Field Notes

Observations from thirty years inside independent luxury hospitality.

Writing on hospitality, design, restaurants, and the art of creating places people return to. New issue published weekly on Substack - read here or subscribe there.

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Latest issue

Field Note

Who’s Killing the American Restaurant?

A love letter to restaurants. A reckoning with the economics of dinner. And a little culinary rebellion.

October 15, 2026 · Justin Gonzalez & MarcAnthony Crimi

Read the full note

Previous issues

Field Note

WHAT IS THE COST OF MEMBERSHIP?

The velvet rope can make us want to get in. It can’t give us a reason to stay.

October 2, 2026

Field Note

THE PEOPLE BUSINESS · 03

Human Resources Needs to Go.

September 5, 2026

Field Note

THE PEOPLE BUSINESS · 02

The Cost of Exceptional Service

August 31, 2026

Field Note

THE PEOPLE BUSINESS · 01

Are You Hiring a Résumé—or a Human Being?

August 22, 2026

Field Note

Can Authenticity Survive Scale?

Maybe.

August 15, 2026

Field Note

When Curiosity Called

The demo lasted an hour. The lesson lasted a lifetime.

August 8, 2026

Field Note

The People Who Answer the Phone

The Night We Turned the Lights Back On

August 1, 2026

Field Note

The Day I Was Hired for Everything That Got Me Fired

The interview that shaped my career—and eventually, Precursor Hospitality.

July 26, 2026

Field Note

Nobody Asked Housekeeping

What happens when hotel operations enters the design conversation too late.

July 18, 2026

Field Note

The Distance Between a Hotel and a Neighborhood

The Conversation That Changed My Career

July 10, 2026

Field Note

The Future of Hospitality Isn’t Artificial Intelligence.

It’s authentic human connection, supported quietly by great technology.

July 7, 2026

Field Note

Personalization Isn't Luxury. It's Attention.

The most memorable guest experiences rarely come from automation—they come from observation.

June 29, 2026

Field Note

The First Five Minutes Matter More Than The Next Five Days

The arrival experience doesn't start the stay. It defines it.

June 21, 2026

Field Note

Guests Don't Remember the Marble

Field Notes: Great design gets guests in the door. Great hospitality brings them back.

June 14, 2026

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Not sure where to start?

Question 1 of 4

Where is your project right now?

Early concept

Still defining the vision, market, or property type

Pre-opening

Under construction or renovation, opening within 18 months

Already operating

Open, but looking to reposition, improve, or grow

Question 2 of 4

What matters most to you right now?

Brand & identity

Defining who we are and what we stand for

Operations & team

Building the systems and people to deliver the experience

Revenue & positioning

Improving rate, occupancy, and market performance

Design & guest experience

The physical space and every touchpoint within it

Question 3 of 4

How would you describe the property?

Independent boutique hotel

Under 80 keys, independent ownership

Resort or destination property

Experience-led, leisure-driven

Restaurant or F&B concept

Standalone dining or hotel F&B program

Question 4 of 4

Your result

Where we’d start