A guide to tipping spa staff

If you're planning to go to a spa, there are some rules you should follow when tipping spa practitioners. If you want to know more about it, check out the list below.

It's traditional to leave about 20 per cent for a spa staff member if they've given you a standard service, like a spa manicure, a massage, a facial, or something else on the spa menu. It's best to calculate the 20 per cent ahead of time so that when it comes time to pay the bill, you can simply add that amount of cash or tell the person at the check out desk the amount of tip you'd like to add to your card payment. Tipping spa practitioners 20 per cent ensures that they make money, too, and not just the spa.

Unless the owner has performed the service themselves and gone above and beyond, there's no need to tip the owner of a small spa who works at the desk or showed you around. A spa owner is getting the biggest piece of the spa's profits, so it's okay not to give an extra gratuity to them.

If you're simply getting something done quickly, like a polish change or a quick chair massage, there's no need to tip 20 per cent of the whole bill. Instead, tip them an easy amount, like $5 or $10. If you're only receiving a small, short service and you want to be quick about paying, bring a small bill with you ahead of time so you can simply hand it to the practitioner as a gratuity.

If you're getting a deluxe or long spa treatment that costs more than $150, you can decrease the amount of your tip. If you're paying a large spa bill, think about 10 or 15 per cent as the tip, so that the amount of the tip is not exorbitant. Paying a high price for spa services often means that practitioners are paid more as well, so you don't have to worry about slighting the people that helped you.