Hotel staff on the scam

[David48]

It is better if the hotel encourages guests to put all tipping money in a tipping box which is shared equally among all the workers, otherwise you get jealousy among the staff, some people getting more tips than others.

Will never forget that when working as a receptionist in a hotel in Amsterdam, we reception staff almost got zilch tip, but the Colombian guy who carried the suitcases upstairs for the guests got substantial tipping money every day.

Well I always tip the bell boy as he provides a good service carrying luggage.

I don't see any reason to tip the check in staff unless they provide special service like a free upgrade or another special room.

... Are you from the USA?

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[David48]

... It would be smarter to give a daily tip to the cleaning lady then she might even give you better service on the following days.

...

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[ThaidDown]

I must be living in a different world but, if I had left more than 1000 baht in my room (without any note that it was for a tip) I would have expected the hotel staff to return it to me. I know that in a lot of hotels it would not but that would be my expectation.

When I give a tip it is to the person that I am rewarding for additional service. Whether it then goes into a pooled or not is not my concern.

[keestha]

It is better if the hotel encourages guests to put all tipping money in a tipping box which is shared equally among all the workers, otherwise you get jealousy among the staff, some people getting more tips than others.

Will never forget that when working as a receptionist in a hotel in Amsterdam, we reception staff almost got zilch tip, but the Colombian guy who carried the suitcases upstairs for the guests got substantial tipping money every day.

Well I always tip the bell boy as he provides a good service carrying luggage.

I don't see any reason to tip the check in staff unless they provide special service like a free upgrade or another special room.

Reception work means a lot more than only checking people in. They come to the reception with all kinds of questions. First comes someone who needs to see a doctor, second person inquires about buying a car, third one asks information about extending his visa, fourth one wants to know how to get to Ouagadougou by public transport, and finally somebody wants to know where to go for gay nightlife. Reception work means giving far more service than the bell boy does.

[David48]

I often flirt with the Reception Staff and buy them Chocolates.

Ask them about my pronunciation of the Thai Language.

It's fun.

Have got upgrades BTW.

OH ... only with the girls ...

[martin81]

It is better if the hotel encourages guests to put all tipping money in a tipping box which is shared equally among all the workers, otherwise you get jealousy among the staff, some people getting more tips than others.

Will never forget that when working as a receptionist in a hotel in Amsterdam, we reception staff almost got zilch tip, but the Colombian guy who carried the suitcases upstairs for the guests got substantial tipping money every day.

Well I always tip the bell boy as he provides a good service carrying luggage.

I don't see any reason to tip the check in staff unless they provide special service like a free upgrade or another special room.

... Are you from the USA?

.

No. Eu.

[Briggsy]

I leave the tip wrapped inside a soiled piece of toilet tissue on the bathroom floor. Only a cleaner doing their job properly would find it.

[Berkshire]

It is kind of stupid to give a large tip at the end of a longer stay. You will not get any better service from that unless you plan to come back soon.

It would be smarter to give a daily tip to the cleaning lady then she might even give you better service on the following days.

This whole tipping culture is pretty bizarre. As an American, I'm part of the problem, but maids are a unique case. If you leave your money on the last day, you're never sure if the maid will get it or even if it's the same one cleaning your room. Sometimes, I never even see the maid during my entire stay, so they have no idea who I am. Sort of defeats the purpose. And 1,000 bt?? That's a bit over-the-top. Regardless of what you leave, the next hotel you stay at will have no idea what your tipping habits are and will simply clean your room as they would any other room.

Anyways, to each his own.

[Thainess]

I only tip hotel maids if they give me a very special service. If they give me a massage on my bed, I'll tip 100 baht. If they give me a massage with a happy ending, 200 baht. And if it's a special body in body massage, 300 baht will do it. They are grateful for all they can get.

[NCFC]

I only tip hotel maids if they give me a very special service. If they give me a massage on my bed, I'll tip 100 baht. If they give me a massage with a happy ending, 200 baht. And if it's a special body in body massage, 300 baht will do it. They are grateful for all they can get.

DSK is that you?

[David48]

I only tip hotel maids if they give me a very special service. If they give me a massage on my bed, I'll tip 100 baht. If they give me a massage with a happy ending, 200 baht. And if it's a special body in body massage, 300 baht will do it. They are grateful for all they can get.

DSK is that you?

Not knowing who DSK is ... but Thainess's reply is tasteless.

Lets, on this Forum, have some style and substance ... please.

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[rainman333]

try to tip daily, the hotel maid may not be the same one each day, or you might be checking out on the weekend or off day in which your regular hotel maid isn't working, thus not getting your tip.

it's always a good idea to hand the tip directly to them

[Chivas]

Am I the only one thinking 1000 Baht was somewhat generous ??

[Chivas]

I only tip hotel maids if they give me a very special service. If they give me a massage on my bed, I'll tip 100 baht. If they give me a massage with a happy ending, 200 baht. And if it's a special body in body massage, 300 baht will do it. They are grateful for all they can get.

The Hotel Maids.....??

[Halfie]

F.y.i the cleaner is not the only one working in a hotel that gets a low wage. If you want to tip give it to the person directly. Any 'loose' money is up for grabs. Once you left it for what reason did you need to check on it anyway?

[RickyJB]

Geeze ... you guys, well, the OP anyway, are rich.

When I stay more then a day in the Hotel, I leave Bt20 on the pillow-case.

Always works for me.

The cleaner gets it.

IMHO ... Bt 1,000 is way OTT. But this being Thailand, each to their own.

20 baht?? cheap charlie...there really is some dour miserable greedy tight fisted sods go to Thailand... 1000 baht is basically only 20 quid... and if the cleaner is doing a grand job, polite and goes out of her way to make sure you have a pleasant stay , why not tip generously.. hard working people , long hours and get no thanks... make her day...

Welcome to Thailand Ricky.

Only a Tourist would refer back to his Western Currency and make a comparison based on relative wage rates.

If the cleaner is Thai, her wage would most likely be Bt 300 a day.

She would clean maybe 10 or 15 rooms during her working day ... maybe more.

A tip of Bt 20 from everyone's room she cleaned would double her wage and for that, I can tell you, she would ever be so grateful.

When you have lived here for 5 or 10 years ... come back and revisit your comment.

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i wouldnt say i was a tourist now , a few years of being in, visiting and living in Thailand now.. ... My exchange rate comment was basically towards many people on here that have never been to Thailand , seeing some nonsense comments thats clearly the case....

Im not one for paying 1000 baht , usually half that amount if ive been staying in a hotel for a few days.. In most hotels i stay in, there is usually left a card with, "this room has been cleaned by Nan or who ever " and a wee envelope to leave tips in, most of the time i do meet the cleaner every day, im a bit of a lazy sod, late riser, If the cleaner is polite, friendly, and does a great job, i´ll always leave a generous tip...im not interested how much she makes a day, she´s taking care of me , in my eyes.. i´ve often had the cleaner go out of their way to bring me something , when on her way to work , stop off at a shop or somewhere...I´ve also a habit in staying in the same hotels every time i go away to Bangkok , and know most of the staff, and get to know them, they are always very friendly and i get made to feel at home...That´s all i ask for, and if they can make me feel comfortable and make sure everything is to my expectations, then im happy to leave a generous tip.... leaving 20 baht tip i find is poor, if people are affording to come to thailand, im sure more than 20 baht is not going to leave a big dent in your finances...

[wooloomooloo]

Matter of fact if you actually gave 1,000 baht directly to the cleaning staff, they would turn it down. Most wouldn't accept such an over tip. They would feel embarrassed.

I've yet to meet one.

I'm glad to tip 1000 baht for a good job as it's a small amount of money to me and a nice gesture.

[AsienExpat]

Geeze ... you guys, well, the OP anyway, are rich.

When I stay more then a day in the Hotel, I leave Bt20 on the pillow-case.

Always works for me.

The cleaner gets it.

IMHO ... Bt 1,000 is way OTT. But this being Thailand, each to their own.

20 baht?? cheap charlie...there really is some dour miserable greedy tight fisted sods go to Thailand... 1000 baht is basically only 20 quid... and if the cleaner is doing a grand job, polite and goes out of her way to make sure you have a pleasant stay , why not tip generously.. hard working people , long hours and get no thanks... make her day...

You know what the average salary per month is in Thailand? If you would know, you would also know, that 20 - 40 Baht Tip per customer and day is good of money for the cleaner. If she clean 10 Rooms a day (and this are often more) they earn already more from the tips than from their salary - if everybody just give 20 baht! If it's 40 Baht and 10 Rooms a day, it's already more than a worker in 7eleven earns a month - just from tips! And for 7 Eleven you need already some education, it's one of the "better" jobs to do...

So 20-40 Baht a Day as tip for a cleaner is absolutly ok. That has nothing to do with cheap charlie. Of course it's not much money for US, but for THEM. Tipping 1000 Baht lead to storys this topic is about. 1000 Baht is already very big money for tipping.

It's absolutly stupid if the customers giving way more tip than the monthly salary is for these people. If everybody act like you, their would be soon no police, no bank workers and no taxi drivers anymore, everybody would just try to get a job as room cleaner where stupid farangs throwing money around. Don't compare it with western prices, cause for them, 20 Baht means alreay a good hot meal - they not eat in the same expensive restaurant like we do - and they even don't want it. If you want to play santa claus, give it to the red cross and they bring it to the places where people really starving. In Thailand nobody starving today. They not earn much but like you can see, they are happy. Of course they are happy more about somebody is so stupid giving 1000 Baht for tip away. But believe me, they thinking exactly this way: What a stupid man.

I tip always in Thailand, everybody, in restaurants, taxis, and of course the hotels - but just a tip - not a weekly salary.

@ th OP: If you really want the right person get it, than give it directly or day by day. An amount of 1000 Baht leaving as tip at once will always lead to a story like you told it. Maybe their are 2 or 3 Cleaners, do you think they will share than, like brothers, if one of them found the 1000 Baht first? See the reality in this country - and don't do a mistake like this again if you don't want it. Nobody failed here exept you. You can write to the manager what you want, but you can't change the reality here. If you don't want things like this happend, don't act in a way that they can happen. It's easy like that.

[Bakseeda]

My girlfriend leaves the tip under one of the pillows.

I told her that if someone wanted to steal a hidden tip that would be one of the first places they would look.

Probabally what her customers did for her... ... just a wee joke . have a good day..

[trainman34014]

Up to any individual what they want to tip but it's not rocket science to figure out how to do it surely. I always give it directly to the cleaner which, to me, is the only way that makes sense !

[krisb]

Geeze ... you guys, well, the OP anyway, are rich.

When I stay more then a day in the Hotel, I leave Bt20 on the pillow-case.

Always works for me.

The cleaner gets it.

IMHO ... Bt 1,000 is way OTT. But this being Thailand, each to their own.

20 baht?? cheap charlie...there really is some dour miserable greedy tight fisted sods go to Thailand... 1000 baht is basically only 20 quid... and if the cleaner is doing a grand job, polite and goes out of her way to make sure you have a pleasant stay , why not tip generously.. hard working people , long hours and get no thanks... make her day...

Well I have my own family to feed and not rich, so why should I tip? The size of their pay pack is not my problem.

I'm also hard working, do long hours, underpaid and get no thanks...It's called a job.

And honestly being a hotel cleaner ain't really all that hard of a job. I see lots of the ladies that clean working away, but also I've seen them all sitting in a room watching some tv show plenty of times. Farming, now there's a tough life, or repetative factory work.

[AhFarangJa]

We always tip the maid every morning. Leave it on the pillow, so they receive it when they clean the room. That way, if the cleaners change after a day or so they all get a fair share.

[Benmart]

When I tip, I give it to those that are to receive it, if they are available.

Disregard the condescending remarks about you having "issues" and sending your kids to do some checking.

It is easy for others to judge and comment negatively. Afterall, they weren't there, it wasn't their money, they are doing it annonymously and they don't know you.

One Day At A Time.

[Benmart]

Geeze ... you guys, well, the OP anyway, are rich.

When I stay more then a day in the Hotel, I leave Bt20 on the pillow-case.

Always works for me.

The cleaner gets it.

IMHO ... Bt 1,000 is way OTT. But this being Thailand, each to their own.

20 baht?? cheap charlie...there really is some dour miserable greedy tight fisted sods go to Thailand... 1000 baht is basically only 20 quid... and if the cleaner is doing a grand job, polite and goes out of her way to make sure you have a pleasant stay , why not tip generously.. hard working people , long hours and get no thanks... make her day...

Well I have my own family to feed and not rich, so why should I tip? The size of their pay pack is not my problem.

I'm also hard working, do long hours, underpaid and get no thanks...It's called a job.

And honestly being a hotel cleaner ain't really all that hard of a job. I see lots of the ladies that clean working away, but also I've seen them all sitting in a room watching some tv show plenty of times. Farming, now there's a tough life, or repetative factory work.

I don't expect anyone to tip, it's an option. If one doesn't make much money, then it's best they do what they wish.

Hotel cleaners often have multiple jobs and work long hours. I don't begrudge them a break to watch TV, chat, eat, sleep, etc. A snapshot of what they do does not often reveal their entire work day.

I am thankful for what I have and share what I can and when I can.

I've found that one's worth as a person is best measured by compassion and the way they treat their fellows.

Edited August 23, 2014 by Benmart

[stevenl]

I'm still waiting for an explanation of the OP where the scam is in this.

[Myran]

I usually leave the tip under something that I know the cleaners will move, but the "checker" probably wont, like under the sheets.

[moonseeker]

Good points made. Very common, also in the Western world. I always tip directly to the people I want to get it "as we go". This assures great service during mys stays. Good on you, you are generous and making somebody's day!

But the Cheap Charlies will always find justifications not to tip. One of my best friends constantly avoids tipping - cheap bastard - by handing me the exact change for his meal, often a bit less / rounded down, to pay the entire bill. Sad people.

I made it a habit to make somebody's day, whenever possible every day. Can be a meal for a beggar. A good Italian ice-cream for a handicapped person on Walking Str., a couple of bottles of Coke for the garbage men. A doctors visit for a poor child, bringing an injured street dog to the vet., etc. etc. My private little charity and I know the the money goes. It makes me happy and I am getting many smiles. It reminds me every day how lucky I have been in my life and how unfair life can be. But now we are getting philosophical.... Have a nice evening and tip fair, if deserved. MS>

[David48]

moonseeker ... what makes you even think that 'tipping' is part of Thai Culture.

It's part of the USA Culture which has been imported here ... but until fairly recently, tipping wasn't expected.

'Tea-Money' on the other hand ...

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[stigar]

Last month in BKk i bougth some whitening cream for 3 cleaners,it didnt mean that they was dark,but they get wery happy.I stayed in this hotel many times,and i allways give tip or a gift to the cleaners.The last nigth in BKK before visit my wife parents in Surin i invited 2 persons from the reception to my thai friend birthday,it was a great nigth,eating good and get drunk everyone.

[fatmoose]

This is clearly not a scam but obviously you are not bright enought to figure this out.