Retreat FAQs

Due to overwhelming demand, we use a lottery system for retreat bookings.

The lottery helps us keep the booking process smooth, fair, and glitch-free while allowing us to manage room preferences and reservations as thoughtfully as possible.

Each retreat lottery will be open for 72 hours. Complete the application with your basic information, room preferences, and the name of anyone you would like to book with.

If selected, you will receive a personal email from us within 48 hours after the lottery closes. The email will include a private link to book your retreat spot.

You will have 24 hours from the time the email is sent to complete your booking. If your booking is not completed within that window, we will move on to the next eligible applicant.

To balance the interest of returning guests with opportunities for new guests to join us, we hold separate lottery drawings.

Approximately 50% of retreat spots are reserved for returning guests, and 50% are reserved for first-time guests.

You can find a direct link to the lottery application on the main retreat details page and on each individual room listing page.

The lottery application will ask whether you are registering with anyone else. Be sure to include the full name and requested information for the person you would like to attend with.

If either person is selected, both of you will be invited to book together. We recommend that everyone in your party submit an application to increase your chances of being selected.

Room and bed availability will depend on the preferences included in your applications.

Boutique Book Society does not currently offer an in-house payment plan.

However, Shop Pay Installments may be available to eligible customers when selecting a payment method at checkout. Availability, payment schedules, financing terms, and approval are determined by Shop Pay.

Flights are not included to/from the retreat house. You are responsible for booking your own transportation from your home city to the retreat.

No, guests are responsible to transport themselves from the whichever airport they fly into to the retreat house.

We will have a group chat where guests will be able to coordinate arrival times and rideshares if wanted and can advise on best options!

All retreat bookings, deposits, and installment payments are nonrefundable.

If you are unable to attend, Boutique Book Society will make every reasonable effort to help identify a replacement guest, including contacting eligible people on the retreat waitlist. However, finding a replacement cannot be guaranteed.

Any replacement participant must be approved by Boutique Book Society, meet the retreat requirements, complete the required forms, and accept the original booking arrangements.

Travel insurance is required for all international retreats and highly recommended for all domestic retreats. Please review our complete Terms and Conditions before booking.

Absolutely! The majority of our guests attend solo.

Our retreats are intentionally designed to make it easy to meet and connect with fellow readers. You may arrive as strangers, but you will leave with a wonderful new bookish community!

We collect dietary restriction and allergy information from guests before each retreat and make reasonable efforts to provide suitable meal and snack options.

However, meals may be prepared in shared kitchens or by third-party restaurants, chefs, and vendors. We cannot guarantee an entirely allergen-free environment or eliminate the possibility of cross-contact.

Guests with serious allergies should notify us as early as possible and bring any medications or emergency supplies they may need.

Boutique Book Society co-founders Lauren and Tiina host and guide each retreat, typically with the support of a retreat assistant. You're in great hands!

We handle the planning, communication, meals, activities, and bookish details so that you can settle in, relax, and enjoy the experience.