Your (legal) wish is concierge's command

"In some areas where concierges are less prominent, (reluctance) might be a lack of understanding of what concierges are able to do," says [Regena Falling], who works at the The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park. "Or maybe (guests) are only familiar with the Hollywood portrayal of a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inGannett News Service
Main Author Carter, Kelly E
Format Newsletter
LanguageEnglish
Published McLean USA Today, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, Inc 07.07.2011
Subjects
Baker, Elizabeth
Battaglia, Joey
Carter, Kelly E
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Summary:"In some areas where concierges are less prominent, (reluctance) might be a lack of understanding of what concierges are able to do," says [Regena Falling], who works at the The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park. "Or maybe (guests) are only familiar with the Hollywood portrayal of a concierge as unwelcoming or judgmental. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth." Concierges are chosen not only by knowledge but for their "joy in serving," she says. Common requests include restaurant reservations, transportation, guides and tours, and event tickets. Private shopping experiences and in-room services such as sprinkling rose petals on beds also aren't unusual. "I always say there's nothing we can't do," says Joey Battaglia, lead concierge at the JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE. "There are requests that are sometimes a little out of line and technically we're not allowed to do. The one that is most popular is some type of an escort service." Battaglia says one challenge is when a guest says he or she wants to go to a particular place that isn't high on his list. "You might know better," he says. So listening to a concierge's recommendations and trusting them "is one of the biggest things." But a good concierge will try to get a feel for a guest's tastes and style, and recommend experiences to suit, even if it's not something he or she would personally do.