Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

Holden was very pleasant and responsive. The drivers we had were excellent and sometimes, they had to drive under very difficult conditions. Overall, however, Holden clearly did not understand what we were looking for in terms of activities. We wanted activity. The hanging bridge trip was fine but in between the bridges, it was a walk at a snail's pace, stopping every ten feet to look at a different spider. The float was fine but I had to argue back and forth to get it later than 7 am, when we would have to miss breakfast and when it was colder. The hike in Manuel Antonio was not a hike-it to was a boring crawl at a snail's pace to look mostly at frogs, spiders and orchids-I was told it was a private hike for the four of us-I explained to our guide that we did not want to stop every ten feet and wanted actually hike and he said that this was not an actual hike and no adjustments could be made. Truthfully, we were elbow to elbow with hundreds of people-how private was that! The sailing cruise was nice and the food was good but Holden did not make clear that it was with 40 or so other people-I thought it would be a much smaller, semi-private activity-but it was fine. The Royal Corin exceeded expectations-the staff could not have been lovelier-the rooms were spectacular-the spa was great and the food was above average. The Mariposa had a beautiful view. That said, the staff were indifferent and the room had the very bare minimum. Overall, except for the drivers, I'm sorry I didn't just use TripAdvisor

Our trip to Costa Rica was absolutely amazing! I have heard nothing but positive comments! El Lugar was so beautiful and the activities and the schedule were spot on. I think what also topped it off was your staff from Serendipity; everyone was so friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and we were all impressed with their keen eyesights as they could spy any bird from any distance!
Elana, Charlotte, Adrian, Jose and all the others were the BEST!

Hotel Reviews

El Lugar

Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí

BEAUTIFUL grounds! Our room was fabulous! Very clean and beautiful view. The property looks like there is still construction to be done. I hope it is able to get finished...it is beautiful there and having the horses and stables added a nice touch too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen

San José

The hotel was OK, but our room was very mildewy and caused us to wake up very congested. Also the lighting in our room was too dark.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room smelled like mildew, and didn't feel as clean as it should; maybe a bit dated???

Activity Reviews

Mistico Hanging Bridges, and Ecotermales Hotsprings

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tirimbina Chocolat Tour

Costa Rica

Very interesting tour and presesntation. Loved the interaction. It just got a little bit too long.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately Guided Tour at La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Costa Rica

Beautiful property. I could have spent more time there!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I've travelled to other Central and Latin American countries, and Costa Rica was by far the easiest and friendliest. All the moving parts of the trip that kim kim set up worked smoothly (except one that was quickly fixed).

Ride CR transportation was prompt, friendly and scenic. The drivers gave us multiple rest stop opportunities that we usually didn't take, and also pointed out sights and scenic/photo opportunities that we did take. The best ride was between Monteverde and Arenal on a somewhat stormy day that made for great views passing over the mountains and across the lake. The hugely time saving and beautiful option to cross the lake instead of driving around it was brilliant!

Accommodations at the Cloud Forest Lodge and the Arenal Manoa were comfortable and convenient in a way that was very appropriate for the location. Very friendly and helpful staff certainly helps, but the addition of monkeys and toucans in the trees around the hotels was a wonderful surprise. Our favorite moment in Arenal was when the woman checking us in asked if there was anything more she could do, and we jokingly said we were really hoping to see a sloth. She turned to a young staff member nearby and said "Kevin, can you please show them the sloth", so he walked us across the parking lot, gave us his binoculars, and pointed to the sloth moving through the tree twenty feet away. We also especially enjoyed the trails available at the Lodge in Monteverde. Both places had good restaurants with amazing views and plenty of dining options that highlighted Costa Rica (but also played American/British instrumental pop music covers, aka elevator music, that was distractingly un-Costa Rican). It wasn't on the itinerary, but the San Lucas Treetop Dining Experience in Monteverde was one of the most enjoyable meals we've ever had.

All of the guides were knowledgable and excited about their work, balancing detailed wildlife information with local history and culture. Surprisingly consistent considering there is no formal training. The guide at the Hanging Bridges in Arenal was pretty quiet, but that was a much more commercial venue and it was pouring rain most of the time. If we were doing it all again, we would ask for longer tours. Our last day there, the tour company had our reservation, but didn't put us on their operations schedule, so no one picked us up. Since everyone else had been so prompt, I called after about 10 minutes, and they quickly got a driver and guide out to us and added a trip to some nice hot springs to the tour. The important thing was the guide offered us the option to take a much longer trail than normal, and that was a more thorough and satisfying experience.

We certainly enjoyed the lower stress and workload of having kim kim take care of all the arrangements. We're looking forward to using your service again, especially for trips like this where the area is unfamiliar and there are a lot of moving parts. Thanks!

We had the most unbelievable trip! We love all of the diversity with animals and plants.

My recent trip to Costa Rica was to celebrate my sister's birthday. There were 7 of us traveling together. Adrian and Nancy, from Kimkim, were very helpful in getting our trip planned and answered all our questions promptly. Brian, from Serendipity Adventures was the local expert who helped with planning and organizing our trip. Our accommodation was a wonderful house in the Manual Antonio area. Beautiful rooms and space to relax in. Nearby stores made it easy to get supplies when needed. Our planned adventures were, kayaking, white water rafting, zip lines, sunset cruise and visit to local spice farm. All were amazing and we had a wonderful time. I would definitely recommend

Hotel Review

Casa del Sol

Manuel Antonio

Beautiful living space. Bedrooms were spacious and living areas relaxing. We had fun using the pool table and pool area. Housekeeping was daily and always done well. Also able to have our clothes washed when needed. Andreas was the host for the house. He was very helpful with questions and helped to coordinate the chef who made dinner for us two nights. The location was close to grocery stores and were walkable distances. Also able to walk to nearby restaurants and small shops to look around in. We were picked up at the end of the driveway for our tours which made it so very easy for us. Local wildlife included monkeys and beautiful birds. The scarlet Macaws were my favorite.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Chef Service

Manuel Antonio

Please see my earlier comments about this service. This was our second chef prepared meal. W e had it on the evening before we left to go home. Again, a wonderful experience and meal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sunset Catamaran Adventure with Meal

Manuel Antonio

Very fun experience. Our tour was not crowded and staff were very attentive. We chose not to snorkel as we had been in this area earlier in our visit. Instead we enjoyed the slide and jumping into the ocean. The boat captain was able to located a pod of dolphins and they were very entertaining to watch chasing along the side of the boat. The sunset at the end of the trip was beautiful and we were able to take several really nice pictures. The meal was good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Villa Vanilla Spice Tour

Manuel Antonio

The spice tour was in a beautiful setting. Our guide shared the spice farm's development and current crops that included many spices, cacao, and vanilla beans. As we walked through the farm/gardens she would share the various spices and the organic growing practices. There was a tasty treat at the end of the tour as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

El Santuario Canopy Adventure Tour

Manuel Antonio

This was my first time doing a zip line. I had a lot of fun doing the different lines and was impressed at the safety precautions that staff used.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Savegre Whitewater Rafting Adventure

Manuel Antonio

White water rafting was the highlight of the trip for me. Orlando was the guide who talked with us on the ride in. It took an hour and a half to get the area on the river where the rafts could be launched. He shared many stories about the countryside, the people and the surrounding industry and farming. He kept us all entertained. David was the guide for the raft I was in. David made the trip so very fun and memorable. He was a good judge of our capabilities and would find fun areas to go over and get a good splash of water. We were able to get out of the raft and swim in a deeper area. Also go into a waterfall and splash around a bit. Mario, our driver, was also a gem. Not only was he a good driver, he had a beautiful snack set up for us when the trip ended. Mario also shared several local plants and their uses with us. The meal at the end of our trip was a buffet and was very good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

I would definitely recommend using a guide service when visiting the national park. Our guide found many animals, insects, birds, and flowers that we would have not seen. Also, he had a viewing lens that he could take pictures on our smart phone. We have many fun pictures because of this. Also our guide was so knowledgeable about the park and beautiful nature in it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

-Private Chef Service-

Manuel Antonio

Wonderful meal! Chef Germaine's dinner for us was delicious and beautifully presented. Everything was prepared fresh. Chef Germaine and his staff set the table, served the food, cleaned up the dishes and kitchen. It was awesome to have a gourmet meal prepared and served in the house we were staying at.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ocean Kayaking Adventure

Manuel Antonio

The kayak portion was fun. However, snorkeling was limited as there were so many people in the snorkeling area due to other tours using the same reef area. Caesar and Joseph were our guides and were very helpful. My thanks to Joseph for snorkeling with us and helping us to find an octopus to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kim Kim and Bryan and his team were great. Our experience in Costa Rica was wonderful. We had one glitch and he resolved it immediately. The quality of the tours were wonderful with very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides. I would definitely recommend KimKim.

What a fantastic experience it was dealing with Serendipity Adventures in Costa Rica, the company recommended by KimKim Travel. I led a team tasked with providing a birding adventure for our community. From the start, Elena helped craft a 6-day/5-night trip that would work for 50 seniors from Florida. Charlotte and her team worked to execute this plan. In the end, we had 66 who wanted to join along.
The personal attention from landing until take-off was above and beyond. We had 2 buses and 4 outstanding bird guides that stayed with us along the way. They provided additional bird walks around the hotel and resort in the morning and afternoons. Additionally, Serendipity had staff members who set up snack stations, went ahead to ensure we had easy access to our events, and helped out wherever needed. When some members inquired about ziplining, the activity was added to our itinerary, and many took advantage of the addition. The first night we stayed at the Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen by the San Jose airport. Then we headed out to the El Lugar resort, with a stop at the Las Paz Waterfalls for a few hours of animal exhibits and a scenic trail to see the waterfalls. The next days included a riverboat tour, a guided naturalist hike at La Selva Biological Station, a Cacao tour, a visit to the hanging bridges near Arenal Volcano, and a relaxing evening at the hot springs. Everyone raved about the quality of the trip. Thanks for everything!!!

Hotel Reviews

El Lugar

Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí

El Lugar provided very comfortable accommodations for our group. There were minor issues, such as room allocation, but they were promptly addressed. Although the casitas were spread out (as described in their literature), the resort provided quick service via golf carts, picking up guests to get them around. They also anticipated when we would move to meals and kept the carts available outside the reception or dining area. Feeding 66 people 3 meals a day, buffet style, was challenging. The meals did get a bit repetitive, but they tried to change it up. The staff went above and beyond and provided dance lessons, free carriage rides around the resort, and a dancing horse send-off as we boarded the buses to say goodbye. It was a very pleasant stay.

Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen

San José

Our short stay at Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen was well-received by most of the group. There were minor issues due to a long line at check-in, but they quickly resolved that by adding another agent. The grounds were beautiful and allowed us to stretch our legs after a long day of travel. We had a group dinner, and the service was quick and efficient. Overall, it was a good start to the trip.

Activity Reviews

Mistico Hanging Bridges, and Ecotermales Hotsprings

Costa Rica

The Mistico Hanging Bridges and Ecotermales Hot Springs tour was another highlight. Despite the long day, it was a worthwhile experience. We started early with the zip lining option, which many participated in, and ended the day with a relaxing time at the hot springs. The flexibility of choices made it enjoyable for everyone.

Tirimbina Chocolat Tour

Costa Rica

Privately Guided Tour at La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Costa Rica

The privately guided tour at La Paz Waterfall Gardens was a favorite. Our group loved the variety of activities offered there. Some of us enjoyed the entire tour, while others opted to explore only parts of it according to their comfort levels. It was well organized, and everyone had a fantastic time!

We had a great time spending two weeks in Costa Rica

Highlights and best memories:

1. Frog night tour with Kendry our first night in country outside of La Fortuna.
2. Saw and heard 133 species of birds using Merlin ID app - highly recommend downloading the Costa Rica bird data
3. Saw 2- and 3-toed sloths, howler and squirrel monkeys, white-faced capuchins, coati mundi, agouti, squirrels, bats, peccaries and skunk! Also crocodiles (at Tarcolos), iguanas, lizards, venomous snakes, tarantulas, mango crabs and wonderful small hermit crabs in all sorts of seashells at Manuel Antonio beach,
4. Excellent and memorable dinner at San Lucas Treetops in Monteverde. Also enjoyed the farm to table cooking class outside Quepos with Caesar and Crystal and the foodie tour in San Jose with Andrea. Dinner at Sikwa in San Jose and food at Hotel Guachipelin were also memorable.
5. Covered rain forest, cloud forest and dry forest habitats at La Fortuna, Tenorio, La Finca Farm, Monteverde, Santa Elena, Rincon de la Vieja and Manuel Antonio with excellent guides Kendra, Melany, Olman, Fatima, Olivier & Corey.
6. Orchid garden and hummingbird feeders at Cloud Forest Lodge and the hummingbird gallery in Monteverde; butterfly gardens in San Jose (Spirogyra and National Museum), El Jardin Orotina (best place to see 100s of Morphos and it’s free), and Manuel Antonio.
7. National Museum, Jade Museum and Museum of Precolumbian Gold in San Jose
8. Seeing cloud forest canopy and epiphytes from a different perspective at Treetopia
9. Good choices of hotels overall with breakfast free and good dining options at almost all.
10. Good hike seeing waterfalls and hot springs on the grounds of Hotel Guachipelin with one of our favorite guides, Olivier. The Montezuma Oropendulas, Amazons and two different owls calling at night there were also memorable
11. The chocolate, sugar cane and coffee tour at Don Juan’s was much more informative and fun than I was expecting. Seeing the cacao beans during fermentation and tasting them before and after roasting was really instructive. If you’re lucky, they will prepare some Mayan Xochol for you to drink with freshly ground beans. Sampling fresh frogwater after squeezing one’s own sugar cane was also great fun.

Disappointing or not as enjoyable or memorable:

1. Overall, the fauna in the Cloud Forest (Monteverde, Tenorio, Santa Elena & Tretopia) was more disappointing and/or elusive than in other areas. Not sure if this was because of the time of year or our guides.
2. Snorkeling trip to Isla del Canos. The drive and boat trip took >2 hours each way and the snorkeling was not that much better than we could experience with less effort in Hawaii. Also, 1.5 hours in the water was quite tiring.
3. Not enough time to explore Papagayo beaches. Not sure that going to the coast from Rincon de la Vieja and then going back inland for a long round trip to Tenorio was the best planning.
4. Los Lagos Resort in La Fortuna was the hotel at the bottom of our list: too touristy, tired rooms and poor food. Birds on site and landscaping were good though. I think we would have enjoyed a smaller boutique hotel in town.
5. Lots of driving! Next time, we’ll stay in fewer places and drive less
6. It was REALLY, REALLY wet in La Fortuna. Not KimKim’s fault, of course!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Presidente

San José

Very well located in center of town although the entrance is not very obvious. Rooms and food were great. Free breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the middle of the city so there was city noise

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Si Como No Resort & Wildlife Refuge

Manuel Antonio

Very nice grounds with a great pool, view of the ocean and great wildlife including scarlet macaws and toucans. Food at both restaurants was above average

Authenticity & Character

Location

There were a lot uneven steps down to get to our room

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Very quiet and well appointed hotel away from the more touristy parts of Monteverde. Food was excellent and the bird feeders at the restaurant were a treat

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

Nice hotel right on beach at Playa Hermosa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín

Liberia

Great place to stay for a few days with good wildlife, lots of activities and two restaurants to enjoy.

Authenticity & Character

Architecture and wildlife on site

Location

Situated adjacent to Rincon de la Vieja National Park

Staff

Servers in restaurant were great

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Resort was a little tired and touristy. Food was not the best

Authenticity & Character

Rooms and food

Location

Would prefer to have been in town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Treetop Dining Experience

Monteverde

A decadent gourmet dining experience in a glass wall treetop cabin at sunset. Well worth the splurge

Quality of Experience

Ambience and quality of the meal and service.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our server was polite, personable and informative

Transport

Taxi overcharged us a lot on the way there. Ok on the way back

Snorkeling at Isla del Caño Biological Reserve

Manuel Antonio

Two snorkeling sites were selected, one with low visibility and lots of sand, where we saw several small sharks and a turtle, and the other which was shallower, had better visibility and more coral and nice reef fish. Overall, the snorkeling was not much better than some places in Hawaii and I was disappointed. I also got a mild foot cramp from so long in the water. Overall the trip was overrated for me: too much effort without enough return.

Quality of Experience

Food

Fruit, poor banana fruit and burritos with too much rice and not enough protein

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driver showed up at 2pm but we were done by 1pm. We also had a 5:45am start from Manuel Antonio, but could have comfortably left 45-60 minutes later. Coffee on the drive in would have been appreciated

Local Flavors Cooking Experience

Manuel Antonio

Got to prepare a great Costa Rican style meal with stewed chicken, rice, beans, salad, hand made tortillas, and plantain ceviche. Chef showed us exactly what to do and it turned out wonderful. Nice tour of farmers market in town and a beautiful farm with rabbits, goats, sheep, turkeys, hens, ducks, geese, peacocks, guinea hens and an enormous riding bull recuperating from a horn surgery. Also saw their organic garden, a vanilla plantation with pepper, cacao and coffee plants. Nice to see squirrel monkeys and a great toucan along with a gorgeous sunset

Quality of Experience

Picking our own produce from the organic garden and participating with our chef in making a great Costa Rican meal.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Caesar was a great guide and participant in the cooking class. Our chef was great too,

Transport

Food, History & National Museum Experience

San José

National Museum is not included in this tour so it should be renamed. Tour focuses on the Mercado Centrale and Costa Rican food primarily. There was some historical commentary and brief visits to the Cathedral and the lobby of the National Theater which was being renovated during our visit.

Quality of Experience

Sampling fresh and exotic fruits in the Market.

Food

Sampling local exotic fruits in the Mercado Centrale. Excellent mushroom coffee and tamales prepared by Eric. Lolo Mora ice cream.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andrea was a little hard to understand at times especially in city traffic. Maybe a microphone for her and Bluetooth headsets for the attendees would help? That said, both she and Eric were informative and very personable

Hanging Bridges Adventure

Monteverde

Best thing about the trip was seeing the rain forest canopy from above and getting a closeup view of all the epiphytes living high up on the tall cloud Forest trees. Also got to see a forest millipede and our first tarantula.

Quality of Experience

Guide was a wise guy and not very knowledgeable outside of his prepared spiel. Couldn’t distinguish moss from lichen

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Someone with more natural history expertise and less wisecracks

Transport

Private Rio Celeste & Finca Verde Nature Farm

Gulf of Papagayo

Hike through Tenorio National Park with great views of Arenal volcano and great cloud forest vegetation. Wildlife was a bit sparse however, and there was a very long wait with lots of people to see the waterfall, because of a landslide Finca Verde Nature Farm was excellent and we got to see a couple of sloths on the move as well some great birds.

Quality of Experience

Helmeted iguana. Keel billed Toucan. Sloths Great vegetation

Food

Good food and coffee at La Finca

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Olman spotted the helmeted iguana which was a great find although difficult to photograph. Fatima was a great spotter at La Finca.

Transport

Full-day Waterfalls Expedition

Rincón de la Vieja

We hiked for several hours with a very pleasant young man called Olivier who was knowledgeable about the flora, fauna and geography of the area. Saw howler monkeys and white faced capuchin and some great birds. Saw three waterfalls which were each spectacular. The first two we had completely to ourselves. The last one had a great swimming hole but there were quite a few people. It was nice to relax in the hot spring pools at the end after the hike, but they were also quite crowded. Beware: the no-see-um bugs in the parking lot were the most vicious bugs we encountered during the whole trip. The bites stayed with us for 2 weeks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Olivier was very knowledgeable, polite and pleasant. After talking with others, we realized how lucky we were to get private transport between the Oropendula waterfall and the hot springs.

Transport

Sloth & Bird Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very wet hike. Saw bedraggled specimens of both 2- and 3-toed sloths high up in trees, but they were huddled up and not moving much. It’s good sloth habitat. Also saw a BoatBilled Heron who was rather splendid. Good coffee at the place they took us after the hike and it was great watching birds eat plantain pieces while staying dry!

Quality of Experience

Boat Billed Heron.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Melany was our guide and she was an experienced spotter.

Transport

Nocturnal Frog Excursion & Traditional Costa Rican Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

One of the best nature hikes on our trip. Saw quite a few species including the Blue Jeans poison frog and the eponymous Red Eyed Leaf Frog

Quality of Experience

Beautiful garden with ponds and vegetation perfect for finding frogs

Food

Good chicken and rice; home made CR cuisine

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kendry was good at finding frogs

Transport

Driver did a great job driving in pouring rain along potholed roads

KimKim did a very good job on planning our trip to Costa Rica but there were a couple of oopses once we got there. The times on one of the tours and one of the pickups changed and we were not notified (I'm sure because I printed the itinerary before we left). The guide we had on our volcano hike was just putting in the hours but the guide on our cloud forest tour made up for that. The accommodations were lovely though the Cloud Forest Lodge was isolated and their menu wasn't very expansive which would not have worked for more than the two days we were there. If you are going to the Cloud Forest from Arenal Volcano, or vice versa, do take the lake ferry - it was so relaxing! Holden, Adrian and Nancy did a really good job enabling us to see as much of Costa Rica as we could.

Hotel Reviews

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

This lodge was interesting. Work has been done on it but the bathroom is huge which made no sense - our room could have been a suite if a bit of thought had gone into the planning. The staff was amazing, but the menu wasn't varied enough for more than a couple of days stay. Because it was isolated, getting out for a meal would have required extra effort. However, the view was spectacular.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Beautiful hotel with amazing hot springs and a variety of restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Treetopia Tram & Hanging Bridges

Monteverde

Amazing vantage point of Monteverde from the tram. It had rained and the trail was slick so we chose not to hike back to the entry which might have been nice. The hanging bridge trail was well maintained and the bridges were really impressive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tram and hanging bridges were self guided

Transport

Creatures of the Night at Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Though we didn't see much beyond frogs and tarantulas, our guide was so cute, sweet and excited that it didn't matter. How often do you have the chance to traipse through the rain forest, flashlight in hand and enjoy being in the dark sleuthing for critters?

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The walk was at our hotel so there was no transport

Cloud Forest Reserve Privately Guided Hike

Monteverde

Our guide Andy was a wealth of information about birds, botany and the rain/cloud forest. We enjoyed him so much that we extended our tour by two hours and then took him to lunch!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private: Birdwatching in Arenal Mundo Aventura Park

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide Ron was so excited about seeing birds and being in nature - he made getting up at 4:30 worth it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide was just putting in the hours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Farm Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Holden was fantastic- communicative, professional and insightful.
The island was beautiful and the people universally friendly.
We had great drivers Pablo and Alex.
Birding and wildlife tours with Gabriel and Socio and Carlos were exceptional .
We did have one bad experience with a guide. The tour company was apologetic and refunded that tour.

Hotel Reviews

Hampton by Hilton San José Airport

Alajuela

The restaurant lacks character and comfort. Food was just OK. Close to the airport with a speedy shop shuttle. Desk staff were very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costa Verde

Manuel Antonio

Beautiful views and a beautiful place to see monkeys. The staff were not quite as friendly as in other hotels the room was a bit antiquated. The facility is very close to a loud road and it is noisy with a lot of diesel fumes at times the restaurant seems to want to rush you in and out quickly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

They could be friendlier and more interactive

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms are a bit antiquated. Bathroom fans loud and should be separated from the light switch as it was loud anytime we just wanted to turn on the light. Outlets hard to access ( behind bed).

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

The restaurant staff here were amazing, friendly and proficient. The chef was great. The setting wonderful with plenty of bird and monkey sightings.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Nice hotel, friendly staff,nice setting, beautiful wildlife. The room was fine with one exception. The shower was exceptionally hard to use. It was a hanging unit above a hot tub, you really need three hands to use it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Socio was an exceptional guide. He navigated us so that we saw numerous spectacular plants and wildlife. He was very skillful with photography and identification of species.

Quality of Experience

Tremendous guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

They forgot to pick us up but the tour company was apologetic and is investigating why.

Cloud Forest Reserve Privately Guided Hike

Monteverde

Just just the worst. Horrific Guide.

Quality of Experience

New guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Attitude issues

Transport

Dirty smelly vehicle

Treetopia Zip Lines

Monteverde

Nice guides. Safe and fun experience. Lots of adrenaline.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

It was educational. We did feel it actually went on a little longer than it should have.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Birdwatching in Arenal Observatory

Arenal/La Fortuna

Gabriel was an incredible guide, we saw a wide variety of birds which he helped to identify and locate. Spectacular setting, lots of fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pablo And Gabriel we’re awesome awesome

Transport

Right on time

Private Arenal Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Fun , cool bridges, some wildlife, and some bird sightings

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fantastic, friendly, knowledgeable, thoughtful, engaged, as curious as those of us who had never been here before!

We had a great trip and everything went perfectly! We have traveled with Kim Kim before and I am so impressed with your attention to detail! Our pick up drivers were very professional (especially Kennie) , our adventures let us get a great feel for Costa Rica and it's beautiful and rich history and wonderful and welcoming people. Our hotels were perfect and allowed us to relax and still be close to everything.

Hotel Reviews

Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort

Tamarindo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fonda Vela Hotel

Monteverde

We all loved the family and staff!

Authenticity & Character

They went out of their way to make us comfortable. The authentic breakfasts were a real treat!

Location

Staff

Over the top great!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Hanging Bridges Walk

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Could give more time at the beach

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Silencio Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Food was a buffet style, but good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Cooking Class - Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Excellent and very hands on! Still waiting for our recipies!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Farm Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very informative and fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Roads were very bad!

An incredible trip full of fun and great memories . Olman was incredibly patient with my many calls and questions. Our favorite activities were the wildlife boat trip in Tortugero, zip lining in Monte Verde, the volcano hike in La Fortuna and the final night catamaran cruise in Tamarindo.

Hotel Review

Wyndham

Tamarindo

Hotel was quite run down and needs repairs. Great location and views but bedding was torn, sink had leaks and the water pressure on the shower was very low. There was a shortage of towels and issues with the dryers being broken. Breakfast was tasteless and bland. Tables not cleared at breakfast and dirty.

Authenticity & Character

big corporate hotel, very little charm

Location

great view

Staff

Not friendly and overworked, too much asking for tips

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed linens ripped, sink leaks, shower pressure poor

Activity Reviews

Catamaran Sailing Excursion

Costa Rica

Crew was so friendly and views were amazing

Quality of Experience

comfortable ,

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

crew was awesome

Transport

Long ride from our hotel

Enjoy the Beauty of Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero

Great wildlife and wonderful guide. We saw and learned a lot

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San Jose - Tortuguero

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgable

Transport

We had a wonderful trip to Costa Rica, planned by Holden, Nancy and Adrian at Serendipity Adventures. We got to experience everything we asked for, even while raining in the rainforest, and then some. Our long distance drivers were friendly, shared their knowledge of the area and made our rides pleasant. All of our guides were enthusiastic, knowledgeable and fun to spend time with. Mariano guided us through Mystico Hanging Bridges Park, Ron Vargas led us on a birdwatch . and our kayaking guide at Arenal Water sports was very patient and supportive as we began our kayaking in the rain, before it stopped, (offering to switch to pontoon if needed). We enjoyed the chocolate /coffee tour at North Fields and the personlized introduction to Huber's farm Paraiso and cooking with Carmen and Marie offered another look into life in Costa Rica.

Our stay at Arenal Manoa was wonderful. It is a beautiful hotel spread out over lush gardens and the hot springs were a blessing to have on those rainy days, especially after the rigorous hikes at Mystico. The staff is especially accommodating, with transport offered to get around if needed, umbrellas provided, and several restaurant options. The rooms were spacious and well appointed with many amenities. We waited patiently for our view of the volcano, which finally came.

We had a nice experience at La Mariposa in Manuel Antonio. The staff was very helpful and the hotel offers shuttle service to the beach. There was a lovely pool and excellent restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner overlooking the ocean. Our room's furnishings were older, but clean, comfortable and had a beautiful ocean view with a terrace to watch the beautiful birds and sunsets from.

Our experience with Serendipity Adventures was top rated. Holden, Nancy and Adrian planned a great trip. Adrian was especially helpful on the ground in Costa Rica , ready to help with possible flight and hotel changes due to storms in US.
We highly recommend working with them.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

A pretty hotel at the top of the hill in Manuel Antonio. There were rooms spread out. Our room was one flight up stairs for top floor room with beautiful ocean view. A shuttle is offered several times a day to the public beach. The hotel has a beautiful pool and restaurant overlooking the Pacific ocean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

A beautiful hotel spread out over lush gardens and the hot springs are a blessing to have on rainy (rainforest) days espedcially after rigorous hikes. The staff is especially accommodating, with transport offered to get around if needed, umbrellas provided in rooms and main buildings, and several excellent restaurant options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lots of beautiful birds to be seen, as well as a sloth or two.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Always accomodating, friendly, helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Rainmaker Conservation Park

Manuel Antonio

The park, while beautiful has a trail that is not as well maintained with railings . It included steep climbs and hanging bridges ( unexpected) that were also not in good condition ( as Mystico). It was difficult to enjoy the beautiful scenery of waterfalls and forest as we made our way through the more difficult trail. our guide, Alex, was very good, and very supportive and patient. He was very knowledgable of the area and we learned alot. He stopped to show anything he thought might be of interest, - animals, insects, etc. Also, the activity was longer than expected as the travel to the park was over 30 minutes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Picked up on time. Our guide , Alex, was informative on the way to and from the park.

Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Farm Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

A fun and very well orchestrated tour of a local chocolate and coffee farm. Very thorough, lots of sampling! The tour guides are very enthusiastic and great with public speaking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private: Birdwatching in Arenal Mundo Aventura Park

Arenal/La Fortuna

We enjoyed the walk through the beautiful garden with Ron, who is very enthusiastic about birding. unfortunately, the birds were not as accommodating as he would have liked, though we/he did see many and shared the list with us afterwards. We had a wonderful time speaking with him over breakfast and learning more about nature in costa Rica. The activity was scheduled for 5:30-7:30. It was actually longer, as we had breakfast after the walk.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Organic Cooking Class

Arenal/La Fortuna

Mariano picked us up along with another couple who shared our walking tour of the farm with Huber. He shared his family's history and experience operating the small farm . We learned about their local plants, produce, spanish names - it was very inclusive and immersive experience. We then joined a cook and other volunteers in the kitchen for some chopping, prepping and tortilla making, before sitting down with them to a delicious meal of orroz con pollo with fresh salad from the garden.

Quality of Experience

Food

everything!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We appreciate Huber, Marie and Carmen sharing the farm and home with us.

Transport

Kayaking on Lake Arenal

Arenal/La Fortuna

We arrived to find the lake choppy due to raining. The guide was very patient, offered to use the pontoon if we felt uncomfortable. We tested the water, rain stopped and we had a very enjoyable kayak ride for 2 hours, close to shore

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

unfortunately do not have the name. Arenal water sports

Transport

Private Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Mariano guided through this beautiful reserve. It was more rigorous and steep than we expected, but Mariano was patient. Very enthusiastic and informative, stopping to find insects, reptiles and other animals native to the forest. The reserve is very well maintained and we felt very safe on the bridges. We enjoyed our time with him

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mariano- very enthusiastic and knowledgeable

Transport

BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO!

This was my 1st time booking with KIMKIM and I must say they are one of the best in the industry! From start to to finish the entire process was seamless and awesome! Gustavo was also incredible! He was available for myself & my clients whenever we needed him or had questions.

I look forward to working with KIMKIM as much as possible and creating happy clients all the way!!!!!

Getting though Immigration/Customs was lengthy, and traffic made the trip from landing to our 1st lodging a 6 hour ordeal.
Volcano Lodge: Room was adequate, but the grounds were amazing - gardens and thermal pools.
Cloud Forest Lodge: Room was large and comfortable. Restaurant and staff were great
Hotel La Mariposa: Room was large and comfortable, great view of the ocean from the balcony. Dinner menu was lacking. Easy short walk to La Milagro for excellent dinners.
All 3 had great breakfasts
Both Kimkim and Serendipity kept us informed as we traveled. All transfers and pick-ups for activities were on-time.
Mariano led a nice hike through Arenal 1968, pointing out interesting features (although the clouds never let us see the volcano). We were never rushed, and enjoyed the waterfall. He was a trouper after his very long day getting us from the airport.
Moisses (Moi) was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide on the river float. He took the effort to separate us from the crowds of other rafts on the river - it was like we had the place to ourselves. Saw monkeys and a crocodile.
The Coffee and Chocolate (and sugar cane) Tour was interesting and tasty.
The Night Walk was a disappointment. Martin spoke very softly, especially for a group of 8-10 people. We never saw anything larger than a finger. Likewise, the Santa Elena hike never produced anything other than insects and plants. At least we could see the forest around us, unlike the Night Walk. I would suggest 1 or the other; not both - too similar.
Andres was an amazing guide at Manual Antonio. Seems like he knows every guide there and kept getting (and giving) tips on what to see and where. Very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Birds, monkeys and sloths
The Catamaran Tour was fun, and we got to see dolphins and whales. Unfortunately, recent rains meant limited visibility and not good snorkeling conditions. Good meal and very friendly crew.
RideCR had the most comfortable vans. We were pleasantly amazed at how courteous the drivers are in CR, especially given the narrow roads.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Nice large corner room with balcony and views on 2 sides. Nice views to the ocean. Easy to get to other restaurants and shops by a short walk or the local bus ($1 per passenger, every 15-20 minutes). Very good breakfast. Did not seem like dinner choices were authentic/local.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Pleasant and welcoming staff. Large room. Emphasis on sustainability. Nice dining room. Good menu with varied, authentic options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Adequate, small room. Beautiful grounds. Thermal pools were very enjoyable. Great breakfasts and enough choices of local dinner options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Catamaran Tour with Meal

Costa Rica

Saw whales and dolphins. Surprisingly good meal.

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

We had a great guide and saw lots of wildlife.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike**

Monteverde

Night Walk at Children's Eternal Forest

Monteverde

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Safari Float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Day 1: Picked up from the airport by Alex.  Very informative about the country during the 3.5hour drive to La Fortuna.  He was also very caring and patient when two of our travelers became motion sick.  He took his time and did everything possible to minimize the impact of bumps and curves - well done, Alex!!
Arenal Springs Resort accommodations were beautiful and the staff was helpful and kind.  Food at the restaurants was excellent; however, prices were much higher than anticipated and, as the resort is rather remote, alternative dining options were not practical.  We opted for private transfers during our vacation so did not have a rental car and an uber for 6-people proved challenging so we stayed on property for meals.  Our breakfast was included, the buffet was full of great options ... nothing lacking.  There are two rooms per building; if occupants of both rooms are showering at the same time, hot water can be sketchy.  The property is well kept, clean and beautiful.

Day 2: Coffee/Chocolate/Sugar Cane tour led by Valerie was informative and fun.  She shared stories about her family as well as the country's history and future with each of these three crops as well as how each is processed.  The sampling was wonderful with sugar juice and sugar alcohol (WOW);  various types and roasts of coffee and the chocolate - dark to milk was DELICIOUS.  I would highly recommend this tour and Valerie.

In the afternoon, we enjoyed a beautiful hike through the Arenal Hanging Bridges with Mariano.  A gorgeous walk with several hanging bridges to test our stability - LOL.  Mariano was an excellent guide: informative, fun and really patient.  A great afternoon that was relaxing, not strenuous.

Day 3: Big Arenal Mundo Aventura Zipline.  For those of us who could participate, this was wonderful.  After watching the video and seeing the warnings we discovered that half of our group (3 people) could not go.  We were super disappointed in finding this out after we had paid.  The zipline itself was not the problem, but rather the very difficult hike from the tractor drop-off point to the first zipline ... that hike was a beast, even for those who are fit.  IMO, this absolutely should have been included in the description as we would have made different selections or, at a minimum, reduced the number of participants for the activity.  I don't know how alternative zipline options are set up but this was a non-starter for ANYONE with health challenges and there is no practical way to stop once you have started.  For the 3 who partook in the adventure, the 12 lines were fun with varying lengths (from 660ft - 3800+ft) and various avg speeds (21mps-34mph)

In the afternoon, we relaxed and enjoyed an educational experience on a farm learning of various medicinal and edible plants wrapping up with a dinner made from those ingredients.  Mary was GREAT and has a true love of the environment and nature ready, willing and able to answer all of our questions.  While we participated by chopping ingredients, the whole group was disappointed in the fact that this was positioned as a "Cooking Class" but neither did we cook nor get the recipe for the dinner that was served ... both of which have been our experiences at other classes around the world.  This was a 4* experience that could have been 5* had those two items been included.
Day 4: The day was spent with a Private Transfer from Arenal to Monteverde.  Our driver, Andrea, was delightful.  The 3.5 hour drive was the worst drive any of our group had ever experienced ... a non-stop winding road that was paved, but rougher than many gravel roads with abundant potholes.  Again, this should have been mentioned as two of our passengers suffered from extreme motion sickness.  We discovered, later, when visiting with another traveler to Costa Rica that there is an alternative way to transfer between these two points - by a 1.5 hour ferry.  This is likely the option we would have selected had we known just how poor the roads were.  Honestly, the terrible road condition is unacceptable given the amount of time you have to be one it - a portion of the drive would have been tolerable, but not the entire 3.5 hours.  There is nothing that Andrea could have done to make this better.    
The Cloud Forest Lodge was spectacular.  Secluded and quiet with one of the largest room/bathroom/balcony combinations I have ever experienced while traveling!  Once again, the food was delicious.  Breakfast was included here, with a full menu.  Ingredients were fresh and service impeccable.  In the evenings, as the temperatures dropped, there is a lovely area with a fireplace where many guests gathered and visited.  It was cozy and comfortable - a real addition to the visit.  There are three  rugged trails on property that are all worth exploring.  As with Arenal Springs,  the resort is rather remote making alternative dining options impractical.  Food was not out of line expensive here.
Day 5: Cloud Forest Reserve Privately Guided Hike with Sergio was wonderful.  Sergio is passionate about the environment and his enthusiasm is contagious.  We were lucky enough to see a male Quetzal, the most beautiful bird in the world for good reason - GORGEOUS.  Sergio explained the various trees and plants along with the life cycle of the Cloud Forest.  This walk was conducted at our pace and Sergio was thoughtful and thorough when answering our questions.  He made this hike memorable for all of us.
Day 6: Our Private Transfer from Monteverde to Tamarindo was pleasant as we had been advised of the poor road conditions, once again, and took dramamine to prevent motion sickness during the 3.5 hour transfer.  We were so happy to see Alex again!
The Cala Luna Boutique Hotel and Villas was spectacular!  The rooms were the best of our trip and the property is stunning.  Every area of the property felt private.  On the other hand, the food here was the worst of our visit.  Some of the items were good, but for the most part the menus offered little to no options for people who are picky eaters and the prices are high. The good news is that this property is not as secluded as the first two so you could easily get into town where there is an abundance of restaurant options.  The included buffet breakfast was very disappointing with little selection and warm items were always cold.  The food is not at all on par with the property ... so disappointing.

Day 7: Was a Sunset Catamaran tour that was out of this world wonderful.  A beautiful catamaran, a fun group of guests and a crew that took excellent care of us with food and drink.  We anchored for about 90 minutes for snorkeling/kayaking/swimming/staying on the boat; it was perfect.  The sunrise didn't disappoint.  The drive to the harbor was longer than expected (45 minutes) and well worth it, a mention of the length would have been beneficial.  Our itin said that this activity would be from 12:45 to 4:45 however we did not return to the property until 7:00; the only challenge we had is that only two of the three couples went on the catamaran so the coordination of our evening activity did not work as planned due to an arrival 2+ hours later than anticipated.  I wouldn't change the activity, just the timing shared as part of the itin.
Day 8: Private transfer to airport was smooth and efficient.
Communication during the trip was prompt and efficient - thank you.  It made everything so stress-free.  The Kimkim App worked perfectly and communicating with WhatsApp worked great.  

Hotel Reviews

Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas

Guanacaste

The Cala Luna Boutique Hotel and Villas was spectacular! The rooms were the best of our trip and the property is stunning. Every area of the property felt private. On the other hand, the food here was the worst of our visit. Some of the items were good, but for the most part the menus offered little to no options for people who are picky eaters and the prices are high. The good news is that this property is not as secluded as the first two so you could easily get into town where there is an abundance of restaurant options. The included buffet breakfast was very disappointing with little selection and warm items were always cold. The food is not at all on par with the property ... so disappointing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

The Cloud Forest Lodge was spectacular.  Secluded and quiet with one of the largest room/bathroom/balcony combinations I have ever experienced while traveling!  Once again, the food was delicious.  Breakfast was included here, with a full menu.  Ingredients were fresh and service impeccable.  In the evenings, as the temperatures dropped, there is a lovely area with a fireplace where many guests gathered and visited.  It was cozy and comfortable - a real addition to the visit.  There are three  rugged trails on property that are all worth exploring.  As with Arenal Springs,  the resort is rather remote making alternative dining options impractical.  Food was not out of line expensive here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Arenal Springs Resort

La Fortuna

Arenal Springs Resort accommodations were beautiful and the staff was helpful and kind. Food at the restaurants was excellent; however, prices were much higher than anticipated and, as the resort is rather remote, alternative dining options were not practical. We opted for private transfers during our vacation so did not have a rental car and an uber for 6-people proved challenging so we stayed on property for meals. Our breakfast was included, the buffet was full of great options ... nothing lacking. There are two rooms per building; if occupants of both rooms are showering at the same time, hot water can be sketchy. The property is well kept, clean and beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

view of volcano and grounds

Staff

Loved the daily "towel art"

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sunset Catamaran Tour

Costa Rica

Sunset Catamaran tour that was out of this world wonderful. A beautiful catamaran, a fun group of guests and a crew that took excellent care of us with food and drink. We anchored for about 90 minutes for snorkeling/kayaking/swimming/staying on the boat; it was perfect. The sunrise didn't disappoint. The drive to the harbor was longer than expected (45 minutes) and well worth it, a mention of the length would have been beneficial. Our itin said that this activity would be from 12:45 to 4:45 however we did not return to the property until 7:00; the only challenge we had is that only two of the three couples went on the catamaran so the coordination of our evening activity did not work as planned due to an arrival 2+ hours later than anticipated. I wouldn't change the activity, just the timing shared as part of the itin.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cloud Forest Reserve Privately Guided Hike

Monteverde

loud Forest Reserve Privately Guided Hike with Sergio was wonderful. Sergio is passionate about the environment and his enthusiasm is contagious. We were lucky enough to see a male Quetzal, the most beautiful bird in the world for good reason - GORGEOUS. Sergio explained the various trees and plants along with the life cycle of the Cloud Forest. This walk was conducted at our pace and Sergio was thoughtful and thorough when answering our questions. He made this hike memorable for all of us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Organic Cooking Class

Arenal/La Fortuna

In the afternoon, we relaxed and enjoyed an educational experience on a farm learning of various medicinal and edible plants wrapping up with a dinner made from those ingredients. Mary was GREAT and has a true love of the environment and nature ready, willing and able to answer all of our questions. While we participated by chopping ingredients, the whole group was disappointed in the fact that this was positioned as a "Cooking Class" but neither did we cook nor get the recipe for the dinner that was served ... both of which have been our experiences at other classes around the world. This was a 4* experience that could have been 5* had those two items been included.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Big Arenal Mundo Aventura Zipline

Arenal/La Fortuna

Big Arenal Mundo Aventura Zipline. For those of us who could participate, this was wonderful. After watching the video and seeing the warnings we discovered that half of our group (3 people) could not go. We were super disappointed in finding this out after we had paid. The zipline itself was not the problem, but rather the very difficult hike from the tractor drop-off point to the first zipline ... that hike was a beast, even for those who are fit. IMO, this absolutely should have been included in the description as we would have made different selections or, at a minimum, reduced the number of participants for the activity. I don't know how alternative zipline options are set up but this was a non-starter for ANYONE with health challenges and there is no practical way to stop once you have started. For the 3 who partook in the adventure, the 12 lines were fun with varying lengths (from 660ft - 3800+ft) and various avg speeds (21mps-34mph)

Quality of Experience

more information about the activity BEFORE you zipline ... the hike is impossible for people with health challenges

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

In the afternoon, we enjoyed a beautiful hike through the Arenal Hanging Bridges with Mariano. A gorgeous walk with several hanging bridges to test our stability - LOL. Mariano was an excellent guide: informative, fun and really patient. A great afternoon that was relaxing, not strenuous.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Farm Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Coffee/Chocolate/Sugar Cane tour led by Valerie was informative and fun. She shared stories about her family as well as the country's history and future with each of these three crops as well as how each is processed. The sampling was wonderful with sugar juice and sugar alcohol (WOW); various types and roasts of coffee and the chocolate - dark to milk was DELICIOUS. I would highly recommend this tour and Valerie.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great trip. Guides were terrific. Hanging bridges and volcano tour led by Mariano. Sloth tour(where we actually saw them)
led by Manuel and Ernesto. Monteverde led by Andres. All made the tours very special.
Worked with Holden from Serendipity Adventures to plan the trip. Again excellent. Last but not least was Adrian who answered all our questions as they came up. All in all an excellent adventure.
By the way we chose to rent a car and drive. We loved it but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you are comfortable with small roads and sometimes challenging driving conditions.

Hotel Reviews

The Coast Beachfront Hotel

Tamarindo, Guanacaste Province

This was our least favorite of the hotels. Good location for the beach. Average rooms. Small crowded pool. No restaurant or services. Would not choose it again. Would look for a more self contained resort outside of town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

This was the most dramatic hotel on our trip. Amazing location. Not easy to get to if you are driving but worth the trip. Good food and nice rooms and terrific staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

This was our favorite hotel of the trip. Peaceful. Wonderful rooms in separate little cottages. Great pool, good food and excellent staff. Would be happy staying there for a week.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to town but very private and peaceful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Garden Inn Guanacaste Airport

Liberia

Fine airport hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Next to airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tamarindo Mangrove & Estuary Boat Tour

Costa Rica

Skipped this one as I was not feeling well. Plus Tamarindo is extremely hot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private: Half-day Birdwatching Hike in Curi-Cancha Reserve

Monteverde

Again the guide makes the trip. Andres was terrific.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Wonderful excursion. Again the guide makes the trip. Andres was extremely knowledgeable and a pleasure to spend time with.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Observation - Day or Night Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

We actually got to see sloths. The guides have a familiar route they take. Good chance of seeing sloths since they know where they are and obviously the sloths are not moving very quickly. Easy trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great trip made special by our guide Mariano.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mariano

Day 1: airport shuttle from San Jose to LaFortuna: Ride Cr, driver, Christopher. He was waiting for us with a sign, barely spoke English, did not offer water, did not explain what the drive would be , minimal comments on the 3 1/2 hour drive, we had to ask to stop for a break.
ROyal Corin REsort was EXCELLENT!! Extremely clean, very helpful staff, most spoke English, Daily breakfast was a huge buffett with many items, food was delicious. room was large, comfortable and clean. thermal pools offered a variety of temps. However, there was no hydro massage, the jets were weak. restaurant up stairs has fabulous service and food. lower level, main restaurant was closed, but offered gthe menu on top floor restaurant

Day 2: sloth & bird hike in La Fortuna, La Jacamar Natural Tours, Rodney. HE WAS FABULOUS! spoke English, truly an expert guide, spent extra time with us, provided a scope to see the animals, shared photos. offered additional information about the area and Costa Rica.

Eco Termales Hot Springs,Jacamar driver was great. The Springs staff was not friendly or welcoming and did not offer explanation of the facilities, offered minimal comments, there was nice variety of springs and all appeared to be clean. Nice that drinks were offered at the springs, the food was medium quality and variety.

Day 3: safari float, Jacamar driver and guides spoke English and offered much information. the boat itself was uncomfortable. I would suggest a stop along the way for a small break. the guides were helpful and well informed of the area and the river.

Lake Arenal sunset cruise, Jacamar Tours, guide was good, cheese, snacks & drinks were good. they pointed out several birds and offered a lot of information about the area. It was a little boring and lasted a little long for us. I understand it was designed to be that way and relaxing, but it is my personal choice, I woul not do it again or recommend it.

Day 4: sky tram, sky adventures. zipline experience was excellent, guides gave very good instruction, views were amazing. sky adventures scheduled too much time between the zipline and the hike. Therefore, we had to shorten the hike in order to get back to the bus for the return. Maria, our hike guide was fabulous. offered much information and spoke English.

Day 5: shuttle from La Fortuna to Manuel Antonio, Interbus Costa Rica. Larger more comfortable bus, was full of passengers (approx. 12) David was our driver, he did speak minimal English and did not comment or point out much on the drive. There were 2, 20 minute stops which made the trip more comfortable. He did not offer water.

arrived as Issimo, If I knew it was such a small seculed hotel, I would have nt chosen it. Angie, our travel agent, indicated she thought it was within walking distance to attractions & town.
the Jr. Suite was very disappointing. extremely small, not place to put away clothes, had to walk down several very steep steps to get to the room. the room smelled, ac wasn't working properly, sink area super tiny, shower floor was slippery. I spoke with Olivia from Kimkim and requested to be moved to another hotel. She said this could not be done. We spoke with hotel manager about being moved to another, possible larger & more comfortable room. Gustavo did reply on Jan 26th and was able to confirm us moving to a different room. The new room was much more comfortable, smelled better and was larger. Fortunately, we were able to taxi into the nearby town. AGain, if we knew it's location and the size of the room in advance, we would have asked for a different hotel before traveling. The staff at Issimo were fabulous, most spoke English, the breakfast every morning was delightful. Our new room was clean as well as all the facilities. I will say though, that I did see a spider and ants in our room. The view, was the best part about the hotel. The did offer complimentary hotel golf cart shuttle to very nearby beaches or bank, pharmacy.

day 6: national park nature hike, Paddle 9: Korry, our guide was definitely a 10 our of 10. He took much time to explain a lot of things alonge the way, pointed out many animals, birds, etc. He spent extra time with us, shared much information about the country and the town. and shared his photos with us. he provided binoculars and the scope to see animals. small group was best, as only 4 of us with Korry. He spoke fabulous English.

day 7: catamaran adventure, Tucanes Tours. comfortable boat, drinks included were poor quality, had to buy our own beer. I called Tucanes tours in advance and was told beer & cocktails were included. Only the poor quality cocktails were included. (watered down) great views, offered snorkeling, swimming and waterslides. The guide who did the talking to the entire boat, spoke mostly in spanish and very little in English. The quaity of the bbq, was medium. pre-cooked skewers of fish and peppers & onions. the views were amazing, saw whales. sunset was amazing and the ride was impressive.

Day 8: transfer to San Jose, Ride CR: david was our driver, he did a great job with a nice stop and break along the way. AGain, they did nor provide water, but I prepared and took my own.
He poited out points of interest, his English was minimal, but we managed to communicate well.

summary, we loved Costa Rica and learned so much from the locals and guides. I will go back, and now that I know more, will plan a little differently. Gustavo, I geatly appreciate your assistance. We always felt safe, hotels were so welcoming.

John & Susan Boggess

Hotel Reviews

Issimo Suites Boutique Hotel & Spa—Adults Only

Manuel Antonio

somewhat seculed, had to shuttle or taxi everywhere, very quiet & small. would be perfect for those who want quite, calm. no entertainment, staff was extremely friendly and helpful.Don't get a Jr suite, pool was 5 ft deep, then a large drop off to deeper water. No shallow area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

views were amazing,

Cleanliness & Comfort

spider and ants in my room

The Royal Corin Thermal Water Spa & Resort - Adults Only

Fortuna

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Morning Catamaran Adventure with Barbecue

Manuel Antonio

the main guide spoke mostly in Spanish, minimal communication in English, The quality of the food was medium, only watered down cocktails were offered. We had to buy the beer, even though I called ahead and was told beer was included. HOwever, the experience, the views, the activities were great. Sunset was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Manuel Antonio National Park Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

our guide was fabulous, spent extra time with us and offered so much information about the coungtry and the town. pointed out many animals, offered the scope to see better and shared his photos.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

a must do in Costa Rica, guides were excellent in giving information and instruction.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lake Arenal Sunset Cruise with Wine & Cheese

Arenal/La Fortuna

views were amazing and guides were very informative. it was a bit long, we thought it would be a small groupl

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

boat was uncomfortable, suggest a short break

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

staff was not welcoming and did not tell us what the experience would be, food was medium quality, the springs were a good experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

better communication by the staff at the facility.

Transport

Sloth & Bird Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

guide was fabulous, saw so many animals

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My wife and I had a great trip to Costa Rica -- we didn't have time to plan it, but had some ideas. Adam was very attentive and had great suggestions as starting points and adjusted the plan to our desires. Kimkim's communication with us was just right -- not too much but just enough. Once we were in Costa Rica and had travelled some, we realized we needed to instead rent a car and drive ourselves (my wife suffers from motion sickness, but if she drives it's much better) -- Kimkim came through for us with the adjustment and got us a car for the rest of our trip. We enjoyed all of the guided trips we went on and saw lots of Costa Rican wildlife and birds. Overall, Kimkim was responsive and helpful before and during our trip and we had a wonderful first trip to Costa Rica. Thanks Kimkim!!