How much do you tip?

[taylor]

Well...a few things. You pay a "service charge" of 15% in those hotels, that money doesn't go to the staff, I'm afraid. They still get zero in tips. However, those places are quite different, people will kill for those jobs and so you get good service.

Chinese people aren't used to cold drinks, it's just the way they are. Things are better in Shanghai, but still not great. However, you should be careful (even in really nice hotels) with ice because they often use tap water and that's a great way to give yourself a week-long date with your toilet.

The health codes, sadly, won't get better.

You may be right. The bill includes a charge that I thought was a gratuity. And yes I requested less ice in Shanghai than other cities. I just don't like Chinese food in general, everything has a funny aftertaste. It's funny how if you try to order orange chicken or General Tso's chicken out in China, you'll get a confused look from your server. But the second you order pigeon (barf) the server's like, "Right away sir!" I spend a lot of time just nibbling on rice at these nice Chinese restaurants and then go back to my hotel room and order a room service cheeseburger. Also I make my daily trips to LAWSON and stock up on American candy bars, pastries, and bottled water.