Ever find a gorgeous retreat venue, start imagining your group there, and then look at the pricing?
Ouch. That was a lovely little fantasy…
Finding somewhere special that leaves room in your budget to actually pay yourself can take some digging. Especially around Tulum.
That’s why Casa Arkaana caught my attention. Located in Chemuyil, about 20 minutes north of Tulum, this intimate retreat property has a different proposition: rent the whole place, bring your group, and settle into the jungle.
I haven’t personally stayed here, so consider this a retreat leader’s evaluation of its published offerings – not a firsthand report on the pillows, hospitality, or breakfast. But there’s enough here to warrant a closer look.
Near Tulum, With Room to Exhale
Casa Arkaana sits on five acres of jungle in Mexico’s Riviera Maya. You’re within reach of the coast and local excursions, while staying outside Tulum’s busy tourist scene. This is a jungle property, not a beachfront hotel.
For the right retreat, that separation could be a considerable advantage.
When participants have fewer distractions, there’s more time to settle in, know each other more deeply, and stop mentally planning what they’re doing next.
Shared meals, conversations by the pool, and those unexpected exchanges after dinner can become some of the most valuable parts of a retreat. Privacy gives those moments somewhere to happen.
Of course, that works if your people want a retreat that allows them to settle in and go deep. If their dream retreat includes shopping every afternoonand dancing until 2 a.m., you’ll have some expectation-setting to do!
Eight Rooms – and a Few Important Questions
The standard accommodations sleep approximately 16 people across eight rooms. Four Veranda rooms have private bathrooms; four Jungle Casitas use shared bathrooms, including composting toilets. Beds can be arranged as twins or a king. Glamping can increase total capacity to 24, depending on seasonal availability.
These distinctions belong on your trip page because some folks will not come unless they have a private bathroom. Your job is to match the experience to the people buying it.
Also, the venue’s capacity includes facilitators and team members. Sixteen beds doesn’t mean 16 paying participants plus you, your assistant, and your favorite massage therapist.
Meals Handled? Yes, Absolutely.
Full-board meals are available, with menus developed around the group’s needs. The kitchen describes a vegetable-forward approach, using local and seasonal ingredients, with dietary adaptations available by arrangement.
Before booking, do ask for sample menus and confirm portions, meal times, snacks, beverages, and how allergies are managed. Dietary preferences and food allergies require different conversations.
I’d also clarify arrival and departure meals. “Six nights” doesn’t automatically tell you how many breakfasts, lunches, and dinners your group needs.
Plenty to Explore!
Nearby possibilities include cenotes and Xcacel Beach, which the venue identifies as a protected turtle sanctuary about ten minutes away. There are 12 archaeological zones in Quintana Roo which are beautiful – you don’t have to fight with tourists at Tulum (unless you want to!).
You could also investigate an outing to Akumal, depending on your group’s interests and the current arrangements for the experience you want. Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is also nearby, which would make a beautiful half- or full-day excursion.
Onsite or locally arranged options listed by Casa Arkaana include temazcal (sweat lodge), cacao circles, fire circle, a cenote-fed pool, an ice tub, sound healing, massage, yoga, and Janzu aquatic bodywork. Confirm practitioner availability, fees, and what each session involves before including it in your package.
A cenote visit could work for a heartfelt water ceremony. A quiet beach afternoon might be exactly what an exhausted group needs.
The Retreat Leader Math
Let’s take a minute to talk about the part that determines whether this lovely idea becomes a viable retreat.
Casa Arkaana currently has this pricing on their website (you’ll need to confirm these numbers by email):
Exclusive property rental, low season: Approx $ 785 per night
Exclusive property rental, high season: Approx $ 985 per night
Full board (food): Approx $ 57 per person, each day
Using the published pricing above, with six full days of meals, we can do a rough estimate:
Property rental: $ 985 Ă— 6 nights = $ 5,910
Full board: $ 57 Ă— 12 people Ă— 6 days = $ 4,104
Combined lodging and food: $ 10,014
Approximate per person pricing: $ 10,014 Ă· 12 = $ 834.50
Of course, you would NOT charge the same amount for a person in a single room vs. a double room. Nor would you charge the same amount for the 4 Veranda rooms with private bathrooms as the 4 Jungle Casitas that share bathrooms. Right?
And remember: lodging and food are just part of your retreat budget!You still need to account for your program fee, airport transfers, excursions, practitioners, staffing, your own travel and meals, insurances, payment processing, applicable taxes or service charges, contingency funds, and your net profitability.
And if those 12 people include two team members, you have ten paying participants covering the pricing – not twelve.
Exclusive-use pricing also means your accommodation bill is spread across whoever actually enrolls. And as always, run the numbers at your minimum viable enrollment, not just your dream headcount.
Getting Everyone There – and Looking After Them
Groups can explore flights into Cancún or Tulum’s airport. Casa Arkaana says it can help coordinate airport transfers and local transportation. Confirm the pricing for that before booking since this venue is a little remote.
Before promoting any international retreat, review current official travel advisories, confirm participant travel insurances and your own coverages, establish an emergency plan, and review applicable seller-of-travel and other legalities with qualified professionals.
My Take…
Based on the setting and facilities, I’d consider Casa Arkaana for smalleryoga, women’s, personal-growth, spiritual, and wellness retreats.
A coaching group or mastermind could also work well if participants appreciate rustic surroundings and the program includes time for reflection and connection. I would discuss that format with the hosts first to confirm it fits their approach.
Where It May Miss the Mark
Casa Arkaana has no air conditioning; its buildings rely on ventilation, shade, and fans. This is an intimate, nature-based property with more rustic accommodation choices than a conventional lux resort.
For some people, that will be part of the appeal. For others, it will be a dealbreaker.
Heat, humidity, insects, shared bathrooms, and outdoor pathways deserve consideration before you commit. Ask about accessibility and the practical needs of your particular group including doctor support, and who handles problems after hours.
So do ask yourself: Will my people feel comfortable enough here to relax, connect, and participate fully?
If the answer is yes, this little jungle retreat might deserve a place on your shortlist.
Take a moment to share your feelings below – I’d love to know!
xo Sheri
Sheri Rosenthal is the founder and chief retreat strategist at Wanderlust Entrepreneur®, where she's trained and empowered over 25,000 retreat leaders to design, price, promote, and monetize transformational retreats that leave a lasting impact, while traveling the world and earning a profit to be proud of through her signature course, The Retreat Blueprint Program,
She's also the CEO of Journeys of the Spirit®, a boutique agency that has planned and managed over 1000 retreats worldwide since 2003.
With over two decades of experience in the retreat industry, She's had the honor of working with top names, including don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements, and guiding coaches and healers to run retreats that change lives.