A Great Costa Rican Adventure
Costa Rica | Nov 29 - Dec 14, 2025

Russ
Russ F.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on Dec 18, 2025

It’s hard to know where to start about the wonderful time we had on our trip to Costa Rica. First it was a pleasure working with Olman to plan our itinerary. We listed the top attractions we wanted to see with lodging and transportation at a reasonable price and Olman really delivered.

The weather was mostly sunny and the landscape was lush and green from the previous wet season. On our well organized tours we saw a wide variety of wildlife and our guides were informative and helped us take amazing pictures we could not have gotten on our own. Our accommodations were clean and comfortable with pools and easy access to townsites and beaches. Transportation to all areas of the country was mostly on time and fairly pleasant. We also had ample down time where we could plan our own activities or just relax. Any issues we had with scheduling were not disruptive or affect our itinerary negatively.

Overall it was a fantastic experience and I would recommend this service to everyone.

Hotel Reviews
Auténtico Hotel
San José

Limited stay for only 1 night

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Arenal Montechiari
La Fortuna

Nice location with amazing landscaping. Would have liked wifi in the rooms not just at the restaurant

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Wyndham
Tamarindo

Fantastic hotel with amazing views of the beach and ocean plus an infinity pool

Authenticity & Character
Location
Good shuttle service
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Dreams Lodge Monteverde
Santa Elena

Hotel was very clean and comfortable and the staff was very friendly,helpful and easy to talk to.

Authenticity & Character
Location
K
Staff
Very nice staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Playa Espadilla
Manuel Antonio

Best hotel we stayed in. Wonderful pool and cabanas plus very nice bar area and restaurant. We were also within easy walking distance to the beach and national park

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton
San José

The hotel itself was very modern and clean with a nice restaurant

Authenticity & Character
Location
Where we were was OK but would not recommend walking around at night in some areas of the downtown
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal
EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal
Arenal/La Fortuna

Sitting in the hot springs was very relaxing with good drink service

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

Hike up to the volcano was nice and our guide was very informative but we could not see the volcano due to cloud. The waterfall was spectacular though the hike back up the steps was tiring for some. Have a bit of rain on both trips

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River Class II & III
Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River Class II & III
Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a very exciting and fun experience. Our guide was very good and described different plants and wildlife

Quality of Experience
Food
Excellent pineapple and watermelon
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Catamaran Sailing Excursion
Catamaran Sailing Excursion
Costa Rica

Beautiful and scenic catamaran ride with good drink and service plus very good staff

Quality of Experience
Views during snorkeling were not good area to murky water
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike
Costa Rica

This was probably the best guided hike we took as we saw and with our guide, took amazing pictures including a male, female and baby 3 toed sloths. Our guide took us back on a different path back to the entrance were we saw more beaches and flora and fauna

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience
Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience
Monteverde

Our guide was excellent in his explanation of coffee, chocolate and sugarcane processing and was also had a good sense of humour

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining
Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining
Monteverde

I was a bit apprehensive about doing the zip lining but it turned out to be quite thrilling. Guides were very helpful. Very tranquil walk though the forest with scenic views of flora though the mist and hanging bridges were amazing. Some rain on the walk but did not affect the views

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Damas Island Boat Excursion
Damas Island Boat Excursion
Manuel Antonio

Quiet boat ride though the mangroves learning about the different types and how they live in salty water. Also saw many species of birds that the guide pointed out and explained.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike
Monteverde

Very tranquil walk though the forest with scenic views of flora and fauna with our guide getting us amazing pictures. We even saw a quetzal which we understand is a rare sight

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
San José City Tour
San José City Tour
San José

Our guide took us to many parts of the city explaining the different buildings and history of San Jose. We also learned about the political development of Costa Rica.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde
Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde
Monteverde

We saw and took incredible photos of insects and wildlife plus a toucan. I am amazing how the guide found the animals in the dark with a small flashlight

Quality of Experience
Guide helped take amazing photos
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Olman Romero
Olman
Olman Romero
Local specialist in San Jose, Costa Rica | Replied on Dec 22, 2025

Hello Russ,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share this. It truly means a lot to me. It was a real pleasure helping you plan your Costa Rica adventure, and I’m thrilled to hear that everything came together so well, from the itinerary and guides to the accommodations and balance of activities and downtime. I sincerely appreciate your kind words and recommendation, and I hope Costa Rica will welcome you back again in the future!

Best,
Olman