Someone who comes to a retreat is not only looking for a room or a programme; they want to step away from the pace of daily life for a while, to rest and to return to themselves. That expectation is tied directly to a place’s rhythm, its quiet and the way its shared spaces are used. In Between reads retreats, resorts and rest-focused hospitality through this expectation.
Rhythm, quiet and predictability
For guests who arrive expecting rest and comfort, the daily rhythm of the place, the use of shared areas and the relationship between rooms and those areas are decisive. When these relationships are not defined, the experience becomes time-dependent and unpredictable: the same room can be calm and restful one day and tiring from early morning the next. In Between assesses whether sound architectural decisions are supported by operation, use policies and experience management.
Retreat projects at design stage
Expectations the owner expresses intuitively or verbally are turned into a framework the architectural team can use: the guest’s arrival, the flow of the day, spaces for being together and for being alone, practice and activity spaces, food and beverage, and the moment of departure. This narrative feeds plan decisions, circulation, pauses and thresholds. Report framework: R1 — Design Stage.
Operating retreats and resorts
The place is experienced on site for a period of time; guests’ daily rhythm, behaviour at different hours and real patterns of use are observed directly. Where people spend longer, where congestion or disconnection occurs, and which spaces have potential but remain unused are identified. The assessment considers not only the physical space but bodily comfort, sensory perception and emotional effect. Report framework: R2 — Operational Spaces.
What we assess
Arrival and welcome · room and shared-space relationship and acoustics · daily rhythm and space-use policies · target guest profile · light, material, texture and scent · relationship with nature, pools and open spaces · dining and social areas · visibility of spa, activities and experiences · safety and compliance · site-specific art and narrative. For a comparable resort hotel assessment, see the Gili Trawangan sample report.
Frequently asked questions
Is retreat consultancy different from hotel consultancy?
The method is the same; the focus differs. In retreats, rest, quiet, the rhythm of the day and the balance between being together and being alone sit at the centre of the experience.
Is In Between an architecture office?
No. It does not take on architectural design or construction documents; it is an independent experience eye and decision-support partner on the owner’s side.
How long does the process take?
It depends on the scale and intensity of use. Rather than producing quick decisions, In Between works through time, observation and repeated experience to truly understand a place; the scope is clarified in the first meeting.
Do you work on projects abroad?
Yes. In Between is based in Istanbul and works project by project in Turkey and abroad; the published sample reports come from projects in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Other services: Hotels and boutique hotels · Restaurants and cafés · A Hotel’s Story