Reformer Pilates in Costa Rica
Black Cat Studio runs two reformer-only Pilates studios in Nosara, on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula: one in Playa Pelada and one in Playa Guiones. Classes are capped at six people in Pelada and five in Guiones and run 50 minutes. If you’re visiting, drop-ins and small class packs are available at the Guiones studio, a short walk from the beach. If you live here, Pelada has memberships and packs for year-round training. Book online and come ready to laugh, curse, and sweat.
Two Studios, Five Minutes Apart
Pelada
Tribu Plaza at Cinco Esquinas, with a free paved lot out front. Six reformers, air conditioning that actually works. The original studio, and where most of our year-round regulars train.
See the Pelada studio →
Guiones
In the strip 200m south of the Gilded Iguana, a short walk from the sand. Five reformers, same air conditioning. If you’re staying in Guiones you can walk over between a surf and breakfast.
See the Guiones studio →Same method, same standard, same cueing. The difference is where you are and how you get there.
If You’re Visiting
BookingEverything is online. Pick a studio, pick a class, pay. Your pass is tied to the studio you buy it at, so choose the one near where you’re staying. New here? Start with this →
What it costsVisitor drop-in $50. Visitor Special, three classes in seven days, $140. Cat Pass, five classes in 30 days, $200. Prices are before Costa Rica’s 13% IVA, added at checkout. Tico rate available with ID.
LevelsEveryone starts at Level 1, including people who have done reformer for years somewhere else. It’s how we learn your body and you learn our equipment. Level 2 opens once you’ve got a base, or sooner with instructor sign-off.
BringGrip socks (required; we sell them at the desk), water, fitted clothes so the instructor can see your alignment. Arrive 5 to 10 minutes early, especially the first time.
CancelUp to six hours before class, no penalty.
Why Nosara
Nosara is a small surf town on the Pacific side of the Nicoya Peninsula, Guanacaste. Playa Guiones is a long, sandy beach break that works for first-time surfers and keeps working for good ones. The Nicoya Peninsula is one of the world’s five Blue Zones, which is the kind of thing a wellness brand would normally make a whole page about. We’ll leave it at: people here move every day, and the water is right there.
Getting here: about 2.5 hours by road from Liberia (LIR), 5 from San José (SJO), or a short flight into Nosara’s airstrip (NOB).
Most visitors train in the morning, surf or swim after, and don’t think about it again until the next day. That’s the point.
The Black Cat Method
Every class, private, and instructor we train runs on the same framework: precision first (individual cueing, not a group performance), progressive challenge (three structured levels, not “modify if you need to”), and functional integration (reformer work that shows up in how you surf, walk, and carry things).
Read about the Method →More Than a Drop-In
Pilates retreat, March 2027A week in Guiones: daily reformer, surf mornings at the Guiones break, a villa five minutes from the sand, chef meals, small group. Waitlist open; waitlist members get early-bird pricing. Join the retreat waitlist →
Teacher trainingAn 80+ hour reformer instructor training in Nosara, built on the Black Cat Method, small cohorts. Teacher training →
Privates and groupsOne-on-one sessions start at $150. We can take up to five people in Guiones and six in Pelada, and we host birthdays, bachelorettes, and retreat groups. Inquire about a private or group →
Questions People Ask Before They Book
Is there reformer Pilates in Costa Rica?
Yes. Black Cat Studio runs two reformer-only studios in Nosara, in Playa Pelada and Playa Guiones. Classes are capped at six in Pelada and five in Guiones.
Can I drop in to a class as a tourist?
Yes. At our Guiones studio, a short walk from the beach, a visitor drop-in is $50, the Visitor Special is three classes in seven days for $140, and the Cat Pass is five classes in 30 days for $200. Book online; no membership needed.
Do I need Pilates experience?
No. Everyone starts at Level 1, and it’s built for beginners. If you have experience elsewhere, you still start there your first time, then move up quickly.
Which studio should I choose?
Staying in Guiones for a week or two? Book the Guiones studio, in North Guiones just down the street from the Gilded Iguana. Living here, or staying in Pelada? Book Pelada. Passes aren’t transferable between studios.
Is there a Pilates retreat in Costa Rica?
Yes. Black Cat Studio’s next retreat is March 2027 in Playa Guiones: daily reformer, surf mornings, villa accommodation, chef meals. Waitlist is open.
Can I get certified to teach Pilates in Costa Rica?
Yes. Black Cat Studio runs an 80+ hour reformer teacher training in Nosara. Next dates are announced to the interest list first.
What should I bring to class?
Grip socks (required, sold at the studio), water, fitted clothes. Arrive 5 to 10 minutes early.