Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

KimKim was recommended by one of my friend.We wanted to make Costa rica trip a unforgettable one. We are so happy to work with Jessica. She understood our family requirements and she had provided more detailed by each and organized each activities/tours with great tour guides. She was available all the times and responed so quickly. she had worked with great tour companies in costa rica -Jacabar Naturasist tours and provided great help .

Overall we had an amazing trip and felt very safe in new country . we are fortunate and extremely lucky to work with Jessica for our Cost Rica trip.
we would strongly recommend to use Kimkim for your trip planner/orgaziser

Activity Review

Arenal Volcano Hike & The Springs Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Must do acitivites in Costa Rica. we thoroughly enjoyed the hikd and Hot Springs

Quality of Experience

We enjoyed natural hot at Springs Resorts

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jacamar Tours guide is very knowledgeable

Transport

Had an amazing trip to Costa Rica thanks to Olman. I would never have figured out the logostics myself with rental cars pick up and how to get around costa rica effectivly. Will recommend the white water rafting to everyone. That is an amazin 30 km trip down the pacuare river.

Terrific trip: Lake Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio
Olman planned the perfect trip for us. We had a wonderful time and visited La Fortuna/Lake Arenal, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio. We got to see rainforest, jungle, the beaches, and everything in between. I was nervous about all of the driving, but we approached it as part of the adventure. Our trip was heavy on nature and animals, some adventure, and a little bit of relaxing, which is exactly what I asked for when reaching out to KimKim.
I was especially impressed with the Tabacon Resort and thermal springs and the Los Altos Resort. We also really enjoyed the bike ride around Lake Arenal and the ziplining/hanging bridges in Monteverde.

Thanks for a terrific trip!
Erica Z

Nuria went way beyond in helping me plan trip. She even made several suggestions that were definitely much needed.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Kokoro Mineral Hot Springs

La Fortuna

The location and setting were amazing with views of Arenal Volcano. I stayed in a stand-alone bungalow that was very comfortable. The staff were simply wonderful. The only negative was that the jacuzzi was drained but the natural hot mineral pools were excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Views of Arenal Volcano nestled in the jungle.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham

Tamarindo

The hotel is on a hill over looking the ocean. They offer an hourly shuttle but only to two different inconvenient locations. Also because it faces west for the incredible view there is no shade around the pool. The bed was very comfortable but the only covering was a very thick comforter so I asked for a lighter cover and they brought another heavy comforter.

Authenticity & Character

A very upscale hotel but not a lot of authenticity.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Volcano Horseback Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

So so ride mostly through a flat open field.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was by far the best zipline experience I've had!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float

Arenal/La Fortuna

I was pleasantly surprised to be the only one on the raft with the guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and friendly, pointing out things along the way I never would've seen. He also went into detail about these sights. At the end of the very relaxing float he took me to an eco farm for snacks made entirely from ingredients from the farm.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling at the Catalina Islands

Costa Rica

This was billed as snorkling but really was a scuba trip that catered mostly to the scuba divers. The snorklers felt unimportant. There was no instruction on using the equipment.

Quality of Experience

This is the fault of the tour but the water was extremely choppy and not clear at all. I sat out the 2nd snorkle due to the water choppiness.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

More attention to the snorklers. My tube was faulty and the guy in the water with us didnt understand and kept trying to adjust the mask.

Transport

Palo Verde Jungle Boat Tour & Guaitil Pottery

Costa Rica

The boat engine was so loud and the guide sat at the front talking with a group of photographers. I had to ask many times what he was talking about. Also it was billed as visiting an authentic Guantil Village to observe the generations old pottery making. There was no visit but a single guy who set up a table in the cafe where we lunched. He made a small clay pot and showed us photographs of the painting process. Very lame.

Quality of Experience

Food

The authentic meal at the end of the boat ride was very tasty (chicken, rice, beans) but by the time the chicken dish came to me there was only a skimpy leg. I asked for a bigger piece that all the others had but there was none.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver informed us there would be 1 maybe 2 stops. The 1st stop was a quick restroom break where he announced 10 minutes. The 2nd was at a souvenir shop/cafeteria. I thought it would be another 10 minute restroom stop but after a long time I couldn't find him so I asked another tourist and she said she didn't know how long the break was but the driver was in the cafeteria having lunch!!!

Transport

Jean Carlo really made sure our honeymoon was planned perfectly! Everything went very well and we had the best time in Costa Rica! Can't believe it's over already :(

Hotel Reviews

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, San Jose Aeropuerto

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the airport but not very close to the city

Staff

Staff was very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pachira Lodge

Tortuguero

The lodge itself was really nice, but not as much privacy as we would have liked. You can hear your neighbors extremely clearly and the wall dividing the rooms don't go up all the way. Other than that, the pool was really nice to relax at and we were able to see plenty of wildlife at the lodge itself. We were greeted by some monkeys right outside of our room which was a pleasant surprise!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

The resort was so nice! We had issues with the key card when we first checked in, but the hotel staff resolved the issue right away and had someone come up to the room to give us our new key cards. The room itself is a bit away from the restaurant, pools and main lobby but they had shuttle come around and pick us up and we didn't mind walking a couple times to get a nice workout in. The food was amazing and the hot springs at the resort was so much fun to relax and visit.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

This hotel was so nice! It was extremely clean and the staff were all so nice and helpful. We loved feeling like we were out in nature but also was just a few minutes walk from restaurants and souvenir shops. The wifi was spotty at our room, but the staff told us in advance that they were having some wifi issues due to the high winds the area had been impacted by. It wasn't too much of a problem and was nice to disconnect from the outside world for a few days while we stayed here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Zip Line (Canopy) Monteverde

Monteverde

I love heights and getting an adrenaline rush so this activity was right up my alley. I had done zip lining before but this was really a great experience. The longer zip lines was truly amazing and really felt like you were flying across the forest. They also have different options for those who are more adventurous called the Superman where you zip line on your stomach and the Tarzan Swing which is like a mini bungee jump almost.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit to the Tortuguero Village

Tortuguero

The visit to the village was nice. I think we were just exhausted from the travel that we would have liked to be able to get settled in a bit more before we had to go on the guided visit. Also because it is not the busy tourist season, it was a bit sparse and we probably would have been ok if we stayed for only an hour instead of the full two hours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Exploration of Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero

The Tortuguero national park was a fun tour to check out. We saw a lot of different animals and birds. We weren't prepared with binoculars so we didn't get the best views of the animals. It was very impressive that the guide was able to spot animals from so far away. Being on a boat for the tour was a nice little touch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall & Arenal Volcano Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was probably our most favorite tour during our entire Costa Rica trip! Our guide, Alfredo, was the best! He was able to give us so much information and spot all kinds of snakes and animals. He was also very friendly and would joke around a lot which made the whole experience very enjoyable. He also recommended we eat at the end of the day which we greatly appreciated because the food was very heavy and we probably wouldn't have been as comfortable with the Waterfall if we had eaten before. The food was very delicious! Alfredo also made sure to pack some fruits and drinks for us as well as towels which we weren't expecting, so that was such a nice little touch!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cloud Forest Reserve Hike

Monteverde

We had such a good time on this tour. We told our guide Carlos that we wanted a more active hike so he was able to find the best route for us. At the beginning of our hike we saw two rare birds, the Quetzal. They were so beautiful and Carlos told us that about 10% of folks who come to the forest ever get a chance to see them so we were pleasantly surprised! It was also great seeing how excited he got when he spotted the birds! I told Carlos I also wanted to see the clouds and he said it might be tough but was able to find a good place for us to see the clouds which was really nice. We ended the hike at the cafe which also has hummingbird feeders and there were hummingbirds everywhere which was really cool to see up close!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Never would have been able to put this together myself. When I tried to determine where to go/what to do on my own I just got overwhelmed, but Yuliana put together an unforgettable trip. We had a great time with Mauricio (guide) and Fernando (transport). Really appreciate the expertise of all involved in planning and execution of this trip. Thanks so much!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Loved the atmosphere and the individual cabins. Walking the hills to the cabins was the only drawback, when you were already sore from hiking.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the atmosphere and the individual cabins

Location

seemed pretty centrally located to the activities that were planned

Staff

all were very kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

were very clean, beds creaked a little and the hills to walk to the cabins were a little steep when sore from hiking

Parador Nature Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

Was everything you wanted in a vacation stay -- food, drinks, pool, beach access, central to other places you might want to visit

Authenticity & Character

It was very comfortable even for a large "upscale" environment

Location

Central to area places to visit

Staff

Very kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel

San José

Cute little hotel for an overnight stay. Didn't get the opportunity to explore the area, so unable to report anything outside of rooms, receptions, and restaurant. Rooms were a little small for the amount of furniture in the room, but not a significant negative, just an opinion. Dinner in the restaurant was REALLY GOOD!!

Authenticity & Character

Staff

kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Had a good night sleep and was clean

Activity Reviews

Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was my favorite feature although the steps to get there and return were intimidating, it was worth it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The amount of knowledge of the area and the history....it was an educational experience

Transport

Fernando our driver

Arenal 1968 Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

The hot springs were awesome and relaxing, especially after 2 days of hiking. Was less impressed with the Arenal 1968 Hike, if I had know what it was fully, I would not have opted to do it, but thought it was a "had to do" activity....spent most of the time watching my steps to make sure I didn't slip and fall so even if there was a lot to see (which I don't think there was) I wasn't seeing anything but my feet. One of the younger member of our group did fall

Quality of Experience

Hot Springs was fun; 1968 Hike, not so much

Food

Dinner was good, but wasn't fully ready for a 6pm dinner (we had not eaten since breakfast) and some items were not at a proper temperature.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mauricio and Fernando were great!

Transport

Catamaran Adventure with Snorkeling

Manuel Antonio

Always love these...so relaxing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Although it is stated that drivers may not be bilingual, if the tour group is not bilingual, would be great to try to be sure there was a way to communicate. Makes it difficult to know what is going on when you can't converse with the person driving you to and from locations.

Transport

There was a mishap with the transport from the hotel where we were ready to go at the designated time and got picked up 45 minutes later. I had the hotel call to find out what was going on and had we known we could have stayed in the air conditioned room vs waiting in the open air (pretty warm) reception area. That transport took us to the Rescue, then we changed to another transport that was unmarked -- a little creepy when neither driver was biligual and we were not, so we really didn't know what was going on.

This was my first time using KimKim to plan my trip and I travel to over 20 countries so far.
Pros: I can say there is a huge advantage by using KimKim cause they connect you with a local travel specialist who knows the county very well and can advise on best things to do, best tours to take and get you the best deals!
Nuria, is a great specialist and she takes the time to customize your trip to what you like and want to do and tries her best to accommodate all your needs. We went back and forth several times to update and customize my itinerary and she replied very quickly in short notice and without any hesitation to help me plan my trip and answered every question I had. If you are lucky enough to work with her, I highly recommend her.

Cons: the only main downside I see with KimKim and honestly only thing that might prevent me from using it again is that they do not allow the travel specialist to provide the cost break down of your trip. This was a huge downside for me as it would not allow me to make informative decisions as what I would think is worth for the activities or tours I want to do. All I see is a package deal and cannot make informative decisions. For example, we love to do ziplining, but there would be decision making that I would want to do it, if I know the activity is $50 or $200! However, you can't see the breakdown, therefore you are making decisions blindly.

Tips: We loved the "El Tiger Waterfalls" in Monteverde and is a most see! As Nuria suggested, we did a by ourselves and did not get a guided tour. Because you want to take your time and really enjoy this wonderful place as you go through ~6 large waterfalls and several mini ones. Do the complete tour which comes with a 3km hours back ride at the end which is wonderful.
We also loved the "Manuel Antonio National Park", however, we felt a little rushed by using a guide. I would preferred doing by myself to take my time and really enjoy the amazing park. Although, having a guide is nice and they explain many things you counter, I would just suggest if you do use the guided tour just leave them at the "Manuel Antonio Beach" and do not continue with them the rest of the way back as it will be a rush walk back anyway. 10 to 15 min beach time at this wonderful beach does not do the justice and you want to kick back and relax and enjoy it.
Lastly, I suggest making it further south to the "Parque Nacional Marino Ballena". This National park has an beautiful very large beach that you can enjoy (check out the pictures on Google for yourself".

Pura Vida!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Kokoro Mineral Hot Springs

La Fortuna

Amazing and friendly staff and service. Loved the view and how this wonderful hotel looks and how the rooms are set up. Breakfast was local and very good as well. Hot Springs were daily filled, the hot spring water would be pumped from the underground to fill up the nice springs and then they dump it later on after midnight and get it ready for next day, which was great. Overall great hotel and loved it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the down and all other activities you would want to do.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cala Lodge

Monteverde

Over all great. Clean and nice rooms. Views were great and loved how the building was made. Loved the breakfast area and the view as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Espadilla Gardens Hotel

Manuel Antonio

We absolutely loved it. Very friendly staff. Clean room and amazing service. Not that many people and the pool area was great. Had everything we needed and could chill 24/7 by the pool if we wanted to, so a late night deep in the water was no issue and very enjoyable cause the water remained nice and warm.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right next to the Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio. Also a short walk to the beach, etc.

Staff

Leo was great and answered every question we had!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Diana our room service was great. She would make animal shaped with towels or do little surprises for us everyday!

Activity Reviews

Private: Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great hike and the tour guide was nice to explain to use regarding the area and show us all the cool things.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private: La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

You really don't need a guide for this hike. Do it by yourself and take your time to enjoy this amazing waterfall.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was a great person, however there is not much to explain for this area and does not require a guided tour.

Boating in Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge

Arenal/La Fortuna

Amazing, and you get to see so many animals. If you came to Costa Rica to see different animals and spices, this tour is for you.

Quality of Experience

Food

I really enjoyed the testing after lunch and get to try the locally made Guaro, which is stronger but much smother what you can get at the stores. You get to learn about it too!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee Experience and Nighttime Nature Walk

Monteverde

The tour guide was great, however the season was not right as we could not see all the coffee making in action. Also, we were not lucky enough to see many things at the Nature Walk and you never know what you get to see, but overall was good experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cloud Forest Reserve Hike

Monteverde

Amazing, and you need a guide to explain you about the importance of these forest and all it has to offer.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges

Monteverde

Amazing zip lines and hanging bridges! You even get to do a Tarzan swing! Go Big or Go Home!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Felt little rushed by using a guided tour. Would have loved to enjoy more time specially at the beach.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We took a beautiful two-week trip in Costa Rica for our honeymoon. Our goal was to be able to have a memorable trip without all of the stress associated with booking guides, hotels, rental cars, etc. Nuria made it super easy for us to enjoy ourselves while still have a unique and amazing experience.

Would highly recommend our itinerary for anyone who has a passion for adventure. Great balance between relaxation and experience.

We had an excellent experince from beginning to end with Kim Kim and all those we met along the way. The hotels, experiences, guides, transportation, all were thought through well. My sister and I took my mom to Costa Rica for her 70th birthday and everything they planned for us was exactly in alignment with what we hoped this trip would be. We had the adventure, luxury, comfort aspects and most importantly excellent guides to elevate our experince even more so. The communcation with the Kim Kim team from the start was above par and they truly cared in providing us a great experience. I will be using them again!

Maria

Randall planned a wonderful trip to Costa Rica for my boyfriend and me in December. We had the most amazing time. The trip was tailored to our “wants” and budget. Our hotel experience was great and all of our guides at the excursions and the drivers between destinations were fantastic. I had a million questions while planning our itinerary and booking our trip, and Randall kindly answered them all! We also had requested a couple changes during our trip, and it was swiftly taken care of. I would highly recommend Randall and KimKim for any of your vacation needs!

Activity Reviews

Horseback Riding and Hiking to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zip-Lining Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We visited 3 places whilst in Costa Rica; La Fortuna, Monteverde and finally Manuel Antonio.

Each of these three places had their unique charm as did the people that guided us through. Jason was amazing with his knowledge at Arenal. The hike was extremely informative and interesting. The hot springs were heavenly.

In Monteverde the hotel that Olman picked was incredible. The views were amazing and the hotel staff at El Establo we’re great. Very helpful. The zip lines were breathtaking as was seeing an actual tarantula just happily walking across my path in the forest. I did not scream.

Makanda at Manuel Antonio was the perfect end to our amazing stay in Costa Rica. Such an amazing place in such an amazing country. The wildlife we saw whilst at breakfast and lounging by the pool was incredible. The hotel staff were all so friendly and accommodating even when an iguana unexpectedly decided to join us for breakfast.

Thank you Olman for organising an unforgettable experience for us. It was a delayed 50 birthday present to my husband from the days of restriction so it was that much more special. Thank you thank you :)

Kim Kim arranged our trip to Costa Rica and it was flawless. Nuria, our Kim Kim organizer was exceptional and provided excellent suggestions and accommodated last minute requests with a smile. Highly recommend them and look forward to using them for our future holidays around the globe

Hotel Reviews

Villas Sol Hotel And Beach Resort

Playa Hermosa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Nice rooms and staff

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Monteverde Lodge & Gardens

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Nestled within acred of natural beauty

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Coffee Experience and Nighttime Nature Walk

Monteverde

Jose our guide was so well equipped to create a wonderful learning expetience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

We were scared to do zipline but the staff was very encouraging and at the end wanted to do it agai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Helen our guide was a sweet person and kept explaining things about the area and the wildlife around the falls with passion. Even helped us spot a sloth

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Gerardo was such a wonderful guide. Was very accommodative to go slow as my wife was not 100% on this day. Highlight was the lunch at Jackaman restaurant which grows its own ingredients

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float

Arenal/La Fortuna

Ceaser, our guide and paddle boat operator was so engrossed in helping us appreciate the experience and uniqueness and history of the area. Helped us spot many wonderful wild life

Quality of Experience

Calming experience to close out our trip

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Costa Rica was amazing, the trip that KimKim (Veronica) planned for us was on point. They listen to my requirements and provided the perfect itinerary. All excursion and guides were excellent and our most memorable sites were, 3 volcanos(La Poas, Arenal and Rincon de la Vieja; 7 waterfalls (loved the La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Oropendola - were we were able to swim next to the falls). The view of all the fauna and flowers that Costa Rica has, make you think that you are in paradise. All 3 hotels had great service and supported us in every need( Country Inn & Suites by Radison San Jose; Arenal Spring Resort & Spa(spa services were amazing); and Hotel Hacienda Guachepelin(great location within the Rincon de la Vieja Park). We loved our hot springs within the Hacienda Orosi. We made changes within our trip to add excursions and Veronica worked out the details for us, we loved her.

Josh and I thoroughly enjoyed our travels in Costa Rica from May 1 to May 6. We only wish we could have stayed a bit longer to enjoy everything this beautiful country had to offer. We were extremely grateful for the guidance and wisdom of every single person we met, all of whom were gracious and welcoming. From Sergio. who helped us plan our itinerary and found wonderful hotels to stay in, to Charlotte who helped manage our questions while we were there, we felt secure knowing that we were were in good hands if we needed it. Alex, our driver in Costa Rica, was a wealth of knowledge about flora and fauna all over the country and shared numerous stories with us while we drove from one destination to another. It made the longer drives so much more enjoyable and we learned about Costa Rica from a true native. Kenneth was our guide in Arenal and spotted flora and fauna in trees we would have never seen on our own, and he guided us over hanging bridges and to beautiful waterfalls. Roger was another awesome naturalist who led us around Manuel Antonio and helped us take some beautiful photos of hummingbirds, lizards and sloths!

Planning our trip through KimKim was great! The local specialist we worked with was easily available to answer questions and help build our itinerary. Once we were in CR everything went very smoothly and our specialist was quick to respond with any questions that came up while we were in our trip. We have used travel agents before and the KimKim team provides an excellent level of customer service and expertise in planning. Our local guide Melany in La Fortuna was so knowledge on all of the local animals and ecology we learned so much on our tour that we would never have noticed on our own. Every single guide, driver , concierge etc was so helpful and kind and so happy to teach us about thier beautiful country! I would highly recommend staying at paradise springs hotel in La fortuna , the hot springs are a great way to relax after a long day of hiking and it is very easy to get a taxi to the “downtown” area for dinner and drinks. While in Monteverde we stayed at the hotel heliconia which had absolutely stunning views of the mountains and sunsets , this hotel does not have AC however it gets very cool at night and we did not find it to be uncomfortable. This hotel is also a very easy taxi drive away from the “downtown” area which was very fun to explore! Our final stop in Quepos , Manuel Antonio we stayed at the tulemar resort which was phenomenal! A perfect relaxing end to our vacation on an absolutely beautiful property where we saw, monkeys, sloths and macaws up close! Overall this trip was wonderful and made even more enjoyable having the peace of mind that everything was so well planned out and organized by the team at KimKim

Hotel Review

Hampton by Hilton San José Airport

Alajuela

Very convenient and close to the airport , easy to locate shuttle out of terminal. Clean and a nice selection at breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private: Río Celeste & Tenorio Volcano National Park Guided Rainforest Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

An amazing hike with views you will not find anywhere else in the world! Our guide Melany was amazing and very knowledgable

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Balsa Whitewater Rafting Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

So much fun! The rafting guides were a great time while also ensuring that everyone was safe! The meal provided after our rafting was one of the best meals we had on the trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

The zip lining portion was a great time! All of the staff made sure we had a great time while also taking safety very seriously! If you want a nice extra adrenaline jump at the end definitely try the “death drop” at the end! On the hanging bridges tour our guide Andres was wonderful and took to much time to help us spot some amazing wildlife!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

2 Weeks in April

The best guides were Chris in Guanacaste and Marianos in La Fortuna (swimming in the waterfall was highlight for me) also the night hike in Monteverde, but I forget his name. Least interesting hike was the Arsenal volcano hike.

The hotels in Monteverde, La Fortuna and Tamarindo were the best. Food at La Fortuna was excellent (deserts were 1 Michelin star! Breakfast buffet was the best too).

Loved the cottage (hot water bottles!), food and local hike in Monteverde (roasted garlic soup and the local limoncello was brought by bartender without even asking for it). Staff was especially great there.

Loved the pool (!) and the food in Tamarindo - sunset happy hour on the beach was fantastic.

Guanacaste was OK and unpretentious, but food options were limited. Back porch listening to all the birds was exceptional.

The hotel in Papagayo was the worst — room door to the outside didn’t close well, even after we got it repaired. Hot tub wouldn’t hold water, AC just didn’t really work and made a loud noise. Food was mediocre. Pool was tiny. Water stopped working one morning. Snorkeling tour was great although the fish weren’t that interesting. The footprint of the hotel was great, but really needs work.

Don Juan coffee and chocolate tour was Jane’s highlight - she called it phenomenal.

All the drivers were great and prompt. Roads were terrible and many under construction — 4 hours from Monteverde to Tamarindo. Tourist dollars would be well spent to improve them going to the parks.

We tried tipping everyone who gave us excellent service, but kept running out of small bills. Would highly suggest you recommend getting them before you leave. Most hotels could break a $20, but not all. All the staff at all facilities were great.

Hope this is helpful — I’m trying to be honest. We would have paid more to stay at a better place in Papagayo — maybe the Andaz? Also the heat was just a bit much for us San Franciscans. Could have used some more fog! ;-) Next time the Caribbean side?

Hotel Reviews

Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas

Guanacaste

We really liked the Cala Luna Boutique Hotel in Tamarindo. The pool was great, the food was awesome, and it had a nice, relaxed vibe. We enjoyed watching the sunset over the beach and walking into town along the beach. This might have been our favorite hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Senda Monteverde Hotel

Monteverde

Hotel Senda was amazing - the staff was awesome, and they even provided a heater and hot water bottles in the bed! The cloud forest guided hike and the night walk were both great, and our guide for the night walk was especially knowledgeable. There's a nice national park near the hotel with beautiful old strangler fig trees. We didn't go into town because it was quite steep, but we loved our stay at this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín

Liberia

We had a really good guide in Rincon de la Vieja. Chris, a naturalist, took us on a nice long tour. He even had bird calls on his phone! Overall, we enjoyed our stay at this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

My wife especially loved the dessert at the restaurant in Arenal. The breakfast and meals were generally pretty good, and she thinks they were close to Michelin star quality. The guided hike in the Arenal Volcano Park was a bit steep and not as nice as some of the other hikes, but overall, we had a good time at this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

The Hotel Bosque del Mar in Gulf of Papagayo wasn't the best ending to our trip. The food was a little worse than mediocre, and we had some technical problems with our room. However, we were able to walk up and down the beach and find nice little restaurants, so we had some alternatives to the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Monteverde Cloud Forest Guided Hike

Monteverde

The cloud forest guided hike was good, although it was a bit crowded. We enjoyed being in the cloud forest and exploring the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Children's Eternal Rainforest Night Walk

Monteverde

The night walk was a highlight of our trip. Our guide was very knowledgeable and showed us some cool stuff. We appreciated being on our own during the walk and exploring the nighttime forest.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Snorkel & Sailing Tour

Gulf of Papagayo

The snorkeling experience was good but not great. We enjoyed being out on the water, and the crew was great, but we didn't see as many fish as we had hoped. The spiky sea creatures were a bit intimidating, and the snorkeling spot wasn't as crowded as we expected. However, overall, it was a fun experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

This was a highlight of our trip. We had a great guide, and we got to make our own chocolate bars and drink roasted coffee. We would highly recommend this tour, as it was well-done and enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Costa Rica was amazing. The Kimkim team was awesome in helping us to plan and arrange our trip and activities. We cancelled one of our activites to relax at a spa instead. Jessica took care of the cancellation and issued a refund that day! The hotel Casa Luna in La Fortuna was beautiful with a natural creek running through it. The staff were very helpful and our rooms were great. The food was good but we also enjoyed venturing into town for more local cuisine. We would definitely return! After hiking to waterfalls, nature walks, hot springs and ziplining we headed to Manuel Antonio to experience the beauty of the National Park. The hotel Plaza Yara was beautiful and the staff were kind and accommodating. Always ready to help with taxies and directions. All of the guides were informative and their knowledge was very educational. Costa Rica is all about conservation and preserving their wildlife habitats. We loved this trip and the experience of a lifetime! Thank you Kimkim!

Hotel Reviews

Casa Luna Hotel & Spa

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Plaza Yara

Puntarenas

Authenticity & Character

Location

On a dangerous road so you need to take a taxi everywhere

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Boating in Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge

Arenal/La Fortuna

The guide was great but the trip a little long and would like to have seen more wildlife.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Celeste & Tenorio Volcano National Park Guided Rainforest Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Visit

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a lot of information about rescued animals, mostly birds. The guide was great but we were hoping to see some sloths which were not there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Buffet Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was amazing and should be required for Costa Rica. Beautiful!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Highlight of the trip! Beautiful, exciting and would definitely recommend this!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

This is a beautiful national park as is everything in Costa Rica. The guide was great. However, the tour felt a little long (maybe because it was so hot and humid) and we found that we saw more monkeys and sloths outside of the parks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a fantastic trip to Costa Rica that was made easy through Kim Kim.
We loved our three hotels and our transport between locations was seamless.
We are not in the habit of pre-booking tours, but really enjoyed all the tours selected.
I wouldn’t hesitate to use Kim Kim again!

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

A beautiful hotel with fantastic views of the volcano. Friendly staff who went out of their way to ensure we were enjoying our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ficus Sunset Suites

Monteverde

Stunning views, beautiful gardens and an excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

A nice hotel in an excellent beach location. Helpful staff and nice rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Boat tour to Las Catalinas Islands

Costa Rica

A fantastic day out. An excellent tour guide, delicious lunch, great snorkeling and wildlife and plenty of drinks available!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cloud Forest Reserve Hike

Monteverde

A great experience with our guide Bernie. I would definitely recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

An enjoyable trip with our guide Mariano. Beautiful scenery, a swim and great lunch. Mariano was knowledgeable, good company and flexible. Would definitely recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family of 4, including two kids, aged 9 and 11, just had a wonderful trip to Costa Rica with kimkim doing much of the heavy lifting in terms of planning. Highlights would be our day spent at Rincon de la Vieja's adventure park, Hacienda Guachipelin as well as a hike to El Tigre Waterfall near Monteverde, which was not booked with kimkim.

kimkim pros: Overall, it was easy to review different activities and hotels prior to booking via the kimkim website, which made the stress of planning a vacation much less. Communication was easy with Jessica via the kimkim website. Having activities booked ahead limited time scrambling trying to book activities when we arrived. Almost every activity that we booked through kimkim was high quality with an excellent guide with only one or two exceptions.

kimkim cons: The variety of activities and hotels that kimkim offers on their website are not exhaustive and we realized once we arrived that there were better options available in many cases. No special attention paid to flight arrival times or transfer arrival times relative to hotel check in times. You do pay a premium for having a laid out itinerary before you go-we realized that had we booked the activities independently from kimkim, the cost would have been about half, in general.

Overall, we would recommend kimkim's services. Having a laid out itinerary prior to arriving decreased the stress and increased the amount we were able to see and do on our 2 weeks vacation. Unfortunately, you pay a bit more of a premium for this peace of mind but it was a positive experience.

Day 1: We arrived to Liberia at 0600 and drove 1.5 hrs to Blue River Resort via CR Ride. The driver was excellent. Feedback for kimkim would be to pay special attention to the flight arrival time and hotel check in. We arrived at our hotel at 9 am after an overnight flight and check in for the hotel was not until 2 pm.
Blue River Resort is a beautiful destination off the beaten path. Cabins are basic but comfortable. Restaurant on site was ok. It is close to Rincon de la Vieja but it's on the north side of the volcano and to get to the activities at the adventure park, it's a 1.5 hr drive around the volcano to the National Park. Not the location we were expecting and we would not recommend this hotel for anyone that is planning to spend time going over to do activities in Rincon de la Vieja National Park.

Day 2: Day at Rincon de la Vieja National Park. Big highlight for our family. We were expecting a 2.25 mile hike and a hot springs visit but when we arrived, we were informed that we had a full day planned- ziplining, horseback riding and tubing down the rio Colorado. Although it was a surprise, we agreed and had a great time. These were large group activities. Ziplining included 9 cables over beautiful canyons, a Tarzan swing and an option to rappel and climb at one point. There is an option to do the zip lining tandem with your kids, if needed. After a short 5 minute break, we walked down to the stable and hopped on a horse for a 45 min trail ride, which the kids really enjoyed. The tubing, which was a short 5 min drive to the starting point in the rio Colorado, was so fun! There were some small rapids and some slower sections and we managed to see a white faced monkey and lots of little creatures, like frogs and spiders along the way. Overall, the guides at Hacienda Guachipelin were excellent throughout the day. Unfortunately, because we were not expecting a water activity, we were not prepared to get our hiking shoes wet, but shoes are mandatory during the tubing. We ended the adventure day with the Rio Negro hot springs. The hot springs boasted "mud baths" but seemed to only be mud mixed in a 5 gallon pail and handed out in bowls to be rubbed all over our bodies.

Day 3: We were set to head back to Rincon de la Vieja National Park for a self guided hike that was planned via kimkim but with the drive being so long around the volcano and it being a 3 hour detour to our next destination, we opted to forego this activity. In our opinion, a local specialist planning the trip should have foreseen both the poor location of the hotel in relation to the activities planned as well as the major detour this day of hiking would have been, knowing our next destination. Instead, our driver picked us up from the hotel and we headed towards La Fortuna. On the way, our driver suggested we go to Rio Celeste for a 4 km hike to a waterfall. We paid $38 US for entry to the park. It took us about 2.5 hrs there and back. There were multiple flights of stairs down to the waterfall then onto a lagoon where the natural water meets the blue water (from the minerals from the volcano). Challenging hike in parts and some difficult terrain but worth the impromptu stop. The driver with CR Ride was amazing and stayed with our things in the car all day.
Our hotel in La Fortuna was the Country Inn Arenal. This place was in a very convenient location for the respective activities planned during the next few days. Beautiful grounds, swimming pool, breakfast included, walkable to grocery store.

Day 4: Hanging Bridges in Mistico Park and La Fortuna Waterfall with Jacamar Tours. 16 other folks on this tour. We walked 2.5 miles on paths, stopping along the way to look at venomous vipers, a boa, hummingbirds, and other creatures. Our guide, Diego, was super knowledgable but not overly energetic. There were a series of 6 hanging bridges, all various lengths and heights from the ground. They offered amazing views of different layers of the canopy. We then took a 10 min drive over to La Fortuna Waterfall. There are 2 areas to dip in the water. This is a fairly developed area, which comes with high numbers of tourists and guides. Both the kids and the adults in the group enjoyed getting in the water! Next we went to a small farm owned by Jacamar Tours to eat lunch. TIP: Lunch seemed to consistently be served around 2 pm so if you're travelling with kids or you get hangry easily, bring some snacks.

Day 5: Farm Tour with Eco Terra. This was a 3 hour farm tour to a small organic farm that keeps some cows, turkeys, chickens, goats and some rescue animals. The owner grows medicinal plants and restorative trees. We saw ginger, turmeric, taro root, cilantro, oregano, wild and commercial cocoa trees, and the list goes on. They generously allowed us to pick and sample whatever we wanted. Our small group was made up mostly of kids and some energetic adults. The activities of milking a cow, crushing sugar cane and making chocolate were all hands- on activities, which the kids loved! Amazing hospitality and generosity of this farm family. Would 100% recommend this tour.

Day 6: Arenal Volcano Hike and Tabacon Hot Springs with Jacamar Tours. This was a 2.5 km hike loop at the base of the north side of Arenal. Our guide was knowledgable about the history of the eruption of 1968. Total hike took about 2 hours, seeing new growth on the lava rocks along the way. We were then dropped off at Tabacon Hot Springs, which is a resort. We chose how much time we wanted to spend there and were told that someone would come and pick us up later in the day. It was strange knowing that we paid a tour company for a day of guided activities and we were simply dropped off. It poured rain almost the entire time but it was warm and we enjoyed the various hot pools around the site that happened to be in the natural river. Beautiful site, very much set up like a resort. This activity was definitely a crowd pleaser.

Day 7: Safari Float on the Penas Blancas River. 2 hours, 3 miles, float on a small raft. Our guide was knowledgable about the birds and animals found along the river and eager to point out wildlife. We saw a lot of different species of birds, a turtle and some howler monkeys. Boat was uncomfortable for 2 hours, sitting sideways but the family were shared this little adventure with was lovely.
We ended the day with a cooking class at the grounds of Desafio Adventure Company. We made a traditional Casado with Kathy. Kids loved it, it really was a fun experience.

Day 8: Transfer from Arenal to Monteverde via car and boat with Ride CR. The boat ride across Lake Arenal was really amazing and really only available to those traveller who did not rent a car.
Hotel in Monteverde was Los Pinos. This beautiful site with its own small system of hiking trails is a bit out of town and not walkable to anything of note except a small grocery store. It has a full kitchen which was great to make some of our own meals.

Day 9: We did not have any day activities planned via kimkim this day so we booked ourselves a ride to El Tigre Waterfalls. Highlight of the trip. Paid $30US per adult and $20US per kid to do a 8 km hike - "the big hike". Last 3 km was tough uphill but amazing day hike.
We ended the day with a "coffee experience and nighttime nature walk" with Coffee 'n Jungle. This was a weird experience and not one that we would recommend. The owner, Junior, buys most of his beans from other farmers. We learned a small amount about growing coffee, the drying process, and the roasting process. Because Junior had just cut down most of his coffee plants (which they do apparently every 6 years), and it was not harvesting season, there was not much of a tour. They do not grow cocoa in this area of the country, therefore the chocolate tasting was a mixture of cocoa powder which Junior mixed with brown sugar, powdered milk and peach liquor and then poured it on bananas. Junior was very sweet and friendly and was good with the kids but the educational component of the tour was limited and poorly organized. The nature walk was nothing more than an hour of walking around the cut down coffee plantation. Would not recommend this tour.

Day 10: Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Hike with Ocotea Tours. This hike was through new and old growth forest. Our guide, Bernie, was also our driver and very knowledgable about plant life, birds and symbiosis in the forest. He was able to engage the kids and keep them interested. Overall, really great experience.

Day 11: Children's Eternal Rainforest Hike with Ocotea Tours. This was a 2.5 hour walk. Our guide, Guilliano, was great. Conditions were very dry. Overall, by this point, the kids were tired of walking around forests for the last few days and got bored with this hike but done at another time in the trip would have been a bigger success.

Day 12: Transfer from Monteverde to Tamarindo. 3.5 hour drive.
We booked Hotel Mar Rey without the help of kimkim. The options for hotels in Tamarindo were not great on the kimkim website. The activities that we had been super interested in doing in Tamarindo, like snorkelling, were not available through kimkim because the water was too rough. These activities, we realize now, could all have been booked once we arrived.

Day 14: Catamaran Sailing Adventure with Marlin del Rey. This was a 5 hour sunset tour including a 1.5 hr stop in the middle to swim and snorkel. There were about 35 people on board which was about half capacity. There was a bar on board and the drinks were included as well as a served chicken BBQ lunch mid afternoon. A big highlight was stopping in the middle of the tour and swimming and snorkelling in a secluded bay. Overall this was a great tour and a nice way to get away from the beach activities. Pros: shady interior of the boat, on-board bathroom, free drinks and friendly staff. Cons: it was a bit long for the kids.

Activity Review

Catamaran Sailing Adventure

Costa Rica

Overall a really great experience. Pros: shady interior on the boat, on board bathrooms, free drinks, friendly staff, lunch included. Highlight for us and our kids was the stop in the middle to swim and snorkel in a secluded bay. It was a great way to get away from beach activities. Would 100% recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We thoroughly enjoyed our whole Costa Rica experience. The wildlife, people, hospitality and food were fantastic. All the guides displayed a wealth of knowledge and spoke very good English. We were particularly impresssed with Randy at Selva Verde, Kike at Aguila de Osa and Agneli at Dantica Cloud Forest Lodge who stepped in at the last minute due to the illness of our intended guide, Carlos, who had nonetheless got up to take us to see quetzals at 5.30am. Agneli then took as for an unforgettable hike up around the local peaks. A particular shout out to Guillermo, the manager at Aguila de Osa who rescued my phone following an unfortunate dip in the sea!
Amongst so many great experiences, particular trip highlights were watching howler monkeys in full voice at Tortuguero and snorkelling at Cano Island.
Transportation pick ups and car hire all worked faultlessly. Everyone at Serendipity, the local tour agents, responded well and very quickly to all our many queries.
What a wonderful country! The UK has many lessons to learn about conservation from Costa Rica.