Do you need a break, but don’t want the price tag of a long-haul escape? Enter micro-retreats, the mini breaks designed to soothe your soul
STACEY CARTER
Mindfulness practices, meditation and nutritious meals can all help us combat stress, but sometimes, what we really need is a break away (preferably with a bit of sun). However, with rising living costs, many of us can’t afford to book too much time off work. This scenario has led many travel companies, hotels and resorts to think about what they can offer time-starved Brits. Micro-retreats, (mini holidays spanning a few or sometimes even one day), are set to be big this year, so we investigated their rising appeal and what’s out there.
Mini-getaways
From Pilates and surfing, to cacao ceremonies and hot yoga, micro-retreats are taking the travel industry by storm. Experts believe that their popularity is due to people feeling more time-strapped than ever before, with childcare costs at an all-time high and a lack of work-life balance. “I started running micro-retreats last year and they are so popular,” says Grace Lillywhite from Centered Mums (centredmums.com). “I’ve done six now in the space of 13 months and all of them have sold out so far. Mine are aimed at busy mums who aren’t really able to go away overnight due to their family commitments, but a day away is a perfect way to get some time to themselves without feeling too guilty about it. I’ve had a few people book in who aren’t mums as well and the feedback has been amazing.”
One-day wonders
According to Holiday Extras, the demand for three-week holidays has plummeted by 18 percent since Covid and while many travel companies are still pushing longer breaks and getaways, the demand for micro-dosing (wellness activities that only take up a small amount of time), is growing. “I’ve been running micro retreats (one-day retreats in my case) since Autumn 2021 with great success,” says Nichola Henderson, a holistic self-development coach, mindfulness expert and wellness specialist (scotlandretreats.com). “We hosted 12 in 2022 (in addition to the three-night residentials). The amazing thing about these mini-retreats is that it gives people a taste of how it can feel to take time out of your everyday stresses for yourself, and maybe do something that you’d not normally do, meet new like-minded people, push your comfort zone and really understand yourself on a new level.” It’s natural to assume that people might not get the same relaxation benefits as they would when booking a longer beach holiday abroad, but Nicola argues
