Kimkim Trip Reviews

We are so happy that we decided to book our 10 day visit to Ireland through KimKim. We worked with Cathy and the experience was fantastic from start to finish. We had never visited Ireland before but we had a few places in mind that we knew we wanted to visit. We provided that list to Cathy along with the dates that we wanted to travel and Cathy and her team filled in all the blanks. The hotels that were booked for us were incredibly nice and centrally located to the town center. Cathy even managed to find hotels for us with king beds for every single stay (my husband is very tall). Everything was taken care of before we arrived including booking our rental car and any events/attractions that were part of our itinerary. The private tours of the Ring of Kerry with Aodán at The Killarney Touring Co. and the Dingle Peninsula with Mossie at Mossie's Tours that Cathy selected for us were the absolute highlights of our trip! We also thoroughly enjoyed the sheep dog herding demonstration that they booked for us at Killary Sheep Farm - we would have never thought to do that on our own - but it was so amazing to see in person. We had mentioned to Cathy that we wanted to avoid the overly touristy spots like the Blarney Castle and The Cliffs of Moher and she instead booked for other stunning castle tours and planned time at the Kilkee Cliffs and the Kerry Cliffs for us instead. We practically had the cliffs to ourselves when we visited - mission accomplished! The 'Road Book' that was sent to us just prior to the trip outlined every detail and had recommendations for restaurants and places to see in every town that we stayed in or drove through. I highly recommend planning a trip with KimKim and especially working with Cathy - we had the vacation of a lifetime!

I will recommend to anyone planning a trip to use KimKim. I was looking for an itinerary that included many British gardens and our specialist Kateryna delivered a fabulous Grand Garden Tour trip that I never could have planned on my own. Our trip went smoothly with all the tickets bought and available quickly in the Kimkim app. I cant say enough good things about the app which is fantastic ! Our tour guides were experienced and personable and Kateryna arranged transportation to and from places when it was appropriate. We spent 9 days in London and then took a train to Oxford. Spent a day privately touring in the Cotswolds where our driver/guide made sure we saw the best gardens and had a fantastic lunch at the oldest inn in Britain. We ended our trip in Windsor and had private transport back to the airport. What I liked the most about using Kimkim is that I told them what I specifically wanted to see and they made suggestions for other excursions and we communicated easily back and forth until the trip was exactly what I wanted. We had flexibility on some days while we were there to change our plans and truly make it our own trip. My husband and I usually plan our trips independently but after this wonderful experience I will use KimKim instead.

Activity Reviews

Iconic Oxford Private Walking Tour

Oxford

We loved this tour so much it made us want to stay in Oxford longer. Our guide was a PhD student who gave us a unique perspective and some great stories about student life at the university. This is a must tour if your in Oxford!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Secret Gardens of the City of London Private Tour

London

Delianne was a great guide and if you want to see places in London most people dont see take this tour!

Quality of Experience

Delianne is a great storyteller!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

NA

Discover London in a Private Black Cab

London

Our driver John was funny, knowledgeable and told us fantastic stories. Highly recommend doing this tour first when going to London.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We loved traveling to all the diff. regions in France from Paris to Normandy to Aix Provence to Nice. The tours were amazing and we learned so much history. Amandine was awesome and very receptive to anything we needed.

We were disappointed with the hotel in Bayeux. It was extremely small, outdated and didn't appear very clean. We couldn't hardly maneuver our luggage let alone unpack so I would not recommend having clients stay at that particular hotel. Everything else was very nice.

Thank you for organizing this memorable trip for the Fortino Family!! We loved France

Best Regards,
Tony, Marianne and Katie Fortino

Trip planning was spot on in regard to where we wanted to go and regarding accommodations.
There was a high degree of coordination with transfers (private cars, trains)
We loved having the option to contact the team throughout the day and after hours for minor issues.
We loved the daily reminders and directional pins provided.

Accommodations particularly in Lecce at B&B Palazzotto and in Polignano a Mare at Masseria del Crocifisso were excellent. Masseria del Crocifisso was particularly nice!! The food was fantastic and the staff and accommodations were lovely!!

We couldn't have asked for a better experience with KimKimm/Storywalking!!

John and Susan Comerci

Hotel Reviews

Boutique Hotel Galatea

Rome

Staff was excellent and extremely helpful and kind. Great location. Rooms were not cleaned well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Masseria del Crocifisso

Polignano a Mare

This was a fabulous accommodation. The staff was amazing. they were kind and helpful. Location in proximity to the coast was perfect! Food was fantastic. Amazing pool and grounds!

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

B&B Il Palazzotto

Lecce

The room was clean and well appointed. Staff was extremely nice and helpful. The location was perfect for exploring Lecce.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

B&B De Biffi

Florence

Perfect location, clean, staff were extremely nice and very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Polignano a Mare Boat Tour - Small Group

Italy

Experienced captain. Very entertaining and beautiful experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Siena and San Gimignano tour with dinner in Tuscany at a boutique winery

Florence

great guide ! Wine experience was wonderful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Florence in a Day with David, Duomo, Uffizi & Walking Tour

Italy

Great guide! Very well versed in the history of the city as well as at history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat excursion to Leuca's caves

Italy

Great experience but captain a little unsure of himself at time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driver at disposal for the day

Italy

Driver was awesome!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Tour in Lecce

Italy

Our guide was fabulous!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Florence Traditional Food tour

Florence

Our guide was fabulous!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What a memorable trip to France made special by the team at KimKim! We are so thankful for their expertise in the planning, budgeting and implementing of a such a wonderful trip. This was our 3rd trip for my wife and I using KimKim and again what an amazing experience.

I cannot recommend kimkim and our local specialist Eric enough! Going to another country trusting that all will go smoothly is a leap of faith but there was nothing to worry about. All our stays were fabulous with kind and gracious hosts, checkins were easy and seamless. Any minor snags we did hit, the team responded immediately and got us taken care of. Having WiFi on hand at all times was super helpful!
The tours were amazing and the guides were friendly, knowledgeable and made the tours a fun experience. Iceland is a unique and amazing country to visit, Èric made sure we got to see all the highlights as well as some off grid treats. He was professional, knowledgeable and very communicative. We told him our interests and he nailed it!
If you are trying to decide whether to plan it yourself or spend the little extra to have them do it for you, let them do it for you, it is totally worth it for a worry free trip!

Activity Reviews

Katla Ice Cave Superjeep tour

Iceland

We had Nat as our guide, she was fun, professional and knowledgeable! This is a must do!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Glacier Hike & Glacial Lagoon Kayaking

Iceland

This was an amazing adventure, highly recommend!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tomaz helped us set up the initial phase, days and which activities we were leaning towards. He also helped us pick which areas we wanted to stay based on what experience we were looking for. He was excellent!

Hotel Reviews

Boutiquehotel Das Tyrol

Wien

Wonderful location. Friendly staff. Great breakfasts

Authenticity & Character

We loved the modern decor

Location

Safe and exciting in the hub with a short walk to the cities major attractions

Staff

Always very friendly and able to help with any needs we had

Cleanliness & Comfort

I don't believe our towels were changed out each day. I think they were picked up from the floor and rehung. Also missing wash clothes a few days but otherwise very good

TAUROA Landhaus zu Appesbach 4*

Salzburg

This was a perfect match for the experience we were looking for. The resort was just the right size and the grounds were beautiful. We loved the incredible views of the lake and mountains. Truly a dream. The food was also excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Felt like what Austria would truly feel like

Location

We loved the incredible views of the lake and mountains.

Staff

We had a lot of questions and they were able to help with everything!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was cleaned daily and the whole resort was in great order.

Activity Reviews

Guided walking tour of Vienna

Vienna

Our tour guide was so full of knowledge. She even spent extra time with us because we were having so much fun and she wanted to share more!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide was so full of knowledge. There was no question she couldn't answer.

Transport

Sound Of Music Tour Salzburg

Salzburg

This was disappointing. Many sites we were not able to actually go into or were replicas.

We worked with Cory to plan an Multiday day Japan trip with our granddaughter.
The Itinerary was outstanding and every arrangement was very smooth. Guides were excellent and informative- we really especially loved Pam in Kyoto!!
The classes and experiences were wonderful, and were kid friendly.
Hosts were fun and we learned a lot while having a great time!
Our granddaughter really had a great time, and we will all have many memories to cherish.

Hotel Reviews

9h nine hours Ningyocho

Tokyo

Great capsule hotel. Very sage

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Blossom Kyoto

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Laforet Club Hakone Gora Yunosumika

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel New Otani Tokyo Garden Tower

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Izakaya food tour in Shinjuku (14 small tastings)

Tokyo

Max was great- good energy!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Japanese Calligraphy Experience (Nara)

Japan

This was the highlight of the trip. Guides were wonder and so kind- treated us like family. Very special. We loved Hanna!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Samurai Ninja Museum with fun experience

Japan

Felt a bit rushed

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony with Kimono Wearing (Higashiyama)

Japan

Such a great cultural experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sushi Making Cooking Class near the Tokyo Tower

Tokyo

Nara Day Trip with Half Day Walking Tour (Lunch included)

Japan

Yuki was awesome

Quality of Experience

Oh

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ramen Noodle Cooking Class

Kyoto

So much fun a so yummy!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not applicable

Wagashi Sweets Making Experience with an Artisanal Confectioner (Wagashi Issho)

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rickshaw in Asakusa

Tokyo

Full day exploring Meiji Jingu, Harajuku & Shibuya

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Kyoto Temples & Gion Tour

Japan

Pam was friendly and so informative. A pleasure to work with

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Asakusa, Senso-ji Temple, Nakamise Dori Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very responsive and open to our requests. Great communication with Ben before, during, and after trip.

Absolutely fantastic experience with both Giulia and Andrea from start to finish. Giulia helped me plan an unforgettable trip with great hotel selections, unbelievable tours and lovely restaurant recommendations across all of Italy. Andrea made sure we were taken care of even when the train operators went on strike. We are so grateful for both of them and cannot recommend kimkim enough to all our friends.

Hotel Reviews

Corte dei Sogni Boutique Hotel & Spa

Florence

Tucked away on a small side street. We were close to the action without having to listen to the street noise all night. Beautiful room with excellent AC for the super hot summer days.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Continental

Sorrento

Beautiful view. Delicious restaurant. Great location close to everything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wine tasting and lunch at Winery near Montepulciano

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Historic & Food Tour in Sorrento (Private guide)

Italy

Our guide, Antonino was so incredible. We talked about how much we enjoyed spending time with him the rest of the trip. He gave us great recommendations and shared some sweet personal stories along the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fine job in selecting guides in Kyoto, but other than a food tour in Tokyo the experience was not as expected.

Activity Reviews

Kanazawa Food Tour: Private & Personalized with a Local Guide

Kanazawa

Not a normal food tour as it was going to two restaurants and ordering off the menu. Not what we expected, fortunately the food was good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Authentic Ramen & Gyoza Making Class in Kyoto

Kyoto

I would recommend this cooking class to anyone

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enjoy your private open-air bath and dinner

Kaga

We didn’t care for this experience

Kanazawa Artisan Half Day Tour

Kanazawa

Didn’t have a very good guide, though the experience was good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dinner with Maiko in a Traditional Kyoto Style Restaurant Tour (Small Group)

Kyoto

Not to be missed experience in Kyoto and great fun evening.

Welcome to Kaga: Japan's Hidden Gem of Hot Springs and Art

Kaga

Not enough information on the experience

Best of Shibuya Food Tour

Tokyo

Great tour guy with lessons in Japanese culture which was great experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Half-Day Walking Tour: EasternTokyo Your Way (by Public Transportation)

Tokyo

Unfortunate heavy rain dampened our experience and SkyTree was a bit too commercial.

Tokyo: teamLab, Azabudai Hills & National Art Center Tour

Tokyo

Poor guide, but ok experience.

Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo forest & Garden Half-Day Walking Tour

Kyoto

Good guide for the local temples and the forest experience.

Kimono wearing and Tea ceremony (Sado) in Kyoto (Private)

Japan

Good experience for our 17 year old grand daughter.

We absolutely loved our trip to Japan! Shona helped us get the balance just right, between guided experiences and independent travel. Our guides were exceptional and allowed us to cater our days and gain much more than we could have on our own. The assistance in transportation with luggage was especially appreciated. Lastly, the app was easy to use and had everything we needed in one place.

We couldn't have been happier about our trip and will definitely use Kimkim again!

Activity Reviews

Half Day Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

If we were to do it again, we'd do the Tea Ceremony and skip the Samurai Ninja Museum. Purely a matter of personal preference, but we loved the tea ceremony and didn't find the Samurai museum very engaging.

Full Day Tokyo City Tour

Tokyo

Moto was an exceptional tour guide. We inited him to visit us at home, because we sincerely enjoyed his company so much!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nokuthula was responsive and attentive from the very start of the process. From the start to the actual travel, she pours her energy into the planning and works so hard to make sure it's a great experience.

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of the Falls

Victoria Falls

We had a phenomenal guide who taught us so much and in addition to brining the history of the falls to life identified birds we saw and heard and trees and plants we came upon. Fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Activities on the Zambezi Queen

Chobe

Highly recommend this unique experience with so much opportunity to view wildlife, animals, birds. Amazingly hospitable and knowledgea ble staff. Great food too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Game drive in Chobe

Chobe

Amazing experience with Six as our guide! We saw so much more than expected. Lions, giraffes, kudu and much more. Would love to do again.

Quality of Experience

Our driver guide Six was fantastic!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We recently returned from an unforgettable trip to Romania, and working with Irenne through KimKim made the entire experience seamless and stress-free.

As travelers coming from the United States, we were hesitant about renting a car and driving in a foreign country. Since KimKim had done such an excellent job planning our trip to Norway last year, I reached out again to see if they could help arrange a driver for Romania. I provided Irenne with a rough itinerary, and she took care of every detail. Her communication was outstanding from the planning stages through the end of our trip, and she was always available whenever we had questions.

Our driver and guide, Alin, met us at the airport right on time and accompanied us throughout our journey. We spent our first night in Bucharest, exploring the charming Old Town at our own pace. The next day, we visited Peles Castle and Bran Castle before spending the evening in Brasov. With Alin driving, we were able to rest in the car, check our phones, sleep, etc. He was also a great driver, didn't speed or drive rough, or play loud music.

Alin was exceptional. He never rushed us, encouraged us to take our time at each stop, and even became our family photographer, capturing some truly beautiful photos. His knowledge of Romanian history was impressive, and he shared fascinating insights throughout the trip.

On the third day, we stopped at the Sighisoara Citadel on our way to Sibiu. After arriving, we spent a relaxing evening exploring the city and recharging after several busy days of sightseeing.

One of the highlights of the trip came on Day 4, when my wife expressed interest in visiting Corvin Castle. Alin was incredibly accommodating and adjusted our itinerary, replacing the Astra Museum visit with Corvin Castle at no additional cost. It turned out to be a fantastic decision, as we felt Corvin Castle was the most beautiful castle we visited in Romania.

Day 5 was perhaps the most memorable of all. We drove from Sibiu back to Bucharest via the spectacular Transfagarasan Road. The scenery was breathtaking, and we frequently stopped to take photos of the mountains, lakes, snow-covered landscapes, and even bears. Alin was patient throughout the day, and we never felt hurried. It was the perfect way to conclude our Romanian adventure.

We arrived back in Bucharest in the late afternoon, giving us enough time to enjoy one final dinner in the city before heading to the airport the following morning.

Looking back, I am extremely grateful that we chose KimKim and hired a driver. Romania is a beautiful country, but the distances between destinations can be significant, and driving can be challenging. Having Alin behind the wheel allowed us to relax, enjoy the scenery, take naps during longer drives, and arrive at each destination refreshed.

I highly recommend Irenne and KimKim to anyone planning a trip to Romania. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and commitment to creating a memorable experience made this one of the best family vacations we've ever taken.

We had an amazing time. All of our excursions were great. We did a Lava Cave experience and our guide was great! The Ice Cave experience was so cool and our guide was really fun and even gave us information about movies filmed in certain parts of Iceland. Our favorite activity was the Zodiac boat tour at Glacier Lagoon. We visited the Blue Lagoon and Laugaras Lagoon. The Laugaras Lagoon was by far our favorite of the two. Gudmundur our specialist was quick to answer our questions and help with anything we needed. His planning of our trip and knowledge of Iceland were top notch. We loved everything we did and saw.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Vík í Mýrdal

Vík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Grímsborgir by Keahotels

Ásborgir

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Búðir

Búðir

Amazing location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Apótek Hótel by Keahotels

Reykjavík

Great hotel and location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Center Hotel Arnarhvoll

Reykjavík

We were disappointed in the hotel. The staff was friendly and we were greeted with sweet treats in our room upon arrival. That was the positive. Unfortunately, the rooms were not up to par. It was shown/advertised as a 4 star hotel and the rooms did not meet this standard. We had 2 rooms for one night. The bathrooms in both rooms were very tiny and awkwardly layed out. The shower in our children’s room was so small and the shower cleaner brush was left in the shower. Water leaked out from the shower as well. Our shower in the queen room was an oddly shaped tub shower and hard to get into. The queen room had cracks in the ceiling and seemed not well maintained. Walls and doors needed paint.

Authenticity & Character

Spa was nice.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

Quality of Experience

I

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Zodiac Boat

Iceland

Once in a lifetime experience. Great guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Emilie was the best! She listened to what we were and were not interested in doing during our 13 day Switzerland adventure! She picked wonderful hotels in each city/town we visited, each conveniently located near a train station. She set up all of our daily activities and gave us great recommendations for things to see/do on our free days. Emilie also recommended that we download the SBB Mobile App to easily navigate the train schedules. Having that plus the KimKim App made the whole trip run smoothly! We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Switzerland and will recommend Emilie and KimKim to all of our friends and family!

We had a great time in Costa Rica. The trip was worry-free and well planned. We went on the mountain hike and loved it. Our guide, Oliver, was wonderful. He was knowledgeable and made it fun for us older folks. The river adventure was awesome as well. Our guide, Henry, was great. The food was amazing and the people were so friendly. Three Monkeys were always early to take us on the next adventure. Our drivers were friendly and kept us informed of where were and where we were going. We hope to return to Costa Rica in the future and will use Serendipity again. Thank you for a wonderful trip.

I will start with what went well or very well.
- Hotel in Stockholm was excellent in an excellent location.
- The Wildlife Safari was a disaster. The guide, I think his name was Daniel, smelled so bad it was nauseating. The trip was not as advertised. The van was not comfortable and it was dirty -- so dirty I could not see out of the windshield and we were supposed to be looking out the window to spot wildlife. It included one hike up a fairly steep hill with NO PATH. It was extremely difficult and I would never done that trip if I had known. I would never recommend this trip.
- Guided Tour in Stockholm was great with an excellent guide, Adam.
- Pre-arranged transportation in Stockholm from hotel to airport worked well.
- Helsinki & Suomenlina Tour was good with an excellent guide, Danielle.
- Guided Tour to Porvoo was good with an excellent guide.
- Pre-arranged cab in Rovaniemi worked well.

Here is what was not so great.
- The Hotel Reisen in Stockholm was not within walking distance of where the ship left us off. We were easily able to get a cab but it would have been helpful to know that in advance.
- Loyly Sauna was not a great place. We went for a drink but did not stay for dinner.
- Turku was very disappointing. Not much to see or do there. We took the train, walked around from the Cathedral to the Tower (which was a pretty long walk), stopped at a cute place for a drink but not much was open. I would not recommend going all that way.
- Rovaniemi was not a good choice in the summer. Most everything including most restaurants in town were closed. Our hotel was fine but the BAR and restaurant were closed. We got off the 9 hour train ride to check in and have a drink but we could not. At the point, we did find one restaurant in town that was open and pretty good. Sitting at our table, we began the process of trying to fly home earlier than we anticipated. That night our hotel room was so hot. There were only a couple of guests at the hotel and no manager on the property. He had given us his What's App contact and I contacted him to ask how to make the room cooler. He did not respond until we had left the next day at noon.

I think that is it.

Hotel Reviews

Nova Skyland Hotel

Rovaniemi

Pleasant room. Bar and restaurant were closed. And room was way too hot with no ability to make it cooler. Not a great place in the summer.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Way too hot

Hotel Lilla Roberts

Helsinki

Nice hotel. Good lobby. Pretty good location. Room was a bit overdone.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel Reisen in The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

Stockholm

Really great location. Nice hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right at the edge of the old town.

Staff

Our room was not available when we got there. We walked around for quite a while and then went back to the hotel for a drink in the lobby until the room was ready. One women at reception charged my phone for me.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wildlife Safari

Stockholm

Horrible experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Tour Stockholm (private)

Stockholm

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Tour to Porvoo

Helsinki

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Helsinki and Suomenlinna

Helsinki

Good trip. Guide was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, it was amazing. Only two minor hiccups which could have been prevented with more proactive communication. However, they were handled quickly and only slightly inconvenienced me. Loved the path of the gods hike; however, having everyone in the group introduce themselves first and maybe answer an icebreaker question or two would go a long way in making the tour more enjoyable. Our group was quiet and we jumped into the hike with no introductions. Of note, all of the tours could be better improved with intros and icebreakers so the group can more easily get to know each other and relax. My favorite day was the day trip through Tuscany (Siena, San Gimigiano). Our guide, Giacomo, made the experience unbelievable. He was so knowledgeable about the area, Italian food, and Italian wine. It was a long day but worth it. Metro in Rome was easy to navigate. No problems with either train transfer. Well worth what I paid for the trip.

When we first considered using Kimkim to plan our family's trip to Japan, I was honestly a little reluctant.

As someone who typically plans complex travel myself, I wasn't sure if anyone could truly understand what we were looking for. We wanted luxury, but not just luxury. We wanted authenticity. We wanted Michelin-level food experiences alongside tiny local restaurants. We wanted our children (ages 10 and 13) to experience the real Japan, not simply move from tourist attraction to tourist attraction. Most importantly, we wanted a trip that would bring our family closer together.

Then we met Bella.

From our very first conversation, Bella was remarkable.

Over the course of months, we probably sent her hundreds of questions, requests, revisions, restaurant ideas, hotel changes, flight updates, and random thoughts. Not once did she make us feel like a burden. In fact, she embraced the process. Every request was met with enthusiasm, thoughtfulness, and genuine care.

What impressed me most was her willingness to adapt. We changed hotels. We added destinations, removed destinations, swapped experiences, changed flights, debated Disney, baseball games, restaurants, and transportation. Bella never missed a beat.

She helped us create exactly the trip we wanted.

And then the trip began.

What followed exceeded every expectation.

The guides Bella selected were exceptional.

Mr. Hajime in Tokyo was fantastic. Knowledgeable, personable, flexible, and passionate about sharing Japan beyond the guidebook. He understood immediately that we loved local culture and hidden gems. Some of our favorite moments came from spontaneous recommendations and side streets we never would have discovered on our own.

Mr. Hiroyuki in Hakone helped us experience a completely different side of Japan. The pace slowed, the scenery changed, and we were able to enjoy one of the most relaxing parts of our journey.

Ms. Ursula in Kyoto and Osaka was equally outstanding. Warm, insightful, and incredibly knowledgeable, she helped bring centuries of Japanese history and culture to life while also making everything accessible and enjoyable for our children.

The drivers were equally impressive.

Every transfer was seamless. Every pickup was on time. Whether we were moving between hotels, stations, or destinations, the logistics simply disappeared into the background—which is exactly how great travel should feel.

One of the things I appreciated most was that the trip never felt rigid.

We had structure when we needed it and flexibility when we wanted it.

Bella listened when we said we preferred local neighborhoods over crowded tourist zones. We explored areas where locals actually live, shop, and eat. We wandered hidden streets in Tokyo, discovered incredible food, and experienced moments that felt authentic rather than manufactured.

The food was extraordinary.

We enjoyed everything from world-class omakase and Tempura Kondo to local ramen shops, yakiniku, Kobe beef in Kyoto, and countless memorable meals in between. Bella understood that we were food-focused travelers and helped us build a dining experience that balanced celebrated restaurants with places we likely never would have found ourselves.

Hakone was magical.

Our stay at Gen Hakone Gora was one of the highlights of the trip. The onsen experience, the kaiseki dinners, the tranquility, and the incredible hospitality created memories our family will never forget.

And then there was the family aspect.

As I write this, we're sitting in the Delta Lounge preparing to fly home.

The thing we're talking about isn't DisneySea. It isn't the Michelin restaurants. It isn't the luxury hotels.

It's how much time we spent together.

This trip gave us something that becomes increasingly difficult to find in everyday life: uninterrupted family time.

We laughed together, explored together, got lost together, discovered new foods together, and experienced an entirely different culture together.

Our children leave with a genuine appreciation for Japan.

My wife and I leave with memories that will last forever.

And our family leaves closer than when we arrived.

That's the true measure of a great trip.

Japan itself is an extraordinary destination, but Bella and her team transformed it from a vacation into a family experience we'll be talking about for decades.

If you're considering Japan and wondering whether to trust Bella and Kimkim, my advice is simple:

Do it.

Trust the process.

Share what matters to you.

Bella will listen.

And if your experience is anything like ours, you'll come home wondering when you can return.

Bella, thank you for your patience, your professionalism, your attention to detail, and most importantly, your genuine care for our family.

You helped create memories that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.