Requesting a Guest Stay with the Iona House Community

We warmly receive guests who desire to join with us in the shared monastic-inspired rhythm of life unfolding within the Iona House community. Our life together might best be understood as participating in a pilgrimage with others journeying toward Communion.

Note: Those looking for a vacation home, an off-site for work, space to hold your own retreat, or anything other than a participation in the monastic-inspired rhythm of our campus should look for overnight accommodations elsewhere - in order to allow others who desire the Iona House rhythm a chance to be housed. Thank you!

 

Individual Stay

An individual stay can take one of two forms:

1) A Pilgrimage Experience (standard guest stay)- Entering into the communal rhythm unfolding at Iona House with the Residents, staff, and other guests (Daily Office, joining in on some physical work, fellowship, Silence & Solitude, Lectio, Contemplative Arts, etc.).

2) A Hermit Retreat - Engaging the communal prayer rhythms but with an emphasis on experiencing the classic disciplines of silence & solitude, study, and personal prayer.

Individuals will in most cases be assigned accommodations in one of our prayer huts (see the picture).

Request an Individual Stay
 

Group or Family Stay: A Pilgrimage

Iona House offers a unique opportunity to bring a group of folks (family, friends, small group, etc.) to participate in the communal rhythm of life continually happening at Iona House. Your group is invited to join our community. This is what we refer to as a pilgrimage experience. We have accommodations for families or groups between 4-20 people.

Note that we do not offer Iona House as a place to host your own private off-site, separate retreat experience, or content. We are not a conference center or an Airbnb. Instead, we provide an immersive experience for your group that engages the rhythm of life already transpiring on the campus.

Request a Group Stay
 

Modern life is teeming with distraction and noise that prevents us from getting to the places of depth and reflection and spiritual openness that we desire. When you visit Iona House, there is an invitation to put away work, domestic obligations, and all distraction in order to enter into a sacred space shaped by a distinctive rhythm of life. In the Benedictine monastic tradition, hospitality is a high value. St. Benedict says in his rule (chapter 53) - “Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ.”

  • See our Campus Rhythm page for our daily and weekly rhythm of life.

  • People come to Iona House in order to enter into the sacred rhythm of life unfolding within a community of fellow pilgrims. The rhythm of life intentionally addresses “head, heart, and hands” and is rooted in tried and true historic Christian practices.

    Here are some of the practices you might consider as you are preparing:

    • Extensive Silence & Solitude

    • Study - bringing a book to read or borrowing one from the library

    • Scripture reading - consider reading an entire book of the Bible in one sitting

    • Journaling - reflecting on the past season, anticipating the next season

    • Practice of Examen - a way of reflecting on one’s day with the Lord

    • Fasting - altered diet, dropping meals, or total fast. Traditionally Christians enter into a partial fast on Wednesdays and Fridays (until evening).

    • Feasting - Cooking a great meal that you enjoy and entering into our Friday Night Feast.

    • Taking long walks - utilizing our prayer trail system

    • Naps and good nights sleep - go to bed early

    • Serving in the garden or doing other manual labor alongside others / Residents

    • Meeting with a Spiritual Director (available Tuesday - Friday AM) or doing confession with a priest (by appointment); joining Communal Spiritual Direction on Saturday afternoon.

    • Helping with animal feedings (inquire with a Resident)

  • Our Iona House mission is to cultivate a place to reimagine all of life in reference to Christ.

    We have designed every aspect of the campus with this in mind. The entire ecosystem of Iona House exists to encourage and support spiritual disciplines and ancient Christian practices that will best allow you to practice abiding in Christ (John 15).

    Our ecosystem provides the following aspects:

    • A communal rhythm of prayer to structure your day around; a prayerbook to assist you

    • Sacred space to pray

    • A library for research and study (if desired)

    • Trails to walk in nature undisturbed in silence

    • A working farm to experience the agrarian metaphors of scripture and in which you can participate if that would be helpful

    • Spiritual Direction with a qualified spiritual director and/or Private Confession with a priest (as desired)

    • Lodging (with restroom, shower, kitchen) where you can have privacy

  • You may request dates when you fill out the form below.

    We require a two-night minimum for overnight stays in our guest cottages (apart from prayer huts). Many of our guests have told us that 3-5 nights is needed to really experience the fullness of the rhythm of life that allows for meeting God and substantial transformation. A secondary benefit of a 2-night minimum is that it is a better use of our financial resources (as turning a house for each guest requires full cleaning and laundry services). Please note that Sunday check-ins are NOT available. This is a day off for our staff and residents.

    Our "prayer huts" (hermitage cabins) are available for 1-night stays for those who can only afford a 24 hour visit.

    Day-only guest visits are also available. When you request a guest stay, please clarify if you are looking for overnight capacity or just day use in the form provided. Thank you!

    *If you need to cancel an overnight stay, please tell us as soon as you can. We completely understand that life happens! We often have a wait-list and this will allow us to move other guests into your spot if we can.

  • As with all of what we do at Iona House, we offer personal retreats as a gift.

    For more about how Iona House operates through an economy of generosity and to learn about our vision of giving, see our generosity page.

  • Each of our guest accommodations are equipped with access to a kitchen that comes equipped with fridge, stove, microwave, coffeemaker, plates & utensils, pots & pans, and basic cookware.

    Guests must provide their own food. There are multiple grocery stores within a 10-15 minutes drive.

  • In a group or family stay, we house people together in shared accommodations. We have hosted groups from 4-20.

    In an individual stay, we always be sure to give the individual an entire suite - not placing strangers with each other. In some cases, a kitchen will be shared with others, but never the same sleeping space. If you have questions, inquire about this during the registration process.

  • Our policy is to house unmarried couples in separate accommodations.