As Sharon Gavin writes on their website, ten years ago she was battling a rare autoimmune disease that left her weak, covered in a rash and using a wheelchair. Through research, she hit on a way to improve her life: give up alcohol, and eat a whole, plant-based diet without processed foods. Out of solidarity, Lauretta joined her sister in these lifestyle changes. And it turned out they both felt way better. So much so, that Lauretta retrained as a natural vegan chef and they started their retreat biz together.
Now the Gavin Sisters lead alcohol-free retreats with gourmet plant-based meals in Suffolk, UK and Algarve, Portugal. The Sober Curator talked to Sharon and Lauretta about why guests love their retreats.
Teresa: Tell me a little bit about your typical guests. Do they identify as in recovery, sober curious, or just taking a break from alcohol? Where do they come from?
Gavin Sisters: Many of our guests are sober curious or simply taking a break from alcohol. They come from across the UK, with many travelling from London, as well as the surrounding areas of Cambridge and Essex.
Many arrive at the retreat feeling that alcohol is holding them back in some way, but they’re not quite sure what to do about it or where to begin. The retreat provides a supportive space to explore that relationship and discover what life can look like without alcohol.
Teresa: How would you describe the vibe of the Detox Barn in just a sentence or two?
Gavin Sisters: Think less “silent retreat with a green juice” and more “brilliant weekend with people who get it.” The Detox Barn is warm, real, and completely unpreachy—and somehow, between the laughs and the good food, you walk away knowing exactly how to change your life.
Teresa: What are your favorite features of your Algarve location?
Gavin Sisters: There’s a moment on the Algarve retreat where everyone’s lying in a natural salt pond, covered in mineral mud, giggling in the Portuguese sun—and you realize this is exactly what your body needed. It’s not a polished spa day. It’s better. You emerge tingling from the inside out, completely chilled, and somehow deeply connected to the strangers who are now very much your people. Add flamingos on the nature reserve, incredible beaches, and a long plant-based dinner to finish—and you start to understand why guests come back.
Teresa: On the website, you describe yourselves as a comedy team. Tell us more about that.
Gavin Sisters: Well, we’re comedians. Professional ones. Which makes us possibly the most unlikely people to be running wellness retreats—and yet, here we are. The comedy background isn’t just a fun fact though. It’s baked into everything. Our retreats aren’t silent or serious. Our content isn’t preachy. We talk about health the way a funny, well-informed friend would—honestly, warmly, and with at least one laugh along the way.
Teresa: What do guests say are the highlights of your retreats?
Gavin Sisters: Guests always say the same things, and it never gets old to hear. The connection surprises them most—you arrive as strangers and leave as friends. There’s something about a small group, good food, and no phones that strips everything back very quickly.
The transformation comes up constantly too. People arrive exhausted and a little lost, and they leave with genuine clarity—not just feeling better, but knowing exactly what they’re going to do differently. That practical piece matters to us.
And then there’s the fun. We think people expect wellness retreats to be a bit worthy and serious. Ours genuinely aren’t. There’s always a lot of laughing. The mud spa in the Algarve gets mentioned every single time—people arrive at this salt and mud experience slightly skeptical, cover themselves head to toe in mineral mud in the Portuguese sun, and come home tingling and completely revived. It looks ridiculous. It feels incredible. That tends to sum us up quite well.
The food surprises people too. Plant-based cooking has a reputation it doesn’t deserve—guests arrive braced for deprivation and end up asking for recipes. That moment never gets old either.
Teresa: Who do you think most benefits from attending one of your retreats?
Gavin Sisters: Honestly? Anyone who’s been running on empty for too long. That’s our person.
It tends to be women in their 30s, 40s and 50s who’ve been putting everyone else first—their work, their kids, their responsibilities—and have quietly lost touch with how good they’re capable of feeling. They’re not in crisis exactly, but they’re not thriving either. They’re tired in a way that a good night’s sleep stopped fixing a while ago.
We also welcome a lot of people who are redefining their relationship with alcohol—whether they’re sober curious, newly alcohol-free, or simply done with drinking and looking for a social life that reflects that. We have both been alcohol-free for 14 years, so this isn’t something we bolt on as an afterthought. It’s woven into everything we do. Our retreats are completely alcohol-free, and nobody bats an eyelid—because the food is incredible, the connection is genuine, and frankly nobody misses it.
For people in that space, a retreat like ours can feel like a revelation. A place where you’re not navigating around a drinks culture, not explaining yourself, not feeling like the odd one out. Just fully, comfortably yourself.
They often come in a little skeptical, too, which we love. They want something real. Something that actually works and doesn’t make them feel judged for where they’re starting from.
Check out their retreat schedule here.
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SOBER RETREATS: with Senior Travel Sober Curator Contributor Teresa Bergen is your go-to space for alcohol-free travel tips, insider guides, and honest reviews from a sober perspective. Teresa blends her passions—animals, wildlife conservation, sustainability, geography, culture, outdoor adventure, and yoga—into enriching travel stories that inspire mindful exploration. From kayaking and hiking to visiting historic cemeteries and sacred spaces, she uncovers the beauty where history, art, and spirituality meet.
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