15 Oct 2014

Do you tip housekeeping when you are at a hotel?

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

Do you tip housekeeping when you are at a hotel? And, if so, how much?

There was a poll done a couple years ago that concluded that if you don't tip, you are one of the 39% of travelers that don't tip. If you do tip, you belong to the 23% minority that always tips. I believe that most people just are not aware that they should tip housekeeping.

I have seen suggested tips from $1-$5 per day, depending on the number of beds you use, the mess you (and your kids) leave, and special requests you might have for housekeeping. It is also suggested that you leave a tip on a daily basis to ensure that the housekeeper that cleaned your room gets the tip, since housekeepers rotate their days.

Now, Marriott is putting tipping envelopes in their rooms to bring awareness to this situation. Although I do tip, I have very mixed feelings about this. On one hand, of course we know that housekeeping is the most overworked and underpaid position in the hotel. However, if most people started tipping due to the envelopes in the room, will hotels then lower the housekeeping wages, as restaurants do with waitresses? And, if so, will the housekeeping staff really come out ahead?

It seems that the best solution would be for the hotels to give housekeeping decent wages, and have those wages incorporated into the price of the hotel. After all, that is what they do for management's wages. Otherwise, if hotels expect us to help them compensate their staff, aren't the hotels simply passing their costs onto us in the form of yet one more hidden hotel cost?

Read the full article here:
Tipping hotel housekeeping

Now you have no excuses for not exercising in a hotel

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

You are on the road in a hotel, have eaten too much, and are feeling sluggish - so, you really "should" exercise. But, there is either no exercise room in the hotel (or it is closed), or, if there is an exercise room in the hotel, it is either too busy, doesn't have the right equipment or, let's face it, you really don't want to get dressed up enough to go to the exercise room.

7 Feb 2015

2014: the year that more and more hotels heard our plea for free WiFi

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

If you pay $200 per night for a 3-4 star hotel, the last thing you want is to pay $30 per day for Wi-Fi - especially when 2 star hotels usually don't charge for Wi-Fi. But - Virgin hotels has listened to you - and provides Wi-Fi free. Hopefully, other hotels, such as the Marriott, will pay attention and stop charging for Wi-Fi.

29 Jan 2015

What are your hotel pet peeves?

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

If you go through hotel reveiws (such as Trip Advisor), you will find that there are several common issues people have, such as: charging for Wi-Fi, minibars that charge too much, and lousy TV channel lineups. What are your hotel pet peeves?

11 Dec 2014

Why don't more hotels have "convenience stores"?

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

Basically, as the company Airbnb expands to new cities around the world, the share economy is really taking their toll on regular hotels. Executives have figured a way around this with lend and lease programs all around the country with critical ads like “Forgot it?

2 Dec 2014

Checking into a hotel? Don't be afraid to ask for what you want.

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

The attached article is interesting, as it implies that the assignment of hotel rooms has less to do with computer assignments, and more to do with the "rooms controller". For, it is the rooms controller's job to review all of the variables, such as price charged, loyalty status, special needs and requests, VIP status, group bookings, etc., and to assign the rooms 3-5 days in advance, with the intention of balancing guest satisfaction with profit.