
True Hospitality
Lessons Learned from Behind the Concierge Desk
by Jamie Cooperstein
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Pub Date Apr 08 2025 | Archive Date Apr 07 2025
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Description
“Everything points back to the uniformed girl at the podium in the lobby of the Rittenhouse.”
At twenty-two Jamie Cooperstein dreamed of becoming a successful sports journalist. She never expected that putting on a concierge uniform and stepping into the lobby of the Five Diamond-rated Rittenhouse Hotel would lead to anything more than a paycheck.
Written with wit and humor, True Hospitality is a story of finding an unexpected calling behind the concierge desk. Through personal anecdotes of outlandish guest requests, lavish weddings and parties, celebrity stays, and smoke-filled lobbies, Cooperstein takes an honest look at the true meaning of hospitality and how it came to define her.
True Hospitality is a fascinating memoir of one woman’s journey to find her way in the world of luxury hospitality.
A Note From the Publisher
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jamie Cooperstein teaches companies, employees, and students to enhance the customer experience—a natural extension of her decade spent as a Five Diamond concierge. She is a former president of the Philadelphia Area Concierge Association and lives in the Society Hill section of Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. True Hospitality is her first book.
Advance Praise
“True Hospitality is an absolute delight. With humor, heart, and plenty of jaw-dropping stories from behind the concierge desk, this book is a must-read for anyone who’s ever wondered what it takes to make magic happen for others. Jamie’s insights will stay with you long after the final page.” —Brittany Hodak, author of Creating Superfans
“[True Hospitality has] intriguing hospitality lessons from the front lines of the industry, giving outsiders a real inside glance.” —Micah Solomon, author of The Heart of Hospitality
“True Hospitality is a quick and entertaining read. I could relate to Jamie Cooperstein’s journey as she learned valuable service lessons through experience, grit, and a genuine sense of pride in helping others. The book does a great job of showing the highs and lows of working on the front lines in the service industry.” —Jeff Toister, author of The Service Culture Handbook
Marketing Plan
- Targeted outreach to author's community through website, newsletter, and social media
- Digital galley distribution on NetGalley
- Post publication eBook discount promotion
- Ingram Reviews Program
- National & regional print outreach with a strong focus on hospitality
- National & regional television, radio, and podcast outreach
- Events in the Philadelphia, PA area
Available Editions
EDITION | Paperback |
ISBN | 9781964721323 |
PRICE | $18.95 (USD) |
PAGES | 176 |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews

Oh, I enjoyed this book so much! Ms. Cooperstein began her working life with hopes of becoming a sports journalist. When that did not pan out, she asked her cousin to speak up for her at his employer, The Rittenhouse in Philadelphia. She landed a position on the concierge team with little to no experience and learned from the ground up. After some years at The Rittenhouse, she became the concierge at a luxe highrise in Philly that catered to some very interesting people of wealth and means.
Her education in the art of guest hospitality makes for fun reading, as the book is written in a personable and engaging style. She tells hilarious stories about her time as a concierge, from wild weddings to mediating dispute to some very specific requests from guests and tenants. She had to thread the needle between "the rules" and exceeding the expectations of her clients. Her quick thinking got her out of a couple of tough situations that made me laugh, and I know I wouldn't have been as cool as she was when things went sideways.
I definitely recommend this book for folks who enjoy memoirs and would like an inside peek behind the concierge podium!
Ms. Cooperstein now heads up her own consulting business, educating companies and their staff in the fine art of hospitality. I appreciate Girl Friday Productions and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy to read and review!

I have always been a fan of memoirs from people with unusual jobs. This memoir is all that and more. The great thing about cooperstein is that she has a sense of humor about all she encountered which really makes you more ingrossed in her story.

An easy fun read. I enjoyed the vignette structure. The author traced the growth of her career as a concierge in two different settings - the Rittenhouse Hotel (and residence) in Philadelphia and a high-end condo building in the same city. Ms. Cooperstein must have been the hardest working concierge in the country. And she seems to have done it all with lots of charm and smiles. I learned about the duties and skills that are required in that job. (As it happens, I stayed at the Rittenhouse several years ago and experienced the level of service expected of their staff. It was impressive. I also shared elevator rides with some of the residents of advanced age at the Rittenhouse and got a sense of the sort of clients she worked to satisfy. Respect to Ms. Cooperstein!)
I see from her biography that the author has become a sought-after speaker at conferences in the hospitality industry. She has certainly earned her position as an expert in that field! This should be required reading for anyone who lives in a concierge building or wants to use the services of a concierge in a hotel.

Jamie Cooperstein was plunged into the most unexpected journey in her life — from dreaming of becoming an anchor to working in a high end Hotel in Philadelphia. She talked about how her career shaped her perspective on human connection and the intricacies of the hospitality industry.
From the most outrageous requests from the guests to heartwarming moments, this book is filled with real life anecdotes. Cooperstein provides us with an insider view of what it is like to work in a high-end and exclusive hotel, dealing with people — from celebrities to high-profile individuals that would throw lavish weddings and all the last minute emergencies she had to take care of and the unglamorous realities behind the scenes.
With her witty and engaging storytelling, Cooperstein highlights the job taught her; the power of connecting with human, making them feel valued not just in her workplace but also in her daily life.

This was a wonderful book!! I loved the insight into another career and the things you never think about. I really enjoyed the writing, stories, and progression of the story. I would love to read more true and upbeat stories like this!

I have always been fascinated with hotels and especially the concierge desk, as I remember these people seem to be able to answer any requests. I actually had one of those conversations with the concierge of a high end hotel in Boston.
This book reminded me of this. Fun read and, at times, almost unbelievable, but yet believable.
Great pace and entertaining.

Thanks to GFB and NetGalley for this free ARC in return for my honest review.
Very enjoyable memoir by Jamie Cooperstein as she tells us her story to becoming a Concierge at a 5***** Philadelphia hotel, and later on as Concierge at a Private Residential tower in the same town. Her memoir is light, filled with fascinating stories and insights as to what it is like to be working on he "other side of the desk." I found her book to be extremely well written, as well as filled with wonderful life lessons as to how to make our own lives happier and make our interactions with other more meaningful. Very well done effort!!! 4.5****
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