Workaway reviews, feedback and ratings

We’ve just said goodbye to Maria after an eleven-day stay. She was an absolute pleasure to have around—fun, easy to spend time with, and she fitted in here beautifully. Her zest for life is truly refreshing. During her stay, she threw herself enthusiastically into helping with our 48 hens and 40-odd young chicks. Maria is a fast, focused worker, and each day she steadily worked through her list of gardening and house-cleaning tasks. We’re very grateful for her help; she really made the difference in getting our final summer vegetables planted. She was also happy to lend a hand with meal preparation. It was lovely that Maria genuinely appreciated our food—embracing not only my homemade kefir but also our buckwheat bread. Maria did end up leaving a little earlier than planned, but that was a mutual decision as she needed to be in the city for several days, which would have been difficult with one of our cars off the road. We wish her all the best and would welcome her back in a heartbeat.

Thank you for such kind words! We really enjoyed your company during the week. She was especially happy with the German lessons; you were a great teacher! Also, thank you for being so respectful of our house. I’m glad you enjoyed the breakfast and the local vibes of the city. You are a wonderful guest and a kind person. Our door is always open to you whenever you are in Istanbul. Wishing you all the best in your future travels!

I had a very easy and pleasant experience hosting Anne. She adapted to the rhythm of the house with ease and brought a calm, positive presence. One morning she simply said: “I’m going for a swim in the sea.” That moment made me genuinely happy — I immediately joined her, and we ended up having a fun and refreshing swim together. Anne took the tasks seriously and tried her best to complete them properly. She put great effort into sewing a blouse for me — and if the sewing machine hadn’t broken, it would have been finished perfectly. Still, she completed most of it, and only a small part remains. Overall, hosting Anne was comfortable, easy and enjoyable. I’m grateful for her contribution and I wish her beautiful travels ahead.

Amer is a very hard-working person. He's cheerful and ready to help with anything. My door is always open to positive people. Thank you so much for your help. You're very resourceful. See you again.

I spent 3 weeks at Janni's and Emma's place. They were both super welcoming and fun to be around. Emma was always enthusiastic to share her knowledge about natural building methods and permaculture. I had a variety of different tasks among which was also to take care of their many lovely animals. It was a joy to go on fun walks with the dogs, Toto and Ben, and to get all those cuddles in during some rainy days. Emma and Jannis did not just let me stay at their palce and help them with their projects, but also did their best to make me part of their life. We went surfing, did sports together went out for dinner and visited some hotsprings. Thank you for everything!

What a wonderful time I had with Tatjana! She is a very caring and hard-working helper! She would not stop ... has lots of energy and is keen to learn. Tatjana also got involved in some landcare, coming to information days and learning about NZ flora and fauna. She is also interested in our Maori culture and history. It was a pleasure to have her with me at home, helping out wherever she could, and coming with us to share our activities, markets and to get to know the neighbourhood. All the best Tatjana, kakite!! (See you in Austria ;-)) )

I spent three weeks with Aitana, and overall I had a very positive experience. During the weekdays, we stayed in Alicante, where I helped with cleaning and cooking. On the weekends, we went to her parents’ place to harvest olives. The location where we worked was absolutely beautiful, surrounded by mountains, and it was a great experience to take part in the harvest. Aitana was always kind, attentive, and precise when giving instructions. She made sure the tasks were clear. I felt comfortable around her, and we got along easily. She even took me with her when she met friends, which I really appreciated. Her parents were also really welcoming. Her mother even baked a gluten-free cake for me, which was a very thoughtful gesture. We also visited her uncle’s family for lunch, which made me feel even more included. I enjoyed cooking, so I was happy to help with those task as well. Aitana is responsible, open, and respectful of boundaries. We could talk about anything, and she was flexible when we discussed scheduling my tasks. I also had the opportunity to take two days off and visit Valencia, which I was grateful for. Overall, it was a great experience with a kind and supportive host. Thank you Aitana!☺️☺️

Fantastic location and fantastic owner! We spent two weeks with Emanuele at his hotel! Our first workaway experience! Emanuele welcomed us into his home, making us feel like part of the family! We worked together, laughed, and joked! He amazed us with excellent dishes, demonstrating his passion for cooking, and showed us all the most beautiful beaches in Puerto Escondido! The two weeks were over too quickly; we'll carry this experience with us forever! Un abbraccio da Benedetta e Riccardo

We stayed with Guim for two weeks and we felt completely at home. It was truly a beautiful experience. Guim immediately won our hearts because he’s an incredible person, cheerful and always up for a good conversation. We had so many interesting chats and, most importantly, we ate a lot and ate very well! Leaving was hard, but now we know we have a new friend en el Barrio. Hope to see you soon Ps. el orto está limpio

Me alojé tres semanas en el Jardín de Epicuro, dirigido por Margaux y Mateo. Al principio no había huéspedes, así que trabajamos juntos en el mantenimiento del hostel, especialmente de la huerta. Fue físicamente exigente, pero era justo lo que buscaba, así que lo disfruté muchísimo. Explican las diferentes tareas muy bien, y cada día era diferente. También hicimos un surf trip con 15 huéspedes. Gracias al espíritu de equipo y a la hospitalidad de Margaux y Mateo, fue todo un éxito! Fue un placer ayudarles y participar en su proyecto ecológico. Para dormir, hay un dormitorio para 17 personas, pero las cápsulas individuales están diseñadas con mucho gusto para darte privacidad. En cuanto a las comidas, las porciones eran generosas y muy sabrosas (¡son unos auténticos chefs!). Además, pasamos momentos maravillosos y muy agradables juntos, con la otra voluntaria y los huéspedes. Como voluntaria, recibimos descuentos en sus diversos servicios, y descubrí el surf con Mateo, quien es un profesor fantástico. 🏄🏼‍♀️ Les deseo todo el éxito que se merecen para la temporada y estoy muy agradecida por mi estancia en Chapadmalal con ellos 🥰 Si alguna vez vuelvo a Chapadmalal, ¡sin duda los visitaré! Recomiendo encarecidamente su programa de voluntariado 🤩 ¡Muchísimas gracias de nuevo por todo !

Leo stayed with us for two weeks. During this time, he helped with all sort of tasks, from cleaning under the olive trees, to harvest, cleaning bee hives, and he is not afraid to have a go at anything. He is a strong man with varied skills and a great communicator. He works hard and is very keen on exercise and walking. He has a great personality that can only be matched by his appetite. Any host will be lucky to receive Leo in their home. Leo will be returning in the next few months and we'll be happy to welcome him again.

Hehe, wow, where to start ? David is a funny, generous, and open-minded person with values rooted in common sense and respect for nature. He speaks many languages, sometimes even better than his own native one :D We started laughing just seconds after we met. If you love chatting and laughing, you’re in the right place ;) Meeting his children, brother and mother was a gift for me — not only because they are incredibly cute and kind, but also because this is exactly what a cultural exchange should feel like. The work wasn't difficult, and mostly dependent on the weather. Each day, David explains what needs to be done. I really appreciated being able to choose what I preferred to do when possible, and the space he gives for new ideas. You don’t feel like a worker at all — you feel like a team member contributing to the project. David’s place is heaven on Earth if you love the ocean, animals (wild or domesticated, haha), long conversations about any topic, and delicious Portuguese food (++++). The land is stunning — there’s a unique atmosphere there that I’ll never forget. It’s far from the city, very quiet and well preserved. The surroundings offer incredible coastal hikes, towards Cabo Espichel, or on the other side in Arrábida Park for quieter waters to swim in. The caravan I stayed in was super comfortable; I slept like a baby and woke up to this beautiful sunlight filtering through the trees. This workaway is probably the purest definition of what a workaway experience should be. I would simply recommend going on sunny days (it's usually sunny but we weren’t always lucky), because the sun transforms the experience. Thank you for everything! A warm hug to the whole family — and I hope our paths cross again soon.

Lili and Benoit are such lovely hosts- and their son, Leo, is adorable! I stayed with them on 3 different occasions and am grateful to now have some beautiful new friends (including a few they introduced me to!) The work was always fair and reasonable in terms of the level of difficulty. It was also wonderful to absorb some of their knowledge both in the "chantier" and in the garden. The food they prepared was tasty, largely vegetarian, and often grown right there on the land! The yurt is also really lovely to have a bit space to yourself and the gite that they're working on (that I helped with just a bit!) is going to be incredible once it's ready in a few months. Thanks for being your beautiful selves and I hope to see you again soon!!

I feel incredibly lucky to have spent two weeks with Alina and Lawrence in their charming cortijo nestled in the scenic hills near Alhama as my first Workaway experience. From the very first day, they made me feel like part of the family. We shared delicious home-cooked meals prepared by Alina, enjoyed deep and meaningful conversations, I feel that I grew by the experience and wisdom that both of them shared with me so generously. I got to explore the area—from visiting the city of Alhama and its thermal waters, to stargazing at “Skyandaluz,” and even attending a concert by local musicians. The work I did was agriculture and maintenance, always accompanied by Lawrence’s guidance. I had the chance to participate in the full cycle of olive harvesting, all the way to producing the oil, and I also learned about apiculture. All in all, it was an unforgettable experience. If you appreciate calm, beautiful places, great company, good food, outdoor work, and you like dogs, I highly recommend reaching out to them. Alina & Lawrence, I thank you both from the bottom of my heart for your trust, for welcoming me into your home, and for making me feel like part of your family. This was a truly enriching and growing experience; one I will always cherish. I wish you health and abundance for many years to come. 10/10 — I hope to visit again in the future! — Leo

It was a real pleasure to have Abdullah over. He was a very responsible hard worker, and showed great care and respect for the place and the family dynamics. He is a very open minded person, always interested in knowing more about our culture, and always willing to share is own. The kids still speak of him, they absolutely loved him!

We stayed here for three weeks. Our experience during this time had two sides. First, the interaction with the teachers and the children at school. This part was very positive. We were there giving support to the teachers when needed. Basically, our tasks were writing the homework in the notebooks the children took home, helping to serve the food, and cleaning dishes. The teachers are very kind and treat you very well. The kids have a lot of free time with “no curricular activities” so you need to be creative. The other side of the volunteering is related to the organization. Raphael guided us from the beginning till the end, but he says he is busy most of the time and that made the communication difficult in some specific situations. For example: he never informed us at any point that another volunteer would be coming until the morning she arrived; he often arrived late, or he didn’t show up for one of the activities we had organized together. We went there expecting to participate a lot in the football program, what was really motivating us, but during that time the project wasn’t going on. We just helped with the pre-school. The accommodation was fine, inside the same school, with African-style toilets and showers. We didn’t stay in the volunteers’ house as we thought when we got there- It is a good location, less than 10 minutes’ drive from the centre. We liked the food; it was good, but we didn’t know the meal schedule a lot of times because of the lack of communication. We recommend you to go there if you have initiative, you love kids from 2-6 years old and you don’t mind to have no schedule.

I had a wonderful time here as a volunteer, initially planning to spend a month but eventually staying 6 weeks and likely would've stayed longer if I didn't have other plans. I met a lot of wonderful people and especially enjoyed the weekly sauna, artist resident sharings, and other full community events. As a 40 year old, I was the oldest volunteer on the "wing" for the time I was there- but that wasn't a problem for me. I met many cool volunteers from all over the world and really enjoyed sharing stories and meals with them. Occasionally I had some frustrations with folks not cleaning up after themselves (which attracted bugs in the warmer months) but we tried to put some signage and systems in place to improve the expectations and understanding of where things go, so hopefully that helps to make life more comfortable for future volunteers. Volunteers are expected to take care of their own space and cook their own meals in their free time- which can work well but can mean that experiences (and to some degree quality of life) can vary if the group is not willing to do that extra work. I think it could make sense to have either a staff-type volunteer coordinator or even just always one selected volunteer who can use some of their required work hours to help manage the wing and keep things organized and running smoothly. Their concept of community is quite unique, with several "sub-communities" throughout (volunteers, artists, co-workers, permanent residents, etc.) The main building, the old hospital, is massive. They've added a lot of color and "warm"-ish things to make it feel less like a hospital and the space has a lot of potential (and a lot already accomplished!) That said, there is always plenty to do! In terms of the 25h/week work, I did a lot of work on the construction side of things, largely at a property off site- installing insulation, drywall, etc. There I worked mostly with Torsten and enjoyed getting to know him. He has a lot of knowledge to share about communities and construction and we also shared a lot of laughs. There was also a retreat one of the weekends I was there so volunteers ended up helping a lot in the kitchen for food prep. Generally the "crew" tries to match tasks to skills but it's not always possible, which is understandable. During the time I was there, there were a few moments of tension that came up in the weekly meeting and also in the 'larger' community. I think that will always be the case and can be one of the hardest parts of living in community. I do think some of those moments could have been handled more gracefully, but I also know that they are still trying to figure out their system/language for how to move through conflict. I know they are doing several trainings (GenEurope and Les Pas Sages I believe) for getting all of their systems clarified and spelled out, in writing, and think this will make things run even more smoothly. I hope to come back someday and send good vibes that it will just continue to get better in the meantime!

Mehdi stayed at our farm for two weeks and was an incredible help. He got along well with everyone and quickly made people feel very comfortable around him. He was eager to learn new things and already had a wide range of experience. He knows how to solve problems and improve difficult situations. I was truly amazed by how resilient he is. I hope he takes good care of himself, meets many people who show him the respect he deserves, has many ways to be inspired, and spreads his positive spirit wherever he goes. Anyone who gets to spend time with him and host him can consider themselves lucky. I wonder if I'll be able to experience this opportunity again? Nuri

My month with Elli and Franzi was simply fantastic! I learned so much - from olive harvesting all the way to making oil, as well as about plants, animals, cob/clay building, Italian cuisine and so much more. The two of them are super open-minded and respond to pretty much every individual need. I was traveling in my van and was even allowed to sleep in their beautiful, comfortable caravan during a storm. Open communication and genuine appreciation truly define both of them. Elli is one of the funniest people I know, and Franzi always has a quick, hands-on solution for every little problem. I will never forget this time. I already miss it - the view of the sunrise in the morning, and especially your dogs. Thank you for everything!

We had such a lovely time with John and Sabine. It was so cool to experience mountain life in Tuscany and enjoy the beatitude views. The accommodations were 5 star and the food 6 star (out of 5 stars :). We started work at 9 until 1 and it was mainly helping John build his electrical shed. It was rewarding work and we learned a lot from John. They also live quite close to Cortana which is another really cool spot to visit a few times. Highly recommend staying here for a few weeks!!