Many hotels have started outsourcing concierge services. Expedia runs a number of “Local Expert” desks at major hotels in Hawaii, Orlando and Las Vegas, among other places. Other third-party outfitters also operate hotel concierge desks, including at some (but not all) Starwood and Hyatt properties. The hotels rent out the concierge desk for a fee, and concierges refer guests to affiliated touring companies.

Concierge outsourcing is happening at the local level as well. Tower Tours, a San Francisco sightseeing company, has taken over concierge services at some of that city’s better-known hotels, including the Drake, the Argonaut and the Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf. It operates them under an affiliate firm, Tour Links. Another local concern, Airport Express, an airport shuttle service, operates desks under the name Concierge of America at several San Francisco hotels.

For its part, Les Clefs d’Or opposes outsourcing. “It compromises service,” says Nargil, the Hay-Adams concierge and a longtime member of the organization.

While Les Clef d’Or members are prohibited from accepting cash from restaurants, they do work on a commission basis with local vendors, such as limousine companies. The organization also has a partnership with Hertz. However, Nargil is quick to point out that Les Clefs members will book guests with any car-rental company the guests want. And, in some cases, as at his hotel, there is no Hertz location nearby.

Besides built-in potential conflicts, outsourcing may mean that the person staffing the concierge desk is not as much of an expert as someone who’s been with the hotel for years. Outsourced desks might rotate their employees more.


Another gray area is disclosure. Should hotels let their guests know whether the concierge desk is run by an outside firm? Such information seems critical, especially at higher-end hotels where guests tend to expect that the concierge is a hotel employee. At the very least, be sure to ask. —BB