Question about tipping
Jul 17th, 2007, 07:26 PM
#1
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Question about tipping
Shame on me for reading another forum...but I don't like it nearly as much as I like this one!
There is discussion about tipping the maid in Thai hotels by leaving money on the pillow, at the beginning of the stay, daily, 20 baht, or 40 baht...
I have to say, we've always stayed in nicer places that have service included, so we've not tipped the maid...but now I'm wondering if we were wrong and we should have. What about in places without service included? Do you leave the maid a tip at the Peninsula? How about your floor butler there?
There is discussion about tipping the maid in Thai hotels by leaving money on the pillow, at the beginning of the stay, daily, 20 baht, or 40 baht...
I have to say, we've always stayed in nicer places that have service included, so we've not tipped the maid...but now I'm wondering if we were wrong and we should have. What about in places without service included? Do you leave the maid a tip at the Peninsula? How about your floor butler there?
Jul 17th, 2007, 07:55 PM
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All hotels in Thailand or at least the majority include a 10% service charge. Cambodia and Laos follow suite in most cases. Regardless I leave a 20 baht tip for the maid each day and if the service has been exceptional 30. Does not matter whether in a 5 star or 2 I will leave the same.
Jul 17th, 2007, 08:13 PM
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I've always tried to leave something for housekeeping at the end of my stay in all the places I've stayed in. I recall having worked in an Aussie Sheraton as a housemaid while at uni and was terribly grateful whenever I was tipped.
Jul 17th, 2007, 10:31 PM
#6
I've got a question for you. On my first trip to Japan I stayed at the Kyoto Gion Hotel, an APA hotel. On the nightstand was an origami crane and an envelope (or maybe just a paper note, but I think it was an envelope) with the maid's name on it. One of those maid welcome/introductions that I take to be a solicitation for a tip. Should I have left a tip?
Another case was the Nagoya Hilton. I menitoned this once before. A staff guy showed me to my room, opened and entered the room to show it to me. He hesitated, at the right moment, at the right spot, where in a U.S. hotel it was the time to give him his tip. Should I have tipped him?
Another case was the Nagoya Hilton. I menitoned this once before. A staff guy showed me to my room, opened and entered the room to show it to me. He hesitated, at the right moment, at the right spot, where in a U.S. hotel it was the time to give him his tip. Should I have tipped him?
Jul 17th, 2007, 10:41 PM
#7
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We usually leave the tip for the maid on the nightstand with a little note that says thank you and for the maid(learn how to write thank you it in their native language) and leave what you feel comfortable leaving.
If service is outstanding or a personal relationship is formed then we usually give an omiyage that we bring from home for the special people that we meet along the way.
I know some cultures don't agree with this practice but we enjoy it and life is too short to miss expressing your appreciation the first time around.
Hope I won't get flamed for this but when we stayed at The Pen I tipped the floor butler the equiv of $20 US when he introduced himself to us just after we checked into our room. I handed it to him with two hands and with a stiff wai as he was leaving the room in a little read envelope. Never had a more attentive or more courteous room butler ever(except maybe at the Oriental but I did the exact same thing). He would polish our shoes twice a day without even asking.....amazing. Ironed my shirts every day and always had ice and chilled wine in the evening for us whether we wanted or not. Five days at four bucks a day I felt like an Aussie(only joking mates),lol. Of course he got an omiyage.
I think the bottom line is that it's always better to give than to receive......many cultures unfortunately or fortunately for them still don't understand that concept.
Aloha!
If service is outstanding or a personal relationship is formed then we usually give an omiyage that we bring from home for the special people that we meet along the way.
I know some cultures don't agree with this practice but we enjoy it and life is too short to miss expressing your appreciation the first time around.
Hope I won't get flamed for this but when we stayed at The Pen I tipped the floor butler the equiv of $20 US when he introduced himself to us just after we checked into our room. I handed it to him with two hands and with a stiff wai as he was leaving the room in a little read envelope. Never had a more attentive or more courteous room butler ever(except maybe at the Oriental but I did the exact same thing). He would polish our shoes twice a day without even asking.....amazing. Ironed my shirts every day and always had ice and chilled wine in the evening for us whether we wanted or not. Five days at four bucks a day I felt like an Aussie(only joking mates),lol. Of course he got an omiyage.
I think the bottom line is that it's always better to give than to receive......many cultures unfortunately or fortunately for them still don't understand that concept.
Aloha!
Jul 17th, 2007, 11:14 PM
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About the APA envelope, not sure, as we've never stayed at one nor ever encountered the envelope...but I would guess it was for a tip. Was there explanation with it or just the name? The other thing I can think of is that sometimes charities have official donation envelopes that get passed around...it could have been one of those? Probably not in a hotel though...
At the Nagoya Hilton I don't tip anyone, and never felt like anyone was waiting for a tip. We'll be there in a couple of weeks so I'll pay extra attention when we check in.
We've always had great service at the Peninsula...tipped the bell boy and for room service and laundry delivery...don't remember the floor butler coming into the room to introduce himself though. Slacked about the maids, but this time around we'll tip them as recommended.
At the Nagoya Hilton I don't tip anyone, and never felt like anyone was waiting for a tip. We'll be there in a couple of weeks so I'll pay extra attention when we check in.
We've always had great service at the Peninsula...tipped the bell boy and for room service and laundry delivery...don't remember the floor butler coming into the room to introduce himself though. Slacked about the maids, but this time around we'll tip them as recommended.
Jul 18th, 2007, 11:14 AM
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Just a thought on the 10% service charge. How is that really distributed?
A lot of the hotels here have recently gone all inclusive (very bad for us restaurant owners). I was talking to a bellman from one of these hotels - who I give commissions for sending me people - and he said that yes, the service is included but the bellmen only get $2 pesos per room that is occupied! With the hotel telling the customers that they don't have to tip - and most don't - this is a huge decrease in his income.
So, can it be the same in Thailand? If you like the service in a hotel that has a service charge included in the rate I say tipping the staff that takes care of you is a very good idea.
A lot of the hotels here have recently gone all inclusive (very bad for us restaurant owners). I was talking to a bellman from one of these hotels - who I give commissions for sending me people - and he said that yes, the service is included but the bellmen only get $2 pesos per room that is occupied! With the hotel telling the customers that they don't have to tip - and most don't - this is a huge decrease in his income.
So, can it be the same in Thailand? If you like the service in a hotel that has a service charge included in the rate I say tipping the staff that takes care of you is a very good idea.
Jul 18th, 2007, 12:20 PM
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I always thought the 10% service charge as another 10% the property bilks from you.
Would be nice if it really went to the employee but it probably gets filtered into their wages on a trickle down theory and the hotel prob keeps most of it I'm sure.
Aloha!
Would be nice if it really went to the employee but it probably gets filtered into their wages on a trickle down theory and the hotel prob keeps most of it I'm sure.
Aloha!
Jul 18th, 2007, 12:42 PM
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In Hong Kong, you can safely assume that the full 10% service charge goes to the hotel or restaurant owner. What you give on top of that at a restaurant will be distributed among the wait staff (perhaps after deducting another percentage).
