Waterfall Villas is a Romantic Boutique Wellness Retreat and Spa with Private Waterfalls in the Baru Rainforest with Accommodations of 6 Balinese style Villas/ Suites. The Waterfall Villas are built on top of the waterfalls - with the stream of water that feeds the waterfalls in front of your balcony This multiplex has air conditioning of multiple and separate units.
A unique eco-hotel blending indoor and outdoor spaces seamlessly for total tropical harmony; where luxury is not compromised. Space according the owner of 43 units more still with low density. Also space for one large luxury house and or some small housing project as a mixed development. Also a restaurant could be added with conference area. Some springs are on the property. Great potential for wellness resort with potential income from the accommodations and wellness packages.
There is no place quite like this on earth! Currently the Ayurvedic Wellness property is a Heaven on earth for Vegetarians, Vegans and raw foodists.!! Great potential for a wellness resort, a very special unique setting.
The Waterfall Villas is a wellness retreat dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle through detox techniques such as juice cleanse, raw and vegan foods for clean consumption, Spa treatments to remove stress and blocks in the body, Yoga and meditation for spiritual wellbeing. The retreat has been in operation since Dec 2008. Construction of the Waterfall Villas was initiated in 2006. The Retreat was built using a distinct Balinese style combining the Balinese family compound and temple architectures with use of construction Feng Shui (Larry Sang’s American Institute of Feng Shui in Los Angeles, CA) in the design of a unique energy space along a private waterfall – Cascadas Farallas.
The Waterfall Villas is on a 15 acre property, the buildings include 3 Villas with 2 separate rentable rooms each on the second floor of the building. The first floor is partially open, and has the reception area, kitchen and dining areas and relax area. The relax area is connected to a wooden deck and stairs to reach the Yoga platform along a lit trail. There are also several decks along the Cascadas Farallas waterfall. The Spa is a separate building which has 2 treatment areas, with 2 bathrooms, and a shower. The Spa treatments offered are traditional body work, Rieki, and Ayurveda Shirodhara with Abhanga massage.
The property is located next to a well-maintained road that connects to the beach town of Dominical 3 miles away, and the Pacific Highway. This Costanera Highway 34 is the major road to the airport in San Jose, a 2.5 hour drive from Dominical.
The Waterfall Villas has created a significant “good will” value in the business over the last 10 years of operations, with a good standing in the community, in a the web presence, with Online travel agents, and direct SEO results.
The Waterfall Villas has 7 employees, and the owner/ president is the primary person assigned for all of the operations management, marketing, sales and reservations.
The business model of a Wellness Retreat Center has been proven financially viable with $400K gross income in 2018 for 6 rooms at the Waterfall Villas. However, the financial success is limited by the number of rooms that can be sold, and the income at this capacity does not allow for the owner to hire additional management at the going local salary for an exceptionally qualified hotel manager – normally managing a 25 room hotel.
The Waterfall Villas receives many requests for large groups and weddings, however, the current situation does not have the capacity to fulfill such requests. The area of Dominical in general is under expansion during 2019.
The proposed expansion allows larger groups to attend the Waterfall Villas with additional healing programs, and more amenities designed to attract more people to a wellness life style, and other healing modalities such as Ayurveda.
A number of infrastructure investments and the hiring of additional staff would need to be made to support the expansion of rooms, and for additional persons - for up to 100 persons.
The Waterfall Villas Spa is built to full compliance for disabled persons in Costa Rica, and the Spa is considered a designated 7th room. This compliance allows the Waterfall Villas to have a business license to operate 25 rooms. This license has been renewed in 2018 for another 5 years.
To build further rooms, formal designs would still need to be presented for permits signed off by an architect and engineer. This is not a difficult process in Costa Rica.
If a further additional 25 rooms are to be added to create a 50 room retreat center, another business license will be needed, requiring another compliant disabled person room.
Two phases are proposed to expand the rooms, first an expansion of 18 rooms to get to the current license level, and then 25 more rooms (one which needs to be for a disabled person) for a total of 50 rooms. This can be done almost in parallel with the proper project planning during the construction phase. During this phase new staff can be hired and trained.
Properties on the both sides of the Waterfall Villas have sold to private homes which are distanced between each other. No private home is next to the border of the property. This allows the construction to come close to the border of the property without creating any disturbances.
In order to preserve the natural setting, the top most elevated area of the property which affords the best views of the river Baru should be developed in such a way that less land as possible is used for the rooms. This will also give a wide area of rain forest in-between with trails that can be used for walking and meditation.
In the following bullet points are more detailed requirements for an expansion.
Infrastructure requirements:
1. Bridge across the low part of the falls – currently connects to an existing internal road
2. Water tanks and filtration system with pumps
3. Septic system for new rooms
4. Septic system for larger restaurant area
5. Septic for Spa
6. New transformer for electrical connectivity ( the neighbors had the electric company put a post on the other side of the Waterfall at the edge of the property and this is a public post where a new transformer could be installed).
7. Swimming pool
8. Garden area with green house for herbs (ayurvedic)
9. Additional parking
Buildings:
1. 18 rooms to complete phase 1
2. 25 rooms to complete phase 2
3. Relax area for groups connecting the buildings
4. New Spa with more treatment rooms, and special rooms for treatments such as colonics and infrared sauna.
5. Additional Yoga platform for larger groups
6. Kitchen and dinning area for larger groups
