Introduction to Hotel Concierge Security Guarding
You’ve probably encountered a concierge if you frequently stay in hotels. These front-of-house professionals are often the first point of contact for guests, assisting with everything from directions and restaurant recommendations to arranging valet parking, luggage storage, and local tours.
However, guests may not realise that in many cases, concierges are also highly trained security guards with full responsibility for ensuring the safety and security of everyone in the hotel. This dual role is known as hotel concierge security guarding.
Hotel concierges are the ultimate problem-solvers for guests. Whether it’s securing a table at a sought-after restaurant, booking theatre tickets, or arranging VIP access to a nightclub, they have a wealth of contacts and resources at their fingertips. Each concierge typically maintains their own “black book” of connections to cater to the diverse needs of their guests.
At Angleside Security, we believe this front-facing role is perfectly suited to take on the additional responsibility of overseeing hotel security. Combining traditional concierge duties with security training and expertise, concierges can seamlessly integrate security into general daily tasks.
This approach not only boosts the guest experience and increases satisfaction rates but also reinforces the hotel’s commitment to safety and professionalism.
Integrating security into the hotel concierge role
At Angleside, we have pioneered the development of this hybrid role. Building on our reputation for delivering some of the finest security guard training in Europe, we have designed concierge-specific modules to create the ultimate professional for hotels across the UK and Europe. This natural progression ensures our personnel are not only security experts but also capable of delivering the high level of service expected in the hospitality industry.
When you combine the reassuring presence of a highly trained security guard with a concierge’s exceptional customer service skills, the result is a uniquely skilled professional who quickly becomes an indispensable part of your hotel team. This hybrid concierge security guard role offers the perfect blend of security and guest assistance, boosting both safety and satisfaction and keeping the 5* reviews coming in.
Our concierge security personnel are trained to handle a wide range of emergencies. They serve as a visible deterrent and a security coordinator working closely with hotel staff to monitor for suspicious activity and respond swiftly to any concerns. Their extensive training and experience make them a formidable presence, capable of de-escalating tense situations and protecting the safety of everyone on the premises. This dual focus on security and service makes them an invaluable asset to any hotel team.
Summarising the Role of the Hotel Concierge Security Guard
With such a complex and varied role it is plain to see that the job requires a special person. Here is a summary of some important aspects of the work broken down into concierge and security functions.
| Concierge | Security |
| Guest welcoming and assistance | ID Checking |
| Managing mail, luggage and deliveries. | Hand wand security scanning |
| Admin, night desk and reception duties | Security CCTV monitoring |
| Managing guest/customer complaints. | Emergency Response to a range of incidents |
| Liaison with staff teams | Managing security patrols and security checks |
| Car parking and valet service oversight | Management of key-card and access systems |
| Arranging transport and excursions | Liaising with statutory services |
| Record keeping and reporting | Management of key card and access systems |
Understanding the Hotel Concierge Security Guard Role
As a hotel guest, you may not give much thought to the concierge security guards who staff the hotel foyer reception desk. However, these professionals play an important role in keeping guests and their belongings safe.
Concierge security guards work in shifts that vary depending on the hotel’s needs. The typical shift is eight hours long, but it can be longer if overtime work is needed to perform the duties. Concierge and security are 24/7 concerns requiring a permanent shift rotation for day and night cover.
As well as providing advice and assistance that enhances the guest experience, they are in charge of coordinating and maintaining a safe and secure environment for guests and employees.
They are expected to know about all the security protocols relevant to the hotel. They must be able to spot potential security threats and take measures to prevent them from occurring.
Beyond their security responsibilities, they are also trained to coordinate emergency responses, whether it’s a medical situation, fire evacuation, terrorist threat, or any other unforeseen incident. In many cases, a concierge security guard will be certified as a fire safety officer and act as the nominated first aid responder. It’s a role that demands exceptional responsibility and expertise.
Three Qualities of a Top Hotel Concierge Security Guard
Here’s a look at the main personal qualities and skills a concierge security guard needs to provide a helpful yet secure environment for everyone at the hotel.
1. High-Level Communication
Hotel concierge security is a key component of hotel security. Hotel concierges are often the first people that guests see when they arrive at the hotel. That’s why they need to be friendly and welcoming so that guests feel welcome and comfortable.
They also need to be vigilant about who is coming in and out of the building, especially if they are carrying luggage or packages. Responsibilities might include checking identification, conducting baggage checks and metal detector scans. By doing so, any potential threats or unauthorised persons are prevented from entering the hotel. These sensitive checks depend heavily on the way the officer communicates to avoid causing offence, embarrassment or disruption
This requires the type of interpersonal and communication skills that stop these necessary security checks from making visitors and guests feel like their privacy and personal space have been invaded. A combination of friendliness and authority is a difficult balance to find.
2. Calm Under Pressure
Security is one of the most important roles of a hotel concierge. They are responsible for keeping an eye on suspicious activity and keeping guests safe. But in some cases, the security concierge may also be called upon to give first aid, conduct emergency evacuations and funnel communications as a primary liaison between the hotel and the statutory services.
Hotel concierge security guards may also be responsible for maintaining order on the premises by enforcing rules and regulations. Dealing with unruly or abusive visitors and guests requires self-restraint and the ability to resolve tense situations before they escalate.
A security concierge needs to be confident, calm and authoritative under pressure. Dealing with all types of situations that may arise quickly and efficiently is a result of effective training combined with a level-headed personality.
3. Digital Literacy
Manning CCTV monitoring stations, running digital switchboards, writing reports and keeping digital records are important aspects of hotel security and concierge duties. The concierge security guard needs to be able to hand overnight duty to daytime staff with clear and concise reporting.
Hotel security procedure reviews may well be based on literate, well-presented reports produced by a security concierge. Our recruitment and training processes ensure that our personnel have the skills that prepare them to integrate into your hotel with the minimum of site-specific training.
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4 Key Hotel Security Issues
1. Theft by Guests
Every good hotel understands the importance of providing a range of guest amenities in the hotel rooms to make their stay comfortable and memorable. The importance of positive guest reviews on review sites like TripAdvisor is immeasurable and hotels that do not provide these type of amenities are sure to get noticed.
Items like slippers, towels and bathrobes are basic items that are often provided in guest rooms and yet replacing them is a significant ongoing expense if they are stolen. Some people might look at this as collecting a souvenir rather than committing a crime.
Many hotels have reported a worrying increase in the theft of more expensive items like televisions, artwork and ornaments from public areas.
2. Theft By Employees
A hotel is a fast-moving environment with staff teams assigned to different aspects of keeping things running. From the chamber staff through to porters and catering teams, many opportunities and temptations are likely to occur.
Whether it’s helping themselves to a little “treat” from supplies or the very serious issue of staff stealing from guests, once you have a thief embedded in your staff teams it’s a problem that can only escalate the longer it goes undiscovered.
3. Theft by Unauthorised Entry
Keeping a check on who is entering a hotel is a difficult task. It’s something made even more difficult if the hotel has venues like bars and restaurants that are open to the general public. Having the right layout and monitoring systems combined with a nominated person to check that anyone entering the hotel is authorised to do so becomes increasingly important for overall security.
How to do this adequately is an age-old problem faced by hotels across the globe. Strictly controlled entry systems both within the main entrances and as they relate to key and key-card control are normally managed by the concierge security guard as part of their responsibility for hotel security measures.
CCTV monitoring both inside and outside the building helps with early intervention. It is not uncommon for criminals to climb outside of the building to gain access through open balcony doors.
4. Anti-Social Behaviour
Anti-social behaviour covers a lot of ground. From verbal and physical abuse and drunkenness through to sexual assault, hotels are not immune. The danger should never be underestimated.
When confronted with the fact that over 1,100 hotel reviews cited sexual assault, TripAdvisor spokesman Brian Hoyt said “One incident is horrible — 1,100 is horrific. Since then TripAdvisor has introduced a flagging policy that allows searchers to flag and filter establishments where a reviewer has reported a sexual assault. A recent BBC report highlighted that of the 504 offences recorded in hotels in 2023, 92% (464) involved physical contact with a child.
Any hotel strives to be a relaxed, safe and welcoming place so when a drunk or angry person makes a scene, responding quickly and effectively helps minimise the negative effects and damage to reputation.
The Benefits of Contracting Out Hotel Security
Our personnel are contracted out meaning that ultimately they work for us. This provides several advantages for our clients.
- We undertake all recruitment, background checking and high-level training
- An appointed liaison officer will work with the hotel to understand site-specific needs and prepare induction and training modules related to hotel protocols and procedures
- We schedule, support and supervise concierge security services so that our clients can be reassured that highly trained and reliable personnel are on-site at all times
- Hotel supervisory and management resources can be directed to other important areas of running a successful hotel
- Many of our clients report increased levels of hotel security along with lower costs than self-managed security
- Positive online reviews help secure new and repeat business. High-level security and service as a result of training mean that guests are more likely to leave a glowing review
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A Concierge Security Case Study
Travelodge Concierge Security
Through 2017 and into 2018, we provided hotel concierge security across the south of the UK to the Travelodge hotel chain.
In some hotels, such as Brighton, during peak times in the summer and when events such as Pride were in progress, there were requirements at both town centre sites and out-of-town sites to provide two concierge door supervisors with SIA Door Supervisor licences due to alcohol being served on site.
This involved being the first point of contact and providing friendly reassurance and assistance to customers. The role also required a door supervisor to patrol internally and externally to ensure guests were kept safe.
The role of concierge in hotels will sometimes involve a degree of training to handle such situations that can arise with unwanted guests coming into the hotel.
The weekend supply of officers to the hotels was key in preventing crime and disorder as well as reassuring customers of a good night’s sleep in a town centre location.
Many of the hotels in town centre locations were experiencing issues with anti-social behaviour spilling out from local bars and clubs and attempts at unauthorised access.
One site in Plymouth was a particular flash point at the time due to the hotel sharing its stairway with a nightclub. This presented some issues at the weekends, which a previous security supplier had not been able to resolve
We looked at the positioning of the guards and the frequency of the patrols, particularly with fire exits linked to adjacent shared access.
Communication was also a key factor, and we established communication with all neighbouring clubs. By liaising with them, we were able to neutralise this issue and subsequently saw a complete reduction in revellers ending up in the stairwell.
The manager of this site was pleased with the work we did in securing the hotel and staff working on site.