Kimkim Trip Reviews for Ireland

Rachel was a delight to work with in planning our trip. She listened to what we wanted to do and made it happen along with offering suggestions that were some of the highlights of our travels. We had a wonderful time in Ireland because of the careful planning that took the stress out of any details. Our trip plan not only included some great places to stay and wonderful experiences, it also included directions with time of travel.

Hotel Reviews

Wilder Townhouse

Dublin

Great boutique hotel out of the hustle and bustle of Dublin but also within walking distance of all the attractions. Lovely staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Monks Ballyvaughan

County Clare

Oh my, what a beautiful setting. Hotel was a great place to stay. Recommend the restaurant too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lough Eske Castle Hotel

Loved our stay in the castle. The staff were attentive and unpretentious. Our room was well appointed and comfortable. The grounds were very beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Titanic Hotel

A great stay at this historic hotel. It is even included as part of a tour from the Titanic museum across the street. Hallways were rather dark giving off the vibe of a dark ship. Room was beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dublin Food and Drink tour

Dublin

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Trinity Trails & Book of Kells Guided Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kylemore Abbey

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Cliffs of Moher Cruise from Doolin ( 50 min)

Doolin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Connemara Sheepdog Demonstration

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful experience with KimKim and Svetlana. She offered many different options for us as well as finding accommodations for us that were spacious and convenient. The excursions were fun and educational.

Hotel Reviews

Trim Castle Hotel

Trim

Such a lovely hotel, right across the street from Trim Castle. The family room was spacious. If traveling in the summer, be aware that there is no central air or fans- make sure to bring your own portable one!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ballymascanlon House Hotel & Spa

Dundalk

very lovely and a bit formal. Make sure you reserve in ahead for dinner. The breakfast was very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

family room we had was very spacious.

Sea Side Getaway

Portstewart

We loved how close it was to the city center. We were able to walk to dinner as well as coffee shops. The host was so nice and had coffee, wine and tea in the townhouse. There was shampoo and conditioner, as well as paper towels. As with all locations- no central AC- bring a portable fan if you need air circulation.

Authenticity & Character

Location

5 min to city center

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Prehistoric Newgrange & Knowth

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Royal Hillsborough Castle and Gardens

Hillsborough

I had no idea this was a "working" royal residence before we went on our tour. So much history! The grounds were lovely!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Black Cab Tour

Belfast

Our driver was very knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Crafted a good first-order itinerary tailored to our interests with an efficient plan of travel. Documentation was easy to follow.

Utilized local knowledge to select well-located and pleasant accommodations. This provided value to us as we were not familiar with many of the locally branded hotels.

Communication during trip was spot-on: Kimkim let us know one or two times that they were there if we had any issues but did not over-communicate as some might do. In the end, did not require any assistance while traveling. Communication responsiveness during planning phase could be improved as client was required to reach out during several extended periods of “radio silence”.

Greater attention (QA/QC) required as critical review of final agenda and vouchers caught numerous errors/omissions (e.g. incorrect ferry tickets, missing vouchers, accommodations lacking confirmation numbers).

Would have appreciated advice or suggested booking of activity for a 4.5-hour visit to Aran Islands (Inis Mór). We identified gap and pre-booked in-demand tour prior to sell-out. Also added stop at Rock of Cashel that provided a nice visit and break in a 3 hour drive from Dublin to Cork.

Hotel Reviews

Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blarney Woolen Mills Hotel

Blarney, Ireland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Brook Lodge Boutique Hotel

Killarney, Co. Kerry

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dingle Harbour Lodge B&B

Dingle Town, Co. Kerry

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lacks lifts to 2nd floor (luggage) and AC

Salthill Hotel

galway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inconvenient parking (public garage 2 blocks away). AC inadequate to maintain comfortable temperature.

Activity Reviews

Guinness & Jameson Irish Experience Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tickets for St Patrick Cathedral, Dublin

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guided Visit of Cork city Gaol ( Former Prison in Ireland)

Cork

Quality of Experience

Dublin Highlights and Hidden Gems Walking Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trinity Trails & Book of Kells Guided Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Irish Dancing Show

Galway

Quality of Experience

Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher Day Cruise sailing from Galway

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self-booked off-road tour

Transport

Self-booked off-road tour

We had a wonderful family trip to Ireland, guided by Eleanor. Our favorite hotels were Lough Eske near Donegal, which I highly recommend. We hit the jackpot on weather except for the Aran Island day, but honestly, it was so full of tourists, I'm not sure I'd enjoy that anyway. If I had to do it over again, I would stay in a hotel closer to Galway city center so we could walk to dinner and the bars. Galway is magical and loved the people and energy. The sights are amazing, but the reason to go is for the people!

Aleksandra planned an incredible trip to Ireland for my father and me, and we couldn’t be happier with the experience. From the very beginning, she was professional, attentive, and thoughtful in curating an itinerary that suited both our interests and pace.

What really stood out was her responsiveness, not just during the planning phase, but throughout our actual trip. When a few last-minute changes came up, she handled them quickly and efficiently, taking the stress out of the situation entirely.

Thanks to Aleksandra, we had a seamless, memorable journey through Ireland. I highly recommend her and Kim Kim to anyone looking for to plan their next trip!

Alex did an amazing job helping us organize the trip agenda. I liked all the hotels you arranged. All the tour guides and drivers were great. Being able to get us tickets to tour Gilhaman prison was a real feather in your cap as we understood they are hard to get. Job well done! Thanks

Hotel Review

Casey's Hotel Baltimore

What a charming, country inn. Pleasant breeze off the bay was invigorating. View from beer garden porch and restaurant were outstanding along with the food. The staff were friendly and helpful. Great pic!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Dublin Private Walking Tour

Dublin

Very informative, I was interested in the historic locations of the Easter 1916 uprising and I appreciated the guides knowledge of the history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All good except the cab's air conditioning was not working on the trip from Galway to Dublin.

Our interactions with the team including Cathy and Stephen were most positive. Stephen provided wonderful support in the planning and he and Cathy were most helpful in trouble shooting when we had issues.
Our walking tours were exceptional in Dublin, Kinsale and on Achill Island. The tour guides were extremely open to questions and in engaging with us. We learned so much from them.

Hotel Reviews

Castle Hotel

Dublin

This hotel was more than adequate and in a great location. The breakfasts were amazing and the staff helpful

Authenticity & Character

Older hotel but well preserved

Location

Easy to walk around the city

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was a little crowded and warm but we had a fan.

Granville Hotel

Lovely older hotel

Authenticity & Character

Nice older hotel. Large rooms and very comfortable

Location

Close to everything we planned to explore

Staff

One of the managers went out of his way to help

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable

The Montenotte

Cork

The hotel looks wonderful. When we arrived we were welcomed by staff. However the room was a disappointment. We could hear the band playing and I called the desk after 11 and they responded in a way that was not very helpful. Also the room was obviously a smoking room and had a strong cigarette smell. We were moved the second night

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Designate smoking rooms, deal with the noise from the music late at night

Foley's Townhouse Killarney

Killarney

Great location, comfortable room and friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

You can walk to restaurants and music. Great parking on premises

Staff

The people were helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyatt Hotel Westport

Westport

Great location in the center of town. Easy to walk to the Westport house

Authenticity & Character

Well run , comfortable rooms

Location

Staff

Front desk staff. Very short stay for ud

Cleanliness & Comfort

7 Cross Street Boutique Hotel

Galway

This was a bad experience. When we were shown the room I noticed ear plugs and when I asked about the noise issue the response was that it should be ok for a Wednesday night. The yelling on the street and the music was so loud and did not end until after2. The street cleaners started at 5:45 AM

Authenticity & Character

The rooms were so tiny and uncomfortable

Location

Do not book a room

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness fine- lacked comfort

Activity Review

The Colony Tour on Achill Island

Ireland

The Colony Tour on Achill Island was excellent. However, it was scheduled for two hours but ended up taking over three, which was longer than anticipated. Nonetheless, the experience on the island was great, and we appreciated the depth of the tour.

We had a great trip! We got to see a lot of different parts of Ireland and enjoy a good range of experiences. The itinerary that was planned for us gave us a good day-by-day framework that also allowed us some flexibility to add in additional activities and be a little spontaneous. The highlights were the interactive experiences - the falconry lesson and the sheepdog demonstration - as well as the opportunities to get away from the tourist crowds. We didn't love every activity that was included in the itinerary or every hotel we stayed in, and we would have done some things differently if we were to do it all over again, but that's just the nature of traveling and it wouldn't necessarily have been any different had we planned the trip ourselves. Overall we had a lovely time and appreciated all the planning and organization that went into the trip.

Hotel Reviews

Temple Bar hotel

Dublin

I would give this hotel zero stars if I could. It's perfectly comfortable from the perspective of the room size, beds, etc. but there is a bar inside the hotel that plays loud music until midnight or later, and you can hear it from every part of the hotel. It's especially bad in the rooms closer to the street but we switched to a room in the back of the hotel for our second night and although the music was quieter, we could still hear it. We were unable to sleep and it affected our ability to enjoy the days we were in Dublin because we were so exhausted. I guess this hotel might be all right for young people who want to stay up partying until 3am, but for a family with a young child it was not suitable at all. The one positive I can say is that the location is great for walking around. The breakfast was good but not amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Conveniently located for walking around Dublin, but in a noisy location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shandon Bell's BnB

Cork

This hotel was fine but not great. It's pretty shabby and the room was very small. There was no air conditioning so we had to sleep with the window open, which let in street noise. We could walk to central Cork but it wasn't particularly close or convenient to do so. However, the bed was comfortable and the breakfast was cooked to order.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cahernane House Manor Hotel

Killarney

By far the best place we stayed. We loved it so much we didn't want to leave. Wonderful service, amazing breakfast, our room was luxurious, the common rooms of the historic hotel are beautiful, the grounds are stunning. 10/10 would absolutely return if we were ever in Ireland again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leonardo Hotel Dublin Christchurch

Dublin 8

Fantastic location across from Christ Church (walkable to the major sights, while avoiding the loud noise of Temple Bar) and the room was comfortable. Service was friendly and helpful, and the breakfast buffet was one of the best we enjoyed on our trip. The major downside was that there was no air conditioning and we were uncomfortably hot, even with the windows open. However, the hotel was in the process of installing air conditioning so future guests might not have to deal with this problem.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Victoria Hotel

Galway

We enjoyed our stay at this hotel for three nights. The family room was spacious and very comfortable for the three of us. The location was very convenient to central Galway as well as to the ferry docks - we walked everywhere. Service was very friendly and helpful. There were only two negatives - the rooms lack air conditioning and can be uncomfortably warm depending on the weather, and the breakfast buffet was not the best with no variation from day to day. Overall though we would recommend staying here when in Galway.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Falconry Adventures

Killarney

We loved this experience! It was wonderful to chat with the guide, learn about falconry, and interact with the birds. We didn't get to see them do all they're capable of because it was raining, but we had a great time nonetheless. We liked that it was a personal experience and not part of a group tour. We would definitely recommend this.

Self-Guided Guinness Storehouse Experience

Dublin

This was fun, even for kids. It was great enjoying a pint of Guinness from the rooftop bar and enjoying the view of Dublin. The one downside is that considering it's a brewery tour, you don't get to see any part of the actual brewing process - it must all be in a separate building or something.

Traditional working sheep farm and Sheepdog demonstration

Ireland

This was really lovely, even in the rain. The dog demonstration was extremely impressive and then we got to watch a sheep being sheared and help feed the babies! Our daughter loved all of it. The location/scenery is also stunning.

Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher Day Cruise sailing from Galway

Ireland

We all got very seasick over on the ferry from Galway - this is probably unavoidable, but in the future we think travelers should be advised that the crossing is very rough before signing them up for this tour, because some people might not want to risk it. So many people on the boat were throwing up, it was awful. However, the ferry was on time and we did enjoy sailing past the cliffs of Moher on the way back (which was not as rough).

Guided tour of the island of Inishmore ( Aran Islands)

Ireland

The Aran Islands are incredible and we ultimately had a good time, but there were a couple things about this tour that we didn't love. We were put into a group tour in which we were crowded into a small bus, it was a pretty impersonal experience. And because of the schedule of the group tour, which didn't start right away when our ferry docked, we wasted a bunch of time on the front end and then had to rush to get back on the ferry at the end - because most of the other people in the group were on a different ferry schedule. I would not recommend that Kimkim put travelers into a group tour like this in the future, it is worth a small extra expense to get a private tour of the island that is more comfortable and allows more time to actually see the sights instead of waiting around.

1st thank you for planning an amazing trip for my family !! Words can’t express how incredible our vacation was. 1st it was a gift from my daughter and son in law for my Birthday!! I’ve been so many wonderful places but have never experienced such beauty and the most friendliest caring people in my life. Also, being handicapped and using a scooter they planned sight seeing around it! Couple things I couldn’t do but OMG I went and saw everything scheduled for us and more! Every driver was amazing. Each one was our little tour guide. Make sure you bring rain coat for sure and layers but the weather was actually pretty good !! Just one little glitch which was our fault after coming out of the Guinness factory we decided to give our granddaughter a horse and carriage ride. Nope, we didn’t check them out unfortunately and even thought “their” sign said 50.00 for 4 when we got to our hotel at tried to charge us 300.00 for 6 of us!!!! The hotel checked them out after we got there and said they had horrible ratings just for that reason and reported them to the police. Lesson learned. So if you want a horse and buggy ride ask your hotel and check them out. BUT…. It didn’t ruin this amazing trip. We are at all amazing restaurants and drank in every pub we could hit!!! WE can’t wait to go back !! Thank you so much Kim Kim for one heck of a lovey vacation 💚🍀☘️ Ireland is forever in our hearts!!

Hotel Reviews

Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane

Beautiful hotel. Great accommodation! Super awesome people !

Authenticity & Character

Very clean. Cute and family friendly !

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms, lobby all very nice

Mount Juliet Estate

Thomastown

Beyond beautiful! Property and gulf corse are breathtaking. Wonderful food and the nicest people. The rooms were definitely 5 stars plus. Beds were amazing!! 1st class all the way.

Authenticity & Character

Classy charming and #1 on our list.

Location

Not far from all our adventures.

Staff

Super helpful and so nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

The best !!

Scott's Hotel Killarney

Killarney, Co. Kerry

People were wonderful. But no air conditioning! And right outside our window was a carnival !!!! Even though they closed 10:00 and having to keep our windows open, it was very loud with screaming! Beds were very hard. But very clean

Authenticity & Character

Cute

Location

Perfect for our adventures

Staff

Always willing to help and very nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean

Drury Court Hotel

Dublin

Very please. Close to everything. Wonderful restaurant and bar !! Great food !!

Authenticity & Character

Small lobby. But cute. Those awesome girls handle all our luggage for 6 people.

Location

perfect spot for everything.

Staff

Went beyond the call of duty. Had a bad experience with getting a horse and buggy coming from Guinness factory. They lied, WAY over charged. Totally ripped us off. My little granddaughter was devastated. Crying so bad !!! The girls at the front desk were so concerned. They called the police. They were so upset for my granddaughter they gave her a box of chocolates. They felt so bad for us having such a bad experience on our last day. They truly went beyond the call of duty !!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean and comfy !

Leonardo Hotel Galway

Galway

Great location. Rooms were small but nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Local was great for getting around to so many places.

Staff

Excellent!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean. Beds a little hard and pillows.

Activity Reviews

Private Galway Food Tour

Galway

WOW….. loved our tour guide. She was amazing!!! What a doll filled with so much knowledge!! All our stops were great. Food was wonderful. I highly recommend this for anyone going to Ireland ! Galway is top on my list. Thank you

Quality of Experience

5 ⭐️ star

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Best people ever !! Everyone we had was great !

Transport

The drivers !!!!

Irish Dancing Show

Galway

So amazing !!!! Love 🍀love 🍀love 🍀would go again !!

Quality of Experience

So friendly and accommodating!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wonderful people. So knowledgeable and kind !!

Transport

The best

Free time in Dublin

Dublin

Wondered, shopped, ate, drink-pups…. Repeated !!! Learned how to love Guinness!! :)

Quality of Experience

We actually went to his home. Had a lot of surprises and amazing birds. So much knowledge !! Wonderful people !!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The best !!!

Transport

We felt like friends. So nice and concerned that our time with him was great. Which it was !!

Galway Cathedral

Galway

Very cool. Pretty grounds

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Awesome

Transport

Best driver. We learned so much just from the driver on so much

Private tour of Connemara (Sky Road, Kylemore Abbey and a Sheep dog Farm experience)

Galway

The absolute best !! Wow

Quality of Experience

So many things made this experience amazing!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Outstanding !!

Transport

The best !!

Falconry Adventures

Killarney

You can’t miss this !! One of our very favs ! You pull up to the gentleman’s house and he brings out amazing birds. So knowledgeable and entertaining!! The birds are so beautiful. We learned so much !!!!

Quality of Experience

The best !!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So amazing !!

Transport

Our driver was incredible!! So much info we learned!

Welcome to Doolin

Doolin

So sweet ! Had a wonderful lunch at the cutest little restaurant!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Outstanding driver.

Transport

The driver was great!! The vehicle was spotless and water always available!! So knowledgeable!!

Cliffs of Moher Cruise from Doolin ( 50 min)

Doolin

Truly beautiful!!!! . The captain was amazing and his hands really helped everyone. So thoughtful. We learned so much.

Quality of Experience

Don’t miss it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Outstanding !!

Transport

Out driver was amazing !!!

Private Transfer/Taxi

Ireland

Outstanding. All 6 of us we very comfortable in such a beautiful, clean vehicle. And plenty of water. So pleased with our driver

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I highly recommend Cathy and the team at Kimkim. We needed help crafting a family itinerary for Ireland in a tight turnaround and she was exceptional with communication and the activity planning. What a relief to have so many activities already booked when you arrive in the country and you can just relax and have fun family time. I will absolutely use Kimkim again!

Cathy was very responsive and sensitive to our travel needs. She took a great amount of care and fine tuning of our itinerary. Cathy heard our needs and made an itinerary that met them! All of our accommodations were lovely and in country travel was easy because of Cathy! Cathy is going to take a lot of the cognitive and emotional labor that goes into planning a trip and we're so glad we booked with her! You can trust her to plan a wonderful trip.

Trip was amazing, starting with our short stay at the Ashling Hotel when we first landed in Dublin. The hotel is beautiful, the food delicious and service outstanding. Two of us had a date at the Ink Factory for Tattoos, where we had some of the nicest artist who made our touchdown welcoming.
Our next day took us to Cork, stating at the Clayton Hotel. We did a tour of the Killarney Castle and Middleton's Jameson Distillery. I would recommend they be done on separate days but we made a day of it. When touring the Castle don't skip exploring the property... what finds there are! The people at Jamison were outstanding; such knowledge and made you feel immersed in the process. We were happily surprised to do a premium tasting, which was a wonderful treat...took home one of those premium whiskeys.
My nephew feels Killarney is the place for him...we spent three nights at the Randall's, which I would recommend everyone stay! The staff, rooms and food is amazing. Plus they have a covered patio with blankets and heaters to sit and wind down from a long day. While there plan on. A trip to Faha Falconry; we had a private visit and it was amazing! Expect a road trip that is something itself to talk about.
Galway is the place to eat! Our food tour had me trying dishes that I never would have. Have a love raspberry croissants and clams now. So much to eat!
There was so much we did... such a horseback riding, sailing and a jaunty ride, that i could talk forever about. Kimkim did an amazing job on helping us plan a family trip of a lifetime to see where my grandmother was born and raised. Thank you, Claire and the Kim Kim team!

We had an effortless 2 weeks in Ireland and did the whole Isle with the help of Kim Kim and local agent (Ireland Walk, Hike, Bike) Joe. Joe listened to our needs of having a mix of 3-4 star places with some unique nice properties blended in. The things to do they suggest in each location were wonderful. Literally, the only thing we did not find very good was ‘EPIC’ tour in Dublin.
We made so many wonderful memories with the suggested routes they provided, everywhere we stayed was nice and included breakfast. They provide dinner, cafes, and places to see.
For someone who usually plans every vacation, this was complicated since we only stayed a few places 2 nights and most were 1 night. So I appreciated turning over the planning. I was apprehensive, but once we were a few days in and the recommendations and tickets to things were seamless - I realized the great value of using Kim Kim. I highly recommend!!

My family had a wonderful 10 day trip to Ireland, thanks to kimkim and our travel specialist, Claire. We were a group of 7 adults. We told her our interests/what we would for sure like to see and do. Claire came up with a detailed itinerary for us that made perfect sense. She was extremely prompt in the planning process and met with us via video chat to discuss details of our trip.

Our first stop was Galway. We landed in Dublin and took a bus to Galway upon arrival. We stayed at the Connacht Hotel. The hotel was very nice. The only thing was it was a little far from the city centre so we did end up paying for many ubers (about 15 euro each time) to get to the main area. Otherwise it was about a 30 minute walk. This wasn't ideal for our group but our accommodations at the hotel were very nice and we made it work. When we arrived in Galway we explored the city and went to dinner and pubs of course.

Our second day in Galway we had a private tour to Connemara. Our tour guide, Colleen was excellent. She picked us up first thing in the morning. We stopped in the city of Cong, where The Quiet Man was filmed. We then went to a sheep show in the beautiful mountains. We had so much fun at the Killary Sheep Farm! It was a trip favorite. We also toured a castle along with stopping at many other sites/landmarks. We loved Colleen as she told us interesting information throughout the day and was very knowledgable.

The next day we took a bus to board a ferry to travel to the island of Inishmore (Aran Island). Some of us got a little quesy on the ferry ride! It is about 45 minutes to the island. The island was absolutely beautiful! We opted out of renting bikes. However, if we were to do it again we would definitely rent the bikes. If you want to see the island, bikes are totally the way to go! We bought Aran Islands famous wool sweaters and had delicious fish & chips. We took a very long hike and were able to see beautiful views!

The next day we had a private driver transport us to Killarney and on the way we stopped at the Cliffs of Moher. We did the Cliffs of Moher cruise, which was so much fun! A couple of us were a little nervous for the cruise after the tumultuous ferry ride previously. However, the cruise was all open air which really helped. We had a blast! After the cruise, we walked around the Cliffs of Moher. We ate lunch in Doolin and went to a couple shops!

Next, we arrived in Killarney at the Scott's Hotel. We all loved the Scott's Hotel. The rooms were very spacious and the location was ideal. We were right in the middle of pubs and shops! The hotel had a fabulous pub in the lower level with live music every night. The next day was a free day in Killarney. We all sort of did our own thing- a couple of us went golfing and some went shopping. In the afternoon, we did an "Afternoon Tea" at a nearby hotel which really looked like a castle. We loved this. The food and drink was delicious. It was the perfect way to spend the afternoon. We had a delicious dinner at Hilliard's. We had made a reservation prior. Would highly recommend dining here.

The next day, we had a private guided tour of the Ring of Kerry. This was through The Killarney Touring Co. Our tour guide was Aodan Griffin. We could not recommend him more- he was amazing! This day was the group's favorite day of our entire trip. Aodan brought us to many stops along the Ring of Kerry including wonderful spots for Irish coffee, an old Irish village, a museum about Skellig Islands, and Skellig's Chocolate Factory. He brought us to Valentia island where he spent summers growing up and where his grandfather lived and worked as a principal of the school. We also stopped at a golf course with breathtaking views for lunch. We ended the tour at the Torc Waterfall (Killarney National Park). Aodan truly made this experience wonderful due to his vast knowledge of the Ring of Kerry and hospitality.

The next day we had a private driver transport us to Dublin. We stayed at the Ashling Hotel. The hotel was very nice however we may have liked to be a little closer to the city center. Claire arranged for us to get bus passes, which made is very easy to get around the city. We explored the city and that night we went to a Celtic dinner and show. We enjoyed seeing the Irish dancers and listening to the music.

The next day we did a private walking tour. We loved our tour guide, Pascuale. He provided us with information about the history of Dublin and also provided us with wonderful dining recommendations. We ate lunch at his favorite Italian restaurant, it was delicious. Later that day we did the Guinness Storehouse tour and the Jameson Distillery. The group really enjoyed both of these tours. Later that night we went to Temple Bar, Bambino Pizza, The Hairy Lemon, and many other pubs we found along the way!

Overall, we are very pleased with Kimkim and the structure of our trip. We had a wonderful time, and all plans went smoothly! Thank you for everything !!!

Clair was absolutely fantastic in planning our trip! She took the time to truly listen to our concerns and expectations, ensuring every detail was thoughtfully arranged. Her patience and dedication in arranging and rearranging plans made the entire experience seamless and stress-free. Thanks to her expertise and commitment, we had a truly wonderful trip. We couldn’t have asked for a better planner—highly recommend Clair for anyone looking for a perfectly curated travel experience!

Ken West of Kerry Coaches did a fantastic job guiding and driving us. One thing that could have been better was we were never quite sure what specific activities we had paid for, and whether that included Ken's lodging. It was a pleasure planning the trip with Joe, though we know he is no longer with kim kim
Mike & Stacy O'Rourke

We recently traveled with KimKim on a trip through Ireland, and overall it was a wonderful experience. The itinerary included unique and memorable activities — the Tea Bus tour around Belfast was such a highlight! It offered a fun way to see the city, and the guide was both knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. Our accommodations at Belvedere and Kilmorey Arms were comfortable, and the staff at both were friendly and helpful. We especially appreciated the Kilmorey Arms’ thoughtful offer of scones and beverages before our early departure.

Our private chauffeurs were courteous and well-informed, making the journeys enjoyable and educational. Trevor, one of our drivers, went out of his way to personalize our stops, ensuring we had time for photos and even walking us to spots he thought we’d like after tours ended. We also enjoyed the Riverdance show — though we would have preferred to have the ticket details a bit earlier to plan around it better.

There were a few areas where things could be improved. We had mentioned needing accommodations suitable for older travelers, so staying at a hotel without an elevator was challenging. Also, clearer instructions for the self-check-in hotel would have helped reduce confusion. The roadmap provided by KimKim was very useful, but navigating between some sites required more walking or bus transfers than expected, so we found ourselves relying on Uber at times.

All in all, we’re grateful for the memorable trip that KimKim arranged for us. With a few adjustments, it could have been truly seamless. We appreciate the care that went into the planning and look forward to using KimKim again!

This photography trip to England and Ireland was our third personalized trip arranged by the KimKim Team, which speaks to our satisfaction with their service. The KimKim Team was extremely accommodating and their local agent, Svetlana Frolova, worked with us for a customized trip that met or exceeded our expectations. Together we agreed on the itinerary , dates and days for each leg of the trip, types of hotels and B&Bs we wanted to stay at, special options to experience the local culture, and the best photographic scenery to see. She arranged for us to have a car and driver for the Ireland portion of the trip. We experienced the best Irish music in Ireland today, visited an oyster fam and ate fresh oysters right out of the sea, and rode through the Gap of Dunloe in an open horse-pulled cart, during which we were regaled with local lore and stories by the cart driver. The boutique hotels either were of interesting historical importance or were long-time family-run businesses that added a personal touch to their hospitality. Our driver, Roger O’Connor, was a real professional, who had driven the highways and byways of Ireland for years from Dublin to Galway and North. He was a wonderful conversationalist, knowledgeable in the area’s hidden charms, small out of the way beautiful sights, and best restaurants and pubs in each town or city. We are sure to be traveling again in the future with KimKim.

Our sister adventure to Ireland was special in every way. Our specialist Claire, listened to our interests and packed in so many things we loved. We loved the independent driving and free time we had to explore, along with very well-planned and well-timed booked experiences. The flow of the itinerary and timing was amazing---so we were always able to arrive in destinations on time and explore. We loved our drive around Dingle with Aodan, and our drive in northern Ireland with James, who even "went off course" at our request to go find ancestors in rural Derry. Also, the cab tour in Belfast was eye-opening and had so many personal touches and stories to bring it to life. And the weather was so perfect to top it all off.

Hotel Review

The Pipers Rest

Doolin

Authenticity & Character

Location

only steps to the pubs and village, yet quiet and country setting.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Doolin

Doolin

A perfect start to our trip. One of our favorite spots. We had delicious meals, and amazing music both nights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional working sheep farm and Sheepdog demonstration

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cliffs of Moher Cruise from Doolin ( 50 min)

Doolin

Quality of Experience

Galway Theatre and literature walking tour

Galway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Killarney National Park Walking Tour

Killarney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Private Day Tour of the Dingle Peninsula

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Belfast Political Taxi Tour

Belfast

Quality of Experience

Transport

Giant's Causeway Clifftop Experience

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bluestack mountains guided walks ( Moderate difficulty )

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enjoy a Traditional Afternoon Tea at Lough Eske

Donegal town

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Svetlana was amazing to work with and planned the most perfect Ireland vacation for us. We were there to celebrate my mom's retirement from teaching (40 years in education!) and we got a taste of everything! There were so many places that we never would have thought to even check out and because of Svetlana's expertise, we were able to experience them. Our daughter's (3 & 5) had the best time at the beaches. Inchydoney beach was one of their favorites. We got so lucky with a beautiful day and they had so much fun playing in the sand. She also booked us a visit to a Pet farm where we got to see baby goats and other animals. One of our highlights was going to see a Sheep dog and Sheering demonstration. The guide was so great with our girls and he even brought out a special baby sheep for out daughters to bottle feed, they loved it!

All of the accommodations that Svetlana booked for us were wonderful. We absolutely loved the Cahernane house, the staff there was wonderful and the breakfast was delicious. It wasn't too far from town and an easy walk to restaurants and shopping. Our other favorite was the Lodge at Ashford Castle. We loved walking the grounds and enjoying the beauty around us. The staff was very welcoming and again, the breakfast was top notch.

I can go on and on and on about how wonderful our vacation was and how beyond helpful Svetlana was before and during our trip. We were nervous to do such a big trip in a foreign country with our young daughters, but working with Svetlana made it so easy. She took care of everything and even my husband said how nice it was to have everything taken care of before we got there. We just showed up to our hotels or to our excursions with our confirmation numbers and never had a problem. It honestly made things so easy.

We are so grateful and will be talking about this trip for years to come!

Hotel Reviews

Davenport Hotel

Dublin

The area was great and walkable. The staff was friendly and the breakfast was delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were very spacious. Plenty of room for all of your things

Clayton Hotel Cork City

cork

The rooms were nothing special, just a regular room. Our girls did love that they each got their own twin bed. The location was amazing with the pubs and restaurants right around the corner. Very easy to walk. The staff was nice and the breakfast was decent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cahernane House Manor Hotel

Killarney

Absolutely loved this hotel! The rooms were gorgeous and the staff was beyond amazing and they were so friendly to our girls. The breakfast was delicious and we loved that we got to order something hot to go along with the yogurt and baked goods. Our girls loved running around on the grounds and seeing the deer that were just hanging around right by. It was an easy 20 minute walk into town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Lodge at Ashford Castle

Cong

This hotel was simply amazing. The location is gorgeous and the staff is very welcoming and helpful. We stayed in a Junior suit that was two stories and it was the best for a family. The breakfast was one of the best we had while on our vacation in Ireland. I wish we would have known more about the hotel before our trip and would have booked an extra day just to enjoy all the the hotel has to offer.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Samuel Hotel

Dublin

It was a good hotel and a great place for a night. It was nice that the local transit had a stop right behind it which made it easy to get to and from without having to move our car. The parking for the car was a bit out of the way and took a while to get too and from. The elevators were not so convenient. You needed your room key to activate it each and every time and if you got in without using it, there were not buttons to get you to the floor you needed to go. The staff was friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sheep Dog & Shearing

Ireland

I can't remember his name, but the owner of the farm was so welcoming and informative. He was so great with our girls as well. They loved getting to bottle feed the baby sheep and had so much fun walking around with them in the little area we were in. The setting is absolutely beautiful as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Dance, Music & Dinner

Dublin

Not sure how we got so lucky, but we were seated right up front against the stage. We were a little worried that it was going to be too late or too long for our girls, but they wanted to stay the whole time and loved watching the dancers. It was a great way to end our trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Nothing special, but it was nice that they had a kids menu.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport