THEY MADE IT HAPPEN!

There was a lady in Bangalore who wanted the same mango mousse that she had had in a Barista outlet in Goa. The concierge got her the mousse from Barista in Bangalore but she said it didn’t taste the same. So he contacted the cafe manager in Goa who packed it and kept it ready. The concierge then got in touch with his airport manager in Bangalore, who coordinated with his equivalent in Goa. Another call was placed to the airlines and the whole link made the task possible! — Sam John, who won Concierge of the Year. He is presently with ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru. 

A couple of years back, the boarders of a cruise had a stopover in Taj Bengal. There was a 70-year-old couple from UK and the husband fell ill and was admitted to hospital. The wife told me there was a doctor on board the cruise who was the only person who could help her husband but she didn’t have his number. All the ships that come to Calcutta — merchant or cargo — have a shipping agent. Somehow, I got the number of the shipping agent of that cruise and I requested him to share the doctor’s number — Sanjib Ghosh, concierge, Taj Bengal. 

“No one can prepare you for the bedlam that consumes Calcutta, but at least there is Mr Amitava Sarkar, a man of enormous experience, excellent moustache and considerable girth, who is head concierge of the storied Oberoi Grand in Kolkata.” So read the review of a travel writer who left his passport on check-out at the grand old Oberoi and had it delivered to him minutes before his flight took off!

Recently, we had a couple celebrating their honeymoon with us. The guest had an unusual request — he wanted fresh milk poured into the bathtub, a carpet of rose petals, and candles in the main room. I told him this was not possible in the room that he was staying. We set up a new room for him where we shielded the flooring (for the candles). He was very happy with the result! — Abey Sam, president, Les Clefs d’Or UAE, at present with J.W. Marriott Marquis, Dubai. (He is in touch with many Indian concierges to fulfil the requirements of Indian guests.) 

One guest wanted to go to the Kandy mountainside in Sri Lanka by train. He went to the railway station but couldn’t get tickets. He was disappointed and came to me. Within an hour, I managed to get tickets for him. Later, he sent me an email saying, ‘Duminda, you are the one who made my holiday possible in Sri Lanka’, because he had come to Sri Lanka only to visit Kandy — Duminda Boteju. This is his 29th year in the industry. He started as a trainee bellman and is now chief concierge of Galle Face Hotel, Sri Lanka.

There was a guest from Japan, who had misplaced his passport. He couldn’t remember where he had left it so I asked him his trail. Being late afternoon on a Saturday, the consulate office was closed so he couldn’t seek support till Monday. I called the Bangalore airport manager, the Indigo airlines staff, the captain who flew the flight, and finally asked him, ‘Did you go to any of the restaurants?’ He told me he had got down in Bagdogra. And it was there in an airport restaurant that I finally tracked down his passport — Rupa Verma, concierge, The Oberoi Grand.

Once a guest informed me at 11.15pm that he wanted eight tickets for the morning show at INOX, Forum. As a concierge, I said okay but seriously did not know what to do. I took the cash from the hotel cashier and reached the mall at 12.40am when the ticket counters were closed and the night show was going on. Security stopped me from entering the hall. I requested for the duty manager, who agreed after much pleading — Urbish Dutta, head concierge, ITC Sonar.

I’ve helped guests to buy islands and rent a race track to drive a Ferrari. I’ve arranged wedding proposals and helped people find lost loved ones. I’ve also done simple things. Once I had a guest  who was from the northern hemisphere and her birthday was in spring. And every year, since she was a little girl, she got tulips on her birthday. In Australia, her birthday is in autumn and tulips are not in season. So it was my task to run around the city to find tulips for her. It took the better part of a day-and-a-half but she got her tulips.... There is really no limit as long as what we’re being asked is legal and ethical. The ones I remember most are not necessarily the big-ticket items but the small and meaningful ones — James Ridenour, general secretary, Les Clefs d’Or International, in town to represent the general committee.

Pictures: Rashbehari Das

RECAP

What is the Les Clefs d’Or?

The Les Clefs d’Or (pronounced ‘lay clay door’, meaning The Society of The Golden Keys, in French) is an international network of concierges expected to make the “impossible” requests of a guest possible. It was formed in France in October 1929. 

How do you recognise one?

There are over 4,000 concierges in over 60 countries. When you see a concierge wearing the Golden Keys (crossed gold keys) on the lapels of his/her uniform, you know he/ she is a member of the Les Clefs d’Or.

How many are there? 

In India, there are 177 members. The Calcutta chapter started in 2012 with five members and today there are 16. They include David Aaron and Sanjib Ghosh (Taj Bengal), Amitava Sarkar (The Oberoi Grand), and Urbish Dutta (ITC Sonar). 
 
Is it easy to become a Les Clef d’Or member?

You have to be part of the hospitality industry for five years, three as a concierge. Then, you have to be nominated by the regional president after the recommendation of your hotel’s GM, take a written test and an interview.