Hotels

Concierge Chat

Terence Ku, Assistant Chief Concierge of Sheraton Hong Kong

Hong Konger Terence Ku, Assistant Chief Concierge of Sheraton Hong Kong, shares his fancies of Hong Kong food and the city.

CityLife: What makes you pursue your career as a Concierge?

Terence: I think Concierge differs from other positions in a way that you need to acquire new information every day. It’s not a routine job that you will hit by a surprising request that requires your knowledge about the hotel and beyond. It’s much more challenging and fun.

CityLife: How do you see tourists’ expectation of service changed during these years?

Terence: I found more discerning travellers in recent years who have visited many countries and different hotels around the world, they have high expectation of service from us. We focus on the small details in bringing positive impression from our customers, such as keeping track of customers’ preferences - for example, specific hobbies or seating location at a diner, which allows us to deliver the right kind of services.

CityLife: What is your most usual request from guests?

Terence: An Australian guest was looking for specific used models of empty truck tractor cab for his truck modification business. We contacted many old truck junk yards and found a reliable one at a remote location in Yuen Long, but the owners couldn't speak English at all. The guest agreed to head to the junk yard to discuss and select the right cab with the owner while I was acting as a translator on the phone. The guest got his satisfying offer and purchase three empty cabs for shipping back to his homeland.

CityLife: What’s your favourite thing about this city?

Terence: One word: food – basically because I love eating! I enjoy discovering new restaurants or new food trends whenever I am free. Most of the restaurants are easily accessible by transportation; the prices are much more reasonable compared to other cities – both of these factors contribute to the vibrant dining scene in Hong Kong.

TERENCE Recommends

Favourite local Hong Kong food:

I think every visitor must try egg tart – our former British governor was also a fan of this local food!

A Hidden Gem that every visitor must see this summer:

The Infinity Pool, also called Man Cheung Po, located in the remote village of Tai O. Its lush, scenic views and cool water is perfect for refreshing dips after a hike.

A souvenir that represents Hong Kong:

Cheung Chau’s Ping On Bun. It’s an iconic souvenir of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival and of the city as well.