Kimkim Trip Reviews for Portugal

What are great, family run B&B! Lots of history, very comfortable, and located in a quiet little country town. Ideally located for visiting Monsanto. Excellent breakfast.

Excellent riad in a great location.

Great riad in the middle of the old town area. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay here.

It is hard to rate this hotel! Our first impression was a five star based on the amazing reception courtyard and historic decorations and appointments! However, our allocated room was in a very poor location overlooking a noisy alley. It suffered from some sort of drainage smells for which staff had placed a noisy electric air freshener in the room and the air conditioner malfunctioned. (Our early notes indicated that we would havea pool view room - which this was not). After raising concerns with Marina, there was rapid action to shift us to a pool view room which was vastly superior to our original room. If we had had this room from the start we would have rated this hotel five stars!

Beautiful hotel on a lake in the mountains. We loved the ski lodge feel and look of this hotel! Amazing use of rough hewed wood and stone throughout. The meals were excellent! Rooms were very large and comfortable

We were a bit disappointed. Descriptions suggest this camp is set amongst the dunes and you ride camels to get there. In fact, the government moved all camps out of the dunes some time ago and now there are more than 100 camps all located on the fringes. We reached camp via a very bumpy 4x4 trip. The "luxury" camp is already starting to show its age and there was no orientation welcome to tell us what to expect. In the event, camels did eventually arrive and we had a pleasant ride into the dunes for sunset! We have previously done a desert experience in Dubai and it was far better organized and set up than this one.

What are greatly, family run guest house! The rooms are excellent and the owner is so friendly! The cook is also a family member and the included dinner and breakfast were excellent!

We really enjoyed this Riad, once we got used to the walk through the narrow, twisting alleys to the very unpretentious entrance door. Then, like so many other medina riads, it opens into a hidden world. It is inside the very large medina and we greatly enjoyed being able to wander at will.

Very nice hotel. We were upgraded to a junior suite with a large balcony. Very comfortable! Not central in city but we were more interested in exploring the island so it was ideal!

Nice location on the river but very crowded area. No air conditioning and the room overlooked an alley with little air flow into the room.

A beautifully appointed luxury hotel on the banks of the Douro River. Everything was amazing and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay!

A large, historic hotel with amazing views and very comfortable rooms. Our experience was impacted by large numbers of children filling pools, saunas, etc. It tends to be a family hotel with access to the nearby skinheads and mountains.

Perfect location inside the old city walls and very comfortable but a bit sterile in design given its location.

A grand old hotel in a very good location. Fantastic location near public transport.

Our team/guide were happy to let us have some extra time in Chefchaouen in the morning before heading to Tangier. We didn't walk to the overlook. Today's drive was a pretty easy trip and they were happy to check out the suggested Cave of Hercules and lookout and lighthouse for the Strait of Gibralter. The cave was a tawdy tourist spot - though with valid history... the lighthouse, viewpoint and museum at the key point of the strait of Gibralter was a great stop. Tangier itself didn't appeal.

Loved the blue and we had a fantastic guide with Hamid. He loves the city and explained the history, pointed out the wall and the remaining towers. He was able to help us find some of the quieter streets and great views then down into the main square. He was really good about helping us understand the 'blue' and yes other colours of the old city. It is a delightful place to wander with the guide and on our own early the next morning. It was kind of interesting - motorcyles are not allow in the streets of the old town... but as it was a Sunday - young locals knew the police were not about so there were some buzzing through the narrow streets... but nothing like Marrakech.

Loved the countryside we passed through, amazing agriculture, quaint towns. We also stopped at the Roman ruins and had a guide take us through this amazing remnants of city that has been uncovered. It was a bit like being in Greece... except greener.

Our guide Hamid was excellent. Very friendly, informative and helped make the day engaging in spite of it being a friday and having much of the medina and craft shops closed. We did get to see some of the ceramic work - our guide explained some of the areas where there were no staff working and got us behind the scene to see those craftspersons who were working. Though the tanneries were not working we were able to do a short informative tour on the process. The Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts and Crafts was also closed. Hamid provided us with a very informative and enjoyable day in Fez (plus there were no motorbikes in the narrow alleys?)

We really enjoyed the drive through the landscape and forests. We did not explore Azrou, we did see the monkeys, and visited the dead old tree. Ifrane is a beautiful city, lovely gardens and we quite liked the 'Lion of the Atlas' . Our onboard guide was much more forthcoming about the areas were travelling through which was good. We drove by the University but were told that they do not allow visitors anymore.

We did a short tour of the souks - which most were closed as it was Friday. There were a few craftsmen working and our guide took us to a trader of many items from the many different tribes that live in the surrounding area. We did not see the Tomb of Moulay Ali Cherif, the square or the large garden. We did get a great view of the oasis of Aoufous. Did not stop for photos of the dam or gorges, or tunnel. The oasis and the scenery were quite enjoyable.

The drive to Todra Gorge was a letdown.. the gorge while at one point was probably spectacular has been overrun by tourists, stalls selling the same thing over and over and trash and tagging (grafitti). On our arrival at Merzouga our camel ride didn't really proceed as described as we were transferred to camp by vehicle not camel. After a bit of confusion, a guide and several camels arrived at camp and we did get to ride out into the dunes to watch the sunset with a friendly young guide who took us out to the top of a low dune where we got off and sat relaxing to watch the light and shadows travel over the dunes. It worked out well as we were not part of one of the large groups we watched traveling through the dunes towards the many camps scatttered along the edge of the dunes and the camels climbed the dunes for us for sunset! Our guide was helpful and informative and it was a beautiful and relaxing sunset.

The best part of the day was the tour of Ait Benhaddou and the drive through the countryside. The driver was an excellent driver, his offsider the 'guide' didn't really understand what his role was at this point so was unable to answer our questions regarding the countryside we were driving through. We did stop at a viewpoint of the mountains (the required 2 hr stop for the driver). We really enjoyed the tour of Ait Benhaddou as we had a site specific guide who took us through the site and was very knowldgeable. An amazing historic site! On to Ouarzazate for a view of the remaining movie sets still standing from some of the famous movies made there. We opted not to do a tour and did not realise there was the "musee de Cinema' till after, driving straight through the town and heading to Boulmalne Dades. The valley is beautiful.

Our guide was excellent. He spoke very good english, was very knowledgeable helped us understand the amazing medina area of Marrakech. We loved the history and architecture, were very thankful for his helping us get our bearings around the winding alleyways. He was very easy to ask questions of and happy to discuss the cultural and political environment of Morocco. He also helped us skip some of the long lines of tourists at several of the areas we visited.. We were not focused on shopping so he was able to walk us through and explain some of the different areas and what and where to look for items if we decided to explore on our free day.

The Park is beautiful and the waterfalls we visited were wonderful. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, loved the area and it showed. We were extremely fortunate that it was a holiday (easter) so there were not many visitors to the park pn the day, it made the experience special and a treat. We also enjoyed visiting the local village and sharing a meal. The trails are quite steep so it would not be for anyone with mobility limits... The guide and other 4 participants were much younger than us (25+ years) so we did slow them down a bit but we made it to each site! It was great to get out in the forests. The addition of a visit to the historic olive press was fantastic. Note: the guide and others often got a bit in front of us so we missed out on some of the commentary.

We weren't expecting it, but this turned out to be one of the major highlights of our trip! (12/10) An incredible evening in a superb penthouse unit with our own private chef and his informative, friendly and fun guide/assistant! We thought it would be another cooking class but we were able to sit and watch this very talented professional chef prepare a gourmet multi course meal for us - all the time sipping on readily flowing quality wine! The night was enhanced by the friendliness and humour from our two hosts! Great night and highly recommended! The tour usually includes a visit to the local markets but they closed early for the holidays - The chef went ahead and selected an amazing array of food based on our openess to trying different fppds. Fantastic.

This is a beautiful and fascinating city with much to see. We were the only tour participants which was very good. The guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, however, we think the she tried to fit too much in the time available. There is lots of up and down walking and our guide tended to try to move too fast and fit too much commentary into each stop. We greatly enjoyed seeing the city but would have preferred a slower pace with slower commentary. (7/10)

We were expecting more from Aveiro based on our reading and our request to include it in our schedule. In the end it was something of a tourist trap. Very crowded and a disapointing network of canals.

An excellent day viewing the vinyard landscapes of the famous Douro valley. The olive oil tasting experience was great, both in terms of the tasting itself and the farm host who did an amazing job with his knowledge and humour (9/10). The port tasting was interesting but not as well presented as some (7/10). The river cruise was enjyable but the boats are very crowded (7/10). The overall day was well worth doing (8/10).

We thoroughly enjoyed the tour of this amazing property where there is mixed production of a range of agricultural pursuits, including cork, in a certified organic environment. The wine tasting was excellent and the guide for our individual tour did a great job. Highly recommended.

Our driver was very friendly, and did provide a bit of an overview of Sintra however suggested one historic property to tour but didn't accompany us... the signage in the property was not good- none in English so we wandered around not understanding what we were looking at and missing some highlights. We spotted other visitors with audio headsets after we were well into the property unfortunately and didn't have time to go back. We were then rushed off and didn't have time to explore further. Cascais and Estoril were time wasted. It would have been better to focus the day on Sintra only.

We really wanted to learn more about cork, it's growing and production. This tour was great for achieving this.

We really enjoyed the restaurant, the staff, the food and especially the music.

A fascinating location, beautiful historic village. We didn't have a guide but enjoyed walking around. We were pleased our driver got us there early.

A wonderful experience. Our guide was enthusiastic, entertaining, informative and helpful. The food was pretty good also 👌 😋

The area really didn't have what we expected, though it was good to see the famous custard tarts being made.

Our guide was enthusiastic, informative, humorous and happy for questions. He gave us a wonderful feel for the old neighborhoods of Lisbon.

this is a true bike ride. even with an e- bike- be prepared to work, navigate some interesting terrain and gates- and have the time of your life. it's a long trip with lots of hills, traffic and animals. not for the faint of heart. a great ride!

Really nice hotel, however the front desk staff were not very friendly compared to our other accommodations. Beautiful views of the ocean and a nice pool, however, you do have to walk near a busy road to get to most of the restaurants and the beach in Cascais.

Beautiful hot, amazing staff, and spacious rooms. It was so nice having two huge bathrooms and half bath with our family. The staff was so wonderful and the breakfast was great!

This apartment was in a wonderful location and was so comfortable as a landing pad during our time in Lisbon. We especially loved the bright living room with floor to ceiling windows. Only knocking off a star because it would be nice to have more than one bathroom in the two bedroom apartment.

Despite the rain, our guide made this a wonderful experience with delicious Espumante, and we learned a lot about wine making and the region,

The lunch was a highlight! Excellent food, service, and views from the restaurant. We enjoyed the tour where were learned more about wine making, saw the grounds, and the tasting at the end was nice! Our guide did a great job of including our kids.

Such beautiful views of Lisbon, the countryside and the castles! The gardens and grounds were also stunning in the spring time.

So informative and a great way to see the city! The wine tasting at the end was also exceptional.

Claudia was a wonderful and knowledgeable guide. We enjoyed learning so much from her, she is truly and expert on her city (and very funny to boot). And the wine and cheese tasting at the end was delicious!

We lucked out with a beautiful day and had a marvelous time in the Douro Valley - from the picturesque drive, relaxing boat trip, and delicious lunch and winery tour at Quinta da Pacheca, it was a travel day we will remember for years to come. Ricardo was a wonderful driver who shared interesting facts along the way, and he felt like an old friend by the time he dropped us at our hotel in the evening. Antonio was our boat guide who was funny, personable, and knowledgeable about the wine industry and landscape of the Douro Valley.

Andre took us all around Porto and shared hidden gems along the way. He even added an extra stop at a church I wanted to see and then gave us suggestions on how to spend the rest of our afternoon.

Driver made us late to dinner The restaurant owner sat us in a corner and didn't ignored us for the most part. We didn't eat or drink till almost 10 pm. The food was OK. I would not recommend this particular restaurant or driver.

great guide fun couple that we shared the food tour with

The interaction between our local guide and the guide inside the Pena Palace was awkward. They had just changed the "rules" and weren't allowing the local guides to conduct the tour inside. There was obvious resentment about the change and it was a bit uncomfortable. Otherwise our guide tried very hard to accommodate us and show us everything we wanted to see.

The food was delicious. The performance was moving. The venue was incredible. I would have liked the venue to provide some history of the establishment, the performance, and the artist, as well as a timeline of the evening.

Everyone loved the drive, the boat ride, and the lunch at the winery.

One of the nicest hotels ever! Super comfortable and loved the decor of books!

Great location walking distance to everything. Good breakfast and nice staff.

We loved it! It was a big hike so important to be in good shape. Our guide took us on a longer hike and we so enjoyed the sites

Wonderful guide and good selection of local foods

The best guide. Fascinating tour of the university and library Bats in the library…. Amazing

Wonderful guide! Took us to places we would not have found on our own

It was a highlight. Lovey cruise with the sails up for a bit

Since we had been on Lisbon for two days and had walked the streets the ride was repeatedly what we had seen

Turned out it was not private so Kim Kim refunded the cost. The tour guide could not stop talking. Not very professional

Sure did not need to dress up for the event. Dinner was just ok but wonderful to be with the locals

Beautiful grounds and wonderful staff. Breakfast was great. However, room was the smallest and most basic. In addition, while it did overlook the garden, it also overlooked the restaurant which plays music and is fairly loud until 11pm. Might have been better in a room facing the back. Also, room was on the second floor so might be tough for some climbing stairs and carrying luggage

Very unique place, short walk to town. Staff amazingly helpful. Wine and cheese in the afternoon with Fado one day. We had a suite with external access. Quite. Beautiful

Highlight of our trip. Amazing location, quiet. Staff were super.

Hotel in need of updating. Long walk to room and from room to dining. The grounds and gardens are pretty special. Not an easy place to walk from or to the town

Fantastic hotel with the best restaurant attached. Breakfast was the best of the entire trip.

Certified guide, another Luís, who was fantastic, great driver, even took us to an local beach

The palaces were wonderful. This trip wears the only one without a certified (by Portugal) guide. The guide was very nice but seemed to be filling in for his son in law In addition, entrance fees were apparently not included for two locations despite assurances we had already paid. Kimkim was great in refunding rapidly. Thank you.

Can we give more than 5 stars? Best overall day in Portugal. Ended up joining a wine club and could have spent a few days there. Wine liver paradise. So scenic!

Walked down to the Nova Gaia and toured the Calem Lodge. Best view of Porto from across the river.

Got a lay of the town. Great certified guide

Guide was excellent. Experience was mixed at best. Aveiro is a very nice town. Highlight were the salt ponds and seeing the workers up close, Costa Nova (although empty this time of year). The town and canals not really worth it. The “gondolas” don’t go anywhere and the canals don’t even connect.

Certified guide. Really interesting regarding the university. The guide was a graduate.

Needed downtime and exploration. Added the convent de Carmo Which was amazing

Pretty fun and good to be sitting. Saw a ton of the city we might not have otherwise.

Certified guide, Rui, was excellent. Lot of walking and stapes but really helped to orient to place and history

Room was the nicest of our trip. Only annoying thing was not being able to check in until 4 pm the day we arrived.

Room was small but otherwise no problems

Great location, clean room. Staff was nice.

It would be nice if the tour was adaptable to the weather, surely more tasting experiences could be done inside. The day of our tour it was freezing and rainy and we were outside for the majority of it. It also wasn’t a lot of food and my husband was still hungry at the end. Additionally, we didn’t drink alcohol and it would have been nice if the guide didn’t announce it to the group in an embarrassing way at every single stop.

The guide was very nice. However, the tuk tuk itself was loud and uncomfortable. It was hard to see out of the roof covering and we whizzed past so many sites without really taking them in. It probably would have been nice for people accustomed to tuk tuk rides, but for us it was a bit overwhelming.

Our guide was very nice and seemed knowledgeable. The prehistoric sites themselves probably weren’t worth staying an extra day for, most of the tour was driving or walking to the different sites. Maybe if this tour was combined with something else to make it more satisfying?

We loved this. Guide was great, the lunch was so much more food than we were expecting, and delicious. Saw some cool views of the park. Overall a very nice day.

We had a great time and made a bunch of delicious food.

really nice boutique hotel, perfectly positioned, very nice breakfast

incredible room (we received a complimentary upgrade at check in), great location, great breakfast

perfect room, service, breakfast, and location.

It helped to have a self-guided activity in the middle of a pretty busy week, and after the e-bike tour. We appreciated having time to "choose our own adventure."

A quick stay before the flight. Did use the were sauna and that was a nice experience. Breakfast was served early so we were able to have some before an early flight. Airport transportation was good but the van for the early am flights filled fast so give yourself some extra time

This hotel was in a perfect location walkable to a lot. Unfortunately if you have a rental car, there is no parking . We stayed there 3 nights and needed assistance by the hotel staff to find parking many blocks away.

We were two women and the only cyclists that day. One of us an experienced cyclist and the other a beginner. She was very nervous and it was a challenging ride for her… even on an e bike. I think the ride leader could have been more attentive to her abilities and needs. But this was a great way to see the area in the first couple days of our trip to the Algarve.

So much fun and the owners delightful . Highly recommend

great view great food - amazing pastrys

Amazing staff comfy beds great breakfast

Love the architecture and the comfort of the place. The location was fantastic as a jumping off point for exploring Porto in every direction. Also loved having a very good wine store right across the street!

As a resort, Pine Cliffs is very kid friendly. So be prepared for lots of families. If you're into something quieter we'd suggest a different option. The staff was quite good. The on-sight restaurants are good, but pricey. Having the private beach was really the highlight for us.

Great staff and location. Nice blend of history with modern comforts.

So many activities. This really was a great family friendly hotel. I think all of the guests there had kids as well, so they

Nice hotel, very attentive staff.

Sintra is beautiful, drive to coast was interesting. Luis was a great tour guide- experienced, loves Portugal and the language, a natural teacher. He adjusted our plans to skip shopping for sights.

Excellent tour guide- went out of his way to pick us up at hotel given we had a senior traveler, brought blankets for the cold, gave a tour of the tram 28 line but also took small detours to show us the neighborhoods, informative discussion sharing history and answering questions.