Why Mandali is the Italian eco-retreat we need right now
Located an hour’s drive from Milan and sitting high on a hilltop overlooking the beautiful Lake Orta with sumptuous views across to the Swiss Alps, luxury spiritual eco-retreat Mandali has a rather unusual origin story, to put it mildly
Mandali was founded by two wellknown pioneers of the Dutch hardcore dance music scene, Wouter Tavecchio and Wildrik Timmerman, in 2017. But despite being conceived by two lifelong lovers of banging techno, Mandali is a spiritual sanctuary designed to help guests disconnect from the pressures of daily life, switch off from technology, and take time to reflect and reset through meditation, yoga, silence, detoxes and retreat programmes.
Before launching Mandali, friends Wouter and Wildrik worked together at the Netherlands’ biggest festival brand Q-Dance, founded by Wouter in 1998, which has gone on to create some of the largest underground dance music events and festivals in Europe, attended by millions of ‘hands-in-the-air’ fans over the years.
But despite Wouter and Wildrik’s high-flying, fast-paced and very lucrative careers organising international dance festivals and the day-glo hedonism of hardcore, there was a nagging feeling that something was missing from their lives.
Wouter and Wildrik had a revelation when they started to attend silent meditation retreats. It was a Damascene conversion which totally changed their mindsets and even led them to start spreading a more ‘spiritual’ message at their dance music events.
After starting their walk on a more spiritual path, they then decided on their ultimate dream - they wanted to build a retreat centre which would help people experience inner peace, wellbeing and transformation in a safe and supportive environment.
Following a long search for the right location and the right architect and subsequent years of planning and building, Mandali finally opened its doors in March 2017. And you could say that in founding Mandali, it’s a continuation of a constant thread in Wouter and Wildrik’s work - bringing people together to celebrate life.
From the architecture to daily rituals, Mandali has been designed to be as low-impact and sustainable as possible. It offers affordable premium accommodation, home cooked vegetarian food and holistic body treatments for an immersive retreat experience.
A stunning building in a truly idyllic mountain setting, Mandali is run as a non-profit organisation and welcomes guests who are interested in developing a conscious, healthy and sustainable lifestyle and a deeper connection to themselves.
Mandali Experience Retreat programmes are simple but profound and designed for all levels. Taking place over three or five days, all activities are optional and include meditation, yoga, breathwork and qigong, combined with personal growth workshops, group sessions and periods of silence.
The centre also runs a series of themed retreats throughout the year, led by international visiting teachers from all traditions.
For those on a budget, Mandali offers simple dormitory-style shared rooms with en suites for those on a budget, though currently with Covid restrictions, shared rooms can only accomodate guests arriving from one household only.
There are also two beautifully designed two-level apartments called hermitages with self-contained kitchens that sleep up to four people.
Otherwise, there are luxury single, twin and premium rooms with queen-sized beds, all with refined decor, en-suite bathrooms and lake or garden views. Or you could plump for the premium lake view room which comes with its own bathtub on the veranda for the ultimate in retreat indulgence.
Elsewhere, common spaces at Mandali have been designed according to feng shui’s cornerstones of harmony and balance and wifi is only available in the library to encourage guests to disconnect and immerse themselves fully into their retreat experience during their stay.
The body care centre meanwhile is a peaceful space designed for relaxation and includes a Turkish bath, sauna and swimming pool, as well as a variety of holistic body treatments using natural products.
Mandali can accommodate up to 57 guests and is composed of several dwellings, based on a medieval Italian village with added Far Eastern influences.
Mandali is built from eco-friendly materials such as local stone, plaster, roof tiles and reclaimed wood. The heating system runs on wood chips and solar energy powers the kitchen and swimming pool. Any surplus power is delivered to the main local grid, so that it can be used by the local community. Sustainability also applies to the daily fresh organic vegetarian menu which is sourced locally.
Now that Wouter and Wildrik have put their glo-sticks to one side, they believe it's important to take time for yourself in a luxury space such as Mandali that cultivates an inward journey - and that just as dance music can uplift you, a bit of silence can also be good for the soul.