Etiquette experts reveal whether you should tip during hotel stay

When should you tip the hotel staff – including housekeepers, bellhops and doormen?

  • Specialists at the Emily Post Institute and etiquette expert Dianne Gottsman offer guidance on who to tip, when to tip and how much to tip
  • Organizations like sic as the American Hotel and Lodging Association and FairHotel have additional guidelines for other services
  • However, not every service requires a tip – and the amount should often be proportional to the effort

Etiquette experts have revealed how to tip like a pro traveler while staying at a hotel – as well as the services that require an extra gratuity.

Tipping is a topic of fascination and concern for many, as evidenced by one of the most iconic movie scenes, where Kevin McCallister hands a bellhop a stick of gum in Home Alone 2.

Luckily for travelers, expert sources can provide guidance on when to tip, how to tip, and who to tip and how much to tip.

‘People really do want to tip. They want to do the right thing,’ Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert and author, told CNBC. ‘But there is some confusion over what the etiquette is.’

From housekeeping to doormen, experts recommend a range between $1 to $5 – nothing that’s going to break the bank, but a gesture that is greatly appreciated in the eyes of hospitality workers.

Etiquette expert Diane Gottsman says tipping can be confusing, although people generally ‘want to do the right thing’

In one of the most notable scenes from Home Alone 2, main character Kevin McCallister hands a bellhop a stick of gum rather than cash

Etiquette experts and organizations like the American Hotel and Lodging Association have created guidelines for tipping at hotels

 ‘You’re not going to protocol hell if you’re a dollar off,’ Gottsman added.

Specialists at The Emily Post Institute, a fifth-generation family business that provides etiquette advice and training, recommend $2 to $5 per day for housekeepers.

For other staff members, like a doorman who helps with luggage, the experts recommend a tip of $1 to $4. If the doorman hails you a cab, add on $1 or $2, and if they go above and beyond, consider $1 to $4 more.

If a bellhop helps you with your luggage, EPI experts recommend $2 for the first bag, then $1 for any additional bags.

Gottsman recommends factoring in gratuity when budgeting for a trip and bringing one- and five-dollar bills for this exact purpose.

She recommends tipping $1 to $2 per bag carried to your room. People with one or two bags should tip a minimum of $5 to make the trip worth the luggage attendants’ time.

With more requests comes a larger tip. ‘If you ask for extra towels or a blow dryer or more ice, you’re going to tip the housekeeper accordingly,’ Gottsman said.

Valet drivers should be given $2 to $5 when they pull up with your car.

If the hotel hasn’t added a gratuity already, tip room attendants the same way you would a server or bartender, at 15 to 20 percent.

Lizzie Post is the co-president of The Emily Post Institute, a family-run business that provides etiquette training for businesses

The EPI generally recommends tips for hotel staff ranging between $1 and $5

The amount should be proportional to the effort, Gottsman said. There’s no need to tip someone simply for opening the door – a simple thanks would suffice. But if door staff call a cab or offer an umbrella, consider tipping between $2 and $5.

Similarly, you don’t need to break out the cash if someone at the front desk provides directions. But Gottsman encourages giving a small gratuity, from $5 to $20, if a concierge is able to secure reservations or special services.

Aside from etiquette experts, several organizations set guidelines for tipping.

One of the most known is the American Hotel and Lodging Association, an industry trade group that advocates for the interests of hotel owners.

They recommend tipping $1 to $2 per person or $4 to $5 per party for shuttle drivers. Like Gottsman said, tipping valet drivers $1 to $5 when your car is delivered is preferred. Tipping when your car is parked, however, is optional.

They recommend a slightly higher gratuity, between $1 and $5, per bag, especially if luggage is heavy. Tip the same if you request bell staff service checking out.

Tip $1 to $2 when door staff call a taxi. If they unload your luggage, tip in proportion to the amount and weight.

A  $5 to $10 gratuity is recommended for concierge staff, depending on how involved the service. This can also be paid out in a lump sum upon departure. 

Gottsman recommends tipping $1 to $2 per bag carried to your room, and a minimum $5 for just one or two pieces of luggage

The amount should be proportionate to the effort – answering a question about directions may not warrant a tip, but securing hard-to-get reservations might

FairHotel, which advocates for hotel owners and staff, provides additional guidelines for hospitality workers like restroom attendants and tour guides

For housekeeping, $1 to $5 per night is appropriate. To avoid confusion, this should be left in an envelope or with a note.

The organization also recommends a gratuity for the ‘delivery of special items,’ like an extra blanket, around $2 for one item or $1 per item. Tipping is not required for someone fixing something or bringing something missing.

Room attendants, bartenders and waiters should all be tipped between 15 percent and 20 percent – for room service, this charge may already be included on the bill.

Another organization providing gratuity guidelines is FairHotel, whose guide and app helps travelers find ‘socially responsible properties’ with workers’ unions.

FairHotel have additional guidelines for services you might not have even thought of – such as restroom attendants, who should be paid between $1 and $3.

Street performers, they say, should be tipped between $1 and $2. For tour guides, this amount increases tenfold, between $10 and $20.

If you secure a room upgrade, FairHotel recommends a $10 to $20 gratuity for the front desk.

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