Kimkim Trip Reviews for Iceland

Overall, we had the absolute most magical trip to Iceland. Hanna helped to book all the necessary restaurant reservations and they were all fabulous! The snorkeling at the Silfra fissure was a must. We also visited Fridheimar Tomato Farm and the dinner was fantastic - as a plus it was walking distance from our hotel (Blue Hotel Fagrilundur). Both Seljalandsfoss (where you can walk behind the falls - just do it!) & Skogafoss (forest waterfall) were some of our favorites. Reynisfjara beach (black sand) was magnificent - it wasn't hard to imagine the scenes from Game of Thrones being filmed there. The Katla ice cave tour was super fun as well - you'll hike the Myrdalsjokull glacier, then visit the amazing blue and black ice cave of the Kötlujökull glacier on Mt. Katla. If we had to pick our favorite canyon it would be Fjadrargljufur canyon - just stunning. Another must see spot was Jokulsarlon & Diamond Beach where you could see the very blue chunks of glacier floating and the diamond beach appearance - we also saw some seals during our stop. Vestrahorn & the Viking Village also offered some unique and stunning views of the mountains and the beautiful water. The Hverir geothermal area was super cool (all be it a bit overwhelming with the sulfur content in the air). Hotel Laxa was one of our favorite spots for lodging and we lucky enogh to have a spectacular showing of the Northern Lights while there. Our whale watching in Husavik was canceled due to weather but luckily we were able to re-book for Árskógssandur and we couldn't have asked for a better outing - the gear they provide was very warm and we were able to see lots of whale activity. The Forest Lagoon was one of our groups favorite stops for relaxation (better than Blue Lagoon as it wasn't near as crowded and the water is clear with no silica - wish we had a bit more time to explore Akureyri and maybe stay over a night. Our last nights in Reykjavik were fun exploring the city, shopping and eating (get the hot dog at Baejarins Beztu Pylsur). Dinner at Fiskfelagid Fish company was so delicious as well.

Overall, I offer the following insights: 1. Buy waterPROOF gear (jacket and pants and an extra poncho if you really hate being wet) - not water resistant. 2. Bring layers- you will ABSOLUTELY need them no matter when you visit. 3. Comfortable waterproof hiking shoes or boots are a must. 3. The food was so much BETTER than we expected, although bringing snacks for the drive was essential especially if you wanted to limited your stops during the day.

Also, Hanna and her colleagues were super helpful and timely in responding to last minute requests during the trip. Hihgly recommend them and highly recommend visiting Iceland.

We had a wonderful trip through Iceland. Gummi took care of EVERYTHING for us. The daily driving map routes he prepared for us made our 2800 km total drive simple. All reservations were perfect. He was always available if we needed help or had a question. His additional inputs during our drive suggesting good viewing places to see the northern lights were spot on. The hotels he booked for us were wonderful. His advice for tourist spots and restaurants were great. I'd really like to give Kim Kim, and especially Gummi, 6 stars, but the system limits this to 5. We have already recommended Kim Kim to several of our friends who have expressed an interest in a similar trip.

Hotel Review

Sigló Hótel by Keahotels

Siglufjörður

My favorite little town by far. Brightly lit streets (we went for a walk late at night and had no concerns). Quaint little fishing village. Everyone we met was super friendly. I had a smile on my face the whole time I was here - and the hotel personifies this town. Wonderful spa. Great food. Nice rooms. They seemed to pamper us for our short stay. If I go back to Iceland, I just may spend my whole time here!

Authenticity & Character

perfect fit for the village. Felt like I was in an New England fishing village, but up to date.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

Guide was educational and lots of fun. Amazing underground formations.

Quality of Experience

Whale Watching Experience by Traditional Boat

Iceland

RATS - due to 10 foot waves, this was cancelled. Only flaw (beyond anyone's control) of out whoel trip. Did get a prompt refund.

The entire process of planning the trip to Iceland was so overwhelming to me I just couldn’t get started. I am so happy to have found kimkim. Gummi was amazing and so helpful with getting everything organized and booked for us! When an excursion was cancelled due to weather conditions he quickly informed us and helped us to find some alternative activities for the day.

This was my first time using Kim Kim, and the experience couldn’t have been easier. When planning our trip, their feedback and response was extremely timely and very helpful. They made accommodations when requested and the properties they suggested were wonderful. We loved the lava cave experience and the Húsafell hot springs. All hotels were excellent. The links with suggestions and directions on the app provided excellent guidance! Unfortunately our whale watching tour was canceled because of weather, but they refunded our money immediately.
We had hesitated traveling on our own with a car, but they made the experience very easy. We would definitely use them again!

Gummi was very attentive to our needs both in planning the trip and during the trip. He was accessible 24/7. The hotels and excursions he booked for us were fantastic. The pace of the trip was just right. We did not feel rushed at all.

The trip was mostly fantastic; a magical place. A couple things would make the next trip even better. The hotels were both wonderfully high - such as Sand Hotel, Foss Hotels - and unfortunately low - like the Hotel Kea, Gistihusio Lake Hotel. We showed up in Vik without instructions for checking in to the apt and would have preferred a hotel. Some pre-booked timing for activities didn't work with the long drive times so we had to make changes on the fly with the tour companies to accommodate.

Other than those little issues, we had a grand time and look forward to a trip back soon!

We had a really fun 10-day holiday with friends in Iceland traveling the Ring Road, and overall, Iceland itself was amazing and easy to navigate. While the trip was enjoyable, the experience with KimKim felt inconsistent and lacking attention to detail. Some of the specific issues we ran into:
Inconsistent accommodations: Some hotels had breakfast included while others did not (we had assumed this would be standard). A few hotels were wonderful, with amenities and great locations, while others fell flat, especially our last hotel in Reykjavik which was a disappointing way to end the trip (the first hotel in Reykjavik was amazing and great way to kick things off). At one point, instead of a hotel we were booked into an apartment — it felt like this may have been a late booking workaround since other options in town were sold out, despite the fact we started planning months in advance. Again no breakfast and when you're on the road changing hotels almost every night that becomes more of a challenge and expense than it should.
Booking practices: We were surprised to find some of our hotel reservations had been made through Expedia, which led to confusion at check-in when staff had trouble locating them.
Car rental & connectivity: While it worked out fine, we were never told that the rental car came with Wi-Fi. That would have been a very helpful detail, especially since they strongly advised us to rent directly from the airport and then we had to try to get the company to refund us.
Activity planning: The suggested activities were often unrealistic in terms of timing and order, which made parts of the itinerary difficult or impossible to execute in the way they were presented.
Local expertise: The program didn’t feel curated by someone with boots on the ground. It felt more like it had been assembled with generic recommendations or even AI, without the logical flow or insider touches we had expected.
To be clear, we had a great trip because Iceland itself is extraordinary and I was with my best friends, but the planning support didn’t live up to what we’d hoped for. With more consistency, realistic sequencing, and local insight the trip could have been seamless.

Hotel Reviews

Fosshótel Mývatn

Myvatn

Loved this hotel partly because it was nice, modern and we stayed 2 nights (vs. 1). Also we saw the Northern Lights - we had a great waitress who woke us to tell us they were out....vs. the hotel staff that seemed uninterested. Good location to do a lot of the local activities in the area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Our waitress woke us to tell us about NL = there is a button on the phones asking guests to press it if they want to see NL - it goes to a recorded service and when we asked about it at the front desk they said "oh that doesn't work" so they shoudl fix that as it seemed cool but I guess was de-activated.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Kea by Keahotels

Akureyri

This hotel is very serviceable. Not anything special. Kim Kim could have done better for independent travelers - this seems like a big bus/group hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gistihúsið - Lake Hotel Egilsstadir

Egilsstöðum

This is a local hotel which is always nice. Tho it did smell like cow poop even though we didn't see any cows. Met the owner and she said they renovated 2 years ago. Ask for a room overlooking the lake vs. the parking lot. Kim Kim didn't indicate that on our reservation so some on us had better views than others.

Authenticity & Character

Location

This hotel is in an OK location - but we think we could have been put in a more interesting hotel

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Jökulsárlón - Glacier Lagoon Hotel

Hofn

Very good modern hotel and excellent if you'll be doing glacier activities. Kim Kim didn't tell us that Breakfast wasn't included (this was toward the end of our trip so we were surprised...) and there aren't other local options so we got a bit hood-winked on this one by Kim Kim.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Holt—The Art Hotel

Reykjavík

Really bizarre hotel - lots of "art" which is kind of cool because it's Icelandic but the hotel is so dated and seems like a relic but not in an interesting way. Kim Kim shoudl make sure to check out these hotels before assigning them out. It was a STARK difference to the hotel they put us in at the beginning of the trip. This wasn't the way we wanted to end the trip. My friend's room (a single) literally looked like a cell. The Breakfast was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vík Apartments

Vik I Myrdal

Bizarre location overlooking a number of parking lots and a main road. No breakfast. Nice design. Better for a family or longer stay. We were there a night and it wasn't a good option made by KimKim

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sand Hotel by Keahotels

Reykjavík

Great location, nice rooms and good hearty & yummy breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dimmuborgir Lava Formations

Lake Mývatn

We really liked this area - it has some simple wide paths but the lava is wildly formed and this is where you can see "the hidden people" a lot easier :). (you'll have to look that up). There are quite a few walking/hiking paths and you can go as far or not as you want. There is actually a path to a crater which we didn't do becuase it was about 2 hours round trip but others said it was a great hike.

Quality of Experience

Hike from Skaftafell to Svartifoss Waterfall

Iceland

Definitely take the time to do the 45+ minute walk to see this waterfall. It's very dramatic and in a gorgeous canyon. The path is well marked and traveled so you won't get lost but will be surprised and happy at the end! Great photo Op spot.

Quality of Experience

Sólheimajökull Glacier Walk

Iceland

This is a super cool experience and all of our first time being on a glacier. It was nice too that we had an actual Icelandic guide who grew up somewhat nearby. It was interesting to learn about the glacier and the relationship to the volcano. The crampons were totally necessary and there are some great views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explore Seyðisfjörður

Iceland

Very cute town - in fact we wish that Kim Kim would have booked us a room here as it was super local and charming vs. where they booked us. There is an arty flair. But by the time we got here it was end of day so many things were closed. We wished we could have explored this area more.

Quality of Experience

Mývatn Nature Baths

Lake Mývatn

Very skinny from the sulphur so know that and be prepared for that. There are a lot of other baths in Iceland and I think you can skip this one.

Quality of Experience

Whale Watching from Akureyri

Akureyri

Nice guide. We saw a whale which was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Forest Lagoon Pool Experience

Iceland

Really pretty spot in an otherwise not super charming town. Good thing to do at end of the day . Location is super.

Quality of Experience

Glaumbær Farm & Museum

Iceland

Good to do/see because you get some history of Iceland upfront.

Quality of Experience

Private Golden Circle Day Trip

Reykjavík

Could be a 3.5 star review. It was our first day so we were excited. The Golden Circle is a well-traveled highly touristed route so you'll see a lot of buses etc. but the sights are worth it. Nice to have a private guide so we could be flexible (i.e to see / go to Secret Lagoon). Guide was OK - but seemed a little bored.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

get a local guide.

Transport

nice van.

Sky Lagoon Experience - Saman

Reykjavík

Excellent way to start and end our trip. it's a very groovy, clean chic spot. highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Vök Baths Experience

Iceland

Gorgeous and serene. We went at night which was really special. Also you can dunk in the COLD Icelandic ocean so you an sustain hot soaks longer.

Quality of Experience

This is a great bath -don't miss it.

Our third trip to Iceland was like the other two, great. The experience working with Guomundur was part of this great experience. If there is a fourth trip--and this is likely--we would be happy to work with Gummie and KimKim again. Gummy was accessible, professional and helpful when untangling several issues as they arose. The rental car experience was much better than the past two times. The vehicle was the right one for the roads and the company was the best one we dealt with thus far . The only small issue was that the Toyota Land Cruiser was quiet banged up: several major dents, two many scratches to count, and a distinct pull to the left when the brakes were applied in all but the lightest applications.
Below there are several things to mention that are in the "how could this be better" category.

Think through how providing and delivering directions and highlights might be more streamlined and how you might push read later people like me to prepare before the trip in this regard.

I would stress reading carefully all driving directions, both before and during the trip. We had one overnight snag when we thought we were to take a ferry to our destination without knowing it was not operating. This in part was our mistake as we were using Apple Maps (which worked fine in all other cases) and it directed us to the ferry. My only suggestion would be that a clear statement not to take the ferry would be a worthwhile bit of advice in the directions. We found a place to stay ( a good one) and learned while trying to alert the hotel we were assigned that we could not make it, they had made a mistake in allowing a two-night booking although they claimed they tried to cancel the second night in May but did not connect with the person who booked the hotel. They had to assign us to a sister hotel-a less upscale one--but went out of their way, apologizing and providing both a welcome baskett and a free dinner with drinks. They mentioned a refund would be made (for the night we missed) but not sure if this happened as we were told it would be through the Expedia site.
Our hosts and facilities were solid with these exceptions: Both hotel stays in Reykjavik had assigned us to poor rooms. One was on a second floor with a crane and work crew operating right outside our window and a window on the afternoon sun. This meant we had to keep the drapes closed and not be able to vent a very hot room. This hotel was a Center Hotel near the performance center. The final night spent at the Alda hotel also assigned a room that was on the second floor directly on the main street. Again, if we kept the window open or air we could not escape the noise from the street. In both cases I asked for a room change and received one. I believe they assigned us a poor room to see if we would simply accept the assignment without complaint. Clearly, they had other rooms. If I plan a fourth trip I would make sure it did not include these hotels.

The lodging Djupavik was terrible. I can be fine with a small room and shared bathroom facilities at times, but the place was dangerous for guests (terrible entry and stairs to the second floor--I'm surprised they get away with this--and the hosts were the most unfriendly ones, by far, that we encountered on the trip. Silly but meaning full things like never saying welcome or how is your stay going. They avoided eye contact and with they exception for the Polish Woman who seemed to do all the work, the owners and manager were simply rude and unwelcoming. I would scratch this place from any itinerary. They drive through the fjord was dramatic and beautiful but somewhat ruined by this experience. I would suggest staying at another place, before the 30 mile or so drive and make this part a day trip.

The items above stand in contrast to the overall quality of the trip. As asked for we spent time in some very beautiful and special places, spent a good amount of time in the West Fjords, had plenty of thermal pools to enjoy (and quite a variety but Sky Lagoon remains our favorite). In spite a poor road, the trip to the Highland Station (in the center of Iceland) was spectacular! If there is a trip four, I would want to spend at least two nights.

I want to make sure you that we convey how much we enjoyed the trip. It was particularly special as it was focused on a new part of Iceland for us and the predictable helpful and friendliness of Icelanders. It is the people of the country as well as its sheer beauty that keeps us returning. I worry about the number of tourists that arrive each year--if that will continue to grow. I can't help but contrast this fact with the solo experience I had in 1999. My first trip was the one that sent me back a second, third, and fourth time though no longer solo. It is likely there will be a trip four!

Hotel Reviews

Highland Base Kerlingarfjöll

Kerlingarfjöll

Facilities were great a varied from top end rooms to camping spots.

Authenticity & Character

Location

If you want natural beauty to be part of the experience--and you like isolation and don't mind a rough trip on a rough road this is a great place to have as part of a trip

Staff

Dining room staff less than welcoming and attentive--this stood our in our trip over three weeks. Spa attendant was not the friendliness guy I encountered.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness and comfort solid but how to navigate in the hotel was confusing

Sigló Hótel by Keahotels

Siglufjörður

One of the hotels I will book for trip number five.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Only issue parking.

Staff

Wait staff is uneven. From top-notch bar tender and magager to a couple of young men who had trouble communicating and unsure about booking a dinner reservation.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Large quiet rooms.

Hótel Kea by Keahotels

Akureyri

Good hotel in a central location.

Authenticity & Character

Not sure what the character is for this hotel

Location

Staff

Top-notch

Cleanliness & Comfort

What you would expect from a high standard hotel.

Fosshótel Mývatn

Myvatn

Loved this place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Djúpavík

Djupavik

I would never recommend this place or stay in it again. Dangerous facilities and the most unfriendly people we encountered in Iceland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

If they were not the only option this place would no longer be in business. Classic example of what happens when the wrong people have no competition.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Terrible and dangerous facilities--stairway and entry was as examples.

Center Hotel Arnarhvoll

Reykjavík

Plenty of better options in Reykjavik.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Westfjords

Patreksfjörður

Would definitely be on the next trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alda Hotel Reykjavík

Reykjavík

After getting a room change, the one night we spent was fine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location is at the heart of the problem. Also a bit of snootiness that was encountered at the front desk and a poor room assignment--which I had changed.

Staff

Reception desk staff was uneven. One stood out like the hotel was doing us a favor, but another was friendly and helpful and managed the room change.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Laugarvatn Fontana: Geothermal Bread-Baking Experience

Golden Circle

I was skeptical of this experience but ended up loving it.

Seaside Horseback Ride

Iceland

In spite of the challenging weather I loved this activity. As a former horse guy, it was great to get to ride an Icelandic horse. I would do a longer ride next time in Iceland.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

RIght tone for both experienced and novice riders.

Was a great trip. AND. I want to mention the people at the Magma hotel were the best ever. I left our passports and 5 thousand US dollars in our safe. And they had it driven to me 4 hours away at the airport hotel. Was very stressful situation I had created and they helped us and removed the stress and potential serious delays. My hats off to the Magma team !!!!!

Firstly, kudos to Gummi, our travel specialist. He was available, informative, personable and, most importantly, funny. With his assistance, we had a epic celebration of our birthday milestones and wedding anniversary. Enjoyed all the sites, especially Katla ice cave tour and kayaking in the Glacier Lagoon. He had great recommendations for restaurants and we went to many of them. Hotel stays were all very nice and, of course, the breakfast buffets were all amazing.

We want to go back!

Susan and Mark Speece
Lyons, OR USA

Hotel Reviews

Fosshotel Baron

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was a good location for exploring the city on foot. We walked to restaurants and shops downtown. Had a nice walk to the National Museum of Iceland (approximately 1-1/2 miles).

Staff

Appreciated how friendly the staff were. When asked about being provided breakfast since we were leaving in the morning before the breakfast buffet would be available, we were both provided with portable breakfast items.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Höfn

Hofn

Beautiful setting

Authenticity & Character

Location

We were able to see at least four glaciers from our room window.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Lækur

Hella

We stayed in one of the cottages three nights. The cottage was very comfortable. Being two individuals who appreciate country settings, enjoyed seeing horses and sheep from our window. On our way to breakfast, found two sheep on the lawn peacefully munching on greens. Bonus was seeing a border collie on the lawn playing with a soccer ball. Made us think lovingly of our own dog at home. Would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Were all friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whale Watching Experience by Traditional Boat

Iceland

Got to see several humpback whales which was way cool

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Kayaking Excursion

Iceland

This was a very awesome experience! The guides did a great job instructing everyone in safety. It was pretty cool to kayak amongst numerous icebergs/chunks of ice of various sizes. Heartily recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

This was our favorite experience of our 14-day Iceland trip. Our guide "Magnificent" (Magnus?) was pretty awesome. The experience itself of walking up a glacier and into the cave was an experience we had never had before. Would strongly recommend for all. The one suggestion I have, being 5'2" and in my 60s, please provide a stool for stepping up in the tour vehicle.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Magnificent radiated joy and was delightful to spend time with.

Our guide, Guðmundur Óli (Gummi) was very thorough and responsive. We did a 12-day, Ring Road trip at the end of August/early September. Gummi set up our rental car with the excellent Blue car rental at the airport, reserved comfortable hotels along our route, and arranged for a number of once-in-a-lifetime experiences along the way. Standout experiences were the Sky Lagoon, the Silfra snorkeling experience in the Golden Circle, the Katla Ice Cave hike, the Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon Amphibian Boat ride, the Húsavik Whale Watching and Geosea Geothermal Bath, the Lava Tunnel near Reykjavik, and the gorgeous Blue Lagoon. In our itinerary, Gummi provided Google Maps directions to each destination which kept us from getting hopelessly lost! Highly recommend KimKim and Gummi if you are looking for a semi-curated, independent trip around beautiful Iceland!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Von

Reykjavik

This multi-level hotel is located the busy Laugavegur street which puts you right in the middle of many Reykjavik attractions. It also puts you right in the middle of a lot of street noise if you are placed in a street facing room! Aesthetically pleasing hotel with a rustic/modern vibe. Easy walk down to the harbor, the church, or to the infamous Brauð bakery! A convenient grocery store is right next to the hotel if you need some snacks for the road.

Authenticity & Character

Not sure what the hotel decor represents, but is nevertheless pleasing.

Location

On Laugavegur street which is a prime area close to many attractions, but also very noisy.

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable beds, upgraded bathrooms, and exceptionally clean.

Hotel Bifrost

Borgarnes

Located within a university with adjacent university apartment housing just off the Ring Road in West Iceland, this hotel had converted apartment house vibes. The room itself was spacious, updated, very modern, and clean with a gigantic shower! The area itself feels a bit residential with not a lot of restaurants but we had already had dinner in Borgarnes, 30 minutes away. Breakfast was plentiful with a good variety of both hot and cold offerings. Great coffee options!

Authenticity & Character

It doesn't really have much Icelandic flavor, but the hotel was beautiful.

Location

Good location if looking for a hotel on the Ring Road near Borgarnes and the Snæfellsness Peninsula.

Staff

Friendly and helpful on check-in/check-out.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was spacious, clean, and very comfortable.

Hotel Hvitserkur

Hvammstangi

This hotel was previously a boarding school purchased by a young couple a couple of years ago. It is in a very remote location (miles of gravel roads) on the way to Hvítsekur. The owners also run a horse farm adjacent to the hotel, so viewing the beautiful Icelandic horses from our hotel windows was a plus. However, the rooms really do give off a boarding school vibe and are in desperate need of some upgrading. The bathroom was really tiny with an exceptionally small corner shower with a "sticky" shower curtain. Due to the remote location, our dinner option was limited to the hotel restaurant with very limited offerings. Breakfast was a bit sparse with a lackluster spread.

Authenticity & Character

If looking for a truly rural setting on a horse farm and see what a boarding school in Iceland was like, this would be the place!

Location

Really off the beaten path, amenities not worth the effort.

Staff

Friendly waitress whose true love was working with the horses.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Finishes were just tired, bathroom shower needs walls.

Húsavík Cape Hotel

Húsavík

We were charmed by this hotel on the edge of downtown Húsavik. It is an easy 10-minute walk to the harbor front. Since we stayed two nights here, the hotel staff upgraded our room at no charge to a room in the front of the hotel overlooking the bay. This is a family-run hotel with extremely friendly staff. The hotel has an older feel, but that added to it's overall charm. The library (where breakfast is served) is filled with old books in Icelandic and decor that reflects the hotel's history. Check out the little elf house in the yard outside!

Authenticity & Character

Love the family-run vibe and the obvious love all things Icelandic!

Location

Close to downtown Húsavik (very walkable) and overlooks the harbor. Can watch the boats come in and out.

Staff

Incredibly friendly! Housekeeping was stellar!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fresh towels, comfortable beds, excellent food!

Hérað - Berjaya Hotels

Egilsstadir

After a long day driving along the Eastern Fjords (and lots of mist!) we snuggled into the comfort of this more modern hotel and enjoyed the nice warm shower! We found this hotel to be more Icelandic modern in style situated in town across from a construction site. We stayed on a weekend and did not wake up to any construction noise, but might have if we stayed on a week night. Breakfast was delicious and plentiful with good coffee choices!

Authenticity & Character

Icelandic modern vibe.

Location

Good location in town with restaurants, grocery store, and gas stations nearby.

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was extremely comfortable and the room was clean.

Hotel Höfn

Hofn

Modern multi-level hotel with a view of the North Atlantic Ocean. Very clean and comfortable. Hotel restaurant was convenient after a long day of sightseeing.

Authenticity & Character

More modern and standard-issue hotel style. The vibe was beautiful but could be anywhere--not very Icelandic.

Location

One block from the ocean with ocean views.

Staff

Check-in/out and restaurant staff were super friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were a bit on the tiny side, but otherwise very clean and comfortable.

Hotel Katla by Keahotels

Vík

This hotel complex is located just outside of Vík at the foot of Katla glacier. The hotel is a series of buildings with dormitory-style hotel rooms. The room was modern, clean, and comfortable. Their hot/cold breakfast was generous and tasty. Coffee options were excellent!

Authenticity & Character

Embracing the surroundings.

Location

Very close to Vik with beautiful grounds and ample parking.

Staff

Friendly, helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable room with hot shower after our glacier hike!

Hellishólar Hótel Eyjafjallajökull

Hellisholar

Hotel located on current farm in a bit of a more remote location which might have been great for Northern Lights if there were any! Hotel rooms themselves are newer with big bathrooms in a dormitory-style building. Very clean! Breakfast was in the main building and was delicious! Coffee machines offering lattes, cappucinos, and espressos! Wake up to a view of the nearby glacier! Highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Loved being in a farm setting!

Location

A little off the beaten path but would be amazing if there were any Northern Lights to be seen the night we stayed!

Staff

We were late check-in, but our host was still available to be sure we got our room key.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and comfortable with a lot of space.

Center Hotels Skjaldbreið

Reykjavík

Located on busy Laugavegur street in central Reykjavik, the hotel is centrally located to easily walk to many of the tourist attractions and eateries in the city. While the hotel staff upgraded our room at no charge, our room was on the second floor facing two noisy streets. There was a lot of street noise and loud music playing until 2 am. A room in the back of the hotel might have been smaller and less "scenic" but quieter. The breakfast was served in a small room and was a bit sparse compared to other hotels where we stayed in Iceland.

Authenticity & Character

Unique feel.

Location

Central Reykjavik, but street noise was disruptive.

Staff

Very friendly, upgraded our room without our request.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were comfortable. Towels were a bit small.

Activity Reviews

Lava Tunnel Activity

Iceland

About 40 minutes outside of Reykjavik, we went on a guided caving tour of the incredible Lava Tunnel. Over about one hour, we hiked over rocky paths and footbridges which traverse the tunnel's rocky terrain. Along the way, our guide pointed out various geologic features and explained how the tunnel came to be. The tunnel lighting showcases the vivid colors and volcanic rock formations and a "lights out" demonstration illustrated just how dark a tunnel can be!

Quality of Experience

Unique experience being able to traverse through a tunnel created by lava!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Humorous and knowledgable guide.

Whale Watching Experience by Traditional Boat

Iceland

Departing from Húsavik harbor on a traditional oak fishing boat in Skjálfandi Bay with North Sailing was an unforgettable experience. After about an hour of very misty sailing and some informative narration by our very knowledgable guide, we stopped in an area that revealed a number of active humpback whales. Lots of opportunity to take photos and videos to document the experience! Hot chocolate and cinnamon cookies were a bonus!

Quality of Experience

The number of whales seen in one location.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was extremely knowledgable.

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Amphibian Boat

Iceland

Boarded an amphibian boat with about 20 other people to be delivered onto the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, so for anyone who has never ridden in an amphibious vehicle, it was unique! While the boat was somewhat crowded, once we were out on the lake and free to move around, there was plenty of opportunity to look at all of the magical scenery! How other-worldly to be surrounded by floating icebergs recently calved off of the nearly glacier!

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

Our Glacier and Ice Cave hike with Southcoast Adventure was incredible! After loading a group of about 14 onto a special shuttle, we traveled about 30 minutes to Katla Glacier. After donning helmets and crampons, our guide led us up on a winding path to the ice cave. We stopped at one point to chop at and sample 800 year-old ice. We marveled at how nature has carved out an ice cave out of the glacial ice and stood speechless before it's amazing beauty. Truly a unique experience. Those with limited mobility should probably not attempt this hike.

Quality of Experience

Opportunity to hike across a glacier and up a mountain to view an ice cave!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our Icelandic guide was clearly experienced and led with great humor.

Transport

The shuttle was comfortable and obviously made for the rugged terrain.

Silfra Snorkeling Adventure

Iceland

As avid snorkelers, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! With our own base thermal layer and a thermal jumpsuit and dry suit/hood/gloves provided by Dive.is, we were pleasantly warm enough to thoroughly enjoy this 30-minute swim in freezing cold waters. Mind-blowing to snorkel the crystal-clear blue water and reach out to touch Europe on one side and North America on the other! Highly recommend for the experienced snorkeler.

Quality of Experience

Concern for comfort and safety was obvious.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide from Portugal was cautious yet humorous.

Transport

We drove ourselves to the location, but the process of gearing up, walking to the fissure, entering and exiting, discarding gear, was, from start to finish, efficient.

The kimkim team was great and Noga was incredibly responsive and put together a great trip for us. Overall, hotel accommodations were wonderful. The last hotel we stayed in, Hotel Odinsve, was not nearly as nice as the other hotels. Kudos to Nick for his responsiveness in getting us a room change and we are most appreciative of kimkim paying for the upgrade.

Hotel Review

Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon

Hnappavellir

Beautiful hotel in the middle of nowhere! It was very accessible to the glacier lagoon sites. Staff at the hotel was very accommodating. Restaurant was excellent

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Skaftafell Glacier Hike

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was excellent and knowledgeable

Transport

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach

Iceland

Another highlight of our trip! We took an amphibian ride around the lagoon so we were able to get closer to the glaciers

Cliff Walk from Arnarstapi to Hellnar

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

One of our favorite things to do on this trip!

Blue Lagoon Comfort Admission

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Must see and do on the way into Reykjavik from the airport

TOTALLY loved kayaking (though wish it were a longer kayak), hiking on the glacier and into the ice cave, and the food tour. The guides for all of those were fantastic. Great hiking experiences and interesting sites. Gummi provided excellent restaurant recommendations. The food was just so fresh and tasty!

Hotel Reviews

Center Hotels Skjaldbreið

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vík í Mýrdal

Vík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Litli Geysir Hotel

Haukadalur

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Fransiskus Stykkishólmi

Stykkishólmur

Very utilitarian, but the staff was absolutely fantastic!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Center Hotel Arnarhvoll

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching Excursion

Reykjavík

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Kayaking Excursion

Iceland

We loved this…..just would have loved if it had been a bit longer. Beautiful and loved seeing the seals.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

Had no idea what to expect and the cave did not disappoint.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Icelandic Food Walk

Reykjavík

The guide was really fun and the group was good. The food was totally amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Another amazing trip to Iceland completed and once again, our local specialist Adam came through by going above and beyond in planning our trip. Adam never failed to show enthusiasm and did such a wonderful job planning our itinerary down to the last amazing detail with helpful suggestions, hidden gems and additional insights/places to check out along our routes. (Thanks for adding the bridges Adam, very interesting to see in my line of work!). We found his Google maps guiding us along with descriptions particularly helpful as well.
This was my third time using KimKim. As usual, everything was stress-free and hassle-free from the minute we landed to the minute we boarded our return flight home. Rental car, hotels and our excursions were taken care of with ease with very minimal issues.
Because Iceland is such a beautiful country with so much to see and do, especially during the busy summer tourist season, Adam broke down our journey by mapping our route into bits and pieces so we didn't feel overwhelmed. We were able to see areas we missed last time due to limited time and darkness (we went in December of 2023). We found surprises along our routes that became memorable (Troll Garden in Fossatun comes to mind) and yes, we were blessed to view the Aurora Borealis staying in Vik. Truly amazing.
Thank you very much Adam, you once again made this a very enjoyable and memorable trip for my wife and I. Your continued enthusiasm in the planning of our trip was a blessing and much appreciated. I sure hope to have you as a specialist again in the future when I make another return trip to the Land of Fire and Ice.
Thank you KimKim for another wonderful and hassle-free experience. Currently, we have family members using your services to plan a trip to Norway in April of 2026 based on our recommendation. Keep up the great work!

My husband and I just returned from a week in Iceland. It was a great trip and we felt in safe hands with the help from both teams, here in the US and in Iceland.
Everything was very easy and without any real issues at all.
Here’s a shout out to all of you! Thanks so very much for allowing us to travel with ease and have a super time!

Hotel Review

Hótel Fransiskus Stykkishólmi

Stykkishólmur

Daniel was our favorite person we met on our trip! Thanks Daniel for greeting us like old friends and taking such good care of us!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Sólheimajökull Glacier Walk

Iceland

This was probably the best part of our trip! If you want to climb a glacier , this is the place to go ! Hurry though…. The ice is indeed melting!

Trip of a lifetime thanks to Duncan! This was our first trip using Kimkim and I will not travel without it going forward. Traveling from North America to Iceland I was extremely nervous on planning this trip and making sure we fit it all in. I was paired up with Duncan and he took the stress out of everything! From coming up with our itinerary, to scheduling our tours (whale watching, lava cave tour, Blue Lagoon) and hotels along with giving us our driving routes for the day(s) it was seamless. I appreciated that while planning this trip I reached out to Duncan with miscellaneous questions/concerns about traveling overseas and he promptly replied. While in Iceland I reached out and he guided me on how we could squeeze one more event in. Thank you Duncan! You did an amazing job! My husband and I thanked you many times during our trip! :)

Adam did an outstanding job of guiding us to the top sights and a few hidden gems during our 1-day roadtrip in Iceland. We found the google maps taking us directly to each sight to be particularly helpful along with a description of each place. We weren't always able to do everything, but we were able to pick and choose the sights that interested us the most on a given day. The weather also helped us choose. For instance, we went the Whale Museum in Husavik because it was rainy. We usually don't choose museums if there is natural beauty to explore, but it was nice to have options. We love the whale museum, by the way.

Gummi at Kimkim did a fantastic job on scheduling our Iceland trip. We had such a great time. I think every member of the family had a different favorite. Gullfoss falls and Geyser we're high in the last. The lava tube your was very cool. And hiking on a glacier is probably not sometime I'll ever do again. All of the tour guides were very knowledgeable and made the various excursion a lot of fun.

Activity Review

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

Your guide made it a lot of fun for everyone.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had an incredible trip to Iceland thanks to the Kimkim team. We worked with Noga and Nick who found us incredible things to do and see, and great hotels to stay in. One of the very special things they arranged was a Super Jeep Tour where we went where most cars could not go to see the absolute splendor of Iceland. Our guide, Isaac, was friendly and very knowledgeable. His driving skills through rivers and streams and along muddy roads was excellent. I found I learned so much about Iceland's culture, history, and geography that would have been difficult to learn on my own. In the six days we were in Iceland, we explored the Golden Circle and the south eastern part of the country. It was a wonderful experience.

Hotel Review

Hótel Rangá

Hella

Hotel Ranga, just outside of Hella, is in a stretch of southern Iceland where there is little around it except for cows and the distant mountains. However, it could compete with any other hotel in Iceland as being one of Iceland's best. The hotel had a western feel with the wood paneled floors and ceilings. The rooms were comfortable with excellent beds and duvets. Our room had a couch as well as a desk and chair. The three outdoor hot tubs were heavenly, even in the light rain that was falling when we were there. The service is wonderful and everyone who works there from the owner, Frederick, who greets you as you enter the restaurant, to the cleaning staff were friendly and accommodating. This included a wake-up call, if you wanted, if the northern lights could be seen. And the restaurant! The food was incredible. It would compete with any high end restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Thórsmörk Super Jeep Experience

Iceland

This is an experience not to miss. Our 8-hour trip on dirt, often muddy, roads, through rivers, and to places a car would have a difficult time going, was amazing. We saw the absolute beauty of souther Iceland. Our guide, Isaac, was friendly and knowledgeable. He talked with us about the culture, history, and geography of Iceland. I learned much more about Iceland that I would otherwise know and I left the trip with a sense of natural beauty that makes Iceland a very special place.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the pleasure of working with Lisbet to plan our trip to Iceland, and I can’t recommend her highly enough. From the very beginning, she impressed us with her patience and calm guidance as we sorted through ideas and options. Every detail felt carefully considered, and the organization she brought to the process gave us real confidence that the trip would run smoothly.

Her attention to detail was remarkable - nothing slipped through the cracks - and the level of care she put into tailoring the trip for us really stood out. On top of that, Lisbet was lightning-fast in responding to our questions and updates through the Kimkim messaging system, which made the whole planning process feel effortless and made us feel pretty special, and made us really trust her in the planning process!

Thanks to her, what could have been a stressful experience became enjoyable and exciting right from the start.