Kimkim Trip Reviews for Scotland

Excellent!

This was over the top luxury. When we were dropped off here, I wondered if someone had made a mistake ??? Beautifully renovated , reminded me a bit of the Banff Springs hotel in Canada The rooms were gorgeous The only drawback to this hotel would be location and pricing. You are stuck in the middle of nowhere and therefore obliged to eat there. Two restaurants with food that is acceptable but not worth the exorbitant pricing. Paid an obscene amount of money for a small portion of lukewarm pasta with a few pieces of pancetta , cheese and blah seasoning. The following night we ate at the Grill and it was also exorbitantly expensive. Each entree was 40 some pounds ! My husband had the lamb and he had 3 small finger shaped pieces of lamb and a few veggies We had to order sides which 7 pounds each. The breakfast was exceptional. But if you do not have it included in your room rate, it costs 36 pounds Staying here was an experience! Everyone of the staff that we dealt with was exceptionally helpful and welcoming

I loved this hotel! Our room was quite large and we had a bay window which overlooked the harbour. The room was well appointed and the bed was super comfortable. Breakfast was included in our pricing and they had a lovely food selection. In addition to that, they cooked your hot dishes individually. In order to perform this wonderful feat of a hot breakfast, they asked you to make a reservation in a 15 minute slot so they could be timely in their service. We had a long day of going over to Mull and came back late so ate in the hotel dining room. Had the best salmon ever. My companions also enjoyed their meals Loved thus hotel

We went to this hotel as part of an organized tour and arrived at 9 am. Giving my name, they had my reservation. So I left my luggage and went off to a walking tour that was planned. My first clue that there would be a problem was when I asked for direction to Prince Square. Although this is a renowned shopping and dining spot and located 4 blocks away, no one knew anything 🤔 when we came back at 3:30, our reservation was not available! It took an hour to find it and get us our keys. The girl who finally found our reservation was very nice and helpful. We were promised that our luggage would be brought right up. Went for dinner and a walk and at 8 pm still no luggage. The next day after we came back from a big sightseeing day, our card keys for both rooms were non working. Had to come back down to reception and get our room key cards re-activated! The rooms were fine but there are fire doors and steps that you have to lift your luggage up. Although included in our pricing, breakfast was very average with many empty baskets even though we were 15 minutes after opening. Never touched the hot breakfasts as they looked unappetizing. The bar area in the lobby was nice and we did have some libations there. The staff there were pleasant. The hotel does have a great location although I would not stay there again. When I tried to check out at 5 am for an airport run, there again, the staff were confused as their update happens at 5:30 am. I think they might need help with their processing of check ins and outs.

Loved this hotel. Mrs MacDuff welcomed us to her hotel and she was very helpful in helping us contact the previous hotel to arrange the retrieval of a passport left in the safe 😉. This was very clean and you felt very welcome here. The only drawback was distance from city centre! To keep breakfast hot, you got your fruit and pastries from a buffet then they cooked your eggs

Loved this hotel. The staff was extremely helpful. Hannah in particular was very helpful when someone in our group left a passport in the safe. Hannah wrapped it and couriered the package to our next hotel. Rooms were beautiful. Breakfast was great. Food was hot. The only drawback was distance from city centre. Cost 6-8 pounds each way to get a cab there. Consequently we ate half our suppers in the hotel restaurant

The rooms were great. The location central. We had breakfast included and the lack of heat in the breakfast offerings would be my only criticism Cold eggs, sausages and pancakes are not fun to eat.

This was quite a long day. We started at Clava Cairns. Our guide did not really tell us anything - we just read the signs and took pictures. We then made our way to Culloden We had some time to go through the museum which was very well done. Our museum tickets were included in our excursion. My brother tour guide walked them through the Culloden fields with a history lesson on the battle. We were just left on our own. Then we drove to this spot to see highland cows - felt a bit like Mexico where tour guides take you to weird places and they get kickbacks for taking tourists there. We stopped in at a cute village called Buliey for lunch and visit. In the afternoon we drove up to Glen Affric which was a nature preserve. Beautiful scenery. There were two walks to choose We chose the River walk Cautionary tale. In order to avoid a big mud puddle on the path, I stepped off onto the grass which ended up being a bog. My leg sank into the bog to mid thigh. Luckily my travel companions were able to haul me out. But I was muddy wet and my rain boots were full of mud and moss. I come from the prairies of Canada and have no concept of bogs! I felt the guide should have warned us to keep on the trail since he continually bragged about going there often

This was a great excursion. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. We were dropped off at a ferry with tickets in hand The Loch Ness cruise was great but quite chilly and windy. We approached Urquart Castle from the water and that approach was impressive. We could have used extra time at the castle. Never saw the film that was recommended 😢. Felt rushed with the castle visit

Pick up at 5 am went well

This was very interesting but too long of a day We drove over 300 miles in a day long activity in a bus. We stopped at Eileen Donnan Castle for bladder and picture stop. Then we drove all the way to Portree on the isle of Skye. Had 45 minutes there. Our driver had encouraged us to order our lunches so he would get them for us to eat on the bus after Portree. There was no cruise ship there that day so we could have skipped the lunches and had more time in Portree! Seems to me that cruise ship stops are easy to plan around Trying to eat a lunch on a bus could have been avoided We drove up to Kilt Rock and the Old Man of Storr Had the chance to get out and take pictures. Scenery was amazing. Then we set out to go to Fairy Pools. I think it is ridiculous to take a huge bus up that terrible road Single lane with passing places. No shoulders and huge ditches filled with mud on either side of the road. A few caravans went in the ditch leading to huge backlogs of cars. Then we get up to this desolate spot with cold gale force winds and we are told we have 90 minutes there. Adding this part of the trip to an already too long day is ridiculous. I enjoyed being at the Isle of skye but I think this tour should be re-designed I would not recommend it as it is overly long

Our driver had to wait for us as two of us had luggage that took 40 minutes to arrive! Then we had to walk a fair distance to where his car was parked

The day we did this tour, it was pouring rain in Edinburgh and we had to walk a few blocks to reach the entrance to the vaults. Upon entry, it was dark, cold and damp. The stairs are very uneven. Few handrails and it is downright spooky to be down there. Very interesting but scary our guide was great and very knowledgeable. We were a group of 4 and although my sons and I loved it, my husband did not.

We did the food tour and it finished quite late then had trouble checking in. We regretfully cancelled this tour It probably would have been great but better if it had been scheduled the next morning

I reviewed the distillery tour on google already. Our guide Rafa was wonderful. He picked us up at our hotel and we drove out to Roslyn Chapel This is the chapel of Da Vinci Code. Very interesting and great to be there. We had time for a quick walk around the grounds Then our guide drove us to see another castle before our scotch tasting tour. We still had major jet lag but thoroughly enjoyed this great day. Bonus that I ran into an acquaintance from my home city in the parking lot of the chapel.

We had a great guide and he took us on a very informative walk through downtown Edinburgh He knew so much. My sons are big Harry Potter fans and Greyfriar cemetery was eye opening Our guide was very nice, and we liked him a lot. We could understand his Scottish accent. However he could benefit from an upgrade in his attire. He was very scruffy looking. I am not criticizing but I know some clients would be put off by his look

Ian is a top notch, very informative guide and excellent driver who tailored our experience to our personal needs and interests. Anyone who gets him as a guide, is very lucky.

It was cancelled by the operator due to weather but the ferries continued to run and we wish that we had been better informed of the option to take a ferry to one of the islands on our own. This was a big disappointment.

Super cute family run place. The staff was super friendly and helpful and welcoming! The food was delicious as well!

Great location in Dublin. We walked everywhere. The rooms were nice and the beds were super comfy. We would stay here again! The bar and restaurant were very good!

It was super clean and comfortable. The beds were comfortable, and our room was very nice.

We fell in love with this place! The owners were so very friendly and helpful! Beautiful grounds and the rooms were so cute, and the bathrooms were updated, and everything was very clean.

It was very comfortable and clean. The staff was very helpful and friendly.

It was a bit confusing checking in, but we figured it out really quickly. We had to check in across the street from where we actually stayed.

Right in the heart of New Town! Great accommodations, and great stuff! We would stay here again for sure!

Highly recommended! This was the best way to see Edinburgh! Our guide was amazing and super knowledgeable.

Very well located in new town. Very nice, generously sized rooms. Incredibly helpful staff!

Do not stay here. Location is great. But, little to no parking. If you are on a long trip and traveling with family/kids + have bags - can be a bit of a challenge. Front desk staff were rude and unfriendly. Asked for passport number and future travel plans. Terrible experience would not recommend.

Another stand out amongst many. New-ish hotel. Great location. Friendly and helpful staff. Well located in Fort William. Minor complaint - small rooms if you are traveling with a child and need a rollaway bad or sleeper sofa. Great breakfast and bar.

Wish we had more time here! Perfect for us. 3 bedrooms. Full kitchen. Washer. Very walkable to all activities, shops in Oban.

Might have been our favorite hotel of the trip. Perfectly located for our activities. Center center, but away from the more busier, touristy sections of the city. Comfortable rooms. Great breakfast. Very helpful, friendly staff.

we unfortunately had to skip this activity as our son was sick. Imagine it would've been pretty awesome.

When possible, I'd recommend to folks try to get the first tour of the day, especially during summer (peak season). It was uncomfortably full of people at 3pm and was hard to enjoy the tour. If you can't get an earlier tour due to travel schedule, I'd probably skip if you don't like walking shoulder to shoulder and being cut off in line constantly by unaware tourists.

Please guide appropriately on timing - how early to arrive. At least an hour early if your tour is scheduled close to a train crossing time.

We really enjoyed this activity. Small cruise, not a lot of people. Felt more intimate, which we liked and prefer.

One could spend a whole week or more on Skye. We had 2 days, which seemed like just enough. The Fairy Glen, Fairy Pools and Talisker distillery were particular highlights

John took us to castles, lochs, towns and overlooks. Really great

This place is very special. It dates back to 16th century and looks very picturesque. Once you step into your room, you are amazed at the level of luxury. You could watch TV while taking a bath, if you wished. My room also had a patio with a gas fireplace that I enjoyed for a few hours in the evening. It's very atmospheric: great combination of old and modern. Their dinners are famous. If you stay at this lodge, I highly recommend booking a dinner experience as well. Also, check the pottery workshop nearby: you won't be able to go away without a souvenir.

The host greeted me with tea and chocolate cake! She is lovely, but she wants to retire, so I think we should leave her alone :-))) Her little pet dog is very friendly and fun - we became best buddies.

Where do I even start :-))) You get to stay in a real castle! My room was under the roof and looked out over the roof tiles to another tower. The refurbishment is very modern, of course. There is a shower, a bathtub, a fridge a coffee machine and a tea kettle. But somehow it still feels like a castle. That's how a modern castle room should look like :-) I particularly enjoyed opening the front door of the castle with my own key when I came back form my daily explorations. It felt like a lot of fun just doing that. And then you get inside, there is a hall, a staircase and the place is your temporary "home."

It's a lovely location on a slope overlooking Portree, with a view to the harbor. I loved having my own pod that was warm and cozy. The days were rainy, but the pit-pat of the rain on the roof made it even more cozy to be inside.

Brian told me a few stories while on the road. Also gave me the advice to use the opportunity and have dinner at the place where he dropped me off. Thank you. I would have missed an amazing dining experience, if not for this advice. That was a perfect ending to my perfect Islands getaway.

I had two sessions. One was a one-on-one trip with Ben. It's very relaxing to be on the water and take it at your own speed. We did a good round and saw lots of seals. We also did a round around the castle in the bay. The other one was with Chris and his daughter (sorry, can't remember the name). They are all a great family - all very friendly, experienced and attentive. The second was with a group on a sunny day - so that was also a lot of fun and very picture-pretty, but no wildlife.

This was my first ever surfing lesson and I am glad it took place on Lewis. We had the whole huge beach to ourselves, since you are going to get wet anyways, you don't need to worry about the rain and it being not exactly the warmest day :-) It was very atmospheric, you could feel the power of the sea (which you have to respect). I think if I did not have a one-on-one lesson and a lot of support from the instructor, I would never manage to get as far as I got. She was great - very encouraging and easy going. It was pure fun but also a good challenge (did I feel it the next day :-))) ). There are also caves on that beach that can only be visited at low tide - we took a short stroll after the class to check them out.

Alan MacKenzie is a great travel companion, equally good at sharing and listening. I am very grateful he was the one to welcome me to the Western Isles. I think it sat the tone for the rest of my stay and travel.

My driver and guide, Murdo, was just great. He is very authentic, a local through and through who told me so many interesting stories about the Isle of Lewis, it's history, it's people. And these stories did not feel like stories from the book. They were real stories, lived by the people or passed by the people from one generation to another. The Callanish stones are a very special cite to visit. The Black Houses were also very interesting to experience.

Great location and service. Clean hotel with friendly and prompt staff. We enjoyed our stay here very much.

Beautiful hotel in a central and historic area of town. Nice and quiet for resting, super clean as well.

This hotel was "tired" and not the cleanest, BUT the location is perfect for your Portree visit and met our basic needs for sleeping there as we explored the Isle of Skye.

Amazing hotel right on the water! Quiet location, great food in the restaurant with a good variety and the rooms were spotless. Would stay there again!

BEAUTIFUL hotel and location! Staff was friendly and efficient. We would go back, given the chance, and stay a few nights longer to really savor the grandeur of this location!

Beautiful place and location is perfect for exploring Edinburgh on foot, or by other transportation means.

LOVED, loved riding on and sleeping on the Caledonian Sleeper to London! The club car was fun and had massive windows for taking in the sites. Our room was comfortable and gets very dark when you're ready to sleep. Breakfast delivered to your room was tasty as well.

GREAT site to see! Enjoyed it with our whole family :)

We absolutely loved this tour! Our guide, Simon, was fun and knowledgable and kept our small group together through the crowds. We learned a TON and will always remember this activity.

AMAZING location and tour for Harry Potter fans! Exceeded our expectations by a mile! SO many props, costumes and sets... a great experience!

A really fun activity to do while you wait for your hotel room to be available, like we did. Saw a lot of great sites around London from the comfort of our double decker bus top row seats :)

This cruise was so nice! Very knowledgable speaker who gave the two hour tour. Loved seeing the Loch and learning all about it.

Incredibly beautiful building. It looks like a museum from the outside.

Excellent space and amenities for a short or longer stay. Full kitchen and space for a family to spread out.

Good location in INverness, but older building. Be prepared to bring your luggage up a few flights of stairs. The neds are older and not very comfortable.

Modern and well appointed rooms with small kitchens. The beds were very comfortable and the cafe was amazing.

This place was stunning inside and out. Absolutely worth visiting. The staff was also incredibly warm and wonderful.

This was a bucket list item for me on this trip and my whole family enjoyed it. You can spend about 45 minutes and these sculptures are an engineering marvel! What a treasure!

Peter was a super experienced climber and wonderful guide. He climbs this mountain 3-4 times a week so he knows it well. He helped me with aprehensions I had as this was the first major hike I'd done since major ACL surgery. I could not have done it without his encouragement!

Cain was a wonderful driver. He was helpful in planning our day and was very kind as the day turned quite rainy. He helped us make the best of it!

This was a relaxing fun way to see the Locke

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.

A great way to learn about Scottish Whisky.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Beautiful place, amazing breakfasts, wonderful staff.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.