HOTEL guests would usually ask concierge Dexter Llamas? assistance for them to get good seats on their flight, have an early check in or find the best dining spots in Cebu. Most also expect him to arrange for tours within and outside the Queen City.

But once, a very privileged guest wanted to bring his family of 14 to visit his wife?s relatives in a rebel-infested region in Mindanao. Taking public vehicles was not an option, as the guests did not have the time to sit through nine hours of travel using at least five types of transport. The man, a foreigner, stood out from the locals as well, with his Caucasian looks and height. There was simply no way he could pass for a native.

Despite being informed of the obvious dangers he and his group could face, the guest remained adamant and insisted on the visit.

Fortunately for him, Dexter?s 13-year stint at Mactan?s Shangri-La Resort and Spa has netted him enough contacts to move mountains, much less this extended family of defiant travelers. The concierge started contacting local officials in the area and made arrangements to minimize the risks to the group. That meant, among other tasks, preparing an old air strip for landing as well as finding a plane and a pilot willing to share the risk of flying into the dangerous zone. In the end, the entire family managed to visit their relatives by taking a 45-minute chartered flight, and being met by a contingent of security who made their trip safe and comfortable.

Unusual requests are nothing unusual to this engineering graduate who had once worked as an airport representative, a bellman and a duty manager before donning on the concierge?s cap at the resort hotel for the last four years. To round off his years of experience in the hospitality industry, Dexter also trained at the Shangri-La Academy in China and has been a member of the Le?s Clef D?or (The Golden Keys Hotel Concierge Society) since 2007.

So he didn?t blink an eye when a guest once asked him for a black lechon, with only a day?s notice. While Cebu is famous for its roasted suckling pig, Llamas had to call various piggeries, several farms and a few friends to secure the black native pig that the guest wanted.

Another time, a contentious guest demanded that the concierge delay an international flight to look for his missing luggage. The guest had lost his suitcase in an airport check-in and insisted that it had been mistakenly loaded into a plane about to take off. The concierge must hold off that flight and subject its luggage compartment to a thorough search, the guest said. Pulling all stops, Dexter managed to stall the plane and had the search conducted. The suitcase was never found in the plane. It later turned up somewhere else.

Such hassles are all in a day?s work for Dexter, who defines a good concierge as being ?extremely patient and flexible? and ready to deal with all types of people who may have different expectations when they visit a place. The job, he adds, is open to both men and women, but the physical demands of running after contacts and the stress this entails give men an advantage.

Though he must be open and receptive to different and even unusual requests, the concierge must also know when to draw the line when the deal involves a matter of principles, ethics and morals, says Dexter. Personally, he says no to any request that is ?illegal, immoral, racist and demeaning.? Fortunately, his refusal is softened considerably by his polite manner in explaining the local laws and customs that make some requests unacceptable.

?An extra stash of patience? when the guest is insistent, rude or arbitrary doesn?t hurt, either, he adds.

While good cheer is certainly handy, the stream of unusual requests has occasionally put him in awkward situations, says Dexter. ?You can?t help but feel indebted to the people who assist you in getting things done,? he explains. When they ask for favors in return, it?s hard to say no. If the favors asked are within corporate policy, there?s no problem, he says.

Being at the guests? beck and call may sound tiresome, but Dexter reveals that there?s an upside to the job: getting enough appreciation from colleagues in the industry. ?Working as a concierge has given me the opportunity to establish good relations with key people in various industries like the airlines, restaurants, tour groups, other hotels, and so on. When I travel abroad, once the concierge of the hotel finds out that we share the same job, I?m assured a most comfortable and enjoyable stay.? Being occasionally invited to stay and dine for free in upscale establishments abroad sweetens the job, he adds.

His job has given his an insight into human nature as well. ?When dealing with guests or other hotel partners, always remember that you are dealing with another person. We all have our values, our standards, our preferences and thresholds,? says the 36-year-old hotel hand. ?