A Radiant Retreat

Dreams Come True in Costa Rica

By Hailey Bethke | Photography courtesy of The Retreat Costa Rica

Poetically situated upon a sixty-acre quartz mountain overlooking the sparkling Pacific Ocean, The Retreat Costa Rica invites you to slow your pace and reconnect with your most radiant self.

Here, luxury encompasses a dual meaning. Expect modern amenities (this isn’t your “eco-chic” hotel) and a guest-centric experience among the luxurious, rich backdrop of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula. Designed to help the body to internally reset, this intimate experience allows guests to release the stress and expectations of everyday life. The Retreat offers a variety of results-driven packages focusing on every area of wellness to aid in physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual renewal.

Idyllically located on private land outside the town of Atenas in the Alajuela Valley region, the resort gives guests a natural sense of ease and balance from the moment they step on the property. Each of the eighteen guest rooms is thoughtfully named after plants and superfoods that grow steps from the main house. No televisions or phones are in sight, promoting a therapeutic connection with nature and the self. Lush bedding, plush organic cotton bathrobes, raw organic body care products, and complimentary diffusers provide a bespoke guest experience set to the euphoric hum of jungle fauna.

Each room offers a new perspective, from views of the mountains to the glimmer of the Pacific Ocean in the distance. Some layouts offer generous balconies and hanging chair swings, while others boast floor-to-ceiling windows and a desk area. Guests looking to enrich their experience should book one of the six new Luxury Lofts. Each was meticulously designed using sustainable materials and locally sourced furniture, and expansive windows flood the space with cleansing sunlight. King-size beds overlook a private patio that opens onto rainforest vistas, while the open-concept bathroom wows with white marble and a spacious soaking tub.

The Retreat is situated on the side of a quartz mountain, which provides incredible views of the valley and the Pacific Ocean beyond.

Even the resort’s design and architectural layout have been aligned with feng shui principles to ensure each of the five key elements (wood, fire, earth, water, and metal) is present in each building on the property. Every interior detail is thoughtful and aligned with the greater intention of creating a healing guest experience. Take the selenite wall hangings, for example. Selenite is a white gypsum mineral that is said to remove obstacles and negative energies, and fine jewelry and crystal art designer Rebecca Norman commissioned each piece.

All wellness packages at The Retreat include three meals at Sol Terrace: Nature’s Gastronomy, the on-site terraced restaurant that uses organic and locally sourced ingredients daily. More than 80 percent of the resort’s food is grown in the organic garden outside the restaurant for easy access and maximized sustainability. Grown on the south-facing side of the crystal mountain, the fresh produce is rooted in the cleanest soil and hydrated by crystal-infused spring water. You’ll notice seasonal produce in your breakfast, on the salad bar, and at the dinner table. Healing herbs are found in water, elixirs, and hand-muddled cocktails. Guests are always encouraged to walk the garden with the chef or explore it on their own time.

Within the Spa Lounge, Gratitude Café offers a selection of rare teas, organic biodynamic wines, sunset platters, and a la carte lunch items and appetizers. All menus are designed to provide delicious plant-based meals made with anti-inflammatory, seasonal ingredients. The Retreat encourages an “open kitchen” policy, where guests can see what they eat and how each dish is prepared. The resort also offers many cooking classes weekly so that you can bring a taste of your experience home with you. With celebrity chef, author, and wellness coach Diana Stobo behind the vision for the resort, know that these meals are rooted in vitality and are sure to delight.

Aligned with the feng shui principles throughout the property, the eight-thousand-square-foot Vida Mia Healing Center and Spa are steps from the main house. Spacious treatment rooms overlook the neighboring mountain range, with optimized design to encourage health, wealth, charisma, love, sex, and luck. Choose between more than eighty bespoke treatments, each of which is elevated with medicinal herbs, scrubs, tinctures, oil infusions, and creams grown on-site at the organic farm. One of the most popular treatments, the Vida Shirodhara Bliss Abhyanga massage, uses traditional Ayurvedic techniques and herbal oils to help with insomnia, stress, anxiety, and hormonal imbalances.

This restorative haven has a space for every traveler. The Meditation Deck is a serene place to reflect, chant, pray, or take in the Costa Rican landscape; the Quiet Pool encourages guests to rest and sunbathe while gazing at the Pacific Ocean between healing treatments. Be sure to leave time to dip in one of the saltwater pools before relaxing in the hot tub or taking an invigorating plunge in the cold-water cascade.

Of course, there are dozens of options to explore off-property, whether on guided excursions or in the comfort of solitude. For the trailblazer, surf the nearby beaches, hike the rainforests, or visit the renowned Arenal Volcano National Park before returning to The Retreat for a three-course organic dinner. All concierge guest experiences are designed to provide memorable cultural immersion, including trips to local farmers markets, coffee plantations, and animal rescue centers. Your guides are local experts. In fact, the resort has a policy that 90 percent of its staff must be from the local community. The Retreat provides an extensive training program for ambitious, service-oriented individuals who want to gain experience in the hospitality industry.

No matter your wellness goals, The Retreat Costa Rica is excited to offer a customized guest experience that leaves you feeling rejuvenated and at peace.

— V —

To learn more about The Retreat Costa Rica and explore wellness packages, please visit TheRetreatCostaRica.com and follow along on Instagram @TheRetreatCostaRica.