KRIS MCNEAL

General Manager, El Cosmico

With a lifelong passion for adventure and the outdoors, Kris has traveled to over 40 countries and stayed and worked in over half of them. His journey in hospitality has also taken him across continents, from Europe to Asia, Latin America, and North America, where he has collaborated with diverse and dynamic hotel teams.

Kris’s love for exploring remote and less-trodden paths has shaped his approach to hospitality, which is driven by his desire to see people make genuine connections with the cultures and communities they visit. He finds his greatest inspiration in the raw beauty of mountains and deserts, believing that the people who thrive in these uniquely stunning and challenging terrains embody the best of humanity. Native Texans, Kris and his wife could not be more thrilled to be making their home here in the beautiful oasis of Marfa, nestled in the high plains of the Chihuahuan Desert.

I am most excited about joining an organization that shares my deeply held beliefs that we are all inextricably linked to each other and the world around us and that travel should strengthen and deepen that link.

Travel Ritual:

I have this travel ritual that always works out great. When I get to a new place, I rarely plan my itinerary in advance. Instead, first thing in the morning, I find a local coffee shop, grab a cup, and chat with the barista or the group of old men who seem to always be close by chatting about the latest community news, or last nights game. They give the best tips on what to eat, see, and do. It has never let me down and is always sure to lead to a good story that I can share when I come home.