Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

Phil was polite, responsive and courteous throughout my trip. However, a few things could have been better planned and the last day was quite frustrating. My 8-day solo trip had 3 legs which started off in La Fortuna, then onto Manuel Antonio and finishing off In Corcovado National Park.

Phil did an amazing job arranging a car rental pick up and drop off at specific locations which really helped my journey. He also very kindly helped with the flight back to San Jose from Drake on the last day after I realised I had booked the wrong flight time. Thanks!

Unfortunately, I was given the wrong international dialling code so I wasn’t able to get Phil on WhatsApp until day 3. During this time he was not contactable on the KimKim platform either. It got sorted out eventually.

The Volcano Hotel Inn at La Fortuna was pretty basic to be honest and didn’t have any hot water for the shower. Spending $3,000 I would have expected a little bit of a higher standard. What lacked in quality was made up somewhat for a location as I had a breathtaking view of the Arenal Volcano from my room. The Baldi hot springs were super cool and highly recommended. I was disappointed that the waterfall tour was cancelled because of a lack of numbers and I would have liked an alternative to being arranged rather than a refund.

The next leg of my journey was a 9-hour drive to Manuel Antonio. In hindsight, I think this could have been planned better. I was able to break up the journey by stopping off at the La Paz waterfall which was beautiful and the crocodile bridge which was also cool. Then I was privileged to see a family of 9 whales on the afternoon whale-watching tour at Uvita. I didn’t realise I had to double back on myself to Manuel Antonio with another 2-hour drive. This left me absolutely exhausted when I checked into my hotel.

The Manuel Antonio hotel was fine, nothing spectacular but again the location was superb as I was right on the beach. There was a degree of noise outside my room with loud music coming from a local market across the way a few yards away. The itinerary said I should book a ticket for the local national park but when I got there it was already booked out for the next 2 days. I wished Phil had booked this for me in advance and can’t understand why it wasn’t.

The final leg of the journey started in Rancho Corcovado in Drake Bay but I had to pay for the ferry boat to get there. Phil kindly refunded me this fee. The hotel was right on the beach and the location is truly spectacular. The instructions for the pick up the next morning for Corcovado could have been better as the hotel manager didn’t know where I was getting picked up and Phil had some vague direction that it would be from the beach I was on.

I thought I was spending 2 nights inside the remote parts of the park but I only found out on day 2 that this wasn’t the case because there was no room for me at any station in the park. I felt let down when I found this out. I thought I had given KimKim and Phil enough time to arrange for this. I was very disappointed that I never received any communication about this. On day 1, this was the highlight of the whole trip. I saw so much wildlife and took many pictures. Our guide was amazing and had so knowledgeable about everything. He had a telescope with him and was able to zoom in on every animal so we could see everything in amazing clarity. The people on my tour were great and so friendly.

Day 2 of the trip started out with more wildlife watching, which is what I came for. Amazing! I was then told then the group would depart around 11, and I would be on my own with the guide which would turn into “more of a hike”. This was not clear in the itinerary as it mentioned “backyard station” which I took to mean a station inside Corcovado. This was not the case. There was also confusion about my large bag which I had kept on me and even hiked for 2 KM with on my back on day 1. In my opinion, it should really have been left behind in Rancho Corcovado but the communication on this wasn’t there, and at the last second I was told to leave it on the boat at San Pedrillo. I didn’t have time to really get anything out of my large bag to bring with me on the hike.

And so, to the “hike” which was very intense and very difficult through some very thick and dense forest. There wasn’t much of a trail and it was very muddy even for the dry season. As we were gaining altitude it was noticeable how little wildlife there is up here as they like lowland terrain just like humans. I really didn’t enjoy this at all, and the last thing I wanted on my last day on holiday before 20 hours of flying back to Ireland, was a workout like this.

I was very warmly welcomed at the lodging that evening, and while I had my own room, I couldn’t believe there was no mosquito netting around the windows, it was completely open. Even my guide said he had complained previously about this and was told there are no mosquitos around here. How wrong that was. I woke up the next morning with lots of mosquito bites, and for another gruelling hike back towards Drake Bay. It was really disappointing that I felt I only got half a Corcovado 2-night experience.

Overall, Costa Rica is a beautiful country with amazing people and I would have no reservations about recommending it as a destination for other travellers. My expectation was slightly off given some of the accommodation. Using KimKim on the whole was a useful experience. I guess where I feel let down is in some of the finer details which I was hoping I didn’t need to micromanage so closely.

Hotel Review

Hotel Manuel Antonio

The Volcano Hotel Inn at La Fortuna was pretty basic, to be honest and didn’t have any hot water for the shower. Spending $3,000 I would have expected a little bit of a higher standard. What lacked quality was made up somewhat for a location as I had a breath taking view of the Arenal Volcano from my room

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The impressive Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Didn't happen because there was not enough people to fill the tour

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whale & Dolphin Watching Tour (seasonal)

Costa Rica

Absolutely amazing. Really amazing guides and very professional. I was honoured to see so many whales!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Corcovado Reserve Package - 2 nights

Corcovado National Park

I thought I was spending 2 nights inside the remote parts of the park but I only found out on day 2 that this wasn’t the case because there was no room for me at any station in the park. I felt let down when I found this out. I thought I had given KimKim and Phil enough time to arrange for this. I was very disappointed that I never received any communication about this. On day 1, this was the highlight of the whole trip. I saw so much wildlife and took many pictures. Our guide was amazing and had so knowledge about everything. He had a telescope with him and was able to zoom in on every animal so we could see everything in amazing clarity. The people on my tour were great and so friendly. Day 2 of the trip started out with more wildlife watching, which is what I came for. Amazing! I was then told then the group would depart around 11, and I would be on my own with the guide which would turn into “more of a hike”. This was not clear in the itinerary as it mentioned “backyard station” which I took to mean a station inside Corcovado. This was not the case. There was also confusion about my large bag which I had kept on me and even hiked for 2 KM with on my back on day 1. In my opinion it should really have been left behind in Rancho Corcovado but the communication on this wasn’t there, and at the at the last second I was told to leave it on the boat at San Pedrillo. I didn’t have time to really get anything out of my large bag to bring with me on the hike. And so, to the “hike” which was very intense and very difficult through some very thick and dense forest. There wasn’t much of a trail and it was very muddy even for the dry season. As we were gaining altitude it was noticeable how little wildlife there is up here as they like lowland terrain just lie humans. I really didn’t enjoy this at all, and the last thing I wanted on my last day on holiday before 20 hours of flying back to Ireland, was a workout like this. I was very warmly welcomed at the lodging that evening, and while I had my own room, I couldn’t believe there was no mosquito netting around the windows, it was completely open. Even my guide said he had complained previously about this and was told there are no mosquitos around here. How wrong that was. I woke up the next morning with lots of mosquito bites, and for another gruelling hike back towards Drake Bay. It was really disappointing that I felt I only got half a Corcovado 2 night experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Baldi Hot Springs & Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

The Baldi hot springs were super cool and highly recommended.

Quality of Experience

Food

Very Basic Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Yuliana was terrific! Highly recommend her. She pays great attention to detail and returns emails and phone calls promptly. A+ service.

Overall, I was completely blown away by my family's trip to Costa Rica. I expected to see natural beauty and warm weather but the hospitality of the locals is why I’ll be coming back.

Two examples. On our drive to Monteverde we got a bit lost and were trying to make a U-turn on a narrow, difficult part of road. A random guy riding past on his dirt bike stopped, got off his bike, paused incoming traffic, and helped guide us through the turn. Roads in Costa Rica were pretty terrible outside of San Jose but it’s not really a big deal. Drive with a puravida mindset and you’ll be perfectly fine. On another occasion, we stayed at Hotel Koora at Monteverde. The staff gave my 5 year old a really cool wooden Coati toy. They also loaded us up a bag of water and snacks after learning we were heading out on a road trip to Manuel Antonio. Amazing.

The food was incredible. Nothing fancy but everything is fresh and a lot of attention is paid to preparation regardless of where you eat from Soda’s to the 4 star hotels.

I traveled with my five year old. He loved the trip and especially any component with a beach or pool. The guided nature hikes are a bit tough on kids. Really cool when they get to see things but it can be hard for them to spot things in the dense jungle. For kids especially I recommend the night nature tours. We used ​​Sukia in Manuel Antonio and they were terrific. Kids love holding the spotlight and trying to find eyes in the dark.

I got the impression that Costa Rica has a very complicated economy... with a large social/word of mouth culture. I wouldn't recommend doing stuff without e.g. a professional tour guide. Socio, our guide with Endemic Birds, was incredibly knowledgeable and great at trying to keep the kids entertained.

Brian with Serendipity Adventures did an amazing job with getting our itinerary setup. Everything flowed seamlessly. Hotels exceeded expectations.

Thoroughly enjoyed a comprehensive tour on Costa Rica over 7 days. First timer using kimkim and was very pleased with the overall experience. The initial booking on-line and subsequent adjustments were done very easily. Kimkim staff respond very quickly and precisely, and get things done. All the service providers in Costa Rica, transportation and excursions, were professional, on-time, and delivered what was booked.

Hotel Reviews

Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Vela Boutique Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grano de Oro Hotel

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Had a very good two hours hike with a small group of other travellers. This was well organised. Although if you have your own transportation, it is not difficult to get to the start of the hike, having a guide will greatly help with actually seeing any of the wild life, in addition to lots of interesting information about the volcano itself. . It is next to impossible to spot any of the wild life by yourself. The guide carries a telescope lens allowing to see the animals very closely and take good pictures. We made an improptu stop on the way to the volcano because our guide knew that a number of sloths were in trees next to the road, and was excited to show them to us. They are very few sloths left in the wild and they are very difficult to spot. It was a a very good start of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

This activity started with a 20 mn drive in a mini bus from our hotel to the Reserve through a dirt road up the hill. We were there in January so the road was dry, but according to the driver, it can be challenging at time. The Reserve got a number of tracks ranging from 0.5km to 4.8km loops. The guide tour took about 2 hours using a 1.5-2km track, as we progressed slowly looking at plants and animals. The track is easy to walk on, especially since we were there in January and it was fairly dry. The weather can change very quickly and can be very misty at time, so come equipped. Although walking around by yourself is not difficult (if you got transportation to get to the Reserve), having a guide is very valuable since it is next to impossible to find and see animals by yourself. The guide carries a telescoping lens so that you can observe very well all there is to see. Our guide, Danny, was most knowledgeable about all the plants around, and was happy to talk about anything related to Costa Rica. We thoroughly enjoyed discussing with him. He managed to find a sloth, porcupine, a tarantula (hidden in a hole), and plenty of birds and other animals. We walked up to the top of the area, where there is a 4 story tower to observe the surroundings, including a number of volcanos. At some stage, we were at the exact point where the water would either go to the Pacific ocean or the Caribbean seen, depending on which side you go. This tour is great for nature lovers and worth getting a guide if you want to fully experience this unique place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pura Vida!
I recently had the pleasure of working with Veronica at Kim Kim Travel Agency to plan my 6 day family vacation to Costa Rica. Planning a vacation is never easy, but Kim Kim made the process incredibly easy for me. We communicated a lot via the website allowing me to get my questions answered easily.
During our five days, we had nothing to worry about. Transportation and activities were all taken care of. In Arenal we did the hot pools and took a beautiful hike around the volcano. We also took incredible photos of the stunning waterfall and got to swim around it . The hanging bridges were also amazing!
We moved on to Manuel Antonio where we went on a private catamaran, snorkeled and swam in the ocean. We went deep sea fishing and also explored the National Park. We saw monkeys, sloths, snakes and many other things native to Costa Rica. The beach and the sunset view was amazing!
I highly recommend Kim Kim, it made my life and trip so much easier!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were great!

Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

The staff was amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall & Arenal Volcano Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Cruise & Snorkeling/Lunch included

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Olman was very patient in working with us as we weren't sure what we wanted from our trip. I appreciated all the information as we were making our choices. Olman had great suggestions on where to stay, what to do, and where to eat. In particular, we loved our stay at The Springs. It was more than we would normally spend, but the resort was worth it. The La Paz Waterfall hiking and rafting excursion were our favorite outings. Our favorite meal was a reservation that Olman made for us in San Jose for our New Year's Eve dinner. All of our drivers were attentive to our needs and got us to our destinations safely and in good time. We normally plan our own trips, but I was so thankful to have Olman from KimKim do it for us for Costa Rica. I would definitely recommend this service!

Hotel Reviews

Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas

Guanacaste

This hotel was a great choice for our family because of the 2-bedroom villa with private pool. We even had monkeys swing by as we were swimming! But the vibe wasn't quite our speed. We didn't take advantage of the wellness opportunities and the food wasn't very family friendly. It might have just been a hard transition coming here after our favorite resort in Arenal.

Authenticity & Character

Location

On the beach, walking distance to town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Inn San José by Radisson

San José

The people at the front desk were the best part. Very helpful in calling taxis, exchanging money and answering our questions. Room was clean and comfortable, the food at the hotel was good. Only four stars because the fire alarm went off at five in the morning and the pool was cold.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Springs Resort & Spa at Arenal

La Fortuna

Worth the splurge! The staff was amazing - don't miss the welcome tour. The grounds are amazing. Rooms were lovely and the breakfast buffet was so good. The views are crazy beautiful. We wish we would have stayed here longer.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful grounds/furnishings

Location

The view!

Staff

Ready to answer any question and make the stay more enjoyable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very spacious room even though we were staying as a family of four, it didn't feel cramped

Activity Reviews

San José - Arenal - Visit to La Paz Waterfall & Gardens

Costa Rica

Beautiful place! We loved walking the trails and seeing the waterfalls and the animals. Food was very good for lunch, too.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River Class II & III

Arenal/La Fortuna

It was a bit farther to raft then the information we were given suggested, but even so, I would recommend this trip. Guides were experienced and helpful and it was just the right amount of thrills for our family. The even took us to a spot where we could jump off a small cliff into the water.

Kayak & Snorkel Tour in Tamarindo Bay

Costa Rica

I missed this trip because I became ill in Tamarindo and unfortunately they were unable to reschedule us. My husband and kids went and enjoyed their time. The guide was fantastic. As far as snorkeling goes, they didn't see many fish, but they enjoyed the kayak ride.

Incredible trip!!! Can’t wait to book the next with Kim Kim. My husband and I were a bit worried booking online but Yuliana did an incredible job.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Transport

Rafting Balsa River Class III & IV

Arenal/La Fortuna

Catamaran Sailing Excursion & Snorkeling

Costa Rica

This was my favorite part of the whole trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour in Monteverde

Monteverde

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

Sky Tram & Sky Trek Adventure in Monteverde Cloud Forest

Monteverde

Transport

The only excursion we would not recommend is the kayak and snorkel tour in Manuel Antonio. The guide was horrible and the snorkeling was a total joke. I’ve never seen such dead coral. Apart from that everything else was fabulous!

We told Randall some vague ideas of what we had in mind and then he did an excellent job of suggesting an itinerary. He then was kind enough to customize and revise it several times for us as we played with the cost and travel schedule until it was just right.

The trip ended up being a perfect progression of seeing different types of wildlife for the first time and/or seeing wildlife more up close and personal. We also enjoyed the right amount of first time and beach time.

Hotel Reviews

Sleep Inn Hotel Paseo Las Damas

San José

Not our favorite hotel of the trip, but it was ok for the budget we had. Not quite as spacious and nice as others we visited.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

San Bosco Inn

Fortuna

Great location and ambience. Rooms were pretty small and they aren't like your typical luxury hotel but that was part of the ambience and probably along the lines we asked for in our in our desired experience and budget. Great view of Arenal Volcano. Interacted with geckos and frogs while there. Quick walk to city center and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bambutel

Rooms were pretty small and they aren't like your typical luxury hotel, more hut-like, but that was part of the ambience and probably along the lines we asked for in our in our desired experience and budget. Kind of a long walk to anything but it's tucked away, so it'd be good if you're looking for that. Could hear howler monkeys often, but didn't see any. Staff sometimes hard to find but they were helpful when you could find them.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Make it easier to find staff for help

Crowne Plaza San José La Sabana

San José

This was towards the end of our trip and we were basically headed home. Wasn't the same ambience and experience as some of our other hotels during our trip but definitely nicer and more luxurious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Laguna Lodge

Tortuguero

Great location and ambience. Rooms were pretty small and they aren't like your typical luxury hotel but that was part of the ambience and probably along the lines we asked for in our in our desired experience and budget. Loved the wildlife we were able to see here including a baby turtle emerging from its nest and scrambling to the ocean. Also saw a couple mother turtles laying her eggs up close. Saw frogs, howler monkeys, white faced or capuchin monkeys, iguana, Jesus Christ lizards, alligators, sloth, golden orb spiders, turtles, king fishers, herons, macaws, other rare birds

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tortuguero National Park - Boating

Tortuguero

We headed out early in the morning and it was so peaceful being out in nature and on the water. We got great views of sloth, saw one of the few macaw couples and other rare birds, Jesus Christ lizards, , howler monkeys, and white-faced or capuchin monkeys. At one point our guide took us to a place where a capuchin troop was climbing and playing all around us and very near us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer Hotel - Chocolate Rainforest Tour - Hotel

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chocolate Farm Visit and Workshop

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our first tour with Canoa Aventura was to hike Arenal 1968 then to the La Fortuna Waterfall including lunch in-between. Arenal 1968 are trails at the base of Volcano Arenal. We had a great tour guide and saw a good deal of plants and wildlife. Our guide would point things out that we would have otherwise overlooked like the Mimosa Fern (youtube it - so cool). The leaf ants were all over the place and fun to watch. La Fortuna waterfall was beautiful. Hard to see in the pictures but our kids had fun interacting with the fish in the swimming area. It was a great way to start our Costa Rica vacation.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - safari float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was our second tour with Canoa Aventura. It was a wonderful chance to see a ton of wildlife. Our guides were very helpful in pointing out animals that we would have otherwise missed. We saw several animals for the first time in the wild during our float including howler monkeys, alligators, spectacled owl, river otter, long nosed bats, snake birds (ahingas), Jesus Christ lizards, and sloth. Also saw many iguana (just not for the first time).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling & Hiking in Cahuita National Park

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Saw some amazing animals and fish including puffer fish, stingrays, very colorful fish, very large schools of fish, coral, white-face or capuchin monkeys (actually touched one), howler monkeys, sloth, yellow viper, golden orb spiders

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaguar Rescue Center

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Not quire as amazing as seeing animals in the wild but at the same time we got to see some animals much closer than ever before and a few we had yet to see. Great guide and overall wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Puerto Viejo - Zip lining

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

At first nerve racking and then exhilarating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tortuguero Village Guided Visit

Tortuguero

We enjoyed our time at the village. Saw several cool frogs during a nocturnal walk. Were able to see a turtle emerging from its nest and scramble to the sea.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

- Planning with Kimkim was very easy. Jessica was great
- Days per destination and activities added were the right ones.
- Biggest miss was hotels. Arenal hotel was great (Lost Iguana). Monteverde hotel was not good (Jaguarundi lodge) as they have a bad section were you have 8 apartments next to each other with bad soundproofing, no heating, faulty windows etc. We decided to stay at another place called Green Tree B&B which was great and actually a great experience. Manuel Antonio hotel was mediocre (Tabulia tree) as the bathroom was smelling, the beds were not great, but we were able to interact with macaws and monkeys at hotel premises. Overall the last two had some of the things mentioned in public comments and reviews so I would double-check next time public reviews.
- Activities overall were great with enough time in between, good guides, good mix etc. Some guides didn't speak as great English, and one of the activities (snorkeling) was a let down. But overall happy with that part.
- In our view Costa Rica is a very nice and safe place to visit that combines nature and wildlife with beach vacations. That said, it has become very expensive and quite touristy especially during the peak season that we visited. Not our best trip, but a good experience.

Hotel Reviews

Park Inn San José by Radisson

San José

Solid choice if you are just passing by San Jose. Not great neighbourhood, but if you are there just for a night's sleep is great (beds, staff etc)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jaguarundi Lodge

Monteverde

This place is actually a hostel (at least the room we stayed in). Wouldn't recommend

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tabulia Tree

Manuel Antonio

Ok choice but better options to look for.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lost Iguana Resort & Spa

Fortuna

Great place, right next to nature.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Río Balsa Whitewater Rafting Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Desafio is a great company to do this experience. The river is not that scenic, but a good experience to add while at La Fortuna.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing guide!

Transport

Nocturnal Rainforest Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Good place to spot some nocturnal animals

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great guide!

Río Celeste & Tenorio Volcano National Park Guided Rainforest Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

As a park is very nice, but maybe not worth spending a whole day for the experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Great food at the stop the guide made!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience (English Tour)

Monteverde

Quite touristy but other than that a good visit

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

a lot of people per vehicle

100% Aventura Zip Line Monteverde

Monteverde

Great experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport left early and we had to drive there

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk & EcoTermales Hot Springs & Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Must-see at Arenal. Hot Springs were solid.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide didn't speak great English

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Very touristic place. You can see cappucin monkeys and some other animals we couldn't see elsewhere. We had to slide between people to make our way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Adventure with Barbecue

Manuel Antonio

Great Catamaran ride but very very bad snorkeling.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a great trip that ran very smoothly! Any questions or concerns that we had before or during the trip were answered swiftly. Our trip included a lot of traveling around and I was very impressed by how reliable all of our transportation arrangements were. Our drivers were always on time, and were very friendly and considerate. Probably the greatest highlight of our trip was the white water rafting. It was so exciting and fun. Our instructor was very knowledgeable and made sure we were safe out in the water. I enjoyed all of our locations though, and our accommodation in Arenal had a great view of the volcano. It was a bit cloudy most of the time, but when the sky finally cleared up, the view was breathtaking. Our last accommodation in Tamarindo had an ocean view and was only a few feet from the beach. Everyone we met during our trip was so nice and helpful!

Our trip was fantastic and memorable! All of the logistics (with the exception of a few minor mishaps) were well planned and we were able to do all of our activities. Veronica was very attentive and helpful and met our every request. All accommodations (except Pueblo Dorado Surf Hotel which was ok) were fantastic and activities were amazing! The guides who led us in rafting canyoning hiking and zip lining were outstanding and experts who made us feel safe and comfortable. We loved Arenal Paraiso and El Establo and found both accommodations to be excellent. Pueblo Dorado was ok-not quite as nice and had some issues with ants in our room. However all people were very kind and helpful and respectful.
Veronica and team were available 24 hours a day for questions and answers and to provide help. I was nervous using a company to plan the trip and we were very happy with the outcome. Everyone was professional and kind and helpful. Our overall trip was unbelievable and we would recommend Kim Kim band use them again! Pura vida!!

Hotel Reviews

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, San Jose Aeropuerto

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pueblo Dorado Surf Hotel

Camino Principal, Tamarindo

Good location though a bit of a walk to main strip. People extremely helpful and friendly. Cleanliness good bit ants and lizards in room likely due to heat and older rooms with not updated windows. Great breakfast with Eat at Joes!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whitewater Rafting on the Pacuare River

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carlos was fantastic and very experienced! Kept us safe and was funny too!

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & Paradise Hot Springs & Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lost Canyon Waterfalls & Rappelling Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Cooking Class with Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Change menu away from items already eaten during trip like rice and beans - bring newer items and more diversity. Allow more hands on cooking and provide recipes and more time. Very short class and seemed rushed

Food

See above

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Tram, and Sky Trek Zip Line

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Not very personable and just seemed in a rush to get us done due to shift change. Least engaging group of guides on trip.

Transport

Dry Forest Canopy Tour

Tamarindo

Canceled this tour due to duplication from prior tour

Surf Lessons at Tamarindo Beach

Tamarindo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I worked with Randall to organize this trip and give him an A+ for his work! I would highly recommend him to anyone planning a trip to Costa Rica.

There were many moving parts in the planning process, starting from our original plan to do this trip in the summer to ultimately doing this in the winter. Also, we went from a smaller 4 person group to start with to a larger multi-generational 8-person family trip. Randall was extremely responsive, patient and very helpful with all the changes that we had to iterate on. Also, kudos to Chris, the emergency contact assigned to us for support while we were on the trip itself - turns out that due to flight delays, we missed a flight connection, and had to enlist him to make some last minute modifications to our plans. Very handy to have this support.

Now on to the trip itself -
It was 10 day trip with bookends in San Jose. It was a fabulous trip enjoyed immensely by everyone in our party. Costa Rica is a fantastic combination of nature, wildlife, activities, and some interesting cultural experiences - something for everyone in our party. We ended up splitting our time between the Arenal volcano area and the Caribbean Coast. We had originally planned to go to the Pacific Coast (and Manuel Antonio Park) which is more on the beaten path but ended up switching the plans to go to the more chill Caribbean Coast. And glad we did, as it fit our travel interest and style really well, and its Afro-Carib vibe is certainly different from the rest of Costa Rica. Thanks to Randall to enable this switch to happen during the planning process and for his recommendation on the activities in the area.

Some details:

Accommodations:
Arenal Manoa and Hot Springs Resort in La Fortuna - Absolutely fantastic place to stay with beautiful grounds, multiple pools (including a hot springs), amazing breakfast buffet, and plenty of drinking/dining options on site, including a sushi place, a pizza place, and a main dining room with gorgeous views. The service was awesome, and each of our rooms had fantastic views of the Arenal volcano to wake up to! We also got super lucky as we had clear views every day during our stay (which I am told was a bit unusual).

Cariblue Beach and Jungle Resort in Puerto Viejo - Nice, rustic set-up, right across from a beach with nice grounds. A good dining room with a varied menu, and a pleasant lounge area. We ended up enjoying the nail-biting World Cup Finals while there! The breakfast buffet was unexciting. There is a pool with a swim-up bar, which we ended up not using due to the proximity to the beach itself. The service at the resort was a bit uneven, e.g., they only give you one key per room (regardless of number of guests in the room), and they didn't seem to have the front desk manned after hours in case of any issues like getting locked out. One of the people at the front-desk (Alberto) was downright rude. Also, one of our rooms had a leaking AC unit, and the staff did not (or were not able to) fix it and we ended up not using it. The location of the resort is great though with easy access to Puerto Viejo dining and night life.

Transportation - Excellent set-up for our point-to-point movement. Nice, comfortable vans, with good air-conditioning to make some of the 4-5 hour drives very pleasant.

Activities:
The highlights of our trip to the Arenal Volcano area were:
- The Penas Blanco safari float excursion was a very enjoyable experience for the older folks in our group (who wanted to skip the mountain biking some of the others did). It was a short drive from our hotel, so it gave us plenty of time on the water and sighting of some good wildlife.
- The Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge tour was fun, gave us a glimpse of the countryside heading up north to the park near the Nigaragucan border. We were lucky enough to see plenty of wildlife (caiman, monkeys, sloths, toucans, etc.) both on the boat and when we got off the boat when our guide sighted something. The chocolate tour at Don Domingo's farm nearby at the end was a nice touch.
- The white water rafting class II/III excursion on the Blasa river that the younger folks in our group did with Wave Expedition was exciting, perhaps a bit too exciting. Two of them were thrown off the raft very early on in the ride, and were not fully ready/prepared for it - the class category are definitely to be taken seriously!
- Mistico Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall - really nice for the entire group. Great perspective crossing the bridges over the forest canopy and biodiversity and wildlife sighting along the walk. The La Fortuna Waterfall is a definite must do for those that can brave the multiple steps down - the swimming in the watering hole below was a highlight.
- The mountain biking tour was nothing too exciting. It's pleasant enough, but most of it was along a paved road - we were expecting it be more on dirt roads or trail riding. It did allow for us to stretch our legs during the trip. The highlight was a coati along the roadside and the views at the end of the ride overlooking Lake Arenal and the volcano in the background.
- Enjoyed the downtime in the town of La Fortuna more than we had anticipated. Some good local dining options - our find was Choza del Laurel - authentic, traditional plates and amazing freshly ground and brewed coffee at the end!

The Maleku Tribal Village visit was very disappointing. It didn't seem to match the description for it at all: We didn't see any village on the tour, neither did we get served a traditional lunch, nor observe any of the sights mentioned in the write-up. If seemed that those of us who did the zip-lining tour got to do the same experience as well, so not sure what one got for doing the Maleku tour. I would suggest that KimKim review this offering.

The highlights of our trip on the Caribbean Coast were:
- Bribri Tribal and Waterfall visit on the Caribbean Coast along with the chocolate making part. A must-do! Our guide Gloria was awesome
- Jaguar Rescue Center tour - despite the fact that there are no jaguars there - the work they are putting into rescuing and rehabbing the various animals is impressive and worth supporting
- Enjoying the night life and dining in the town of Puerto Viejo including an impromptu music festival one of the nights we were there!
- Beach time at the various beaches in the area, including the one across the street from our hotel
- Some dining finds were Chile Rojo and Lidia's Place in PV and El Refugio in a garden setting down the road near Playa Punta Uva.

The not so good experience was the Cahuita Park Hike & Snorkel tour - mostly because the weather resulted in the snorkeling part being cancelled. We learnt that this is not uncommon for this time of the year - so obviously this is hard to control for and part of nature being in the tropical part of the country - but the guests need to be told about it more explicitly, and if the snorkeling part is being cancelled, they should give the guests the option to opt out of the tour altogether as snorkeling is a big part of the reason we had signed up for it. The Cahuita Park hike is something that one can easily do on your own.

Overall, a great trip. Thanks to Randall and team for their outstanding work in getting everything organized for us!

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Arenal Manoa and Hot Springs Resort in La Fortuna - Absolutely fantastic place to stay with beautiful grounds, multiple pools (including a hot springs), amazing breakfast buffet, and plenty of drinking/dining options on site, including a sushi place, a pizza place, and a main dining room with gorgeous views. The service was awesome, and each of our rooms had fantastic views of the Arenal volcano to wake up to! We also got super lucky as we had clear views every day during our stay (which I am told was a bit unusual).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Attentive and service oriented. They even flagged us down as we were departing as some of us had left stuff like charging cords behind in our rooms!

Cariblue Beach & Jungle Resort

South Puerto Viejo

Nice, rustic set-up, right across from a beach with nice grounds. A good dining room with a varied menu, and a pleasant lounge area. We ended up enjoying the nail-biting World Cup Finals while there! The breakfast buffet was unexciting. There is a pool with a swim-up bar, which we ended up not using due to the proximity to the beach itself. The service at the resort was a bit uneven, e.g., they only give you one key per room (regardless of number of guests in the room), and they didn't seem to have the front desk manned after hours in case of any issues like getting locked out. Also, one of our rooms had a leaking AC unit, and the staff did not (or were not able to) fix it and we ended up not using it. The location of the resort is great though with easy access to Puerto Viejo dining and night life.

Authenticity & Character

Good grounds, nice lounge area and bar.

Location

Access to town, access to Cocles beach

Staff

Uneven service and staff didn't seems fully trained for customer service for a place like this. Some people were friendly and nice and some not so. One of the people at the front-desk (Alberto) was downright rude and condescending including berating one of the older folks in our group for taking off her wrist tag :(

Cleanliness & Comfort

AC in one room was leaking and did not get fixed. Have multiple keys to the room if there are more than one guest.

Delta Hotels by Marriott San José Aurola

San José

Location, location, location. Our room overlooking the park was nice and light.

Crowne Plaza San José La Sabana

San José

Location is a bit removed from downtown, although proximity to the airport and the park next door is nice. The breakfast Buffett was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Volcano - Mistico Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall with lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They stopped along the way when they'd sight wildlife. The 2-toed sloth sighting up close was special.

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Unique Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Trip

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exceptional guide - she made our long drive to the activity very fun and informational with loads of information about the region, the country, and the flora/fauna. She had amazing tips for us regarding dinner spots in town.

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Mountain Biking

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - safari float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was way better than we had expected! Great experience overall, with lots of wildlife sighting and nicely paced.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zip-Lining Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maleku Tribe Village Visit

Arenal/La Fortuna

The experience did NOT fit the description. There was no village, no feast, no sights mentioned. It seems that they just jammed something at the last minute. Maybe it wa because we picked an afternoon session as we were doing another activity in the morning??

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Sanctuary - Buttercup Tour

Costa Rica

You're supporting a good cause!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaguar Rescue Center

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Awesome experience, and a really worthy cause. We had an excellent guide (a Canadian volunteering) who made everything really fun and enjoyable, in addition to being super informational.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We used rental banana bikes from our hotel to get to the tour. It was soaking rain, but part of the experience!

Bribri Indigenous Territory, Chocolate Process and Waterfall

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Amazing experience. One of the highlight of our trip. The chocolate making process if very organic, very insightful. The village tour is very informational and you get a good sense of the Bribri culture!

Quality of Experience

Food

Home cooked meal was delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Learnt a lot from our guide Gloria

Arenal Volcano Hike & Baldi Hot Springs & Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Arenal Volcano Hike was a really nice introduction to the area. Having just taken a long van ride from San Jose, it was nice to get out and stretch and walk with the volcano in the vicinity. Baldi - nice way to finish the evening! Worth visiting once - quite a spot with multiple pools and various areas to hang out.

Quality of Experience

Food

Pre included Baldi dinner is not too exciting but can't complain as it is pre-paid!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Juan was exceptionally knowledgable and really passionate about what he was doing!

Transport

Snorkeling & Hiking in Cahuita National Park

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

The tour was first re-scheduled to another day and then the snorkeling part was cancelled due to bad weather. The Cahuita Park hike part was very nice despite the pouring down rain. We got to see the white capuchin monkey floricking up close, howler monkeys creating a racket, lots of iguanas, and also various other flora/fauna. Beautiful setting along the sea.

Quality of Experience

Check if this is good time of the year for snorkeling

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family of 6 adults just returned from a fabulous week-long visit to Costa Rica thanks to Bryan and Nancy at Serendipity Adventures.

We flew in and out of San Jose and took private transportation to visit the Arenal Volcano, Monteverde Cloud Forest and Manual Antonio National Park. We worked with Bryan to book our transportation, accommodations, and most importantly our guides. We could not have been more pleased with his knowledge, professionalism and timely responses to our questions. We were in touch with Nancy during our trip confirming pick up times and making schedule changes if needed.

From end to end the private transportation was clean, comfortable and on time. The drivers were friendly, brought snacks for us, and happily stopped for bathroom and lunch breaks. We considered renting a van and driving ourselves and are very glad we chose to leave the driving through winding mountain roads to professionals!

Christmas week was very busy but Bryan was able to find excellent accommodations in the small, locally owned hotels we requested. Each one was different but they were all conveniently located, clean, comfortable and included a hearty breakfast. We felt welcome and cared for by everyone we met.

We now know that the key to seeing wildlife in Costa Rica is getting great guides. Chris and Roy (Arenal Star), Andy (Forest Alive), Chris (Sky Adventures) and Andres (Endemic Bird) were fantastic! We appreciated their vast knowledge of each ecosystem along with its flora, fauna, insects and reptiles. They carried high-quality equipment and helped us capture amazing pictures and videos. We highly recommend them all!

Costa Rica is a beautiful country, rich in natural beauty and wildlife. We are grateful that the friendly people of Costa Rica have chosen eco-tourism over deforestation and are preserving their rain forests, cloud forests, fog forests and beautiful beaches for themselves and those of us lucky enough to visit.

Pura Vida!

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge & Wildlife Refuge

Fortuna

If you are looking for an authentic ecolodge experience, this is the place for you! Rustic, individual bungalows set in the rain forest. Bungalows were spacious, clean, comfortable with modern amenities. There were howler monkeys in the trees throughout our visit and colorful tropical birds on display at the restaurant. We enjoyed walking the nature trail and were lucky to see a large Fer de Lance off to the side of the trail at a safe distance. The staff was very friendly and attentive. Not for everyone but we loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

10 minutes taxi outside Fortuna.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were large, clean and comfortable but kept rather dark. That might be because they don't want to disturb the wildlife...

Hotel Heliconia

Monteverde

Great location at the top of a hill outside Santa Elena. Nice views of the valley. We stayed in 3 family garden rooms in the main lodge close to the restaurant. The rooms were large, comfortable and clean with a big bathroom and walk in shower. The restaurant was great for breakfast and dinner, not open for lunch.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy 20 minute walk down hill into town but you'll definitely want to get a taxi for the trip back.

Staff

The staff at the front desk and in the restaurant were very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

Resort style hotel with two pools and beach access located adjacent to the entrance to Manuel Antonio National Park. Very relaxing place to end our trip. Our standard rooms were large, clean and comfortable on a lower floor. Future guests might chose to be on a higher floor to have a better view of the forest or the ocean. The family pool looked great but we'd highly recommend the adult only pool, bar and sushi restaurant on the 6th floor! Excellent breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We avoided all the traffic in town because we were so close to the entrance to the park.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Studio Hotel

San José

Excellent location for arriving and departing from San Jose International airport. Very artsy vibe, clean, comfortable, very friendly staff. Nice bar and restaurant, hearty breakfast. We especially appreciated the friendly airport shuttle drivers who picked us up and dropped us off on time at all hours.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide Chris and our driver Roy took great care of us!

Transport

We decided to use kimkim for our Costa Rica trip in December. This was our first time and we had a fantastic experience with them. Jessica planned out a wonderful trip for us based on our likings and needs. She was flexible with changes and was prompt in her responses. We visited La Fortuna, Arenal, Monteverde and Guanacaste region. All the hotels and activities were as described. We enjoyed the safari float, zip lining and night time sloth observation a lot. We had one hitch with our hotel reservation not paid and had to pay out of pocket. But Jessica took care of it by immediately refunding! Overall, it was a very positive experience.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa

Fortuna

We got upgraded to this hotel with the views of Mount Arenal. Room was very convenient with Jacuzzi and perfect view of Arenal volcano. Staff were very courteous and helpful. Food was decent and vegetarian options were there. There is a gift shop and was quite helpful. Only issue was distance from the town. We got to use the Titoku springs for free and there was shuttle to take us and bring back. Over all a great place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was good mix of nature and modernization

Staff

Helpful staff including the housekeeping.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Property was well maintained and beds were comfortable

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

More like 3.5 stars. Hotel is set right by the beach and very convenient to hang out. Staff was very friendly. Food was average. They did try to accommodate vegetarian food for Christmas dinner. We had ocean suite but jacuzzi didn’t really work well but since was close to beach we didn’t bother complaining. Pool was average. Loved the sounds of ocean, birds, monkeys

Authenticity & Character

Casual vibes

Location

Close to beach but far from anything else

Staff

Accommodating and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

The jacuzzi was dirty and shower setting was very low

Senda Monteverde Hotel

Monteverde

Very nice property right next to the Aguti reserve. We could see lot of birds and Animals in the property. Food was fantastic and very accommodating to kids and vegetarians. There were daily activities for family. Our suite was far away from lobby which was little painful. Housekeeping was excellent and they even did laundry.

Authenticity & Character

Setting was beautiful and property was very beautiful

Location

Quick walk to town though uphill on the way back

Staff

Staff was quite friendly especially at the restaurant. Front desk was fine but seemed not so accommodating with checking out an hour late due to our morning activity

Cleanliness & Comfort

Housekeeping was excellent and very warm. Nightly warm hot bags, chocolates!!

Activity Reviews

Sloth Observation - Day or Night Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. He took us around a private farm and we got to see two toed sloths, toads, bull frogs, red eye tree frog, sleeping toucans and more. He took great pictures and shared with us.

Quality of Experience

Knowledgeable and friendly

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On time

Waterfall & Volcano Hiking Adventure with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

It was a small group hike. Guide was friendly and knowledgeable. Hiking was not very hard except for few areas. La Fortuna falls was 500 steps down and little challenging on the way back. Lunch afterwards was fantastic at the farm.

Quality of Experience

Food

Fresh and vegetarian friendly. Quite tasty

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walk at Curi-Cancha Reserve

Monteverde

Felt like a small reserve compared to sky. We didn’t really see much more wildlife. It was raining quite a bit so that didn’t help. We saw a male quetzal, humming birds, few other birds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff could be more engaging

Transport

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float

Arenal/La Fortuna

Wonderful experience doing slow raft on the penas blancas river. We could see monkeys, toucans and few other birds. Carlos, our guide was fun and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carlos was fantastic

Transport

On time and comfortable

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

It was our first time zip lining and with a kid. Crew was very supportive and gave all safety instructions. They repeated every time and encouraged us. Views were amazing and needed for true cloud forest view. Main lobby staff was little rude and not accommodating. Our zip lining ended late and so we were late for hanging bridges guided tour but they had us wait an hour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nighttime Pacific Green Turtle Nesting Experience (Seasonal)

Costa Rica

We really wanted to do this adventure and we’re lucky to see a few turtles coming offshore. Couple didn’t nest but one did and we saw it digging in sand and laying eggs. It was surreal experience. You’re involved a car drive to a place and then a van drive with a group to a beach. Guide at the beach was knowledgeable but little rude. He was watching out for wild life which is very admirable but would have helped to know some of the rules/things before hand.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Sailing Adventure

Costa Rica

Catamaran sailing adventure was good. Boat was clean and crew was quite friendly. Bar served drinks all the time. We got to see couple whales and sting ray but not much other wild life. It was more of party boat with music and alcohol. Would not recommend highly for kids. Snorkeling was ok. Was hoping to get some help from crew but there were lot of people on the boat so guess not possible. Food was basic but tasty. Sunset was very beautiful. It’s worth for a relaxed sailing and drinks and views.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The overall experience of planning and booking was really smooth and easy. Randall provided lots of options and was patient when we wanted things to change or were unsure about certain things.
All of the tours were also great. Our tour guides were all very knowledgeable in the places we were going to and were helpful to take photos and answer questions as needed.

Hotel Review

Arenal Country Inn

La Fortuna

The hotel was good, the staff were all super helpful, friendly and nice and the area is conveniently located near the town center of La Fortuna with easy access to restaurants and grocery stores. Only thing would be the door is super hard to figure out especially since you can potentially be locked in the room if the key leaves the room with someone. There aren't door handles on the inside, it was a scrolling mechanism that was difficult to figure out. I think a demonstration from staff at check in could be helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Zip-Lining Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

The zip-lining tour was great. It was a lot of fun and the guides were knowledgeable, skillful and helpful. Picture service was also included at an additional fee. The only complaint would be it did feel a little too rush but was still a great time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rio Celeste Day Trip

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great experience overall. The hike was not strenuous. It was easy and relaxing. The walk down to the waterfall was very enjoyable. Guide was knowledgeable. Food at the restaurant however had chicken that was undercooked and still pink.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Mistico Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall with lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

The experience was great overall however our guide flipped the schedule around where we did the Volcano hike early in the morning, waterfall during mid day and Mistico hanging bridges in the afternoon so we were thrown off a little bit but overall both experiences were a lot of fun. The waterfall was a great view and fun place to hang out. The hanging bridges was great too, there were not a lot of people since we went much later in the day but wildlife spotting was more difficult.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & Baldi Hot Springs & Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was great and probably one of my favorite activity most of all. The Arenal Volcano Hike was not strenuous and you get to see a great view of the volcano, take pictures and walk through hardened lava. The Baldi Hot Springs was also super enjoyable and very unique. The facility was relaxing and enjoyable. Wish we could stay longer.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - kayaking or canoeing on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

All of guides during this safari tour of the Penas Blancas River were all super helpful and experienced. It was a little difficult trying to coordinate so many people on kayaks however and can get a little stressful since some people would miss some of the wildlife we were seeing and others will others depending on who is close. Because the group was so large, whenever we stopped to look at something, it was really difficult coordinating the stops. I think having a smaller group would be much more manageable as it was very hard for our 2 guide (1 in front and back) to manage around 16 kayakers.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I absolutely loved my experience using kimkim. I couldn't ask for a better specialist than Nuria to plan our Costa Rica adventure. She understood exactly what we were looking for, planned the ideal trip, and made herself available for phone calls and messages at all times. She started feeling like a friend after a while. All of the companies kimkim works with for your onsite experiences are top-notch. Every driver for transport around the country was friendly and punctual. All our guides for excursions were knowledgeable, seemed to really enjoy what they were doing, and went above and beyond to create a memorable experience. By using kimkim, we felt in good and reliable hands and would definitely use them again for another trip in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs

La Fortuna

Wonderful staff and great amenities. Breakfast buffet is just ok but lunch/dinner food is fantastic. And what a view! Some hot springs pools and swim-up bar pool could be warmer and the bathroom in the rooms could be updated but overall, it was an incredible stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

quick ride La Fortuna

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Staff, food, location, and amenities were all wonderful. Lots of places to dine within walking distance. There was no A/C in our bedroom but luckily we did not need it as it was very cool at night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Naoz

Manuel Antonio

Clearly, a new hotel as everything was modern, clean, and new. Such a nice staff and within walking distance to many places to go out at night. Only a $10 cab to the beach.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our tour guide was sensational and so knowledgeable. A must do to get great views of the volcano.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I am the type of traveller who hates pre-organized group travelling (cruise type).

Kimkim was amazing because it allowed me to safely plan a trip in a country I didn't know (it was a nightmare to try to plan for ground transportation remotely on my own) without feeling stuck in a pre-organized trip. I really designed my own journey, on my budget, at my pace.

Their agents were super communicative prior to the departure to make sure all of my questions were answered and everything ran super smoothly during the trip, I was able to get so much done in such a short period thanks to them.

Will use them again in the future 100%

Hotel Reviews

Selina Puerto Viejo

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

I booked a teepee, and as nice and cleaned it was, it was also not sound proof at all, which was really the only bad thing. The location and staff was great :D

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mar Inn Costa Rica

Monteverde Costa Rica

Nice little hotel, clean and 5min away from the main area of Monteverde. I know the view is advertised in the description, I wasn't mind blown, but the hotel is worth its value for the cost. Would stay again Note: I had a bit of an issue checking out early, I had to wait until 7 for somebody to open the reception. If you need to check out early, make sure you arrange it prior to the day

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Selina San Jose

San Jose

I was upgraded last minute, and it was the best way to finish the trip

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Coffee Experience and Nighttime Nature Walk

Monteverde

OK.. this was honestly beyond my expectation. I was picked up at my hotel by the coffee farmer, his wife and his daughter. This experience felt super authentic ( I think most other coffee tours and night walks in Monteverde are more touristy). We saw a tarantula, a toucan sleeping and got a full intro to how coffee is made and how it is supposed to be consumed

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

This was fun and it felt very safe. Lots of zip lines and high sensations. Downsize: the shuttle was late to pick me up, and once down with the activity I had to wait 45 min at the zip line office to get a ride back (they only have shuttles every hour, so if you miss one, you have to wait for 1h)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting on the Pacuare River

Costa Rica

I cannot stress enough how amazing this was. I almost cancelled this activity because it was a 5 am pickup, but I am so glad I didn't. This day was the highlight of my journey in Costa Rica. Beyond the adrenaline of rafting through the rapids, the scenery of the river Pacuare is fantastic. You feel like you are in a movie. Plus breakfast and Lunch were included

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything was exceptional - guides knowledgeable and well spoken. Drivers were on time. Lodging was great. Enjoyed the Arenal area more then the Caribbean location but both were fine.

EXCEPT The trip to the Maleku

After a one-hour drive through the northern plains, you'll arrive at the Indian community Palenque Tonjibe and be warmly received by their people. Following a brief presentation, you'll begin a hike through the village where you'll see many important cultural aspects of this special place. The antique home structures, and their unique artwork and craftsmanship, the use of cocoa in their farming, and the creation of their clothing. Next, you'll take a trail through the forest to learn about medicinal plants and how they're used by the tribe. Here you'll also be able to observe antique huacas or indigenous tombs. Finally, you'll pass through a Palenque where you'll be treated to a dance presentation with dialogue in the native Maleku language and customary dress, followed by a traditional meal. You'll depart around 1:00 pm back to La Fortuna, where you have the rest of the day at leisure.

Meeting time: 12:50 pm
Confirmation # AMA-2463

There was no brief presentation. There was no hike through the village in fact there looked like 3 buildings from where we stood one of which was the bathroom. No antique home structures, and their unique artwork and craftsmanship. No explanation of the use of cocoa in their farming, and the creation of their clothing. No trail trail through the forest to learn about medicinal plants and how they're used by the tribe. No observation of antique huacas or indigenous tombs.

What did happen - Entered a Palenque where we were treated to a dance presentation with dialogue in the native Maleku language and customary dress. There was some discussion about life style and maybe the use of cocoa but it was hard to follow. His English was good, his descriptions were not. We were shown a dance around the fire and then danced with the man and his wife. The only 2 Maleku on site. The room was filled with "artworks and crafts" for sale. Some stuff okay but most was of lower quality seen in other sites.

Everything else we did was so top notch that this was a real disappointment.

Ro said you seemed to be reluctant about this excursion. You were right. Big difference in the advertisement and the reality maybe since Ed and Claire were the only two visitors????

Hotel Reviews

Crowne Plaza San José La Sabana

San José

great entry into Costa Rica

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

wonderful grounds - good morning views of Arenal

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

courteous and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cariblue Beach & Jungle Resort

South Puerto Viejo

step below the Arenal Monoa - If the Arenal Manoa had not been so good .....

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to beach -

Staff

Guy (not gentleman) at the desk bordered on being rude with my wife

Cleanliness & Comfort

Delta Hotels by Marriott San José Aurola

San José

just what I would expect in a downtown hotel. Clean, comfortable and well located.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Maleku Tribe Village Visit

Arenal/La Fortuna

covered in opening

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & Baldi Hot Springs & Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

hot spring were warm - needed to ask for hotter water

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Mistico Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall with lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Mistico Hanging Bridges were great. Lots of animals and birds. Guide had good eyes. Claire and I being 80 did not hike down to the waterfall.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Unique Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Trip

Arenal/La Fortuna

nice easy trip. Saw lots of neat flora and fauna. Good guide - good boat operator. Everything moves at the right speed to see everything.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - safari float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

liked the raft more than the boat. river was up so no getting out and dragging the raft. Flow was such that the trip was too short. Guess we can.t have everything. GOOD GUIDE. Had good eyes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Sanctuary - Buttercup Tour

Costa Rica

interesting. Good info on sloths

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaguar Rescue Center

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Ain't no jaguars here. Rescue center for others. mainly baby sloths. CCTV would have been appreciated, Understand the need to keep them isolated. Short trip and worthwhile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bribri Indigenous Territory, Chocolate Process and Waterfall

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Good intro to Bribri. Enjoyed introduction initial presentation. Nice tour of medicinal plants. Understand thee chocolate process better. Will buy some beans stateside and try it. Good video of cracking the roasted cocoa beans.

Quality of Experience

Food

likes the banana leaf bowls

Guides, Drivers and Staff

excellent guide. second time we had her

Transport

We had an amazing time in Costa Rica! Charlotte was the perfect agent to work with and provided us with an individualized schedule for an adventurous family with active teens. We traveled to Jaco Beach, Monteverde, Arenal/La Fortuna, and Sarapiqui - a place I never heard of before but a haven for white water rafting and chocolate tours. As a mom, I loved that she combined educational hiking tours (lead by experienced guides) with family bonding time (outrigger canoeing, zip lining, white water rafting). All of our transportation ran like clockwork which allowed us to experience all the “Costa Rica Essentials” in four different towns. My husband enjoyed the surprise private room to celebrate his birthday too. I highly recommend Charlotte and her team at Serendipity. Pura Vida!

Hotel Reviews

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tilajari Hotel Resort

Fortuna

I realize that we were traveling during the peak season, so finding a place to stay was challenging. One of our rooms was a little smelly but that may have had to do with the septic tank. The staff were not as happy as the other hotels, but again, I appreciate that we had a clean safe place to stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location to La Fortuna was a $40 cab ride each way.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Quinta Inn Sarapiqui

Sarapiqui

Very cute, family run lodge. Loved that they were so friendly and cared about everyone who stayed here. The staff made sure that we had a large enough table for every meal of our stay (8 ppl) We really enjoyed taking the cooking class - made empanadas. Bring a magnet from your home town so that she can display it on her wall. (I will be sending her one)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Club del Mar Oceanfront

Jacó

Authenticity & Character

Location

I loved the property, but not much to walk to

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Chris was very knowledgeable and engaging!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ocean Outrigger Adventure

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rafting Sarapiquí River, Class II-III

Costa Rica

Walter and Kiki were excellent guides

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Festive Dinner for all hotel guests!

Costa Rica

Cloud Forest Reserve Privately Guided Hike

Monteverde

Andy was amazing! He knew so much about the history of Costa Rica and the different regions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

100% Aventura Zip Line and Hanging Bridges Monteverde

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Geiner was an excellent host and knew so much about the history of chocolate and fermentation process. We really enjoyed our tour/demonstration.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately Guided Naturalist Hike at La Selva Biological Station

Sarapiquí

I'm so glad that Charlotte scheduled us to visit this Institute. It seemed like our guide was used to more scientific groups than a family with four teens. But we did learn a lot about the region and original rain forest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport