Kimkim Trip Reviews for Scotland

My husband and I wanted a special trip for our 40th anniversary. That same month, we were going to be in London and I found that on our anniversary weekend, The Highland Games were set for in Pitlochry, Scotland. With that goal in mind, we let Carolyn, and her team, plan our trip. From our personal guide, Donald, in Edinburgh, who made the country’s history, culture and language come alive (he met a Free Church pastor on the way and they immediately switched to Gaelic), to the Highland Games that we could walk to from our hotel, the Blair Atholl Distillery, and the incomparable Island of Skye; we fell in love with Scotland. Our accommodations were not only of the highest quality, but also very Scottish. There was a bottle of Prosecco waiting in our first hotel from our travel group, and other hotels followed in placing desserts and cards in our room to celebrate our anniversary. All our tickets were in a downloadable packet, but we were also presented a zip-up case, in London, with our itinerary and printed tickets and reservations. I never had to worry if my phone battery couldn’t hold up and deliver my tickets, because I had them in my case. Thank you for being so diligent in making our adventure so effortless.

This was our 4th kimkim planned trip - and as with our other trips, we had a great time. As before, our local specialist worked with us to understand us and what we hoped to achieve with the trip, what we liked and didn't like with travel, and then how to fit as much in as made sense for us... all within the time we had allotted for the trip. I believe by the time we actually left the US for Scotland, we were on v4 of our travel guide.

And unfortunately, as with a previous trip, the weather and airport issues created a last minute problem with air travel such that we were delayed leaving the US and even had to be rerouted on another airline. We contacted our kimkim local specialist (Tetiana) via the app - at what was likely midnight in the UK... and Tetiana made sure that our airport pickup was changed and that our hotel knew of our now very delayed arrival.

On one other occasion we had an unforeseen issue (no breakfast provided at a guest house - where it should have been)... Tetiana again immediately figured out the issue and solved. I mention these two unpleasant events first - as they both illustrate the value of having a professional help plan your trip, and then being available to manage problems.

Now to the good stuff... Scotland is a wonderful place to visit. We spent a few days in Glasgow, then by train to Fort William / Glencoe, and then by car to the Isle of Skye... where we spent 5 days. We ended our excursion with 3 days in and around Inverness, and lastly... 3 days in Edinburgh. Highlights for us on Skye... not just the main tourist sights, but finding hidden treasures off the beaten path (mostly on single lane roads). Tetiana found one for us... Waternesh Farms...

We found Inverness to be more than a place to spend the night while we explored the highlands... it's a really nice town. We loved our B&B (Bluebell House) and morning walks along the river (which take you thru the Ness Islands). We lucked out on our last night, with a reservation at the Highlanders... seats at the table closest to the stage - with a night of traditional music and pub food.

In Edinburgh, we really liked the neighborhood of our B&B (within New Town) as we were adjacent to a street filled with restaurants, and bus stops and a tram stop that made travel within Edinburgh easy. For those who enjoy B&Bs, we want to recommend the place we stayed... The Ben Cruachan Guest House. And for hidden gems, the two adjacent modern art museums (located in the West End... and just minutes off the tram).

Cathy was fantastic when it came to putting together a trip to western Scotland for 4 people whose ages spanned more than 25 years' difference. From arranging transportation within and in between all of our destinations (we didn't need a car the entire 10 day trip) to coordinating lots of movement between 4-5 destinations as well as scheduling enough (but not too many) varied activities to squeeze all we could out of our short time in this amazing country. Cathy was always very quick to respond to our questions and comments when it came to trip planning and maintained her efficient communication even while we were on the trip when some last minute questions came up. We would recommend each and every accommodation she arranged to any one looking for a guide. And there was not one dud among all of the tours/activities/guides that we participated in. Thank you Cathy for helping us make memories to last a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

Angel's Share Hotel

New Town, Edinburgh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were quite warm, even with provided fan and windows open. Also, no USB or USB-C charging ports in our room.

Bridge of Orchy Hotel

Bridge of Orchy

Authenticity & Character

Location

The location was perfect for what we wanted to do during our time here but if you are looking for anything within walking distance (other than hiking or the train station) you need to stay elsewhere

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kings House Way Inn

Glencoe

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blackwater Hostel

Kinlochleven

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Need to pay extra for towels but other than that, all was very comfortable and clean.

The Garrison Hotel

Fort William

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Argyll Guest House

Glasgow

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Liked this experience more for the views from the castle than for the castle itself. LOTS of people, even midday on a weekday.

Quality of Experience

Private Guided Walk in Glencoe

Scotland

Dave was a fantastic guide. He took our input for what we wanted to get out of the half day hiking and made plans from there. Although our first idea for hiking was a bit ambitious (blurb about the Lost Valley hike in our provided itinerary was very misleading about the skill level required for this trail) and we needed to change plans, Dave was able to pivot very quickly and still provide us an amazing guided walk/hike in an area that was beautiful and we had all to ourselves. He made this experience one worth having!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dave was fantastic!

Transport

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park

Scotland

Dave was prompt, friendly, VERY knowledgeable, engaging, dedicated to giving us a quality experience for 9 straight hours, and gave us such a comprehensive, personalized tour of Scotland---we will be forever grateful for our time with him!

Quality of Experience

Can't say enough for how fun and special this whole day with Dave was

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dave is what made this a trip highlight for us--amazing in every way!

Transport

Car was clean and comfy. The microphone and speaker system that was used was such an important detail that we were so grateful was thought of

Eat Walk Glasgow

Glasgow

While a couple of the restaurants weren't the most unique or charming locations, the food was the reason each stop stood out and was worth visiting. The comprehensive and detailed information that was shared about Glasgow's history, current events/happenings, and its food scene were such treats to enjoy. Lei was a fantastic guide we were lucky to have!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

Gareth's knowledge of Edinburgh, both historical and current, was truly impressive. We covered a lot of ground, both literally and figuratively, during our 3 hour walk but we were engaged the entire time as Gareth is committed to providing lots of information but in a way that kept us all tuned in and curious.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The High Point of your Holidays

Scotland

Great section of the West Highland Way. It was not as strenuous as we were led to believe by some locals so we were able to complete this hike in about 3.5 hours, which gave us lots of extra time in Kinlochleven to enjoy the scenery.

Quality of Experience

Evening cruise on Loch Linnhe

Fort William

Sunset on the loch was not just beautiful and relaxing but full of lots of information about the local area and its history. We loved our time out on the water!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tetiana was INCREDIBLE to work with. Excellent communication.

We gave her very basic ideas to start and she completely nailed it. Her recommendations created a trip we could only have dreamt of. I appreciated all her insight and wisdom she shared. So many happy memories made because of her thoughtful planning.

Aleksandra was very attentive. We didn’t have many issues, but the things we brought to her attention were resolved quickly and to our satisfaction. We spent too much time driving around Scotland, which is our own fault. We should’ve looked more closely at how far apart things were. We chose kimkim because I used you in Morocco, and the trip was wonderful. We had a driver that was with us the entire time, which was extremely helpful. I made an assumption the same thing would happen in Scotland, but it didn’t. Would’ve been nice to leave our clubs in a van when we didn’t need it, and have transportation whenever we needed it. Not your fault, but a more detailed understanding would have helped set expectations.

In a couple of places our reservations had the wrong name on them. Since we had the confirmation number we were able to convince people it was our tee time or tour time, but we were told by kimkim this happens all the time. You should figure out why and fix that. Overall the trip was good, hotels were nice, transportation was on time and appropriately sized for 4 people with luggage and golf clubs.

Kristof, our driver through Inverness and Loch Ness was amazing, loved him! Also Jack Treacher , our tour guide in Edinburgh was top notch.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel du Vin & Bistro Edinburgh

Edinburgh

So many stairs and staircases that lead to different areas. Not easy to navigate. Some staff were very good, but most were reactive and not proactive, there was little anticipatory service. No one told us they had a lounge we could use while waiting for our room to be ready, we found it later on our own. And that there was a bar on the second floor with comfortable seating. We stayed here twice and the rooms were very different. Didn’t love the first one, it had a strange configuration, but the second one was spectacular. Beds weee very comfortable and large.

Authenticity & Character

Very unique, has old town castle charm

Location

Right in the middle of everything you want to see in Edinburgh

Staff

Some were good, some not, so very inconsistent. Breakfast staff was excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great bed. Great bathroom in our second stay, very strange in our first stay.

Bunchrew House Hotel

Bunchrew

Very charming with wonderful staff, but too far away from town. Good breakfast but you really must have espresso options! The bartender made the best old fashions we had on the whole trip (and we had a lot!)

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful grounds right on the water

Location

Just wasn’t for us, it was lovely but too far out of town

Staff

Everyone was welcoming and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kinnettles Hotel & Spa

St Andrews

Good location, friendly helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dornoch Castle Hotel

Dornoch

Staff was excellent, and the restaurant was really good too. Rooms were nice as well

Authenticity & Character

It’s a castle but nicely updated and comfortable.

Location

Right in town, short walk to the golf course

Staff

The woman who greeted us was excellent. Stored our luggage, reserved a nice table for us for dinner.

Cleanliness & Comfort

No 17 The Promenade

Oban

Great restaurant onsite. Room was nice, bathrooms very small. Most of the staff were wonderful, friendly, and helpful. Our check-in experience was not very welcoming. The person checking us in seemed surprised we were there, as if we were a bother to her. It was not what we expected !

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Most were excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Edinburgh Castle & Old Town Private Tour

Edinburgh

Jack Treacher was terrific

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Although I didn’t plan the itinerary, everything was described in detail and organized on the App. Any questions were answered and resolved very quickly. The guided tours and the drivers were very friendly and knowledgeable. Great overall experience.

We had a wonderful Scotland adventure with a day in London. Aleksandra listened to what we were looking for and then arrange everything. She mapped out our routes. Helped with all the arrangements needed. And was available for any and all questions. She was amazing to work with!! We will definitely be using KimKim again.

Activity Reviews

Royal London Tour

London

David was amazing!! He listened to what our interests were and tailored our tour to us. It was the highlight of our London time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highland Coo Tour

Scotland

We were able to have a private tour of the cows and sheep. It was wonderful to connect with Donna on so many common experiences. And the cows were worth all the hype!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Create Your Own Harris Tweed Handbag Workshop

Edinburgh

All four of us...2 women, 1 man, 1 teenage boy...had a fun time creating our own bags to take home. The staff were friendly, patient, and accommodating.

Quality of Experience

The Wee Food Tour of Glasgow

Glasgow

Lei was so much fun! We learned a lot about Glasgow as a city, as well as the food that makes up the Scottish lifestyle.

Quality of Experience

We had a wonderful time on our family trip to Scotland! Kate came up with a great itinerary for us so that we could see a lot of the sites in a limited amount of time. We had a couple of minor issues but we were able to work through them with some help from Kate. I would definitely recommend!

We loved our trip to Scotland! Our Kimkim agent planned a trip to cover the highlights of NW Scotland starting from where we ended our trek in Fort William. The hotels were gems - historical, great breakfasts, unique in themselves. Staying in the Monkstadt near the sea with its tasting dinner was a highlight. The sites chosen were interesting and we loved Dunvegan Castle and the seal trip. We did have a few hiccups that might need to be considered. The daily suggested times for each site did not always account for the leave times set by the limited breakfast times at the inns and the time it takes to drive to each site as the roads were often one lane and very slow. We dropped a few suggested items and tried to add one back in later which then led to a very long day. Very long days in Scotland mean no dinner as you need a reservation to eat in the small towns which is hard to do when you don't know when you will get there and most of the kitchens close at 8. One day put us back into town at 8:30 due to ferry times but we had made a reservation and were able to run to the restaurant in time for a wonderful seafood dinner along the water - as the kitchen was closing. Either carry enough food for lunch and dinner each day, or plan more time into the itinerary. The two major hiccups were the lack of including a rental car even though the booking said it included self-drive. Luckily, we caught this in time to rent a car, but that was additional funds we did not know about ahead of time. The other one was our itinerary said one ferry time, but the ticket had a different time. Luckily, we also caught that and were able to adjust our plans. The trip was often magical and enjoyable and sometimes a scramble. Such is travel.

Aleksandra plotted out a wonderful collection of experiences for me. I finally got to the castle in Edinburgh and saw the Kelpis in Falkirk. I took delightful tours of the Scottish countryside and even got up to the Isle of Skye. I now also have a totally different and positive view of Glasgow, thanks to my informative and friendly guide. The main purpose of the trip was to see my "pen-pal" Ray, since she has not been in the best of health, but I am glad to say that she and her husband were able to spend the day with me. It is hard to believe that we have been in contact for over 60 years!

Scottish Adventure!
Rachel helped us plan a weeklong vacation in the Scottish Highlands and Isle of Skye . She was able to take our request and organize them into a concise, easy to follow itinerary that including planes, trains, ferries, taxis , hotels and tour buses . From Glasgow to Fort Williams , Isle of Skye to Inverness to Aberdeen. All the planning was done and easily to follow on the app. The road book was thorough making our trip a complete success. I would definitely recommend KimKim to friends and family .

Hotel Reviews

Ben View Guesthouse

Fort William

Large family room with comfortable beds and spotless bathroom ! Easy walk from train station and into town with access to shops , restaurants and scenic views!

Authenticity & Character

Charm and helpful staff !

Location

Close to train station!

Staff

Helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were comfortable!

The Station Hotel, Aberdeen

Aberdeen

The hotel was very old amd not kept up , floors were uneven , doors were all noisy or didn’t close properly. The furniture looked like it was worn and carpet was stained . There was little security with access to rooms without barriers .

Authenticity & Character

Needs to be remodeled

Location

The location was central to the train station , buses and waterfront. There was no security.

Staff

All the waitstaff was polite .

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was dingy and the floors were uneven in the room .

The Bosville Hotel

Portree

The hotel was right in the center of Portee . The food for breakfast was fabulous. It was clean and comfortable. Our room was over the bar area that closed at 11 making it a little noisy before bed.

Authenticity & Character

The rooms were clean and comfortable with great breakfast

Location

Centrally located with great views

Staff

Polite and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable bed and showers

Blackfriars Hotel

Inverness

This hotel is above a pub. It was a little deceiving because there was no reception area. You went into the actual pub but one’s going upstairs. The rooms were comfortable and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Not often do you get to stay above one of the oldest pubs in Inverness

Location

Close to the river and many attractions.

Staff

Everyone was polite and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Showers and bathroom were clean! Beds were comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Canal and Loch - Loch Ness Tour with Urquhart Castle included & Bus to Inverness

Inverness

This Tour was comfortable and predictable. The timing with the arrival to the castle was not great to be able to see a movie in the visitor center and toward the castle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Boat staff

Transport

Timing

Dunnottar Castle & Royal Deeside

Aberdeen

Alan was an excellent tour guide on this small group Rabbie tour . Comfortable van and lots information and extra castles !

Quality of Experience

This excursion was fabulous!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alan was knowledgeable about the countryside, castles and history !

Transport

Rabbie’s comfortable van !

Private transfer in town

Scotland

On time ! Quick trip to airport .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skye In A Day From Portree Visiting The Most Scenic Spots

Scotland

S’ Math Sin Skye Tours was a very personal tour of the Isle of Skye with a local who loves to share his knowledge and history of Skye . Seeing the Fairy polls , Fairly Glens , waterfalls and Culkins . Lots of history and stories!

Quality of Experience

Kevin is a great tour guide !

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So many local treasures!

Transport

Comfortable !

Everything was great besides the Station Hotel in Aberdeen. Planning, transportation, tours and the app were all outstanding besides that.

Hotel Reviews

Ben View Guesthouse

Fort William

Very focused on high quality service. Left chocolates and whiskey for my birthday and filled our waters before leaving

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Bosville Hotel

Portree

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shower was a little small

Blackfriars Hotel

Inverness

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Station Hotel, Aberdeen

Aberdeen

Place was very run down, floor in room was uneven to the point of hazard. Room was far too hot. Shower water was scalding hot, and couldn’t be changed to normal temperature to the point I was unable to fully shower

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Canal and Loch - Loch Ness Tour with Urquhart Castle included & Bus to Inverness

Inverness

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dunnottar Castle & Royal Deeside

Aberdeen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alan was fantastic

Transport

Private transfer in town

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skye In A Day From Portree Visiting The Most Scenic Spots

Scotland

Wish I could give it 6 stars, despite bad weather Kevin was the best!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Both Adam and Sandy were outstanding. All the hotels were amazing. Pauline with help from Gabriella could not have been better. If you had a question, they got back to you with an answer almost immediately. They were great! Thank you so much, Pauline!!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel du Vin & Bistro Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eskdale hotel

langholm

The staff was outstanding and the location was perfect.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Victoria Square

Stirling

My wife just loved this place. It located close to everything we wanted to do.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inverlochy Castle Hotel

Fort William

Beautiful experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Amazing view

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Foyers Lodge

Inverness

I wished to stay at a hunting lodge and this place was awesome.

Authenticity & Character

Charming building.

Location

Beautiful view of Loch Ness and close to Inverness.

Staff

The young woman that helped us at any time of the day was fantastic. She was so polite and pleasant. Outstanding!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

No11 Boutique Hotel & Brasserie

Edinburgh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A special Armstrong tour

Langholm

Adam is a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Culloden Battlefield private tour

Inverness

Sandy was a pleasure to learn from. Great experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit the Kelpies

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Two hour cruise on the Canal and Loch - Loch Ness

Inverness

Very fun, relaxing, and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Edinburgh

AMAZING!!! Bucket list experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stirling Castle Tickets

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Langhom

Langholm

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walk up Calton Hill

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip to Scotland and really enjoyed our experience with Kimkim. Kate was kind, responsive and helpful throughout both the planning and the trip itself. Whenever we had a question or needed something changed, she was quick to help.

Ness Walk in Inverness was one of our favourite stays and a great recommendation and I wished we spent more time there! We also had an amazing private tour with Sandy, who was very knowledgeable and made the experience so enjoyable. Our journey to Skye with Anca was another highlight, she shared so much with us along the way and made the drive itself part of the experience.

We also really appreciated Kate’s flexibility when we decided last minute to spend our final night in Edinburgh instead of Glencoe. She helped rearrange our transportation and organised a driver for us, which made the change much easier.

Our only disappointment was Glencoe House. We had specifically asked for a castle experience and were happy to pay more for it, but our reservation was in one of the separate lodges rather than the main house. This was mentioned in the itinerary, so I also take responsibility for not looking more closely, but I do wish the difference had been highlighted more clearly given what we had originally asked for. Kate did try to help once we raised our concerns, which we appreciated.

Overall, we had a beautiful and memorable trip, with so many highlights including the Highlands, Skye, the castles and seeing the Jacobite steam train crossing Glenfinnan Viaduct which as harry potter fans was the best thing in our trip! And Ian our driver was so understanding and helped us in arranging the viewing at the right time so we dont miss the jacobite train
.
We really appreciated all of Kate’s support and efforts throughout our journey she’s amazing ♡

Hotel Reviews

Glencoe House

Ballachulish

I’m giving it 3 stars because, although the lodge itself was clean, comfortable and well equipped with food, it wasn’t quite the experience we had hoped for. We wanted to end our trip relaxing in the main house, but our reservation was in the lodge instead. The hotel also doesn’t have a restaurant or lounge that lodge guests can use for tea or relaxing, as the main house is made up of private suites. So even though we were staying on the property, we didn’t really get to experience the house itself. If you’re looking for more of a castle-style experience, I’d recommend booking one of the suites in the main house. We had booked for two nights but ended up staying for only one.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Bonham

Edinburgh

Amazing hotel the staff are so friendly and its located near deans village. We had an issue in the room which we highlighted to the front desk and they quickly resolved it and changed our room.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel has amazing history

Location

Its a walking distance from Edinburgh castle and so close to deans village

Staff

The staff were so understanding and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ness Walk

Inverness

The best hotel we stayed at during our trip! The service was amazing, and every member of staff was incredibly helpful and welcoming. We also loved the beautiful river views from the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Monkstadt 1745 - Luxury Lodge

Linicro, Isle of Skye

We stayed one night here in the lodge as we had requested twin beds, and the sea view was beautiful, especially at sunset. We also enjoyed having tea at the hotel, it was so cozy we loved it! It was lovely to connect the stories we heard throughout the trip with the history of the hotel. So interesting and one of our favorite stays

Authenticity & Character

The history

Location

We loved the sea view

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dunrobin Castle

Inverness

I absolutely loved Dunrobin Castle. The castle itself was beautiful and full of character, and I really enjoyed exploring the interiors and learning more about its history. Unfortunately, it was raining during our visit so we didn’t get to properly explore the gardens, but the castle was still one of the highlights of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alnwick Castle Tour – The Real Hogwarts from Harry Potter

Edinburgh

As Harry Potter fans, we were so happy to visit Alnwick Castle and see the filming locations! Our trip started from Edinburgh, and our driver was informative, friendly and had a great sense of humour. He shared lots of interesting information about the places we passed on the way to the castle and back. We really enjoyed our time there, although it became very windy later in the day so we couldn’t enjoy the archery. Even if you’re not a Harry Potter fan, there are different shows and activities to enjoy, and the castle itself has so much history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Inverness Walking Tour

Scotland

This was our favorite tour with the amazing Sandy. Sandy was an amazing tour guide in Inverness! We really enjoyed our time with him and learned so much throughout the tour. He was very knowledgeable, easy to talk to and made the experience really enjoyable for us. We really appreciated the time we spent with him and would definitely recommend him.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We have used KimKim previously for a trip to Norway with success, and had high hopes for our trip to Scotland. Unfortunately, the trip was not planned well, and I feel that this service was mostly a waste of money, and it was a lot of money! We had emphasized at the start of this that we wanted a trip with a focus on nature and history, but ideally would like to avoid a bunch of churches and castles since those get repetitive. We were hoping for walks and museums, mostly.

In Edinburgh the initial old town private tour was very superficial with a focus on shopping locations and Harry Potter trivia rather than the history of the old town and culture of Scotland. It didn't help that it was given by a man who was new to the position and not a native to the area, so he was clearly giving info that he had just recently learned himself. The food tour had the wrong start location, and when we reported this to Tetiana our specialist, she reminded us that we could have checked the start location ourselves. We paid a ton of money so that we wouldn't have to double check all her work, so this was a frustrating response. Of note, our favorite visit in Ediburgh was the Surgeon's museum, which had great history and culture and demonstrated some of the impact that Scotland has had globally. This museum was one we picked ourselves on arrival, it was not suggested by Tetiana.

The Oban leg of the trip was fine, although this was the start of the difficulty with timing. Driving consistently took around 30% longer than our schedule had listed, and so we consistently had to remove one of the stops from each day from this point onwards. Calculating out the timing, we would have been getting back to the hotel between 7 and 9 PM nightly, which was not what we were looking for when the day also included 2-6 hrs of driving. Of note, the church we were supposed to visit in Glencoe on the way to Oban was closed, and it was just a local church for the town, not a destination from what we could tell. There was a war memorial nearby that might have been a better alternative to a closed local church.

Fort William was not very interesting, and when we ran into locals and mentioned this city, they were surprised we would even go there.

For the Isle of Skye, we stayed in Portree, and the museum suggested in the guide did not exist. There is nothing called the "Portree museum," and the closest thing was called the "Skye Museum of Island Life" which is a pretty different name! Especially when we emphasized wanting to get the history and culture of the area, I wish more care had been taken to make sure these museums existed.

The trip to Loch Lomond was fine, also, I have no major complaints.

While some issues with the trip I can blame on Scotland itself (such as the hot weather, lack of trees, lack of birds and small mammals, poor ability to consume the history outside of castles, apparently), many of the issues with the trip could have been avoided if a bit more care had been taken in planning the trip. I will not be using KimKim again, as it has proven itself too unreliable for my money!

Hotel Reviews

No11 Boutique Hotel & Brasserie

Edinburgh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Whispering Pine Lodge

Loch Lochy, Spean Bridge, Scotland, PH34 4DZ

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cameron house

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Treshnish Isles Wildlife Cruise and Staffa Trip from Oban

Oban

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Edinburgh Castle & Old Town Private Tour

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vegan Scottish Food Tour

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seal Spotting Loch Linnhe Cruise

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I have been waiting to have a moment to write you a note to say thank you for planning our Scotland trip. We all enjoyed every activity you chose for us! Every detail was absolutely perfect. You selected the most perfect tours/activities to maximize our time in each location and to see as much of Scotland as possible during our stay. I sincerely appreciate the way you planned everything to be so seamless. Our transportation arrangements were all perfectly timed, and it was easy to get to our hotel accommodations from each train/bus station. We loved each of the hotels you booked for us in Scotland, and every one of your restaurant suggestions was delicious. Our two private tour guides, Jack in Edinburgh and Stuart in Inverness, were both wonderful. We especially enjoyed Stuart! I cannot say enough good things about our experience with you! I could never have planned such a perfect trip on my own!

Hotel Reviews

Leonardo Royal Hotel Edinburgh

Edinburgh,

Nice sized room with enough space for 2 adults and 1 teen. Perfect location very close to the train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lochiel Villa Guest House

Fort William

Very nice room that was comfortable for 2 adult and one teen. Note - luggage cannot be stored on site and must be stored about a mile away at another hotel. Not an issue if you know this before you arrive!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

There is no staff on site.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maldron Hotel Glasgow City

Glasgow

Great location. Nice, comfortable room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Glen Mhor Hotel and Uile-bheist Brewery & Distillery

Inverness

Beautiful location on the river. Perfect for our family of 3!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Ultimate Isle of Skye Tour from Inverness

Inverness

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Real Mary King’s Close

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half-Day Loch Ness Tour from Inverness City

Inverness

This was one of our favorite parts of our time in Scotland! Our private guide, Stuart, was wonderful and made the experience fun for our whole family!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jacobite Steam Train

Scotland

This is a wonderful way to see the Highlands!

Quality of Experience

Transport

Edinburgh Castle & Old Town Private Tour

Edinburgh

Jack was very knowledgeable and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

First of all, we would like to thank Rachael from the bottom of your hearts. She did a wonderful job from the planning of the trip, the zoom call to finalize, and checking on us during the trip. Everything was perfect. Each room was perfect from the Apex in Edinburgh, Tall Pines in Pictlockary, Raasay House, and Glenview B and B in Luss. The castles were amazing from Stirling to Inverary. The scenery along the trip was breathtaking. We hike several trails on Raasay. The climb from the ocean to the top of temptation was a great hike. Touring the distillary on Raasay and at Oban were wonderful. The tasting at Raasay with whiskey and chocolates was a highlight the trip. The town of Luss was beautiful with flowers blooming outside of the houses.
We would highly recommend Kim Kim and Rachael to everyone who is planning a trip. It will be several years before we can plan our next trip to England. We will be contacting Rachael and Kim Kim when we start planning that trip.

Hotel Review

Pine Trees Hotel

Pitlochry

The room was perfect and the breakfast was wonderful. We arrived at Pine Trees before the rain started. After we were in the room, the rain began and sitting in the room listening to the rain was so relaxing. The hotel had snacks set out and a tea pot in the room. So afternoon tea was so enjoyable.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful interior

Location

Peaceful

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect

Activity Review

Raasay Whisky, Gin and chocolate tour

Scotland

The chocolates were perfect with the whiskey

Quality of Experience

Staff was great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All were great

Transport

This was our 10th world tour for our Taekwondo group, and it was the best! We have had several good agents in the past, but dealing with KimKim has been, by far, the best! Jane Davey and Celina were so helpful and on top of everything, that with my wife's skills, made this the most hassle-free trip we have ever been on.

Even during our trip to Scotland, the incredible agents were there for us, ready to answer any questions, or take care of any little problems that came up (which was minimal).

Jane's suggestions and guidance, and Celina's excellence in coordinating the hotels and activities was amazing! If there was some kind of special award in the travel field, they should be the winners hands down!

Thanks so much KimKim for being at the right place at the right time when we were searching for experts to help us on our complicated journey of our group 49 martial artists travelling so far from Colorado!

When we plan our next trip, there is no question of where we will start!

Hotel Review

Boat Country Inn and Restaurant

Aviemore

The friendliest, helpful staff in Scotland! We will be back! They made our time so memorable!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful!

Location

Staff

The kindergarten teacher who did our breakfast time was incredible! Thanks!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Three Isles Tour – Mull, Iona & Staffa

Oban

Quality of Experience

Private Driver Guide - Heritage Tour - Fully Bespoke

Scotland

Can't beat James Gray! He took care of and energized us during our time in Oban! Knowledgeable and fun! I'd love to play music with him anytime!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dolphin Watching Expedition

Inverness

It was obvious there were going to be no dolphins to see, but the boat ride was fine.

Quality of Experience

Stirling Castle Tickets

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Salome at High Point Holidays helped me plan an incredible trip to Scotland. We visited cities and villages we had not visited before and had wonderful excursions and experiences. On our arrival day in Edinburgh, tour guide Chris Walker met us at our hotel and took us on a walking tour of the Royal Mile. Chris was full of great stories and information about the Royal Mile and was an absolute delight. He even called a local restaurant and arranged a dinner reservation for us. We elected not to rent a car so Salome tailored our itinerary so we could take advantage of the excellent rail services. All of our tickets were purchased for us and all the details were included in our Road Book. It was much easier than we expected to travel by rail. St. Andrews was our first stop. We stayed at the lovely Albany Hotel steps away from the cathedral ruins and the castle. The shopping and dining options abounded even for someone like me who eats gluten-free. In Pitlochry, we enjoyed the Black Spout trail and waterfall. Next, we had a 5 star falconry experience at the Bird of Prey Center in Loch Lomond. We had a whole hour with a falconer and three different gorgeous birds. The center is an absolute treasure for educating the public and conserving the world's birds of prey. Our final city was Sterling. We enjoyed visiting the Wallace Monument and climbed all the way to the crown! Our visit to Sterling Castle was grand. The history of this majestic palace and military stronghold is so impressive. Edinburgh Executive Travel handled our incoming and outgoing airport transfers in plush comfort.

Hotel Reviews

The Frederick House Hotel

Edinburgh

Comfortable and classic. Clean and well maintained.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the old city

Cleanliness & Comfort

Modern bathroom, beautiful linens, clean

The Stirling Highland Hotel

Stirling

This hotel is advertised as a 4 star property. Our bedroom at this hotel was dark, rundown and not well maintained. The draperies were hanging askew, the linens and towels were not as nice as all the other places we stayed, and the carpet was stained. The bathroom was particularly disappointing. The wooden panel fronting the tub was chipped and unsightly. On the positive side, the buffet full English breakfast was very good.

Authenticity & Character

As a former high school, the building has tons of character.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our bedroom at this hotel was dark, rundown and not well maintained. The draperies were hanging askew, the linens and towels were not as nice as all the other places we stayed, and the carpet was stained. The bathroom was particularly disappointing. The wooden panel fronting the tub was chipped and unsightly.

Activity Reviews

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide - Two hours

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Chris Walker is personable and so knowledgeable. He went above and beyond by suggesting a restaurant and calling to make a reservation for us.

Sea Safary around the Isle of May

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pedro was an amazing source of knowledge about the birds and seals.

Transport

The boat trip was just super fun.

National Wallace Monument visit

Scotland

Quality of Experience

The monument is awe-inspiring. Just do it--climb the spiral staircase and visit the history on each level. The crown is incredible!

Private transfer in town

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Comfort and professionalism. It was such a welcome luxury to begin and end our trip with this service.

Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre Flying Experience

Scotland

We had an incredible hour with our guide. It was just the two of us, our falconer and three gorgeous birds. We learned so much about the birds and had plenty of time to admire each one up close.

Quality of Experience

The staff is amazing and dedicated to educating the public. The center is so clean and well-maintained. It is so obvious the birds are receiving the best care.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff at the center are taking excellent care of the birds and the facility

We had the most amazing experience on our trip to Scotland. Thank you to Jane and Celina for working with us to create such an incredible trip. We took a group of 49 Taekwondo students and family members from the Colorado Taekwondo Institute on a 10 day trip to Scotland where we visited Stirling for 2 days, Aviemore and Inverness for 3 days and Oban for 3 days. Our trip was seamless. Our excursions and activities had just the right balance and we were able to include many meals for our group. We even got to visit the highland games at Drumtochty Castle and do a demonstration for the crowd. Another highlight of our trip was having a special guide on the last full day of our trip. James Gray was amazing.