Hotel Cateys 2024: Concierge of the Year – Sachin Sharma, the Ritz ...

The winner of the Concierge Award goes above and beyond to meet guests’ needs and was recognised by the judges for his dedication to ensuring the “highest levels of service”.

Sachin Sharma has been with the Ritz London for 18 years and spent the past 16 years with the hall porter’s team. In that time he  was instrumental in the success of the hall porters department, with 7.5% positive reviews from post-stay guest surveys, the highest of any department. He has also been singled out for personal praise from guests, who have called him a “star team member”, “helpful, courteous and knowledgeable” and said “each stay is always made better because of him and the hall porter team”.

As a senior member of the team he attends to all guest needs, booking cars, theatre tickets, flights, football matches and restaurants. He always makes himself available to guests and ensures that the Ritz London service is extended. For example, if Sharma is unable to obtain a booking for a guest, he goes the extra mile to find a solution. As well as overseeing guest itineraries he also ensures effective communication across departments to support guests during their stays. If a guest has booked a table in the restaurant at 7pm, Sharma will inform the housekeeping team to complete turndown only after the guests have departed for dinner.

His importance at the hotel is such that he is the point of contact for the highest revenue guests and will co-ordinate schedules for their stays, ensuring all their requests are met and any changes, no matter how last minute, are noted. Furthermore, Sharma has a contact book that stretches across London that allows him to gain access to services at the very last minute. For example, when a guest lost their luggage, Sharma used his airside contact to get the bags expedited back to the guest at the hotel. Plus, when one very high-profile guest required an express laundry service that could not be completed in-house, Sharma used his contacts to ensure it was done in a timely manner.

Sharma was presented with his Golden Keys in 2021 and has become a mentor to others at the Ritz London, supporting them in securing promotions and developing their careers.

In naming him Concierge of the Year the judges said he was “everything a concierge should be and more”.

“Sachin is everything a concierge should be and more. He has worked his way through the ranks and shown loyalty and passion to his guests and the hotel, leading by example and going above and beyond to ‘make it happen’ while providing the highest level of service.”

Jordi Vaca

“What a great entry; full of passion and showing what a top-class concierge has to offer a property. Sashin is a very well-deserved Catey winner.”

Sarah Gaskin