ATENAS, COSTA RICA – Condé Nast Traveller today announced the results of its annual Readers’ Choice Awards with The Retreat Costa Rica recognized as the #1 Best Spa in the World.
“We are overjoyed and incredibly grateful to be named the #1 Best Spa in the World by the readers of Condé Nast Traveller,” said Diana Stobo, founder of The Retreat Costa Rica. “This prestigious recognition celebrates our mission to create a sanctuary of healing, transformation and luxury in nature. With our recent $4 million expansion, we have elevated our offerings to embrace Costa Rica’s verdant landscape and provide guests with more ways to experience peace, connection and restoration.”
Elevating the standard for destination wellness, The Retreat Costa Rica, also recognized as a top 10 spa destination by the magazine’s U.S. counterpart Condé Nast Traveler, is an immersive wellness resort and spa in the heart of the country’s stunning rainforest and recently unveiled an extensive $4 million, 26,500-square-foot expansion. Inspired by the Sanskrit concept of Santosha evoking contentment and acceptance, the expansion was conceived and designed by Stobo to embody a restorative escape with a relaxed yet sophisticated vibe.
Highlights of the new additions include:
- Santosha Clubhouse – A 16,500-square-foot open-air communal space with a single-lane lap pool, yoga shala, state-of-the-art fitness studio and serene gathering areas designed with indigenous relics, rustic wood furnishings and natural stone accents.
- 10 luxury Santosha lofts – Spacious 945-square-foot accommodations blending indoor-outdoor living, feng shui principles, natural teak furnishings, handcrafted accents and panoramic views of the Nicoya Peninsula and Pacific Ocean.
- Two distinct restaurants – Mystique, the resort’s signature restaurant with an upscale coastal ambiance and sweeping views, and La Diosa, an outdoor lounge terrace serving small plates and artisanal cocktails in a relaxed open-air setting.
In addition to the expansion, The Retreat Costa Rica continues to offer farm-to-table organic dining, an organic coffee plantation, two saltwater pools, yoga and meditation spaces, jungle and river trails and breathtaking vistas of the Gulf of Nicoya.
Condé Nast Traveller received more than 182,500 survey responses from readers in the United Kingdom rating their travel experiences across the globe to offer a comprehensive look at the places they eagerly anticipate revisiting. The Readers’ Choice Awards, with its unparalleled legacy as the travel industry’s longest running and most accolades, remains the ultimate symbol and acknowledgment of excellence within the travel sector. The 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards are published on Condé Nast Traveller’s website at cntraveller.com/article/readers-choice-winners-2025 and will be celebrated in the November issue.
