10 Favorite Hotels of 2025
A Swank Guide Countdown by Don
Stats this year: 22 flights, 3 trains, 1 flat tire (no spare), 67 hotel stays.
"I went on a mission to find an alternative to boring luxury. I stopped chasing trends and went looking for soul."
About This List
Larger resorts don't usually make the list — too polished, too generic, too vanilla. This countdown focuses on hotels with soul: unique design, authentic character, and experiences that might actually change how you think about travel.
The Hotels
#10 — Pimalai Resort | Thailand (Andaman Sea)
Why it made the list: A rare large resort that massively over-delivers. Luxe villas, private pools, and a beach that feels like Thailand before mass tourism — all starting around $400/night. Even the entry-level rooms deliver. The vibe, service, and beach are all excellent. There's a catch — but it's a good one, covered in the full video.
#9 — Amman Galle Fort | Galle, Sri Lanka
Why it made the list: Housed inside Galle Fort in southern Sri Lanka, this was once the New Oriental Hotel — an icon 100 years ago. Amman restored it 20 years ago, and it feels simultaneously 160 years old and completely fresh. No flash, no bling — just original antiques, old maps, and creaky floorboards. Galle's best pool, a great spa, and the standout experience of breakfast, high tea, and dinner on the veranda. Service is nearly perfect, as expected from Amman.
#8 — The Fingal | Edinburgh, Scotland
Why it made the list: Sister ship to the Royal Yacht Britannia, the Fingal is a former lighthouse tender that spent 30 years servicing Scotland's wild coastlines before becoming Edinburgh's most unique hotel. The engine room — now a literal work of industrial art — is one of the coolest things Don has ever seen in a hotel. Docked in Leith, just 15 minutes from the Royal Mile, in an authentic neighborhood full of charm.
#7 — Lundy's House | Location TBD from full video
Why it made the list: Warm, welcoming, and feels more like staying in a well-traveled friend's home than a hotel. Set in wild landscape ideal for hiking. After a day out, return to drinks by the fire and an intimate dining experience delivering one of the best meals you'll have. The best part is saved for the full video.
#6 — Rachamanka | Chiang Mai, Thailand
Why it made the list: Chiang Mai has many good hotels, but Rachamanka has genuine soul — the kind usually only found in old monasteries or private homes. A blend of Thai, Chinese, and Japanese influences in the design, with quiet courtyards, wonderful architecture, and meditative gardens. Originally booked for one night; ended up staying three. The full video explains why.
#5 — Monachyle Mhor | Scotland (between two locks, end of a single-track road)
Why it made the list: One of those rare places that blends design, food, landscape, and personality into something that totally works. Remote and quiet, anchored by a pink farmhouse with modern architectural cabins, quirky art, incredible local food, and Scotland's best view from a tub. Theatrical and offbeat — the full video helps you decide if it's right for you.
#4 — The Saragin | North of Phuket, Thailand
Why it made the list: About an hour north of Phuket, the Saragin flips the script on everything wrong with that area. Calm, beautifully designed, and exceptional value for this part of Thailand. Attracts travelers who want something refined but not pretentious — people who care about design and good food without needing a DJ at the pool or spending $1,200/night. Two restaurants, some of the best food from a month-long stay in Thailand, quiet pathways, and a great beach. A place that gets everything right.
#3 — Four Seasons Koh Samui | Koh Samui, Thailand
Why it made the list: A former coconut plantation, now recognizable as the filming location for White Lotus Season 3. Private infinity pools, quiet beaches, villas in the hills, and a feeling of total removal from the world. Not quirky, not boutique — just really, really well done. The kind of resort you arrive at for a week and probably won't leave. The full video covers the surprising reasons HBO chose this property.
#2 — The IAMM (Jim Thompson House) | Bangkok, Thailand
Why it made the list: Not really a hotel — a full-on experience. Part museum, part gallery, part fever dream. Designer Bill Bensley was given total creative freedom, and the result is unlike anything else in Bangkok: antiques from across Asia, old film posters, taxidermy, sculptures, and surreal hallways that somehow all fit together. Theatrical, surprising, over the top, and deeply personal. You feel like you've stepped into someone's imagination. Possibly Asia's best spa — covered in the full video.
#1 — The Fife Arms | Scotland
Why it made the list: Theater disguised as a hotel. One of the wildest, most interesting hotels ever experienced — every corner is unpredictable, yet somehow the whole thing is incredibly sophisticated. Owned by world-famous art dealers, it holds original Picassos, 16th century masterpieces, and layers of wonderful weirdness that work as a unified whole. It feels like the owners built a hotel purely out of feeling. World-class drinking and dining, a great spa, and the world's best whiskey bar — shown in the full video.
About the Swank Guide
Don pays out of pocket, stays anonymously, and reports honestly — the good and the bad. The Swank Guide offers the lowest rates plus perks unavailable when booking online.
Previous year's list covered: Costa Rica, India, British Columbia, Norway, and Mexico.