Key Points
- From their humble beginnings in the concierge team, Jason Aberin, Christophe Ables, and Robin Marundan have successfully risen to their respective leadership roles.
- As concierge leaders in the respective five-star hotels where they work, the three take pride in their hard work and continuous growth, and have become the only three members of Australia's elite hotel concierge society, Les Clefs d'Or.
- They encourage those starting the industry, such as the porters and doormen, to continuously strive for self-improvement and to never lose sight of their aspirations.
As the first point of contact, concierges play a key role in shaping each guest’s experience. Beyond handling requests, they act as trusted advisors—offering recommendations, booking tours, and creating personalised, memorable stays.
“For me, the concierge is the guest's best friend, whether you're a regular guest, a VIP, a celebrity, or a politician,” explains Robin Marundan, who's the Chief Concierge at one of the luxury hotels in Sydney.
“As a concierge, you are the ambassador of your hotel.
You always represent the standards of your hotel, and your role is to ensure that every guest feels valued and cared for.”
Australia’s concierge industry is broad, with hospitality as its largest sector, spanning from hotels, restaurants, resorts, and even cruise ships.
Robin Marundan recently received his distinctive gold crossed keys, worn by Les Clefs d'Or members, a symbol recognised by travellers around the world and that identifies the bearer as a true professional in their chosen career. Credit: Les Clefs d'Or Australia and Robin Marundan (Facebook)
Personal journey
Each of Jason Aberin, Christophe Ables, and Robin Marundan has a unique story of how they entered the hospitality industry.
For Jason Aberin, his career began as a casual position at the former Sebel Town House in Elizabeth Bay, within the housekeeping and front office departments.
After a year in hospitality, he took a full-time sales consultant role at a Sydney bank. While juggling both jobs, he found greater fulfilment in hotel work, enjoying the chance to assist guests from all over the world.
He later committed to the hotel industry full-time, starting as a porter, rising through the ranks from Bell Captain to Assistant Concierge, Assistant Night Manager and eventually becoming Chief Concierge at Hilton Sydney. He now works with W Sydney.
Aberin was also the first among the three to earn membership in the prestigious Les Clefs d'Or Australia, the elite society for hotel concierges and is currently the State Director for New South Wales and the ACT.
Jason Aberin is currently Les Clefs d'Or Australia's State Director for NSW & ACT. Credit: Les Clefs d'Or Australia
As the last member of his family left in the Philippines, Christopher Ables moved to Australia over 22 years ago. His path into the hospitality industry was anything but straightforward.
Armed with a degree in aircraft maintenance and experience in a hospitality management role back home, Christopher faced a challenging transition. Starting over in a new country wasn’t easy.
He began his Australian journey working in a factory in Sydney’s inner west. But when an opportunity to join the hotel industry arose, he seized it—marking the start of a new chapter in his career.
"The couple of years were unstable for me. Because my wife is also a hotelier, what happens is every time there's an opening for her, I need to move with her. We've been relocated to the Gold Coast and Victoria, so my career path to concierge back then was challenging."
"But I'm always with a hotel, it's either I work as a front office person, or in sales, banquets and when things stabilise a little bit, I move back to Sydney."
Although his path to becoming a concierge was unconventional, Christopher Ables takes great pride in his role as a dedicated professional within the realm of luxury hospitality. Credit: Abbey Vizcarra Ables (Facebook)
Arriving in Sydney from the Philippines in 2017, Robin Marundan had a clear sense of direction from the very beginning. Starting as a porter at a local hotel in the city, the dedicated father of two steadily worked his way up to the esteemed position of Chief Concierge at the Sheraton Grand in Sydney.
“Becoming part of this elite organisation was a long process,” he recalls. “It took me two years of preparation before reaching the final interview.”
In May 2025, he was awarded his own Les Clefs d’Or golden keys—a prestigious symbol of his dedication, perseverance, and excellence in the field.
In an interview with SBS Filipino, Robin Marundan (left) and Christopher Ables discuss the challenges and rewards of working in the prestigious world of concierge service. Credit: SBS Filipino
'In service through friendship'
Aberin, Ables and Marundan pride themselves as the only three Filipino members of the Australian chapter of Les Clefs d'Or, the elite and friendly society of hotel concierges. As an organisation, they aim to promote tourism throughout Australia.
"The connections that we build through the organisation benefit us a lot.
For example, you have a guest checking in, say in the New York branch of the hotel you work for, you can endorse that guest, and the receiving hotel will be able to assist the guests accordingly and surprise them with their preferences," Marundan shares.
"With our global motto, 'In Service Through Friendship', so just like what Robin said, if you have connections in Berlin, London or New York, those are the people you'll contact to serve your hotel guests better," Ables adds.
Some of the members of the Australian elite hotel concierge society, Le Clefs d'Or. Credit: Le Clefs d'Or Australia (Facebook)
Words of advice for those starting in the concierge industry, Marundan believes that if you want something, "Don't be afraid. Just keep going and follow your dreams as you set your goals, and you don't stop."
"If you want something, you will get it. It doesn't happen overnight, but with passion, hard work combined and persistence, you will get it."
One of the many perks of working as a concierge is the opportunity to be among the first to experience a restaurant’s new menu, sample curated package tours, and enjoy the latest offerings from hotels and resorts. Credit: Les Clefs d'Or
For Christopher Ables, "every day is a new beginning", adding, "For any Filipinos wanting to become a Les Clefs d'Or, one day, seeing kababayans working in the same industry with such passion for what they do, you feel proud."
"They really give their all, especially if you're a room attendant or work in room service, you'll see their passion that one day they'll be able to run their departments."
Marundan agrees. "We were once just starting too, just like the porters, commissioners, and valet attendants.
The key is to keep improving yourself, never stop learning, and always aim for your dreams.”
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