Thank you very much, that is very helpful!

Dont forget to tip the bellboys. And especially your room maid. And leave that tip every day ($2-3 is good). If there is turndown service at night you might want to leave $1. If you ask for something special (such as drinks for the mini-bar $1-2 is good).

You certainly dont have to tip what you would at home, but the guideline the previous poster gave are very good.

For me personally, at breakfast at lunch buffet:

$1-2 breakfast but only if the coffee keeps coming and they get my juice.

Lunch - usually not, but it depends.......

I also bring small gifts to give out. The past couple of years I have bought baseball caps (good deals on www.hitrunscore.com). Remember that if you give a GIFT you need to leave a note saying that its a gift and give your name/room number (I made up little cards on my computer with this information). I also made up the cards (business card blanks) that just say Gracias which I leave with the tips.

Also, depending on where I am going, I do t-shirts with iron on transfers. For Royal PDC this september (my birthday) I have the following t's.

- Age is a number and mine is unlisted

- feliz cumpleanos to me

just came back from the grand hotel paraiso,we tipped mostly breakfast,2 dollars, lunch mostly 3 dollars,and the spec rest,depense karim at the italian was perfect we gave him 10 dollars,the jappanees 5 dollars,and in the lobbybar 5 dollars as we left for dinner,after a couple off drinks.the cleaninglady total 20 dollars, and turndouwn 5 dollars.butler 10 dollars and bellman 5 dollars . oh and the girls who bring you ,your drinks at the pool every thime 1 dollar.

As a travel agent, I have read your question and was concerned at the responses you were getting. It is NOT necessary to tip, as you are paying for an *all inclusive* , this means *everything* from airfare, transfers, hotel, taxes, meals, non-motorized watersports, and GRATUITIES are included. I can only summize that the people who ARE tipping were not aware of this or think they will get better service if they do. Of course, once this practice gets started, it does affect YOUR service. You should not have to pay extra for good service at such an expensive resort. You have already paid your *premium* price for this service. I have to wonder if this is why I have read so many negative comments on the butler service. Perhaps they have become accustomed to the *big* tippers and only concentrate on them. It only takes a few bad apples to spoil the bunch for the rest of us. A letter or comment to the management for *above and beyond* service of a certain employee would be just as effective. I hope you enjoy your stay at the Iberostar Grand Paraiso and keep your pesos for shopping! I may also add, it is a known practice for employees of certain hotels to pose as tourists and post comments on these wesites. The purpose being that these comments may benefit them in additional gratuities.

aprata - When are you going? We'll be there the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

just because we're told that gratuities are "included" it doesn't mean that the employee gets any of what we pay-it just means the resort says you don't have to give them anything. When you have someone give you great service for 2-3 hrs. at dinner or someone makes drinks for you all day and night, how can you give them nothing? I don't think that those of us who tip a bit ruin anything for anyone.

Who told you that the employees do not get compensated in an *all inclusive* resort? An employee perphaps? A complimentary comment to the management could aid in them being compensated even more in the form of raised pay or promotion. Of course there will always be those who are not comfortable in NOT giving a little something. It is a wide practice in Europe that the gratuity is included in your bill but also customary to leave a few coins at the table. This is certainly acceptable. However, when your gratuity is included at a resort then why do you also feel it is necessary to pay several dollars each time a service is rendered? The whole idea of an all inclusive is the ease of it. It is not necessary to carry a wallet or purse all day just in case you need to purchase or tip someone. It is already paid for! We tell our clients of this hassle free vacation and they go there only to feel uncomfortable because they see other guests tipping and it makes them look cheap. Not to mention the employees, understandably, favor those tippers. This is not the environment we want for our clients. They come back and complain about poor service when in fact it was only poor to THEM because they did not tip enough at a resort where it was supposed to be included. If you still feel the need to do this, please, please do it DISCREETLY. There are some resorts where the acceptance of the tips are grounds for being fired. The resorts should either do away with gratuities included or enforce the rules. It is really the resorts fault for not doing this. They prefer for the guests to pay their help. Where you so graciously oblige them.

I don't tip to get good service but because I have received good service. They deserve it! I don't pass judgement on anyone who chooses not to tip but I resent being made to feel guilty for giving a few dollars to someone who has worked very hard for me and who makes near slave wages. Gimmie a break!

I couldn't agree with you more Coxy29A,

If you don't want to tip that's fine--and believe me there are a lot more people who don't tip at all than people who do. I was surprised at how many but they have that righ and I respect that. No one will tell me not to tip though.