giannetta

We are renting a villa near Lucca for 2 weeks in July. There are 10 of us... 2 grandparents, 4 adult children and 4 grandkids ages 10 to 19. We will have "maid service 3 hours a day, 3 days a week." We will also have at least one dinner cooked for us by the woman who owns the villa and, I believe, her assistant cook. That one dinner, BTW, will be costing us close to $500.00 for the 10 of us which in the big picture is not surprising.
I have no clue how to tip as we have not done this villa thing before.
Questions:
1) how much to tip for maid service and do I do it as we go along or at the end of the 2 weeks?
2) do I tip for the dinner/s (we might have more than 1 dinner cooked for us) - how much? Am I tipping the owner or her helper or both?
I would greatly appreciate advise on this issue as I know it's important to show our appreciation by tipping but I don't know the protocol at a villa. The villa, as you might imagine, is very beautiful and very expensive! That said, I don't know if one tips on the basis of cost or not.
Thanks -

happytrailstoyou

Service is usually included in the bill.

You shouldn't feel compelled to tip. You should feel happy to tip those who made your stay pleasant.

I wouldn't tip the owner, but I would give something to the owner's employees if they provided good and genial service.

bozama

Americans always think tipping is so important.

I would not tip the owner, owners don't get tips , they get PROFITS. She is making a profit believe me.

Employees could be given a tip though, a small token, maybe 10-20 euros for the fancy dinner, and I would hand it directly to the girl helping( if there are two girls I would give 10 each) . I assume the owner will mostly cook and host, and the assistant will do dishes, assist the cook and serve.
I would also consider giving the maid a small token at the end of the stay, if it was an agreeable experience, or if my kids were slobs. When we took a cruise years ago with my kids I tipped extra because I know they made extra mess.

I would also give the owner a little gift if all worked out well. Nothing really expensive. I have never stayed in a villa, but as I said I am against tipping owners, but apprieciation is always nice to show. Chocolates, flowers, a pretty silk scarf,, I would give the gift at the end of the stay so by then hopefully I would have a clue what the owner would like.

Valeria_82

Usually the cook is an external person that works somewhere else and makes extra money cooking at the villa. If he or she is not a professional chef (and I am almost sure he's not), it is a person who loves cooking and earns something like 30€ per day normally, and something more at the villa. I would tip the cook if you really appreciate the dinner and it doesn't really matter how much money you give him..feel free to behave as you like. In Italy people tip just in cases of high satisfaction.
I wouldn't tip the owner.

ira

Hi G,

Good advice above.

32E pp for a dinner, with wine is very reasonable.

If warranted, I leave the maids 1-2E/day, which I pay at the end of the visit.

As noted, service is included in the bill. Tips are for service above and beyond.

Enjoy your visit.

giannetta

Thank you Happytrails, bozama,Valeria and ira - all very helpful suggestions. Actually I was not planning to tip the owner but the idea of buying her a small gift sounds just right.

giannetta

I just re-read your posts and wonder about the suggestions A) that I give the cook's helper/s 10 to 20 Eu and B) that i give 32 Eu pp for dinner/wine. The cook is the owner (she's wonderful- we've been to the villa but were not the villa rentees at that time.) there's a huge difference here. I assume you suggesting 32Eu per helper not per each of the 10 guests? If the meal costs about $500, rounded up it's about 300 Eu so 30 Eu pp is the dinner cost which is reasonable - I guess that tipping on that 30EU pp is a good assumption - a 30 - 32 Eu tip seems quite fair - or 20 Eu as the Italians don't expect the same percentage of tipping that USA restaurant workers expect. Couldn't have gotten there without your help - thanks again! WOW - this makes me sound VERY compulsive..I'm not, really but I want to get it right as it's not the same as walking into a restaurant - it's fairly personal.

SusanP

I think Ira meant that 32€ per person, which is approximately what you're being charged for the dinner they are cooking, is a reasonable amount. He didn't mean you should tip 32€. As he noted, service is normally included in the bill and a tip is for extra-nice service, usually a small amount.

nona1

Yes...he just worked out how much the dinner was costing per person, as you gave the impression that you thought it was quite a lot. It isn't.

Tips - don't tip the owner. I wiuldn't go hunting out the assistant cook either - who tips cooks even in the US?

Leave the maid a few euros when you leave. 10e would be plenty.

giannetta

So -Susan, and Nona1, forgive me but I'm totally baffled here..also beginning to feel very stupid! If the meal is costing approximately 30 Eu pp - which I agree is quite reasonable, then why would I be tipping 32 Eu pp - that would mean that I'm doubling the cost of the dinner and then some..tipping 100%!!

ira

Hi G,

>that i give 32 Eu pp for dinner/wine.

Good Lord, NO.

Your $500 charge comes out to about 32E pp, which is a reasonable fee for dinner.

2-3E pp tip is more than adequate for a very good dinner.

giannetta

Thank you Ira - that definitely eases my mind. Yes - 2 -3 Eu pp. We'll do that!

ira

Enjoy your visit, G