What is the correct Spanish word for "hotel housekeeper?"

Question

I am staying in a hotel where many of the housekeepers are Spanish speakers. I can thank them and leave a tip, but it's the hotel's policy that tips must be labeled as tips. I can put "housekeeper" but I wonder what the Spanish title is.

Answer 1

Ama de llaves in a hotel is a person in charge of all the maids, so obviously if a tip (Propina) is left to this person, the maid may not ever see it.

Do not say Criada. This is disrespectful in the case of a hotel maid. This term is only used at home and with young uneducated girls from the country.

Answer 2

In Cuban hotels, "camarera" is used, assuming it is a female house-keeper, and the same word is used, "camarero/a", for wait staff in bars/restaurants. This is my experience.

I am not sure if this word is used in other spanish-speaking countries.

there was a recent thread about this and I believe that was the word recommended. - nizhoni1, Jul 13, 2010

revmaf, you can search this word and see more discussion on this topic - nizhoni1, Jul 13, 2010

Answer 3

I would recommend you label it "propina". = tip.

Apparently the problem is "for whom?" - samdie, Jul 14, 2010

How many people come into your hotel room? Seems to me that it would be obvious for whom. - petersenkid2, Jul 19, 2010

Answer 4

This weekend, I saw a sign hanging on a Mexico City hotel: "Se solicita camarera".

Answer 5

Hotel housekeeper - ama de llaves del hotel

I've heard ama de llaves or ama de casa talking about housewives. It translates as housekeeper, but I don't think it means maid. - KevinB, Jul 13, 2010

Answer 6

Criada will work. It's just the generic term for maid.