WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A LOAD OF CONCIERGES GOT TOGETHER?

 

 

“We’re the original influencers,” says Christpher McCormack, Head Concierge of New York’s Fouquet’s hotel and President since 2024 of the New York City Association of Hotel Concierges (NYCAHC), an august organization relatively newly formed, in 1987, and comprising 130 of the city’s more illustrious practitioners. 

 

And he’s right of course, and they have held that distinction since the late 1800s, when the grander hotels of Europe, beginning to receive more international travelers, decided to appoint someone to help guests. Just over a hundred years ago the idea spread to America, and that of course is all that matters, as far as recorded history goes.

 

 

 

 

I jest. Concierges couldn’t be more European, in mythology and practice. They are the core and in some ways the soul of a hotel. Not everything flows through them but it’s hard to imagine that much flows past them without their knowing about it. They are more than the keeper of the keys (which is what the word means), they are the fixers, who get things taken care of for you, inside and out of the hotel, and they are oracles who know everything (or everything worth knowing), most of which you don’t know, and that is the bedrock of their almost infinite value.

 

All travelers who’ve had the privilege and good fortune to stay in a great hotel have (mostly) fond memories of the concierges they’ve encountered. For me, the concierge desk at the Four Seasons in Milan were wizards — kindly, helpful, appropriately cheeky when they realized they could be, knowledgeable and sensitive to a traveler’s curiosity, which is to say the desire to avoid the conventional, touristy spots. (On the other hand, and this deserves mentioning, the concierge at the Bristol in Paris — in the 1990s, so surely they have buried the old misery by now — was a smug and complete shite, who I finally had to say “I’m sorry, can you tell me which one of us is the guest, and which one of us works here?”)

 

Christopher is an excellent concierge and on my superstar list. Although he’s young, maybe early middle aged, he has the sagely bearing of his tribe, and the deep and dimensional knowledge of his city. You can take his advice — like the best of the profession he really cares about how he impacts a guest’s stay and experience. He doesn’t hawk a place because they offer a piece of the action, he has to like it himself, usually after repeated visits. He has to trust a place to recommend it. Which is exactly what you want (and are in effect paying for).

 

According to Christopher, the NYCAHC’s stated purpose is to “nurture the professional growth of concierges throughout the New York Metropolitan area. Our mission is to establish top-notch professional and ethical standards, coordinate exciting activities, and create a warm, connected community of Concierges across New York City, the United States, and globally.” 

 

They also have a wonderful offshoot, the NYCAHC Charitable Fund, which supports AIDS Walk New York, Women in Need (WIN), and Toys for Tots, amongst several others. 

 

I imagine their meetings are something like the Knights of the Roundtable, where heroic adventurers of the New York hospitality world converge and tell tales and share war stories. And maybe pass death sentences. But I’ve always had a feral imagination. 

 

So, it’s best to ask Christopher…

 

 

 

 

Is the Association a benign group, or an evil consortium bent on world domination? 

 

We take discretion very seriously — what if I said both? 

 

Concierges do, however, leave world domination to our guests, we are far too busy for that.

 

 

Do you share information — a great restaurant find, say, or warn each other about a crappy one? Your hotels are, at least on some level, competitive.

 

We absolutely do. 

 

With new restaurants, you tend to get a good read after 6 months. Judging prior is unfair. Crappy restaurants simply do not last here, in fact even really good ones close too soon.

 

Not much escapes social media these days. This often makes new venues inaccessible, sometimes for a very long time. Why would we recommend a restaurant we cannot assist with? We don’t. 

 

True discoveries shouldn’t  be restricted to new openings, just be original to your guests. We don’t blame guests for requesting the same restaurants, but wouldn’t it be amazing to have a phenomenal meal at a new discovery opposed to an average meal at a venue the entire world knows about? 

 

There is an unspoken competitiveness amongst some of our community. Some connections help on multiple fronts whereas others will ghost you. It is a delicate balance.

 

 

 

 

How has the role changed over the last ten to twenty years, given the digital culture? 

 

Technology has transformed information access, but a great concierge remains irreplaceable. We’ve integrated digital tools with personalized, human-touch service. A concierge now leverages technology to communicate and explore on a much wider scale. 

 

 

Concierges are incredible repositories of local knowledge. How is that so, and how fluid is that and how current with change?

 

The best Concierges are living, breathing city guides. We continuously update our knowledge through local networking, personal exploration, and real-time information sharing among members. Trust us, not what you find online. 

 

 

What is the moral code of the concierge?

 

Discretion, integrity, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to guest satisfaction. We operate on principles of confidentiality, respect, and going above and beyond.

 

 

 

 

In what circumstances would a concierge take a human life? 

 

Quite the contrary, we are “life savers” although many of us have come close to committing this act. 

 

We may facilitate a funeral, however we do not do the killing. Our only weapons are charm, knowledge, and an extraordinary commitment to service.

 

 

What should a hotel guest expect from a concierge? What’s going too far?

 

Personalized assistance, expert local knowledge, to make reservations, and fulfill special requests to enhance their stay. Guests should draw the line at unreasonable demands, such as personal favors outside the scope of hospitality services or intrusive requests beyond professional boundaries.

 

 

What’s the oddest request you’ve ever had? 

 

Where can I find a stuffed antique badger? I lived in London, Islington at the time, and by chance my bus took me past a store called” Get Stuffed”. Made me chuckle every time, I have no idea how ancient the beast was, nor why the badger had to be “antique”. 

 

 

What’s proper etiquette for thanking/tipping a concierge?

 

There are no rules and any gesture is appreciated, believe me when I say that a genuine “thank you, we loved our stay” goes a long way. 

 

Think about going for a nice meal which took around two hours, if the experience was positive, you would not blink at tipping 20%. Consider the time we may have worked on your special weekend away or your one-week long distance trip that we have been helping you plan for months. 

 

This is how we make our living, however never feel obliged to tip for poor or mediocre service.

 

 

    

 

A skepticism of concierges is that you have financial incentives to suggest places. How true/widespread is that?

 

Our Association, along with most, including the illustrious Les Clefs d’Or [a descendant of the first concierge association, founded in France in 1929] follow a strict code of ethics to avoid such questionable acts. I am not saying this situation does not exist — I think it will always be present. 

 

Ethical concierges provide recommendations based on genuine quality and guest preferences. The smartest thing [for a restaurant] to do is invite the Concierge to experience everything you have to offer. The Concierge recommends you to their guests, who you take care of, the guests want to return to you on their next trip.  

 

 

What do you want to achieve with NYCAHC?

 

Inspire future generations of concierges by creating a better understanding of what we do and the lifestyle we live. And to break the misconception that we are stiff and inapproachable!

 

 

What’s your best advice for rookie concierges? Is there such a thing as a rookie? It’s always seemed to me that concierges were born with 20 years on the job.

 

Do not expect to step straight into this role and know it all. All of us continually ride the learning curve: building meaningful relationships amongst our peers, vendors and recommendations. 

 

 

 

 

 

Who’s the ultimate concierge? Whose portrait is at the top of the stairs at your secret lodge? 

 

Sandro Marcal, my first boss as Head Concierge is one of a kind and my legend. He taught me the ropes, inspired me and is still in the game. I have never known guests to gravitate to an individual more than Sandro.  

 

The portrait is obviously Master Yoda, to my lady’s chagrin. Size matters not, Yoda rules the force and like me can bend wills using my Jedi Mind Tricks…”you WILL enjoy where I am sending you,” and they almost always do!