Queenstown Resort College – Chief Concierge of Crowne Plaza Guest Speaker 26th November 2015

Yesterday at the Queenstown Resort College, Fiona Lawson, Chief Concierge of Crowne Plaza Queenstown was guest speaker for a class of hospitality students. She spoke about her 20 year plus career in hospitality with IHG,the Les Clefs d’Or Society and as a women in the society. It was a wonderful opportunity for the next generation of hospitality professionals to get first hand knowledge from such an experienced member.

Meet The Region Auckland SkyCity Convention Centre 11th November 2015

We are dedicated to promoting professionalism in tourism in New Zealand. Committed to providing the highest possible standards of service to our valued guests. Working very closely with Tourism Industry SUPPLIERS…. key people providing superior products to visitors. MEET THE REGION provides the platform to showcase the products of our SUPPLIERS, if you would like to participate either as supplier or visitor please book now.

Here are our confirmed suppliers at Meet The Region 2015

Wellington concierge Jason Eade wins top award 8th September 2015

A Wellington concierge who once had dreams of making it to the Olympic games has just ‘won gold’ for services to his job. Jason Eade, was named joint top concierge in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific in the annual Hotel Management Awards, which were held in Sydney on Friday night. Mr Eade, who is head concierge at InterContinental Wellington, shared the honour with Mark Peyton from Sofitel Sydney Wentworth. Originally from Timaru, Mr Eade has always been an avid sportsman. He told NZME News Service he used to train as a professional boxer and his goal was once to make it to the Olympics. Sadly, Mr Eade Olympic dreams were cut short when he had a motorcycle accident in 1990 and lost his left leg. “Life goes on, I’m here to tell the story that’s the main thing.” Mr Eade now plays golf, and last year competed in the World Disabled Amputee Championship. “I have found sport again… I’m too competitive for my own good.” He said his “competitive nature” spreads into his work and he has now been a concierge for 13 years at the InterContinental Wellington. This was the second time he had been honoured with the top concierge nod at the award’s ceremony. Speaking after last Friday’s ceremony, Mr Eade said he was humbled and delighted by the external acknowledgement of a job he was passionate about being done well. He said his job was about engaging and communicating with people. “It’s all about engaging and embracing and learning about our guests so that each time they come back they recognise you and you can go up to them and carry on a conversation about where they’ve been and what they’re doing.” His successful career has also allowed him some amazing opportunities. Mr Eade was able to recognise part of his Olympic dream, after he was selected as one of the few New Zealanders to carry the Olympic torch on its national journey through the United Kingdom as part of the InterContinental Hotel Group Olympic partnership. He said he carried the torch through a small town in Manchester called Preston. “It’s probably one of the best things I have ever done in my life, it was just an amazing 2000m walk. It was just adrenaline, the streets were lined with people and they were all cheering and supporting… it was one of the most amazing things I have had the opportunity to do.” Source: NZ Herald                                                                                                                                                                       

Brick Bay Vineyards 9th August 2015

Brick Bay Vineyard and Sculpture Trail, less than an hour north of Auckland. Spectacular Sculptures set in a pocket of native bush. Enjoy a coffee or something stronger with great food at the Glass House. Engage your scenes and discover world renowned sculptures delightfully hidden in native bush and set on beautiful countryside. A wonderful stop when heading further north, as part of a Matakana wine trail or as a destination of its own. Turn right after Warkworth, located at the top of Arabella Road just before Snells Beach. If you prefer to have a full day tour, Bush and Beach now include the Sculpture Trail followed by wine tasting and a vineyard lunch at Brick Bay as part of their Great Tastes of Matakana Tour from Auckland. You can book this tour with Bush and Beach using the following link Bush and Beach Great Taste of Matakana.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            The Les Clefs dÓr New Zealand Handbook 7^th August 2015

The Les Clefs dÓr New Zealand handbook has been completed and is ready to be used by aspiring concierges to prepare for their intake interviews. It is a real privilege to be part of assisting these concierges in gaining their membership into a professional society of like minded individuals. And my we never forget our society credo – ‘in service through friendship.’

Les Clefs d’Or New Zealand President represented in a new publication 9^th July 2015

This is my first published article with a permanent column each month. Watch this space!! Source: Hotel Magazine

SkyCity Grand Hotel Concierge gains prestigious Les Clef d’Or approval

SkyCity Grand Hotel Concierge, Jose Leano, is one of New Zealand’s newest members of Concierge society, Les Clefs d’Or, adding to SkyCity Grand Hotel’s growing team of Les Clefs d’Or members. Les Clefs d’Or is the top professional society for Concierges in the world. Members are known for their extraordinary service and identified with the iconic ‘crossed golden keys’ insignia on their lapels. SkyCity Auckland Grand Hotel Manager, Colette Leonard, says the Les Clef d’Or is an internationally recognised and notoriously tough to get in to, gaining membership is a true mark of exceptionally high standards in the hotel Concierge profession. “We always strive for excellence and Jose’s acceptance into the society is a great endorsement and demonstrates that our staff deliver exceptional customer service, this is fantastic news is the icing on the cake as we celebrate our tenth Birthday this month!” SkyCity Concierge, Jose Leano, says gaining acceptance into the society is the ‘Holy Grail’ for Concierges worldwide. “I’m honoured to be wearing the famous ‘golden keys’, and very thankful for all the support from my colleagues and manager to work towards this achievement.” Across both SkyCity Hotel and SkyCity Grand Hotels there are five Les Clef d’Or members, the most at a single property in New Zealand. Les Clef d’Or applicants must have at least five years experience before they apply for membership, and their application must be put forward and seconded by existing members. Successful applicants are tested on local insight and knowledge on key tourist destinations across the country before completing a panel interview. The Les Clef d’Or society was started in 1929 in France, and supports professionalism and best-practice service in the Hotel Concierge service industry. The society offers members international information and support networks. There are around 3800 Les Clef d’Or members worldwide. For more information about Les Clef d’Or visit http://www.lesclefsdor.org/ Source: SkyCity

SkyCity Concierge accepted into Les Clefs d’Or recognising gold standard service

Queenstown’s youngest Les Clefs d’Or concierge, Nathan Wise (30), left for Toronto on Friday to attend the organisation’s annual world congress where he will represent New Zealand 28-03-2011

Mr Wise gained his golden keys three years ago and is New Zealand’s first concierge to be nominated for one of the prestigious Les Clefs d’Or world congress awards. Employed by Crowne Plaza Queenstown, he is one of only two Les Clefs d’Or-certified concierges in the resort and will soon take up the role of chief concierge at the Hilton Hotel, expected to open at Kawarau Falls development in May. Mr Wise was nominated for the Andy Pongco Young Concierge of the Year Award by the president of the Hotel Concierge Society Les Clefs d’Or New Zealand (HCSNZ), Franz Staufer, and the executive committee. Andy Pongco, who died in 2007, was first international vice-president of the Union Internationale des Concierges Hôtels (UICH) Les Clefs d’Or. The winner of the coveted award receives an invitation to participate at the next International Congress in London as a guest of UICH. Mr Wise was required to compete against young international Les Clefs d’Or concierges in a series of written and online tests and interviews that challenge his Les Clefs d’Or, concierge, and food and drink knowledge. He said representing the best of New Zealand hospitality at the world congress would be an honour. He had aspired to become a concierge since watching Michael J. Fox in For Love or Money (also named The Concierge). “It’s incredible to be the first ever New Zealand concierge nominated for a Les Clefs d’Or award. “I’m delighted to be among the delegates representing HCSNZ and will be proud to be there as a reflection of the exceptional service in Queenstown. “In 2013, myself and Sofitel concierge Brian Wilkinson [the only other Les Clefs d’Or representative in Queenstown] will host the Les Clefs d’Or annual world congress here, so the Toronto experience will be extremely valuable.” Originally from Sydney, Mr Wise has more than 10 years’ frontline hospitality experience in hotels in downtown Sydney and Whistler, Canada. He has lived in New Zealand for seven years and moved to Queenstown in 2004 with his Canadian partner. Mr Wise raised funds for the trip with an online auction for an Ultimate Queenstown package reaching $2010. The package included activities with Shotover Jet, Shotover Canyon Swing, Skippers Canyon Jet, TSS Earnslaw, NZone Skydive, Elevation Paraglides, Air Milford Flight and Cruise, Remarkables Golf Tour, Limousine Line, Helicopter Line and three nights’ accommodation and breakfast at Crowne Plaza Queenstown.  Source: Otago Daily Times

Sofitel Queenstown Concierge attends International Congress 11-04-2007

The Head Concierge of the five-star Sofitel Queenstown has returned to New Zealand bursting with enthusiasm and ideas after attending the week-long 54th international Les Clef d’Or Congress in Vienna. Bryan Wilkinson was the only South Island Concierge to attend the prestigious annual event in late March, which attracted 538 Concierges from 40 countries to the European capital. Bryan is one of the southernmost professional Concierges in the world and was previously Concierge at world-renowned The Connaught in London. Les clef d’Or or the ‘Golden Keys’, are the society’s trademark crossed-key lapel pins and are a symbol of opening doors for a Concierge’s clients. “The congress was a great investment in the terms of the contacts I made with Concierges from all around the world, seminars and workshops about the future of the society, about education of Concierges, and about advanced technology that’s now available to help us provide an even better service for guests,” he said. “The society has been going more than 50 years and there was a lot of discussion about whether we are a society of the future and not just the past. “But you only had to look around you at the congress to see a lot of young people, a good mix of men and woman, and everyone was unanimous that we are changing with the times.” A report to the congress from the Australia/Oceania Zone, which includes New Zealand, noted that New Zealand has recorded ‘significant growth’ in Concierge numbers and currently has 19 members, up from 14 at the same stage last year. ” I was one of five New Zealand Concierges to attend the event which is more than a quarter of our country’s membership, a huge achievement,” said Mr Wilkinson. But in one of the most beautiful cities in the world the seminar could not be all work and no play – the concierges were treated to a performance by the world-renowned Vienna Boys Choir at the Vienna City Hall, to a night at the theatre and to dinners and functions in places such as the Hofburg Palace, a former residence of the Emperor Franz Joseph. Source: Just Queenstown