Il Mio Viaggio Concierge: Assistance in New York

In New York the questions all arrive at once, and always at the wrong moment: which subway line, whether that restaurant is worth the queue, what to do if it rains on observation deck day. This concierge service connects you to someone who lives in the city and answers on WhatsApp within minutes, every day from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM New York time, for 7 days with no cap on messages. It costs $95 instead of $149, and it is the most used of our travel services.

Below you will find what you need before buying: what you can ask and what falls outside, how activation works, how the service behaves if you travel as a group, and the practical details on numbers, hours and refunds.

What You Can Ask the Concierge

This is not a switchboard reading from a script: at the other end is someone who knows the city and answers your specific situation, with that day's weather and opening hours in front of them.

• Personalised itineraries: how to organise your day while cutting travel time
• Directions: how to reach any destination, on foot or by public transport
• Ticket purchases: help buying entry to museums, tours, attractions and shows
• Transport and taxis: how subway payment works, which buses to take, how to call a taxi or ride share
• Restaurants: where to eat based on your tastes and the neighbourhood you are standing in
• Bars and rooftops: which terraces are worth the drink and which need a reservation
• Current events: exhibitions, Broadway shows, markets and what is on that week
• Shopping: from SoHo boutiques to department stores, with the right timing for sales

The real value lies in the questions you would not have known to ask: whether to swap two stops because of the weather, whether that queue clears in twenty minutes or two hours, whether the place you found online still makes sense or has changed hands. These are decisions that take thirty seconds with someone who is there, and half an hour of searching on your phone.

What the Service Does Not Cover

It is worth being equally clear about the limits, since that is where misunderstandings start.

• Lost luggage: dealing with the airline is not part of the service
• Hotel or accommodation problems: disputes and rebookings stay between you and the property
• Credit cards and financial emergencies: blocks, theft and disputes are handled with your bank
• Medical emergencies: the service replaces neither healthcare nor travel insurance
• Legal matters, visas or setting up a business: outside the scope of travel assistance

The concierge is support for getting more out of the city, not an emergency line, and it is backed by a physical office a short walk from Times Square at 324 W 47th St. For getting in from the airport, there is our private airport transfer in New York.

One point worth stating plainly: the concierge replies in Italian. If you need assistance in English throughout your stay, contact us before buying and we will tell you what we can do.

Our tip

Save the concierge number to your contacts as soon as you receive it. Some phones file messages from unknown numbers in a separate folder, and the risk is spotting the welcome message two days after you arrive, having lost two days of service.

How Activation Works

After purchase you receive a confirmation voucher by email. The service activates automatically on the arrival date you gave when ordering, and stays live for seven consecutive days. On that day you receive a welcome message containing the concierge's phone number.

The number is not sent at purchase but only at activation, which is worth knowing so you do not go looking for it in the confirmation email. The service runs one technical way: WhatsApp messages only, so phone calls and voice notes are not included. That is a practical choice, because it leaves a written record of addresses, times and venue names, which is exactly what you need while walking down the street.

If You Are Travelling as a Group

The service links to one phone number per purchase, which can cover a group of up to 12 people. In practice one person collects the group's questions and passes them to the concierge, who replies to them.

If you would rather several people wrote independently, you need one package per number. Watch for a technical detail that only becomes obvious on the ground: numbers not registered in our database receive no reply, so a message sent from a phone other than the one you gave will go unanswered. If you need to change the number, write to info@ilmioviaggioanewyork.com at least 24 hours in advance.

What to Know Before Buying

• The service lasts 7 days from the activation date, not from the day of purchase
• Hours are 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM New York time
• A working WhatsApp account and a stable internet connection are required during your stay
• Written messages only: calls and voice notes are not included
• One number per purchase, covering up to 12 people on that number
• The concierge number arrives at activation, not in the order confirmation email
• Refunds are guaranteed up to 24 hours before the service starts
• No refunds are issued for connection problems or for partial use of the days

If you would rather arrive with a shortlist already in your pocket, the service pairs well with our New York digital maps with attractions and restaurants: the maps answer the where, the concierge answers what to do next.

Important

After purchase you will receive a confirmation by email that serves as your voucher: check your spam folder too, as it sometimes ends up there. The service is available for New York and for Miami, according to the city selected at the time of ordering. Make sure the phone number you provide is correct and that you have WhatsApp access on a stable connection, because numbers not registered in our database receive no reply. The service is not available for groups larger than 12 people on a single linked number. Il Mio Viaggio a New York staffs the service with people who live in the city year round, during the hours listed.