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Booking & cancellation

For cancellations please email: info@gaiahouse.co.uk

Please read the information below carefully before booking your retreat.

All bookings are provisional until confirmed by Gaia House.

Making a booking

To book a residential retreat you must be aged 18 years or over. The only exception is our annual Young Person’s Retreat, which is open to those aged 16-25 years.

For all residential bookings we need to know your full name, address and telephone number, your email address, your age and gender (so that we can allocate rooms appropriately) and any medical condition that may affect your stay.

Retreat rates:

Booking for more than one person or more than one retreat:

  • Please make separate bookings for each person and each retreat. Please complete each form in full as we cannot cross-refer booking information.

About summer camping:

During the summer months, we offer a small number of camping places at a reduced rate for those attending our group retreats only.

  • Please contact our Reception team to check availability. (Not available to book online.)
  • Please note that camping is at your own risk, whatever the weather – sorry, but we cannot accommodate you in the house.
  • You need to bring all your own camping equipment.
  • Small one/two-person tents only.
  • Each retreatant must have their own separate tent.

How to book by phone: 

  • Please phone us on 01626 333613 and have your credit/debit card details available.
  • We accept full payment and deposits for all Retreats from Solo/Maestro/Visa Debit cards.
    • MasterCard/Visa Credit Cards: We can accept full payment for all Retreats and deposits for Personal Retreats (but not deposits for Group Retreats).
  • Please pay by debit card where possible – as Gaia House incurs substantial bank charges when payments are made by credit card.
  • Telephone: 9.30am-12.30pm Monday-Saturday. If we don’t answer, please leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible (within 24 hours).

How to book from overseas:

  • If you are booking from abroad, please use a credit card with the amount in British Pounds Sterling (£/GBP).
  • If you live outside the UK and do not have a credit card, a Direct Bank Transfer may be possible, however, banking fees can be extremely high, even more than your original payment. Before you book, please contact our Finance Team on finance@gaiahouse.co.uk.
  • Unfortunately we cannot accept foreign bank notes.
  • We are unable to take fax bookings.

Applying for a personal or work retreat
  • If you wish to apply for a personal retreat, please read the information on our webpage and complete the application form.
  • To apply for a work retreat we ask you to email: info@gaiahouse.co.uk, with the following details:
    • Your full name
    • Details of your retreat experience, which meets the criteria for work retreats.
    • The dates you wish to attend.

    We will then confirm availability and send you a link to the work retreat application form, which contains important questions about your personal and medical history. This confidential information is necessary so that our teachers can assess your preparedness for what can be a unique and profound experience.If your application is accepted, Gaia House will be in touch to discuss available dates. Please do not pay your deposit or make travel arrangements until your place has been confirmed.We will email you back as soon as we can, but there may be a short delay and we appreciate your patience and understanding.

Deposits and payments (residential retreats)
All bookings are provisional until you have received confirmation from Gaia House.

  • All retreats must be paid for in full at least one month prior to the start of the retreat.
  • Retreats of three nights or less must be paid for in full at the time of booking.
  • Retreats of four nights or more require a £100 non-refundable, non-transferable deposit to secure your place. The balance must be paid at least one month before the retreat start date.
  • Personal retreats: Please pay only after receiving confirmation of your place and dates. Please see Personal Retreats.
  • Work retreats must be paid for in full once you have confirmation of your place and dates. Please see Work Retreats.
  • Please pay by debit card if possible – Gaia House incurs substantial bank charges when payments are made by credit card.
  • If our rates are too high for you, we invite you to apply for support from our Financial Assistance and Bursaries Fund. Please contact us about this before booking your retreat. It is not possible to apply for financial support on the opening day of a retreat.
  • Booking conditions may be subject to alteration.
  • Travel arrangements: All bookings are provisional until confirmed by Gaia House. Please do not make any travel arrangements until after you receive confirmation of your booking. Gaia House cannot be held liable for travel costs.

Please pay in full at least one month before the retreat begins, or your place may be cancelled and offered to someone on the waiting list. Thank you.

Waiting lists (residential retreats)
  • Most of our group retreats fill up quickly and we offer waiting lists for places that may become available.
  • We take time and care to manage our waiting lists so that as many people as possible can attend our retreats.
  • Joining the waiting list is free. Please go through the checkout process to enter your details into our system, helping us to administer waiting lists efficiently and fairly.
  • You will be able to fill in information relevant to the retreat you wish to attend and you will receive important information about our single room and food policies, as well as the terms and conditions of any retreat place offered. Please read our Privacy statement.
  • Confirmation of being added to the waiting list will be emailed to you and then we will contact you if a place becomes available.
  • If you join a waiting list, we kindly ask you to keep the relevant dates free, as the chances of being offered a place are fairly good. If your plans change, please contact us so that we can remove you from the waiting list. This helps us to keep the list up to date with names of people who can take up places if they become available.

Changes to your booking
  • Once your booking has been confirmed, please make changes only if absolutely necessary.
  • All changes will be subject to a £20 administration fee.
  • Changing your retreat: Transferring bookings, payments or deposits from one retreat to another is not possible due to administrative complications. If you wish to change your booking to a different retreat you need to cancel your old booking and book the new retreat. Normal cancellation fees apply.

Cancellation fees and refunds

Gaia House teacher and patron, Stephen Batchelor, explains the background to our cancellation policy.

Residential retreats — Cancellation fees and refunds:

  • If you cancel one month (or more) before the retreat start date, the cancellation fee will be £100.
  • If you cancel less than 1 month but more than 2 weeks before the start date, the cancellation fee will be £100 or 50% of the cost of your retreat, whichever is greater.
  • If you cancel less than 2 weeks before the start date, the cancellation fee will be the full amount paid.
  • Work retreats: Your £50 deposit is refunded on satisfactory completion of your work retreat. Your deposit will not be refunded if you cancel your booking or do not complete your work retreat for the dates agreed with your application.
  • For the Dana Retreat, the group Work Retreat, the Young Persons’ Retreat and all Young Persons bookings:
    • If you cancel one month (or more) before the retreat start date, the cancellation fee will be £10.
    • If you cancel less than 1 month but more than 2 weeks before the start date, the cancellation fee will be 50% of the total retreat cost.
    • If you cancel less than 2 weeks before the start date, the cancellation fee will be the full cost of the retreat.
  • Extra retreat nights cancelled more than 1 month before your arrival date will be refunded, less a £20 admin fee.
    • Extra retreat nights cancelled less than 1 month in advance will be charged in full.
  • For Meditation Days, the cancellation fee is £10 if you cancel 4 weeks or more before the day.
    • If you cancel less than 4 weeks prior to the day the cancellation fee will be the full amount. 
  • Cancellation requests can be made by email. Please note that cancellations can only be accepted from the named retreatant and not from third parties. Any refunds can take up to five working days to be processed.
  • Gaia House reserves the right to cancel any bookings that are deemed unsuitable or inappropriate.

Weather conditions: If you have to cancel your retreat due to adverse weather conditions our standard Cancellation Policy (above) still applies. Please see the note below about travel insurance.

Train strikes and other travel issues: If you have to cancel your retreat due to a train strike or other travel-related issue, our standard Cancellation Policy (above) still applies. Please see the note below about travel insurance.

Taking out insurance: We recognise that booking to come on a retreat at Gaia House may be a significant financial commitment so we advise taking out appropriate insurance to cover your travel and retreat fees should you be unwell or unable to come on retreat for another reason.

Compassionate circumstances:  At our discretion, Gaia House may waive cancellation fees in particular circumstances (for example you contract a dangerous communicable illness or experience a bereavement). Please email info@gaiahouse.co.uk setting out your reasons for cancelling your booking.

Changing your booking:  If you wish to change to a completely different retreat, it is necessary for you to cancel your old booking and book the new retreat. Normal cancellation fees apply. Please ensure that you are clear about your dates and retreat costs before you book.

Travel arrangements: When booking any type of retreat, group, personal or work, please do not make any travel arrangements until after you receive confirmation of your booking. All bookings are provisional until confirmed by Gaia House. Gaia House cannot be held liable for travel costs.

Online retreats — Cancellation fees and refunds:

  • If you cancel 48 hours (or more) before the retreat start date, the cancellation fee will be 20% of your paid registration fee.
  • If you cancel less than 48 hours before the start date, the cancellation fee will be your full paid registration fee.
  • Cancellation requests can be made by email. Please note that cancellations can only be accepted from the named retreatant and not from third parties. Any refunds can take up to five working days to be processed.

Personal belongings at Gaia House
Gaia House cannot take responsibility for your belongings while you are on retreat, so you are advised not to bring any valuables with you.

Access for people with disabilities
We welcome people with disabilities. We have a rambling old house, however, the ground floor is accessible for people in wheelchairs and those with restricted mobility.

Click here to read our Access information pack with pictures and floor plans of our building.

If you have specific needs relating to a disability, long-term illness or health condition please phone our Reception team who will be happy to provide you with information about the house and discuss your needs whilst on retreat. In some cases a carer may stay free of charge to support a retreatant who needs personal care. Please contact us if you would like to discuss this.

We have a hearing loop facility in the meditation hall that is compatible with hearing aids.

Accommodation
Our accommodation is arranged in single, double and dormitories (shared between 3-6 people) all rooms have shared bathroom facilities.

If you need a single room because of disability, physical or mental health or age, you can apply for one when booking. Single rooms requests cannot be guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate according to needs.

Food policy

Gaia House offers a healthy, balanced plant-based diet for lunch and tea, with dairy products available as part of breakfast and hot drinks. Wheat/gluten-free options are available.

At lunch, we also offer a ‘Simple Diet’ consisting of a gluten-free wholegrain, steamed vegetables, plain pulses and egg or tofu. This diet is intended to meet nutritional needs whilst being as plain as possible.

The simple diet and wheat/gluten-free option need to be requested on the pre-retreat questionnaire which you will receive two weeks prior to your retreat: protein choices for the simple diet can be discussed when you arrive at Gaia House.  To read our full food policy, please click here.

Work sessions
  • We ask that you help support Gaia House during your stay by offering one hour of work per day, to assist with the running of the house.
  • All retreatants are also asked to clean their own rooms on the day of departure.
  • If for medical reasons you are unable to do a work session, or can offer only light work, please let our Reception team know when booking via info@gaiahouse.co.uk