The Business: Lumen Concierge – A Seamless Guest Experience
Sometimes, isn’t it the little things that make a biggest difference?—having groceries stocked at your rental before you get there, receiving an itinerary designed based on your own personal interests, or having someone to care for your pet during your stay. This is what Lauren McKeel’s, Lumen Concierge, does. Lauren has built something truly unique and special in Asheville and its surrounds—an on-the-ground concierge service that caters to visitors staying in Airbnb’s, couples eloping in here the mountains, and even wedding parties needing some extra hands at tasks planners are ill-equipped to handle.
Lauren provides all this — grocery pre-stocking, itinerary planning, wedding pet care, and even wine and flower deliveries. It’s about making guests feel like they’re being taken care of in a way they can simply show up, relax, and get straight to maximizing their vacation, elopement or wedding/event without the stress.
The Journey: How Lauren Built Lumen Concierge
Lauren’s path into the concierge world wasn’t exactly planned—it just made sense. “I moved here in 2016, worked in the service industry for years—bartending, food serving. And I always had side gigs too, personal assistant-type work, delivering groceries, just a variety of jobs. I always loved the variety.”
Then in 2020, she stumbled onto a very unique opportunity. “A friend was moving and wanted to pass her personal concierge clients to someone she trusted. She had them for years and just wanted to make sure they were taken care of. I’d heard of concierge services in hotels, but not personal concierge. But this is what I do anyway—helping here and there, finding solutions, organizing. So, I jumped on it.”
She began building her client base almost entirely by word of mouth. “Even during COVID, I didn’t really have to do a lot of traditional advertising because it just grew on its own. I had a great network, and people liked the service. Then, I fell into the guest concierge business. Someone reached out to me about stocking an Airbnb with groceries before they arrived. She was the grandmother of the group, and she brought 10 people and there were a lot of kids. She gave me a $1,000 grocery list, and I completely filled the fridge and pantry before they arrived.”
That was the lightbulb moment. “I thought, this is such a good idea for big groups traveling from different places. They were so happy, and it was such a simple way to make their trip easier.”
From there, she started researching. “I found that there are companies that do this, especially around ski resorts. I was already getting burned out on the personal concierge side of things, but I loved itinerary planning and grocery delivery for businesses.” She slowly started shifting her talents in that direction, focusing on vacation rental guests and Airbnb hosts.
Her Services: Making Guest Stays a Breeze
Lumen Concierge now specializes in two major services:
- Custom Itinerary Planning – “Ages, interests, you name it—we’ll book local tours, local experiences, restaurants, and provide a detailed list of recommendations.”
- Provisioning (Grocery Delivery) – “If people want all organic or grass-fed beef, we go to Whole Foods. If they want traditional, popular food items, we go to Harris Teeter. We coordinate with Airbnb hosts so all of the food arrives before the guests do. We take extra care to not track in any mud or leave any trash, so the place looks just as nice as it did before we arrived.”
Lauren makes sure the experience is seamless. “We don’t just drop it at the door and leave. That helps with weather, bears, all sorts of things. Plus, it’s just nice to walk into a place and have everything stocked and ready.”
Now Expanding into the Wedding Market
As her business grows, Lauren sees an easy and beneficial way to expand: weddings. “So many people come here for weddings, and they have planners, but planners don’t always take care of the small things like, ‘Where do we eat with a wedding party of 20? What should we do the days leading up to the wedding?’ It’s the same concept as guest concierge, just more catered to wedding groups.”
One of her most unique services? Wedding pet care.
“People want their dogs in their weddings. But weddings are long, and you don’t want a guest to be stuck with your dog the whole time. We pick up the pets, dress them up, like in flower collars or tuxedos, bring them to the venue, and we’re there for photos and cocktail hour. We make sure they’re happy, then we take them back to their rental, feed them dinner, and stay with them until their owners get back. It’s a great way to include dogs without stress. Some people don’t want to leave their dog alone in a rental, and honestly, hiring us is cheaper than the potential damage from an anxious pet.”
Who Lumen Concierge Is Best For
Lumen Concierge is perfect for:
- Vacation rental guests who want groceries, wine, or flowers delivered before they arrive. (Or even after they arrive)
- Couples eloping or getting married who want the same.
- Wedding parties needing itinerary planning or restaurant reservations.
- Dog owners who want their pets in their wedding but don’t want the stress of managing them all day.
Lauren’s services are in demand, especially among larger groups, honeymooners, and elopement couples. “We get a ton of couples, especially people who are eloping or on their honeymoon. They don’t mind paying a little extra for such a great convenience.”
The Future: What’s Next for Lumen Concierge?
Lauren’s business is growing quickly, thanks to referrals from vacation rental managers, wedding planners, and local influencers. She’s also thinking about offering digitized itineraries.
“They’d be specific to different travelers—dog-friendly, hiking, outdoor, neighborhood-specific—and include local discounts. But my main focus right now is maintaining what we already have. We’re growing fast, and I want to make sure everything stays high quality.”
She also has a small but strong team. “I have one person who does our local dog walking clients, and at full staff, I have three trained people who help. Oh, and we also deliver just wine and flowers too for guests who want it.”
Lauren’s passion for making travel easier shines through everything she does.
To learn more about Lumen Concierge, visit www.lumenconcierge.com.
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