Ups and downs but overall ok experience.
Costa Rica
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Jun 30 - Jul 14, 2022
Ours was a mixed experience using Kim Kim. The design and booking process was AMAZING. Bryan was super responsive, very patient, and really dedicated to making sure we ended up with a trip that we loved. The implementation of the plan wasn’t as smooth in all cases. Bryan handed us over to someone else - Charlotte - for on the ground logistics who was also so incredibly responsive and patient. We had to change a number of things because of a tropical storm and Charlotte was quick to make everything — including new additions and added requests — happen very quickly. Where it wasn’t as successful was in the details. It did not feel as if Bryan or Charlotte had visited the hotels themselves(recently) or had any intimate knowledge on quality. I’ve used numerous travel agents in the past and they are typically able to say, listen, I know the photos on the website are amazing but….in real life the rooms are run down, noisy, etc. Speaking candidly, three of the four hotels we went with were mediocre — one was straight up bad (for which Charlotte got us some credits)— and I would have expected better insight from people on the ground. The hiking excursions they planned were absolutely spectacular — we asked for, and got, private guides that could move at a family pace, engage kids, teach our about ecosystem, and not hassle us over being 15 late with a meal or needing an extra potty break. Truly, the vendors and guides they connected us with made the trip. The local transportation was hit or miss — in some places we could leave a bag in the car while we hiked and in others it was more of a taxi drop/off pick up — which is fine — but the communication about this was spotty and unclear. There was also a catamaran booking where we were on a 90+ person boat that was dirty, had blaring music, and cafeteria food when we agreed to a small group boat, with a guide who would point out wildlife and a BBQ lunch. The whole point of our trip was to be in a quiet setting that respected nature and was as private as possible — so this booking really made us feel like Bryan and Charlotte did not understand the point of the trip — we don’t care about mishaps but this made us feel like we weren’t on the same page about the experience we were looking for and had been talking about. In the future this has made me realize that although Kim Kim is easy to use and so convenient as a platform, if you don’t connect — really connect — with your trip planners on quality and expectations the details could get lost in translation. Normally I select a travel agency or excursion company because of their values and how they describe their trips and partners and so I know I’m working with a company that is on the same page as me in terms of hotel quality or excursion vibe — with this experience I didn’t have that and in the end, felt it in the details. So a mixed bag — lots of learning on my side — and deep respect for much of what I got on the Kim Kim side.
Hotel Reviews
We found Hotel Costa Verde to be mediocre and, based on our room location, the opposite of a beach vibe. We were in the A block of rooms which is right on the road. It was really loud - lots of trucks and cars and people yelling. If your room is away from the street and near the beach, I could imagine having a different experience. We had two rooms A7 and A8. A8 was upstairs and had a sitting room, high ceilings, kitchenette, balcony with a far away ocean view + 2 queens and a bunk bed. A7 had the same bed set-up, kitchenette, and balcony but had really low ceilings and was dark and depressing. The top bunk in A7 was not usable given the ceiling height and fan placement. Both rooms were run down and dingy — rusted faucets, gross molding and corners, and bedding that could really use an upgrade — the A/C is run by a key so you can’t leave it on, the hot water is super unreliable, and you are supposed to use the same towels for pool and shower. The A block has its own cute pool but requires driving to the beach which, with little ones, is a hassle. Breakfast is made to order and was good — the other restaurants were totally overpriced for the quality — especially when you have such good food at local restaurants nearby. The staff was nice but not really service oriented — the overall experience was more “hostel” than “hotel”.
We stayed at Peace Lodge our first two nights in Costa Rica. No words to describe how lovely our experience was — every detail was thought about, from your name on tiles outside your room to the fire going and late night snacks waiting for the kids upon arrival. The rooms have natural indoor living gardens and jacuzzis in the bathrooms. The balconies have hammocks, jacuzzis, hummingbird feeders and the views are staggeringly beautiful. The food — at breakfast and in the restaurants was fabulous — and literally, any change or request was honored without an issue. One of our bags did not arrive and they opened the gift shop after hours so we could buy our son a few things!!! And the grounds are truly spectacular — the exhibits are small but lovely and the waterfall loop a truly perfect hike with kids on day one. Trout lake was also really fun — even in the rain :-) Just can’t say enough good things — it’s about the details — the staff were just absolutely extraordinary and we loved our experience.
The Springs, like Peace Lodge, gets the service aspect down 100%. They do not miss any details and are totally focused on making sure adults and kids have whatever they need to relax and enjoy. The property is big but they run you wherever you want to go on golf carts. We had two adjoining rooms (610-611) and they put my parents right next door without us even asking. The rooms are nice — not luxurious but spacious and super comfortable. The food was really good — again, nothing out of this world but really solid. The hot spring pools were a hit for everyone and the kids could be in the main one for hours. The large pools weren’t the cleanest which was my only issue but they are heavily used. There is a swim up pool vibe — fun, music, cocktails and so If you are looking for luxury or quiet this isn’t it. We did a lot of hiking and so only used the pools for an hour or so between or after excursions and so it was fine for us for these pop ins. Overall, a really solid comfortable choice for families or groups. If only adults, I would likely look for something a bit more unique.
El Establo was okay. We had two rooms — one was a duplex with two king beds (311), one was a standard room with two queens (204). The duplex would be good for kids but the stairs are totally open so not ideal for little ones. Overall the rooms were dark and rundown. Internet was really bad, hot water was limited, and definitely nothing luxurious about either room but both had nice balconies and lovely views — but no furniture to sit on. Breakfast was really good but the food we ordered from room service after a long day of hiking — pizza and rice stir-fry — was literally inedible (not an exaggeration) and very expensive. The property is huge — and pretty — and there are shuttles to take you everywhere if you don’t want to/can’t walk but the overall vibe is just super disconnected and impersonal. The service was odd — breakfast crew was awesome and helpful but then it took 3 calls and a personal trip to reception to get a room service menu or an extra blanket. There was nothing awful about it and since we spent most days on hikes and tours, we were fine to crash here at the end of the day but we also were not impressed at all. The location is good for views and walkable to butterfly garden and Valle Escondido and a quick taxi from downtown but if I return I would definitely try someplace else.
Activity Review
This was terrible! It is a 100 person boat with terrible blaring music and filthy conditions. The floors are gross after two minutes from all the people, spilled food, soggy snacks. Someone vomited and it wasn’t cleaned up for an hour. The food was nasty — packaged cookies and soggy fruit for snacks and awful large plastic cafeteria trays of rice and fish served to people standing in long lines for lunch. There was someone on a loud speaker saying look at this volcanic rock or that beach but no information worth listening to. There was a water slide that was open for an hour and “snorkeling” — which means they handed out life jackets and masks and said if you don’t know what you are doing, don’t go because we are far from a hospital (not joking). Honestly, it was terrible and dirty and we could not wait for it to be over.
