Engage in as much as you like. Dig deeper into a project and work remotely in paradise with Wifi, IT support, and plenty of campus area to reimagine what your “office” looks like from day to day.
Sabbatical Sessions were created out of the loneliness epidemic during the pandemic, as a way to keep our beloved Baja staff employed, and to ensure stability in our small town. Our hope was to discover a way to gather safely and create community in a time when circumstances were pushing us all toward isolation. The depth of joy and connection we found as we navigated this new world together surprised us all.
We’re delighted to continue offering these spacious stays with lighter programming and more time to restore at our beautiful campus. We’ll alternate every few months with holding our Baja Workshops and, as it becomes ever more possible to safely gather indoors and to head out into the local community, we’ll evolve our programming to include some of MEA’s favorite practices. Click between the filters below to explore...
Located in the rural farming village of El Pescadero, an hour from the hustle and bustle of Cabo San Lucas, the rooms and grounds of MEA’s beachfront campus were designed by a team led by Oren Bronstein, founder Chip Conley’s award-winning design collaborator. We have four campus areas with multiple kitchens, pools, spas, steam rooms, a yoga and an art studio, meditation park, organic garden, and lots of cozy seating nooks for personal or shared time. Our rooms don't have desks, but we offer plenty of quiet spaces on campus to prop up your laptop, and common work areas to share. Our sunrise and sunset meter is over the moon. And we are walking distance from one of the sweetest little surf spots anywhere (go on, take a lesson!)
MEA’s beachfront campus was designed by a team led by Oren Bronstein, founder Chip Conley’s longtime design collaborator. We have four guest areas with multiple kitchens, pools, spas, steam rooms, yoga and art studios, meditation park, organic garden, and lots of cozy seating nooks for personal or shared time. Our rooms don't have desks, but we offer plenty of quiet spaces on campus to prop up your laptop, and common work areas to share.
Comfort is a big deal here at MEA. Our upscale rooms offer extremely comfy beds with feather pillows, crisp white linens, and thirsty Turkish towels. And meals are an even bigger deal. We like to eat, and we eat well. Chef Tony Peralta sources fresh, local ingredients to bring the best flavors of Mexico and beyond to our plates each day. From today’s catch to what was just picked from the garden, our cuisine leans toward healthy, but that certainly doesn’t preclude a few delicious indulgences. (Plus the occasional margarita, wine, or local beer on tap if you choose to imbibe.) And, we accommodate dietary preferences/restrictions.
Our upscale rooms offer comfy beds with feather pillows, crisp linens, and Turkish towels. Meals are a big deal -- we like to eat well. Chef Tony Peralta sources fresh, local ingredients to bring the best flavors of Mexico and beyond to our plates each day. Our cuisine leans toward healthy, with a bit of indulgence, of course.
As we navigate the ongoing changes in our world, remaining optimistic that travel restrictions will lessen, we now offer a one-week SabSesh option beginning October 1, 2021 -- though we still do encourage longer visits. And our pricing is still designed to entice you to stick around, starting at just $2000/week including all the good stuff you’ve come to expect: room, meals, beverages, light programming, and meaningful (and some simply for the delight of it) activities in community.
Click here to choose your adventure in 4 room options:
Ultra Premium (why “princess room” was coined)
Premium (sought-after spots throughout campus)
Deluxe (“lux” and location for a song)
Cozy (shared bath or short walk to pool)
Your stay will be self-guided from day-to-day and our weekly schedule will change only slightly during guest faculty weeks. We’ve made it easy to participate in as much or as little as you like with regularly scheduled meals and daily sessions. Click between the day filters below to experience a sample week. All times are Mexican Pacific Time.
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Morning mindfulness session
Making of a Modern Elder Topics
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Restore Flow
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Cerritos Cliff Walk / Barracuda
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Morning mindfulness session
Making of a Modern Elder Topics
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Restore Flow
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Cerritos Cliff Walk / Barracuda
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Morning mindfulness session
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Conversations with MEA luminaries
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Morning mindfulness session
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Conversations with MEA luminaries
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Morning mindfulness session
Making of a Modern Elder Topics
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Mindful Flow
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Morning mindfulness session
Making of a Modern Elder Topics
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Mindful Flow
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Morning mindfulness session
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Pescadero Food Bank Project
Pizza in the garden
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Morning mindfulness session
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Pescadero Food Bank Project
Pizza in the garden
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Morning mindfulness session
Making of a Modern Elder Topics
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Pre Happy Hour flow
Sunset Cocktail: Hotel San Cristobal
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Morning mindfulness session
Making of a Modern Elder Topics
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Pre Happy Hour flow
Sunset Cocktail: Hotel San Cristobal
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Saturday surf safari
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Old Port Hike w/ Araceli
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Saturday surf safari
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Old Port Hike w/ Araceli
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
Plated organic fare from our neighborhood
swipe to view the full schedule for each day
swipe to view the full schedule for each day
*swipe left to view the complete schedule for each day
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moreBaja California Sur is one of the safest regions to visit in Mexico. And, we understand that in order to comfortably travel here, you need to feel confident in MEA’s health and safety protocols*. We’ve thoughtfully redesigned our campus to support an open-air experience that will ensure a safe community — enjoying meals, conversations, optional educational programming, and other group activities.
*CDC required COVID-19 testing now available on campus for an additional fee
Baja California Sur is one of the safest regions to visit in Mexico. And, we understand that in order to comfortably travel here, you need to feel confident in MEA’s health and safety protocols. We’ve thoughtfully redesigned our campus to support an open-air experience that will ensure a safe community — enjoying meals, conversations, optional educational programming, and other group activities.
*CDC required COVID-19 testing now available on campus for an additional fee
Beginning January 26, 2021, the United States will require international travelers to present a negative COVID-19 test result — received within 72 hours — when entering the country. MEA is partnering with St. Jude’s in Todos Santos to provide tests at our campus via their mobile unit. We will schedule tests for our guests — the cost for the rapid antigen test (results in an hour) is approximately $75 USD per person and can be paid for with a credit card on site. In the event a guest tests positive, we have planned accommodations nearby for quarantine. Lodging, MEA meals and support will be offered at a very reasonable cost.
We have created the Sabbatical Sessions to allow gathering in a safer way for our guests, our staff and our community. We believe that in order to do this, all parties must play a part. There are the operational changes we must make, and the behavioral changes that rely on everyone’s participation. Please take the time to read our detailed statement and community guidelines here.
Masks are required indoors where staff are present. And masks, of course, are welcome and celebrated at all times.
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Given the news that COVID variants can be contracted and transmitted after one is fully vaccinated, testing is still the best protocol to ensure the health and safety of our guests and staff. So, upon reopening...
• We will continue to require a negative test prior to arrival (accepting both Antigen and PCR test results).
• We will require all guests to be fully vaccinated prior to arrival.
• Our entire Baja staff will be fully vaccinated.
• The CDC requires a negative test to re-enter the U.S. and we can schedule your test on campus prior to departure. Click here to see our COVID-19 protocols.
We don’t have a pat answer for that one. We are living in entirely new times. What we do know is that when we approach challenges with a growth mindset, empathy, generosity and kindness we can solve most things. So that’s what we will do.
We offer weekly stays, but encourage longer visits with our pricing designed to entice you to stick around, with Ultra Premium, Premium, Deluxe and Cozy rooms starting at $2000. Click here to choose your adventure.
1. Playa (beachfront)
3. Hacienda, (lush private garden setting)
3. Desierto (luxe center of campus, lively pool, most social)
4. Mariposa (quiet desert setting, slightly set back from other properties, staff residences)
50% at booking, 50% 30 days before your arrival.
We focus all of our scholarships on our more educationally and experientially-dense workshops. Click here to learn about our Baja workshops.
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Unlike reserving a vacation at a traditional resort or retreat center, Sabbatical Sessions offer a unique, curated experience in an intimate setting for like-minded travelers who seek education and community as well as an idyllic environment to rest and restore. Thus, cancellations impact MEA unlike other destinations. And, we do understand that we’re living in a new world when it comes to COVID-19 and travel so we will do our very best to rebook and offer the best option when the unexpected happens. See our policy below.
Refunds provided on a case-by-case basis in the event of:
- Illness due to COVID-19
- COVID-19 travel restrictions prohibiting travel to MEA
- MEA cancelling due to unforeseen circumstances
For all other cancellations other than those listed above, if we are able to rebook the full dates of your stay with a new reservation, then the cancellation fees are as follows:
- 30+ days notice: full refund minus 5% fee
- 29 - 15 days: One-year credit toward any Baja campus program, minus $500 fee
- 14 - 0 days: One-year credit toward any Baja campus program, minus $1000 fee
- NO refunds or credits for no-shows, late arrivals, early departures or program dissatisfaction. If we are unable to rebook a stay, we will be unable to provide a credit.
• All-inclusive — food, snacks, and drinks including alcohol.
• Free Wi-Fi access on campus
• Laundry facilities and amenities
• Structured conversations and activities, including guided meditation.
• All rooms include: air conditioning, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, hair dryer
• No additional taxes or fees. Gratuities for frontline staff are welcome.
• See our complete list of what's included here.
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If you have a medical emergency, we have a local doctor on call, an emergency center about a 15-20 minute drive away in Todos Santos, and modern hospital facilities available in both Los Cabos and La Paz. The old adage “Prevention as the best medicine” is especially true in this rustic environment. Unfortunately, we’re unable to accommodate people with mobility limitations due to our uneven stairs and walking surfaces, or those recovering from a serious illness or injury.
Our number one priority is your safety. The Todos Santos and El Pescadero areas are almost completely free of criminal activity. We have 24/7 staff on campus and a state-of-the-art surveillance system.
Amongst our sky high satisfaction scores, guests consistently grant the highest ratings to the food and kitchen team. We accommodate a wide range of dietary needs- please email contact@modernelderacademy.com with special needs.
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While we do not have a gym on site, we do offer a stunning three-mile beach for walking, jogging, and running, as well as mountain bikes for adventuring, two pools, and spaces for individual yoga and other physical activities. You can also go swimming and surfing at the renowned Los Cerritos Beach nearby.
Sabbatical Sessions were created and designed around the concept of community, and we believe that community includes our furry friends. We expect you to keep your dog under leash, verbal or visual control at all times, to pick up after them, and never leave a dog unattended when barking or damage could occur. We are on a turtle nesting beach, so beach control is paramount. A minimum donation of $100 USD to Dog Prana, our local rescue organization, is requested per stay.
Join in as much or as little as you like. Please see our sample schedule for what we have on offer.
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Tourism is permitted into SJD. We are not familiar with the rules and regulations pertaining to your return trip.
Flights
• The best way is to fly into SJD airport, San Jose del Cabo, BCS, México. LAP is also nearby, though without as many flight options, amenities, or ground transportation options. You’ll need a passport if you’re coming from outside Mexico.
Airport transfers
• Airport transfers are NOT included during Sabbatical Sessions.
• For a private shuttle to pick you up at the airport ($120 per private car), please reach out to our trusted transportation partner Todos Santos Private Transportation.
• If you choose to rent a car, we can only recommend BBB Rent a Car or Cactus.
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Amazing. No matter how many times we say it, first time visitors seem unprepared for the day to night temperature variations that happen here in the desert. Be sure to bring layers - dress code ranges from casual to uber casual. It can be 80F in the day and 40F in the same evening. Check here for the current weather conditions one mile south of campus at the famous Cerritos beach.
Sunscreen, sunglasses and flip flops are not as easy to source as you’d expect -- better to bring! All the prescription medicine, contact lenses, etc you need for your stay unless you check with contact@modernelderacademy.com ahead of time. Also, if you would like to bring school supplies for our local kiddos, we will gladly distribute. Also, Chip loves chocolate. While the amount of businesses that accept credit cards has grown tremendously over the past few years, cash is still king. Your best rate, and safest way to obtain pesos is through a bank ATM at a bank location. We have two in Todos Santos, Bancomer and Banorte. Pescadero does not have a bank ATM yet. Generally speaking, the exchange rate at the airport is not good, but you may want to exchange a small amount either there or before you arrive.
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