Brussels hums with fresh energy, and The Hoxton, a chic blend of retro cool and modern grace, stands as its vibrant pulse. But the heart of this urban oasis beats in the passionate rhythm of General Manager, Chaim Scheepers. In this exclusive interview, he unlocks the secrets behind the hotel's unique charm, from its community-embracing ethos to its 70s-inspired design, and reveals why Brussels is buzzing with a newfound energy thanks to The Hoxton's infectious spirit.

Give us an introduction to yourself and your experience in the industry

I'm originally from the Netherlands but started my hotel career in London with Starwood Hotels, which later became Marriott, and spent five years there. Then, I headed to India, followed by Switzerland, Hungary, and New Zealand. And now, I'm back in Europe, happily settled in Brussels, where I've been the General Manager of The Hoxton, Brussels for the past year and a half, leading up to the lovely project launching the hotel and co-working space.

Can you tell us a bit about The Hoxton and why it was chosen to launch in Brussels?

We already had Hotels in Amsterdam and Paris, and with Brussels being the halfway destination it was the obvious choice as it creates a beautiful steppingstone for people who travel between those cities and London too, where we have another 4 Hoxtons. It’s really exciting to bring our brand to Brussels; to the heart of Europe. Plus, we think this city was in need of a hotel like The Hoxton. It’s a great city, but the hotel offerings can be a bit traditional. We like to shake things up and bring a fresh perspective on hospitality. And the response we've gotten from guests in the seven months since we opened has been fantastic. It's clear there's an appetite for this kind of experience in Brussels.

What do you think great customer service or customer experience looks like at Hoxton and what do you think makes it unique?

We are what we call an ‘open house’. Sometimes people struggle to get a good sense of what we are and what that means but this becomes clear when you visit and see the variety of guests we host and the relaxed atmosphere we offer. There is often an industry perspective to stick to dated ideals of luxury and business travel and having a very black and white categorised outlook on how you should approach business and target markets. At The Hoxton we speak in a different language, by being an open house it means we are not exclusive, but inclusive, which may sound cliché, but it is shown in practice. We aim to be open to the community, the same with our hotels everywhere we want to welcome the neighborhood as we are within them. We are a place for everyone, including international travellers but first and foremost our local community.

This attitude still surprises people, I often get asked questions such as “can I use the rooftop if I am not a guest of the hotel”, yes you can and yes you should. This is also reflected in our design, with soft furniture, cozy corners, ambient lights and music throughout the day, which I think combined with the attitude of our team makes our guests and community want to be here and come back.

What is exciting you about the hotel industry and the Hoxton in general?

I'm still amazed by the transformation of a space from bare concrete and empty walls into a buzzy hotel. It's a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire opening team. Seeing the hotel come to life, with the furniture, lighting, and now a team of 150 employees all coming together, has been really exciting.

Also, little but big achievements like being recognised for the culinary offerings we have, for example our restaurant Cantina Valentina was just recently featured in Gault & Millau. Seeing the team proud of themselves and of our achievements together, is special.

What’s the greatest piece of advice you have received?

Forget about demographics of age, business vs leisure etc. I have now seen at The Hoxton that this has all become very fluid. You can no longer fit guests into categories, other industries have already recognised this shift, but hospitality seems to be slightly behind the curve.

How would you describe the décor and the design of this hotel?

With every Hoxton, we try to draw inspiration from the neighborhood around us. I stress neighborhood rather than city, as we don’t want to fit the cliches that each city has. This building was built in the 1970’s, it used to be an IBM headquarters, therefore the décor is very 70’s with popping colours and daring design, for example our iconic pink toilets. We have a great internal design studio that is willing to try exciting designs and has the talent to ensure it works well together.

It is important to us that our guests feel they can relax in all areas of the hotel, we have ambient lighting that changes over the day and creates a sense of coziness, and we also have little corners where they can sit calmly and feel like they are tucked away.

What do you think are some of the major opportunities or challenges in the hotel sector for 2024?

While we've come a long way in recovering from the pandemic, there's still some global uncertainty that could impact the hospitality industry. Travel is a sensitive business, and businesses can easily put their travel plans on hold when things get turbulent. This can cause a ripple effect, affecting our ability to maintain consistent occupancy and revenue.

Right now, travel is thriving, and Brussels has never seen so many tourists, especially during the weekend. But we have to be mindful of the potential for sudden shifts in travel patterns and that’s always a challenge.

What is your favorite part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is seeing all the prearation and execution of different teams come together as a whole. It's an immense amount of hard work, and I was practically living at the hotel in the weeks leading up to opening day – and many of our team did. Witnessing the hotel come together to create the entire guest experience, and then receiving such positive guest feedback and seeing everyone’s achievements, makes me feel really proud of the team.

Are there any sustainability initiatives and suppliers you have introduced to the hotel?

During renovation the entire building was stripped down to concrete and when we rebuilt it, we had a clear objective of it being green. We’ve implemented several sustainability initiatives and are working with eco-friendly suppliers to reduce our environmental impact. We've eliminated fossil fuels, relying solely on sustainably sourced electricity. We're also generating our own renewable energy with solar panels on the roof. Our heating and cooling systems are optimised for efficiency, ensuring minimal energy consumption.

As individuals, we've made a conscious effort to minimise waste by banning all single-use plastics from our operations. We actively review our menus and kitchen practices to minimize food waste too. We're continuously refining our environmental policies, systematically introducing stricter regulations to further reduce our carbon footprint. Our long-term goal is to achieve green certification for all Hoxton properties within the next five to ten years and we’re well on the way. 

What would the theme song of Hoxton Brussels be?

Any song of the American band Khruangbin. Especially “Time (You and I)” that plays in our lobby all the time. Because of their 70’s inspired music and style and because they don’t fit in any boxes, very much like The Hoxton, and like Brussels.

Do you have a memorable guest experience so far?

There was recently a wedding proposal on our rooftop, which was very special. He informed us before, and we filmed the whole thing and the entire restaurant celebrated (she said yes!). It is lovely to know that they would pick our rooftop for such a special occasion.