About - HTSPT

Who are we?

the people behind HTSPT

In 2015, we — Kirsten and Ruden — set out on a mission to showcase the best our city has to offer. What started as a passion project on Instagram, @htspt_rotterdam, quickly grew into a beloved platform where locals and travelers alike could discover the latest hotspots and iconic favorites. Over the years, our community of followers grew, and so did our vision for HTSPT.

By 2019, we decided to bring HTSPT offline with our very first city guide, featuring 100 handpicked spots across Rotterdam. Seeing the love it received, we went on to release an expanded edition in 2022 and now, in 2024, our latest guide is out, along with a new guide for Utrecht! Every place featured in our guides has been personally visited, photographed, and approved by us — it’s all about real experiences and genuine connections.

But HTSPT isn’t just about city guides. We also work closely with local businesses, offering tailored photography and social media management to bring out the best in every location. Our goal? To capture the essence of each place and help it shine both online and offline.

our journey so far

2015

Instagram

It all began in 2015, with a simple idea: to share Rotterdam’s hidden gems with the world. We launched @htspt_rotterdam on Instagram, posting about our favorite spots around the city. Our feed quickly caught the attention of locals and visitors alike, who shared our passion for discovering unique places. What started as a hobby soon became a growing community, with followers looking to us for inspiration on where to eat, drink, and explore in Rotterdam.

2016

Online platform with hotspot database

By 2016, we knew it was time to expand. To keep up with our followers’ interest, we launched HTSPT.co, a full-fledged platform that housed an ever-growing database of Rotterdam’s best hotspots. This digital hub allowed us to dive deeper, sharing more detailed insights and stories behind each place. HTSPT.co quickly became a go-to resource, giving people instant access to everything from cozy coffee spots to must-visit cultural sites in the city. Our little project had officially grown into a trusted local guide!

2019

HTSPT city guides

In 2019, we took HTSPT offline with our first city guide. Packed with 100 handpicked hotspots, this beautifully designed book became a way for locals and tourists to explore Rotterdam at their own pace, with a guide that felt as personal as our Instagram posts. The success of our first edition was overwhelming, and it inspired us to continue creating more guides and expanding HTSPT’s reach. With each edition, we’re proud to help more people experience the city through our eyes.