Officially registered as U.I.C.H. (Union Internationale des Concierges d’Hôtels), Les Clefs d’Or is an international network of professional concierges — men and women united by shared values, a commitment to excellence, and the highest standards of service. What sets this organization apart is its unique spirit — a blend of expertise, privileged access to information, intelligence, and impeccable communication skills. Les Clefs d’Or is non-political, non-religious, and definitely not a trade union. It is built on the foundation of friendship and mutual support among its members, all devoted to assisting hotel guests at the highest level.
The story of Les Clefs d’Or begins in the late 1920s, when a group of concierges from various Parisian hotels decided to unite under the leadership of Pierre Quentin, concierge of the Ambassador Hotel. On October 27, 1929, Mr. Quentin gathered eleven distinguished concierges from across Paris for a dinner at Noël Peters restaurant — marking the first-ever professional meeting of its kind.
Within a month, the newly formed association held its first General Assembly, attended by over 75 delegates. On November 27, 1929, Pierre Quentin was unanimously elected the first president of Les Clefs d’Or, a role he held for three years. In 1936, the association’s headquarters were established at 12 rue Cambon in Paris.
During World War II, the association ceased operations, as many hotels in Paris were occupied by German forces. However, on April 25, 1952, a historic meeting of representatives from six national sections took place at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes. This event marked the founding of the Union Européenne des Portiers des Grands Hôtels "Les Clefs d’Or", the international organization that we know today. It was the first multinational congress of its kind, bringing together delegates from France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Belgium and Denmark joined as observers, while Spain participated as a guest country.
At the head of this newly formed organization stood Ferdinand Gillet, concierge at the Scribe Hotel in Paris. He is rightfully considered the founding father of Les Clefs d’Or. His motto, which has since become the guiding philosophy of the association:
"To serve without being a servant, to serve with a capital 'S', always striving for excellence." — continues to inspire generations of concierges.
The association quickly began to grow. New countries joined the movement year after year:
- 1955 — Austria
- 1956 — Sweden
- 1960 — Ireland and the Netherlands
- 1962 — Norway and Spain
- 1964 — Morocco
- 1965 — Greece
- 1970 — Israel
In 1970, following Israel's entry, the organization changed its name from UEPGH to UIPGH (Union Internationale des Portiers des Grands Hôtels "Les Clefs d’Or") to reflect its expanding presence beyond Europe.
Subsequent growth continued steadily:
- 1972 — Portugal
- 1976 — Canada
- 1978 — United States
- 1980 — Finland
- 1981 — Australia
- 1982 — Hong Kong
- 1985 — Hungary
- 1986 — Singapore
- 1988 — Luxembourg
- 1990 — Romania
- 1991 — Czech Republic
- 1992 — Brazil
- 1993 — Philippines
- 1994 — New Zealand
- 1996 — China and Mexico
- 1997 — Japan and Malaysia
In 1998, the association officially adopted its current name — U.I.C.H. (Union Internationale des Concierges d’Hôtels) Les Clefs d’Or. The word Concierge was intentionally emphasized in the name to reinforce the association’s identity as a society of hotel professionals.
Russia's participation in the international Les Clefs d’Or community began in 1997 at the International Congress in Budapest, where the Russian section was accepted as an affiliate member under the Hungarian section. On November 16, 1999, five pioneers — Evgeny Bagdasarov, Andrey Bushuev, Alexander Lyamin, Stanislav Paikov, and Lavrenty Gienko — held the Constituent Assembly that led to the founding of the organization ROO “Golden Keys of Concierges”.
On January 28, 2000, the organization gained official legal status. The following year, at the Congress in Athens, it was formally announced that since 2000, the Russian section had become the official Russian branch of Les Clefs d’Or.
- 2000 — Russia
- 2003 — Taiwan and Turkey
- 2005 — Thailand
- 2006 — South Korea
- 2008 — Argentina
- 2010 — United Arab Emirates
- 2011 — India
- 2012 — Poland
- 2014 — Qatar and Macau
- 2018 — Indonesia
By 2017, the association was represented in over 80 countries, across 536 destinations, and included more than 4,000 members worldwide. However, the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the hospitality industry. As of 2025, Les Clefs d’Or comprises 44 national sections with a total of 3,282 active members.
