Lance Avery Morgan
Go From Chaos To Calm, Her Duende Retreats Finds Soulful Escapes With Handpicked Luxury Stays & Private Getaways
Portrait photography courtesy of Duende Retreats
If Regina Tingle’s name sounds like it belongs in a novel, that’s only fitting—because the life she’s authored is one part travelogue, one part manifesto, and entirely unforgettable. As the founder of Duende Retreats, a series of soulful, immersive getaways specifically curated for women, Tingle has built more than just a business; she’s created a movement rooted in curiosity, courage, and the kind of quiet magic that happens when women are finally allowed to exhale.
Tingle’s own path didn’t arrive in a straight line—it meandered, as the best stories do, especially since she is a Native Texan, and now resides in England. Her life has been a well-stamped passport of experiences, guided not by GPS but by something more intuitive, more ancient: that ineffable spark the Spanish call duende—a heightened state of emotion, expression, and authenticity. It’s the spirit that dances in flamenco, whispers through poetry, and now, thanks to Tingle, lives in each moment of her thoughtfully designed retreats.
Duende Retreats are not your average wellness gathering. There are no rigid schedules, no performative perfection, and certainly no expectation to emerge as a reinvented version of yourself. Instead, Regina Tingle invites women to come exactly as they are—exhausted, exhilarated, uncertain, bold, tender, unfinished—and discover that maybe, just maybe, they’re already enough. Whether it’s journaling in a sun-drenched courtyard, sharing laughter over a long, wine-soaked dinner, or simply taking a nap without guilt, every element is carefully crafted to nourish the parts of us that modern life often overlooks.
Charming, curious, and disarmingly wise, she is the type of woman who makes you feel like you’ve known her for years in just five minutes. She’s the warm breeze that nudges you forward when you’re stuck, the quiet confidence that says “yes, you can,” and the creative force behind a space where women don’t just retreat from the world—they return to themselves. Here, our Lance Avery Morgan caught up with Regina Tingle to learn how others can benefit from her travel talents and experience.
The best career advice I’ve received is…
Regina Tingle: Do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.
Three qualities that got me where I am today are…
Regina Tingle: Stubbornness disguised as persistence, the inability to compromise on the things that truly matter to me, and relentless impatience. Plus, an intolerance for settling.
Easiest career decision I ever made is…
Regina Tingle: Nothing’s been easy. Mostly in that I did not go the traditional career route. Instead of applying for a job out of college, I left for Italy the day after graduation. It certainly didn’t lead to a career in the traditional sense, but that (and a lot of other questionable and unpopular decisions among my parents and friends) set me on the path that led me where I am now. Building a life and business you love isn’t supposed to be easy. But I eventually found my way after over twenty years of wondering if I was doing it all wrong.
Due to my ongoing involvement with female collective travel, I have found that…
Regina Tingle: Travel has changed dramatically over the last half-century. There’s far more of the world that’s within arm’s reach than ever before. Women, in particular, I’ve discovered, are the ones who want to explore. I have a lot of clients who are in their sixties and early seventies – they’re the ones with the most energy. They’re not interested in waiting around. They’ve experienced major losses; they’ve had their career and raised their families. They figure they’re going to squeeze the juice out of life while they’ve still got it because they know firsthand how fleeting life and good health are. So, when they see a trip they like, they book. Sometimes several at a time. They’re the women who inspire me, the women I learn from the most. I always tell them I want to be like them when I grow up.
What is influencing me right now in travel is …
Regina Tingle: I tend to go off-grid. I like finding low-key places no one goes to–tiny, far-flung, car-free islands are my personal go-to. I am happiest when I get away from humanity and get to go barefoot and a bit feral on an island for a few weeks. I absolutely love Spetses, Greece, Caye Caulker in Belize, and Procida in Italy…next on my list are the Eolian Islands – Lipari and Panarea are calling my name.
My favorite part of creating luxury escapes for women would be…
Regina Tingle: There’s something magical when you get a bunch of women on vacation together. They might be strangers when they arrive, but by the time they leave, they’ve all connected. I love seeing that my clients plan trips to visit each other. Like my client from Iowa, who travels to Houston to see my Texan clients and buys her first pair of boots and goes to her first rodeo. What could be better than fostering these connections and friendships?
First music I bought was…
Regina Tingle: The soundtrack to The Bodyguard. It didn’t matter that I’d never seen the movie. I was obsessed. Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You, on repeat.
Whenever I hear a Yacht Rock song, I immediately…
Regina Tingle: My knee-jerk reaction is to skip. But nine times out of ten, I end up turning it up and belting it despite myself.
Last thing I binge/marathon watched…
Regina Tingle: Yellowstone and all the other Taylor Sheridan spin-offs–loved all of them, but 1883 with Faith Hill and Tim McGraw was my favorite. To take the theme of the old western, then narrate it and tell it through the eyes of a teenage girl was absolutely brilliant. Exquisitely written and so original. So many sob-worthy episodes.
Book that left a lasting impression on me…
Regina Tingle: Another Bullshit Night in Suck City by Nick Flynn. It was the first book I read when earning my MFA in creative writing, and it blew my mind that someone could write like that. I also love anything by Mary Karr (an amazing Texan author) and Lydia Yuknavitch. Don’t Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller is also an astoundingly gorgeous book.
On that note, my favorite fictional character is…
Regina Tingle: Mrs. Havisham from Great Expectations. A wealthy spinster recluse, jilted at the altar, who insists on wearing her wedding dress. (C’mon, Taylor Sheridan. Let’s hear her back story!)
My real-life hero has got to be…
Regina Tingle: I have loads, but I think I’d have to say all my grandparents. They lived through the Depression, they witnessed so much of the development of the modern world. It must have been such a wild ride. I’d also say so many of my teachers and professors along the way, from my Texas alma mater, Coppell High School, and beyond. Also Volodymyr Zelensky. True grace under constant pressure.
If I lived in a foreign city, it would be…
Regina Tingle: While I’m a native Texan, born in Houston and raised in Dallas (I went to Texas Tech my first year, then graduated from UNT), I now live in Brighton, England. It’s the perfect place for me right now, and I love raising my son here. But if I were to live in another foreign city, it would be, hands-down, Rome or Madrid. Two cities in two countries where the concept of pleasure is celebrated. We (Americans and Brits alike) don’t delight in everyday life enough because often we don’t slow down or make space for it. A simple coffee sipped with a friend or chatting with a stranger is a privilege and pleasure. Pleasure, in food, friends, and spontaneity, should be natural and effortless, and cities like Rome and Madrid are set up for that, full of people who collectively agree on what life is all about: the abundance of simple, daily pleasures.
What everyone should try in their lifetime is…
Regina Tingle: A small slice of piping-hot,salt-less toasted Tuscan bread, slathered in something called lardo di colonnata. It melts in your mouth, and trust me, taste it and you’ll never be the same. That and waiting tables. The world would be a better place if everyone worked as a server at least once.
If I could compete in an Olympic sport, or create one, it would be…
Regina Tingle: Rollerskating.
If I weren’t doing what I do, I would be a…
Regina Tingle: A spy. I also have this great idea for a Netflix series…
My style icon is…
Regina Tingle: Italian women. There’s a certain way they carry themselves. They know they’re being watched (because in Italy staring isn’t rude, it’s a compliment), so they are very intentional about how they present themselves. Culturally speaking, more than a status symbol, being well dressed is a sign of self-respect and dignity. They go to the hairdresser every week, they take care of their bodies, they have all their special creams and potions from the pharmacy, they go to the spa, they get massages, they vacation regularly as though it’s part of a healthy diet. (They’re on to something!) They might not have a huge wardrobe, but they’re always wearing the latest sunglasses and shoes of the season with a few signature pieces. Looking good is synonymous with feeling good.
My personal style signifier is…
Regina Tingle: I learned a lot while living in Italy. Can’t go wrong with a classic look, and less is more. Except, of course, where Dolce Gabbana is concerned. I love D&G’s over-the-top bombastic flair, even though it’s not my personal taste. I love a pair of great-fitting jeans and a t-shirt with some fab boots. I just bought my first pair of Tecovas last fall, and I love them. I get a lot of compliments when I wear them out and about in the UK.
The classic designer I wish was still designing today would be…
Regina Tingle: Yves Saint Laurent. I’ve toured his house and former studio, which is now a museum in Paris, and he was just such an inspiring human. He had a real passion for celebrating the feminine mystique and was a real champion for the women of his era and beyond.
The last meal that truly impressed me was…
Regina Tingle: Lunch at this great restaurant in Dijon. I think it was four courses. Each plate came with a different wine, and each time I took a bite, I wanted to cry. It was food, but it was art, but it was food. Each wine amplified and elevated the flavors most perfectly. To have the privilege of tasting the immense talent, thought, and skill that went into each morsel and sip was humbling. From the viticulturist who made the wines, to the farmers who grew the ingredients, to the chef who knew how to make them all sing in perfect harmony. When I left, I told the chef it was the best meal of my life. He just shrugged and gave me a half smile. So French. The best part was that the whole religious experience cost less than $100.
In my fridge, you will always find…
Regina Tingle: Olives. I love a crisp, dirty vodka martini.
My perfect day would end…
Regina Tingle: In a spectacular sunset with a cotton candy sky, somewhere with a view surrounded by everyone I love. (Sipping a dirty martini, of course.)
The title of my autobiography will likely be…
Regina Tingle: It’s a work in progress. I’ll let you know. 🙂
