MIAMI, FL — Luxury hotel chain Lustre Hotels & Resorts has shocked the hospitality industry with their revolutionary “Gratitude Economy Initiative,”—eliminating all employee wages and benefits in favor of a tips-only compensation model across 34 properties.
CEO Cameron Vale, calling himself a “startup disruptor,” defended the controversial hotel compensation policy at a Miami press conference. “We’re creating a culture of gratitude and accountability,” Vale stated, confirming that base wages, overtime pay, and employee benefits have been eliminated.
Staff are now classified as “tip-dependent hospitality entrepreneurs” and rely entirely on guest gratuities through a new digital tipping app featuring real-time payments and emoji ratings.
While COO Daniela Rees claims the model is “liberating” and allows employees to “earn what they’re worth,” frontline workers paint a different picture.
“We’re terrified,” said Manhattan housekeeper Angela Muñoz. “Some guests don’t tip at all. How do I pay rent on five-star reviews?”
A bartender, speaking anonymously, was more direct: “This is wage theft in designer language. I went from $18 hourly plus tips to pure roulette.”
Labor attorneys have condemned the hotel industry’s innovation as potentially illegal. “No employer can guarantee fair wages through voluntary tips alone,” said Fair Wage Front attorney Tamika Rowe. The Department of Labor has reportedly opened an investigation into the hotel worker compensation controversy.
Hotel guests report mixed feelings about becoming the sole source of employee income. “I don’t want to be a walking payroll system,” complained Chicago visitor James L. “I wanted a vacation, not a moral dilemma.”
Despite mounting backlash over the hospitality worker wage structure, Lustre plans to launch an advertising campaign: “You Tip. They Thrive.”