To tip or not to tip

October 7, 2011 6:29 AM

Corporate housing etiquette for morans...

I just started work as a temp, the new company is based on the east coast (USA) . The company is putting me up in corporate housing for my gig, which is 6 months. My room gets housekeeping service once I week.

The question: do I leave a tip every week for the housekeeper? Like I was in a "real" hotel?

posted by shino-boy to Work & Money (11 answers total)

Your company should be paying for the housekeeper and for any gratuities. If you feel that you want to give the housekeeper a tip as well, go for it. But don't try to expense any tip to the company, unless the company has already arranged for you to do that.
posted by dfriedman at 6:34 AM on October 7, 2011

My boyfriend currently lives in corporate housing and has done stints in corporate housing before. He is a generous guy and a thoughtful tipper. To my knowledge, he has never left a weekly tip for the cleaning service.

Disclaimer(s): he is currently in the UK, where tipping is different, but has been in NYC housing before. Also he is extremely tidy, so aside from switching out the sheets and towels, there's usually nothing for them to do. One time he accidentally exploded a pyrex pan in the oven. He left a tip for that.
posted by phunniemee at 6:36 AM on October 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

If I were you I'd ask my employer.
posted by Perplexity at 6:51 AM on October 7, 2011 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: "...service once I week." -> "...service one a week."
posted by shino-boy at 8:12 AM on October 7, 2011

Yes. I mean; the one big happy family concept, y'know?
posted by buzzman at 10:49 AM on October 7, 2011

Tip when you leave.
posted by brujita at 11:33 AM on October 7, 2011

I agree with dfriedman and perplexity, you need to ask your company first. They may already be taking care of these arrangements. If they are not, or you feel the housekeeper deserves more, then I would tip at the end of the month. Also, it is "moron" not "moran" :)
posted by ForeverDcember at 11:57 AM on October 7, 2011

Best answer: Housekeepers are usually poorly paid, and literally do the dirty work. Tip weekly.
posted by theora55 at 1:03 PM on October 7, 2011

Depends if the housekeeper(s) are the same ones all the time or if you may get any random one from the company on any given day. When I have a regular housekeeper (and they make it known by leaving cheerful signed notes and stuff, ostensibly to be nice, but really it's so I know this) I think weekly is fine. I'd feel bad about tipping only one of several in the crew, though, and when I can't tell, I tip a small amount daily.

You'd think they would share, but you never know.
posted by ctmf at 9:11 PM on October 7, 2011

Best answer: Oh, they only come once a week. Once a week, then.
posted by ctmf at 9:12 PM on October 7, 2011

Response by poster: Today was cleaning day for my room. I left two tips, one had a little note that read "for last week" and then another tip for this week.

The housekeeper left me a note in return, it read: "Thank u :)"

*schmoop*
posted by shino-boy at 5:38 PM on October 10, 2011