Figuring out how much to tip hotel maids can be tricky, especially when you’re staying at a resort. Here are some tips to help you determine the right amount to leave for housekeeping services during your resort vacation.
Quick Answers
– Tip each day you get housekeeping service, even if it’s just dropping off towels or taking out trash.
– $2-5 per day is the standard tip amount for each day of service.
– For a luxury resort, tip $5-10 per day or more if service is exceptional.
– Leave tip daily rather than end of stay so maid assigned to your room benefits.
– Cash tips are preferred but you can tip on a card if needed.
– If you have special housekeeping requests, tip extra for the inconvenience.
– Add a little extra if there are multiple people staying in the room.
– For extended stays of 5 days or more, tip every 2-3 days.
Average Tip Amount
The standard tip amount for hotel maids and housekeepers in the U.S. is $2-5 per day. This holds true when staying at a resort as well.
Here are some general tipping guidelines to follow:
| Length of Stay | Recommended Tip |
| 1-2 nights | $2-5 per night |
| 3-4 nights | $5 per night |
| 5+ nights | $5 every 2-3 days |
For example, if you are staying at a resort for 1 night, leave a $2-5 tip for the housekeeper. For a 3-night stay, tip around $5 per night. And for a week-long stay, leave a tip every 2-3 days instead of every single day.
Some people choose to leave a larger tip such as $10-20 after a long stay. But it’s better to tip each day you receive service rather than at the end. That way the person cleaning your room that day benefits directly.
When to Tip at a Luxury Resort
Luxury resorts often have daily housekeeping service including amenities like nightly turndown and restocking minibars. For this level of service at a high-end property, adjust your tip amount accordingly.
Follow these guidelines for tipping at luxury resorts:
– Tip $5-10 per night or more for standard housekeeping
– For exceptional service, concierge help, or special requests tip $10-20+
– If you don’t use all the services available (for example:decline evening turndown), reduce the tip to $2-5
– For extended luxury resort stays, tip every 2-3 days
The tip amounts can vary based on factors like resort location. In big cities or high-cost destinations, tip towards the higher end of the range. At smaller boutique resorts with limited services, tip at the lower end.
Tip in Cash for Direct Benefit
When tipping hotel housekeepers, cash tips are ideal so the money goes directly to the person cleaning your room. Some resorts impose a no-cash policy but most accept both.
If you must tip on a card, here are some options:
– Add tip to your final bill if there is a line item for housekeeping gratuities.
– Stop by the front desk in cash envelopes labeled with your room number.
– Ask a housekeeping manager to distribute tips to your cleaning staff.
No matter how you tip, try to leave the money each day rather than at checkout. This allows the maid who services your room to benefit directly from their work.
Should You Tip Daily or at Checkout?
You have two options when it comes to the timing of your tips:
– Leave a tip daily after housekeeping cleans your room
– Leave one larger tip at checkout
Tipping daily is preferable for a few reasons:
– The housekeeper assigned to your room benefits directly from their work that day
– It allows you to adjust the amount based on the quality of service
– You can leave notes or “thank you” messages along with the tip
– It prevents an employer from keeping part of a large checkout tip
– Daily tips help housekeeping staff earn more consistent income
However, some resort guests prefer to leave one larger tip at the end for simplicity. Just know that this method prevents the individual housekeeper from reaping the rewards of their labor directly.
No matter which approach you take, make sure to tip each day you receive housekeeping services during your resort stay.
Should You Tip Extra for Special Requests?
If you make any special requests that require extra effort from housekeeping, add a little extra to your daily tip. Examples include:
– Requesting room service or late night amenities
– Asking for additional towels, pillows, blankets etc.
– Scheduling a crib, rollaway bed, or other special amenity
– Reorganizing furniture layout in your room
– Handling multiple messy or difficult requests
– Dealing with maintenance issues in your room
A good rule of thumb is to tip an extra $2-5 per special request made. This compensates the maid for going above and beyond normal daily service.
You should also tip extra if housekeeping has to handle multiple trash bags, dirty dishes left in the room, or excessive cleaning from children or pets. Leaving extra as a “thank you” shows your appreciation for their hard work.
Increase Tip for Multiple Guests
Standard tip amounts are based on rooms with 2 guests using normal housekeeping services. If you have additional guests staying in the room, increase your tip to account for the extra work.
Follow these guidelines:
– For a room with 4 guests, add $2-3 per night
– For a room with 6 guests, add $5 per night
– For larger families or groups, add $5-10+ per night as needed
Having more people means more towels used, more trash generated, more cleaning required, and higher tip amounts warranted. Adjust your tip upwards to reflect the added demands placed on housekeeping.
How Other Factors Influence Tipping
Aside from resort rates and level of service, a few other factors can influence tip amounts:
Resort Location
– In expensive areas like New York City or Los Angeles, tip $5-10+ per night
– At smaller local or tourist area resorts, stick to lower end of $2-5 range
Room Size
– For a standard room, follow general tip guidelines
– Add $2-3 per night for larger suites or multi-room villas
Length of Stay
– For short stays under 3 nights, tip each night
– For extended stays of 5+ nights, tip every 2-3 days instead
Housekeeping Frequency
– If daily cleaning, tip daily
– If only once every 2-3 days, tip accordingly
Gauge the tip amount based on location, room size, length of stay and housekeeping frequency. In general, tip in the range of $2-10 per day.
Non-Monetary Ways to Show Appreciation
In addition to monetary tips, there are other ways to show your appreciation for housekeeping staff:
– Leave friendly notes saying “thank you”
– Let the front desk or resort manager know if a staff member provided exceptional service
– Avoid leaving large messes or destruction that make cleaning more difficult
– Be polite, patient and respectful in all interactions
– Learn a phrase in the local language to thank housekeeping as you see them
– Complete comment cards to give praise and feedback about cleaning staff
A kind word, smile, or gesture of thanks can be just as meaningful as a monetary tip. Combining both is the best way to show your gratitude for good service.
Who Gets the Tip?
In most cases, your cash tip will go directly to the housekeeper assigned to clean your room that day. With front desk envelopes or card tips, distribution varies:
– At some resorts, individual housekeepers get the full tip amount
– Others split tips evenly among all housekeeping staff
– In rare cases, management may keep a cut of pooled tips
– Ask the front desk or housekeeping manager about tip distribution policy if you are unsure
Ideally, your tip ends up in the hands of the specific maid who serviced your room. But tipping culture and compensation practices vary between resorts. Leaving a tip is still important to show appreciation for housekeeping labor, even if you can’t control exactly where the money ends up.
Conclusion
Tipping housekeeping at a resort is an important way to show your gratitude for good service during your stay. While tip amounts can vary based on resort type and level of service, $2-5 per night is a standard baseline. Adjust for longer stays, larger rooms, or special requests as needed. Whenever possible, leave cash tips daily so your room’s housekeeper benefits directly. Combining daily tips with kind words and actions can help resort workers feel truly appreciated.