Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

We decided to go to Costa Rica for a week's vacation, and struggled with all of the options: Where to stay? What to do? How do we navigate international travel? Then we found Kimkim. We worked with Holden, a Costa Rican resident. He asked us many questions, and was so patient with ours! He helped us plan the trip of a lifetime (working with our budget) and took care of all of the reservations--car, hotels, and excursions--with knowledge of all the nuances. As we got closer to our departure date, we were connected with Wilman, who helped us while we were in-country with responsive (sometimes immediate) communication. Wilman added an excursion for us, gave us dining recommendations and navigated a hotel issue. We literally worried about nothing. I cannot recommend Kimkim, Holden, Wilman and their team enough. Whether you are a first time traveler or experienced and looking for other ideas, Kimkim is an incredible resource!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

A boutique hotel that redeemed itself after our first impression. As we exited the car the first time to check in, there was a stench of garbage(sewage), and the pool/spa was in need of cleaning. We were concerned. The next morning (and for the rest of our stay), no smell, and the pool/spa area was cleaned daily. Because of reviews we had read, we requested a room on the second level for more privacy. We arrived right around sunset, and were given the last room on the grounds--main floor, on the main walkway with no privacy unless the blinds were drawn. We decided that we would talk to someone about it in the morning. The broken toilet seat was fixed immediately. Dinner in the ocean front restaurant was very good, with the menu having a varied selection of entrees. The next morning, Maite', the general manager, greeted us personally and moved us to a second floor room, as we had requested. She was fantastic, and checked in throughout our stay to make sure everything was OK. The wait staff in the restaurant were very personable, willing to chat and laugh with us. There is service from the restaurant on the beach, which was very nice. We used paddleboards and a jet ski that were available for rent at the front desk, and our Kuna Vela sailing excursion (highly recommend) picked us up on the beach in front of the hotel. Not a touristy area, which was a positive for us. Family friendly, nice beachfront for swimming and playing. Grounds were quiet at night. Parking was lit and secure. Many dining options in the vicinity.

Authenticity & Character

A boutique hotel with buildings surrounding the pool area. Lots of vegetation and birds. Make your preferences known when reserving your room.

Location

Not a heavy tourist location. Located on the beach. Located about 30 minutes from the airport in Liberia. We rented a car and drove ourselves. The road was well maintained. No worries driving.

Staff

Maite' was amazing. Carlos and Alexis, waiters in the restaurant, were fun to interact with. Everyone was helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were clean. It would be nice to have a towel station right on the beach. If the website says 2 double beds in the room, our experience was that they were queen beds (like in the US).

Nayara Springs - Adults Only

Fortuna

Where does one even start when reviewing this gem? Their reputation is well earned as one of the leading resorts/hotels in the world. First, the staff. Every person we met had one goal--to make our stay unforgettable. The Welcome Center staff, assistants, golf cart drivers, staff at the bars and restaurants, and housekeeping were all positive and approachable. Next, the grounds. Nayara is nestled in the heart of the rainforest, with lush vegetation and wildlife. It is beautifully kept, with stone paths, bridges and muted lighting that is breathtaking. Finally, the accommodations. We stayed in both a villa and a tent, and each space was beyond all expectation. Each had defined areas: A luxurious bath, with indoor and outdoor dual showers. A well appointed sleeping/living area with canopy netting over the bed. Each villa/tent had its own private hot springs plunge pool with jets for extra relaxation. The complimentary well-appointed mini-bar. In addition to all of this, there are numerous restaurants, hot springs, infinity pools with swim up bars, spas, exercise options, and gift shops. Our stay was a dream and we are so happy we made the investment to stay there. We were sad to leave, and will be back.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Everyone was so positive and made us feel like we were valued.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Daily housekeeping and turndown service in the evening. A shout out to Erika for her towel origami.

Activity Reviews

Morning Sailing and Snorkeling Adventure

Costa Rica

A personalized ocean experience. Small group, drinks, and snacks. They were open to the group's wants (whale watching vs. snorkeling). We were able to go ashore on a beach to explore caves during our sail as well.

Quality of Experience

Very positive. Such a great feeling to be on the ocean in a sailboat.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Skipper and first mate were personable, attentive and knowledgeable.

Transport

Very nice 47 ft. sailboat. Full galley and head (bathroom) on board.

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

A wonderful place to view the nature of Costa Rica. As advertised.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mariano was super friendly and engaging. He shared his knowledge with us and took photos of us on the bridges and by the volcano.

Transport

Big Arenal Mundo Aventura Zipline + Tractor

Arenal/La Fortuna

A very beautiful and well managed experience. As someone who had never ziplined before, the staff were so professional and helpful that I didn't worry for a moment.

Quality of Experience

Very safe, well maintained and managed.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guides were excellent. Very professional, empathic, and patient.

Transport

Organic Coffee Farm Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

We were so lucky to be the only 2 people with Grady, our guide. He was knowledgeable about everything on the farm, and made it a very personal experience. So much more than a coffee farm. There was cacao, fruits, flowers and many medicinal plants as well. Grady told us about them all. We crushed sugar cane, and sampled the juice (and fermented juice as well--yum). The brewed coffee and treats were the perfect way to end the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Grady was a wonderful guide. On the way to the farm, the driver stopped so we could look at the volcano, which had cleared for a few moments. We were so grateful, as it was the only time we saw the top of the volcano during our stay.

Transport

Tree top walk was extremely difficult for someone our age especially with the heavy rain and wind at the time.

The Coffee/Chocolate Tour was excellent. A mix up in the schedule made our check out at the hotel trying.

The Safari River Tour was also great.

Hotel Reviews

The Royal Corin Thermal Water Spa & Resort - Adults Only

Fortuna

Excellent hotel with great staff, food and lovely rooms.

Authenticity & Character

The staff was fantatic!

Location

Close to town

Staff

Awesome!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms very clean.

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Nice room with a great view. Because of multiple unit levels getting around was time consuming as you had to wait for van transport. Dining room good and food tasty. Staff very polite.

Authenticity & Character

Nice modern design.

Location

Close to some shops.

Staff

Very polite.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room nice but decorated very plainly.

Activity Reviews

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very enjoyable with much to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Great guide.. extremely interesting tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day at Selvatura including Hanging Bridges and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

Raining too heavily and difficult walk for someone my age.(75)

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very polite!

Transport

Good drivers and very safe

Our trip to Costa Rica was an absolute dream come true, all thanks to the outstanding planning and support provided by Serendipity Adventures through the KimKim platform. From start to finish, their team ensured that every detail was perfectly tailored to our needs, and their expertise made our experience nothing short of extraordinary.

A special shoutout goes to Bryan, Nancy, and Wilman from Serendipity Adventures. Bryan and Nancy did an incredible job organizing an itinerary that captured the very best of Costa Rica—combining breathtaking natural beauty, thrilling activities, and cultural immersion. Every recommendation and arrangement felt thoughtful and personal, making us feel like valued guests rather than just tourists.

Wilman, our go-to guy during the trip, went above and beyond to make our journey smooth, fun, and memorable. His dedication to ensuring we had the best time was unparalleled.
Serendipity’s meticulous planning ensured we could relax and immerse ourselves in Costa Rica's magic without a single worry.

We’re deeply grateful to Serendipity Adventures and KimKim for creating an unforgettable journey. If you’re looking for an adventure that’s perfectly curated, filled with personalized touches, and guided by the most wonderful people, we wholeheartedly recommend them!

Pura Vida! 🌴✨

We had a wonderful trip to Costa Rica, and Gustavo was knowledgeable and patient as we worked out an itinerary to work with teens, parents and grandma. Kimkim was quick to respond when we had in country questions about booked activities and any issue was resolved quickly.

We enjoyed the guided nature tours we took in all locations, having a guide really ensured you got to see the animals, birds and insects.

We spent on afternoon ziplining and walking on hanging bridges. If people in your party are doing the ziplining I would recommend that you not also book the gondola ride too, as you take it up to get to the start of the pipeline, had we known this we would not have booked separately the gondola ride.

We choose pretty basic accommodations which met our needs. We had one issue with stinging insects in Monte Verde getting into the cabin and had to prompt the staff twice to deal with the matter. We also had a issue with a rodent in our hotel in Manuel Antonio, built of shipping containers, and the hotel did move us to another room. The location however was excellent, right at the entrance to the National Park!

All our drivers between locations were excellent!

We had a memorable trip and would love to visit Costa Rica again. We have recommended KimKim to several friends and colleagues who are considering upcoming trip in different locations around the world. We will certainly be using KimKim services in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs

La Fortuna

Great Breakfast buffet and lovely cabins, we had ones at the back of the hotel, perfect for us as they were looking out into the jungle where we saw howler monkeys and other wildlife. The free hot spring pools on the grounds were nice to relax in. The hotel also has options for activities on site and they were able to accommodate our last minute request to zipline and horse ride. The horse riding ended up being a private session and we were taken to a river and waterfalls with a very knowledge guide.

Authenticity & Character

Cabins were clean and quiet

Location

Has own activites and hot springs

Staff

Very accommodating, especially when we booked last minute activites late one evening for the next morning.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were comfortable

Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport

San Jose

Staff were friendly and helpful. We arrived into the country late due to a delayed flight and they got us into our rooms quickly. Breakfast the next morning was a good choice for a buffet. The staff observed that I was interested in some of the fresh fruit that had not been cut up (mangos etc) so I did not select the items. However, the staff came to our table with a plate of cut up prepared mango for us along with other fruits we had never tasted.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing, it is perfect for a hotel close to an airport

Location

Super close to the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Los Pinos - Cabañas & Jardines

Monteverde Costa Rica

The cabins are cute and located in the forest. We had some issues communicating with the staff over stinging insects entering the cabin from the roof. It was eventually sorted. They have greenhouses on site which apparently you can purchase salad items from. However, after hiking up to the greenhouses we could find no one to help us and it did not look like you could help yourself in anyway, certainly not any direction for guests. The hotel is in a good location and you can walk the 15 minutes to town. There is a steep hill on the walk.

Authenticity & Character

Plenty of character, nice cabins in a lovely location. They are self catering.

Location

Staff

Friendliness and prompt attention to issues raised by guests

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Faro Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

The hotel is up a very steep hill! The views out over the ocean are amazing. The location is great, on the edge of the National Park and 5 minutes to the beach and 1-2 minutes walk to several restaurants. Rooms are small and basic, and the Beds were not comfortable, and the AC unit drips water on your head at night. You have to watch for the monkeys that will try and get in your room, have no food unattended outside.

Authenticity & Character

Lots of character being built from shipping containers.

Location

One of the best locations for view and proximity to things

Staff

Were polite. There are no phones in rooms so you have to use an app to contact them if you have any issues

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds are not comfortable, and we had a rodent in one of our rooms that was eating the creamer packets behind the mini fridge in the night. We had thought it was a lizard but discovered after a few days it was a rodent...

Hotel Presidente

San José

Great location for exploring the city. Comfortable rooms and good breakfast. They have a restaurant on the roof too which has a nice view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Chocolate & Night Hike Experience

Monteverde

We had a private tour and the guide was engaging for all of us. He explained the chocolate making process and we got to sample some of the best hot chocolate I have ever had. The night hike to see the wildlife was fun even in the rain! We got to see the release of a baby snake.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Manuel Antonio Beaches

Manuel Antonio

The beaches in the park are beautiful, plenty of iguanas and monkeys.

Quality of Experience

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

The hanging bridges and trails make you feel you are in the canopy of the jungle. The guide was knowledgeable and pointed out things of interest. The zip lining staff were fun and engaged my teen with his little Spanish and taught him a few new phrases. I was nervous of hights and the staff put me at ease with the very easy to use system.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Walking Tour of Downtown San José

San José

We enjoyed our day in San Jose and visited the national museum, which has a butterfly room and national history including indigenous history. We also visited the market, it is pretty crowded with narrow walk ways between stalls which can be overwhelming. I would not spend any more than 2 days max in the city, unless you want to see all the museums

Quality of Experience

This was our second trip to Costa Rica with KimKim, and it didn’t disappoint! The first time, a few years ago, was just me and my husband. When we decided to take a family trip last year, Costa Rica was the obvious choice, and everyone was on board.

We traveled over Christmas with our four adult kids, my mom, and her friend, ranging in age from 21 to 75. Our travel agent, Holden at KimKim, and Wilman at Serendipity were amazing! They planned and booked everything perfectly, and even helped us with a few changes while we were there.

Amazing Hotels
The hotels were incredible. Hotel Bosque del Mar was right on the beach, but it felt like we were in the jungle. We watched monkeys swinging from the trees right outside our balcony. The rooms were beautiful—like treehouses in the jungle.

Our second hotel, Hacienda Guachipelin, was more remote and surrounded by nature, right next to Rincon de la Vieja National Park. It had an adventure center on-site, which made it easy to book activities like ziplining, horseback riding, hiking, and river tubing.

Unforgettable Activities
We had a blast on every excursion! Some highlights:

Wetlands Boat Ride and Rum Tasting at Hacienda El Viejo: We saw so many crocodiles on the boat ride, and the ranch was gorgeous. Lunch there was the perfect break before rum tasting.
Fishing Charter with Patron Ocean Experience: This was everyone’s favorite. The girls won the fishing contest with a 55–60 pound roosterfish! We also caught enough Spanish mackerel for lunch, and a beachside restaurant cooked it for us. We had so much fun we did it again on Christmas Day!
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving: We split up for this one, and everything went smoothly.
The Perfect Family Christmas
This was the perfect first family Christmas trip. We loved the mix of activities and downtime to just enjoy nature and each other.

We can’t wait to go back to Costa Rica!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

This hotel exceed our expectations. Great location right on the beach, but the hotel was in the jungle and the rooms felt like treehouses.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Staff was always friendly and helpful. The food was delicious.

Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín

Liberia

Loved this hotel for a variety of reasons. It was remote and in the jungle away from everything. Since we brought adult kids with us it gave us lots of down time to connect. They got to enjoy the happy hour at the bar every evening and we enjoyed all the activities we did as a group through their adventure center, including zip lining, hiking, tubing in class III and IV rapids, and horseback riding.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A little more remote than we expected, but then again that brought a lot of additional benefits.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Half Day - Fishing Charter

Costa Rica

Our favorite activity of the trip. So much fun we booked it again later in the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

First time using a service to plan our family trip and serendipity travel in Costa Rica did not disappoint! I found them through KIMKIM and the team was awesome. They helped meet all our needs and helped make adjustments along the way as our needs changed. Highly recommend.

We have just returned home from our 2 week trip to Costa Rica and we can't say enough positive things about our experiences as well as the expert planning and support from KimKim and Serendipity Adventures. KimKim and local specialists Serendipity Adventures helped plan, organize, and manage our trip every step of the way- Holden, Nancy, Wilman and Mariano among others, worked diligently to make sure everything ran smoothly to ensure we had the trip of a lifetime.

Holden's expertise and knowledge of his beautiful country was invaluable to us for maximizing everyday of our adventure. He planned out a trip for us that was a perfect mix of adventure and relaxation, customized an itinerary specially designed for our family of 4 (2 teenage kids) and used our input to curate an experience that we would all enjoy. Everything from the accommodations Holden chose (ecolodge, beach stay, rain forest bungalow and a treehouse) were perfect as well as all the adventure activities planned out for us (kayaking, hiking, hanging bridges, zip lining, chocolate making, waterfall swim etc). Every transfer from one location to the next was taken care of which meant zero headaches and stress from when we arrived in San José to when we left. A bit of unpredicted rainy weather meant a few of our activities were cancelled but Holden and Wilman were on it instantly to alter our day with new plans to ensure we didn't have any wasted time.

Trip Highlights: Tortuguero / Mawamba Lodge. This was our families favourite stop of the trip. So much wildlife to see and our experience kayaking though the rainforest canals (tons of monkeys and caimans) was a trip highlight. Mawamba Lodge was top notch in terms of service and amenities and the whole family really enjoyed rustic bungalow living. We all agreed this is a spot we would love to return to on a future visit to Costa Rica.

Best Food: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. The bustling little surf town of Puerto Viejo has great food with a ton of Jamaican influence which made every meal super flavourful with just the right amount of spice. Loved the rice and beans down south!

A must do: chocolate making and waterfall swim outside Bribri with Tirza (of Life Culture & Travel). Our visit with an indigenous family to learn about how they grow and process cacao was super interesting followed by a dip in a beautiful waterfall.....great day that we all enjoyed.

Most unique stay: Treehouse @ Maquenque Ecolodge. It takes a lot to impress teenagers and this was it. Like something out of a dream, our treehouse stay will be talked about for years to come. We never thought we'd be sleeping up in the trees amongst the monkeys (very vocal howlers), our treehouse was incredible and even offered a 2 person jacuzzi....we never wanted to leave!

Best wildlife encounter: a sloth wandering though our resort at Puerto Viejo gave us an up close and personal greeting- beautiful (and very slow moving) creatures.

Best relaxation: The hot springs at Arenal Spring Resort and Spa in Arenal/La Fortuna. This portion of our trip ended up falling at the end of our 2 weeks (we were ready for some slower days) and the hot springs was just what we needed. We also got hit by a few days of heavy rain so again, the hot springs were exactly where we wanted to be. The swim up drinks/ sushi bar was well utilized during our last few days!

If we were to do it all again I don't think there would be anything we would change. We certainly wouldn't hesitate to call of KimKim and Serendipity Adventures to plan a future trip for us and we have been telling everyone back home of our incredibly positive experience. Thank-you so much to everyone involved for making this 2 week Costa Rica trip an experience of a lifetime for our family- it was one we won't forget!

Hotel Reviews

Maquenque Ecolodge

Boca Tapada

The deluxe treehouse suite featuring a 2 person jacuzzi was unbelievable. Super well maintained and solidly build, we never wanted to leave this beautiful treehouse. More than enough space for a family of 4 (2 teenage kids). Don't expect super great sleeps however as the rain and howler monkeys on the metal roofs comes though in stereo at night (which we really didn't mind).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mawamba Lodge

Tortuguero

Loved our stay at Mawamba Lodge. This was our families favourite stop of the entire trip. So much wildlife to see and our experience kayaking though the rainforest canals (tons of monkeys and caimans) was a trip highlight. Mawamba Lodge was top notch in terms of service and amenities and the whole family really enjoyed rustic bungalow living. The staff were excellent and accommodating with anything we needed during our stay. We all agreed this is a spot we would love to return to on a future visit to Costa Rica.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful pool and lounge area that was comfortable for afternoon relaxing. Not loud or crowded so a really peaceful spot to spend a lazy afternoon post adventures.

Location

Loved that it was boat in only and set in the middle of the rainforest. Made for a once in a lifetime experience.

Staff

Staff (especially dining staff) were excellent and super attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great little rustic bungalow that was well maintained.

Activity Reviews

Guided Boat Excursion Through the Tortuguero Canals

Tortuguero

A top experience during our 2 weeks in Costa Rica. We especially loved our guided kayak though these canals where we saw more animals and birds than we could have ever imagined (so many caimans!).

Quality of Experience

super knowledgeable guides

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cahuita National Park: Snorkeling & Rainforest Hike

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Super fun day of snorkelling (even though the visibility was poor) and guided walk though Cahuita National Park. Our guide was great and we got to experience and interact with a ton of monkeys, racoons, and birds. Even saw an eyelash viper

Rainforest Hiking in Boca Tapada

Boca Tapada

So many Toucans!

We’ve traveled to many locations around the world and had many different travel groups set things up. No one even compares to the Kim Kim team and the Serendipity group from Costa Rica. Everything was perfect. Did everything we requested plus added many things that were a real bonus. Accommodations were all well above what we were expecting. I couldn’t give a higher rating to this group 10 for 10. Thanks again Kim Kim for your constant correspondence and professionalism.

Hotel Reviews

La Mariposa Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Incredible hotel room overlooking the ocean 180° view all glass windows, beautiful pool credible restaurant. Truly a five star setting.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mountain Paradise

Fortuna

Had our own separate conceited with two full bedrooms and our own pool. Also a beautiful view of the volcano. Excellent hotel five star.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Private location just outside of town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Koora Hotel

Monteverde

Incredible room, large two full bedrooms separate unit close to the pool spa. Very secluded beautiful five star.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff here couldn’t have been more helpful. And their system to communicate by WhatsApp was very easy to use. Marco, the manager was very helpful as well as Raquel

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day at Selvatura including Hanging Bridges and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal ATV Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great terrain from large mud holes through the rivers and also seen sloths and monkeys. Great guides. Very modern machines.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very calm and peaceful float. Saw a crocodile bats monkeys. The guide was very informative and helpful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Very knowledgeable guide with a great personality. Did a wonderful job.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Balsa Whitewater Rafting Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

We are senior citizens and enjoyed this tremendously. It was supposed to be a 2/3 class ended up a class 3/4 but Carlos was incredible and was very helpful.. Carlos was the best river guide we’ve ever had around the world

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience (English Tour)

Monteverde

Learned a lot about coffee and chocolate. Very enjoyable tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Sailing Cruise on the Brisa Elegante

Manuel Antonio

Wow, what a great experience to go out off the coast and such a beautiful boat. Crew was super helpful and enjoyable, friendly.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was perfectly calibrated for our family of four. Every guide we had in Monteverde, fortuna, and Tamarindo was excellent. Kimkim beautifully facilitated a minor adjustment we needed. We’ll be back!

This was my first experience with kimkim and overall everything was great!To start, the communication with Yuliana was smooth, complete and efficient.
Both properties were excellent: Naturalista Reserva was very comfortable, the food excellent, and the staff extremely accomodating and friendly.
Taylor at Naturalista, although quite young, was an excellent guide. I think in one day I was able to photograph over 40 bird species!
Sagreve, in San Gerardo de Dota, was truly high end, being luxurious without being pretentious.
My guide Melvin, quite experienced, was responsible for me seeing and photographing Quetzales for the first time!
In additon, his range of knowlege was over the top!
I can't forget the drivers: all 4 were quite friendly, courteous, and above all, on time.
All in all my experience in fantastic!

So thrilled with our trip exerience with KimKim and Serendity Tours in Costa Rica. We chose to go with KimKim as we had a multigenerational family travel experience planned during the high season. The team was terrific in helping us find many different tour options, given our late decision to travel, that would meet each family member's unique needs. We did adventure activities, wildlife activites and cultral activites - all in the same trip. They arranged tours and transportation so that it was as stress free as possible for my husband and I. Once we got to Costa Rica we had daily support for each day's events. They advised what to bring and wear, who would be transporting us and if meals /food would be included. When one of our experiences went late, I was able to communicate with our local contact, Wilman, in the moment to move back the evening experience tour and travel. Knowing that I had a local contact that was available to support me as needed during the trip was very comforting and helped me reassure both the older and younger generations.

Bryan helped us craft an amazing Costa Rican vacation. He really listened and worked with us to create a wonderful trip that met our budget guidelines for our family of 5. We took multiple excursions and they were all top notch- really enjoyable.

The communication we had before and during our trip was prompt and thorough. This greatly
put our minds at ease that any questions we had would be answered in a timely fashion and helped us prepare and enjoy our trip.

Our local contact once we arrived was Willmen and he was fantastic! Once we were in Costa Rica, all communication was easily had through What's App. Willmen was always a text away and it was very much appreciated.

Other standouts included our driver for 2 portions of the trip, Alex. Such a fountain of knowledge, kind and a great driver. Alex worked diligently to alert us to any points of interest such as plants and wildlife and it was very interesting.

We will definitely use KimKim again to plan future trips.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Beautiful grounds, great food, friendly restaurant staff. Our room was close to the main buildings so we could walk back and forth which we liked, otherwise there was a reliable shuttle to take you around. Our room was comfortable with GREAT blankets, but there was obvious water damage on the wall under the air conditioner and a chunk of wall missing by the dresser. Not a deal breaker but unattractive. Our Springs experience was just okay. Lots of kids in inner tubes and float devices, empty drink cups stacked everywhere, and very strict towel staff who refused to change out our towels one day because "they aren't that wet". This was frustrating because we tried to dry our towels in the room the day before and after admitting defeat that they would remain damp, wanted to trade them in for some legitimately dry towels. Overall we enjoyed most of our stay here and the convenience of the location for sightseeing in the area, but would likely stay at a different resort in the future.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful flowers, cool birds . You really feel like you are in the rainforest

Location

Close to town and the excursions we took

Staff

Restaurant staff were friendly and pleasant

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pretty bathroom, nice extra blankets

Casa Conde Beach Front Hotel

Playa Hermosa

Great location for day trips, great food, friendly staff. The direct access to the beach was really nice. The beds were on the small side but comfortable. The grounds are pretty and well maintained . Overall the vibe was "quiet" which was what we were looking for. A very nice place to stay!

Authenticity & Character

Lots of woodwork throughout the resort which we loved. Really good pour over coffee made in front of you

Location

Close to excursions and the airport

Staff

Very friendly and pleasant

Cleanliness & Comfort

Always dry towels available, no obvious signs of garbage lying around

Activity Reviews

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very fun zipline with a great sky walk adventure! The only reason for 4 stars was that our Zipline portion didn't start until 1.5 hours after arriving (due to long lines?) and we missed our initial sky walk time. We were easily accommodated and attended a later Sky Walk which we enjoyed.

Quality of Experience

We liked the day it just lasted longer than we thought it would.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent and knowledgeable guides.

Transport

Easy pick up and drop off. Driver was exactly where he said he would be.

Palo Verde National Park Safari Cruise with Lunch

Costa Rica

This tour included lunch which was authentic and amazing. The boat tour was okay. We saw birds, bats and crocodiles. For the last 1/2 hour or so, the guides were chatting with themselves instead of us so not sure if they missed pointing things out to us or not. We were on the water for maybe 1.5 hours? Unfortunately it was nothing special.

Quality of Experience

Was shorter than what I thought it would be, not a lot of wildlife to see

Food

Authentic and delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Seemed disinterested in us towards the end of the ride, chatting amongst themselves

Transport

Driver was great but roads super bumpy

Río Balsa Whitewater Rafting Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

I was fully expecting to not like this day but it was our favorite of the week! Wild ride on the water followed by a great lunch and unexpected lesson on how to squeeze juice out of sugar cane. Great day for our family of 5 adults!

Quality of Experience

Very experienced and fun to be around. Spot on directions on how to manage the ride and stay safe.

Food

Authentic and delicious.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Sailing Adventure

Costa Rica

A great day on the water! The boat was very large and almost too crowded in my opinion. Beautiful views, decent snorkeling. Lunch was okay but served very late (well after 3pm). Overall the day was much longer than anticipated and we were brought to sure in the dark (no lights on the powerboat that brought us to shore). That was a bit unsettling but we made it back just fine.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful views- boat days are always fun days for us

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family recently returned from an incredible vacation to Costa Rica, and we owe much of its success to the outstanding planning and support from Bryan and Wilman. From start to finish, they helped craft a seamless and unforgettable experience tailored perfectly to our interests.

The itinerary they designed struck the perfect balance of adventure, relaxation, and cultural immersion. Highlights included:
- Coffee, Chocolate, and Sugar Cane Tour: A fascinating hands-on experience at North Fields Coffee that gave us insight into Costa Rican culture and farm-to-cup coffee production.

- Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk: Walking high above the rainforest was breathtaking, and the guide’s knowledge of the local flora and fauna made it even more enriching.

- Rainforest Hike in Manuel Antonio National Park: The stunning biodiversity, pristine beaches, and wildlife spotting made this one of the most memorable experiences of our trip.

Throughout the planning process, Bryan and Wilman were incredibly responsive, knowledgeable, and detail-oriented.

They ensured every aspect of our trip—from the rental car to hotel bookings and tours—went off without a hitch. Their personalized recommendations truly made our vacation extraordinary.

If you're planning a trip to Costa Rica, I wholeheartedly recommend their services. Bryan and Wilman made the entire process effortless and allowed us to enjoy Costa Rica’s beauty to the fullest.

Thank you both for helping us create lasting memories!

Hotel Reviews

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Beautiful property and grounds. The thermal experience was wonderful to have right on site. Loved having breakfast each morning and watching all the birds.

Authenticity & Character

Grounds were beautifully landscaped and made you feel you were walking through the rainforest

Location

Easy to get to and very close to town.

Staff

Front desk folks were very nice and remembered us each time we came to the lobby

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable rooms

Hotel Costa Verde

Manuel Antonio

Gorgeous property and very unique accommodations

Authenticity & Character

Truly embraced the local feel of being in the jungle.

Location

Easy to find and close to many restaurants and the beach

Staff

Didn't interact much with the staff, but the front desk folks were very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice large rooms with space to hang out too.

Activity Reviews

Big Arenal Mundo Aventura Zipline + Tractor

Arenal/La Fortuna

Once in a lifetime experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide was very knowledgeable and enjoyable to talk with.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Farm Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

The young lady that was our guide was very engaging and did an amazing job.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Wildlife Night Walk in Sukia Park

Manuel Antonio

Our guide had an incredible ability to find creatures in the dark. So worth doing this type of walk in the forest.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Adventure with Barbecue

Manuel Antonio

Wonderful boating experience and the views of the coast are incredible, but don't expect to have a great snorkeling experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Andres was incredible. He was so knowledgeable and didn't rush us through the park. He really took the time to share things with us and helped with taking some amazing photos. He seemed to know all the other guides and loved how everyone seemed to work together to make it the best experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Was a bit challenging with returning to the hotel. Had to have cab take us back and it took a while to get it through the organization.

Truly spectacular! The excursions were perfectly timed—early to mid morning, which helped beat any crowds, and left plenty of free time. All the drivers picked up on time, were very friendly, and provided very comfortable transportation. Please forgive spelling of names…Rondo and Sandie were great driver/ guide for our kayak and snorkeling adventure. Very good equipment. We felt lucky to have Srvianni as our guide for the white water rafting on the Sarapequi River. Beautiful! Weather was perfect. River was running with Class 3 and 2 rapids-just enough for a thrill, but still in control. Mariano was wonderful at the hanging bridges. We had a connection from his time in the states in the 1970s where he spent time in Madison, WI, where I went to college. Pas was very knowledgeable at the butterfly garden. Lovely. And our guide at the coffee/chocolate plantation was very funny and engaging (I didn’t catch his name). That visit was a surprise-really enjoyed learning about the coffee and chocolate making process—highly recommend it. Everything was very thoughtfully planned. Well done! Our trip exceeded our expectations!

From Beginning to End Everything was great. I normally plan all of my trips but this time around I was short on time an focused on other priorities. Olman &his staff were patient with me and made sure I and my family's needs were met. All the drivers and staff we met were great, informative and welcoming of us. Our family had a grand ol time and would definitely return to Costa Rica. Thank you for all of your patience, help and knowledge for this trip.
Until the Next one.. :)

Had a great time! Zip lining, canyoning, and hiking were all top notch in LaFortuna. Had a much better view of sloths in Arenal than on the Sloth tour, but we had bad weather during the tour, so no fault to that organization. Don Rufino was tasty, but by far our most over-priced meal of the whole trip. The boat ride from Arenal was nice but I felt it was presented as a way to avoid a long, bumpy shuttle ride. We still had a long, bumpy ride in a van after the boat. We added a coffee tour on our own in Monteverde since our cloud forest hike ended an hour earlier than expected. The forest guide was very informative, but it felt rushed; I would’ve preferred more time to hike and explore the forest on our own at the end of the tour. Treehouse restaurant was the best dining experience. Decent prices on the food and drinks, cool pics with the tree, and the live music was phenomenal. The transfer to Tamarindo was long as expected, but took 2hrs longer than expected. We also stopped twice for 20min breaks. Added 40min unnecessarily. 10min bathroom and snack breaks make more sense. I don’t want to waste vacation time in a roadside gift shop. It was wise not to book anything for that afternoon with the slow drive. Also great was the hotel dining at El Jardin del Eden. Breakfast and dinner half-board was perfect. Huge breakfast spread and gourmet dinner options. No need to waste money outside restaurants. All 3 hotels were great. I would recommend all 3 as long as the people you are booking are capable of the hikes. Lomas was a decent uphill walk from pool/restaurant up to the room, but there’s a golf cart on site if needed. Helped a lot when it rained. Ficus was a grueling hike up from St. Elena. Golf cart on property was good, but back from town was rough. Even Jardin had a long walk from the beach, but it was a flat path. Probably the best part of the entire trip aside from food and stays was the catamaran sunset experience in Tamarindo. Olman and Graciela were both very helpful before and during the trip to help with reservations and transfers.

All of the transfers worked out seamlessly. We loved all of our guided tours and excursions with only one exception, which is impressive. Kim Kim was great to work with and had good ideas for things to do. We had only 8 days for our trip, but we were able to do so much and the planning made that possible. Would highly recommend working with Kim Kim!

Hotel Review

Hotel Eco Arenal

Fortuna

Affordable hotel with very nice breakfast and very comfortable beds. Beautiful grounds. Restaurant within walking distance. Easy to get to town via car/Uber/taxi. Friendly and helpful hotel staff. Cleanliness was average. The toilet are was not closed off from the room, only had a 3/4 door, making privacy a challenge. Showers were fine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

away from the bustle of town in a beautiful setting by a river, lots of wildlife

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

cleaner walls and bathrooms. install full doors to give toilet area more privacy.

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

incredible swim in the waterfall. did not matter that there were many people present - it was still so magical.

Quality of Experience

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float

Arenal/La Fortuna

Guide and trip were stellar. Would highly recommend this activity to anyone.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tamarindo Surf Experience

Tamarindo

The guides were so nice and we had a great time. The surf shop was excellent. Highly recommend them.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

our guides and all the staff - so friendly and helpful

Arenal Volcano Hike & EcoTermales Hot Springs Visit

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was difficult to execute well because it was 2 very different activities merged into one. We were unable to complete the volcano hike because of extreme rain and lightning. We started the hike, but only proceeded to get drenched and muddy before turning around to go back to the bus. The rain made it impossible to even see anything beyond the path below our feet. The guide told the agency we canceled the tour, although the elements (lightening) made it unsafe to continue the hike. The guide was not proactive about guiding for this trip - he was basically an escort. We then sat in traffic in our wet clothes on the bus before arriving at the hot springs resort, only to learn that we couldn't enter the facility until our previously scheduled arrival time. We waited in the lobby there for 30 minutes. Would not recommend these 2 tours together. I'm sure the volcano hike is amazing though! The hot springs were incredible. Highly recommend those to everyone. Food buffet was great there too.

Quality of Experience

Amazing hot springs resort. Less amazing hike experience.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

Everything about this experience was incredible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a memorable trip to Costa Rica, and I would like to thank Kim Kim for putting the itinerary together and making all the required bookings. Olman was fantastic and super responsive to all our questions. Everyone we interacted with, including the drivers and guides, was terrific. I highly recommend Kim Kim to anyone planning a vacation.

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Doka Coffee Plantations, Poás Volcano, & La Paz Waterfall Gardens

San José

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal 1968 Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River Class II & III

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Celeste & Tenorio Volcano National Park Guided Rainforest Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Costa Rica was outstanding. From our accommodations, activities, and transportation, Serendipity Adventures was the local specialist who helped plan, organize and manage our trip. They made sure everything ran smoothly (Wilman, Bryan, and Nancy).
We loved our activities of hiking Arenal volcano, seeing the waterfall, ziplining and hanging bridges, night walks, seeing the animals, a coffee/chocolate/sugar cane tour (that we added last minute--and there was a lot of help coordinating our transportation and timing), nature walks at the beach, etc. Wilman and Bryan also gave us many recommendations for restaurants and other activities when we had some free time.

Hotel Review

Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs

La Fortuna

This hotel had nice views of the volcano. And we enjoyed the thermal pools. However, we did run out of hot water for showers several times (there were 3 of us in a room). It was located about 10-15 minutes from town and restaurants.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

The ziplining had spectacular views of the volcano and the lake. And you went 45+ mph on the zips...super exhilarating. The staff was very friendly and helpful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Waterfall & Volcano Hiking Adventure with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Mariano was our guide and was very patient with our group of 12 taking photos and having fun. Seeing the volcano closer was very interesting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alex was awesome...he provided a lot of information.

Private Cloud Forest Night Walk

Monteverde

Of all of the activities we did while in Costa Rica, this one ranked last on our list. It had just rained prior to us starting the night walk, so that may have affected the wildlife, but I was underwhelmed with what we found. Our guide was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable, so that made the walk interesting.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Loved that we had 2 guides for our group of 12. And they made sure that all of us saw the animals and were satisfied before moving on. It was an interesting walk on the path, spotting all kinds of interesting wildlife, including sloths (with babies), monkeys, birds, lizards, etc.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Positives - good set of activities, although I wish we had done the volcano hike instead of the nature walk in arenal as we had already done the nature hike in monterverde. Doing it twice made no sense. Other than that rest of the activities were fun.

Negatives - where I stay matters a LOT. 2/4 hotels were disappointing in a 10 day stay. That is about 5 days in total of not having good lodging which was a real turn off. No running water at times and on top of that hotel tried to swindle us for a mandatory new years meal at an outrageous cost. Sales should have checked into all this and been upfront with us but Greg in service came to our rescue and got us out of the meal. Thank you for that. I would have hoped that kimkim would have partially reimbursed us for the hotel stay in arenal as it was lousy but they did not offer to do so. They did promise to reimburse us for the cost of the new year meal which was a relief. Again, we should have not been charged for it. 1500 or so for three nights at a below mediocre hotel just doesn’t feel right. When you are paying a hefty amount for a vacation you want the best. You don’t want to be blind sided. And I wouldn't say it was the best. Greg did come to our rescue and did his absolute best. Thank god for that else this would have sucked.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Mountain Paradise

Fortuna

This isn’t a 4 star hotel, not even 3. Water in both the bathrooms would suddenly stop running. At some point in the night the water just shut down for a couple of hours which was awful. Found worms in the bathrooms. Bugs bit us. We left as soon as our excursions were over. Couldn’t wait get out.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Presidente

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Sketchy area but great hotel

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Capitán Suizo Beachfront Boutique Hotel

Tamarindo

Lovely hotel with very convenient location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ficus Sunset Suites

Monteverde

Very outdated, had a weird smell, cleanliness clearly not up to par but location wise convenient to town. Definitely could be updated as from the outside it has a very welcoming presence.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Floor had hair and next day even never bothered to clean the floor. I still was kind enough to leave a tip.

Activity Reviews

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Buffet Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Not so great buffet. Allow people to get their own meals and not include in price of outing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Loved the meal and the waterfall. Nature hike was a repeat and way too long. Could have done the volcano hike and cooking class at the farm.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport