Ivy and her family (her boys are adorable!!) were fantastic hosts and made me feel very welcome with tea lights lit in the hut as well as a fire ready to go if I got chilly. The grounds are fascinating and I loved laying bed looking around at all the little details that make the mud hut so special. The bathroom is super close so even 3:30am trips weren't an issue whatsoever.

And I can't recommend highly enough a soak in the hot tub at night peering at the stars with the soft lights and sounds from the bridge.

St. John's itself is a lovely community. The downtown is full of shops and cafes (go with whatever Ivy recommends!) and the food pod (try the blood orange mimosas) is a great place to meet the community. I loved being out just a ways as other parts of Portland can get noisy and crowded! St. John's feels like a bit of an oasis :).

All in all, the mud hut and surrounding area and great hosts gave me what I needed...a mini-retreat away from everyday life.

Thank you, Ivy and family!