We found ( especially with the room cleaner) that even if we left him an accumulation of small notes over the week..the egyptian pounds, etc he still would not touch the money and i had to go hunting to find him to tip him for the week. I think we gave him the equivalent of £10 maybe a little more.
We were part of a large group in the hotel anyway and we were generally tipping an Egyptian £10 which is about £1 which was nothing to us. In the end, the hotel manager asked us to tip less as all his staff wanted to work with our group. We have to bear in mind that their wages are very poor compared to ours and what is nothing to them is about a weeks wages to them. We were told they only earn the equivalent of £25 per month (!) and they were earning more in tips from our party than they were geting paid. We were staying at the Hyatt Regency which is a wonderful hotel and the staff were marvellous and could not do enough for you.

I agree I think that tipping in small Egyptian notes is the best bet, some people seem to give 50p's & £1 coins but this causes staff grief as they then have to find people who are prepared to change these into £5, £10 or £20 notes and some tourists just dont want to go home clanking of £1 coins, so aren't helpful in this. Although a £10 or £20 for room cleaning seems to be acceptable as they can change these in their banks/exchanges.

We heard the same thing as Val did from her hotels General Manager, re the problems caused by overtipping. Apparently it can have a detremental effect on the countrys general economy i.e. taxi drivers, earning more than Doctors who have to train for 7 years, where is the incentive to train to become a Dr ? blah, blah etc etc.

My info relates to Sharm but I assume tipping is similar in Taba.

Have a great holiday.

In my experience, the "tipping thing" is the same, whichever egyptian resort you visit. Wages are very very low by our standards, and, what seems "peanuts" as a tip to us, is indeed a great deal of money to an egyptian hotel worker.

I always tip at the end of the holiday, never day by day. You will find that most hotels have a system whereby the staff all share in tips given. A discreet word with one of the "upper" hotel management will usually obtain the details you need of how to donate. Of course, if you feel that one particular person has provided exceptional service, then give to them personally, but it really doesn't need to be a large sum to be greatly appreciated.

I met a top consultant anaesthetist from Cairo not so long ago - friend of a friend - he earns about £120/month. Hotel workers collect around £1 (UK) per day yet consider it worth living away from their families. But remember, petrol is about 10p/litre!
Tipping a lttle is fine but as Doe said, be careful not to cause an imbalance in the local economy. If the guy who throwa your suitcase onto the transfer coach collects a quid from every family he'll go home in the evening with about £10-15 quid per bus, that's two weeks money for some people!

If the guy who throwa your suitcase

Are you in Spain now or Egypt, Alan?

Que?

I thought we were rambling.