Whether it’s delivering 20 hot dogs to an unnamed Hollywood celebrity, tracking down New Zealand licorice for Ozzy Osbourne or reuniting long lost friends, luxury hotel concierges go above and beyond to accommodate guests.
No job is too big or too small for those who work at the front desk at the best five star hotels in Australia and New Zealand.
Three concierges from the InterContinental Hotels Group spilled the beans about the high and lows about their job and shared their secrets on how to get on their good side and score VIP treatment.
Intercontinental Melbourne The Rialto chief concierge James Ridenour (second left) and his team are no strangers to peculiar requests
Being and polite friendly is the best way to scoring an upgrade at the Intercontinental Melbourne The Rialto (pictured)
Intercontinental Melbourne The Rialto chief concierge James Ridenour has seen it all in his 25 years in the hotel industry, he told to News.com.au.
When a guest wanted to drive a Ferrari at high speed in Melbourne, he organised for the guest to be flown by helicopter to Phillip Island, where a rented Ferrari was waiting at the racetrack to do some laps.
He also reunited long lost school friends after being given just a maiden name, the school and the fact she lived in Victoria by a retired guest.
He also once managed organised two Frozen street performers to attend a business conference at two-an-a-half-hours notice, thanks to some help from Victorian College of the Arts.
‘For a request like this, you can’t just open up the yellow pages — you really have to be imaginative,’ Mr Ridenour said.
Intercontinental Adelaide Chéf Concierge Siddhartha Kaul (pictured) reveals the city’s best kept secrets in YouTube video on his hotel’s website
Booking through Intercontinental Adelaide (pictured) directly goes a long way in building a relationship with staff and getting a free upgrade
Siddhartha Kaul, Chéf Concierge at Intercontinental Adelaide flew to Perth last month to personally deliver a forgotten passport left behind by a grateful guest due to fly to London the next day.
‘Sometimes the concierges are overlooked by hotel guests but we’re always here ready and waiting no matter what the request — as long as it’s legal and moral to do so,’ Mr Kaul said.
Jason Eade, Chief Concierge at Intercontinental Wellington in New Zealand has shaken hands with former First Lady Hillary Clinton and chatted with pop star Ed Sheeran in his 16 years there.
He was named joint top concierge in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific at the Hotel Management Awards in 2015.
Jason Eade (middle) has hunted down New Zealand licorice for Black Sabbath front man Ozzy Osbourne
‘One of the best compliments I’ve ever received was being told ‘You’re better than Google maps,’ Mr Eade said.
The trio also gave the scoop on how to score a upgrade.
The first thing you can do is sign up for hotel rewards club memberships.
Guests with IHG Rewards Club memberships or the Intercontinental Ambassador Program have priority and ambassadors are guaranteed an upgrade when it can be accommodated.
While it often comes down to loyalty and luck, Mr Ridenour’s advice was to be polite and friendly.
Mr Kaul said booking through the hotel directly goes a long way in building a relationship with staff.
Meanwhile, Mr Eade sees no harm in guests simply asking and trying their luck.
The best way of scoring an upgrade at New Zealand’s Intercontinental Wellington (pictured) is to ask