Tipping

Tipping is so confusing, I think resorts should have some ‘tipping advice’ for guests, a discreet little write up somewhere, just letting guests know, what to tip for and when to do it?

When I go to a restaurant in the UK, tipping happens after the meal, we don't make a song and dance about it here, its all very 'discreet' .... left on the table or in with the payment, almost as if the customer is embarrassed about leaving it. If staying in a hotel, the room servicing its not tipped, we don't leave cash lying about in our rooms.

So here, I find myself watching to see when it’s done, in the buffet a family arrive and the chap extends a seriously warm greeting towards the waiter, as if the waiter is their long lost brother and the waiter in turn, treats him like he has know him for years, all broad smiles and attentive service all night. Water topped up, wine topped up,  would you like anything else, all such wonderful service.
Then on departing, a farewell handshake with so much bravado I’m waiting for an embrace!

This is happening at other tables too, It’s no ordinary hand shake though, oh no, there is a surreptitious exchange of the dollar, somehow affixed to the palm and exchanged on contact. How it’s stuck there goodness knows, it seems almost seamless and each party is aware of it and enacts the performance. Some performances warrant a stage, others quite frankly, an Oscar.

I have never heard of tipping for a buffet.

It was day three before I worked out that I should leave a tip each day for the room service. (unheard of in the UK, well certainly the hotels I would stay in)
I don't know how much I should leave, so I decide to leave a $5 bill. It had been two days and I felt a bit embarrassed about it really. My next decision is where should I leave it?
I can’t just leave it on the side, no one would take it surely?
I need to place it in plain sight, but not as if I had just left it lying about.
After wandering about thinking of various places to leave it, ( a crazy bit of stress on holiday) I settled for next to the fan shaped bed spread and left for dinner.
Then I began thinking 'would it be the same person each day'? 

When I got back the place looked like a bridal suite! There were flower petals strewn all over the bed, chocolate on my pillow, the towels were arranged like swans in the bathroom, there was more moisturiser than I would need for the entire week, my night wear was arranged in a most artistic manner (just a little weird) and a thank you note was written for me on the guest pad!