Kimkim Trip Reviews for Spain

Everything about the planning was wonderful-- and the reality was equally good, except for the hotels. So the logistics, the events, the guides were wonderful. Everything worked as planned -- and that is of course hugely important. The hotels selected were a big disappointment, and we should take part of the blame because we should have taken a closer look at the hotels selected. But we were under the impression that we'd be staying in 4star hotels and that speaking for myself, Kim Kim's "on the ground" team knew selected hotels first-hand. The reality was far different: almost all were 3 star with most of these characteristics: tired decor, few to no services, dated plumbing, not well-located, catered to huge tour groups. Posted hotel photos and "budget traveller" reviews often do not reflect the reality and I am guessing, given what they cost per night (as I later learned) our expectations were way out of line. Otherwise-- the trip and the notes and other helpful recommendations included on the wonderful KimKim trip app were all good.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel du Temps (Madrid)

Madrid

No cab driver knew this place-- a tiny hotel with some style and comfort. But off a small street, off a side street, off another small street-- all dark. If you're looking for comforts, this isn't the place for you. More like a two star. But very cheap.

Staff

Hotel Macià Granada Five Senses

Granada

Very well-located with great staff. Room very up to date/stylish and comfortable. Breakfast not so great- ended up going out for breakfast a couple of mornings.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Macià Alfaros

Córdoba

Well located and comfortable accomodation. But caters to large tour groups-- breakfast can be noisy and competitive.

Adriano Hotel

Seville

well-located but (decor, plumbing) very dated-- stylish for the 1950s.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Hotel Bed4U Bilbao

Bilbao

This is a three star that is bare-bones as far as hotel services and comfort. The bed and the shower were very good, the breakfast was find, there was a gym, and the room was very clean. But creature comforts were practically non-existent: no closet, no drawers, not even a glass in the bath "area." Good for no-frills travellers looking for value over creature comforts. Location far from ideal-- go out the wrong way at the front door and you'll be in a drug market in five minutes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

clean and limited comfort

Gallery Hotel

Barcelona

The rooms are spare but plumbing is up to date and the bed very comfortable. The restaurant and reception staff are top notch. The location couldn't be better.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Barcelona Highlights: Guided Walk & Iconic Sagrada Família

Barcelona

Ann Marie was outstanding-- wish I could have taken her along for the rest of the trip. Knowledgeable and fun.

Discover Valencia by Tuk Tuk

Valencia

A great guide and a lot of fun!

Train Madrid to Toledo, Guided Visit of Toledo, Train Toledo to Madrid

Madrid

Probably one of our best guides for the whole trip. Carlos had a wealth of knowledge AND passion for all things Toldeo. It was an honor to experience Toledo with Carlos!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flamenco Show

Granada

I thought this might be a bit hokey-- but really enjoyed the show!

Guided Visit: Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Granada

We were with a group for this tour (@ dozen people). Our guide made the visit even more special given his African background and multi-cultural view of the world.

Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Ronda & White Villages

Spain

Antonio was a great driver and beautiful car! Though he didn't speak much English, it was a very enjoyable trip through beautiful countryside, and lovely time in Ronda. So glad we were able to squeeze this in!

Private Guided Visit of Córdoba

Spain

We had two guides for our touring in Córdoba-- Isabel and Sarah. Both were outstanding in their knowledge and passion for their city and its amazing sites. Great tour

The Art of Andalusian Cooking & Visit Traditional Market

Seville

yes amazing and wonderful fun; learned alot. Ate even more. The best event of the trip if you ask me.

Spain's Liquid Gold: Visit an Andalusian Olive Oil Estate

Spain

Enjoyed this visit very much. Learned alot.

Monumental Seville on Foot & Visit Real Alcázar

Seville

Teresa was a good guide for us in Seville.

Discover Bilbao with a Local

Bilbao

Again our guide Irene was outstanding and we enjoyed every minute we spent with her in Bilbao. She went out of her way to be helpful to us-- even checking on how we could get to San Sebastien the next day. Which we did with great success!

Bilbao Pintxos Experience: Tapas of the Basque Country

Bilbao

Omayo (sp?) was just fantastic and this whole evening was great fun, with good food, wine and companions.

Small-Group Montserrat & Penedès Region Winery Excursion

Barcelona

Eduardo was a fanstastic companion for this magical day trip.

Taste Barcelona: Authentic Tapas & Neighborhood Walk

Barcelona

Ghislane was an amazing hostess and guide. Lots of fun.

We had a very enjoyable trip and were pleased for KimKim's work in booking our hotels, tours, etc. KimKim was very responsive in resolving problems that arose when we were in Spain. However, we were very disappointed when our tour of "Triana & Flamenco" did not happen. We wanted to see Triana & visit multiple tapas bars before seeing a flamenco show. Instead, we sat in one tapas bar, not in Triana, and then rushed to a flamenco show. When we went to leave for the show, our guide informed us that tips weren't included; when we gave him 10 euro, he said that wasn't enough and followed us to the cab to get more money from us. This person should be fired. KimKim did all they could to get us to a flaemenco show, which we appreciated, but we still don't believe we got what was advertised.
Alll the other guides we interacted with were professional, enthusiastic & knowledgeable. One other issue was that a 4 hour tour of the Alcazar & Cathedral in Seville, starting at 3pm in the afternoon was exhausting. We wished it was divided into 2 tours, which would be easily done, since the whole next day had nothing scheduled until 8pm.
During the planning process, KimKim responded when we contacted them, but they rarely reache out to us. This trip was planned before the pandemic, and we interacted with 3 different individuals who were not all from the same subcontractors, so maybe this was the reason for some of the unresponsiveness. We give KimKim high marks for supporting us in Spain. Irene is a very nice person who is conscientious about her job.

From start to finish Beatriz was on top of things. She customized the trip for us and made changes, at our request, as we moved along. Also, she also provided the name of a backup when she was off so we always felt connected. Eduardo was very interesting and he took us on the walk around Granada through its scents - what a novel and interesting way to explore and learn about Granada. Jose Miguel, our hiking guide in the Sierra Nevada Mountains very quickly realized we were experienced walkers and he took us on a great walk, up and down the hills. Luis, in Malaga, gave us a very thorough tour through the old town and was able to sneak us into a very popular restaurant for a peak and a shot of something strong! We met Jose in Ronda and again, he was very informative and gave us an interesting walking tour - on the spur of the moment, at our request, he took us through the bullring and its museum. In Sevilla, Pablo showed us the sights and was able to provide some very interesting historical perspective. In Lisbon, we had Gisela take us around and she was fantastic - very interesting to get her perspective on Lisbon and its different areas to explore.

All the guides were very pleasant and knowledgeable.
Trip to Malaga was most memorable.
Hotel locations were very good but hotel in Granada was very noisy as there was an outdoor restaurant in front of the hotel and people were talking loud till after midnight.

The Sagrada Familia tour with our guide Danni was very interesting and he was able to answer all our questions.

We also had a great adventure on the wine tour with Catherine and her husband.

The tour to Montserrat was also good. The only suggestion we would have is to allow more free time to explore all Montserrat had to offer. Our guides, Mateo and Roger, were very informative.

The hotel choices provided by were Yuri were perfect for our purposes. We were very happy overall.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Aigua Blava

Costa Brava · Girona

This hotel is well located near the beach.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Astoria

Barcelona

We loved the location of this hotel and enjoyed the breakfast. Staff were helpful and knowledgeable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Montserrat & Lunch at a Farmhouse

Barcelona

Great experience. There is so much to see that the free time allowed was not enough to fully appreciate the location.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roger and Mateo were great guides

Transport

Private Extended Visit to Sagrada Família

Barcelona

Loved the architecture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Penedès Vineyards, Wines & Tapas Day Trip

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Catherine and her husband were great guides

Transport

The trip to Portugal and Spain was planned out very well. Beatriz gave great advice on how many cities to visit with the 12 days we had , she advised not to pack too many cities due to time constraint and concerned that we would not be able to enjoy our time in each cities if we did not stay long enough in each city. Karin was also a great support and answered our questions. The itinerary in Trip plans was a great tool because we were able to download it and view it anytime. I like that all the contacts were in one place. The communication via Trip Plans app was helpful and easy to use . Helena was helpful in answering our question regarding tax refund for purchase. I really like that they booked our tour guide that spoke great English and was knowledgeable on the topics related to the tour. We loved our experience in Sintra Hike in Portugal and the bike tour experience. The wine tasting tour was excellent , we meet friendly people in the tour. This kimkim travel experience was slightly different from my previous experience, where my contact person met up on my first day of landing , I thought that was a nice touch. The airport experience was slightly anxious, we were 2.5 hours early in line before our boarding time, but we barely made it on time for boarding. Overall, the kimkim team was great and I would recommend them .

Hotel Reviews

Iberostar Las Letras Gran Via

Madrid

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rossio Boutique Hotel

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Dom Henrique Downtown

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villamar Style Maison

Nazare

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique Casa del Poeta Sevilla

Sevilla

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

ICON BCN by Petit Palace

Barcelona

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Spain

Felipe was an excellent tour guide. He was knowledgeable of the area and history of Portugal. Felipe was also very easy to talk to , he shared his travel experience and it was inspirational. He was very communicative during our stops. I really appreciate his professionalism.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

E-Bike Experience Through Historic Porto

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ana Lopes from Blue Dragon City tour was very accommodating and shared an abundant of information on the city of Porto.

Transport

Beatriz and her team did an amazing job organizing our Gems of Southern Spain and Lisbon trip and was extremely responsive both before and during the trip when we needed help. She quickly grasped during the planning stage the type of accommodation we preferred and understood the type of activities we enjoy. The trip exceeded our expectations which were high!

Overall we were very pleased. Yuri provided the guidance we expected and fulfilled our experience. The trip was great.
Pickup at the airport was a little disorganized but then which airport isn’t. Checkin was good but had to wait for our room. After 15 hours in airports this was unfortunate but again not surprised.
Tour of the Familia Sagrada was great. Danny was informative and helpful. What a place!
Wine tour was also great. We’ve been on many but this one was more informative and extensive. Plus portion size was large compared to North American wineries.
Montserrat was good but did have it’s issues. Many unavoidable but it still made the day a little rushed. Our guides Matteo and Roger did what they could to alleviate the delays however it did take away from some of the attractions we wanted to do.
Overall though Barcelona is a beautiful, clean and friendly city. Costa Brava is also a beautiful area with much to see and do. Slightly off season definitely helped us enjoy our time.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Aigua Blava

Costa Brava · Girona

Authenticity & Character

Location

A little complicated to get their

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Astoria

Barcelona

Well located. Walking distance to many attractions or alternatively the metro was two blocks away. Service was friendly, rooms clean and typical European size. Would stay again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Extended Visit to Sagrada Família

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

After a two year delay we finally got to start our trip from Australia to Spain & Portugal.
From the moment we landed in Spain everything that we planned with Sam and his team were in place.
From being collected at the airport, drivers, guides, hotels and updates along the way, everything was well organised. He even booked restaurants in each town for us.
Sam and Chaima kept in contact with us during our tour, making sure everything was going OK.
The details this team put together was excellent from the length of time of tours, pickup times, guides names, recommendations in each place we stayed as to where to eat, shopping and sightseeing in free time.
All the drivers and guides were excellent with their care for our wellbeing and local knowledge.
All the accommodation was excellent and central to all attractions.
We would highly recommend Sam and his team for your travel needs in Spain and Portugal.
Sam thank you and your team for a wonderful experience we had a great time.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel One Shot Goldsmith Aliados

Porto

Lovely hotel in Porto. The rooms were very clean and large enough and the bed was very comfortable. Our rooms had great views of the town square. The staff were very helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

very central in town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

L'and Hotel & Vineyards

Montemor-o-Novo

This hotel is in a very beautiful spot for relaxing. The hotel and rooms are very clean, rooms are very spacious and the bed was very comfortable. Good size pool and lovely vineyards to walk around. It is a little out of town so you do need transport of some kind. The breakfast here is great with lots of choices and the restaurant was great. The staff were very helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Iberostar Las Letras Gran Via

Madrid

We had a great room at the front of the hotel overlooking the main street. The room was very spacious and with a large bathroom. It was in a great location and the staff were very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Las Casas de la Judería

Córdoba

This is a really beautiful charming hotel. The staff were very helpful and friendly. It is centrally located but still quiet. The rooms were spacious and very clean. Even though we only stayed one night we would of loved to stay more we would highly recommend this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa 1800

Granada

This is a very charming hotel in a good location. The rooms were very spacious and clean and the bed was comfortable. Staff were friendly and helpful. Breakfast was a let down but this may be due to Covid impact. Overall this is a lovely hotel and I would recommend it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

H10 Casa de la Plata

Sevilla

This is a beautiful hotel centrally located in Seville. The staff were very friendly and helpful even helping to suggest restaurants and shopping. The rooms are comfortable and very clean. Can highly recommend this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

H10 Duque de Loule

Lisboa

Great hotel with spacious rooms and very clean. The hotel had a great select for breakfast and all the staff were very helpful. It is in a very good location, short walk to the hop on hop off bus station starting point and close to a metro.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Tour of Córdoba

Córdoba

This tour was great. Our guide was very knowledge and answered many questions from us. The history behind the Mezquita mosque-Catholic church is interesting and our guide helped bring it to life. Exploring the winding streets and hearing the history was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour of the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens

Granada

This was a great tour of the Alhambra. Our guide provided us with information along the way and answered our many questions. The building and gardens are amazing and the view over Granada was worth seeing. This is a really lovely town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip from {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}, via Ronda

Spain

The town of Rhonda is a must see. Our guide made this day very memorable proving us with information about the old and new town and the beautiful Rhonda bridge that joins them together. We enjoyed our walk through the streets and the Plaza De Toro's bullring and its history is interesting. This was a great day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private City Tour of Seville

Seville

Our guide Estela provided us with a great insight to this city. From the beautiful palace and its gardens to the Jew quarters and the Cathedral. She was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions. Seville is a lovely place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Flamenco & Tapas Tour

Seville

Our local guide Sam took us on a tour through Seville giving us information about this beautiful city. The tour included a local flamenco venue where we had the pleasure of watching a beautiful show with local artists. Sam explained the history behind a Flamenco performance. We then went on to enjoy a few tapas bars with excellent choices of food.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Take a Day Trip to Magical Sintra & Cascais

Lisbon

This tour was a great day out. Our guide provided so much information along the way and the Palace was worth seeing. Stopping along the way at the Natural park and driving along the coast was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to the Douro Valley for a Wine Tour & River Cruise

Porto

Our guide Catarina helped make this a great day out for us. This day trip from Porto to the Douro Wine Region was great. The drive is very beautiful through the wine regions and the history of wine making is interesting. Sitting in the beautiful mountains sipping wine is a great day out.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip All About Dali

Spain

The trip to the home of Dali was a great day. Dali 's home is very quirky and interesting from the inside to the gardens to the beautiful seaside position it is located. The Dali museum again very interesting and worth seeing. Our guide Craig did a great job bringing its history to life for us and was very informative and helpful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Lisbon with a Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

Margarida was a wonderful guide for our walking tour in Lisbon. She provided so much information along the way and answered all our questions. We loved all the different parts of this tour. Great tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Toledo

Madrid

This tour was excellent. This city is beautiful and its history is very interesting. Our guide was informative and help answer our many questions. Great day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walk of the Gothic Quarter with Tapas Dinner

Barcelona

This was a great tour and our guide Olga was very informative. We learnt about the history and culture and enjoyed the walk around the city and enjoyed some tapas. Would definitely recommend this tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Madrid & the Prado Museum

Madrid

This was a great tour learning about Madrid's history and the museum was very interesting. Having a local guide who knows the history helps bring the town to life. Great tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy a Private Walking Tour of Porto

Porto

This is a great tour taking in a lot of the city of Porto. Walking the streets gives you a great insight into Porto. Our guide was very helpful and answered all our questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

This tour was amazing, and the La Sagrada Familia is just something else. Having our guide Olga to explain this history was also very helpful. Highly recommend this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

If you go to Southern Spain and are adventurous, get on the internet and do your thing for 5 or 10 hours and hope you got it right. If not, hire Raquel and Kimkim. It costs a little more but you get the best location of 4 star hotels, great local guides, meet and greet at airports and train stations and great advice on travel matters.
I can't say enough about the destination hotels that Raquel selected. Hotels in Cordoba, Seville, Malaga, and other cites were in "Centro" locations making most sites walkable for the city tour Raquel arranged or even when we were on our own. These Andalusia cities have "Old Town" districts formed many centuries ago that I think you would want to be near so you can enjoy all they have to offer. You may never have a chance to get back so enjoy it!
We traveled Southern Spain for 2 weeks and Kimkim set everything up. Raquel recommended cities (don't miss Ronda), arranged a 9 course set menu lunch (we could only get to #6) and made the trip fun and exciting.

We then we explored Paris (Kimkim arranged the flight) for 6 days on our own (Airbnb) then back to Madrid for an additional week (Airbnb).

Best trip to start our retirement years and we'll be back to Kimkim the next time we travel.

Great trip. Yuri was very helpful and easy to work with. I appreciated his prompt assistance and responsiveness both before and during my trip to Spain.

Hotel Review

Serras Barcelona

Barcelona

Great hotel. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Gaudí Architecture Walk with La Sagrada Família

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private City Highlights Walk

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to Montserrat & Lunch at a Farmhouse

Barcelona

Tour guide was young and inexperienced. The day was too long. We wasted a lot of time at Montserrat sight. Food at lunch was okay. In hindsight, would rather have spent the day doing something else in Barcelona.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Needed better AC in the bus

Flamenco & Tapas Night

Madrid

Tapas walk was great. Flamenco didn’t feel special and could have skipped that.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The planning was great. The tour in Oviedo was ok we had a little difficult reaching Beatriz in the weekend when we reached Bilbao because we were trying to reach her by her e mail and phone number instead of the Kim Kim message. The tour guide at the Guggenheim museum kept insisting that our tour was an hour earlier than what we had written in our itenirary and she wanted to reschedule for the next day. The Puebloastur resort was wonderful. We really liked it and the transfers from the airport were excellent. We had to book more bags since we only had one bag checked We had fun with our tapas and wine tours as well as the pinchos tour. Over all we enjoyed ourselves very much. Oh and Diego at the Rioja wine tour was excellent.

We thoroughly enjoyed the food tour and the guide was great. Same goes for the trip to Toledo and also the hike to Roque Nublo with Paco. He went above and beyond with being flexible and really doing a great tour of practically the whole perimeter of the island! The boat excursion was a little disappointing as I think we expected more from the description and although labeled as a catamaran tour with a bbq lunch, it was more a powerboat with no bbq but more a Spanish omelette/macaroni salad/boiled potato lunch. The captain was also confused initially about us not having tickets for the excursion so we almost didn’t get to do the trip but I showed the itinerary with the information Karenina sent and it seemed fine. The e-bike tour was great and the guide was also very nice. We didn’t get to complete the planned route as it became too challenging but it was still wonderful. We were not expecting to peddle so much! The e-bike name made us think it would be more an electric scooter type tour so I think that could be explained better in the future in case there are those who don’t ride bikes very well.

Hotel Reviews

AC Hotel Gran Canaria by Marriott

Gran Canaria

The staff was great and very helpful with assisting us with any questions we had. We were able to navigate public transport and get to our excursions without taxis thanks to their assistance and that saved us a lot. The room was very nice and comfortable. Minor issues were not having the water bottles replaced daily as stated, trash not emptied every day, not being able to move the tv screen as it faced the window and the glare was terrible to watch it if the curtains were open, and that the shower design was not optimal as it allowed for water to leak out onto the floor. The food was amazing and we utilized the lounge for both breakfast and dinner. Amazing views of the island from the lounge area. Would still recommend utilizing this hotel in the future.

Authenticity & Character

Nice decor!

Location

Close to the beach and shopping district

Staff

Very polite and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dear Hotel Madrid

Madrid

We were very impressed with the hotel and staff overall. Great location, lovely room, great amenities and very helpful with any questions we needed answered. The only reason this is not a 5-star review is due to the lack of flexibility when it came to scheduling breakfast which was included and which we had paid for. Due to the schedule of the breakfast and needing to reserve a breakfast time prior we were unable to utilize this benefit. We were able to make arrangements with the front staff to have breakfast packed and sent to our room for one of the days due to our excursion being early, but they would not do this for us for both days which doesn’t make sense.

Authenticity & Character

Decor was nice, room was bright.

Location

Central location and easy to get to landmarks.

Staff

Very helpful and accommodating overall

Cleanliness & Comfort

Love how green it is with the room key being needed to turn on the lights!

Activity Reviews

Guided E-Bike Mountain Ride & Tapas Tasting in Maspalomas

Spain

I’m glad it was not a group tour otherwise it would’ve been awkward since we could not finish it as planned! The guide, Anthony, was great and very accommodating. He allowed us to borrow a backpack after ours broke and helped us make sure we were as safe as possible. The scenery was beautiful and landscape was worth the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Knowing the location of excursion relative to hotel would’ve been nice. Very expensive taxi ride to location but we were able to navigate the bus back.

A Full Day to Roque Nublo & the Peaks of Gran Canaria

Spain

Paco was phenomenal and absolutely wonderful to spend the day with. He is extremely knowledgeable and clearly loves his job. It was great to have the personalized touch and hearing about his history too with where he lived and grew up on the island. The hike to Roque Nublo was wonderful and the timing weather wise was great. We enjoyed visiting the farmers market, cave museum, Tejeda and also the northwest coastal region too. The drive around was gorgeous and scenery so beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Everything!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Expert driver! Plethora of knowledge.

Transport

Catamaran Experience: Swim, Snorkel, and Sail Gran Canaria’s Coast

Spain

Seeing dolphins up close was very fun and a great experience. The boat was definitely not a catamaran as advertised and the lunch provided also not a bbq as advertised. Due to the smaller nature of the boat, it was too crowded for all passengers to be on the deck and in clear viewing area of the dolphins when they appeared.

Quality of Experience

Making sure the trip description is accurate to what is provided.

Food

Disappointing lunch of some fruit, boiled potatoes, cheese slices and a so-so Spanish omelette.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Boat captain was confused about our needing tickets and there was a language barrier. Luckily remedied by the boat stew who did speak English.

Transport

If all buses could have maps on board to indicate the stops, that would be very helpful as we ended up getting off the transport too early a couple of times.

Train Madrid to Toledo, Guided Visit of Toledo, Train Toledo to Madrid

Madrid

Great trip from start to finish and Daniel was wonderful. Very knowledgeable and very proud of his connection to the city! He did an amazing job with the tour and giving us plenty of background about the city and buildings. The train ride was great and easy to navigate.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tapas & Tradition: A Madrileño Evening

Madrid

Absolutely. Phenomenal. The guide made this trip as he is a local and he knew all the good spots! The best food we ate on our whole trip hands down from start to finish. Not a complaint at all and highly recommend for all travelers.

Quality of Experience

Everything

Food

All of it!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All locations in walking distance

Working with Irene and Susana was exceptional. Every little detail was thought out and nothing was left unseen. Everyday there was communication and I couldn’t have asked for a better trip. Thank you so much for such a great experience. Top notch customer service and so personable.

The overall experience from planning to our actual first day in Spain was wonderful. I have tell all my friends about Kim Kim and how easy was to organize and set everything. Our special thanks to Luis , who helped us making this trip memorable . We wouldn't hesitate for one second to organize our next trip through the platform.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
Aguilar-Gonzalez fam
Beauchamp- Ruiz fam
Puerto Rico

Hotel Reviews

Slow Suites Bellas Artes

Madrid

This were the biggest, we were surprised since been in the city regularly apartments are small. Very comfortable and spacious

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful

Location

Walking distance to major attractions

Staff

Very attentive and available.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Extremely clean

Happy Apartments

Barcelona

Comfortable, spacious, excellent localization Beautiful apartment

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful apartment

Location

Closeness to major attractions

Staff

Always attentive and available

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean!

Slow Suites Setas

Seville

This were our favorite. Easy access, no need for key Beautiful decorations

Authenticity & Character

Just beautiful

Location

Easy access

Staff

Attentive and available

Cleanliness & Comfort

Extremely clean

Activity Reviews

Tapas & Flamenco night

Seville

This was one of our favorite. All the senses explored. Beautiful performances

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Airport transfer (return)

Spain

Drivers were extremely courteous. They were on time and drove us safely to the airport

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tapas in Malasaña

Madrid

Also one of our favorites Our guide Irene clearly dominates this tour. A wonderful experience with the culinary traditions from Spain. We had a lot of fun and time flew.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Irene was the best!

Private City Tour

Toledo

Also one of our favorites. Beautiful and our guide was excellent

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Essential Madrid bike tour

Madrid

A little worrisome since bikes and traffic are a litty bit scary. In fact one of the bikers fell, but overall a different experience

Day tour to Granada & the Alhambra

Seville

Day tour to Córdoba

Seville

Beautiful city, but if by train available it would have been less tiresome

Quality of Experience

Transport

Off-the-beaten-path City Tour

Seville

Wonderful tour and both guides excellent

Quality of Experience

Beautiful city

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable and attentive

Kayaking & Snorkeling

Spain

Due to season and weather a little bit cold but the ones who participated were happy, the only thing that could improve was the lunch served

Full Day City Tour & Gaudi (incl skip the line Tickets for Sagrada Familia & Parc Güell)

Barcelona

Overall experience was great and our guide Giovanni was excellent

Susan and I have had a wonderful time exploring Granada, Ronda, Seville and Cordoba, thanks to Martha's professional planning and organising of our trip.
Which place was our favourite? That is very difficult to say, as all four places held something special and are a 'must see'.
We loved the choice of hotels which were all in the perfect location for getting about to see all the sights. We took on some of your recommendations for where to eat which was very helpful.
The guided tours and guides were highly professional and knowledgeable. Without them, we wouldn't have come away from the trip with all the interesting information we received and I don't think a guide book can compete with having a very knowledgeable local guide. If I have to say something, we missed having a guided tour in Cordoba.
The tour taking us through the scented areas of Granada was so special and different and we love the scents we were given at the end - what a surprise!
Many thanks to Marta and Karenina who were there throughout our trip supporting us.
I would definitely recommend KimKim and travel with them again.
With all best wishes,
Gillian Mitchell

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Montelirio

Ronda

Beautiful hotel in style with the surroundings we'd come to visit. Incredible views from my bed of the gorge!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Comfort Dauro 2

Granada

Good, clean place that covers the basics but the lack of regular receptionists was confusing. However, the bar people were super helpful, as was the general manager, who provided us with a picnic because we had to miss breakfast one day!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Access to public transport

Staff

Very nice once located

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean

Sacristía de Santa Ana

Seville

A converted church with lovely features and atmosphere. We had a patio off our roo which was a real bonus. Breakfast was the best of all hotels as it wasn't your usual breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Córdoba Unlocked: Iconic Sights & Hidden Corners

Spain

Cordoba is beautiful, but I think we missed quite a lot as this was a self guided tour, so I would definitely recommend a guided tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monumental Seville on Foot & Visit Real Alcázar

Seville

Teresa was our guide and she brought the history of the areas of Seville alive. She told and showed us so many little details we would never have found out ourselves. She is highly knowledgeable about her home city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Visit of Ronda

Ronda

Our guide Jose Antonio was extremely knowledgeable about his home town. Beautiful place and so much to see. Spectacular views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hands-On Cooking Class in Granada

Granada

So much fun and our cookery teacher Rocio was so knowledgable about local produce and where to eat and shop. I will definitely try some of the recipes myself.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit: Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Granada

This was an amazing tour - not to be missed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit of Granada Through Its Scents

Granada

I loved this tour. It was different and our guide was excellent and we were presented with a box of different scents.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Patricia and her team planned a perfect 2-week vacation for our family of 5 (2 adults and 1 tween, and 2 teens) that combined fun, education, and relaxation. Our trip took us from Madrid, to the south of Spain, to Costa Brava and ended in Barcelona. Everything was planned to perfection and executed with precision. All of the hotels and tour guides were top notch -- we wouldn't have changed a thing. Patricia and her team answered texts from us whenever we needed some assistance and provided great recommendations for restaurants in all of the cities that we toured. We recommend Patricia without reservation and can't wait to return to Spain!

The entire kimkim experience was incredibly easy, pleasant, and perfect. After this trip, I can't imagine traveling without kimkim again.

We traveled to Barcelona first on our 13 days in Spain. We were greeted by a professional driver in the airport and transported to our first hotel. The driver was extremely kind and made the transfer pleasant after a long flight. Our Barcelona hotel, Casa Luz, was all that it was advertised to be. We had many wonderful choices through kimkim, and we were very pleased with our hotel.

We were guided on a Gothic Quarter walking tour by Theresa. The experience was incredible. She was local to the area and had incredible knowledge about Barcelona and the Jewish Quarter. We were inspired by her stories and the deep history she shared about the buildings we saw and the area generally. She also gave us great restaurant recommendations that turned out to be some of our favorite meals on the trip.

We also enjoyed the day trip to Costa Brava for sea kayaking and hiking. Our guide, Stepan, was truly amazing. He is a wonderful, patient guide, full of fun and insightful knowledge about the region. Our kayaking and cliff jumping excursion was a truly memorable and fun part of our trip! We totally recommend this excursion.

We also enjoyed a private guided tour of Sagrada Familia. Our guide, Gemma, was truly awesome. She shared such deep details about the history and construction of the Sagrada Familia, as well as connections to nature within the church that we would not have known we were seeing. She also shared local restaurant recommendations with us that were terrific.

Each of our guides and tours in Barcelona was 100% terrific and we recommend them wholly.

We next transferred to Madrid. We enjoyed the self-guided walking tour of Madrid provided by kimkim. The instructions were easy to follow and gave us a great tour of the city.

We had an extraordinary day trip to Avila and Segovia, guided by Martin. Martin was a true professor of the region and the history of the sites. Everyone would be lucky to have Martin as their guide. We had an unforgettable day-long experience at these important historical sites. We highly recommend this trip!

We also enjoyed our short Prado Museum visit immensely. Our guide, Maria, was so enjoyable and she made the art and history of the museum truly enjoyable. The Prado is huge, so having guidance to some of the most important points and art in the museum was extremely helpful to make the visit meaningful. Highly recommended.

We next transferred to Valencia. We enjoyed the self-guided walking tour. We also enjoyed our beach day in Valencia. We had a small group tour set for the second day in Valencia, but our guide didn't appear at the time in our itinerary from kimkim. We had a phone number, provided by kimkim, to contact the company. I reached out, but we were not in their system. I immediately let our kimkim consultant know of the issue, and within minutes, we were rescheduled for a private guided tour the next day. This slight error was the only thing that did not go perfectly for our trip. But it was rectified quickly, and kimkim made sure to provide a private tour for us with extra time included to make up for the mistake. I hate mentioning it, because it didn't seem to be kimkim's error. But I want to highlight how professionally kimkim responded and how they went above and beyond to correct any errors. I now can't imagine missing the the 3 hour guided tour we enjoyed so much.

Our private guided walking tour of 3 hours around Valencia, with our guide Laura, was also a highlight of the trip. She was extremely knowledgeable and shared many relatable stories about Valencia, along with its history and culture, with us. We thoroughly enjoyed this amazing tour! Many thanks to kimkim for the add-ons.

We also took the small group guided tour of the Albufera Natural Park, thanks to kimkim! We enjoyed this tour greatly. Our guide Paulino is an expert in the area, and he made sure we knew the history of this beautiful park. We had a short van ride filled with history, then some easy walking in Albufera. The surprise of the tour was a boat ride into the lagoon to enjoy the sunset. It was a meaningful and pleasant, relaxed journey to a beautiful place that is very important in the region of Valencia. We highly recommend it and enjoyed it!

Each hotel was great. We had a hard time picking hotels because each option kimkim provided was terrific.

Each of our guides was an expert and so wonderful to spend time with.

Each driver, with the exception of one, was perfectly professional. Our only sub-par driver was the driver who picked us up at the Valencia train station. He was not terribly professional, did not offer to assist with bags, played loud terrible music in the van, and was pretty dismissive. It was not a big deal, but it truly stood out after each of our other drivers had been so kind, attentive, and professional.

We especially enjoyed the ease of the transfers from hotels to airports and train stations. Kimkim arranged those transfers and set the timing, taking the guessing out of when we needed to be at each location. Kimkim provided specific instructions for each of our guided tours. The whole itinerary was easy to follow and made for a seamless trip.

Thanks for reading this long review. We cannot recommend kimkim highly enough. We will be traveling with them again. I have already recommended the service to many of my friends.

Thank you kimkim for a truly remarkable and memorable vacation! We cannot wait to travel with you again!

Hotel Reviews

Sonder Casa Luz

Barcelona

Casa Luz is a standard hotel in Europe, but the location is incredible. Our room was on a very busy street, but the room itself was perfectly quiet. The shower in the room was incredible. The room was very clean, and the beds very comfortable. The hotel has a beautiful rooftop restaurant to enjoy. The location made walking in Barcelona easy and enjoyable. The room had everything we needed for our 5-6 days in Barcelona. Highly recommended!

Authenticity & Character

The hotel brings all the character of European small hotels. It is charming and authentic, while also having all of the modern updates travelers enjoy.

Location

There is a metro stop across the street. The location is central to great restaurants and shopping.

Staff

The staff was welcoming, helpful, and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was definitely clean. Our beds and pillows were extremely comfortable.

Hotel Praktik Èssens

Barcelona

We stayed in this hotel the final night of our journey. We loved it.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel has an old feel with a modern flair. It was perfect and understated elegance and charm.

Location

The hotel is located on a main street near a metro stop and tons of high end shopping, and near a Gaudi stop.

Staff

The staff at this hotel was extremely nice. They helped us with a dinner reservation, and were otherwise so welcoming and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was very clean and comfortable. We had a small room, but it was perfect for our needs. The room faced a busy street, but with the doors closed you would never know Barcelona was bustling below.

Hotel & Spa Plaza Mercado

Valencia

This hotel was terrific! We were very pleased with our choice. The only observation we had was that our room was on the first floor. We could hear noise from the reception area downstairs at times. If you are looking for very quiet rooms, ask to be located higher up and away from the staircase.

Authenticity & Character

This hotel has a modern feel in an historic area. The restaurant in the hotel feels like a charming Mediteranean throwback. But the rest of the hotel is very sleek feeling, including the room and spa.

Location

This hotel is right in the middle of everything. Restaurants and shopping are all around. It is walking distance to the bus and train station. The location is excellent.

Staff

We had lots of questions and the staff addressed them all. We scheduled massages at the spa, we needed a taxi and the staff responded, and the staff gave us instructions to get to the beach on our own. They were extremely helfpul and friendly. They spent individual time with each guest that we saw who needed their help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had a junior suite at this hotel, and it was terrific. The hotel itself was very clean. We enjoyed the spa greatly, and it was also quite clean. The spa is really not to be missed, especially the Latin baths.

One Shot Recoletos 04

Madrid

This hotel is on a quiet street. We had an interior room, but windows on two sides. The beds were comfortable and the room itself was quiet, clean, and perfect for our needs. The hotel is in a very nice area and we felt exceptionally safe there.

Authenticity & Character

This hotel has old elements in a modern feel. It was perfectly updated and comfortable.

Location

This location is near the French Embassy, and walking distance to great shopping and restaurants. It is in a very nice area in the city that feels sophisticated and quiet, and residential. It was truly enjoyable to be there.

Staff

The front desk staff and the breakfast staff at this hotel was very proficient and welcoming. They made everything easy. They were happy to store our bags.

Cleanliness & Comfort

This hotel was very clean and comfortable. The beds were great, the shower was terrific. We opted for breakfast included at this hotel, and it was a huge breakfast every day with more food than we could eat. The breakfast dining area was lovely and relaxing.

Activity Reviews

Albufera Natural Park Half-Day Sunset Trip

Valencia

This tour was really interesting. Albufera is a really important historical sight in the area, and it's beautiful. It's also an interesting natural park. The boat tour was a surprise and such a fun part of the evening. Highly recommended!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Paulino was a great guide! So knowledgeable. He had to speak three languages on the journey, and he was amazing.

Transport

Day Trip to Ávila & Segovia

Madrid

I had no idea what to expect, but this day was beyond what I could have imagined. This day was really fun, full of history, and really fulfilling.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Martin was exceptional. He is a history professor at heart and has so much knowledge and insight to the area and the sites.

Transport

Short Prado Museum Visit with Skip-the-Line Ticket

Madrid

Maria made a short visit to the museum extremely meaningful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Extended Visit to Sagrada Família

Barcelona

Gemma was an exceptional guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Costa Brava Hiking, Kayaking & Swimming Day Trip

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stepan was amazing!

Transport

Gothic Quarter Walk & Churros

Barcelona

Our guide made this tour extremely enjoyable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The only thing we suggest here is for the tour operator or kimkim to let travelers know that the meeting point under the mural of the king and queen is a Picasso. We were looking for a more realistic mural of the king and queen, so we initially had trouble understanding the meeting point.

Small Group Valencia Orientation Tour

Valencia

We actually had a private tour of 3 hours, because somehow our reservation for the small group tour did not get set. The 3 hour private tour was amazing, fun, and meaningful. We highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Laura was so knowledgeable and engaging! We had a great tour!

Transport

Our experience working with Patricia was AMAZING. Through just a couple conversations and a few emails, she constructed the itinerary and once we approved it, she made all the reservations and arrangements for us. This included hotel reservations, travel arrangements between locations, and tour guides for multiple excursions. Then, once we arrived in country, a local phone was provided by Patricia to be in touch during our trip with any questions or last minute changes. Trip highlights include:
- Wonderful guided tour of La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell
- Fun guided tour of Monserrat and two wineries with Marianna of Winenium
- Insanely picturesque room overlooking the cove of Llfranc in Costa Brava
- Incredible guided tour of San Sebastián that included a delicious pintxos tour

And, the award for best tour of the trip goes to Diego who picked us up in San Sebastián, showcased the Basque coastline and Basque history and culture through the course of the day. Included in our day was a stop at Ameztoi, a Txakoli winery with absolutely stunning views from the winery overlooking the ocean.

We were lucky to work with Luis to plan out 2 week, 7 city trip to Spain; including Barcelona, Sitges, Granada, Sevilla, Cordoba, Madrid and Toledo.
Luis recommended things we never would have known about, and the travel guides he prepared were SO HELPFUL.
We had two amazing tours in Granada, one of Albaizin and Sacre Monte with Marta, and one of the Alhambra and Generalife with Gabriella. These are a must, in our opinion.
In addition, we had an incredible electric bike tour of Madrid with Gloria, who customized the tour to our interests - AND an amazing electric bike tour of Toledo with Guillermo. Highly recommend both! Finally, we must mention the tapas in Malasana tour in Madrid. The neighborhood restaurants, food, wine and Nathan's company were all excellent!