The fee entitles my wife and I to shuttle service throughout our two night stay (so 60.00 total for the both of us). We'll probably be using the shuttle several times a day going to different locations.

Do I still tip?

I'm not talking about shuttle to and from the airport where the driver may be helping with bags. I would tip in that situation. I mean just taking us around.

Where are you being shuttled to/from? I usually give a buck or so to a hotel shuttle driver taking me from the hotel to a metro station, but if you've already paid $30 for this service, I would think not.

Doesn't matter what kind of shuttle... it is nice to tip.
I talked to the elderly shuttle driver at the Palms in Las Vegas and he said his job was similar to being a WalMart greeter... which means minimum wage.
I tipped 5.00 per trip, which was high but I really enjoyed him and he looked like he could use the money more than the casino.
Most drivers are not wealthy people, they work for a modest pay with the hope of earning some additonal $$ in tips.
If it is the same driver for the whole 2 days and you like the person, possibly you could tip a 20.00 bill?

It would be around the town. So things like from the resort to the main town. From the main town back to the resort. Things like that. Very small community so each leg of the shuttle drive would be about 3-4 miles.

It's a predetermined schedule that the shuttle follows. It's not specifically for us. It picks up whoever is waiting at the shuttle stop. Sort of a bus service for hotel guests.

20.00?? For the entire two days or just one trip? And before you answer, keep in mind I'm not Bill Gates!

In a case like this it helps to see if the other passengers tip.

The reference to being like a Walmart Greeter -- do they get tipped?

FA, yes I was thinking about just following their lead and hoping I ride with cheapskates!!

You know, assuming the driver has maybe 10 passengers per trip, and they all tip a buck or two, he could make quite a killing. The trips are so short, he's probably going to make dozens of them per day.

You are paying $15 per day to ride a scheduled bus? I wouldn't tip at all, unless I developed some sort of relationship with the driver.

If it was a driver in a car, that would be very different.

Where is this resort?

For some reason, I was reminded of my Valley of Fire tour last spring. Our comical Texan driver let it be known that forty years ago, as a young man, he had purchased an old sawmill on Mt. Charleston for $300 an acre(600 acres total).
He became a partner in the tour company, $100 per head(our van held about 14). Also, he was a limo driver, and over the years, had chosen only a few select repeat high rollers to drive.
He also let us know that he had purchased his golf course home in South Carlolina, where he was soon to retire and possibly buy a fishing charter boat, and had two developers fighting over his Vegas spread.
You could almost hear everyone doing their mental math as to his worth, and I'm sure a few were envious as to his retirement years,lol.
I was the first to be let off at my hotel, and yes I tipped, but it seemed wrong in some sense. I wish he had kept his bragging Benjamin routine for another day.

In light of this thread as well as others, I suspect that Neopolitan and I see the world in much the same way. I was prepared to send the exact same comment until I saw that it was already made.

It strikes me as interesting that the driver's level of affluence seems to play a role in the decision for many of us. I think it is a bit condescending to service personnel to treat their compensation as some type of charity. I suspect that they want to be tipped for the service they provide, and not for their level of need.

That is why I would prefer if our custom shifted to compensation being a matter between employee and employer (with "tips" priced into the hotel/restaurant/etc. prices). That way, such considerations would be removed from the issue. Also, it would allow folks like travelinandgolfin to enjoy their vacation instead of worrying over the appropriate tip.

Basically yes, it is sort of a bus service for the resort guests. Though you're riding in a very NICE bus!

But you wait at designated pickup points at designated times. I assume you could be the only person on the shuttle or there could be a dozen people with you.

If it were free, I'd feel better about the tip, but seeing as how I'm already paying the 30.00, my generosity is waning. Yes I know the hotel is keeping most of that 30.00, but still. 30.00???

Call me a cheapskate, but after reading the particulars, I wouldn't tip. The driver has a job and gets a salary. Do you tip the bus driver in your home town? Do you 'tip the pilot'?

Well, got back from our trip. This was to Lanai, by the way.

We chose not to tip since, as someone mentioned, it was more a bus schedule for resort guests we were following, not a private shuttle. I tipped the driver at the airport when he took our bags to check-in, but that was it.

Interestingly, we didn't see anyone else tipping either. Everybody just got on and got off, just like a bus.

My logic for tipping shuttle drivers is based on whether they do something other than just open the door to the shuttle. Usually it is whether they helped on and off with luggage if it's an airport shuttle. I see many people not tipping even in that circumstance. If I took a regular service shuttle, which was the functional equivalent of bus service, where the driver just opens the door to let me on and off at predetermined stops I would not tip.

If you had mentioned earlier that you were going to be in Lanai, I would have posted prior to this, since I was recently talking with people familiar with the resorts.

We'll be going for a weekend stay in August, and I had also been asking questions about the shuttle service.

Did you stay at the Manele or Koele Lodge? How did you like it?

If you have the same driver over and over and you like him, why not slip him a buck now and then--it will be a tiny fraction of the cost of your vacation, but it might make a difference to a shuttle driver who likely receives a pretty small paycheck.

chepar, we stayed at Koele. Have stayed at both places, as we've been to Lanai numerous times, but first time in about seven years.

Koele's great hall and the grounds look the same (gorgeous), but the rooms and exterior of the building are beginning to show some age. Still great though. No complaints.

Manele finished their upgrade a while ago. Strolled through the place and it looks the same (also gorgeous), so it looks as though the upgrades were primarily done to the rooms. We could see that each balcony has a wicker lounger along with the usual table and chairs. Nice touch.

Shuttles were fine. They run approx. every half hour or so between resorts with a stop in town. There is a separate shuttle to the airport.

travelinandgolfin-

Are you familiar with Henry Clay's restaurant? This place has been recommended, and I was wondering if it was better than any of the resort restaurants.

We'll be staying at the Manele so that the ones in our group that aren't golfing have easy access to the beach. Do you know if they still offer complimentary use of snorkel gear at the bay?

We've eaten at Henry Clay's. We enjoyed it. I wouldn't say it's better (or worse) than the resort's restaurants. They're all good.

However, when you get there, Koele will be undergoing their rennovation, so I'd call them to see if all their restaurants are open.

We did particularly enjoy the Manele Golf Course clubhouse restaurant. Best view on the island!! If you go, try the prawn BLT (it's served in a pita pocket).

If you want cheaper fare, try the Blue Ginger in Lanai City. Don't let the decor fool you (it's in a simple looking house type building). Great food! Try the hamburger steak katsu. Yummy!!

Not sure about snorkel gear being complimentary. You can check out their website. Might have some info for you.