Booking FAQs

There are shared room spaces only, consisting of hostel bunk style beds and multi occupancy single bed spaces. All other areas are shared. There are no private rooms or ensuite – we are a communal living environment.

Meals are mainly vegetarian. Food and meal supplies are also available as Gluten Free and Vegan. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions by completing your online check in. Self-serve coffee and tea are offered to all guests.

The remoteness of our locations means there can be limited mobile phone service depending on weather and location. Internet access is by cell phone and basic wifi cannot be guaranteed. We encourage you to take the opportunity to consider a ‘digital detox’ and immerse yourself in the experience.

For a list of shops on the Isle of Iona visit the welcome to Iona page here.

There is a small shop on Erraid which sells snacks, postcards, gifts, books, and toiletries.

We require all participants to be practical and proactive around maintaining health and safety while visiting. We have listed below steps you can take to keep yourself safe both inside and outside. Further health and safety information will be given to you as part of your welcome pack when you join a programme.

Safety outdoors

Whenever you go out, please make sure you are safe. It is your personal responsibility to do a risk assessment when you are out walking on the islands of Iona and Erraid. These islands contain tarmac roads, sandy beaches, boggy areas and slippery and steep rocks.

• Please wear adequate footwear and take walking sticks if needed, especially when going off the road.

• Take rain gear and layers.

• Take drinking water and mobile phones (however please be aware they do not always work in the wilder areas).

• Take a map from the house with you when walking around the island.

• Tell the focaliser or others in the house where you plan to go and approximately how long.

• Please be mindful of the animals, be careful not to stress them when walking through a field or on the beach. There are also many dog walkers in the area to be considerate of.

• The sea can be cold and there are strong currents, especially around Traigh Bhan beach at the north end of Iona. Be very careful, only experienced swimmers should swim.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Safety in the house

• Everyone inside the houses on Iona and Erraid need to assess the risks in each situation.

• Be careful around any fires and gas stoves on Iona or Erraid – especially Robbie, the Aga in Traigh Bhan – when cooking or drying clothes.

• Follow instructions on using the cooker and or other appliances.

• No candles in bedrooms, never leave candles unattended in the public areas.

• Be mindful when climbing into the bunk beds.

While we will do our best to accommodate your needs, we are restricted in what we can offer due to the remoteness of the location. Traigh Bhan retreat house is set in the middle of a field and there are steps and narrow doors in the house itself. Erraid is a tidal island and requires a one mile walk over rough terrain.

If you would like to contact us about your additional requirements and whether we can accommodate them, please use our booking questions form.

We carry only basic first aid equipment.

Please ensure you bring prescription medications and any other medically-necessary items with you. The nearest pharmacy at Bunessan Medical centre and the nearest Emergency Room is in Craignure.

Wild swimming can be lovely, especially in the summer season. However, please be aware of the following for your own safety:

• Make sure you do your own risk assessment before going out to swim.

• The sea can be cold and there are strong currents, especially around Traigh Bhan beach at the north end of the island.

• Be very careful, only experienced swimmers should swim.

• Definitely do not swim to Storm Island just north of Traigh Bhan beach. There are very strong currents between the islands.

All our locations are non-smoking. Smoking is permitted in designated outdoor areas only. It is not permitted in accommodations or meeting areas, or near entrances to buildings.

You can book on to additional weeklong experiences if there is space available, but we are unable to support individual B&B extra days or nights due to the limitations of our environments and programming.

If you have booked two weeks with us, one after the other, and at least one of the weeks is at Erraid, please contact us once booked and we will support you with booking accommodation for the Friday night between experiences.

Other places to stay on Mull and Iona after your stay with us can be found at visitmullandiona.co.uk.