Nourishment

From the moment you arrive, all of your meals are prepared and cooked on site by our private caterers, using fresh, locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. Menus are built around seasonal produce from the Axarquía region such as vibrant fruit, Mediterranean vegetables, local cheeses, meats and fresh fish, and everything is beautifully presented so that mealtimes feel like part of the retreat, not an afterthought.

Breakfasts are laid out each morning on the kitchen island so you can help yourself in your own time and sit by the pool, on the terrace or in the dining room to get a great start to your day. Lunches are served as generous, colourful spreads, with hot dishes and abundant salads. In the evenings, you sit down to a three-course meal with freshly baked breads, aioli and thoughtful touches that make it feel like dining in a boutique restaurant, without ever having to leave the villa.

The team arrive early each day to prepare, cook and serve, and they stay to lay the table, plate and present dishes, and quietly tidy the kitchen around you so that you can simply relax, connect, and enjoy being looked after.

Breakfast: slow, nourishing starts to the day

Everyday breakfast is designed to suit different appetites and routines, from light grazers to those who love a cooked plate:

• A choice of fresh fruit juices

• Assorted breads and pastries (toast, croissants, rolls) with butter and preserves (jams, marmalade, honey, tomato & olive oil)

• A selection of cold meats and Spanish cheeses

• Cut fruits and Greek yoghurt (melon, pineapple, strawberries, mango, blueberries)

• A mixture of cereals (muesli, cornflakes, cocoa cereals) with cold milk

• A hot plate of mushrooms, fried tomatoes and eggs cooked to order (scrambled, poached or fried)

It is set up buffet-style on the island so you can eat before yoga, after a swim, or quietly on your own with a coffee before the day begins. Takeaway breakfast bags can also be prepared for early departures at the end of the retreat.

Lunch: vibrant, satisfying and flexible

Lunchtimes are deliberately kept relaxed and varied, with a balance of protein, grains and plenty of salad. Across the week you might see:

• Hot options such as lemon and herb chicken, chickpea, spinach and vegan cheese filo pie, falafel, roasted red pepper and feta quiche, BBQ chicken skewers or Ras el Hanout vegetable skewers

• Lighter main plates like chicken Caesar salad or warm roasted vegetable tartlets

• A rotating “cold salad bar”, for example potato salad, coleslaw, couscous with fruit and nuts, avocado and tomato salad, rocket and red onion with raspberries, Moroccan chickpea salad, vegetarian rice salad and baby Spanish potatoes in parsley butter

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Everything is served family-style so you can choose a lighter plate or go back for seconds, and we can ensure there are always options for vegetarian and gluten-free guests.

Evening meals: tailored, themed three-course dining

Evening dinners are seated, three-course experiences with fresh bread and aioli to start. The caterers arrive early to set the table, finish the cooking on site and serve each course, so the evening feels like a private restaurant service in the villa. To ensure there is something to match your taste we will be sending out questionnaires and menus ahead of your arrival, so you really can have the best time.

The structure is typically:

• Starter: light, flavourful dishes to open the evening (for example garlic prawns, asparagus wrapped in Serrano ham, goat’s cheese mousse on toasted bread, chicken liver pâté, Thai/Chinese sharing platters, Mediterranean boards)

• Main: two or more main options (frequently one meat and one fish, with a vegetarian alternative) served with beautifully prepared sides

• Dessert: a choice of indulgent or lighter desserts (for example chocolate fondant, panna cotta, sticky toffee pudding, citrus cheesecake, crème brûlée, lemon cream meringues, churros with chocolate sauce, fruit salad)

These dinners can be fully tailored and themed around your retreat, for example:

• A Spanish evening: Mediterranean boards, local specialities like pork secreto, traditional paella, patatas bravas, churros with chocolate

• A coastal fish night: garlic prawns, asparagus with Serrano ham, baked white fish in tomato/picante sauce, sea bass fillets with lemon and herbs, finished with panna cotta or citrus desserts

• An Asian-inspired evening: Thai/Chinese platter starters, Thai green chicken curry, sweet and sour pork, soy-glazed broccoli and jasmine rice, followed by light, creamy desserts

• A comfort and grounding night: slow-cooked beef cheeks, creamy mash, seasonal vegetables, sticky toffee pudding or chocolate fondant for a cosy, nourishing feel

• A plant-forward menu: goat’s cheese or vegan mousse starters, vegetable tarts or filo pies, generous salad spreads, and fruit-based desserts or sorbets

Dietary requirements are confirmed in advance and all menus can be adapted to cater for allergies, intolerances, religious requirements and preferences (including vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian and gluten-free).

At Lumeah, we see food as a core part of your healing, not just something that happens in the background. Every breakfast, lunch and evening meal is designed to nourish you on several levels: steady blood sugar to support your nervous system, plenty of colour and freshness to keep your body energised, and flavours that feel comforting, joyful and a little bit special.

Sharing meals that are cooked on site, from locally sourced ingredients, helps create a rhythm to the days: gentle starts, grounding midday pauses, and slow, unhurried dinners where you can exhale and let yourself be looked after. Whether you are choosing a light salad or a rich dessert, there is space here for both nourishment and pleasure. You do not have to think, plan or host. You simply arrive at the table, eat what feels right for you, and allow good food, good company and a beautiful setting to do the rest.