Isabelle Gay

First, our local specialist was Stephen Molloy, not Isabelle. And, if I could have given a 4.8 rather than a 4, I would have. Most of the planning process was excellent, with Stephen responsive to, and patient with, our revisions in itinerary. Perhaps twice I wished for more prompt responses to questions, even if the response was, "I'm going to need a few days to sort that out". Having said that, Stephen helped us come up with an outstanding experience. With only one exception the accommodations were very good to excellent. That exception, the Stirling Highland Hotel, has already been communicated to Stephen.
Our guide, David, that helped us with a hike at Glencoe was wonderful; supportive, knowledgeable, personable, and easily adjusted to our needs.
Scotland is a beautiful and interesting country. We are grateful to have had a glimpse of its history, its highlands and coastline, and its warm and generous people. With Stephen's assistance we planned a trip that allowed us to travel about 700 miles in 15 days. More than once we asked each other whether we could stay in a place for two or three weeks more.
This was truly more wonderful than we imagined. Thank you Stephen for helping us to plan and for checking with us several times to make sure the trip was going well.

In general, the trip was very pleasant and navigating to each location was fairly easy. I do think the day to day activities in Bordeaux could have been better, and I don't think I'd go to Sarlat again without a car. The hotel in Sarlat was pretty basic...I wish we would have stayed somewhere nicer and in town (but we were trying to budget). Bordeaux hotel experience was exceptional.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel CitizenM CDG

Roissy

Blah - fine hotel if you have to spend the night before a flight...but the FOOD IS TERRIBLE. Honestly, if you have to spend the night before a flight, go to the Hilton.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to access terminals.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bon Encontre

Sarlat

Clean rooms/common area and very kind staff. But a bit too out the way from the town (12 minute downhill/uphill walk on dirt paths full of bugs) and the A/C isn't strong at all. We got so many bug bites!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Maison Fernand B&B

Bordeaux

Wonderful hotel! Ahmed is the owner and he keeps his place clean, comfortable, and chic, with the most welcome personal touches. His communication is excellent and strives to be helpful in any way possible – from making restaurant reservations and booking taxis on our behalf. The hotel is also in a superb location. When we visit Bordeaux again, we'll choose this hotel 100%.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

1/2 Day Cookery Course including lunch & wines in Dordogne

Sarlat

Incredibly fun! Good group, engaging instructor, yummy food. Would absolutely recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour The Vezere Valley

France

Sandra and her husband, Francis, were wonderful. So knowledgeable, very kind, and engaging. We saw a lot and learned a lot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Beach and Wine full day tour from Bordeaux

France

Our guide, Khloe, was wonderful. She was knowledgeable and actually cared to engage with the group. I do think the Sand Dune experience itself was very nice and unique, but it's a bit out of the way and could have been broken out as it's own experience vs. combined with the afternoon of wine tours. This would have given my husband and I time to explore Bordeaux city more.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

E-bike wine tour of Saint-Emilion from Bordeaux

France

Our guide, Isabelle, was terrible. She spent no effort educating us on the wine/experience. She biked meters ahead of everyone, no effort to interact with the others. We also only spent 45 minutes in Saint-Emillion...I would have preferred to spend a whole day there, with a lunch at a restaurant. And then at the end of the trip the guide had the audacity to mention giving a good tip (FOR NOTHING!). I was infuriated. Oh, and the lunch we were given at a tiny chateaux was sandwich meat with a small salad and bread. Not what I was expecting given the location where we were...should have been more chic and we should have been able to have more wine to drink! We were only given scant pours for 'tasting'. I've been to better experiences in Burgundy.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide, William Berry, from Black Cab Heritage Tours, was fantastic!!! His knowledge of London and beyond is unbelievable! He went above and beyond to make us happy. He worked many long days educating us about your beautiful country! He was funny, kind, caring and considerate. So worried about our well being at all times. Whatever you pay this gentleman, you should pay him twice that amount! :)

Hotel Reviews

Arches B&B

St Austell

It's a very quaint house. The rooms are up a steep flight of stairs so this will not suit everyone. The rooms are decorated beautifully, very cozy and clean.

Authenticity & Character

The rooms, and the owner was very personable.

Location

It's set back off of a busy road with no where to walk to for food or sightseeing.

Staff

The owner was very accommodating and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were great. Just he steep stairs were difficult to navigate with luggage.

Duke of Cornwall Hotel

Plymouth

This hotel is lovely!! It was built in 1863 and it retains the charm of that time period. Really clean and friendly staff. The restaurant was good, too.

Authenticity & Character

Authentic Victorian in every way!

Location

Right downtown so easy to walk the city

Staff

So friendly and helpful :)

Cleanliness & Comfort

No complaints!

ibis Styles London Gloucester Road

London

Very nice hotel. Staff was warm and welcoming. The Continental breakfast was top notch. My only complaint was the room was so very small. Hard to move around in.

Authenticity & Character

An old historic place

Location

Right downtown London

Staff

They were very warm and welcoming and willing to help us in any way.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness was perfect but the rooms were very cramped.

Activity Reviews

Downton Abbey, Cotswolds and Highclere Castle Private Tour from London

London

It was ok. A very long drive to get there and it was a bit disappointing, actually.

Quality of Experience

Nothing. Just a long drive for not much to see

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver, William was fantastic. So patient with us! :)

Transport

Everything! Bill is the best!

Full-Day Tudor Tour to Hampton Court Palace and Hever Castle

London

There are not enough superlatives to describe this place!

Quality of Experience

Everything was presented so very well

Guides, Drivers and Staff

William Berry is the best, and the staff guides were so helpful

Transport

William Berry and Black Cab Heritage Tours are the best!

Black Taxi Beatles Private Tour - Explore Abbey Road

London

So fun to actually see where the Beatles recorded their music and the places in the city where they lived or performed

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

William Berry was great

Transport

William pointing out Beatles sites as we drove around

Private day trip to Windsor Castle

England

An amazing historical day! To actually experience what we learn in history books was fabulous!

Quality of Experience

Awe inspiring

Guides, Drivers and Staff

William Berry is fantastic!

Transport

William Berry got us there safely and back home safely :)

Historical Pub Walking Tour of London

London

This was so informative and fun!

Quality of Experience

The guide was knowledgeable and fun

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everything

Hop-on, Hop-off Bus

London

We got there too late the first day to really use this service. The second day we used it some. Not sure I'd bother with it ever again. The town shuts down at 6 pm so it can't be used at night.

Quality of Experience

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

London

Both trips were fast and the service was great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

PLANNING: Before meeting and working with the Kimkim team, I had originally planned on spending all of my time in Paris and doing day trips out to Normandy to see Mont St Michelle and the WW II sites. Instead, I began working with and iterating on a using those days for a stay in Normandy. Being experts in the region, they proposed the day tours, where to stay based on the items I wanted to see. It was fun working working Isabelle, Clement and Stephen. Each contributed to the itinerary I settled on more than six months in advance, because I was coming to Paris to do the marathon which I had booked 11 months in advance!

THE ACTUAL TRIP: Exceeded all expectations. The lodging, the trains, day excursions, were all exceptional. They picked the place in Bayeux which was fantastic. The town wasn't even on my radar and appreciate them having me stay there as it was so enjoyable.

THE RATING SHOULD ACTULLY BE 6 STARS: Because when I booked so far in advance, I had no way of knowing the social unrest, protests and strikes would be taking place within France during my actual trip. I was entering Paris during the newsworthy pension reform protests. Our train was delayed. Clement and team were available at all hours to help rebook trains, car transfers and everything which I was being impacted by. All of my issues I was experiencing because of items outside of my control at the time, they were able to correct in near real time. All I had to do text them and make them aware of my current status. That was a real feeling of luxury and safety in a country where I didn't speak the language. My wife and I felt special and knowing they were there and genuinely cared about us and wanted to ensure our trip was the best it could be. That is simply awesome! Thanks to the entire team.