In short: To host a wellness retreat in Costa Rica, choose a private beachfront venue where your group is the only group, build the day around the light rather than the clock, bring in a private chef, and route arrivals through Liberia (LIR). Odisea's two adjoining villas on Playa Junquillal were shaped for exactly this.
The first session of a good retreat rarely starts on time, and that's usually a sign it's working. At Villa Hermes, morning practice begins when the light slides across the garden and the ocean turns from grey to silver; someone is still padding barefoot across the deck with a coffee. By day three, nobody reaches for a phone before breakfast. That shift, from schedule to rhythm, depends on the place far more than most facilitators admit.
What makes a good venue for a wellness retreat in Costa Rica?
Start with privacy. A retreat loses something the moment participants share a pool with strangers. Villa Diosa del Mar and Villa Hermes sit side by side on the sand at Playa Junquillal, and when you take both, the whole domain is yours. Odisea doesn't stack events back to back, either: between groups, it rests. Junquillal itself is a quiet, barely developed stretch of the Guanacaste coast with no nightlife to speak of, which matters on the second night, when your group is finally ready for silence.
Then ask who built the place. Patrick Rey, an architect and builder, and Valérie, an artist and interior designer, made both villas by hand in their own workshop, right down to the light switches, carved from local wood. Their rule was to make everything and buy nothing.
How should you structure the day on a wellness retreat?
Let the coast write the schedule. Mornings are clear and soft; midday heat is for rest; late afternoon ends with the sun dropping straight into the Pacific. A rhythm that works:
- Early morning: practice on the deck at Hermes, then an unhurried breakfast from the chef.
- Late morning: a workshop or circle in the gardens at Diosa del Mar, among century-old trees the founders painted by hand.
- Afternoon: open time. Surf, kayaking the mangroves of Estero de Venado, a nap, or nothing.
- Sunset: meditation by the pool at Hermes, whose deck Patrick designed around this exact hour.
- Evening: dinner together and the fire pit in the garden at Diosa.
Leave at least one afternoon free: the ocean does half the work.
Where do you practice yoga at Odisea Retreats?
Villa Hermes offers a yoga space on request, set up before you arrive. A curved wooden vaulted roof, double-height volumes, a form Patrick drew from the horizon, the sea and the arc of the sun: under that vault, a room goes quiet on its own. No teacher of your own? The concierge can arrange an instructor. More in our piece on yoga retreats at Odisea.
Why two villas work better than one big house
Each villa has five bedrooms, all with private bathrooms and air conditioning, and its own infinity pool. What your group really gets is two moods: Hermes, contemporary and sculptural, for practice and gatherings; Diosa del Mar, the first and more intimate of the two, for slow mornings and one-to-one sessions. As Patrick puts it, in one place you can live two completely different experiences.
Do you need a private chef for a retreat in Junquillal?
Yes. Junquillal has very few places to eat, which is part of why it stays quiet, and a retreat that drives out for every meal loses its thread. A private chef cooks with local ingredients and follows your program: light breakfasts after practice, bespoke menus around every dietary need, a long dinner on the final night. The concierge can also stock the kitchen before arrival and book massages in the villa.
How do participants get to Playa Junquillal?
Fly into Liberia (LIR), about 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 20 minutes away; San José is closer to four and a half hours. The concierge coordinates private transfers from LIR, and with staggered flights it's worth staggering pickups too. A 4x4 is recommended in the rainy season. Before anyone travels, Gaby, our online concierge, handles the planning. On site, Luca takes over. He grew up at Diosa del Mar while his parents were building it, and he knows every path.
Where to stay
- Villa Hermes — modern architectural beachfront villa →
- Villa Diosa del Mar — beachfront art retreat →
- Rent both villas together as Odisea Retreats →
Frequently asked questions
How many participants can Odisea host for a retreat?
It depends on how your group shares rooms. The estate has ten bedrooms across two adjoining villas, each with a private bathroom and air conditioning. Tell the concierge about your retreat format and they will confirm the configuration that works best, including whether one villa or both makes more sense.
When is the best time of year to run a wellness retreat in Costa Rica?
The dry season, roughly December to April, brings steady sun. The green season, May to November, brings rain that usually falls in the afternoon or evening, with clear mornings that suit practice well. September and October are the wettest months, so talk those dates through with the concierge first.
Can I book just one villa for a smaller retreat?
Yes. Villa Hermes is the natural choice if yoga sits at the center of your program, thanks to its on-request practice space and sunset deck. Diosa del Mar suits smaller groups who want intimacy, with sculpture gardens and a private staircase that reaches the beach in a minute.
What activities can be added to a retreat program?
The concierge arranges surf lessons, kayaking in the Estero de Venado, horseback rides on the beach, a sunset catamaran from Flamingo and trips to the hot springs at Rincón de la Vieja Volcano. Massages, a photographer and private transport, too.
