Kimkim Trip Reviews for Greece

This hotel is on a side street/alley, so feels quiet and secluded. One downside is that taxis cannot drive to the hotel entrance, so you will need to walk a short distance from the taxi to the hotel. The rooms are clean and comfortable. The decoration is a little spartan, so mine felt a bit like a dorm room, but it was cool, quiet, and dark (once I figured out how to turn off the display on the air conditioner). Breakfast was not as extensive as other hotels on this trip but was fine.

In general a nice hotel with excellent service. There was a mistake with our reservation (said one person instead of two) but they worked with us to sort it out. The rooms are small by US standards, normal by European standards. Breakfast was excellent. They also helped us arrange a rental car for a day -- super easy and convenient.

This was our least favorite of the tours we did. Our guide, Sophia, talked and moved VERY slowly, and so it felt like we spent most of the time sitting and listening to her, not seeing the sites. And I don't feel like I learned that much Athenian history from her.

This was an amazing day. Highly recommend. The boat ride (with snorkeling) and the trip to the monastery for wine and olive oil tastings were highlights.

Enjoyable day, learned a lot about Cretan history.

Our overnight stay at Olive Green Hotel in Heraklion was fine. However, the included breakfast started after our shuttle departure, and we missed out on coffee, settling instead for instant coffee in the room. It was okay for a short stay but could have been better with the breakfast timing.

The Verina Astra Hotel in Sifnos was awesome, but we had an issue with water in our room on our first full day. Water scarcity was the explanation, but for the price we were paying, it felt like it should have been handled more seriously. The staff were nice and did offer slight compensation, but it still left us a bit frustrated.

Our stay at Coco-Mat Athens BC was fantastic. The location was great, and we enjoyed the excellent breakfast. Although the room was small by North American standards, we knew this to be typical in Europe. We had no concerns whatsoever and loved the view from our room.

Our tour guide was a bit of a dud. He was scattered with all of his stories. He was obviously racist or anti-immigrant. And he spent our two hours together talking to my husband - obviously thought that he was above talking to a woman... until the very end when we were thanking him for his time and my husband told him that I am a professor at a university. Then the tour guide's entire demeanour and body language changed - all of a sudden I was worthy of his attention. He was relieved when we told him he didn't have to give us a tour of Plaka.

Theo was awesome! Very knowledgeable, friendly, enthusiastic and helpful. The food tour was the highlight of our time in Athens. Though it would have been nice to try Retsina wine on this tour.

Our guide Yannis was friendly, enthusiastic and gracious.

Our guide Yannis was friendly, enthusiastic and gracious. Our first tour stop was at the Corinth Canal, which was narrow and steep and definitely worth a stop, even in the rain. We opted not to go into the Temple of Apollo, our second stop, and consequently squandered a bit of time that we wish we had to explore at our next stop, the Acrocorinth. We found the Acrocorinth interesting and it was worthy of its own guided tour. It was unfortunate that Yannis, a former taxi driver turned tour guide, was not a certified tour guide (apparently requiring a college degree in Greece) and consequently he said he was allowed to accompany us into any of the historical sites.

This tour was a bit rushed in the beginning as there were a lot of people to pick up, which was done using 2 vans that were consolidated into one. We got to the Rousanou (St Barbara) Monastery shortly before they closed and it was a small monastery, making it hard to move around with the crowd. The tour was more relaxed after the first stop, and we were fortunate that the clouds that were with us most of the day cleared enough in time for us to see the sunset from the Meteora rocks.

4 and 1/2 bus ride to and from Athens included a strategic stop at the 1/2way point for a bathroom and food break. We stopped there on the way up and the way back, and the place was prepared to serve a lot of people fast with a cafeteria style food line. Breaking up the bus ride into 2 days with a night stay in Meteora was the right choice (many people on the bus ride back had taken the bus up earlier the same day).

4 and 1/2 bus ride to and from Athens included a strategic stop at the 1/2way point for a bathroom and food break. We stopped there on the way up and the way back, and the place was prepared to serve a lot of people fast with a cafeteria style food line. Breaking up the bus ride into 2 days with a night stay in Meteora was the right choice (many people on the bus ride back had taken the bus up earlier the same day).

Chris who lead us on a hike up to the Varlaam Monastery in Meteora was fantastic, stopping frequently to engage with the group and share with us his love of hiking and rock climbing the Meteora area. The Varlaam Monastery was beautiful, the views from the terrace were breathtaking, and the museum was informative and small enough to be able to enjoy in the 1 hour we were allotted.

We loved this experience. Our young guide Nicholas was great, sharing stories of his family and Greek traditions, his trip to New York City, and willingly answering all of our questions. The Range Rover drive over gravel roads was awesome, the visit to the olive oil and wine making farm was delicious and enjoyable, and the lunch at the Milia Mountain Retreat was outstanding!

The Knossos Palace tour was incredible. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly and we loved that we were each given ear pieces so that we could hear what she was saying. We went before the height of the tourist season which was great for 2 reasons: 1. we had a minimal wait to view the palace, and 2. it was not too hot yet. My only regret is that we didn't have a little bit more time to explore on our own after the tour.

Terrific view of the port. The room was well appointed and comfortable. The breakfast was fantastic and the best we had on our trip.

It was a lot of walking but our guide made it so I could make it to the top without slowing down g down the others too mych. Very knowledgeable and I learned some mythology I didn’t know.

I got to try many things I hadn’t had before and as a foody that’s saying something. Our guide Dora was knowledgeable and very personable. It was a pleasure to spend time with her.

The staff was great! They were so friendly to the kids and changed the hours of breakfast to make sure we could eat before we had to leave.

Everyone on our trip loved this day. We started the day with a local family and made cheese, fed the animals, and ate some amazing food. The kids loved jarring their own honey and being able to take it home, and they also loved making their own pottery.

We had two drivers/guides for this activity. They were both very helpful and played with the kids throughout the day. The restaurant they took us to for lunch had some of the best food we had on our trip.

Angelina (our guide) made this tour amazing. She was patient and had activities for the kids to do throughout the tour to help them learn and keep them engaged.

Unexpectedly terrific. We were unable to get a booking at the airport hotel so we settled for this one that was 20-30 minutes away. This was far better than what we would have had at the airport. Spacious, modern, next to a small beach. Breakfast had many, many delicious options. The shuttle to the airport was great.

Incredible! Recently renovated with amazing design and every modern amenity that you might imagine and more. Wonderful staff and incredible breakfast!

Modest hotel. Excellent staff and breakfast. Room very small. Good location. Shower had been added to a very high tub making it very difficult to get in and out.

Terrific in every way.

Driver was terrific. The guide’s accent was so strong that we understood about 20% of what he said. Restaurant that the driver had arranged was terrific and he got us a table with a wonderful view.

Terrific guide, wonderful food. The meat and fish market were overwhelming. Smell stayed with us fort hours.

Great guide. It covered all of the mythology and we visited the most important remnants of the ancient buildings.

Centrally located, clean, great breakfast, and amazing staff. One block away from a beautiful train station/museum. Doesn't get better than that!

Lovely and unique hotel in the heart of old town.

Funky hotel in a great location. If you're sensitive to noise, it's not the best option as it's on a narrow street. The hotel itself has live music 5 PM to 12 AM Friday through Sunday and the bar across the street is blasting music seven days a week.

Fun and yummy tour. Lots of food.

This was quite a charming experience. I don't think the tour description does it justice. We were able to visit different villages, see local life, eat some good food. We did not visit any museums.

I'm glad we did the mythology focused tour because it made the whole experience more entertaining. Tour was a bit long though.

Thankfully check-in went much more smoothly here. Timmy (the guest manager) and his staff were very attentive and helpful. We did not have much hot water the first night and first morning (a bit disappointing as the hot tub was only lukewarm). Luckily, Timmy was able to fix this on day 2 and we had hot water after that. The area was spacious and comfortable. Bathrooms and kitchen were reasonably well stocked but we did have to ask for a sponge and dish soap. This place comes with breakfast. What is described and what is given are pretty different. The first 2 days, my omlette was average but the last day it was inedible.

This was a beautiful villa with an incredible view. That being said, it is located atop a 0.25 mile steep hill and is ~5 miles away from town. Taxis are very expensive in Naxos (at least 40 Euro to town, one way) and often not available for pick up here. If one stays here, they must have a rental car and beware that a small manual engine might not be able to make it up the hill. Again, we had check in issues. We arrived at 1pm as scheduled and the housekeepers were still working and did not speak English. Luckily they let us in as we were tired, hungry and thirsty. Again, I had to Google the villa to get a contact phone number and make an international phone call. That person gave me the WhatsApp of the villa manager. I sent him a message and he also told me he did not have my contact info or arrival time. It was him who told me things we should’ve known in advance, including the fact that you should not drink the tap water on the islands (unlike in Athens) and that we would need a rental car. He made arrangements for the rental car company to bring a car to us. Without his help, we essentially would’ve been stranded at the villa. I did try to contact Ioannis by phone and Leah by sending a message but neither answered. A different KimKim agent called me (now another international phone call to pay for) after I sent an urgent message and said she would try to find the villa manager to help me. She was unable to do so and I told her I had already handled that on my own. She recommended I download Uber Eats and get food delivered to us— a fairly recommendation on this island but she was in the states and just trying to help. She did provide me a credit to cover a rental car.

This apartment was incredible— fantastic location and amenities. It was spacious and very clean. The main issue I had was with KimKim (and specifically Leah) not giving the apartment manager my contact info. When we were dropped off at the apartment (close to midnight), there was no way for us to get inside. I had to google the apartment complex to find a phone number. I then had to make an international phone call and luckily the apartment manager picked up. He told me he knew I was coming but didn’t have my contact info, so he was unable to provide me with checkin instructions in advance. He guided me over the phone to find the lockbox and the actual apartment within the building— all at midnight, in the dark, after 25 hours of travel. This could have proceeded much more smoothly if Leah had given the apartment manager my direct contact info and we could’ve made arrangements for my late check-in well in advance of my arrival.

A good tour to see the rest of the island and learn about its history and culture.

The best tour of the trip!

A nice, informative tour. But again— scheduling issues. Leah told us in our itinerary to be there at 8:45am. It turns out we were supposed to be there at 8:30am and so rest of the small group tour was left waiting on us as we arrived late.

A quirky former mansion with beautifully renovated rooms, a large garden in the back and a staff that cares. A bit of a hike down to the square and shops and restaurants. It’s a college town and it’s interesting to watch student interactions.

A small quaint hotel located an easy walk to the sea and to the downtown harbor. Excellent breakfast and very helpful staff. Part of the neighborhood.

The hotel is located in the middle of things. The cafe serves a great breakfast. We enjoyed watching the kids on the square play games and run about. It’s close to the harbor. The room was nice.

Fascinating visit. Mr Georgiu was an excellent guide. We employed visiting the beautiful museum and the oracle grounds.

A very special visit for us, made even more so by our excellent guide, Theano Pappaeoannou. She was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. We really enjoyed our interaction with her.

Maybe the best hotel experience in my life. Beautiful view from my balcony. Excellent breakfast. Such attentive, kind staff.

A nice hotel with pleasant front desk staff. Unfortunately, there is no concierge so difficult to get 'help' in planning any excursion. Also, the shower leaked very badly - they had maintenance fix it, but it was no better.

charming and beautiful building, amazing and knowledgeable staff, great location.

comfortable rooms, delicious breakfast, concierges were amazing w restaurant recommendations and reservations. great walkable location.

didn't get to go bc of weather. they canceled promptly and offered to do the non-astronomy part of the tour but we were tired after the acropolis. next time!

beautiful day, great boat, we got lovely weather. kids all caught a bunch of little fish

george was amazing. super flexible, great w our kids, knowledgeable and fun.

friendly staff, great w kids (even though they were the only ones), delicious food, seamless logistics

super knowledgeable guide, great access to crowded sites

guide was knowledgeable, flexible (it was our first day and our kids were jet lagged), friendly

Hotel of necessity by airport. :-) Rooms were clean and quiet, beds were comfortable. WIndows had great blackout options. Even though we had to leave earlier than breakfast was served, the staff made us breakfast boxes which were amazing.

Nice hotel with nice staff. Loft-style rooms with two single beds in loft and the other on main level. Quiet which was nice. Located only two blocks from the steps up to Palamidi which was awesome.

Great location on beach, wish we had more time there. Nice playground for kids, great food at restaurant. Nice apartment style rooms with nice kitchen.

Very nice hotel, great location, great restaurant. We had a room on the village side/main street which was quite loud especially at night (gelato place and many restaurants across the street). Other side of hotel had view of beautiful valley, likely would have been quieter and prettier (but more expensive), but would try to stay on that side if ever there again. attentive and kind staff.

Great location. Noisy, busy part of town, windows didn't block the outside sound well. Breakfast brought to room by staff. Clean, plenty of space for us, nice kitchenette.

Another great tour! Zoe was an incredible guide. She made the whole site light up for us. You could tell she knew a ton about the site and Greek history. She really knew how to tell a story through the tour and helped us learn a lot in the process. She also took us through the museum and we learned so much more from that museum than we would have on our own. AMAZING day.

Great tour, the drama games were a lot of fun and taught us about the development of Greek theater and performance. Wish we had a little more time in the theater itself/archaeological site, as it ended up being a bit rushed in the end. Otherwise great.

One of best experiences of the trip. Great hike, great guide. Loved the cave. Highly, highly recommend to families.

Great tour that covered a lot - Temple of Zeus, Olympic stadium, the Athens Riviera, down to Sounio and back. Temple of Poseidon was beautiful and the coastline drive was great. Great lunch at a taverna on the way back. Very kind driver.

Great tour of acropolis and museum. It wasn't very Percy Jackson-inspired, but nonetheless was informative and a nice guide. We learned so much more with a guide on the Acropolis than we otherwise would have. Was very nice that she already had our tickets for us, as the lines and process to get into the Acropolis was a mess.

Great tour, the guide made it fun and exciting for our kids. Great walk around town, loved the sites we visited.

Wonderful boutique hotel walking distance to town and the beach. Fantastic customer service

Such a fun experience!!!!

Fantastic tour guide! Loved the olive oil experience

Fabulous and knowledgeable guide. Amazing lunch!

Fabulous guide!