Tips at resorts

...I used to, and well above & beyond 99.9% of the time but recently I left nothing due to just absolute shit service. Only 2 customers in the place at the time and neither could get silverware, condiments or refills...

 

Tip em. It's pennies compared to the trip. By that I mean the dude/chic bringing you umbrella drinks on the beach.

 

I went to an all inclusive beach day excursion thing on a cruise. Tips were included but the bar was crowded so I gave the bartender a $20. Apparently that was a big tip there because suddenly the bar back turned into my waiter. People were 3 deep at the bar and I couldn’t finish half a beer before the bar back brought me another one to my chair.

My wife could see I was getting out of hand and ended up having to tip him another $20 to stop bringing beers
Tip them if they’ll take it, a few bucks goes a LONG way in Mexico and you’ll have a better time.

 

See? This guy gets it.

 

I bring a stack of ones and fives. Go to the bank and get at least 100 in ones and 100 in fives.

Tip 5 for room service per day (lay on bed) , 1-2 per drink run, and 5 for sit down dinner. Usually, it more than pays for itself in freebies and upgrades. Also, tip good tour guides or activities like in the US, 15-20% depending on quality.

Pay in pesos when you can, tip usd. Most places have a poor exchange rate even though dollar can be used interchangeably with pesos.

 

I think you're in the wrong tipping thread

 

Sounds like you've got the answer you're looking for but I'll also reiterate what others have said - tip.

Wife and I are heading for our annual All-inclusive to Mexico next month - Cabo this year and as mentioned, we always tip and feel that even if it wasn't solely to satisfy our consciences we actually do get much better service in return BUT, we've never NOT tipped so that could also be psychosomatic as well.

- We've been told by EVERYONE we've asked that Peso's are preferred over USD (we're Canadian but bring both just in case but usually a 5-1 ratio of Peso's to USD).
- Room - 40-50 peso's/day
- Pool Bartender or waiter, 100 peso's first drink and 50 every round after (we drink doubles and there's 2 drinks/round)
- lunch waiter 40-50 peso's
- dinner server - 50-100 depending on the place and quality of service
- Taxi's 50-100 depending on length of the ride of course.
- Tour guides - varies widely but 15% minimum up to 25% if they are above and beyond.

We brought our daughter last year and practically never left the resort and in 7 days we went through $15USD and another $175USD when converted from Peso's - very small amount to add onto the overall budget. This year will be just the 2 of us so that'll more that triple as we can take excursions, will drink more, and eat at nicer restaurants.

Years ago when we lived in the Cayman Islands we vacationed often in Cuba - if you ever want to see a $10USD bill change a life, that was the place 20 years ago. Nicest people and super grateful. Mexico in recent years has treated us well and my wife and I both cut our chops in the Hospitality industry (I am still in it for consulting) so we are quite aware of grat's and when/where/how much we should offer.

 

@younglion why 5-1 pesos to USD?

 

Ask the cab/shuttle driver if tips are preferred in pesos or USD, they will know the best without you having to be all awkward on the resort.

If tipping in pesos, do the easy math of 20 pesos = $1.

10 pesos per drink at the bar, 20 if delivered pool side, and 50 pesos per large order if on the beach. Always order two drinks per person at the beach so they don't have to make multiple/endless trips. If you drink beer, look at getting a bucket of beers with ice; if it's nice, they might provide a cooler.

We always tipped at every service (food, beverages, walk up bar). Even a small gratuity goes a long way to building goodwill with the staff. Giving a few pesos to the bus boy at the buffet is HUGE to them as they are usually ignored, so that little attention pays dividends later.

Just tip everyone who brings you something. My easiest math is 20 pesos per dollar, and tip about half of the amount you would in the states. Don't over do it.

 

What I meant was we would bring 5 times the currency in Peso's to what we would bring in USD, for example we usually only bring about $750USD total to Mexico so we get the equivalent of $600ish in Peso's and then bring $150 in actual USD in case we run into those who prefer to be paid in Trump Bucks.

As PSCook says - we use the 15-1 conversion rate for our Canadian dollar rather than the 20-1 for a US greenback.

 

Knowing how fond Chris is of the beasts
I'm sure he'll find a local show, and while
I'm sure you tip the girl, do you tip the donkey also?

Asking for a friend.

 

Buy the resort. Advise them they are under new management and their gratuity from you is also known as an annual salary. And shit.

 

If you plan on buying all the bottled water, it will cost you.

 

At Sandals in Montego Bay they kept an eye out on people tipping and would tell us it's not allowed so we would put the money in our mugs and then hand it to the bartender. Management didn't want us to tip, but the employees appreciated it and our service was much better because of it.

 

I likely won't have a choice but to tip in pesos. Weve already been in Mexico for about a week and I have $US, but the hotel we are in now only changes to pesos.

We didn't plan for this and didn't know we were going to Cancun till yesterday afternoon. We were trying to think of stuff to do for the next week, I was looking for some petting zoos and shit, then I remembered that Cancun is in Mexico, and I was like "lets do that". So I just googled it and booked it. If I would have known we were going to do this, I would have came with a bunch of 5's and 1's.

So 10 pesos per drink won't be insulting? That's only about $0.50. Ill probably do 20 pesos just in case, that is about the same as the typical $1 per drink in the US. Then when we go to a bar at the beginning of the night, ill give 100 pesos with the first drink to help set the night up good.

 

This made me LOL.

 

I don't believe in tipping

 

I always tip the bartenders $20 or so the first day i'm there. It usually guarantees good service the rest of the time i'm there. If they keep it up i throw them another $20 at the end of the week. The bar tenders are the only ones i tip at an all inclusive resort unless its an employee who goes out of their way to get me something i want/need.

 

Never change money. You should always get it from an ATM. Currency exchanges rape you no matter what way you are going.

 

Uhhh...since you're in Mexico and looking for things to do, I would probably stay away from things that say Donkey show. It may not be what you're looking for.