| San Francisco, Ca - February 8, 1999
Introducing The Cast
Providing over 40 years of collective concierge service, The Pan Pacific's
concierge staff  includes
two Les Clefs d'Or
members, namely Chief Concierge Mark Belhumeur and Assistant Chief Concierge
Robert Spinrad. In addition to this sterling team is Catherine Orr,
Jason Carbajal, Scott McIntosh (who is Vice President of the Northern California
Concierge Associates), Andrea Freda, Vanessa Rae, and Mark Wrightson.
Outrageous Requests
Now, of course these veteran concierge have seen their share of unusual
solicitations and above-and-beyond the call-of-duty requests... however,
the service standards of this staff are focused on their commitment to
responding to every conceivable inquiry (as long as it's moral, legal,
and ethical) in the most gracious and timely fashion.
With that said, here are a few amusing anecdotes for the curious at
heart:
| A well dressed couple approached the concierge desk early one evening
in a panic. They were on their way to a wedding and forgot to bring a gift
for the bride and groom who were registered at Tiffany and Co. Unfortunately
the store had already closed for the day. I placed a call to Tiffany
and Co. to was told it would be impossible to re-open the shop. I asked
to speak to the manager and once connected, I realized we already met through
another concierge. Having established the mutual friend, she was delighted
to messenger the appropriate gift to the hotel and the guests arrived at
the wedding on time... with a lovely blue box in tow. Robert
Spinrad |
| A lady came to the Concierge desk looking for a book. She needed it
in Hebrew, however. Using my connections with Les Clefs d'Or, the International
Concierge Association, I found the book and sent it to her directly
Robert Spinrad |
| The hotel's housekeeping department found a passport in the room of
a guest who checked out earlier that day. Understanding the potential for
a ruined vacation, I went up to the room of the departed guest. With Dick
Tracy-style aplomb, I combed the room for indications of a next destination.
Searching the wastebasket one clue led to another. After several investigative
telephone calls over a two day period, I successfully contacted the guest
who was unaware of his misfortune. The appreciative guest was astonished
the hotel tracked him down at a remote cabin on his ice-fishing vacation
in Alaska. Mark Belhumeur |
| The CFO of a major healthcare network discovered at 7:00 pm that her
45-page color slide presentation, due to be released at 8:00 am the following
morning to her board of directors at their annual shareholder's conference,
had inaccurate financial information throughout. Each slide had to
be reworked and then 60 color sets of the handout would have to be made.
Unable to locate a graphics company to turn the work around in record time,
I took the work home and enlisted the help of a friend. We worked through
the night to correct the presentation, arrived at the all night copy shop
by 5:00 am and handed the finished presentation back to one extremely relieved
CFO by 7:30 that morning. Mark Belhumeur |
| I received a call from a gentleman in Southern California saying he
would be coming to San Francisco for the day to have dinner and propose
marriage to his girlfriend. He would be arriving with her by private jet,
and wanted to "impress her so much she cannot say no." I chartered a helicopter
to meet them at a private airport at SF0, which flew them over the romantic
San Francisco skyline to the (now defunct) heliport at Fisherman's wharf.
I arranged a horse dawn carriage to take the couple to Ghirardelli Square
where an exclusive, private cable car (real, not motorized) was waiting
to journey them to the hotel. Upon arrival I greeted and escorted the couple
to a luxury suite which was transformed into a floral paradise with over
100 different flowering plants and arrangements. I swung open the doors
to the suite. The violinist began playing Chopin. They entered. She
burst into tears. They kissed. He proposed. She burst into
tears again and responded, "Yes, yes, but I want to do it now. Here. Today."
Undaunted, I immediately disappeared to contact a minister who performed
the ceremony in the suite within two hours. I arranged a sumptuous candlelit
room service feast for the newlyweds and had the blissful couple in a limousine
back to the airport that evening, a mere eight hours after they arrived!
Mark Belhumeur |
| A woman I did not know asked where she, her husband, and daughter should
go for dinner. After eliciting her dining criterion for the evening, l
thought for a moment then suggested a restaurant I've only recommended
a handful of times in my 17-year concierge career. The restaurant was not
mainstream but it suited her requirements perfectly. I called the restaurant
to make a reservation for three persons at 7:30 pm under the name of Taffy.
"Taffy" the maitre d' questioned, "I just took a reservation for Taffy
for three at 7:30 pm." "That's strange, "I queried, "These are first-time
visitors to San Francisco and your restaurant is my recommendation. It
must be another Taffy." At that moment, a man walked up behind the lady
being helped and said 'Hi honey, what are you doing?" She turned around
and said, "I'm making dinner reservations with the concierge." The husband
replied "Oh, don 't bother, I just made them." Guess which restaurant?
Mark Belhumeur |
Although the concierge staff at any hotel throughout the world is often
the most utilized guest amenity, they can still be used more effectively.
Planning Ahead
As a service to both leisure and corporate travelers, the concierge
staff at The Pan Pacific San Francisco has created a list of suggestions
for those who would like to make better use of this oft-overlooked and
under utilized guest service.
Have the concierge recommend some of The City's hot new restaurants
and make advance reservations for you, find out what special activities
and shows will be available during your visit and have the concierge purchase
the best tickets in advance.
Utilize the concierge for their vast knowledge and local insider suggestions.
If ordering a bouquet of flowers, making a special request, or searching
for theater tickets, be prepared with a budget in mind (i.e.: One guest
wanted to fill the bathtub in their room with Champagne but did not realize
it would take 200 bottles and a budget of at least $3,000.00 to do so).
Remember, a hotel's concierge service is designed to handle last-minute
crises and will act as your "magician." (i.e.: A very prominent out-of-town
speaker came to the hotel to address an exclusive audience and somehow
forgot to bring a tie. The concierge staff was called upon to find an appropriate
tie but was not informed of the speaker 's suit color. So, the concierge
purchased a selection of designer ties and gave the speaker a choice when
he arrived).
When asking for recommendations on what to do or where to eat, provide
enough information so the concierge can formulate an overview about your
preferences and what specific cuisine and atmosphere might be of interest
to you. And please don't ask what the concierge's personal favorite restaurant
is... your tastes may not be the same as theirs.
If you have an "ideal" in mind, present the concierge with ALL the details
possible (i.e.: A hotel guest was hosting a very exclusive afternoon tea
at the hotel and wanted to present all her guests with a special keepsake.
She called upon Chief Concierge Mark Belhumeur to locate and purchase charming
little Limoge pill boxes with different tea motifs... with only a few hours
notice to pull this trick out of his hat, Belhumeur pulled through with
flying colors.)
Climbing to Great Heights
In addition to assisting with the customary hard-to-get restaurant reservations
and tickets for
 |
Just 10 years ago, a legendary hotel was born in a neighborhood
rich with history and sophistication. Located on San Francisco's fashionable
Post Street amidst all the city's best art galleries and spectacular architecture,
The Pan Pacific San Francisco is an oasis of architectural and artistic
treasures. |
sold out theater productions, The Pan Pacific's team of concierge will
climb to great heights to accommodate guests' specific requests. For example,
Belhumeur was contacted in advance by a guest planning a special 40th
birthday surprise for her husband. She requested his assistance in setting
up a treasure hunt within the hotel. Belhumeur took it upon himself to
find out what the husband's special interests were and planned a theme
of clues and treasures which corresponded with the husband's mad passion
for his new Porsche. Belhumeur went so far as to order logo merchandise
directly from Porsche. Needless to say, the guests were thrilled with the
very special treatment and the fond birthday memories The Pan Pacific helped
to create.
Frequently Asked Questions
To accommodate the most frequently asked questions and requests, The
Pan Pacific's concierge staff has recently introduced a series of "The
Concierge Suggests" which are advance planning guides to aid visitors of
The City.
And, for those who think they've seen everything San Francisco has to
offer, think again. The Pan Pacific's concierge staff created an intriguing
list of "37 Things You've Never Done (in San Francisco)." As a matter of
fact, many of the ideas are activities even the locals find engaging.
In addition, to aid seasoned City-bound travelers with ideas for compelling,
nearby excursions, the concierge staff also prepared a series of day trip
itineraries for such destinations as: Monterey/Carmel; Napa Valley; Sausalito;
Mill Valley and Stinson Beach; and Mendocino. These recommendations will
take guests on jaunts to some of Northern California's most beloved attractions.
For more information about The Pan Pacific San Francisco or to contact
the hotel's "Sterling Concierge Staff" call them directly at (415)929-2018
or (800) 533-6465. |
