Items that can be used

Cash , Moolah, Spoolondocks, Geetus, Dough-Re- Mi, Cabbage

mspreen said:

Hi Everyone,

This time next week I will be there. I have been counting the days for over a month. I would like to bring items down to give to the maids and people who work at the hotel.

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Give them cash for two reasons:

1. It is customary to tip maids anyway and they are grossly underpaid and underappreciated - so RD$50 (a buck) or RD$100 (two bucks) now and then (or every day in fact) may be a day's pay for them and only a Cuba Libre for you. (NB Don't leave the cash, hand it to them with a "gracias" - on the bed etc., if they are honest and you haven't checked out they may leave it on the bed thinking you lost it)

2. I think in many cases you aren't sure of their status (needy kids or not) nor their actual needs and cash is more suitable for THEM to decide. Also most if not all typically brought items are available in the DR for school etc.

3. (OK three reasons) In addition to accomplishing the mission you get REALLY good maid service, towels, etc.

I think the acts of kindness are great, I also think knowing as many maids and waitresses as I do that some will be offended by "charity", e.g. the insinuation they cannot provide these things for themselves which is to a degree quite true but adds shame to an act of kindness.

Though I don't think enough tourists tip maids (and not just the DR, everywhere) , maids are not unaware of the concept of tips so you give them something nice ($$$) they use it for their needs and it is perceived as a tip and not an implication they are poor. And again, great maid service too.

If you want to supplement the cash do what I do, give them name brand cosmetics, perfume etc., for themselves - the $$ may indeed go to the kids and a nice "gift" (not donation) is always nice to have. You can get a ton of name brand stuff at Walmart etc., in N. America and hand it out to maids. This means lipstick, and perfumes, and such not shampoo and so on that are more like groceries. I have a store here with Revlon and other brand lipstick for 3/$1.00 CDN. So I bring oodles.

Now Cuba: if you go, you almost HAVE to do the school supply thing due to shortages of nearly everything and they are aware they have so little and in this case you may be the only decent source of the items.

You add points to your karma bank for thinking this way too. Good on ya' mate.

$3 per night of stay is customary in the US...I apply the same rules wherever I travel...business or pleasure.

mspreen said:

Hi Everyone,

This time next week I will be there. I have been counting the days for over a month. I would like to bring items down to give to the maids and people who work at the hotel. What would be essential that is needed..Ex. coloring books for the kids, crayons etc.

Thanks,
Martha
Oh and thanks again to everyone who told me not to worry about traveling there. This board has been great.

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Hi Martha.
We just returned from the DR on Sunday. Miss it already!!! We left $2 US each day on the soap dish for the maid and on our final day, we gave her a
small bottle of perfume. She loved it. We tipped the bar staff & the wait daily and gave the concierge $25 US on the day we left. Dont worry about the trouble in Haiti, it wont affect you. Have a wonderful time...I'm jealous!!
Daisy

RD$100 would do

mspreen said:

Thanks. I wasn't sure how much to tip everyone. We are going to an AI and I always tip regaurdless. By the way did you go to an AI? If so, how much did you tip the wait staff for lunch and dinner?

Thanks,
Martha

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Even RD$50 to a waiter is a lot. A good strategy for AI's is to tip the host/hostess ( especially if you go the same time each day) US$5 or $10 on the first day then watch at how nice the tables and service becomes subsequently.

And in the "special " restaurant (the one you are allowed to use ONCE per trip) - give $10 to $20 to the host on the first visit then you can go back every day if you want. This is good for the steak house or fine dining one if they have one which generally is a lot better food than the buffet.

In Cuba this strategy will get you a medal as well.

mspreen said:

Thanks. I wasn't sure how much to tip everyone. We are going to an AI and I always tip regaurdless. By the way did you go to an AI? If so, how much did you tip the wait staff for lunch and dinner?

Thanks,
Martha

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Hi Martha,
Yes, we stayed at the Sun Village (A1). It was beautiful. When we sat at the bar, we tipped $5 before we left, (not after each drink). If we just went to get a round to take, we left $1. At breakfast and dinner we left $5. Your going to have a wonderful trip. Where are you staying?
Daisy

De nada

mspreen said:

Thank you Rick. At least now I have some basis of the monetary amount to tip. At these AI it is very hard because it is not like back home here where it is customary to tip 15 to 20%. I am sure I will be tipping more than actually buying anything.

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Remember RD$50 is probably 1/2 a day's pay so if you can get a lot of 50's and are REASONABLY free with then you'll have a lot of people who think you're Ok but you are only handing out a buck US$ here and there so it is pretty painless. Don't overdo it.

And other than the pefume or lipsticks skip all the school supplies etc., they are a burden to carry and awkward to hand out - a maid is working, a waitress is in the middle of a shift, just palm the ol' greenbacks and you'll do fine.

WAY too much

mspreen said:

Thanks Daisy,

That gives me a better idea. We are staying at Secrets. I have heard alot of wonderful things and can't wait. We leave this Monday. Did you do any outing or did you stay in the resort the whole time? We wanted to explore. Any suggestions?

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You do not need to tip waitresses US$5 (RD$250) for dinner or a bartender either for that matter. It is not the USA and the service is not that much better to overtip. There is a balance and US$5 is in excess other than that bribe to the host (which may need to be $10-20) to get into the "exclusive " restaurant every day if you want to.

Keep in mind you can get a decent meal in a non-AI restaurant for RD$250 and thus 100% tip is silly. And you can buy 6-8 Cuba Libres for the same amount so tipping equal to 6 drinks is like a $40 tip in the US.

RD$50- 100 in the HAND of the recipient form time to time is a lot and enough.

mspreen said:

Thanks Daisy,

That gives me a better idea. We are staying at Secrets. I have heard alot of wonderful things and can't wait. We leave this Monday. Did you do any outing or did you stay in the resort the whole time? We wanted to explore. Any suggestions?

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Martha,
Dont stay at the A1 the whole time. You'll be missing out on so much. Have the concierge (not sure of the spelling), hook you up with a taxi and tour guide. We went to the Fort and saw Mr. Blacky, who tells the story of the battles with pirates and shares some jokes. He's 95yrs old (I think) and he tells the stories passionately. He's a wonderful man. We also went into Puerto Plata and did some shopping.....(and drinking)...we saw the rum factory; not much interest, but the people are wonderful...we did buy some rum to take home. We went 'off the beaten path' with a guy we met last year. His name is Eddy and he has a souvinere hut on the beach near the resort (Cofresi Beach). He bought a jeep since we saw him last year and offered to take us up Mt. Isabella. Its a huge mountain that you go to by cable car. I'm not too crazy about going up in the cable car so we went with Eddy and had a blast. It was a real adventure!! I cant wait to get back down there. THe people of the Dominican Republic are the nicest people around, I've never seen people do so much with so little...we do so little with so much!! Have a great trip and let me know how it went.
Daisy

ricktoronto said:

You do not need to tip waitresses US$5 (RD$250) for dinner or a bartender either for that matter. It is not the USA and the service is not that much better to overtip. There is a balance and US$5 is in excess other than that bribe to the host (which may need to be $10-20) to get into the "exclusive " restaurant every day if you want to.

Keep in mind you can get a decent meal in a non-AI restaurant for RD$250 and thus 100% tip is silly. And you can buy 6-8 Cuba Libres for the same amount so tipping equal to 6 drinks is like a $40 tip in the US.

RD$50- 100 in the HAND of the recipient form time to time is a lot and enough.

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Rick,
THe $5 is split between all the wait staff...the bus boy, waitress, hostess...so it really breaks down to about 1.25 each.
I know its not the USA, but it just seems right. (?)
Daisy

For Individual Service

daisyone said:

Rick,
THe $5 is split between all the wait staff...the bus boy, waitress, hostess...so it really breaks down to about 1.25 each.
I know its not the USA, but it just seems right. (?)
Daisy

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One more time, give it to the person you want to have it. I'd be concerned table tips get to anyone frankly and certainly not in the % you want them to.

The $5 goes to el jefe if you do that (who you don't see) or all to the waitress if she palms it and then it is too much. You want GOOD service tip the PERSON not the establishment. I am there 6-9 times a year, never in AI's and I tip how you should tip - in the hand, gracias. And RD$50 is a LOT each time. seriously.

It's not the USA so tip like it's not. Just advice.