Guides
Coming to the wellness retreat with friends or family: how to apply together
You can come to the wellness retreat with friends or family. Each person applies individually, and on the application you tell us you are applying together. The retreat is open to everyone and runs as one open group of limited places. This page does not describe a private group booking, and it makes no promise that a group is accepted together or placed together. The retreat is held in English.
Is it an emergency? Call 911.
Is this an emergency?
This is not an emergency service. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have:
- Chest pain, fainting or shortness of breath: call 911
- Thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life: call or text 988, or call Línea PAS at 1-800-981-0023
- A condition that isn’t stable, a pregnancy or recent surgery: talk to us before you apply
Help lines
How applying together works
Each person fills out their own application. On the application, tell us you are applying together.
This page is about joining the open cohort of 10 places. It is not a private group booking. Each application is reviewed on its own, and we do not promise that a group is accepted together or placed together.
The retreat is held in English, so everyone in your group should be comfortable following sessions in English.
Price and reserving
The price is US$4,500 per person. You apply first; if you are accepted, you reserve your place with a deposit.
A deposit reserves your place. The amount and terms are confirmed in your acceptance email.
No group rate or discount for coming with others is described.
Rooms
Simple, comfortable lodging at the hacienda. Room details, including whether rooms are shared or private, are confirmed in your acceptance email.
Different needs in one group
Coming together does not mean needing the same things. Each person has their own medical assessment, and the physician decides what is appropriate for each of them.
A physician assessment with Dra. Diana Nieves Castro, MD, and lab work when it is clinically appropriate. She provides all the medical care at the retreat.
Tell us about each person’s fitness level and needs on the application. As a general reference point, the CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity a week for adults, plus muscle-strengthening on 2 days.
Examples of what the area offers and what the days may include: a walk in El Yunque rainforest, time at Luquillo beach, a gentle stretching session, and relaxed evenings outdoors. The activities for your cohort are confirmed with accepted guests.
Tell us about your mobility, dietary or other access needs on the application, and we will work with you on what is possible.
Fresh, home-style meals built around whole foods, with Puerto Rican flavors. Tell us about allergies and food preferences on your application.
Who can come to the wellness retreat with friends or family
The retreat is open to everyone: friends, siblings, a parent and an adult child, or colleagues who each choose to apply as individuals. The retreat is designed for adults.
If you are thinking of coming with someone under 18, contact us first, before you apply.
The CDC says high-quality relationships can help people live longer, healthier lives, and support stress management and sleep. That describes relationships in general; it is not a promise about what a retreat will do for a group.
Choosing the right fit
If you are not sure a group trip is right for you, these guides help you compare:
- Coming with a partner: wellness retreat for couples
- Prefer to travel alone: solo wellness retreat
- Deciding whether a retreat suits you at all: is a wellness retreat right for me?
- Price and what is included: what a wellness retreat includes and costs
Talk to us first if
Talk to us before you apply if anyone in your group is pregnant, had surgery recently, has a condition that isn’t stable, or is under 18. Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, a general practice physician licensed in Puerto Rico, decides what is appropriate for each person.
If you have chest pain, fainting or shortness of breath, call 911. In a crisis, call or text [988](tel:988) (it works in Puerto Rico and on the mainland; press 2 for Spanish) or call Línea PAS at 1-800-981-0023.
How we care for you
We evaluate, diagnose and treat; if needed, we give you a lab order for a lab near you.
We see adults and children of all ages. Patients under 21: a parent with patria potestad (parental authority) or a legal guardian is on camera for the whole visit and shows photo ID.
Real-time video visit. We send you a secure video link. It works on your phone, tablet or computer.
If appropriate, the doctor prescribes and we send your prescription to your pharmacy.
You must be physically in Puerto Rico during the visit (visitors, tourists and cruise passengers are welcome).
In an emergency, call 911.
Frequently asked questions
Can we apply as a group?
Will we get rooms together?
Is there a group discount?
Can I bring my mom or my adult child?
What if my friend has a health condition?
Can our company book it?
About this page
Author: The Health Initiative
Medical care provided by Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD (PR license 24027)
Disclosure: Founding Executive Director of The Health Initiative
Published: 2026-10-10 · Updated: 2026-10-11
Sources (4)
- Social connection (CDC) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-09)
- Adult activity: an overview (CDC) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-09)
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-09)
- Línea PAS (ASSMCA, in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-09)