What is a concierge?
A concierge (from the French comte des cierges, the medieval "keeper of the candles") is a hotel team member whose job is to anticipate, recommend and arrange anything a guest needs outside the room itself. Restaurant reservations, theatre tickets, car hire, doctor's appointments, last-minute birthday flowers, a hard-to-find brand of cigar — if a guest can want it, the concierge arranges it.
The role is distinct from front-desk reception. Reception handles the transaction of staying at the hotel (check-in, check-out, billing, room moves). The concierge handles the experience of being in the destination.
Last reviewed: May 2026.
What does a concierge do day-to-day?
The job is split between pre-arrival preparation, active guest service, and supplier-network maintenance.
Pre-arrival (1–2 hours/day)
- Review the day's arrivals list. Flag VIPs, repeat guests, special requests.
- Pull guest notes from the property-management system — what they enjoyed last time, allergies, anniversaries.
- Pre-arrange anything pre-booked: cars, transfers, restaurant reservations, surprises for celebrations.
Active service (4–6 hours/day at the desk or on the floor)
- Greet guests at the lobby, answer questions about the destination.
- Book restaurant tables, theatre tickets, golf tee times, museum entries, helicopter transfers, day trips.
- Solve sudden problems: lost passports, sudden illness, urgent dry cleaning, a flight change.
- Source the unusual: a same-day baby cot, a left-handed tennis racket, kosher catering for a 12-top.
- Liaise with housekeeping, F&B, transport, the spa — every department in the hotel.
Network maintenance (ongoing)
- Build and maintain relationships with restaurants, drivers, florists, theatre booking offices, doctors, private tour operators.
- Visit new restaurants and venues personally so recommendations are honest.
- Read the local press to know what's happening this week.
A senior concierge's value lives in their little black book — the network of trusted contacts who answer their call and prioritise their guest because of who is asking. Junior concierges inherit this network gradually; it takes years to build independently.
Skills that matter
- Languages. International hotel concierges typically speak 2–4 languages. English is non-negotiable; French, German, Russian and Mandarin are the most useful additional languages depending on the property's guest mix.
- Local knowledge. A concierge who has only worked in a city for 6 months can't do the job at a 5-star property. The role requires lived familiarity with the city, the restaurant scene, the local quirks.
- Discretion. Concierges handle private requests. They never gossip about guests, never publicly recognise high-profile guests, never share itinerary details with anyone outside the immediate service team.
- Composure under odd requests. Guests ask for unusual things. The concierge's job is to react with "of course" and then quietly work out how — never visible surprise.
- Network-building skills. Long-game relationship work. Concierges who can't maintain a supplier network plateau early.
Where concierges work
- Luxury and 5-star hotels. The most common employer — Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Aman, Rosewood, Ritz-Carlton.
- Boutique upscale properties. Independent boutique hotels in major cities and resorts.
- Members' clubs and serviced apartments. Private members clubs (Soho House, etc.) and high-end serviced-apartment buildings.
- Private concierge services. Standalone subscription-based concierge companies (Quintessentially, John Paul) that serve clients independently of any hotel.
- Cruise ships. Luxury cruise lines run guest-services desks closely modelled on hotel concierge teams.
Salary
UK ranges (ONS ASHE 2024 published bands for "hotel and accommodation managers and proprietors not elsewhere classified," used as a proxy because ONS does not publish concierge-specific data):
| Region | Gross annual |
|---|---|
| UK regional | £22,000–£30,000 |
| UK London 5-star | £30,000–£45,000 + tips |
| Cyprus 5-star | €22,000–€35,000 + accommodation + meals |
| Western Europe avg | €28,000–€42,000 |
| Top private concierge (London/Monaco) | £55,000–£90,000+ |
Senior concierges at luxury properties often earn significant supplementary income through commissions and gratuities — restaurant referrals, ticket bookings, and personalised guest gestures. In London and Paris top-tier hotels, gratuities and commissions can match base salary.
Chef Concierge is the head of the concierge team — runs the shift rota, manages the supplier network, mentors junior concierges. Salary band: £35–60K UK / €35–55K Cyprus.
How to become a concierge
Most concierges enter from front-of-house roles — front desk, reservations, or luxury retail. Typical progression:
- Front desk agent (2 years) — learn the property and the systems.
- Concierge agent / junior concierge (2–3 years) — learn the destination and the supplier network.
- Senior concierge (3–5 years) — handle VIPs, build personal network.
- Chef Concierge — head of department.
Membership of Les Clefs d'Or (the international concierge association — the gold key lapel pins seen at top luxury hotels) is widely seen as the highest recognition of the trade. Members are nominated by other members and accepted after 3+ years of senior concierge experience.
Concierge vs receptionist — the difference
| Receptionist | Concierge |
|---|---|
| Handles check-in, check-out, billing | Handles in-destination experience |
| Mainly behind the desk | Mostly at the desk and on the floor |
| Standardised PMS workflow | Custom problem-solving |
| Speaks 1–2 languages typically | Speaks 2–4 languages typically |
| Transactional service | Relational service |
| Salary: lower-mid hotel band | Salary: upper hotel front-of-house band |
Both roles are valuable. Some properties combine them at smaller scales (a 30-room boutique hotel's receptionist does both); larger properties separate them with dedicated concierge desks.
Common questions
Do all hotels have a concierge? No. Concierge service is a hallmark of 4-star and 5-star properties, and of luxury boutique hotels. Budget and midscale hotels typically rely on the front desk to answer destination questions.
Are concierge tips part of the salary? Tips and commissions can be a meaningful share of total earnings at top properties, but they're not guaranteed. Always anchor salary expectations on the base; treat gratuities as upside.
Do concierges work shifts? Yes. Most luxury hotels run a concierge desk from 7am–11pm minimum, with night managers covering after. Concierges work 5-day rotating shifts; senior staff typically get one weekend day off in a rotation.
Do you need a hospitality degree? No, but a degree from Glion, Les Roches or EHL Lausanne accelerates progression at international luxury chains. Most chef concierges have 8–12 years of operational experience rather than degrees.
Is the concierge job being replaced by apps? Apps handle the volume-low-value end of concierge work (booking a table at a popular restaurant). The high-value end — solving the unusual, handling VIPs, knowing what not to recommend — remains a personal-relationship job. Top properties are investing in their concierge desks, not cutting them.
What to do next
- If you're starting out: take a front-desk role at a 4- or 5-star property and learn the destination obsessively.
- If you're mid-career: focus on language depth and supplier-network building. Visit every restaurant in your city.
- Looking for a concierge or front-of-house role? Browse hotel front-office and concierge jobs in Cyprus →.
- For interview prep, see Hospitality Interview Questions.