As a Brit, I’m not super accustomed to tipping so I had to research this topic extensively before visiting St Lucia for myself.
After visiting, I’d now love to share my research and experience on the tipping situation in St Lucia.
In this guide, I’ll be covering exactly how much you should tip for different kinds of services.
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Tipping in St Lucia
The first thing to know is that tipping isn’t required in St Lucia so you don’t have to leave a tip. It’s not like the US where you are always expected to leave a healthy tip.
As a general rule, you should leave a tip where you think it is deserved. For example, if you receive excellent service then you should leave a tip to reflect this.
However, there are some scenarios where you are expected to leave a tip in St Lucia and others where you definitely shouldn’t.
Here’s some more detailed information on different services and if you should tip them in St Lucia…
How Much to Tip in St Lucia
Tipping in St Lucia is not at all like in the US where a tip is generally expected for most services.
In St Lucia, tips are only given when a staff member has gone above and beyond. Whilst tips are not at all expected, they are definitely appreciated.
If you do want to leave a tip then you should tip between 10% and 12% in St Lucia for most services.
It’s worth reading my guide on if St Lucia accepts US dollars to know which currency you need to bring for tipping (hint: it varies).
How Much Do You Tip a Driver in St Lucia?
In general, it’s expected that you tip taxi drivers in St Lucia. You should tip around 10% of the final bill.
If you found the service to be poor then you shouldn’t leave a tip. Only leave a tip if you think it is deserved however you’ll definitely find that most drivers in St Lucia are super professional.
How Much Do You Tip Housekeepers in St Lucia?
Most hotel staff won’t expect you to leave a tip however if you found the service to be excellent then they will appreciate a tip.
You would usually tip between $2 to $5 for housekeepers and other hotel staff whenever they do a service for you. As an example, you’d usually tip a bellhop around $2 per luggage.
Please note that if you’re staying at an all inclusive resort then tipping is not expected at all. In fact, you actually shouldn’t leave a tip.
Some resorts, like the Sandals resorts, have a no tipping policy.
You shouldn’t try to leave a tip as you might end up getting someone in trouble. In fact, employees can actually be dismissed for accepting tips so don’t risk it.
This is particularly common in all inclusive resorts and other large resorts so check the policy before trying to leave a tip.
How Much Do You Tip at a Restaurant in St Lucia?
In general, you should tip between 10% and 12% in a restaurant in St Lucia if you think it’s deserved.
Always check your bill though as most restaurants in St Lucia automatically apply the tip to the bill as a 10% service charge. I definitely found this to be the case in most restaurants when I visited.
If a service charge has been added then you don’t need to leave a tip (as the service charge is the tip).
Of course, if you were given exceptional service then you can leave a little bit more on top of the 10%.
💡Tip: Always try to leave your tip in cash if you can to ensure it definitely goes to the server.
How Much Do You Tip a Tour Guide in St Lucia?
You’re not expected to leave a tip for a tour guide in St Lucia but if you found them to be particularly informative or helpful then you can leave a tip.
If you felt the service was good then you should tip between $5 and $10. You can, of course, give more if you really enjoyed the service and think it is deserved.
As an example, when I hiked Gros Piton I gave my guide, Francis, a tip as he was incredible.
He taught me so many things about the island and really took care of me on a tough hike. I felt that he really added a lot to the experience so I thought he deserved a $15 tip.
Related Post: How Much Cash To Take To St Lucia
And that’s it!
Hopefully you now have everything you need for an incredible vacation!
Until next time,
Meg
Need more help planning your St Lucia vacation?
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