Kimkim Trip Reviews

We asked Greg to plan us a trip of a lifetime a boy, did he, and Cory, deliver. The itinerary was the perfect combination of site seeing, activities with locals, and relaxation. The pacing of each day was perfect and all the suggestions given for food and other things were phenomenal. Greg connected us with tour guides who made us feel like they wanted to spend the day with us and who we were genuinely sad to leave (shout out Karolina and Pam) and hotels that ticked every box. They gave specific instructions on transportation and we had zero problems navigating between cities. Overall, I would (and have) highly recommend this experience as well as KimKim and the Greg/Cory team. It was indeed the trip of a lifetime

Hotel Reviews

Hotel the Celestine Tokyo Shiba

Tokyo

Comfortable first place to get started but a bit removed

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just felt very far from everything. However close to the subways

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kanazawa Zoushi

Kanazawa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Marufukuro

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Izakaya food tour in Shinjuku (14 small tastings)

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Food

The first spot was great, but I didn’t find myself feeling like anything else that we did was particularly something I needed a food tour for

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guide was a lot of energy but not really in an endearing way

Transport

Lots of walking on already, tired feet

Fun ramen cooking class with gyoza

Tokyo

This was an amazing experience that set the tone for our trip. Really was super fun and the guides were phenomenal.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Greg gave us a picture of the building so we knew what we were looking for which was really helpful.

Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony with Kimono Wearing (Higashiyama)

Japan

Such a wonderful experience, and they let you keep the kimonos on until 6 o’clock. I wish I’d known that ahead of time because I definitely would’ve planned our day a little bit differently.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the Art of Japanese Forging at a Historic Kyoto Smithy

Kyoto

This was such a fun experience! Plus, taking home your own knife that you foraged in Japan is pretty cool

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Greg and Cory gave very clear instructions on how to get to this place and it was super helpful

Discover the secret gems of Kanazawa - Omicho Market & Samurai District - Private Walking Tour

Kanazawa

Quality of Experience

It was a private tour with just the two of us and our guide and it made for really personalized experience which was great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Karolina was really a wonderful guide.

Transport

Private Kyoto Temples & Gion Tour

Japan

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Pam! Plus, this is our first adventure into Kyoto and she made sure we saw everything even things we didn’t know we needed to see

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pam is such a delight

Transport

Go-Kart Tour - Akihabara

Tokyo

This was super fun and a lot less anxiety producing than I thought it was gonna be. Only feedback here is I would’ve liked to have known a little bit more about what we were driving by

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Maki-e Experience: Lacquered Chopsticks or Japanese Bowls

Kanazawa

This was really cool and our host and the artist were really sweet. We had a great time talking to them and creating art.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kintsugi Experience at Shikata Urushi, A Centuries-Old Japanese-Urushi Shop in Kyoto

Kyoto

Highly recommend this experience. We really had a wonderful time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim review

From the start of planning our 14 day expedition to Venice, Florence, and Rome, our experience with KimKim was outstanding. They listened to our wants and we didn't feel like we were being given a standard package. Throughout the preparation Valentina tailored our daily schedule and was always available to answer our questions. The experience of working with the KimKim and StoryWalking teams was seamless, we were never left guessing, and we are beyond pleased with their expertise.

Highlight of the trip -- our daytrip from Rome to the Amalfi coast.
Roberto was the most amazing driver and guide. From pickup (and walking us back into) the Naples train station, navigating the Almafi roads, drivers, and tourists, including stops at the local shops, calling out the key sights and their importance, and ensuring we had a cliffside table looking onto the Mediterrean for a delightful lunch, Roberto ensured we could focus on the breathtaking views and charm of Positano, Amalfi, Ravello and the various small towns between.

Above & Beyond mentions include:
Silvia who met 4 jet-lagged adults arriving in Venice for the first time went above and beyond by far. Guiding us (and even helping us tranport some of our luggage) onto the water taxi, onto the pier closest to our hotel, through the various streets, across the bridges, safely to the hotel and then repeating it all for our departure to for Florence, including getting us into the Venice train station and explaining the information boards and how to find the right car for boarding.

Chiara who quickly worked us when we missed our tour of the Pantheon to arrange a tour the following day.

Best Hotel: Grand Hotel Cavour in Florence. Location, staff, and the rooftop terrace/bar were amazing.

Recommendation to KimKim and alert to fellow travelers. The updated itineraries sent duringthe trip don't indicate when a change has occurred. It would be helpful to highlight in some small way in the message itself, e.g. a "!!" any adjustment to the schedule since prior plans were made using the information provided on the app.

This was our first time using a travel specialist. The KimKim team won our business and we are sure to be repeat clients in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Al Theatro Palace

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Cavour

Florence

Oasis in the heart of Florence. The views from the rooftop terrace are stunning!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel dei Borgognoni

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Positano, Amalfi and Ravello from Naples - Private Driver

Naples

Perfect day trip. Driver was wonderful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Legendary Venice: St. Mark’s Basilica with Terraces & Doge’s Palace

Venice

Quality of Experience

I

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Florence

The bus left late from Florence. The guide in Siena was great. But the tour team didn’t have their act together. A couple didn’t arrive back to the meeting place in San Gimigiano at the stated time. The guide didn’t realize their absence until the van was loaded and ready to leave for the Winery. We waited over an hour while the tour operator tries to determine e who was missing - they had no idea which people were on the van. Missed the winery tour. Everyone was starved and Dinner was rushed. Definitely most frustrating part of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Venice Gondola Ride

Venice

Very much a touristy event. Will not repeat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Best of Florence Walking Tour with David & the Duomo

Italy

Guide was good but felt a bit like reading from a script. Not as engaging as pther guides during the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour with Roman Forum

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vatican Tour with Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica

Rome

Guide was top notch

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Castel Sant’Angelo Skip-the-Line - (only ticket)

Rome

Worth seeing

Quality of Experience

Pantheon Guided Tour

Rome

Outstanding. Guide was very well versed and thought provoking. Definitely brought deep knowledge of Ancient Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My husband and I recently went on our Honeymoon - a dream vacation we'd talked about for years to Portugal, and KimKim travel, and our main contact Marisa at Across Portugal, helped make the trip truly unforgettable. From our first conversations with Marisa through the end of our trip, everyone was an absolute pleasure to work with. They planned a completely customized trip for us through Lisbon, Nazaré, Óbidos, Porto, Madeira, and São Miguel, and we loved every minute of it.

Everything they arranged for us was wonderful, including our hotels, restaurants, tours, drivers, and guides. Our drivers and guides were especially fantastic, incredibly knowledgeable about Portugal, friendly, and just genuinely nice people.

There were also so many thoughtful surprises throughout the trip, including welcome baskets, flowers on the bed, a private wine tasting, and an amazing luxury boat tour.

Most importantly, Marisa and the team were so incredibly helpful and kind, genuinely excited for us and our vacation, and they let us know they'd always be available when we needed them, both before and during our trip. We felt completely taken care of!

We fell in love with Portugal and definitely plan to return. We would use KimKim and Across Portugal again without hesitation! Highly recommended for a once in a lifetime experience!

My overall experience of the trip, starting with planning it, was wonderful. Rajat, with infinite patience, organised my sentimental journey to India down to the smallest details according to my admittedly demanding expectations ('demanding' in the sense of the number of things that had to be squeezed into the seven-days long time frame, and the distances involved). From the exit to the city at Indira Gandhi Airport on 23.10 to the passing of the boarding gate in the opposite direction on 31.10 guides and drivers were always there together with their spacious, comfortable Toyotas. I saw and tasted everything I had looked for, and more, even though – as I had been warned beforehand – Delhi has changed past recognition: only historical monuments, including Lutyens' New Delhi, are what they were sixty and fifty-five years ago (but not their surroundings: e.g. what they've done to our then favourite spot, the Hauz Khas, is a crime).

My warmest thanks go in the first place to those who escorted me the longest: Narendra, wonderful both as a driver and as a companion, especially during our five-hours long voyage from Agra to Lucknow, and Hemant, an exemplary guide, knowledgeable, helpful and tactfully enduring idiosyncrasies of his know-it-all charge; but so were Piyush in Lucknow and Bhati in Udaipur/Chittorgarh. I was less satisfied with Hemant’s substitute during my second day in Delhi, who apparently did not know all the particulars of my excursion. The trouble with the guide who took over from Hemant during the second day in Agra was of different nature: he was doing his very best, but, though normally I have no problem whatsoever with the Indian pronunciation of English, I understood very little of what he was saying and vice versa, which led to some misunderstandings.

The hotels in Delhi (the first three days) and Lucknow were exactly as I had specified – decent rooms with decent baths, no luxuries – with those in Agra and Udaipur above the specification, especially the former. The only one below was the Taurus Sarovar Portico Hotel in Delhi: poor service, thanks to which I never had my Goodbye India dinner, and musky smell in my room which made sleep all but impossible.

Apart from these slight hiccups the trip was a great experience, a tribute to the professionalism of the KimKim team. I was especially touched by the way you handled my skipping the planned lunch at Karim’s in Old Delhi. I skipped it as a well-known tourist trap to avoid another disappointment after the disastrous culinary experiences in other celebrated places, including my once favourite original Moti Mahal, the day before, and considered the matter closed: it was my conscious decision, even though while making it I was not aware that the meal was to be paid by KimKim, not me (the guide in my opinion was not aware of it either). Lo and behold: on our way to Agra I learn that you decided to stand me another in a place of my choice. The best of it all was that the lunch we had at a place near Fatehpur Sikri, recommended by Hemant, was one of the best meals I had during the whole trip. Thank you!

Sticking to the culinary matters – after all, it was this aspect that first drew my attention to KimKim – apart from the heavenly biryani in Lucknow, I had the tastiest meals off the beaten paths. Apart from that place near Fatehpur Sikri, I think especially of the New Minar restaurant in the Greater Kailash area in Delhi close to my hotel and the vegetarian restaurant in Chittorgarh recommended by Bhati (a great surprise to the staunch carnivore I am).

Pedro & the team exceeded our expectations in every way possible. We had the most beautiful and amazing honeymoon ever, we were able to navigate through all activities and days with minimal stress because of how engaged the team and Pedro were with us. Outstanding experience all the way around.

Hotel Reviews

The Lumiares

Lisboa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jardins do Porto

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Estoril Vintage Hotel

Estoril

Absolute paradise! Staff members & overall service was out of this world!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Sintra's Fairytale Villa with a Private Driver and Pena Palace Tickets

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unveiling Douro Charm on a Small Group by Land, River and Rail

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pedro and the whole team were such a blessing to work with on our honeymoon. Both before and during the trip they were very thorough, very detail oriented, and gave great reminders, recommendations, and just overall exceptional communication if we had questions or needed to reach out for whatever reason. Overall 10/10 experience and would recommend to anyone!

Hotel Reviews

The Lumiares

Lisboa

Beautiful hotel. Easy to navigate. Outstanding service! Great location in Lisboa with everything you could want or need close by.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Estoril Vintage Hotel

Estoril

Best experience I’ve ever had. Breathtaking property and views from the property. The service was more than amazing. We literally did not leave the hotel and we wish we could have stayed longer. So classy, so relaxing, so perfect. I have no complaints and it’s hard to put in words how special it was to stay at Estoril Vintage. Everyone from the staff was outstanding but Paulo might have been our favorite to interact with.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jardins do Porto

Porto

Great stay, great staff, great location, beautiful room. Wonderful experience staying at Jardins. Would recommend to anyone!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Unveiling Douro Charm on a Small Group by Land, River and Rail

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Sintra's Fairytale Villa with a Private Driver and Pena Palace Tickets

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This is our second trip using Kim Kim and Mathilde and I can't wait to for our next one. Our trip was stress free. The attention to detail is excellent. The only issue that we had for this last trip was the rental car agency. They ended up charging us $900 for services that I said no too at the time of pick up (I recorded the conversation with my phone). I tell you this so you can find another car rental place to deal with. Those guys are crooks.

What an amazing two weeks! Three longtime friends traveling through Morocco together was already going to be special, but Kimkim and Morocco Immersion made the experience even better than we imagined. I had previously used Kimkim for a trip to Patagonia and had such a great experience that I was confident using them again. They certainly did not disappoint.

Our itinerary took us through Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes, Merzouga and the Sahara Desert, Dades Valley, Marrakech, Essaouira, and Casablanca. It was the perfect combination of organized experiences and free time, allowing us to see and experience so much while never feeling overly scheduled. We stayed primarily in riads, and the accommodations selected for us were excellent and added so much to the Moroccan experience.

Our driver Ahmed deserves a special shoutout. He was with us for 10 days and was simply wonderful. He kept us laughing, took great care of us, and made all those hours on the road part of the adventure rather than just transportation. By the end of our time together, it felt like we were traveling with a friend. He truly had a wonderful impact on our entire experience.

Nihad, our planning coordinator with Morocco Immersion, was fantastic as well. She was incredibly responsive to our requests and created an itinerary that was just right for us. We also spent a great day with Omar, who drove us to Casablanca.

One special memory was having the opportunity to spend time with Abdou and Sharon, the owners of Morocco Immersion, and their friends over a wonderful couscous lunch at their kasbah.

From the initial planning through the execution of the trip, everything was handled beautifully. It was seamless and stress-free, which allowed the three of us to simply relax, enjoy, and experience the beauty, culture, food, and hospitality of Morocco.

Thank you to Kimkim and the entire Morocco Immersion team for giving three longtime friends an unforgettable adventure!

This was my first time using Kimkim and I was nervous about all the details working out. However, I needn't have been concerned. Bryan did an excellent job helping me choose all the activities and arranging all the handoffs. We enjoyed so many fun activities: white water rafting, jungle cruise, farm tour and dinner, zip lining, ATV ride, jungle hikes, chocolate and coffee tour, night tour and geothermal pools. The on-ground support had been promised and I was delighted to find that the crew I worked with during the vacation was just as helpful and responsible as Bryan. All of our transitions were seamless and we were very pleased with our guides. The only thing I wish we had skipped was the bird watching tour because it was raining pretty hard and the tour guide didn't seem too excited to be hosting us. The townhouse they booked for us was really nice and came with a personal chef who cooked us amazing breakfasts each morning! Thanks Kimkim, Bryan and the crew on the ground!

This was our first KimKim experience and it didn’t disappoint. The drivers who transported us between locations were always on time and definitely made our trip easier and more efficient. The guides were all amazing and SO knowledgeable about environment, history and culture of their country and the region we were visiting. Only one guide was disappointing- the food tour in Buenos Aires- while she was very friendly she was not well versed on culinary traditions and did not take us to the last two events promised on the itinerary.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Magnolia Boutique

Buenos Aires

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Poincenot

El Chalten

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sierra Nevada

El Calafate

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pampa Lodge Quincho y Caballos

Torres Del Paine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costaustralis

Puerto Natales

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Alma Sur

Punta Arenas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Galos Hotel & Lofts

Valparaíso, Cerro Alegre

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ismael

Santiago

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Buenos Aires City Tour

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Buenos Aires Traditional Argentine Food Tour

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Private Tour of Lago del Desierto

El Chaltén

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My wife and I have journeyed widely but had never used a travel service before. We may never again travel without relying on KimKim. They designed a 16 day trip that took our group of eight from ancient Athens to the white-clad cliff edge villages of Santorini. We learned to cook Greek cuisine, sampled wines to be found nowhere else in the world, kayaked the volcanic shoreline, snorkeled through a sea cave, climbed the highest summit in the Cyclade islands, were treated to al fresco breakfasts overlooking the sparkling blue Aegean, and sailed the sea at sunset. We stayed at unique and beautiful hotels, walked the quaint streets of a small fishing enclave and relaxed in a spa large enough for us all. We enjoyed fish fresh from the sea and ate from the very olive trees that had fed locals since the time of Christ.

Reviewing the chats over the course of the past 18 months, I am awestruck by the KimKim team's attention to detail, suggestions on itineraries, willingness to make changes, care in making all arrangements, and saving our collective trip in the face of unforeseen weather delays. Special thanks to Siena for planning it all, Lea for insuring the transportation and hotels were in order and scrambling to make changes when weather interrupted our plans. Kate, Chinh, and Wanjaria for stepping in to answer our questions and the group as a whole for allowing us all to enjoy our time in Greece carefree while they did all the work on our behalf.

Most of our guides were exceptional, especially Helen, our Athens Historian guide, who provided a very informative walk through the Acropolis. On Santorini, Hercules explained the wine culture unique to this island. We explored Milos with Daphne, from the hillside where the Venus de Milo (Aphrodite of Milos) was discovered, to the catacombs and small fishing village below. David led a windy hike up Mt. Zeus one day, then returned the next to lead us through sea caves by kayak.

Travel with the help of KimKim was unlike any travel we have ever done before. We were pampered, watched after, and cared for so well we can't imagine ever vacationing without their help again.

Judy helped us plan a 14 day Japan holiday for a family of 7 with ages 11 , 16, 26, 47, 50 , 57 yr old
It was a 4 centre holiday Tokyo , Hakone , Kyoto and Osaka
We booked our own hotels separately but Judy arranged transfers and guides and booked some events for us - e.g. Samurai stable , Gyoza cooking lesson , Shibuya Skytree, Samurai museum - that we had to make our own way to via public transport or walking but with the Suica card that was manageable . All the things she booked for us were excellent
Before the trip Judy was very quick with her responses to our many detailed questions and very quick to advise and adapt the itinerary when we changed from a 17 day trip to a 14 day trip . We felt very confident in her hands
When we got to Japan everything was seamless . Judy continued to be very quick to respond . The various guides and drivers she’d arranged WhatsApped us the day before we were meeting them with times and other details . We felt very well looked after .
The Kyoto guide (Yuki ) and driver ( Shu ) were particularly good . Yuki’s English was very good and she really enhanced our 3 days of Kyoto sightseeing . Shu San the driver was very very courteous - he was always dressed smartly and got out to open the door and shelter us with his umbrella every time we left the car!
It is difficult to pick a favourite moments from the trip as I I enjoyed every minute from start to end but the following I really enjoyed but didn’t expect to as much as I did
- Teamlab planets - so much more interactive than I expected
- Tsukiji food market - one of the best food markets I’ve ever been to . The sushi restaurant recommended to us by our guide Yoshi was fantastic .
- Hakone Kowakien Tenyu hotel with private bath , particularly good for those of us who weren’t comfortable with the hotels open onsen , which btw were excellent too .
- Hakone - open air art museum . Quite a few famous artists work there including Picasso , Anthony Gorman , Henry Moore
I would highly recommend using Judy at KimKim to plan a Japan trip . The service was provided was very tailored and flexible e.g. we were allowed to book our own hotels but I’m sure Kimkim would have booked those for us too if we’d asked

George was an attentive, thoughtful professional. He listened, researched and created the perfect mix of activities for us.

Hotel Review

Anantara Chiang Mai Resort

Chiang Mai

The highest quality service I have experienced at a hotel! Excellent location as well. The river suite was stunning and a great escape from the outside world.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very knowledgeable, resourceful and courteous

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bangkok Cultural Tour

Bangkok

Sasha was a great guide. Very flexible and sensitive to our needs and wants.

Quality of Experience

Food

The high end restaurants were great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Food Tour by E-Tuk Tuk:

Bangkok

The guide was great but we were leery of eating street food early in our trip. May consider a little more controlled experience for first time travelers to Bangkok. It wasn’t clear what choices were exceptional versus just there.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

We didn’t try much food due to a full breakfast.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mama noi Thai Cookery School

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Morning Chang Chill Elephant Sanctuary

Chiang Mai

It was fine but a little contrived. The trail walking was a Bit more challenging than anticipated and our shoes got quite muddy

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

Dinner on the Manohra River Cruise!

Bangkok

High quality food and smooth ride

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Late Afternoon: Temples, Markets & Food Tour:

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cheeva Spa - The Tranquility Package

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Transport

Evening: B Samcook Home16

Chiang Mai

Probably the highlight of the trip. Great food, owner engagement and celebratory atmosphere!

Quality of Experience

Food

Exceptional dining experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

MIA Dining Experience (Michelin Star)

Bangkok

High service quality and innovative food experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christine was very helpful in helping us create an itinerary that accommodated our needs. She took all our ideas into consideration and helped us plan the perfect trip!

Hotel Reviews

ENA Suite Hotel Namdaemun

Seoul

This hotel was great. The staff was very kind and helpful and the room was perfect.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shilla Stay Busan Haeundae

This hotel was beautiful! The room was a little small, but overall a great experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Seoul Highlights

Seoul

This was such a fun day! Seeing the palace was especially wonderful. We loved learning about the culture of Seoul from our amazing tour guide, Jung.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jung was amazing. She was so knowledgeable and catered to our needs, which at times was hard because we traveled with our 3 month old. Jung was so accommodating and kind! Our driver was also very kind and transported us safely.

Transport

Discovery of Gangnam: K-Star Road, Garosu-gil, and COEX Mall

Seoul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Busan Highlights: Culture, Nature, Local Life & Cafe

Busan

We loved our time in Busan! We had an amazing tour guide, Sunni, who helped us see so many incredible things in the short time we had there. She was so knowledgeable and very accommodating to our needs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family Felxible Day in Seoul with Seoul Forest

Seoul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Relaxing & Flexible Time with Seoul Korea Temple (with 8-hour Private Car & Driver Service)

Seoul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was amazing and we loved the people and all of the places we visited. We had some minor glitches with checking in, including the wrong hotel name and address on the Kim Kim platform and differences in the checking in names on the reservations. We would have like more transparency in the room size; especially for the 3 nights or more in some of the cities we stayed in. Couple of hotels in the big cities, Tokyo and Osaka, the rooms were really tiny and it was difficult to walk around in the room with our suitcases and no closets to hang our clothes or put away our suitcases. Perhaps this could have been discussed with the perspective clients. The locations of the hotels in the 3 big cities were great and we were close to the metro stations. It was a bit difficult getting around on our own and we were glad to have a guide from the first day who bought our ticket and helped us navigate. For any tourists who isn't use to mass transportation, it is definitely worth hiring an English speaking guide to help get around. Taxis are pretty expensive so if you have a lot of suitcases, it's worth pre arranging transfers from the airport, and train station to the hotel. We had a couple of outstanding guides. Anna in Hong Kong and Hiro our guide for Osaka. Both were excellent and really made the tour extra special. We loved our Hakone stay, wonderful Ryokan and Japanese Teppanki dinner as well as the Buddhist monastery. If your guests can afford it, one more night stay would be recommended for either place. The weather was lovely in Mt Koya so we really enjoyed easy walks throughout the area. There were some nice cafes and restaurants in case your guests don't like vegetarian meals. We loved the Osaka aquarium which we found out later is the largest aquarium in the world. I would recommend that as an alternative to Nara. I heard from some of my friends who have been to Nara that they weren't crazy about Nara. However, we had bad weather so Nara that day was not an option. Food was very reasonable in Japan and even in the big cities. The best breakfast was the one in Ten-yu and the hotel in Kyoto. The breakfast in Osaka and Tokyo were ok. If any of your guests are going to H.K, I would highly recommend the Langham at Tsimsha Tsui . The hotel is a 5 star hotel and very reasonable for what you get. The breakfast is very expensive...38.00 usd per day, but we went to a local coffee shop and had breakfast there. Do not recommend Macau if your guests aren't interested in gambling. It was disappointment and the lunch at the casino wasn't great. However Lantau island is very relaxing and well worth it.
In all it was a great trip and Shona did a great job!!

Hotel Reviews

Karaksa hotel grande Shin-Osaka Tower

Osaka

The rooms were a bit small. But location was about a 5 minute walk from the train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location. Close to the train station and shopping

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

莲华定院 (Ren'gejo-in Temple (Pilgrim's Lodging))

Beautiful decor! Amazing room. Bedding very comfortable considering we slept on the floor.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Keisei Richmond Hotel Tokyo Oshiage

Great location, but rooms were small. We wish we had upgraded to a slightly bigger room. Having no closets made it difficult to maneuver in our rooms. Many of the staff did not speak English; however some had a portable translator. Across the street at their sister hotel, above was an amazing grocery store. We bought snacks and some Japanese Sake.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel staff were very nice and we loved the Onsen.

Location

We were across from the Sky tower metro. We went to the top one evening to see the night skyline.

Cleanliness & Comfort

All of the Japanese hotels were very clean. I think we had one problem with the Kyoto hotel only.

Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU

Hakone

Amazing 5 star hotel or Ryokan. Not sure which it was. But very authentic and wonderful Onsen. It was so relaxing. We didn't see much of the area since we didn't check in until 3pm and the weather was terrible, cold and rainy but perfect for the Onsen.

Location

Great location. Beautiful decor, excellent staff.

Staff

They were all nice and very professional.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and we only had one problem in that there was a stain on the sheets and they came right away and changed the bed.

Sakura Terrace -Adult Only

We loved their welcome cocktail. I had the best plum wine there. The room was very small only 19 sq. meters. We asked to upgrade and Shona did that right away at her expense. I highly recommend this hotel if you can upgrade to a larger room.

Authenticity & Character

Great location and wonderful amenities. Free cocktail welcome drink, nice Onsen.

Location

It's close to the train station. However it was difficult to find the hotel. Especially for an older couple, it would be worth hiring someone to meet them at the train station and helping them with their suitcase. It's worth the extra costs and probably a lot cheaper than a taxi.

Staff

The Japanese staff were so polite and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We upgraded to a bigger room. Our bathroom had a bit of a musty smell but I think it just needed a room deodorant.

Mitsui Garden hotel Gotanda Tokyo

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

My least favorite of all the hotels. However it was close to the airport.

Staff

Activity Reviews

Hong Kong Island Half-Day Classic Tour by Public Transportation

Hong Kong

We enjoyed Anna. She was great and very easy going and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kowloon Classic Half-Day Tour by MTR

Hong Kong

It was very enjoyable seeing the shrine and how the Buddhist worshiped.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Anna our guide for both the half day tour of Hong Kong and Kowloon was wonderful.

Transport

We loved the size and quality of the vans for our pick up.

Adrian was very helpful with planning our trip to Ireland. Everything went very smoothly and having everything booked and arranged in advanced made the whole vacation very easy and relaxing. Overall would recommend both Kimkim and Ireland.

Hotel Reviews

Randles Hotel Killarney

Co. Kerry

Great room and vibe, staff were great, breakfast was delicious. Only downside was the wifi.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Trinity City Hotel

Dublin 2

Great service, nice room, good breakfast, ok wifi.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hyde Hotel

Galway

Once again great staff and room, finally had half decent wifi. Only downside was the limited breakfast menu.

Authenticity & Character

This place has a great vibe.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Stauntons on the Green

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Depends. For us it was a bit of a hike from our car drop off location.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Didn't care for the bed here, only place I didn't sleep well.

Activity Reviews

Dublin Private Walking Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Galway Food Tour

Galway

Excellent food tour, more food than expected, skip breakfast.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ferry to Inis Mór (Ferry Only - Return Trip)

Ireland

On the off season for tourists the island was pretty dead. Very scenic but difficult to make a full day out of.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Jameson Experience Tour Premium Whiskey Tasting

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guinness Storehouse Connoisseur Experience

Dublin

Way more interesting than expected

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Halloween in Galway (Macnas + City Atmosphere)

Galway

Quality of Experience

Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center tickets

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Walk with Wolfhounds

Ireland

Probably one of our favorite experiences of the whole trip. Guides were great. Dogs were great. More history and interesting than I expected.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit to Kyteler’s Inn: Medieval Pub with a Witchy Past!

Kilkenny

Sounds very interesting on paper, really just a good pub to stop at for some fish and chips, still good, just not as spooky as we'd hoped.

Quality of Experience

The trip was wonderful. Just what we wanted. Kudos to Hector.

All guides were interesting, informative, and gracious. This included tapas tours, city tours, and museum tours.

All drivers were pleasant, helpful, and on time. They all arrived a few minutes early to insure we left at the appropriate time and this was especially helpful.

The hotel was perfectly situated in the heart of Madrid. It was very "Spanish", which is what we wanted. We were able to walk almost everywhere.

We had a last minute canceled train reservation due to a transit strike, the day of our trip to Toledo. Kim Kim was with us all the way by text. When it became clear that the train was finally going to be cancelled, they arranged for a driver to take us back and forth to Toledo. He arrived within an hour of the cancelation. They coordinated with our guide in Toledo. The transition was seamless. We had a wonderful day.

How a travel agency responds to challenges is the true test of the quality of the agency. Kim Kim performed like a champ. They exceeded expectations. We will definitely use them again and recommend them to our friends.

Activity Reviews

Walking Madrid’s Old Town

Madrid

Guide was interesting, informative, and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We started the tour right from the hotel. That was awesome.

An Excursion to Toledo by Train, Guided Walk

Madrid

The tour was wonderful and the guides lunch recommendation was excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The driver was flexible. We wanted to leave an hour early and he obliged. He was also very willing to pull over for photos.

Masterpieces of the Prado Museum: A Private Experience From Velázquez to Goya

Madrid

The guide was very knowledgeable and gave us exactly the tour we wanted. We asked for the highlights of the museum and she delivered with great enthusiasm and interesting insights and details.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

N/A

Tapas & Tradition: A Madrileño Evening

Madrid

We especially enjoyed the small size, and the enthusiasm and knowledge of the guide. We experienced a wide range of tapas and Spanish beverages.

Quality of Experience

Food

My favorite was the tapas at the first restaurant and trying the Spanish Vermouth that was served on tap.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

N/A

When I began making plans for a trip to the Philippines, I began looking on the Internet for options, Since our visit would be limited to one week, it seemed we could divide our visit between two places. Kimkim offered a private tour and our contact, Angela, suggested ideas that were suited to our interests and our ability (since we are 80+ years of age!). What Angela made it easy and we have been very happy with the tour. She followed through each day too to be sure everything was going well.
All the guides (Anthony, Jonathan, Kat) were on time meeting us and did great jobs of answering question. Our drivers also did a good job of navigation the traffic! They were knowledgeable and incredibly thoughtful to plan all the details for our tour. We felt we were very well cared for!
Manila was interesting for the history and the Fairmont Hotel was excellent! They even offered so many choices of pillows! Everyone was friendly and helpful. The breakfasts were excellent!
The Shangri-la was excellent and offered so much -- also excellent breakfasts!
This has been an excellent trip! We have traveled the world and the Philippines has the friendliest and most helpful people!

Hotel Reviews

Fairmont Makati

The pillows were wonderful -- so many choices! Breakfasts were excellent and the rooms were so thoughtfully furnished.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shangri-La Mactan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cultural Dance Show with Dinner in Manila

Manila

This show began at 7:00 PM but we were told to come at 7:00 PM -- and dinner was served at 6:00 PM! We had to eat while watching the show.

Food

Transport

Margoth and the entire team at Alcantaro (the local travel agency) were fantastic from start to finish. My family of four (me and my wife, 16 y/o daughter, 13 y/o son) spent 4 days and 3 nights in Cartagena at the start of November.

- Planning and booking our trip was easy. We quickly agreed on the activities we wanted to do within our budget - and our hotel was in a perfect location in the Old City.
- We had two different experiences at El Arsenal in Getsemani - they were among the highlights of our trip. We made (and ate) ceviche. And then we came back another day to sample exotic fruit and then make (and eat) ice cream. The staff was so kind that we also got to learn how they make chocolate - and sample plenty of it too. Plus, my wife and I sampled some rum at the end.
- We spent a day in the Rosario Islands. The boat trip was as advertised (just over an hour each way), and the snorkeling was fun - very pretty coral reef.
- We also really enjoyed our visit to the castillo and La Popa (at the top of the hill).
- Every meal that Margoth arranged was great. Some of our favorites include: (1) Crepes & Waffles, (2) Cande, (3) Alma, and (4) Juan del Mar.

Review notes from Karen (other travelers may add opinions and/or have different feedback):
Let me first say that having the pre-trip planning support from Marii was extremely helpful and the 'real-time' availability of support from the KimKim team was invaluable at critical points in our travels! Many Thanks!

It was frustrating at times when the itinerary in the KimKim app was not updated with changes. Also, trying to find specific information between the app and WhatsApp was often confusing for me. It would be optimal if there was one platform to access for updated information as we travel.

We had some spectacular guides! In particular, we appreciated Mario on our first full day in Tokyo as he helped navigate the first full day of getting around the big city. How quickly I forget the names of other guides - but in Tokyo, they were very good. Sumo Stables and Wagyu Beef tasting were fun!

My favorite guide was in the Mt. Fuji area, Lewis, who was quite knowledgeable of the area and very relatable. Both accommodations in the area were wonderful; especially with the private onsens.

On the other hand, we found the Geisha District Walk tour disappointing and the guide ineffective in sharing any information of interest. For the Nara & Kyoto tours, Kazu was attentive and knowledgeable.

I was a bit disappointed with the Miyako Hotel in Kyoto. Although in a good location, it was really busy, crowded and not so comfortable for four nights.

A highlight for all of us was the Kimono Tea Ceremony. Despite a very rainy day, we enjoyed dressing in kimonos and learning about the traditional tea ceremony.

Yuka, our guide in Osaka, was efficient - perhaps walking a bit fast for our pace.
The bullet train to Hiroshima was a great experience!
My time touring the war memorials was a bit difficult for me due to personal reasons but I'm glad to have visited there.
The guide, Hasshi, was pleasant and helpful with train tickets but less effective in relating about the history of the area.

And finally, we would not recommend repeating the Cooking Class - at least, not with the person leading ours. We enjoyed seeing the market but it went downhill from there. The young man was clearly not a chef nor had much cooking experience.

Overall, we had a terrific and memorable visit to the wonderful Japanese culture. We could not have organized and experienced it without the much-appreciated assistance of KimKim. Arigato gozaimasu