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Tim and Angie Marrakech July 2023

My wife and i have just comeback from a week’s pilates retreat at Fawakay villas and I want to recommend this to others. Dawn and Francis were amazing hosts and could not do enough for us. Our apartment was beautifully furnished and was huge. The food was fantastic and freshly prepared by lovely staff and we loved their animals who were so laid back. Ros the pilates teacher was amazing and was able to deal with all our various abilities as we were all the same as a true professional should do. We combined pilates with meditation and being the place we were was perfect. I cannot recommend this type of retreat enough so if you want to spend some of your time in a truly beautiful space relaxing and with an amazing pilates teacher please go to their next retreat"

Vicki Boudali. Marrakech July 2023

I recently attended one of Ros' retreats in Marrakesh. I was a complete beginner to the Pilates world and Ros has not only taught me how to integrate Pilates into my daily life but she has managed to heal a serious issue I had with my hip flexors which was very debilitating. One week of working with Ros has changed my perspective and daily routine so I now have a much bigger range of movement. She also used her knowledge of meditation and well being to work with the individual needs. Her sound therapy was one of the best experiences of my life and highly recommended for anyone ( just wow ! ) I would highly recommend Ros as a teacher and one of her many retreats different countries. This was just the reset button I needed as a busy mum in the fast pace of life. Thank you Ros x

Laura Lucas. Citizen's Advice Bureau Manager Marrakech July 2023

After booking very last minute I hadn’t had much time to look into all the details of where we were going so had slight apprehension upon arrival however our driver was there to meet us and take us to the accommodation, only stopping briefly on route to get us ice cold water. When we arrived at Fawakay villas we were greeted by our host Francis and shown our beautiful spacious 2 bedroomed villa with a plunge pool outside. All the grounds, plants and animals were extremely well kept. After dropping the luggage into the room we went to the bar where we met our other host, the lovely Dawn and our Pilates teacher Rosalind. We were made so welcome and comfortable straight away. As a newbie to Pilates I was assured it would be at each individuals pace and that was exactly what happened. Rosalind was so calm and attentive and created such a nice atmosphere, and the Fawakay villas Pilates studio was amazing and so idyllic. I looked forward to every session and now I’m hooked. We did a morning and evening class each day. In between we met the other guests for meals which were locally sourced, varied, healthy and beautifully presented as well as plentiful. We swam in the pool a lot to cool off and arranged trips and games amongst ourselves. I would recommend the retreat to anyone and I’d go back tomorrow if my work would give me the time off…

Sarah Jane Petherick. Estate Agent

I have just returned from a superb Pilates retreat at Fawakay Villas. It is a fantastic place to stay. Dawn and Francis have created an oasis which is stylish and extremely comfortable. They are wonderful hosts. The food was absolutely delicious. Ros Hoyes has an amazing talent in teaching Pilates to all abilities making it inclusive and fun for everyone whether beginner or advanced. I can’t wait to return!

Alice Petersen. Author July 2023

A heavenly villa, healthy and delicious food, meeting new people and so much fun. Rosalind showed me Pilates is for everyone, no matter your experience or ability. By the end of the week I felt so revived and wished I could press rewind and have the whole holiday all over again. Thank you Rosalind, Dawn and Francis for such wonderful hospitality and for making the week so memorable. Five stars ⭐️ in every way.

Jean Evans Winter Retreat Participan January 2019

I have had a very stressful time just recently and as soon as I arrived on the weekend I found myself so absorbed in the moment that I forgot about my other worries and for the whole weekend I found myself completely in the moment of whatever I was doing. I found the weekend uplifting and enlightening – which I believe was down to our leader Rosalind Hoyes and the incredible balance of personalities in our group. I would recommend to anyone contemplating a weekend of Pilates and Mindfulness to go for it and I am sure you will reap the benefits just like I did.

Penny Whitbread January 2019

Just been on a Ros Hoyes Pilates & Mindfulness weekend - what a lovely empathetic teacher Ros is - she guided us carefully through some wonderful stretches and sequences and introduced mindfulness in a gentle way that made what is a difficult skill to develop seem simple . We will all take away a desire to develop further the knowledge we acquired. The venue was excellent - hotel staff were very attentive , meals delicious and rooms comfortable and what a beautiful building ! Thank you Ros I’ll be back for more.

Gilly Beddows Child Psychotherapist
Retreat Guest January 2022

I have felt so much more relaxed and energised since returning from the weekend and it has made a really positive difference to my work too. I have been able to put some distance between my own feelings and those of the very distressed young people that I see and that has been really helpful to the therapeutic process.  I seem to be carrying around less stress in my body too. 

It was also good to meet other like-minded people, I would have beenvery happy to have carried on for another couple of days, to be honest!

Chui-Ling Blake BACP Accredited Counsellor
Retreat Guest January 2022

I've attended several Pilates and Mindfulness Retreats and always
thoroughly enjoy the weekends. Ros is incredibly welcoming and
extremely knowledgeable with the ability to put everyone at ease. The
Pilates is gentle enough for beginners and there are options to make it
dynamic for those with previous Pilates experience. The Mindfulness is a
treat for the busy and stressed mind. I find these weekends extremely
valuable self-care time and it's a pleasure to meet like-minded attendees too.

Lizzie Fordham and Nick Green. January 2018

“My partner and I came to the Pilates and Mindfulness retreat for some much needed rest and relaxation as we have a young daughter who doesn’t sleep very well and it sounded like it would be just what we needed. It was much much more. We came away from the weekend feeling recentred, positive and rested. Ros was so knowledgeable and made us all feel at ease. I would recommend the weekend to any one. Thank you"

Judith Wardle Qualitative Research professional

‘It was an enjoyable and memorable weekend. Thank you, Ros, for being the perfect host and guide. As a newcomer to both mindfulness and Pilates, I feel I have some precious techniques under my belt and made some new friends, too.’

Charlie Wardle Music Producer

Never having been on a retreat and after being press-ganged along as a replacement, I was anxious to say the least! Ros put me at my ease and after only a few minutes I was relaxed and enjoying the sessions. The course really worked for me and I’ll be back next year for more.

Kathryn Bistany Sports Nutritionist February 2018

‘Having had a number of back and shoulder problems - due to excessive sports and an unhelpful 'no pain, no gain' mentality - and having both worked with and been treated by a number of physiotherapists, osteopaths and movement specialists, I knew how helpful Pilates could be, if taught correctly, both for strengthening and mobility as well as correcting muscle imbalances. I am totally overjoyed and thankful to have found Ros as she is an extremely knowledgeable and professional instructor who gets positive results very quickly. Even on days when my back has felt painful and tight, by the end of a one-to-one session with her I am pain-free and have full mobility. I have no hesitation in recommending Ros and I look forward to my next session with her!’

Eun Yeong Choe PhD Researcher

Department of Landscape

University of Sheffield

‘I have recently completed piece of academic research; ‘Investigating the relationship between mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) and the setting in which it is carried out’. I have had the pleasure of working with Rosalind, during my research period as a mindfulness teacher.

Rosalind’s expertise and enthusiasm for mindfulness has been very influential in conducting my research and ensuring that the project keeps running smoothly. The project with her co-operation had a great results and earned positive feedback by the participants for her support. With such participants mentioning inspiration from the sessions to continue to use mindfulness to overcome stress daily lives.

I would not hesitate to recommend Rosalind Hoyes for any future mindfulness sessions.’

Kay Hutchison Founder of Belle Media January 2018

Ros has a gentle personal style and a deep knowledge from years of experience. Her Mindfulness and Pilates combo works a treat on your mental and physical wellbeing so that you leave her retreats refreshed and ready - for anything. ‘

Katherine Wackerbarth January 2018

 

‘I totally recommend the Pilates & Mindfulness Retreat. Ros is an excellent teacher who makes everyone feel at ease and really helps all her students. My body and mind felt sooooo much better after the weekend.’

Pippy-de-Winton January 2018

'Rosalind, was an excellent pilates teacher, after my holiday my core strength had improved plus my lower back issues had disappeared.  I found Rosalind very patient with a lovely sense of humour.’

Lynne Owen. Retreat guest January 2018

 

The two day retreat was a brilliant experience and opened my eyes to a different approach to my everyday life. Practising mindfulness skills has helped me develop a greater sense of calmness in my everyday life and I have a more focussed approach to my Pilates classes which I love . 

Cathryn Watts November 2017

Very much enjoyed the course - informal, relaxed and informative. Highly recommended.

 

Anita Allen. March 2017

 

‘Ros opened my mind to ‘mindfulness’ – a great start to understanding the techniques and the realisation that this is not a quick fix, more something to keep working on throughout one’s life  - I highly recommend new comers to this relaxed, knowledgeable teacher.’

Jackie Gaff. Designer March 2017

‘Rosalind’s kind and calm personality, and her knowledge and understanding of the subject, provided a safe and calm atmosphere in which to explore mindfulness.’

 

Mindfulness Experiment Student Feedback Sheffield University 2018

 

  • It has been a very interesting experience and has made me more aware of I feel in situations so that, so that I can think before I react or understand how I can change the way I feel or react.
  • I felt very comfortable environment, it was soothing and relaxing. It was extremely helpful when I was very distressed.
  • I really enjoy the experiment; I look forward to implementing/incorporating mindfulness into my lifestyle. As I found that it is such a great stress relief method/practice.
  • I really like the sounds of the birds and nature; they took me to another place.
  • Thank you for experience,
  • I would like to get involved with some tasks and reflect on them (as further studies).
  • do more of it
  • Very interesting and erven intellectually stimulating, fits well with my degree (psychology) and personal life, sufficient time for every topic.
  • It was a very enjoyable experiment and I strongly believed that it helped me very much in fighting stress.

Debbie King. Tissington February 2018

Rosalind has been giving me regular private Pilates lessons in my home for many years now and I always look forward to our sessions. The change in my body in terms of strength and suppleness has been nothing short of a miracle. Her knowledge and professionalism is second to none and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to anyone.

 

Diane Parrilla. Pilates Teacher January 2018 Pilates Twickenham

 

‘I absolutely loved Ros’s Pilates and Mindfulness Retreat. As a Pilates teacher myself, it was pure joy to just switch off and enjoy being a class participant along with meeting new people and finding space and calm through the expertly guided Mindfulness sessions. I came away feeling restored.
Thank you Ros. I’ll be back’

Jane Walker. Psychotherapist. June 2018

 

Just returned from a wonderful Pilates holiday in Tuscany, Rosalind was a brilliant host and Pilates teacher, adjusting the Pilates to suit the individuals in the group.  I would recommend to anyone who enjoys Pilates and wants to be well looked after that Rosalind is the perfect choice....thanks and looking forward to meeting again .....

Feedback from Marlborough Summer School Participants July 2017

 

Brilliant teacher- kind and patient, but challenges you- would repeat next year 4 (Excellent)

Very impressed by this new Pilates course and the tutor was excellent 4 (Excellent)

I never knew that Pilates could be such fun. It definitely be on my short list of courses next year. 4 (Excellent)