Hotel tipping is one of the most-confused areas of travel etiquette. Travellers either over-tip (and embarrass themselves) or under-tip (and damage the relationship with the staff). The framework below is the working version we use ourselves.
Why tipping matters
Hotel tipping is not just compensation. It is signalling. The amount, timing, and currency of your tips communicate to the staff how seriously you are engaging with the hotel. Generous tippers receive better service across the stay — not because the staff are mercenary, but because they are paying attention to which guests are paying attention to them.
The reverse is also true. Travellers who do not tip, or tip badly, get standard service. The hotel staff move on to other guests.
The framework: who to tip
The categories of staff who should be tipped:
Bellhop / porter
Tipped per bag, per service. Standard: $2-$5 per bag, $5 minimum per delivery. Tip cash, in person.
If the bellhop carries multiple bags, the tip is for all bags as a single service: $10 for 4 bags, $15 for 6 bags. Round up.
Doorman
Tipped per service (hailing a cab, opening the car door for a delivery, helping with directions). Standard: $1-$2 per service.
Doormen who provide a particularly significant service (a hard-to-find cab in the rain, useful local advice) should receive $5-$10.
Housekeeping
Tipped per night, in cash, in the room. Standard: $5-$10 per night, more for larger suites or longer stays.
The tip should be left in plain view (on the pillow, on the desk, on the bedside table) with a brief note: "Thank you — [your name]". Otherwise, the housekeeper may not be sure whether the cash is a tip or simply left on the surface.
Concierge
Tipped per significant request, in cash, at the time of the service or at the end of the request cycle. Standard: $10-$20 per request, $50+ for major requests (impossible-to-get reservation, complex itinerary planning, after-hours problem-solving).
The cumulative tip across a 5-night stay typically reaches $50-$200 for a concierge who provides multiple services.
Valet
Tipped each time the car is brought out. Standard: $5 per delivery, $10 in city locations or for premium cars.
Front desk
Optional, but $20-$50 at check-in (with a quiet ask for an upgrade or preferred room) is the practice we recommend. See the free hotel upgrade guide for more.
Room service
If service charge is included on the bill (typical at luxury hotels), no additional tip is required. If not included, 15-20% of the food cost.
Always check the bill. The line items include "service charge" if it is automatic. Many luxury hotels include service automatically and travellers tip again, doubling the staff compensation.
Spa
15-20% of the treatment cost, paid in cash to the therapist. Unlike restaurant service, spa service charges are often retained by the hotel rather than passed to the therapist; cash tips reach the therapist directly.
Restaurant (hotel)
Standard tipping by country. In the US, 18-22% on the pre-tax bill. In most of Europe, 5-10% if service is not included. In Japan, no tipping at all (it is considered impolite).
The single most important rule of hotel tipping: tip in cash, in the local currency, in person. Card tips and "tip on bill" are largely lost to overhead and rarely reach the staff.
How much: the size question
The tipping amounts above are baseline. Three modifiers:
Tip more for unusual service
A bellhop who carries six bags up to a fifth-floor walkup deserves more than $30. A concierge who arranges a Michelin-starred dinner reservation in 24 hours deserves more than $20. The tip should reflect the difficulty of the request.
Tip more for longer relationships
A 7-night stay involves the same housekeeper, doorman, and concierge across the week. The cumulative tipping should reflect the relationship: a single $10 tip on day one, then nothing, will produce neutral service for the remaining six days. Daily tipping or a larger end-of-stay tip works better.
Tip more in soft-currency countries
In countries where the local wage is low (Bali, Vietnam, Mexico), the absolute dollar value of the tip matters more than the percentage. A $5 tip in Bali is materially significant for the housekeeper; a $5 tip in Tokyo is not. Adjust accordingly.
Country-by-country variations
United States
Standard tipping culture. All amounts above apply. Cash preferred. No tipping at restaurants is rude.
Western Europe
Service is often included in the bill. Tipping above 5-10% is unusual. Hotel staff still expect bellhop and housekeeping tips at US rates.
United Kingdom
Service is sometimes included. Tip in cash for housekeeping and bellhops at slightly below US rates ($3-$5 per bag, £5 per night for housekeeping).
Japan
No tipping in restaurants. Cash tips at hotels are unusual but not offensive — bellhop and housekeeping accept them. Use new (uncirculated) yen notes in an envelope. Concierge tips are not customary; instead, write a thank-you note that the concierge can show to management.
China
No tipping is the cultural norm. Luxury hotels in major cities have begun accepting Western-style tips, but the practice is uneven. Cash in red envelopes for major services is appreciated.
Middle East
Tipping is universal at luxury hotels. Standard US rates apply. Cash strongly preferred over credit-card tips.
Southeast Asia
Tipping is appreciated and material. $2-$5 per bag, $5-$10 per night for housekeeping, $10+ for concierge requests. The absolute dollar amounts matter more than percentages.
India
Tipping is expected. The local convention is "baksheesh" — small tips for many services. $1-$2 per service, $5-$10 per night for housekeeping at luxury hotels.
Caribbean and Mexico
Tipping is expected at US rates. Cash preferred.
When to tip: the timing question
Three timing rules:
Tip the front desk at check-in
Not at check-out. The check-in tip influences the next 5 days; the check-out tip influences nothing.
Tip the concierge after each request
Not in a single sum at the end of the stay. The per-request tip builds the relationship across the trip.
Tip the housekeeper daily
Not in a single sum at the end of the stay. The housekeeper varies by day; a single end-of-stay tip rewards only the final day's housekeeper.
The universal rule: tip when the service is fresh in everyone's mind, not at the end of the trip.
What about pre-tipping versus post-tipping
A specific question: should you tip before a service or after?
The general rule: tip after, except for the front desk. Tipping before can be perceived as a bribe; tipping after is recognition of completed service.
Exception: the front desk at check-in. The phrase "if there are any complimentary upgrades available, we'd appreciate them being considered" combined with a tip is asking the agent to take an action. The tip precedes the service.
What not to tip
Three things travellers tip incorrectly:
- Hotel managers — never tip a manager. It is offensive. Express appreciation with a thank-you note and positive feedback to corporate.
- Doctors / on-call medical staff — never tip medical professionals. The hotel handles this.
- Drivers on hotel transfers — typically already included. Verify with the front desk; often the driver is on hotel salary and a tip would be unusual.
A specific tipping schedule for a typical 5-night luxury hotel stay
A worked breakdown for a couple staying 5 nights at a luxury hotel:
Arrival day
- Bellhop on arrival: $10 ($2.50 per bag, 4 bags)
- Front desk at check-in: $30-$50 (with quiet upgrade ask)
- Bellhop delivering luggage to room: $10
- First evening: dinner tip per restaurant policy
Daily
- Housekeeping: $10 per day, left in cash on the bedside table with a "Thank you" note
- Spa or pool service: 15-20% of any treatment
- Restaurant dining: per restaurant policy
Special requests
- Concierge for restaurant reservation: $10
- Concierge for major request (private dinner, hard reservation): $50-$100
- Doorman for cab service: $1-$2 per service
Departure day
- Bellhop carrying luggage out: $10
- Doorman hailing cab: $5-$10
- Front desk at check-out: optional
Total tipping for a 5-night stay: typically $200-$400 plus restaurant tips. This is roughly 4-8% of the room rate at a luxury hotel — a normal proportion.
Tipping at all-inclusive resorts
A specific question: do you tip at an all-inclusive resort?
The answer is yes, despite the marketing. Three rules:
- Tip in cash regardless of the property's "no tipping" policy
- Tip the bartenders, the dive instructors, the spa therapists, the housekeeping
- Tip slightly less than at a non-all-inclusive ($5 per bartender per day rather than per drink)
The "no tipping" policy is a marketing message to make pricing predictable. It is not a prohibition. The staff at all-inclusives are typically paid less than at standard hotels and depend on tips for above-baseline income.
What to do if the bill includes service charge
Many luxury hotels and restaurants include a "service charge" of 10-18% on the bill. Two questions to ask:
- Does the service charge actually go to the staff?
- Should I tip on top of the service charge?
The first question is awkward but legitimate. Some hotels keep service charges; others distribute them to staff. Ask the manager for the policy.
The second question depends on the answer to the first. If the service charge goes to staff: do not tip again. If the service charge is retained by the property: tip the specific staff member separately in cash.
The five rules
If we were forced to compress hotel tipping to five rules:
- Tip in cash, in local currency, in person
- Tip the front desk at check-in, not check-out
- Tip the concierge per request, not at the end of the stay
- Tip housekeeping daily in the room
- Adjust upward for unusual service or in soft-currency countries
Apply these five and the average hotel relationship improves materially. Most travellers leave money on the table by tipping at the wrong time, or in the wrong form, or not at all.
For more, see hotel tips and insider secrets.
