Varadero Travel Forum

Please could someone advise me about tipping. We are staying at an all-inclusive hotel, what is the etiquette for tipping staff and tour guides, and in what currency?

See if this site helps

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipping_by_region

I find it very useful

if it's inclusive you probably shouldn't. If your not sure tell them your Canadian.

The workers at Varadero are some of the BEST off ,workers in all of cuba mainly because the tourists leave them a little something. there are no hard and fast rules especially in an all inclusive, some of them have strict rules about not leaving tips, but if there are no strict rules, you may wish to leave a little something, it does not have to be any percentage, but it helps out. the cuban economy is such that a dollar has more meaning than a dollar elsewhere. if you wish to leave a tip, cuc is the best currency but any currency would do. they are all changeable anyway and cubans are ingenious about getting their moneys worth.

When i stayed with my parents for 2 weeks in Varadero this year..we tipped the people who did a good service..not the ones who where stanidng around for ages chatting while you where waiting for your drink. Inside the restaurant the waiters allways got tips because they where keeping us a table..We did a tour before that and yes we did tip the tour-guide because he was very good and took good care of my mother who could not walk as much as every body else..The people who work in Varadero are very well of because of the tourist leaving mostly a lot of tips..

this is a good article about http://www.thecubaexperience.co.uk/articles.asp?id=26 tipping in cuba, most of the times in an all inclusive hotel people tip their room maid at the end of their holidays, with 1 - 5 cuc and 1 cuc to rest of staf that has been helpful and have little chats with you while in bars or restaurants

All inclusive has nothing to do with tips. Tips are part of the salary, specially in the tourist industry.
As far as Canadians are concerned, they are well known all over the world for being mean and bad tippers, but is this an excuse for sneaking your way out? Rather stay at home, this way you can save even more!!!!!

MayK, I'm wondering where you've heard that. I've never heard it before.

If you worked in the tourist industry you would know!