Kimkim Trip Reviews for Scotland

We began planning our trip about a year ago. It was a large group of 20 family members, with many logistical challenges. Marion and Celina did a wonderful job securing our guide, Keith, and driver Rickie. They certainly went above and beyond our expectations. Our photographers, Karen and Mark, also exceeded our expectations with a wonderful professional photo shoot at Castle Cawdor. The pictures were beautiful. I had a very specific itinerary in mind when I contacted KimKim and I know that they worked very hard on our behalf. The trip went along seamlessly, was all we had hoped for and more. It was a wonderful experience for us all! Well done!

Activity Reviews

Private guided tour with driver/guide in Skye

Scotland

Our guide gave us a wonderful day on the Isle of Skye considering, it was cold, windy, and rainy, and we were traveling on a tour bus that could not access all the areas.

Isle of Skye Whisky immersion at Torabhaig

Scotland

A great way to learn about Scottish Whisky.

Hill Trips Cairngorm Reindeer Herd

Scotland

This activity exceeded our expectation. There is a hilly walk to the reindeer which is very scenic in itself. The Reindeer were so beautiful to see up close. We learned about the herd from our guide and were allowed to feed them. The scenery on the hill was beautiful as well.

One way to Mallaig on the Jacobite Train (of Harry Potter fame)

Scotland

Our family enjoyed the train trip, a relaxing way to travel and see the Scottish countryside.

Eat Walk Glasgow

Glasgow

This was a great way to see Glasgow, learn about the city, and taste amazing local foods.

Dinner Reservation on Skye

Scotland

"A la carte" activities at Rothiemurchus estate

Aviemore

Unfortunately, on this day it was pouring rain and cold. But we had an amazing time regardless. Our two guides made it a fun experience for the entire family

Exceptional Visit and Tasting at Blair Athol Distillery

Pitlochry

This was an enjoyable experience for all and a great way to learn about Scottish Whisky.

Visit to Urquhart Castle

Scotland

This is a beautiful place, but the castle staff are cautious regarding over crowding, so were not able to go into the castle as planned. We did go to a viewing area and were able to get some great photos of the exterior from across the water.

Private visit of Mary King's Close

Edinburgh

A great tour to give you an understanding of historical Edinburgh.

The Beastie Boats - Inverness

Inverness

This was great fun for a family outing. Our family enjoyed the guides comments as well as a fast ride on Loch Ness.

Quality of Experience

Our entire trip was delightful and I believe gave us all a taste of Scotland.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Keith, was just a great person to travel with. He did well anticipating our needs, was informative, and flexible.

Transport

We loved our driver Rickie. He gave us a comfortable ride, and we felt safe on those narrow winding roads.

Culloden Battlefield private tour

Inverness

We really appreciate Emily and all she did for us - we had a wonderful trip that we wouldn't have been able to plan on our own so her expertise was very much appreciated.

The Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel in Edinburgh was a beautiful hotel with great breakfasts; Calton Hill and snacks and cocktails at the Dome were a wonderful way to start our trip. Highly recommend all three. The Palace of Holyroodhouse was awesome, the Afternoon Tea was nice (food was amazing, but we probably wouldn't do it again - we ended up with a table right by the door and had to squeeze in to not be in the way) and the History Lovers walking tour was awesome - we can't remember her name but our guide was excellent. The Underground Graveyard tour was not something we would recommend; the guide was nice but it wasn't anything special.

Our rental car experience went perfectly, all the way through, although our GPS took us to the wrong drop off location at the airport in Inverness (apparently drop off used to be just off-airport; now it is at the drop-off area at the entrance to the airport).

The Knockinaam Lodge Hotel was a reason itself to come back to Scotland - what a wonderful place, people and service. We can't say enough good things about it; suffice it to say we might plan another trip back just to spend more time there. Our only request would have been for a better room. We should probably have asked to move, but we didn't think about it until we were already unpacked and had used the bathroom to clean up. Small issue that did not take away from the absolute enjoyment of staying there.

The Mull of Galloway Lighthouse was awesome, as was all the other sights we visited while in the area.

The Hotel du Vin in Glasgow was another excellent place to stay - we very much enjoyed it as well as dinner at Cail Bruich. The walking around Glasgow and the Kellingrove museum was very nice.

Victoria Square hotel in Stirling would not be somewhere we would stay again; it was nice and quiet for the room, but nothing special, nor was breakfast. It was a great location, but not the nicest place for our tastes. The tours and everything about Stirling was very nice though - we enjoyed everything with only one exception. Our PHD level guided tour of Bonnockburn did not live up to our expectations. The tour guide was nice, and he obviously knew his history, but as we had read books on the battle, and knew a lot about it, we expected to be able to walk through the battlefield and have pretty good descriptions of how it progressed, but he wasn't very good at really getting the vibe across and we didn't really get to see what we thought we would be able to.

Our private transfers and train ride, the recommendations (House of Bruar was awesome; Aran Bakery was closed on Sunday; Brodie's Tea Room in Moffat was amazing, plus we bought something nice in one of the shops there) were spot on and everything went smoothly. Again, we can't thank you enough Emily for helping us out and getting everything organized to make our trip go seamlessly. We appreciate the work and will look back to Kimkim next time we are traveling!

Tom & Lesley Hall

Hotel Reviews

Hotel du Vin & Bistro Glasgow

Glasgow

Excellent hotel - amazing room that we could have spent two weeks in. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel, an IHG Hotel

Edinburgh

Beautiful place, amazing breakfasts, wonderful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Knockinaam Lodge Hotel

Portpatrick, Stranraer

Excellent. Amazing. Stay here if you can, we will probably come back to Scotland just to stay here again. Awesome service, unbelievable location and amenities, excellent food.

Authenticity & Character

Drinks and snacks by the fire in the lounge while you read or chat is a must do - beautiful lounge.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Stirling Old Town Jail

Stirling

The Stirling Old Town Jail tour was very enjoyable. It was really cool to be able to walk around on our own and explore the jail. The tour was well put together and informative.

Phd level guided tour of Bannockburn

Stirling

The PhD level guided tour of Bannockburn was disappointing. Although the guide was knowledgeable and a great guy, the tour felt disjointed and didn't meet our expectations. We were hoping for a more detailed walk around the battlefield with specific insights into where events took place, but it didn't quite come together.

Stirling Castle Tickets

Scotland

The Stirling Castle tour was another highlight. The castle itself is beautiful and rich in history. We really enjoyed exploring it and learning about its significance.

Visit the Kelpies

Scotland

Visiting the Kelpies was really cool. The history behind them was quite interesting, and the tour was well worth it. It was a unique and fascinating experience.

Cail Bruich Fine Dining

Glasgow

Dining at Cail Bruich in Glasgow was an excellent experience. The food was phenomenal, and the ambiance was just perfect for a fine dining experience. It's definitely a place I'd recommend to anyone looking for a special meal in Glasgow.

Underground Vaults and Graveyard Ghost Tour

Edinburgh

The Underground Vaults and Graveyard Ghost Tour was a bit of a letdown. It felt pretty touristy and gimmicky, with not much to see. The tour guide was great and the people were nice, but the tour itself just didn't have much substance and felt a bit disjointed. Maybe families or kids would enjoy it more, but it wasn't really for us.

History Lovers Old Town Walking Tour

Edinburgh

The History Lovers Old Town Walking Tour in Edinburgh was fantastic. Our guide was super energetic and knowledgeable, taking us through little corners and showing us special spots around the town. She was still a student in her senior year but did an amazing job. This tour was definitely one of the highlights of our trip, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone visiting Edinburgh.

Afternoon Tea at the Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh

Having afternoon tea at Edinburgh Castle was a delightful experience! The tea itself was excellent, and the food was top-notch. It's one of those things that I'm really happy we did once, even though we probably wouldn't do it again. The atmosphere and the setting made it feel quite special, and it's definitely worth trying at least once.

I will review these five days trip by each day. Day 1: Edinburgh Castle and old town tour was enjoyable and amusing with our knowledgeable tour guide Kieran Begg . Dinner at The Witchery as you recommend, the structure of the hotel and restaurant definitely impressive to us, wish I can say the same with the server we had, whom was not very attending and polite. Day2: Rabbie's tour was entertaining with Kelly(?), Alnwick Castle was amazing, Bamburgh Castle was last minute changed on the schedule my husband was little disappointed on his wish list, however the tour guide did stop by far away in a parking lot, and took a picture for everyone. Day3: Redcliffe Hotel was a charming apartment with everything we need and most of all good location to the town and bus station by walking distance. Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle tour were most wonderful. Thank you, Aleksandra! Day 4: Isle of Skye and Eilean Donan Castle tour, the weather was not the best to view their beauty which we heard so much and looking forward to it, but the tour bus was the worst experience for us, and I am sure for the same fellow travelers that day. Nonetheless, thank you, Kateryna prompt respond for this matter! Day 5: The Kelpies tour was a plus for the end of the trip. Thank you, Aleksandra!

Hotel Reviews

Residence Inn by Marriott

EDINBURGH

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Redcliffe Hotel

Inverness

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Kelpies Guided Tour

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Isle of Skye Tour including the Eilean Donan Castle, Portree and other attractions

Inverness

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle

Inverness

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alnwick Castle, the Northumberland Coast & the Borders

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Edinburgh Castle & Old Town Private Tour

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everyone was super nice in St Andrews! Stevie was a cab driver that picked us up at the airport and took us back. He also ended up driving us on Sunday for our day trip because the guide was sick. Stevie is the best!!!!!! So nice and very accommodating and sweet to my 83 yr old mom who went with us. We had a couple of issues but the Kim Kim team was on it and fixed them fast! It was a great trip and I highly recommend using them.

Thank you for everything!

Margaret

Katerina was amazing. She was always prompt with her replies and followed up on all our suggestions and questions.
Will definitely use her on our next trip her.
All of our transitions were smooth except for checkin to apt. in Edinburgh on June 18. We had nor received any checkin details for keypad. Fortunately we did make contact with her and got in. The email with those details had not been received on our end. All lodging was most acceptable.
Our Orkney guide Ann was excellent as was John on Shetland and Nicholas for Cairngorms. He also helped us with transportation to Ayr to ride the amazing Clydesdales!

Hotel Reviews

The Kirkwall Hotel

Kirkwall

The Kirkwall Hotel was an excellent choice. The staff was fantastic, and the accommodations were comfortable and met all our needs. The service was impeccable, making our stay there truly enjoyable.

Destiny Scotland - Hill Street Apartments

EDINBURGH

Destiny Scotland - Hill Street Apartments was one of the best places we've ever stayed. The only hiccup was the lack of communication about the key code to enter the apartment, which caused a bit of a panic. However, once that was sorted out, our stay was perfect. The apartment itself was fantastic and made our stay in Edinburgh truly memorable.

Wilde Apartments Grassmarket

Edinburgh

Our stay at Wilde Apartments Grassmarket was mostly pleasant, but we had an issue with the taxi driver dropping us off at the wrong place. It was a minor inconvenience, but worth mentioning.

Activity Reviews

Cairngorms National Park Wildlife Tour

Edinburgh

Nicholas, our guide for the Cairngorms tour, was absolutely wonderful. The tour was well-organized, and Nicola's knowledge and enthusiasm for the area made it an exceptional experience. I couldn't have asked for a better guide or a more beautiful setting.

Shetland Tour

Shetland

The Shetland Tour was a highlight. We had a fantastic guide who took us on a driving tour through some breathtaking scenery. It was truly an unforgettable experience, made even better by the knowledgeable and friendly guide. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the Shetland Islands.

Edinburgh Old Town Tour

Edinburgh

The taxi service to our hotel was prompt, but the Edinburgh Old Town Tour was a bit underwhelming. Our guide, Christoph, was lovely but had a heavy accent that made it hard to understand him, especially with the Plexiglas barrier in the taxi. An open car might have made the experience much better. Despite this, he took us to Calton Hill, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Wonderful trip that met all of our expectations! Seamless travel, checked off all our boxes in terms of time available, budget and goals.

Hotel Reviews

The Stirling Highland Hotel

Stirling

Nestled below the incredible Stirling Castle and near to some great restaurants, interesting comfortable hotel in old grammar school, easy courtyard parking, breakfast room busy and a tad cramped.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Garrison Hotel

Fort William

Great location, parking at back of hotel, very small but comfy room, with great breakfast/bar area with good espresso machine available 24/7.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Royal Hotel Portree

Portree

Great location overlooking the pastel buildings on the harbor. Adequate room and breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Seaview Hotel

Wick

Rustic hotel in a very sparsely populated area. Excellent service and a great restaurant. Tired, old room but adequate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean but old and worn out

Heathmount Hotel

Inverness

Comfy, pretty hotel with friendly, helpful staff and a good breakfast. We loved the 15 minute walk to the town center.

Authenticity & Character

Comfy lounge and bar area, pretty decor

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inver Lodge

Scotland

Elegant, spacious hotel with lovely mountain and loch views. Excellent restaurant and service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Angel's Share Hotel

New Town, Edinburgh

Great location - we walked everywhere and had no difficulty using the tram to and from the airport. Interesting boutique hotel with good size rooms and a great breakfast in their elegant bar. Helpful staff, happy to store luggage. Great treats, water and hot drinks in rooms. Although displayed with the complimentary water, the Pringles will be charged. The Rod Stewart room needs a new mattress.

Activity Reviews

Fishing Villages of Fife & St Andrews from Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Great day trip with Peter, an entertaining and knowledgable tour guide/driver. Taking a regular train to St Andrews and stopping off at a fishing village would be a far more affordable option.

Champagne Afternoon Tea at the Ivy

Edinburgh

We had two friends join us and the staff were flexible and worked this out for us. Lovely champagne high tea in a beautiful setting, but pricey.

Day out on the Jacobite Train (of Harry Potter fame)

Scotland

A steam train ride through beautiful scenery. We were expecting some kind of narration about Jacobite history and Harry Potter settings. There was no narration or written history offered. Perhaps it would be better to catch the regular train to Glenfinnan, hike to get a great view of the aquaduct , and get a wonderful video of the steam train crossing. Then take the regular train to Mallaig for lunch in a pretty harbor town.

Smoo Cave Tours

Scotland

Even a small amount of rainfall results in the inner cave tour being cancelled. One can still enjoy the view of the waterfalls at the entrance and the stunning beauty of the surrounding cliffs.

Inverness Bike tour

Inverness

Alison our tour guide was very experienced and knowledgeable. It was hailing minutes before our ride, but she assured us that she had checked the radar and it would be fine, we enjoyed biking through the Ness Islands where we met the grumpy anti-biker lady that Alison had been trying to appease for many years, biked along the Caledonian Canal to the locks, and then through a nature reserve alongside the Beauly Firth

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Evening cruise on Loch Linnhe

Fort William

Such a beautiful area and the light through the clouds was breathtaking. Knowledgeable commentary on Black Houses, tides and local culture

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Two hour cruise on the Canal and Loch - Loch Ness

Inverness

Not the prettiest scenery but searching for Nessie is a must. We visited the quaint village of Dores, enjoyed lunch at the Dores Inn, and got to meet Steve Feltham who has lived in a caravan next to the Inn. Looking for. Eddie since 1991.

Blair Atholl Castle Entrance tickets

Scotland

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Working with Kat made our trip go seamlessly! Every detail was taking care of and we had an amazing time in Scotland. We had the pleasure of experiencing private tours of the Highlands which made for an unforgettable time.

Marion was great, super attuned to custominzing the trip for the perfect mix of hiking, history and culture to fit our interests…

My husband and I had a great time touring Scotland on our own via car. Justine worked with us to customize our trip and made all arrangements including the rental car and transfer via train to Manchester, England on our final day.
In the Trossachs National Park we stayed at Cameron House on Loch Lomond. We explored the nearby conservation village of Luss and despite the rain, enjoyed a beautiful view of the lake while dining at Colquhoun's.
The village of Glencoe and Eilean Donan Castle were interesting stops enroute to the Isle of Skye. We loved our two-night stay at Ullinish House with views of Loch Bracadale and the Cuillin Mtns. Blue skies prevailed for our exploration of the Trotternish Loop which included a whiskey tasting and sunset on the black sand, Talisker Beach.
During our drive to the Cairngorms National Park/Fife Arms at Braemar, we stopped at the amazing Clava Cairns, a prehistoric burial site just outside of Inverness. Two highlights of our time in Braemar are a four-mile hike on the "Braemar Circular via Queen's Drive" and a leisurely afternoon stroll around the grounds of Balmoral Castle.
Our final destination in Scotland was Edinburgh. We started with a fantastic private walking tour of the city with our guide Robert; he was exceptional! In the evening we enjoyed the Johnnie Walker Tasting Experience followed with dinner in their 1820 Rooftop Bar with wonderful views of the city and Edinburgh Castle. After touring the historic castle the next morning , we departed Scotland on our Manchester bound train. Our Scottish Adventure was perfect!

Hotel Review

Ullinish House

Isle of Skye

Wonderful hosts! Helpful and accommodating. Our room was perfect and the breakfast was very tasty. A beautiful and relaxing rural experience with views of Loch Bracadale and the Cuillin Mountains.

Authenticity & Character

You feel like you are a guest in someone's home.

Location

It is located off the beaten path and has beautiful views of the countryside, the lake, and the mountains.

Staff

Both hosts - wife and husband

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was clean and the bed was comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Johnnie Walker Tasting Experience - Whisky Explorers

Edinburgh

Interesting and Entertaining!

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

Robert was an exceptional guide! He asked us a couple questions about our backgrounds and the customized the tour to include our interests... and still shared the traditional sites of the city with their interesting stories. In my opinion, Robert should be your go-to Edinburgh guide.

Overall, the trip was very good. there were a few missteps that could have been avoided.
I suspect that Cat or Phil will share some of them with you already. Instead of reiterating what i believe they have already shared with you, i will add another concern. I take some of the blame. I should have figured out that we had STANDING tickets for the ABBA Experience. You listed the tickets with a seat number, but it did say "Standing." I just could not believe that they were in fact tickets for us to STAND throughout the video. I expected to be seated. I thought we would be seated. I was surprised we did not have seated tickets. I would have preferred a ticket to a show in which we could be seated to enjoy the performance.
Besides that, it was the little things that should not have been an issue but did disrupt the trip. There was a mix-up with the location of our Tea in London. We were seated in coach instead of first class on the train through the Chunnel. The ground transportation from the Airport in Amsterdam was a problem. Little things like these, made the drop from 5 stars to 4.

Overall decent, with a couple of hiccups. Firstly, there were some issues booking the hotel so we ended up getting charged at the hotel, which we got refunded for. Secondly, there was an event we were not sent the tickets/confirmation email for and we were charged 50% when we asked about it. Moral of the story - keep an eye out when booking trips and make sure everything has been confirmed a couple of days prior.

My husband and I are not guided tour travelers, but I was concerned about the timing of our trip and worried we were too close to Scotland's tourist season. After searching some possible ideas, I came across Kim Kim and I was hooked up with Neil West. Neil is absolutely the best. He quickly understood the type of travelers we are and what we wanted to see and do while in Scotland. Neil put together a wonderful self-guided driving tour along the North Coast 500. We were able to stop where we wanted while still visiting the places Neil recommended. We especially loved Inverness (loved the Ness Walk hotel there - excellent choice) and the Isle of Skye. We also found the Granary Lodge, where the Castle of Mey is located such a wonderful hidden gem, and we were so glad we got to tour the castle and meet the woman whose family has taken care of the castle for five generations. We loved every minute of our trip to Scotland. It was everything I thought it would be - and more! We are already thinking about a return in the near future. We were also very happy that we got to meet Neil in person upon our arrival in Edinburgh, which helped set the tone for our three weeks in Scotland - thank you, Neil!

Hotel Reviews

Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel, an IHG Hotel

Edinburgh

As "tourist" town hotels go, it's location is great and easy to walk to everything around Edinburgh. We've stayed in better Kimpton properties.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pine Trees Hotel

Pitlochry

Loved the Pine Trees Hotel - and Pitlochry! What a wonderful town. Would definitely go back to Pitlochry and stay at the Pine Trees Hotel. We had the master suite, which was absolutely wonderful. Again, we were in Pitlochry for only one night and wish we could have stayed longer. It's definitely a longer-stay hotel. The staff was wonderful and very accommodating. Plus, a (very short) and nice walk into town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Garrison Hotel

Fort William

This is a tough one. The location of the hotel is great. One can easily walk through town to restaurants, shopping, places of interest, etc. But the hotel itself is not that great. Playing off the fact that the building was once the "jail" is the draw, but it doesn't work. Our suite looked out over the back parking lot. We had to lug our bags up three flights of stairs. If you just need a quick hotel for one night, it's probably fine. But it wasn't our cup of tea.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Duisdale House Hotel

Isle of Skye

On the surface, it is a lovely hotel. The location is good, the grounds are beautiful, excellent front desk staff (especially the blonde woman, but did not get her name) and we especially liked the two bartenders in the bar, who recommended the gins for us to try. Where the hotel fell short were the hotel rooms. The rooms would be very nice if not for the constant loud hum from the kitchen. We liked the hotel, but would not stay there again because of the hum. The excellent woman at the front desk told us she has brought up the issue with the owners many times, as guests have complained. If we were to go back to this hotel, we'd stay in one of the few cottages/guest houses on the property.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easily accessible

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Granary Lodge

Thurso

We arrived at this hotel quite late at night after having difficulty finding it. We were hungry and not in a mood to try to find somewhere to eat. The manager on duty was so kind and went into the kitchen and prepared a wonderful, little tray of food for us. She set the tone and it was wonderful. When we woke the next morning, we had no idea we were staying right next to the Castle of Mey. What a treat that was! Our only regret is that our stay was just for one night. We would have loved to stay a couple nights longer.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We loved this hotel, but it was extremely difficult to find as our car navigation could not get us there.

Staff

As noted above.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Summer Isles Hotel

Ullapool

This hotel was, simply put, awful. Our room smelled like the sewer, it was very cold as the heaters did not work, and the worst part was when I went to make a cup of tea in the room, I found a pubic hair in the tea mug.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location was perfect; the hotel was not.

Staff

The restaurant staff was the only thing great about this hotel.

Cleanliness & Comfort

See above.

Ness Walk

Inverness

The Ness Walk hotel was definitely one of my favorites. The staff was exceptional, our room was wonderful and the hotel's Afternoon Tea a delight. The hotel is perfectly situated on the river and easily walkable to other places around town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very attentive staff; catered to our every need

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Walk up Calton Hill

Edinburgh

Definitely worth the walk up Calton Hill.

Quality of Experience

Blair Atholl Castle Entrance tickets

Scotland

Very stunning and interesting castle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Guided Walk in Glencoe

Scotland

Loved every minute of our guided walk. David, our guide, was absolutely wonderful. Very knowledgeable and helpful. Stunning scenery. Would love to go back to the Glencoe area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening cruise on Loch Linnhe

Fort William

There was torrential rain the evening of this cruise and were unable to do the cruise.

Glass-bottom Boat Trip by Isle of Skye

Scotland

We went into this thinking - "it's a glass-bottom boat tour; we're from Florida, no big deal." However, I am so glad we did this boat trip. As we were driving to the Isle of Skye thinking that we'd have plenty of time to check into our hotel and relax, I received a text from the owner of the boat asking us if we could make it for the 2 p.m. cruise instead of the 4 p.m. cruise as we were the only two people booked for the 4 p.m. cruise. We knew we'd have to hustle, but I told her we would try to get there. Long story short, we made it there before 2 p.m. and as it turned out there were only three of us on the boat cruise. It was wonderful! We had the whole boat to ourselves and had wonderful conversations with the co-owner and the captain. We would not have had this much interaction had the boat been full. It was a wonderful boat cruise and visit to a ship wreck and salmon farm.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

In almost all ways working with Emily was an extremely positive experience: she is knowledgeable, responsive, and very gracious. All the aspects of planning the itinerary were handled thoughtfully and in a timely fashion. There were two hiccups that kept me from giving five stars both for the experience and Emily herself: the tour and hotel bookings were handled by another specialist, who put them in her (or possibly a third sub-contractor's) name, so we didn't receive important communication from the hotel (like the number of the apartment) and the tours didn't have our names when we arrived to register. Everyone was extremely responsive and resolved the issues quickly, but they shouldn't have happened in the first place. Second--and this relates to the KimKim experience--there's no transparency around the charges. I don't know what the upcharges were on your end--but once we found out the price of the individual tours and the cost of the hotel (by looking online) we realized that they are probably significant. I realize we are paying for the service--but I want to know what % of my costs were service charges. If it was any more than 20%, then I will look elsewhere before booking with KimKim again.

Hi Luigi,

Thank you for planning a wonderful trip for us. Overall, working with you was great and we had a wonderful time with a couple of exceptions that I mention later. Your itinerary gave us a Scotland experience we would never have come up with on our own. Your daily updates during the trip helped set the context for the day, and our guides were knowledgeable, personable, and accommodating. We feel like we came away with wonderful memories and a more tangible feel for Scottish history, culture, and the landscape.

All the scheduled activities and sites were amazing, and I could write about each one. In the interest of brevity, I’ll keep it to a couple.

The Farm of Kinaldy Shetland and Valais sheep was a highlight. Julie was a wonderful host and was happy to answer any and all questions. She let us interact with the sheep, wander around her field to take as many photos as we like, and even try our hands at sheering. The sheep are very people-friendly. We also got to see two highland cows she acquired recently. I would recommend this experience to anyone interested in sheep if they don’t mind getting their shoes a bit muddy.

Cawdor Castle was another highlight. The gardens, in particular, were spectacular, bursting with spring colors. Given all the blooming flowers, we spent more time than I expected in gardens during this trip. I recommend people intentionally allocate time for gardens when touring in late May.

The main issues we had during the trip were with two hotels. The first was Inverlochy Castle. A pipe broke and flooded our room around midnight. We had to call the front desk multiple times before they sent anyone to help us because the night porter could not reach the manager. After much insistence from me, they moved us to two other rooms. This process took about an hour because we had to dress, pack, and move to rooms across the site in the main building (our original room was in the old guard house by the road). We did not sleep well that night. When we checked out the next morning, I thought they would compensate us somehow, but the manager did not even mention the incident. When I brought it up, they said they had moved us to new rooms, so they viewed that as sufficient. This was a shocking response from a supposedly 5-star hotel, given what had happened. I would not recommend this hotel.

The second hotel issue was more minor. Our breakfast was not included in the Waldorf stay, and we had to pay for it, even though the itinerary said it was included.

If there is a way for us to be compensated for either of the hotel issues, please let us know.

I hope this information is helpful. Again, thank you for helping us with a wonderful trip.

Sincerely,
Jack, Pei, and Nolan

This trip was truly a once in a lifetime vacation. Neil planned everything for us and we could not have asked for a better itinerary. It was everything we could have asked for and more!

We loved all our castle tours and even had an extra day where we added in the Stirling Castle (which ended up being my favorite)

Loved all the history of the Jacobites and the Culloden battlefield tour.

Our favorite town was Portree I think I would have liked an extra day there...so much to see and do. We loved the Highlands and Isle of Skye.

We had a plan but needed some professional guidance to puzzle this trip together. Thankful that we chose the right company for the job. Neil listened to our requests and gave suggestions that we could choose or reject. The process was simple and customizable. This was an amazingly memorable trip. Thanks to Neil and Cathy for helping us

Hotel Reviews

The Stirling Highland Hotel

Stirling

We were given a room that accommodated a guest that required a wheelchair. This trip was booked well in advance and should have been a regular room. The beds were uncomfortable and the shower which was open with no tray covered the bathroom floor with water due to a poor drain. Upon check in we alerted the front desk to probable room mistake but we were assured this was our room and the hotel was full

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Glenegedale House

Islay Island

Wonderful stay! Highly recommend

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful House

Location

It is in the country so you will need to get a taxi if you plan on eating or drinking away from the B&B

Staff

Our hosts were wonderful. Breakfast is a must. Don’t say no too the porridge!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect

Lodge on Loch Lomond

Luss, Argyll & Bute

Wonderful accommodations! Beautiful hotel with a very friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

Atmosphere

Location

The hotel is on the shore of Loch Lomond

Staff

Very friendly and courteous

Cleanliness & Comfort

Best night of sleep

Activity Reviews

Culloden Battlefield private tour

Inverness

We came for the history and not the weather! This was the most informative and best tour we went on

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rhona Moir introduced herself via WhatsApp a few days before the tour. She informed us that the weather conditions for the tour would be extreme and even provided us with umbrellas. So happy we ignored the weather. A delightful history lesson

Blair Atholl Castle Entrance tickets

Scotland

Modern Castle, great history

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self guided

Visit to Urquhart Castle

Scotland

Loved the history on this self guided tour.

Quality of Experience

Islay Whisky Tasting Tour (Lagavulin and others included)

Islay

This was a cask tour which was informative and the whisky delicious. However, none of the whisky that we tried were available for purchase

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful driver for the day from Islay Whisky Tours which uses Bruichladdich Taxi. Sheena took us too 5 distilleries. She asked us what we were planning for dinner and made a recommendation as well as reservations for us in Port Charlotte. If that wasn’t enough she secured a taxi for us after we were finished

Oban Distillery Tour

Oban

Very informative, a quality tour

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Clydeside Distillery Tour

Glasgow

A relatively young distillery with a lot of old history

Quality of Experience

Very informative

Guides, Drivers and Staff

friendly

Transport

We walked to the location

Really appreciated the thoughtful planning, flexibility and communication provided by Neil. He was great to work with and the trip was fantastic. The electronic trip plan with all necessary details and tickets embedded made it all very easy and enjoyable. Thank you!

We had never used KimKim previously and this was a test run for my husband and me. I hired KimKim because I did not have the time to devote to planning a trip. My understanding was that we were paying a premium to an agent so that they could do the hard work of planning our trip and we could rely on our agent to create an itinerary, provide vetted hotels, guides etc., answer questions and provide detailed information so that I would not have to devote too much time to the planning process. This did not work out exactly as I thought it would - details below.

Overall I thought KimKim was good, but it was too expensive for the amount of service that was provided and the ultimate result should have been great rather than just good given the price we paid. Let me start with what they did well - the web portal was easy enough to learn to use and our specialist Aleksandra was responsive to changes in our itinerary and to follow up questions. Aleksandra was also polite and professional. KimKim did a good job with providing good guides. Our guide for the City of Edinburgh and for a day trip to St. Andrews were both very good, and I would recommend them to others. The bookings for hotels and guides were organized and we had no problem with the hotels saying they didn't have our room, or guides not showing up on time, etc. The hotels where we stayed in Edinburgh, Inverlochy and on the Isle of Skye were all very good choices.

KimKim did not do a good job with some things. For instance, they were not great with booking restaurants - the places they recommended were quite touristy and we were clear that wasn't what we wanted - we ended up booking nearly all of our restaurant reservations ourselves. A much bigger issue is that they did not mention anywhere in our itinerary or in any correspondence with us that we needed to advance book the ferry from Mallaig to the Isle of Skye. This was an important detail as the ferry books up in advance during the high season, and we could not get onto the ferry and therefore ended up driving an extra 80 miles, missing the ability to sightsee on parts of the Isle of Skye that we had been planning to do that day. Needless to say, this was hugely disappointing and I think is a basic job of our booking company where they dropped the ball. This made me think that our agent was not a local and clearly did not know this and did not think to ask anyone with more local knowledge. Our expectation was that we were getting advice from a local and clearly that was not the case. The other thing that was spectacularly badly was that the last hotel we stayed in was absolutely atrocious. It clearly hadn't been renovated in a very long time and smelled musty and was just plain disgusting frankly, and the dining options were beyond awful. It was not a place where anybody would want to stay, and I have absolutely no idea why Aleksandra booked us there. Most of the trip was wonderful, but that was a terrible way to end and unfortunately it is the last thing we took away from our time in Scotland.

My recommendation is to be very hands on: (1) make sure to independently review the hotels to make sure that they meet your satisfaction, and provide detailed guidance as to what you're looking for, (2) make sure to doublecheck your itinerary and ask the questions that you would ask if you were planning the entire trip yourself. This of course means that you're putting in much more time in the planning process, which kind of defeats the purpose of hiring KimKim in the first place. I might be willing to try the service again, but in a much more active manner.

We will press repeat in capital letters

Every guide and every place was amazing. The trip was so well organized that it felt stress free. It felt like a trip of a lifetime. We already have given several friends, family and even complete strangers your name and recommended you highly..

Hotel Reviews

Tigh Grianach Bed and Breakfast

Barra

This definitely earns the title of 5-star. Spotless, comfortable. Jackie is an amazing cook, gifted hostess and kind and friendly. Rob our tour guide was over the top. He was very knowledgeable, personable and accommodating. He took interest in researching information about Donna’s family even after the tour was over. When he finds info he emails me and we will keep in touch. Wow.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Oban Bay Hotel

Oban

Clean, beautiful views, friendly and accommodating staff.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Coolin View

Portree

Loived everything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Bluebell House B&B

Inverness

Ken was friendly, organized and a great cook. Too bad he got sick the next morning and we missed breakfast but the place was pristine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Garrison Hotel

Fort William

Clean, with everything we needed very handy and accessible.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Stirling Highland Hotel

Stirling

Clean, comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

24 Royal Terrace

Edinburgh

Very clean and unique.

Authenticity & Character

Location accessible to most sites.

Location

Great breakfast and great location.

Staff

Very accommodating. Karen needed a charger and they supplied one to borrow.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean- room tidied everyday.

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Good- informative. But short. Didn’t take us in to anything. Was just an introduction.

Quality of Experience

Longer more detail

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One way to Mallaig on the Jacobite Train (of Harry Potter fame)

Scotland

Was extremely hot.

Quality of Experience

The tour guide was great. Told us about sites along the way in time to take pictures.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scotland is stunningly beautiful. We especially loved Oban and the standing stones of Kilmartin. Neil and Emily were excellent to work with.

Hotel Reviews

Eden Locke

Edinburgh

Eden Locke in Edinburgh was the perfect place to stay. The little apartment was fantastic, and it served as a great base for exploring the city. We loved visiting the castle, walking around the Royal Mile, and even catching the marathon. There were also some sweet little spots off the beaten path that we enjoyed discovering. Overall, it was one of our better trips, largely thanks to Eden Locke.

Location

3 Oban Self catering Apartment with seaview

Oban

Staying at the 3 Oban Self Catering Apartment was a bit different, but fun. It felt like an Airbnb and was fine for what it was. We did have to deal with a lot of steps up to the door, but it was enjoyable to be in a shared living space with the other couple we travelled with. It wasn’t luxurious, but it was comfortable and suited our needs for the stay.

The g Hotel & Spa

Galway

The g Hotel & Spa in Galway was a fantastic place to stay. The rooms were great, and the staff was kind and accommodating. It had a nice boutique feel while still offering top-notch amenities. Overall, it was a very nice experience, and I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Galway.

Activity Reviews

Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center tickets

Scotland

The Cliffs of Moher were absolutely breathtaking. The visitor center provided a lot of interesting information about the cliffs and the surrounding area. The views were stunning, and it was a must-see on our trip. I loved every moment of it and would visit again in a heartbeat.

Dingle Distillery Tour

Scotland

The Dingle Distillery Tour was a fantastic experience. The distillery has been around for 50 years, and our tour guide did an excellent job explaining the history and the distillation process. I loved learning about the craft of Irish whiskey-making and even ended up buying some whiskey to take home. Highly recommended!