Kimkim Trip Reviews for Italy

If you're a travel advisor collaborating with a multi-generational family on a stay in Tuscany and/or the Amalfi Coast, you owe it to yourself to reach out to Italy Charme (Melanie is my go-to there) to have as your in-country partner. They go above and beyond to make sure clients experience Italy like a local! No question I (or any of my clients' 1000s ;)) had was too difficult (or dumb) for them to assist me -- making me look like the expert in the US with my expert partners in-country in Italy. We had worked on this itinerary for over 6 months, and Melanie (and the rest of the team at Italy Charme) allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief, even while my clients (family of 10, ages 3 to 85) were going from one villa to the next . . . and all the little towns worth seeing in between. I wouldn't hesitate to collaborate with Melanie and her team at Italy Charme with future client requests in Italy!

This was my second client trip in Italy, where I was able to collaborate with Melanie and her team at Italy Charme. Her (and their) assistance in helping me understand the intricacies of the two destinations that I wasn't that familiar with (Palermo/Sicily, and Puglia) was how it started, and their care for my clients during their entire time in Southern Italy-- even changing tours at the last minute-- was the icing on the cake for how they made us look like Rock Stars to our shared clients. They even assisted me with snags that neither of us could have planned for (caused by the clients) without creating more chaos or issues. I highly encourage other Travel Advisors and agencies to collaborate with Italy Charme for your client needs in all of Italy-- you won't regret it!

Rita put together the trip of a lifetime! This was our first trip to Italy (won’t be our last). My family and I thank you!

Activity Reviews

A True Taste of Tuscany: Olive Oil & Wine Tasting

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tuscany at Sunset: A Wine & Dinner in Chianti Vineyard

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pasta Cooking Workshop & Wine Tasting in a Countryside Estate

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Giulia did a masterful job turning our wishes into an amazing itinerary. Best of all, she made it all work seamlessly with some great guides! Maria and Luca in Rome, Alexandra in Florence, Alessandra in Como, Giovanni in Venice, Stephan behind the wheel to San Gimignano were just wonderful. Pleasant, informed, entertaining and enthusiastic!

Great trip to be remembered! Thanks Kim Kim!

Brown Family

We did three excursions and had drivers to each and had a driver from the airport.

Kim Kim was not good, or great but exceptional. Every person was professional, friendly and it ran like clockwork.

We had an amazing time in Sicily. Thank you!

Hotel Review

Hotel Sunset

Cefalù

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Driver at disposal

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Meet a "Manna" producer and discover an ancient tradition

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Driver at disposal

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Sunset Boat Ride in Cefalù

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All of the guides were so nice and knowledgeable. We especially enjoyed our time with Marco during our visit to lake Cuomo. Even though it was super crowded Marco was able to get us on and off the boat in a very efficient manner he also modified our train trip for us because of an unanticipated delay which was a very clever way to help us enjoy the most for our time there. Marco went above and beyond, he even found us an exclusive restaurant with beautiful views. This was an amazing tour and we will always remember the hospitality that Marco gave us and a real flavor for the local culture!

We especially enjoyed our Milan experience where the driver for my daughter came back to the hotel to deliver her her passport that she left in the car! Grazie mile!!!! The hotel the Square Milano Duomowas also extremely comfortable and welcoming they even let my daughter check in before me without her passport.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Barocco

Rome

Very charming hotel - we especially enjoyed the breakfast and the staff that served us there!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The air conditioning did not de-humidify very well.

Rivoli Boutique Hotel

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful and unique decor with beautiful plants everywwhere, we especially loved the jasmine right outside our apartment!

Location

within walking distance to all!

Staff

Our staff were very helpful in going out of their way to help us with dinner reservations!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our suite was a little noisy as it was right next to the restaurant. On the last day there was a huge leak in our apartment with water pouring from n the ceiling, they also lost power - we were glad to have been checking out that day.

Hotel The Square Milano Duomo

Milan

Very clean and upscale hotel! You will feel very welcomed -great location too!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rome Unearthed: Guided Walk of Colosseum & Ancient City

Rome

Hands-On Roman Pasta Cooking Class in the Historic Jewish Quarter

Rome

A Food Lover’s Rome: Campo de’ Fiori, Jewish Ghetto & Trastevere

Rome

Half-Day Chianti Wine Experience

Florence

A Day on Lake Como: From Varenna to Bellagio

Milan

We had guided tours of Milan, Verona, and Venice. All the guides were knowledgeable and gave excellent tours. We particularly enjoyed the guide in Verona and Venice.

Hotel Reviews

Ca' Pozzo Inn

Venice

This was a nice hotel tucked away in a quite part of town. It was perfect for our visit to Venice. Breakfast was good. The room was clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Garni Snaltnerhof

Ortisei

We enjoyed this hotel. It was in a great location. The room was sizeable and comfortable. Breakfast was very good. We were not expecting the public transportation ticket that came with the room. This came in very handy and we used public transportation for 2 days with ease. It was a super perk.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Briosa

Bolzano

This hotel was very unique and reminded us of Ikea with the more modern style. The room was large and clean and the shower was great. Breakfast was very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Indigo Verona - Grand Hotel Des Arts

Verona

We enjoyed this hotel. It was close to the main train station for easy access. We didn't realize the room bar was included until arrival but it included only 1 beer and some water and juice - not really a great perk... The room was sizeable, clean, breakfast was really good, the shower was nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Antica Locanda dei Mercanti

Milan

We really liked this hotel. We were not aware before hand that you have to enter a hallway to access the hotel. When we arrived we entered the hallway and someone came and closed the large doors behind us. It was a little scary for a moment until we found a stair case leading up to the hotel and were greeted by hotel staff. The room was comfortable and large and the shower was excellent!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover Venice: From St. Mark's Basilica to the Doge’s Palace with Terrace Access

Italy

Our guide was excellent and knowledgeable. We were able to enter the Basilica and Palace and the guide added valuable information to the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Art of Fresh Pasta: A Hands-On Venetian Cooking Class

Venice

This was a fun experience. The explanation and directions of where to go were lacking some details. The experience was in the upper most floor of a building that had to be accessed by ringing the doorbell. While we figured this out easy enough it would have been easier to have that information up front. The cooking class was fun and the chef was fun and interesting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bolzano Food Walk: Flavors of the Dolomites

Italy

This was a fun tour of the old town of Bolzano and to learn about some of the history and the food. The guide was excellent and was local so took us to very unique and great stops on the tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

In the Footsteps of Romeo & Juliet in Verona

Italy

Our guide was excellent and we enjoyed walking through Verona. The tour did not include many entries so be aware of the fact that you will just be walking by most of the sites. This was fine for us since our time in the city was short.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Best of Milan Guided Walk

Italy

The tour was a quick overview of the sights in Milan. It did not include any entries and that was a bit disappointing but okay for the time we had to spend in the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

not applicable

Everything with KimKim from start to finish was fantastic! From the first time I posed my ideas to the actual execution of the trip, I felt heard and supported. They planned the perfect out-of-the-way three day excursion to Cefalu and Cerda (my grandfather's birthplace) before we transferred to Taormina. Not too many people choose Cerda as a destination, so KimKim arranged for a hotel in Cefalu and tours in the city/surrounding area. We took a sunset boat cruise with Sealand Tours which was fantastic because of the captain and his wife; they were so welcoming and fun! We went to meet a manna producer on the top of a mountain which we all loved WAY more than we expected! We had no idea what manna was or why it was a notable stop, but all of that changed once we met Mario. Madonie Explorers did a great job joining with Sealand and Mario. Storywalkingtours was our in-country contact and they answered every question and request in a timely manner and gave us an overview of each day the night before, which was so helpful.

I can't say enough positive things about our experience because of everyone involved in planning it. I 100% recommend everyone I just mentioned for top-notch planning and communication.

Hotel Review

Hotel Sunset

Cefalù

This hotel is not only at a perfect location right down the street from all of the restaurants and bars, but it was a little oasis on its own. The rooms are a bit smaller than we are used to in America; however it was very comfortable, clean, and well-appointed. Everyone on the staff was pleasant and eager to help us. They were also very patient with our broken Italian! There are multiple outdoor areas for lounging, there is a rooftop bar with an infinity-edge pool overlooking downtown Cefalu, and live piano music in the lobby a few nights a week. The beach is literally across the street, it's in a quiet location, and is a five-minute walk to the start of the bars and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

So many areas to sit and enjoy the view of Cefalu and the sea

Location

Perfect distance if you want easy access to downtown, but a place to escape the noise at night.

Staff

They were helpful and kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean!

Activity Reviews

Meet a "Manna" producer and discover an ancient tradition

Italy

We had NO IDEA what to expect here, but were blown away by what we saw. Mario is on of 18 manna producers left in the world and learning about the process on the top of a mountain was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Once we got to the top, we saw his "office" which is a collection of ash trees (manna sap) olive trees, and almond trees. We learned about his ability to graph various trees and his deep knowledge of manna harvesting. Even though the manna was not being harvested when we visited, we got to try some from the season before!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Driver at disposal

Italy

Every driver was attentive and professional!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Professionally dressed, always offered water, there were phone chargers in the back seats

Transport

Clean, large, beautiful rides each time

Private Sunset Boat Ride in Cefalù

Italy

This was one of our favorite activities of the trip! Captain Alex and his wife Melinda (ex-pat from Indiana) were so friendly, welcoming, and fun! As we went along the coast of Cefalu, Melinda gave us some of the history, pointed out landmarks, and gave us some of the inside scoop on the real estate and hotels. As we anchored for the sunset, they brought out food and drinks for aperitivo with a perfectly-paired playlist. We waved goodbye to the sun as it set on the horizon and got to see Cefalu in a whole new light on the way back.

Quality of Experience

Didn't know what to expect and loved it!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fun and knowledgeable. I felt safe the whole time and learned a lot

Transport

Smooth, slow ride which is perfect for people who might not like being on the water.

We had a very flexible itinerary with one pre-arranged event and it worked out really well for us as we could adjust as we needed to to fit our schedule and energy level (after having just come off an organized tour). Rita did a great job putting it all together. We didn't get to stay in one hotel location but the team was proactive in quickly getting us another accommodation before our arrival. We were especially appreciative of having contacts while we traveled to address things or answer questions if needed. We were also very appreciative of parking suggestions and mapped locations for the towns we visited.

Activity Review

Puglia’s Liquid Gold: Olive Oil Experience and Lunch at a Historic Masseria

Italy

Beautiful location and knowledgeable employee who gave us some good understanding of the olive trees. The olive oil tasting and lunch were very nice.

My friend and I recently used Kimkim to plan our trip to Italy, and we could not be happier with the experience. From start to finish, the process was seamless, personalized, and completely stress-free. What we loved most about Kimkim was how easy it made the planning process. The platform connected us with a local expert who actually knows the region, which is a massive upgrade from trying to piece together an itinerary through random blogs and booking sites. Every single ticket was booked for us ahead of time, making the logistics completely effortless on our end.

A huge, special shoutout goes to Leslie, our local specialist! Leslie was absolute pleasure to work with. Leslie took the time to understand what my friend and I were looking for—balancing our budget, pacing, and must-see sights. One of the best parts of the experience was the dedicated WhatsApp group chat they set up for us. It was incredibly helpful for getting prompt, quick responses to our questions from pre-trip planning all the way through the trip itself. Every evening, we received a daily reminder in the chat detailing the plan and schedule for the next day, which kept us organized and totally relaxed.

If you are looking to take a trip either alone or with family/friends, but don't want the headache of spending dozens of hours planning it, use Kimkim and ask for Leslie. Knowing we had a direct line of communication and that all of our logistics were handled gave us ultimate peace of mind. We will absolutely be using this service for our next adventure!

Hotel Reviews

Boutique Hotel Galatea

Rome

Convenient location to easily walk to the famous sights. Great for a short stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Florida

Sorrento

Great view from the balcony! Quiet and cosy surrounding.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Modigliani

Roma

Short walk from the train station, super convenient. Just be prepared for an uphill climb with luggage!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Olimpia

Venice

Short walk from the train station, good breakfast options and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

7Florence B&B

Florence

Great location, convenient and good options for when you are likely to spend most of your time walking around the city. Clean and comfortable place to get a good night's rest!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just opposite the train station

Staff

Very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Storywalking Experience: Full Day Tour of Positano, Amalfi and Ravello with Limoncello Tour & Tasting

Italy

Such a fun experience driving through Amalfi, making limoncello and being entertained by the guide. He definitely scaled up the experience a lot.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Naples to Amalfi Coast with Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius en route - Self Guided

Italy

Super convenient to be driven around and shown all the sights. Guide was great and very friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highlights of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour with Roman Forum

Rome

Guide was so so good at explaining everything slowly and allowing us to really experience the whole tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pantheon Guided Tour

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Venice to Dolomites and Cortina Day Trip

Venice

Despite the weather, the guide made the trip really fun and memorable for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Venice Shared Walking Tour with St. Marks Basilica & Doge's Palace

Italy

Wonderful guide who was so patient and knew so much about the history and sights and was willing to share with us. She even gave us tips on what dishes we must have and where to find it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Train Tickets Florence > Pisa and viceversa

Italy

Great to have all the bookings made for us

Quality of Experience

Pisa Leaning Tower Tickets & Square of Miracles Monuments - Only Tickets

Italy

Hand-made Pasta & Typical Dessert Cooking Class*

Florence

Loved the experience. Great for beginners. The chefs took their time to show us how its done and made the class really fun!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maximo was a wonderful

Hotel Review

Hotel Sunset

Cefalù

Great hotel and staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Sunset Boat Ride in Cefalù

Italy

Great hosts. Friendly and with excellent knowledge and skill.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our local specialist Jessica with Storywalking was very informative, flexible and so helpful during our trip planning sessions. Both of the boutique hotel accommodations were of high quality providing a high level of personalized service.

Every event and day trip, including planned meetings with our transportation drivers were executed flawlessly. Our driver to Bologna accommodated my “on the fly” addition to our plans without hesitation.

Our only trip “hiccup” was my confusion regarding a museum event that was resolved in minutes with a call to KimKim.

Highly Recommended!

Our trip to Italy was absolutely wonderful, and much of that was thanks to the exceptional planning and organization by Alex and his team. Every detail was thoughtfully arranged, from accommodations and transportation to tours and daily logistics, allowing us to fully enjoy the experience without worrying about the details.
The itinerary was well-balanced, giving us the opportunity to explore Italy's rich history, beautiful landscapes, and incredible cuisine.
What we appreciated most was the peace of mind that came from knowing everything had been taken care of. Instead of focusing on schedules and arrangements, we were able to immerse ourselves in the culture, sights, and experiences that made the trip so memorable.
We are extremely grateful to the team for their professionalism, attention to detail, and dedication that went into making our Italian vacation such a success.
Diliana was extremely helpful and always available and quick to help us when we had any questions.
Our guide in Florence was very versed in the history and gave us a fabulous tour. Also, our driver and guide Luca gave us a phenomenal tour when we spent a day with him touring Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. Five stars to Luca!
We would highly recommend Alex and his team from kimkim to anyone looking for a seamless, stress-free, and truly enjoyable travel experience.

Hotel Review

Hotel Residence Amalfi

Amalfi

Our stay at Hotel Residence in Amalfi was absolutely exceptional. Waking up to panoramic vistas of the sparkling coastline and enjoying sunset from the terrace made this trip truly unforgettable. A particular highlight was the incredible Michelin-starred restaurant in the hotel. The dining experience was outstanding, with exquisite cuisine, impeccable service, and a stunning setting that perfectly complemented our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Conveniently located.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Capri, Anacapri & Blue Grotto

Sorrento

Quality of Experience

Blue Grotto was an experience of a lifetime!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Trip to Pompeii

Naples

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gulf of Naples Sunset Cruise

Naples

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pisa, Siena & San Gimignano Day Trip with Lunch & Wine Tasting

Florence

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Trip to Positano, Amalfi & Ravello

Sorrento

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private City Walk with Michelangelo's David

Florence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The KimKim team did a flawless job for our recent trip to Italy. Every transfer, hotel, tour, ticketing and communication went exactly as it should have. Our private tour guide were all amazing and gave us the best experiences. It was a relief to have the support because Italy is so very busy and KimKim made it possible for us to enjoy our trip and not stress. I HIGHLY recommend Giorgia, Beatrice and Anita and all who helped us have an amazing vacation!

I honestly cannot say enough positive things about the service I received from Caterina and Anna at KimKim. I am disabled and they were incredibly thoughtful and forward-thinking about how to make my trip, and especially all of the transitions, remarkably stress-free. They truly went the extra mile for me and their kindness and professionalism made a positive impact on my experience! They partnered with Venice tour services provider, Your Custom Journey, which was truly the best and most knowledgeable tour support services I have every had. This trip was extremely important to me as I am becoming progressively disabled and so needed to take this trip at this time of my life and make the very best of it. They succeeded on ALL levels! I highly recommend them!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Firenze

Venice

Hotel Firenze in Venice was my absolute favorite! The deep soaking tub was a blessing for my chronic pain—allowing me to do much more after soaking. The location was perfect for easy access to come back and relax, and then head out again. The staff were over-the-top friendly, providing chocolates and biscuits and making the stay fantastic!

Hotel Ocelle Thermae & Spa

Sirmione

Staying at Hotel Ocelle Thermae & Spa was absolutely wonderful. The service was excellent and the Spa provided such a relaxing environment. Every aspect of my stay there helped to keep my stress levels down, which was incredibly important given my health conditions. Everything went seamlessly from arrival, and the staff were always attentive and considerate.

Activity Reviews

Murano Glass experience - Visit to a Glass Factory with blowing demonstration

Venice

The Murano Glass experience was incredible. I participated in glass blowing, and Angela even made a video for me, which was such a special touch. The demonstration was fascinating, and it was even more enjoyable with the company of a great guide who seemed to know everyone in the area.

Private walking guided tour of Sirmione highlights

Italy

The private walking guided tour of Sirmione highlights was fantastic. My tour guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and created such an enjoyable experience, even working on her own birthday! We even got out on the boat, which made me immensely happy as I love being on water.

Our guides for the colliseum, borghese, tivoli al very good but our guide for Pompeii was truly outstanding.

Paulo’s Sintra tour and Porto sunset cruise were wonderful! Lagos was our favorite but enjoyed all the cities. Negatives were that we felt misinformed with size of car rental. I checked with trip app reps prior to picking up vehicle to be sure we could fit large suitcase and four carry on bags and was told it should not be a problem. We ended up with two suitcases between our kid in back seat. The Lagos apartments were nice but there were issues. It is difficult to find the check in area, especially at night. No one could provide easy directions and it would have been easy to explain by giving us the name of sign to turn at. Guard had to come find us after 30 minutes. In addition, the apartment A\C leaked and floor was soaked. They moved us to another apartment for that evening and moved us back the following afternoon. It leaked again and maintenance came and fixed again. I thought KimKim would offer some sort of restitution but it seems that is something you don’t do.

Outstanding experience across the board. Venice was pleasantly surprising thanks to staying in the Canareggio region of Venice - super close to walk to all the major highlights, with plenty of great food around, but not filled with tourists, or in the region where the university is in, "Dosorduro". Water taxis are FAR superior to gondola rides. My only regret was only doing the St Marks Basilica Tour (SUPER BEAUTIFUL), rather than the combo tour that includes Doge's Palace after.

Como was truly magical. I highly suggest allocating funds for fun towards the private boat day! Staying in Como city was much better than friends told me, I thought Menaggio & Bellagio were a tad overrated and too small to spend more than a day, whereas Como had plenty of shops to explore, waterfront to relax by, the funicular railway to go above Lake Como to a panoramic viewing area, and lots of lovely restaurants to indulge in aperitivo!

Milan was not awesome for 3 days. I'd say 1-2 nights TOPS. The Duomo di Milano is ridiculously gorgeous and the Galleria Vittorio is the most beautiful shopping center ever, but you can do those in a couple of hours (including the Skywalk above the Galleria Vittorio for a better, uncrowded, side-view of the Duomo). If you're a soccer fan, you can spend time going to San Siro to see where Milan plays, but other than the two landmarks that are next to each other that I mentioned, or going to the Navigli district to eat at one of the dozens of great happy hour spots along the canal, leave Milan and go to the more beautiful parts of Italy. Fun fact - aperitivo (happy hour where you buy a drink and get free snacks with the drink) was invented in Milan!!!!

Hotel Reviews

Charly Hotel

Milan

Not great, kind of reflected the city. Family owned, but they were abrassive upon entry, clearly not happy to see Americans because they treated the other American couple the same, but were very happy to speak with the German couple before us. No elevator, and the first floor of rooms is up one flight of stairs, only a luggage elevator. We had to move rooms because the A/C didn't work, and Milan was going through a heat wave. I am a very big guy, and extensively well trained in self-defense - this location at night made me very uncomfortable while having my fiancée with me, and it was a boring street far away from any city highlights or tour meeting points during the day. We had to taxi everywhere. The reason this gets a 2-star and not a 0/1-star is because they have a cute dog that you can play with, a lovely little garden at the dining area for breakfast (one of the worst breakfast-included experiences), and it's only a few blocks from the metro and main Milan train station, which was convenient when we left the city.

Authenticity & Character

Italian aesthetic, but weirdly designed rooms, they had us in an attic, which wasn't expected.

Location

Way too far from tour meeting points or cultural landmarks.

Staff

Unkind upon entry. Neutral/unfriendly during every interaction.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nothing wrong with the cleanliness, but they advertise "double" beds, but use French Double beds which are smaller than typically Euro Double beds - which are more similar to an American Queen bed.

Hotel Barchetta Excelsior Como

Como

Best hotel throughout my entire trip. Every room apparently has a city or lake view. The kindest staff - my fiancée & I showed when there was a HUGE crowd of angry spanish-speaking folks and rude americans, but the staff were polite and calm with every single person before us, and after as we waited for the elevator. Beautiful room, STUNNNNNNIINNNNNGGGGGG LAKE COMO VIEW. Breakfast was the best buffet I've ever had at a hotel in Italy - they literally have self-serve mimosas. The buffet staff had the oldest lady in the room pop the bottle to celebrate the start of the day, everyone's mood was so fun!

Authenticity & Character

True Italian feel. The interior design aesthetic was lovely, the bar and hotel restaurant were great with wonderful cuisine, the staff were superb and kind as you'd expect Italians to be.

Location

Literally steps away from Lake Como and the ferry terminal to visit the other parts of the Lake.

Staff

20/10 - the best people.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean. Daily bed-making and room tidying. I felt ashamed but they even folded my dirty laundry and left it in a neat pile when we came back from exploring the town.

Hotel ai Mori d'Oriente

Venice

Fantastic location. The staff was very friendly the moment I walked through the door, and gave my fiancée and me a house-drink voucher for each of us to enjoy as a welcome before we went out to explore, along with a fruit basket in our room! The breakfast buffet was great, and they have outdoor seating in the cutest little courtyard to enjoy on a nice-weather morning!

Authenticity & Character

Locally owned hotel that doesn't have a ton of rooms, so it's a home-like feel with a lot of comfort. Great showers!

Location

Perfectly located for a water taxi to drop you off, or a less than 15-minute walk from the train station where you only cross 2-bridges, both have ramps rather than just stairs for suitcases to be pulled with ease

Staff

So sweet from the moment we entered, to the moment we left :)

Cleanliness & Comfort

Top tier.

Activity Reviews

Private Lake Como Experience by Boat

Como

5,000,000,000,000,000,000/5 experience. Can't say enough about this, but Francesco is the man. Super insightful, from Como, has a home you can rent on Lake Como, you get bottles of prosecco. He knows how to engage with you and have fun, but also give you space to feel like VIP's in the back of the boat. Stopped in Bellagio and it was fun, but being on the boat was way better. Stopped in the middle of a cove to jump off the boat and swim with ducks & swans!

Quality of Experience

The best day ever with my fiancée.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Francesco is the best Italian guide I've ever met. We're so lucky to have hung out with him, but he owns the company and is the only driver, so you'll get him and love it.

Transport

Day Trip to Murano, Burano & Torcello

Venice

Gianfranco was our guide, and he was fantastic. My fiancée & I were the only 2 who booked the tour for that day, yet he made it a really great experience anyway. Gianfranco likes to become friends with the people he tours with, rather than just talking at you. Burano is so fun & beautiful! Murano is a little overrated and just filled with glass shops, but the tour of the glass making is TOTALLY cool and worth it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

St. Mark's Basilica Visit with Terrace Access

Venice

Outstanding tour. Our guide was wonderful, Martina. Small group experience, perfect to keep us altogether and to answer everyone's questions thoroughly, didn't feel rushed at all. Super kind and knowledgeable. She ensured we took plenty of pictures and took pictures of us on the Terrace!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Italy is amazing! The start of planning and booking with Irene was easy and Irene made sure to answer every question I had. Once the trip started, everything went as scheduled and we had constant communication with a travel team. Our guides through Liv Tours were awesome. They knew so much information and also engaged our teens through out. The cooking class with Towns of Italy in Florence was amazing and Lisa was an incredible instructor! Our food tour through Trastevere was so much fun. We enjoyed getting a tour of the neighborhood where the locals go and also tasting yummy food. Areulio (sp?) was amazing as well. Our favorite by far was Sorrento! We loved the Path of the Gods hike with Antonio through Leisure Italy. He was knowledgable and patient with us as we hiked. Dino, our driver was great as well for this hike! The boat day for our last day with Capitano Ago was just amazing. Our skipper, Orlando was great and we enjoyed the entire day seeing the coast and the blue waters. He recommended an awesome spot for lunch in Capri and even made the reservation for us! I can’t say enough about this trip, it was just incredible and our teens loved it as well! We can’t wait to go back!

We were overall very happy with the trip. The transfers for the most part and the stays were all great. And most of our tours were amazing. We also loved the details of little celebrations of our anniversary in each one of our lodgings. The ease of planning a multi stay trip in Italy was the best part, as all this planning would have taken us weeks on our own.
We had a couple of minor inconveniences, but otherwise were so pleased with the entire experience.
Our transfer to Cinque Terre could have been a bit smoother. We figured out easily how to get the car in Rome and then drive to Tuscany easily, based on instructions. After Tuscany, however ,there was some information we were missing. We needed to get the car to the drop off in La Spezia and then get on the train there to get to our lodging. None of this was mentioned in the transfer details. We also had to take a bus in La Spezia to the train station from the car drop off, also not mentioned. We managed this all fine, but would have been nice to know prior to the day of travel.
We were very grateful for the nice upgrade to rooms in Monterosso since we think the original hotel we were booked in was closed for repairs. This was a wonderful stay and we were treated so kindly there by the hostess Tamara.
Our other tours were very well done. The itinerary indicated that all the tour guides would be advised of my celiac disease and inability to eat gluten. The tours that included food were not all advised and on the boat tour in Cinque Terre the guide felt terrible as the boat had not loaded any GF items to make up for the appetizer, bread, or dessert for me. I was disappointed at this as was my husband as he was eating all the food and I could only eat the fish and salad. Lisa, our guide in Rome for our food tour was advised however and made sure that I had GF options for the majority of the tour. She was amazing as a first guide to start out the trip and we loved Rome even more because of her. Also our second food tour in Rome, dinner with a local, was in the same restaurant as one of our stops with Lisa. This would have been hard to predict, and overall did not take away from the experience, but it would have been nice to try a different restaurant. That guide, although I can't remember her name was amazing. She was a college student and had a great perspective on Italy.
The tour from Radda was a bit odd as the guide did not seem to know what our tour was supposed to entail and had some difficulty with English. We did a 10 k loop hiking which was fabulous and the scenery was amazing and the guide gave us a lot of good info about the area and local flora and fauna in English. However, that tour was supposed to include a wine tasting at the end and she did not have that as part of the tour.
Overall this was a lovely trip and having everything mostly planned for us was a life saver with our busy schedules. We also appreciated the detailed attention to the transfers at the beginning and end of the trip, as those long travel days are a lot.
Beatriz had great communication and going forward we have already planned on using KimKim for our next trip to Europe.