Kimkim Trip Reviews for Croatia

We had the most amazing 10 day trip starting in Dubrovnik, Croatia and ending in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Sarah was our travel specialist who organized and individualized our trip to make it memorable with a great combination of scheduled activities and free time. Sarah chose the most amazing boutique hotels in Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar and Ljubljana in the historic old towns of each city with their own unique charms. You could not pick a better location or more welcoming hotel staff, as each made us feel very welcome and special. We had great tour guides at our destinations, and we especially want to mention Ina. She gave us a very good insight into Croatian life as well as very insightful tour of Split and Trogir. Our personal drivers were very attentive and knowledgeable especially Mario, with vast knowledge and he always exceeded our expectations with his attention to detail. We were very happy to have him two of our days. On our way from Split to Zadar, Sarah organized an authentic Croatian meal at Restoran Vicko, the most amazing family owned farm-to-table restaurant. It is a hidden gem worth the drive. Krka National Park and Plitvice Lakes are definite must sees, the beauty and tranquility of the parks were breathtaking. The Esplanade Hotel in Zagreb was beautiful and did not disappoint. Sarah had nice bottle of wine and chocolates waiting in the room for us, a beautiful touch. On to Slovenia to visit the beautiful Lake Bled, the unbelievable Postojna Caves and interesting Prejama Castle. The weather was perfect in April, we arrived before the summer crowds. We really enjoyed all the places we visited, they were all beautiful with their individual charms. Thank you Sarah for your attention to detail. We will always have our memories of our amazing trip and look forward to returning to explore Croatia and Slovenia more.

Hotel Review

Boutique Hotel Stari Grad

Dubrovnik

Boutique Hotel Stari Grad is a wonderful hotel in a perfect location. The hotel personnel are very attentive and welcoming. The rooftop restaurant is beautiful and the breakfasts are very beautiful , fresh and delicious. The room was modern and comfortable. I highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

A modern room in a historic buikding

Location

In old town convenient to great restaurants and history

Staff

Welcoming and lovely

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

Activity Review

Krka National Park + lunch in the countryside

Croatia

Krka was an amazing park of numerous trails and waterfalls. The beautiful blue and turquoise waters were breathtaking. Pictures could not do it justice, you need the sounds and smells of nature to comp;ete the beauty.

Quality of Experience

We had a great day exploring Krka and the amazing lunch

Food

Restoran Vicko was an amazing farm to table family restaurant with the most amazing food. The portions were very hearty. This is a hidden gem, where the locals drive an hour on special occasions to eat here. We had a tour of the kitchen, which was very interesting. Highly recommend!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mario was our private driver and went above and beyond in everything to make sure we had the best day. He was a wealth of knowledge and very personable and accommodating.

Transport

We had private transportation which was very comfortable.

I could not have been happier with the overall service provided. I initially booked this trip on 2019 with the intention of travelling in 2020. Obviously, travel in 2020 became impossible. My local specialist, Marina, seamlessly arranged refunds and then re-booked everything when I could eventually travel in 2022. The itinerary precisely suited the style of holiday I was looking for, and Marina was thoughtful and thorough in scheduling the right amount of tours and downtime. Each accommodation in which we stayed was gorgeous; well situated and beautifully presented. All tour guides and drivers were warm, knowledgeable, and reliable. Marina regularly checked in and confirmed driver times and locations. When bad weather forced a ferry cancellation, Marina seemingly effortlessly found alternative means of travel for us. Having a local expert on hand and so available to us was so helpful. I would happily recommend KimKim to anyone as a wonderful way to see this beautiful country!

We contacted Kimkim in the fall of 2019 based on a referral, and once Croatia was mentioned we were put in touch with Antonia Ljuština - what a find!! Not only did she ask all the right questions, she patiently worked back and forth as our 13 year old granddaughter did her research and expanded her wish list. From the planning, the venues, to the incredible guides and finally her extraordinary service, we couldn’t have been happier. She was there for any questions, 24/7, always ensuring we were looked after regardless of the need. We are in our 70’s, have travelled extensively and have come to appreciate service that goes above and beyond. Our guides Ivana (Dubrovnik), Olga (our food guide in Split), another Ivana (Zadar), Grgo (Hvar), Ljerka (Pula) and finally saving the best for last, Josipa (Zagreb) - were all outstanding. Each place was unique with special memories of Hvar and the Truffle Hunt in Motovun. The seafood in these beautiful coastal venues was exquisite and Josipa’s recommendation for authentic Croatian cuisine in Zagreb was a perfect ending to a magical trip. Of the five grandchildren we have taken through Europe this adventure was the best organized, informative and memorable. Antonia created experiences we 3 will cherish forever.

I had specific needs when I reached out to Antonia about family trip to Croatia. We're are family of 5 including 3 children (12, 8, 4) traveling from West Coast with no direct flight during Covid and was not so sure if our youngest one would enjoy or keep up with our itinerary. Since we arrived in Zagreb airport, everything was taken care of for us and I didn't have to worry about anything including transfer to 6 different lodgings, restaurant recommendation, guide arrangements, and even Covid testing for traveling back to US. Antonia was always reachable for any questions and we were briefed every night for next day's itinerary. Croatia is a truly beautiful country with welcoming locals everywhere we went. Also none of my children complained about food, itinerary, which is not so common on our family trips. I would highly recommend a trip to Croatia to experience the culture, nature and deep history. Make sure to reach out to Antonia, she will take care of everything.

My husband, son and I visited Croatia this past October. The trip was planned by Robi and he was amazing every step of the way. During the planning process, he was extremely prompt in his responsiveness to my questions. I get overwhelmed when trying to plan a big trip with multiple stops along the way. So I let Robi take the reigns and plan our trip for us- And I'm so happy I did! I told him we wanted a trip with activity and also some relax time as well. He planned a perfect mix of activity, nature, history and many amazing experiences. We started in Split, then Ston and then Dubrovnik. We hiked, biked, walked and had amazing adventures all along the way. A few highlights were touring the Diocletians Palace in Split, hiking Krka, oyster farm in Ston, climbing the wall in Ston, biking around the island of Mljet and enjoying a homemade meal on the water, wine tasting at Milos Winery- lets just say, I ordered a few cases :). Dubrovnik was our last stop and so beautiful, well, every place was beautiful. We toured the inside walls of Dubrovnik and enjoyed the amazing views. Robi was with us on every adventure, driving us and giving us the history of each place we visited. He was always available by text/Whatsapp, and very flexible with the planning and any changes we needed along the way. This trip was so fun, easy and beautiful, all thanks to Robi!

We couldn’t be happier with our kimkim experience. Im not easily impressed and I don’t write gushing reviews often, but this one had to be written. We would use kimkim again for any kind of trip in a heartbeat! Our maiden two-week trip through Croatia for our 25th anniversary was exactly what we imagined and was curated perfectly by the local travel team arranged through kimkim. Our local contact Sarah was so responsive and easy to work with throughout the experience from the planning phase, and throughout the trip if needed. The process was seamless from beginning to end. I didn’t lift a finger or waste time on research. (Except a few special restaurants that they helped us get reservations with) We simply told them our budget and what we had in mind and they crafted a beautiful trip with fantastic local guides, friendly drivers, fabulous hotels, and special experiences both on and off the beaten path that matched our interests. The trip had just the right balance of everything that we were looking for. We are experienced travelers who have tried many kinds of travel from doing it ourselves to luxury tour companies and kimkim beats everything we’ve tried! We’d give kimkim six stars if we could! Can’t wait to plan our next trip with kimkim.

Don’t even hesitate.

Antonia's attention to detail in planning our Croatian experience far exceeded our expectations. She was able to make adjustments to our itinerary on numerous occasions as circumstances changed. Antonia was always available and answered our questions and made recommendations almost immediately. Accommodations in both Split and Dubrovnik were excellent both in comfort and location. On short notice Antonia planned a birthday surprise at our first dinner in Split which will be one of our favorite memories. The shared cooking experience at Kameni Dvori was an excellent blend of cultural heritage and regional cuisine, and ranks high on our list of favorites. We also thoroughly enjoyed the two personal walking tours. Each guide (Ivana #1, Split & Ivana #2, Dubrovnik) was entertaining, informative and personable. Two memorable venues from Split include Diocletian's Palace and Krka National Park. Thanks to Antonia, our Croatian vacation was perfect. We can't think of anything we would have changed.

Antonia was fantastic. From beginning to end , planning and throughout the visit she was responsive and helpful and patient with any concerns or changes. She went beyond to ensure we enjoyed the vacation and Croatia. We had excellent private guide and drivers who were flexible enough to adapt to our change requests.
Unabashedly a wonder experience; I couldn’t recommend Antonia enough.

I travelled through Croatia on a trip with my daughter that included many tours and excursions all arranged by Anna-Maria (AM). This was the first time I travelled with the assistance of a tour consultant. I am accustomed to making my own arrangements and I always travel 5 star/First class. I cannot express enough how seamless the entire trip was thanks to AM. Every tour guide and driver were of the highest standard along with all of the side trips that AM worked tirelessly to arrange perfectly. She has the best ideas and is very flexible to contour the trip to the interests of her clients. She is also very patient and takes the time to understand exactly her clients, and therefore, what to suggest and how to tailor the perfect adventure based on their desires. I ran into several snags of my own doing during the trip and AM responded immediately and pivoted to bring about the ideal outcome. I actually virtually over-hauled the entire trip at one point and she rearranged everything so quickly that you would think she anticipated it. If you ever travel to Croatia and don't use AM, you will be doing yourself a disservice. She is a pleasure to work WITH (she never pushes ANYTHING on you) and the utmost professional. I don't recall how I found her but I am very thankful that I did. AM-you are the best.

Robi was an incredible guide from start to finish. He helped manage multiple trips with multiple groups of people, suggested the best activities based on our interests, and was so kind and considerate throughout the trip. Even though we were travelling off-season, he worked with wineries and restaurants to open experiences just for us. One of my favorite meals was going to a local family's house for a traditional lunch. The food was incredible (the best chicken I've ever had) and our hosts were so welcoming- I'll never forget it!

Every place he took us was so special, and already on Day 2 he was pointing out things based on what we liked & needed- it felt like he had known us for years.

On top of planning and executing the perfect itinerary, Robi has the best personality and attitude. He's very funny and knowledgeable, and it's clear he loves his country and his clients. It was such a pleasure working with him. Would recommend him for anyone!

Our trip to Croatia was AMAZING! Robi our guide was so knowledgeable and helped us to experience places that we would have never known existed without him. I have never had a guide before, now I don't want to ever travel without one! It is a stress free way to travel. Thank you Robi for making our trip so memorable and fun!

I can't say enough great things about Robi and the experience/memories he provided during our "girls' trip" to Croatia! My niece handled the pre-trip planning directly with Robi and we never worried about anything from the time he picked us up at the airport until when he returned us a week later:). Robi is so personable, knowledgeable and flexible and he definitely went above and beyond to add/modify our trip based on interests, weather and opportunities. I know we experienced Croatia so wonderfully ONLY because he was our guide. The only downside is that he spoiled us and now I feel like it will be hard to travel anywhere without a guide! :) Thank you to kimkim and to Robi for the trip of a lifetime!

Robi helped plan our 15 day honeymoon in Croatia. He really is the package deal. His great personality, genuine nature, and knowledge of the area is more than we could have asked for during our trip. We really enjoyed every day in Croatia for many different reasons. Robi made everything a breeze from car rentals, planned day trips, tours, and having the security that he is only one phone call away if anything popped up during our trip. If you are looking for a great experience and wonderful person Robi is your guy! You won't be disappointed. He really made our experience special.

WOW,my fiancée and I just had the best vacation ever. This was the first time I used a travel planner and I’ll never do it another way. We recently were introduced to Antonia through Kimkim for a 12 day vacation in Croatia . What a great experience!
The process was seamless. We shared with her details about length of stay, types of properties and what our interests were and Antonia nailed it. After messaging and several phone calls she put together a travel plan that felt just right.
We flew into Dubrovnik, stayed there one night, the bed in our room was covered with rose petals and there was a lovely bottle of wine provided by Antonia. Nice touch. From there we ate oysters in Mali Stone, then went to Split. From Split to Hvar, then to Korcula and back to Dubrovnik. Each location was fabulous and wine tatings everywhere. Our accommodations were perfect, the guides and drivers were top notch and they spoke very highly of her. All the excursions , wine tastings, boat trips, restaurant suggestions were on point. We had a personal concierge and planner that was available 24/7. I don’t know when this woman sleeps. I highly recommend her!
This is the only way to travel!

Sarah and KimKim were great. Very organized, knowledgeable and highly respnsive. Sarah in partiuclar was a pleasure to deal with as I had a couple of last minute change requests. She was very accomodating and just a pleasure to deal with.

We recently used Antonia to plan a trip to Croatia and Slovenia and she planned a wonderful 27-day vacation for us.

We had looked into planning a trip ourselves and the logistics were a bit overwhelming, including the complications driven by COVID 19. We were put in touch with Antonia through KimKim; in hindsight, what a blessing that was!

Antonia made some suggestions (such as a hot air balloon flight) that we incorporated with our specific interests. After some messaging that got us close, we had a phone call with her to iron out details. Our final plan met all of our objectives. Admittedly, sending a fairly large sum to someone we’ve never met had us a bit concerned, but there was no problem. We're confident that if something would have arisen Antonia would have done her very best to make things right.

We met Antonia when we arrived in Zagreb where she provided more details along with a welcome package. Using the Trip Plans app and WhatsApp, we had daily communication with Antonia. We could count on contact every night around 7pm, in addition to followup on any questions we had during the day. When she said she's available 24/7, she means it!

Our accommodations were centrally located and in interesting, boutique hotels. All of our guides were excellent, and experiences such as wine/food tastings and hikes all offered something extra we would have likely not come up with on our own. No detail was overlooked.

Antonia’s followup continued until we were safely home. Her local knowledge, professionalism and attention to detail are why I would wholeheartedly recommend her services for anyone considering a visit to Croatia or surrounding areas.

I don't think I can find all the right words to describe hoy Amazing everything was!!!! Not only that Croatia is such a beautiful place, a definite hidden gem, but what made our trip even better was Antonia's OUTSTANDING service. She was available 24/7 since the beginning. Always kind, patient and reliable. He helped us create our personalized and private adventure, always listening to what we wanted to change and giving a great and knowledgeable advise.
We were always met by very nice drivers who made us feel like at home, and most important, very safe! Transfers and local transportation were impeccable. Always on time!
Our hotels were incredible! Location, Location, Location! Best hotels in the heart of the action! Spacious rooms, nice beds and bathrooms, healthy breakfast, and the most amazing views either from a window or a balcony!
Our local tour guides were more than that. They felt like family since we met them! Warm and friendly and very knowledgeable. They knew exactly what we wanted to hear and learn and went far and beyond expectations.
Upon arrival, we had the opportunity to meet Antonia. She was waiting for us at the hotel and was waiting for us with a nice bag of thoughtful "goodies". ( ponchos for the rain, masks, hand sanitizer and yummy chocolates for my son and for my husband and myself!) She went through the itinerary to make sure everything was clear and even gave us a nice printed copy of it. Very professional!
Kristina was our guide in Zagreb. We had only one day to explore and learn about the city. She was very good and gave us a nice walking tour, pointing out the main buildings and giving the best advise on where to eat and what to do.
On our way to Plitvice we stopped at the Homeland War Museum and learned a lot about the history of the country. Very interesting and impressive.
Plitvice was breathtaking! Marijana, our tour guide was wonderful! We spent the whole day with her and felt like part of our family. Great conversation, lots of history and very good with our son! Definitely a must if needing a guide in the park!
On our way to Split we followed Antonia's recommendation of going to Sibenik and the Falconry Center, both very special places.
Our next stop was Split and it was amazing! Our tour guide Ivana was an "explosion" of knowledge and culture. What a wonderful person to be with!
The hotel Murum in the middle of the Palace was quite an experience, sure to be remembered!
The surprises kept getting better and better! Next stop.... Hvar. Another absolutely gorgeous destination. Hotel Adriana's view from our room was to die for!
Our guide Grgo was incredible! He became very close to us during our time together that we even got to meet his dad and his wife and son. We had the opportunity to see and feel the "real" Hvar life by going to his own winery and olive oil factory. We shared a very yummy dinner and he was great with our son. (Thank you for your kindness)
The private speed boat tour in Hvar was the highlight of the trip for our son. Nicola, our captain let our son "drive" the boat and his face was priceless! The cave were amazing and the whole tour was just perfect. To end a great day, we had a very tasty late lunch at Palmizana restaurant.
Continuing with our trip, we took the Ferry to Korcula where we visited a honey production company and enjoyed a traditional pasta dinner followed by an impressive Moresca dance.
Our last stop was Dubrovnik .... what a place!!!!!!
Our guide Ivana gave us a very interesting lesson on history, culture and archeology. It would have not been the same without her knowledge and charisma.
Last but not least, we were able to fit a spectacular photo shoot with Dubo (Dubravko Lenert
He spent more than 1 hour with us and the pictures are the perfect "cherry on top of the cake) for this once in a lifetime trip!
Thank you Antonia for al your help, for your dedication and professionalism. No doubt that this has been one of the most enjoyable and wonderful trips we have done. You have set the bar really high for your colleagues in the industry!

I cannot say enough good things about Anna or this Croatia trip that she and I planned together! I just completed a 2-week solo trip and actually started crying when my plane left Split, because I just didn't want to leave.

Some of the things that made this vacation so memorable were the little things I usually have to worry about all by myself when I do solo trips. I am famous for getting lost, boarding the wrong train or bus, getting meeting places wrong, etc., but this time it was a breeze! When you're in a new country it usually takes you a few days to get a feel for how things work, but Anna even went so far as to send me pictures of what my buses would look like, checked in with me just about daily to make sure I wasn't having any issues, and somehow also managed to make many last-minute substitutes for excursions when the ones we'd booked months in advance canceled due to Covid or other issues. She is truly a miracle worker!

Our trip (and I call it "our" because I feel like she was there with me the entire time) was a labor or love since I'd first reached out to her nearly 8 months ago, and she put incredible thoughtfulness and detail into everything, even down to knowing when I'd need a quiet day to just relax and catch up on sleep or put my feet up - I really did request a whirlwind of a trip!

This is the second time I've used kimkim for international travel, and I plan to stick with them for future trips as well. It's so easy when you give them a timeframe, a budget, and some general ideas of what you'd like to see and do. In fact, on this trip there was so much more I was able to include that it felt like I got a bonus week of sightseeing for my investment.

If I could give Anna ten stars, I would! I rarely visit the same country twice, but for Croatia, I definitely plan on making an exception.

Antonia was the absolute best! We were blown away by the service we received from Kimkim, she went above and beyond to make sure everything was smooth and perfect for our trip. All the excursions and transportation were perfect and easy to follow. We never felt lost or confused, we even talked about how this was the first time going to Europe that we didn't feel stressed about how to get somewhere or what to do. Even when we accidentally left our passports at the previous hotel, Antonia handled everything and made sure they were found ASAP. The trip was perfect. Thank you so much!

Antonia was truly our honeymoon fairy godmother and made all our dreams become reality. She was consistently thorough, patient, friendly, and knowledgeable. We felt so well cared for during the planning process (including Covid and weather concerns), every day during our trip, and all the way until we arrived back home. The itinerary was a fantastic glimpse of all the beauty, culture, food, coffee, and adventures Croatia has to offer. We had a great time touring the Plitvice Lakes with Petra, learning about life in Hvar with Grgo, and sunset kayaking around Lokrum Island with Denis, among so many other wonderful memories. With the amount of detailed, personalized assistance provided, it was amazing to learn that we were among seven trips that Antonia was running simultaneously. We were so grateful to have this stress and worry-free experience, and for burek.