AN author and former maid revealed how hotel guests should be tipping housekeeping staff at least £7.50 per day, per person.
Stephanie Land, who wrote the best-selling book Maid, also listed a number of other tasks every guest should do before leaving their hotel room.
Getty – Contributor
She wrote on Twitter: “Things to do before leaving a hotel room: Ball up your towels, washcloth in the middle. Pick the hair out of the drain.
“Flush. Put garbage in the garbage. Tip. ($10 (£7.50)/day, per person who stayed)
“If your stay is multiple days, tip every day you expect cleaning service. Seriously.”
Her tweet sparked a range of comments, with some finding this too much while others agreeing it is a good thing to try and help cleaning staff.
A Twitter user wrote: “I’m so embarrassed that I never thought to tip. I always leave my room clean (same thing for my table at a restaurant) but leaving a tip for housekeeping staff never occurred to me. Will definitely do this from now on. Thank you for the lesson.”
One person wrote: “I’m always surprised by people who don’t think of this. Housekeepers work so hard with few spare minutes to breathe.”
Some felt it should be even more money: “And I’d add: Double that tip amount for Five Star hotels!”
But not everyone agreed, with some arguing that it would be far too expensive to tip that much.
For example, a couple staying at a five star hotel for ten days could end up tipping an additional £300 if they followed the etiquette rules.
One person said: “$10/day per person staying? Are you serious? I consider myself a generous person but you’re clearly speaking to wealthy people or everyone travelling on expense accounts.”
A social media user asked: “I read something a while back (possibly from the UK) that said housekeepers are not allowed to keep money left in rooms, it has to go to lost property, and that some chains test staff using mystery shoppers who leave cash behind.”
Some suggested not getting daily service if you don’t want to tip – but it would mean not getting fresh towels and the room cleaned.
Etiquette expert William Hanson previously explained to Sun Online that if you are staying in a hotel for one night then it is not necessary to tip housekeeping, but if you are staying for a prolonged period of time then leave £1-2 per night.
This is because cleaning staff can sometimes change, so leaving a tip at the end of the trip may mean some staff are missing out.
And if a hotel porter brings up your bags for you then offer him £1 per bag.
Guests should also learn which items are allowed to be taken from a hotel room and which are not.
Sun Online Travel previously reported items such as pillows and dressing gowns are often taken but are actually meant to be left behind.
If you don’t want your next hotel stay to break the bank, Premier Inn have launched their no-frills Zip rooms, starting from just £19 per night.
