Gratuities Expected Around the World

My dear polite travelers,

In some countries, it is considered impolite to tip. In some, Americans are viewed as rude or pretentious because we over-tip. So, here are some guidelines that appear to be a ‘general rule’. Still, it is best to ask the hotel staff where you are staying. Just like in the U.S., there are regional differences.

Australia—Not expected

Dining: 10%

Porters: $2 per bag

Taxi: Round to the next dollar

China—Most don’t expect a tip

Dining 10-15% in large cities

Porters $2-3

Taxi None

Britain—Not always necessary, but appreciated

Dining: 10% if not added to the bill

Porters: £ 2 per bag

Taxi: common to round up to next pound or 10-15% if assisted with bags

France – Usually included in the price

Dining: 5% or Leave change on the table; Check your receipt

Porter: € 1 per bag

Taxi: Drivers don’t earn much, so a 5-10% tip is appreciated.

Germany

Dining: 5%

Porter: € 1 per bag

Taxi: Round to the next Euro

Italy

Dining: 10% + service charge

Porter: € 1-2 per bag

Taxi: Round to the next Euro

Japan

Tipping is not common and may be an insult. Inquire at your hotel about individual venues.

More by The Polite Traveler

How I Save Money When Visiting Paris, France

Three Top Traditional Foods of Beaune

Top Five Free Things to Do When Visiting Paris, France

Comments

Kauai Vacation: Room Review

The Room Over The Power Plant Revised 4/2021 The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas offers guests beautiful rooms, which include kitchens or kitchenettes, outdoor grills, and a number of pools. Most often, it includes an excellent restaurant, poolside bar, and small store. A large grocery store is within walking distance as well. Thus, the theory is that guests will not have to leave the property once they cross the big pond to reach it. Great theory, but that’s not necessarily true when the only on-site restaurant is closed. Add to that the incredibly loud room...well, let’s just say I needed a break from the property at times. Note : Follow Hawaii and CDC guidelines when visiting. Always wear your face mask when in public. May we just see the room we should have had? After an exceptionally long journey that included a broken plane and a rushed connection—not to mention airport security—we were surprised to find that our hotel had our room ready an hour early.

Look Closer at the Hilton Garden Inn, Waikiki

Why We Might Not Return: Hilton Garden Inn, Waikiki My dear polite travelers, Imagine waiting three years to revisit a pleasant memory. You’d probably be thrilled to be on that journey. Right? Well, I am, and ...well, I’m lukewarm to some aspects of it, especially our room: #1537. But the Ocean is Right There! In our room, #1537, we have the ocean view and the fresh breezes associated with it. Still, due to the central, otherwise excellent location, it’s noisy—very noisy. Thus, those breezes remain outside all night. Darn. The pleasant sweet-ocean-air-in-our-room-memory I dream of often eluded us on this trip. Now, it’s just sad. The Good & the Weird Beyond the noise, it is a comfortable room—especially the shower—but there’s not enough counter space. Instead of a long counter or desk, the hotel designer thought a long built-in seat would be a clever idea?? Hint. It’s not. We can only use it to store our suitcases and bulky items. The only place to us

Sonoma, California: DoubleTree Sonoma

Updated 4/2021 Our Stay in the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel Sonoma Wine Country in California As over-worked small business owners, we decided to play hooky traveling through Sonoma County for a couple of days. Since we recently experience excellent service on our last stay in a DoubleTree, we booked a room at their Sonoma Wine Country property in Rohnert Park. Our Journey Through Sonoma County Our drive from our home in Davis pleasant with light traffic. We chose a slightly longer route through Sonoma so we could take in the beauty of the Glen Ellen area vineyards. The vineyards here are quite beautiful with green rolling hills as a backdrop. Arriving at the DoubleTree As we arrived, I mentioned to my husband that since this trip would focus on cheese tasting, it would be perfect if we were given a free upgrade to a room with a refrigerator. The hotel appeared fully booked, so I assumed that was impossible. Astonishingly, when we asked about an upgrade, the polite rec

The Polite Traveler

Search This Blog