Dolphins Leap Reviews

queen of Retreats review

In 2018 Dolphins Leap was independently reviewed by The Queen of Retreats, the leading international reviewer and assessor of retreat venues around the world. Their full report and their personal review can be viewed here:

https://queenofretreats.com/retreats/dolphins-leap-wellness-retreat-greece

https://queenofretreats.com/personal-review/dolphins-leap-in-greece/

 

travelmag

In 2018 Dolphins Leap Yoga Retreat was selected by travelmag.com to feature in its article "7 of the best yoga retreats in Greece":

"Dolphin’s Leap is a beautiful and peaceful place to relax and reconnect with yourself. Their retreats are held in a gorgeous beachside location and limited to ten people, so you’ll get plenty of personal attention as you begin or develop your yoga practice. The retreats feature daily pilates sessions, meditation, and daily nutritious vegetarian meals. You’ll stay in a luxury home, just at the head of the bay of Lefokastro (Yachter’s paradise) on the mainland, which features a private infinity pool. The retreat price includes all meals, including a fresh local and seasonal breakfast like yogurt and honey, fresh fruit, and more. Dinners include two courses with local wine"

 

culturetrip review

In 2017 Dolphins Leap Wellness Retreat was selected by theculturetrip.com as one of the 9 best wellness retreats in Greece:

"The perfect place for those ready to take time for themselves and really find their inner peace. Join the Dolphins Leap Wellness retreat, set in a beautiful boutique hotel in Pelion. Set aside a whole week to rebalance yourself and heal. Set for small groups of maximum 10 people, the Dolphins Leap retreat includes daily pilates classes, solution-oriented group sessions or even QiGong classes, plus free time, and even holistic treatments. Since its launch, the retreat has gathered only positive reviews so why don’t you treat yourself for once?"

 

boe magazine review

In 2015 Dolphins Leap was selected by Boe Magazine as one of the top 4 retreat venues in Greece:

"Dolphins Leap Yoga Retreat is based at the foot of the magical Pelion forest where crystal clear water laps rhythmically at the water’s edge...
Exclusive luxury retreat with small classes of vinyasa flow yoga for all levels."

 

harpers hot 100

The property was selected to feature in Harper's Bazaar's "Travel Hot 100" for 2013. Travel editor Catherine Fairweather wrote:

"With dramatic views across the Pagasitic Gulf, Dolphins Leap in Pelion is perfect for a group jaunt in a blissfully obscure region. Overlooking the bay of Lefokastro, this new villa is big enough for 14 and has an infinity pool, deluxe kitchen and even a writer's annexe."

 

times-top50

In 2013 the property was also selected to feature in The Times Top 50 Villas in Europe (one of just 9 Greek villas included in the list). Travel editor Julia Brookes wrote:

"If you have a budding novelist in the family, newly built Dolphin's Leap has a writer's retreat to go with its six bedrooms, all with superb sea views."

 

 

times-top20

The property was also selected for inclusion in The Times "20 Great Greek Getaways" in October 2013. Travel editor James Ellis wrote:

"Set in the foothills of Mount Pelion, Dolphin’s Leap takes its name from the regular spotting of dolphins in the gulf surrounding the tiny hamlet of Lefokastro below. A highlight of the villa is a gorgeous stone verandah with saltwater infinity pool."

 

 

Guest Reviews

 

 

"How do I begin? Dolphins Leap was as magical as the name suggests, and my head fills with a blur of sunny contentment just thinking about it. It was a Mum and Daughter yoga break in May, a late booking made just the week before that has left me wondering if anywhere else will ever match up? Sometimes you look at the ingredients for a recipe and you know it just can’t fail, so it is with Dolphins leap. Owned and created by Pippa and Nick Dale-Harris it is a work of art, perched on the Pelion hillside with ever changing views across the Pagasitic Gulf that lies fringed by mountainous ridges. The house is spacious and peaceful with terraces and corners where you can hide with a book or your day dreams. The yoga terrace blends into the rock face almost seamlessly and the track to the beach, tramping through wild flowers and butterflies, to sit by the early morning shore for pre-breakfast meditation would make any man a poet! I hadn’t heard of Juvamukti Yoga before but Mollie Harrigan made it serious fun. Serious, yes. Just a couple of years older than my daughter, Mollie could be a stern task master and worked hard at ensuring everyone was progressing at their own level. Fun, hell yeah. Collapsing in helpless giggles that spread round the class like germs was a joyful experience. The day was structured with meditation, 2 yoga sessions and meals but there was plenty time to walk along the coastline, through hobbit like olive groves and along curving sandy bays if you so desired. Some days it felt enough just to lounge with a book interspersed with dips in the pool or leaping off the metal swim platform. The food was another pleasure. Completely committed to supporting the local population there is a “meals on wheels” arrangement with the local hostelries providing varied and plentiful vegetarian menus. On the two occasions we ate in the village we couldn’t resist supplementing with the freshest of fish, but that was just being greedy! Very drinkable local wine was offered at dinner and on our penultimate evening we had the enormous fun of a winetasting . Dinner was always a most congenial affair, Nick and Pippa have a gift that has you feel almost peculiarly at home. A very special place." GM

"This was my second visit to Dolphin's Leap; I rebooked within a month of finishing my stay the previous year! If I had to explain why I was so eager to get back, I can only say: imagine the holiday you've been dying for all year. Imagine arriving on a gloriously warm, sunny afternoon, winding your way down a dusty road through the olive groves, the sparkling blue sea laid out below you, enticing and inviting. Imagine that as you make your way towards an elegant, white-washed villa a smiling face emerges from the door, arms wide, and says: 'Here you are! How lovely to see you! Welcome to Dolphin's Leap!'. Imagine a spacious, light-filled, deliciously airy and comfortable room, with a view across that glorious sea to islands you'll sail to later in the week. Imagine a divinely refreshing pool, calling you to just jump straight in and cool off. Imagine incredibly delicious local, home-made food at every meal, that you never have to prepare or wash-up after. Imagine a house filled with fascinating, intelligent, funny, friendly, people. Imagine morning yoga sessions with an intuitive, challenging, caring teacher that expand your mind and nurture your body, followed by blissful afternoons filled with nothing more than snoozing by the pool or snorkelling round the bay. Imagine treating yourself to an amazing massage with Ioannis, fabled alternative therapy guru and curer of migraines. Imagine long, lazy, laughter-filled dinners where you make new friends for life and laugh till your sides ache. Imagine a star-filled sky with a moon so bright and clear and close you can practically see Armstrong's footsteps, watching over you as you sleep better than you can ever remember, ready for another idyllic day tomorrow. That was the holiday I'd imagined - and that was what I got. Pippa and Nick have made Dolphin's Leap an amazing place that restores you both physically and emotionally. You'll be equally sore from yoga and from laughing with your new friends: the heavenly food, despite being both delectable and available in exceedingly generous qualities, is so healthy and fresh (and all local produce) that I actually lost weight! I honestly can't rate this wonderful holiday any more highly. If I could I would spend the whole summer there." LM

"I spent 1 week at Dolphins Leap on a yoga retreat with Molly as the instructor. The photos of this place quite literally do not do it justice, it is out of this world stunning and probably the most picturesque and peaceful of places that I have ever been to. Set on the edge of a cliff, there are panoramic views of the bay from the house, yoga area and infinity pool. I really thought I had arrived at some type of heaven on my first day here and then on my last day, my dreams came true when I saw dolphins swim up the bay, quite close to the house. The hosts Pippa and Nick couldn't have been more welcoming either and we all enjoyed many evening meals together with them on the veranda overlooking the bay. And Molly is a fantastic yoga instructor, she facilitates all levels of yoga and her classes were very thorough and incredibly enjoyable and I felt I really developed over the week. The whole end to end experience was such a tonic from a busy lifestyle, everything from the yoga and meditations with Molly, massages, delicious food, beautiful evening meals on the veranda overlooking the bay with great company and all in an outstanding setting and luxurious space - I couldn't recommend a yoga retreat at Dolphins Leap more highly." MM

"Dolphin's Leap is a very special place. Tranquil and charming, we were soon lulled into the nurturing way of life at Dolphin's Leap. The yoga classes were exceptional and I'll never forget the view out to sea from the yoga platform. We loved relaxing by the pool and on the beach, long coastal walks and tucking into vegetarian food. I returned feeling relaxed and also with a sense of greater spiritual awareness too. I'll definitely be back next year."CT

"I have been on my first yoga retreat in May 2016 and rather scared to go on my own (ok, granted, I knew the teacher). Well, I shouldn't have been concerned... Dolphins Leap is a magical place, perfect for relaxation near a quiet little village and next to the sea. Nick and Pippa are great and welcoming hosts that give you space if you need it and provide fun and entertainment if you want it (dare I say wine-tasting or rather testing whatever knowledge on wine you think you may have... I have none but got all my wines correct!). The yoga was amazing too, on a platform looking out to the sea, with Molly being one of my favourite teachers. Her classes had something for everyone and met the needs of people with different skills, without being too easy or too demanding. It was a small group, allowing lots of individual assists and we even finished the week doing some fun acro yoga superman poses! I also really enjoyed the morning meditation sessions at the beach, and the cherry on top was seeing dolphins in the bay on our last evening (hence the name of the place). Oh, and not to forget the food, all Vegetarian but I never ate with so much appetite. Needless to say I am planning to be back!" SV

"My trip to Dolphin's leap was a truly rewarding and fulfilling experience. Feeling exhausted by my routine day to day life, I decided to take this extraordinary yoga trip with my friend Charlotte to re-establish some zen and balance in my life. I couldn't have asked for more! Beautiful calming villa set by the cliff side; Stunning views of the crystal blue sea waters, leaping dolphins and to-die-for sunsets; Daily meditation and twice daily Yoga with my favourite instructor - Molly; Massages and Reiki healing from the amazing Ioannis to help iron out those aches and pains; Fabulously healthy vegetarian food; Meeting wonderful like-minded people; Pippa & Nick being the most wonderful hosts; It's an experience that I would truly recommend to everyone!! I will definitely be going back. Thank you Pippa, Nick & Molly for making my trip truly amazing!" AO

"From the warmth of the welcome on arrival to the sadness of saying our farewells when we left, Dolphins leap met all my expectations and much more. The accommodation is simply superb, the meals outstanding and delicious, serving complimentary local wine with dinner added an extra treat. The yoga teaching and meditation with lovely Molly was perfect. She is so helpful in her teaching and managed to make each one of us feel special as did you and your lovely family. In fact we felt like one big happy family. We had a wonderful week and made a very happy memory. I cannot thank you enough for making our stay special." SN

"I did not know anyone, the teacher or the area but had a truly magical time - Pippa and her family who own Dolphins Leap go out of their way to make you feel relaxed and at home. They have found an amazing yoga teacher in Molly who gave each student individual attention and hosted fabulous yoga classes - I have done quite a few yoga holidays and this one exceeded all others. It was fantastic and the website photos are a true reflection of what to expect - infinity pool, blue skies, sea views and well appointed rooms. You will have to take my word for it but the meals are also amazing - so if I had to give one criticism it's that my clothes were a little more snug on the flight home than on the way out but I suppose that really is my fault for having no will power." AA

"The yoga was amazing, Molly was a superb teacher and such a lovely person. The surroundings were beautiful, food was delicious and a wonderful group of people - we were all made to feel so at home and nothing was too much trouble. I returned feeling incredibly relaxed, fit and healthy. There isn't anything I could fault on this holiday apart from the dolphins not making a decent appearance!! It was a fabulous. I would love to make it an annual treat to myself." SW

"So many memories, including the beautiful villa with incredible places to practice yoga or just sit and relax, brilliant hosts, thank you Pippa and Nick. Good food, great ambiance and some new friends. Pippa and Nick will contact you and give you any advice you might need relating to the particular holiday you are going on. Extremely hospitable and caring hosts. Fantastic holiday, would highly recommend it." MS

"I stayed at Dolphins Leap in September 2016 and had booked to return in 2017 before I came away. Everything about the holiday was so special. Such a beautiful setting, olive groves around the villa, beautiful coastal walks and we were a short walk away from a little beach where we had our morning meditation. I have travelled to some wonderful places but I have to say this was one of the best week's holidays I have ever had. I cannot thank the hosts enough for making that week such a magical and special experience, they made it feel like a home from home. The food was delicious (it is all very healthy but don't expect to lose weight as it's far too delicious.) I have so much gratitude and praise for Molly, our yoga teacher, as she helped me become more mobile after a back injury and 4 weeks on I am still benefiting from these sessions. I cannot wait to return next year!" JL

"Dolphins Leap far surpassed even my high expectations. It was the perfect balance of relaxation and time for reflection, with small indulgences (yes, you can sleep in if you want, and there is wine at dinner!) and great company. The hosts were lovely and made all the guests feel so taken care of. The yoga with Molly was excellent. I liked that they kept this retreat small -- only 8 guests in total. So everyone got to know each other. Everything was a breeze from transportation to arranging extras like massage treatments on the facilities. Many quests were return guests and I could see why. I'm already thinking of when I can go back." DS

"Outstandingly brilliant. Easily the best holiday I have ever been on; I have already booked in for next year." LM

"The location was breath-taking - the proximity to the sea, in such a peaceful and secluded area. The yoga teacher was superb and the yoga platform, perched above the sea, was sublime. The reflexology and massage treatment with a local Greek 'healer', Iannis, was the best I had had in many years." JN

"I went to Greece on a yoga retreat and the most inspiring part was the view, on a hillside overlooking the sea with a specially made yoga terrace, totally tranquil and just a few steps down to a platform where we could jump into the sea! Heaven. It was an absolutely fabulous holiday, everything and more than expected. The level of yoga teaching was exemplary." CW

"The best thing about the DL Yoga Retreat was the overall atmosphere and 'vibe' you and Nick have created. The house, location and yoga was idyllic and Molly an absolute fantastic teacher. The food was wonderful, absolutely delicious." EKM

"I loved that very very special place. I dream of it often, walking down the street, sitting on the tube, being back in the studio...... The view, the smells, the sounds. It really was incredible. You totally feel like you are at the end of the world. Uninterrupted and in a bubble of peace! Five stars from me!" CS

"Amazing - I left the holiday feeling healthy, refreshed and very relaxed. It was exactly what I needed. I am reborn! Simply the best holiday I have ever been on." RL

"The holiday was wonderful and I could have stayed for much longer! We will be back and can't wait!" HS

"Thank you both so much a most magical stay at your enchanting Dolphins Leap retreat. You've created a very special place, a place that rarely appears throughout life, in its beauty and tranquility. Totally unspoiled and the perfect place to take oneself off and just 'be'. My week was totally memorable and I'll be back next year!" SH

"Thank you so much for making the retreat such a wonderfully nurturing environment. You really were the hosts with the most. You really have built something incredible there. Magic even." MH

"A delicious haven -- really very hard to pick fault. Nick and Pippa are excellent hosts, and Molly a really excellent Jivamukti teacher who did well in meeting everyone’s needs." NGL

"All of the holiday was memorable, from the yoga sessions, to the clear blue sea and wonderful scenery, and our excellent hosts and accommodation. I loved this unspoilt area of Greece." CT

 

 

 

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