How much should one tip at a hotel?

Well tipping at a hotel is a relative thing. It entirely depends on whether you are having a meal at the hotel or staying at one.

If you have had a meal at a decent 3 star hotel, a 10 to 15 percent tip is good enough.  However if you want to be remembered by the waiters, you have to shell out some more money.  You can even give the waiter a 20 percent tip, if he has shown an exceptional service. Even for the poor service, a 10 percent tips is courteous.

At the 4 star or five star places, the standard tip is 20 percent of the bill. You can notch it up from there, if you have loved the service.

If you are staying at a hotel you should tip the bellman or porter, with at least $1 to $2 per bag. You should pay $2 to $5 per night to the housekeeper. This tip you can pay daily as well as a lump sum at the time of checkout. Similarly you should pay $2 to $5 to the room service person, whenever you call him.