These 10 talented hotel concierges specialize in everything from flamingos to frankincense

Photo courtesy of Shangri-La Al Husn, Muscat

Meet the unsung heroes from hotels worldwide

Are hotel concierges the unsung heroes of travel? They just might be — after all, they're the ones who can get you last-minute seats to the hottest show in town and point you toward the best breweries within a five-mile radius.
 
What's more, these days hotels are getting creative with the job description. While the concierge of the Middle Ages was a person who kept the keys to the castle and made sure the king's guests were taken care of (yep, that's the concierge's real origin story!), today's concierges have titles like director of fun, sun catcher, and chief flamingo officer.
 
From Montana to the Maldives, here are 10 of the most interesting, specialized concierges around the world. You might even want to consider applying for their job when they retire.

Photo courtesy of Riva Marina Hvar Hotel

Ana Štambuk, sun catcher concierge at Riva Marina in Hvar, Croatia

With the job title of sun catcher concierge, Ana Štambuk works in concert with the weather gods. Fortunately, the hotel where she works, Riva Marina, is located on the island of Hvar, which receives more sun (approximately 2,800 hours per year) than any other island in Croatia. Štambuk, a Hvar native, knows exactly where to send guests in pursuit of secluded beaches and ideal weather conditions. She's the perfect person to ask if you want to know which beaches allow nude sunbathing and which beaches are better suited for water sports, like windsurfing.

Photo courtesy of Hilton Los Cabos

Jorge Hernandez, pool butler at Hilton Los Cabos in Los Cabos, Mexico

Nicknamed "George of the Jungle," Jorge Hernandez has been a staff favorite at Hilton Los Cabos for nearly two decades. On paper, his title is the pool butler. However, he does much more than refresh towels. When he's not teaching classes on how to make foolproof guacamole and unforgettable margaritas, he's arranging for guests to play traditional Mexican games and sourcing the best live bands for mariachi night. He can also arrange for guests to witness the miracle of sea turtles hatching. 

Photo courtesy of Travel + Leisure Co.

Ash Nudd, hiking concierge at WorldMark by Wyndham

Before Ash Nudd was the face of WorldMark by Wyndham's Hiking Concierge Program, she was a national park ranger and the founder of the hiking blog Dirt in My Shoes. Today, she helps guests at several Wyndham properties located near Yellowstone, Yosemite, Arches, and other popular national parks plan their outdoor adventures in public lands. From packing tips to comprehensive park itineraries complete with the best hiking trails for all ages and abilities, she's an invaluable resource.  

Who was voted the best?: Best Family Resort (10Best Readers' Choice Awards 2023)

Photo courtesy of Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton

Josh Franklin, director of fun at Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California

As the director of fun at Hotel del Coronado, Josh Franklin has a dream job. He spends his 9-to-5 finding fun things to do in and around San Diego's most famous historic hotel, designing programs for hotel guests that feature everything from e-bikes to underwater virtual reality experiences. He's also the architect of Ocean Explorers, a kids club that will have you wishing you were 10 again. When he's not brainstorming new ways to have fun, he's out riding the waves. 

Photo courtesy of Montage Big Sky

Anna Federspiel, concierge at Montage Big Sky in Big Sky, Montana

Anna Federspiel started her career in hospitality at the age of 17. Since then, she's helped hundreds of guests maximize their vacation time. While she's still young — just 29 — she's perhaps the best concierge in Montana and exactly who you should call if you want to throw a luxurious surprise baby shower in your hotel room at the last minute or treat a family member to a multi-day itinerary of Big Sky Country bucket list items. Montage Big Sky says they feel blessed to have her and recently named her their MVP.

Photo courtesy of Marianne van den Broek

Marianne van den Broek, master resident sand sculptor at Casa Marina Key West in Key West, Florida

Marianne van den Broek gets paid to play in the sand. As the master resident sand sculptor at Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton, she's the talented artist behind the property's larger-than-life beachfront masterpieces. Van den Broek has been honing her craft and winning sand sculpting competitions for more than two decades. During the summer, she hosts sand classes in which guests can learn how to sculpt everything from a baby giraffe to a fighter jet. During the holidays, she builds sand snowmen, of course. 

Photo courtesy of Shangri-La Al Husn, Muscat

Khalid Al Amri, frankincense sommelier at Shangri-La Al Husn in Muscat, Oman

Khalid Al Amri is the first accredited frankincense sommelier in all of Oman. His “office” is the exclusive, adults-only Shangri-La Al Husn, where he teaches guests all about this medicinal and aromatic resin that civilizations have relied on for thousands of years. The property, which sits atop a cliff in Muscat, is home to a frankincense garden with nearly two dozen frankincense trees. In addition to giving tours of the garden, Al Amri can direct guests to the nearby Luban Spa for a massage that uses oil infused with frankincense.

Photo courtesy of Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu

Rosalie Bailie, marine educator at Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu in the Maldives

Yes, this popular resort in The Maldives has a water sports concierge. However, if you want to really get to know the many cool creatures you'll find yourself face-to-face with on your dive or snorkel, you need to speak with the property's marine educator. That's Rosalie Bailie, who hosts fun, interactive evening programs in which she shares her unlimited knowledge of all things under the sea. She also takes guests on excursions to the atoll's most colorful reefs and helps with Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu's coral restoration efforts. 

Who was voted the best?: Best Destination Resort (10Best Readers' Choice Awards 2023)

Photo courtesy of Baha Mar

Kristin Smith, chief flamingo officer at Baha Mar in The Bahamas

Interested in trying flamingo yoga or partaking in a macaw meet-and-greet? Kristin Smith can help. Smith has a degree in zoology and is in charge of all of the avian programming at the award-winning Baha Mar resort in The Bahamas, where she's been chief flamingo officer since 2017. The flamingo is the country’s national bird, and, in addition to being home to a healthy resident flock, the property boasts a walk-through aviary with several native species. In addition to introducing guests to the islands’ birds, Smith works closely with scientists to stay at the forefront of conservation. 

Photo courtesy of The Reef House

Brigadier Norm, night auditor and socialite bartender at The Reef House in Palm Cove, Queensland, Australia

Once owned by a brigadier (an army officer), The Reef House in Queensland now pays homage to its past through Brigadier Norm. For two decades, Norm has worked as both the hotel's night auditor and — more importantly — its resident socialite. Every evening, clad in his signature uniform of a colorful shirt and suspenders, he serves canapes and punch at his bar by the property's pool. Guests come for the free food and drinks but stay for his stories. He's tried to retire a few times over the years, but like a good boomerang, he always comes back.