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The Concierge

Fitzgerald Heslop
Head Concierge
Hilton Hartford Hotel
Hartford, Conn.


What service can you provide to groups that they normally might not receive?

It is no secret that when our guests arrive at any establishment, especially the Hilton in downtown Hartford, I have already communicated the superior level of service and the tradition of excellence that they expect during their visit to our city. Each night I personally walk around downtown for 45 minutes to top restaurants, bars and in some cases nightclubs to maintain a presence. If I run into a group of people who either live in the city or are just visiting, I always look at it as an opportunity to extend our gratitude for choosing the Hilton hotel or just the city of Hartford to live, work and play in.

What are your group restaurant recommendations?
M&M Coffee Shop, Spris, Agave, Max Downtown, VIVO, The Russell, Vito’s by the Park, Dish, and Feng. I would like to get right to the point with these recommendations; each of these establishments reflects the characteristics that our groups have come to love and appreciate. The physical attributes of each restaurant are extraordinary in every way imaginable.

What are your bar or nightclub recommendations?
I am persuaded that Vaughn’s Irish Pub and Sweet Jane’s are the best places to go for a real bar scene in downtown Hartford. Hartford has a very active nightclub/lounge scene as well. My favorites are Room 960, which is located right in the heart of downtown, Crush and the Emperor at the Linden, which has an exquisite dining room, an inviting menu, and when you journey downstairs you will find the famous “bed lounge.” I am convinced that you will be able to find a little Miami and New York right here in Hartford.

If we only have an hour or two, what should we definitely check out nearby?
Please! Please! Visit all of these places if you have an hour or two. First, you’ve got to go to the Wadsworth Athenaeum Museum of Art. You’ll see everything from European Baroque and Romantic masterpieces to works by Impressionist and Modernist painters. Plus, they always have something going on there. Next, make your way over to the Mark Twain House & Museum, where you will have a chance to mix business with pleasure at “the most distinctive address in Hartford.” Lastly, the Old State House is a restored 1796 National Historic Landmark that has some of the most impressive rooms, with soaring ceilings, intricate woodwork and massive multi-paned windows.

What has been an unusual request from a group?
The most unusual request from a group that I have received to date was a request by a group leader to find the group a bar with karaoke on the most jam-packed night. So I did. I learned that everyone in the group was afraid to speak in front of people and this was to be one of their challenges. The only way they could be reimbursed for their meals would be if they fulfilled the challenge of singing in front of a lot of people. Let’s just say that from the looks on their faces when they learned of the challenge everyone probably ended up paying for their own meals.

What’s a unique event that has taken place at your property?
The most unique and extraordinary event that has taken place at our property was when the lovely ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority Incorporated stayed with us. Their sorority colors are pink and green. The Hilton Hartford Hotel went above and beyond these ladies’ expectations by changing the lighting to pink and green in every elevator, public space and exterior perimeter of the hotel. We placed pink and green toilet paper in every guest room in the hotel, including the public men’s and women’s restrooms. We changed our bar menu and drink list to show our research and respect for their treasured Greek history. It was an amazing week for over 3,000 women in pink and green.