Kimkim Trip Reviews for Turkey

We just returned on a 10 day trip to Turkiye.
Corbeico did a fantastic job or planning, booking and the executing the trip. We worked with Buse to plan our entire trip and tailored it to what we wanted to do. She was very patient in terms of answering my questions and making useful suggestions. We made our own hotel bookings because we wanted better quality hotels. Each pickup and drop off was perfectly on time. Their people were always at the airport to pick us up on time. We never had to wait around. Their vans were clean and the drivers were punctual. Our Istanbul guide Ismail showed us around for 3 days. We had a great day of seeing the main Sultanahment area sites- Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Bascilica Cistern, Topkapi palaceband Harem were the highlights. Ismail then took us to Dolmabacche Palace (a bit over the top), the grand Sulemaniye mosque, Egyptian Spice market, Ortakoy and a Bosphorus cruise. In between we went to Cappadocia and the returned for a day to the Asian side of Istanbul. Ismail was again our guide and took us around to Camlica hill, Uskadur, Kuzguncuk and Kadikoy. Ismail always took us to good local restaurants as we wanted to try Istanbul street food rather than eat at fancy restaurants.
We spent 3 days in Cappadocia as well. Our guide Didem was superb. The places that we enjoyed the most were the Goreme open air museum and the Zelve open air museum. The geology and cave houses, some with churches and painted frescoes. The geology in Cappadocia is truly like nothing else we have seen. An ancient volcano deposited ash over a vast area and erosion and weathering over millions of years has created a unique geology of towers, conical shapes etc. The Derinkuyu underground city was one of the highlights. It is hard to imagine how this elaborate underground city could house 30,000 people, their livestock, grain, water and have elaborate ventilation systems. Didem also took us to local restaurants to eat simple, authentic Turkish food as we requested. Some of the stops to see overpriced Pottery and semi precious jewelry was something we could have avoided. The pottery and precious stones were lovely but the prices were absurdly high. The two castles Uchisar and Ortahisar were quite imposing. The clean air, fresh air in Cappadocia was a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of Istanbul. Due to weather conditions our Balloon trip got canceled on the day we booked it as well as on the reserve day. That would have enhanced the experience in Cappadocia

All in all a very successful trip that exceeded our expectations

We are only moderately experienced travelers and weren't sure about how to go about planning a trip to Turkey. No local travel agents had any expertise. We found Berat and Murat through KimKim and in hindsight feel so lucky to have connected with them. Communications were clear and timely throughout the whole process. Costs were upfront and they were willing to adjust to our desires/budget. It was such a joy to leave all the details in their hands! Every communication, every driver, every guide and all reservations were perfectly on time and professional. Ground transportation was clean and high quality. Each of our guides were terrific - Volkan in Istanbul, Burcu in Ephesus/Laodicea/Pamukkale, Yakup in Antalya, and Sumer (Efe) in Cappadocia. Hotels were all unique from each other and consistently nice. In-country flights were super easy and on time. Food in Turkey is terrific, though somewhat limited for vegetarians. Our guides went out of their way to help us find places that had good vege options. We really felt that we were given the best tour of Turkey that 13 days could allow. This was definitely not an inexpensive trip, but the quality of everything and the professionalism of this team made it feel like we absolutely got our money's worth! We really loved Turkey! Now if they'd all just quit smoking, lol! If you love history, you need to do this trip.

Kimkim was recommended to me by my brother and I’m so glad I used this service.
Everything was planned perfectly in country from the moment we were picked at the Istanbul airport to the drop off at the end.
We had 3 different engaging, knowledgeable guides over the course of 9 days. They all spoke excellent English and accommodated our every need. Hotels were well-located and at our comfort level.
Zehra planned and executed this trip exactly as we wanted it. Much appreciated and well-done!

We had three guides each amazing in their knowledge of place their storytelling and their willingness to help make sure we were more than satisfied with our tours.

Hotel Reviews

The Marmara Pera

Istanbul

Comfortable

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fresco Cave Suites & Mansions - Special Class

Urgup

Great comfortable room. Helpful and kind staff. Delicious breakfast foods. Amazing spa massage. Wonderfully delicious dinner. We could not have been happier with our stay in the Fresco.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tour of Ephesus and Region

Turkey

Senem was our guide and we could not have been happier with her. Ephesus had been a must on our tour and we were not disappointed. Senem had a knowledge of the place and its time that helped us to image how people must have lived there. We throughly enjoyed our day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great driver

Transport

Explore the Istiklal Street & Galata

İstanbul

Enjoyed the walk around town and the tower views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit to Derinkuyu Underground City & Explore area

Cappadocia

Another great day filled with new knowledge gear exploration

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore The Landmarks of Cappadocia

Cappadocia

Gokhan was amazing guide He had a way of explaining things that made them easy to visualize. We throughly enjoyed our day.

Quality of Experience

I’m

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Daily Tour to Iznik & Nicaea

Turkey

Wonderful day. Great information.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Byzantine Heritage Tour

İstanbul

Naci our guide was kind enough to keep pace slow enough to accommodate my very slow pace. He was very informative and knowledgeable. Our first day out was magical.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy a Hot Air Balloon Ride in Cappadocia

Cappadocia

Above and beyond our expectations. Such a beautiful experience.

Quality of Experience

Pickup on time and comfortable

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a great trip, well planned! We wanted to explore Turkey with our 9- and 11-year-old kids, but were a bit anxious about all the domestic flights and road trips on top of the transatlantic flights. Berat worked with us to take some locations off the itinerary and add others based on our preferences, and gave us knowledgeable insights that helped us make decisions. We tailored the trip to our wishes and our kids' stamina, and we had an incredible time. Turkey is a beautiful country, very accessible, and its people were very welcoming.

Our local guides (Zekiye, Ozan, and Efe) took us through sites in three different regions with just the right amount of historical and cultural information. They were great with our kids, sensitive to how ambitious we chose to be on any given day. Our drivers were all prompt and friendly. We received almost daily WhatsApp communications from Murat, one of our trip planners, with reminders about our itinerary and helpful information, which were greatly appreciated.

At times during the trip planning process, communication was slow, with us waiting several days for replies to questions. Ultimately, this was not a problem, because we planned our itinerary well in advance. But even so, we had a few minor surprise alterations to the trip on the ground, which might have been avoided by better communication. These were small things (one site visit moved to another day; a bike ride deemed too ambitious for our kids despite a conversation about it weeks earlier). Our planners and guides shuffled our schedule and found replacement items very efficiently, and none of this deteriorated from the trip in the end. Still, some momentary confusion for us and a little disappointment for our kids might have been avoided. None of this is a major criticism. We had a terrific trip and would recommend Berat and her whole team of planners and guides.

This was truly amazing. Zehra organized the most perfect trip. Everything was seamless, from the airport pickup to flight arrangements. I could have never put together a trip with this many moving parts so flawlessly. Zehra was always quick to respond and incredibly patient, no matter time of day or how spastic/indecisive I was. And a special shout out to our amazing guides: Eda, Uraz, Ghokan & Tolga. Brilliant guides & I feel like I made new friends. Will be using KimKim again!!!!

A great experience with my guide Efe and driver Musa.
I liked how flexible they were—we sometimes switched the order of our stops so we could avoid rain/tour buses, etc and also added stops when time became available. All being previously discussed, of course.
Thank you to both Efe and Musa!

Hotel Review

Kelebek Special Cave Hotel

Nevsehir

The perfect location to see the hot air balloons early in the morning. I ran out in a coat and my pajamas so I could take pictures!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect location to see hot air balloons

Staff

Everyone was friendly and cordial

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whirling Dervish Ceremony at Saruhan Caravansarai

Turkey

Visit Beautiful Red Valley + Çavuşin

Cappadocia

Ceramic Tradition in Avanos + Light Hiking in the Love Valley

Cappadocia

Discovering the Ihlara Valley and Light Hiking Along the Melendiz River

Cappadocia

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

We were a party of 3 friends who booked our trip to Turkey with KimKim and we 100% recommend them and would return to Turkey to travel again with this agency! Our tour arrangers were exceptionally responsive - Murat and Hulya helped coordinate for us when we were in Turkey and were incredible - our messages were meticulously detailed with our itinerary, driver information and flight info. They went above and beyond to take care of us- when I left my Kindle at a hotel - they coordinated with our driver and guide in the next city to retrieve that item for me so I could have it in hand before I left Turkey. Similarly, when the weather was not looking good for our hot air balloon flight in Capadoccia, they rearranged our itinerary so that we could go on our flight the day before - and it was SO memorable! Our tour guides - Emre, Ozan and Efe - were all so knowledgeable, hospitable, and professional - Ozan especially enriched our experience and helped us fall in love with Turkey. All of the drivers and tour vans were exceptional - my friends and I had never ridden in such comfortable tour vehicles (they had refrigerators in the car for water). All of the hotel accommodations were comfortable - Berat made sure we each had our own beds in each hotel. Amongst all of them - we LOVED the Kale Kona Hotel - we hope to return there one day, it was an amazing place. We hope to return to Turkey with KimKim one day to go to other places we have not seen yet.

Berat collected information about what was important to us and then planned an amazing 12 days in Turkey. She took the work and worry out of trip planning. Every detail was executed without a hitch, including pickups, hotel stays, private guide, meal reservations, and activities. Our guide, Volcan, helped us to understand the long history of Turkey and the many sites we visited from Istanbul to Cappadocia to Konya to Pamukkale. He demonstrated a profound understanding and communicated easily.

Hotel Reviews

Mövenpick Izmir

Izmir

A large hotel, one block from the water, near many restaurants, and a short walk to city sites. We were welcomed with alacrity.

Authenticity & Character

This is a large hotel that so less about character and more about functionality, which is fine.

Location

Ocean in front and city everywhere.

Staff

Our check in was thorough and welcoming.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean room and common areas. Heating system was turned on and air conditioning was turned off, so the room was warm despite open window.

Doğa Thermal Hotel & Spa

Denizli

Pamukkale’s draws visitors to thermal waters and ancient ruins. The Doğa Hotel was located nearby and had pools for guests.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The sites are a short drive away.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Novotel Konya

Konya

Standard large hotel on the outskirts of Konya.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Taskonaklar Cappadocia

Nevsehir

The decor of this hotel was more like a gorgeous curated home. With an entry, spacious bathroom, and bedroom with a sitting area, it was enormous. Breakfast was authentic Turkish cuisine, delicious. Staff gave us tips on where to eat nearby.

Authenticity & Character

Turkish rugs and decor and local building materials made this hillside hotel fit into the local landscape.

Location

What a view of the Pigeon Valley!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Bank Hotel

Istanbul

The Bank Hotel is in a former bank building on the financial street, so it has lots of character and it is beautifully designed and decorated inside. The location allowed easy proximity to many areas in the city. The room was comfortable and the breakfast was delicious. Staff was attentive.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely details throughout the hotel: high ceilings, crown moldings, original elevators and staircases.

Location

Many areas were within walking distance and the above ground train to The Hagia Sophia and Grand Bazaar was nearby.

Staff

Front desk, dining room, housekeeping, and doormen were friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit Zeyrek Cinili Hamam: Relaxing Turkish Bath + Beautiful Museum

İstanbul

Organized and thorough bathing experience. My skin was smooth and moisturized afterwards. The refurbished building is gorgeous.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver took us from the hotel to the hamam and back. He was on time and knew his way around the city.

Transport

Clean van.

Explore the Sultanahmet Square, Blue Mosque + Hagia Sophia

İstanbul

A trip to Istanbul would be incomplete without a visit to these sites. The above ground train got us there easily and our guide, Volcan, gave us the history of the place as well as key spots for pictures. A nearby restaurant was suggested and it was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Volcan was a wealth of information.

Thank you very much for your kind message and for organizing such a wonderful trip. My experience in Turkey was truly exceptional, and I would like to express my sincere appreciation for our guides — Cihan, Ugur, and Zebned — who made the journey so enriching and enjoyable.

Their professionalism, deep knowledge of Turkey’s history and culture, and genuine care for every detail made each moment memorable. I am truly grateful for their dedication and the excellent service provided throughout the trip.

Warm regards,
Ada Morales

Our trip to Turkey was absolutely amazing! Berat and Murat ensured that every detail of our itinerary was perfectly planned and executed. We were in great hands from start to finish.

Sumer, Alp, and Zekiye were incredibly knowledgeable about each site we visited. Their insights brought the history and culture of Turkey to life, and we learned so much from them. On top of that, they were all so kind, gracious, and welcoming—it was a true pleasure getting to know them.

Turkey is a stunning country with so much to offer, and thanks to this incredible team, our experience was unforgettable. We’re already looking forward to our next visit!

Hotel Reviews

Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton

Fatih Istanbul

Don’t stay in one of the mansions near the trolly tracks.. loud.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Olympos Mountain Lodge

Unique experience

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Akra Antalya Hotel

Antalya

Loud at night.. but beautiful location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Argos in Cappadocia

Nevsehir

Amazing hotel!! Beautiful and impeccable service.

Authenticity & Character

S

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Turkish Bath and Spa at Hürrem Sultan Hammam

İstanbul

Do this!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Berat, the local specialist for my tour masterfully customized an itinerary to fit my requests. He arranged and coordinated the guides, drivers, hotels and domestic flights for what turned out to be a flawless tour. I appreciated the reminders I received almost daily to inform me of the schedule and any action needed on my part.
In Istanbul, Mr. Volkan Akoluk was my terrific guide for two days. He quickly brought me up to speed on the history of the region and prepared me for the sights we were to visit. The two days never felt rushed yet we covered a lot of the historic sites.
In Ankara, Hattusa, and Cappadocia , Mr. Irfan did a wonderful job as we visited so many sites in four days. I especially enjoyed the fact that he had grown up in the area of Uchisar and with that he had personal stories of what life was like these last couple generations. My favorite experience was driving in at night my jaw dropping at the site of Cappodocia and my Kale Konak hotel bathed in a rosy glow.
In Izmir, with just one day left, I had the pleasure to enjoy Ephesus and Priene with Mr. Ozan Tokcan. As with the previous two guides, Mr. Ozan had incredible knowledge of the sites we visited as well as the history of the area.
And because I had just a taste of the beautiful area around Izmir, I will need to return.
Thank you for an amazing experience!

Hotel Reviews

Park Inn by Radisson Izmir

Izmir

Wonderful location with views of the harbor. Close proximity to the old section of the city and the piers.

Eyuboglu Hotel

Ankara

Very comfortable with a good location

Sirkeci Mansion Hotel

Istanbul

Located in the old town. Very nice hotel with a lovely breakfast.

Kale Konak Hotel

Simply magical

Authenticity & Character

Renovated to reflect a “cave” character

Location

Adjacent to the Castle

Staff

Professional

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover Priene: A beautiful ancient Ionian town

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discover the Volcanic Valleys of Cappadocia: Zelve, Pasabag, and Avcılar

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit the Ancient city of Hattusa (Hattuşaş)

Turkey

Quality of Experience

I

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit the Anatolian Civilizations Museum and Panoramic City Tour

Ankara

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

I

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

I

Istanbul: Bariş was amazing, knew everything and everyone, including most of the police officers.
Antalya: Gigi very sweet, didn't slow down at all, despite condition
Uraz: very physically fit, went lots of places, funny with Americanisms: "blah blah blah"

Zehra - what can I say she was amazing. Our group had made a mistake with the dates for our trip and Zehra worked all hours of the day and night to make our trip work with the new dates. Her recommendations were always spot on and the drivers and tour guides were amazing. We had the pleasure of having the expertise and guidance of tour guides Cengiz, Gökhan and Uraz. They all became our friends by the end of our time together. Zehra was available to us through out our trip and always answered our inquiries quickly. This is our second trip with KimKim and have been telling our friends about it. Thank you Zehra for your dedication to making our trip a special one.

Hotel Reviews

Pera Palace

Istanbul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

METT Hotel & Beach Resort

Muğla

This hotel was good, breakfast buffet was very good. We stayed in a villa and it was nice but nothing special about it, not homey or comfy. The whole resort is very dark at night and stairs to restaurant and to villa were not lit and was quite dangerous. Our outdoor lights were not working and asked the hotel to fix them and they did not. There was a dead rat on the beach and the staff did nothing about it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Can not walk anywhere from the resort must take taxi into town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lighting and friendliness of breakfast staff

Ruin Adalia

Antalya

This hotel has the potential to be a 4 star but the rooms and breakfast were lacking. However I think it is one of the better ones in the area. It was just a let down after our fabulous hotel in Cappadocia.

Authenticity & Character

The Character is there they just need to tweek it to make it a special place

Location

Only two restaurants within walking distance

Staff

very friendly at the bar

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms are lacking- thin small blanket on the bed, No coffee or tea in the room and breakfast buffet doesn’t start until 8:00. Buffet was not very good with limited choices and very weak coffee with no availability to order a latte etc.

Argos in Cappadocia

Nevsehir

Wow - absolutely breathtaking hotel- make sure you have dinner on the patio one night - if you have any mobility issues this is not a place for you. The cobble stone road is very steep, slippery when wet

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Soho House Istanbul

Istanbul

It was a great hotel and in a fabulous location. However I would not stay in rooms 1-9 during the weekend. (They are located downstairs close to the disco or party room. Friday night people kept leaving the hall door open people were coming down the hall until 3:00 am. We had asked the front desk to look into this and put a sign on the door to keep closed. They did nothing.

Location

Staff

Staff in restaurant were quite rude and dismissive so was the night desk manager

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amazing supplies and flat iron in the bathroom. Rooms 1-9 are very dark, they need more lights in the room

Activity Reviews

Exploring Antalya & Historical Sites

Antalya

Antalya was a great town it was a long day but we had a late lunch at a restaurant on the water and it was worth it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Pamukkale

Turkey

Really fun day -

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Ozkonak Underground City & Cavusin

Cappadocia

Very interesting I really enjoyed this

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bodrum: Black Island Boat Tour with Lunch

Bodrum

Such a lovely day- the captain and his staff were fabulous and trip included a fabulous lunch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wasn’t overall impressed with this driver had a box and a sign for tips

Explore The Landmarks of Cappadocia

Cappadocia

Great day - the history and architecture unbelievable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

ATV Sunset Ride in Cappadocia

Cappadocia

A lot of fun however the guides were a little obnoxious and kept doing stunts that just spread dust in the air and made it difficult to see

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Yacht Cruise Along Bosphorus

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Istanbul Walking Tour

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We have nothing but wonderful things to say about Burcu Kisakurek, Unison Travel, and the connection KimKim facilitated. Burcu was kind, attentive, and thorough from first contact to last, even though we didn't contact her to plan this trip until the last minute. She took great care of us, found us wonderful guides, made all adjustments necessary, and planned a fantastic trip, well beyond what we even knew to ask for. She stayed in close touch with us throughout our trip so that we knew we'd have help if we needed it (though we didn't because she'd done such a good job setting us up). Special shout-out to Cengiz Ozturk, who is a perfect and delightful guide of Istanbul and beyond.

This was our first time using KimKim and I had my fingers crossed that everything would run smoothly. Our trip to Türkiye was amazing! It started off wonderfully with Yigit waiting for us at the Istanbul airport after our 13 1/2 hour flight. He was so friendly and welcoming and we were driven to The Bank Hotel. A great first impression! Exhausted from our travels, they invited us inside and handled all of our luggage and immediately served us a drink of our choice in the lobby while they finished readying our room and ushered our bags up stairs. This level of service continued throughout the entire trip.

Our guide, Volkan, met us in the hotel lobby the next morning and while we sat he gave us a 45 minute brief historical introduction to Türkiye. We loved this! We really wanted to learn on this trip, and I wish we could have had Volkan as our guide for the entire trip. Not only was he knowledgeable, but he did a beautiful job of balancing guiding and directing us and talking with also giving us some time to wander and explore the sites at our own pace. When it came to the food, we would have been lost without him. He gave suggestions and there were many opportunities to try the various foods. We weren't quite prepared for the amount of hills and walking we would be doing in the city, but in hindsight it would be challenging to tour Istanbul by car, and we are so glad to have done it this way. Volkan also was familiar for good picture spots and invited our family to pose while he took several pictures of us with our camera. We really enjoyed him teaching us while we toured Topkapi palace so we could learn about the life of the sultans. The mosques were incredible and beautiful. Be prepared for motorcycles driving on sidewalks! :-D Volkan was very aware of his surroundings and did a great job guiding us through the busy places. We also bypassed the long lines because we had a guide with us. Super!

Berat and Murat communicated with us daily on our trip. This was so reassuring. The day before they would provide us with driver names, vehicle license, phone number, and times for each pickup. I was impressed at how everyone was on time and we were not left waiting. When we had a small bit of trouble at one hotel, Murat contacted them and smoothed things over, and the hotel even had wine and snacks waiting for us that day!

Our favorite place to visit was Cappadocia. After the masses of people in Istanbul, it was refreshing to see those views, and lunch at The Dream Spot took my breath away. What a way to start off Cappadicia! When we visited the Underground City, Volkan asked us if we had claustrophobia, and I told him I was mildly affected, and I didn't want to be trapped in the tunnels. He did a great job of making sure the tunnels ahead were cleared of people before having us walk through, and that made it very enjoyable with no moments of panic bent over in a passage waiting for people ahead to move. The hot air balloon ride was unlike anything we have ever done, and we were so glad the weather cooperated.

The only place we could have skipped was Izmir... it's a modern city. We think it was probably a necessary connection point for our travel day where we flew from Cappadocia back to the west coast. We met Ozan as our guide for Izmir, Ephasus, and Sirence. He was knowledgeable and friendly. We loved the mussels stuffed with rice that we sampled from a street vendor! I honestly didn't think I would like them, but I'm willing to try just about anything. When he found out we ran a math learning center, he took us to a summer camp/school/univercity in Sirence! This was an unexpected surprise, and it was the first time Ozan had been there as well. My only wish is that Ozan gave us a bit of time to explore on our own. At the museums he was excited to have us see certain things, but I would have liked a little unstructured time to view things at our own pace as well without being overly directed.

Our private boat tour in Bodrum was beautiful! I thought 6 hours might be too long, but with four stops for swimming (we were only promised three) and lunch served, it was a relaxing day towards the end of our trip. Bodrum was also wonderful for walking in the evenings.

A few notes below on our lodgings:

The Bank Hotel - amazing. Gorgeous architecture and this family loved the complimentary chocolates! The breakfast was so good. No complaints.
Hotel Taskonaklar Cappadocia - How exciting to have a hotel built into ancient ruins! Gorgeous accommodations. Our daughter's mattress had springs pushing into her and she ended up sleeping on the couch. When I found out, I flipped her mattress and all was well the second night. Be prepared for quite a few stairs outside. Again, the breakfast was amazing.
Mövenpick Izmir - nothing of note. Nice modern hotel.
Nisanyan Houses - This was a visual treat. The hospitality was wonderful and the food was so good, as was the view. The artistry in the rooms was lovely. All that said, we were glad we only spent one night here. The large bed had an uncomfortable, flat mattress, and my husband had to climb over me to get into and out of bed with the way it was framed and oriented against the wall. It was lacking in linens and only had a flat quilt (not a duvet) to cover us. The second bedroom had two beds. Our daughter had the larger bed and she said it was comfortable, but the other bed was only big enough for a child. Our 6 foot tall son and to sleep on the couch downstairs. The spiral staircase was treacherous without a handrail, and I was worried I'd accidentally fall into the sunken shower when using the bathroom during the night, so I left that light on. I attempted to make coffee, but when I turned the dial for the counter-top plug-in stove, I got an electric shock. The toilet ran non-stop, and we switched the water off between uses. (There was no phone to contact the lobby, and I didn't feel like navigating the walk up the stairs to tell them, so we waited until we left to report it. ) The stairs on the grounds were also very challenging with rough-hewn stone and no hand rails. It was a hike to get to the pool. It was a beautiful place for photos, visually delightful, and the owner was so nice I hate to say anything critical, but not somewhere I'd stay again. They could improve it by taking care of some of these issues, such as adding handrails.
Divan Bodrum Palmira - Very comfortable hotel! We ran into a few minor issues, but they were taken care of.

We would definitely use KimKim again for planning a trip like this to an unfamiliar country!

Hotel Reviews

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

This was a visual treat, and I want to give it a higher rating, as I think some people would love it here. The hospitality was wonderful and the food was so good, as was the view... the view was truly unmatched. The artistry in the rooms was lovely. All that said, we were glad we only spent one night here. The large bed had an uncomfortable, flat mattress, and my husband had to climb over me to get into and out of bed with the way it was framed and oriented against the wall. It was lacking in linens and only had a flat quilt (not a duvet) to cover us. The second bedroom had two beds. Our daughter had the larger bed and she said it was comfortable, but the other bed was only big enough for a child. Our 6 foot tall son and to sleep on the couch downstairs, and there were no extra linens. The spiral staircase was treacherous without a handrail, and I was worried I'd accidentally fall into the sunken shower when using the bathroom during the night, so I left that light on. I attempted to make coffee, but when I turned the dial for the counter-top plug-in stove, I got an electric shock. The toilet ran non-stop, and we switched the water off between uses. (There was no phone to contact the lobby, and I didn't feel like navigating the walk up the stairs to tell them, so we waited until we left to report it. ) The stairs on the grounds were also very challenging with rough-hewn stone and no hand rails. It was a hike to get to the pool. It was a beautiful place for photos, visually delightful, and the owner was so nice I hate to say anything critical, but not somewhere I'd stay again. We did not have a chance to enjoy the wonderful bread and jams they put in the fridge for us, but that was a lovely added touch. They could improve it by taking care of some of these issues, such as adding handrails and putting in a new mattress and enough linens. With handrails and a more comfortable bed and a safety barrier rail added to the shower, I would love to visit again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Uncomfortable beds and treacherous stairs. It was very clean, but not comfortable or safe.

Hotel Taskonaklar Cappadocia

Nevsehir

How exciting to have a hotel built into ancient ruins! Gorgeous accommodations. Our daughter's mattress had springs pushing into her and she ended up sleeping on the couch. When I found out, I flipped her mattress and all was well the second night. Be prepared for quite a few stairs outside. Again, the breakfast was amazing. Incredible views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had to flip a mattress, and there were also two different leaks we reported. It took a while to get the AC to cool everything down and dehumidfy everything.

The Bank Hotel

Istanbul

The Bank Hotel - amazing. Gorgeous architecture and this family loved the complimentary chocolates! The breakfast was so good with many selections. No complaints. Great location for walking tours of the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Boat Tour at Bodrum

Bodrum

The Private Boat Tour at Bodrum was enjoyable overall, but we faced an issue when the driver was not present at the expected pickup location upon return. Thankfully, the boat captain was very helpful and sorted the situation out, which showcased his commitment to our experience.

Guided Tour of Izmir: The Beautiful Port City of the Aegean Sea

Turkey

The Guided Tour of Izmir didn't quite meet the expectations. The city felt like a standard modern place, and it seemed to be more of a necessary stop due to travel logistics rather than a highlight of the itinerary.

Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

This was a lovely change of pace after some tough walking tours of Istanbul. Just the right length boat tour.

Food Tour in Istanbul

İstanbul

We can't really fit a food tour all in one day, because you can only eat so much! Volkan did a wonderful job of spreading this out and including it during our three full days in Istanbul.

Istanbul Archaeological Museum Tour

İstanbul

How was this museum not packed with people! So much to see an learn.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Another world! So much character and history. Just hearing the calls to prayer was so different for an American. The palace was fascinating, and the mosques were beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Volkan was the best! We couldn't have imagined a better guide. He really does a wonderful job of ensuring we had a full experience, but also gave us time to explore on our own and meet back up with him.

Transport

Thank you Berat for planning a wonderful trip. We enjoyed our stay in Istanbul. Everything went smoothly. We had an excellent guide and a nice hotel.

Hotel Review

Armada Hotel

Istanbul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Crossing between Continents: Explore Kadıköy and Moda

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Dolmabahçe Palace

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

I’m

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wonderful city and great to have things well planned in advance. With just two days, we were able to see the main sights plus a mosque that is off the beaten path. With Berat, we were able to have flexibility in our schedule which we appreciated. We loved this visit and will likely come back!

Hotel Review

Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton

Fatih Istanbul

We enjoyed this unique hotel perfectly located around the main sights to see. The staff were helpful and the room was great.

Authenticity & Character

Cute houses

Location

Perfect for a short stay in the city centre.

Staff

Everyone was very courteous and helpful for restaurant recommendations.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nothing to change. Keeping doing what you are doing.

Activity Reviews

Private Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

We really enjoyed being on the water and learning more about the land, the location of things, the buildings and history around the water way. We were somewhat surprised by the size of the boat for the private tour. The boat was amazing but we're not sure if there were smaller options available for private tours. Certainly felt like luxury :)

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

It was great to see the bazaars and learn more of the ottoman period. We are not big shoppers but our guide was able to point out high quality, specific places of interest to us.

Explore the Sultanahmet Square, Blue Mosque + Hagia Sophia

İstanbul

Berat was very informative and efficient to get all spots in yet not feeling rushed or crowded. The history was particularly interesting.

all of our guides were great - very knowledgeable and on time and respectful and the transportation arranged was ideal!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Taskonaklar Cappadocia

Nevsehir

great location - great views and super fun to be in this cave hotel

Pera Palace

Istanbul

great location history and a very accommodating and friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

the breakfast included was excellent - very authentic and over the top in selections and quality of food

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

the rooms were great and the common areas lovely in every way.

Activity Reviews

Wine Pairing Dinner at Revithia Cappadocia

Cappadocia

this restaurant had a great view and the staff was super friendly but the food didn't feel super authentic and was a bit fussy. that said, the plates, bowls and the serve ware was very artsy and amazing!

Cappadocia E-Bike Tour - Full Day

Cappadocia

Guides were great - bikes were great- super fun day!

This review is from Corinne. I did not receive the email asking for a review so Susan forwarded it to me.

It was an amazing trip. Turkey is such a beautiful country, so much history and some of the most hospitable people I have ever met. For a two week trip, Berat set up a schedule that allowed us to see so many places and enjoy many experiences. I got a taste of Turkey, and want to go back eventually to see the places that time just did not allow.

Our three guides, Volkan, Alp and Ozan were incredibly knowledgeable and were able to answer all of our questions. While they had very individual styles, it was clear that they loved their country and were happy to share their knowledge and impressions with us. They were very attentive and helpful. And the drivers also deserve praise--they drove some very long distances, maintained good attitudes and were quite helpful.

In summary, Berat planned a wonderful trip and everything went very smoothly. Thanks for a great time!