Olman Romero

Our trip to Costa Rica with Kim Kim was amazing! Everything was done exactly as it was described. All the transportation arrived as expected exactly on time. We stayed at four different hotels or resorts. Each one was unique, beautiful and comfortable, even luxurious in the case of the resort -Manao- we stayed at in La Fortuna, under the Arenal volcano. There we watched hundreds of egrets roosting in the trees across from our dinner table and relaxed in a few of the many hot spring pools located on site. The nature tour we took just outside the town was the best among all the many excellent opportunities we were booked into. The guide was super knowledgeable and helped us get fantastic pictures of sloths, birds and crocodiles with his spotting scope. We even got to spot a gorgeous trogan which was the bird my husband had hoped to see. The cooking class and tour of the organic farm was also so much fun and educational and both our tour guide and cooking instructor were full of fascinating info about plants and the locale cuisine which was even more delicious because we helped prepare it. I loved making tortillas!
All that being said, my favorite place was Sarapiqui. We stayed at a marvelous gem of a resort called Ambigua, which is surrounded by a jungle like garden. In the evening the red eyed tree frogs come out all around the dining area providing me with amazing photos. The night hike we were booked into on the grounds was magical. The guide, Tavo , went out of his way to make our time with him full of glimpses of all sorts of night creatures from bulletin ants to kinkajous. The pool was lovely and refreshing and the reflexology in their spa was the best I have ever had. Our nature tour at a local ecological institute was full of toucan and parrot sightings as well as many other birds and sloths. The guide was most excellent.
Our stay at Tortuguero was awesome as well with special kudos to our two day guide there- Raymond, who clearly knows his stuff and has a great affinity for the natural bounty of his country as well as a great sense of humor. The only disappointment was that an optional hike was too rigorous for me to attempt and we wished there was an alternative choice.
A huge thanks to Kim Kim, Olman and the team in Costa Rica (Aleska Tours I think was the name and they were able to change our airport pickup time with one phone call), for creating and managing our unforgettable and magical visit to Costa Rica ! Everyone and everyplace was no less than fantastic!

Hotel Reviews

Pachira Lodge

Tortuguero

Our first encounter with the natural wonders of Costa Rica. When we arrived we were all greeted with a refreshing drink and welcoming faces. Considering it is located very remotely, the resort has the routine well organized but still feels relaxed. Service at the desk was excellent and always cheerful. The hotel is nestled within the jungle and has a few trails right around itself., but it carries off a luxurious feel as well with a lovely pool and bar and patios right on the river. All personnel were lovely and our guides were exceptional. Food was similar from meal to meal but always fresh and tasty.

Authenticity & Character

Jungle canopy and location

Location

Very near to National Park and preserve and within an actual jungle complete with howler monkeys

Staff

Our guide Raymond

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spa was squeaky clean as was everything (except the nationwide toilet paper disposal system which was never explained adequately in terms of how to properly handle toilet paper in a sanitary manner and was cause for smells in the room)

Auténtico Hotel

San José

Beautiful pool and dining area. Outstanding service and exceptional food. Lobby a bit small and room adequate.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful garden around pool and delicious typical dishes.

Location

Close to airport but far from other sights

Staff

Service outstanding even gave us a box breakfast when we left too early for dining room to be open.

Cleanliness & Comfort

all was clean and adequately comfortable

Ara Ambigua

Heredia

This hotel is the home of our fondest memories of Costa Rica and a prime example of Pura Vida! Surrounded by beautiful gardens blooming vegetation, and much wildlife. This is a magical place! We watched red eyed tree frogs come out at night while we ate dinner and were able to experience a night hike right on the grounds. This unforgettable trek with Tavo gave us a sneak peek at many nocturnal creatures we would never see on our own. The pool was lovely and relaxing, the spa provided me with the best reflexology I have ever had and the staff was exceptional in helpfulness. Highlights were the frogs, birds , iguanas, and basilisk lizards, and lovely murals.

Authenticity & Character

Nature, architecture and delicious food

Location

Close to chocolate factory and nature preserve. Quiet set back from road.

Staff

Friendly , patient, helpful, speak excellent English

Cleanliness & Comfort

All was clean and comfortable

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

This place is awesome! It sits back well off the main road which provides the guests with an amazing view of the volcano, and also some exquisite natural settings all around. Our first dinner there we were seated where we could see hundreds of egrets roasting in the trees for the night, which was unforgettable. The front desk was quite helpful in managing our connections with our tours that we were taking in the area. our room was absolutely perfect and unique. We could see Arenal volcano from our patio and at the same time experience the natural beauty of the area and local vegetation. The bathroom of the room was most amazing with a tropical plant in the floor and a luxurious shower. During the day when we weren’t taking a tour, we were relaxing in the many beautifully designed thermal springs on site. The pools are phenomenal and one day we had lunch served at the bar actually on the edge of the pool . The restaurant is pricy but the food is excellent. The included breakfast was a huge buffet with more choices than can be named- all fresh and tasty. The only downside is that the lobby is not very comfortable and there was no way to get any forgotten toiletries at the resort.

Authenticity & Character

Natural setting, architecture,food

Location

As I said great view of volcano and access to hot springs. Downside was that it was far from town and there is no shuttle, so without a car we were unable to see the town unless we wanted to pay dearly for taxi ride.

Staff

Everyone tried to be helpful but service wasn’t quite as personal as elsewhere. Quickly rectified problem with laundry, though and cleaning staff did amazing job on room.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fantastic level of cleanliness- not sure how they do it in such a big place

Activity Reviews

Birdwatching Tour at La Selva Biological Station

Sarapiquí

Guide was exceptional knowledgeable and well spoken. The center was fascinating-I especially enjoyed seeing toucans and walking on the bridge across the river and seeing the nesting birds there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was a woman with a kind and relaxed manner who made us feel welcome. She even presented us with little souvenirs of Costa Rica!

Transport

Always on time and courteous

Guided Nature Walk at Danaus Ecological Park

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was our favorite guided hike and preserve. The guide had exceptional knowledge and great enthusiasm for what he was doing. He helped us take pictures using his spotting scope and found many birds. He was never in a hurry and told us one of the most memorable stories we heard on our trip. The preserve is outstanding with so much to see from alligators to shunting and so many birds!

Quality of Experience

We were delighted to be served fresh fruit and water at the end of the hike. Also loved the native craft area and learning about the art and the people who craft it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So much enthusiasm and knowledge

Transport

On time comfortable communicative

Traditional Cooking Class - Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Fantastic way to get closer to the people, food and customs of Costa Rica. Also delicious! We also got unexpected presentation on sugar cane which was fascinating!

Quality of Experience

The cook was a lively woman who did not speak much English but managed to communicate with us well enough and with enthusiasm. She had so much energy and skill!

Food

Loved eating what we had a part in preparing.everything was so fresh and very delicious and all typically prepared.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We learned so much from our guide about the plants. Our favorite part was his humorous presentation about sugar cane!

Transport

Enjoy the Beauty of Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero

Absolutely amazing! Raymond our guide . Was extremely competent and patient as our leader for three days. He made every effort to provide us with knowledge and opportunities to see even rare wildlife. His affinity and understanding of the natural wonders of his country and his sense of humor made it all very special. His command of English is also quite impressive. Ray is a great example of Pura Vida and a Costa Rican we won’t forget!

Quality of Experience

Ray and jungle location

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Always eager to help, friendly and cheerful. Captains of boats went out of their way to show wildlife.

Transport

Always on time. Captains and Drivers were friendly and communicated well. Vans and buses and boats were clean and comfortable with the exception of life preservers which were bulky and hot.

Olman was very prompt and responsive to our requests and organized a good itinerary for us, a party of 3. All the hotels were great with very comfortable beds and good breakfast. All our Costa Rica guides were top rates as were the drivers. Only one main feedback is, we wished we were advised of the terrible traffic back to San Jose from Monteverde leaving around noon. We could have left earlier with private transfer.

Activity Reviews

El Silencio Volcano Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great guide on history of volcano and nice short hike. Not outstanding beauty

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Rainforest Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari

Arenal/La Fortuna

The best activity with great guides and nice boat rides. Our main guide was outstanding in showing the wildlife..we saw very nice birds and different types of monkeys. The boat driver and guide were instrumental in these experiences. Food were great too!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The seven of us - three generations - drove our van from San Jose to Arenal to Monteverde to Manuel Antonio over nine days without a problem. Our accommodations in each location were lovely and well-situated near attractions and activities (for example, within walking distance of Manuel Antonio National Park entrance). Every guide was personable, knowledgeable, bilingual, very compatible and on time. All meals in the restaurants were excellent. Highlights of the trip included: Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari, Eco Termales Hot Springs, Doka Coffee Farm tour, ziplining at Selvatura, and beach time at Manuel Antonio. Although we never needed it, we knew we had kimkim support via phone or email. We wanted our grandsons to have a fun, positive travel experience for their first time in a foreign country, and they did!

Hotel Reviews

Park Inn San José by Radisson

San José

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ficus Sunset Suites

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Rooms large, airy feel, spacious bathrooms.

Location

Set up in hills with beautiful view to the west towards Gulf of Nicoya and Nicoya peninsula. A short drive to Selvatura Park.

Staff

From desk to restaurant, staff was very friendly, warm and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms wonderfully quiet. Beds very comfortable.

Montaña de Fuego Mountain Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

What really appealed to the younger members of the group was the nearby river warm enough for swimming.

Authenticity & Character

Excellent dinners and breakfast buffet.

Location

Very close to Arenal volcano hike. A quiet location not in the heart of town, which we preferred.

Staff

Brandon was very helpful with suggestions. Jorge took time to show us two hummingbird nests and a sloth in the forest nearby. All staff friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Creative towel sculptures on beds each morning. :-)

Hotel Playa Espadilla

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Two lovely, warm pools and very good breakfast buffet included.

Location

A block from the beach. A block from the entrance to Manuel Antonio National Park. Many restaurants nearby. Perfect!

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We appreciated the beach towels provided!

Activity Reviews

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was fun! We saw more wildlife here than anywhere else on our trip. Our guide and boat driver were patient and skilled observers. The buffet lunch on sight was delicious, and there were not hoards of tourists.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive to Arenal - Doka Coffee Tour

Costa Rica

El Silencio Volcano Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

Of course, this was a must-do for our grandsons, and was really a great experience. The young men manning the zip lines took their jobs seriously and treated each traveler with respect and humor.

Quality of Experience

A very well-run operation.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone very friendly.

Transport

We drove ourselves to the attraction. Road a bit rough in places.

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Swam in a beautiful, warm bay in the park.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Diego was excellent. Very observant, helped us take pictures through his binocular lens and showed us insects that we otherwise would have missed. Several sloth sightings and hummingbirds.

Transport

Easy walk from our hotel.

Planning and booking our trip to Costa Rica was very easy, as planning always is on kimkim. Olman was fantastic but upon traveling, we were passed to someone else who wasn't as responsive. We had a few questions/issues and needed a quick response and waited a bit for those.

Our trip was really great except we were quite disappointed in one of our hotels. (In Monteverde.) The hotel overall was old and outdated, it overall felt outdated and we weren't even comfortable showering there. The staff was quite unwelcoming and parking was horrible at that hotel. It made our time in Monteverde frustrating.

We had a few kinks in our trip that we just didn't catch until we were already traveling (we had a 4 hour national park tour on the day we were also set to drive 4 hours to San Jose and late checkout wasn't set up) but overall it was an amazing trip and we will continue to use kimkim for future trips.

Hotel Reviews

Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel

San José

Staff was friendly, beds were comfortable. Room felt very small and was quite noisy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Seemed to be in the middle of the city with a lot around it.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dreams Lodge Monteverde

Santa Elena

We really didn't enjoy this hotel. The room was very small, as was the bathroom. It also felt very old and like it needed a good deep clean and maintenance. The bathroom was very, very small and didn't feel clean. It was a "don't walk barefoot on the floor" kind of a hotel. The staff wasn't friendly or welcoming at all and parking was terrible. We disliked this hotel so much that within 2 hours of arriving, we were looking for other accommodations to pay for outside of our package. We ended up staying because the other hotels were sold out.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

This hotel was INCREDIBLE! The staff was so friendly and welcoming and made us all feel like we were VIP guests. The location is just amazing and the view from our room was stunning. The grounds of the property are lush and beautiful and the pool was also lovely. Breakfast with a view every morning was a huge plus and it was quite delicious. Our room and bathroom were really spacious and we could spread out and were quite comfortable. The patio was spacious and we never, ever felt cramped or crowded. We had an absolutely wonderful time at this hotel and actually wished our whole trip was focused here because of this hotel. We would recommend this hotel to anyone staying near La Fortuna.

Authenticity & Character

We loved everything about this hotel. It's very well maintained while being true to the natural setting.

Location

If you love nature, animals, tropical vegetation and a volcano view...then this is the location for you! Going into town was 5-10 min and an easy, easy drive.

Staff

Every member of the staff we encountered was so friendly and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room/bathroom was very spacious. The room was clean and beds were comfortable. AC worked wonderfully and the whole cabin was very clean. There were many spots for bugs/spiders to be if the cabin wasn't maintained and we saw none.

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Nice hotel in a good location. The only issue we had is that we were given a beachfront room but it's not at all beachfront. It's a walk to beach and no view of the beach, which was a bit disappointing. Breakfast was also a bit disappointing with exactly the same thing served daily. The room was very spacious and comfortable enough and was cleaned daily. Staff was friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sloth Trail Watching Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Fantastic tour! We were able to see/observe several sloths. I believe we encounter 8 on this tour. Our guide was very, very patient with us and made sure that our 9 year old had a chance to observe everything as well. This meant he had to constantly lower the telescope for her and he was so patient and accommodating. He spent time explaining details about all of the animals we saw, answering questions we had and pointing out all sorts of other animals to us. This was a wonderful tour and one we will not soon forget.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rainforest Chocolate Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Nice tour, very informative. Was able to taste chocolate and guides were very friendly and helpful. We saw several animals on the tour and had a great time!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

We loved this tour! We saw plenty of animals and enjoyed our time immensely. There are some things we wish we would have known prior to going.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Lisandro was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!1

Transport

El Silencio Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was good experience but it was different than we expected. It was listed as a 0.6 mile hike but it absolutely felt longer and was solid uphill. When we looked the trail up online, it said it was an easy hike but it felt a little harder than easy. If we did this trip again, we would skip the hike and do just the hot springs. We didn't like the food on the buffet, at all.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food just wasn't good. It was poor quality, not hot and wasn't a good selection.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our pickup transport was great and so friendly. We weren't aware we would have a different driver after the springs and that driver wasn't friendly at all. His car was tiny and we actually weren't sure he was really our driver at first.

Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rehabilitation Center - Volunteer Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

We loved this experience and had a great time! Our guide was very informative and patient.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit El Choyin Thermal River Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

We chose to skip this experience and simply rest.

Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde

Monteverde

Wonderful experience and saw a lot of really fun animals and plants. The walk was easy enough and we had no issues. The guide was really wonderful and very patient with our group. (We were paired with a couple that had a 3 and 5 year old.)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was the most wonderful trip! I can't rave about it enough! The hotels were fabulous and transport was always on time. We enjoyed the excursions too! The views from our hotel rooms were breathtaking! Olman did a fabulous job putting our trip together! I just could not believe how seamless everything was.

Activity Reviews

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Buffet Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was nice. Just a lot of people there

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Trail Watching Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Absolutely amazing! Totally recommend it.

Quality of Experience

Sloths!!! And our guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quick and on time

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a great experience. We saw lots of cool wildlife!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

Exhilarating and.fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Adventure with Snorkeling

Manuel Antonio

The snorkeling was lacking. We swam to basically some rocks that were underwater and Sawa few types of fish. It was really murky. I could have really enjoyed it but they rushed us. It was maybe 15 minutes. Very disappointed. The drinks were terrible.

Quality of Experience

More time snorkeling

Food

The drinks were terrible. Watery. The food was good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Silencio Volcano Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great hike!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Logistics were seamless. Very good suggestions on alternatives when the price was too high for my budget. Quick responses on questions and no hiccups along the way with arrangements - everything was clear.

Hotel Reviews

Auténtico Hotel

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Drake Bay Wilderness Resort

Drake

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike to San Pedrillo Station

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Isla del Caño Snorkeling Tour

Costa Rica

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy the entire trip, the La Fortuna guide in the jungle & volcano tour was excellent! Same for the coffee, sugar cane & coffee tour. The Curu Wildlife Reserve was a highlight of our trip to Parquera with all types of wildlife and an amazing Plam forest. Tamarindo was was nice- a bit touristy but great beach. I would have prefer a hotel near the airport rather than staying downtown San Jose. Great trip, I'll book again with KimKIm.

We fell in love with Costa Rica after joining a G Adventures tour in 2024. We wanted to return, but wanted to visit different areas, with the focus on wildlife, birds and experiencing the forests/jungles/wetlands/national parks. We did not want 5*, all inclusive or private travel where shared travel options were available.
Olman understood our requirements and crafted a wonderful 2 week itinerary for us, and we enjoyed every second of every day - wishing we had arranged a longer visit as our time to depart arrived all too soon.
Our pick up at the airport was perfect, and our overnight accommodation at the Park Inn Hotel was comfortable. Shared transport to Tortuguero was fine, and we thoroughly enjoyed our 2 nights at Pachira Lodge, including the wonderful early morning boat tour. (We would not have wanted to stay in Anhinga lodge, the sister to Pachira). The buffet breakfasts, lunch and dinner were all very tasty with plenty of choices. Lunches at El Ceibo were fine.
The transfer to Sarapiqui Rainforest Lodge was very comfortable, in shared transport (often we were the only 2 passengers when using shared transport). The Lodge was particularly beautiful with a very picturesque 'wild' pool. The location was perfect for our trip to La Selva Biological Station and, of all our drivers and transport, the lady who collected and drove us was absolutely wonderful. She was full of knowledge, information and very charming and so kind and helpful, she was the best, I am just sorry that I don't recall her name. La Selva is a fascinating place - we barely scratched the surface of all there is is to see and do there. Whilst staying at The Sarapiquis Rainforest Lodge we were able to walk to 'Dave and Dave's' to watch birdlife very close up in a perfect natural setting. Highlights included the hundreds of hummingbirds feeding on Heliconia flowers, within feet of us. Dave Jnr, the host is a fountain of knowledge and no more than 6 people can visit at a time (pre-booking essential) so a very individual experience. We would definitely revisit this place. We were also able to walk to the Tirimbina Biological reserve and enjoy a night frog hike which was another amazing experience, seeing night birds and so many frogs with our knowledgeable guide. We loved how accessible Sarapiquis Rainforest Lodge was to all these experiences - perfect for us.
Our transport to Hotel Lavas Tacotal in La Fortuna was excellent and we were blessed with good views of Arenal. Our stay here was fine - as we were out most of the time. Our day trip to Rio Celeste and Tenorio Volcano National Park was fabulous. En route we stopped to rescue a sloth that was trying to cross the busy highway - our guide picked it up and carried it to safety, placing it on a tree on the other side of the road. We ended up with a bonus visit to a chocolate/coffee farm and a sloth farm where we came across a tapir. We also came across 3 eyelash pit vipers - our guide was able to share the importance of safe distance.
The drive to Natural Canon Negro Lodge was private transport, and very comfortable. The lodge itself is in a lovely location and we ended up doing a second boat trip in the afternoon to a different section of the wetlands - what a treat. We would love to return to explore more of the wetlands at Cano Negro, as the map indicates the wetlands cover a very large area.
Our trip to Rincon, again private, took longer as the more direct road was impassable and we were advised to go via La Fortuna, making it a long drive. Buena Vista Lodge was excellent, and again the location of our room with unspoilt views over the valley was perfect. There were many trails we could walk ourselves and we thoroughly enjoyed with hot springs. Again birds, wildlife, sunrises and sunsets could not be beaten. The buffet breakfasts were excellent.
Our drive to Tamarindo was on time, and comfortable, as was the hotel. The Wyndham Hotel had wonderful sunrise and sunset views with a regular shuttle bus to and from town, though we discovered a dusty track through the dry forest down to town where we could enjoy the amazing bird life, monkeys and even a Grey Fox. We enjoyed a roof top meal in Tamorindo as the sun went down and another on the beach where we were treated to a fire show. The Sunset catamaran tour was great, though snorkelling was curtailed by our guide due to an excess of jelly fish in the sea at that time - however we enjoyed spectacular views of a jumping hump back whale and calf, on both the sail out and return. Quite unbelievable.
We were glad to have had an extra day in Tamarindo, and could have had 3 nights in all our locations (except La Fortuna)!
Our hotels were excellent and all transport was comfortable and reliable (one of our unfounded worries!).
The flight down from Tamarindo to San Jose was perfect, and an interesting experience.

Thank you Olman, we are already planning a return visit in March 2026!!