Tipping Hotel Staff
 

Hi - I'm travelling to NYC at the end of Jan 2011 for 4 weeks and have two questions I hope someone can help me with:

1. I'm staying in an apartment within a hotel chain. How do I tip cleaning staff - leave the money in the room or is it part of the bill at the end of my stay??

What about the doorman or concierge - who I imagine will help me out with directions or advice etc over the course of the month. Do I tip each time they assist or again at the end of my stay??

2. Weather in NYC is still pretty chilly with lots of snow etc - Looking at wet weather shoes now that will be appropriate for walking the streets etc - but what about going into shops/attractions/museums etc - just wear the same boots etc, even if wet from snow - or do I take inside shoes (i'm from Aust - not much snow here, but plenty of water at the moment!!)

thanks in advance for any advice

General rule of thumb for me

a couple of bucks per person

for good service more for special service

at the time of service.

Have fun,

Shoe Covers work great for me except in VERY cold weather.

which you should not have when you are going.

As far as boots go for day to day wear, people try to find a waterproof boot that doesn't look or feel as if one has been trekking the tundra. This way the boots can be worn comfortably both inside and outside when visiting shops, museums, and restaurants. These are public places, so one is not expect to do any more than stamp a bit to get the clinging snow and water off the boots before entering. Yes, some people may carry an pair of shoes with them, but this is a personal choice.

For a work situation, some people will keep a pair of shoes at the office and switch from boots to shoes for the work day. If going to a private home, some will carry a pair of indoor shoes, or just remove the boots and be shoeless.

Tips are not added to the bill in the US. Leave a couple of dollars per night for the cleaning staff.

If you use the concierge to make reservations you need to tip. If you are just asking for a map or directions there is no need to tip. If there is no concierge and you are asking the doorman to do this you do need to tip - since it's not really his job. You also tip if he gets you a cab - or does anything besides open the door. And if you have a question that requires a lengthy asnwer yu may have to wait for his attention - so he doesn;t abandon his real job of opening doors (for the elderly, those with packages or pets, etc).

Boot/shoe info above is correct.

Your room may be cleaned by different people on various days, so a tip at the end of the stay doesn't work out fairly. Same with doormen etc, they don't work 20 days straight and then expect a tip when you leave. And ask you might expect,the service that your receive might be a bit better if your tipping, if nobody has seen a penny from you for 20 days, word gets around.

"AS you might expect", and "you're tipping".....need coffee badly this morning!

In NYC we leave $5.00 for the cleaning staff on the nightstand with a note of 'thanks' each morning before leaving for the day. I often wonder what other people are tipping as we always find a 'thank-you' note in response to our thank-you tip when we return to the room at the end of the day. Recently we found a small fruit basket from the cleaning staff on the sitting room table with a note of 'thanks'. Unnecessary but nice.

agree with tipping above for most-If im staying for a week or more and plan on using the concierge alot i talk with him/her to see if he'll be there every day at that time and if he says yes,i give him my weekly tip in advance so he remembers me when i ask

"I often wonder what other people are tipping"
Nothing. Because I paid (a lot) for a clean room. And because the staff do not make less than minimum wage, and the IRS does not demand that they pay taxes on expected tips.

i was not used to the tipping system, but i made sure to leave a tip($5) in the morning with a thank you note to housekeeping

I think $5 per day for cleaning is about $2 too much... $3/day is sufficient for room cleaning... $1 for hailing a cab, $10 for moving luggage in and out... $5 for concierge for simple favors, $20 to 40 for difficult requests or hard tickets,

sylvia, many of those jobs are taxed... don't be a cheapo... if you can afford to pay a lot for a clean room, you can afford $3 more... wow, some people....

sylvia: Your post made me laugh. I have no problem contributing to the living wage of someone who takes care of me. I guess I'm fortunate that I can afford the extra $30.00 to $35.00 for a housekeeping tip at the end of a week's stay. I leave what I can. I assumed everyone left what they could afford to leave for housekeeping.

Oh, please, elitist ones. I contribute to living wages by the prices I pay for the services I'm supposed to get for shelling out those funds. Why is it leave "what they could afford to leave for housekeeping"? Maids are not paid less than the minimum wage (as are food service employees, on the basis of expectation of tips). Do you hunt down the minimum wage guy in the back of your toxic, smelly, hot dry cleaners and press extra funds on him? Do you chase down the lady cleaning the mens' rooms at the airport, or the restaurant, or wherever, and give them money? The stock person at the grocery?
I'm glad those fortunate ones who like to throw their money around to feel superior do so. However, don't expect everyone to follow your example. It is hypocritical to not go after everyone in your life who makes a lot less than you and press extra money into their hands.

you're the one screaming at the help when you don't have enough towels... and somehow all the soaps and the bathmat are missing when you check out...

I'm with Sylvia, why should they get a tip? Minimum wage here is $7 an hour and maids are only expected to clean 2.2 rooms per hour. So they're getting a good 3 bucks a room ! Well, okay, $2.40 after taxes but that is damn good money for just making the beds, changing the pillows, vacuuming the carpet, emptying the trash, wiping the windows, replacing the soaps, spit shining the mirrors, wiping my urine off the rim of the toilet and cleaning up after Cousin Eddie's late night room service raid.

It only takes them 22 minutes per room so how hard can it be?

I do tip in places like Maine where some students are working just for room and board in the summertime, I leave these guys a quarter if they've done a good job and pass my white glove test.

In places like Vegas where the maids are unionized, I ask THEM to tip me. After union dues and taxes, these broads are raking in a good 4 bucks per room. Since I have graced them with my presence, I expect a dollar kickback. AFter all, without customers like me they would be out of a job, right?

Very nicely put, clarkgriswold. I enjoyed reading your post very much! ;)

<i>> Very nicely put, clarkgriswold. I enjoyed reading your post very much! ;)</i>

Ditto, that was a riot.

Standard room = $3

Suite = $5

We do it daily as the maids change.

Left on the desk with a Thank You note and a :-)

We always get something extra in return.

Concierge - nothing for basic information but a nice tip if s/he gets us a hard to find ticket to an event or a reservation at a one of the top restaurants that told us they can't take any more reservations for that particular evening.

We stay a month in a condo each winter (not in NY, in the Carribean). Our method is to give the maid and concierge a "very generous" tip upon arrival and again when we depart. That way I don't have to worry with small change each time I need something in between. It works well.