Oh Patrick, abortions in the rooms, horrible!! I am glad your dear mother was working at the desk.

OO, I did appreciate your comments and although I love a "spotless" residence I hate housework. So your comments reminded me that I should tip more as I have always returned to any room to find it in perfect shape thanks to housekeeping. I always get extra towels, shampoo, lotions etc., without even asking. Inspite of my rather low tips maybe it is because everything is picked up and put away? But believe me, I truly appreciate the hard work the housekeepers do. I would probably last about two hours! Take care.

FYI

Here is an article in the Times about how so many people forget about tipping the hotel maid: http://tinyurl.com/yngrgh

Am I the only one who doesn't let housekeeping in every day?

Yes ... what are you doing in your hotel room?

and if you're in your hotel room all day, why wouldn't you want housekeeping to clean up???

Nope Dohlice, you're not the only one. If I'm sharing a room with a few girlfriends, the room is usually a mess w/ clothes and makeup. We don't really feel like straightening up, and all we need are more clean towels. No need to waste the maid's time unecessarily.

Well, I’m not in my hotel room all day. I guess I just don’t rip it up to the point that I need a maid in there. I hang my towels up after I use them and I don’t need new towels and sheets everyday. I don’t believe for one second that the hotels care about the environment, but I do. I rarely stay in one place for a whole vacation, but if I stay someplace for more than a few days I do let them in.

I guess I could ask what you’re doing in your hotel room that it needs to be cleaned every day.

Getting back to the topic, tip a valet $1-$2 when your car is returned to you (but not when you drop it off).

There is an exception to tipping the valet parker on picking up the car. If you are driving a luxury car or a classic or other special vehicle, give a generous tip on arrival and a quick thanks and you will have much less to worry about while your car is in the lot.

<i>taxis &amp; restaurants ... 15-25%</i>

Not sure why anyone would pay a taxi driver the same amount as a waiter?


There are many issues here, and many are not related to tipping per se, except as it relates to self-image.

What do you tip kswl?

Hi, Loveitaly--

I tip based on the actual level of service performed. I wish I did not have to tip at all because people would be well-paid for their work. Employers get away with murder because they expect the customer to fund a large part of his employee's salary---and usually the lower the salary the lower the benefits, so the employer makes out on both counts. NOT a good system, IMO.

I think giving a 25% tip to a cabbie, unless the person has risked life and limb to get you to a meeting, date, or airport on time, speaks volumes about the tipper. I agree with your bellman tip guideline, that is exactly what we do, too.

Hello kswl, I so agree with you about wishing that all people were paid a decent wage with proper benefits so that tipping was not expected or required. Australia, NZ, Europe have it figured out it seems, wish we did.

I have had so many taxi drivers give such great service (usually immigrants) that I am happy to tip them.

I also normally have so many food service people check and double check to make sure I don't have food that I am allergic to I am happy to tip them perhaps more than some diners would want to.

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones kswl along with wishes that 2007 will be a year full of many joys for all of you.

Courteous New Yorkers tip taxi drivers 15-25% of the fare, and more if it's a very low fare.

It appears that tipping is something that some do without feeling stressed and others do under duress. Personally I tip because that is the way I was raised and I don't resent it. I have never had such bad service that I have not tipped (well except in one exception a long time ago). When in another country that does not have the tipping customs that we in the US have I abide by that country's customs. I just look at the cost of tipping as part of my budget just as I look at taxes as part of my budget so to speak.

IMO tips should be based solely on the level of service rendered.

For those who have actually had to work for a tip this is usually understandable.