Olman Romero

Our trip to Costa Rica was an incredible experience! This was the first time we had booked a trip with KimKim and Olman was exceptionally wonderful to work with in planning all of our excursions to create the best vacation. All of our tour guides ,including Franklin on our volcano hike and Bryan on our safari rafting trip, were friendly, courteous and very knowledgeable. Overall, I would highly recommend KimKim to anyone planning a vacation to Costa Rica.
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Our trip to Costa Rica was an incredible experience! This was the first time we had booked a trip with KimKim and Olman was exceptionally wonderful to work with in planning all of our excursions to create the best vacation. All of our tour guides ,including Franklin on our volcano hike and Bryan on our safari rafting trip, were friendly, courteous and very knowledgeable. Overall, I would highly recommend KimKim to anyone planning a vacation to Costa Rica.

Thanks to Olman, our visit to Costa Rica was truly exceptional. Everything was perfectly organized, the choice of hotels was spot on, the planning was smooth, and we got to experience all the wonders that this incredible country has to offer. We'll use Kimkim for other trips in the future for sure! read more

Thanks to Olman, our visit to Costa Rica was truly exceptional. Everything was perfectly organized, the choice of hotels was spot on, the planning was smooth, and we got to experience all the wonders that this incredible country has to offer. We'll use Kimkim for other trips in the future for sure!

Hotel Reviews

Autentico Hotel

San Jose

An overall friendly, pleasant little hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Nice but not unique.

Location

The location is convenient but not spectacular.

Staff

Super friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect for a stopover.

Noah's Forest by Tifakara

La Fortuna

A new, trendy hotel that feels like a resort. A tad expensive.

Authenticity & Character

Very crips and shiny, super green, but a bit too shiny and slick. Doesn't feel very authentic, more like a luxury resort.

Location

Once you know how to get there, it's not too isolated but not crowded either.

Staff

Friendly, helpful, very professional.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable and well maintained.

Monteverde Country Lodge

Monteverde

This hotel feels like a mountain cabin.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not central but very accessible.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Lapas Rainforest Eco-Resort

Tárcoles

A resort-like hotel that is not very welcoming.

Authenticity & Character

Felt like a series of rooms for summer camp.

Location

Staff

Overwhelmed by the number of guests, busy and not very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Plaza Yara

Puntarenas

A unique small hotel with tons of character.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Drake Bay Wilderness Resort

Drake

The perfect place to disconnect from the world but still feel very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Garden inn San Jose, Sabana

San jose

A typical chain hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

The hike in itself is amazing but the whole group moves fast and doesn't allow much time to enjoy all there's to see and experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

An experience that should be thrilling but with many people on site, there's a lot of queuing and every zip line is super fast-paced. No time to enjoy the scenery.

Quality of Experience

Zip lines are a fun adventure, but they shouldn't be done so quick that you don't even have time to enjoy them.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jungle Crocodile Safari

Costa Rica

Super thrilling experience with a great, knowledgeable guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

There was no information on site that lunch was supposed to be included.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We booked a trip to Costa Rica to check out the Caribbean coast, and it was fantastic! Our local specialist, Olman, set everything up and all we had to do was show up. We were picked up at the airport and driven to our hotel in San Jose for the first afternoon, where we did a little sightseeing downtown. The next morning we got picked up and driven on a nice bus across the mountains to board a boat to the lodge in Tortuguero. The resort was very nice and laid back, with lots of wildlife to... read more

We booked a trip to Costa Rica to check out the Caribbean coast, and it was fantastic! Our local specialist, Olman, set everything up and all we had to do was show up. We were picked up at the airport and driven to our hotel in San Jose for the first afternoon, where we did a little sightseeing downtown. The next morning we got picked up and driven on a nice bus across the mountains to board a boat to the lodge in Tortuguero. The resort was very nice and laid back, with lots of wildlife to see. The next day we returned to the mainland and picked up a rental car to drive south to Puerta Viejo de Talamanca for a couple of nights. Here we enjoyed the beach, saw the wild sloth staying at our hotel, hiked in the national park, and checked out the local nightlife. After our stay, we drove back to San Jose for one more night before flying out.

The best thing about this trip was that everything was arranged in advance (except my navigation skills on the self-driving part). We didn't have to hassle with arranging tours or getting reservations, and they even delivered our rental car to the lodge's restaurant. When I left my ID at the boarding area for the boat, Olman worked a minor miracle and arranged for me to pick it up on our return.

Everyone we met on the trip was helpful and friendly; the tour guides were great all around. Next trip like this we take, I will definitely book this way again.

Hotel Reviews

Gran Hotel Costa Rica

San José

Great location right in the middle of downtown. Everything worked, the room was very nice and very clean, and the breakfast was great.

Authenticity & Character

I don't know about "authenticity", but it's a modern hotel with the normal amenities.

Location

Staff

Super friendly!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, nicely appointed.

Mawamba Lodge

Tortuguero

The individual lodges were a little spartan, but nice enough, and it added a little bit of charm. We really only used our room to store our stuff and sleep. They had nice porches with hammocks. The grounds are pretty cool, with some short nature trails and easy access to the beach, though the beaches apparently have strong currents and are not great for swimming. You can use the beach to walk to the town to pick up souvenirs or have dinner and drinks on the lagoon. The restaurant/bar was excellent. It is not a buffet style, and there was a wide selection. A few specialty items had upcharges (fresh seafood choices). The boat tour we took was great, and our tour guide was hilarious in at least 5 languages.

Authenticity & Character

I loved the atmosphere of the lodge; you can be as active as you'd like to be, but if not, it's relaxing and laid back.

Location

You have to travel there by boat, which was an adventure. The scenery is amazing.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room amenities were less than you would get in a super luxury resort, but that wasn't what we were looking for. There's no AC in the rooms, though it was pleasant at night and we didn't spend much of our day in the room.

Le Cameleon Boutique Hotel

Puerto Viejo

This is a very modern-design hotel. It's got an open space in the middle with a nice pool and a hot tub, and each room has balconies looking into the jungle. The rooms open into large stairwells that lead directly to the pool area. The restaurant is right across the road and has indoor and outdoor seating with beach access. We really liked Le Cameleon!

Authenticity & Character

There is a sloth that came to visit the hotel!

Location

Everything

Staff

Friendly, efficient

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our only issue was that the water on our side of the hotel kept going out, but they were keeping an eye on the situation and got it fixed pretty quickly each time.

Activity Reviews

San Jose - Tortuguero

Costa Rica

We were picked up at the hotel right on time, and we joined a group of other people for the ride to Tortuguero. The drive was through the mountains and across the eastern side of the country; the driver was excellent and our guide was entertaining. He pointed out the sights and gave some commentary, but left plenty of time for napping and watching the scenery. Lunch was provided at the Mawamba lodge restaurant in Guapiles. The boat ride to Tortuguero was fun. We saw lots of wildlife on the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Boat Tour in Tortuguero

Tortuguero

Spent the morning on a boat cruising around the lagoons. Our guide and boat pilot were excellent at spotting wildlife, including a crocodile, monkeys, turtles, iguanas, etc. Our guide was really funny and spoke something like 6 languages.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It leaves from the lodge, no transport needed.

Guided Hike in Cahuita National Park

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Cahuita tours provides several different packages. We did only the nature hike (about 2 miles). Some of our group did snorkeling for part of the morning and met us for the hike back, but on the way out it was just us. Our guide was really good at spotting animals and was very knowledgeable. She was really friendly and didn't mind our tourist questions.

Quality of Experience

Food

Local restaurant, good food, good beer.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Got picked up at the hotel and driven in a van to the park (~20 minutes).

Drive to Jaguar Rescue Center

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

The drive to the Jaguar Rescue Center took us about 45 minutes, except that we were driving to the wrong place (I blame my phone map). The actual Jaguar Rescue Center was literally next to our hotel. We ended up running about 5 minutes late to the tour after figuring out our mistake, but the staff understood and we got connected to the tour group. We saw a baby sloth, and a bunch of other animals. Definitely worth taking the tour to see some of the wildlife up close. The rescue center is a legit rescue operation, not a zoo, which was important to us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We were so pleased with how easy it was to book our trip w/KimKim. Loved how it was all done online, easy breezy. Our guide, Olman, was so responsive and quick to make adjustments as requested. He curated the perfect trip for our family of 4 (two kids 10 and 7), and when my son had an unexpected accident, they were SO incredibly helpful and accessible at all hours.

Day 1: Arrived late night into SJC and as promised our ride was ready and waiting to take us to our hotel, The Radisson, not... read more

We were so pleased with how easy it was to book our trip w/KimKim. Loved how it was all done online, easy breezy. Our guide, Olman, was so responsive and quick to make adjustments as requested. He curated the perfect trip for our family of 4 (two kids 10 and 7), and when my son had an unexpected accident, they were SO incredibly helpful and accessible at all hours.

Day 1: Arrived late night into SJC and as promised our ride was ready and waiting to take us to our hotel, The Radisson, not too far from the airport. Perfectly adequate for an overnight stay. We literally just slept. Hotel breakfast was meh, but again adequate.

Day 2 (sorry, it's long, but relevant): Radisson hotel breakfast was just meh, but fine. Our driver was ready and on time for the 4 hour drive to Puerto Viejo. Note that the drive feels LONG. Much of the road is under construction so it isn't particularly pretty, and because there are so many trucks, the fumes were annoying. We were so excited to reach our hotel, Le Cameleon, which was lovely. Very boutique, though we weren't so thrilled with the service of the one young woman that seemed to always be working the front desk. So unhelpful. I really wish I could remember her name. Never smiled. Never followed through when we made a request (a box of tissue in our room, that the hotel jacuzzi be turned on..). Because our room wasn't ready when we arrived, we went to the hotel restaurant on the beach which was very pretty, but VERY SLOW, so plan accordingly if you have a tour to catch. We weren't actually able to eat our breakfast the next morning, because our driver was on-time and breakfast (despite having a reservation 90 minutes before our pick up time), had to be packed to-go. Anyway, back to today and our unfortunate incident. The restaurant had aerial trapeze ribbons freely dangling from the trees (they offer lessons), which many children were playing on, so of course our kids joined in. Moments later, our son fell HARD from the ribbons and as we found our later, he broke his collarbone. No one from the restaurant acknowledged the injury or helped in any way. The woman at the fort trek was SO unhelpful when we asked about a doctor. She have us a business card and said that they "may or may not be open." Didn;t offer to call or anything, while my son is sitting there in pain, saying he's going to throw up and sweating profusely. She eventually burdened herself enough to call a taxi for us. While there are private doctors in Puerto Viejo, the only doctor open did not have an x-ray machine, so after being seen by him, we drove 90 minutes into Limon via taxi to be seen at the public hospital. BUT, here's where KimKim was great! I called them to find out what would happen if we needed to cancel our trip which had only just begun. They were SO nice and reassuring, They offered to translate with the doctors at the hospital (apparently there aren't many English speaking doctors at the public hospitals) and assured us that IF we needed to cancel that they would help us to reschedule or get refunds. Fortunately, his injury did not require cancellation, but we did have to alter some of the activities in our itinerary, which they happily did, still taking our interests into account. When we finally returned to the hotel, there was ONE bright light--a young man named Daniel that was SO helpful and concerned. He checked in on us for the rest of our stay and was so kind to our son. Thank you Daniel!

Day 3: Believe it or not, our son was a total trooper and wearing his sling, we were able to do the Hike at Cahuita National Park. A MUST DO. We saw SO many animals (boa contrictor, golden viper, howlers monkeys, golden orb spiders everywhere, sloths, very curious raccoons). Be sure to eat a great breakfast, bring water, snacks and a swim suit. It's a long hike and comes with a late lunch so snacks are good.

Day 4: Jaguar Nature Preserve. Super cool experience. Up close and personal and the volunteers are really knowledgable. Go and support a good cause. Oh, when we arrived, they had our reservation, but said they never received payment. I immediately called KimKim and they immediately called the preserve and it was cleared up within moments. This was the only scheduling snafu we encountered. After the tour of the preserve, our driver picked us up at the hotel for the FIVE hour drive to Arenal and The Springs hotel. OMG, did we NEED this beautiful hotel after the stressful injury and all of the driving. It was just stunning. Five-star all the way.

Day 5: Picked up early from the hotel and headed for a boat cruise. This wasn't;t on our original itinerary, but the La Fortuna waterfall hike was out of the question given our sons injury. It actually worked out great. The boat was lovely and again, SO many animal sightings. Monkeys, Caiman, Basilisk lizards, etc.

Day 6: Just enjoyed THE Springs. Needed this relaxation day for sure. Tropical drinks, beautiful hot springs and a stunning volcano. Be sure to go down to the Adventure Center and soak in those Springs. It was a total highlight.

Day 7: On our way to Montverde Lodge and Spa via van, boat, and van again. Pretty cool. The Lodge was great, though several areas are under construction. We LOVED the mid-century modern architecture in the middle of the rain forest. Even if you don't stay at the Lodge, PLEASE do yourself a favor and eat at the restaurant. My husband is a chef and total foodie (so complains alot), but this place was INCREDIBLE. We usually stay away from the hotel restaurants and try to eat more locally, but this place was killer! If you do stay at the Lodge be sure to have breakfast in the Orchid room. So pretty. Here we did a night hike. Didn't get so lucky with the animal sightings, but it's still pretty cool to hike through the rainforest at night.

Day 8: Zip lining, butterfly garden and sloth sanctuary all in one place. This was one of our favorite days. Getting up close with the sloths was a highlight and the zip lining was a kid favorite. My son was even able to go with his sling, they just had a guide accompany him, which was great. The lunch at the restaurant was also pretty delicious.

Day 8: Sadly back to San Jose and the Hampton Inn. We arrived in the early afternoon so we had some time to explore San Jose. The hotel is directly across the street from the airport, so a super convenient option.

All in all, we really loved our trip to Costa Rica and HIGHLY recommend using Kimkim to plan. They were so easy and so helpful. Our guide was fantastic. Thank you OLMAN (and sorry it took me so long to finally write a review ;-)!!!

From start to finish working with Olman was an absolute pleasure. His extensive knowledge of Costa Rica coupled with his lovely demeanor and exquisite attention to detail all aided in us having an incredible trip. Because of our short stay Olman suggested that we visit two different locales. And then he provided lovely accommodation options and day trip options. After we confirmed our choices he arranged everything and all we had to do was just show up. What a joy!! We fell in love with beautiful Costa Rica and miss it already!!!

Excellent experience and will use them again and again. Great resource for the busy parent that wants to make the most of a destination but doesn't have the time to research all the different options! We used this for the first time to visit Costa Rica, our rep, Olman was knowledgeable and helped me throughout the trip with questions and concerns. Can't wait to use them for our next vacation! read more

Excellent experience and will use them again and again. Great resource for the busy parent that wants to make the most of a destination but doesn't have the time to research all the different options! We used this for the first time to visit Costa Rica, our rep, Olman was knowledgeable and helped me throughout the trip with questions and concerns. Can't wait to use them for our next vacation!

Hotel Reviews

The Springs Resort & Spa at Arenal

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Los Altos Resort

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Monteverde Lodge & Gardens

Monteverde

Wonderful staff with a Scandinavian ambiance!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River Class II & III

Arenal/La Fortuna

Mario was excellent! Amazing experience with door-to-door service. Very professional and friendly staff.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Olman planned a fantastic trip for our family of 7 adults and an 11 month old. 10 out of 10 is the score for this trip, as suggested by our adult children. I was apprehensive about the 3.5 star hotels we requested in order to keep the cost down and have more $ to spend on meals and more. The 3.5 star Los Lagos had several thermal springs which was a highlight of our trip as well as a well appointed breakfast buffet. It was perfect for our family as we did not spend much time in our hotel... read more

Olman planned a fantastic trip for our family of 7 adults and an 11 month old. 10 out of 10 is the score for this trip, as suggested by our adult children. I was apprehensive about the 3.5 star hotels we requested in order to keep the cost down and have more $ to spend on meals and more. The 3.5 star Los Lagos had several thermal springs which was a highlight of our trip as well as a well appointed breakfast buffet. It was perfect for our family as we did not spend much time in our hotel room. If you are staying at the Park Inn by Radison in San Jose, take a 5 minute walk to the nearby outdoor farmers market. I loved the butterfly garden, seeing the caged animals from he region
, the hike to La Paz waterfall and the hearty lunch. Wouldn’t have missed it! The zip line has an automatic stopping system making it safe and not too scary for this 65 year old grandma. The light rain jacket is good to have. I wish I had brought a sweater to take on the plane and for going out to dinner in the evening. I wore my raincoat, a sweater would have been nice. I packed more socks than underpants. Bad idea as we were going swimming and in the thermal pools multiple times a day and taking showers. Bring extra underpants and extra swim suits. Swimsuits, and clothing for that matter, don’t dry overnight in the rain forest. Son went on early morning run and spotted 5 toucans in a tree. Sons pointed out that horseback riding at our hotel Los Lagos was a waste as horses were on complete auto pilot . A favorite for the 30 year olds was white water rafting after it had rained for 2 days. It was perilous and exhilarating. The night walk and coffee& chocolate tours were excellent. Wyndham Tamarindo 3.5 star hotel had terrific showers, an amazing view for all hotel rooms, and a beautiful infinity pool. We all enjoyed our stay there. This was a memory maker family reunion. It was better than we had expected. So glad we went with kimkim.

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Tamarindo

Tamarindo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Inn San Jose by Radisson

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

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

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Costa Rica was excellent in every way. Olman did an outstanding job of putting together an itinerary geared to our interests and we were so happy with every part of it. We started with white water rafting on the Pacuare River which was unforgettable and exhilarating. And the Exploradores Outdoors guides were exceptional in their instruction, support, and unwavering vigilance. It was an experience of a lifetime for us . And our hikes near the Arenal Volcano and the Fortuna... read more

Our trip to Costa Rica was excellent in every way. Olman did an outstanding job of putting together an itinerary geared to our interests and we were so happy with every part of it. We started with white water rafting on the Pacuare River which was unforgettable and exhilarating. And the Exploradores Outdoors guides were exceptional in their instruction, support, and unwavering vigilance. It was an experience of a lifetime for us . And our hikes near the Arenal Volcano and the Fortuna Waterfall were also unforgettable in their quieter way. I was very impressed with our guide, Randall, from Amazilla Travel, who was very engaging and remarkably knowledgeable about the volcano and the plants and animals of the jungle. We learned so much and I have brought back home with me the memory of the magical quiet of the rainforest. Every place we went we were pleasantly surprised with the quality of the accommodations, the food (which we will miss), the warmth and hospitality of the people we met, and the beauty of Costa Rica. Kimkim was the way to go for us.

From the initial planning stage through the changes and modifications and until the final transfer to the airport, everything was wonderful. I always felt informed and up-to-date on everything thanks to Olman's prompt communications. We could not have asked for a better specialist to help us arrange this trip. read more

From the initial planning stage through the changes and modifications and until the final transfer to the airport, everything was wonderful. I always felt informed and up-to-date on everything thanks to Olman's prompt communications. We could not have asked for a better specialist to help us arrange this trip.

Hotel Reviews

Selva Verde Lodge

Sarapiquí

This was the last leg of our trip and the lodge was very different from the first two places we stayed. This felt like the least crowded place we stayed and we had a lot of peaceful time to ourselves and we enjoyed two guided tours, on one of which we had the wonderful guide Faviola all to ourselves and on the another there were just two others. The staff in the restaurant were lovely and friendly and made us feel very welcome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Faviola is a wonderful asset to Selva Verde and her knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm on the tours made each of them memorable and special.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cariblue Beach and Jungle Resort

South Puerto Viejo

We had a wonderful and relaxing 6-night stay at Cariblue - this was the middle leg of our trip and we enjoyed the extra time and lazy days that a long stay afforded. The accommodation was lovely, the air-con was a luxury and we enjoyed the pool and the restaurant. We were also able to experience the beach and the immediate location outside the hotel on foot. It was quiet and never crowded out and about.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mawamba Lodge

Tortuguero

We enjoyed our stay at Mawamba Lodge and were glad to have stayed three nights to allow us to take our time on tours and enjoying the grounds. We never felt that the place was crowded nor did we ever have to wait for anything. The staff at the restaurant and bar were very friendly and professional and welcoming. You can tell that they are being trained properly by a well-managed company.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel

San José

Though we stayed just one night, this was a lovely little hotel in central San Jose. If we ever return to SJ to explore the capital further, I would certainly stay here. The staff are very friendly and welcoming.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Enjoy the Beauty of Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero

The boat tour of the national park was wonderful - we were in a small group in an open top boat and we pretty much saw everything that we expected to see and more. I had binoculars and was able to help the guide with spotting and we were busy viewing wildlife almost the whole journey.

Quality of Experience

Food

There was no food on this trip

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike in Cahuita National Park

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

There were four adults and 3 children on this tour and that was a perfect size - any more people and the trail would have been crowded and we would have had difficulty spotting wildlife and hearing the guide. It was a long, hot walk in the rainforest with a welcome dip in the sea halfway through and some fresh pineapple to refresh us. We also had a boat collect us at one point to help speed up our return trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Jaguar Rescue Center

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

This was the most crowded tour and place that we visited in our whole two weeks but it was worth it. The work they do here is incredible and the volunteers and staff are to be commended.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayak Adventure & Rainforest Hike in Punta Uva

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Our kayak trip was cut short because the river was high due to overnight rains - so we could only go a short distance upstream - and the seas was too rough for the second part of our paddle. we had a short hike around Punta Uva, but the guide seemed like he wanted to be somewhere else and he was much less engaging than any of the other guides we met on our holiday.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rainforest Guided Hike

Sarapiquí

The hike in Selva Verde's primary forest was fascinating. Faviola is an excellent guide and her knowledge of, and enthusiasm, for the flora and fauna is impressive. They even provided wellies for us to walk through the mud!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

There was no transport as the hike was at the lodge.

The trip was overall great. I would of liked if Olman was able to be reached on weekends in case of an emergency. I feel that KimKim needs to make sure people that they work with in other countries are available to their clients all the time if they are traveling within their country. Tour excursions should be booked as weather permitted. As thunderstorms in their winter are most likely in the afternoon, morning excursions would be more appropriate. I loved everywhere we went and our... read more

The trip was overall great. I would of liked if Olman was able to be reached on weekends in case of an emergency. I feel that KimKim needs to make sure people that they work with in other countries are available to their clients all the time if they are traveling within their country. Tour excursions should be booked as weather permitted. As thunderstorms in their winter are most likely in the afternoon, morning excursions would be more appropriate. I loved everywhere we went and our lodging was really good. My favorite areas were the rainforest and cloud forest as the beautiful tropical lushness of the country is simply gorgeous. A must is to zip line in Monteverde and white water rafting in La Fortuna/Arenal. I added the chocolate tour which included coffee and sugarcane. It was hands on and a great learning experience. I look forward to returning to Costa Rica soon.

Firstly about KimKim (and I guess by definition about Olman) - whilst in hindsight I probably COULD have organised most of the things on this trip myself - having Olman do it (and super efficiently as well it has to be said) certainly took all the hassle away, and gave me a very useful security blanket (which was called upon and deployed successfully) - so you pay more - you get more - the choice is yours.

Olman was patient with me as I changed my mind on what I thought I wanted to do and... read more

Firstly about KimKim (and I guess by definition about Olman) - whilst in hindsight I probably COULD have organised most of the things on this trip myself - having Olman do it (and super efficiently as well it has to be said) certainly took all the hassle away, and gave me a very useful security blanket (which was called upon and deployed successfully) - so you pay more - you get more - the choice is yours.

Olman was patient with me as I changed my mind on what I thought I wanted to do and the price I was willing to pay. No rush in getting us to pay our final bill which was appreciated.........

Mixed feelings about Costa Rica have to say.

Darned expensive for family of 5 from the UK right now - exchange rate not helping for sure. We also forgot (coming from the UK) that sales tax is levied - but never included in menus or on price tickets - it always hits you as a surprise when you pay the final bill. So whenever you consider a meal out - factor in 13% sales tax, plus service charge and so on...

Not surprisingly I guess, given the reliance on the tourist dollar, Costa Rica charges you for EVERYTHING…Wonderful scenery - if you can afford to pay for the view!

Every National Park charges entry of $16 / person / per day - no family rates, no multi-day, multi-location passes (missing a trick here for us families for sure). Every wonderful waterfall you read about is fully “monetised“ (on private land always so unsurprisingly again) but $20 each for a walk to a albeit fantastic waterfall gets pretty expensive. I KNOW our wealth as tourists is substantial in comparison but when you’ve saved for eons doesn’t mean that you have loads of options to do all the things available to you. I know that tourism is CR’s lifeblood in many ways but it does make you appreciate some of the fantastic sites, and holiday possibilities closer to home. How many waterfalls are charged for in the UK for example?

Having said all that there were plenty of memorable experiences:
- Monteverde / St Helena area - chilled vibe
- a night tour in a private reserve with a great guide spotting stick insects, frogs, tarantula, toucan etc. that was pretty special (via Reserva Curi Chanca in Monteverde)
- boat tour around jungle canals with monkeys and iguana in Toruguero
- Zip lining above the forest canopy was pretty exciting with last section over a k in length - again near Monteverde (via https://selvatura.com/).
- Hotel Plaza Yara near Manuel Antonio - lovely chilled hotel
- Hiked up to the top of an old volcano - Cerro Chato on the Arenal area - really challenging up a dry stream bed conscious all the time that a storm would make it an altogether different challenge! It is apparently illegal to do this trip (so less said about this great experience the better possibly....)

Trips I was less enamoured with were
- canyoning near La Fortuna - via https://www.puretrek.com/ - they rushed us through - pretty much tied us the ropes, lowered us down, ushered us the next drop and were keen to see us through and gone. No element of the slightest danger for sure - but hey - at least let us play the rope ourselves if we choose to do some rappelling eh??
- hot springs, again in La Fortuna - at https://ecotermalesfortuna.cr/ - one pool "hot" - others pretty tepid - all very plush but misses the natural feel you'd have in Iceland for example. Meal was good though!
- Manuel Antonio National Park - crowded, not allowed to take any food in (for understandable reasons) - but then have grotty cafe with overflowing bins and wasps, no access to furthest beaches - very underwhelming for me personally
- Diving off the Catalina Islands - shit viz - but them's the breaks when you go diving

We went in the rainy season - so that meant the afternoon storms when they happened were biblical - and very impressive in their own right! Having said that - quite a few days where we had no rain and it certainly didn't spoil the trip. It pays not to be out on anything less than a really good road if you have a hire car in these conditions.

We’ve paid quite a bit for good hotels and for me personally it’s meant a certain lack of real interaction with other travellers - kids have loved the comfort though!

What an awesome trip... lifelong memories made!

The trip Olman planned way exceeded our expectations and he went above and beyond to accommodate our needs and requirements. Every single trip and transfer went smoothly, every hotel fitted our needs exactly and he planned a fun and fascinating variety of trips for our group (three adults and two young kids).

Hotel Tifakara was our favourite hotel overall - their beautiful gardens were bursting with wildlife! We saw toucans, a turtle,... read more

What an awesome trip... lifelong memories made!

The trip Olman planned way exceeded our expectations and he went above and beyond to accommodate our needs and requirements. Every single trip and transfer went smoothly, every hotel fitted our needs exactly and he planned a fun and fascinating variety of trips for our group (three adults and two young kids).

Hotel Tifakara was our favourite hotel overall - their beautiful gardens were bursting with wildlife! We saw toucans, a turtle, hummingbirds, dragonflies and so many frogs including of course the tree frogs, who we even found on our veranda. From there, we went on a hike around the Arenal volcano lava fields with Franklin, who told us so much about the plants and creatures that it took us 20 minutes to leave the car park! My budding David Attenborough son adored him and he even managed to time our hike to finish at the cafe exactly as the rain arrived!

We went in the May/June rainy season so did expect lots of rain... some days we were lucky, others not so. Our zip lining trip in Monteverde was disrupted by nearby lightning which meant we had to evacuate the course through the forest in the drenching rains. The guides were extremely professional and we felt absolutely safe throughout. We felt that it actually added to our experience with a properly adventurous jungle trek but if you don't fancy the extra adventure suggest zip lining earlier in the day before the rains come in.

We stayed in Espadilla Ocean Club villas in Manuel Antonio which was a lovely change from hotels and so close to the beach! The national park is beautiful and we saw two and three toes sloths, an anteater, howler and capuchin monkeys amongst many other things. It was a very easy trek, with water pipes along the way and a cafe too. Although it was busier than other places we visited, it didn't feel overcrowded.

From Manuel Antonio, Olman arranged an onward transfer to Sierpe as we had arranged a separate tour in Corcovado and then arranged our return trip to San Jose via a flight from Drake Bay.

I can't recommend Olman enough if you're planning a trip to Costa Rica. We'd approached several other travel agents and they just didn't seem to have the in depth local knowledge or flexibility required to put together a trip that suited our needs, wants and budgetary requirements so well. Thank you so much Olman!

Hotel Reviews

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Beautiful gardens. Loved seeing all the hummingbirds from the bar. Bungalows were clean and comfortable. The steak was incredible but the rest of the menu not so impressive.

Authenticity & Character

Very characterful

Location

Peaceful, great views.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Espadilla Ocean Club

Manuel Antonio

Beautifully designed, clean and comfortable. Lovely spot, very near the beach where you can hire loungers, get a massage etc. Cosy little private pool area where I wiled away a morning reading in the hammock and watching the capuchins eating mangos in the tree above. Note that breakfast is not included (we thought it was), but there is a supermarket nearby and the kitchen is fine but fairly basic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

No one around who spoke English until the last day and no instructions (would be useful to have things like wifi passwords, local restaurant recommendations, etc). Cleaning/ caretaking staff we saw were great, however.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tifakara Boutique Hotel & Birding Oasis

La Fortuna

Great food, lovely rooms and pool area, incredible gardens. If you want to spot a tree frog, this is the place to go! Loved the hot tubs as I could relax in there while the kids played in the pool.

Authenticity & Character

Felt like a unique place to stay

Location

Peaceful, walking distance to La Fortuna waterfall and a short taxi ride to the town

Staff

All friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable. Could do with more storage space in the rooms though.

Hampton Inn & Suites San Jose Airport

Alajuela

We only stayed here for one night, on arrival in Costa Rica so we were somewhat jet lagged. The staff were very friendly and welcoming and the breakfast buffet was incredible!

Authenticity & Character

Not very characterful, that that wasn't what we were looking for

Location

Very close to the airport

Staff

All friendly and welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless

Buena Vista Chic Hotel

Alajuela

Lovely hotel, great restaurant, friendly staff and they were very accommodating with our request for a late check out. It's up in the mountains so quite cool and the pool is unheated, plus we couldn't find anything to do within walking distance. This was supposed to be our pre-travel pool day so we altered our plans and went into San Jose instead. Entirely our fault as we asked to stay here but with hindsight, we'd have been better staying closer to San Jose or the airport

Authenticity & Character

Location

A little too far from the airport to be a transit hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Costa Rica

A great opportunity to see lots of the wildlife in captivity that we'd be seeing in the wild later on. All seemed ethical (rescue animals etc) and well kept.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal 1968 Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Franklin was awesome and extremely knowledgable. I wish he'd come on all our trips as I felt like there was so much we were missing through lack of knowledge! The hot springs were amazing. Really clean and well designed. Start at the cooler end and enjoy a cocktail.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They rearranged our hike time to avoid the rain - it was more awkward for them but a much better experience for us.

Transport

Nocturnal Night Walk Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Daniella worked very hard to spot all sorts of interesting creatures for us - we even saw some surprisingly active sloths in the trees.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Safari Floating by Raft at Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great experience, though we didn't spot quite as much wildlife as we'd hoped. The 'real' hot chocolate at the end was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

Incredible zip lining over the forest canopy. The day started well but the rain set in half way around the course, followed by nearby lightning. We were separated from the rest of the group as we'd gone first and had to evacuate the course though the forest. The guides were very professional and we felt safe thoughout. They took great care of us and even lent their waterproofs to the kids (we were completely unprepared for a jungle trek in the rain!). I thought the kids (7 & 9) would have been frightened but they loved the adventure of it and it ended up being one of the highlights of the whole holiday!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They snapped from laid back fun mode to emergency mode when we had to evacuate. Not only kept us safe but made us feel safe too.

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Lovely park with lots of wildlife but busier than other areas so harder to see mobile wildlife

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Worked hard to spot larger wildlife for us. Would have been nice to have more explanation of the plants too.

Transport

The perfect honeymoon.

My wife and I just recently arrived back from our amazing honeymoon in Costa Rica. We have never heard of KimKim before, and it was something we stumbled upon as we looked for ideas for our honeymoon. Costa Rica was the perfect destination, as it had plenty of adventure as well as the relaxation we needed. So we reached out with some ideas and we were paired with Olman, one of the local specialists for Costa Rica.

Everything, from hotels, shuttles between... read more

The perfect honeymoon.

My wife and I just recently arrived back from our amazing honeymoon in Costa Rica. We have never heard of KimKim before, and it was something we stumbled upon as we looked for ideas for our honeymoon. Costa Rica was the perfect destination, as it had plenty of adventure as well as the relaxation we needed. So we reached out with some ideas and we were paired with Olman, one of the local specialists for Costa Rica.

Everything, from hotels, shuttles between destinations, and the activities planned were just amazing and beautiful. Olman did an astounding job planning it all and was able to answer all our questions in a timely manner.

We cannot wait to book another trip to Costa Rica! Thank you so much for the best experience we could ever ask for.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Bosque del Mar Playa Hermosa

Playa Hermosa

The Hotel Bosque Del Mar in Playa Hermosa was our last stop on our honeymoon. Nestled in trees, right on the beach, it was the perfect last stop for us for some relaxation we needed from all the activities we did prior during our honeymoon. We stayed in our water front room, which was worth the splurge. The staff was very accommodating, helping us book additional activities they offered as well as any questions we had during our stay. We would highly recommend a stay here if you are in the area or looking for a nice beach to relax on.

Tips for future travelers

Book the waterfront room and Palo Verde Boat tour through the hotel, it was an amazing experience!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the beach, any room is steps away.

Staff

The staff were very nice, genuine, and helpful during our staying. They always asked how we were doing and if there was anything they could help us with.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were very clean, house keeping would come once a day and make everything look nice and neat again.

Hacienda Guachipelin Volcano Ranch Hotel & Hot Springs

Liberia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Night Tour at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rincon de la Vieja National Park Hike & Oropendula Waterfall

Rincon de la Vieja

We had a private guided hike in the national park and to the Oropendula waterfall. Our guide was amazing, and he could easily spot animals and plants we would have never noticed if we just hiked it ourselves.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

The best hike on our trip. The views of the volcano are amazing. Our private guided hike included lunch as well and our guide was awesome. Very knowledgeable about the hike, the volcano, and all the animals you could see during the hike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

The kilometer long zip line at the end was such a rush! The hanging bridges were so cool to walk on and you got the best sights of the cloud forest. This was the only hike that was not guided and we did on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Sailing Tour & Snorkeling

Costa Rica

This tour was so much fun! Food and drinks are included and they take you to a great spot to snorkel and see some of the beautiful fish! We even met another couple who were married on the same day as us and were also on their honeymoon. Overall a great experience and we would highly recommend taking this tour!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip was amazing. However, I was a little disappointed not to have gotten to meet Olman in person. He was very responsive to any questions and solved any issues immediately. He was absolutely correct about only needing one night in Jan Jose. I was a little worried about not having air conditioning in Tortuguero but it was no issue and we slept well. All of the meals provided were excellent. Most of the transportation was private - quite a luxury.
I think the one suggestion I might have is... read more

Trip was amazing. However, I was a little disappointed not to have gotten to meet Olman in person. He was very responsive to any questions and solved any issues immediately. He was absolutely correct about only needing one night in Jan Jose. I was a little worried about not having air conditioning in Tortuguero but it was no issue and we slept well. All of the meals provided were excellent. Most of the transportation was private - quite a luxury.
I think the one suggestion I might have is that the hiking around the Arenal Volcano was a little more exertional then described. My 75 year old husband struggled keeping up and it made us late for the hot springs that evening.
I ended up testing positive for Covid at the end of our trip in Tamarindo - what a beautiful place to be stuck! Olman once again assisted us as much as possible with getting testing and letters from the Minister of Health so that we could return to the US. He also assisted with making sure we had transportation back to the airport. The resort had one of the best breakfast buffets - beautifully located that I have ever been to. They were very accommodating delivering my breakfast every day while quarantining. The pools - the beach - just beautiful.

The easiest trip I ever booked.
My original trip to Japan was canceled at the last moment (with another travel company) because Japan is still closed to tourists, and I really wanted to get away from work for a few days. It was so last minute, so I didn't think it would be possible. Luckily, I found Kimkim and they were incredibly easy to work with. After booking everything, I actually didn't think that I was done, I figured it would be more complicated, but it was soooo fast and easy to... read more

The easiest trip I ever booked.
My original trip to Japan was canceled at the last moment (with another travel company) because Japan is still closed to tourists, and I really wanted to get away from work for a few days. It was so last minute, so I didn't think it would be possible. Luckily, I found Kimkim and they were incredibly easy to work with. After booking everything, I actually didn't think that I was done, I figured it would be more complicated, but it was soooo fast and easy to book.
They really included all the things I loved. I would 100% recommend this for anyone that wants to travel but doesn't want to hassle researching transportation, hotels, etc.

From the beginning, Olman listened to our wishes for the trip and worked hard to make our experience a memorable one. There were a few minor issues that were quickly resolved. While we were in Costa Rica, Olman was very responsive to questions we had. The excursions he arranged were great. We especially liked the ziplines in Monteverde. The hot springs of All the accomodations were first rate and contributed to our overall experience of Costa Rica. Would definitely use KimKim again. read more

From the beginning, Olman listened to our wishes for the trip and worked hard to make our experience a memorable one. There were a few minor issues that were quickly resolved. While we were in Costa Rica, Olman was very responsive to questions we had. The excursions he arranged were great. We especially liked the ziplines in Monteverde. The hot springs of All the accomodations were first rate and contributed to our overall experience of Costa Rica. Would definitely use KimKim again.

Hotel Reviews

Hampton Inn & Suites San Jose Airport

Alajuela

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

Fortuna

Phenomenal property, would like a little more variety in the breakfast buffet, but the food was good. Loved all the hot pools!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Koora at Monteverde

Monteverde

The staff at Koora was second to none. From the moment arrived, they called us by name and made sure we were cared for. The food was great, view was exceptional. The room was like living in a treehouse.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Amazing view from the restaurant

Staff

The staff were exceptional, everyone we encountered was top notch

Cleanliness & Comfort

Espadilla Ocean Club

Manuel Antonio

The villa had a Bohemian feel, not like a regular hotel. The outside shower and toilet were unexpected, but we adjusted. The beds were not comfortable. The parking was bad, just not enough space for 4 cars. The place was hard to find.

Tips for future travelers

Be sure to get clear directions before going

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was a further walk to the beach than shown in the villa information, had to wade through water to get to the beach, it would be better to have a walkway that goes over the water

Staff

not many of the staff spoke English, so it was difficult to get information from them

Cleanliness & Comfort

beds were uncomfortable

Activity Reviews

Monteverde Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

Great experience! All the guides were helpful, they paid great attention to detail and safety

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Danny was our guide and took a lot of time to help us to view the animals of the park. It was not a strenuous hike and we had time to enjoy the beach.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Danny was excellent

Transport

Arenal Volcano National Park by Arenal Lake

Arenal/La Fortuna

Elaina, our guide was amazing, a wealth of information. She clearly loves her job and is very enthusiastic. Miguel was our driver and Juan drove the boat. All were kind, helpful and made sure we enjoyed our visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

The hot springs were amazing. Beautiful and relaxing. They could have used more help at the bar. There was only 1 bartender, to his credit, he worked quickly and stayed focused. The buffet meal was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Damas Island Boat Tour

Manuel Antonio

This is the only experience that we didn't like. It was not what we expected. We saw more of the amimals on the hike than on the boat tour. The breakfast was not good. The food was cold and seemed to be more of an afterthought.

Quality of Experience

Food

would like to have a made to order breakfast, our food was sitting on the table when we arrived and was not hot.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Interesting to learn about chocolate and coffee, got to make our own chocolate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

First of all, our many many thanks to Olman for organizing our trip and looking after us along the way when we had any inquiries!!!

We enjoyed Costa Rica thoroughly in spite of a lot of driving, we had time to rest and discover each area we went to.
I would highly recommend Tifakara Boutique Hotel as the room and staff were lovely and the chef outstanding! We wouldn't recommend the El Establo Mountain Hotel. Although the grounds are beautiful, the rooms had paper thin walls and... read more

First of all, our many many thanks to Olman for organizing our trip and looking after us along the way when we had any inquiries!!!

We enjoyed Costa Rica thoroughly in spite of a lot of driving, we had time to rest and discover each area we went to.
I would highly recommend Tifakara Boutique Hotel as the room and staff were lovely and the chef outstanding! We wouldn't recommend the El Establo Mountain Hotel. Although the grounds are beautiful, the rooms had paper thin walls and every word, whisper, movement could be heard day and night.
In addition we especially enjoyed Monteverde - and the Hanging Bridges and Ziplining in Selvatura Park as well as the lovely Nammbu Bungalows. I would recommend a great Argentinian restaurant only a 200 meter walk from there. We enjoyed the cocktails by the pool, but were disappointed inthe dinner in their dining room.

We will definitely use Kim kim again!

Hotel Reviews

Tifakara Boutique Hotel & Birding Oasis

La Fortuna

Great room, with a feeling of being right in the middle of a forest, outstanding staff and chef. We also enjoyed a free night walk to view colorful frogs on the premises! Well located - away from crowds but easy driving access to all around.

Tips for future travelers

Enjoy!!!

Authenticity & Character

Very friendly and accommodating staff

Location

close to all by car but away from crowds, walking distance to waterfall

Staff

Coffee machine, balcony, surroundings

Cleanliness & Comfort

Couldn't ask for more

Pachira Lodge

Tortuguero

We spent only one night at the lodge and we were happy with the rooms and service. I would definitely recommend it.

Authenticity & Character

Nice views and built to

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Wildlife Boat Tour in Tortuguero

Tortuguero

It's a longish drive, there from San Jose, so I would consider 2 nights rather than one - or not doing this tour the morning after a flight... But is was worthwhile. It was also amazing that KimKim arranged to have our car rental from a drop off spot so we didn't have to back track to San HOse just carry on travelling from there.

Quality of Experience

Hotel was fine and everything went smoothly

Guides, Drivers and Staff

On time

Transport

All connections were quite well timed, just a wait for bus at port on way back

Our trip was absolutely lovely. Olman did a great job of working with us during the planning process. He listened to our needs and found just the right properties. We did not get a final itinerary until 36 hours before we left. I am not used to such a short timeline. I have used KimKim before and have gotten our final itinerary at least a week in advance. It made me very nervous and did not allow me to look at the day trips to know what to pack etc. Makanda by the Sea (which Olman had highly... read more

Our trip was absolutely lovely. Olman did a great job of working with us during the planning process. He listened to our needs and found just the right properties. We did not get a final itinerary until 36 hours before we left. I am not used to such a short timeline. I have used KimKim before and have gotten our final itinerary at least a week in advance. It made me very nervous and did not allow me to look at the day trips to know what to pack etc. Makanda by the Sea (which Olman had highly recommended) was one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever stayed in. My son had the most spectacular room, all glass looking over the Pacific Ocean with monkeys and sloths traveling bye all day. The pool was blissful! The Lost Iguana was very nice but paled in comparison to Makanda. Olman did a great job and we had a great time.

Hotel Reviews

Lost Iguana Resort and Spa

Fortuna

The hotel is on beautiful grounds. The pool is lovely with a heated part that is a swim up bar. The swim up bar was over run with kids on our second day. The lighting in my son's room was very odd. Just one dim overhead light and a tiny LED by his bed with n o windows to speak of. Fortunately the amazing outdoor shower made up for it. The view from our suite was spectacular. The food was fine.

Authenticity & Character

The grounds were beautiful

Location

It was very secluded which was nice but a little far for in town dining.

Staff

We didn't have much interaction. But the ones we met were very nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The outdoor shower was spectacular. The lighting in the rooms could definitely be improved upon.

Makanda by The Sea Hotel Adults Only

Manuel Antonio

The most beautiful hotel I have ever stayed at. The pool was beautiful with a spectacular view. The staff were extraordinary. The food at the restaurant was delicious. We enjoyed the private beach. There were more animals around the pool than we saw anywhere else during our entire trip (monkeys, iguanas, sloths, toucans, macaws). Whatever we wanted all we had to do was ask. Our villa was absolutely breathtaking. My son's room was a glass cube with an amazing view of the pacific and sloths and monkeys swinging by all day.

Tips for future travelers

Don't hesitate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal 1968 Volcano Hike & Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

We al learned a lot. The view form the top was spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved the local restaurant that we went to. It had authentic Costa Rican fare.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very personable and knowledgeable.

Transport

Zip Lining in Arenal Volcano

Arenal/La Fortuna

The zip lines were very cool and fast. We had a great time. We would have liked to learn a bit more about the animals and area from the guides.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It would have been nice if they would have told us more about the animals and rainforest.

Transport

Kim Kim did everything right and fixed things that needed fixing. I am using them again for my trip to France. They just do it all and then you don't have to worry. I don't think I could have put things together myself. It is so seamless when they do it. It is worth every penny! read more

Kim Kim did everything right and fixed things that needed fixing. I am using them again for my trip to France. They just do it all and then you don't have to worry. I don't think I could have put things together myself. It is so seamless when they do it. It is worth every penny!

Hotel Review

Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel

San José

The Hotel was lovely but San Jose is a rough city. The hotel is across from a nice museum and other is a HUGE park that my husband found for walking , running, biking and all activities. We had to be in San Jose to pick my son up at the airport.

Authenticity & Character

NIcely appointed

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Night Walk: Children's Eternal Forest

Monteverde

Loved it. Just interesting

When my wife and I started our search for a travel agent for Costa Rica, we specifically looked for agents based in Costa Rica to ensure we would have the best experience possible, and I am extremely grateful we found Olman and Kimkim!! Olman was friendly, knowledgeable, and very responsive!!! Prior to the trip,( “the planning/booking everything” stage) Olman was great about booking the best tours in each of our destinations, whether it was the canyoning in Arenal, the zip lining and Don Juan... read more

When my wife and I started our search for a travel agent for Costa Rica, we specifically looked for agents based in Costa Rica to ensure we would have the best experience possible, and I am extremely grateful we found Olman and Kimkim!! Olman was friendly, knowledgeable, and very responsive!!! Prior to the trip,( “the planning/booking everything” stage) Olman was great about booking the best tours in each of our destinations, whether it was the canyoning in Arenal, the zip lining and Don Juan coffee tour in Monteverde, or the nature walk in Manuel Antonio! While planning we hit a few snags and Olman presented us with options to make sure we were getting the best experience!! He kept in touch and answered all of the questions we asked! He made this stage painless and made us feel like we could relax as he booked everything from transportation and hotels to the excursions!! During the trip he could be reached at any time and was quick to respond if any issues arose!! He communicated and set up our Covid test and accommodated any unforeseen changes!! He was truly great and our 17-day Honeymoon was fantastic!!
Now a little more detail about our trip:
The Hotels: (Caveat, we chose most of these hotels, so these were not Olman or Kimkim’s fault, we just want to provide feedback for future travelers)
Park Inn by radisson in San Jose- was modern and clean. We would give it a 4/5.
Arenal Manoa in Arenal/La Fortuna-(our absolute favorite) was authentic, friendly, delicious food, absolutely stunning views, great pool, great spa, great service, just all around great and set our tone for the whole trip! (Beds were uncomfortable:beside that it was amazing) we give this hotel a 5/5!
Noah’s Forest in Arenal/La Fortuna- has the makings of a great hotel but the construction, broken pool, and meh food really took away from the experience…though the rooms were very nice—-they were modern, clean, and the bed were fantastic!! Every other hotel we stayed at had sucky beds, but these were great! We give This hotel 4/5
Poco a Poco Hotel in Monteverde- this hotel was not good…it was over hyped and we would definitely not recommend it. The hotel is beautiful and has the framework to be great, but the beds were uncomfortable, there was no privacy, it was very noisy, and the food mediocre at best. This hotel gets a 1/5.
La Mariposa Hotel in Manuel Antonio- This place has unparalleled views! We stayed in the full ocean view room and it was amazing! The views from our balcony were amazing, complete 180 degree view of the ocean and surrounding greenery/beaches! Amazing sunsets from our balcony as well! They have an incredible infinity pool with amazing views of the ocean and sunset! We had white face capuchin monkeys on our balcony and around the hotel, and each night at sunset we saw mated macaws fly overhead and land in nearby trees! It was amazing! The beds were horrid but the rest was great!!
Our absolute favorite experiences were:
Canyoning with Pure Trek in Arenal! This was absolutely incredible and extremely safe!!! Would 10 out of 10 recommended!! (We terrified of heights and we seriously LOVED this!)
Zip lining at Selventura Adventure Park in Monteverde: this was also incredible!! Very safe and best part is there stopping system which is WAY more gentle than any other zip lining I’ve ever done!
Our other top tours:
La Paz waterfall and Gardens
Horseback riding with Esteban to La Fortuna waterfall (absolutely worth the 500 stairs!)
Celeste River and Tenorio Volcano guided tour! Our guide went above and beyond in every way! After the hike he took us to a family owned restaurant,Posada River Celeste! It was absolutely incredible and we are kicking ourselves for forgetting his name because he was fantastic!
White water rafting with Jimmy(costa rica descents) was very fun and everyone was very friendly!
The coffee and chocolate tour in Monteverde was awesome! Very informative, delicious, and was able to meet Don Juan himself!! This organic family owned farm was well worth the visit!!!
All in all Costa Rica was amazing and was extremely welcoming!!! It had everything relaxation, beauty, and adventure!! We are definitely coming back and will definitely be booking with Olman and Kimkim again!!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde Costa Rica

Overrated—-noisy, no privacy, bad massage, bad food…good location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were not good, but it was clean

Park Inn San Jose by Radisson

San José

Modern, clean, beds were comfy enough, hot water was good, food was good. Not a lot of character.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Amazing views, authentic, genuine, great services, extra friendly and helpful, great spa, great pool, just all around amazing! Beds were not comfy but the rest seriously outweighed it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, beds not good

Activity Reviews

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

Costa Rica

We were able to see a lot of animals and saw beautiful waterfalls!! (Macaws, parrots, ocelot, snakes, puma, jaguar)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal 1968 Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great hike! Saw a yellow pit viper, it was a baby, toucans, great volcano views, leaf cutter ants, and lava rock fields! The hot springs were awesome! Just wish we would’ve had more time!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding to the La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was awesome! Not the boring trail horses you imagine! These horses had spirit and we were able to trot! The waterfall was absolutely stunning and you can swim there!!! The fresh pineapple afterwards was awesome!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Celeste River and Tenorio National Park Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a beautiful tour!! Hard to explain the river beauty!! Our guide was incredible and went above and beyond! Went to a family owned restaurant called Posada River Celeste! Delicious food!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canyoning Adventure in Arenal Volcano

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was our favorite excursion! We both are terrified of heights and psyched ourselves out, but we are SOOO GLAD we did this!! It was incredible! It was also super safe! They have guides at the top and bottom to take control of anything we’re to go wrong!! Do this! So worth it!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

The zip lining was so fun!! Very safe and the stopping was way more gentle than any other zip lining I’ve ever done! We got to do two lines together which I had never done and was truly awesome! The bridges were very cool too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour in Monteverde

Monteverde

Great coffee and chocolate!! Very informative! Great guide!! Was able to meet Don Juan! Love that it is a small family owned, non touristy tour!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River Class II & III

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was relaxing and exciting!! Great fresh fruit and awesome farm tour afterwards! Loved the food!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was absolutly perfect experience from the moment of planning the trip till the last day. Planning, thanks to Olman, was a smooth process and within a week we adjusted all hotels and activities. We travel a lot, but for the first timne all hotels were perfect-good value for money. When in Costarica we were still ocasionally in contact with Olman or local agency and they were very responsive. Once again we would like to thank Olman and Kimkim for fantastic vacations read more

It was absolutly perfect experience from the moment of planning the trip till the last day. Planning, thanks to Olman, was a smooth process and within a week we adjusted all hotels and activities. We travel a lot, but for the first timne all hotels were perfect-good value for money. When in Costarica we were still ocasionally in contact with Olman or local agency and they were very responsive. Once again we would like to thank Olman and Kimkim for fantastic vacations

Hotel Reviews

Gran Hotel Costa Rica

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Arenal Springs Resort & Spa

Fortuna

Activity Reviews

San Jose to Tortuguero - Manatus

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

We had an amazing trip to Costa Rica!! Olman really understood what we were looking from not only with the various excursions he helped us book, but for the hotels we stayed in as well - right up our alley! Olman took care of everything we needed and ensured we had a great experience. The only negative was that I wished the itinerary listed out which tour company was picking us up from the hotel for the excursions so we knew who to look out for and/or call to check in on status read more

We had an amazing trip to Costa Rica!! Olman really understood what we were looking from not only with the various excursions he helped us book, but for the hotels we stayed in as well - right up our alley! Olman took care of everything we needed and ensured we had a great experience. The only negative was that I wished the itinerary listed out which tour company was picking us up from the hotel for the excursions so we knew who to look out for and/or call to check in on status

We had a wonderful trip organized by Olman, who was always there to answer any question. Olman organized beautiful hotels and great activities for us to discover the country. The highlights of our trip were our transfer to Tortugueros with Jonathan, who stopped to show us a sloth on an electric pole, and told us about the banana plantations - I'll never look at a banana the same way! White water rafting with Orlando was amazing. I recommend doing a night walk as well, you get to see sleeping... read more

We had a wonderful trip organized by Olman, who was always there to answer any question. Olman organized beautiful hotels and great activities for us to discover the country. The highlights of our trip were our transfer to Tortugueros with Jonathan, who stopped to show us a sloth on an electric pole, and told us about the banana plantations - I'll never look at a banana the same way! White water rafting with Orlando was amazing. I recommend doing a night walk as well, you get to see sleeping and nocturnal animals, for example a scorpion that shines in black light. In Manuel Antonio, we saw a mother and baby humpback whale on the catamaran tour. The fresh tropical fruit is so tasty! It was a wonderful trip, I highly recommend booking here!

Olman went beyond the scope of his duties to help us have the best trip possible. Also, so responsive and friendly. You can tell that he really enjoys helping people and wants the best for you. He also checked in on us during the trip which I've never experienced with any other agency. read more

Olman went beyond the scope of his duties to help us have the best trip possible. Also, so responsive and friendly. You can tell that he really enjoys helping people and wants the best for you. He also checked in on us during the trip which I've never experienced with any other agency.

Hotel Review

Tifakara Boutique Hotel & Birding Oasis

La Fortuna

We loved everything about this place, especially Fernando and Daniella and the kitchen staff. It was quaint, clean, had a lovely little night tour where we saw a ton of frogs (including the poison dart frog), nice breakfast, outdoor shower which was covered so no debris was in there. Saw birds and monkeys outside our room. Walked up the street to the waterfall attraction. Our favorite spot out of the 4 places we stayed in and would definitely go back.

Tips for future travelers

Don't think twice about this place. It's a must-stay kinda place.

Authenticity & Character

Authentic food, local decor, locals working there.

Location

Walking distance to waterfall. Free night time tour on premises.

Staff

The sweetest staff we met over our 2 weeks in the country.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Felt like new

Activity Review

Arenal 1968 Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

On time, friendly tour guide.

Quality of Experience

Ease, accomodating tourguide - we wanted to leave earlier and they made arrangements,

Food

Buffet

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly

Transport

Flexible to our schedule

My husband and I enjoyed our trip to Costa Rica very much! We originally scheduled the trip pre-covid and were able to reschedule the trip with Olman when we were ready. Olman was kind, patience and accommodating. His guidance and recommendations were exactly what we were looking for. Thanks Olman! When we plan on another trip to Costa Rica, we will definitely be working with Olman again. read more

My husband and I enjoyed our trip to Costa Rica very much! We originally scheduled the trip pre-covid and were able to reschedule the trip with Olman when we were ready. Olman was kind, patience and accommodating. His guidance and recommendations were exactly what we were looking for. Thanks Olman! When we plan on another trip to Costa Rica, we will definitely be working with Olman again.

Hotel Review

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa

Fortuna

The Tabacon resort and spa was the perfect escape for my husband and I. We enjoyed our luxurious suite, spa and thermal hot springs.

Tips for future travelers

No

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Zip Lining - Hanging Bridges & Aerial Tram

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was such an amazing experience. We had Ray as our guide and he was such a cool guy with an eye and ear for all things in the jungle. He showed us a lot of wild life and made the hike interesting and fun. The hanging bridges were really cool and the zip lining adventure was a heart-racing, memorable experience. My favorite one was the second to the last zip line which was 1/2 a mile long with beautiful views of the landscape and lake. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall this was a very good trip. Two of the three hotels were extraordinary with excellent meals and service. Costa Rican people are very friendly and helpful. Our only disappointment was that wildlife viewing was very difficult to get good photos. We took several nature tours and all offered much of the same with little chance of capturing good photographs. Tour guides were very knowledgeable and group size was small. There were many good restaurants in every place we visited. We... read more

Overall this was a very good trip. Two of the three hotels were extraordinary with excellent meals and service. Costa Rican people are very friendly and helpful. Our only disappointment was that wildlife viewing was very difficult to get good photos. We took several nature tours and all offered much of the same with little chance of capturing good photographs. Tour guides were very knowledgeable and group size was small. There were many good restaurants in every place we visited. We had no interaction with our local specialist Olman during the week. The schedule he planned for us went very smoothly and almost all the local contacts and transportation services were punctual.

Hotel Review

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa

Fortuna

Location

Too far from La Fortuna

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great views of volcano and interesting geology. Slightly difficult hike but very enjoyable. Guide was very knowledgeable and attentive.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything was truly great. Only issue we had was the reservation for the ride back to the airport. Our car came at 8AM when it probably should have come at 10. We were sitting at the airport for 5 hours.

Everything was fantastic! Olman did an incredible job answering all my questions about places to stay and excursions to take. Every detail was planned and made the trip stress free. We had an incredible room at each of our destinations and I would credit Olman in making that happen. I highly recommend using KimKim. It made traveling to a country we weren't familiar with very easy and comfortable. We are very pleased with everything!! read more

Everything was fantastic! Olman did an incredible job answering all my questions about places to stay and excursions to take. Every detail was planned and made the trip stress free. We had an incredible room at each of our destinations and I would credit Olman in making that happen. I highly recommend using KimKim. It made traveling to a country we weren't familiar with very easy and comfortable. We are very pleased with everything!!

Hotel Reviews

Hampton Inn & Suites San Jose Airport

Alajuela

super convenient airport shuttle! perfect place to stay for quick layover before our adventure. The hotel was very clean and breakfast was perfect

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa

Fortuna

This place is absolutely magical!! We truly enjoyed everything about this hotel except for the lack of water pressure in the shower. That was disappointing, but it by no means ruined our trip. The robes to walk around in were a very nice touch. The restaurants on site were really good and the signature drinks were fun to try. Shang ri La Gardens- the adult section for hotel guests only was incredible. We spent a very large amount of time there. We loved the server Adrianna. She was fantastic. The little cabanas to rest in were perfect. It was so quiet and calming. Incredible!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

What a view! This hotel was amazing and had the best views in the area. The food was great and the customer service at the pool bar and the restaurant were top notch. We were very pleased and would definitely return to La Mariposa without hesitation. It was the perfect location to get around the area and walking distance to so many restaurants and shops. The free shuttle to and from Manuel Antonio was convenient, and the city bus was great too! We enjoyed our room and the panoramic views it provided us. Every afternoon after our excursions we looked forward to relaxing by the pool for a few hours then up to our room to watch the sunset. Amazing!! Photos don't do this place justice. Andres and Harvy at the pool bar were very attentive and Christian at La Papillion Restaurant went above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed our stay. Thank you so much for the outstanding customer service!!

Tips for future travelers

Just relax and chose this place. You will not be disappointed at all!!

Authenticity & Character

Beautifully manicured and very clean

Location

perfect! we could walk to at least 10 different restaurants and the city bus was so easy and clean to use

Staff

everyone was so nice and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean and extremely comfortable, especially the padded sun loungers by the pool under the canopyt

Activity Reviews

Catamaran Sailing & Snorkeling Tour

Manuel Antonio

The boat was very spacious and clean. There were 2 waterslides that some enjoyed. Our captain even spotted some whales so we were able to see 2 whales on our sail. That was a pleasant surprise. The lunch they served was phenominal! The food was very good and they served plenty of it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Savegre Whitewater Rafting

Manuel Antonio

The guys were so friendly and enthusiastic! I felt safe the whole time in the water and the hike to the waterfall was really nice. We even enjoyed the open air truck ride up to the river. Awesome experience on my 40th birthday!

Quality of Experience

great time!

Food

the restaurant we stopped at for lunch was delicious and the food was nearly ready for us when we got there. The company calls ahead to put our order in. That is a great way to be mindful of time.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

very friendly and enthusiastic

Transport

loved the open air truck ride

Arenal - San Jose - Visit La Paz Waterfall

Costa Rica

Absolutely stunning! We couldn't believe how beautiful this park was. The falls, hummingbirds, and landscape was incredible. It was so peaceful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano National Park by Arenal Lake

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a wonderful boat ride and a very relaxing. The hike down to the boat ride was also very nice! We saw some birds and a sloth on the hike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges & Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

We had a great time! The hanging bridges were so fun! The hike through the rainforest was beautiful! Our guide showed us 4 different poisonous snakes on the way. Super cool! We went for a nice authentic Costa Rican lunch after were was fabulous as well.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Surf Lesson

Manuel Antonio

We had a great time learning to surf! The guys were very patient with me and my inability to figure it out! lol! My husband had a blast and I gave up after about an hour, but that was just fine for me. I sat in a lounge chair and enjoyed a wonderful passionfruit margarita in the shade that was provided by the surf club. No worries;) Pura Vida

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

In Arenal/Fortuna we took a Traditional Cooking Class at the Arenal Vida Campesina, a family-owned organic farm, where we learned to cook "verduras salteadas con pasta de achiote" over a wood-fire stove. We hiked (Canoa Aventura) and rafted (Costa Rica Descents) at the Arenal Volcano and la Fortuna Falls. The Tabacon hot springs with dinner was an amazing, relaxing experience.

Ziplined and hiked the Cloud Forest hanging bridges; and took a Night Walk (Selvatura Adventure Park) in Monteverde.... read more

In Arenal/Fortuna we took a Traditional Cooking Class at the Arenal Vida Campesina, a family-owned organic farm, where we learned to cook "verduras salteadas con pasta de achiote" over a wood-fire stove. We hiked (Canoa Aventura) and rafted (Costa Rica Descents) at the Arenal Volcano and la Fortuna Falls. The Tabacon hot springs with dinner was an amazing, relaxing experience.

Ziplined and hiked the Cloud Forest hanging bridges; and took a Night Walk (Selvatura Adventure Park) in Monteverde. On the trip from Monteverde to Manuel Antonio, we took a detour to the Jungle Crocodile Safari (Jose's Crocodile Safari & Bird Watching Tour) a must see, along the Tarcoles River.

We spent our last few days in Manuel Antonio, where we were awakened in the morning with the roars of the howler monkeys. What a story to tell!

In addition to our need for adventure, my son and I wanted some relaxation time, so we stayed at resorts: Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs; El Establo; La Mariposa; and Park Inn San Jose Hotel (1 night). All provided excellent accommodations, service, and restaurants. Breakfasts were included at all accommodations. The Arenal Manoa is a couple of miles from the town on a highway, so no hiking into town. Did not feel we missed anything as our excursions usually included lunch and/or dinner. The Establo hotel is located on a hill, so hotel transport is provided to/from the rooms to the reception/breakfast areas. There was a small glitch in our reservation for the La Mariposa, however, the front desk staff accommodated us with cocktails, while we waited. In addition, they arranged for us to have an in-room COVID test prior to checking out. A shout-out to the front desk clerk at the Park Inn San Jose Hotel, who took it upon herself to provide us a take-away breakfast snack as we were leaving at 5:00am the following morning.

Two changes I would make to our trip: (1) the transfer from Manuel Antonio was a 6.5 hr. drive, which meant we did not arrive into San Jose until almost 8:00 pm. (2) Manuel Antonio is known for the howler monkeys, I think I would have liked to have stayed in one of the cabanas at the Howler Monkey Hotel, near the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve.

Hotel Review

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Great staff, great food, great service, and amazing massages.

Tips for future travelers

We booked a lot of excursions so we were content to be away from town. If someone is planning to spend time in town, they might want to be closer or have access to a car.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel is located in a tropical forest with a variety of birds and wildlife . We had a celebration dinner at the restaurant, which was 5-star presentation and taste.

Location

Loved that we were in a rain forest with a view of the Arenal Volcano. Great way to start our adventure.

Staff

Service at the restaurant was excellent; as well as, the massage therapists.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were clean upon entry; rooms were spacious.

Activity Review

Monteverde Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

The ziplining crew was amazing. They provided constant support and encouragement for everyone in the group; and they were constantly mindful of creating a positive fun experience.

Quality of Experience

1st timer and I am looking forward to trying this again.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable and professional on every level.

Transport

Equipment was well-maintained and secure.

We had a wonderful trip to Costa Rica planned by Olman (through KimKim). From start to finish the whole experience was easy and seamless. Olman was extremely responsive to our requests during our planning and made every modification that we requested. When we were on our trip, every reservation was waiting for us without any issues. KimKim and Olman made this trip absolutely stress-free for us.

First, our driver Roy. We decided to use a driver for our trip so that we didn't have to deal... read more

We had a wonderful trip to Costa Rica planned by Olman (through KimKim). From start to finish the whole experience was easy and seamless. Olman was extremely responsive to our requests during our planning and made every modification that we requested. When we were on our trip, every reservation was waiting for us without any issues. KimKim and Olman made this trip absolutely stress-free for us.

First, our driver Roy. We decided to use a driver for our trip so that we didn't have to deal with renting a car and navigating from city to city (3, 4, 5 hour drives), so we hired Roy as our driver and that was a GREAT decision. Roy was professional, easy-going, and SO FUN. He has a great personality and just made our trip so fun and effortless. Roy drove us everywhere and accompanied us on many of our day trips. He was part of our family for 10 days and we truly loved having him. He definitely gave us space to do our own thing, so even though he was with us a lot it was a good balance. I cannot recommend Roy highly enough - such a gem.

Stop 1: Manuel Antonio. The Parador Resort/Hotel was wonderful. It was a luxurious resort - great food, lovely staff, beautiful property and great rooms. It was a sure treat. Manuel Antonio itself was just okay in my opinion. We went on a sunset catamaran cruise and it was also only ok. It was very crowded, very loud and very party-like (not what we wanted). Overall, we felt that Manual Antonio was very touristy and busy, and after going to Arenal and Monteverde I'd put it last on my list of favorites. Glad we went there first...

We then drove from Manuel Antonio to Arenal (5 hour drive - while long, it's a lovely drive)

Arenal: We stayed at Las Lomas de Volcan Hotel for 4 nights. This is also a lovely property. Our family had our own cabana/room and it was very nice. The property itself was lovely and the hotel restaurant was delicious. The cabanas themselves are comfortable. While in Arenal we did horseback riding to the waterfall and white water rafting - both were very fun. We also spent a day volunteering at Proyecto Asis. My family loves animals so this was really fun for us. We also took a cooking class one evening and that was really fun. We made tortillas and ceviche (and they'd already cooked the rest of the food) but it was a great experience. We really enjoyed Arenal overall. There's a lot to do and it was all really enjoyable.

Monteverde: We stayed at Koora Hotel, which was hands down the most wonderful hotel I've ever stayed at. It is a boutique hotel with only 14 rooms and it was AMAZING. The service, the accommodations, the food, the view... everything was absolutely top-notch. This is not a resort so there's not a pool or other amenities so I wouldn't necessarily recommend this for families with young children. My kids are 12 and 15 and they loved it. We had a two-level family unit so it was extremely spacious and comfortable. It was a splurge for sure, but it was worth it. This hotel was a total highlight for us.

Monteverde was top of our list overall. The surroundings are beautiful and we just really enjoyed being there. We did ziplining and went to a sloth sanctuary - both were family favorites for us.

Overall, it was an absolutely amazing trip. My blood pressure stayed at a constant low level for 10 days so there you have it :)

Hotel Review

Hotel Koora at Monteverde

Monteverde

This hotel was hands down the nicest hotel I have ever stayed at. This is not a resort (no pool, spa or other similar amenities). It's a boutique property with just 14 rooms and it is absolute paradise. From the second we walked in the door the staff was nothing short of amazing. They exude warmth and professionalism. The family unit we stayed in was so lovely. It had two levels (it's like a mini apartment) and it was just so comfortable, light-filled, and spacious. The food at the hotel was wonderful. The view was breathtaking. The service was impeccable. I cannot recommend this hotel enough.

Tips for future travelers

Do it! It's worth the extra money to stay here. It's a total treat.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Horseback Riding to the La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a really fun experience. The guides were excellent and really helped us out.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

What an amazing vacation through kimkim! Right from airport pick up to drop off and everything I’m between we had the best experience at Costa Rica. The outfitters they arranged for the activities such as zip lining, canyoning & rafting were perfect. A special mention to Olman who was our advisor. He’s been nothing but awesome! We had some changes to itineraries, flight cancellations etc and he helped our group throughout!

Would Highly recommend kimkim for anyone looking for future trips!... read more

What an amazing vacation through kimkim! Right from airport pick up to drop off and everything I’m between we had the best experience at Costa Rica. The outfitters they arranged for the activities such as zip lining, canyoning & rafting were perfect. A special mention to Olman who was our advisor. He’s been nothing but awesome! We had some changes to itineraries, flight cancellations etc and he helped our group throughout!

Would Highly recommend kimkim for anyone looking for future trips!

Thanks
Tina

He was fantastic! Planned an amazing trip for us that kept us busy but also had some downtime to enjoy and relax. The selected tours were top notch and we highly recommend them to anyone looking to see the best of Costa Rica!

We really really enjoyed the trip that Olman set up for us! He listened to our needs and asks and executed everything so well!

Orlando, Alberto, Minor, Andres are just a few of the many great people/guides we met on our trip! Thank you so much to them.

Thank you kimkim and our guide Olman. We had a wonderful 10 days trip to Costa Rica. Our guide worked with us with in a very short period we had and planned any amazing vacation. We had the best hotels and best adventures. Just as we expected.

Every place we visited had its own special memories. The very first, Guachipelin, interesting as a working farm, complete with oxen team. We loved the freedom of walking to the beautiful waterfall onsite, made unforgettable partly because of the blue morpho flitting about!
Our driver Roy was very well spoken and knowledgeable, answering all our questions en route from Rincón de la Vieja to La Fortuna. Super food stop at Café y Macadamia.
Wildlife tours, especially the night one, were eye... read more

Every place we visited had its own special memories. The very first, Guachipelin, interesting as a working farm, complete with oxen team. We loved the freedom of walking to the beautiful waterfall onsite, made unforgettable partly because of the blue morpho flitting about!
Our driver Roy was very well spoken and knowledgeable, answering all our questions en route from Rincón de la Vieja to La Fortuna. Super food stop at Café y Macadamia.
Wildlife tours, especially the night one, were eye openers! Our night tour guide was so excited it was contagious. Finding a tiny hidden rufous-eyed green frog by its sound blew me away! The pit vipers were very cool too.
Canal Négra tour guide, Joe, was super keen and full of info.
Tabacón Hot Springs on a cool evening - heaven!
My personal fave was The Monteverdi Eco Lodge. We were offered a complimentary upgrade with a second floor balcony. Staff was super friendly and professional. Food was exceptionally fresh and tasty! The pool was beautiful and private and not busy at all during our stay.
Having a driver take us to and from La Fortuna made for a nice change of scenery and gave us lots of time to eat at Viquez Soda and walk around the town. ( check out the chocolate shop!)
The final five days at Tulemar and Manuel Antonio Park, were unforgettable! Beautiful gardens, old growth tree forest, hanging bridges, a glorious beach, and enough stairs and hills to get anyone in shape! Raúl, the concierge at our villa studio, was invaluable.
Almost forgot - The cooking class afternoon with Stephanie and our guide Henry, was great fun - and a whole new area for beautiful scenery!
Also, the coffee plantation tour with Andrès (at Don Juan)kept us engaged and laughing the whole while. Can he bring out the fun in everyone!
All in all,
Olman did a terrific job getting us prime accommodations in every location. The balance of tours, travel and chill time was good for us. Our first trip to Costa Rica! Hopefully not our last!
Many thanks to the Ticos and Ticas who made this trip so special!
PURA VIDA!

I just wanted a getaway with my son and told Olman that I was interested in natural attractions. Olman did an outstanding job right from responding to all my questions, to picking up from the airport, the local hotels, guides, attractions, food arrangements and last but not the least Covid testing services for us to fly back to USA. I have nothing but praise for the way the tour was organized. I’m a pure vegetarian and Olman took care of that and provided guides who could speak English all the way. Outstanding trip filled with memories. Thank you Olman

It was an incredibly amazing treat to visit Costa Rica – There are so many wonderful things to describe I am not sure where to begin. First of all Costa Rica is in Central America with coastlines on the Caribbean and the pacific ocean complete with volcanos, rain forests and most impressively, Cloud Forests! My camera could not capture the unique view of the cloud forest – I will try to describe it: totally lush forests on the mountainside with the clouds visible and the trees up above the... read more

It was an incredibly amazing treat to visit Costa Rica – There are so many wonderful things to describe I am not sure where to begin. First of all Costa Rica is in Central America with coastlines on the Caribbean and the pacific ocean complete with volcanos, rain forests and most impressively, Cloud Forests! My camera could not capture the unique view of the cloud forest – I will try to describe it: totally lush forests on the mountainside with the clouds visible and the trees up above the clouds! The air is thin because it is a high elevation. This is where the zip lining occurred. This is no ordinary zip line my friends! This is way up high and the lines are very long. I loved to hold on to the middle and turn around to look at the vastness of the cloud forest as I sped past. Again and again Zoila and I zip lined until there were no more lines

But woah! I am getting ahead of things!
We landed in San Jose and were picked up right on time and transported to our hotel. Early morning bus ride to the Caribbean coast to a village called Tortuguero; named because various sea turtles lay their eggs in the sand here.
We view the wildlife from the lagoons in the day time and at night I went out to the beach to view the giant greenback female turtle lay her eggs in the hole that she had dug and then she buried them with her back flippers. The poor girl was quite tired . We also saw a different turtle make her way back to the ocean; her tracks looking like a small tractor passed through. The next day back on the boat to traverse the lagoons – Lush is the only word that applies here if not totally peaceful and serene too.

W We stopped for lunch at this very picturesque stream.
I want to add that I tried new food and I did not have a bad meal once. The food is delicious! From this lovely place a van took us to the base of the Arenal Volcano where we stayed at the Casa Luna hotel and spa.

The volcano from our balcony at Casa Luna.

I am in the back of this raft on the right having a fabulous time!!

Jose was the captain of our raft and was tremendous! So much fun!

Continuing on – the next day I relaxed by the pool and swam laps while enjoying lunch poolside. Later we both had a really interesting chocolate and coffee tour of the Don Juan plantation We got to make our own flavored chocolate! That evening I pampered myself with an aroma therapy massage in the most sublime setting of one wall open to the lush plants with the sound of rain gently falling. Slept really well that night. Then we said fairwell to the volcano and the village of La Fortuna. Everyone was super warm and welcoming. Melvin, at the font desk was the best.

Another on-time transport to take us up to the Cloud Forest of Monteverde! Where I started my story.
An example of the lush path we walked between the zip lines

After the ziplining we visited the butterfly house and the habitat where they care for the sloths that they rescued. This is where I was able to obtain some photos you could actually see what they looked like instead of a bunch of leaves in the trees.

The fellow travelers I met along the way were also part of the benefits of this marvelous journey into Pura Vida – this is the saying heard everywhere which is loosely translated as live your best life and do not worry. Don’t worry be happy Here I was on a night walk with a young couple from Isreal. In Tortuguero a really fun couple from Barcelona. I saw birds and vipers, and spiders but my camera was quite lacking. The air was cool so my sweatshirt came in handy.
Beautiful final view of the cloud forest at breakfast and then we were picked up for the next destination: The pacific ocean and the Manual Antonio park. We were at a hotel where you could walk to the beach and the restaurant had a lovely view and the sound of the waves added to the ambiance. Andreana was my favorite waitress at this locale. I also swam in the ocean and their pool.

It is a very tough decision to decide what, out of all the truly wonderful things we did and saw, was the best, but I have to say it was the humpback whales! Zoila and I were picked up and taken to an office where we went out in the ocean waters and got on a boat to go out to see if we could possibly ee any view whales. And we did!! We saw a male, a female and her baby! Swimming together and surfacing near us then they would move away and surface a little ways out. We watched them for a very long time just transfixed with the sight – everyone yelling when we spyed them! Dylan our guide, was very informative about the whales, turtles, birds and the whole area.
Finally shopping at the marina in Quepos town prior to the transport back to San Jose to a totally modern hotel complete with room service. Then to the airport and home to Chicago. I wish everyone could experience the remarkable Costa Rica! Pura Vida!

We spent the first two weeks of August in Costa Rica. We organised the trip through the KimKim platform which connected us with Olman at the local Amazilia agency. Within a few hours of submitting our request, Olman provided a full program for our trip, across 14 days, 5 regions and 10+ activities. He also helped us with changing some of the hotels and experiences, based on the research we had done online. The KimKim platform was super easy to use, both in terms of the detailed information... read more

We spent the first two weeks of August in Costa Rica. We organised the trip through the KimKim platform which connected us with Olman at the local Amazilia agency. Within a few hours of submitting our request, Olman provided a full program for our trip, across 14 days, 5 regions and 10+ activities. He also helped us with changing some of the hotels and experiences, based on the research we had done online. The KimKim platform was super easy to use, both in terms of the detailed information of the trip, and a chat interface to communicate with the agency. Most of the activities booked were with high-end suppliers (there is a ton of choice for activities in Costa Rica, so it pays to have a local expert), with only one being sub-par (the trip to Irazu)

During the trip, Olman was there to help us at every inquiry, and was genuinely easy to work with and responsive within a couple of hours. There was a couple of miscommunication issues with the local activity suppliers, and they were resolved to our satisfaction both times.

One major area of improvement I suggest is for Olman / Amazilia to provide transparency regarding the activity supplier. In all cases, the supplier was listed as Amazilia, when in practice the activity was subcontracted to a local supplier. That meant we weren't able to research the activity supplier online (and choose a different one, as we did with hotels in some cases). It also meant that we couldn't identify the supplier in case there was a mixup, as there was such a case in the kayak tour in Tamarindo.

Overall, I would highly recommend the KimKim platform and Olman at the local Amazilia agency. We were able to organise a trip on very short notice (practically 2 weeks before), with local expert knowledge. Some transparency on the local activity suppliers used would have made it a 10/10.

I don’t usually use the word “amazing,” but my family and I recently returned from a two week trip in Costa Rica. From the beginning, Adriana and then Olman, were incredibly easy and accommodating to work with. This included having two young children go with us and later adding my parents to our already booked trip. As I said, the trip was two weeks and we went from Tortuguero to Arenal to Monte Verde to Playa Hermosa to San Jose. The trip that was put together for us allowed us to experience... read more

I don’t usually use the word “amazing,” but my family and I recently returned from a two week trip in Costa Rica. From the beginning, Adriana and then Olman, were incredibly easy and accommodating to work with. This included having two young children go with us and later adding my parents to our already booked trip. As I said, the trip was two weeks and we went from Tortuguero to Arenal to Monte Verde to Playa Hermosa to San Jose. The trip that was put together for us allowed us to experience different regions and wildlife in the country. Everyone we worked with, from the drivers that shuttled use from location-to-location to the guides on our excursions were so friendly and genuinely happy that people were visiting their country again. I cannot ever put into words how happy I am with our trip. If this is how KimKim organizes all their tours, we’ll definitely be using them for future travel plans.

Our trip to Costa Rica, planned by Olman and kimkim, was the definition of perfection. From our initial pick up at San José until our final drop off at the end of the week, the days went smoothly with zero effort from us. Our driver and companion for the entire week, Roy, made sure we arrived on time to our scheduled activities and had an endless supply of options for additional outings. He took the time to organize extra expeditions at our request. He also inquired about our food... read more

Our trip to Costa Rica, planned by Olman and kimkim, was the definition of perfection. From our initial pick up at San José until our final drop off at the end of the week, the days went smoothly with zero effort from us. Our driver and companion for the entire week, Roy, made sure we arrived on time to our scheduled activities and had an endless supply of options for additional outings. He took the time to organize extra expeditions at our request. He also inquired about our food preferences and helped us find wonderful, local restaurants for us in which to dine. Roy became like family to us and we would recommend his services to anyone desiring a driver/tour guide in Costa Rica. From his immaculate van to his tremendous knowledge of his culture, Roy made us feel comfortable and secure, even during the pandemic.
Olman included all of our requests for activities, from zip lining, a cooking class, kayaking in the Pacific Ocean to hiking the lava flow at Arenal, and created a wonderfully balanced week of enjoyment and learning . This trip with kimkim was the most perfect vacation!

Thank you to Olman for planning an amazing once in a lifetime experience for us in Costa Rica. All we had to say to Olman is that we wanted to experience volcanos, jungle, cloud forests, and beaches and he planned the most perfect itinerary for us – it was as though he read our minds.

Every activity, every pick-up and transfer, and every hotel booked ran exceptionally smoothly and always on time. Our guides were amazing and so knowledgeable. Olman was always available for any questions and... read more

Thank you to Olman for planning an amazing once in a lifetime experience for us in Costa Rica. All we had to say to Olman is that we wanted to experience volcanos, jungle, cloud forests, and beaches and he planned the most perfect itinerary for us – it was as though he read our minds.

Every activity, every pick-up and transfer, and every hotel booked ran exceptionally smoothly and always on time. Our guides were amazing and so knowledgeable. Olman was always available for any questions and his response time was quick.

We had the adventure we were looking for and all thanks to Olman. If you are wanting a memorable trip to Costa Rica then put your trust in Olman to take care of everything.

In terms of Costa Rica itself - wow what an awesome country! The different environments - rainforests, cloud forests, savanna, volcanos, etc. and the biodiversity that comes with it is unbelievable. The people of Costa Rica are wonderful - always friendly, helpful and smiling. As they say Pura Vida!