Digital Detox Weekend: 3-Day Offline Nature Retreat in the Netherlands

Arrival is Friday at 18:00 and departure is Sunday around 15:00, so you get two nights and two full days. Within that, there is nothing on the schedule. The organising hosts run one optional activity or workshop each day, which you are free to ignore, and everything else is spontaneous: a walk, a nap, journaling, a game of Scrabble, or the sauna. Mornings you'll find a breakfast buffet with croissants and yoghurt bowls; lunch and dinner are cooked by a chef, and fruit, snacks, coffee, tea and juice are out all day and night.

The villa is spacious with light living rooms, a quiet zone set aside for undisturbed me-time, and a shared dining table for the evening meal. There is a sauna and space for yoga and arts and crafts. Both locations sit beside a nature reserve and are surrounded by woods and heathland, so you can walk out the door for a long walk.

What sets this apart from a normal wellness weekend is the phone policy. On arrival your phone is taken and locked up safely; friends and family can still reach you through the hosts in an emergency. That is the whole idea, and past guests say it is why they felt more present and connected to themselves, the nature around them and the group.

The group is deliberately mixed: men and women, all ages, any cultural background, with the only shared trait being that everyone wants a quiet weekend and is open to talking when they feel like it. Hosts are trained to make you feel at home, and chefs Valentijn or Iris cook all the meals vegetarian, with allergies taken into account.

Getting there is straightforward. 't Hiekerhoes in Hooghalen is reachable by train to Station Beilen, where you can be picked up at no extra cost, or by car, and there is usually a carpool option with other participants. De Hoorneboeg in Hilversum is the alternative location near a nature reserve.

What's included

- 2 nights in a luxury villa in nature (shared or private bedroom) - 2 breakfast buffets - 2 healthy lunches - 2 two-course dinners cooked by a chef - Fruit, snacks, coffee, tea and juices available 24/7 - One optional guided workshop or activity per day - Yoga, arts and crafts, board games and sauna access - Dedicated quiet zone for me-time - Phone lock-up on arrival - Free pickup from Station Beilen for the Hooghalen location

What's not included

- Travel to the retreat location (train or car) - Additional drinks or personal expenses - Optional extras not listed in the programme - Travel insurance