Akasha Love

'Divino Amore' Retreat, Sicily
2023-07-22 - 2023-07-28 | Ortigia, Ortigia, Siracusa, Italy
Want to experience the vibrant and colourful island of Sicily in this European summer? Ready for a dose of ‘divino amore’?

Join me this July for a deep dive into yoga, meditation, pranayama and music (mantras), in the exquisitely beautiful ancient city of Siracusa, which is actually on a small island.
This island of Ortigia is about just a few kilometres squared, but this small space is one of the most vibrant cultural and archeological meccas in Sicily, and also a place with a strong healing energy. Each morning we will practice yoga outdoors in front of the sea, and the rest of the day will be devoted to exploring the nooks and crannies of this enchanting
FYI: This is the first time I am running this event, that’s why I don’t have any pics with groups! It’s not that I want to post only me, but if you join this inaugural retreat, I’ll be able to put your smiling face in here (with your permission of course!) for the next event!

The ‘Diana’ Fountain Sculpture in the Piazza Archimede, Ortigia, by Giulio Moschetti

Yoga Every Morning, in Front of the Sea
Every morning we will do our yoga, meditation and pranayama practice on the fort in front of the sea, next to the piattaforma. The sun heats up quickly in the morning so we will finish by about 9am.

History, Culture, Art, Sea, Yoga!

Ortigia, being a small island – is surrounded by sea!
There is a lovely small beach at one end of the island, and a ‘piattaforma’ swimming platform just nearby. Both are great for wiling away a few hours in the afternoon, chatting to locals and tourists in between swims.
If you are feeling more active, each day there will be afternoon activities including guided tours of the city, of the market, as well as a Sicilian cooking class! Siracusa and particularly Ortigia has a fascinating history, starting out as one of the most important cities of the Ancient Greek civilisation.
The Temple of Apollo right next to the market in Ortigia – just over the bridge on entering the town, dates back to the the 6th century BC. The Temple of Athena – which is now the Cathedral of Saint Lucia in the centre of the island, dates back to the 5th century BC. Under the city is a network of catacombs that criss crosses the whole island, and connects with the lower levels of the church of Saint Fillipo the Apostle, home to a Jewish ritual bath dating back to the 14th century.

Michelle at a special art exhibition at Castello Maniace, Ortigia, Sicily. 2022

Afternoon City Tours/Activities*
*optional and not included in the retreat cost
Piattaforma, Ortigia, Sicily
Each afternoon there will be a suggested tour itinerary to explore the island. This is optional and you are also free of course to just relax with the locals on either the Cala Rossa beach or the popular piattaforma (shown on left).
Most of these tours will be less that 20 euros and some are free or by donation, with either Michelle (no extra fee) or local tour operators.

The Castello Maniace (Fortress at the far point of the island built in the 13th Century) (Entry price 15 euros)
The Temple of Apollo (free)
The Temple of Athena / Cathedral of Santa Lucia (donation)
The Jewish Ritual Baths under the Church of St Filippo the Apostle (donation)
A circumnavigation of the Island on the Love Boat (about 25 euros)
The Fountain of Aretusa (either free or with a guided tour)
The ancient Greek Amphitheatre (just 5 kms outside of Siracusa town)
A Sicilian Cooking Class with a local chef

Street at night. Ortigia, Sicily

Sample Daily Program

Morning
7am: Wake up
7:30-9: Yoga and Meditation in front of the sea
9:15: Delicious breakfast of fresh fruits, muesli and Italian pastries
10-12pm: Self Love Workshop
1pm: Lunch
Afternoon
3-5pm: Optional city tour / relax at the swimming piattaforma or the Cala Rossa beach
Dinner: You are free to go for dinner to any of the nearby amazing restaurants on offer (that cater to a wide range of budgets!) except the last night where we will go to dinner together!
Evening Activities Include:

Ortigia Film Festival – a fantastic documentary film festival offered every summer in a few different piazzas in Ortigia. Films are free and are shown every night in 3 different outdoor venues in the city.
Watching concerts / street performers in the Piazza Del Duomo
Mantra Singing / Drumming Workshop (Last night of our retreat)

Morning Workshops

Cathedral, Ortigia – once the Temple of Athena
Monday 24th: 10am – 12pm | Channeling your Inner Goddess
n the ancient days of this city of Siracusa, before Italy existed, and before the Roman Empire, it was a Greek city state, settled by the Corinthians in 734BC.
In this workshop we will look at the purpose of Gods and Goddesses in ancient Greek culture, and how it can be helpful to us, as women, to work on embodying the qualities of Goddess like Athena.

Thursday 27th 10am – 12pm: Free Your Voice, Open Your Heart with Mantra Chanting
Your hostess + her guitar
This will be a guided workshop in Mantra Singing // Kirtan.
There will be percussion instruments for you to play along with if you like and the words to all the songs will be provided.
Wednesday 26th 10am – 12pm: Pranayama Breathwork Meditation
How does the depth of our breathing impact our emotions and our emotional processing?
In this workshop we will look at – and practice a variety of different Pranayama (pranic breathing practices), before going on a guided breath journey (lying down) with music, for emotional release and healing.

La Cucina! Il Cibo ~ Our Food

Images by The Guardian and iloveitaly.com
Breakfast and Lunch will be lacto vegetarian (also with vegan options) provided by a local Sicilian chef, using the incredible range of fruit and veggies, olives, tapanades (and yes, some Italian formaggios (for those who like cheeses) available fresh each day, (almost all of them grown and sourced in Sicily) from the local market in Ortigia.

Kind Words from Past Retreatants

Inner Freedom Meditation Retreat, Happy Buddha, NSW, Feb 2020
Answers to the Question: What did you enjoy most about the retreat?
“Everything! Nothing was less significant than the other part. Although it was exactly as Michelle described – good for mental development, so it was also challenging – very! Michelle is an amazing teacher, her sense of peace, strength and inner joy is all that I aspire to have.”
“Any of the guided meditations. I also really liked the meditation on self and non-self, something really interesting to think about, and allowed me to reflect more deeply.”
And from the Bali Radical Self Love Retreats
“The self love classes caused me to really dig deep and be honest with myself. It is time to accept who I am, flaws and all. Be proud of who I am and where I am at in my life. Hold my head up high and live life to the fullest. Create the life for myself that I deserve. Deal with that ‘negative voice’ in my head rationally and importantly, don’t take life too seriously; roll with the punches. Be present each day, stop planning for 2, 5, 15 years time. Enjoy each day, relax, take time to just be. Give myself permission to enjoy life and do the things that I love to do….
I came home very relaxed and determined to continue my new way of life. I can thoroughly recommend attending. I can’t wait for Michelle to schedule a retreat in India.”
Jenny, RSL, Bali, August 2019
Michelle is also a great yoga and meditation teacher; she is patient, communicates very well, and demonstrates yoga practice and meditation on both spiritual and physical platforms, in a connected, calming, supportive and inspiring way. I would really encourage individuals who wish to explore and develop self love, as well as to enhance their yoga and meditation techniques, to attend one of Michelle’s RSL retreats. Apart from the fact that she chooses great locations in which to open up an ambient space for RSL exploration!”
Kim, RSL, Bali, April 2019

Investment
For Single Occupancy, investment is 900 Euros (Early bird rate: 780 paid in full before Feb 28th).
For Double Occupancy (shared with one other), investment is 700 Euros (Early bird rate: 630 paid in full by Feb 28th).
Price includes:

3 Star Hotel Accomodation in Ortigia
Breakfast and Lunch x 6 days
All yoga and meditation classes
All morning workshops
Mantra Singing / Drumming Event on the last night of our retreat

Price doesn’t include:

Dinners
Afternoon Tours / Sicilian Cooking Class
Snacks etc. throughout the day
Any public (in the city) Evening events
Transportation to or from Catania airport (this can be arranged for an extra fee)

Getting There
Siracusa is easily accessible from Catania Airport. You can either take a bus to Siracusa direct from the airport, or you can get a bus to the train station, and get a train from Catania central to Siracusa. Price for a bus from the airport to Siracusa is about 15 euros.
Alternatively, we can easily arrange for a private taxi to pick you up (fee is 80 euros).

Accomodation
Residenci Dei Baroni, Ortigia, Siracusa
Our 3 star hotel (above, the Residence Dei Baroni) is located in a beautiful 18th century Palazzo one street back from the sea on the sunrise side of the island on the street Via Veneto.
Rooms are spacious and beautiful and have a double bed, and many a small balcony. Many of them also have a small kitchen with kitchen table and a fridge included (for midnight snacks!). If you want to share a room with a friend, just let me know their name when you are booking.

PLACES AVAILABLE: 1 space
***Update JULY 2023*****
There is one place available on this retreat – a double room of your own in a shared apartment for the special last minute price of 650 Euro!!! Email: hello@akashalove.life to grab it!

Entry to one of the homes in the Maestranza Street, Ortigia.

About your Host and Teacher
Chelle, in Ortigia, July 2022. Pic: Martin Krammer.

‘Akasha’ Chelle is a global yogi, healer, artist, musician and an experienced yoga and meditation teacher who’s been running her own retreats (and teaching at other people’s retreats) for five years now. She has a daily Ashtanga yoga practice, and is a dedicated and passionate yogi, very excited to share this practice that has transformed her life. She’s had a personal yoga and meditation practice since she took her first class with her teacher Rene while living in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, in 2005. In November 2018, after she’d already been teaching for some years, she completed her RTA 200 Hours Yoga Teaching Certification at Samma Karuna in Koh Phangan, Thailand. She’s also an experienced and qualified meditation and mindfulness teacher and has facilitated at many Vipassana retreats in Thailand.
A passionate traveller, who fell in love with the island of Ortigia on her first visit to Siracusa, Sicily, in 2014, she’s been returning to the island, and particularly to Ortigia, ever since. She speaks basic conversational Italian, and knows many of the interesting personalities in Ortigia, as well as the iconic and the less well known sites of cultural and historical significance on the island. She will be delighted to introduce them to you (the historic sites, and the personalities, should we bump into them in our afternoon walks around the island).
She also loves talking about herself in third person (not!). Find out more about her here.

Terms and Conditions: Refunds are available with an administration fee of 100 euros, up until June 22nd. The fee will be waived if you find someone to fill your spot on the retreat. After June 22nd (a month prior to the event), no refund will be made.

WOMEN'S CIRCLE
2022-12-16 19:00 - 20:30 UTC | Online
Join this very special Women’s Circle Creative Alchemy end of year event.
This will be an online Zoom circle, carefully curated by Michelle. There will be time for everyone to share the highs and lows of this year, followed by some Creative Alchemy sessions where I invite you to join me for some alchemical practices for seeding what you’d like to create for 2023.
There are only 10 spaces available for 10 amazing women at this event, so jump in quickly if you feel called to come to this event.

When you purchase your ticket, you will receive an email with the details to join the event.
See you on December 16th!

RADIANCE - Women's Yoga + Creativity Retreat, Bali
2022-11-21 - 2022-11-26 | Bali Sandat Guesthouse, Bondalem, Bali, Indonesia
Join us for this Radiance retreat on the beautiful black sand beach coast of North Bali. Guided by ‘Akasha Love’ (Michelle), connect with your inner and outer radiance through 6 days of Yoga, Meditation, Creative practices, Waterfall adventure and Balinese Culture. Let’s dance together with our shadows, integrate and process them so that they amplify our light. We are all beings of light, love and energy!
This is a women only retreat, with the intention being to hold a sacred space for women who want to focus on radiating their soul’s essence through yoga, meditation and creative practice.
This retreat is designed to bring your radiance out from the inside – out.
Through our daily practices of Meditation, Yoga and different Creative activities each day, we will together connect with our inner radiance, supported by the magical island of Bali. This retreat is held in North Bali, which is a quiet oasis, far from the busy party scene of Kuta and Legian, or the boho surfer / digital nomad mecca of Canggu.
The schedule for this retreat is designed so that there is plenty of time each day for connecting with yourself, for reading, swimming at the stunning black sand beach, going on a dolphin spotting boat trip or exploring the village.
The food for this program is designed to support your inner radiance on every level, and is all carefully prepared vegetarian food, featuring the luscious tropical fruits of Bali. Breakfast and lunch are included in the price, and if you would like dinner as well, you can order it from the menu at Bali Sandat, or you can get some tasty nasi goreng (fried rice) in the village.

Radical Self Love Retreat, Bali, 2019

Radical Self Love Retreat, Bali, 2019

Radical Self Love Retreat, Bali, 2019

Radical Self Love Retreat, Bali 2019

Radical Self Love Retreat, Bali 2019

Radical Self Love Retreat, Bali 2019

Yoga class, Bondalem, Bali

Relaxing in the garden of Bali Sandat Guesthouse

Local Balinese Staff at Bali Sandat Guesthouse

Flowers for you to enjoy while having a massage at Bali Sandat

Hammock on the balcony, Bali Sandat Guesthouse

Delicious Indonesia treats at Bali Sandat Guesthouse

Radical Self Love Retreat, Bali 2019

Radical Self Love Retreat, Bali 2019

Michelle, Sekumpul Waterfall, Bali, 2018

RETREAT PROGRAM
Monday 21st Day 2

10am – 1pm: Arrive at Bali Sandat and check in
2pm: Late health vegetarian lunch
4pm – 5pm: Intro of the program and introducing ourselves
5pm – 6.30pm: Relaxing Yin Yoga Session
7pm: Light vegetarian dinner
9pm: Tea and bedtime.

Tuesday 22nd Day 2

7:00 am: Get up
7:15– 7:45 am: Morning Meditation
8 am – 9.30 am: Slow Flow Radiance Hatha Yoga
9:30 am: Fabulicious Fruity Breakfast
11 am: Creative Circle: What does Radiance look like? Painting / Drawing your Aura
1 pm: Luscious Vegetarian Lunch followed by relaxation time
Optional afternoon activities: Dolphin boat trip, Balinese massage, Reiki session
7pm: Optional Dinner from Bali Sandat menu or from local restaurants
8pm – 8:30 pm: Meditation with crystal bowls
9pm: Tea and Bedtime

Wednesday 23rd Day 3

7:00 am: Get up
7:15 – 7:45 am: Morning Meditation
8 am – 9.30 am: Slow Flow Radiance Hatha Yoga
9:30 am: Fabulicious Fruity Breakfast
11 am: Creative Circle : Poetry writing / Song writing session
1 pm: Luscious Vegetarian Lunch followed by relaxation time
Optional afternoon activities: Dolphin boat trip, Balinese massage, Reiki session
7pm: Optional Dinner from Bali Sandat menu or local restaurants
8pm – 9 pm: Relaxing Yin Yoga Practice
9pm: Tea and Bedtime

Thursday 24th Day 4

7:00 am: Get up
7:15 – 7:45 am: Morning Meditation
8 am – 9.30 am: Slow Flow Radiance Hatha Yoga
9:30 am: Fabulicious Fruity Breakfast
11 am: Creative Circle / Inner Dance (5 Rhythms Style Dance Meditation)
1 pm: Luscious Vegetarian Lunch followed by relaxation time
Optional afternoon activities: Dolphin boat trip, Balinese massage, Reiki session
7 pm: Optional dinner from Bali Sandat menu or street restaurants
8pm – 9 pm: Kirtan Singing Circle (Mantra Chanting with guitar)
9pm: Tea and Bedtime

Friday 25th Day 5

7:00 am: Get up
7:15 – 7:45 am: Morning Meditation
8 am – 9.30 am: Slow Flow Radiance Hatha Yoga
9:30 am: Fabulicious Fruity Breakfast
11 am: Balinese Culture Workshop: Making Balinese Offerings from Bamboo, fruits and flowers with some of the staff from Bali Sandat
1 pm: Luscious Vegetarian Lunch followed by relaxation time
2 – 6pm: Excursion to the Sekumpul Waterfall in North Bali
7 pm: Optional dinner from the Bali Sandat menu or street restaurants
8pm – 8:30 pm: Crystal Bowls Sound Healing Session: just enjoy and relax.
9pm: Tea and Bedtime

Saturday 26th Day 6

7:00 am: Get up
7:15 – 7:45 am: Morning Meditation
8 am – 9.30 am: Slow Flow Radiance Hatha Yoga
9:30 am: Fabulicious Fruity Breakfast
11 am: Sharing Circle: Share our Songs / Poems / Art / Experience at this Retreat 🙂
1pm: Luscious vegetarian Lunch
2pm: Leaving (or optional stay on at Bali Sandat a few days for an extra daily rate)

YOGA AND MEDITATION PRACTICES
Every morning we will practice meditation before our yoga session. The meditation taught on this retreat is based on the Vipassana (Insight) meditation teachings from Buddhism. Each day there will be slightly different (progressive) instruction on becoming the observer of our mind / body / spirit experience and finding equanimity and peace while sitting with ourselves. This is of course, not always easy, depending on what is going on in our lives, bodies, minds and emotions. But with the ancient wisdom of Buddhism, delivered through our meditation practices, we can slowly learn to be at peace with everything that is going on both within and without. Michelle is an experienced meditation facilitator (and qualified Mindfulness Teacher), having been a yoga teacher and facilitator multiple times at the traditional 10 Day Vipassana silent retreats at both the Wat Kow Tham and the Suan Mokkh Theravada Buddhist monasteries in southern Thailand.
Yoga taught on this retreat will be tailored to the specific energy of the group. It will be Hatha yoga based, with some Vinyasa Flows slowly developing during the week. The idea is that you can come away from the retreat with a basic yoga practice you can do at home on a daily basis. For all the different postures, various options and adjustments will be given depending on where you are at currently with your fitness levels and how stretchy and bendy and open you are feeling. Of course you will gradually open up throughout the week too. 🙂 Yoga = Union – it’s a yoking practice which helps connect all the different parts of ourselves together, so that while we may come into a practice feeling a bit fragmented, we come out of it, after a deep Shavansana (relaxation) feeling whole and integrated in ourselves / at home in our being.

CREATIVE CIRCLES
Each day of the retreat there will be a different Creative Circle on offer. Creativity is so central to our Radiance, and if our creative impulse is repressed in our life, it’s very hard to be fully expressed and fully radiant. So these Creative Circles are a space for you to connect with your soul’s essence and create whatever wants to be created on that day. Whether you are a professional artist, or you hardly create at all, there will be something for you in each of our Creative sessions. These are often a highlight of this retreat, and it’s something not offered at many other yoga retreats. All materials will be provided so you don’t need to bring anything to these sessions except a willingness to be open and explore your inner territory, in the company of others.

WATERFALL EXCURSION
On Friday of the retreat we will go for an excursion to the Sekumpul (Gilgit) waterfall in North Bali. This is a stunning waterfall and there is a beautiful one hour or so walk to get to it. We will be guided by a local Balinese guide on our walk through the rice paddies to the waterfall. Please bring at least a pair of runners with grip for this walk (or a pair of walking shoes). The path is steep in parts, but OK for anyone with a normal fitness level. This is one of the most beautiful and spectacular waterfalls in Bali and a not-to-be missed experience, so make sure you have some decent shoes. Thongs / flip flops won’t do the job here.

FABULICIOUS FOOD
The food at this retreat will be health vegetarian Indonesian style food prepared by the Bali Sandat resident chef, Kadek.
Breakfasts are a feast for the senses with fresh tropical fruits (picked straight from the garden at Bali Sandat – or got from the morning market in the village), muesli, coconut yogurt, as well as fresh juices, toast and jams made at Bali Sandat. Lunches are a combination of vegetarian healthy fresh salads, Indonesian style (Gado Gado) and international, tofu, egg and rice dishes (Nasi Lemak with tofu), vegetable lasagna and more. Special diets (gluten free, vegan) can be accommodated for with prior notice.
Michelle has set up the retreat in the way to encourage a mindful relationship with food. Often in our everyday life, we can end up eating too much, and in eating too much, we lose a deep connection with our bodies. We can dull our senses because we are too full of food. Then we can lose our natural radiance. We will have some discussions on mindful eating, according to Buddhist practices and what it means to feel ‘full’ or satisfied after a meal. In making dinner optional, everyone on the retreat can feel into their body’s intuition in the evening and see if they are really needing to eat, and if so, then make a choice from the Bali Sandat menu or go for a dinner at one of the local warnings (local restaurants) in Bondalem or nearby villages.

Retreat Price Includes*

Accomodation in Double Occupancy Rooms (for Single Occupancy: an extra $100)
Healthy vegetarian breakfast and lunch each day (if you want dinner also you can buy separately at Bali Sandat or nearby restaurants)
Daily Yoga and Meditation classes
All Workshops and Creativity Classes
1 x Excursion to a local waterfall
Materials provided for Creativity Classes

Retreat Price doesn’t include

Airport transfers (these can be arranged for an extra fee – takes 3 hours)
Dinners (if you want a light dinner you can order from the Bali Sandat menu or from the street vendors in the village)
Extras like Balinese Massages (available every day) and Reiki Sessions with Michelle
Extra drinks between meals (can be ordered and paid separately)
Travel insurance for time in Bali

* Retreat Price is for Double Occupancy (shared with one other). If you would like your own room, you can select the Single Occupancy Option (for and extra AUD $100).

TESTIMONIALS FROM PAST RETREATANTS
“Attending Michelle’s Radical Self Love Retreat in Bali was an amazing experience, perfectly timed, and delivered all I was seeking and more. The location was perfect and I felt warmly welcomed and deeply nurtured from the moment I arrived until the moment I left.
Michelle created a beautiful, open, loving, safe space for me to connect with myself in ways I hadn’t realised that I could or even needed. I very much enjoyed the daily yoga and meditation practices which served to help connect with my mind and body in ways I hadn’t before and by the end of the 6 days had me feeling very pleased with my achievements and confident to continue my practice once back home.
I absolutely loved the daily self-love workshops and gained so much from them. Michelle covered so many meaningful topics, which guided me to some powerful realisations and an overall deepening love and appreciation for myself.
Michelle is a lovely being and an amazing facilitator who is so clearly living and growing in self-love and who is also deeply drawn to helping others to dive deeper into themselves and deeper into their own self-loving journeys.
I would absolutely join another of Michelle’s retreats, and for anyone seeking a safe, loving space to connect with oneself on a deeper level, I’d highly recommend attending.”
Marianne, Radical Self Love Retreat, Bali April 2019
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“I joined Michelle for her Radical Self Love yoga and meditation retreat, and I am so glad I did.
The weekend consisted of meditation, workshops and yoga – all of which were challenging, and subsequently more rewarding. Michelle created a programme that fostered deep reflection and subsequently garnered profound personal insights.
As a very private person I thought I would be uncomfortable given the personal nature of the workshops, but Michelle created a warm, non judgemental, accepting space in which I felt comfortable sharing, and getting deep into the heart of things.
The time I spent with Michelle was really valuable, and many changes have come about in my life as a result.”
Thanks Michelle! X”
Annette, Radical Self Love Retreat, Victoria, June 2018
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“I found the overall RSL retreat to be so inspiring and it has assisted me to become more grounded and connected with myself. My teacher, Michelle Taffe, was excellent at bringing people together in a workshop environment, in terms of connecting both with themselves and with each other as a group.
I felt a strong bond develop as the retreat progressed, within the group, that enabled us all to relax more, to open up as a group on emotional and personal, even in a sense spiritual, levels.
Michelle is also a great yoga and meditation teacher; she is patient, communicates very well, and demonstrates yoga practice and meditation on both spiritual and physical platforms, in a connected, calming, supportive and inspiring way. I would really encourage individuals who wish to explore and develop self love , as well as to enhance their yoga and meditation techniques, to attend one of Michelle’s RSL retreats. Apart from the fact that she chooses great locations in which to open up an ambient space for RSL exploration!”
Kim, Radical Self Love Retreat, Bali, April 2019
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ABOUT THE VENUE: Bali Sandat Guesthouse

Bali Sandat Guesthouse, set on the black sand beach of the beautiful village of Bondalem in North Bali, is the perfect spot for some ‘me time’. The guesthouse is set in a luscious garden that stretches right down to the beach, and all of the rooms have either a beach or a garden view. Fully staffed by beautiful group of local Balinese people (many who have been at Bali Sandat since its beginnings), there is a lovely family feeling at this place. Here you will have direct contact with the rich and amazing Balinese culture – from the beautiful daily offerings to the Gods placed at temples around the property, to possibilities to join in with local Balinese ceremonies at temples nearby, this is the perfect place to connect with the authentic and ancient culture of Bali.
Find out more about Bali Sandat at www.bali-sandat.com
Spaces are limited to 10 people on this intimate women’s retreat, so book in early to guarantee your spot!
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE (Shared Room)
Or CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE (Own Room)
