Tipping w/ Trinkets v. $$$

I tend to agree with Dee. While I have no problem with tipping with money, I intend to bring gifts for those people who spend the week offering their services to us. Fortunately a traveler before me has given me the names of those at the hotel where I will be staying, and a few pointers. I am a jewlery designer, and so I will bring beautiful earrings for the women. I am also taking a dozen major league baseballs and t-shirts as well. I like to think, and perhaps I am mistaken, but I would like to think that even people from poor countries can appreciate things other than money. Dominicana is a poor country, but the people are rich in many ways. A bit of advice give to me was to include a note card of thanks with any gift be it an item or money. This makes it personal and lets the receiver know that you have put some effort into thinking about them rather than just leaving a few bucks because it might be expected. So I will combine my tipping with money and with gifts . . . and with notes. One question though, when tipping with money, what's better--Pesos or US$. Mia

How about when the service is poor? What's the proper thing to do. You don't want the family members who rely on this income to suffer but you don't want to encourage poor service either.

Make the management aware of the problem. I guess having worked in the service industry, I have always tipped "something" no matter how poor the service (Unless the person was plainly rude)

Tom

Personally, I don't think it hurts to give a few gifts to the staff at hotels, but certainly not in stead of real money, (U.S. dollars). The staff at hotels have families to feed, and trinkets don't taste that great!

As a dominican, I'm finding this thread somewhat offputting. Would it occur to anyone to leave notes and designer jewelry as gifts in addition to tips to the staff in US or Canadian hotels? A service is rendered and a tip is expected in return. That's the extent of the transaction. Maybe I'm misinterpreting something, but this extra gift-giving strikes me as paternalistic and condescending.

>> Personally, I don't think it hurts to give a few gifts to the staff at hotels, but certainly not in stead of real money, (U.S. dollars). The staff at hotels have families to feed, and trinkets don't taste that great! <<

No USA hotel staff member has ever asked me to give them a NYC T-shirt or my used Adidas tennis shoes, but it has happened many times in the DR. That's the difference. These things have real value in the DR and are often items they would never buy otherwise because of the cost.

I will only give a gift if I can buy it for less money in the USA that it is valued as is in the DR. For example, I can buy a watch in China Town for US$8 and it equals about a US$15-25 gift when I give it away in the DR. And they can easily sell it for US$10 to they guy on the beach that is selling the same watches for US$25.

Ditto for NYC T-shirts that I can by for US$2 in China Town and value at least US$5 in the DR, but probably closer to US$10.

I've seen old tennis shoes being sold in the street along with lots of other used items on more than one occassion as I've cruised through the various barrios where many of these workers live. Even if they can't use the items themselves (wrong size, etc.), they have friends and family that can or they can sell the items. A T-shirt in hand is one less they have to buy down the road, and they LIKE the stuff.

It gives me great pleasure on return trips to see various motoconchos wearing my old clothes (which are often in NEW condition).

Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM

I think Mia and the others mean well, but boy is this getting out of hand!

Natasha

I can appreciate all the messages in this thread, and it looks like everyone has a different take on what to do. But I still have some questions, ---when tipping with money, is it appropriate to leave UD$ or Pesos? and what is the appropriate amount to leave a maid? a bartender? and any other service person? Also (and this is troubling) I read in one travel book that when tipping in a hotel or resort restaurant in the DR, to not assume that the wait person will get the tip, because the wait staff is required to turn in gratuities to the hotel management. I certainly don't want to tip the hotel management after I've already paid hundreds of dollars for my stay! Do I have to secretly slip the wait person a tip to be sure that he or she gets to keep it? Mia

I view giving a gift as an act of kindness, certainly not an act that is condescending or paternalistic. Many of the travel packages to DR, including the one I have purchased, are "all inclusive" packages. The tour operators of these packages stress that tipping is included and is not necessary or expected. My wanting to give a gift to someone who does me a service is my desire to make my graditude more personal. I don't understand anyone, Dominican or any other nationality being put off by that. Mia

Mia,

To answer some of your questions, I tip in pesos just because I think it would be more convenient for the person I suppose, particularlly in isolated resorts. I have tipped in dollars many times though, especially in Santo Domingo. I just make sure to tip the appropriate percentage whatever the currency. My husband and I tend to tip different people, for example, I tip the maid, he would usually tip the bartenders, and other hotel staff. For the maid, we tip about 4 dollars per night since it's two of us in the room. Hope this helps!

Natasha