Five Oaks Education and Retreat Centre

Great food! Surprisingly good prices and you leave with enough food for 3 meals! Salad was so fresh varied

Beautiful place for nature retreat walks and animals

A beautiful retreat with multiple properties. I stayed in the comfy one-bedroom hermitage (full kitchen, bath) with loads of silence on a winter reading getaway. It's immediately next to a small trail and a few hundred steps from the confluence of Whiteman Creek and the Grand River. I met beavers, deer, and rabbits on my walks, but virtually no people. Wonderful! There's also a labyrinth in the lawn to walk (twice daily!) which was covered with snow on my arrival (see picture) and a beautiful view from the centre. The snow gradually melted and the labyrinth revealed itself to me more any more with each walk. There are incredibly friendly staff to help you with everything. I didn't go into any of the other properties this visit, but I've been to the bookstore in the main building in past years. Highly recommended for individual getaways, workshops, conferences, and more.

Lovely clean, peaceful, homey nature retreat centre. Rooms are very tiny and quite dated, but adequate. Washrooms are communal but there are lots of them spread all over the building. Meals were delicious and accommodated various dietary restrictions. I wish there was milk made available to drink, though. I asked for it once and was given the jug so I drank three glasses, but otherwise it wasn't offered.

Would go there again.

Spent 2 days at Five Oaks for a fantastic Soul Collage workshop. What a beautiful atmosphere and physical site … only made possible by a solid history of from-the-heart care by dedicated volunteers, employees, board members, and visitors. Our course was in the House On The Hill. It was private, roomy, welcoming, and fully equipped. There was a blip with the heat, but the friendly maintenance worker came quickly and made sure we were taken care of. Facilitators were kind, welcoming, knowledgeable, and encouraging – I was sad when the workshop ended. Food from the Acorn kitchen was fantastic. The dorm was clean, comfortable, and safe. I can’t wait to come back for another experience of inspiring connection.