A great trip to Costa Rica thanks to KimKim / Serendipity Adventures
Costa Rica
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Jan 24 - Jan 29, 2026
What a fantastic experience it was dealing with Serendipity Adventures in Costa Rica, the company recommended by KimKim Travel. I led a team tasked with providing a birding adventure for our community. From the start, Elena helped craft a 6-day/5-night trip that would work for 50 seniors from Florida. Charlotte and her team worked to execute this plan. In the end, we had 66 who wanted to join along.
The personal attention from landing until take-off was above and beyond. We had 2 buses and 4 outstanding bird guides that stayed with us along the way. They provided additional bird walks around the hotel and resort in the morning and afternoons. Additionally, Serendipity had staff members who set up snack stations, went ahead to ensure we had easy access to our events, and helped out wherever needed. When some members inquired about ziplining, the activity was added to our itinerary, and many took advantage of the addition. The first night we stayed at the Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen by the San Jose airport. Then we headed out to the El Lugar resort, with a stop at the Las Paz Waterfalls for a few hours of animal exhibits and a scenic trail to see the waterfalls. The next days included a riverboat tour, a guided naturalist hike at La Selva Biological Station, a Cacao tour, a visit to the hanging bridges near Arenal Volcano, and a relaxing evening at the hot springs. Everyone raved about the quality of the trip. Thanks for everything!!!
Hotel Reviews
Our short stay at Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen was well-received by most of the group. There were minor issues due to a long line at check-in, but they quickly resolved that by adding another agent. The grounds were beautiful and allowed us to stretch our legs after a long day of travel. We had a group dinner, and the service was quick and efficient. Overall, it was a good start to the trip.
El Lugar provided very comfortable accommodations for our group. There were minor issues, such as room allocation, but they were promptly addressed. Although the casitas were spread out (as described in their literature), the resort provided quick service via golf carts, picking up guests to get them around. They also anticipated when we would move to meals and kept the carts available outside the reception or dining area. Feeding 66 people 3 meals a day, buffet style, was challenging. The meals did get a bit repetitive, but they tried to change it up. The staff went above and beyond and provided dance lessons, free carriage rides around the resort, and a dancing horse send-off as we boarded the buses to say goodbye. It was a very pleasant stay.
Activity Reviews
The privately guided tour at La Paz Waterfall Gardens was a favorite. Our group loved the variety of activities offered there. Some of us enjoyed the entire tour, while others opted to explore only parts of it according to their comfort levels. It was well organized, and everyone had a fantastic time!
The Mistico Hanging Bridges and Ecotermales Hot Springs tour was another highlight. Despite the long day, it was a worthwhile experience. We started early with the zip lining option, which many participated in, and ended the day with a relaxing time at the hot springs. The flexibility of choices made it enjoyable for everyone.
