In recent years, luxury reading retreats have become a hot travel trend, enchanting book lovers from Boston to Barcelona. These retreats are usually led by bestselling authors and literary luminaries. They give their participants deeply immersive experiences that make the happiness of reading meet the exhilaration of travel. Retreat creator and author Jonas Saul and his wife, actress Rania Stone, are creating something extraordinary. Their goal is to build a new physical space that is “vibrant and welcoming” to readers, post-pandemic.
Paul Wright, a book club organizer from Bristol, England, recognized the limitations of discussing a novel in a local restaurant. There he discovered that a trip to the real world setting of a book could deepen the experience of reading that book. Reading a great novel set in Istanbul… now that’s much more interesting. Talking about it over at the local Turkish restaurant simply cannot compete,” he said. This experience is at the heart of what inspired and continues to drive many reading retreats.
Saratoga Arms in Saratoga Springs has a cool and creative Reading Retreat Package. This literature-loaded package encourages visitors to immerse themselves in the literary life. When they first check in, guests get two books, including one “blind date with a book” based on the guest’s noted genre preferences. You’re going to love the retreat’s amazing amenities! You’ll go home with a Moleskine journal, a gift card to the local Northshire Bookstore, and an eye-catching canvas book bag.
Famed for its charm, this effervescent town has deep literary roots. It served as the backdrop for Edith Wharton’s final novel, “The Buccaneers,” and E.L. Doctorow’s “Billy Bathgate.” The retreat takes full advantage of this literary past to enrich the experience for its guests.
Jonas Saul promises each participant will have face time with our headlining authors and instructors. Each night at dinner, authors will switch tables, giving attendees intimate access to their literary idols. These are the rock stars of the publishing world,” he said. His comments underscored the drawing star power that brings readers to these showcases.
Beyond complicated literature conversations, previous retreats have given guests exciting adventures outside literary excursions. Onsite experiences served to introduce attendees to the local cultures, such as hiking a volcano in the Caribbean or visiting a vineyard in Tuscany. This unique coupling of literary engagement and experiential activity is what distinguishes these retreats from more typical vacation offerings.
Megan Christopher, founder of Ladies Who Lit, wants to create community among women as they celebrate the season. She describes her retreats as an opportunity to escape everyday pressures: “I’m done, I’m going to sit on a beach for a week with fellow book enthusiasts.” The Ladies Who Lit retreats quickly became known for their emphasis on female friendship and common book nerdery.
The price of admission for a Ladies Who Lit retreat ranges from $1,400 and up. This cost includes lodging and a variety of special activities intended to help forge an extraordinary experience for participants. Christopher has noted that her retreats serve as effective icebreakers for women looking to connect over literature: “which is really an icebreaker dressed up as something better.”
When readers need to recharge and reconnect while living the on-the-go life, these luxury book-themed enclaves make the perfect escape. “With what’s happening in the world, people barely have time to read,” Saul noted, underscoring the importance of creating spaces where literature can flourish.
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