Hector Molina

Hector did a great job with the planning and back and forth as I planned my trip to be a little of the beaten path. I would not have known, where to get to the parking lot in the expansive national park in northern Spain for example to ensure the best route to hike to the lighthouse or the best private guide of Barcelona.

Arrival was wonderful having a polite personal driver and clean car started the trip off perfectly, The gallery hotel was perfect they got us into the room as soon as they could after an overnight flight from the US, the location was excellent and the breakfast vast with so much choice. Our private guide Diana was amazing, once she saw our pace we were able to effectively cover two tours in one as she was keen to show us everything she was so vested in our experience, The tour with her was the highlight of the trip for the whole family. I liked being sent her mobile number prior, live updating in the app and it was easy to meet her at the set meeting area. She also took us in a local market which we loved and were able to buy fresh juices, I can’t say enough about how thoughtful and thorough she was.

The hotel was ideally located for meals and walking on Las Ramblas and was in a very high end neighborhood that felt safe and vibey.

Getting the car rental at Sixt was easy with Hectors simple walking instructions. It was noted to be aware they would try to upsell you and we were somewhat forced into spending more as they said we had no “scratch protection” and any small scratch would cost up to 500.00 euros so we felt force to spend an extra 250.00 euros I think, we got an upgrade on the car and it served us perfectly for the week ahead. Just dealing with sixt and getting out of Barcelona was tricky.

The drive was great with the given instructions we would never have known to stop in beautiful Pals.
hotel El Convento was beautiful and they welcomed us, I would not say the staff were particularly friendly or warm, the room with the extra bed suited our needs, we particularly enjoyed walking to the nearby beach down a steep path of which parking would have been really hard, we also enjoyed the free shuttle to another beach in an very clean electric Mercedes with our personal driver. Again parking would have been impossible. The breakfast was vast and very good. My only complaint was that there were ALOT of very small babies, when I would have preferred adults only or 12 plus only ( which I actually thought it was ) as the hallways given the historic nature of the hotel were very noisy making it hard to sleep. This was a shame,

We had a private kayaking trip, Julia the guide was great, I felt it was worth it to have the private guide as we were fast to paddle to the cove and therefore got more time snorkeling than the group that arrived much later. I would recommend the private kayaking,

We enjoyed the planned drive to Cadaqués, Hector has us going through the stunning national park with breathtaking views and stops along the way, Cadaques was the highlight of the trip, so beautiful, Hotel Boutique Gala was stunning again the breakfast was very good and the room with cot was perfect, the parking was a HUGE bonus and its location for walking the town was perfect. the staff were very friendly making us dinner reservations and accommodating any needs

.We had a private tour meeting in Besalu and this is the only part of the trip I wouldn’t recommend, we had to drive 1.5 hours back on ourselves, Ramon the guide was out of touch with speaking to our twelve year old, lrgwly talking about himself, we had to cut the tour short as we had to get back to Cadaques for dinner reservations we had not known it was three hours driving plus being driven to simply “ look” at villages in Ramon’s own car and being dropped at a restaurant for lunch while he waited so in effect lying to be taking for lunch. Besalu was lovely but it would have been fine by ourselves and EN ROUTE to Cadaques not drive back, even he was surprised we had done that.

Again we had a wonderful time in Cadaques it was fun to be just 14 km from the French border and give us a totally different feel of Spain and Barcelona,

Return to Barcelona was great after spending the day hiking the national park and swimming in secluded coves per Hecots recommendations, with Hector’s guidance we saw so much and really feel we got a flavor for Spain off the beaten track rather than the initial plan he put forth of Barcelona and Madrid, he really got a feel for what I wanted, which was essentially, city and coastal.

Taking the car back to Barcelona ( which I worked with him on as initially he was having us drop it back in the city) but I wanted it back at the airport was ease of departure the next day, the airport hotel was just ok, the staff were not friendly and the rooms were very dark, I would have liked another night in Barcelona but we had to get up at six am anyway to leave so getting out of the city with traffic would have been hard, so it was the right decision.

Overall Hector was absolutely wonderful, listening, taking on board my feedback, coming back with new suggestions really getting a feel for our family, he even added in a trip to the lighthouse, our 12 year old loves lighthouses! And we didn’t even know there was one!!!

I felt like my trip and what I desired was a little different. Half way through the planning I decided to upgrade to the luxury accommodation level ( I liked that Kim Kim offered the different levels ) and private guides I am really glad I did this, I thought if we were spending the money we wanted to go luxury. My overall experience with Kim Kim was fantastic that being said I don’t know if I would use them again as the planning was $300 which was fine but the service fee of over $300 for essentially nothing was too much, so $600 on the trip and no breakdown to see where the fees were coming from,

I hope this feedback helps
Kindest regards
Rebecca

All the tour guides were excellent and the family enjoyed the tours and other activities related to this visit. One tour guide we would like to highlight was Marta, the tour guide for the Alhambra. She took the time to answer all the questions my two little grandchildren had. It was a four hour class for them. The transportation services were excellent, always on time, and very courteous driver. Special kudos to the driver that took us to Malpica de Tajo. This was a four hours excursion in this little town we thought was the birthplace for our family name. There was nothing to do there except to look at a castle. We asked the driver to see if it was possible to go to Toledo. He called the company and accommodated us to this excursion that was not planned. The hotel locations and facilities were superb. We enjoyed all three cities visited, but Malaga was our favorite. We might return again.

He or provided excellent services throughout the planning process. We are extremely happy with him. He is a keeper for our next big family vacation.

Planning a trip to Barcelona for 10 family members (ages 15-86) seemed overwhelming until we found the KimKim site and reached out to Hector. From the first communication we were confident that we had found someone who would work very hard to make sure that we were going to be very satisfied. He gave us an itinerary that seemed very good and within our budget and was quick to tell us that it could be adapted to suit us better. Some changes were made and each question we had or requested modifications were handled quickly and smoothly. When I say the trip exceeded our expectations I am not exaggerating. The hotels were very comfortable and in an excellent location. The breakfast included was terrific . Our guides were all so personable and knowledgeable. We were impressed with their ability to share so much interesting information, answer questions and just be so welcoming. They never rushed us or seemed like they had a tight schedule. We enjoyed our time with each of them.
The snorkeling/kayaking trip was especially memorable for the girls and their parents. Two great guides provided a thrilling experience for them. I would definitely recommend KimKim as a place to start any family trip. I didn’t realize they plan trips to many locations. They give you a very specific experience tailored to your family and include so many different things that generally appealed to all ages. Thank you Hector and your team.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel El Petit Convent

Begur

This small beautiful hotel has so much character and charm. It is located in the old town of Begur and we enjoyed the atmosphere and wandering through the small pedestrian streets. Lots of good food and affordable shopping. The walk to the fortress provided magnificent views of the coastal beaches. The children and grandchildren loved their time at the beaches and the beautiful Mediterranean water.

Authenticity & Character

This was so beautifully converted into a small hotel right in the middle of the old town but very quiet.

Location

Right in the center of everything.

Staff

The staff was very helpful and recommended some restaurants that we enjoyed and helped us navigate the area.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was all great…

ICON BCN by Petit Palace

Barcelona

Lovely hotel in a great location. Excellent breakfast and areas to hang out in, and one of the best dinners I had on our vacation. Highly recommended,

Authenticity & Character

Everything was comfortable!

Location

You can walk to many places including the old city and metro station was close by. Lots of restaurants in walking distance.

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well maintained.

Activity Reviews

Private Visit of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Great guide! You really have to spend some time to take it all in.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to Montserrat & Penedès Region Wine Tasting

Barcelona

Beautiful location and wonderful views. Was sorry that Boys Choir was not performing when we visited.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide/driver was outstanding and gave us a great deal of information and took lots of group photos for us.

Transport

Barcelona Sailboat Experience & Spanish Guitar Concert

Barcelona

This was the perfect way to end our time in Barcelona. The weather was perfect, the crew welcoming and the snacks and drinks were great. And the guitarist played so beautifully non stop … it was so relaxing and refreshing… the perfect way to end our time in Barcelona.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Local Market Visit & Cooking Class

Barcelona

We enjoyed our time preparing several different dishes and then sitting down in a lovely setting for a delicious paella which we all helped prepare.

Quality of Experience

It was like being in someone’s home and cooking together and lots of good conversation.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We all enjoyed our “chef”… and the camaraderie that comes when you’re all working together.

Private Barcelona Chocolate Experience

Barcelona

Was not expecting this to be so special but it was interesting and fun and a great experience…. And very special,

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was great and the people at the shops we visited were great too. We got to be part of a new experience where we actually ground some cocoa beans and experienced some of the steps to make chocolate.

Private Roman Tarragona and Sitges Fishing Village Day Trip

Barcelona

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Transport

Coastal Hike, Kayaking & Lagoon Dipping in Costa Brava

Spain

I was not able to do all that the younger family members were but I was encouraged to come along and enjoyed the experience with some extra help from one of our guides. I so enjoyed seeing my children and grandchildren having this amazing experience and was glad that they enjoyed it so much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Outstanding guides who were very knowledgeable and experienced. Safety was definitely their first priority and I knew we were in very capable hands. Jumping off a cliff into the water was a highlight for the family.

Transport

Our drivers were also our guides and we had great conversations on the road.

Our trip was great. We really appreciate Hector's assistance with the planning. All of our guides were great, with Nuno being the BEST on our daytrip to Cascais and Sintra! He was informative, kind and entertaining. Our second favorite guide was Rachel on our Cominito Del Rey tour. For the most part our drivers were also fantastic, with the exception of Julio. We had to wait a little bit for him to pick us up (even though he said he was there) but what was most disappointing was that he clearly was not well. He coughed and sniffled repeatedly and very frequently spat out the window. I'm pretty sure as a result of his apparent symptoms our daughter who was sitting directly behind him fell ill during our trip. In fact, there were sputum tracks on the passenger side window from his spitting.

Hotel Review

BessaHotel Liberdade

Lisboa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Concierge was super helpful. Breakfast waitstaff were very kind to refill our water bottles each day for our adventures. We love the wonderful fragrance in the hotel lobby.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Flamenco Experience

Spain

We enjoyed the cultural experience but the location could have been better to our hotel.

Algarve Kayaking Trip to Benagil Caves

Spain

Super cool experience. Our kids loved the kayak tour and seeing the caves.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

Our guide was great. We appreciated his pride in his country and culture.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Get to know Porto by E-bike

Porto

This was a great way to see and experience Porto, especially with active teens.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lisbon Fado Dinner Experience

Spain

Great production.

Food

Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour

Spain

This was our least liked experience as it was difficult to take in the sights. It may have been better if both seats faced forward. (we faced each other). Our guide, however, was easy to hear as he had a headset.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Spain

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Nuno!! As I mentioned before, Nuno was our favorite guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family Friendly Seville City Tour

Spain

We had great tour of Seville. Our guide was very knowledgeable and clearly had a passion for history. There were a few discrepancies from the description in our itinerary and the actual tour which was fine but not sure if we actually covered all that was intended.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Málaga Wine & Gourmet Experience

Málaga

The tour was ok but not our favorite. I'm not sure I would call this a Wine and Gourmet experience. We had sangria but no wine. Actually, I think it was considered a Tapas tour.

Quality of Experience

It might be nice to be able to choose from menu items ( especially if you have a picky eater, like my son)

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Excursion to Caminito del Rey

Spain

We really enjoyed this excursion. Rachel, our guide was also very good and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

1. Our guide Pedro for the Biklas y Triklas bike tour in Porto was outstanding and deserves 5 gold stars. He was very knowledgeable, articulate, and expressive.
2. In Porto we might have wanted to go to the Livraria Lello, but we learned about it too late to arrange tickets. Wishing Hector had given us a list of popular destinations enjoyed by KimKim clients for each city. The website and app suggestions are vague discussions of parts of the city, not super helpful when you are in the middle of a trip.
3. All the arrangements of hotels and transportation were very good. We were happy will all the plans except maybe the TukTuk tour which we could have arranged on our own. Our guide was perfectly qualified, but I would just prefer some other way of learning about the city, probably at a slower pace. On our last day in Lisbon, why would we want to learn about the beginning and end points of each tram and each elevator?
4. Remind travelers to put their airpods or earbuds into the purse at the beginning of each day!! Some old people like me are still expecting audio tours to have head sets.
5. Put the travel agent emergency number into your phone contacts with the proper country code, etc, so that if there are any problems with a scheduled transfer, such as an early or late transfer from the airport outside of working hours, there will be someone to call.

Hotel Reviews

Pestana Lisboa Vintage

Lisboa

If you are expecting twin beds, mention it immediately at check in. The default sheet arrangement is to unite the beds into one large bed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Vela Guesthouse

Cascais

Really pretty hotel. Breakfasts very good, very good service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Get to know Porto by E-bike

Porto

Loved it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}

Portugal

It worked. As you know, the transportation that gave us a headache was the train from Porto to Lisbon. Fortunately the strike was over, but we wasted a lot of time going early to the station. Nothing anyone could do about it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

This was very enjoyable. Guide was very good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Great variety. Well presented.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked.

Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour

Portugal

Lisbon is a very large and fascinating city. Also very congested with cars and tourists. After taking the TukTuk tour I realized that I needed a slower pace and more information about each historical site. I guess it would be fine for an amusing ride and overview.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

Our guide was very personable and knowledgeable. I think his name was Felixberto, but now I find that my Trip Plan has disappeared from the app, so I am not sure of the spelling. We enjoyed the hike and the beautiful park. The crowds in Pena Palace were pretty bad. Our guide did cut the day short, however, since we started heading back to the hotel at 1pm. Fine with us since it was raining a bit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The guides and drivers were all amazing with their knowledge and friendliness. Kim Kim was flexible with changes and requests. It was an amazing trip

Our trip to Spain was amazing. Hector thought of every detail and provided a few fun surprises for us along the way. Our adventures have provided us with lasting treasured memories.

Hotel Reviews

Slow Suites Setas

Seville

Great location and spacious enough for 4.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Floors were not clean.

Hotel Meninas

Madrid

Great location, attentive staff and amazing breakfast. Awesome shower!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel SANSEbay

San Sebastian

By far our favorite accommodation. The view from the room was stunning. Room was clean, spacious enough for 4 and wonderful large bathroom and shower. Breakfast was delicious!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Apartamentos B48 Abando

Bilbo

We would not recommend this apartment. Very tiny for 4 people, location was subpar on busy loud road. The building felt more like a hostel without any charm.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

There was no toilet paper provided upon check in and no staff on site.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Highlights of Old Madrid Walk

Madrid

Megan did a great job. Good way to get acclimated to Madrid.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking Excursion  St.James way, famous «Camino de Santiago»

San Sebastián

The weather was terrible and of no fault of our guide. Adjustments were made on the fly to accommodate for weather and preferences. Guide was knowledgeable but not personable. Turned out to be same guide as pixtos tour the evening before.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Coastal Route

Spain

AMAZING! Guide and tour was spectacular. We all loved Diego!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

So comfortable. Van was immaculate!

Seville City Bike Visit

Seville

Ferran was the best. Biking around Seville was the way to go. Strongly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private La Rioja Wine Day Trip

Spain

AMAZING! A favorite of everyone’s! Jamie was a spectacular guide. Diego and Jamie were the best. Highly recommend both of these guys.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flamenco Experience

Spain

A classic must do in Seville but nothing spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San Sebastian Pintxo Experience

San Sebastián

Fun way to learn, eat and drink through the City. Also fun to meet a few other visitors from around the world on this small group tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable guide but not very personable.

Transport

Walking on our own.