Hi Beach Friends! We are heading to our first Couples visit in February, all booked. We are puzzled by both "No Tipping" and posts that mention "gifts". For us, the posts that say "we don't tip but we give X items" read to us like "we leave random stuff that costs $50 retail where we live without regard to whether staff want the stuff" seems odd. Every hospitality worker on the planet has a use for cash; "chocolate", "baby clothes" and other "gift" items we have seem mentioned seem like it there is a barter economy, like 1970s Europe and sending nylons and cassette tapes to US Army soldiers to help them get laid. (Real: 3 older brothers). "Talking tips" are literally worthless and to us sound like "happy servants like to be talked to, such "simple people" just like to be seen". .
It seems exploitative BS to us; we'd rather leave $20 for the housekeeper and bartenders than give them junk to trade at 10 cents on the dollar. We can give a cash tip just as quietly; boorish people tip loudly. The patron who can vig "$500/day" will always figure out how to do it. So, the question is: Should we just tender tips respectfully and quietly?