Revised 18th March 2021.

Retreats taken during the pandemic

The Jasmine House will reopen on May 21st. I’m looking forward to welcoming guests back for their personal retreats! And, at the same time, some things will be slightly different from before.

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Please consider taking out travel insurance. See Coronavirus lockdown, cancellation and rescheduling information below, but please be aware there is no refund for any tracel costs incurred, no matter why a booked retreat is unable to go ahead.
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The Jasmine House is not just a retreat house; it’s also my home. Unlike Guest Houses or B&Bs, the house is not separated into guest and owner areas. My kitchen, dining room, lounge and the Sky Room are shared spaces. We eat breakfast together as well as spend many hours in the Sky Room (the healing room) with one another. We are effectively living together for 3–5 days, so extra care is needed to keep everyone, including myself, as safe as is possible.

I take great care of my physical, mental and emotional well-being. I eat a pescatarian diet (vegetarian with fish). I don’t drink alcohol, tea or coffee, and I don’t smoke. I exercise and meditate most days. It’s rare for me to be ill or even to catch a cold.

I live by myself. I’m not a socialite, so I don’t frequent pubs or clubs. Even when it’s possible, I eat out infrequently. I take care with social distancing. And frequent handwashing has become my new normal.

Dorset, and especially Portland, has had a low coronavirus infection rate since the pandemic began. I have now received my first vacination jab and my second is scheduled for May 27th. The chances of me catching, carrying or passing on the virus is now greatly diminished. However, due to the nature of virus evolving, I could be asymptomatic of one of the new variants and unknowingly pass the virus on. The same goes for guests arriving here who could pass it on to me. I wish I could offer a guarantee that this wasn’t the case—but I can’t. To keep the risks as low as possible, this is what I am doing.

As always, each retreat is for just one person or one couple at a time.

The day before a retreat, I will inform my guests about my health and enquire about theirs too. If my guests or I have tested positive or have any coronavirus symptoms, this will lead to the cancellation or rescheduling of the retreat. I’ve made a special provision for last-minute cancellations due to coronavirus, so guests are not out of pocket. Please see my easy-to-read cancellation policy here.

Guests who suddenly find themselves in a local lockdown, will also be able to reschedule their retreat.

The guest room will be deep cleaned after each guest leaves. And, as always, the house will be thoroughly cleaned from top to bottom. Additionally, all touchable surfaces such as the door handles, kitchen worktops and cupboard doors, the stair banisters, tables and keys will receive additional attention with either an antibac or bleach wipe.

There are hand sanitisers by the front door and in the guest room. I will encourage and practise frequent hand washing during the retreats.

The chairs in the Sky Room have been moved further apart to allow for social distancing during the most time we spend together. In the dining room, an individual guest will sit diagonally opposite me and for couples, I will sit at the far end of the large table. However, please be aware this is still less than 2-metres apart.

Finally, masks won’t be worn inside the house as it’s impossible to me to do my work with either you or I wearing a mask.

For people wishing to come to The Jasmine House from overseas, please call me on 01305 821799 or email me to enquire if this is possible.

During the pandemic, people have very different views on what is and isn’t safe. For some people, what I am suggesting will work—for others, it won’t. There is no judgment. We all have to take into account the government’s guidance, our circumstances and then decide what is best for ourselves.

If you have any concerns, or are unable to travel, I can potentially still help you via Zoom. Please see Emotional Healing on my Jennie Bayliss website for more details.

Please feel free to email me or call me on 01305 821799 to discuss any concerns you may have about staying with me. I want very much for you to feel comfortable and safe during your retreat.