Features: Top Concierges — Rudi Gocer

by Editorial

Bizarre requests, loyal guests most memorable for Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner’s guide.
By Anna Storm

The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner's Rudi Gocer (Photo by Joseph Allen)

It’s easy to overlook modern concierges in the age of the iPhone: you can’t carry one in your pocket, or stick one on your dashboard as you navigate Georgetown traffic. But as the only professionals trained to know the city better than anyone else, their encyclopedia-meets-personal approach is far from outdated. In our series, Top Concierges, we offer up the city’s top hits — and misses — from D.C.’s very own human Googles. The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner’s Rudi Gocer ends our series.

Name:

Rudi Gocer

Hometown:

Istanbul, Turkey

How long have you been living in D.C.?

12 years

How long have you been working as a concierge?

11 years

Most bizarre question you’ve ever been asked by a guest:

Adopt a pet and ship it to Abu Dhabi

One place tourists should ask about but never do:

Library of Congress

Best off-the-beaten-path site:

Eastern Market

Most overrated D.C. attraction:

Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Which one place/region/go-to destination is most worth the hype?

Middleburg, Va.

If the District wasn’t known for politics, what would be its claim to fame?

Its history

What’s your number-one pick for families? For twenty-somethings?

Georgetown

Most frequently asked question:

Hours of operation for the Smithsonian museums

A couple is here for one day, and they’re looking for an experience they can’t get anywhere but D.C. Where would you suggest they go?

The National Mall (U.S.Capitol, The White House, museums)

Best job perk:

Helping people and gaining loyal guests

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