Who's behind the desk?

Hotels around the country are outsourcing concierge services, though in many cases the guests have no way of knowing that. Below, a sampling of hotels that use a third-party service.

HOTEL/LOCATION: The Venetian, Las Vegas

COMMENTS: Travelocity, which bought local tour broker Showtickets.com two years ago, now employs 150 concierges at 14 Las Vegas spots. At the Venetian's Grand Canal Shoppes, Travelocity employees wear hotel uniforms. The company says it plans to expand to other cities.

HOTEL/LOCATION: Rockefeller Center Hotel New York

COMMENTS: This 4-month-old hotel just inked a deal with ticket vendor New York Guest. Travelers will soon be able to book tours, shows and restaurants by a phone in the lobby. But the hotel will keep its own concierge staff to arrange transportation for guests.

HOTEL/LOCATION: Outrigger Luana, Waikiki, Hawaii

COMMENTS: Expedia operates in more than 40 Hawaiian locations, including this newly renovated condo hotel. Expedia vice president Will Daugherty says the company has made more of an effort to blend in with hotel staff lately. "Hotels that turned us down before because they didn't want a big yellow sign in the lobby are now saying yes," he says.

HOTEL/LOCATION: The Argonaut San Francisco

COMMENTS: The nautically themed Kimpton hotel uses 1-year-old Tour Links. Concierges say they can recommend nearby yoga studios but will refer guests to the front desk for specialized services, like room delivery of a yoga mat and video tape.

HOTEL/LOCATION: Waldorf Astoria, New York

COMMENTS: The hotel's on-staff concierges field most guest concerns, but it uses Continental Guest Services to book shows. Recent guest Val Newman wasn't happy with the service (she was quoted "an exorbitant amount" for tickets) but isn't opposed to the idea. "Everything is being outsourced," she says. Continental Guest says the ticket rates it quotes are within New York's legal limits.