origami_itto wrote:So if you were to go on a retreat, say like a weekend or a week or a month to focus on your Tai Chi, or your yoga, or meditation, or whatever, what would you be looking for in a location?
A weekend and a month are two very different propositions, with different requirements. Since it's a dream training retreat, I'll say it's at least 10 days and maybe 3 or 4 weeks. Long enough to go into a degree of depth, to not only experience things but also maybe to understand them a little in mind and body. At least enough for gained impulses to keep resonating after it's over.
So:
Doesn't need to be very quickly accessible, but let's say no more than a 3 or 4 hour journey from the airport. This could be by bus, train, be picked up by some kind of shuttle service, or a shuttle for just the last half-hour or so.
On site accommodations - bed, shower, toilet, meals, kitchen? - Yes, all of these. Food from the facility, doesn't need to be top cuisine, but tasty enough, with some variety and reasonably healthy. (In my case vegetarian).
Or camping in tents, if the climate/weather is suitable for this.
Downtime facilities - pool, sauna, spa, trails, movies, trips into the city on the shuttle - A pool is nice. Sauna and spa would probably mean too many buildings, too many 'bells and whistles' on site. Good trails, certainly. And generally: somewhere that has really nice landscape/nature, good air. The opportunity to wander off alone for a few hours if you feel the need. Preferably then without being eaten or fatally bitten by local wildlife. No movies please!! In my case also no city trips - that's what I want to get away from when I'm training.
Convenience Store - toiletries and sundries, retreat related assistive gear (swords, sweat towels, t-shirts, snacks etc) - Not necessary, although maybe someone who travels to a store every few days and who can take a shopping list with them, if you've forgotten something important.
Anything else you can think of? - Fellow participants who are committed to training, who bring a fair degree of experience with them, who are decent people who are open to exchange, with whom you can have good conversations totally about the stuff we're training and also about many other things in the wide world. Nice to have a drink and a laugh with them, but not people who (regularly) get noisily drunk.
A group of between 10 and 30 would be good for the stated period.
Who would you travel to work with? - A teacher, or maybe 2 or 3 teachers, who have interesting skills (and experience) to offer in bodywork, solo training and of course partner work (push hands, applications, self-defense). Not too many teachers, because that will make it very hard to go into any depth. And the teacher being a person who is a decent human being, no massive ego, no "I am the master!", no slimyness of the soul. (Yeah, sorry, I'm picky in this respect).
Total costs must be fair. 'Affordable' is too subjective, of course.
How could one get you to travel to lead a workshop or seminar? - In my case: a decent venue (wouldn't have to be all of the above, but it would be nice), travel and accommodation expenses paid, a fair wage but needn't be big bucks. For a (long) weekend, the simple factor of greater exposure might be a big part of the payment; for a longer teaching period, an actual wage would be necessary too. And a group of students who bring a degree of experience and commitment.
By way of reference, this is a place in Catalonia that I visited for several years back in the past. A lovely venue, that ticks most of the boxes I cite above.
https://labartra.com