Private Retreats
at Cedar Guest Cottage
Welcome…
Whether your stay is for a Sacred Foundation Retreat, Prenatal Retreat or Babymoon Retreat, facilitated by Christina Hamill and co-hosted by her husband Hadi Hamill who prepares the seasonal farm-to-table meals, you’ll be pleased to know your home away from home is nestled in the heart of the beautiful Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, surrounded by mature trees and close to nature trails, rivers, lakes and the ocean. Easily walk to charming downtown Duncan, where you’ll discover cafés, bakeries, restaurants, shops, boutiques, galleries, yoga studios, parks, the Totem Pole Tour, murals, the Saturday Market, and more.
Cozy and private, Cedar Guest Cottage is perfect for residents living in remote rural areas and the Gulf Islands seeking a home-birthing experience, with local BC-registered midwives providing care in the mid-Vancouver Island region. This space offers a warm, quiet place to root in as you prepare to give birth and welcome your baby. The accommodation is reassuringly just minutes from midwifery offices, Early Beginnings Wellness, Margaret Moss Health Unit, and the Cowichan District Hospital.
Whatever you choose, we’re confident you’ll enjoy and appreciate how the cottage offers a gentle balance of privacy, tranquillity and connection.
🌲 A cozy, self-contained studio suite with parking, enclosed yard, private entrance, and laundry
🏥 Close proximity to Cowichan District Hospital and midwifery care
✨ Optional craniosacral therapy for nervous system support and family co-regulation
🧺 100% cotton bedding and bath linens, and laundered in scent-free eco eco-conscious detergent
🌿 Walkable distance to nature trails, amenities and Duncan’s charming downtown
Feature Amenities
&
Offerings
🛏 King-size bed + extra-long half-queen daybed (sleeps up to 3) + organic body pillow, and playpen upon request
🌿 Private yard with outdoor dining, lounge seating, and ambient lighting
🍵 Kitchenette essentials: mini-fridge, small appliances, and coffee/tea/hot chocolate station
📶 Free Wi-Fi and reliable connectivity for staying in touch during your stay
Since each premium retreat is customized to personalize your experience and meet your needs, wishes, and goals, an application and consultation are the first steps. Also, your well-being matters deeply to us; therefore, for home birth applications, you will be asked to submit confirmation of care by a local BC-Registered Midwife with Cowichan District Hospital privileges. Midwives often have a waitlist, so we recommend you make your selection sooner rather than later. Christina offers on-site Holistic Doula and Child Labour Craniosacral Services, which also require an application & consultation process.
How To Book Your Premium Retreat
Frequently Asked Questions
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The space comfortably sleeps up to 3 guests—a queen bed for two and an extra-long half-queen daybed for a third guest. We provide bedding for the daybed when booked for 3 guests.
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While we are pet owners ourselves, we do not allow pets in the cottage. This ensures the space remains secure, allergy-friendly, and calm for all families, especially those preparing for birth and postpartum recovery.
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Yes. Optional services such as craniosacral therapy during labor or postpartum can be arranged. These gentle, hands-on sessions support nervous system regulation and overall ease during your birth journey.
Your Hosts
Christina & Hadi Hamill
Christina Hamill is the founder of Early Beginnings Wellness, that empowers expectant and new families to prepare, heal, and thrive through holistic care, gentle touch, and the nurturing of deep, secure bonds from the very beginning of conception, birth, and beyond.
Christina Hamill is the founder of Early Beginnings Wellness, that empowers expectant and new families to prepare, heal, and thrive through holistic care, gentle touch, and the nurturing of deep, secure bonds from the very beginning of conception, birth, and beyond.
As a mother and practitioner, Christina brings deep care to every layer of the birth experience: physical, emotional, and with highly attuned somatic awareness. She creates each retreat offering with the intention that expectant and new families travelling to the Cowichan Valley have access to a calming, supportive environment where they can prepare with the care and guidance they need and want for these early entry stages of parenthood. Parents get to feel connected, confident, and closer to reaching their goals, equipped with stress-reducing practices & strategies.
As a holistic doula, Christina works in close connection with local BC-registered midwives and offers optional biodynamic craniosacral therapy for birthing parents both in labour and the tender days after birth.
She welcomes you with warmth and wholehearted support as you step into your own way of birthing and becoming.