Hotel Tipping Etiquette 101.
Why you should tip.
Tipping at hotels has always been one of those gray areas without much guidance. You might be wondering, shouldn’t luxury hotels provide exceptional service without the expectation of a tip? Of course. But, let’s dive in to all of the reasons why you should lend even a small measure of gratitude to the myriad of folks working hard to ensure an exceptional stay at your hotel.
Hotel employees are, by definition, in the service industry. The majority of them work in positions with a high level of guest interaction, which typically means a lot of hard work responding to a multitude of varying requests.
Many hotel employees earn minimum wage salaries, and federal minimum wage laws are waived for certain positions in which gratuities are expected, such as restaurant servers and hotel housekeepers. Cash tips, even small ones, add significant value to their overall income.
Hotels are notoriously short-staffed in light of the pandemic, which means fewer hotel employees are stretched thin, working harder while taking on additional tasks each day. Tips help recognize their herculean efforts.
Hotel housekeepers, in particular, are working harder to deep clean rooms between each guest’s stay to eliminate any COVID virus particles. They have to clean the same number of rooms, but spend additional time doing so.
As with most things in life, my motto is that if you can afford the service, you can afford the gratuity that accompanies it.
Who + how much to tip.
After consulting the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s guidelines and folks in the hospitality industry, here are our suggestions for who and how much to tip when staying at a hotel in the U.S.
BARTENDER. 20%, or more if the service is exceptional.
BELLMAN. $1 per bag when a bellman escorts you to your room, and the same amount if you request a porter to assist with bags upon your departure. Consider giving a larger gratuity to a bellman who spends time walking you through the particulars of your room, and/or who provides helpful information about the hotel and surrounding area.
BUTLER. If you are lucky enough to have your own personal butler, $10-15 per day is customary, ideally given in cash daily. Consider giving more if your butler is exceptional.
COURTESY SHUTTLE DRIVER. $1-2 per person, or $5 per party. Consider a larger tip if your driver assists with many pieces of luggage.
CONCIERGE. A bit of a gray area, and not always required, but you should tip a concierge who goes above and beyond a simple restaurant reservation or museum ticket. Did the concierge secure impossible to get concert tickets? Help you plan a proposal? Anywhere from $10-$100 is appropriate depending on the complexity of the service provided and the quality of the interaction.
DELIVERY OF SPECIAL ITEMS. There’s no need to tip a maintenance worker who comes by to fix a broken light or a housekeeper that delivers missing towels, but you should tip hotel employees who bring special items, such as the toothbrush or razor you requested. $2-5 is appropriate.
DOORMAN. $1-2 for a doorman who assists with flagging down a taxi, and additional gratuity for helping you unload luggage.
HOUSEKEEPING STAFF. $3-$5 per night, left in cash each morning (since staff can change daily) in a visible place, ideally with a note stating that the money is for housekeeping. Ask yourself whether there are many occupants in your room with extra sheets and towels to change. Did your children leave toys and puzzles strewn about? Do you have a trash can full of diapers or a table covered with remnants of your take out? Are you staying in a large suite with multiple bathrooms that will require additional cleaning time? Did your housekeeper provide the extra toiletries you specially requested? These are all factors to consider when determining how much gratuity to leave for housekeeping.
RESTAURANT SERVER. 20%, or more if the service is exceptional.
ROOM SERVICE. 15-20% is standard in the U.S., but keep in mind that most hotels include a service charge on the room service bill. You should only add gratuity if it is not already included.
VALET. $5 each time your car is delivered to you. (You are not expected to tip when you hand over your key; only when your car is retrieved for you.)
