The rise of the reading retreat: five of the best

World Book Night on 23 April is another reminder of the restorative power of reading. Here are five retreats for PR professionals to switch off and settle down with a book.

By Ali Catterall

Reading retreats: not a collection of traffic islands near Slough, but a wellness trend aimed at those seeking a much-needed digital detox. Think: small-group escapes in peaceful settings, shared meals, and gentle social activities, book in hand. Forget the idea of book groups taking place in your pass-agg neighbour’s house: retreats could range from Somerset to Morocco or Norway. Some even combine a good paperback-thumbing with Arctic voyages inspired by polar fiction, or classic-novel cruises along the Nile. And, understandably, these analogue retreats often sell out incredibly quickly.

So, next question: how do you find them? One way is to search for small-group retreats hosted by writers, ‘bibliotherapists’ or literary travel companies. Consider the setting – countryside, coast or city – and whether the programme focuses purely on reading or includes activities such as author talks, spa treatments or guided excursions. Ideally, you want a retreat that balances solitude with a bit of low-key social interaction, creating the ideal environment for rediscovering the pleasure of losing yourself in a good book. And we mean books, not Kindles. Nothing beats that tangible feeling of leather bookmark upon paper.

Here are five inspiring retreats to consider for your next bookish escape.

The Gainsborough Bath Spa reading retreat

The Canvas Room at the Gainsborough Bath Spa. | © The Gainsborough Bath Spa

Few writers are more closely associated with a city than Jane Austen with Bath. And this October 2026, the hotel’s historic spa will host a six-day literary programme with expert talks, walking routes through the Georgian streets that inspired Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey, and visits to sites including the Jane Austen House Museum.
The Gainsborough Bath Spa

The Academy, London reading retreat

Ah, Bloomsbury: its very name synonymous with the lit-set, a home to everyone from Virginia Woolf to EM Forster and Lytton Strachey. And just a short penny farthing ride from the Charles Dickens Museum, this sumptuous townhouse hotel offers guests a library, a chance to attend literary events or a “blind date with a book” experience – a mystery title wrapped in paper. The literary theme continues with an English afternoon tea with an Asian twist, inspired by Lao She’s 1929 novel Mr Ma and Son.
The Academy

Provence reading retreat

Read inside or outside | © The Literature Edit

Hosted by writer Lucy Pearson, this intimate retreat takes place at the 16^th century Château St Victor la Coste in Provence. Over three days, guests read and discuss a curated book list including The Scapegoat by Daphne du Maurier, alongside long rosé lunches and a visit to a local brocante market.
Provence reading retreat

Alpine reading retreat

The Ladies Who Lit book club have picked out a number of gorgeous spots for the coming year, including a luxury women’s reading retreat hosted at The Capra in the car-free Alpine village of Saas-Fee. The restful retreat combines slow mornings, spectacular mountain views and, naturally, quiet reading time with spa access, curated dining, book discussions and an ‘escape-room’ dinner party. Guests can also enjoy a professionally guided glacier hike and wellness-focused alpine experiences. And you get a goodie bag, too.
Ladies Who Lit Alpine reading retreat at The Capra

Norfolk seaside literary retreat

The Chancery in Wellls-next-the-Sea | © Iceni Imagery

Looking further ahead to January 2027, this reading retreat takes place in a refurbished Victorian shop-house in Wells-next-the-Sea, a seaside town on the Norfolk coast. The spacious home blends bags of historic charm with contemporary design and the family’s art collection, offering a relaxed setting for reading, conversation and guest author-led events, to be announced in due course. Norfolk seaside literary retreat

Find out more about World Book Night.