Kimkim Trip Reviews for France

4 Bright spots for this hotel------1) Location is king, you're in the "4th District", so you're right next to Notre Dame, blocks from the Metro and bus lines which can take you 20 mins to get about anywhere, and you've got great places to eat just outside your door. 2) The staff is incredible!!! Kind, caring, making sure everything is right; hold your bags till check in, great at helping with directions...all around , very nice people! 3) Breakfast!! Everyday, we had different eggs depending on how we ordered them, fresh fruit, croissants, bread, fresh juice, once again, the staff was great!!! 4). The bathroom. Nice size, plenty of hot water, great towels!!

I take it that this is a moderate cost hotel. Nice clean rooms, plenty of hot water, fantastic staff, great to sit out by the pool and have a cocktail. We were a block from all the action(Main Street), but still so quiet at night. We were centrally located in town and only few blocks away from where most of the local tours start. Highly recommend this hotel, we were there for 4 nights, every night was great!!

Good location

Good location in the ancient city of Vaison

Good wines and the winery tour was excellent

Coming from someone who isnt really a foodie, this was probably one of my favorite tours! Learning about the French food, how it is sourced and grown was so eye opening! Especially coming from America, where it is all processed for it to be shipped out quickly and made with all kinds of ingredients that really are not for the good of our population. Not only is the food good it is about enjoying the food and each other as you sit down for a meal. Nothing is quick and at your fingertips, hence the reason for the freshness of it all! Our Guide, was so knowledgable, friendly and made everything seamless. we tried chocolates, croissants, and es cargot at the end.

This was our last big tour. We knew it could be overwhelming to see but having Felix walk us around to some of the major exhibits made it all the more memorable. We didn’t get overwhelmed and each exhibit he gave us the whole story and background and very knowledgeable about them! He led us to places that weren’t as crowded , which we really appreciated and once again able to walk right in without waiting in line, expect to check bags, which was very quick. I am not even a museum person but having a private guide and being engaged with us was fantastic!! Highly recommend the way to see the Louvre! Also should watch the DaVinci Code before going !

Even though it rained our driver was able to cover the sides so we didn’t get wet. Our guide Adriana was so sweet. She led us around so many places that we probably would never see in foot. She would stop at locations to let us take photos. She was very knowledgeable and helpful with any local questions we had. We had a really fun morning and a great way to start our trip!

Wonderful full day of learning all about the Beaches of Normandy. This has been on my list for a long time! My Grandfather was there and learning more of his experience was very moving . Our Guide Carlyle was wonderful and very knowledgeable . We were able to go inside bunkers , the museum was so enlightening!

Excellent tour, guide was friendly and knowledgeable.

Tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly!

Loved this, the presenter was very knowledgeable, enjoyed meeting other travelers, the wine and cheese quantities were perfect.

We loved this tour. I don’t think we paid attention that we would be going through a vineyard and were pleasantly surprised. The views were amazing!

The staff was friendly and helpful. The hotel was lovely and the history of the building was interesting. Bistro was good. Our gourmet dinner was good too. Location was walkable to more of the town and the river. Did not use the spa.

Staff was wonderful especially the woman who ran the breakfast room. The entire staff was helpful and friendly.

We were unaware when we arrived that there were no openings at the on site bistro for dinner. We had to go and plead with the staff at the bistro to find us a time to eat. The bistro is apparently not owned by the hotel. You should have your clients make a reservation ahead of time for their arrival evening. Also the hotel did not at first gave us reserved for their arrival evening even g gourmet dinner we had vouchers for and tried to tell us we did not have a reservation! Once we showed them the vouchers they seated us and the wait staff and meal were excellent. I believe it was confusing for them to have both room reservations just under Mr Blood’s name as when we checked out they did not have the Samuelson name anywhere which made it confusing. I would suggest if you are booking two rooms for separate couples that you do not put them both under one Jane.

The sommelier and our waiter were delightful! Helped make the evening a success. Food was good as were wine pairings. Hit off to a bad start when the hotel did not have us on their reservation list and then there was a question about whether we needed to pay! We were able to straighten out but I do not think the management if the hotel was very good.

Interesting to learn more about Josephine Baker’s life

Already described this in earlier part of this review. Liked it better than the other two cave experiences

The Mas Petit Fourchon is a fantastic Provencal farmhouse just outside of Arles. The house is beautiful and the owner, Pascale was very warm and welcoming. She ensures your stay is most enjoyable and relaxing. The grounds are beautiful; there is also a lovely pool for swimming and relaxing. Additionally she raises Camargue horses which are beautiful. Also, on her property are Alpacas and two lovely dogs which will greet you upon arrival. Her estate is very family friendly with a playground area for children. She severs a lovely breakfast out on the patio which was most enjoyable. The Bed and Breakfast is only 3 kilometers from Arles. I would highly recommend a stay at this lovely Bed and Breakfast.

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable regarding the history of the Medieval City of Carcassonne. She made the tour most enjoyable.

The food at the Chateau Guiraud restaurant was incredible. We loved the tour and learned so much about the history of this estate and the production of their sweet wines. Our guide for the tour was very knowledgeable and explained everything about the production of their wines.

Charly was an excellent tour guide. He was very knowledgeable about the area and winemaking. He took us to two lovely wineries for tasting and a tour. We learned so much about the Burgandy area wines and production. It was a lovely day.

Resort style hotel on the grounds of the Chantilly Chateau. Part of the resort complex was the chateau laundry with some of the old mechanicals still in place. Lovely setting in the woods with the chateau itself about 3 miles away from the hotel. Our room was in the modern building with a private terrace.

Beautiful old chateau converted to guest house. LOVELY! Best coffee machine on our trip!

GREAT location inside the old city walls in St. Malo! Room was small, but adequate.

VERY small room with bunk bed. It was adequate, but just barely. The restaurant was very good.

What a LOVELY setting - we upgraded to a direct ocean view. We felt like we were on a cruise!

Beautiful old (1290 AD) lodge nicely updated! This hotel is in a quiet little village with a beautiful church overlooking the hotel.

Room was very small, but adequate for a single night. Restaurant was good.

VERY helpful staff and beautiful room! Stairs could be challenging for some, but the location is incredible adjacent to the cathedral. We enjoyed the restaurant as well.

This was my FAVORITE tour - Beautiful weather, beautiful country side, interesting information about the area AND a yummy picnic with the lovely items we picked up along the way!

As the child of a career Army officer, the D-Day Beaches were a must do! However, it was not what I expected and I probably would have preferred a different day trip. The most impressive part of the trip was probably the German Cemetery - our group was one of two groups there, so it was not crowded as the other sites were later in the day.

Mont Saint Michel was an incredible place! It was busy, but we were able to see all we could. My husband did not feel up to going all the way up into the cathedral, but the town and the walls were amazing despite the crowds.

Samuel was GREAT on our walking tour of St. Malo. The day was lovely! He provided good context for this city which I was not familiar with. After our tour with Samuel, we were able to navigate the city easily. I especially enjoyed touring the old part of the city with the half-timber houses and the stain glassed galleries.

Lovely tour of Winchester with David. We loved- walking with the city wall on one side and the river on the other - peaceful, green and lush! He shared many interesting tidbits of early English history - my favorite part! The cathedral was beautiful! The guildhall was somewhat of a letdown (marketing 15th -16th century style was still cheesy), although the ruins which surround it were beautiful!

Remarkable conversion of the Chateau's mainteance complex into a hotel. This is a multiple building conversion with lovely modern rooms. Staff weas friendly and helpful. Food was good. This has the air of a conference center but works well for just staying. It's located beyond walking distance to Chantilly, so you'll need to get rides if you doin't have a car. But the staff was helpful in arranging that.

This is a unique conversion on the edge of Bayeux. It looks like a wealthy merchant's house from the 19th century and it has gorgeous gardens in the back. We stayed in the family suite, and not a standard room, so my comments may not apply to all. The rooms have a old aristocracy feel but the bathroom is completely updated and modern. The staff were friendly and helpful. Breakfast was excellent.

Lovely hotel inside the walls in St. Malo. Staff were friendly and helpful. Breakfast was excellent. You couldn't find a better base for exploring this beauritful walled city.

This is an amazing place. We stayed in an oceanside room - these are built into the cliff face below the main hotel. All we could see were the sea and the headlands. Rooms were plenty big for 2. The restaurant was excellent for Breakfast and Dinner. The location is brilliant for exploring Cornwall and THE VIEW!!!

Classic English Inn on the Cathedral Square in Winchester. You could not find a better place to explore Winchester from. The staff were kind and helpful. The restaurant was very good for both breakfast and dinner. It is in the old downtown, so if you are driving, don't have too big a car.

This was a great half day tour of St. Malo. Samuel, our guide, was well informed, personable and adapted the tour to our interests and capabilities.

David our guide was lovely and knowledgeable. He shaped the itinerary to our interests and the pace to our requirements. Couldn't imagine a better half day in Winchester.

Good spot! Staff was just terrific.

Rooms were just great. The location was great. However, eating at the petit Leon even though it was fabulous was too far to drive at night. Arrangement should be made for guest if a recommended restaurant is at a distance.

A little understaffed. Waiters and waitresses in the restaurant were not really trained to be above and beyond. Breakfast was just average. The rooms were just terrific. The terraces outside the room were really nice, but unable to be used because it was too hot. But great rooms. Again you had to eat in the hotel because it wasn’t close to anything. You don’t want to drive in this area at night after drinking wine!

I would make this a five star if it wasn’t for a few surly members of the staff. But there were some good ones too: a little out of the way. But really a fine hotel. Not overwhelmed by their breakfast. The bistro restaurant next-door was just great. Great staff there. Planning for this hotel should include proper reservations for guests. There’s nothing near it so it’s almost imperative to eat there. We were lucky time or two because even though it was booked, they let us in.

A little out-of-the-way but in a good Paris location. The rooms could be a little bigger. Breakfast was good. I’d stay there again. Good staff!

Good food. Good staff. Could almost be a five star. Some confusion about whether the wine was included or not. It had to be worked out which caused us some degree of difficulty. Audrey saved the day!

Very realistic. Terrific experience. Great guide.

Great food and very professional waiters.

Beautiful location, wonderful staff, and amenities.

A very fun way to see the coast, learn about the beautiful homes and palaces, and get up close to the Super yachts! Our captain was very knowledgeable and easy going. Very relaxing.

Absolutely amazing - the food was unreal, the staff was gracious and attentive, and the view was one of a kind.

Our guide Hugo was fantastic - a truly unique day.

Old style and needs upgrade of furnishings. Felt musty

Location between old Medieval town and Roman ruins was perfect for us. Also many restaurants in cute plazas nearby. Staff accommodated our difficult parking situation

Good location and lovely patio out back.

Guide Sonali was delightful and informative

Our room was very large and had a great view of the Promenade. The shower drain kept clogging. We called maintenance about it once. The location was great. The lavender painted walls and draperies were fun! The breakfast was delicious.

Brian was an exceptional host. The room and artwork was fabulous!!. The food was amazing. Brian provided commentary about the food for each guest table which was great to get to know him. The mosquitos were a bit much despite having spray at dinner time.

The renovated room was very nice but there wasn't a view as promised. The location was great. Breakfast was great.

Our guide was knowledgeable but didn't do a good job talking to the group with information. She was great one-on-one but didn't talk to the group.

Cyril was amazing! He spoke very clear english and knew all about the villages we visited. The group was a bit larger than we thought but it was nice to meet the other guests. The restaurant had a great food. The train was clean and nice to ride thru the Alps and see the scenery. Cyril did a great job narrating along the way.

The Captain (I can't remember his name) was awesome! The private boat was better since we could tailor the trip to our needs. The snorkeling was fun. Our Captain was very knowledgable about the coastline and the boats in the harbors. It would have been nice for him to have provided drinks or had time for lunch when we stopped at Cap Ferrat.

The first winery we visited had a great history but the lady was a bit distracted and didn't seem happy we were there. Our guide did a great job of explaining all about the vineyards and the popes.

Great to get the tour guide to show us the market and taste some of the foods. Michael was a great guide! He peddled fast but we could easily keep up. We could have had a better lunch spot than on the faded grass by the restrooms, but it worked!

The food was terrible and the waiter was rude. There was a great view of the Eiffel Tower from the boat. There was no commentary about the buildings or sites we were passing on the river. Pass on this one!

A guide is a must and Felix was the best!

Tessa was a great guide! She was very knowledgeable about the city.

Felix was knowledgeable and tailored the day to us. We were disappointed we did not get to go into Notre Dame. An external tour was not the same. The Louvre was spectacular with Felix as our guide. He pointed out the best parts and kept our interest. Felix spoke fantastic English. Is Felix ever goes out on his own, pick him!

We were only there for 1 night so it suited the situation. Would not want to spend any more nights than that. The room was extremely small. So was the bathroom, shower, and toilet. Location was good for walking around Montmartre. Close to sites and eateries.

This was a wonderful set up. Separate buildings for the suite.s The remodeling really makes the bathroom facilities very pleasant to use. Nice walk in shower. Very clean. The hostess is very personable and seems to take great pride in their Guest House. Check in was not until 5, but she had our room ready for us when we got there. Great location to see the town central and restaurants. Would highly recommend

The breakfast was amazing. The room and bathroom were clean except for the bedroom floor needed to be dust mopped as there was dust and dust bunnies around the sofa and table/chairs.

Very good breakfast. Room was a good size. The way the shower is set up it gets water all over the floor. Staff was very helpful. Location was spot on.

Our guide, Sonali, was a lovely hostess. Very knowledgeable and very pleasant during our 2 hour walking tour.

We ended up walking to the winery.

The tour guide was very knowledgeable and made the trip a lot of fun. Great to see 2 totally different types of wineries.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and enjoyable during the tours.

We ended up having the same guide that we had the day before to D-day tour. Again, very knowledgeable and personable.

Our guide was so knowledgeable about the history. Made the driving around to each site very pleasant.

Our hotel was 3 blocks away so it was very easy and convenient to get to. The Louvre Museum is amazing.

Our driver was excellent. Dropped us off and was there when we finished.

Our guide was outstanding. She had a good rapport with the businesses that we went to for tastings. She was very relatable and personable. She put together a great little lunch for us. Totally enjoyed the tour.

Hotel Apollinaire in Nice was very nice. Staff was helpful. Breakfast was included and was impressive. Hans and Susan and the kids had adjoining rooms. There was some breakfast confusion on the first morning, but we texted KimKim and things were straightened out right away. Hotel approx. 5 stars

Hotel Citadines Trocadero: good location*, good rooms for family group, reasonable kitchen, rather odd bathroom with tiny shower. Toilet in separate room and bathtub were okay. The staff were minimally helpful. There is a large, locked closet in the lobby to hold luggage. A self-serve laundry is onsite. The laundry app works well until you have problems or questions; then, nobody can help you. The dryer didn’t dry very well. We did not have breakfast there. It seemed to be a continental breakfast.

crowded

Antibes and Cannes. (It was interesting having a tour to these cities because we had gone past them on the train.) We met our driver / guide in the same place, along with two Russian women. Sebastian (Seb) was our guide again. It was very hot and we spent more time in the van with commentary than walking about, which worked well. We enjoyed this tour more than the previous one. 5 stars for Seb

We walked to meet our driver / guide Sebastian for a Monaco, Monte Carlo, Eze morning excursion. (Not sure why it is advertised this way, since you go to Eze first, then Monaco and Monte Carlo.) Seb was surprised that he had more people booked for the van than usual, but it was summer high season. He told us about history of the area and current celebrities who lived there. We had stops to see the views. It was very hot that day and the many steps in old Eze were a bit much. We arrived in Monaco in time for the changing of the guard, which is very hard to see when there is a crowd. Our family left the group at this point, since the children couldn’t go inside the casino, and we were interested in seeing the Oceanographic Museum. Unfortunately, the museum was very hot and crowded. However, Elizabeth wants to be a scientist and created her own project of taking photos and viewing the exhibits. Tour: 4 stars, museum: 3 stars Since we didn’t continue with the tour, we had to make our own way back to Nice. I had a Rick Steeves map and pocket guide which were somewhat helpful. The bus to the train station is no longer free and it was a rather long, uncomfortable ride. We managed to figure out the train and get through the crowds and back to Nice.

Disneyland Paris. Susan had planned this in great detail and KimKim helped with appropriate tickets, transportation, etc. This was a 5-star family experience.

Private Louvre Visit geared to a family with children. Our guide, Sara, knew the museum well, had a scavenger hunt-focused booklet for the kids to use, and did a great job with the whole family. The kids were very engaged in this activity. 5+ stars for Sara.

We went to Notre Dame early and did a self-guided tour before meeting our guide, Ed. He told us history of the cathedral and the area, showed us the Ile de la Cite, Latin Quarter, the Seine, Sainte-Chapelle. 5 stars

The final activity for the day was an Eiffel Tower summit at sunset. Our hotel wasn’t far from the tower and we walked. It took a little effort to find the meeting point. The guide for this event was more of a shepherd. He made sure everyone got tickets, got in line, knew about the security check, understood how and where to go in the tower. Everything went very well, despite some misgivings about being “way up in the air.” The views were spectacular. A 5- star experience.

Our guide was Arina (originally from Brazil). She had a good mix of places for us to visit and things to taste. We enjoyed this part of the tour very much and give Arina 5 stars.

Versailles, half-day tour of palace and gardens. We enjoyed seeing the palace and would have liked time to actually see the gardens. This was the part of the trip we enjoyed least. The heatwave didn’t help matters. Versailles is some distance from town. We tried hard to figure out walking, Metro, bus, etc. The only simple way to get there and to get back for an afternoon activity is by Uber. The process for sorting out groups of tourists and guides is rather disorganized. This was the first time we ever used the headphones / earbuds and device to hear the tour guide. It seems to be the most reasonable way of having multiple guides and groups of people to communicate with. However, we weren’t very happy with our guide (Leonor) or the tour. We arrived on time for a tour time which was an hour later. It was rather hard to stay with the group with so many other people there. We didn’t find the commentary very informative. After several hours, we were shown the gardens outside (through a window) and told that we had tickets to the gardens but that part of the tour was on our own. In retrospect, we think this should actually be marketed as a day-long tour with a guide in the morning and on your own in the afternoon, with the expectation of eating at the palace. There is a nice restaurant which was very crowded, a café with good food but very little seating space, and a small snack shop we noticed on our way out. Also, bathrooms are very hard to find once you are outside. Versailles 4 stars, guide maybe 3.

Hotel Apollinaire in Nice was very nice. Staff was helpful. Breakfast was included and was impressive. Hans and Susan and the kids had adjoining rooms. There was some breakfast confusion on the first morning, but we texted KimKim and things were straightened out right away.

The afternoon was a Private Louvre Visit geared to a family with children. Our guide, Sara, knew the museum well, had a scavenger hunt focused booklet for the kids to use, and did a great job with the whole family. The kids were very engaged in this activity. 5+ stars for Sara.

Versailles, half-day tour of the palace and gardens. We enjoyed seeing the palace and would have liked time to actually see the gardens. This was the part of the trip we enjoyed least. The heatwave didn’t help matters. Versailles is some distance from town. We tried hard to figure out walking, the Metro, the bus, etc. The only simple way to get there and to get back for an afternoon activity is by Uber. The process for sorting out groups of tourists and guides is rather disorganized. This was the first time we ever used the headphones / earbuds and device to hear the tour guide. It seems to be the most reasonable way of having multiple guides and groups of people to communicate with. However, we weren’t very happy with our guide (Leonor) or the tour. We arrived on time for a tour time which was an hour later. It was rather hard to stay with the group with so many other people there. We didn’t find the commentary very informative. After several hours, we were shown the gardens outside (through a window) and told that we had tickets to the gardens but that part of the tour was on our own. In retrospect, we think this should actually be marketed as a day-long tour with a guide in the morning and on your own in the afternoon, with the expectation of eating at the palace. There is a nice restaurant which was very crowded, a café with good food but very little seating space, and a small snack shop we noticed on our way out. Also, bathrooms are very hard to find once you are outside. Versailles 4 stars, guide maybe 3.

Our guide was Arina (originally from Brazil). She had a good mix of places for us to visit and things to taste. We enjoyed this part of the tour very much and give Arina 5 stars.

We went to Notre Dame early and did a self-guided tour before meeting our guide, Ed. He told us history of the cathedral and the area, showed us the Ile de la Cite, Latin Quarter, the Seine, Sainte-Chapelle. 5 stars

In the afternoon, we had a tour to Antibes and Cannes. (It was interesting having a tour to these cities because we had gone past them on the train.) We met our driver / guide in the same place, along with two Russian women. Sebastian (Seb) was our guide again. It was very hot and we spent more time in the van with commentary than walking about, which worked well. We enjoyed this tour more than the previous one. 5 stars for Seb

We walked to meet our driver / guide Sebastian for a Monaco, Monte Carlo, Eze morning excursion. (Not sure why it is advertised this way, since you go to Eze first, then Monaco and Monte Carlo.) Seb was surprised that he had more people booked for the van than usual, but it was summer high season. He told us about history of the area and current celebrities who lived there. We had stops to see the views. It was very hot that day and the many steps in old Eze were a bit much. We arrived in Monaco in time for the changing of the guard, which is very hard to see when there is a crowd. Our family left the group at this point, since the children couldn’t go inside the casino, and we were interested in seeing the Oceanographic Museum. Unfortunately, the museum was very hot and crowded. However, Elizabeth wants to be a scientist and created her own project of taking photos and viewing the exhibits.

Disneyland Paris. Susan had planned this in great detail, and KimKim helped with appropriate tickets, transportation, etc. This was a 5-star family experience.

The final activity for the day was an Eiffel Tower summit at sunset. Our hotel wasn’t far from the tower, and we walked. It took a little effort to find the meeting point. The guide for this event was more of a shepherd. He made sure everyone got tickets, got in line, knew about the security check, and understood how and where to go in the tower. Everything went very well, despite some misgivings about being “way up in the air.” The views were spectacular. A 5- star experience.