There is no place like this on earth but Hollyhock. It is like God just pushed the membrane of heaven downward and where it touched the Earth, Hollyhock was born. I came here from Chicago to visit the Sheldrake family: father Rupert, mother Jill, and accomplished sons, Merlin and Cosmo, and I have never been more uplifted, inspired, educated, and compassionately treated as I was during the three days that I spent with them. It was magical, as was Hollyhock. I spent my free time wandering the many trails, taking photographs and bird watching, which was the most euphoric time that I can ever remember spending. Anyone who ever has any opportunity to visit this place must do so without hesitation. The place itself, Hollyhock, will change you forever for the good. You will not even know it is happening but you will be closer to who you were intended to be by the time you leave, I promise you. It happens to everyone. read more

My first time here was in 2013, and I think I've been back 10 times since. Coming here each summer has started to feel like coming home. Peaceful forests and beaches, waking up to birdsong, endlessly beautiful and nourishing food. The staff are all absolutely lovely, just so attentive and caring. Well worth the trek here, even if you're not in a program. Take advantage of all the "extracurricular" things you can--garden tour, tai chi, yoga, rows, etc. read more

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My first stay at Hollyhock was in 1995. I've been there at least ten times since then, so I suppose you can say I'm a pretty big fan. The first time I went there, I drove from Edmonton to Vancouver, took a ferry to Vancouver Island, drove up the old highway (the speedy highway hadn't been built yet) through all of the small and larger towns on the east coast of the Island, found the ferry terminal in Campbell River, ferried across to Quadra Island, drove up and down and around and got to the next ferry terminal, ferried to Cortes Island, and once again drove up and down and around to finally come to Hollyhock. At once, I was amazed at how peaceful this place was -- I was lead by foot to my room and I was wanting to hurry because dinner was about to be served and I didn't want to miss a minute of being there ... when I realized that being at Hollyhock means you don't have to hurry, that you're not missing a thing if you feel each step you take. That first visit was during a GO tournament, along with a group who were learning how to be shamans. Imagine the conversations at dinnertime and while in the hot tub! In the hot tub that weekend, I learned a song that had been composed only a day earlier which I still sing in tribute to people around me. The times I've taken courses have been very rewarding also, but I must admit, the peace of just hanging out is a wonderful thing. I mentioned the odyssey I took in driving to Hollyhock. Of course, there are many ways of getting to Hollyhock -- for example, you can park at Campbell River and get picked up -- going in a group saves gas and money. Or you can fly in a tiny float plane from Vancouver. The website details the many ways to get there. Once you're at Hollyhock, there are tent sites, dorms (6 people to a room, sharing one toilet/sink/shower room), rooms with shared bathrooms and rooms with private bathrooms. You pay a bit more for a room with an ocean view. The nightly rate includes three meals a day (unless you're there on a shoulder season rate, which gives you one cooked meal a day and access to the equivalent of a continental breakfast, essentially). Much of the food is grown on Cortes Island -- indeed, a good deal of the food is grown in the high-intensity garden located beside the main building. Most of the food is organic. Most of the food is vegetarian although they do serve fish from time to time and if you're lucky to be there when they've gone oyster-hunting, you can go to the oyster BBQ down by the beach -- I marveled when at a fancy restaurant in Santa Monica when I saw they offered Cortes Island oysters and I could say that I'd already enjoyed those oysters several times! For those people who want to recreate some of the Hollyhock food experience, a cookbook has been published. There is also a long bar where people can fix their own teas, coffees, and chilled drinks. Every night a new group of learners start, there is a meeting in the main building where folks are given an idea of what to expect. One of the important things to know about Hollyhock is that they do their best to take care of the effluent from their sewage -- it's important to know that you need to keep hair from going down the drain, to use soaps and shampoos that don't create much suds (try to bring eco-friendly versions), to not take long showers -- if you want to bathe, do so in the hot tub or in the ocean. In the last few years, Hollyhock has enabled folks to check the Internet in a room in the basement of the main building. I understand this has become a matter of safety for some folks, say if they're travelling without their kids. Other than that room and the parking lot, there are no electronics on the Hollyhock grounds -- no ringing cellphones, no folks listening to music out loud (I suppose earphones are allowed? I've not checked to see if this is so). The above-mentioned garden flowers from early spring until late fall and has constant turn-over of various food crops. All of Hollyhock's buildings are decorated with the blooms from the garden -- each bouquet is a work of art. There are many places to gently walk through the garden, places to sit and reflect, and they've even established a lovely fountain in one place. The hot tub and the ocean and beach area are clothing-optional. I've seen many people wear bathing suits and many folks who go "sky clad" -- there has always been an air of respect and kindness regardless. I miss the old days when it wasn't as busy as it is now, when it was more affordable than it is now (popularity and cost of keeping Hollyhock's and Cortes Island's delicate ecosystem safe has driven up the prices some), when the people where more connected to the awe this place brings, rather than think of it as "another retreat centre". Spend time at Hollyhock, you'll treasure your memories. read more

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I have been to Hollyhock five times now and it is on my list of absolute favourite places to go. In fact, my husband and I (with whom I traveled) have been long considering buying a country property, but after having been to Hollyhock, we think - why? We'll just go to Hollyhock! Both time I went were for conferences but I would eagerly go just for a holiday. The setting is astonishing. Gorgeous beachfront property - with a beach long enough to talk walks on. Views of wilderness in all directions. Cabins and rooms are nestled in the forest. Camping is also available. The food is AMAZING. It is all vegetarian, but even though I myself was vegetarian for ten years I never had such good veggie food!! Deserts that taste incredible and are healthy?! There was a salad dressing that a bunch of us wanted to drink barrels of, it was so good. The people who work there are lovely; many are working as volunteers out of a deep sense of service to the people who come. The feeling that creates is just sublime. Hollyhock is perfect for those who love the wilderness, need a retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life, need to restore and renew themselves. Hollyhock has a long list of self-development and social-change-focussed conferences, retreats and workshops. The two I attended were literally life-changing and have benefited me deeply personally as well as on a business level over the year since I first went. Cons: it takes a long time to get to from Vancouver - ferries, driving, waiting for ferries. The rooms are quite variable in quality - from simple rustic cabins to decent hotel-style accommodation. Some cabins are a walk through the dark woods at night, so not for those scared of the woods (or make sure to book a room closer to the main resort area!). Other free amenities/activities: Ocean-front hottubs. Free meditation sessions are offered daily in a very cool Sanctuary building; yoga is too (I think it's daily). Both times I was there, the in-house naturalist took people out in a row on the ocean and a discovery walk on the extensive property. Also available for additional fee are day and night-time kayaking (the nighttime bioluminescence paddle was a treat), and various types of massages. My massage therapist not only was great, she also identified a health issue I didn't know about before. Many years ago, I lived at Findhorn in Scotland for several months - a similar and very famous spiritual retreat centre, and Hollyhock is superior in many many ways. read more

Incredible location on Desolation Sound when seeking to get away from it all yet still remain connected to people. The retreat center is truly vested in lifelong learning with programs well rooted in family and individual exploration. Food is simple but exquisite in its own right and getting here is a clear journey in itself but worth the results as a creative community culture sits at the end of ferry rides or a sea plane jaunt. read more

Hollyhock - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Cortes Island, British Columbia

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I've been to Hollyhock three times over the last 8 years, the first year was by far the best experience. We stayed in the Oceanside cabin that year, and although it was very very basic, it was clean and you couldn't beat the view and proximity to the seashore. We had the 3-meal a day plan (you are required to purchase at least one meal a day to stay there). That first time the food was exemplary, probably the best vegetarian/pescatarian food I have ever had. The chef obviously knew what they were doing, not only from the cooking perspective, but also from the meal planning perspective. There was a good variety of food at each meal and the menu was balanced. I next stayed at Hollyhock in 2018, and from both the food and accommodations perspective it was a significant disappointment. I stayed in one of the buildings up from the beach, and although the room was large, the furnishings were very dated and worst were the insects in the suite, particularly in the bathroom, though they certainly didn't contain themselves there. Primarily sowbugs and earwigs. The building is wood, so presumable they eat their way in and now live in the floorboards and walls. Everyone morning one of us would take a turn clearing the bathroom and carpet if all the bugs we could see before taking a shower. Grim. And yes, we mentioned it to the admin staff and the cleaners, and we're met with "oh thanks, yeah we know". As far as the food, what was there was good quality, generally fresh produce, but both the dishes and particularly the menu planning had really deteriorated. I guess if I'd never been before I wouldn't have been so disappointed, but it was such a huge step down from the first experience that it was hard to look on the bright side. I returned again earlier this year (it's the programs that bring me back), and based on the last experience I decided to book accommodation elsewhere on the island and just take the mandatory lunch package. The quality of the food was still very good, relying heavily on fresh garden produce and bread, but that's it. It's remarkable that you start off in the queue for a make-your-own salad, then move through to the kitchen where you are offered 3 other salads or 2 salads and a roasted vegetable, bread, and soup. There is not a protein or protein substitute in sight, except peanut butter. The soup starts from the same base and has very little flavor. It's obviously made fresh, adding different ingredients so you get the same flavor profile meal to meal. I'm quite sensitive to salt, and I found the soups to be particularly under-seasoned and bland. In addition I that, there are signs posted around the kitchen scolding you to only take one portion, not really creating a welcoming environment. I don't want more than one serving, and don't really want to be admonished for a meal that I have paid an unreasonable amount of money for and was required to buy to attend a program. I'll come again because I'm coming for the programs, and I'll hope that they re-find the magic the once had for the rest of it. read more

This review may be a little biased -- I'm one of the co-founders of Hollyhock, and my connections to Hollyhock and Cortes Island have steadily deepened over the past 29 years. That said, I encourage you to come to Hollyhock asap to discover for yourself why people from all walks of life describe their experiences (we call it "Getting Hollyhocked!") in such superlatives. As our mission states, "Hollyhock exists to inspire, nourish, and support people who are making the world better." We take this mission very seriously, and every aspect of the Hollyhock experience -- the stunning natural beauty, the warm and welcoming staff, the delicious and nutritious gourmet natural foods, the world class teachers, the workshops, conferences, and open holidays and retreats -- creates a beautiful whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Come to Hollyhock. You will be transformed... and healed. --Rick Ingrasci, M.D., M.P.H. Co-convener, Hollyhock Summer Gathering, since 1986 read more

My stay at Hollyhock was absolutely FANTASTIC. Healthy, gourmet and organic food, yoga classes, massage, meditation, guided tours with the in-house naturalist - everything you need for a rejuvenating retreat is there! My favorite part was night-time kayaking - I discovered bioluminescence and we even had a visit from a seal!! read more

**Sharing the path workshop with Judith and Robert was worth every penny and would take another course from them *** Booked online then had to phone for clarification because I thought it was a mistake to charge $100/day per person to tent and that included bringing our own tent. Yes that included food but still very pricey At check in we were handed a map and a lady took our stuff part way up to our tent in a golf cart Dusty dusty and she was a brand new volunteer who wasn't quite sure what she was doing. There was no orientation i.e what time the meals were served etc. All buildings are really spread out and tents are way toofar away from ocean view,buildings. Supper was dismal! I understand why they are vegetarian but that could be an option but I guess offering meat or fish would cut into their profits. We were so sick of pasta and veggies we couldn't waitto get a hamburger. I don't understand where the money goes because it's mostly volunteer run (and they pay for meals and accommodations too) Run like a hostel with prices of hotels. Everything needs a good cleaning! Couch is so stained we didn't want to sit on it. Definitely would not recommend to friends and would not go back. read more