Tips on Tips

Written By Jared Cohen

DOES IT SEEM nearly every service provider has a hand out? Doling out dollars is common when traveling. But knowing how much and when to tip can save money and avoid embarrassment.

Customs vary from country to country, city to city. Many cruise ships have a no-tipping policy. And Las Vegas--which many consider a foreign country--follows a high-roller tipping code of its own. In the end, the proper reward for service is up to your judgment.

Joel Widzer, author of The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel, doesn't view tipping as a requirement. It's an investment. Subtly let hotel staff know if they take care of you, you'll take care of them, he says. One tactic: Pull a few $20s from your pocket. Before offering a tip, ask the bellman if it's possible to get a nicer room. The philosophy? Reward and perpetuate future good service.

Widzer also says it's perfectly acceptable not to include a tip if service is bad. He suggests writing a note on the bill, or telling the manager why you left no tip. The same goes for good service. "A note or letter is more effective than money," he says, especially if it's positive. In a recent survey, more than 80 percent in the service industry said they'd prefer a positive letter over spare change.

"Many servers don't earn their tips, but they certainly seem to expect them," says Janine Brown, an international traveler who believes good service and a sincere smile are part of the job--something expected, not rewarded.

Further, some room rates reflect a daily fee to cover tips for hotel services. The anonymous maid rarely receives a tip, although experts say it's customary to leave the maid a daily gratuity. Doing so may even earn you something special on your pillow.

Individuals attached to those extended hands concede regulars who tip well really doreceive the best service. A bellman at an upscale Holiday Inn, who asks to remain anonymous lest he lose his job, says he always remembers an appreciative face-and the room number that goes with it.

"Break-room gossip is rampant," says the bellman. "We warn one another who to look out for and who deserves extra attention." And who gets the worst service? "Those who tip in spare change-- the dimes and quarters covered in pocket lint."

Do service professionals in big cities and swankier places deserve bigger tips? Some say servers in these places expect larger tips because they assume guests have more money to spend. And the five-star establishments certainly offer the perks that make guests want to tip.

But Jolie Lucas, who travels mostly for pleasure and has worked in hotel housekeeping, says hold on--most things, such as putting a napkin in her lap or hailing a cab, she can do herself. "I try to tip when I am aware of a special service being provided beyond what is required by their job," she says. --KATE LYON

 

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