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Sergio Bolaños

I am originally from San Jose, Costa Rica, where I was born and raised. However, I have been living on the Caribbean coast of the country for the past 13 years. As an adventure enthusiast, history buff, sunrise stalker, everyday reader, bass player, and surfer, I have a variety of interests. I am particularly passionate about environmentalism, cultural heritage/history, and music.

I studied Eco-Tourism Management and I love my country’s natural treasures, cultural spots, and off-the-beaten-track attractions. I am convinced that travel can change lives for the better and that is why I bring my insights and passion for my country to my travel plans.

In my opinion, the ultimate goal of travel planning is to assist people in having meaningful experiences throughout their journey, while also providing opportunities for self-discovery and reflection.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I can create all types of tailor-made trips such as adventure travel, family vacations, luxury escapes, and off-the-grid traveling."

How did you get involved in travel?

"I first got involved with travel when studying Eco-Tourism Management at the University of Costa Rica. Since then, I have found a deep passion to explore, discover and experience new locations, cultures, and natural environments. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"My visit to La Comuna 13 in Medellín, Colombia left an indelible impression on me. This place represents the true essence of tourism: the power to transform. I will always cherish the memories and experiences I had in this incredible community. "

Sergio is part of the following groups: Costa Rica Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Luxury itineraries
Road trip 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...

Night Walk in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Discover a magical forest ecosystem after dark on a private guided tour of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, one of the jewels in Costa Rica's ecological crown. Called the "green lung of Costa Rica" due to its rich biodiversity, this 26,000-acre (3,500-hectare) reserve is high in the country's...

Whale & Dolphin Tour

Board a boat and set out from Drake Bay on a thrilling adventure to spot several species of whales and dolphins in their natural habitat. With large resident pods of dolphins year-round and seasonal whale migrations, your chances of spotting these magnificent creatures are high. In addition to...

Cahuita National Park Excursion

Discover the natural beauty of Cahuita National Park on this action-packed half-day excursion. You'll start your adventure at the beach, climbing on board a boat for a scenic 20-minute cruise to Cahuita Point. If conditions allow, you'll have the chance to snorkel just off the coast near the...

Río Pacuare Whitewater Rafting

Located along Costa Rica's Caribbean slope near Turrialba is a deep gorge considered one of the best river-rafting sites in the world. The Río Pacuare runs 67 miles (107 km) from the Talamanca Mountains to the Caribbean in the southwest of the country. Along the way, it passes through some of the...

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Discover the natural beauty of the world-famous Manuel Antonio National Park on a hike with an expert guide. While trekking the two-mile (3.2-km) trail, keep your eyes open for monkeys, sloths, birds, reptiles, and butterflies in the wild. The path through the lush rainforest leads you to the...

Recent trip reviews for Sergio

24 days in Costa Rica - trip planed by Serendipity Adventures
Costa Rica | Jun 10 - Jul 4, 2023

E
Etai M.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Jul 09, 2023
Serendipity Adventures (Sergio and Charlotte) were amazing! Building the custom itinerary to match our specific needs, and being available during the trip for questions and assistance. The KimKim platform is excellent and super helpful during the planning stage, but there are a few things that can be improved during the trip itself when we wanted to look up our next destination and plan details:
1) accessing the trip details requires an active internet connection, which isn't always...
Read more

Serendipity Adventures (Sergio and Charlotte) were amazing! Building the custom itinerary to match our specific needs, and being available during the trip for questions and assistance.

The KimKim platform is excellent and super helpful during the planning stage, but there are a few things that can be improved during the trip itself when we wanted to look up our next destination and plan details:
1) accessing the trip details requires an active internet connection, which isn't always available.
2) There's no way to access the plan details directly, it requires several clicks and is quite annoying!
3) Especially for longer trips (ours was 24 days), because each time you have to load the trip details from scratch it's a pain to scroll through the itinerary to get to right place, it would be nice if the page opened on the current date :)
4) A dedicated app, or integration with another app (like TripIt) would be a super valuable feature!

Hotel Reviews
La Carolina Lodge
Bijagua

This was, by far, the highlight of our Costa Rica trip! This lodge is amazing, perfect for a family stay of 3-4 days. The food is excellent, the staff is super friendly, and access to the river and the outdoor hot tub are a real treat. If you do one thing in Costa Rica, go here!!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín
Liberia

The hotel itself is great, and offers a great variety of attractions. However the fact that it's so isolated and the only dining options are so expensive was an issue for us.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort
Fortuna

A great place to stay in the area of Arenal. The pools and slides were a hit with the kids, and proximity to attractions and a wide range of restaurants made it a very convenient location.

Authenticity & Character
It's a very touristy resort, but the slides and pools (regular and natural hot water) were a big plus with the kids.
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Trapp Family Lodge Monteverde
Monteverde Costa Rica

Hotel itself is decent, but not one I would recommend for families with children. There's nothing to do at the hotel itself and food there is expensive, which meant we constantly had to drive to/from the hotel. Add to that the fact that the roads are terrible which made each drive a real pain. We would've preferred a more central location in Monteverde, and only have to drive the one time into the park.

Authenticity & Character
The rooms on the ground floor of the main building (under the lobby) felt like going into a dark basement. And the automatic flood lights in the hall were very disruptive (any time someone walks in the hall it lights up the entire room). Perhaps the rooms in the other building would've been nicer.
Location
The area is beautiful and the proximity to the Monteverde park is an advantage, but having to drive for every meal or activity (on terrible roads) was a real pain.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Los Altos Resort
Manuel Antonio

Amazing hotel and perfectly located. Our only complaint was that the beach wasn't quite what we expected (a bit of a hike, and the beach itself isn't very inviting and quite small). But we loved the pool area and enjoyed the other beaches in the Manuel Antonio area.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Sergio Bolaños

Mom and Daughters’ trip to Costa Rica 2023
Costa Rica | May 15 - May 20, 2023

Zohra
Zohra H.
Sunrise Manor, NV | Reviewed on Jun 12, 2023
Sergio from kimkim and Charlotte (Lotta) from Serendipity Adventures were outstanding. I was so happy with all of the attention to details. Everything was on point.
Thank you so much for making our trip such an epic memory!
Read more

Sergio from kimkim and Charlotte (Lotta) from Serendipity Adventures were outstanding. I was so happy with all of the attention to details. Everything was on point.
Thank you so much for making our trip such an epic memory!

Hotel Reviews
Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs
Fortuna

The view of the volcano from your villa is just breath taking. The breakfast is amazing. A quick cab ride into town.

Authenticity & Character
Fancy resort. The thermal springs pool with bar was heavenly.
Location
A quick cab ride into town!
Staff
Above and beyond staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Uber clean. There was a rainforest type feel in the bathroom. So healing and pretty!
Punta Uva Bungalows
Limon
Authenticity & Character
The beach/cove is beautiful, like a movie scene. Cleanest water.
Location
A good 15/20mins from Puerto Viejo town in the Tuk Tuk. $10 each way.
Staff
The restaurant staff was amazing. A little hard to communicate with the front desk staff but everyone was super kind.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Rainforest Immersion Massage and Tropical Facial
Rainforest Immersion Massage and Tropical Facial
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

I was so impressed with the Jungle Spa! The ambiance and the skilled professionals really made the massage and facial remarkable. I would HIGHLY suggest adding this as a part of your trip!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Tirza in PV was the best! She was so knowledgeable and full of life. I would recommend her company and services to everyone!
Transport
The charter plane worked out well! I do wish we didn’t have the 5.5 hr drive from Fortuna to PV. Felt like a whole day was wasted.
Arenal Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike
Arenal Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike
Arenal/La Fortuna

Amazing views! Got to see so many wildlife species. And the waterfall hike was worth it!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Journey into the Mystical Costa Rica: Shaman, Medicinal Plants & Waterfall Adventure
Journey into the Mystical Costa Rica: Shaman, Medicinal Plants & Waterfall Adventure
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

From feeling the energy of the Bri Bri tribe medicinal shaman to grinding your own chocolate, this was an amazing day trip.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Tirza was amazing!
Transport
Local specialist: Sergio Bolaños

Excellent Planning and Service!
Costa Rica | May 15 - May 20, 2023

Maria
Maria R.
Boulder, CO | Reviewed on May 21, 2023
We had an excellent experince from beginning to end with Kim Kim and all those we met along the way. The hotels, experiences, guides, transportation, all were thought through well. My sister and I took my mom to Costa Rica for her 70th birthday and everything they planned for us was exactly in alignment with what we hoped this trip would be. We had the adventure, luxury, comfort aspects and most importantly excellent guides to elevate our experince even more so. The communcation with the Kim... Read more

We had an excellent experince from beginning to end with Kim Kim and all those we met along the way. The hotels, experiences, guides, transportation, all were thought through well. My sister and I took my mom to Costa Rica for her 70th birthday and everything they planned for us was exactly in alignment with what we hoped this trip would be. We had the adventure, luxury, comfort aspects and most importantly excellent guides to elevate our experince even more so. The communcation with the Kim Kim team from the start was above par and they truly cared in providing us a great experience. I will be using them again!

Maria

Hotel Review
Punta Uva Bungalows
Limon

What an amazing hotel! The service is incredible, the food delicious, and the bunglaows are clean and spacious! We couldn't be happier with our stay. The grounds are beautifully kept and the food was excellent as well. I will be staying here if Im back in this area!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Sergio Bolaños

Grateful for the Costa Rican People
Costa Rica | May 1 - May 6, 2023

Kate
Kate R.
Stoneham, MA | Reviewed on May 09, 2023
Josh and I thoroughly enjoyed our travels in Costa Rica from May 1 to May 6. We only wish we could have stayed a bit longer to enjoy everything this beautiful country had to offer. We were extremely grateful for the guidance and wisdom of every single person we met, all of whom were gracious and welcoming. From Sergio. who helped us plan our itinerary and found wonderful hotels to stay in, to Charlotte who helped manage our questions while we were there, we felt secure knowing that we were... Read more

Josh and I thoroughly enjoyed our travels in Costa Rica from May 1 to May 6. We only wish we could have stayed a bit longer to enjoy everything this beautiful country had to offer. We were extremely grateful for the guidance and wisdom of every single person we met, all of whom were gracious and welcoming. From Sergio. who helped us plan our itinerary and found wonderful hotels to stay in, to Charlotte who helped manage our questions while we were there, we felt secure knowing that we were were in good hands if we needed it. Alex, our driver in Costa Rica, was a wealth of knowledge about flora and fauna all over the country and shared numerous stories with us while we drove from one destination to another. It made the longer drives so much more enjoyable and we learned about Costa Rica from a true native. Kenneth was our guide in Arenal and spotted flora and fauna in trees we would have never seen on our own, and he guided us over hanging bridges and to beautiful waterfalls. Roger was another awesome naturalist who led us around Manuel Antonio and helped us take some beautiful photos of hummingbirds, lizards and sloths!

Hotel Reviews
Amor Arenal
La Fortuna, San Carlos

This place exceeded all of our expectations! Situated in the heart of the rainforest with a private view of the volcano was incredible. The staff were friendly and welcoming too, ready to help in any way needed.

Authenticity & Character
Everything in the room was made of beautiful wood that brought the outside rainforst feel inside, authentically, creating beautiful character.
Location
If you like a little privacy, this is the place, so tucked away, surrounded by thriving rainforest plants.
Staff
The staff were extremely helpful and always ready to help. The only very small thing we didn't like was when one staff member tried to upsell us on what to order for dinner one night, which didn't feel authentic.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The entire bedroom, bathroom, deck etc. were sparkling clean and wonderful.
La Vela Boutique Hotel
Manuel Antonio

This hotel was centrally located to the beach, restaurants and Manuel Antonio National Park, which made life much easier. The pool and bar area are a beautiful place to relax and and our room was incredibly spacious. We had an exciting show when capucin, white faced monkeys started swinging from branch to branch around us, four monkeys in all, feasting on the fruits and leaves of the plants in the trees above and around our room. The staff were very friendly and able to answer every question we had!

Authenticity & Character
Location and style make this hotel special and the breakfast is delicious too.
Location
Perfectly situated between the beach and park.
Staff
Very friendly and able to answer all of our questions.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everything was clean and comfortable.
Local specialist: Sergio Bolaños
Sergio
Sergio Bolaños
Local specialist in Limon, Costa Rica | Replied on May 17, 2023

Thank you for sharing your wonderful review of your travels in Costa Rica, Josh! We're thrilled to hear that you both thoroughly enjoyed your trip and wished you could have stayed longer to fully immerse yourselves in the beauty of the country. Pura Vida!

I am speaking for my whole family when I say ...
Costa Rica | Apr 3 - Apr 10, 2023

Robert
Robert T.
Meadowbrook, VA | Reviewed on Apr 11, 2023
I am speaking for my whole family when I say this was a 5 star experience. The lodging and activities planned by the Kim Kim Group from initial selection to the actual experience were excellent. What was particularly amazing was how well everything was coordinated and how prompt all the guides/activities were. It would have been very difficult to put such an itinerary together especially when visiting a location for a first time. We look forward to using Kim Kim again in the near... Read more

I am speaking for my whole family when I say this was a 5 star experience. The lodging and activities planned by the Kim Kim Group from initial selection to the actual experience were excellent. What was particularly amazing was how well everything was coordinated and how prompt all the guides/activities were. It would have been very difficult to put such an itinerary together especially when visiting a location for a first time. We look forward to using Kim Kim again in the near future.

Pura Vida

BOB

Hotel Reviews
Hampton Inn & Suites San Jose Airport
Alajuela

Very nice hotel. Close to airport. Very convenient for flying in or out of San Jose.

Authenticity & Character
Keeping with the high standards of the Hilton brand.
Location
Close to airport with shuttles leaving every 15 minutes 24/7
Staff
Everybody very friendly
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean and confortable
Colina Secreta
Puerto Viejo

The establishment is a family run business and they go out of their way to please. The accommodations are some of the best we have had. Situated in a beautiful forest - open air - with great porches, kitchen, sleeping arrangements and bathrooms. The breakfast that is included is located a the main house - in a great setting - which brings together the character/personality of the owners with dynamite food - freshly prepared including spectacular fruit selections, gourmet coffees, cakes and a savory dish. A very satisfying way to start the day.

Authenticity & Character
Well designed and furnished. Extremely comfortable.
Location
Up in the eastern hills of Costa Rica - remote enough to enjoy the forest - but close enough to enjoy the beach and local establishments.
Staff
The best!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bringing beauty, comfort and cleanliness together with an A+ rating
Local specialist: Sergio Bolaños
Sergio
Sergio Bolaños
Local specialist in Limon, Costa Rica | Replied on Apr 18, 2023

Hi Bob, that's fantastic to hear! I am so glad to hear that you and your family had a wonderful 5-star experience with us. It is great to hear that everything went smoothly and exceeded your expectations. We appreciate your kind words and look forward to helping you plan your next adventure! Pura Vida!

Sergio and KimKim did a fantastic job persona...
Costa Rica | Mar 25 - Apr 2, 2023

Jeffrey
Jeffrey B.
Gunnison, CO | Reviewed on Apr 09, 2023
Sergio and KimKim did a fantastic job personalizing a trip for us. They listened to what we preferred and tweaked our itinerary to match our preferences. They found great local tour guides for a couple of our hikes (Kenneth and Oscar), which made the hikes more interesting and see more creatures. The hotels they picked our were very nice -- especially the Rio Celeste Hideaway. It was an amazing time! Read more

Sergio and KimKim did a fantastic job personalizing a trip for us. They listened to what we preferred and tweaked our itinerary to match our preferences. They found great local tour guides for a couple of our hikes (Kenneth and Oscar), which made the hikes more interesting and see more creatures. The hotels they picked our were very nice -- especially the Rio Celeste Hideaway.

It was an amazing time!

Hotel Reviews
Rio Celeste Hideaway Resort
Bijagua

BEAUTIFUL ground and rooms (bungalows.) Everything was beautiful, staff was very friendly and accommodating. The restaurant is really good. Favorite place we stayed in Costa Rica. The no toilet paper in the toilet (instead a garbage can) was a bit weird, but understand. They should install exhaust fans.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Our back patio was literally in the rainforest.
Staff
Very friendly and accomodating.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa
Fortuna

Great view of Arenal! Staff were friendly and accommodating. The hot springs weren't that "hot," unfortunately.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Presidente San Jose City Center
San José

Great location and very comfortable. The rooftop restaurant had great views.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
W Costa Rica - Reserva Conchal
Guanacaste

Typical resort. The bar area and views of the beach were great. The beach was not that large and was grown over a bit. Everything is pricey (as expected at a W resort).

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Sky Adventures Zip Lines
Sky Adventures Zip Lines
Arenal/La Fortuna

I believe seven zip lines in total. Great views. Staff friendly.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hike
Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hike
Arenal/La Fortuna

We had a tour guide go with us -- highly recommend that. He was able to find creatures we would have never seen and gave great background.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sunset Catamaran Sailing Tour
Sunset Catamaran Sailing Tour
Costa Rica

The beverages and food were great -- staff very accommodating. We didn't expect the cruise to have 25-30 people. The views were amazing -- got great pics of the sunset.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Night Hike in the Forest
Night Hike in the Forest
Costa Rica

Got to see many creatures -- spiders, snakes, and frogs. It was not an intense "hike" -- more of a walk around the hotel grounds.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Rio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Guided Rainforest Hike
Rio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Guided Rainforest Hike
Costa Rica

A really great hike in the rainforest. We had a guide, which helped a lot. This is an intense hike—lots of steps. But the views are worth it!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Sergio Bolaños
Sergio
Sergio Bolaños
Local specialist in Limon, Costa Rica | Replied on Apr 14, 2023

Hi Jeff,

Thank you for your positive review! We hope you had an unforgettable trip and look forward to assisting you again in the future. Pura Vida!

This was the first time I had travelled in my...
Costa Rica | Mar 21 - Mar 31, 2023

Tobi
Tobi S.
Canada | Reviewed on Apr 01, 2023
This was the first time I had travelled in my ow like this, I am extremely grateful there were no glitches and everything was perfectly planned. There are a couple things I learned for next time and I am looking forward to planning my next trip with KimKim! Read more

This was the first time I had travelled in my ow like this, I am extremely grateful there were no glitches and everything was perfectly planned.

There are a couple things I learned for next time and I am looking forward to planning my next trip with KimKim!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort
Fortuna

I would give this hotel a 3.5, the facility was beautiful and the hot springs were very nice, but we couldn’t sleep here for a few of reasons: our a/c unit would not stay running I had advised the hotel, but they indicated there was nothing they could do, we had to get up multiple times in the night to reset it. The beds were quite uncomfortable for me, I would wake up multiple time in the night because my hips would get sore, worked out though so I could reset the a/c 😂. Also we were on a main floor and someone was above us, this isn’t the hotels fault, but the people above us stomped around from 6 am until 2am we had to call the front desk, so as a tip ask for a second floor room.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean, just not comfortable for me.
Hotel Ficus
Monteverde Costa Rica

Loved this hotel it was quite amazing. It was beautiful and well taken care of, it was also easy walking access to shops and restaurants. The restaurant was also very good for breakfast. 2 things I would note for other travellers: 1 - there is no a/c (I did ask specifically about this and was told there was a/c but there is not.) thankfully it cools down there quite nicely at night but my girls didn’t want me to open the windows because there are no screens and they were worried about bugs coming in. 2nd - there is no pool, I didn’t ask about this, I just assumed there was, if it was just me travelling, it would have been fine but I had a child with me and it’s always best to have a pool when travelling with children, from my experience.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort
Tamarindo

This was a great hotel for us, close to the beach, great facilities, beautiful pools. As a tip, we had a room near the back of the hotel facing the pool but backing on to a street, it was quite loud due to the music playing at the restaurants, across the way, it was also near the entrance to the pools so we would often hear people in the hallway, yelling, playing, or trying to access the pool (there was a loud buzzer). Also, I’m not sure why but we had difficulty getting towels in our room, we had to constantly ask for them to be replaced and replaced in an amount for all of us.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano
Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano
Arenal/La Fortuna

Such a great day, the guide and driver were awesome and very accommodating!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
So great!! Funny and engaging!
Transport
Sky Adventures Zip Lines
Sky Adventures Zip Lines
Arenal/La Fortuna

Probably one of the top highlights of our trip!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike
Monteverde

This was a nice hike but, there was a lot of stopping looking for birds, which is not really our thing. The guide was very knowledgeable and kind but was not engaging for my daughters. We would have just preferred to hike and stop when there was actually something to see. I know the people we were with were very interested in the birds so I’m sure it was good for them .

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Night Walk in the Children's Eternal Forest
Night Walk in the Children's Eternal Forest
Monteverde

This was cool, however, I was disappointed we didn’t see too much. I did expect to see more, but I guess it’s the luck of the draw :)

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Selvatura Park: The Sloth Sanctuary
Selvatura Park: The Sloth Sanctuary
Monteverde

We loved our time with the sloths and we were lucky to see them moving about and eating, it was shot but sufficient. This should be a self drive activity.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tamarindo Mangrove & Estuary Boat Tour
Tamarindo Mangrove & Estuary Boat Tour
Tamarindo

This is not a reflection of the guide or the tour, however, this tour was filled up by a group of Swiss travellers, who made this tour uncomfortable for us. We saw several birds and some crocodiles! Maybe not a trip for a tween, she was a little bored and then when she talked, they other tourists shhh’d her 😳🙄.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Enjoy the Thermal Hotsprings at your hotel
Enjoy the Thermal Hotsprings at your hotel
Arenal/La Fortuna

The hot springs were nice! We really enjoyed having access at our hotel!

Quality of Experience
Local specialist: Sergio Bolaños
Sergio
Sergio Bolaños
Local specialist in Limon, Costa Rica | Replied on Apr 05, 2023

Hi Tobi, it is great to hear that your first solo travel experience went smoothly and without any glitches! It's great to know that the planning process was perfectly executed, making for a stress-free trip. Thank you for choosing us for your first solo trip, and we look forward to helping you plan many more in the future!

Costa Rica on point!
Costa Rica | Mar 21 - Mar 31, 2023

Sydney
Sydney S.
Canada | Reviewed on Apr 01, 2023
I really enjoyed Kim Kim! Everything was set up perfectly for us and all the hikes we did had really great guides who were knowledgeable of the area! The only thing I would suggest it to request a hotel with a pool in Monte Verde if possible! Hotel Fikus was really nice, but we were told a lot of hotels do not have pools do it it being “cold” for them up there. For us Canadians it was still so hot! We had also requested this prior to the trip being planned. If this happens to you,... Read more

I really enjoyed Kim Kim! Everything was set up perfectly for us and all the hikes we did had really great guides who were knowledgeable of the area!

The only thing I would suggest it to request a hotel with a pool in Monte Verde if possible! Hotel Fikus was really nice, but we were told a lot of hotels do not have pools do it it being “cold” for them up there. For us Canadians it was still so hot! We had also requested this prior to the trip being planned.

If this happens to you, contact Pico Pico hotel and use their pool for the day with any spa treatment! We got massages and they were incredible!

I had an overall great experience and we will be using Kim Kim again for this September in Iceland!

Local specialist: Sergio Bolaños
Sergio
Sergio Bolaños
Local specialist in Limon, Costa Rica | Replied on Apr 05, 2023

Hi Sydney, thank you for taking the time to share your review. I'm delighted to hear that you had an enjoyable trip and made some unforgettable memories. Pura Vida!

A huge thank you to Sergio and the KimKim tea...
Costa Rica | Mar 14 - Mar 26, 2023

K
Kristy P.
Canada | Reviewed on Mar 27, 2023
A huge thank you to Sergio and the KimKim team. Although not all hotels met our standards we could tell there was a lot of care and planning that went into choosing the tours/guides and transfers as everything was pretty seamless. For a first big trip with the kids it was important to have local insight and someone on standby to help us even while we were traveling in the event we needed to change something on the fly. This type of service was invaluable. Thank you ! Read more

A huge thank you to Sergio and the KimKim team. Although not all hotels met our standards we could tell there was a lot of care and planning that went into choosing the tours/guides and transfers as everything was pretty seamless. For a first big trip with the kids it was important to have local insight and someone on standby to help us even while we were traveling in the event we needed to change something on the fly. This type of service was invaluable. Thank you !

Hotel Reviews
Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort
Tamarindo

Great property! They take a lot of care in the up keep of the grounds and assisting you with the local surroundings. Breakfast was so so but overall great experience.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Springs Resort & Spa at Arenal
La Fortuna

Fantastic property. Would have loved to stay here longer as they are a semi all inclusive resort and pur guide had us booked on a tour outside the resort for an entire day. Definitely need 3-4 days here!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Monteverde Lodge & Gardens
Monteverde

Although beautiful grounds it is not so family friendly with noise able to be heard throughout hallways and rooms along with no bar fridge or tv. Restaurant is too fancy for us so struggled with eating while here. Otherwise rooms are clean and modern, grounds are beautiful.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hampton Inn & Suites San Jose Airport
Alajuela

Great hotel close to the airport. Staff are great!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Si Como No Resort & Wildlife Refuge
Manuel Antonio

Hotel is really dated, not so great as the room we had looked out over a dead tree and roof with bird poo. The room doors have frosted glass letting light in all night long. No tv again making it hard for the kids at night and the pool is more for small kids so they didn’t use it either. The online pictures make the resort look amazing but it was quite disappointing to arrive here after staying at the previous locations including Arenal Springs. The restaurants are not great and we got sick from the food here. The only saving grace was the experiences we took in while staying here, otherwise we would stay somewhere else given the option.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano
Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano
Arenal/La Fortuna

Would have loved to have the Volcano hike as a separate day as we did not get to do it due to it being at the end and hottest part of the day and we had alreadybeen going for 6 hours. The hanging bridges are super busy but a great experience with the guide and driver. Pointed out and explained a lot of things we would have never seen on our own. Had a great snack prepared for us. The waterfall was also beautiful but very crowded. View of the volcano was great but we did not get to do the hike which was disappointing as it is what we wanted to do the most.

Quality of Experience
Food
The lunch restaurant was not somewhere we would ever eat.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Enjoy the Thermal Hotsprings at your hotel
Enjoy the Thermal Hotsprings at your hotel
Arenal/La Fortuna

Great variety and number of hot springs, beautiful views and scenery

Quality of Experience
Treetopia: Tram,  Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges
Treetopia: Tram, Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges
Monteverde

Great adventure, the guides were extremely personable and helpful. We did the ziplining and given an option to either repel or freefall off the final platform. The bridges have beautiful views.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Coffee Experience and Nighttime Nature Walk
Coffee Experience and Nighttime Nature Walk
Monteverde

Great informational tour! We learned how coffee was produced and how chocolate is grown, and sampled 2 different recipes. The guide was great in including everyone in the group. We ended this tour on a nightwalk with scorpions, kinkajou, sloths, spiders and a lot of exploration. Great experience and my kids loved the educational parts!

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

Highlight of our trip! The guide was truly the best at what he does! We saw more animals, insects etc than all the previous tours in the trip. The beaches in the park are truly spectacular and if done again I would make sure we were prepared for a longer stay at the beach at the end of the tour.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Snorkeling or Diving at the Catalina Islands
Snorkeling or Diving at the Catalina Islands
Costa Rica

Fantastic guides. Made us feel comfortable even though we are not great swimmers. We saw tropical schools of fish, manta rays, sharks, puffer fish and more!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Sergio Bolaños
Sergio
Sergio Bolaños
Local specialist in Limon, Costa Rica | Replied on Apr 20, 2023

Hi Kristy, you're welcome! I'm glad to hear that you had a great experience with us and that we were able to provide you with helpful local insights and assistance during your trip. It's great that everything went smoothly overall, and I hope that you have many more wonderful travel experiences in the future!

The team was very accommodating!
Costa Rica | Mar 10 - Mar 17, 2023

Diana
Diana J.
Canada | Reviewed on Mar 19, 2023

The team was very accommodating. We were traveling with our adult children and two grandchildren under three. They helped us know what was suitable for the various interests and abilities. When we requested a last minute change they were able to do that or without any issues. Travel provided by the Three Monkeys was exceptional and drivers accommodated extra stops when asked. We were able to get groceries on the way to our villas from the airport! I would highly recommend using this site to plan a trip to Costa Rica.

Local specialist: Sergio Bolaños
Sergio
Sergio Bolaños
Local specialist in Limon, Costa Rica | Replied on Mar 27, 2023

Hi Diana! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! We are pleased to have been a part of your trip to Costa Rica, and we appreciate your recommendation. We hope to have the opportunity to see you again in the future!