I was in need of disconnect myself and take away the stress and anxiety of my life and I made the best decision when I booked at Zen Den Yoga School. Since I arrived I feel a total zen environment and the best vibes to relax and recharge. I loved the yoga and meditation, the massage with Austin, the balancing acupuncture with Dr. Dave and the detoxing smoothies that I'm continuing preparing every morning to feel amazing through the day. I highly recommend this amazing retreat. Is definitely a gift you deserve for yourself! read more

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Owners Ira and Valerie are very regimented. From day one Ira was aloof and stoic. He had to be in charge. Valerie, his wife also had her moments when she chastised some of us if we weren't posing the right way she wanted during yoga. First day is jammed backed with activities which left me exhausted. Won't return although they mean well. read more

The Zen Den is definitely a special place and felt like a bubble from the outside world. The best part was the people I spent time with & the sunrise meditation at the beach. Very kind, calm, respectful vibes. Overall, healthy environment. A few things that surprised me: I didn't realize the Zen Den was actually a set of houses connected by a yard. I was a little uncomfortable in a shared house without locking doors but was okay once I settled in. From prior retreats, I pictured more of a studio with dormitories but that was not the case. I enjoyed the morning and afternoon smoothies but wasn't really excited to have to make them myself and clean the cup and blender twice per day. If you're looking to lay back and have food served to you during vacation, this isn't the best option. Check to see who will also be there during your week as I was the only "retreater" for most of my trip and was around students who were on a strict schedule and had hard work to do. Enjoyed everyone personally but not sure yoga training/certifications & retreat guests blend well together as the objectives are quite different for the two groups. I would have appreciated a more laid back environment than taking classes as part the students certification process as it just just added a level of stress / tension. Overall, I had a good time but wish I knew some of the things above before I showed up. Now that I know how it works, I would consider going back. read more

I have now had the pleasure of doing 2 short (3 day) retreats at Zen Den and will definitely come back for more! The yoga suites all levels, and has a strong focus in breath work which has been really valuable to me. Ira, Val, Clare, and Austin and team made my last stay especially nice. This place isn't fancy but has everything you need. Both times I met and spent time with the other guests which was memorable both times around especially with conscious new year celebrations! I feel very at home here and hope you do too read more

These people are true grifters, PLEASE heed the negative reviews. I went with a fellow fitness instructor to deepen our practice and unwind. I meditate daily and have been doing Pilates and yoga for several years. My hopes of learning anything here were quickly shattered. On top of that, there was trash in our room, debris in the pool, NO staff, a pitiful selection of yoga classes, and no hot water for the entirety of our stay. They encourage starving yourself and one of the owners even made a negative comment about me having a sandwich for lunch. Our "yoga" instructor left for an ayahuasca ceremony (after announcing that she had been starving herself for nearly 2 weeks), and the classes were taught by the massage therapist...who literally told the class to follow what I was doing. Plus, there were no bike rentals as advertised and the beach is a 30+ minute walk away. PLEASE save your money and time and enjoy one of the many world-class hotels in the area, many of which offer yoga classes and excursions. We paid over $500 a night to have no showers, loud noise in the house, and dirty facilities. Absolute disappointment, I can hardly convey how unprofessional and unkind this place is. We reached out with a list of concerns and asked for a refund, which they agreed to process and NEVER DID. It is quite clear that the owners have little interest in their business and were quite self indulgent read more

I do think this retreat provided me with helpful tools to improve my health and wellness. However, there were some significant underlying issues with this retreat that I felt needed to be shared. One serious issue I personally had problems with was their lack of security. They wouldn't even lock the front door of the house at night. When asked about this practice Val's response was "We live in the richest zip code in the nation and things like that don't happen around here. Has that ever happened to you, why are you afraid of something that never happened to you?". In my opinion that was a condescending and extremely naïve point of view on where crime happens and why it is important to not create a situation where something can happen. Simply locking a door is a preventive measure. Why would a person wait until after they were robbed to start locking a door? They didn't even lock the doors to their treatment rooms that had very expensive and easily portable equipment in it. Fortunately, the bedroom doors had door locks which I made use of. I also checked the police blotter for the area and discovered that 2 assaults had occurred in their area very close to the time I was there. After learning this I made sure I didn't walk in the dark and I took my self defense tool when I did go for walks. I highly recommend anyone interested in this retreat to check the local police blotter before going so you are aware of the recent issues there. The hosts, Ira and Val, in my opinion, really needed to go on a retreat themselves instead of being the hosts. It was very obvious that they had other things going on that were interfering with their host responsibilities and made the retreat seem disorganized. Not exactly the relaxing experience if you are someone who likes to know what is going on and what is expected day to day. There were several schedule changes to treatments, and the white board announcing the activities for the day was never updated the day before, but in the afternoon on the day of the activities, after things already took place, if it was updated at all. The attitudes of the hosts also reflected that they themselves were not centered and focused on the purpose of the retreat. Val was contradictory and condescending in her remarks to individuals on a regular basis. During one yoga practice she said "there is no 'wrong' in yoga" one moment, then turned around and said "it is unintelligent to do that move that way" the very next moment. Ira, would sit outside on the front porch of the yoga retreat house and smoke weed frequently. I found that to be very unprofessional. I have no issues with someone smoking weed, but I don't think it should be done around your place of business where people are trying to detox. This retreat was definitely an interesting experience, one I will not do again at this location. read more

The best thing I've done for myself in years! I was feeling stressed, depressed and had no energy. I found Zen Den by chance-looking for a safe, relaxing environment with some decent amenities. I was not expecting to learn so much-about nutrition, healthy life style changes and yoga, (I had never done yoga-in my 62 years)! Great locations-walk/bike to beach! 2 saltwater pools, hot tubs, great smoothies (I continue to make every day)-excellent massages, 2 kinds of yoga classes per day-and plenty of time to relax, explore and meet and connect with really interesting people-of all ages and all walks of life! I was there for 2 weeks-I left-feeling like a new person!! Energized, refreshed, tan and 5 pounds lighter!!! Goin back-Every Year!!! Thank You Val, Ira- and your great team and guests -that made this such a rewarding and memorable experience! read more

Stayed here for 5 days. They are incredibly welcoming and supportive. Loved the two saltwater pools, the shared kitchens to make smoothies, and the daily yoga and meditation classes. By the end of the week I was more relaxed and healthier than I have been in a long time. Would highly recommend as a place to go to unwind, rejuvenate, reconnect and refresh. read more

I had to cancel due to Covid, and this company has refused to refund my fees. I live out of state, and have been told I can reschedule for another fee of more than. $300. I am so frustrated with the lack of customer service that I would not find zen here. read more

Where do I even start?! This has been one of the best experiences I have ever had! Quarantine has really got to me, I was barely eating and when I did eat I was definitely not putting enough nutrience into my body. I was pretty much on a wine diet. I was gaining weight, I was constantly bloated, my skin was breaking out,my body was in pain, I was tired, my mind was cloudy, my cholesterol was high, my doctor even put me on a bloodpresure mends ( I am 33). I started having crazy panicattacs, I was completely detached from myself. At this point I decided I had to do something and this is when I embarked on zen den yoga school. I reached out to them and Val got back to me right away and I was in. And man did I make the right decision. I ended up signing up for the 8 day liver detox. Val explained the entire process from the get go, there were never surprises I was not aware of. From the time I stepped into the space I felt welcomed and at peace, Val and Ira have created the most serene space ever. The place is very clean and beautiful, perfect place to relax, think, and get your life back. I suggest you set up an energy cleansing with Val is unbelievable I felt 100 pounds lighter after she was done and I am still trying to figure out everything she told me after the cleanse. The yoga classes were perfect not too fast not too slow exactly what I needed. The meditation was eye opening. The detox was actually pretty easy for me since I followed their directions from the get go, the juices were delicious, I actually started making my own juice at home. Now all the problems I had before were gone, bloodpresure and cholesterol way down, all the pain in my body gone, my skin is radiant with barely any blemishes. I mean what can I say I feel absolutely fantastic physically, mentally, and spiritually. I also made friends for life I will definitely be back, its my second home now! One thing I want to add if you are looking for a retreat where everything is made for you and want someone to constantly tell you what you need to do this is not the place for you. It's a process and you have to trust it. If you do exactly what Val and Ira tell you, you will see the results. PS. I lost 10 pounds in one week. Val, Ira you guys are seriously miracle workers, thank you for making me feel like a part of the family and showing me the way to a better healthier future. Miss you all! read more

Awesome experience. Yoga was great the beach was special. Ira is very knowledgeable and very down to earth. I will be back. my first yoga retreat and was not disappointed. The dancing and singing the breathing classes the yoga classes all of it I will remember. Val runs a very smooth ship she basically seems to handle all day in and day out stuff. Other instructors were knowledgeable in the yoga sequences that they were teaching. I got everything I was looking at achieving great 5 days. Came home and my own yoga practice has improved gained more knowledge on things. Learned to make smoothies for the first time. Just a solid place with solid people. read more

Ira and Val are special people and they operate a special place. They operate Zen Den Retreats in Boca Raton with love and compassion for everyone who visits. The time and personal attention they gave me during my visit was amazing. They helped me move my yoga and meditation practices beyond my expectations. Ira and Val also scheduled me amazing treatments from talented healers practicing a variety modalities.. They also provided a list of great food and recreation options. I plan to visit again. I hope to see you there. read more

This was an amazing retreat. I did the meditation and yoga retreat for 5 nights and 6 days. I was in a sharing room. First for the price that I paid I got an amazing vacation, healthy meals (breakfast and lunch), acupuncture, energy healing, personalized yoga and meditation each morning including one day at the beach at sunrise. You can not beat this place for the price really. I looked at other retreats and they are were super expensive. Now if you are expecting Canyon Ranch which is $1700/night you will not get it here because you pay so much less. But if your expectations are in line with the price you pay you will be very very happy. Ira and Valerie are kind, patient, informative, caring. I really loved the time I spent with them but I also loved the time I spent on my own biking to the beach, meditating, reading countless books from their library on self development meeting other great guests and enjoying the sun. Five stars all around. read more

Zen Den yoga school provided the most interesting and unforgettable experience in my life. If you're not the kind of person who likes to read ten pages long reviews, this one's for you. I thought that I'm coming to Zen Den to learn more about yoga, lay by the beach and chill. Which I, roughly speaking, did. But "learn more yoga" turned out to be daily practices of hatha in the morning and Ashtanga inspired Vinyasa in the afternoon. Daily morning meditations, sunrise meditations by the beach once a week (to the beach we were driving on one of those old school Volkswagen vans, every drive was so much fun, even at 6 am), Shamanic breathwork practices once a week (which I never heard of and was eager to try). Ira had us all teaching/doing our best at the moment by the second week. All students were on absolutely different levels in their yoga practice, but it didn't seem like anyone ever felt left out. I loved living in that little super friendly yoga community in a beautiful house with sundeck, pool and jacuzzi, in which you can soak your pleasantly sore body after a long day. In between of our physical yoga practice, teaching and smoothie making we have had discussions, movie showings and classes about the spiritual side of it too. That month was very emotional for me, but Ira was always there for me and anybody who needed support, providing some personal development coaching as well. Overall, I had a wonderful teacher training and would strongly recommend it to anybody out there who is still hesitating! Namaste. read more

What an incredible journey started at Zen Den Yoga School! Val and Ira lead me with their love and caring all through the process of transformation and I have gained so much more than a certification! The shamanic breath work journey, the sunrise meditation on the beach, the chants, the hot tub (my body is grateful for that!! Haha), the smoothies, the outdoor yoga and the moments we shared together, all of these made this experience unique and wonderful! I can feel the change in my mind, body and spirit. I come home with my heart opened to infinite possibilities and ready for continuing the journey! I am bringing with me beautiful memories and I feel so grateful that I met my fellow students, now family. 28 days went so quickly and yet we have learned so much from each other! Thank you Val and Ira for teaching me, holding space and guiding me. It is a beautiful community that you've created in Boca and a wonderful journey that you are leading us into! Namaste read more

I immediately felt welcome in this relaxed and peaceful environment. It's an urban oasis with paths here and there to open and inviting spaces to practice, meditate, read, talk, paint, whatever you care to do. Two zen chickens will come out to quietly watch you. I fell in love with the Lychee tree with branches twisting in all directions, absolutely magical. Every corner of Zen Den is thoughtfully and creatively tended. The property has a soul, so if you're looking for a sterile, corporate, polished atmosphere, go there. Not here. Ira and Val are generous in all they do. Val explains the schedule, any changes, how to prepare juices, smoothies, etc. as if it's the first time. Each of them guides meditation and yoga classes with their whole heart, with complete focus and devotion. Adjustments in posture are freely offered FOR you, not for themselves. Their depth of knowledge is truly a gift there for the taking. You will be free to structure your time as you like. If you're someone who needs constant entertainment with everything scheduled, go on a cruise. I met incredibly interesting, sweet people. Along with beautiful yoga and meditation, it was fun to be here. I wouldn't want to change a single thing. read more

Booked a retreat, had to cancel it due to work. Canceled it within the allotted time frame, and was told I would be receiving some of my money back. It's been almost a month, and I never received it. I won't be booking here again. read more

I wanted a chance to get a break from my kids and have a peaceful and quiet weekend. I arrived on a Thursday afternoon and was disappointed from the start. There was only 2 bikes that were there to borrow and both look like they've seen better days. The house is next to a major street in a run-down part of town. Thursday evening was a disaster hearing all the traffic on the road and then a train's whistle blew so loudly every 20 minutes almost all night long. I got less than 2 hours of sleep, packed my bags and went to a nice hotel that had an amazing yoga program with a farm-to-table restaurant on site - now that's the way to get a nice break. Not only that, they haven't refunded my money and I wasn't even there for 24 hours! Not happy and won't be recommending this place to anyone. read more

This retreat is a joke! The people (owners) were not there upon arrival. The owners refused to refund my money back as I was very disappointed with the tiny home (nowhere close to the beach)and misleading photos on their website. Please don't waste your money. read more

There is nothing zen about this place. It was so hot and uncomfortable. I went there for a long weekend to get a break - the fist time I tried doing this in six years. All I was tying to do was sleep, and do some light yoga and meditation so I could relax and regroup. This was impossible. You are in an old house and while you can feel the air conditioning in the den, it did not circulate to my room, even with my door open which defeats the purpose of me paying extra to have my own room. You know else defeats it? The other guests (who were mostly there for a month) had to go through my room to get to the laundry room so people who didn't know I was staying there kept coming in and out of my room. The bed was so uncomfortable I could hardly sleep. The walls are so thin you could hear everything people were saying. Thank goodness I didn't have to pass gas but if I did I'd be concerned about everyone hearing and that's not relaxing. There is no trash can in the room- you have to take it out to the kitchen. The house is in a busy area so you can hear outdoor noises including trains. The beach is not that close and you have to cross over a busy highway to get there. Same with most of the food places. You have to drive to the spa. Ira lost his temper during the one yoga class I took and was disrespectful to Valerie in front of us. The only "meals" they serve are juiced vegetables which you have to make and clean up yourself. The pool was dirty. I left early. read more

I picked the Zen Den for my YTT after putting much thought into the 3 options I had found in the time frame I was hoping to get my RYT200 done and ready to teach by 2017. I flew from Philadelphia down to Florida with so much excitement as I was finally able to start learning what I needed in order to become a yoga teacher. Upon arrival, I noticed that the yoga "school" is not what the pictures show on the website or anywhere else, it appears old images are being used to show a studio that I've never seen and unsure when it existed. Their school/studio is inside a home, a home the owners were living in up until our last week down in Florida where they moved outside the yoga house and across street from another house they had us students and retreat guests staying in. The address that's listed/posted is not the address for the school. Had I done more extensive research, I would not have chosen this location as there were costs/things that were not explained to us. I paid for breakfast and lunch prior to arriving and learned upon arrival that it was to do their juice plus sales pitch for the wife's business. For someone who has "allergies" to foods- they sure don't understand the severity of REAL allergies. I told them prior to booking I am deathly allergic to peanuts and all treenuts and would be traveling with my Epi pen yet when I was having reactions the first few days down there- my health issues were minimized. Due to people traveling from all over and them not being organized- the "brand new" vitamix they purchased (and say they got it for me, sure) after days of me having to take Benadryl was NOT nut free or safe to use as the women in the house were using it because it was new and they liked it- without realizing my health was being put at risk. I paid money as mentioned for breakfast and lunch and only used their organic veggies and fruits to put into the shakes 5 times in total. If you have any serious allergies- I would not recommend this program. While the wife is a "nutrition coach", I find it super odd that someone in the nutrition field chooses to sell pills instead of having someone actually eat their food to get all the nutrients we need to fuel our bodies. As another former student wrote- a lot of the smoothies and "meals" that I paid for prior to arriving (and didn't even use after 3 straight days of bad reactions)- is just a Juice Plus sales pitch. I don't know any doctor or nutritionist in the health field who recommends pills over actual wholesome food. If you think it's no issue- no problem. The fact that they were giving me a product that was manufactured and packaged in a plant with nuts and didn't even check labels or share that information with me shows that you really have to stay on top of your own health and issues or you could end extremely sick, or even worse- dead. I am grateful for the amazing women who were a part of my graduating class and I don't regret getting my RYT200 but I think it's safe to say you get what you pay for. When you decide to save money and pick the cheapest option, remind yourself why you want to save money before you sign up for something that isn't what it claims to be. I find it bizarre and odd that the Yoga Alliance doesn't require the owner of a yoga teacher training school to be a yoga teacher and the fact that this school is on their website, but there is no teacher(a) listed. From what I gather, people can either choose to have their personal profiles visible or hidden. I thought one of my classmates was lying and manipulative about certain aspects of this program and once home I learned that maybe she wasn't so far off. Did I express my gratitude to the owners for opening up their home to me and helping support me during times of anxiety or pain? Absolutely. I thanked them many times and meant it but it just felt like this is just a business to them and I didn't sense any genuineness or authenticity from them toward me. If I was more then just business for them- I think they would have made an effort to be a little more compassionate toward some of us whereas you could tell who they liked and who they didn't. Rolling your eyes at people who are paying you exactly what you price your certification costs- is beyond unprofessional. To tell me that you don't care if someone comes there and you know they will be a terrible teacher but it doesn't matter because you are still getting paid shows that yoga isn't a passion of theirs. Business clearly is. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a great business but in the yoga world- I would have appreciated having a teacher who actually practiced with us. read more

K Parekh Zen Den Yoga is the place which clearly translates the definition of Mind, Body and Soul . Had an amazing experience at the retreat and yoga classes connecting and rejuvenating with self. Val and Ira are so much full of knowledge and experience with health and wellness. Can't wait to go back whenever time and opportunity arises. So much to learn and gain yet from this amazing yoga school. read more

A bit deceiving what you're walking into. It is actually three houses put together via backyards. The address they list is NOT the actual address. One home is the owners, another is a student/guest house, and the third is a student/guest house AND yoga studio (in a living room). I personally did not pay for a private bathroom, so I was sharing with 5 other people (which I did not know prior to arrival). No legit pictures on their website. Accommodations are sub-par, minus the smoothies and/or juice. If you're thinking about taking the Intensive YTT200hr, it's also a bit deceitful--mainly bc they don't tell you much about the schedule (no syllabus given), and changes day to day with you being told to "Trust the Process" if you ask questions. They practice one of the hardest yogas--Ashtanga yoga--and expect you to memorize two 90 minute flows to pass--I wish I would've known to ask these questions before signing up for it. To keep it short, I witnessed the owners Ira and Val speaking negatively about several students and retreat guests--not something I would expect from a spiritual guru. It took me a while to write this review, but I need to share my experience. My personal opinion, make sure you know what you're signing up for before committing....I learned the hard way. ***ALSO, they have a STRICT NO REFUND POLICY read more

Please people if your thinking of relaxing Yoga retreat, think again, don't waist your time and money. This place is fit for anything but yoga retreat, money grabbing place. Zara read more

I cannot thank Val and Ira enough for the most amazing week at the Zen Den Yoga School. I am a full time caregiver for my elderly parents with advanced arthritis and took a chance that this experience would be a long term investment in my self care. Understatement of the century. I was completely welcomed and made to feel I could begin a serious yoga and meditation practice with little previous experience. Everything about the school was well thought out from the rooms, kitchen, twice a day shakes, indoor and outdoor studios, pool, and hot tub! All one needs to bring is clothing, a water bottle and a towel to go the the beach. The program was varied and exceeded all of my expectations. In gratitude for this experience and for my new yoga family. I will definitely be back - often. I highly recommend that anyone thinking of going on retreat to treat yourself to a full week. I did not want to leave. read more

My friend and I recently stayed at Zen Den Yoga to enjoy a Friday-Monday "Disconnect to Re-Connect" retreat package. We shared the house with two amazing ladies which if it wasn't for them, I don't think we would have enjoyed ourselves as much as we did. My review may be a bit on the lengthy side however I want to make sure I provide my full perspective of my experience. To begin, I feel the information provided to us at time of booking is more tailored to the students of the yoga teacher certification program vs to a retreat guest. This was a small weekend getaway where I expected to have a variety of retreat 'events' at my disposal should I want to sign up for them. This was not the case. We were told we would have massages scheduled for Friday afternoon, however we did not know what time. We knew we had acupuncture on Saturday, however - again, we did not know what time. Take away from this feedback - provide retreat guests with a document tailored specifically for the retreat experience. We were not able to 'piggyback' off the classes offered to students so some of the information provided to us was not relevant. On Saturday we joined our housemates and the owners in the yoga studio for morning meditation where we then went to a park to participate in a community yoga class offered by a local studio (which was fantastic). After the class in the park, we were all basically free to do whatever we wanted. So we walked around a local mall, went to our respective acupuncture sessions (which was also fantastic) and spent a quiet evening at home. I'd like to mention that after the yoga class in the park, we basically didn't hear from the owners for the rest of the day. They didn't stop by the house to check on us but they sent us a text message later that afternoon letting us know about an event in town that they suggested we check out. Other than that, we didn't hear from them. Take away from this feedback - check in a bit more with your guests. Sunday morning we (along with our two housemates) decided to go to a nearby beach to watch the sunrise. We did our own meditation and then headed back to the retreat house to participate in our morning meditation and yoga session. I was a bit surprised that during our yoga session, the instructor did not do any hands on adjustments - especially since it was only 4 of us in the class. All corrections were noted as he was going through the poses but he did not take the time to actually adjust/correct anyone. As part of the yoga flow, a headstand was included - a pose I have been practicing at home. It would have been nice to have had the instructor there to help those of us who wanted to attempt the headstand; but that wasn't the case. All four of us decided to spend the day at the beach and check out some nearby nature centers. By Sunday evening, additional retreat guests and yoga students had arrived so the house was quite busy with excitement. Take away from this feedback - ask your students if hands on adjustments are 'ok.' If you're going to include challenging poses such as a headstand, ask your students if they'd like to attempt the move and help them do it. All in all I can say that I enjoyed my retreat but I do not think I would have enjoyed it as much had my friend and I not shared the experience with the two ladies in the house. We essentially became a group of four and found ways to spend our time. I am quite certain that a retreat guest staying during the time that yoga students are there would have a completely different experience than I did as they would be able to take advantage of the additional classes offered to the students. read more

Hands down one of the best decisions I have ever made. I went to Zen Den Yoga School over the summer and when I returned to my regular life I felt more empowered than I ever have. I immediately went out and lived the life I wanted to live. The school is not a retreat. It is not a perfect paradise. You are there to work and learn. It can be long, tedious, and sometimes not fun. However if you are willing to put in the work, IT WILL BE LIFE CHANGING. Ira and Val (the teachers) truly love each one of their students and want to help them learn in grow. I can't thank Zen Den enough :) read more

I gained a wealth of knowledge during my teacher training at Zen Den. Ira is an amazing teacher and a true yogi. A true yogi is not a person who walks around in a cloud of incense saying enlightening things. A true yogi is one who denounces daily the grips of attachment and ego. Attend this school if you want a deep understanding of yoga and the yogi life, and you would like to meet amazing new friends. read more

Came from Coral Springs Fl for s 5 night get away. This place/home met my expectations exactly. New to yoga and had several good teachers. Home was great, nothing fancy, clean, good bedding, pool and hot tub were great. Saved more money and used their very nice kitchen. Rode bike to studio/beach and local bars. Great location and helpful operators. Had an incredible massage and acupuncture also. Good value. read more

I found the Zen Den (https://zendenyogaschool.secure.retreat.guru/program/7-night-zen-den-retreat/?form=1&lang=en ) in search of a place to go to relax and rejuvenate myself. I am a solo traveler that hadn't had a week long vacation since 2009 and I didn't want to spend my time alone on a beach or hotel room, looking for stuff to do or hoping to meet people to break up the silence. I am so grateful that fate brought me to their website and to Zen Den because the experience was just what I was hoping for and more! Ira and Val (the owners) treated me like family from the moment I walked into the door of the gorgeous Zen Den they have created. I had no idea what I was walking into when I pulled up into the driveway of the retreat house. Ira came right out and welcomed me with a big hug and walked me through the house back to Thai Room, the room I was staying in. It looked even more beautiful than it did in the pictures. There were not other retreat guests staying there the week I was there (mid-August) so I had the room and the two beds to myself. The entire house was beautifully kept with a state of the art kitchen, beautiful bathroom a big sitting area with mediation pillows, comfy couch and books. There are several rooms and another bathroom in the retreat house. All VERY clean and beautiful and peaceful. The best thing that the house had was the ENERGY! No TV which I did not miss it at all! Truly the atmosphere where you can unplug and connect with what matters the most- other people and yourself. My room had a door out to the salt water pool (that I didn't leave for 7 days!) and a hot tub. From the back of the retreat house there is a walkway to the new Yoga deck and studio. There happened to be about 10 or so yogis there to get certified to become yoga instructors. They were all great people and by the end of the week I had made life long friends not only with Ira and Val but with the yoga students from all over the world! As a retreat guest I was invited to do morning meditation followed by morning yoga and then I was off to either personal time. I was invited to the afternoon yoga session led by Ira, Val and the yoga instructors to be- all of which was great! I took advantage of the acupuncture and massages that the packages come with and had miracles done by Dr. Dave that Val arranged for me to see. Shoulder and back pain that I had for years are gone after just 2 sessions. If I could have packed Dr. Dave in a suitcase and took him back to Jersey to be my acupuncturist, I would have. The restaurants that were suggested by Zen Den were all great and I was invited to the group lunches and brunches which were so fun! The morning meditations were different each day. One day we did breathing, one day we dot line drawing mediation, one day was walking and on Friday it was the sunrise on the beach meditation. I almost didn't go but Ira made it his business to see that I did and wow, so happy he did! The house itself is located right off of a main highway with everything you could possibly want from a grocery store to a starbucks, nail salon, you name it. Oh, and Ira's shop the Hemp Factory! I left Zen Den completely rejuvenated, happy and at peace with having to come home. I had energy I hadn't felt in years. Could have been the rest, acupuncture, meditation, yoga, beach time, gorgeous sunrises, the salt water pool, endless reading or lack of TV news social media. It was probably all of it combined. I plan to make the trip back at least once a year and who knows, maybe go for my yoga instructor certificate. If you are looking for a relaxing get away to unplug and reconnect with other people and yourself at an affordable price- I highly recommend Zen Den! You will be so happy you did. read more

I love the yoga classes at Zen Den Yoga School. I left feeling relaxed and completely forgot that I did a workout. Ira is an amazing instructor and he helps you find your center and focus. I will be going back for sure. read more

Zen Den Yoga School was an intensive 26 days of training. The facilitator and owner Ira is very well informed and experienced in his craft. Personally, I found the Astanga sequence to be very taxing on my body (I have a vata Dosha) however many of the other students that are more athletic did very well with the style. In site of this, I learned a lot and grew leaps and bounds in my own personal practice. I have more direction as a result of this experience. The Florida weather and close proximity to the beach adds a nice addition to it all. read more

This is the first time I write a review about an experience I had, I am going to tell the story from my point of view, the good and the bad as I am sure that everyone experienced it in a different way. Let's start with the location and the accommodation: the area was very beautiful close to everything you need such as the beach, restaurants, groceries stores, dry clean, coffee shops and more. The accommodation house was big yet with only 1 bathroom to share with 6 people, the swimming pool was always dirty. I have paid for a private room in the house which coast extra than the other room and I was not informed that there was a laundry room inside my room, I didn't have much privacy when everyone in the house kept knocking on my door to use it. The sound of the washing machine and the dryer was loud. The studio were we practice was very small and decorated poorly. Always full of their dog's hair. If you are allergic to dogs this is not the place for you and I am including this because it's not mentioned on the website or the emails that there is a dog always around which I didn't mind because I love dogs and it was very pleasant to have her around us. The instructors: hospitable, when ever all of us went out to dine they won't leave anyone behind and would pay for their dinner so we would all be together. It happened with me 3 times when I didn't have the money for it. I will always be grateful to them for that cause it was a blast and they are fun to go out with. During the training and teaching they are very short tempered and self centered , always get annoyed when someone keeps asking questions or participate in the topic, it was ok as long as it was about them and their story but if one of the student start talking about their stories they would ask them to stop. I felt like more time should have been spent on actually teaching the body parts and adjustments ( as they said it's not important ) and less time reading stories from the book, gardening their house or watching movies. for the whole month I felt like it was a juice Plus sales pitch. It was odd for a nutritious to promote taking pills over eating real food. The group was not very nice, Every time I pass them they are talking bad about who is not around and lie too much. Instructors knew there was a problem and didn't pay it much attention and the result was one of the girls dropped out the training after 2 and half weeks! I didn't like the way they handled the situation. I was very sad she dropped out. The over all experience was ok, they didn't meet my expectations as "yogi", you can tell it is just a business to them. read more

My yoga retreat at Zen Den Yoga was really fabulous and I wholeheartedly recommend it!! I enjoyed every part of it and may make it a yearly adventure. Ira is a topnotch teacher- fun and funny! He is extremely experienced and skilled and is both challenging and encouraging. I still think of his helpful instruction during my current yoga practice. Valerie is wonderfully helpful and supportive and sweet. I have had several energy healing sessions in the past here in Michigan, but Valerie is far and away the BEST!! I wish I lived closer, so that I could see her on a regular basis. The shamanic breath work was a powerful experience as was the sunrise meditation at the beach. The yoga students were wonderful and I enjoyed their company very much. My experience would not have been the same without them. The beach was close by and very beautiful and the daily schedule allowed me to get there every day of my visit. In short, I loved, loved, loved my getaway! read more