I wanted to follow up on my recent post regarding the $20 Trick with my own list. As a travel host, my perspective comes from somewhere between the front desk staff and the guest. I’ve learned all sorts of ways to get what I need without relying on tips and bribes, and I’ve learned to focus on what matters and what doesn’t.
Make friends with at least one front desk staffer.
I don’t mean to bribe them. I mean, ask them how their day has been. When their shift ends. What’s their favorite restaurant nearby that isn’t touristy? Be charming, funny, and pleasant. They often have people yell at them or get upset with them over things that aren’t their fault, and you being friendly and interested in them will be a breath of fresh air. Having a friend behind the desk can make your life so much easier if you ever need a favor. Don’t abuse this relationship, but if you need change, need directions, have a room issue, need maintenance, etc., you have a friend.
Make friends with at least one bellman.
I mentioned this in my $20 Trick post. Bellman can be extremely helpful, and all it takes is letting them do their job and then tipping them a very small amount to do it. This is especially relevant in other countries where you are unfamiliar with the culture or the language. Bellman can be your interpreter, help you get transportation, drive you around the resort in one of their golf carts, point you in the right direction for local food, and so much more. Bellmen are also a great source of change. It’s often very difficult to find change in USD when traveling outside the US, but many countries, especially less developed countries, prefer you pay for goods and services in USD. If you get money out of an ATM, it’s almost always going to be in the form of $20 bills, and finding smaller denominations can be very difficult. While the front desk staff can usually give you change in the local currency, the bellman can often give it to you in USD since that’s what they’re often tipped in.
Unless you’re at an all-inclusive, avoid the on-site restaurant.
Hotel restaurants and bars have very high markups. Their food tends not to be a lot better than nearby options, and you’ll pay significantly more for it. Sometimes, there’s a hotel restaurant that’s worth the higher price, but check some Google or Yelp reviews to see what people think of the restaurant before you commit. Ask the bellman for recommendations and make it clear that you want something that’s reasonably priced and not fine dining.
Housekeeping isn’t going to steal your stuff.
If something goes missing from a hotel room, who’s the first person you’re going to point a finger at? Housekeeping. They have access to your room, they’re in there for 15 – 20 minutes at a time and they often tidy up your belongings, giving them time to see what valuables you may have.
Well…. We all know that. They know that. The management knows that. So, guess who never steals anything? Housekeeping.
They know they are often suspected. They will often prop doors open so guests and management can see what they are doing. They will carefully place valuables in neat piles so they are easy to find.
Not only have I never had a housekeeper steal something, but I’ve had them find valuables left by guests and turn them in. I even had a housekeeper in Mexico find an $800 digital camera left in a room, track down the guest’s info, and have the group’s manager reach out to me in order to get the item returned to the guest.
Tip these folks! They deserve it!
Now, there are other people with access to your room. Security, maintenance, management, and the mini bar guy. Keep in mind that all their master keys are trackable, so unless they have reason to be in your room, they probably aren’t going to be there. But keep in mind that security, maintenance, and management can all access the safe in your room even when locked. There are master keys for these safes to make sure they can be opened if a guest leaves one locked. So, what’s the safest place to put your stuff? I leave it in my suitcase or carry it with me. Generally, I stick my wallet on the side of my suitcase with the dirty laundry and bury it under some leggings and a pair of underwear. No one is going digging through that, and it isn’t a place where valuables are expected to be. I don’t recommend bringing your passport and all your cash with you to sit on the beach, but if you’re going out, keeping a form of identification and cash on you isn’t a bad idea anyway.
If you’re in a destination or at a resort, you won’t be spending time in your room. Don’t worry about the view.
A lot of people get hung up on the view they have. I’ve had so many guests let a bad view ruin their entire vacation, and that’s never made any sense to me. They only spend a couple of daylight hours in the room anyway!
Sure, if you paid for an upgraded view, it’s worth talking to the front desk about it, but if you are just paying for a basic room, try to just get on with your vacation. Spend more time on the beach where the views are always great. Go on more excursions. Find a quiet place on the property that has a good view. Chances are, you won’t care about the view in your room as much after the first 24 hours.
If there’s a problem (a real one), tell someone!
The staff is there to help. They want you to have a good experience. Their jobs, and sometimes their salaries, depend on it! If your AC isn’t working properly, your mini fridge isn’t stocked, you don’t think you were given the correct room category, service at a restaurant was particularly slow, etc. — put a smile on your face and let someone know! We’d always rather have a chance to fix a problem than hear about it at the end of the stay when there’s nothing we can do to correct it. Sometimes, there may be nothing that can be done to remedy the situation, even if you let us know early, but they’re going to try. if they can’t fix it, they can at least report it to the correct person to help improve that issue for future guests.
The key here is to be friendly and not make mountains out of molehills. The more you treat something as “no big deal”, the more likely the staff is to want to help you. It’s also important to avoid crying wolf. Many people try to take advantage of the hospitality industry by creating problems or complaining about things that aren’t the fault of the hotel, like a bad view, for example. The more people do this, the worse service we’ll all get across the board. Hotels can’t provide an excellent view for everyone on the property, so if people who paid for a standard room are constantly whining about their view, a friendly question about room types isn’t going to be heard with compassion.
All this being said, tipping IS important. I DO give an extra $20 to a bellman who made my life easier for an entire trip. I will make sure an excellent tour guide is compensated. If someone went above and beyond for you, show them your appreciation, but don’t hand someone money and then expect favors from them. It’s just distasteful.
