Where Was Couples Retreat Filmed? Every Major Location Explained

“Couples Retreat,” the ensemble comedy that came out in 2009 and ended up becoming a box office success (but a critical flop), introduces us to four couples (obviously), all of whom are experiencing growing pains in their relationships … and all of whom decide to try and mend fences with each other by traveling to a tropical paradise. After they discover a resort called Eden West that offers a group discount if one couple enlists three others to join, they decide to set out on an adventure together.

First, there’s Dave and Ronnie (Vince Vaughn and Malin Åkerman), who live in the suburbs of Chicago and are having problems because Dave’s busy work life leads to him generally disrespecting Ronnie and her needs. Meanwhile, Joey and Lucy (Jon Favreau and Kristin Davis) are high school sweethearts who are both worried that they missed out on life experiences by getting married and having kids at such a young age. Then there’s Shane and Trudy (Faizon Love — who sued Universal over its international marketing for the film — and Kali Hawk), who are struggling to overcome their age difference in the aftermath of Shane separating from his longtime wife Jennifer (Tasha Smith), to whom he’s still technically married. Finally, there’s Jason and Cynthia (Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell), an overachieving and tightly wound couple struggling to have a baby whose relationship is fractured thanks to Jason’s controlling behavior.

With the help of the Eden West therapist/founder Marcel (Jean Reno, a long ways away from “Léon: The Professional”) and Salvadore (Carlos Ponce), a yoga instructor who causes all the men to panic by being cartoonishly handsome, the couples overcome their issues (or, in Shane’s case, come to realize that maybe a much-younger girlfriend isn’t the right fit at all). As for Eden West? It’s a fictional place that’s brought to life in the film by the French Polynesian island of Bora Bora.

Eden West — and its in-universe companion resort Eden East, which is only for singles ready to mingle — obviously doesn’t exist, so did “Couples Retreat” utilize a set or a real-life resort? It was actually filmed at the St. Regis resort in Bora Bora (not to mention it apparently sparked a lawsuit by interfering with a real couple’s honeymoon). In the real world, the St. Regis in Bora Bora is an incredibly high-end luxury resort that allow guests to stay in villas right on the water … and because it only appears to offer those villas, you’ll have to save up if you want to stay there. (As of this writing, rates start at about $1,350 per night.) It makes sense that the film’s director, Peter Billingsley (yes, the same Peter Billingsley from “A Christmas Story”), chose to film in this particular resort, showcasing it as a gorgeous backdrop for this romantic comedy.

If you’d prefer to stick to the fictional Eden resort, you can watch “Couples Retreat” on Hulu now.