Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

We had an absolutely fantastic time in Costa Rica. My daughters (ages 7 and 9) loved everything about the trip. The Arenal, Monteverde, Manual Antonio itinerary was perfect -- we felt like we got to see a lot of biodiversity in a relatively short time. The visit to Proyecto Asis, the animal rehab center, was a highlight for our animal lovers!

It was an absolute pleasure working with Brittany. She crafted an itinerary that worked really well for our family, and once we were on the ground in Costa Rica, everything worked seamlessly.

When my wife and I started our search for a travel agent for Costa Rica, we specifically looked for agents based in Costa Rica to ensure we would have the best experience possible, and I am extremely grateful we found Olman and Kimkim!! Olman was friendly, knowledgeable, and very responsive!!! Prior to the trip,( “the planning/booking everything” stage) Olman was great about booking the best tours in each of our destinations, whether it was the canyoning in Arenal, the zip lining and Don Juan coffee tour in Monteverde, or the nature walk in Manuel Antonio! While planning we hit a few snags and Olman presented us with options to make sure we were getting the best experience!! He kept in touch and answered all of the questions we asked! He made this stage painless and made us feel like we could relax as he booked everything from transportation and hotels to the excursions!! During the trip he could be reached at any time and was quick to respond if any issues arose!! He communicated and set up our Covid test and accommodated any unforeseen changes!! He was truly great and our 17-day Honeymoon was fantastic!!
Now a little more detail about our trip:
The Hotels: (Caveat, we chose most of these hotels, so these were not Olman or Kimkim’s fault, we just want to provide feedback for future travelers)
Park Inn by radisson in San Jose- was modern and clean. We would give it a 4/5.
Arenal Manoa in Arenal/La Fortuna-(our absolute favorite) was authentic, friendly, delicious food, absolutely stunning views, great pool, great spa, great service, just all around great and set our tone for the whole trip! (Beds were uncomfortable:beside that it was amazing) we give this hotel a 5/5!
Noah’s Forest in Arenal/La Fortuna- has the makings of a great hotel but the construction, broken pool, and meh food really took away from the experience…though the rooms were very nice—-they were modern, clean, and the bed were fantastic!! Every other hotel we stayed at had sucky beds, but these were great! We give This hotel 4/5
Poco a Poco Hotel in Monteverde- this hotel was not good…it was over hyped and we would definitely not recommend it. The hotel is beautiful and has the framework to be great, but the beds were uncomfortable, there was no privacy, it was very noisy, and the food mediocre at best. This hotel gets a 1/5.
La Mariposa Hotel in Manuel Antonio- This place has unparalleled views! We stayed in the full ocean view room and it was amazing! The views from our balcony were amazing, complete 180 degree view of the ocean and surrounding greenery/beaches! Amazing sunsets from our balcony as well! They have an incredible infinity pool with amazing views of the ocean and sunset! We had white face capuchin monkeys on our balcony and around the hotel, and each night at sunset we saw mated macaws fly overhead and land in nearby trees! It was amazing! The beds were horrid but the rest was great!!
Our absolute favorite experiences were:
Canyoning with Pure Trek in Arenal! This was absolutely incredible and extremely safe!!! Would 10 out of 10 recommended!! (We terrified of heights and we seriously LOVED this!)
Zip lining at Selventura Adventure Park in Monteverde: this was also incredible!! Very safe and best part is there stopping system which is WAY more gentle than any other zip lining I’ve ever done!
Our other top tours:
La Paz waterfall and Gardens
Horseback riding with Esteban to La Fortuna waterfall (absolutely worth the 500 stairs!)
Celeste River and Tenorio Volcano guided tour! Our guide went above and beyond in every way! After the hike he took us to a family owned restaurant,Posada River Celeste! It was absolutely incredible and we are kicking ourselves for forgetting his name because he was fantastic!
White water rafting with Jimmy(costa rica descents) was very fun and everyone was very friendly!
The coffee and chocolate tour in Monteverde was awesome! Very informative, delicious, and was able to meet Don Juan himself!! This organic family owned farm was well worth the visit!!!
All in all Costa Rica was amazing and was extremely welcoming!!! It had everything relaxation, beauty, and adventure!! We are definitely coming back and will definitely be booking with Olman and Kimkim again!!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Overrated—-noisy, no privacy, bad massage, bad food…good location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were not good, but it was clean

Park Inn San José by Radisson

San José

Modern, clean, beds were comfy enough, hot water was good, food was good. Not a lot of character.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Amazing views, authentic, genuine, great services, extra friendly and helpful, great spa, great pool, just all around amazing! Beds were not comfy but the rest seriously outweighed it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, beds not good

Activity Reviews

San José - Arenal - Visit to La Paz Waterfall & Gardens

Costa Rica

We were able to see a lot of animals and saw beautiful waterfalls!! (Macaws, parrots, ocelot, snakes, puma, jaguar)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Silencio Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great hike! Saw a yellow pit viper, it was a baby, toucans, great volcano views, leaf cutter ants, and lava rock fields! The hot springs were awesome! Just wish we would’ve had more time!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was awesome! Not the boring trail horses you imagine! These horses had spirit and we were able to trot! The waterfall was absolutely stunning and you can swim there!!! The fresh pineapple afterwards was awesome!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Celeste River and Tenorio National Park Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a beautiful tour!! Hard to explain the river beauty!! Our guide was incredible and went above and beyond! Went to a family owned restaurant called Posada River Celeste! Delicious food!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Canyoning Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was our favorite excursion! We both are terrified of heights and psyched ourselves out, but we are SOOO GLAD we did this!! It was incredible! It was also super safe! They have guides at the top and bottom to take control of anything we’re to go wrong!! Do this! So worth it!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

The zip lining was so fun!! Very safe and the stopping was way more gentle than any other zip lining I’ve ever done! We got to do two lines together which I had never done and was truly awesome! The bridges were very cool too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour in Monteverde

Monteverde

Great coffee and chocolate!! Very informative! Great guide!! Was able to meet Don Juan! Love that it is a small family owned, non touristy tour!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River Class II & III

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was relaxing and exciting!! Great fresh fruit and awesome farm tour afterwards! Loved the food!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was absolutly perfect experience from the moment of planning the trip till the last day. Planning, thanks to Olman, was a smooth process and within a week we adjusted all hotels and activities. We travel a lot, but for the first timne all hotels were perfect-good value for money. When in Costarica we were still ocasionally in contact with Olman or local agency and they were very responsive. Once again we would like to thank Olman and Kimkim for fantastic vacations

Hotel Reviews

Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Springs Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

Activity Reviews

San Jose to Tortuguero - Manatus

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

We had a trip with Jose and he was amazing! He always went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect for our vacation. He always went the extra mile beyond just the tours from helping with dinner reservations, to booking covid tests, helping book hotels after flight cancellations, everything! We are so happy to have had such an amazing tour guide and would highly recommend him to all our friends and family.

Charlotte was amazing and always responsive on Kim Kim and we will definitely be utilizing Kim Kim for future vacations!

We had an amazing trip to Costa Rica!! Olman really understood what we were looking from not only with the various excursions he helped us book, but for the hotels we stayed in as well - right up our alley! Olman took care of everything we needed and ensured we had a great experience. The only negative was that I wished the itinerary listed out which tour company was picking us up from the hotel for the excursions so we knew who to look out for and/or call to check in on status

I cannot thank Randall enough for the amazing itinerary he put together for us. He made suggestions and changes and nothing was too much for him. The trip was incredible and all to plan. Brilliant communication and choice of accommodations.

We travelled to Costa Rica with Kimkim in February this year and it was a trip that will stay with us forever. This was our first international trip in 2 years since the pandemic hit us and we approached it with a fair bit of apprehension. My partner and I knew that we wanted to travel but did not have the bandwidth to research and build a trip of our own given our busy work schedules. Enter Kim Kim! Over the past few weeks....everytime our friends ask us how our trip was, we have one answer - We just showed up and it was phenomenal!  I am someone who likes to research and ensure I have a heady mix of different activities combined with time to relax built into my trip. Yenyi and Brittany at KimKim made sure to listen to what I had in mind and worked with me to build a trip that was beautifully tailored to the experience we were seeking and at a budget that was conducive. Given the uncertainties with the pandemic, I will forever be thankful to a team that aims to have the customer at the center of everything they do - they not only helped us schedule and reschedule the trip but also were available for us every step of the way before and during our vacation. Imagine being in a foreign country but knowing you have a person you can reach out to, should you need anything at all - be it suggestions to eat if you are standing in a town square and are unable to make up your mind, or need someone to book you a last minute night hike that you decided to take. That was exactly how our experience was - we showed up and we knew the entire vacay was planned and taken care of. All while ensuring we get to enjoy the country with its local flavour. Right from travel, hotels, experiences, pre-travel covid tests et al. Over the past few weeks, I have been raving about our vacay and our wonderful experience with this team and realized it was only fair to share this review with all of you. Our highlights on the trip: - Hikes in La Fortuna & Monteverde where we saw a ton of wild animals. - The most perfect beach day in Manuel Antonio- Ziplining through the forest canopies in Monteverde - And the hot springs in the Arenal area in La Fortuna

Hotel Review

El Faro Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

They were fantastic and helped us book our pre-travel covid tests. The front desk was so helpful.

Tips for future travelers

It is a very basic hotel and is sufficient if you plan to stay out all day and just crash at night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

100% Aventura Zip Line Monteverde

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Brittany made great suggestions on hotels and activities, was quick to make the changes we asked for, guided us through decisions, and went above and beyond to find alternatives when things were already booked due to a very busy travel season. Highlights were the zip line in Monteverde and the nighttime turtle experience with a licensed guide.

Hotel Review

The Coast Beachfront Hotel

Tamarindo, Guanacaste Province

A lovely and serene hotel off a busy beach, very attentive staff. A highlight was breakfast delivered to the rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim , via Charlotte Tornquist and Nancy, planned and carried out a very special and smooth operating vacation plan for the 3 of us in Costa Rica in 2022. We visited Sarapiqui, Siquirres / Pacuare, La Fortuna / Arenal, San Jose and the OSA peninsula over 21 days. Absolutely no travel hiccups or problems as all of the connections, transfers and pick ups worked flawlessly throughout. Pricewise KimKim bested other agents, as well as my attempts at a self directed trip - and assured a local connection of all of the involved entities. That was reassuring and made the trip problem free. I've traveled most of the world and have used many different agencies in doing so. I can say that KimKim rates right at the top for service, pricing, diversity, communication, congeniality and skill. You'll enjoy booking your special vacation with KimKim and leave your worries behind.

Hotel Review

Pacuare Lodge

Pacuare

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Enjoy the Adventures and Surroundings at Pacuare Lodge

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My wife and I truly had a special experience made possible by our excellent guide Chris. Chris made our cycling adventure unique and exciting throughout our journey. Chris was always available to handle all our needs and expectations. Chris ensured our safety and the perfect guide for the beautiful Costa Rican coast line. We are ready to go back and Chris will be the perfect guide again. Really a quality trip. Highly recommend your services and of course Chris made it possible. Cheers, Brian

Hotel Review

Hotel Boutique Lagarta Lodge

Nosara

Best view and quality room and hospitality!

Tips for future travelers

plan ahead and book activities in the surrounding areas.

Authenticity & Character

Activity Review

Bike Ride Playa Hermosa to Playa Grande

Costa Rica

KimKim and Adriana were easy to work with, responsive and helped us create a fun trip. All transportation was on time. Our drivers were very nice. Some of them were even able to provide information along the way of what we were seeing. Hotels were nice and well situated for what we wanted to see and do. Our travels were to Monteverde, La Fortuna, Puerto Viejo and BriBri.

Hotel Review

Studio Hotel

San José

Best place to see a lot of diverse art work without going to a museum or art gallery. It was nice to have a full restaurant and bar in the hotel but also check out the taco place just down the street.

Tips for future travelers

You have to pay for coffee in your room. But staff was nice enough to let me bring coffee up from the restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

The art work and comfortable rooms.

Staff

Very accommodating even if we struggled through some communications.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Bribri Indigenous One Day Experience

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

First of all, getting there is an experience in itself. Quite exciting! It was a privilege to share the indigenous culture. The people, the meal, the archery, the roof making and to hear their story (a bit of a challenge with the language barrier). We felt welcomed.

Quality of Experience

The family/community feeling.

Food

It all was great and the banana flatbread before lunch was out of this world.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Smiling faces

Transport

The boat ride was a hoot!

Kimkim was an easy way to customize a group visit to Costa Rica, focusing on desired types of activities on specific dates while staying withing budget. Kimkim removed the responsibility of doing research and legwork to execute a fun filled activity trip. I will use it again when appropriate.

Hotel Review

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Nice

Tips for future travelers

Do it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Breakfast

Activity Review

Biking & Kayaking Around the Arenal Lake

Arenal/La Fortuna

The kayaking was a mazing. The biking was bad. It was a the least favorite activity on the trip for the whole group. The level of difficulty was simply too much for the average person, unlike the rest of the activities. 25 KM in (bad) bikes over unpaved roads/hills was too much. Should be half the distance in the future for average folks like us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We booked an incredible 7-day Costa Rican vacation inclusive of daily private excursions with Tachiz Travel, through KimKim. It was truly by far one of the easiest and most professional travel agencies we have had the pleasure to work with over many years traveling across the world. From first contact to our final farewell, Alex and Francisco went above and beyond to ensure our adventures in Costa Rica were well organized and memorable utilizing the best tour operators in country.

Due to our last-minute decision to travel to Costa Rica for vacation, the accommodations we had selected were unfortunately not available for our entire stay. Therefore, Francisco recommended The Springs Resort & Spa overlooking the Arenal Volcano; what a fabulous resort! It is centrally located to the many activities available in the area including hiking, rafting, ziplining, bird watching, horseback riding, ATV excursions, or just relaxing in the hot springs. The Springs staff was not just accommodating but very friendly and happy to share incredible stories of their beautiful country and make sure our needs were met every step of the way. The resort has several onsite restaurants that are world class. Specifically, La Ventana restaurant, was phenomenal with an incredible chef (Jason Roja), sommelier, and staff. Maikol and Armando went out of their way each day to make our dining experiences special. The menu was extraordinary, creative, and diverse to meet anyone’s palate. We enjoyed every meal and experienced many customary dishes.

Francisco, Tachiz Travel, really listened and understood our interests and goals for the trip. He and Alex developed the perfect itinerary personally design for us. Every excursion guide and driver were exceptionally knowledgeable and spent quality time explaining the local history, customs, culture, and significant landmarks. The guides were true subject matter experts sharing their knowledge and showing us amazing birds, wildlife, and topography. It was one of the best vacations we have ever had. World-class trip.

We are planning on returning to Costa Rica soon and will leave the planning once again to the incredible team Tachiz Travel Team.

Booking this trip was the right choice. The specialist were patient and helpful with any questions we had. It was the perfect way to celebrate a birthday. The schedule kept us busy but there were a few moments where we were able to explore on our own. Most of the guides spoke some english and most drove carefully. Only once was I ever concerned about being in the cars or transportation. Kimkim made it easy to enjoy the experience without the worry. Our lodging was great but not luxury, it fit our needs. Costa Rica was a great experience and I would definitely recommend to others.

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Country Inn

La Fortuna

The welcome was great. The hostess and the rest of the staff were helpful and suggested ways to get around and places to eat. You get your own little villa with AC, tv, and a safe. The pool and dining hall areas were well kept and they were very environmentally focused. The mattresses were very hard.

Tips for future travelers

Take lots of pictures and enjoy your time. The place is lovely and homey.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sleep Inn Hotel Paseo Las Damas

San José

The location of this hotel was perfect. Right in the middle of downtown, we were able to visit museums and take in some local life. The rooms were a bit dated and the beds hard but the staff was always nice and helpful. The second time we stayed on our way back the room was nicer and had a city view. Good experience overall

Tips for future travelers

Keep in mind that it is a 2 star. Its perfectly nice and clean but there is some dated and older fixtures there.

Authenticity & Character

good location

Location

its in the middle of everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

hard mattresses but clean overall. Older carpets and bathroom fixtures.

Activity Review

Arenal Volcano Hiking Tour & Tabacon Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very well planned day. The tour was very knowledgeable despite the trails being a little longer than expected. We saw many cool animals and even learn about costa rica conservation and history of Arena/Fortuna. Going to the hot springs after was a great plan as we were tired after the hiking. We got to the hot springs when it was dark so I do wish that we could have enjoyed some of it during the day light. They had well-lit paths and the pools were lovely. The resort was so well kept and felt very luxe.

Quality of Experience

Food

Good food but it is a set menu

Guides, Drivers and Staff

very knowledgeable and local

Transport

guides suggest local places to eat

We had a wonderful trip organized by Olman, who was always there to answer any question. Olman organized beautiful hotels and great activities for us to discover the country. The highlights of our trip were our transfer to Tortugueros with Jonathan, who stopped to show us a sloth on an electric pole, and told us about the banana plantations - I'll never look at a banana the same way! White water rafting with Orlando was amazing. I recommend doing a night walk as well, you get to see sleeping and nocturnal animals, for example a scorpion that shines in black light. In Manuel Antonio, we saw a mother and baby humpback whale on the catamaran tour. The fresh tropical fruit is so tasty! It was a wonderful trip, I highly recommend booking here!

Diego did an amazing job arranging a babymoon vacation to Costa Rica for us. Everything went seamlessly and all transfers/tours were on time. Would recommend highly!!

Olman went beyond the scope of his duties to help us have the best trip possible. Also, so responsive and friendly. You can tell that he really enjoys helping people and wants the best for you. He also checked in on us during the trip which I've never experienced with any other agency.

Hotel Review

Tifakara Boutique Hotel

La Fortuna

We loved everything about this place, especially Fernando and Daniella and the kitchen staff. It was quaint, clean, had a lovely little night tour where we saw a ton of frogs (including the poison dart frog), nice breakfast, outdoor shower which was covered so no debris was in there. Saw birds and monkeys outside our room. Walked up the street to the waterfall attraction. Our favorite spot out of the 4 places we stayed in and would definitely go back.

Tips for future travelers

Don't think twice about this place. It's a must-stay kinda place.

Authenticity & Character

Authentic food, local decor, locals working there.

Location

Walking distance to waterfall. Free night time tour on premises.

Staff

The sweetest staff we met over our 2 weeks in the country.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Felt like new

Activity Review

El Silencio Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

On time, friendly tour guide.

Quality of Experience

Ease, accomodating tourguide - we wanted to leave earlier and they made arrangements,

Food

Buffet

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly

Transport

Flexible to our schedule

We had a *wonderful* time in Costa Rica- many thanks to Yenyi!

Yenyi helped us curate an itinerary that fit our travel style, adventure level, and budget. We felt supported and equipped with all the necessary resources every step of the way (confidence in every transfer ride, guidance on tipping expectations, a clear list of country entry requirements- nothing was missed!).

We loved our self-guided tour of La Fortuna Waterfall alongside our own independent exploration of downtown La Fortuna. Our tour guides on the Sloth Tour, Hanging Bridges Tour, and Volcano Tour were wonderfully passionate and knowledgeable. And even though it was a small group, we really enjoyed getting to know the culinary instructor and one other tourist who joined the local cooking class. But our favorite had to be the evening pass and dinner reservation at Tabacon Thermal Resort!

Can't wait to come back! Thank you, Yenyi!

Hotel Review

Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs

La Fortuna

This hotel has an unbeatable view of the volcano and a few nice pools to lounge in on lazy days. Staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating. And the breakfast buffet will fill you up for a day of activity. The location is also great- no more than a 15 minute drive from most activities. Room quality, food and drink quality, and poolside amenities do not have quite the same level of "wow" factor. So this hotel is a great "home base" for travelers hoping to get out and explore every day, but perhaps might not be a top choice for a resort-only stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Arenal Volcano Hike & Tabacon Hot Springs & Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband and I enjoyed our trip to Costa Rica very much! We originally scheduled the trip pre-covid and were able to reschedule the trip with Olman when we were ready. Olman was kind, patience and accommodating. His guidance and recommendations were exactly what we were looking for. Thanks Olman! When we plan on another trip to Costa Rica, we will definitely be working with Olman again.

Hotel Review

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa

Fortuna

The Tabacon resort and spa was the perfect escape for my husband and I. We enjoyed our luxurious suite, spa and thermal hot springs.

Tips for future travelers

No

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Zip Lining - Hanging Bridges & Aerial Tram

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was such an amazing experience. We had Ray as our guide and he was such a cool guy with an eye and ear for all things in the jungle. He showed us a lot of wild life and made the hike interesting and fun. The hanging bridges were really cool and the zip lining adventure was a heart-racing, memorable experience. My favorite one was the second to the last zip line which was 1/2 a mile long with beautiful views of the landscape and lake. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adriana was there for my family whenever we needed advise or a change in our schedule. We had a great time