Well Graham, since you asked, when I go to Mexico YES I do give money to people begging on the streets. In addition to decent tips to all service persons.<BR><BR>

You should not feel the Need to Tip at All-Inclusives. They employees are not supposed to Accept Tips.<BR>In Jamaica a number of resorts will Fire them on the spot if they find them accepting tips.<BR>Do Not Tip.

Okay. let me toss something else out.. We were at an all-inclusive in the fall and the resort was 50% full..staff was laid off, the ones left working were the lucky ones..they had a salary. We do pay extraordinary high prices for these resorts and the economy doesn't trickle down to the staff. I've worked very hard for my $$ and am not a rich American and I do not go to 5 star resorts, but I am pleasant to the staff and since we mainly go to spanish countries do speak a fairly decent spanish and we are certainly not rude. Tourism is the backbone of most warm Caribbean countries..just by my going there to a resort and shopping I'm contributing to the economy. The only other way is if I don't go..then the staff would loose out..Hope I've explained it well.. I just don't want to keep doling out $$..the French and Germans don't and it's usually the loud ugly American getting drunk at the swim up bar who tosses $$ around.

Graham, YOU just don't get it. I happen to live in one of these destinations. The reality is that it will never, never happen - (the employers increasing the wages because of people not tipping). You seem to think you "deserve" excellent service without having to pay for it. Why don't you try living on about 4USD per day? Get off your high horse and face reality....wealthy Americans, Europeans and Canadians are notoriously NON tippers but THE most demanding. Scrape together your extra change, cash it in for paper money and leave it as a tip. You probaby will never miss it but you will be contributing to a very hard working family's needs.

Mellie<BR>do what you feel happy with. Tips are usually included in the AI price and, as you say, you have already paid enough for your holiday. In my view , most people who tip only do it for better service. The ones who really mean to tip to be generous will tip at the END of their holiday!!!!! There are too many "self righteous" who are only tipping for their own benefit. CariocaRio is one of the few honest ones.

ABC<BR>I HAVE already paid for the service- thats what AI includes!!!!! If you live there I can understand however why you are so frustrated with the way is country is run. But its not MY fault. If I(and others) didn't come at all surely life would be alot worse for people.Is that what you really want?

I completely agree with Graham! Americans' tipping forces everyone else to tip or they will get substandard service. Stop the madness...

What I do is tip for extraordinary service or service above or beyond...as I'm leaving. I am definetely not a cheap skate as for drinks...I certainly don't have a problem getting a "special drink" or one with 151 proof rum...lol and it's certainly not my looks.

Ron<BR>you are so right about people tipping just to get better service! That's fine if they actually admit to it- its the ones who pretend differently that annoy me. Go on, tip at the END of your holiday!!!!!

I have never tipped at AIs. I am always pleasant to people and can't think how the service would have improved if I had tipped! I would have to say though that if I HAD had difficulties and noticed that tippers were getting served faster I would have complained to the management. After all they are employed to do a job. Far too many people seem to let tip worries affect their holidays. However if you WANT to tip then go ahead. I certainly would not miscall people for having different views on the subject, unlike some others.

What many people don't realize - but a couple of posters mentioned - is that the jobs at ANY decent hotel - whether AI or not - are highly sought after and coveted in the resort areas. <BR>(Why else would the people who work there put up with the crap they have to deal with from a bunch of drunk cheapskates intent only on guzzling down half a dozen drinks with umbrellas in them while they make next to no $$$?)<BR>These people have to deal with unemployment rates far higher than the places we live, and with little or no education or training - these are considered "dream jobs."<BR>Get a clue y'all. Is it really going to break the bank to give the staff a few bucks here and there when your vacation cost more than they make in a year?!<BR>(I guess I'm guilty of being an "over-tipping American," but you know what?<BR>It makes me HAPPY, so I'll continue to do it whether the rest of you want to whine about it or not.)

I tip because I LIKE and appreciate the local people in Mexico, I feel it's the right thing to do, AND it gets a little bit of money directly into the hands of the workers (not the owners). I have never stayed at (and never will) an All-Inclusive so can't comment on that situation (thankfully). to posters: big tipper, abc & nancy... THANKS for intelligent comments on this thread!!

what goes around<BR>intelligent comments?????? Intelligent people don't have to resort to slagging off people who don't happen to agree with them! Let's face it there are arguments on both sides.Put forward your views without the slanging matches. Personally I don't as a rule tip at AIs but have no beef against those who do.

PS<BR>just because you go to an AI does not mean you are a drunk. I have only had experience of 2 AIs and can honestly say that I saw no-one drunk. And before anyone comments I do not drink at all during the day and only have wine with my meal at night.

Who said anything about anyone "being a drunk"?<BR>

waitress<BR>nancy said it!

Yipes! I've been "outed." <BR>When I first started going to the Caribbean in 1991, I didn't know that I would outgrow AI's. In my opinion only -don't slam me please - they did not give me a true picture of the islands I was visiting so I stopped going to them.<BR>In my experience, the three all-inclusives I stayed at were overrun with loud, obnoxious tourists of three nationalities I will not name who cared only about downing as many "free" drinks as possible before passing out on the beach or trying to force the other unfortunate denizens of the resort into "naked volleyball" or crab racing or another freaking limbo contest to the tune of "HOT HOT HOT" - my absolute LEAST favorite song. Even TOGA parties for pity's sake!!! But hey, if ya LIKE that kind of thing!<BR>Of COURSE I know that all people who go to AI's are not drunks. Sorry to offend...

I am going to an AI in PV in a couple of weeks; I don't mind tipping a bit, but I don't know what the rule of thumb is for AI resorts - how much is generally tipped at dinner, etc.

Virginia,Virginia, Virginia!! You haven't been paying attention have you?? The pt. is YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TIP at an AI!! It ruins it for the rest of us!! If some tip, the rest get SUBSTANDARD service, and the workers start expecting all the rich Americans to tip.

Could someone just clarify--is this an issue because the AI includes a service charge, presumed to be the tip, or do people just think you shouldn't have to tip at an AI?<BR><BR>I don't find the AI concept appealing because it seems too limiting to how I like to travel, but is there a service charge included as well? One of THE MOST RELAXING places I ever stayed told me when I checked in to put my money away, because a 10% service charge would be added at checkout to be distributed to the employees. There truly was no tipping beyond this at this place, and service could NOT HAVE BEEN better.