Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

Elena was fantastic and amazing to work with. She answered all of my questions rapidly and thoroughly. Her choice of hotels/resorts was spot on. As we requested, she kept us busy with fun activities. The Serendipity Adventures team gathered all of the details and communicated in an easy to follow manner -- the itinerary documentation was priceless. We had a wonderful time in Costa Rica and hope to be able to visit again.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Springs Resort

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Local Flavors Cooking Class

Costa Rica

This was lots of fun! Despite my reluctance, my wife wanted to do this -- I am glad we did! I'm a picky eater but preparing the food and eating it was special. The staff was so kind!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

For me, this was the highlight of the trip. The guide was phenomenal!!!!! He was extremely knowledgeable, able to spot amazing things, kind, and courteous. You could tell that he was highly respected by his colleagues. Probably the best guide I have ever worked with. We saw many birds, insects, plants and animals.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing guide!!!

Transport

Damas Island Boat Tour

Manuel Antonio

The guide was great; Funny, knowledgeable, patient and very kind. Saw many species of birds and animals.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Tour with Meal

Costa Rica

Lots of fun. Beautiful scenery and sunset. Snorkeling was brief but fun. The staff were very nice and always willing to assist.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All Day Adventure at Selvatura, including Zipline, Hanging Bridges, and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

My wife loved the Zip lines! I did not do that activity due to my fear of heights. The hanging bridges/jungles were beautiful. The Sloth conservation center, Butterfly exhibit, and Reptile/Amphibian exhibits were very good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Larger menu selection.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Walk at Children's Eternal Forest

Monteverde

The guide was extremely knowledgeable and showed us many subtle things. Fun and easy walk.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Lots of fun and interesting. The guide was very good, and funny!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

The Arenal Volcano hike was fun and we saw many animals. The guide was fantastic -- very kind and knowledgeable. After the Arenal Volcano Hike (which was more strenuous than we expected), we were too tired to do the La Fortuna Waterfall walk. The local tour company, Flow Trips, was very kind and substituted a twilight float trip that was lots of fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

In an airport on our way home last night, my 8 year-old grandson was reading posters for various travel options. "Where do you want to go next?" I asked. "Nowhere," he said. "I want to go back to Costa Rica.." That sums up our experience. When you work with an unfamiliar travel group, you never know if you can trust the literature. We could. Everything in our week-long trip went exactly as scheduled.
The hotel our family met up at, Buena Vista Chic Hotel, was beautifully situated. The staff was kind and the breakfast was delicious. The shuttle made it possible for us to arrive on three different flights.
Our personal driver, Cesar, accommodated all of our schedule requests and navigated challenging roads and traffic conditions carefully. He even brought a booster for our youngest traveler. Translation apps on our phones helped us out when we had plans to make that exceeded our language skills.
Our tour guides in Tirimbina (Ralph on the river trip and Valeria on the night walk at the Lodge) were fun to be with as well as very knowledgable about the wildlife at hand. The children overcame their initial fears about hanging bridges and became confident discoverers of monkeys, frogs and leaf-cutter ants.
The folks at Los Lagos let us swim before our afternoon excursion to the Mistico hanging bridges, even though check in wasn't until after 3. The adults loved soaking in the hot pools and the kids adored the water slides in the cool pools. We had lunch poolside and dinner in the dining room. Everything was delicious and beautifully presented. And breakfast the next morning was absolutely incredible. It was hard to tear the kids away after just one night.
The drive from La Fortuna to Quepos was challenging in its length and the hardest part of the trip. We arrived after dark and didn't know until the next morning how beautiful our beach location was at Karahé. Our rooms on the lower (beach) level were perfect both for the kids and the 2 grandmothers, giving us easy access to the water and restaurant. (I would NOT have wanted to need to cross the busy road dividing the property.) Breakfasts were very basic but dinner in the restaurant and lunches on the beach were great. We also took Ubers to 2 other restaurants.
The children skipped our excursion to Manuel Antonio Park in favor of playing on the beach. (The early start was too much for them although it put 4 of us at the front of the crowd at a very busy park). The easy walking and a good guide (Lisandro) with a telescopic lens made this visit comfortable for 2 of us with some vision and mobility issues, although I much preferred the quiet of Sarapiqui.
It was a pleasure to reconnect with "our" driver for the trip to the airport.
The trip was a total success for our family of folks ranging from 8 to 76. Thanks!

Hotel Reviews

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

It was a pleasure to end our trip here with private beach access, the pool and the restaurant just steps away from our rooms. It was fun to have a sloth and her baby hanging in a tree by reception and a mischievous group of monkeys swinging past the restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

We were especially well cared for at the beach and in the beachside portion of the restaurant.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

The children in our group would happily have lived here!

Authenticity & Character

The landscaping! The hot spring pools! The birds! The water slide! And the food!!! Breakfast was particularly lovely.

Location

Although clouds kept the volcano shrouded most of the time, it was lovely to be in its presence.

Staff

Check-in isn't until 3pm and we had an excursion scheduled for 1-3. The kids were eager to swim and the kind staff at reception had no problem with giving us early access to the water and restaurants.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Every inch of the property is beautifully landscaped. Staff was constantly keeping it all pristine.

Tirimbina Rainforest Lodge

Sarapiquí

I wanted to start my family's first trip to Costa Rica in this quiet location away from crowds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Having constant access to trails meant the adults could talk short walks with the children without it being an "excursion."

Staff

Valeria was the guide on our night walk and she was so great with the kids!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Buena Vista Chic Hotel

Alajuela

This hotel far exceeded our expectations. Yes, it was close to the SJO airport and had a shuttle. But it also had a beautiful location over-looking the city, very kind staff and a great restaurant. It was a perfect start to our week n Costa Rica.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The skyline at night was beautiful.

Staff

Our group arrived on 3 different flights. All were met and the staff helped navigate the challenges of finding supper for the last ones in. (The first person to arrive mentioned the kindness of the bartender)

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Manuel Antonio

More than 3,000 people a day visit this park, so it was always busy. I much prefer quieter locations but the level paths and a guide with a telephoto lens on his scope made this a great final excursion for 2 of us with vision and mobility issues.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver met us on time. Our guide, Lisandro, and his nephew were informative.

Transport

Night Walk at Tirimbina Rainforest Center

Sarapiquí

Our children were feeling a bit apprehensive about walking in the jungle at night. Valeria hit just the right tone to keep them engaged and comfortable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Boat tour at Sarapiqui River

Sarapiquí

Our family had the boat to ourselves! Ralph was charming and informative. He and the boat captain spotted birds, reptiles and mammals that we certainly wouldn't have seen on our own. What a great lazy way to enjoy the area: motoring down the river. Ralph also shared some 3-D goggles that were a revelation to us all.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ralph had a relaxed style and tons of information. We all enjoyed spending time with him.

Transport

Olman was very responsive and professional in making the arrangements for our trip. It was a relatively short notice trip which made it more difficult for him to arrange. We were able to accomplish all that we’d hoped to on our trip, and more, without much help from the Kim Kim team once we arrived.
We did have one snag in our itinerary due to us following the printed version rather than an on-line version in that the details of a tour we were to take did not print. We therefore went to the activity expecting our tour guide to be there for us, but the guide actually went to our hotel to pick us up. After much confusion at the event we were eventually let in but had to hire our own guide for the nature hike. We were not compensated for this.

Our entire experience was amazing. From our drivers, to the activities and the choice of accommodations!
We had a holiday we will never forget!
I/We were highly satisfied with Gustavo and KimKim.......I will recommend them over and over again!

Hotel Reviews

Occidental Tamarindo All Inclusive

Tamarindo

Second stay here - highly recommend for family holiday

Authenticity & Character

We like the charm of a smaller area

Location

We were happy with the location. A simple Uber ride into Tamarindo when we wanted to head out. We had a variety of animals that we saw right on site which was a thrill...monkeys, racoons, iguanas, and a large variety of birds

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was taken care of every day early. We had 3 rooms between the family, and the other 2 mentioned that there rooms could have been cleaned more often, or earlier. The sliding doors on the bathrooms do not slide well. Ours was particularly loud and difficult to close. One other room had the same issue.

Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs

La Fortuna

Highly recommend! The rooms were great - each family with our own bungalow was wonderful. The spring fed pools were very enjoyable. The food was good (in some cases a little pricey) but not having to leave resort to eat is a bonus. The Uber to La Fortuna was a great option. Definitely recommend Restaurante Fortuneno.....we spent New Years Eve with them for dinner and it was amazing! Tomahawk steak was a highlight.

Authenticity & Character

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Staff

Great service for meals......as in many swim up bar situations.....the bartenders OFTEN pretended not to see you, so service there was sub-par

Staff

Great service for meals......as in many swim up bar situations.....the bartenders OFTEN pretended not to see you, so service there was sub-par

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Garden Inn Guanacaste Airport

Liberia

The check in time was quite lengthy, but the accommodations were great

Authenticity & Character

Location

One night stay near the airport...had a great location

Staff

Only issue was time to check in .....well over half an hour....even if they had offered a complimentary drink while in line, or a "sorry for the wait" would have been nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Visit to the Tamarindo Market

Tamarindo

We went to the food truck area and enjoyed different meals before heading out on a nigh walk about. Friendly and safe town for the whole family

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Snorkeling Day

Tamarindo

We used this as a free day and a couple went to town, 4 went deep sea fishing, and we took a estuary tour on a boat to see monkeys and crocodiles

Self-Guided Beach Day from Tamarindo

Tamarindo

We walked along the beach - it does go into Tamarindo that way, we did not go all the way this time, we had on a previous trip and it is great. Taking an Uber into Tamarindo was inexpensive and very convenient. There is much to see there

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our family enjoyed this very much!! Swimming at the bottom of the waterfall was unforgettable!

Quality of Experience

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Amazing for 10 y/o to 60 y/o. Quite an adventure. The length and heights were thrilling!! Our granddaughter (15) was feeling ill at the beginning of the adventure. Light headed and faint (found out during holiday she had pneumonia)! The first aid care there was top notch. Our daughter is a nurse and she said they were absolutely professional and spot on with care. They took her aside, gave her juice and chocolate, and kept her until vitals were all regulated. She was an amazing trooper and was able to finish all of the ziplines and the walking tour after. They allowed us to carry on even though this made us a bit later than scheduled. The walking tour afterwards was supreme!! Our guide was so knowledgeable and we found many, many animals and plants. Eyebrow snakes, monkeys, tarantulas, bat falcon and more!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We waited a while longer than we would have liked for return transport. Minor inconvenience, so no real issue

Transport

Lost Canyon Waterfalls & Rappelling Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Adventurous and soo much fun! A treat from 10 y/o to 60 y/o

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

God suggestions, and good planning, great hotels, cool activities, good communication. The kimkim was very patient with me as it took me 5 years to finally get to Costa Rica.

First off thank you for making my wife’s dream holiday come true. All of our drivers pickup us on time and we’re highly professional. The three hotel we stayed at were great. The Crowne Plaza first class accommodations and great restaurant and bar. Don’t remember names but the man and woman who waited on were fantastic. There singing of happy birthday and cupcake very special. Hotel Los Lagos was a little dated but after full of activities hot springs made things better. Restaurant and bar were good. Lastly the Sibu Hotel very modern with great bar and restaurant. Highlight there was wait staff first started singing happy birthday in English quietly and we then asked in Spainish and with gusto they belted it out fantastic.Activities number one Canyoning & Balsa River rafting combo was the best by far! The leader of the canyoning was great forgot his name and Adrian and his crew on the River were the best we had on the trip. The Selvatura Park zip lining was awesome hanging bridges ok. The volcano hike was very informative and fun. Only issue we had and maybe not your fault. The Cano Negro boat safari 2 hours 15 minutes one way and the same coming back was not really fun. We did see some wildlife but wondering if it could have been closer? Other then that it was a fantastic trip. We all will highly recommend your company to our friends and colleagues. Hopefully we will use your services in the future.

Bryan and kimkim were enormously helpful when we decided, a month out, to spend the Christmas holidays in Costa Rica. They flagged that the Pacific side would be super crowded per our notes about enjoying more laid back and local experiences and advised us to explore the Caribbean side. We needed support in country for a few changes and an unexpected injury. Serendipity travel, who was our contact on the ground, was very responsive - even arranging a doctor to come to our hotel. We will definitely use kimkim again and hope to travel to Costa Rica again in the future!

Hotel Reviews

Le Cameleon Boutique Hotel

Puerto Viejo

Great location and amenities. It was a mixed scene with loud club music during the day but family friendly service across the board.

Authenticity & Character

It's very modern and Euro in a Costa Rican setting. A bit of a contradiction.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were comfortable and housekeeping was frequent.

Casa Turire

Turrialba

Gorgeous building and setting with friendly and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Laguna Lodge

Tortuguero

Fun, family oriented hotel. The hotel and staff were lovely, but food wasn't varied enough for our length of stay (3 nights).

Authenticity & Character

The campus and access to ocean and river

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Surf Lesson at Salsa Brava

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

The guide wasn't super family friendly. He was good with older kids but not really interested in helping those of use who weren't super confident (my daughter and me). He ended up going surfing with my husband and the other adults and leaving us on the beach when it was evident we weren't going to really go for it each time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Tour at the CATIE Botanical Gardens

Turrialba

The guide was awesome here, too, especially with some of us that were VERY scared of snakes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike to the Summit of Cerro Tortuguero

Tortuguero

Chito, one of the resort's guides was awesome.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Canyoning with Children

Turrialba

Cesar and Serendipity were awesome. Our 6 year old was too scared to do it by herself and he and his team took her down and also dealt with our older child quitting half way through. The lunch at Cesar's mom's house was such a lovely ending, too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adrian and the entire staff at Serendipity Adventure and the KimKim team made for an unforgettable trip to Costa Rica. All of the adventures were amazing and every tour guide they provide was very knowledgeable and made sure we had the best experience possible. They made sure everything was taken care of for us and even during a few last minute changes, they made sure everything was figured out and we did not need to worry about anything. Would definitely use them again on my next trip.

Hotel Reviews

Chira Glamping Monteverde

Puntarenas

5 stars and amazing doesn't explain how great the Chira glamping is. Absolutely beautiful stay in the trees, and the entire private deck and platform that you have to enjoy is better than you can imagine. The staff were all incredibly helpful and took care of anything you need. The breakfast and food were also very good. If you have a chance to stay here it is a must for anyone visiting Monteverde. The sunset view from your private balcony over the trees and pacific ocean is something you will remember for the rest of your life.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Go for the hot springs and nature. Gardens and the grounds were great. Rooms could use some updating but if you do not plan to spend a lot of time indoors don't worry about it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Turire

Turrialba

Hotel was very nice, quiet, and felt like hidden gem. Food was very good and property grounds were beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hikes

Arenal/La Fortuna

Hanging bridges are amazing. Best way to see the forest. Tour guide forgot to mention that we had to get to the waterfall by 4PM so we ran out of time to get to the waterfall. Heard from others that it isn't anything too great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Treetopia Zip Lines

Monteverde

Treetopia is a must do activity in Monteverde. Haven't done a lot of ziplining, but this has to be some of the fast and longest ziplining you can do. If you want to get over the forest and see some of the best views in Monteverde yoy should add this to your list.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walk at Curi-Cancha Reserve

Monteverde

Guide was great and found as many birds and other animals as possible. Got to see some good trees, but since it is a nature preserve a lot of the old forest was cut down. Good way to see some views, but if you want to walk through the jungle you might want to find another option.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Standard tourist coffee & chocolate tour. If you have time to do it the activity is fun, but would leave it as a last option if you do not have other things planned.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canyoning in the Lost Canyon *

Arenal/La Fortuna

If you want to see deep into the jungle this is the only way to get it done.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting on the Rio Pacuare

Turrialba

Rafted a different river due to rain. The guides were awesome though and kept us safe and they loved what they do.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Hike Turrialba Volcano

Costa Rica

Private hike was great. Wish it was longer and they let you hike higher up the volcano. Guide was very knowledgeable and friendly, but you can only go so far up the volcano as they will allow on the private property.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a fantastic trip! Yuliana came up with the initial itinerary and was very helpful and responsive with modifications. Even though our booking was relatively late, she got the four of us on all the adventures we asked for as well as hotels and transportation. All the transportation was on time and friendly. The adventures (rafting, jungle walk, zip line, etc...) were great and well planned. Overall, I would highly recommend the Kim Kim team (especially Yuliana) to plan a trip to Costa Rica.

Hotel Reviews

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Beautiful setting. The buildings with the rooms are scattered over the huge property. You have to take a shuttle to get around. The shuttles were fairly prompt. Nice room with a view. They have trails through the rainforest ($20) and other amenities that we did not get a chance to use. We would have liked to stay here for a few more days!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Faro Arenal

Fortuna

Nice grounds with a trail through the rainforest and a view of the Arenal volcano. The rooms were very basic, but clean.

Crowne Plaza San Jose La Sabana by IHG

San José

It was fine, only stayed there overnight and left at 5:30 in the morning for the rafting adventure.

Activity Reviews

Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

Thrilling to go over the rainforest. A highlight for the teenagers.

Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde

Monteverde

fun night walk through the rainforest. We saw some interesting bugs and a snake. Not much more wildlife. There were a lot of people in several groups during the walk. The guides were very informative.

El Silencio Volcano Hike & Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

It was overcast and we weren't able to ee the volcano. The guide was very informative and it was educational to learn about the region and the volcano.

Whitewater Rafting on the Pacuare River

Costa Rica

Awesome! The guides were great. The rafting was amazing through the rapids! The thrill of the whole trip!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My college-age son and I had an incredible time!
La Paloma Lodge was a pearl -- accessible only by boat, it is nestled in the rain forest and the experience of staying there was both novel and comfortable. My leg was eaten by sand fleas at the local beach, but otherwise we had a wonderful tour of Corcovado National Park, and the Cano Island snorkeling was fun. The only thing I would comment on is that the snorkeling trip ends with lunch on a beach (we were at San Josecito Beach) but there is no bathroom available there (which was surprising). I was also stung by multiple jellyfish larvae while snorkeling, so that was a bit rough. I was itchy due to the sand fleas and larvae stings for a full week afterwards. I would have appreciated a heads up about these in advance, as I did not adequately protect myself.
Manuel Antonio was awesome, but in particular, our hotel (Hotel Mariposa) was spectacular. The resort is breathtakingly beautiful, and there are monkeys and macaws surrounding the property. I went for a daily swim in the pool because it was so beautiful and comfortable. The food at Le Papillon is a bit overpriced but it is delicious.
The Manuel Antonio hike with Andres (an ornithologist and naturalist) was incredible. He can spot a dragonfly from 100 feet away. It was a privilege to learn from him, and his powerful scope was instrumental in getting some incredible photos. We LOVED the whitewater rafting, even though water levels were low. In retrospect, I would have wanted to go in a full raft (not a raft for just the two of us and our guide), as the heavier raft leads to a bumpier ride. The guides at Amigos Del Rio were excellent.
The surf lesson with Sebastian (who works for Glen) was good, even if there was as much chatting as there was surfing. The Manuel Antonio beaches are perfect for learning to surf. The only unfortunate aspect was that our driver to and from the lesson never showed up so we had to rely on alternate mechanisms. Also our itinerary listed the lesson as "2 hours" in one place and "3 hours" in another place. Turns out it was only 2 hours, but that was plenty.
All in all, the team at Serendipity did a great job, and Adrian was accessible on WhatsApp at all times. That was hugely helpful.
Here are my suggestions:
1. More specificity on what to expect and where to be. It's great if a tour starts at 7:50am. Where should we be at 7:50am? Hotel reception? Security gate in front of hotel? Who should we look for? There are times when multiple tour guides approached us, but we were not the right clients. It would have helped for us to have a name/company to look for.
2. Lay out where we will and will not have access to internet. At La Paloma, there is no cell service, and the only WiFi provided is in the central restaurant.
3. Warn people of sand fleas and jellyfish (golden line) possibilities.
4. Recommend tours like the mangrove tours or the night tours. We did not book these in advance but word of mouth indicates that they were amazing.
All in all, we had a great time, and I appreciate Serendipity Travel very much for booking such excellent guides and experiences.

Excellent support from Randall. Only suggestion would be to keep the phone numbers for local tour operators up to date (some numbers were no longer in service) and include the pickup info in the confirmation details. Thanks!

Serendipity gave me an itinerary that was responsive the needs for an intergenerational trip. I was planning for my children and their grandparents. I am used to doing everything on my own and it worked out great to work with pros in-country! the local advice was critical. When one is an outsider there is no way to distinguish who are the best service providers, guides, transfers, etc.

Serendipity booked us the most incredible MASTER guide in Monteverde who was greeted like a celebrity by the other guides. Without Bryan and his team's expertise we would have been rolling the dice. Serendipity also had access to hotels beyond the booking.com options which was critical when we were searching for lodging in peak Christmas season on the beach. Given that this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, it is great to have a local who knows what is good and worth it, depending on the travelers' profile.

I know this when I play host in my favourite cities- guidebooks and reviews are not enough and the options are overwhelming.

in country we had available and super-responsive support via WhatsApp.

This was the first time in a long time I used a travel agent or Kim-Kim but it saved me hours of time and all of their recommendations and timings of the day were great recs and worked out well. When decisions you make from you laptop don't line up it can be a bummer on vacation. My parents were super impressed.

Hotel Review

Fonda Vela Hotel

Monteverde

The Fonda Vela Hotel in Monteverde had its ups and downs. Initially, we were placed in less desirable rooms overlooking the parking lot, which lacked privacy and had a less pleasant view. However, we were able to resolve it due to speaking the local language, and eventually, we were moved to better rooms. The location of the hotel was beautiful, and the grounds were well-maintained. Service was good though the restaurant was overpriced and service slow. The New Year's Eve dinner was a letdown due to poor organization and long waits, despite being complimentary.

Activity Reviews

Morning Sailing and Snorkeling Adventure

Costa Rica

The morning sailing and snorkeling adventure was great. The crew was fantastic, making the whole experience smooth and entertaining.

Palo Verde National Park Boat Trip

Costa Rica

The Palo Verde National Park Boat Trip was an enjoyable excursion. It was a refreshing change of pace and presented Costa Rica's natural beauty from the water in a unique way.

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

The Coffee & Chocolate Tour was one of the highlights of our trip. It lived up to its sterling reviews, offering informative and enjoyable experiences surrounding two of our favorite indulgences.

Treetopia: Tram, Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges

Monteverde

Treetopia adventure with zip lines and hanging bridges was exciting. Although my daughter felt the zip lines were too advanced, the hanging bridges were a great alternative, and we enjoyed the experience. The flexibility to change plans and enjoy different parts of the tour was appreciated, though I would have liked more specific guidance on choosing between this and other nearby attractions. Booking the first thing in the morning helped as we avoided the crowds.

Private: Guided Walk at Curi-Cancha Reserve

Monteverde

The private guided walk at Curi-Cancha Reserve was outstanding. Our guide was phenomenal, treating us with personal attention and engaging with our kids throughout the tour. He seemed like a celebrity, known by everyone at the site, and made the experience special. His ability to spot wildlife and engage us all made the tour unforgettable.

Kimkim put together a fantastic trip to visit the volcano, the cloud forest, and then the beach. We did not have to do a thing! The lodges they selected were terrific especially the Cloud Forest Lodge and the Lagarta Lodge in Nosara. The food at Cloud Forest Lodge was truly gourmet. It was wonderful to watch the bird life on the breakfast patio while eating delicious French toast. The highlights besides the accommodations were the wildlife opportunities. We booked on our own a zip line and hanging bridges experience at Treetopia which was great. We saw a group of howler monkeys: moms, babies, and males. A real highlight. At Nosara we went to the beach where the Olive Ridley turtles hatch one early morning. This was an unexpected treat and the highlight for our 9 year old grandson. It was a magical trip.
We opted out of a planned trip on our last day to take a boat to an island for snorkeling. The setting at Lagarta Lodge was just so spectacular that we did not want to leave that for our last day. Instead we swam in the beautiful infinity pools at the lodge, watched the coatis, and took a boat excursion up the river from the lodge. Kimkim agents Gustavo and Kate
kept in contact with us through the trip and we always felt like they were there to help us in any situation. I am very impressed with Kimkim after this trip. I accidentally found them while searching on the internet and will look into other trips with them in the future. Every meeting point was always met — we never had to wait or worry. Rather than take a group tour with another company this family tour for us worked very well. I highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Boutique Lagarta Lodge

Nosara

The views alone are worth it!! Also, set in a more quiet location from other beach resorts that I have heard about. This was our hope and Gustavo met it. Loved the different pools — none of which were ever crowded. The hotel could offer more options for shuttle rides into town. Somewhat limited but we never even went into town because the hotel was so great. Excellent service at meals — food was also very good. Lovely room — very quiet and private and wonderful view of the coast and the river. From this hotel we booked an excursion to see the baby sea turtles hatching. This was probably the highlight of the whole trip. I have always wanted to witness this phenomenon and for my grandson it was the crown jewel of the whole trip!! When possible this should be offered as part of the trip. Staff always friendly and helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Peaceful and quiet setting; not surrounded by other developments

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Rooms were lovely with big outside deck overlooking the forest. Food was truly gourmet here. 5 star meals. Exceptional staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Montaña de Fuego Mountain Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

This hotel was nice, but the rooms were rather basic. Evidently we got a room upgrade for one of our rooms which worked well for our son and his family because it had two bedrooms. We, the grandparents, stayed in the more basic accommodation. The pool and warm springs were very nice. The night walk was a highlight.

Authenticity & Character

Location

La Fortuna is extremely crowded. Traffic is very bad. The hotel is a bit away from the town center so that was good.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Isla Chora Private Boat & Snorkeling

Nosara

We opted not to do this trip. It was too early in the morning for us knowing we had to get up very early the next day for our departure. I also think this is not a necessary trip for this area. You can rent kayaks or take a boat up the river from the lodge which is fine rather than traveling over the bumpy roads to get to the snorkeling area.

Self-Guided Beach Day in Nosara

Nosara

We did the turtle excursion offered by the hotel which turned out to be the highlight of the trip!! We also hiked down to the beach which is a bit of a trek. We think the hotel should offer better means of accessing the beach — develop a better route and shuttle.

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Day at the Monteverde Hummingbird Garden

Monteverde

We did not do this. Instead we opted to go to Treetopia and do both the zip lining and the hanging bridges. This was amazing!!

Self-Guided Visit to the Monteverde Butterfly Gardens

Monteverde

We did not do this.

Private: Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

This was a good trek through the cloud forest. Our guide was exceptional! Very good and patient. We did not see too much but we enjoyed the experience. Tarantulas and millipedes!

Quality of Experience

Guide was very knowledgeable.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

A good overview of the volcano and surrounding area. Glad there was shade a lot of the way. Beautiful views and we were lucky with the weather.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was good but seemed a bit preoccupied. Perhaps because there was some confusion about the trip. We were not aware that we would be going to hot springs and lunch after the hike. So we needed to get more gear before we headed out and that perhaps distracted him. Otherwise good information about the volcano. Sometimes repetitive.

Transport

Self-Guided Nature Walk in Ecological Park & Butterfly Garden Danaus

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a nice first nature walk. We opted for a guide in training who was very good. The bird life was good. We saw one sloth and lots of butterflies. Otherwise not too much else. Are there other nature walks closer to the hotel that might offer a similar experience?

Quality of Experience

I was sick along with the majority of our family- the long bus ride from the airport was very crowded and uncomfortable for a few family members- we ended up renting 2 buses for the remaining transfers - if it hadn’t been so crowded it’s possible that many of us would not have gotten sick - The one excursion I did get to do was the coffee and chocolate factory- we had several excursions that we had to cancel or only a portion of the group were able to go - overall - not a great experience

We have just came back from our Costa Rica adventure. We have contacted kimkim because last year they helped us plan an amazing New Zealand trip. We love traveling but taking 2 little kids makes it hard for me to plan by myself and kimkim always comes through! We also had my dad join us for this trip
So we looked for something fun for all ages, literally.
We had our specialist Elena and the whole team at Serendipity Adventures make sure everything goes as smoothly as it possibly can.
Starting with planning, Elena was always available for questions or comments and made sure I’m happy every step of the way. She modified our itinerary 10 times until I felt it was the right one, location and budget combined. We also had Nancy in charge of booking our adventures and had Adria text us a few days before we left the US to introduce himself and let us know he will be available for anything we need and he was!
For the actual trip, every tour we booked came to pick us up on time, there were no hiccups.
We started at Arenal with volcanoe views and the nicest ppl. The hanging bridge was our favorite tour there, it was amazing and we all enjoyed it so so much.
We also did a sloth tour and a coffee tour (that was amazing as well)
Then we drove to the beach in Guanacaste stopping at La Leona on the way, this track was hard but the waterfall was worth it.
We arrived at Guanacaste for 4 days of resting by the pool in a beautiful resort. We had 2 scuba diving planned which was also really fun.
All in all, we all loved Costa Rica. Thank you, Serendipity Adventures for an unforgettable experience!

Yuliana provided an itinerary with an irreconcilable time conflict on one of the days—back-to-back activities with two different providers scheduled on the same day. I have a very disappointed teen who was excited about the waterfall visit, only to find out that we were unable to reschedule. There was no communication from Yuliana or anyone on the team for 48 hours, and no help with rescheduling or a refund, all following kimkim’s error in putting together a flawed itinerary.

We were disappointed about having to forgo the waterfall visit, and kimkim’s response further added to the disappointment. We contacted Yuliana multiple times; all we received were empty words that our “concerns are being taken very seriously,” but that “there’s nothing we can do.” Kimkim could have helped us with rescheduling or provided a refund, but instead we received “sorry, not sorry” responses.

The bottom line: Yuliana is great at booking four-star accommodations (which I can do myself as well), but not helpful at all when issues arise—especially issues caused by her faulty scheduling.

Via Kimkim, we booked our 9 day Costa Rica trip with Serendipity Adventures, a Costs Rica travel agency. Elena from Serendipity was super responsive in helping us customizing our trip and responding to all our questions. The trip was very well planned and fit our need. I would like to thank Adrien from Serendipity for her the assistance and support during our stay in Costa Rica. Her prompt responses were greatly appreciated when we encountered questions or issues. We felt we were in good hands with her help throughout the trip. Our local guide Sergio was awesome in providing helpful local information, including restaurants, local culture, etc. during the our ride/transportation between different destinations. We enjoyed this trip very much, and the journey definitely has become a beautiful memory that we will talk about for a long time. Both Costa Rica and Serendipity Adventures are highly recommended, and Kimkim made it possible!

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs

La Fortuna

Hot springs pools are fun to use. The hotel is directly facing the volcano ( although the clouds cover the volcano most of the time…) Great birding location! Room is outdated and felt cheap. About 10-15 minutes drive from the town. No other restaurants within walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Some staff are super nice but not all.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The air conditioner direct blow to the bed. Room design may be improved.

Koora Hotel

Monteverde

Awesome hotel with a superb restaurant! Outstanding services.

Authenticity & Character

cozy and nicely decorated room.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Great sunset view! Nice pool. Many good restaurants near by.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Catamaran Tour with Meal

Costa Rica

Great staff. Very good fish bbq. Not sure the snorkel gears are properly cleaned between use.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All Day Adventure at Selvatura, including Zipline, Hanging Bridges, and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

The pre-purchase meal tickets have limited selection and seem the food quality and portion not as good as if one purchases at the restaurant

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River

Arenal/La Fortuna

The white water rafting experience is awesome and one of the highlights of our trip. Highly recommended

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stevens was awesome

Transport

The drive to the rafting location is long 2 hours one way!

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, the trip was planned well. There were minor miscommunications. For certain events, the specific s were not clear. We had one driver for two days, he was okay, sometimes moody. The second driver was nice and friendly. The third one was outstanding, went out of his to show the Cities around. Very friendly, very communicative with the history and the overall site seeing places. I want to point out about a trip that was planned in this trip, mangrove boat tour. The itinerary mentioned that the lunch will be provided, in fact, they served lunch after the trip at 4:30pm. It was not acceptable, there were few of us with diabetes, it could have ended up in a disaster. Luckily we had some snacks with us. I wish for future travelers, these things should be sorted out and rectified.

Adam (and team) was an amazing, thoughtful and thorough local specialist. He listened attentively to our goals & expectations and executed planning with precision.
We had hiccups with the car rental- overall probably the most disappointing/disruptive part. Ti-Fakara (waterfall) lodging was “ON POINT!” Second lodging was memorable for phenomenal(!!!) restaurant and grounds- room was “meh.” Last hotel was, “eek 😬… “ I think we were looking for a more authentic and intimate experience (like Ti-Fakara)- maybe hard to do at this location? However, feedback is not to throw shade at the hard working people who are employed there- they were wonderful with what they have to work with.
The ADVENTURES were STANDOUTS! 💖Consistently Adam booked us with BEST outfits and guides- this was a steady experience across the various areas we traveled in Costa Rica. Quality guides, educated, committed, engaging and enthusiastic- the guides were overall just BEAUTIFUL people, inside and out- people who will not be forgotten, who genuinely love their jobs. The logistics were timed perfectly, managed and communicated seamlessly. As a family, the adventures of hiking in various areas, bird spotting, animal, botanical, frog, insect identification, zip lining, white water rafting, whale/dolphin watching, snorkeling, beach frolicking, sunset/moon/ star gazing, photography … are memories forever seared into our individual and collective hearts and minds. We desperately needed this time to reconnect and recalibrate within ourselves, each other and with the naturaleza.

Hotel Reviews

Leyenda Boutique Hotel and Spa

Hojancha Guanacaste

Needs an update and a thorough cleaning.

Authenticity & Character

I absolutely adored the Christmas entertainment- almost all Spanish songs. Beautiful musical entertainment the instrument playing and singing. Really special/unique. Songs bellowed into the rooms/suites/outdoor patios, drowning out road traffic. I felt this hotel was very tailored to the American traveler, I felt sad/disappointed as I really wanted to feel more “Costa Rica” and less of an American experience. Felt like a mainstream cheap American hotel, copy and pasted in Costa Rica. It was a cheaper version (in all ways) of the bougie resort down the street, which neither experience was wanted by our family.

Location

Location is physically right on main road. One can hear road traffic and smell gas/exhaust even at the back of the hotel.

Staff

Great restaurant staff. Evening night staff was particularly kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trash from former occupants was left in room. Bathroom was not clean with thoroughness/care. Felt creepy/weird. Chose to wear sandals in shower and opted out of using jacuzzi. Patio was so beautiful- and once again under amplified with cheap, uncomfortable, faded (old) plastic table and chairs. It was such a STUNNING patio and to look out on the beautifully kept grounds watching and listening to the birds could have been even more memorable, cozy, authentic. It was challenging to get enough coffee stocked in room. Zero privacy from other guests. Rooms and patios echoed with various aged human activity.

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

This hotel stood out with its hiking grounds on site and its PHENOMENAL dining experience- breakfast and dinner. I am not a vegetarian or vegan and their menu was so inclusive and inspiring, I chose a vegetarian option one of the nights- probably my most memorable vacation meal.

Authenticity & Character

Room felt like a slightly upgraded dorm room. With limited toilet paper, and wanting us to throw toilet paper in trash, access to a bidet would be a thoughtful touch. I desperately wanted a more “Tico” experience- traditional rocking chairs would be a beautiful touch to the sprawling deck.

Location

Remote- limited opportunity to explore the town- almost required dine-in at restaurant (which wasn’t a “bad thing,” just got “spendy,” but worth it!) However, great opportunity for rooftop bonfire, landscape views, sunset and star gazing!

Staff

Addressed above. Wait and Restaurant staff was top-notch.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chillier than expected- no heater- limited blankets. Traveled with carry-on, limited space for warm clothing, had to get creative. It was fine. Curious toilet paper practices, could be cozier. BEAUTIFUL soaps and lotion. We upgraded room, in exchange we received a massively huge bathroom with vapid space- it was really “strange,” design-wise. Deck/Patio could embrace more ambiance as it is stunning and has amazing potential- it does have a coziness, which could inspire guests to linger with morning coffee, etc. In room coffee access was also very limited/scarce.

Ti-fakara Boutique Hotel

La Fortuna

Beautiful up to date inspiring room, quaint, secluded, with rainforest experience- lots of birds, sloth and monkey spotting. LOVELY breakfast dining, nice dinner experience- service staff had warm and kind hospitality. Awesome night time guided walk, attentive staff. Walking distance to Fortuna Waterfall. Overall, BEST lodging experience.

Authenticity & Character

Small, quaint, simple, attentive, good attention to detail, good quality of facilities and grounds! Ti-Fakara seems to understand what they have to offer and embrace it with simplicity and authenticity- not over-reaching- trying to be something they can’t, understanding there is a lot of competition and they offer a unique slice of experience.

Location

Away from downtown, walkable distance to Fortuna Waterfall, surrounded by rainforest.

Staff

Reception staff (Esther), wait staff (Antonio), electricians/maintenance and cleaning staff were particular standouts.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were so thoughtfully cleaned! So appreciative of the care put into the rooms.

Activity Reviews

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

Everyone was very friendly and the views were beautiful. Also, a very informative nature walk with Alex. Would visit again.

Quality of Experience

See above

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See above

Transport

Private Boat Seaside Adventure (Seasonal)

Sámara

Ok- next to the white water rafting… this experience might take the “gold star.” We were SO FORTUNATE to have Christopher as our guide once again, so he knew our family. He had a lovely crew. Josué and Yosuel (sp?). We had the most BEAUTIFUL experience and hands-down the best Christmas day of my life. Dolphins, whales, sea turtles, fish, invertebrates, coral reef. Snorkeling was top-notch and we tried out different locations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Beaches Around Sámara

Sámara

Really beautiful tropical experience. So many tourists. 😂

Quality of Experience

Setting. Landscape.

Werner Sauter Biological Reserve Hike

Sámara

Christopher was a great guide. Great to be exposed to the land/botanical landscape of the “dry side” of the rainforest. Fun to get out, exercise, break a sweat and to be taught local knowledge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Balsa Whitewater Rafting Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Maybe our best/most fond Costa Rica adventure… on par with the Arenal hike.

Quality of Experience

Food

LOVED the family style (all guides, all tourists and restaurant together as one) feel of this TRADITIONAL Costa Rican meal after whitewater rafting. A special memory!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We especially loved that Jorge was with us from pick up to drop off, meaning he was ALSO our white water rafting rover guide. He was spectacular! 🌟 Driver was knowledgeable of roads and very safe. Vehicle was comfortable.

Transport

Teamwork between drive and guide. Good knowledge of roads.

Arenal Volcano Hike & EcoTermales Hot Springs Visit with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Herson was just the BEST guide. We saw so much and were provided so much knowledge and wisdom of the land. Beautiful views. Great exercise. Ecotermales was nice. Super touristy- as was everything in Fortuna. Glad we went in the evening. Meal was delicious. Staff seemed somewhat annoyed/exhausted of tourists. 😂

Quality of Experience

The hike of Arenal with Herson.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable and Engaging. Wanting to teach.

Transport

Nice vehicle, knowledge of roads, safe driving.

Self-Guided Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Go early. Huge amounts of tourists. Staff seemed annoyed.

Quality of Experience

The beauty and power of waterfall and walk down and up masked any other “curiosity.”

Everyone was great.