Sagrada Wellness — Hotel in San Luis Obispo

My decision to attend the New Years yoga retreat at Sagrada was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. ||The retreat center is in a beautiful, peaceful location and was appointed with everything I needed — from a cozy blanket in my room to a yummy wide selection of herbal teas… a comfy couch to curl up on in the living room and great outdoor seating in little nooks & crannies of the property. ||Most important of all, the people at the retreat immediately made me feel at home. Some standout moments of my time at Sagrada include: an invigorating polar plunge with Nicole; a stunning hike (silent on the way up and great conversation on the way down!!); deep, joyful and fun yoga classes with Nicole that could be done at your own pace (also special shout out to Nicole’s lemon almond flour cake & the homemade face mask she taught us to make!); impactful qigong that I can integrate into my daily life with Eva; transporting musical accompaniment to our classes with Tony (who also led a deeply moving end of year puja); perfectly seasoned, wholesome vegetarian meals….i could go on. ||Acupuncture with Eva was deeply relaxing. I also had the opportunity to have massages with Hope & Rich (they oversee the property and take excellent care of folks!). Rich practices trigger point massage, which was a game changer for my back. Hope specializes in a very unique form of energy healing that is tailored to each individual she sees, incorporating deep relaxation techniques, acupressure and sound. She also gave me specific grounding tools I can incorporate into my daily life at the end of the session. Honestly, I’ve always been pretty skeptical of reiki & other forms of energy healing, but I would seriously considering driving back up from LA just to see Hope. ||What I especially appreciated about my stay was that I could challenge myself with the group as I wanted, but also dip out for some chill solo moments as needed. The retreat felt very safe emotionally and didn’t push anyone further than they wanted to be pushed. I especially liked that the group was smaller relative to programs at other retreat centers…it created an ambiance where each person felt individually cared for and could make personal, long term connections with other retreat participants. ||Also worth noting that while i would (and have already) recommended Sagrada to folks my own age — I’m in my mid 30s — I’ve also recommended Eva’s forthcoming qigong retreat to my 76 year old mother who is physically active, but definitely has limitations in terms of mobility. ||I’ll absolutely be back to Sagrada!! Thank you for a memorable stay and great...

After weeks of contemplating doing a yoga retreat for the first time, I finally took the plunge and went for it, at Sagrada. I found Sagrada after researching other options in Northern California, and was immediately drawn to the intimate feel of their retreats, as well as the generous hospitality that comes with a small family-owned business. I came to Sagrada after booking at the last minute, looking for an opportunity to reset, and found so much more than what I had expected.

The space that Eva and Scott have built at Sagrada is as beautiful as all the other reviews describe. Everything about the ranch invites you to commune with nature - from the two easily-accessible hikes that are perfect for a contemplative walk, to the sublime saltwater pool that we soaked in during our free time, and the hot tub perfect for nighttime star-gazing. Our accommodations were perfect in their simplicity and coziness - I stayed at the yoga loft, which allowed me to wake up to a really sweet view of the space we practiced in each day. The food prepared by Lourdes and Ricardo was wonderful - vegetarian, healthy, delicious, and deeply nourishing.

The retreat itself, led by Leslie St. John, was incredible. Leslie's passion for her creative craft in teaching both yoga and writing really shone through. The overall experience felt very thoughtfully designed to help us intuitively ground ourselves and explore self-intimacy in deeper ways as the weekend unfolded. Leslie was an expert at weaving movement, writing, meditation, and simple pleasures (think wine and chocolate) into a holistic, rich, and soulful experience. To sum up what it all felt like - we wrapped up the weekend with a Qoya practice, which was new to us all, and found ourselves - a group of folks from very diverse walks of life - dancing freely with abandon.

I walked away from the weekend feeling immensely grateful to have found Sagrada and to have shared such a profound experience with Leslie and the company that were with me as well. I can only hope that other retreats I take in the future can match the experience that Sagrada has so...

Summary: As a first-timer at a yoga retreat, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect experience. Sagrada Wellness has set the bar so very high!

Culture/Feel: Eva, owner, greeted us so warmly and made us feel at home immediately. The location, grounds, common areas, our private double room, yoga room...everything had a warmth and cleanliness that was so serene and grounding. I felt safe, calm and happy at Sagrada.

Food: I'm going to be real here: I am not a vegetarian and worried that I might feel hungry and not like the food. I walked away from the experience with such a respect for the food that Sagrada fed us....Lourdes is a fantastic chef. It's changed my perspective on plant-based diets and I've incorporated things I learned.

Yoga: Leslie St. John, our yoga instructor and retreat facilitator was the perfect blend of being inspiring, organized, mindful, vulnerable, strong and fun. I felt comfortable sharing very personal things in the safe space she created for us. I learned so much from Leslie...not just about yoga, but about going deeper in asking myself emotional and difficult life questions. She was so supportive and encouraging - yet also pushed me to places I didn't think I could go with my yoga practice! I've also incorporated so many things she taught me.

Accomodations: We chose a private double room with a shared bathroom and felt so spoiled. The bed, bed linens, bathroom linens, view from our room and overall stay was so comfortable and calming.

Schedule: Eva and Leslie worked together on a great schedule for us and each weekend is a little different depending on the amount of participants. One morning, Eva taught us a Qi Gong: Beautification Techniques session that I found so enjoyable and fun. There was also a morning nature walk and other ceremonial rituals throughout the weekend that I found so uplifting.

I am definitely a fan of yoga...