Kimkim Trip Reviews

Caroline was an excellent travel planning advisor for our recent trip to Switzerland! She listened to our requests and helped us customize an amazing experience for our family that took into account our unique requests and included many of the beautiful highlights in Switzerland. She helped us get all of the hotel and tickets that we needed and explained clearly how we would use them. When we decided we wanted to depart from Milan, she helped us make that happen too. She was flexible and easy to get in touch with, even during our trip when we had questions. Everything went so smoothly! Overall it was a wonderful trip. Thank you Caroline!

It was great to encounter Ramiro, our driver several times throughout our trip. Ismerelda was also very personable and knowledgeable. Our drivers, transfers, flights, trains and buses all were on schedule all the time. The guides were very helpful when our spanish just wasn't doing the job. All of the hotels were chosen carefully, and all delivered except one. But making the move to another hotel was fairly seamless, again with the help of our driver and guide. We learned a lot from this trip, and will plan better for our next one. I would not hesitate to use Kimkim again.

Hotel Reviews

Quinta San Blas by Ananay Hotels

Cusco

This is a nice hotel if you're looking for absolutely no frills. We only stayed one night of three. The staff is nice, and place is clean, and the bed was comfy. But we had a lot of down time during these days and no where to go. There is no lobby, the courtyard is outdoors in open air with no place to sit and relax. It's downright cold when the sun goes down, so you have to be in your room to stay warm. The room itself only has a small window looking out into the courtyard, so your view is a wall. We felt too enclosed to spend three nights here. The breakfast was nice, with enough selections to give us variety, but the lack of spaces was a turnoff for us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

the place was clean, the comfort was missing.

Tierra Viva Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

this was a very nice and clean hotel in a great location. We only had a very short time here, but the staff was very accommodating, and spoke great english. The breakfast buffet is nothing awesome, but had plenty of selections to fill your belly before treking to Machu Pichu. The bed was quite comfortable also.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Las Qolqas EcoResort Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo

Another gem in the middle of nowhere! Our tent, # 3, probably has the best views of the mountains of any of the tents. While the dinner menu is not extensive, the selections were more than generous portions, and tasty. The service was quick and efficient. We had a fire in our fireplace every night and all we had to ask for them to come start it. The grounds are filled with flora of all kinds in bloom, and very nicely kept.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Second Home

Barranco, Lima

What a gem! Walking distance to the beach, restaurants, etc... The grounds are gorgeous with views of the ocean, and a number of different places to sit and relax, or have breakfast. The staff was very friendly. The rooms were more than adequate. It's a shame we couldn't stay longer!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Scenic Train Journey to Aguas Calientes from the Sacred Valley

Peru

This is a beautiful journey. The train was very comfortable, and on time. We had purchased tickets in advance, which is really the only way to go. Otherwise, the lines are long as the crowds are everywhere.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lunch at Mountainview

Peru

Lots of confusion about our reservation when we arrived here. Our driver not only didn't speak english, he also didn't understand our spanish well. After going through several management, no one could determine why we were there, but since I could prove we had prepaid, they let us order off our special menu. The food was awesome! The llamas wandering throughout the dining room only added to the ambiance! The views are also incredible from here.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering the Treasures of Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

We got our tickets for Circuit 2 a year in advance, and it was well worth the wait! We had an amazing guide (Rolly, aka Roy) throughout the ruins, and even with the number of people there, he kept our pace at one that allowed us to enjoy the views without the crowds. He was also a decent photographer.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pachamanca Lunch at El Albergue Farm in Ollantaytambo

Peru

This was an incredible experience! It was awesome to see how everything was done, and the food was really good, and plentiful. The only complaint was we had special ordered the cuy for our lunch, and that message never reached the right person. I would definitely make time in your trip for this. Our driver dropped us off at the top of the hill where train tickets are sold, and we were told the Farm is next door, but that was not the case. So we spent some time trying to figure out where to go asking in our broken spanish! We eventually figured it out.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly to Cusco, and transfer to the Sacred Valley

Peru

Driver was on time for pick up, the flight was uneventful. The drive to our hotel was very long....2 hours on bumpy roads. We realize we are traveling, but it was a very long day to get to our final destination.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Cusco Tour

Peru

Our driver and tour guide were great. The tour went longer than planned, and was a bit overwhelming at the end of a busy week, but that was not their fault. We saw some cool places and learned some new things about the area, so that was nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful weeklong trip to Annecy and Chamonix thanks to Amandine. After spending two weeks in Paris I wanted to go to a beautiful place away from the city and the crowds where my family (myself, husband, and two kids ages 12 and 10) could go hiking and do other outdoor activites, but I was overwhelmed thinking about planning this trip myself. After staying in airbnbs and doing all the research myself for many years I took a leap of faith and put my trust in Amandine and she did not disappoint. She was friendly, professional, responsive, and efficient with making revisions. She selected ideal destinations, arranged TGV tickets (including a surprise upgrade to first-class), found mid-range hotels with clean, comfortable rooms that had beds for each kid and nice breakfasts, arranged transparent kayak rentals, bike rentals, and gondola tickets, scheduled a hiking guide (Quentin was amazing) and two drivers, and recommended restaurants. I felt a genuine connection with her and the extra money was well-spent. I wouldn't hesitate to ask her for help planning another trip to France.

Everything was great and stress free. Would absolutely work with Mathia again if we come back to Norway in the future, which we intend to do. Accommodations were good, transportation was easy. Could not have gone better.

Hotel Reviews

Heimen Hotel

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vestlia Resort

Geilo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Terminus

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Finnabotn RIB Tour

Balestrand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Train to Flåm -> Ferry to Balestrand

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thanks kimkim for another amazing adventure! Petru made planning our Zambian safari/honeymoon extremely simple. She was there every step of the way and answered all of our questions promptly. We especially enjoyed our safari activities with Green Safaris. They were outstanding hosts and made our trip incredibly memorable. Thanks to all our guides: Cristobel, Albert, Jakob, Frazier, Moses, and Luke. We got to see so much of the Zambian flora and fauna thanks to all of these wonderful guides. All of the accommodations were incredible. It was so cool to be staying out in nature, listening to the sound of hippos eating at night and lions roaming the plains.

Hotel Reviews

Avani Victoria Falls Resort

Mosi-oa-Tunya Road, Livingstone 20100

Within walking distance of Victoria Falls, and having free admission. This was by far the best part of the resort. The pool was nice and having animals wander nearby was incredible. It did feel a bit more commercialized than some of the other camps but otherwise was a very enjoyable hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Baines' River Camp

Lower Zambezi Valley

This was a great camp. The food an accommodations were top of the line. The only downside, and this is minor, is that the camp is located so far outside of the National Park. The boat ride to the park was always enjoyable but it felt more dethatched than some of the other places we stayed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chisa Busanga Camp

Lusaka

This was an amazing camp. The nests were one of a kind and incredibly unique. We really enjoyed having dinner with the other guests each night. The authentic Zambian meal was one of our favorites too, thanks for sharing a bit of your culture with us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shawa Luangwa Camp

Lusaka

Simply amazing! Our first ever safari camp. Situated right along the river, where hippos would wander for snacks at night directly beneath our tent. We thoroughly enjoyed the accommodations. Melania did a great job taking care of us each and every day. The food was fantastic and we definitely ate too much.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

City Lodge Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport

Convenient walk from the airport terminal. Perfect place to stay for an overnight layover. The breakfast is served early and was delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Safari activities in the Kafue National Park

Kafue

Wow! We had so much fun at Kafue. The wide open plains and plentiful lions, antelope, and even a few cheetahs...memories that will stick with us for a lifetime.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thanks so much to Frazier for making this safari so enjoyable.

Transport

We especially liked the electric vehicle to get a bit closer to the wildlife.

Our trip to Iceland was amazing and we could not have done it without our local specialist, Guðmundur Óli. The detailed itinerary was beyond our expectations and he had us visit so many natural attractions that we would have never known about. Each day was planned and every stop was already loaded into the GPS for us. We stayed at a different hotel every day in a new city and he was sure to recommend restaurants in every city. Thank you for a great and unforgettable trip!

We cannot say enough about the service Sara and KimKim provided in making a bucket list 2-week trip to Germany come true. Over several iterations and many location changes, Sara provided timely and helpful advice and a full range of options. Once we got our itinerary finalized, she was super prompt to assemble the details. We are very happy we upgraded our hotel selections from our original plan, thanks to her assistance. The trip planning was almost perfect, minus one challenge related to a car rental office not being open. (Not KimKim's fault!) This is our second trip with KimKim, and we are true believers. Thank you, and until next time!

Hotel Reviews

The Niu Leo

Nuremberg

Modern, somewhat sterile hotel, just like you would see in any big city. Their food service was very good, and not very pricey!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ruchti - Zeit für mich

Füssen

This lodge is located in a beautiful, scenic and peaceful neighborhood only 10 minutes walk from the Fussen old town and commercial hub. It is like being in a park! This is a quaint, cozy hotel, with interesting furnishings and a fun lounge and well-staffed, excellent restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Living Hotel Das Viktualienmarkt

Munich

We were thrilled with the scenic location across the street from the market and 5 minutes walk to the Marienplatz. Also the neighborhood Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt adjacent to the hotel was fun to explore. The staff is cordial and professional and always met our needs promptly. The room was refreshed every morning, and the bathroom was spacious and well appointed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Can't get much better than across street from Viktualienmarkt

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

ClapClap Hôtel

Strasbourg

Our room was not clean, and the common areas are a bit run down. There is no air conditioning and our room was situated in a location without much circulation. The bathroom is tiny. On the upside, it is super easy to walk into the old town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Deutscher Hof

Trier

Very convenient and comfortable lodging, within easy walk into the main plazas and sights of Trier. We had a rental car, so the easy access to parking was perfect and unexpected! The hotel looks classy, beds were very comfortable, and the showers worked above average. Was not thrilled with not having air conditioning on a 35 degree day, but we slept OK because there was a breeze.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Trierer Hof

Koblenz

Roomy and comfortable. This part of Koblenz is a bit boring, but it is easy to get to the tourist sights and transportation hub.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Pension Winzerhaus

Bacharach

Stefan made us feel extremely welcome. He and his wife are wonderful people! The room was quite simple and spare, which was fine with us since it is located very conveniently and the hosts were so nice. They provided an excellent quality breakfast as well. Bacharach is a dreamy little town to explore.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Frankfurt Museumsufer

Frankfurt

Spacious and spotless! We were amazed at the high quality of this hotel, and its central location in Frankfurt. Will stay there again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

5 min walk from train station!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanest hotel I have ever seen!

Activity Reviews

🏰 Neuschwanstein Castle Skip-the-Line Tour – A Smooth Visit to Bavaria’s Iconic Castle

Germany

Steven did an admirable job guiding us to and through the castle given the circumstances. There was a big thunderstorm so we gathered and walked up to the castle in a gusty downpour. Everyone was soaked! It was interesting that he was not able to get us into the castle in our given timeframe, so we stood around outside for 30 minutes. The castle is astonishing, but you are rushed through it and so it's hard to truly savor the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided City Centre History & Architecture Walk

Strasbourg

Gustave gave us a very heartfelt, entertaining walking tour of the old and new sectors of Strasbourg. He did a super job giving us the historical context of this region's people and its social complexity. And he was very funny!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My grandson and I had a wonderful time throughout the entire trip to Australia. Thanks to the Kimkim team for all your assistance but most importantly, to Jeab. She was absolutely wonderful. Attentive through out 18 days, she checked in almost daily. As with any trip, there are hiccups and her assistance throughout was outstanding! Thanks Jeab and to the Kimkim team for making this a memorable event in our lives

Noga was so excellent from the planning phase to the implementation of our plans and the guidance of our day to day itinerary. We loved that we visited out of the way places as well as the popular "must sees". The timings suggested on our itinerary worked out perfectly. We appreciated that kimkim was available during the trip whenever we needed help. The ride to and fjord views at Hvammsvik hot springs was awesome. It is worth going to see the puffins at Storhofdi lookout on Heimaey of Westman Islands. Would recommend the glacier lagoon kayaking at Solheimajokull. Had so many memorable moments in dramatic Iceland!!

My husband and I just returned from our trip to Japan and have said multiple times how absolutely perfect it was. I am so glad we worked with Elizabeth and KimKim on this bucket list trip. They connected us with world class tour guides and interpreters - I keep telling people that we may return to Japan just to visit Naoko. She was our tour guide for two days in Kyoto and one in Osaka. Not only was she incredibly knowledgeable about past and present Japan, but she was adaptable, thoughtful and full of recommendations for places to eat, see, shop, etc. In addition to her tours, the other highlights for us were our private kyudo and iaido lessons in Kanazawa - both brought me to tears because they were so meaningful and our teachers were so genuine as they shared their culture and history with us. It sounds like a lot of people don't choose those experiences, so I cannot recommend them enough for a traveler looking to feel immersed in the culture on their visit. Another experience we will treasure forever is our dinner with a geisha (geiko) in Kyoto. I do not have the words to describe that evening and do it justice so just trust me, ask Elizabeth to schedule this for you if you can! What an absolute privilege it was to have that experience. I also loved our Kanazawa market tour with Selda and our Nishiki market tour with Leandra and would not hesitate to recommend both experiences! Finally, Elizabeth and her colleagues were so easy to work with via WhatsApp on the trip and even sent us videos to help us navigate the train stations. Japan has been my husband's bucket list trip and again, I am so glad we connected with Elizabeth through KimKim to plan the most perfect trip. We will remember our time in Japan forever!

Hotel Reviews

Kanazawa Sainoniwa Hotel

We loved Kanazawa Sainoniwa Hotel!!! Our room was great, the food was top notch (I will dream about that breakfast forever!), the staff was so kind and helpful, and you can't beat the access to the public onsen.

Authenticity & Character

Location

I gave it a 4/5 because you do need to take a taxi to and from town, but it's very easy so I wouldn't hesitate to stay here again.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Courtyard by Marriott Tokyo Station

Tokyo

We had a quick overnight in Tokyo and chose this hotel based mostly on location. It has all the standard amenities you might need, including a fantastic breakfast, but it's real value is in the location. I'd stay here again if we needed a home base in Tokyo near Tokyo Station.

Authenticity & Character

This was a Marriott and it felt like a Marriott - which was fine! We had other accommodations in Japan with more character but since we only had one quick night in Tokyo, this worked out perfect for the location.

Location

Very close to Tokyo Station and walking distance to Ginza and other Tokyo locations. Great spot!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kanazawa Samurai Diary (Budo) & Samurai Iaido Experience

Kanazawa

We ended up splitting the activities so we did kyudo one afternoon and iaido the next day. Both were absolute privileges to be part of and I can not recommend them enough. It was a really special way to feel immersed in the history and culture of Japan as our teachers walked us through the steps that have been practiced for hundreds of years. I honestly was moved to tears at both experiences and am so grateful of the time and energy given by our teachers. These were very special experiences.

Quality of Experience

Both of our experiences were incredibly authentic - in a way above and beyond anything I could have ever expected.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our translator was amazing!!!

Dinner with Maiko in a Traditional Kyoto Style Restaurant Tour

Kyoto

It is very hard to write this review because it's hard to really explain how special this dinner was. We ended up having dinner with a geiko (the Kyoto term for geisha) and it was an experience I will treasure forever. Few get the opportunity to dine with a maiko or geiko so I would encourage anyone who can do so to make sure to prioritize this as they plan their trip to Japan. It was such an interesting way to immerse ourselves in the history and culture of the area - plus the food was delicious! I cannot recommend this enough.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She was fantastic! It felt like having dinner with a friend and she did a great job introducing us to the geiko.

The 10 Tastings of Kanazawa: Street Food

Kanazawa

Selda was an incredible guide on this trip! She encouraged us to try foods we were initially hesitant about and I am so glad she was with us as we explored the market. I discovered many foods that I wouldn't have without her, and I loved learning more about the history of Kanazawa and how it's fish market has impacted the history there. From the freshest fruit, to the juiciest steak, to the largest oysters and freshest sushi.....what an amazing way to spend an afternoon in Japan!

Quality of Experience

Selda really made this experience so special. Anyone can visit Kanazawa market, but being there with her meant we got to experience what the locals enjoy.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Selda was such a warm and funny guide. It felt like exploring the market with a good friend.

Nishiki Market Food Experience

Kyoto

We absolutely loved our food tour at the Nishiki market! Without Leandra's tour, I doubt we would have tried half of the food that we did - she encouraged us to try foods that looked different than something I might chose myself (and I loved them!), and she did a great job explaining how each food fits into the culinary life of a Kyoto resident. I also appreciated that the food included all sorts of things like sweet, savory, meat, pastries, seafood, tempura, etc. She did a great job introducing to foods that looked a bit intimidating and she also gave us some great recommendations for the rest of our time in Kyoto!

Quality of Experience

She did a great job introducing us to food that looked intimidating to this westerner! I loved everything we tried and I also enjoyed learning more about the history of the market itself in addition to the culinary history of each booth/storefront.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Leandra was absolutely fantastic! I highly recommend booking a food tour with her!

Chris was absolutely amazing and set up the trip of a lifetime for us! I would definitely use kimkim again!!!

Hotel Reviews

Elena Hotel Mykonos

Mykonos

Very pretty hotel! Be prepared to carry your luggage up and down a steep hill.

Authenticity & Character

The private terrace off our room.

Location

Short walk to the harbor from the hotel. Be sure to use your GPS to navigate the windy alleys. It is easy to get turned around here.

Staff

Very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean.

Princess Mare Hotel

Naxos

This a beautiful hotel but not close to the city center. Requires transportation to and from the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Pretty location but not within walking distance to the city.

Staff

The staff was very pleasant and helped arrange transportation to and from the city.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was very clean.

Hotel Keti

Santorini

This hotel was amazing!! Spectacular views overlooking the old harbor.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful hotel and amenities. We had a terrace off our room with beautiful views. The sunsets were gorgeous!

Location

It is centrally located in Fira.

Staff

So lovely and polite and extremely helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was very clean.

DOM Boutique Hotel

Heraklion

Good location and easy to explore Heraklion.

Samaria Hotel

Chania Town

Great location which allowed us to explore Chania on foot and really see the city.

Achilleas Hotel

Athens

Great location. It was easy to navigate the city on foot.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was centrally located and so easy to explore Athens on foot.

Staff

They were all very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room and bathroom were very clean.

Activity Reviews

Naxos Wine & Mythology Sunset Tour

Naxos

This was one of my favorite experiences. Our guide was amazing and the food and wine tasting was really fun!!

Quality of Experience

The wine and food tasting was really fun!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was really nice and knowledgable.

Transport

We walked and saw a lot of the island.

Pathways & picnics

Mykonos

We traveled from Naxos to Mykonos and our ferry was over half an hour late departing Naxos. We arrived on Mykonos late and missed our tour by 10 minutes. Our tour coordinator on Mykonos refused to drop a pin or give us directions on how to meet up with the group. She said it would be impossible for us to find them because of the windy alleys of Mykonos. Even when our desk clerk at the hotel offered to bring us she refused. To make matters worse she refused to refund our money and marked us down as no-shows. She did send a driver to take us to another area but hardly anything was open and there wasn't much to see. I didn't understand why if she was able to send a driver to take us to see another area why she wasn't able to allow us to join the group. Very disappointing!!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Labyrinth: The Legendary Palace of Knossos & Myths from Heraklion

Heraklion

We had a private tour and our guide was fantastic! He was very knowledgable and we had a great discussion and learned a lot!!

Quality of Experience

Walking the ruins of Knossos. It was amazing to soak up the history of this site.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was amazing!

Transport

Delos & Rhenia Morning Sailing Yacht Cruise

Mykonos

I am a fan of day sailing trips. They are a great way to see the island from the water and experience the beautiful Aegean Sea!

Quality of Experience

The areas where we stopped to snorkel and swim.

Food

Great food!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Super friendly and fun!

Transport

Gems Morning Caldera Cruise

Santorini

Really fun day spent on the water! The crew was so friendly and we had a great group of people on board.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful area to sightsee.

Food

Wonderful!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The crew was amazing and so friendly! They served an amazing lunch!

Transport

Sunset Cheers & Dine

Santorini

Very fun and the views were beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naxos Day Cruise

Naxos

This was a great way to spend the day soaking up the island views!

Quality of Experience

The crew was so friendly and fun and waited on us hand and foot!

Food

The crew cooked for us and it was delicious!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The 7 Villages of Apokoronas Tour

Greece

This was a fun day spent driving the island of Crete and exploring seven picturesque villages.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Acropolis Guided Tour

Athens

Our guide picked us up at our hotel and shared a bit about the history of Athens on our walk up to the Acropolis. The tour was fantastic and she was very knowledgable! After the tour she gave us suggestions of what to do to explore the city.

Quality of Experience

The history and story of the Acropolis were amazing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was fantastic.

Transport

We walked to the Acropolis from our hotel and got a mini tour of the city on the way.

Alex and Kim brought our vision to life. Our family has been wanting to visit Ireland for years and we finally did it and it’s a trio for the books. Alex listened to what we needed and preferred as a family and Kim’s coordination it came together great! The tours, the hotels, the food recommendations and quick responses to questions, it was lovely.

Arenal was amazing. Hotel Lavas Tacotal was in a beautiful setting with all the tropical plants and flowers. We saw some interesting birds on our birding walk but were pretty far away so photography was not optimal. We enjoyed our walk in the hanging gardens. It was raining in an am and in the afternoon it looked to stop so ventured out to La Fortuna waterfall. We’ve seen lots of waterfalls so we were so surprised about the amount of water in this one. We were awestruck. Phenomenal and we got the senior price discount. The hot springs were OK. More developed than we thought. We have been in natural hotsprings and developed hotsprings in the western US so not unique. Dinner was mediocre.
Manuel Antonio. The views from our hotel balcony was a highlight. Great choice. Our guide, Jeremy, in Manuel Antonio NP was the best. Amazing eyesight. Spotted so many animals for us. Impeccable English and so kind. I don’t think we would have seen anything by ourselves. After seeing forecasts of rain and more rain, none of our activities were impacted by rain.
The car was great and driving not too bad. A self guided trip planned by Yuliana at KimKim was special.

Hotel Review

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

The view of the ocean from the balcony of our room was beautiful.and relaxing. The staff was helpful. The room was clean and spacious. We would stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

Spanish style.

Location

View from balcony and eating area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable large room.

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Fabulous guide with Jeremy. Saw such a variety of wildlife spotted by him. Impeccable le English and kind. Made sure everyone had the opportunity to view the animal.

Quality of Experience

Jeremy

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver got us there and back and prepared juice and fruit for afterwards.

Transport

See anove

Birdwatching at Arenal Mundo Aventura Natural Park

Arenal/La Fortuna

Nomey was great. The birds just weren’t close for good photos. Had we known photos could be taken by our iPhones with the scope we would have lasting memories. She sent me a list of birds we saw that was appreciated.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Noamy ‘s knowledge. Drivers on time.

Transport

On time and comfortable ride.

We had a wonderful multi-country trip through Vietnam and Thailand, thoughtfully organized by Hien. It struck a great balance between culture, food, nature, and adventure — from food tours in Hanoi and Bangkok, to trekking in northern Vietnam, beach time in Thailand, and visits to temples and pagodas along the way. As a family looking for an active holiday with a lot of variety, it was exactly what we wanted.

During planning, Hien took real time to understand our preferences — the type of activities, accommodation style, and what would work well for our family — and was consistently responsive throughout. It was also a lovely touch to be able to meet up in person during the trip itself.

On the ground, everything ran smoothly: drivers were punctual, guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and they took very good care of us. The agency stayed in touch during the trip to check that everything was going well, and even arranged a birthday surprise for one of us!

So, yes, we'd highly recommend this agency to families or anyone looking for a well-organized, activity-rich trip through Southeast Asia, and we'll definitely reach out again if we return to the region.

Our trip to Spain was amazing, 19 months of planing with KimKim. This was the 2nd time using them, and would definitely use 7 refer them. From Seville, Madrid, Costa Brava to Barcelona and all the other excursions kayaking, wine tasting, royal palace taps stroll etc. All amazing. But there was a couple of bumps in the road which was not really a big deal. But I did I feel like Alfonso was more of pointing the issues at others, rather than understanding the issue. Or just take accountability.
*1st issue was every stop from destination to destination we had a private transfer from hotel to train station or vice versa. Except when leaving Madrid, we were required to take a taxi to the train station. Private transfer should have been included, and I will never be convinced it shouldn't have been. When asked about this, Alfonso immediately referenced a conversation we had in the trip chat about taxis. But that was in regards to taking taxis to our excursions(Costa Brava) not back to a train station
*2nd issue was at some point our train time changed leaving Madrid to Costa Brava back in May. But we were never notified, and we never noticed either. Originally scheduled to leave at 10:30 and arrive 13:15. New time was 12:27 and arrive 16:35. Not that big of deal, but what was never mentioned once was that it was an 1:15min ride to the hotel. So what originally was a day we thought we would be at the Hotel by at least 14:00, didn't arrive until almost 18:30. In addition to the time changes our train tickets had incorrect train # on it. Thankfully Renfe held the train for 20min to get us seats on the train
*3rd issue was not having clear instructions at the Sagrada Familia. Had instructions to meet for a guided tour at 17:00 at a certain point, we waited and waited. But eventually we didn't know who we were actually waiting for so we went inside. Where we waited there's hundreds of people, different tours with different groups, colored flags etc. Again this wasn't really a big deal for us, but when asked Alfonso seemed very frustrated with us, as if we were just asking to much. We just didn't know, we followed the specific instructions and just waited at the meeting. But didn't know who we were meeting.
*4th issue was Alfonso creating a WhatsApp group thread for communicating, and not actually including me. The group consisted of him, his associate and my wife Paula. This I didn't understand, as I just spent 19months planing this trip with him, and he set up this group chat without me. Wasn't until the 2nd to last day I was added to the chat. Again small issue, I just didn't understand why.
In summary our trip was amazing!! I spent 19 months planing this with Alfonso and everything he put together was amazing from top to bottom, the hotels, excursions food etc. Although I do know Alfonso was dealing with a family matter, and I hope everything is ok. My father passed away this past January, it was a very difficult time. With that said I feel Alfonso did a great job with everything, nothing is ever perfect. Would still give 4-4.5 stars. There was just a couple of things where the instructions weren't clear to us, and when we reached out. We sensed some frustration from Alfonso towards us. We've now been home for 12days, and I thought its very unusual for a traveler agent that you worked with for 19 months, and hasn't even reached out asking how the trip was. Or ask for a review? So I came on to check, and only saw the KimKim reply. Either way can't wait to plan the next trip

Activity Reviews

Cruise Seville's Río Guadalquivir

Seville

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit to La Sagrada Família & Tower

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Visit to Seville’s Cathedral & Alcázar

Seville

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Evening Tapas Stroll with Locals

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tapas Walk in Barcelona

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kayaking & Snorkeling in Costa Brava

Spain

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private City Walk & Royal Palace Experience

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Wine Experience

Spain

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I will start by saying I loved Japan. The itinerary was based on a trip another kimkim representative – who had left kimkim – had put together but was still on your web site, and that trip really appealed to us. What we did do was a nice mixture of cultural things (shrines, temples, even riding the subway) and food-oriented activities – sushi making class, ramen making class, sake tasting, street food tour, sushi and waygu beef tasting, etc. This is a nice way to get to see Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka in a relatively short time. I now have a better idea of what we can do ourselves in terms of getting around, and what we need help with.

Our tour guide in Tokyo was one of the best we have ever had anywhere. I mean it. She was super!!!! Not only did she know a great deal about Japanese history and culture, but even while we were waiting for things, she would explain things – like bowing, etc. She also gave us tips about keeping cool - -5 degree neck towels, using a small fan, using a spray to cool us down. These are ‘forever” tips, and I just shared them with our daughter who is heading to Italy.

Our guide in Kyoto and Osaka was fine and extremely nice, but she did not have a depth of knowledge – particularly about food – and I believe her English was not quite strong enough. She was adaptable, however, and found us a place to buy knives and other things we asked about. So overall I thought she did a good job. Thus, we found her very responsive and helpful, despite the bit of English problem. And since I was in Japan without being able to speak more than a modicum of Japanese, one can hardly complain!

My main concern is with communication problems with our main travel agent Eleanor. We found it impossible to get detailed itineraries in advance. We waited for a very long time to get picked up in the Tokyo airport. We did not see anyone with a sign when we left baggage claim, and walked outside. We kept asking where the driver was, but couldn’t seem to get an answer. I felt very bad for him, and I still have absolutely no idea where he had been waiting. A simple email, text, or message on What’s App with his exact location would have been helpful. All we got was “he was there” and a photo of his sign. I think I sent the message “where” about 5 times.

For our foodie tour, it was super unclear where we were expected to get to. One set of itineraries said we needed to get to that part of Tokyo by subway. Another said we were to get driven there. We were very mixed up about pick-up and meet up times and places on many occasions. While taking the subway at rush hour in a new city would have been challenging, and we were glad to be driven and picked up, a detailed itinerary would have solved this problem.

We had another extremely stressful incident getting on the bullet train in Tokyo to head to Kyoto. We almost missed our train, because we were not given whatever “code” we needed to scan at the entrance. I sent a lot of messages on this one, and the bullet train person ran us to the gate and got us through somehow. Luckily a person named Jonathan sent us the correct bar codes or we wouldn’t have been able to exit either.

When we were leaving to fly home, Eleanor sent us a message late the night before and said the car would pick us up at 11 am (for a 12:45 pm flight to Tokyo – then U.S.) and the driver sent us a what’s app message that he would pick us up at 11:20 pm – and neither time was acceptable. It was over 30 minutes to get there by car, and we had baggage to check. Having less than an hour to get checked in for what is an international flight technically is just crazy. When I saw this the night before, I immediately sent a message through the Kimkim app that we needed to be picked up by 10 a.m. at the latest. Eventually this got arranged, and the new driver was very prompt the morning we left. However, a question to us before hand of how much time we needed and when we would like to get picked up would have saved a lot of late night scrambling on the part of Eleanor.

I view these issues as a lack of ability to provide detailed itineraries for the entire trip, with times, bar codes, meeting spots, etc. in advance – certainly by at least 2 days in advance. Receiving this late at night the day before a specific set of activities was difficult. By providing detailed itineraries in advance, we wouldn’t have a panic late at night. This all adds up to insufficient clarity and timeliness in the communications from Eleanor.

Overall, the trip was great. I adored Japan, and I cannot wait to go back. It is unfortunate that we had the communication difficulties we had. We did not have any of these problems on our February trip to Costa Rica – nor when my husband used your group in Morocco.

We really enjoyed seeing three distinct parts of Thailand, Bangokok, Koh Sumai, and Chang Mai. Leena, our guide in Bangkok, was great and listened to our feedback. We didn't have a guide in Koh Sumai. Our guide in Chaing Mai, Lilly, was also wonderful and provided a lot of interesting information about the areas we visited. If I had to change anything about the intinerary, I would trade one day in Koh Sumai for another day in Chaing Mai. The accomodations we stayed at thoughout the trip were very comfortable and nice quality. It was a good mixture of a guided and self-led vacation.

Our Iceland adventure was incredible! Iceland is a beautiful country with so much to see and explore. Adam and the entire team at KimKim were exceptional at advising, organizing, coordinating, and communicating all details to make our adventure as easy and exciting as possible. Not one detail was missed. From the moment we arrived; airport transfers, car rental, hotels, tour & activity tickets were all prepared in advance. The KimKim App is easy to use with all details and documents at your fingertips.

We loved our adventure and know that Adam and KimKim Travel helped to make it better than expected.
This was our second large family travel adventure with KimKim. We highly recommend KimKim and will certainly use them again for our next great adventure.

I have been recommending KimKim to all of my friends since returning from Greece! Two girlfriends and I traveled to Athens, Mykonos, Paros and Santorini. Erica and Lea were so helpful every step of the way, and our accomodations were perfect. Everything went so smoothly with meeting our drivers and ferries, etc. One of the unexpected highlights was a day trip to Antiparos. We shopped in the morning and spent the afternoon at Fanari Beach Club. It was the perfect day. Another highlight was the day cruise from Paros. The swimming, sights, the staff and the lovely authentic Greek lunch made for a truly memorable day. We also loved our walking tour in Mykonos with Pako. He was an absolute delight! I could go on and on. I will definitely be using KimKim for my next trip :)

Activity Reviews

Day Cruise Sailing

Paros

Loved all of it! The staff were fantastic, views were awesome. Authentic barbecue lunch was amazing :))

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Day Trip to Antiparos

Greece

This was an awesome suggestion. We spend the afternoon at Fanari Beach Club. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Chora Food & Culture Walk

Mykonos

We loved this tour! Pako was an absolute delight!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kinderjink was great. Would have been better if biking in the area was added. Bruges was terrific as was the guide. The biking trip to the coast was amazing

Hotel Review

Hotel des Arts

Amsterdam-Centrum

Plumbings needs attention. The staff was great but the hotel needs major renovation

Authenticity & Character

Historical building

Location

Close to everything

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed mattress was uncomfortable

Activity Reviews

Rotterdam - FENIX Museum

The Netherlands

Very informative. A must do.

Quality of Experience

Gorgeous building

Rotterdam - Day trip to Leiden by public transport

Rotterdam

Cute and charming place. Would liked to have stayed here.