Tipping of Bellstaff in Hotels

I read a lot here on the forum about tipping in US restaurants. What I don%26#39;t see much of is proper tipping of hotel bellstaff and when I do, it is common to hear $1 per bag. This is where I become a bit confused (or curious). In the mid 80s while in college, I was a bellman at a large convention hotel in Dallas Texas. The average tip was approx $1/bag. At that same time, restaurant servers received 15-20% as the standard gratuity. It appears to me, that at this rate a bellperson, 20-25 years later earns the same living receiving a dollar per bag. As the cost of a meal has more than doubled since then, so has the income of the server. Shouldn%26#39;t the standard tip for a bellperson be adjusted as well?

just curious

chipper

Tipping of Bellstaff in Hotels

Perhaps it should be a function of the retail cost of the luggage...If, as some have posited, a martini mixed with Grey Goose deserves a bigger tip than one made with Mohawk vodka from a plastic jug, then surely the loving conveyance of a precious Louis Vuitton merits better recompense than haulage of a beige American Tourister from the 70s, patched with duct tape and sporting a broken lock.

But hey, what do I know? I always carry my own bags...

Tipping of Bellstaff in Hotels

definitely. Its up to $5 a bag in 5 star hotels.... I usually tip $2 a bag in the 4 star hotels I stay in for business trips.

For vacations, I%26#39;m rarely in the type of hotel with a bell staff (or its in a place where $1 is a day%26#39;s wage and a great tip!)

This is assuming the bell/door person does anything. Like the guy at the Omni San Francisco who watched me schlep my bag out of the trunk and commented that the cab driver was a jerk for not helping me did not get any tip. In fact, I crossed the street and hailed my own cab for the next 4 days to punish him!

I think the $1/bag is for the faux bags bought in Chinatown.

LoL! Hi Cath!

Bellman receive a larger wage from the hotels than do the service staff, that may account in the standard tipping amount.

I always carry my own bags in after I witnessed a careless bellman slam my new bags on the ground then throwing them onto his cart. I actually stopped him right there and told him I would be taking the cart myself.

He just walked away without saying a word!

I usually carry my own bags, however I usually give $5.00 to a bellman/porter who carries, bags and shows us to the room.

And about bellmen manhandling bags, I can relate - one instance I had a camera bag on my shoulder and the bellman attempted to pull it off and slam it on the cart with the other luggage - I too, then took the cart to the room myself. he just slinked away, no apologies, nothing.

From then on it was carry your own on my part.

Chipper is right - the days of a buck a bag are or should be in the past.

Poppa

Here%26#39;s a slight variation on this question...let%26#39;s say you check in early, can%26#39;t get to the room for several hours, and you store your luggage while you go out and play. WHEN do you tip the bellstaff? When you hand over the bags, when they%26#39;re brought up to your room (or when you pick them up yourself and bring them up). Or do you tip some every time you come into contact with the bellstaff?

Same question, slightly different circumstances...what if you check out, store your luggage, and pick it up i.e. you have a later flight?

I worked in food service for years, and always want to tip well for good service, so would like everyone%26#39;s thoughts on these situations.

When I check bags I usually get a baggage claim and tip when I pick them up and if a bellman brings them to the room tip him then.

Poppa

Sometimes the hotel will charge you for storage, sometimes not. I would tip when I picked up the bags as the bellman should be the same one you gave them to originally. If they bring them to your room, def tip then.

Again, I would tip when piking up my bags for my flight home.

I sort of use the valet parking system...tip after the service is performed.

Sometimes the hotel will charge you for storage, sometimes not. I would tip when I picked up the bags as the bellman should be the same one you gave them to originally. If they bring them to your room, def tip then.

Again, I would tip when piking up my bags for my flight home.

I sort of use the valet parking system...tip after the service is performed.