It is not necessary to tip housekeeping staff. Employees at B&Bs as well as small, family-run hotels don't expect gratuities either.
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There is no need to tip the housekeeping in the UK. We do not have such a tipping culture as the US (if you search the subject there has been some heated exchanges). In summary, the only people it is customary to tip is waiters/waitresses and hotel porters.
You don't have to tip your hotel housekeeper, but these hardworking staff members are often forgotten when it comes to tipping, so the money can go a long way for them.
The argument against tipping hotel housekeepingThe logic is as follows: When you book a hotel you're paying for a clean room, and that's what housekeeping provides, so that should be a given. It's not the job of hotel guests to subsidize the salaries of housekeepers, and hotels should just pay them better wages.
Although tipping the chambermaid isn't common, you can leave a token amount if you think the room cleaning service has been outstanding. You may wish to tip the concierge for various tasks or services. If the concierge hails you a taxi on a wet day, for example, £2 is sufficient.
Unlike some countries you do not have to tip in the UK. However, there are some unsaid social rules about leaving a tip. For example, if you take a taxi it is normal practice to round up the fare to the nearest pound.
If you ask locals “Do you tip in Italy?”, they'll explain that while they sometimes leave a small tip, it's generally not necessary. In Italy, gratuity (or una mancia, pronounced oo-nah MAN-chah) is considered a bonus for exceptional service. And it's not often that you'll find a tip jar at a register.
Follow the one-euro ruleA good rule of thumb for tipping in Europe is to give at least one euro (or the equivalent in local currency) per service. For example, pay one euro per bag carried up to your room by a bellhop or porter, one euro per day for housekeeping, and one euro per day for breakfast staff.
When dining out, a service charge of 12-15 percent may be added to your bill, but the practice is not universal in U.K. restaurants. If you see the service charge on your bill, there's no need to tip. If there's no service charge, tipping at 10 percent is the standard. At pubs, you're not expected to tip.
Brooke Bergen, a former front desk associate at a five-star hotel, advises tipping anyone in a non-managerial role, “including waiters, valet, bellhops, bar and restaurant staff, front desk staff, concierge, and housekeeping.” When it comes to the continental breakfast, the rules are a little hazier.
Tipping is not expected in Britain the way it is in some other countries; however, for the majority of people tipping in some circumstances is customary as a sign of appreciation. Workers do not officially have to rely on their tips to live, and all staff in the UK must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage.
A small gratuity of 10-15% of the total bill is usually appropriate. If you're feeling extra generous or if the service was particularly outstanding, feel free to give more! What is it like working front desk at a hotel? Working front desk at a hotel can be both rewarding and challenging.
According to statistics collected by The New York Times, only about 30% of hotel guests leave a tip for housekeepers. I'm ashamed to admit that up until recently, I was in the 70% majority of non-tippers.