Hotels

Concierge Chat

Can Lam, Chief Concierge of Cordis Hong Kong

Can Lam, Chief Concierge of Cordis Hong Kong (formerly Langham Place Mong Kok), shares his passion and commitment to providing a warm welcome to his guests.

CityLife: What is the biggest change in your job as a concierge over these years?

Can: The emergence of smartphone devices has really changed the way we provide services. Before the internet age, memorising phone numbers was an important skill for a concierge to get help and look for information. Now most information is available on the web and every search is right at our fingertips. The internet has made our job so much easier.

CL: Can you share your most memorable request from a guest?

Can: An eastern European guest brought in the motor from his grandfather’s ancient sewing machine and asked where he could get it fixed. We took a photo and emailed it to a list of repair shops to see if they could help. Most said it was impossible because the motor was too old, until one workshop in Shamshuipo told us they had a similar motor part available. We ordered it for the guest to take home with him. When he was back in Hong Kong two weeks later, he came to tell us delightedly how happy his grandfather was to have the sewing machine working again.

CL: What would you tell visitors about Hong Kong that they may not know already?

Can: The Octopus card is useful for a lot more than paying for transportation – you can use it at fast food chains and convenience shops as well.

CL: Where do you like to go or what do you do in Hong Kong when you are off from work?

Can: I spend my free time in Cheung Chau – a relaxing island with lots of things to do: biking along the coast, hitting the waves at Tung Wan, and sampling seafood and delicacies near the pier.

CAN RECOMMENDS

Favourite local Hong Kong food:

Wonton noodles. I recommend Lau Sum Kee Noodle in Shamshuipo – a well-known shop for home-made noodles, with more than 50 years of history.

A sight that every first-time visitor must see:

The Symphony of Lights in Victoria Harbour – it’s one of the most iconic sights in the world in this city, the “Pearl of the Orient”.

A souvenir that best represents Hong Kong:

Wife cake (lao po bing), a popular local pastry – I recommend getting them from Heng Heung Cake Shop.