You could stay at a hotel that doesn't do a resort charge? Because I feel like that would be pretty easy to do at SFO. Nearly impossible in Vegas, and the guy was right, it'd be higher there, but SFO isn't Vegas. Resort charge isn't just for minibar, it's also for stuff like the pool and the fitness and business lounges. They charge it because they can.

The shady restaurants...if it wasn't tip withholding it would be something else. Not sure what you're getting at with the front and back of the house thing, though. Or the doggie bag. What restaurant has forced you to take a doggie bag because they want to decrease their organic waste?

@nochblad - I have most recently stayed in hotels in DC, New York and Boston. In each case I arrived by public transport. If you insist on using cabs, I suppose you could use Uber, which I understand requires you to pay by credit card.

If my (one carry-on size) bag were removed from my grasp I would not tip. I refuse the help in finding my room. The words you need are "no, thank you".

Although I grew up in England, in the US I tip at US rates in restaurants and to my hair stylist. I was most recently in South Korea and Japan, where I very much enjoyed not tipping, but I have no expectation that the custom will change in the US in my lifetime.

Follow ups -

I think that the trend is against exploiting staff and saying a decent wage as is evidenced by many restaurants in the the US and NY in particular.

WoinParis - I don't tip in Europe. I tip in the U.S.
What is so complicated ? PLEASE EXPLAIN YOUR TIPPING POLICY!

What really annoyed me whas the gratuitous introduction of Trump into a Forum which I tought was apolitical.

the gratuitous introduction of Trump

Isn't a tip a gratuity in English ? If so it fits the bill...


ain't I great to make jokes in English ?
- Americans can't in French, they are total disaster.
I swear, we are fantastic. You'll love Europe. We grab the words.

<i> At the hotel your cab door is opened for you - do you tip?

Before you put your hands on your bags they are whipped away from you - do you have to tip to get them back?

When you check in you are pressured to assign your bags to someone who will deliver them to your room. ... </i>

This kind of thing doesn't happen to me in the US. No one opens the taxi door for me. I always take my own bags to the room, and no one has ever whipped a bag from my hands, lucky for him.

I cited the quiz show (L'Eredità, by the way) only to offer proof that tipping was considered a foreign concept in Italy. Some people insist that it's not.

<<This kind of thing doesn't happen to me in the US. No one opens the taxi door for me. I always take my own bags to the room, and no one has ever whipped a bag from my hands, lucky for him.>>

Ditto.

<<ain't I great to make jokes in English ?
- Americans can't in French, they are total disaster>>

Shame on you, Wo��

If you're staying in a full service hotel, this sort of thing definitely happens. In a budget traveller hotel or a motel, you are pretty much expected to look after your own luggage.

The thing that gets me about all the tipping and added taxes in restaurants and hotels here is that it adds significant dollars to your bill, and that amount is not up front, like VAT, so you're never sure how much your travel is going to cost.

Food and hotel taxes here are ridiculously high. Tax upon tax.

One high-end restaurant in Vancouver tried the No Tipping rule, rather they upped the prices and increased wages. It just didn't fly, unfortunately.

@sundried - so do you call Marriotts budget or full service?

I'll let you decide Thursdaysd. My point is that there are hotels, particularly hotels that host a lot of business travellers, where your bags are taken to your room, as described by nochblad, and a tip is expected and graciously accepted by the bell person.

I don't agree with nochblad that it is done in such an aggressive manner. If a person really wants to carry their own bags, I'm sure he/she can communicate that easily enough.

But if one accepts a service, my personal feeling is that there is an expectation of a tip.

@sundried - the Marriott I use in DC hosts a lot of biz travelers, but I have never encountered difficulty taking my own bags to my room. Maybe you mean luxury travelers.

It's becoming clear that nochblad did not enjoy his travels in the US--fair enough! There are plenty of places to go in the world.

Or perhaps he is too sensitive a soul. I have never felt "pressured" to allow someone to carry my bag to my room--it's phrased as an offer, and if I don't want the help, I decline.

Nor have I felt "forced" to take a doggie bag. When I'm staying in a hotel and don't want to take the leftovers with me, I decline. At home, I accept because I like having leftovers for lunch the next day.

These customs differ from the way things are done in Italy--although I suspect hotels in Italy offer to help you with your luggage--but they are easy enough to navigate. Just say what you would prefer, politely, of course. Simple.

I have only had twice people rushing to me and grabbing my suitcase(s).

Once was in Morrocco and kids took - grabbed, stoel whatever our luggage and dropped them in the trunk of the taxi. Taximan asked us if we had asked the kids to carry the luggage, I said no, he slapped the kids... We told ourselves next time we'd say 'yes we asked for them to caary it...)

Second time was in Istanbul, a guy disguised as a valet of Louis XIV took my backpack (!) jumped into the elevator, pressed the correct button and managed to open the door of my room whilst litterally folding in 3. I guess that is what we call salamaleks.. I thanked him. No tip.

thursdaysd *Maybe you mean luxury travelers.*

I don't think I have ever stayed in a true luxury hotel...I guess it depends on your definition. We're middle of the road travellers in my definition (and budget).

We have also had our bags taken to our room, and the usual welcome walk around, but when we didn't have cash for a tip, we were still treated just as graciously...

Haha Wo good stories!

When we were in Italy last, we stayed in a convent. The nuns didn't offer to carry our bags anywhere. But they did run the bar as an espresso bar in the mornings and a liquor bar at night, and they whipped up a mean negroni. Which means I can't recall if we tipped them or not.

Ahh NewbE I think you just got the last word :)

Virtually the only times I stay in hotels in the US are when I'm attending an academic conference. Usually these are Hyatts or similar hotels, which I assume are full service hotels. The last time was in April, in Washington DC. If I had wanted a porter to take my bag to the room, I would have had to request the service. No one even offered politely to carry my bag. Maybe they only offer if you have a huge suitcase, or a lot of bags?

We usually arrive by car or taxi to the parking valet/ taxi drop-off. There are usually three or 4 bell hops waiting there to help with bags. We travel light but each have a carry-on plus another small back pack.

Some one travelling alone might have a different experience. Maybe it's assumed that help is needed when there's more than one person ie more bags?

In any case, I like your post. It's a good reminder for those of us who are accustomed to tipping here in N A.

I also am puzzled by this notion that no one helps you with a bag at a Hyatt (or Sheraton or Marriott) in the US. Most recently was at an academic conference in Denver, where it was snowing. Plenty of staff were helping people out of taxis, taking bags inside, etc. I had a roller bag carryon size, so I don't recall anyone offering to take the bag after I'd checked in. This was a Sheraton, but many times, even with a roller bag, I am automatically asked as a courtesy when I check in "Do you need help with your luggage?" Some people, of course, walk up to the check in desk without all their luggage, so that's why.

Of course I have also stayed at places where I walked into the hotel on my own steam from an airport bus or jumped out of a cab a few blocks away, or arrived when the door staff was occupied, so there was no one on hand to notice my arrival.

I am having a hard time figuring out today where it is people travel and why they have such strong opinions about the few things that happen to them personally, as if it were the whole world. I might have stopped going places if I didn't encounter a variety of quirks in the way things get done from place to place.

Also -- am I incorrect in thinking that tipping is common in Austria? I read above someone implying there is no tipping in European countries, but that's not my recollection.

I've been offered help with my bags even at very basic roadside hotels, not by a platoon of bellhops, of course, but by the person at the front desk. I think it's a normal inquiry at check in, and not just in the US?