No tipping in hotels or B&Bs in the UK. We always tip our traffic wardens as their job is "thankless".

"We always tip our traffic wardens as their job is "thankless"."

Good one, I suspect that you're talking about a verbal tip rather than a monetary one.:-)

I agree, in any business that's run by the owner, as a small B&B in a home, no tipping. But in the UK what I'd call a small hotel is sometimes called a B&B and there are maids that clean the rooms. In these, being a foreigner and not knowing what I'm doing, I do leave a small tip for the housekeeping staff when I leave. I understand it's not de rigueur in the UK but I do it. Silly me.

I have found that detailed advice to a traffic cop is equal to the detail they include in a traffic ticket.

"In these, being a foreigner and not knowing what I'm doing, I do leave a small tip for the housekeeping staff when I leave. I understand it's not de rigueur in the UK but I do it. Silly me."

Oh no, that's absolutely scandalous, they'l be expecting us to do it next. :-)

"...they'l be expecting us to do it next."

And don't think I haven't thought the same thing. I'm naughty by nature.

At least, nobody has suggested giving the hostess a packet of cake mix

Instead of trying to understand all the various tipping practices around the world we simply tip every tenth person we meet.

Sorry, cold: that won't do. The preferred tipping rate is 15-20%.

I have run a small B&B for 7 or 8 years and all the tasks mentioned above are done by me. In that time, I have received one tip, £10 from an elderly lady who I thought would have been embarrassed had I refused it. On the other hand, visitors from abroad have brought some nice gifts, stroopwafels and Japanese sweets for instance.

I am not aware that "high end resorts" are the only places with staff. I wouldn't know - I have never stayed at one.

Agreed that small B&Bs don;t. And smaller inns may not have much staff. But every hotel - of hundreds - I have ever stayed at has a bellman, waitstaff and either a concierge or a bell or front desk person to help with special requests. And many of these were 3* tourist hotels - not 4* business or 5* luxury places - all across the US - and in more than 25 other countries, primarily in europe.

A B&B isn't a hotel...

>>But every hotel - of hundreds - I have ever stayed at has a bellman, waitstaff and either a concierge or a bell or front desk person to help with special requests. <<

There are many (hundreds probably) of hotels in the UK that are actually hotels - and don't have all - or ANY - of those things. Even some high-ish end properties don't.

I always leave a housemaid tip at any hotel, but have never stayed at a B&B.
If I do, I promise to refrain from this ugly habit.

" I understand it's not de rigueur in the UK but I do it. Silly me."

No. Offensive, cultural imperialist, insensitive you.

And it's people like you that make people like me tell American waiters to go and stuff themselves when they come begging for tips.

I understand it's not de rigueur in America to tell beggars to demand a living wage from their employers. But I do it. Silly me.

It is truly amazing how much difficulty Americans have with not throwing money around. And with the concept of "when in Rome".

"Silly me." flanneruk

Indeed.

How is it that people agonise over what to wear so they will " fit in with the locals/ not look like American tourists"yet, being told tipping is not done, completely ignore the advice & barge on with their custom of tipping everyone who draws breath?

If you insist on doing elsewhere what you do at home, be prepared to accept that the rest of us may well do the same when we are in the US.

You may think tipping where it is not usually done makes you look magnanimous. It is often completely the opposite and you may very well appear patronising. A genuine "thank you" is all that is required.

" A genuine "thank you" is all that is required."

I'm not in the room enough to engage in conversation with these workers and I'm not about to start leaving thank you notes.

If my thank you tip is so offensive, they don't have to take it.
But they always do and I believe it is welcomed.

They may take it (what else are they going to do?), but that doesn't mean they think you are being "magnanimous". More likely either patronising or stupid. Probably both.