Kimkim Trip Reviews for United Kingdom

We recently used Aleksandra to plan our trip to London and Paris, and she was absolutely amazing. She handled every detail—hotels, activities, and travel between cities—with such care and expertise. Everything was seamless, and her recommendations were spot on.

She made the entire process so easy for us. Aleksandra was responsive, organized, and really listened to what we wanted. Thanks to her, we were able to relax and fully enjoy our trip without any stress. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a smooth, well-planned travel experience!

We had a great experience using kimkim and Tetiana for our UK vacation. Tetiana worked with us to suggest and finalize a good balance of scheduled tours and self exploration. We had a couple days in each London, Oxford, and Bath for our week of vacation. Highlights included a private walking tour with a retired royal guard. The history of London he shared with his experiences as a royal guard were educational and entertaining. In Oxford, we had a small group tour of the Cotswolds that was a great half day of seeing a number of villages. In Bath, we decided to explore on our own with suggestions of things to see. In all three locations, we had amazing stays at the inns Tetiana selected for us - all were charming with access to pubs, transportation and more local flare. It was so nice to have all the hotels, train tickets, and tour tickets prepaid and we greatly appreciated kimkim's web site where we quickly had access to all our electronic tickets, descriptions of our inns, our itinerary and chat with Tetiana if we needed anything. We absolutely will use kimkim again and tell all our friends!!

Aleksandra started with good questions to fully understand our needs and plans for our London trip. From those questions Aleksandra built a good trip plan with our interests and it truly was exactly what we wanted vs selling us ideas we didn’t want. I appreciated her responsiveness and making sure all of the details were covered. All of the transfers went as planned. Aleksandra assisted us with obtaining great Hamilton and Phantom theater tickets. We liked our day in the Cotswold through English Bus and the attention to providing an in depth experience. I would highly recommend Aleksandra with Good Vibes through KimKim.

Hotel Review

The Westminster London, Curio Collection by Hilton

London

Great location, great staff. Breakfast offerings were good and slightly above average.

Authenticity & Character

The helpful concierge staff

Location

Walkable to Westminster, Parliament and longer walk to Piccadilly.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room and bed were all kept very clean

Activity Reviews

Shakespeare's Stratford and Cotswolds

England

Liked the bus driver/tour guide and his ability to offer insights while driving. He was very knowledgeable and easy to listen to.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hampton Court Palace & Windsor Castle Private Car Tour from London

London

We liked having a dedicated black cab driver and car to tour the locations. Driver was very friendly and pleasant to have for the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Royal London Tour: Changing of the Guard and More

London

We enjoyed our walking tour guide and her efforts to tailor the morning walk to our needs

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bustronome

London

Great way to see many sights of London and have a relaxed dinner as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

London Secret Food Tour

London

The experience was good just a very busy area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This mother-daughter trip was organized by the awesome Aleksandra, who helped us in every step of the way with hotels, activities, tours, and everything we needed to have a great trip. We visited London, Edinburgh, Inverness, Glasgow and Dublin.
I will write as much as possible for each city.
- London: The hotel in London was comfortable, although the beds were very small, everything else was good, especially the room cleaning service. The breakfast was excellent. Our private Royal tour with Diana in Spanish was very good, the walking pace was calm and she explained in a detailed way the places we visited. The Shakespeare's Stratford and Cotswolds tour was nice, however, the time in each place was short and the group was very large which made it difficult for us to follow the guide. The Afternoon tea at Fortum & Mason was amazing, we had a great time and the manager explained every single detail about this tradition to us.
- Edinburgh: The hotel in Edinburgh was nice, the room was comfortable, large, and clean. The breakfast was good but limited in the dishes that they offered. We asked for a decaf coffee and they reluctantly gave us a press full of coffee, it wasn't until we spoke to the manager that they brought a cup and apologized. The hotel's location is excellent, you only need to take a bus to get to the center and the hotel's area is calm. Please, warn others NOT to take the tram, it is too far from the hotel. The Old Town private tour was rushed, full of relevant information and interesting historical facts. Gains, our guide, is an amazing guide, and patient, he allowed me to translate to my mom the information he was sharing with us. Possibly not fully appreciated because we visited the old town at night. The St Andrews & Kingdom of Fife tour was very nice, our guide shared great information, and he gave us the correct amount of time for each stop without rushing. Many places, especially the cathedrals like St Giles and St Andrews were closed during the whole time we were there.
- Inverness: The Ness Walk Hotel is the best hotel we've ever visited. It is a gem of Scotland. Inverness is a really small town but the hotel has a great location. Everything about the hotel was amazing, from the customer service to the hotel room, simply wonderful. The Ultimate Isle of Skye Tour was great, Emma showed us relevant sites during the tour. The bus was full and it was kind of uncomfortable but everything we visited was amazing.
- Glasgow: The Adress Hotel has very basic and small rooms. The bathroom is too small, especially the shower. Service upon arrival was slow and the hotel keys were disabled when we wanted to go up to the room. Absolutely NO ONE helped us with our bags, we were just told “There is an elevator”. I recommend this hotel for a few days for its good location but everything else is bad, to be honest. We booked a free tour online in Spanish with "Somos Escocia", highly recommended.
- Dublin: We honestly didn't have enough time in Dublin. This city is amazing, the people are warm and nice, and the city is lively and fun. The Cliffs of Moher was a great tour, the weather was amazing that day but the description said "small group" and it was a big group! like 40 people in a big bus. The tour was not bad at all but it wasn't a small group tour.

Got back a week or so ago from a 'UK Highlights Trip.' Trip itself was 14 days, including 2 days for air travel. We were able to hit Ireland, Scotland, and England....overall, I would say every interaction I had with locals was pleasant, everyone was very friendly, and didnt feel unsafe....

Planning for the trip through KimKim took a lot of the guesswork out of the plannig the logistics for going city-to-city, offering suggestions on the top things to see and do in each city, based on our preferences, and they were able to set a lot of it up and manage for us (domestic flight, trains, tours, etc). Would like to thank Emily, Romane, Salome, and Stephen, who were all very helpful.

With taveling 14 days, we did understand and anticiapte the potential of a fewtravel hiccups, here and there (train delays / cancellations, for example). Any issues we did have, KimKim was very responsive in getting back to us and making sure the they were resolved in a reasonable time, and we were satisifed.

these are some highlights from each spot we hit:

-Dublin - really cool city. if you're going, definitely plan at least 2 days... would recommend getting a drink at the Brazen Head, one of Irelands oldest pubs (going back to 1100s). We also checked out the Viking Museum, Church of Christ Cathedral, and Guiness Factory... we closed one of the days out at the Church Bar and Restaurant

Day 2 was St Patricks Cathedral, Dublin Castle, Dublin Masonic Lodge, Trinity College Library / Book of Kells Experience, and the popular Temple Bar!

Day 3 - Galway Ireland - take a train from Dublin, to this cool, underrated city...some of the medieval fortifications are still standing, and one of the guides did mention that Christopher Columbus had visited it at one point.

Day 4 - we took a bus trip, which featured a short stop to Dunguaire Castle, and Cliffs of Mohr

Day 5 - we took a flight from Galway to Edinburgh, Scotland....would recommend taking a walk to Calton Hill, one of the highest view points of the city. we had dinner at The Dome, which featured wonderful ambiance, and if you're a fan of Harry Potter, would check out The Department of Magic, where you can make magic 'potions'

Day 6 - Edinburgh walking tour, and Edinburgh Castle - you can easily spend a whole day here...right next to it is St Giles Cathedral. Very underrated pizza place btw, check out Dough Pizza

Day 7 - Inverness, Scotland...we took a 3-4 hour train ride to Inverness, Scotland, where we took a tour of Clava Cairns, which were an important place for ritual activity, and thought to be older than Stonehenge, going back 5000 years...as well as Culloden Battlefield - now more well known, due to 'outlander,' it was the site of the last battle of the Jacobite uprising. Food and Drink, check out Aye Eat, and Scotch and Rye

Day 8 - Isle of Skye Bus tour - highly recommend booking this 2 day tour

Short hike to Rogie Falls, followed up by a trip to Dunvegan Castle, which dates back 800 years to clan MacLeod;
additionally saw other famous landmarks of Skye, including Kilt Rock, Lealt Falls, and the Old Man of Storr;
we wrapped it up with a Highland Cow encounter, and short walk around the small town of Portree

-Day 9 - York - -We visited York for a quick overnight stay - would have liked to check that city out further had we have had time, as i found it interesting some of the city's original medieval wall was still standing

Day 10 / 11 - London - Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and Churchhill War Rooms

Hotel Reviews

Harbour Hotel

Galway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ashling Hotel Dublin

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tigerlily

Edinburgh

Service, rooms, and breakfast service were all superb - i did however have to do laundry here, and it may have been cheaper just to buy new clothes from one of the gift shops than pay them to do it, so just something to keep in mind when traveling with light luggage

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

River Ness Hotel, a member of Radisson Individuals

Inverness

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

No.1 York

York

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Plaza London Riverbank

London

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit of Christ Church Cathedral

Dublin

Galway Private Walking tour

Galway

Cliffs of Moher Day Trip from Galway (small group)

Galway

Secrets of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile - walking tour with castle tickets

Edinburgh

Tower of London Timed Entry Tickets

London

Two-day tour of Skye from Inverness

Scotland

Churchill War Rooms Small-Group Walking (plus discovery of the area around Westminster) Tour

London

Tickets for St Patrick Cathedral, Dublin

Dublin

Trinity College Library : The Book of Kells Experience

Dublin

Culloden Battlefield private tour

Inverness

Tickets to Westminster Abbey

London

Fanny, Sarah and Pauline all helped us plan our perfect trip to London and Paris! Kimkim helped make the process of traveling to another country super easy and helped walk us through using their public transportation systems. We were very happy with everyone we worked with, and especially the response times of updating or rescheduling things that came up during our time over there. It made making changes on the fly super quick and easy. Thank you Kimkim. We will definitely use this service on our next European vacation!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Fior d’Aliza

Paris

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Express Southwark

London

Super nice continental breakfast every morning and lots of great pubs and coffee shops nearby. Pretty standard chain hotel accommodations. A little far some of the main attractions on the other side of the river, but very affordable to take an uber, and/or nice easy walk along the river to get back.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Somewhat far from the main attractions in London, but very easy to get an uber to get where you need to go. The walk along the river is also very beautiful and easy to get to with beautiful views.

Staff

They got us into a room way earlier than our check in time which was great since we had an early flight and were very jet-lagged!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean and decent sized rooms, the beds were on the smaller size though and not super comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Harry Potter Studio Tour from London (with transport)

London

This was one of my favorite activities from our whole trip! Great for any Harry Potter fans! They did have three pickup spots along the transportation route which made the trips their and back take a little longer. Getting off and on at the last pickup spot might be more ideal so you're not waiting as long to get there. The props and tour was absolutely incredible to see and the food and overall experience though was a 10/10!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tickets to Westminster Abbey

London

We loved getting to see such a historical and beautiful church! There is so much more to see even after we were done with the audio tour. The audio guide was super easy to follow and worked well with the size of the church. You could move and see things throughout the tour at your own pace. The line to get in also moved pretty quickly as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tower of London Timed Entry Tickets

London

The Tower and all the buildings were really cool to see, as well as the crowned jewels! The only thing I would have changed is using an in person guide instead of the audio guide. I didn't feel like it really gave that interesting of information and it was kind of hard to follow based on where you were since the area around the tower is so vast. We found ourselves more following the maps and physical information they put up around the castle grounds and not really listening to the audio guide. I just think having someone lead a tour might have been a little easier and more informational.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Timed tickets to Le Louvre

Paris

It is definitely a must see in Paris, the architecture alone is very iconic. It was amazing to see some of the most famous paintings and sculptures in the world. I don't think the audio guide was worth it at all though. It was incredibly hard to follow and with the museum being so large we found ourselves following the physical signs around the museum to get to where we wanted to go and barely used the audio guide. I would have preferred to have an actual tour guide show us the most important pieces and talk about them more in detail. The information on the audio guide wasn't that useful or interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The audio guided tour was not worth it.

Transport

Night Cruise on the Seine with Music & aperitif (With drinks included - 1 glass of Wine)

Paris

We loved the boat cruise! The only bummer was they had to skip half of the stops due to the rain I believe, but the view was incredible from the water. It was kind of hard for us to find the loading point, so I would be a little more detailed in where the boat is actually picking them up, because just giving the port wasn't super helpful as it is a big area and hard to find what boat you are getting on at night.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jane and Sarah worked with us to create an amazing three week trip to the UK. Their planning was seamless--and they even helped us make a couple changes as we traveled. They arranged transportation, hotels, and tours complete with incredible guides for my wife's 55th birthday/bucket list trip, visiting castles and cathedrals, museums and highland hikes. They even had dining recommendations that we found to be on the money! I would absolutely recommend working with them and KimKim; their experience and knowledge combined to send us on the trip of a lifetime!
Thank you so much ladies!

Hotel Reviews

Park Plaza London Riverbank

London

Our visit to the Park Plaza was disappointing--we visited several hotels on our visit to the UK, all four and five star properties--and the Park Plaza was the only one without any water or snacks in the room, and the only one that charged us for early check in. The beds were comfortable, the rooms were clean, but the bathrooms were in need up updating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Glen Mhor Hotel

Inverness

We really enjoyed the Glen Mhor hotel--the location was fabulous, the staff was wonderful, the room was comfortable and clean. The restaurant was great; the tour of the brewery/distillery was a blast! If we make it back to Inverness, we'll definitely book here again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Novotel London Tower Bridge

London

Our stay at Novotel London Tower Bridge was wonderful. The hotel is in a great location near the Tower of London and provided a comfortable beginning to our trip. We found it to be a perfect start to our journey.

Nevis Bank Inn

Fort William

Staying at Nevis Bank Inn in Fort William was a cozy experience. We appreciated the studio apartment setup which allowed us to make meals. The hospitality was top-notch.

No.32 Hotel

Edinburgh

The experience at No.32 Hotel in Edinburgh was mixed. The location was great, but my wife found it not very comfortable.

The Grand, York

North Yorkshire

The Grand in York exceeded our expectations. It was a true five-star experience, and we were delighted by the thoughtful touch of chocolate-dipped strawberries and a happy birthday note for my wife. The staff was welcoming, and the accommodations were luxurious.

Hotel Indigo

Chester

Hotel Indigo in Chester was accommodating and comfortable. We appreciated the early check-in as we arrived earlier than expected.

Hotel Indigo Cardiff, an IHG Hotel

Cardiff

Hotel Indigo Cardiff was pleasant, but the lack of windows in our room was a downside. Also, the limited menu at the hotel restaurant was a bit disappointing, but we understood there were staffing constraints.

Activity Reviews

Overnight Caledonian Sleeper Train between Scotland & London

London

We did not enjoy the Sleeper--there was no where to sit in the sleeper room, the food was uninspired. The bed wasn't very comfortable; sleep was hard to come by with the train noise and movement.

Quality of Experience

Afternoon Tea

Fort William

Delightful! yummy, quiet, wonderful. We were unaccustomed to Afternoon Tea--what a great surprise to find a delicious assortment of sandwiches, scones, and treats!

Private Guided Hike of Ben Nevis

United Kingdom

Peter was great! Knowledgeable, experienced, and accommodating--the day's weather was not suitable for a hike up the mountain, so he took us on a great alternative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

Gareth was a fantastic, knowledgeable and personable guide. Two thumbs up!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hampton Court Palace, Afternoon Tea & Return Transport

London

Garaint was fantastic, as was Tea! Definitely recommended!

We were knocked out by the variety, depth and professionalism we experienced during our travel adventures. This was one of the best travel experiences we've ever had. We could never have dreamed up the countless escapades we got to be a part of and were so appreciative of the accessibility and ease of it all!

We explored museums, castle ruins, and ancient villages and dined in cozy pubs in the middle of vibrant world-class cities. We had some of the finest guided tours I've ever been on (the Edinburgh literary tour and Cotswold Tour in Bath were standouts). But we were most impresssed by our KimKim travel specialists, Pauline and Sarah (and earlier on Neil), who not only put together this unforgettable travel experience for us but who were available to us at every turn.

In fact, they managed to transform a potential disappointment (due to an unexpected train incident) into one of the most exciting days of our long vacation by rescheduling a much-anticipated river cruise for us. We were able to sneak in a spontaneous visit to the Greenwich Museum and see a show at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre because of the way they thoughtfully configured our day. (We even had a chance to visit with some of the actors at the Swann afterward)! Pauline was as warm and attentive as she was thoughtfully professional as she worked to troubleshoot the inevitable unexpecteds that travel brings.

Our accommodations, while varied, were universally safe, clean and served delicious breakfasts. We were especially fond of our accommodations at the Grosvenor Arms in Bath, where we found the company of our host Richard genial and engaging. The Crown Inn at Penrith was our coziest night of sleep and the hardworking staff was personable, warm and gracious. We loved our travel itinerary in the Lakes District and the fascinating visit to beautiful ruins of Lowther Castle.

There is an endless array of memories to meditate on over the coming winter. One thing is certain: we will be trusting our next travel adventure with Kim Kim!

Hotel Reviews

Grosvenor Villa

Bath

Grosvenor Villa was really lovely. It had a charming atmosphere with the host being very personable. The setup was cozy with a piano and fireplace, making it a great communal space. My husband, being a musician, enjoyed playing the piano there. It was a delightful stay, and the breakfast was excellent, featuring delicious food. The hospitality stood out, and the ambiance added to the relaxing experience.

Crown Inn Pooley Bridge

Penrith

Crown Inn Pooley Bridge was incredibly quiet and cozy, giving us our best night's sleep during the trip. It's a dog-friendly location, which is wonderful for pet lovers, but perhaps not ideal for those with allergies. I appreciated the peaceful setting and the overall comfort of our stay.

Angel's Share Hotel

New Town, Edinburgh

Angel's Share Hotel in Edinburgh had a cosmopolitan and edgy feel, which was a fresh change of pace. The aesthetic was distinctly modern, and while it wasn't as warm as some other places, the service was accommodating, with our room ready upon arrival. The overall ambiance was enjoyable although it felt a bit less intimate.

ibis Styles London Gloucester Road

London

Our stay at the hotel was a bit of a mixed bag. While it was an understandable price point for a central location like Kensington, the hotel felt a bit too commercial for my liking. They had a quirky subway theme, which included 'mind the gap' decor, but it was a bit much after a day of train travels. Our room was small, and we barely had space to move around. One of the lifts was broken, and although there was another working one, it was a bit of a hassle. Having to deal with many stairs wasn't ideal either, especially when mobility could be a potential issue for some.

Activity Reviews

Lowther Castle

United Kingdom

One of our favorite experiences was visiting Lowther Castle. The ruins are off the beaten path, and it was a great recommendation from our guides that truly added a unique touch to our trip. I thoroughly enjoyed the Castle's ambience and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable historical site.

Johnnie Walker Tasting Experience - Whisky Explorers

Edinburgh

The Johnnie Walker Tasting Experience was a pleasant surprise for us as casual drinkers. We had an excellent guide, and despite it being her first launch, she did a commendable job. I'd recommend this to whisky lovers and those who are curious alike.

The Bath Gin Company Distillery Tour & Tasting Experience

Bath

The Bath Gin Company Distillery Tour & Tasting Experience was nothing short of amazing. Our guide was remarkable, and it was fascinating to go behind the scenes and witness the inner workings. The quality of their product speaks for itself, and I'm hopeful for their great success. A must-visit for gin enthusiasts!

Literary tour of Bath

Bath

The Literary tour of Bath was fantastic, particularly the Jane Austen experience. It was well-written, comprehensive, and beautifully presented. The guides were top-notch, enhancing the entire visit with their depth of knowledge.

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Our visit to Edinburgh Castle was a bit disappointing as we missed our guided tour slot due to unforeseen circumstances. Although we managed to do the audio tour, it felt like a lost opportunity. The site was extremely busy, probably due to a bank holiday, which added to the regret.

Awesome trip, well planned and perfectly executed, from the start, the day we arrived on the 15th in London to the last day the 24th in Edinburgh. The Wellington Hotel by Blue Orchid in London and Leonardo Royal Hotel in Edinburgh was perfect, centrally located, and walking distance from all the meeting points / attractions. The schedule was very well planned with plenty of downtime to enjoy family time and relaxed dinners.
Our trip included view the changing of the guards, the war museum, was memorable. The private Jane Austen tour was fantastic, our guide Kevin was very knowledgeable provided unique insight. Our trip to the stone hedge, Dover castle, Canterbury, Cliffs and Kent was a lot of fun and got to see some of the less tourist traveled locations.

In Edinburgh, the visit to the Castle and watching the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo was the a great start on the first day. Planning a trip to Edinburgh again just to watch the Military Tattoo again soon. Our Whiskey tour with Graham (driver / guide) was amazing made the trip informative and very enjoyable. Trip to Lock Lomond and Stirling castle with Pete (driver / guide) was fantastic and got some great family pictures.
Overall, my family and I enjoyed the trip and created awesome family memories. Thank you Jane and Sarah for putting together a great travel itinerary and executing it flawlessly.

Hotel Reviews

Wellington Hotel by Blue Orchid

London

Good breakfast and very helpful and friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located and close to major attraction and at the same time tucked in a quite neighborhood.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leonardo Royal Hotel Edinburgh

Edinburgh,

Currently some parts of the hotel under construction, but still has a very good stay. Friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located and close to major attraction.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

London Globe Theatre Tour

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Tea at Harrods

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Churchill War Rooms Small-Group Walking (plus discovery of the area around Westminster) Tour

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tickets to Westminster Abbey

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

JANE AUSTEN PRIVATE TOUR BY CAR

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Best of Royal London - including Tower of London and Westminster Walk

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Buckingham Palace

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Stonehenge half day tour from London

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Small Group Canterbury, Dover Castle and Cliffs & Kent Villages Day Tour

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ultimate Whisky Experience tour from Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Tour

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This trip was a dream and planned absolutely perfectly. Aleksandra at KimKim planned the perfect activities for our group and made everything so smooth and easy for us. We literally just had to show up. She took the stress out of traveling. We went to England, Scotland and Ireland and loved it all. Our favorite was Scotland, particularly the Inverness area, and it's due to the best travel guide I've ever experienced -- Sandy. He was so knowledgeable and entertaining, I wish he could have stayed on for the whole trip. ha.

I would 100% recommend KimKim, and have already spread the word to anyone who will listen. I'm planning another trip for next year and will absolutely use them again then and in the future.

We had an amazing experience thanks to Jane and her team!

The team introduced us to experiences that we would never have thought of on our own and we will always cherish those memories. Whenever we experienced an issue or a question with our trip plan, we contacted the team and they responded immediately to resolve our issues. This was one of our priorities based on several friends’ experiences with other tour companies.

Lessons learned: (1) Make sure that you understand what amenities are offered at hotels. A couple of our accommodations did not provide lifts and it was difficult to get our luggage to and from our rooms. (2) Because the weather was unseasonably warm in London, it would have been nice to be aware whether the hotel had air conditioning.

We would definitely use KimKim again and recommend them to our friends and family.

Hotel Reviews

The Haymarket Hotel

Edinburgh

The room was very disappointing. It didn’t have the charm that I think it was selected to provide. Bed was uncomfortable to the point that it made sleeping difficult.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Head of the River

Oxford, Oxfordshire

We enjoyed the hotel’s character but it may not be for everyone. Location was good and the staff was very accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fairmont hotel

St andrews

This was by far our favorite hotel. Breakfast was amazing! We would definitely stay here again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Although located outside of town, they offered regular shuttle service that was convenient and readily accessible.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maldron Hotel Glasgow City

Glasgow

The room was small and did not have adequate space for our luggage and belongings. Compared to the other hotels we stayed in, the breakfast was disappointing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Georgian House Hotel

Pimlico

We should have asked more questions upfront before staying here. There was no air conditioning and no lift. However, the location was within walking of the metro station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Grand, York

North Yorkshire

This was definitely one our favorites.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Yorktour Evening Express: Small Group Early Evening Walking Tour

York

Our guide was fabulous and since we were the only ones on the tour, she tailored her tour just for us. Definitely would recommend this for anyone visiting York for the first time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Scotch Whisky Experience Tour and Tasting

Edinburgh

We felt like this was a tourist trap but we enjoyed anyway.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bodleian Library Tour

Oxford

This is something we never would have considered without the help of Jane and her team. The docent was fabulous and we learned a great deal about Oxford University.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Punting chauffer in Oxford

Oxford

Again, this is something we never would have done on our own and we’re so glad that we were able to experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Tea at the Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh

Again, we would never have booked this on our own but an experience we will definitely remember.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Edinburgh Food & Drink Tour

Edinburgh

What a great experience. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we were able to experience restaurants and local cuisines that we would not have done on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

St Andrews Walking Tour of the Old Course

St Andrews

This was a highlight of our trip that we will always remember.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private transfer in town

United Kingdom

It was great having private transport! It was always on time and the vehicles were spotlessly maintained. In particular, our idrivers in St. Andrews were knowledgeable and enjoyed sharing their home with us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Best of Royal London - including Tower of London and Changing of the Guard

London

This was not what we expected but still enjoyable. Feel that there was too much time spent at the Tower of London (90 minutes) and not enough time at other sights on the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A Bookend Trip, We started our marriage with a trip that started in London 60years ago.
From the moment we started communicating with Megan we knew we were working with someone who would listen to our desires, wants and needs. She put together an amazing trip for us for our 60th wedding anniversary. We are seasoned travelers and know just how much can go off kilter. For our entire two weeks everything and everyone was on time and more than ready to provide top notch service. The staff at all four hotels - Lime Tree; Roseate in Bath; Lygon Arms in Broadway; Gilpin in Windermere; and finally Hotel du Vin in Edinburgh were very quick to recognize us and be very helpful.
Our Driver/Guides, Daniel (Bath walking tour), Alan Foster, Tony Gulliver and Nicky Godfrey-Evans all brought years of experience and knowledge to the task and adjusted quickly and easily to our limitations, my wife's walking ability had declined since we booked the trip. We particularly enjoyed pub lunches along the way at small out of the way pubs. We would happily tour again with any of them.

Hotel Reviews

Lygon Arms

Broadway

The building ranges from ancient to old to I have no idea. We stayed in the merely old - about 200 years old- section so the lack of a lift was to be expected. Our suite was large with plenty of storage. All the other aspects were up to date. Merely find ones way around was fun as we never knew what room we might find ourselves in, there was always staff to direct to where we needed to go. Step out of the front door onto the green with shops, restaurants and activities during the day. Dine in comfort in the main dining room or other spaces and enjoy breakfast in the dining room as well. We first visited 60 years ago and it took us a while to find our way back.

Authenticity & Character

The original structure dates back 600 years and the later addition was 200 years ago. There are sections built in the 1960s

Location

It is right in the middle of Broadway and and Stratford-Upon-Avon is close enough to enjoy dinner and a play

Staff

Always available and Gary seems to be everywhere one turns to carry to guide or just to chat.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Roseate Villa

Bath

Situated on Henrietta Street not more than 5 minutes walk from the Pultney Bridge most of Bath seem easily reachable on foot from this delightful hotel. There is a fine park just across the street as well. Do be prepared to face hills in this part of England. Our room was spacious and everything worked as expected. We both slept well in the comfortable bed. If I were to return to Bath I would not hesitate to stay here. Do be aware that there are steps and no lift. There was always someone to help us with the luggage.

Authenticity & Character

A small attentive staff made us feel very comfortable and welcome

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Lime Tree

London

This tiny hotel tucked into a corner is almost invisible from the street. Our room was just past the door from the reception which concerned us at first, but we never heard anything from that area. Everything about the hotel is small and especially the storage in our room was very limited and we travel light. We got to know the staff during our four night stay and they were most helpful with any request we made and often had suggestions before we asked. We had breakfast at the Buttery, which is part of the hotel, but not included in the rate. We slept well and were very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

If we were better at walking, the location was brilliant the Underground station at Sloan Square was 10 minutes walk and the Victoria Coaching station was around the corner. Even with our walking limitations we were able to wlak to lovely restaurants and to the Victoria Palace for a play.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel du Vin & Bistro Edinburgh

Edinburgh

This is another "hidden" hotel. The entrance is set back from the street in a courtyard and cars must stop on the street to off load luggage and passengers. The ground floor included reception, an open courtyard, an enclosed lounge and a lovely restaurant. The lift brought us to our room on 3 (one of two rooms on 3) and there was plenty of storage and space. Between the room and the bathroom there was a room that might have been a sitting room but contained a lovely old Claw foot tub. My wife is vertically challenged and was unable to access the tub. I'm not sure I could have myself. The shower was the most spacious shower I can remember. There were plenty of electrical connections including USB to let us charge all our devices - having two hearing aid chargers ups the challenge in finding connections.

Authenticity & Character

The interior was far more modern than than the other hotels we had stayed in this trip. The building itself seems to fit into the neighborhood.

Location

Walking distance to Edinburgh Castle - if we could have managed the steps and many places along the Royal Mile.

Staff

The hotel staff were superb. The restaurant staff a bit less helpful. There was a timing issue that was not properly communicated.Aalthough we were satisfied eventually, they gave us a discount for the trouble- this was unasked by us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We chose not to have the room made up for our second day since we were leaving the next day. Nonetheless fresh towels were provided.

Activity Reviews

Shard Viewing Platform

London

Its a fine overview of London, I would not say it is a must see.

Tour of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

London

The "tour" is mostly of the front of the house with an excellent presenter giving the History of the original theater and its any successors. We got to see back stage briefly since the house is not accessible and the only way to get to the upper balcony with a wheelchair was to use a property lift backstage.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was amazing.

Tour of the Royal Opera House

London

We were taken backstage, literally on the stage behind the performance stage and toured all the means for staging two different shows in a day. We saw props and costumes and wigs shops and so much more. We were taken to a dance studio where the dancers were taking their regular classes as well as warming up for their performances. Then we went out into the house and were able to see the stage and the building from the audience perspective from an upper balcony. This was a very exciting tour for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very enthusiastic and very knowledgeable

Full Day Driver Guide

United Kingdom

Murat was our driver with a stop in Stonehenge on the way to Bath. He is not a guide

Transport

Murat provided a comfortable car and was a competent driver

An evening watching a West End Show

London

Saw the last performance of Hamilton in the Victoria Palace after a 7 year run. Cannot repeat that!

Bath Private Tour

Bath

Daniel met us at the hotel and provided more driving than walking since he appropriately judged that my wife would not do well with lots of walking on the hills. We learned a lot about Bath and the surrounding area and saw glorious views from highpoints and also got to see many places when we were walking in the town. We also learned of a connection between Bath and our hometown Rochester NY which has an adjacent suburb Henrietta which dates to 1808 and is named for Henrietta Pultney. Daniel noted that connection the moment I said we were from Rochester.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Daniel was great!

The Roman Baths

Bath

The Roman baths are ruins under the Victorian era baths. To us it seemed less exciting than some other aspects of Bath. It was surprising to learn that this is the only hot springs in England.

Quality of Experience

Taxi Transfer: Stratford-upon-Avon (Evening)

United Kingdom

On time at both ends in comfortable car.

Transport

Farewell to Scotland

United Kingdom

Longest darn walk from parking to check in ever. Security was PITA worse than most common.

Quality of Experience

Make it easier to get to the building. Provide instructions about the path through to the gate area

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our taxi driver, Craig, was a star. He made sure we got as far as getting our luggage checked in and pointed out the route we needed to take.

The Merry Wives of Windsor

United Kingdom

Wildly funny performance of this Shakespeare comedy. Modern dress did not take anything away from the script.

Hill Top - The Home of Beatrix Potter

United Kingdom

Beatrix Potter was amazing. Her home is interesting, the gardens are glorious. I was less interested in this visit than in others since it is primarily a tourist sight with a lot of tourists. Others, I am sure, would feel very differently.

Lake Windermere Scenic Cruise

Lake District National Park

A pretty boat ride on a pretty lake. Great scenery. The narration was fine if difficult to hear.

Hadrian's Wall and the Pennines

United Kingdom

Wonderful scenery and the history is very interesting. Nicky, our driver guide, gave us a lot of detail for the construction and the history of the wall. The drive along the wall area was very beautiful and I would recommend anyone to take the time. Nicky found and interesting pub where we had a light pub lunch along the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This was our third day with Nicky. She was wonderful and especially attentive to our needs along the way.

Edinburgh Castle Entry

Edinburgh

Not rated - we overslept and did not even try to get up the hill.

We had a great experience with Aleksandra as our travel coordinator and planner. She was very responsive to any requests we had before the trip, and extra helpful during the trip with minor changes we made during.
Her love for travel and the excitement of new experiences is inspiring.

Hotel Reviews

Anantara The Marker Dublin

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Imperial Hotel

Cork

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leonardo Royal Hotel Edinburgh

Edinburgh,

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Smell of raw sewage in our room, Heating and Cooling controls did not work well.

Palace Hotel & Spa - Best Western Inverness

Inverness

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Broadford Hotel

Broadford, Isle of Skye

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cameron House

Alexandria

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mattresses need to get replaced

Activity Reviews

Dublin Private Walking Tour

Dublin

Connor was an outstanding guide and very passionate about the history of Dublin. He is an excellent teacher, and has a funny and engaging way of relaying information along the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Edinburgh Old Town Tour

Edinburgh

Kieran is excited and passionate about the history of Edinburgh and it shows in his presentation

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Vaults Tour

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip was just as we had been told. All of the big details had been taken care of, and things worked as they should. Every hotel was ready for us when we arrived, even though we arrived early. Each of the small tours which had been booked was ready for us. All details (loc ations, times, etc.) turned out to be on target. We went a couple of places on the recommendation of our kimkim staff, and were very pleased. We experienced a smooth, entertaining, and enjoyable trip, due to the work done by Jane and Cecilia.

We had a small scheduling issue during the planning stage which was resolved to our satisfaction. Once on the trip, things were just as we had been lead to expect.

Hotel Reviews

Hampton by Hilton Bath City

Bath

Pretty standard Hampton Inn hotel. Pleasant staff, details handled properly. Location well suited for wandering about the old city of Bath. Breakfast was the exact same menu every day, which got a bit old (we were there 5 days), but that was the only complaint we had.

Authenticity & Character

New building, no real character to it -- standard Hampton property.

Location

Easy walking around Bath sites

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Malmaison Oxford

Oxford

Neat rooms (in an old prison). Restaurant was quite good. Great breakfast options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Galtres Lodge Hotel

York

Older hotel, so no lift. Very nice staff, very accomodating. Excellent breakfast. Great location, right in the middle of old city York. Easy walk to Yorkminster, Shambles, city wall, etc. You may have difficulty getting dropped off at hotel -- no cars allowed 10 am - 5:30 pm (city ordinance). You get dropped off and half to walk a few blocks with your suitcases if you arrive during those hours.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

No.32 Hotel

Edinburgh

HUGE room! Quiet, comfortable hotel. Not really close to old town Edinburgh, but only 5 minutes from the tram stop which takes you right there. Older building, no lift. Manager went out of his way to be accomodating during our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Herriot and Yorkshire Dales Day Trip from York

York

Really enjoyed riding through the Dales. Our guide stopped several times just to let us get out and view the scenery (not just stopping at tourist traps).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day tour to the Cotswolds from Bath

United Kingdom

We had read about the Cotswalds in various books, so it was great to actually get to see them. Very beautiful stonework. Got a real sense of what a small English village can be.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tickets to Cardiff Castle

Cardiff

Cardiff Castle is pretty amazing. From old Roman fort to Norman construction to 19th century rebuilding in what they thought was medieval fashion, there was plenty to see. The site is quite large, with plenty to see and enjoy. We did the audio tour only, which was quite interesting.

Quality of Experience

Yorktour Evening Express: Small Group Early Evening Walking Tour

York

This was a great little walking tour! Our guide was very knowledgeable and quite pleasant. We enjoyed getting to know some of the history of York and its buildings. She also gave us several ideas for where to go over the next days.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half Day Guided Tour to Glastonbury

Bath

Dan was an excellent guide. he took time to learn what type of things interested us, and then shaped our tour accordingly Glastonbury attracts folk interested in history -- or in New Age spirituallity -- or in architecture -- or in whatever. I appreciated we did nto have to hear all about things which did not interst us, but could focus on what we liked. Climbing the Tor provided amazing views! The Chalice Well Garden was very pretty, and the Glastonbury Abbey ruins were something to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dan was informative and easy to be with.

Jane and her team planned a wonderful trip to England! We experience the beautiful countryside villages of the Cotswolds and London including the British Museum, Kew Gardens and Windsor Castle. The roadmap gave us personal time to enjoy the British culture and food while allowing us to explore beyond our scheduled activity.

Hotel Reviews

Henrietta House, a member of Radisson Individuals

Bath

Fun historical site!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Kings Arms

Stow-on-the-world

Very intimate and historical

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Noel Arms Hotel

Chipping Campden

A great place to rest and enjoy!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Tower Hotel

London

Wonderful amenities and service!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Garden Inn London Heathrow Airport

London

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hop-on, Hop-off Bus

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer

United Kingdom

Cookie was great!! He was very flexible and helpful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hidcote Gardens Visit - Arts and Crafts inspired intricately designed spaces

United Kingdom

Just a beautiful place!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tickets to British Museum

London

Wow what a historical and important museum! It requires more time than we had planned!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Simply Windsor Castle - Afternoon Tour with transport

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Entry tickets to historic Kew Gardens

London

A world renowned garden! Unbelieveably beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Justine was great. Entire trip was seamless and exceeded expectations. Hotels were excellent and tours were excellent. The weather allowed us extensive walking in each city. Very happy and would definitely use the Kim Kim team again.
toby

Hotel Reviews

The Yard in Bath

Bath

Great setting with great showers.

Authenticity & Character

cute as

Location

just enough away from the centre to be quiet

Staff

knowledgeable and helpful with directions

Cleanliness & Comfort

great bath towels

The Grand, York

North Yorkshire

Get the breakfast buffet, amazing. Spa was great.

Authenticity & Character

historic and feels like the lux hotel it is

Location

Quiet and close to train station

Staff

proper

Cleanliness & Comfort

robes and slippers

Activity Reviews

Bath: Guided Ghost Tour

Bath

great guide

Quality of Experience

guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

animated

Walking Tour of Bath with a Blue Badge Tourist Guide

Bath

great guide, funny. Bob

we had an amazing family trip to the UK and the pre trip experience was great too! the itinerary was excellent with the hotel selections and the guided tours.

Hotel Reviews

The Grand, York

North Yorkshire

2 minute walk from the train station and a short walk into the center of town so a perfect location for exploring and a beautiful hotel. we arrived at 7:30pm and had a delicious dinner in the restaurant which was so perfect after travelling all afternoon and i highly recommend the breakfast buffet. spa area was fine. our rooms were large, spotless and very comfortable. staff was very friendly and helpful. this might have been my favourite hotel of our week.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Yard in Bath

Bath

cute, well appointed, great location, friendly staff. we sat in the lounge after dinner the first night playing games, i also enjoyed sitting in the foyer with all the windows with my tea in the morning and a glass of wine at night.

Authenticity & Character

clean and nice simple design choices. lots of greenery in the foyer made for a beautiful entrance

Location

easy walk to the center of town

Staff

friendly, accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

rooms are small but the bathrooms are a good size - we had a huge shower with great water pressure and nice lotions/shampoo etc.

Activity Reviews

The Best of York on Foot

York

our guide Sarah was amazing. we loved this walking tour. small group size is nice and sarah is so knowledgeable, well travelled and well spoken.

Quality of Experience

great to do on our first day to get our bearings and learn so much history - nice to start at 10:30 as the kids were happy to sleep in!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

sarah was amazing

Bath: Guided Ghost Tour

Bath

our guide was fun and very knowledgeable. a fun activity to do after dinner.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit to York Minster with Guidebook

York

self guided tour. was nice to have tickets pre booked and to get in early before the crowds

Quality of Experience

Chocolate Bar Making at York Cocoa Works

York

chocolate bar making was a fun activity and the space was great. We preferred the authentic and smaller feel of the venue we visited. Overall, it was a great activity for the family.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

right in town - walked there

Walking Tour of Bath with a Blue Badge Tourist Guide

Bath

The walking tour of Bath with a Blue Badge Tourist Guide was a great way to get to know the city. The guide was informative and entertaining, and we got to see all the major sights. The group tour format allowed us to meet other travelers and share the experience. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Bath.

I recently finished The Trip of A Lifetime. It could not have gone any better!
It began with an Orientation Call from Jonathan . He explained how traveling and planning with KIMKIM works, asked questions regarding things I did and didn’t want to do, other personalization goals and budget.
I soon heard from my personal agent, Jane. We had great text conversations. Jane was patient with my endless questions and concerns; I was traveling alone for the first time, my first time international, and my first plane ride in nearly 20 years.
I proudly labeled myself as the anti-tourist, lol. I didn’t want to go near any trite locations that many tourists flock to just because everyone else does.
I wanted Ancient History, I wanted Ancient Religions, I wanted Archeology. Don’t send me to churches, don’t send me to rote performances. I wanted my own desires, not be a stereotype American Tourist.

Jane went to work straight away.

I had one location and specific dates that were mandatory: The British National Dressage Championship, September 14-17. I didn’t care when I went to nor left the UK. Everything built around that event.

Jane would send me ideas, questions, clarifications and I would send her ideas, questions, locations that looked to hold/meet my desires.
Jane was quick to learn me and my tastes, I’m an “odd bird”, lol, and very much an anti-tourist with different goals and expectations.
We clicked very well and spent six months planning my trip.

This was a TRUE bucket list trip.
I have an incurable blood cancer. It is dormant, yet it can become active at any time. This was my one and only time to physically navigate such a trip. I had been tested and scanned and was given the ok by my doctor to make this trip.

I had given Jane a rundown of my medical conditions and the limitations they impose on my strength, stamina, functions, etc..
She seamlessly worked assistance and help into every movement, hotel, travel and train.

The end result was a magnificent trip! Eleven cities in 30 days. Plus two days, one each way, of long distance travel.
I was supported, pampered and celebrated everywhere I went.
Jane, and her co-worker Flore were with me daily while I was actively traveling. We texted at least twice a day and I reported in daily to keep Jane and Flore apprised of my health(cancer).
They were on top of everything behind the scenes as well - there was a particular chain of hotels that my body found uncomfortable. Jane found an alternative option and we made the change. Flore discovered there was going to be a Train Strike that was going to impact my plans, so they found out more, made plan changes, asked me if I wanted to go with the pivot and we pivoted. Seamlessly. The whole trip was that simple; they handled every little detail and it put NO stress on me.
Jane, and Flore, also went above and beyond!
In one city I got digestively sick. I let Jane know I was cancelling an outing bc I was just too sick to leave the hotel. She checked in with me a number of times. There was once when I didn’t reply back in my normally swift manner, so Jane called the Reception/front desk and ask them to come to my room and check on me. Awww.
I wanted Ancient History - I got Roman, Celt, Pict, and more. I wanted Ancient Religion - Jane found a very Ancient Druid Worship site that dated back to 4,000 bc.
Yes. You read that correctly. That site was approximately 6,023 years only when I experienced it. It doesn’t get much older than that!
More Ancient History: I got to spend one night in a Castle, turned boutique hotel, built in 1380 ad.
Ancient archeology - one location had an active archeological dig site going on!
I even got to experience an archeological find I had seen discovered on The tv show called Time Team. All I knew of the day was I would be having a Private Guided Tour of an Ancient Roman city.
It was in the car ride over that the guides and I realized the destination was That One. I was fan-girling the entire drive over and the hours we were there. Other than a group of school children, I had the whole location to myself. BLISS. One of the guides even carried my phone and took candids as I walked along with the other guide. It turned out, as we said our goodbyes at my hotel, that they really enjoyed the day as well. They loved that I was so engaged, knew so many (few, really ) things, and wanted to learn so very much more.
And just how did it come about that I had such a glorious day? Jane. Jane found it - based on her knowledge of the UK and her knowledge about me.
I saw so many exciting things and places in 30 days, this day still shines brighter than the rest.
So
If you are of a mind to travel, KIMKIM is the only way to go.
Jane, and Flore, took my ideas and wants and needs, plugged in my sizable budget (see True Bucket List) and aligned them together for a breathtakingly beautiful and fantasmagorical experience.
I’d share more pictures here, yet I’ve 2,000 photos to search through - each a memory to delight in over and over.
Point being - I was listened to and made plans with a True Professional Travel Planner.
If I get to travel again, no matter the destination, I will always and only plan via KIMKIM.

Activity Reviews

London Globe Theatre Tour

London

To be in a small group of 8 gave lots of time to really hear and understand, ask questions and still absorb the ambiance.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

London Globe Theatre Performance

London

It was so fun! The play, by William Shakespeare , is titled “As You Like It”. Upon knowing this I researched it and watched a few different movie versions. This allowed me to enjoy what was happening without wondering what the plot was; this turned out to be ideal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer to your accommodation. Then check-in or bag-drop

Stoke on trent

My Travel Planner, Jane, made plans for this amenity at every location and stop for all 30 days of my trip. I have a medical need that this planning assisted.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Ride Around the Canal & Loch Ness including a Visit to Urquhart Castle

United Kingdom

Well, when this close to Loch Ness, you really must go for your trip to be complete, eh? It was a nice, though cold, ride over calm waters and properly narrated by the Captain. Once there, the Castle Ruin is lackluster. Though fully paved, the walkway is nothing BUT steep. I skipped walking the (very small) ruin and instead began the LONG STEEP walkway to the face/shop. I enjoyed the variety and bought some very functional cashmere socks and a very warm hat, both served me well during the remaining weeks of my trip. HOWEVER There is an EVEN STEEPER AND LONGER ascent to climb up to the parking lot and our tour bus. It was beyond exhausting, even for the Healthy people in our group. Yet, I’d have regretted not going - you only get one chance to be there.

Quality of Experience

Better walking path - handrails. Warning the it’s not so much a Castle Ruin as it is a glob of stones.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer in town

United Kingdom

It’s always nice to have transport that has had their assignment given in advance.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer

Hexham

I enjoyed both the luxury of being cared for as well as the personal interaction with a local person.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vindolanda

Hexham

My childlike wonder was alight. Seeing the last day of the active archeological site for the season was so cool. My geek flag flew high!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer to your destination

United Kingdom

It is so nice to relax and enjoy the ride and the conversation with your knowledgable and professional driver!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer

Cardiff

I can’t say enough about having a caring and professional driver!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tickets to Cardiff Castle

Cardiff

My only regret was my inability to climb 170 steps (each way up to and down from) to actually get to the ancient Keep. There is no alternative to the stairs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer from {{start_location}}{{end_location}}

Shrewsbury

I like the pampered feel of someone else getting me to my destination - no stress and the driver is always personable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Stonehenge, Avebury and Cotswolds Villages Small Group Tour

Bath

This was a small group tour (maybe a dozen people) The driver was fantastic, personable, knowledgable and fun.

Quality of Experience

The Avery stone circle.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He was kind to me - I am extra slow due to a bad knee. His narration was fun and geared well to his audience.

Transport

Smooth driving. Clean bus. Well appointed seating.

Thank you Jane for an amazing trip to Scotland. We had a few days and Jane made every one of them special. Her detailed planning and communication was perfect. We felt that "Jane knew us like a friend" as she picked the perfect hotels, activities and food recommendations. We would definitely recommend KimKim for people who are ok executing their own plans with the help of a great planner like Jane.

Due to our local specialists' screw up, the initial hotel planned on for Edinburgh (close in and walk-able to most everything) was replaced by a country club far from the city center. As a result, we ended up spending time and money on taxis.

Edinburgh Castle was interesting and the Afternoon Tea was an amazing experience.

The Highlands bus tour was long. There were mechanical difficulties on the bus so we got canned dialog - we missed out on information/explanation the driver could have given us. The short Loch Ness cruise was informative and fun.

We specifically asked not to include walking tours due to my wife's inability to walk long distances. The only event booked in Glasgow - a walking tour.

We feel like consideration was not given to drive times. We had no time to explore Ambleside or Morton-in-Marsh. We spent the days driving and arrived in Ambleside and Morton-in-Marsh after everything closed, and had to take off early in the morning without seeing anything. Both hotels were lovely.

The London hotel was pretty far away from anything. We did not like this hotel but it served its purpose. Again, the changing of the guard was a 2 hour walking tour - we ended up bowing out of that event.

tl;dr It took 5 iterations to put together our itinerary and still we were not listened to. Would we use kimkim again? Probably not but we did appreciate the overall structure of the planning process.

It would have been nice to have received a text from kimkim during the trip asking how we were doing.

Hotel Review

The White Hart Royal Hotel, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire

Amazing ambiance and character. Great service and food. Their mattress left a little to be desired.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Afternoon Tea at the Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day trip from Edinburgh to Loch Ness & A Taste of the Highlands

Edinburgh

Driver had no mic to communicate.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport