Kimkim Trip Reviews

Mieke organized 4 nights for us in Haarlem and Hooran, she did and excellent job working with my wife. I have mobility issues and Mieke made the correct lodging arrangements and was able to adjust one of the canal trips to be less walking.
She was very responsive to inquiries before we arrived and followed up during the course of the trip.

Mieke arranged to have Robert be our driver as needed and he was an immense help at AMS and getting us between the towns.

We had a great experience thanks to this team!

Hotel Reviews

Ysbrantsz Boutique Hotel

Hoorn

Right on the main square and car access to rear. Very busy restaurant the two nights we were there but food is top-notch. Good room and comfortable bed. Staff was very friendly and accomadating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ambassador City Centre Hotel

Haarlem

Right in the historic center with a view of the cathedral. Can be a little noisy but staff was very helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hoorn - Tulip tram

Hoorn

Part of the problem was out of their control: we had some rain and delayed leaving Hoorn due to track repairs. We only had 30 minutes at the last stop before returning to Hoorn. Very clean and well maintained antique train cars and engine.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoorn - Private boat tour historic harbor

The Netherlands

Private boat with a very knowledgeable captain, great insights to the town and architecture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Haarlem - Canal cruise

The Netherlands

Was hoping for a smaller boat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great family vacation to sleeping giant lodge and south water caye for a multigenerational family trip. Kim kim did an excellent job of planning the connections and excursions.

Overall, our trip experience was very well organized and executed. We felt that we got a good exposure to Japanese culture as a whole with our brief visit. Lenny was very responsive and helpful, especially when we were in-country. We appreciated her responsiveness and advice regarding my soy sauce allergy, understanding that it was a hard subject to address.

Activity Reviews

Greater Sendai Friendship Force – Cultural Exchange and Journey

Sendai

Our cultural exchange was very successful and enjoyable. It was the perfect follow-up to our overall cultural introduction tour to Kyoto, Tokayama, Kanazawa and Tokyo.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was wonderful to be hosted by local Friendship Force club members.

Best Of Shibuya Food Private Tour - Evening

Tokyo

We really enjoyed our food tour in Shibuya and learning about the food culture of Tokyo.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our Shibuya Food Tour guide was very good and thorough.

Half-Day Eastern Tokyo Tour with English-Speaking Guide and Private Vehicle

Tokyo

We had limited time to tour Tokyo and our guide did the best he could. His English skill was limited, however, and we wished we had been warned not to eat very much for lunch in preparation our Shibuya Food Tour that evening.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a hard time understanding our guide’s English.

Kanazawa Full Day Tour with English Speaking Guide (Private)

Kanazawa

Our American guide was very thorough and helpful for giving us a good experience in Kanazawa.

Transfer from Takayama to Kanazawa, including a visit to Shirakawa-go

Japan

Shirakawa was a wonderful place and our driver/guide did a great job.

Takayama Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Guide

Takayama

We enjoyed our day tour and lunch suggestion. It was very informative.

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

Kyoto

We enjoyed our interaction with geiko as well as the dinner.

Tea Ceremony in Kyoto (Private)

Japan

Very well done and thorough.

Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo forest & Garden Half-Day Walking Tour

Kyoto

Bullet train from Shinagawa to Kyoto

Japan

Exceptional guides, especially Kyoto.
Drivers were fine but limited English so not much conversation there.

Hotel Reviews

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kyoto ekimae PREMIER

Kyoto

Great location with direct access to shops, restaurants and subway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Hotel Kajikaso

Hakone

Very different experience with foot bath, dinner and breakfast in the room and sleeping on floor mats

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

the b asakusa

Tokyo

Great location and ample breakfast variety

Authenticity & Character

Location

So close to walk to subways, restaurants and temple

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

Guide was great but the food not so much for me!

Quality of Experience

Food

I'm sure it was very good...if you liked sushi 🍣!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked to location

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

Very nice experience at a Sumo Stable! Wrestlers were engaging, entertaining and funny!

Quality of Experience

Authentic wrestlers who were very sharing of their life

Food

Eat like a Sumo! Delicious soup!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family trip to Greece had the perfect blend of activities, education, relaxation, and time on our own. The transportation provided helped to keep everything stress free and on time. In Athens, we had the perfect location at the Athens Manor Houses, which was located right in the city center. The hotel was in a small alleyway and allowed us to walk everywhere we wanted to go but was quiet and tucked away for when we needed our downtime. Our excursion to the Acropolis was the perfect amount of walking, education on both history and mythology, and sight seeing. Our guide was wonderful and she was very aware of the fact that we had 2 children (9 and 12) who might need rest, water etc. Our trip to the Temple of Poseidon was the perfect evening activity with additional history and mythology provided as part of the tour, incredible views. and a stop in a quaint beach town with time on our own for dinner.

KimKim organized our flights from Athens to Chania, Crete and all logistics were seamless. Our stay at Casa Delfino was my favorite part of the trip, with a gorgeous suite and the absolute perfect location in Old Town. Although our gorge trek had to be canceled due to weather, we were able to pivot and make the most of it with the KimKim team offering up alternate suggestions although ultimately, we adventured on our own. Our final excursion was a private tour of Balos lagoon and a 3 hour stop at Falassarna Beach where our guide Nasos took such amazing care of our family. We couldn't be happier with our trip overall!!

Hotel Reviews

Casa Delfino

Chania, Crete

This hotel is a must visit. Perfect location, beautiful building with extremely nice rooms. We had all sorts of treats waiting for us in our room and the experience felt so personal. Breakfast was delicious and there was a very cool roof deck for sunset views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

30 second walk to the port restaurants in old town but a quiet hotel stay

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Athens Manor Houses

Athens

perfect location, beautiful room, and great breakfast... Some of the reviews mentioned this hotel might be noisy due to the location but our family found it to be lovely and perfectly quiet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Balos Lagoon & Falassarna Beach 4WD Day Trip & Lunch

Chania

Our guide Nasos made this whole excursion - he was absolutely wonderful and took such great care of our family. He provided us with the perfect amount of historical and educational context as well as the locals perspective on our drive to Balos. He set us up for our beach time at Falassarna makgin sure we had everything we needed...I highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Cape Sounio & Temple of Poseidon Experience

Athens

Even though it was a little cloudy, this experience was well worth it! Our guide was so knowledgeable and had some great stories to share. We stopped in a small beach town for a quick dinner and it was lovely. The temple itself is amazing and we loved spending the sunset there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ancient Athens Acropolis & Mythology Walk

Athens

Great education on both mythology and history. Our guide took her time climbing up to the Acropolis and the pace felt super manageable while keeping our 3 kids entertained and moving along.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lisa did an amazing job putting together a perfect itinerary for us! We saw a lot of things without feeling rushed! Having access to the public transport gave us the freedom to get around easily. When not using public transport, our driver, Fred, was delightful! We loved that our itinerary got us “off the beaten path” for some of the time so we could avoid crowds and get a more authentic Dutch experience! I will definitely use KimKim again!

Hotel Reviews

The Duke Boutique Hotel

's Hertogenbosch

Location was great. Comfortable accommodation. Breakfast was very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Wever Lodge

Otterlo

Beautiful location within walking distance of the national park entrance. The restaurant was amazing, service was great, accommodations very comfortable. Highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful setting and within walking distance of national park entrance.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kröller Müller Museum

The Netherlands

Would visit again! We went toward a lot of museums and this was probably the favorite.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoge Veluwe National Park by bicycle

The Netherlands

Off the beaten path! Not many international tourists! Lovely museum and sculpture garden! Bikes were a lot of fun and made the park accessible without a car!

Quality of Experience

Transport

Delft - Delft blue pottery

The Netherlands

Was very nice… a tour bus destination so I was glad we went toward the end of the day as they were leaving.

Delft - Vermeer Center

The Netherlands

The Hague - Mauritshuis Museum

The Netherlands

Day trip to The Hague & Delft

The Netherlands

The museum in The Hague was very nice! Delft was really great - wish we had more time there.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Day trip to cheese farm, Zaanse Schans, and Hortus Bulborum

The Netherlands

The cheese farm and Zaanse Schans were a bit touristy but still worth seeing. We particularly liked the Hortus Bulborum!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum

The Netherlands

Amsterdam - Anne Frank House

The Netherlands

Very busy but worth the effort.

Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)

The Netherlands

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum

The Netherlands

Amsterdam - Private guided historic city walk

The Netherlands

A really helpful thing to do on the first day to get acclimated.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Public transport pass Netherlands (OV chip card)

The Netherlands

Having the OV card available was essential to this trip! We were able to get around very easily!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was again a great planning by KimKim and associated team. Door to door pickups and drops, English speaking guides that helped us translate from Arabic, as well as experts in Ancient Egyptian monuments and artifacts. Visited Cairo, Aswan and Luxor and we were amazed by remains of the ancient culture. I wonder what it would be when everything was intact.
If was unfortunate that so much effort had been made to destroy everything in the past but now the government has taken strict measures to protect everything. Got a lot of clarity on the ancient Egyptian Gods and the relationship between them which was my interest area. The Temples selected for us were amazing and my personal favorites were Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu temple. Our best experience was with the driver Omar in Aswan, who had taken an extra effort to make the car comfortable and the our guide in Aswan and Luxor - Ahmad who was so professional and knowledgeable.

Would have liked to give 5 stars but had to take one out, because the step pyramid in Sakkara was one of the main things we wanted to visit and we had mentioned that in the planning as well , but the guide assigned to us insisted that we do not go there despite our reminding a few times and only agreed to show us from far. I would suggest Sun Pyramids to choose guides carefully and see if they are using the funds allocated to them as they were intended to. Yes, there was a separate ticket for the step pyramid and later I guessed this might be the reason. And he was insisting that we take a horse carriage near the great pyramids that we did not even want to do and pay a big price separately (which was a lot more than the the ticket for step pyramid) for that which we eventually did not take.

I worked with Ben for a number of months to personalize a very special trip to Japan. He could not have been more accommodating, and he answered every question in a timely manner. He made wonderful suggestions, and we weren’t disappointed anywhere along the line.

We had three different guides, Ursula, Sorata, and Pitt - each lovely and knowledgeable. We enjoyed spending our days with them very much.

Everything promised was delivered, and even more. Ben even arranged for a birthday cake for me - a delightful surprise.

Our time in Japan was filled with wonderful memories, beautiful experiences, and gracious interactions. We can’t wait to come back!

Hotel Reviews

PROSTYLE Ryokan Yokohama Bashamichi

Yokohama

Good location, nice room. Easy access to subway, restaurants and shopping.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

THE KNOT HIROSHIMA

Hiroshima

Love this hotel! Great location next to the Peace Park. Easy access to shopping and food. Overall, a nice hipster boutique hotel, if that’s where you’re looking for. Nice high floor bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Onyado Nono Namba Natural Hot Spring

Osaka

Our only disappointment on the trip. This hotel, although in a great location and clean, is not the most comfortable. Tiny room. We could barely put our clothes or suitcases anywhere. It feels more like a family budget hotel, and we were paying luxury prices.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gion Elite Terrace

Great location! Clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Kamakura Ancient Capital Tour: Great Buddha & Zen Temples (Public Transport)

Japan

I had visited, Kamakura before, but my husband had not. I wanted him to see the Buddha and bamboo forest and it could not have been a more perfect day, weatherwise. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Miyajima’s World Heritage & Serene Temples: Guided Full-Day Tour with Public Transfer & Ferry

Hiroshima

This was always on my bucket list, and it did not disappoint. Beautiful setting, nice day overall.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka's Dual Charms Guided Tour: Tsutenkaku, Namba Yasaka Shrine & Kuromon Market with Public Transportation

Osaka

The tower, — it’s a bit touristy. If you like going up the Eiffel Tower, or to the Statue of Liberty, or to the top of the Empire State building, then this is that type of experience. But we enjoyed walking in the nearby neighborhood and stopping by Four for a night local lunch. We also had a nice walk through a beautiful park. Be careful at Kuromon market if you order Uni. They hide the prices a bit, and there might be a little sticker shock at the end.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Himeji: Exploring Japan’s First Famous Castle and Tranquil Gardens （by public transport）

Osaka

Fascinating castle with an interesting history. The gardens nearby were beautiful. Be prepared for a lot of steps.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hidden Paths of Arashiyama:Tea Ceremony ,Moss Temples and Kaiseki Dinner with Maiko Performance（Private Guide, Public Transportation）

Kyoto

Arashimaya was fabulous! Highly recommend going there - just glorious in spring. The tea ceremony and Maiko experience felt a bit touristy, but if you want to be dressed in a kimono for tea, then this might be for you. But our guide Ursula was wonderful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to the Galapagos was very well planned. We enjoyed our few days on land ,interacting with the local culture.
Our cruise on the Treasure was fabulous. The Staff and Captain were excellent ,educational including a delicious variety of snacks,drinks and meals.

Thank you Paul

Thank you for a beautiful & memorable trip! We started out with a flight delay & missed flight connection, so we lost our first day in Edinburgh. Thank you for booking the room in London & a train to Edinburgh the next day. Loved the Edinburgh Castle(quite the uphill hike) and high tea for my birthday. Toured 4 amazing castles, saw 2 castle ruins, boat trip on Loch Ness, boat trip in Oban. We hiked to the fairy pools-gorgeous! All accommodations were comfortable with kind & efficient staff. Everything was organized & easy to follow on your app.

Paula was absolutely wonderful! She was very responsive, helpful, and informative in planning everything for this trip where we could be completely at ease during our trip. Her dedication to working with us from months prior all the way to during the trip itself was incredibly helpful. We would not have been able to have the same experience without her help making the planning process so much easier along with making the trip itself stress free. Not needing to worry about booking tours, hotels, flights, and especially transportation to and from everywhere allowed us to completely enjoy our trip rather than worry. We would definitely recommend booking with kimkim and Paula!

We just came back from a 2 week trip to Peru. KimKim did an amazing job. We had a well rounded tour, starting in Lima to Cusco, Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Puno, then back to Lima. Everything went according to plan. The tour guides were wonderful. Pick ups were always on time. It could not have been better.
Thank you!

Activity Review

Urban Kitchen Experience

Lima

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a lovely experience with visiting 4 cities in southern Spain: Madrid, Granada, Seville and Cordoba. We had tours and tickets arranged for key sites like the Alhambra in Granada, the King's Palace in Madrid and audio guides for The Prado Museum (Madrid), the Alcazar and Seville Cathedral in Seville. Our driver Joan and guide Angel in Cordoba were wonderful. Otherwise, we did a lot of reading up on what to see and do on free days so we could wander at our own pace. All of our guides were so knowledgable, fun and were so patient with all of our questions. Yassime was wonderful planning the trip with us and finding hotels that were right in the heart of old towns and so close to walk to everything. They worked with MOBT Global to make a seamless travel experience. Anna was our go to person and was so helpful and checked in with us often, keeping us up to date for transfers and driver information. When we traveled in Marrakech and Fes, we had the nicest driver Said who became our friend immediately! He was such a good conversationist that our drives would fly by and we learned so much about each other's cultures. Our guide, Ahmed, in Marrakesh was awesome. He really took care of us, going at a slower pace, getting a tuk-tuk for farther distances. Sahara was our amazing guide in Fes and was so full of energy, smiles and so much history. We traveled the souks on a Friday when almost everything was closed and there were hardly any tourists around. We got to hear about the real Fes, culture and people.

Every driver and guide we had was super. The food tour with Iva was very interesting. I only wish we'd been warned to eat a light breakfast. Zoran was a very punctual, informative and pleasant driver. We enjoyed the War museum with him and Plitvice Lakes exceeded all expectations. Our walking guide, Joseph, in Split was wonderful - so patient, pleasant and informative. The walk itself was perfect for our abilities and the Peka lunch delicious.

The cooking class was probably my favorite activity. Tomi is a great teacher and made me a much braver cook. I know the boat excursion in Dubrovnik with Simon would have been a favorite if the weather had been more pleasant. Ah well, Simon's cheery personality made up for it.

All 4 hotels were very comfortable and the breakfasts were amazing.

We planned to visit Croatia some time ago with no idea what to schedule. You planned our itinerary perfectly.

Activity Reviews

Croatian Cooking Class

Split

Tomi is fun, informative and patient. We had a tour through the markets to get the food we would be preparing. the school where we prepared our food was wonderful to work in. I learned to skin a fish, chop swiss chard and knead bread with confidence. This was a very fun activity

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Zagreb - walking food tour!

Zagreb

Iva was very informative guide through the old city. Delicious traditional food. Definitely go on an empty stomach 'cuz you'll get a lot to eat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The choice of four of the most spectacular Argentinian locations (the Lake Country - Bariloche, the wine country – Mendoza, the rain forest – Iguazu, and Buenos Aires) was excellent for first-time explorers like us in the country. The Kimkim team was highly interactive, asking about and responding to our interests, suggesting locations, and working with us at every step. The team was especially responsive in working with us to revise and adapt the original plan when a significant ‘hitch’ occurred on our part.
We can’t say enough positive things about the planning and care by staff (Micaela & Julieta): every ride was there when promised, the guides (Sabrina and Rodriguez) were beyond excellent with their in-depth knowledge and interpretation, the choice of hotels (espeically the boutique hotel in Palermo/Soho and the Yurt at Pristine Camp) , and regular contact with us to make sure all was well.
Though all parts of the trip were superb, the cooking class Lamadrid Winery in Mendoza and the Iguazu Falls in Iguazu were fun and engaging.
This was our second Kimkim trip planning experience, and it’s not likely to be the last!! Thank you, Kimkim!!

Activity Review

Half Day Dinner & Tango Show with Lesson included

Buenos Aires

Superb! It started off with us two - 86 and 83 years young - working our way through a Tango lesson. Even have a video to share (if we choose!). Then a stage-side dinner show. Dinner was good, the Tango show (90 minutes) was fun and superb. It happened that the couple sharing our table had their daughter as a part of one of the Tango teams. That added some 'connection' for us, and after the show, we had our pictures taken with the daughter and her Tango partner.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Always there when promised; courteous and sometimes conversant drivers

Our trip to South Korea with Kimkim was truly the trip of a lifetime—honestly, it exceeded even our highest expectations. We were already passionate about South Korea, its culture, history, food, and of course BTS, so we came with a long “must-see” list. We shared those dreams with Kimkim, and somehow they turned every one of them into reality—and then added so much more.

From the very beginning in Seoul, Kimkim hit the nail on the head. As BTS fans, visiting places significant to their journey to stardom was incredibly meaningful, and Kimkim thoughtfully wove those experiences into our itinerary. But beyond that, they immersed us in Korean culture in the most unforgettable ways. Wearing traditional hanboks while exploring Gyeongbokgung Palace felt like stepping into history. Walking through Bukchon Hanok Village was magical, and visiting N Seoul Tower gave us breathtaking views of Seoul we will never forget.

And then there was Wookie—our guide in Seoul, Andong, and Busan—who was simply exceptional. Wookie was not just a guide; he felt like a friend we were lucky enough to travel with. He listened when we told him one of our biggest wishes was simple: “Take us where you like to eat.” And wow, did he deliver. Our food experiences were beyond anything we imagined—from Korean fried chicken, Andong’s famous jjimdak, and incredible seaweed soup in Busan, to even stopping at a roadside rest area where we had one of the most memorable lunches and tasted warm hodugwaja donuts (still dreaming about those!). Through food alone, Wookie gave us a deeper connection to Korea.

Our journey to Andong was full of surprises and authentic moments. Wandering through the traditional market, interacting with the kind and welcoming shopkeepers, and experiencing the cultural village with its mask performance during cherry blossom season felt like walking through another era. It was one of those places that leaves a permanent mark on your heart.

Then came Busan, and once again Wookie made us feel less like tourists and more like locals. Riding the Busan Sky Capsule was unforgettable and something we highly recommend. From exploring the BIFF district and fish markets to wandering through one of the world’s largest department stores, every day felt alive with discovery.

Just when we thought the trip couldn’t get any better, we arrived in Jeju Island and met Clover—another extraordinary guide who gave us an entirely different, but equally incredible, side of Korea. Clover was warm, knowledgeable, adventurous, and so much fun to spend time with. She made Jeju feel magical.

With Clover, we visited a BTS-themed café, explored the fascinating Jeju Haenyeo Museum, and climbed Seongsan Ilchulbong where we were lucky enough to witness the legendary women divers in action—absolutely breathtaking. She introduced us to foods we never would have discovered on our own, including eun-galchi (silver hairtail fish), which I still crave, and the black pork BBQ experience… honestly, we nearly cried over how delicious it was.

Another unforgettable day was visiting Jeongbang Falls with Clover. For adventurous travelers, this is a must. Sitting by the water eating fresh-caught abalone and conch was one of those spontaneous travel moments you remember forever. We also marveled at the dramatic beauty of Daepo Jusangjeolli Cliff and its stunning hexagonal rock formations.

And I would be remiss not to mention the hotels Kimkim selected, which elevated the trip even further. The Westin Josun Seoul, Signiel Busan, and Grand Hyatt Jeju all had the most welcoming, gracious staff. Everywhere we stayed, we felt less like guests at a hotel and more like we were being welcomed into someone’s home.

What made this trip so special wasn’t just the destinations—it was how personal and thoughtfully curated every moment felt. Kimkim didn’t just plan a vacation; they created an experience full of heart, culture, adventure, and memories we will treasure forever.

And Wookie and Clover… they made this journey extraordinary. Their warmth, humor, knowledge, and genuine care transformed this from a tour into something deeply personal and unforgettable.

We can say without hesitation: Kimkim gave us the trip of a lifetime. South Korea stole our hearts all over again, and thanks to Kimkim, we are already dreaming of coming back. If there is ever a reason to return for another adventure (and we hope there is!), we would book with Kimkim again in a heartbeat.

Thank you for memories we will carry forever.

First off, I want to appreciate our agent, Coraima. She planned a terrific trip! Sh was very knowledgeable and really took great care of us through out the journey. Our Spain trip included three locations, Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid. Through it all, Kimkim was there for us and really made the journey easy. The Kimkim AP is a bit of a work in progress, but the key to what make this group work is how responsive the whole team was when we needed them. 24/7 they all seemed to be there for us.

Hotels? Good solid choices with central locations, good breakfasts and very helpful concierge.

Travel was easy. Either drivers, uber, or trains were all accessible and simply laid out in our schedule.

Tours were all a little crowded, but we’re not really “crowd” people. The one thing I will say is that across the board we met the nicest people! The leaders of the tours were all very knowledgeable and engaging. “Just enough” is how I would describe them all.

Favorite experiences…probably “paella cooking lessons.” Shout out to our chef who was SO entertaining and dynamic! Personally, I could have lived without the flamingo dancing and tapas evening. Not that it wasn’t entertaining (and this is subjective)… but the tapas were just ok and the performance was just a little cheesy.

Extra note…both my wife and I caught colds. The hotel in Barcelona sent us a doctor who was amazing and the medical system in Spain was really remarkable. Easy access pharmacies and educated help.

Bottom line, we just had a sensational time!!

Working with Penny from KimKim was a pleasure from start to finish. She was so easy to work with and I could tell she loves her job. She created a dream trip with everything we asked for to make my husband’s 50th birthday feel special. Every hotel and excursion was spot on, and the private transfers made everything seamless and worry free.
We decided to travel in the shoulder season over Easter and Greek Orthodox Easter and Penny made sure the places we visited were open and ready for visitors. We normally plan our own trips but since we wanted to visit various islands and we were traveling in the shoulder season, I wanted to make sure we didn’t encounter any issues. Plus, who wants to stress over a two week celebratory trip? I can tell you we never stressed on this trip!
We stayed in Athens, Chania and Heraklion in Crete, Imerovigli in Santorini, and Chora, the port in Naxos. Crete and Santorini were our favorite islands. All of the islands had their own beauty and the Greek people were always so friendly and welcoming. Greece is very clean and crime free, at least where we were! Our hotels were amazing, our favorites being the SanSal next to the old town in Chania and Cresanto Luxury Suites. Both were very close and walkable to restaurants and shopping. The guest relations/ concierge were wonderfully helpful and fun to talk to. The rooms were spacious. SanSal had the best sea view and Cresanto had the best shower with instant hot water the whole trip. There was a bit of construction happening at Cresanto while we were there but the room was soundproof and it didn’t bother us. They are expanding. we had our own plunge pool but the weather was still chilly so we didn’t take advantage. I will say it is not very private as the walkway is right in front of the pool so even though it is private from the suites on either side, anyone walking past can see right in.
Our favorite experiences on the trip were a Cretan cooking class in the White Mountains booked by Penny, and experiencing Santorini over Greek Orthodox Easter, specifically the Pyrgos Fire Celebration on Good Friday. I’m only calling out a couple things but we did have an excursion almost daily, most coordinated through Penny at KimKim and they were all great. The cooking class stood out because it took place in a sweet couple’s home who were so hospitable, we had a wonderful small group, a cozy fire (chilly, rainy day) and got to feed the neighbor’s sheep. Mr. George, the husband even shared his personal barrel of wine with us which was wonderful and he had put it in the barrel when he was 15. Great stories and family history. Fun and informative tour guide who interpreted for us as Mr. George didn’t speak English and his wife (very sweet and head chef) only spoke a small amount but was hilarious. We ate what we made and everyone had a wonderful time.
The Pyrgos village lights up on Good Friday with giant candles over every possible surface. It made the most beautiful and memorable sight, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. It’s an entire procession through the hilltop village along with burning crosses. Wall to wall people as Greeks come from all over to celebrate. This was a once in a lifetime experience and something only done on Santorini. If you find yourself in Santorini over this timeframe I encourage you to attend this must see event.
Penny, thank you for putting so much thought into our trip and for always being available to answer questions. Oh also, we did very much enjoy the couples massage you arranged for us in Athens! Thank you for everything!
I highly recommend KimKim for planning your next trip! I’ve already recommended them to everyone I’ve talked to about our fabulous trip and I hope we take another trip where we are able to use them soon!

Hotel Reviews

Cresanto Luxury Suites

Santorini

Very close and walkable to restaurants and shopping in nearby Imerovigli. Angela was wonderfully helpful and fun to talk to. The suite was spacious and unique with the sky light. Cresanto had the best shower with instant hot water the whole trip. There was a bit of construction happening at Cresanto while we were there but the room was soundproof and it didn’t bother us. They are expanding. we had our own plunge pool but the weather was still chilly so we didn’t take advantage. I will say the personal pool is not very private as the walkway is right in front of it so even though it is private from the suites on either side, anyone walking past can see right in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Angela

Cleanliness & Comfort

SanSal Boutique Hotel

Chania

My husband and I loved this hotel. It was walkable to everything and had great sea views. We also loved the spacious room. Very clean and the concierge/ guest relations team were wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to old town

Staff

Everyone we encountered at the front desk was terrific as was the restaurant/ bar staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Villages of Naxos Tour

Naxos

Our favorite stop was the pottery shop! Marble village was also cool. Oh and the olive oil press where we were able to do a tasting of olives and olive oil.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Santorini Cultural Highlights Guided Tour with Wine Tasting

Santorini

This was a private tour and we loved our tour guide. She was very knowledgeable and easy going. It was a lovely day to wander around Santorini.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The 7 Villages Of Apokoronas Small-group Tour

Greece

We enjoyed wandering up the mountainside and visiting different village. From tea, to cheese, to lunch, it was a relaxing day. We also loved wandering around the orange orchard and grabbed a great view of the white capped mountains from an unexpected spot.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Real Cretan Cooking Small-Group Experience

Chania

Our favorite of the trip! Don’t miss out. The cooking class stood out because it took place in a sweet couple’s home who were so hospitable, we had a wonderful small group, a cozy fire (chilly, rainy day) and got to feed the neighbor’s sheep. Mr. George, the husband even shared his personal barrel of wine with us which was wonderful and he had put it in the barrel when he was 15. Great stories and family history. Fun and informative tour guide who interpreted for us as Mr. George didn’t speak English and his wife (very sweet and head chef) only spoke a small amount but was hilarious. We ate what we made and everyone had a wonderful time.

Quality of Experience

Wonderful and informative tour guide, and the sweetest family.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Acropolis & Acropolis Museum Private Guided Tour

Athens

The guide was extremely knowledgeable! Poor weather but it made for fewer crowds which was a bonus especially while exploring the grounds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was more than a trip it was an experience. The sights,sounds and food were amazing. Spain was a bucket list destination and was a blessing. There are not enough words to express how grateful I am for the experience and for Giorgia and KimKim who did an amazing job for our group

Hotel Review

Hotel & Spa Plaza Mercado

Valencia

The rooms are comfortable and the staff was courteous and very accommodating. Excellent

Authenticity & Character

Location

The shops were within walking distance of hotel

Staff

So accommodating and polite

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very accommodating and polite

Activity Reviews

An Evening of Flamenco

Madrid

The culture of Madrid flamenco was amazing

Quality of Experience

The culture of the dance and seeing it live was amazing

Transport

Went by cab during rush hour so give yourself time

Cook Paella like a Valenciano

Valencia

This was amazing. From shopping in the market to cooking. Truly an amazing experience. Highly recommend i

Quality of Experience

The staff at this class is so warm and friendly that we were sad to say goodbye

Food

The paella that we made was awesome as were the appetizers they were so kind to provide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Professional, polite and engaging

Transport

Not applicable as we went by cab

Mediterranean Sailing Experience & Live Spanish Guitar Music

Barcelona

It was beautiful. I’ve been on similar excursions in other areas I traveled but this was the best. Intimate and beautiful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The captain of the boat was engaging and friendly

Transport

We took cans there so not applicable

Barcelona in Bites: Tapas as Local

Barcelona

This was so amazing. Learning the history of specific tapas and culture was great. The tapas were amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was awesome

Transport

We walked to meet the guide

Wonderful itenerary to get a taste of all the cities we visited in our very first trip to Italy. Hotels were excellent with only one small issue in Rome, but Anita got that taken care of. Our tour guides were all extraordinary and we liked them all. For 70+ year olds perhaps no more 7 hour tours with a lot of walking. Three to four hours seemed to be the best. I think our favorite cities were Florence, Sorrento, and Palermo. Our wine tastings and pairings were superb! And our cooking class in Palermo with Chef Marco was a special delight.
All in all an incredible once in a lifetime experience. Grazie mille, Alan y John