Bend of Ivy Lodge (BOI)is a beautiful eco-friendly retreat, education and event center. A magical nature haven, BOI offers a peaceful and inspiring place for retreats (leadership, personal growth, yoga, meditation, creativity, spiritual, corporate) as well as workshops, weddings, commitment ceremonies and special events (family reunions).
This unique venue is cradled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. The Lodge is a beautiful renovated tobacco barn. The interior is comfortably finished in warm pine, with a balcony railing crafted from old tobacco poles. Artifacts collected from across the world decorate bedrooms. The Lodge holds 25 in circle seating or 40 theater Style.
The nearby light filled Pavilion holds larger groups and gatherings of 35+ in a circle or 50 theater style. This large open floor plan is great for somatic and circle work.
A great location 20 minutes north of Asheville, Bend of Ivy Lodge is close to downtown Asheville, Weaverville, Hot Springs, the airport, Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail.
Rental includes private access to 63 scenic acres located on the Bend of Ivy River. Included are panoramic mountain views, numerous trails, adjacent organic farm, koi pond, river, fire pits, open fields and gardens that embrace the land.
Bend of Ivy offers numerous indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, breakout areas, sleeping accommodations for 27+, commercial kitchen, camping areas, and open spaces for outdoor events or weddings.
Faith
Open to All:
Open to All, Open to All
Mission/Lineage: Bend of Ivy Lodge is non-denominational, and welcomes groups of any faith as well as groups that are secular in orientation.
Average Cost: $$
Environment: Lake / Pond, Mountain, River / Stream, Woods
Gay Friendly: Yes!
Restrictions: No Smoking
Environmentally Sustainable:
Yes!
Bend of Ivy Lodge is set in a 63 acre wildlife sanctuary, bordered by the Ivy River. The biodiversity in the forest is spectacular (fox, herons, eagles, beaver, edible and medicinal plants, etc.) The property offers a natural design space of integrated buildings, grounds, solar panels, labyrinth, waterfall and pond. It was the first carbon neutral business in Western North Carolina in 2007.
Language: English
Overnight Guest Capacity (defined as):
27
Meeting Space Capacity (defined as):
50
Meeting Rooms:
| Room Name | Square Feet | Capacity | Description |
| The Lodge | 240 | 40 | A renovated 1950 tobacco barn., that looks out over the valley with a 22 foot high grand window. The Main Hall can hold up to 25 people in circle seating, or 40 people in theater style set up using backjack chairs and cushions. |
| The Pavillion | 720 | 50 | Three sets of French doors open onto the front deck; a matching set opens into the shaded garden area in the back. This space will seat 35 in a circle or 50 theater style. |
| The Boathouse | | 12 | This space serves as a breakout room for meetings, a staff hangout, or a massage room. It can seat up to 12. |
Groups Served: 12 Step / Addiction / Recovery, Arts / Crafts, Business, Church / Faith / Religious, Educational, Health / Healing, Lesbian / Gay, Meditation Groups, Mens Groups, Music, Nature / Adventure, Non-profit, Peace / Justice, Personal Development Groups, Reunions, Silent, Weddings, Womens Groups, Writing, Yoga Groups
Amenities: Carpet, Fire Pit / Circle, Gardens / Outdoor Space, Laundry Services, Massage Services, On-line / Internet Access, Pavilion, Swimming Pool / Lake, Walking/ Hiking Trails
Special Features: 63 acres of land, with extensive trails, benches for sitting, great mountain views, campfire circle, and a glade of walnut and sycamore trees by the Ivy River. Spectacular spring wildflowers in Salamander Valley.
Technology and AV: Flipcharts, TV/VCR, video camera setup, dial-up internet access available
Room Types: B&B, Cottage / Cabin, Dorm, Tent
Total Number of Rooms:
12
Housing: *
The Lodge:
Seven double bedrooms with two twin beds each.
Three single bedrooms, including the loft.
Four shared bathrooms
The Studio:
Sleeps five in a double and four twin beds.
Shared Bathroom
The Roadhouse:
Sleeps 4 in Pullman-Style Single Beds
Shared Bathroom
Food: Kosher Options, Organic / Locally Grown, Restricted Diet Options, Vegetarian or Vegan Options
Meal Availability: Available Nearby, Available On Site, Kitchen - Private
Location of this Retreat:
Asheville, NC
United States
Travel Info: 20 minutes north of Asheville, North Carolina; 35 minutes from Asheville airport, served by USAirways, Delta, and Continental.
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Doug Silsbee
3/4/2015
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As a former owner and creator of Bend of Ivy Lodge, I have more than the typical attachment to this extraordinary place... Susan and Alan proved to be sensitive and skillful partners at every stage of the game, and are clearly the right new stewards for this land and gathering space. I continue to teach many retreats a year here. In new hands, Bend of Ivy is still the best place for my work of anywhere I have taught on five continents.
- Doug Silsbee, Author, Teacher, Leadership Coach
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Leah Jalfon
9/1/2019
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I can't even put into words how special a place Bend of Ivy is. The space is absolutely gorgeous, inside the buildings & on the grounds. Susan & Sonya were wonderful to work with leading up to our retreat. On the day of Susan gave us a warm welcome. The Lodge had everything we needed to create a great weekend. The setup of the bedrooms upstairs & downstairs but with a view of the main room below both facilitated a meaningful retreat & felt like we were all in a home together.
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Anonymous
8/1/2019
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We held our 15-person staff retreat in June 2019 (and held a two-day staff retreat three years ago). The space was beautiful, the grounds were lovely, the food provided by one of their recommended caterers was superb, and all in all it was a wonderful experience. I highly recommend!
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Alelí Lauría
4/18/2019
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I absolutely love Bend of Ivy lodge! I've attended many retreats there and I also assist in running retreats in the winter and my experiences have always been great. Susan is an amazing host and the property is gorgeous all year long. The caterers are amazing and very accommodating to all dietary needs.
The rooms are cozy and the facilities are comfortable and very clean. I love coming back to this place!
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Paige Gilchrist
9/27/2018
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Bend of Ivy has been such a special sanctuary for our Women’s Restorative Retreats. The land that holds this center, just a short walk from the beautiful Ivy River, is truly powerful. Susan and her staff have created a magical oasis in the heart of it—a koi pond, a fire circle, a hilltop labyrinth, a pavilion perfect for sunrise yoga, and a cozy lodge to anchor it all. They're wonderful little nooks, inside and out, for meditating, journaling, painting, reading, cat-napping, and daydreaming.
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Julia Speer
6/27/2017
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I just returned from my third women's retreat at Bend of Ivy Lodge. I have been creating and facilitating retreats since 2007, and Bend of Ivy is without a doubt the most special of all! It has a tranquil, Zen-like feel with quiet spaces nestled out doors and inside for sitting quietly, meditating, journaling, or curling up with a good book. The layout of the rooms works well. The grounds are beautiful. It is a very special place for some extreme self-care. I highly recommend it.
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Patti Digh
1/1/2013
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Caterer and Kitchen Goddess Dava Melton imbues her creative menus with such love, it is like feasting on spirit. We can’t imagine holding our retreats anywhere else.
– Patti Digh; Author of Life is a Verb
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