Arubalisa

http://www.arubachamber.com/BBO/Nota_WTS_eng.pdf
"Landsverordeningbelasting op bedrijfsomzetten" or "belasting op bedrijfsomzetten" or Turnover Tax (TT)
"The BBO is characterized as a cumulative tax on the sales of producers and traders. The BBO is levied at each stage in the production and distribution chain. Cumulative or cascade effect is increased with a number of economic transactions. With the introduction of the BBO the government would like to tax not only the value added product by economic agents, but costs incurred for production. Taking into account the full production cycle, we can say, that multiple taxation of inputs is attributable to the BBO."

Per night and not mandatory, just nice thoughtful considereation, especially for service above and beyond.

For restaurants, for those not familiar,



"How much should I tip?From the late Aruban Restaurateur, Roger Coster</B>, speaking of some of his establishments... "Our company writes in all our menus:
The 15% Service Charge added to your bill is a gratuity divided among our kitchen & service staff according to a point system & is part of their salary. However please fell free to tip where individual service has been excellent.
The restaurants & hotels hold a percentage of the 15% to cover breakage - In addition the service charge is taxed as being a part of the salary. If the service is good I never fail to leave an additional 5 to 10% to insure promptness ( T.I.P. )

If service is bad I do not leave one penny more.

We have instructed our staff not to give a verbal answer in regards to the TIP question but just bring the menu back to the guest.

In Miami Beach with its large clientele of Europeans & Latins the 15% has become customary.

I believe that our menu statement reflects with integrity the truth about the 15%."

Another explanation from the Aruba Tourism Authority (Atlanta):

"The hotel employees do pool their tips & get this in their pay Cheques. If you decide to add some more, s/he gets it at the end of his/her shift that same day. But some of the independent restaurants do it differently. "Service Charge" does not necessarily always mean that the server gets this. I was shocked, I am sure you will be too. This goes to the back staff (cook, dishwasher, etc). Breakage & Insurance: this is a very ludicrous. I have not patronized none of these establishments."

Some restaurants do not add the service charge & allow you to tip as you feel best. In all of our trips we have always left an additional amount to the server if we felt that the service warranted it (which 9 out of 10 times it does). It is a personal choice, many people feel that what they [the employees] get is what they get, if it has to be split, so be it."

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Aruba Bound! ~ Hoosier Kitties ~ Our-Cruises ~ Blogging to Aruba

My Countdown

Counting down to: Our Family of 3~ Summer Vacation at the Tamarijn~ Trip #17
31 days 8 hours 8 minutes

kcboss

So the "real" cost of the $40.00 dinner is actually $46.00. As a business person that has to figure my labor cost (and now breakage and insurance) into my product or service, it bugs me that the establishment does not charge the real cost of the item offered.

Prices have certainly not gone down in the recent past and many on this and other boards reflect on the rapid increase. It almost seems that owners have discovered the American's willingness to just keep digging into their pocket to insure the wonderful people serving us are taken care of, and they (owner's) do not have to pay the "help".

I would much rather have them pay a reasonable wage and price their food or other service/product we are now being obligated to tip for, correctly. Then we could get back to the above poster's mention of it's meaning.....T to I insure P promptness, rather than a way for the establishment owner to price things at whatever the market will support, but expect the consumer to pay the help on top of it. The "system" has gotten out of control.

The vast majority of the service people are extrememly good, and I would have no problem knowing that the price for the goods purchased provided them a basic living, and what I was rewarding them for excellent service, was nothing more than an expression of my appreciation for a job well done. Just MHO. Sorry if it offends anyone, but just looking for truth in pricing, so I can be generous when it is appropriate.

cindyo

There's an old saying...some believe it, some not....you get what you pay for.
I am on vacation, I don't want a hassle, I want good service. If that means its gona cost me a few bucks extra a day to get an extra towel, help with my luggage, a nice friendly cab driver, etc...then thats what I'm gona do, pay for it.
Cindyo

__________________
Cindy O
Renewing our vows at 4/15/08, 20th anniversary
with Rev. Gibson

My Countdown

Counting down to: aruba 2009 trip
332 days 3 hours 44 minutes

pkornnh

Cindy O,

I agree! you get what you pay for. If you get good service, pay for it and you will get it in kind again the next time.
Quite frankly I have never paid more for more best meal on the island compared to the equivalent meal in Boston! This includes bill, +15% service charge, +15-20% tip for the wait staff.
The folks who take care of our room do it with as much or more care in the best hotels in the states or else where.
Remember folks the people of the Island are contributing to our vacation and we are indeed contributing to their lively hood.
This is how the happy people of the island make their living.

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Have Fun, Pete

My Countdown

Counting down to: 3 Weeks in Aruba!!!
5 days 13 hours 44 minutes

Andrea J.

Summer 1970-71-72
(the good old days)
I worked 3 part time SUMMER jobs as an enterprising teen.
Weekdays I was a swim instructor at a girl scout camp (cedar hill)
Weekends I worked as an afternoon lifeguard at town of Dennis (cape cod) beaches
AND
as a chambermaid weekend mornings
@ DennisShores cottages.

OMG was the chamber maid job the worst of the worst.
I only did it for the tips. There was NO real pay, just tips.

If all of us could be a bed stripper, floor washer and a toilet/bathroom scrubber we might all tip more generously.

Aruba Hotel/resort housekeeping employees get the equivalent of $3 per hour and the rest of their compensation is TIPs.

There should be a more "universal/standardized" procedure in tipping.

A few extra dollars passed out to deserving folks now and again is the norm.

__________________
Ahhhhhhhhhmaine! move in date July 9, 2008
Waterville on the Messalonskee

Aruba trip? unknown at this point....maybe January 2009

Andrea J.

My Countdown

Counting down to: Counting down to Thrushwood Park in Waterville Maine!!!
57 days 22 hours 44 minutes

Cyrilo Croes

There is no such thing as "tipping included", at least NOT in Aruba.
Tipping comes from the hearth, it's voluntary and it is not mandatory.
Do not confuse the 10% service charge most restaurants add to your bill as a tip, again if it's mandatory it is NOT a tip.
waiters, bartenders ,bell men and other service personnell know very well that they will NOT receive a tip from EVERYBODY, this is normal and they're used to this.
A charge is obligatory and if it's obligatory it can NOT be a tip , bear this in mind.
Having in mind that in American culture it is a custom( not obligation) that people are used to leave a small gratuity for good service they have made-up this ingenious method ( 10% service charge) .
Diners do'nt mind this charge because they're used to leave a little something for their servers.
In most restaurants this 10% service charge goes into a trunk and it is being used to pay the personnell acording to their ranks f.e. the maitre'd get's a big proportion out of this and then follows his assistant who gets the second highest proportion, then you have the servers ,waiters ,bussboys etc who get to get the lowest proportion.
So when you're thinking that the 10% you left behind is going for your server it actually does not , at least not the whole 10% but a very SMALL proportion of this
Part of this charge also is being used as an insurance, f.e. if something breaks , plates etc etc.
Some restaurants even go to the extent to use part of this sum to purchase new china whenever it's nessecary.
In very few restaurants the 10% goes to your server ,f.e The Hyat hotels restaurants is one of the very few ones
Do not ley anybody tell you that tips are included, it is untrue.
I hope that this info was usefull to you.

Andrea J.

well cyrilo, when we have booked all inclusive at the tamarijn or divi all inclusives, one of the features that our contract had listed was that it included "all gratuities". after reading your post, i am quite frustrated and feel duped.

we tipped at the all inclusive (tamarijn and divi) we "knew" that we were tipping above and beyond.

again, this is a great topic and i wish that some of the restauranteers and hotel proprietors would come onboard and tell us how it is done at their establishments.

what are your experiences cyrilo? where do you work on island?
andrea

__________________
Ahhhhhhhhhmaine! move in date July 9, 2008
Waterville on the Messalonskee

Aruba trip? unknown at this point....maybe January 2009

Andrea J.

My Countdown

Counting down to: Counting down to Thrushwood Park in Waterville Maine!!!
57 days 22 hours 44 minutes

Karen in NYC

I think I am confused. I have always tipped at an AI: maid, bellboy, restaurants etc.

But at "outside" restos, are you saying that a mandatory 10% or 15% is added to the bill and this is NOT considered a tip, and you should still tip ON TOP of that........if so, that's a bit much. My inclination would be to leave perhaps an extra 10%.

I am going to Mathilde in September and I want to "do the right thing" as I consider that a "fine dining" experience. I think I may ask them before I go about the service charge/tipping

Liz - Aruba Lover

__________________

3 weeks in Aruba Dec. 16, '08 - Jan. 9, '09
Aruba since 1985

Mr. Ratt

Considering the translation, "T to I insure P promptness", it would seem you would be better off to "tip" the serving staff before you eat to make sure things go smoothly.
Ahem.
Sorry, I just had to point that out.
At any rate, in my opinion, if the staff does their job "over and above" to the extent of helping you out more than is expected, or if you feel they have done that little extra for you, by all means, show your gratitude by leaving a little something.

One question while I'm here, stemming from this...
" Aruba Hotel/resort housekeeping employees get the equivalent of $3 per hour and the rest of their compensation is TIPs."

Is that for real?

be well, brightest blessings

Mr. Ratt
www.heyoka-healing.com

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