Meet Alexandra Sohyly, Chief Concierge at Pan Pacific London
- 14 hours ago
- 6 min read
From unexpected beginnings to Chief Concierge, Alexandra Sohyly reflects on leadership, resilience, motherhood and sharing her love of London.
Can you tell us about the career path which led to where you are today?
Looking back, I don’t think I found Concierge; I think Concierge found me.
I was studying Tourism and Hospitality Management at university and had secured a placement with a travel company. Unfortunately, that opportunity fell through at the last minute, so I accepted a year-long placement at the Copthorne Tara Hotel in Kensington instead.
At the time, hotels were never part of my plan. If anything, I wanted to leave London and see the world.
During my placement, I rotated through every department in the hotel, but I kept finding myself drawn back to Concierge. I started asking for extra shifts because I genuinely loved being there. By the end of the year, I knew I didn’t want to go back to university, I wanted to become a Concierge.
Something else changed during that year. I fell back in love with London. I began to appreciate its history, its hidden streets and the stories around every corner. I had always dreamed of seeing the world, but instead, the world came to me. Every day I have the privilege of welcoming people from across the globe and introducing them to a city that I genuinely love.
The Copthorne Tara gave me the foundations of my career. Working in such a busy hotel taught me resilience, adaptability and how to think quickly under pressure while managing many different situations at once.
After more than a decade there, I joined the Knightsbridge Hotel before moving to Pan Pacific London as Assistant Head Concierge. When the opportunity arose to lead the department, I put myself forward, and I was incredibly proud when management placed their trust in me and appointed me Chief Concierge.
Sometimes the opportunities you never planned become the ones that define your life.
Are there any specific mentors you’ve look to for guidance, and how have they helped you on your way?
Yes, I was fortunate to have an important mentor early in my career: the Chief Concierge responsible for the Millennium Hotels across London.
He introduced me to the standards, discipline and professionalism that define our profession. He taught me that being a Concierge is about far more than knowledge; it’s about integrity, responsibility and taking genuine pride in what you do. Those lessons gave me a strong foundation and have stayed with me throughout my career.
As my career developed, I also came to realise that every Concierge eventually has to find their own path. There comes a point where you have to trust your own judgement, continue learning through your own experiences and have the confidence to step outside your comfort zone.
I’ve been fortunate to learn from many people along the way, colleagues, leaders, members of my own team, fellow Les Clefs d’Or members and, perhaps most importantly, our guests. Every person and every experience has helped shape the Concierge and leader I am today.
I don’t think our profession is one where learning ever stops, and I hope I’ll always remain curious enough to keep learning from those around me.
"Every day I have the privilege of welcoming people from across the globe and introducing them to a city that I genuinely love"
Guests can't always be easy to deal with. What's your approach to winning them over?
I try not to think of people as difficult.
More often than not, they’re disappointed, worried, exhausted or frustrated before they’ve even reached the Concierge desk.
My first responsibility is to listen and understand what has actually happened. Once someone feels heard, it’s much easier to work together towards a solution.
I’m also a firm believer in honesty. I won’t promise something simply to end an uncomfortable conversation. I’ll explain what is possible, take ownership where appropriate and focus on finding the best outcome.
Within reason, and within the law, I’ll always explore every possible option before saying no.
What personal sacrifices have you had to make to become successful in this field?
Hospitality asks a great deal of you. We work weekends, evenings, Christmases, birthdays and many of the moments that other people spend with their families.
Becoming a mother completely changed my perspective.
Balancing a leadership role with raising my son has undoubtedly been one of the greatest challenges of my life. There have been school events and family occasions that I’ve missed, and those decisions are never easy.
At the same time, my son has become my greatest motivation. I love sharing my profession with him and helping him understand that my job isn’t simply about hotels — it’s about kindness, looking after people and creating moments that others will remember.
I hope that, as he grows older, he’ll see that success isn’t measured only by titles, but by the difference you make to the people around you.
What attribute does one need to be a good head Concierge?
Knowledge is important, but knowledge alone doesn’t make a great Head Concierge.
You need resilience, integrity, curiosity, emotional intelligence and the ability to remain calm while several things are happening at once. You need to make decisions, accept responsibility and support your team through both successes and challenges.
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is never to be afraid of saying, “I don’t know but I’ll find out.”
As one of a relatively small number of female Head Concierges in the UK, I also recognise the importance of representation. I hope that by doing the job well, leading with authenticity and supporting others, I can help make this profession feel even more accessible to the next generation of women considering Concierge as a career.
If you could give advice to a new Concierge, what would it be?
Stay curious. The day you think you know London is probably the day you’ve stopped being a great Concierge.
Walk your city. Visit the places you recommend. Speak to people. Learn the history behind what you see, because guests aren’t just looking for directions, they’re looking for experiences.
Build relationships and protect your reputation. Trust takes years to earn and only moments to lose.
Finally, never underestimate the smallest request. What feels routine to you could become the memory a guest talks about for years afterwards.
What is the most rewarding thing about being a Concierge?
People often say the most rewarding part of being a Concierge is making guests happy, and of course that’s a huge part of it. But for me, it’s also about how this profession makes me feel.There is something incredibly special about helping to create a memory that someone will carry with them for the rest of their life. Whether it’s a proposal, a family celebration, a once-in-a-lifetime trip or simply introducing someone to a hidden corner of London they would never have discovered on their own, knowing you’ve played a small part in that story is a privilege.
When I first became a Concierge, I fell back in love with London. I realised I wasn’t just recommending places; I was sharing the city through my own eyes. Every Concierge has their own London, and I love being able to share mine. Seeing someone discover a place you’ve recommended, hearing their excitement afterwards and watching them fall in love with London in their own way is incredibly special. It reminds me that I haven’t just helped someone visit a city, I may have helped shape how they remember it for the rest of their lives. I think that’s what has kept me in this profession for nearly twenty years. Every guest reminds me why I fell in love with this career in the first place.
Les Clefs d’Or motto is “service through friendship” how important is collaboration with colleagues across the industry to you?
To me, Les Clefs d’Or has become something even deeper than friendship —it has become a family.
Like any family, you don’t have to speak every day or see one another regularly to know those relationships are genuine. When someone needs help, people simply act. There are no questions asked, no hesitation and no expectation of anything in return.
Whether it’s sourcing something extraordinary, helping a colleague on the other side of the world or simply being there when another member needs support, someone is always willing to help.
That generosity is unlike anything I’ve experienced elsewhere, and it’s one of the things I’m most proud to be part of. Although we all represent different hotels, we’re united by the same purpose: helping one another create extraordinary experiences and supporting one another whenever we’re needed.
Do you have any hidden talents you can share with us?
My team would probably tell you that my hidden talent is noticing everything!
I’ve always been incredibly aware of my surroundings. I often notice a guest looking slightly lost, a colleague needing support or something changing in the lobby before anyone has said a word. My team joke that it’s slightly scary because they can never quite work out how I’ve noticed something when I wasn’t even looking in that direction.
I think that awareness has become one of my greatest strengths as a Concierge. It allows me to anticipate situations before they develop, support my team when they need me and recognise opportunities to assist guests before they’ve had to ask.
I’m also endlessly curious about London. I genuinely enjoy discovering hidden streets, independent businesses and the stories behind places that many people walk past every day. I don’t think I’ll ever stop learning about this city, and I hope I never do.