The Savoy, London

Paul Pugh, head concierge

Any famous guests?

A lot people pass through the hotel, if only to eat or drink. We have an opera singer here at the moment and I've seen two previous Prime Ministers in the past week.

Any unusual requests?

We have a very high-spirited American lady staying with us and by the end of the day she wants me to have arranged for her to run in the Pamplona bull-running event. Another guest recently wanted to take a private jet to Sardinia on a whim, so we had to put that together in a couple of hours. Last week a lady requested a bullet-proof evening gown for a function. You have to have a sense of humour in this industry, and we all share the best stories. With the right contacts you can do anything. A very demanding guest has been with us for a week and he comes up with a challenge every day. Today he wanted to know if it was raining at Wimbledon, but he didn't trust the forecasters. I went to the Wimbledon internet site on my computer and showed him the view from the webcam, raindrops and all.

So the Savoy is moving with the times?

Yes, the technology available today means that information is much more accessible, although many people in the industry haven't had much exposure to technology.

The Savoy is a bit of an institution. Last week a gentleman came up to my desk and told me that he had visited the hotel in 1938 for a theatre trip, and had left his car in the garage. I was a bit confused, until he said that he hadn't paid for it at the time and tried to give me £20 to cover the charge. I declined the money and he gave it to charity.

What about a day out?

The Season, which begins with the Chelsea Flower Show and continues through Royal Ascot, Wimbledon and Henley is our busiest time of year. The Savoy Rolls-Royce is hired out all the time.

Royal Ascot is a great day out. It's an opportunity to really dress up: people go to be seen rather than gamble. London's South Bank has been totally redeveloped and there are lots of attractions such as the Eye, the Globe Theatre, Tate Modern and Vinopolis - which is outstanding. The city is a melting pot of restaurants, if people still have the energy to go out. The Ivy is still the most popular, but Oliver Peyton's new opening, The Admiralty, looks good.

The Savoy: 020 7836 4343

The Admiralty: 020 7845 4646

Vinopolis: 020 7645 3700