Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health is a wellness and mindfulness resort surrounded by 100 wooded acres in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The Center offers dozens of themed retreats and seminars from 2 to 14 days in duration. Guests may opt for programs created to improve overall wellbeing or continuing education credits designed for specific accreditations. A few examples of schedules offered include:
Energy Intensive
Changes and Transitions in Your 50s and 60s
The Body Temple
Everyday Gratitude
The Yoga of Recovery
There is a unique tuition associated with each of the programs available at Kripalu Center. Room and meals come at an additional cost.
Guests who are seeking to improve their overall mental and physical wellness may opt for the Kripalu R&R Retreat. This flexible package allows participants to decide how many days they’ll stay, as well as how they wish to spend their time. A variety of workshops are offered, as well as indoor and outdoor activities, yoga and movement classes, use of the resort amenities, overnight room, and meals.
Accommodations
Overnight rooms at Kripalu Center are designed for simplicity and comfort. In the tradition of retreat-style housing, accommodations do not include televisions or telephones. Guests may opt to stay individually in a private room, to share accommodations with a friend or partner, or to share accommodations with a roommate selected by the resort staff.
Some rooms have private baths, while other rooms share a hall bath. Guests should be specific in their request for a private bath when making reservations. Likewise, dormitory housing is also available, where guests stay in large rooms with bunk beds. These rooms can sometimes accommodate up to a dozen participants. Guests cannot choose top or bottom bunks when making reservations, so those with disabilities or other concerns should make reservations in traditional guest rooms.
Room reservations include meals but not program tuition fees.
Fitness
Organized exercise takes place in the form of yoga and movement classes in group settings. Qigong, a Chinese system of physical exercises and breathing control related to Tai Chi, is a unique offering at this FitStay.
Guests seeking vigorous aerobic activities or weight-lifting exercises do so independently during their free time. The resort offers a complete gym facility, including weight room and cardio aerobic equipment. Traditional spa services can also be reserved. Many are designed to improve colon health, digestion, and circulation.
Guests who have reserved the Kripalu Center R&R Retreat can participate in all levels of yoga and have use of the resort’s sauna, fitness room, private lakefront beach, and hiking trails.
Food
Meals are included in the cost of overnight accommodations at this FitStay. The Kripalu Kitchen uses natural ingredients to provide a wide variety of nutritional choices. Whole grains, fresh vegetables, legumes, poultry, fish, and dairy are always on the menu in the main dining room. The resort is known for its fresh baked bread.
Meals are served buffet style at set times. Breakfast is 7:00 am – 8:30 am. Lunch is 11:30 am – 1:00 pm. Dinner is 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm with extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays. Guests should note that breakfast is a silent meal. Lunch and dinner may also be eaten in silence in a designated room adjacent to the main dining area.
The Kripalu Café serves organic coffee and tea, cold beverages, snacks, and bakery items throughout the day.
Extras
Kripalu Center is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the practice of yoga and related disciplines. Instructors of yoga and these related disciplines regularly attend programs at Kripalu Center to become certified or update their certifications in the teaching of these disciplines. This FitStay incorporates 4 distinct schools in the following practices:
School of Yoga
School of Ayurveda
School of Integrative Yoga Therapy
School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership
Participants can also sign up for classes that provide Continuing Education Credits in their field of study.
Each year, Kripalu Center awards an average of $500,000 in scholarships. Awards are based on financial need and other hardship as well as plans to serve.
Location
Kripalu Center is located in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The town is home of the Norman Rockwell Museum and Berkshire Botanical Garden. The closest airports with rental car services are:
Albany International Airport is a 1-hour drive.
Bradley Hartford International Airport is a 1-hour and 20 minute drive.
Boston Logan International Airport is a 2-hour drive.
2023 Pricing
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health is a wellness and mindfulness resort that offers educational curriculums and retreat packages. As such, there are many levels and types of programs. The most popular wellness program for a person seeking physical transformation is the Kripalu R&R Retreat.
The Kripalu R&R Retreat is a personalized package that can include any length of stay or focus. Typically, an R&R package includes accommodations, meals, daily Yoga, some workshops, outdoor activities, evening events, and program samplers. It also includes use of the resort amenities, specifically the fitness room, sauna, private lakefront beach, and hiking trails.
Nightly room rates on the property are as follows:
Dorm housing: $95 – $105
Economy room with hall bath: $110 – $125
Standard room: $195 – $345
Classic room: $295 – $545
Annex room: $355 – $595
Summary
Kripalu Center is a program-based health resort primarily focused on yoga, education, and wellness. A large variety of curriculums and themes are offered throughout the year, ranging from 2 to 14 days in length. The cost of tuition is separate from the cost of room and meals.
A popular program at this FitStay is the personalized R&R Retreat. It is a good choice for people seeking yoga, meditation, and spiritual healing. It is also a good choice for people who appreciate building their own wellness agendas. Weight loss is not a main goal of the program.
Located in western Massachusetts, Kripalu Center offers an environment free of distractions. It has sprawling outdoor spaces, a fitness center, sauna, and spa. A variety of yoga classes, educational opportunities, and organized activities take place daily.
