2024
Costa RiCA
Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste
Costa Rica
April 8 - 16
The Allure
You deserve this! Luxuriate in the beauty and cuisine of Costa Rica!
Isn’t it time to gift yourself the perfect retreat and experience delicious and healthy foods in a relaxing and beautiful tropical setting? Treat yourself to a retreat full of pampering and delicious food in beautiful Playa Hermosa!
The Goal
To inspire each attendee to relax, refresh and recharge through nature, a multitude of gastronomic delights, and food-centric experiences that are unique to the Costa Rican Pacific coast.
Why Costa Rica
Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world; it contains about 5% of the world’s species. Costa Rica extends majestically from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea with a width distance of just about 200 miles. The lush wild natural environment can be experienced throughout the country. Costa Rica is a safe paradise. Unlike other countries, Costa Rica enjoys a very stable political climate and economic development, providing visitors with a tranquil setting for their stay. It is one of the few countries in the world with no army. The country and its people have a peaceful disposition, which makes for the perfect place to enjoy an unforgettable vacation. Costa Rica offers dreamlike landscapes, kind people willing to share their culture and a safe country to experience natural wonders.
Costa Rica provides the perfect combination of relaxation, adventure, culture, fine cuisine and wildlife. Visitors to Costa Rica find an adventure paradise set in a beautiful, natural and safe environment. It is also the home of four World Heritage sites certified by UNESCO.
”Pura Vida” is the Costa Rica moto…and for good reason…Costa Ricans truly strive to live the good life, and they’d LOVE for you to do the same while visiting their amazing country!
Guanacaste Peninsula
A generous and warm province, Guanacaste is known for its cattle ranches and spectacular beaches. It is the driest region of Costa Rica. With a total of 5,921 sq. miles and more than 400 miles of coast line, the Guanacaste tourism area comprises the Pacific Coast area from the border of Nicaragua to the Nicoya Peninsula. This area is home to a very important section of Costa Rica’s cultural and natural heritage. The area boasts a significant number of protected areas including water, land, mountain, and coastal ecosystems that are abundant with life.
Guanacaste is one of the most developed areas in the country…the incomparable beauty of its landscapes, from tropical dry forests to lowland mountain forests, its warm climate, and its flourishing nature have made Guanacaste one of the most heavily visited areas by locals and international tourists alike.
What Makes This Retreat Special
This specially curated retreat will excite even the most discerning foodie, as you will be entertained by multiple chefs and knowledgeable guides who will share the amazing foods and culture of the country. Through demonstrations, you will be shown how to create varied and tasty dishes from the region, how easy it is to access local and fresh foods. You will learn to prepare meals that will satisfy your cravings and nourish your body—exactly what you need to add to your personal cooking repertoire for added “flavor” when you return home.
Special Features
This retreat will help you to recharge your body and mind, but also your creativity in the kitchen and enthusiasm around foodie experiences!
The beautiful setting fosters the desire to wake early to the sounds of howler monkeys, macaws and other amazing tropical creatures. Step onto the beach for a morning yoga class, meditation session, or mind-cleansing and metabolism-boosting stroll. You will then indulge in a refreshing and delicious breakfast that is soooo good for you simply because it is prepared with local, fresh and unrefined products that are amazing and nutritious in their natural state!
The rest of your day you will have the opportunity to indulge in the pleasure of pure relaxation and/or participate in a brief, immersive activity. The activities are intended only for those who choose to participate, but will surely be engaging and fun for those who do! From there, you will be able to spend your day on the beach, by the pool, reading, visiting other areas, exploring and finding new eateries and places for a coffee and pastry or a cocktail …whatever your heart desires! The day will be capped off by an alluring evening with a meal at a specially selected local eatery, or prepared at our Villa by a professional chef and presented in a beautifully designed setting. Finally, the day will culminate with Apropos Chat each evening…an event that will be a group inspired fireside activity each night…singing? book discussion? topic driven chat? … we can’t wait for you to experience the magic and help us make these moments memorable!
As an added inherent bonus, your experiences here in Guanacaste will easily transfer over to lifetime rituals —as this truly relaxing and delicious getaway incorporates restorative meditation and yoga, light exercise, me-time, group activity time, sunshine, and healthy, amazing food, you will learn to awaken daily as a new you! Wouldn’t it be thrilling to learn how to easily make this transformation? Establish new routines? Incorporate new foods and recipes into daily meals? Learn to start your day feeling fully recharged and centered with new practices that are enjoyable and uncomplicated? Our chefs will teach you to easily prepare new, delicious and healthy ethnic dishes with ease, while incorporating foods that you can access at home…all the while being oh-so-kind to your body! You will develop an updated portfolio of recipes for entertaining family and friends, you will be guided through the best process for finding substitute ingredients, and you will be shown the true joy of creating standout dishes that wow your guests, as you learn how many local foods will energize your body to help you feel charged up and active every day.
These daily practices along with the opportunity to have a relaxing massage on the beach under palm trees; snorkel in the warm, turquoise waters; take walks along the beach during sunrise and sunset, listen to the beautiful comings and goings of other living creatures; and work with the locals to learn how to live fruitfully from the Earth and the “Pura Vida” lifestyle, you’ll experience the benefits of utilizing many natural elements to breathe new life into your body and soul!
Description
This is a foodie-relaxation retreat! It is for 12 women in the most sought after location on Hermosa Beach. This luxurious venue is ten steps from the beach, and just a 25 minute drive from the Liberia International Airport.
Food
Prepare to be impressed as we incorporate the elements of earth, air, fire and water into an amazing array of Costa Rican foods. These include traditional Costa Rican breakfast, gallo pinto, arroz con pescado/pollo, tropical fruits, platanos, chorreadas, local cheeses and breads, limonada, Costa Rican cornbread, chifrijo, tortillas, cassava, fresh caught grilled fish, ceviche, beachside BBQ, chicherrones, fresh coconuts on the beach, casado, patacones, and dinners out at the best Costa Rican restaurants in the area. We will have a number of other special additions, as Jeanne will incorporate specialties like elaborate charcuterie, an enchanting beachside picnic, food and wine pairings, champagne brunch, tropical fruit smoothies and smoothie bowls, scones and homemade jams , coffee and coffee beverages plus an interesting discussion with a water sommelier …the list literally goes on and on!
Activities
Beach massage; catamaran sail and snorkel with onboard BBQ picnic; local beach excursions; elegant beach picnic; tropical flower arranging; mini cooking classes; dining out; dinners on site with local and personal chefs; mini ceviche fishing excursion; daily yoga and meditation; visit to local produce market; local coffee tasting and tour.
Accommodations
This private and gated oceanside property is beachfront and mere steps from the sand! It features two villas, side-by-side with eight bedrooms and six baths (*please note that ALL bed configurations have shared baths). All bedrooms have AC units and ceiling fans. The two villas share a fenced yard with a private pool, patio, outdoor grill and eating spaces. There is wireless internet, onsite laundry, daily maid and gardener service, plus access to a full time concierge. We have hired a full-time private driver and an on-site (American, bilingual) activities assistant for the duration of the retreat.
Rates
$2495 Quad Twin Bunk, shared bath (4)
$2895 Double Twin, shared bath (6)
$3295 Single Queen, shared bath (3)
Payment
A deposit of $500.00 USD is required to hold your spot. Final payment is due January 8, 2024.
All payments are by debit or credit card, Venmo, PayPal or PayLater at JeannesTable.com. Special arrangements can be made for payment via other methods. To do so, please contact Jeanne at JeannesTable@gmail.com.
What’s Included
All ground transportation by our private driver, including roundtrip airport transfers on April 8 and April 16, 2024 from Liberia International Airport.
Eight nights accommodations in a fabulous home on the beach in Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
Eight delicious Costa Rican breakfasts prepared by our personal chef.
Four healthy and scrumptious lunches prepared by our personal chef, including a charming picnic on the beach.
Seven amazing dinners prepared by local chefs, both in house and at local restaurants.
Assorted alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for the duration of the stay.
Daily mini cooking classes by our personal chef.
Wine pairings and tastings to accompany dinners.
One massage on the beach.
Daily yoga by the pool.
Guided meditations on the beach.
Catamaran cruise with Costa Rican BBQ and beverages.
Fishing excursion to acquire fresh ingredients for ceviche preparation.
Water sommelier presentation.
Local coffee company tour and tasting.
Special custom made gifts by local artisans along with other surprises ($300 value).
What’s Not Included
Your roundtrip flight from your city of origin to Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, Liberia, Costa Rica.
Gratuities for the driver, guides, maids, etc. (all service personnel).
Food, drinks, souvenirs, laundry service, any other items/activities not included in this package.
Items of a personal nature such as excess baggage, medical costs, the costs of hospitalization and evacuation, travel insurance, and any additional expenses arising from the delay or extension of a trip due to weather, political disputes, sickness, failure of transportation, or other causes beyond our control.
Personal medical and trip cancellation insurance (must provide proof of purchase prior to departure).
How to Get There
Flight to DANIEL ODUBER QUIRÓS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Liberia, Costa Rica ONLY. Ground transportation between this airport and Hermosa Beach is included in the trip price.
We look forward to your company on this journey!
Entry requirements : US residents need a valid passport to enter Costa Rica. A return flight ticket is needed when entering Costa Rica. The immigration officer will ask for it upon your arrival as well as where you will be staying in Costa Rica.
Currency: the colon is the official currency but USD and credit cards are widely accepted. ATMs are located throughout the country.
Sales tax or Value Added Tax (VAT) is 13%. It is included in the final price of every service or product purchase.
Electricity: 110V, standard US 2 prong plug
Weather: The Pacific, Guanacaste region is characterized by a well-defined dry and rainy season.The dry season lasts from December to March. April is a transition month.
Water: tap water is completely drinkable
Cell phone: An unlocked cell phone will work in Costa Rica. But remember to call your wireless provider before you go to add global roaming capabilities to your plan. You can also buy a SIM prepaid card and use your unlocked cell phone in Costa Rica. A local line is not required to dial 9-1-1 just in case of emergency.
Cancellation Policy
Personal medical and trip cancellation insurance is required (must provide proof)
Cancellation 120 days or more before departure incurs no loss of deposit
Cancellation 90-119 days prior to departure date will result in a total surrender of $500 US deposit
Cancellation 60-89 days prior to departure date will result in loss 50% of the trip price
Cancellation 59-0 days prior to departure date will result in a total surrender of trip price
All cancellations must be received in writing
We reserve the right to cancel the trip if it is not meeting the minimum (if we do, your deposit is refunded in total)
Jeanne’s Table reserves the right to cancel any trip for any reason whatsoever (we appreciate your cooperation and understanding if the need to cancel arises due to an unforeseen circumstances), including an insufficient number of participants or logistical problems (e.g. acts of god, war, strikes, etc), which may impede trip operations. The refund of all payments as described in this paragraph below shall release Jeanne’s Table from any further liability. A trip cancellation due to insufficient numbers would normally occur at least 35 days prior to departure, unless acts of god, war, strikes or other events impede our departure causing large numbers of participants opt to cancel participation on the journey in the last days before departure.
Jeanne’s Table must make substantial payments to suppliers far in advance of the scheduled date on which we embark. If a trip is cancelled due to forces beyond our control (acts of god, war, labor strikes, earthquake, flooding, etc), Jeanne’s table will promptly refund the portion of the trip not advanced to suppliers. Jeanne’s Table will use its best efforts to recover advance payments and will refund to you your portion of the amount recovered, if any. However, Jeanne’s Table does not guarantee recovery of any or all of the advance payments made, and our use of best efforts to recover those payments will not include the institution of any legal proceedings in a foreign country. This policy applies to a trip cancellation by client choice following any necessary increase in trip costs.