Introducing Naetive, the First Brand from Experiential Hospitality Group

Experiential Hospitality Group is pleased to introduce Naetive, the first brand from the group, with multiple destinations currently in development.

Naetive is based on the idea that the lodge is never the destination. It is where each day in an extraordinary territory begins and ends. Every Naetive destination starts with a single question: what makes this place unlike anywhere else on Earth? Each lodge is imagined once that question is answered.

I have spent much of my life thinking about why certain journeys stay with us. We remember the landscape that humbled us, the people who helped us understand it, the physical effort of reaching somewhere, the silence, and the conversations. Naetive was created around those moments. The measure of a Naetive journey is not how much of the lodge you remember. It is how much of the territory you carry home.

Jesús Parrilla, CEO & Founder of Experiential Hospitality Group

The name itself is intentional. Naetive is a variation of the word native, but it is not a claim to place or belonging. It reflects an orientation toward place: the idea of arriving with curiosity and humility, and recognizing that every territory already has an identity of its own.

The territory comes first

Travelers remember the mountain they climbed, the river they paddled, the guide who showed them how to read a forest, and the weaver who explained the meaning of an ancient pattern. They rarely remember the guest room. 

Naetive lodges are defined by the relationship they foster between guests and the surrounding landscape. Each will exist in an ecosystem: some within ancient forests, others along coastlines, in high mountain valleys, deserts, or grasslands. Some will be built from the ground up, while others may adapt existing buildings or bring old structures back to life. The form of each lodge will emerge from the territory, and each will be conceived as a microcosm of its own place. No two will feel the same.

“The extraordinary landscape, wildlife, culture, and human stories were there long before us,” said Parrilla. “Our role is to create the conditions for guests to notice them.”

Brand standards

Naetive's thinking about the guest journey begins before exploration. Long flights, time-zone changes and disrupted routines can leave travelers physically present before they are emotionally present. Giving guests time to recalibrate is part of the experience. Sometimes the first responsibility of hospitality is simply to help someone arrive.

The guest journey is organized around guided exploration across every destination, led by a resident guiding team rather than an a la carte menu of activities booked on arrival. Signature spaces recur at each property: the Adventure Patio, where the day's exploration is briefed and outfitted; the Explorer's Room, for orientation, natural history and expedition planning; and the Regeneration House, Naetive’s spa concept focused on restoration and physical recovery throughout the stay.

The people who shape each property matter as much as the terrain. Naetive works with guides, scientists, farmers, fishermen, artisans, and community elders whose knowledge of a place isn’t written down.

A great guide does more than lead an activity. They help guests notice what they might otherwise walk past, understand what they are seeing and leave space for discovery. Finding the right people, and investing in their training and development, will be fundamental to Naetive.

Paul Jordaan, Group Chief Operating and Development Officer

Biocultural conservation

The framework running through every Naetive destination is biocultural conservation, based on the belief that landscapes and the cultures within them cannot be protected separately. Ecological recovery, wildlife, cultural identity, and community development are treated as one system. 

Naetive's approach to stewardship begins with the same principle as its hospitality: understand the territory first. 

“Care cannot be manufactured or prescribed,” said Parrilla. “It begins with paying attention. What we understand can become meaningful, and what becomes meaningful is something we are more likely to care about. Naetive provides a common framework for that responsibility, but its expression will be different in every territory, shaped by the place, its needs, and the people who know it best.”

What's coming next

Naetive's first destinations are in development, with the inaugural property to be announced shortly. The first property is set to open in December 2027.

For more information, please visit www.naetivelodges.com and follow along @naetivelodges.