A new wellness trend known as darkness retreats is attracting interest from a diverse group of participants seeking extended periods of sensory deprivation for mental and emotional benefits. These retreats involve spending several days in complete darkness, isolated from external stimuli such as light, sound, and digital devices.
One of the latest additions to this movement is the Darkness Hotel by Sacred Tree, which opened earlier this year in Shaftesbury, north Dorset. It is the first facility of its kind in Britain to offer guests a multi-day stay in total darkness. Guests spend their time in en suite rooms carefully designed to block out all light, with no access to phones, television, Wi-Fi, or outside contact. Meals, primarily vegan, are delivered through a blacked-out hatch in the door.
The concept has been embraced by a variety of individuals including celebrities, athletes, and influencers. Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of "Eat, Pray, Love," as well as sports figures like American football player Aaron Rodgers and boxer Anthony Joshua, have reportedly participated in darkness retreats. Internationally, facilities offering similar experiences include six-day cabins in Poland costing around €1,850 and seven-day retreats in Thailand featuring isolated domes. In Oregon and Mexico, darker earth-bermed rooms or isolated environments reportedly yield a range of psychological experiences, from deep reflection to hallucinations.
Greg Manning, founder of the Darkness Hotel, draws upon practices from shamanism and Chinese medicine. After discovering the therapeutic potential of darkness in 2016 and assisting with more than 20 retreats since, Manning sought a permanent location for his year-round offering. He describes the retreat as a “journey inwards” that encourages participants to strip away external distractions and confront their inner selves with “curious awareness.” Guests range widely in age, from their twenties to seventies.
The process begins with an introduction to the space in light to allow for unpacking and adjustment, after which participants fully transition into darkness. During the stay, guests are completely isolated, with any emergency contact managed by staff who safeguard digital communication. Observers note that the experience differs significantly from simply turning off the lights in a familiar room, as the absence of visual cues makes spatial orientation impossible.
Despite its rising popularity, some remain skeptical or question the appeal of spending days alone in total darkness. However, advocates argue that the retreats offer a unique opportunity for mental detoxification and self-exploration, providing a stark contrast to the overstimulation and fragmented attention common in modern life.
This emerging wellness practice, combining sensory deprivation with elements of mindfulness and retreat culture, highlights ongoing shifts in how individuals seek to manage stress and mental health in an increasingly noisy world. The Darkness Hotel’s establishment marks a notable step in the mainstreaming of this unconventional approach within the UK.