Tipping for travel writers

[Linda Batey]

I'm a travel writer and write mostly about B&Bs and Inns. I feel as though even though I haven't paid for the room, the staff still has to clean up after me, so I typically leave a tip equivalent to what the night's stay would have cost me. Do others do this?

[Malerie Yolen-Cohen]

Yes - I do the same thing, and it's only fair.  The housekeepers generally gain no benefit from a comp stay and do the hard work.

[David Lawrence]

I'm not a writer but I have been on the other side of the writer-hotel worker relationship. Malerie is right because I never earned anything by the owner comping someone but I did the same work and maybe even more work ('make sure you treat this guy good').

[David Paul Appell]

Hi, Linda!  I agree with both these comments, and that goes for waiters serving comped meals, too.  For more elaboration, you might also want to check our Media Only! group, where this question came up in November 2009 and April 2010 (you can locate the specific comments by typing "tipping" in the search box at the top right corner of the page).

[Evelyn Kanter]

Absolutely, positively.  Always tip the same for anything comped -- housekeeper in a hotel or B&B, wait staff for a meal,  tour guide, golf pro, tennis pro. ski instructor, whatever  -- as you would if you were paying for it.

[Claiborne House B&B]

Good question.

 

What difference does it make whether the stay was comped or paid in full? Should you tip? Do what you would normally do.

The housekeeper does not know who paid what for what room.  Of course the staff has to clean up, as do the owners who are footing the bill. It costs a B&B owner to have someone stay in a room, for some reason people think "if it is free to them" then there is no cost to house a guest. It costs!

 

Remember many B&B's do not have staff, so the owners are the same ones cleaning your room. :) Do the right thing, no matter what the situation. It is always appreciated!

[Kathleen Walls]

Yes I feel I need to tip for services I would normally tip for were the room not comped. However on press trips where the host city  is present and picks up a restaurant tab, they include the tip. Traveling on my own I do the tip even if the meal is comped.