The journey, Insights and Challenges of Building Marnes a Luxury Retreat Venue in Alicante Spain

An interview with Marnes Retreat Venue owner Dr Peter Aelbrecht

The journey, insights and challenges of building a luxury retreat venue in Alicante Spain

Retreat Venue Name: Marnes Luxury Retreat Venue
Owner: Dr Peter Aelbrecht
Location: Alicante, Spain
Ideal Guests: Wellness retreats, yoga workshops, spiritual groups and company offsites.
Rating: ★★★★★

Who is Dr. Peter Aelbrecht?

I am a doctor by training. A wonderful profession, but I soon discovered that conventional medicine has a limited perspective on people. There is a strong focus on solving acute problems, but less on chronic quality of life problems. I soon started looking into nutrition, spirituality, orthomolecular naturopathy and biodynamics. This has shaped me into a holistic doctor. I don’t only look at the patient’s specific complaints, but at all aspects of their lives. I specialised in what I call ‘energy problems’, such as chronic fatigue, burnout and fibromyalgia.

Over the past 30 years, I have written several books about this topic and ran a specialist clinic. Now, I feel the time is ripe for me to focus on healthier people who want to improve their quality of life. Less focus on tackling illness, more on further improving good living in a healing place.

Marnes is available for trainers with groups that want to gain new energy, new insights and new experiences and go through a deep personal transformation. I will also organise a number of retreats around spirituality, personal development, yoga, body awareness, tantra and meditation myself.

Relax by the pool at Marnes in Alicante Spain.

Why should retreat leaders choose Marnes?

The Marnes retreat resort is an idyllic place where space, tranquility and positive energies come together. Located 540 meters above sea level in an unspoilt nature reserve in southern Spain, Marnes offers high-quality stays for groups of up to 35 people. Marnes is the perfect location for retreats, training, courses and therapies. It really has it all, with breathtaking views, amenities such as an infinity pool, spa, a professional kitchen and sustainability at the core of the project.

Nutrition is an important pillar for us; there is room for an anti-toxic diet, and of course vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian meals. Come as you are, feel welcome and embrace the silence and energy of this unique place. Marnes: where everything counts, for an unforgettable experience.

How did Marnes come about?

As a doctor with more than 30 years of experience in treating chronic quality of life problems, I have long dreamed of creating a healing place, especially for group retreats. Preferably in a special location in the middle of unspoilt nature, surrounded by mountains and the sea, in an energetically favourable location. After a 12-year search I found this place in Marnes, an unspoilt nature reserve in southern Spain. There has never been industry or industrial agriculture here, and the air is hailed as one of the purest in Europe. If that wasn’t enough, a Ley line flows through this place, which facilitates grounding and relaxation. The construction of the resort in this remote location was an enormous challenge, but after installing solar panels, wells and water purification systems, Marnes now offers a harmonious combination of nature, luxury and tranquility. My dream has become reality.

What makes your retreat venue unique?

The fact that everything comes together in one special place. This place in southern Spain in a location with a microclimate, unspoilt nature and energetic Ley lines combined with high-quality facilities, with complete privacy, luxury and comfort. Rest and tranquility form the basis of your experience. Marnes is deliberately furnished and decorated in a low-stimulus manner. Add to this the possibilities for a wide range of retreats, therapies and training, from personal growth to body awareness, and an open attitude to any inspiration, (religious) belief, philosophy of life or gender identity.

A retreat resort where physical and mental health, the social environment, and people's lifestyle and diet receive attention. This combination turns good living into living a great life.

What do you want your guests to take home after their stay?

The realisation that there are still places in the world where you can connect deeply with nature, others and yourself. Places where you can really come home to your whole body and mind. Marnes gives you the opportunity to gain new energy, new insights and new experiences and to experience a deep personal transformation.

“A retreat resort where physical and mental health, the social environment, and people’s lifestyle and diet receive attention. This combination turns good living into living a great life.”

— Dr Peter Aelbrecht

What were the challenges for Marnes?

The search for this unique place and having the perseverance to build a resort here. The beauty of the location, on a Ley line, in nature with impressive flora and fauna and far from buildings and industrialisation, only increased the challenge of building a luxurious and comfortable resort. There was no water, no electricity, no road. But that is precisely why Marnes is very sustainable and virtually self-sufficient. Solar panels and batteries provide an autonomous energy supply, we have our own self-drilled water well, purify our own waste water with aerobic bacteria and grow our own organic vegetables. The making of Marnes shows that challenges can lead to fabulous results.

How is the collaboration with Venue Retreat?

I feel a great connection with Venue Retreat. We fit together very well in look and feel and approach. In addition, Marnes can rely on the experience of Venue Retreat in approaching our target audience and the quality of their services.

Do you have any advice for other resort providers?

Start from your own authenticity. I see the strongest concepts from providers who create something where they themselves would like to stay or even live, so to speak, like myself. Once you really take on this idea, you will also find your target audience. Avoid trying to be everything to everyone.

Anything else you’d like to tell us about your resort?

Marnes' cuisine is an important element of the resort. Based on my knowledge as a doctor of nutrition and orthomolecular medicine, I wrote the ‘Homo Energeticus Cookbook' with recipes for the anti-toxic and immuno-regulating eating plan. At Marnes we pay a lot of attention to the preparation of the food. We grow many vegetables ourselves and organic products are the basis of all our meals. There are both 'classic' meals (without the exclusion of products) as well as options for an anti-toxic diet (without gluten, animal milk products, caffeine or refined sugars) and vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian meals. Our chefs combine delicious food with a healthy diet. If you, as an organizer, want to get a taste of Marnes, book quickly. We are offering a special introductory discount for January to April 2024.

Dr. Peter Aelbrecht is the author of the Homo Energeticus bestseller series