Kimkim Trip Reviews for Italy

Our itinerary was curated with each of our hopes for travel accomplished. Every hotel was beautiful and well located. Transfers worked exactly as described. Each hotel offered breakfasts included and the food was lovely. Restaurant recommendations were reliable and well described. We wanted for nothing! Several occassions we reached out to our local guide for clarification on times and locations and the responses were almost immediate! I would HIGHLY recommend Kim Kim, Giorgia, and the team for future trip design. We visited Paris, Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano, Capri, Polignano a Mare, Alberobella, Ostuni, and more. We enjoyed tours of the Eifel Tower and Paris, and were able to easily meet with local guides. Our flight from Paris to Naples was seamless. Soaked up a local private boat tour to Amalfi and Positano, with a ferry transport for a day in Capri. We picked up a scheduled rental car in Sorrento, driving to Puglia using thoughtful directions. Spent one night and 2 fabulous days in Polignano a Mare - including a boat tour of the local caves. After driving to Ostuni for 3 nights, we visited Alberobello (UNESO site of Trullis), sunned on a local Adriatic Sea beach, savored an private wine and food tasting with a local vineyard and wine maker, and took a orecchiette cooking class. The accommodations were absolutely lovely, with all the amenities we could possible ask for. Locals were warm, kind, and friendly. We came home completely filled with joy about the entire travel experience. Perfecto!

Hotel Reviews

Caruso Place Boutique & Wellness Suites

Naples

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Masseria Cappuccini

Ostuni

Authenticity & Character

Location

Needed to drive to all experiences, but truly beautiful property and quiet retreat.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aquamarea

Polignano a Mare

Authenticity & Character

Location

A little tricky to access, but worth every moment!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Tirrenia

Sorrento

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Paris - Gare de Lyon Bastille

Paris

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sail Along the Polignano a Mare Coast: Cliffs & Sea Caves

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family-Owned Winery Visit & Wine Tasting in the Itria Valley

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sailing the Amalfi Coast: From Sorrento to Amalfi & Positano

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Once again very happy with what Kim Kim lined up for us. The hotels, drivers and boat ride were wonderful. We were met at the airport by Roberta she also checked in with us throughout our time in Italy. Everything went perfectly we will definitely be using Kim Kim again.
Sharon Kuhlmann

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Spadari al Duomo

Milan

A beautiful hotel wish we were there longer. A very helpful staff got us into our room early and sent us a message when it was ready. Beautiful rooms and a great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right near everything but not too noisy even tho we were on the street.

Staff

Got us into our room early and sent us a message when it was ready.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palace Hotel

Como

The hotel, Staff, rooms breakfast were all great. Wonderful location in Como.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Such a great location to get around Como . Set back far enough that it was very quiet as well.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Boat Tour of Lake Como - Explore Bellagio

Italy

A great tour that took us to where we wanted to go on the lake. Pointed out some sights and info about them. A driver came and got us to take us to the boat which was a very nice thing to have arranged, we could have walked but it was farther than originally planned.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had an amazing trip. Lorenzo did such a great job of planning exactly what we asked for! Her information and detail and quick response time was so good! Everything was done well.
Andrea (our specialist) was also incredible. He was very helpful in getting us all the fine details and maps in place. He checked on us daily to see how things were. Quick to respond and did a great job of pivoting when we asked! Our divers were wonderful as well. On time, polite, friendly.

Hotel Reviews

Antica Locanda Leonardo

Milan

It was difficult to find and for our driver to park and unload and load our luggage. Location was good and walkable. Lots of stairs and not as easily to navigate. Lots of keys and doors to get through.

Authenticity & Character

It was authentic

Location

Walkable to sites

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was stark, comfort ok, above the train . Bathroom small.

Malga Ra Stua Refuge

Pretty setting with horses and pigs! A creek running alongside of the valley.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Pretty valley setting

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The best towels and shower!

Fanes Mountain Hut

Quaint, beautiful setting. Friendly staff. Great food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Attentive, freindly

Cleanliness & Comfort

So clean with great showers. Even a hairdryer!

Scotoni Mountain Hut

Sits in a beautiful valley, lots of space. Loved the llamas!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Hard hike to get there. Beautiful pristine setting.

Staff

Very friendly and fun to be around

Cleanliness & Comfort

So clean and comfortable

Dibona Mountain Hut

Cortina d'Ampezzo

Clean, good food just hates the shared bathroom experience

Authenticity & Character

Location

The setting up in the mountains and watching the sunset was beautiful.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

No shared bathrooms

Hotel Cortina

Perfect location. The staff very helpful, especially Luca. The restaurant in the hotel was fabulous and the staff, jelly, was great!

Authenticity & Character

Lovation

Location

Right in center of town, walkable to everything.

Staff

Luca was so friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hike to Rifugio Scotoni

Dolomites

Getting here was the hardest thing we had ever done. Wish we knew there was an option to take the cable car to the top of Lagazuoi.

Quality of Experience

Very steep. Cable car option would have been nice.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Busy place

Transport

Hike to Rifugio Dibona

Dolomites

The hike there was hard, very uphill but in the forest!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Drivers were prompt, friendly, safe. Had water for us. The cars very clean and comfortable.

Transport

Cars clean and comfortable

The Kim Kim team and our incredible specialist, Erica made this process so incredibly easy! Not only easy but personalized. We truly had the time of our lives and I know this trip would not have been what it was if it wasn’t for the Kim Kim team. Thank you all!!

Hotel Reviews

Rinuccini Relais Hotel

Naples

Staff was incredible! It was a bit difficult to locate but that’s standard for a big city like Naples

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel du Tasso

Sorrento

Best hotel we have ever stayed at!! The staff went above and beyond and truly became our friends. We promise to return and we stand by it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Winery Visit & Tasting of 5 Wines

Sorrento

We absolutely adored Fabio!! He was so knowledgeable and fun. We ordered several bottles as a special souvenir!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to Positano & Amalfi by Boat

Sorrento

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband and I had a wonderful 2 week honeymoon in Italy thanks to kimkim and the Storywalking team. They listened to our preferences and budget. The coordination they provided was incredible and made things stress free. Private transfers to and from train stations/airports/hotels were lovely to not have to schlep our luggage. We especially loved our boat tour around the Amalfi coast, home restaurant experiences in Tuscany and Rome. All of our guided tours were stellar, especially tours of the Borghese Gallery and the Colosseum and Forum in Rome. The in-country support was excellent. We had a text reminder of our next-day itinerary every evening and swift replies to any questions. We will use kimkim for every big trip.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Montani Hotel

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right near Piazza del Popolo

Staff

Andrea was lovely and helpful with recommendations

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maison il Conservatorio

Sorrento

Lovely, relaxing getaway in Sorrento. Excellent location near the walkway/lift to the beaches. 24h concierge. Excellent breakfast spread.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Howard Firenze

Florence

Beautiful little hotel in an excellent location. Get a luxury feel without breaking the bank.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Relais Della Rovere

Colle di Val d'Elsa

Beautiful location in a small Tuscan town. Easy to reach by car. Walking distance to a stunning nature trail.

Authenticity & Character

Was an ancient monastery

Location

Felt tucked away in the countryside but easy drive from Florence. Close to a beautiful nature trail

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Borghese Gallery tour

Rome

The best museum in Rome. Don’t miss this one. Our guide, Marco, was excellent and made the art come alive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip to Puglia and Basilicata in southern Italy during late September 2026 was amazing. Our KimKim guide, Fabio Ilardi lived up to his name. He was fabulous! Our 10-day trip started in Monopoli. It is a charming town and an excellent base for our day trips to Polignano a Mare, Ostuni, Martina Franca and Alberobello. The wine tasting experience at Puglia Pop was delightful, too. Then we traveled by private car to the ancient city of Matera. We were fortunate to arrive on the evening of their annual candlelight celebration , “Matera Cielo Stellato”, in the historic section of the city. The one-hour event, when electric lights were turned off and the old city was illuminated by candles, was accompanied by choirs and musicians. It was breathtaking! We finished out trip with a two-day stay in the port city of Bari, which has a warren of winding back streets and alleys in its historic center that we discovered during a wonderful small-group food tour.

All of our hotels were well-located and clean with excellent staffs. The private transportation to and from all of our side trips and between hotel destinations was an added bonus. The food throughout our trip was delicious. Lots of homemade pasta and seafood accompanied by delectable Puglian wines. Fair warning to other travels: this trip requires a lot of walking, often on steep stairways to hotel rooms and historic sites. You need to be relatively fit to follow this itinerary. But it is worth every step!

Hotel Reviews

JR Hotels Grande Albergo delle Nazioni

Bari

The Grande Albergo delle Nazioni is a lovely property overlooking the harbor with a beautiful rooftop pool. The restaurant served an excellent daily breakfast with beautiful views.

Authenticity & Character

Clean, contemporary design but could use some updating.

Location

The hotel is short distance form the historic area with a nice walk along the seaside promenade.

Staff

The front desk staff was extremely helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

firm mattress. Nice bathroom. Hotel robes and slippers.

Palazzo Degli Abati

Matera

We stayed in a beautiful light, bright room with a vaulted ceiling. It was originally part of a 17th century monastery. The window overlooked the canyon and we had access to a lovely small terrace. The bathroom was adequate and it had a nice warm shower—once we figured out how to use the dials!

Authenticity & Character

The hotel includes rooms carved from caves and is on the site of a former monastery.

Location

The view from the terrace of the hotel’s restaurant overlooking the ancient Sasse area of the city was breathtaking.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Giuditta

Monopoli

The Palazzo Giuditta was unique and quirky. On the plus side, it was well-located in the historic district and had a view of the harbor. The rooftop terrace with its two shallow plunge pools and lounge mats was lovely. The staff was very responsible and the daily breakfast at a nearby restaurant was delicious. On the negative side, there were 59 steps up to the room, and upon opening the door, another 29 steps down to the bedroom, which was small but adequate. The mattress was firm and the small balcony overlooking a side street was nice. The bathroom, however, was ridiculous! It was huge with a massive round jacuzzi tub (which we never used), a tiny sink and a small shower. There were no horizontal surfaces for toiletry bags and other personal items. But the oddest feature was there were no drawers or storage furniture of any kind. Just one rack for hanging clothes. We spent five days living out of our suitcases on the floor!

Authenticity & Character

Add some furniture with drawers1

Location

Great spot for exploring the historic center of Monopoli. A short walk to the train station for day trips

Staff

Very attentive, especially Gabrielle.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean. Nice bed linens. Hotel-provided robes and slippers.

Activity Reviews

Private Ape Calessino Tour: Matera Highlights & Terrace Aperitivo

Matera

The ape tour of the ancient Sasse area of Matera with our guide and driver Vito was one of the highlights of our entire trip. Vito, a well-traveled native of Matera, provided us with so much personal history and context of the UNESCO-designated city of Matera, why it was once labeled as the “Shame of Italy”, and how it has evolved into a major tourist attraction and the favorite site for hundreds of filmmakers. Mel Gibson’s movie, “Passion of the Christ”, launched the city’s reputation as an ideal location for historic films and the many winding streets and piazzas served as a backdrop for a car chase scene is the 2021 James Bond film “No Time to Die”. Our fascinating tour of the historic sites was capped off with a delicious apertivo on a hotel terrace overlooking breathtaking views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Winery Experience: Wine Tasting, Traditional Lunch & Martina Franca Visit

Italy

I visited the Puglia Pop winery solo as my husband was still recovering from his lunch-induced stomach illness in Ostuni the previous day. The winery is the result of the collaboration of two legacy winemakers from Puglia and Spain with a vision for the future of Puglian wines. Everything about the winery is a delightful from the well-appointed tasting rooms to the high-design concepts of the winery bottles. I had a private tasting experience with my guide Valentina . She introduced me to six different wines including a light and refreshing white and rose wines and some deep and complex reds. All the wine tastings were accompanied by delicious local cheese , meats and bread. I ordered a case to be sent home and can’t wait for it to arrive. This was one of my favorite experiences in Puglia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day at Leisure in Ostuni | Private Transportation Included

Monopoli

My husband and I enjoyed the hour-long ride through the Puligian countryside to the hillside town of Ostuni. Our driver Ivan stopped along the way for a panoramic photo opportunity of the “white city”. We spent a few hours strolling the back streets of Ostuni, visiting churches and stopping for a mediocre lunch in a street side cafe. The bruschetta included some rich stracciatella cheese that triggered some severe stomach issues for my husband, who lost a day of sightseeing the next day as he recovered from the illness.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A huge shout out to Anita who made our voyage absolutely amazing and unforgettable. She listened carefully to our needs as we tweaked the itinerary. This was not only a vacation, but a reconnaissance trip to determine if we want to spend more time in Milan. Anita and set us up with a local private guide (Marco) who literally led us by the hand on walking tours, day trips to Lake Como, and even took us on the metro to our date night! In addition, the location of the apartment could not have been better. Right on Mercato (market) street; restaurants and groceries within a block, two blocks from Sforza Castle and Parco Sempione, and around the corner from a metro line. Our private guides, tours, and pasta-making night at Chef Rapheal's place were pitch perfect. It could not have worked out any better.

In short, you're the best, Anita!! GRAZIE MILLE!!

All the guides were very knowledgeable about their expertise and I would say Eric at Starbikes in Rome was the most personable and made the ebike experience on Via Appia very enjoyable.Chiro was great and I enjoyed chatting with him about all things Italian. I enjoyed the Hecanleneum tour over Pompeii. The hike with Francesco was great. Napoli was a little chaotic for our party, our gude was was good and she explained alot about the history of the city. We had to cancel Monte Cassino because of the rock fall but still we got a lot into our week in Italy. Thanks for all your help with the daily brief emails of what to expext - I never had that on a KimKim before and it was very helpful.

The highlights of the trip were the cooking class and the wine tasting. The hosts were very knowledgeable and went above and beyond to make our experience enjoyable.
The olive oil tasting was a bit difficult to follow. The host didn’t speak English but there was a translator. The issue was that the host would speak for long periods before the translator would translate. I would suggest having the host speak only a minute or two and then have it translated .
The day in Sorrento and the Amalfi coast met with some difficulties with land slides. We had about 1 hour at each location which gave us little opportunity to explore. I’m not sure if there would have been more guidance on what to see had more time. The driver was great with dealing with the issues though getting us around road closures.
The Naples food experience was disappointing. There was no pizza! The food choices were fair with the exception of the dessert. The wait was long at some places. Although I appreciated the host I wish there were more details about Naples and the food keeping us engaged while we waited.
All of the hotels were in great locations making it easy for us to explore.

Hotel Reviews

Palazzo Alabardieri

Naples

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trulli Holiday Albergo Diffuso

Alberobello

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dimore di Brando

Polignano a Mare

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

From Market Stalls to Street Food: Discovering Naples

Naples

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hands On: Cook Like a Neapolitan

Naples

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Organic Winery Experience in the Apulian Countryside

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was the most stress-free vacation, thanks to Valeria and Lucrezia. A lot of credit to Cristian, our local concierge in Italy. Transfers to and from the airports and train stations made the trip smooth. My wife and I didn't have to navigate any unfamiliar procedures because the support we recieved from the drivers and the concierge team walked us through everything.

Our days did not feel rushed, because the tours were spaced out, allowing us free time to roam when we had the energy, or rest up when we were tired.

Our trip was beyond outstanding! Everything was planned to perfection. The excursions were well-curated, and the coordination of the car service to all locations made life so easy. When we had an unexpected delay in our travels, the local agent, Diliana was very quick to help us change our train reservation, without any delay. The app was simple to navigate and the team was very responsive and receptive. We loved all of the hotels we stayed at, and we know that without a doubt, we will be using kimkim for future travels! Would recommend without hesitation!

Hotel Reviews

Eitch Borromini Palazzo Pamphilj

Rome

We were only there briefly (26 hours) but the time we were there, we appreciated that this is a very nice hotel, with all of the amenities, and outstanding service. Would highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria

Sorrento

The most amazing hotel we have ever stayed in! Service was exceptional, the views were unparalleled, the breakfast was outstanding, and this place cannot be beat. The live music at sunset and breakfast added to the joy at every turn. The pool was also a fun and beautiful place to spend the day!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Oltrarno Splendid

Florence

Amazing and unique hotel. Amazing staff. Yummy breakfast. Loved the living room area. Amazing location. Would go back!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Italy

Italy

Quality of Experience

Evening Trastevere & Jewish Ghetto Culinary Walk

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Free Evening in Florence

Florence

Quality of Experience

Day Trip to Positano & Amalfi by Boat

Sorrento

A fun afternoon seeing the Amalfi coast from the water! The best way to avoid the crowds but still get the scenery!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Depart Italy

Italy

Quality of Experience

Seafood Cooking Experience

Sorrento

A fun afternoon cooking and eating local seafood!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Capri Island by Boat

Sorrento

A perfect way to experience Capri - from the water, with swimming, but then also heading up to Anacapri and Capri for drinks with a view!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Three Tuscan Wineries with Lunch

Florence

Such a fun way to see Tuscany! The variety at the vineyards made for a truly memorable afternoon!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private City Walk with Michelangelo's David

Florence

The perfect walking tour, complete with just the right amount of information and history, and time to experience Florence.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The hotels were fantastic, the itinerary was well thought out and organized, and Anita and the whole KimKim team were very responsive. Could not have planned it this well by myself. The other plus is that KimKim and Anita struck the right balance between organized excursions and free time so that we did not feel like we always had to be somewhere at a certain time. Highly recommended.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Relais Montemarino

Borgomale (CN)

Well kept, wonderful views, pool and nice clean rooms. Room was not as thoughtfully laid out as the Hotel Svizzero and our window looked out right on the well trodden path where lots of guests were walking, so privacy was an issue. Breakfast buffet options not as varied as those of Hotel Svizzero. Also, pool was nice but mostly inside so not ideal for lounging around it. Finally, meal options not as good as restaurants in town. All in all, a very good hotel but these issues prevent me from giving it 5 stars.

Authenticity & Character

Location

On a hill so great views yet close enough to town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

See above comments.

Hotel Chalet Svizzero

Courmayeur

Small but very well appointed rooms making full use of the space, with ample closet space, a couch, small fridge and balcony

Authenticity & Character

Location

5 minute walk to town center

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Turin Palace Hotel

Turin

First class rooms and service

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Upgraded to a room with a balcony

Activity Reviews

Italy -Important Trip Information: Please Review Before Departure

Italy

Good tips. Would recommend more information about the autostrada and payment techniques.

Quality of Experience

Ape Calessino Experience with Tastings

Italy

The views from the Ape tour were amazing as we toured the Barolo countryside. Driver also was informative. The description referenced a stop for "local delicacies" but that was a little misleading: while we did stop at the entrance to a vineyard, I expected we would go inside and sample the wine and some snacks. Instead, we were sat down at a picnic table and given hazelnuts, some hard crackers, and some wine. The snack stop could be improved and should, in my opinion, include sampling at an actual vineyard. By the way, not sure whether this is the place for this comment, but we discovered that the recommended walking tour of the vineyards for the following day was an almost exact duplicate of what we saw on the Ape, so we of course varied from the recommendation. Would suggest including the Castle of Count Covour and the nocciola sculptor (Pine?). Thanks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide enthusiastic but not a great mastery of English.

Transport

Ape was not in the greatest shape -- had some gearing issues.

Exploring Rural Farms in Alta Langa

Italy

Nocciola producer was a fantastic experience. Lovely family and great products. Highly recommended. Would have liked at least a quick tour of the trees / orchard but otherwise great. The cheese producer was very quaint, polite and excellent selection of cheeses. Nice family and informative lecture. Would have appreciated a closer view of the sheep (which were very far) or the goats (which were in a field that was not visible) but this is a nit. Ran into the producers in the Alba Farmers Market on Saturday also.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

If I could give KimKim 10 stars (instead of 5) I would. Seamless trip planning from start to finish. Every private transfer, tour, and experience were amazing and all of the people we interacted with both at KimKim and on the ground during our trip were fantastic. The choice of hotels was impeccable, meeting our desire for small boutique options and 5 star luxury throughout our trip. We had a travel delay due to weather and the team helped us rebook train tickets twice in the same day… all I had to do was send them a text. Cannot recommend KimKim highly enough.

Hotel Reviews

Eitch Borromini Palazzo Pamphilj

Rome

Spacious room, excellent location. Great spot and very walkable to most of the big sites.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria

Sorrento

True luxury. If you have been to a 5 star hotel in the US, this is easily a 6!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Oltrarno Splendid

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Loved the more quiet but still lively and lovely Oltrarno neighborhood

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Italy

Italy

Quality of Experience

Evening Trastevere & Jewish Ghetto Culinary Walk

Rome

Essentially a 5 course progressive meal. Beer, wine, and gelato included. What could be better?

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Evening in Florence

Florence

Quality of Experience

Day Trip to Positano & Amalfi by Boat

Sorrento

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Depart Italy

Italy

Quality of Experience

Seafood Cooking Experience

Sorrento

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Capri Island by Boat

Sorrento

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Three Tuscan Wineries with Lunch

Florence

3 vineyards, each offering something different from the others. Great day trip with a small group who quickly became good friends.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private City Walk with Michelangelo's David

Florence

Knowledgeable guide, great pace. Wonderful introduction to Florence on our first day there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim arranged an 8 day trip to Florence and Rome in September for me and my husband. We knew we were interested in science/engineering and food, and asked for a "mid-range, upscale" plan. KimKim quickly connected us with a local "travel designer" in Italy at a company called My Custom Journey. We were assigned to Valeria (and assisted by Lucrezia) who worked with us over the next few days to arrange a plan that gave us exactly what we wanted. The plan included an activity or two each day, with a free day in each city for us to manage on our own. The plan came in about 30% over the range I had selected, but it included everything we wanted, with excellent hotels (four star, centrally located, comfortable size and amenities) + private transfers and drivers for all the on ground travel in Italy. That means we were met at the airport by a guide, driven to our hotel, driven from our hotel to the train station and personally guided to the train, with the same level of service when it was time to head home. This made our trip completely stress free and luxurious feeling - well worth the extra cost. I'm sure they would have adjusted to fit into our range if we balked at the upgrades.

For one of our free days, we found an underground labyrinth tour that was a bit out of town, and Valeria was able to secure a car to take us to and from. She also contacted the labyrinth company directly when it didn't look like there would be an English tour on the day we were free. They were able to get us a private tour last minute! They were also very responsive about any questions we had about shopping areas, art galleries, appropriate attire, and scheduling.

On the ground in Italy we were supported by Daniela who we were able to contact easily on WhatsApp. She was quick to respond and great at addressing any issues that came up (e.g., there was a flood in Florence that affected a tour we had planned and she was able to adjust our day). The best tour Valeria and team arranged for us in Rome was an all day tour down Appian Way to see catacombs, mausoleums, and the ancient aqueduct. Our tour guide for that day was Maria Teresa and she was so knowledgeable! In Florence, we had the same guide for all our activities - Valentina - who was an art historian but was also able to speak knowledgably about the science museums we visited. She also arranged for us to skip the line at All'Antico Vinaio ;-)

The only thing we didn't love about KimKim is the fact that they use their own app to deliver the travel plans. It does a great job of collecting all the activities plus the tickets, addresses, and details we needed. So, on its own it's fine. The challenge is that we use TripIt for all our travel tracking and planning and there's no way to import the KimKim content in TripIt. Since TripIt is where we keep our flight info and restaurant reservations, it would be wonderful if we could have incorporated the KimKim stuff into the app we already use for all our other travel stuff.

Our hotels, guided tours and recommendations for restaurants and activities were all well thought out and enjoyable.

Hotel Reviews

Antica Locanda Leonardo

Milan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Relais Osteria Dell'Orcia Tuscany

Castiglione d'Orcia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loggiato dei Serviti

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Villa Irma

Merano

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Winery visit with wine tasting and light lunch

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Accademia Gallery entrance ticket (with guide)

Florence

Quality of Experience

Wine Tour and tasting at Kränzelhof

Merano

Quality of Experience

Milan private guided walk including Last Supper (3h)

Milan

Our tickets had been cancelled with no explanation

Cheese farm visit and Pasta cooking class (lunch or dinner included) in Pienza area

Italy

Quality of Experience

Montepulciano and Pienza guided food day

Italy

Quality of Experience

Oltrarno Artisan workshops guided walk (private guide)

Florence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Florence private guided walk including Accademia Gallery

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Melanie added wonderful
Farm lunches, olive oil tasting and farm visits with our grand kids. All of her special
Meals and things for the kids were wonderful. She was easy to work with. Easy to contact and got back to us immediately with any questions we had.

The Kimkim website we used to book our trip to Italy was the first time we have used a travel service to plan such a trip. Every detail was arranged and planned out. Anita, our original coordinator who planned this trip to Italy covered not only the typical logistics, hotel, transportation, etc.. but was able to accommodate the most off the beaten path request to visit Giardini Di Pomona including arrangements to meet the owner Paolo Belloni, and arrange for a translator for our time at the gardens. We are delighted with how the trip was planned, leaving nothing to chance, and look forward to working with the Kimkim team in the future for other excursions we are planning to take. Thanks to everyone involved for all the planning and effort to make our trip such a success. Mark and Claudia

My husband and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary with a trip to Italy. The trip was arranged through Kimkim with Paraskevas as our travel specialist. It was a wonderful experience with stays in Bologna, Siena and Greve in Chianti. We flew into and out of Rome. Our accommodations along the way were very nice and located will so we could travel on foot to see many local sites. Casa Bertagni in Bologna was a wonderful B&B - very classy place to stay with attention paid to details. The breakfast was wonderful as well. The Residenza d'Epoca Palazzo Borghesi provided a wonderful view of Siena as well as breakfast on our balcony served by very kind staff. Our last 2 days were at Peitra del Cabreo. This was an amazing place to stay at the end of our visit. The location was beautiful, peaceful and had wonderful staff. We had a cooking class with Lucca and then were able to have our class food served to us for dinner. It was an amazing way to end our stay in Italy.
Since my husband and I did not wish to drive, Paraskevas made arrangements for several train rides and limo services. Our itinerary was carefully detailed with locations, times, driver names and train tickets attached when needed. The limo drivers who assisted us were always professional and very helpful. They made every transfer go smoothly.
Our days were busy with local guide tours, food tours and day trips to wineries, beautiful Tuscany towns, and a Parma tour that included Parmigiano, prosciutto and balsamico. Every day had a fun adventure.
We also appreciated having the Traveler Care Team available. It was reassuring to know there was a team to assist us if needed.
It was a wonderful way to celebrate our anniversary! We have wonderful memories and pictures of our trip. Our thanks to Paraskevas and the team to helped to make our trip happen.

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Rome Airport Hotel

Fiumicino

great location due to connection to the Rome airport.

Authenticity & Character

rooms were set up well.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Restaurant was very busy. long time to get a table. Breakfast very nice.

Pietra del Cabreo

Greve

Beautiful place to stay and experience. Wonderful way to end a trip.

Authenticity & Character

beautiful views from room windows and restaurant when eating meals. nice walking paths around the hotel.

Location

Staff

staff were so very helpful and nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were awesome, wonderful bathroom products, robes, towels, etc.

Residenza d'Epoca Palazzo Borghesi

Siena

I rated a 4 due to no small refrigerator in the room to use. Also bathroom products (soap, lotion etc) were limited and the hair dryer was difficult to use due it being a very cheap model.

Authenticity & Character

Location

the location was great. just a short walk to the Piazza del Campo

Staff

Staff were so very nice and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

see my earlier comments

Casa Bertagni

The hotel was so very nice. Great attention to detail, products for guests to use and location was great. Breakfast was wonderful. .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Le Clarisse al Pantheon

Rome

Staff were so very helpful. A wonderful breakfast was included. Loved the location near the Pantheon, Trevi fountain and Navona Piazza.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Siena Walking Tour

Italy

I always enjoying taking a tour when visiting a new city. Our guide, Giulia, made our tour interesting and fun. She shared information about the Palio di Siena as we walked around Siena. We had the opportunity to learn more about Siena but also about this historic race. This made our tour quite a bit of fun and it felt like we had insider information about the race.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Evening Food & Wine Tour

Bologna

A wonderful tasty and fun evening. Valentina was a great guide. She shared many locations in Bologna with interesting information and good food and wine. This is a tour to definitely go on.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cooking Class in Chianti

Italy

My husband and I really enjoyed this class. Luca was the chef who led the class. He did a great job explaining the meal preparation and how to's of making pasta. The meal we prepared was later served to us in the restaurant and was delicious.

Brunello di Montalcino Wine Tour

Siena

A very fun day. Our driver was knowledgeable about the wine region, wine and the wineries we visited. The lunch served at our second was awesome. We enjoyed all of the wineries.

Tuscany Day Trip from Siena

Siena

We enjoyed driving through the Tuscany countryside. Beautiful views and towns. I would have liked to have spent a little more time in the towns to walk around. The farm lunch was wonderful. So nice to meet the farmer and his wife. An excellent meal was served to us. Directly following the meal, we went to a town and had a wine tasting. It would have been nice to have the wine tasting a bit later as it was too soon after just finishing a meal with wine.

Parma Tour With Parmigiano, Prosciutto & Balsamico

Italy

Very interesting tour. My husband and I enjoyed it. Our guide Thomas was knowledgeable and wanted to be sure we enjoyed the tour. Our farm lunch was awesome.

Bologna Unveiled: Private Walking Tour of Culture, Cinema & Culinary Traditions

Bologna

Our guide from Bespoke Emila was very knowledgeable and made the time go by quickly. I am so sorry but I do not recall name. He was very interesting and made sharing his information fun. We had a very nice lunch together at the end of our tour.

We could not have asked for a more romantic, enjoyable, and stress-free travel experience. Hotel Du Tasso was the highlight of our trip, and the most impressive hotel I have ever stayed at from luxury, location, and staff professionalism. Each of our excursions went off without a hitch and travel between locations could not have been easier. This is my second experience with KimKim and I'll certainly be back for a third.

Hotel Reviews

Rinuccini Relais Hotel

Naples

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel du Tasso

Sorrento

Simply stunning views in an incredible location with the most hospitable, friendly, and accommodating staff I have ever encountered.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Winery Visit & Tasting

Sorrento

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Sorrento Exploration

Sorrento

Quality of Experience

Depart Italy

Italy

Quality of Experience

Evening Cultural Discovery Walk

Sorrento

Excellent however a bit long at nearly 2.5 hours, perhaps would shorten to 1.5 hours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Italy

Italy

Quality of Experience

Day Trip to Positano & Amalfi by Boat

Sorrento

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The driver never met us in the airport when we arrived in Rome. That was disappointing, but we connected and got to our hotel. Giorgia booked us great hotels with local flavor and great locations. The small group tours were worth it to have an intimate tour. We took the Food Lover's Rome tour and Lily was an amazing tour guide. Colosseum and Vatican tour guides were great too. The Florence Tuscan Wine tour was excellent and the 3 wineries were the stars of the show. We ended our trip with a Sunset boat tour of Cinque Terre. It was fantastic.

Activity Reviews

Cinque Terre Sunset Cruise with Aperitif

Cinque Terre

Wow! Beautiful scenery and the meal the crew cooked was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Chianti & Super Tuscan Wine Experience

Florence

The wineries made the experience. Food was fantastic. Aldo was a great tour guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Florence on Foot: Michelangelo’s David & Duomo

Italy

Our guide gave a very good history of everything he showed us and made it much more impressive and I could appreciate it better.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Get Inside the Colosseum with Arena Access

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Rome

Quality of Experience

Food

It was a great mix of food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lily was amazing