Frequently Asked Questions–FAQs

Avila is a nonprofit retreat center on 50 acres in northern Durham, NC. We are a movement home — a space for nonprofit and social justice-oriented organizations to come together to retreat, plan, rest, and build. We are not a hotel and not a traditional conference center. Groups that come here are doing collective work in the world, and we try to make sure the space reflects that.

Avila welcomes a wide range of groups: nonprofits, social justice organizations, faith communities, corporate teams, and more. Our mission is to support and connect community organizers and leaders working together for systemic change in the South and beyond, and that shapes the culture and community of the space. We do ask that your group’s work is consistent with our values of equity and justice.

Shared stewardship means your group tends the space together while you’re here. We don’t have daily housekeeping during your stay or overnight staff on campus. You arrive into a clean, prepared space and leave it the same way for the next group.

This is a values choice rooted in Radical Hospitality. Caring for shared space together is part of what it means to be in community. It also lets us keep our rates accessible and offer scholarship support to smaller organizations.

Start with our reservation inquiry form. Tell us about your organization, your dates, your group size, and what you’re hoping to do. We’ll follow up within 2 business days. Your date is not held until you have a signed Event Reservation Order (ERO) and have submitted a 50% deposit.

Fiscal partner organizations get access to the upcoming year’s calendar starting July 1. It opens to all other organizations on August 1.

The ERO is the agreement between Avila and your organization. It covers your dates, spaces, rates, and payment terms. Your booking is not confirmed until the ERO is signed and the deposit is received. We’ll send you the ERO once we’ve confirmed availability.

30 days before your event, we will need a signed Access Agreement and a Certificate of Insurance (COI) naming Self-Help Ventures Fund dba Avila as additional insured. If your group plans to serve alcohol, your COI needs to cover alcohol-related liability. We will send you a reminder with everything you need well before that deadline.

Final payment is due 30 days before your event. Any reservation updates are also due at that time. Reductions made at that stage are subject to the cancellation policy.

To hold a reservation, we require a 50% deposit. Final payment is due 30 days before your event. All cancellations must be submitted in writing. If you cancel 61 or more days out, you will receive a full refund minus a $150 administrative fee. Cancel between 31 and 60 days out and the deposit is not refundable, but any amount paid beyond the deposit will be returned minus a $150 administrative fee. Cancel within 30 days and no refund is issued — your group is responsible for the full amount on your signed ERO. No-shows are treated the same as a cancellation within 30 days.

If Avila is able to re-book another group for your cancelled dates, your organization will receive a credit for the net amount of the new booking minus a $150 administrative fee.

Avila is located at 711 Mason Farm Rd in Durham, NC. Driving directions to Avila are located here.

Avila is a short 20-minute drive from downtown Durham. RDU airport is the closest air travel option, and car rental agencies are available at RDU. Avila does not provide airport transportation, and currently, there is no public transportation to our area. Groups may arrange for van service to and from RDU airports. Please contact your group leader if you need transportation from the airport. Currently, Avila does not have facilities to recharge guests’ electric vehicles. The closest location is 3.5 miles at Durham County Library North Regional Branch (FREE. J-1772 3.3-6.6kw.)

Guided check-ins are available 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Saturday. Staff will walk your group through the space and answer any questions.

Self-guided check-in is available any time with 48 hours notice. We’ll send everything you need to get in and get settled.

Lodging rooms are available starting at 3:00 PM.

Please vacate your lodging rooms by 10:00 AM on the day you leave. That gives our housekeeping team time to get the space ready for the next group. If you need a late checkout, let us know in advance and we’ll do our best.

Meeting spaces are accessible for the duration of the meeting space rental.

Avila has five reservable meeting spaces:

• Conference Room 1: Our largest indoor space, holds up to 50-55 with rectangle tables. Natural light, flexible table and chair configurations, 70″ monitor, direct access to the patio.
• Conference Room 2: Holds up to 25 with rectangle tables. Flexible configuration, 50″ monitor. Good for breakouts or parallel programming.
• Sanctuary: Originally the monastery chapel, now a meeting space. Holds up to 30 with rectangle tables. 50″ monitor.
• Conference Room 3: A smaller private meeting space that holds up to 6, with a murphy bed that allows it to double as lodging.
• Reserved Patio: Available to reserve as an outdoor meeting space. Capacity depends on setup and weather.

All capacities are based on rectangle table setup. Each space can accommodate more with chairs only or alternative configurations. All indoor spaces include wifi.

Avila has 34 bedrooms and 54 beds across seven cabins and two private suites in the main building.

• Cabins A and B: Six single-occupancy rooms each, with shared bathrooms.
• Cabins C through G: Four double-occupancy rooms per cabin. Pairs share a bathroom.
• Private suites: Two suites in the main building, each with an en suite bathroom.

Room assignments are up to the booking group. Let your group coordinator know if you have specific lodging needs. Rooms have air conditioning, ceiling fans, a desk, a chair, and a nightstand with a reading lamp. Rooms do not have televisions or phones, and no private en suite bathrooms except in the suites.

Yes. Self-camping on the grounds is available for groups that want it. There is a $35 fee per tent, which covers access to restrooms and shared facilities. Let us know at booking so we can plan accordingly.

In general, Avila does not have much parking space to accommodate personal campers, trailers, or RVs. That said, please discuss this with the Avila team, if interested.

The main building is wheelchair accessible. We also have a small number of lodging rooms that offer greater accessibility, though they are not ADA certified. Some outdoor areas and cabin paths are harder to navigate. If your group has specific accessibility needs, reach out before you book. We want to be straight with you about what works and what doesn’t, and we’ll figure out the best setup together.

All guests have access to the dining rooms, kitchen, pantry, social justice library, Quiet Room, courtyard, gazebos, labyrinth, fire pit area, and trails. Common spaces are shared across all groups on campus, so we ask everyone to be respectful of others using them at the same time.

Avila’s kitchen is equipped with a stove, dishwasher, refrigerator, ice machine, and microwave for guests to use. Within the Canteen, we have a Pantry that houses a full refrigerator/freezer, microwave, and sink. The Pantry is available to all guests who wish to store food, drinks, or medications during their stay.

Yes, wireless internet is available throughout the main building, cabins and surrounding areas.

Conference Room 1 has a 70″ monitor and Conference Room 2 has a 50″ monitor.

No. Your group handles all meals. You can use the Avila kitchen to prepare your own food, work with a chef or work with a caterer.

Yes. The Avila kitchen is a full commercial kitchen with a stove, dishwasher, refrigerator, ice machine, and microwave. There is also a Pantry in the main building with a full refrigerator/freezer, microwave, and sink, available to all guests for storing food, drinks, or medications. Please clean up after each use and leave the kitchen ready for the next group.

Groups interested in cooking in the kitchen (cooking as a group or with a chef) will be charged a kitchen usage fee. This fee supports the deep cleaning necessary to keep our kitchen functional.

We have a list of local, mostly BIPOC-owned caterers we love. Mention catering in your inquiry and we’ll share our list.

Yes. We provide bed linens (sheets, blankets, and pillows) and towels for overnight guests. We do not provide hair dryers.

Avila does not have laundry facilities for guests. There are laundromats nearby, the two closest are Soap Opera 3 Laundromat and Regency Cleaners

We don’t have daily housekeeping during your stay. In practice that means:

• Tidy your rooms and common areas as you go.
• Clean up the kitchen and dining areas after each use.
• Leave your spaces ready for the next group when you check out.

We make sure the campus is clean and ready when you arrive. We just ask that you help us keep it that way.

Lost and found items can be turned in or picked up at the front desk. Anything unclaimed after 14 days gets donated to a local shelter.

Smoking or vaping indoors at the retreat is not permitted. Smoking is allowed outdoors, except on the patio. We kindly ask guests who smoke to be mindful of drifting smoke and to stay away from locations where smoke can enter open windows or doors. There is a $250 fine for indoor smoking.

Yes. Groups may bring their own alcohol for private use. Groups are responsible for how it’s used and may not serve alcohol to minors. Avila doesn’t provide or sell alcohol.

Guests and residents are not permitted to bring personal pets, emotional support animals, or therapy animals. Trained service dogs are welcome at Avila, with prior notice/documentation. We ask that guests with trained service dogs first speak with their group leader.

No.

Yes. Groups with participants under 18 are welcome. The booking organization is fully responsible for supervising all minors at all times. Avila does not provide childcare.

Yes. Groups where some people are staying overnight and others are just coming for the day are fine. Let us know at booking so we can coordinate check-in, parking, and access. Campus policies apply to everyone.

Yes. Just make sure they know Avila’s campus policies before they arrive and that they stay out of restricted areas. If a vendor causes any damage, that’s on your group.

If you need to have supplies or program materials shipped to the Retreat, please refer to our delivery procedure for details.

No glitter or flammable decorations anywhere on the premises. They create safety issues and cleanup headaches for the groups that come after you.

Yes. Let us know at booking if you plan to use them so we can make sure everything is set. Please clean the grills before and after use.