Travel Trend: Specialty Concierges

Hotels, airlines and travel companies are constantly looking for the best way to offer guests unique and memorable experiences. One of the latest ways hotels have expanded guests’ cultural exposure is through specialty concierges, or on-hand experts who can arrange bespoke travel experiences for individuals or groups.

Rather than just booking tables at restaurants or organizing a taxi for the airport, these concierges go above and beyond to offer guests the chance to deeply explore a destination. One example is at Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris where Julie Eugène flexes her artistic knowledge as the city’s only Art Concierge. Eugène can organize private art excursions or viewings; secure tickets to exclusive art events; and host tours of the hotel’s private art collections.

Tech enthusiasts who stay at Hotel Nia in Menlo Park, California, can take part in new gadget tutorials with a Silicon Valley expert, followed by the chance to test out the technology on their own and purchase them to take home.

In Burlington, Vermont, guests at Hotel Vermont can enjoy a sit-down session with Matt Canning, the world’s first “Beer Concierge.” Canning organizes beer tours and visits to local breweries, and the hotel has plans to create a summer beer exploration package to give guests a more in-depth look into the beer production process.

With seemingly every other person claiming Irish ancestry somewhere along the family line, fly to Ireland where genealogy expert Helen Kelly can help you trace your roots at The Shelbourne hotel.