THE WORKMANS
Need an expert opinion? Our concierge staff is here to help you find whatever you need to make that perfect memory.
MY HAPPY PLACE For Concierge Darrel Smith, serving others is as ‘effortless as breathing’ BY ZANDRA WOLFGRAM
20 HILTON SANDESTIN BEACH 2021
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f you find something you have a passion for, you are just lucky. Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa guests are lucky, because no one is more delighted to do what they do than Darrel Smith, the lead concierge. “I enjoy getting people to smile — that puts me in a happy place.” As a self-professed “globetrotter” and “foodie,” this 35-year veteran of the hospitality industry doesn’t make any suggestion lightly; he knows guests rely on him to make the best choices. “I don’t recommend a company I don’t know or a restaurant I have not visited,” he says. And figuring out just what that
experience is for each guest, is what this seasoned concierge lives for. “That’s what’s fun,” he says. “Getting into a conversation and finding out what they really want.” One of Smith’s many talents, can’t be taught or learned in school. “Its about reading people well,” he says. “I really enjoy that part. You guide them in a way that gets the entire family excited about being here.” Smith loves to arm guests with all that the hotel offers so they are able to fully enjoy their stay. “We truly do have something for every traveler, right here at the hotel,” he says, “what’s more, you can experience plenty without ever having to leave the property.”
