How much do I tip for this?

[jimmysgirl424]

My DH went above and beyond for my birthday this year. He purchased me a "Day of Beauty" at a rather upscale spa. I will be there approximately seven hours. Here is what will be included:

-One hour spa body massage with hot stones
-Custom European facial
-Spa manicure
-Spa pedicure
-Makeup application
-Haircut & style
-Breakfast and lunch

Gratuity is not included and I'm totally lost. I've never had anything even remotely like this. Heck, I've never had a massage. :o How much do I tip? They gave DH a paper with my 'schedule' on it, and a different person is listed for each service. Do I tip each one separately? Or do I tip one set amount at the end and let them divide it up? Help!

[PinkMartini]

I don't have any suggestions but I wanted to wish you a

Happy Early Birthday

I hope you have a wonderful birthday tomorrow!!!!

[imagirliegirl]

Typically I tip 20% for spa services.

[jajacobsen]

I tip 20% and yes, I would tip each separately.

[jimmysgirl424]

Okay, so that 20%, which would be over $60, do I take it and just kind of divide it up between each person? I mean, they literally have me scheduled with six different people. That wouldn't really equal much at all per person.

ETA: Thanks for the birthday wishes, PinkMartini!

[am_81]

The spa may actually be able to take care of this for you. Every place I've gone to asks you how much you want to tip (percentage wise, not dollar amount) when you check out and adds it to your total bill. They then take care of splitting it amongst the employees. I realize that you wont actually being paying for the servics since its a GC, but the spa should still offer a similar procedure for tipping.

(I'm actually surprised that they did not give your DH the option of including gratuity in the GC. I've always been able to include it when buying a GC for someone else. Nothing more awkward than receiving a spa gift from someone and not realizing that you still have to tip until the last minute.)

[jimmysgirl424]

Actually, they made a point of informing DH that gratuity was not included when he purchased this gift for me. I thought that was kind of odd, especially considering that this is a very nice spa. :confused:

[mamax2]

I would tip 20% (unless anything went wrong that would make you want to tip less). I'd tell the front desk person to tip each attendant 20% of their service. So, the person who does the massage might get, $20, while the person who does the make-up might get $6. Overall, each attendant is still getting a good tip for the service they provided.

[tenofcups]

I would also plan to tip about 20% of the total. And I'm sure I'm just anal, but I'd likely give the spa a call ahead of time and ask them the best way to handle it -- can you pay the 20% of the total at the end of the day and ask them to split it up or do you need to tip each one individually? I know it's silly, but that's the kind of thing I like to know ahead of time (and I guess you do too since you're asking!) so I'd just call them and ask them how it's typically handled.

[thedoorchick]

Actually, they made a point of informing DH that gratuity was not included when he purchased this gift for me. I thought that was kind of odd, especially considering that this is a very nice spa. :confused:

They probably wanted to make sure there wasn't any confusion; I could see how this could happen with gift certificates.

I would check on the logistics of how it's to be paid. I rarely go to day spas, but the last one I went to noted that tips can't be put on credit cards even if the spa services are charged. They all had to be cash.

[andy's di]

I worked in a spa for a short time as a receptionist and most ppl tipped 20%.

If it was for a combination of services and multiple girls worked on the client I divided the tip based on the value of their services and placed their appropriate amount in their tip jar.

I would imagine most spas will sort those things out for their clients and employees.

[kedzieb]

Some spas I've gone to have separate envelopes for each person who provided my services, some let me add $$$ to my bill, some split it for you but only take cash for tips.

I'd call.

[Rose]

I'm jealous!! 20% and I would just have the spa split it amongst the people, unless you had someone very good and/or very bad and you want something besides 20%.

[ManteoChik]

I'd go to the spa's website, and find out how much that package is worth. If they don't have a website you can always call them.

I always tip 20% for spa services, to each person that "works" on me if it is someone different doing each thing. By finding out the price ahead you can come prepared for how much to bring. I usually tip in cash if I've been given a spa treatment as a gift, and add it to my CC if I booked it myself.

[ysolde]

20%. Ask at reception how to handle it; they will helpp you. Most places give you tip envelopes.

[imagirliegirl]

The place I go will take one tip and split it accordingly since I usually pay with a credit card. This place should be willing to take a lump tip and split it up. You could always call ahead and ask. :)

[phoenics]

I would call, but most places just ask you at the end and then you just give it to them with your payment (GC) and they handle distribution.

This post brought back memories though - I went to the spa not too long ago for some services (so awesome) and after I was done with one I went back into the waiting room... and sat down in my robe to read... and then one guy in a robe entered. Then another. And another. It was so funny because the robes barely fit the poor dudes, lol - but to ease the tension of watching them all tug on the robes (it was a co-ed spa, but the robes were way too small, lol) I joked that I never thought I'd get outnumbered in a spa. They all stopped tugging and started laughing and finally they all just relaxed.

It was pretty funny - they were all older and well-groomed men... I bet they were so chagrined at having to tug that robe to cover themselves, lol.