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Reunion: A Deeply Disturbing Experience as a Solo Female Traveler – Prioritize Your Safety & Why There Are So Little Negative Reviews - Forced NDAs for Refunds
I wish I could write a glowing review of my experience at Reunion, but unfortunately, my retreat turned into an unsettling and distressing ordeal that I feel compelled to share. As a solo female traveler, I expected a place of relaxation, introspection, and healing. Instead, I found myself in an environment where my security and well-being were secondary to maintaining the retreat’s reputation.
Theft from My Room’s Safe & the Response:
During my stay, I was the victim of a theft. Items were stolen directly from the safe inside my private room. Naturally, I reported the incident to the staff, assuming they would take it seriously and assist me in resolving the situation. However, instead of receiving support, I encountered a response that I can only describe as dismissive and concerning.
Rather than prioritizing an investigation or offering assistance in filing a police report, the staff seemed far more preoccupied with ensuring that I didn’t speak to other guests about what had happened. The lack of concern for my situation—especially as a woman traveling alone—was alarming. The next morning after breakfast, where I spoke with some other guests who had heard the commotion the night before from my room, and who asked me what had happened and whether I was okay, I was asked by the establishment to leave the property immediately, and to ensure I didn’t communicate further with other attendees, or inform other guests of what happened to me, a security guard was stationed outside my room.
The Non-Disclosure Agreement Ultimatum:
When I requested a refund for the remainder of my stay (which was nearly $700 per night), I expected a standard discussion about the circumstances. Instead, the retreat’s representative left briefly and returned with a non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreement, making it clear that no refund would be given unless I signed it without modification.
As an attorney and experienced traveler, I found this practice highly irregular. Having previously worked in the hospitality industry myself, I have never seen a legitimate establishment respond to a theft by forcing a victim to sign a legal agreement in exchange for a partial refund. The document originally contained misleading language stating that our discussion was “private” and that I had “requested” a refund without disclosing why. I refused to sign until I made substantial redline changes, including explicitly stating that I had been robbed.
The retreat’s representative was adamant that these edits were unacceptable and indicated that their leadership (who had signed the NDA) would not allow them. Only after standing my ground did I receive my refund—at which point I was still expected to leave immediately.
Why This Experience Was So Disturbing:
I am sharing this because I believe travelers—especially solo female travelers—deserve to know what happened. A retreat should be a place of trust, reflection, and healing. It should not be a place where:
A guest is robbed, and the staff shows little to no concern about it.
A solo female traveler is told to leave abruptly and prevented from speaking with others about a crime that took place.
A refund is only issued on the condition that a guest signs a legal document preventing them from speaking negatively about the retreat.
The entire experience left me feeling unsafe, unsupported, and deeply unsettled. I also question why the staff was so resistant to involving the police. When I requested assistance in filing a report, I was told to handle it myself—a shocking lack of concern given the circumstances.
A Pattern of Silence?
What concerns me most is that there are virtually no negative reviews of this retreat online. After experiencing firsthand how aggressively they push NDAs and non-disparagement agreements, I strongly suspect I am not the first person who has been pressured into silence.
Final Thoughts: Would I Recommend This Retreat?
Absolutely not. As a solo traveler, safety is non-negotiable, and I would not wish my experience on anyone. No retreat should prioritize its reputation over the well-being of its guests. I would strongly urge anyone considering Reunion to rethink their choice—particularly if traveling alone. If you still decide to go, be prepared for a complete lack of accountability in the event something goes wrong.
I stand behind every word of this review. My experience was thoroughly documented, recorded, and shared with the appropriate authorities, including the American Embassy. If you are considering this retreat, please proceed with caution.
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Response from Retreat Center:
Dear Alana,
It is disappointing to hear that your experience at Reunion did not meet your expectations. Guest safety and well-being are at the core of everything we do, and we take your concern to heart.
I have had the opportunity to review all the comments you have made towards Reunion and our Costa Rica staff. This damaging post may hinder others from a transformative Ayahuasca experience and therefore I feel it is important that I address what you have posted.
The truth is you first asked to leave the retreat, and we gave you a refund, cancelled your balance owing and you signed a release. Your disruptive, abusive behavior and use of extreme profanity towards our team was very disrespectful. Our safety cameras and incident reports clearly recorded all of these interactions.
I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some of our procedures here at Reunion. To ensure guest security our policy is that any time we enter a guest room there are always two staff members present together. This includes our housekeeping and maintenance people. If we enter a room and any valuables are in sight our people are asked to leave the room immediately and instruct our Guest Services Manager. The room is not serviced until all valuables are secured by the guest. Upon check-in each guest is requested to use the provided in-room safe to ensure no issues occur. For this to be effective guests need to keep their safe locked, which you had told us you did not. Despite these safety steps we understand that situations may still occur that we would work to resolve.
We take every situation seriously and care for it with our full attention. We value the contributions made by our team members, holding them in high esteem and offering them a safe and positive work environment. We appreciate the support they provide for the guest experience. What our team members are not asked to do is to be subjected to your intense profanity during your stay. This was witnessed and documented by both our staff and multiple other guests. This is against our guest policy which you agreed to upon check-in, but clearly did not follow.
A guest departing before the end of the week is very rare and not taken lightly. In this instance, the decision was made to maintain a respectful and supportive environment for all other guests. While we regret that you felt unsupported, our intention was to handle the matter in a way that respected your requests, the experience of other guests, and the well-being of our entire team.
We take feedback seriously and are committed to continuously improving to ensure our guests feel safe, respected, and heard. If you would like to discuss your experience further, I welcome the opportunity to connect with you. Please reach out to me if you would like at brad.wells@reunionexperience.org.
We wish you well,
Brad Wells
Founder Reunion Read More
Theft from My Room’s Safe & the Response:
During my stay, I was the victim of a theft. Items were stolen directly from the safe inside my private room. Naturally, I reported the incident to the staff, assuming they would take it seriously and assist me in resolving the situation. However, instead of receiving support, I encountered a response that I can only describe as dismissive and concerning.
Rather than prioritizing an investigation or offering assistance in filing a police report, the staff seemed far more preoccupied with ensuring that I didn’t speak to other guests about what had happened. The lack of concern for my situation—especially as a woman traveling alone—was alarming. The next morning after breakfast, where I spoke with some other guests who had heard the commotion the night before from my room, and who asked me what had happened and whether I was okay, I was asked by the establishment to leave the property immediately, and to ensure I didn’t communicate further with other attendees, or inform other guests of what happened to me, a security guard was stationed outside my room.
The Non-Disclosure Agreement Ultimatum:
When I requested a refund for the remainder of my stay (which was nearly $700 per night), I expected a standard discussion about the circumstances. Instead, the retreat’s representative left briefly and returned with a non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreement, making it clear that no refund would be given unless I signed it without modification.
As an attorney and experienced traveler, I found this practice highly irregular. Having previously worked in the hospitality industry myself, I have never seen a legitimate establishment respond to a theft by forcing a victim to sign a legal agreement in exchange for a partial refund. The document originally contained misleading language stating that our discussion was “private” and that I had “requested” a refund without disclosing why. I refused to sign until I made substantial redline changes, including explicitly stating that I had been robbed.
The retreat’s representative was adamant that these edits were unacceptable and indicated that their leadership (who had signed the NDA) would not allow them. Only after standing my ground did I receive my refund—at which point I was still expected to leave immediately.
Why This Experience Was So Disturbing:
I am sharing this because I believe travelers—especially solo female travelers—deserve to know what happened. A retreat should be a place of trust, reflection, and healing. It should not be a place where:
A guest is robbed, and the staff shows little to no concern about it.
A solo female traveler is told to leave abruptly and prevented from speaking with others about a crime that took place.
A refund is only issued on the condition that a guest signs a legal document preventing them from speaking negatively about the retreat.
The entire experience left me feeling unsafe, unsupported, and deeply unsettled. I also question why the staff was so resistant to involving the police. When I requested assistance in filing a report, I was told to handle it myself—a shocking lack of concern given the circumstances.
A Pattern of Silence?
What concerns me most is that there are virtually no negative reviews of this retreat online. After experiencing firsthand how aggressively they push NDAs and non-disparagement agreements, I strongly suspect I am not the first person who has been pressured into silence.
Final Thoughts: Would I Recommend This Retreat?
Absolutely not. As a solo traveler, safety is non-negotiable, and I would not wish my experience on anyone. No retreat should prioritize its reputation over the well-being of its guests. I would strongly urge anyone considering Reunion to rethink their choice—particularly if traveling alone. If you still decide to go, be prepared for a complete lack of accountability in the event something goes wrong.
I stand behind every word of this review. My experience was thoroughly documented, recorded, and shared with the appropriate authorities, including the American Embassy. If you are considering this retreat, please proceed with caution.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Response from Retreat Center:
Dear Alana,
It is disappointing to hear that your experience at Reunion did not meet your expectations. Guest safety and well-being are at the core of everything we do, and we take your concern to heart.
I have had the opportunity to review all the comments you have made towards Reunion and our Costa Rica staff. This damaging post may hinder others from a transformative Ayahuasca experience and therefore I feel it is important that I address what you have posted.
The truth is you first asked to leave the retreat, and we gave you a refund, cancelled your balance owing and you signed a release. Your disruptive, abusive behavior and use of extreme profanity towards our team was very disrespectful. Our safety cameras and incident reports clearly recorded all of these interactions.
I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some of our procedures here at Reunion. To ensure guest security our policy is that any time we enter a guest room there are always two staff members present together. This includes our housekeeping and maintenance people. If we enter a room and any valuables are in sight our people are asked to leave the room immediately and instruct our Guest Services Manager. The room is not serviced until all valuables are secured by the guest. Upon check-in each guest is requested to use the provided in-room safe to ensure no issues occur. For this to be effective guests need to keep their safe locked, which you had told us you did not. Despite these safety steps we understand that situations may still occur that we would work to resolve.
We take every situation seriously and care for it with our full attention. We value the contributions made by our team members, holding them in high esteem and offering them a safe and positive work environment. We appreciate the support they provide for the guest experience. What our team members are not asked to do is to be subjected to your intense profanity during your stay. This was witnessed and documented by both our staff and multiple other guests. This is against our guest policy which you agreed to upon check-in, but clearly did not follow.
A guest departing before the end of the week is very rare and not taken lightly. In this instance, the decision was made to maintain a respectful and supportive environment for all other guests. While we regret that you felt unsupported, our intention was to handle the matter in a way that respected your requests, the experience of other guests, and the well-being of our entire team.
We take feedback seriously and are committed to continuously improving to ensure our guests feel safe, respected, and heard. If you would like to discuss your experience further, I welcome the opportunity to connect with you. Please reach out to me if you would like at brad.wells@reunionexperience.org.
We wish you well,
Brad Wells
Founder Reunion Read More
