At ETG, we’ve always believed the best hotels do more than give you a bed for the night. They shape the story of your holiday. That’s why we spend so much time out exploring – following our curiosity, trusting hunches and taking the scenic route – to find the places that feel special. We road-test old favourites again too, making sure they still earn their spot in our collection and add a spark to your trip.
By that, we don’t mean the flashiest or the most photographed. We mean the ones that genuinely add something to your experience. The small boutique stays with history in the walls. The mountain lodges where a view makes you stop and stare. The city boltholes layered with arts, crafts and local life.
As we look back on our 2025 travels, these are the hotels that left the biggest mark on us…
Handpicked by ETG’s Co-Founders
Our visionaries and those most in-the-know about hot hotels
1. House of MG, India
“I loved this really unique boutique property in the heart of Ahmedabad with great food and interesting rooms. I was particularly inspired by the textiles, textures, colourful mosaics, and crafts throughout (I’m even planning to try and recreate one of their stone sculptures in my new garden). The whole collection and attention to detail felt like a little microcosm of what I loved about Gujarat: immersive, tactile, richly detailed.” – Melissa
Stay here while exploring ‘Gujarat in Depth’.
2. Satri House, Laos
“I’d say this French-colonial gem that dates back to 1904, the same year as Luang Prabang’s National Museum, was my favourite hotel in the capital. It’s got a romantic feel with hidden courtyards, shaded verandas and traditional Lao furnishings throughout. They’ve recently added a handful of new rooms, a fresh restaurant and even more nooks to relax in. It’s a great fit for ETG travellers, especially those of you after a nostalgic, literary atmosphere.” – Sam
Settle in during this holiday, ‘Laos Encompassed’.
3. Mahouts Elephant Foundation Guest Lodge, Thailand
“My stay at Mahouts was the best travel experience I’ve had in years. Proper ETG stuff: it’s travel with Give Back, authentic and engaging on multiple levels, from wildlife to culture to conservation. On their 4-day, immersive mountain adventure, you spend time with elephants in the most ethical way possible, explore a really remote region untouched by mass tourism and live alongside a Karen hilltribe community in the mountains of Mae Sot.” – Tom
(Coming from our resident globetrotter, Tom, who’s constantly scoping out new spots across Asia, this is high praise indeed!)
