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Laura, van Dijke visited 20 European cities and organized
mini-events with local bars and roasters to invite the
town’s coffee crowd and spread the word. “We have put
a lot of effort into it, and it’s a lot of work. However, I
think the reward is much bigger. We are really in contact
with people.” Sharo demonstrated the “old-fashioned”
way worked well. Currently, the Coffee Hotel Residency
Program has already received almost 100 sign-ups. The
team is looking forward to welcoming people with differ-
ent backgrounds in the coffee industry to join and ex-
change knowledge and ideas.
As for the hotel itself, construction is already in full
swing. The coffee hotel will occupy five adjacent buildings
now being completely renovated. Social housing will be
located on the top floors, completely renovated, and made
more sustainable. The renovation is expected to finish
sometime next year after all the certifications are cleared.
In the meantime, Sharo is also busy working on future
collaborations with the best Rotterdam partners, includ-
ing restaurateurs, local suppliers, sports instructors,
hotel room products, etc. He told me that he didn’t have
a long-term plan for how this hotel would turn out, but
all he cares about now is to make it happen and bring the
coffee world to Rotterdam. “I hope soon people can learn
about different cultures, create their own networks, and
basically have a good time and get to know a new city in
a new way of making coffee here,” Sharo said.

The Man with Glasses and Coffee
In the new Man Met Bril Koffie Hotel, the space will
be split into two – half for the tourists and half for the When asked what advice could be given to others,
coffee professionals. For the tourists, there will be 15 Sharo simply shared: “Make mistakes. That’s the only way
regular rooms. It’s just a normal hotel in a tourist city but I’ve ever learned in my life. Make as many mistakes as
with outstanding coffee served. It can be a unique expe- you can. Just make sure they’re not too expensive. That’s
rience for tourists coming to Rotterdam. Meanwhile, there all.” That actually wrapped Sharo’s path to success.
will be other rooms given to the residents who come to When Sharo started his coffee business, he had no
the hotel to work and to live, pull a few bar shifts, like idea what he was doing. He didn’t predict anything. All
working holidays. No matter you are a roaster, a barista, he knew was that he was enthusiastic about coffee and
or you are doing something cool with food, all kinds of did the best at what he could do. He probably would
professionals and experts are welcome here. As Sharo never have imagined how his career path would grow and
shared, the idea is to create an international community, how much contribution he would bring to the Rotterdam
learning about different coffee cultures, methods, and coffee environment overall. Now, looking back, all the
thoughts, making friends, and building networks. At the efforts have paid off, hearing people talking about his
same time, it is also an excellent opportunity to import brand when sitting next to them on a random terrace,
new knowledge to the local coffee community and help being invited to appreciation lunch with the king and
it absorb and grow. queen for the good deed he did for the city.
To promote the Residency Program from the Man Not afraid of making mistakes, going all out, being
Met Bril Koffie Hotel, Jacko van Dijke, the community modest all the time, and of course, always aesthetically
manager of the Residency Program, drove around Europe enthusiastic about coffee, that is how Sharo made it to
for two months to attract coffee professionals from today. This philosophy will probably accompany Sharo in
around the continent. Traveling with a highly modified the future for his coffee hotel and probably soon another
and electrically converted Citroën Hy old-timer named crazy creative coffee project. Who knows?

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