Typically we tip housekeeping $5 a day...and I (Scott) make the bed (OCD, LOL). $3-5 @ breakfast, about $5 for lunch and $10-20 for dinner depending where we eat (buffet or restaurant). Also every trip to the bar is a buck. Pool service we tip in bulk $5-$10. No, we are not rich but do fair better than the people that give us excellent service and make our stay so enjoyable. For 10 days we plan on $500 for tipping but that is us. All good as long as you show your appreciation for the excellent service you get and that doesn't have to = $$$; it is appreciated but a thank you also goes a long way. IMHO
Er no, it's not that we're "cheap" it's just not ingrained in our culture. At home we tend to tip when we receive good service, and not just because it's expected. When we visit London we find a "service charge" of around 12.5% is added whether service is good bad or indifferent. When we are on holiday we appreciate when staff go out of their way to make our stay special and tip accordingly, and frequently. :daisy:
Are the beverages replenished by the housekeeping staff? Other resorts I have been to, actually have a different person coming through restocking the fridge?? Just want to make sure, because we have tipped them separately before.
we live in nw iowa close to okoboji. Thanks everyone for your response to this question. I will be using some of your ideas.
It's also a bit different here, in that our minimum wage is much higher at £6.19 per hour (about $9), whereas in Mexico it's MXN $7 (about 50 US cents or GBP 70p). Those on a low wage get a lot of help from the government - they can apply for tax credits (reductions), get child benefit, and our healthcare is free. With minimum wage being higher, a lot of companies inflate prices to cover cost of staff, eating out here is expensive! I do however think it's a much better system in the service industry to make people work for tips, as they peform better if they're relying on tips for their income rather than everyone getting the same wage regardless if they put an effort in or not. Prices would have to fall though in line with this so that we were being priced fairly for goods / services, not just lining pockets of the company. As a teenager whilst in college, I worked in a high street cafeteria Saturday/Sunday, basically doing the job you see workers doing in TTR buffet: serving over a hot plate, washing dishes, clearing plates, cleaning tables. I slaved away in that job for about a year and never received one tip. Minimum wage then was £4.50, and it was infuriating to see 'the slackers' who did nothing earning same pay as me.
Unfortunately here in the US, people feel they are entitled to tips. Its disgusting actually... That's why I LOVE the people at TTR... They are happy to have jobs, and to help... They don't walk around feeling they are entitled to tips here in the US.
Yes there is a fine line, and some restaurants /hotels / and cruise ships add the tip to your invoice/ receit , which i refuse to pay. I will tip the waiter, maid or whomever in person to make sure they get the cash.
I understand the large party automatic tip... And I can even kinda understand the cruise ship one so you don't have to carry cash... But yes, in any other case I don't feel tipping should be a given. HOWEVER. I do feel that good service should be greatly appreciated and tipped accordingly.
