One traveler reported that Hiltons Hampton Inn & Suites Las Vegas Henderson has a new and creative way of squeezing guests. They automatically add tips to guest bills and aren't telling anyone.The receipt I received this morning showed a $0.42 Sales Tax and a $5 Housekeeping Gratuity [on a single night's stay]. I'm not amused. Even if it's a one-night stay, I tip my housekeepers. But not often enough and I don't add taxes.The hotel adds it automatically to guests who use their mobile app to check-in, according to the hotel. They will ask you if you are willing to allow them to check you in at the desk. If you don't review your bill or visit the front desk and you use mobile check-in, the hotel will charge you more than you expected. Even if you are told in person about the fee, you will be treated as a jerk if you don't tip generously (plus tax!). Hampton Inn offers limited services. When the guest requested, they took it off the bill.Credit: Hilton Hampton Inn & Suites Las Vegas Henderson-HendersonTipping is not supposed to be automatic. Although you are not supposed to cover a percentage of the wage, that is what happens in practice. You should be rewarding excellent service. It is not an incentive or reward to give a good service, but if the tip is paid upfront, it is not a reward for the actual service. Staff talk: People who tip for longer stays every day set an expectation for staff.To be clear, it is not hospitality to pick your pocket with unexpected fees. You shouldn't add things to your bill that the hotel doesn't tell you about.Although I don't like tipping, I do it because it is expected and how the U.S. system works. It would be a good idea to make tipping easier and less stressful than an opt-out.There is no reason to believe that your tip goes to the person cleaning your room. It is possible that if you leave cash in your room, it will not be credited. If a different person cleans your room, they may get the entire amount.Tipping does not increase the overall pay of hotel housekeepers. Housekeepers will work for a wage. To attract workers to manage the hotel, hotels must pay only the minimum wage. Hotels can pay less to their housekeepers if some of the money is paid by guests. Housekeepers are expected to receive a minimum amount in tips, which is a factor in their willingness and ability to work.Marriott, for example, does not pay enough to its housekeeping staff. They want you to tip them.A CEO of a large hotel group that includes Hyatt, Hiltons and IHG properties is looking for ways to make customers tip more so they don't have to pay more wages. Tipping is an inefficient way to pay housekeepers. Tipping doesn't raise their wages. Housekeepers need to be paid a certain amount to get the job done. Hotels can't pay as much to attract guests if they have more guests. This is what the CEO of a hotel chain believes.Hilton's CEO, however, is determined to maintain Covid-19 pandemic reductions in place to preserve cost and increase hotel margins. Expect to see more of these. Ironically, Hiltons CEO said that he does not tip his housekeepers on his own stays.
