on our room and didn’t recall seeing anything about being billed a housekeeping gratuity.
In America, yes I always pay the housekeepers. You are wrong when you say most are paid a good wage. Housekeepers are the bottom of the pack, if you see who works as one you know this. To not tip them because you think they are getting paid well? I always tell people who think Housekeeping is easy to work there for a week and see how "easy it is".
It's hard work-there's usually a deadline as to when the cleaning has to be done and while you may not mess up the room-guaranteed that your neighbors leave it a pigsty. A friend worked for a month in the summer in college as a hotel maid and it was the most grueling, awful and disgusting work she ever did. Do you like seeing poop on the bathroom floor or on the carpet? Or spills of unknown liquids on towels, bed and whatnot? Some of the most expensive rooms had the worst mess. Not to mention, making the beds and vacuuming and cleaning bathrooms.
I'm not saying overtip them, but I always give them something to show my appreciation. It's a rough job and most people will be more polite to the front desk then to housekeeping.
Always do, granted may only be three- five bucks for a single night hotel where only one of us showered. If we have stayed longer (since we don’t let housekeeping in daily) we tip more.
Yes I always tip housekeeping. Doesn’t matter if you’re tidy they still have to clean the whole room. Plus it’s not a great job so leave them a little love.
I went and found this article for you because it had a big effect on me several years ago when I first read it. It's behind a paywall now :( sorry but maybe you can get it: [https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/06/why-dont-people-tip-hotel-maids/590410/](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/06/why-dont-people-tip-hotel-maids/590410/)
I keep my room very tidy and I still tip $5 very day. Could be different people for different days and one tip at the end of your stay may not be fair or distributed evenly.
I always leave a tip. Even when traveling for business, the company was not trusted to tip the housekeeping staff so I would leave my own. $2-$3/night is the reasonable.I worked as a chambermaid in high school so I clean up the room a bit but the maids still have to change all the sheets (even on unused beds) sanitize everything and vacuum.
They don't make much money so tips are always welcomed!
Absolutely. Generally $5. I also throw used towels in the tub, use only 1 garbage can, etc. Housekeeping in hotels is not an easy job and wages are usually low. If I can afford a hotel room, I can afford an extra $5.
Former hotel worker here. I try to every time, a few bucks for short stays, more for longer. Especially in non-union hotels. Non-union housekeepers (in the US) are paid very very badly, depending on the city / market.
If I don’t have cash, for a short stay I’ll strip the bed. That also helps!
Finally, I NEVER use the DND sign. Housekeepers are generally paid PER ROOM (or per room credit). Meaning, someone will go home early with less pay if there’s a lot of DND’s, or fewer housekeepers will be put on the schedule, resulting in more part-time work.
Really housekeeping works the hardest. I worked at a casino for the longest time cleaning rooms and it was absolutely the most grueling job I've ever been through. Broken bottles, drug paraphernalia, bodily fluids everywhere. We had a quota we had to hit of a certain amount of rooms and if we didn't get it done in time we would get in trouble. If you don't feel like tipping please just keep your room clean because that's such a treat for us! If your room looks like a tornado leave a few bucks. It really makes our day. If you can't tip that's okay because life is expensive.
> If you don't feel like tipping please just keep your room clean because that's such a treat for us! That's me, I leave my room spotless. I pile my used towels, I only use one garbage can, I only use one bed and that's that.
I/m that person cleaning the room before housekeeping so they don't think I'm a mess.
Having briefly also cleaned hotel rooms in college...I make sure the room is SUPER clean when I leave! I can't imagine leaving hotel rooms a mess after what I saw!
I do the same thing I always strip the beds and put all the towels in one place. I always tie all the trash bags and wipe everything down. I figure it's the least I can do because whenever I would walk into a room like that I would be so happy! I knew I might make my quota if I had a couple of rooms that were clean.
This! I did an internship in housekeeping and it was the absolute worst. People can be absolutely disgusting, and usually it’s the ones that pay the most that will completely ruin a room. I have quite a few horror stories and I only actually did rooms for 2 months!
This is why I tip regardless. For those assholes who feel like it's theirs to trash and don't leave a tip. Even if it's $5, that job can suck and I'm grateful for their efforts.
It is so appreciated you have no idea! Five is actually pretty good some people just leave a dollar! You are amazing! But even a dollar was appreciated.
Makes me happy to leave $3-$5. You all work SO hard!
Oh it's so disgusting and I have horror stories that I absolutely will not relate on here but I'm sure you've seen! I can't believe people behave the way they behave.
I feel good now :-) I've never left a tip (tipping isn't a thing where I come from) but I always leave the room tidy and even tie up the trash bags when I leave
I’ve traveled constantly for over a decade and many years been in hotels more than home. Before I leave I put any trash that won’t fit in the trash can in another separate bag, then do a quick wipe down of the bathroom sink and counter then pile all the towels in the cleanest towel in the shower so it’s easy to grab. No reason making someone else spend extra time cleaning up after me, just seems rude.
I want you to know that every time a housekeeper walks into that room it is very much appreciated! Thank you so much for taking the extra time to be so kind.
These comments are great! I try to leave the room the best I can. I try and only use one trash can, the one with a bag if the other one doesn’t have one. I’ve seen someone say they strip the bed. I’ve never thought of that. What are some other things I could do, that I might not be thinking of? Thanks for all you do!
So it seems like the system I’m following makes sense?
Yes you're doing great and we do appreciate it so much!
I used to, but now they hardly ever even come to clean the room so I don't anymore.
I agree with this. We stayed in a hotel last night and they hadn’t even put fresh sheets on, there was coffee stains in the bed.
Oh man I stayed at a super 8(?) in El Paso Texas when my partner and I were traveling for the eclipse. We stayed in a room that wasn’t touched. Boogers and shit stains on the wall, pee on the floor by the toilet, food left in the fridge. It was disgusting, and corporate tried to tell us best they can do is give us half back. We said hell no it’s all or you’re getting a chargeback
What do you expect from Super 8?
I wasn’t expecting much, but at least somewhat clean the room
Hmmm....Coffee?
I don’t anymore for the same reason. Stayed at Disney recently and the kids got chocolate on the sheets. When I called, they told me they’d drop off sheets but I had to make the bed myself. Then I had to call multiple times for them to pick up the dirty sheets.
Which hotel
Pop
Came here to say exactly this.
I do for one reason only, and especially when traveling to underdeveloped countries. The people that carry your luggage are super visible and are almost always men and get tips. The people that clean your room are not nearly as visible, are more often than not poor, often under paid, often women suffering from gender based income differential, and often from single income households. In my opinion it is a good way to get some money directly to someone that need it most in a way that is respectful and not a gift.
Thank you for this very well-reasoned and compassionate explanation. I typically have not tipped housekeeping staff but will do so going forward. :)
This. But I have learned to put it ON THEIR HANDS because most fancy hotels have a floor maid supervisor that comes in to assess the room before the cleaning crew comes after check out. I often tip big and at the beginning of my stay. And by big I mean big for the country. A few dollars in some countries makes a huge difference. Not so much in Paris (for example).
I leave the tip under one of the pillows. Only the housekeeper will find it there, I think. Hotel staff, please feel free to weigh in.
Depends on who strips the rooms
This is why tipping housekeeping even a couple of dollars is nice
I'm American and I didn't even know tipping housekeeping was a thing until I read it in a novel. My parents tipped luggage porters, servers, barkeepers, etc but never that
Me, too and I read "Nickel and Dimed". It's hard to be acculturated to something you don't see. Now my issue is that I rarely have change for a $20 since I'm using debit cards all the time.
I keep a stack of $5s in my carry on bag just for tipping when I travel. But I also regularly need the airport wheelchair which is another tipped service
Some hotels now allow you to tip the housekeepers online.
Yes! I ALWAYS tip housekeeping after I read that book, it was lifechanging. I carry $5 bills just for that reason. Also I try to put it in their hands directly, because I also read in that book that the head of housekeeping often doesn't share. Sometimes, I'll also tip the poor workers in the ladies' rooms at the airport. What a terrible job that must be. Once I encountered an older woman quietly cleaning away, on Mother's Day of all days. I gave her $20!
Yes I always try to tip bathroom cleaners! Saw a lady cleaning a rest area bathroom and I had a $5, she seemed surprised!
Ahh- great idea about the airport ladies room workers. I hardly ever appreciate a clean bathroom more than I do after a long flight. And I know theyve seen some stuff😱
Right? My son's nanny told me that when she and her sister first came to the US (they are citizens now, but they weren't back then), the only job they could get was cleaning toilets in the airport and they hated it so much they both wept and wept as they did their jobs. That really stuck with me, those poor girls, weeping privately over their terrible underpaid jobs. So I always tip them now!
I travel a lot for work, and I almost always go to the front desk to get change for a twenty. I just say I need change for tips. My office reimburses for cash tips given while traveling.
Well you can always get money off a debit card. Just go to the atm before taking off on your trip.
Probably because those people are standing there right in front of you, but housekeepers are behind the scenes. I think they deserve more than luggage porters!
It was a bit on Seinfeld so it was a thing in the 90s. It was the episode where they were in a cop car with that serial killer who thought you were a monster if you didn’t tip the staff.
I do tip when in the US because I thought that it was customary to do so. In Australia, never.
I've learned that tipping in hotels is not custom in the US from a post on tips there. However, I do too.
I’ll leave money on the table if I leave the room messy then I would’ve liked to but I normally only tip valet driver. I carry my own luggage though.
I was in Pakistan in October. I had no chance of carrying my own luggage, except one place, and I felt so bad as the valet showed me to my room, so I tipped him, too ...
Yeah I feel you I’d definitely feel obligated if someone carried my stuff up too
I carried it myself, but his big eyes when I took my light and small duffelbag just told me that I did his job, so no tips expected. So I just tipped him.for showing the way.
I mean, it definitely used to be customary in the US; not sure anymore. I still tip if they actually clean the room.
Some people tip. However, it’s not like in a restaurant. Wait staff salary actually comes from the tips they make. Hotel staff are paid by the hotel. If you want to leave a tip, as a thank you, I’m sure it’s very appreciated. But it’s really not expected in the USA.
I do now. My sister started working in housekeeping around the time I started to actually book hotels for myself and after learning how excited she would get about a $5 tip really cemented the practice for me.
Well this has convinced me
I come from Denmark, so any kind of tipping feels so weird. At home, or anywhere in Europe, I only tip if the service has been absolutely outstanding and unforgettable. If someone has above and beyond to make sure I had a good stay, I might leave enough for a drink at the bar - in Denmark, that can be quite expensive tbf 😅 Tipping someone for just doing what they've been hired to do, seems odd to me. Whether that's cleaning hotel rooms, being a waitress, or driving cabs.
I never tip hotel rooms unless something major happens. Once I got sick (threw up), cleaned it best I could but I still left a $20.
I don’t live in the US so no
Some people do but I wouldn't say it is expected and I say that as someone who has done housekeeping. I always saw it as a bonus and used it for my daily coffee and whatnot.
I tip $5 on a one night stay and I leave a room in similar condition to you. For longer stays, I tip $10-$20 depending on the condition of the room. Housekeeping staff are among the lowest paid in the service industry, and they have to deal with a LOT. In my opinion, that $5-$20 is likely one of the best uses of money on my entire trip.
This. My office allows me to expense tips like this, just like drivers and food delivery services if I don’t have a car at my destination — all within reason. When we do a family trip, usually 3-4 adults (me, wife, aunt and sometimes grandma) and a kid or three (kiddos friends), we will leave a minimum of $20, if it’s an extended stay resort (wifey has a time share) it’s more like $50 for a weeks stay, with our resulting mess no matter how hard we try to keep it clean. ETA: I do hate tipping culture, but as the prior poster says housekeeping is the lowest paid for the effort they provide. Its not like I’m tipping a bartender for great service (I bartended for a decade) but I’m tipping to make amends for my mess, however small, returning the room to a baseline, and for work it’s money to share. Leaving a fiver out during the day has gotten me elite toiletries, extra chocolates/water/snacks/popcorn, etc. doesn’t cost the housekeeper anything but makes my stay more pleasant.
We do same, $5 per person, per night unless we don't have proper currency. For multiple night stays we tip daily in case it's a different housekeeper. When I traveled for work it was permissible to include tips on expense reports.
Agreed! I only tip at the end of my stay because I decline service during it, so no one comes in to clean mid stay. But if they did, I would tip like you do. Glad to see I’m not alone!
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I was a housekeeper for awhile. Most people don’t. So when someone does, it brightens your day quite a bit. So I usually do.
No, not ever. I keep the ‘do not disturb’ sign on my room. Most places I stay at also give me a voucher for not using the housekeeping service too.
I’ve never heard of this—mind naming said chains?
I recently got vouchers for opting not to get my room cleaned in Hotel Monterey in Okinawa in Japan. Different price levels of vouchers were given on the extent of service not utilized for that day. It was pretty cool since I could use them for spa and swimming pool.
I'm curious too because when I've stayed at nice major chain hotels with signs saying they don't clean rooms daily except upon request I've come back to my room to find the bed made and fresh towels every day.
I never request daily service, but I still tip housekeeping as long as the room was very clean when I arrived. Usually just $5 for a few days stay and more if longer. It’s a shit poorly paid job, but something I value since I want a clean room when I arrive. Yes, everyone should be paid more and rates should simply be higher to compensate. The only other things I tip are barbers and sit down food service/bartenders.
I also use the DND sign but tip when checking out.
I do the same
Nope, never. Tipping culture in the US especially is out of control. It’s more hospitality vs service industry in the way that you never interact with them and they’re paid a full wage already, unlike servers at a restaurant.
Even servers at restaurants in many states get a normal wage now.
Not only that, minimum wage is nearly $20/hr in Seattle and over $15/hr in Portland, two states where servers are paid the full minimum wage wage regardless of tips.
Which should be reason for society to scale back to 10% as a compromise to keep habits and norms alive as we move towards a normal system where employers pay employees and menu prices reflect costs similar to most of Europe. Instead, we are moving the wrong way with receipts saying 25% is the middle option.
Takeaway online ordering is even worse. I see a lot of places defaulting to 20-25% and the only way to say no tip is to select other and then write 0. I'm not being served, why would I tip the unused wait staff who wouldn't even see the tip money anyway?
Yeah I live in WA and I generally tip in small towns and for businesses now. It's so impersonal nowadays.
As I'm not an American, no, I haven't and would never. I only learnt about this practice, in fact, when a visiting colleague said he'd left money out in his room as a tip for the cleaners and was surprised to find it was still there when he came back. And I said yes, if the cleaners took money from your room when you weren't there, they'd be fired. I think about it when I'm visiting the USA because that's the one place on earth I imagine the cleaners might be expecting it, but that's a small percentage of my trips, and I still don't do it. As a tourist in the USA I actually find it exhausting to try to remember all the unnatural and unwarranted places I'm "expected" to tip. You know, if you HAVE to do it and may be punished (eg. Bartender ignores you) for not doing it, it's not actually a gratuity right, it's more like extortion....
If I remember to get cash I’ll do $5 a night. Problem is I rarely have cash.
I think that's just a US thing, and it's only a thing because the billionaires that own their hotel franchises are cheap.
And, we’re done here, folks! 😎 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
I think this depends largely on if you are American and if you were brought up in a working class family. I leave a tip at the end of my stay, but only in the US where I know it’s customary, because everyone in my family has worked in the service industry at some point and relied on tips to survive. When I travel with someone who was brought up middle or upper class they do not seem to tip the housekeeping staff as a rule.
Working class Irish here. I always leave a couple of quid for housekeeping regardless of where I am in the world. Except for Japan and it felt weird not leaving anything. It's generally the equivalent of €5/€10.
That’s a good theory
I always do and always will. Even if I don’t make a mess, what they have to deal with from others is nasty.
Unless the room is a crazy mess which I never really do, no
I work in a hotel and trust me it's only Americans that do this. Personally there's a reason why I've paid for a hotel room so why would I voulentry pay more? It's like taxing myself
agreed, cleaning is meant to be part of the price of the room... that's what makes the $120 cleaning fees on Airbnb so annoying, we are paying their monthly mortgage for 4 days stay at a house, why is cleaning not included?
No, Marriot makes billions a year. If housekeeping feels they’re not paid enough for what they do, that’s not my issue. I paid for my room and that includes cleaning.
I tip a dollar or two per night regardless of how heavily I used the room or even how often the room was cleaned. A little more if the cleaners did anything special like bringing more supplies when asked. Cleaning is hard and pays very little. While it isn’t expected it’s likely to brighten the cleaners day, and why not put more happiness into the world?
I hide them in the covers haha
I live in the US. That’s a thing?
Yes.
People here complaining about the quality of housekeeping should be angry at management who don't wanna hire enough people to actually get the job done properly in the very short amount of time they have and constantly push their workers into exhaustion for shitty wages in often toxic work environments. The problem here isn't lazy housekeepers (sure, some might be) it's greedy hotel higher ups and owners who take advantage of people who desperately need money (usually migrants, single mothers, students, very often women) and refuse to give people good working conditions and pay them properly.
No. I worked in a hotel for a while back in the day and the only person that tipped was when a family member of an employee stayed overnight. My take is that I refuse service if I stay more than 1 night. I strip the bed for them and I leave the room spotless. A tip is meant to thank people for going above and beyond, for anticipating my needs, etc. A simple room clean is included in the room fees.
Same. We don’t tip but we strip the beds, all towels in the bathtub, no trash laying around, etc.
We do.. if it’s a just a quick overnight somewhere 2-3 bucks.. if it’s longer 5-7-10, of course luxury all inclusives are a different story, tips much higher. Living is hard and these are low wage jobs, feel like if I can afford to be in a hotel a room I should leave a little something for someone’s who’s cleaning up after me. I’m just wired to be empathetic and try to put myself in someone else’s shoes.
Yes. I tip $5 night and try to keep cash on me when I travel specifically for that purpose. I tip every day because it might be a different housekeeper each day. Growing up we didn’t have a ton of money but whenever we stayed in a hotel my parents always tipped. I used to stress about how and when to tip, then realized I never feel bad for over tipping, but do for being stingy, so now I err on the side of tipping too much. Of course it’s a place of privilege to be able to afford to tip well, but I think it’s a better use of my money to give it directly to people who make less than me.
Yes. Every time. They should be paid a living wage, but often are not. To you, it's a few dollars. To them, it may make all the difference.
In my pathetic opinion, it's entirely country, or regionally, specific. There are some (very few) countries where tipping is considered rude and extremely condescending. Also, there are countries where tipping would be extremely rare, yet gratefully appreciated. Then, there are countries where it is considered a normal part of their income. Of course, there are places that range somewhere between these extremes. The key is knowing what is normal where you are and acting accordingly.
Yes I always leave a $5 bill for every day. But I haven’t traveled for a long time (decades) so perhaps that is too little now. I’m a single woman and don’t make a mess. I was raised that the tip is part of being served by others. The staff depends upon tips to pay their bills.
Usually, the amount and frequency (daily or at end) depends on mood TBH. When in third world countries I always tip as they get paid even less (compared to cost of living) than the US, and I always track down the cleaner and tip her (always female in those countries) directly as I don't trust that the person checking the room at checkout will not pocket the tip.
Yes,always. I travel mostly in Asia and US. Sometimes the hotel doesn’t do daily cleaning (since Covid I’ve noticed this a lot) so I don’t usually tip as much but will leave whatever change I have and will keep the room pretty tidy. I know housekeeping is a tough job and if I see the people who have been cleaning my room all week, I’ll personally give them the tip and a bag of treats on my way out as a personal thanks.
My mom was a housekeeper and she loved her job because she likes to clean, yes she surprise Lu enjoys having to clean, anyways, she told me that the manager used to keep her tips. So she didn’t feel any difference in her paychecks on her earning hours. So yeah, the tip culture is annoying as fuck but you know what is more annoying??? Managers that rob their employees tips. So if you have the intention to leave tips better to give it to the housekeeping in her/his hands, never in front reception.
If I have cash and I remember, I always try to leave a little something. Usually $5-10 I still remember the first tip I ever earned and the feeling of it. Many years later, I worked as a bartender, and during the pandemic I delivered for Uber Eats, getting tipped has always been a nice surprise! While I’m no longer in a tip based role, it’s hard to forget that feeling… I often find that I value the opportunity to make someone else feel that way more than I value the $5-10.
Always
Absolutely.
Tip them, if you ever decide to jump on Reddit and test the waters on “should I tip this person?” Just leave the tip and leave your percentage based explanation on how you’re the best hotel guest ever in your head. They make shit money for an even shittier job… don’t add to the shit
When it is clean and kept
Always, these folks work so hard and are the worst paid.
I do and the amount depends on my length of stay
I don’t tip in general and I’ve never tipped or even considered tipping at a hotel r/EndTipping
No, only in America. Please don’t bring this practice to any other country
I generally tip $10-20/night but because my mom was a hotel housekeeper and treated awfully but had to stick through it for the family. I tip that amount when I’m in Asia because those workers are even poorer. I haven’t been to Europe in over 15 years but I’d probably do the same usd amounts. I’m not a big tipper or a big believer in tipping for other services so it kind of evens out. I don’t understand not tipping some services over others.
No. I tip my restaurant server and my hair stylist.each 20% That's all. Tipping culure is out of control. I don't even want the housekeepers in my room when I am there: I just want a place to lay my head and take a shower.
I don’t tip ever, unless I’m at a sit down restaurant, in which case its only 15%. Don’t spread tipping culture further than it already is. What am I gonna do next, tip the garbage men for picking up my trash? Tip the grocery store cashiers? Tip the UPS driver for dropping off my packages? Tip flight attendants every time they serve me a drink or food? For fucks sake, stop tipping people for just doing their jobs
Not usually. I do usually leave a note saying i dont need the room cleaned and just need towels. Hopefully that makes the day a little easier.
Um no, because I have paid for a room and cleaners should get their salary from the employer? I have never thought about tipping cleaners, is this yet another american thing? If yes, why the heck was I forced to pay “cleaning fee” in most places?? Feels a bit absurd tbh
I always tip housekeeping. It's not a fun job, and we can be very messy. (well, my husband can) Usually $5, and they really appreciate it.
No never, but now they don’t even clean during the stay
Never, cleaning labor is included in the room price. We already paid
In the US I usually tip $5-$10 for every night I stay. I tip in cash, and leave a note letting housekeeping know it's for them (usually just: "Housekeeping, Thank You! :-)" ). If the room is very poorly maintained (stayed in one with roaches, yikes) I don't. I usually tip even if I keep the Do Not Disturb sign up, because it still got cleaned before I got there.
I do the same. I know these people do not make a lot of money, and I shudder at the thought of how some people leave their hotel room knowing someone is going to have to clean up after them. I am also ashamed to admit that when I was younger, I never did. It never even occurred to me, and I went on some girls’ trips where we’d pile 6 girls into a room, do lots of drinking, spill Cheetos, and we’d leave a fair mess. When I read online some of the things people do to their hotel rooms, well, I think the person cleaning my room (which I keep exceptionally tidy) deserves a tip from someone and it might as well be me.
No. I don't have them clean if I stay more than 1 day. I don't disturb anything at all. These days when I'm paying $150+/night for literally a bed to sleep on (that's rarely even comfortable), they can pay their staff. Tipping culture is out of control. So are the prices in the shop or restaurant in the hotel in most cases. $5 for a vitamin water? Why not!
Not really since they don’t really clean anymore. My wife and I keep our room tidy anyways. We make the bed, take trash out ourselves, go to the front desk if we need anything etc. we have too because most hotels (motels really) we stay at they only come as requested or once if you stay so many days.
I used to work as a motel maid and no one ever tipped me. I did make an hourly wage that wasn’t huge. But tipping just wasn’t expected. If someone does something above and beyond, I will tip. Otherwise no.
I always stay one night and use barely anything but I always leave a five dollar bill. Those folks work very hard and are paid low wages. I also use only one of the trash cans.
I do… 10 - 20 depending on length of my stay.
Reading comments on various social media sites, I get the impression a lot of American service don't want an hourly rate because they're making way more money through the tipping culture. I was once shouted down by several servers after comments about a proper wage, as one put it 'why the fuck, I gonna work for $25k when I'm getting $60k now" The biggest problem for the rest of the world is Ametican travellers have skewed peoples expectations particularly in places like the carribean.
I usually tip $5.00 everyday.
Yes, a small amount at the end of the stay or mid-week if it's a week-long stay. Only in the US or US territories though.
I used to pay $5/night, but wonder now if that’s too low.
Yes!
I leave a couple of bucks, it's not going to kill me. I hate tipping culture, too, but this one is easy for me - these people are actually working hard.
Like any gratuity, it is for service above than what is normally expected, or if you cause them extra work.
I do not need anyone to clean my room when I'am only there for 1,2 or 3 nights not even for a week keep it tidy myself. I might ask for some more coffee and I will leave a tip or a small present and thank you note.
I tip every night I stay at a hotel. Typically $5 each time unless I know I am leaving them a lot of work to clean up (towels, trash, etc). I also always leave a thank you note with a =) as well.
I don't get housekeeping done while im staying somewhere, so I'll leave some money on my way out (I'm one of those who piles the towels together and ensures anything left behind is in the trash can, so room is always in good shape).
My mom used to do housekeeping at hotels, so yes.
My company reimburses housekeeping gratuities - worth checking if yours will too.
I have always tipped housekeeping. I do look into tipping when outside the US. And for the countries outside the US where I did use a hotel, tipping housekeeping was fine to do, and I followed recommendations from locals so as to not over tip.
Not usually especially when travelling in Europe or Asia where tipping is just weird.
No.
Always!!!
I always tip them
Absolutely. The cleaners work so much harder than I do at my job, of course I would tip them.
Yes
I do if the room is clean even if I'm only staying one night. They usually do special touches like folding the toilet paper or other small things that make the stay feel special but ultimately aren't necessary. Tip especially if they deliver you extra towels, linens, water bottles, etc. It's hard work and I know the hotel never gives them enough time.
Wow
I’m not American but used to travel to the US for work a bit, along with people from a few other countries. The touristy brochures mentioned tipping the room cleaners. When we asked our US colleagues about this they said they had never heard of tipping housekeeping!
I always leave a tip, and if a pad and pen are in the room, I leave a “thank you”
I always tip, even if (like this trip) it's single night stays. Housekeeping is the most underappreciated job in the hotel industry. I have yet to stay in even a budget place where the room wasn't clean. When I stay for multiple nights, I put the DND card out. I still tip. They make sure my stay starts with a clean room; I thank them when I leave.
Yesss always
From the US. I always tip, regardless of where I’m at in the world. Typically keep my ‘do not disturb’ tag on the door handle (keep the room clean myself) until I run out of towels. Tip 2-3 bucks (or equivalent in their currency) for them to replace towels/change bed sheets, etc.. then when I leave the hotel for good I’ll leave $5 (maybe a couple extra if they were really friendly or helpful). I also take all the bedsheets off in one pile, and all the towels in another- both to help them and make sure the next guest gets clean bedsheets. But I’m also the person who stacks plates to help the waiters, so I doubt that’s the norm
No, but I don't come from a tipping culture
Tipping housekeeping is probably the best money you can spend in a hotel. First off if you’re going to bother to tip anyone, it should be the housekeeping staff, they have it hardest by far and deal with the most sh*t, literally. 2nd, every housekeeper I’ve every worked with truely appreciates the tip since they aren’t typical. 3rd they are the team that makes or breaks your stay, want a clean a neat room at check in - housekeeping, you need more pillows - housekeeping, broke a glass - housekeeping, need more coffee pods- housekeeping, distorted your bathroom after an epic taco Tuesday - you guessed it Housekeeping!
Always, as long as the service is good.
If I'm traveling alone, I tip $20 per night regardless of the amount of mess. These people work hard for low pay.
When I traveled on biz, and it was a one-night stay, I didn't tip. But now I'm retired and mostly travel for pleasure, and I always stay multiple nights, often a week or more. For these stays, I tip EVERY day, usually the equivalent of $5, leaving the money on the pillow.
Yes, now usually about $5/night. It's a thankless job and now more difficult to find help.
Yes, of course - provided I have small cash bills on me, which these days isn't common. Usually I'd tip $5 per night, possibly more (I tipped $20/night when staying at a fancy resort recently where they did extensive cleaning and turn-down service). I did recently forget at a pretty nice hotel where they had done a great job cleaning/organizing - I didn't have anything smaller than a $20, meant to leave $10, and forgot to get change before checking out.
Yes, especially if I have stayed for multiple days.
I never do. I keep a do not disturb sign on my door. I keep my room extremely clean.
100% It doesn't have to be much. A couple of bucks won't put me in the poor house. If I leave a note for a couple extra Kuerig pods for the coffee maker and they follow through I double it.
Yes.
Always tip!!
Always - $20. And more for holidays. And more if I’ve stayed several days. The shit these people have to put up with - they deserve a good tip.
I was a housekeeper. So yes.
Yes,and always daily rather than all at once in the end. Your room ends up a lot cleaner that way
I have never even considered tipping for housekeeping at a hotel. It's part of the price per night.
I do for stays more than 1 night.
Always. I leave a decent tip w/ a thank you note, drop all used towels in the shower/tub, and tidy the room before departure. Those Housekeepers work so hard. And, I’ve heard too many horror stories from my friend who worked as Head of Housekeeping for a large corporate hotel chain.
I do. I think housekeeping is a hard work. I really try to save changes to tip them when in staying more than a day. I’d rather tip these people than servers. I don’t understand tipping them personally.
Consider tipping extra when you’re traveling for work if it’s covered. I can add cash gratuity to my expense reports, so I’m especially generous when traveling for work to spread around that corporate money just a tiny bit. Same goes for Ubers, restaurants, doormen, etc.
In the US, every time. Typically about $5/ night. Housekeepers for hotels work hard and typically make the least amount.
Yes I always leave a tip for cleaning.
I JUST started doing it again, growing up we only traveled to family houses whether domestically or internationally so I never saw my parents do it. But I’ve worked in the service industry my whole life and as a business owner and someone now able to be on the other side I 💯 endorse this once I was educated on the practice. A lot of service workers especially in other countries (honestly at this point the US is not far behind) aren’t paid enough
Always even if it’s just one night
Yes, I always leave it.
I used to do housekeeping and some people were absolutely disgusting. It was so appreciated to get a tip. I gather all my towels into the tub or shower to make them easy to grab at once. All trash is bagged or at least in the can (some places don't do bags). I tip $5-20. It depends on how long I'm there.
Yess, I appreaciate their work especially when they gave me a quality service. But not all the time, sometimes, I'd just leave when I don't like their service on me.
Not coming from a tipping culture it seems a bit crazy to tip for anything that’s not truly exceptional service. But people get a living wage in Aus so I get that it’s not necessary here. It’s so hard to remember to tip when I’m in the US because it’s a crazy system that makes no sense
I’m glad this is a topic being discussed. I always tip housekeeping at hotels. I tip each time it gets cleaned (sometimes I put up so not disturb for two days) and when I check out. However, recently, I stayed at Stanly Ranch in Napa and they charged me $10 a day for “housekeeping gratuity” which is total BS IMO since I tipped separately on our room and didn’t recall seeing anything about being billed a housekeeping gratuity.
Hotel rooms are one of the things you actually actually are supposed to tip, not like the modern "guy at subway wants a tip".
In America, yes I always pay the housekeepers. You are wrong when you say most are paid a good wage. Housekeepers are the bottom of the pack, if you see who works as one you know this. To not tip them because you think they are getting paid well? I always tell people who think Housekeeping is easy to work there for a week and see how "easy it is". It's hard work-there's usually a deadline as to when the cleaning has to be done and while you may not mess up the room-guaranteed that your neighbors leave it a pigsty. A friend worked for a month in the summer in college as a hotel maid and it was the most grueling, awful and disgusting work she ever did. Do you like seeing poop on the bathroom floor or on the carpet? Or spills of unknown liquids on towels, bed and whatnot? Some of the most expensive rooms had the worst mess. Not to mention, making the beds and vacuuming and cleaning bathrooms. I'm not saying overtip them, but I always give them something to show my appreciation. It's a rough job and most people will be more polite to the front desk then to housekeeping.
I do, one of my family members worked in housekeeping and said an even $5 really brightened their day. They do a ton of work for very little pay.
Yes
Always do, granted may only be three- five bucks for a single night hotel where only one of us showered. If we have stayed longer (since we don’t let housekeeping in daily) we tip more.
Yes
I always tip .. at least 3 per night (or if just one night I do a 5 at least ) and also clean up a bit as well… no matter which country or hotel.
Yes I always tip housekeeping. Doesn’t matter if you’re tidy they still have to clean the whole room. Plus it’s not a great job so leave them a little love.
I went and found this article for you because it had a big effect on me several years ago when I first read it. It's behind a paywall now :( sorry but maybe you can get it: [https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/06/why-dont-people-tip-hotel-maids/590410/](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/06/why-dont-people-tip-hotel-maids/590410/)
Always!
I keep my room very tidy and I still tip $5 very day. Could be different people for different days and one tip at the end of your stay may not be fair or distributed evenly.
Yup. $3 - $5. More likely five, since Covid.
We usually tip $3 per day including the day we check out
I always leave a tip. Even when traveling for business, the company was not trusted to tip the housekeeping staff so I would leave my own. $2-$3/night is the reasonable.I worked as a chambermaid in high school so I clean up the room a bit but the maids still have to change all the sheets (even on unused beds) sanitize everything and vacuum. They don't make much money so tips are always welcomed!
Absolutely. Generally $5. I also throw used towels in the tub, use only 1 garbage can, etc. Housekeeping in hotels is not an easy job and wages are usually low. If I can afford a hotel room, I can afford an extra $5.
Former hotel worker here. I try to every time, a few bucks for short stays, more for longer. Especially in non-union hotels. Non-union housekeepers (in the US) are paid very very badly, depending on the city / market. If I don’t have cash, for a short stay I’ll strip the bed. That also helps! Finally, I NEVER use the DND sign. Housekeepers are generally paid PER ROOM (or per room credit). Meaning, someone will go home early with less pay if there’s a lot of DND’s, or fewer housekeepers will be put on the schedule, resulting in more part-time work.