Profile photo for Janel Doyle
2280 messages
active 7 hours ago

Janel Doyle

I'm originally from the United States and caught the travel bug at an early age. There is no doubt about it, travel opens our minds, and allows us to experience the world in new ways. I've had the opportunity to travel the globe and no other country has captured my heart and mind more than Iceland. I am so excited to work with you on your adventure to one of the most amazing and breath taking countries in the world!

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I specialize in road trips in and around Iceland including self-guided tours, slow travel, and local travel. I also pride myself with helping those with "challenging" requests - child friendly travel, unique hikes, physical limitations - you name it! We will work together to design the perfect trip and ensure that you are have the most amazing adventure while in Iceland. "

How did you get involved in travel?

"I was raised traveling, and travel was an important aspect of my formative years. Once I had my passport in hand, I learned that travel allows me to learn about new cultures, customs and ways of life (not too mention the amazing landscapes, and awesome people you get to meet along the way). I read a post from Iceland Offbeat looking for travel enthusiasts to help others book once in a lifetime adventures - the rest is history. My love for travel (and Iceland) runs deep and am I am thrilled to work with you to create one of the most memorable trips of your life. "

Janel is part of the following groups: Iceland Travel Agents
Vibrant Atlantic puffin rests on Latrabjarg
10 Days in Iceland - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Ten days in Iceland is a perfect amount of time to complete the rightfully famous Ring Road. Alternatively, you have time to explore up to three areas in-depth. A great option is to visit the popular Golden Circle and South Coast, coupled with lesser-known destinations like the volcanic Snaefellsnes Peninsula or the Westman Islands. If you prefer to escape the crowded south, consider summertime itineraries to the West, North, and Westfjords for off-the-beaten-path discoveries. Active travelers can work the trails of Thorsmork or the Laugavegur Trek into their itinerary.

Explore Iceland on a road trip of a lifetime
2-Week Ring Road Self-Drive Itinerary: Highlights of Iceland and the Remote Westfjords

With 2 weeks in Iceland, you can complete the entire ring road and add some great detours. This grand tour will take you to all the best places giving you plenty of time to hike, explore, and soak it all in. This 14-day itinerary covers all the major regions except the highlands, which you can see with a couple more days or by spending less time in some of the areas below.

Seljalandsfoss
6 Days in Iceland - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Six days is enough time for a quick and eventful road trip through a couple of regions of Iceland, but not enough time to drive the full Ring Road. Most trips offer plenty of flexibility to circle back to any sights missed along the way. Tour dozens of destinations among the stunning Icelandic landscapes, from the Golden Circle to the South Coast. Enjoy both warm and cold adventures—with chances to enjoy more winter-forward excursions and sightings of the Northern Lights in the summer—in these five trip plans.

Iceland
2 Weeks in Iceland - 2 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Glaciers, waterfalls, and wildlife like you've never seen: fourteen days is plenty of time to experience Iceland beyond what you'll find in any guidebook—both on and off the beaten path. Here are two itineraries that make the most of two weeks in the Land of Fire and Ice.

Iceland
5 Days in Iceland - 7 Self-Drive Itinerary Ideas

Have only 5 days to explore Iceland? While it might be tempting to stay in Reykjavik and do day trips from there, we recommend to head out into the country side using one of these unique itineraries that help you make the most of your time.

Recent trip reviews for Janel

Spontaneous Iceland
Iceland | Nov 13 - Nov 20, 2022

Barbara
Barbara D.
Reno, NV | Reviewed on Nov 27, 2022

I wanted to go to Iceland and had no idea how to plan the trip. Janel did a great job of putting together a trip for my son and me that was just about perfect! Kimkim was so responsive, even helped us make changes once we wee in the country. We got to snorkel, ice caves were perfect and Blue Lagoon on the last day was the perfect end to a beautiful trip. read more

I wanted to go to Iceland and had no idea how to plan the trip. Janel did a great job of putting together a trip for my son and me that was just about perfect! Kimkim was so responsive, even helped us make changes once we wee in the country. We got to snorkel, ice caves were perfect and Blue Lagoon on the last day was the perfect end to a beautiful trip.

Hotel Reviews
Icelandair Hotel Klaustur
Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Authenticity & Character
Location
We were within walking distance of the public pool and were able to soak for about $10 US dollars.
Staff
Breakfast staff were very attentive and made sure food was replenished quickly. Front desk staff friendly and helpful.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Langaholt
Stadarstadur

Authentic little place. It felt as though we were in a Wes Anderson movie😂.

Authenticity & Character
Several little sitting rooms to explore
Location
It was quite a distance north and we enjoyed our visit to the region. Being the beginning of the winter it was pretty quiet.
Staff
Helpful. We were leaving before breakfast and they made us sandwiches on homemade bread, fruit and hard boiled eggs
Cleanliness & Comfort
Guesthouse Flúðir - Grund
Hrunamannahreppur

Comfortable room and great location. Right next to the liquor store and a small grocery for snacks! Also close to the oldest hot springs in Iceland so we got a lovely soak after a busy day.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Icelandair Hotel Reykjavik Natura
Reykjavík

The hotel front desk staff were so welcoming. The time change for us was a bit much and they let us check in early and upgraded us to a suite! Coming back to spend our last night at the same hotel was perfect. We felt comfortable and the hotel had live music in the bar to open the Christmas season. I sat in the lobby by the fire with a glass of wine and enjoyed the people watching and the memories of the trip.

Authenticity & Character
Wooden people and sheep scattered
Location
close to downtown and easy to find.
Staff
Front desk and restaurant staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The suite (of course) and the breakfast was the best we had on our trip.
Local specialist: Janel Doyle
Janel
Janel Doyle
Local specialist in Iceland | Reviewed on Dec 23, 2022

I really enjoyed working with you and your family and am so pleased that your trip was so magical. Please reach out if you have any friends who would like to visit Iceland, or if you would like to further explore the county.

Best Vacation Ever
Iceland | Aug 3 - Aug 11, 2022

Monica
Monica V.
San Antonio, TX | Reviewed on Sep 08, 2022

We were looking forward to have the best family vacation ever. So we choose to travel to Iceland. I found Kim Kim agency at the web. Janet help me perfectly. The instructions and the logistics of the trip was amazing. She gave me a Google driving plan around the Island, with fabulous views. Our idea was to stay in Farms so we can have the full experience, and she made that possible, so it was perfect. The only thing I will change will be that the first day was a very long drive, and we were super tired of the flight from the United States. But everything else was amazing !

Local specialist: Janel Doyle

Good planning overall. Was helpful in taking...
Iceland | Aug 28 - Sep 3, 2022

P
Paul T.
Maplewood, NJ | Reviewed on Sep 04, 2022

Good planning overall. Was helpful in taking out a lot of the work for us to plan and book and organize.

What’s missing:
1) The order shown for site visits and hotel check ins shown on a given day in the summary and detail plan needs to match the order shown on the driving maps. On most days, they didn’t.
2) Every tour and site visit on the plan needs to show (without having to look at vouchers or tour company websites):
- Total time at site (with ranges or estimate for... read more

Good planning overall. Was helpful in taking out a lot of the work for us to plan and book and organize.

What’s missing:
1) The order shown for site visits and hotel check ins shown on a given day in the summary and detail plan needs to match the order shown on the driving maps. On most days, they didn’t.
2) Every tour and site visit on the plan needs to show (without having to look at vouchers or tour company websites):
- Total time at site (with ranges or estimate for self-guided sites)
- Total time round trip from hotel
- More logistical info - for example distance/walking time from site parking lot to site (frequently walks were much longer than we knew and messed up our timing - we ran behind). Every night, it took us half an hour or more to plan the following day step by step in order to make tour times, dinner reservations, factor in time and logistics for eating lunch, etc. And we had to look up missing information
3) For a couple of the self guided tours, way too little time was factored in when planning the day - in one case a visit was suggested that we figured would take 30-40 minutes but including a critical scenic cliff walk tour that was was a highlight of the day but took 1.5-2 hours. We didn’t know, missed most of it and saw later from people posting on a Facebook page that it was amazing. We would have planned the day differently had we known.
4) Driving times and distances between individual stops on a day’s driving map
5) Too many separate links are provided for the plan, driving directions, geo locations, vouchers, special driving tips and instructions, etc. Should all be included in the plan. 1 single link. 1 single document. Creates too much self-organizing, printing, arranging and cross-referencing when preparing for trip.
6) Every agent needs to have their cell number on the site.

Local specialist: Janel Doyle

Helpful travel service, but still need to do your own research
Iceland | Aug 13 - Aug 20, 2022

B
ben c.
Sudbury, MA | Reviewed on Aug 27, 2022

The trip planning experience was relatively smooth, and we really enjoyed our family vacation to Iceland. Our advisor, Janel, quickly answered questions during the planning stages, and listened to our comments. The itinerary she put together included all of our areas of interest, and all of our bookings went well.
That said, I feel like the level of service was relatively generic and did not appear to leverage any specific insight or knowledge from someone based in country. I would have... read more

The trip planning experience was relatively smooth, and we really enjoyed our family vacation to Iceland. Our advisor, Janel, quickly answered questions during the planning stages, and listened to our comments. The itinerary she put together included all of our areas of interest, and all of our bookings went well.
That said, I feel like the level of service was relatively generic and did not appear to leverage any specific insight or knowledge from someone based in country. I would have liked to have more options to choose from when deciding on places to stay, and the ability to customize a bit more. I would have prioritized lodging better suited to having 2 young kids, for instance. Also, knowing that we would be arriving to the airport after the rental car shuttle closed, would have been helpful to start off. Or knowing that during our time in Reykjavik, there would be a major event (marathon) occurring that would impact driving and parking at our hotel.
Overall, KimKim and Janel provided a useful service for making a wonderful country accessible. Next time, I would do additional diligence to make sure all the details fit our needs.

Hotel Reviews
Room With A View Apartment Hotel
Reykjavík

Do not book this hotel on the weekend - our room was next to a nightclub that was open til 3am with extremely loud music.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Fosshotel Hellnar
Hellnar
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Héradsskólinn Historic Guesthouse
Laugarvatn

Decent and roomy. lacks a few amenities like hand soap. towels like sandpaper. restaurant at hostel across the street was very good.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Cleanliness & Comfort
Farmhouse Lodge
Vík

Nice place, but a little cramped for a family with 2 young kids.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Vik Apartments
Vik I Myrdal

Modern, roomy, and functional. great for families. grocery store across the street a bonus.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
The Secret Lagoon
Iceland

better than I expected, nice relaxing environment. however, my son's sneakers were stolen from the locker room.

Quality of Experience
Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon amphibian boat tour
Iceland

pretty typical tourist attraction, wish they had gone closer to the glacier. was raining during our trip, which was not ideal, but still a beautiful sight.

Blue Lagoon
Iceland

relaxing, as advertised. the water did leave my skin feeling weird though.

Local specialist: Janel Doyle
Janel
Janel Doyle
Local specialist in Iceland | Reviewed on Oct 18, 2022

Hi Ben! Thank you so much for your feedback, we really appreciate it. I’m sorry to hear that you were not completely satisfied with your lodging options and did my best to review this with you prior. We do work diligently with families that are traveling to ensure that the drive time is enjoyable and lodging is located near sites of interest. I would like to thank you again for working with us to plan your trip to Iceland and happy to meet with you via phone to learn more about your overall holiday feedback.

The splendors of Iceland are amazing!!!
Iceland | Jul 15 - Jul 22, 2022

K
Kelli M.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on Jul 29, 2022

We just returned from our second amazing trip to Iceland using KimKim as our trip planner. Janel, our local specialist was very attentive to our wishes to make this a fantastic trip for our family with two teen boys and she delivered. We spent most of our trip in North and West Iceland and enjoyed so many splendors of the country including a spectacular whale watching trip and coastal horse tour out of Husavik, to visiting several of Iceland’s finest hot springs, waterfalls and epic scenic... read more

We just returned from our second amazing trip to Iceland using KimKim as our trip planner. Janel, our local specialist was very attentive to our wishes to make this a fantastic trip for our family with two teen boys and she delivered. We spent most of our trip in North and West Iceland and enjoyed so many splendors of the country including a spectacular whale watching trip and coastal horse tour out of Husavik, to visiting several of Iceland’s finest hot springs, waterfalls and epic scenic drives. We ate great food along the way and many of the recommended restaurants and while we mostly stayed in hotels, we enjoyed our one night stay in a adorable seaside house rental in Borgir. We couldn’t have asked for a better return trip and can’t wait to return again to explore the Westfjords someday!

Local specialist: Janel Doyle
Janel
Janel Doyle
Local specialist in Iceland | Reviewed on Jul 29, 2022

It was so lovely to help plan this amazing trip with you! Please reach out when you want to travel to Iceland again - maybe the West Fjords?

Magical Iceland
Iceland | May 27 - Jun 5, 2022

C
Christopher P.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Jun 09, 2022

WOW! What a Magical trip! A big thank you to Janel for the excellent service and putting together a stunning itinerary! An unforgettable adventure! read more

WOW! What a Magical trip! A big thank you to Janel for the excellent service and putting together a stunning itinerary! An unforgettable adventure!

Activity Reviews
Activity options for Reykjavik
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Activity options for Snaefellsnes
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Blue Lagoon
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Activity options for the East Fjords
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Activity options for Lake Myvatn & Husavik
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Activity options for North West Iceland & Akureyri
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Activity options for the Golden Circle
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Activity options for the South West Coast
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Activity options for the South East Coast
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Janel Doyle
Janel
Janel Doyle
Local specialist in Iceland | Reviewed on Jun 09, 2022

I am so pleased that you enjoyed your trip! Please reach out again if you plan on visiting in the future.

Janel and team were great. I had a few chang...
Iceland | May 28 - Jun 5, 2022

S
Scott M.
Smyrna, GA | Reviewed on Jun 06, 2022

Janel and team were great. I had a few changes during the trip and they were there to help and coordinate. The trip was well thought out. We had a lot of coordination/ hotel accommodations to make and I felt everything went according to plan. read more

Janel and team were great. I had a few changes during the trip and they were there to help and coordinate. The trip was well thought out. We had a lot of coordination/ hotel accommodations to make and I felt everything went according to plan.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Borg by Keahotels
Reykjavik

Great location. Very central to the active part of Reykjavik. Hotel was well appointed and the rooms were typical European style (smaller - which is to be expected in a city) and nice.

Tips for future travelers

Parking and can be tricky- there is a parking garage maybe two blacks away. I didn't feel 100% comfortable leaving the car on the street so I used the garage. The garage was more expensive but probably worth it.

Authenticity & Character
Great character - fit in with the city/ area
Location
Proximity to city center / activity
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Laugarbakki
Hvammstangi

The outside needs a little care but it looks like the interior was update not too long ago. I think this structure was an old dormitory Al that was converted over. The rooms were fine.

Tips for future travelers

Give it a try and I don't think there are many other options (better options) in the area.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Icelandair Hotel Myvatn
Myvatn

Great place-

Tips for future travelers

Restaurant was ok- there is a bar / pub right next to it which actually shares the same kitchen but food prices are lower. I would just go there for dinner. Same menu...just less expensive.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Vík í Mýrdal
Vík

I think this is part of a chain of hotels - I saw at least three different hotels with the same brand name. This one was "earthy". It was well done And very nice

Tips for future travelers

Restaurant was great.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Grimsborgir Luxury Rooms and Apartments
Ásborgir

Great place. My son and I shared a 2 bedroom suite which was perfect. A little outside of town but great.

Tips for future travelers

I would definitely upgrade to a suite / apartment if traveling with family or just need a little extra room.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Blue Lagoon
Iceland

Great - it is worth a few hours of your time.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Grábók Crater
Iceland

Great but all the sights in Iceland are great - not sure I would make a special trip for this but it was cool.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Katla Ice Cave
Iceland

It was ok- thought it might be a bit bigger and longer in the ice cave- it was more of a mountain trip than a cave trip but it was good to see - wouldn't do it again but glad I did it-

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Janel Doyle
Janel
Janel Doyle
Local specialist in Iceland | Reviewed on Jun 06, 2022

Thank you for the feedback and review, Scott. We hope you had a wonderful time in Iceland, and look forward to welcoming you again!