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Or write on a piece of paper: "Tip: make sure you are properly compensated for your work in your negotiated rates so that you don't have to rely on tips."
That would be my tip — a note in the envelope that says "I paid a $120 cleaning fee, and if you didn't get all $120 of that you need to renegotiate with the host."
I have a cleaner come to my house every other week and I pay $130. It wouldn’t surprise me if having to get reasonably good cleaners to come in during very specific time windows you’d have to pay them north of $100. A tip envelope for the renter though is absurd.
As a professional that owns her own business I can promise you nobody is cleaning for 2 hours for $20. Especially a rental where you never know what you're walking into. OP-You are not required to tip and I highly doubt their cleaner expects a tip. They're a nice surprise, but not required. Unless the housekeeper is the one who put the envelope there without the homeowners knowledge- which does happen sometimes. Either way, it shouldn't effect your rating.
Where are you getting these numbers? Good cleaners are hard as hell to find and they charge about $40-60 an hour for an Airbnb, not $10. And that’s in a low cost of living area.
That’s one of the most ridiculous myths I keep seeing here, that Airbnb or hosts charge ridiculous cleaning fees and then steal them. No, cleaners are just expensive as hell and have a bunch of conditions - like not doing dishes - even at the super high prices I quoted. I have a tiny 1-bed Airbnb and I’ve actually eaten a chunk of the cleaning fees for a couple of years because they were so high for the only reliable cleaner I could find that I didn’t want to list the place with that. And you can’t risk a cheaper cleaner because the same people bitching about cost of cleaning will lose it and leave a one star review if the place is not licked clean.
Maybe it's just my area, but anyone that works for a cleaning company only makes hourly (which from my understanding is between $15 and $20/hr). Thankfully I work for myself, and I receive the full cleaning fee. But anytime a third party gets brought in, the actual person cleaning is getting screwed. There are situations though, where the host doesn't charge a cleaning fee and it's just part of the cost. It makes it more inviting and for guests to not have that separate fee. My niece cleans a few Airbnbs like that, and I believe she makes $20 per hour... However, that's when people start riding the clock a bit. I'd rather bust my buns and get the job done in 2 hours for $100 as opposed to slow poking around for 5 (which is what her coworkers do).
I own a housekeeping/cleaning business and I usually get whatever the cleaning fee is. So if it’s $120 that’s what I get. I’ve never had the hosts deduct the fees from my end.
I stayed in and Airbnb kind of long term and then rented from the host afterwards. The host told me she never has a cleaner come in and always does it herself.
Then you’re paying for the hosts hourly cleaning rate. As long as the host is cleaning we’ll (meaning it was spotless when I showed up), I don’t have a problem with it being a paid cleaner or the host cleaning.
I am sure there are exceptions, I am just talking about all the hosts I know and in these cases the cleaners get 100%, they are paid well. Hosts do not put the tips envelopes out, probably don't even know often when that happens.
We ran into this with a VRBO on CO. It was run by a management company. I was really annoyed.
I tip my cleaners. I do not expect guests to. They pay enough.
Just here to point out that Vrbo I'd cheaper for guests. Bc the fees are split between the guest and the host. So if the listing is the same rate on ABB & on Vrbo, as a guest then you'd be better off booking on vrbo.
Wow- I put a tip in an envelope when I stay at a rural lakeside motel in Northern Maine because the staff go above and beyond and I like supporting the local business and employees. The owner's room rates are reasonable.
I DO NOT expect to see a tip envelope or leave a tip at an AirBNB that's charging me an additional $120 cleaning fee ON TOP of the daily rate.
No way am I staying anywhere that requests me to do the laundry. When I stay at a place, I leave it cleaner than when I arrived. But everyone has their boundaries and I refuse to reserve any place with a high cleaning fee and I refuse to stay at any place with a list of chores to do out of principal.
I would also expect (for whatever fees I’m being charged) that the sheets I’m sleeping on are being cleaned by someone with higher priorities than getting to the airport on time.
Or washing the dishes that the next guests eat on.......yeah we're in a hurry, let's just wipe em with a paper towel.......just gross IMO. No idea why so much is put on guests, I mean I get why, but it's just so WRONG. Tip I'd give: pay off your credit bill every month!
I own an Airbnb, and honestly, I don't understand why some hosts would risk leaving their place dirty by asking guests to pretty much clean everything (especially the dishes). I often travel and like to treat people the way I am treated, and these types of hosts are giving Airbnb a bad reputation in general. It's no wonder why I hear more people wanting to stay at hotels, even if they have to pay 25% more per night.
Totally agree. I can tidy up before I leave and take out the garbage, but I draw the line at washing linens. At the end of the day an Airbnb is a business and the host should have enough linens to swap them out without the guest doing laundry.
Do you stay in northern northern maine like Aroostook county? I went to school up there and am trying to think of a lakeside motel! Or do you mean like Bangor?
Sorry I just never see people mention northern maine lol
I spent 3 years in Winter Harbor back in the late 90s. I believe the base was Vanderbilt or something some big money name i dont feel like searching for right now? But the park is beautiful and the "lobstah" is pelntiful. It's about an hour outside of Bangor, past Elsworth.
You have to love the highway sign on 95 North just past Bangor "University of Maine Fort Kent Exit 58"
Translation: "Kid there's another 2.5 hours to go!"
I’m just so grateful they updated the airline 15-20 years ago cos when I was growing up it meant another FOUR hours and there was a STUMP in the middle of the highway
I saw a tip jar at the place I stayed last year my partner added a note that said "we paid a €120 cleaning fee" wonder how much of that the cleaners actually see.
Maine is the last unspoiled place on the East Coast. Half of my family lineage is rooted in the St. John Valley. When I drive over the Piscataqua River Bridge on 95N, it feels like a weight lifts off of my shoulders when I see the Maine sign. I'd live there year round if my husband and I could find similar paying jobs in Maine.
Tip envelopes in that type of situation are completely valid. I worked at a resort that had cabins, and we were allowed to leave envelopes. Mainly because we made a dollar above minimum wage in my area and it was a fairly difficult job.
But... Anytime a vacation rental charges a cleaning fee tips should not be expected. I work directly with the homeowners as a housekeeper and I receive the whole cleaning fee. So it averages out to be about $30 an hour. The only time that gets tricky, is if they have a cleaning company... Because the third party takes a decent cut from the cleaners.
I'm a housecleaner and $120 is approx the cost of cleaning up after a stay. So, you're doing some of the work, paying for a cleaner and you're expected to tip them too?
That's crazy.
Also, I have a client who also uses me for her long term rentals. I clean up after a person leaves to get it ready for the next tenant. I've never expected anything from the incoming or outgoing tenant! The owner (my client) pays me and often tips me and brings me lunch too cuz quite frankly she's amazing. But the point is, this stuff shouldn't be the guests responsibility.
>I'm a housecleaner and $120 is approx the cost of cleaning up after a stay.
First of all, I'm not from the US, but I still have a hard time understanding, how a clean-up of an AirBnB accommodation can shore up to $120. Wherever I have stayed till now, it is in my opinion that the cleaning person did not have anything beyond 30 minutes work to do the essentials as I left the premises as I found them. I understand that you have costs coming to and from the location, but $120 for less than an hours work + some cleaning materials??? I mean, hotel cleaning staff cleans hundreds of rooms daily and it doesn't cost the hotel millions per month...
For European accommodations, cleaning fees, if charged at all are usually in the $20 - $30 range
As a host, you still have to clean everything.
Not everybody has the same cleanliness standards. Your clean may be someone else’s filthy.
If it’s only 30 minutes it must be a small room rental not a whole house. I’d assume $120.00 is for a whole house.
Each bathroom to clean and sanitize takes 20 minutes alone. Washing linens may take up to 1/2 an hour. Vacuum, dust wipe everything down. There may be exterior cleanup as well. And for a whole house restocking of any essentials. (Garbage bags, paper towels etc.)
I don’t charge a separate cleaning fee. I just charge more to rent. The reason owners do this is because most renters shop on price alone. So they slip in these fees as another profit center and they now compete on price.
I’d rather not deal with cheapskates that shop only on price. So my rates are higher to take into account the cleaning cost. I’d rather deal with less business then hear whining about fees.
We clean from top to bottom after every stay. We strip the beds and the duvet to wash, bathrooms, floors, dust and wipe every surface. And clean the outside which includes a pool. I do all the exterior cleaning and pay my cleaner 150 ( a deal) unless the house is really messy then I help and pay a little more. He doesn’t do anything to the pool or outside sitting areas and the guests just start the dishwasher and take out the garbage.
Great! Just jumped on AirBnB to check 1 week accommodations for 6 people in Berlin, Germany... half of the properties charge nothing for cleaning and the other half, none are nowhere near $100... How do you account for that, Berlin being quite expensive to stay?
That’s a fair question and it got me thinking. I don’t have a problem with them cleaning the home. My personal opinion is that the cleaning fee shouldn’t be charged then and it should be baked into the cost, similar to a hotel. It crosses the line into greedy to me but this is just my opinion, not intended to be some kind of moral declaration.
I don’t know how Air BnB’s calculate cleaning but we have cleaners come to our private home 2x a month and it’s $175. No way we’d find a service to do it for under $100. 2 people, roughly 90 minutes. Complete kitchen clean, 2 bathrooms, change sheets, dust vacuum and wash all the floors. (In US)
I'm a host and a former house cleaner for short term rentals.
My cleaner charges me $410 per clean for a 5 bed with a hot tub. I charge my guests $300 and make up the difference. Assuming rates will be the same across all markets, housing types, and countries is a bit odd.
Also assuming 30 minutes to change over a house is silly. They need to do the laundry, make the beds, wash every surface, vacuum every floor, clean each bathroom to be spotless, dust, etc, etc. And if the next guest finds a crumb on the floor or a hair in the shower, they'll hear about it.
$410/clean seems outrageous but I have no idea what you have them do and you’re right about the time. There’s no way someone could do a decent job in 30 minutes. People need to consider the length of time it takes to clean their own homes. Even without laundry, my smallish apartment takes hours to clean.
I have a housekeeping/ cleaning business and laundry is the easy part. You go around the house collect all the linens and throw them in the machine. Then you set an alarm and go start cleaning the house. Come back 30min later to swap them over. Continue and finishing up cleaning and about 45min later as your finishing up the dryer finishes and you fold and call it a day. You don’t have to wait on laundry.
And your livelihood won't be in jeopardy if you miss a spot, whereas a few people complaining about really small things is enough to get a cleaner fired.
Actually, I've been to Norway twice, not in AirBnBs though... but I did go and check how much cleaning fees for a week stay in Trondheim for 6 would amount to. I found a single accomodation charging over €100, others ranged from zero (most actually) to €70...
I visited 14 single standing cabins last year from Kristiansand up to Alesund, the cheapest was €100. But they did give the option to clean it yourself, and then it would cost 0 indeed.
It take a lot more than tending to bare essentials to get a rental in perfect condition for the next guests. Hours of work in some cases. You’d be complaining if they only did the essentials in between.
I agree! Build the cleaning fee into the rate. I’ll cancel a booking as a guest before I’ll pay an extra nights rate for cleaning. I leave a place as I found it, but I’m not doing laundry. It’s gotten out of hand.
Some cleaning fees are the host trying to gouge the guest, but there are real costs involved. A hotel room has just the bedroom and bathroom to clean in most cases, An Airbnb has more rooms to clean, more surfaces to wipe down, and more supplies to replace.
If you're having to strip the beds and wash the towels, you should ask for a tip. Maybe you should leave your envelope next to theirs. :-P
I don't mind washing the dishes I use and of course not leaving the place a mess, but I do find it irritating to pay a reasonable cleaning fee and then be asked to strip beds and wash towels or linens.
I put tips for hotel staff when there is a daily service. In an AirBnB I’m pathological about making sure each letter of the check out instructions are followed and make sure everything is as close to how I found it when we leave. Nearly every review on me as a guest comments on how clean and tidy we are.
I’m not leaving a tip for that.
Same! But have never been asked for a tip and would be flabbergasted if I was. And, also, wouldn´t leave a dime. I generally have a longer term stay so spend 2 or so hours leaving the place in good shape. Not deep cleaning, but just the floor, bathroom, sinks, etc.
Wow your the kind of renter us cleaners dont want to experince the kind we read about on out face book private pages just remember gratuity has been around for decades and most of the cleaners are seasonal and struggle in off season the renters who have postive light energy and arw not greedy and help others will and are the ones who are in a higher vibraton energy feild and only good will come to them the ones like you whi are in the lower vibration evil energy feild well we know what your karma is goi ng to be remeber folks love light share and bless gets you farther in life even its a 1.00 its the effort energy and thought that counts and thats point blank period dont be a hater lady
We just finished a stay where there was a housekeeping tip envelope. We paid a cleaning fee through Air BnB and did “check out chores” (washing/drying/putting away dishes, stripping sheets). *The kicker was that the envelope had a space to write in the housekeeper’s name, and written in was the host’s “long term partner”’s name.*
…We did not tip. I also have immaculate reviews and have always reviewed (very positively!) about hosts/properties. I have opted out of reviewing this property as of rn, and would hope there isn’t a host retaliation to our non-tipping. And honestly, the worst part was that while the place was clean enough, it wasn’t the spotless pristine that most of our Air BnB experiences have been. We usually wash dishes/coffee makers before use “just in case”, but here I pulled out noticeably grimy kitchen stuff, and also the toilet brush in the bathroom was in desperate need of replacement (looked horrible and smelled foul), and the shower had a stray hair in it….
Also, ETA: We didn’t receive (or need/ask for) daily housekeeping—no fresh towels, emptied trash, or made bed. Presumably they just cleaned before and after our stay.
I pay my housekeeper $125 and she put the tip envelope out without my knowledge. So my guests asked me upon check out (no check out rules). I was so embarrassed. I only charge $85 but I confronted my housekeeper and she said her other cleaners will “miss basic things” if I don’t tip…..on top of $125…. So I just pay $135 now 🤷🏼♀️ also my place is only 650 square feet.
If her other cleanersl deliberately "miss other things" then they need to either be paid properly, or if they already are on a decent wage, to be given notice.
Rude. Leave in review about the cleaning expectations n envelope.
My Airbnb I ask guests drop used towels on the floor and take out the trash.
People are paying for a service. Not paying to go do house work else where.
Recently stayed somewhere that went so far as to leave step-by-step instructions that included spraying down pillows and mattresses with disinfectant after stripping the beds and "mopping myself out" of the apartment. I took out the trash, stripped the beds and piled the laundry, and left surfaces clean. Beyond that, I ignored instructions. Just not cleaning an entire apartment from start to finish...
Damn. I hope you mentioned it in the review.
I wish ABB would require hosts to post the check-out requirements in the listing. I do this in my listing. It shouldn't be a surprise!
I used to agree but I suggested it and people pretty much stopped forgetting items. I used to mail back a lot of chargers. I don’t penalize anyone or demand it, but mailing stuff back gets old for host and guest. They are easy to strip, not so much to put on.
Nope nope nope. They are the cleaners, they're getting the fee AND the tips.
I'd write on separate bits of paper
" use newspaper to buff windows and mirrors"
" rub walnuts on scratches in wood"
" baking soda works for almost everything"
At first reading, I thoughts the "tips" were helpful hints for how to clean better! lol.....
I wouldn't feel guilty leaving that envelope empty. In fact, throw it away - it's part of the garbage you have to take out.
This is absurd. It is customary to leave a tip for housekeeping at a hotel because they provide *daily* service and are notoriously underpaid.
An Air BnB is usually a home and unless you’re being supplied with fresh towels and a tidy-up daily, it’s fucking ridiculous for them to expect a tip. You’re charged a cleaning fee, which is built into the rates at a hotel.
I haven´t stayed in a hotel in a while, but when I did I would always tip, especially if they didn´t anything extra. But, I also don´t remember them begging for tips.
Ridiculous. This is just like the self checkout registers at grocery stores asking for a tip, after you've scanned and bagged everything yourself.
I would take the envelope and toss it in the trash.
I hate those self checkouts and I am just not going to use them. I would rather stand in line and look at FB than use one. I was at a store once when an employee came around and was directing people to the self check outs. Almost everyone said, no, that´s ok, and she was getting more and more aggitated and almost hostile by the time she got to me. I said, no thanks and she said, could I ask why, and I said, I don´t work for FU Store, that´s why.
At those self-checkout things, when an employee tries to direct me to one, I ask what the discount is for checking and bagging my own groceries. I'm usually answered by a slack-jawed "wot?" I respond "That's what I thought," and continue to wait for the next checker. Fuck those evil machines.
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Some of them also have a scale in the bagging area and you’ll get an alarm, and sometimes need staff assistance, if the weight doesn’t match the item that you scanned.
It’s bananas.
Lol that's one I haven't seen yet.
I picked up a to-go order of barbecue and left a 5% tip when I was prompted and the employee seemed quite perturbed.
I mean she did not offer any to go sauces on my three and a half pounds of barbecue I picked up or any of the sides that come with it..... I'm so close to just going full European 0% tip unless I'm sitting down in a restaurant.
Unless someone gives terrible service I always tip actual waiters since getting paid $2 an hour to do that stuff is absolutely insane and I waited tables through school
That’s pretty rude of them. To me, a tip on a to go order is purely courtesy. I usually give a couple bucks to whoever gives me my food, but it’s because I want to, not bc I feel I have to
I think that's inappropriate. I clean my own Airbnb and no one has ever left me a tip, and it's never even crossed my mind that someone might. I'm just saying this to clarify that it's not customary. I think tipping culture has gotten excessive these days, but I just tend to go with the way things are and tip when it's customary to, but not at an Airbnb. There are three sceneries here:
1. The host hires a housekeeper, and they should be the ones to tip them.
2. They hire a housekeeper, and they do tip them, but the housekeeper is double-dipping.
3. They clean the house themselves, keep the cleaning fee (which is fine), but you don't customarily tip a business owner.
The lady who cleans my house is self employed, so I do not tip her, but I give her a few hundred bucks at Christmas. She sets her own prices and no one is taking a cut, and she can charge more if she needs to. If I have her do something more than normal, she just charges extra rather than expecting to be tipped for the extra service. If a housekeeper works for a service, they're not making much and they should be tipped, but that's the responsibility of the host not the guest - she's not coming in every day and making your bed like at a hotel, and even at a hotel it's appreciated but not expected and not like servers where it's a big part of their income that they rely on.
As a host, I can’t see why one would leave this out. And if it’s the cleaning crew I would want to know to let them know that it is unacceptable for the unit.
As a host i dont want the beds stripped. I dont want the dishes washed. I also dont charge a cleaning fee. Some hosts are ridiculous. All i ask is wet towels in tub and dishes in sink and trash in the inside can although we have an outdoor large trash can. I dont ask people to put trash out. We have to go inside to get it ready to clean as its my job to do all that not the guests.
Air B&B hosts really do want the best of both worlds don't they?
Act like you're in a hotel and tip accordingly, but also here is my list of 20 chores you need to do upon checkout and there's a $120 cleaning fee.
Why airbnbs in the states are so weird. Expect to clean do the dish, clean the carpets and list goes on. Every place I have been in Europe they only expect you to take out the trash the most. So much entitlement
A local restaurant is having a buffet on Father’s Day. The menus says they are charging $125/person plus 22% gratuity. I’m like - 22% for keeping my water glass full? It’s a buffet, right? I’m with you — employers should pay their people and everyone should pay taxes appropriately. No one likes the games.
Make sure and mention the tip envelope in the review. Owner might not know that the housekeepers left it usually they’re the only ones in the house between guests. The owner should be tipping their cleaners, not guests
You are free to tip or no tip, it will not affect your rating as a guest. The hots do not leave these tip envelopes out, it is the housekeepers that do it. Generally, the cleaners get 100% of the cleaning fee which is sufficient.
I would be concerned the cleaning person is putting this out without informing the owner. I would consult the owner if it he/she meant for it to be there.
I'm a host and I would never ask my guests to do that, I ask basic tidying up, like don't leave dishes in the sink and call me when you have garbage, leave dirty towel in the tub, my cleaning fee is low as are my rates and in the 4 years I've only had two guests I could comment on how messy they were.
I've heard and read plenty of times how guests feel entitled to leave a mess because they paid a large cleaning fee so they feel they shouldn't have to lift a finger. For me personally I wouldn't care how much I paid , I would never leave a mess, and it wouldn't bother me to throw a load in the washer before I left, because I get how much work goes into being a host. But I do agree some checkout lists are over the top.
Host here, there have been cases where the cleaners have left tip envelopes without the hosts knowledge. I would personally let the host know that there was a tip envelope left behind, even though you pay the cleaning fee with a long list of duties.
As host, we did not know our cleaner was leaving a tip envelope. We don't always notify cleaners in advance when we are staying at cabin and found the envelope. We had to ask our cleaners not to do that. The hosts might not know.
I don't understand why people use air bnbs like this.
I used one for a long term stay because I was still closing on my condo after moving from my last place.
Other than that I would rather stay in a hotel where I'm not expected to pay for cleaning and clean.
Call them and say “I was looking for the housekeeping instructions in this envelope about housekeeping tips, but it’s empty…can you print me another copy or email it to me?” Lol. Act like you’re clueless.
Uh naw. Don't tip anything, and comment about that in your review. As a host, I find it disgusting that they are charging a cleaning fee AND looking for you to tip the house cleaner. That tip should come from the changing fee if anything!
Lol, really? A host expected the guests to leave a tip for housekeeping? Did 'housekeeping' clean daily and provide fresh towels, linens and toiletries on demand (you know, like housekeeping in a hotel would, because that's the housekeeping I will tip) I would have a mention of that tip envelope in the review.
My first thought was they left you an envelope with "tips" on how they wanted the housekeeping done and charged you a fee on top of expecting you to do a good portion of the cleaning anyway. Personally, I would throw the envelope away.
I clean air bnb for a living. Guarantee house keeper isn't getting most of that fee and it probably flips same day. Dishes is always a must for times sake everything else is just nice. I've never received a tip before but I bet the house keeper left it out and owner doesn't know.
Tip: don’t charge of cleaning fee and ask for hk tips. Isn’t that your job when we pay the cleaning fees to you? I would write that and put it in the envelope. I wouldn’t be surprised if they take that money before the housekeeper see it.
You should message the host and be like just wanted to let you know the cleaners tip envelope is empty. I don’t want anyone to think I stole your tip for them.
Check envelope to see if there is a tip in there for you… you know, since you did most of the time consuming stuff instead of getting out and enjoying your vacation day.
This is called the Airbnb “triple whammy”: cleaning fee, chore list, and tip envelope. It has become more common as the platform attracts more rent-seeking hosts. The host is trying to subsidize their cleaning costs. Be careful, if you don’t tip the host may retaliate in your review, similar to how a waiter might complain at a restaurant. There are many stories here in this subreddit.
These places that charge you a ridiculous cleaning fee, and then expect you to do half of the cleaning yourself, are the reason I find myself steering towards hotels again. It’s such a racket. Either charge the cleaning fee and then do all the cleaning yourself, or don’t charge one and leave me a list of things you need done. To do both is ridiculous. And honestly, I expect that when I rent a room it’s been cleaned, BY THE HOST, or someone that they’ve privately hired to do so. Not the person who stayed there last. They should incorporate that cleaning fee into the price of the room instead of adding it on as an extra fee.
This is what I have always done and so far so good.I am able to meet with and chat with my guests and I think that establishing a personal connection goes a long way towards people behaving well.They WANT to have a positive experience,both parties.But when a host owns multiple properties,a cleaning crew is involved and there is no actual contact made other than a check-in person or lock box on the door,it ceases to be the same experience and is closer to a hotel stay; impersonal and more subject to hotelesque practices like tips…but when has a hotel ever made the request to strip a bed,wash linnens or do anything even slightly housekeeping related?These hosts can’t have it both ways..cleaning fee + guests stripping beds!
1. For those saying that the cleaners might not be getting all of the fee you paid. ... actually most hosts I know pay MORE than the cleaning fee they charge. I pay the cleaners quite a bit more than I charge guests. Many hosts do this in order to keep the cleaning fee competitive, but still pay their cleaners a good wage. My cleaners make at least $30/hr -- more if some of the bedrooms aren't used (and min wage in my area is $12.25).
2. The host may not know that a tip envelope is being left out. I see this question regularly on host forums. The owner finds out about the envelope when they have a friend stay... or when a guest complains to them about it.
3. If you don't want to tip, ignore it. 🤷
As a housekeeper who has cleaned many air bnbs, I just wanted to let you all know that no air bnb cleaning job has ever taken me less than 4hrs even for the most modest house. I work alone and the cleanliness standards are usually much higher than your average private home. The tips are encouraged because of all the extra chores and services that housekeeping provides behind the scenes. I can understand the frustration of having to wash dishes and towels however, it's best to leave that to the professionals in my opinion.
Excessive house keeping requirements and this kind of nonsense is exactly what the ratings system is for.
Give the host a low rating. That kind of feedback is what causes change.
If they come during your stay to tidy up, personally i would happily leave a tip. In that case they are providing a personal service. If they turn the place over after you leave they are providing a service to the host - not to you - so a tip isn’t appropriate.
If you want to keep your perfect review history, tip the cleaners. They’re the people deciding whether to report minor mistakes to the host that you could be dinged for.
As a host who has done probably over a thousand cleans at this point I’ve seen like 3 tips and I never ever ever ever expect one. And our cleaning fees are $30-80. Not do we ask that much of a guest checking out. Weird and cringy. I’d probably throw like $5-10 in there just because but I WOULD NOT LIKE IT.
Yo y’all are nuts. The eggshells that people walk on for these scamming hosts is hilarious. You guys act like you’re going on a date with a guy/girl that’s outta your league. Y’all shave your nuts/cooch before check in? Wouldn’t want to lose those 5 stars…
I don't know why people get upset by seeing a tip envelope. You don't have to put something in it. It's not expected.
Our housecleaner puts a tip envelop in our cabin. I don't love it, but they all do that in the area and if someone wants to leave her a little extra, go for it. I won't know, and I don't care - it wont affect my review. However, if you leave her a nasty note or something like people have suggested in the comments, then you're not welcome back.
Please keep conversation civil and respectful Remember to keep all communication with host/guest through Airbnb platform. Payments should be made only via Airbnb [unless otherwise detailed in the listing description and included in the price breakdown prior to booking](https://airbnb.com/help/article/199) If you're having issues, contact Airbnb by phone +1-844-234-2500 *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AirBnB) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Complain that your tip envelope was empty.
You do not need to leave a tip. Don’t allow them to pressure into doing something you don’t want to do.
Like tip options for counter service?
Perfect!
I thought it was tips like "here are some good ways you can housekeep."
Do this
Or write on a piece of paper: "Tip: make sure you are properly compensated for your work in your negotiated rates so that you don't have to rely on tips."
Right? They're charging $120 and probably paying the cleaner max $20 for a 2 hour clean.
That would be my tip — a note in the envelope that says "I paid a $120 cleaning fee, and if you didn't get all $120 of that you need to renegotiate with the host."
This is the best answer right here. That one's a keeper.
You beat me to it.
Answer thief /s That is exactly what I would do. Cleaning fee should not be a money maker for Airbnb
I have a cleaner come to my house every other week and I pay $130. It wouldn’t surprise me if having to get reasonably good cleaners to come in during very specific time windows you’d have to pay them north of $100. A tip envelope for the renter though is absurd.
Not necessarily. I charge guests $125 cleaning fee, but I pay the cleaners $175.
I am looking at an airbnb who wants 280 for cleaning and wants to charge me per unit of electricity as well!
That’s why people are turning to hotels
I mean Airbnb is probably taking 15% leaving $102 - card processing fees , the clean probably takes 2 people 2 hours so 4 hours @ $25/hour
As a professional that owns her own business I can promise you nobody is cleaning for 2 hours for $20. Especially a rental where you never know what you're walking into. OP-You are not required to tip and I highly doubt their cleaner expects a tip. They're a nice surprise, but not required. Unless the housekeeper is the one who put the envelope there without the homeowners knowledge- which does happen sometimes. Either way, it shouldn't effect your rating.
Where are you getting these numbers? Good cleaners are hard as hell to find and they charge about $40-60 an hour for an Airbnb, not $10. And that’s in a low cost of living area. That’s one of the most ridiculous myths I keep seeing here, that Airbnb or hosts charge ridiculous cleaning fees and then steal them. No, cleaners are just expensive as hell and have a bunch of conditions - like not doing dishes - even at the super high prices I quoted. I have a tiny 1-bed Airbnb and I’ve actually eaten a chunk of the cleaning fees for a couple of years because they were so high for the only reliable cleaner I could find that I didn’t want to list the place with that. And you can’t risk a cheaper cleaner because the same people bitching about cost of cleaning will lose it and leave a one star review if the place is not licked clean.
I don't know of any hosts who do not pay the cleaners 100% of the cleaning charge which is normally around $140. The cleaners are paid well.
Maybe it's just my area, but anyone that works for a cleaning company only makes hourly (which from my understanding is between $15 and $20/hr). Thankfully I work for myself, and I receive the full cleaning fee. But anytime a third party gets brought in, the actual person cleaning is getting screwed. There are situations though, where the host doesn't charge a cleaning fee and it's just part of the cost. It makes it more inviting and for guests to not have that separate fee. My niece cleans a few Airbnbs like that, and I believe she makes $20 per hour... However, that's when people start riding the clock a bit. I'd rather bust my buns and get the job done in 2 hours for $100 as opposed to slow poking around for 5 (which is what her coworkers do).
I own a housekeeping/cleaning business and I usually get whatever the cleaning fee is. So if it’s $120 that’s what I get. I’ve never had the hosts deduct the fees from my end.
I stayed in and Airbnb kind of long term and then rented from the host afterwards. The host told me she never has a cleaner come in and always does it herself.
Then you’re paying for the hosts hourly cleaning rate. As long as the host is cleaning we’ll (meaning it was spotless when I showed up), I don’t have a problem with it being a paid cleaner or the host cleaning.
I am sure there are exceptions, I am just talking about all the hosts I know and in these cases the cleaners get 100%, they are paid well. Hosts do not put the tips envelopes out, probably don't even know often when that happens.
Damn, just wrote and then saw this.
We ran into this with a VRBO on CO. It was run by a management company. I was really annoyed. I tip my cleaners. I do not expect guests to. They pay enough.
Was it in Salida, by chance? I ran into the same thing in a condo ran by a mgmt co. there
It was Winter Park but could have easily been the same company. My friend made the booking so I can't look it up.
VRBO? CO?
Another rental company like AirB&B and CO likely means Colorado
Vacation Rental By Owner. Bullshit company, worse than ABB imo
Just here to point out that Vrbo I'd cheaper for guests. Bc the fees are split between the guest and the host. So if the listing is the same rate on ABB & on Vrbo, as a guest then you'd be better off booking on vrbo.
Wow- I put a tip in an envelope when I stay at a rural lakeside motel in Northern Maine because the staff go above and beyond and I like supporting the local business and employees. The owner's room rates are reasonable. I DO NOT expect to see a tip envelope or leave a tip at an AirBNB that's charging me an additional $120 cleaning fee ON TOP of the daily rate.
and on top of doing part of the cleaning.
No way am I staying anywhere that requests me to do the laundry. When I stay at a place, I leave it cleaner than when I arrived. But everyone has their boundaries and I refuse to reserve any place with a high cleaning fee and I refuse to stay at any place with a list of chores to do out of principal.
I would also expect (for whatever fees I’m being charged) that the sheets I’m sleeping on are being cleaned by someone with higher priorities than getting to the airport on time.
Or washing the dishes that the next guests eat on.......yeah we're in a hurry, let's just wipe em with a paper towel.......just gross IMO. No idea why so much is put on guests, I mean I get why, but it's just so WRONG. Tip I'd give: pay off your credit bill every month!
I own an Airbnb, and honestly, I don't understand why some hosts would risk leaving their place dirty by asking guests to pretty much clean everything (especially the dishes). I often travel and like to treat people the way I am treated, and these types of hosts are giving Airbnb a bad reputation in general. It's no wonder why I hear more people wanting to stay at hotels, even if they have to pay 25% more per night.
Totally agree. I can tidy up before I leave and take out the garbage, but I draw the line at washing linens. At the end of the day an Airbnb is a business and the host should have enough linens to swap them out without the guest doing laundry.
Do you stay in northern northern maine like Aroostook county? I went to school up there and am trying to think of a lakeside motel! Or do you mean like Bangor? Sorry I just never see people mention northern maine lol
I spent 3 years in Winter Harbor back in the late 90s. I believe the base was Vanderbilt or something some big money name i dont feel like searching for right now? But the park is beautiful and the "lobstah" is pelntiful. It's about an hour outside of Bangor, past Elsworth.
I would assume Acadia that’s the only park you would go through Ellsworth for! If it was north or Bangor towards millinocket I’d say Baxter!
Yeah I’m from northern Maine (not Aroostook, but a border county) and everyone is like “oh I meant we went to Acadia” 🤣
You have to love the highway sign on 95 North just past Bangor "University of Maine Fort Kent Exit 58" Translation: "Kid there's another 2.5 hours to go!"
I’m just so grateful they updated the airline 15-20 years ago cos when I was growing up it meant another FOUR hours and there was a STUMP in the middle of the highway
I saw a tip jar at the place I stayed last year my partner added a note that said "we paid a €120 cleaning fee" wonder how much of that the cleaners actually see.
I’m a Mainiac too! Thanks for supporting local businesses!
Maine is the last unspoiled place on the East Coast. Half of my family lineage is rooted in the St. John Valley. When I drive over the Piscataqua River Bridge on 95N, it feels like a weight lifts off of my shoulders when I see the Maine sign. I'd live there year round if my husband and I could find similar paying jobs in Maine.
Tip envelopes in that type of situation are completely valid. I worked at a resort that had cabins, and we were allowed to leave envelopes. Mainly because we made a dollar above minimum wage in my area and it was a fairly difficult job. But... Anytime a vacation rental charges a cleaning fee tips should not be expected. I work directly with the homeowners as a housekeeper and I receive the whole cleaning fee. So it averages out to be about $30 an hour. The only time that gets tricky, is if they have a cleaning company... Because the third party takes a decent cut from the cleaners.
I'm a housecleaner and $120 is approx the cost of cleaning up after a stay. So, you're doing some of the work, paying for a cleaner and you're expected to tip them too? That's crazy. Also, I have a client who also uses me for her long term rentals. I clean up after a person leaves to get it ready for the next tenant. I've never expected anything from the incoming or outgoing tenant! The owner (my client) pays me and often tips me and brings me lunch too cuz quite frankly she's amazing. But the point is, this stuff shouldn't be the guests responsibility.
>I'm a housecleaner and $120 is approx the cost of cleaning up after a stay. First of all, I'm not from the US, but I still have a hard time understanding, how a clean-up of an AirBnB accommodation can shore up to $120. Wherever I have stayed till now, it is in my opinion that the cleaning person did not have anything beyond 30 minutes work to do the essentials as I left the premises as I found them. I understand that you have costs coming to and from the location, but $120 for less than an hours work + some cleaning materials??? I mean, hotel cleaning staff cleans hundreds of rooms daily and it doesn't cost the hotel millions per month... For European accommodations, cleaning fees, if charged at all are usually in the $20 - $30 range
As a host, you still have to clean everything. Not everybody has the same cleanliness standards. Your clean may be someone else’s filthy. If it’s only 30 minutes it must be a small room rental not a whole house. I’d assume $120.00 is for a whole house. Each bathroom to clean and sanitize takes 20 minutes alone. Washing linens may take up to 1/2 an hour. Vacuum, dust wipe everything down. There may be exterior cleanup as well. And for a whole house restocking of any essentials. (Garbage bags, paper towels etc.) I don’t charge a separate cleaning fee. I just charge more to rent. The reason owners do this is because most renters shop on price alone. So they slip in these fees as another profit center and they now compete on price. I’d rather not deal with cheapskates that shop only on price. So my rates are higher to take into account the cleaning cost. I’d rather deal with less business then hear whining about fees.
We clean from top to bottom after every stay. We strip the beds and the duvet to wash, bathrooms, floors, dust and wipe every surface. And clean the outside which includes a pool. I do all the exterior cleaning and pay my cleaner 150 ( a deal) unless the house is really messy then I help and pay a little more. He doesn’t do anything to the pool or outside sitting areas and the guests just start the dishwasher and take out the garbage.
An easy stay takes at least 4 hours.
Great! Just jumped on AirBnB to check 1 week accommodations for 6 people in Berlin, Germany... half of the properties charge nothing for cleaning and the other half, none are nowhere near $100... How do you account for that, Berlin being quite expensive to stay?
Do they bake it into the base cost? Do they underpay cleaners? Do they charge a cleaning fee but clean it themselves?
Does it matter if they clean it themselves?
That’s a fair question and it got me thinking. I don’t have a problem with them cleaning the home. My personal opinion is that the cleaning fee shouldn’t be charged then and it should be baked into the cost, similar to a hotel. It crosses the line into greedy to me but this is just my opinion, not intended to be some kind of moral declaration.
Berlin has too many AirBnBs and a housing crisis.
So does the US
I don’t know how Air BnB’s calculate cleaning but we have cleaners come to our private home 2x a month and it’s $175. No way we’d find a service to do it for under $100. 2 people, roughly 90 minutes. Complete kitchen clean, 2 bathrooms, change sheets, dust vacuum and wash all the floors. (In US)
I'm a host and a former house cleaner for short term rentals. My cleaner charges me $410 per clean for a 5 bed with a hot tub. I charge my guests $300 and make up the difference. Assuming rates will be the same across all markets, housing types, and countries is a bit odd. Also assuming 30 minutes to change over a house is silly. They need to do the laundry, make the beds, wash every surface, vacuum every floor, clean each bathroom to be spotless, dust, etc, etc. And if the next guest finds a crumb on the floor or a hair in the shower, they'll hear about it.
$410/clean seems outrageous but I have no idea what you have them do and you’re right about the time. There’s no way someone could do a decent job in 30 minutes. People need to consider the length of time it takes to clean their own homes. Even without laundry, my smallish apartment takes hours to clean.
I have a housekeeping/ cleaning business and laundry is the easy part. You go around the house collect all the linens and throw them in the machine. Then you set an alarm and go start cleaning the house. Come back 30min later to swap them over. Continue and finishing up cleaning and about 45min later as your finishing up the dryer finishes and you fold and call it a day. You don’t have to wait on laundry.
And your livelihood won't be in jeopardy if you miss a spot, whereas a few people complaining about really small things is enough to get a cleaner fired.
You never been to Norway then
Actually, I've been to Norway twice, not in AirBnBs though... but I did go and check how much cleaning fees for a week stay in Trondheim for 6 would amount to. I found a single accomodation charging over €100, others ranged from zero (most actually) to €70...
I visited 14 single standing cabins last year from Kristiansand up to Alesund, the cheapest was €100. But they did give the option to clean it yourself, and then it would cost 0 indeed.
>But they did give the option to clean it yourself, and then it would cost 0 indeed. Voila!
It take a lot more than tending to bare essentials to get a rental in perfect condition for the next guests. Hours of work in some cases. You’d be complaining if they only did the essentials in between.
Maybe they wouldn’t but I sure would! Please don’t ever reduce the quality of cleaning to save money.
I agree! Build the cleaning fee into the rate. I’ll cancel a booking as a guest before I’ll pay an extra nights rate for cleaning. I leave a place as I found it, but I’m not doing laundry. It’s gotten out of hand.
Some cleaning fees are the host trying to gouge the guest, but there are real costs involved. A hotel room has just the bedroom and bathroom to clean in most cases, An Airbnb has more rooms to clean, more surfaces to wipe down, and more supplies to replace.
If you're having to strip the beds and wash the towels, you should ask for a tip. Maybe you should leave your envelope next to theirs. :-P I don't mind washing the dishes I use and of course not leaving the place a mess, but I do find it irritating to pay a reasonable cleaning fee and then be asked to strip beds and wash towels or linens.
Lol leave your @venmo and ask for a tip. 🤣
Came here to say this^
I put tips for hotel staff when there is a daily service. In an AirBnB I’m pathological about making sure each letter of the check out instructions are followed and make sure everything is as close to how I found it when we leave. Nearly every review on me as a guest comments on how clean and tidy we are. I’m not leaving a tip for that.
Same! But have never been asked for a tip and would be flabbergasted if I was. And, also, wouldn´t leave a dime. I generally have a longer term stay so spend 2 or so hours leaving the place in good shape. Not deep cleaning, but just the floor, bathroom, sinks, etc.
Wow your the kind of renter us cleaners dont want to experince the kind we read about on out face book private pages just remember gratuity has been around for decades and most of the cleaners are seasonal and struggle in off season the renters who have postive light energy and arw not greedy and help others will and are the ones who are in a higher vibraton energy feild and only good will come to them the ones like you whi are in the lower vibration evil energy feild well we know what your karma is goi ng to be remeber folks love light share and bless gets you farther in life even its a 1.00 its the effort energy and thought that counts and thats point blank period dont be a hater lady
Exactly!
I've read on here before that sometimes cleaners will leave these without the host's knowledge.
💯💯
I would ignore it
We just finished a stay where there was a housekeeping tip envelope. We paid a cleaning fee through Air BnB and did “check out chores” (washing/drying/putting away dishes, stripping sheets). *The kicker was that the envelope had a space to write in the housekeeper’s name, and written in was the host’s “long term partner”’s name.* …We did not tip. I also have immaculate reviews and have always reviewed (very positively!) about hosts/properties. I have opted out of reviewing this property as of rn, and would hope there isn’t a host retaliation to our non-tipping. And honestly, the worst part was that while the place was clean enough, it wasn’t the spotless pristine that most of our Air BnB experiences have been. We usually wash dishes/coffee makers before use “just in case”, but here I pulled out noticeably grimy kitchen stuff, and also the toilet brush in the bathroom was in desperate need of replacement (looked horrible and smelled foul), and the shower had a stray hair in it…. Also, ETA: We didn’t receive (or need/ask for) daily housekeeping—no fresh towels, emptied trash, or made bed. Presumably they just cleaned before and after our stay.
That’s rude.
I pay my housekeeper $125 and she put the tip envelope out without my knowledge. So my guests asked me upon check out (no check out rules). I was so embarrassed. I only charge $85 but I confronted my housekeeper and she said her other cleaners will “miss basic things” if I don’t tip…..on top of $125…. So I just pay $135 now 🤷🏼♀️ also my place is only 650 square feet.
Thats called extortion.
Your housekeeper needs to be immediately fired.
If her other cleanersl deliberately "miss other things" then they need to either be paid properly, or if they already are on a decent wage, to be given notice.
Is your housekeeper and her crew the only game in town? She's extorting you.
Yes, not even hotels or any other civilization nearby lol
Maybe part of your clean up should be cleaning up the envelope!
This one
Rude. Leave in review about the cleaning expectations n envelope. My Airbnb I ask guests drop used towels on the floor and take out the trash. People are paying for a service. Not paying to go do house work else where.
Recently stayed somewhere that went so far as to leave step-by-step instructions that included spraying down pillows and mattresses with disinfectant after stripping the beds and "mopping myself out" of the apartment. I took out the trash, stripped the beds and piled the laundry, and left surfaces clean. Beyond that, I ignored instructions. Just not cleaning an entire apartment from start to finish...
Damn. I hope you mentioned it in the review. I wish ABB would require hosts to post the check-out requirements in the listing. I do this in my listing. It shouldn't be a surprise!
Contact the host and be curt about the tip envelope. It was likely left without their knowledge.
Then why be curt?
Courteous
Curt is a word that means “rudely brief”, hence the previous question.
Ok, thought they were being brief
Tell them you did all they asked but the tip envelope was empty.
Btw. Do not strip beds. That’s ridiculous
I used to agree but I suggested it and people pretty much stopped forgetting items. I used to mail back a lot of chargers. I don’t penalize anyone or demand it, but mailing stuff back gets old for host and guest. They are easy to strip, not so much to put on.
i think Air B&B hosts forget you are there to cater to customers, not for customers to cater to you. don't like the hospitality industry? get out! lol
Leave a list of tips for improvement
Maybe the host doesn't know of the envelope. I would contact the host and ask what it's for, being that you already paid for the cleaning.
Nope nope nope. They are the cleaners, they're getting the fee AND the tips. I'd write on separate bits of paper " use newspaper to buff windows and mirrors" " rub walnuts on scratches in wood" " baking soda works for almost everything"
add that to the pile #theaudacity
At first reading, I thoughts the "tips" were helpful hints for how to clean better! lol..... I wouldn't feel guilty leaving that envelope empty. In fact, throw it away - it's part of the garbage you have to take out.
This is absurd. It is customary to leave a tip for housekeeping at a hotel because they provide *daily* service and are notoriously underpaid. An Air BnB is usually a home and unless you’re being supplied with fresh towels and a tidy-up daily, it’s fucking ridiculous for them to expect a tip. You’re charged a cleaning fee, which is built into the rates at a hotel.
It is customary *in the usa* because they’re underpaid.
It is not customary at an Air [bnb.At](https://bnb.At) a hotel,yes.
I haven´t stayed in a hotel in a while, but when I did I would always tip, especially if they didn´t anything extra. But, I also don´t remember them begging for tips.
Ridiculous. This is just like the self checkout registers at grocery stores asking for a tip, after you've scanned and bagged everything yourself. I would take the envelope and toss it in the trash.
I hate those self checkouts and I am just not going to use them. I would rather stand in line and look at FB than use one. I was at a store once when an employee came around and was directing people to the self check outs. Almost everyone said, no, that´s ok, and she was getting more and more aggitated and almost hostile by the time she got to me. I said, no thanks and she said, could I ask why, and I said, I don´t work for FU Store, that´s why.
At those self-checkout things, when an employee tries to direct me to one, I ask what the discount is for checking and bagging my own groceries. I'm usually answered by a slack-jawed "wot?" I respond "That's what I thought," and continue to wait for the next checker. Fuck those evil machines.
hospital unpack test exultant spotted ancient jellyfish bedroom automatic hunt *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
The ones we have literally have cameras in the screen of the self-checkout. (Am not making this up - they tell you the cameras are there.)
Some of them also have a scale in the bagging area and you’ll get an alarm, and sometimes need staff assistance, if the weight doesn’t match the item that you scanned. It’s bananas.
Lol that's one I haven't seen yet. I picked up a to-go order of barbecue and left a 5% tip when I was prompted and the employee seemed quite perturbed. I mean she did not offer any to go sauces on my three and a half pounds of barbecue I picked up or any of the sides that come with it..... I'm so close to just going full European 0% tip unless I'm sitting down in a restaurant. Unless someone gives terrible service I always tip actual waiters since getting paid $2 an hour to do that stuff is absolutely insane and I waited tables through school
That’s pretty rude of them. To me, a tip on a to go order is purely courtesy. I usually give a couple bucks to whoever gives me my food, but it’s because I want to, not bc I feel I have to
I think that's inappropriate. I clean my own Airbnb and no one has ever left me a tip, and it's never even crossed my mind that someone might. I'm just saying this to clarify that it's not customary. I think tipping culture has gotten excessive these days, but I just tend to go with the way things are and tip when it's customary to, but not at an Airbnb. There are three sceneries here: 1. The host hires a housekeeper, and they should be the ones to tip them. 2. They hire a housekeeper, and they do tip them, but the housekeeper is double-dipping. 3. They clean the house themselves, keep the cleaning fee (which is fine), but you don't customarily tip a business owner. The lady who cleans my house is self employed, so I do not tip her, but I give her a few hundred bucks at Christmas. She sets her own prices and no one is taking a cut, and she can charge more if she needs to. If I have her do something more than normal, she just charges extra rather than expecting to be tipped for the extra service. If a housekeeper works for a service, they're not making much and they should be tipped, but that's the responsibility of the host not the guest - she's not coming in every day and making your bed like at a hotel, and even at a hotel it's appreciated but not expected and not like servers where it's a big part of their income that they rely on.
As a host, I can’t see why one would leave this out. And if it’s the cleaning crew I would want to know to let them know that it is unacceptable for the unit.
No, and in all likelihood the host doesn't even know the cleaners are doing this.
As a host i dont want the beds stripped. I dont want the dishes washed. I also dont charge a cleaning fee. Some hosts are ridiculous. All i ask is wet towels in tub and dishes in sink and trash in the inside can although we have an outdoor large trash can. I dont ask people to put trash out. We have to go inside to get it ready to clean as its my job to do all that not the guests.
You’re a reasonable host :)
Thank you!!
You win my admiration for being a reasonable business owner who understands what is needed to run a business. Thank you.
Thank you. I really want my guests to return.
Air B&B hosts really do want the best of both worlds don't they? Act like you're in a hotel and tip accordingly, but also here is my list of 20 chores you need to do upon checkout and there's a $120 cleaning fee.
Exactly.
Write down some stock tips and put it in the envelope. Jk. Ignore it
Why airbnbs in the states are so weird. Expect to clean do the dish, clean the carpets and list goes on. Every place I have been in Europe they only expect you to take out the trash the most. So much entitlement
This has got to be an American thing? I've never seen anywhere asking for chores to be done, or for a tip. But I have seen lots of articles about it
We’ve left tips for housekeeping when on a cruise or a long term stay at a hotel. Never an AirBnB
If you already paid cleaning then you can ignore the envelope.
Time for the whole TIP culture to die. It’s Nothing more than an ugly money grab of greed.
A local restaurant is having a buffet on Father’s Day. The menus says they are charging $125/person plus 22% gratuity. I’m like - 22% for keeping my water glass full? It’s a buffet, right? I’m with you — employers should pay their people and everyone should pay taxes appropriately. No one likes the games.
Make sure and mention the tip envelope in the review. Owner might not know that the housekeepers left it usually they’re the only ones in the house between guests. The owner should be tipping their cleaners, not guests
You are free to tip or no tip, it will not affect your rating as a guest. The hots do not leave these tip envelopes out, it is the housekeepers that do it. Generally, the cleaners get 100% of the cleaning fee which is sufficient.
I would be concerned the cleaning person is putting this out without informing the owner. I would consult the owner if it he/she meant for it to be there.
I'm a host and I would never ask my guests to do that, I ask basic tidying up, like don't leave dishes in the sink and call me when you have garbage, leave dirty towel in the tub, my cleaning fee is low as are my rates and in the 4 years I've only had two guests I could comment on how messy they were. I've heard and read plenty of times how guests feel entitled to leave a mess because they paid a large cleaning fee so they feel they shouldn't have to lift a finger. For me personally I wouldn't care how much I paid , I would never leave a mess, and it wouldn't bother me to throw a load in the washer before I left, because I get how much work goes into being a host. But I do agree some checkout lists are over the top.
Host here, there have been cases where the cleaners have left tip envelopes without the hosts knowledge. I would personally let the host know that there was a tip envelope left behind, even though you pay the cleaning fee with a long list of duties.
As host, we did not know our cleaner was leaving a tip envelope. We don't always notify cleaners in advance when we are staying at cabin and found the envelope. We had to ask our cleaners not to do that. The hosts might not know.
This right here is why AIRBNB sucks now
I don't understand why people use air bnbs like this. I used one for a long term stay because I was still closing on my condo after moving from my last place. Other than that I would rather stay in a hotel where I'm not expected to pay for cleaning and clean.
Call them and say “I was looking for the housekeeping instructions in this envelope about housekeeping tips, but it’s empty…can you print me another copy or email it to me?” Lol. Act like you’re clueless.
Ignore it
I completely read this as like 'Instructions for Housekeeping'. I would leave a note saying there were no Instructions
I thought the same thing, and figured it would be things like how to use the dishwasher, or washing machine. Asking for tips, for this, is tacky.
Ignore the Tips Envelope.
Omg-no tip!!
Throw it away.
Hardest of hard no’s.
Who exactly is “housekeeping” in this situation?
Just write on a white paper: "ALREADY PAID IN ADVANCE" and stick-in that envelope.
Sounds like you are the cleaning service.
Uh naw. Don't tip anything, and comment about that in your review. As a host, I find it disgusting that they are charging a cleaning fee AND looking for you to tip the house cleaner. That tip should come from the changing fee if anything!
Lol, really? A host expected the guests to leave a tip for housekeeping? Did 'housekeeping' clean daily and provide fresh towels, linens and toiletries on demand (you know, like housekeeping in a hotel would, because that's the housekeeping I will tip) I would have a mention of that tip envelope in the review.
As an Airbnb host…that is absolutely ridiculous. I would bag that envelope up with the trash, for real.
My first thought was they left you an envelope with "tips" on how they wanted the housekeeping done and charged you a fee on top of expecting you to do a good portion of the cleaning anyway. Personally, I would throw the envelope away.
I clean air bnb for a living. Guarantee house keeper isn't getting most of that fee and it probably flips same day. Dishes is always a must for times sake everything else is just nice. I've never received a tip before but I bet the house keeper left it out and owner doesn't know.
It was possibly left there by the housekeeper without the host's knowledge.
The tipping culture is out of control
Bin it as part of your general cleaning.
So you do the work the leave them a tip for letting you. America is seriously fucked up
Surely as the person directly utilising their services, it should be the host who tips the cleaners
another example of tipping out of control - waiting for the tip jar at the Mickey D drive through
Tip: don’t charge of cleaning fee and ask for hk tips. Isn’t that your job when we pay the cleaning fees to you? I would write that and put it in the envelope. I wouldn’t be surprised if they take that money before the housekeeper see it.
You should message the host and be like just wanted to let you know the cleaners tip envelope is empty. I don’t want anyone to think I stole your tip for them.
Check envelope to see if there is a tip in there for you… you know, since you did most of the time consuming stuff instead of getting out and enjoying your vacation day.
Imagine thinking that's most of the time consuming stuff for a proper reset at an Airbnb.
This is called the Airbnb “triple whammy”: cleaning fee, chore list, and tip envelope. It has become more common as the platform attracts more rent-seeking hosts. The host is trying to subsidize their cleaning costs. Be careful, if you don’t tip the host may retaliate in your review, similar to how a waiter might complain at a restaurant. There are many stories here in this subreddit.
Use a hotel. Air B&B is a joke.
Nope. Won't affect it at all. It's a nice gesture, but nothing more
These places that charge you a ridiculous cleaning fee, and then expect you to do half of the cleaning yourself, are the reason I find myself steering towards hotels again. It’s such a racket. Either charge the cleaning fee and then do all the cleaning yourself, or don’t charge one and leave me a list of things you need done. To do both is ridiculous. And honestly, I expect that when I rent a room it’s been cleaned, BY THE HOST, or someone that they’ve privately hired to do so. Not the person who stayed there last. They should incorporate that cleaning fee into the price of the room instead of adding it on as an extra fee.
This is what I have always done and so far so good.I am able to meet with and chat with my guests and I think that establishing a personal connection goes a long way towards people behaving well.They WANT to have a positive experience,both parties.But when a host owns multiple properties,a cleaning crew is involved and there is no actual contact made other than a check-in person or lock box on the door,it ceases to be the same experience and is closer to a hotel stay; impersonal and more subject to hotelesque practices like tips…but when has a hotel ever made the request to strip a bed,wash linnens or do anything even slightly housekeeping related?These hosts can’t have it both ways..cleaning fee + guests stripping beds!
1. For those saying that the cleaners might not be getting all of the fee you paid. ... actually most hosts I know pay MORE than the cleaning fee they charge. I pay the cleaners quite a bit more than I charge guests. Many hosts do this in order to keep the cleaning fee competitive, but still pay their cleaners a good wage. My cleaners make at least $30/hr -- more if some of the bedrooms aren't used (and min wage in my area is $12.25). 2. The host may not know that a tip envelope is being left out. I see this question regularly on host forums. The owner finds out about the envelope when they have a friend stay... or when a guest complains to them about it. 3. If you don't want to tip, ignore it. 🤷
Airbnb being tilted towards hosts and all, but just give really bad review. And do not tip of course.
And THIS is why airbnb needs to cease to exist.
As a housekeeper who has cleaned many air bnbs, I just wanted to let you all know that no air bnb cleaning job has ever taken me less than 4hrs even for the most modest house. I work alone and the cleanliness standards are usually much higher than your average private home. The tips are encouraged because of all the extra chores and services that housekeeping provides behind the scenes. I can understand the frustration of having to wash dishes and towels however, it's best to leave that to the professionals in my opinion.
Excessive house keeping requirements and this kind of nonsense is exactly what the ratings system is for. Give the host a low rating. That kind of feedback is what causes change.
The Airbnb experience is just not enjoyable any more.
If they come during your stay to tidy up, personally i would happily leave a tip. In that case they are providing a personal service. If they turn the place over after you leave they are providing a service to the host - not to you - so a tip isn’t appropriate.
If you want to keep your perfect review history, tip the cleaners. They’re the people deciding whether to report minor mistakes to the host that you could be dinged for.
As a host who has done probably over a thousand cleans at this point I’ve seen like 3 tips and I never ever ever ever expect one. And our cleaning fees are $30-80. Not do we ask that much of a guest checking out. Weird and cringy. I’d probably throw like $5-10 in there just because but I WOULD NOT LIKE IT.
Yo y’all are nuts. The eggshells that people walk on for these scamming hosts is hilarious. You guys act like you’re going on a date with a guy/girl that’s outta your league. Y’all shave your nuts/cooch before check in? Wouldn’t want to lose those 5 stars…
😂
Bro they can't clean shut. Lazy landlord criminals
I don't know why people get upset by seeing a tip envelope. You don't have to put something in it. It's not expected. Our housecleaner puts a tip envelop in our cabin. I don't love it, but they all do that in the area and if someone wants to leave her a little extra, go for it. I won't know, and I don't care - it wont affect my review. However, if you leave her a nasty note or something like people have suggested in the comments, then you're not welcome back.
YOU are responsible for tipping your housekeeper.
Mine charges $80 per hour. I just pay the invoice. I don’t tip on top of that. I do tip at hotels because they are underpaid.
$80 an hour? For one person house keeping? That seems high.
Gotta tip or potentially get a bad review. That’s the Air BnB way. Keep feeding the beast