"“Wellness programs today are very exclusive, while Blue Zones principles are inclusive,” says Céline Vadam, a health coach who helps design retreats in blue zones around the world. “They are strong enough to make an impact, but flexible enough to ask, ‘How does it move into your life?’”"
"The most affordable villas on this list are at the Andaz Costa Rica. A row of three-bedroom penthouses opened earlier this year, measuring 2,407 square feet, with views of Culebra Bay. Each covered roof deck has a plunge pool, day bed, wet bar, and plush seating. Though the villas are separated from the main hotel, guests can access the resort’s other offerings, including three beaches, four pools, four restaurants, and a spa with a gym." - Denny Lee Denny Lee Denny Lee is a seasoned editor, writer, and traveler. He is currently an articles editor at Travel + Leisure. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"An ocean-facing, villa-style resort offering immersive Blue Zones retreats that blend guided workshops, communal rituals, and nature-based practices to encourage lasting lifestyle change. Led by a trained Blue Zones facilitator, the program centers on Dan Buettner’s Power 9 (starting with a “Connect” workshop) and includes activities such as cacao ceremonies, meditative walks through biodiverse landscapes and visits to hand-planted family farms. Guests report rapid bonding in small cohorts, practical takeaways (like eating to 80 percent full and daily “move naturally” habits), and ongoing community support via a WhatsApp group. The property’s accommodations include duplex villas and ocean-facing suites, plus amenities like an adults-only pool; scheduled public retreats (e.g., Feb 21–24 and 24–27, 2025) and private small-group bookings are offered, with typical room and retreat pricing published for prospective attendees." - Heidi Mitchell
"A pan-Latin tapas bar located within the Andaz Costa Rica Resort, known for offering dishes inspired by Blue Zones principles, using indigenous Costa Rican ingredients."
"Spoiling spa treatments in the hills Set seamlessly into the hillside above two beaches are whelk-shaped public spaces and seven low-level concrete blocks of rooms. Bamboo frames the floor-to-ceiling windows and walkways. Inside, it's all natural materials: wooden furniture, a huge tear-drop light inspired by a bird's nest, and a shower with a mosaic pebble wall and sliding doors that open onto the balcony. But it's the other details at Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort that add the funky factor. Wooden carts by the two pools form makeshift bars, painted with football emblems and stocked with Cacique Guaro liquor. Chao Pescao, the most fun of three restaurants, feels like it could be a real, rocking neighborhood joint. Have a traditional breakfast of gallo pinto (rice and beans) and then head to the spa where everything can be customized, from the ingredients in your organic scrub to your post-treatment tea." - Catherine Fairweather , Anna Prendergast, Juliet Kinsman