How to reward good service
Tipping has no fixed rules, but these guidelines may be helpful:
- Hotel porters. €1-2 per bag, or more if the porter is hauling your luggage to a boat landing away from the hotel.
- Chambermaids. €1-2 per person daily (or a little more if you're staying at a fancy hotel).
- Restaurant servers. If service was good and you're feeling generous, tip 5-10% in cash (even if you're paying by credit card).
- Bartenders. Tip 5-10% if you're sitting at a table, less if you're standing at the counter. (In bars where you prepay at a cashier's desk, hand over a coin--perhaps 20 or 50 cents--with your ticket when you get your drink.)
- Land taxis. Round up the bill.
- Water taxis. No need to tip.
- Toilets. 50 cents or a euro if there's an attendant (except at public WCs that charge fees, where you needn't tip).
- Tour guides. €3 per person for a half-day group tour, €5 for a full-day group tour.
Please note:
- Visitors from different countries have different tipping habits.
If you're Australian and you hate to tip, you'll probably tip less than an American who's used to tipping 20% in restaurants. - Forget the notion that you won't be "respected" by service employees if you overtip. Hardworking waiters, waitresses, chambermaids, and bartenders aren't going to turn up their noses at you because you've been nice.
