Kimkim Trip Reviews for Ireland

I found Kimkim after some internet research for our two week trip to Ireland. I didn't know where to start in planning our trip. Last year, we had an experience with a travel agent that didn't work very well, but we learned more about what we wanted for this trip.
We worked with Claire personally and she took the time to understand our unique needs. She curated a wonderful trip that gave us special experiences, wonderful locations and hotels, as well as time to be free. It was really convenient to have the itinerary, maps and local numbers all in one place. It also gave us peace of mind to know that we could reach out with any problems if we needed to. We did that a couple of times and always received a timely response. I recommend working with Claire and Kimkim for your next vacation.

From the start of planning with our guide Svetlana to the end of the trip, everything came together with ease. We did not have a lot of time (8 days including to and from Canada) to explore Ireland, but Svetlana helped me hone in on what was most important to us and how best to travel while there. It was our first time travelling with our youngest son and we were thrilled to share this adventure with him. Our hotels were very comfortable and welcoming - our favourite was The Salthouse Lodge in Ballycastle, where we stayed for 3 nights to allow us to explore the area. The Beresford Hotel in Dublin was our first stop and Robert at the front desk was both entertaining and extremely helpful. There was the right amount of tours - the Titanic Experience and Black Cab tour in Belfast and the Guiness Tour in Dublin. The itinerary was flexible enough that we could add or subtract experiences as we wanted, so ended up doing Bushmills Distillery visit and a tour in Londonderry, as well as high tea at the Merchant Hotel in Belfast. When there was a glitch in the Black Cab tour timing, Svetlana was easily contacted and she sorted everything out very quickly. It was very helpful to have the breakfasts included each day and it was never difficult to find wonderful places for the other meals. We are already thinking about our next visit to Ireland and other adventures in the world and would definitely use KimKim again to be able to design the best experience with professional and skilled guidance helping every step of the way. We were able to relax in a way we have not done on past tours with other companies. Many thanks to Svetlana for helping to make this a memorable trip.

The food tour in Galway was fantastic as well as our guide!

We planned our hiking trip in Ireland using KimKim and the local representative, Dean from Ireland Walk Hike Bike, arranged a terrific self-guided trip for us in the Southwest of Ireland. Every day was memorable. We particularly appreciated their responsiveness when there were questions. Twice we needed to change plans and they responded in minutes, updating our itinerary info and GPS. Loved the accommodations they arranged at Ashling Hotel, the Old Weir Lodge and Tower View B&B and the people at all of them. Had wonderful drivers too. Cannot recommend highly enough!

Hotel Reviews

Old Weir Lodge

Killarney

Felt so welcomed by the O’Donoghue family at the Old Weir Lodge! Small hotel/Inn with the feel of a B&B. Felt so welcomed. It was a plus that father and son run the boat tour we took in the park as well. Excellent breakfast and service. Highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tower View

Dingle

Loved the Tower View B&B! Aiden, Helen and the staff made us feel so welcome. Very friendly and welcoming. Breakfasts were terrific. A big part of why we had such a wonderful trip to Southwestern Ireland!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ashling Hotel Dublin

Dublin

Terrific hotel. Great location, particularly if you are taking the train, as the station is across the street. Most restaurants an easy 15-20 minute walk, but some close as well. Three blocks from one of the largest parks in Europe. Also close to Guinness brewery if you are going there. Very good breakfast and super friendly host, who spontaneously started leading us in traditional Irish song! Loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

FALCONRY KERRY

Ireland

Had some time on our last day in Killarney before getting our train and this was a perfect way to spend the morning. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a really great itinerary. Our local guide, Joe O'Donnell was very knowledgeable in both historical and current sights to see. He filled us in as we travelled on current, recent, and ancient events in Ireland. He also had a knack for finding good establishments for eating. It was very interactive and Joe always made sure we were happy with the activities we engaged in.

Dean with KimKim laid out the perfect vacation for us. He asked us what we wanted to do, and then made it happen. Our guide Joe was personable and just an all around great guy. Knowledgeable about the areas and history, and got us where we needed to be on time. Will defiinitely use KimKim again.

Most of the drivers/guides we had were amazing. One of them was lackluster, and did not seem to know what we had planned for the day. He also told us that he was called out as a last resort, which we thought was weird. John, the guide we had in Donegal was personable, knowledgable, and clearly loved meeting new people and teaching about Ireland. We took 2 walking tours in Dublin, and they were really fun. We got a great overview of the city, and got to eat and drink some Irish specialties. Overall the trip was very fun

This was a great trip planned by Claire and her team. They planned a great itinerary, pairing interesting tours with plenty of time to roam the countryside. We appreciated the detailed information throughout, such as map links to make driving easy.

Highlights were the Middleton Distillery visit, the food tour in Kinsale, driving the Dingle Penninsula (definitely stop at the Fish Box and Murphy's Ice Cream), walking the full Cliffs of Moher (have good walking shoes!), and the Ballymaloe House! We also loved listening to live music at pubs throughout all the towns we visited.

Overall a wonderful and relaxing trip. 10 days simply wasn't enough!

Claire put together a great couple days for us in Ireland. After talking through the experience we were looking for, Claire's initial itinerary was right on. She set us up with a mix of different locations and feels - got us into the heart to Cork (which exceeded expectations) and beautiful coastal villages. Great mix of hotels which were destinations themselves. Biking a greenway, exploring a rocky coast, finding small village pubs - and of course she connected us with great traditional music.

Our trip was amazing great working with Alex who planned a great vacation for us. Our driver Michael was great always punctual always accommodating and a great source of information we loved all our hotels except for the Ballyseede Castle we were looking forward to staying there but their service was terrible and so was the food big disappointment on the other hand the Wilder in Dublin and Sheen Falls were amazing places to stay with amazing service and staff. The recommendation to have dinner at 35 in Kenmare should be given to all travelers it was the best dinner we had in Ireland. Good star limo service picked us up and dropped us off at the airport it was truly a good star service

Wolfgang was incredibly responsive throughout our trip. Whenever an issue came up (and in a 5 week tour, this was expected) he was able to take care of it very quickly. Superlative service.

Hotel Reviews

Bedford House

Balbriggan, Co. Dublin

VERY limited parking. Note that you check in at the music venue (concert hall), but our room was in a building above a restaurant a few doors down the street. The room was a bit more funky than boutique.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Never really interacted with any staff after we checked in.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clear glass windows in the door separating the bathroom (toilet) and bedroom should really be opaque at the least.

Granville Hotel

The only caution with this property is that there is no hotel parking. The parking is down and across the street in a parking lot that may or may not be available. Outside of this issue, would highly recommend staying here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lyrath Estate

Kilkenny

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eccles Hotel & Spa

Glengarriff

An older, somewhat worn (in common areas) hotel. Nothing was objectionable, but other than location, nothing stands out either. An excellent choice for folks looking for a stay with historical significance and character.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff at the front desk could be a bit more friendly and welcoming.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kathleens Country House

Killarney

An older, unremarkable, small hotel with owners who try hard to offer a pleasant stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness was excellent. Evaluation based on the comfort of the room.

Sea Breeze Lodge B&B

Salthill, Galway

Fabulous breakfasts, great location, and wonderful hosts.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin

Dublin

If you have a car, be aware that there is limited hotel parking which cannot be reserved, and that the hotel is on a very busy street. The restaurant food and service was just average, and on mornings was somewhat over-capacity due to catering to large tour groups.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Acorn Hotel

Glasgow

One level above hostel in room size and amenities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness was excellent. The assessment is based on Comfort.

Ivybank Lodge

Rattray, Blairgowrie

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Marcliffe Hotel & Spa

Pitfodels Aberdeen

Overall, a wonderful hotel. Have your dinner elsewhere.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

We left an electronic device behind and the staff were wonderful in assisting us having it shipped home.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ronas House B&B

Inverness

One of the best stays out of 17 individual hotels/B & Bs on our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Superb breakfasts.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just an amazing room, with a sitting area overlooking the town.

Ullinish House

Isle of Skye

Note that there is no cooked breakfast available, and this B & B is a long way from any restaurant or other services, as it is very remote. If you are looking for a remote, quiet, serene location, however, this is a perfect spot.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Guisachan Guesthouse

Fort William

We were not provided with the room that was booked and confirmed when we arrived. We were also not in the main guesthouse, but in a separate outlying building ('the annex') in a room over a garage.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness was a '5', Comfort was a '1'. The average is a '3'

Mansewood Country House

Lochearnhead

Authenticity & Character

Location

Make certain to advise guests to make make dinner reservations in advance, because of the limited options nearby.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Bonham

Edinburgh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dakota Manchester

Manchester

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Prehistoric Newgrange & Knowth

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Waterford Crystal

Waterford

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Charles Fort

Kinsale

Quality of Experience

Farewell

Ireland

Would recommend never using Hertz at the Dublin airport.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Try running a shuttle bus that will accommodate all of your customers, and at a greater frequency. Awful experience.

Smithwick's Experience

Kilkenny

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cong - The Quiet Man

Cong Co Mayo

One of the highlights of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kilbeggan Distillery

Kilbeggan

If you visit only one distillery, make it this one.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Clydeside Distillery Experience: Unveiling the Art of Spirit Crafting

Glasgow

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stirling Castle

Stirling

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park

Balquhidder

Fabulous scenery through the park.

Quality of Experience

Johnnie Walker Experience

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Glamis Castle

forfar

Quality of Experience

Strathisla Distillery

Keith

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our recent trip to Ireland, arranged by kimkim, was nothing short of extraordinary! From the moment we contacted kimkim, our agent Emily made the entire process seamless and enjoyable. Her expertise and dedication to crafting the perfect itinerary for us were evident in every detail of our trip.

The accommodations were superb, with highlights including the luxurious Aghadoe Heights Hotel and the charming Renvyle House Hotel. Each stay was characterized by exceptional comfort, stunning views, and outstanding hospitality.

The culinary experiences were equally impressive. We indulged in delicious local cuisine that truly highlighted the rich flavors of Ireland. Each meal was a delightful adventure in itself, further enhancing our travel experience.

The excursions planned by Emily were top-notch. Our visit to the Cliffs of Moher was breathtaking, with views that left us in awe. Exploring Killarney National Park allowed us to immerse ourselves in the natural beauty of Ireland, and our tour of Kylemore Abbey was both enlightening and inspiring.

Throughout our journey, Emily's attention to detail and responsiveness made us feel well taken care of. Her recommendations and arrangements ensured that every aspect of our trip was perfect.

We highly recommend kimkim and especially Emily for anyone looking to explore Ireland or any other destination. Their commitment to providing exceptional service and creating memorable travel experiences is unparalleled. We can't wait to plan our next adventure with them!

My daughter and granddaughter and I took a self drive trip in Ireland. We chose to experience the West coast from the Dingle Peninsula north to Galway. We flew into Shannon which was the perfect airport for us American drivers to start. We used the GPS on my iPhone for navigation. Used ApplePlay instead of Google, although Google works too, and was spot on everywhere we wanted to go. We went off the beaten path many times. Planning was great, until it was not. My original contact listened to what I wanted the trip to look like, planned an itinerary that was not the normal cookie cutter trip, found lodging where we had a triple rom, sent her a glowing review, made final payment then she went silent. I had a question that went unanswered, finally called Kim Kim to get my question answered also had to call the get my vouchers and tickets 10 days before we left. At that point I was put in contact with Svetlana and she was amazing. I understand life happens and things get off track. All my correspondence was going thru the company system, and when my original travel agent was not longer doing her job, I should have been assigned a new contact not my having to make phone calls asking for help. I chose KimKim because I had a great experience planning a trip to Nepal then Covid hit and cancelled the trip. Yes I would use Kimkim again but could not give a 5 star review.

Activity Review

Farewell

Ireland

Aleksandra was extremely easy to work with and easily reached. She responded almost immediately both before and on the trip. She picked excellent experiences for us based on our interests.

Hotel Reviews

Lansdowne Hotel

Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Small rooms, and tiny bathroom, although other rooms had larger bathrooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Some hard to understand

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shannon Springs Hotel

Shannon

The resturant was excellent. For Shannon it was cenrally located to Cliffs of Moher, Bundraddy Castle was close, and Ennis

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maldron Hotel

Galway

Very nice room, shower worked well

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Legendary Walking Tour of Galway

Galway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Just walking

Introducing Joyce’s Dublin Walking Tour

Dublin

We loved it and Liam was wonderful and extremely knowledgeable. It was actually emotional at times when he read passages written by Joyce.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

No transport just walking

Wolfgang helped coordinate and plan a family finding trip to Ireland. The trip was wonderful and all the planning for transportation and hotels was invaluable. Thank you Wolfgang.

Great suggestions from Wolfgang and the team. Hotels were fabulous. Even wrinkles with car rental quickly solved by team. Really appreciated the expertise allowing us to enjoy Ireland and London with no worries. Will definitely use Kim Kim in the future and highly recommend your team.

When thinking of the best trip imaginable, I had nothing but ideas and no direction. Thats where the travel team came in ! They brought to action all my Irish dreams. This trip was full of adventure and beautiful sights, and it was coordinated beautifully by Claire. From the pick up at the airport to every nights stay, all accommodations were book, confirmed, and enjoyed without problem. The places we visited were beautiful and the drive around the country was filled with spectacular views. The first few days were spent in Dublin, and the local rail system was well utilized. It was advised that we go to a small fishing village Howth, and while there I wish we would have known to do the cliff walk.... this was a missed opportunity. We also visited Malahide (not on our itinerary) and we wish we could have spent an entire day here. There is a castle worth seeing with paid admission, adding this to the itinerary would have been a great addition. The hotel in Dublin was comfortable with great breakfast options. We did partake in the cocktail tour at Roe and Co distillery, and this by far was the most fun part of Dublin. Next stop was Galway, and this was wonderful. Highly recommend we-wheels electric bike tour, and the authentic Italian restaurant "Osteria". Next stop, Cliffs of Moher. I would reccomend seeing the cliffs from a more local point of view, and booking a Doolin cliff walk tour. This would have been about a 5 mile walk but really worth it. This night we were supposed to stay in Doolin but our hotel was actually in Ennistymon. We stayed at "Falls House Hotel and Spa" and I would not recommend this town or hotel for a stay. The bed was not comfortable and the dining was less than impressive. Next stop, Dingle. We loved dingle and exploring the town, next trip I would love to stay multiple days here. Slea Head drive is the most beautiful of the country and highly recommend taking your time driving it. The cliffs of Kilkee, which start and end at a coffee shop, were absolutely stunning. Defiantly recommend! Kenmare was a cute town, but would have rather stayed in Killarney or had a few nights stay in kenmore to drive to surrounding towns. We did hear of a night time kayak on a bioluminescent lake which would have been an amazing addition that we did not get. There are also nightly shows in Killarney of Irish dancing, which I would have liked to pay, book, and watch. Last stop, Waterford. Highly recommend a private tour of the factory. Overall, we really enjoyed the trip and the travel team !

Hotel Reviews

Butler Townhouse Kilkenny

Great hotel, Breakfast was tasty. Easily walk to the castle.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Happy Pig

Kenmare, Co. Kerry

Lovely bed and breakfast ! The owner was friendly and cooked an amazing breakfast. The rooms were clean and very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cute and quaint, can drive to town for dinner or shopping.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dingle Bay Hotel

Dingle

Loved this hotel. Staff very friendly, and easily walked to dinner and shopping. Also, parking is available.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Falls House Hotel and Spa

Co Clare

This Hotel is not in a great location. While the surrounding is pretty, the town does not have much to offer. The beds were very uncomfortable and the room temperature was too warm. The food was available, but was not tasty for the price.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Stay in Doolin and not here.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean but not comfortable.

The Hyde Hotel

Galway

Breakfast here is great, hotel was clean and comfortable, staff is wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

There is no onsite or free parking.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Fleet

Dublin

Great room with comfortable beds and large breakfast selection. This hotel is great location for walking the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easily walkable

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kilkenny Castle

Kilkenny

This was a nice experience, I would not spend a whole day at the castle but I would spend a whole day in Kilkenny exploring other things. I wanted the castle to show more history or to tell a story, but many of the rooms were empty from character.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Waterford Crystal Factory Tour Private Tour

Waterford

I would highly recommend this activity. The factory was very interesting and intimate.

Quality of Experience

Being alone with the tour guide allowed us to ask questions and take time with each stage of the process.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dingle Food Tour

Ireland

I don't think this tour was worth it. The food was not impressive. I was expecting more of a local flare to the offered food, that was not what was provided. However, we did enjoy the guide and the stop at the local brewery to learn more about irelands beer market and his local business.

Quality of Experience

We did not enjoy the stops on the tour and food offered.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very nice tour guide

Transport

Walked the town, easily walked.

Guided E-bike Tour Of Galway City

Galway

Electric bike tour is highly recommended. Our tour guide was great and the bike was easy to operate.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Roe and Co Distillery FLAVOURS Experience

Dublin

This was the most fun experience in Dublin. I am not particularly fond of whiskey, that being said this experience was exceeding expectations and served delicious cocktails. Our tour guide and bar master was not only charming, but knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

uber/taxi to location

We received great service from Wolfgang when planning our trip to Ireland and England. He provided great options for activities and wonderful hotels with great locations. Everything was really easy to plan and follow-up to questions or issues was always very prompt. The planning and coordination made for seamless travel and we had a great trip.

Hotel Reviews

Park Plaza London Riverbank

London

Absolutely beautiful hotel with incredible views of London right along the Thames.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Menlo Hotel

Galway

Really nice hotel. Rooms were really comfortable and the staff was helpful. Breakfast was great.

Authenticity & Character

Nice hotel that has rooms that have been updated and were really comfortable.

Location

Easy to access hotel a bit outside the central area of the city.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin

Dublin

Great location close to all the top spots in Dublin. Service was exceptional and staff was very attentive. Breakfast in the morning was really good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location is close to key spots in Dublin.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tower of London & Tower Bridge

London

There is so much to see here and so much history it is definitely worth the time.

Quality of Experience

The guides that are available every half hour provide a really good tour. Make sure you see the towers where prisoners were held and the messages they carved into the stone walls.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kilbeggan Distillery

Kilbeggan

The tour was great. Our tour guide Rose provided great history of the property and was very knowledgeable about the process. She gave us a great tour.

Quality of Experience

The distillery is quite historic and really beautiful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide, Rose had a wealth of knowledge and answered all of our questions.

Thank you Jane for arranging a very nice trip! We had a great time on the Emerald Isle.
Here's some thoughts/feedback:
- Transportation to and from the airport was on time both ways. The drivers were friendly and easy to find.
- The Maldron Hotel Shandon was in a great location. The breakfasts were good and beds comfortable.
- We did have a bit of a glitch getting to the train station on Tuesday morning. I had arranged a taxi from the hotel the night before, but they didn't show up in time due to rain. The hotel's general manager drove my dad and sisters to the train station - my daughter and I had a mad 1 mile dash through the rain to make the train in time. We really appreciated the general manager stepping in to help! The mad dash made for a good story once we dried out.
- The Cork City History Tour City Ramble was pretty good. Don't know that I'd recommend it again, although it did give us the lay of the land.
- We did have a night at Sin e listening to Irish music. This was a real highlight!
- We did go to St Anne's church and ring the bells. Another highlight.
- The Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin was a very nice place to stay, too. Comfortable and busy. Good breakfasts. It would have been a different experience to stay in a smaller place, but this worked well for us. The location was good!
- The Hidden Homes of Dublin was good! Ruth was very accommodating of my dad, making sure to stop in places where he could sit. We had a very nice cup of tea with her in a fancy tea shop! She gave us the lay of the land.
- The Literary Pub tour was a real highlight, too. Perfect! The actors were very entertaining - loved it!
- The EPIC Interactive Museum was a real highlight, too. We spent a lot of time in here. Every visitor to Dublin should stop here. We all learned a lot! Great museum.
- The Famine Ship was also another real highlight. Would recommend this one to everyone too. The guide provided us with a lot of history - and walking on the ship - below deck - really gave us a sense of what the journey across the Atlantic.
- Another highlight - the Irish Dancing & House Party. Real highlight, too! Wonderful to see the unusual instruments.
- Trinity Trails and Book of Kells Guided tour - this was a bit underwhelming. The guide was just ok. She walked us around Trinity's beautiful campus. Once we got into to see the Book of Kells, we were on our own. We were expecting a guided tour through the exhibits.
- For the Dublin Castle, we did pay for the guided tour instead of the self guided tour. I'd highly recommend the guided tour - EXCELLENT! - We saw the original Viking fortress walls and the Chapel Royal, which wasn't on the self-guided tour. We ended up spending a couple hours there.
- Didn't make it to St Patrick's Cathedral! A reason to return someday.
- Highly recommend Theresa, who took us on the Guinness & Jameson Irish Experience Tour. Jameson was small and intimate. Guinness was like Disneyland. On the walk from Jameson to Guinness, Theresa provided all kinds of Irish history, a stop in John's Lane Church, and the oldest pub in Ireland ;). I loved the walk!

All in all, we had a wonderful time. Thank you, Jane, for setting all this up. I will definitively use kimkim again!!

Really great suggestions for our driving trip and great locations for all of our hotels. Thank you to Dean for helping create a great trip! The restaurant recommendations were all very good too!