Midstay delivered a seamless 5-night company retreat in Phuket for Doist, bringing 74 team members from around the globe together for meaningful connection, team bonding, and shared cultural experiences. From venue selection at a luxury 5-star hotel to logistics, excursions, and on-site support, we made Doist’s first Asia retreat smooth, engaging, and unforgettable. It’s a powerful example for HR leaders and People & Culture teams planning large-scale global offsites.
“I’m hearing from the team this is the most fun they’ve ever had together, and this is the best venue we’ve ever been to.”
– Chase, Head of Operations at Doist
“Thanks to Midstay for allowing us to create this special bonding moment and for the incredible experience.”
– Nadia, Head of People at Doist
Doist’s Team Bonding Retreat in Serene Phuket
Established in 2007, Doist is the fully-remote team behind Todoist and Twist – both platforms serving millions of users all around the world, helping them keep track of their goals and providing ease to team communication.
With a team of more than 100 people spread across 35+ countries, Doist has been organizing team retreats for over 10 years. For their first-ever retreat in Asia, Doist collaborated with Midstay, tapping into our local expertise to explore venues and make their vision of a unique and meaningful experience in Phuket a reality.
Team Synergy and Core Values
Doist and Midstay collaborated to gather Doist’s team members together from all over the world for a few days to bond and align on core values. Being a remote-first company, this retreat was designed to help the team rejuvenate, reconnect, and strengthen team synergy.
A seamless collaboration between Midstay and Doist
With our local expertise and presence in Southeast Asia, Midstay supported Doist in making their first Asia-based retreat a reality. From suggesting venue options to providing on-the-ground assistance in Phuket, we were proud to help ensure the retreat unfolded smoothly for their globally distributed team.
Our retreat experts made sure to support Doist’s needs and took care of key elements of the retreat experience, including:
- Venue selection
- Transportation logistics
- Local experiences and excursions
- On-site concierge throughout the retreat
It is essential for us to provide the ultimate retreat experience for all of our clients, and with our strong network of venues and team activity providers, we can ensure that we save them both time and costs.
Phuket, Thailand was the perfect choice
Phuket was a natural choice for Doist’s retreat. Known for its lush greenery and pristine beaches, it was the ultimate spot for their team to connect, bond, and most importantly, relax together!
The Doist team stayed at one of Phuket’s first 5-star luxury hotels, The Surin. As one of our partner hotels, The Surin offers a wide range of facilities, such as a gym, pool, meeting rooms, private beach, and leisure rooms that can be booked privately, making it a premier location to accommodate corporate retreats.
A carefully designed team retreat itinerary
In this partnership with Doist, a tailored 6-day retreat experience came to life. Blending intentional work sessions, fun team-building activities, local cultural experiences, and time to relax. It was a true collaboration from start to finish, and here’s how the retreat unfolded:
Day 1: A Welcome Night to Remember
The first day was the official kickoff. As more team members arrived throughout the day, the schedule was intentionally spacious for a chance to check in, explore, and relax.
In the evening, the team came together at the Beach Bar for a laid-back cocktail reception. From there, the energy carried into a dinner at the Poolside Restaurant, and a night full of easy conversation, shared laughter, and genuine connection.
For those still energized, the afterparty continued at the Surin’s library, which was converted into a hangout space, in which they hosted a fun round of Doist Trivia to cap off the night.
Day 2: Shared Learning and Workshops
The day began with a beachside jog and breakfast, setting a calm tone to start the day. In the morning, the team gathered for a CEO presentation and an open AMA, a space for clarity, vision, and honest conversation. This was followed by two workshops after lunch.
The afternoon gave way to some well-deserved rest before everyone came back together for dinner at the Beach Restaurant and a relaxed evening at the Beach Bar.
Day 3: Building Together
The next morning offered another round of movement, this time a swim session for those ready to dive into the day. Breakfast then followed, before beginning the “Doist Build” hackathon.
By late afternoon, the team regrouped for a casual dinner at the Surin Poolside Restaurant, followed by another easygoing night at the Beach Bar, a perfect mix of downtime and connection
Day 4: Explore with flexibility
Wednesday offered a balance of structured and unstructured time. After a yoga session, team members had the option to rest at The Surin or head out on curated excursions, from an elephant sanctuary, to local cultural tours, and a Thai cooking class.
The day was wrapped up with dinner back at the hotel, a calm evening to reconnect and share reflections.
Day 5: Celebration and Culture
Thursday was a vibrant day of open activities and celebration. From morning beach jogs to paddleboarding, “Doist Cup” beach soccer, Batik Class, Muay Thai Class and Thai Dance.
Everyone could build their own perfect retreat day. This was then followed by a final Gala dinner, a joyful celebration of what the team has accomplished.
Day 6: Departure and Lasting Memories
The last morning rolled in slowly. Over one final breakfast, teammates lingered a little longer; sharing moments, swapping stories, and soaking in the last bit of sun. As shuttles headed off toward Phuket Airport throughout the day, goodbyes felt more like “See you soon” than farewells.
What Was the Impact of the Retreat?
With this amazing collaboration between Midstay and Doist, the few days spent in Phuket was an opportunity for the team to build stronger communication and realign around a shared purpose and collective growth.
Experience a Retreat’s Full Effect on Your Team
No matter what your goal is – to celebrate or reward your employees, align your team on the company’s mission, have productive leadership meetings or create stronger team bonds – we tailor your retreat experience fully to your objectives.
Using our end-to-end service, we take care of all the retreat planning, organization and execution, so you can focus on building a stronger team and enjoying it all the way!
Don’t hesitate to contact us and make your next team retreat a hassle-free experience!
