Hotel tipping etiquette & who to tip

When I say ‘unit’ it’s the equivalent of a euro, pound or dollar depending on which side of the pond you are visiting or from. 

Bellboys or porters: one or two units per case, given as they leave the room (if overlooked in the USA, the staff will talk). If you don’t want to tip them or genuinely don’t need their help, tell them kindly and they will leave you alone. At 5 star places though, they will do it anyway.

Doormen: one or two units if a cab is called for you (but not if ordered from the desk). As you leave for home, hand them a handsome tip if they are the same person you see all the time and if they were excellent. I personally don’t believe in tipping if the service was abysmal. I will say something if they ask for a tip and if it was bad. I will politely state how they did not meet any standards whatsoever with zero effort. They have no excuse for entitlement for something they did not earn.

Housekeeping: leave a banknote and a thank you note in your room. It can just be a simple ‘thank you’ and a happy face. Five units for short stays, more for longer. Never give it to reception–it’s unlikely to reach the correct pocket.

Room service: two units for supper, one unit for drinks. The exception is in the USA wher they will have added 15% or 17.5% delivery charge already depending on the location in the states unless the messenger is exceptional, don’t bother. 

Managers: shouldn’t be patronised by tipping.

Find more etiquette posts here. Interested in a lesson? Book a course with the links below and become the most polished version of you.