Kat Johnson

Loved it all. Driving in country was easier than I thought it might be. Drivers are more courteous in Costa Rica than, e.g. Guatemala. We had some road closures and weather issues to work around, but no real problems. We were a little fuzzy on tours included or not, but got it worked out. The logistics of landing in San Jose at 1:00 and getting the car and to our hotel meant there was not time to walk around San Jose. We didn't get to the hotel until after 5:00. Again, not a problem, but a heads up. Rush hour traffic in San Jose is slow like a sloth.

El Presidente hotel was great. Mawamba Lodge was lovely. Pacuare Lodge was spectacular and the tours and guides there were fantastic! And Banana Azul was fine... but after Pacuare Lodge, nothing was going to feel as lovely. Tours in Puerto Viejo were good. All in all, a lovely trip and the help planning it was essential.

Thank you to Kat and the whole team!

I can’t thank Kat, Kate and the rest of the great team at Kimkim enough for the incredible job they did creating our Costa Rica vacation! From the fabulous hotels to creative adventures to all the minute details each day involved, they did the best job imaginable, always available to answer questions, even on weekends and at night! Each location they booked for us was amazing, from La Fortuna (volcano! Frogs!) to Montverde (Santa Elena cloud forest! Coffee, chocolate and sugar cane tour!) to Nosara (swimming in the Pacific! Private kayak tour! Sibu Wildlife Sanctuary!). The hotels were all wonderful, with excellent food, friendly and helpful staff, and lots to do. Every driver was on time, every tour guide friendly and knowledgeable. I could never have created this amazing trip without Kimkim! Thanks to you all!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Boutique Lagarta Lodge

Nosara

We had a lovely suite, with separate bedrooms for my son and me. The view from the main bedroom was of the ocean and the rain forest, and the sound of birds was a delight. There are two infinity pools on the property, and the ocean is a short walk away - swim in the Pacific! They also offer night tours, kayak tours, and other fun adventures. They have two restaurants, both with great menus, even for vegetarians. The front desk staff was always there to help with transportation, to set up a tour, or to answer our questions.

Authenticity & Character

It felt comfortable from the moment we arrived. It is a fun property to explore, and there are hiking trails right there.

Location

Right on the beach, amazing sunsets every night!

Staff

We were treated so well by all the staff, from the front desk to the wait staff to all of the drivers and tour operators.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and so comfortable! They make their own toiletries, so no need to bring shampoo, conditioner or body soap!

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Lovely grounds, great views, a friendly and helpful staff, and our room as comfortable (and large!) Also, the food is gourmet-quality, just fabulous, and the chef deserves kudos for his creativity!

Authenticity & Character

The main building has character, with its indoor, patio and outdoor seating, allowing diners to watch the two hummingbird feeders and the bird feeder, to get great views of lovely tropical birds.

Location

We wanted to explore the cloud forest, and this hotel is perfect for that.

Staff

Everyone went out of their way to be helpful, and the dining room staff were all very attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was large and comfortable, the bathroom too, and all very clean, with toiletries provided - you can leave your shampoo, conditioner and body soap at home! Theirs is made with local products and is terrific.

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Individual, private bungalows were a plus, as well as the friendly and helpful staff. The grounds are gorgeous, and the pool was lovely. We enjoyed the food at both restaurants, as well as the hiking trail on the property. I would stay there again!

Authenticity & Character

The attention to detail was notable - everything is very clean and inviting.

Location

Located in a rain forest, where we could take a night tour to see amazing frogs and other animals.

Staff

A huge thank you to Alejandro and Joseph! You were so helpful, and so friendly! Thank you both! ♥️

Cleanliness & Comfort

The whole place was spotless, the beds were very comfortable and the shower was great!

Activity Reviews

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience

Monteverde

What a fun tour! Our guide, Mario, was funny, friendly and very knowledgeable. We got to see first-hand how coffee beans grow, the process for roasting them, and the various kinds of coffee produced (I did not know that espresso has less caffeine than regular coffee! (Well, quantity plays a role.) We got to taste seeds of the cacao pods, watch them turned into paste after roasting, and learned that chocolate is literally the blending of cocoa and milk: choco-latte! Sugar cane was also fun to learn about, and you can help press the cane to express the liquid if you’re strong enough! Getting to see coffee beans, cacao pods and sugar cane as they’re grown on the farm was so educational - and delicious.

Quality of Experience

Couldn’t have had a better guide!

Mangrove Kayak & Standup Paddle Board Adventure

Nosara

What a wonderful kayak adventure! Just us and our guide, David, who was knowledgable, funny and patient. He pointed out gorgeous birds we might have missed, provided us with a snack of ripe pineapple and coconut water during our break on the beach, and made us feel comfortable in our surroundings. Thanks so much for a great kayak tour, David! ♥️

Costa Rica is an interesting country. We stayed in Nayara, Hotel Belmar and Cala Luna resorts so we experienced rainforests, cloud forests and the Pacific. Kat organized a trip around our interests, but driving from point A to point B was only for locals - the roads were typically in poor shape, two lanes and lots of ruts, so we were glad we had a driver instead of our own car. We also enjoyed the transfer time by observing the countryside that we wouldn't normally have seen. Miguel drove us to Nayara, a 3 hr + ride and he handled a detour skillfully while answering the many questions I had about the country. Nayara is so verdant and brimming with natural elements_ pools, natural springs and wildlife. A coati visited us on our patio one afternoon! First-class rooms, amenities and food. Every restaurant showed careful consideration of my food allergies. Massages by Alejandra and Erika were excellent. We would return to Nayara!
Hotel Belmont in the cloud forest (ironically, sunny every day!). The main part of the hotel was old but updated. We had a great view of the Pacific nearly 40 miles away. We enjoyed the cuisine at their restaurant and ate every meal there to be assured we had potable food and water. We shopped at many quaint shops in the town area with regional handmade items. At night we chose the guided Children's Eternal Rainforest walk. Our guide, Alum pointed out many nocturnal animals, birds and insects. Cala Luna resort in Tamarindo was next. While we were very near the Pacific we couldn't see it. The beach was full of enormous, slippery rocks making walking impossible. The nearby public beach (a drive) was crowded, so we stayed away. A shout out to Harvey and Carla at the restaurant, and the masseuses Caroleena and Silbeea, although the spa was near the road, so we heard traffic. The pool was lovely and void of guests, although my chair broke and fell to the ground and no employee noticed. Since we booked late, Kat was told the only room available was a three-bedroom home which was very expensive and it wasn't special at all. Tamarindo is very hot and humid. Kat only contacted us once during the trip...we've had Kim Kim guides text daily. Costa Rica is a mixed bag, but the people we encountered were lovely and appreciated us trying our very limited Spanish.

Activity Reviews

Nighttime Pacific Green Turtle Nesting Experience

Costa Rica

We have seen baby turtles leave their nests to travel to the ocean before, but never seen the mothers come directly to the beach to dig a hole and make a nest in the sand. This time, in total darkness, we saw several mothers come to the beach ready to lay their eggs. While exciting, Christian used red light for us to watch the mothers dig for over 45 minutes before they decided the sand was too wet and marched back into the sea to look for more favorable conditions. Again, it's nature so Christian could not have predicted it, but we were all disappointed. We had ample time to view the vast sky with stars, which was peaceful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mangrove & Estuary Safari by Boat

Tamarindo

Aside from getting up very early, this experience was very interesting. Our guide Juan Carlos was excellent and gave us a "lecture" about the importance of the estuary and what we might see. We did, in fact see crocodiles, monkeys and many birds. Our promised "snack" was a large piece of very fresh pineapple that Juan Carlos sliced perfectly with his machete!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eternal Rainforest Night Walk

Monteverde

Our guide, Alum was very helpful in pointing out nightlife, when possible. There were only four in our group that night. We saw several birds but mostly insects....the finale was a tarantula that lives in a hollow log. I can't blame the guide for not seeing more wildlife and he did his best to find what he could. I love the story of how the Eternal Rainforest was initiated, but I'll leave that story for the next visitor to hear.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport