Oklahoma City KEY - Concierge of the Month

Virginia Yabsley
Assistant Hotel Manager
Colcord Hotel - Downtown

PROFILE: Virginia hails from Australia and has been in the hospitality industry for 20 years. Starting in her early teens at a family friend’s hotel, she worked big Italian and Greek weddings as a waitress and ‘got bitten’ by the hospitality bug. “I’ve tried to leave three times over the years and always come back because I miss it!” Virginia started in Food & Beverage in Aussie pubs, restaurants and cafes, later on getting into the accounting and management side of things. “People ask every day why I’m here in Oklahoma City. My husband Nathan is in the Royal Australian Air Force and is working out at Tinker AFB on a 3 year posting. We’ve been here since the end of 2005. I probably say the word Australia
seventeen times a day!” One of two Australians working at the hotel, Virginia is the Assistant Hotel Manager and has been at the Colcord since it opened in October 2006.

WHAT TO DO: Being new to Oklahoma City and living and working downtown, I definitely have my staple places to visit and recommend. For people who have already eaten at our wonderful restaurant Soleil, other restaurants I love include Nonna’s and Mickey Mantle’s… because they both have formal and informal dining options and of course their food is delicious!

Sights and attractions to see include the Myriad Gardens (especially at Christmas when the lights are on), the beautifully done Oklahoma City Memorial and Museum and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art has an extensive Chihuly collection and their Café is fantastic.

I can’t wait for the new RedPin Bowling Lounge next to Harkins at Bricktown to open…something else fun to do and recommend, along with seeing a Redhawks game, a concert at the Ford Center or taking a ride on the Water Taxi.

There’s always something going on in Oklahoma City – whether it be downtown or a short drive away. Our staff is always ready to offer suggestions, directions and assistance to guests and visitors alike. Come in and see our beautiful hotel lobby and enjoy a snack, cocktail or simply a coffee in Soleil. We’d love to see you!

A concierge (pronounced kon-'syerzh) is the closest thing you can find to your own personal assistant in a fine hotel. The concierge in your hotel is there to make your stay in Oklahoma City more enjoyable and hassle-free. A Concierge can do more than call a cab. Through their contacts, locally, nationally, and internationally, a Concierge can:

Obtain dinner, events reservations and tickets when and where no one else can.
Set up itineraries for visiting business people.
Make suggestions for and help plan sightseeing by bus, car, driver, limousine, or on foot.
Provide access to secretarial and office services, including faxes, telexes and photocopies.
Arrange hair, barbering, nail and beauty appointments.
Call ahead to a store and have several outfits set aside if you guess wrong about the Oklahoma weather, then have your selections delivered.
Help families relocating to Oklahoma City obtain information on neighborhoods, schools, and homes.
Help with questions pertaining to other cities - you have a friend anywhere in the world where there is a Concierge.

The Concierge has grown to be a trusted resource in the finest hotels in the world. However, don't just take our word for it. Discover what a concierge can do by simply asking for assistance. You'll find that a concierge is capable of meeting the needs of every guest, no matter how discriminating. Concierges spread good will. Call a Concierge - they won't let you down! As the #1 visitor destination city in Oklahoma, Oklahoma City has lots to see and do and whether you visit the Cowboy Hall of Fame, Omniplex, National Bombing Memorial, our beautiful museums, or stroll along the River Walk in Bricktown, the concierge staff at your hotel is there to guide you.

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