Tipping at an All-Inclusive

[PW119 167]

Taking the family to the Hyatt Ziva Cancun next week.  Any feedback on the resort would be appreciated.  How / how much do you tip at these resorts?  Give the bartender 100 pesos to start the day and go from there?  Proud member of the Surly Elite here, so don't hold back.

[4th&Five 41,556]

[RollLeft 5,045]

Start with just the tip.  

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

Tip up front on the first day to set precedent and get quick service.

[utee94 15,823]

25 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Tip up front on the first day to set precedent and get quick service.

Yup.  If you figure out which bars/servers are going to be your regulars, tip them well early and be polite.  They'll take care of you.

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

12 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Yup.  If you figure out which bars/servers are going to be your regulars, tip them well early and be polite.  They'll take care of you.

Mama said always be polite.....  

[Moby Ric 2,058]

I usually have about $100-$200 in ones for tipping.  Having singles gives you the freedom to tip however big you want.  I leave a few bucks for the maid daily, and also keep some in my pockets during the day.  A few bucks goes a long way on service in those places.  Tip well the first day, and the next day you will not wait for a drink at the pool.

[Js1 85,342]

55 minutes ago, Moby Ric said:

I usually have about $100-$200 in ones for tipping.  Having singles gives you the freedom to tip however big you want.  I leave a few bucks for the maid daily, and also keep some in my pockets during the day.  A few bucks goes a long way on service in those places.  Tip well the first day, and the next day you will not wait for a drink at the pool.

Yep, tip the housekeeper daily because it may not be the same one every day. 

[huge 3,793]

At the Rosewood Mayakoba you dont tip.  They auto grat everything and you pay a bill at the end.

3 nights cost me $475 in grat last October

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

4 minutes ago, huge said:

At the Rosewood Mayakoba you dont tip.  They auto grat everything and you pay a bill at the end.

3 nights cost me $475 in grat last October

Auto grat doesn't sound like a way to get good service.  Sounds like a, I get tipped regardless of how well I provide service scam.

[NeverMarryAStripper 21,907]

Sounds more like a way for the resort to make money and screw the workers to me

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

1 minute ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

Sounds more like a way for the resort to make money and screw the workers to me

Yep, like the $3.50 delivery charge for chain store pizza that never goes to the driver.

[huge 3,793]

22 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Auto grat doesn't sound like a way to get good service.  Sounds like a, I get tipped regardless of how well I provide service scam.

Neither here nor there, but the service was outstanding.

Having to tip someone in order to get good service at a high end resort seems counter productive.

[brown water 3,777]

3 hours ago, PW119 said:

Taking the family to the Hyatt Ziva Cancun next week.  Any feedback on the resort would be appreciated.  How / how much do you tip at these resorts?  Give the bartender 100 pesos to start the day and go from there?  Proud member of the Surly Elite here, so don't hold back.

Doing the same thing with the family plus a small group my daughter’s high school friends before everyone heads in different directions for college. Would appreciate any recommendations you have about the stay. TIA. 

[LonghornJones 837]

Have about 50 1's wrapped up with a $100 bill and a Magnum on you at all times.

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

43 minutes ago, huge said:

Neither here nor there, but the service was outstanding.

Having to tip someone in order to get good service at a high end resort seems counter productive.

I'd agree, but reality is a bitch at times

[luke duke 6,413]

Doing the same thing with the family plus a small group my daughter’s high school friends before everyone heads in different directions for college. Would appreciate any recommendations you have about the stay. TIA. 

What week will you be there? Asking for a friend.

[DFWTexEx 276]

Start with $20s for the pool and beach concierge and the first round of the server.  They will take care of you.   

[SimonBolivar 10,958]

4 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Tip up front on the first day to set precedent and get quick service.

This right here. $1,000MXN the first day to the beach server and you are the king to that guy the rest of the trip

[TornACL 7,698]

58 minutes ago, DFWTexEx said:

Start with $20s for the pool and beach concierge and the first round of the server.  They will take care of you.   

This was the play when we stayed at some place in Playa Del Carmen. Pool bar bartender, first beer, slapped down a 20 and told him I would be here all day. 

From then on if he was in the middle of making a drink and I came up to the bar, he'd stop what he was doing and go grab me a beer. 

All the suckers who were standing there politely waiting looked at me like WTF.

Cash is king, amigo.

 

 

[EuroHorn 3,265]

Don't forget to say "gracias"

[utee94 15,823]

3 hours ago, huge said:

Neither here nor there, but the service was outstanding.

Having to tip someone in order to get good service at a high end resort seems counter productive.

You don't have to tip to get good service.  The service will be good no matter what.

46 minutes ago, TornACL said:

This was the play when we stayed at some place in Playa Del Carmen. Pool bar bartender, first beer, slapped down a 20 and told him I would be here all day. 

From then on if he was in the middle of making a drink and I came up to the bar, he'd stop what he was doing and go grab me a beer. 

All the suckers who were standing there politely waiting looked at me like WTF.

Cash is king, amigo.

 

 

But then there's this.  Tipping just $20 on day 1 to the bartender at the pool, and to your server on the beach, will make you king for a week. It doesn't cost you that much, they can certainly use the money, and it tends to get you beyond-great service.  It's really a small price to pay, IMO.  I'm always happy to do it.

 

[Bateshorn 9,927]

54 minutes ago, TornACL said:

This was the play when we stayed at some place in Playa Del Carmen. Pool bar bartender, first beer, slapped down a 20 and told him I would be here all day. 

From then on if he was in the middle of making a drink and I came up to the bar, he'd stop what he was doing and go grab me a beer. 

All the suckers who were standing there politely waiting looked at me like WTF.

Cash is king, amigo.

 

 

Nm. I understand. I actually read the thread.  

Edited June 10, 2021 by Bateshorn
I’m a dipshit.

[TornACL 7,698]

Just now, Bateshorn said:

Do you follow up tip?  Is it a daily thing? Legit curious.

We were there three days and I tipped 20 at the start of each day. 

Twice to the same bartender, then we had a stand in on the third day. 

The first night we were there, we found the service to be ok but slow. After the 20 dollar tip thing, it became muy rapido.

I don't like to wait for more drinks. 

[Bateshorn 9,927]

I’m totally doing this next time I’m down there.

[Larry Sellers 8]

We will be at our first all inclusive next month. So you give a $20 after the first drink, what do you give after that for your other drinks that day?

[immamac 42,852]

Go around to every bar with a bunch of 5s on the first day then just ask stupid questions like where is the bathroom or what restaurants are good etc get answers then give them a 5. 

If you do it right they will all basically try to help you whenever possible and then you do 1s or 5s depending on the level of help/complexity of request. 

[Allandale 3]

When my wife and I go we take $300 in $2 bills (you can get them at any bank). Tip $20 on day one/first drink and then $2/round thereafter. The staff will remember you because $2 bills aren't that common here (much less in Mexico). 

[PRONG HORN 3,146]

On 6/10/2021 at 1:52 PM, TornACL said:

This was the play when we stayed at some place in Playa Del Carmen. Pool bar bartender, first beer, slapped down a 20 and told him I would be here all day. 

From then on if he was in the middle of making a drink and I came up to the bar, he'd stop what he was doing and go grab me a beer. 

All the suckers who were standing there politely waiting looked at me like WTF.

Cash is king, amigo.

 

Calm down El Jefe.  All the suckers?  This is nothing to brag about.  You were just participating in the local corruption culture.  

 

 

[Chopper 17,235]

On 6/10/2021 at 9:46 AM, huge said:

At the Rosewood Mayakoba you dont tip.  They auto grat everything and you pay a bill at the end.

3 nights cost me $475 in grat last October

Just curious - do they disclose that charge at booking or just when you check in?

 

[MirrOlure 14,785]

Go around to every bar with a bunch of 5s on the first day then just ask stupid questions like where is the bathroom or what restaurants are good etc get answers then give them a 5. 
If you do it right they will all basically try to help you whenever possible and then you do 1s or 5s depending on the level of help/complexity of request. 

This. Day 4 (final) at Esperanza in Cabo and I’ve achieved a status that will be painful to relinquish when they send us to the airport in the morning

[DFWTexEx 276]

The first day $20 does not only apply to bartenders, but to the pool and beach concierges too.   They will find good chairs, umbrellas, and set you up, bring you water, etc.   Everyone else is standing around and hoping to find a chair in the back.

[huge 3,793]

On 6/13/2021 at 5:56 PM, Chopper said:

Just curious - do they disclose that charge at booking or just when you check in?

 

Sorry just seeing this.  I was made aware at check in.