Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

short nights stay for an early flight. clean, comfortable, not much for food options in the area unless you are a fan of Denny's

Nice, clean, friendly. In the main area so not close to the beach. Small sized rooms for two queen beds. Nice pool.

Big rooms, clean, nice garden area to hang in. Bobby the Lodge Lab was awesome. Friendly staff. If it had a view I would give it a 5

LOUD. Motorcycles all day and late into the night echo throughout the town. Nice staff, room was basic but fine. The restaurant staff downstairs , Balcon Arenal, was great.

A beach worth visiting. The far beach was closed.

Hugo was a good guide. Knowledgable. Great views. Not sure if you need a guide for this one other than to make the day plug and play.

Staff made the experience safe and fun. The groups height anxieties went away. Beautiful canyon and a great way to see a sliver of the interior country.

Otto was a fun guide. He sings and teaches you to dance. Incredible viewpoint of the volcano.

Very cool hike. Unique. Take the horses.

Alex was awesome. Super thoughtful guy and a real student of the forest.

Park is not very big and is crowded in March. The monkeys were out, saw sloths, tucan. Beach is beautiful. The guide Jose found stuff to talk about and keep us entertained.

Fun ecosystem to explore. Hugo was really good. Authentic experience.

Great hotel, but poor location

good spot if travelling in costa rica and need to spend a night on the way in or out.

really beautiful place. not the cheapest thing I've ever done but they work hard to make sure everything is perfect.

the stuff in this hotel must have been trained by the ritz carlton or 4 seasons. they are amazing.

really great experience with an excellent guide.

its a moderate hike, really beautiful place. I would repeat. Guide was knowledgeable but did not seem interested in us or anything else.

beautiful and romantic experience.

really great guide,

Cathy was really great, if they offered other meals we would have done more.

Very disappointed, other than the location it was tired, our room had a window too high to see out of. Very dark and gloomy

Lovely location, very comfortable room, good food and the trips with memorable. We had to rely on the hotel for drinking water and think this may have been the initial cause of tummy issues.

Lovely location and pools.

Good location, the room did not have a balcony and was close to the road

Great location and views to the beach with a balcony The bedding and linen was tired and everything was minimalistic with no soap or shampoo provided.

Good journey, we enjoyed the view of the banana plantation. Lots of information and background to Costa Rica

Great guide and lovely views of wild life

Disappointing, unable to get close to the volcano, very busy path. Guide was informative and knowledgeable. The Spa was very busy.

Very interesting and informative. The walk was very atmospheric.

Self guided interesting walk and views.

Really enjoyed it

The private guide was excellent the walk was enjoyable, lots of wildlife and information

Very busy rather disappointing, it was sold as a walk needing walking boots, it was more of an amble.

Absolutely amazing! The buffet was wonderful. Rooms were clean. Beds and pillows were too hard for my liking. Food was delicious. Beautiful volcano views. Seen a lot of wildlife, including a sloth on our resort.

Hotel was a little dated and not as well taken care of as the first 2 hotels we stayed at. Beds and pillows were comfortable. Too hot to enjoy the roof top patio. The resort was laid out a little funky. Not enough staff to take care of things the way I expected. Nice place, but not exceptional. I did like that we had a 2 bedroom villa.

I did not like hotel. It was clean but no outdoor spaces to enjoy. Food was subpar compared to other hotels we stayed at. No privacy when using bathroom or shower from other guests in my room.

This was amazing. Our guide was knowledgeable. The hike was more difficult than expected. Very hard for my mom.

This was one of our best experiences!!! Wildlife was amazing. Our guide was beyond amazing!! I would do this again with our guide! Surpassed every expectation!!!

I would not choose this again. We did not see wildlife.

Loved this activity!!!

Great location! Great breakfast! The staff was very nice too. The room was beautiful too.

WOW! This was a lovely place. The hot springs on the resort were wonderful.

Great resort. The hotel was clean and close to the ocean. The beach was lovely too.

Mariano was wonderful. The private tour was a treasure! I would recommend spending the money for a private tour.

Mariano was great! We loved his tour and he was always showing us animals and pointing out things for us to see.

The sail trip was very nice! The water was clear and guides were friendly. We were lucky- there was only 1 other couple on the boat.

Location was amazing. Best beach.

Wonderful people. Excellent meal.

Did not see many animals

Fabulous. Many animals. Too short. Should be st least 2 hours.

Nothing exceptional. Too many hours to get there. Terrible guide who spoke bad English.

Amazing scenery

The view from the hotel was spectacular. However the plumbing was poor. The toilet was clogged daily. The Internet was like in a cruise.

Absolutely gorgeous location and a great resort for kids! Everything about this place was HUGE from the rooms, to the property, the beautiful volcano that dominated the entire landscape. Out of the 3 places we stayed in Costa Rica, this was the favorite of my kids, and I felt completely safe letting them roam around without me glued to their sides. Our room (129) was right across from the top of the slide into the pool, so my kids were in heaven. Our room itself was enormous, with a big bathroom and great beds. The property is extensive with beautiful walking paths with plenty of activities to do directly from the resort. The hot springs and float-up bar were the best after an afternoon of hiking and horseback riding. The breakfast buffet was a fantastic mix of local and traditional breakfast foods, so there was something for everyone and the prices for on-site food options were quite reasonably priced for a resort restaurant. Only a mile or so from the center of La Fortuna, it was easy to visit town and all the excellent eateries and local restaurants. This resort will be first on our list when we return next year.

This hotel is split into 2 main parts so if you do book here, make sure that you get a room on the ocean side of the resort, so you do not have to cross the busy road to access the restaurant and beach. From the balcony of our room, we could see the beach and could also view the on-site restaurant and pool. My kids were absolutely in love with the resort pet cat, which was really friendly, and my daughter would have taken home had we let her. There was also many other animals that were right on the resort grounds (capuchin monkeys, lizards, agouti, toucans, etc.)-- so much so that we didn't think it was necessary to go on a nature walk through the reserve park, as all the same animals were right on our resort. The only downside to this resort was the prices of the items on the on-site restaurant menu--They were shockingly high, so we made an effort to eat at other local restaurants. Shout out to the Magic Bus, a local eatery right off the beach that we ate at twice, it was that good.

Horseback riding up the mountains is a unique way to appreciate the surrounding countryside. The horses were well taken care of and were used to people. Our guide, Esteban, was fantastic and clearly cared about the horses in his charge. He was knowledgeable about the area and very personable. In addition to the horseback riding was the waterfall itself. Down 500 steps into a river gorge, the climb down and then back up is pretty strenuous, but it was truly magical to be able to swim in the river and feel the spray from the water hitting the rocks.

We had originally just booked this for the zip lining and hanging bridges, but ended up adding on the sloth rescue, which really was a great decision. Zip-lining was a fantastic, outside the box adventure, that couldn't have been more exhilarating. The guides that were at each platform made safety their number 1 priority, so even though we were several hundred feet in the air at times, I felt completely safe for both myself and my kids (12 & 13). The hanging bridges were a nice walk throughout the park. We did not join a guided tour, and just walked at our own pace. The sloth rescue/rehabilitation unit was phenomenal! It was amazing to be able to view and learn about these animals and the rehabilitation process of the park. In all, we spent about 5-6 hours completing the zip line course, the hanging bridges walk, the sloth habitat tour, and having a light lunch at the onsite restaurant. It makes for a full afternoon, so great for those looking for several activities in a single place.

This hike was nice, but nothing special. It was neat to learn about the prior volcanic eruptions that impacted the area, and while it is the closest you can get to the volcano, this was a pretty strenuous uphill hike for a mediocre photo op.

Our guide, Warner, made this activity for us. He was a fantastic source of local wildlife knowledge and was able to help tow my son back to the dock when he was too tired to paddle. It bears noting that the majority of the time on this excursion is spent in the kayak. The snorkeling was great, with lots of fish and sea-life to see, but the time in the water could have been longer. In addition to the kayak/snorkeling, the included lunch was fantastic. Typical fare, the chicken, rice, beans, and soursop juice was great, but what was really amazing was the dessert of warm pineapple al a mode with caramel drizzle. It was de-lish and an excellent way to end the excursion.

Perfect stop by the airport. It was exactly as you would expect and super new and fresh.

This is a real little paradise in the jungle with direct view of the volcano. Wildlife all over the resort. Amazing breakfast.

More monkeys than people!!! Fantastic

We can’t say enough about the guides. They were exceptional. We did class 4 rapids

This was a real standout experience! Very well organized with very skilled guides. I was very nervous and they made me feel very safe and helped me build my confidence. I’m so glad I did this.

We learned so much! Loved the tour of the gardens. A little less cooking then I was hoping for but overall it was a great learning experience

Beautiful large boat with excellent service.

We felt very safe. Beautiful tree canopy.

Such a lovely day! Great guide, wonderful horses. The falls was beautiful

Such a wonderful guide! So well informed.

So many animals!!!! Simply amazing. The guide was brilliant. You must have a guide for this walk.

Fantastic place, great food, nice hot springs pool.

Far and away the Parador is our favorite place to stay.

Hotel Lomas del Volcan is an amazing property nestled in the tropical rainforest at the base of the Arenal Volcano. The luxury bungalows provide a unique lodging experience where you can enjoy nature from your room.

What a fun day. Our guide Cesar did an amazing job. From immersing us in the culture of the farmer's market; to educating us on the Coast Rican use of vegetables, herbs and spices; to putting the finishing touches on our tortillas. He was a wealth of knowledge. If you want to experience the true taste of Costa Rica, this activity is for you.

The ultimate Costa Rican activity. Imagine jumping off of a platform 165 ft. (55 mtrs) above the canyon floor, with a waterfall raging along side you in a lush tropical setting with only a rope, a harness and a helmet; then this activity is for you! The guides are extremely skilled, helpful and safety conscious. They continually encourage you to take it to the limit for the ultimate experience.

A very fun, educational and delicious adventure. Our host Brian was extremely informative and entertaining. We had no idea of what it took to make a chocolate bar or a cup of coffee. Now we do. Thanks Brian.

There is no better place to eat, drink, soak and relax than at Ecotermales Hot Springs. After a day of adventure, what better way to remove the aches and pains of the day. With six pools, ranging from 90 to 106 degrees (32 to 41 C), you are sure to find one to your liking.

The Samara Trails tours allows you to experience nature in a remote portion of the Dry Tropical Forest located on an old family farm. Our guide Alex was extremely knowledgably and passionate about the habitat that he led us through. He showed us exotic plants, native fruit trees, colorful birds and even a hut home to several bats. Howler monkeys were all around us with their bark echoing through the forest. A very fun and informative tour.

Tour guide was amazing in spotting the sloth late evening. Great to walk into a forest in pitch dark- tour guide provided flash lights. Thank you

Very interesting day filled with a hike to volcano, hike to water falls followed by a lunch. We loved the overall experience of this. Again your guides did an amazing job walking us through entire experience

Great experience engaging in active cooking with chef Cathy. Cathy was amazing explaining costarican recipe. The dinner was very good - felt like a home cooking

This is by far the best zip line rides we experienced. It is scary first but we enjoyed it. The staff at the facility was so awesome.

A great walk into national park with guide. We did not realize how quick we spent 5 hours. The tour guide took nice pictures and shared with all tourists. High give!

Simply Wow experience. The operator was very nice giving us comfort before take off.

Amazing day trip with stepping down close to the falls. Very entertaining day of taking trailer to get on a trail with uneven terrain with wonderful views was so memorable.

This hotel had very small rooms with minimal amenities. Not recommended.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about La Mariposa in Manuel Antonio. It is the premier spot for watching the amazing sunsets. The entire staff greets you by name. A tropical floral arrangement and voucher for a bottle of house wine awaited me in my room. It was my birthday and I waited too long to reserve a sunset dinner table (it was 3:00 for a 5:30 sunset) everything was booked. I mentioned that it was my birthday. The guy excused himself and came back a few minutes later. He had reserved the primo table on the patio for me! I always try to have a few strange requests for the front desk. They either knew the answer or researched it for me. The entire staff was well informed, extremely courteous. It was probably one of the best experiences I have ever had.

The guides are very knowledgeable, and the groups are small. One good thing is that the guides use WhatsApp to tell the other guides about “finds” so the other guests can be included.

The park is very nice, but very busy. They push 2000 people a day through, and at the start, it’s like a cattle call. The guides are very good at spotting (animals) to small groups of about 20 people, but they are on a time schedule (get in, get out, next group). If one group sees something, all the other groups join in, so there are 30 people pointing, talking and taking pictures. The beach inside the park is one of the top 5 in Costa Rica, and the water is a perfect temperature. Beautiful!

A great experience! I combined the hanging bridges, zip line, and night tour in one LONG day. But it was worth it! Spent about 3 hours in the hanging gardens. Averaged 100 pictures an hour. There was something new at every turn! It’s cool ( end of February and about 50 degrees F and a 39 mph wind with mist. I had a sweatshirt and jeans and was comfortable. You can hear it raining, but by the time it gets through all the leaves, it’s like a mist. I never got “wet”. The zip line is terrific! I was second in line behind a 84 year old person from England! There’s a lot of climbing (bridges are fairly level), but it’s worth it. The day I was there, the mist was pretty thick (like a fog). When you zip lined, the water was hitting your face like tiny pellets. Didn’t hurt, but stinging.

Very nice clean hotel. The property was pretty. The hotel does not have air conditioning. They have a designated area for smokers. We were given a room on the second floor walk up. We asked if we could change the room, and they were able to accommodate us. They tried very hard to make us happy. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are all served in the same room. The rooms are spread out over the property which is fine if you are fit. The breakfast selection was varied, most guests seemed to like it. The restaurant across the street was very good and had fair prices. About a mile from town, very hilly, no side walks. Easy taxi ride, $5. Activity booking office in town. 2 supermarkets, restaurants of all levels. coffee shops, pharmacy.

Hotel Locanda Samara Beach in Sámara was a great choice for a stay. The hotel's location allowed for easy access to various attractions, shops, and restaurants, making it convenient for exploring the area on foot.

The zip lines and hanging bridges tour was thrilling and suitable for travelers of all ages. It may not be ideal for those afraid of heights, but overall, it was a fun and exciting experience.

The ocean kayak and snorkeling tour at Isla Chora was a fun and exciting experience. Despite windy conditions, seeing a turtle underwater made the excursion memorable. The two-seater kayak was beneficial for less experienced kayakers, adding to the enjoyment of the activity.

The hike at Tenorio National Park was challenging but rewarding. The guide was excellent, and despite the rain, the lush surroundings and the unique blue waters of Rio Celeste made the hike a memorable experience.

The Guatil pottery tour was a hidden gem and a fascinating cultural experience. The guided tour provided insight into local pottery-making techniques and traditions, making it a unique and enjoyable activity for those interested in learning about the local culture.