Kimkim Trip Reviews for Mexico

We loved our trip to the Yucatan! We traveled from Cancun to Tulum to Vallodalid and ended our trip on la Isla Holbox. We especially loved our accommodations in Tulum which were tucked away in a neat little area surrounded by plants, had a beautiful pool, and wonderful breakfast. We were able to walk easily to the main street to explore. We also loved our stay in Valladolid which had my sons' favorite breakfast and walkability to the main shopping/restaurants.

We enjoyed all of our tours and adventures and felt that they were nicely spaced out and easy to check in and experience. Some of our favorites were the Sian Kaan, Cenote Sac Actun and Punta Laguna. We felt that the guides all cared about our safety and enjoyement as well as our desire to learn about the area.

Monica was very helpful when we had a flat tire and got us a recommendation for where to get it fixed right away.

Our rental car agency was professional and prompt in dropping off our car the first day and meeting us at the airport to pick it up the last day.

Our least favorite spot was Cancun. We were only there one night but we would rather have gone right to Tulum :)

We truly enjoyed our adventures and look forward to having Kim Kim plan another adventure for us soon.

Hotel Reviews

Ambiance Suites

Cancun

This had a lovely breakfast and was clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

This was not close to anything you can walk to

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Don Diego

Tulum

This was AMAZING! Although it did not have air conditioning it was still our favorite. It had a wonderful staff and a nice small feel. It was close to walk to restaurants and downtown but felt safe and tucked away. We loved the resident animals and the laundry service was a nice added bonus!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel boutique Saastah

Valladolid

Beautiful, wonderful breakfast, nice laundry service, wonderful pool

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spirit Holbox

Isla Holbox

Great location on the beach! The pool was cool but not very deep. Nice restaurant and breakfast but you had to pay for dinner which was very expensive and not too many choices. Nice staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Boat tour in the Natural Reserve of Sian Ka'an

Mexico

This had an amazing breakfast and lunch with it! We loved the float and although we didn't see any manatees we still had a great time in the mangroves

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Punta Laguna

Mexico

This was really fun! It was an adventure for sure! This includes a zipline and a drop into a very deep cenote that you have to climb out of so be sure to be strong to be able to do this portion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chichen-Itza site with an English speaking guide

Mexico

This was an outstanding tour! He was our favorite guide. He was so funny and gave us a great look into the mayan culture

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rene was very helpful and nice. After submitting our quiz, Rene reached out to us with an introduction. That same day he created an overview of our itinerary. We were surprised by how quickly he put everything together. At the end, we came back satisfied with our trip. We will definitely be using Kimkim again.

Overall the trip was brilliant. Knowing nothing about Mexico we didn’t know where to start but I knew I wanted to see Mexico City and Frida Kahlo house and Diego Rivera murals. We added in mesoamerican history, and seeing something of the amazing national parks. This set us on I think a pretty standard tour of MC, Teotehuacan, Puebla, (and stunning trek of a high altitude, dormant volcano in national park which was a real highlight and not standard), Oaxaca with art tour and Monte Alban, and Puerto Escondido. We also did a small
Detour into the mountains en route to Escondido.
Our top guides were Clara from Food Mexico who gave us a tour of street food and the markets in MC. She was a true authority on Mexican eating and culture and was such a good introduction to eating as a local! Our guide Pablo took us to Diego Rivera’s museo Anahuacalli in neighborhood of Coyoacan , a 40 minute taxi ride outside of MC. Another trip highlight giving us an in depth understanding of pre Hispanic Mexican culture as represented in their artefacts. Loved this! Pablo was amazing , so much enthusiasm for the subject and we then went into Frida’s and Rivera’s house. Gorgeous .
Being Londoners we like to travel by metro and explore areas not necessarily of the typical tourist agenda and I do think a little more help could have been offered here in the itinerary. If you like to get off the proverbial beaten tourist track and experience MC as lived by Mexicans where do you go? We sort of worked it out though! We loved the metro. Easy to use, felt safe ( with common sense) and cheap! Often quicker than a taxi.
Our trip to Teotehuacan was fascinating but our guide a little confusing on his history which may be due to the fact so much of the archaeological understanding of Teotehuacan is down to informed interpretations of the era as there are no written records. Onto Oaxaca city which is a beautiful and vibrant city . It’s everyone’s favorite and it’s filled with gorgeous art murals, museums , funky little cafes, and exquisite food. Our guide Diego from Coyote tours was amazing and showed us his favorite murals providing a detailed background to the relevance of different murals(social, political, and cultural) that I would never have understood by myself nor gleaned from a tour book. We did a bicycle tour which meant we could cover more ground and was fun but you can do walking tours.
Only low point of guides was our visit to Monte Alban in a group tour. Place is fascinating but could have done it as well with a book! I think a personal guide is really worth it on everything.
Finally Puerto Escondido for our beach rest. We moved our hotel to Punta Zicatela as we prefer a funky beach scene. It’s very lively but we found a quiet place end of town and had a fabulous day watching the surfers and enjoying the sunshine. A morning with our guide Ishmael on the lagoon 30 minutes along the coast was another highlight. We kayaked and saw a range of unusual bird life, mangroves and a baby crocodile! It was a totally chill experience and I highly recommend it. Ishmael provides the guided info. whilst other members of his family work behind the scene to provide kayaks, organize etc. I love the fact we were benefited from the knowledge of truly local people, living on the beach or local town. All so proud of their regional defining cultures. We leave Mexico feeling excited by what we have seen and learnt an appetite for more exploring of this wonderful country as we only saw a tiny part.
Now at the airport about to go back to England. 😥
Rene and Mariana did a fabulous job of planning our trip. Mariana always available to sort out any problems and giving us lots of advance notice of guides, taxis etc. It was a real comfort to know we had such great background support. Thank you.

Hotel Reviews

El Sueño Hotel & Spa

Puebla

Beautiful boutique hotel just on the edge of Pueblo. Loved all the exotic greenery, tasteful decor and location

Authenticity & Character

A characterful building of Pueblo creatively reimagined for the discerning tourist who loves plants, water and spacious spa style rooms. Very clean and staff so helpful.

Location

Easy to walk into Pueblo, lots of cafes and great restaurants on your doorstep

Staff

Smiling and so helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Los Pilares

Oaxaca

Beautiful boutique style hotel , spacious, light filled with the most fabulous roof top lounge area , small pool, sun lounge and restaurant. Food was uncomplicated, delicious and beautifully presented . The staff at Los Pilares were so helpful and efficient. Always with a genuine smile. Loved this place and was so sad to leave it!

Authenticity & Character

Space, decor and amazing plants thoughtfully arranged. Gorgeous

Location

In a fascinating local community bug only 20 minutes walk from center . Absolutely top location. Quiet and unusual.

Staff

Efficient, attentive and kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything exceptionally clean from rooms to bathroom to restaurant

Hotel Punto Mx

Mexico City

Excellent central location within walking distance of Museum Belles Artes . Vibe is rather corporate and formal, lacking charm, the rooms dark and soulless although very clean and well appointed, huge bed, smart bathroom but the water wasn’t hot. Room right by atrium so noisy whilst breakfast was being set up early morning. Breakfast food rather average, good fruit and juices, everything else rather stale and dry. Redeeming feature were the restaurant staff who were all so sweet and attentive and a few of the reception staff

Authenticity & Character

Everything . Nothing about it was Mexico

Location

If you like being central great but you’re in a city center

Staff

See above

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Casa Elba Cabins

Damp, our room was right at bottom of Stoney track and staff totally disinterested. Didn’t even know we were arriving and it was not busy. Dirty sofa was our first impression of room and not enough hot water for a shower.

Authenticity & Character

All of it

Location

It had a beautiful view of the valley. Short walk outside of town . Quiet.

Staff

Interest and enthusiasm

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofa dirty. Made me feel it was all grubby

Hotel Suites Villasol

Oaxaca

It’s everything I don’t like in a hotel. Big, soulless down a development of other horrid hotels. Big rooms , soulless and the air conditioning has an awful chemical smell that made me feel sick. It was clean and staff were very nice. Breakfast was awful.

Authenticity & Character

Everything.

Location

Whole thing reminded me of a cheap English holiday camp, not a compliment. Hated it so much we moved hotels. Soulless neighborhood.

Staff

The few we met were very nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean room .

Activity Reviews

Explore the Casa Azul Museum

Mexico City

Pablo is a real authority on this . Not to be missed

Quality of Experience

Our guide Pablo made this very special as he had such an understanding of Frida, his her health affected her art and the social political context that influenced both her and Diego

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So knowledgeable and kind

Transport

Pablo driving

Visit the Museum Diego Rivera - Anahuacalli

Mexico City

Again it was our guide Pablo that made this one of the most enjoyable cultural tours we did. His knowledge of the artefacts and Diego’s motivation to collect , what each piece represented was astounding and thus knowledge lay the foundation to every thing else we went into see. Brilliant experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Biking in Teotihuacán "The City of the Gods" & Overnight in Puebla

Mexico

Fascinating place and guide good

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great driver who spoke good English and gave us lots of tips

Hike in the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park

Mexico

Another wonderful guide that transformed this experience. Very knowledgeable about the national park and genuinely a mountain lover! We started at 4000 meters and climbed to 4500 meters of the “ white lady”. Hard at this altitude so got a real sense of achievement. We also met some very funny and friendly fellow climbers.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver , Alberto was excellent. Punctuatuek, courteous and a amazing driver, we felt very safe.

Transport

Oaxaca Street art walk

Oaxaca

Without this tour we would never have fully appreciated the significance of the street art we saw. Stories of the artists, the subject matter and techniques. Our guide Ariel was an absolute gem. So knowledgeable and passionate about his city and art. Fabulous English too. We had a great morning with him cycling around the best of the murals. This is a must activity to really fall in love with Oaxaca

Quality of Experience

All of it

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bikes , good enough

Free Afternoon in Puebla

Mexico

Loved this city and our hotel. Easy to walk around and absorb the atmosphere.

Quality of Experience

Kayaking in the Manialtepec Lagoon

Puerto Escondido

Already given a description of this. Top experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rural cooking workshop in Oaxaca

Oaxaca

We started with a tour of the local market, a local church to soak up the vibe and cultural richness of this small town just outside oaxaca. Our guide Alejandro was so knowledgeable and relaxed and really knows food and the history of his country. Our cooking experience was so special and we felt so privileged to spend time with this family and cook with them. Dalia planned a menu to suit our unsettled tummies and used herbs to promote digestion and healing in the most delicious soup and chicken broth. We made tacos which was great fun and ground cacoa nibs and made them into a delicious treat. We will always remember this . So special.

Quality of Experience

Food

Everything!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the flavors and colors of the exotic San Juan Market

Mexico City

Already reviewed. Fabulous

Quality of Experience

See my general review. Book Food Mexico with Clara

Food

We tasted the best street food from best vendors and samples in market

Rene was prompt, clear and professional in attending to my questions prior to the trip. This is consistent with other travel agents that I have used for other countries. I found out quite late that one of the hotels did not have air-conditioning and hence wanted a change. We ended up cancelling the hotel booking by Rene and I booking the hotel myself using Booking.com. Rene refunded me the "cost"of the hotel but refused to provide a breakdown of how he arrive at the refund amount which I thought was a bit on the low side.

Things also didn't go so well with the 'Trip Support' (the Rutopia team) during the trip itself. The team have to check with 3rd party providers most of the time and takes a while to respond to changing situations or questions. Some examples of areas that definitely needs improvement:

1) Drivers were late on 3 instances. Once by 0.5hr (we woke up early to be picked up at 5am for the hot air ballon tour but the driver came at 5.30am) and a second time by 10mins (we had landed at Cancun airport but the driver only showed up later) and a third time by almost 1hr (after we took the ferry from Holbox back to Chiquila). In the 3rd instance, my family was left standing in the open at the entrance of the jetty waiting for the driver for 1hr. To escape the hot sunny weather, we had to seek shelter at a nearby public toilet! When the driver eventually showed up, he expected us to go find his van which was supposedly parked in front of some restaurant instead of coming directly to our location at the entrance of the jetty. The driver also picked up an additional passenger along the way without explaining why (is this appropriate for safety reasons?)!

2) I reminded 'Trip Support' before the trip and a few times during the trip that we are a family of 4 adults with big luggages. However, they still arrange for small cars to pick us up on a few occasions. We were told that this is what the 'package' provides for which I am very surprised given that this is not a budget tour package! We have to spend time figuring how to fit all the luggage into the car as well as squeeze 4 adults into a small car for long journeys. I find it most unacceptable when there are no shortage of vans or big SUVs in Mexico and other travellers in smaller groups are travelling in comfort in larger SUVs and vans. I have used travel agents in the US, South America, Europe and Asia and they are all able to ensure that my family travels in comfort when it comes to transportation but the experience in Mexico is definitely below par.

3) We were booked into Ventus Ha Resort at Puerto Morelos for 1 night. However, we were not told beforehand that we were booked into 1 room instead of 2 rooms. We only found out when we checked in at the resort. Although the room at Ventus Ha are a little bit bigger, it will be normal expectation for us to be given 2 rooms which is the arrangement for all our other hotels during the trip. As we were given 1 room, the resort only provided 2 complimentary wifi access and we can't even share the access as they are fixed to 1 person each! The 4 of us have to squeeze into 2 double beds for the night and a single toilet. It's a beautify resort but our experience was sub-par due to the arrangements.

4) There were huge demonstrations along the main streets of Mexico City and in Zocalo Square due to the elections but the travel agent did not give us any warning or advise beforehand or did not do anything to adjust the itinerary to help us avoid the crowds or disruptions. During the tour of historic Mexico City on May 19, the tour guide did her best to navigate through the rowdy crowd in Zocalo Square and the surrounding streets but I feel that the travel agent should have switched the tour to another day given that we had multiple days in Mexico City and the date of the political rally in Zocalo Square on May 19 is known beforehand. When I requested to stay 1 more night in Mexico City on May 29 in a hotel next to Zocalo Square, the tour agent also didn't advise me that there will be a big political rally at the square on that day and the roads surrounding the square will be closed. We had to walk 45mins out from our hotel in order to get an Uber to travel out of the area. In fact, our hotel had to roll down the metal shutters in its front entrance in order to protect the premise from the rowdy crowd. For basic security and safety reasons, these are things which I expect the travel agent to discuss with me in advance and help me avoid them rather than leave it to me to figure things out myself on the spot!

Overall, I find the tour arrangements to be sub-par for the price that I paid. This is the first time I used Kim-Kim for my travel arrangements and I had high expectations. However, I have to say that given the sub-par experience, I will think twice in using Kim-Kim again.

The trip was super memorable from the beginning to end.

Isa was amazing from the very beginning. She understood our need to have private tours to learn about meso-american civilization and culture.

Luz Ma fantastic as well and was constantly in touch via WhatsApp. She helped us with daily questions and resolving daily issues.

Our tour guides Louis and Guadalupe for Teotiuhacan and Cholula were great. Appreciate their professionalism and knowledge.

Then comes Manuel, our tour guide for the majority of our stay in the Yucatan and Mayan sites. He became my Mayan brother. He further customized our trip as per our need on the go. We would love to do more trips with him.

Finally, our tour guides at Punta Lagoona, Enrique and at Muyil, Memo made some indelible impression for this trip.

Hotel Reviews

Kuka y Naranjo

Mérida

Loved the hotel's interior decoration and authentic style. Our room with a big terrace was a win (if I remember the name of the room it was Santa Lucia). Great service, they used to deliver tea or coffee at our request in the room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa de la Luz

Mexico City

Great location, historic property, fantastic service. The only issue I had was with rooms with no windows as I was feeling claustrophobic and altitude sickness. They understood and changed my room twice to accommodate my need that was super service. Shoutout to Lazaro!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Muuch

Valladolid, Yucatán

It was a good hotel but the room was a bit small and a little inconvenient with the luggage.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Pescadores Tulum

Tulum

This was the best and the most comfortable of all the hotels we stayed during our trip. Great room, comfortable, big, open design, separated from the bathrooms. Eco friendly yet they cleaned everyday. It was within the boundary of a national park and Tulum archaelogical site. This made it more private, a bit secluded, and safe. I loved it. Extremely friendly folks and great service including room service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Uxmal and Kabah: The Jewels of Puuc

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the archaeological site of Teotihuacan

Mexico City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the Magical town of Cholula

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The car was too small for 4 people.

Merida to Valladolid Visiting Chichen Itza Archaeological site and Yodkzonot

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Lo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The archaeological site of Cobá

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the archaeological site of Tulum

Tulum

It's a great site but most of the access was closed to visitors. We could see it bit could not enjoy it to fullest.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Float in the Muyil Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

Tulum

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ek Balam Archaeological Site & swim in a cenote

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Look for spider monkeys in Punta Laguna

Mexico

Not the most interesting activity for us. Although the experience was fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My partner and I left our trip planning for 3 weeks in Mexico very late! We were inundated with a hectic work schedule, the X-mas/NY holiday period having just been and a wedding to negotiate. The thought of sitting down and coming up with an itinerary, researching each town and finding accomodation was daunting. We didn't have a great first impression using a travel agent in Sydney who was suggesting all the wrong activities for us as a gay couple to see and do in Mexico and the hotels he suggested were dated and drab. He also gave us "homework" to research what we liked and feed back to him which sort of defeated the purpose of using a travel agent.

We went home that day and discovered some pre-made examples of itineraries on the Kim-kim website with Maps and pictures. We loved the idea of customising/combining two of the suggested itineraries presented to suit our plans with a wedding smack bang in the middle of the holiday.

The process was easy - fill in some information about yourselves, what you like, what you dont like, what you're open to trying, your aversion to noise kids/tourist hot-spots, how many rest days you prefer and how often you want to travel plus any other comments.

Within 3 days we had a draft itinerary which included funky boutique hotel suggestions, and a list of optional activities. Charlotte our trip planner was from France but travelled Mexico extensively and loved it so much she moved to the Yucatan province to live. She knew personally all the good things a young couple would enjoy along our travels with flexibility to change. An easy tick box/comment box below each activity let Charlotte know our thoughts on each activity/destination. 2-3 iterations later (about 2 weeks) and our trip was pretty much planned and paid for.

The only thing left to book was flights which was not included (smart of KimKim as dealing with airlines is a nightmare for traditional travel agents so this makes their business model more sustainable).

Our favourite large city was Oaxaca which was an eclectic mixing pot of fabulous art, colourful architecture, friendly people, punchy delicious food and great cocktails. Cooking class here is highly recommended! We felt most zen along the beaches of Zipolite and Mazunte which attracts a young, textile-free bohemian crowd. We saw turtles and dolphins on the beaches here and had superb food. Chichen Itza site in the Yucatan was absolutely mind-boggling and the area was surrounded by hundreds of natural crystal clear cenotes to take a dip in during the heat of our days driving around. Once back on the east coast our boat tour of Sian Ka'an to see dugongs, flamingo's, pelicans, and swim in a warm crystal clear pirate channel was our best of many boat experiences of the trip. Finally after 3 weeks of driving around the country by ourselves it was nice to be back in the vibrant beach-side town of Playa Del Carmen (a less confronting town than Cancun but still with enough stimulation to bring us back to reality).

As with all trips there are times things don't quite go to plan. Kim-Kim sets up a WhatsApp group with the trip planner and a local booking guide (Monica in our case). They are available 24/7 to assist you in your own language with any misunderstandings with bookings, interpretation, rescheduling etc. Such an easy and personable experience and always super friendly encounters. They also send daily reminders of activities with hints on best parking places and how to ignore scammers/false signs etc.

Looking forward to using Kim-Kim again next year for our upcoming trip to Spain.

Hotel Reviews

Zoa

Loved this place and the staff here. Super picturesque, LGBTQI+ Friendly, outstanding service with all tips included, spectacular food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Situated right on a cliff looking out to the ocean with a very natural jungle hut vibe but high end. Very close to Mazunte main town (2 min drive)

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Circulo Mexicano

Mexico City

Stunning architecture and rooftop terrace bar. Grand spacious rooms with high ceilings and crisp luxurious linen. Location was so central and easy to get everywhere in the historic centre. The Wifi did not work in our room but the whole building is made out of thick architectural concrete slabs so I suspect this may be a challenge to deal with.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Breakfast staff were a bit surly/disinterested. Frequently had to get up to get stuff ourselves. Bar staff and front desk staff are wonderful however.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Escondido Oaxaca

Oaxaca

Absolutely stunning what they've done with this place. As the name suggests it is a true hidden gem.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to some large food and craft markets. Ideally should have a car here as its not that close to the historic centre. The location however is a little less impressive right next to a main road so if in the pool area or bar it is reasonable noisy with trucks going past. The location however is a little less impressive right next to a main road so if in the pool area or bar it is reasonable noisy with trucks going past.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villas Caracol

Holbox

This is such a cool Island and a very lovely hotel. Absolutely MASSIVE rooms with open plan bathroom/shower and expansive balcony. Great food and cocktails Great pool area and general ambiance. Be aware this is a family hotel and you will see children running around

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique Olbil Valladolid

Valladolid, Yuc.

What a romantic and well executed build this is. This hotel is hidden inconspicuously along a busy and slightly shabby street. once the front door is open you get a view right down the middle of the hotel across a serene pool surrounded by flowers on vines and tropical trees. Thick wooden furniture in the bar/restaurant area gives a funky safari vibe. Very pleasant staff and gorgeous rooms (high ceilings, massive bed with crisp linen, a macrame hammock stretches across the room and the bathroom has a mayan/Incan temple vibe - truly executed wonderfully.

Authenticity & Character

Location

This hotel was a little far from some of the funkier streets of this city/anywhere to get good food. We recommend having a car to explore from here. Also the street felt a little unsafe at night.

Staff

The bar tender was overbearing - constantly hustling guests to buy more drinks/food/give a tip for service. He was super enthusiastic and invested in his job which is obvious but for most people wanting to relax on holiday it was unwelcome.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Piedra de Agua Hotel Boutique

We didnt love Piedra de Agua Hotel in Merida. Despite it being situated in an incredibly historic old building with a grand central foyer and elaborately ornate doors the rooms themselves were horrendously small with NO WINDOWS! The room was pitch black until you could find a light switch and the balcony did have two sets of opaque wooden shutters that could be opened with some difficulty. Breakfast was 4 slices of fruit and 2 tablespoons of yoghurt. I wouldn't recommend anyone stay in this hotel at all unless they get a presidental suite which apparently has a different setup. You can see similar reviews on google maps for this place. The best thing about this hotel was the central location.

Authenticity & Character

Great building, poorly executed rooms and underused central lobby. Could install an elevator to make rooms accessible to elderly and disabled people.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Rancho Encantado

Bacalar

Hotel Rancho Encantado - we probably would have preferred to stay in Bacalar town itself as the town was quite vibrant and had lots of places to eat and drink. This hotel was quite isolated out of town and down a VERY bumpy dirt road. The hotel itself was beautifully situated on the lake with a lovely picturesque wharf on the water but besides that the food and drinks were average, the people working there were quite surly and menu prices quite high. Rooms were big and bright but a bit dated (think the Flintstones). Grounds were so big it was hard for them to keep things clean with rotting fruits all over the pathways (we can look over this as it was a "jungle get away" although some people may not appreciate this. We did see monkeys here which was a highlight).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great if you want to be secluded and hang around the resort all day but not in town so need a car to do anything else.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mereva

Tulum

Mereva - this was a gorgeous little hotel 20 min drive out of Talum. It had good facilities and THE BEST breakfast i had at a hotel the whole trip. It is also right on the water with its old private little stretch of beach. The reason it lost some starts from us is it was 20 minutes away from the cute little town of Talum (Again we probaby would have prefered to be in Talum and wander around rather than be stuck in a resort 20 minutes away with kids splashing in the swimming pool around us). Some people however just want a private get away to lounge in without having to visit local towns. The cocktails were also insane expensive here ($370mx for a cocktail!!! which is double what we pay at a nice bar in Sydney, Australia and triple what everywhere else in Mexico was charging).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tequila and Mezcal tasting

Mexico

This was a really cute, personalised tasting experience paired with snacks at intervals. Located in a gorgeous hotel bar in a really quaint neighbourhood i would stick around for dinner afterwards if we had our time again.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private car with Spanish speaking driver

Mexico

The driver seemed sweet but was soooo slow, couldn't understand us, and didn't want to use the air conditioner.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Lucha libre in Mexico city

Mexico City

So much fun. Really colourful and energetic play-fighting. Great costumes and entrances. Love the improvisations and the level the crowd got worked up.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lovely driver.

Xochimilco Tour Trajinera

Mexico City

Cool to do and see but not the highlight of my day.

Safari Magico - Between Sea and Mangrove

Mexico

1. The snorkelling boat trip through Dive Center Puerto Angel was so incredible. The day was sooooo windy but this didn't put a damper on the journey. The boat punched through waves as we spotted dolphins and schools of morbula rays. We had 3 snorkel spots - each one more vibrant and impressive than the last. The guides/driver were also super lovely. 2. The second part of this trip (the afternoon Mangrove Safari with Ventanilla Ecoturismo) was average. We were 15 minutes late travelling between the two destinations but when we arrived they sent us to another tour operator as they had no English speaking guides. Eventually our lovely Kim-Kim representative Monica spoke to the company on the phone and 45 minutes later we had an English speaking guide drive in from home and take us out. The boat itself did not have any shade and it was a baking 37 degree celsius (so bring an umbrella). The guide also seemed disinterested and lacked genuine friendliness except where it was time to give him the tip at the end. We saw some crocodiles and birds and some deer in captivity but probably could have given this afternoon activity a miss.

Quality of Experience

Food

The lunch/breakfast at the end is included (excluding alcohol) so be sure the waiter doesn't charge you like he did with us (we paid twice)

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class - Oaxaca

Oaxaca

This was one of the highlights of our trip. Super friendly and informative guide/chef who takes you through the market to buy produce and then back to his house which has a colourful kitchen within the courtyard to prepare and cook 3 different delicious meals.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat tour 3 islands

Holbox

Very tranquil and pretty half day experience.

Quality of Experience

Hierve el Agua – Mitla – Teotitlán del Valle - Tule Tree - Mezcal Testing

Oaxaca

A really great introduction to the area surrounding Oaxaca. A mix of history, culture, architecture, natural beauty, local art/trade skills and of course mezcal production and tasting at its finest. The buffet lunch was also one of the highlights, showcasing an incredible variety of delights exclusive to Oaxaca and Mexico - you can see why it got its UNESCO world heritage listing for cuisine.

Boat tour Rio Lagartos & Las Coloradas

Mexico

Very chilled and pretty experience.

Chichen-Itza site with an English speaking guide

Mexico

This is a must see. Incredible site on so many levels. Wonderful, knowledgeable and friendly private tour guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat tour on the lagoon

Mexico

It was an insanely windy day when we went out but this didn't put a damper on my very first experience in a crystal clear, bath-warm, fresh water lagoon. We couldn't believe such a huge expanse of fresh water would be so clear and devoid of polution/algae. This lagoon is pristine in so many ways. It was also a delight to swim in. Our trip was unfortunately cut short as our boat broke down and we needed to be rescued. The driver couldnt speak English and unfortunately we missed out on the second hour of our experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat tour in the Natural Reserve of Sian Ka'an

Mexico

Best boat activity we did in Mexico. The early start to the day was acknowledged and breakfast was provided (most hotels dont open breakfast until 7.30/8). The breakfast was homely and welcome. The boat was tiny but super fast and we sped across crystal clear fresh water lagoon towards a channel cut through the mangroves by The Mayans for trade hundreds of years ago. We could see fish and all sorts of water birds along the mangroves here. Another ultra fast blast across a second fresh water lagoon brough us to a natural "pirate channel" where we floated effortlessly in 29 Celsius fresh water through a mangrove river. This was unimaginably peaceful and unique experience. Finally we blasted out into brackish water at the mouth of the river to spot crocodiles, manatees, flamingo's, dolphins and make it back in time to wash off in a rain storm. Lunch was provided before we departed and we can both highly recommend the banana leaf chicken - so succulent and tasty. I wish i could eat this again.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkel in Akumal

Mexico

You will see turtles which is cool and there are some lovely clumps of fan coral at the furthest most point where you are dropped in the water. I was not a fan at all of the huge tourist machine that was made of this Akumal bay. Hundreds - if not thousands - of tourists coming and going by the bus load to jump in the water and harass a handful of turtles in this spectacular bag. Stirring up sediment with their fins and pushing on the barriers to get closer look at the turtles. It's great that we can see these majestic animals in their habitat but some thought needs to be put into sustainable tourism at this location. All surrounding parts of the beach have been privatised by the hotels that occupy the forshore so you cannot enjoy a drink or slice of beach along this bay unless you are a hotel member or happy to sit down among the throng of life-jacketed tourists coming and going from the water.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had an incredible experience in Mexico City. The trip was completely customized to our needs and we thoroughly enjoyed our time. In particular, the market tour, the cooking class and the tour of the Chinampas were excellent.

Activity Review

Discover the flavors and colors of the exotic San Juan Market

Mexico City

Clara was an amazing tour guide. She was incredibly attentive to the needs of the entire family and adjusted the trip to accommodate our interests. She was very kind and very knowledgeable. Really terrific trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Charlotte was a pleasure to work with. She made thoughtful recommendations and consistently emphasized the importance of tailoring the experience to our family's preferences. She was also responsive in answering questions, etc.

Hotel Reviews

La Noria

Oaxaca

The common areas of the hotel were amazing, particularly the small pool in the courtyard, and the location couldn't be beat. The rooms themselves were a bit sparse, but had lots of room and were very clean. The staff was very friendly and accomodating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Bocana

Huatulco

This is a beautiful boutique hotel. We would go back in a heartbeat.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Teotihuacan site with and English speaking guide

Mexico

This was an amazing site and our guide, Isabelle, was fantastic. We wouldn't have enjoyed the experience nearly as much without her knowledge and insight.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lucha libre in Mexico city

Mexico City

This was a highlight of our time in Mexico City. While we aren't wrestling fans, it was a highly entertaining experience and we particularly enjoyed the fact that it was a bit off the tourist path -- most of those in attendance were local families.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private car with Spanish speaking driver

Mexico

We loved Alberto! He was an excellent driver and incredibly thoughtful person. We recommend him to others without reservation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pros:
1. Constant communication
2. Convenient and stress free- having a driver take you to remote locations is a lot more reassuring than driving yourself.
3. The drivers provide an authentic perspective of the way of life for people in Oaxaca.

Cons:
1. Pricy since you’re paying for the service
2. The itinerary is subject to change- some of the activities mentioned in the itinerary were not offered. For example, we were not given the opportunity to paint our own alebrijes (which was what my son was looking forward to)
3. Some of the activities felt like sales pitches rather than interactive workshops.

Overall, I recommend for those who want a stress free adventure in Mexico.

KimKim did a wonderful job of putting together an engaging holiday that was a rich cultural experience far exceeding the usual trip to a Mexican resort. The travel agent advised us to rent a car, which I was reluctant to do. However, they provided us with strong support which really helped us prepare to drive with confidence. The guided tours - Chichen-Itza, the ruins at Tulum, snorkelling with sea turtles and, the half day at the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve were varied and in-depth and well organized and timed.

I would not have changed anything - the trip was awesome.

I am almost 77 years old and my biggest complaint is the number of activities that are packed into one day. I had the same problem in Spain last year and even though I purposely added a number of rest days, I would say the trip was still too exhausting.
Mariana the logistics person should be awarded a gold star. She was excellent and without her help the trip could have been absolute disaster. She should get a pay rise.
The hotels were excellent.
The guides were good and especially the guides to Uxmal, Rio Lagartos and the operator Bejil-Ha.

My local specialist was Sofia. I enjoyed the planning process with her. The local support person, Mariana was an excellent communicator and always responsive. The tours were excellent. Most were private tours. We would have enjoyed more group tours to have the chance to interact with others. The guides were very knowledgeable and fun to be with.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa Eva

Colonia San Pedro Cholula, Puebla

The Hotel Casa Eva was a very comfortable hotel, with easy access to the city centre. Hotel staff were friendly and responsive. The room was spacious with a great bed and linens.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful courtyard, delicious breakfasts

Location

Easy access to city centre

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Oaxaca Real Hotel

Oaxaca

The hotel was beautiful and well maintained. We especially enjoyed the gift of a water bottle. The pool was excellent and we really enjoyed it after a day of touring.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Parador Margarita

San Cristobal de las Casas

The hotel has a lot of charm and character. Very spacious room with a good courtyard view. Breakfast was good and staff were helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

The decor of this hotel is unique and beautiful.

Location

The walk to the center of town was okay

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Aldea del Halach Huinic

Palenque

The hotel is peaceful and serene. The pool was beautiful and surrounded by plants and trees. The rooms were a bit dated, but clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The jungle location of this hotel was unique. However, it was far from town and without a car, few dining options

Staff

No help with bags to room which was located down 2 flights of stairs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable bed, pleasant patio outside the room, good restaurant

Hotel Boutique Casa Piedad

Campeche

This hotel did not meet our needs. The room was advertised as 20 sq meters, but was only 13 sq meters. There was no room for luggage and the bathroom was tiny. We did not stay a second night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not close to the centre of town

Staff

No greeting, not friendly. There was no breakfast and we were not given any suggestions for breakfast restaurants.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was clean but not comfortable

Kuka y Naranjo

Mérida

This is a unique hotel, with a beautiful patio sitting area. The room was comfortable with minimalist decor.

Authenticity & Character

A vegan restaurant on site had an interesting menu

Location

Not far from the city centre but not the best part of town

Staff

Friendly, helpful and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

The concrete floor had crack that should be filled for hygienic reasons.

Casa Quetzal Hotel Boutique

Valladolid, Yucatán

The hotel is lovely with a beautiful courtyard and pool. Very close to amazing restaurants, this hotel was the perfect place to stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

No help with the luggage to our room on the second floor.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Fives Oceanfront

Quintana Roo

Authenticity & Character

The lobby is amazing with a view of the ocean and pool. Check in was organized. We were encouraged to use the pool and beach until our room was ready.

Location

A very quiet and peaceful resort

Staff

Every staff member we met was friendly, helpful and attentive. Enjoyed yoga and bike riding with Will. The gym was well equipped and clean

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was spacious, clean and modern. Exceptionally comfortable bed and linens. Large balcony, unfortunately on the street side of the hotel.

Activity Reviews

Free Afternoon in Puebla

Mexico

We actually stayed in Cholula and did not get to see Puebla. It was disappointing as I was interested in seeing Talavera pottery.

Between markets and corn in the magical town of Cholula

Mexico

We had a fantastic time at the market in Cholula. The food tasting was diverse and delicious. Our guide was very attentive to our interests. The experience at Mili was very interesting. We enjoyed tasting all of the food products made from corn.

Quality of Experience

We enjoyed the variety of food on the tour

Food

The foaming chocolate drink was delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The pace of the tour was very good.

Get to know the history of Mole Poblano through the streets of Puebla

San Andrés Cholula

We had a great cooking experience making and eating mole. The class took place in the home of the guide, making it a very comfortable experience. The mole was excellent.

Quality of Experience

The instructor was very good.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The entire trip was fantastic. Most all scheduled events took place on time and as advertised. Any questions were answered promptly and satisfactorily. It was nice to have Kimkim check in with us daily.

Of particular note, were the informative, helpful, knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides.

1. Montse greeted us in Mexico City on our first full day and shared her love of the city, its culture and food.
2. Pablo was a wonderfully informative guide through museums and Teotihuacan. Both days with him were great. We had spectacular meals in Mexico City and enjoyed walking through a few of its charming neighborhoods.
3. In Oaxaca, we were expertly led by and taught by Alex through the old city, to the awesome ruins in Mount Alban, and wonders of Teotitlan del Valle (including the hike!). We were fortunate to have had multiple days with Alex.
4. We rounded out Oaxaca with an expert led mezcal tour and tasting with Daisy. That was great fun.
5. To end with relaxing days in Salchi was perfect! The boat trip guided by Captain Isidro Cruz (including seeing whales) was a great way to see the coastline and snorkel.
6. Our drivers (if not included above) were also great.
7. We hope we didn’t leave anyone off—all were great!

The hotel Casa Mauna at Salchi was very good (and peaceful). We had room 3, which seemed likely to be the very best at the small hotel. The vegan food was also very good—the drinks excellent. The pool delightful. We highly recommend it.

We will now share comments about the hotel choices in Mexico City and Oaxaca. Both hotels were beautiful and well-staffed. We were always made to feel welcome. The restaurant at the Zocalo Central was very good.

However, both hotels were situated in the center of vibrant, busy, and very loud areas:
• It was about impossible to sleep soundly in our room, 515, in Zocalo Central. The noise from the square continued most of the night (drumming and crowd noises), and then the sound of heavy chairs dragging noisily on the dining room floor just above our heads started about 6:15AM. One additional, seemingly minor but noteworthy item, was that we found out on Saturday afternoon that there would be no laundry service on Sunday—which we knew about-- but also on Monday (due to the national holiday on Monday. It would have been useful if we had received this advisory on Thursday or even Friday night, as then we would have had our laundry done on Friday or Saturday. As a result, our carefully planned light packing was confounded—we spent time doing our own wash in the room. When traveling, little things like this matter.
• For the first two nights in Parador de Alcala, we slept well. Then things changed. It was Thursday, and Friday, and Saturday and Sunday when the noise became a real issue again. The local bars blared music until 3AM (or later), and then the party goers continue the festivities in the streets until dawn, at which time the street traffic noise becomes quite high. I know the hotels do not have control over the bar noise or the traffic—but for Kimkim, we think charming hotels chosen away from the noisy parts of the city centers would be better.

Finally, as it goes for Kimkim:
• Mariana did a fantastic job of providing on-the-ground assistance for the inevitable adjustments which were needed. She was prompt with response and follow-ups. She provided a very reassuring and effective backup to situations that came up.
• Our first point of contact was Isabelle, who also did a great job of helping us design our perfect holiday. She was very responsive and helpful in discussing with us our preferences, and making adjustments to, our itinerary.
• The Kimkim service and platform worked well and we would recommend Kimkim to others. We plan to do so ourselves. We were able to focus more on enjoying the trip then on logistics. There were two minor changes to the itinerary that came to light during the trip—it’s possible a Live Itinerary would help alleviate these inevitable discrepancies – but no problems arose from this either.

We were pleased with adjustments and we happy with Kimkim and their entire team.

Hotel Reviews

Zócalo Central

Mexico City

I stayed at Zócalo Central in Mexico City for five nights. The location was right on the square, but unfortunately, the room was very noisy due to being under the restaurant. The noise made it difficult to sleep, especially with chairs moving early in the morning. The staff offered to move us to a quieter room, but we decided to stay put. Overall, the hotel was nice, but it might be better to check for quieter rooms if noise bothers you.

Hotel Parador de Alcalá

Oaxaca

Hotel Parador de Alcalá in Oaxaca was located right on the street, making it a bit noisy. The hotel itself was nice, and the staff were great. It could be a good option for a short stay in the city center, but maybe not ideal for multiple nights if you value a quiet night's sleep.

Staff

Casa Mauna - Boutique Hotel

Crucecita

Casa Mauna was a lovely boutique hotel located near the beach. It had only six rooms and was a short walk to a private beach area. The location was peaceful and quiet, perfect for reflection on the trip. We enjoyed the tranquility and privacy of the hotel, making it a highlight of our stay in the Huatulco Bays. The vegan food was also very good—the drinks excellent. The pool delightful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Activity Reviews

Archaeological Tour in Monte Albán

Oaxaca

In Oaxaca, we were expertly led by and taught by Alex through the old city, to the awesome ruins in Mount Alban, and wonders of Teotitlan del Valle (including the hike!). We were fortunate to have had multiple days with Alex. Exploring the ancient ruins and learning about the Zapotec civilization was truly captivating. The guide was knowledgeable and passionate about the history of the site.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alex was great

Transport

Explore the archaeological site of Teotihuacan

Mexico City

The private group tour of the archaeological site of Teotihuacan was amazing. Walking through the ancient ruins and learning about the history of the site was a memorable experience. The guide was excellent and shared a wealth of information with us. It was a day filled with awe and wonder

It was our first experience with this company and we were pleasantly surprised, the trip was planned very well and the local assistant was fantastic. Highly recommended!!

Activity Reviews

Tour of historic Mexico City with street food tasting

Mexico City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Be amazed by the pre-hispanic beauty of the chinampas in Xochimilco

Mexico City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the National Museum of Anthropology

Mexico City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Authentic Mexican Cooking Class

Mexico City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared biking experience through Teotihuacan "The City of the Gods"

Mexico City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pros - most of the guides who looked after the group were knowledgeable and enthusiastic. (Though we were not very happy with the local food tastings in Mexico City and Oaxaca, they could have been of a better quality. )
Cons - hotels were pretty average, some of them have certainly seen better times.

The van provided was a total disaster! With tiny windows that you cannot look out from and enjoy the sightseeing. BUT above all the van was insufficient for the group luggage and daily it was such a struggle to fit ourselves and the suitcases in! When 18 of us reached Oaxaca airport, the suitcases could not fit so we had to hire a taxi on our own initiative and till date have NOT got reimbursed for that. This is not acceptable because we had warned you that Indian women will travel with the maximum luggage possible and to provide a vehicle accordingly, but this never happened, though you were aware of it right from day one . BTW this was a commitment and not a favour.
The driver for an airport transfer on the last date turned up more than 20 minutes late! Once again this is not acceptable, besides there was far too much follow up required on a daily basis.
So the overall Mexico experience is rather disappointing, I am sure you will understand why.

Our trip to the Yucatan was very special . All service providers were pleasant and friendly. The interactions with Mayan families in their community and learning to make tortillas , plant corn, make handicrafts and spot monkeys in the jungle was especially memorable. Of course, exploring the ancient Mayan cities and learning about their culture and scientific achievements was inspiring. Our guides were amazing in their knowledge and interest in our understanding of Mayan culture both in ancient and modern times. Hotels were excellent and transportation services efficient. A particular shout out to the taxi service drivers , Carlos, and others. Mariana from Rutopia was always a text or call away which helped smooth out any logistical wrinkles. Of course, thanks to Rene who helped plan the trip!! Finally, a round of applause to the zip line team in Punta Laguna who threw some thrilling adventure into the day.

Our private driver service was fabulous; his service was perfection, always on time and accommodating to our every need and request. He is an expert at logistics and keeping our family safe. You should use his services with your all your customers.

The Krystal Hotel in Monterey was terrible. Room 519. No water pressure from hot water in the sink. Shower door was never repaired. Never changed sheets or refreshed sheets by cleaning them off. Room service food preparation was rude with incorrect food orders delivered. The correct order never showed up. Room thermostat only worked on 1 setting. We could not change the temperature in the room. Toiletries are low quality. Fron desk was rude and unaccommodating and were not trained in safety training when we needed a band aid when our child fell on hotel property. Hotel lobby and dinning room were freezing in temperature everyday especially when it was cold outside. No warmth at all within the hotel. Hotel floor on 5th floor never vacuumed. Same trash on carpet every day. Card keys did not work twice in a row; always had to get new ones at from desk. The gym had no sanitizer wipes and the tv did not work. You should never put your customers at this hotel.

The hotel in Saltillo, Quinta Real, was lovely. Our room had some furniture that needed upgrades or repairs. Overall is was a great experience. The dinning room was fabulous. Gym needed mats and foam rollers.

The Monterrey city tour that was pre arranged with a different driver was terrible. The driver himself was a nice and respectful, but his car was uncomfortable and cold because his defroster didn't seem to work. So we were unable to see out the window at the sights. He tried to find us a lunch spot but we ended up having to walk around outside when it was really cold weather in order to find food. We recognize lunch logistics may have not been officially included in the tour. The driver focused on showing us car dealerships and didn't really provide a comprehensive perspective on the history of Monterrey or San Pedro. He tried to please us and even downloaded a translation app because he was not fully bilingual but the app wasnt working completely or properly; he said he didn't speak much English. So for your English speaking customers, you should not use him. For five people, the size of the car was not appropriate. The tour seemed to focus on area of San Pedro rather than Monterrey. One stop on the tour that was early fabulous was a stop at the Little Wine Market. But it wasn't a planned stop; we asked to stop when we saw it. He also offered to stop wherever we wanted to stop so that was a nice feature or option of the tour experience. Overall, this tour was a low point our our trip.

Some feedback on the kimkim team: seems the team members changed frequently, however we were always able to get quick responses to our requests, and they were always willing to hold conference calls which is key to planning a vacation.

Activity Review

City Tour Monterrey

Monterrey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had one guide named Lewis for our hike to the butterfly sanctuary. He was great. Our other nonguides were drivers who did not speak any English. That was a major communication problem and lessened our experiences to two day trips. One trip was to the tenezcal. It was nice but there were no towels or dressing instructions. They did bring a person who helped to explain the temezcal but he did not stay and we had to decipher the shamans instructions. The other activity was a hike to a high overlook and two women and one child came with us. No English again The hike was changed from the one on our itinerary.

Hotel Review

Cinco Rodavento

Ciudad de México

Wonderful caring staff. Beautiful rooms. Great rooftop deck. Lovely courtyard and room patio. Plush towels and bed linens. We were charged for one day when we were not there and for a spa service that was not wanted. It totaled over $400. Which they gave us in hotel credits. Half of which we found out about one day before we left. I had told our planner that we would device about spa treatments when we arrived but they were scheduled and charged to us without our knowledge.

Authenticity & Character

Rooftop deck

Location

Close to downtown market and lake.

Staff

So friendly and eager to please.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shower was amazing with lots of hot water

Activity Reviews

Head to Amanalco for a unique Temazcal experience

Mexico

I have already said some of the things but will repeat them. They should have provided towels or told us to bring them. They should have had one English speaker in the temezcal to explain things. The shaman and his associate singer was very good. The lodge was nice and there were places to change.

Quality of Experience

The experience with the chants and herbs and gear

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Car was extremely dirty. Again no English speaker. No guide.

Transport

Clean car and car windows.

Sailing at Valle de Bravo

Valle de Bravo

First time sailing. It was a beautiful day on the water. You got a new perspective of Valle de Bravo from the lake.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No staff. We walked to the lake and found the person that had the sailboat.

Hike through the forest to see the Monarch Butterflies at the Matlazinca Sanctuary

Mexico

We went to a different sanctuary called Almanalco. It was fantastic but it was a very difficult hike through the forest not on a tail. We had to bushwhack through the glorious forest.

Quality of Experience

In a private sanctuary we were the only ones there.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Let med the English speaking guide

Transport

Terrible road to get there .

We had a wonderful vacation in Oaxaca experiencing the culture, art, and food. Rene did an excellent job planning the trip to balance cooking days with more active tours and free time to explore the city. We loved visiting families in their homes to cook with them, and learn about their way of life. The pottery and art experiences were very special and perfect for us and our 12 and 14 year old boys. The simple and wholesome way of life made an impression on us all. My 14 year old already made tortillas from scratch since we returned home a few days ago.

Hotel and restaurants were all fantastic, too. Rene had stayed in the hotel, and eaten at the restaurants he recommended. We are very grateful to have been matched with him.

Hotel Review

Hotel Tabáa Oaxaca

Oaxaca

This hotel is in a great location, walkable to all parts of Oaxaca City but also on a quieter street. The employees who work here are wonderful and keep the hotel running well and looking beautiful. There was always pure water available in glass, reusable bottles for us, and a place to refill our water bottles for the day. The rooms were clean and the linens soft. Thank you for a wonderful stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Quiet street yet in a lovely neighborhood and close to everything.

Staff

Benito and others were so incredibly kind to us and our boys. They also went out of their way to help us get our clothes cleaned when laundromats were backed up by 4+ days due to holiday closures.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shower, bathroom, and bedroom all extremely clean

Activity Reviews

Rural cooking workshop in Oaxaca

Oaxaca

We loved going to this market and the cook's home to make lunch together. She was generous, talented and very sweet and we learned a lot and had a great day. My son was so inspired that he's made tortillas from scratch since we arrived back home to California. There was no problem accommodating our vegetarian diet.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gastronomic Indigenous Roots

Oaxaca

This was a great dinner for our first night in Oaxaca. We experienced so many different types of food, and it was helpful to have it all prepaid since we hadn't exchanged money yet.

Quality of Experience

Food

Biking tour and street art

Oaxaca

Diego took us through 3 neighborhoods on bikes and taught us so much about the city through murals and art. It was a very memorable experience, and we only wished we had even more tours with him.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Diego was one of the best guides we had on our whole trip.

Transport

Our family is tall so some of the bikes were a little small.

Oaxacan Markets: A Culinary Journey through Colors and Flavors

Oaxaca

Ana took us through markets and all around the city to try different local foods. It was a great choice to have this tour on our first full day in Oaxaca. Everything was delicious. Ana made sure we could eat vegetarian - this was not difficult since the traditional Oaxacan foods are plant-based anyway. We are an active family and our only change would have been to make this a walking tour rather than going to each place by van.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ana was a fantastic guide, and also gave us other suggestions for places to visit during our week in Oaxaca. She told us about polideportivo - a nearby public track and exercise area - where my 12 yr old son happily played soccer 5 of the afternoons of our week in Oaxaca.

Transport

We stayed within the main city and could have walked everywhere rather than driven. Our driver was great though. It's just our preference to walk more, especially for a food tour!

Traditional amaranth meal with "Alegría de la vida"

Mexico

Loved the cooking experience, especially making fresh tortillas in the outdoor kitchen of one of our hosts.

Quality of Experience

Women were in charge of the experience and such talented cooks. It was wonderful to experience their culture and eat the traditional grains.

Food

Fresh blue corn tortillas were delicious straight from the comal, and the host also made amazing salsa to go with it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver Manuel was awesome and his English was great so he could fill in some information for us on the ride back to the hotel and during the lunch.

Transport

Experience the culture of Oaxaca: discover textile art, ceramics and mezcal

Oaxaca

One of our most favorite days in Oaxaca - we especially loved the pottery and the experience meeting the artist who perfected this craft to sell to her community and eventually worldwide. The weavers were also fantastic and involved my son in finishing a rug that this particular man had been working on for months. A very memorable day.

Quality of Experience

Getting to go to the artists' homes to see them make their craft was a fantastic experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Madai was our knowledgable English speaking guide. Her education was in archeology and she knew a lot about the area.

Transport

Manuel was a great and safe driver.

Monte Albán and the alebrijes workshop: an unforgettable experience

Oaxaca

5+ stars for the alebrijes workshop and 3 stars for Monte Alban. Alebrijes- It was wonderful meeting the Jimenez family and learning about the carving and painting of the spirit animals. The 4 of us, including our sons ages 12 and 14, spent hours painting our own alebrijes after we had lunch and a tour of the beautiful little museum which was part of their home. Monte Alban- We appreciated getting there early before the bigger crowds, but this visit felt very touristy and it was hard to follow the stories of our English speaking guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Edgar was a very nice and knowledgeable man, but his stories about Monte Alban were hard for us to follow. We wished we would have read more about it ahead of time.

Transport

AMAZING! Great service and real VIP experience. Loved our personal driver Cesar and our expert guide at Chichen Itza, Rangel. The cenote was sublime- couldn’t have been a better day. Will book again when I come back!