Join us for a three-night mini retreat for gay, bi, trans and queer men. Wake up to morning yoga and spend the day as you choose: do some workshops led by other participants, explore the area or stay put on the property. End the day with a potluck dinner, evening meditation or a nighttime gathering at the fire pit.
This gathering is our way of giving back to our community. We offer it at well below the cost of a professionally led retreat by working in partnership with you, the participant. Instead of paying a leader, we organize this gathering as a “skill-share” retreat in which every participant contributes something to the rest of the group. You can lead a workshop, cook for others, or sign up to clean up after meals. Everyone pitches in. The result is that we build a stronger network of community members by building relationships with each other.
Accommodations and Fees
Main house rooms are available for up to 14 people. Accommodations are two to a room in separate beds, so bring a friend or we’ll match you up. All rooms have two beds and their own bathrooms. Read more about the main house here.
$125/night per person, double occupancy
Add $95 for single occupancy.
Camping is available for up to 6 people / up to 3 tents. Two half baths are available 24/7 on the first floor of the main house. House showers are available from 11am to 4pm on the second floor.
$45/night per person.
The Treehouse is available. The treehouse has a sitting area, deck, full bath, kitchenette, and loft queen bed. Read more about the treehouse here.
$195/night per person, double occupancy
Add $150/night for single occupancy
The Schedule—everything is optional
Friday
1-5pm: Arrive and get settled into your room
6:00pm: Gather in the library and living rooms
6:30-8:00pm: Welcome dinner
8:30pm: Evening meditation
saturday and Sunday
7:00am: Morning meditation
7:30-8:30am: Yoga with Tom
8:30-10:00am: Breakfast
11:00am: Morning workshop(s) led by other participant(s)
12:30-1:30 Lunch
2:00pm: Afternoon workshop(s) led by other participant(s)
5:30 Potluck dinner with community members (Saturday) / Dinner (Sunday)
8:30-9:00pm: evening meditation
9-11pm: gather at the fire pit near the pond
Monday
7:00am: Morning meditation
7:30-8:30am: Yoga with Tom
9:00-10:30am: Breakfast
11-1pm: Clean up and pack up
1:00pm: Checkout
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 $135-185/night for up to two people. A discount of 15% applies to bookings of 3 or more nights.
We offer a seven-night single occupancy rate of $685 in selected rooms, subject to availability.
What to Bring
Shoes: house slippers or warm socks (we are a shoeless household)
Water bottle
Hiking shoes and outdoor clothing
A robe or a wrap
Flashlight or headlamp
Journal
Rooms and Amenities at Willow
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.
Scenes from recent gatherings
Meet Ravi & Tom - the owners
We moved to South Newfane from Boston where we’ve worked in health care research (Tom) and environmental conservation (Ravi), and where we’ve been operating a short-term stay guest house since 2016. We chose Vermont to spend more time outdoors, practice yoga, and enjoy a rural lifestyle. South Newfane is the perfect spot for us!
Meet Scratch & Bear - the resident 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 the 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: You may have spotty cell service in some parts of southern Vermont. Be sure to set your GPS before leaving home. Set it by typing “Willow Vermont Retreat” into your search bar. Please don’t use Willow’s address, as most GPS engines get southern Vermont addresses wrong. But don’t worry one bit, just remember this: following our guidance will lead you safely to Willow; following Google to Willow’s address will lead you 4 miles off target.