Yes iF YOU WANT TO TIP A PERSON DO IT AWAY FROM THE OTHERS SO THERE IS NO AWKARD SITUATIONS BETWEEN STAFF. GLENN
For the past two years we have carried a stack of $2 bills. These were really appreciated by the staff as they considered the $2 bill good luck. This also made it easier to carry cash as they only take half as much room as $1 bills for the same amount of money. The down side to this is one of the bartenders told us since they thought the $2 bill was good luck, nobody wanted to spend them. I also had a hard time finding enough $2 bills and had to go to three different banks before we left. Most don't keep very many on hand.
Some of the staff also gets tipped out of your fee you paid to go too the resort. The money they get from this depends on seniority within the resort. From going there many years and becoming good friends with the some of the staff many I think would be shocked by what some of the bartenders actually make. Both on the high and low side depending on the occupancy level of the resort and the bar they work at, it varies greatly. Once in awhile a bartender will get in trouble and they'll move him from Patty O's for example and stick them in a restaurant bar for an undetermined time. Which is like your boss telling you the next two months your going to make 2K less and we'll talk after that. Which is quite severe considering many times the infractions are pretty petty for the most part.
A bartender is considered a good job there but none of them are gonna get rich working there. Now if any of them came to Canada they would totally kick our batenders out of their jobs. Cause they have a great ability to keep everyone happy and serve so many people fast.
We started taking large candy bars (like Hershey's or Austrian chocolate from Aldys) w/ us too (From a friends suggestion) to add to our maids tip ($2.00 daily and $15.00 the last day). They love it (or maybe their kids):liebe011:, Have heard that chocolate is pretty much a luxury to them and expensive. Works for us anyway and they deserve it! :icon_biggrin:
Good idea on the $2.00 bills~~ just ordered 100 of them!! My bank had no prob ordering them but you have to get $200.00 worth at a time. Thanks for the idea!:ernaehrung015:
WOW, thats a great tip. I was going to get 100 $1, ladies at the bank would be wondering what I wanted them for...lol But I'll use the $2 bills we have been saving now. Thanks
Once we met a girl bartender at Desire that was overly keen to show everyone her pay packet and play the poor girl card to up her tips. Naturally we had empathy for her situation but are travelled enough to realise that not everyone lives will achieve the same standards. We have probably made the mistake in the past of just giving big tips at the end of our stay rather than lots of smaller tips. We then tip for service given rather than tip to get better service. However giving equivalent to $30 - $50 to a few special individuals. Certainly made a difference on return.... We have found that more important that actual salary is good reputation with management and a secure job. However since the changes a lot of the more loyal staff have jumped ship. Luckily a few of the best ones' are still left... We all know the great staff who make all the difference. It is interesting that the entertainment staff rarely seem get any decent tips.
When we were down last nov. a similar situation happened. I tipped grounds keepers, guys raking the beach, always the maids. really anyone who i saw around working. They really work hard, so it was money very well spent.
