Heartful Retreats - Bed & breakfast in Anacortes - 8480 Thompson Beach Rd, USA

Yvette’s Heartful Retreats is an 11/10 experience. Beautiful home & grounds, cozy rooms and the most delicious breakfasts made with food from her gardens. I cannot more highly recommend Yvette’s home as the BEST place to stay when visiting the islands.

Cannot say enough good things about this gem of a place!! First it is gorgeous!! The decor was so eye catching and appealing. There were numerous areas both in and outside to sit and relax and the FLOWERS!! Stunning! Derek and especially Yvette were so warm and welcoming, friendly and enthusiastic about this work you can just tell it is not a job but a passion. They have private rooms with shared bathroom and kitchen areas as well as all the indoor areas. All kinds of coffees, teas, syrups and snacks were available, including plant based options if requested. Derek also offered us a glass of wine at check in. I absolutely loved getting to know our hosts and never felt awkward or uncomfortable talking with them like you can with some strangers: felt like I’d known them for a long time. I asked for vegan fare and Yvette made me the best tofu scramble I’ve ever had!! Everything was provided and comfortable. My only complaint was the length of my stay!! Sadly only able to spend 1 night but honestly would return to book a longer trip just to stay here, it was THAT amazing! Definitely recommend!!

I attended the three-day abstract painting course and I had a wonderful time! Yvette is a fabulous teacher and I learned so much about different acrylic mediums and techniques. Her studio is absolutely beautiful and she and her husband Derek are gracious hosts. They provided lunches, drinks, snacks and appetizers each day. The property is peaceful and secluded. I highly recommend the 3-day abstract painting course and I'm looking forward to taking another course from Yvette again.

What an inspirational 3 day workshop I just returned from! Yvette gives you the knowledge/tools to create your own art. She shared useful information on paints, mediums, and the ten basic design armatures that was and is very helpful to me as a beginner. I can now understand better how and when to use mediums with acrylic to create that dreamy depth I see in professional paintings. She shows a nice balance of advising vs. letting you make your own missteps. It is very empowering to come back to your painting, say after one of their delicious lunches, and say "Hey, this part doesn't work here, I need to fix it. What was I thinking!" The empowering part is that I could see myself it needed to change. The large converted barn that houses her gallery and workshop is gorgeous! Yvette is just a lovely person and Derek is no slouch either ;-) Thanks to you both for a wonderful weekend of color, fun, and friendship. Sign me up! Mary S.

I attended a three day workshop last month that was an incredible and 'out-of-my-regular life' experience learning about structure and color in creating abstract art, (and of course doing). The studio space and surrounding courtyard areas that Yvette and Derek have created contribute mightily to the experience. Yvette is a superb teacher, very supportive and knowledgeable, and she and Derek are terrific hosts. This is the 2nd year that I have attended a workshop and I love Bellingham.

Since the moment you walk into the house a warm and calming energy fills you. Every wall and space is beautifully decorated with paintings, three-dimentional art, books, instruments, plants and other peculiar objects. The gardens themselves are a work of art, there is not boubt that caring hands take care of this outdoor space. Zen decorative pieces accent the landscape. The calming waters of the bay are a perfect backdrop to this exquisite house. We stayed in the first floor suite, it was spacious and accommodated three adults very comfortably. The complementary coffe, tea and treats were a nice touch. The common spaces were open for guest to enjoy. Breakfast was homemade, healthy, delicious and beautifully served. Derek and Yvette were warm and welcoming and we enjoyed chatting with them during our stay. They made you feel like you were visiting the home of old friends. The fire pit in front of the breathtaking view and charcuterie board are a must! It was a very relaxing, incredible stay in outstanding place!

What an amazing time we had with Yvette and Derek and the class that Yvette taught! The setting and studio were gorgeous,Yvette is amazingly talented both as a painter and instructor, the food and snacks were fabulous, and the company we kept was lovely. The class is designed so that ANY level of painter can enjoy it and leave with a piece of completed art--- it was so fun to see this realized over the course of a few days (and boy, did it fly by!). Going into it I was a bit freaked out by the daunting task of creating an abstract painting on my own --- but by the end of the third day I left with a piece I was very proud of and was amazed at how it came together with Yvette's expert guidance. I left with new skills and new friends and the desire to return annually for the experience. What a wonderful discovery it was to find Creative Life Adventures and the good thing they have going!

I could not have asked for a more fabulous vacation than what I received from Yvette Neumann and her "team" last week during my 3-day Painting Retreat. Her beautiful and inspiring environment was perfect, and the instruction and support was exactly what I needed to progress along my path toward painting more professionally. (It is a very long path!) Yvette's service was optimal too including door-to-door pick-ups, fabulous lunches, excellent wines, and some much needed pet therapy from Logan and Amy. Thank you!