USVI-On-Line

I remember that RickG posted a query about this a while back and it the post received a handful of responses, but I wanted to pose this question again to folks:

Do you tip your villa greeter?

I have to confess that while I am a very generous tipper I have never considered tipping folks for this service becuase I figured that they are compensated through the rental co.

Any thoughts?

No.

I was a greeter for years and never once received a tip. It is a service that you pay for in the price of your villa and the greeter is paid to come get you.

When I am on St John, I tip for everything. Even to-go food, but I will not tip a greeter unless they do something fabulous. (and I mean fabulous, like make me a drink and a snack and unpack my luggage while I swim in the pool)

HA!

right.

Oh we tipped ours this year. Tips like "Get a drivers license." and "Don't hang up on guests when they call"

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One time we missed the downtown ferry by seconds and had to wait another hour. Karen, from Windspree, had to wait an extra hour to meet us before getting our rental car and driving back to Coral Bay, take us to Upper Carolina to the villa, and then go make her family dinner. Karen was very sweet about it, didn't make us feel rushed, or anything. We felt bad, so I tipped her a 20 spot. She said, "What's this?" I got her to take it. A week or so later we went to pay our check for drinks at Shipwreck and she had paid our bill. Other years we've told Windspree to just verify the car rental the day of arrival, and not to bother coming to Cruz Bay to meet us. We either just went to their office or directly to the villa, as we've rented the same one several times. They just leave the key out for us. They love us!
That said, I would generally tip a non-owner greeter
$20.00 for friendly, informative service. And I don't have a lot of disposible income, though I got "vacation money" the first day. That's not "real" money!

We used to tip our villa greeter, and no one has ever turned it down, but after reading on this Board that it wasn't the norm, we did not tip this last trip. They certainly did not act like they expected a tip either (but we met them at their office since we were already on-island, so they didn't have to wait at ferry for us or mess with our luggage).

We didn't know if we should or not...so we offered him a tip ....and he refused it.

Gromit, I was so glad to see this question. It has been something I was never sure about.

Xislandgirl, I read your response and now have a better outlook on our next trip. One trip 3 years ago we arrived at airport, called rental co. as instructed over and over by them so our "greeter" could meet us on time. Called again upon arriving at Red Hook ferry as INSTRUCTED again...was told "greeter" would be there to MEET US. NEEDLESS TO SAY HE ( we'll call him Jack)...although I wanted to call him alot of other things before it was over...wasn't there!! GO FIGURE!!
Called agent...He's not There?? they say! No, I say.
Oh...well I'm sure he will be soon. "Soon" never came.
We had 2 other couples with us (family) also newbies to the island. This was not a good first impression. Call agent...He's not here, we are tired and want to go to Villa! We will call him again on his cell they reply again or look for him. Well, I guess they found him ( in the bar having a few drinks instead of greeting us) because when he finally got to us he was well lite!! Jack takes us to Villa, rushes thru a brief overview, I quietly thank him while the others are looking around. What does he do you ask? Oh! He stands there with his hand held out to me,making it clear he has no intention of leaving without a "TIP" for his service !

I wanted to rip his head off! But what do I do...I
give him a tip so he will LEAVE. Funny huh!! First we can't get him to come, then we can't get him to leave!

So, after reading these responces I will be better prepared! Funny, Agent told me prior to coming over that time...that there was a fee already included in price we paid for a greeter!

Sorry this was so long...but just needed to vent on this experience.

Sherry

We have never tipped our greeters, and quite frankly it would not occur to me to do so. We do tip all service/wait people, probably more than we normally do, because we don't drink as much as home! I don't know why we are so thirsty on St. John?
Deb

Yes, we tip. We’ve been lucky thus far to not have encountered any “Jacks”. I think we would have offered him only a hearty handshake and a quick a-Buh-BYE. What an uncomfortable situation, though. At some point we may have been willing to pay him to leave, too – lol.

We have been fortunate to have met wonderful greeters across the USVI - greeters who will let us stop for groceries (so we do not have to always have provisioning), greeters who use walkies from their car to ours to answer questions and point out things en route to the villa, greeters who have connections at the rental car companies and can smooth out a lost reservation or other issues, greeters who have met us with a cooler full of ice cold waters, and greeters who make it a bit more comfortable in our vehicle by taking luggage in theirs. We have had greeters who once the villa orientation is completed will sit down with our group for over an hour poring over maps and available activities and answering every question - this is so helpful when we bring along "island newbies" and are just so pooped from travel ourselves and want to chill while the newbies are raring to go. (Gotta love that newbie enthusiasm - lol.) We are generally tired and hot when we finally get on island and a good villa greeter can really help to get us into the island mindset.

My understanding is that a villa greeter is paid from $20-$40 for each meet and greet and that is what is included in the villa rental. If our flights are late or the luggage takes a long time or we miss the ferry we planned to be on, then that meet and greet can stretch to several hours and the greeter has a big hole in their day or evening waiting for us. When I look at it like that, I don’t think that what they are paid is enough for good service provided.

Life and trips to the VI are just way too short - I'm lucky I can remember to pack the sunscreen - I don't want to have to keep straight who gets paid what by whom. If someone provides us with good service we're going to offer a gratuity - if the greeter turns out to be the owner of the villa or the owner of the management company then they might refuse to accept it - that has happened to us, too. But if someone goes the extra mile for us we like to show our appreciation.

Yes, we tip the greeter. To me, it's kind of like a bellhop at a hotel. That person gets paid by the hotel to help us with our luggage, but I wouldn't consider not offering a tip. Why is a villa greeter any different?

Of course common sense dictates. If the service stinks then - no tip. Just like any other service person. Simply people trying to make a living. The best tippers are those of us who have been in these shoes.

If someone provides a service and does a good job, a tip is appropriate. Waiter, Bellhop, Concierge, Villa greeter....

I know we have had this debate before and every time I get fired up. I have been in the restaurant business for more than half of my life. I was also a villa greeter on STJ for almost 5 years, never once getting a tip. it actually never crossed my mind, I was getting paid to be there. I did have someone ask me once if they could tip me and I declined. I am one of the most generous tippers that I know.

The last 2 greeters we had, not only did not help with the luggage, but one had us walk to STJ Car Rental dragging our luggage behind us while she drove around the block several times while we got the car.
I just don't think that that is deserving of a tip.
They were very nice but they did what they were paid for, showed us where we were going and handed me keys to house that I had paid for.
The other greeter was supposed to have brought a box that was delivered to the rental office for us. She forgot it so I had to leave my group and follow her back to the office to get it and then drive back to the house. I know people forget things, but she could have offered to get it for me. After 10 hours of travel, the last thing I wanted to do was run back out from the house I never even got to see.

I am not cheap, by any way, shape, or form. I tip for almost everything, but I will not tip the person that is paid to have me follow their car. I just do not find it necessary.

If they grab my luggage and load it in their car, drive me to the car rental, stop to get me a cold beer and unload my bags at the house,I will tip. That has yet to happen in my tourist travels to the island.

We always tip the person who greets us. To be honest I would feel funny not tipping them.