Rally Retreats runs all inclusive pickleball retreats on a private, gated estate in the hills above Costa Rica's Pacific coast. The December Retreat runs Tuesday, December 15 to Sunday, December 20, 2026: five nights, twenty guests, and nobody else on the property. This page is the long version of what that actually means.
Why a private estate beats a resort
Most pickleball vacations put you in a hotel with shared courts, sign up sheets, and strangers on your schedule. Rally flips that. Your group takes the entire estate: every court, every meal, every pool chair. The gate closes behind you and the whole place runs around one group of twenty people.
The estate
Four acres and four buildings in the Macacona hills of Puntarenas, about one hour and fifteen minutes from San Jose airport (SJO) and thirty minutes from Pacific beaches. Ten bedrooms across a main house, a guest house, a treehouse with its own jacuzzi, and a private standalone villa. A pool with a view, an open air rancho for long dinners, a gym, and a massage room. Airport transfers and all ground transport are included and private.
The pickleball
Four private courts, playable day and night, reserved for your group alone. Before you arrive we ask for your rating, then build the week around it: small pods grouped by level, daily clinics, coached match play, and a signature all levels tournament day with formats where everyone plays. Round robins and ladders when you want competition, open courts when you just want to rally. Never a sign up sheet, never a wait.
The coaches
Three pros for twenty guests, and coaching here is not a side gig. Lauren Hidalgo Smith, our head pro, is the number one ranked player in the Dominican Republic with a top 50 PPA all time high, and has taken the court against the best in the game. Nico is a PPA pro player, Team Joola sponsored, RPO Level 2 certified, and a director of pickleball and head pro at clubs across the US. Django Chassang is a collegiate All-American, a World Cup winner with Team USA, and a two time PPA pro tournament qualifier. All three teach every level of play for a living, and they warm up with, rally against, and eat dinner with the group all week.
What a week looks like
A rhythm, not a schedule. Arrive easy with a custom paddle fitting and sunset drinks by the courts. Mornings on court with your pod. Afternoons are your call: jungle zipline, waterfall swim, hot springs, beach, spa, or absolutely nothing. Tournament day mid week. Nights mean chef dinners at one long table, pickleball under the lights, and a bonfire send off. A professional photographer and videographer, one person shooting both, works all week, and every guest goes home with photos and a highlight reel.
What is included
Five nights on the estate, four private courts day and night, all coaching and clinics, every meal from a private chef with dinners out woven in, daily yoga and fitness, one massage per guest, excursions with transport and guide, airport transfers and private ground transport, concierge, housekeeping and 24 hour security, a custom paddle to take home, and pro photos plus a highlight reel of your week. Not included: flights, travel insurance, personal expenses, and paid add-ons like private one on one coaching.
Rooms and pricing
The estate has ten bedrooms; nine of them are bookable for guests. Every trip is capped at twenty guests. Beds are priced per person, all inclusive except flights: from $2,900 for a bunk in a shared room to $4,800 for the treehouse and the standalone villa. Travelling alone? Any private room can be yours alone for 78% more. A $500 deposit reserves your specific bed and is applied in full to your trip price, with the balance due 60 days before arrival. See every room and price here.
Dates and how booking works
The December Retreat runs Tuesday, December 15 to Sunday, December 20, 2026. Earlier the same month, Steve Kennedy and Rich Van't Hof host the Training Retreat, six nights from December 7 to 13. To reserve, choose your room on the retreat page and pay a $500 deposit per person. Every booking is confirmed on a quick call within one business day, and if we cannot confirm yours, your deposit is refunded in full. Want to talk it through first? Leave your number below and a team member will call you. A January trip follows, and its waitlist is open now. Full booking terms live on our Terms and Cancellation Policy pages.
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