Twelve Senses Retreat

Earth’s Elements Embodied in Serene, Sustainable Inn

The owner of the Twelve Senses Retreat created this serene surf-town oasis with well-being in mind. Inspired by the philosophies of Rudolf Steiner, who posited that we experience a dozen—not merely five—senses, and by her parents’ life of travel, hospitality and nourishment, she created each of the holistic haven’s four rooms with thoughtful ties to Fire, Water, Earth, or Air elements.

This small luxury hotel in California also showcases standout designer pieces by Starck, Cappellini and Knoll, and offers organic daily breakfast service and a spa/wellness menu, all as an antidote to the jam-packed urban lifestyle.

A restful retreat created as a haven in which guests can deeply experience the 12 senses that give the inn its name, this updated 1958 home-turned-wellness retreat stands as a hymn to sustainability, mindfulness and natural luxuries. The 12 senses include touch, life, movement and balance, among others, as additions to our standard five, according to the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian thinker, father of biodynamic farming, founder of the Waldorf School movement, and architect.

Each of the intimate retreat’s four holistic rooms is attuned to a particular element, and all are luxuriously minimal and intentionally sustainable. The property’s owner transformed her home in 2019 after her mindfulness practice led her in this hospitality direction, and the renovation focuses on the use of sustainable, beautiful materials. There’s the Norwegian charred-wood exterior, the innovative, eye-catching rooftop deck tiling by Seaform (a harvester of ocean plastics), and hand-picked in-room features such as the earthy, subtly scented cork wall in one room, and the 100% vegan, light and breezy design in another.

Sustainability and stellar design aren’t mutually exclusive, and Twelve Senses’ owner, a color and materials designer by profession, has thoughtfully curated a collection of big-name designer furnishings that add to the property’s luxuriously minimal vibe. Think a small in-house pop-up shop with select artisanal products—a cool marble coffee table by Knoll in the communal library, bedroom furnishings signed Lagos del Mundo and Ethnicraft, and the gorgeous, charred wood from Norwegian artisans, Kebony.

AROUND

A menu of spa and wellness experiences is available, and this intimate retreat is more about relaxing and reflecting than it is about exploring. The aim at this small luxury hotel in California is to create a haven in which guests can “tune out to tune in”, a warm, serene space where creating community and sharing stories is possible for guests in the common spaces, such as the inn’s roof deck and library.

That said, Encinitas offers a greater platform from which to create a restful, mindful getaway. Located some 25 miles north of San Diego and about an hour south of Los Angeles, Encinitas’ simple pursuits include walks along the wide stretches of sand set under craggy bluffs. But there's also surfing, swimming or stand-up paddleboarding in its sun-sparkling blue waters, taking in its classic, Southern California landscape, and strolling the town’s stunning, lush gardens. Don't miss the Botanic Garden in town, with its more than 4 miles of trails, the Meditation Gardens, or hiking in the Manchester Preserve, minutes inland from downtown Encinitas.