General Managers Share The Secrets Of How Hotel Concierges Come Up With Recommendations

When you check into a new hotel in an unfamiliar city, the concierge often becomes one of your most trusted and valuable resources. After all, these hospitality professionals do a lot more than just stand behind a desk and answer questions all day. Friendly, approachable, and incredibly knowledgeable, they're filled with information about local attractions, ideas in terms of dining options, ways to help you get back to your hotel safely, and insider tips worth discovering.

As a local expert armed with an arsenal of insights, a hotel concierge can serve as your own personal local guide to the area — offering tailored recommendations that match your interests and preferences that you might otherwise miss out on. But have you ever wondered how concierges decide which places and activities to recommend? Do they simply suggest the most popular tourist spots, or is there a more thoughtful process at work?

To get to the bottom of what exactly a hotel concierge can help you with and how their recommendations work, Explore spoke with Seth McDaniels — general manager at Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach Resort in Florida — and Sid Ramani — area general manager at Hyatt Regency Irvine — to understand a little more about how he and his team develop the recommendations they share with guests. From partnerships to personal experiences, both agreed that for a concierge to truly excel, it all boils down to one major thing: authenticity.

For Seth McDaniels and his team, recommendations aren't random — they're the product of all of the genuine connections they've developed with the community. "We've built strong relationships with local partners over the years — places we trust to deliver the same level of care and service that we do. That's key for us," he explains. Meanwhile, Sid Ramani noted that the connection with the guests themselves also plays a crucial role. He tells us, "Recommending a restaurant or local activity isn't about rattling off a list—it's about curating meaningful experiences that resonate with the unique background and preferences of each guest."

Through these formal partnerships with local businesses that meet their standards, McDaniels says they're able to ensure quality experiences that they can then confidently recommend. "We're intentional about who we align with. If a local business shares our values — great service, authentic experiences, a focus on quality — we're happy to recommend them," he notes. Ramani highlighted Hyatt Regency Irvine's partnerships with everything from local companies like Mission Cocktails to major brands such as Buffalo Trace bourbon.

Along with that, concierges' recommendations often come from personal experience too, rather than just getting randomly plucked out of a guidebook. "We live here, we play here — our team's out and about discovering new favorites all the time," McDaniels says. "Whether it's a local hidden gem or the latest hot spot, we're always looking for those authentic, memorable experiences to pass along. It's like giving our guests the inside scoop from a good friend who knows the area inside and out."

The most important thing Seth McDaniels wants guests to understand is that the main goal of a concierge team is ultimately to create special moments throughout every stay, not just to give out basic information. "The concierge team is all about creating magic — those 'wow' moments that turn a great trip into an unforgettable one," he says. As noted by Sid Ramani, those "wow" moments are for everyone. "The misconception is that concierge service is only for high-end or 'special occasion' travelers. But in our view, everyone deserves thoughtful guidance," he says.

The recommendations you'll typically get from a concierge aren't just selected at random. "We're in the business of crafting experiences, not just stays," McDaniels says. "Our team puts a ton of thought into what we recommend — it's never just a list. We look at guest feedback, stay trends, local buzz, and even our own personal favorites to keep things fresh and exciting." This ultimately ensures that everyone receives information that's actually tailored to their specific needs and wants, rather than generic tourist suggestions.

In some cases, the team even has to get a little creative when a request falls outside their typical scope, or if guests ever have any unexpected requests. "While we'll always do everything we can to make it happen, sometimes what a guest is looking for might be a little outside our scope," McDaniels says. "That's when we tap into our trusted partners or offer up the next best thing." After all, their ultimate goal goes beyond simple customer service: "We want guests to leave with stories, not just souvenirs."