Best Retreat Center Lowell Near Me

Shaunesse Jacobs: Rolling Ridge was amazing. Very serene location and friendly staff. The accommodations were cozy and the surrounding property was very well kept. Great location for a writing retreat. Special thanks to Jenna!

Ernie Pye: Last year at this time my best friend and I were looking for a place that would give us a sense of peace and serenity and Rolling Ridge gave us that and so much more. The staff was delightful, the massages we had were exquisite and the accommodations were great. We loved walking the labyrinth down by the lake and taking in all the beauty in the surrounding area. Great restaurants in the area as well as great ice cream!!!! ;-)

Linda Wellness Warrior: Food options were good for the soul. Conference rooms and sleeping accommodations were cozy.

Alexandra Paul: We had our wedding here this past weekend (Oct 2021). We had 30 people and was everything we could have asked for. The micro wedding package fit our needs perfectly. The ceremony space is gorgeous, with so many beautiful spots for pictures. Dinner under the tent was delicious, Mary Helan the chef-owner made an incredible meal, much of it sourced from her garden and orchard. We loved Friendly Crossways especially for the retreat center which enabled us to host all of our guests who chose to spend the night with us, we moved to the fire pit after our reception and got to put off clean up until the morning. We got to be present with our guests and we had an absolutely perfect night. I can’t thank Mary Helan and her team enough. They were very responsive via email and answered all my questions, making suggestions and offering insight that helped us plan our day. I would recommend Friendly Crossways to anyone, planning big or small.

David Dimino: I had the privilege of being a guest at a wedding held here. The day of I went for a run along the gently sloping roads leading up to the hostel. I ate breakfast in the sun on the porch. I slept in a cozy dormitory-style room with my close friends. Played volleyball, spike ball and frisbee during the in-between times. Keith told me they were a little rusty at entertaining because of the pandemic as he dug out a few frisbees for us. I never got that impression. The staff always found a way to help you in the nicest way possible. By far the most relaxing wedding I have ever gone to.

Adrienne DiMarco: My fiance and I planned to get married in Italy but had to cancel our plans due to COVID. We decided to keep our original wedding date and reached out to Friendly Crossways as a backup plan. It turned out to be the best decision ever! Our wedding was absolutely perfect. We don't even want to think of it as a plan b because it was everything we could have dreamed of. Mary Helen was amazing at helping us find a way to get married safely without sacrificing the experience. We were able to have a wonderful weekend with our immediate family filled with love, joy, and the most delicious food we've every tasted. Mary Helen, Keith, and the entire staff was amazing and made us feel so comfortable, safe, and right at home. They are so talented and welcoming - by the end of the weekend they felt like family. Mary Helen is so fun to work with, it is like talking with an old friend. She is also an amazing cook and was able to accommodate vegetarian, gluten free, and meat loving family members without compromising flavor or variety. We could not have asked for a better experience, especially given the circumstances. We absolutely recommend Friendly Crossways and can't say enough good things about them!

Alex Olkovsky: We booked Friendly Crossways as our wedding venue last year - we were so excited to have the beautiful grounds and entire farmhouse available to us and our guests for the entire weekend, and Mary Helan and Keith just gave us a great vibe - equal parts professional and personal!We are even happier now with our choice. When COVID began, the team at FC outlined several options for us. We chose to move ahead with our original date and dramatically downsize our guest list. Even though the wedding was definitely different from the one we had started to plan before the virus, we still had an amazing and safe wedding weekend. The team at Friendly Crossways was communicative, helpful, and so kind as we wrestled with so many unknowns during the planning process. I can't imagine going through the stress of planning a wedding during COVID without Mary Helan's guidance and kindness. And we still had a magical wedding weekend with amazing food and the cozy, family-oriented vibe we wanted.

Emily Egan: Thank you for a wonderful stay! Our women's retreat greatly appreciated the delicious food, warm hospitality, and beautiful environment of Friendly Crossways.Rooms: 5/5|Service: 5/5|Location: 5/5 …More

Adam DeVito: Friendly crossways offered the perfect backdrop to celebrate our wedding weekend. When you find yourself on the grounds you are immediately surrounded by flowers, bushes, and trees of all varieties. The vegetable garden, rows of corn, and fire pit add a country feel that you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. The building itself is the quaint little inn that rustic dreams are made of. The space itself is impeccably clean and cozy. Not only that, but there is a feeling that you have arrived home when you first walk inside the door. It has such a wonderful vibe and all our guests immediately felt welcome and at ease. This was huge for us because we wanted our weekend to feel casual and inviting so people could truly unwind and reconnect with one another.The staff at Friendly Crossways was also always handy if you needed anything at all. They were present without interrupting quality family time or feeling overbearing. It was the perfect balance of convenience and comfort for everyone.The ability to enjoy the grounds for such an extended time also allowed us to fully enjoy our weekend without feeling rushed or scattered. We spent quality time with all of our friends and family from Friday evening until Sunday morning. We used the extra time to reflect and relax by the fire as we listened to the sounds of nature and gazed at the stars in the sky. It really is a magical place in the stillness of the night. You feel extremely far removed from the city, despite the fact that it's only about 45 minutes to Boston.Beyond all of that, our celebration could not have been more seamless. We did not actually have our ceremony that weekend. Instead, we entrusted FC with our reception, which included all our friends and extended family. Seamless really is the perfect word to describe the entire weekend. From getting the tent set up on Friday to handling the caterer, bar services, and general flow of people coming to and from the parking lot, FC did it all with ease. They are true professionals and you can tell that they have done this many, many times before. You will be in excellent hands with Mary Helen, Keith and the crew at FC. Whatever you need done, the team at FC will be able to deliver what you need and then some. Save yourself the headache and get out there to meet the team and see the beautiful grounds. You may even get the chance to try some of Mary Helen’s famous pie!!

Brendan and Steph: Because all of our friends and family were traveling for our wedding, we wanted a welcoming, joy-filled space that would allow them to stay for the whole weekend. Friendly Crossways gave us this and so much more.Our group landed on Friday and didn't leave until Sunday. So many of our favorite memories happened outside of "official wedding" times - s'mores by the campfire, ping pong in the basement, board games until 3am, friends from different groups lounging on the front porch over breakfast. Friendly Crossways had the perfect amount of room, giving everyone plenty of room to explore while being feeling cozy. The outdoor space in particular was absolutely gorgeous, and perfect for everything from photos to frisbees.As for the wedding itself, Mary Helan and Keith are incredible planners. They were super supportive, and amazingly fast on email. Whenever we came to them with "unique" ideas, their first thoughts were always "well how can we make this happen here?" They are super familiar with the flow of events and spaces, and have great advice for how to make things fit. They independently checked in with all the vendors the week before the wedding and made sure everything was thought of along the way.Our wedding felt like a big operation to us - a Tea Ceremony and pre-wedding dinner with 70 people; friends cooking breakfast for 45 people; an outdoor wedding with 95 people. Most of the beds were full for the whole weekend. But the staff at FC made it look like a breeze, and made it feel like a breeze to us. We cannot thank or recommend them enough. Big or small, busy or relaxed, formal or chill - this team can make anything happen.Oh, and the food was incredible.One of our out-of-town friends loved the wedding so much, he booked FC as a hostel for the whole rest of the week. Another one of our friends raved about his first "sleepaway camp" wedding, and proposed having one here every year. If those aren't recommendations, we don't know what are.

Sam Musher: We wanted a place to relax with our loved ones for a whole weekend, not just one evening, and Friendly Crossways was perfect for that. It was amazing to wake up the morning of our wedding already surrounded by our friends, making us breakfast! The food was delicious, the house and grounds are beautiful, and the Friendly Crossways team is warm and caring. Some advice if you have a summer wedding (ours was early July): some of the upstairs sleeping space can get very hot, and be careful about the bonfire -- the biting bugs are NOT playing around over there.

Peju Okungbowa: I spent 7 nights at The Friendly Crossways while attending the Walden Woods Project Institute and I had a peaceful experience. The rooms are clean, great staff, excellent WiFi connection, large and organized kitchen, natural environment and very secure. I will certainly be back! 🙂Thank you, Friendly Crossways Retreat Center.🙏🙏🙏

Graham Gardner: We had an amazing wedding weekend at Friendly Crossways. The setting is absolutely stunning. The forest, fields, and spacious grounds are beautiful. The inn is unique, charming, and elegant. We can’t stress enough how meaningful and special it was to have so much time and space to host our family and close friends at the inn. Our actual wedding was spectacular but we were most pleasantly surprised by the quieter moments of playing cards late in the evening, toasting marshmallows, and just talking and building new relationships across our families. You can get married just about anywhere but at Friendly Crossways you’re given the chance to live out your values of putting relationships first. Beyond just the format of having this wonderful space for the whole weekend, the service, attention, and care that Mary Helan, Keith, and their staff put into their weddings is professional and personal. They are authentic, helpful, laidback while still attentive, and creative. Mary Helan’s pies and the food from their catering company was the best food I’ve ever had from a wedding caterer and the process of deciding on everything was seamless. Their recommended tent and rental company is also amazing and easy to work with. We really have no complaints, big or small. We’d do it all over again the same way in a heartbeat. Thank you so much for making our wedding so memorable!

Whipload Channel: Crazy lady that runs the place kept winking at me. Other than that the place is ok

Maria I.: We had a wonderful retreat! Thank you for opening your doors to our group. Our staff and service members greatly enjoyed our stay. Friendly Crossways was a beautiful and relaxing space to gather and work on service member development. Dave and Joe were wonderful to work with and very helpful.

Ayano Strickland: Best honey in show. And sweet family. Been coming off and on for 10 years

Mookie Klupduck: I would like to thank Friendly Crossways owners, Mary and Keith, for hosting what was one of the most incredible weekends of my life, and for being so incredibly gracious and welcoming to the Black Men's Liberation RC group. The food was excellent, and so were you, your husband, and your staff! Thank you again for providing us a safe, warm, welcoming space. Looking forward to the 2020 retreat!

Julia Gavin: Good space for a retreat, especially if you use the kitchen and grounds. Helpful staff!

Ryan Higgins-Newman: Came for a retreat and was not disappointed by the peaceful escape from the city.

Katie Patton-LoveCooksey: We just had our wedding at Friendly Crossways towards the end of September and it was spectacular. The place itself is absolutely gorgeous and Mary Helan and Keith and their staff were so kind and generous and amazing. They helped with everything from calming the "how on earth do we plan a wedding" nerves to last minute rehearsal dinner catering to the most intricate of dietary restrictions. Their wonderful staff would pop up just in the right place when we didn't even know we needed them yet and would cheerfully fix everything so that it was better than perfect. The whole weekend was beautiful and fun and relaxing and the number one most heard comment was "What an amazing place you picked. When can we come back?"

Noah Augustine: We just had our wedding at Friendly Crossways last month and it was magical! The space is fantastic, and Mary-Helan make the process incredibly smooth. We loved the event itself, having everyone together in the venue and spending a whole weekend celebrating. We knew when we walked in it felt like the place, and it was fantastic!

Christian Bernardo: Attented a wedding here , the food was great and we had an awesome time.

Devin Fifield: I had a great time attending a wedding at Friendly Crossways. The setting was absolutely beautiful and the old farmhouse was fascinating to walk through. The fresh blueberries were a nice treat too.

Amanda Gimbel: This hotel is a great value and the staff are so nice! As a young woman traveling alone I felt very secure and cared for. It's very close to cool coffee shops (Brew'd awakening) and overlooks the canal system in Lowell. Thank you to front desk (Victoria and Cailin) for answering all my questions and being so kind and friendly.

Sherri Barboza: Attended am event for UMass Lowell, Fortaleza, Lowell Public Schools. The dinner was good, desserts very good and coffee excellent. The staff were very friendly and attentive. Couldn’t find elevator, other than that top notch! Views of the canal were beautiful 😍

William Hitch: Never brought towels. We had to keep asking for them every day.Rooms: 4/5|Service: 1/5|Location: 4/5Hotel highlights Quiet …More

Josiah Dykstra: Solid C for effort... they're really trying. Owned and operated by the University means they lack name-brand polish. The ICC is also a dorm (note: guests are not allowed to use the campus shuttle). Breakfast is skimpy with bagels, yogurt, and coffee. The bar served only pizza and hamburgers with a bartender who kept apologizing for it. Had to call the front desk after midnight for excessive noise in the hallway.

Audra Garland: Not sure of any of that i was there for a work class

Ali Bell: Quit, clean and reasonable price! Love it.

DraMatik Gonzalez: Amazon packages all dayRooms: 5/5|Service: 5/5|Location: 5/5 …More

Lizzy Dabczynski-Bean: No one was at the front desk to check us in despite having a reservation. Sign said no one would be in the front desk til 7am….what? Spent hours at 1am calling other hotels all of which were booked for a long weekend. Ended up paying $500 for ine night, a room 30 minutes away. I got a refund from uMass Lowell Inn but no one acknowledged the issue or made any kind of apology or took ownership of the situation. And we were our $500 and all the wasted time and energy. 👍

Adriana DiIorio: Victoria was awesome! We had an issue with Priceline themselves and she resolved it for us quickly, and was so incredibly kind our entire visit. The hotel is beautiful and we were on the first floor and had a little patio overlooking the river! It was so great to be able to open a sliding door to the outside from our room. They have complimentary breakfast with bagels, danish, yogurt, fruit, and Starbucks coffee and tea with options to eat in a big dining room with windows overlooking the river or a space with a fireplace and comfortable chairs. The rooms were very clean. Will definitely stay here again.

Donna M.: Pros:Right in the heart of Lowell.Very convenient location.Free parkingCons:A bit run down.Not very bright or livelyRooms are ok; nothing special.Breakfast is only cold pastries and coffee. Very disappointing.The water in our room was yellow-sink, toilet, and shower. Told the front desk, and they gave us bottles of water. Called to speak to a manager and was told it was a boiler issue. I'm not sure what's up with that, but they have us $$and were apologetic.

Joan Parent: Staff Breakfast for employees of Lowell Community Health Center. Great speaker, food, staff awardsService: 5/5|Location: 5/5 …More

Raymond Gordon: Free parking, great food, and I always enjoy the conference that we have here. Staff are friendly and do a fantastic job. It right in the heart of historic Lowell. This used the be a Hilton hotel.Location: 5/5 …More

matthew linden: Update from my previous review…. They over charged me for the room. It was booked on line and room was paid in full. That didn’t stop them from charging my card for the entire stay again. Took over two weeks to get the money back. Thanks Tabatha. Wow. Really back experience.Rooms: 1/5|Service: 1/5|Location: 3/5 …More

Maggie May: Affordable clean rooms in a very convenient location.Rooms: 4/5|Service: 4/5|Location: 5/5 …More

Freidrichm: The 3 stars is a rather generous rating for this place.

Kemal Efe Eseller: Victoria at the front desk is so kind and helpful

Marjorie Cull: Wonderful place for quiet peaceful time. Great food!

Perry Carrison: One of the truly unique retreat places of New England. The Companions run a relaxed but tight ship. The entire premises are clean, decorated and serene. The food is 5 Star. Everything a retreatant could need or want.

Susan Butler: I love the food, the people, the history of the building and the Companions, the gardens, the art, the volunteers... Come and see!