Desire Resort Forums

How about the owners of the resort pay the workers a decent salary. The price they charge they can afford to pay their workers a decent salary. It’s an all inclusive resort and each person tips as they see fit.

I travel extensively and a lot in Mex and Central America. On a trip to Rotan a few of us were really happy with the service so we tipped the normal American tip for the service. Two days later the manager approached us and asked if we knew the exchange rate. We that was an interesting question. He explained at that time the exchange was 45 to 1. In their culture they live pay check to paycheck and his staff took the week off. Do the math we tipped a months wages!!! The poor manager had to do 3 peoples job for the week until they returned. So I try to keep that in mind when I tip. I believe everyone going above and beyond should be rewarded. BTW a lot of all inclusive resorts reward their people by their on line comments so one of the best tip/reward you can give is to post about the staff.
So I always try to keep

BBTD wrote:

Seeking thesis wrote: They have this in place in all of the Couples Resorts in Jamaica and it works perfectly well. The only problems occur when some Americans, who are well aware of the non tipping policy, try to force the staff to accept tips which create embarrassing situations as the employees can be dismissed for accepting them.

Not sure what your experience is with the Couples resorts in Jamaica, but the policy doesn’t work perfectly well as you suggest. Guests discreetly tip many of the high-performing staff members at all of the Couples locations. Have you bothered to research or donate to any of the foundations in Jamaica that assist in providing a living wage and support Jamaicans working in the hospitality industry?

Additionally, what a lazy assessment about who is to blame for tipping in the Couples resorts! Guests from all over the world tip the staff against resort policy.

-BBTD

Been to couples 12 trips and we occasionally and very discreetly tip a few staff each trip but I’ve over dinner with the GM have been reminded never to tip employees. So tipping is the exception not the rule there.

We’ve been to each Couples location several times as well. My point wasn’t that tipping is the norm or widely practiced. My point was that Seeking Thesis was being lazy with an ignorant assessment that “some Americans” do all the tipping. In numerous visits, we’ve never seen an embarrassing situation involving tipping. Just our experience though. Maybe Seeking Thesis has witnessed “some Americans” indiscreetly tipping. Who knows? I challenged them to donate to one of several charities that assist the Jamaican people and no response. We’re headed back to Jamaica in November. We’ll see if anyone is tipping.

-BBTD

I have witnessed occasions when some Americans and by the way BBTD they were Americans, indiscreetly tried to tip servers in a busy
Couples Resort restaurant. Tips were refused and embarrassing scenes ensued.
On one occasion on our first visit to a Couples resort my wife and I took a shuttle to Sunset Beach. We were the only occupants in it apart from the driver. I offered him a tip and although there were no witnesses to what would have transpired he refused to take it saying “ No you are on vacation” I think that tells you everything.
Managers will tell you that they will dismiss employees that accept tips. They also have people that watch for tips. All staff benefit from profit sharing which is a percentage of their daily revenue.
If BBTD in November persists in deliberately not adhering to the no tipping policy by the resort which could result in an employee being fired then I hope he can come to terms with that.

@Seeking Thesis, pm sent.

Tipping, from working in the hospitality industry for many years will get you 'preferred" service or at least give the server, waiter, bartender, maintenance or bell staff a bigger smile!
It is the way it works anywhere from the U.S. down south. Some departments may pool their tips together or some may keep it for themselves. It doesn't matter to us.
At Desire, Tip the guys and girls. They work hard and they won't change their demeanor no matter what they see us do.
They will remember a good tipper, I promise