Lake Arenal, Costa Rica
Retreats in Costa Rica, on the shore of Lake Arenal
Small-group retreats led by hosts worth traveling for. One private house, one group at a time, a private chef, and Costa Rica handled for you.
Upcoming retreats
Find your retreat
Every retreat here is led by its own host, with its own focus. They all share one lakefront house and a team on the ground that takes care of everything else.
March 2 to 9, 2027 · Hosted by Amy Vaughan
Mind, Body & Soul
Seven nights to reset mind, body, and soul. A digital detox for people who run things, in a private villa on the lake.
April 17 to 24, 2027 · Hosted by Tara
Take It Back Spring Break
A retreat for women done living small. Strength, challenge, real conversations, and a private villa above the lake.
More retreats are on the way. New dates are announced here first.
Why Costa Rica
Why a small-group retreat in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is one of the easiest places in the world to slow down. Rainforest, volcanoes, hot springs, waterfalls, and two coastlines sit within a few hours of each other, and so much of it is still wild. A retreat here pairs real rest with days you will talk about for years.
The retreats on this site stay small on purpose: one private house, four to eight guests, and a host who built the week around a clear purpose, from women ready to take their lives back to a full digital detox for people who never switch off.
Every retreat here
One house. One group. Costa Rica handled.
The whole house
A private lakefront villa, never shared. Your group is the only group there.
A private chef
Meals cooked at the house and planned around the group.
Small groups
Retreats here run four to eight guests, so the week stays personal.
Run on the ground
Transfers, excursions, and every detail in Costa Rica are handled by Costa Rica Retreat Co., so your host can focus on you.
The rhythm
What a retreat week looks like
Every host shapes their own week, but most follow the same easy rhythm.
Arrival day
Land at Liberia (LIR), ride to the house by private van with a grocery stop on the way, and sit down to a welcome dinner.
Days out
Big excursions like La Fortuna by boat or a day on the Pacific coast. Never two van days in a row.
Days at the house
Pool, hammocks, massages, a guided mountain hike, a dance class, or nothing at all.
Evenings
Dinner from the private chef, sushi night, a Tico BBQ, or music and a drum circle with a local band.
What guests are saying
Where you'll stay
The Mosaic House
A private villa on four acres on the quiet western shore of Lake Arenal, with the volcano across the water. Infinity pool, solar-heated hot tub, a sunken fire-pit courtyard, hammocks, jungle trails, and views from every direction.
The region
Lake Arenal
Lake Arenal sits at the foot of Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica’s northern highlands. It is the country’s largest lake, about 33 square miles of water, with hot springs, waterfalls, cloud forest, and La Fortuna close by. Most days here, the hardest decision is pool or hammock.
Around the lake
Things to do around Lake Arenal
Hosts build their weeks from a short list of tried and tested days out, all arranged from the house.
La Fortuna by boat
Cross the lake by boat to La Fortuna for zip lines, hanging bridges, lunch, and the hot springs.
Whitewater rafting
The same boat across the lake, then a rafting run with lunch and an afternoon in the hot springs.
Río Celeste
The impossibly blue river, by tubing or on a full day with a visit to the Maleku community.
Viento Fresco waterfalls
A guided half-day hike near Tilarán to three waterfalls, the tallest around 220 feet.
Monteverde cloud forest
A guided half-day walk through the cloud forest with a naturalist.
Playa Hermosa and Llanos de Cortés
A full day on the Guanacaste coast, plus a waterfall you can swim under.
Corobici River safari float
A gentle float past herons, monkeys, and iguanas.
Sunset cruise on the lake
An evening on the water as the light goes down over the volcano.
Getting here
Getting to Lake Arenal
Most guests fly into Liberia (LIR), the international airport in Guanacaste. A private van takes you from the airport to the house in about 90 minutes, door to door, with a stop on the way for groceries and anything you’d like on hand. San José (SJO) also works, with a longer drive.
Your concierge
Meet Molly
Molly Ruland, host of The Mosaic House
When the pandemic hit, I lost almost everything I had spent years building. It was the kind of loss that strips you down to the question underneath everything: what do you actually want your life to look like? And the answer that came back was simple. I wanted to wake up every day and look at something beautiful.
So I made a decision. I would work as hard as it took, for as long as it took, to build a life around beauty and stillness. And here I am. I wake up to this view every single day in Costa Rica, and it still stops me in my tracks.
This place changed me. It slowed me down and reminded me what matters. The people who come here feel it too. That is what these retreats are about: not just getting away, but coming home to yourself in a place that makes it easy.
Good questions
Costa Rica retreat questions
Where are the retreats held?
At The Mosaic House, a private lakefront villa on four acres on the western shore of Lake Arenal, Costa Rica.
Which airport should I fly into?
Liberia (LIR) is the closest, about 90 minutes from the house by private van.
How big are the groups?
Four to eight guests. The house hosts one group at a time.
What's usually included?
Each retreat sets its own package. Most include lodging, meals from a private chef, airport transfers, and at least one excursion. Check each retreat’s page for the details.
Can I come on my own?
Yes. Many guests travel solo, and everything on the ground is organized for you.
How do I book?
Each retreat has its own page with rooms, prices, and booking. New retreats are announced here first.
Hosting a retreat of your own?
We build your landing page, share it with our audience, and run the week in Costa Rica.
Every retreat on this site is run on the ground by Costa Rica Retreat Co. at The Mosaic House on Lake Arenal.