# Villa Cortes Retreat Center

> Villa Cortes was a rental retreat center near Playa Guiones in Nosara, Guanacaste, with three houses for up to 17 people, an open-air yoga pavilion and a lap pool, used by families and yoga groups. We couldn't find a working website or current listing in 2026, so treat this page as a record and check before you plan.

Source: https://costarica-yoga-retreats.com/villa-cortes-retreat-center/
Last checked: 2026-11-04

**Update, November 2026:** We couldn't confirm Villa Cortes is still running as a retreat center. Its old website address now leads to an unrelated site, its old US phone number and mailing address are out of date, and we found no current listings or recent reviews under this name. Treat it as closed unless you find a current listing.

![Two people relaxing on the raised porch of a wooden house at Villa Cortes](/static/img/old/2013-06-villa-cortes1.webp)

When we wrote about it in 2013, Villa Cortes was a private retreat center on the hill above Playa Guiones in Nosara, on the Pacific side of the Nicoya Peninsula. Families, wedding parties and yoga teachers rented it for groups of up to 17 people. It took its name from the cortez tree, a native tree that covers itself in yellow flowers in the dry season.

![The wrought-iron Villa Cortes sign on the gate](/static/img/old/2013-06-villa-cortes-nameplate.webp)

## What it offered

- **A yoga pavilion:** an open-air, 400-square-foot hardwood platform raised above the pool and gardens, with ocean views, used for yoga and meditation.
- **A 20-meter lap pool** with an infinity edge and a recirculating waterfall.
- **Gardens** of bromeliads, gingers, orchids, heliconias, palms and fruit trees, with monkeys and birds visiting.
- **Beach access:** a short walk from the gate down to Playa Guiones.

![A group practicing yoga at Villa Cortes](/static/img/old/2013-06-practitioners-are-practicing-yoga.webp)

![The infinity-edge pool at Villa Cortes](/static/img/old/2013-06-infinity-edge-pool.webp)

## The three houses

The houses could be rented on their own or together:

- **Casa Grande:** the largest, with two porches, a two-person tub, an outdoor shower and room for a big group in twin, bunk and day beds.
- **Casa Arriba:** built around a coconut palm, with an open plan and an elevated porch with ocean and garden views.
- **Casa Cortes:** the original house, with an open plan, a large kitchen and a breezeway looking over the pool and gardens.

All three had kitchens, wifi, air conditioning and ceiling fans.

![People relaxing at Casa Cortes](/static/img/old/2013-06-people-are-enjoyin-in-casa-cortes.webp)

## Group stays in Nosara today

Nosara still has plenty of villas and retreat venues for groups, and several yoga centers that host visiting teachers. For a hotel with daily classes a short walk from Playa Guiones, see our profile of the [Harmony Hotel](/harmony-hotel/). For the town and its yoga centers, read the Nosara section of our [guide to where to do yoga in Costa Rica](/where-to-do-yoga-in-costa-rica/), and for comparing retreat weeks, our guide to [choosing a yoga retreat in Costa Rica](/yoga-retreats-costa-rica/).