A self-directed retreat at Willow gives you a calm, design-forward setting in rural Vermont where you can rest, reflect, create, move your body, or simply slow down.
You stay in a private room with en-suite bath in the historic guesthouse or choose the signature Treehouse stay, then shape the experience around what you actually need right now.
Why a personal retreat may be right for you
This retreat option is for you if:
You want time away without joining a group retreat.
You’re craving a quieter nervous system and a slower pace.
You prefer a personal retreat expereince that still feels intentioinal and supportive
You want a peaceful Vermon setting that’s comfortable, curated, and not hotel-like
You can work at your own pace to journal, create, meditate, study, and move your body.
You want a reset that fits your schedule
What to Expect
You can opt to wake up to a delicious breakfast from locally-sourced, organic ingredients. You can plan your own day in our practice studio, library, on the verandah, in our open fields, meditate near the pond, or hike in miles of woods directly accessible from the property.
You can add à la cate services like a yoga + meditation class with Tom, private rental of the practice space, an Indian cooking class with Ravi, an evening meal made by Ravi, pr a pottery or art studio visit with neighbors of Willow.
Fees are described below and they cover all basic expenses during the retreat, including:
Accommodations for three to 7 nights
Daily fair-trade coffee (7-10 am). We partner with local roaster Mocha Joes to serve the finest fair-trade coffee.
Daily breakfast, 8-10am. Our breakfast includes Willow’s famous granola and locally-made yogurt, bread, jam, cheese and fruit.
Free tea all day, by self service
Shared access to Willow’s yoga studio
Shared access to Willow’s many spots for personal time and reflection
À la carte options
Morning yoga and meditation with Tom (by donation)
Afternoon Indian cooking class with Ravi ($95 per person). Go home with your own roasted spice blend!
Evening Indian meal featuring legumes, rice, and vegetables ($40 per person). Ravi is widely known in southern Vermont for his monthly Indian takeout. Our customers rave about the full-bodied flavors and mild to moderate spice. With advance booking, we invite retreat guests to join us for a personally prepared evening meal.
Guided hikes with Tom (by donation). Whether you’re after grand views, gentle hikes, serious workouts, forest immersion, or a crash course in thre tracks and signs of area wildlife, we are delighted to share our extensive local knowledge with you.
Neighborhood excursions (free). Our immediate neighbors welcome Willow guests to visit their exceptional pottery and art studios. We also recommend visiting the region’s many general stores to get a flavor of local culture.
Fee Options
Room rates vary from $125 to $375 per night, plus taxes (9%) and credit card fees (3%). Room rates can be seen by checking prices and availability on our website. Enter your preferred dates to see availability and all inclusive prices for each room.
Retreat stays of 3-7 nights are discounted 10% to 40% off our usual room rates. Multi-night discounts are automatically calculated on the checkout page.
À la carte meals, cooking classes, yoga and excursions should be arranged in advance by calling in advance (click the “call to book” button on this page to see our telephone number). We appreciate at least two weeks notice, though exceptions can be made when we have availability. Fees and contributions for à la carte services are collected during your stay.
Payment schedule: A 50% deposit is due at booking. The balance is auto-charged on the morning of your arrival.
Refund Policy
We understand that travel plans may change. We offer a number of refund options.
Grace Window: Willow offers a full refund minus applicable credit card charges for cancelations made within 24 hours of booking. Credit card charges are 3% for most cards or 4.5% for Amex and are applied by your bank on all transactions, including deposits and refunds. Additional charges may be incurred on international cards.
Early Cancelation Window: When you call or email to cancel at least 60 days prior to your stay, Willow offers a 75% refund of deposit(s).
Travel Insurance and Late Cancelations: Our travel insurance partner, ResNexus, offers partial to full refund options right up to the day of arrival. Travel insurance must be purchased at booking. If you opt not to purchase travel insurance at booking, refunds are not possible after the early cancelation window closes.
In very rare circumstances—such as a natural disaster or global pandemic—Willow may be required to cancel your retreat. If we cancel for any reason, you will receive a full refund of all payments made to date.
What to bring
Slippers or house shoes. Willow is a shoe-free household.
Hiking boots or other outdoor shoes. This is especially important from November through April.
Layered clothing for inclement weather and cooler nights. A base layer of wool is highly recommended from December through March.
Swimsuits or not for summer swimming. Swimming in specific locations on the nearby Rock River is clothing-optional
Headlamp or flashlight. Our outdoor walkways are lit dimly at night so as not to interfere with star-gazing.
Refillable water bottle. Our 900 foot well water is crystal-clear and delicious. We test the water for safety.
Rooms and Amenities
Willow is a comforting and nurturing environment — furnished with a harmonious combination of custom contemporary and vintage furniture, rugs, artwork and crafts.
We provide comfortable overnight accommodations in double occupancy rooms. All rooms have dedicated ensuite or hall baths. We are outfitted with all the comforts of a typical guest house — linens, blowdryers, individually controlled heating and air conditioning. Our mattresses, pillows and furniture are exceptionally comfortable. Our soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions are organic. We support local craftspeople by supplying Willow with handmade and high quality goods — everything from lamps to rugs have been made by hand. You will feel very much at home.
The Colonial Revival main house offers open living space on the first floor: a grand foyer with sitting area and library, a spacious and light-filled living room with fireplace, a sunny veranda, a dining room, and a 14-person yoga studio painted in soft colors of the willow tree. The studio is fully outfitted with yoga mats, cushions, straps, blocks and blankets.
Optional Evening Meals
Our menu is Indian, Tex-Mex and American-inspired vegetarian dishes with balanced proteins, fats and carbs. Our meals are healthy, filling, and made of local organic and natural ingredients. Please let us know at registration if you prefer vegan or gluten-free options. Please let us know if you have any food allergies. We cannot accommodate last minute requests during the retreat.
Coffee is served with breakfast at no charge. Tea is available all day at no charge.
Espresso, cappuccino, and fresh-pressed juices are available for purchase throughout your stay. A menu of options is posted at the tea station.
Meet our cats
Willow is home to two sweet and friendly cats, Bear and Scratch. They love our guests and they absolutely adore being petted. But we ask that guests not pick them up. Too much of that and they will become stressed little souls.
We do our best to keep cats out of the guest rooms so that people with allergies can comfortably stay with us. Please help with this by discouraging the cats from entering or napping in your room.
Traveling to Willow
Willow is located in the beautiful and quintessential village of South Newfane (population 300), a satellite of Newfane (population 1,700). We are located 20 minutes northwest of Brattleboro, 20 minutes northeast of Wilmington, and 20 minutes east of Dover and Mount Snow.
By car:
From Brattleboro, take Route 30 north about 9 miles. Go left on Depot Road where the West River and Rock River meet; travel 2 miles on Depot Road until you cross a small bridge over the Rock River; go left on Dover Road through the village of Williamsville; after passing through Williamsville you will cross a covered bridge. Willow is exactly 1.2 miles on your left. If you come to a stop sign you have gone 300 feet past our driveway.
From Wilmington, take Route 100 north toward West Dover about 3.5 miles. A half mile past the River Valley Market, take a right on East Dover Road; travel 1 mile. Take a right on Dover Hill Road; travel 8 miles on Dover Hill Road and E Dover Road (they are continuous) until you reach a 3-way stop sign in the village of South Newfane. Willow is 300 feet past the stop sign on your right.
By train: the daily Amtrak Vermonter stops in Brattleboro as it travels from Washington DC to Montreal and back. You can pick it up in New York, Hartford, Springfield to the south or in Montpelier to the north. Taxis are available in Brattleboro or Willow’s owners will pick you up in Brattleboro on the Vermonter’s arrival at 5pm (note this is after check in time).
By plane: Travelers may find Hartford (BDL—64.4 miles, 90 minutes) and Boston (BOS—85.7 miles, 2 hours 20 minutes) to be most convenient. Other nearby airports to check are Rutland VT (RUT, 55 miles, 1 hour 20 minutes), Manchester NH (MHT—85 miles, 2 hours), Albany NY (ALB—73 miles, 1 hour 40 minutes), and Worcester MA (ORH, 81 miles, 1 hour 50 minutes).
A note on driving: We are located in rural Vermont! You may have spotty cell service in areas throughout our area. Be sure to set your GPS before leaving from home. Set it by typing our business name “Willow Vermont Retreat” into your search bar. Please don’t use our address, as most GPS engines get rural addresses wrong. But don’t worry one bit, just remember this: following our guidance will land you safely with us; following Google to our address will lead you 4 miles off target.