Having been a concierge for 17 years, I thought nothing would surprise me. But I was wrong. I was recently forwarded an article on the Internet describing—even glorifying—the way a concierge at a five-star hotel arranged appointments with prostitutes for his guests. While concierges are well known for making the impossible possible and going to any lengths to do it, there are most definitely limits—and the activity described in this article most certainly far exceeds them.
As I state in my upcoming book, The Art and Science of the Hotel Concierge, “There are requests that simply cannot be met, not because they are impossible, but because they extend beyond the boundaries of the concierge’s morals and integrity. The concierge philosophy condones only services that are legal and kind.” It was disheartening for me to see this article splashed across the Internet, as it undermines one of Les Clefs d’Or’s primary purposes: To establish and promote highly professional and ethical standards.
Thankfully, this article is but one exception to the countless wonderful stories about how concierges make miracles happen every day—many of which I’ve captured in my book. But I encourage you to respond swiftly and strongly to any information you see or hear that casts our profession in a questionable light or denigrates it in any way.
In Service Through Friendship,
Holly