From Page to Place: How We Planned the Ultimate Book Retreat for Book Reccos Podcast

Some events are just made for us. When the team behind Book Reccos Podcast came to us wanting to turn their community of book lovers into a real-world retreat experience, we knew exactly what to do and where to go!

Here's how we pulled it off...

The Brief!

Book Reccos had built a loyal, passionate audience around one shared love: great books. They wanted to reward their community with something more than a meet-and-greet -- a fully immersive, multi-day retreat that felt curated, relaxed, and genuinely unforgettable.

The goals were simple:

• Bring 25 guests together in a setting that felt made for book lovers

• Create space for genuine connection and relaxation

• Deliver a programme that balanced downtime with memorable shared experiences

• Make every guest feel looked after from arrival to departure

The Venue: Howgills House, Sedbergh

For a book-themed retreat, the venue had to do more than just look beautiful - it had to mean something. We recommended Howgills in Sedbergh, and the client fell in love immediately.

Sedbergh is famously home to one of England's finest concentrations of independent bookshops, including the beloved Westwood Books and several other literary gems dotted through the town. For a group of book lovers, simply being there was part of the experience. Guests could wander into town between sessions and browse shelves at their own pace - no agenda, no itinerary, just the kind of slow, quiet joy that book people live for.

Howgills House itself provided a stunning, peaceful backdrop with enough space for 25 guests to settle in comfortably across two nights.

The Itinerary

We designed a two-night itinerary that balanced structured highlights with genuine breathing room.

• Pre-sent book for discussion - guests received their chosen title ahead of arrival, so day one conversations hit the ground running

• Relaxing yoga sessions - a gentle way to start mornings and ease into the retreat pace

• Private chef for all meals - no one lifting a finger; every meal was freshly prepared and served on-site, giving the whole experience a boutique hotel feel!

• Murder at the Mansion - our award-winning 1920s Agatha Christie-style murder mystery evening - the standout night of the retreat; guests threw themselves into character and it became the most talked-about moment of the weekend

• Curated goodie bags - guests left with a thoughtful takeaway that extended the experience beyond the weekend
  

The Result

The retreat was a huge success. Guests arrived as followers of a podcast and left as friends. The combination of a literary setting, an unhurried pace, wonderful food, and the electric energy of the murder mystery evening meant that every element landed exactly as intended.

The Book Reccos team told us it exceeded every expectation, and their audience response said the rest!

Are You Planning a Book Retreat or Hobby Retreat?

This is exactly the kind of event we love at My Event Concierge. Whether you're building a retreat around books, crafts, wellness, film, food, or any other shared passion, we have the experience, venue connections, and creativity to make it happen.

We handle everything - chef coordination, activity programming, goodie bag curation, murder mysteries and all entertainment - so you can focus on your community whilst we take care of the details.

Start planning your retreat with us today.