What Does a Guest Truly Want?

Hey Beloved,

The busyness of spring has officially arrived.

Our kids are in full swing into all sorts of practices and activities (a logistical puzzle we somehow still can’t solve), and I’m gearing up for my 40th birthday in less than two months with some intentional reflection.

There’s also an exciting and fulfilling new mission brewing—one that brings together leaders, the McKenzie River, and fly fishing. I’ll be sharing more on that very soon. It feels like a collision of everything I care about.

But for now, let’s talk about something I’ve been getting asked more and more lately:

“So… how do you define hospitality?”

It’s a good question. And honestly, one I keep coming back to.

If you’ve been around for a bit, you know that—at this point in the year—my working definition is this:

Hospitality = Salt. (Read More)

It is the thing we add to our service and relationships that just enhances what is already there. It preserves. It brings out the best in whatever it touches.

I also love how Will Guidara (author of Unreasonable Hospitality, and who’s coaching framework I am certified in) puts it:

“Service is the thing you do. Hospitality is how you make people feel while you do it.”

That’s the difference.

But maybe the best place to start isn’t with a definition—but with a question:

What Does a Guest Truly Want?

In Seven Gothic Tales, Isak Dinesen shares a scene in The Roads Round Pisa, where a curious Italian nobleman, Don Alvaro, poses a question to his guest, Prince Augustus of Denmark:

Prince Augustus responds:

I’ve returned to that quote several times over the years.

Not because it defines hospitality—but because it beautifully describes the opportunity hospitality gives us.

Hospitality doesn’t answer those longings just by itself—but it can create the space where they can be explored and fulfilled.

It’s the space we create where a guest can exhale, express, and remember who they are.

What a Guest Truly Wants (Modern Take)

To be lifted out of the ordinary
People are weary. Burdened by calendars, worries, and to-do lists. Hospitality creates a pause. It invites someone to exhale.

To feel like their presence matters
A decent guest wants to shine—to be noticed, affirmed, and appreciated. Hospitality says: “You belong here.”

To remember who they are
At the deepest level, people are looking for connection and meaning. Hospitality makes space for both.

Let’s make it practical.

If you’re in business, leadership, ministry—or just life—think about the next moment you get to host someone:

• A client call

• A team meeting

• A dinner

• A coaching session

• A quiet coffee with a friend

• A welcome email

• A guest arriving at your front door

What if you saw that moment not just as a transaction… but as an opportunity to deliver what a guest really wants?

To give them a breath of relief.
To help them feel like they matter.
To create space for them to come back to themselves.

That’s the role of hospitality.

And when you lead with it—everything changes.

Warmly,
Nathan

P.S. Most businesses and leaders want to serve people well—but they don’t always know how to create the kind of moments that actually last.

That’s where I come in.

Through Beloved Hospitality, I help organizations and leaders reimagine their customer journey and team experience using the Unreasonable Hospitality framework.

We start by identifying key touchpoints. Then we build systems that elevate the ordinary and preserve the relationships that matter.

Want to explore what this could look like for your business?

→ Download the free guide: “When You Put People First, Profits Follow.”
→ Or book a free intro call.

Let’s turn your welcome into something unforgettable.
Let’s create space that truly matters.