The Polite Hotel Rule Too Many People Ignore
Hotel housekeepers work hard behind the scenes to ensure your stay is clean, comfortable, and welcoming. From making beds with crisp precision to keeping bathrooms spotless, their efforts often go unnoticed—but they make a big difference in your experience. That kind of dedication deserves recognition.
“We’ve set a tradition and precedent in our culture where a tip is expected in this situation,” says Lizzie Post, who is a great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post, co-host of the Awesome Etiquette podcast, and co-author of several books.
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How Much to Tip Hotel Housekeeping
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Where to Leave the Tip
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Tipping at Upscale Hotels
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Tipping Hotel Housekeeping Overseas
Just how much of a tip is appropriate? Post recommends tipping $2 to $5 per day, while the American Hotel & Lodging Association suggests $1 to $5 per day. You should tip on the higher side for larger rooms, such as suites, or for extra beds (like a rollaway mattress or sleeper sofa).
Be sure to tip each day rather than leaving one large tip before checking out on your last day. Different housekeepers will likely clean your room throughout your stay.
If you ask for extra towels or make other special requests, the consensus is that a $1 to $2 tip is appropriate for each delivery.
Leave your tip on the desk or nightstand in an envelope (if one is provided from housekeeping), or put it with a thank you note. That way, you don’t keep your housekeeper guessing, and you know the money gets into the right hands.
“I leave a note so housekeepers know the money is intended for them,” says Post. “Many times I’ve left cash without a note, and they won’t take it because they’re not absolutely sure it’s for them.”
If you forget to leave your tip in your room and instead leave it with another staff member, there are, unfortunately, no guarantees that the cash will reach your housekeeper.
Should you tip more at nicer hotels? That depends, say the experts.
Etiquette expert Diane Gottsman suggests tipping more in finer hotels. “The level of service and the quality of the hotel and location will play a part in the amount of gratuity,” says Gottsman.
Lizzie Post recommends tipping based on the service, not the hotel. “Tip more if the service is exceptional,” says Post. “Don’t leave less tip just because you’re at a motel instead of the Waldorf.”
No matter where you’re staying, don’t feel obligated to leave a tip if you didn't receive good service. But do remember that sometimes certain factors are out of the housekeeper’s control.
Every country has different customs regarding tipping. Gottsman recommends asking the concierge or researching the destination’s culture and tipping customs before you travel. Always tip in cash in the local currency to make things easy for your housekeeper.