Excellent experience working with Randall and KimKim ! A wonderful family trip in Dec 2022.
Costa Rica | Dec 10 - Dec 20, 2022

R
Roveen B.
Berkeley, CA | Reviewed on Jan 04, 2023

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.
Holiday Inn 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 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 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 Volcano - Mountain Biking
Arenal/La Fortuna
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Arenal Volcano - safari float on the Peñas Blancas River
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
Zip-Lining Tour
Arenal/La Fortuna
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Maleku Tribe Village Visit
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
Sloth Sanctuary - Buttercup Tour
Costa Rica

You're supporting a good cause!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Jaguar Rescue Center
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
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 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
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
Local specialist: Randall Jiménez
Randall
Randall Jiménez
Local specialist in San José, Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 05, 2023

Dear Ro,

First of all, Happy New Year, I hope you and your family had a good time during the holidays.

We are grateful that you took the time to leave us a review. Your feedback helps us to improve service for everyone.

We will share these comments with the local tour operators and with the hotels, including the one on the coast, I apologize for any inconvenience it may cause you.

I wish you all the best in this new year and we hope to have the chance to welcome you again to our country and explore new destinations.

Pura Vida!
Randall