The Retreat Costa Rica - Wellness Resort & Spa

just got back from a 5 night stay and i have serious withdrawal! i loved this place so much and am already planning to go back next year. first off, it's just a really beautiful resort. especially loved the santosha building which is a new construction with a brand new yoga room. by far this is the prettiest yoga room i've ever been in, and it was completely breathtaking. just inhabiting the space was therapeutic because i love being in pretty spaces. santosha also has new guest rooms, and i was able to take a peek-- they look absolutely divine. i'm totally staying here on my next trip. double sink bathrooms (the one complaint i had about my room was the bathroom size-- i stayed in a 2 queen bed unit called moringa which had a breathtaking view out the balcony but a small bathroom) plus really high ceilings. loved santosha and spent most of my lounging time here. secondly, loved the yoga classes! truly loved jen endicott and her soothing vibes. the resort has a rotation of yoga teachers throughout the year. please make sure you have jen back every year! i loved the 2x daily sessions with her and want to follow her around wherever she goes. i loved that the resort is able to find such high quality teachers like this which really speaks to their commitment to all aspects of wellness. taking jen's restorative class in the yoga room with the midday showers was truly cathartic and soothing. extra special. third, the food here is EXCELLENT. admittedly, i don't always eat super healthy, but this trip has made me want to experiment with some aspects of my eating (for example, i may cut out all dairy in my diet going forward inspired by my time here). we had a chance to do a small group session with the executive chef sergio (who by the way was really nice and seems very commanding / efficient in the kitchen) which was wonderful. i loved the portion / sizing for each meal, and the chocolate chip almond cookies that are laid out with turndown service. every meal during our stay was phenomenal. i've never known gluten free, vegan cooking to be this special and kudos to sergio and his staff for this. literally everything we ate was so well-seasoned and refined. my particular favorites included this squash / eggplant wrapped lentil with tomato sauce (a la italian) for lunch and the skirt steak at dinner (it's extra $$ and not the standard choice of protein you're given, but it's really completely worth it). also random, but i loved the hot sauce here and asked for it every meal. it's "homemade" and it is exquisite! we had rented a car, but didn't venture much outside the resort other than a brief excursion on our own to playa mantas (a beach nearby which was nice) and the coffee plantation El Toledo (also on our own, but the resort does these excursions if you request it for additional fees). also got the spa treatment here twice (heaven on earth), and both emilia and lucia were great! shoutouts to a few people who were extra warm and provided great

Johnathan, Juan, and Fabio were the best! They were attentive from start to finish. The Retreat is truly Heaven on Earth! The Retreat is hands down the epitome of relaxation. The amenities, the food, and service combined make this place unforgettable!