OUR FIELD
NOTES

Last updated in February 2026

The Living Study

Field Notes is The Guest Whisperer’s ongoing study of emotional hospitality - part research, part reflection, part archive.


It gathers stories, data, and design insights from real guests who have stayed at our riverside cabins, exploring what truly moves people and how those lessons can help others host with more feeling.

The cabins are more than places to stay. They are our living laboratories — spaces where the art of emotional hospitality is tested, observed, and refined.
Every guest leaves behind traces of their story…

Sometimes in words on a page.
Sometimes in silence.
Sometimes in gestures that ripple long after they’ve gone.

What the Guests Teach Us

Over the years, our visitors’ books have become a quiet archive of insight. They reveal what really matters:
the small gestures that surprise,
the moments of safety that allow rest,
the details that make people feel seen.

For hosts and hotels, Field Notes reveals the patterns beneath the praise - the quiet signals of what guests truly value. Across thousands of guest entries, themes repeat: calm, light, peace, belonging, design.

“Perfect. Just stay in and don’t leave the Boathouse - watch the tide and enjoy the peace.” - Abigail & Harry

“We really felt the magic of peace in this beautiful place. We’ve created lifelong special memories here.” - Patti, Patrick & Roux the spaniel

“Sadly, just before we came, we lost a family dog and have been grieving. This place has been a lovely tonic for us during this time and has helped us through it.” - Amanda & Ceri

Read On...

“The best hosts hold space, notice the detail, and leave room for the guest to become part of the story.”

Research with a Human Pulse

Alongside these reflections, we’re conducting qualitative research - a quiet data set with a human heartbeat. It’s a way of measuring not just satisfaction, but sentiment.

TGW’s research draws on more than 400 guest stays, using text analysis and field observation to identify emotional patterns:

  • 73% of guests mention calm or peace.

  • 61% mention light or view.

  • Over half describe a sensory detail - sound, texture, or scent - as their lasting memory.

Together, these notes and numbers form the foundation of our ongoing study into what makes a place feel as though it belongs to you, even temporarily.

“We’ve absorbed the peace, the calm, the ease, and loved looking at found items. I’m going home to re-sort my kitchen shelves.”
- Jenny & Pete

“Wow - what an amazing place. I’m writing this at the table watching the tide come in, with the morning sun reflecting off the water and wading birds looking for their breakfast.”
- Unnamed guest

Emerging Patterns

Most guests describe not luxury but feeling: stillness, texture, rhythm.
Their words reveal the emotional architecture of a stay — the invisible structures that create calm, trust, and belonging.

Our current research explores:

  • How light, ritual, and sensory cues influence emotional restoration.

  • How physical imperfection can heighten comfort.

  • How memory and material intertwine to create intimacy.

“The best hosts hold space, notice the detail, and leave room for the guest to become part of the story.”

From Reflection to Practice

These reflections form the foundation of TGW’s practical work — the tools and guides that help others begin their own journey toward emotional hospitality.
From the data, the diary, and the lived guest experience come resources designed to help you host — or lead — with more depth and awareness.

Tools & Resources

For those looking to begin — or begin again.

  • A reflective print workbook for hosts at a crossroads — part mirror, part map.

    DOWNLOAD GUIDE

  • Short films and conversations exploring the emotional art of hosting.

  • Collected essays, studies, and reading lists on hospitality, psychology, and design.

  • Seasonal reflections and quiet insights from the TGW world — delivered slowly.

Stay close…