Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

4.9
Based on 672 ratings
Read 672 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

a fantastic trip arranged by Olman.
Costa Rica | Sep 1 - Sep 16, 2023

E
Erna P.
Denmark | Reviewed on Sep 25, 2023

a fantastic trip arranged by Olman. Everything works perfect. Good hotels and very good guides read more

a fantastic trip arranged by Olman. Everything works perfect. Good hotels and very good guides

Hotel Reviews
Hotel & Suites Rincon del Valle
San José
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Aninga Lodge
Limón, Tortuguero
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Montaña de Fuego Resort & Spa
La Fortuna
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín
Liberia
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Cipreses
Monteverde
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Karahe Beach Hotel
Manuel Antonio
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel
San José
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
San Jose - Tortuguero
Costa Rica
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Enjoy the Beauty of Tortuguero National Park
Tortuguero
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
El Silencio Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs
Arenal/La Fortuna
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Coffee & Chocolate Tour
Arenal/La Fortuna
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guided Hike Rincon de la Vieja National Park Hike - Las Pailas Trail
Rincon de la Vieja
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Monteverde Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining
Monteverde
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike
Costa Rica
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Olman Romero
Olman
Olman Romero
Local specialist in San Jose, Costa Rica | Replied on Sep 25, 2023

Hi Erna,

Thanks a lot for your good review.
I am so happy to hear you had a terrific time exploring my country.

Let's hope you can visit us once again.

Pura Vida,
Olman

GreatTrip to Costa Rica
Costa Rica | Sep 1 - Sep 9, 2023

Cassio
Cassio S.
Phoenix, AZ | Reviewed on Sep 16, 2023

Going during the “rainy” season was a nice idea. We had small groups, the restaurants were empty and we got great service. Trips were all well guided by smart and caring folks. The highlight was watching a sea turtle lay eggs on the beach, bury them and return to the sea. Road trips were a little long, but a small price to pay to get to the great sites read more

Going during the “rainy” season was a nice idea. We had small groups, the restaurants were empty and we got great service. Trips were all well guided by smart and caring folks. The highlight was watching a sea turtle lay eggs on the beach, bury them and return to the sea. Road trips were a little long, but a small price to pay to get to the great sites

Hotel Reviews
Crowne Plaza Corobici
San José

Nice evening stopover from the airport to our destinations

Authenticity & Character
Location
Not too far from airport
Staff
Friendly
Cleanliness & Comfort
Manatus Hotel
Tortuguero

Wonderful location, staff, food and ambiance

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Le Cameleon Boutique Hotel
Puerto Viejo

Unique hotel with a wonderful “jungle” vibe. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Nice pools. Food was nice. Beach was scenic

Authenticity & Character
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Tortuguero Village Guided Visit
Tortuguero

Got a chance to see the town for some shopping.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tortuguero National Park - Boating
Tortuguero

Best part of the trip- seeing a mama sea turtle lay eggs, bury them and return to the sea

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Snorkeling & Hiking in Cahuita National Park
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Great visibility in warm water

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Horseback riding on the beach
Costa Rica

Great highlight of the trip. Saw sloths and monkeys before hitting the beach. Wonderful cool, cloudy day

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Free day in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Just did a massage, went to the pool, ate and slept

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Randall Jiménez
Randall
Randall Jiménez
Local specialist in San José, Costa Rica | Replied on Sep 18, 2023

Hi Cassio,

First of all, thank you for the review.

I am glad to hear that you and Noel had a good time visiting the areas of Tortuguero and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, the Caribbean coast of the country is very exotic and one of my favorite areas to visit, so it makes me happy that you have enjoyed them too.

Anytime in the future when you are ready to explore some other areas of our small but diverse country, just let us know, we will be happy to welcome you again.

Regards,
Randall

An overall great experience
Costa Rica | Aug 12 - Aug 19, 2023

Ioannis
Ioannis A.
the Netherlands | Reviewed on Sep 15, 2023

Great overall experience with a good balance of beaches and mountains. The highlight of this tour was probably my interaction with the local people. My guide in Buena Vista Lodge, the host Roger in Malejus Lodge and the instructors during my surf lesson. read more

Great overall experience with a good balance of beaches and mountains. The highlight of this tour was probably my interaction with the local people. My guide in Buena Vista Lodge, the host Roger in Malejus Lodge and the instructors during my surf lesson.

Hotel Reviews
Hilton Garden Inn, La Sabana
San jose

This a great value-for-money deal. The hotel is located apx 20 minutes away from the airport (depending on traffic), it's very clean with all standard amenities, good cruising although not particularly local, great breakfast and very helpful personnel.

Authenticity & Character
Nothing bad about it but nothing exceptional either. A standard 4-star hotel.
Location
20 minutes drive away from the airport
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Buena Vista Lodge
Guachipelín

Amazing people working in this 142 acres of excellence. My Mountain room was spacious and clean and although there is no AC, it wasn't needed when I was visiting. There are many activities to do and I did most of them: tubing, hanging bridges, ziplining. Breakfast was great but otherwise, the restaurant offered food is nothing exceptional and quite pricy. With no available markets in the close proximity that can be an issue for some people.

Authenticity & Character
Everything is made with a lot of love and care.
Location
The location is great if you opt for a connection with nature but remote otherwise.
Staff
The people working here were all very friendly and ready to assist me.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The room was not exactly spotless.
Hotel Pasatiempo
Tamarindo

Nothing great and nothing bad. This accommodation is the perfect average but it is affordable, clean and in a good location.

Authenticity & Character
Pretty plain in terms of authenticity
Location
Good overall location with very good proximity to a supermarket and 5 minutes walk from the beach.
Staff
Stuff was very helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
The bathroom was not so clean unfortunately
Malekus Mountain Lodge
Rincon De La Vieja

An amazing experience! Rosie and Roger dreamt of a place where humans could connect with nature and they accomplished something extraordinary. I have nothing but compliments for this place.

Authenticity & Character
Roger and Rosie have well-thought everything out—truly unique place.
Location
A bit remote but this is expected for this accommodation. The purpose of your stay here should be to disconnect.
Staff
The guests are two of the most welcoming people to have ever met.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Spotless!
Activity Reviews
Private Surf Lessons at Tamarindo Beach
Tamarindo

This was my first time surfing. The instructors took about 20 minutes to prepare/inform me about safety and technic and then we jumped in the water. The guides were all super friendly giving me feedback after every attempt to surf:)

Quality of Experience
The organization, guides and overall experience was great
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Self-guide to Explore La Leona Waterfall Hiking
Rincon de la Vieja

Very easy to find, the people working at the front desk speak good English and the guide (although super young) was very helpful and friendly.

Quality of Experience
The final part is the best . . .
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very friendly guide tried to make my experience as memorable as possible
Local specialist:

I would highly recommend this company
Costa Rica | Sep 6 - Sep 14, 2023

Yelena
Yelena S.
Castro Valley, CA | Reviewed on Sep 15, 2023

My husband and I are very happy with the trip we took to Costa Rica. It was such an amazing experience. We did variety of tours that included waterfalls, volcano hike, thermal pool day pass, lots of rainforest walks with plenty of animals to see, beach time. We had great experiences with the tours, very knowledgeable tour guides that made the tours fun. Hotels that we choose were also pretty good with tasty food options and free breakfast. I love about Kimkim how they planned the trip for... read more

My husband and I are very happy with the trip we took to Costa Rica. It was such an amazing experience. We did variety of tours that included waterfalls, volcano hike, thermal pool day pass, lots of rainforest walks with plenty of animals to see, beach time. We had great experiences with the tours, very knowledgeable tour guides that made the tours fun. Hotels that we choose were also pretty good with tasty food options and free breakfast. I love about Kimkim how they planned the trip for us. From the beginning they answered my questions, were very responsive, made adjustments based on our budget and requests, made recommendations what tour to choose and when. Able to answer questions about the country such as currency, charging ports, weather. Very knowledgeable in trip planning. I would book a trip with them again. It’s worth the money.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Presidente San Jose City Center
San José

Hospitable workers, clean room, amazing jacuzzi, tasty breakfast. Pretty place.

Authenticity & Character
Location
In center of town, close to airport
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Arenal Country Inn
Fortuna

Hospitable workers, clean room, tasty breakfast and beautiful location. Nice pool. Negative: poor lighting in the room.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Heliconia
Monteverde Costa Rica

Very beautiful place. Room with a beautiful view. Very spacious and clean. Good breakfast, nice staff. Negative: bathtub plunge didn’t work so it kept draining the water, no space in bathroom for personal hygiene items and poor lighting. But overall we would stay at this location again.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Karahe Beach Hotel
Manuel Antonio

Hospitable workers, clean room, tasty breakfast which was included. Lunch and dinner and drinks to buy but also pretty good. Beautiful view of the ocean. Has a pool but very strict on the close time which is 730/8pm. Provide beach towels. Location central to the tours we took. Negative: poor lighting in the room.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Holiday Inn San Jose Aurola
San José

We stayed at the place for 6 hours to rest before flying out back home. Clean room with AC, friendly staff. In center of San Jose. Negative: poor lighting.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
San José City Tour
San José

The tour guide gave us information in the car and then told us to get out of the car and look around at the location we stopped at. We stopped at 3 places and rest of the time we sat in the car looking out the window. We would not recommend THIS tour company for San Jose tour .

Quality of Experience
Food
Lunch we paid for it but the recommendation for lunch was good.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall
Arenal/La Fortuna

The tour guide was great. Very knowledgeable and took as many photos as we wanted of us. Provided great knowledge of the places we saw.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The Springs Hot Springs & Meal
Arenal/La Fortuna

This place is soo amazing and pretty. It has lots of pool options with different temperatures. There were bars in each pool section. Very pretty views. Nice staff. Negative: the included dinner didn’t have good options. The food we choose wasn’t great.

Quality of Experience
Food
Drinks were good but included dinner options weren’t.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sloth & Bird Hike
Arenal/La Fortuna

The tour guide was very knowledgeable. We saw 4 sloughs, bats, frogs, insects and different plants/trees. Pretty good tour.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sky Adventures: Tram, Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges
Monteverde

This was a fun activity. Great staff and your guides. Very knowledgeable. The zip line staff made us comfortable and safe during the activity. We saw monkeys, snakes, slough, plants/trees in the cloud forest.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Coffee Experience and Nighttime Nature Walk
Monteverde

The tour guide taught us about coffee, gave us samples to drink, showed us how to extract sugar from sugar cane, provided a sample of a sugar cane drink. During the night hike we were able to spot different birds, a snake and insects, frogs.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Picked us up 30 min late because the drive couldn’t find the hotel.
Full Day Waterfall Adventure
Costa Rica

This was an amazing tour. We had a driver and two young tour guides who were fun, knowledgeable but at the same time respected us. On this tour you visit different waterfall locations that you can jump into the waterfall pool including a waterfall slide. My husband loved jumping off the waterfall but I decided to just swim/cool off in the water just because I am afraid if heights. The tour guides showed my husband how to jump safely and provided clear instructions. The tour guides didn’t push me to do stuff that I didn’t feel comfortable with. We had a delicious lunch at a tilapia farm and headed to a secluded beach. We had a coco loco drink and swam at the ocean. We had an amazing time this paddle 9 company.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike
Manuel Antonio

Guide was very knowledgeable and fun. In the park we were able to spot monkeys, sloughs, crabs, birds and different types of plants/trees. We had option to stay at the beach and swim but we didn’t have the time as we had to check out and get transferred to San Jose for our departure. But we were still able to see the beach and take photos.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Gustavo Camperos

KimKim delivered a seamless trip to Costa Rica
Costa Rica | Aug 12 - Aug 20, 2023

Eric
Eric G.
San Mateo, CA | Reviewed on Sep 14, 2023

Full disclosure, I work at KimKim. That said, I joined this company because I was blown away by how amazing the platform appeared when I was doing my discovery. After completing my first trip, to Costa Rica, all of my expectations were confirmed.

Setting up my trip could on the platform could not have been easier, and Gustavo and Jessica were very helpful. All of the details were taken care of from the moment I landed. It was the smoothest, easiest trip I've ever taken as KimKim had taken... read more

Full disclosure, I work at KimKim. That said, I joined this company because I was blown away by how amazing the platform appeared when I was doing my discovery. After completing my first trip, to Costa Rica, all of my expectations were confirmed.

Setting up my trip could on the platform could not have been easier, and Gustavo and Jessica were very helpful. All of the details were taken care of from the moment I landed. It was the smoothest, easiest trip I've ever taken as KimKim had taken care of all the details.

I could not recommend using KimKim for your next trip enough!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Bosque del Mar Playa Hermosa
Playa Hermosa

Bosque del Mar is one of the most relaxing hotels I've ever stayed it. It is located right on the beach, the accommodations are incredible, the rooms are very, very well done, the pool was very scenic and relaxing, and all of the food was great. The staff was very friendly, remembered my name, and were very accommodating with my requests.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Pasatiempo
Tamarindo

Hotel Pasatiempo was a very good experience for the cost. The grounds and pool were amazing. The room was adequate, and the staff was very friendly. The breakfast burrito was incredible. The only downsides are Saturday night can be a bit loud (most of Tamarindo is if you're centrally located) and you need to bring bug spray as there can be days with a few mosquitoes.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Private Surf Lessons at Tamarindo Beach
Tamarindo

I took the Private Surf Lesson and enjoyed it so much I came back for the group lesson (slightly less cost) and then three other days to just rent a board (you get 50% off if you take a class). I kept coming back because the staff was incredible and treated me like family. It is very professional and a great place to take your first surf lesson.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore the Beaches of Guanacaste
Gulf of Papagayo

Amazing. I visited 12 beaches (I'm a bit crazy so I don't recommend going this far). The sand and beaches are amazing, you will love them!

Quality of Experience
Free day to enjoy the beach
Costa Rica

Can't beat Guanaste for beaches :)

Local specialist:

Excelllent and Memorable Trip , Well Put Together
Costa Rica | Sep 1 - Sep 9, 2023

N
Noel S.
Phoenix, AZ | Reviewed on Sep 10, 2023

Maitre De at both sites were friendly and knowledgeable. Great conversations. Guides were timely and friendly and knew their stuff. All were patient with our questions and concerns read more

Maitre De at both sites were friendly and knowledgeable. Great conversations. Guides were timely and friendly and knew their stuff. All were patient with our questions and concerns

Local specialist: Randall Jiménez
Randall
Randall Jiménez
Local specialist in San José, Costa Rica | Replied on Sep 13, 2023

Hi Noel,

Thank you for your review. It makes us so happy to read that you had a good time during your stay in Costa Rica and we hope to have the chance to welcome you again in the future.

Regards,
Randall

Amazing trip!!Thank you the excellent guides...
Costa Rica | Aug 22 - Sep 2, 2023

L
Lakshmi M.
Fords, NJ | Reviewed on Sep 03, 2023

Amazing trip!!
Thank you the excellent guides and personalized itinerary read more

Amazing trip!!
Thank you the excellent guides and personalized itinerary

Hotel Reviews
El Mangroove, Autograph Collection
Playa Hermosa
Cloud Forest Lodge
Monteverde
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Arenal Observatory Lodge & Spa
El Castillo de La Fortuna
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rio Celeste Hideaway Resort
Bijagua
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Manatus Hotel
Tortuguero
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Buena Vista Chic Hotel
Alajuela
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Bryan Leon
Bryan
Bryan Leon
Local specialist in Cartago, Costa Rica | Replied on Sep 03, 2023

Dear Lakshmi,

Your kind words truly warmed our hearts, and we are so pleased to hear that you had an amazing experience!

Thank you for choosing us for your adventure, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for another fantastic trip in the future. Once again, your kind words are greatly appreciated, and they serve as a reminder of why we love what we do.

Wishing you many more incredible adventures ahead!
Bryan Leon,
Serendipity Adventures, Costa Rica

Super fun trip for the whole family! So glad...
Costa Rica | Aug 5 - Aug 17, 2023

J
Jason C.
San Carlos, CA | Reviewed on Aug 28, 2023

Super fun trip for the whole family! So glad we did it. Gustavo gave us the best ideas, and the catalina island trip was definitely the highlight, while we didn't come at the peak season for Manta Rays, we saw a giant 15 ft Manta Ray on our trip!! Was so graceful! read more

Super fun trip for the whole family! So glad we did it. Gustavo gave us the best ideas, and the catalina island trip was definitely the highlight, while we didn't come at the peak season for Manta Rays, we saw a giant 15 ft Manta Ray on our trip!! Was so graceful!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín
Liberia

Amazing hotel to be based to explore the area. The hotel is the closest to Rincon de la Vieja volcano which was our goal. What we didn't realize was that the hotel itself has so many waterfalls, and hiking trails to explore. Our favorite was the Orenpendola Waterfall, which is a huge fall that drops into amazing clear turquoise water!! The kids loved the hike down with the hanging bridges and cool water! The only downside of the hotel is that the food gets a bit repetitive after 3 days. While there are 3 restaurants, they are all from the same kitchen.

Authenticity & Character
The hotel is built on an old cattle ranch, and they even let us milk the cows when we walked pass the stable early one morning.
Location
Best location for visiting Rincon de la Vieja
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Pasatiempo
Tamarindo

Amazing location, you are almost in the center of Tamarindo, and can pretty much walk everywhere. The hotel itself has some updated rooms, and some older rooms, see if you can get a room with the renovations. My only complaint is that. they need to spray the dinning area for bugs. You can't really lounge in the bar area without being eaten alive by the mosquitos.

Authenticity & Character
Giant mango tree in the courtyard that monkeys run over! The common areas is decorated with Guatil pottery, and they also serve breakfast with local pottery.
Location
right in the heart of Tamarindo, across the street from the beach.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
La Fortuna Lodge by Treebu
La Fortuna

Great hotel in the center of Arenal. Good location if you don't have a car. The rooms are newly renovated, and have great comfy beds, and a view of the volcano. The downside is that you don't really feel like you are in the rainforests, instead you are in the middle of a town.

Authenticity & Character
Location
You are 3 blocks from the central park of Arenal.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Newly renovated hotel with new beds and sheets. Great nights sleep
Activity Reviews
Self Guided Visit to Diamante Eco Adventure Park
Costa Rica

My 8 year old needed to see a Toucan before he left Costa Rica. Given we didn't see one in the wild, we decided to visit Diamante on our last day. Well his wish came true! We saw 4 toucans! And what was even more amazing was seeing the sloths up close! We've seen a couple of the sloths before in the wild, and they were always just in the distance, but here at Diamante, at the feeding time, the sloths are actually moving - it was amazing. There was also a jungle gym obstical course that my son went on multiple times, so all in all a good day.

Quality of Experience
The animal area is pretty small, so you will be done in a hour or so.
Group Surf Lessons at Tamarindo Beach
Tamarindo

Was super fun! The instructors were all very helpful to make sure that you were able to stand up on your first wave. I wouldn't have been able to do that with out their help.

Quality of Experience
Profesional, helpful well run!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The instructors are all super helpful
Snorkeling or Diving at the Catalina Islands
Costa Rica

They are not joking when they say you might see giant Manta Rays!! The Manta Rays were 15 ft across. I wasn't expecting it, since we didn't come in the peak season for seeing them, but was spectacular.

Quality of Experience
The guides were friendly. I understand it's more cost effective to run both the diving and snorkeling together, but I think sseprateing the two groupss will make for a better experience.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Great guides!
Transport
Palo Verde National Park Boat Tour
Costa Rica

Pretty good tour, and we definitely saw lots of wildlife such as monkeys and the most amazing thing was the bats hanging on the tree trunk that looked like pieces of bark. The guide was very knowledgable, and was able to spot the animals that even with his direction we had to really search for to see. However, the boat part of the trip was pretty short, probably an hour. And the rest of the tour was the restaurant, pottery etc. Which is not really our cup of tea.

Quality of Experience
Food
Food was wholesome and plentyful. Not a lot of variety though.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guide was super knowledgable.
Transport
We drove our own car.
Self-Guided Visit to Llanos del Cortes (Cortes Waterfall)
Costa Rica

Good for a quick stop over on the way through Liberia. We only spent 20 minutes at the waterfall, took a quick dip and left. There is no hiking or anything like that, you are really just coming for the waterfall. Worth it if you are passing by, not worth it if you are coming just for the waterfall.

Family Friendliness
Only 5 - 10 minutes walk from the parking
Self-Guided Hike Rincon de la Vieja National Park - Las Pailas Trail
Costa Rica

Super fun for the kids to see the volcanic activity. Come early as it can get really hot during the day. Lucky there are some pretty nice trees to shade a good portion of the hike. It was just the right length for our kids (8 & 10).

Quality of Experience
Totally worth doing with kids, they will learn so much. The howler monkeys were also amazing!
Rio Negro Hot Springs & Mud Baths
Costa Rica

Super fun! The hot springs range from 100 degrees to 145 degrees. So take your pick. The hot springs are set on the banks of the river, so it was nice and peaceful to look out at the river as you are soaking. We came at the end of the day and was nice to walk back with the twinkling lights lighting the path for the short hike back. The volcanic mud was also fun. Kids had fun painting themselves.

Self-Guided Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall
Arenal/La Fortuna

Easy hike down to the waterfall, and a nice place to spend an afternoon. It can get pretty busy though, as everyone seems to have the same idea.

Self-Guided visit to Playa Conchal - The White Shell Beach
Tamarindo

The beach was amazing, I can see why it is known as the best beach in Costa Rica. Pure white and squeaks as you walk over it (because of the broken shells). I came super early, so I had the whole place to myself, and did a bit of snorkeling too. Lots of fish in the water, but that day the water clarity wasn't the best.

Guaitil Pottery Workshop
Tamarindo

I wanted to visit the town of Guaitil but didn't get a chance, so was super excited to do a pottery lesson. Was super fun to learn how to use the tools (such as a corn husk) to help shape my piece. The lesson took 3 hrs, one hr each day, so it was easy to schedule into the rest of my schedule.

Self-drive from {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Rio Celeste
Costa Rica

A beautiful hike through the jungle. The waterfall was amazing,, and as blue as it looks on the photos. But what was even more amazing was the hike to the start of the color pigments. At the origin (mixing point) you can see where the clear river suddenly turns to a turquoise blue! That was amazing.

Local specialist: Gustavo Camperos

Amazing Family Trip with Super Guides!
Costa Rica | Aug 5 - Aug 20, 2023

Jessica
Jessica M.
Watertown, WI | Reviewed on Aug 27, 2023

Charlotte and the team were always responsive and answered all of my many questions prior to the trip. read more

Charlotte and the team were always responsive and answered all of my many questions prior to the trip.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Ficus
Monteverde Costa Rica

This hotel exceeded our expectations. While the room decor is pretty basic, the bathroom is beautiful, the grounds are very nicely manicured and host many birds and wildlife, and the location was an easy walk to town but also at the top of a hill which afforded stunning sunset views. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa
Fortuna

The hotel and hot springs are nothing short of stunning. The grounds are beautiful. The walk to the pool, main building and hot springs are easy and so pleasant. The fact that the hot springs open to hotel guests two hours before the general opening allowed us to visit feeling like we had the place to ourselves. The secluded areas with cabanas and the plethora of flora makes it seem like you’re in a magic rainforest setting.

Authenticity & Character
Location
You can definitely spend several days here without having to leave the facility; however, if you’re interested in going to La Fortuna, you’ll need a car or an Uber. It’s about a 15 minute drive.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Westin Golf Resort and Spa, Playa Conchal
Playa Conchal

The Westin was a great place to relax after 8 days of adventure in Monteverde and Arenal/La Fortuna. The grounds were very nicely maintained, the many restaurants ensured we didn’t get bored with the food over the course of a week, the staff were absolutely amazing - really friendly and helpful. Just a shout out to a few: Ruddy was a fun and knowledgeable instructor of yoga and water aerobics (do this! It’s so fun!), and Christopher, Bryan, Gabriel and Christian were incredible bartenders who knew our names and always greeted us with a smile, were really fun to chat with and also were great bartenders.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The rooms seem to be partly updated. Nice bed and bathroom sink area, but the tables were scratched up. Minor, but worth noting.
Activity Reviews
Sky Adventures: Tram, Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges
Monteverde

A great way to start the vacation! The cloud forest is gorgeous and looks spectacular from the top.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Experience
Monteverde

It was interesting and delicious!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Night Walk: Children's Eternal Forest
Monteverde

The guides were super but unfortunately the nocturnal animals were not cooperative.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Stand-Up Paddleboarding on Lake Arenal
Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide was friendly and took a lot of great pictures. The setting is pretty spectacular.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Mambo Combo: Canyoning and Rafting
Arenal/La Fortuna

This was my family’s favorite adventure. The canyoning was gorgeous, in the cloud forest and down a waterfall through a series of rappelling and zip lining and features with walks along the river in between. The whitewater rafting was exciting. There were class 2-3 rapids which were just adventurous enough (a couple of us did bounce out into the water but it was fine). Mario was our whitewater rafting guide, and he was SO fun. This adventure also came with a meal which was delicious.

Quality of Experience
It was the perfect combination of beautiful scenery and adventure. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!
Food
This was some of the best food we had on the trip. Get the chicken. It doesn’t disappoint.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall
Arenal/La Fortuna

The volcano hike and waterfall hike (two different hikes in different locations on the same day) were both beautiful. They have completely different views but are equally nice. The power of the waterfall and the fact that you can swim in the water near it is really cool. Mariano was our guide, and he was awesome! He’s a seasoned guide with a deep knowledge not only of the flora and fauna but also the history and politics of the region. He took great photos and was patient while we swam. He also took us to some great restaurants.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
We really enjoyed our time with Mariano. He’s a very interesting and funny person. We learned a lot, and got to enjoy some great music on our trips with him.
Transport
Mariano was a great driver. He arrived on time and always knew where he was going.
Rio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Guided Rainforest Hike
Costa Rica

This was a great trip. You can’t believe how blue this water is until you see it in person. Stunning.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Mariano is great. We loved having him as our guide for this trip as well as for the Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna waterfall hikes.
Transport
Local specialist: Charlotte Törnqvist
Charlotte
Charlotte Törnqvist
Local specialist in Turrialba, Costa Rica | Replied on Sep 06, 2023

Hi Jessica,
Thank you so much for your review! We are very pleased to know that you had such a great time. We look forward to serving you again in the future.

Kind Regards,
Charlotte, and the team from Serendipity Adventures

We had an amazing time in Costa Rica. The peo...
Costa Rica | Aug 8 - Aug 17, 2023

C
Cosimo F.
West Springfield, VA | Reviewed on Aug 26, 2023

We had an amazing time in Costa Rica. 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. Mariano from Serendipity took us on a hike over the lava fields in Fortuna and to the base of a waterfall to swim. He was incredibly funny and knowledgable and shared a delicious lunch with us at the Red Frog. We absolutely loved our canyoning tour and the whitewater rafting trip that... read more

We had an amazing time in Costa Rica. 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. Mariano from Serendipity took us on a hike over the lava fields in Fortuna and to the base of a waterfall to swim. He was incredibly funny and knowledgable and shared a delicious lunch with us at the Red Frog. We absolutely loved our canyoning tour and the whitewater rafting trip that followed. The canyoning gave an amazing perspective of the jungle. Christopher was a great white water rafting guide. The Arenal Manoa hotel was very comfortable and the breakfast was delicious. We enjoyed our time at Monte Verde. The Cloud Forest Lodge was our favorite hotel. The staff were so attentive and the restaurant was amazing. Feeders right outside the dinning area let us watch tons of beautiful hummingbirds while we ate. Wilmer, one of the servers there, was the best and the kids adored him. We really enjoyed the aerial bridges and ziplining at Sky Adventures. We also had a blast going on the night walk in the Children's Eternal Forest. Walter was the best guide and taught us so much. We also really enjoyed our time at the coast at Playa Hermosa. The beaches were beautiful and we loved seeing the monkeys and iguanas in the trees. We had a wonderful snorkeling tour with Brian and Mario where we saw sea turtles and even held an octopus. The only drawback of the trip was that the roads at times were a little rough for driving, but our KimKim reps set us up with the right vehicle, so that it wasn't a big problem.

Hotel Reviews
Cloud Forest Lodge
Monteverde

You can find places with fancier rooms or facilities but you won't find a staff anywhere that's nicer, friendlier and more attentive. Super recommend.

Authenticity & Character
Location
A bit hard to get to especially at night but that's all of Monteverde. Amazing views from the restaurant.
Staff
Everyone was fantastic from the reception to the whole restaurant staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs
Fortuna

We only stayed 2 nights but it was lovely. Awesome hot springs with bar. Very friendly and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Bosque del Mar Playa Hermosa
Playa Hermosa

Good location right on the beach. Wildlife just outside the rooms.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall
Arenal/La Fortuna

Mariano was awesome. Very knowledgeable and funny, showed us beautiful places and took us to a great spot for lunch. I had told him I really like ceviche so he called the place in advance and they made up a ceviche recipe on the spot just for me! It was delicious :) The waterfall visit was one of our favorite activities.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Arenal Mambo Combo Canyoning and Rafting
Arenal/La Fortuna

Rappelling was so much fun. Thrilling but also felt very safe at all times. The waterfalls and hike through the forest were just beautiful. The whole staff was amazing. Rafting was also great (the favorite by far of our 15y boy). One of us fell off the raft but thanks to Christofer's guidance we were able to pull her back safely and she enjoyed the rest of the trip. Great lunch spot as well (best coffee).

Quality of Experience
Food
Best coffee I had in Costa Rica
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Night Walk in the Children's Eternal Forest
Monteverde

We really enjoyed our night walk. Our guide, Walter, was incredibly knowledgable, and we learned so much. We saw a lot of tarantulas which our 11y old daughter was very excited for.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sky Adventures: Sky Trek, Tram, and Walk
Monteverde

We enjoyed the hike and aerial bridges. Our guide was great and we learned a lot about the forest. The zip-lining was a ton of fun. My 60+ aunt and 70+ uncle both loved the experience. And our 15y old son loved the optional free-fall at the end.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Snorkel Tour Catalinas
Costa Rica

We loved this activity with Brian and Mario. Smooth boat ride with drinks and delicious fruit and snacks. We snorkel a lot but this was our first time in a tropical location and loved to see different kind of sea life, including holding an octopus in our hands :)

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River, Class II-III
Arenal/La Fortuna
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Charlotte Törnqvist
Charlotte
Charlotte Törnqvist
Local specialist in Turrialba, Costa Rica | Replied on Sep 06, 2023

Hi Cosimo,
It is great to hear you had such a fabulous time in Costa Rica,
It was a pleasure assisting you with this trip.

Kind Regards,
Charlotte

Pura vida -- Costa Rica -- Love the Kimkim Experience
Costa Rica | Aug 12 - Aug 19, 2023

Kelly
Kelly C.
San Mateo, CA | Reviewed on Aug 20, 2023

I normally like to plan my own trip. Because it is my first time in Costa Rica and not speaking any spanish, I decided to use a travel agent. I am so glad that I found Kimkim. Kimkim's approach of connecting me with a local specialist - Gustavo made a whole thing work and worry free.

First there are lot of pre-curated tour information to give me some general ideas to work with Gustavo, then he sent me some initial choices which allows me to start to ask questions. He was always very... read more

I normally like to plan my own trip. Because it is my first time in Costa Rica and not speaking any spanish, I decided to use a travel agent. I am so glad that I found Kimkim. Kimkim's approach of connecting me with a local specialist - Gustavo made a whole thing work and worry free.

First there are lot of pre-curated tour information to give me some general ideas to work with Gustavo, then he sent me some initial choices which allows me to start to ask questions. He was always very prompted with my questions, we were able to refine and make quick decisions. It only took us a few days from start to finish to determine our trip, versus, it would have taken me months if I would do it on my own.

Second, some of the boutique hotels Gustavo found for me, I don't image that I would be able to find it on my own. I was very impressed by Rio Perdido Hotel and Thermal River recommendation. It is in the middle of no where has to go through some very bumpy road. Gustavo took care of booking all the transportation in and out which made it worry free. The other boutique hotel Tierra Magnifica is not even listed on Expedia. I am grateful that Gustavo picked out those hotels for us which made the whole trip experience unique and magnificent. As those hotel small as it, they offer very unique environments and yet with great restaurants, I can just take my camera and walk around grounds, I will see magnificent birds and animals.

Third, Gustavo picked some awesome tours with very early start time (6:30am, 6:45am). I didn't start to appreciate until I get there which only a local specialist can call it out. As the weather in August, it often rains hard in the afternoon, early morning tours guarantee better weather. The tour options are great, met with my family's interests. We had a great time with all of them. The planned timing is also great for example going to hot spring on the first day after the long flight and car ride. Our favorite activity is the Rafting on Rio Tenorio

As for feedback, I wish I didn't book a tour ahead of time during my stay at Rio Perdido -- as there are so much to do within the resort. I have to say the waterfall expedition tour would be a great option if the transportation to the Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin didn't take up that much time (1.3 hr one way)

There was one small hiccup at the last day. On my itinerary it listed 9:00AM pick up from the hotel, however, the driver is confirmed as 11:00AM. Didn't cause any issues, but want to mention it for completeness.

Overall, the trip was a great experience for my family. I would recommend Kimkim to my friends and will definite use it again.

Hotel Reviews
Rio Perdido Hotel & Thermal River
Fortuna

This is a very unique hotel, right next to a Thermal River. We had a center bungalow and an east bungalow. The bungalow is nested in the jungle. It has a rustic feel outside, however, once you get in, everything is ultra model. There are windows along 3 sides of the room. The outdoor rain shower is super cool. Center bungalow gives a more unique experience with the out-door shower.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Onside thermal river and hot-spring is a nice
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Lomas del Volcán
Fortuna

From our bungalows, there is a great view of Arenal. The ground is amazing, we didn't use any of the pool facility as we were busy with the activities. The menu of the onsite restaurants is on the pricy side.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tierra Magnifica Intimate Resort
Nosara

It is a very small boutique hotel (14) rooms. Free laundry service is also great. The view of the hotel is magnificent.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Hotel has a great view. It would be a little hard to get to on your own. Recommend transportation service.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Canyoning in the Lost Canyon
Arenal/La Fortuna

The activity is super cool and something to brag about. Love the man-made Dam effect, got a really cool video out it.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The Springs Hot Springs & Meal
Arenal/La Fortuna

The springs resort is beautiful, the spa setting is beautify. I am glad that Gaustavo picked the activity here for us to enjoy the view and food without needing to pay the exorbitant hotel room.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Full-day Waterfalls Expedition
Costa Rica

Maybe it is during the low season, it is like a private tour. There were no other people around the first 2 waterfalls, it was a bonus.

Quality of Experience
Food
It is the standard buffet style food.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Although the transportation is long, my driver is very helpful. He prepared water for us, he told us about the surroundings.
Transport
The transportation is a bit long from my hotel to this activity. My hotel Rio Perdido offers very similar Hot-Spring, guided hike. If I knew this ahead of time, I might trade to take the activity at the hotel.
Private Sloth Observation - Day or Night Walk
Arenal/La Fortuna

It was a nice day walk. The guide told us due to the rain, the sloth went up high and curled into a ball. We were lucky enough to catch a 2 toe-sloth in a slight lower position. Was able to see a red frog, lizzard and few other birds.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guides and driver are very nice. They even prepared fresh Pineapple, juice and water at the end of the trip.
{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} Rafting on Río Tenorio (Class 3-4)
Costa Rica

This is our favorite activity of the trip. It has the right balance of thrill and easiness. It was our kids first time rafting, the level 1-2 rapids are good learning ground. The river is warm and beautiful, there were good swimming spots a long the way. As the end, there were 3 level 3 and 1 Level 4 which adds the thrill.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Mangrove Kayak & Standup Paddle Board Adventure
Nosara

The guide is knowledgeable about the animal. We were able to see a lot of water birds and crocodiles. The fresh coconut water is very refreshing.

Local specialist: Gustavo Camperos

Amazing Cost Rica
Costa Rica | Aug 7 - Aug 13, 2023

Prasad
Prasad T.
Houston, TX | Reviewed on Aug 19, 2023

Great resort in Aernel and all the rips selected were very good. Zip lining expereince in Moteverde was great we had great fun on this trip an d looki ng to back next year. Well organized trip by KimKim. The sighseeing in San Jose was not that great. May skip that. But overall exoperience with hotels and food was very good. read more

Great resort in Aernel and all the rips selected were very good. Zip lining expereince in Moteverde was great we had great fun on this trip an d looki ng to back next year. Well organized trip by KimKim. The sighseeing in San Jose was not that great. May skip that. But overall exoperience with hotels and food was very good.

Hotel Reviews
El Establo Mountain Hotel
Monteverde

Rooms had no Air conditioning and no fans were provided. N o nprivacy in the rooms open toilets. Guest service not upto the mark.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Great view from the rooms
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs
Fortuna

Beautiful room and view from the hotel and great service and food.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Presidente San Jose City Center
San José

Nice large rooms and great service and freindly staff. Great buffet breakfast

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Arenal Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hikes
Arenal/La Fortuna
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Coffee & Chocolate Experience
Arenal/La Fortuna

Very good expereince and very good explanation by the staff

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
San José City Evening Tour
San José

Evening tour was good but most musems were close and everthi g was in the dark

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
100% Aventura Zip Line Monteverde
Monteverde

Great e xpereince but things were being rushed. Need to ntrain staff a bit more

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Adam Gomez

We had an amazing honeymoon and absolutely fe...
Costa Rica | Jul 15 - Jul 23, 2023

Lily
Lily N.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Aug 15, 2023

We had an amazing honeymoon and absolutely fell in love with Costa Rica! The tour guides were so knowledgeable and passionate about their country. The hotels we stayed at were lovely and staff always went above and beyond to make sure we had a special experience. We plan to make Costa Rica a yearly trip and can’t wait to go back. read more

We had an amazing honeymoon and absolutely fell in love with Costa Rica! The tour guides were so knowledgeable and passionate about their country. The hotels we stayed at were lovely and staff always went above and beyond to make sure we had a special experience. We plan to make Costa Rica a yearly trip and can’t wait to go back.

Hotel Reviews
Park Inn San Jose by Radisson
San José

Hotel was clean and the beds were very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character
Location
We were able to walk to food.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Pachira Lodge
Tortuguero

The hotel is an eco lodge meaning there’s no air conditioning. The flora and animals that surround you make sweating it out more than worth it! We saw monkeys and sloth right outside our door. We loved doing the Turtle nesting experience and the hotel made the experience very easy to book.

Local specialist: Olman Romero
Olman
Olman Romero
Local specialist in San Jose, Costa Rica | Replied on Aug 15, 2023

Hello Lily,

Thanks for your review.
I am so happy to read your experience in the tropics was fantastic.

It is great to know you are planning to come back to Costa Rica, we would love to offer new experiences once again!

Pura Vida,
Olman

Chef's Kiss
Costa Rica | Jul 16 - Jul 22, 2023

Diane
Diane I.
Palo Alto, CA | Reviewed on Aug 13, 2023

After taking the quiz on things I wanted to see and do while in Costa Rica, Gustavo planned the perfect trip! I'm so glad that I went with KimKim for the planning because there's no way that I would have known exactly which hotels to go with or which of the bazillion guides for activities. Knowing how long the travel would be for me to get to La Fortuna, he didn't plan anything until the evening after I arrived, giving me plenty of downtime so that I was ready to take in all the sights for... read more

After taking the quiz on things I wanted to see and do while in Costa Rica, Gustavo planned the perfect trip! I'm so glad that I went with KimKim for the planning because there's no way that I would have known exactly which hotels to go with or which of the bazillion guides for activities. Knowing how long the travel would be for me to get to La Fortuna, he didn't plan anything until the evening after I arrived, giving me plenty of downtime so that I was ready to take in all the sights for the night hike. I went SUPing on Lake Arenal and kayaking and snorkeling down in Quepos. The hotel in Quepos was absolutely *chef's kiss*! The guide for kayaking picked me up and then we wound our way up to where the incredible palatial hotels are up in the hillside to get a family. Though the hotels up there are gorgeous, he booked me at Karahe--which is beautiful and has lovely accommodations, and is a one-minute stroll from your room to the beach. I was also glad that he booked all the drivers for me. A friend suggested I rent a car and get myself around. I am *so* thankful that I did not have to navigate those roads since the vast majority have no signage. Everything was well worth what was spent. Thank you, Gustavo!

Local specialist: Gustavo Camperos

Sergio our initial contact person did a great...
Costa Rica | Aug 3 - Aug 12, 2023

S
Siang O.
New Braunfels, TX | Reviewed on Aug 13, 2023

Sergio our initial contact person did a great job making our travel itinerary. Since I do not know much about the country, I gave him a very vague description of what we like and do not like and from there he managed still to create a pretty well rounded list of activities for us to get to know Costa Rica.

Nancy and charlotte: both of them took over since Sergio has a family leave, both of them were very responsive to our questions when we were stuck. Eg had a couple of questions and... read more

Sergio our initial contact person did a great job making our travel itinerary. Since I do not know much about the country, I gave him a very vague description of what we like and do not like and from there he managed still to create a pretty well rounded list of activities for us to get to know Costa Rica.

Nancy and charlotte: both of them took over since Sergio has a family leave, both of them were very responsive to our questions when we were stuck. Eg had a couple of questions and issues arise during our trip and they managed to smooth it out for us to move on.

Overall I would definitely recommend Kim Kim and use Kim Kim again, it definitely has saved me from doing all the homework and research prior to the trip and just enjoy my vacation without trying to juggle too many things.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Savegre
San Gerardo de Dota

One of the highlights of our trip. We opted to drive our rental car and the journey to San Gerardo hotel savegre was definitely not something you should try if you are not confident with your driving skill. We called the last 3-4 miles stretch down to the valley to the hotel “road to hell”, the unfortunate part was we got slightly delayed at the airport with looking for our rental car and getting sim card activated and wasted maybe 2 hours prior to leaving SJO, we got to San Gerardo when it was dark and that was definitely an adventure to get down to the valley. We couldn’t see much because it was dark but we definitely saw a huge tapir on our way to the hotel. Once we got to the hotel, we were immediately greeted by the security guard who guided us to the reception and from there we had our first meal in the hotel. Let me say, this hotel is very well kept, the restaurant is clean and upscale provided pretty good food and service. Our rooms were beautiful and cleaned daily. The following day when we have sunlight, we were amazed at how beautiful and serene the valley was. We did bird watching and some hikes around the hotel. Definitely a place we will revisit. Wish we have more time to do more of the hiking trail.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Very serene, beautiful location. But the road to get there is not easy.
Staff
Everybody was very friendly, helpful and nice.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very well maintained.
Hotel Villa Florencia
Turrialba

I think this hotel has a lot of potential. It is sitting in a beautiful land with lots of vegetation but not maintained enough. When we get there, we immediately had a bad feeling at the entrance compare to our experience from hotel savegre. We got into the our rooms, we have 2 rooms, both rooms bedsheets were not very clean, 1 if the rooms smell very damp and the bathroom were leaking. This location is definitely not as comfortable compared to hotel savegre. 1 night were so hot even with fan going, but I guess we cannot really change the climate. The food quality in their restaurant were pretty bad. We relayed our experience to travel agent, who then spoke to the owner/manager of the hotel and they acknowledged they knew about the leak in the bathroom and immediately change our room to a better room that smell much better with clean linen, they brought us a bottle of wine and cancel our bill of dinner the night before. We appreciate them trying but I think this location is a good location if they have enough staff and maintain better.

Authenticity & Character
It is a good location with lots of vegetation, need improvement project
Location
Need multiple improvement projects
Staff
The first night receptionist who checked us in were not very helpful or friendly with little help but once we complained, the new staff were friendly and nice.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Need lots of work.
Congo Bongo EcoVillage Costa Rica
Manzanillo, Limon

This is an amazing location in the reserve. The people were nice and friendly, very helpful. The housekeeper washed our clothes daily and clean the villa. We were sleeping with the sound of wildlife. Saw lots of wild life, howler monkeys and many type of birds. The hammock was the highlight of this villa. We live in sweet dream house, it has 3 rooms, 1 of them has a/c. The location is cool enough, we did not use the a/c too much. A full function kitchen, outdoor sitting, dining, bbq area, walking trail and a waking path to the beach. Easy access to everywhere else. Will definitely return to this location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hampton Inn & Suites San Jose Airport
Alajuela

We just stay here 1 night before our flight back home. Very standard Hampton in , clean, good breakfast and close to airport.

Authenticity & Character
Very standard Hampton in
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Quetzal Tour
San Gerardo de Dota

Our guide brought binoculars and the super birdwatching magnified spotting scope. We were able to see several quetzals. Learn about them from the guide. Again just a beautiful place to be in.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Coopedota Coffee Tour
San Gerardo de Dota

To be honest we went there with little to no expectations because the coffee shop where the coffee plantation tour attached to had some mixed review from google review. But once we met our guide everything changed, very knowledgeable guide, amazing tour with so much information from the fruits of coffee to the process and tasting of coffee. We learned so much!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Thermal Hotsprings Hacienda Orosi
Costa Rica

A nice detour between San Gerardo to turialba. My husband said it feel like a heated pool rather than hot spring. The weather was not so friendly, it was raining. It is a beautiful place, the lunch attached was descent.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve & Waterfall
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

This is the description we have from the travel agent: Today you will visit the iguana zoo farm of the KEKOLDY territory, where an indigenous family is dedicated to the reproduction of the Green Iguana, a species that was in danger of extinction, and thanks to initiatives like these it has been recovering. Next, in the Bri Bri territory, you will visit an indigenous family that grows medicinal plants and will guide you through the usage of several tropical plants, followed by a demonstration of the production of chocolate. Cacao (chocolate) within the Bribri culture is very important since they use it for purification, food, and medicine. In the last stage of the tour, you will visit a waterfall where you can take a bath and have a small fruit-based snack. Finish the tour in a typical restaurant in the area where you have typical lunch. Our actual trip: only include the last stage hike of primary and secondary forest to the falls, our guide is very nice and knowledgeable, this is not an easy hike. Very slipper from rain night before, we saw wild life. The guide Mynor, driver fofo and host Hermano? Who serve us lunch were are amazing people. We love this adventure.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Pacuare River Rafting
Turrialba

One of the highlights of our trip. The guide were very knowledgeable and helpful. We felt very safe. And a nice lunch!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hike Turrialba Volcano
Turrialba

Very nice hike, unfortunately it was raining and foggy. But we love it. Very nice guide Gloria was very informative.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Organic Farm Tour with Lunch
Turrialba

Again we had no expectations of this tour. We thought just another farm with lunch. We were so wrong!! We learn so much from this organic farm from zero to a full education center. So much knowledge and passion of the owner. We love learning her passion. Great lunch!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Exploring the Underwater Wonders of Cahuita National Park
Costa Rica

Again slightly different from what was described in our itinerary, Itinerary: You will go snorkeling for about two hours in the most important Coral Reef of Costa Rica… You will discover the National Park by White Beach sector, up to Cahuita point, crossing through beautiful beaches to relax and swim in the calm water of the Caribbean Sea for a while. In spots between Cahuita Point and the town of Cahuita (3.5 km), you will be able to see various types of snakes (boas, bocaraca, bushmaster, eyelash vipers, etc.), sloths, white-faced and howler monkeys, anteaters, armadillos, raccoons, blue morpho butterflies among others, birds and many more such as medicinal plants, orchids, trees, ferns, vertebrates, invertebrates, sea, and earth shellfish. Our actually experienced were hopped on the pick up van, drop off, get on a boat to do snorkeling. It was a nice trip still. Maybe the exploring the national park part is on our own? But our ride got us back immediately? Maybe in the future better description eg we can take our own ride to the boat, a snorkel and explore the national park on our own?

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Charlotte Törnqvist
Charlotte
Charlotte Törnqvist
Local specialist in Turrialba, Costa Rica | Replied on Aug 25, 2023

Hi Siang,

Thank you very much for your detailed review, and all the photos.
We are glad you had a great overall experience, and we will pay attention to the experiences/sites that can be improved.

Pura vida!

Charlotte

JC and KimKim was super helpful and responsiv...
Costa Rica | Aug 3 - Aug 11, 2023

N
Nikki M.
Concord, MA | Reviewed on Aug 13, 2023

JC and KimKim was super helpful and responsive on our trip. We loved our adventures and hotels we stayed at. Thanks JC for handling all the details within our budget so we could just enjoy! read more

JC and KimKim was super helpful and responsive on our trip. We loved our adventures and hotels we stayed at. Thanks JC for handling all the details within our budget so we could just enjoy!

Hotel Reviews
Grano de Oro Hotel
San José

Great rooms, roof hot tubs, historic yet very comfortable and fantastic breakfast!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Arenal Springs Resort & Spa
Fortuna
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Jean Carlo Ilama
Jean Carlo
Jean Carlo Ilama
Local specialist in Cartago, Costa Rica | Replied on Aug 16, 2023

Hello Nikki,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful feedback with us! It brings us immense joy to hear that you had a fantastic trip and enjoyed your adventures and accommodations.

I'm delighted that we could assist in creating a memorable experience for you. It was truly a pleasure handling all the details within your budget, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the enjoyment of your journey.

If you ever decide to explore Costa Rica again or have any travel... read more

Hello Nikki,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful feedback with us! It brings us immense joy to hear that you had a fantastic trip and enjoyed your adventures and accommodations.

I'm delighted that we could assist in creating a memorable experience for you. It was truly a pleasure handling all the details within your budget, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the enjoyment of your journey.

If you ever decide to explore Costa Rica again or have any travel plans in the future, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're here to make your travel dreams come true!

Warm regards and Pura Vida,
JC

Extremely Helpful
Costa Rica | Aug 1 - Aug 11, 2023

C
Cameron b.
Dyker Heights, NY | Reviewed on Aug 12, 2023

Gustavo and Jessica were both wonderful to work with when planning my trip to Costa Rica. From beginning planning stages all the way to the end of my trip, they were there to help. I had many questions, concerns, changes and last minute requests that were all addressed with great satisfaction. Very pleasant to work with.

I was excited to not plan anything for once and have a trip planned for me. It was super easy to just tell Gustavo what I was generally looking for and him send me back a... read more

Gustavo and Jessica were both wonderful to work with when planning my trip to Costa Rica. From beginning planning stages all the way to the end of my trip, they were there to help. I had many questions, concerns, changes and last minute requests that were all addressed with great satisfaction. Very pleasant to work with.

I was excited to not plan anything for once and have a trip planned for me. It was super easy to just tell Gustavo what I was generally looking for and him send me back a whole itinerary. I got to do a lot of fun things and see some cool stuff. Transfers, hotels, activities were all planned out.

My only feedback, which is more of a personal preference rather than a comment on the service, is that the trip was very tour and tourist oriented. I suppose I would have liked more suggestions for things to do that weren’t tied to a bigger tour group. Though I’m not sure if that exists in the areas I was in, especially La Fortuna, it did feel as though I was being shuttled from place to place with other crowds of people. I like to experience at least a little bit of the culture and country not tied to tourism but I do feel I missed a lot of that. However that is not something I mentioned before planning, I didn’t know enough to know what I didn’t know.

Overall great experience though

Activity Review
Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk
Arenal/La Fortuna

Highlight of the trip! I wouldn’t have gone here without a tour guide, he truly made the experience worth the visit. The views of course were beautiful but we got to see a lot of different animals and nature with tons of information surrounding. Highly recommend this

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Gustavo Camperos

WOW - what a holiday
Costa Rica | Jul 23 - Aug 10, 2023

Paul
Paul C.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Aug 11, 2023

From the start to the finish we have had an amazing and very easy experience with Olman as our advisor and trip finalizer. We wanted to see and do as much as possible all within a budget and this was facilitated brilliantly.
All our accommodations were as we asked - safe and not luxury (although to be fair it was more luxury than we are accustomed to so a great surprise). Every thing ran so smoothly, every pick up, every tour, everything! Mawamba lodge in Totrtuguero - boat to get there,... read more

From the start to the finish we have had an amazing and very easy experience with Olman as our advisor and trip finalizer. We wanted to see and do as much as possible all within a budget and this was facilitated brilliantly.
All our accommodations were as we asked - safe and not luxury (although to be fair it was more luxury than we are accustomed to so a great surprise). Every thing ran so smoothly, every pick up, every tour, everything! Mawamba lodge in Totrtuguero - boat to get there, experience there all fantastic (not even Olman could have predicted quite how the strom on our first day would be) and our programme shifted to accomodate as much as we could despite lightning curtailing some of this adventure. Food here was lovely and the night turtle watching tour was an add on that was brilliant. Car hire pick up really smooth - great vehicle (although Alamo hired us a car that later was stopped by traffic police for not legal registration - not our fault and not our fine just a few hours wasted - not Olman's fault and KimKim helped in the communication issues around this). Azania Lodge in Port Veijo Talamanca - fantastic with Green and Black poison Dart frogs on the doorstep - literally and also a resident Sloth! Great tour to Cahuita and also Ganduca Manzanilla - we booked our own guide having realised how much we miss in a forest without a guide - would recommend this. Eating out here was our favorite place as the Carribean vibe was awesome, chilled and very low key. On to La Fortuna which seemed a large complex - we try to avoid crowds, BUT our cabin was back left and Giant Crested Currasows, humming birds, frogs, toucans and more graced our balcony view that was uninterrupted. - Here we would recommend Bogarin trail as a brilliant wildlife hike - night hike here was stunning. Monteverde next and an adventure to drive here as the roads deteriorated but great lace and again great zip wires and hanging bridges - up close and personal with snuffling Coati. Manuel Antonio was fab - busy but our pre arranged guide was excellent in the park taking us away from crowds where possible for a good view without tripod war! We also Parascended, took a surf lesson and had a night mangrove tour here - all on our day off - it was a great day off ! Then the amazing Drake Bay Wilderness Resort - car drop off, river boat from Sierpe- and then arrival to this wonderful place we would love to return to - wow great staff, fabulous food and most of all expreiences - a walk in Corcovade Natural Park with Daniel and then also a brilliant day Snorkelling with an incidental Humpback Whale en route to the site. Our return flight to San Jose and all pick ups and transfers were prompt, in really clean vehicles and we just felt so safe at all points. A massive thanks to the team who listened to our requests, answered promptly and allowed us to have a bespoke self drive experience that has certainly filled our memories with sites, smells, sounds and emotions for years to come - especially the sound track of the oceans and Dink frogs. Thankyou so much for everything, we would not hesitate in recommending this brilliant company. We are in the UK and hesitant but a little research showed this company to have good reviews in the US - We are so happy we went with them and not a UK based company doing less for our time and costing more. Thnakyou so much - Pura Vida

Hotel Reviews
Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel
San José

Very good place to be for the first and last night. A walk around the area was OK - the other end of Sabina Park would probably be better as behind this hotel were a lot of garages and opposite a very deserted building with broken glass etc.. The hotel itself lovely, good breakfast just situation could perhaps be better. BUT as we were hardly in San Jose we did not have the chance to get a good feel for the area really.

Authenticity & Character
Good over night, no more really.
Location
As per review - it didn't seem totally great area to walk around at dark - however we were not here for long at all and as such were not able to grasp a real feel for the area.
Staff
Nice and friendly and help ful as they semed to be everywhere.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Nice clean room
Mawamba Lodge
Tortuguero

Fantastic place with great facilities, food, tours on offer and staff. Only thing - if being incredibly picky was the very dark lighting in our room BUT that was a minute thing and really is of no consequence. Very clean, great pick up, as with all places great boat men and the turtle tour and lagoon tours were both really well managed and very much enjoyed. Food delicious and whilst off the same menu each day it was still hard to choose from what we had already eaten or trying a new dish. Location brilliant. Loved it.

Authenticity & Character
The sights and sounds of the wildlife everywhere, a dining room that you saw lots from, rooms with hammocks to swing in as the frogs and birds added to the ambience. Wow.
Location
Caribbean beach on one side, lagoon on the other what else would you ask for ?
Staff
Nothing too much trouble, all bilingual and so super friendly without being in your face.
Cleanliness & Comfort
I am sure some people would find something wrong but we asked for safe and this was safe, clean and we loved it. Fan worked well to lower the temperature, there were so many places to sit, chill, walk, wander, gaze, have a drink or just zone out.
Azania Bungalows
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Our favorite place - well in the top 2- the situation, the vibe of the area, the wild life on site - Poison Dart Frogs, 3 Toed Sloth, Green Macaws, Agouti.... Despite heavy warnings of security for the area, it is clear that if you do not go out as a rich tourist, you do not court unwanted attention. Lovely cocktails changed daily for happy hour, fantastic tours of 2ereserves close by. In a way a shame it was so close to the start of out tour as we loved the area and the feel of this place.

Authenticity & Character
We just loved it all - the grounds, the room, the mezanine for 1 daughter, the animals....we loved it.
Location
400m from the surf....5 minutes drive from a very chilled and relaxed town with lots of food options - Chill and Cheese a great low key place.
Staff
Really helpful in all aspects.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Beautifully clean and really comfortable. Even the pool was spotless.
Arenal Paraiso Resort & Spa
La Fortuna

This was a much bigger complex than we would have chosen complete with wrist band! BUT our cabin was in a great position and really enhanced our experience here - we had a lovely view from the back that had no cabins in....had we been in another area this would not have been the case. BUT we all gained a little digestive issue - so rather than finding a SODA in La Fortuna we ate in and the food was very nice and just what those who ate needed. Good hot tube - shame some people don't have the social skills to not have loud speakers in the pools but that is the fault of the tourist and not the venue. great position for a view of the volcano and also to get to the tour site.

Authenticity & Character
Our cabin was in a great situation and as such we had a great time and when in our cabin had great views from the back . Not sure how we would have felt not in the back row though.
Location
Good views of the volcano, 10 minute drive from La Fortuna, 15 minute drive from the Arenal Volcano park and hike.
Staff
Not really anything to improve, all good but no extra special feel.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean and comfortable.
Hotel Cipreses
Monteverde

Was a simple room and fine for what we needed. Nothing flash and on the ground floor a lot of noise in the morning BUT that was the tour group also staying there and not the fault of the property. Suit cases wheeled by the window at 6am seemed a little loud!

Authenticity & Character
It was a safe clean stop over - all we need for this. Very efficinet laundry service at this point needed in our holiday.
Location
Good for trip to the cloud forest etc.. as it was first drop off etc at the end. 10 minute walk to town and a little longer back due to the hill. But all good.
Staff
Lovely and friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
No improvement but nothing special, safe, clean and fine.
Hotel Costa Verde
Manuel Antonio

Our room was fantastic with pacific views. Great AC. This was certainly more upmarket than we are used to. Phoning for a lift to a restaurant is not what we are accustomed to! Or to getting food delivered from the restaurant to our room after a late night tour. In a good location 10 minutes chilled walk from the beach. More monkeys than people was a logo and a truth, lots of wildlife in the area around our cabin - we had a fabulous time here. While the area is touristy - more so than anywhere else we had been, the hotel is great because all cabins are spread out.

Authenticity & Character
Lovely place to chill, watch the see and enjoy the wildlife - as long as it is not your shoes the capuchins throw off the balcony!
Location
Great views, great surrounding trees and the wildlife living in it. A drive to the local town - all good and the town is not that lovely anyway.
Staff
Very friendly and really great help in liaising and using phones to help an issue with our hire car.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean and very comfortable.
Drake Bay Wilderness Resort
Drake

Wow what a jewel, in our top 2 - BUT the top one for the all round package. We left the best to last. Great cabins - very clean, super views across Drakes Bay. Tours exceptional lead by brilliant staff - even the bar staff looked for wild life to show us in the evenings - Green frog snake eating a frog was a highlight of the in site non formal sitings. BUT Daniel and Mauricio were great on tours to Corvovado and Isle de Cano. Boat drivers were excellent in choppy conditions and also very respectful when we met Humpbacked whales. All food and drink was stunning and we could not have asked for anything more. Every thin is thought of without being upmarket if that makes sense. Even on our departure a boat to our taxi had a wet landing so they had a bottle to rinse our feet and a towel to dry them off before getting in the taxi. We would love to go back...

Authenticity & Character
This place was full of happiness, smiles, staff who were casual and really helpful and friendly, even down to taking some photos and then whatsapping them to us. It says basic lodges on the shore and this is it - but why do you need more than basic when the experience you get is fabulous.
Location
Amazing for views, for tours to Corcovado, for tour to Isle de Cano, for feeling chilled and away from the main groups of tourists....we loved it.
Staff
So helpful, so informative, so engaging and most of all super super friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everything from start to finish was brilliant. All kit was clearly cleaned and cared for so snorkelling kit was washed pre use, rooms cleaned daily, we truely loved this place.
Activity Reviews
San Jose - Tortuguero
Costa Rica

Good coach pick up and excelent transfer to boat and boat trip to Mawamba Lodge. Breakfast en route also lovely. All good

Quality of Experience
All smooth and boat transfer was really good with added wildlife spots on the way,.
Food
A first lovely breakfast.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Excellent drivers of all sorts and the staff wild life spotting en route excellent.
Transport
All great, clean and safe.
Enjoy the Beauty of Tortuguero National Park
Tortuguero

Really loved this place. Great night tour to see turtles - saw 6 which was really special - 1 was awesome. This was an exciting night of moving through bush and beach fast, following red lights and seeing an incredible event all in highly regulated circumstances.

Quality of Experience
Simply awesome
Food
the hotel had great food - the turtle tour had none.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Great guide - we just need to learn a little more Spanish but that is our fault.
Transport
More great boatmanship
Guided Hike in Cahuita National Park
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Great guide and we saw so much and realised how much you need a guide to maximise what you see. Sloth, various snake species, many reptiles, primates all seen and explained really well by our guide. Great walk, lovely cool of in the sea half way around. Really good experience.

Quality of Experience
Lots of great sightings and not over busy.
Food
We had a pineapple - as always seems to be the case but this was eaten rather like tequila and as such was sprinkled with salt and lime juice - lovely.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very good guide - not in a rush and had an amazing eye for spotting both the great and the small.
Transport
Good comfortable pick up on time and clean.
Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968
Arenal/La Fortuna

What a walk, what views and a great guide. "Mummy Nature is amazing" was the mantra of franklin. This was a great walk through the volcanic area where we were taught about the geology - pictures drawn on the floor by Franklin that the photos of will be used in our lessons in the UK. Great botanical knowledge and we smelt so many leaves and fruits and heard what they were for. Really was a great and well informed walk.

Quality of Experience
All round a great walk, great guide, great area and great experience.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Franklin the guide was like a favorite uncle! Really informative, fun and full of knowledge about the area. Also great for the right place to take the right photo. Smelling natural citrionella among a myriad of plant aromats was great and Franklin made this walk really very much more than just a walk.
Transport
Good, clean and safe.
Nature Walk at Ecological Park & Butterfly Garden Danaus
Arenal/La Fortuna

The butterfly garden was really good as were sightings of frog - our first ones. BUT this garden seemed a little over managed really - compared to others, water features etc.. are not natural.. We had a good guide but it certainly was not a 3 hour trip - well it was when we re walked it on our own. Possibly the least impressive of all our activities.

Quality of Experience
It was really not the best of experiences, great frog sitings and butterfly garden good but it did feel more managed than natural.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Good guide- very infromative.
Transport
Self driven
Night Tour at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde
Monteverde

Really god tour - heart sank as loads of people were waiting but all sorted into small groups and as luck would have it ours was just the 4 of us. Great guide and despite similarities of species seen we heard now things about them. Also saw fire flies, a snail eating snake and a kinkajou which caused much excitement as it raced across the canopy. What was great was our guide also took us to a dark area, we switched off all lights and then witnesses phosphorescent fungi on tree roots. Guides worked together to share sightings, side striped viper, sloth all hidden high up but all shared and seen.

Quality of Experience
Great and much enjoyed.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very good guide, went a little off the beaten track for quieter sightings where he had experienced animals the previous day as well.
Transport
Loved our hire car
Monteverde Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining
Monteverde

Whilst a real honey pot, this activity was so smooth and well run. All instructors at all points super efficient and friendly. Experience through the canopy was brilliant and we all loved it. Tarzan Swing fab, tandem zip lines great and then our daughters loved the superman. All in a fantastic location. Followed by a more serene but much enjoyed hanging bridge tour. With a guide we may have seen more but we had a magical Coati encounter on a path and actually it was great taking in the views we saw having been guided quite a lot already.

Quality of Experience
Just so well organised and run with no wasted waiting time
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Happy, fun, enthusiastic and super efficient / safe
Transport
Clean, safe and punctual.
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike
Costa Rica

Really busy compared to all other sites we were on. The guide we had was great and despite the numbers of groups managed to evade much of the tripod wars going on for best sightings. Saw a number of new species, enjoyed lovely views and had a quick cool off in the sea half way around. Certainly a huge amount of people here compared to else where made this feel a little over crowded having enjoyed much quieter tours in the Caribbean area.

Quality of Experience
Good guide who acknowledged busy nature of area and tried to move out of this when we could.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
great knowledge and ability to spot even the smallest of creatures where others walked past.
Transport
Clean, safe and punctual.
Hike to San Pedrillo Station
Costa Rica

When you see an anteater while drying your feet from getting off the transport it is a good omen! This was a great walk and we were actually taken to Sirena station deeper into the park which was fantastic. So much to see and hear. Daniel our guide was excellent and seeing Tapir was excellent near the end of our walk. All aspects were really enjoyed and standing and listenning to the sound of frogs mingling with howler monkey was magical. Peccaries foraging, primates, reptiles, birds all added to a day not to be forgotten. Even Humpback whales on the way and on the return.

Quality of Experience
Brilliant - from start to finish.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Excellent in all aspects
Transport
Boat transfers stunning.
Isla del Caño Snorkeling Tour
Costa Rica

As with all aspects of Drake Bay Wilderness resort, this was a brilliant trip - well guided and stunning in our experience of turtle and a fabulous Humpback Whale siting - 10 minutes of mother and calf. The fish were mesmerising and very varied. Despite a big storm we were able to enjoy this experience a lot and visibility was good. Daniel, Mauricio and team were really helpful through out and all equipment super clean.

Quality of Experience
Just great from start to finish.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Really good and Daniel and Mauricio were supportive of all and really looked for the best sightings whilst seemingly having infinite lung capacity.
Transport
Great boatman in what was choppy at times. Always felt safe and boat was clean, comfortable and cheerful.
Local specialist: Olman Romero
Olman
Olman Romero
Local specialist in San Jose, Costa Rica | Replied on Aug 11, 2023

Hello Paul!

Phenomenal!
You can't imagine how happy our team is knowing your family had a terrific ad unforgettable time in the tropics.

I see you had tons of experiences in every place you visited.

I want to thank you again for trusting in us and giving such a great review.

Let's hope your family will visit my country once again.

Pura Vida!
Olman

You’re just a conversation away from vacation
Costa Rica | Jul 28 - Aug 6, 2023

Theo
Theo V.
Houston, TX | Reviewed on Aug 10, 2023

I love this service. I’ve always planned my own trips in the past, but this one just felt right for outsourcing as I didn’t know the country that well and didn’t feel like doing all the research. Gustavo was my guide and now having completed my trip, I must say I’m glad I gave myself this gift. He was able to book each of my requested activities - my favorite being the farm experience in La Fortuna, Costa Rica (I made my own chocolate truffle from scratch and made freshly-pressed sugar cane... read more

I love this service. I’ve always planned my own trips in the past, but this one just felt right for outsourcing as I didn’t know the country that well and didn’t feel like doing all the research. Gustavo was my guide and now having completed my trip, I must say I’m glad I gave myself this gift. He was able to book each of my requested activities - my favorite being the farm experience in La Fortuna, Costa Rica (I made my own chocolate truffle from scratch and made freshly-pressed sugar cane juice!) I liked this service so much that I booked my next trip while on this trip!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Arenal Country Inn
Fortuna

Consider the location before booking. I like that fact that it’s outside of town, so it’s relatively quiet except for the loud diesel trucks that roar down the road. On the downside, I was without a car and had to walk into town (20 min each way) to find lunch and dinner (the inn only serves breakfast). The room was good. Hot rain shower, everything was clean, breakfast was good, and towels were changed daily. I didn’t care for the $16 charge for laundry (even though I only had 2 items),

Authenticity & Character
It’s very much an inn
Location
It’s a bit far from town to walk
Staff
Staff was nice
Cleanliness & Comfort
Villas Lirio
Manuel Antonio

Lirio is like at the midpoint between Manuel Antonio National Park and Quepos. Quepos is the town next to the boat harbor and feels like a legit Costa Rican town. The restaurants and inns towards Manuel Antonio all feel like overpriced tourist traps. As for the hotel itself, I thought the “towel card” was strange. It’s a laminated card that says if you lose the card, you’ll be charged $20. I never used the pool, but it did look nice. The room was very clean, and the housekeeping came daily. The bed felt old and was made of springs. I appreciated that they had a restaurant since I arrived late in the evening, I was able to eat dinner and stroll back to my room. The wifi doesn’t cover all rooms. I was in room 303, and I had to sit next to the window with my iPhone in order to get signal. Forget about cellular; even with full bars, you don’t get squat. I like that they let me park my locally-rented moped in the garage for free.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Los Campesinos Farm Experience
Arenal/La Fortuna

The family that owns this farm is so sweet and hospitable. I would absolutely book this farm experience again just to make another piece of homemade chocolate and freshly-pressed sugar cane juice.

Quality of Experience
Food
I was served a home cooked lunch, which was one of the best meals I had in Costa Rica.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Gustavo Camperos

A serendipitous Tropical Discovery in Costa Rica :)
Costa Rica | Jul 19 - Jul 26, 2023

Ingrid
Ingrid B.
Lafayette, CA | Reviewed on Aug 09, 2023

Our 8-Day visit to the tropical paradise of Costa Rica made us realize that life is good, it is very, very good.About the size of the American State of West Virginia, Costa Rica is a legend for its natural beauty, biodiversity and of course, its people.
It's our first time to use KimKim as a travel planner app when planning this trip. It matched us with a Costa Rican travel outfit, Serendipity Adventures. From the initial planning stage to the final execution, our local contact, Bryan... read more

Our 8-Day visit to the tropical paradise of Costa Rica made us realize that life is good, it is very, very good.About the size of the American State of West Virginia, Costa Rica is a legend for its natural beauty, biodiversity and of course, its people.
It's our first time to use KimKim as a travel planner app when planning this trip. It matched us with a Costa Rican travel outfit, Serendipity Adventures. From the initial planning stage to the final execution, our local contact, Bryan Leon, tailored our 8 day visit ( as per our request and budget) to include a good introduction to the country. He did this by letting us sample the unbelievable landscapes of Arenal, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio along with fun activities like trekking, zip lining, night walk in a cloud forest, guided nature hike ,and swimming in the ocean. Bryan was a complete pro in responding to our queries and a valuable local resource we truly relied on.In addition, Nancy and Charlotte from the main office in San Jose also made sure everything was seamless.
We had local guides who made sure that this trip was for the ages. Alex Quieros picked us up at our fantastic hotel in San Jose and drove us to Arenal where we experienced the rain forest and its wildlife. Alex was an awesome guide and driver. He conducted himself with professionalism, kindness, and charm. We felt very comfortable and safe with him. His driving skills were impeccable and he was a delight to talk to. Our second guide, Marianus ,took us on a volcanic hike and later a visit to the La Fortuna waterfall. He was engaging, immensely knowledgeable, and so much fun to be with. Our third guide, Andreas, was skillful at spotting wildlife with a tripod telescope. As both a certified guide and a researcher, he wowed us with his expertise in local flora and fauna.
In addition to the wonderful guides, Serendipity Adventures, made sure that we stayed at top-notched accommodations. Each of the places we stayed made thoughtful little gestures ( we were marking our wedding anniversary and we had bottles of wine waiting for us to enhance the celebratory mood).We were also impressed with the level of attention.
Overall, this short but immensely satisfying visit happened because of the expertise and professionalism of the crew at Serendipity Adventures. We can't wait to come back and we are already telling our friends and neighbors about our fantastic trip to beautiful Costa Rica. Pura Vida!

Local specialist: Bryan Leon
Bryan
Bryan Leon
Local specialist in Cartago, Costa Rica | Replied on Aug 10, 2023

Hola Ingrid,

We're thrilled to hear that your 8-day visit to Costa Rica left such a positive impression! It sounds like your journey was filled with incredible experiences and memories. We're honored that KimKim connected you with Serendipity Adventures.

We greatly appreciate your kind words about our guides. It's fantastic that they enhanced your experience with their expertise and enthusiasm. We're also delighted that the accommodations and thoughtful gestures added to the celebratory... read more

Hola Ingrid,

We're thrilled to hear that your 8-day visit to Costa Rica left such a positive impression! It sounds like your journey was filled with incredible experiences and memories. We're honored that KimKim connected you with Serendipity Adventures.

We greatly appreciate your kind words about our guides. It's fantastic that they enhanced your experience with their expertise and enthusiasm. We're also delighted that the accommodations and thoughtful gestures added to the celebratory mood of your trip, making it even more special.

Thank you for sharing your unforgettable journey with us, and we can't wait to welcome you back to beautiful Costa Rica someday.

Pura Vida!
Bryan