Pura Vida Retreat & Spa

This was my first visit to Costa Rica and was surprisingly disappointed with my stay at this retreat. I didn’t do my research and was expecting more from my visit. My recommendation: Don’t Go, unless you are into Glorified Girl Scout Camping. This reminded me of when I took my daughter to girl scout camp in Central Florida. If you don’t mind, more or less, roughing it for a week, then by all means, this is the place for you. Don’t bring good clothes, you don’t need them. Yoga clothes, bathing suit and maybe a couple of pair of good shorts/tops is all you’ll need. The retreat does send a shuttle to pick you up and bring you back to the airport. The driver, Rodrigo, is terrific!! We were welcomed by the staff with smiles and a drink. Our bags were brought to our rooms. Was glad for that, as the property is in the mountains and quite treacherous to holding your luggage while going downhill on stone walkways which were slippery at best. Some of the walkways had railings and lighting. Most of the walkways going downhill did not have adequate lighting (the vegetation was quite overgrown hiding the lighting and there were may exposed wires) and the railings were quite scarce. The walkways are made of stone and concrete, so you should be wearing gripped sneakers, not sandals to maneuver your way up the hill. Rooms were just that, a room with two beds and a bathroom. One bath towel, hand towel and wash cloth per person. I guess you could ask for more, but why should you have to. An extra set per person would have been adequate per day. You can put all of the used towels on the floor each day and the cleaning staff, will replace them daily. No AC, but I’m guessing that must be the way it is in this country, unless you are staying at a luxury hotel or resort. Nothing Luxury about this place. I will say that the staff was friendly and accommodating. Good hardworking and pleasant people. The food was good, was expecting better because I had heard about these amazing meals. They were just ok. Bread was left over many times from the day before. The fruits and salads were outstanding! Not much imagination with the meals. Chicken and Fish were served for lunch and dinner, alternating. Fish wasn’t labeled, so you didn’t know what you were eating. Everyone eats in the Dining Hall, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yoga classes were great. Totally enjoyed them. Instructor was knowledgeable, informative, and helpful. Not crazy about having to carry the mat to and from my room. Only a few times we were able to leave it in a yoga hall. For a yoga retreat, my thought would have been there would be ample mats in each of the yoga halls to accommodate all, so you wouldn’t have to carry the mat, plus water bottle, towel, etc… The Wellness Center could be brought up to the 21st century. Visiting the area several times a day to write your name on a list with a pencil, then using white out to make a correction is so old school. It certa

I have stayed at Pura Vida Retreat and Spa the summer of 2023 and summer of 2024 and I will continue to come back every summer if aligned! All the staff is so attentive & sweet; always a sweet greeting & help if ever needed! The tents are clean & spacious & the bathrooms are always tended to. The view from anywhere you are on the property is beautiful & the studio spaces that are available to practice in, look like photos in a magazine! Food is a yummy buffet that is fresh & kitchen is pretty accommodating to any needs! Love the general soft, quiet vibe to the retreat!

Surprisingly, my recent experience at Pura Vida was quite distressing. The guest rooms and facilities are nothing like photos on the website! With no a/c lots of rain, rooms are humid and damp. The one daily bath towel provided never dried. Everyone must carry yoga mats, water bottles, towels, wallets, room key and umbrellas back and forth, up and down the hills for every class. This makes for dangerous conditions during lighting and thunderstorms. The paths are dirty, muddy, slippery, moss covered and uneven with inadequate lighting in several areas. Behind Ananda Hall, indoor wiring on the ground,held with electrical tape provides makeshift lighting on steep dark hillside steps. Some areas do not have hand rails. During the night you can hear motorcycles, car engines and dogs barking. The property is right off the main road. Not at all quiet, peaceful or serene. Food was very good, but repetitive. The kitchen staff, drivers, maids, landscapers and therapists were extremely hard working, pleasant and performed their jobs well. They were only positive part of the experience. The manager is rude, unfriendly, and nasty to his staff as well as guests. His attitude is completely unprofessional and unacceptable. We received no warm welcome, no introduction to staff, no written communications in rooms, no maps of the premises, no daily schedules, no written instructions, no written emergency or medical info. To book spa treatments. A pencil on a string is provided to write guests names, treatment times and room numbers. A bottle of white out is available for corrections. Guests and therapists must walk to the board several times a day for updates. Cats freely roam the facility and are allowed to go anywhere they choose. This includes, guests rooms, yoga classes, meditation classes, even on guests mats during yoga practice. I personally had to have a cat removed from my bed during a thunder storm before I could go to sleep. Lila Hall, a heated yoga room had a huge bubble in the ceiling on the front right side near the heating elements. It looked as if it would burst any minute. Save your money, do your homework before booking.

I didn’t really enjoy my time that much at Pura Vida for a few reasons. I didnt get the feel that the staff was adequately compensated for their time in spite of the cost per night. They didn’t seem happy. Eco tours are meh. Food was okay. Accommodation for the price was underwhelming. Ants everywhere inside. Rip off but good thing I only went for a short period. There are far better more relaxing and gorgeous retreats IMO in other parts of Costa Rica

I joined a hot yoga retreat in Feb 2024 hosted to Pura Vida. Enjoyed the entire experience - from delicious food to studios with wonderful views to a rejuvenating spa center. Resort staff were friendly and helpful. Stayed in a Tentalow and was glad I did - spacious with plenty of fresh air. Common bathrooms were steps away. Look forward to returning in the future!

There is nothing less than perfect to describe my experience with Pura Vida Retreat & Spa! From the introductory email to the finals goodbyes, every moving part in organizing a retreat with 20 people, went smoothly and seamlessly. Even when there were slight disturbances and adjustments, everything was handled with ease and never a problem. The food was divine! The staff was always kind and accommodating. The Spa treatments were on point. And the transportation to and from left us all feeling well taken care of. From a quick weekend hop to a retreat made for Kings and Queens, use this retreat center. I'm a very particular person and proud to say, you will not regret your decision.