Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

My wife and I had (both early 60's and fairly fit) had a truly wonderful and memorable trip to Costa Rica. I usually plan my own trips, but since this was kind of last minute, I left all the planning to Kim Kim and kept my fingers crossed. They put me in touch with their local specialist, Nuria, who did a great job tailoring the trip to what was important to us. Our tours and transportation were totally private (a wonderful splurge). All guides and drivers were super friendly, prompt, and knowledgeable; but a special shout out to Jacamar Naturalist Tours. These guys were 5 star! With 9 days of tours, and transportation to 3 towns and airports it was incredible that their was only one very minor glitch the entire trip (no biggie). We hiked to volcanos and waterfalls, saw wildlife that we wouldn't have noticed without the guides' knowledge and telescopic equipment, zip-lined, bungee jumped, rode horses, relaxed in Tabacon's hot springs, did a cooking class, a coffee/chocolate tour, and a city tour of San Jose. Nuria even went above and beyond by reserving a few restaurants for us. Accommodations: Finca Paraiso Mtn Retreat in the hills outside San Jose is an absolute 5 star gem. Their property and views are sublime. Tabacon Spa and Resort is also 5 star all the way. Our 3rd hotel, Hotel Senda in Monteverde is a bit more complicated. The service level is 5 star, but the rooms and the property landscaping is just 3 star. Having said that, we did really enjoy our time at Hotel Senda. Staff is very friendly and helpful, free laundry!, free snacks and beverages from the mini bar, hot water bottles left during turndown to warm your bed, etc. . Some nice touches. All in all, we loved our time in Costa Rica and would certainly recommend KimKim and Nuria. Pura Vida!

Olman picked a few excellent resorts for our stay in Costa Rica. The Monterverde Lodge had a great staff and food selection. The Arenal Resort was 5 stars all the way. The hotel was absoultely beautiful and had everything you needed including a complimentary washer and dryer which we used. Drinks were pretty expensive $13 dollars for a 12oz IPA but along with the 10% tip and 13% gratuity added on top The food was delecious in every restaurant we went into the service is top notch. The people of Costa Rica are some of the finest in the world
The excursions we took were complelety different a ziplne for the us and the kids and the Volcano tour. The kids enjoyed the ziplines in Monteverde but got a little hot and tired on the 3 hour Volcano tour.
Finally our last driver to the airport Fernando made a pit stop at his home where he let us drink from his coconut tree and taste new fruits we never tried prepared by his 82 year old mother. This may have been our favorite part of the trip getting to meet new people who were not there to serve us but just great friendly Costa Rican people
Overall it was a great time and I would highly reccommned Kimkim. Are whole experience in Costa Rica was better becuase we chose Kimkim to help us book it. I hope to use them in the future on our next trip to Europe

From organizing through the trip itself all went smoothly and gave us a great experience! This was our first time organizing travels using a travel service - but won't be the last. We particularly appreciate Bryan arranging for small group tours - versus large groups that we saw along the way. At times it was just us and our guide - fabulous! The guides were wonderful, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the terrain and wildlife - which is infectious. Special appreciation to Socio of Endemic Birds - truly a standout in terms of depth of knowledge (in fact, he has trained many other guides). Our favorite accommodation was Hacienda Baru (near Dominical). This was "homey", complete with a lovely outdoor cafe that served great food that was cheaper than eating in town, and has fabulous nature trails on the grounds. We enjoyed having iguanas visit us during b'fast. Without leaving the property we were able to enjoy a bird watching tour and zip lining. We were happy that we only spent one night near Manuel Antonio Park - the crowds there were overwhelming. Special thanks to Bryan, Nancy and Charlotte for remaining available to us throughout the trip! One suggestion - providing more specific driving instructions would have been helpful.

Activity Reviews

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

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!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Arenal Volcano National Park Boat & Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Carara National Park Guided Tour

Costa Rica

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Socio was both exceptionally knowledgeable about the terrain and wildlife, but also took the initiative to make calls for us to re-schedule our tour in Arenal so we would not be rushed. Very grateful!

Manuel Antonio National Park

Costa Rica

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.

Quality of Experience

The nature - not the crowds.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Flight of the Toucan Zip-Lining

Costa Rica

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rainforest Birdwatching Hike

Uvita

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Whale Watching & Wildlife Spotting Boat Trip in Marino Ballena National Park

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We visited La Fortuna/Arenal and Manuel Antonio. Our trip was beautifully planned by Diego. He found great adventures and excursions for us. Our 5 kids’ ages range from 12 to 23 and he met all of our needs and made sure they would all be interested in what we were doing.

Hotel Reviews

Auténtico Hotel

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Next time we would just skip San Jose and drive directly to our first resort.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The air conditioning did not work well in our rooms. There was construction going on at the hotel early in the mornings and throughout the day.

Si Como No Resort & Wildlife Refuge

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling Adventure

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

La Fortuna Waterfall Hike and El Salto Swimming Hole

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything about this trip was smooth and perfect!
The planning was easy with Veronica. She asked great questions, provided needed information, recommendations and assurances , and then organized a wonderful trip for us. The accommodations were amazing and all the tours, operators and guides were excellent! We had private tours with guides on many days.
Highlight:
Staying at the Tabocan Resort (a beautiful hotel with amazing hot springs) and the view (once the clouds cleared on our final day) of the volcano

Hotel Reviews

Park Inn San José by Radisson

San José

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).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gaia Hotel And Reserve—Adults Only

Quepos

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa

Fortuna

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!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Volunteer Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mangrove Boat Tour

Manuel Antonio

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Costa Rica

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!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Farm Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Guided Walking Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

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!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hiking Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shuttle Transfer with Rafting on the Sarapiqui River En Route

Costa Rica

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip and all of the connection points was arranged extremely well. We only had to know what time we needed to be in the lobby of our hotel to have a completely hassle free experience. The guides that were set up for our daily tours were incredibly knowledgeable and managed to find many wonderful animals for us to observe. They even took pictures for us through their scopes so that we would have lasting images of all of the wonderful animals and plants we encountered while in Costa Rica. Toucans, monkeys, sloths, macaws, lizards and coati mundis were all part of our experience. The trip itself had a good balance of organized tours and relaxation time. The hotels they chose were pretty as well as comfortable. The scenery - spectacular, we even saw double rainbows from our porch in Monteverdi.
One day was spent visiting natural hot springs which proved to be a very enjoyable and peaceful experience.
We were able to sample local and very delicious foods at low prices. Kim Kim / Serendipity supplied us with some recommendations for dinners and our local tour guides also provided some excellent suggestions like Pollo Fortuneno (wonderful Mahi Mahi dish) while in the Arenal/LaFortuna area.

Being foolish, tired tourists, we also managed to misplace a large sum of money and originally thought our money was stolen.
The hotel staff at Volcano Lodge found the lost money in our hotel room and, in working with Charlotte, our contact at Serendipity tours, managed to wire the money through our next hotel and hand deliver it to us.
That is what I call fantastic, over the top service! Totally incredible in every way.
We will visit Costa Rica again and will also use KimKim for future bookings in other areas

Hotel Reviews

Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

located right next to Manuel Antonio park and the animals can also be seen on the grounds of this hotel

Staff

very friendly staff who assisted with taxis and getting around town

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean comfortable and spacious rooms

Hotel Heliconia

Monteverde

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.

Authenticity & Character

nice spacious rooms and you can get a bite to eat right at this hotel.

Location

easy walk to town and some dinner places, hotel is on a hill so you cannot walk back on a hot day.

Staff

The manager of the hotel assisted us with getting the cash that we misplaced back in our hands, truly amazing in that respect.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very nice room with very comfortable beds.

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff returned to us money that we had lost with the help of the Kim Kim team

Cleanliness & Comfort

jacuzzi and hot springs were great, room was very pretty and comfortable

Activity Reviews

Ocean Kayaking Adventure

Manuel Antonio

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.

Quality of Experience

The snorkel was really good, we saw a great variety of fish in a small area.

Food

Mahi Mahi was delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport was so easy, we just needed to be in the lobby of our hotel at the appointed time for pick up

Rio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Guided Rainforest Hike

Costa Rica

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Paulo took pictures with the smart phone using his scope.

Transport

the transport was completely stress and hassle free.

The Springs Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

This was not our best meal in the Arenal La Fortuna area, we like Pollo Fortuneno better. But the dining room at the Hot Springs was very beautiful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This trip to the hot springs was only a few minutes drive away from where we were staying.

Coffee Experience and Nighttime Nature Walk

Monteverde

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport was a little confusing, we did not know whether a ride back was going to be provided, in the end it was and was included but the staff there was unaware.

We used KimKim to book our transport and tours - we took care of the lodging on our own. Brittany and Jessica were both wonderful - and their care really took the concern out the logistics - everything went smoothly and according to plan. Thanks ladies!

Fortuna/Arenal Area
Volcano Hike & The Springs Hot Springs & Meal
Jacamar Naturalist Tours
Giavone Villalobos was our guide for the volcano hike - it was just a low key walk but very, very informative - it wasn't only about the volcano but it was a holistic talk giving the background of how Costa Rica came to be, the social/economic/cultural influences - why the volcano eruption was so important to really kicking of the development of the country as a whole, beautiful hike and great informative background - great way to set the ground work for a trip around the country.

The Springs were nice - but we had to set our own pickup time after being dropped off by Jacamar - we didn't really know, we were picked up at 9:30pm - after arriving around 5pm. If I had a recommendation - it would be to start the hike earlier in the day, spend a couple of more hours at the Springs. Husband and daughter enjoyed the water slide a whole lot - I enjoyed just soaking in the water. But felt rushed to soak, have dinner (dining closes at 9pm) and get picked up. We were unsure how long we could have stayed - still not sure what time the pools close or if we could have stayed until midnight.

Private: Canyoning in the Lost Canyon
Desafio Adventure Company
Rafi and Josea were our guides - it was just the 3 of us plus the 2 guides , and it was wonderful. This was such a fun tour, rappelling down the waterfalls, hiking down the absolutely beautiful creek bed, jumping in the deep pools, Costa Rican tsunami (you have experience it to know what it is) - our 15 yr old daughter said that was a great way to start the trip and she didn't know how anything can beat that tour. There was a large group that went down before us - I cant imagine this would be fun with a large group, private was the way to go. You will be hiking down the Lost Canyon, and you will also have to hike back up - we are a very active family so it was no big deal, but note it is a steep climb out, but its not very long.

Nocturnal Frog Excursion & Traditional Costa Rican Dinner
EcoTerra Costa Rica
This was great, we saw a sloth and her baby, lots of different frogs and birds, and some crazy bullet ants. Our guide - I forgot to write his name - was very, very educated and he told us so much about each species and just the ecology in general, his is working on his thesis with amphibians and fish farming techniques to clean the water. It was a fascinating tour - and the family home the tour is held at is just beautiful and the homemade meal was wonderful. The family also has a gift shop on site with things they make/grow right there. I purchased some peppercorns that we also sampled touring thru the gardens.

Venado Cave Spelunking & Exploring
Desafio Adventure Company
We weren't sure what to expect on this one - but it was so FUN!!! Upon entering the cavern, you are on your hand and knees crawling thru the underground creek and cracks and crevices, climbing thru shafts and under waterfalls. There are some cool spiders (they are BIG) in the cave and lots of little bat families. We climbed thru a shoot, up a rock wall, and down the other side in the cave. We were soaked by the end of the tour - and it was worth it. I love geology - so it was fascinating to me to see the large fossil beds and all of the different calcium carbonate formations and deposits. It was warm in the cave - and they gave us rubber boots and headlamps to wear in the cave.

Monteverde Area
100% Aventura Zip Line
100% Aventura
Its ziplining - what can I say? It was fun - and the 2 really long runs across the canyon are great because you are going thru the mist and the rainbows - but if I had limited time - I would bypass this activity. It was a huge group - and it felt rushed and since you are zipping thru so fast you cant really appreciate much of the amazing scenery - that's just our opinion. If you have never been zipling before - this is worth it.

Self-Guided Hike - Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
Took a taxi from town to reserve, maybe 10 minute drive $13
We loved this, we didn't know what time we would get back to down after the ziplining - but we were able to catch a cab from Santa Elena - we missed the shuttle that runs regularly. It was sooooo beautiful - we hiked out to the far point, back tracked across the hanging bridge, and then out to the waterfall before returning. We had limited time because of the ziplining - but we could have spent all day here. We also found out they do guided night hikes in the reserve - next time for sure we will do this. Like this reserve because its run by the vo-tech and community - next time we would take a guided walk thru the reserve both night and day - but the reserve closes at 4pm so didnt get to stay as long as we would have liked.

Kinkajou Night Walk Tour - we booked this after getting back to town because it was recommended, we did this outside of KimKim - but I would NOT RECOMMEND. This tour was way too many people, and the guide leading the hike was just pointing to things that they probably spotted before the sunset. I found more critters with my flashlight than the guide - because he was just going from point-to-point (seemed predetermined) instead of shining his light up into the trees or along the bottom of the leaves, especially when we were walking along the creeks. And then - when I would point stuff out, he would call on the walkie talkie to tell the other guides and then big crowds of people would come stomping thru. If there were any creatures there - the volume of people would have scared them away. Then he mis-identified a tree frog species - and jumbled all of his facts up contradicting himself. It was so disappointing - go the Santa Elena reserve and get a night tour there!

Sky Adventures Hanging Bridges
Sky Adventures
We were again, a little skeptical of this because of our ziplining experience and the Kinkajou night walk- nearly cancelled this, but so glad we didn't! Our guide was Elvis, again, he was so educated and we learned so much from him. We happened to go before the clouds blew in for the day, so we got to see the top of the canopy and walk across the hanging bridges and even see the Pacific Ocean from one of the bridges. Elvis was amazing - definitely background in ecology, he was been working here for 6 years and he was able to answer any and all questions - we all said we should have hired Elvis to do a night hike for us!

Manuel Antonio Area
Ocean Kayaking & Snorkeling
Tucanes Tours
This was fun, its an easy kayak trip across the bay - there was no wind or waves. Our guide was fun, and hilarious, the snorkeling was fun, it was a fun way to spend the AM. BUT - if you are looking for impressive snorkeling - this is not it. After snorkeling the reefs in Belize - where you have lots of plants and a large variety of fish species - this was a disappointment. But it was a beautiful day - and the lunch included was very good.

Visit the Indigenous Boruca Tribe
Tucanes Tours
We debated canceling this tour because of the long day of travel the next day, but let me just say - THIS WAS AMAZING - I wish more people would do this tour. Jesus and Douglas were our guide and driver - they were wonderful. It is an all day event - but the drive is beautiful - and you get to see some amazing scenery. If you have flexibility in your schedule, it is well worth it to spend a day learning about these wonderful people. You see the Boruca masks sold around Costa Rica - but going to up to the tribal village where they grow and harvest and hand carve each piece was great. When we arrived, and took a hike with a tribe member down to their sacred water falls, learned their legend of how they came to be, learned about their relationship with nature, their industry, medicinal herbs, how the Boruca masks came to be popular and a way to help sustain their way of life - including a demonstration of the carving and painting process - and then they let us paint masks too - it was fun. We then had a wonderful traditional lunch prepared for us, smoked in the palm leaves - with fresh salads - it was delicious. We then had a demonstration of the plants the tribe uses to die their textiles and weaving into different items. We then got a tour of the museum, set up by they matriarchs of the community and learned some of their legends. Its fun just to learn about and observe the way of life of this indigenous tribe - they were so kind and so welcoming and we learned so much. Bring some cash with you - we purchased the most beautiful mask directly from the craftsman who made it - far superior to the masks they sell across the country. They also have hand woven textiles - unique crafts made by the people and the funds go to them instead of the tourist trap gift shops - something unique and the funds benefit the tribe. We weren't sure our 15 yo daughter would enjoy it - but she said on the way back that it was a great way to end the trip. Plus we still got back with enough time to spend a couple of hours at the beach.

Activity Reviews

Ocean Kayaking Adventure

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Treetopia Hanging Bridges

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

100% Aventura Zip Line Monteverde

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Too many people for my liking

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Venado Cave Spelunking & Exploring

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nocturnal Frog Excursion & Traditional Costa Rican Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private: Canyoning in the Lost Canyon

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & The Springs Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Indigenous Boruca Tribe

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great trip but unfortunately had a few hiccups on the way which required us to contact our guide multiple times. Overall it was fun but not sure if I will use this service again...

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Presidente

San José

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

depends on what youre looking to be close to

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hampton by Hilton San José Airport

Alajuela

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Springs Resort & Spa at Arenal

La Fortuna

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!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

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!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

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.

Authenticity & Character

see above

Location

right next to manual antonio national park and walking distance to the beach

Staff

nice staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

see above

Activity Reviews

Ocean Kayaking Adventure

Manuel Antonio

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

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).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private: Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano Visit

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy the Thermal Hotsprings at your hotel

Arenal/La Fortuna

how could you not enjoy this?

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate Experience, and Nighttime Nature Walk

Monteverde

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

we drove ourself

Sky Adventures Zip Lines

Arenal/La Fortuna

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We went to Costa Rica for 16 days. Our trip was mostly to enjoy Costa Rica's birds and wildlife. Bryan organized an amazing trip for us. We choose ecolodge and places with fewer tourists. We also rented a car. Other than 30 km or so of bumpy road to Monteverde and some from Monteverde to Jaco, the roads were fine. We had a few amazing guides during our trip. They were so knowledgeable. Bryan was very response to our questions before our trip and during our trip.

The only improvement suggested would be to have a less generic travel guide - add the logistics and what to watch for. This would reduce the requirement to contact KimKim with questions during our trip as certain aspects were not obvious to us.

I would recommend KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

Villas Alturas

Ballena

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Studio Hotel

San José

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lost Iguana Resort & Spa

Fortuna

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Villa Caletas

Tárcoles

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Selva Verde Lodge

Puerto Viejo

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Koora Hotel

Monteverde

the staff very friendly. great ecolodge. Beautiful sunset

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sarapiquí Nature Hike at La Selva

Costa Rica

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hiking and Birdwatching at Curi-Cancha Reserve

Monteverde

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Hike San Pedrillo ( Corcovado National Park Station ).

Corcovado National Park

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Caño Island Snorkeling

Corcovado National Park

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Transfer from Sierpe to Drake Bay/ Corcovado

Costa Rica

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whale Watching & Wildlife Spotting Boat Trip in Marino Ballena National Park

Costa Rica

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Hike at the Arenal Hanging Bridges

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

The guide did not seem very knowledgeable of the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carara National Park Guided Tour

Costa Rica

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Eternal Rainforest Night Walk

Monteverde

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bird Watching Tour in Tirimbina

Sarapiquí

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Olman arranged a fantastic trip.

Arenal/La Fortuna was so beautiful, and the Royal Corin was a fantastic hotel. Really enjoyed everything he arranged for us.

We had a great experience planning the trip with Sergio and then visiting Costa Rica.

We wanted an 'only in Costa Rica' trip and had specific requests that were all accommodated Sergio and the team he worked with. The process was time-edficient and price was reasonable compared to self-organized alternatives. We are sold on the concept and will come back to KimKim.

More specific feedback that you may find useful:

1. Transportation: I highly recommend taking drivers and car service for the long trips. Carrs were spacious and clean. Drivers were good and drove safely (very important). We only had to ask to slow down once. At the same time, the drivers drive a lot and were often tired while driving. One of them told me he would be driving 12 hrs in that day! Too much and illegal in many countries. The driver-guide Miguel from Arenal was exceptionally GREAT.

La Paz waterfall and cacao plantation: Both are must-visit sites in CR, and we had great guides. We asked for the quick versions of the visit and didn't feel we missed anything. This option for a shortened quickened should be offered.

Rafting: Guides were professionals and the boating was great. BUT, it's a 5.5 hrs slot for 2 hrs of rafting on the river. 3 hrs wasted on travel, pickups and going to a standard lunch that could be served on site. We missed the next activity. That was bitter-sweet. Would not recommend that format.

Springs Hotel: This is a great hotel with awesome activities. It's expensive but we'd love to come back.

Hanging bridges tour: A must-visit BUT we were teamed with a French couple, who didn't speak English well. The poor guide had to say everything twice in English and French, with her broken French. The guiding and tour became very tiring and slow particularly in the rain. Kids lost interest. Not a great experience although a must visit.

Zip lining: A must do! It was great and the kids daidit was a highlight. A very professional experience and a lot of fun.

Drive from Arenal to Monteverde: Its a scenic drive and we should have given it more time. The driver Miguel to was also a guide, and was Superb!

Monteverde hotel: The hotel is definitely not a 4 stars hotel in terms of room and service. Toilet was clogged. Security guard didn't speak English, couldn't help and had no one to call.

Monteverde tour with guide Andres: THE BEST! A tremendous visit. Andres is a star. We'll send people his way.

San jose tours were both great in terms of content, time mngt, etc. and the guides were great. I highly recommend spending a day in the city in the different national museums, BUT my highlight was a walking tour seeing the gorgeous architecture of the city. Our guides which Sergio provided were great and it was unexpectedly nice to meet and talk ro three different young Costa Rican guides.

Restaurants in SJ: Prices are reasonable and local food is delicious.

Overall we had a great experience and would definitely recommend kimkim and Sergio.

Thank you for everything.

Gidi

Hotel Reviews

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

The hotel is underwhelming. Room was small. Only security at night. Toilet got clogged (happens) but security didn't speak English and no one could solve problem. Over priced.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was nice, but at night no one to help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Springs Resort & Spa at Arenal

La Fortuna

Top notch hotel set up in a gorgeous park. Everything is superb including different restaurants. But pricy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the middle of the Arenal national park

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton

San José

A great hotel at the heart of San Jose: roomsare spacious and newly done, and service is top. I am glad we chose this center of town location.

Authenticity & Character

A Hilton....

Location

Center of town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Chocolate Farm Visit & Workshop

Arenal/La Fortuna

A cacao farm is a must visit! We asked for a quick versions and loved it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San José City Tour

San José

I loved the visit to San Jose and its museums. Our guide was great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Our guide Andres is a star. This was a tremendous visit. A definite highlight of our visit. We'll send people his way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andres is a superb guide!

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} - Visit La Paz Waterfall

Costa Rica

A must visit. Although the short version of the visit is sufficient.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Booking was simple and efficient. I especially liked the kimkim web interface, trip summary, messaging and notifications - made it so easy! Bryan was very responsive. We liked the survey that helped inform our specialists of our interests and lifestyle - they were spot on in their suggestions. We really liked the option to self-drive ... It gave us flexibility when transferring between locations and more freedom to explore. It would be a nice option to be able to add on a rental car with preferred and price negotiated partners. Also, when self driving, it would be nice to have some site or food suggestions between locations. Lodging choices were great with exception of location in Manuel Antonio - conveniently located right next to park for easy access, friendly staff, good accommodations, but not really our preference of quiet, serene boutique hotel and not really an ocean view. All selected tour guides were very good, experienced and professional. Only other suggestion for tours is some recommendation on what to expect and what to bring (or leave behind). I would like to see a breakdown on costs that would help inform where we would want to spend more or less money. We would definitely use again and we have already recommended to some friends ... is there a referral program ;-) ?

Hotel Reviews

Bahia del Sol Hotel

Guanacaste

Great beach location on quiet Potrero Bay. Rooms nestled into thick vegetation making it feel more private and secluded. Natural modern stying of rooms and close proximity to beach, pool and restaurants. Breakfast included. 2 restaurants on-site: one traditional and one tapas bar. Other restaurant choices walking distance nearby. Kind helpful staff. Our room had issue with availability of hot water.

Authenticity & Character

Thatched hut styling, beach vibe, outdoor seating

Location

Beachside, landscaping, on-site parking, walking distance to other restaurants and shopping

Staff

Helpful with room service, luggage, directions, restaurant options

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean rooms, clean restaurants, programable air conditioning

Capitán Suizo Beachfront Boutique Hotel

Tamarindo

Secluded private resort at the far end of town provided for a nice mix of quiet with everything Tamarindo has to offer - tours, restaurants, shopping and nightlife. Open air reception area overlooking beautifully landscaped property. Rooms nestled among the native vegetation provides for a feeling of authenticity and remoteness. Pool, restaurant, bar and beach are just beyond rooms. Beautiful setting - you can lounge near pool, under trees overlooking ocean or out on sandy beach. Rooms are well kept, nicely decorated and well stocked. Looking for a boutique hotel with the right balance of seclusion and tourism, look no further.

Authenticity & Character

Natural setting in native vegetation, quality accommodations

Location

Natural setting on the far end of town directly on the beach, restaurant with beach views

Staff

Everybody at reception was so helpful! Moises went above and beyond to help us - we accidentally left backpack at restaurant in distant town. He called and made arrangements for us to pick next day and sent us with packed breakfast. Staff was fantastic in reception, gift shop, bar, restaurant and breakfast buffet.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable rooms, programable air conditioning, nice beds and furniture

Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

Conveniently located right next to Manuel Antonio National Park entrance for easy access. Nice kind staff. The hotel itself seemed a little more dated and not as well maintained as other properties we visited. The rooms were more traditional than modern. Nice pool area with snack/drink bar. Property is not on the beach but there are marginal views of ocean from 5th and 6th floors. Beware of rooms on 5th floor - raccoons (or Coati) fighting in attic at 3:00-4:00 am for all three nights of our stay. Issues with hot water availability. Not really our preference of smaller, quiet, serene boutique hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Spanish flair styling, thatched roof Congo restaurant, rooftop sushi restaurant. Nice balcony at back of bedroom facing distant ocean views.

Location

If we are staying at the beach, we want to be on the beach. If access to Manuel Antonio National Park is your priority, stay here.

Staff

Housekeeping did a great job cleaning our room and creating "towel animals" in our bedroom - fun! Front desk was very helpful. Especially, Kenneth ... always kind, greeting us every day and at my request, was able to arrange for bouquet of flowers for my wife on Valentine's Day. Ema or Eva at pool provided great service - try the Congo Temptation. Rooftop restaurant staff needs some training on hospitality.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was clean and comfortable. Room was well stocked. Good air conditioning. Biggest problem was the raccoons (or Coati) fighting in the attic every morning between 3:00-4:00 am. We reported it to the front desk, they acknowledged the problem and reported it to maintenance.

Koora Hotel

Monteverde

Amazing location, staff and accommodations! Nestled up in the mountains with incredible views of the Nicoya peninsula and Pacific ocean, this was our favorite for our emtire trip. Nestled in the cloudforest between Monteverde and Santa Elena, the climate was cooler than we expected in Costa Rica - but we loved it! Small mountain villages with plenty of site seeing opportunities - coffee & chocolate tour, cloudforest, nature preserves. Allowed us to experience the variety of ecosystems that Costa Rica has to offer. While here we saw beautiful Resplendant Quetzal and Motmot birds. We also saw a variety of insects and a couple vipers on night tour. Staff was fantastic, food was delicious, views were beautiful, bungalows were private and secluded. Don't miss this one - we highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Costa Rican hospitality meets natural modern accommodations in small mountain village area. Bungalow style accommdations were like being in a tree house - unique!

Location

Top of the cloudforest views, small towns with shopping and restaurants close by, abundant tour choices.

Staff

The staff were the most kind and helpful people of our entire trip. Every time we entered the main building with reception, restaurant and bar, they greeted us and remembered our names. They anticipated my wife's dairy free diet. Thank you to Diana, Kenneth, Javier and Christian - you made our stay most enjoyable!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Natural setting, modern interior, nice styling, well maintained, very clean.

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

We'd rate this more like 4.5 stars. Location was amazing! - nestled among the native vegetation made us feel like we were in the jungle. We saw many local animals (birds and lizards) from our back patio which looked directly at Arenal Volcano. This property was a little more spread out which required a little more walking (not a problem for us) but also contributed to a feeling of being more remote. The restaurant, spa and pool area were all a short walking distance from our room. Breakfast was included. One restaurant on-site: great morning breakfast buffet with quite a variety and dinner selections let us explore local flavors. We both had a massage - nice outdoor setting and very relaxing. Rooms were nicely decorated, air conditioning was great, back patio with large sliding glass door was excellent. Reception area quite far from our room prevented us from spending much time there and developing any relationships with staff. Rooms are small duplex style - limited insulation between rooms made it easy to hear neighbors next door.

Authenticity & Character

Quiet and secluded, natural vegetation, wildlife, privacy, amazing view of Arenal Volcano (when clouds clear)

Location

Centrally located for quick drive to La Fortuna, hot springs and Hanging Bridges, Lake Arenal

Staff

Kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very nice accommodations, traditional modern styling, clean. Not well sound insulated from adjoining room.

Activity Reviews

Local Flavors Cooking Experience

Manuel Antonio

A fantastic way to learn more about Costa Rican life outside the tourist towns. Fifst we stopped by the Mercado in Quepos to see where everyone shops. Then Toucanes Tours took us to their rancho located outside of town. They had several different animals on the ranch, we hand picked some herbs and vegetables. Then we cooked! It was just my wife and I - we had a great time learning to make plantain ceviche (delicioso!), rice, chicken and handmade corn tortillas! What a great meal to share with great new friends!

Quality of Experience

Authentic local experience away from the tourist areas. Learned how to make ceviche and the secret ingredient!

Food

Nothing better than homemade food that you participated in

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Maria, our chef Stephanie and driver Asdrubal were all fantastic - we felt like we met and ate a meal with family! What a personal experience!

Transport

Timely, clean, safe, air conditioned

Mangrove & Estuary Safari by Boat

Tamarindo

Very interesting to learn more about the mangroves and the animals that live there. We saw many different birds. a couple crocodiles and several howler monkeys. Beautiful boat tour in the mangroves with a humorous tour guide, Moises.

Quality of Experience

Good tour that educates a person on the critical role that the mangroves play in our ecosystem.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Moises is knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor.

Transport

Clean, comfortable, safe and timely.

Nighttime Pacific Green Turtle Nesting Experience (Seasonal)

Costa Rica

We went out at night and saw mothers coming up on the beach to dig holes and lay their eggs. We also saw baby turtles coming to the surface of the sand and making their way to the ocean - how special to see this whole process. We learned so much about turtles - informative and educational.

Quality of Experience

A beautiful night under the stars learning about turtles, the process of nesting. laying eggs, their incubation and the baby's trek back to the ocean. Special!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Christian, was very knowledgeable and took the opportunity to educate us on the preservation of this special animal. Very informative and educational.

Transport

Clean, comfortable, safe and timely. Prepare for the long drive out to nesting grounds.

Sukia Nighttime Nature Walk

Manuel Antonio

We saw everything: Aguti, monkeys, butterflies, grasshoppers and lots of frogs and toads. Our goal was to see famous red eyed tree frog and we saw several. Only wildlife refuge in Manuel Antonio - also had several crocodiles that had been rescued. a great night tour!

Quality of Experience

Fantastic night tour close to town! A wide variety of animals to see.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Juan was very knowledgeable and had a great disposition - very kind and patient with child in our group - adapted to the circumstances well.

Transport

We drove ourselves - parking on-site.

Ocean Kayaking Adventure

Manuel Antonio

Kayaked from Quepos marina to rock outcropping where we snorkeled and saw several different fish. Then a short distance to Biasanz beach where we enjoyed some cold fresh fruit before heading back. Along the way we saw and discussed several types of birds. Calm bays and beaches to launch and land so not big waves - A great time out on the water! Driver spotted some Scarlet Macaw's near seawall in Quepos, so he pulled over to let us see - very accommodating.

Quality of Experience

A great time on the water, we saw many fish and birds. Good exercise, but not too strenuous.

Food

We stopped for lunch afterwards at the Toucanes Restaurant. Traditional casado selection - very tasty local food!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Toucanes Tour Guide, Warner, was very experienced. knowledgeable and great attitude! George the driver was very kind and kept eye out for Mcaw's.

Transport

Clean, comfortable safe and air conditioned.

Manuel Antonio National Park

Costa Rica

An amazing ecosystem with a large variety of plants & animals and several amazing beaches. Unfortunately, too many people made it feel like groups competing with each other to view and experience the park. Still, it was amazing what we did see: dragon flies, lizards, iguana, sloths (2 & 3 toed), many birds and monkeys (white face Capuchin and Howlers).

Quality of Experience

Great bio diverstity

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Socio, was very knowledgeable and well connected. You learn that these guides work together to share information to ensure the customer experience is spectacular. There were only four of us in the group, so it felt like a private tour. One guy didn't follow guides' instructions and he went a bit overboard on reprimanding the guest publicly - embarrassing. Lastly, he could have managed our expectations about what the tour would consist of and where we were going - we got to the beach and he started saying goodbye. Felt like an abrupt end or he had another tour to lead - awkward.

Transport

We met at entrance to park. Our hotel was adjacent to entrance, so it was a short walk.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Guided Hike

Monteverde

First introduction to all the ecosystems within Costa Rica - from dwarf forest mountaintops to dry lowlands. Our guide, Andreas, described in great detail all the ecosystems and what to expect. We chose to spend our time in the Rain shadow forest with greatest chance to see Resplendent Quetzal - we were not disappointed! We saw five differnet Quetzal (female, juvenile and male) - spectacular! We also saw the Motmot - beautiful! We also saw several other birds, including a variety of hummingbirds and one special Coati sunbathing on a log. An amazing experience!

Quality of Experience

Andreas asked us what we wanted to see. Our goal was to see the Quetzal and he put us in the right spot! Amazing spotting scope and took photos for us through the scope.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andreas is very knowledgeable and experienced!

Transport

He showed up a little late in a "very well worn" vehicle ... a little questionable at first, but got the job done.

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Learned so much about chocolate and coffee - from plant to harvest to consumption, fascinating! Informative and educational. New gained appreciation for the chocolate and coffee we consume!

Quality of Experience

Small group, answered all questions, informative and some humor too!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kind, helpful, spoke english.

Transport

timely, clean, safe

Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Hanging bridges was a great excursion to see the jungle from different levels, different animals and amazing views. Our Guide, Marco was very knowledgeable and explained the balance of life in the jungle and roles of the different animals and plants - symbiotic relationships, very interesting! A lot of different plant life and monkeys too.

Quality of Experience

Gained a better understanding and perspective of jungle life and symbiosis.

Food

We went to a local authentic restaurant - I had casado: salad, rice, beans and chicken. My wife had arroz con pollo. Both were delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marco - Knowledgeable, humorous and fun!

Transport

Timely, comfortable, clean.

Ecotermales Hotsprings

Costa Rica

Beautiful natural setting, clean facilities and reasonable amount of people. From what we understand, they limit number of people to ensure a positive experience. Our dinner meal was included - a traditional buffet with several local food options. Bar available for snacks and drinks. Beautiful to go just before dark so you can see both during day and night with dramatic lighting. Pools of varying temperatures and a few different pool settings from private & secluded pools to large open public.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful setting and not too many people.

Food

Variety of selection in buffet.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff was kind and helpful.

Transport

Drove ourselves.

Palo Verde National Park Boat Tour

Costa Rica

We showed up early and wandered around Hacienda el Viejo - what a beautiful historic building that just takes you back in time. Boat tour, guide and boat drive were all great - we saw a record 52 crocodiles, white faced monkeys, birds and lizards. We ate lunch at the Hacienda after the tour - fantastic meal!

Quality of Experience

Since we arrived early, we had a chance to explore the hacienda - what a wonderful historic building ... like going back in time. We sat outside, had some juice and enjoyed the weather and sites.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Both guide and boat driver were great. Good personalities, humor and personable.

Transport

We drove ourselves to Hacienda El Viejo!

Would have given 4.5 stars if that was an option. Overall everything went smoothly and we had a wonderful time. We especially liked the raft float with Walter and the bird watching tours at Rainforest Adventures with Charo and CATIE Botanical Garden with Jorge. The hike on Turrialba Volcano with Eileen was a highlight. The grounds surrounding Ara Ambigua hotel and Guayabo Lodge were beautiful.

We wished that our KimKim specialist had better understood that in our 70s we were not up for extensive or rigorous hikes. The indications of where to meet for each tour need to be more precise, maybe even including coordinates. We would use KimKim again.

Made planning our trip and activities in Costa Rica really easy. We could see where we would going, the activities we would do, and the hotels we would be staying at along the way.

Activity Review

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

We went on the hanging bridges, and ziplining at sky adventures. It was absolutely amazing. The guides in Costa Rica really work hard to show you what is out there. During the hanging bridges we walked through the rainforest, and our guide Carlos so much informative. He told us lots of interesting facts, and pointed out so many creatures in the forest. We saw a tarantula, 2 different viper snakes, he kept us at safe distances, and took pics for us. The groups for our walk was small, so you could really be involved, the groups for the ziplining are much bigger, so you do a lot of waiting. The ziplining was lots of fun, and all the guides were really good. I would highly recommend you visit this place, as there's lots of different activities you can try. The shuttle to and from our hotel was great.

Quality of Experience

Fun

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Informative and fun.

Transport

Door to door service.

We had a wonderful first trip to Costa Rica thanks to Olman! He was extremely helpful setting up just the right mix of adventure and relaxation. All of our accommodations, activities and transportation were prearranged adding to the ease and enjoyment of this trip. A special shout out to our Drivers Douglas, Fernando (1), Fernando (2) and Roberto, and to our Guides Kevin, Scott, Ureas, Franklin and Wilton for sharing their knowledge about their country and putting up with our poor español. Our trip included stops in San Jose, Tarcoles, Manual Antonio, Monteverde, La Fortuna, Tenorio, Tamarindo and Liberia. Activities included crocodile watching, ziplining, hanging bridges, canyoning, sunset catamaran sailing, tours of the Arenal and Tenorio volcanos and a soothing soak at the Ecotermales Hot Springs. The people of Costa Rica are most gracious and welcoming. We always felt right at home; so much so that we are already planning our return. Pura Vida!

Hotel Reviews

Tenorio Lodge

Bijagua de Upala

Christine is an incredible hostess. Set in the low rainforest, you awaken to the Howler monkeys, Toucans and a host of other amazing birds. And with the family style dining, you make new friends from around the world.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

The grounds are breathtaking. You are surrounded by rainforest wildlife. The bungalows are quaint and comfortable. The food is amazing; especially the morning fruits and juices.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Our housekeeper had tremendous towel art.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parador Nature Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

The views from this resort are spectacular. The food was excellent, the staff was courteous and the vibe was laid back and quiet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The staff was extremely helpful, especially Michael and Nelson

Activity Reviews

Guided Celeste River and Tenorio National Park Hike

Costa Rica

A very beautiful walk through the rain forest with multiple vistas from which to view the Celeste River and Waterfall. We also had a lot of fun with our driver Fernando and our guide Wilton. They really added a touch of Pura Vida to our day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Canyoning Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Wet, Wild & Wonderful. What an incredible experience as you rappel down through a tropical canyon with waterfalls on either side of you. The guides are fun loving, professional, safety conscious and make it a day you won't forget.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal 1968 Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Even though the Arenal Volcano had it's head in the clouds the views from the vistas were breathtaking. Our guide Franklin was the absolute best. His knowledge and passion for the area was infectious. It was a great learning experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

We had a great time with our aipline guides Scott and Ureas. The scenery is amazing, the lines are long and fast and you are left wanting to go again. The Hanging Bridges are a unique experience. Be prepared to have a little bounce in your step as you cross several bridges suspended over the tropical cloud forest.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Our guide Kevin was excellent. He was extremely knowledgeable about the native plants and animals. On this hike we encountered Monkeys, Sloths, Toucans, Red Eye Frogs, Land Crabs and much more. Make sure to pack your swim suit. The water at Playa Manual Antonio is warm and refreshing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jungle Crocodile Safari

Monteverde

A fun and memorable experience traveling up and down the Tarcoles River. We saw a few crocodiles and a lot of native birds. This activity includes an trip into a Mangrove forest.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The great: rafting trip
The good: Hotel in San Jose; The pick -up
The marginal: everything else

Especially frustrating was that nobody talked with us the history, culture and traditions of Costa Rica. So we spend a week and learned nothing except for reading in Wikipedia

Hotel Reviews

Crowne Plaza San Jose La Sabana by IHG

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Terrazas del Caribe Hotel

Puerto Viejo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Everything

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Nido del Tigre Camping

Linda Vista

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Wagelia Turrialba

Turrialba

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Overnight White-water Rafting Out of the Campsite

Río Pacuare

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overnight White-water Rafting into the campsite, meals included,

Río Pacuare

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Irazu Volcano Tour

San José

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

There was no guide just driver

Transport

We had a wonderful trip to Costa Rica thanks to Olman! Our itinerary was just the right mix of adventure days and relaxing days. The hotels and activities he suggested were perfect for us, and it was so nice to have all our transportation arranged. Highlights were ziplining in the cloud forest at Monteverde, sunset catamaran in Tamarindo, and staying at the Tabacon hot spring at Arenal.

Pros: Service and convenience was great. Simplified the process of planning enabling a relatively last minute vacation (2wks notice) without the planning stress. Curated options for hotels and activities to simplify. Responsive to chat messages. All the tours and transfers and hotels showed up on time.

Cons: Price points of hotels, activities, and travel agent services ($320 that they tell you at the end) were high vs. booking oneself. Guessing 10-20pct more expensive on my 2wk trip. I'm price sensitive so if planning with more notice, would book myself and save the money.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Mountain Paradise

Fortuna

Had a great experience especially bird watching across the property including from our porch.

Fonda Vela Hotel

Monteverde

Old hotel being renovated. Working through kinks as of writing; would recommend trying somewhere else for the price. Location is also less walkable than most in Monteverde.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Coffee Experience and Nighttime Nature Walk

Monteverde

One of the most authentic feeling activities from our trip. Junior has his own (with his business partner and wife) small farm and showed us around. Felt less commercial than the other coffee options in the area, which was nice. Price was also reasonable. Bring extra money to buy coffee!

Nuria made booking an expansive trip across 3 different areas of Costa Rica very easy. She provided various tour and hotel options and stayed reasonably within the budget we had initially discussed. Overall 10/10 would recommend!

The entire 15 day itinerary was absolutely perfect for what we wanted to do in CR. Bryan and the rest of the staff at Serendipity Tours deserve kudos for all their hard work and expertise that they showed. Everyone was prompt at answering questions we had and if there were any issues that arose they were dealt with swiftly.

The drivers we had were great, arrived on time (usually early) and never made us feel rushed if there was something we wanted to see or do along the route. It was kind of them to bring water for us if we needed it during the drive. They truly went out of their way, were super polite and very professional. They really were ALL excellent.

Our many tour guides and tours were exceptional especially for our age group. The tours were varied (cruise, hikes, float and coffee tour and night walk) and educational. They all had such a vast amount of knowledge of the plant and wild life of Costa Rica. They all continue their education by taking courses to keep up their expertise. They were all very well mannered and always arrived on time.

Our accommodations were really nice (except for one).

Hotel Presidente had a beautiful rooftop patio and our room was clean and spacious.

Arenal Manoa and Hot Springs was magical, the view outside our cottage of the volcano, soaking in the hot springs, great wood fired pizza and foot massage by the bubbling river, all such wonderful memories.

Casitas Tenorio was so very special. Being so rustic and tucked in the mountains, we saw many animals and birds from the outdoor terrace while having breakfast. We enjoyed the tour of the farm and the staff was very friendly and helpful. Improvements could be made with the breakfast and the bed linens.

Senda Monteverde Hotel was magnificent. Such a beautiful view from high up on the cliff. We were very well treated, love the free snacks and alcohol in the fridge and the hot water bottles in the bed at night. We were glad we were in NUMBER ONE bungalow. It was very close to the dining room and check in. Many bungalows needed a driver to drive them up to it because of the steepness.

Hotel San Bada was a disappointment unfortunately. The check in experience by a very rude employee was disappointing. There was some error made where instead of 3 nights booked it was 2 nights. The employee was so rude and literally left it up to us to figure it out. Serendipity Tours was very good with resolving the problem. Also, our room had a very moldy, musty smell. We mentioned it to housekeeping and they tried to unsuccessfully resolve it. That smell got into some of our clothes as well. The hotel did not offer to move rooms. I would NOT recommend this hotel. It is in much need of renovation and repair. The elevator floor was broken and the rusty balcony railing needed painting. Having said that, the location is great, very close to the Park. And the rest of the staff was kind and helpful.

Hotel Buena Vista was wonderful and great location. Great staff, amazing breakfast and spectacular view. Our room was really nice and modern, well kept and clean. I would definitely recommend it.

I hope these comments are helpful for future visitors to lovely Costa Rica.

Pura Vida,
Vera and Doug Smith

Hotel Reviews

Buena Vista Chic Hotel

Alajuela

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

One front desk employee was rude and not helpful at all. The other two front desk staff were helpful and courteous. The cleaning staff was very good.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room had a smell that seem to be difficult to resolve. However the room was clean.

Senda Monteverde Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casitas Tenorio

Upala, Alajuela

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Presidente

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Damas Island Boat Excursion

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sukia Nighttime Nature Walk

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cloud Forest Reserve Hike

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Peñas Blancas River Nature Float (La Fortuna area)

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very long pick up process

Sloth Discovery Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport