Ratna Ling Retreat Center

Absolutely loved our time at Ratna Ling. Started with a fantastic massage from Shari which is not to be missed. Cottages are spaceous 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.

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.

Sure, buddhism is in part about not having expectations; nonetheless I had them, and they were wildly exceeded during my stay at Ratna Ling.
Food: holy smokes. These folks know how to cook. I’m not a vegetarian, but they made me feel like I could be for life. Now I just need to learn how to follow suit in the kitchen. (I heard tell that recipes are in the works to be posted online… can’t wait!)
Practice: Kum Nye was a welcomed learning experience and addition to my yoga practice. My two Vinyasa classes with Meghan were wonderful — well suited for all levels.
Lodging: brand new cabins, spacious, clean, very comfortable bed, toasty fireplace, the ideal beautifully designed simple abode.
The grounds: beautiful architecture (massive stone fireplace in the main hall and impressive wood-​on-​wood joined beams across the walkways), birds everywhere (turkeys!!), redwood circles/​groves abounding, and plenty of deer (we even saw a young buck and his dad jousting).
The staff/​volunteers: helpful, knowledgeable, welcoming, and happy to talk about their experiences.
Huge thank you to all of the folks at Ratna Ling for an incredible stay :)

Cabins were really nice– hello Glamping (although even glamping has a few ants)
The grounds are beautiful and there was an awesome hike through the woods to the beach.
The food could be improved (I wasn’t expecting fettuccine Alfredo) but each meal is prepared by their long term volunteer staff so what is offered is dependent upon who is in the kitchen that day.
We opted for the massages in our rooms which was a nice way to start off the weekend.
Due to a private retreat at the center, they had a pared down offering of classes which was disappointing but apparently not typical, so we actually weren’t able to take any classes.
We would definitely have liked to try this center again however it’s tough to get 4 moms away for one weekend. A few of us had a tough time with some twisty roads closer to the center– not the fault of RatNaLing but worth mentioning for motion sensitive.

I have not been to this retreat but I’m writing this review for the potable water tap and bike racks they’ve placed outside at the top of a long climb along a popular road between Cazadero and Salt Point SP. What a nice thing to do! And a lifesaver on a hot day!

Our weekend at Ratna Ling was everything we hoped for, and more. The grounds are beautiful and serene, the cabin was huge, clean and had everything we could want. Jeremy Kochan, Rae Rowland and the other chefs prepared vegetarian meals that exceeded our expectations. Definitely on our list of places to visit again, and we traveled from Tennessee!

Excellent Retreat Center-​beautiful staff, gorgeous cottages, delicious food, spiritual grounds, and great classes! I loved everything about our stay and cannot wait to go back. Chelsea is a sweetheart and will help you with anything you need, and leads awesome yoga practices.

We were blessed with another stay by a gracious gift from my father in law! The accommodations and staff are so inviting with their warmth and peaceful presence. The dishes are divine and we were nourished by the abundance they offer. I am grateful for the couple books I purchased this time which opens the door to sharing at home and inviting others to this place of such serenity. We look forward to another retreat at Ratna Ling in the not so distant future.
Many thanks & blessings, Kelli & Dave

Amazing views, food, yoga, community and wildlife. I can’t wait to return!

I just got back from a blissful Thanksgiving weekend at Ratna Ling. The facility is gorgeous, the cabins are spotless and first class. We were surprised, as we were expecting more humble accommodations at a meditation retreat.
The staff was patient and warm with all the children that came with the families for the weekend. The food was amazing, as were the classes taught by residents.
We had a great experience and would definitely go back!

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 is was walking on sacred ground. Deers 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.
More pictures here

Another wonderful retreat at Ratna Ling with Danae aka Bella Yogini (my 3^rd!). For four gorgeous days and three blissful nights, our entire group enjoyed our stay at Ratna Ling. Really, why would anyone attend a retreat anywhere else?
For the meals, there was always a buffet of wonderful filling vegetarian food. Thank you to Jeremy and his kitchen staff from an omnivore in the outside world. I most especially loved the homemade bread. They packed a lunch bag for us to take on our hike. Imagine my thrill when I opened the bag and found a cheddar, tomato, pesto sandwich made with that bread. There was also plums from their garden, dried edamame, chocolate covered blueberries, a granola bar and a wonderful saying. Plus on our last night, they even made chocolate cranberry walnut birthday cakes for dessert to celebrate the summer birthdays in our group!
And the cabins! Luxurious decadence. I know I’ve mentioned how big they were in my last review (bigger than my 2 bedroom apartment) but I was lucky to be assigned to cabin 1 on this visit. WooHoo! It’s still a two bedroom cabin but there’s also a loft! I chose the bedroom with the Murphy bed and was surprised to find the fireplace in the room. The weather was warm but I love a good fire so I turned it on once or twice. The shower has good water pressure and the towels were soft and fluffy. The jacuzzi tub was a fantastic place to relax. There was a huge deck with sunny and shady spots for reading or just chilling. I kicked back on it quite a few times. The living room space was so big we even had the entire group over for a couple of evenings of wine and nibbles.
The grounds are gorgeous. All sorts of wonderful smells from all the trees and plants with wildlife all about. I was able to walk near but not super close to turkey and deer. The jack rabbits always seem to be in a rush and luckily I saw the raccoon through a window and not face to face. And at night, the stars are so beautiful as seen from Ratna Ling.
The volunteers who keep Ratna Ling running are all wonderful — Chelsea, Nicki, Jeremy, Matthew, Jessie and anyone else I missed. Thank you again for another wonderful experience!

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 lay 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 (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 cleary marked as vegetarian, vegan, and/​or gluten free (yes, gluten free as well). Jeremy, their executive chef, was kind enough to described and answer any questions regarding the meals and their preparation. As much as I hate to say it the meals were the high light 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.

Ratna Ling is one of the most amazing places I have ever been. Chelsea and the whole staff took great care of us. The food was amazing. The yoga was great. I want to live there!

We just returned from a wonderful 3-​day visit at Ratna Ling. A few weeks ago, I bought a LivingSocial coupon on a whim. The description of the facility sounded ideal and the sort of place I like to visit. I liked the narrative about the lodge-​setting, newly constructed cabins, and proximity to hiking trails.
All of those things are squarely in my comfort zone, but there were other more unique features that piqued my curiosity. Specifically, my wife and I are not vegetarians, we do not practice yoga, and we are not Buddhists. Those things are well outside my comfort zone but just the things needed to shake things up a bit!
The compound which houses the main lodge, conference center, dining facility, and cabins was astounding. Recently built, high ceilings, timber construction, large windows, towering pine trees, cozy modern cabins with jacuzzi tubs and porches… you get the idea!
I am an enthusiastic meat-​eater. While the food that was included with our package was vegetarian fare, it was absolutely yummy and satisfying. There were salads, hearty soups, fresh fruit, creatively cooked vegetables and casseroles. I can be a picky eater, but that wasn’t a problem this trip.
They do offer a morning yoga class. The yoga sessions are voluntary, very low-​key, and just right for someone who has never bothered to try it previously. It was a great introduction for this newbie.
As for the Buddhist angle that, too, was very low-​key. If you are so inclined to learn about the Buddhist faith, there is an afternoon ‘what is Buddhism’ sort of session. My wife and I had an intellectual curiosity about the subject, so we attended the brief session. It was interesting, but I won’t be making any life changes based on what I learned. Most importantly to me — no one was the least bit pushy about it. If you want to learn more about the topic, there are books and people there to help. If you have zero interest in the subject, you won’t get a sales-​job from anyone.
Worthy of mention is the friendliness and attentiveness of the staff. Chelsea, in particular, is awesome. She communicated with me prior to our arrival to answer questions and provide information about the facility as well as things to do in the area. She greeted us at check-​in and made a point of checking in with us during our stay to make sure all was going well. Likewise, the various instructors we met were also super-​friendly and accessible.
During our stay, we signed up for a ‘mellow mates’ massage class with Cindy. The class was terrific. I also hired Cindy for a follow-​on massage which was also wonderful (I’ll write a separate review of Mellow Mates).
To summarize, spending a few days at Ratna Ling is a wonderful way to enjoy some new experiences in a peaceful and beautiful setting. Enjoy!

This place is hard to describe. It’s a lux 5-​star resort-​like stay with a common eating area with no room service. I believe there is 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 tooooons of canned galore (canned tuna anyone??). There is no need for that. lol
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.
BTW, I found out that this place use to be a celebrity hide-​away in the 70s… so I bet Farrah Fawcett and Lee Majors shagged here. hahahhahahaha.
Hit it up and get your zen on!

Just got back from a weekend retreat at Ratna Ling. Let me start by saying this place is absolutely breath taking.
1. The cabins are HUGE! They are really two bedroom homes (seriously 2 beds!), with a cozy fire place, fridge and microwave, a wondefufl jet tub and very comfortable beds. Not to mention there is a spacious deck for taking in the fresh air and the couches in the livingroom were super comfortable. The cabins even had wi-​fi if you needs to check email (though I suggest staying out of touch with technology while here). The coffee and tea selection in the cabin was so nice and there was everything you needed to settle in for as long as you desired.
2. The food was great. I am a huge meat eater so the vegitarian meals only supplemented the meat I ate in my cabin, but they were tasty and very welll done.
3. The yoga/​medidation class was wonderful and a great way to get in the mood to relax for a weekend.
Overall, the weekend was wonderful, staff was helpful and I am pretty sure that we will be back soon. I was extremely impressed by the beauty of the buildings and the grounds. If you are looking for a relaxing weekend away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life this is the place!

I completed my retreat a week ago. It literally changed my life! I am a yoga instructor in Central Cali., the drive was very long, but once you get there, you feel as though you are in another world! The staff was wonderful, the lodging was divine, the food incredible! I had an autoimmune disease I had been dealing with for 3 yrs. After I got back from the retreat, all my bloodwork came back normal, and I feel as though I am my old self again! I don’t know if it was the retreat, but it all happened at the same time! I LOVE this place!

I’ve not yet embarked on my retreat, but I will say that setting up my personal retreat has been an amazing experience. I found Ratna Ling in what seemed like an endless search through a sea of retreat locations. I kept finding that most of the retreat centers I contacted offered very little in the way of flexibility and personal customer service. In contacting Ratna Ling I was put in touch with a real person who called me and asked me questions about what *I* was looking for.
I was told that in my personal retreat, I get to set the pace. There is no expectation that I have to be at a certain place at a certain time. It is my retreat meaning I get to choose if I want to go for a hike, or if I want to go socialize.
I am SO excited for my retreat. I am thankful to the wonderful staff at Ratna Ling for making me eager and relaxed and I haven’t even shown up yet!

Ratna Ling is an amazing place to visit. The staff is delightful and sweet. The food is delicious and healthy. The grounds are sprawling and beautifully kept. The cabins are modern and spacious. Yoga was so relaxing and energizing. The critters that run around outside seem so peaceful and zen, just like everyone else who visits Ratna Ling. You will not be disappointed. Enjoy the trip!