Articles
Crazy Concierge Requests
by Judy Colbert
Any big-city traveler knows the hotel concierge can put "magician" on his resume because of all the wonderful tricks so easily pulled out of his hat in his daily performance of the impossible. Need tickets to a sold-out Broadway show? Need dinner reservations at the Tavern on the Green when it's closed for a private party? No prob. Well, almost no prob.
If you think you're being pushy asking a concierge to help make your life easier -- don't. As this list shows, they've handled many requests more difficult than yours. This will give you an idea of just what these people can do for you.
At New York's Omni Berkshire (52nd and Madison), the concierge was asked to buy the cheapest margarita glasses and other Mexican decorative items to adorn a guest room for a getaway weekend.
A guest at the SunBurst Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz., lost a set of Tibetan prayer beads that had been blessed by the Dalai Lama. Rocky Allen, the concierge knew someone who knew someone who obtained a set of beads and had them blessed by the Dalai Lama. It took a few weeks, but the guest received the newly blessed beads.
The concierge at the Brown Palace in Denver chartered a helicopter so Duchess Sarah Ferguson could slip off to Crested Butte, Colo. (a seven-hour drive from Denver) for dinner with a friend and return to sleep at the Brown Palace. They also stored an elk for actor Steven Segal who had been on a hunting trip prior to arriving at the hotel.
Bonnie Krkles, chief concierge at the Hyatt Regency Chicago rented a wedding dress for a woman traveling from the Middle East for her wedding. She also arranged for flowers, post-wedding dinner and a horse-drawn carriage ride.
Karen Giobbia, former chief concierge at the Park Hyatt Chicago, arranged -- on three hours notice -- a private yacht with captain, chef and staff for a romantic dinner and evening on Lake Michigan.
Abbie Todd, a former opera singer and concierge at the Sheraton Russell Hotel on Park Avenue in New York, arranged for a British guest to have breakfast at Tiffany's.
The Sheraton Seattle Hotel Towers concierge found a place for circus performers to wash a bear.
Jim McCasland, concierge manager at the San Francisco Hilton Towers arranged for a helicopter requested by a couple who wanted to exchange their wedding vows in the air.
And the concierge at the Windsor Court in New Orleans lent a guest his shoes one night.
What does one tip a concierge for services like these? Well, theoretically, they do not expect to be tipped. They're supposed to be able to do the extraordinary. However, when you're so grateful you can't contain yourself, you have to do something. A monetary tip might be in the range of $10 to $50 or more, depending on the service, although some will refuse money.