A presence that supports every aspect of a guest’s stay by mastering all manner of information both inside and outside the hotel — the concierge.
At BELLUSTAR TOKYO, A Pan Pacific Hotel (hereafter “BELLUSTAR TOKYO”), Mori has served as Chief Concierge since 2024. While handling a wide-ranging array of responsibilities as diverse as the guests themselves, she reflects with a gentle smile, “Through my interactions with our guests, I sometimes feel that I am the one receiving happiness.”

Mori:“Since becoming a working professional, I’ve had the opportunity to work across a wide range of industries and roles, including public relations, event planning and operations, sales, graphic design, and translation. That said, it wasn’t that I had a strong attachment to any particular career path, I simply had a strong curiosity to experience and learn whatever I could at each stage. As a result, I found that many of the places I spent time in ended up being overseas.”

She explains that her entry into the hotel industry also came about through an unexpected turn of events.

Mori:“It all began when I worked as a guest relations attendant at a hotel in Osaka. I was hired because I could speak English, but I felt incredibly fortunate to be able to use the skills I had built up over my life to help others. Later, I was selected by my supervisor at the time to become a concierge, which marked the beginning of the career path I am on today.”

While working as a concierge in the Kansai region, including Osaka and Kyoto, she had been considering a return to Yokohama, where her family home is located, when the opportunity at BELLUSTAR TOKYO arose. Although she had no prior experience as a concierge in Tokyo, she saw it as a chance to take on a new challenge and decided to join BELLUSTAR TOKYO. Now, while also fulfilling her role as Chief Concierge, she engages each day with the journeys of her guests.

Mori:“For some guests, we begin communicating more than a year before their check-in date, and continue our correspondence right up to the day of their arrival. As that day gradually approaches, I naturally find my excitement building. I feel that this sense of anticipation is something unique to being a concierge.
Our guests place their trust in us and entrust us with a wide variety of requests. Although our time with them is limited, being able to play a part in someone’s life, even for a brief moment, is something I find deeply rewarding as a concierge.

For Mori, who genuinely enjoys connecting with others and values every encounter, the presence of the Associates*1 she works with at BELLUSTAR TOKYO is also a constant source of inspiration.

Note 1: At Tokyu Hotels & Resorts, employees are referred to as “Associates.”

Mori:“I feel that many of the Associates at BELLUSTAR TOKYO are very open-minded. They have the capacity to embrace diverse opinions and values, and are incredibly dependable as colleagues. In addition, because Associates with a wide range of backgrounds and talents come together here, I learn a great deal not only through my day-to-day work, but also through my interactions with others.
Of course, I also take great pride in our concierge team. We are a team with such passion and appeal that we can confidently say we are the best.”

The work of a concierge begins even before a guest arrives at the hotel.

Through advance communication, they anticipate guests’ needs and seek out the most suitable proposals. Mori explains that the key to this lies in continuous, day-to-day information gathering.

Mori:“Tokyo’s Shinjuku district is shaped by a rich culture built by those who came before us. By building relationships with local people, we are able to learn things we could never discover on our own. In a place like Shinjuku, where change happens rapidly, it’s important not to overlook even the smallest shifts. Whether it’s a new shop opening or a subtle change in the atmosphere of the area, we stay attuned to these details and share them within the team.
In addition, our network with concierges at nearby hotels is an invaluable source of learning. At the monthly meetings, we are introduced to people from tourism associations, local governments, and companies, and we also exchange views on concierge training. Through the knowledge and experience of many individuals, as well as strong team collaboration, I believe we concierges grow into what you might call a ‘walking department store.’”

For guests they have yet to welcome, daily information gathering is an essential part of the job. However, Mori notes that this alone does not define the role of a concierge; it also requires a wide range of skills and the right mindset.

Mori:“The nature of a concierge’s work is that you can never predict what kind of request a guest will bring. That’s why I believe it’s important to remain composed in any situation, and to respond calmly and naturally without showing any change in expression. We need to have a solid grasp of information from many different angles and be prepared at all times so that we can offer thoughtful, composed suggestions to our guests.”

She adds that even more important is the ability to read the needs behind a guest’s words.

Mori:“Before trying to identify a guest’s needs, it’s important to first understand what kind of person they are. From the accent of their speech, I may infer their country of origin, and through a brief conversation, I can sense whether they are in a hurry or prefer to take their time.
Being able to intuit a guest’s interests and intentions, and to instantly judge what to do—and just as importantly, what not to do—is also a key part of a concierge’s role. For that reason, I make a conscious effort to keep refining myself, rather than becoming complacent in the day-to-day.”

Mori goes on to explain that underlying these skills is a far simpler motivation. It is the desire to “make people happy.”

Mori:“In order to envelop our guests in a sense of comfort and ease, I believe it is our responsibility to continually ask ourselves, ‘What can we do?’ A concierge is not simply someone who provides information. It is important that we constantly think about what kind of hospitality we can prepare, not only for the guests in front of us, but also for those we have yet to meet in the future.”

This embodies BELLUSTAR TOKYO’s philosophy of transforming each guest’s time into a truly memorable experience.