Profile photo for Priscila Mata
1527 messages
active 7 hours ago

Priscila Mata

Greetings from vibrant Costa Rica! 🌺 My love for exploring and understanding my country fuels my enthusiasm for helping others discover all that Costa Rica has to offer. Outside of work, I find balance by spending my free time surrounded by the natural beauty that defines this amazing place called home.

I truly believe that being close to nature and sharing joyful moments within it brings happiness and a deeper understanding of ourselves. There's something magical about embracing the small details and living in the present—whether it's appreciating landscapes, enjoying a lovely sunrise while drinking a good cup of coffee, or embarking on a hike where the only soundtrack is the soothing noise of nature. I'm passionate about conveying this love for nature to others, as every place holds incredible spaces just waiting to be explored! Let's turn your wanderlust into unforgettable Costa Rican adventures!
🌴 PURA VIDA!!!

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"As a local, I bring the essence of Pura Vida to your journey, tailoring it to your desires. From hidden gems to iconic landmarks, let's explore the most incredible places this country has to offer."

How did you get involved in travel?

"Growing up in a country blessed with natural wonders, I've been fortunate to live through unforgettable experiences across Costa Rica. My journey into travel stems from a deep desire to share these moments, allowing others to carry unique memories from this enchanting place. I enjoy communicating with people and it beautifully complements creating exceptional experiences. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"Climbing Costa Rica's highest peak, Chirripo, was a challenging yet rewarding journey. The difficult path led to the breathtaking summit, filling my life with profound joy. It reminded me that, like in life, challenging paths often lead to the most beautiful destinations. 🏔️🌅 "

Priscila is part of the following groups: Costa Rica Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries

Favorite experiences

Surf Lessons at Tamarindo Beach

Learn to catch a wave in Tamarindo, one of Costa Rica's prime surfing spots. Enjoy a private two-hour surf lesson at Playa Tamarindo and learn the basics of surfing outside of a large group setting. With the supervision of experienced guides, surfing at Tamarindo is safe and fun! At the end of...

100% Aventura Adventure Park Zip Line

Experience an exhilarating zip line adventure in the country where this thrilling activity was born! Your journey begins with an ascent, guiding you high above the jungle canopy via a network of trails and suspension bridges. Once securely fastened to a zip line cable, you'll zoom down several...

Arenal Hanging Bridges & The Springs Hot Springs

Head out early to spend the day exploring the jungle canopy. You'll wander along well-marked trails that lead you over suspension bridges high above the treetops—some that are hundreds of feet long—for a once-in-a-lifetime view of Arenal Volcano. You'll also get an up-close look at the incredible...

Recent trip reviews for Priscila

Our Costa Rica trip
Costa Rica | Mar 26 - Apr 3, 2024

Zeynep
Zeynep B.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Apr 08, 2024
My husband and I had a wonderful trip to Costa Rica. We started our journey in San Jose and embarked on an unforgettable adventure, visiting breathtaking destinations such as Tortuguero, Arenal, and Manuel Antonio. Throughout our travels, our guide Priscila played an integral role in ensuring a seamless and enriching experience. Her knowledge of the local culture, wildlife, and history added depth to our excursions, allowing us to truly immerse ourselves in the beauty of Costa... Read more

My husband and I had a wonderful trip to Costa Rica. We started our journey in San Jose and embarked on an unforgettable adventure, visiting breathtaking destinations such as Tortuguero, Arenal, and Manuel Antonio. Throughout our travels, our guide Priscila played an integral role in ensuring a seamless and enriching experience. Her knowledge of the local culture, wildlife, and history added depth to our excursions, allowing us to truly immerse ourselves in the beauty of Costa Rica.

Priscila's dedication and professionalism were evident from the moment we started to talk to her. She took the time to tailor our itinerary to match our interests and preferences, curating a personalized experience that exceeded our expectations.
Her friendly attitude and enthusiasm made every moment of our trip enjoyable and memorable. From recommending restaurants to advising beaches, Priscila ensured that we had an unforgettable experience.

We had a few issues during our trip, but Priscila tried to help us whenever we needed. Also, we would prefer to spend more time in Manuel Antonio and less time in Arenal as we noticed some of the activities in Arenal and the hotel we stayed in there, weren't great for us. But overall it was a great experience.

We look forward to returning to Costa Rica and exploring more of its wonders with you by our side.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Playa Espadilla
Manuel Antonio

Great hotel with great food. The location is close to many beaches and the wifi is great!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Mountain Paradise
Fortuna

We really think that this was the worst hotel we've ever stayed in our lives. The only good thing is the view from the room but I can make a long list about the negative experience we had in there. We noticed a leak in the toilet the first day, so we called the reception, someone who doesn't speak English came into the room to repair it. He said that it's all good and left. But we found out that he just put a towel on the floor around the toilet for the leak. It was written that they have wireless in the rooms but actually there wasn't. The room location was at the top of the mountain, very dark, and very far from the reception, restaurant and the rest of the facilities. So we could only reach to the room with a golf car. They changed our room on the next day with Priscila's help. The second room was all right but there was still no proper internet inside. We had to dine in the hotel's restaurant because the hotel seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. The food arrived in 1.5 hours and it tasted really bad. They have poor breakfast as well. They offered us a spa to say sorry for the leak in the toilet. So we arranged a time for that with the reception. When we went to the spa area, we had to wait for half an hour for the massage therapist to finish their session with someone else. To summarize, I wouldn't recommend this hotel to anyone!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mawamba Lodge
Tortuguero

This hotel was above our expectations! The staff, the location, the tour guides, and the facilities were great! If one day I go to Tortuguero again, I would definitely stay in Mawamba Lodge. We saw all the animals we wanted on the first day in their garden.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Park Inn San Jose by Radisson
San José
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Good bye Costa Rica!
Good bye Costa Rica!
Costa Rica
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Ocean Kayaking & Snorkeling
Ocean Kayaking & Snorkeling
Manuel Antonio

The tour guide gave us a really bad canoe comparing to the other peoples canoe in the tour, so we kept falling.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike
Manuel Antonio

They have the best beach in there! But the time we spent in there wasn't enough. ( 30 minutes)

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Rainforest Wildlife and Sloth Tour
Rainforest Wildlife and Sloth Tour
Costa Rica
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges Guided Walk
Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges Guided Walk
Arenal/La Fortuna
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall
Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall
Arenal/La Fortuna

The tour guide was late.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
EcoTermales Hot Springs & Meal
EcoTermales Hot Springs & Meal
Arenal/La Fortuna

This activity was unnecessarily long! 2-2.5 hours would be definitely enough. The restaurant wasn't great either. We didn't know what to do so we waited in the reception for an hour for the time we agreed with the driver and he was late!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Boat tour visiting Tortuguero
Boat tour visiting Tortuguero
Tortuguero
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
A Journey into the History and Culture of Tortuguero Village
A Journey into the History and Culture of Tortuguero Village
Tortuguero
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tortuguero Mountain Hike
Tortuguero Mountain Hike
Tortuguero
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Welcome To Costa Rica
Welcome To Costa Rica
San José International Airport (SJO)

The driver who picked us up from the hotel to take us to the airport for Tortuguero left us in the international departure building, so we had to walk around 10 minutes with heavy luggage to the domestic airport.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Priscila Mata
Priscila
Priscila Mata
Local specialist in Costa Rica | Replied on Apr 08, 2024
Hola Zeynep, I hope you're doing fantastic. Firstly, I want to express my gratitude for taking the time to write such a detailed review. Each comment is incredibly valuable to us as we strive to continuously improve. Your feedback provides insight into how various operators, hotels, and activities work, and we genuinely appreciate it. Thank you for valuing my work and writing such lovely comments about me. You definitely brought a smile to my face! I'm sorry to read about the... Read more

Hola Zeynep,

I hope you're doing fantastic.

Firstly, I want to express my gratitude for taking the time to write such a detailed review. Each comment is incredibly valuable to us as we strive to continuously improve. Your feedback provides insight into how various operators, hotels, and activities work, and we genuinely appreciate it.

Thank you for valuing my work and writing such lovely comments about me. You definitely brought a smile to my face!

I'm sorry to read about the unfortunate situations you encountered, especially with the hotel in Arenal. It's very disappointing to hear that despite our efforts to provide good service as agents, such situations occur that are beyond our control, especially in a place where everything turned out negative, despite our efforts to promote it positively. However, I'm glad to hear that you were still able to enjoy Tortuguero and Manuel Antonio. You must return and explore more of Costa Rica.

You were truly special and kind travelers and I thoroughly enjoyed our communication!

Best regards and Pura Vida!

Priscila

Priscila was fantastic to work with and we had an unforgettable family vactation!
Costa Rica | Mar 9 - Mar 16, 2024

Kevin
Kevin M.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Mar 23, 2024
Priscila was fantastic to work with. We started planning our trip to Costa Rica much later than we should of and were unsure if we could pull it off. The pieces finally came together only about two weeks before the start of the vacation! Pricila was patient and extraordinarily helpful every step of the way. During our trip, she regularly stayed in contact and was available for questions we had throughout the trip. Even when we made last-minute changes to our trip, she was there. I don't... Read more

Priscila was fantastic to work with. We started planning our trip to Costa Rica much later than we should of and were unsure if we could pull it off. The pieces finally came together only about two weeks before the start of the vacation! Pricila was patient and extraordinarily helpful every step of the way.

During our trip, she regularly stayed in contact and was available for questions we had throughout the trip. Even when we made last-minute changes to our trip, she was there. I don't think we would have been able to pull it off without her help.

All of our excursions and tours were fantastic. Our kids had a blast and we had one of the best family vacations we've ever had. One big surprise was the transportation company, Ride CR. I think we thought that the drivers would be just that - drivers. Instead, they became like a whole additional part of our vacation! They were awesome. A special shout out to Christian who was with us for the whole second half of our trip. He stopped at some amazing restaurants and scenic areas once he knew we were game.

I also want to say thank you to the folks at kimkim for this platform and the ease of use. It took so much of the stress and anxiety out of the process. I even got in touch with another specialist for our future trip to Iceland!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Mountain Paradise
Fortuna

The people here were really great. They made us feel welcome. I think we just had some bad luck with the room. The room was beautiful and much bigger than we expected. The major problem we had was that the air conditioning did not work in one of the bedrooms and it was really hot. We reported the problem, but it was not fixed. The food was mixed from day to day. We tend not to be picky eaters, but some of the dishes on the buffets were good, others not so much. On the flip side, the views of the volcano were amazing. The grounds were filled with beautiful plants and wildlife. It was a pleasure waking up and getting outside. To be honest, I think part of the problem was that we booked so late and there were limited options for our stay when we booked.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Park Inn San Jose by Radisson
San José

Pretty standard (quite nice) Radisson. We were only here overnight before heading to the airport early in the morning. Again, great staff.

Fiesta Resort All Inclusive Central Pacific
Puntarenas

Great place for our whole family. The food was amazing. The rooms were small, but comfortable (but, frankly, we spent very little time in our rooms). Views from the balcony of the room was amazing for ocean views and the sunset. The pools and amenities were great. We spend a good deal of time in the pools, played giant-sized chess, walked on the beach in the moonlight, and had a great time. The food was AMAZING. On our first day, we were limited to the "snack bar," which has burgers, hot dogs, nachos and other fast food. That was ok. But the breakfast and the other meals were fantastic. The only issue we ran into is there was some kind of miscommunication between their reservation specialist (with whom our travel agent, Priscila worked with) and the front desk staff. We were supposed to have an early check-in as we were arriving around 11 am. The young front staff knew nothing about it and said we had to wait until 3pm. Eventually, one of staff who helps with baggage and greets guests - who was older and had worked there for a while - intervened on our behalf and helped get us into a room after a bit. He was helping at the same time Priscila was on the phone with the reservation people. That was a minor set-back, but I wanted to include it because is just showed how often we ran into people who wanted to help and how awesome Priscila was.

Hotel Plaza Yara
Puntarenas

First, the people who work here are AMAZING. Some of the nicest people we met in Costa Rica (and that says a lot because EVERYONE was nice!). The place was absolutely beautiful, the breakfast was delicious, the rooms were remarkably spacious, and the front desk staff were always there to help with all aspects of our visit. This would be the kind of place I could imagine staying for an entire week. Just outstanding all the way around. On top of that, the front lobby is an art gallery featuring original works by local artists. Several people even bought paintings while we were there and the front desk staff walked them though the whole process of having the paintings shipped back to their homes. If you are planning on visiting the Manuel Antonio area, seriously consider staying there!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges Guided Walk
Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges Guided Walk
Arenal/La Fortuna

Wonderful! My only suggestion is to either schedule the hanging bridge tour and zip lines as the ONLY activity for the day or plan them on separate days. We did not have enough time to do the hanging bridge guided walk because we had to get back to our hotel to meet up for our afternoon hike to Arenal.

Walking tour on the slopes of the Arenal Volcano w/ Baldi Hot Springs entry
Walking tour on the slopes of the Arenal Volcano w/ Baldi Hot Springs entry
Costa Rica

Fantastic guide and great walk. The guide provided such great context and history of the volcano and the hike was invigorating and well-paced.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Welcome to Puntarenas
Welcome to Puntarenas
Puntarenas

Our driver was amazing! There was not much else about this part of the trip other than the fact that there was some miscommunication about our reservations (no fault of our travel agent, it was an issue with internal communication at the hotel)

Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Night tours of marine bioluminescence.
Night tours of marine bioluminescence.
Puntarenas

One of the coolest things we did on our trip. Amazing tour guide and boat captain. We got to swim in the bioluminescent algae and learned so much about the region and the science of the bioluminescence.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Isla Tortuga Experience
Isla Tortuga Experience
Puntarenas

Unfortunately, we had to cancel this part of our trip. We were looking forward to this so much! But, we tried to pack in too much. We were exhausted from our previous activities and travel, so decided to spend the day in the pools at the resort. Please don't see the three stars as reflective of the experience, since we did not go on the trip. This review form just requires that I put in a rating before I can continue.

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike
Manuel Antonio

Another "don't miss" experience. We saw squirrel monkeys, white-faced monkeys, howler monkeys, crocodiles, cool spiders and snakes, sloths (one mother with her baby!), and so much more. Our guide was amazing. He also helped us take cell phone pictures through his spotter scope - and we got some great shots! The hike ends with about 30 minutes free time to swim at the beach before heading back. I would have LOVED to spend more time swimming here, because it's so beautiful. But, its just the right amount of time to refresh and get ready for the hike back.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Good bye Costa Rica!
Good bye Costa Rica!
Costa Rica

We're home!

Local specialist: Priscila Mata
Priscila
Priscila Mata
Local specialist in Costa Rica | Replied on Mar 23, 2024

Hello Kevin,

Thank you very much for taking the time to write your review; we really appreciate it.
I'm thrilled to know that you had a great time on your trip and that it was a wonderful experience for the whole family. Also, thank you for sharing the incredible photos with us.
You were amazing and very friendly travelers.
Whenever you're ready for another adventure, Our team will be happy to craft a trip plan for you.
I wish you all the best.
Priscila

Amazing vacation to CostaRica!
Costa Rica | Feb 24 - Mar 1, 2024

V
Vishnu M.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Mar 02, 2024
We had a great opportunity to work with kimkim team Priscilla for our anniversary vacation. I booked the flight tickets and put into the hands of Priscilla. Priscilla put together a great itinerary to meet our needs. We are extremely happy about the overall experience. I would lean in again to kimkim for my future vacations. Thanks Priscilla and kimkim for helping us with most awaited vacation for me and my wife. Thank you!! Read more

We had a great opportunity to work with kimkim team Priscilla for our anniversary vacation. I booked the flight tickets and put into the hands of Priscilla. Priscilla put together a great itinerary to meet our needs. We are extremely happy about the overall experience. I would lean in again to kimkim for my future vacations. Thanks Priscilla and kimkim for helping us with most awaited vacation for me and my wife. Thank you!!

Activity Reviews
Rainforest Wildlife and Sloth Tour
Rainforest Wildlife and Sloth Tour
Costa Rica

Tour guide was amazing in spotting the sloth late evening. Great to walk into a forest in pitch dark- tour guide provided flash lights. Thank you

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall
Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall
Arenal/La Fortuna

Very interesting day filled with a hike to volcano, hike to water falls followed by a lunch. We loved the overall experience of this. Again your guides did an amazing job walking us through entire experience

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Traditional Cooking Class with Dinner
Traditional Cooking Class with Dinner
Arenal/La Fortuna

Great experience engaging in active cooking with chef Cathy. Cathy was amazing explaining costarican recipe. The dinner was very good - felt like a home cooking

Quality of Experience
As
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Cathy is awesome
Transport
Sky Adventures Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges Guided Walk
Sky Adventures Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges Guided Walk
Arenal/La Fortuna

This is by far the best zip line rides we experienced. It is scary first but we enjoyed it. The staff at the facility was so awesome.

Quality of Experience
So
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike
Manuel Antonio

A great walk into national park with guide. We did not realize how quick we spent 5 hours. The tour guide took nice pictures and shared with all tourists. High give!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Oceanview Parasailing Experience
Oceanview Parasailing Experience
Manuel Antonio

Simply Wow experience. The operator was very nice giving us comfort before take off.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guided Visit to Nauyaca Waterfall
Guided Visit to Nauyaca Waterfall
Costa Rica

Amazing day trip with stepping down close to the falls. Very entertaining day of taking trailer to get on a trail with uneven terrain with wonderful views was so memorable.

Quality of Experience
Food
Lunch was included but not offered - wondering us to think what happened.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Priscila Mata
Priscila
Priscila Mata
Local specialist in Costa Rica | Replied on Mar 04, 2024

Hola Vishnu,

Pura Vida! A huge thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed review.
It brings me immense joy to know that we could contribute to making your anniversary celebration trip special. I'm delighted that you've completed your journey, enjoyed the activities, and now carry those beautiful memories with you.

Whenever you're ready for another adventure, Our team will be thrilled to craft the perfect trip plans for you.

You and your wife were truly special and polite travelers, and it was a pleasure designing your trip.
Sending warm regards from Costa Rica,

Priscila

The trip was pretty good. I was expecting bet...
Costa Rica | Feb 15 - Feb 21, 2024

Ruth
Ruth L.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Feb 27, 2024
The trip was pretty good. I was expecting better hotels. The transportation was a 18 person mini van every where, but that is standard for the country. Even when we has a private transport booked between places it was still the same van.
The excursions were all nature driven, which is what we expected, forests, parks, waterfalls, hot springs (which we loved), a tram in the clouds, unfortunately it was pouring rain, windy and nasty that day. we went on walks to see animals, but they were not...
Read more

The trip was pretty good. I was expecting better hotels. The transportation was a 18 person mini van every where, but that is standard for the country. Even when we has a private transport booked between places it was still the same van.
The excursions were all nature driven, which is what we expected, forests, parks, waterfalls, hot springs (which we loved), a tram in the clouds, unfortunately it was pouring rain, windy and nasty that day. we went on walks to see animals, but they were not many to see on the time/day were there. One of our hotels did not have air conditioning, and when we called to discuss it - it was not possible because it was our Specialists day off. So, no problem solving coverage on Sunday.
The business is email and text message based, if that works for you great, it was not for me. I also, think some of our problems occurred because of language structure or something like that.
KimKim tried very hard to create a very nice trip for us..

Hotel Review
Monteverde Country Lodge
Monteverde

Very nice clean hotel. The property was pretty. The hotel does not have air conditioning. They have a designated area for smokers. We were given a room on the second floor walk up. We asked if we could change the room, and they were able to accommodate us. They tried very hard to make us happy. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are all served in the same room. The rooms are spread out over the property which is fine if you are fit. The breakfast selection was varied, most guests seemed to like it. The restaurant across the street was very good and had fair prices. About a mile from town, very hilly, no side walks. Easy taxi ride, $5. Activity booking office in town. 2 supermarkets, restaurants of all levels. coffee shops, pharmacy.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Priscila Mata
Priscila
Priscila Mata
Local specialist in Costa Rica | Replied on Feb 29, 2024

Hola Ruth,

Firstly, thank you so much for taking the time to provide your valuable feedback. We appreciate it, and we use it to continually improve our services. Also, a big thank you for choosing us for your trip. We're thrilled to hear that you had a good time.

I'd like to apologize for the inconvenience regarding the air conditioning. Typically, some hotels in Monteverde don't offer it due to the temperatures. We're sorry if this made you feel uncomfortable.

Sending warm greetings from Costa Rica 🌺🌴