The Golden Keys To The Kingdom

Have you ever had an experience with a hotel concierge that just felt a little bit better, a little more elevated, a little more knowledgeable, a little more personal and heartfelt? 

If so, you may have also noticed they were likely wearing a discreet lapel pin of a pair of crossed golden keys. They are the symbol of the Les Clefs d’Or (translation: The Golden Keys; pronounced Le Clay Door), an elite fraternity of highly skilled and uniquely trained concierge staff that dates back to 1929, as a French organisation, with the motto "Service Through Friendship".

Today there are over 3,500 Les Clefs d’Or concierge members working at over 530 hotels in 80 countries across the globe.

“We are now in literally every corner of the world,” Burak Ipekci, the Secretary General of Les Clefs d’Or International told Mr Family Office. “We want travelers to know when they see these Golden Keys (he says, pointing to his lapel) that they will be assisted, helped and guided by an extraordinarily well-trained professional.”

Ipekci, 52, says it is the presence of a Les Clefs d’Or concierge that transforms a hotel from “just a place to sleep, into a place to have a memorable experience, a place where people are thinking about you and what you need - even if you don’t know yet what you might need”. 

All hotels worth their salt have concierge services, but Ipekci says only the Les Clefs d’Or Concierge are specifically selected based on their experience, attitude and have undergone rigorous screening and training process to ensure they treat guests in the most appropriate manner.

They must also all have the necessary connections to the best restaurants, bars, barbers, tailors and anything else guests might require. 

“It is almost like joining a secret society,” says Ipekci, who is also the head concierge at the five star Royal Horseguards Hotel on the banks of the river Thames overlooking the London Eye. “Hopeful applicants must have been employed by a hotel for a minimum of five years, and at least two of them as a concierge. They must also be recommended and sponsored by at least two active UICH (Union Internationale des Concierges d'Hotels) members.”

Then the applicant must provide a written statement detailing their experience, aptitude and desire to join the association, and sit a written exam. After that there is still a grueling interview.

Ipekci, who has conducted countless interviews, says only the best applicants are allowed to join and the key attributes he looks for are enthusiasm, clear joy in the art of service, and exceptional knowledge of guests’ needs and expectations.

“We are proud to help each guest with any request, as long as it is legally, morally and humanly possible,” he says. “Our goal is to transform their stay from merely comfortable to genuinely memorable.”

Ipekci, who has worked in hotels around the world since he was 17, says the key attribute to becoming the best concierge is empathy. “I firmly believe that honesty, paired with empathy, is the best approach,” he says. “No matter how challenging the request or situation, showing genuine care and understanding often transforms even the most difficult interactions into positive ones.

"Seeing a guest’s face light up from something we’ve arranged, or simply from being understood and cared for, is incredibly fulfilling" 

Another key part of what sets out Golden Keys concierge from a standard hotel front desk is “knowing and suggesting what a guest might need or like without them having to ask for it”. 

“We have the skills, knowledge base, and contacts to open doors for both leisure and business travelers alike,” Ipekci says. “From hidden local treasures to experiences in every corner of the world, you can count on us.”

“No two guests are the same,” Ipekci says. “On one hand, you might encounter a guest who is nervously planning a proposal to the love of his life and wouldn’t even know where to begin, on the other hand, you may have a guest who somehow lost her passport but has to fly back home the very next day. In either scenario, our members will show the same sensitivity and resourcefulness to assist the guests.”

The society, which was founded in Paris in 1929, went international in 1952 with the aim of bringing the refined and superior level of personalised hospitality to the rest of the world. 

The US became the 19th chapter of the society when it opened in 1978 with just 50 members. Today the US is the largest and fastest growing region outside of France accounting for one in five of all Golden Keys members. 

Leigh Anne Dolecki, the president of Les Clefs d’Or USA, says the Golden Keys are “the greatest differentiator in the world of luxury travel”. 

“There’s a reason why only a select number of concierges earn the right to wear the world-famous ‘crossed keys’, and that’s because we’re recognized as the very best at delivering outstanding service. Les Clefs d’Or guests enjoy the benefits of our endless creativity and incomparable devotion to making every moment memorable.”

“Today’s travelers need a Clefs d’Or concierge more than ever. It’s a new world, our cities and neighborhoods have changed more than we imagined possible, and who better to assist guests in navigating this new world than the concierges wearing the keys.”

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