Kimkim Trip Reviews for Scotland

We had so much fun on this Loch Ness cruise! The host was very personable, the hot chocolate was immaculate and the views were incredible. I would definitely recommend.

Henrietta House Bath – I give this hotel a generous 3 star because of the downstairs niceness and friendliness of staff with the exception at check in. Our room was TERRIBLE 1. Reception/Check in – The gentleman at reception upon arrival was the most unfriendly and unwelcoming individual we had met at any Hotel on this trip. He was the only one because everyone else at the hotel were very friendly and provided good service. We left our bags in the lobby area and went off to do the Jane Austen and Roman Bath tours. When we came back there was a young woman, Kosmina, who was the most friendly and welcoming at the front desk. She was simply delightful. Direct opposite of the earlier encounter with the gentleman. She gave us necessary keys for our room. 2. Service – With the exception of our first encounter at afternoon check in everyone was so friendly. 3. Room - TERRIBLE! . Very small and low ceiling. I am short but when I lifted my arm up I could touch the ceiling. There was no closet just some hooks on the wall with hangars on them. The room was at an incline. The sliding bathroom door did not shut all the way. The bathroom was the size of a postage stamp. The shower space was so tiny. Taking a shower caused such a puddle that my wife could not wash her hair for fear of flooding the bathroom. I should have asked for another room but because of the sour reception we received at check in we just lived with it for the three days. Do not know what was charged our travel company but it was not worth it because of the poor room. I am sure there must be other rooms in much better condition and bigger. 4. Location - Location was good and close to restaurants and center of town. Taxied to and from the Railway Station. 5. Breakfast – Breakfast was good and from a menu. Breakfast did not start till 8:00 am though. 6. Local restaurants – Scallop Shell was delicious and had the most delicious Fish and Chips. A Tour driver said these Scallop Shell Restaurant Fish and Chips were the very best in England. They were indeed best Fish and Chips we had on the whole trip. Clayton’s Kitchen was delicious for dinner also. 7. Hotel Recommendation – Would stay there only in a completely normal room with a larger bathroom otherwise not,

Malmaison Hotel Edinburg – This was a nice hotel. It was previously a prison at some point. Very awkward getting to our room. Had to go up or down some stairs to get to the lift. 1. Reception/Check in – Check in was fine and reception personnel were friendly and welcoming.. Room was not ready so we went to the Castle to do the Castle tour then the Afternoon Tea then the Whiskey Tasting. All three were great. 2. Service - Was excellent service throughout hotel and very friendly. 3. Room – Room was nice but a little on the small size and dimly lit. Served its purpose though 4. Location – Very good location, We walked to and from Railway Station with luggage. 5. Breakfast –Breakfast was good. Combination buffet and could order eggs, sausage and bacon, 6. Local Restaurants – Ate at the Amarone Italian Restaurant less than a block away from the hotel and on the right. Meal was quite good. Gordon Ramsey Restaurant across from the park. Very close. Food was very good 7. Hotel Recommendation - I would stay there again

The Stirling Highland Hotel – This was a very nice hotel. It was previously a high school. 1. Reception/Check in- Check in was easy but room was not available. We walked up to the castle to do our tour that was very nice. 2. Service – Was excellent service throughout hotel and very friendly. 3. Room- Room was very nice and a comfortable size. Had a nice welcome basket with some chocolate bars, crisps, two half bottles of wine plus one full bottle of wine. 4. Location – We taxied to and from the hotel to Railway station. It was a little far and uphill. Hotel was close to the castle. We were there only one nite so did not go into town. We did do some walking around the hotel. 5. Breakfast – Breakfast was good. It was a smaller buffet breakfast but adequate 6. Local Restaurants - Since we were only there for one nite we had dinner there at hotel and it was quite delicious. 7. Recommendation – I would stay there again happily

Glen Mhor Hotel Inverness – This was a very nice hotel. 1. Reception/Check in – Check in was easy but room was not available. Hung around in the bar and had lunch and waited around until room was ready. Maria from reception was so helpful and kind and was a wonderful face for the hotel. 2. Service – Was excellent service throughout hotel and very friendly. 3. Room – Room was very nice and a good size with high ceilings. We were on ground floor thankfully because there was no lift. 4. Location – Wonderful location. River Ness directly across the street. Lots of restaurants close by. Lots of walking possibilities, We taxied to and from the railway station. Not close enough to walk from station. 5. Breakfast – Breakfast was very good buffet but could also order eggs your way along with buffet items. Was at the Wayside Restaurant 6. Local restaurants – Wayside Restaurant at the hotel was good for breakfast. Also we had a early Sunday roast dinner there and it was quite good. After tour on Saturday we walked into town and found a nice Italian Restaurant called Bella Italia that had delicious Italian food. 7. Hotel Recommendation – I would stay there again happily

Grand York Hotel - This was by far our number one hotel. It was previously headquarters for the Railway. Only been a hotel for 12-13 years. It is beautiful inside and out. We so enjoyed it. 1. Reception/Check in – What a pleasant check-in. Beth was so friendly and welcoming as was everybody we interfaced with. We saw her a couple of times and she always stopped to say hello. Room was available right away. 2. Service – Stellar service throughout the hotel 3. Room – The room was perfect. Very spacious room. Well lit. The ceilings were 5 meters high. We were on the ground floor. Could not have asked for a better room. The porter said it was previously the office of the Railway Manager. Had a beautiful large fireplace. 4. Location – Perfect. We walked with our luggage from train station to the hotel and back and were warmly greeted as we arrived. 5. Breakfast – Not only is this the number one hotel we stayed at but it is the number one breakfast. Grand York has a spectacular buffet breakfast plus you can also order specialty eggs - omlettes fried eggs etc. Service was excellent. 6. Local restaurants – 1. Cote Restaurant we happened to find after visiting York Minister. Delicious Price Fixe menu and very reasonable. We thoroughly enjoyed it. 2. Delrios Italian Restaurant was simply delicious Italian food. Concierge, Matteo, called ahead for us. They were packed and we waited about 20 minutes and had some wine at the bar while waiting. Well worth the wait. Recommend make a reservation. 7. Hotel Recommendation – I would stay there again happily

Park Plaza London Riverbank – This was a very nice hotel part of the Radisson chain. 1. Reception/Check in – Check in was very easy. Everyone was welcoming and friendly. Our room was available right away since we got there at about 1800. 2. Service – Was excellent service throughout hotel and very friendly. 3. Room – Was a nice room and comfortable. Lighting was a little dim. A lack of outlets on one side of the bed required me to use an extension cord that I always carry . 4. Location – Wonderful location. On Sunday we walked to the British Museum for a tour. 5. Breakfast – Had a very good buffet breakfast. 6. Local restaurants – We ate at the Hotel Restaurant Chino Latino. We enjoyed some delicious tapas. 7. Hotel Recommendation – I would stay there again happily

Wonderful Tour. Whitby was a charming port town. Had a delicious lunch there. Scenery on the tour was spectacular. The steam train was a nice addition. This has a bridge goign over the train tracks used in a Harry Potter movie as well as the 9 3/4 wall he comes through. If you want to see 9 3/4 wall go to Kings Crossing Railway Station in london

This was very nice self guided tour of the castle. We were able to take our time. The Stirling Heads were a sight to see the intricacy of the carving. We were able to walk around the castle and walk through the cemetery and look at a spectacular view

This was a spectacular tour. Very disappointed we did not see Nessie though. The beauty of the countryside and mountains plus Donan Castle were wonderful.

This was a great tour. The highlight for me was visiting the OLD Course of St Andrews Golf Course. Walking the streets of St Andrews was quite interesting seeing the different buildings and arceitecture.

York Minster is a sight to behold. it is incredible and the history that it has. My wife and i did a self tour. We missed the last tour of the day by 20 minutes.

After a long trip having a driver and a car waiting for you is a good start to the vacation. Drive in to London gave us the realization of the amount of congestion and traffic in London

This tour was given by a graduating college student who had a lot of passion for the subject. the tour was of the street art murals both sanctioned and non sanctioned. It was a wonderful two hour tour.

Caledonia Sleeper - This was an interesting experience on the twelve hour overnight train ride. 1. Passenger Assistance - Passenger Assistance was great and recommend it for seniors who are taking trains.. In Inverness the individual took us to our cabin and then I went with him to drop off luggage in another coach that had lots of space for luggage. So friendly and helpful. In London we were met right at our coach by a young woman who had a motorized style golf cart where she loaded our bags and drove us out to the exit where we then saw driver from Pinkberry. Driver was very friendly and we got to the hotel fairly quick considering traffic. 2. Caledonia Lounge _ This lounge was not in railway station but just across the street. Because of luggage we did not walk over there. It was raining a little bit too. I checked it out myself though and it was small but nice with some soft drinks and snacks. 3. Sleeping Cabin – was very small. I can see why doubles sell out so fast. We were both able to sleep in the bunk beds. I am glad we had this experience though. 4. Club Car – We went to club Car immediately upon boarding because it filled up so quickly. Breakfast was just ok. My wife had a sausage sandwich and I had a bacon sandwich. Both very small. 5. Recommendation – we would do it again but really trying to have a double.

This Whiskey Tour was fabulous. They have this down perfectly. It was so enjoyable and informative.

This was simply delightful. The tea and sweet and savory food was delicious. Our service was stellar

The tour of the Divinity School, Old Bodleian Library was so interesting and educational. Being at Oxford University was an exciting experience. It was simply beautiful to tour the grounds. The surrounding made you feel you were in a Harry Potter movie

This was an incredible tour to see historical sites and the country side as these. Stonehenge was breathtaking as well as Avebury, and Cotswold Villages

The employees at this hotel work tirelessly to see that everyone is served first class regardless of how many people show up to work! Service was second to none. Food was great! Ambience was great! I love where the name of this hotel came from Angels share - when they were making whiskey, the evaporation went into the air and shared with the angels their spirits

Very good location. Right at the end of the main street and close to everything. Room was pretty small and nothing special but the sound of the ocean was nice. Staff at the restaurant were nice but we felt the food was highly overpriced for what we got and not that great. Expected a full crab dinner for the inflated price but received a few small leg pieces and a minced crab salad of some kind. Guesthouse is okay but wouldn’t recommend the restaurant. I’d try the busy pub next door instead.

This hotel is hard to describe. Definitely more suited to families with younger children than a couple in my opinion. Lots of history to this hotel and a nice view of the ocean but I didn’t love the overall vibe of this place. Some guests were a little snooty for my liking and although the staff were helpful and professional they were very serious. You could feel the tension, almost felt like everyone was afraid they’d lose their job. I think this is a hotel you’ll either like or not like, depending on who you are.

Best hotel experience in Ireland! Great staff, good food, fun pub, nice rooms and the place has character. Huge thank you to Maura for her help mapping out our driving route to the Slea Head trail and to Clifdon. Maura you are truly awesome and a wonderful person, very glad to have met you.

Nice clean modern hotel with a great location. Walking distance to everything.

Almost gets 5 stars but it’s about a 15 minute walk to the action so I’m giving it 4 for that reason alone. Rooms, staff and the hotel were great otherwise despite the renovations that were being done to the bar area.

The location is great, you’re walking distance to everything and the train/tram is right outside your front door if you need them. Room and bar were nothing special but the location can’t be beat.

Perfect location, large room and view of the town and ocean. Staff were very friendly and breakfast was top notch. Highly recommend this hotel and a visit to Oban.

This hotel was a bit of a drive but well worth it. The garden room was quite large with a nice view of the water. Great vibe to this place and friendly staff.

This is the place to stay in Aviemore! This hotel has character, very good food and friendly staff. The restaurant and pub are frequented by guests and locals alike so even though this is a smallish inn this is literally the centre of town. Highly recommend staying here, eating here and going to the pub for a drink and some live music. The hotel is also very close to the mountains and lots of activities so the location is right on point.This hotel was one of the highlights of the trip for sure.

Very nice hotel. Large rooms and walking distance to the castle and town. Would recommend for a night or possibly two.

The room was a little outdated and cramped but the location was great. You can walk to all the main sights with ease and close to numerous restaurants and pubs. The trams, buses and trains are also directly in front of you so getting around was a breeze. Great breakfast too.

I thought this would be on the boring side but the Abbey and its history was quite impressive. Spent 2 1/2 hours walking the grounds and the garden also. Nice place to go just for the scenery alone. Recommended.

Definitely worth a visit. The castle is great, and well you just gotta kiss the stone if you’re there. The grounds are quite nice for walking also.

Very touristy but also a very fun day. If you’re in Dublin you kinda have to visit these two places. The Jameson tour was fine, educational and the right length at 1 hour. Guinness, you just have to go and experience. Both activities are recommended and the 4 hour tour allows you to skip lines at both spots.

Nice comfy boat ride. Friendly staff and good views of Oban, the islands and a few castles along the way. Lots of birds and some seals too. Good way to spend 2 hours if the weather is nice.

Decent experience. Definitely worth a stop in Oban if you want to learn about the history of the brand and the distilling process. You get to sample 3 whiskeys too which isn’t so bad.

Safari Steve was awesome! Just book the trip. Great guy in every way, very fun tour and you couldn’t ask for a nicer ride. If you like birds, animals, learning about just about everything by an expert guide and naturalist and you want to see four very different and very stunning ecosystems all in one day then this trip is for you. One of the highlights of our trip to Scotland for sure.

The reindeer were pretty amazing. Unfortunately, the weather was not in the last week of March. Would recommend this trip for sure but try not to go when it’s too windy. The winds were around 75 km/h which made it quite cold and hard to stand up at times. You’ll be on the mountain and will have to walk through boggy peat so make sure you are sure on your feet. All that said, I’m glad I made the trip.

Very nice castle with interesting and important history. Nice views of the town and countryside too.

It’s a pretty impressive castle. Would definitely recommend going.

Definitely worth the trip and it’s only a short walk from downtown. Great view of the city and a great thing to do before everything starts opening up.

This is a lovely hotel. We were greeted with a glass of champagne and treated well during our stay. The hotel is elegant and situated on a beautiful river walk along the Ness River. We ventured out and walked down the river and across a bridge into a delightful area of Inverness. We discovered a most incredible place – Leakey's Bookshop.

This was an ideal location for us as we wanted to explore Old Town Edinburgh, which was mere steps away. The Night Manager, Paul, went above and beyond for us. On one occasion, a glass bottle shattered inside my nylon carry-on luggage bag. Paul cleaned and repaired it. On another, we had an airport pickup at the hotel at 5:45 am. Paul had takeaway coffees and croissants waiting for us, along with updated flight details and gate information, making our journey home smoother.

We felt like we were walking back in time when we entered this amazing hotel. From being greeted by friendly porters in the driveway to seeing the enormous Christmas tree in the reception area to the helpful tips and tour provided by the lovely Anne – we were swept up in excitement from our first moments there. We had a delicious lunch in the gorgeous Drawing Room while sitting next to another beautiful Christmas tree. We enjoyed a fun walk from the hotel into Adare Village, visited charming little shops, and saw the amazing thatched-roof buildings. Our dinner in The Carriage House was outstanding.

We pulled in at night to an amazing view of this grand accommodation. We drove down a long driveway and saw the beautiful red brick lit with lights. Once we arrived, we were given a tour and were delighted and amazed at the beauty of this hotel. They have a lovely Drawing Room, a cozy bar, and several wood-burning fireplaces. We took advantage and enjoyed them all. Our room was elegant, and we even had a Christmas tree!

The Fife Arms is our favorite place we've ever visited. We fell in LOVE with The Fife Arms. They covered the outside of the hotel in twinkly lights, and there was a brightly lit Christmas tree across the street. Every restaurant (The Clunie Dining Room, The Flying Stag) and every room (the Drawing Room, Elsa's Bar, The Tea Room, the Reception area) was an absolute joy to experience. I wished for a wood-burning fireplace on this trip, and this hotel had three amazing fireplaces that were burning and crackling at every moment. The entire experience, the amazing hotel, the afternoon tea, the reindeer parade, the amazing meals, the Christmas stocking on our door in the morning – was all magical. We arrived to find a bottle of champagne chilling in our room and complimentary tastes of whisky and gin with drink biscuits if we desired. The Fife Arms' incredible staff made our Christmas trip truly unforgettable. We greatly appreciated Rachael Henley (General Manager) while dealing with stress and uncertainty due to our car transfer service. She gave us such reassurance that all would be well. We felt safe and taken care of as she reached out to the car transfer service on our behalf and had her team assist with information on weather conditions and snow gates. She and her team assured us we would figure it out. They were able to offer us accommodations for an extra night. All of their hospitality and kindness during our trip went above and beyond.

The front desk staff was very friendly. They informed us that they had upgraded our room – and it was spacious and lovely. The grounds around this hotel afforded us a beautiful walk.

Dave with Elite Transfers Dublin picked us up early in the morning to take us to Dublin airport. We were leaving Ireland and flying to our next destination, Scotland. Dave was warm, friendly, and funny! He had some helpful tips for the next leg of our adventure, and he had us laughing on the way to the airport as well.

We originally planned to do a full-day Outlander tour with Scott Guthrie. After the delay in our trip, we decided to cancel the tour since we ended up with only one day in Edinburgh instead of three. Ian, the owner of Inverness Tours, suggested the alternate plan of a walking tour in Edinburgh with the same guide, Scott Guthrie, who could show us some Outlander locations in Edinburgh. We agreed to a 2-hour tour. Scott Guthrie arrived wearing a kilt and a smile. He made our shortened visit to Edinburgh magical, intriguing, captivating, and memorable. We were thrilled to spend this time with him. He was a gentleman and a gem. He took us on an amazing tour that included some of the history and politics of Edinburgh, intriguing sites connected to the Harry Potter books and movies, and a couple of amazing Outlander filming locations. Scott was warm, friendly, entertaining, and fun. We ended up spending almost 4 hours with him and loved every minute. We continued exploring Edinburgh on foot for the rest of the day with a greater appreciation for the city and its fascinating history. We logged 37,351 steps on our walking app!

The Fife Arms is our favorite place we've ever visited. We fell in LOVE with The Fife Arms. They covered the outside of the hotel in twinkly lights, and there was a brightly lit Christmas tree across the street. We arrived to find a bottle of champagne chilling in our room and complimentary tastes of whisky and gin with drink biscuits if we desired. I wished for a wood-burning fireplace on this trip, and this hotel had three amazing fireplaces that were burning and crackling at every moment. On the first day, we enjoyed their afternoon tea, the reindeer parade, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, a drink in Elsa's bar, and a delicious dinner in The Flying Stag. On Christmas morning, we awoke to a Christmas stocking on our door. We enjoyed a lovely Christmas Brunch, which they staggered for guests at different times. We went on a couple of walks around the charming town of Braemar. Every restaurant (The Clunie Dining Room, The Flying Stag) and every room (the Drawing Room, Elsa's Bar, The Tea Room, the Reception area) was an absolute joy to experience. This trip was magical!

We felt immediately at ease when John greeted us at our hotel. He was such a warm, friendly, and engaging person. His wealth of knowledge, facts, and fun stories made the day fly by much too quickly. We visited a museum, the National Art Gallery, and Dublin Castle, as well as interesting statues and monuments to Patrick Kavanagh, Oscar Wilde, and George Handel. We passed by impressive government buildings and a war memorial and walked around the Trinity College campus. John treated us to coffee, biscuits, ice cream, and an Irish coffee along the tour! We felt so comfortable with John that we ate dinner with him at a nice pub where we enjoyed Irish stew and Guinness to complete our experience. We saw so much in Dublin in one day and would have missed so much on our own. John created a truly memorable experience.

Gina was a delight on our Walking Food Tour in Galway. She was punctual, friendly, informative, and fun. Gina had an easy demeanor and kept the conversation flowing throughout our 2.5-hour tour. We fell in love with Galway, and Gina was a huge contributing factor as she wound us in and around Shop Street, the pedestrianized thoroughfare in Galway. • We started our morning with a taste of delicious coffee at Little Lane Coffee Company, which showcases Irish Specialty Coffee Roasters. • Then we stopped in at an amazing French Chocolaterie called Truffle. We enjoyed a raspberry-filled croissant and some divine chocolates. There was an actual wall of running chocolate that was amazing! • We popped into Ean for wine and two delicious small plates. • Next on our tour was Tigh Neachtain, a pub that opened in 1894, which we learned was the former home of Richard Martin, an animal rights activist and abolitionist. We enjoyed learning about the colorful history and sat in one of the small, cozy booths known as a “snug.” We tasted oysters, mussels, meatballs, soda bread and beer. • Next was a visit to the upstairs of a fine foods shop called McCambridge’s, where we tasted three spirits – Irish Whiskey, Irish Poitin, and Irish Apple Brandy. • We finished the tour with delicious Murphy’s Irish Ice Cream. During our tour, Gina also recommended three other locations – and we managed to make our way over to all three after the tour. We stopped in and bought some books at Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, which was enchanting. We visited the King’s Head, another historical pub, for a pint of Guinness. After a lovely walk to the fishing village in Galway, where we captured wonderful photographs, we went to Gina’s final recommendation, Sheridan’s Wine Bar. It was cozy and charming! Gina helped us to engage with the charming city of Galway. Thank you!

We extremely enjoyed the Lounge Bar next to the entrance. An amazing bartender on staff there. Very knowledgeable and creative. The hotel beds were very comfortable, and the location to EVERYTHING was amazing.

Comfortable, conveniently located hotel. Newly remodeled, with an excellent breakfast!

Comfortable country hotel with plenty of charm - staff could not be more friendly and accommodating.

Comfortable driving tour around Edinburgh with a friendly and knowledgeable local!

Fascinating history of a part of Edinburgh you would never see unless you were on this tour!

This was a unique experience staying here. We stayed in a small pod (cabin) and had a very enjoyable time here. This is located near Uig on Isle of Skye. They have a community room where all guests can cook, hang out, eat, lounge, read, get wi-fi access, and relax by the fire. It was a very neat experience.

Beautiful

We slept and ate here between our adventures

Beautiful place

Only there one night but it’s a beautiful place

The place is beautiful and the people and food were just amazing. Don’t rent a car and drive it to this location without a parking permit.

Beautiful inside and out

The staff was fabulous and extremely helpful. Our bed was a king-sized bed. I am a 5 foot 10 inch tall woman and my feet hung off the bottom of the bed unless my head was touching the headboard. It was an uncomfortable bed, but the front desk had housekeeping provide us with a bed topper to alleviate the lumpiness of the bed. Other than the bed issue, everything was clean and comfortable.

The cabins were adorable and the kitchen was well equipped. Both of our cabins were clean and comfortable and the staff were most helpful.

Loved the historical nature of this inn. While it had been renovated to allow for modern conveniences, the historical nature of the building and the coziness of the pub were delightful. Alex, who welcomed us to the inn, was extremely helpful and charming.

I loved Stonehenge and the exhibition hall and buildings were truly helpful in imagining what it was like for the people from back in time to live and celebrate around Stonehenge.

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and fun. She dressed in Regency attire and paced the tour in a manner that allowed for all members of our foursome to keep up.

Our driver was extremely helpful and informative. He stopped occasionally to allow us time to experience some of the sites en route to our hotel.

Great last day to wind down and get ready for the trip home. Shop all the stores on Rose Street and restaraunts are too many to count.

If you can make this happen, it is a must for the Scotland experience. The plane uses Lock Lomond to take off and land, but the tour is about 140 miles of the Scotish coastal towns and inlets from the Atlantic ocean. The plane is a Cessna Caravan turbo prop, average altitude 1400'. Trust me, you can see a lot from 1400'.

Wonderful demonstration on how the sheep, the dogs, and humans interact with each other.

Incredible day with an incredible historian. If I had more time, we would have spent another day with him. We loved it