The porter is often the first person a guest sees and the concierge the last one to help them before they leave. Yet these roles are regularly filled by whoever happens to be available. Read what the roles really require in a hotel, how the profile of a porter differs from that of a concierge and how to find, select and keep candidates.
1 November 2026
Guests form much of their opinion of a hotel at arrival and departure. A porter who takes the luggage and shows the way, and a concierge who books a table or makes sure a taxi arrives on time, take pressure off the front desk. Without them, that work shifts to the front desk at peak times and queues grow.
Describe the role as it exists in your hotel. A porter or bell attendant takes luggage, escorts guests to their room, manages the luggage room, brings parcels and deliveries to rooms and sometimes helps with parking or the shuttle. A concierge handles reservations, tickets and transport, gives advice about the city and solves guest requests. In smaller hotels these tasks are often combined with the front desk; if so, say so.
For a porter, friendliness, reliability, a well-groomed appearance and the physical fitness to stand, walk and lift suitcases all shift matter most. If the porter drives guests' cars or the hotel shuttle, a valid driving licence is needed. For a concierge, local knowledge, a personal network of restaurants and transport providers, discretion, calm under pressure and good writing and phone skills count. Do not recruit both with the same job ad.
Both roles deal with many international guests. Decide per role which languages are really needed and at what level; see language requirements in hotel hiring. For a porter, a good basic level in your guests' main language is often enough. For a concierge, local knowledge often weighs more than an extra language: someone who knows the city well learns a language faster than the other way round.
Porters are needed when guests arrive and leave: early in the morning, around midday and for late arrivals, weekends included. Concierges often work an early and a late shift. State the real start and end times, the hours and how often weekends come round. For late shifts, keep the commute home in mind.
Tips often play a role in these jobs. Do not recruit with promises about tips, but with a fair base wage in line with your pay bands. Explain up front how tips are shared in your hotel and follow the rules that apply in your country. Uncertainty about this is a well-known source of friction in the team.
Good porters and concierges do not always come from hospitality. People from retail, aviation, events or customer service often have exactly the guest focus you are looking for; see candidates without hospitality experience. Also consider internal promotion from front desk or service, tips from your team, hotel school interns and students for busy weekend shifts.
Keep the job ad concrete: which tasks, which shifts, which base wage or range, how tips work, which languages are needed and whether work clothing is provided. For porters, applying can be simple, with a phone number or short form. For concierges, you can ask for a short note on their knowledge of the city.
Start with a short phone screen on availability, shift times and languages. In the interview, use real situations: a guest arrives with a lot of luggage while another guest asks for directions, or a guest wants a table tonight at a fully booked restaurant. Ask a concierge candidate for three concrete recommendations for a fictional guest. A short trial shift quickly shows how a porter deals with guests.
Porters and concierges see room numbers, guest names, luggage and sometimes valuables. When checking references, ask specifically about reliability and handling confidential information. In the first week, explain how you handle keys, the luggage room, lost property and guest data.
Let a new porter or concierge get to know the hotel first: room types, facilities, routes, the luggage room and your regular partners for taxis, parking and reservations. Have the first shifts run alongside an experienced colleague and not on the busiest arrival day. See also first-week onboarding.
A missing porter is noticed at the front desk straight away. Agree who covers luggage and arrivals during absence and plan extra cover in advance for busy arrival days, groups and events. During seasonal peaks or while a search is running, temporary staffing can fill the gaps.
Does every hotel need a porter or concierge? No. In smaller hotels, front desk and service staff often take over these tasks. Look at the number of daily arrivals, groups, location and what your guests expect.
Does a concierge need hotel experience? Not always. Local knowledge, a network and guest focus from travel, events or retail can be just as valuable. Hotel systems and procedures are quicker to learn.
Can I recruit with tips? Recruit with a fair base wage and explain how tips are shared. Follow the rules that apply in your country and do not promise amounts you cannot guarantee.
• Do you have a separate, honest task description per role?
• Are the required languages and level set per role?
• Does the job ad state shift times, hours, weekends and base wage or range?
• Is it clear how tips are shared?
• Do you use practical questions and, for porters, a short trial shift?
• Do you ask references about reliability and discretion?
• Does a new hire first get to know the hotel, the routes and your regular partners?
• Is it agreed who covers luggage and arrivals during absence?
AXXAZ Hospitality provides hotels across Europe with reliable hospitality professionals, including front-of-house staff. While you recruit a permanent porter or concierge, we fill open shifts, for example for groups, events or in peak season. It starts with a clear staffing brief.
Porters and concierges are best recruited with two separate, honest profiles, clear agreements on shifts, pay and tips, practical selection and a first week in which the new hire really gets to know the hotel and the city.