Ratna Ling Retreat Center

"I chose Ratna Ling because it offered individual stays and schedule flexibilities. Free Wi-Fi is awesome, since the cellular connection is not very good. Each room had a landline and the all calls were free - added bonus. The food was very delicious, healthy and plenty. I was assigned a 2 bedroom cabin, very modern, clean, comfortable, and spacious. The kitchen had all the amenities/gadgets, 2 bedrooms, kitchen, living/dining room, and 1 bathroom, beds very comfortable. Everything was in great condition. Yoga and meditation classes - not good, nothing to recommend about them. They should add some more classes and better teachers. The evenings can be very long since there are no activities post dinners. There are no TV etc., so the evenings stretch until bedtime. Breakfast at 8am, lunch 12 noon, and dinner - 5:30.Overall the center is very remote, quiet, peaceful, and safe. Staff and the volunteers are super friendly and give you the space and quiet that you desire. It is good place to visit and relax and host group retreats. Highly recommend Ratna Ling."

BookYogaRetreats.com website , edited

"Ratna Ling has proved to be everything it promised. The cabin and surroundings are amazing. This retreat has really positively affected my life. Thank you!"

Ratna Ling Retreat Center website, edited

"To another wonderful year, This is year 3 and every time I am in awe of this beautiful place. The piece and serenity I receive from this weekend is priceless. Thank you."

Ratna Ling Retreat Center website, edited

"We have been to lots of nature vacations but none compares to this. This has a peace and tranquility even beyond what the natural surroundings bring to it. To put it simply, it feels good to be here."

Ratna Ling Retreat Center website, edited

"Wow! This place is special. After a few days you’ll realize you’re in the middle of something more that is going on, not only within yourself while you’re away from the hustle and bustle- but within Ratna Ling intself. Give yourself the gift of just being here. Take the classes. I’m glad I did! Taste the amazing food!"

Ratna Ling Retreat Center website, edited

"My husband and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to visit this tranquil and beautiful place."

Ratna Ling Retreat Center website, edited

"The purpose of coming here was to get away and have a few days of digital detox, but I know in my heart I am leaving with so much more. The gratitude I feel is overwhelming. Thank you Ratna Ling for creating such a special place."

Ratna Ling Retreat Center website, edited

"Ratna Ling has has helped me clear my mind because there are no distractions here, just peace and quiet."

Ratna Ling Retreat Center website, edited

"Absolutely loved our time at Ratna Ling. Started with a fantastic massage from Shari which is not to be missed. Cottages are spacious and clean and full of light, fireplace was toasty, view off the back deck serene, beds fluffy and warm. Especially loved the yogurt and granola delivered to our door in the morning. Yoga in a beautiful space with wonderful teachers. Staff could not have been more welcoming and calming. Gardens are beautifully designed. Perfect quiet getaway. Cannot wait to go back."

Yelp website, edited

"The cottages are beautiful. Very well maintained and comfortable. The place is silent and gets really dark at night. Mornings are peaceful, and the meditation/yoga classes are very relaxing/refreshing. The food is amazing. The vegetarian food is yummy and there is plenty of variety. They could do better with breakfast, though. The people are extremely nice and interesting. My husband and I went for a weekend in December, so it got quite cold. It was a perfect get-away. Would love to go back there."

Yelp website, edited

"We had a great time. The food was amazing. The grounds are beautiful. Great trails around the property for a trail run or a short hike. We drove 20 mins to the coast for a late morning run and a beautiful sunset picnic. It was quiet and serene. We even booked 2 massages in our cottage. The perfect girls weekend."

TripAdvisor website, edited

"I needed to get away and so did my friend. We found a 3-day retreat on Living Social and I'm so thankful we went. Ratna Ling is beautiful, quiet, and indulgent. Our cabin faced phenomenal views and the buildings were gorgeous. We could hike to the cove and take yoga or meditations classes. I'm not a quiet person in life, but this was just the thing I needed to find some tranquility. Thank you Ratna Ling for a wonderful experience!"

TripAdvisor website, edited

"I needed to get away and so did my friend. We found a 3-day retreat on Living Social and I'm so thankful we went. Ratna Ling is beautiful, quiet, and indulgent. Our cabin faced phenomenal views and the buildings were gorgeous. We could hike to the cove and take yoga or meditations classes. I'm not a quiet person in life, but this was just the thing I needed to find some tranquility. Thank you Ratna Ling for a wonderful experience!"

Tripadvisor website, edited

"Theres something about Ratna Ling that felt like home the second I stepped onto its land, and continues to call me home inside each second I remain The energy is peace and nurturing, and I will be making this my retreat destination in the future. I have never experienced anything like it in over 40 years of retreating at different facilities. I highly recommend Ratna Ling to anyone looking to come within, and rejuvenate before going back out."

Ratna Ling Retreat Center website, edited

"Ratna Ling Retreat Center is truly a place to retreat both body, and mind. I felt held in the sacredness of this space, completely nurtured. I highly recommend this experience to all seeking refuge in nature and self. This retreat center will be an annual gift to myself as part of my on-going journey to live in balance."

Ratna Ling Retreat Center website, edited

"Among other programs (including one for Ashtanga, and discovering joy), Ratna Ling showcases Ayurvedic practitioner Helen Thomass nourishing weekends, designed to teach yogis self-care practices for staying well, and transitioning with the seasons, such as daily Abhyanga (self-massage with oil). During the day, Thomas determines your doshic constitution (a.k.a your balance of Ayurvedic energies: kapha, pitta, and vatta) and prescribes customized asana, breathing techniques, and diet tips. At night, you cozy up in a cottage nestled among the California Redwoods."

Ratna Ling Retreat Center website, edited

"My husband and I loved everything about the retreat; the location, food, classes, great spirited staff, and cabin house. My husband and I were able to reconnect, and enjoy our time together. Thank you Ratna Ling for this great experience, we will be back."

Ratna Ling Retreat Center website, edited

"Just came back from a personal retreat at this amazing place. The environment was so beautiful and serene with old huge redwood trees that made me feel like I was walking on sacred ground. Deer and wild turkeys roamed around and the human presence didn't seem to scare or bother them. The cottage had a rustic look outside but the inside was spacious, modern, and elegantly decorated that I instantly felt so at home. The staff was friendly and helpful. I enjoyed the morning yoga classes very much. The buffet vegetarian meals were delicious and many of the vegetables came from the organic garden on the premise.We were also given a tour of Dharma Publishing facility where Buddhist books were published in English and Tibetan. Thousands of Tibetan books on the teaching of the Buddha were given to monks, nuns, lamas, and Tibetans in exile every year during the 10 days World Peace Ceremony in Bodh Gaya, India.The tranquility and peacefulness from this place was really restorative for me. It's a totally different world from the hustling, bustling, chaotic city life. I felt so relaxed and rejuvenated.The drive along the coast to the retreat center was spectacular. Also had a chance to meet some really nice co-retreaters. A wonderful experience that I love to recommend to everybody."

Yelp website, edited

"My wife and I were provided a weekend at Ratna Ling as a gift from a family member. The whole experience was fantastic. The staff is friendly, helpful, and so pleasant to deal with. The grounds are amazing with wildlife of all sorts roaming the property.The cabin, more like a mini-house, was nestled in the trees and was extremely comfortable. The deck is awesome to lie out on and read and listen to the birds. There are plenty of places to walk and enjoy the pure peace and quiet of nature.If all this was the end of the experience, that would be enough. But it was not. Meals are included with your stay. All meal items are vegetarian, but 80 - 90% of those items are vegan as well. I am vegan, but my wife is not and is still a meat eater. We brought crackers a peanut butter for her just in case. We did not have to break out any of those items while we were there. My wife was amazed at the quality, variety, and deliciousness of the meals. All items served are clearly marked as vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free. Yes, gluten free as well. Jeremy, their executive chef, was kind enough to describe and answer any questions regarding the meals and their preparation. As much as I hate to say it, the meals were the highlight of this trip, just because we were so blown away by how good they were.If I could, I would give Ratna Ling 10 stars for an awesome totally positive experience in every way."

Yelp website, edited

"My partner and I booked a 2-night stay at Ratna Ling not knowing exactly what to expect. We were completely blown away by the beauty of the grounds, the views, and the cabins are very spacious, modern, and luxurious. The meals, included in the price, were really delicious with lots of vegan and gluten free options. My favorite spot was our deck overlooking the valley and forest.The nice thing about this place is that it's really up to you how much you want to participate in the activities offered. We participated in morning yoga one day and also took a massage lesson with Cindy from Mellow Mates - highly recommended - but other than that, we just relaxed in our cabin and hiked around the area.The highlights for us were exploring the redwood tree cathedrals around the property, star-gazing at night - Im not sure Ive ever seen so many shooting stars in one night - and watching the animals that live on the property: deer, lizards, turkeys and lots of birds are all around, and a group of wild turkeys actually used the ground under our deck as their launching pad to fly into the pine trees at dusk. Pretty spectacular!The volunteers at the center were very friendly. Our arrival was the only part of our stay that left a little to be desired. It was hard to find anyone that worked there when we arrived, and we then got three different sets of directions - all of them wrong - about how to drive our car down to our cabin. However, once we were settled, we were completely fine and didn't have any more problems.If you need a little rest and relaxation or need a nature getaway, I highly recommend Ratna Ling. I'd go back in a heartbeat. Both my partner and I left feeling refreshed and more grounded."

TripAdvisor website, edited

"This place is hard to describe. It's a luxury 5-star resort-like stay with a common eating area with no room service. I believe there are about 16 brand new cottages. It's definitely worth taking a trip up if you have the time. The vegetarian food is amazing and I'm not a vegetarian by any means. In fact, we thought we were going to be served celery and carrot sticks so we stopped at the last convenience store and bought tons of canned galore. Canned tuna anyone? There is no need for that.My stay kinda sucked because we were in during one of the biggest rainstorms in the Bay Area for the season, but it wasn't Ratna Ling's fault! The cottage was beautiful and the deep forest view from when it wasn't raining was amazing. I would highly recommend this place. The staff is really nice and pretty happy.Hit it up and get your zen on!"

Yelp website, edited

"Beautiful newly built cabins with attention to simplistic high quality woodworking and high hand done detail right down to the beautiful iron hardware on doors, and vent coverings throughout the house. Small kitchenette areas (not a full kitchen with stoves, just microwave and fridge, and sink area), sitting areas, healthy food (all inclusive), decks overlooking forested areas, and wonderful people on site make this place a great getaway."

February 2015. TripAdvisor website, edited