Not all superheroes wear capes, concierges in high-end hotels in New York are the real MVP’s. We all know they have the necessary connections to make even the impossible happen. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to make guests happy so they keep coming back to the same property.
Concierges must be very savvy regarding the city and cater all kinds of whims from hotel guests (as long as they’re legal). Whether it’s securing a table at the hottest restaurant, getting last minute seats for the must-see shows or getting high-end stores to open during off-hours, they’ve done it all! On top of it, they have to show their best face even when adversities hit, no matter how outrageous and ridiculous some of the requests can be.
Being a concierge is a tough and stressful job that requires them to be great multitasker’s, quick problem solvers and knowledgeable in various languages. Concierges in New York City are well paid; they earn up to $40,000 in salary plus tips that usually range from approximately one thousand to ten thousand dollars per year.
To learn more about these superheroes, we got in touch with concierges from some of the top five-star properties in Manhattan, including 1 Hotel Central Park, Four Seasons Hotel New York, Baccarat Hotel & Residences and Lotte New York Palace. They revealed some of the most extravagant wishes these concierges have fulfilled.
Read it to believe it…
The Wanna-be James Bond Groom
Jennifer, the hotel concierge got a request from a guest that seemed impossible. He was getting married within a week and needed to get a tuxedo….but not just any tuxedo, he wanted specifically to wear the same custom-made tux that James Bond wore in his latest movie! The tuxedo was made by Brioni but unfortunately, as it was a Saturday night, their store in New York was already closed and would reopen until Tuesday after the holiday. Jennifer contacted Brioni in Italy, and was bounced back and forth until she managed to speak to the manager of the store where they had made Bond’s tuxedo.They had the entire village working on the tux and had it FedExed to the hotel. The tuxedo (sans the gadgets) made it on time for the wedding.
The Awkward Date
A guest had just broken up with his girlfriend and had to attend a luncheon that day. He asked the concierge if she could be a “stand in” to the event to which she happily agreed.
The Weird Accent
I had to intervene when my colleagues did not understand Evander Holyfield (the world’s famous boxer), who introduced himself as “H’field”….the concierge responded….”I feel fine sir”…
Les Clefs d’Or Miracle
Another guest wanted a special necklace that could only be purchased in Chicago, the problem was that they wanted the necklace that same day. Through the concierge’s membership in the Les Clefs d’Or network, they contacted a concierge in Chicago. The NYC hotel organized his round-trip flight to Manhattan, including the transportation to and from the hotel so he could bring the necklace on the same day.
The Chocolate Fight
Two guests asked the concierge to get them plastic sheets. When the concierge inquired what was it for, they responded they wanted to cover themselves in chocolate and run around the room.
The Typical Lost Wallet Case
One of the hotel guests, left her wallet in the ladies rooms of one of the rest stops on the New Jersey Turnpike. As soon as she checked into the hotel in a panic, she went straight to the concierge desk in hopes they could help her. The concierge helped her in an impressive time of one hour. They called all the rest stops along the turnpike and were able to find the wallet. The concierge asked one of the rest stop security personnel to hold it until the rightful owner went to pick it up. The hotel then booked a car service so that the guest was able to pick up the wallet fully intact.
The Furious Guest
An angry guest stormed into the lobby, demanding the hotel to pay for a parking ticket. Where did this fellow decide to park? Right on the curb in-front of the fire hydrant and bus stop. Needless to say this guest didn’t get his request fulfilled…
The Spoiled Twins
A family from Venezuela recently stayed with at this hotel and were celebrating their twin daughters’ ninth birthday. As part of their celebration, they wanted autographed posters of a Korean group from a TV show that did not air in the US. They also wanted custom made t-shirts with photos of the same Korean group, as well as cakes with custom photos of the group on top of it. Besides coordinating all these requests for them, the concierge also arranged two helicopters to take them to New Jersey for a private class with the pastry chef at Carlos Bakery home of the TV show “Cake Boss”. The following day, the bakery created a special recipe that the girls wanted with their cupcakes and peanut butter. Finally, as a special-themed in-room amenity, the girls wanted eight specific Korean toys in their room and the hotel managed to get all of them.
Concierges really go out of their way and accomplish incredible things. Remember to be nice when you approach them, and make sure you tip well whenever you ask for something insane.
