Best Retreats is a project of The Retreat Safety Project, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer safety in the wellness retreat industry.
Our Mission
The Retreat Safety Project exists to protect individuals seeking healing through plant medicine and wellness retreats. We provide independent safety research, incident tracking, consumer education, and harm reduction resources – free of charge, free of advertising, and free of booking commissions.
In an industry with no regulatory oversight, no licensing requirements, and no consumer protection standards, we serve as the independent watchdog that holds retreat centers accountable and keeps seekers informed.
What We Do
We maintain the world’s most comprehensive independent directory of ayahuasca and plant medicine retreat centers, covering over 400 centers across 20+ countries. Every listing includes independently researched safety evaluations, incident reports, guest experience analysis, and trust grades — gathered from Reddit, forums, ICEERS reports, news media, court records, and direct community reports.
We do not accept payment from retreat centers in exchange for favorable reviews. We do not earn commissions on bookings. We do not run advertisements. Our evaluations are funded entirely through our nonprofit mission.
Our Board of Directors
The Retreat Safety Project is governed by a board of directors with combined expertise in compliance, fraud prevention, risk management, and consumer protection:
- Christopher Brewer, President — Director of Compliance Operations with expertise in fraud prevention, risk management, and cultural anthropology. Former fraud and risk specialist at Square and Cash App. Based in Colombia with direct fieldwork experience across South American retreat communities.
- Benjamin Glaser, Treasurer — Entrepreneur and wellness industry professional. Co-founder of True Health Labs. Background in business administration and consumer health services.
- Andrew Davidson, Secretary — Chief Compliance Officer with 10 years of experience in regulatory compliance, risk frameworks, and consumer protection. Drew’s compliance leadership ensures our evaluation methodology meets the highest standards of independence and accountability.
How We’re Funded
The Retreat Safety Project is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit. We are funded through voluntary accreditation fees from retreat centers that choose to participate in our accountability program, and through charitable contributions. No retreat center is required to pay anything to be listed or reviewed. Our safety research is always free and always independent.
Report an Incident
If you’ve experienced theft, misconduct, unsafe practices, or any other safety concern at a wellness retreat, report it to us. Your report helps protect future participants and holds centers accountable.
Contact Us
For media inquiries, partnership proposals, or questions about our nonprofit: contact@bestretreats.co