Hotel Tipping Guide
Navigating hotel tipping in the US can be confusing—there are dozens of staff members who may provide service during your stay. This practical guide breaks down exactly who to tip, how much, when, and how to do it properly so you never feel uncertain.
Last updated: · Reviewed by SnapTipCalc editorial team · How we research tipping norms
Where your hotel tips actually go
Hotel tips are almost never pooled across the whole property. Each cash envelope, room-charge line, or bellhop hand-off goes to a specific worker or a small team on that shift.
- Housekeeper (per night) — $2–$5
- Left in the room daily so it reaches whoever cleaned that day — housekeepers rotate rooms.
- Bellhop / porter (per bag) — $1–$2
- Paid directly on arrival and departure; not shared with front desk.
- Valet (per retrieval) — $2–$5
- Goes to the attendant who brings your car back, not the one who parked it.
- Concierge (special request) — $5–$20
- Only tip for real effort: hard-to-book reservations, tickets, itineraries.
- Room service — 15–20%
- Check the bill — a service charge is often already added. Extra $2–$5 in cash is optional.
Cash is strongly preferred by housekeeping — room-charge tips often route through payroll and can be delayed or lost. AHLA's Gratuity Guide is the source most US hotels benchmark against.
Sources & further reading
Housekeeping: $2–5 Per Night (Standard) / $5–10 (Luxury)
Tip daily, not just at checkout. This is the most important housekeeping tipping rule. Different staff members may clean your room each day—leaving a lump sum at checkout means only the last day's housekeeper gets tipped.
- Standard hotels (Holiday Inn, Marriott, Hilton): $2–5 per night
- Luxury hotels (Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, St. Regis): $5–10 per night
- Extended stays (5+ nights): $2–3/night is acceptable due to the cumulative amount
How to leave the tip: Place bills on the pillow, nightstand, or desk with a note saying "Thank you" or "For housekeeping." Without a note, staff may assume you left your own money and won't take it.
Bellhops & Porters: $2–3 Per Bag
- Standard luggage: $2–3 per bag, $5 minimum even for one bag
- Oversized, heavy, or fragile items: $3–5 per item
- Multiple trips or floor deliveries: $5–10 total
Tip when bags are delivered to your room, not when they are first collected at the curb. If the same bellhop handles both, tip at the room delivery.
Concierge: $5–$20+ Depending on Service
Concierge tips scale with the complexity and value of the assistance provided:
- Simple directions or recommendations: $5 or no tip (basic info)
- Restaurant reservations: $5–10
- Hard-to-get reservations or event tickets: $10–20
- Complex arrangements (private tours, car service, itinerary planning): $20–50
- Repeated help throughout your stay: $20–50 at checkout as a thank-you
Valet Parking: $3–5 Per Retrieval
- Tip when your car is returned to you, not when you drop it off
- Standard: $3–5
- During busy periods, bad weather, or special events: $5–10
- If the valet parks your car in a particularly inconvenient spot that requires extra time: $5+
Room Service: 15–20% (Check for Auto-Gratuity)
Always check your room service bill before adding a tip. Many hotels automatically add 18–20% gratuity or a "delivery charge" to room service orders.
- If gratuity is included: no additional tip needed (though $2–3 cash for the delivery person is a nice touch)
- If gratuity is NOT included: 15–20% of the order total
- The "delivery charge" is often a hotel fee that does NOT go to the server—ask if unsure
Other Hotel Staff
- Doorman (hailing a cab): $1–2
- Doorman (carrying bags from car): $2–5
- Pool attendant (setting up chairs, bringing towels): $2–5
- Spa staff: 15–20% of the treatment cost (see spa tipping guide)
- Shuttle driver: $2–5, or $1–2 per bag
- Turndown service: $2 per evening (usually at luxury hotels)
Hotel Tipping Quick Reference Card
- Housekeeping: $2–5/night (daily)
- Bellhop: $2–3/bag ($5 min)
- Concierge: $5–50 (based on service)
- Valet: $3–5 per retrieval
- Room service: 15–20% (check bill first)
- Doorman: $1–5
Bellhops & Porters: $2–3 Per Bag
Tip the bellhop when the bags reach your room, not in the lobby. The standard US rate is $2–3 per bag, with $5 as a sensible minimum even for a single light bag. Add $1–2 per bag for heavy suitcases, ski or golf equipment, or a long walk to a distant wing.
- Arrival: $2–3 per bag, handed over in the room.
- Departure: tip again when a porter brings bags down — it is usually a different person and a separate service.
- Bag storage before check-in or after checkout: $2–3 total when you retrieve them.
- Luxury and resort hotels: $5 per bag is the going rate.
- Doorman vs. bellhop: a doorman who only opens the door gets nothing; $2–5 if they unload the car or hail a cab.
Cash is strongly preferred and should be small bills — keep a stack of $1 and $5 notes for the trip.
Concierge: $5–20 Per Request
Tip the concierge for effort, not for information. Directions, a printed map or a routine taxi call require no tip. Anything that took real work — calls, favours, connections — does.
- Ordinary restaurant booking: $5–10.
- Hard-to-get reservation at a booked-out restaurant: $20–50.
- Show, sports or event tickets: $10–20, more if the event was sold out.
- Tours, day trips and full itineraries: $10–20.
- Car service, airport transfer or special requests (flowers, cake, in-room setup): $5–15.
You can tip per service as you go or settle once at the end of a longer stay; both are normal. At luxury properties, a Les Clefs d’Or concierge (identified by the gold key lapel pins) handles the most complex requests — tip toward the higher end of each range.
FAQ
Do I tip at Airbnbs or vacation rentals?
No. Airbnb hosts set their own cleaning fees. There is no expectation to tip unless a separate cleaning staff is visibly working during your stay.
What if I never see the housekeeper?
Leave the tip on the pillow or desk with a note. You do not need to hand it directly to the person.
Should I tip the front desk staff?
Not typically. Front desk staff are salaried. Tip only if they go significantly above and beyond (resolving a major issue, upgrading your room as a favor)—in that case, $5–10 is generous.