Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

If you are looking for a stress-free and reasonably-priced itinerary to Costa Rica, look no further than Kim Kim. From the very beginning of planning and customizing the itinerary, Olman was immediately responsive to my questions and concerns. The planning was transparent with information about hotels and activities. We felt confident going into the trip. We were then handed off to Graciela who was our contact in-country. The great communication continued. Our private driver Leo was the star of our trip, though. So gracious, so patient, such a wonderful lovely man who went out of his way to make our trip special by taking us to great restaurants and working in new things we wanted to do.

Prior to signing up with Kim Kim, I checked out several other tours that frequently come up on Google. We started in San Jose, stayed a few days in La Fortuna, moved onto Monteverde, and ended in Samara. So many logistics that these trips can get very expensive quickly. But, we found Kim Kim to be both accommodating and reasonably priced. I would use them again in a heartbeat.

Hotel Reviews

Leyenda Boutique Hotel and Spa

Hojancha Guanacaste

Very nice hotel outside the touristy areas of Samara. There was a beautiful courtyard area, with a beautiful pool and playground for young children. The rooms were spacious with a mini-fridge and large clean bathroom. There are two restaurants advertised at the hotel - This is critical because there are no restaurants within walking distance to the hotel. The lobby hotel was very good - very responsive and yummy dishes. The second restaurant - Hachidori - was marketed as an "asiatic" restaurant with sushi, ramen, and pad thai on the menu. Our experience was astoundingly bad (thus the three stars) - we waited 2 hours for our food, the food was barely edible, and we even didn't get our entire meals. It took us an hour to figure out that the food was being cooked at the lobby restaurant and walked over to Hachidori. Clearly the cooks didn't know how to cook this cuisine and there was no expediting to this restaurant. This experience, while isolated, defined our experience at this hotel.

Hotel Cipreses

Monteverde

Family run hotel which had a very nice personal homey feeling. The rooms did not have air conditioning. The December temperature was in the high 60s and low 70s so we didn't need cooling, but it was rainy and humid. I would refer to this hotel as a "budget" level hotel.

Hotel Magic Mountain

Fortuna

This was a perfect hotel for an 11-party group. The breakfast buffet included an omelet station which was really nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whitewater Rafting Sarapiqui River (Class II -III)

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great adventure! We went at the end of the rainy season and the water was high! We've been on several white water rafting trips and this one was the most thrilling! Our guide, Carl, was super professional and calm. He gave great instructions and literally navigated us through rough waters. My only negative was that it was a gigantic group with numerous rafts going at the same time. But, when one raft flipped over, I appreciated how the other guides stopped and helped.

Arenal Volcano Canyoning Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Absolutely the best activity we did in Costa Rica - The perfect blend of water, rappelling, and zip lining. Guides were very professional and we felt safe the entire time. Our family does a lot of adventure activities on vacation, and we have experienced nothing like this before. Lunch was great too! Just do it. You won't regret it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Arenal Volcano & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

What a great nature walk at the volcano. Our guide, Franklin, was very knowledgeable about the wildlife and plant life. We learned a lot about each plant and their medicinal properties. Unfortunately, it was rainy and foggy that day and we couldn't see the volcano.

Kimkim and our local specialist, Olman, made planning and traveling for our Costa Rican vacation easy and stress free. The hotels and excursions that Olman recommended were perfect and appropriate for the needs of our family of four (which included two teenagers). I will definitely use Kimkim again for any future international trips.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Charming hotel located right next to shops and food.

Authenticity & Character

Complementary drinks provided in fridge, great pool and hot tub as well as a fire pit for roasting marshmallows

Location

Great location!

Staff

Staff were very nice and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well maintained

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

The private beach was amazing and the staff were wonderful and helpful. I will stay here again on my next trip to Costa Rica!

Authenticity & Character

We had easy access to the beach and ocean and also to the rainforests

Location

Beach was right next to National Park and full of services. Our kids took surf lessons from Waterdogs. I enjoyed a massage on the beach. My daughter and I got our hair braided on the beach and there was even a vendor selling coconut water in a coconut! The hotel and beach had monkeys and a sloth in the trees!

Staff

Staff could not have been more kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Service staff cleaned the rooms daily and replaced beach towels each time

Activity Reviews

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

Our favorite experience of the trip. Suspension bridges were thrilling and we saw a tarantula in the rainforest. The ziplining was exhilarating. The staff were supportive and provided for our safety. Ziplining into the cloud forest was such a thrill.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

My husband and I visited this 20 years ago on our honeymoon and it was just as we remembered it but better!

Quality of Experience

Food

Drinks were delicious and decorative. We enjoyed the buffet dinner and it had a wide array of choices.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was truly wonderful - This was our 1st time visiting Costa Rica and we felt welcomed and well taken care of throughout our time there.
Planning and booking: My experience working with Yuliana was great. Her model of asking for our input and then providing suggestions and guidance was super helpful. We planned a 9-10 day tour (flying in and out of Liberia), and our group of 8 included family members in their 80's, 70's, 50's, and a 20 year old. We wanted to get a sense of different parts of the country so we visited Arenal, Tortuguero, Puerto Viejo, San Jose, and Monte Verde. Yuliana helped plan accordingly and found both accommodations and activities to meet a wide range of interests and abilities. Yuliana was patient and very flexible as we made adjustments and tweaked travel plans. She went above and beyond our expectations with some last minute add-ons that really made our experience memorable. She responded quickly and answered our questions and addressed our concerns. We had a detailed itinerary in hand with activities, travel, and lodging clearly laid out in advance of the trip for everyone to review. The itinerary included confirmation numbers for lodging and activities and phone contact numbers. (I would encourage anyone traveling to Costa Rica who has a similar itinerary to print a hard copy to take with you as part of the wonder of our trip was being in remote natural areas where there is not always internet or cell service).
Trip Itself: Once we arrived in Costa Rica Yuliana had arranged for our transport and drivers through a company called Amazilia Travel. I cannot say enough good things about this company. Graciela was out point of contact in the office with Amazilia Travel and was excellent. She was available when needed, answered questions quickly, and anticipated our needs during the trip. During our trip we had 2 drivers, Leo and Adrien. They were fantastic. I recommend both without hesitation. Not only are they talented drivers, they have vast knowledge of the country and areas in which we traveled and were happy to engage in conversation and answer questions. While most of the trip went very smoothly we did run into a few minor issues. That said, both Leo and Adrien went out of their way to resolve the issues quickly making extra calls and inquires as needed.
Overall a fantastic experience.

Hotel Reviews

Monteverde Country Lodge

Monteverde

This lodge is absolutely beautiful. The grounds are picturesque and the birds that we saw (toucans, toucanets, motmots, bluegrey tanagers) were fantastic. Staff was fantastic, food was delicious. We were truly welcomed and made to feel at home and cared for.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful, quaint, relaxing and comfortable. Excellent restaurant.

Location

We loved the location. We were not, however close to town. This made for a wonderful feeling of being out in the wild and for seeing birds and creatures right on the grounds. However, if you don't have a vehicle or a private driver, it could be difficult to get back and forth to town.

Staff

Some of the more friendly, courteous, professional, and helpful people we had the pleasure of meeting on our trip.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Auténtico Hotel

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

The hotel location is good. That said it is not close to downtown and it is not on any public transit routes, so unless your group has a private driver, be ready for a lengthy walk (took us 40 minutes to walk to Central Market) or to pay for an uber or taxis.

Staff

Staff were friendly and professional, very welcoming and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cariblue Beach & Jungle Resort

South Puerto Viejo

The combination of location (in the jungle, but right across the street from the beach) and the beauty of the grounds itself make it a wonderful place to stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We loved the location! That said, if you want to be within easy walking distance of town, this hotel is a bit far out.

Staff

Staff was helpful, polite, and professional. They spoke bot English and Spanish which was helpful for our group most of whom have very limited Spanish.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pachira Lodge

Tortuguero

The lodge is designed in a way that you feel you are in the jungle. We saw both Howlers and Spider monkeys up close on the lodge grounds. Additionally we saw sloths, Jesus Christ Lizard, Toucans, Bare Throated Tiger Herons, and leaf cutter ants without leaving the lodge

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff here went out of their way to take care of us. Very friendly and attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Keep in mind the lodge is in the middle of a jungle, so if you don't want to hear the sounds of monkeys and other creatures at night, this is not the place for you - that said our rooms were clean and spacious, and the beds were comfortable. The rooms do not have A/C, but at least in December when we were there, the evenings cooled off nicely and the ceiling fans kept us comfortable.

Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

The character of this hotel with the view of Arenal, the lush grounds filled with tropical plants and the hots springs gives the whole lodge/hotel a feeling of natural beauty and awe. We saw birds on the hotel grounds that we didn't see anywhere else during our trip.

Location

The view of Arenal from this hotel is spectacular.

Staff

Everyone was attentive and willing to help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cloud Forest Reserve Hike

Monteverde

Our guide, Andrey was phenomenal. Knew so many things and was able to show us a huge variety of both animal and plant life on the way. As with other hikes, we would have missed so much if not for him.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour: Cahuita National Park Excursion

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Our tour guide Carlos was excellent. Very knowledgeable and helped us see so many things we would not have if we had gone on our own. The wildlife and plant life were stunning. The only thing we were not able to do was to try snorkeling - but we knew the odds of doing that were low given the time of year of our visit (Dec).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy the Beauty of Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero

Provided an experience were we truly felt we were out in the jungle and interactions with animals we didn't find anywhere else. We absolutely recommend a boat tour of the park. It is the only location in Costa Rica where we saw Spider, Howler and Capuchin monkeys all in the same day. It was also a great way to see both cayman and crocodiles. Our guide, Marco, and the captain of boat, Michael were both excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

We toured with Franklin, he was fantastic. Knowledgeable and entertaining, he providing facinating facts and information about the volcano and the plants and animals we encountered on the hike. We would absolutely recommend him. He also helped us spot both toucans and sloths while in transit from the park to our restuarant.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All of the tours and guides were very good. There was a mix-up with the pick-up time for one tours, which was very frustrating and quite an inconvenience on the day of. To her credit Graciela got it sorted out for us.
The horseback riding tour to La Fortuna Falls was good, however they should allow an additional 30 minutes at the falls. We barely had any time to see the falls and swim before it was time to go. Otherwise, it was a good tour.
Also, we would suggest booking the catamaran out of Tamarindo instead of a marina one hour drive away. There were catamarans sailing right off the beach in Tamarindo. The long drive each way added an additional two hours round trip.

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham

Tamarindo

Gorgeous view, beautiful pool area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Magic Mountain

Fortuna

Beautiful view of the volcano. Lovely grounds. Good breakfast. Nice pool area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

William at the front desk was very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Inn San José by Radisson

San José

The pool area was under construction, so it was not available for our enjoyment.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Catamaran Sailing Excursion & Snorkeling

Costa Rica

The catamaran tour was excellent. Good drinks, food, music and service. The only downside was the drive (almost an hour each was from Tamarindo). Suggest booking a catamaran tour closer to Tamarindo.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Silencio Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Guide (Monica) for the hike was excellent. The hot springs were amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

This tour has the potential to be excellent with a few modifications. The guides were supposed to point out sites along the ride which, they did not. One guide could not speak any English at all. Also, we did not have enough time at the Falls. The time should be extended by about 20-30 minutes. Also - very important ! - tell people to bring water shoes as it hard to walk around in the water around the falls without water shoes. On a positive note, the pineapple after the falls was a nice bonus. The guide that did speak English was very young (only 15) and was trying very hard. With some training, he could be very good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari

Arenal/La Fortuna

It was our guide's first time on her own and she did a great job. Guide and the boat driver worked very hard to spot animals.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting on the Pacuare River

Costa Rica

Amazing experience from beginning to end. Great guides, great food, great service.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Had a great experience booking the trip with Kim Kim. Yuliana was amazing to work with. She was very patient as we planned with various options and extremely prompt in responding to our queries.

Our trip was very memorable. Kim Kim travel transportation partners were always on time and the guides were knowledgeable and ever so friendly.

Thanks to Kim Kim and the entire staff in making the trip memorable that we will cherish forever.

Also want to thank Graciela who responded promptly my questions during the trip and especially to accommodate our request to go to San Jose airport earlier to enable us to return back a day earlier.

Only feedback is to to set expectations for waiting for checkin at the hotels as 2 of the 3 hotels we reached earlier than 3 pm check in time and had to wait in the lobby and store our bags with reception.

Thanks again!

Hotel Reviews

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Very good premises and restaurant was excellent. Loved the thermal pool. Staff was very attentive and friendly

Authenticity & Character

Location

Secluded quiet rooms

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Slightly dated

Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

A little dated hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ac was very good

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to restaurants and shopping.

Staff

Some were friendly but some not so much.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, comfortable rooms

Activity Reviews

Damas Island Boat Tour

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

T

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

Liked that the guide took the time to show the wildlife

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zip Lining - Hanging Bridges & Aerial Tram

Arenal/La Fortuna

Excellent experience. Was comforted with safety aspects

Quality of Experience

Food

The include lunch was very basic

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Excellent entertaining guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Almost everything was perfect with the trip, all the hotels were great. Enjoyed all the tours we went on except the kayaking, the guide was only ok

Activity Reviews

Whitewater Rafting on the Pacuare River - Transfer to La Fortuna

Costa Rica

Guide was excellent the instructions we get were very helpful.the trip was a blast!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges & Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

The guide was very good and the tour was interesting, my only complaint was it rained the whole time

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Damas Island Mangrove Kayaking

Costa Rica

The guide was not that good, he did not give us clear instructions were we were going and what we wanted to see. There was just me and my partner so there was no excuse for him not paying attention to us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All were great except the kayaking one

Transport

They came on time and got us to where we needed to go

Again, working with KimKim was a fun and rewarding experience. Planning the trip went well as great help was provided in selecting hotels and an itinerary. The hotels we stayed in were beautiful with excellent service and beautiful unique environments. We planned a number of day trips. In each case, the guides were friendly, knowledgeable and excellent. This includes a river trip, nature walk and snorkeling trip. Each guide was great, making each trip fun and memorable. We also received daily interactions with KimKim overseeing that everything went well.

Hotel Reviews

W Costa Rica - Reserva Conchal

Guanacaste

Cool hotel. Great vibe. Areas for adults only. Great view of bay. Relaxing room geared for a fun time. Food was very good

Authenticity & Character

Location

Somewhat of a pain driving in and out of the area. But close to treat restaurants and beaches.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

We had a room with an unobstructed view of the volcano. Very cool. Everyone we interacted with was very friendly and knowledgeable. Food was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to restaurants and events.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guanacaste Snorkel Adventure

Costa Rica

Great guides. Very focused on our comfort and safety.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Nature Walk at Ecological Park & Butterfly Garden Danaus

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very interesting. Great knowledgeable guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Very informative and fun. Better than I expected. Great guide. Funny and energetic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Safari Float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

Fun morning floating down river. Nice snacks. Great guide. Amazon big how they can Find animals and birds

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My son and I truly enjoyed our adventure in Costa Rica. Olman put together a nice trip plan for us, and we appreciated his flexibility in changing the itinerary to better suit our needs. When all was said and done, we did hiking, hot springs, kayaking, lake crossing on a boat, and ziplining. We also squeezed in our own visit to the waterfall. All of our drivers were on time and, aside from one packed and stuffy ride heading to the lake crossing, the vans were comfy, especially Interbus. The tour guides were knowledgeable, and everyone whom we interacted with was friendly. It was great having breakfast included at each accommodation, and having all the hotels be so different enriched the experience. We loved glamping in Arenal, the mountain hotel in Monteverde, and the small hotel near the beach - what a cool combination it provided, and ending at the beach was perfect. Even though we didn't see many animals up close (aside from a capuchin monkey and a caiman), it was interesting to hear what the guides had to say about the animals, and seeing the sloth from the binoculars was cool. Finally, everyone in the office was so responsive - whether speaking with Graciela or Adriana at dawn regarding our lost luggage or communicating with Olman to clarify with one of our hotels that breakfast was indeed included - we couldn't have been more pleased. We didn't have to worry about a thing, and everyone associated with our trip knew how to get a hold of us via Whatsapp to provide excellent communication along the way. Thank you, Olman and KimKim!

We are so greatful to have had the help of Holden, Wilman and Nancy from Serendipity Adventures in planning our dream trip to Costa Rica. From the start of planning our trip, to the last day of our trip, the Serendipity team were amazing communicators and facilitators of our adventures. From keeping us organized to anticipating any potential problems (there were none), we are so greateful to have had their help.

Hotel Reviews

Grano de Oro Hotel

San José

Great location to kick off our trip in CR. Food and staff were amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort by Hyatt

Guanacaste

Beautiful location with incredible service and views of Papagayo!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Belmar

Monteverde

Great location with amazing food and views!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nayara Tented Camp

Fortuna

One of the must stunning and well-amenitied properties I have stayed at in my life.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pacuare Lodge by Böëna

Pacuare

One of the most fun and beautiful loding experiences of our lives. The activites and the rafting adventure were amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Arenal Volcano & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was the least "authentic" activity we had the entire trip and I would not recommend spending over half a day on these canned excursions.

Quality of Experience

Food

food at the local Soda was decent, but felt forced having to spend more time with our guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

guide was not our favoriate. just a bad vibe/fit

Transport

The best idea I had was letting Serendipity plan my first trip to this beautiful country of Costa Rica. We just told the team we wanted an off-the-beaten track nature trip with hiking, animals and beaches. And boy did they deliver!! Whether it was a coffee tour, the kayak trip down the forested stream watching birds, chasing quetzals or spotting sloths and iguanas, we were in the best place and in the most gorgeous places, thanks to Serendipity. I fully recommend them!!

Activity Review

Kayak Adventure & Rainforest Hike in Punta Uva

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Amazing trip in the most beautiful place with the best guide: Ricardo was Fantastic and such a naturalist!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All of our drivers were amazing. Thank you Cristian, Alex, Mario, and Jorge for driving us safely around Costa Rica and telling us all about your beautiful country. The highlight was the night hike at Sukia Park with Juan and the guided hike through Manuel Antonio with Sosio.

Hotel Review

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

The food was tremendous and the people so friendly. The ground and pools were amazing!

Authenticity & Character

The hot springs, food, and great service.

Location

Beautiful hot springs

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Lookout Tram, Ziplines, & Hanging Bridges Combination Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So friendly, safe drivers, and shared tons of info about the country.

Transport

This is my second trip through KIMKIM and everything ran perfectly. Not one snag in the whole week we spent in Costa Rica. Big shout out to Serendipity Adventures for handling everything locally. Our guides Alex and Mauricio were friendly, knowledgeable and fantastic company. We even managed to do everything we planned in between the many rain drops.

From beginning to end, the team at KIMKIM was on top of every question and worked with me to make whatever changes we needed to. I highly recommend working with them. I know I will again wherever I wander around the world.

Activity Reviews

Morning Sailing and Snorkeling Adventure

Costa Rica

Wonderful day sail to a secluded beach. The Captain and his crew were fun and friendly. The other guests were lovely and it was a relaxing day at sea.

Quality of Experience

Only lost a star due to weather. The rains and churned up the seas and the snorkeling was not good. No one's fault, except mother nature.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lake Arenal Sunset Cruise with Wine & Cheese

Arenal/La Fortuna

Even though the weather was very threatening, we had a wonderful time. We had the whole boat to ourselves and our guide even serenaded us. He had a beautiful voice. And luckily, the rains didn't begin until we stepped off the boat.

Quality of Experience

Lost one star due to weather - not the service.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was another amazing trip with the kimkim team! They use the most professional local guides and drivers and made everything effortless for us. All of our planned activities were exactly what we were looking for and the hotels were exceptional. We will only use kimkim for our international travel because of the customization to what we want and quality of everyone involved!

Aft 87 years of age I experienced my goal of zip lining. It was wonderful and the guides exceptional. When we were unable to visit Manuel Antonio Park due to weather agents at Serendipity were quickly able to Schedual a wonderful cooking class.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Hotel appeared a bit tired and could use slime upgrading.

Location

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

A beautiful relaxing casita. With total privacy. Wonder accommodations, hot springs and buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Tucked inside the jungle as one would expect in Costa Rica.

Location

Convenient to many activities.

Staff

Responsiveness to requests and always upbeat and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

The Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk was a disappointment, with only two out of five or so bridges open due to maintenance. The experience wasn't as spectacular as expected, and we didn't feel we got our money's worth.

Sunset Sailing Cruise on the Brisa Elegante

Costa Rica

Nice to be able to have this final relaxing event.

Quality of Experience

Food

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

In my life bucket list. Done at 87 years of age.

Night Excursion in Rainforest and Wild Frog Sanctuary

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very authentic and informative. Saw much nightlife I would not have seen on my own.

The KimKim team helped make planning our Costa Rica honeymoon amazing! We gave them our budget and what all we wanted to do and they made it happen! It was so easy and so nice to have every detail planned out for you. It was so helpful to have a point of contact during our trip as well. Will be using KimKim for all our trips from here on out!

Our driver Alex, from Serendipity was fantastic. His knowledge of culture, the land, and food was vast. His personality was an ease and delight to be around.
Our hotel in Arenal/La Fortuna, Hotel Arenal Kioro was gorgeous. The view from your bed is a beautiful volcano.
The food and hospitality, exceptional.
Our excursions from Serendipity were so much fun with truly knowledgeable guides. Zip lining, national park tours, a nite walk, visiting waterfalls, kayaking through the Mangroves, a boat ride crossing a lake, who could ask for more.
The weather was rainy but the people who we encountered were all sunny and bright. I can't forget to mention the animals we were able to get up close and personal with. ( sloths, white faced monkeys, spider monkeys, Howler monkeys, tucans, other birds( we saw a rare sighting of the Resplendant Quetzal, thanks to our guide Andy ), snakes, and so many more.
We visited Arenal/La fortuna, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio. I believe we encompassed all the fun and beautiful zones in Costa Rica, thanks to Kim Kim's recommendations.
Thank you Kim Kim and Serendipity for a lifetime of beautiful memories.

Hotel Review

Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa

Fortuna

Beautiful Hotel. From your bed you have a view of the volcano. Hospitality and food are exceptional. Outdoor natural hot spring, not as hot as I thought they would be but still beautiful and relaxing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Each room has a view of the volcano

Staff

So nice and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

housekeeping did an amazing job

Activity Reviews

Cloud Forest Reserve Privately Guided Hike

Monteverde

our guide Andy was so knowledgeable !!! From animals to plants, what an experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

We had so much fun learning about coffee and chocolate. Your guide takes you from picking a cocoa bean, roasting, grinding, adding vanilla and cane sugar, to eating. Coffee tour very informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lookout Tram, Ziplines, & Hanging Bridges Combination Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Guides made the experience fun and exciting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When we were planning the trip, it was a lot of back and forth but okay overall. But when floods came and we had to make changes, Jean Carlo was slow to react and had no real expertise to offer. I actually said, Jean Carlo, you live here I need your recommendations on this. He would say "we've been in contact with the transport company throughout the day" but then have no updates. Finally, we started communicating with the driver directly.

Basically, the company is fine as a trip consolidator- putting together day trips and transport. Although with how good websites are, we could have actually done that on our own. But if you are looking for real travel expertise and support, look elsewhere.

Alex is an amazing driver! Long rides went fast due to his knowledge and experiences in life. Some other things need improvement though.

Accommodations were very good except at the Lapas Jungle Lodge. While the atmosphere was great, the rooms and meals were below average. Room had a hot water issue, hot tub was not hot and only 1 of 7 jets worked, ongoing construction, and staff morale seemed low. I would not use this hotel until the new ownership has finished refurbish.

Most excursions were awesome, but the descriptions could be better. Even their websites are pretty vague. The night walk was great but our guide was not engaging and seemed impatient. Same with the ATV guide. While nice people, it felt like they were just going through the motions.

The 2nd half of our itinerary was lacking in accurate (or at all) descriptions. We made it work, but wanted to bring it up for future guests.

Finally, Bryan's attention to detail needs improvement. He miscommunicated several times on, what I thought, were some pretty easy tasks. I'm sure it's a fast paced job, but this was the down season.

Overall we loved our trip but would not book through Serendipity again.

Hotel Reviews

Celeste Mountain Lodge

Bijagua

This is more like a B&B, but that is what's charming about it. Very clean and well maintained. The food is great, and an excellent value! We ate all but one of our meals there.

Authenticity & Character

Very relaxing atmosphere

Location

Don't miss out on their private hiking path, it was the highlight of our trip!

Staff

The staff seemed like family and all did a wonderful job.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean and orderly. Quiet and relaxing, I recommend a fan if you are not used to an open air room without A/C, we did just fine with a 10" fan on the days without a breeze. And we slept really well enjoying the night sounds.

Villa Lapas Rainforest Eco-Resort

Tárcoles

They are in the middle of new ownership and they need to finish their construction before I would recommend. The grounds are great though!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Jungle Crocodile Safari

Costa Rica

We can't review because our Serendipity manager was not very attentive, he seemed disengaged and not too effective at his job.

River Tubing on the Río Celeste

Bijagua / Rio Celeste

Great guide, very patient and upbeat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fun guys, went out of their way to give extra time and effort. Well done, gentlemen!

Tapir Valley Nature Reserve Night Walk

Bijagua / Rio Celeste

Fantastic experience, the nature reserve has well maintained paths and structures.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide seemed overly focused on moving rather than enjoying. Not all tourists want to run at night, in a hot climate, to maybe see an animal. Many of us just want to be out there soaking up the atmosphere. Perhaps ask your group what they value.

Transport

Serendipity manager fumbled the transport. Many thanks to our hotel hosts for finding a alternate driver quickly. But this set off a chain reaction where our tour guide seemed annoyed and in a rush.

Arenal ATV Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

It was fun and we'd do it again with a different trail(s). We could have done without the "back 40" mud drive, it was not very big and not that interesting. Once in the mountains, the views were amazing, but not much of a chance to enjoy (eg slow down, pull over, etc. It was more about the ride than the scenery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff was great, especially the young lady at reception, our guide was nice but could have been more attentive.

Transport

Driver was fun and engaging, in fact he was the one who noticed my phone/rain issue...well done!

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Rafting Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

Nice float and our raft guide was excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had an incredible trip to Costa Rica, and I cannot recommend it enough! My coordinator, Olman, did an amazing job organizing everything. One of the most unforgettable highlights of the trip was witnessing the incredible diversity of wildlife throughout the country, especially in Monteverde and Manuel Antonio, which were absolutely breathtaking.

My driver, Alex, was exceptional. He shared fascinating insights about Costa Rican wildlife, culture, cuisine, and daily life, making the journey informative and engaging. His knowledge and friendliness added so much value to the experience.

Overall, this trip was a perfect blend of adventure and learning. I left Costa Rica with a deeper appreciation for its natural beauty and culture, thanks to the excellent coordination and guidance from Olman and Alex.

Olman was so patient and responsive to all my questions. He listened to our requests about a specific type of itinerary and made great suggestions. The activities he suggested were perfect for my 10 year old and myself. The accommodations in both Puerto Viejo and Arenal La Fortuna were just what we wanted!