Wes Anderson’s most recent film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, is a delightful work of art that pays homage to the nobility of hospitality and the power of service to others. While the luxurious hotel, characters and plot are fictional, the spirit that underlies the story is stunningly real.
The hero in the movie is the Grand Budapest’s concierge, Gustave H., impeccably portrayed by Ralph Fiennes. As a world-class concierge, Gustave sets the tone for the hotel, embodying and exemplifying the splendor of his property and the spirit of service. In fact, many guests return again and again for the express purpose of seeing him. He is the heartbeat of the hotel, and he inspires the entire staff to emulate his thoughtfulness and elegance—down to the smallest detail.
The story is set just before the onset of World War II. One reviewer wistfully observed that the movie harkens back to “a long-lost past—a more glorious era for hotels, when staying at a prestigious property was not just about the amenities in one’s room. but about being a part of something much bigger and grander.” Indeed, the movie ends with the tragic decline of the Grand Budapest, which quickly deteriorates after Gustave’s untimely death. As stated in the movie, the hotel becomes “unprofitable and doomed, the last connection to a banished world.” The narrator even takes it a step further, saying: “Perhaps it was a world that never really existed in the first place, but an illusion sustained by Gustave with marvelous grace.”
Such a sad statement! Long-lost past? Banished world? An illusion? I would write a much happier ending, because I believe this “banished world” is alive and well in the hospitality industry today. It is created, day in and day out, by hotel concierges who are dedicated to representing their properties with grace, while creating magical experiences for their guests. Gustave’s legacy might have died with him, but the legacy of true hospitality and service lives on in the lives of present-day concierges. Here are just a few examples.
Tom Wolfe, Chief concierge, The Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco
Taking the best from the past to create an even better present and future.
After working with “old world” concierges in London and Paris, Tom introduced the concept to the U.S., opening the first American concierge desk at The Fairmont in San Francisco. He has been described as the ultimate icon of the concierge profession.
Tom holds a reverence for the past, while embracing the latest technology to serve his guests and maintain relationships with his many colleagues. You might find him posting a personalized YouTube video for a guest one minute, and see him typing a confirmation card on an old-fashioned typewriter or handwriting a thank-you note the next.
To ensure that the legacy will live on, he happily shares his wealth of information. He has been and continues to be a gracious mentor to every professional concierge, new or experienced, who has had the good fortune to meet and learn from him.
Michael Romei, Chief Concierge, The Towers, Waldorf Astoria, New York
Making Miracles Happen
Michael has seen and done it all: from arranging live music performances for heads-of-state to teaching a Japanese guest how to whistle down a taxi. But in Michael’s own words, “It is the challenge of truly unique requests that I relish the most.”
One of the most memorable of these requests came from a family from Central Africa on a six-week stay to buy equipment for a new bakery in Ethiopia. To ensure they got everything they needed at a reasonable price, Michael went on a crash course in commercial baking, soliciting advice from Waldorf Astoria master pastry chefs. Then, he hit the streets to scout different vendors. Mission accomplished.
Aldo Giacomello, Former Chief Concierge at the Hotel Beau Rivage, Geneva, Switzerland
Creating Legacy through Devotion
At the Beau Rivage, the professionalism of their staff and their utter devotion to their guests’ well being at every hour of the day or night ensures a magical stay for their guests.
Retired concierge Aldo Giacomello may no longer be an official staff member at the Beau Rivage, but he will always be an honorary one. Not only does his devotion live on through the existing staff he has mentored, he is personally still very much a part of the team. His role was and remains so valuable that management has maintained an office for him in his retirement.
I could name many other modern-day concierges, who are living legacies, as they create the magic hotel guests are experiencing today and will enjoy many years to come. They are most certainly a part of something “bigger and grander,” and I know in my heart that Gustave would be proud.