How Much Should You Charge for Your Retreat?

Pricing is the question I'm asked about more than any other. It's also where I see the most heartache, because so many wonderful retreat leaders sell out their retreat and then realise they've barely covered their costs.

The problem usually isn't confidence. It's method. Most people start with "what does everyone else charge?" when the better question is "what does this retreat need to charge?"

Here's the method we use, step by step.

Step 1: List every single cost

Split your costs into two groups.

Fixed costs stay the same however many guests come. Think venue hire, your facilitators and suppliers, marketing, insurance and admin.

Per-guest costs go up with every booking. Think meals, goody bags, transfers and card payment fees.

Be ruthless here. Include your own travel, the photographer, the welcome drinks and a contingency. If it costs money, it goes on the list.

Step 2: Decide what you want to earn

This is the step most people skip. Your profit isn't whatever happens to be left over at the end. It's a number you decide at the start.

Think about the hours you'll put in before, during and after the retreat. Months of marketing, planning and guest care, plus a week of hosting where you're on duty from sunrise to bedtime. Your profit needs to reflect that, or the retreat isn't sustainable.

Step 3: Plan for realistic capacity

If your venue sleeps 12, don't price as though you'll sell 12 places. Price so you're profitable at 10, and treat the last couple of places as a bonus. It gives you breathing room if someone cancels, and it takes the pressure off your marketing.

Step 4: Do the maths

Here's an illustrative example: a four-night retreat in the UK with 12 places.

At 10 guests, total costs come to £7,400 plus £3,000 in per-guest costs, so £10,400.

Now add the profit you want. Say that's £3,500. That gives you £13,900 to bring in from 10 guests, or £1,390 each. Round it to £1,395.

If you then sell all 12 places, your profit rises to around £5,740. If you sell only 7, you roughly break even. Knowing that number in advance changes everything about how calm you feel while you're selling.

Step 5: Sense-check against value

Now the human part. Look at your price and ask:

• Does it reflect the transformation guests will experience, not just the bed and the food?
• Can my ideal guest invest this, with a payment plan if needed?
• How does it compare with similar retreats, including what's included?
• Do I feel proud saying it out loud?

If your numbers say £1,395 and your gut says £895, don't simply lower the price. Change the plan instead. You could choose a different venue, shorten the retreat or rethink who it's for. Dropping the price without changing the costs just means you pay for the difference.

Make your price easier to say yes to

A fair price still needs a bit of help to land well. A few things that make a real difference:

• Payment plans. A deposit and three monthly payments feels very different from one lump sum.
• Early-bird pricing with a genuine deadline rewards decisive guests and brings in early cash flow.
• Room options. Shared and private rooms at different prices let more people say yes.
• Clear inclusions. Spell out exactly what's included, so people can see the value for themselves.

The mistakes to avoid

• Copying someone else's price without knowing their costs
• Forgetting card fees, transfers and your own travel
• Pricing to fill every bed
• Discounting at the last minute, which trains guests to wait
• Leaving yourself out of the budget

Want the shortcut?

The Profitable Retreat Pricing Playbook walks you through this exact method, with the cost categories, the formulas and the sense-check questions in one place. It's the fastest way to find a price you can stand behind.

Your Retreat Captain, Emma

Frequently asked questions