Even theset for thefictionalhotel—built
insideadefunctdepartmentstore in
Germany—wasan illusion, andhenamed
hisfictionalizednetworkofconcierges the
“Societyof theCrossedKeys.”
Butat itscore, thefilmwas trulypaying
homage to thisold-schoolprofession,
wherepersonal relationships, serviceand
loyaltyreallymatter, explainsHugoGuin-
ness, aNewYorkCityartistand illustrator
whoco-wrote thescriptwithAnderson.
“Theyareyour localMr.FixIton the
ground,”Guinnesssays, adding that the
filmwas inspired inpartbyamutual friend
ofAndersonandGuinness—astill-living,
part-timeartdealer/opera loverandgour-
mandwhohasbefriendedconciergesat
grandhotelsacrossEurope, like theSavoy.
Thefilm’snotion thata lobbyboy turns
to theconciergeashismentor isgrounded
inreality:Many
LesClefsd’Or
members,
includingMachida from theSavoy, started
outas lobbyboysor luggageporters.
A typicalday for theconcierge teamat
theSavoy: tickets toWimbledon;flowers
andabottleofChampagne fora jittery
guestpreparing topropose; tickets fora
tourofBuckinghamPalace; areservation
at theFabergéegg-themednightclub
Bonbonniere;ora tableatKittyFisher’s,
thenearly-impossible-for-noncelebrity/
mortals-to-bookrestaurant inMayfair.
Theglobal
LesClefsd’Or
network is
activatedmost frequentlywhendeparting
guestsrequesthelp in liningupdinner
reservations for thenextcityon the itiner-
ary. Italsooftenserves— like itdid in
The
GrandBudapestHotel
—asabackstop to
helpconciergeswork throughsomeof the
mostcomplicated inquiries theyreceive.
Aconcierge from theMandarinOriental
inLondon, forexample, recentlyreached
out toSarahDandashy, a fellow
LesClefs
d’Or
societymember inLosAngeles, to
askher forhelp insecuring twoextremely
hard-to-get tickets toa tapingof
TheBig
BangTheory
inBurbank,California.
These twoVIPguestswerenoteven
headed toDandashy’shotel,TheLondon
WestHollywood; sheknewbeforeshe took
on therequest that theyweregoing tobe
stayingataprivateresidence inLosAnge-
les.ButDandashystill investedmore than
aweekofeffort— totalingabout30phone
callsandemails— toget the tickets, reach-
ingout tovariousproducers,productionas-
sistantsand ticketbrokers, asnoseatswere
available throughnormalmeans.
“Ourmotto is ‘InServiceThrough
Friendship,’”Dandashysays,whileworking
atherconciergedesk inLosAngeles.
“Thesearemore than justcolleagueswho
areasking forhelp— theseare friends. If
Ihelpmy friendgetsomethingdone, it
makesallofus lookbetter.”
LesClefsd’Or
also servesasavenue
forconcierges fromaround theworld to
get toknoweachother:Hundredsof them
assembleeachyear for theorganization’s
InternationalAnnualCongress, themost
“Weneedtoknowwhatour
guestsare looking forevenbefore
theyknow it.”
SarahDandashy (above)ofTheLondonWest
Hollywood (left)went aboveandbeyond tohelpa
guestwhowasn’t even stayingat her hotel.
AMERICANWAY
OCTOBER2015
71
PHOTOS
MAT WRIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF THE LONDON WEST HOLLYWOOD
