Gerardo Gabat, Chief Concierge at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, received his ‘Golden Keys’ at the inaugural general assembly of the Les Clefs d’Or UAE chapter held on February 2 at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates.
A symbol of Les Clefs d’Or – a prestigious international association of hotel concierges representing more than fifty countries – the crossed-keys badge is proudly pinned on the lapels of the international hospitality world’s most knowledgeable hotel lobby concierges, and is representative of exceptional guest service.
“To anyone working in hotel concierge service, the golden keys are more valuable than any award as it is a recognition from within an industry that understands how hard – and yet how satisfying – it is to be able to make a guest’s day. It has been two years since I applied for membership in this prestigious association, and I am keen to live up to the reputation of Les Clefs d'Or in my day to day interactions with guests,” said Gabat.
Gabat has won numerous awards for his professional service and excellence at not just meeting, but consistently exceeding the expectations of guests. He has been a regular Star Employee nominee at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates and a winner at the Concierge of the Year Awards 2007 in the “Outstanding Knowledge of Attractions and Events” category. Gabat was recently Highly Commended in the Concierge of the Year Category at the Hotelier Middle East Awards held in October 2009.
The UAE chapter of Les Clefs d'Or received its independent status from the Union International Concierges Hotels this year and is currently actively building local membership from amongst the country’s most experienced and qualified concierge staff, who have had a long and distinguished career in this highly guest-oriented hospitality department.
“We are very proud to have Gerardo join this highly respected fraternity of the best hotel concierges in the world. In all his time with us, Gerardo has played a very proactive role in ensuring our concierge team have their fingers on the pulse of the city and are able to give informed and knowledgeable recommendations on dining, entertainment, transportation and shopping options, and act as invaluable insider guides to help our guests really get to know the best the UAE has to offer,” said Holger Schroth, General Manager, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates.
