The venue is the single biggest decision in planning a retreat. It sets your price, your participants' experience and how much you will be firefighting on the day. Here is the checklist we would use, from the other side of the reception desk.
The checklist
Exclusive use
Can you reserve the whole property? Sharing a venue with other guests changes the energy of a retreat completely, and makes quiet practice and group moments harder.
Room configuration
Count beds, not rooms. Decide whether participants get private rooms or share, because that drives your pricing. Twelve rooms with one queen bed each, for example, suit 12 people in private rooms or up to 24 sharing.
Practice space
Where will you actually teach? Look at the surface, shade, noise and how many mats it fits. Ask for photos taken at the time of day you plan to teach.
Rain backup
Bali's wet season runs roughly from November to March. A covered area for practice is non-negotiable if your dates fall in those months.
Meals
Is catering included, optional or not offered? If not offered, are there good cafes within walking distance, and can you bring in your own caterer or private chef?
Location and walkability
A walkable venue gives participants free time without you organising transport for every outing. It also makes your marketing easier: beach, cafes and sunsets are part of the offer.
Airport transfers
Check the distance to Ngurah Rai Airport and plan group transfers. Traffic, not distance, decides how long it takes.
Sleep quality
Air-conditioning, blackout curtains and quiet at night matter more than anything on a retreat. Tired participants do not have transformative weeks.
Wi-Fi and work space
Even on a digital-detox retreat, you need to run your business. Ask for actual speeds.
Security and staff
Is there 24-hour security and a front desk? It reassures participants, especially women travelling alone.
Daily housekeeping
Clean rooms every day lift the whole experience and are one less thing for you to manage.
What is included, in writing
Get a clear list of what the venue provides and what you bring, so you can price your retreat with confidence.
Venue-only or all-inclusive?
All-inclusive retreat centres handle food, activities and sometimes even marketing. That is convenient, but you are fitting your retreat into their format. A venue-only property gives you the space and the hospitality, and leaves the programme entirely to you: your teachers, your food philosophy, your schedule and your price.
For independent facilitators building a recognisable retreat brand, venue-only is often the better fit.
How Nema measures up
Nema. Uluwatu is a venue-only retreat property in central Uluwatu:
- Exclusive use of all 12 private studios.
- 12 to 24 guests: one queen bed per studio, private or shared.
- Practice on the pool deck around the 16m pool, or under cover in the common area when it rains.
- Catering on request: catering at Nema can be arranged, partner restaurants offer discounted group dinners, and Suka Espresso is a short walk away.
- Air-conditioning, blackout curtains, 50 Mbps fibre Wi-Fi, daily housekeeping, 24-hour front desk and security.
- A short walk from Thomas Beach; about 17 km from the airport.
See the full details on our retreat page.