cd

When hotels pick you up or take you to the airport, how much should you tip the driver? The hotel we recently stayed at also offered shuttle service to the downtown area. We tipped the driver $10.00 and the cab fare back was only $5.00. When hotels offer free shuttle service, how much do you tip?

c

As far as I know, you should only tip them if they help with your luggage (1 dollar per bag?)

If they don't help me with luggage, I don't tip them.

Yes, I am a cheap bastard.

Denver

Tip them? Why? I pay big bucks to stay there and besides I am a big talker on the shuttle and keep everyone loose with stories and jokes. I should be getting the tips. Geez.

PJ

I work partime at a hotel in the Balto area and I am glad that you are asking this question. We provide shuttle service to/from the airport and most of the times the van drivers say that they do not receive tips. I guess people assume that since this a free service, they should not tip. Well, unlike the maids who get paid minimum wage plus tips, the bellmen (who are also our van drivers) get paid Below the Minimum wage. I thought that it was against the law to pay anyone below the Federal Minimum wage, but I have since learned that it is not. I think their rationale is that the maids must declare their tips but the bellmen do not (I think this is the correct explaination).

Anyway, before people start blasting me on this board (especially those without a life), I also tip the van drivers at least $1 per bag. And if they take me some place special (such as to/from the movie theater, local mall, or restuarant) then I do tip them extremely well because I know for a fact that most are underpaid and overworked.

darvy

What? Since when do hotel shuttles make side jaunts off to movie theatres, malls, etc?

That's just TOO weird.

J Correa

I usually tip $1 per bag the driver loads and unloads. If the driver is esspecially nice, I will tip a little more.

xxx

PJ, perhaps if you and your sub-minimum wage cohorts had paid more attention in school, you wouldn't be so dependent on my measly handouts to you. Get a haircut, and get a REAL JOB!!!

Miss Manners

Stop it!

rude

XXX
That was a rude. Any job is honorable and respect goes to all who work!

u2

PJ is right. A lot of valets, doormen, and bellmen are paid minimum wage. And they do depend greatly on monetary tips from customers. This has nothing to do with how much schooling they've had or how long their hair is. Actually most hotels have rules for length of hair and facial hair on their doormen, bellmen, etc.
But PJ........I know the IRS requires all hotel employees to report 100% of their tips. Most of the valets and doormen I know, don't do it but it IS required by the IRS, nonetheless.
When I use the shuttle service of a hotel I usually tip the driver $5.00. That's whether I'm being shuttled from the hotel to airport with bags or just from hotel to restaurant. And no Darvy, this is not just too weird for a hotel to shuttle certain guests to and from malls, restaurants, etc. Just depends on how nicely you ask and how well you tip! Try not tipping the valet next time you leave your car and see how long you have to wait when you return for your car!

what

Take that stick out of your ass u2...."Get a Haircut and Get a Real Job" is a George Thorogood song.

Julie

I always tip $1 per bag if I have luggage with me. Same with the shuttle drivers who take me between the off-airport parking lot where I park to the terminal. One of those drivers also told me once that they too are paid below minimum wage, and are expected to make up the difference in tips.

For Darvy, I've stayed at many hotels which have shuttles that take guests to nearby malls and other attractions. Its not at all unusual.

beachbum

PJ,
Bellman can be paid less than minimum wage because it is assumed that tips will more than cover the difference. Same with wait staff.

xxx,
If people like cd are tipping these guys $10 for what would otherwise be a $5 cab fare, who's the smarter, you or they?

darvy

The original poster was talking about airport shuttles, you cocksure mofos.

yyy

The poster you responded to was talking about hotel shuttles, you dimwit.

PJ

I guess I was incorrect about the Bell staff having to declare tips to IRS...as I stated, I work there Partime. Please don't assume that All Hotel workers are High school drop outs!! Actually, I am a college graduate who love to travel and enjoy the benefits of staying in First Class Hotels for less than $50/night. One of my co-workers who also is a bellman is a retired Social Worker and like myself, is putting his last daughter through college and enjoys the benefits that the job offers as well. However, I do know that most hotel staff are just regular folks that are trying to live from paycheck to paycheck and if they have provided you with good or great service please reward them with a tip.

P.S. Almost every (U.S.)city that I have stayed in the van drivers have always provided me with extra services. Once, I was asking the van driver if they had a gift shop at the hotel because I needed to get some Benydral. He offered to take me to the drugstore and waited to take us back to the hotel.

I gave him a $10 tip in addition to the tip for handling our luggage. And No he did not know that I was an employee, most times I don't even disclose this information.