Planning a retreat in France can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be…
Share your vision with us, and together, we’ll transform it into a successful retreat plan. Our planning process, outlined below is designed to make the entire procedure straightforward for you.
Are we the right venue for you?
We are thrilled at the thought of hosting your retreat and are committed to helping you realise your vision. Our website is designed to inspire and inform every visitor about the unique opportunities our venue offers for hosting retreats. We encourage you to carefully review all the information available to ensure our venue meets your specific needs.
We understand the enthusiasm and eagerness that come with planning your event, and we receive many inquiries from individuals keen to make their retreat a reality at our location. It’s important to note that while we are here to support you, the success of your retreat involves a collaborative effort. Organising and marketing your event will require dedication, and while we offer various supports, the responsibility for marketing and securing bookings will largely be in your hands.
If you have any questions that we haven’t answered online, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We look forward to the possibility of collaborating with you in the future.
Facilitator Q&A
Why we require prospective facilitators to fill in an application form
In our commitment to offering memorable retreat experiences, we dedicate significant resources to planning and preparing for each event based on initial inquiries. However, we’ve encountered challenges when some facilitators discontinued communication without notice, leading to undue strain on our resources and team. These situations may arise from various reasons, including a change of plans, seeking information for personal use, or other commitments.
To address this and ensure a mutual commitment to the planning process, we’ve introduced an application system for potential facilitators. This system helps us better understand your vision and crucially – commitment right from the start. We welcome applications from all interested parties and are particularly keen on selecting facilitators whose proposals resonate with our goals of creating enriching experiences for all guests. Rest assured, no application is considered unfavorable, and there will always be additional questions, answers, and potential changes to be made throughout the process.
While we welcome general inquiries, please note that all necessary information is available online to aid in your retreat planning. We’re unable to engage in further discussions or planning until you’ve submitted your application form for our review.
We appreciate your understanding as we strive to create a fair and dedicated process for all involved. We look forward to the possibility of hosting your retreat and fostering unforgettable experiences together.
Your vision for your retreat
Your application serves as a valuable tool for all parties involved, allowing us to gather as much information as possible and to get to know you better.
Our application form focuses on two key aspects and will ask to:
1. Share with us your vision for your retreat:
We want to know your exciting plans! How do you vision your retreat to be? Note any specific amenities you deem crucial. For instance, if the pool is integral to your plans, your plan needs to mention this and you would be looking at booking the months of June and the beginning of September. Additionally, if you wish to include specific activities such as a drumming class as part of your excursion, then mention it in your plan. If you are happy for us to plan your excursions, then mention it in your plan. You can also of course use the application form to ask questions. Remember this is not a concrete plan.
2. Demonstrate your capacity to attract sufficient booking’s for the financial viability of hosting your retreat with us.
Unlike other venues, we don’t charge a venue hire fee; instead, we charge per person. A minimum of 10 participants is required for a financially viable retreat, but we only mandate a minimum of 8 attendees from your end (unless it’s a private hire – then we require/will charge based on 10 guests not including yourself), allowing us to share the booking risks.
We’re willing to share the risks because we have confidence in your ability to promote and secure bookings. Before writing your application, conduct market research to gauge interest. Your application will be stronger if you can indicate you have a certain number of potential bookings from your weekly yoga class or from an advertisement posted on social media.
Your Application Form
What happens when you’ve submitted your application?
Upon submitting your application, you can expect to receive confirmation of receipt from us within a few days. Both parties will have a period of time to address each other’s questions and queries.
Once we are all satisfied with the details, the next step is to agree on your dates in the diary, your deposit, installment payment plan, and our fees. We will only be able to proceed with your application if you agree to the above terms. However, if you decide not to proceed, now would be the appropriate time to express that.
We’ll reserve these dates for 8 weeks without charge so you can proceed with promoting your retreat. During this time, we’ll maintain constant communication to develop your retreat plan further.
Planning
1. You now have 8 weeks to promote your retreat and start collecting bookings and deposits from your students.
Begin your promotional campaign on social media and your website. Spread the word to everyone you know and talk to them about it.
2. During this time, we’ll maintain constant communication to develop your retreat plan further.
We’ll cover details like menus, excursions, accommodation, and your itinerary, which you may opt to share during your promotions over the 8 weeks. This includes meal arrangements, dietary preferences (including options for alcohol or alcohol-free offerings), excursion schedules, workshop and class timings, as well as arrangements for airport transfers. Excursions could range from visits to medieval towns, organising trips to organic vineyards for wine tasting, or arranging massage treatments in our onsite treatment room.
We will also agree on your deposit and a payment schedule along with the date for the final balance, which is typically set 8 weeks before the retreat starts. This ensures clear financial planning and helps both parties prepare adequately. It’s your responsibility to manage your student bookings and payment collections.
After 8 weeks, we’ll review your bookings and ask you for your deposits. We’re flexible, so there’s no need to worry if you haven’t reached the required number of bookings by this stage. At our discretion, we can adjust plans accordingly.
Securing your booking
After 8 weeks, we’ll request your deposit which you will have collected upon taking booking’s. If you haven’t reached the required number of bookings to make your retreat financially viable, we will review the situation, especially if your retreat is planned for some time away or even for the following year. At our discretion, we can adjust plans accordingly to ensure the success of your retreat.
The remaining payments are split into two instalments, with the final one due 8 weeks before the retreat begins – dates of which will have been agreed in the planning stage when the date is agreed.
Once we’ve received your deposit, you can continue promoting your retreat and collecting more bookings.
We’ll address any remaining details, answer additional queries your guests may have, organise dietary requirements, room allocations, and handle any remaining student queries.
Our Location
Gaubide
449 Route de Lauzun,
Lalandusse,
47330
SW France
Contact Us
Neville & Wendy Vokes
Tel FR: 06 09 35 13 56
Email Wendy: info@havenonthehill.org
Details
Registered Business
Siret No: 824301345 00016
Haven on the Hill Retreat venue 