WHERE Golden Keys Concierge Awards 2026 - The Winners!
Updated: 6 hours ago
Congratulations to the winners and nominees of the 19th Annual Concierge Awards, held at the Pan Pacific London on Friday 25 September.
More than 300 guests from London’s hospitality, theatre, retail and tourism industries, together with the concierge community and hotel general managers, gathered for the 19th annual WHERE Golden Keys Concierge Awards 2026.
Organised by The Tourism Media Group (TMG) in partnership with The Society, proceedings were held in the ballroom of the luxury hotel, with Honorary Life Member George Murray as compere for the evening.
The event was made possible with the support of headline sponsor Bicester Village, main sponsors ABBA Voyage, Big Bus Tours, City Sightseeing, Golden Tours, Thames Limo and Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, with additional support from Ricky Paul Flowers, Portobello Road Distillery and Hard Rock Cafe.
WHERE GOLDEN KEYS 2026 AWARDS - THE WINNERS:
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Sponsored by ABBA Voyage
★ MICHAEL DECOZAR★
Lara Olender, Travel Trade & Corporate Sales Manager at ABBA Voyage; Simon Thomas and Robert DeCozar | Photos: Edward Croucher
Awarded posthumously to Michael DeCozar, Head Concierge at The Ritz London, the award was received by Michael's son, Robert DeCozar.
Simon Thomas, Vice President of The Society said: "For the first time in the history of our Society, the executive committee has agreed to present a Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously, and it's unprecedented, but Michael DeCozar was an exceptional man whose contribution to our profession was equally exceptional."
Joining The Ritz as a 16-year-old page boy in 1973 after first discovering the world of hospitality alongside his father, Salvador, Michael went on to become its youngest-ever Head Concierge at the age of 24 and dedicated an incredible 53 years to the hotel.
Simon added: "Michael's legacy cannot be measured by years - he was not merely someone who simply worked at The Ritz; over time Michael became part of its character, its history, even its very soul. Micheal, your keys may now be laid to rest, but your influence, your standards and spirit of service will remain with us for generations."
YOUNG CONCIERGE OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by City Sightseeing
★ MARCO RUSSO ★
This year’s Young Concierge of the Year - in honour of Michael DeCozar is Marco Russo, Assistant Head Concierge at The London EDITION.
He was presented with the award by Matthew Callow, Managing Director of City Sightseeing.
Marco will now attend the 71st UICH International Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2027, where he will represent the British section of The Society of the Golden Keys to compete in the International Young Concierge of the Year Award.
LONDON CONCIERGE OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Golden Tours
★ SAHIL SURI ★
Sahil Suri, Head Concierge of the Jumeirah Carlton Tower, was presented with his award by Umesh Majithia, Commercial Director of Golden Tours.
Umesh said: "The London Concierge of the Year award recognises an individual who goes above and beyond to deliver exceptional service and create memorable experiences for their guests. It celebrates the knowledge, professionalism, personal touch and dedication that make a truly outstanding concierge.
"This award is about more than simply providing recommendations — it is about anticipating guests’ needs, building trusted relationships, solving problems and consistently finding ways to make every stay special."
SERVICE THROUGH FRIENDSHIP
Sponsored by Big Bus Tours
★ PAUL WALSH ★
Paul Walsh, Head Concierge & Guest Services Manager at The Marble Arch Hotel by Thistle, is the Service Through Friendship winner.
The award was presented by Tom Redman, Managing Director of Big Bus Tours.
He said: "The Service Through Friendship Award embodies the very motto of The Society. It recognises a member who, over many years, has consistently shown kindness, support and friendship to fellow members and affiliates, enriching our community through their generosity of spirit."
REGIONAL CONCIERGE OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by The Society of the Golden Keys
★ JESSICA POHL ★
Jessica Pohl, Assistant Concierge & Guest Relations Manager at The Silo Hotel, Cape Town, is this year's Regional Concierge of the Year winner.
Presenting the award, Society President Binoy Nair said: "Jessica's work with her team and hotel, her genuine interest in the well-being of guests and her constant motivation of the team has led to her winning this accolade.
"I am sure she will go from strength to strength and make her team and hotel proud of her achievements."
Unfortunately, Jessica could not attend the ceremony, so the award was collected by Society Vice President Simon Thomas.
CONCIERGE TEAM OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter
★ THE PENINSULA LONDON ★
A new award for 2026, seven teams made the shortlist for Concierge Team of the Year - and the winners were the team from The Peninsula London. Mark Douglas, Vice President and General Manager of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, presented the award.
Head Concierge Sonia Vella said: "There is no recognition that would mean more to us than being named the Concierge Team of the Year.
"Through long days, seemingly impossible "conciergeable" requests, successes and setbacks alike, we stand side by side, building the sense of belonging that sits at the heart of everything we do. It is through that belonging that we can give both one another and our guests the ultimate gift of care and the luxury of authenticity."
She added: "More than an award, it is a beautiful celebration of who we are as a collective that fills us with gratitude."
CONCIERGE CHOICE: RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by The Tourism Media Group
★ CUBITT HOUSE ★
Rob Way, CEO of The Tourism Media Group, presented the award to Maddie Burnard, Head of Events and Business Development at Cubitt House, and Ivan Gordeev Event Manager at Cubitt House.
Rob said: "Recommending a restaurant is about more than just finding a table; it's about knowing your guests and knowing where they'll have a great experience, whether its a special celebration, a business lunch or a family dinner.
"You need to know the food will be good, the service will be right and most importantly, your guest will leave happy. Well, tonight's winner has certainly earned that trust with the Golden Keys concierges."
BUSINESS AFFILIATE OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Thames Limo
★ BICESTER VILLAGE ★
Event headline sponsor, Bicester Village, received the Business Affiliate of the Year Award.
Presenting the honour, Mariana Otto, Co-Founder of Thames Limo, said: "We are all here for one purpose - to help you be a better key - a smoother key, a key which opens doors; and that's what makes our business affiliates so special.
"We bring our expertise, our connections, our passion, and quite often, a little bit of magic to make those seemingly impossible requests possible. Tonight we recognise a business affiliate whose commitment, professionalism and support has made a meaningful contribution to our community."
A Word From The President
Society President Binoy Nair said: "Our annual awards are always one of the highlights of our social calendar. It’s an opportunity for us to come together, celebrate our profession and, most importantly, recognise the individuals, teams and affiliates who have gone above and beyond throughout the year.
This year, we have introduced more award categories than ever before. This reflects our commitment to recognising not only the exceptional work of our fellow concierges, but also those people and organisations who support us, make our jobs easier and ultimately help us deliver the very best experience for our guests.
The judging process this year has been more detailed and in-depth than ever. The standard of nominations was incredibly high and, as always, the competition was extremely tough. In many categories, there were only very narrow margins separating the winners.
Every person nominated should be incredibly proud. To have been recognised by your peers and to have made it through such a rigorous process is an achievement in itself.
So, tonight is about celebrating all of you - your dedication, your passion, your professionalism and the friendships that make our industry so special."
Left to right: Anne Golden, General Manager of Pan Pacific London; compere George Murray; Marco Nijhoff, Group Director of Hospitality & Guest Experience at Bicester Village Photos: Edward Croucher
Check out more images of the evening here.
