Kimkim Trip Reviews for Ireland

This family heritage trip to Ireland trip exceeded our expectations. From the pick ups to the tour guides everything went perfectly. Carolina from Silverbus was our driver throughout the trip. From Waterford to Doolin to Dingle to Dublin her driving was phenomenal, she was on time and she was very respectful of our needs. She took us to a beautiful church and took some wonderful pictures for our family. She was very accommodating when we asked her to stop at the Cliffs of Mohr because our boat trip to the cliffs was cancelled due to the weather. She was polite and conscientious to all our needs

The walking tour of Waterford was wonderful. I think is name was Sean was knowledgeable and witty. The private Waterford Crystal tour was something we would have never done on our own, but it was amazing. One of the carvers took the time and explained to my daughter-in-law his craft on a personal level. There was also just enough free time to explore the museums in the Viking triangle and make it personal for everyone.

Dingle was a magical experience for us because of our Slea Head private tour with Dora as our guide. It was a cold and rainy day. Dora was so positive and so invested in making our experience special. I told her my husbands grandmother was from Dingle. I showed her the house, the cemetery and her name. By the end of the day, using her contacts, asking around in the Blasket Island museum and the pub she took us for lunch, we were at his grandmothers family homestead. We met distant cousins and she created a day we will cherish forever!!

In Doolin We took an Aran Island tour with Ollie’s Tours. Simon and Cearbhuil were our guides. Simon’s history and archeological knowledge were amazing. Cearbhiul’s person-ability and humble nature made us feel welcomed and warm. We were a bit disappointed because we couldn’t see the Cliffs of Mohr by boat due to the storming weather but we enjoyed the entire day. The tea and scone portion was great. We were able to chat with a local and get a glimpse of what life is like on the island.

Dublin was great too. Although a big city, the planned activities were great. The Epic museum was great. The planned appointment with the genealogist was a unique and fascinating part of the trip. Maura was excellent. She was fully invested in helping us find info about my husbands grandmotherWe probably would not have chosen Guinness but enjoyed the tour. St. Patrick’s tour was great. We loved doing it on our own while using the audio tour as our guide. The Landsdown Dinner Theater was great. I love how it was not only music and dance, but it incorporated the history of music and dance in the show. Our only complaint was it was 20 min. From our hotel and transportation was not factored in.

All in all, our experience with Kimkim was amazing. I would highly recommend their expert staff. Cathy was in total contact with us the entire time before we left. She assured us that everything would run smoothly. She is an asset to your company and I would definitely refer your company to anyone who is looking for a unique and private vacation. A++ to everyone involved in making this trip possible!!!

Hotel Reviews

Ashling Hotel Dublin

Dublin

Beautiful hotel but location a little far our

Authenticity & Character

Location

A little bit of a walk to sights and needed a taxi for almost everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Doolin Inn

Doolin, Co. Clare

Great location and very clean

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dingle Bay Hotel

Dingle

Love this hotel. Sharon was wonderful checking us in and Carolina was so friendly and accommodating

Authenticity & Character

So cute

Location

Staff

Accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

So cute and comfortable

Waterford Marina Hotel

WATERFORD

Perfect location. Staff was extremely accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Very quaint

Location

Beautiful rooms right on the harbor

Staff

Went above and beyond when we left our voucher at the front desk someone brought it to the restaurant for us

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Irish Dancing - The Irish House Party (Dinner & Show)

Dublin

I loved the music history and the dancing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tickets for St Patrick Cathedral, Dublin

Dublin

Loved doing the audio tour

Quality of Experience

Consultation with a Genealogist at EPIC Museum

Dublin

So interesting. Maura was totally invested in finding our family heritage

Quality of Experience

Entry into the Emigration Museum EPIC

Dublin

I loved this museum. Totally self guided but so well done!

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Guinness Storehouse Experience

Dublin

Good self guided tour

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Aran Island Tour - Day Trip to Inisheer from Doolin

Ireland

Simon and Cearbhuil were amazing tour guides. We loved doing the tea and scone portion with a local

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Doolin

Doolin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Tour of Dingle and Slea Head

Ireland

Dora went above and beyond to personalize this day for us

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Killarney National Park Jaunt - From Park to Castle

Ireland

Thought it would be a little more through woodsy area. Too short to see the castle Ross

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

An Epic Walking Tour of the Viking Triangle

Waterford

Very informative great guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Waterford Crystal Factory Tour Private Tour

Waterford

Highly recommend a private tour. Exceptional experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everett's : Michelin Recommended dining

Waterford

Nice atmosphere. Great food

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We started our planning one year in advance and had the most stress free vacation that I have ever been on. Svetlana was our travel agent and did an amazing job with the itinerary. During our first zoom call we talked about a few key features the group (4) wanted to do, St Patrick's Day 2026 in Dublin, Guinness Storehouse, Cliffs of Moher, Kiss the Blarney Stone. We also communicated with Svetlana wanted to hire a private driver when traveling outside of Dublin, not a bus tour, so that everyone in the group could rest in between destinations and not deal with the hassle of large groups. She took these requests and built us an amazing itinerary and filled in the gaps with here own suggests. We made some minor changes and finalized the plan on version 3. She took care of all the tickets to all the destinations, booked all the hotels, booked all the transportation. Her communication was prompt and made great suggestions to match the vibe of the group.
The hotels were great. The transport vehicles were very clean and roomy for a group of four. The drivers were always on time. We had transportation waiting for us when we got off the plane to get us to our hotel in Dublin. Our driver during the 4 days outside of Dublin was Paul, he was very knowledgeable of all the sights, he even brought us to a few extra places that were not on the list of stops, he was flexible but still kept us on pace to make sure we could fit in the days agenda. Paul was great, could not have asked for a better driver to spent 4 days with. The day we left the driver was early and took us to the airport.
Svetlana thanks for a great trip; everyone in the group had a great time and I cant think of anything we would have done differently.

Hotel Reviews

The Alex Hotel

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park House Hotel

Galway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Killarney Avenue Hotel

Killarney

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin

Dublin

A newer built hotel. The location is excellent for walking to any attraction in Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

It is close enough that you can walk to just about any main attraction in Dublin

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kilbeggan Distillery

Kilbeggan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Killarney Brews & Views

Killarney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Working with Alexsandra was excellent.

My only negative was the high price charged per day given the fact that the only thing provided was lodging and a total of about $20 each for a few tickets. I probably would have saved close to $1000 booking the lodging myself. Also, on a similarly outfitted trip to Iceland, a detailed road itinerary was part of the package. Only a brief description of possible highlights was provided by Kimkim.

Hotel Reviews

Knockaguilla House Bed & Breakfast

Doolin

Beautiful spacious room. Breakfast OK but no eggs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Temple Gate Hotel

Ennis, Co. Clare

Excellent in all respects.

Ashfield B&B

Kenmare

Nice room, good breakfast.

The Plough B&B

Ventry

Small room and a smaller bathroom. Matress and pillow uncomfortable. Breakfast good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to little village of Ventry with its restaurant and music.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

As above.

The K Kinsale

Kinsale

Had to be a bit fit to walk the hills, but a nice room and gracious host.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Kissane Sheep Farm

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver/guide was very professional, helpful and friendly. He helped make the trip great.

Our one week trip to Dublin and Northern Ireland was amazing! In Dublin, the Jeanie Johnston Famine ship was very interesting and the Celtic Nights show was the perfect first night activity. Newgrange and Giant's Causeway were absolutely incredible and I cannot recommend them enough. Additionally, our stop in Bushmills (both the distillery and the town) was a perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon. It was such a relief to have all of our tickets taken care of and not have to worry about managing booking times. One of the restaurants recommended in our guide for Belfast - Mourne Seafood Bar was AMAZING! The seafood was so fresh, the staff was kind and accommodating, and the atmosphere was great. Adrian was very helpful and open to feedback, and made sure to incorporate our must see's!

I feel lucky to have been paired with Adrian because he was incredibly communicative from day one. He listened to what I wanted, but also provided suggestions that made sense for me, my travel style, and the duration of the trip. I also appreciated him checking in on me during the trip as well!

Of the walking tours booked, I much preferred the guide and style of the one in Dublin. It felt more personalized as he reached out to each individual/traveler group to understand their interests and provide appropriate recommendations. The Cliffs of Moher tour was stunning, but only because we got very lucky with the weather. Unfortunately, we only got just under an hour at the Cliffs, which was not enough time.

Lodging was always in a safe and easily accessible location.

I hope to visit Ireland again and work with Adrian again!

Activity Reviews

Aran Island and Cliffs of Moher cruise from Galway

Galway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Galway Walking Tour

Galway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dublin Highlights and Hidden Gems Walking Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The trip was amazing over all, my favorite places were The Blarney Castle and the Cliffs of Moir, but my favorite of the whole trip was the Seaweed baths. In Scotland the Edinburgh Castle was great along with other attractions. Food and hotels were fantastic.

We really appreciated Cathy planning our 2nd trip to Ireland this December! She was once again thoughtful in planning to meet our families needs. It's really wonderful to use a service that provides you with local insider information!

Activity Reviews

Family Adventure at Crindle Bespoke - Farm & Equestrian Experiences

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour Giant's Causeway and Antrim Coast

Belfast

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an excellent experience with Adrian and team from High Point Holidays. Their communication was clear and timely from start to finish, making the entire planning process stress-free. The team offered thoughtful recommendations that perfectly matched our interests, and every detail was handled with care. Thanks to their guidance, our trip was seamless and memorable. Highly recommend to anyone looking for expert travel advice and great service!

Our walking tour through Dublin was a highlight of the trip thanks to our fantastic guide Sandra. Her knowledge, enthusiasm, and warm personality brought the city’s history, culture, and stories vividly to life, and the time flew by as we explored.
She was incredibly knowledgeable about Dublin and Ireland, sharing historical facts, local legends, and personal anecdotes in a way that was easy to follow and always engaging.
The route covered many of Dublin’s key sights as well as a few hidden corners that we would never have found on our own. The guide also gave excellent tips on where to eat, drink, and explore later, which really helped us make the most of our time in the city. This walking tour was an excellent way to get oriented in Dublin, learn about its past and present, and experience the city through the eyes of a local. I highly recommend Sandra and her tour to anyone visiting Dublin who wants an informative, fun, and memorable experience.

We had such a great time with Sorcha on this food tour and are so glad we booked it for our Thanksgiving celebration. The tastings were delicious and the places we visited were the perfect way to experience the local scene.
Our guide Sorcha was friendly, fun, and clearly passionate about her job.
Each stop was well chosen, offering generous portions and a great mix of flavors. The walk between tastings was just right and helped us see different parts of the neighborhood along the way. I highly recommend this food tour and guide to anyone who loves good food and wants a fun way to get to know the city.

Kim Kim is the best “one stop shop “ that provides you with the most wonderful local tour guides that make your travels easy and unforgettable!

Hotel Reviews

Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport

,Santry, Dublin 9

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Connacht Hotel

Galway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Killarney Heights Hotel

Killarney

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Langtons Hotel Kilkenny

Kilkenny

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

InterContinental Dublin, an IHG Hotel

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Galway Evening Food Tour

Galway

We had such a great time with Sorcha on this food tour and are so glad we booked it for our Thanksgiving celebration. The tastings were delicious and the places we visited were the perfect way to experience the local scene. Our guide Sorcha was friendly, fun, and clearly passionate about her job. Each stop was well chosen, offering generous portions and a great mix of flavors. The walk between tastings was just right and helped us see different parts of the neighborhood along the way. I highly recommend this food tour and guide to anyone who loves good food and wants a fun way to get to know the city

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dublin Private walking tour

Dublin

Our walking tour through Dublin was a highlight of the trip thanks to our fantastic guide Sandra. Her knowledge, enthusiasm, and warm personality brought the city’s history, culture, and stories vividly to life, and the time flew by as we explored. She was incredibly knowledgeable about Dublin and Ireland, sharing historical facts, local legends, and personal anecdotes in a way that was easy to follow and always engaging. The route covered many of Dublin’s key sights as well as a few hidden corners that we would never have found on our own. The guide also gave excellent tips on where to eat, drink, and explore later, which really helped us make the most of our time in the city. This walking tour was an excellent way to get oriented in Dublin, learn about its past and present, and experience the city through the eyes of a local. I highly recommend Sandra and her tour to anyone visiting Dublin who wants an informative, fun, and memorable experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had an overall wonderful trip to Ireland in Nov 2025. It was a short trip, built around attending a concert in Dublin on 11/12. First, I want to say that I have used KimKim for several prior trips to S and Central America and have nothing but amazing things to say about those experiences. Which was why it was a no brainer for us to use KimKim for this trip. We didn't have as great an experience this time. We initially met via zoom with Joe to discuss the trip, our interests, want to do's for the trip etc. The initial itinerary Joe gave us was pretty confusing and just had very general info, like from a pre-written template which did not take into account specifics that we had talked about. I wrote a long chat to Joe expressing my confusion and pointing out some of the discrepancies and/or flat out errors. We planned another call which did take place with Joe and he said that the issues with the itinerary would be corrected after we finalized our payments. But then we were informed Joe was no longer working there so we were handed off to Dean. It was a little frustrating trying to get the corrected itinerary that had revisions away from the "template" they use for this excursion or that activity. We also didn't have near the customer service and one:one attention that I was used to from my previous trips with KimKim. When we got the app and our itinerary, it was not user friendly (this was the first time with Kim kim that we used this app). Again, the itinerary was using very rote (not individualized) descriptions. I was told not to look at that part of the app but to look at the documents and "driver notes." those were more helpful for sure.
In terms of hotels, we stayed at the Ashling Hotel in Dublin and the Galmont in Galway. Both were nice places, however, when we first talked to Joe, he knew we were going to a concert in Dublin (at the 3 arena) and I had said I wanted a gym in the hotel. The Ashling was nice as I said, but there was no gym and it was about as far away from the concert venue as you could get. I had also told Joe none of us were drinkers so going to Guiness or Jameson were not on our list of things we wanted to do. The Ashling is super near to Guiness and Phoenix Park and the bus station and that's about it. So I did not like the location personally and it made me feel like the trip folks had some deal with the hotel so they just funnel as many people there as possible rather than listening to the specifics of what i wanted. the Galmont was good location and it had a gym, no so complaints with that. Both had great breakfasts so that was nice. Our one group excursion to Belfast was a highlight. we opted for a black cab tour (which Dean did help us get corrected as somehow, that was not the tour we were booked on even though that had been communicated to Joe from the start as well). The tour was by Wild Rover and the woman on the bus with us was fantastic as was our black cab driver. high praise for both of them and for the experience overall. We did have a walking tour of dublin as well which was also wonderful. our guide for that was great. we also did the Viking splash tour (duck boat tour) which was fun and touristy.
Everything else was on our own, planned on our own. We enjoyed Ireland very much and we agreed we would all love to go back for longer and to explore more of the country. However, this time around, I didn't feel I received the support, suggestions, individualization and individual attention I have received from previous Kim KIm trips. Thanks very much for letting me review.

Hotel Reviews

The Galmont Hotel & Spa

Galway

good location, great breakfast, good gym

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ashling Hotel Dublin

Dublin

great breakfast and restaurant, location was not good for us, no gym which was important to me

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Book of Kells and Trinity Campus Tour

Dublin

we didn't have a guide for this, we just did it on our own. fascinating, beautiful and interesting.

Quality of Experience

Dublin Guided walking tour tour

Dublin

Our guide, whose name i am forgetting, was GREAT. we learned a lot and he shared so much info, answered questions, made suggestions ...very helpful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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Belfast & Giants Causeway Day tour from Dublin

Dublin

loved the history of the black cab tour, made us all want to know more about The Troubles Giants Causeway was good too although the weather made it rough (windy and rainy), still was interesting to walk around

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Viking Splash tour

Dublin

It's fun and touristy. it may or may not be your thing. I like duck boats tour in general.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adrian and the team at KimKim were fantastic to work with. Friendly, professional and extremely knowledgeable especially about our destination. We had a basic idea of what we wanted to explore during our time in Ireland, but Adrian helped bring it all to life… not to mention, he asked us about our interests in general and was able to add excursions that we would have never known about that made our trip even more memorable. Any questions that came up over the course of our trip were immediately answered and the customer service was second to none. Since we visited later in the season some of our initial plans had to be adjusted, but it didn’t take away from a once in a lifetime visit! Thank you Adrian!

Hotel Reviews

Menlo Hotel

Galway

The Menlo Hotel is conveniently located right on the edge of downtown Galway. The staff were friendly and added a special touch for birthday celebrations. The hotel was undergoing additional construction, but it did not impact our trip in the least. The downtown area was a quick taxi ride in the rain and the Shannon airport was an easy drive as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin

Dublin

We had a nice stay at The Gresham. Its location made it easy to walk to museums, restaurants and shopping. Everyone we interacted with was kind and accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Lake Hotel

Killarney

An experience all to itself! A fantastic home base for all of our excursions in Killarney. The staff were incredibly kind and added a special touch to make our birthday celebration truly memorable. The newly renovated wing was beautiful and the views were outstanding. From our balcony we could see deer, ducks, and the most breathtaking view!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ballea Castle

Cork

Louise and her family provided a fantastic stay at Ballea Castle. Everyone, including the animals, were warm and kind. Our room was wonderful and dinner at Mabel Lane was top notch. We enjoyed walking the grounds with Daisy, Prince and their two lovely cats. A worthwhile stay during our journey through Ireland.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Waterford Castle

Waterford

The Waterford Castle was an experience second to none. The grounds and estate were beautiful. All of the staff were welcoming, especially Alisandro who crafted fantastic cocktails for us. The food was delicious and the bread pudding was the star of the show!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Falconry Adventures

Killarney

Don’t miss an opportunity to meet Mark and his birds! Mark’s passion and knowledge make this a great stop in your travels. We learned a lot about the birds of prey, including how they are trained, how they hunt, and got to hold / feed them too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Waterford Crystal Factory Tour

Waterford

The Waterford tour was enlightening and we had a great guide (Caroline) who was super friendly. We saw every step in the process and even some of the famous pieces on display. Hit the gift shop at the end and get something special!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Viking Triangle - King Of The Vikings

Waterford

Very informative and fun way to learn about the Viking history in Ireland. Knowledgeable guide and cool VR experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pearse Lyons Distillery: Dublin's Unique Church-Converted Spirit Haven

Dublin

Hidden gem located right next to Guinness. The church was beautifully restored and our tour guide was both friendly and knowledgeable about the Distillery’s history and the whiskey making process. If you’re looking for a smaller / local distillery feel, not to mention some pretty good whiskey, this is your place!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Adrian was wonderful and lovely to work with. He listened and did his very best to make our experience exceptional. Also, if getting a driver, I highly recommend Ken Smyth - he was incredible! Five star!

Claire was the absolute best with planning our trip. She curated it perfectly to what we wanted and had the best excursions planned. She really paid attention to detail and made the whole process seamless. She was also quick to respond and available with any questions we had along the way.

We had an absolutely fabulous time. Claire listened to our wants and wishes and fulfilled them well. From the first day we arrived in Dublin, to the last day in Dublin we enjoyed every minute.
We rented a car (best idea) and went counterclockwise around Ireland. We were traveling for 2 weeks.
Pros - The hotels, with the exception of one(in cons):
Iveagh Gardens Hotel - Dublin - Beautifully decorated, great buffet breakfast with lots choices, rooms were a good size, nothing too fancy but very comfortable.
Ten Square Hotel - Belfast - Very comfortable, good location to visit Belfast
Lough Eske Castle - Donegal Town - Beautiful rooms, wonderful staff, great bartender! - definitely worth the stay
Victorian Hotel -Killarney - Lovely hotel. Very cozy, meals were order only(but delish) with a wait staff to be commended.
Sites:
Belfast - Black Taxi Tour - outstanding tour of Belfast and the N. Irelands troubled times. We felt like we were in a history class only with wit and lots of wisdom. I believe our driver's name was Justin and he was wonderful. He picked us up at our hotel and we were off. We thought 3 hours was going to be too long, but we could have continued for another 2 and been very happy.
Kylemore Abbey (Clifden)- an active real abbey - just beautiful, the dining room was majestic, with plates set the table of famous visitors from many years.
The Cliffs of Mohr - There are no words to really describe the Cliffs of Mohr from the ocean. It transports you to another world -imagining everything that has happened to Ireland and how it was naturally protected in many ways.
Rock of Cashel - stunning building, lots of history, very interesting. Great stop between Killarney and Dublin
Book of Kells/Long library - A must for every person who visits Dublin. the book itself is unbelievably beautiful. the long library is under renovations but still a wonder to see. Normally ~ 200K books but down to ~17k. Our guide was earning his masters in history at the college(Trinity) and extremely knowledgeable. It was a wonderful day
Teeling distillery - great tour and great whiskey - what else can I say
Our trip went smoothly, exactly as planned - no problems or issues with reservations, or tours. KimKim gave us a perfect itinerary, complete with directions, sites to see (other that what we had planned), and suggestions on where to eat. I highly recommend Kim Kim and especially Claire, our main contact.
Cons
the only real con we have is the Galmont Hotel ( Galway) - it was a great location for the shopping district and getting in and out of the city. However, it was not cozy, the bathtub was inconvenient for older people, and the room were difficult to get to. I would not recommend this hotel.

We did rent a car and it was great. It gave us the freedom to go where and when we wanted to go. Most of the roads were wide and easy driving but when we took the narrow roads we saw parts of Ireland we would not have seen. We only got lost once and lucked in to seeing cows filling the road, being driven to another field. We were also privy to seeing free range sheep, eating grass outside the fence and a sheep do, corralling sheep in an open field, not on a tour.

Again - we had a flawless trip with the exception of storm Amy, which prevented us from seeing The Giants Causeway, but that was of not fault of KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

The Victoria Hotel

Killarney

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Galmont Hotel & Spa

Galway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lough Eske Castle Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ten Square Hotel

Belfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Iveagh Gardens Hotel

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit and taste at Teeling Distillery

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trinity Trails & Book of Kells Guided Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rock of Cashel

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Falconry Adventures

Killarney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aillwee Burren Experience ( Cave Tour, Birds of Prey, Cheese Tasting)

Ballyvaughan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aran Island and Cliffs of Moher cruise from Galway

Galway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kylemore Abbey

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Donegal!

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Belfast Political Taxi Tour

Belfast

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was beautifully planned reflecting our wishes and preferences and the process was friendly and easy to deal with once we understood the process. We had the advantage that we were not cost constrained, but nonetheless the choices for lodging and arrangements for meals and tours were great.

Hotel Reviews

Ashford Castle

cong

Beautiful building, grounds, and food, and self-aware of its fanciness.

Authenticity & Character

Always in character.

Location

Beautiful building and extensive grounds.

Staff

flawless

Cleanliness & Comfort

perfect.

Glenlo Abbey

Lovely place with lovely grounds and an amazing restaurant, The Pulman.

Authenticity & Character

Flawless execution.

Location

Beautiful.

Staff

Excellent people all around

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect.

Ballyfin Demesne

A beautiful place, with lots to do and see, with a peerless service ethic, always helpful and cheerful.

Authenticity & Character

One of the most beautiful locations and land of any place we've ever been.

Location

Overwhelmingly beautiful location

Staff

flawlessly helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect.

Merrion Hotel

Dublin

One of the very best hotels in which I've stayed. Very comfortable (great bed), great facilities, great location, and wonderfully service-oriented staff.

Authenticity & Character

Just a great place to be.

Location

In the middle of most things you would want to see in Dublin

Staff

Flawlessly cheerful and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden

Ireland

Lovely place. A little touristy in flavor.

Private Galway Food Tour

Ireland

Very enjoyable and probably the best way to visit a town that otherwise would be a shopping overload.

Cliffs of Moher Experience

Ireland

Very nice view but rather touristy.

The Burren Smokehouse - Meet the Makers

Ireland

This experience was rambling and way too long -- we bolted after three hours for what could have been a rewarding 30 minute visit. We would have better used this time in the beautiful surrounding area.

Private Tour of Ballyfin Gardens

Ballyfin

A wonderful and informative tour by a very knowledgeable and articulate guide.

Horse & Carriage Ride

Ballyfin

This was just a wonderful experience -- a highlight of our entire trip. A beautiful place with a wonderful guide.

EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum Entry

Dublin

Informative, but a bit superficial. The story-telling is effective but more basic historical context would be nice.

Private Genealogist Consultation at EPIC Museum

Dublin

The arrangements resulted in a delay in starting as we waited (because the receptionist didn't notify the genealogist, so the genealogist said), and the genealogist mainly did Ancestry.com with us and although she was facile in its use she didn't add that much to our understanding of our family's origins.

Trinity Trails & Book of Kells

Dublin

Very much worth seeing.

Dublin Walking Tour

Dublin

She was very good and informative.

It was a great vacation with an interesting and fun itinerary! While relatively quick paced (which is fine, we asked for it) we felt we were able to see and get a feel for each of the areas we visited. Highlights include the Cliffs of Moher / Inisheer boat trip from Galway, the Titanic Museum in Belfast and the Jameson/Guiness experiences in Dublin. We elected to reserve a Black Cab tour in Belfast that delved into The Troubles and sights and locations of political murals from both sides. This might not be appropriate for everyone but we found it very informative and incredibly unbiased. I recommend it for anyone interested in the history of this modern conflict. We also discovered and had a tour of the Little Museum of Dublin in Dublin. It was great! Housed in an old Georgian home, the tour was theatrical, amusing and spotighted much of Dublin's history and cultural contributions. Also recommended and all ages appropriate.
Lastly, I think it's worth noting that the Trinity College long library is currently undergoing a multi year restoration and as such, has no books in it. Was nice to see it anyway but might be worth mentioning that to any future travelers.

Hotel Reviews

NYX Hotel Dublin Christchurch

Dublin

Great central location, hip vibe and we got a room upgrade!

Authenticity & Character

Not sure about authenticity but had a rock music aesthetic we thought was cool.

Location

a couple of blocks from everything - Grafton St, St Stephens Green, Temple Bar, Castle, Cathedral, Trinity...

Staff

Easy check in, got a room upgrade, restaurant was clean and service quick

Cleanliness & Comfort

Worth mentioning that room won't be serviced unless you turn on an indicator light which we weren't aware of. Might be worth pointing that out at check in

Regency House

Belfast

This was our favorite hotel on the trip. Recently renovated, and very tastefully appointed. Also the best food we had from any of the places we stayed. The pastries were amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Very new, very charming, the most tastefully decorated hotel of any of the ones we stayed in

Location

It's about a 10-15 minute walk from the Cathedral area but coincidentally we saw a show at the Empire Theater our 2nd night and it happened to be a block away!

Staff

I couldn't lift a bag, open a door, or wait for anything I needed. They parked my car! They sent us off with the best pastries for our early drive to Dublin. Loved this hotel!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leonardo Hotel Galway

Galway

Clean, comfortable, great location, good breakfast, allowed us to check in early which was a day saver as we had just flown in from NY

Authenticity & Character

A pretty straight forward hotel. Nothing over the top but checked all the important boxes for us

Location

Right at the bottom of the Latin Quarter

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guinness and Jameson Irish Whiskey Experience Tour

Dublin

James from the Jameson experience should be in theater. He put on a show that elevated the Jameson story from merely interesting to highly entertaining. Also our guide for the whole tour - Jameson and Guiness was Fergus and he was excellent too. He was as informative as he was advisory making sure the group was aware of the history of the city - things not discussed at Jameson or Guiness - but he also made us aware of discounts and opportunities and warned about higher prices at gift shops vs Dublin retail and also street smart tips. The line of Guiness pints he assembled at the end of the tour was pretty epic too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

James at Jameson and Fergus our guide for the day improved the experience significantly

Transport

no transport. just walking

Galway to Cliffs Cruise, Aran Islands and Connemara Full Day Tour

Galway

Great to see the cliffs from the water. Enjoyed Inisheer visit too. Recommend renting a bike to tour the island

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a great tour guide! Connor I think his name was. And Bertie was our driver.

Transport

I liked the smaller coach and smaller group

We had a wonderful trip to Ireland. We had two guides during our stay., For the first two days we had Vincent and then for the remainder of the trip we had Des. They both were very knowledgeable, friendly and caring. An unexpected highlight for us was the trip to the Barren smokehouse. We had a very interesting conversation with one of the owners. All of the accommodations were great, the food recommendations were spot on.

Hotel Reviews

Cliff at Lyons

Co. Kildare

A wonderful way to end our vacation was to stay at the Cliff at Lyons. while we were only at the property for a short time, it is conveniently located close to Dublin airport. The property is beautiful and the staff was very friendly. They have a lovely bakery/Café on site with delicious treats.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Lodge at Ashford Castle

Cong

While not actually in the castle, the accommodation was terrific. I’m sure the handicap accessibility of the castle rooms didn’t fit my needs. Anyway, the accommodation was very nice the on site restaurants were great. well, the property is very large. They are more than willing to mow you around the property.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Monks Ballyvaughan

County Clare

Well, definitely a less refined accommodation than the others we experienced, the room was clean, comfortable, and had all the modern accessories. The on site restaurant had a great seafood chowder.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sheen Falls Lodge

Kenmare

Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Definitely worth going to the Falls restaurant, it was a highlight of our dining experiences in Ireland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Davenport Hotel

Dublin

Wonderful hotel, friendly staff, close to the center of town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

The Burren Smokehouse - Meet the Makers

Ireland

This was probably the most unexpected experience we had in Ireland. We had no preconceived notion about what this experience would be like. Peter just comes up to you and starts having a conversation, taking us to various parts of the facility and ending with a lite lunch at the pub. While we probably wouldn’t have booked this experience on our own. We are surely appreciative that Eleanor pick this experience for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Claire and the staff at Kimkim did a wonderful job planning our tour of Ireland. The accommodations were great and well located. The tours they booked for us were top notch, with well versed guides. For those that were self guided, the materials they provided gave us everything we needed. The restaurant they booked for an eight course meal was exquisite. I would highly recommend having them plan a holiday in Ireland!

Hotel Reviews

Boyne Valley hotel

Drogheda

Lovely hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clayton Hotel Sligo

Sligo

Beautiful historical building with lovely accommodations!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Connacht Hotel

Galway

Very nice hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Brook Manor Lodge

Tralee

Beautiful B & B.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crystal Springs B&B

Lovely B & B, very welcoming, with friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clayton Hotel Cork City

cork

We were very disappointed with this hotel. Hotel was beautiful, centrally located, with parking adjacent, and had a huge room with a view across the canal to City Hall. Our room was very warm and the air conditioning was not working. We called the front desk who sent up someone to look at it. Turns out they are in the process of replacing the air conditioning for this room and gave us a fan to use, which did not lower the temperature. We asked about moving to a different room, but they said they were fully booked.

Authenticity & Character

Location

One block from the main shopping, restaurant, and nightlife area.

Staff

No letting a room that has no air conditioning.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Air conditioning.

Waterford Marina Hotel

WATERFORD

Lovely hotel located just a few blocks from the Waterford Crystal factory.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just a few blocks walk to the Waterford Factory, and close to restaurants and entertainment.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Motel One Dublin

Dublin

Beautiful hotel in the heart of Dublin, just across the Ha’penny Bridge from the Temple Bar district. Room was lovely, and the breakfast was very well done!

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the heart of Dublin.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Entire hotel was very clean. Bar had comfortable seating in abundance.

Activity Reviews

Guided Visit of Boyne Valley with Newgrange Chamber and Brú na Bóinne Tour

Drogheda

An amazing experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eala Bhán : Tasting Menu 8 course

Sligo

An amazing meal! The chef is a true artist!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center tickets

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Cliffs of Moher Cruise from Doolin ( 50 min)

Doolin

A great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Archaeological Tour of the Dingle Peninsula

Ireland

This was an amazing experience! Michael did a fantastic tour, and educated us on the archeology of the area, which is incredible. Hearing him speaking Irish with the sheep farmer was a highlight, as it brought back memories of hearing my grandfather speaking the language when I was a young girl.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Killarney Combination Tour - Boat + Jaunting Car

Ireland

Wonderful day spent at Ross Castle! The jaunting car was fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Titanic trail in Cobh

Cobh

Wonderful walking tour covering the Titanic and some history of Cobh!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Afternoon tea at House of Waterford

Waterford

Delicious!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Waterford Crystal Factory Tour Private Tour

Waterford

A tour not to be missed. Incredible that they are still cutting the crystal by hand. Such incredible craftsmen!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jameson Distillery Dublin - Bow St. Experience

Dublin

Wonderful tour, and great history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Entry into the Emigration Museum EPIC

Dublin

Great capture of history.

Quality of Experience

Visit of Kilmainham Gaol

Dublin

Incredible history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dublin Private Walking Tour

Dublin

Diane was an incredible guide, very knowledgeable, and very willing to share that knowledge with us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Diane was amazing!

Trinity College Library : The Book of Kells Experience

Dublin

Incredible experience, even with the library undergoing renovations.

Quality of Experience

1. Andrew who picked us up at airport was great.
2. Driver who took us to Giants Causeway & Belfast was excellent.
3. Dublin walking tour guide was great.
4. All accommodations EXCEPT Amlaugh House in Dingle were very good. Doolin Inn was especially nice.
5. Amlaugh House issues: a) beds were old lumpy mattresses and uncomfortable. b) TV got no reception. c) the door to the outside terrace in our ground floor room didn’t lock which is a serious security issue.
6.Claire really enjoyed the Celtic Nights show.

Hotel Reviews

Leonardo Hotel Galway

Galway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bridge Street Townhouse

Lucy was very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Emlagh House

Dingle

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NYX Hotel Dublin Christchurch

Dublin

Rooms small but OK. Breakfast was excellent. Restaurant was good.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Doolin Inn

Doolin, Co. Clare

Room was excellent Breakfast was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Connemara National Park & Kylemore Abbey Day Tour

Galway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Giants Causeway

Ireland

Driver was very knowledgeable and accommodating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dublin Private Walking Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Claire suggested an itinerary for 9 days in Connemara and Galway as an add-on to a group trip I was taking to County Clare. My initial expectation was that she would recommend something more “traditional” (at least to me) like Dingle, Kerry, Cork, etc. instead she steered me to Connemara, and I am so glad I took her advice!

I just loved the natural beauty of Inishbofin, the Killary Fjord and Connemara National Park. The excursions and activities she put together for us - Kylemore Abbey, sheep and oyster farms, kayaking and a food tour in Galway - were both educational and enjoyable. And our accommodations were authentic and charming.

Claire really went above and beyond in accommodating a last minute additional person to the itinerary and even more last minute logistics issues with our rental car. I can’t thank her enough for her patience and diligence in working through those issues under difficult circumstances. She has even assisted us after our trip ended.

Hotel Reviews

The Victoria Hotel

Galway

Great location and facilities. Very unimpressed with front desk staff worker who was present during short stay. Extremely unhelpful, unmotivated and unknowledgeable about basic matters.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

See previous comments.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cashel House Hotel

Cashel

Stayed here for several nights. A wonderful oasis. Always happy to come back at the end of the day. Very helpful staff. Beautiful common areas with working fireplaces. Gorgeous grounds. Excellent food.

Authenticity & Character

Grounds, hotel common areas, room.

Location

Staff

Just really helpful and warm.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved the multiple fireplaces!

Ballinalacken Castle Hotel

Awesome grounds. Very engaged manage/owners. Wonderful food.

Authenticity & Character

Castle on site!

Location

Staff

Engaged owners.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Traditional working sheep farm and Sheepdog demonstration

Ireland

Great bucolic location. Engaging host/guide. Fun, unique. Just much shorter in duration than expected.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff