Costa Rica Travel Agents

Kimkim has selected the best Costa Rica travel agents so you'll have a worry-free trip.
With kimkim you will connect directly to a local specialist in Costa Rica who will personalize your trip to your specific tastes. Once we have a sense of who you are and what you're looking for, you'll be matched with the right local travel agent for you. Not everyone wants to get completely off the grid—but even if you want to hit the most popular sites and cities, kimkim ensures a customized experience, including lodging, guides, and transportation.
Plan your trip to Costa Rica
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.

Olman Romero

(179 reviews)
Costa Rica Travel Agent based in San Jose, Costa Rica
Olman specializes in: Adventure activities, hiking, ecological tours, marine activities
Recent traveler reviews for Olman:
"Olman at KimKim did an excellent job in planning our family spring break to Costa Rica." - by Stephanie, Mar 21, 2026 · see review
"I appreciated that the questions I posted were answered by Olman in a detailed and clear manner." - by Bonnie, Mar 16, 2026 · see review
"Olman did a great job of putting this together, although I wouldn't go back to Hotel Villa Caletas and Carara National Park." - by Linda, Feb 26, 2026 · see review

Bryan Leon

(147 reviews)
Costa Rica Travel Agent based in Cartago, Costa Rica
Bryan specializes in: Family Trips, Adventure Tours, Naturalist Hiking, Cultural Tours, Birdwatching, Sport Fishing, and Surfing.
Recent traveler reviews for Bryan:
"Kim Kim and Bryan and his team were great." - by Melissa, Feb 3, 2026 · see review
"We’re especially grateful that they were able to move our trip up by an entire month due to unforeseen circumstances, with special recognition to Bryan and Nancy for their support and flexibility." - by Nitin, Jan 24, 2026 · see review
"Bryan and kimkim were enormously helpful when we decided, a month out, to spend the Christmas holidays in Costa Rica." - by Amanda, Jan 12, 2026 · see review

Randall Jiménez

(128 reviews)
Costa Rica Travel Agent based in San José, Costa Rica
Randall specializes in: active trips, honeymoons, family trips, customized itineraries
Recent traveler reviews for Randall:
"Randall was superb with planning from beginning to end, answering every question all along the way!" - by Nikki, Mar 16, 2026 · see review
"I decided to reach out to KimKim and was assigned to Randall, which turned out to be a great decision." - by Glen, Jan 20, 2026 · see review
"Excellent support from Randall." - by Andy, Jan 8, 2026 · see review

Holden Ketchum

(106 reviews)
Costa Rica Travel Agent based in Cartago, Costa Rica
Holden specializes in: Family-friendly, LGBTQ-friendly, Senior Travel, Costa Rica Highlights, Wildlife, Nature Hikes
Recent traveler reviews for Holden:
"Holden planned our trip with so many amazing experiences: Safari float down a river in the rainforest, night hike to see cool frogs, the most unusual snakes and a sloth, a cooking class, a hike in the Arenal Volcano area and hike through the Hanging Bridges." - by Nancy, Feb 17, 2026 · see review
"Holden did an excellent job helping us plan a memorable trip." - by Jeanette, Feb 16, 2026 · see review
"Holden was fantastic- communicative, professional and insightful." - by Mike, Feb 1, 2026 · see review

Yuliana Valverde

(77 reviews)
Costa Rica Travel Agent based in San José, Costa Rica
Yuliana specializes in: Nature Trips, Honeymoons, FamilyTravel, Adventure Tours
Recent traveler reviews for Yuliana:
"We wanted to concentrate on birds and the trip that KimKim planned (Yuliana) met all our wishlist items." - by Ros, Mar 20, 2026 · see review
"Yuliana came up with the initial itinerary and was very helpful and responsive with modifications." - by Blake, Jan 11, 2026 · see review
"Yuliana put together a." - by Carrie, Dec 22, 2025 · see review

Charlotte Törnqvist

(47 reviews)
Costa Rica Travel Agent based in Turrialba, Costa Rica
Charlotte specializes in: Tailor-made, fully personalized trip plans. Family vacations including children of all ages. Adventure travel. Nature vacations. Fully guided private premium trips. Honeymoons. Special interest groups. Senior trips, and 3-generation family vacations.
Recent traveler reviews for Charlotte:
"The pre-planning team of Fio, Charlotte and Nancy was fantastic and I greatly appreciated their responsiveness to our questions and requests." - by Scott, Dec 5, 2023 · see review
"Charlotte and the team were always responsive and answered all of my many questions prior to the trip." - by Jessica, Aug 27, 2023 · see review
"The people at KimKim (Fio, Nancy, and Charlotte) that put everything together, answered all of our questions, and helped us while we were there- they were just fantastic." - by Cosimo, Aug 26, 2023 · see review

Elena Mora

(40 reviews)
Costa Rica Travel Agent based in Cartago, Turrialba
Elena specializes in: Off the beaten Path, Families, Honeymooners, Groups, Costa Rica Highlights, Wildlife, Nature, Ecofriendly, Sustainable Tourism.
Recent traveler reviews for Elena:
"Elena really helped narrow down our itinerary providing multiple updates based on our specific needs accounting for two couples, three seniors (66, 69, 77) and one person with mobility issues." - by Nicole, Mar 16, 2026 · see review
"The service we received from KimKim and from Elena in Costa Rica was superb." - by Carol, Mar 1, 2026 · see review
"Elena and Nancy were extremely helpful and had lots of useful suggestions to make sure we had plenty of bird watching, nature tours, and visits to Guayabo monument and Turrialba volcano." - by David, Feb 24, 2026 · see review

More in Costa Rica


Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim
4.8
Based on 1,223 ratings

High Adventure Family Vacation
Costa Rica | Mar 13 - Mar 19, 2026

Stephanie
Stephanie R.
Miami, FL | Reviewed on Mar 21, 2026
Olman at KimKim did an excellent job in planning our family spring break to Costa Rica. When we were landing extra early and due to preferences, he reversed the itinerary happily and with no issues. Selvatura Park with hanging bridges, zip line and the tarzan swing was a blast. Such a great choice for us! Two day white water rafting with an overnight on the river side was amazing! We did so much to mention but had a wonderful trip and it was so well planned by Olman at KimKim. ... Read more

Olman at KimKim did an excellent job in planning our family spring break to Costa Rica. When we were landing extra early and due to preferences, he reversed the itinerary happily and with no issues. Selvatura Park with hanging bridges, zip line and the tarzan swing was a blast. Such a great choice for us! Two day white water rafting with an overnight on the river side was amazing! We did so much to mention but had a wonderful trip and it was so well planned by Olman at KimKim. I have tried to plan my own vacation and uncertainty and procrastination led me to not
completing. Will use KimKim for all our future trips! Already thinking about Portugal for Spring Break 2027. Definitely leaving to the experts to plan all my future travel!

Hotel Reviews
El Establo Mountain Hotel
Monteverde

Excellent gym - comfortable beds / room and the breakfast was amazing. Very large hotel campus on steep mountain so you cannot get around unless you order a shuttle. It is open air - open windows as it’s very cool in Monteverde. Due to that you do hear other guests as they walk in the hall … Really enjoyed but it was a bit too big of a hotel campus for me.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rooms were really nice and spacious bathrooms.
Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs
La Fortuna
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Pacuare River Lodge
Bajo Tigre

Loved the complete disconnection. This is camping … no electricity, no wifi and no hot water which was all good but wish we knew this in advance to set our expectations. Best sleep listening to the river.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hilton Garden Inn, La Sabana
San José

Nice hotel but only gave us two bath towels when booked for three people. Could not get anyone to answer the phone for an extra towel. Gym was really good.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining
Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining
Monteverde
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal
EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal
Arenal/La Fortuna
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day 1 Rafting Trip on Rio Pacuare - Pacuare River Lodge
Day 1 Rafting Trip on Rio Pacuare - Pacuare River Lodge
Costa Rica

Amazing experience and our guides were amazing cooks…. best food we ate during our vacation

Quality of Experience
Food
Best food we had during our week trip
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Olman Romero

This was a great trip which we had planned fo...
Costa Rica | Feb 19 - Mar 7, 2026

Ros
Ros B.
Portland, OR | Reviewed on Mar 20, 2026
This was a great trip which we had planned for ages as a bucket list item. We wanted to concentrate on birds and the trip that KimKim planned (Yuliana) met all our wishlist items. We were happy to let Yuliana plan the route and do all the heavy lifting on the hotel bookings, car rental and many guided walks. We added a couple of our own once we knew a bit more about where we were and had familiarised ourselves with the various areas we travelled to.
We covered a lot of ground in 17 days and...
Read more

This was a great trip which we had planned for ages as a bucket list item. We wanted to concentrate on birds and the trip that KimKim planned (Yuliana) met all our wishlist items. We were happy to let Yuliana plan the route and do all the heavy lifting on the hotel bookings, car rental and many guided walks. We added a couple of our own once we knew a bit more about where we were and had familiarised ourselves with the various areas we travelled to.
We covered a lot of ground in 17 days and experienced a variety of climates, scenery and birdlife. It was great - Costa Rica is an easy country to get around, the people are friendly and the birds of course are amazing.
One thing to note is that hotel rooms do not have kettles (some had a coffee machine, others had nothing at all) so a travelling kettle is a good idea. Best guides: Christian at La Selva; Kendall at Curi Cancha and Dylan at Manual Antonio. Their knowledge is amazing. We loved it all.

Hotel Reviews
Dreams Lodge Monteverde
Santa Elena

It's a basic B&B

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
We had cold water shower
The Falls at Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio

We enjoyed staying here the room was lovely

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Very nice staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Heliconias Nature Inn
Peñas Blancas

Sorry but this was not our favourite. Room was dark, few powerpoints, no bedside lights, WC horrible. There were nicer rooms but ours was not one. Restaurant overpriced and bad food. Also it's too far from La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Auténtico Hotel
San José

Good for first night

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Natural Caño Negro Lodge

we really enjoyed this hotel, lovely surroundings, friendly staff, good restaurant and bar, nice big room and shower in a natural and exotic setting.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Have to drive along a bumpy dirt road to get here
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike
Monteverde

This was not a 'birdwatching' tour but was OK. Our fellow guests were a strange lot and not very friendly. But we did see a quetzal so that was cool. It was quite crowded.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Early Birdwatching Tour at Curi-Cancha Reserve
Early Birdwatching Tour at Curi-Cancha Reserve
Monteverde

One of the best trips - Kendall was amazing. Took us outside the reserve to see toucanets - brilliant. Lots of people but we saw lots of things thanks to him. He would have liked to start earlier and I think it would be good if he could have contacted us directly.

Quality of Experience
Kendall
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guided Nature Walk at Danaus Ecological Park
Guided Nature Walk at Danaus Ecological Park
Arenal/La Fortuna

This was OK , butterfly enclosure a highlight. Not many birds

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Carlos friendly and helpful
Birdwatching at Arenal Mundo Aventura Natural Park
Birdwatching at Arenal Mundo Aventura Natural Park
Arenal/La Fortuna

This was good after a rather scary drive to the park in the dark. Ronald very knowledgeable and pleasant. Nice selection of birds and good breakfast afterwards - appreciated after missing breakfast at the hotel

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Bird Watching Tour
Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Bird Watching Tour
Caño Negro

This was good and we saw loads. Minor problem was others on the boat had no binoculars so it slowed everything down. 2 good guides and nice lunch afterwards.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Birdwatching Tour at Boca Tapada
Birdwatching Tour at Boca Tapada
Boca Tapada

Good guide for early morning walk after downpour Christian 2. Best part about BT was the feeders which brought loads of birds

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Birdwatching Tour at La Selva Biological Station
Birdwatching Tour at La Selva Biological Station
Sarapiquí

Our first bird tour, very good. Loads of birds. Christian very knowledgeable

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Night Walk at Tirimbina Rainforest Center
Night Walk at Tirimbina Rainforest Center
Sarapiquí

The link sent us to the wrong place; we eventually got there but it was pouring with rain. The bridge was very scary

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
She knew her stuff
Local specialist: Yuliana Valverde
Yuliana
Yuliana Valverde
Local specialist in San José, Costa Rica | Replied on Mar 20, 2026
Hola Ros, Thank you so much for this wonderful review, it truly means a lot to me. I am so happy to hear that your trip lived up to such a special bucket list experience and that it matched your passion for birding so well. It was a pleasure helping you plan this journey, and I am glad you felt comfortable letting me take care of the details while still having the flexibility to add your own experiences along the way. It sounds like you made the most of every moment and really embraced the... Read more

Hola Ros,

Thank you so much for this wonderful review, it truly means a lot to me. I am so happy to hear that your trip lived up to such a special bucket list experience and that it matched your passion for birding so well.

It was a pleasure helping you plan this journey, and I am glad you felt comfortable letting me take care of the details while still having the flexibility to add your own experiences along the way. It sounds like you made the most of every moment and really embraced the diversity of what Costa Rica has to offer.

I love that you highlighted the variety of regions, climates, and birdlife you experienced, that is exactly what makes traveling here so unique. And thank you as well for the helpful tip about kettles, that is a great insight for future travelers.

It is also so nice to hear your feedback about the guides. I will be sure to pass along your kind words to them, they will be thrilled.

Thank you again for trusting me with such an important trip. I am so glad you loved it, and I hope Costa Rica stays with you for a long time.

Pura Vida!
Yuliana

The trip was greAt. THANK YOU
Costa Rica | Mar 12 - Mar 19, 2026

L
Linda L.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Mar 20, 2026
The trip was greAT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HELPING US PLAN IT AND FOR BEING ACCOMODATING WITH OUR CHANGE REQUESTS.
May I make a few suggestions for your next clients visiting Costa Rica, all concerning the activities.
1) The kayaking in Mangroves was great, however I did not bring my kayaking gloves as it was stated that we would have a fun pedal/paddle kayak. This was not the case- no pedaling.
2) On the waterfall hike you should specify closed toe water shoes. I could not swim close to...
Read more

The trip was greAT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HELPING US PLAN IT AND FOR BEING ACCOMODATING WITH OUR CHANGE REQUESTS.
May I make a few suggestions for your next clients visiting Costa Rica, all concerning the activities.
1) The kayaking in Mangroves was great, however I did not bring my kayaking gloves as it was stated that we would have a fun pedal/paddle kayak. This was not the case- no pedaling.
2) On the waterfall hike you should specify closed toe water shoes. I could not swim close to the waterfall bc of the many rocks. I was barely able to swim in the water downstream due to the rocks.
3) We were a 5 minute walk to the Manuel Antonio National Park for the last 4 days, but we did not know that you had to reserve a ticket for the park days prior to our desired entrance day. We were unable to secure entrance.
Thanks again,
Linda
P.S. Sorry for the typos and all caps where present

Local specialist: Yuliana Valverde
Yuliana
Yuliana Valverde
Local specialist in San José, Costa Rica | Replied on Mar 20, 2026

Hi Linda,
Thank you so much for your kind words. It truly means a lot to hear that you had a great trip. It was a pleasure helping you plan it, and I am especially glad we could accommodate your changes along the way.
I also really appreciate you taking the time to share these thoughtful suggestions. This kind of feedback is incredibly valuable and will be helpful to improve our services.
Thank you again for your trust and for traveling with us.
Warm regards,
Yuliana

KimKim Rocked Our Trip!
Costa Rica | Mar 8 - Mar 14, 2026

Jim
Jim W.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Mar 17, 2026
KimKim did an excellent job with our trip itinerary and we had a terrific time exploring three beautiful places in Costa Rica. Every driver and tour guide arrived on time (even early) which is pretty phenomenal, and it was refreshing to find that each driver and tour guide was so very proud of their country. The drivers discussed sites, landmarks and pointed out interesting things during the drives. We enjoyed Marvin from the airport to Arenal, Roy to Rio Celeste (our favorite), Alex to the... Read more

KimKim did an excellent job with our trip itinerary and we had a terrific time exploring three beautiful places in Costa Rica. Every driver and tour guide arrived on time (even early) which is pretty phenomenal, and it was refreshing to find that each driver and tour guide was so very proud of their country. The drivers discussed sites, landmarks and pointed out interesting things during the drives. We enjoyed Marvin from the airport to Arenal, Roy to Rio Celeste (our favorite), Alex to the Gulf of Papagayo. and Joshua to the airport. These men were very nice, patient, and simply terrific drivers, and made us feel like friends.

All in all, we had a great itinerary and enjoyed all of our resorts and activities, smoothly moving from one location and activity to the next. KimKim's procedure of allowing you to adjust the itinerary they put together to your liking was a nice touch. Communications were excellent!

Hotel Reviews
Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs
La Fortuna

This resort is pretty. We had our own cabin which was very quiet and nice overall. We greatly enjoyed the hot springs, grounds, pool, and pool bar. We liked the fact that we could eat by the pool after visiting the hot springs instead of having to go to the restaurant. The included breakfast was fantastic, lots of options. The staff was very friendly and helpful. We note that the cabin we had could use a little TLC, especially the bathroom. Also, the resort did have a water issue the 2nd night and we were without water for several hours.

Authenticity & Character
Loved the grounds, just note that the cabins may need a little care.
Location
Nice spot. Was easy for our drivers to pick up and drop off.
Staff
Friendly and helpful.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rio Celeste Hideaway Resort
Bijagua

This 4-star resort was spectacular! Our cabin was absolutely beautiful. It was big and spacious with a private deck and outdoor shower! We greatly enjoyed brewing coffee and enjoying it on the patio each morning. Patio is covered so let it rain! The resort grounds are so nice, with paths and walking trails! We took hikes on the well-marked resort trails from our room down to the blue river and through the rain forest. Around the hotel were all kinds of birds and animals, we spotted Coatis and even an Agouti, so cool. We greatly enjoyed the beautiful pool and we hung out some at the swim up bar. The restaurant was terrific and the service staff were superb throughout! Our only caveat with this resort is that if you don't have a rental car, it's not easy to leave it to explore the surrounding area on your own (no Ubers or taxi's are around we were told). Of course we got picked up twice for our tour/hikes.

Authenticity & Character
Love the cabins/rooms. And the grounds were impeccably cared for.
Location
Just a gorgeous spot, nice in sun or rain! Can walk down to see the blue river in a few spots.
Staff
Every staff member we interacted with was professional, nice, and helpful!
Cleanliness & Comfort
The rooms are gorgeous, from deck, to sitting areas, to beds, to bathroom and shower, to outdoor shower.
Hotel Bosque del Mar
Playa Hermosa

Staying at this resort was a nice way to end out trip. We enjoyed the beach, the pool, the bar (happy hour!) and the restaurant. We were able to walk down the beach one night to a local restaurant where we heard live music during our dinner. The monkeys playing in the trees around the pool was a nice touch! The included breakfast was great, food was tasty and service great.

Authenticity & Character
Pretty nice well-maintained grounds. Room had a nice sitting area and deck.
Location
Had a nice beach and lounge chairs to use. Trees all around up from the water added shade which was nessessary.
Staff
Staff was attentive and nice.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Private Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968
Private Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968
Arenal/La Fortuna

We loved our guide Roy, he was so nice and shared his amazing knowledge and took his time to tell us all about the Volcanic area, animals, plants, and interesting things. The hike was a highlight of our time in Arenal and we greatly enjoyed it. It was a beautiful day and the views we encountered were amazing.

Quality of Experience
Just a beautiful day for a nice hike with a great guide.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Roy picked us up at the resort and was our hike guide. He was terrific!
Transport
Roy had a nice vehicle and pointed out many things during our drive. He was early too!
Tapir Valley Nature Reserve Night Walk
Tapir Valley Nature Reserve Night Walk
Bijagua / Rio Celeste

This hike/walk is right through the rain forest at night, some of the footing was slippery and muddy, but the boots and headlamps they provided were a great help. We saw lots of frogs, snakes, spiders, and birds. Then our guide Anthony got word that there was a Tapir nearby so we hightailed it to go see it. That was fabulous! The funny thing was, on the way back to the Hideaway we also saw a Tapir on the side of the road, which our driver slowed for us to view.

Quality of Experience
Guide was excellent and it was cool to be in the forest at night.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
On time, nice people, excellent guide!
Transport
On time and easy. On the way back, driver spotted a juvenile Tapir on the road and stopped so we could see it and grab some photos!
Rio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Private Hike
Rio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Private Hike
Bijagua / Rio Celeste

This hike was conducted by Oscar who was a nice guy, very knowledgeable (told us so many facts about the area and blue river) and guided us well. We saw snakes, then the blue river, the spectacular waterfall, and then the joining of the two rivers that cause the water to be blue. Oscar explained everything in great detail. On our hike back out of the park, we had a Tapir sighting!

Quality of Experience
A nice hike, great guide, and beautiful views!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very knowledgeable and friendly!
Transport
Right on time, quick ride.
Introduction to the Gulf of Papagayo
Introduction to the Gulf of Papagayo
Gulf of Papagayo

We enjoyed the beach, the pool, the bar (Happy Hour!) and the restaurant. We were able to walk down the beach one night to a local restaurant where we had live music to our dinner. The monkeys playing in the trees around the pool was a nice touch!

Quality of Experience
Happy hour, nice beach with lounge chairs, easy to walk beach and to other restaurants.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Drivers on time and excellent. Staff was friendly and helpful.
Transport
Alex was nice, full of information and a good driver.
Morning Sailing and Snorkeling Adventure
Morning Sailing and Snorkeling Adventure
Costa Rica

We had a lovely time riding the 40 foot sailboat, with drinks on the way to snorkeling (lots of cool fish to see), and snacks and drinks on the way back. The crew was terrific and attentive, the views from the boat were superb.

Quality of Experience
Was a nice snorkeling spot, excellent sailing experience, good drinks and snacks!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Staff was friendly and super attentive.
Transport
They did an awesome job getting us to and from the boat safely.
Local specialist: Bryan Leon
Bryan
Bryan Leon
Local specialist in Cartago, Costa Rica | Replied on Mar 18, 2026

Hola Jim!

Thank you so much for sharing this, it truly made my day! I'm delighted everything flowed smoothly and that Marvin, Roy, Alex, and Joshua made you feel like friends along the way.

Here at Serendipity Adventures, we take great pride in providing quality service, so knowing we delivered means everything.

Thank you for trusting us with your Costa Rica adventure.

Pura Vida will always be waiting for you!☀️
Bryan Leon,
Serendipity Adventures | Costa Rica

Great follow-up to questions
Costa Rica | Mar 5 - Mar 14, 2026

B
Bonnie Y.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Mar 16, 2026
I appreciated that the questions I posted were answered by Olman in a detailed and clear manner. Read more

I appreciated that the questions I posted were answered by Olman in a detailed and clear manner.

Hotel Reviews
Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa
Fortuna

The hot springs in the back of the hotel were amazing. Lots of fun and the resort makes it very convenient to hop in a resort shuttle to travel to the springs, which is a very short ride away. The room is nice, though hotel renovations are needed. The restaurants for dinner at Ave and Tucanes were great. The complimentary breakfast was fair, wishing there was more variety.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Belmar
Monteverde

This was rated as a 4 star hotel, though the simple accommodations (no TV, room needing more modern renovations) would rate is more like a 3.5 star hotel. The complimentary breakfast was great, the dinner was fair. The staff was accommodating and mostly friendly. The grounds were very pretty, though the green lake did not look swimmable.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel La Mariposa
Manuel Antonio

The views of this hotel are amazing! The hotel, I would rate as 3 stars. The showers are nice, the corner room again with an amazing view. The previous two hotels had friendly, accomodating staff, so we expected the same. Unfortunately, we found the staff to be indifferent, though we were friendly towards them. We thought they did the minimal, answered questions quickly without much feeling, and didn't seem to want to be there. I think this is more of a reflection on management. The dinner took two hours, as the server seemed preoccupied. The swimming pool was nice.

Authenticity & Character
Renovate the rooms.
Location
The view was amazing as previously stated.
Staff
See comments above. Wondering if there is a morale issue.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Renovate the rooms.
Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton
San José

Well, it's a Hilton. So nice to see carpeting!!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari
Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari
Arenal/La Fortuna

I think we wanted more activity other than sitting on a boat and squinting up at trees. There weren't enough animals to make it exciting enough for us, and perhaps we aren't great bird watchers. The monkeys were fun! But soooooo far away!

Quality of Experience
Food
Loved loved loved the chocolate.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The tour guide was very detailed oriented and provided good information about the animals.
Transport
El Silencio Volcano Hike & Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall
El Silencio Volcano Hike & Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall
Arenal/La Fortuna

A nice, professional and friendly tour guide gave us the volcano's history. I appreciated her enthusiasm.

Quality of Experience
Food
Casado was yummy. This was the best casado of the whole trip.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde
Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde
Monteverde

This was fun even if it was raining. The tour guide was very informative, the group only consisted of six people, and the animals were motionless mainly, which made them easier to spot and photograph.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining
Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining
Monteverde

My husband's high point was the ziplining. This is the second time I ziplined, and I felt much safer because we are harnassed to the cables after landing. The tour guide gave me the harness used by workers when I shared my health history, which made me feel more secure. I think the photos were on the expensive side though.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike
Costa Rica

Finally! I got to see the white-faced monkeys. I also saw bats, a snake, iguanas, and birds. This was more exciting as I finally can see a lot more animals without squinting all the time. This tour is why I came to Costa Rica, and it did not disappoint.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Olman Romero
Olman
Olman Romero
Local specialist in San Jose, Costa Rica | Replied on Mar 17, 2026

Hello Bonnie,

Thank you so much for your detailed feedback; it truly means a lot!

I am really glad you felt well supported throughout the planning process and enjoyed highlights like Tabacón, the Monteverde experiences, and Manuel Antonio. I also appreciate your honest comments on the hotels and tours; this helps us continue improving and refining each itinerary.

It was a pleasure assisting you, and I hope to help you plan another Costa Rica adventure in the future!

Pura Vida,
Olman