We are travelling to Ireland the middle of September 12 days. Two couples. We have hired a private chauffeur operator for the trip. He looks after travel, accomodations etc for us. We are wondering what the protocol for tipping is. As he books and pays for the B&B's, do we leave a tip? Also, what would be an appropriate amount to tip him at the end....is it a certain amount per day? Thanks for any help you can provide.
You do not need to tip at B&Bs. The closest we came to doing something was if we had a great experience, we had brought bottles of wine with us from the states and we left that as a gift. But a tip is not expected.
As Sidz has said tipping is not expected at B&Bs. However, if the hosts go out of their way for you you could leave a small gratuity of 5 - 10%. I don't know of many B&B owners that would turn it down. For the chauffeur/guide you would also tip for exceptional service. Not knowing how much your total price is for the package, you might do 5 - 10%.
As always, tipping is up to you. Most people in Ireland in service industries get paid a decent wage, unlike those in the USA who must depend on tips for wages. For them a tip may not be an everyday occurance but they are certainly delighted when it happens. You can keep that in mind when deciding on a percentage.