Guest Reviews, Fall 2023
The Provence retreat was everything I was hoping it would be, and more! The whole experience was thoughtfully curated and well balanced, from multi-course meals with private chefs to Pilates classes and an immersive sound bath. As someone who often plans every detail of my own travel, I felt pampered to have such a bespoke experience curated for me. Salem has a true gift for bringing people together and facilitating memorable experiences with ease and grace. It was a delight to genuinely connect with the other women who attended, and I know we will all remember our time in Provence together fondly.
Rosie L. Seattle, WA
I truly think Salem could not have done a more wonderful job with every detail of the retreat week. It’s like she was born to do this. From the gorgeous villa (oh the villa!) to the places we visited, places we ate, chefs we had, right down to the playlist, it was all so beautifully and thoughtfully planned. This was my first time traveling alone in Europe, for fun, which was outside of my comfort zone, but Salem made it so comfortable for everyone. It was fun to see the magic in everyone’s eyes seeing her vision, especially when she had author and photographer, Jamie Beck, come meet us, sign our books, and share such a special experience with all of us. This retreat was worth every penny, and I am seriously considering doing again next year (no joke!).
The entire experience was also very healing for me, from setting an intention at the beginning of the week to hearing everyone’s stories, sharing similar experiences, and being around such a supportive group. Thank you for that, and thank you for following your dreams and bringing us into your beautiful world in Provence. I can see why you love it so much. I am forever going to cherish the memories we made on this magical trip. It was truly the trip of a lifetime, and I can’t thank you enough for everything.
Yasmine W. Los Angeles, CA
I am not exaggerating when I say that Salem’s Provence retreat really could be one of my favorite trips ever. I think that when we travel, we typically try to make sure everyone we're traveling with is appeased; but this retreat was very much for oneself. We all deserve a trip that is catered to us; a trip for women who want to be treated from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to sleep. Salem has excellent taste and researched the most luxurious experiences for us, put together in a way that felt both relaxing and adventurous.
This trip to me meant taking a chance on doing something that would be easy to put off until later; "Once my kids are older,” "Once I have more free time,” "Once my mom turns X age.” I like to think now's the time; who knows if I'll be in a position to do it later and why wait until something happens in order to do something this special? Carpe Diem.
This trip also helped me remember that I need to slow down time. I need to be present. I need to stop and smell the roses. I will never be this same age again; I will not always have my mother to travel with; etc. Life in Provence seems to take its time. Reading Jamie Beck’s book, An American in Provence, which Salem gifted to each of us, reminded me of that as well. We might not make the move to France like Jamie did, but taking some notes from life in a calm place like Provence and taking that home with us means learning not to rush from thing A to thing B. Life will always be full of appointments and places to get to, but this week showed me that it’s a good thing to let time slow down a bit more.
Another thing I took away from the trip was how much us women need to meet other women and just spend some girl time together. Sometimes we just need to talk beauty, boys, fashion, etc. It feels good for the soul to do so, and where better to do it than in gorgeous Provence. I loved learning more from each one of the women, and I came back home feeling warm feelings for all of them. Each one had her own unique background, looking for an adventure abroad. I would travel with any of them in a heartbeat again, and I really hope we do.
I loved that the itinerary is exploring a focused region. We got to really explore the culture of Provence, especially the Luberon region within it, instead of attempting to visit multiple countries or big cities in one trip.
My mom and I still think about those first moments upon waking up, knowing we had a full day ahead of exploring, opening our room windows to the most gorgeous villa and having a delicious breakfast spread waiting for us downstairs. I look back on the trip and smile. I miss it; I'm glad it happened. I cannot wait for our next adventure.
Alma C. McAllen, TX
I absolutely loved every minute of our Provence retreat. I didn’t know what to expect when I decided to go on this trip. In the beginning, I was just excited to be traveling with my oldest daughter and to explore more of France. What an amazing surprise when we arrived and saw the villa for the first time. It was incredible!! Every space was so beautiful. As the weekly activities started, I just couldn’t believe how every day was better than the one before. Salem really exceeded my expectations. Every detail that went into creating this trip with things that women truly enjoy made all the difference; the markets, the wine tours, the Pilates classes, the delicious meals and visiting the most beautiful Provençal towns made this one of my most enjoyable trips. And experiencing all of this with women I had just met and quickly became our friends was also wonderful. Looking forward to Gallivant and Gather’s next retreats!
Esther C. McAllen, TX
