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A Luxurious Island Getaway:
As someone who almost always has a book tucked into my carry-on, the idea of a reading retreat
sounded like my version of a wellness getaway. Three nights at a lakeside spa resort, a stack of
books and actual permission to disappear into them for a while? Sign me up.
But what surprised me most about the Silent Shores Reading Retreat at Lake Austin Spa Resort
was that the best part wasn’t simply having more time to read. It was being introduced to books
and authors I might not have encountered otherwise—and getting to build an entire wellness
getaway around the experience.
Over three nights, I attended author chats, discovered new books, made my own “ideal book-
shelf,” took wellness classes, tried a new spa treatment and found what may be one of my favor-
ite hotel reading spots yet. Here’s what it was actually like.
The
The
Who should you bring?
One of my biggest questions before arriving was whether a reading retreat would feel awkward to attend alone. The answer, at least at Lake Austin, was no.
The guests I encountered were predominantly women, ranging from solo travelers to groups of friends, with a few couples mixed in. I actually think this is an especially good solo trip: You can show up to an author chat or class when you want company and retreat with your book when you don’t.
I could also see coming with a group of girlfriends or making it a mother-daughter trip.
What’s the food like?
Three meals a day, snacks and nonalcoholic drinks are included in the nightly rate, and as a vegetarian, I was impressed by how easy it was to eat well without choosing from the same dishes over and over. Nightly specials added even more options, and the food managed to feel health-conscious without being austere.
One of my favorite meals was breakfast: migas overlooking the lake. I’d never had migas before—an oversight I apparently needed a trip to Austin to correct. At dinner, a butternut squash risotto special was another standout.
And dessert portions were refreshingly reasonable, which meant I could order one without feeling like I had committed to a second dinner.
Did you get a good night's sleep?
Very.
My room was cool, dark and remarkably quiet at night. I’m someone who notices hotel noise, and I barely heard anything once I was inside my cottage. The bed was comfortable, and I particularly loved the oversized, soft pillows.
The cottages are connected, so I had wondered whether I’d hear neighboring guests, but that never became an issue during my stay.
What amenities are available?
There are daily fitness and wellness classes, yoga and meditation, guided hikes, creative and culinary programming, pools, a fitness center and lake activities including paddleboarding, kayaking and hydrobiking. Resort guests also have access to the LakeHouse Spa facilities.
I mixed the reading-retreat programming with wellness and creative classes, spa time and plenty of downtime. I tried Canvas & Calm, a mixed-media art class designed to encourage mindfulness, as well as a restorative stretch class that incorporated breathwork and elements of Tai Chi.
At the LakeHouse Spa, I tried Endospheres lymphatic drainage for the first time. I was surprised by how noticeable the results were—the before-and-after photos showed a visible reduction in fluid retention.
But my favorite spa discovery didn’t involve a treatment at all. Upstairs, I found the Blue Room, a quiet relaxation space with comfortable chairs and plenty of natural light. One particular chair won my unofficial reading test: It was the kind of place where I could sit down with a book and completely lose track of time.
Know Before you go:
Make your dinner reservations before you arrive.
I’d especially recommend doing this if you care about eating at a specific time. Spa treatments are also worth booking in advance.
You sign up for most classes once you’re there.
There’s no need to lock down your entire activities schedule before the trip.
Don’t automatically skip a class because your next activity starts before it ends.
This is the thing I most wish I’d known on day one. Everyone understands that guests are juggling classes, retreat programming and spa appointments. If you need to leave early, mention it to the instructor before class starts and quietly slip out when you need to.
book it
Accommodation options:
There are just 40 cottages and bungalows, including Lake View and Garden Bungalows, Hot Tub Cottages, Hill Country Bungalows and the Lady Bird Johnson Cottage Suite. My room had a cozy, residential feel and overlooked the lake, with a spacious bathroom, plenty of closet storage and a separate makeup vanity.
Price:
Lake Austin currently lists rates starting at $595 per person, per night, but pricing varies by room, dates and package. The resort is all-inclusive: accommodations, three meals a day, nonalcoholic drinks, many fitness and wellness activities, lake equipment, spa-facility access and gratuities are included. Spa treatments and alcohol are generally additional.
Location:
Austin, Texas, on the shores of Lake Austin in Texas Hill Country. Despite the secluded setting, the resort is about a 30-minute drive from downtown Austin.
Name of Accomodation:
Lake Austin Spa Resort
Basics
Details
LAKE AUSTIN SPA RESORT
Wellness meets a love of reading
images courtesy of LAKE AUSTIN SPA
This was my first reading retreat, and I went into it assuming the main luxury would be uninterrupted reading time. I was wrong—in the best possible way.
Silent Shores was less about sitting silently with a book for three straight days and more about being immersed in the world around books. There were author conversations, Q&As and creative activities, with opportunities to hear directly from writers about everything from where their ideas originated to writing, publishing and potential screen adaptations.
I heard Hate Follow author Erin Quinn-Kong discuss her novel and writing process, while a Lunch & Learn with Amanda Eyre Ward covered Arrivals and Departures and the journey from inspiration to publication. One of the final events brought together the women behind Pink Lemonade to discuss their breast-cancer journeys and the deeply personal stories that led to the book.
What I particularly appreciated was that there was no required reading. You could read a featured book beforehand, discover it during the retreat or never read it at all and still participate in the conversation. It felt inclusive rather than like arriving at a book club and realizing you hadn’t done your homework.
Another favorite was “Build Your Ideal Bookshelf,” a literary art workshop where we created artwork inspired by titles that have stayed with us.
That became my biggest takeaway from Silent Shores: A reading retreat can expand what you read, not simply give you more time to do it. I left with books and authors on my radar that I might never have encountered on my own.
What was the Silent Shores Reading Retreat actually like?
Warm and attentive without being intrusive.
Because the property has only 40 accommodations, it never felt anonymous. Staff members were kind and helpful, and I also appreciated something I didn’t experience: pressure to spend more money. Some experiences and treatments cost extra, but I never felt nudged toward add-ons.
Despite the extensive activities calendar, the resort itself never felt crowded or rushed. There always seemed to be somewhere to sit, read or simply do nothing.
How was the service?
The freedom to make the experience my own.
The retreat gave my stay a framework, not an itinerary. I could take a wellness class, attend an author conversation, sit by the lake with a book, make art, have a spa treatment—or change my mind entirely.
That matters at a resort with this many options. It would be easy for a wellness getaway to turn into another packed schedule, but here I found myself naturally slowing down.
Three nights and two full days felt just right. I left rested, reconnected to reading and already wanting to try another reading retreat.
Favorite part?
This isn’t a traditional book club with assigned reading. You can walk into an author event knowing nothing about the book and still get something out of it.
You don’t need to read the featured books in advance.
This isn’t a traditional book club with assigned reading. You can walk into an author event knowing nothing about the book and still get something out of it.
The retreat is woven into the resort’s larger activities calendar. You can attend every book event, choose only the ones that interest you or skip them altogether in favor of a class, spa treatment or downtime.
Before this trip, I thought the appeal of a reading retreat was having uninterrupted time to read. I left Lake Austin appreciating something different: the chance to discover new books, hear the stories behind them and connect with other people who love reading—all without giving up the wellness getaway I wanted, too.
For me, that combination was the real luxury.
You don’t have to choose between Silent Shores and the rest of Lake Austin.