12 Extreme Concierge Requests Slideshow
Four Seasons Resort Whistler
After taking a helicopter tour to a glacier, this very excited couple came back carrying a large cube of ice in a brown box. He requested that we ship it back to South Carolina, perfectly intact. So, we went to work finding a freezer box to hold the huge cube and arranged pickup of the box (with military precision) to make sure Vancouver was the cube's last stop before South Carolina. The guests called to say it arrived in perfect condition! — Hana Lynn, Chef Concierge at Four Seasons Resort Whistler
Travaasa Austin
There is one guest that none of us will ever forget. She couldn't have been lovelier, but she was very particular about eating — she only ate green food. Like the color green, not just healthy, leafy greens. Our chefs got really creative, serving everything with green sauces. Thank goodness for herbs! If we'd had green plates, we would have served her on those. — Tricia Freeman, Guest Services Coordinator at Travaasa Austin
XV Beacon: Boston
One guest requested we make 100 vanilla cupcakes for his marriage proposal. He asked that we cover the king-size bed with the cupcakes so that they spelled out "Will You Marry Me?" with a big heart in the center. We accented the cupcakes with beautiful white rose petals and the proposal went off without a hitch! — Michael Fay, Concierge at XV Beacon
Charleston Place
We have a family that comes to stay every year for their kids' birthdays and they throw elaborate dinner celebrations. Did we mention that last year marked their son's seventh birthday? His menu included Kushi oysters, curried mussels, fried rattlesnake, grilled kangaroo, and he specifically requested that the cake was not mundane. (They made a Spanish vanilla cake with chocolate hazelnut mousse.) His sister's ninth birthday spread included foie gras, squab, and Chilton County Alabama peaches (her favorite) were flown in. — Michelle Weaver, Executive Chef at Charleston Place
Vail Cascade Resort
A sheik was undergoing knee surgery in the area and stayed with us, with his large (30-plus) entourage. Since his stay was during Ramadan, he requested to use our kitchen and asked that no one else use that kitchen. The staff all pitched in, procuring a whole lamb and much more. We then found out another sheik was staying in Beaver Creek nearby, so we proceeded to have a "cook-off" of sorts with our staff running back and forth with the ingredients! — Steve Trombetta, Director of Guest Services at Vail Cascade Resort
W Hotel Hawaii
I once had a guest (at the now closed W Hotel in Honolulu) on a very strict diet that consisted only of certain raw vegetables and raw fish. She didn't want to eat typical sushi, though, for fear that it wouldn't be as fresh as she would have liked. So I arranged an itamae (master sushi chef) to prepare dinners for her each evening in her suite. She was amazed and thrilled at all this fresh sushi prepared for her exclusively. — Gordon Berry
Enchantment Resort Sedona
I think we all loved working with a couple who came for their anniversary. They wanted to celebrate with a helicopter flight and private dinner on top of one of the red rock formations in the Coconino National Forest surrounding Sedona. Since helicopters can't land on those red rocks, we had to find a privately owned place, which we did. They landed on the rocks at the Seven Canyons golf course and enjoyed a private, romantic dinner prepared by our chef. — Kathryn Haney, Lead Concierge at Enchantment Resort
The Stanley Hotel: Estes Park, Colo.
Our most memorable request came from a couple who wanted to know if it was possible to dine with Mr. and Mrs. Stanley's ghosts at the hotel's Cascades Restaurant. We do have a paranormal investigator on staff, but their request is still one for the books. — Bonnie Watson, Concierge at The Stanley Hotel
DUKES London Hotel
We once had an American guest who asked for an onion ring the size of his head. He literally wanted the biggest onion ring we could find, so I spoke to a couple of steakhouses and arranged for them to make some. We had them ready for when he and his family arrived. — Ian Steiger, Concierge at DUKES London Hotel
Loews Coronado Bay Resort: San Diego
One of my favorite requests was from a guest who wanted to propose, but felt he needed the comfort and strength of his mother's cooking to really do it right. So he asked our chefs to copy his mother's cooking, which they replicated exactly for their meal. The proposal was a big hit — she said yes. — Gordon Berry, Concierge at Loews Coronado Bay Resort
Omni Bedford Springs Resort: Bedford, Pa.
We had a couple staying with us for five days and their allergies were vast. She had a gluten allergy and he had an allergy to... unfiltered water. Everything we made for him used distilled water, but what made it even tougher was that they loved spicy and flavorful foods! All his dishes had to start completely dry, all of his plates had to be completely dry, and even his morning coffee was made with distilled water in a separate coffee pot. — Chef David Noto, Chef at Omni Bedford Springs Resort
MGM Grand: Las Vegas
We had one guest who requested Ossetra caviar to be delivered to his room. We scoured the Strip to find this specific type of caviar and finally recalled that Mix at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay had it on their menu. We got the caviar and promptly served it to his room on a block of ice. — Casey Pursell, Concierge Supervisor at MGM Grand