Olman Romero

If you are looking for a stress-free and reasonably-priced itinerary to Costa Rica, look no further than Kim Kim. From the very beginning of planning and customizing the itinerary, Olman was immediately responsive to my questions and concerns. The planning was transparent with information about hotels and activities. We felt confident going into the trip. We were then handed off to Graciela who was our contact in-country. The great communication continued. Our private driver Leo was the star of our trip, though. So gracious, so patient, such a wonderful lovely man who went out of his way to make our trip special by taking us to great restaurants and working in new things we wanted to do.

Prior to signing up with Kim Kim, I checked out several other tours that frequently come up on Google. We started in San Jose, stayed a few days in La Fortuna, moved onto Monteverde, and ended in Samara. So many logistics that these trips can get very expensive quickly. But, we found Kim Kim to be both accommodating and reasonably priced. I would use them again in a heartbeat.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Magic Mountain

Fortuna

This was a perfect hotel for an 11-party group. The breakfast buffet included an omelet station which was really nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cipreses

Monteverde

Family run hotel which had a very nice personal homey feeling. The rooms did not have air conditioning. The December temperature was in the high 60s and low 70s so we didn't need cooling, but it was rainy and humid. I would refer to this hotel as a "budget" level hotel.

Leyenda Boutique Hotel and Spa

Hojancha Guanacaste

Very nice hotel outside the touristy areas of Samara. There was a beautiful courtyard area, with a beautiful pool and playground for young children. The rooms were spacious with a mini-fridge and large clean bathroom. There are two restaurants advertised at the hotel - This is critical because there are no restaurants within walking distance to the hotel. The lobby hotel was very good - very responsive and yummy dishes. The second restaurant - Hachidori - was marketed as an "asiatic" restaurant with sushi, ramen, and pad thai on the menu. Our experience was astoundingly bad (thus the three stars) - we waited 2 hours for our food, the food was barely edible, and we even didn't get our entire meals. It took us an hour to figure out that the food was being cooked at the lobby restaurant and walked over to Hachidori. Clearly the cooks didn't know how to cook this cuisine and there was no expediting to this restaurant. This experience, while isolated, defined our experience at this hotel.

Activity Reviews

Whitewater Rafting Sarapiqui River (Class II -III)

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great adventure! We went at the end of the rainy season and the water was high! We've been on several white water rafting trips and this one was the most thrilling! Our guide, Carl, was super professional and calm. He gave great instructions and literally navigated us through rough waters. My only negative was that it was a gigantic group with numerous rafts going at the same time. But, when one raft flipped over, I appreciated how the other guides stopped and helped.

Waterfall & Volcano Hiking Adventure with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

What a great nature walk at the volcano. Our guide, Franklin, was very knowledgeable about the wildlife and plant life. We learned a lot about each plant and their medicinal properties. Unfortunately, it was rainy and foggy that day and we couldn't see the volcano.

Arenal Volcano Canyoning Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Absolutely the best activity we did in Costa Rica - The perfect blend of water, rappelling, and zip lining. Guides were very professional and we felt safe the entire time. Our family does a lot of adventure activities on vacation, and we have experienced nothing like this before. Lunch was great too! Just do it. You won't regret it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kimkim and our local specialist, Olman, made planning and traveling for our Costa Rican vacation easy and stress free. The hotels and excursions that Olman recommended were perfect and appropriate for the needs of our family of four (which included two teenagers). I will definitely use Kimkim again for any future international trips.

Hotel Reviews

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

The private beach was amazing and the staff were wonderful and helpful. I will stay here again on my next trip to Costa Rica!

Authenticity & Character

We had easy access to the beach and ocean and also to the rainforests

Location

Beach was right next to National Park and full of services. Our kids took surf lessons from Waterdogs. I enjoyed a massage on the beach. My daughter and I got our hair braided on the beach and there was even a vendor selling coconut water in a coconut! The hotel and beach had monkeys and a sloth in the trees!

Staff

Staff could not have been more kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Service staff cleaned the rooms daily and replaced beach towels each time

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Charming hotel located right next to shops and food.

Authenticity & Character

Complementary drinks provided in fridge, great pool and hot tub as well as a fire pit for roasting marshmallows

Location

Great location!

Staff

Staff were very nice and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well maintained

Activity Reviews

EcoTermales Hot Springs & Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

My husband and I visited this 20 years ago on our honeymoon and it was just as we remembered it but better!

Quality of Experience

Food

Drinks were delicious and decorative. We enjoyed the buffet dinner and it had a wide array of choices.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

Our favorite experience of the trip. Suspension bridges were thrilling and we saw a tarantula in the rainforest. The ziplining was exhilarating. The staff were supportive and provided for our safety. Ziplining into the cloud forest was such a thrill.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My son and I truly enjoyed our adventure in Costa Rica. Olman put together a nice trip plan for us, and we appreciated his flexibility in changing the itinerary to better suit our needs. When all was said and done, we did hiking, hot springs, kayaking, lake crossing on a boat, and ziplining. We also squeezed in our own visit to the waterfall. All of our drivers were on time and, aside from one packed and stuffy ride heading to the lake crossing, the vans were comfy, especially Interbus. The tour guides were knowledgeable, and everyone whom we interacted with was friendly. It was great having breakfast included at each accommodation, and having all the hotels be so different enriched the experience. We loved glamping in Arenal, the mountain hotel in Monteverde, and the small hotel near the beach - what a cool combination it provided, and ending at the beach was perfect. Even though we didn't see many animals up close (aside from a capuchin monkey and a caiman), it was interesting to hear what the guides had to say about the animals, and seeing the sloth from the binoculars was cool. Finally, everyone in the office was so responsive - whether speaking with Graciela or Adriana at dawn regarding our lost luggage or communicating with Olman to clarify with one of our hotels that breakfast was indeed included - we couldn't have been more pleased. We didn't have to worry about a thing, and everyone associated with our trip knew how to get a hold of us via Whatsapp to provide excellent communication along the way. Thank you, Olman and KimKim!

I had an incredible trip to Costa Rica, and I cannot recommend it enough! My coordinator, Olman, did an amazing job organizing everything. One of the most unforgettable highlights of the trip was witnessing the incredible diversity of wildlife throughout the country, especially in Monteverde and Manuel Antonio, which were absolutely breathtaking.

My driver, Alex, was exceptional. He shared fascinating insights about Costa Rican wildlife, culture, cuisine, and daily life, making the journey informative and engaging. His knowledge and friendliness added so much value to the experience.

Overall, this trip was a perfect blend of adventure and learning. I left Costa Rica with a deeper appreciation for its natural beauty and culture, thanks to the excellent coordination and guidance from Olman and Alex.

Olman was so patient and responsive to all my questions. He listened to our requests about a specific type of itinerary and made great suggestions. The activities he suggested were perfect for my 10 year old and myself. The accommodations in both Puerto Viejo and Arenal La Fortuna were just what we wanted!

Olman planned a dream vacation for our family. He managed to fit in all the excursions we wanted and all our transportation within the country. We were very impressed!

Hotel Reviews

The Royal Corin Thermal Water Spa & Resort - Adults Only

Fortuna

Beautiful, well appointed hotel. We loved the thermal pools and the swim up bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

This hotel has beautiful views, but it was a little more rustic than I like. It is situated on a very steep hill, making it very difficult to walk the grounds. Thank goodness they have a shuttle bus to pick you up and drive you to the on site restaurant. The food was delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Capitán Suizo Beachfront Boutique Hotel

Tamarindo

My whole family loved Capitan Suizo! Our room was beautiful and had a wonderful sitting area by the front door looking out into the gorgeous landscaping of the resort. The beach was awesome and had surf boards available. We also enjoyed the pool and bar area very much. The food was very good. The restaurant even cooked a tuna that we caught offshore fishing.

Authenticity & Character

The grounds were beautiful

Location

Right on a gorgeous beach! Can walk to stores and restaurants in town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Volcano Extreme Zipline

Arenal/La Fortuna

Nothing quite like soaring through the jungle over waterfalls! Awesome!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide was very informative and we learned so much about Arenal. We had an amazing hike even though it was raining!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hanging Bridges Hike

Monteverde

A must see if you love plants and wildlife. The cloud forest is like no other place on Earth.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Walk in the Children's Eternal Forest

Monteverde

This was so much fun! It is SO dark! The guides are superb!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Sailing Excursion & Snorkeling

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Simple beautiful! Worth the hike!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fishing on the North Pacific Coast

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our first time in Costa Rica, and the entire experience was wonderful!

We’re grateful to have worked with kimkim, especially Olman, who made planning so much easier. From the start, Olman was responsive and attentive to our travel requests, and his insights were invaluable when planning our activities. Everything during our vacation went smoothly—our transportation was always on time, our accommodations had amazing rooms with stunning views, and our prepaid excursions made check-in easy. We appreciated Olman’s thoughtful itinerary, which included time to rest after travel and between activities. His planning helped us avoid fatigue and fully enjoy our trip. Graciela also reached out as a point of contact during our stay in Costa Rica, which provided a sense of reassurance even though we didn’t need any assistance.

Here are some specific highlights:

La Fortuna: It took about 2.5 hours to reach La Fortuna from San Jose airport. Our driver, Leo, was incredibly kind, pointing out sights and offering to stop along the way. We loved staying at Los Lagos. Our room was within walking distance of the hot springs with a view of Arenal Volcano. Our tour with North Adventures, led by Monica and Caylor, was exceptional. They even spotted a three-toed sloth on the way to an activity and stopped for photos. Monica seamlessly switched between Spanish and English for our small group and offered great food recommendations in La Fortuna. The included lunch at Restaurante Las Tablas provided incredible casado with fish and chilera.

Monteverde: The lake crossing from La Fortuna to Monteverde was stunning. We stayed at Hotel Ficus, and it was our favorite place during the vacation. The reception staff—Dylan, Aylin, and Anna—were extremely kind and helpful. The town was close enough to walk to and far enough to avoid traffic noise. We were also lucky with our tour guides at Don Juan, Treetopia (Jason, Sebastian, Greivin, Daniel), and the night tour with Cristian.

Gulf of Papagayo: Our hotel, Bosque Del Mar, had beautiful rooms and was just a short walk from the beach, which felt almost private due to the lack of crowds. It was farther away from stores so we needed to take a taxi but it wasn’t an issue. The reception staff was very helpful and assisted us in booking a last-minute catamaran excursion (Marlin Del Rey) on our final day. We saw whales and snorkeled, and it was the perfect way end to our vacation in Costa Rica.

Thank you to everyone who made this trip unforgettable. We look forward to visiting again!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

Fortuna

We loved staying at Los Lagos. Our room was within walking distance of the hot springs with a view of Arenal Volcano. The hotel restaurant had delicious food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Access to hot springs, short driving distance to the town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ficus

Monteverde Costa Rica

Hotel Ficus was our favorite place during our vacation. The reception staff—Dylan, Aylin, and Anna—were extremely kind and helpful. The town was close enough to walk to, yet far enough to avoid traffic noise. It had incredible views of the clouds and was close to amazing restaurants and a delicious panadería.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Dylan, Aylin, and Anna went out of their way to provide us recommendations and to help us with activities.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

The hotel had beautiful rooms and was just a short walk from the beach, which felt almost private due to the lack of crowds. The reception staff was very helpful, assisting us in booking a last-minute catamaran excursion (Marlin Del Rey).

Authenticity & Character

Location

We enjoyed how close it was to the beach but wished it had easier access to more restaurants, grocery store.

Staff

In addition to the reception staff, the restaurant staff were extremely kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

El Silencio Volcano Hike & Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

The included lunch at Restaurante Las Tablas featured an incredible casado with fish and chilera.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour with North Adventures, led by Monica and Caylor, was exceptional. They even spotted a three-toed sloth on the way to an activity and stopped for photos. Monica seamlessly switched between Spanish and English for our small group and offered great food recommendations in La Fortuna.

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Experience

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Treetopia: Tram, Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

For the hanging bridge guided walk, Jason was very knowledgeable and pointed out birds we would have likely missed. We greatly enjoyed our time with Sebastian, Greivin, Daniel while ziplining.

Transport

Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cristian was very personable and knowledgeable. It was incredible how he could find insects, snakes, birds in the dark! He was very nice in helping all of us take pictures.

Transport

I usually do all of my own planning for trips to save money. In Costa Rica, I wanted to see the Turtles on the Carribbean side of Costa Rica, my husband is a geologist so the volcanoes were of interest, and our daughter wanted to surf in the Pacific. We had nine days to manage this so we needed a car for a portion of our trip. I knew a boat transfer was necessary to get to Tortuguero but was a bit confused about what to expect and how to book it. When I contacted KimKim, Olman was really helpful. He explained that it was more expensive to book many things on our own and after comparing prices, he was right, it was more affordable to go through KimKim and absolutely less hassle! Olman asked what we wanted to do and he put it all together. The price was a bit higher than what we wanted to spend so I asked for a manual shift car and a hotel change, which brought the price into line. A driver met us at the airport and took us to our hotel in San Jose. In the morning another driver took us to the dock in Tortuguero for our 1 hour and 40 minute boat ride to the eco lodge. A jungle walk, open lagoon boat tour, and boat to town was included with our hotel plus all three meals daily. We booked a night-time turtle tour and saw a 250lb. turtle laying her eggs and then using her flippers to camouflage her nest. It was a dream come true for me to see this. After Tortuguero, we traveled by boat to the docks then to Guapiles by motor-coach for lunch and to pick our car that had all fees paid and was gassed up and ready to go. Our hotel in La Fortuna was at the top of a hill with a wall of windows for a perfect view of Arenal Volcano. We took a mud bath there and swam in mineral hot springs. Our next day took us to 7 zip lines over the tree tops and then a walk with hanging bridges to see the flora and fauna at Misitco Park. After two nights we made our way to Tamarindo where we stayed on the hillside with a cooling breeze and an infinity pool. Our daughter got in 3 days of surfing and we all took a snorkel sunset cruise. All of our accommodations were top notch and the food was great at all of them. Our drivers met us as expected. The tours were all good and safe (zip-lining!). The Costa Rican's are happy, helpful and appreciate tourists. The country is beautiful and still wild. Go to see the turtles, monkeys, sloths and colorful birds. There is so much to do. Contact Olman because he will very graciously work with you to put together an affordable trip of a lifetime. I now need to see the turtle hatchlings make their way to the sea, so I will be booking another trip soon (and I will feel very safe traveling there by myself using drivers) and I will book through KimKim and Olman again!

Hotel Reviews

Park Inn San Jose by Radisson

San José

Beds were very comfortable and restaurant food was delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pachira Lodge

Tortuguero

Pachira Lodge has their own boardwalk through the jungle where you will see monkeys, sloths and poison frogs! Three meals are served here and there is good variety and it all tastes delicious. We sat at each meal with another family to fill our table and it was fun getting to know them. Eco lodges do not have air conditioning but the overhead fan cools the room down at night where you will use a blanket.

Authenticity & Character

It's an eco lodge with monkeys playing in the trees.

Location

Staff

Oliver

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was as expected. Beds were comfortable.

Montaña de Fuego Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

The glass walls made for a fabulous view of the volcano.

Authenticity & Character

It was one of the coolest rooms we ever stayed in with the big windows overlooking the volcano.

Location

Staff

Joseph was very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great air conditioning and big towels for the springs.

Wyndham

Tamarindo

The room was big and the beds very comfortable. Loved the pool and swim up bar.

Authenticity & Character

Open air lobby overlooking the ocean.

Location

Located at the top of the hill there was a nice cool breeze.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Enjoy the Beauty of Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero

Turtles, Turtles, Turtles. And monkeys, sloths, frogs and colorful birds. I need to go back. Soon!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All drivers and staff were very helpful and kind.

Transport

Very efficient.

Arenal Volcano Extreme Zipline

Arenal/La Fortuna

7 ziplines!!! Lot's of staff to help everyone. They were wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff