Retreat cancellation policies: what hosts set and what guests get back
Every retreat on Finding Retreats carries one of four cancellation policies. The host picks it once in the listing editor, guests see it on the listing page before they book, and the same windows decide the refund if a guest cancels.
The four policies
Days are counted before the retreat start date. The percentage is the share of the deposit refunded.
| Policy | Full refund | 50% refund | No refund |
|---|---|---|---|
Relaxed Most flexible. Good for building reviews. | 7+ days | 2–6 days | 0–1 days |
FlexibleDefault Balanced protection for most retreats. The default. | 14+ days | 7–13 days | 0–6 days |
Moderate More protection for premium offerings. | 30+ days | 14–29 days | 0–13 days |
Strict Maximum protection for exclusive retreats. | 60+ days | 30–59 days | 0–29 days |
Wellness services and experiences use a simpler rule: full refund with at least 24 hours' notice, no refund after that. Any refund is less a 3.5% card processing fee.
What else you set alongside the policy
The Booking conditions section of the listing editor holds the policy and these four settings. A preview shows exactly what guests will read.
Deposit percentage
Between 30% and 100% of the booking. The default is 30%. At 100% the guest pays in full when they book.
Remaining balance
When the rest is due: 60, 30, 14 or 7 days before the start, on arrival, or in full at booking. The default is 30 days before.
Booking transfer
A switch that lets a guest pass their booking to another person. On by default; you can turn it off.
Credit for a future booking
A switch that lets a guest convert a cancellation into credit for your retreats, valid for 6, 12 or 24 months. On by default at 12 months.
What a guest sees
- Before booking: the policy name, the deposit percentage and each refund window are shown on the listing page, with the transfer and credit options where you have left them on.
- On cancelling: the guest opens the booking in their dashboard, gives a reason, and sees the refund percentage, the 3.5% card processing fee and the estimated amount for that day before confirming.
- The percentage applies to the deposit the guest has paid, using the number of days between the cancellation and the retreat start.
How your policy and your cancellations affect ranking
Operational reliability is 23% of your ranking score, and host cancellations lower it. Every cancellation you make as a host counts against that pillar; there is no fee, but the drop in search position is real. The policy you choose does not change your ranking.
Commission stays a flat 10% on retreats and listing is free, so the policy you choose is a decision about guests and risk, not about what you pay.
See exactly how ranking worksQuestions hosts ask
Set your policy in the listing editor
Free to list, 10% flat commission on retreats, and the policy you choose is shown to every guest before they book.
Running the retreat with a co-host? See how team access works. Step-by-step help: choose a cancellation policy and cancellation policies explained for guests.