I was in a European hotel and I left my daily housekeeping tip on the night table when I left the room in the morning. When I got back later, the tip was still there. I started to wonder whether I messed up the tip in a foreign country. Friends told me that tipping is entirely different in Europe than the USA. By raising this question, I found out that not everyone tips housekeeping and how to go about it.
How to Tip
To start off, I usually tip $5 a night at a hotel. There are a few ways you can go about tipping?
- Wait until the end and provide a lump sum to the housekeeper.Â
- Front load and tip your first night,
- Tip evenly throughout your stay.Â
Your decision on which way to proceed is probably dependent on your thought process of whether the same housekeeper cleans your room each day and your rationale on why you tip the housekeeper?
If you believe that the housekeeper may change day to day, then it makes sense to reward the person each day so that they can get the benefit of their work. If you think that the person is the same throughout your stay, then you have various options. Which way you go probably depends on whether you believe a tip is thanks for a job well done or a bribe to get the best service.
If you tend to think of it as a bribe then you should always front load the tip to maximize the value you will receive. Following this train of thought, if you wait until the end, then you will not receive any value for your tip. By front loading it, you are enticing the housekeeper to provide you the best service that they can.
Where to Leave the Tip
Now that you have decided on how much to tip and when, where exactly should you leave a tip for housekeeping?
The key to leaving a tip is to make it obvious it is for housekeeping. You want to avoid the housekeeper from thinking that it was left by accident. They will either leave it there or pocket it. In either case, you will not get any benefit from that tip. The main placement choices include:
- On the Pillow: This is the most classic and widely recognized spot. Placing cash directly on the pillow. People tend not to leave money on a pillow by accident. It is a safe assumption that the housekeeper will understand the purpose of why the money was left there.
- On the Nightstand or Dresser: These are another highly visible and common area. The key here is placing the money on a clean surface to maximize the concept that it is a tip for housekeeping.
- Under a Note: This could be the best option since it will be clean the purpose and cannot be mistaken that the money was left by accident. All the note has to say is Thank You!
The challenge with a note is that you need some paper and a pen. In the old days, this was not an issue when hotels placed writing stationery with pens, paper and envelopes on the desk in the hotel. People would often write letters to loved ones at home. I cannot remember the last time I wrote a letter while traveling. As such, some hotels have done away with the stationery kits in their rooms.
Highlights:
- You should leave a tip for the hotel housekeeping ranging from $3 to $5 a night.
- Always leave cash!
- Leave the Tip in a highly visible location like on the pillow. If you can, add a note of thanks to the tip to ensure that there is no confusion.