04/19/2011

Villa Vacation Tipping Guide

We are often asked by our clients who to tip and how much. Like many places in the world, most people in the service industry in Mexico depend on tips for their livelihood. Tips are not mandatory and should not be given automatically. Instead, they should reflect your satisfaction with the service you receive. Here are some guidelines to help you determine tip amounts.

Villa Staff: for a weekly rental, a minimum of $100 for each of the service staff, but depending on the villa, it can be $400 per week or more. A good guideline is 5% of the rental rate.
Condo or hotel housekeeping: $5-10 each day for housekeeping or calculate $2-4/guest/night for groups. If you prefer to leave a tip envelope at the end of your stay, be sure to find out if your maid is the same throughout your vacation.
Cook service: Tip the same as a restaurant, 10-15% depending on the level of service and if you like, up to 20% for exceptional food and service.
At a restaurant or bar: Tip like you would tip at a restaurant in your hometown. We recommend 10-15% of the total bill depending on the class of establishment and level of service. For exceptional service, consider 20%. Be sure to check your bill first — sometimes a service charge is already included.
Parking Attendant/Valet parking: $1-2 when your car is returned, depending on the level of the establishment.
Dive masters, boat captains: $10-25 per person. Remember they share their tips with the rest of the crew.
Tour Guides/Airport Transfers: 10-20% depending on the level of service and length of the trip.
Masseuse: $5-20 for a massage, depending on the length and level of service.
Baggage porters: About $1 per bag. $1-5 depending on number of bags, weight and time spent.
Grocery baggers, parking lot attendants, gas station attendants, taxi drivers, bus drivers: loose change is always appreciated! If drivers help with bags, then you should consider tipping more.

Everywhere you travel, there is likely to be someone in the tourism industry ready to make your vacation pleasurable. So be sure to bring $1 bills for tipping and continue to carry change and small bills throughout your trip to show your appreciation.