How much do you tip a property manager while at a vacation rental in Cancun, Mexico?

How much do you tip a property manager at VRBO?

We are often asked this question at Tim’s Ocean Condos. And the answer is not simple.

Just like with any other service industry tips are appreciated and necessary for our team. There are many things that a property manager and his team do before, during and after your visit to help you and your family have the best vacation.

The amount of tip that you decide to give will depend upon the quality and quantity of service you received, the length of your stay, and the size of your group.

A very quick way to figure out how much money to bring for tips; if you are extremely satisfied with your time in Cancun then a suggested gratuity of 20% of the penthouse rental cost to be split among the staff at the end of the vacation. So as an example, if your total vacation rental was $5000 USD, then plan on $1000 USD in gratuity.

However, you could break down your gratuity based on the type of service you were extremely satisfied with. For example, giving the in-home cooks a tip for their service separate from the regular tip you leave for the cleaning ladies.

Property Manager

Once you arrive at our all-inclusive resort, Abdiel will be waiting to greet you and your group.

Sometimes our guests arrive at the resort before our 4:00 check-in time and have no place to store their suitcases and groceries. Do not worry about this because Abdiel or Paola will take your suitcases and your groceries up to your penthouse for you and even put the groceries in the refrigerator so that you can start your vacation.

In Cancun I usually tip $2 per suitcase to the bellboy if they bring it up to the penthouse. The amount of this tip should depend on how heavy your suitcases are and how many bags of groceries he brings up for you.

Unlike hotels that offer limited service, Abdiel is available from the moment you arrive until the day you leave. Abdiel is available for you from as early at 9:00 am in the morning until usually around 8:00 at night. Sundays are his day off.

Between Tim, Megan, and Abdiel we help you book your airport transfer, custom private tours, additional activities, and manage your in-home cook & special services. This alone will save you time, energy, and frustration. Our recommendations perfectly suit your needs, and ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Any bookings we make for you cost the same as if you made them yourself but without all the hassle. We only recommend companies that are safe, fun, and professional and that we have personally used ourselves to for over 10 years.

Housekeepers & Cooks

While you are at the pool or on the beach, coming back to a freshly cleaned penthouse is always nice. Our cleaning ladies will spend most of their workday out of your sight. They also assist in the grocery shopping and meal preparations and clean-up of the kitchen after preparing your in-home meals.

For our housekeepers we encourage a tip of at least $10 per day per bedroom to be given on the day they come for special cleanings.

For our cooks we think their service is special. If you could imagine all of the time it take to take a bus to the grocery store, personally shop for the fresh ingredients needed for your menu, then take the bus back to the penthouse, unload and bring up all of the groceries, then prepare the in-home cook meal, and then finish with cleaning up the dishes used to make the meal this is a lot of work. And it is done in their free time after they have already worked a full day cleaning our penthouses.

It is also usually done on special occasions like Christmas and Easter when they would usually be home with their family and friends. So, our cooks are special.

We encourage at least a $20 tip to each of them if you are satisfied with the whole process not just how the meal tasted.

Peso or Dollar what is better?

Tim and I travel to Cancun many different times of the year and the peso vs dollar trade goes up and down all the time. I get confused easily by trying to figure it in my head. So, I have just decided to tip in US dollars to make it easy for me to understand.

However, in 2024 the trade has not been in our favor. We used to get around 20 pesos for one US dollar. Now, in April of 2024 the American Dollar trades with the Mexico Peso at about $1 American Dollar = 16 Mexican pesos. Now the American Dollar is not trading as strong.

For example, 20 pesos used to be worth 1 dollar. So, I would feel good giving tips in Mexico coins. One twenty-peso coin was worth the same as one US dollar. But now if you tip with one twenty-peso coin it is worth $1.17 in US.

Also, when you bring down American Dollars, make sure they are crisp and in good condition. Most Mexico stores do not accept any dollar bills that are torn.

How to tip the all-inclusive employees

While on vacation with us at Tim’s Ocean Condos you choose the days that you want to participate in Oleo Cancun Playa’s All-Inclusive.

I have found that their employees talk. They share knowledge of who tips great and who does not tip at all. The more generous you are with them the better your service is going to be. And they remember you!

So, for all you can eat buffet style if you leave $2 dollars on the table after you are finished they are going to be incredibly happy, this is based on if you are eating alone – like I normally do.

For bartenders I tip $1 dollar for a beer and $2 for a mixed drink. However, if they remember that Tim likes his drinks stronger, then we tip more. Also, for pool cabana boy who brings my drink to me, I double the tip. He will return to me faster than someone who is not tipping at all.

If I have been taking up real-estate sitting at the bar for a long time and the bartender was busy, I give an additional tip at the end when I leave. This ensures the next time I sit down; I am served fast.

For the coffee shop, I don’t generally tip. It is because I am not a coffee drinker. However, I have received a free bottle of water from them once, so I tipped a dollar to her for that.

The NUUP Spa is literally a life saver for me, so I tip well when I go there. I had a stroke while in Cancun in 2021 and the ladies at the NUUP Spa took exceptionally good care of me while I was stuck in Cancun.

My doctor would not let me fly back to the United States until my blood clots in my legs were gone and these ladies knew exactly the massage that would help. So, I am completely biased. I tip them $100 for a one-hour massage. Tim agrees with me that these ladies are incredibly talented in what they do. Do not let their little hands fool you they are strong women.

I hope this article helps you figure out what to do and how much money to bring with you to Cancun.