Concierges can plan your itinerary and help find your lost luggage, but be savvy about how they're paid and how you should reward them.

Last week in the Straight 's Best of Vancouver issue (September 20 to 27), we talked to three Vancouver concierges and learned the lengths they'll go to to assist hotel guests. Now on to practical matters: how can you make the best use of your hotel's concierge when travelling? And how much should you tip them?

According to the concierges we interviewed–Debbie Harris from the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Raymond Wong from the Pan Pacific Vancouver, and Geoffrey Argue from the Sutton Place Hotel–concierge service is included in the room rate. "It's a service we provide for the hotel guests. It's part of the hotel package," Wong explained.

A concierge is "there to guide you, tell you what the highlights of the city are, what the museums are, what the art galleries are, what the best restaurants are to go to," Argue said. That said, the more research you've done, "the faster the rapport will happen with the concierge". If you've already narrowed down your options, you'll be able to ask specific questions and get the concierge's take on your particular itinerary.

Concierges receive a commission, in addition to their salary or hourly pay, on some services they book. "A lot of limousine companies and tour companies do pay commission," Argue confirmed. This is something to be aware of, but good concierges will keep their guests' best interests in mind.

Travellers should also be aware that some hotels outsource their concierge desk to tour companies or service providers like Expedia. These concierges may wear hotel uniforms, but they are employed by a third party to promote its products. Argue, Wong, and Harris are all hotel employees, but the main concierge desk at the Fairmont Waterfront, for example, is contracted out to Gray Line West.

The concierges interviewed said it's fair to request almost any type of service, including buying airline tickets and taking out your dry cleaning. Harris said there are generally no specific fees for services but some hotels charge a travel-time fee if the request takes the concierge away from the desk. If Harris shops on behalf of a Fairmont guest, the items are charged to the room, with no fee for her services.

Concierges can be invaluable when you arrive in a city but your luggage does not. "We typically have numbers that we can get through to the airport a little quicker than the 800 numbers that the guests get," Harris said; concierges are often able to speak to somebody local and speed up tracking bags.

Tipping is at the discretion of the guest. "It's not necessary to tip.…We don't expect it," Harris said. "If guests feel that they'd like to, it's always appreciated, but it's certainly not required."

On the line from Ottawa, Anthony Pollard, president of the Hotel Association of Canada, said that when deciding how to tip, the general rule is "Is it something just in the course of their duties, or is it something that goes way above it and beyond?" He said he wouldn't tip for routine directions or an easy restaurant reservation, for example, but might give $5 or $10 for a hard-to-get reservation. If a concierge plans an elaborate itinerary, reward accordingly.

The concierges interviewed noted that guests tip in a variety of ways: some after each request, some in a lump sum at the end of their stay, others with a gift such as wine, or simply a sincere note of thanks.