Aurora Squarespace Template Review
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Aurora is a Squarespace website template for retreat organizers.
The design features elegant cream & deep green colors with sophisticated serif typography; the whole vibe communicates luxury and calm, which is exactly what you want when you're asking people to invest hundreds (or thousands) in a wellness experience. If you organize yoga retreats, wellness getaways, women's retreats, digital nomad experiences, or mindfulness escapes, Aurora probably caught your eye for good reason.
This review covers what Aurora includes, where it shines, and where you'll hit limitations.
The goal: help you figure out if this Squarespace template is the right fit for your retreat business, or if you should keep looking.
Who the Aurora Template Works Best For
Aurora works well if you organize multi-day retreat experiences and need a site that conveys luxury, transformation, and calm.
Yoga Retreat Organizers
If you run yoga retreats in places like Bali, Costa Rica, or Portugal, Aurora's elegant design matches the elevated experience. The three-package structure lets you offer different intensities or lengths.
Wellness Retreat Leaders
Meditation retreats, mindfulness getaways, or holistic wellness experiences are all great fits for Aurora. The demo literally shows a wellness retreat with meditation, healing, and digital detox messaging.
Women's Retreat Facilitators
If you organize women's empowerment retreats, creative retreats, or sisterhood gatherings, Aurora's sophisticated aesthetic appeals to the demographic willing to invest in transformative experiences.
Digital Nomad Retreat Hosts
Co-working retreats in tropical locations, digital nomad getaways combining work and adventure, or remote work experiences can use Aurora's structure to showcase different package tiers.
Fitness and Adventure Retreat Companies
Hiking retreats, surf and yoga combos, or adventure wellness experiences can adapt Aurora's luxury aesthetic to active getaways. The package cards work for any retreat type.
Who the Aurora Template Is Not Best For
The Aurora template probably isn't the best fit if you offer local classes or drop-in sessions or organize corporate team-building events (the vibe is more personal transformation than corporate training)
What You Get with the Aurora Template
Aurora comes with pages focused on selling retreat experiences:
Home Page
Hero section - Split-screen layout with your retreat name & tagline on one side, a large nature or location photo on the other. Includes a button that uses an anchor link to jump down to your packages.
Value prop section - Here is where you can share your main retreat description or promise.
Three feature cards - Highlight what makes your retreat special (instructors, accommodations, location, philosophy, etc.). Each card includes an image, headline & description.
Services callout section - With a button linking to your full services page.
Package cards section - Three package options with pricing, descriptions, date selectors & booking buttons.
About Page
Share your retreat philosophy, team, location, or background.
Services Page
Detail what's included in your retreats - accommodations, meals, activities, instruction, amenities.
Pros & Cons of the Aurora Template
Pros
The luxury aesthetic matches premium pricing for upscale retreats. Cream colors, elegant serifs, spa-style photography - everything communicates "this is bougie and worth it." When you're charging top dollar per retreat, your website should match that investment.
Package comparison structure increases conversions. Offering multiple tiers helps people compare options rather than deciding yes or no. The side-by-side display makes this easy.
Anchor link navigation is helpful. Visitors can jump straight from the hero to packages without hunting through menus - moves people toward booking faster.
Cons
Like all free built-in Squarespace templates:
Your site might look similar to all other retreat hosts who pick the Aurora template unless you customize it heavily.
Design customization can be limited unless you know CSS
Even though the templates are free, Squarespace plans can be pricey & get more expensive over time
They change the interface & menus a lot, which can be frustrating when you're trying to find settings
She pretty.
Getting Started with the Aurora Template is easy:
Once you pick Aurora in the Squarespace 7.1 template library, here's what to do:
1. Replace the hero content. Update the retreat name, tagline & main photo with your actual brand & imagery.
2. Write your value proposition. Add your retreat description - be specific about what transformation or experience you offer.
3. Update the three feature cards. Replace the demo content with your actual differentiators.
4. Configure your retreat packages. Add your offers with clear pricing. Write descriptions that explain what's included, what makes each package different & who it's for.
5. Set up booking functionality. Use Squarespace Scheduling or integrate Acuity Scheduling. Configure the booking buttons to link to your system and make sure date selection works for your calendar. You can also use another scheduling app if you have it.
6. Fill in your About & Services pages. And detail what's included in your retreats (lodging, meals, schedule, what to bring).
7. Customize Site Styles. Go to Design > Site Styles to adjust colors & fonts. The cream & green palette works for most wellness retreats, but you can easily adapt it to your own brand colors.
8. Test everything & go live. Preview on mobile, test the booking flow completely (select dates, add to cart, go through checkout), make sure pricing is correct, then publish.
Aurora Wellness Retreat Squarespace Template FAQs
Is the Aurora template specifically designed for wellness retreats?
Yes! Aurora is purpose-built for wellness retreats, spiritual retreats, yoga retreats, meditation centers, and healing sanctuaries.
Can I use Aurora for a day spa or wellness center instead of a retreat?
Absolutely. While designed for retreats, Aurora could also work really well for day spas, wellness centers, holistic healing studios, yoga studios, or any location-based wellness business. The Services page is perfect for listing treatments, classes, or packages. You can easily add pages like Pricing, Schedule, or Gallery.
Does Aurora support booking and payment for retreat reservations?
Yes. Aurora has the structure for bookings, but you'll need to integrate a scheduling tool. For retreat bookings, you can add Acuity Scheduling (Squarespace-owned), Calendly, or booking forms that connect to your reservation system. For payments, you can integrate Stripe or PayPal for deposits and full payments. Many retreat owners also add a "Book Now" or "Apply" page with custom forms to screen applicants and collect information before confirming reservations.
Is Aurora too simple with only 3 pages?
Not at all, the simplicity is intentional and perfect for retreats! The 3-page structure keeps the focus on the basics. That said, you can easily add more pages as needed: Schedule/Calendar, Gallery, Testimonials, FAQ, Blog (for wellness tips/SEO juice), Pricing, or Accommodations.
Is the Aurora template good for SEO?
Yes, for basic SEO it’s got good bones (like all Squarespace sites). You’ll still need to optimize page titles, meta descriptions, headings. But there's no blog built in, which limits content marketing SEO. If you need to rank for "yoga retreat Bali" or similar searches, you can easily add a blog.
Can I sell retreat add-ons like airport transfers or private sessions?
Good idea! Yes, you can use Squarespace's e-commerce functionality to sell additional services as separate products. You could offer massage add-ons, private yoga sessions, or airport pickup as purchasable extras.
What's the best way to market retreats with this template?
Build an email list through newsletter signup, share stories on Instagram, partner with wellness influencers, run targeted Facebook/Instagram ads to yoga practitioners, get featured in wellness publications, offer early-bird discounts to create urgency. A
