How to get the most from a concierge
A good concierge can save you hours, but the results depend heavily on the request. Knowing which kind of concierge you are dealing with, and briefing them the way a professional would want, turns a vague favor into a booking you can count on.
Know which concierge you are working with
Hotel concierges know their city and often have working relationships with nearby restaurants, venues and drivers. Some belong to Les Clefs d’Or, an international professional association of hotel concierges whose members wear golden crossed keys on their lapels.
Credit card concierges are a benefit of some premium cards, reached by phone or chat through the card issuer or network. Using them is usually free, but whatever they book is charged to you at the merchant’s price. Paid lifestyle concierges charge a membership fee or retainer and take on larger or ongoing requests.
Building and corporate concierges serve residents or employees. Their work centers on packages, deliveries, dry cleaning, guest access and nearby errands rather than hard-to-get tables.
What concierges do best
Concierges earn their keep on requests that need local knowledge, persistence or relationships. Hand them the tasks that would otherwise eat an evening of phone calls and browser tabs.
- Restaurant reservations, including waitlists and fallbacks when a table is full.
- Tickets for shows, games and attractions, with advice on seats.
- Local knowledge about neighborhoods, opening hours and which places are worth the trip.
- Logistics such as airport cars, luggage storage, couriers and printing.
- Sourcing a gift for a hotel room, a hard-to-find item or a florist on short notice.
How to make a request that works
The best requests read like a brief. A concierge who knows your real priorities can make judgment calls without checking back, and an alternative you have already approved can save a booking that would otherwise slip away.
For example: dinner for four on Saturday between 7 and 8:30 p.m. near the theater, about $100 a person, one vegetarian, with a confirmed second choice acceptable and an answer needed by Thursday noon.
- Specifics: date, time window, party size, neighborhood and any occasion.
- Acceptable alternatives: a second choice, a later seating or a nearby option.
- Budget: a per-person or total figure, and whether fees and tips are included.
- Needs: dietary restrictions, accessibility, children or pets.
- Deadline: when you need an answer and the best way to reach you.
Lead times and limits
Give as much notice as you can. Many in-demand restaurants release tables on a fixed schedule, often weeks ahead, and the most popular ones fill within minutes, so a concierge cannot conjure one the night before. Popular events may be available only on resale at a markup, and engraved or custom gifts need days, not hours.
Concierges also have limits. They cannot guarantee a sold-out table, sign contracts for you or bend a venue’s rules, and a card concierge books under the merchant’s terms. Cancellation and no-show fees follow the merchant’s policy, so ask what you are agreeing to before a booking is confirmed.
Protect your personal and card information
Share only what a request needs. A restaurant reservation usually takes a name, a phone number and a party size; a ticket purchase or prepaid booking needs a payment method. Impostors sometimes pose as concierge or card services, so start the contact yourself whenever money is involved.
- Reach a card concierge only through the number on your card or the issuer’s app.
- Never give a one-time passcode or full card number to an unexpected caller, text or email.
- Avoid emailing card numbers; use the vendor’s secure payment page or pay in person.
- Ask a paid service how it stores your data and which staff can see it.
- Check your card statement after any booking made on your behalf.
Tipping and paid services
In the United States, tipping a hotel concierge is customary for a special effort, such as landing a hard-to-get reservation or sold-out tickets, and not expected for directions or a quick recommendation. Tip when the favor is done, or leave an envelope with the concierge’s name at checkout. Card concierges are generally not tipped, and in many apartment buildings, staff are thanked with a year-end holiday tip.
Before paying for a lifestyle concierge, compare the fee with what you would actually use.
- Membership or retainer fees, and any per-request or hourly charges.
- Promised response times, and whether help is available around the clock.
- Whether the service earns commissions or markups from vendors it books.
- A named contact versus a shared team, and how requests are handed off.
- Contract length, automatic renewal and how to cancel.