# Do you tip maids in hotels?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 3, 2008, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597 "2008-06-03T06:33:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/1 "2008-06-03T06:33:51Z")
When I travel in the US, I sometimes hear that I should tip the maids who do the hotel room. I don’t recall ever hearing that in Canada. What’s your practise, and which country are you in?
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### Author:  [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/2 "2008-06-03T06:39:57Z")
No, I don’t tip the maids. I wouldn’t tip any of the hotel staff. But I’m in Australia and we tend not to tip.
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### Author:  [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/3 "2008-06-03T07:43:59Z")
Yep, I do. For an average hotel I go $2 a night. Nicer than average? $3-5. I tip each day instead of the end of my trip since it may be a different person from day to day.
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/4 "2008-06-03T07:53:24Z")
I usually do $2 for the first day, $1 for each subsequent day, and a max of $5.
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### Author:  [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/5 "2008-06-03T10:03:43Z")
Depends on what country I’m in - not in Singapore, and not in the 5-star hotels in Jakarta (maybe I should). In smaller, cozier facilities in Indonesia, I do what a lot of people do - give the proprietor a lump sum of money when I leave, to be distributed as s/he sees fair among the various workers.
In the US, I do it if I remember, and I feel guilty when I don’t. Not sure how much I would leave as I haven’t been in the US in a while, but $2/day sounds right.
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/6 "2008-06-03T10:04:50Z")
I usually do not. Perhaps I should, but I do not.
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### Author:  [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/7 "2008-06-03T10:20:11Z")
As an adult I’ve never spent more than one night at a hotel or motel, and I’ve never left a tip because I’ve never even seen housekeeping…
But from what I understand, if you are staying at a hotel wherein people tidy your room while you’re gone, because you’re spending several nights, and they leave you fresh towels for the following day, etc., you should leave them a few bucks.
This is only what I’ve gathered; I haven’t been in this situation because I never get to take real vacations. Dammit.
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### Author:  [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/8 "2008-06-03T10:27:12Z")
I’m pretty generous a tipper but this in one instance where I just don’t. Partly because I hope to never see or have contact with the maid and tipping people who you don’t interact with just doesn’t seem to make that much sense. Having them in and cleaning my room isn’t something I particularly want, I usually leave the do not disturb sign up all weekend and request towels as needed. I keep my stuff in there, I don’t want some minimum wage employee mucking about. Lastly, since I tend to sleep in on vacations there’s been a lot of occasions where a maid has woken me up with their damn persistent knock and just barged into my room unannounced. I have a adversarial relationship with them generally speaking.
No tips. Daily maid services in a hotel is the equivalent of the squeegee guys running up and trying to wipe down my car window at an intersection and then expecting a tip. Service not wanted or requested. Clean up when I check out. Tipping a maid is like tipping a bus boy.
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### Author:  [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/9 "2008-06-03T10:38:33Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient]
Lastly, since I tend to sleep in on vacations there’s been a lot of occasions where a maid has woken me up with their damn persistent knock and just barged into my room unannounced. I have a adversarial relationship with them generally speaking.
[/QUOTE]
Do you not use the ‘do not disturb’ sign? Or have you stayed at hotels where they’ve ignored it?
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### Author:  [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/10 "2008-06-03T10:47:39Z")
I’ve never heard of tipping the maid, although it does bring an image to mind…
But seriously, if it’s done in the US does it apply primarily to fancier hotels? Sort of like you wouldn’t dream of tipping at McDonald’s but in fancier places you of course would. I only stay at places like Motel 6, which are basic and chosen for that reason.
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### Author:  [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/11 "2008-06-03T10:49:41Z")
**sandra\_nz**
[QUOTE=Omniscient]
… I usually leave the do not disturb sign up all weekend and request towels as needed. …
[/QUOTE]
Damned if I know what they are thinking. Frankly it’s the lack of thinking thats the cause I’m sure.
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### Author:  [@threnodyangelfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threnodyangelfire)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/12 "2008-06-03T11:47:21Z")
It depends where I am.
If I’m in a hotel say, in inner city Sydney that has cost a bomb to just stay in, then no I don’t tip. I assume it’s included in the hotel bill and that staff are getting paid to market. (which in australia, as I understand it, is ok)
Somewhere like Bali, where I’m not assured that on the whole the money filters down to the staff, I tip a few bucks here and there.
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### Author:  [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/13 "2008-06-03T12:03:39Z")
I do. $2 a night. One time when some friends and I really trashed a room, we left a $40 tip. I’ve heard from folks who used to work as hotel maids that you should leave your tip under your pillow. If you just leave it on the nightstand, sleazy managers will sometimes take it before the maids get in to clean.
[QUOTE=lobotomyboy63]
But seriously, if it’s done in the US does it apply primarily to fancier hotels? Sort of like you wouldn’t dream of tipping at McDonald’s but in fancier places you of course would. I only stay at places like Motel 6, which are basic and chosen for that reason.
[/QUOTE]
I tip the same at basic motels, as long as they’re clean. I figure the maids there probably get paid less and can use the money more.
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### Author:  [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/14 "2008-06-03T12:11:11Z")
I don’t. They’re already being paid to clean the room, and I feel that that is part of what I’m already paying for.
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### Author:  [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/15 "2008-06-03T12:19:00Z")
I tip a few bucks in most hotels, more if it’s a larger place with higher standards, larger rooms, and thus more work for the staff. I leave it each night, for the reasons mentioned above. I’m currently in Canada, but I do this no matter where I’m travelling, unless I’m in a country where I know that it’s really not expected.
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### Author:  [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/16 "2008-06-03T12:35:08Z")
Yes. I tip $1-2 a day and I have worked in the industry (not as a maid though). The work sucks, the wages suck and you would be surprised at what the chamber maids put up with. If you are the type of person that uses a bellhop (who get’s $1-2 for carrying a single bag) then the maid should get some too. Ditto if you are the type of person who pees on the floor or tracks sand in and thinks it’s OK to yell at the staff for sand on the floor.
I tend to base the tip on the price of the room - If I’m spending $150 a night for a room I figure I can spare a couple of bucks for the maid who only makes minimum wage.
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### Author:  [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/17 "2008-06-03T12:37:00Z")
If I’m staying in a hotel/motel/inn for more than one night I will leave the “Do Not Disturb” marker on the door. I prefer privacy for my belongings rather than a made bed and fresh towels.
I tip if I’ve left any sort of mess.
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/18 "2008-06-03T13:11:27Z")
I do, but I worked as a motel maid during my college and post-college years. $2/night.
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### Author:  [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/19 "2008-06-03T13:15:41Z")
Living in Japan where they don’t do tipping I sometimes foget.
One time I stayed at the Beverly Hills Hilton, and I think I didn’t leave a tip. The maid reported that I didn’t pay for my bar tab, and they tried charging my card $30.
Dammit, still pisses me off, from 14 years later.
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### Author:  [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2008, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-maids-in-hotels/451597/20 "2008-06-03T13:40:12Z")
Yes always.
$3 to $5 per night. I tip per night and I leave the cash with a piece of paper that says ‘Thank you!’ so they know it is for them and not just cash lying around.
Oh, and that is regardless of any mess I’ve made, which is usually minimal anyway. I never leave trash about and all of my towels get thrown in the tub, etc.
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