 The vision for The Retreat started as a dream. The vision for The Retreat started as a dream, a literal recurring dream for Diana Stobo. In the dream, she’s standing on top of a mountain overlooking an all-encompassing landscape, much like the view from her wellness hotel and spa. But Stobo purchased the plot of land without even seeing the grounds. The property was originally residential, and blindly, Stobo moved in. She soon began to transform the home into a space where others could come to explore self-awareness and transformative growth. From this, The Retreat was born.   Just 40 minutes from the airport San Jose, I’m greeted with a freshly prepared turmeric and pineapple juice elixir before heading to my one bedroom casita complete with breezy balcony and a HD-mountainscape view at The Retreat. A wellness coach and healthy cookbook writer, Stobo invites guests to rinse the weight and worry of modern stress through real food and energy healing. Her retreats emphasize cleansing and strengthening a deeper sense of self. You are also welcome to book your stay without a retreat, like I did, and simply enjoy the garden-to-table dining and daily yoga classes on site.  I stroll through the open-concept kitchen and chat with Chef David Wang on my way to lounge at the pool. He owned and operated a vegan restaurant in San Jose before joining The Retreat family. His dishes are inspired by Diana’s cookbook with exceptional presentation. All the meals are sourced locally, with the majority coming straight from the garden on site. I taste my way through the garden with Enrique, munching on bites spinach, arugula, pineapples and even a stevia leaf. The simple experience of waking in the mountains and strolling to a morning yoga class followed by a healthy breakfast is enough to soothe kickstart an uplifting mindset into gear.  The property hosts tours as well, with the must-see being the hike to a gold mine on site. Since quartz deposits contain gold and the property lies on a quartz crystal mountain, gold is spread throughout the land tuning the spiritual energy of The Retreat. After a few nights enjoying lunchtime chats with a group of ladies on a detox vaycay, and a a nightcap with a doctor doing a quick one-night stay, it’s time for me to leave. I link up with a lovely couple who host ashwagandha ceremonies, and they drop me at a bus stop near town.   While other wellness properties boast exclusivity and serene silence, The Retreat shines in personality and heartfelt connection. Healthy food, enlightened conversations and the natural world– this is the Costa Rica you will fall in love with. Diana Stobo has literally transformed her own life into a living dream. She and her staff want you to discover something new, something real. And they dose it with a little Costa Rican flare to make sure you feel your best too. Written by JACQUELYN LUMLEY VISION Destinations | October 19  Comments are closed.
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