Top 10 Mistakes All-Inclusive Resort Guests Make (2024)

FAQs

Is it rude not to tip at all-inclusive resorts? ›

While tipping may not be required at some all-inclusive resorts, many guests prefer to do so. In the event that you would like to tip staff during your all-inclusive vacation, it is important to find out in advance whether staff would even be allowed to accept those tips.

How Much Do You Tip at All-Inclusive Resorts? For a one-week stay at an all-inclusive resort, a couple should budget to spend about $150 US (or the local currency equivalent) total in tips. This means that you should bring about $20 in small bills with you to spend on tips throughout the day.

How much is customary? In the Dominican Republic, it is customary to leave a 10% if you enjoyed your services. Some restaurants will add 10% gratuity to your bill, so make sure you look at your check before leaving extra.

You can even consider opting out of all-inclusive packages if you're not planning on using a lot of amenities, or won't be ordering a lot of steak and seafood dinners. Pro tip: Before booking your next vacation, look for some ways to generate extra cash so your trip won't put you into debt.

It's up to you how much you tip, but the recommended amount in Mexico is between 10% – 20% (15% is a good standard in tourist areas) of the bill or ticket price.

US Tipping Etiquette defined for travelers

If you take a car service, taxi, or rideshare, expect to tip. If you receive assistance with luggage at a hotel or at the airport, expect to tip a few dollars. If you take a formalized tour, expect to tip, If you use any spa, hail, or nail services, expect to tip.

To show your appreciation for the meal, tip your server around 15%. Raise that up to 20% if you were wowed. Note that some establishments automatically charge a service fee, so keep an eye out so that you don't tip twice. Bartenders should get 20 pesos (US$1) per drink or 10–15% of the total bill.

It's common for all-inclusive resorts to include gratuity in the upfront cost. This amount is typically shared among the staff. However, tipping those who provide exceptional service during your stay is customary and should be part of your travel plans.

Recommended tip for room service: 15 to 20% of your total food bill.

Preferred tipping currency

The United States dollar is preferred when tipping in Punta Cana. If you have Dominican pesos feel free to tip using it however it is uncommon to tip more than 250 Pesos (5 Dollars).

Do you need cash at an all-inclusive resort? ›

Credit cards are gold around these parts but it's still a good idea to bring cash along when you travel, even on an all-inclusive vacation. While you won't be paying for meals or drinks, it's a good idea to make friends with your bartender at the beginning of the trip by leaving a tip up front.

In 2021, the national gross income per capita in the Dominican Republic increased by 930 U.S. dollars (+12.97 percent) since 2020. Therefore, the national gross income in the Dominican Republic reached a peak in 2021 with 8,100 U.S. dollars.

What are the rules exactly? A letter sent to customers of tour operator Thomas Cook confirmed the new rule updates: “All-inclusive” no longer means “unlimited drinks.” Instead, vacationgoers will be limited to six drinks per day.

Snack responsibly with vegetables, hummus, fresh fruit, nuts (almonds, pistachios and walnuts) and a glass of water before the main course arrives. This will reduce the amount of food you will eat overall. It's best to avoid all soda, which is likely to be quite available whether at a resort or on a cruise ship.

Yes. All all-inclusive resorts include meals and beverages, including alcoholic beverages. Some include 24-hour snacks and 24-hour liquor as well. However, some resorts may charge an additional fee for fine cuts of meat (e.g., filet mignon) and lobster — but choosing those items is totally up to you.

In Mexico, a good rule of thumb for tips is to leave 10-15% of the bill. 50 pesos would be a standard tip for a bill that was around 500 pesos. For example, if you go out for dinner and get drinks, you should expect to spend around 400 MXN. That would mean your tip would be between 40-60 MXN.

If you're staying at a hotel or resort, the front desk can break larger notes into small bills and coins for you: the $20 peso bill is popular for tipping at hotel resorts.

Should I tip in pesos or dollars in Mexico? It's always best to tip in cash, using Mexican pesos. While it might be tempting to leave a few foreign coins as a thank-you, those coins can't be exchanged and won't be of much use to your waiter or tour guide.

Whilst in much of Asia tipping is not expected, tipping is actually considered rude in the following countries: Japan. China. South Korea.

Legally it's voluntary but if you slink out of a restaurant without leaving a gratuity of between 15 and 25 per cent, you're likely to be chased by a waiter demanding to know why. To help you avoid tipping anxiety (and disgruntled waitstaff), we explain how to tip in the United States.

Why do you not tip flight attendants? ›

“We're safety professionals. Our job is to keep you safe and secure. Tipping has no place in our work.” Nelson says she appreciates the sentiment of the question, but says tips just aren't the way to go if you want to acknowledge your cabin crew.

Some tip every meal, some tip the last day they are at the hotel. Some hotels have a “shared-tips” policy where all tips collected are shared equally among the restaurant staff. Employees come from all over Mexico and there are different view points among Mexican's against one-another.

Average Cancun Resort hourly pay ranges from approximately $9.00 per hour for Housekeeper to $16.00 per hour for Floor Supervisor. The average Cancun Resort daily wage ranges from approximately $100 per day for Cook to $173 per day for Banquet Server.

Other tipping considerations at a nail salon

Try not to tip less than $5. If you're only getting a nail polish color swap for $20, consider rounding up the tip to $5. If you're using a coupon, discount voucher or gift card, base your tip on the normal price for the service.

Generally, you won't be expected to tip at the time of purchase since part of the beauty of an all-inclusive resort is not having to worry about bringing credit cards or cash to the beach or pool. Some resorts will charge you a daily tip amount while some prohibit tipping altogether.

You don't have to tip your hotel housekeeper, but these hardworking staff members are often forgotten when it comes to tipping, so the money can go a long way for them.

Some travelers like to leave one tip for hotel housekeeping at the end of their stay. But most experts say it's better to leave a tip every day of your trip. “We recommend tipping nightly, as your room may be serviced by different people,” said Ten Eyck.

Pro tip: Tip everyone: While most travelers know to tip a bellman or valet, few leave anything for the front-desk agent—despite their enormous power to influence the quality of your stay. “The front desk isn't a tipped position, so when you do tip, it makes them beholden to you,” Tomsky said.

As a general rule, expect to tip around 10% of the bill. If you get exceptionally good service, say thank you with a tip closer to 15-20%. Whether you're tipping with cash or card, always use the local currency to save money.

Is 2 dollars a good tip in Dominican Republic? ›

1 to 5 USD will do. Read more about different places to stay in sleep with BOP. When eating at an a la carte restaurant in all-inclusive resort or hotel, you can also leave a tip. Up to 5 USD will do.

It is not necessary to tip an additional amount. A minimum of $1-$2 U.S. (20-40 pesos) per round of drinks is customary, or if you're running a tab, leave 15-20% of the total as a tip. Remember, if you are receiving Happy Hour half-price, tip on the regular pricing amount.

Towels. You don't need towels, as the resort provides these to all guests, and you can exchange them for clean dry ones at any time.

An all-inclusive vacation is a vacation that includes all the essentials in the booking price. Besides accommodation, you can expect food, drinks, activities, and entertainment to be included, without having to pay extra for it.

Yes, all-inclusives are worth it for travelers who just want to relax on their honeymoon or vacation. When you stay at an all-inclusive resort, all meals and beverages are usually already paid for, as are many onsite activities.

The current exchange rate is 1 USD gets you 58 Dominican Pesos (DOP). Usually, the Peso devalues around 3-6% per year versus the US-Dollar, making prices even cheaper.

Brushing teeth with tap water in the Dominican Republic is not recommended unless the water quality is guaranteed to be filtered or treated. In most cases, using boiled, filtered, or bottled water is a safer option for traveling.

These rules mean, if you stay at an all inclusive hotel in one of these resorts, you can have a maximum of 6 alcoholic drinks a day as part of your all inclusive package – 3 at lunch and 3 with evening meals. Soft drinks are unlimited at any time of day and you can buy additional alcoholic drinks if you wish.

'Inclusive' means "including everything" or "open to everyone; not limited to certain people" An all-inclusive resort/cruise is a resort/cruise that includes everything--the cost covers your room, meals, drinks, etc.

What happens if you get to an all-inclusive early? ›

1. Ask to check in early. All-inclusives tend to be accommodating to requests (they should be, you're paying a premium). If your room is available and clean (even if it's before the typical check in time), you can usually go straight to it and get settled in without an extra charge.

Staying at an all-inclusive resort means having 24/7 access to unlimited food and drinks. While drinking co*cktails is a nice way to unwind, it's suggested not to drink it every day.

You are thinking: How did I gain 10 pounds on a vacation?!

The reason for the five-pound “gain” is water retention. Not only do certain rich foods leave you retaining water, but you also have the physical weight of the excess food traveling through your system for at least 48 hours or so.

Obviously every resort is different, but the routine is basically the same: three standard meals a day, several special food events (high tea, midnight pizza buffet, Twilight blood sausage party), and room service. It's like a cruise, but without the Norovirus.

While tipping may not be required at some all-inclusive resorts, many guests prefer to do so. In the event that you would like to tip staff during your all-inclusive vacation, it is important to find out in advance whether staff would even be allowed to accept those tips.

While resorts have traditionally catered to couples and families, that doesn't mean they are exclusively for them. All-inclusive resorts are for solo travelers too!

If 18% gratuity is included in the bill, that's the tip, it's for the server, and you don't have to tip any more. If you want to tip more, you can, but it's not necessary. If tip has been included you don't have to tip more unless you want to.

No, tipping isn't mandatory at most all-inclusive resorts in Mexico. While most service charges are included in the total price of your stay, a few extra dollars here and there can make a world of difference to your hard-working wait staff, housekeeping teams, bartenders, and those on the entertainment team.

Although the Secrets resorts list taxes and gratuities as being included in the cost of the all-inclusive package it is highly recommended to tip the staff throughout your stay. Typically we bring a few hundred dollars if we are staying for a week and tip the staff for meals, drinks, and generally good service.

Can you decline to pay gratuity? ›

The customer can't be required to pay it. The customer gets to determine the amount. It's not the result of negotiations or decided by policy. The customer determines who (usually the server) gets to receive the payment.

A gratuity is an informal tip that an employee receives from a customer or another worker. At the same time, a tip is something you give to a service provider to show your appreciation for their work.

TOUR AND ACTIVITY GUIDES

If you're on a tour with a lot of people (20-100 people), each person should leave a tip of at least $5 U.S. (90 pesos). If you're on a tour with very few people (e.g., four people in your family), the group should leave a tip that is equivalent to 15-20% of the cost of the tour.

To show your appreciation for the meal, tip your server around 15%. Raise that up to 20% if you were wowed. Note that some establishments automatically charge a service fee, so keep an eye out so that you don't tip twice. Bartenders should get 20 pesos (US$1) per drink or 10–15% of the total bill.

Concierges tend to earn more than most other hotel staff, but they still definitely deserve your tips. If you go to them with a request, like a local recommendation or help booking tickets to a sold-out show, tip them in the moment when their service to you is completed. And tip according to the effort involved.

Average Cancun Resort hourly pay ranges from approximately $9.00 per hour for Housekeeper to $16.00 per hour for Floor Supervisor. The average Cancun Resort daily wage ranges from approximately $100 per day for Cook to $173 per day for Banquet Server.

The majority of all-inclusive staff members — including those who work in the maintenance, food and beverage and laundry departments — make about the equivalent of around $300 USD a month — and these workers actually had families to support.

In Mexico, a good rule of thumb for tips is to leave 10-15% of the bill. 50 pesos would be a standard tip for a bill that was around 500 pesos. For example, if you go out for dinner and get drinks, you should expect to spend around 400 MXN. That would mean your tip would be between 40-60 MXN.

Should I tip in pesos or dollars in Mexico? It's always best to tip in cash, using Mexican pesos. While it might be tempting to leave a few foreign coins as a thank-you, those coins can't be exchanged and won't be of much use to your waiter or tour guide.