ZENtrum Mondsee is a school of meditation and awareness in the small town of Mondsee on the lake of the same name in the Salzkammergut, about half an hour from Salzburg. It is run by the married couple Marion and Bernhard Hötzel, who have devoted decades to meditation, vipassana, breathwork and MBSR; since 2020 the school has been a certified adult education institute (Ö-CERT). Darkness is not offered here as an individual retreat but as a silent group course, “7 Tage Dunkel Retreat”, held once a year for a maximum of 12 participants. The day is spent in a darkened meditation room and in the darkened rooms of the hotel where all participants stay; for the short transfers between them, special dark glasses are worn that let you see only in shades of grey.
The approach is meditative in the spirit of Zen, without theory: a fixed daily schedule from 6 am to 10 pm with sitting meditation in the vipassana style, breathing and active morning meditations, walking meditation, gentle yoga, short talks and a short daily conversation with the teachers. The whole course is held in silence and without electronics. The organisers state explicitly that it is not therapy. The course is only for people with several years of meditation practice and experience of silent retreats; a personal phone conversation with the teachers is required before registering.
Prices and conditions at ZENtrum Mondsee
Country
Austria
Week with meals (7 nights, 1 person)
≈ 33,526 CZK–≈ 34,501 CZK €896 course with meals + €480–520 hotel accommodation = €1,376–1,416 for the whole course (7 days / 6 nights); not converted to 7 nights
Accommodation (approx. €480–520) is not included in the course fee and is paid directly at the hotel
The website does not say whether the dark glasses are included; ask before booking.
Meals
included in the course fee, vegetarian/vegan, 3× a day
Breakfast 8:30, lunch 13:00, evening soup 19:00 (according to the sample daily schedule)
According to the website, meals are part of the mindfulness practice.
Length of stay
fixed 7-day course (6 nights)
Starts at 16:00 on the first day, ends at 14:00 on the last day
The website offers neither a longer stay nor shorter participation; if you travel a long way, extra hotel nights can be booked.
Deposit and payment
The website does not mention a deposit; ask before booking.
Registration is binding; payment is by bank transfer only after you receive the invoice number.
Accommodation is paid directly at the hotel.
Instalments are possible only in exceptional cases by arrangement.
For payments from abroad, bank charges may be passed on to you.
Cancellation
8–4 weeks before the start: 20% of the course fee
4–1 weeks before the start: 50%
Less than a week before the start: 100%
If you find a substitute, only the €75 administration fee applies
Within 14 days of registering you can withdraw without giving a reason (the payment is refunded without the €75 fee; if you have not paid yet, €50 is charged); this does not apply if you register less than 2 weeks before the start
The website does not give cancellation terms for the hotel accommodation; ask before booking.
Cancellation insurance is recommended.
Leaving early: no refund; the organiser may exclude a participant who cannot adapt to the structure of the course.
Health restrictions
Ongoing psychiatric or neurological treatment
Use of medication that dampens or expands consciousness
Acute illness (participation only when symptom-free)
The teachers must be informed in advance about any psychiatric or medical treatment, medication and drugs
The course is not a substitute for medical care or therapy
Other conditions
Dates: 31 Oct – 6 Nov 2026, starts at 16:00, ends at 14:00
Group course, max. 12 participants
Requirement: several years of meditation practice and experience of silent retreats
Personal phone conversation with the teachers before registering
The whole course in silence, sharing only at the beginning and at the end
No electronic devices and no communication of any kind with the outside world
Late in the evening participants leave the dark room and return to it before dawn; during transfers and in the darkened rooms they wear special dark glasses
Everyone stays in one hotel in single rooms (reserved allocation)
Daily schedule 6:00–22:00: morning meditation, Zen and Taoist meditation structure, metta, walking meditation, resting in the dark, individual conversations
The course is recognised by some MBSR training institutes as meditation practice; in Austria it is recognised as continuing education for life and social counsellors (LSB)
Guide
Marion Hötzel – Zen meditation and vipassana teacher, MBSR teacher, breath therapist, certified life and social counsellor (LSB)
Bernhard Hötzel – MBSR teacher, vipassana and meditation teacher, Ayurveda therapist, certified LSB counsellor
Detailed meditation instructions, short talks and a short individual conversation every day (evenings 21:00–22:00)
Information taken from the operator's website zentrum-mondsee.at, last checked 9. 10. 2026. Prices and conditions may change; please confirm them with the operator before booking.. Texts are translated from Czech.
Getting to ZENtrum Mondsee:
Location: darkened meditation room in the centre of Mondsee and darkened rooms in a nearby hotel Train: 12 km Bus: 0,4 km
ZENtrum Mondsee on the map:
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ZENtrum MondseeATLocation: darkened meditation room in the centre of Mondsee and darkened rooms in a nearby hotelTrain: 12 kmBus: 0,4 kmPrice: ≈ 5,580 CZK/nightapprox. €229 per night incl. meals and course: (€896 course + approx. €480 accommodation) / 6 nights; with the more expensive room (€520) approx. €236
How to book ZENtrum Mondsee
Book directly with the operator: website zentrum-mondsee.at, tel. +43 664 73076034, e-mail info@zentrum-mondsee.at.
If they are fully booked, you can use these free dates at Léčba tmou near Kutná Hora. These are not dates of ZENtrum Mondsee, but of the centre in Lomec near Kutná Hora (Czechia):
Svatyně klidu is available from 17.10.2026 Book 3 nights
Svatyně zdraví is available from 17.10.2026 Book 3 nights