Tipping Hotel Staff: What You Need to Know

Your hotel stay is a combination of comfort and convenience, and the courteous and hardworking hotel staff that tend to your needs play a significant role in making your experience top-notch. When it comes to tipping hotel staff, you may not always be confident who to tip and how much to give them. From the housekeeping staff to the valet, there is no official rule book on tipping — however, there is generally accepted tipping etiquette that we'll outline in this article.

Should I tip housekeeping?

Housekeepers work hard to make your stay pleasant, often with small details that make a big difference. Though it's not necessary, it's a customary (and thoughtful) gesture to leave a tip as a token of your appreciation for that work.

How much should I tip housekeeping?

The recommended tip for housekeeping typically ranges from $2 to $5 per day. You can leave a tip daily in your room or as a lump sum at the end of your stay. However, housekeepers change shifts daily — so the person who cleaned your room on your first night may be different than the one who cleaned your room on the second or third night. Therefore, you may want to consider leaving something for them each day. If you've made special requests or you've created additional work for the housekeeper, consider tipping on the higher end.

Is there other hotel staff I should tip?

Beyond housekeeping, there are other hotel staff members you may want to consider tipping, depending on the level of service and assistance they provide. Here are some suggestions below:

Luggage attendants: It's considerate to tip $1 to $2 per bag that they carry up to your room.

Room service: Some people consider this service the same as a bartender or server at a restaurant and offer a tip of 15% to 20% of the room service bill. But check if gratuity has already been added.

Concierge: Tipping a concierge depends on how much time and effort they put into a request from you. If they simply answer your question about where to go for good drinks, no tip is necessarily required. If they arrange an in-room surprise for a friend or spouse that includes ordering balloons and cake, then that deserves a nice tip. Some concierges may even tap into their vast network to find you hard-to-get tickets to an event, or a reservation at a place you couldn't get into on your own. Depending on their level of help, consider a tip somewhere between $20 and $100.

Valet: Each time a valet brings your car to you from the hotel lot, a tip of $2 to $5 is usually sufficient.

Doorman: This person can prove to be indispensable if you need to catch a cab in a hurry or hold an umbrella for you in the pouring rain. It's nice to offer $1 to $3 to the doorman with each meaningful interaction.

Scenarios where you may want to tip more

In cases where you've made an extraordinary mess for housekeeping to clean up (think spills, dirty diapers, excessive bottles or leftover food scattered everywhere, overflowing trash, furniture moved, etc.), it's considerate to leave a generous tip as your room will take longer than usual to put back together.

Additionally, if a hotel employee goes above and beyond to help you in some way, it's nice to have a few dollars on hand to express your appreciation.

Can I tip with a credit card if I don't have cash?

It's much more complicated to add a tip at the front desk with a credit card and there's no guarantee that it will make it back to the correct hotel employee. It's very much recommended to use cash. Whenever possible, find an ATM before or during your trip to make sure you have small bills on hand. Some hotels may allow guests to tip using a payment app on their phone though, so inquire about that at the front desk.

Recap

Tipping hotel staff is a thoughtful way to make them feel appreciated for the services they've provided during your stay. Since official tip requirements don't exist, it makes sense to tailor your tip around your level of satisfaction for how that service was performed. That said, tipping is a sign of respect and is always encouraged when you've enjoyed your time.