“Build a relationship with the staff, the whole vibe changes”

Evan Mock didn’t travel much as a kid. In fact, his earliest hotel memory is sneaking into a pool on his native Oahu. But things changed when he landed a Hurley sponsorship at 15. “Being able to see new places through surfing and skating was kind of how my travel bug started,” he says. “It wasn’t the most glamorous when we first started out, but they’re definitely memories I would never wanna forget.”

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While the actor still considers like-minded friends—including some of his Gossip Girl co-stars—the best travel companions, his rocket-like rise to fame has afforded him a chance to explore some of the world’s finer hotels, places that stand out for their thoughtful design and excellent service. “In New York, my favorite is probably the Bowery Hotel; I love Palazzo Parigi in Milan, The Miami Beach Edition, The West Hollywood Edition, the Park Hyatt in Paris…”

And with great hotels come great amenities. “The first thing I think of is if the hotel has a sauna or not. I’m obsessed with saunas. I will use that every day of my stay,” he says. Mock also appreciates a well-designed space to socialize. “The Bowery Hotel’s lobby is a cool environment where you can basically pop in and see whoever’s in town,” he says. “It feels really cozy… and I don’t have many friends with fireplaces, so that’s why I like going there, especially when it’s cold.”

Despite Mock’s newfound fame, modeling deals with the likes of Fendi and Louis Vuitton, and his growing ranks of adoring fans, he still travels like that humble kid from Hawaii. “You just have to be nice to everyone,” he says. “Once you build more of a personal relationship with the staff, the whole vibe of the hotel changes because you feel like you’re walking around your hometown.”

Martina Sheehan

Writer

Martina Sheehan is a Chicago-based travel writer-editor who has written for the New York Times, Condé Nast Traveler, Budget Travel, Forbes Travel Guides, and Time Out guidebooks, among others. She has traveled to 38 countries and 46 states, and never leaves home without a good map app, a themed playlist, and her daughter.