Outrageous requests

Outrageous requests
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If you think asking for extra pillows, towels, and blankets when you travel makes you a difficult hotel guest, you’ll get a kick out of the crazy requests guests have made at five-star hotels.

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Colour allergies

Colour allergies
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“We had a lady come to stay that was allergic to the colour purple,” explains Nathan Brown of the Rees Hotel Queenstown in New Zealand. “Yes, a colour. She emailed prior to her arrival asking that any room amenities, furniture, or fixtures in her room and around the hotel were removed from her sight so she would not feel ill upon seeing them. All of our amenities at the time were lavender scented, we had purple coloured books in our library, shades of purple on wine bottle labels, and paintings in our art gallery as well as flowers throughout the hotel. We did it, no questions asked, and she managed to stay healthy her entire stay.”

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Breakfast at Tiffany’s
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“A couple in their early 70s got married at the Crosby Hotel in the winter, and it was a first marriage for both,” shares concierge Todd Hunt. “The groom proposed at Tiffany’s, the jewelry store, and he told our concierge, ‘Wouldn’t it be lovely to have breakfast at Tiffany’s?’” The concierge at Crosby Hotel takes that kind of stuff seriously, and quickly arranged for an actual breakfast on the fifth floor of Tiffany 5th Avenue, which is extremely rare.

A swim with (pet) fishies

A swim with (pet) fishies
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“We had doting parents demand some unusual things for their toddlers,” says a representative of high-end concierge company Levitiscus Lifestyle. “They wanted us to fill a bathtub every morning, then add (ever so tenderly) the kids’ pet fish; then hand-wash and air-dry the babies’ clothes, daily.”

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The Garden of Eden or a scene out of a nature show?

The Garden of Eden or a scene out of a nature show?
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According to Travel + Leisure, a guest at the Four Seasons Tented Camp in Thailand asked for a photograph of his kids with a snake so they could remember their stay. Hotel staff didn’t disappoint – they brought a 3.65-metre python from a neighbouring village that was actually large enough for the children to lie down on, and take particularly snuggly photos with.

Disco naps, anyone?

Disco naps, anyone?
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“We had a VIP family who wanted us to transform our Tata Presidential Suite into a 70s-themed disco for their son’s 18th birthday,” shares Sanela Mrkulic, director of guest relations at New York’s Pierre Hotel. “Our engineering team brought in a dance floor, we hung several disco balls, removed furniture, used tons of silver foil, and voila! Full success. The guests were so happy they insisted we dance with them.”

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Serious monkey business

Serious monkey business
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A guest at a luxury hotel in Miami’s South Beach requested a professionally trained, camera-ready monkey, and meant it. The monkey was apparently needed to film a commercial, according to this New York Post article. The original monkey had bowed out, leaving a wide open casting hole just waiting to be filled by the concierge, who then added animal casting to his resume.

Perfect romantic touches

Perfect romantic touches
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“We had a guest taking the love of his life on a romantic getaway who asked us to arrange for multiple surprises along the way,” says Maurice Dancer, chief concierge of the Pierre Hotel. “He asked for two dozen white roses, one dozen in the limousine for collecting them from the airport, and another in the room upon arrival. Also awaiting them was a silver tray with chocolate covered strawberries, a large plate of sliced fruit, and two lychee martini cocktails. The finishing touch, greeting them in their room, was a singer and pair of dancers performing the Marc Anthony song, ‘I need to know.’ All accomplished as a team in Pierre style!”

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Long lost relatives

Long lost relatives
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On multiple occasions, Hilton concierges have been asked to find long-lost relatives and loved ones. The concierge at The Waldorf Hilton, London was asked to help locate a friend of a grandmother of a young American woman (how’s that for twisted already?). All she knew was that the woman was the landlady of a pub in North England during one of the world wars. After two days and several phone calls, the concierge located the woman and helped plan a surprise afternoon tea!

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Lovely to see you, deer

Lovely to see you, deer
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That’s not a typo. One guest at Brown’s Hotel in London actually requested 21 deer be sent to his home in the Middle East to celebrate his daughter’s 21st birthday. And to think, in some parts of the world people consider deer pests.

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