Questions you should ask yourself before booking a retreat
We all have different reasons for considering a retreat but often it boils down to needing a time out from the day to day routine, a desire to achieve better mental or physical health, to be nurtured, or master a new skill. Whatever your reason for wanting to attend a retreat, we have put together a simple list of things we recommend you think about before booking:
1. Why are you going on a retreat?
Reasons for wanting to book a retreat are unique to the individual – our key piece of advice is that you make sure you hone in on exactly what you’re wanting to gain or looking to take time out from before you book. Understanding your ‘why’ will help streamline your booking process and ensure you get the most out of your chosen retreat once you arrive.
2. What type of retreat do you want to attend?
There are hundreds of retreats across Australia, all of which aim to deliver a different experience to guests. It’s important to understand what you need a retreat to provide to achieve your goals – for some this is spa facilities to relax and pamper, for others it’s health experts to improve their physical and mental health and for others it’s simply peace, quiet and a new setting. To help narrow your search, the Good Index groups retreats into categories such as ‘Yoga’, ‘Surf’, ‘Meditation’ and ‘Pamper’ to enable you to filter quickly and easily. Simply click the category that best describes the purpose or main activities you would like to do during your retreat and we’ll present the best options for you.
3. What is your preferred location?
Location is an important factor in booking a getaway of any kind – whether you want to explore a part of the country that you haven’t had a chance to visit or stay close to home to limit travel time, we provide filters by location to allow you to narrow your search as desired. In the current climate, we are very aware that location could be a barrier to booking so have conveniently grouped the retreats into states – currently covering NSW & QLD, with other states to be released soon.
4. What is your preferred time of year?
Once you have clarified the time of year you would prefer to attend a retreat or what suits around your work and family arrangements it is always important to have a quick look at the weather to confirm this is the climate you were hoping for. We always recommend you speak with the retreat about any off-season rates too which might help you with your decision.
5. What type of food are you after?
Food is often a central part of a retreat experience and different retreats specialize in different cooking styles and dietary preferences. Common offerings include organic and whole foods, vegetarian, dairy and gluten free. Specialized retreats may take a unique culinary approach – for example, it is common for yoga retreats to follow an Ayurvedic diet and weight loss focused retreats may offer a calorie controlled, detox or juice cleanse option. Additionally, many retreats may not offer caffeine or alcohol so if either of those are deal breakers for you then it’s worth checking what’s on offer. The Good Index has made this easy by including a food summary on each retreat profile so you can ensure that you won’t go hungry!
6. Who will you share the retreat experience with?
Earlier in this article we invited you to ask yourself why you are going on your retreat, this will help shape who you would like to share the retreat experience with. Attending a retreat on your own can be the perfect chance to concentrate on yourself and to take the retreat experience at your own pace. In the case you would like to take someone along to share the experience, this is a great chance to better your relationship with a special someone in your life and create lasting memories.
7. What is included in the retreat offering?
Whilst most retreats include all meals as part of the package, offerings may vary when it comes to whether treatments and all activities are included. Retreats often provide a range of packages depending on the level of inclusions that you desire so be sure to check out their full range and pick the right one for you.
8. What facilities does the retreat have?
Depending on your goal, a retreat’s facilities may be central to your reason to visit. If you’re after a true pamper session then a spa, sauna and steam room may be top of your priority list. Alternatively, for those looking to up their physical fitness game, a gym, yoga room, tennis courts or hiking trails may top the list of requirements. Even smaller touches such as a laundry or a good WIFI reception or may be deal breakers so keep in mind which are a must have for you and make sure that your needs are met.
Start your search now on The Good Index, Australia’s leading retreat guide
The Good Index is Australia’s leading retreat guide, created to inspire you to take a break with health as your number one priority. One platform with hundreds of wellness destinations to discover. Reconnect with what’s important to you and experience the benefits of retreats first hand.
