14 totally unexpected hotel concierge services

From organizing music selections to providing surfing lessons, hotel concierges nowadays are meeting the increasing demands of the experiential traveler. These dedicated employees have taken on specialty roles that anticipate guests’ needs by catering to their personal interests. Need your very own Soap butler? Read on!

RELATED: 10 things you never thought would be included in an all-inclusive

Photo courtesy of Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa

1. Wine Concierge at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
This Sonoma County property has a wine-centered concierge to advise guests on creating and booking specialty winery tour itineraries. The concierge also can talk with you about your wine preferences and make customized recommendations on everything from which red to pair with steak, to which vineyards can’t be missed.

2. Hygge Concierge at Kimpton Hotels of New York City
Hygge, the Scandinavian concept of embracing the cozy contentment of life’s simple pleasures, is given top status at the NYC-based Kimpton Hotel Eventi, The Kimpton Muse Hotel and Kimpton Ink48 Hotel. Each property’s Hygge Concierge turns a hotel room into a place of solace, with amenities including a selection of artisanal teas or scented aromatherapy oils with a diffuser, a pillow menu and fresh flowers.

3. Tea Concierge/Sommelier at Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
For guests who savor a good cup of tea, this Phoenix property’s employee blends his knowledge into a role that provides guests with an educative afternoon tea time experience. The hotel’s long-time service also gets switched up during summer by offering a menu of iced teas.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Indigo Lower East Side New York

4. Graffiti Concierge at Hotel Indigo Lower East Side New York
New York City’s Lower East Side has gotten attention for its street art scene and its trendy atmosphere, so this hotel is paying attention to its surroundings with a graffiti concierge who can point guests in the direction of the neighborhood’s most iconic street art locales.

5. Soap Butler at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort
At this Cabo San Lucas property, guests of the Towers at Pacifica can get bubbly with a selection of artisanal, organic soaps made in Cabo that can be used throughout their stay. Plus, their Pacifica soap butler can hand-carve a personal-sized quantity for them.

Photo courtesy of The Westin Los Angeles Airport

6. Surf Concierge at The Westin Los Angeles Airport
Regardless of skill level, guests at this hotel can schedule a private surfing session at El Porto in Manhattan Beach. With classes led by a Los Angeles-based surf school, the hotel provides transportation to and from the beach along with a surfboard and wetsuit.

7. Certified Spook Master at Hilton New Orleans Riverside
For a spooky experience any time of the year, this Hilton’s resident Spook Master provides tips and tricks such as themed tours, costume parties around the city, and local ghost stories. Plus, this master can share a scary tale or two directly.

Photo courtesy of The Westin Austin Downtown

8. Personal Music Concierge at The Westin Austin Downtown
This Texas hotel’s concierge provides guests with the best insights of the city’s music scene by putting together a personalized itinerary. It can be based on tastes and preferences of the best shows and performance spaces to see during their stay, plus VIP access to certain venues and concerts.

9. Shabbat Technician at King David Jerusalem
For those who observe Shabbat, this luxury Israeli hotel has an on-call staff person who assists guests in not having to use electricity during this time. Duties encompass everything from actual room keys, to providing room-light timers to go on and off, and even adapting one of the elevators to stop on every floor.

Photo Courtesy of Hotel Teatro

10. Craft Beer Concierge at Hotel Teatro
This Denver hotel is embracing the city’s craft beer industry with a concierge who provides a complimentary sudsy service. This staffer can curate a crafty experience, by providing insider tips on tours and tastings, and arrange for guests to get a taste for them via a brewery map or the hotel’s custom vintage cruiser bikes.

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11. Record Concierge at Kimpton Goodland
With in-room record players and a lobby record shop in partnership with VNYL, a Los Angeles music discovery service, this SoCal-inspired venue in Santa Barbara helps guests figure out what to put on their turntables. They can speak with a record concierge to help them choose their vinyl and borrow records during their stay, or buy some to take home.

Photo courtesy of Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Spa & Golf Club

12. Steak Knife Concierge at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort
This resort in Carlsbad near San Diego is home to the Argyle Steakhouse, featuring a Steak Knife Concierge program where diners are guided on selecting and using the appropriate cutlery for their choice of entrée. Guests are also said to be able to “test out” different knives in the collection to find the right one for their culinary needs.

13. Bike Concierge at The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Atlanta
As an early morning fitness option, this hotel’s bike concierge takes guests on a guided route that enables them to see more of the city while getting their sweat on. Cycling beyond Atlanta’s downtown area and delving into local neighborhoods, stops can include Centennial Olympic Park and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site.

14. Coffee Curator at Costa Rica Marriott San Jose
Fittingly set on a 30-acre coffee plantation, this Marriott hotel features an onsite Coffee Curator who hosts latte design classes— think everything from monkeys to flower designs in your foam—and provides insight on coffee harvesting.

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Tagged: Atlanta, Austin, California, Colorado, Costa Rica, Denver, Feature, Latin America, Los Angeles, Los Cabos, Mexico, New Orleans, New York, Texas