How to Choose Between a Shared and Private Room

Choose a shared room if you want to save money and are happy to sleep alongside another guest. Choose a private room if you sleep lightly, need time alone to recharge or are travelling as a couple. At SOLARA, shared rooms are twin rooms with two single beds, and a private room usually costs €400 to €600 more per person.

What is a shared room at SOLARA?

Our shared rooms are twin rooms with two single beds. If you book alone, we pair you with another solo guest of the same gender unless you tell us otherwise. If you are travelling with a friend, choose a shared room and add a second guest during booking, or each book separately and add your friend's name in the special requests field so we can room you together.

At Monte da Luz in Portugal, Rumah Tirta in Bali and Hotel Ciasa Lärch in the Dolomites, shared twin rooms have a private bathroom, used only by the two of you. At Sjövik Lodge in Sweden, the twin rooms are in the main lodge and share bathrooms, two rooms to a bathroom.

How much do you save by sharing?

Prices are per person, and the gap between room types is the clearest way to decide. Here are the standard prices on some of our current retreats:

• Coastline Flow, Portugal: €1,450 in a shared twin, €1,890 in a private double
• Ubud Morning Practice, Bali: €1,690 in a shared twin, €2,290 in a private garden villa
• Spring Stillness, Sweden: €1,290 in a shared twin, €1,790 in a private lakeside cabin
• Lakeside Reset, Sweden: €990 in a shared twin, €1,390 in a private lakeside cabin
• High Trails of the Dolomites: €1,790 in a shared twin, €2,290 in a private double with balcony

Early booking prices apply on several retreats, and the gap stays roughly the same. Private rooms are priced per person, with no hidden single supplement.

What are the private rooms like?

Private rooms differ by property, so read the room description before you choose.

• Monte da Luz: private double rooms with a double bed and private bathroom, plus garden suites with a terrace for couples sharing
• Rumah Tirta: private garden villas with a king bed and an outdoor bathroom
• Hotel Ciasa Lärch: private double rooms with a balcony
• Sjövik Lodge: private cabins along the lake shore, each with a double bed and its own shower room

When does a shared room make sense?

Sharing is often more enjoyable than guests expect. Your roommate is someone to walk to breakfast with, compare notes with after a session and sit with at dinner on the first night when you don't know anyone. On most of our retreats you spend little time in your room during the day, so the difference is mainly at night.

• You are on a budget and would rather spend the difference on travel or a massage
• You are coming with a friend and are happy to share
• You sleep well in most places and don't mind some noise
• You like the idea of meeting people quickly

When is a private room worth it?

• You are a light sleeper, snore, or wake early and don't want to disturb anyone
• You need your own space to recharge after a day with the group
• You are travelling with a partner and want a double bed
• You are on a meditation retreat with silent mornings and want quiet at both ends of the day
• You need an accessible room. Some properties have only a few, such as the ground-floor room with an accessible bathroom in the main lodge at Sjövik.

What about couples?

Couples can book a shared twin together, or a garden suite at Monte da Luz, which has a double bed, private bathroom and terrace for two guests sharing. At other properties, private rooms are priced for one guest, so ask us before booking if you want to share a double.

What if the room type I want is full?

Private rooms usually sell out first because there are fewer of them. If your preferred room is taken, book what is available and ask us about an upgrade. Room upgrades are possible at any time, subject to availability. If the whole retreat is full, you can join the waitlist. If a place opens, we email waitlisted guests in order and hold the place for 48 hours.

A simple way to decide

If the price difference would make the trip feel stretched, share. If you know that a bad night's sleep will spoil the next day, go private. If you are unsure, think about the last time you shared a room on holiday and how you slept.