I have included this section to assist you on when and how much to tip while on your trip. All tipping is based on what one person should give, if a couple you would double it.
Transportation
The primary drivers (Tony / Kenroy/ Miguel) can be tipped at the end each trip $1 to $2 per person. Many people just tip at the end of the week. If you don’t use either driver for transportation then you don’t need to tip.
| 7 nights | 10 nights | |
| Miguel/Tony / Kenroy | $5 – $10 | $10 – $20 depending on how much used |
| Luggage person | $1 per bag | $1 per bag |
| *Outside driver | $0 – $5 | $0 – $5 |
(*An outside driver is usually hired to bring you in from the airport and is not our regular driver. Sometimes he assists in getting your luggage on and off the bus.)
Villa
Rooms: It is suggested that the tip for your villa be 10% of your villa’s total rental amount. In general, a normal 3 bedroom villa for 6 rents around $30000 per week. Larger villas go up in price based on the number of bedrooms. To make things easy, I use a rate of approximately $500 per person to cover the base villa rate. Based on this proper tipping for the trip for one person, tipping would be 10% or $50 for a week to cover the staff. Per couple it would be $100. For 10 nights it would be $70 per person to cover the staff and $140 per couple.. You can check the “My Silver Sands” website to get the exact cost of each villa. In large villas there is more staff but more persons to cover the tip bill.
Service: The villa’s staff prepares two meals per day, cleans up the villa and does your laundry. Villa Staff for a 3 bedroom villa would normally include a cook and a housekeeper as well as a gardener and pool person. The majority of the tip would be split between the cook and housekeeper. In many villas the staff member (normally the cook) would get more of the tip but equally splitting is ok. You can have each guest tip each person separately or you can combine it and give it in one lump sum to be shared. I always suggest that pooled money be given to the house staff only. The gardener and pool persons should get between $1.00-$5.00 each per person per week. The gardener and pool person should be tipped separately. The suggested tip per guest is as follows. For children figure 50% of the guidelines.
| 7 nights | 10 nights | |
| Villa Staff | $50 | $70 |
| Gardener | 0 to $5 | 0 to $5 |
| Pool | 0 to $5 | 0 to $5 |
Suggestion: I suggest that at a minimum you bring $75 per person ($150 per couple) to cover tipping for one week. Bring $100 per person ($200 per couple) to cover tipping for 10 nights. for all tipping.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Dean Jerome