BookYogaRetreats
reviews and complaints

It was my first time booking a yoga retreat with bookyogaretreats.com (Tripaneer). My sister and I chose a retreat in southern Turkey and paid our deposit back in February. We left for Turkey in early October (of this month). After much planning, saving and anticipation, we finally headed to Turkey from Western Canada, travelled for 24 hours, stayed overnight in an airport hotel to help us overcome jet lag, then the next day took a domestic flight from Istanbul to Bodrum. And then our dream of having a relaxing and restorative yoga retreat came to an abrupt end. The “organizer” and her partner picked us up at the airport for an extra $50USD expense to us, and then rather than taking us to what we thought was a retreat centre, we were in utter shock when they took us to their home. They had turned their living/dining room area into a yoga space. We were then shown to our sparsely decorated shared bedroom which consisted of 2 single beds that were about as comfortable as sleeping on cardboard. Their back yard faced a busy highway below and there wasn’t even a comfortable chair to sit on outside or any cozy spots indoors where we could have some privacy unless we retreated to our “dorm room” with the 2 uncomfortable beds. We were in utter shock. Days before leaving Canada for Turkey, we were told by the organizer that actually, we were going to be the only participants attending. Although I thought it was very odd at the time and wondered how they could proceed with the retreat anyways with only my sister and I attending, our bags were packed, flights booked, time off work already planned, we headed to Turkey. The landing page for this so-called retreat had shown the organizer outdoors in a green space with a building in the background teaching yoga to 8 people in downward facing dog position. The reality couldn’t have been further from the truth. My sister, aged 61 and I (aged 58) tried to hide our shock and disappointment and after having a pathetic “welcome dinner,” we retreated to our room and neither of us could sleep a wink all night on those uncomfortable beds. We were in tears, disappointed, shocked and knew that we could not stay. We spent the whole night trying to find a hotel room or AirBNB in the area and touch typing a long email to Bookyogaretreats.com explaining the situation and asking for our deposit back. We left in the morning and continued communicating with Bookyogaretreats.com over the next few days documenting everything that we had experienced. Initially bookyogaretreats.com sounded very empathetic and responsive. We trusted that based on all the information that we had provided and our fact-based responses to the organizer’s counter-comments that they would proceed with integrity and give us our deposit back, given the $1,000s of dollars we had already shelled out for our trip and our dream for a restorative yoga retreat basically disappearing. To our complete and utter shock, they responded by saying that the $438 deposit we had paid was still unrefundable. I am writing my story so that all followers on bookyogaretreats.com understand that this company really does not vet any yoga retreat organizer that lists on their website. I made the biggest mistake thinking that retreat organizers need to go through a process with bookyogaretreats.com to list their retreats and that bookyogaretreats.com provides some protection to consumers. But I have since discovered that that is not the case at all. Anyone can list a retreat they slap together on this website. Bookyogaretreats.com just wants to take their cut. I trusted this company and I’ve been so let down and bled financially. My warning to all of you is to do your due diligence when signing up for a retreat from bookyogaretreats.com. Contact the organizer and ask numerous questions and find out exactly what the space looks like. Viewing all the pretty IG posts here that show stunning pictures of people at yoga retreats surrounded by natural beauty and in beautiful yoga spaces just filled me with heartbreak all over again. That was what my sister and I had longed for: a restful, peaceful and restorative yoga retreat, not an vastly overpriced stay in someone’s home doing 2 yoga classes per day with no retreat space to relax in. All it felt like what that we were just cash registers for them, 2 North Americans that could be duped into forking over lots of cash while they underdelivered a retreat for us. It all made sense after that fateful evening when we’d arrived at their home, why they waited until the last minute to tell us that we were going to be the only participants and why they kept postponing sending me the retreat address (for my luggage tag) until the last minute when I was so busy preparing for my trip that I never thought to put the address in Google maps. Bookyogaretreats.com would not accept any responsibility here and even after sending so much factual information about what we found, the discrepancy between the retreat listing and the reality, they sided with the organizer leaving the consumer assuming all risk. This is unethical and shocking behaviour from a company that promotes yoga. Yoga is not just about postures but about consciousness, ethics and right behaviour. Be forewarned here and do your due diligence before paying any deposit to this company, as they don’t have your back.

I regretfully have to share my disappointing experience with BookYogaRetreats. I strongly advise against booking a retreat through their site, as it was a complete waste of my money and precious holiday time.

First and foremost, the package they offer is exorbitantly priced compared to other similar packages available elsewhere. Not only that, but the organizer failed to deliver on what was promised in the itinerary. The yoga sessions, or lack thereof, were absolutely terrible. Out of the supposed eight yoga classes, I only had the opportunity to attend two. To make matters worse, the teacher who was promised to me was nowhere to be found. Instead, I was left with a guide who had no prior experience in teaching yoga. I had to personally request the two yoga sessions I did manage to have. It was a complete disappointment.

Additionally, the trekking part of the retreat was far from satisfactory. The price they charge for this particular activity is unjustifiably high. You can easily find similar trekking experiences for a fraction of the cost elsewhere. There are plenty of other reputable options available that offer the exact same trekking experience.

I could delve into numerous details about why you should avoid wasting your money on this organizer. One aspect that particularly stood out was their unprofessional handling of my complaint. They presented false information, accused me of things I did not do, and made minimal effort to rectify the situation. This was a 10-day holiday that did not live up to what I paid for and what I rightfully expected.

Not only did I lose money, but more importantly, I lost valuable time during my holiday. It was a disappointment that overshadowed any enjoyment I could have had. I strongly urge you to consider other options and spend your money and holiday elsewhere.

I gotta tell ya, folks, steer clear of Book Yoga Retreats. They're all about that misleading and deceptive behavior, which is just plain wrong for a yoga platform, ya know?

So, get this, I'm browsing their website, right? And I decide to change the currency to pounds sterling because I'm looking for a retreat in jolly ol' England. Makes sense, right? Well, I start negotiating with the retreat organizer, who's based in England too, mind you. And every time, she quotes me in pounds sterling and sends me those Tripaneer payment links in pounds sterling too.

But guess what? When it comes time to pay, those sneaky devils charge me in Euros! Can you believe it? And because of that, my credit card company slaps me with a 50-pound conversion fee. Now, hold on a minute, the retreat organizer can't control this mess, it's all on Tripaneer.

Naturally, I reach out to Tripaneer, demanding a refund and a new payment link so I can use a different credit card without any conversion fees. But you know what they do? They refuse, time and time again! Can you believe the nerve? They can't even give me a decent explanation for why they charged me in Euros. Talk about unaccommodating and uncaring, am I right?

Listen, folks, here's my advice: use Book Yoga Retreats to find out about retreats, sure. But if you're actually interested in one, do yourself a favor and do some research on how to contact the retreat organizer directly. Book through them instead. That way, you're not lining the pockets of this pathetic excuse for a company with their commissions. Trust me, it's the way to go.

I ain't never gonna use this company again, I tell ya. They done gone and refused to give me back my fully refundable deposit. Instead, they offered me some useless voucher, talkin' 'bout how it's the only option I got. But let me tell ya, under EU consumer law, I ain't gotta take that voucher if I don't want to. I done told 'em that multiple times, in writin' and all, but they just don't listen.

They kept sendin' me all sorts of mixed-up information. First, they said they ain't gonna give no refunds 'til March 2021. Then they changed their tune and said it's gonna be May 2021. And in the end, they sent me this piece of paper that's all messed up. It's supposed to be a voucher, but it don't even have no code or clear instructions on how to use it. Like, what am I supposed to do with that? It's just plain ridiculous.

So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I went ahead and filed a claim with my insurance company. I asked 'em to confirm that this company ain't gonna give me my money back and that I done refused their useless voucher. I just wanted to get my costs covered by the insurance company, you know? And guess what? These folks at BookYogaRetreats, they just stopped respondin' to my emails altogether. They wouldn't even help me out with that. Can you believe it?

It's downright disgraceful, I tell ya. At first, they just kept copyin' and pastin' the same response over and over again. And then, they shut down all communication channels. They don't wanna hear nothin' from me no more. And you know what's even worse? The host of the retreat I was supposed to go to, they ain't been paid either. So, these Tirpaneer folks, they're just holdin' onto my money for no good reason. They ain't even payin' the organizer. It's a real mess, I'm tellin' ya.

I'm warnin' y'all, stay away from this company. Whether you're a guest or a host, don't get mixed up with 'em. And don't even bother with their other websites neither. I'm gonna make sure to leave negative reviews for all of 'em until I finally get a response. They can't ignore me forever.

I wanted to give this place zero stars, but I guess I have to settle for one star. So, here's the deal. I had booked a one-month internship in India through BookYogaRetreats, but of course, thanks to COVID-19, it got canceled. No surprises there, right?

But let me tell you, things got real complicated when I asked for a refund. First off, they refused to reimburse me for the first installment because apparently, a global pandemic isn't a good enough reason. Can you believe that? But hey, I guess I'll just have to accept it, even though it cost me around 400 euros.

Then comes the second part of the payment, a whopping 1223 euros. They said they would give it back to me in the form of vouchers to be used on their website or refunded after April 2021. And you know what reason they gave? The crisis problem! Like, seriously? It's not our fault that we're little people struggling to make ends meet while this big company is just sitting pretty. It's just not fair, man.

I've tried reaching out to them through phone and email, but it's like talking to a brick wall. They don't seem to care about us regular folks going through tough times. It's all about their own financial situation. It's just not right, you know?

And then, to add insult to injury, I received an email from their customer service manager, Shweta. She starts off all polite and stuff, saying she understands my frustration. Yeah, right. She goes on about how the travel industry has been hit hard by the pandemic and how they can only offer a refund as a voucher. Blah, blah, blah. They'll only give me my money back after April 15, 2021, if I don't use the voucher. Like, why do I have to wait so long? It's my money, [censored]!

She even offers to call me to discuss it further, but what's the point? They've already made it clear that they can't do anything else for me. It's just a big fat disappointment.

So, yeah, if you're thinking about booking a yoga retreat through BookYogaRetreats, think twice. They may seem all nice and friendly at first, but when it comes to refunds and customer service, they couldn't care less. Save yourself the trouble and find a better place to book your retreat. Trust me, you'll thank me later.

I really can't stand this company. We're a Yoga Retreat "organizer," and we started using this website this year. They say they offer host support and marketing in exchange for their 14% commission.
After 6 months, this company keeps failing and disappointing.

When my guests pay their deposit of 50%, this company processes the payment, minus their 14% of the total price. (For example, from a $1000 deposit, they take $280). The money is then deposited into our account in Euros, not our requested currency. After this, THEY DON'T OFFER ANY SERVICE. I have to request the remaining balance myself through PayPal, and they disappear after taking their percentage. By the time I use another payment platform, I end up paying up to 26% of each booking for fees and currency conversions because BYR is not up to par.

We were assigned an account manager, ROSARIO DABLEO, who is Filipino and barely speaks English, doesn't practice or know yoga. When I asked for a new account manager, I was denied and told that I had no choice, even though I literally can't communicate with the person taking 14% of every booking.

This website doesn't share my customer info with me. Even after a confirmed booking, they don't provide me with my customer's email, phone, nothing. All I get is their name and date of arrival?!

The website is so outdated that we actually lose bookings because our guests can't complete their booking or registration due to the website.

When we offered a special deal to be featured in their Newsletter or Facebook, we were told the next available slot for promotion features is NEXT YEAR. But they still take 14% now, for what?

This company has poorly trained support staff and an old, outdated website. They don't care about the yoga students or instructors; they just want 14% of the 5 billion annual wellness industry. Dogs.

Initially, I had booked a yoga teacher training in Barcelona for May. I paid a deposit of 570 euro, which is just under $1000 New Zealand dollars. The website and email communication clearly stated that the deposit was fully refundable up until 1 month before the training. As a nurse in NZ, I realized early in the year that I wouldn't be able to go due to the COVID situation. So, I contacted the course organizers before the 1 month cut off to inform them of my cancellation. They confirmed that I would be refunded and mentioned that Booking Yoga Retreats would process the request, but there might be a longer waiting period due to many cancellations. That seemed understandable.

However, my concern lies with the integrity of this company, especially considering that it operates in the yoga retreat market, which is associated with certain values. About 2 months later, I received an email stating that instead of a refund, they would provide me with a voucher. I was surprised by this and expressed my confusion in my reply. Their response, received within 24 hours, claimed that my deposit was non-refundable and that they were actually doing me a favor by offering the voucher. They even suggested that I should check my facts. This left me deeply disappointed.

In my reply, I provided a timeline of events and attached the previous email correspondence to support my case. I also mentioned that I would be making a complaint to prevent others from experiencing the frustrations I had faced. It has been 5 days since then, and I feel that they have had enough time to rectify the situation and do what is right. Therefore, I am now fulfilling my promise to write a scathing review.

The customer service provided by BookYogaRetreats has been extremely poor. It is as if I can imagine the entire office barricading their doors with hoarded toilet paper and using N95 masks to hide from all the yogis demanding their money back. It makes me wonder what other questionable practices Dutch companies engage in. This particular company is undoubtedly a stain on their economy. It is ironic to think that the Dutch East India Trading Company, known for its revolutionary endeavors, was founded by them. It just goes to show that with great innovation comes an equal share of incompetence.

I wanna tell you about our experience with BookYogaRetreats, or as they call themselves, Tripaneer. I gotta say, this "yoga" company ain't got no integrity or compassion. We told our story to two different customer service reps, and you know what they said? Tough luck, buddy. They gave us a credit that we gotta use by the end of 2021, but they still kept the service fee. Can you believe that?

So here's the deal. Me and my hubby decided to book a Yoga Teacher Training in Bali for our honeymoon. We wanted to get all zen and stuff, you know? We paid a deposit of $2,727 Euros (US$3,006.51) for the two of us for a 22-day training. They kept telling us that the training would still happen, even with this corona thing going on. So we thought, hey, let's give it a shot and try to make it to Bali.

We were chillin' in the Palawan islands in the Philippines for a couple of weeks before heading to Bali. But then, outta nowhere, they told us we had less than 48 hours to leave the islands or we'd be stuck in a total lockdown. We tried booking flights, but they kept getting canceled 'cause the airports were shutting down. It was a total mess. But somehow, we managed to snag the last flight outta there. It was a crazy journey, with a 4-hour shuttle van ride and over 40 hours of travel, but we made it to Bali.

Just two days before the yoga training was supposed to start, the organizer decided to cancel it. They said we could get a full refund, but we had to contact BookYogaRetreats. So I reached out to them and explained our situation. But guess what? They didn't give a damn. All they offered was a credit of $2700 euros, minus the $27 euros service fee. Can you believe the audacity? We paid a hefty amount for the training, and that was supposed to cover our housing and food too. It's not like we can just let go of that kind of money, especially when we're on our honeymoon and need it to survive and get back home. We gotta find extra cash for housing and food now. And let me tell ya, the good ol' US of A ain't exactly helping us out with getting back home either. We gotta shell out a bunch of money for plane tickets. And to top it all off, we ain't got no jobs to go back to.

Oh, and get this. The yoga organizer already paid BookYogaRetreats to refund us. So basically, they're holding onto our money and not giving it back. That's straight-up fraud, man. They're going against their own terms and conditions. And this credit they're offering? It's useless if we can't afford to travel next year. We need that money to survive, not just for some fancy yoga retreat.

I get it, times are tough for everyone. But the way BookYogaRetreats, or should I say Tripaneer, is treating their customers during this pandemic is just plain disgusting. It really shows their true colors, you know? How a company treats its customers during a crisis says a lot about their integrity and compassion. And let me tell ya, they ain't got none.

I gotta EDIT this review to explain more effectively what had happened with my yoga retreat booking as I been asked by the company who FALSELY ADVERTISED my booking (tripaneer) bookyogaretreats.com to take this review down. I can't quite understand why they think I would take this review down as they know I am a yoga holiday retreat vlogger and blogger so my reviews are popular with adventurous travellers worldwide.

So to begin, back in October 2016 I got into planning a 3 month yoga retreat trip to Thailand. I was looking for reasonably priced retreats to review and experience on my travels in Asia. I happened across a website named bookyagaretreats.com and booked a retreat named The Samahita Retreat in Samui. It was for a four day stay with the yoga classes, meditation and accommodation all included advertised at the price of 6,640 thb. I requested the booking as was asked to pay half of the retreat price at 3,320 of which I paid straight away.

This was not the only retreat I booked that day; I actually booked 6 others for my trip which starts on the 15th December 2016.

I had received the booking confirmation from, bookyagaretreats.com (tripaneer) along with the finalised payment to be paid within 14 days. I then receive another series of emails after the confirmation saying that that they were very sorry but they had the pricing wrong and that in fact at the Xmas period when the retreat gets busier the pricing goes up. So in October when I booked the pricing was correct but for December the prices go up. The website never corrected the pricing. I naturally thought if I was sold a retreat at these prices then I would be entitled to the retreat at the pricing that was advertised. But this was not to be.

I had asked if there was anything they could do as I would not have booked this retreat at the price they were asking as I was travelling to reasonably priced resorts. At Xmas time this resort charges per day what they were originally charging in October for the four days. They offered my money back, which I didnt really want; I really wanted my retreat as now it is late in the day to book another. They declined and encouraged me to take my FULL payment back which I accepted in the end and have now received. I thought it was all over only to receive another mail informing me of THE FACTS of which I am already completely aware of and as slight underhand message asking me to take this review down. If I dont take this review down they will answer it and publish our communications! Reveiws are here for a reason and I do not understand the threat (it reads as a threat), I am more than happy for bookyogaretreats.com (tripaneer) Samahitaretreats.com WHO ALL HAD A HAND IN THIS, to respond. So that the consumer may understand exactly how companies can MISLEAD AND FALSELY ADVERTISE TRIPS ABROAD so that you get caught up paying a deposit for a trip that ends up being 4 times the cost of what was advertised, and mostly as they kindly informed me, you are NOT entitled to a refund even if this is the case.

This case is in the hands of Trade and Standards and Watchdog. I hope they can sort this out and prevent other travellers from falling into the same trap. It's important for companies to be transparent and honest in their advertising, especially when it comes to pricing. It's disappointing that bookyogaretreats.com (tripaneer) and Samahitaretreats.com would engage in such misleading practices.

I understand that mistakes happen, but it's how a company handles those mistakes that truly matters. In this case, it seems like bookyogaretreats.com (tripaneer) and Samahitaretreats.com failed to take responsibility for their error and instead tried to pressure me into removing my review. This is not the kind of customer service I expect from a reputable company.

I hope that Trade and Standards and Watchdog can hold bookyogaretreats.com (tripaneer) and Samahitaretreats.com accountable for their actions. Travellers deserve to be treated fairly and honestly, and it's important for companies to uphold their advertised prices and provide refunds when necessary.

In conclusion, I would caution other travellers to be wary when booking through bookyogaretreats.com (tripaneer) and Samahitaretreats.com. Make sure to double-check the prices and confirm any changes before making a payment. It's always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to booking retreats or any other travel arrangements.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT book your yoga trip through BookYogaRetreats. Seriously, don't even think about it. This site is a total scam, designed to rip off unsuspecting travelers like me. But before I get into the massive load of bull$#*! I experienced while booking through this site, let me give you some safer alternatives for booking a yoga trip.

First off, check out the reviews for your desired locations. If you happen to find yourself scrolling through BookYogaRetreats, use their site solely for gathering information on available offers. But remember, DO NOT BOOK on BookYogaRetreats. Instead, pick up the phone or shoot an email directly to your chosen location. If possible, get written documentation of their refund and other policies. Then, and only then, book directly with them. Seriously, DO NOT BOOK on BookYogaRetreats.

Now, if you still want to use a third-party booking site, go for reputable ones like Travelocity, Expedia, or Priceline. Sure, they might not offer specific yoga packages, but you can still book your flights, accommodations, and even a rental car at your chosen yoga hotel. Plus, you'll have access to customer service and the option to make changes or get your money back if needed. It's a win-win, my friend.

Now, let me tell you why I strongly advise against booking your yoga trip on BookYogaRetreats. Brace yourself, because it's about to get real.

First off, if you need to make any changes to your booking, you're pretty much screwed. It's nearly impossible to make any modifications, and if you do, you'll likely end up losing money. Trust me, I learned this the hard way. I initially paid a down payment of around $395 for my dream yoga retreat. But thanks to those pesky COVID restrictions, my flight got all messed up, and I had to cancel. BookYogaRetreats assured me that my entire down payment would be transferred to another location of my choice. So, I booked a different retreat. And guess what? Only $195 of my original payment was applied to the new booking. They claimed the remaining $200 was on hold and could be used for another trip within a year. Yeah, right.

But wait, it gets worse. I reached out to BookYogaRetreats multiple times, trying to sort out this mess. I received emails from different agents, all promising that the $200 would be allocated to my current trip. Spoiler alert: it never happened. The chosen location didn't receive the pending $200, so I had to pay the full balance. And what about that $200? Well, it's floating out there in space, lost among the stars, because I never received any follow-up regarding the situation. Talk about frustrating.

Now, let's talk about getting your money back. It's like trying to get a crackhead to share their stash. It's just not gonna happen. In fact, you'd have better luck with the crackhead. I reached out to BookYogaRetreats once again, asking for a refund of the $200. And what did I get? Empty promises and excuses. They assured me that everything would be resolved before my arrival date. Surprise, surprise, it wasn't. I didn't hear back from them until the last day of my trip, and all they had to say was that the $200 had been allocated as a voucher valid for a year. So basically, after all the runaround, I was back to square one. At that point, I was beyond done. I realized that they do this on purpose, to force customers into using their services again. Well, they can keep the money. The whole experience of booking with BookYogaRetreats was a nightmare. I will NEVER book with them again.

So, to sum it all up, DO NOT BOOK WITH BookYogaRetreats. They don't keep their promises, they won't give you a refund, and they'll leave you high and dry. Expect to receive generic responses from multiple agents, if you even get a response at all. And don't be surprised if you feel like you've been scammed, because that's exactly what they're doing. Oh, and that "Book with confidence - we offer flexible booking conditions during COVID-19" statement on their site? Yeah, it's a damn lie. It should really say, "Book to get scammed - we're flexible when it comes to snatching your money during COVID-19." Trust me, you're better off staying far away from BookYogaRetreats.

This is a copy of the letter I sent the internet company 'BookYogaRetreats' regarding a retreat that I recently went to in Cancun, Mexico organized by Mireya Schoo (Maye) and booked through BookYogaRetreats.

Thank you for your response. Barbara and I have stayed in contact; we had not met before The Retreat. She is from Florida, USA, and I am from Vancouver, Canada. My daughter encouraged me to book this retreat because I have recently begun doing yoga, and I have always loved snorkeling.

I am a 58-year-old woman who has found myself very sad lately, and I thought that a retreat might be very helpful to unravel my feelings and put me on a more content path. Like all women my age, I have had a lot of sadness and joy, and as our Western world is so busy and as a single mother of 4, I never took the time to process most of it. This retreat was to be the start of my taking care of myself instead of others.

I arrived 2 days early as Maye said I could have 2 days extra stay, and the best last-minute airfare was then. This really was a last-minute trip. I booked it the night before I left. I was very nervous and excited; I haven't been on a retreat before. Maye and her brother came to the airport for me and took me to the house. I declined dinner as I was tired from traveling, and I went to bed early.

In the morning, I felt uncomfortable as I was the only guest there, so I decided to go to Isla Mujeres, a small island I had been to before. Her brother drove me to the ferry. I spent 2 nights there, and when I returned, her brother picked me up. (I didn't pay him, and I didn't know the rate, and he doesn't speak English. I thought that it would be figured out before I left. The next day, I received an email from Maye stating that he was to be paid directly).

When I returned to the retreat, I met Barbara for the first time, and we became fast friends. We swam and laughed, and Maye brought tequila to the pool, and we all 3 drank. I am not a big drinker, so when later that day I was told that it was yoga time, I declined and spent time alone in my room.

That evening, we sat together talking, and it became apparent that Maye was determined to top any life experience that Barbara or I spoke about. She was not leading or facilitating; she was participating and crowding us out. It was odd to me, but I was very determined to allow myself to be vulnerable. That was my goal, and I didn't want to spend all this money, missing work, and traveling this distance without attaining it.

When I spoke about my son who had died suddenly, Maye interrupted to talk about a miscarriage she had had. I was shocked and hurt by her disrespect and not even allowing me to finish my painful story. Barbara took my hand, and I thought that it would still be a healing retreat.

The next morning, I woke from a very restless night to a headache. I finally took an Advil headache tablet and was sitting on the floor staring out the window and crying about a thousand different things (as I said, I was very sad when I arrived) when Maye came in and said, "What's wrong? What are you doing?" As sometimes happens, I was crying too much to talk, and I just shook my head. I can't remember what she said, but it wasn't kind.

Then she left and returned a minute later to tell me that I was ruining everything and how disrespectful I was to her family and that she would contact your company to get my money back for me. I was shocked. I wasn't thinking of leaving. I was beginning to process and was hopeful for the healing in the rest of the week. I was never disrespectful to anyone. I was reclusive and hurt and crying. I was at a retreat; I thought that I could safely do that.

She left the room, and I numbly began packing. I called my daughter, and through tears, told her what had happened. She was concerned for my safety, in a foreign country with someone being mean and irrational to me. I told her that I would leave, but I honestly didn't know what to do. The house is not near any main streets, so a taxi is not possible.

I went to Barbara as she seemed so kind the night before and told her that I was leaving. She wanted me to stay. We talked for a while and even went for a swim in the rain. Maye was nowhere to be seen. I was feeling better and stronger and decided that I could take a bus to Tulum (a beach town that I had heard of two hours away).

When I saw Maye's brother, I asked him for a ride to the bus station. He didn't seem to understand me, and he went upstairs and returned with Maye. Barbara and I were outside, and she joined us. I cannot tell you all that was said because my head was spinning, and I was afraid. I am not a weak woman, but I was so emotional, the reason I was at a retreat. Maye blamed me for disrespectful behavior.

I took some strength from Barbara's presence and told Maye that the next time someone is crying so much that they can't speak, bring them a cup of tea or just be quiet beside them. Don't get angry at them. She asked Barbara to leave so her and I could speak alone.

When Barbara left, Maye leaned close to me and said things like... "I have lawyers, I am not alone. I won't let you do this. You are after money..." I can't tell you what else. But it didn't make sense to me, and as soon as she began, I called for Barbara, but she couldn't hear me. I went inside to see Barbara, and Maye blocked my way and told me to get out of her house. I was crying again/still. I felt like I was in a nightmare. I picked up my bag and walked to the gate. I tried to call my daughter, but our connection was lost. Then I texted Barbara and told her that I had been told to leave.

Barbara came out, and Maye was telling her that I had already contacted you to put in a complaint. I hadn't. But she was showing her something on her phone that she said I had done. I hadn't done anything but cry and try to figure out what to do.

By this time, I was a mess. I could not think straight and could no longer see myself taking a bus in a country where I barely spoke the language. I was lost.

Barbara was telling me to get a hotel in Cancun for the night. There are hundreds of hotels; I was on my phone unable to make a decision. I didn't even know where I was. I had blindly trusted these people to bring me to this place.

Maye went inside. Barbara went inside. I was standing by the van with her non-English speaking brother. Crying. Scared. And so confused. How could this be happening? And I knew that once I was away from the house, I would not have WiFi to book anything!

Then an idea struck, and I asked him to take me to Starbucks. I brought it up on my phone so he could see what I meant and the address. Starbucks coffee always has free WiFi. I could regroup there safely.

He said he didn't understand, and he took my phone inside. Returning with Maye, who looked at me and in a very disciplinary harsh voice asked if I wanted to try this again.

I had surpassed my limit. I took my phone from her hand, shook my head as I began crying again. I got into her brother's van with absolutely no idea where he would take me.

He drove in silence. I finally stopped crying. I was depleted.

I saw the Starbucks store and pointed at it. He pulled around the corner and stopped in a car lot. I took 100 pesos from my wallet and gave it to him. I asked if that was enough. He didn't reply. But as I went to get out, he said something that I didn't understand. I tried to understand but couldn't, and the little stress of that started me crying again. I had my backpack, I was standing, crying, in a foreign country, in a car lot with people wandering around looking to buy a car, and he drove off.

My experience with this site has been absolutely terrible. I decided to book a training and made a partial payment for it. However, the organizer ended up canceling the training and refused to give me a refund. It was such a frustrating situation, and when I reached out to Bookyoga, they didn't do anything to help me. I had to fight with them for a whole two months just to get my money back. In the end, they finally gave me a voucher, but it was only worth 60% of the original price I paid.

I thought things would improve when I decided to use the voucher to book a yoga retreat. However, it has been 15 days since the retreat ended, and the organizer still hasn't received the money from Bookyoga that corresponds to the voucher. It's incredibly frustrating, and I'm left wondering when this never-ending nightmare will finally come to an end. I guess I'll have to call them again and hope for some resolution.

I was doing some research on this website before booking a retreat and I decided to go with BookRetreats instead, because they offer a full refund no matter the issue, and I know many others who have used the site before with a lot of success. From what I've gathered, it seems like BookYogaRetreats isn't a very ethical, yoga-like company which is very disheartening. I just wanted to share my wonderful experience with BookRetreats on these reviews because I don't want anyone looking for a retreat (a trip to BETTER themselves) to get scammed ever again. Hoping others read this before they end up regretting it. Stay safe out there, ya'll!

I was doing some research on this website before booking a retreat and I decided to go with BookRetreats instead, because they offer a full refund no matter the issue, and I know many others who have used the site before with a lot of success. From what I've gathered, it seems like BookYogaRetreats isn't a very ethical, yoga-like company which is very disheartening. I just wanted to share my wonderful experience with BookRetreats on these reviews because I don't want anyone looking for a retreat (a trip to BETTER themselves) to get scammed ever again. Hoping others read this before they end up regretting it. Stay safe out there, ya'll!

I am extremely disappointed with BookYogaRetreats (bookyogaretreats.com) and their handling of my cancelled retreat due to the COVID-19 global crisis. It is truly disheartening to see a company that refuses to refund money for retreats that are not even being held. Their customer service is simply appalling.

In contrast, every other business I have reached out to during this crisis has responded with compassion and understanding. They have provided full refunds for cancelled flights, tours, and accommodation. It is only reasonable to expect that, given these extraordinary circumstances that are completely out of the customer's control, BookYogaRetreats would also show some understanding and provide refunds for cancelled bookings.

It is truly disheartening to see a company taking advantage of people during this current crisis. These are challenging times for everyone, and it is crucial for businesses to show empathy and support their customers. Unfortunately, BookYogaRetreats has failed to do so.

I strongly advise against booking with this company. Their lack of compassion and refusal to refund money for cancelled retreats is unacceptable. It is important to support businesses that prioritize their customers' well-being and show understanding during these difficult times. BookYogaRetreats, unfortunately, does not meet these criteria.

Nous avons réservé un séjour de surf et de yoga avec une option remboursable un mois avant notre arrivée. Nous avons reçu un message nous précisant que notre lodge serait fermé à cause du covid-19 pour notre séjour. Le lodge nous a précisé que l'on pouvait annuler notre réservation sans frais un mois avant l'arrivée --> donc normalement tout est ok... Sauf que...

Nous avons donc décidé d'annuler notre séjour deux mois avant notre arrivée. Donc contractuellement ils sont obligés de nous rembourser nos 1250 euros... c'est la loi. Malgré tous nos e-mails, ils ne veulent pas rembourser. Ils nous envoient les mêmes réponses automatiques. Et ils nous demandent d'être compréhensives. Ce sont des VOLEURS. Ils proposent des contrats mais ils ne respectent pas leurs propres conditions...

Je suis vraiment déçue de mon expérience avec BookYogaRetreats. J'ai réservé un séjour de surf et de yoga avec eux, en pensant que tout se passerait bien. Cependant, lorsque le lodge a fermé en raison du covid-19, ils ont refusé de nous rembourser notre argent, même si nous avions annulé deux mois à l'avance, comme le stipulait leur politique d'annulation.

J'ai essayé de les contacter par e-mail à plusieurs reprises, mais tout ce que j'ai reçu en retour, ce sont des réponses automatiques qui ne répondaient pas à mes préoccupations. Ils nous ont même demandé d'être compréhensives, ce qui est vraiment frustrant car nous avons respecté les conditions de leur contrat.

Je trouve cela vraiment injuste et malhonnête de leur part de ne pas respecter leurs propres conditions. Je ne recommanderais pas BookYogaRetreats à quiconque, car ils ne sont pas fiables et ne tiennent pas leurs promesses. C'est vraiment décevant de voir une entreprise agir de cette manière, surtout dans des circonstances aussi difficiles que celles du covid-19.

Je conseille à tous ceux qui envisagent de réserver un séjour avec BookYogaRetreats de bien réfléchir avant de le faire. Il vaut mieux trouver une autre entreprise qui respecte ses engagements et qui se soucie réellement de ses clients. Ne faites pas confiance à BookYogaRetreats, car ils ne sont pas dignes de confiance.

I accidentally booked a trip through BookYogaRetreats and boy, was it a hassle to make any changes or get a refund! Let me tell you, the folks over at BookYogaRetreats are not the most flexible bunch. But here's the kicker, the actual event host was totally cool with making adjustments. It's BookYogaRetreats themselves who are the problem here. Talk about putting profits above everything else!

I gotta say, most companies these days are all about providing a great customer experience. But not BookYogaRetreats, oh no. They're all about those one-time transactions and making a quick buck. So, do yourself a solid and skip this middleman. Just go straight to the provider and save yourself the headache of dealing with BookYogaRetreats.

Now, I know what the vendor might say in response to this review. They'll probably point out their policies and say, "Well, it's all stated there, so tough luck!" But let me tell you something, just because a policy is "stated" doesn't mean it's fair or right. If BookYogaRetreats wants to keep customers coming back, they should try showing a little empathy and focusing on what the customer needs. Trust me, a little kindness goes a long way in building repeat business.

In my experience, I must say that BookYogaRetreats has left me feeling quite disappointed. Despite the fact that they were unable to provide the retreat I had booked, they adamantly refused to issue a refund. It's quite disheartening to see that they did not take into consideration the policies set forth by the UK's Competitions & Market Authority, which clearly state that a refund should be granted in cases where a service is not delivered after payment.

Instead of acknowledging their mistake, BookYogaRetreats attempted to shift the blame onto me, completely disregarding the fact that the ongoing COVID situation has disrupted countless plans and services worldwide. It is truly unfortunate that they chose not to be understanding or accommodating during these challenging times.

As a result of this disappointing behavior, I have made it a point to inform my friends and family about the importance of booking directly with the organizers of the retreat rather than relying on this third-party website. It seems that the only protection BookYogaRetreats offers is the assurance that they will keep your money for their own benefit, regardless of the circumstances.

It is truly a shame when companies lack flexibility and fail to consider the impact their decisions have on both current and potential customers. I hope that BookYogaRetreats takes a moment to reflect on their actions and strives to improve their customer service in the future.

I recently decided to book a 5-day Ayurvedic cooking and yoga retreat with Renuatum Spa in Puerto Rico through BookYogaRetreats. Let me tell you, it was quite a disappointment. Many things that were promised to us were simply not provided. It was a real bummer.

First of all, there were no cooking classes at all. Can you believe it? I was really looking forward to learning some new recipes and techniques, but it just didn't happen. And that's not all. The retreat was advertised as including three meals per day, but we only got two. Talk about false advertising!

Now, let's talk about the accommodations. They were supposed to be luxurious, but honestly, they were far from it. The rooms were small and cramped, and the amenities were lacking. I expected so much more from a place that claimed to be "luxury."

After I returned from the retreat, I immediately wrote a review on BookYogaRetreats, giving it a big fat zero stars. I wasn't the only one who had a bad experience either. I know for a fact that at least three other people wrote reviews describing their poor experiences as well. However, here's the kicker - only my review was published. Why? Well, it turns out that two of the other reviewers didn't book through BookYogaRetreats, so their reviews were ignored. How unfair is that?

Even with my zero-star review and the negative feedback from two other individuals, BookYogaRetreats still gave Renuatum Spa an excellent rating. Can you believe it? It's mind-boggling. I mean, come on, they only have nine ratings in total, so mine should have made some sort of impact. But no, it was like my review didn't even matter.

Honestly, after this experience, I don't think I'll ever book through BookYogaRetreats again. I just can't trust their ratings. From now on, I'll always turn to TripAdvisor or other similar websites to read reviews before considering any retreat in the future. Lesson learned, I guess.

I was lookin' for a teacher trainin' course on this website, ya know, and guess what? More than half of the stuff didn't match what they said in the program description. I ain't kiddin' ya! So, I decided to complain 'bout it on the second day of my trip. But ya know what they did? They just forwarded me the replies from the organizer, sayin' that "all items, includin' the daily yoga class, are up to the organizer's own discretion." Can ya believe that? They basically said the organizer can do whatever they want and not give me what I paid for!

Now, let me tell ya, I'm a yoga teacher myself, and I've been on a few yoga trips before. But I've never come across such an irresponsible agency and yoga school like this one, called Indepth Academy in Phuket. They're a real piece of work, I tell ya. In the end, all they said was that there's a non-refundable policy or somethin' like that, and the cancellation policy I was hopin' for was just plain invalid. Can ya imagine?

And here's the kicker, they don't even assign a specific customer service person to deal with your case. So, I had to keep repeatin' myself over and over again, explainin' what happened to me. It was a real pain in the neck, let me tell ya.

All in all, this whole experience was so bad that I could've been kidnapped in some tiny rural area in Thailand, and nobody would've even noticed. Yeah, it was that bad! The platform should really make sure all the info in the course description is accurate, ya know? 'Cause even the accommodation they described wasn't the real one I ended up in! Can ya believe that?

So, folks, take my advice and stay away from BookYogaRetreats. They're just gonna give ya a headache and leave ya feelin' ripped off. Trust me, it ain't worth it.

BE CAREFUL! Yoga-scam!
So, I decided to book this sailing and Yoga trip, which had the option of a private cabin. I was really excited about it! I went ahead and booked it, and even made the payment. But then, guess what? The hist, Ana, contacted me and said that the private accommodation was no longer available. Can you believe it? I was so disappointed!

I tried to make the best of the situation and asked if I could at least share the cabin with another girl, because my husband and I wouldn't feel comfortable otherwise. But you know what Ana said? She basically told me that this trip wasn't for me because sailing is a social activity. Can you imagine? I mean, come on!

After that, I didn't feel comfortable going on the trip anymore. I mean, why would I? So, I asked for a refund. And you know what they offered me? An overpriced retreat in Barcelona that had absolutely nothing to do with sailing. Can you believe the nerve?

Then, BookYogaRetreats took over. And guess what they offered me? Store credit. Yeah, like I'm ever going to book with them again after this terrible experience. I made it clear to them that I wasn't sure if I wanted to book with them in the future. But they just went ahead and requested a transfer of my money back to me. So far, I haven't received anything. No money, no guarantee that this will be resolved. It's just a big mess!

Let me tell you, there are so many other awesome and trustful retreats out there. Don't make the same mistake I did and trust this website. They don't make anything easier or safer for you. In fact, it will just end up costing you more money. So, be careful! They take your money and you get absolutely nothing in return. It's just not worth it!

Dishonest, unprofessional, and inconsiderate, BookYogaRetreats ain't no walk in the park. They claim to be all about connecting travelers with yoga programs worldwide, but let me tell you, their so-called seamless and hassle-free transactions are nothing but a load of baloney. My experience with BookYogaRetreats.com has been a downright nightmare. I booked a retreat over a month ago, paid the whole shebang, and guess what? They still haven't coughed up the dough to the retreat organizers, even though we're already knee-deep into our second week of downward dogs and sun salutations.

Now, I'm stuck in a pickle, having to make the payment directly to the organization. And let me tell you, dealing with the logistics in a foreign country where English ain't their strong suit has been a real pain in the you-know-what. If I were you, I'd steer clear of BookYogaRetreats like it's the plague. Instead, use their platform to snoop around and get the lowdown on different programs that tickle your fancy. But when it comes time to book, skip the middleman and reach out to the facility directly. Trust me, you don't wanna waste your hard-earned cash on unnecessary booking fees and commissions that BookYogaRetreats won't even bother to earn. They're just plain awful.