Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

The planning process was super easy, and all of our plans were executed perfectly. The team was extremely responsive and great to work with.

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Beautiful secluded setting.

Authenticity & Character

Secluded feel

Location

Close to activities

Staff

Friendly and sttentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room felt basic, not luxurious

Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort

Tamarindo

Beautiful beach location

Authenticity & Character

The separation between the two sides of the resort is odd and feels very disconnected

Location

Right on the beach

Staff

Slow service but everyone is friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Housekeeping was great. Overall the resort needs some upgrades, cosmetic repairs

Activity Reviews

Big Arenal Mundo Aventura Zipline

Arenal/La Fortuna

Awesome adventure!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting Sarapiqui River (Class III-IV)

Costa Rica

Highlight of our trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Full-Day Cruise

Costa Rica

Great day on the water. Plenty of time on the boat and in the water. The staff was attentive and the food was great!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the trip of a lifetime in Costa Rica! I love to see new places but I think we will return to Costa Rica again because there was so much to do and see. Holden was amazing at planning the trip for us and listened to my wants and put together the perfect trip. Wilman with Serendipity Adventures was so helpful while we were there! Figuring out adjustments to the plans that I would throw at him. They were both so knowledgeable and helpful!

I used to agonize over every detail building a trip itinerary on my own - never again. KimKim, and Adam, made it all simple. Adam took the time to hear what type of adventure we were looking for, and tailored the experience into our Costa Rica vacation of our dreams, no exaggeration whatsoever. We’ll be using KimKim moving forward - worry free travel arranged by experts, all at a completely reasonable cost. Thank you to Adam, and the rest of the KimKim team.

Eric & Kathleen Wetzel

Wow. We worked with KimKim to create a 7 day trip for four friends traveling together, and from first to last this was Ana awesome experience. Yuliana (and the local team of travel specialists) was very helpful in creating draft itineraries and then changed and adapting them the more we talked. We ended up with enough activities for fun and adventure and seeing the country, but time for rest and relaxation and exploring on our own. We found it easy to navigate and drive throughout Costa Rica, and every single one of of our reservations went off with no problems, on time, and as planned. Thank you for this kindness!

overall, we had a fantastic trip. But, since you are asking, i will provide some feedback....
1. Bus transfers from Airport to Hotel Manoa, from Hotel Manoa to Captain Suiza Hotel and from Captain Suiza back to Airport: Drivers were great, friendly, and safe. Busses were clean and comfortable, and, the wi fi was a nice touch. My only comments on the transfers is that they should really have some waters and trash receptacles or bags for trash. But, otherwise, the transfers were great.

2. Hotel Manoa: the grounds were immaculate, the staff friendly, we loved the swim up bars in the pools and their daily happy hours. The rooms were really not great. very dated and beds were not very comfortable. The rooms really need a "refresh". and, the spa had no working jets.
3. Hotel Capitan Suiza: we loved these rooms, the grounds, and, the staff were very nice. Based on what we saw of other hotels in our area, this hotel seemed to look the nicest.
4. KimKim: was a pleasure working with your team, the calls we had prior to departure were helpful and informative.

Serendipity Adventures in Costa Rica was awesome. My contacts, Bryan, Nancy and Wilman were there every step of our adventure and made sure our travels were the best they could be. I took a father-son trip with my 19 year old who is heading off to college this summer. The memories we made while whitewater rafting, kayaking, riding ATVs, ziplining and hiking in the Arenal/La Fortuna area of the country will last a lifetime. All of the excursions were planned without any hiccups and the hotel accommodations were fantastic. On the day the weather did not cooperate, Wilman made last minute changes to our itinerary to make sure we were able to enjoy our top priority excursions. I could not have done it without them! Thanks so much Seredipity Adventures! Robert Babb

Hotel Review

Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Water Resort

La Fortuna

The staff was very friendly and accommodating. They went the extra mile whenever we needed. Great location for the many excursions we did in the Arenal/La Fortuna area.

Authenticity & Character

The thermal springs were a great way to wind down after a busy day.

Location

Great views of the Arenal volcano and close to La Fortuna

Staff

Always willing to go the extra mile. The restaurant staff, front desk staff , pool staff and cleaning staff were exceptionally friendly and willing to assist.

Cleanliness & Comfort

All good!

Activity Reviews

Kayaking on Lake Arenal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide, Freddy, a local business owner, was incredible. We were able to go at our own pace and enjoy the breathtaking scenery. He seemed to care that we had a good experiece!

Quality of Experience

Freddy was awesome!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All good

Transport

All good

Whitewater Rafting Sarapiqui River (Class III-IV)

Costa Rica

One of the best whitewater rafting excursions I have been on. The guides were super helpful and the river eas a blast. It had rained the day before which made the water especially fun for rafting!

Quality of Experience

Overall experience was outstanding

Food

I have a picky son, but we were able to find great food wherever we went.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of our drivers were on time, friendly and fun to be around.

Transport

Our transporters were fantastic

Arenal ATV Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a fantastic excursion in the backcountry of Costa Rica. The scenery and trails were perfect for this adventure.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Tram, Sky Trek & Sky Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

The best ziplining experience I have ever had. Beautiful views and friendly staff.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing Family Vacation!

Our trip to Costa Rica was amazing! Yuliana did a great job of planning out great excursions while giving us plenty of time to relax and explore all while staying within our budget.

We spent 3 night in LaFortuna at the Arenal Country Inn. It was a beautiful property. The rooms were nothing fancy but we loved being walking distance to the town and the breakfast was delicious! While there we did a zip lining tour. There are so many different adventure parks that we passed that all offer zip lining but Yuliana set us up with one that I think has to be one of the best with views of the waterfall and the ability to swim near the waterfall. We also did a volcano hike and went to the hot springs. This was a good excursion but the weather didn’t cooperate for us.

After this we traveled to Playa Hermosa and spent 3 night at Bosque Del Mar. This hotel was amazing! Right on the beach and very small. No having to get up early to save beach chairs. It was quiet and peaceful. If you’re looking for bars or party scene, this is probably not the right place but for our family vacation it was great for us. While there we did a catamaran tour/sunset cruise with snorkeling. The trip with Marlin del ray tours was great - awesome food and drinks.

All transportation that Yuliana arranged arrived on time. I really like how we didn’t have to travel too far for any of the activities. Our catamaran tour that was scheduled for Tuesday was moved to Wednesday- no issue. Kimkim sent me a message and also notified the hotel of the change and they informed us as well.

I’m so happy I used Kimkim. It took all the stress out of planning and I’m sure I could not have planned a better trip. I had 3 very happy teenagers which says a lot!

Working with Yuliana was very easy. She listened to my needs and we worked around my husband’s limited mobility to still have a great vacation. Every pick up, whether it was for a transfer or an activity arrived just when Yuliana told me it would. We were very impressed with the organization and coordination of our vacation from start to finish!

Hotel Reviews

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Very basic, but comfortable. Big property, too spread out. Long walk to front desk for excursion pick up. Food okay.

Authenticity & Character

Very basic

Location

We would have liked to be closer to town

Staff

Friendly, but communication gap

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Locanda Samara Beach

Samara

This was our least favorite hotel. The room was dark and damp. There was really nowhere to go and sit during the rain storms other than our room. The dining area had so many flies that it was hard to enjoy our meals. Our room 2B didnt have a safe. My husband had $160 taken from his wallet on our last day there while we were at breakfast. The hotel was in a great location but i wouldn't recommend it for future guests. The horsebackriding excursion on the beach and thru the jungle was the best one that o have ever taken. The hotel excursion gal was super helpful in helping us plan this.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great walking distance to other places to eat that were close by.

Staff

Very slow service in dining area.

Cleanliness & Comfort

More places to sit, other than in our room during rain storms. There was a lot!

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Great hotel! Very cute decor. Nice pool with a swim up bar and hot tub area. There was still some construction at this property but it wasnt a problem. Good breakfast and menu for lunch, snacks or dinner.

Authenticity & Character

The decorations. The cute area that we could hang out and watch the NBA game without being stuck in our room.

Location

Great location. Lots of places to eat other than the hotel right across the street

Staff

The pool waiter. I dont remember his name

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything

Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton

San José

Pretty hotel, very comfortable. Great location. Lots to do nearby.

Authenticity & Character

Not much character. Just an upscale place to be before heading home

Location

Great places to eat nearby.

Staff

Very helpful with recommendations

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, quiet and within walking distance of resturants and sights

Activity Reviews

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great guide on the river. Pointed out a lot of wildlife and helped us get good pictures on our cameras. Very knowledgeable!

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Farm Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very knowledgeable guide, she was funny and made the tour special. Many different station to see , feel and taste the coffee process.

Quality of Experience

Very organized

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly, funny and knowledgeable

Transport

On time, AC and clean.

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Beautiful place, amazing setting to have a cocktail and chat with fellow travelers from around the world. Good buffet dinner afterward.

Quality of Experience

Lovely setting

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On time! Very nice

Horseback Riding to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

The two men that led the horseback ride were very good about keeping a close eye on everyone and make sure we were safe. Bratiful ride to the waterfall through the jungle. The walk to the waterfall and back was too strenuous for us to do.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, the trip was great. kimkim helped us design the perfect itinerary and identify ideal hotels for our trip. Everything went smoothly with all rides and pick-ups right on time and where they should be. The activities were all high quality. Costa Rica is a beautiful place filled with both the friendliest people and great adventures to do. Kimkim was a great trip planner and guide. Always replying quickly and helping with any questions.

Hotel Reviews

Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Water Resort

La Fortuna

Rooms were nice and big. The wide variety of hot springs filled pools were a tremendous experience. On-site breakfast has a great variety and tasted good. Would probably recommend going into town for dinner though. Staff was very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

A unique and interesting layout with a great view of the volcano.

Location

Conveniently located a quick uber ride from town where there are a ton of shops and restaurants.

Staff

Friendly, fast responding and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The property is very clean. They refresh the spring water in the pools every day. You may need to contend with some bugs here and there, but the staff will spray or clean if needed.

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Beautiful setting up in the cloud forest. If it's clear, you will have a beautiful sunset from their deck. It is pretty quiet, almost like a private camp with top notch amenities. The rooms are big with very comfortable beds. And the restaurants is one of the best meals in the area - a culinary experience.

Authenticity & Character

A truly unique hotel. Not a lot of guests stay there at one time. Plus the restaurant offers quite a bit of charm.

Location

Beautiful views. A quick taxi into town. Close to zip lining and other adventures.

Staff

Everyone was very nice and helpful, from the front desk to the restaurant.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The grounds are impeccable in terms of cleanliness. The rooms have nice soft beds. You may need to content with bugs (it is Costa Rica), but the staff will surely help if needed.

Activity Reviews

Snorkeling at Isla del Caño Biological Reserve

Manuel Antonio

We had fun, but there are some positives and less positives when it comes to this activity. Things you need to know: First, the less positives: -If you are staying in Manuel Antonio, the excursion is an hour drive, and you need to leave the hotel at 5:40 AM -Because this is a national reserve, to load onto and unload from the boat, you need to walk out/in at the beach, and the ground is very rocky in spots and pretty painful on bare feet. -The ride to the island is on open ocean and can be pretty choppy if there are swells. The ride for us was very bumpy and took about 90 minutes. This was tough, especially if you have kids. -There are not really bathrooms on the island. If you gotta go, you are pretty much going in the water. -Overall, it is a long trip. Note, this activity will take a big chunk of your time in this area. We left the hotel at 5:40 AM and returned at almost 4 PM. Now the positives: -If you love snorkeling or scuba, this is pretty much the main option on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. There are not really any other close reefs, and this particular location is a great one. -We saw tons of tropical fish, turtles (tortugas!), sharks (safe ones), dolphins, and unique birds -The guides were all very passionate and great at their job. They took great care with safety, concerns about sea sickness, and instruction in the water. -If you get a calm day, the boat ride is likely not quite as taxing and a bit shorter. (But that's a crapshoot.) -The burritos for lunch were very tasty So if a snorkel or scuba is a must in your stay on the Costa Rican coast and you have the time, I recommend this one. If not, or if you have younger kids or sea sickness concerns, maybe skip this one.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Balsa Whitewater Rafting Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Highly recommend the Desafio rafting trip out of Fortuna. A great group of simultaneously fun and highly qualified guides took us down the river. Our guide Emanuel (aka Fluffy, aka Pelusa) was friendly, funny and skilled. The transportation was smooth, the rapids were the perfect size for family, great mix of adventure moments and chill moments, and the lunch afterward was a tasty Costa Rican meal. A must do.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimkim and our local company, Serendipity, (with Bryan and our in-country guide Wilman) were all amazing in helping us plan a spectacular family vacation! I saved hours of time working with Serendipity. They quickly created an itinerary based on our initial wants and adjusted it whenever we had feedback. We adjusted our trip dates, asked to push back some of our early-morning activities, and inquired about different hotel options. All the responses were timely and accommodating. Once we arrived in Costa Rica, Wilman helped us every day with driving directions, suggestions for activities and restaurant recommendations. It took such a load off our shoulders knowing we didn't have to figure everything out; we just had to ask! And the answers were almost instantaneous. I would use kimkim again in a heartbeat.

Our zip line experience was wonderful. We did the jungle hike and suspension bridges with Fabi, which also wonderful. White water rafting with Fluffy and George were great. Whole trip was excellent, well organized. Transportation to each location was great.

Only comment. For our last day, the drive to the airport got us to the airport over 3 1/2 hours before our flight and the Alaska desk did not open until 3 hrs before flight, so we were left hanging out with no place to sit or wait in the entry of the airport. Just something to be aware of.

thank you for everything.

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Capitán Suizo Beachfront Boutique Hotel

Tamarindo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private: Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Beach Day from Tamarindo

Tamarindo

Quality of Experience

Thank you for an amazing trip! We really enjoyed everything you planned. All the people were friendly, funny and informative. The highlight for me was the white water rafting through Desafio Adventure, and our guide "Fluffy" (I can't remember his real name) was so fun to be around. He was funny, had great stories, personable and good communication. We happened to be in Tamarindo and was talking about Fluffy and another group overheard and was so excited saying they just did a trip with him. The hotel in Tamarindo knocked it out of the park. The rooms were spacious, and comfortable, the staff were friendly and accommodating. The hotel in Arenal was great as well, but the rooms were not quite as nice as in Tamarindo, but the grounds more than made up. Everybody we worked with from reception to adventure were friendly and easy to be with. We truly love the country and the people, it was a breath of fresh air to be in Costa Rica - Pura Vida!

Kimkim planned and booked our two-week trip to Costa Rica. Gustavo, our local specialist, listened to our thoughts and priorities to suggest the best places to stay at our three destinations. We changed our minds several times about places during the process, and he quickly adjusted our plans based on our feedback. All our accommodations and car rental were perfect for our needs. When we arrived in Costa Rica, our car was ready for us, and throughout our trip, we did not have issues with any of our accommodations. We appreciated Gustavo's suggestions on activities we could do in each location. We had an amazing vacation with days filled with excitement and beauty. We plan to contact Kimkim when planning for our next international vacation.

The roads from Liberia International Airport to Arenal/La Fortuna reminded me of Guatemala & Haiti but the Tabacón thermal resort property was worth the drive! We all loved the hot relaxing water falls & food.
Andy our private guide was excellent on the
Arenal Volcano Park tour & hike. He was extremely knowledgeable & kept us entertained.

Enjoyed Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Farm Tour & we saw a eyelash palm pit viper in tree. Combination of sampling coffee & chocolate while learning from another intelligent guide was heaven!

Private Safari Float on the Peñas Blancas River with JoeDan

Boat driver Justin & driver Francisco
Private Lake Crossing from Arenal/La Fortuna to Monteverde & Cloud Forest Lodge
Andy Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike & Night Walk at Children's Eternal Forest was spooky
Treetopia: Tram, Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges

San Lucas Treetop Dining was an unforgettable experience! 5 stars!!!

The W Costa Rica Reserva Conchal is a gorgeous resort with ALL the amenities, excellent staff, relaxing beach

Tropical Sunset Sailing Adventure beautiful but needs safety instructions regarding location of life preserver.

Gulf of Papagayo is beautiful and relaxing. The staff very professional and welcoming.

Thankfully the roads back to LIR were much better! Thanks KIMKIM!

We visited CR for 8 days and traveled to La Fortuna/Arenal, Monteverde and Manual Antonio. Creating the itinerary was very easy. Transfers to and from every location were on time with friendly drivers/guides.
Hotel in La Fortuna (Lomas del Volcan) was beautiful and amazing. Grounds were lovely and food was wonderful. Loved the hot springs and Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari. The hike up to the volcano (El Silencio hike) was not impressive and not as described. This was the only guide the entire trip who seemed like he didn't want to be there.
Enjoyed the Rainforest chocolate tour - it exceeded our expectations.
Shuttle and lake crossing to Monteverde = lake was beautiful, but roads were tedious.
Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco: not as nice or roomy as first hotel. Nice staff, decent breakfast, clean.
Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde: nicely run and enthusiastic guide. Just rained so hard that we didn't get to see much.
Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining: very unique zip lining adventure - beautiful and well run. The zip lines were very long and high above the tree tops, and also had a "Tarzan" swing. Great guides. Hanging bridges were lovely.
Hotel Playa Espadilla in Monteverde was pretty standard, small room, just ok food, clean. Staff was friendly.
Catamaran Adventure with Snorkeling in Manual Antonio was on a huge boat with about 50 other people. Enjoyed the ride and swimming. No snorkeling because there was no visibility due to rain/sediment issues which was disappointing. Had to eat lunch back at the marina because waves were too choppy. Nice and professional staff.
Transfers to and from San Jose airport were on time, comfortable with experienced drivers.

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First of all many thanks to Gustavo from KimKim for working with us patiently to plan such a fabulous vacation. Thanks to Gregg to setting up all the appointments and responding quickly on chat while we were on the trip.

Call out to Jacamar Team especially James who was both on the river cruise as well as the white water rafting.

The night walk in La Fortuna is a must. We saw so many frogs!!

The treetop zip line experience in Monteverde was amazing. I close my eyes and can re live the experience flying through the clouds.

Treetop dining was superb experience.

Lastly the beach at the W in playa conchal was just decadent - hands down the best service on the beach!!

Overall wonderful vacation. Thanks Kimkim team!!

We had an amazing time in Costa Rica thanks to the team at Serendipity Adventures. This was our first time using a travel agency to help us plan a trip, and we loved it! We worked with Bryan to identify a great itinerary for our 10-day honeymoon in Costa Rica. Bryan and the team did not disappoint! Nancy and Bryan took care of everything before the trip and worked with Wilman once in Costa Rica. He even popped over to say hi and meet us after our coffee tour!

Everyone on the team was communicative and easy to work with. They answered all of our questions and were happy to help with everything. We didn't experience a single problem with our reservations or with the quality of hotels/activities the entire time we were there.

It was clear that they work with some of the best locals and local businesses in Costa Rica and I wouldn't hesitate to use them again for another trip to Costa Rica!

Holden and the Serendipity Adventures team were great. Everything we asked for in the trip was included. Our trip included many transports of various kinds and we were amazed that it was so well coordinated.
We very much enjoyed the Arenal Moana and the Koora Hotel in Monteverde. The river rafting trip in La Fortuna was the favorite activity of all three generations in our group.
Thanks Holden and Serendipity!

My sisters and I had an amazing experience with your crew! From pick up to drop off it was well organized and planned. We could not have asked for a better experience, your staff in every step of the way were professional and prompt.

We highly recommend anyone who is not sure how to plan a trip to Costa Rica to book with you!!!

Thank you, thank you again. For our next vacation and experience we are already considering your services.

Hotel Reviews

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Great place. The rooms could use a little bit of an upgrade but it was very clean and grounds along with hot springs were super enjoyable!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

Great location and quaint hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Safari Float & Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal 1968 Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Sailing Excursion

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Magical First Trip to Costa Rica!

My husband and I just returned from our first trip to Costa Rica and it was truly unforgettable! We visited La Fortuna, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio, and every stop was filled with beauty, adventure, and incredible experiences.

In La Fortuna, we stayed at Amor Arenal, a stunning jungle hotel with private jacuzzis and breathtaking volcano views—pure luxury in nature. We loved our adventures there, including rafting, horseback riding, and spotting sloths in the wild.

Next, we headed to Monteverde, where we enjoyed a scenic road trip and a private tour of the Cloud Forest with Andy, whose passion for nature made the experience so memorable. Our night tour was equally exciting—we even saw tarantulas!

We ended our journey in Manuel Antonio at Arenas Del Mar, a beautiful beachfront resort with amazing food, service, and wildlife (hello hermit crabs!). We explored the national park and relaxed on the beach, soaking in every moment.

A heartfelt thank you to Holden and his team at Serendipity Tours, and to Kimkim.com for helping us plan such a well-organized, enriching, and fun trip. We’re so grateful and already dreaming of going back!

Pura Vida!