Many times the hotel staff in concierge service can provide you with valuable local information and arrange the tour or show per your request. The questions are how can you get the most of from their services? Below is the ten-point primer guideline:

1. Plan ahead. Call as much as a month before your arrival to discuss your wish list, including places to eat, current exhibitions and performances, and other must-sees.
2. Remember that concierges are travel professionals. They can plan itineraries, book flights, print boarding passes, secure visas, and switch seat assignments.
3. Ask for the moon, but have realistic expectations. After-hours tours of a museum, tickets to a sold-out event, or a visit to a famous chef's kitchen are all fair requests, although even the best concierges can't always deliver.
4. Take advantage of the concierge network. If you're continuing on to another city, ask the concierge to refer you to a colleague there.
5. Feel free to drop in. Most concierges will assist you with simple requests, such as restaurant reservation, shopping recommendation, or theater tickets, even if you're not staying at their hotel.
6. Beware of reflexive responses. Some concierges are on the take, recommending shops and restaurants for kickbacks or favors. If a concierge offers only one suggestion, makes it too quickly, or doesn't probe you at all, ask for a couple of alternatives and run them by a concierge at another hotel.
7. Be specific in your requests. Rather than just asking for a good restaurant, specify the view, the price range, the cuisine, and the location you want. If you're in search of a souvenir that the destination is known for (say, ceramics in Portugal or silk in Thailand), mention that you're looking for quality and a fair price, not just the most convenient option.
8. Create a relationship. A concierge is more likely to go beyond the call of duty for guests who use a personal approach than for those who bark orders.
9. Remember that access has a price. Although the concierge is a good resource for last-minute event tickets, you'll probably still pay a premium.
10. Tip. Concierge services are free. That said, introducing yourself and offering a $20 gratuity at the start of your stay isn't a bad idea if you know you'll be making several requests. An additional tip at the end of the trip may also be in order (see below for more tipping advice).

The Tipping Point
When is a gratuity in order and how much is appropriate? Here, a few guidelines:

WHEN TO TIP in the United States, tip on a case-by-case basis for a simple request such as arranging the services of a guide. If your needs are more complicated and time-consuming -- say, errands or designing an itinerary -- give the concierge a commensurate sum at the end of your stay. In Europe, where American hotel guests have a reputation as non-tippers, experts recommend giving the concierge $20 upon arrival. Any additional gratuity can then be given at the end of your stay.

HOW MUCH base the tip on the time it takes the concierge to accomplish the request, how important it was to you, and if it required the concierge to go beyond what would ordinarily be expected. Tips can range from $5 to $100, but the standard in the United States and Europe is $20. No one expects a tip for a lunch reservation, but a table at Nobu 57 for dinner on Valentine's Day might be worth $20. There's no need to tip for arrangng airport transportation, but a seven-day, 14-page itinerary might warrant $100 and a thank-you note. In much of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, gratuities are more modest (say, $5 to $10 for common requests like arranging tickets to an event). The more Westernized the city (Hong Kong and Bangkok, for example), the more closely you can match your tip to the American custom.            -C.L.W

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