Tipping Etiquette: What You Need to Know About Tips at Resorts and Hotels

When you stay at a hotel or resort, tipping, a voluntary payment given to service staff as recognition for their work. Also known as gratuities, it’s not always required—but skipping it can hurt people who depend on it to make ends meet. In places like India, where many hotel workers earn low base wages, tips often make up half their income. It’s not charity—it’s fairness.

Most people assume tipping rules are the same everywhere, but they’re not. At an all-inclusive resort, a vacation package where meals, drinks, and activities are bundled into one price. Also known as all-inclusive hotels, these places often claim you don’t need to tip—but that’s misleading. Staff still clean your room, refill your glasses, carry your bags, and make sure your stay is smooth. They’re not paid more just because you paid upfront. Tipping housekeeping $2–$5 per day, or leaving a note with cash, shows you see them. It’s not about being polite—it’s about respect.

And it’s not just about resorts. Even at luxury hotels, tipping isn’t optional if you want consistent service. The person who brings your towels, empties your trash, or wakes you with coffee isn’t on a salary that covers their living costs. hotel tipping etiquette, the unwritten social code around giving tips to hotel staff. Also known as resort tips, it varies by country, but the principle stays the same: if someone went out of their way, give something back. You don’t need to overpay. You don’t need to stress. Just be aware. A few dollars here and there adds up—for them, not just for you.

Some think tipping is outdated, that service should be included. But in real life, it’s not. Hotels don’t raise prices to cover tips—they keep them low to attract guests. The system works because guests choose to participate. When you skip tipping, you’re not saving money—you’re shifting the cost onto someone else’s plate. And that’s not how hospitality should work.

You’ll find real stories below—from people who left tips and got better service, to those who didn’t and felt guilty later. We’ll show you exactly how much to give, when to give it, and why it matters more than you think. No fluff. No guesswork. Just what works in the real world.