fracmeister

OK, it is only funny in retrospect. Monday night I realize I need to entertain in London on Tuesday. I call centurion concierge and ask for rsvtns for the Ivy in Covent garden or L'etelier....preferring the Ivy.

Now if you don't know London restaurants, the Ivy is a good one but difficult to get in on short (say 2 weeks) notice and nigh impossible for the next night. But hey, the centurion concierge calls me back and no problemo. Makes those LD cell phone calls seem fine.

Taxis across town to the Ivy and they don't know us from Adam (or perhaps Nigel given the location). I call back and low and behold, they determine that they have made reservations for me at the Covent Garden Grill. Suitably embarrassed and glad I had been very polite, I explained to the Ivy people and asked them if the CGG was decent and how to get there.

They looked around and found a way to squeeze us in (another long story requiring a better known acquaintance who happened to be there as a regular customer). When I pursued the matter, Centurion reviewed all the calls and will pick up the phone calls ... gave me a new personal concierge (the old one was never working when I was calling).... she actually sounds like she knows what she is doing.

PS, make your reservations at the Ivy well in advance. They are full for 3 weeks from now when I wanted to go again!

Anyway, the meal was excellent and

mattm00se

Last time I was in London, Centurion Concierge sent me the wrong Nobu....though the right one was only about 10 minutes away, still rather annoying/embarrassing

On the flipside, that trip they squeezed me in at gordon ramsay hospital road with 3 weeks notice, so can't complain too much

Club_IC

It does make you wonder though about the quality of service card members are receiving. I am sure these two examples are only the tip of the iceberg based on reading similar threads.

Is the concierge service outsourced or a core AMEX service?

stimpy

If you go back through the Flyertalk archives many years ago back to when the US Centurion program started, I posted my conclusion that both the travel and concierge services were completely useless for anything outside the United States. That is still true today.

They were great for reservations in New York and LA (and may still be), but I learned to never both using them for anything outside of the US except for FHR or airline bookings where I choose the flights.

mia

Yes: http://www.circles.com/index.htm

LiveFromNY

I've actually had very good concierge service in London (including last-miniute reservations at The Ivy). Also in Vancouver and in Vienna.

fracmeister

I am not a big user of the concierge service but have used travel (for less than half of my reservations). I often find much cheaper rates doing something directly than what the concierge or travel offered....and then find they can match it. Doesn't seem they have much interest in being cost effective, even when they can be.

Lately I have been using Continental to book cr reservations and found them cheaper than my corporate rate and close enough to priceline actuals that it is convenient...

Internationally they have been a let down but I am optimistic about my new concierge....for now

DMSFCA

I had to entertain a handful of people in London and called and basically said "I have to entertain a handful of pretty hip 30-something designers, can you find us a great place to eat that would suit a younger, hipper crowd?" They reassured me that they knew London well and would book something great.

Admittedly I should have double-checked the booking they gave me, but I don't know London. I had a twinge of fear on the way to dinner when one of the local clients hadn't heard of the place before.

We walked in the place and even in our late 30's, we were the youngest people in the place by some 25 years. I was totally embarrassed but the group laughed it off and could smoke like chimneys all through dinner, which they loved. I had to mitigate the situation with lots of wine and the drinks were good and stiff.

All the same, I told Cent that cost wasn't really factor, but a hip atmosphere definitely was. It was plenty expensive, but I'm sure the crowd that was there wanted us there even less than I did.

fracmeister

I wind up eating at Wagamama almost every time I am in London. Trendy? Not really but usually a young crwod and I can afford it.

RichardInSF

It's right up there with the Ivy. And SO authentically Japanese too!

Leemajors

do these people actually have any juice or are they just making phone calls for us?

jsq

per your question, in my experience it is mixed regarding restaurants and sporting or other ticket events. more often then not they are just making phone calls. as such you can often do a better job for your self then having someone else represent you.

also as i recall, not 100% sure on this, maybe someone else can chime in. in the centurion fine print somewhere, they deal with certain firms which they steer you (the centurion cardholder) to in exchange for a fee or commision from the merchant!

ouch!

all the best,
jsq

Vijian

I'm surprised that Centurion agreed to make a booking for you at The Ivy. Centurion has always told me that the two restaurants that they could not reserve in London is The Ivy and The Wolseley as they do not take third party bookings. I have not tried to book the Ivy through them for the past two years so don't know if things have changed.

fracmeister

Ha ha. But since there is no accounting for taste I am guilty only of eating where I like. Some people may not have caught your sarcasm (subtle as it was).... Wagamama is not even remotely like the Ivy nor is it "authentic" in anything except being true to the "give a big crowd some interesting food" concept you do see in many Japanese chains.... after all, Benihana ia "authentic Japanese" in that the style was invented in Japan...(albeit for American GIs!)

Update. Centurion failed to get Ivy reservations for last trip with six weeks warning. I called and asked for a reservation.... no problem.

So much for that Black Card getting me in the obsucre and difficult locations.

YClass

Plat concierge got me a table at the Ivy with less than a weeks notice. Granted the first concierge seemed to have forgotten about our request so when I called back I was a bit annoyed, half hr later we had a reservation! Most clubs and restaurants in London you can book on your own or if you reserve at a table at a club you will get access. Concierge just has a more convenient list of contact details - useful when you are on the eurostar shooting into London!