Ask for four things: the named host's identity, proof of liability insurance and a local operating licence, real photographs of the actual rooms, and a written cancellation policy. A legitimate operator supplies all four in one email. Anything vague on insurance or licensing should stop the booking.
Sola Retreats · Updated 20 July 2026
The seven checks
A named host with a photograph and a contactable identity — not a brand name and a contact form.
Proof of liability insurance and a local operating licence, supplied on request without friction.
Real photographs of the actual rooms you would sleep in, ideally more than one angle.
Single rooms with either no supplement or a supplement stated plainly on the listing page.
A 24/7 emergency contact for the retreat dates, provided before you travel.
A written cancellation, illness and weather policy.
Honest availability. 'Two places left' that has said two places left for three months is a lie about a small thing, which predicts lies about larger ones.
The seven red flags
Payment by bank transfer only, with no card option and no deposit protection.
Pressure to decide today, especially paired with a discount that expires.
No named teacher, or a teacher who is 'to be confirmed' within a month of departure.
Reviews that are all five stars, all from couples, and all posted in the same fortnight.
A price far below the per-day band for the country with no explanation of what changed.
Vagueness about the address until after payment.
Any resistance to the question 'what happens if I want to skip an activity'.
Practical verification that takes ten minutes
Reverse-image search two of the room photographs. Stock imagery shows up immediately.
Search the venue name plus the word 'review' excluding the operator's own domain.
Check the operator's company registration in its own country. Most registries are free and public.
Pay by credit card where possible. Chargeback rights are worth more than a 2% discount for a transfer.
Check a price yourself
Paste any retreat's price and nights and get an instant verdict against these bands. Free, and it works on retreats that have nothing to do with us.
This page is free to quote and cite. If you are writing about solo retreat pricing and want the underlying figures, the Solo Retreat Price Index has the methodology.