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 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