Retreat Leader Information
Cabuya Lodge offers an exciting, low-risk option for retreat leaders to plan and lead their retreat in paradise. We want you to be able to focus on planning and selling your amazing Yoga or wellness retreat, and for as many people to experience the life-changing experience of being in nature in this beautiful place as possible. This is why we do not require an initial booking deposit for retreat leaders, and we keep the base rates quite low. Read on to find out the details, and email us at info@cabuyalodge.com so we can book your week, or to answer any questions you might have.
Location & Transportation
Location & Transportation: Cabuya Lodge is located in Cabuya de Cobano, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. We are about a 4-5 hour drive from the Liberia airport, or a 6 hour journey by land/ferry from San Jose. There is also the option to fly into Tambor for those who want a speedier trip. We are 20 minutes away (by car) from both Santa Teresa/Mal Pais and Montezuma. We are less than a 5 minute walk to the beach and our property is rich with nature. Many species of birds and animals can be seen right here! We will be happy to arrange transportation for your group, however travel to Cabuya Lodge is not included in our rates.
We recommend that you and your guests fly into San Jose International Airport (SJO). There are more options of transportation to us from SJO than from Liberia. Liberia is also an option, but please be aware that it may be more difficult to get to us from there.
We are always happy to help your guests book their regional travel once in Costa Rica. This is the transportation email that we will send out, or that you are welcome to include in your information packet about your retreat:
We recommend that you fly in the day before check-in into San Jose (SJO) international airport. This allows you to spend the night near the airport at a hotel (I am happy to recommend a couple of options), and travel to us on the Saturday.
Hello ___,
We are so excited to meet you when you come for your retreat on _______. We are happy to share some details with you about booking regional transportation for once you arrive into Costa Rica.
We recommend that you fly in the day before check-in into San Jose (SJO) international airport. This allows you to spend the night near the airport at a hotel (we are happy to recommend a couple of options), and travel to us on the Saturday of your retreat start.
There are two main options for travel to Cabuya Lodge:
1) Shuttle. This is a van-ferry-van shuttle, which takes about 6 hours. The ferry portion is included with your shuttle price of $60. The shuttle can pick you up at either the SJO airport (we will let you know where to meet them), or your hotel in the San Jose or Alajuela area. We are happy to arrange this shuttle for you and the charge will go on your bill here at Cabuya Lodge. This bill can be paid upon check out by either cash or credit card (Visa or Mastercard).
2) Small Flight. This is between San Jose (SJO) international airport and our local airport in Tambor (TMU). The flight is about 20 minutes (you must check in at least 45 min. before your flight), and then there is a $50, 1 hour taxi ride to Cabuya Lodge from the Tambor airport. We will be happy to arrange the flight and taxi to Cabuya Lodge for you. Flights are normally in the $120 USD range.
Please let us know which option works best for you and we will help you get it all set up!
Thanks and see you soon.
Accommodations:
We can accommodate groups large or small. We have 5 spacious cabins that can sleep up to 4 people each. We also have 2 full size houses that can be used for larger groups. We have found that groups of up to 15 people fit best into our space.
*Please note that all cabins and houses may not be available for your chosen week.
As you book your guests and find out which type of occupancy they want (single, double, triple or quadruple), we will keep a spreadsheet together so that you always know what is available.
We recommend that you don’t book specific rooms for people, but rather by how many people they want to room with, so that you can keep things flexible as more people book.
Four of our cabins have A/C, they all have open air showers, they all have two single beds and one queen bed.
We have one pack and play (playpen) with a change table for families that may want to use it during their stay.
Upon booking your retreat week we will block all available cabins and houses (or as many of them as you wish). We will hold them for you until one month before your date. If at that time you still have unbooked cabins, we will release one cabin/house per week to be booked by others if there are still some unbooked.
Meals:
Retreats include three meals per day, and coffee/tea and fruits in the morning (before Yoga if you are including Yoga). Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, served buffet style.
We can put together a meal package that suits your group’s needs. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and dairy free options are available. We do not accommodate raw diets. We do our best to include options that suit the needs of people with special diets, but we do not re-create dishes in vegan versions (for example, if the group is having hamburgers, we don’t offer a vegan hamburger). We work mostly with fresh, local ingredients and many specialty foods such as vegan versions of yogurt, cheese etc. are not available in our area. If you need a special meal plan for your group please discuss this with us well in advance. It’s possible that there will be an extra charge depending on the needs of your group.
Meals are typically about 50% vegetarian. If you think your group will enjoy a heartier meal plan please let me know and we can discuss. More meat options are available for an added price.
Beverages:
We include fresh fruit juices with meals, as well as coffee and a small selection of tea in the mornings. Beer, wine and cocktails are available for an extra charge. We can keep a tab for each guest and add it to their bill at check out.
We allow our guests to bring outside beverages to the lodge and consume them on premises (not in the restaurant area).
Though our guests are welcome to consume alcoholic beverages, we do ask for quiet time after 10 pm in the cabin and pool area.
Yoga/Activity Space:
With a capacity to fit 15 moving bodies comfortably, our rustic, open air yoga shala is the perfect space for your intimate group classes, workshops, trainings or meetings.
We provide basic mats, cork blocks, foam blocks straps, bolsters and blankets for yoga classes as well as chairs and tables should you need them.
The yoga space also has lights, ceiling fans and a restroom with shower.
Other Amenities:
Cabuya Lodge’s pool and lounge area is open and available for use by your guests.
We have the rules of the pool posted, but please ensure none of your guests use glass items (wine glasses, beer bottles etc.) in or near the pool.
We also ask that all guests shower off any sunscreen or oils before entering the pool at the poolside shower.
Surrounding Areas:
We are located in the local traditional fishing village of Cabuya, and are only a few kilometers from Costa Rica’s first Natural Reserve, Cabo Blanco. We are 7 km from Montezuma, and also 7-10 km from Mal Pais and Santa Teresa.
In our area there is Scuba Diving, hiking, fishing, beach-going, surfing, horseback riding, zip lining, swimming and so much more. We will be happy to arrange activities for your group for an extra charge. Please see the activities page on our website for more information. We recommend that each guest brings shoes that are good for walking on rocky surfaces. Light hiking shoes or sandals or runners are good.
Marketing:
As the Retreat Leader you will be the one to spread the word about your retreat. Cabuya Lodge will post your retreat on their website calendar and facebook page, but you will be the one doing the majority of the marketing. This is a good option for those who already have a student base and following.
You’ll need a minimum of 5 people coming from your marketing efforts in order for the base rate prices come into effect and to have your stay (as the leader) at no charge. Please email info@cabuyalodge.com for the pricing chart.
We have a planning and marketing support group on facebook that is also available. Here you will find photos, logos, marketing timelines, schedules, pricing information, payment information and much more. Once you have confirmed your retreat week with us we will allow you access to this facebook group.
Planning:
We highly suggest that you determine exactly the type of retreat that you want to offer prior to marketing.
Questions to ask yourself as you plan might be:
How many people do I want in my group?
What will be the main focus of the retreat? Quiet time in nature? Vacation and adventure with some Yoga? Mostly Yoga with a few excursions? Party time with some Yoga?
It’s important that YOU know what you’re offering so that you can market your retreat appropriately, and attract the kind of guests that will enjoy what you’re offering.
How much time will I spend teaching/leading during the retreat, and how much do I need to earn to make it worthwhile?
If you plan to offer 2 classes per day plus workshops, you’ll need to add on more to the base rates than if you want to offer one class per day.
Do I want to offer something personal to my guests? A special gift upon arrival? Include a massage etc? These are things you can also build into the price you offer for the retreat. We are happy to help you arrange special offerings, such as a bottle of wine upon arrival, however this will entail pre-arrangement and an extra cost.
As we get closer to the start of your retreat (or once it’s full), you can can determine if your participants have any special interests or needs. Please communicate with us to let us know if there is anything we should know about any particular needs a guest may have.
One month out from the start of your retreat we will confirm your schedule. Meal times, class times, activities etc. This doesn’t have to be set in stone, as things change, but for planning purposes on our end, it’s best to know what your week looks like overall.
Recommendations:
We recommend that you and your guests bring cash (in US Dollars or Colones) in small bills. You will likely need cash for taxis and at some businesses that don’t take cards, and also for tipping. The amount you’ll need will depend on how often you will be leaving the property and how much you plan to do offsite. A taxi into Montezuma costs $10 for up to 4 people, as an example. Cash is only accepted for massage services. If your guests would like to enjoy a massage, please have them bring cash. The closest cash machine is a 40 minute taxi ride away.
Booking:
Guests will book directly with you, their retreat leader. Cabuya Lodge will provide you with information on the accommodations options, availability etc. As your guests book, you will let us know and we will update the availability in our system. We require a 50% deposit on our base rates as your guests book, so you will likely want to charge your guests the same.
Once you have 5 people booked we will ask you to send your deposit for those people via bank transfer (wire to Costa Rican account). We will provide you with all of the details you need to send the payment, and will cover the fee the bank charges.
Cancellation Policy:
http://www.cabuyalodge.com/cancellation-policy
Pricing:
Please send us an email to info@cabuyalodge.com and we will send you a list of the base rates.
Prices are set on a per person basis based on occupancy (ie. how many people stay in each room/cabin), and include meals and accommodations.
The maximum occupancy in a cabin or room is 4 people.
We require a 50% deposit on the base rates as your guests book and pay their deposits to you. Bank transfers are our preferred method of payment. The balance of the payment for each of your guests is due two weeks prior to arrival for your retreat.
Retreat leaders receive meals and accommodations at no charge once a minimum number of participants is reached. The first leader stays for free once you have five (5) paying guests, and a partner or co-leader stays for free after eight (8) paying guests are registered. Leaders stay in shared accommodations of the lodge’s choice.
Please let us know if you have any questions at all! We are excited to get to work planning your retreat with us!!