FAQ’s

For many people, their holiday is the biggest purchase they’ll make all year. We want you to be fully informed, so here is a comprehensive list of the most frequently asked questions we get.

If we’ve missed anything out or you still have questions, just get in touch and we’ll answer your query quickly!

Logistics

We understand a holiday is a big purchase and you want to know you’re making an informed decision. With that in mind, here’s a few pointers on the logistics…

Where is the Active Retreat?

We’re situated in the surf village of Lajares at the northern end of Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands. It’s a quiet village, but it has a few cool bars, tapas restaurants, a few shops and is easy to get to. It’s a great location for us because it’s close to the gym and yoga studio and is still quiet, despite the bars.

Where do I fly to?

You fly to Fuerteventura airport. There is only one on the island, so it’s an easy destination when it comes to flight bookings! From the UK, flights usually cost around £70-100 return. Direct flights are available from all the major UK airports and take 4 hours.

How do I arrange an airport transfer?

You don’t! At the Active Retreat we transfer you ourselves as part of the cost! We pick you up from the airport and take you back. All we need is your flight details and we take care of the rest.

I’m travelling alone - is that OK?

Absolutely! We welcome solo travellers with open arms! It’s a great way to meet new friends have a real adventure on the way!

Do I need to hire a car?

No, you don’t need to, but if you’d like to have your own transport, feel free. You’ll have space to park the car at the villa so it’ll be safe. If you do hire a car and feel comfortable transporting yourself from the airport to the retreat, just let us know beforehand so we don’t send anyone to the airport to collect you!

What is the weather like in Fuerteventura?

The saying on the island is… “if it’s not sunny now, it will be later on!” It’s year round sun, with an average rainfall of less than 17 days (the UK has an average of 133 days of rainfall). Even in mid winter (December and January) temperatures still exceed 20 degrees most days. We time our classes for the mornings and evenings when the temperature is more comfortable to exercise in.

The Rooms

Accommodation is key – you can see the pictures, but if you’d like more info, take a look here…

Who will I share a room with?

Our shared rooms are strictly single-sex. The only time a room would be shared by a man and woman is if they book as a couple. All all other times, shared rooms are single sex and we try to mix rooms so you are sharing with a similar person to yourself. Of course if you’d like a room to yourself, you can book the whole room on your own.

How does the bathroom sharing work?

Our budget rooms share bathrooms, but we find guests very quickly fall into an easy routine with shower sharing! Some people shower at different times of the day, so we haven’t come across a problem yet! If you’d prefer a private bathroom, you can book one of our more luxury rooms.

Exercise and Activity

Exercise on the retreat is varied. We appreciate that we all like different things, so no pressure is put on anyone who doesn’t fancy taking part in a particular activity.

What if I don’t want to take part in an activity?

There is no pressure to take part in any activity. When you book your holiday, you’ve automatically reserved your slot on each class. If you don’t want to do it, that’s no problem. Nobody will be banging on your door to ask you why you weren’t there!

I’m really unfit - does it matter?

No, not at all! Our workouts are scaled, which means no matter where you are in terms of your fitness, you’ll be able to train with us on the retreat! You’ll still be able to exercise, even if you’re brand new to it all.

If I want to just chill during the day, can I?

100% – the way we see it, this is your holiday and you can do as you please! If you want to head to the beach, do it! Prefer to read by the pool? Do that instead! Want to do some sightseeing? Go right ahead! We tell you when the classes are, you turn up if you want to!

Do I need to bring any equipment with me?

Nope – we provide the lot. You just turn up with clothes to exercise in, your beach wear and whatever else you want to wear on holiday, we’ll provide the rest. The bikes, the wetsuits, the boards and the transport to the classes is all taken care of.

Food

Our food is freshly prepared each day and eaten on site. We can cater for some dietary requirements, whereas others may require additional costs and services.

What if I have food allergies?

Our menu can be tweaked to offer gluten free, dairy free, nut free, shellfish free and vegetarian options. If your requirements are more specialised than that, contact us and we’ll arrange an alternative menu for you, which will include a small extra fee as the chef will have to source different ingredients.

Am I allowed to drink on the retreat?

You can – we just ask that if you fancy a big night, you head out to a bar and don’t sit around the villa getting drunk. We’re not anti-alcohol (far from it – we like a drink too!), we just need to respect other guests. If you’re having a quiet glass of wine or a couple of beers, that’s absolutely fine to do at the villa.

Payment

Our payment structure is flexible, making the Active Retreat as affordable as possible. Here’s a bit of information on payment options and discounts….

Can I split my payments?

Yes, we ask for a 50% deposit to reserve your place and then the final payment a fortnight before. The deposit is non-refundable, because we use that money to book accommodation and places on classes. If you’d like to further split the payments, just ask us and we can arrange it.

Is there a discount for media and bloggers?

Yes, we offer a blogger and journalist discount. For a large enough titles (national press and print magazines with website backlinks) we offer a free place, whereas for bloggers with large followings we offer anything from a free place to heavily discounted trips. Speak to us about how this works.

Does the fee include my flights?

No – the fee is for the classes, accommodation, 6 breakfasts, 5 evening meals and your airport transfers. You have to source the flights yourself. The reason for this is we’re not an end-to-end carrier with our own airline, so can’t offer the flights in a package deal.

Do I get a discount for a group?

We offer group discount if you book for 4 or more. If you’d like to come as a large group or even a work group, get in touch and we will tell you about our discount policy.

I’ve been before - can I have a discount?

Absolutely! We appreciate loyalty! Get in touch and you’ll be given a 5% returning customer discount! If it’s your second visit, it’ll be 7.5% and if you’re seeing us for a third time, you’ll be given 10% off!