Whether you are traveling and just looking for a place to sleep or seeking a retreat getaway, monastery guest houses offer a unique option for visitors to find quiet and pray with priests and religious.
Many guest houses open their doors to people seeking an oasis amid the hectic lifestyle that is far too common in Western society.
Here are some of our favorites!
Saint Leo Abbey
Saint Leo, Florida
The small monastic community of Benedictine monks at the St. Leo Abbey in Florida live their lives as a holy gift for God. The monks invite all visitors to prayer fulfilling the ancient monastic duty of praising God, the “opus Dei.”
Ready to accommodate quiet spiritual needs, the community’s retreat centers are open for adults and teenagers, and a guest house is available beside the lake.
Lodging includes meals shared with the monastic community, often to be had after prayer – of which all are welcome to join in.
The abbey has something for everyone, including one of the largest Catholic gift shops in central Florida!
Convent of St. Birgitta
Darien, Connecticut
Located on a tranquil, 10-acre property overlooking Long Island Sound, the Convent of St. Birgitta offers a peaceful and spiritual environment for retreats or getaways. The Vikingsborg Guest House, open all year to individuals and groups, has historically been an attraction for artists and academics.
While visiting the convent, guests can explore the woodland walks, gardens, stone hermitage, and docking area, as well as the incredible water views.
While some monasteries are only open to adults, the Vikingsborg Guest House is open for singles, couples, families, and groups.
Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey
Hulbert, Oklahoma
Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey is a Benedictine community for men belonging to the Solesmes Congregation, originally founded in France. The Oklahoma Abbey counts 55 monks.
Guests at the Abbey are invited to assist at Mass and to pray the divine office with the community. While male guests are welcome to meals with the monks in the refectory and to stay in one of the monastery’s several guest rooms, there are separate guest houses for the women, and an additional two family guesthouses.
The past 22 years, since the Abbey’s founding, the Benedictine monks have devoted themselves entirely to God in silence and in solitude through constant prayer and willing penance.
Monastery of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Westfield, Vermont
The Monastery of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Westfield, Vermont, welcomes visitors as St. Benedict wrote that “guests shall be received as Christ Himself.” It is the only women’s monastery belonging to the Solesmes Congregation in the United States. With the exception of the Mass readings, the entire liturgy and Divine Office are chanted in Latin.
Within the Monastery, there are several guest rooms for women who wish to share the prayer, peace, and silence of Benedictine life. Welcome to join in every meal that the nuns prepare, guests can enjoy fellowship with the religious over breaking bread.
Visitors are also fond of the monastery’s reading nook, containing books on prayer, monastic spirituality, and lives of the saints.
Explore the Way of the Cross in the scenic outdoors, along with breathtaking landscapes of the nearby Jay Peak and neighboring dairy farms. But don’t leave before you catch a glimpse of the sunset from the Monastery!
New Camaldoli Hermitage
Big Sur, California
Devoid from the distractions that Internet and cell service bring, the New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, California, is a wonderful place to retreat, for ages 16 and up.
Male visitors have a unique opportunity to stay in re-purposed monk cells located within the monastic cloister. All guests have the option of staying in the main retreat house near the garden that overlooks the ocean, or in a private hermitage, offering solitude and silence in the serene atmosphere.
The beauty of God’s natural creation at the Hermitage allows the Camaldolese monks to center their everyday life around union with God through continuous work and prayer.
Make sure to take a virtual tour before booking to check out the greenery and ocean-side views!
Monastery of Christ in the Desert
Abiquiu, New Mexico
The Monastery of Christ in the Desert in Abiquiu, New Mexico, provides guests with a comfortable stay centered on silence and solitude. Their goal is to aid each guest in his or her quest to seek God.
Providing time for privacy, prayer, reading, and reflection on God’s Word is crucial for the monks, and they advise guests to focus on these habits both during and following their stay.
Manual labor is a part of the Benedictine lifestyle. For this reason, the monks allow guests to participate in short periods of manual labor, if they desire. All are also welcome and encouraged to join the monastic community for meals.
Abbey of Regina Laudis
Bethlehem, Connecticut
The Community of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Connecticut, welcomes men and women seeking to participate in the Benedictine way of life. Guests at the Abbey are encouraged to enter into a rhythm of quiet reflection and personal exchange through daily Mass and praying the Liturgy of the Hours.
If interested, visitors may take part in monastic farm work when it is available. But what especially stands out at the Abbey of Regina Laudis is the opportunity for each guest to meet with a guest mistress in parlor for focused conversation.
The guest refectories and the use of common rooms in the guesthouses allow for fellowship among visitors. Men and women have separate guest houses, but may join together in the church, the Art Shop, and other areas on the Abbey grounds.
