Clemens Sengwein

We arrived at Avellera through Kim Kim, a platform we have used a few times now. We were immediately partnered with Clemens and his team who were very responsive every step of the way.

The communication during the planning phase was excellent, and my questions were typically answered within hours, or over night, as I am in North America. The responses were professional and detailed. An initial Zoom meeting with Clemens also helped, as it puts a face to the communication and personality that made me feel comfortable that he cared about our trip.

After two Zoom meetings and around 7 or 8 different versions, we set out on our trip.

We stayed in 5 different hotels during the 12/13 day trip. Each one had a different personality and if I was planning the trip myself, I would have never found them, or been comfortable enough with the area (since I knew nothing about Austria) to book myself.

This is perhaps the biggest benefit. When using a travel agent, my goal is to save time and have a fantastic experience and make zero decisions. I knew nothing about Austria when setting out, so I wouldn't know one area from the next. You pay for this - the trip was not cheap - but for us, it was worth it and we knew that going in. If you could fix your own teeth, you wouldn't need a dentist. But we all need dentists and pay accordingly. This is not different.

A BBQ high in the hills in Obergail complete with accordion player and his family follows by the most magnificent hike with views that will fill your camera, is something I would have never found on my own.

Breakfast in Austria (at one of the most jaw dropping and insane hotels we have ever stayed at), lunch in Italy and zip lining in Slovenia - all in the same day - is something else we never would have found.

Tour guides, who were all mostly some of the nicest and friendly and excited to show us their country is something else we never would have found. When a tour guide doesn't look at their watch the entire day and even towards the end of the day asks "would you like to go see that?" means alot to us.

When we show up at a hotel and they say "your tour guide called us 10 times with questions" that is a WOW moment for me, since it showed that the team at Avellera truly cared about us and making sure all would be to our satisfaction.

Planning and executing a trip is never perfect. There are always things that come up and hiccups along the way. How a company handles this is what sets the tone and decides whether we would recommend them and use them again.

When we arrived in St Gilgen, it was late, we were hungry and we didn't realize restaurants close at 8 or so. There was one shower for the 4 of us and we didn't have the code to access our hotel and there was no air-conditioning. (Ironically this ended up being one of our favourite hotels of the trip, as simple as it was). Naturally I was "less then friendly" in my What's App messages to the team. I was pretty upset. The response from Avellera (looking back when i had a clear head finally) was a lesson in customer service. They apologized profusely, called around to many restaurants in the area to ensure we would have somewhere great to go (our second best dinner of the trip) and never, at any point treated me like I was treating them. They put the customer first and solved the problem.

The next day we had a professional report delivered to us with ALL future dinners reserved at the best restaurants in the area. It was very impressive. Days later we also had the codes we needed to check in to the hotel in Obergail a day in advance. Another very nice touch and showed that they were listening to my complaints from the day before.

On another location, our guide was very poor for a long full day hike. I'll spare the details, but he couldn't have tried harder to show how disinterested he was in taking care of us on a very difficult (but spectacular full day hike). Avellera sprung into action and they are working even now (after we are home) to make it right. Dealings with the guide were poor but Avellera was clearly on our side.

Overall, there were a couple of things from the itinerary that we would change, but that happens with every trip we've had planned for us, but this truly was an exceptional trip to Austria and we would enthusiastically recommend Avellera to anyone considering using them. The team will take care of you and plan a trip of a lifetime.

Wow, just wow! My Husband and I travel quite a bit and are normally our own trip planners even when we go to other countries. This time we were visiting two countries in Europe, which was Switzerland and Austria, and I had just happened to come across kimkim.com and was tossing around the idea of using a travel specialist. I made an inquiry and was met with a very nice person Clemens! We decided after a few messages that we would just let him see what he could come up with for us and to our surprise, he had made a very detailed travel plan through both countries. And we had our initial video call and was quite impressed with his personality and his knowledge of both countries and how personal he was. He listened to what we were wanting and what was important to us and the plan was set into motion, so we hit the go button! Once we got our plan, we decided there was a couple of things we wanted to change, which was no problem. It didn’t feel like it was an aggravation for them. It just seemed that they were there to really, please us and give us a vacation worth remembering! about a week to 10 days before we left there was another video phone call to go through every last detail of our trip and everything was explained to me, and every minute detail from our pick up from the airport, to directions to bus stations times and train tickets, bus tickets, and when I mean, detailed, it was very detailed and step-by-step walk-through. It was quite lovely to have the app to refer to at any moment that we needed it. I downloaded the what’s app and could stay in connection with them at all times. There was only one hiccup in our plans which was one hotel that wasn’t already paid for when we were checking out and all I had to do is pick up the phone and call kimkim on WhatsApp and they immediately fixed the situation! And another time one of our trains was switched to a different train. I called. They immediately picked up and that was also fixed ASAP! As I said before, we have never used a travel agent or specialist and was a little bit nervous about doing it, but I after using kimkim will definitely be using them again! Your plans are light out before you like a well oiled machine! Clemens and his entire team were exceptional, professional, and very kind. If you have never like us, use a travel specialist before I highly recommend using them. I forgot to mention that we traveled first to Switzerland and then onto Austria! The stress that this team took away from me while traveling into these two countries was well worth the price which we thought was very reasonable. we were given suggestions on restaurants things to do. Tickets were put into motion and placed for us and it was just a seamless vacation! The beauty that we saw with the recommendations and the food that we ate was incredible! They will even give you suggestions on what to wear on these excursions! I cannot express to you, how pleased We were and are with this entire experience with this company. To Clemens and his team that were involved, thank you so much for helping us plan an incredible vacation!

Hotel Reviews

Jaz in the City Vienna

Oh my goodness, I cannot say enough about this hotel! The breakfast was insane! The staff were so precious! I am now called Mom by some of the girls there that work in the hotel! Every time we would walk in the door, their faces would light up and we just had a great time here! Made lifelong friends that when they come to America, they wanna come stay with me! Great rooftop bar and food and it felt like they were family by the time we left! Even the bar and restaurant downstairs is incredible! I actually cried just a little bit before I left this one! I made a lot of connections there!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Altstadt Hotel Stadtkrug Salzburg

Salzburg

A very old cool hotel! Loved our location! The staff was incredible here also!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leipziger Hof Innsbruck

Innsbruck

Located right next to a park, which was beautiful! Very nice upscale hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Beau Sejour

Lucerne

This hotel was absolutely stunning!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Restaurant Hirschen

This hotel was very old and beautiful just the way it was described! It was family owned, and we got to know the staff and everyone there and we have later found out that the restaurant is pretty famous. Its inside of this hotel and the food was incredible! The staff were so personable and made friends along the way here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Central Plaza Hotel

Zürich

Great location! Such a friendly staff, and the piano bar was amazing and the hotel was beautiful! Singing along with everybody there that was working there and had great conversation and a really good time!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Paragliding in Salzburg

Salzburg

We also did not get to do this excursion. We had called kimkim and they were more than willing to set up this experience for us, but unfortunately, it just did not work out on our end, but we watched so many of these and it looked like an incredible experience in My Husband really wanted to do it. It just didn’t work out for us to be able to do it.

Quality of Experience

Tip based Walking Tour by Prime Tours - Highlights of Vienna

Vienna

I cannot write this one because we did not attend. We were very tired from traveling and just wanted to be at the hotel and had dinner in that night. At the rooftop bar. I really wanted to do it and probably should have but just was exhausted.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Final Full Day in Vienna with a night of glamour & grandeur at the Vienna State Opera 🎼

Vienna

The opera was very good, it was our last night. I did leave early only because I was very swollen lol, at this point, we had probably walked 80 miles in two weeksand I just could not sit any longer but well worth going. Would like to have seen a little bit of a more traditional opera, but it was a beautiful building.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Clemens was very patient and helpful in the early planning which started with a trip during for Advent and Christmas Markets that ended up as an early spring trip to Munich, Leipzig, and Berlin while visiting our son who is attending University of Leipzig. The private tours and restaurant suggestions from Clemens worked out perfectly. Boris was an excellent guide and provided a private tour of Munich on our first full morning and then on a day trip to Neuschwanstein castle. The side trips to a small countryside village on the way and another visit to Oberammagau (where Boris selected a great lunch spot) were as enjoyable as the Castle visit. The plazas and market were full of life with a great mix of people, we felt like 3 nights in Munich was the perfect amount of time, and the City did not feel as big as we expected. The intercity train travel was planned perfectly by Clemens and the travel to Leipzig and then Berlin were enjoyable and scenic. Our stay in Leipzig was also outstanding, it felt like a smaller version of Munich, an old walled city, with great historic buildings, beautiful parks, and great energy and life-and fewer tourists. Our timing coincided with opening day at the local and historic Sheibenholtz horse racing track where we were able to secure a table for our family and spend a great afternoon with a big crowd! Two days in Berlin were barely enough to scratch the surface, but we had a great time putting the City transit pass to use travelling to a couple of different corners of the City including a trip to Sansoucci Palace in Potsdam-which is really more of a massive public park with multiple palaces, vineyards, and other interesting features-wish we had more time in both Berlin and Potsdam. Hotels and the included breakfast were all very good and well located. Our dinner for our last night at Katz Orange, recommended by Clemens was definitely a highlight. Somehow we were not aware of the great bakeries and cheese that were available everywhere and we enjoyed! We had excellent support from Clemens and team when we had some questions during the trip, and one small snafu when a local guide cancelled a tour last minute-it was very well handled by KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

art'otel Berlin Mitte powered by Radisson Hotels

Berlin

This hotel was a bit of a mixed bag. The front desk service and the breakfast quality and experience were top notch. The exterior and neighborhood are a bit cold and unwelcoming at first, but after a couple of days we realized that it is very well located with ez access to the train lines which is important in Berlin. The rooms were tight, and the lobby area was not comfortable. They do have what could be a very nice open air courtyard, but we found it a bit dirty and unattended by hotel staff-a potentially nice space that seems to be utilized as a place to smoke.

Authenticity & Character

looks like an office building from the outside-the canal side of the building is warmer and more charming but feels like a missed opportunity as access is not clear it is utilized as a back door

Location

close to multiple train lines and the river and canal

Staff

were very helpful with charting out travel within the city and utilization of the City Pass. The folks running the breakfast room were excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Breakfast area was outstanding, room was adequate, courtyard is a miss.

NH Leipzig Zentrum

Leipzig

Clean, updated, spacious and bright. Great view from our window of plaza below. Service was very good, breakfast was very good, very well located!

Authenticity & Character

This has the feel of a modern hotel in a great way.

Location

within the former city walls and near the many outdoor cafe's and the main plaza.

Staff

Always available and helpful at the front desk. Service at breakfast was adequate, but less available than at other hotels.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The additional space at this hotel was a plus.

Eden Hotel Wolff

Munich

Excellent service, very clean and well appointed with an excellent breakfast in a nice dining room. The rooms were on the small side, especially the bathrooms. The location across from the main train station-which is undergrowing significant construction- was very convenient, but is in a bit of a gritty area (were were a bit surprised in general of the level of graffitti and litter in both Munich and Berlin.

Authenticity & Character

historic charm and high quality service

Location

cleaner/nicer surroundings.

Staff

very friendly, helpful and available

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean and well appointed, just a bit small, especially the bathroom and in particuliar the tub/shower which was very narrow

Activity Reviews

Tip based Original Berlin Walking Tour

Berlin

high energy tour guide Maggie did a great job, and mixed in some of her personal political feelings. We had a large group of 20+ and so the tour path followed a standard route and felt a bit touristy, but were did feel like we got great interaction with the tour guide between stops.

Quality of Experience

good guide, good general overview of the city, did give us a good base for follow-up visits.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

high energy and enthusiastic

Transport

this was a lengthy walking tour of the City that leaves you a long walk away from the starting point, but close to many transit options.

Private Guided Tour: Leipzig Uncovered, History, Music and Student Life

Leipzig

This was cancelled at last minute. We do not know what we missed. But had a great experience in Leipzig on our own. Kimkim came up with alternatives and gave us a great refund.

From Munich: Neuschwanstein Castle Full-Day Trip

Munich

The drive through the countryside and side visits to a local villages were the best part. Boris seemed to specifically travel on secondary roads for a good portion of the trip. The trip to the castle itself was very good, but definitely touristy. I would still recommend it, but the side trips were essential, otherwise the 9 hour day is not worth it just to visit Neuschwanstein.

Quality of Experience

Great scenery on the way.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Boris was an excellent guide and driver and knew when to talk and when to let us rest on this long day.

Transport

we were 6 adults total in a smaller, 3 row SUV, a slightly bigger vehicle would have been nice.

Munich City Tour

Munich

Our guide Boris was excellent. We had plenty of time the afternoon prior to explore the City and did, but Boris was able to make sure we saw some nooks and crannies that we missed, and add the historical and cultural context

Quality of Experience

Boris was an excellent communicator asking us questions

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Boris was prompt, kept us on schedule, flexible, and full of history and suggestions.

Transport

this was a walking tour, Boris asked us up front if we wanted it to be a loop back to the hotel, or pick a destination to end the tour at where we could ciontinue on our own, which is what we chose.

This was our first international trip and it was wonderful! Clemens, Andrea, and Kamila organized everything beautifully. We appreciated the use of the app and the team was always available for questions and recommendations.
The planned tours had personable, knowledgeable guides who made you feel like a friend. We especially loved our Vespa tour with Federico, Your Buddy on the Coast! We will definitely work with KimKim for our next trip!

Clemens and crew did an amazing job of putting together a fantastic itinerary on short notice! All plans worked well as we made our way through to countries and over 1000 miles of travel. All accommodations were excellent, trips and tours were interesting and exciting. I endorse using Clemens and his team on any European adventure!

I thought I would try the travel platform of KimKim for a trip with three couples. We ended up with an amazing local travel agency called Avellera in Austria.
Clemens and Kamilla along with their experienced staff at Avellera Travel Agency in Austria were excellent. We had a few issues in the beginning due to KimKim NOT Clemens, but everything worked out. Every tour they suggested we loved
( and they didn't even know our travel style) All price points were spot on, all transfers from hotels and trains were on time and other suggestions made our trip seamless. We were able to contact them easily while on our trip for questions or concerns. Thank you Clemens and Kamilla.

My review of Kimkim is different. I found they charged much more than a 20% for commission and they are not always helpful when an issue occurs. Kimkim is just adverting tool on the internet. We were lucky to get a wonderful agent for our trip to Austria.
I will never use Kimkim again to book a trip.

Hotel Reviews

Platzl Hotel - Superior

München

comfortable and clean. Super English friendly. Centrally located near the Hoffbrau House.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Zugspitze

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Beautiful hotel with wonderful breakfast included. Staff was excellent. Walkable to the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Hotel Auersperg

Salzburg

We were only there one night

Authenticity & Character

nice room with character

Location

walkable

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sans Souci Wien

Vienna

Beautiful hotel and centrally located. The breakfast included started our day and accommodations were perfect.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easily walkable to many Platz.

Staff

everyone was helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Viennese Culinary Experience at its best: Schnitzel & Strudel Workshop

Vienna

Loved Nabeil . He was funny and informative. The recipes are easy to read and make. He makes the evening so fun and interesting. It was a small hands on experience so you really got to understand the cooking techniques.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was planned and booked with a thoughtful itinerary, unfortunately the attention to detail was not there with this tour. I have used other tour companies that perform similar services without as many issues. We showed up to check into one of our hotels to find out it was never actually booked and we were not informed in advance, we called the emergency number and we wer redirected into a cab to pick us up- to take us to another hotel. The other hotel informed us this reservation was only made a few hours prior to us arriving to check in.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Daniel Vienna - Smart Luxury near City Centre

Vienna

We were reserved to stay at this hotel, but apparently never had a reservation. We arrived to check into the hotel and they asked our information to check in and told us our room was not ready. 2 hours later we came back to check in and they said they could not see any reservation. Front desk staff must’ve been new or in a bad mood as they did not want to store our luggage as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We

Staff

Male front desk staff would not store our bags

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel am Mirabellplatz Salzburg

Salzburg

Very centrally located, not more than 15 minutes walking from everywhere, good breakfast and helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

Decorations in rooms

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Marias Platzl

Munich

This hotel was listed as “centrally located” and was more than a 30 minute walk to any of the city sights. The actual hotel was nice with good breakfast options and friendly and helpful staff. The bathroom layout is weird with only one door to be share between the toilet and the shower.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Distance to sights

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Klimt Experience: Guided Tour through Belvedere Palace

Vienna

Not recommended, we were not interested in this activity- got “upgraded” to a private tour which we did not ask for

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ticket counter staff did not know what were talking about

Salzburg: Original Sound of Music Tour

Salzburg

We were not aware it would be that much singing- thought it was more of a sight seeing tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport