usvi-on-line
Tipping Cleaning/housekeeping?
I suspect that many of our vacation dollars for villas, car rental, restaurants, etc., make their way off-island. We are also “cooler people” and so we cook in quite a bit. Even what we spend for Cruzan makes its way here to Deerfield, Illinois, to Cruzan’s owner! Tipping when it is deserved seems to keep a tiny bit local. We appreciate good service and when folks do something for us and we’re in a happy frame of mind, being on vacation and all. We probably should tip a bit more for that mid-stay than we do for the end of stay cleaning, come to think of it – that’s something that this thread made me think about.
I don’t consider leaving food or open liquor a tip because if we didn’t leave it then it would be one more thing for us to deal with before we left and what the heck else would we do with it, anyway, besides throw it out. Sometimes the maids are told they can’t remove liquor - it is just supposed to be added to any “stash” at the villa under the informal “take a little, leave a little” policy for the guests.
We don’t HAVE to clean up before we leave – most of us just do, but, I think if you asked the managers they would tell you not to bother. So, unless our goal is to let the housekeeper knock off early, the villa is still going to get a complete cleaning and that’s a job that someone on-island is counting on. I still worry about those little bugs getting to the counter, though, so I’m gonna continue to wipe up – lol – but I’m not doing any floors or windows!
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I don’t consider leaving food or open liquor a tip because if we didn’t leave it then it would be one more thing for us to deal with before we left and what the heck else would we do with it, anyway, besides throw it out. Sometimes the maids are told they can’t remove liquor - it is just supposed to be added to any “stash” at the villa under the informal “take a little, leave a little” policy for the guests.
We don’t HAVE to clean up before we leave – most of us just do, but, I think if you asked the managers they would tell you not to bother. So, unless our goal is to let the housekeeper knock off early, the villa is still going to get a complete cleaning and that’s a job that someone on-island is counting on. I still worry about those little bugs getting to the counter, though, so I’m gonna continue to wipe up – lol – but I’m not doing any floors or windows!
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California Girl
Us...because I spent $40 on toys and another $30 to mail them, that's why! Donating toys to ensure each kid has an awesome Christmas is one thing. "Donating" cash is a completely different animal!DaveS007 wrote:If you donate Christmas gifts and school supplies for the kids, why not a tip for there parent/relative?
$20? c'mon.
I don't see a tip as a donation. Sorry you don't see the connection. Every service person if doing a good job deserves a tip. The problem w/cleaning up after we leave is we don't see the fruit of the labor. Just trying to help the working folks on SJ.California Girl wrote:Us...because I spent $40 on toys and another $30 to mail them, that's why! Donating toys to ensure each kid has an awesome Christmas is one thing. "Donating" cash is a completely different animal!DaveS007 wrote:If you donate Christmas gifts and school supplies for the kids, why not a tip for there parent/relative?
$20? c'mon.
I think if they do a mid week cleaning, it greatly improves the "case" for a tip.
I am not a stingy person at all, but really if she is not servicing the villa during your stay, she would fall in the same category as the handyman, or person who restocks towels, groundskeeper or whatever. Villa maintenance.
That said, I am the first to tip well when someone does a good job and I fully support "supporting" locals-waitresses, taxi drivers, etc... I always tip appropriately and very well when deserved.
As a kid-lover, I think I would prefer to go that route (toys, school supplies) with my extra dollars above and beyond regular tipping.
But it is very nice, generous or whatever for those who choose to tip the maid...
I am not a stingy person at all, but really if she is not servicing the villa during your stay, she would fall in the same category as the handyman, or person who restocks towels, groundskeeper or whatever. Villa maintenance.
That said, I am the first to tip well when someone does a good job and I fully support "supporting" locals-waitresses, taxi drivers, etc... I always tip appropriately and very well when deserved.
As a kid-lover, I think I would prefer to go that route (toys, school supplies) with my extra dollars above and beyond regular tipping.
But it is very nice, generous or whatever for those who choose to tip the maid...
"Sponges grow in the ocean...I wonder how much deeper it would be if that didn't happen."
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California Girl
Dave, I understand you perfectly and I see the connection you're trying to make. I see the fruits of their labor when I check-in to the villa, so I can judge the "fruits of their labor" at that time. The "fruits" of the labor of the people who cleaned the villa before I got there were fleas in the bed.DaveS007 wrote:Sorry you don't see the connection. Every service person if doing a good job deserves a tip. The problem w/cleaning up after we leave is we don't see the fruit of the labor. Just trying to help the working folks on SJ.
I tip very generously when I'm on STJ (or STT or JVD) and I even left $20 or $30 for the people who were to clean my villa after me, hoping they would do a better job for the next client.
But I certainly don't see it the same as donating to children at Christmas or sending school supplies. Christmas gifts and school supplies aren't sent as a "tip" for good service. They are from the bottom of my heart because I CHOOSE to give gifts to children.
I give toys to my local fire department for children at Christmas, but I don't leave a tip for their parents.
Like others here we leave the villa very clean and leave unopened food, etc. We've usually gone for at least two weeks and Windspree has always done a maid service and the end of each week, and yes we tip.
What surprises me is the number of folks that say that they wash the towels and sheets before they leave. Windspree supplies loads of linens and expressly requests that you do not wash them because they don't want to use the villa's cistern water supply for that purpose. They launder the stuff in some main facility, I guess.
What surprises me is the number of folks that say that they wash the towels and sheets before they leave. Windspree supplies loads of linens and expressly requests that you do not wash them because they don't want to use the villa's cistern water supply for that purpose. They launder the stuff in some main facility, I guess.
When you find yourself in a hole.... quit digging.
Another good one, Steve!augie wrote:I thought "tipping" was just something you do to cows...
(I was going to say canoes...)
Lots of good points on this thread. Like so many of you wonderful people, we clean daily sos not to encourage critters. We also leave behind unopened food/booze for whoever wants it.
As previously mentioned, I'm sure that there's some type of cleaning fee already figured into the villa rental price, so this seems like a good trade-off.
Smiles-
MJ
at a house , no, you pay a fee for cleaning usually---
but I ALWAYS tip the chambermaid at a hotel--ALWAYS.
Having worked as one for several summers and knowing what they deal with and the fact that they, like waitstaff often depend on tips to make their meager wage worthwhile . ANyway, i try to be neat and leave a good tip.
but I ALWAYS tip the chambermaid at a hotel--ALWAYS.
Having worked as one for several summers and knowing what they deal with and the fact that they, like waitstaff often depend on tips to make their meager wage worthwhile . ANyway, i try to be neat and leave a good tip.
< leaving on the 22nd of march...but too lame to figure out the ticker thing again!>
JT - Wow, I should have read the info in our windspree house! Oops, I just assumed. I started doing the laundry when we rented from Destination St. John. We had spent two days on island prior to moving into the rental house and we checked in early as they were still cleaning (another reason I love DSJ - they were like sure go for a swim whatever). I noticed the lady washing everything so I figured when we left I'd give her a head start. Several loads can take a long time.
I've worked in several service jobs in my lifetime and I have come to form a certain opinion on who I like to tip:
Cleaning people-always
Hairdresser-yes
Taxi-yes
Bartender, waitstaff-yes
Trash Collector-yes
Mail Carrier-yes
These people handle some very important things in my life and they should be appreciated. I don't care how much satisfaction you get out of cleaning of house, you are still cleaning someone else's mess and often times are talked down to by others who think they are better than you.
I hate tip cups at coffee counters and ice cream shops. I don't know where this came from but nobody ever tipped me for doling out the soft serve ice cream when I was a teen. I hate it when people ask for tips or badger me. Getting off the ferry one time, the guy started hawking very loudly for tips while pulling the luggage off. So everyone is standing around, waiting for their luggage and what are you supposed to do? Tipping under duress-not good. I think tipping has gotten out of hand.
Cleaning people-always
Hairdresser-yes
Taxi-yes
Bartender, waitstaff-yes
Trash Collector-yes
Mail Carrier-yes
These people handle some very important things in my life and they should be appreciated. I don't care how much satisfaction you get out of cleaning of house, you are still cleaning someone else's mess and often times are talked down to by others who think they are better than you.
I hate tip cups at coffee counters and ice cream shops. I don't know where this came from but nobody ever tipped me for doling out the soft serve ice cream when I was a teen. I hate it when people ask for tips or badger me. Getting off the ferry one time, the guy started hawking very loudly for tips while pulling the luggage off. So everyone is standing around, waiting for their luggage and what are you supposed to do? Tipping under duress-not good. I think tipping has gotten out of hand.
When will I see St John again?