Ladies and Gents, listen up. This next topic is hot!
Have you ever stored bags in a hotel? If you have, or you plan to at some point, you should pay close attention to this post.
One of the most heart-wrenching, demeaning duties a bellman can undergo is storing luggage for a guest. Why you ask? Isn’t it his job? Yes, it is. And he is more than helpful to do it. IF, and that’s a big if, you tip him.
What you should tip, all depends on what you are storing. Is this heavy luggage? Is it a nice laptop? A poster? A purse?
Anything in this category should be a minimum of $3 to $5 per item. If it is just one item, then $5. If it’s a cart of luggage, the minimum tip is $10. $20 and you will have the bellman remembering your name and taking extra good care of you. And, yes, you should tip before. And, yes, you should tip after.
Think of it this way: How much is this item worth to you? If you say a lot, then take care of the bellman and he will take care of you.
But beware, if you warn a bellman, as in saying, “Be careful, it’s fragile. It has wine. These are posters. This is my life. Please, please take care of this, ” without tipping, you’re screwed!
Whether your storing your bags for 20 minutes, five hours or two days, the same rule applies. If you want to receive your bags and their inner contents in the same condition as you gave them, it would be best to tip both before and after you receive your luggage. Here’s why…
In a large hotel, a bellman can store 500-600 bags a day. This is during non-holidays. When it turns into present hunting season, this number greatly goes up. Luggage and bags are everywhere. Each bag can weigh anywhere from 20 pounds to 2oo pounds. After lifting so many bags back and forth with no further compensation, emotions begin to run their course.
First, we start to get tired. Fatigue leads to carelessness. Not caring becomes agitated. Pissed transforms into vengeance.
Here are a few of the methods we use to vent anger for lack of gratuity:
1. The Windmill – Three bellman will take turns picking up a bag, turning in circles, and throwing it as far as possible. Similar to the shot put.
2. The Shiv – A bellman would take his pen and stab the bag multiple times as if it were a human enemy.
3. Zipper No More – A bellman will cut part of the inner lining of the zipper, so after a few subsequent uses, the zipper would simply fall off of the luggage or not be able to hold its contents without bursting.
4. Bowling – One bellman will line several bags up and then another bellman will take a bag and try to knock over as many standing bags as possible.
5. Laptop Crusher – A bellman will simply pick up a laptop above his head and let gravity due the rest. Newton’s Law applies.
6. Runaway Cart – A bellman will send a full luggage cart racing down a ramp crashing it into a wall. As a result, the luggage will either go flying or crashing off of the cart.
7. Bye Bye Napa – Bellmen weren’t responsible for guests who put wine bottles in their bags. In this scenario, a bellman will drop the bag down hard against the storage racks, resulting in an immediate overpour of red liquid rushing through the luggage.
These are just some of the main techniques bellmen employ when provoked. If you truly value your luggage and belongings, TIP. And TIP well!
It’s truly that simple.