While Marriott certainly isn't the first hotel to place envelopes in rooms, this has brought up a debate as to whether or not to tip maids.
A surprising number of people don't tip hotel maids.
Michael Lynn, a professor at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, told the Associated Press that "30 percent of people stiff the maid" in hotels.
Let's be clear: You should always tip the hotel maid.
Hotel maids make an average $9.21 per hour, which means that they rely heavily on tips from guests. They also work really hard scrubbing toilets, changing linens, and cleaning up the mess from hotel guests. They deserve a tip.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association suggests leaving $1 to $5 per day for housekeepers, depending on the type of hotel and size of room. For a basic room at a budget hotel, $2 is acceptable, but $5 is appropriate at a luxury suite in a 5-star hotel. And of course, if you left a big mess or if the maid went above and beyond to make the room more comfortable for you, you should tip more.
It's also important to note that you should leave a tip every single day since housekeepers often change shifts and a different person may clean your room on a given day.
Envelope or not, tip your maids. It's a small addition when you're already paying top dollar for a hotel room, and it goes a long way.