We have a question needing input from the Teeming Millions:
**Rhiannon8404 **is spending the week in the Los Angeles area with a friend who’s undergoing a minor surgical procedure. They flew down, got a rental car, and are being put up in a hotel. The question concerns tipping for the valet parking. At this hotel, self-parking is apparently not an option; one must use the valet. That’s not an issue in and of itself, but there may be times when she will need to be in and out of the parking lot multiple times per day. Her friend is basically on ‘bed-rest’ for the week, so Rhiannon is there to run whatever errands might need doing.
So, if she winds up needing to go out 4 times in the same day, should she tip every time she retrieves the car? Should she tip once per day? Normally in this sort of situation she would simply self-park, but as mentioned, this is not an option.
A follow-up question would be: how much should she tip? When we go to a restaurant and use the valet, I generally tip $5, but that’s a single event, and generally my choice to use the valet in the first place. Five bucks is one thing, but $20 a day for in-and-out privileges is a bit different. We certainly don’t want to stiff anyone, but at the same we don’t have enough money to just be tossing it around willy-nilly. Mainly, we’d just like to know what is considered ‘proper’, so that we can do it.
If it matters, the hotel in question is the Fairmont Newport Beach.
Tricky sitch.
On arriving in the morning, I’d ask for the parking attendant manager. Explain the situation and tell him how many days you may be coming and going. Ask him to talk to his guys so they understand as well. Hand him a $10 tip for each day of in/out valet parking privileges.
Else, put a sign in your windshield that says, “Dr. ** Rhiannon8404** - private care physician”. 
Maybe I’m cheap, but in a forced valet situation I’ll typically throw out $2-3 per retrieval, whether I’m in Manhattan or Smalltown USA.
Finally able to post myself!
What a long strange trip this is. Well, not so long, really. My friend and I are here in Newport Beach because she is a surrogate for a family and the fertility clinic is down here. She is on bed rest after the transfer, so I am along to help her out, run errands, etc.
The flight, car and hotel are paid for by the clinic in advance, and she will be reimbursed for any “incidentals” like tipping. They have put us up at the Fairmont in Newport Beach. It’s a very nice hotel, but a bit rich for our blood. $11/day for internet access unless you join their rewards club. It was free so we joined. Self-park is not an option (we asked twice, two different people), yet they are charging us $28/day to park our car for us, in addition to tipping. Apparently parking charges are considered incidentals, so she pays out of pocket for those. :rolleyes:
We did tip the guy a couple bucks this morning for the car. We don’t want to stiff anyone, but we really weren’t sure how much to be tipping if I need them to bring the car around several times in one day because something has come up.
We had a chance to explore a bit before her appointment and it looks like there are actually a number of places within walking distance. I will probably just walk instead of taking the car out each time. Unless it’s dark.
$28 for overnight parking at a Fairmont is a steal. The Fairmont in Chicago charges $65 per night. Most hotels in bigger cities charge at least $25 per night whether self-park of valet.
I always tip about $2-3 per car retrieval whenever I use valet. I’d feel terrible not tipping those guys, they really have to spend their days hustling back and forth non-stop.