Discover how The Hotel Guide selects its Publishers’ Picks—now expanded to 15 categories—and what’s new in our 2025 Awards Edition (publishing November 25, 2025). Hosts Edward Leos and Roxann Leos take you behind the scenes of the hospitality industry: how winners stand out, which hotels, resorts, destinations, and experiences rise to the top, and what trends will shape 2026.
Why watch:
The exact criteria that separate award-winning hotels from the pack
New Awards categories + what they mean for properties and destinations
Insider look at our Board of Advisors, media partnerships, and trade show plans
How brands can partner, pitch, or get featured across print, digital, and the Travel Talk podcast
If you’re a traveler or hospitality pro, you’ll get actionable insights on hotel marketing, guest experience, and destination storytelling—plus how to be on our radar for future features.
Chapters
00:00 Intro & milestone
01:02 What’s new in the 2025 Awards
03:15 How we evaluate hotels & destinations
06:10 Publishers’ Picks: category expansion
09:25 Media partnerships & trade shows
12:40 How to get featured with The Hotel Guide
14:30 2026 trends to watch
17:00 Final takeaways
Work with us / Get featured:
• Pitch your property or destination: erleos@thehotelguide.com
• Follow for more: @officialthehotelguide
• Listen to Travel Talk on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Amazon Music
Keywords: The Hotel Guide, Travel Talk, hotel awards 2025, Publishers’ Picks, best hotels and resorts, hospitality trends 2026, destination marketing, hotel marketing, travel media, board of advisors, trade show hospitality, tourism awards, guest experience, boutique hotels, luxury resorts