Edition: U.S. / Global

Concierges: Baedekers In the Flesh

Published: September 6, 1991

TO hear John Neary describe his job as concierge at the Carlyle Hotel, you would think he was reciting the Boy Scout motto.

A good concierge, he says, is a trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous and kind professional. He "asks, tries, denies, replies, demands, begs, borrows, searches, explores, tests, calls, looks for, adds up, tastes, runs, mends, advises, consults and warns" on behalf of his clients in such matters as transportation, theater tickets, tour itineraries, amenities, shopping and dining, including "restaurants with great wine lists, restaurants close to the hotel, French restaurants, California grill restaurants and restaurants without purple in them."

No small task, but that is why New York luxury hotels have top-flight concierges who are a guest's personal representative in a big and often baffling metropolis, particularly with Labor Day behind and the fall cultural season beginning. These uniformed ombudsmen pride themselves on an insider's ability to get things done as quickly and quietly as possible.

Full-range concierge service was uncommon even in luxury American hotels until 10 or 15 years ago, when travelers returning from Europe began to demand more from the old-style information desks in hotel lobbies. The number and quality of concierges in the United States has grown so much in the last 10 years that the international society of concierges, the Clefs d'Or, now has 180 members nationwide and about 60 in New York City. From their stations, usually near the check-in desk, concierges pull strings to solve all kinds of problems. According to their ethical guidelines, concierges charge no fee for their services and accept no commission from businesses they send guests to. They do expect a tip, from $5 for a routine reservation to $20 or $25 for a more difficult task, like arranging a weekend tour schedule. They especially appreciate guests who write a thank-you note to the hotel management.

For customized service, it helps to be clear about what you want. "We need to know what the guest is like, their psychology, what makes them feel comfortable," says Mario Cinti, chief concierge at the Lowell Hotel.

Even jaded New Yorkers might be surprised to see what a good concierge can add to a stay in the city. To see what they recommend, nine of the top concierges in Manhattan, all with the gold-key pins of the Clefs d'Or, were asked to devise interesting New York itineraries for three kinds of clients, providing a broad cross section of interests, tastes and budgets. They were told that these hypothetical tourists had a weekend to spend in the city:

*A typical family from a small Midwestern city. The parents are baby boomers and their two children are 8 and 10 years old. First-time New York visitors, they want a full-blown tour of the city's sights.

*A woman of what used to be called a certain age, widowed, from the Northeast. She used to visit New York with her husband, who made all the arrangements. She likes art and antiques and retains an interest in fashion.

*A gay couple from Los Angeles in their 40's, both in the entertainment industry. They've been to New York many times and think they've seen it all. They're looking for something new and different to do.

Some of the concierges, like Mr. Neary, Thomas P. Wolfe of the Plaza Hotel and Florence Waterman of the Pierre Hotel, jumped at the opportunity to recommend offbeat itineraries -- Mr. Neary suggested a Vietnam Day (a helicopter tour, dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant and "Miss Saigon" on Broadway), for example. Several, like Tito Fornari of the Mayfair Regent Hotel, kept their suggestions to New York classics like the Frick Collection, Le Cirque and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Still others had special interests that figured in their suggestions. Anthony Pike of the Westbury Hotel, a former jazz drummer, was up to date with the club scene; Mario Cinti of the Lowell, a former food and beverage manager, had a wide knowledge of New York restaurants.

Here is a sampling of the concierges' recommendations. FAMILY OF FOUR

PLAN 1, THE GRAND TOUR: Suggested by Tito Fornari of the Mayfair Regent Hotel, at 610 Park Avenue, at 65th Street. After an early dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe in midtown, they have ice cream at Serendipity 3 on the Upper East Side. On Saturday morning, they stroll over to the Central Park Zoo via Fifth Avenue, then have lunch at Rumpelmayer's on Central Park South or at the Loeb Boathouse Restaurant in Central Park.

In the afternoon, they hire a limousine and guide for a four-hour sightseeing trip through the city, with stops along the way. Their route goes north to Harlem, across to the West Side and south past Lincoln Center, down Broadway through the theater district, then south to Chelsea, Greenwich Village and TriBeCa, through Little Italy and Chinatown and on to the World Trade Center for a visit to the observation deck. Then they travel around the Battery to the South Street Seaport, past the United Nations, stop at the Empire State Building and check out the Guinness World of Records inside.