Spirit Rock Accommodations

Spirit Rock's residential retreat accommodations offer comfort and simplicity. Located on 411 acres in rural west Marin, 30 miles north of San Francisco, we invite you to experience an ideal natural setting for reflection and contemplative practice, surrounded by gentle hills and expansive views.

Residential retreats are held in the upper area of the Spirit Rock campus with separate buildings for dining, meeting and sleeping. Most retreats are conducted in silence—and silence is honored by all in these buildings during a retreat. Although the buildings are a short walk from each other, there is a slope from the dining room to the residences and to the meditation hall. We have personal scooters available if the steep hill is a challenge.

Spirit Rock offers housing for 96 retreatants, teachers and the staff who support our retreats. No camping is allowed on the campus. Sleeping accommodations are housed in four, two-story residence halls, named for the Four Brahmaviharas (or Divine Abodes)—Metta, Karuna, Mudita and Upekkha. These simple, comfortable buildings house both single and double rooms. Room dividers are available for double rooms to allow for more privacy if desired. Each room has its own sink and mirror, electrical outlets, shelving and hangers for belongings, a nightstand, reading light and folding chair. Most rooms offer a pleasant view of the surrounding hills or forest.

The Upekkha dormitory is not carpeted, which is offered for the comfort of those with chemical sensitivities. All buildings are rigorously maintained and cleaned with environmentally-friendly cleaning products.

The weather in northern California is temperate during most of the year. During the winter, the residential housing and the meditation hall is comfortably heated. During the summer, the dorms can get very warm and they are not air conditioned. The meditation hall is air conditioned but the dining hall is not.

A pillow, blanket and bedspread are provided. You may bring a sleeping bag or your own bed linens for a twin-sized bed, a pillow case, and towel set, if convenient. For those travelling from afar or by airplane, linens (sheets and towel sets) are available onsite for you to borrrow during the retreat at no charge.

Bathroom facilities—including toilets and showers—are shared on each floor. There are individual stalls for privacy. Spirit Rock does not provide rooms with private bathrooms, although a private bathtub is available on the 1st floor of each building for those with special needs.

In consideration of others, we ask that you refrain from wearing scented products, including natural or essential oils while staying with us. To assist you, unscented bath products are provided in the communal bathrooms.

The Dining Hall, which serves delicious vegetarian meals, is a short walk down the hill from your sleeping quarters. Meals—breakfast, lunch and a light supper—are served on a daily schedule, and the Dining Hall remains open for late night, self-service tea.

The upper Retreat Hall offers a gracious, welcoming space for daily meditation and dharma talks, plus separate space for yoga and other movement sessions when offered. Plenty of pillows, cushions, zafus, zabutons, and straight back, cushioned chairs are available for your ease and support. A small number of wood benches and back jacks are available. If you have special sitting supports, you may want to bring your own. During the winter months, the heated floors of the upper Retreat Hall add to your comfort. You may wish to bring a shawl or small blanket.