'A wonderful ambassador for the city': Dapper doorman John scoops gong for best concierge in Ireland
You have to take your hat off to him - the legendary doorman at Cork’s historic Metropole Hotel, famous for his top-hat and tails, has been named the best concierge in Ireland.
Dapper doorman, John Coleman, scooped the Concierge of the Year title for Munster and Ireland at the Irish Hotel Awards 2020.
And he said he can’t wait to welcome guests back to the city centre hotel, and to send visitors out to explore the wider region, when its doors reopen to the public on July 13.
“The last three months have been very different - there was a real sense of shock at the start of the pandemic when we were all worried about how we’d get through it,” he said.
“I’ve certainly missed our guests. My mantra is that you check-in as a guest and check out as a friend, and I was in touch with a lot of them who were due to stay with us during the lockdown, just to say we were thinking about them.
But the longing is getting strong now to be back meeting the guests in person.
“It will be different but the welcome will still be the same. We will obviously have social distancing in place, but the personal side of things, building the relationships, that will still be the same.
“I have spoken to a lot of people, businesses and attractions in the city about what measures they will have in place for visitors who would like to go for a drink, book a meal, that kind of thing.
“So a lot of our time will be spent putting our guests at ease, and reassuring them about the processes that various places will have in place, about visiting the English Market, tasting Irish whiskeys, pre-booking meals in local pubs and restaurants."
Mr Coleman, renowned for going above and beyond the call of duty for guests, paid tribute to the team at the hotel and said it’s like one big family.
“From the top down, everybody helps out. We are so excited to be opening our doors again to welcome guests back,” he said.
Trigon Hotel’s managing director, Aaron Mansworth, who made the decision three years ago to restore the hotel's concierge position and that sense of 'old school hospitality', paid tribute to Mr Coleman’s ability to build relationships and for his inherent sense of wanting to help.
He's a wonderful ambassador for the hotel and for the city.
