Amsterdam, Netherlands
April 19–26, 2026
$11,500 single occupancy (1 participant/1 hotel room)
$10,000 each double occupancy (2 participants/1 hotel room)
$13500 Retreat participant plus travel companion (1 participant/1 travel companion/1 hotel room)
VIP Add-On Package: $2,500 per room (includes a suite upgrade and an exclusive dinner)
Spring finds Victoria exploring the capital of the Netherlands, a picturesque destination known for its canals and abloom with tulips. Our local expert and companion is former Artist-in-Residence Natasja Sadi, whose lifelike sugar flowers graced our March/April 2024 cover. Join Editor Melissa Lester and Creative Director Melissa Sturdivant Smith to discover the rich history, creativity, and natural bounty of Amsterdam and The Hague. For an optional add-on opportunity, priced per room and available on a limited basis, enjoy upgraded accommodations at our hotel in The Hague and an exclusive dinner with “the Melissas” and other VIP guests.
Each registered attendee will receive a one-year subscription to Victoria. If you’re already a subscriber, you have the option of extending your subscription or gifting it.
To reserve your space, email the following to victoriaevents@hoffmanmedia.com
- Registration type (single, double, retreat participant plus travel companion)
- Phone number so we can contact you to take your deposit
- Your name and travel companion’s name, if applicable
You are required to pay your deposit and sign a travel waiver and acknowledgement of cancellation policy via AdobeSign within 48 hours of receiving a confirmation email. Each person traveling in your reservation must sign this document. Reservations will be taken in the order in which we receive emails.
What’s Included
4 hotel nights at the five-star De L’Europe Amsterdam
3 hotel nights at the five-star Hotel Des Indes
Sugar-flower workshop with Natasja Sadi
Creative workshop at Royal Delft
Guided tours of the Van Gogh Museum, Keukenhof, Paleis Het Loo, and The Royal Delft Factory
City tour of The Hague
Canal tour with drinks and light bites
Welcome dinner, breakfast daily, and lunch at Paleis Het Loo
One-year subscription to Victoria
Travel by private coach to some excursions
What’s Not Included
Airfare/travel to and from Amsterdam
Airport transfers
Some meals
What’s Included for Travel Companion
4 hotel nights at the five-star De L’Europe Amsterdam
3 hotel nights at the five-star Hotel Des Indes
Welcome dinner, breakfast daily, canal tour with drinks and light bites, Keukenhof tour, and Royal Delft visit
Transportation from Amsterdam to The Hague
What’s Not Included for Travel Companion
Airfare/travel to Amsterdam
Airport transfers
Some meals
One-year subscription to Victoria
What’s Included
- Upgraded accommodations at Hotel Des Indes
- Exclusive dinner with “the Melissas” and other VIP guests
Have a question about the Live Your Bliss Retreat? Contact Us.
Interested in Learning More?
Please fill out the form below and one of our event team members will reach out.
You are required to pay your deposit and sign a travel waiver and acknowledgement of cancellation policy via AdobeSign within 48 hours of receiving a confirmation email. Each person traveling in your reservation must sign this document. Reservations will be taken in the order in which we receive emails.
Sunday, April 19
Check in at De L’Europe Amsterdam, an elegant hotel in the heart of the city with a tradition of hospitality that stretches back to 1896. Known for its elegant suites and Michelin-starred restaurants, this five-star auberge offers the ideal accommodations for our stay in Amsterdam. Enjoy a welcome dinner, where you will meet your hosts for the week, Melissa Lester and Melissa Sturdivant Smith, and your fellow travelers.
Monday, April 20
Living in the flower capital of the world, former Artist-in-Residence Natasja Sadi creates sugar blooms so similar to their living counterparts, it is difficult to discern which petals are edible. The floral pâtissier, author of A Sweet Floral Life: Romantic Arrangements for Fresh and Sugar Flowers, will lead our coterie of new friends in an exclusive workshop. During our time together, Natasja will introduce the fascinating world of sugar floral art and guide participants in creating a lifelike sugar blossom. This delicate confection, packed for international travel, will serve as a memento of a dreamy visit to Amsterdam. Following our workshop, you are free to explore the city on your own.
Tuesday, April 21
This day holds a visit to the Van Gogh Museum, where we will survey such masterpieces as Sunflowers and take a deeper look into the artist’s past through perusing his letters and drawings. Reflection continues as we take to the water for a canal tour, complemented by drinks and light bites. After we toast to springtime in the Netherlands, you are free to explore the sites of Amsterdam and have dinner on your own.
Wednesday, April 22
Check out of De L’Europe and depart Amsterdam for Keukenhof. Rivers of tulips beckon travelers to this brimful botanical garden, which has welcomed visitors to its grounds for 75 years. Enjoy a guided tour, lunch on your own, and free time to explore this verdant oasis before continuing our journey to five-star Hotel Des Indes in The Hague, a southwestern city near the coast of the North Sea. Upon checking in, enjoy the remainder of the day on your own.
Thursday, April 23
Enjoy a leisurely morning before embarking on a guided tour of The Hague, capital of the province of South Holland. During this blissful springtime walk, we will visit favorite antiques shops in search of treasures. Sure to inspire is Mauritshuis, a seventeenth-century palace nicknamed “the jewel box.” A stroll through the Royal Picture Gallery allows for opportunities to marvel at Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and Carel Fabritius’s The Goldfinch, as well as notable works by painters such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Jan Steen, Peter Paul Rubens, and Anthony van Dyck. Following our tour, you are free to explore more of the city on your own.
Friday, April 24
Escape to Paleis Het Loo, seventeenth-century palace of the House of Orange and a sprawling museum regarded as one of the most beautiful in all of Europe. Enjoy a guided tour of an exhibition themed to the royal family of the Netherlands before savoring a private group lunch. The day culminates with a lecture from one of the palace’s curators amid the refreshing delights of a cup of coffee or tea and an array of sweet delights. Following this excursion, we will return to the hotel, and the day is yours.
Saturday, April 25
Check out of Hotel Des Indes and depart for Royal Delft, esteemed maker of Delft Blue since 1653. Collectors of blue-and-white porcelain will thrill to our guided tour of the manufactory, where centuries of craftsmanship continue to the present day. During our visit, pause for a creative workshop, in which each guest will paint a tile as a keepsake to take home, and shop for exquisite wares produced in perennially popular patterns. Following this excursion, we will return to De L’Europe Amsterdam, and the day will be yours. Dinner is on your own, with the option to join “the Melissas” for this final meal at a recommended restaurant.
Sunday, April 26
Depart for home with a heart full of memories and a suitcase brimming with blooms, blue-and-white treasures, and other beautiful finds.
Accommodations
De L’Europe Amsterdam is an elegant hotel in the heart of Amsterdam with a tradition of hospitality that stretches back to 1896. Known for its elegant suites and Michelin-starred restaurants, this five-star auberge offers the ideal accommodations for our stay. Hotel Des Indes is a five-star hotel in The Hague, a southwestern city near the coast of the North Sea. The property was originally built as a town palace in 1858 before being converted into a hotel in 1881.
Due to the uniqueness and European charm of this hotel, double-occupancy rooms do not have two beds. Two sets of linens for one bed can be provided upon request.
If you are interested in extending your time in the Netherlands or upgrading to a suite, please inquire by emailing victoriaevents@hoffmanmedia.com.
Travel to and from the Netherlands
Guests are responsible for getting themselves to De L’Europe Amsterdam before the retreat commences and getting to their next destination at the close of the retreat. The Victoria team is at your disposal to help you navigate travel. Email victoriaevents@hoffmanmedia.com for assistance.
Booking
Half of the retreat cost (50%) is due within 48 hours along with a signed travel waiver and cancellation policy acknowledgment to secure your reservation. The second half of the retreat cost (50%) is due February 1, 2026. We accept payment by American Express, Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Amazon Pay. Trip prices are in US dollars.
Costs
The price of the trip includes all hotel accommodations, creative workshops, some meals, all scheduled retreat activities, transit to/from scheduled retreat activities, and round-trip airport transfers. Single-occupancy, double-occupancy, and retreat participant plus non-retreat guest rates are available.
A 3% discount is included for payments taken via secure bank transfer (ACH). If you’d like to pay for the entire retreat in full at booking, a 1% discount will be applied.
Your credit card will be charged by Hoffman Media, the parent company of Victoria.
Cancellation
Since the trip is nonrefundable, we suggest buying trip insurance.
If you don’t purchase travel insurance, you agree to indemnify us against any charges that might otherwise be covered by your insurance. You further agree that we are not responsible for any costs of cancellation or costs related to travel interruptions or COVID-19. Due to COVID-19, there may be limitations relating to activities. Certain services and amenities may be reduced or unavailable as a result of changing circumstances. Please know that we are working closely with our partners to plan and execute a safe retreat for our guests, but there is an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 when traveling. By booking this retreat, you acknowledge and assume these risks associated with travel.
We reserve the right to cancel this retreat if fewer than 18 participants have signed up by March 1, 2026. We will send an email confirmation to all participants when this number has been met. If Victoria initiates the cancellation, we will refund all payments.
Have a question about this retreat? Email victoriaevents@hoffmanmedia.com.
What airport do I fly into? We recommend flying into Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).
Can I extend my stay at the hotels? If you’d like to inquire about additional nights in Amsterdam, email victoriaevents@hoffmanmedia.com. Some guests like to book a room for the night before their arrival, so it is ready after all-night flights from the US. We can make requests for early check-ins but cannot guarantee your room will be ready before the official hotel check-in time.
Is breakfast included? Daily breakfast is included.
Are children able to attend this retreat? All participants must be 18 years old or older to attend this retreat.
What should I plan to wear during retreat events? We recommend smart casual attire with comfortable walking shoes for our creative workshops and excursions. For the welcome dinner, we suggest business casual or dressy attire. The VIP dinner will be dressy or cocktail attire.
If I book a double-occupancy package, will the hotel room have two beds? Due to the uniqueness and European charm of the hotels, double-occupancy rooms do not have two beds. If you are traveling with a friend or adult child, you can request two sets of linens on one bed.
Will we have any free time? You will have some free time in Amsterdam and The Hague to explore on your own. We will equip you with our list of favorite restaurants, shops, and activities.
To reserve your space, email victoriaevents@hoffmanmedia.com. You will be required to pay your deposit within 48 hours and sign a travel waiver and acknowledgement of cancellation policy via Adobe Sign. Reservations will be taken in the order in which we receive emails.
