Jorge Sousa spills the secrets of his role working as Chief Concierge at a top hotel.
I started as a concierge in 1986, but for the past 10-and-a-half years I’ve been Chief Concierge at the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney.
So I’ve been doing this job for 27 years. It’s changed a lot in that time – back in the day we had a handwritten ‘concierge bible’, which had thousands of entries and had to be updated every month. We’d get the most junior concierge to check every phone number, every listing, and make any updates by hand. Thank God for the internet!
My job description is to do anything and everything possible for guests, as long as it is legal and moral. One time back in the ’80s, I was asked by a guest to find a goat – he wanted to sacrifice it. He’d just come back from Indonesia where he’d seen a tarot card reader, and she’d told him that unless he sacrificed a goat in the next 48 hours, something disastrous would happen to him and his family.
I was very young at the time, only two years into concierging, but obviously I wasn’t going to help this guy sacrifice a goat. In the end we had to get security involved, and we eventually talked him out of it. Forty-eight hours later the guest and his family were still alive and happy… and celebrating in our bar!
I get between 80 and 120 requests from guests every day. One guest asked for a private plane to be chartered to take him overseas within two hours – we made it in under three. That was challenging.
I have the answers for tricky questions too, like recommendations on strip joints. We have a tasteful booklet called Sydney After Dark – it has all the info on nightclubs, companionship services and so on.
My job doesn’t stop at the desk. The concierge is really the friend away from home for the guest. So for example, if I see someone in the lobby looking a bit lonely, I’ll offer them a newspaper, that sort of thing.
Have I seen some bizarre things? Of course. Being a hotel we see all kinds of people; we have challenging days like any job. But I can’t go into details on that, obviously. For me, each day is a learning process. I meet wonderful people every day and that’s probably what keeps me in this job.
The heavens take centre stage at this Outback NSW glamping lodge.
Crane your neck. Look up. If it’s nighttime in a major Australian city, you might see a faint dusting of stars. Now imagine yourself out in the bush. Here, those stars aren’t just scattered dots – instead, they’re smudged across the sky in endless, glittering streaks. Welcome to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit , a new glamping lodge in one of the most picturesque corners of outback NSW.
Between its eight stargazing tents, Gilay Guest Lounge, and shared tales of the Dreamtime night sky, this retreat is designed to exist in harmony with the breathtaking lake and surrounding landscape. Intrigued? Here’s everything you need to know.
Watch the sky melt into magic at Wilderluxe.
Getting to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit is in the NSW Northern Tablelands, bordered by the Great Dividing Range. The lake itself is hard to miss: this mammoth body of water is two-thirds the size of Sydney Harbour.
Just 40 minutes from Tamworth and close to Gunnedah, it’s on the inland route between Sydney and Byron Bay. Drive or take one of the daily flights to Tamworth’s airport.
Let vast waters and towering ranges set the scene for your escape.
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit rooms
Don’t settle for a paltry room when you can sleep directly under the cosmos. Wilderluxe offers eight domed ‘Star Tents’ , all named after Aboriginal sky stories – like Djirri Djirri, the sacred messenger bird, Baiame, the Sky Father and great creator, and Dhinawan, the Emu in the Sky constellation.
On a clear night, use your tent’s retractable roof for gazing above or wander to the outdoor bathtub on your private deck to soak under the night sky. No need to go anywhere. You can stay put come evening with a kitchenette inside and a gas barbecue on the deck.
Sleep beneath the stars.
Style and character
When it comes to aesthetics, Wilderluxe Lake Keepit stays on trend. The encampment blends with its surroundings, building up layers of minimalist visuals that mirror the ever-changing curves of the water.
Earthy tones, natural materials and timber finishes also anchor the retreat in its bushland surrounds. It’s enough to deepen the sense of calm you’ll experience as you drive off-grid, and this is only heightened as you spot kangaroos grazing at dawn or hear the chatter of native birds by the lake.
Go off-grid in style at Wilderluxe Lake Keepit.
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit dining
‘Dinner and a show’ hits differently with the property’s Big Sky dinner experience . Hosted in the Gilay Lounge, enjoy complimentary drinks and a grazing table with the host, followed by a screening of Big Sky Dreaming, a film produced exclusively for Wilderluxe guests in which Kamilaroi storyteller Uncle Len Waters narrates tales of the Dreaming above.
Once your imagination has been fed, it’s time to take a seat fireside for a glass of Australian port and a serving of s’mores.
Keen to explore the wider area? Staff can provide barbecue and picnic hampers, stuffed with regional meats, cheeses and organic local fare.
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit facilities
While you could very well spend all your time in your tent, sometimes it’s time to hit pause on the celestial show. Instead, make your way up to the Gilay Guest Lounge, where you can relax on the deck overlooking the lake or the outdoor fire pits. It’s a great way to unwind and clink glasses with other stargazers.
Unwind by the fire and raise a glass at Gilay Lounge.
Wilderluxe Lake Keepit experiences
No need to turn nocturnal; when the sun rises, there are still plenty of ways to touch the sky.
Lake Keepit hosted the 2020 Women’s World Gliding Championships, and it’s one of the best places in Australia to stretch your wings. The local Soaring Club operates year-round, meaning you can book a gliding experience any day of the year – or opt for a scenic flight to take in the vast beauty from above.
Prefer to keep your feet on solid ground? There are plenty of walking and cycling trails in and around the area. Luckily, bikes are part of the Wilderluxe package. All you have to do is ask a staff member for their favourite route, throw a picnic onto the back and cycle off into the great beyond.
Alternatively, nab a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or kayak and head out onto the lake. Or, if you’re feeling lucky, borrow a fishing rod and try your chances.
Paddle into peace.
The details
A two-night minimum twin-share accommodation package includes Big Sky dinner and drinks experience, plus daily continental breakfast. As well as access to leisure equipment including mountain bikes, kayaks, SUPs and fishing gear.
Let nature restore you, while luxury takes care of the rest.
