Concierges go extra mile in Internet age

— -- Adjusting to a new wave of Internet-age travelers in search of unique and authentic travel experiences, hotels are revolutionizing their information desks.

High-end brands are upgrading concierge operations and training staffs to improve their neighborhood knowledge. Other brands are looking for better ways to share information with guests electronically about local restaurants, events and attractions.

At Loews, the 18-hotel luxury chain, the new "In The Know" program calls on concierges each week to come up with a list of local tips. They share them with front-desk staff and porters, who then pass along the tips to guests. Porters are supposed to provide the tips when delivering bags for guests after check-in.

"Every brand is working on ways to deliver local knowledge," says Marriott's John Wolf. "Hotels must not only figure out how to get local knowledge in the hands of employees and train them to deliver it, but also how to provide local knowledge that is relevant to guests' needs."

Hotel experts say guests have become more knowledgeable about their destinations because of the Internet and the growing number of information sources. They want to escape from the harsher post-9/11 world and better connect with the places they're visiting and the people who live there. They want experiences that provide lasting memories and give them something to brag about at cocktail parties.

"Guests are looking for whatever it is that makes Detroit Detroit," says Michelle Lapierre, Marriott's senior director of customer relationship marketing. "There's a desire to say, 'I caught a little slice of that.' "

Roberta Nedry, president of Hospitality Excellence, which provides concierge and guest service training for hotels and other clients, says hotel guests want "meaningful and memorable experiences" that allow them to forget terrorism, airport hassles and the Iraq War. "They're taking shorter trips, so those two to three days away better be special," she says.