Casas Kismet — Nicoya, Costa Rica
A private retreat sanctuary on a ridge above Playa Pelada, Nosara, Costa Rica
Casas Kismet sits on a quiet ridge in the hills above Playa Pelada, in the surf-and-yoga town of Nosara on Costa Rica's Guanacaste coast. The gated complex is built for groups: nine bedrooms and eight bathrooms, sleeping up to 24 in individual beds. It has hosted retreats as small as 10 people and as large as 24. The beach, shops and restaurants are close, but the ridge keeps the place private.
It is run by Lizzy and Terry Bullman, a husband-and-wife team who describe years of experience hosting retreats. They designed the center so that teachers can focus on teaching while meals, airport pickups and guest logistics are handled for them. Terry brings more than 30 years in martial arts, self-defense, personal training and fitness, and he leads fitness retreats himself. Casas Kismet is also the gathering place of the Kismet Collective, a Private Membership Association devoted to the personal, physical, spiritual and educational growth of its members.
Two spaces hold the practice. The ocean-view yoga shala is stocked with mats, blocks, straps, bolsters and meditation cushions for hatha, yin, restorative, vinyasa, nidra, kundalini or ashtanga classes. Nearby, surrounded by jungle, is an open-air gym with free weights, kettlebells, cardio kickboxing equipment and floors of Fuji Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu mats. A saltwater pool sits between sessions.
Guests stay in the Karma and Dharma rooms, the three-bedroom Karma Penthouse and the Pool House, all looking toward the Pacific. A private chef cooks to vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and allergy-specific needs. Add-ons include cacao ceremonies, sound baths, massage, surf lessons, waterfall hikes and catamaran sails. The calendar runs through 2027, with retreats in yoga, healing, martial arts, and men's and women's work.
Traditions: Kundalini Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Breathwork, Sound Healing, Cacao Ceremony, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Programs: Waves of Wellness Yoga & Pilates Retreat with Eileen, Five Parks Yoga Retreat with Erin Sampson, Embodied Woman: A Women's Yoga, Breath & Soul Reset Retreat, Dóchas House of Yoga Costa Rica Retreat, Costa Rica BJJ Retreat with Rick Ellis, Code of Reality Retreat, MVMT Magic Retreat, The Balanced Man Retreat