Tipping, Tipping, Tipping

Weather, money, general tips, help and more... your Puerto Vallarta trip made easy.

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Do you tip when travelling All-inclusive?

Yes
69
64%
No
6
6%
Haven't ever travelled All-inclusive
32
30%
 
Total votes: 107

Maxi
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Tipping

Post by Maxi » Thu Aug 24, 2006 4:02 pm

My advice to deciding on who to tip and how much is to stop and think if the person really deserved a tip. The service in Puerto Vallarta in general is quite good so no one should not be giving you the proper service. If you feel that a person did not deserve the tip what so ever then you are not obliged to tip them. I usually tip the maids about $20 american the last day, waiters are nice and provide good service, sometimes the cab driversand of course the bartenders, now you must not forget to tip them you will notice how much quicker your drink will come when you start tipping them well. When I arrive at the Puerto Vallarta airport I try to avoid people carrying my bags to the bus because I find them a lttle to aggressive when they demand a tip!

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Tipping in PV

Post by brilliantjenii » Thu Nov 30, 2006 3:11 am

It took me a good year to figure out the tipping- it's a bit different than New York, but here's how myself and other transplanted locals tip:

Bag boys- 5 pesos minimum. If it's a lot, or they help carry, I up it significantly. The way I see it, as long as they're away from other customers, they're missing out on other tips.

Maids- 20 to 30 pesos a day if in a hotel. In my home my maid charges 52 pesos (about 5 dollars) an hour and I give her an extra 10 or 20 pesos on top of that.

Taxis- I tip 10 pesos (about a dollar) on average. I used to tip significantly more until I learned something. From the Marina to La Palapa was 120 pesos for me, but only 80 pesos for my fiance who is a local. If they go out of their way, (Benjamin who gave me my first tour of inland Puerto Vallarta and refused to let me pay, and Arturo who took me grocery shopping and acted as my translator) I tip significantly.

Gas attendants- 10 to 30 pesos.

Servers- a little inside information here guys; they get paid 40 pesos (less than 4 dollars) a day and in most cases (yes, especially in the nicest restaurants in PV) their tips pay the wages of everyone else in the restaurant. They tip out the cashier, the hostess, the cleaning crew, the bartender, their assistant (if fine dining), their manager, and even the chef and his crew. Roughly, well over half of their tips for the evening pay the wages of the rest of the restaurant's employees. Also, I know restaurants are in the habit of booking events that are expected to include a tip (wedding, rehearsal, private parties) but the servers simply go home with nothing. I would NEVER tip less than 20%. If the restaurant is not particularly expensive, I am more than happy to tip 50%. One of my fiance's friends actually brings his favorite La Palapa and Lazy Lizard servers a bottle of vintage wine when he comes to visit, on top of a generous tip- what a guy!

Someone above mentioned they were happy to tip more and see that smile on the person's face- kudos to you! everyone should have that approach!

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Post by ChristieB199 » Fri Mar 09, 2007 6:53 am

Wow this is such a good idea and I should have plenty of bath and body works to take along with me from taking advantage of the last big semi annual sale!

Crispy63
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All inclusives

Post by Crispy63 » Thu Apr 12, 2007 7:48 pm

Have only stayed at an all-inclusive once - in Mazatlan. My brother (who has done All-Incl lots) advised to tip $10 to the first guy who brings you a drink, and you'd be good for the rest of the day as he would see to it that you never went without for the rest of the day.

Tried it...3 times...didn't work. Tipped $10 for one round of drinks! 3 times! Never saw the guy again. I don't mind tipping at all, but I'm not gonna do it every round...or should I tip a buck every round?

Any advice? What is the norm? Or should I say what is expected?

Also - I understand that Corona is not included on the 'all-inclusive' plan. I have a real 'issue' with beer from a 2 litre bottle in a plastic cup (yuck!). Is it wrong/unacceptable/bad manners to walk over to a liquor store and buy some Corona and a bucket and fill it with ice and drink my own Corona at the pool or on the beach in front of my own hotel?

Headed to PV on Apr 21 - staying a GCP.

Thanks for any/all advice - I'm a newbie!

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Re: All inclusives

Post by DELETED » Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:38 pm

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tojol57
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Re: All inclusives

Post by tojol57 » Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:53 pm

Crispy63 wrote:Also - I understand that Corona is not included on the 'all-inclusive' plan. I have a real 'issue' with beer from a 2 litre bottle in a plastic cup (yuck!). Is it wrong/unacceptable/bad manners to walk over to a liquor store and buy some Corona and a bucket and fill it with ice and drink my own Corona at the pool or on the beach in front of my own hotel?

Headed to PV on Apr 21 - staying a GCP.

Thanks for any/all advice - I'm a newbie!
Well as a 11 time returning guest to the GCP i have seen stranger things at the resort. The biggest beef i have is those people that have to have their Bud Light, Miller Lite, etc and will not drink the Sol or Indio that is provided by the resort... Yes you can walk a block away to the Soriana and buy your precious Corona (which by my humble opinion is not the best beer of Mexico). There are so many better beers in Mexico - Pacifico, Dos XX (amber or lager), Modelo Negra, Bahemia, and on and on... And there is nothing wrong with the beer from a litre bottle that is kept on ice and served in on of those water filled chlled mugs... and if you sit at one of the bars (pub or breeze) you can have your beer in a glass but you have to sit there and drink it....

Have a good time at the GCP... mi casa...

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Post by Crispy63 » Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:33 pm

I have no care if Corona is good or bad beer - it's the one I like. I don't mind Sol, so I'll see how it is served at the GCP before heading off to buy my own. My only experience at an all inclusive was the beer poured into a plain plastic cup - the beer was warm before you even got to the beach with it. Just trying to come up with a solution to have COLD beer.

Any suggestions on the standard tipping practice as far as tipping the servers?

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Post by DELETED » Fri Apr 13, 2007 4:08 pm

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tojol57
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Post by tojol57 » Fri Apr 13, 2007 8:51 pm

Crispy63 wrote: My only experience at an all inclusive was the beer poured into a plain plastic cup - the beer was warm before you even got to the beach with it. Just trying to come up with a solution to have COLD beer.

Any suggestions on the standard tipping practice as far as tipping the servers?
A suggestion for you for keeping your beer cold - many people will get their own insulated mugs for their cocktails and beers. some will put a couple of ice cubes in their beers (just like we do at the ball parks when you pay $10 for glass of beer) so you may want to think that one over again...

as for tipping, granted when you buy the AI package, your tips are included... but here is what we do, we will tip those people working the beach and the pool area a buck or two every other or so rounds, or we may tip them at the end of the day when we are ready to leave the pool or beach area... i do take care of my bartenders too as they keep my drinks just the way i like them, and they always have my Appleton Rum at my ready when i want something other than beer, or when they make sure they have plenty of acetunas (olives) for my beer as well.... As for the resturants, i always leave some thing on the table for the wait staff, and i alway slip something to the Matr'd's for taking care of me as well...
as for the maid, i leave $20-$30 pesos a day on the pillow for her with a note "Muchas Gracias"....

hope this will help you some as well....

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palapa_gal
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Post by palapa_gal » Fri Apr 13, 2007 10:08 pm

tojol57 wrote:as for tipping, granted when you buy the AI package, your tips are included
When you buy an AI package, do you really think that tips are included? I know it states that tips are included in the package description but how much of that money do you really think the workers see? Sure the management of the resort will see your money but I bet you they don't pass any of it along to the real people that do all the work like bartenders, waiters, maids etc...

Just my 2 cents.

Let the debate begin. :lol: :wink: :D 8)

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nevadabadgirl
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Post by nevadabadgirl » Sat Apr 14, 2007 1:54 am

Even when ordering room service in America, where many times the tip is included, I still give them extra...I overtip in most restaurants and bars too. Probably comes from working for tips most of my life and also living in Vegas for most of my life (where money makes the world go round).

I will have a pocket full of dollar bills while there. I know what the minimum wages are in Mexico, and would definitely feel way too guilty to realize that these folks were providing me a service for those pitiful amounts. If I didn't have something to tip them, I would get off my own lazy butt and get whatever I needed.

tojol57
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tips

Post by tojol57 » Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:35 pm

I have to agree with Miss Las Vegas... if you have ever been a waiter/waitress, bartender, etc... and 80-90% of your wages was from tips, you knew how to bust your butt and earn them too.... as i too will over tip sometimes just becuase i have been there as well...

palapa gal... as for "tips included" in the all inclusive pricing... that is true... now granted what the value of those tips are is something for discussion... For the Sandals Group in Jamaica... they review this weekly... the GM, and all his managers would get together and review occupancy, amount of revenue that brought in, then what the expenses were for that week, and then start dividing down the spoils... the only reason i know this is because we got to sit thru one with the GM Horace Peterkin at Sandals Montego Bay... now for the AI's in Mexico, that could be a totally different story... but we all know what the average daily wage is in the resorts we stay at in Mexico... and i have yet to see one American that would work 8 - 10 hrs for $10 USD a day.... heck most of them will barely give you a full days work for $10/hr for an 8 hr day...

and now that was my two cents worth...

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chuck
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Post by chuck » Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:44 pm

Just because I like to stir the pot I'm going to update this thread.

The only other thing that rattles peoples chains about resorts other than wether to go AI or not is wether to tip or not.

To those who do not tip, you can call me a SOB and I won't care. I tip heavily and often. It is one of the pleasures I get when on vacation in Mexico. I'm sure the workers at AI resorts don't expect everyone to tip but they sure appreciate it when someone does. My last trip to the Riviera Maya just 4 weeks ago resulted in one of the biggest tip fests I've done yet. I exchanged usd at the airport and received it all in $50 peso notes. Our maid, bartenders and waiters all received a $50peso note at least once every day. I also brought along $150 usd in ones $40usd in twos and $75 usd in fives and got rid of most of those during the trip.

This may sound like a bit over the top, but the service was fantastic, I was having a great time, I can afford it and they can use it. WIN / WIN if you ask me.

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nevadabadgirl
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Post by nevadabadgirl » Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:03 am

I haven't posted here in a while, but of course this subject brings me back :)
This may sound like a bit over the top, but the service was fantastic, I was having a great time, I can afford it and they can use it. WIN / WIN if you ask me.
Amen brother...and that about sums it up. Here's the way it works in the hospitality industry (worldwide as far as I know)...the hotel/resort/casino pays the waitress to bring you drinks....how often depends on the tip. Yes, if you don't tip you will get a drink...and maybe even a second if you are on the way to the guy who tipped! :D But the guy who tipped will never have a empty glass...

Only about 6 weeks to go for me, not that I am counting or anything LOL

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Post by sunlover » Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:55 pm

You have totally summed it all up, Chuck! I agree with you all the way!

If you can afford it, you tip more.....sometimes it's not the size of the tip, it's the tip! They totally appreciate it and the service is fantastic!

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chuck
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Post by chuck » Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:09 pm

:D

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chuck
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Post by chuck » Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:09 pm

:D

tojol57
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Post by tojol57 » Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:55 pm

Bravo Senor Carlos. Excellente buddy. Lorrie and I are alot like you and Kaye. We too can afford it and we will do it routinely and regularly with anybody and everybody in Puerto Vallarta, not just the resort.

it is to each their own on this subject. but if you want walk a mile in their shoes, you may re-think this subject

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Tipping Airport Porters

Post by cdnevilwoman » Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:37 pm

What would be a good or average tip for the porters at the PV airport?

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tandr2
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Post by tandr2 » Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:16 pm

we always tip - depending on the service...

on another note - not to sound stupid - but does the US have $2 bills? we just discussed this at home the other day... in Canada we have the toonie but what about the states? :)

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