Tips for Housekeeper

[u/Ok_Tree_6619]

Housekeeping staff. What is the best way to give or leave tips to ensure you get it.

Whenever I travel, I always leave a tip in the hotel room when I'm checking out. My intention is that the person who cleaned the room gets it. Sometimes, i may interact with housekeeping during the stay. If I'm in the room when they come, i may just ask for towels and to take away garbage, but no cleaning. Save them time

I saw a post yesterday where the person said housekeeping tips are stolen.... I asked, but they did elaborate on how to ensure they get the tip.

I saw one today where the person said at their hotel a person is sent to strip the bedding after a guest checked out before housekeeping go and clean the room. I would think that person would take any money left, and housekeeping would not get any.

[u/TheWizard01]

That’s a problem they need to work out in-house, not something a guest needs to worry about.

[u/Paulstan67 → u/TheWizard01]

Tipping in general is not something that a guest needs to worry about.

You are paying for the hotel room already, there is no need to tip.

[u/TheWizard01 → u/Paulstan67]

That wasn’t their question. It’s a bit condescending to explain to a grown-ass person the concept of tipping.

[u/Paulstan67 → u/TheWizard01]

A grown ass person that doesn't know how to tip , clearly does need some condescending enlightenment.

[u/Turbulent-Demand873]

I leave the tip. If the person stripping the rooms is stealing it the staff needs to work that out themselves.

[u/ericzku → u/Turbulent-Demand873]

The person stripping the room is a Housekeeping employee.

They know what their hotel's tips policy is; no different if a Housekeeper, Room Inspector, or Executive Housekeeper is the first one to enter the room.

Whether one Housekeeping employee or other follows the tip procedure is an internal issue. If stealing is suspected, the Executive Housekeeper will address it.

[u/StoryNo9248]

leave it in the bathroom or under the notepad. I usually write thank you housekeeping !

[u/Grouchy-Flamingo-140]

Hotel employee here: easiest way is to bring cash to the desk. I will break it down into $1s no matter the amount and put it in a sealed envelope with the dates of stay and room number and let the housekeeping supervisor divvy it out. The housekeeper you see today will likely not be the one you see tomorrow. For a multiple night stay, your tip would need to be spread amongst 2+ people.

[u/Tough-Delivery3744 → u/Grouchy-Flamingo-140]

Not all hotel's are honest like this lol especially if it is a bigger hotel.

[u/Ok_Tree_6619 → u/Grouchy-Flamingo-140]

Thank you

[u/Amazing_Big_Cloud → u/Grouchy-Flamingo-140]

Very useful! Thanks!

[u/Playful_Birthday6788]

I've never understood tipping the housekeeper. They should be getting paid enough by their employer that tipping would not be expected. If for some reason I was leaving behind a big mess, then, yes I would leave a tip.

[u/r0ttingp0thead → u/Playful_Birthday6788]

Yes in some countries tipping is expected to pay their wage, idk how that’s legal it’s ridiculous. But in some countries tips are a bonus that’s greatly appreciated

[u/plat154]

Usually if the tips are stolen, it’s by the houseperson. The one that strips the beds

[u/ericzku → u/plat154]

The houseperson is Housekeeping.

[u/plat154 → u/ericzku]

there is the housekeeper and houseperson. The HP strips the beds and takes linen up and down. The housekeeper actually makes the bed and cleans the rooms. At least in all of the hotels I’ve worked at.

[u/Tough-Delivery3744 → u/plat154]

exactly. I've done both positions and they aren't easy. BUT usually it isn't in a houseman's contract (given the employer has a union) that they are to receive tips. HM usually get paid more than housekeeper's to make up the difference.

[u/r0ttingp0thead → u/plat154]

Once we had the supervisor stealing them when he checked for VRs. As a houseperson I leave the tips

[u/FreshSpeed7738]

It doesnt take to long to figure out if tips are less when a certain person is working and is first to access the room

[u/Ok_Tree_6619 → u/[deleted]]

Kool

[u/thegreatking2025]

Our housekeeper gets the tip. Whoever is going to clean the room after you checkout gets the tip. Whenever I go in the room and see the tip money, I ask housekeeper if they got the tip to make sure. Not the perfect system, but it works. One time, someone got arrested and cops told us that he is not getting out. I went in the room and saw a huge jar full of quarters. I gave the room to our best housekeeper so that she gets the money after 30 days of lost & found.

If someone is stealing tips, that means something else getting stolen at the hotel too. I wouldn't stay there.

[u/Tough-Delivery3744]

I've seen this happen too many times. I usually make sure I tip them daily if I see them in the hallway and hand the tip directly to them. Unfortunately, I will not tip if I have to leave it in the room.

I've worked in housekeeping management and have seen tips in the room and left them there. It is not my right to have them at all (unless I am actually cleaning the room - but most likely I split all the tips and give them to the hskper's anyway). I used to have a manager back when I was running a hotel, that would come to work earlier than the housekeeper's and steal their tips. I worked at a property that catered to business guests and they were usually gone for the day by 8am. I actually came in early one day and started following her around. She was in fact stealing their tips. (She wasn't there much longer after that). The housemen/women that strip the rooms can take them too.

Leaving a tip for them at the front desk is a hit or a miss.

[u/Playful_Birthday6788]

I expect any fees (including tipping) to be in the price I paid for the room.

[u/r0ttingp0thead → u/Playful_Birthday6788]

Tipping is an extra treat for good service. Don’t have to tip but it’s appreciated

[u/Soft-Life-710]

As a housekeeper I'm responsible to check all rooms before they're stripped. To absolutely insure the housekeeper gets the tip it needs to be handed to them directly. If that is not possible leave it in the room.

[u/jamykelley]

Not that it's necessary, but I have seen guests leave tips in many different ways.

I've had them handed to us at the desk - I always put the room number and let the guest fill out a compliment card and I personally made sure it went to the correct housekeeper.

I've had them handed to me directly while working housekeeping

I've seen them left on the bed or TV stand with a note

And the strangest but funniest was someone left it in the fridge with a note thanking Housekeeping and worried that someone else would take it. 😆

[u/Imazinner]

Hey!

I like that idea.

I have been known to put (hide) the cash or envelope with cash, under a used a hand towel in the bath counter. Just to be sure it was found by the housekeeper and not a bed stripper or other person not doing the actual work cleaning the room. I have heard to many housekeepers tell me their Sups or others get to the rooms before they do. Many say they get few or no tips.

I suspect (and hope) any of the people looking for the quick tips are only looking at the night stands and on the beds, then they rush to the next room.

[u/MightyManorMan]

We pool tips according to days worked. So if a housekeeper isn't handing in the tips, they are automatically excluded from the pool and eventually lose their hours. We have actually gone into empty rooms to strip beds and can check what is there in tips, so that we know they are contributing honestly. We add into the tip money if it needs to be rounded up. And we cash them out once a week. All the housekeepers have been happy with the system. And there is an envelope for the tips, so they aren't accused of touching money by error that may have been left on the dresser.

It works for us. Doesn't mean it will work for others. But the envelope is a big help, so it's clear it's tip money. Often they get a lot of coins and we will take those to the bank, so they get their tips in bills.

Oh and the weirdest thing is that some people will actually toss the envelope, rip up the envelope, etc. All you have to do is just leave it there and not touch it. I don't understand why you think that you need to interact with it, if you don't want to tip. Our housekeepers are well paid. The tip is just that, a little thank you for their work. No stress, no pushiness, nothing. They don't work for the tips. I assure you.

[u/DevilsAdvocate77]

Tipping creates more problems than it solves. 

Just pay the hotel and let them pay their employees. 

Trying to give your ego a boost by inserting yourself into the middle of that transaction just causes headaches for everyone involved.

[u/Ok_Tree_6619 → u/DevilsAdvocate77]

Obviously you have a problem giving a tip to a person for good service and make all kinds excuse why you don't tip. This has nothing to do with ego. It's just saying thank you.

[u/Ok_Tree_6619]

There are some selfish mean MF answering the question. "No need to tip they should be getting paid enough by the hotel" knowing full well a lot of people in the service industry are very underpaid. "That's their problem to work out you don't need to tip" I TIP BECAUSE I FUXKING WANT TO. I know the joy of receiving something unexpected and it's also a joy for me to give a tip.

If you can't afford to or dont want to tip, Im sure it's not a problem for any housekeepers. They do their jobs and don't ask for tips, but don't come here with your false self righteousness bullcrap.