General (see FAQs for the lodge, cottages, and huts below)
What do I need to bring?
- All towels and sheets are provided.
- The lodge and the cottages all have outdoor chairs.
- A person is asked to bring:
- Slippers or heavy socks as we ask that shoes be removed at the door
- Comfortable clothing and walking shoes and suitable warm clothing for winter walks
- Personal toiletries
- Insect repellent in summer
- Outdoor towels
- Journal and pen
- Medication for allergies, especially for bees/wasps
Will there be cell phone and/or internet service?
- Most cell phones work on the property, but minimal use is requested in order to enhance the retreat experience.
- The cottages, huts and Inner Light Lodge do not have wifi, and Light on the Hill does not provide internet service. You may choose to use the data plan on your smart phone to turn your phone into a hotspot to provide wifi for yourself/your group.
Can I bring my pet on retreat with me?
- No pets are allowed in Light on the Hill facilities. We ask that you leave your beloved animal friends at home.
Can I bring my young child(ren) on retreat?
- We do not allow children younger than 11 to stay at Light on the Hill. We find that their presence often distracts from doing deep inner work.
Is there a place where we can build a fire?
- There is a fire pit for the use of groups who have reserved the lodge.
- We would appreciate you letting us know ahead of time if you wish to use it.
What other facilities can we use?
- Two labyrinths
- Stillpoint Sanctuary
- You are free to walk on the 236 acres of our property
How may we use Stillpoint Sanctuary?
- Stillpoint Sanctuary is intended to be used by individuals
- Silence is requested
- Occasionally, a small group may use the sanctuary for a ritual lasting no more than an hour. Please ask permission beforehand.
What’s the best way to get to Light on the Hill?
- If you are driving, it’s best not to rely on your GPS directions, as they may take you on back roads that are not well maintained
- Our page Getting Here has directions from cities such as New York, Syracuse, Rochester, and more
- The closest airports are Ithaca or Elmira (each 30 minutes away), Binghamton (60 minutes away), and Syracuse (1 hour and 45 minutes away)
- Those coming from New York City can take the bus to Ithaca, Elmira, or Binghamton
- For groups with participants traveling from a distance, there are a few options
- Large groups can arrange for a bus, or participants can share a car rental or taxi from Ithaca, Elmira, or Binghamton
Inner Light Lodge
Can you accommodate any dietary restrictions?
- We accommodate basic dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
- A person with extensive dietary restrictions will need to bring their own food.
- We need to know any dietary restrictions ten days ahead of the event.
- Additional information about meals can be found here.
How do I reserve Inner Light Lodge for my group?
- Check the availability of the lodge on the Lodge Calendar.
- Fill out a Plan Your Group (+15) Retreat form to request specific dates for your program.
- We will contact the group leader to gather more information about the program, the leader(s), and the type of inner work the group will be doing as part of the program.
- Group leaders are encouraged to have at least 10 participants confirmed before submitting their deposit to reserve the lodge.
- Check out our retreat reservation and cancellation policy for more details.
How much does it cost to stay in the lodge?
- Inner Light Lodge is reserved for group retreats only. It is not available for individual room rental. Lodging for a group in the Lodge is $85/person per night. There is a 17-person minimum to rent the lodge for a weekend retreat. The minimums are smaller for retreats longer than two nights.
- If your group ends up with fewer than the minimum number of participants, you must still pay for the minimum.
- Day use for the lodge is $40/person (available on weekdays only).
- Click for more details about costs.
How many people can Inner Light Lodge accommodate?
- There are 18 single rooms, four rooms with a double bed and a single bed, and a multipurpose room that can sleep 1 or 2, for a maximum of 28 people.
How many people can be served in the dining room of the lodge?
- There is seating for 48 people in the dining room.
Do I need to bring my own food?
- We ask that you do not bring your own food if you are part of a group retreat in the Inner Light Lodge. However, it is a vegetarian kitchen, and if you need animal protein, you may bring cold cuts or canned goods. No meat may be heated in the microwave. If you have dietary restrictions that are more complicated than gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan, you may bring some food to supplement what is being served.
- There is small refrigerator in the dining room for your own food, if you bring any.
- Guests in Inner Light Lodge are not permitted to enter or use the commercial kitchen unless special arrangements have been made with the Managing Director or her designee.
- We provide a beverage station where you may serve yourself tea and water all day long.
- We ask that you do not bring any alcoholic beverages or uncooked meat.
How much do meals cost for groups staying in the lodge?
- The cost is $60/person for 3 served meals, prorated depending on group schedule: breakfast ($15), lunch ($20), dinner ($25).
- If you group ends up with fewer than the minimum number of participants, you must still pay for meals for the minimum.
- You can find more information about rates and meals on other pages.
What time are meals served in the lodge?
- Meals at the lodge are served at 8:00 (breakfast), 12:30 (lunch), and 6:00 (dinner).
- More information about meals can be found here.
What is your cancellation policy for Inner Light Lodge?
- Please review our retreat reservation and cancellation policy.
What kind of equipment is available in the lodge?
- CD/iPod/Tape player/Bluetooth receiver with 8 speakers around the room
- LCD Projector and speakers
- TV, DVD player, and VCR
- 30 padded chairs and 26 backjacks
- several kneeling benches
- pillows and throws
- 11 massage tables
- easel and paper
- a small white-board (with markers)
We do not have yoga mats or zafu and zabuton meditation cushions in the lodge.
What time do participants in lodge programs arrive and depart?
- There is no fixed check-in and check-out time.
- Arrival and departure times for the lodge are determined by the group leader. Usually, participants may arrive after 3 p.m. for a program that begins in the evening, but lodge availability must be confirmed with Light on the Hill staff.
- Group leaders may arrive earlier, in consultation with Light on the Hill staff.
Will we be the only group using the lodge?
- Once you book the lodge, your group will be the only group staying in the facility.
Cottages and Huts
How do I reserve a cottage or hut for a retreat?
- We do not post availability for the cottages and huts online.
- You may fill out a Plan Your Individual or Small Group Retreat form and request specific dates.
- You may email info@lightonthehill.org to inquire about availability.
- You may call Light on the Hill at 607 589-4419.
- Check out our retreat reservation and cancellation policy for more details.
How much does it cost to stay in the cottages? in the huts?
- In recognition that we each have unique financial circumstances, lodging in the cottages and huts is based on a sliding scale. We ask you to reflect on your own resources and identify how much you are able to pay, within the sliding scale.
- Lodging for one person in the Woods and Meadow cottages is $80-110 per 24 hours, and $60-90 per person for more than one person. Lodging in Pathlight Cottage is $95-125 per person for 24 hours.
- Lodging per person in the retreat huts is $45-65 per 24 hours.
- If you would like to check out on your last day later than your scheduled check-in time on the first day, you will be charged a prorated rate for additional hours. Such extended check-outs are subject to building availability and cleaning schedule and must be arranged in advance.
- Day use for the cottages is $45/person for an individual, and $30/person for a small group.
- Click for more details about costs.
May I have meal service for an individual or small group retreat in the cottages or huts?
- We no longer provide meals to individuals or small groups staying in the cottages or huts.
- Individuals and small group retreatants need to bring their own food. The cottages have refrigerators for cold items. The huts do not (a cooler can be provided).
- We ask that you not cook any meat in the cottages (although you may bring your own cold-cuts or canned items).
- We ask that you not bring any intoxicants, including alcoholic beverages.
How many people can stay in the cottages and huts?
- Meadow Cottage has one double and two single beds in the loft and a comfortable pullout queen-sized bed on the ground floor.
- Woods Cottage has a double bed in one room and a single bed in another room on the first floor, and double and single beds in a loft.
- Pathlight Cottage has a queen bed in the bedroom and a pullout double bed in the living room.
- Pond Retreat Hut has two single beds.
- The Healing Hut has one single bed (available only when all other facilities are booked).
- The maximum number of people easily accommodated in all huts and cottages is 11.
Will I have to share a cottage with another person on retreat?
- You will not share accommodations with anyone else in a cottage (unless you come on retreat with a friend or family member).
- Guests in the Pond Hut have access to a shower in the Woods Cottage, which has two bathrooms. There is a separate entrance, and the bathrooms are marked for the Pond Hut and Woods Cottage. Guests in Woods Cottage is notified that the Pond Hut retreatant will be showering sometime between 12 and 2 p.m., and they can close the door to the bathroom hallway for privacy.
What is your cancellation policy for the cottages/huts?
- Please review our retreat reservation and cancellation policy.
What time can we arrive and depart for our individual retreats?
- Check-in is available between the hours of 9am and 6pm. Those arriving for a retreat after 6pm will be charged a convenience fee of $25.
- The scheduled check-in time dictates the check-out time. For instance, if your scheduled check-in time is noon, your check-out time on the last day is noon (or earlier)
- If you would like to stay longer on your last day, such extended check-outs are subject to building availability and cleaning schedule. Please tell us when you would like to arrive and depart and we will let you know if that is possible.
- We will welcome you upon your arrival and orient you to your retreat space. If you are not able to arrive at the time you scheduled, kindly communicate your new arrival time so that we may make arrangements to welcome you.
What is in the retreat hut?
- Each hut has a deck, outhouse, sliding glass doors, and propane heater and battery-powered lantern.
- The Pond Hut has two beds and a deck chair; the Healing Hut has one bed and a deck chair.
- Neither retreat hut is furnished with a means of cooking or refrigerating food.
- Retreatants may bring their own coolers and/or camping stove.
