10 Things You Can (and Cannot) Ask Your Hotel Butler To Do

It may be fun to do-it-yourself in Manhattan, but no one wants to lift a finger while on vacation. As a result, more and more luxury hotels are offering personalized butler services to meet the needs of their A-list clientele. Unlike members of the concierge, many butlers receive professional training—either within the hotel itself or through an organization like the Guild of Professional English Butlers—to learn the proper protocol for tackling any task no matter how big, small… or unusual.

Good butlers do more than simply run errands; they anticipate the needs of their guests, and possess the flexibility and social grace for interacting with people of all ages and cultures. They are affable, knowledgeable, impeccably groomed, and of course, discreet. Still, sometimes even the most well-meaning client crosses the line when it comes to their butler requests. To keep that from happening to you, Haute Living has rounded up the 10 things that you can—and cannot—ask of your hotel butler.

1. You can ask your butler to buy you bath soap, but she won’t give you a bath.

bath

2. You can ask your butler to unpack your suitcase, but she won’t help you change into your pajamas.

Emma WatsonPopsugar

3. You can ask your butler to turn down your covers, but he won’t snuggle with you until you fall asleep.

bed with butlerWho’s in Bed with the Butler?

4. You can ask your butler for milk for your morning coffee, but he won’t taste it to see if it’s fresh.

milk-was-a-bad-choice

5. You can ask your butler to hand deliver condoms to your room, but he won’t be your late-night booty call.

butler-making outWhat the Butler Saw

6. You can ask your butler to prepare you a snack, but he won’t hand-feed you steak.

man being fed Betsie Van der Meer/Getty Images

7. You can ask your butler to schedule your massage, but he won’t be your masseuse.

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8. You can ask your butler to drive you to the gym, but he won’t do your workout.

Businessman-lifts-weights Mayo Clinic

9. You can ask your butler to pour you a nightcap, but he won’t let you take a body shot off his stomach.

drinking butlerButlers in the Buff

10. You can ask your butler to book your flight home, but sadly, he can’t come with you.

butler-boat Telegraph