PSA Central America specialist Venetia Martin recently visited a very special hacienda (working cattle ranch) in between the Torres and the Miravalles volcanoes in the north of Costa Rica.
She spoke with owner and host, Floriana Acosta, all about life on the farm and why it’s at the top of our list for the ultimate family experience.
What first sparked the idea for this retreat?
It was inspired by my guests. Over the years, through my guests and clients, I began to clearly observe a transformation that happens every time someone comes and stays with us.
I noticed that when people stay for more than three nights, something shifts. From my experience, there is a minimum amount of time needed for true transformation to begin, and I believe that process often starts around the third day. Most of our guests leave sharing powerful stories—stories of clarity, reconnection, and change.
I have seen guests change their careers after realizing there is another way of living. Others have repaired relationships with their spouses and children after recognizing how constant work and distraction had pulled them away from what truly matters, especially how we choose to use our time. I’ve welcomed people in their thirties dealing with anxiety around relationships or the desire to start a family, who experienced profound inner shifts—understanding that their concerns were rooted within themselves rather than in finding external answers or the “right” person.
I’ve also witnessed families—parents and children from blended or divorced households—arrive disconnected and leave deeply bonded, having found a new way to communicate and truly see one another. These moments of reconnection happen organically here, without forcing anything.
Through my guests, I began to understand that a level of healing was taking place that I had never fully imagined. This made me realize how powerful it can be to guide people into a deeper connection—not only with nature, but with themselves. Moments of awakening happen here often, quietly and naturally.
As a Costa Rican who grew up surrounded by nature, I once took this connection for granted. Working closely with guests from large cities around the world made me aware of how significant the global disconnection has become—how many people are seeking grounding, clarity, and meaning.
Tell us a little about the plan for the week, and anything you’re particularly looking forward to.
The week is a combination of being in nature and receiving information that can actually be applied in everyday life. Simple tools, small habits, things that can really support the body and the way we live. What excites me most is seeing the before and after – how people arrive, and how they feel when they leave.
Throughout the week, there is a beautiful variety of experiences—from Gyrokinesis and horse healing, to a cacao ceremony guided by a woman whose chanting is incredibly moving and heartfelt. I’m especially excited about this ceremony because it opens a very intimate and powerful space.
For guests who are new to it, I’m especially excited about Costaphonics. It’s something very new in the world, and we’re very happy to be one of the first to bring it into a retreat. It’s a way of connecting to nature through sound, using 360-degree microphones and devices that work with vibration.
What I find fascinating is how much it teaches us about the importance of sound. We don’t always realise how much urban noise increases our cortisol levels and stress. Cities are full of constant noise, and we’ve almost normalised it. I really believe that, in the near future, people will need places where there is no noise – or rather, no artificial noise. Places where there is sound, but natural sound: birds, water, waterfalls. These sounds support our wellbeing as humans. I think real luxury will increasingly be about finding spaces where this kind of healing is possible – healing through the natural sounds of the earth.
You’ve put together a wonderful team of practitioners and therapists. Tell us a little more about them?
Erika, who is our coach and main guide, has an incredible human warmth. Beyond her professionalism, talent, and wisdom, she has an immense depth of knowledge and a lifetime of experience doing this work. What makes her truly special is her ability to gently guide people to discover their strengths, recognize their challenges, and truly understand what each person needs.
Then we have Marianela, who is absolutely extraordinary. She leads the most beautiful chants, and she is, without a doubt, the person with whom I have experienced the most meaningful cacao ceremonies of my life. She has a powerful, stunning voice, and her singing elevates you energetically in a very profound way. You can truly feel the difference before and after the cacao ceremony—it is a very powerful and transformative experience.
We also have incredible massage therapists, which are essential during the retreat. They help release emotions stored in the muscles and tissues, while also deeply nurturing and caring for us. There is a beautiful variety of massage styles available—Thai massage, deeper therapeutic work, sound bowls—so each person can choose what resonates most with them. For me, massage is not only about physical healing, but also about feeling held, cared for, and truly nurtured.
Who is this retreat for?
Anyone who genuinely wants to feel better within themselves – not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally. It is for men and women of any age who feel ready to create positive change in their lives and who are open to understanding themselves on a deeper level.
It’s especially meaningful for people who want to step out of survival mode and learn how small, conscious habits can make a big difference in how we experience everyday life. The retreat offers a space to slow down, gain awareness, and realize that there are other ways of living, that feel more balanced and present.
What I hope people take away from this experience is a deeper sense of self-awareness and simple, practical tools they can truly integrate into their daily lives. These are not complicated practices, but small shifts that help us feel more grounded and more connected. When we learn how to care for ourselves in this way, it naturally impacts how we relate to others and how we move through life with greater ease and intention.
Tell us a bit about the history of Montezuma – how did it first begin, and what drew your family to this part of Costa Rica?
Hacienda Montezuma was a very important estate many years ago. It was originally a much larger property—while we don’t know the exact number of hectares, we know it was a vast and highly productive finca. For a period of time, it was owned by the United Fruit Company.
During that era, the land played a key role in the region’s development. Mules were raised to support the Atlantic railroad, coffee was cultivated, along with sugar cane, and there was also cattle farming. It was an extremely productive estate, but during the 1980s, a large portion of the forest was cleared to expand cattle operations. Much of the timber was used for construction and infrastructure related to the railroad under United Fruit Company ownership.
Over the years, the property was sold by United Fruit Company to several families we know, and gradually the land was divided into smaller and smaller farms. Eventually, the estate became home to what was once the largest dairy operation in Costa Rica.
At that time, the model was focused entirely on volume rather than quality. The cattle were fully stabled—not grass-fed—and the land suffered significant contamination as a result. This approach was common in that era, when productivity and scale were prioritized over environmental health or product quality.
When Hacienda Montezuma came into our hands, we made the conscious decision to do something completely different. Our vision was to begin healing the land—restoring the soil, regenerating the ecosystem, and cleaning what had been deeply impacted over decades of intensive use. This process took many, many years, but it marked the beginning of a new chapter rooted in stewardship, regeneration, and respect for the land.
Since you and your brother became stewards of the land, how has Montezuma evolved?
From the beginning, our vision was to create a living example of coexistence—where organic agriculture, holistic cattle management, hospitality, water stewardship, conservation, and wildlife protection could exist in balance. This process has been one of constant learning and trial and error.
One of our biggest challenges has been the responsibility of managing the land itself. Choosing to work without pesticides—especially within cattle management—has required commitment, patience, and significant investment. Holistic management is not easy, but we believe it is the right long-term decision for the planet and for our family.
After ten years without pesticides, the results are visible. The land is healthier, birdlife has returned, the food is richer, and the soil continues to improve with each test. We are deeply conscious of our responsibility to protect the water sources that originate on the property and flow into important rivers like the Tenorio River, which sustain both communities and ecosystems.
How do you balance conservation with the realities of running a working ranch while welcoming guests?
We don’t change our way of life to create tourism activities. Instead, we invite our guests to experience the reality of the ranch and the work that truly needs to be done.
Many of the activities are directly connected to conservation and research. Guests participate in setting up camera traps alongside naturalists in both primary and secondary forest, supporting research on species such as the Baird’s tapir, as well as jaguars, pumas, and ocelots.
They can also accompany our sabaneros and experience the daily rhythm of life on a Costa Rican ranch. They spend time in our organic gardens, where they can see firsthand what pesticide-free agriculture looks like and how nutrient-rich food can be grown naturally.
We also involve our guests in broader conservation efforts through close collaboration with Tapir Valley and Centro de Rescate Los Pumas, a wildlife rescue centre dedicated to the protection and rehabilitation of a wide range of native species.
There are real challenges as well – illegal hunting still exists – so we conduct regular horseback patrols to protect the land and wildlife. Sometimes guests join us on these rounds, helping monitor the property, check camera traps, and better understand what happens on the land at night.
What is your vision for the future of Montezuma?
For me, it’s deeply rooted in legacy. More than anything, we want it to stand as an example for our family, for our community, and for the planet.
Our vision is to continue building a strong, conscious community that actively involves the people from the surrounding town. We want to work more closely with them through food, organic farming, natural crops, and even artisanal practices like cheese making. A big part of our goal is education—sharing knowledge in a way that is accessible and affordable, so these practices are not seen as something exclusive or expensive.
We hope to support local families in learning how to grow, produce, and sell their own food directly, without intermediaries, empowering them economically while caring for the land. The idea is to continue doing what we are already doing, but at a much greater scale—always with intention and responsibility.
Protecting our water sources will remain a priority: keeping the springs deeply protected, continuing to reforest, and caring for the ecosystems that sustain life far beyond our land. Learning never stops for us, and we hope Hacienda Montezuma always remains a place of experimentation, curiosity, and continuous growth.
FIND OUT MORE
Discover our upcoming nature retreat at Hacienda Montezuma, from 16-22 July 2026.
Conde Nast Traveler Specialists every year since 2017
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