Concierge services are moving out of the realm of a luxury for the financial elite and into the mainstream, as more people strive to reclaim their precious time. It’s not just an urban phenomenon. Even in cottage country, Muskoka’s independent concierges offer their clients a healthier work-life balance by assuming some of the drudgery of life. The classic role of the concierge is that of a knowledgeable hotel employee who assists guests with making restaurant reservations, arranging spa services, procuring event tickets and assisting with various travel and tour arrangements. In high-end hotels, a concierge is often expected to achieve the nearly impossible by relying on an extensive list of personal contacts with local merchants and service providers.

Historically the concierge was an officer of the King in Medieval times who was charged with executing justice on the King’s estate. The term concierge evolved from the French Comte Des Cierges, the keeper of the candles, who tended to visiting nobles in castles during the Medieval era. More recently, especially in France and Spain, the concierge was an employee who lived on the premises of an apartment building and served as a general property caretaker. The modern day concierge is following a well-trodden path.

Muskoka’s concierges are as diverse as the clientele they serve. Some concierge services are dedicated to one major client while others service a roster of clientele. Some concierges work for wealthy, even famous, cottage owners while others specialize in providing services to busy two-income families who prefer to delegate mundane tasks to someone else so they can take time for their children. Some concierges live on-site like the concierges of old while most of them operate from a home or office base....