I don’t usually pay much attention to the pampered lifestyle. I’m more of a practical, hunker-down, day-to-day, get-er-done, I-got-this type of gal. But, I gotta tell ya, every now and then….it doesn’t hurt to kick up my heels, take a nice slow breath, and let the pampering commence.
That’s what I just did. I let the pampering commence. And I did it in style. Of the organic nature.
I love that my adult kids enjoy adventures. I love that they are adept at locating unusual, interesting experiences. I love that they appreciate the value of the hard-earned dollar, and that they know how to work deals to make things financially possible. I love that they get excited about travel. I love that they sometimes invite me along.
I just returned from a trip with one of my daughters to The Retreat in Costa Rica. Located on top of a Quartz mountain in Atenas, Costa Rica, The Retreat is a small spa and retreat center that specializes in personalized service. Recently ranked by Conde Nast Traveler magazine as the No. #1 Destination Spa Retreat in the World, it came onto my daughter’s radar via TikTok. She wanted to take a restorative, rejuvenating break, and she asked me to join her.
I’m not saying it was the cheapest thing I’ve ever done, but my daughter worked deals so that we could afford a long weekend stay.
Founder Diana Stobo says,
"I built The Retreat with one simple intention: to help heal people through food, love, nature, and genuine care. I wanted to create a place where people could exhale, feel deeply nourished, and remember how good they are meant to feel."
After our visit to The Retreat-- after leisure time at the pool, Rainforest hikes, yoga sessions, sound bowl immersion, massages, fire release ceremonies, jacuzzi evenings—after all that, I did remember how good I was meant to feel. I soaked it all in. Did I mention the food? Farm to table, non-dairy, gluten-free, imaginative gourmet meals. Heavy on the fruit. In fact, as we wandered around the property, we saw many fruit trees bearing fruitage. Whether ingredients were harvested from the fruit trees, the retreat garden, the chicken coup, or the local farmers and fishermen, every meal was prepared and presented with, well, love.
See?
The resort was a small retreat and spa facility with about 20 unique rooms. What made The Retreat impressive, beyond the stunning mountainous surroundings, stellar food, engaging activities, and perfect Zen vibe, was the attention they heaped upon the guests. Starting from the moment we were picked up at the airport, staff addressed each of us by name, and asked us specifics about what we wanted to do and eat and see. Every worker from top to bottom remembered our names and other details every time we encountered them. The staff were incredibly gracious, attentive, and kind. We were definitely seen, which I don’t always like—I’ll often try to fade into the background—but, in this setting, the extra attention was perfect.
My typical travel style is to try to get down and dirty learning about the location, its culture, and its people. But not this time. We were fairly isolated during our stay at The Retreat. Yet, we did manage to absorb a little of the Costa Rican way of life. We absolutely loved the excursion tour we took to Raul’s nearby organic family-owned coffee farm. That was very informative. And, we raved about the immersive elevated dining journey that Chef Pablo presented to teach us Costa Rican history and traditions from land and sea during our 8-course tasting dinner. But, other than that, we didn’t really experience Costa Rica in the way I would have normally arranged – local restaurants, local stores, local people doing their local thing.
What I’m saying is that I can’t really comment on Costa Rica as a travel destination, because I don’t feel that I truly experienced everything about the country; like, we didn't see that much wildlife and I never even saw the beach. But, I can highly recommend The Retreat in Atenas. It was peaceful and relaxing and adventurous and delicious and warm and invigorating and serene, all rolled up in one.
According to Google AI:
Pura Vida is a famous Costa Rican phrase that literally translates to "pure life." In practice, it means "simple life," "full of life," or "everything is great". It is a national mantra representing a laid-back, positive lifestyle focused on gratitude, community, and appreciating the present moment.
My final comment, my full reaction to my spa retreat trip with my daughter is “Pura Vida.” I felt that to my core.. Soooo........actually......all things considered.......you know...........perhaps I did get a good feel for Costa Rica, after all.
