Kimkim Trip Reviews

Margarita and her team went above and beyond to ensure that we had a wonderful trip to Colombia. Thank you for taking such good care of us! Everyone we worked with was friendly, helpful and polite. I couldn't ask for more. Muchas gracias

Hotel Reviews

100 LUXURY SUITES

bogota

During my three-night stay at 100 LUXURY SUITES in Bogotá, I found the hotel to be excellent. The neighborhood was lovely, but it was a bit far from the downtown tourist areas, which was a minor inconvenience. The hotel itself was nice, although the distance from the main attractions was a small drawback. Overall, the experience was fabulous, and I would highly recommend this hotel.

Location

Staff

The Refuge at Río Claro Reserva Natural

Medellin

My one-night stay at The Refuge at Río Claro Reserva Natural had a few issues. It is an eco hotel with a low cost, but the staff seemed inexperienced and didn't provide the level of service we expected. The location was not ideal, and the accommodation could have been better. Despite these challenges, the staff was friendly, which was a plus.

Patio del Mundo

Medellín

I stayed at Patio del Mundo in Medellín for three nights and found the hotel to be fabulous. The location was perfect, the staff was very friendly and helpful, and the overall experience was excellent. I highly recommend this boutique hotel for anyone visiting Medellín.

Location

Staff

Rosario Del Mar by Tequendama

My one-night stay at Rosario Del Mar by Tequendama in the Rosario Islands was good overall. The accommodation was basic with no balcony or view, but the staff was extremely nice. The experience was decent, but not excellent due to the simplicity of the room.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Barú & the Rosario Islands

Colombia

The islands and the beach were great and the snorkeling was fun, but there wasn't so much to see underwater.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Valentina was delightful, good English, informative. The driver and his son were great.

Transport

Jason (and later Paul) at Kimkim did a nice job planning our itinerary, accommodating specific scheduling needs, and answering questions. We appreciate them. The tours we did in San Pedro de Atacama area were pretty much on the "standard list" of tours, so it was not really unusual or personalized. Guide Nicolas was notably good.

Our 14 day trip to Colombia was fantastic!
Michael helped us plan an awesome itinerary that was filled with adventure. Our local guides were so much fun to meet. Maylin in Bogotá was so kind and knowledgeable. We really did a lot in one day. Bogotá far exceeded my expectations! While in the Amazon, Yair showed us true adventures including monkeys, sloths, dolphins and even an anaconda!! Salento and the Cocora Valley was truly beautiful. Carlos knew a lot about the flora and fauna and was considerate in bringing me walking sticks! Tayrona National Park is really cool ( actually hot and humid!!), with monkeys, blue tailed lizards and toads. You can hear the howler monkeys as you trek through the jungle ...all pointed out by our kind and helpful guide, José. A refreshing swim in the Caribbean and then a beachside lunch is a wonderful way to cool off before the hike back. Jaime was our delightful guide around the Victoria Coffee farm and waterfalls. We also had a really good lunch with her.
Our driver for several occasions was Juan Carlos. He took us from the airport in Santa Marta to Tayrona to Minca and all around that area and then on a 4+ hour drive to Cartagena! He stopped for photos and brought us bottles of cold water! He drove very safe and we felt very secure on the very curvy mountain roads of Minca.
While seeing Cartagena, Evelyn, with her fun and spirited personality, took us around showing us history and where to find the best shopping and restaurants.
Our hotels were really nice. The drivers were on time and EVERYTHING went according to schedule. We could not have planned such a fantastic vacation on our own. We felt like VIPS and realized our private tours seemed to far surpass any of the others we saw or heard about. No regrets. A trip of a lifetime for sure! Thank you once again, Michael Gold!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Muisca

Bogotá

Really unique. So old and interesting. Breakfast was good. Slightly noisy for sleep due to the way the hotel was set up. Still, we enjoyed it

Authenticity & Character

Super quaint, interesting architecture. Old-time European feeling.

Location

Great for sightseeing

Staff

Main reception was fine

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, small rooms. Fine.

Waira Suites

Leticia

Clean, modern feel. Pools looked tempting, but we didn't have a chance to use them. Restaurant staff was fun and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing to be improved upon, just not super interesting

Location

Seemed very central for our needs. Easy access.

Staff

Friendly restaurant staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and fresh

La Ceiba Amazonas

Really rustic, but what would you expect in the Amazon?!

Authenticity & Character

Simple, rustic. Has what you need. Great private decks! Liked the communal meals to meet new people

Location

In MI aqua, an indigenous pueblo

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds, bath were fine.

Salento Plaza

Clean, delightful breakfasts

Authenticity & Character

Cute outdoor area with lots of plants, beautiful sunsets

Location

Near everything in town

Staff

Restaurant staff especially kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were nice, not so private as everyone can walk by and see right into your ( bed) room

Senda Koguiwa

Santa Marta

Absolutely beautiful! Awesome balcony! Awesome lobby and grounds, and pool. This was the highlight hotel of our trip. The little monkeys at breakfast were a fun surprise as well as walking along the river. Also swam in the pool, had cocktails and massages. Great!!

Authenticity & Character

Great

Location

Beautiful

Staff

Nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mundo Nuevo Eco Lodge

Santa Marta

The grounds her were beautiful. Our actual rooms were OK.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were small, up a steep hill. Lots of rules. We wanted to dry our towels before travel the next day, but not allowed to.

Hotel Casa Tere

Cartagena

Mixed feelings here. Hotel has great potential with current downfalls such as poor breakfast choices and service. Room was small with 2 double beds. Did not look like the photo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good location

Staff

Restaurant staff person was very unhelpful and unattentive . Just poorly managed breakfast. Cheap pillows, blankets. We were fine, just seemed lacking compared to our other stays.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Could be improved if they tried.

Activity Reviews

Bogota's Essentials (City Tour & Monserrate)

Bogotá

Awesome, learned SO much from Maylin. She did a super job.

Quality of Experience

So many places covered in one day!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Well educated and spoke great English .

Transport

No issues

Flora & Fauna in the Amazon (4d/3n)

Leticia and Puerto Nariño

Our guide added specialists to each area, for example to the monkey/ primate trek; to the Sloth trek in Peru.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Got to see an anaconda!!

Transport

Cocora Valley & Salento

Colombia

I was glad I requested the hiking poles for this trek. It was so beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very careful drivers

Transport

Open Jeep Ride was really fun, especially to the coffee farm!

Coffee Farm Tour in Finca Buenos Aires

Salento

Very interesting, beautiful countryside. My favorite views of Colombia!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver from Peoria to Salento was not as friendly as most. From Salento to Peoria, REALLY FRIENDLY!

Transport

Hike Tayrona National Park

Tayrona National Park

Seeing the animals was awesome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jose and Jose were great!

Transport

Nature, Waterfalls & Coffee Farm in Minca

Colombia

Loved spending time with Jaime. She is a real gem!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jaime and Juan Carlos are so nice!

Transport

Juan is an excellent and very consciousness driver.

Cartagena City Tour

Cartagena

Fun time checking out the historical and current stats of the city.

Quality of Experience

Evelyn was fun and spirited! Great tips on shopping!

Quality of Experience

Evelyn was fun and spirited! Great tips on shopping!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Long drive from Minka to Cartagena. Interesting to see the non tourist cities.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Long drive from Minka to Cartagena. Interesting to see the non tourist cities.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Long drive from Minka to Cartagena. Interesting to see the non tourist cities.

Transport

Juan Carlos is a great driver.

Transport

Juan Carlos is a great driver.

Transport

Juan Carlos is a great driver.

This was our first experience using a travel agent and will be our last! Although Costa Rica is a beautiful country, our vacation felt very much like a pre-package, impersonal trip comprised of very touristy activities selected from a pre-approved list (no variations, no deviations, no personalizations). Costa Rica, or at least the regions we were sent to, were just huge tourist meccas, overflowing with garish billboards, cheap souvenir shops and ramshackle hotels.

We stayed at two resorts - Los Lomas del Volcan in LaFortuna and The Parador Nature Resort in Manuel Antonio. Both were a bit dated but nice. But without a car, you were at the mercy of the local cabs ($10 to drive the 1.5 km into town on the un-walkable road) or the capricious shuttle schedule offered by the resort. We had to spend almost all your time within the confines of the resort.

Which I guess is fine and might be what many people like. And if that is your vacation objective, then these two properties would be fine.

The adventure activities were, once again, very touristy and focused more on “schlock” than really giving any sort of education about coffee growing or chocolate production. We did a safari raft adventure through Canoa Adventure that was fun. But that was followed by a “hike” to la Fortuna falls which consisted of a young man just driving us to the falls and letting us walk to the falls. Not sure that was worthy of any sort of fee.

BUT - if you are into zip lining and lying around a pool, both resorts would be just fine.

The biggest disappointment was the service provided by KimKim. I am just going to give one example (there were many others). Our last day at Manuel Antonio, we had to check out of the room by 11:00 but our shuttle was not arriving until 3:00. Everything was packed. No air conditioning in the resort (other than the bedrooms which we had to leave). Restaurants on the resort did not open until noon (also not air conditioned). We asked at the front desk if there was something we could do or a place to go. They had no suggestions. Total waste of a day, just sitting around, trying to stay cool and waiting for the shuttle.

And then, the shuttle takes us to downtown San Jose for the night - we had an early morning flight the next day. But we arrived so late we could not do anything in San Jose. So why not just have us stay at an airport hotel, complete with a free airport shuttle, and allow us to 1) sleep a little more in the morning 2) take advantage of the free breakfast and 3) not have to pay the cab fare to the airport.

Terrible planning. If I had planned this myself, I would have taken these timing issues into consideration. But clearly, KimKim did not care. And when I mentioned something, I received a tepid response, thanking me for my patience and saying they would take this into consideration for the future.

Sigh!!!

I know I sound like a complainer - and I am not. I was just expecting (hoping) that when you pay for a travel agent, more care would have been taken and the responsiveness would be greater. In the future, i will go back to doing my own research, booking my own hotels and excursions and mapping out the vacation myself. It just seems, for me at least, the travel agent offered little or no value.

Sorry.

Hotel Reviews

Park Inn San Jose by Radisson

San José

I don’t know why anyone would stay here. The hotel itself is nice enough but it is in a horrible location - not walkable to much of anything. Just a place to sleep.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Very nice property. But it is located 1.5 km from the main road, and the access is along an unwalkable road. You are forced to take a $10 cab to get into the town. But the property itself is very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just not near anythign

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We never did get hot water in our shower and despite repeated requests, the staff did not really seem to care!!

Parador Nature Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

Very beautiful setting. Our stay was somewhat marred because it was very hot and we were just not used to 100 degree temps. Other than the rooms, nothing is air conditioned. Yikes. But beautiful vistas. Nice pools. No beach access (except along a rather rocky path)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Air conditioning went down for a bit but they were very quick to repair and gave us a tray of chocolate covered strawberries for our trouble. Extremely nice gesture.

Activity Reviews

Travel to Arenal - Doka Coffee Tour

Costa Rica

Very package, tourist activity, but the guide was knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Silencio Volcano Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Guide was very knowledgeable. Excellent experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chocolate Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Just too “schlocky”. Too much time was spent with the guide trying to be cute/funny/whatever. Spitting the chocolate seed??? Too much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Safari Float & Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Good experience and we were able to see many animals. Our guide did a great job. But they sort of dragged the whole thing out to make the “experience” last about an hour longer than necessary. However, that seems to be typical of much if everything we did in Costa Rica.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisa did a fantastic job creating a memorable itinerary for The Philippines full of snorkeling and beautiful water activities! The resorts were great and snorkeling guides (Rap Rap - Palawan) top notch. She was also extremely responsive in following up both before and during the trip, addressing questions or concerns regarding excursions and resort stays.

Hotel Reviews

Shangri-La Mactan

Nice large property with pools, activities and good restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

very accommodating and service oriented

Cleanliness & Comfort

rooms are a bit tired and need updating

Henann Resort Alona Beach

This place was amazing! Beach, pools, bar area, restaurants all top notch! We loved our Pool Villa and could have stayed here for a few weeks. The spa was also amazing. Very comfortable, good security, great food.

Authenticity & Character

nicely developed and expanded property. pool villas were the best!

Location

on beach - beautiful property

Staff

very accommodating and service oriented

Cleanliness & Comfort

room was great! housekeeping very responsive and kept things clean.

Seda Lio

El Nido

Loved this property and its location! Rooms were comfortable. Resort was very laid back. Pool and outside restaurant and bar areas near beach were favorites.

Authenticity & Character

nicely developed property

Location

on beach, beautiful sunsets, very laid back atmosphere, close to airport.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

room floors were vinyl so harder to keep clean. I would recommend using tile or possibly steam mops to keep sandy floors clean.

Activity Reviews

Full- Day Chocolate Hills and Tarsiers Tour

Bohol Island

Tarsiers were interesting but a very limited tour. We could have passed on Chocolate Hills. River cruise with lunch was enjoyable!

Quality of Experience

Food

buffets with lots of people can be challenging

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

small car, not that comfortable.

Hilutungan and Nalusuan Island Hopping Tour

Cebu City

We actually did not go to areas on itinerary. This issue was addressed by KimKIm with local excursion provider. We were disappointed with the remote island we visited. Guides and boat crew were good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour in Bohol

Bohol Island

very small, uncomfortable and noisy boat considering cost. guide was experienced and accommodating. saw some dolphins. snorkeling added and was good. guide was really awesome. island was okay. lunch good.

Quality of Experience

Food

good hot meal, plenty of food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

larger more comfortable boat!

Balicasag Island Diving and Snorkeling Tour

Bohol Island

Boat was much better for this excursion. Crew awesome. Scenery great. We saw many dolphins, snorkeling phenomenal.

Quality of Experience

comfortable boat, good snorkeling, dolphins, food!

Food

good variety, tasty food. plenty to eat.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

comfortable boat, had restroom. crew was professional and helpful. captain was great.

Lacey planned the perfect trip for us.
I was a little apprehensive about using what felt to me like a random travel agency website but it was a wonderful experience all the way from planning it to the plane ride home. Lacey met all of our needs and requirements and was incredibly helpful. We wanted an active, culture filled trip with a little bit of relaxation time on the beach and we got exactly that. Our adventures with elephants were with sanctuaries that seem to treasure their animals. All of our guides were incredibly kind and helpful. Chiang Mai was our favorite part of the trip and I wish we had flopped it around so that the city was last so I could have spent all of my money and extra room in my suitcase at the night market.

We absolutely adored our guide, Pukie, in Chiang Mai. If you go to Chiang Mai I hope you are lucky enough to meet her.

Hotel Reviews

Na Nirand Resort

Chiang Mai

This place was lovely. I felt to relaxed and cared for here. The staff was friendly and thought of everything for us. When our van was late they were calling the place to make sure someone was on their way and they had towels ready for us when we visited an elephant sanctuary. And not that we wouldn't have paid for it but it was the only hotel in Thailand we stayed at that offered us bug spray for free. The tea we had when we first arrived was to die.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel is in the middle of the city but the aesthetic and tree walled surrounding makes it feel completely separated. The atmosphere is very zen.

Location

Only a 5 minutes walk from the night market!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Once we would leave for the day they would come in and tidy up. They even arranged my makeup on the counter and put it in a little container.

Our Jungle House

Khao Sok

The hotel itself is so unique and fun to be at. I would caution travelers to just be aware of the heat and bugs and brace your heart for that before arriving. There is no AC and on my first day here I was so hot, and with no escape from the heat, I just wanted to leave. But, after getting used it, I really enjoyed my surroundings, the animal life and the very friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hot and bug but that's literally what you're signing up for

Thavorn Beach Village Resort & Spa

Phuket

This hotel has stunning views, amazing staff and so much to do.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It's only a few minutes from Patong Beach and the shopping and nightlife there but the traffic is so intense it was nearly a 40 minute drive.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Phi Phi Island & May Bay Discovery with Snorkeling by Hype Yacht Join-in Activity

Phuket

It's a really great tour but I had read the description with the wrong thought process. "Sunset sailing, relax, have a drink, dance, until the sun goes down." To me this meant like a romantic sunset tour after snorkeling during the day but is in fact a party yacht with WAY MORE PEOPLE than you would expect to join you on the boat. It really wasn't my vibe and I did not enjoy it but for someone looking to have drinks with their friends and dance, its perfect. Not the tour's fault but monkey beach was packed and tourists were throwing rocks at the monkeys which just made it really sad. They shouldn't have to but its not like the guides come with to the beach to force adults to behave.

Quality of Experience

Food

I had put down that I am lactose intolerant and this was something they struggled with a bit.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (Full day)

Chiang Mai

We really loved getting to hear about the elephants. Their names, history and relations were super interesting. We liked feeding them and making their medicine. We really appreciate seeing that they are free animals. We liked that they explained that any activity would end as soon as the elephants showed they didn't want to participate anymore.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

John Gray's sea canoe - Hong by Starlight joining tour

Phuket

We loved this tour. The group of people were larger than we expected but it didn't matter because you are paired off with one person on a canoe and that feels like the real tour. Our guide was Tar and he was kind, knowledgeable and took photos of us with my phone. He pointed out animals, fish, and cool shapes in the rocks. They also served authentic and unique dishes we hadn't found yet.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ana did an INCREDIBLE job with our trip. The hotel choices were amazing, the excursions were so worth the visit and the guides were such wonderful human beings. ❤️❤️ We loved every second. I'm an experienced traveler but this was my first time taking my young daughter out of the country on my own and everything was seamless. The transfers were so easy. Flor was so kind to give us the best intro to Buenas Aires. Maria made the gaucho day extra special. And of course Coti was the perfect guide for the Iguazu portion of the trip. Everyone was so kind and patient with my daughter. We had the absolute best time thanks to Ana and her team! She was so easy to work with and helped build the absolute perfect trip for us. Worth every penny!

Hotel Reviews

CasaSur Palermo Hotel

Buenos Aires

Loved our stay here. Clean rooms, helpful staff, good breakfast, great part of town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy access to food and bars

Staff

So helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loi Suites Iguazú Hotel

Puerto Iguazú

Jungle paradise. This was like the hotel version of glamping. Of course we loved the pools and the food and the environment was absolutely incredible.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tango Show & Dinner at La Ventana

Buenos Aires

These performances were amazing!! Even my 10 year old enjoyed every second.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Estancia Gaucho Day

Buenos Aires

This was such a beautiful experience. Our guide, Maria was amazing. The ranch was beautiful and the afternoon and activities were so enjoyable. Just think fresh air with beautiful scenery and delicious food!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Maria was amazing!

Transport

Visiting the Argentine Waterfalls of Iguazu

Argentina

Wow. What a day. Coti (I hope I'm spelling that correctly) was the perfect guide for such incredible sights. I've seen pictures but there's nothing like walking around and above the falls and feeling the mist. An absolute must do.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Coti was the best!!

Transport

Brazil Falls & Birds Park

Argentina

What a great day!! The birds were so neat! We loved walking around inside the cages with them. Also, the Brazil side of the falls is nothing to miss!! I'm so glad we got to see the falls from both sides and walk out to the Devil's Throat. I have never in my life seen such an incredible sight. We also got to add on a boat ride under some of the falls! Be prepared for a fun ride and to get soaked!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Coti, once again, was the perfect guide

Transport

Our time to Columbia was amazing. It was a last minute trip but Andrea was so great at putting it all together for us. She was able to switch hotels easily when the one we wanted was not available. Communication with her was fantastic and she is such a lovely person. She was a joy to work with!
Columbia is such a beautiful country with such interesting history and culture. Each destination had its own special appeal. The food was incredible, activities were fun, the people are so friendly and we never felt unsafe. Columbia is a must visit in South America.

Hotel Reviews

El Cielo Hotel

Medellin

Beautiful small hotel with incredible restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Felt very inviting

Location

Walkable to nightlife area but could have been a little closer.

Staff

Staff was extremely nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bio Habitat Hotel

Quindío, Armenia

Unique and beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Cool layout, fun vibe

Location

Great views with lush surroundings

Staff

Everyone was very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Pestagua Relais Châteaux

Cartagena de Indias

Such a beautiful hotel!

Authenticity & Character

So charming and beautifully decorated

Location

In the middle of town

Staff

Friendliest staff yet!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was amazingly comfortable

Hotel Punta Faro

Isla Mucura

Beautiful beach hotel in the middle of the Caribbean, like staying on a deserted island

Authenticity & Character

Felt very relaxing and low key

Location

Surrounded by beautiful Caribbean water

Staff

Staff was very nice but as a non-spanish speaking person it was a little difficult to communicate as none of the waitstaff spoke any English so at times they were a little hesitant to approach to us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room is a little no frills. Service at beach was limited

Activity Reviews

Colorful Colombia: Hike to Guatapé Rock, Guatapé & Peñol-Guatape Reservoir

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking in the Cócora Valley up to "The Hummingbird House" & Explore Salento & Filandia

Colombia

Not for the faint of heart. It was a very long hike but really beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee Farm Experience

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Moroccan journey was an unforgettable experience, thanks in no small part to our exceptional local driver, Karim. Traveling with my wife, Kamilla, we found in Karim not just a driver but a true gem who went above and beyond to accommodate our every need. Whether it was adapting our itinerary on the fly, navigating the complexities of acquiring wine in Morocco, securing a SIM card, or his current endeavor to find a rare part for my Toyota bus, Karim's punctuality, responsiveness, and meticulous care for the car made our travels seamless and comfortable.

The trip itself was an immersive plunge into the vibrant culture and stunning landscapes of Morocco, though admittedly, it was a bit more packed than our usual travel pace. Over the course of nine days, we felt we bit off more than we could comfortably explore, spending considerable time on the road and visiting an array of destinations.

In hindsight, there are places we would recommend skipping to future travelers, such as Casablanca and Chefchaouen. Despite Chefchaouen's photogenic allure, we found that its beauty alone didn't justify the visit. Instead, allocating more time to the desert and Marrakech would have been preferable, offering deeper immersion into the essence of Morocco.

Our guided tours varied in quality; the guide in Fes was outstanding, engaging us with the city's rich history and culture, whereas the guide in Marrakech left something to be desired in terms of engagement. Opting for some spontaneity, we canceled planned activities towards the end of our trip to enjoy some leisure time.

The hamam experiences also stood in stark contrast; the one in Fes fell short of our expectations due to its thin walls and a less than vigorous massage, unlike the superior experience in Marrakech.

Dining was another area where we took the reins, choosing to explore beyond the tourist-targeted restaurant recommendations. Our adventurous spirit paid off, as we discovered the authentic delights of street food in the medinas and markets, without any adverse effects, despite Karim's understandable concerns.

The camel ride, though longer than anticipated, led us to a fantastic camp and a memorable Berber night. In retrospect, an additional night there would have been cherished.

Accommodations throughout were generally good, with friendly staff. However, our initial room in the Marrakech hotel was surprisingly small for a 5-star establishment. After discussing this with the reception, we were graciously upgraded to a significantly larger room at no extra cost, aligning more closely with Western standards of luxury. This experience underscores the importance of requesting superior rooms or suites when booking.

The organization of the trip was impeccable, allowing us to enjoy a worry-free experience. We wholeheartedly recommend this journey for those looking to dive into the heart of Morocco, with the caveat of pacing the itinerary to allow deeper exploration of its most enchanting sites.

Karim's role in our adventure cannot be overstated; his professionalism, kindness, and dedication greatly enhanced our Moroccan experience, making it a truly worry-free and deeply enriching journey. For anyone considering a trip to Morocco, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable adventure, Karim and the team come highly recommended.

Fantastic experience using KimKim! I wasn’t sure what to think of KimKim, so looked them up on BBB and they are a highly rated legit company. Kelly, our local specialist, organized our entire trip to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket, Thailand. She was thoughtful in understanding what kind of trip we were looking for (part culture, adventure/nature, and relaxation time) and proposed several options, and then tweaked them with our input. We landed on our personalized perfect mix. And wow, the hotels we stayed at were GORGEOUS, and the staff very professional. We appreciated the amazing beds, given the jet lag, and the refreshing pools.
The people that she arranged as our guides at each location (Bangkok - Paul; Chiang Mai - Noi; Phuket -Jerry and his team) were all so nice, knowledgeable, and responsive on What’sApp - and all spoke really good English. All the pick-ups and drop-offs were easy and carefree. Special shot-outs to Paul who navigated us through Bangkok during Chinese New Year (OMG, so many people and so much food!) and Noi for her personalized care and accommodating our wishes ad hoc. Will miss you!

Bespoke India Holidays and specifically Jay were great to work with. During the planning process they had great communication both via email and phone to discuss our trip and achieve our budget. All tour guides and experiences were great, especially the food tour, night tour, and bike tour in Jaipur. The hotels they selected were amazing especially the SUJÁN Sher Bagh in Ranthambhore. When there was a mishap with one of the tour companies (out of their control) they more than made up for it by offering two private tours (vs. shared). One of the best parts of our trip was Mr. Kumar who took us around India for our 10 days. They also arrange people at each hotel and airport to help make the check in process seamless.

Two notes of improvement. The Samode Haveli, while gorgeous, felt a little dated and you are awoken each morning at 5:30am by prayers. Also there are swarms of little bugs by the pool making it unenjoyable. To be clear, this wasn’t their initial selection however based on the photos we choose this hotel over the Marriott. The other thing is I wish they were clearer with was the start/end times of the tours as that would make any activities you want to plan on our own (massages, dinner reservations), easier to plan from the beginning.

Overall it was an amazing trip thanks to Bespoke India Holidays and I highly recommend them!

Hotel Reviews

Taj Hotel & Convention Centre, Agra

Agra

Samode Haveli

Jaipur

SUJÁN Sher Bagh, Ranthambhore

Activity Reviews

Jaipur Food and Market Tour

Jaipur

Cycle tour in Jaipur

Jaipur

Walking Tour – Temples & Havelis of Old Jaipur

Jaipur

This was our first time booking through Kimkim so we didn’t know what to expect. The trip was complicated because it included three countries each with different local specialists: Egypt, UAE, Jordan. Mohamed did an amazing job working with me to get us the tour we wanted. For example, we added the new Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza and the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi.

Our Cairo tour was excellent. Our tour guide Dalia was both knowledgeable and compassionate. She took time to take pictures of us as we visited the different sites. She even captured the pyramids from the Citadel. Dalia also organized the visit so we avoided most of the crowds and traffic. The driver was highly skilled and helpful.

The sunset on the rooftop restaurant before the sound and light show at the pyramids was magical. The felucca boat trip on the Nile was unforgettable. The Grand Egyptian Museum was well worth adding to our tour. Finally, I appreciated the SIM card which made communication seamless.

Another Mohamed did an excellent job guiding us around the sites in Luxor. We were able to see the important sites in a packed 24 hours.

In UAE, our tour of Dubai was very comprehensive. The driver had a comfortable van and was very punctual. He kindly provided water and even gave us 10 AED so we could take the boat to the Old Souq at our first stop since we hadn’t converted any money yet. The best part was that Navas worked with us to customize our tour so that we didn’t have to spend more time than we wanted at any one site.

We visited in high season so there was plenty of traffic and a long line at the Burj Khalifa. Unfortunately, we were also booked for a visit at 10 PM which made for a long day. The Palm monorail tickets were not included so be prepared for 30 AED round trip if you want to go to Atlantis.

We also did a day tour of Abu Dhabi. The highlight for us was the Louvre Museum and the Qasar al Watan palace. It was great that we could customize our visit so we didn’t spend time in places we didn’t want to visit.
In Jordan, we were only able to visit Petra. Both Oqba who drove us to Petra and Ali who guided us around were highly knowledgeable. We learned more about the history of Jordan than any other country we visited. The natural beauty of Petra was amazing. Ali took us off the normal tourist path to show us the colorful rock formations. He is also an expert photographer and took outstanding pictures.

In conclusion we would definitely use Kimkim again for another trip.

The trip to Costa Rica was wonderful but there were two things to mention that could have been communicated better. One, on the horseback riding trail, Jackie's horse, Roro, stopped for a drink of water and ended up laying down and rolling Jackie off into the creek. Thankfully, she did not get hurt, just soaked. The tour guide said she should have pulled back tight on the reins but he didn't tell Jackie to do that before it happened. Jackie has only ridden a horse three times in her life. It is concerning because there were two teenaged children on that ride, too. No one was told to pull back on the reins to keep the horse from taking a bath.
The other to mention was the trip to Poas volcano. We were not told to bring rain gear and it was raining the day we went. We were fine but walked up to the overlook but could not see anything because it was very cloudy, rainy and windy. We would have been fine if the trip to the volcano had been cancelled since it was raining. Other than that, the trip was fantastic! Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Costa Verde

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, San Jose Aeropuerto

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Horseback Riding, Tocori Mountain & Waterfall

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day in San Jose

San José

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ocean Kayaking & Snorkeling in Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Doka Coffee Tour & Poas Volcano National Park

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was an amazing trip and we had the best guide. Gummi is highly experienced. He made us feel at home.

This part of our trip was simply a return from Denpasar to Jakarta and went without a hitch. Ana is great and I would happily reccommend her.

This was a great trip that fairly met our expectations. Kudos to Hein for putting a wonderful adventure together. Having now seen Thailand from Bangkok to Chang Mai to Krabi and Koh Lanta I think I would have allocated available time to reduce the amount of travel by car. Our guides Kiki, Dare, Amir, were great and we never felt alone when things went awry. Our favorite experiences included seeing the Royal Palace in Bangkok. experiencing the elephant sanctuary in Chang Mai, sunsets in Krabi, an excellent selection of hotels, especially the Chala 6 in Chang Mai and the Amari Vogue in Krabi and the Nervana Resort in Koh Lanta. We spent a total of 11 days in Thailand that could have easily been a month. We want to thank Kimkim for yet another wonderful travel experience!

We spent 16 days in Costa Rica and Kim Kim was invaluable, helping us plan our trip, booking accommodations, car and tour guides. Thank you, Bryan ! We started our trip in San Jose and had a day to acclimate to the time change after a late evening arrival the prior day. Stayed at the El Presidente hotel, which has a very nice breakfast room and a wonderful little restaurant upstairs which we’d recommend. The gem museum and Stiffel pub would be our two recommendations in San Jose. Up early the next morning for our long bus trip and boat trip to the Mwamba Lodge in Torteguero. Highly recommend the Mwamba Lodge , the guides and scenery of Torteguero. Back to the mainland to rent a car and off to Arenal. Three nights at the Los Lagos resort enjoying the grounds and the natural Hot Springs, recommend . Alberto and Mao top flight guides on the Arenal,hanging bridges tour, recommend.
Off to Rio Celeste to stay 1 night at Casita Tenorio (highly recommend) and wonderful waterfall hike with Mariano. Next 2 beach days out on the Guancaste peninsula, which we planned on our own. Up next two nights in Monteverde to tour the cloud forest with Jorge who is very knowledgeable and fun to spend time with. Recommend Hotel Ficus for accommodations, wonderful staff and location. Walk to the Morphus restaurant for dinner. Tip- the road we took up to Monteverde was challenging for the last hour, gravel road and lots of potholes, but manageable. However, coming back down two days later different road, which was paved and in great condition. So something to talk to KimKim about if you have options and that’s a concern. If you’re a good, confident and respectful driver, then renting a car is a good way to go, as it gives you a chance to enjoy a lot of the back roads and view life in Costa Rica away from the tourist spots. Just need a good copilot. Google maps or something similar and avoid driving at night and in bad weather.
Next up was Manuel Antonio Park , and a wonderful wildlife tour with Andres Sosio. We chose an 11 o’clock tour time to sleep in a bit and it worked out great as Andres already had one tour under his belt that day and knew where all the animals were and also much less crowded late morning. Something to consider.
We stayed at Hotel La Mariposa- incredible views sitting on top of the highest point in town, beautiful dining area and pool area, and the majority of the rooms have great views. Cannot recommend this place enough. In fact, we cut our Uvita stop one day short to spend another day at La Mariposa. Finally back to San Jose with a 1:30 AM flight to LA the next day. Highly recommend the Marriott Hacienda Belen in San Jose, coming or going, if you have the better part of a day to enjoy their property .
We want to acknowledge how helpful Wilman at Serendipity is when you’re in country when any issue comes up, he’s a pro. Lastly want to say how welcoming the people of Costa Rica are, without exception, and how much they appreciate visitors after a couple of lean Covid years. Please tip well and often.
Peter and Sandra
Seattle WA

Hotel Reviews

Mawamba Lodge

Tortuguero

This lodge was recommended by friends, and I can see why. The location was fantastic, surrounded by nature. The overall experience was immersive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

Fortuna

I spent three nights here, and it was a wonderful experience. The grounds were beautiful, especially the hot springs. The location was perfect for exploring the area, and the accommodation was comfortable. Overall, a great choice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Mariposa Hotel

Manuel Antonio

I initially stayed here for one night, but I loved it so much that we asked to come back to extend the stay. The hotel was located outside Manuel Antonio Park, offering stunning views. The room was spacious and comfortable. The staff was attentive, and I had a pleasant stay overall.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cristal Ballena Boutique Hotel & Spa

Playa Ballena

This hotel was a bit of a letdown compared to the others. The overall setup and the room did not meet my expectations. It was not as enjoyable as some of the other accommodations on the trip.

Activity Reviews

Night Walk on a Coffee Plantation

Monteverde

The night walk on a coffee plantation was a unique experience. However, due to the darkness, we couldn't see much and couldn't appreciate the wildlife as we wanted to.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

The private guided hike in Manuel Antonio National Park was a luxurious experience. Having the guide to ourselves allowed for a tailored exploration of the park. The guide's expertise and attention to detail made it a memorable adventure.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Hike on Arenal Hanging Bridges

Arenal/La Fortuna

The guided hike on the Arenal Hanging Bridges was a fantastic experience. Walking through the treetops and spotting wildlife was unforgettable. The small group size allowed for a more intimate exploration of the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Guided Rainforest Hike

Costa Rica

The guided rainforest hike to Rio Celeste and Tenorio Volcano was a memorable adventure. The natural beauty of the area was stunning, especially the waterfall. The guide provided interesting insights, enhancing the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It took me a little while to get to writing this review, but this family trip remains vivid in all of our minds! I planned this quite last minute (my fault) but Margarita was able to put together a trip that we all loved. It felt very bespoke. Our local guides were lovely and knowledgeable. We also appreciated that some of the activities we did - jungle walks, horse-back riding, a farm and cooking class visit, a basket-weaving class, visiting Palenque, and a drum lesson - all felt like off-the-beaten path experiences. We prefer private experiences and that is what was delivered. The hotels were perfect for us, small and boutique (especially for such a last minute trip). Finally, one member of our party has celiac and needs a strictly gluten-free diet. margarita contacted every restaurant and notified them, making our dining experience truly a joy. I would definitely recommend Margarita to others (and, in fact, I have). Thank you for a lovely trip!

Thanks for a great trip. Our agent Vicky was great and provided many options. She had great attention to detail and was very prompt before and during our trip! Great work Vicky!!

Activity Review

Sydney Bridge Climb Summit

Sydney

Great experience. Loved it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The whole team at Himalayan Trails were excellent from start to finish. They were extremely accommodating including:
- Grishma, who tailored our trip to our (multiple) changing needs
- Pratikshya, who guided us around a hectic but historic Kathmandu area, giving us a real sense of the amalgamation of so many different cultures
- Raj, who ensured the trip went smoothly
- Dawa and Kumar, who guided us around the Kathmandu valley, weaving through beautiful towns and villages, getting us to amazing places to see crisp views of the Himalayan Range
- Ritesh, who made the quiet town of Panauti come alive with his stories, and both Ritesh and Dawa for a lovely home made dinner!

110% worth the experience, and according to Dawa, Annapurna and Everest base camps will be no problem for us! Looking forward to visiting again!