Tipping

[TromboneAl]

Haven't been traveling for a while, and I have some questions on tipping.

We're going to stay at a 4-star hotel (thanks, Priceline!) in St. Louis. Is there likely to be a bellhop taking us to our room (we will only have one piece of luggage each), and if so, how much tip?

Courtesy shuttle from the airport -- tip?

Exotic dancers - 15%?

 

[BigMoneyJim]

Exotic dancers - 15%?

15% of what?

 

[peggy]

DH and I generally tip $1 per bag for skyhop or bellhop service. I've heard that $2 per bag is becoming more common, but since we generally travel with carry-on or otherwise handle our bags ourselves, I'm not certain.

We don't tip shuttle drivers normally, unless they load/unload our bags for us. See above for amounts in that case.

Exotic dancers--per DH, one generally offers $1 (or other denomination) bills - as many as you'd like. I have to echo Jim's question - 15% of what?

 

[greg]

15% of what?

I'll bite . 15% of what an everyday, ordinary HO might make for a similar amount of time. But that would be wild speculation on my part.

--Greg

 

[KB]

I've never tipped the courtesy shuttle, but I do tip the maid 2.00 a day.

 

[Nords]

I'll bite .

That'll cost you a lot more...

 

[justin]

I've never tipped the courtesy shuttle, but I do tip the maid 2.00 a day.

If you're staying at a Howard Johnson/Red Roof Inn/Econolodge/Day's Inn type place, do you tip the cleaning crew? How much for these low end establishments?

Also, for those penny-pinching business travelers, how do you deal with tipping at hotels and submitting those tips on your expense report? Can you charge tips to housekeeping at the end of the day like you can charge tips at a restaurant? I've stayed in some higher end places on business, but never thought about tipping.

Do you tip even if you stay 1 day?

 

[Nords]

Also, for those penny-pinching business travelers, how do you deal with tipping at hotels and submitting those tips on your expense report?  Can you charge tips to housekeeping at the end of the day like you can charge tips at a restaurant?  I've stayed in some higher end places on business, but never thought about tipping. 

Well, heck, if it's going on an expense account or a travel claim then you should report it as $25/day, right?

 

[justin]

Well, heck, if it's going on an expense account or a travel claim then you should report it as $25/day, right?

Right, but I have to have a receipt. Otherwise, $25 is fine.

Reminds me of working for the gov't. Getting paid a flat $29.50/day for meals, and eating at the continental hotel breakfast and taking some of that to go for lunch and dinner. Hey, free after tax money!

 

[HFWR]

Always had the continental breakfast, lunch at McDs, then drank heavily enjoyed a nice dinner in the evening...

All for $25/day, no receipt required!!

 

[KB]

I always submitted tips in my expense report as a separate line item and always had them reimbursed.

For a lower end otel/motel, I only tipped the maid/housekeeping $1.00 per day, better places were 2.00 a day.

 

[sgeeeee]

I only tip servers in bars. For everything else, I figure the service I get without tipping is good enough.

 

[laurence]

I see I have no shot at FIRE, I've upped my tips for valet and luggage to $5.

 

[BigMoneyJim]

Okay, now that the thread has had a chance to cover the other things, back to exotic dancer tipping:

I find that $1 is adequate, but usually $2 - $5 if displayed in advance will get you somewhat more exotic entertainment. A more generous tip or frequent moderate tips increase the likelihood of said dancer coming by your table for more personal entertainment after they're off the dance floors. Buying them drinks/smokes and patronizing them may keep them around a while. You may or may not want that. You may think you want that then change your mind when the dancer sticks around a couple of minutes.

A lot depends on how busy things are and if there are big tippers present. A busy night with one or two groups of big tippers (party or somebody with money to spare) will leave the frugal customer little hope of seeing the 3-6 most entertaining dancers at their table, so it may not be wise to be a moderate tipper with said dancers since you will get no future value. A dead night will have the entire staff begging you for drinks, smokes and tips for entertainment. A busy or moderate night affords more lurking (free entertainment).

Or so my . . . brother . . . says. 8)

 

[sgeeeee]

Okay, now that the thread has had a chance to cover the other things, back to exotic dancer tipping:

I find that $1 is adequate, but usually $2 - $5 if displayed in advance will get you somewhat more exotic entertainment. A more generous tip or frequent moderate tips increase the likelihood of said dancer coming by your table for more personal entertainment after they're off the dance floors. Buying them drinks/smokes and patronizing them may keep them around a while. You may or may not want that. You may think you want that then change your mind when the dancer sticks around a couple of minutes.

A lot depends on how busy things are and if there are big tippers present. A busy night with one or two groups of big tippers (party or somebody with money to spare) will leave the frugal customer little hope of seeing the 3-6 most entertaining dancers at their table, so it may not be wise to be a moderate tipper with said dancers since you will get no future value.  A dead night will have the entire staff begging you for drinks, smokes and tips for entertainment. A busy or moderate night affords more lurking (free entertainment).

Or so my . . . brother . . .  says. 8)

Males think mostly about 2 things: sex and alcohol. Young men think mostly about sex. As they get older, they think about both sex and alcohol. Eventually, they think mostly about alcohol.

BMJ describes a relatively young man's attitude. Eventually, he will come to realize that the cost of a single lap dance will buy much more pleasure in beer.

At least that's what my brother told me.

 

[laurence]

Strip clubs, what a way to blow your retirement! I was never a big strip club fan, but one night I was out on a business dinner with a customer and we had a few brews, started talking big, and ended up at the local dive strip joint. Before I knew it, I'm maxing out their evil ATM machine with the $4 withdrawal fee and saying, "I'll be right there, Fantasia!". A few hours later I get home rumpled and smelling of mango or strawberry or whatever glade plug-in stripper perfume was popular at the time and climb into bed, asleep before I hit the pillow.

I woke up to a world of hurt. See, I forgot three key things:

I smelled of mango/strawberry
I left the ATM reciept on the counter
My wife was 5 months pregnant

So while the strip club was kinda fun, the trauma I expereinced for the next two weeks pretty much closed the door on any future visits, which is fine, since Fantasia and I didn't have much of a future anyway.

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

Strip clubs, what a way to blow your retirement!  I was never a big strip club fan, but one night I was out on a business dinner with a customer and we had a few brews, started talking big, and ended up at the local dive strip joint.  Before I knew it, I'm maxing out their evil ATM machine with the $4 withdrawal fee and saying, "I'll be right there, Fantasia!".  A few hours later I get home rumpled and smelling of mango or strawberry or whatever glade plug-in stripper perfume was popular at the time and climb into bed, asleep before I hit the pillow. 

I woke up to a world of hurt.  See, I forgot three key things:

I smelled of mango/strawberry
I left the ATM reciept on the counter
My wife was 5 months pregnant

So while the strip club was kinda fun, the trauma I expereinced for the next two weeks pretty much closed the door on any future visits, which is fine, since Fantasia and I didn't have much of a future anyway.   

Now that's funny. On the other hand, I don't see why your wife is that upset because: (a) you came home to her and didn't do anything you'd really regret; (b) you spent probably what she does/did/will spend on her hair, nails, facials, etc... in a month or two at the salon, and (c) you were out on a business dinner/expedition with a customer.

 

[REWahoo]

Now that's funny. On the other hand, I don't see why your wife is that upset because: (a) you came home to her and didn't do anything you'd really regret; (b) you spent probably what she does/did/will spend on her hair, nails, facials, etc... in a month or two at the salon, and (c) you were out on a business dinner/expedition with a customer.

You aren't married, are you Jay?

 

[Outtahere]

And he's probably never lived with a pregnant woman.

 

[TromboneAl]

...but I do tip the maid 2.00 a day.

Where do you put the $2, on the pillow? How does the maid know it's a tip?

I agree that $2 sounds like plenty, but, on the other hand, I could see how two dollar bills might seem cheap.

 

[WanderALot]

Where do you put the $2, on the pillow? How does the maid know it's a tip?

There's usually a envelope with the maid's name on it.

 

[SteveR]

There's usually a envelope with the maid's name on it. 

Never saw one of those at Motel 6.
I guess you would just leave on the pillow there.

 

[KB]

I usually left it on the bed. I've never stayed anywhere where an envelope was left with the maid's name.
Whether they knew it was a tip or not, they always took it. So I felt I did my part.

 

[BigMoneyJim]

I think you leave maid tips on the dresser in an envelope, but I'm no Miss Manners so I'm probably wrong.

 

[HFWR]

Usually stay in "budget" hotels/motels, cause I'm cheap frugal, and carry my own bags, so no bellhop/cab driver/porter to tip. But, after a few days of throwing all my spare change on the dresser, viola, housecleaning tip!!