 Poster: A snowHead
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Some guidance please.
I'm just packing up this evening after a week in a fully catered chalet in France. My family party (7 adults, 3 kids, 1 baby) have had exclusive occupation for the week. There are two staff - a chef and a "chalet maid" - and we've seen a lot of the chalet owners who have gone out of their way to sort out everything (lift passes, ski hire, restaurants, lessons etc.) for us. We've been pretty happy with everything and have enjoyed our holiday.
This is my first chalet holiday so I'm not aware of custom and practice regarding tipping. I like to get these little things right!
Should I be leaving a tip or tips? If so for who? What sort of amounts? As one sum or distributed to individuals? Do I tip the owners?
Any and all guidance welcomed!
TIA.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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IanTr, Tip the staff but it genuinely depends on how well they treat you. Last year we had 2 who had just come from qualifying for their degrees and had obvioulsy never done a days work in thier life. We gave no tip as they were hopeless.
The year before the staff were excellent. There were 4 couples and I think we left them 30 euro a couple. Its down to you. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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IanTr, on top of cash, you can also leave the staff your ski passes so that they can claim back the deposit - usually worth about 3euros each and a soft add-on for anything else you're doing.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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In Zell am See a few years back Rhonda and I sociallised and skied with a group of 8 Brummies. We drank in the Bar of The Grand where we were staying which we renamed Harry's Bar after the bar man. He was a Bosnian, and is the best bar man I have ever come across. I think our group tipped him about 80 Euro and he was over the moon.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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As a family of four last year we left a tip of 50 euros in La Ros but were well looked after.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Only stayed in a catered chalet once, last year in Meribel. The two girls who looked after us were excellent cooks and lots of fun too. They helped make it one of the best holidays we've had. We left them 50 Euros each.
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Defo leave a tip IMO.
I think 10 Euros a person a fair amount. After all they owkr for naff all money and if they do a good job then think they deserve a reasonable amount.
Most my wife got for a 12 person chalet was 200Euros in a week !!
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For pretty good (competent and friendly) chalet people, I'd say £10 - £20 a skull, depending on your resources. For less good, less cash.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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PS...I meant 10 euros a person staying in the chalet and not per staff member.
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richmond, i would consider the same for good service and a friendly disposition.
Edit - per guest
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Our record has been 1300 ChF (£590+/-) from 12 guests. We regularly do between 700-900ChF from 10-14 guests. For two staff.
So far this season, 800ChF from 10 guests and 900ChF from 12.
If the staff work hard and you have a great time show some appreciation.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I agree with Alex A, we normally tip €10 from each guest. We then ususally pile in all the coins we have to get rid of them. One year we didn't tip at all as the chalet hosts were more preoccupied in getting out to ski rather than looking after us and their cooking was atrocious.
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I'm in the EUR10-20 per guest camp + leaving coins, magazines, drinks etc.
IanTr, who are you staying with? It sounds like they are worth recommending.
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You know it makes sense.
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We tend to leave zero if the service is poor, £10 per guest if its satisfactory and £20 per guest if we are really pleased.
Looks a bit tight on Parlor's scale but I think his chalet is pretty up market which would make a difference.
When I worked a season (ahem, 13 years ago) our range was zero to £20 per guest.
The high end was a bunch of middle-aged blokes with their own businesses. Families tended to tip less (fewer earners in the party). It was difficult to predict who would tip what. One party was led by an investment banker and we looked after them very well. He dislocated his shoulder and I tied his shoelaces for much of the week. Not only did they not tip but the stiffed us on the "honesty" bar. Tossers.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Another thing,
the guy who led the group that tipped us the most took us to one side at the start of the week "listen guys, look after us well and we'll see you right at the end of the week". We were liberal with the better wine, did a few specials with the food, etc. Not very British but makes a lot of sense when you think about it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| jedster wrote: |
| One party was led by an investment banker... |
rhyming slang?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We always leave a tip. On the one occasion when we had cause to complain, our gripe was with the management, not the staff, so they still got a tip. Usually 10 Euros per person.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| parlor wrote: |
| Our record has been 1300 ChF (£590+/-) |
Actually Parlor that was a mistake - I meant to leave you the normal €10. Could you leave the balance behind the bar in the Kings Parc please and I'll pick it up on Sunday night?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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red 27, just stick it on my tab there, it'll be fine.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We stayed in a chalet in Meribel recently. The cooking, service and advice from the chalet host was excellent so we tipped 20E per head (8 people).
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We left between Euro 20 and 25 per head in Meribel for excellent service, actually we felt stingy because there was a Chef and Chalet operative, both of whom were excellent, we would probably left the same if there had been one person doing both jobs.
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As I understand it chalet staff aren't very well paid so a tip is appreciated.
In La Plagne recently we agreed on leaving a 30euro per guest tip because the staff were very friendly and had a good attitude towards their guests.
I don't feel obliged to tip ifI don't like the attitude of the chalet staff.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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so if your a family of 4, with two under 10 kids, does the 10-20 Euro a head still count or is it just per adult????
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FAQ
