Experience Malvern

As a Catholic retreat house for men, women, married couples, families, youth and clergy, Malvern Retreat House is also known as St. Joseph’s-in-the-Hills. Owned and operated by the Laymen’s Retreat League, this retreat house is situated on 125 acres of wooded countryside. Malvern Retreat House operates in full canonical jurisdiction with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Malvern Retreat House offers spacious accommodations for retreats and spiritual conferences as well as organizational meetings.

Our accomodations

There are two retreat locations on the Malvern Retreat House property. All of the men’s retreats are hosted in the Main Retreat House. The family, married couples, religious and clergy retreats are generally hosted in the McShain-Horstmann Family Life Center. So, please be sure to check where your retreat will be held. Call the Main Office at (610) 644-0400 or make a reservation now.

Main Retreat House
Catholic retreats are offered during the day, midweek, evening and weekends throughout the year. Several residential buildings offer private sleeping accommodations for over 350 people in our Main Retreat House. Each room is dedicated to a saint with a stained glass window on the door. A single bed with sheets and one set of towels, sink and desk adorn each room in the Main Retreat House. Bathrooms are dormitory style in the hallways, which include shower stalls. Private oratories, small adoration chapels adorn most of the hallways for private adoration. The McShain Conference Center offers meeting space for 20 to 350 individuals. The room includes sound equipment and staging. Memorial Dining Hall may hold up to 300 people seated. Generally, retreatants at Malvern are served family style by our wait staff or, if desired, we may offer a customized buffet. Our home-cooked meals are a time-honored tradition. Two beautiful chapels can accommodate 150-180 people for private liturgies, prayer or talks.

McShain-Horstmann Family Life Center
The 50-room Shain-Horstmann Family Life Center offers private rooms with individually controlled air-conditioning and heating units. Each room consists of a double and single bed, sink, desk and a private bath. This is a one-floor facility which is handicap-accessible. A large chapel overlooking the meditation garden may be used for conferences or liturgies. Break-out rooms are available on both sides of the building and may be configured according to your needs. With a separate dining facility, this building also has its own chef and wait staff offering home-style or buffet service.