Another tipping question: concierges

Old Dec 6th, 2016, 04:26 AM
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Another tipping question: concierges

Do Europeans (and other non-Americans) normally tip for hotel concierge services, such as booking tickets or making reservations?

Let the food fight begin.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 04:43 AM
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I suppose not if these people already make a "decent wage" according to the usual rationale for not doing so which we are continually lectured about.

OR, they don't because they don't want to "ruin the local economy as the Americans have done in Ireland" and that is a direct quote from a Fodorite, too.

It seems so much easier if individuals are allowed to decide, on their own, how much a service warrants but...
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 05:00 AM
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Guidelines help one make a personal decision, for example:

I ordered room service for the first time ever on my recent trip to Ireland. It was delivered in 20 minutes, and was exactly right.I thought it was worthy of a tip, but it was brushed off. No big deal, but if I had known it wasn't expected, I wouldn't have offered.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 05:35 AM
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So, Elberko, you only tip when it "is expected" is that it?

That's fine if that is the "guideline" you follow; some folks have more need of tipping guidelines than others so. I don't and I never will. This is the same reason I never "watch to see what other people are doing" for tour guides and such. If someone wants to "brush off" a tip that is up to them; it has absolutely no bearing on whether or not I feel the service "deserves" a tip IMO.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 06:06 AM
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OK, I still don't have an answer about concierges in Europe.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 06:51 AM
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Never if you are like me.

I thank them, can go to a handshake.
I consider it part of their job and therefore don't tip.
And if they don't help I don't come back to that hotel.

BTW : is a concierge a clerk like the guy a reception desk in English ? In french a concierge is somebody with specific tasks like looking after the building but not doing a staff work.

I had a cognac recently with the receptionist at 1 am. He was nice and I didn't want to drink alone.
We chatted, it made him pass the time and I found it 'cool'.

That's my idea of tips. I also (sometimes) propose a waiter to have a glass of wine from the bottle we order.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 07:01 AM
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>>BTW : is a concierge a clerk like the guy a reception desk in English ? In french a concierge is somebody with specific tasks like looking after the building but not doing a staff work.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 07:37 AM
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<In french a concierge is somebody with specific tasks like looking after the building>

In the US, a concierge is a staff member in a hotel who has he specific job of assisting guests with arrangements outside the hotel: theater tickets, restaurant reservations, tours, etc.

In the US I have tipped the concierge when he provided what seemed to me to be excellent service. I have no clue if Europeans do the same in Europe. In the example you provide, vincenzo, I probably wouldn't have tipped him, but that's what makes these discussion so hellish--it's a personal choice, with few guidelines.

I often wonder if the non-tipping Europeans so prominent on these Fodor's boards are representative of Europeans as a whole...
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 07:41 AM
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Wo: do the French tip their concierges, at the holidays, say? Just curious. In the US people give their doormen and supers tips at the holidays, but agonize over how much is appropriate. (We don't really have the French sort of concierges--doormen and supers are the nearest comparable positions.)
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 07:55 AM
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NewbE

By holidays, do you mean Christmas?
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 08:06 AM
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I mean the time of the year when there is more than one big holiday on the calendar in the space of a month: Christmas, New Year's, Hanukah, probably others of which I am unaware.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 08:07 AM
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chartley,
Americans don't HAVE to say Christmas until next year.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 08:50 AM
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We tip the xoncierge for extraordinary service. Making a dinner reservation is expected. Above and beyond that, it is our policy to tip.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 08:51 AM
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No you would not tip for a hotel concierge doing their job in Europe, unless they get us something very difficult (lunch with the queen maybe). We also do not tip out postmen or our dustmen.

I've been watching some terrible old films on youtube and there is an American one which talks about some sort of network of European concierges who can solve many problems, this might be a great example of cultural cross over.

Do Americans tip their dustmen and postmen at the major festival?
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 08:53 AM
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The term concierge is French and, in fact, the standards are set by a French organization (for hotel concierges, not building ones) to get the official certificate and gold key pins.

This nothing like a night desk clerk at any hotel. So no, in France, there is not just the one meaning for concierge as in an apt building, they have concierges in top hotels, also.

I rarely use them anywhere and when I have, it has been for trivial things (directions to bus stop, want to mail a letter, etc), so have never tipped one in any country, although I am rarely in a hotel that has one.

don't know what Europeans do re tipping

This is the international organization, it began in Cannes and its administrative offices are in Paris. They even have conventions.

http://www.lesclefsdor.org/

Their executive committee consists of the chief concierge at the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 09:57 AM
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<Do Americans tip their dustmen and postmen at the major festival?>
First of all, a trophy for the term "the major festival", I am adopting it immediately. Who could possibly take offense? (Don't answer that.)

Postmen, yes. As government employees they can't accept cash, nor, I think, anything worth more than $20--is that right?

What's a dustman?
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 11:17 AM
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>>Do Americans tip their dustmen and postmen at the major festival?
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 11:36 AM
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We give Christmas boxes (of money) to our dustmen and postmen, just as we do to our other domestic servants.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 11:48 AM
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Downton Abbey lives!
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 02:42 PM
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I wonder if I am representative of fellow Europeans.

So actually my advice is meaningless unless there come hundreds of Europeans backing me.

However being well raised I'd say that 40 years ago my parents would tip the dustmen. I also tipped the firemen (well bought a calendar) until they asked for a crazy amount.

Now I don't buy any calendar don't tip anybody and don't allow Mormons or Jehovah witnesses in my house.
I don't even tip the cleaning lady anymore.

But again you just have my post - you don't have to believe me or you can think I am a scrounge.

I have not met a stupid candle for quite a long time.
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