Meraki
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
1-11 March 2027
This retreat is now full.
All places for this retreat have been taken. If you'd like your name on the waitlist for any cancellations, just send us a quick message to say hello and we'll be in touch if a spot opens up.
Meraki
Meraki (the essence of ourselves), is a Greek word that means putting a part of our soul into what we do, and doing something with creativity, passion and love.
This is your invitation to reconnect with your essential life, the life we are born to enjoy, but which gets overwhelmed by all the demands of daily living.
We make art and we write to remind ourselves of a life lived with intensity and truth, a life of colour and laughter and connectedness. These are the things we can bring back into our daily lives and they will sustain us, recalling to us the simple life-affirming wisdom of spending time with people and in places that set a spark in the soul.
This unique Meraki retreat is designed to be both restorative and uplifting. If you seek peace, space and the inspiration to rekindle your creative practice then this retreat offers a revelatory time of collaborative pleasures. We work without judgement, creating the kind of joyous, playful opportunities where everything is valued, because it is original, unpredictable, arising out of the moment, personal and therefore precious.
At the heart of our making is a small, intimate book designed to live inside a nicho, a traditional Mexican vessel for the things we hold most sacred.
We will work through mark-making and fragments, ink and thread. We will build pages that carry the words and the textures of our collective days and of this extraordinary place. Surfaces will be made, torn, remade, and ultimately bound.
Hotel Mirador del Frayle
"The Friar's Viewpoint” is a colonial boutique hotel in the La Palmita neighbourhood, ten minutes from the historic centre.
Built in traditional hacienda style, the estate is marked by cantera stone archways, exposed wooden beams, terracotta floors, and brick vaulted ceilings. A heated pool, lush gardens, and open-air corners invite the kind of slow, unhurried presence that good making requires.
Our workshop space is large and full of light, with long windows and panoramic views across the city's iconic skyline, a room that feels generous enough to hold whatever emerges over our days together.
San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende is a city of cobblestones, Baroque facades, and endless stories of the people who have passed through it. For nearly a century it has been a haven for artists, built around the Escuela de Bellas Artes and the Instituto Allende, schools that drew painters, writers, and makers from across the world. In 2008 it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised for its extraordinary architecture and its place in the story of Mexican independence.
We were invited, twice, by people we trust: "Come to San Miguel."
So we did.
Memories from our first Meraki in Greece
PRICE: £2,925 per person (private room)
(For room sharing or San Miguel resident rates, please get in touch.)
DEPOSIT: To secure your place, a non-refundable deposit of £750 is required.
PAYMENT: The balance may be paid in two instalments (£1,100 by 15 September 2026, and final payment by 15 January 2027), OR settled in full before 15 September 2026.
Payments are processed in British pounds (GBP) via this website. Your bank or card provider will convert this to your local currency at the time of payment.
INCLUDED:
Pick-up Transfer from QRO or BJX Airport *
Welcome Gift
Welcome dinner
10 Nights in a Beautiful Mexican Boutique Hotel
Breakfasts and light lunches
Writing workshops with Claire
Mixed media workshops with Jack
Visit to the Chapel of Jimmy Ray Gallery
Optional early morning gentle Tai Chi sessions
Visit to local, artisanal and monthly flea markets
Lunch at Viñedos San Lucas, local winery
Farewell dinner
Transfer to QRO or BJX Airport on departure day *
NOT INCLUDED:
Flights to and from QRO or BJX
Travel Insurance
All evening meals, except 2 dinners
* Airport pick-up and drop-off are only for indicated dates and specific times. Should you plan to arrive earlier and/or stay longer in San Miguel de Allende, you will be responsible for your own transfers.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Please note that all bookings are non-refundable. If you're unable to attend, you're welcome to transfer your place to someone else.
Ready to join us?
Secure your place with a deposit of £750.
Meraki (the essence of ourselves) is a Greek word that means putting a part of our soul into what we do, and doing something with creativity, passion and love.
Deposit
A £750 deposit secures your place on the retreat, pending full payment of the balance.
Balance
For single or sharing rooms, the balance may be paid in two instalments: the first by 15 September 2026, and the final payment by 15 January 2027, or settled in full before 15 September 2026.
If you're living locally in San Miguel de Allende, the full balance is due in one payment by 15 September 2026.
Cancellation Policy
All bookings are non-refundable. If you're unable to attend, you're welcome to transfer your place to someone else.
Your Hosts
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Jack Ravi
Jack Ravi is a collage and mixed media artist who creates with found objects. His work is rooted in curiosity and wonder, and he approaches it as a personal, meditative journey. This is also reflected in the way he teaches, encouraging discovery and play while celebrating mistakes and insights. He offers pre recorded classes, in-person workshops, and live online classes that are intentionally kept small. Offering these sacred and intimate circles where participants can feel safe to express themselves creatively and even begin to heal together is an act of joy and empowerment. With a deep reverence for forgotten papers, he celebrates their beauty and potential in his art.
Jack is also the author of the book "Artful Memories: How to create unique art with old photographs.” He lives and works in Scotland.
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Claire Steele
Claire Steele has run Magical Journeys Creative Writing Retreats for over fifteen years. She has run workshops in prisons, dementia cafes, on the tops of double-decker buses, on airport runways, in gypsy caravans and on narrowboats, as well as in the more expected locations for a writing workshop. The retreats and workshops are designed to foster creative flow, release story and affirm your sense of purpose as a writer. They are designed to nourish you spiritually, extend you creatively and sustain you emotionally. Writing is where we go to discover the things we don’t yet know, it takes us into a place where history, experiment and mystery abound.
Claire is the author of The Art of the Matter, a montage of memory, meditation and the power of art to reveal us to ourselves in ways that are mysterious and surprising.
FAQS
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Yes, we offer complimentary transfers from and to Querétaro (QRO) and Bajío (BJX) airports, with pickups running roughly every hour on the 1st March 2027 and on the 11th March.
Please note we do not offer transfers to or from Mexico City airport.
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Check-in is on the 1st March, from 3pm, with a welcome dinner at 7pm. Flights arriving late morning or early afternoon work well, as the transfer to the hotel takes under two hours (traffic permitting).
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That's entirely up to you. Arriving a day early gives you a little buffer if your flight is delayed, and some quiet time to settle into San Miguel before the retreat begins.
Please note that accommodation is included from 1st March only, any earlier nights are at your own expense.
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We will aim to keep the group to under 20 participants.
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The deposit is non-refundable.
If you're unable to attend, you're welcome to find someone to take your place, and we'll do what we can to help connect you with others who might be interested, though we can't guarantee a replacement.
The responsibility for finding a replacement remains with you.
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Completely. Whether you've never picked up a brush or never written a word for an audience, all sessions are designed to be accessible and welcoming.
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You are welcome to all the workshops, and we warmly encourage you to step into something new and find the discoveries there, but there is absolutely no pressure to participate.
We know that occasionally, you might welcome some time just to be still, and soak up the beauty of the landscape, and quietly celebrate the fact that you have given yourself this astounding experience.
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If you live nearby and would prefer to come each day, please get in touch and we'll arrange a revised rate for you.
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Everything takes place inside Hotel Mirador del Frayle.
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We'll provide some materials, but a full supply list will be sent to you in advance of the retreat.
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Yes, it's about a 10-minute walk downhill. We'd suggest taking a cab back though, as the return is uphill. We have an arrangement with the hotel that includes some complimentary rides, and we'll do our best to organise small groups travelling together.
Uber is also available and very affordable if you'd prefer to go independently.
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Yes. If they'd like to take part in workshops and activities, please get in touch for room sharing rates.
If they're simply joining you for the stay and not participating, just let us know.
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San Miguel has an excellent food scene, far beyond what many visitors expect. The city is home to a wide range of restaurants, from traditional Mexican cooking to international cuisines, and the quality is consistently high.
Whether you're after a long lunch in a sun-filled courtyard or a simple taco from a street stall, you'll eat very well here.
Evening meals are your own to explore, and we're happy to point you in the right direction with a curated list created by our local friends.
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No, please drink bottled water only.
That said, ice and tap water served in restaurants are safe, as establishments use filtered water.
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Mexico uses Type A and B plugs (the same flat two- or three-pin plugs used in the US and Canada), at 127V.
If you're travelling from Europe or the UK, you'll need an adapter.
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Most restaurants accept credit cards.
Markets, stalls, and smaller vendors tend to be cash only, so it's worth having some pesos with you.
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There's no need to carry large amounts before you travel. ATMs are safe, plentiful, and easy to use in San Miguel, so you can withdraw pesos as and when you need them.
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A gratuity of 10–15% is customary in Mexico, and genuinely appreciated.
We'd gently ask that you keep to that range, as higher tips can disrupt local wage expectations.
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San Miguel is one of Mexico's most visited and well-established destinations, consistently ranked among the safest cities in the country.
It has a large permanent expat community and welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
As with any city, normal urban awareness applies: keep an eye on your belongings, avoid displaying expensive jewellery or electronics, and use ATMs during the day. Petty theft exists, as it does everywhere, but visitors who exercise ordinary common sense rarely encounter any problems.
We've chosen San Miguel intentionally, not just for its beauty and creative spirit, but because it feels genuinely welcoming and unhurried.
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March in San Miguel de Allende is warm and sunny, with cool evenings. Expect daytime temperatures around 25–28°C (77–82°F), dropping to around 12–15°C (54–59°F) at night.
Light, breathable layers work well, with something warmer for evenings.
Comfortable walking shoes are a must, as the streets are cobbled.
Sun protection like hat, sunscreen and sunglasses, are essential.
Bring your open heart and an open mind and together we will fill them with the life-enriching treasures of Meraki.

