Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

This hotel was amazing for our family. We had comfortable beds, a huge bathroom and some of the best service I've ever received. The food is top notch and don't skip the mojitos, so good!

If you go to Monteverde, you must stay at Hotel Koora. The views, the staff and rooms are incredible.

This hotel is on the older end, and you can see it in the decor and rooms. The hot springs pools were nice and swim up bar was fun.

The staff here was amazing and we had a blast zip lining!

Pool side bar 10/10, breakfast buffet 10/10, room service 10/10, afternoon coffee 10/10.

Property, service and food was all amazing!

Family style meals were amazing, modest rooms with everything you need, a private waterfall and trails to hike, orchid garden, great service!

Beautiful property, the best service we had on our trip, outdoor showers, hot tubs, swim up bar, great breakfast, dinner was amazing, even made suggestions to a local restaurant up the street which was the best meal we had in Costa Rica! Would live here if I could!

Guide was attentive, friendly and knowledgeable! Meal provided was amazing! Facility clean, in time pick up!

Buffet was ok, drinks were good poolside, lockers and bathrooms clean and in a good location. Pools were clean, various temps for everyone’s comfort.

Our guide Óscar was knowledgeable and friendly, spoke English as well as I do! We had a wonderful time and got to swim, jump into the river and eat pineapple on the shore!!

The guide (Oscar) was able to provide so much information in the animals, the land, the history that while the waterfall is beautiful, the details made the trip!

Informative. Fun to make chocolate bars!

Guide had amazing eyesight as pointed out many birds.

Very knowledgeable guide who pointed out many interesting flora and fauna.

The hotel is centrally located in Fortuna. I really didn’t find the street noise to be a problem. The staff was very friendly and helpful with recommendations. The rooms were fine. The photo of the pool is VERY descriptive. It’s more like a fountain in the courtyard between the rooms and the restaurant

Our little bungalow was very nice. The staff was amazing!!!!! I was sick in bed for 24 hours and the brought me water and tea, and check on me a couple of times.

The hotel is fine. The staff (minus the waitress/maid) were horrible. If they dislike the jobs so much they should find somewhere else to be!

The rain forest was everything I had hoped it would be!! Simply amazing! Our guide, Marco, made it even better. His experience and keen eye, really made the trip. He is so knowledgeable and friendly. He put our phones up to his scope so we could have close up photos of the wildlife!

This is a very nice waterfall. It is 500 steps down to the bottom, but you can soak your feet for the 500 steps back up. Well worth it!

This was not the catamaran we had requested, but it was a nice trip. We saw several dolphins, but missed the whales. The snorkeling reef was loaded with so many beautiful fish!

Armor Arenal is one of the top experiences in terms of resorts and accommodations during our trip crossing Costa Rica. The room is gorgeous and we took advantage of the private hot tub on our private deck overlooking Arenal Volcano. I cannot begin to express how over the top the staff is at Armor. From the moment you pull up to the reception area until you leave they provide an extraordinary Costa Rican experience with all that Pura Vida means. We truly were sad when we had to leave because of the wonderful people that work there and share their incredible hospitality. The stay at Armor Arenal is one of the the best memories that we have from or Costa Rican adventure. Additionally, the breakfast they serve is outstanding and the we highly recommend the restaurant for all of their meals.

The resort and the staff were pure Pura Vida. I am so glad we started out our Costa Rica adventure at Santerena. It was an amazing introduction to the beauty and culture of the country. The Staff was so personal and so attentive that we felt very sad when we left them to continue our Costa Rica adventure. We loved the Mediterranean type village they created that the hotel was located in. There were wonderful hiking trails that elevated along the pacific with magnificent views. If you wanted more of a challenge there were additional hiking and biking trails immediately off the hotel and resort property. There were only two things that I would say negatively, the first is that there are very serious rocks under the water immediately off the beach. There are posts that designate where you can swim away from the rocks, but no one told us about them. I learned the hard way and injured my foot. My wife was so concerned that she did not go in the water. It was not until our last day that we found out about these obscure markers that indicated the non-rocky portion of the water. The additional thing is that no one told us that there was a terrace and pool on the roof of the hotel. We kept commenting to ourselves that we wish there was a pool like the other close by resorts that we walked by. There were no indications of a pool at our resort and no one gave us an orientation. We did not find out until we got home.

Our room was beautiful and the hotel was very responsive to all of our requests. It is in a beautiful location but only accessible on a pretty deteriorated road which is not atypical of the roads around Monte Verde. The grounds are lovely and it has very nice pool and two hot tubs. The included breakfast was very satisfactory and again the dining hall overlooks beautiful grounds. What was the most memorable event was Mateo and white faces monkey that shows up for breakfast daily and who enjoys the banana's that we feed him by hand.

Hacienda La Esperanza was an incredible part of our Costa Rican experience. We did not know what to expect when we drove up the the hacienda. At it turns out, the Hacienda is owned by three families that purchased what is now the Aquiares Coffee Farm, the largest coffee farm on one block of land in all of Costa Rica. We were quickly greeted by Diego Esperanza, the son of one of the owners of the farm who gave us a fascinating history of the families and the farm which was founded in the 1800's by an Englishman. The three families purchased the farm in the early 1970's and use the Hacienda as their residence when they are in town. Diego brought in a professional chef to train his staff in the culinary arts. Circumstances worked out where our we had our first dinner at the Hacienda instead of going into Turrialba. It was one of the best meals that we had while in Costa Rica and as a result we enjoyed most of our meals there. I would compare Hen, who is the resident chef to any of the chef's that we experience in the Hudson Valley where we live. This includes many restaurants that were started by graduates of the Culinary Institute of America which is not far from our home in the Hudson Valley. She is amazing. Two of the very special things that we enjoyed at the hacienda were an incredible birding experience guided by our Hacienda host Wilman. Wilman is an expert on birds of Costa Rica and the gardens outside the doors of the hacienda were filled with beautiful species. Wilman is also an expert on coffee and coffee farm operations and gave us a tour of the Aquares coffee operations including part of the farm that butt's up against the hacienda property. Wiman was an amazing host and we were sad to say goodby to him, Hen, and Maria who took such good care of us while we were there.

In fairness to the Laguna lodge we really did not know what to expect. It was one of 7 lodges that we stayed at over the 3 weeks we were in Costa Rica. We did not realize that the guide who greeted us at the boat transport that was going to take us to the lodge was to be our primary contact while we were there including our guide for the 3 expeditions that we were to experience, two of which were very good; the nature boat ride through the canals and the night walk on the property. I was a little disappointed in the lodging at the resort. It did not have any air conditioning and was a little too rustic and cramped for me liking. I was very surprised when no hot water came out of our bathroom sink only to find out that they do provide hot water to the sink, only the shower. While you are at the lodge you were pretty much restricted to eat there unless you can get some water transportation to the village of Tortuguero. The food was adequate and it was nice that it was included. The good news is that the resort is right on the Caribbean. The bad news is that the rip tides are so dangerous that you cannot swim there. Since this was one part of the Caribbean portion of our trip we were disappointed. On a positive note, the resort has a beautiful pool that was right outside our cottage. Also, I get the impression that people come here primarily to see the wildlife. I saw a number of people walking around with their single lens reflex digital cameras with telephoto lenses, telescopes and binoculars. Nature lovers will not be disappointed if that is the primary goal. Jonathan, our host and guide that the hotel provided did a good job keeping everything organized. He was also a very good guide.

Hotel Banana Azul was our last stop in Costa Rica before headed back to San Jose to catch our plan and fly home. It was the perfect way to end our three weeks of touring the country. We spent 3 wonderful days at the resort and it was a great place to wind down before we went home. Our room with a dipping pool was beautiful. Luna who greeted us at the reception desk and who gave us our orientation was delightful and incredibly helpful throughout our stay. The restaurant on premises was excellent and as a result we ate most of our meals at the resort. The grounds and facility were beautiful, just what you would expect for a Caribbean resort. The resort had its own beach club and is one of the few resorts in Puerto Viejo that is right on the beach - no crossing roads to get to the water. The only disappointment were the very dangerous rip tides in the ocean. Apparently September and October are the only months when the water in this part of the Caribbean are safe to swim in.

The Studio Hotel was our last stop during our 3 week stay in Costa Rica. We stayed there the night before we caught our flight back home. The hotel is beautiful and the restaurant on premises is outstanding. I cannot say enough about the restaurant help. When we arrived at the hotel my wife was sick with a stomach virus. I cannot begin to accurately describe how caring and helpful the staff was at the restaurant. They could not do enough to help my wife including making a special chicken soup for her since she could not eat anything. The hotel was the essence of the Pura Vida spirit that we experienced in Costa Rica.

One of the most beautiful places to stay! A place to feel pampered & peaceful. The design of the individual casitas incorporated into the lush foliage and rainforest landscape is amazing. The restaurant is outstanding and sits at the foothills of the Arenal Volcano; the views are spectacular.

Beautiful hotel and location right on the gulf. When you're there, you feel as if you've been transported to the Mediterranean coast! The restaurant was excellent; breakfast was included daily and we had a few dinners there as well.

Nice location in the cloud forest. The room was lovely. Unfortunately, the steep road up to the hotel was filled with many potholes which made it difficult to navigate, especially at night. We found that the restaurant was understaffed at breakfast, which created issues with pickup times.

This is a small hotel (real feel is a b & b). We loved the intimacy and feel of being in the home/hacienda of a local family. And we felt warmly welcomed by the staff. The hacienda sits above the small town of Aquiares and the views are spectacular! A delicious breakfast was included daily, but we were pleasantly surprised by the 5 star dinners that were optional, but available daily! We decided to take advantage of the chef's amazing cuisine!

Rustic cabins in a beautiful location. The pool area was beautiful. All meals were served buffet style at the hotel and the food was very good. Bathrooms could use some updating and hot water in the sinks.

We had a great stay at this beachfront resort. It was very close to Puerto Viejo & other beaches, yet in a private & secluded location. We loved the relaxed & casual vibe; the restaurant served breakfast, lunch & dinner. During the day, you could sit at the beach and get served if you wanted. The hotel was beautifully designed and thoughtfully integrated into the lush foliage & landscaping of the grounds.

We stayed for one night at the end of our trip. The hotel was very comfortable and we enjoyed all the unique artwork and artifacts. Rooms were nicely furnished and very clean.

Handging bridges hike was fabulous; the guide was exceptional and very knowledgeable. He pointed out things we would have never noticed on our own. We learned about the cloud forest and were introduced to the flora and fauna. We even saw a quetzal! It was raining and cloudy, so the tram ride was disappointing because we couldn't see much along the way. We stopped at the top and had delicious hot chocolate.

Catamaran was beautiful, clean & well maintained. We were expecting to sail on this excursion (it is titled 'Sunset Sailing Tour'), but unfortunately, the sails could not be raised due to mechanical issues, so we had to motor the whole way. We didn't find this out until we were on the boat. The other disappointing issue was that it turned out to be a 'party boat' because of crowd and the unlimited drinks/alcohol that were being served. The sunset part of the excursion was lovely, but I would prefer a less roudy group if doing an excursion like this again.

Beautiful hike with many hanging bridges and waterfalls. Lots of wildlife that our guide pointed out. We took horses back up the mountain at the end.

Outstanding experience! Such a beautiful hike along the bridges and then to the waterfall. We had an unexpected treat and had lunch at a local soda in La Fortuna.

Delightful rafting/floating along the river which was filled with so much wildlife that our guide pointed out continually.

There were no thermal hotsprings at the hotel we stayed at. The hotel was

This was an incredible experience starting with the breathtaking ride up the mountain! We had a fabulous hike with our guide; we were the only two in the tour, and we thoroughly enjoyed the intimate nature of this excursion:)

Our guide and captain guided us through the canals pointing out so many birds and wildlife. Even though it was pouring rain, we had a great experience and also learned about the history of the area along with the flora and its unique characteristics.

Unfortunately, we weren't able to snorkel due to the currents & rip tides in the Caribbean. So, the excursion was modified and we took a boat out to the furthest most part of the park so we could hike back through the jungle along the beach. It was an easy & enjoyable hike and our guide kept us engaged as we spotted white faced and howler monkeys and sloths, along with other wildlife. There were some beautiful beaches along the way where the water was calm and inviting.

We four ladies were amazed with the rooms we were assigned. They were spacious, contemporary and the beds (very important) were very comfortable. We really enjoyed the plentiful , diverse selection in the dining hall and the fact that they opened early enough for us to be ready for our early pickups. We also appreciated that we were on the lowest level of the resort.. The roads to the top of the resort are very steep. It's one thing to hike them for exercise but quite another to do it after a long day of adventure. There was a shuttle but we were thankful to be on our lower level No shuttle required!

We loved this accommodation. We arrived late on Valentines Day and wanted to eat at our dining restaurant but we had no reservation..No worries the maitre'd quickly assembled a table and four tired travelers had a wonderful dinner. The hotel is right on the beach and offered more things to do than we had time for. We loved the all white rooms (even the tv hardware was white) with the colors coming from the art on the walls. Two bathrooms in each room was a delightful surprise. All in all a great experience!

We got in late after a very long day. The beds were good and the breakfast was really nice with great coffee. We left right after breakfast so our stay was short ans sweet1

After our last two accommodations we thought this was a little step down..But after a day or so we realized this hotel offered a lot for this area. The dining room had great order from the menu meals, both dinner and breakfast. The temperature was such that the hotel had neither airconditioning or heat and didn't need it. And we especially appreciated the welcoming fruit drink given us at checkin.

Our KimKim travel group really out did themselves when they saved this last hotel for us. WE were delighted and amazed that our last stop on our trip was the creme de la creme. We had a villa with four sleep spaces and four bathrooms,a kitchen and full length patio.Wow Multiple pools were on the property and monkeys and iguanas were seen daily. Even the hard to find sloth was seen at this our last stop. The kitchen staff(in particular Werner) made our dining experience a delight!

Clean, friendly and close to airport. Shuttle service was every 15 minutes. Great breakfast.

After a hike and see La Fortuna Waterfall we came back to the hotel and enjoy the Thermal hot springs. It was wonderful so many pools and the design of them unbelievable very well done. The hotel it's huge and the views of the Volcano amazing. I love your country!!!

OMG I was so afraid. It was my first. But Momo our guide was amazing. I highly recommend him. He is attentive, careful and he is so much fun. Me over 70's I felt secure and Momo made me fell safe and us 4 old ladies laugh and laugh with him. When he wanted our attention call us " chicas look at me" I had my greatest time of my life.

This hotel was perfectly fine for what we needed. Nothing too fancy, but comfortable. A great place to stay before a flight.

Excellent location right near entrance to Manuel Antonio NP. Comfortable room facing the ocean was great for early morning bird watching and howler monkey listening. Included breakfast was an excellent buffet.

This place is absolutely beautiful and the hosts were wonderfully kind and friendly.

This was really a high adventure. We left Drake Bay very early in the morning (before 6am) via boat transfer to arrive as early as possible at the national park. Our guide was excellent and we saw some amazing animals including tapirs, spider monkeys, howler monkeys and more.

This was excellent. The coffee and chocolate portions of the tour exceeded expectations and were really fun and engaging. The night walk was great! We saw lots of wildlife including kinkajous and vipers. We also enjoyed the gift shop.

We did the self-guided trip to hanging bridges and really enjoyed it. It was nice to just listen to the birds and enjoy the quiet as we walked through the canopy. We didn't see lots of wildlife, but really enjoyed the experience.

This was really fun! We had a private guide and he was really informative and great at spotting frogs, insects, snakes, etc. He was less interested in mammals, but we did see 2-toed and 3-toed sloths. He was really great with his spotting scope also and took photos with our phones through the lens for us, which was pretty cool.

This was so fun! We joined a small group on a catamaran for a morning of snorkeling and playing off the boat, with lunch included. The snorkeling was guided and we were tightly monitored and kept in a group. I hadn't experienced that before on a snorkeling trip, but it worked out. We saw a huge stingray, several turtles, and lots of fish. The visibility was ok, not amazing, but we all had a great day. We also saw turtles and dolphins from the boat.

From the moment the door to our room opened, and I gasped, I knew we were just maybe in the best room at the hotel. The large room looked out on the ocean and sunsets every night. Gorgeous.

This is a tough one. Our room didn't have a window, or it had one which looked like you were in a basement apartment with the glass frosted over. And no hot water. Yes, we let it run. But the location was great and we were only there one night. Therefor the three star rating, versus one star.

A gorgeous hotel to stay at during our first nights in Costa Rica. We enjoyed the hot springs, location, and the pools. The breakfast was amazing, as were the staff.

Lots of fun, and there were very few of us on the boat. I think that allowed for learning how to make some signature Costa Rican drinks and learn the merengue. We were lucky to have a full moon over the Arenal volcano.

I should have done my homework on this one. I imagined a smaller group and this was a party boat. 120 on board a ship that could take 200. My partner did get to snorkel, though I stayed on board. One of the best pictures of the trip was taken aboard this boat though at sunset.

An informative tour and getting to prepare their food was fun.

Very nice being the only two people on board the float. A great informative guide. The tortilla making was fun, as were the hair nets and aprons.

Only two in our group again. It was informative and we were able to pick up some lovely artwork for home. A walk through the jungle (wear bug repellent) to discuss the medicinal plants. Entertainment, which we got to take part in. We also shot arrows and had lunch. They very sweetly had prepared to pieces with our names on them which they gave to us. A lovely visit.

I was terrified. Especially as the wind was howling the night before. It was one an experience I'll never forget. The hanging bridges were incredible, including the monkeys (and the monkey poo I ran my hand through, yuk). The sky tram was a piece of cake after the bridges. The viewed amazing. We peeked in on tarantulas, and saw sloths as well. My partner climbed the 30 meter tree and rang the bell. Very proud of him!

Just the two of us and a guide for this walk. We spotted sloth and frogs, and other wildlife.

Stopped at the Rio Grande bridge to look over at the crocodiles. Huge, prehistoric.

Get a guide. We saw more with a guide than the solo visitors who would listen in. Having someone to locate, zoom in with their telescope, and take pictures for you was amazing. Very informative and easy hike.

Loved our guide. Very nimble and entertaining, he climbed over the mandrake roots to point out the wildlife. It was very enjoyable. I think Tolkien must have seen the mandrake groves when he created the Ents.

I am conflicted about this hotel. We DID enjoy our stay here but...for the high cost they command.. I'll nitpick a bit. First the good. The service was 5 star. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Nice touches include: FREE laundry returned folded in 12 hours, some free minibar snacks and beverages, and old style hot water bottles left near your pillow during the turn down service (must request turn downs). We also liked the ability to access the Aguiti Reserve for a hike, right from the property. The less good: Its an older property. The common buildings are decent but the rooms are in very old separate bungalows. Supposedly, they were renovated a few years ago, but not well. Grounds/Landscaping- This was our last stop in Costa Rica. The first two hotels had amazing manicured landscaping and flower beds. This hotel does the minimum, ie; cut the grass. So, mostly good, but visually this hotel needs some work.

This hotel is an absolute gem! Gorgeous grounds, great owners/hosts, wonderful breakfasts. Loved the included wine happy hour watching the sunset with the owner/Ken along with the small group of other hotel guests from around the world. Can't say enough. Just go here.

5 star hotel all the way. Wonderful breakfast buffet and of course those amazing thermal springs!

Great hotel with a great staff. Arnaldo and Oscar were great bartenders that gave us the best drinks ever. They were friendly and helpful. They taught us a lot about Costa Rica.

Boat ride was lovely - we saw mom and baby whale and playful dolphins, as well as the beautiful views. Our swim was lovely - snorkeling was underwhelming (not the guides fault, just not much to see). We enjoyed our time walking (on our own) on the Whale Tail at the end of the tour.

Great guide, shared with one other couple. This was our first opportunity to see sloths - very exciting!

We had 2 guides for the 2 of us - so we were all able to play! The lead guide had also been our guide for bird watching earlier in the day, so felt like we were "playing" with an old friend.

The park is beautiful and full of wildlife. We did however, feel a bit overwhelmed by the size of the crowds. Most tour groups were large (we were fortunate to be in a group of 4) - so a lot of people to traverse around.

After our previous day at Manuel Antonio Park, we appreciated how quiet this park was. We had Socio for a second day - for a private tour. The volume of wildlife was lower than in Manuel Antonio - but Socio taught us a tremendous amount about the trees and balance of nature - as well as spotting fascinating insects/spiders, bats and other critters that we would have walked right by.

A very pleasant half day - with a (muddy) nature walk that we enjoyed, and a beautiful boat ride with views of Arenal (partially in a cloud). Once again - we had a private tour. Our only complaint was the 50 % penalty that we were charged for changing our tour from the scheduled day (pouring all day!) to the next day which was predicted to be dry. The company was willing to take us out in the rain - but we would have been wet/cold and seen nothing. We chose instead to spend that morning at our resort - enjoying the hot springs. KimKim did try to advocate for us, but the tour company didn't budge on the up-charge.

Beautiful grounds - even able to enjoy on our rain-filled day (the walking path is under cover). We learned a lot about the production (from start to finish) of coffee and chocolate - and enjoyed the opportunity to make our own. I must admit - the coffee that we bought in their gift shop was much better than what we made!

So much fun!! So much adventure! It was great to have it all in one place as well.

This was the most beautiful hotel we've ever stayed at. We LOVED the hot springs and enjoyed the entire atmosphere of the hotel. The friendliness, helpfulness and service was exceptional. Food was very good. Room very comfortable. Shuttle service to the hot springs runs every few minutes and makes everything very accessible. We stayed for 4 nights and very glad we did! Because of the clouds, the volcano was only visible on our last morning, but what an amazing view we had!

We loved our 3 night stay at this hotel. The accommodations were beautiful and staff was very helpful, friendly, accommodating. The owner is very kind and friendly greets every guest warmly.

This hotel was just fine for an overnight stay. The location is good for walk around the area and finding a lovely restaurant for dinner on the other side of the park (across the street from the hotel).

Our driver picked us up on time and we drove in comfort to the Sarapiqui River. The driver provided us with good background information as we drove to our destination. The rafting adventure was awesome! We did class 2-3 rapids in a raft with only us and our guide. A photographer paddled in a kayak near us and took photos. It was beautiful, fun and very exciting! The break for fresh fruit and the meal afterward were very nice.

We had a private tour with a guide to this beautiful location.

This great hike to the volcano was beautiful and moderately challenging. We loved the fabulous views. Our guide was excellent and provided much information as we hiked. Relaxing afterward with a pineapple snack and watching the wildlife was memorable!

This was a very interesting, fun and tasty tour! Very good tourguide at Don Juan Company.

Another highlight of our week! The park was crowded, but we were able to enjoy an amazing morning. We were on a small group tour with 11 people in our group. Our guide was very kind, interesting, professional and considerate of everyone's interests. We were able to see things with the guide that we never would have seen on our own. The beach was gorgeous!

This was an enjoyable, calm activity for our last day in Costa Rica.

Spending the morning at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center was one of our trip highlights. We had a small group tour with 2 other families and our guide was fabulous! He provided an educational and engaging overview of the center. The volunteer experience was fun...we weighed, measured and chopped up fruits for the wildlife and then put the meals in home-made kongs, then delivered to the animals.

This hotel had very beautiful grounds and many wonderful animals located right on the grounds. We saw a wonderful mother sloth with her baby. We also saw many beautifully colored birds right on the grounds. The swim up pool and the hot springs on the hotel were really fun to go into and swim around in. We even had a private jacuzzi for our room which we really enjoyed using. The staff at this hotel could not have been nicer. Being foolish tourists, we managed to misplace a large sum of money at this hotel and after thinking we were robbed, the hotel staff found our money and had it returned to us! Phenomenal!!! Amazing beautiful hotel with a delicious breakfast and an incredibly friendly staff that made our stay even more enjoyable.

This hotel had very pretty and comfortable rooms and was located near enough to town to walk to town and walk to some great dinner places like Don Luis. The hill on which this hotel was located was a bit of a climb so I would not recommend walking up this hill during the heat of the day but it was quite comfortable in the evening. The staff at this hotel was very friendly and accommodating. They assisted myself and my traveling companion by helping to get us the cash we had misplaced at a different location. They really went out of their way to assist us in this regard and we will be forever grateful. We also saw some unbelievable rainbows from the porch of this hotel adding to the overall beauty. The hotel was located near enough that even when we went to the cloud forest, it was not a far ride. There is a spa at this hotel but we did not utilize it. The breakfast that was provided was not as spectacular as the other hotels in which we stayed.

Nice, older hotel with excellent pool for the entire family and a separate 6th floor pool on top. Rooms very spacious and comfortable. Nice bar and excellent breakfasts. This hotel is located right next to the Manuel Antonio park so it is very conveniently located for quick access to the park and quick access to many, many restaurants in walking distance on the street. The concierge also very accommodating and helpful.

I enjoyed learning about a major export of Costa Rica and how the coffee is grown and harvested. When it was very dark, we did have a nice walk through the jungle, saw sloths, pit viper, porcupine, basilisk lizard and a kinkajou. Not bad for a short stroll through the jungle. I believe other night walks in the Arenal area might prove even more productive. Our guide was very knowledgeable and tried hard to ensure that we saw all that he was pointing out.

Well worth the day trip to the Hot Springs. The natural hot springs were quiet and calming. I had never been to real natural hot springs before and these were fantastic, some of them had small waterfalls falling into the pools. Very fancy hotel that was also fun to visit.

This was a fantastic day, Our guide Paulo was incredible and was able to find many animals for us to observe. The experience of seeing the very blue water was worth it here. Incredible and the paths were good to walk on. Of course there are many steps down to the waterfall so be prepared to climb the stairs once you get to the bottom but well worth it. We also saw a coral snake here which was very beautiful (if you like snakes!). At the end, the guide gave us coconut water out of the shell to drink and that was incredible as well, great finish to the tour.

Great snorkel and a bit of a work out getting there in the kayaks. We all did a water entry from the kayaks and also had to get back in the kayak from the water. One person had to hold the kayak steady while the other climbed in. Everyone did this without much of an issue. We saw lots of fish, some fairly good sized snappers and parrot and trigger fish. The lunch that we had later was really delicious.

We loved the location of this hotel but it was run down and in need of a renovation. The gaudy, fake/cheap look of it reminded me of Orlando, Florida. We had a "superior" room on the 4th floor that overlooked an impoverished housing area behind the hotel. Room didn't feel clean and had mosquitoes in it. Toilet was the only one on our trip we could not flush toilet paper down. Ate at the "Congo" restaurant and got diarrhea (also the only time this happened on the trip). We actually ended up buying day passes at another hotel to get away from this one.

clean, comfortable and new. Tons of wildlife around the property and we especially loved the dining area that had floor to ceiling windows with bird feeders all around them. Magical! Our only complaint was that the room didn't have a TV. But hey, it was a sign we needed to unplug I guess!

wish we could have stayed here longer. I would move in permanently if I could haha Sprawling property with tons of resort exclusive activities mom and baby sloth sighting as well as toucans seen on property great view good food (expensive) clean no bugs (they spray twice per month for mosquitoes etc!) No need to leave the resort for anything. You will be comfortable and well taken care of here!

Standard. Clean. nothing special. Close to airport and all car rentals

In the heart of downtown. Do not stay here if you are trying to commute to the airport the next day as you will encounter crazy downtown traffic. Room was standard and comfortable enough for one night. There was a hooker working the corner 2 minutes from the hotel. Would not have wanted to walk around at night.

amazing! You'll never have a better experience ziplining anywhere else, I promise.

So fun! Especially the night walk. It creeped my husband out but I loved it! My husband wished there would have been more of a coffee tasting part of the experience like there was for the chocolate.

how could you not enjoy this?

Amazing! We had a private tour and saw so much. Took great pictures. It was the perfect way to get to know the area on our first day.

We saw a giant tarantula! Not much else that was exciting though lol. Everyone wanted to see pretty birds, sloths, or cats. Instead we saw some plants and a spider haha. What was worse was waiting for 10 people to look through the same telescope to see something tiny 100 feet up in the air (i.e. we looked for 30 minutes at one porcupine in some dark shadows).

I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. We kayaked and it was great to get some exercise but we never kayaked "to" anything. At one point we tied all the kayaks together and had to jump off (and later crawl back on) in open water. Needless to say this was a total cluster. Would have been nice to kayak to a beach to relax a little before kayaking back 30 min. Also the snorkeling spot had a lot of fish but the water clarity is poor. I have had much better snorkeling in Hawaii, for example. Big group. Food at the end was nothing special. Wanted to go back to the hotel but had to wait an hour for everyone to finish eating. Then long car ride back to drop everyone off on windy road.

the staff very friendly. great ecolodge. Beautiful sunset

challenging getting in but worth it. Friendly staff. beautiful location.

Great location. We were in a bungalow. Would have preferred to be closer to the core of the lodge avoiding to use the car to go for dinner. It is set close to a river. You can see lots of birds by sitting in front of the restaurant for 1 hr or so.

Very busy hotel. The staff a big stressed. The facility is beautiful but prefer more boutique lodges.

the room we had was amazing with a view on the volcano Arenal. Staff very friendly.

what a nice remote location. Friendly staff. Lots to do beautiful views and sunset.

nice hotel. Staff a bit cold. just stayed one night before taking the plane. Nice pool on the roof with a view.

did not like spending so much time in the parking lot looking for birds. other than that the guide was knowledgeable and firendly

We saw motmot sleeping, tarantella, and bugs/spider. Not my favorite tour. I would have like to see the beautiful frogs.

The best guide- he was just amazing - Andres Martin Chavez Rojas. We spent 7 hrs with him and learn and saw so much. Highly recommended

The guide did not seem very knowledgeable of the area.

It was a rainy day walking through the area. We managed to see spider monkey much not much more. The clouds were affecting the view. The guide did his best to show plants, trees and insects.

Disappointed - no whales to see (although we saw one 3 days later in Osa peninsula). We did see brown boobies chase flying fish - which was amazing to see. We saw some dolphins. The snorkelling - nothing to see really. Best to snorkel at Cano island - lots to see there.

the boat navigator was amazing. Spot birds and other wild life along the way. he also did a great job navigating the waves when the river reached the pacific ocean.

A great experience. turtles and all sorts of fishes to see. water 25c

amazing guide - Oscar. he took extra time to show us birds. he is very knowledgeable and we had an amazing time with him.

We had a pleasant tour and learned alot. Saw many birds and a Fer-de -Lance viper , blue jean frogs and 2 slots.