Reservation Information

Please be aware that preregistration is always required prior to arrival. Before you register, please take time to carefully read the information below, including how to register and our cancellation policy.

Workshop Fees

Workshop fees are determined by your accommodation type and length of stay. In additional to your workshop, these fees include the following:

• Meals: Esalen serves a wide variety of food. Meat, vegetarian, and vegan options are commonly available. Much of Esalen’s produce is organically grown on our farm and picked fresh just hours before mealtime.
• Lodging: Overnight accommodations are included with your workshop, beginning with the workshop start date. Check-out is 12 noon on the final day of your workshop.
• Access: 24-hour use of hot mineral spring bath facilities, the Art Center (except when a workshop is scheduled), and the entire Esalen grounds.
• Movement Classes: Participation in movement classes scheduled during time on the property.
• Catalog: a 12-month subscription to the Esalen Catalog.

Accommodations

Accommodations at Esalen are almost always shared. Couples will be housed privately. A variety of accommodation options is possible with workshop registration. Since some of these fill more quickly than others, it is advisable to sign up as early as possible. Please indicate your second choice for accommodations and workshop in case your initial choice is unavailable. We cannot guarantee specific room requests.

Standard Accommodations: This is shared housing with two or three persons per room. In some cases, bathrooms are shared. Couples will be housed privately. The rates listed with the workshop descriptions throughout the web site refer to these shared standard accommodations. (Standard guaranteed single housing is available on a limited basis for an additional $120 per night).

Premium Accommodations: Premium rooms are offered as a guaranteed single or for couples. Rooms have upgraded bathrooms with walk-in showers, Ethernet connections for your own laptop, in-room telephone, and enhanced sound and climate insulation. Some rooms have in-floor heating. Call the Esalen office for more details.

Point Houses: The three Point Houses are nestled behind the Esalen Garden and perched at the cliff’s edge. Each is a private two-room suite with a livingroom with woodstove, a separate bedroom, a sleeping loft, full kitchen and dining area, private redwood deck overlooking the Pacific, Ethernet connections for your own laptop, and in-room telephone. North and Middle Point Houses can accommodate up to 2 adults and 2 small children. South Point House can accommodate up to 4 adults and 2 small children Please call for additional details.

Bunk Bed Rooms: Bunk beds are available for seminar participants who are willing to share a room with four or more persons. Limited in number, these spaces, are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.

Off-site Accommodations: If you are staying off the property, meals and unlimited use of the property facilities are included.

Sleeping Bags: Some meeting rooms are sometimes used as shared sleeping bag space and may be available for workshop participants with limited financial means. There is a 7-day limit on sleeping bag stays. Should you choose Sleeping Bag accommodations, you are responsible for your own sleeping bag, blankets, pads, pillows, etc. Esalen provides towels and face cloths. Some rooms do not include a shower, though shower facilities are available at the baths. The meeting room is a public space where Esalen activities, scheduled and unscheduled, take place. Thus, the room is inaccessible between 9am and 11pm. Access to the room is not permitted while these activities are in process. Sleeping bag accommodations are coed, and several people may share a relatively small space. You may want to bring earplugs if you are a light sleeper or bothered by the sleep sounds of others.

All camping or sleeping on the grounds, either in tents, campers, or vehicles of any type is strictly prohibited. We do not have parking space to accommodate RVs.

Prices

The prices for Esalen workshops are as follows.

Esalen Workshop Prices for 2010
	Weekend Workshops		Five-day workshops		Seven-day workshops
Rates	Regular	Friends	Regular	Friends	Regular	Friends
Standard	$695	$670	$1,155	$1,130	$1,765	$1,740
Premium Room	$1,245	$1,220	$2,530	$2,505	$3,515	$3,490
Premium Room Couple	$1,940	$1,890	$3,685	$3,635	$5,280	$5,230
Point House Single	$1,595	$1,570	$3,155	$3,130	$4,565	$4,540
Point House Couple	$2,290	$2,240	$4,310	$4,260	$6,330	$6,280
Bunk Bed	$530	$505	$890	$865	$1,360	$1,335
Off-site	$385	$360	$620	$595	$945	$920
Sleeping Bag	$385	$360	$620	$595	$945	$920

Friends of Esalen

We invite you to become a Friend of Esalen. Your donation of $50 or more will benefit our programs and help build Esalen’s long-term financial base. As a Friend of Esalen you will receive the following benefits:

• A $25 reduction in tuition for all workshops over the next 12 months.
• The Friends of Esalen Newsletters for one year.
• A tax deduction under IRS section 501(c)3 for the amount of the donation.
• The ability to stay as a personal retreat guest.

Deposits

Since workshops fill quickly, it is advisable to sign up as early as possible. In order to reserve a space in any workshop, we require full payment or the deposits at right. To help Esalen with its mission and to lower costs, we ask all who are capable of doing so to please pay the full amount of their workshop or Personal Retreat at the time they make their reservation, rather than only making a deposit.

Balance of payment is due five days before arrival. Deposits are payable in U.S. currency only. Overseas residents must pay by checks drawn on U.S. banks or use a credit card. Please indicate your second choice for a workshop in case your first choice is canceled and we are unable to reach you.

Scholarship Information

Esalen provides some scholarship assistance to workshop participants in exchange for a work commitment in the kitchen or cabins. Our policy is one scholarship per person per year. Approved scholarship recipients will receive their work schedules upon arrival at Esalen.

If additional scholarship assistance is required, please send a letter of explanation to ATTN: Scholarships at Esalen. Due to the number of requests we receive, we can only provide one scholarship per person per year.

How to Register

Our reservation form (in Adobe PDF format) is for your convenience in reserving a space in Esalen workshops. If you wish to make reservations for more than one person, please print a copy of the form so that each registrant has his or her own form, unless you are registering as a couple with the same address and phone number. A non-refundable deposit for each person registering and each workshop applied for must accompany this form.

To register on the web:

You may place an online reservation request through our Online Reservation Requests page.

To register by phone:

Dial 831-667-3005. Phone reservation hours are Monday - Thursday 9am - 7pm, and Friday - Sunday 9am - 5pm. (All times are pacific time.) The most opportune time to call is after 2pm. For those who have previously taken a workshop at Esalen, reservation information can be left on our Express Reservations voicemail, at 831-667-3000 x7321.

To register by fax:

Fax the completed reservation form to 831-667-2724. All fax reservations must include credit card information and a signature. Our fax line is exclusively for reservations. No personal correspondence, please.

To register by mail:

Mailed reservation deposits are payable in U.S. currency only, and overseas residents must pay by checks drawn on U.S. banks or provide complete credit card information. Mail completed reservation form to:

Esalen Institute
Attn: Reservations
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920

Reduced Rate Options and Discounts

Senior Citizen Discount: Esalen offers a special discount to individuals over 65 years of age. The discount for a weekend workshop is $25; a five-day or longer workshop is $50. Please request this discount at the time of registration. When you complete the reservation form, please indicate the discounts for which you qualify. If you qualify, and you make your reservation by phone, be sure to ask for this discount. (Please note: Senior discounts are not available for the Work Study Program.)

Accommodations for Families: Two full-paying adults housed in standard accommodations may have their children in the room for a meal charge of $20 per child per day ($10 for children under six). Note: If children are enrolled in Gazebo School Park or an Esalen workshop, additional fees are required. For more information see Gazebo School Park Early Childhood Program.

Personal Retreats

The Esalen Personal Retreat (PR) is a self-structured experiential program based on reflection, integration, and choice. In an over structured, over stimulated world, our PR students have an opportunity to experience and learn more using tools of contemplation, journaling, and refocusing.

Following program orientation and teaching input on how to use self-structured education, program participants may continue to build their own curriculum, choosing from over 25 different class offerings in a typical week, plus other learning, study, and contemplative opportunities. Classes each day are drawn from yoga, meditation and contemplative practices, movement and dance, Gestalt "open seat" sessions, martial arts, and other subjects, with added enrichment from Visiting Scholar programs, Wednesday evening presentations, Open Deck sessions, and other lecture and discussion venues. Learning activities are also available through Sustainability Tours, in the Esalen Kitchen and Farm and Garden internship programs, and in our structured Garden Retreat. Most days feature three to six or more such offerings, plus unlimited access to Esalen's meditation center, baths and contemplative bath/music offerings, garden walks, bodywork and other booked sessions, and other opportunities for deepening learning, reflection, and integration.

Study materials and diverse readings for maximizing your Esalen Personal Retreat are available to participants.

The Esalen Personal Retreat is open only to Members of the Friends of Esalen program, supporting Esalen's transformational mission and our many subsidized mission programs.

Personal Retreat rates are per day and are per person unless otherwise noted, and include all meals for the duration of your stay.

Esalen Personal Retreat Prices for 2010 applicable taxes will be added
	Weekend Fri-Sat Nights	Weekday Sun-Thu Nights
Standard Accommodations (2-3 persons in a shared room)	$210	$160
Premium Accommodations Single (guaranteed single)	$450	$450
Premium Accommodations Double (2 persons: charge is per room )	$600	$600
Point Houses (1 or 2 people)	$700	$650
South Point House (each person over 2 up to 4 total)	$150	$150
Bunk Bed Accommodations (4+ in a shared room)	$135	$125

Esalen does not offer personal retreats more than one week in advance except when announced in the Esalen eNEWS or on the Esalen website. Earlier bookings are available for Premium Rooms and the Point Houses. Call for details. You must be a current Friend of Esalen in order to book a personal retreat. For additional information, please see the frequently asked questions about personal retreat list.

Note: personal retreat reservations must be made by phone with a reservations agent; they cannot be made online or by fax.

Transportation

Ridesharing: We would like to encourage ridesharing to reduce the number of cars on the road and at Esalen. You may ask to have your name added to offer or receive a ride.

• By phone: please ask your reservations agent about ridesharing.
• Online Reservations Request: look for the ridesharing options.
• By Fax or Mail: mark "yes" in the ridesharing box.

Van Service: On Fridays and Sundays we have van service from the Monterey Airport at 4 p.m. and from the Monterey Transit Plaza (corner of Pearl and Alvarado, next to Ordway Drug) at approximately 4:20 p.m. If you plan to use this service, please inform the Esalen office at least 24 hours prior to your arrival. The $60 one-way fee (subject to change) is payable to the Esalen office when you check in. Return reservations may be made at that time. The only departing van service from Esalen is on Fridays and Sundays, leaving between 5:30-6:00 pm and generally arriving in Monterey between 7:00-7:30 pm. If you plan to use this departure service, please make sure that your reservations departing Monterey are after 8 p.m.

Schedules

Check-in, Check-out and Meals: Guests are welcome to arrive anytime after 2pm. Rooms become available at 4pm. Weekend programs begin with dinner on Friday and end with brunch on Sunday. Five-day and longer programs begin with dinner on Sunday and end with lunch on Friday. We ask guests to remove all personal effects from their rooms by 12 noon on the final day of their workshop. Guests are invited to enjoy lunch and stay on property until 2 pm. Your timely departure ensures that we may prepare for and welcome our next group of workshop participants.

Workshops: Workshop sessions normally begin at 8:30 pm on the first evening and end at 11:30 AM on the final day.

Cancellation Policy

Esalen Institute reserves the right to cancel any program at any time.

If You Cancel a Workshop

If you cancel or change any part of your reservation at least seven full days before the start of your workshop(s), your non-refundable deposit, less a $75-per-workshop, per-person processing fee, will be transferred to an Esalen non-refundable credit account to be used within one year.

If you cancel a workshop with less than seven days notice, you forfeit your entire deposit. If you have prepaid your entire reservation fee, we will retain the fees as stated above and return the balance to you.

If You Cancel a Personal Retreat

If you cancel your reservation at least seven full days in advance, your payment will be refunded less a $75 processing fee per person.

If you cancel a Personal Retreat with less than seven days notice, you forfeit one full night's fees. If you have prepaid your entire reservation fee, we will retain the fees as stated above and return the balance to you.

If You Have Applied for a Scholarship

If you have applied for a scholarship and we are unable to give you any assistance, we will, at your request, refund your deposit in full if you cancel your reservation at least five full days prior to the start of your workshop.

Cancellations must be made by phone with one of our reservation staff. "Seven full days" means by Sunday before a Sunday workshop, and by Friday before a Friday workshop. Donations to the Friends of Esalen are nonrefundable.

Additional Information

Please be aware of the following important information:

Esalen is located approximately 45 miles from "civilization." This isolation and tranquility can deepen your experience at Esalen yet for many guests it can be a significant change in environment. We have minimal electronic communications available; there are some terminals available for internet connection, though speed is slow and availability limited. There is no cell phone service at Esalen, but free WiFi is available in the Lodge, except during meal times.

• Snoring: If you will be staying in one of our shared accommodations and you snore, please come prepared to do everything possible to minimize the discomfort this may cause a roommate—perhaps you should think about taking a private room if possible. If you are not a snorer, please come prepared (earplugs, etc.) for the possibility of sharing a room with a snorer.


• Flashlights: Be sure to bring a flashlight for use at night while walking on the grounds, as they are very dimly lit.


• Health Services: Esalen has no medical services or pharmaceutical supplies on site. If you will require medical attention or supplies during your stay, please come prepared to administer to your own needs. Esalen is 45 miles from the nearest medical facility or pharmacy.


• Illegal Drugs: In accordance with state and federal laws, the possession or use of illegal drugs on Esalen grounds is strictly prohibited.


• Lost and Found: To inquire about items left behind from your Esalen visit, call 831-667-3019.


• Money: Esalen is able to accept cash, checks, and credit cards. Please bring sufficient funds for incidentals as Esalen does not have an ATM, and the nearest ATM is a 30 minute drive north. Cash on property may be needed for purchases of beverages and chocolate at our dinner bar, and also for gratuities for massage practitioners.


• Personal Guests: Seminarians are not allowed guests on the property during their stay.


• Pets: Other than registered animals in service, pets are not allowed on the property.


• Smoking: Smoking is not permitted in any accommodations, meeting rooms, or other indoor spaces.


• Valuables: The Esalen office has no facilities to store your valuables.


• Volunteering: Esalen is a learningcommunity/organization made up of guests, students, staff, and volunteers. A variety of contributions goes toward enhancing this community. Guests contribute to this in many ways, including making their beds and bussing their dishes. Guests are also welcome to contribute a couple of hours to work with the Esalen staff, usually in the kitchen. Your help enables us to meet the pressures of peak working times and enables you to experience Esalen from the inside out.