Cameron Lee AKA ‘Out with Cameron’ has an avid passion for travel and photography, combining this with his professional PR background he launched Out with Cameron in 2016.
Cameron was named one of the best travel influencers by Uproxx Travel and was profiled by The Washington Post as one of the Instagram influencers changing the way we think about the world. His photos have been featured by the CNN Travel, Forbes Travel Guide, London Tourism Board, Paris Tourism Board, Mykonos Travel Guide, Luxury Ibiza travel Guide, Los Angeles Tourism Board, and many other travel Instagram accounts. He has also shot for designers such as Zac Posen, Monique Lhuillier, Zuhair Murad, and more.
Read our Q&A to find out more about this man of the world.
Please tell us about yourself and where your love for the luxury travel sector started?
I currently live in Los Angeles and have been living here most of my life. When I was younger, I lived in Taiwan for a bit because of my dad’s job. He was the chairman for a commercial airline, so I grew up traveling a lot as a kid. I definitely think having traveled as a kid really broadened my horizon and mind as a person.
I’ve worked in PR and Marketing for 10 years prior to launching my Instagram. I started my career in entertainment marketing in LA before moving on to luxury PR for a major luxury retailer. It was there that I really got deep into the luxury world. I had the opportunity to work with Victoria Beckham, Goyard, Chanel, Bulgari, and many luxury brands directly on various projects and fashion shows. Understanding luxury and the luxury lifestyle became a major part of my life, so when I started traveling, I look for things that I would do at my job.
I love hotels and the experiences they provide. I love what goes into creating a brand and the design of a hotel. Luxury hotels are all about experiences, not just a place to stay and that’s what I love most about luxury travel- one of a kind experiences.
You are a frequent flyer traveling to some beautiful destinations around the world, but you have a soft spot for London. Tell us about some of your favourite luxury hotels and experiences in the UK’s capital.
London is definitely my favourite city to visit. I have so many great friends there and I continue to discover something new whenever I visit. My followers know that I have a strong connection with W London for many reasons. Years ago, I lost my passport in Mykonos and literally went to hell and back before returning to London and the W London really made me feel at home after what I went through. For that, it’ll always hold a special place in my heart. I have made friends with the team there and they are some of the best people I’ve met in London.
One of my recent favourites is the London Edition Hotel. It’s refined, subtle luxury. I love the design of the hotel and the rooms. They are understated and meticulously designed. At the end of the day, it’s the people that make the stay. The team there is incredible, and I absolutely love their Director of Sales and Marketing there, her name is Sabine Kern. I did a few collaborations there and she is a true delight to work with and just an overall incredible person.
LA is home for you so what are your favourite hotels, restaurants and luxury experiences in the city.
LA offers so many different types of experiences. Having worked in PR in LA, I’ve had the opportunity to worked with many luxury hotels in town and there are a few that are true stand outs for me. The new Edition Hotel in West Hollywood that just opened in the summer is probably my favourite right now. They have an amazing rooftop and they just have such a great grasp on design and service that’s relevant to the energy of LA.
I love the rooftop at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, the restaurant at Chateau Marmont, and the bar at Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.
The great thing about LA is that there are endless options depending on what you’re looking for. Having been in LA for so long, I now seek for hidden gems that are not always the obvious choice. For instance, I love going to Korea Town for food and discovering local restaurants with amazing chefs. Downtown LA also has a thriving restaurant and hotel scene. The Hoxton hotel just recently opened there, and I just visited the new Soho House in downtown that’s also a hotel. You’ll never run out of options here.
You recently enjoyed a stay at Kasbah Tamadot, Richard Branson’s hotel in Marrakech (it looked fabulous!) tell us more about this property and your experience there.
It’s truly one of a kind experiences. It is a bit far away from the city up in the mountains, so if you are visiting Marrakesh for the first time, I would suggest staying somewhere closer to town. The resort is designed with the idea that you’re looking to spend the majority of your time on property. There is an amazing outdoor pool overlooking the Atlas Mountains, an outdoor tennis court, an animal barn, and other unique spaces on property. If you’re looking to get away from the noise and have an amazing relaxing holiday, this is the place to be. You basically get to disconnect from the rest of the world here.
What do you love most about luxury travel?
I love experiencing different hotels and seeing the best of what each destination has to offer. Since I started traveling so much, there are a few things I look for from hotels. The major components are service, design, and amenities. I always ask the hotel or the destination I work with what makes your property/destination unique and what are the key takeaways you want visitors to have? The unique experiences are what I love most about luxury travel.
With a background in luxury PR and a large instagram following you will have seen the luxury travel marketing change significantly over the last ten years. How do you see the luxury travel sector developing online in the next 5 years?
The definition of “luxury” is changing with the times. We’re living in an age now where it’s not so much about the “old money”, but more so about setting trends on what’s next in luxury and catering to the digital space. Hotels are rolling out more and more digital efforts to make guest experiences easier. Travelers are becoming savvier on looking for deals and experiences online. Instagram has been a gamechanger for the travel industry. Luxury travel is a very specific sector and I think brands/hotels are becoming smarter when it comes to working with the right creators so that there’s value in the collaboration/partnership. I believe luxury travel destinations and hotels will become more accessible in the next few years because of Instagram and other online platforms, not in the sense of affordability, but in exposure and awareness.
Everyone with a phone can be a photographer these days, but what are your top tips to make sure your instagram images can cut through the noise and get noticed.
I think it’s important to have the aesthetic down. I create photos to feel like a dream and to have as much narrative as possible so it’s not just a pretty photo. There needs to be some sort of emotion that comes from the photo. It also helps when there’s face in the photo, people need that personal connection.
Luxury means different things to different people what does it mean for you?
Luxury to me is style and ease and comfort on an elevated level.
Finally, what is your life motto?
Don’t wait. Do it now while you can because regret is a terrible feeling.
You can follow Cameron on his Instagram @thecameronlee and his website.
