Kimkim Trip Reviews for Italy

The whole experience working with Arianna at KimKim and the team at Storywalking was extraordinary. Everyone worked hard to listen to our interests in activities and pace of travel and matched these to our itinerary. Our guides were friendly, knowledgeable and fun and the suggested activities for self-guided exploring matched what was scheduled.
I only have two small constructive suggestions:
Information about ZTL parking restrictions for each locality in Sicily needs to be more carefully explained and highlighted. It is only mentioned briefly in a general document about driving and parking regulations. I suggest highlighting ZTL rules separately so people can make more informed decisions about the restrictions and plan their driving and parking accordingly.
Also, in our itinerary, we had a scheduled pickup of our rental car one morning at the Palermo airport. The airport was crowded and the lines were long. We were frustrated but now understand that it couldn’t be helped. But our plan that day was to drive east to Cefalu, back through Palermo, making the drive longer than necessary. The following day, the suggestion was to drive west to Scopello. Both were self-guided trips and in retrospect we could have simply swapped the two day trips. But in the future, I would suggest switching the suggestions as better guidance for the next traveler.
That said, thank you! It was a trip of a lifetime! We will return!

I highly recommend using KimKim for your next travel experience. Our planner, Lorenza, was exceptional. We spent two nights in Naples and seven nights in Sorrento, with Lorenza selecting a wonderful hotel in Naples that offered an ideal location.
She organized a variety of activities, including a tour of the Pompeii ruins, an outstanding pizza-making class, and an enjoyable winery visit. Additionally, Lorenza arranged a fantastic street food tour and a private boat tour of Capri. Lorenza also managed all transportation, including transfers to and from the airport and between Naples and Sorrento.
Lorenza's communication was always clear and prompt, ensuring a seamless experience. Lorenza often responded to emails within hours(Keep in mind the 6 hour time difference) and when I did need to call her for something she picked up her phone right away. When we requested a change to a four-star hotel with a sea view in Sorrento, she was very accommodating.
Overall, every aspect of our trip was top-notch. Their level of service and attention to detail exceeded my expectations.

I could not have planned this trip without Fabio's help. He was so patient and answered every question I had. He tailored our itinerary perfectly and helped me secure the perfect the most amazing hotels and activities for our group. Fabio went above and beyond even while we were on our trip. The day before we left, Fabio let us know that there was a strike happening and that our trains were cancelled but not to worry he booked us a taxi instead and at no additional cost to us. Not having to deal with those unforeseen travel changes was a blessing. Fabio also helped me plan 2 separate events outside of my itinerary with a large group of my friends and graciously dealt with many last minute changes and updates.

Sabrina was our tour guide for our colosseum tour and she was absolutely amazing. We asked her so many questions about ancient Rome and the colosseum that we lost track of time and she so nicely stayed for an extra half hour. The tour of the colosseum was one of the most memorable parts of our trip.

Our drivers that took us to Florence and all around Tuscany, Stefano and Jury were wonderful. They were both very engaging and lovely to talk to and encouraged me to practice my Italian with them which I really appreciated. Stefano even walked us around each of the little towns he drove us to in Tuscany and shared some history and places of interest about each.

Another highlight was the truffle hunt. Our guide and his dog, Dora were wonderful company as we learned all out hunting for truffles. Dora found us many truffles.

Hotel Reviews

Doria Palace Boutique Hotel

Rome

This hotel is in a great location, very walkable to all the sites and right next to a Santa Maria maggiore Basilica. I was in Rome for a wedding and I asked to be closed to the hotel of the wedding party so that I could use the shuttle services. The hotel itself is very tiny /narrow. The elevator was a little scary as it only fits one person and barely any luggage. The rooms were on the smaller side but clean and comfortable. The rooftop bar served breakfast every day and drinks at night. The staff were very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mormoraia

San Gimignano

I highly recommend this hotel and to anyone staying in Tuscany or San Gimignano, the views around the property and from our hotel room were stunning. The rooms are very modern and chic. I shared a room with my mother and my aunt but I would say the rooms and the overall experience would be better suited for couples traveling. Most of the guests were younger, perhaps on their honeymoon or older couples. Breakfast was included and it was amazing every day. At night we ate at the restaurant on the property and that was also very delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Otivm Hotel

Rome

I was delightfully surprised by this hotel. It's centrally located next all the main sites in the city center but it's located on a quieter side street. The rooms were very spacious and comfortable and the breakfast on the roof overlooking the city was amazing. The Front desk, and staff were very kind and welcoming.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable to all the most important sites in the city center but down a quieter side street

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rome Food Tour

Rome

Amazing! It was great to explore a new neighborhood and get out of the city center. Maurizio took us a wonderful assortment of shops all showcasing Rome's local cuisine. He also shared some Roman history and walked us through a basilica as a part of the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour of the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Rome

Unfortunately the Vatican was incredibly packed when we visited and we had to wait a while to actually go in to the sistine chapel, which of course was not the fault of the tour guide. However, at times it seemed like she was exasperated by the crowds, she was having a hard time engaging our large group. Her accent also made it harder to understand her over the audio speaker and all the noise. She did not accomopany us into St. Peter's but it would have been nice to have someone guide us through the basilica. Unfortunately much of the site is under construction and scaffolding, preparing for next years jubliee.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Val D’Orcia and Brunello Wine Tour

Italy

I wound up cancelling one of these tours for the day as we were worried about doing too many wine tasting. The one winery we did go to was beautiful and just recently renovated. We were given our own private room for the tasting and they served us lunch which was the best lasagna of my life. The space is huge and we were unfortunately the only ones there.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Truffle Hunting Experience With Lunch and Wine Tasting

Italy

This was a very unique and wonderful experience. We got a private transfer and tour with a truffle hunter and his wonderful dog, Dora. We were pleasantly surprised that we were able to find so many truffles and it was very to get to dig up our own. Poggia wine tasting and lunch was delicious and they were kind enough to cook up our truffles we found into a dish.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour

Rome

Sabrina was fantastic. She is so knowledgable and engaging, we loved our tour with her. We asked her so many questions that we actually missed going to 2 other scheduled sites during our tour because we were so fascinated by the colosseum. She graciously stayed for another half hour and quickly walked us through the palatine hill. I highly recommend Sabrina to anyone looking for a private tour of the Colosseum.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cecelia put together the most amazing trip for 12 days to Northern Italy--Rapallo, Portofino, Chincaterra, Milan, Lake Como, and Venice. She listened to our wants and put together great hotels in the best locations, top-notch guides and drivers. Everything went off without a hitch.

This is our third trip with KimKim in past two years.
We are huge KimKim fans.

The trip was 5 star all the way. Cecelia was terrific to work with.

Maria did a great job. There were a few misunderstandings due to language barrier between italian and english but it was a great experience overall. All of our guides we loved just maybe a different guide for the colosseum because even though she was informative, there were many times that we couldn't really understand too well cause of her very strong accent. Our private drivers were amazing as well and the conversation between Maria and the Storywalking team was excellent. Also, restaurant recommendations would be extremely helpful because it's not easy to find an amazing restaurant even when you search on google.

Hotel Reviews

Ca' dei Proverbi Suites

Venice

This was our favorite hotel experience so far! Beautiful, modern and luxurious shower

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Unconventional Hotel Sorrento 3* Sant'Agnello

Sant'Agnello

It was a great experience here. We loved our view and the shuttle service they provide is very helpful as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Donna Laura Palace

Roma

It's a great hotel with good breakfast selection.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Venice Walking Tour with St. Marks Basilica Access

Italy

Omg! We loved this experience and our guide so much!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amalfi Coast Private Boat Tour with Skipper

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Experience in a Local Home Restaurant

Rome

We loved it!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Colosseum Tour Including Roman Forum

Rome

It was a great experience, just wish we had a different guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very strong accent, couldn't really understand everything she was saying. She was very kind and accommodating but the language barrier was a bit of a let down

Transport

Rome Street Food Tour

Rome

DO IT! So worth it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican, Sistine Chapel & Saint Peter's Basilica

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Andrea did a wonderful job tailoring our perfect trip. He was readily available during our trip when we had some delays with our flight and always connected us with our drivers for the following days. Our most favorite part was exploring Pompeii with our fabulous guide and having a slower paced day exploring the beautiful city of Taormina. Each stop on the trip was better than the last. We did a pizza making class in which we will be making that recipe for many years to come, got to enjoy the beautiful Amalfi coastline by boat, hiked around Mt Vesuvius and Mt Etna, and meandered around Sicily. We were surprised at how crowded and congested Naples and Capri were and probably the part of the trip we enjoyed the least. Overall, it was an amazing 12 days packed full of everything we hoped to see, eat, and do. Thanks Andrea!

Hotel Reviews

Villa Elisio Hotel & Spa

Napoli

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Artemide

We wish we had more than one night in the gorgeous hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa Adele

Taormina

Nice, comfortable room and excellent staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right near the Catania Port

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Residence

Amalfi

Beautiful location and wonderful staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the coast

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Napoli Tree - Lungomare

Naples

Super cute B&B both a wonderful host.

Location

It was a short walk to everywhere we wanted to be

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Syracuse Neapolis Archaeological Park - private guide

Italy

After seeing Pompeii, these ruins weren’t as impressive but we loved our guide. He took time to explain the history, we discussed OUR cultural similarities/differences, and it was just a good time. He knew a lot of little nuances that we likely wouldn’t have known about just doing the tour on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mount Etna and Alcantara Gorge expedition - Small group

Italy

We thoroughly enjoyed this trip learning what makes Mt Etna special. The walk through the lava tube was fun and the hiking on Etna was a smooth, moderate walk. We were pretty disappointed with the gorge trek. Our thought going into it was that we would be suited up to walk through the gorge. Instead, we were taken to the water, told we had 45 minutes to explore, and meet back at the cars. We weren’t given any appropriate gear to walk in the water, nor a heads up to pack ahead of time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ancient Theater of Taormina entrance ticket

Italy

Our guide was passionate and super knowledgeable about the history. The views were amazing and we were introduced to the best granita afterwards.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day trip to Capri Island from The Amalfi Coast - small group

Italy

We thoroughly enjoyed the boat ride and our guide. He was knowledgeable and took us on a fun exploration along the coastline and around Capri. However, we had our vision of what Capri was going to be and it was too crowded for us (cruise ships kept dumping people by the hour) to enjoy. We felt we weren’t as informed about how to spend the best of our few hours on the island and wasted half of that time figuring it out.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Group Pompeii ruin visit

Italy

This was the highlight of our trip! Our guide was amazing and SO knowledgeable. She made the trip! There is so much that has been uncovered that gives great insight into what life was like back then. We were given ample opportunity to enjoy and learn about everything we saw.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vesuvius entrance ticket

Naples

We were dropped off right at the entrance and got to take our time hiking up and exploring. We enjoyed the self-paced atmosphere while getting to stop at all of the beautiful overlooks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naples guided tour on a bike

Italy

While we are decent bikers, we felt incredibly uncomfortable on this trip. Trying to balance on the wet cobblestones, on narrow roads full of people/vendors/scooters, and jumping in and out of cars, eventually just made us not feel safe. While our guide was knowledgeable and patient, and we saw a few neat things, it wasn’t worth it for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pizza Making class in Naples with lunch or dinner

Naples

Our interpreter did such a great job and our host was very patient in teaching us his craft. This was forever our most favorite pizza on our trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a great time in Italy and would not have been able to navigate the transportation without the help of KimKim. Our trip consisted of Naples, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, Positano, and Capri. KimKim took care of booking taxis, accommodations, and ferries. This was a much lower-stress way to travel and we were able to see and do more thanks to their help! Late September was the perfect time to go to Southern Italy and we had beautiful weather! The hotels were even better than expected. Unfortunately, our travel specialist was not available during our trip and we ran into a couple hiccups with the ferry tickets, but we we able to sort it out. We will definitely be using Kimkim for future travel planning and appreciate their assistance with a wonderful vacation, thank you!

The guide in the villa Borghese was great.
All the guides were good.
The guide in Pompei spent far too much time on the streets and the generalities of the city .
I had to force him to end all the preambles and proceed with the villa di Misterii which was the main reason for my visit in Pompei. We ended up having to rush and we spent very little time viewing the frescoes. He was already leaving when I just managed to make a quick video, and I had to run after him
because he was gone.
The guide to the Colosseum was only adequate, He spent unnecessary time on Capitoline Hill where there is nothing left to see, and he made us imagine what was there before. He described the orchards that were there to dissipate the smells of latrines and lack of hygiene after the imperial era.
So the result is that there was not enough time go to the Foro Romano which was my main reason to come back to Rome. We walked far too quickly and he did not name the remains of the various temples.
The accommodation in The Amalfi coast was OK, the staff very helpful. But the bathroom was poorly designed from the point of view of comfort and practicality.
In The hotel Mediterraneo , we were very lucky because they upgraded us to a Superior Room. It was a really beautiful and luxurious hotel.
It was a beautifully arranged trip.
We appreciated the quick responses to our questions by Storytelling Girl. And especially when we were in Italy, the problems we encountered on the spot were immediately answered and solved, like with texting. That was so important because we were on our own and helpless when some unforeseen situation arose.
Thank you very much, it was a great trip thanks to you.
Jacqueline von Rumel

Activity Reviews

Private Transfer from Naples to Amalfi Coast with Pompeii en route

Italy

Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour with Roman Forum

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Some guides did t too much time on unnecessary aspects. In Tome it was geared to young teenagers, instead of guiding mod historical background.

Transport

Capitoline Museums - Tickets

Rome

Fabulous

Self-Guided Visit of Museo Nazionale Romano - Tickets Only

Rome

Borghese Gallery tour

Rome

Fabulous

Quality of Experience

Melanie was a huge help planning our trip to Italy. All her suggestions and tips were super helpful.
The transfers were all on time and comfortable and the excursions and guides were amazing, especially our Wine Tour in Tuscany.
Planning our trip with KimKim took a lot of pressure and worries out of the process and made our trip that much more enjoyable. During the trip, if we had any questions, Melanie was always just a text away and she always responded immediately.
I would definitely use KimKim again or recommend them to anyone planning a first time trip to Italy.

Activity Reviews

Colosseo and Roman forums adventure

Rome

This was a great tour and our guide was amazing. She had a lot of knowledge and made the tour very interesting. It was so cool to learn of all the history behind the Colosseum and the Forum.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Boat tour along the Amalfi Coast

Sorrento

We had a private cruise along the Amalfi coast. Our driver spoke little English so he was a little difficult to communicate with but we managed. The itinerary was a little different than what was listed. I wish we got to actually get off the boat in Positano but we just cruised by. We only got 20 mins in Amalfi but we had an amazing lunch in Priano at this restaurant called Il Pirata which the company booked for us in advance. We ended up asking to stay there for an extra hour to swim on a Little Rock beach that was so cute otherwise we weren’t sure if we were going to get to swim at all.

Quality of Experience

I wish the tour had more stops and the boating time was at a quicker pace.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Olive and Wine Tasting in Tuscany Countrtyside

Italy

This was one of my favourite experiences of our trip. We had such a great group of people on our tour and the 3 wineries we visited were beautiful. We had a great driver and the whole day was amazing. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Accademia Gallery and Uffizi Masterclass Experience

Florence

The Accademia and Uffizi gallery tours were excellent. I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy them but I’m so glad we added it to our trip. We had the best guide for the Uffizi tour and I couldn’t imagine going through that gallery without one. There is so much to see but our tour guide gave us all the history behind the museum and showed us all the most important paintings and exhibits. Seeing David in person was surprisingly emotional and he is amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ferrari Museum Tour

Italy

The Ferrari museum tour is a fun experience for any car lover. You can take as much time as you like and there are options to do the simulator for an extra cost. I didn’t do it but it looked super fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Italy through Kimkim was flawless. Andrea did an amazing job with suggestions, drivers hotel, and tour reservations! Every detail was handled for us. He worked with us to make it just what we wanted. Having someone to reach out to while you’re there is so reassuring and he always got back to us quickly with any questions we had. I would highly recommend kimkim when planning any trip.

Hotel Reviews

47 Boutique Hotel

Rome

Great hotel with nice rooftop bar/restaurant in a good location We had a nice room with a private terrace with lots of greenery. We were shocked at how quiet the room was considering being in the middle of a city with traffic and sirens. They had a small gym and a steam room and shower.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close enough to walk to the colosseum and Trevi Fountain. Vatican was 2 miles but walked along the Tiber river which was beautiful and quicker than Uber. (Lots of traffic)

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Athena Siena

Siena

Hotel Athena is a fine hotel. Just kind of basic. There aren’t a lot of options if you want to be within walking distance to town, which is amazing! The shower was awful! No room to move where the shower head is located and there’s only half a door that doesn’t go up very high so water literally gets all over the entire bathroom! The breakfast was included but was at most average. The staff was nice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Could walk everywhere

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Eden Roc Positano

Positano

Great hotel with beautiful rooftop restaurants and pool. Amazing view. Very easy to walk to town

Authenticity & Character

Location

Could easily walk to restaurants and shops

Staff

Almost everyone was amazing. The rooftop bar service was slow. Lunch (salads) took an hour and not worth the wait

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had a suite with a great balcony. Hot tub, plus room for bistro table plus 2 lounge chairs

Activity Review

Half-day private boat exploration of the Amalfi Coast

Italy

The boat tour was great! Beautiful views and Franco was awesome. Brought us snacks and drinks and made the trip fun and special. We stopped and swam and also went to Amalfi for quick stop(very crowded and touristy). We stayed in Positano which is beautiful. Would highly recommend the private tour. The boat was amazing too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Franco had a great personality and was interesting and fun

Transport

Hello;

Would like to mention the 2 drivers we had on this past trip, who were excellent. Unfortunately both names escape me. Secondly, the guide that took us through Pompeii was also excellent. The trip was made special by the KimKim team and their guides, drivers etc. All well planned out and were there for us every step of the way.

Highly recommend KimKim to anyone travelling to Europe.

Thanks for making this trip so special.

Mary-Ann Labrie

1. Alexandro the driver in Tuscany was superb. He was very friendly and helpful and always seemed happy to go above and beyond what was required. When he dropped us at the hotel in La Spezia he made sure we could get in. He should meet us with a sign with our name so he is easy to find when we first met him at the train station in Florence.

2. The guide, Elena, to the Uffizi gallery in Florence was wonderful. She was friendly and very knowledgeable and made the viewings much more meaningful than if we had been alone.

3. We should be instructed to have a cell phone with an Italian number or have roaming on our phone as it seems to be vital to communicate

4. We should be forewarned of hotel tourist taxes.

5. The First Hotel in La Spezia was not good. It is an electronic check in. There is no front desk. Your instructions were to go to the front desk and have them arrange a taxi. We tried calling the hotel and listened to a recording telling us that the next available operator would take our call. It then hung up. We tried several times as we also wanted to report that the air conditioning did not work. It made for a very uncomfortable two nights. It would appear that this hotel was not vetted before booking us there.

6. We also tried calling the 24 hour number for Espíritu and could not get an answer.

7. The driver who picked us up at the Naples train station was very difficult to find. Our train was approximately 15 minutes late. I naively assumed the driver would know this. When we got off the train there were approximately 10-12 people standing in the arrivals area with name cards. None had our names. We tried to call the number given in the Trip Plans app but it did not work at all. We looked around for a while and then contacted the Espíritu person via messenger. He sent us the location of the driver. As we were unfamiliar with the area we had great difficulty finding him. We had to message the Espíritu person several times. It seemed that it was somehow our job to find the driver rather than the other way around. When we finally found the driver, I asked him why he hadn’t been at the arrivals area. He said that instruction was not in his contract. He seemed to feel that it was our fault that he had to wait an hour. He was not aware that the train had been delayed which he could easily have known if he had gone inside and checked the arrivals board.

8. The hotel in Pompei was very nice!

9. The guide to Pompei and Herculaneum, Viviana, did an excellent job of showing us the important parts and explaining the history of the locations.

10. The hotel in Sorrento was good. The location allowed us to easily walk to where we wanted. There was difficulty finding our driver when it was time to leave Amalfi. He initially went to the incorrect location. He was then trying to call an incorrect number. We had earlier informed our Espíritu contact of the only number that should be used to reach us while we were in Italy. We naively assumed that he would pass along that information to all of our upcoming drivers, guides, etc. When we learned that our Amalfi driver was still using the incorrect number, we made the effort to instruct our Espíritu contact to make sure that he passed on that piece of information.

11. Some of the drivers often did not display the level of service we expected from a KimKim trip.

12. The trip to Capri was enjoyable although we found it to be very crowded in most areas.

13. The exclusive guide (Francesca) on our first night in Rome was very good and provided an excellent tour and historical background on some major sights.

14. The colosseum and Roman Forum were very interesting and the guide, Manny, was very good. He was very knowledgeable and was able to answer all of our questions.

15. The gastronomical tour went very well. Our guide kept the tour interesting by giving us commentary on the food we were eating as well as the history of the places we went. It would have been better if she had introduced herself as we never learned her name.

16. The Vatican including the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica are amazing but very crowded. Our guide hurried us through and had poor English. The radios we were given for the tour were not very good quality. She also did not introduce herself.

17. The location of our hotel in Rome was central to the places we visited and so was a good selection.

18. In every case on this trip where we had to meet a guide it would have been helpful if we knew the name of the guide and/or the tour company in advance. Several times we had to ask various guides if we were supposed to be with them. They would usually ask us for a registration number which we did not have.

19. When we investigated this trip with KimKim we were quoted a price which we agreed to pay. Later, we requested that additional items be added to the trip and were quoted an additional cost. We agreed to the quoted price. When we attempted to make a payment, the cost was found to have increased by $50 with no explanation. When we queried the additional cost, we found that the price had risen by another $6.52. A rather poor explanation was given for the price increase. Then the $6.52 disappeared but the additional $50 remained. We are very disappointed by this lack of professionalism. When we are quoted a price and agree to it, that is the price we expect to pay. This sudden switching of prices leaves us with a very bad impression of KimKim. If a mistake was made in the original price quote, it is too late to make a change. A professional organization would know this fact and ensure that the error was kept within KimKim. Because of this fact, there is little chance that we will choose KimKim services in the future or that we will recommend KimKim to others.

Hotel Reviews

La Spezia by The First

La Spezia

Very difficult to get into. No front desk. No person on duty. Impossible to reach anyone.

Authenticity & Character

Better signage

Location

Staff

It would have been helpful if there were staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The air conditioning did not work and the phone number of the hotel answered with a recorded message and then hung up.

Hotel del Sole

Pompei

Excellent hotel. A spacious room. A great location.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely and roomy with great decor.

Location

Close to the Pompei ruins

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel del Mare

Sorrento

Great location within easy walking distance of everywhere we wanted to go. This hotel caters to the North American traveller.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Helpful and always available.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Navona Colors

Rome

We did not stay at this hotel.

Activity Reviews

Visit of Uffizi Gallery with an Art Historian

Florence

A superb guide who knew the gallery and its art intimately.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver was superb

Tuscan Day Trip to Siena and San Gimignano with Lunch & Wine Tasting

Florence

The towns are nice and worth a visit. The wine at the vineyard was mediocre.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting and Typical Tuscan Lunch in San Gimignano

Italy

Lunch was good but the wine was mediocre

Quality of Experience

A better winery

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cinque Terre Sunset Cruise

Cinque Terre

A great experience. It included swimming in the Mediterranean and barbecued prawns and swordfish prepared on the boat. One of the best meals of the entire trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit to Pompeii with Archeaologist

Italy

A fascinating place with a tremendous amount of history learned. A knowledgable guide.

Quality of Experience

The guide observed that a cruise ship had docked that day and reversed the order of our excursion so that we were not so crowded.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amalfi Coast Sunset Cruise

Italy

This was probably a great cruise for most but the sea was quite rough that day which made me seasick

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

After the trip the driver who came to pick us up went to the wrong location. He was trying to reach us at a number that was no longer in service even though we had instructed the trip organizer of the only correct number that should be used.

Colosseum & Roman Forum Visit: Arena Access, Gladiators Gate & Ancient City

Rome

A good guide although we had difficult finding him as the meeting point is for several different tour groups and we were not given any information as to the name of the company or person leading the tour. The colosseum and Roman Forum are very interesting to see although both are quite crowded.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked

Guided Visit: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Rome

These are both amazing places but very crowded. We were rushed through much of the museums and did not get much time to appreciate all that was there to see. The Sistine Chapel is so crowded that it is difficult to move.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide did not introduce herself and spoke poor English. The radio transmitter/receiver systems we were given to use so that we could hear her explanations and instructions were poor quality.

Transport

We walked.

Exclusive Private Guided Visit of Rome Highlights

Rome

An excellent guide. On this occasion we were told the name of the company that was providing the tour and the guide met us at the designated location with a sign indicating who she was.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked.

Campo de’ Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Food Experience

Rome

Once again we were not given any information as to who our guide was or what company was providing the tour which made it difficult to find our guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

An interesting set of foods in various locations made this a worthwhile experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was wonderful as she gave us history lessons of the areas we visited as well as the food we were eating. She did not introduce herself.

Transport

We walked.

Our trip was fabulous! All of the hotels were really nice and their locations were close to all the attractions. Our tour leaders were great, and very knowledgeable on the subjects at hand. All of our transfers were on time, and the drivers were very cordial. All of the sites that Martina suggested were great, and we loved the different wineries she selected for us to visit. We would definitely use kimkim again in the future.

Activity Review

Private boat tour of Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre

This boat tour was one of our favorite activities of our whole trip. Our host was great, knew the area well, and his English was perfect. He even had bread, pesto, and wine made by his neighbor on the boat for us and it was all exceptional!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Susan and I had an amazing Italy experience. Our guides were so knowledgeable and very friendly. We were extremely lucky to have beautiful weather during our trip. All the excursions were so wonderful! The only thing I was taken back by was the amount of people in the Colosseum and the Vatican- it was difficult to listen to the guide, take pictures and stay with the group. But, I guess that’s to be expected… The only suggestion I have- would be to make visitors aware if they are going to the Vatican/Sistine Chapel, that they need to cover their shoulders and knees 😊..
I want to Thank you again, Francesco, for such an awesome adventure❣️🇮🇹

Hotel Review

Trevi Collection Hotel

Rome

Very helpful staff…Amazing breakfast…Great view

Authenticity & Character

Staff and views

Location

You are steps away from the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Gondola Ride

Venice

Just a wonderful way to go through the back alleys

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

On his phone the majority of time

Transport

MURANO, BURANO AND TORCELLO EXCURSION

Venice

Love, love, loved visiting all 3 islands

Quality of Experience

The guide was super! Walking through the streets, visiting the shops

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pizza and gelato making class

Florence

Never made pizza or gelato before. The ingredients were basic, but the end product was delicious!

Quality of Experience

The chefs

Explore Pompeii on the way to Naples

Italy

Can’t believe how much has survived over the centuries. How the people lived, the politics, the businesses and the design of the city.

Quality of Experience

The history

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Anna was a perfect guide and great sense of humor!

Transport

Amalfi Coast experience from Sorrento

Sorrento

So much beauty in one place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roberto was a great guide- full of history and humor- lived him!

Transport

Capri self guided day-trip with hydrofoil tickets

Sorrento

Beautiful, narrow roads-but they know hiw to maneuver them😳

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We didn’t crash or get run off the road😂

Colosseum, Roman Forums and Palatine Hill

Rome

Unbelievable! Glad we had a guide- lots of people going through and lots of steps- wear comfy shoes..

Quality of Experience

Vatican & Sistine Chapel - Small Group Tour

Rome

Just overwhelmed! The beauty within these walls.

Quality of Experience

Sooo many people- felt rushed and stressed

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vincenzo and Gabriele were fantastic! Very responsive and easy to deal with. Their help in organizing the tours, train rides and pick-ups/drop-offs was great. However, their ability to find and curate the right accommodations for our needs/wants was tremendous - we loved every hotel we stayed in - it was exactly what we wanted :) Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco

Florence

The Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco in Florence was lovely with a large room featuring a beautifully frescoed ceiling. The bed was very comfortable, the breakfast was nice, and it was within walking distance of the city center, making it very convenient. Easy access for taxis was an added bonus. Everything worked well, including the elevator and shower. Overall, it was a great stay with no complaints.

Hotel Miramare

Sorrento

Hotel Miramare on the Amalfi Coast offered a stunning view from the terrace, which we absolutely loved. We enjoyed leisurely evenings on the deck with takeout. It was quite a distance from the center of Sorrento, about a 25-minute walk with some hilly parts and limited sidewalks. It didn't deter us, but it's something to be aware of. The hotel met our expectations for a relaxing stay.

Relais Vignale & Spa

Radda in Chianti SI

Relais Vignale & Spa in Tuscany provided a fantastic view and a charming room with a little terrace. However, their restaurant was overpriced and underwhelming. Despite the dining disappointment, the overall experience in the hotel and Radda town was positive.

La Casa Di Lucio Hotel Relais

matera

La Casa Di Lucio Hotel Relais in Matera was truly special, featuring rooms built into caves. Although carrying luggage across cobbled streets was challenging, the unique room more than made up for it. The location highlighted the historical richness of Matera, making for a memorable stay.

Borgo d'Itria - Trulli Resort

Monopoli

Borgo d'Itria - Trulli Resort was charming, but not quite as spacious as previous accommodations. We faced an issue initially with the air conditioning, but it was resolved promptly. This wouldn't have bother us much, but the room was more compact than expected, lacking a window for air ventilation until the AC was fixed.

Activity Reviews

Visit a lemon grove & taste local Limoncello

Italy

The tour of the lemon grove was enjoyable and family-run, located about a half-hour walk from our hotel. While the setting was lovely, we were caught off-guard by mosquitoes and the tour duration change from one hour in our booking to two hours on the day. However, the opportunity to buy Limóncello at the end of the tour was great and we really enjoyed it.

Private Gondola Ride

Venice

The Private Gondola Ride in Venice was a lovely experience, offering views of the city from the water. Unfortunately, the ride was shorter than expected, lasting only 18 minutes despite a 30-minute booking. We're glad we did it, but this mismatch in advertised versus actual duration was a little disappointing.

What an amazing trip! Our specialist Georgia and her team did an awesome job of coordinating all aspects of our trip and satisfying our wishes of great food, adventure, and iconic sites. Our guides Lucia and Alessandro showed us more than the sites …they shared off the beaten path stops and great stories! Would definitely recommend Kim Kim!

Hotel Review

Grand Hotel De La Ville

Sorrento

Beautiful hotel! Walking distance to all of Sorrento. The food and service truly 5 star!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Our server Antonio made us feel like we were the only guests in the hotel.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Neapolitan Street Food & Local Market Experience

Naples

The tour of Naples was great! We were able to get oriented so that we could easily explore on our own the next day. We weren’t prepared for so much fried and dough based foods however

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vesuvius Volcano Adventure Guided Visit with Lunch and Wine Tasting

Naples

The experience was amazing! How many people can tell their friends and family they climbed Mt Vesuvius? Our drivers Eddie and “Peppie” were awesome!

Quality of Experience

Climbing an active volcano!!!

Food

Great pasta and wine pairing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Their personalities

Transport

Day Excursion to Capri Island and Anacapri

Italy

Beautiful experience! Our guide Lucia was amazing! She shared history and stories that made the island come alive! She wanted us to remember our day and had us posing for pictures instead of us taking selfies all day!

Quality of Experience

Lucia!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

There was a lack of communication regarding who where and when to get our tickets for the ferry to the island. Should have had that information the day before

Explore Sorrento

Italy

Loved Sorrento! Clean, easy to get around, beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Amalfi Coast Sunset Cruise

Italy

Due to weather this excursion was cancelled

Private Full Day Amalfi Experience

Italy

Our guide Alessandro was amazing. He knew what we wanted to see and experience and took us to all those special places. He knew we loved to cook and took us to Gargiulo for an olive oil tasting! Another stope was Ceramiche Casola ceramics factory. Lunch at Calajanara Restaurant with a table overlooking the sea was breathtaking. And what’s not to love about Positano?

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Andrea was extremely helpful and really understood our requirements. It was very beneficial to have someone in-country to provide immediate assistance, which we did require a few times throughout the trip. He was helpful, as were the drivers and the person people who managed the AirBNB's.

All in all, we had a wonderful trip!

Hotel Reviews

Casa Lucienne

The apartment was in a perfect location. The apartment was clean and well decorated. My only piece of feedback is that for a family of 5 adults, the bedroom with the trundle bed was too small for an adult and the mattress was just adequate. The room is large enough to have a double bed, or if you are going to keep a trundle, get a better mattress and then it should not have a footboard, as tall people do not fit comfortably.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Piazza Bellini & Apartments

Naples

The family style room and the room for 2 were very comfortable and spacious. Staff was friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Colosseum Luxury View Apartment

Our family of 5 adults were very comfortable in this apartment and if was very close to the activities in Rome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cooking Class *****

Italy

Chef was very good and the location was fantastic. There is very little cooking involved; we got to prepare the food, but we didn't get to cook it....

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Capri Island from The Amalfi Coast - small group

Italy

It was a very rough ride with Jolly Boats and the captain was by himself, so it's extremely difficult to stop, dock and man the boat with just one person. Definitely should have had 2 people managing this boat ride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pompeii ruin visit with a private guide

Italy

Knowledgeable and passionate guide! I had been there before, but he opened more doors, and we saw new items of interest.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Winery visit and wine tasting in Pompeii area including light lunch

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naples guided walk

Italy

Betta was a wonderful guide! She really listened to what we wanted to do, and helped us to get around the city!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum and Roman Forum - Private guide

Rome

Tour was good. The original guide was swapped out the last minute, so the meeting place was very confusing.....

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum & Roman Forum skip the line ticket

Rome

Good to skip the line.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel - private guide

Rome

Our guide was amazing!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel skip the line ticket

Rome

Guide was amazing! We truly enjoyed this tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome Private Guided Walk

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a very good experience with Rita from initial contact to planning and booking the various aspects of our trip. There were some aspects that did not meet our expectations. For the most part, guides contacted us through What's App to confirm and clarify. This was greatly appreciated as we had some communication failures on a number of occasions. There were also times with accommodations that may have been a great property but the room location and/or size/quality missed the mark. For example...
Accomodations
For the most part about half of the hotels met our expectations or more.
Accomodations that met or exceeded our expectations
- El Faro, Alghero
- Baunei, La Bitta (Room overlooked the parking lot a highway but everything else was awesome.
Fantastic location, hotel but maybe not the view we would have desired
- Balocco, Porto Cervo - Beautiful Resort but Garden view.
- Quarry Resort, Matera - Awesome but no view at all. Room was great
- Hilton DoubleTree, Amsterdam - great location from train, nice room (upgraded)
Accomodations that were far below expectations
T Hotel, Cagliari - We realize the hotel Rita wanted to book was unavailable. G7 Finance Ministers were also in town but the room wasn't great, aweful view and even the hotel staff told us there wasn't much around us. It was a good 30 to 40 minute hike to get toward the marina and places we wanted to go. We feel this choice was well below expectations even knowing the circumstances
- Masseria Francescani, Lecce
This was the first major let down. We had a tough time pulling it together to enjoy the rest of the trip. The property was interesting but we ended up in a horrible room. It was likely a servant quarters recently as it is location on it's own at the very back of the building next to the kitchen and delivery trucks. The room was very dated and cobbled together. The shower curtain rod was rusty and the room was renovation years ago to provide wheelchair access. Even the Masseria staff apologized for the room and let us know it wasn't great but they had nice rooms if we wanted to come back.
Dimore di Brando, Polignano a Mare
This was expected to be the highlight of or trip. We had 4 nights to explore the region and enjoy this area of Puglia. Major disappointment in many aspects.
Very difficult to find. Davida is a very nice man. Jodie was roaming the area trying to find the room. She called the hotel to find out where to park. Davida asked if it was Jodie as he was anxious to get in touch with us. He explained he never received contact info to guide us through the check in process. We eventually connected and they sent a staff member to the parking area to help us. Parking was about 5 blocks away which we were expecting.
When we hauled our luggage to the room it was a ground level room in one of the busiest parts filled with street merchants and tour groups passing our door. The room was a complete miss from all aspects. It literally had no windows. The door was glass and it had a port hole but if the door was blocked for any reason we would have been trapped. The bed size was not what we requested, the room was incredibly small. We smashed our heads on overhanging rock several times. It was brutal. We came close to abandoning that room for one with a terrace and view but decided to stick it out. It was tough to get past.
Tours and Activities
All booked tours and activities were excellent, we had a number of activities booked and all were very informative and enjoyable. All guides were in touch in advance for the most part which really helped with the overall experience.
There was a tapas tour in Olbia where we arrived well in advance to the meeting point but were unable to locate tour guide. After contacting you via the chat feature, we decided to get back on the road to our hotel as a major rain storm was starting. Once on our way back your team responded as to where the guide was and we realized we were right there, in the square in front of that restaurant before we decided to leave. By this time we were on our way back to hotel, 40 minute drive, and caught in a rain storm like we have never experienced. All the guide had to do was to look out into the square and see two people looking around, we were virtually the only two people looking like we were looking for something, Outside of this issue, two of our sailing adventures were cancelled due to high winds, which is beyond anyone's control.
We do want to add that the app with links for driving and sights to see was really appreciated, helped us in getting around and seeing things we probably wouldn't have seen. All contact when needed was responded to within a timely manner.
You should know we have referred two different groups to KimKim and expect another 3 or 4 friends to move forward with KimKim in the near future.

Activity Reviews

Ape Calessino Tour in Matera & Aperitivo on Panoramic Terrace

Italy

Great day and great guide!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Experience in Otranto & Trekking at the Bauxite Caves

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Excursion of La Maddalena Archipel from Palau

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Everything was excellent!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sardinian Tapas Tasting in Olbia

Olbia

This is covered off in our comments

Guided Visit of Alghero & Wine Tasting

Alghero

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Excursion on a Sailboat to Asinara from Stintino

Italy

This was cancelled by tour group due to high winds

Lecce’s Gastronomic Experience

Italy

Great day and guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family-Owned Winery Visit: Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting in the Itria Valley

Italy

Great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bari Behind Doors: Guided Visit with a Local

Italy

Great guide, great day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Farm Visit in Puglia: Cheese-Making Laboratory and Local Product Tasting

Italy

Great experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Dinghy Trip Excursion to Sant'Antioco or Carloforte

Cagliari

This was cancelled by tour group due to high winds

Chris took care of every detail for us. Every luxury hotel, every private tour, every limo. ride, every meal - was beyond our expectations.

Because of Chris’s patience, guidance, and knowledge, my wife, my two teen daughters and I had the best vacation we have ever been on,’m. We traveled, toured and ate our way thru 5 star accommodations throughout Italy with ease and kind interactions with all the people that Chris connected us with.

We cant wait to plan our trip to Paris in April with him.

Evening bicycle tour of Rome was incredible. The trip was very well planned and organized. The drivers that were scheduled were always courteous and and on time. Giulia is extremely knowledgeable and responsive.

Our hotel accommodations were good for the most part. We loved the hotel in Rome and the villa in Tuscany was more than acceptable. The Cinque Terre hotel location was excellent, especially the view we had from our room. I would have enjoyed a 4 star facility but believe one was not avalable.

Overall, Giulia and Kimkim did an outstanding job. We will not only use them again but will recommend them to friends.

Activity Reviews

Guided Visit to the Colosseum & Roman Forum

Rome

Heavy rain hindered our tour but that wasn't the fault of the guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Rome

Very crowded and the "front of the line pass" didn't appear to do much good. Sistine Chapple was so crowded you could hardly move.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome: E-Bike Evening Tour with Italian Dinner

Rome

The view of Rome in the evening provides a different perspective of the historic sites. It was absolutely beautiful and our guide was not only knowledgeable, but extremely friendly and courteous.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport