The Travel Secret Sitting in Your Hotel Lobby

May 5

Well Placed Travel gains insights from an exceptional concierge.

inside scoop

You’ve walked past it a hundred times — the desk near the lobby, staffed by someone unhurried and genuinely happy to talk. But if you’ve never stopped, you’re walking past one of travel’s most underused resources.
We’re talking about the real hotel concierge: a hospitality professional who knows the destination like a local, operating on genuine relationships rather than commissions, and can help you in real time solve for what you need. **Well Placed Travel was so impressed by the concierge Brianna Costantini at** **Tributary Hotel + Spa** **that we sat down for a conversation about what it takes to be an exceptional concierge.**
*Photo credit Volkan Buyukvarder on Unsplash- it’s not Tributary*

it starts before you even unpack

**“The goal is to get a true sense of what someone is looking for so we can customize, not just recite the same list to everyone.”**
A great concierge doesn’t wait for you to come to them. They reach out after you book to build a picture of who you are as a traveler. If your concierge isn’t reaching out, take note as it may indicate how your hotel views service.
*Photo credit James Sestric*

The Internet problem

“The internet takes the personalization out of it. We send people to places that are an extension of the hospitality they’re already experiencing at the hotel.”

Google and AI are useful, but the businesses at the top of your results paid to be there. Those are ads, not quality rankings. As Brianna points out, the most acclaimed small producer in the Willamette Valley might not show up on page one because they’re too busy making extraordinary wine to run digital campaigns.

A strong concierge knows where the real finds are: the new winemakers doing quietly remarkable things, the family-run spots locals love, the experiences you genuinely can’t replicate at home. And then there’s access. Some experiences — a private Jeep tour through a vineyard, a sit-down with the winemaker, a table that’s technically unavailable — exist only through real relationships built over years. They don’t surface in a search.

**What “Connections” Actually Means**

**“It’s tight-knit. The relationships are real. And local communities go above and beyond for the relationships they’ve built.”**
The word gets thrown around a lot in hospitality. In practice, it means a concierge who operates on relationships rather than revenue. At properties where concierges don’t accept commissions or referral payments every recommendation is the place they’d go on their day off.
That integrity runs both ways. The local community goes above and beyond for hotel guests because the hotel has earned that trust by respecting vendor relationships, not pushing last-minute bookings on overwhelmed partners, and supporting those businesses year-round. When it works the way it’s supposed to, it feels like being handed the keys to someone’s hometown.
*Photo credit Jay Wennington*

Misconceptions Worth Clarifying

A skilled concierge can do a lot, but understanding the limits makes you a smarter guest. When something is full, it’s full. Strong relationships can sometimes open a door that seemed closed, but not reliably at the last minute. The concierge will find you a quality alternative, but early booking is the biggest factor in what’s possible.

Also, pushing a vendor to accommodate a request they’re not set up for isn’t savvy — it’s a relationship cost. A concierge who protects those local bonds even when it means saying no is a sign you’re working with someone strong.

**Where Your Travel Advisor Fits In**

**“When bookings come through a travel advisor, we already know more about the guest before they arrive. It makes the whole experience better for everyone.”**
When a reservation comes through a travel advisor, the concierge team typically receives more information about the guest than a direct booking provides — preferences, personality, the reason for the trip - translating into a more personalized stay.
Think of it as two professionals working in concert. The concierge knows the destination — the neighborhood, the vendors, the hidden experiences that don’t live on any website. The travel advisor knows the traveler. When they’re in communication, the result gives the client the best possible outcome.
For international travel, your advisor’s global network is a different kind of asset entirely — the vetted hotel relationships, the category upgrades, the on-the-ground contacts built across multiple countries over years. That’s a layer a single property’s concierge simply can’t replicate beyond their own backyard.
*Photo credit Lucas Gallone*

getting the best from your concierge

Book early.: Everything improves with lead time. During peak season, options disappear quickly. Share your wish list early.
Ask staff where they go on their days off.: Not where they send tourists, but where they personally eat, drink, and unwind for the intel that rarely makes a list.
Be honest about your travel style.: If you want to decompress in your room, say so. If you hate guided tastings, say that. The concierge matches service to you, but you must give them something to work with.
Respond to pre-arrival outreach.: About a third of guests never reply and just show up — which is fine- but guests who engage beforehand unlock a noticeably different experience.

Thanks to Brianna the exceptional concierge for her time and insight.