Testimonials of families who traveled with Luis Rodriguez
Jessica December 2023-January 2024
7 day Arenal Volcano & Monteverde Cloud Forest with eco-Plus lodging followed by beach time booked by family
We had a WONDERFUL time in CR, thank you so much. Luis was great, very informative, very helpful and very accommodating. We couldn’t have done it without you. You provide a great service. Everywhere was a highlight…I really couldn’t choose one but if I had to I’d probably say Tortuguero.
Whitewater rafting on the Rio Sarapiqui in the rainforest
Thanks, Jenny! We had a great trip and a really good experience with both Alice [babysitter] and Luis. Everything went smoothly – apart from our kids! – and we appreciate how well thought out all the details were.
And just a quick summary of a few of our trip highlights, as promised: hiking through the volcanic landscape around Arenal; touring the chocolate producer near La Fortuna (what an unexpectedly great and non-commercial-feeling tour!); relishing the dynamic views of the Nicoya Peninsula and local bird life from the Sunrise Room at Hotel Belmar; visiting the sloth sanctuary in Monteverde and
Keep Reading →Thank you! We had a wonderful holiday.
Some highlights included a waterfall in Guachipelin and the chocolate tour in Arenal. Both stand out, especially the chocolate tour, which is great with younger kids. We also really loved spending time with Luis and had a number of fun hikes with him in various locations. Luis also made it really easy to find places to eat. We learned a great deal from him about the areas we traveled to and the nature we observed.
Overall I will wholeheartedly recommend you to anybody looking to travel to CR with a family.
Keep Reading →It’s been really fantastic!
We had an amazing trip. We would go back in a heartbeat. Luis is AMAZING, we were so grateful for his guidance, knowledge and expertise. This trip to Costa Rica was such a special gift and a wonderful way to celebrate our 30 year wedding anniversary. Some of our highlights were: Luis, volcano, Cloud forest, wildlife everywhere, swimming in the waterfalls, zip lining, coffee and sugar cane plantation tour, canopy bridges, night hike, time at the ocean, kayaking in the mangroves, meeting people from all over the world, the people in Costa Rica are beautiful people and the opportunity
Keep Reading → />We had the two most wonderful weeks in Costa Rica. The whole family is just mesmerized by the beauty of our new favorite country. It would not have been the same without your excellent quick work on the organizing and booking side of the trip planning. Thank you so much.
Luis was the best! To travel with him as a guide just exceeded our expectations and elevated this trip to a fun,
Keep Reading →Our family trip to Costa Rica was a trip of a lifetime and we will never forget the memories that were made. What made our trip so rich and stress free was having Luis as our guide and naturalist. He taught us so much about Costa Rica’s amazing culture, wildlife and biodiversity. Luis took us on amazing hikes and pointed out monkeys, sloths, snakes, birds and insects which we would have never seen without him. It was so nice that he drove us to each destination and a relief to not to have to worry about directions. Luis was
Keep Reading →I wrote up some of my notes from the trip…Overall we had an amazing adventure and are serious about coming back again next March. I’ll be in touch!!
Hotel Buena Vista, Alajuela
Loved this hotel! It was a great place to start the trip. The people were so kind there and the food was excellent.
Tortuguero
I think this was our favorite location! (see photo above) Tortuga Lodge & Gardens was gorgeous and the accommodations were so nice. My only note with this property is the meals… 3 course lunches and dinners are time consuming and overall
Keep Reading →Our trip was amazing. We have so many pictures and stories, I don’t know where to start. We really enjoyed Luis‘ company. A couple days after he left us, my youngest (Zach -5) said “I miss Luis” – he never said that about anyone before.
Our personal highlights were:
Me: swimming in the river while feeding the fruit-eating “piranhas” during our raft tour in the rain forest near Sarapiqui; having monkeys throw figs at me in the Cahuita national park. Also, I brought a blacklight flashlight with me on a night walk with Luis and Xavier in Sarapiqui
Keep Reading →We had a fantastic trip! So glad we choose to go to Costa Rica
It was such a stress free trip since Jenny did all the planning and Luis made it so easy. He is great. We felt like we made a new friend. We kept our trip relatively simple – Rincon de la Vieja for 3 nights and 4 nights at samara. We spent a night on each end at a hotel in Liberia and we enjoyed it also. We spent one evening walking around Liberia, nice park and church.
Hacienda Guachipelin was beautiful, the adventure center, restaurant
Keep Reading →We had an absolutely wonderful time. We had so many fabulous experiences that it is hard to pick out highlights. The kids tell me their favorite activities were the zipline/pools experience we had near Arenal, the jungle cruise on the Sarapiqui, and the horseback ride we went on with Brigette’s horses in Cahuita. Finding animals and learning about plants and Costa Rican history, culture, and language from Luis really deepened our experience. We all enjoyed our time with Luis and my husband and I remarked on his tremendous professionalism, incredible knowledge, and fun, easy temperament. We just liked being
Keep Reading →We had a great time, and I can’t thank you enough for everything. Luis was a wonderful guide and we all learned so much. I have A LOT of thoughts on our experience and, with your permission, will dump them all here for you to take or leave as you will! I’ve been working in marketing a very long time so I can’t seem to prevent myself from weighing in when feedback is requested!
Overall experience:
Having a guide like Luis was so helpful – the minute we exited the airport we had a guy in our faces
Keep Reading →We are so very grateful for Jenny’s help in organizing our trip. Not only did she help us book everything and provide us with advice on everything from accommodations to site seeing and packing, she also patiently answered our questions each step of the way. When our departure was delayed at the last minute (by a full day) Jenny rearranged everything for us. Our guide Luis was also absolutely amazing. He ensured that we were comfortable each step of the way and guided us throughout our visit. It seemed there was not a question he did not know the
Keep Reading →We had a fantastic and memorable trip, and enjoyed each place we visited. Although we traveled comfortably, we felt like we got a sense of the real Costa Rica and not some generic resort version of the country. Luis was knowledgeable, personable, and patient, and his advice about activities and pacing was spot on. We especially appreciated the flexibility and ease that came having Louis, we could adjust based on weather and how the kids were holding up, and we didn’t have to argue about directions! The people of Costa Rica were so warm, friendly, and welcoming to tourists.
Keep Reading →“We couldn’t be happier with our Global Family Adventure experience. From the start, Jenny was quick to respond to any questions we had, as trivial as they may have been. She was thorough and knowledgeable and made planning this trip a cinch! The only thing I wish I had realized when picking three destinations for our 9 day trip was road conditions. When looking on a map, through the lenses of US roads, distances seemed short. But the 70 miles from La Fortuna to Monteverde actually takes 5 hours. I might have only gone with two destinations as half our
Keep Reading →We just returned home from the most amazing vacation! Everything was perfect. Thank you, Jenny, for the prompt responses to my numerous questions, for organising and booking our wonderful accommodations so quickly, and most of all, for pairing us with Luis.
Luis, this was our first experience with a private guide, and we could not have been luckier than to have had you to show us your beautiful country! From the moment you picked us up at the Hotel Aeropuerto until the day you dropped us off at the Playa Negra Guesthouse, all of us enjoyed every single moment. You
Keep Reading →We loved Costa Rica, and I see why you were so taken with the country years ago. It’s such a special place, since nature is right up in your face, and the people are so wonderful. My 8-year-old saw so many animals that he gave a presentation at school about them when he got home. They even picked up some Spanish. I think the kids were just as enchanted as we were.
We had a fantastic time with Luis. I found the entire trip so well-planned and we had a great time on the long drives, since Luis
Keep Reading →Just wanted to let you know that we are having a great time so far! We loved the Observatory and now we’re at Iris Arco and it’s gorgeous, and we are very happy to have healthy happy kitties and dogs to play with 🙂
Luis is so great, he’s been super friendly and I’ve loved all the wildlife he’s managed to find on our walks.
Keep Reading →
Thank you for a great trip – our guide Luis was fantastic and we had the best time. We will be back again! I couldn’t speak highly enough of him.
We also met Diego? I think – in Sarapiqui, who was out for lunch while his group were resting
Overall the pace of the trip and the way it went – beginning with Monteverde and ending with Tortuguero- was great.
Tortuguero boat rides with 3.5yr old was no challenge!
All the accomodation was great – even the most “rustic” – Andrea Cristina B&B in Sarapiqui – ended
Keep Reading →Some thoughts on our 8 days in Costa Rica…
Luis was amazing. He was a careful driver and managed well with our motion-sickness prone family. His van had wi-fi (which saved our 13-year old from social isolation), nice A/C, and plenty of room to relax and enjoy the view. He was an encyclopedia of knowledge about everything to do with Costa Rica–the wildlife, food, culture, history–and he conveyed the information in a way that was easy to understand and remember. He had a knack for being around when we needed him while also respecting our family time. We had
Keep Reading →We had a really nice trip! We loved the Volcano Observatory Lodge and Villas Kalimba and the first night at the airport hilton garden inn was perfect after a long flight – the breakfast was awesome and the pool was really nice for the kids before we hit the van for the long drive up to Arenal.
Luis was amazing!!! He was really personable and a safe driver – without him, we would not have seen half the wildlife we did at the Ecocentro Danus and the Hanging Bridges walk! I loved that he brought the scope and let
Keep Reading →We’re back, and thankful to you for organizing a wonderful trip. We all loved Santa Elena and Hotel Belmar, a true gem. Without doubt the ziplining in Selvatura was the highlight, our 5-year old grand daughter absolutely loved it, as did the adults. She also was delighted with the Herpetarium, looking for the frogs and snakes both during the day and in the evening (the little, and no so little, critters are incredibly well camouflaged, but Emme did an amazing job of finding them). We liked Morpho’s for dinner and the Orchid Cafe for lunch. I would not recommend the
Keep Reading →Dee and I enjoyed the trip very much and think Luis was a wonderful guide/driver. I really can’t think of anything to suggest to have improved our experience.
You arranged a wonderful “cooks tour” of central and coastal CR and we just loved it! There were so many highlights I hardy know where to start. We left a snowy, cold monochromatic world to fly to a place of magic, color, and burgeoning life. It started and stopped at the Buena Vista which was luxurious and relaxing [with the tiny exception of the chronically barking dog just over the fence — but we have one of those here!].
Much as I loved the country, the bulk of my praise must go to Luis [guide] and David [driver]. Luis
Keep Reading →We had a fabulous time in Costa Rica, and that’s saying something because I am a pretty anxious traveler. Not only was the planning and execution positively flawless and the accommodations distinct and unique and just perfect, Luis was a dream. Like literally, there was not one thing about him we would change. It takes a truly gifted person to be willing and able to sit in the car and hang out for days with a family and all its dynamics and just seamlessly fit in, like he’d always been there. He is so down-to-earth and knowledgeable about everything
Keep Reading →Thanks Jenny! We did end up taking nature air from Limon to SJO and taxi to peace lodge-$60 for taxi (less than peace lodge transport). It was well worth the extra money and getting up early. The drive out to Cahuita was very long!
The Peace Lodge room was incredible, the kids really enjoyed the animals. It was too zoo like for me. I felt like a captive there with high prices for everything. I compare it to Disney! I just wanted typical casados for dinner instead of fancy dinners. But at this point we were low on cash
First off, we loved it!!! We really enjoyed feeling like we saw a good portion of the country. The outdoor landscape with the mountains and beaches was fabulous. We spent as much time as possible outdoors and really loved every minute.
Hotel Aeropuerto: Loved this hotel! Looking back, it was funny how our first day there we were so excited to see “all of the” birds and wildlife. Staff was wonderful to deal with (we did so many 3 separate visits!) and very accommodating. Special thanks to Luis of HA for assisting us with taxis, directions and room accommodations.
Next
Keep Reading →Wow, what a great trip! Everything went so smoothly and we truly had a blast!!! Luis was a wonderful addition. We were lucky to have him on our trip. We would never have been able to see or do as much if he wasn’t there. Thanks for such a beautiful and memorable trip!!!
Some highlights/comments:
San Jose
· Buena Vista hotel was great! We had a small room for the first night & a larger one on the last night. I would definitely recommend booking a family of four in the larger room. We really enjoyed it! The restaurant
Keep Reading →Some feedback from Global Family’s first family from Norway:
1. Your service and how you responded my requests were well beyond
expectations! Your information both on your web-site and the e-mails you
have sent have been very detailed and informative.
2. I liked the flexibility in choosing both destinations and types of
accommodation.
3. We were very pleased with our guide Luis.
4. Monteverde and Arenal great places. 3 + 2 days perfect. The coffee farm
(El Trapiche) guided tour was really interesting, also for our daughter.
4. Sarapiqui
We had a wonderful vacation. Luis was so professional and clearly loves what he does. We learned so much about the plants and animals we saw from him, and he was extremely patient with our unruly crew. The accommodations were lovely, as well, at all our destinations. For us, Playa Negra [Guesthouse] was a dream because it was safe and easy with a toddler and had a pool, the beach and everything we wanted within a short walk. After some more ambitious exploration in the pouring rain, those couple of days at the end were paradise!
Keep Reading →Our highlights were:
The home visit in Sarapiqui was really great [booked through Selva Verde lodge]. We visited a family with a 7yo child- our kids didn’t want to leave after a nearly 2hr visit! We saw their animals and crops- so in this case, it was more of a home visit (which was what we wanted) than a farm visit. I would highly recommend it- especially if you can specify visiting
Keep Reading →Luis was an excellent guide, both friendly and professional. We loved where we stayed, and the numerous hikes through the forests were wonderful. Even our 5-year-old kept up during those hikes.”
A veritable wealth of knowledge of plants, animals, birds, history, geography, geology, current events, etc. and all in the most incredible detail! He was always very professional, friendly, and reliable. All of his recommendations for meals, activities, times, etc. were right on the mark.
Ok, highlights–we all LOVED the waterfall rappel/canyoning half-day trip (pricey at $85 or 90 per person w/lunch included, but well worth it, and guides were great) with Defasio outfitters in Arenal, and the ziplining canopy tour (13 ziplines, $45 per person) at Selvatura in Monteverde. I, who am
Keep Reading →All went well. We loved Luis [guide] and would highly recommend him and our driver Victor was great as well. We felt like they were family by the end of the trip… Anyway keep using Luis he was great, attentive, good with the kids and very knowledgable about all things Costa Rica. ~ Patty
We had a wonderful time! Couldn’t ask for better guides in Luis and Victor!!! Will write in detail when we get home and settled. We are actually just getting in to Miami. Thank you for helping us plan a once
Keep Reading →We had never traveled with a guide before and were not quite sure about the protocol and what to expect. 😉 Luis was very happy to honor our requests about what we wanted to do or guide us in a better direction without having his own agenda and was completely accessible to us.
Since I received your email, I have been thinking of what I could tell you about ways your service could be improved, and I truly have not been able to think of
Keep Reading →Luis was a great guide and the guys had a good time with him. They loved ziplining in Monteverde at the frog farm and Cahuita was very neat. We also tried the Monteverde Train-my guys loved it but it was a little pricey (we knew going into it) and we were surprised at how few kids were on it. There was only one other kid and mostly seniors so if my guys weren’t such train nuts we probably wouldn’t do that one.
We loved the house in Cahuita and I would
Keep Reading →Everything went so smoothly which is more than you can ask when traveling with a two year old! Luis was great. We were impressed by his depth of knowledge and his own obvious enthusiasm for birds and other creatures. He was very patient and had a good idea of what a toddler was capable of. Your list for packing was also very helpful.
Luis was amazing. He was patient and passionate about showing us all Costa Rica has to offer. We loved the balance of our trip- it was great to start “off the grid” in Sarapiqui. Tirimbina had tons of wildlife, none of which we would have spotted without Luis.
Our kids kept journals and logged something like 54 different types of animals we saw in about 5 days. Tremendous experience that would not have been as great without Luis. He helped us not only navigate the jungles, but also the necessary bathroom stops on the
Keep Reading →So many highlights! The first day of the tour we did Poas and then La Paz before heading to La Quinta. The second day we did a boat ride with just our family – it was great having the boat to ourselves – with someone that Luis [guide] recommended, lunch in town, some swimming for the older girls (6, 4 yrs) while the youngest (2 yrs) napped, then the chocolate tour. We ended that day with an evening tour of the La Quinta grounds with Luis, finding frogs, etc.
Keep Reading →Luis is a wonderful guide, driver and photographer and showed and explained us all the plants, insects and animals. Definitely to be recommended! We were very happy with his service.”
Luis [guide] was good in every sense. On time, polite, worked with the requests of our kids, us, and my parents, treated our bags well. He was friendly to both our kids. His car was clean, comfortable, and safe, and he tied in our car seats very well. He knew everything we asked about and made real efforts to show as much as he could to us. A very good ambassador for CR.”
The itinerary worked well for us and Luis was a wonderful guide. Highlights for us were: seeing Arenal laval flow at night, boat ride in Sarapiqui, zip-line in Monteverde (my husband’s fave) and flashlight frog tag at Alex’s inn (Andrea Cristina B&B). The boys had a lot of fun finding all the frogs/toads in the dark.”