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
Standard Accommodations: This is shared housing with two or three persons per room. In some cases, bathrooms are shared. Couples and friends will always be housed together in a private room. 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 $100 per night).
Premium Accommodations: Premium rooms are offered for couples or as advance guaranteed singles. 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 for more details.
Point Houses: The 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, 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. They can accommodate up to 2 adults and 2 children.
Bunk Bed Rooms: Bunk beds are available for seminar participants who are willing to share a room with three or more persons. There are a limited number of these spaces, which 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: Meeting rooms are 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 (2009) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekend Workshops | Five-day workshops | Seven-day workshops | ||||
| Rates | Regular | Friends | Regular | Friends | Regular | Friends | Standard | $670 | $620 | $1,155 | $1,105 | $1,765 | $1,715 |
| Premium Room | $1,170 | $1,120 | $2,405 | $2,355 | $3,515 | $3,465 |
| Premium Room Couple | $1,840 | $1,740 | $3,560 | $3,460 | $5,280 | $5,180 |
| Point House Single | $1,470 | $1,420 | $3,155 | $3,105 | $4,565 | $4,515 |
| Point House Couple | $2,140 | $2,040 | $4,310 | $4,210 | $6,330 | $6,230 |
| Bunk Bed | $530 | $480 | $890 | $840 | $1,360 | $1,310 |
| Off-site | $385 | $335 | $620 | $570 | $945 | $895 |
| Sleeping Bag | $385 | $335 | $620 | $570 | $945 | $895 |
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 $50 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
| Esalen Deposits Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Weekend: | $150 |
| 5-7 Days: | $300 |
| 12-14 Days: | $400 |
| 21+ Days: | $600 |
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 following deposits:
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 Scholarship | ||
|---|---|---|
| Assistance | Work | |
| Weekend | $50 | 4 hours |
| 5-9 Days | $100 | 8 hours |
Esalen is able to provide some scholarship assistance to workshop participants in exchange for a work commitment (usually in the kitchen or cabins). 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
If you pay in full at the time you make your reservation (five days prior to your workshop), you will receive a $10 prepayment discount per workshop. This discount does not apply to scholarship recipients or sleeping bag accommodations, own accommodations, or the Ongoing Residence Program.
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
A personal retreat at Esalen gives you the opportunity to nourish your body, mind, heart, and soul without participating in a catalog workshop. Some of the activities you may enjoy during your personal retreat stay include a massage or bodywork session (available separately), meditation, movement classes including yoga and dance, and relaxing in the natural hot-spring mineral water.
The following personal retreat rates are per person, per day and include all meals for the duration of your stay:
| Esalen Personal Retreat Prices (2009) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Weekend Fri-Sat Nights |
Weekday Sun-Thu Nights |
|
| Standard Accommodations (2-3 per room) |
$210 | $170 |
| Premium Accommodations (guaranteed single) |
$400 | $400 |
| Point Houses (double occupancy) |
$625 | $625 |
| Point Houses (single occupancy) |
$575 | $575 |
| Bunk Bed Accommodations (4+ per room) |
$125 | $120 |
Esalen does not offer personal retreats more than one week in advance. 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: Rooms become available at 4pm; however, guests are welcome to arrive anytime after 2pm. 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.
Cancellations must be made by phone with one of our reservation staff. If you cancel or change any part of your reservation at least five full days before the start of your workshop(s), your nonrefundable deposit, less a $50-per-workshop processing fee, will be transferred to an Esalen non-refundable credit account to be used within one year. ("Five full days" means by Tuesday before a Sunday workshop, and by Sunday before a Friday workshop.) If you cancel with less than five 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. Donations to the Friends of Esalen are nonrefundable. Special cancellation fees apply to Premium Rooms and Point Houses, please call for details.
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.
Additional Information
Please be aware of the following important information:
- Flashlights: Be sure to bring a flashlight for use at night while walking on the grounds, as they are very dimly lit.
- Health Services: There are no medical services or pharmaceutical supplies available at Esalen. 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: We are not able to provide cash during your stay, and the nearest ATM is a 30 minute drive north. Please bring adequate funds. 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: No pets are allowed on the property.
- Smoking: Smoking is not permitted in any of our accommodations or meeting rooms.
- Snoring: All of our accommodations are shared. You or your roommate may snore. Please come prepared (nose guards, ear plugs, etc.) for this possibility.
- Valuables: The Esalen office has no facilities to store your valuables.
- Volunteering: Seminarians staying at Esalen are invited to contribute one or two hours per week to work with the 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.