"The concierge service is a bridge between a hotel and its guests," Cheng said. "It is vital for a hotel to offer high-quality concierge services because it constitutes the first impression of the hotel."

"When guests stay at a hotel, a good concierge service can meet their various needs and even take care of them when they are in an unfamiliar city," she added.

Sun Fusheng, chief concierge at the hotel, said he has a passion for discovering the excitement in every area of Beijing and sharing his findings with guests.

"As members of the InterContinental concierge team, we have the ambition to become the people who not only know the hotel inside out, but also be the best informed about the city," Sun said.

Besides individualized tours, the team offers other services to guests, such as traffic and route guidance, luggage delivery, repair service, medical assistance and formal wear hire. They can even help guests order gifts and book tickets.

"The service is top-notch," commented a guest on a travel website. "The concierge and service staff know us by name, which is a big plus for a big hotel, and they are always willing to help us during our stay."