Benefits of Membership

Since 1987, the New York City Association of Hotel Concierges® (NYCAHC) has been bringing together professionals committed to providing superior service. NYCAHC establishes and promotes high professional and ethical standards, coordinates, promotes and assists the activities and interests of concierges, and fosters friendship and communication among concierges throughout New York City, the United States and the world.

Membership in NYCAHC offers myriad benefits to concierges at every stage of their careers:

  • Professional Networking with Concierge Colleagues. Connect with concierges from over fifty New York area hotels for mentoring, career opportunities, advice on tricky guest requests and good old-fashioned fun! Members enjoy special access to Broadway shows, cocktail parties and other unique events with local businesses, providing year-round opportunities for quality networking.
  • Professional Development & Continuing Education. Join us for free educational seminars to learn about our ever-changing field, which faces pressures from outsourcing, new technologies and New York City’s dynamic and evolving nature. From perfecting your handshake to baking the perfect soufflé, NYCAHC programs cover a wide array of subjects to help you become a better concierge.
  • Networking Opportunities with Local Vendors. Learn about the newest offerings in New York City at one of NYCAHC’s meetings, where vendors are asked to make brief presentations to help familiarize the concierge community with their services. Speak face-to-face with vendor contacts with whom you might ordinarily only be able to connect via telephone.
  • Philanthropy & Service. Bring hospitality to those in need by living the Les Clefs d’Or USA motto—In Service Through Friendship. From partnerships with Habitat for Humanity, MillionTrees NYC and AIDS Walk New York, to an annual holiday toy drive and soup kitchen, the NYCAHC Charitable Fund fulfills its mission as a non-profit organization through important charitable work in the community.

Membership Requirements

Full NYCAHC membership is open to New York Metropolitan area concierges who are at least 21 years of age and who have worked for at least two years in the lobby of a hotel with transient clientele. (Concierges employed to provide services only to certain guests on VIP floors or those employed in office buildings, apartment complexes, private clubs or other similar properties do not qualify for full membership in NYCAHC.)

Applicants with less than two years, but at least one year, of working experience or those not employed as a concierge in a hotel lobby may nevertheless be eligible for social membership. Social members are entitled to all the privileges of a full member, except that they are not eligible to vote or hold office.

Application Process

To apply for membership in NYCAHC, download and complete the membership application. You will need to submit the following materials with your application:

  • a letter of recommendation from a current NYCAHC member (excluding Board Members, Professional Affiliates, Provisional Members, Corporate Members and Social Members);
  • a letter from the general manager or human resources department of your hotel verifying the length of your current position and your job title;
  • a short note describing why you are interested in becoming a member of NYCAHC;
  • one passport-sized photo;
  • your current business card;
  • your current resume;
  • a signed and dated acknowledgement that you have read and agreed to adhere to NYCAHC’s Ethical & Professional Standards;
  • a check or money order for $125 (representing a $25 initiation fee and $100 in membership dues for the current year); and
  • the dates of two NYCAHC meetings that you have attended. (Please contact a member of the NYCAHC Board of Directors to learn more about upcoming meeting times and locations.)

Please submit your completed application (with all required attachments) to:

Membership Director
New York City Association of Hotel Concierges Ltd.
F.D.R. Station P.O. Box 905
New York, NY 10150-0905
membership@nycahc.org

Ethical & Professional Standards

NYCAHC members must annually certify their compliance with the organization’s high ethical and professional standards. Failure to abide by these guidelines may result in suspension or termination of membership in NYCAHC.

In this annual certification, members acknowledge and agree that they will:

  • always maintain an impeccable appearance and wear professional attire to all concierge-related functions, unless otherwise instructed;
  • always use proper grammar;
  • stay poised under all circumstances, remaining polite, courteous and helpful;
  • honor all commitments to colleagues and others;
  • never practice nor permit discrimination of any type; and
  • treat colleagues respectfully at all times.

  • attend at least three General Membership Meetings (or the equivalent thereof as established by the Board of Directors) per calendar year (exceptions may be granted at the discretion of the Board of Directors on a case-by-case basis).

  • listen attentively to guests’ requests and always offer to provide guests with written confirmations of their requests;
  • return all correspondence in a timely fashion;
  • always thank guests if they remember you in some way, sending thank-you notes whenever possible;
  • always maintain professional relationship with guests, addressing guests in a professional manner;
  • tactfully decline illegal or unethical requests from guests;
  • never promise guests results unless you are certain that you can deliver;
  • advise guests in advance of surcharges or service fees on tickets or other requests;
  • always provide guests with detailed seat location information, including obstructions, when acquiring tickets;
  • provide guests with proper dress codes at restaurants or other venues when necessary;
  • learn to read guests by their preferences—what might be good for one guest may be unsuitable for another; and
  • always respect and protect the identity and confidentiality of all guests.

  • acknowledge every invitation to a vendor event (members who fail to attend events that they have indicated they will attend may face disciplinary action);
  • never take advantage of restaurants that invite you for dinner, including by:
    • never bringing uninvited guests along; and
    • leaving appropriate gratuities for your servers (suggested gratuity is no less than 20% of the estimated bill);
  • never demand goods or services from vendors for personal gain;
  • exercise objective and independent judgment in the evaluation of goods and services;
  • never participate in any monetary driven commissions or participate in contests based on number of covers sent to restaurants, stores or any similar entities;
  • address all invoices upon receipt;
  • remember that when you are invited out to theaters or restaurants that you are an ambassador of your hotel and NYCAHC;
  • always thank your host(s) before you depart and send a note of appreciation; and
  • treat vendors with respect, professionalism and courtesy.

  • be aware of and abide by your company’s policies when making personal statements about your hotel or company on social media (including blogs, microblogs, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, chat rooms, electronic newsletters, online forums, social networking sites and other sites and services that permit users to share information with others in a contemporaneous manner);
  • be aware of the effect their actions may have on their and NYCAHC’s image;
  • never share information you would not want repeated or photos you would not want publicized;
  • never publish, post, release or share any information that is considered confidential;
  • refer any media, legal or other inquiries regarding NYCAHC to the NYCAHC Board of Directors;
  • never present yourself as a representative of or spokesperson for NYCAHC in the course of any statement or commentary to any media outlet unless the NYCAHC Board of Directors has authorized it in writing;
  • refer any media, legal or other inquiries regarding your hotel to an authorized spokesperson; and
  • always speak with your hotel’s public relations director before speaking to the press.