Kimkim Trip Reviews for Portugal

In an era of self booking trips,if you have the time and bandwidth to research where to go, travel agencies are not extinct and provide a custom experience to those who seek it. My family and I absolutely loved our trip and accomodations. We love to road trip and chose to drive to various places. Our booked tours were exactly what we wanted and still had ample time to explore on our own. Highly recommend booking through kimkim, my agent was attentive and available to answer questions or concerns. Will look into more vacation options with this company.

Hotel Reviews

Martinhal Lisbon Chiado

Lisbon

Wonderful hotel for families to stay in the old part of Lisbon. Everything is within walking distance if you like to walk.

Authenticity & Character

Comfortable and stylish

Location

Location was great to see the old town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vila Gale Evora

Evora

The hotel is nice and near old town. The two comments: We had 2 kids ( one considered an adult) on a pull out couch that was very hard and uncomfortable to sleep. The other was the air conditioner that smelled horrible when turned on.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Air conditioner smelled when turned on and the pull out couch was uncomfortable to sleep on

Vila Galé Lagos

Lagos

Great hotel for families with a few exceptions. This is catered to a more resort feel, with that in mind, hotels need to deter guests from staking claim to lounge chairs by the pool all day. The fact is people just leave there towels and disappear for hours or most of the day but block others from using them. Huge turn off if you want to actually use a chair for an hour or two.

Authenticity & Character

Not my kind of style as it feels commercial and lacks some charm.

Location

Away from the touristy side of town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Martinhal Lisbon Oriente

Lisbon

Wonderful hotel and chain. Highly recommend if you have a family.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cave Boat Tour

Portugal

Was a bit hesitant to do this because of preventing experiences. This was a small group and our guides where personable and with great sense of humor. Well worth seeing the coast feom this vantage point.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Street Art Tour in Lisbon

Lisbon

Had the most wonderful tour guide ans experience. Great way to learn about the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Winery Visit with Wine Tasting

Portugal

Tour guide was knowledgeable and personable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had such a wonderful trip to Portugal! Exploring and eating our way from Lisbon to Porto to the Algarve, and finishing in Cascais! All in all it was the perfect break from work & school.

Diana was a joy to work with from the start; she took the effort to understand what we were looking for, the types of experiences we enjoy, and made many spot-on recommendations for things for us to check-out during our days without any activities scheduled. She booked us unique, lovely places to stay that were in the heart of the experiences we were after which made getting out super convenient. And she and the team checked-in every day to make sure the trip was proceeding well, and that we had whatever we needed when it came to transfers, activities, etc.

Throughout, our guides and drivers were knowledgeable, friendly, and very steeped in the local culture & scene, resulting in a trip that was very unique and full of color. We felt safe and welcome everywhere we went, and I really appreciated the efforts they each took to provide us options and tailor the experience to something that worked for me and my kids (17 & 14). Specifically there were two drivers who really stood out for myself and my kids; Ricardo (who drove us to/about Douro Valley, as well as our transfer down to Lagos), and Duarte (who brought us from the Algarve to Cascais, as well as our day touring Sintra, and to our very special dinner) — they were exceptional. Both went out of their way to ensure our respective trips and tours really accommodated us, and they created a fun atmosphere, and provided a lot of fantastic recommendations and tips for our trip.

The KimKim team & all of their contacts really contributed to making this a magical & unforgettable first visit to Portugal!

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Liberdade

Lisbon

Fabulous hotel! Great service staff from the front desk, to the bar(s), to the restaurant. We thought the hotel was in a good location, a quieter neighborhood but easy to walk to downtown or the highlight spots. Breakfasts were some of the best of the trip, and we enjoyed hanging out on the rooftop bar for a late day snack & a refreshing drink. We didn’t get a chance to use the spa, but it looked quite well done and appropriate to the setting. Rooms were clean, moderately elegant, but the beds were fantastic!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Infante Sagres

Porto

Gorgeous hotel in a great urban environment; steps from fantastic restaurants, and a short jaunt to shopping. The interior of the hotel offered a lot of grand character, from the sweeping staircase to the decorated, comfortable rooms. The staff were welcoming and provided great service throughout our stay. The breakfast palette was solid, but the staff was especially attentive and gracious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

Excellent if remote resort, with stunning cliffside views, wonderful swimming pool, and welcoming staff. The rooms were comfortable, with firm bedding, and spacious seating. The ability to walk out cliffside in the morning or evening was a big plus. The resort is located an easy 10 minute ride to the quaint shopping / restaurants of old town Lagos. The gym was very serviceable, with plenty of equipment for a handful of users at a given time.

Location

Really loved being able to walk along the cliffs early in the morning.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Excellent hotel with top-notch service. Beautiful vistas, with very clean rooms, excellent beds, and a delicious breakfast service. Hotel staff were very welcoming, and table staff for dinner, breakfasts, and poolside were always gracious, warm, and very attentive. It’s a lovely sea-side walk from the hotel to downtown Cascais for shopping, dining, etc. The gym (managed by Holmes Place) is a top notch gym with tons of equipment (many multiples of treadmills, stepping machines, bikes, etc.), plenty of free weight, dumbbells, kettlebells, etc. We really enjoyed the splurge of having a private seaside balcony where we could relax and watch the ships go by in the afternoon before dinner.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Exploring Porto's Rich History on an Exclusive Gastronomic Tour Through Time

Porto

What a wonderful exploration this was! Our guide was fantastic, offering plenty of historical and contemporary pieces of color that informed our view of the city, while also offering plenty of tips and suggestions for things for us to check out during our down time in Porto. Each place we visited along the tour was wonderful; the hosts were always warm and gracious, and the food was a unique and fun (and filling!) peak into Porto culture. Meia.Duzia was a very unique stop we enjoyed. We were truly stuffed with delicious foods and wine by the time we made it to the final destination for ice cream (Chocolataria Equador), but that’s probably for the best since if I’d had any more room, I would have gotten another round of ice cream — I had the basil & lemon with sea salt and olive oil which was phenomenal!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip was super well planned and organized. We packed a ton in just 6 days and got to see so many of Portugal’s best spots. The planning was spot on and the timing was perfect so we could do everything we wanted to. We had amazing guides, including our drivers Henrique and Ricardo, who took us on a safe and efficient journey through Portugal. They also gave us great tips, knowledge of the region, and history. We had great city tours with Margarita and Sara who really took us deep into the history, sites, and culture of Lisbon and Porto. It was an incredible trip. We wish we had more time to spend and explore even more of this amazing country!

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Liberdade

Lisbon

Amazing hotel. Super posh and great location. Does require a short Uber ride to get to the cultural areas, but otherwise, great location for shopping and simply walking around. Would stay here again

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near the Avenue de Liberadade

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cénica Porto Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton

Porto

received a suite for our family. Amazing size! A little bit on the outskirts of the main city area, but certainly walkable to downtown Porto.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Amazing resort with fantastic views. Great pool, both indoor and outdoor. Easy to access the promenade to walk to downtown Cascais. Great service. Very luxurious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Our driver Henrique was an absolute gem! We had an incredible tour of the area, and Henrique took us on a stroll through the charming downtown Sintra. He shared his insider knowledge, telling us what was worth seeing and doing, and what wasn’t. We truly immersed ourselves in Sintra’s rich history and stunning sites, and Henrique made it an unforgettable experience. Thanks a bunch for making our trip so amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour & Tastings

Lisbon

Our tour guide, Margarita, was incredible! She totally customized the tour for our 6 and 10-year-olds, keeping them super engaged. The adults had a blast too, learning all about the sights, culture, and history of Lisbon. We even tried Ginjinha and Santini’s ice cream - it was delicious! This tour truly gave us an in-depth look into Lisbon’s rich history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Great tour with Sara. Really learned about the history of Porto and saw the city. Was a great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

The landscapes here are absolutely breathtaking! The drive into the Duoro valley was excellent. Our driver, Ricardo, was an absolute gem and navigated the difficult roads beautifully. Not only did we learn a ton about the area’s history and culture, but the drive was also super entertaining and insightful. The boat tour was incredible! It was so calm and peaceful, and we got to see the wineries from a whole new perspective. The lunch at the winery was also amazing - it was an experience like no other. We left super full and satisfied, and I can’t wait to come back!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Douro Valley Vineyard Delightful Lunch Experience

Portugal

Amazing gourmet lunch. Delicious food. Excellent vegetarian options. Huge portion sizes. Left super full!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

Very scenic and relaxing. The cool breezes with beautiful landscapes made it magical!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tiago was wonderful. Thorough, patient, and hooked us up with guides through Lisbon and Cascai. Arranged the whole thing. Steered us to the Azores instead of the Canaries. Nice hotels. Evora was terrific and interesting. The Duaro Valley was very beautiful. Cost-effective. Stuff we couldn't have seen without Tiago's guidance. Really, the only way to take a self-driving tour. Highly recommended.

Hotel Reviews

NH Collection Porto Batalha

Porto

Decent hotel in the middle of the city. But incredibly inconvenient. Hard to find. Parking is inconvenient and makes check-in a horror show. Hotel is nice once you get parked.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good - being in the middle of Porto. Bad - NOT MADE FOR CARS. Much better if brought there by Uber or taxi.

Staff

They helped us Park! Which was not easy. Desk staff also friendly and helpful.

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Very good. Good value for the money

Hotel Albergaria do Calvário

Évora

Nice, small hotel. Parking was difficult.

Casa dos Ofícios Hotel

Tomar

Nice boutique hotel. Parking was inconvenient and difficult. Other than that, the hotel was nice.

Location

Right in the city. Parking was inconvenient and difficult.

Quinta do Tedo

Douro Valley

The Duaro valley is spectacular. Beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views! Memorable and wonderful.

Sao Miguel Park Hotel

Ponta Delgada

Good value for money. Nice, American-style hotel. Good location.

Location

Walking distance to the ocean and to the mall. The mall, although at first glance a tacky American mall,Turned out to be very convenient with good shops, a food court, and a cinema (!!) We saw a movie!

Activity Review

Rabelo Boat Tour

Portugal

A boat tour was a nice change. Pretty river, nice people on the boat. Overall though, a little boring.

Tiago set up a great trip that catered to exactly what my family was looking for. The best part was having a local agent while we were on the trip. He checked on us regularly and provided invaluable local beach expertise and and last minute dinner reservations. We were so thrilled to avoid the crazy crowded beaches and head to what felt like locals only spots. His support definitely enhanced our trip. We had a wonderful time!

We had an amazing trip to Portugal planned by Kim Kim. The hotels in every city we visited were in the best areas of each city. We had an awesome food tour in Porto, and a great guide for our time in Lisbon. I would highly recommend Kim Kim to anyone who is looking for a stress free vacation.

Hotel Review

The Vintage House Hotel Douro

Pinhão

The Vintage House Hotel Douro was definitely a highlight of my trip. It's a beautiful hotel in an amazing location, even though it's a bit secluded in the area, but it stands out as quite the fabulous place to stay. I really appreciated the charm and tranquility of the place.

Activity Review

Dinner with Live Fado Music

Lisbon

The Dinner with Live Fado Music was an interesting experience. The place and the music were great, capturing the essence of Fado well, but the food didn't really meet expectations. However, we weren't expecting gourmet cuisine, so it was more about the experience overall, which was enjoyable.

Our guide Joel in Lisbon was amazing . Professional and very knowledgeable . Hotels were great and everyone was friendly.

Our Portugal trip was better than expected and we are looking forward to another visit to explore more. Margarida (spelling ?) was our walking tour guide in Lisbon and she was knowledgeable, friendly, and fun. She helped provide a balanced welcome into Portugal's history, culture, and food that made us appreciate our surroundings and the country.

Duarte was a friendly and knowledgeable driver/guide for Sintra and to/from Lagos. His unique background being a race car driver living in the Unite States and personal history and experiences made our time in the car feel special. He was safe, friendly and went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and a positive experience.

Rodrigo drove us for a day in Lagos and Algarve and introduced us to some of the most beautiful beaches we've been to! He was friendly and easy to communicate with.

Marcos was our friendly driver to and from the Afronation concert and he made sure we got to and from safely.

Hotel Reviews

Lagos Avenida Hotel

Lagos

I loved the decor and views at this hotel. It was very easy to walk to the shops, marina, and restaurants nearby.

Authenticity & Character

The modern beachy but laid back vibes. The style was great at the hotel overall although the bathroom/room combo with the curtain for privacy was a tad tricky and less practical at times.

Location

Staff

Breakfast staff was very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and breakfast was superb.

Vila Galé Cascais

Cascais

The hotel was clean, large, and had a beautiful outdoor and pool area. It was located across from the water with easy walking access to the town for restaurants and shopping which was great. It was a bit dark in the hallways of the hotel leading to our room and the hotel is due for some updates overall, particularly in the rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and comfortable with ample space in the room to spread out. I liked the balcony/terrace; it was very relaxing and quiet.

Hotel Britania Art Deco

Lisbon

I really liked the Art Deco decor and history of the hotel. The staff was very friendly and breakfast was delicious. The hotel was clean, quiet, easily walkable to local restaurants and shopping. I enjoyed the bath/body products in the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was kind and personable with good recommendations for food nearby.

Cleanliness & Comfort

I liked the robe and slippers.

Activity Reviews

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour & Tastings

Lisbon

I liked the food tastings. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly (Margarida). We handled the walking okay but the hills would have been very challenging if I came with my parents or other family members.

Quality of Experience

a nice mix of food, culture, history and lifestyle.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

a good walk but not easy in the heat or if hills or stairs are challenging.

Exclusive Panoramic Boat Tour to the Ponta da Piedade Caves

Portugal

I liked how it was personal. Jorge was knowledgeable with a good sense of humor. He made the ride feel more safe and calm even with the waters being rough that day. Loved the fresh fruit; it was sweet and refreshing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

To Eat Suggestion: Honest Greens (Avenida)

Lisbon

Delicious healthy food that was less than 2 blocks from our hotel. the staff was friendly and the atmosphere was fresh, spacious, and comfortable.

Quality of Experience

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Sintra and the Villa/castle was beautful to see although it was very slow due to crowds. We stood a lot moving slowly through the property. A heads up on the microclimate could have been helpful as it was chilly at times.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver Duarte was friendly and knowledgeable throughout the tour. He also recommended a great seafood restaurant and pastries which we enjoyed. Glad we passed through Cascais on the way back to Lisbon as it was beautiful and sunny.

Transport

the care was clean, modern, comfortable and we felt safe. Thankful for the bottled water.

Across Portugal curated an absolutely perfect first trip to Portugal for our family of five, including three young kids, ages ten, eight, and four.

Joao and the team could not have done a better job finding us the perfect resorts in each of our three stays (Lisbon, the Algarve, Cascais) — exactly what we needed in terms of space and accommodations to make traveling with kids stress free and incredibly enjoyable.

The experiences booked for us in each place were perfect — magical, high quality experiences that were clearly the best of the best in each spot, allowing us to feel like we saw and experienced so much in the relatively short time we had. My expectations were exceeded in every way: our accommodations, our driver, our activities, and the level of professionalism and ease of communication throughout.

We are not easy people to please, and we were blown away. We hope to return to Portugal again soon to see even more of the country and will certainly use Across Portugal again.

The trip that kimkim planned for our 2-week trip to Spain and Portugal was amazing! We didn't have to worry - everything was taken care of, from the drivers, to the guides, to the train tickets, it was an A-plus experience! We have 9 activities scheduled over our 14 day trip, and it is difficult to determine which one was our favorite. But the cooking class in Seville and the lunch at the vineyard (under a 2,000 year old olive tree) on our way to Lisbon were definitely up there.

I also had to rely on the team during our trip for a request, and they got back to me within 15 minutes. Truly exceptional work and wonderful planning by Beatriz. Would absolutely recommend kimkim to all our friends and we will never travel internationally without them.

Tim

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Regina

Barcelona

Beautiful hotel! Definitely set the tone for the trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palmares Signature Suites

Odiáxere, Lagos

If you like luxury accommodations with golf, pools, a Michelin-starred restaurant and access to the beach, this is the place to stay!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Everyone was accommodating to provide shuttles to beach and to apartment.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palácio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel

Lisboa

The friends that stayed with us agreed that this might be the nicest hotel that they ever stayed in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Torel 1884 Suites & Apartments

Porto

Accommodations were nice but did not feel as luxury as the prior places that we had stayed on our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We didn't realize that the suites would be apart from the main building.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Sintra is very unique and our driver had family who grew up there so he knew how to get around easily and took us to some of the areas that were not as touristy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exclusive Tapas Culinary Experience

Barcelona

This first activity set the tone - and we were literally starting about an hour after got to the hotel.

Quality of Experience

Variety of foods and places was comprehensive

Food

Croquets, sangria, pinchos, Russian salad, etc.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Brais, was very enthusiastic and engaging. He introduced us to a lot of different types of tapas we would then encounter later in Spain.

Transport

Private Visit of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Miguel, our guide spent extra time with us and asked what WE wanted to do. He then took us to a beautiful music hall in Barcelona before we even went to La Sagrada Familia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit an Andalusian Olive Oil Estate

Portugal

Loved visiting the picturesque property. The guide was friendly and knowledgable. And the olive oil was delicious! A bottle of your choice is included with the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Traditional Andalusian Cooking Class & Market Visit

Seville

One of our favorite activities! Chef Leo and Carmen were amazing! Great sense of humor, helpful, supportive. And also, the food we all made was delicious. Tried one of the dishes at a restaurant the next day - ours was much better!

Quality of Experience

Food

Gazpacho, spinach and chickpeas, paella

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Excursion Inside Benagil Caves

Portugal

The pictures from this boat trip were amazing! I've never seen caves like this in my lifetime.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Secret Porto Walking Experience

Porto

Felt like we were just following our guide around while she walked ahead of us. Did not find our guide to be very engaging at all.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Thelma was very professional and knowledgable about the area and the vineyards. She took us to a traditional Portuguese restaurant that was absolutely delicious and that we would never have found or chosen on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Portugal was amazing! We originally planned to go to visit the NOS Alive music festival and decided to build a family vacation around that. I literally knew nothing about Portugal, and in my research, stumbled upon the Kimkim site. I entered my goals - see the country, have a little adventure and a little relaxation, and Pedro worked his magic. With his expertise of the country, he planned a perfect itinerary for our trip (which included myself, my husband and our 13 year old). Communication leading up to the trip was very responsive and we felt totally prepared as we departed on July 4th.

We were first greeted by our driver Pepe - he messaged us when we landed to let us know where to meet him. It was a very warm welcome, complete with waters, snacks and a comfortable ride north to Porto. We stopped in a couple of towns along the way - Obidos and Najare - and Pepe gave us tips about what to see, what to eat/drink, and the best spots to do it. He also knew that by the time we had lunch in Najare, the jet lag would kick in so let us rest for the remaining hour and a half to Porto. The hotel in Porto was fabulous - perfectly located near restaurants and a short walk down to the river. The next morning we met our guide Bernardo who gave us a walking tour of the city. He was very knowledgeable (and passionate!) and we learned a lot about the city's history, architecture and even his childhood. We loved Porto - such a vibrant city! We even climbed the Porto Bridge so we could get a view of the river and city - so much fun!

We also did a tour of the Duoro Valley. Ricardo was our driver for this day-long adventure. He drove those squirrely roads with excellence while filling us in on information about the valley (and showed us the cork trees - so cool!). We did a river boat tour and then visited a winery where we enjoyed a delicious meal and then had a private tasting and winery tour lead by Fabio.

Ricardo was again our driver down to Lisbon. We were sad to say goodbye to him but checked into our apartment and geared up for a walking food tour in Lisbon. Pedro was our guide and took us to a few of his favorite good spots while also pointing out some highlights of the city. It really helped us get our bearings right away. The next day, we were happy to be reunited with Pepe who took us out to the lovely town of Sintra. Beautiful palace and grounds and then afterward took us back along the water, thru the lovely town of Cascais and - importantly - gave us tips for how to get to the music festival the next day.

As an aside, the festival was FABULOUS! So clean and well run - and my daughter had so much fun watching Mark Ambor, Noah Kahan, Benson Boone and Olivia Rodrigo.

The next day we were off to The Algarve. Pepe had fortunately given my husband driving tips which came in VERY handy! We did a boat tour to see the Ponto da Piedade Caves - so fabulous. Our boat guide was Joao and he was assisted by his daughter Priscilla. He was very good at navigating the tight spaces of the caves - we were quite impressed!

We ended our trip in Cascais. We stayed at the absolutely fabulous Miragem hotel - the perfect way to end! We enjoyed a delicious meal in Cascais at Clandestino, and stopped at Santini for gelato (Pepe's recommendation) before heading back to pack up.

Pepe drove us back to the airport - a full circle moment - the perfect way to end the trip.

Pedro, our guide, was totally attentive to every detail. Not only was everything planned perfectly, but he also sent reminders to us every day so we felt equipped for the next day's activities. We also asked to make a change to a pick-up time and Pedro and his team adjusted it with no issues. I would absolutely recommend Pedro to anyone looking to visit Portugal. If you do go, please say hi to Pepe and Ricardo for us!

My wife booked this trip and was really happy working with Tiago on the planning. Where I was not happy is with the price. I am a well travelled person and used to planning my own trips but since we were short on time and my wife had read the Kimkim reviews I let her go ahead and make the booking with Tiago.

I think it is well established that Kimkim does not offer any pricing transparency. This should be a big red flag from the beginning. I don't mind paying a markup for the service they are offering but I want to know what that markup is.

After getting the receipts from our hotels and talking to the vendors for the activities Tiago planned for us I estimated that half the cost of the trip was going to Kimkim which is insane. The positives are that Tiago's recommendations were really good, he responded quickly to our messages on the trip and detailed travel booklet was really helpful.

Was it worth the cost? Only you can decide and for people that want a concierge service then this is a good option and Kimkim has clearly found a niche market that works for them. But the lack of transparency on pricing as raised by many people will stop me from using them again. It's a good concept but I don't believe that it is worth that kind of premium.

Activity Review

Port Wine Tasting Tour

Porto

Pretty good detailed walk through of the history behind port and Ferriera. Lots of port to taste at the end!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everything was amazing! It was a family vacation of a lifetime. Seeing 3 completely different regions of Portugal inside and out was epic and so memorable and we have the photos and videos to hold onto for life. All of the tours booked represented a wide variety of activities to do both on land and sea. We would recommend anyone to use Helena for booking a trip for themselves! The promptness and organization was top notch and made our trip far less stressful for us!

Hotel Reviews

BessaHotel Liberdade

Lisboa

Modern, clean, great location to walk around, great breakfast, bar, pool and gym!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pestana Carlton Madeira

Funchal

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel is a bit older, bathrooms are not as new/modern as we would have preferred and beds were not super comfortable, all that aside the views were wonderful and a 20 minute walk from the town!

Belmar Spa & Beach Resort

Lagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Sintra and Quinta de Regaleira

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Introducing Funchal - Food & Cultural Tour

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monte Toboggan Experience by Tuk-Tuk

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class with Local Products

Madeira

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Funchal Sunset Cruise Experience

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Algarve Kayaking Trip to Benagil Caves

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dolphin-Watching Tour

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Carlos was amazing driver to Sentra. Busy palace and town but we escaped to the beach for lunch.

Ricardo was great. I wish he would have had water in the van. We were for many hours to Porto and Douro with no water. Other than that he made great suggestions and was a great guy during our time. So helpful.

Knowing in advance we had a kitchen would have been great info to share. We had no hot water on night 1 in Porto until 11:30 pm.

The Pine Cliffs resort was so BIG and our room clear at front gate. Everything was a bit overwhelming. Maybe in future we would choose a smaller hotel. Was not aware we needed to make a reservation for dinner and wound up eating so late because all restaurants were booked. So many young children.

All in all we loved our expeditions and seeing this beautiful country. Thank you

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Liberdade

Lisbon

No hot water day 1 but was corrected late into the evening. The garden was fabulous and rooms very clean. We were on the top floor so lots of stairs. Be prepared

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Condes de Azevedo Palace

Porto

No hot water day 1 but was corrected late into the evening. The garden was fabulous and rooms very clean. We were on the top floor so lots of stairs. Be prepared

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Pine Cliffs Resort

Apartado, Albufeira

Hotel is gigantic and a bit overwhelming. Need reservations for dinner well in advance but need to know this. Lots of children! Young kids and babies. Very family friendly but as a family with older children we were looking for a bit more relaxing feel. Our room was very nice but way at front near exit. Would have predatory be closer to everything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Flavors of Lisbon: A Gastronomic Tuk Tuk Adventure

Lisbon

Do not recommend. Not authentic and cobblestones made for uncomfortable ride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Sintra was beautiful. Must see but be prepared for long lines

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carlos was so great. We had a great day

Transport

Joao curated a terrific trip for us. While we really enjoyed our time in Lisbon, Joao gave us a great history lesson on the city and the country over several centuries. That history lesson provided us with a much better appreciation as to what inspired the architecture over the years. Outside of Lisbon, we really enjoyed our visits to Fatima, Batalha Monastery, Pena Palace and Nazare (home of the world’s largest waves). We had some last minute adjustments to our schedule and Joao accommodated those requests and was incredibly friendly and helpful along the way. At the end of our trip, one of our family members accidentally left their eyeglass case in his van. He could have easily left in the van and did nothing. Instead, he texted us, met us at our last excursion and offered to drive us in his personal vehicle back to a spot near our hotel. Joao was caring, thoughtful and worked very hard to ensure that we had a memorable experience in Portugal (which we did!). Thank you again, Joao!!!

Overall, this was a good trip. I was a little disappointed compared to my experience with using Kim Kim in Rome, which was truly amazing. My consultant. Was easy to work with and informative and helped tailor the trip to what I wanted. I was disappointed with the timing and some transportations as pick up times were not what my itinerary said and some vehicles were less than optimal. I was also very happy with my walking tour guide. She was amazing and would highly recommend her. Our food tour was OK. They did make great effort to accommodate my wife’s celiac disease and need for gluten-free options, which was above and beyond and highly appreciated. My full day tour was a great guide and driver however, my friends got the same experience without using Kim Kim so I’m not sure if it was added value but overall good experience. I was happy with result, but was overall not as highly satisfying experience as what I had in Rome.

Hotel Review

Palácio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel

Lisboa

Great hotel and fun location. Check-in process was easy and they were very accommodating. Room was very nice with modern amenities. Breakfast provided was great with lots of options. Would recommend this hotel and would use it again in the future.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the center of this region of the city and easy walking access to restaurants and shopping. As well as other highlights.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Our guide was absolutely amazing. She took the time to make this tour very personal and let us experience the highlights of Lisbon. She was very knowledgeable and answered all questions and provided great information. Would highly recommend her and use her again.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Lisbon

Our guide was very nice. He took the time and went above and beyond to try to accommodate my wife’s gluten-free food needs to celiac disease. I love the choices he made for the stops for the food and it was great to experience some authentic dishes. While he was not as good of a guide as some of our prior ones in regard to overall Discussion about the city and tour experience. He was still great company.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Our driver and vehicle were amazing. He was very knowledgeable and went above and beyond to take good care of us. He made the experience great and it was a very accommodating. Definitely worth seeing all the stops and made a pleasant and fun day. The restaurant we had lunch at was amazing. Would highly recommend and love to go back again. Would have preferred to visit the first stop a little earlier in the morning to avoid the crowds and the tour could’ve started a little earlier as well to make the day not quite as long.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip ! Family of three with a cranky 12 year old .. and everything still went smoothly !

All the hotels booked were in perfect foot friendly locations . We were able to walk everywhere in each city and get a great taste of of the people /the city and the delicious food .

I have to say our time is Porto and Cascais was our favourite, we hope to go back .

We did a fantastic food tour with Margarite in Lisbon and highly recommend her . She catered to our specific tastes and found ways to make our picky 12 year old happy .

Our driver Carlos was personal , funny, knowledgeable and very professional. Really enjoyed our time with him.

Pedro and his team were proactive and very responsive. Each day we would receive reminders of upcoming plans and checks in on how things went . On one occasion the hotel had made a booking mistake . We reached out to Pedro - and we literally heard him calling the front desk ( within 5 mins ) and had it sorted . We felt very supported and taken care of the entire trip .

I would highly recommend Pedro and his team .

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

Cute , clean and in wonderful location .

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Condes de Azevedo Palace

Porto

Fantastic location, staff were extremely warm and helpful . Great suite with everything you needed .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Amazing pool ! Had to be the most beautiful pool in Portugal :)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

One of the Hotel pools ( in front of our room) was under construction while we were there . Very loud and disturbing during the day . The room intensely was also very loud ( some machines cal issue that made loud banging sounds all night long . Check in is later than any other hotel we visited (4pm) and when we got in just after floor the carpets were wet and someone was fixing a mirror in the bathroom . We were excited to visit this hotel , and unfortunately felt very disappointed with our experience here .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Flavors of Lisbon in a Premium & Gastronomic Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joao and team did an excellent job to customize our experience. Excellent time all around. Thanks to the team!

Overall it was a good experience. All the logistics of moving us from place to place and all the tours were well executed. the hotels, except for one was very nice. Miragem in Cascais was great, except the pool was freezing. Liberdade Porto Bay in Lisbon was excellent. Conde Azevedo Palace, a very rustic location, was not up to our standards and when I complained to Across Portugal, the provider, there was not much they could do that would not cost me an arm and a leg. I was a touch offended that the young lady said it was the 2nd best hotel in Porto. I can guarantee that the second best hotel in Porto does not have creaky floors, smelly refrigerator, dirty walls and insufficient hot water to fill a tub. It also had its share of bugs including a spider in our bed. it made our 3 days in Porto unpleasant to say the least and no compensation was offered or considered. Places worth seeing, Obidos, The Pacheca winery, Duoro valley, Nazare, Cascais. Places that underwhelmed, Pena Palace and the adjacent town.

The food tour in Porto was amazing and the CoolTours Sintra day trip is a must do. Kim Kim plans a great trip!

Hotel Reviews

Casa dos Lóios by Shiadu

Porto

Great service, clean and excellent location. They also had an amazing breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

You can walk to many of the main sights and there are plenty of places to eat within walking distance also.

Staff

Everyone was very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Costa D’Oiro Ambiance Village

8600-544

Love the location and the very spacious rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We could walk to the main plaza with many shops and restaurants.

Staff

Everyone was very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

MeraPrime Gold Design Hotel

Lisbon

Great location but small rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy walking distance to many sights, hotels, and shops.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms are the typically smaller size rooms in the older areas of Europe. It was safe and clean.

Activity Reviews

Explore Porto's Culinary Scene and Bolhao Market

Porto

One of favorite tours ever! We loved everything we tried and the guide was great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Sintra and Quinta de Regaleira

Lisbon

An amazing tour and amazing sights. I would recommend this tour to anyone. Rui was our guide and he was phenomenal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport