FAREWELL PROFILE

Head Concierge Deon Prinsloo bids Palazzo Hotel farewell

This ends his 15-year-long career as head concierge and guest relations manager at the award-winning luxury hotel.

Deon Prinsloo worked as head concierge and guest relations manager at the Palazzo Hotel in Johannesburg for nearly 15 years and is leaving the hotel to pursue his long-term dream.

Mr Prinsloo has worked in the hospitality sectors locally and internationally in Belgium and Dubai for almost 38 years. During this time, he has interacted with people from all walks of life: from royalty to heads of state, celebrities to business people, world travellers, and ordinary people. They have all shaped his career and enriched his experiences.

It is through these interactions and passion for creating unrivalled guest experiences, that he has been prompted to step off the familiar path and venture into something new.

On 10 October 2010, Mr Prinsloo launched a first-of-its-kind in the country: the South African Concierge Forum. This platform enables South African concierges/ guest relations personnel to share their experiences and expertise. His motto: ‘Inspire, Share and Shine’, continues to underlie this initiative years later, with the hosting of Annual Concierge Conferences in Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg. Additional educational days have been held quarterly, through the Concierge Forums.

The global health pandemic of 2020, which resulted in many people leaving the industry in droves, ignited Mr Prinsloo’s desire to realise his dream of becoming a consultant.

“After the Covid-19 pandemic, I saw the need for training in this area as many people were forced to leave the sector they loved during the hard lockdown periods — and many never returned,” Mr Prinsloo said.

Mr Prinsloo said that his new venture entails concierge consulting, motivational speaking, SA Concierge Forum networking, personalised travel arrangements, philanthropy orphanage ventures, and floral arrangements, among other focus areas. Further details will be announced in due course.

“Interacting with hotel guests and people in the industry is not just a passion – it is an obsession – and I intend fully sharing my knowledge and expertise, of nearly four decades, with the industry while building much-needed skills and training.”

“As I close this chapter and open a new one, I am grateful to colleagues, guests, and friends for your support — and I look forward to collaborating with you on this new venture,” Mr Prinsloo added.

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