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Up Close & Personal
With Debbie Wild
Le s C l e f s d ’ O r C o n c i e r g e a t Fa i r m o n t H o t e l Va n c o u v e r
W hen did you decide to
become a concierge and
how did you start ?
I never really ‘decided’ to become a
Concierge, a friend of mine who was
a Concierge at another hotel told me
about a position available at Hotel
Vancouver and thought I would really
enjoy it. As it was just a 3 month
temporary position, I thought I’d
try it out and I have now been here
over 23 years!
W hat does your job entail
and can you describe a
normal day for us ?
We are basically a ‘one stop shop’ for
guest assistance whilst travelling. We
recommend tours, give restaurant
recommendations and make
reservations. We help with courier
shipments, flight changes, source
hard to find objects, arrange
baby sitters, book private
transportation and much, much
more! A typical day would involve
welcoming and guiding guests to
their meeting rooms, telling guests
about our Canine Ambassadors,
Elly & Ella, answering e-mails and
phone calls, assisting guests in
planning their stay and keeping
current with events/happenings
around the city.
W hat is the advantage of
speaking to a concierge
over searching the
internet ?
You create a valuable connection and
receive more detailed and informed
information by speaking to a
concierge directly. We know tips and
tricks that you might not always get
on the internet, and have valuable
relationships with partners around
the city.
W hat do you enjoy the
most about being a
concierge ?
I love helping people and making
sure that they have the best possible
stay in our beautiful city.
W hat are the biggest
challenges that you face
and what is the most
satisfying or unusual
thing you have done for
a guest ?
As Vancouver is constantly growing
it can be a challenge to keep up with
all the changes happening. Having
said that, Concierges love a challenge
as it means learning something new,
finding out the answer and ‘making it
happen’ for our guests. I have been
a witness to several guests at their
weddings, walked celebrities’ dogs,
bought dress shoes for a guest as she
only had her tennis shoes with her,
to name a few fun things.
W hat places do you
generally recommend ?
I love recommending cycling around
the seawall. We are lucky enough to
boast an amazing walking/cycling path
surrounding downtown Vancouver
which takes you around magnificent
Stanley Park and False Creek.
Gastown is also a must-see and is
well known for its whistling steam
clock and mix of souvenir shops,
indie art galleries and décor stores in
Victorian buildings.
THE PRESTIGE | FAIRMONT HOTEL VANCOUVER
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