If you’re headed to one of the luxurious Sandals all-inclusive adults-only resorts, you should know that there is a special Sandals tipping policy.
In this post we’ll tell you all about the tipping policy at Sandals Resorts, including the Sandals butler tipping policy, and we’ll answer questions like, “Is tipping allowed at Sandals Resorts?” and “Do you tip at Sandals spas?”.
Is tipping allowed at Sandals resorts?
The tipping policy at Sandals Resorts says that most Sandals staff are not to be tipped, because their tips are part of your all-inclusive rate. In fact, if they are caught receiving tips, they could be fired, so be aware of this.
While you may feel like rewarding excellent service with a tip, it could actually get them in trouble, so be sure to ask. The only Sandals staff who are officially allowed to accept tips are butlers and spa personnel.
Another way to reward a Sandals staff member for great service is to compliment them to their manager or the front desk team.
While on the resort you can send a message on the Loop App mentioning your favorite staff members.
You can also write a review on sites like Google or TripAdvisor and mention any outstanding staff members by name.
The Sandals No Tipping Policy
The Sandals no tipping policy means that all gratuities are included in your daily rate, so you don’t have to worry about tipping resort staff who provide services like helping with your luggage or working at restaurants and bars. This includes bellhops, cleaning staff, concierges, bartenders, and wait staff.
However, there are some staff members at Sandals Resorts who should be tipped. Those include massage therapists and service providers at the Red Lane Spa, as well as your butler if you stay in a butler-level suite. (For more about tipping Sandals butlers, see “Sandals Butler Tipping Policy” below.)
You should also tip the drivers who take you to and from the airport, as they are not Sandals employees, as well as anyone at the airport who helps you with your bags. Airport personnel tips can be just a few dollars, or more if someone provides excellent service. The shuttle drivers will also appreciate whatever tip you feel is appropriate (usually around $5).
Also, if you golf at Sandals, your golf caddy will accept tips.
Sandals Butler Tipping Policy
Sandals butlers are some of the only staff at Sandals Resorts that are allowed to receive tips. How much do you tip Sandals butlers? We recommend tipping Sandals butlers about $20 a day, depending on how much you use their services. You generally give the tips at the end of your stay, but it’s up to you.
What kinds of services do Sandals Butlers provide? They go above and beyond to make sure your stay is amazing and are on call 24 hours a day. (Usually, you will have more than one butler on your team.)
They will greet you, check you in, unpack for you if you like, and help you with anything you need during your stay. This includes making dinner reservations, booking private cabanas or offsite excursions, and setting up romantic private dinners in your suite.
What is the best Sandals butler tipping etiquette? Many people recommend tipping your Sandals butler at the end of your stay but consider tipping them each day. We recommend this because the staff may change during your stay. If you tip each day, you will be rewarding the person delivering the service at that time. This also allows you to tip different staff members different amounts, rather than have it split evenly among all of them.
The best way to tip your Sandals butler is with cash.
Also, some Sandals resorts offer butler beach service, and these staff can be tipped as well.
Do you tip at Sandals spa?
Yes, you should tip at the Sandals spa if you get services there. Sandals spa personnel are not covered by the Sandals tipping policy. Not only are they allowed to get tips, but they often depend on them.
We suggest giving your massage therapist or other spa service provider at Sandals the same sort of tip you would give at a spa at home. Usually, this would be about 15 to 20 percent of your bill.
How much do you tip at Sandals?
If you are not staying in a butler suite and you don’t get any services at the spa, you will not have to tip anything while at your Sandals resort. The only tips you will need to give are to the airport transfer drivers since they are not Sandals employees.
If you are staying in a butler suite, you should tip your Sandals butler about $20 a day depending on how much you use their services.
If you get spa services, you should tip the Sandals spa staff member who helps you the same amount as you would give the spa staff at home. Usually, this would be about 15 to 20 percent of your bill.
Tipping When Outside of Sandals Resorts
If you explore the area outside of your Sandals resort, you will most likely need to bring cash for tips. You should plan to tip anyone who provides a service you would normally tip for at home.
This includes taxi drivers, restaurant wait staff, bartenders, and tour guides. These service providers depend on tips as part of their income and will appreciate your generosity.
If you take any of the excursions that are offered at Sandals Resorts, these are provided by an independent company. The excursion tour guides and drivers are not Sandals employees and should be tipped as well, anywhere from a few dollars to $20 depending on what type of service they provided.
Be sure to bring enough cash with you if you plan to travel outside the Sandals resort. American dollars are usually fine, but you can ask at the resort if you need to change them into local currency.
Does this answer all of your questions about Sandals tipping policy? If not, let us know any other questions in the comments below! And if you’re interested in a Sandals honeymoon or vacation but haven’t planned it yet, be sure to check out all our articles on Sandals resorts, including the top Sandals resorts, honest reviews of each Sandals location, and the best Sandals resorts for honeymoons.
He is an expert travel advisor and enthusiast. He has traveled extensively in the USA, Central America, South America, and Europe. He has visited every Sandals Resort and is one of a select few Diamond Elite members of the Sandals Chairman’s Royal Club.
Dan graduated from Johnson & Wales University with an associate degree in Culinary Arts. Later he graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies with a focus on people and culture.
$20 a day? You actually think that’s fair to these people? First off, all the islands are the epitome of poverty. 2nd, these folks wait on you 16 hours out of the day from 7am-11pm and then room service is available after 11pm. They bring you breakfast , cocktails, make reservations, they reserve cabanas, beach chairs and pool chairs, always have a cooler of iced beer waiting for you where you go. They decorate your room, bring you dinner and practically any other request you make. I e had butler service twice so far at sandals. I had 2 butlers for the week in Jamaica and 3 in St Lucia. I gave the 2 in Jamaica $1300 each and the 3 in St Lucia $700 each. The difference wasn’t because of service provided , they were all awesome. The difference was in Jamaica we stayed in an over the water villa that ran close to $45,000 for the 8 nights. The one in St Lucia was just a typical beach front and tan around $14,000 for 7 days. This is more the norm for a suite with butler service. I dont know what type of business you run, but informing people to give butlers $20 a day is absurd. Anyone paying this much money for a vacation and follows your tipping guidelines is disgusting. One woman on trip advisor said she was upset with the terrible service after her husband gave them $20 on the first day and told him to only give him $10 the following day. No wonder her service sucked. It was because she sucks as a human being
Hi Bill, That is really great that you are so generous with your butler tips and I hope you continue to be. We are just sharing what the norm is. Sandals Resorts says that it is not mandatory to tip butlers, but if you do research you will see that most people share the $20 per day per butler figure.
@Dan and Michelle,
Well folks I’m sorry to hear that is what most of the people tip the butlers. I can tell you that reading reviews was the catalyst for writing on your site. My feelings should have no reflection on you. I’m just appalled that there are people out there that are like this. I guess the only thing left for me to say is; If you want to act like you’re a Gates or Bezos for the week (so you can go home and brag to all your friend that you had a butler) and give someone that works that hard $140 for the week……there’s nothing to brag about. The hours these folks work it’s equal to <$2 an hour. Do everyone a favor and stay in a regular room without a butler. You may not be able to brag but you’ll be able to maintain your dignity as a human being. And for the record, I’m not a Gates or Bezos. I’m nothing more than your average Joe with cancer who was told 3 years ago I had 3 months to live. I dont stay in rooms like this to brag, I stay in rooms like this for everything my wife has gone through and the way she’s supported me since my diagnosis. So I guess seeing the look of sincere gratitude on someone’s face means more to me than most.
@Bill Moran, Show off.
When you suggest $20 per day for the butler does that cover the butler team or should it be 20 per day per butler team member
Usually you will have 2 of the 3 butlers working each day. So I plan on 1 butler for arrival and departure, then 2 butlers for each other day.
@Dan and Michelle, so do you leave a tip at the end of your stay for each butler or the team?
Yes, I would keep notes on my phone though out the week then tip once. At some resorts they give you envelopes and others do not and I would just ask for one if I didnt bring it.