Globetrotter: Bram van der Hoek
Interview: Haris Stavridis // Portrait: Courtesy // Photos: Hotel Americano / Luis Vuitton / Soren Andersson / Sir Savigny / Max Brown
Selecting my next destination can be a bit tricky, as I always try to discover new things—and I don’t just mean new hotels. For me work never stops, it’s something built into my system, so I when I am about to go somewhere I want to make sure that this place will inspire me and give me something new to think on my way back.
I am not really attached to brands when it comes to luggage. With that being said, I recently got a travel day bag from Louis Vuitton as a gift and it’s quite nice without being too obvious.
I used to pack a lot of clothes in the past but I have now given up on this bad habit. I usually travel for three or four days for business so I try to pack as light as possible—it really makes your life easier. My only rule is that I take as many clothes as I can fit into a cabin luggage.
Being fit is to me the best solution to jet lag. I run three times a week at seven o’clock in the morning for a few kilometres and I try to do this as soon as I’ve landed to a new destination.
Maybe I am wrong, but I don’t feel very attracted to Dubai. This and Miami would probably be on my list of the most overrated destinations. On the other hand, Stockholm and Copenhagen are definitely two cities that are quite underrated and have a lot to offer.
Koh Samui is probably one place I wouldn't want to return to. The whole island and its atmosphere were not really for me.
London is great for shopping, hands down. There are so many small stores that you stumble upon when exploring the city, so many hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. I also get this feeling when I am in New York.
Cote D’Azur is where I always look forward to returning to as we have good friends there and we try to visit at least twice a year. The south of France has a certain ambience that I find so alluring.
British Columbia and the Table Mountain in South Africa have the most breath-taking scenery that I have seen. Both are super beautiful.
I really enjoyed staying at the Hotel Costes in Paris and the Nomad in New York. The Americano and The Standard are also both great. At the end of the day, what matters most in a hotel is how people treat you and how they make you feel. The personnel can really make or break the culture of the place and elevate the customer experience.
My best advice to fellow travellers out there? Follow the locals!
