Lean in to the arc of spring, prepare for the vitality of summer
Boston-based teachers Krissy Rybicki & Meredith Wadsworth invite you to lean into the later arc of spring in this three night/four day retreat. Mid-May is a time when roots are established and energy naturally begins to rise and expand outward.
This retreat is designed to be grounding and expansive for all levels from beginner to advanced. Through dynamic, restorative daily practice, and time in nature with community, we will hold space for creative exploration throughout this retreat. Through steady and active practice we will prepare together for the vitality of summer.
Our retreat will occupy the entire main house on Willow’s property. We will also optionally occupy Willow’s beautiful four season treehouse and enjoy exclusive use of the grounds. The main house includes 6,000 square feet of space: a large practice studio, two grand living rooms, a 14-person dining space, six bedrooms with en suite or dedicated baths, and a grand south-facing porch with rocking chairs, lounges, and outside dining. Read more about the main house here.
The grounds include gorgeous mountain views, fields & walking paths, a large pond, and direct access to mountain trails . Miles of dirt roads, hills, and bucolic farm are accessible just a few steps from Willow’s driveway.
Ravi and Tom, WIllow’s owners, live in the main house with Scratch and Bear. their two cats. They will be on hand the entire weekend. Ravi is a self trained chef specializing in Indian and vegetarian American cuisine. He will prepare three delicious, locally-sourced, and lovingly-made vegetarian meals a day. Locally roasted coffee is served at breakfast and tea and fruit are available for snacking all day.
What’s Included
3 nights stay in a single or double room. All rooms have ensuite or dedicated bathrooms
All meals, snacks, coffee, tea: a welcome meal on arrival day, three meals each full day, and a brunch on departure day
2x daily yoga practice. Yoga mats & props are supplied at Willow. BYOMat if desired. Willow’s cushions are handmade by a partnership of women residing in India and Wilmington VT. Extras are on hand for sale.
A creativity workshop with clay
Evening firepit
Opportunities for free time to explore the foothills of the Green Mountains, nearby conservation land, and downtown Newfane and Brattleboro (20mins drive). Read more about area attractions here. Willow ‘s owners are happy to organize your visit to a local pottery studio, a general store packed with local farm goods and crafts, an antique store, or other local small businesses.
The retreat will be led by Meredith Wadsworth and Krissy Rybicki.
What to Expect
Begin each morning with a dynamic yet grounding practice to organize the body, build clarity, and set the tone for the day. After a nourishing breakfast, time is left open for walks in nature, town visits, communing with fellow guests, cozying up with a book by the fireplace, or quiet self-connection. One afternoon will include a guided clay workshop; the other full day is intentionally unstructured, allowing space to integrate the practices in a way that feels right for you. Evenings close with a slower, more spacious yoga practice to unwind, restore, and reflect before dinner and rest.
Fee Options
Fees cover all accommodations, meals, and activities during the retreat. There are three options:
Main house, double occupancy—$1225, inclusive of taxes and fees. You may book a room together with a friend or be matched with another participant by the retreat instructor. All rooms have two beds and one dedicated bathroom.
Main house, single occupancy—$1,850, inclusive of taxes and fees. For this retreat, one single is available.
Treehouse: one person—$2,175, inclusive of taxes and fees; two people—$2,725, inclusive of taxes and fees. Please note: guests booking for two in the treehouse should be comfortable sharing one queen bed. The treehouse is available to participants of this retreat exclusively until 60 days prior to retreat start. Within the 60 day window, the treehouse will be opened for booking by outside travelers who come to Willow for guest stays and individual retreats. More information on the treehouse is available here.
Payment schedule: A 25% deposit is due at booking. A second installment of 25% will be charged 60 days before arrival. The remaining balance will be charged two weeks before arrival. The second installment and final balance will be charged on the designated dates to the card on file, unless you call in advance to change your payment option.
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 a retreat, Willow offers a 75% refund of the deposit.
Travel Insurance and Late Cancelations: Our travel insurance partner, ResNexus, offers partial to full refund options right up to the day your retreat starts. 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 the retreat. If we cancel the retreat for any reason, you will receive a full refund of all payments made to date.
The Schedule
Thursday — Arrival Day
Guest arrival
Welcome + practice
Dinner
Free time
Friday
Coffee, tea & fruit
Morning practice
Breakfast
Free time: hang out, group hike, drive to town, read, journal, relax
Lunch to grab & go if adventuring
Free time: relax, read, journal, nap
Evening practice
Dinner
Free time: fire pit, evening walk, reading
Saturday
Coffee, tea & fruit
Morning practice
Breakfast
Free time: hang out, group hike, drive to town, read, journal, relax
Lunch at the house
Optional clay handbuilding workshop
Evening practice
Dinner
Free time: fire pit, evening walk, reading
Sunday — Departure Day
Coffee, tea & fruit available before practice
Morning practice
Breakfast
Pack and strip beds
What to bring
Water bottle
Comfortable clothes for practice
Day clothes for exploring, hiking and hanging out. Bring layers!
Walking and hiking shoes
Warm slippers or socks. Willow is a shoeless household
Headlamp or flashlight
Suggested: journal, a good book, a favorite game
Optional: your own yoga mat. Willow supplies Manduka mats, blocks and straps and custom cushions and bolsters
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.
Meals
Meals are provided throughout the retreat, including dinner on arrival day, 3 meals each full day, and brunch on departure day.
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 the retreat. A menu of options will be posted in the dining room. Charges will be added to your account and billed at the end of the retreat.
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.
Want to stay longer? Extend your retreat experience!
Willow encourages retreat participants who wish to stay in the area longer to book rooms or book the treehouse on nights before and after the retreat at sharply reduced rates. Extended bookings include a hearty continental breakfast.
Individual rooms are $150-375/night for up to two people. A discount of 10% automatically applies to bookings of 3 or more nights.
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.