Kimkim Trip Reviews

We stayed at this hotel because it was the site of a destination wedding to which we were invited. This hotel is situated on a hill and extends pretty much from top to bottom, counting the restaurants. There are numerous room areas (designated A through E) that are scattered from reception (near the top) to the bottom of the hill. A is at the top and E, where we stayed, was at the bottom. Some units are part of a larger building, bungalows (which we had) look more like singles. The hotel has an aeronautic theme, so some rooms include the nose of a plane. Staying at area E meant that we were close to the lovely beach, but a bit of a distance from other areas, including reception. The hotel readily provides transport from area to area on demand, but my husband and I walked most of the time. That meant a fairly steep walk up to pool areas or to reception or to the restaurants. Despite our ages (70s) we were able to do it successfully. This hotel is not meant for those with mobility issues. Our unit had a balcony overlooking the beach. It would have been idyllic, but the noise from the main road below was very intrusive. We were able to tune out regular car noise, but there were many busses, trucks, motorcycles and vehicles with no mufflers. That was highly annoying. Each room has a kitchen. Although they claim the kitchen is fully stocked, we did not consider ours 'fully stocked'. Minimally is how I would describe it, though there was a cook top and refrigerator and microwave, some silverware and dishes. The biggest problem was the very weak light in the kitchen. We like to cook our own breakfasts and one could barely see in that kitchen even when the other lights in the unit were on. However, the rooms were large and comfortable and very clean. Maids come daily. Despite our hanging up our towels, the towels were changed every day. I found that surprising considering the ecological bent of Costa Rica. The only restaurant we used was Anaconda for lunch. We found it a very pleasant restaurant with good food. We especially enjoyed the lox sandwich. We only used the adults only pool which was half way between our room and reception. It was a very nice pool with a bar attached. It had great views all around it. There is a path for a short hike shown on the map but don't try to take it. It's largely impassable and not worth the trouble. One gets enough exercise hiking the regular hills in this hotel just to get to reception, restaurants, etc. All that said, the views from anywhere on the hotel property are exceptional. The foliage is lovely. We saw many birds, especially macaws and kiskadees and green parakeets. There were also white-faced monkeys and, somewhere off the premises, a howler monkey. It was only a short walk from our unit to the beach, which is a very beautiful beach. We can recommend this hotel, but with the stated reservations.

Hotel Lomas del Volcan was an excellent hotel. The rooms were spacious and clean. The bathroom was large and luxurious. There was no refrigerator in the room but there was really no need for one. The breakfast buffet was included and provided a wide choice of food. Service was excellent. For dinner, one could eat at the bar, the pool, or the restaurant if one wanted more formal, bigger dinners. The food was good. My husband and I especially appreciated the fabulous landscaping at the property. It was obvious a great deal of care went into it. There were beautiful flowers, trees and shrubs everywhere. There were a fair amount of birds and many people joined birdwatching groups to admire the birds. We also enjoyed the monkeys. Mostly there were spider monkeys which one could see best in the early morning or evening. We never saw the howler monkey but its howls reverberated early in the morning and in the evening. I was fascinated by it so it never bothered me. The service at the hotel was excellent in general and they were highly responsive if we needed something. The hotel is situated a bit far from the town. You would have to get a taxi if you wanted to go into town for anything, but we didn't really need to. We had a local tour every day and were occupied when we returned to the hotel. There is a walking trail that one can take, but we didn't see anything special on it. It's best to walk the main grounds of the hotel and admire the foliage and the bird population. All in all, we recommend the hotel.

My husband and I enjoyed this experience. Los Pinos is not a 'traditional' hotel. Guests have their own cabin; our cabin was clean and comfortable and had a rustic-look. We had a 'junior' cabin, which meant that we had one queen-sized bed. Some cabins were a bit smaller but most were larger and could accommodate families. Each cabin has a fully-stocked kitchen. Ours was stocked with vinegar and oil for salads, salt and pepper, coffee and tea. There was a toaster oven, a cook top, refrigerator and plenty of dishes and pots and pans. We looked upon this hotel as 'glamping'. Los Pinos was situated on its own preserve on a hill. Monteverde is, of course, very hilly. Having no car, we had a short uphill walk to our cabin from the registration area. Our suitcases were transported to our cabin. The site was private and wooded, just as we like. There was a picnic table and chair outside the cabin on the porch but it was generally too chilly for us to make good use of them. We were there in late March. The cabin was very spacious and warm indoors. Some might be put off by the fact that one could not put toilet paper down the toilet, but it didn't bother us terribly. It was, however, very difficult to remember to do so as habit is so strong. The bathroom was well ventilated and there was no bad smell. Maid service came every day and removed the trash. We very much enjoyed the ecological point of view espoused in Costa Rica. The person working in reception was always most helpful even though we required little. There is a private reserve with a trail that one can hike but we found nothing of note on the hike . We do not really recommend this activity. It was fine for the exercise. There is a nice lookout at the top, but the day we were there it was quite cloudy. Best to walk to Curi Cancha and walk around that lovely park. Be sure to eat at Stella's on the way.

It was a beautiful hot springs. We had the dinner and it was very good. We aren't ones for sitting in water for long periods of time nor for drinking extensively in the pool, so it was not a long experience for us. It was, however, very relaxing.

The guide was friendly and knowledgeable. The hike was excellent. The guide told us a lot about the area and pointed out interesting animals and birds, particularly the birds. It was a group hike and it was interesting meeting the various travelers. The waterfall experience was a bit less so for us. We were the only ones on this part of the trip and had no idea what to expect. It turns out that the waterfall is 500 steps down and 500 back up. You can swim in the pool but one has to clamber over huge rocks to get there. After we got back to the top we were taken to a private farm to table lunch at a restaurant owned by the tour company. It was a lovely secluded site, but the food was so-so. We enjoyed the day, however.

My husband and I enjoyed this activity start to finish. It gave one a perspective on the life of the indigenous peoples back in time which gave way to present days issues. The demonstrations were fascinating. They demonstrated a wedding ceremony, how they made their clothes and how they made bows and arrows. I actually shot an arrow and hit the target. Big win for me. The lunch was delicious. We highly recommend.

It was an interesting excursion. The bridges were sturdy and easy to walk. The views were excellent. It was worthwhile. We took the ride to the top, but it was so very cloudy and rainy that we couldn't see too much. We were grateful that we did not do the zip lining in the cold rain. Our guide was very good, though and enjoyable.

This is a great activity. We had a private tour. The guide was friendly and fun. We saw at least 20 birds, including the elusive quetzal. It was a great activity, probably the best of our trip.

We very much enjoyed this tour. It took about 45 minutes to get there from our hotel, but the surroundings were interesting to watch during the ride. The guide at the farm was excellent. We learned a lot about vanilla and saw examples of the plants and orchids. The guide showed us many spice trees and plants on the farm and described in good detail how each was harvested. We learned a lot. Best yet, we got to sample some of the vanilla and chocolate in drinks, cake and ice cream. It was a lovely tour.

This tour focused heavily on the plants and the cloud forest itself, rather than the birds and all of the animals. The guide was excellent and his passion for the environment was evident. We really enjoyed our time with him. Although he focused on plants, he identified a few birds for us and teased a tarantula out of its hole so that we could get a good look. We gained a lot from this tour and highly recommend it to others.

My husband I like to kayak but this trip fell a bit short. We took the trip in the late morning and that may have made a difference. It was very hot and anything interesting was probably hidden away. There ended up being two guides for us two people. One, the secondary guide, was quite interesting and talked a lot to us. The main guide was informative during the ride, but got quieter during the trip. Basically, we paddled through mangrove trees for an hour or so. It gets very repetitive. The best part was the last 10 minutes when we actually saw two interesting birds. It wasn't our best trip. The kayaks are not propelled by paddles as we are used to. They are propelled by pedaling, as in a reclining bicycle. Steering them is also very different from our norm, and it took a few minutes to get used to. I would not really recommend this tour, but it could be better at a different time of day.

Our tour guide was one of the nicest people we've ever met. We ate the best food I've had in my life and had the most wonderful conversations. We learned about the history of Portugal and the food associated with its people. And we just had fun eating and drinking!

We loved our driver! So nice, knowledgeable about helpful.

Our driver and new friend, Paulo was the best tour guide in all of Portugal, I'm convinced! He gave us history lesson, life lessons and we talked about everything in between. Such a great and fun person who took great care of my family. I can't thank him enough for making our trip amazing.

Once in a lifetime experience!! So fun! My teenage daughter, older mother and everyone in between loved this!

We had a lovely time in this beautiful Chateau. The staff were helpful and kind. Room was clean, had a great bathroom and had a lovely sitting area by the dormer window. The only drawback was that we needed a taxi to take us into town. It wasn't very expensive (about 7-9 euros) and the service responded quickly. The only thing was that we wished the small restaurant would have changed their menu from night to night. Food and breakfast were very good. We would stay here again.

This little hotel was so quaint and charming with a real old time French feel. The room was small but arranged nicely with a nice bathroom with tub and shower. It was nice to get a couple of US TV channels to watch when winding down after a long day sight-seeing. Beds were soft with great bedding. The staff were very nice as well. We would stay again without hesitation.

I wouldn't recommend this tour from Paris. We enjoyed seeing the castles but were rushed through each one and given too much information. We always book private tours so we can take our time. We didn't have time to linger and take in the sites, explore different areas of the sites, or have lunch in a nice small cafe. The ride would have been much more comfortable in a car but instead we were picked up in a van. It was uncomfortable ride for a long day of driving.

Our tour guide Rose was truly awesome. She was very knowledgable and didn't rush us through the day. We learned so many things we never learned in school. It was great having lunch with her and learning more about life in the Normandy area of France. She timed our day so we arrived at Omaha Beach in time to watch the flags taken down and taps played. It was very moving.

We had a lovely experience from top to bottom. The view from our table was so amazing. The food and wine were wonderfully paired. A night we will remember always.

Rose was a wonderful guide. She was very knowledgable and patient as I was on crutches but determined to make it to the top. Mont Saint Michel is a true treasure of France. I had wanted to see it for years and was so happy I finally made it. We had a great time, even with all the walking and step climbing. Again, we enjoyed a nice lunch and conversation with Rose after our adventure.

This was such a fun dinner and show! We didn't make it here the first time we visited Paris. I'm so glad we made it this year. Really, a fun and enjoyable evening.

Incredible!!! Worth every penny and the highlight of our trip.

Were given a room with no air con. Had to ask four times for help and were eventually reassigned to another room.

Character galore. Old and in some cases very old! Our bathroom had been renovated nicely.

The wineries were great but could have been a better tour if the guide was a wine rather then a beer drinker. One stop was all about chi chi shimmery alcohol; it had no place on a wine tour. BTW, Sandlers Wines was the best of the day! Pucs includud.

I’m not one for big group activities like this, and well the boat, the lunch, on the activities themselves were fine. It was the dive staff that made this truly memorable. One of the female staff helped fit my equipment properly, and then helped my husband as well And accompanied him as first time snorkler to help him get an appreciation of what the reef offered. I couldn’t have been more pleased.

Too touristy for me. Food okay The astronomer who spoke was the best part of the evening. The field of light is too contrived.

It was fun if you like being bumped, jostled and bounced to the point of disbelief.

Fundamentally important to trip Would reccommend to be part of anyones tour and think timing as part of first day of trip was good way to start trip Sidney rock as iconic part of Sydney harbor and simultaneously “holy” Aboriginal ground was particularly important! Speaker was good but not inspired Meeting spot waspoorly indicated, hard to find and should be less ambiguous

Scenery in Mossman Gorge phenomena Gondola over rainforest excellent But Train ride thru Barron falls even better Not to be missed!

Guide excellent! The start at the library to give us some cultural background, the places chosen, the order in which we experienced them and the information we received exceeded our expectations. The food choices were all excellent.

Most beautiful drive ever. Terrific guide who knew the route and shared so much interesting information about the areas we were seeing.

The driver was knowledgeable and friendly, knew the industry and vineyards very well and was a huge asset to the tour.

Comfortable. Professional, clean, quiet, nice dining area, concierge was helpful-

Lee Emmerson was a terrific guide- excellent tour…grandson really enjoyed being with him/

This hotel felt like a treehouse. It was amazing. Needs a little updating (bathroom) but the bed was so comfortable! The views were ridiculous!! Everyone working there was so kind and super friendly.

Rooms definitely need updating but the location and views were off the charts. Everyone was very friendly.

It was right in the middle of La Fortuna. A little loud and run down but easy to get to all activities.

Great family friendly hotel with beautiful hot springs and pools, friendly staff and very good food. Though it was cloudy during our stay, it has a terrific view of the volcano.

Very cool design and nice touches. Very clean and comfortable. Wonderful location. The family pool is a bit small and the beach is a bit far from the main part of the hotel, but the staff was so helpful providing rides back and forth to the beach.

Convenient location, comfortable room, friendly staff, good food

Convenient location, comfortable room, good food, friendly staff

Convenient location, very friendly staff, good food

Don't think desert tent, think hotel. Comfortable, good food.

Great location, comfortable, quiet and peaceful, great food, friendly staff

Fun to experience n amazing renovated kasbah! Delightful hosts! Great food!

Convenient location, friendly staff, comfortable rooms

It was interesting to see some of the older, and modern, sights of Casablanca by car. Entering the Hassan IImosque was very worthwhile; I hold mental images of the beautiful artistry of the mosque.

Rained out! We drive to the entry to the waterfall area for a brief look but then returned to Chefchaouen to walk the medina further.

Our tour guide gave us a good brief orientation. It was good to have time to explore the medina, then. We went to the kasbah museum in the medina; this was disappointing as there was not a lot to see for the price, poor lighting inside made it difficult to read information, which was not in English, and 3 employees stood in the garden the whole time when they could have been helping visitors learn about the site.

The drive with Omar was pleasant despite the rainy weather and we got to see some sights by car. It was raining more at Volubilis - ground was very muddy. Our guide Moustafa delivered his message in a monotone while looking down; he did not engage with us and walked on ahead of us. This was disappointing. I was glad to see the site, though.

Rachid, who was friendly and polite, provided a thorough to the medina of Fes , guiding us well and sharing information. He talked a lot, so that after awhile we stopped asking questions because we didn't want a 10 minute or longer speech.

A good day, though a long drive, because our tour guide Omar was attentive to our needs and we stopped several times, and also walked in the forest for a brief time in the area where the monkeys wait for tourists to feed them.

Driving into a desert area with our free-spirit guide Atti to look for fossils was fun. It was interesting to see where fossils are quarried. Touring the fossil museum was a very informative, interesting experience. Hamid was a great tour guide to the larger desert region, so that we got a larger picture of this area that is not yet sand dunes. Walking through the market in Rissani was also fun. Riding a camel was a unique experience. I wouldn't want to have to do it daily! The camel driver was helpful and friendly. At the end, just before leaving us at the desert luxury camp, he told us that he wasn't paid to take people by camel to the desert camp, so he encouraged us to buy polished fossil artifacts that he'd brought with him.

We could have skipped Todgha Gorge. We expected something like Monkey Fingers, but there was no hiking and it was way too touristy. Tinghir was disapppointing, since our local guide Abdul recited his script while looking down, did not engage with us and often walked ahead of us. I did like walking back through the village, though.

Our Monkey Fingers hike was fantastic, with the help of our local guide Ahmed, who helped me over the rough spots. It was great to hike in nature.

Interesting drive with a number of stops to stretch and look around. Ait Ben Haddout was definitely worth seeing. Our flexible tour guide Omar helped us find a museum I'd read about, which turned out to be the Musee de Oasis in the ksar El Khorbat. This was definitely worth visiting while our guide patiently waited. It was fun soaking in Omar's love for his home area,the Dades Valley.

It was raining during this day trip, which affected what we could see and do. The waterfall area was more touristy than I would have liked. Our local guide Hassan was very solicitous about my balance and footing on the slippery stones.

Hicham was very informative and I learned a lot. Also, in each space he gave us time to look around before we moved on.

Outstanding excursion! Cesar was a great guide, and he and Miguel took great care of us on a gorgeous blue day. It was magical!

Ricardo delivered us to the navigation point and thoroughly explained what would take place that day. The hike was pleasant and not too long, and the boat ride was exceptional! We were so close to giant icebergs that we could almost touch them, and in the sunshine they glowed a brilliant blue. We also got great views fairly close to the glacier. The crew on the ship made the whole trip quite fun. We highly recommend this excursion.

This hotel was very nice. The decor beautifully reflected the name. It was pretty in all of the common areas, and had all the amenities you would need. The room was spacious and clean. The rooftop bar was convenient for evening cocktails. The rooftop infinity pool was nice, and inviting. The breakfast buffet was plentiful with a lot of variety. We could walk to nearby stores, restaurants, and the Metro easily.

The Golden Frog Inn was tucked away in the woods, and the views from our room, and from the dining area, were like looking at a small piece of paradise. Very green, lush, and plentiful with flowers and birds. The staff was accommodating and nice. The food was delicious, and the drinks were refreshing. We liked the swimming pool, and we also enjoyed walking around the grounds to look at the many flower varieties. There was a craft brewery within walking distance, which was an added perk.

The Westin was a nice hotel. We stayed on the 16th floor with an Ocean View. The room was clean and spacious. There were lots of restaurants to choose from and several swimming pools.

We enjoyed seeing the city and visiting the Panama Canal. The viewing platform allowed you to see the ships and the locks. The iMax video was informative.

The waterfall was very pretty. A nice place to take photos and enjoy the natural beauty.

The ceviche was delicious, as was the dinner food. A very enjoyable experience.

The boat tour was very nice. We saw a variety of wildlife and beautiful scenery.

Very enjoyable experience. Took lots of photos and watched a lot of ships.

Had a lot of fun and enjoyed every minute. My first time on an electric bike. We walked through a little jungle, saw animals and birds in the trees. Visited the town, the market, and a waterfall. Had lunch. The staff at the bike shop were nice. The experience was very enjoyable.

Great fun! Perfect way to end the week. The catamaran crew were all very nice and attentive that everyone have a good time. The music was lively and fun. The drinks were delicious. The food was plentiful and very tasty. While I didn't go swimming off the boat, the others with me did and they had a wonderful time in the water. I went swimming at the beach on Taboga Island. A totally enjoyable experience.

I enjoyed walking around the ruins, learning about some of the history, and playing in the crystal clear water at the beach. Had lunch at a waterfront restaurant, and the food was delicious.

We enjoyed exploring the city, and did some shopping.

We had 2 rooms for the 5 of us. The 2 teenagers enjoyed having their own room as did the 3 adults. The adult room had a sitting room with a twin sofa bed (very comfortable) and one bedroom with a double bed ( it would have been nice to have 2 single beds instead). As you would expect, the rooms were small but adequate. The kitchenette was nice for snacks and coffee. The hotel had a breakfast buffet but we did not partake. There was a nice bakery 2 doors down for morning pastries as we headed out early every morning. There was a nice restaurant next door plus small market just down the street. The neighborhood was very welcoming and within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower, Arc of Triumph and Champs-Elysees and close to 2 metro stations. We found taking an Uber or taxi to get across town was expensive since we were about 3 miles from the Louvre area where a lot of our activities took place so walking and the metro were our favorite modes of transportation!

Great to get out of the city and see the Loire Valley countryside plus 3 very different but beautiful Chateaux!

The covered passages gave us another view of Paris and French history.....more Louis XIV references. Beautiful architecture and store fronts.

It was fun to see the Palace grounds from the backside and around the canal. The Palace was of course beautiful and rich with history.

Fun to go to the market with Chef Dominque and choose the food for our lunch. It was a hands-on cooking class so we all learned some new tips. Oh....and the food was delicious!

Fun seeing another area of Paris with cobblestone streets, historical architecture, art and steep hills leading to Sacre-Coeur and sampling rocks, macaroons, wine and cheese along the way.

Had no idea how many scents can go into one eau de par fun creation. Fun chemistry lesson!

Learned about the various wine regions and how the right cheese can enhance the enjoyment of the wine.

A private tour and guide with a focus on seeing 15 iconic masterpieces - sculptures and paintings - to uncover a secret code and unlock the cryptex was a fun and learning experience for all of us. The Louvre is just too big and overwhelming to just wander around without a focus!

Private tour allowed us to skip the lines plus have the benefit of a very knowledgeable and passionate guide.

Our window side table was the best.....another beautiful night on a beautiful river! The food and wine was delicious.

We all made it up the 360 stairs to the second floor, then took the elevator to the top. It was a sunny, cool day with clear skies so the view from the top was amazing. Dasha our guide was very personable and had lots of stories to keep us going.

The Golden Frog Inn and grounds felt like a slice of paradise. The views from our balcony and the dining patios were stunning! I really enjoyed listening to the birdsong as we dined each day. I highly recommend the Golden Frog to anyone looking to get away from the city and enjoy nature.

This was a very modern hotel in a lively neighborhood. The accommodations were very nice and the restaurant, bar and swimming pool very enjoyable. Easily walked to neighborhood restaurants, shopping and the Metro.

The Ceviche was amazing!

Enjoyable walk through the old town.

Once in a lifetime experience! Pictures don’t do it justice…you have to see it for yourself.

We really enjoyed the informative walk through the nature preserve and the boat ride. It was especially nice to eat a leisurely lunch on the boat, taking in the gorgeous surroundings. The monkey, birds and sloth sightings were fun!

Great experience! It was such a happy, relaxing time. Great music, drinks and dancing. The highlight was jumping into and swimming in the clear, calm Pacific Ocean! Unbelievable!

The e-bike tour was a much welcomed chance to commune with the natural surroundings and get some exercise!

Enjoyed being surrounded by the serenity of the forest. The birdsong and fragrant plants and waterfall were very pleasurable.