Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
74
Making the Most of the Concierge
Nearly all upscale hot els ha ve c oncierges, and man y smaller inns off er c on-
cierge services from the fr ont desk. Too often, these people go underutiliz ed
by guests who don 't know the full range of ser vices concierges can pr ovide.
Beyond mer ely g iving dir ections t o Fisherman's Wharf, c oncierges ar e ther e
to act as guests' problem solvers. The best ones take r eal pleasure in helping,
and the mor e challenging the r equest, the bett er. When you're on vacation,
why not truly r elax, and let the c oncierge be y our personal assistant during
your stay?
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House cars:
Upper- end hotels of ten have house cars a vailable to drop off
guests in the F inancial District or elsewher e within 2 t o 5 miles of the hot el.
Businesspeople use the ser vice most, but an y guest can enjo y this perk . I f
you want to take the k ids to AT&T Park to watch some baseball, or you need
a ride to a restaurant, request a house car through the concierge desk. There's
usually no char ge, but y ou may tip the driv er at y our discretion.
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Restaurants:
Every concierge will make dinner reservations for guests, and
I recommend having the concierge phone ahead no matt er where you are
dining. If a restaurant is booked, the concierge may have more pull squeez-
ing you in than y ou would on y our own. But don 't ask the c oncierge for
any old r estaurant r ecommendation. (I' ve been t o some unr emarkable,
touristy places that wa y.) It's more effective to name t wo or thr ee options
and have the c oncierge tell you more about each one .
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Other services:
You needn't limit requests to restaurant reservations. Con-
cierges can also book Alcatraz or other cruises , car r entals, or ev en spa
treatments—whatever r equires a phone call . They can buy tickets t
4
o a
sporting or ent ertainment venue or amend airline r eservations.
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Solutions:
Did a child get sick? Head right t o the concierge, who will make
it a personal mission t o ensure a doc tor sees y our kid as soon as possible .
Concierges will also oblige less ur gent requests, like r eserving doggy da y
care or finding a last-minut e gift. You don't even have to be checked int o
the hotel. You can fax and e -mail the c oncierge with y our arrival dat e and
particular request. If he or she does go bey ond the call of dut y, gratuities
are always appreciated—although never expected.
Of course ther e's a catch: The whimsical r ooms and bathr ooms are teensy. Because
interconnecting rooms are not available, families have the choice of occupying two sepa-
rate rooms, squeezing into a double-double, or reserving a suite. Although kids may love
to stay in the R ed Hot Chili Peppers suite, be awar e that most suites ar e actually one-
room studios with a king-siz e bed and a queen-siz e sleeper sofa. Of course, the diminu-
tive size may be worth it if your child is fortunate enough to share an elevator ride with
one of the many bands that often stay at the hotel.
342 Grant Ave. (at Bush St.), San F rancisco, CA 94108.
&
800/800-1299
or 415/394-0500. Fax 415/394-
0555. w ww.hoteltriton.com. 140 units , including 7 suit es. $109-$149 double; suit es fr om $269. K ids
under 12 stay free in parent's room. Rollaways $13; cribs free. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $38. Pets
