Preparing to stay at Iona House

The information below is to designed to assist you with your upcoming guest stay
at Iona House. Note: You will be assigned a guest suite closer to the time of your stay. This page is just for general planning purposes.

 
 

Key Details:

 

 
 

Iona House Campus Map

The turn into Iona House

The entrance to Iona House is only marked with this address. It will not say “Iona House” until a sign part-way of the hill. Note that this address is DIRECTLY off of Newtown road.

Do NOT take “Deer Canyon road” as some map apps want to direct you. That will lead you onto a terrible, long dirt road that brushes the back of our property with no entrance.

The Entrance of Iona House

It’s easy to miss the driveway to Iona House. It is not well-marked (a work in progress). It looks like this picture.

 
 

Check-in: 3pm (you can ask if early check-in is possible; also, it is possible to be on
campus using the common areas of campus as early as you’d like)

Check-out: 11am (you can ask if late check-out is possible; you are welcome to clear your stuff out of the cottage and remain on campus using common areas)

House Rules: 

  • Shoes off while inside your house at all times (please). We have a shoe rack and bench for you by the door. 

  • No smoking anywhere on campus. 

  • No pets allowed on campus.

  • No fires anywhere outside without staff approval. (In cold season), please use the wood stove in the cottage with care. Ask for help if you need it. 

  • We ask unmarried couples to stay in separate quarters from each other.

 

The Campus Rhythm

Welcome to a place to reimagine all of life in reference to Christ! Iona House might best be understood as a kind of monastery for non-monks or alternatively as a kind of setting to experience a spiritual pilgrimage alongside a community of others. Everything about our campus life hinges off of a shared rhythm of life that functions as a communal ecosystem of Christian formation. This is what makes Iona House distinctive.

Learn more about our daily and weekly rhythm of life.

 

Highlighting Some Features of the Campus

The Village Chapel

This is where the communal prayer times happen each day (9am, noon, 4:30pm). You are invited to join the Residents, staff, and other guests as we read the scriptures, pray the Psalms, and offer intercession.

The Village Garden

The Village Garden is a place to get your hands dirty, enjoy tasting fruits and veggies, and a peaceful place to sit and pray.

The Animals

Iona House has a menagerie of animals: 16 goats, 7 chickens, a horse, a llama, a mini-mule, and a duck. They’re lovely and friendly creatures who remind us of our creatureliness. You are welcome to assist the Residents with animal feedings and/or visit the animals through the fence.

The Library

Iona House has a growing theological library (approx. 2,000 volumes labeled and on display currently). Guests are welcome to come peruse the books, take some to their cottage, or sit and enjoy the library.

The Prayer Labyrinth

We have constructed a large prayer labyrinth which follows the traditional pattern popularized by the Chartres Cathedral in France (circa 1200 AD). The labyrinth is a great way to spend time in meditative prayer.

 
 
 

Frequently Asked Questions (in preparing to visit)

    • Comfortable clothes you don't mind getting a little dirty. Bring layers and a warm jacket. In the spring time, lows can be in the mid-40s and highs from the low 60s to low 80s. A hat/beanie will be useful too.

    • Sneakers/work boots that can get dust or muddy/wet and are good for walking on uneven surfaces. You must wear closed-toed shoes if you want to work with our animals. If you have a pair of work gloves, bring those. But we have plenty to loan out if you need some.

    • Thick socks or slippers. We ask that everyone remove their shoes before entering the guest cottages, so bring something to keep your feet cozy.

    • Personal toiletries including shampoo and bath soap. If you use a hairdryer, please bring your own.

    • We have journals and pens that you are welcome to take as a gift from Iona House. But bring your own favorite journal/pen if you prefer to use those.

  • We provide the following:

    • Bedding: pillow, sheets, and blankets (twin sized beds)

    • Bathroom / shower: towels, wash cloth

    Access to a kitchen: oven, cooktop, cookware, plates, cups, utensils, and some basic seasonings; coffee maker with small coffee selection, sugar, and tea.

    We also provide a copy of the Iona House Prayer Book, a journal, and pen for each guest.

    Upon request, we can provide a pack ‘n play for small children.

  • Bathroom: Bring your own shampoo, conditioner, and soap

    Kitchen: Your food. There are multiple grocery stores within 10-15 minutes: 

    • Grocery Outlet

    • SaveMart

    • Raley's

    • Safeway

    Your own specialty tea/coffee (we have basic elements)

  • We go through a rigorous cleaning regime to assure the highest hygienic standards. All bedding is washed, the restroom, sleeping, living, and eating areas are all cleaned between each guest.

  • All beds at Iona House are twin beds. Each guest cottage has different sleeping configurations. You will receive details about the cottage you will stay in about a week before your arrival. Our prayer huts also feature twin beds and more details about the huts will be sent to you in time to prepare for your stay.

  • We strongly recommend living into the daily rhythm of life already unfolding on campus:

    • Prayer times: 9am, noon, 4:30pm

    • Manual labor (a variety of tasks from easy/casual to those that are physically demanding are available) - morning between 9:30-noon. Ask the staff or residents how you can get involved.

    • Silence & Solitude - any time, but campus wide between 3-4:30pm daily

    Other possibilities:

    • Study - check out a book from the library (3000+ volumes)

    • A spontaneous shared meal with other guests / residents / staff: often people grab their lunches and bring them to the back deck of the village barn to eat together. Ask about this if you’re interested.

    • Request a 30-50 minute Spiritual Direction session (available Tuesday-Friday)

    • Request a pastoral meeting with a priest with a time of private confession

    • Rest / Sleep - many of our guests tell us they sleep so well here!

    • Art / writing / creativity - this is a very “right-brained” setting

    • Walking - prayer trails and labyrinth

    • Help feed the animals with residents in the morning (8:40am) or evening (times vary depending on the time of year).

  • Iona House is located between Placerville and Camino. But its weather is more similar to Camino.

  • We do not allow animals of any kind in our homes or on campus. Unfortunately, you will need to leave your pet and/or your emotional support animal at home.

    We DO, however, have many wonderful creatures who make their home on our campus, both domestic animals and wild ones.

  • No, we do not have WiFi available anywhere on campus. This is an intentional decision to allow for some margin from the incessant intrusion of technology. Consider the absence of internet on campus a feature, not a bug. :)

    If you need internet, there is a Starbucks about 10 minutes from campus.

    Note that we STRONGLY discourage bringing your ordinary work to Iona House. This is a place for contemplation and Christian formation, not an off-site for your normal work. We are happy to provide other types of “work” for you in the form of physical labor as a part of our holistic approach to spiritual formation.

  • Yes, all of the major carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.) seem to get signal on campus, though on the 1-2 bars level of signal strength.

  • We have a standard 110/115v outlet that you can plug your car into.