Tipping Staff

**goodtymes** · 07-22-2013, 07:33 AM

We haven't tipped in the past but I'm pretty sure this year I will tip... reason is last year I started to notice that I would be at the bar ahead of someone and then they would get served first, not once, not twice but several times and after talking to other friends they basically say $5 will get you service like a king. I don't mind when well taken care of by the staff so I'll see how it goes. We have left gifts for the maids pretty much every year and a few dollars of change but always some costume jewelry, sandals or something gets your room taken care of to the fullest!

**anitathediva** · 07-22-2013, 09:39 AM

Tipping is against policy and can cause staff to get fired. I don’t tip and get fantastic service at the bars and in my room. I don’t know if management at Hedo reads this board like they claim they do of DennyP’s but I recommend that if you do tip at Hedo keep it off the message boards to protect the staff. Consider it a charitable contribution and keep your tipping at Hedo to yourself.

**Ken_Memphis** · 07-22-2013, 12:23 PM

I only tip the weed Man cause Milo said so...

**Sunset Bill** · 07-22-2013, 12:49 PM

The following taken from the new FAQ's posted on June 26 on this board.

IS TIPPING ALLOWED?
No, tipping is not allowed. Part of your Room Rate goes toward a gratuity pool to be distributed to our awesome team members.

I feel pretty sure that the staff will never mention this when accepting tips from anyone.
As one previous poster noted, staff can be fired, suspended or disciplined if caught accepting tips.

**millionsnmilo** · 07-23-2013, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by Ken_Memphis

cause Milo said so...

Now if Millions only thought that way.

Truly a few dollars go a long way. It makes me feel good when others feel the same.

One of the best was when I haggled the souvenir guy down from 50 to 35, then handed him an extra 5 for fun. He wasn't happy giving it to me for 35 but he needed to make a sale. The extra couple bucks made his day and mine too.

**bibabe** · 07-23-2013, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by millionsnmilo

Now if Millions only thought that way.

Truly a few dollars go a long way. It makes me feel good when others feel the same.

One of the best was when I haggled the souvenir guy down from 50 to 35, then handed him an extra 5 for fun. He wasn't happy giving it to me for 35 but he needed to make a sale. The extra couple bucks made his day and mine too.

Someone did what you said?! Well holy shit somebody call Guiness because this will never happen again!

**millionsnmilo** · 07-23-2013, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by bibabe

Someone did what you said?! Well holy shit somebody call Guiness because this will never happen again!

Sorry but us men know the real deal --- you women never listen.
And what about the "watch duck dynasty" tip. That was a good one?

**bibabe** · 07-24-2013, 07:02 AM

Originally Posted by millionsnmilo

Sorry but us men know the real deal --- you women never listen.
And what about the "watch duck dynasty" tip. That was a good one?

I'll give you the Duck Dynasty one.....you got me addicted to that show now.
Give Millions a big kiss for me and tell her I said Happy Birthday today!

**Brian&Terri** · 07-24-2013, 02:14 PM

It's my birthday today also.

**millionsnmilo** · 07-24-2013, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by Brian&Terri

It's my birthday today also.

Happy Birthday to you!

**smallandtall** · 07-25-2013, 05:36 AM

Originally Posted by millionsnmilo

One of the best was when I haggled the souvenir guy down from 50 to 35, then handed him an extra 5 for fun. He wasn't happy giving it to me for 35 but he needed to make a sale. The extra couple bucks made his day and mine too.

Did you realize that you paid about four times too much for that souvenir?
Normally the asking price is four to five times the minimum sales value for them.

Selling something is one thing, haggling well is a skill, both for the seler and the buyer.
Coming from a society where haggling is not a part of everyday life, most westerners seriously suck at haggling.

A seller will not sell something to you at a loss. After all, they need to make a living.
Since most tourists are seen as ignorant (to local prices) money-laden foreigners, they are getting the worst possible deals offered.

My first step in any haggling is always: "You have the choice to sell it to me. You don't need to sell me anything."
The second step is never mentioning any price or number.
The moment you mention any number, you're going to get a much higher price, probably between their last mentioned price and your number.
You want something and ask them their first price, mentally divide it by about five and see that as your maximum price.
Then simply tell them it's too much for you/ not worth it whenever they mention a new price.
Don't be afraid to simply walk away if they don't lower the price enough to your liking.
This takes time, confidence and not everyone has the patience nor the poker-face to pull it off.
They are very good at recognising your non-verbal communication, and they will instantly see it if you're bluffing.

When the price is low enough to your liking and you have seen more things you like, ask them to make a nice combined price for everything together.

If you project your native values, income levels and prices at home onto people in other nations/cultures, you will get a very bad deal every time.
Also, you will help undermine value at the place you visit.
Let's say that the owner of a restaurant makes 30US$ a day. If you go to the restaurant with two couples, pay 10 US$ per person for a meal and give the son of the owner, who is the waiter, a 10 US$ tip, that kid will make much more than his father per day. That kind of tipping unbalances the values and can seriously destabilize a culture.

Tipping in my view is a way to get better service than others.
IMO at a place like Hedo that is pretty anti-social behaviour, since everyone already paid for tips and everything else.
So no, we don't tip.

However, at the last day we do fill in the card and explicitly mention those staff members who went above and beyond their call to make our stay pleasant.
We also leave the cleaning ladies candy and chocolate as well as a little thank you note *at the last day of our stay*, as a thank you.
They won't remember us the next time, but that doesn't matter to us.

**millionsnmilo** · 07-25-2013, 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by smallandtall

They won't remember us the next time, but that doesn't matter to us.

You are truly misguided --they do remember!
I've been to hedo 3x and they remember me year to year

**smallandtall** · 07-25-2013, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by millionsnmilo

You are truly misguided --they do remember!
I've been to hedo 3x and they remember me year to year

Misguided? Not really. :-)
But we don't go there every year, and oftentimes the person cleaning the room (which I was referring to) never sees us enter or leave our room during our stay.
So no, no reason to assume that they would remember us because of the little token of appreciation we leave behind after we move out of the room.

**CopNkitten** · 07-25-2013, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Brian&Terri

It's my birthday today also.

Happy Birthday, hope you have a great day.
Cop..

**RazrRila99** · 07-28-2013, 02:46 PM

When it comes to tipping at an AI (granted Ive only been to one, H2 will be my second). I will tip those who I feel went above and beyond their normal duty. Be it actually welcoming me into the "group", going above and beyond for other guests, keeping their cool from an irate guest, etc. I didnt do this until my last night there, so as to make sure they knew it wasnt an expectation, etc. Granted, I understand the "against the rules" thing of tipping since the guests have already pre-paid them so to speak, but sometimes the smallest gesture will make the most and biggest impression. As for being noticed, etc, the "loaded handshake" is always an accepted practice.