Ananda Center at Laurelwood

Still one of my favorite spiritual centers in the USA.

Ananda Center at Laurelwood is for sale and no longer running as a retreat center. Because I used to live and work there, I helped taking care of it for selling. All of us connected with it hope that someone will buy this place and see the amazing possibilities for it as we did! Gorgeous country side,, but a short distance to larger towns,, productive orchards, gardens, beautiful views, so many rooms, so many buildings! It even has a functional automechnic shop with a lift.

My family and I had a lovely, rejuvenating stay at Daiva and Gangamata's home in the fully separated 2 bedroom downstairs living space, where we resided for several months while waiting to move into a new house. Offering a respite from hectic city life, it was the perfect landing spot for a longer-term stay.

The quarters are clean and comfortable, and appear to have been newly renovated. The kitchen is stocked with everything we needed - a dual burner, toaster oven, cookware, utensils, dishes, and a full-sized fridge and freezer. The washer and dryer were also super practical! There is also a ton of storage in the space, which was quite helpful as we happened to have plenty of loot with us; this made keeping the place tidy a cinch.

We all, our six-year old son included, relished the gorgeous surroundings - hundreds of acres of hills, trees, flowers, and friendly critters. We greeted deer (parents plus bambis!) passing in front of the front door nearly every day, and took many long walks in the quiet rolling hills, breathing fresh, fragrant air. The people who live in this community are caring and friendly, and the community kitchen serves up tasty treats made with love, which gave us all a much-needed break from kitchen duties.

Daiva and Gangamata are incredibly accommodating and conscientious. They responded promptly to questions and requests. Not only that, but they made a formidable effort to understand not only our specific needs, many of which were health-related, but also how they could help us fulfill them. We will miss them both, but will surely be back to visit soon!

We fully recommend Daiva and Gangamata's home for your next stay without reservation or qualification. Come experience the tranquility of this pace! You'll remember it always.

I came to Ananda for a conference for work--Ananda was chosen as the conference/retreat space, and I'm glad it was! It's a bit of a hike out of Portland, but it really feels like a retreat! It's run by a religious group that follow a yogi, and is vegetarian/vegan. They offer 3 buffet-style meals a day in their little cafe, and the food is amazing. I am NOT a vegetarian or a vegan, so you can take that for what it's worth. :) Everybody was very nice, and very accommodating of our business needs. The beds are very comfortable (though a bit noisy). The location is gorgeous, and they're working on improving the buildings--it had been a boarding school, but was essentially empty for the last 20 years. They've been renovating and beautifying for the last 2 years, and, while it's still a bit crumbly in spots, they're doing a great job.

So...if you want an impeccable, luxorious space...Ananda might not be for you. If you want to stay in a peaceful place, with yoga in the morning, healthy eating (they try to grow a lot of their own food!), and spaces for reflection (they have walks and hikes planned out, and orchards to walk through!), then it might be! I know that I'm scheming on getting my group of girlfriends to head out for a peaceful weekend ($85/night, double occupancy, meals and yoga included!)