Costa Rica Group Trips: Private Resorts for Birthdays, Bachelorettes & Friends
Milestone birthdays, friends' trips, bachelor and bachelorette weekends, church groups and teams. Three private estates for 12 to 28 people: surf at the beach, adventure at the volcano, or courts and views on a mountaintop.
Group trips at a glance
- Group size
- 12 to 28 · Bella Vista and Johnny's sleep 28, the Majestic Lodge sleeps 33
- Beach / surf
- Johnny's: 3-minute walk to the sand at Playa Avellanas
- Adventure
- Majestic Lodge: zip lines 6 min, hot springs under 30 min
- Courts & views
- Bella Vista: 4 private lit pickleball courts, infinity pool
- Cost
- About $52–$63 per person per night for 24 people (whole-estate lodging)
- Getting there
- Fly into SJO for the mountains, LIR for the beach; the volcano is about 3 hrs from either
Why a private estate beats a hotel for a group trip
A group trip is about being together without being on top of each other. In a hotel, twenty friends end up in twenty rooms on four floors, texting each other about where to meet. At a private estate there's one pool, one kitchen, one long table and a host who lives on site. Nobody else is there to mind the music or the late swim.
It also tends to cost less. The whole estate is priced per night, not per room, so the bigger the group, the smaller each person's share. More on that in the cost table below.
Which estate fits your group's vibe?
| Bella VistaCentral mountains, near San Ramón | Majestic LodgeLa Fortuna, Arenal Volcano | Johnny'sPlaya Avellanas, Guanacaste | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The vibe | Courts, pool and big views | Adventure base camp | Surf, sand and sunsets |
| A typical day | Pickleball at 7 AM, Playa Caldera after lunch, sunset in the infinity pool | Zip lines, rafting or ATVs by day, hot springs at night | Surf at first light, pool and tiki hut all afternoon, beach at sunset |
| Sleeps | 28 · 10 bedrooms | 33 · 10 bedrooms | 28 · 6 bedrooms |
| Layout | 4 private homes on a gated 2.5-acre mountaintop | 10 en-suite bedrooms under one roof | 6 suites around a turquoise pool |
| Best for | Pickleball groups · Weddings up to 100 · Family reunions · Retreats | Adventure groups · Yoga & mastermind retreats · Intimate weddings · Multi-family trips | Surf camps · Beach weddings up to 70 · Family reunions · Bachelor & bachelorette |
| Nearest airport | 1 hr 20 min from San José (SJO) | About 3 hrs from SJO or LIR | 1 hr 30 min from Liberia (LIR) |
Johnny's Beach Bungalow is the party-and-surf pick: the beach is a three-minute walk, there are two 12-seat vans on site, and Hacienda Pinilla golf is ten minutes away. The Majestic Lodge is for groups who want to be out doing something every day, with ten en-suite rooms so nobody fights over a bathroom. Bella Vista is the one for groups who'd rather the fun come to them: private courts, a jacuzzi and a view people photograph all week.
Milestone birthday trips: 30th, 40th, 50th and beyond
A big birthday deserves more than a dinner reservation. Booking the whole estate turns it into a week-long party where the guest of honor gets the best suite and everyone else gets the rest of the house. The night of the birthday itself is easy: ask the cook for a dinner for the whole group on the deck, then stay up as late as you like.
For a 50th or 60th with a mix of ages, Bella Vista's separate homes let couples and families keep their own space. For a 30th or 40th that wants a little more action, split the week between the volcano and the beach.
Friends' trips and girls' or guys' getaways
The college crew, the old neighborhood, three couples who've been promising each other this trip for a decade. Friends' trips work best when the days have one plan and the evenings have none. Pick a morning activity, come back to the pool, and let dinner happen on the estate. With a cook handling meals, nobody spends the trip doing dishes.
If the group is mostly couples, the Majestic Lodge and Johnny's both have an en-suite bathroom for every bedroom, which matters more on day five than people expect.
Costa Rica bachelor party
Johnny's Beach Bungalow was built for this one. One group of 15 guys booked it for a bachelor party with a full itinerary and said it felt like a five-star resort. Mornings are for surf at Playa Avellanas, afternoons for sport fishing, golf at Hacienda Pinilla or the pool, and nights for the tiki hut. The vans and drivers mean nobody draws the short straw for driving.
If the groom would rather zip line and raft than surf, the Majestic Lodge has zip lines six minutes away, hot springs under 30 minutes and rafting and ATV tours around Arenal.
Costa Rica bachelorette party
A bachelorette weekend wants three things: great photos, a pool to lounge in and somewhere to dress up for dinner. Johnny's has the beach sunsets and the turquoise pool. The Majestic Lodge has the volcano views, a massage room and hot springs. Bella Vista has an infinity pool that looks out over the valley to the Pacific. Any of the three can host a welcome dinner for the whole group on the first night.
Church and mission groups
Church groups and mission teams usually need two things a hotel can't offer: a room big enough for everyone to gather, and a quiet place to come back to after a long day. The Majestic Lodge's covered deck holds 50 and stays dry in the rain. Bella Vista's four homes make it easy to separate leaders and youth. Meals from the on-site cook keep the budget predictable. For a structured program, our retreat venues page covers meeting space and per-participant costs in more detail.
Sports teams and clubs
Pickleball clubs go to Bella Vista for the four private lit courts, or play the covered courts near the Majestic Lodge and at Hacienda Pinilla near Johnny's. Surf clubs base themselves at Avellanas. Golf groups play Hacienda Pinilla, ten minutes from Johnny's. The pickleball retreats page has full court details.
What a Costa Rica group trip costs per person
Whole-estate lodging divided by your headcount, per person per night. The bigger the group, the less each person pays.
| Group size | Bella Vistafrom $1,250/night | Majestic Lodgefrom $1,350/night | Johnny'sfrom $1,360/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 people | $104 pp/night $1,250 whole estate |
$112 pp/night $1,350 whole estate |
$113 pp/night $1,360 whole estate |
| 16 people | $78 pp/night $1,250 whole estate |
$84 pp/night $1,350 whole estate |
$85 pp/night $1,360 whole estate |
| 20 people | $62 pp/night $1,250 whole estate |
$72 pp/night $1,430 whole estate |
$72 pp/night $1,440 whole estate |
| 24 people | $52 pp/night $1,250 whole estate |
$63 pp/night $1,510 whole estate |
$63 pp/night $1,520 whole estate |
| 28 people | $45 pp/night $1,250 whole estate |
$57 pp/night $1,590 whole estate |
$57 pp/night $1,600 whole estate |
| 33 people | — | $51 pp/night $1,690 whole estate |
— |
Lodging only, before cleaning ($475 at Bella Vista, $350 at the Majestic Lodge) and add-ons. The Majestic Lodge and Johnny's include breakfast for 16 and add $20 per extra guest per night. Bella Vista drops to $950/night in May, Sept & Oct. Booking direct is typically about 10% less than the same dates on Airbnb or VRBO. For meals, transfers and activities, see what a Costa Rica group trip costs.
Make it a two-stop trip
Groups with a week or more rarely regret splitting it. The classic is three nights at the volcano and three at the beach: fly into San José, drive about three hours to La Fortuna, then about 3 hrs 50 min to Avellanas and fly home from Liberia. Because the same family owns both estates, it's one booking conversation and one quote. See the routes on the Costa Rica itinerary page or build your own in the trip builder.
Planning a reunion instead of a getaway? The family reunions page is written for multigenerational groups.
“A full itinerary of things we wanted to do.”
“This place was amazing and a great fit for our large group of 26. Amazing pool and pool house, perfectly in the middle of Poás Volcano, Arenal, and Manuel Antonio. Patricia was great and prepared us multiple delicious meals!”
“I highly recommend opting for the Presidential Package — our group loved everything about it. From being picked up at the airport, to the delicious home-cooked meals, to the activity planning, we all felt, well, presidential.”
“Wonderful accommodation, perfect for a large group of 25 people, and we never felt cramped. The rooms and beds are very comfortable, and the terrace for dining is spectacular.”
“This place was absolutely incredible and felt like we were staying at a 5 star resort. We came with 15 guys for a bachelor party and had a full itinerary of things we wanted to do.”
“The location is perfect for adventure — there was never a dull moment. I was able to go ziplining through the rainforest, swim at the stunning La Fortuna waterfall, go river rafting, and even ride ATVs around the incredible Arenal Volcano.”
“We had 21 people comfortably at the bungalow and chose to do the meals included, which were all delicious. Our crew had a lovely time hanging out by the pool and spending time at the beach.”
Costa Rica group trip FAQ
Which Costa Rica estate is best for a bachelor party?
Johnny's Beach Bungalow on Playa Avellanas. It's a three-minute walk to a surf beach, has two 12-seat vans on site and Hacienda Pinilla golf ten minutes away. A group of 15 guys has stayed there for a bachelor party.
How many people can come on a Costa Rica group trip?
Our estates fit groups of 12 to 28. Bella Vista and Johnny's Beach Bungalow each sleep 28, and the Majestic Lodge sleeps 33 in ten en-suite bedrooms.
How much does a Costa Rica group trip cost per person?
Whole-estate lodging works out to about $52 to $63 per person per night for a group of 24, before cleaning and add-ons. Smaller groups pay more each; the table on this page shows every size.
Is the Majestic Lodge good for an adventure-focused group?
Yes. Zip lines are six minutes away, hanging bridges about ten, and La Fortuna waterfall and the hot springs within half an hour. Rafting, canyoning and ATV tours around Arenal Volcano are all close.
Can we celebrate a milestone birthday with a private dinner?
Yes. Every estate has an on-site cook who can prepare a dinner for the whole group, and the Majestic Lodge and Johnny's offer an all-inclusive Presidential Package with meals, transfers and vehicles.
Do we need to rent cars?
Usually not. Each estate has its own vans and drivers or trusted local drivers for airport runs and outings, so nobody in the group has to drive.
Send us the occasion and the headcount.
Karen checks all three estates and replies with availability, a quote and the vibe she'd pick for your group.
Not sure yet? Take the 60-second trip match.
