Menla is a beautiful secluded retreat center located in the heart of thousands of acres of the Catskill Park protected state wilderness area. Being immersed in this natural environment is part of what makes the property special, but it also means that wildlife and the effects of nature are part of the experience.
Animals and insects are native to the area and may occasionally be encountered around the property or, on rare occasions, inside accommodations. Although Menla does its best to mitigate their impact and can assist if needed, it is important to remember that we are sharing space with these creatures in their natural native habitat. If you do find an animal indoors, please touch base with Menla’s front desk team for assistance. Their team will try our best to remove these critters from your space.
No refunds will be issued by us or Menla for minor cases of animal activity.
Another normal aspect of being in a rural area is the occasional power outage. During major storms or other inclement weather, Menla may lose power temporarily due to fallen trees and snapped power lines. When this happens their local power company NYSEG works tirelessly to get us back up and running. This usually takes a couple of hours but may take longer, and in very rare catastrophic circumstances (e.g. Hurricane Irene) possibly one or more days. During these occurrences, please expect to have minimal lighting, internet, no AC or running water in some spaces. They do have generators at our three main buildings the Lhasa Inn, Dewa Spa and the Nalanda Conference Center so that your meals and programs can continue. Wifi is available at the Lhasa Inn so that calls and emails can be made and sent. Menla asks for your patience during these times while their team tries their best to keep you updated on power restoration and assist if needed with working restrooms/showers. They feel that, while inconvenient, such acts of nature actually provide a rare opportunity to fully tap into introspection and feelings of gratitude for things we take for granted in modern life and to shift your retreat experience into one that is technologically free.
No refunds will be issued by us or Menla for power outages as these are acts of god and out of our control.
By registering to a retreat with Av Neryah at Menla, you acknowledge and accept these conditions as part of staying at Menla.