Some guests leave a lump-sum tip on the last day of their stay, but a better practice is doling out incremental tips daily, as hotel housekeepers might have different day-to-day room assignments. A daily tip more closely ensures your gratitude goes to the specific worker who services the room each day.

While you can tip at the end of your stay, the established etiquette in 2026 strongly recommends tipping daily instead. This is because hotel housekeeping staff often work on rotating shifts or have different days off; if you leave a large lump sum on your final day, it may only go to the person working that specific morning, missing the individuals who cleaned your room for the previous five days. A standard tip is $3 to $5 per night for mid-range hotels and $5 to $10 for luxury resorts. By leaving the tip daily—ideally in an envelope or with a note clearly marked "For Housekeeping"—you ensure that the specific person who did the hard work that day receives the reward. If you do choose to tip at the end, it is best to leave the money at the front desk in a labeled envelope to ensure it is distributed fairly among the crew. In many high-end resorts, service charges are included, but a small cash tip remains the most direct way to show appreciation for the physically demanding labor of turning over a room, which includes everything from scrubbing bathrooms to hauling heavy linens.