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Should I be tipping hotel staff?
I normally leave something for the room cleaning staff or if someone was exceptional in their service but wasn't sure how it works with staff like valets.
Thanks!
The existing advice is solid but one thing people overlook is that the bellman who brings your bags up is often the same guy who'll handle your requests during the stay. A 20 or 50 dirham note when he shows you the room's features sets a nice tone. For the valet, I'd just add that the Palm resorts have a lot of turnover in that lot so if you tip well on day one you'll get a different level of service than the guy who stiffs them. The concierge desk can also exchange larger notes for smaller ones if you need to break a 100 for tips, but don't ask at the front desk during checkout rush.
yeah the other reply pretty much nailed it but one thing i'd add - the valet guys at those palm hotels are usually from countries where tips actually matter a lot to their monthly income. a 20 note when they bring the car round is fine, but if you're gonna be using them daily for a week, slip them a 50 on day one and say "look after it" - your car will magically appear faster than everyone else's every single time
for housekeeping, instead of cash under the pillow i just leave it on the desk with a little note or in a small envelope from reception. sometimes if you leave cash loose they might think you just forgot it there, which gets awkward. the nassima tower staff once told me they prefer notes over coins because coins are a pain to carry around all shift
one thing nobody mentions - if you're eating at the resort restaurants, check your bill for "service charge" before adding extra. some of them actually do pass it to staff (the better ones) but most don't, so you'll wanna ask your waiter directly "does this go to you?" before deciding
Tipping isn't mandatory in Dubai but it's definitely common practice at a place like that on the Palm. For valet, a 10 or 20 dirham note handed directly when they bring your car back is standard and they'll remember you for it. I'd leave about 20-30 dirhams per day for housekeeping, left in an envelope or under a pillow with a note so it's clearly for them. The service charge on your bill at restaurants goes to the house, not the staff, so a separate 10-15% cash tip for waiters is appreciated if you had good service.
Dubai/Sharjah Road Scam?
damn u basically did a free taxi run to rak. thing is they usually target cars with a single guy driving & look for dubai plates so u look like u got somewhere to be. best move is roll ur window down like two inches, say u already called the cops for them & keep moving, dont even unlock the door
yeah that's a known one on e311 & the sharjah ring road, usually they wave you down near the adnoc or before the rta cameras claiming wallet got lifted. classic play is they ask for a lift to the next emirate then bail once you slow down, sometimes a second guy on a bike is tracking you. next time just call 999 or drop them at the nearest police point, don't let anyone in your car off the highway ngl
The RAK route is the tell. No one genuinely stranded on the ring road needs to get all the way to Ras Al Khaimah, that's a 90 minute drive. These guys work in pairs and the second car picks them up after they hop out, usually somewhere past the Al Sajaa junction or near the ADNOC on E311. If it happens again, tell them you'll drive them to the nearest police station and watch how fast the story changes.