WASHINGTON, DC—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) released a guide covering gratuity rates for a broad array of service areas, including parking attendants, doormen, housekeepers and room service.
Released in time for the busy holiday travel season, the guide helps guests determine voluntary monetary ranges for services rendered by hotel staff throughout a guest’s stay.
Among the recommendations:
- Tip concierges from $5-10, depending on how involved the service (booking a restaurant vs. hard-to-get tickets) or a lump sum upon departure.
- Tip housekeepers and housemen $1-5 per night. The tip should be left daily in a marked envelope or with a note.
- For special requests (like an extra blanket), tip $4 for one item, $1 for more. Tipping is not required for someone fixing something broken or bringing something missing.
“The hotel industry is an area of high career growth, and for many of our 1.8 million U.S. hotel employees it is the pathway to the American dream,” stated Katherine Lugar, AH&LA president/CEO. “AH&LA’s Gratuity Guide provides guests with valuable information on how to best acknowledge superior service – at their discretion – received during their hotel stay.”