Jessica Proietti

We had the trip of a lifetime! Exploring Italy with our numerous drivers and guides made the travel easy and fun. Every detail was accounted for. We loved Valentina, Suzanne, Roberto and Elizabeth. They assured that we saw all there was to see and added an element of pure Italian hospitality. Our hotels were amazing and our tours were outstanding. Jessica's planning and hard work assured that we would have a great trip. The App was easy to use and made train transfers and meeting times and places a breeze. We look forward to using Kim Kim for another adventure. Well done!

Hotel Reviews

Palazzo Salgar

Naples

Crowded lobby and small room. The breakfast was good.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing special here

Location

There wasn't much to do near the hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable

Hotel Conca Park 4* Sorrento

Sorrento

Great location. This hotel was beautiful! The breakfast was amazing as was the view! the grounds were immaculate and the amenities were superb. We loved this hotel. I am so glad that we spent multiple nights here.

Authenticity & Character

This was a beautiful hotel.

Location

Close to town and easy to walk to where we wanted to go.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tree Charme Parliament Boutique Hotel & Bistrot

Rome

This hotel was a GREAT location. The breakfast was marginal and the rooms were small.

Authenticity & Character

This felt like Rome!

Location

Could not have been better!

Staff

They accommodated our schedule and packed us a breakfast for our early tour.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albergo Posta Marcucci

Bagno Vignoni

The spa was amazing but the room was hot and small. It. seemed a bit out dated. The breakfast was delicious!

Authenticity & Character

The spa area was FABULOUS! It made our stay exceptional.

Location

This was a great mid-point for us.

Staff

The waiter at the restaurant was rude. We were treated poorly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It seemed old and outdated. The rooms were hot.

Star Hotel Rosa Grand

Milan

Great location, great breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Very upscale.

Location

Close to the Dumo and other attractions. Close to all things on our walking tour.

Staff

Very helpful staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Pizza Cooking Class

Naples

This class was fun but seemed a bit commercialized and not authentic. There were so many groups at the same time. The pizza making was fun and the pizza was good but it was very hot and a bit uncomfortable.

Quality of Experience

Food

We had much better pizza earlier that day.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taxi

Limoncello Tour & Tasting

Amalfi Coast

This felt very authentic. We loved meeting the chef and had a wonderful lunch during our tasting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roberto took us to this event. The chef was adorable and so funny. He made the experience great!

Transport

Full Day Tour Amalfi Coast: Positano, Amalfi and Ravello

Italy

We had torrential rain during part of this tour. Our drive Roberto was one of our favorite people on this tour, He took plenty of pictures and really seemed to enjoy his job. He made the day special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roberto was FABULOUS!

Transport

Exclusive Capri Boat Tour and Blue Grotto by Sorrento

Italy

This activity was cancelled due to strong winds and storms. We were so SAD! This was to be a highlight of our week. No one could help the circumstances. We will need to come back!

Explore Pompeii Walking Tour

Italy

Nancy gave a very good tour. She knew a lot about Pompeii but didn't overload us with too much information.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naples to the Amalfi Coast or Amalfi Coast to Naples - Pompeii en Route

Italy

Good trip. Our driver was very nice. Our Pompeii tour was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nancy gave us a great tour of Pompeii. She had great information and was loads of fun.

Transport

Efficient, on time, we felt comfortable. Nice vehicle

Explore Rome in a Day

Rome

Wow! We saw so much and learned so much. The Vatican Museum and Sistene Chapel were amazing. We saw all the sites! Suzanne was wonderful! Very informative and fun. She took us to a great lunch spot and knew how to make the trip very authentic for us. She was one of our best guides. We loved her!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She was genuine and just a lovely person!

Rome walking tour by night

Rome

Vera did a good job of giving us the basics of Rome. She took us to some different places.....the Trevi Fountain and the old Hospital now University which was very interesting. I wish we had seen the castle and DiVinci museum. We were extremely tired and probably not the best audience. She did a great job.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vineyard walk and tasting in Argillae Vineyard (Mon-Fri)

Italy

We had a fabulous tour and lunch at the Argillae vineyard. We loved the wine and really appreciated the time the owner (female/daughter) Julie? spent with us. She was so professional and fun and made our experience valuable. The lunch was amazing and was paired with the wines. This was a high point of our trip for sure.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was pleasant and a very good driver.

Transport

on time and efficient.

Cellars Visits in Chianti Area

Italy

We loved our vineyard tours but especially appreciated Valentina taking us to a small town for the most authentic experience of our week. She found a lovely lunch spot and communicated in Italian with the owner to allow us to experience a very special lunch. Although it was only a fragment of our tour, it was most memorable. We adored Valentina!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lake Como and Bellagio– Full Day Trip from Milan - Shared

Milan

Elizabeth was amazing. She kept us on time and on task and allowed time for our own adventure in Bellagio. She recommended a fabulous lunch spot and joined us for a great outing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Elizabeth was outstanding!

Transport

Express Milan Duomo Tour with Terrace Access

Milan

Our guide was well-informed but spent too much time on the history and did not seem aware of our time constraints. We just barely fit the roof-top visit in and she seemed confused when we told her that we had an early departure for that day. Overall it was a good experience but we felt bad for our tour guide who seemed prepared for a much longer experience.

Quality of Experience

It is simply an exceptional place

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guides, drivers and tours:
Elizabeth---Lake Como/Bellagio
Roberto--Amalfi coast
Nancy--Pompei
Suzanna/Faustra--Roma
Valentina--driver/Tuscany

Great overall experience--if anyone not mentioned, apologies as all arranged guidance was exceptional.

Hotel Reviews

Palazzo Salgar

Naples

we were only there one night---last of our tour. Nice modern hotel---small but comfortable room. Nice breakfast. A difficult shower---another wet floor LOL Would have preferred a hotel near waterfront area. We walked there and there were a number of options, but assume cost would be higher.

Authenticity & Character

its modern, little character. appeared to be a business trip hotel

Location

appeared not to be a desirable area of Napoli (??) not much to do around hotel---needed taxi to get to activity and restaurants

Staff

lobby staff very accommodating when we interacted

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean throughout.. lobby, restaurant, room

Hotel Conca Park 4* Sorrento

Sorrento

wow!! from entrance via tunnels filled w/ art to modern lobby to great hotel room views of Sorrento. Excellent location and accommodation. Opera and jazz singer in bar area the first night--amazing only issue--3Euro per pool towel. really??

Authenticity & Character

its a modern hotel in an old historic city---another great bath and shower

Location

Walk to heart of Sorrento and activities

Staff

we were welcomed!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tree Charme Parliament Boutique Hotel & Bistrot

Rome

great location ... Like much of Roma--tight streets and access. Small reception area and restaurant. Close to eating options. Appeared to be a safe area. Hotel is in a 500 year old building that has been re-purposed---great rooms and good security. Great shower---American comfort.

Authenticity & Character

see above comment

Location

see above comment

Staff

front desk very accommodating for our group

Cleanliness & Comfort

room and bath very clean

Albergo Posta Marcucci

Bagno Vignoni

Great character in hotel---very comfortable....loved the hot bath pools

Authenticity & Character

old charm feel to hotel lobby and bar. nice rooms, great view

Location

in Tuscany---with real hot bath pools

Staff

we did not feel welcome in the hotel restaurant at dinner. Waiter and (manager?) made us feel a bit not at ease. As if they did not care if we were there. We were late due to travel (drive called ahead and advised hotel). Breakfast staff was much more friendly and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

spa and outdoor water baths/pool

NH Collection Milano President

Milan

in heart of Milano near Duomo and piazza. Very modern, clean, accommodating, Great breakfast. Staff helpful.

Authenticity & Character

its a modern building. Rooms were great, nothing wrong. Americans don't understand Europe shower in bathroom...made a water mess....LOL

Location

near restaurants and duomo piazza

Staff

accommodating and very good english

Cleanliness & Comfort

room, bath, lobby, restaurant bar

Activity Reviews

Exclusive Capri Boat Tour and Blue Grotto by Sorrento

Italy

unfortunately weather cancelled this tour

Quality of Experience

Pizza Cooking Class

Naples

fun and engaging

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

the pizza guide/instructor was very good

Limoncello Tour & Tasting

Amalfi Coast

WOW!!---great experience. Hands on demonstration. Included our group members in the process. Conducted personally by the chef and restaurant owner! Engaging, funny and a fantastic lunch.

Quality of Experience

everything! People, food, view, kindness

Food

WOW!! one of best meals on our entire tour week

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Truly felt like they enjoyed our group being at their establishment

Transport

Roberto

Full Day Tour Amalfi Coast: Positano, Amalfi and Ravello

Italy

Beautiful area--sadly the weather was not good so the clouds and rain kept much of the beauty hidden

Quality of Experience

Roberto was a great driver/guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roberto was great--engaging and friendly

Transport

due to weather, Roberto scheduled a visit to an olive oil factory--totally on his own and to help our day be filled

Naples to the Amalfi Coast or Amalfi Coast to Naples - Pompeii en Route

Italy

Pompeii is a must see stop. Nancy was our guide--very informative

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Rome in a Day

Rome

we saw what we needed to see in Roma. Fantastic guide...loved having headphones (provided) so we could hear the guide throughout the tour in very crowded areas. Our guide took us to a favorite restaurant and we had a great meal w/ her.

Quality of Experience

the guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

the transport from one area to another was prompt

Rome walking tour by night

Rome

Our guide--Faustra (sp??) was extremely knowledgeable and personable. Very good english. Gave us a great tour and insight of Roma within the limited 2-hour tour. We saw places we wanted to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vineyard walk and tasting in Argillae Vineyard (Mon-Fri)

Italy

small, family winery. intimate. the owner was our guide ! Very welcoming--great lunch and hospitality!

Quality of Experience

enjoyed the small, intimate atmosphere

Guides, Drivers and Staff

a family member of the winery ownership was our personal guide at the winery!

Transport

got us there on time

Cellars Visits in Chianti Area

Italy

nice tour of a large volume winery

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Valentia--great english, engaging personality--helped us find a great restaurant for lunch

Transport

the guide--Valentina

Lake Como and Bellagio– Full Day Trip from Milan - Shared

Milan

great guide w Elizabeth. Beautiful boat ride...Bellagio fantastic. Guide took us to her favorite restaurant for lunch---amazing!

Quality of Experience

Beautiful area of Italy---Bellagio is a jewel

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great assistance, patient, informative, appreciative

Transport

its a local train from Milan--be prepared for a slow trip to Como

I love Sorrento It was beautiful. I wished we could of gone to Capri and Blue Grotto but that means we can come back! Enjoyed Tuscany like to go back there and spend more time there. Loved the Roman Ruins and all the history in Rome.
enjoyed Pompei too.! The Amalfi coast was beautiful it rained but enjoy the limoncello tasting.
The hotels were great too! The Sorrento,Tuscany and Milano Hotels.

The guides were great!
Roberto
Susanna
Valenta
Nancy
Elizabeth
Foucha
Barbara
We will be using Kim Kim again !
It was also nice having the drivers.

Thank you again for an AWESOME vacation!

Cindy Johnston

Hotel Reviews

Palazzo Salgar

Naples

It was ok .

Authenticity & Character

Not sure

Location

Find somewhere you can walk. We had to take cabs where we wanted to go.

Staff

Nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was clean and comfy.

Hotel Conca Park 4* Sorrento

Sorrento

This was my favorite hotel. It had a beautiful scenery and very welcoming.

Authenticity & Character

Just beautiful !

Location

You could walk everywhere.

Staff

Very nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Tree Charme Parliament Boutique Hotel & Bistrot

Rome

It was ok very hard to get to with our bags.

Authenticity & Character

Location

You could walk everywhere.

Staff

Very nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was very comfy

Albergo Posta Marcucci

Bagno Vignoni

Hotel was very Quaint.I wish we could of had another day there.

Authenticity & Character

Loved it

Location

It had a beautiful setting!

Staff

They were not too welcoming in the restaurant

Cleanliness & Comfort

very good

Star Hotel Rosa Grand

Milan

Loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

You could walk everywhere.

Staff

Very nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautiful

Activity Reviews

Pizza Cooking Class

Naples

It was alot

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Had to take a cab

Full Day Tour Amalfi Coast: Positano, Amalfi and Ravello

Italy

Even though it rained. It was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Awesome

Transport

Roberto talked about the history.

Limoncello Tour & Tasting

Amalfi Coast

This was great had so much fun!

Quality of Experience

Great

Food

Amazing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roberto was great.

Transport

Great

Explore Pompeii Walking Tour

Italy

Loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nancy was great!

Transport

Naples to the Amalfi Coast or Amalfi Coast to Naples - Pompeii en Route

Italy

Everything was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roberto was great and very informative.

Transport

Loved having Roberto

Explore Rome in a Day

Rome

It was great. Enjoyed every minute.

Quality of Experience

Perfect

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Susannah was wonderful

Transport

Rome walking tour by night

Rome

Very good. Loved to hear about the history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very good

Transport

Vineyard walk and tasting in Argillae Vineyard (Mon-Fri)

Italy

Very informative

Quality of Experience

Everyone was very nice

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cellars Visits in Chianti Area

Italy

Beautiful place

Quality of Experience

Great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Valetina was great

Transport

Yes

Lake Como and Bellagio– Full Day Trip from Milan - Shared

Milan

Loved the trip

Quality of Experience

Beautiful

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Elizabeth was great!

Transport

Very easy

Express Milan Duomo Tour with Terrace Access

Milan

Barbara

We were delighted with the trip that Jessica and her team planned for us. They suggested places that we hadn't considered, which proved to be great ideas. Their recommendations for hotels were spot on. The guides and drivers they found were reliable, informative and easy to communicate with. It was easy to communicate with Jessica and her team during the trip, and we appreciated the ability to track our plans using the app they provided. I love working with KimKim because their specialists are embedded in each country, giving them unique insights and connections.

Just got back from Italy: Milan, Lake Garda, Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, Chianti area, Pompei, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello. Jessica delivered my dream! While I wanted some of the most famous tourist attractions, I also wanted a variety, including "off the beaten path" opportunities with the local people. Additionally, we hoped for smaller more private groupings to be able to really talk and learn about the places we visited. Jessica listened and chose beautifully!

Lake Garda was INCREDIBLY beautiful. We circled the lake visiting Salo, Limione, and staying in Riva (which I felt was the best.) Elena in Sirmione was fantastic at completing the historical perspective of the lake. Sara in Venice gave us the lay of the land, the history, and introduced us to incredible cicchetti! Unusual and delicious! Saura took us to the best of Cinque Terre (Manarola), Chiro the best of the Amalfi Coast (Ravello!), and Pompeii with Mario was fantastic...blew our minds with the knowledge. In Florence, I booked a 6:30 Arno River ride, the Accademia, Palazzo Vecchio tour, and the special tour of the Duomo including the terraces! Swimming in the Sea with our small group near Capri will never be forgotten. Tulio Bondi and his gelato making experience, Christina at Campanelle Winery, and Chef Fiore in his restaurant on the Amalfi Coast were highlights for the tastebuds and made us feel like royalty! So special.

Transportation could have been intimidating...but not with Storywalking. Professional, courteous, punctual, and kind, we loved talking to all of them - and learned so much about their lives. David, Giuseppe, Max, Ricardo, are just a few that shared their love of home. Ricardo's personal history of being German, Greek & Italian was so interesting. You don't get that on a bus or train! And don't forget the women who helped us with our water taxis and train in Venice. Not sure how long it would have taken me to figure all that out.

We had a major car issue (on a Sunday) and were so glad to have Jessica, Barbara, and all their local connections to save our day, our trip! What would we have done without them?? Not really sure! Honestly.

Lodging - I asked for a few upgrades and Jessica didn't disappoint. Beautiful and memorable.
And the weather (September) - downright perfect! Most days in the 70s and low 80s. Some rain, but didn't stop anything.
Pacing was good....never felt rushed!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lorelei Londres

Sorrento

Gorgeous room with view of the sea. Private "beach" area at the bottom of the cliff. Morning breakfast outside overlooking the sea. Cocktails at night, too.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the aqua and white - sea feel.

Location

Walkable, too!

Staff

Great intro upon arrival! Helped with bags, showed us everything. Bottle of champagne.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect!

Hotel Balestri

Florence

Location!!! The best. Our room - kind of small and tight, but serviceable. Maybe because we had had two really nice rooms ahead of this one.

Authenticity & Character

Has been there awhile, but up to date. Nice terrace on the roof. Bar was always hopping at night.

Location

Perfect - central and walkable

Staff

Great intro to Florence at arrival

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ca' dei Proverbi Suites

Venice

Very centrally located! Tucked away and quiet. Completely new and clean. Breakfast was fantastic and the young woman who served was extremely gracious. She wa from the Phillipines. Linzane was her name?

Authenticity & Character

Totally like the pictures....and so new.

Location

Easy walk anywhere, but away from crowds

Staff

The amazing breakfast server.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Air conditioning was needed that day and felt great.

Hotel Sole

Riva del Garda

Right in the center of everything! Views from the balcony - fantastic. Restaurant - delicious!

Authenticity & Character

Old pictures on the wall, but totally well kept and up to date. Circular staircase.

Location

Quiet in the morning, busy and fun during the day. Near lots to do!! Our balcony - fantastic!!

Staff

Morning breakfast folks weren't the happiest, but everyone else was good.

Cleanliness & Comfort

good bed, robes, towels - nice

NYX MILAN by Leonardo Hotels

Milan

BIG room, great sitting area. Too bad we were only there one night. Close to public transportation and rental cars. Restaurants were near. Ohio from Nigeria was very helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Contemporary Italian

Location

Near trains, car rental.

Staff

Ohio helped with a map.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Limoncello Tour & Tasting

Amalfi Coast

So... you think you are going to learn about lemons and taste it, but Chef Fiore takes it to a whole other level. A tour and information about his lemon garden at his rental home, then back to make some Limoncello as a group, followed by a 4/5 course gourmet meal....each course having a bit of lemon in it! We had no idea that we were going to get a meal like that!! The food just kept coming. :-) And the view - incredible!! Perfect final touch to our trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Best of the whole trip!! Seafood, fish, pasta, lemon desserts & of course, limoncello

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour Amalfi Coast: Positano, Amalfi and Ravello

Italy

Chiro was smart about our trip! Took us directly to Amalfi before the crowds arrived. It was lovely to be in the square and feel the peace before the chaos (which we saw when we came down from Ravello. Ravello was our favorite! Gorgeous villa, gardens, square and quiet shopping. We headed to our Limoncello experience next, which went from about 12:30 - 3:30. Chiro squeezed Positano in at the end....and we wished we would have skipped it. We were on a high after our Limoncello experience and the 5 course gourmet lunch. It had been the PERFECT ending to our trip!! Instead we walked through a very crowded Positano just to see it. Hindsight, for us, not needed. Got back to Sorrento about 6:30. Long day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ask for Chiro!

Transport

Exclusive Capri Boat Tour and Blue Grotto by Sorrento

Italy

We arrived around 9:30 and decided to just enjoy the harbor area. We were near the end of the trip and kind of tired of big crowds. We enjoyed coffee and pastries...and later had lunch. People who went up (the LONG line ) of the funicular enjoyed the garden and shopping. We got on the boat around 1:15 and the skies cleared and it was FANTASTIC! No blue grotto due to tides, but the rest, including swimming was wonderful! Loved it. Food included was a ciabatta bun with tomato and mozzarella. Fruit cup later, chips, wine, beer, limoncello. Fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Luisa - so fun!

Transport

Boat driver was excellent and they played fun music.

Naples to the Amalfi Coast or Amalfi Coast to Naples - Pompeii en Route

Italy

Pompeii is mind blowing, especially with Mario explaining everything!

Quality of Experience

Mario and just us!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chianti wine tour from Florence

Florence

We woke up in Florence after coming back from Cinque Terre the previous day. It was a day excursion and we LOVED the first winery - Capannelle!! What a gorgeous place and amazing experience with Christina. Magical!! Ricardo was our fantastic driver. Loved talking with him. He took us to Greve for lunch and that was wonderful, too. We went to a second winery, but it paled in comparison to the first. More commercial and slooooow. We decided to skip the tour portion (we waited and waited to begin) and head back to Florence as it was almost 5:30 and we had left at 8:00. In hindsight, we wished that we had checked into the Capannelle Winery Inn after Cinque Terre, woken up to the breakfast and tour, then had another night there to enjoy the pool and walk the countryside. We ended up in the car a bit more than we needed?? This was the only thing we would have changed about the whole trip!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cinque Terre Private Day Tour from Florence

Italy

Saura took the best care of us! She shared all about Manarola - gorgeous and fascinating history! She took us places we wouldn't have know were there. We then learned how to take the train....and went to Monterosso. Loved the winery experience and shopping a bit in the city. She introduced us to a chickpea flat bread, that was delicious. We did go to Riomaggiore, but quite frankly, it wasn't needed. We had had the best time in the other two....and it was busy and just lots of shopping. We could have headed back to Florence earlier. (Or even better to The Campanelle Winery - our next day's excursion - to stay for the next two nights!)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Train - was fast!

Private Gelato Making Florence Class

Florence

Tulio Bondi!! Do this....so much fun! He is a hoot and so smart. Has been on the Food Network and trains apprentices from around the world. Plus...it's the best gelato in Italy!

Quality of Experience

The Grand Canal by Gondola and Venetian "Cicchetto"

Venice

Sara was perfect - she not only introduced us to Cicchetti, but all of Venice. Being born and raised, she took us down side streets, gave us the history, and also points about Venice of today! We loved talking travel and motherhood with her, too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sirmione Walking and Boat Tour & Scaliger Castle

Italy

Elena was really good! Knew her history and gave us a fantastic restaurant recommendation. The only thing we wished is that we could have left for Venice a little earlier. We aren't much for shoppers so had a couple extra hours there that we didn't need.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guiseppe - personable!!

Transport

Guiseppe and his Mercedes! Comfort plus!

Loved it all: Florence, Sorrento, Rome. The guides were excellent. The children's tour guides did a fantastic job engaging the boys (7 and 5). The drivers were incredibly patient, courteous, and flexible. Francesco saved the day by getting us to a wine tasting when the originally planned event fell through at the last second. Accommodations were top notch. An all around great experience.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Martis Palace

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lorelei Londres

Sorrento

Loved this place. Restaurant has a Michelin Star! Wish the private balconies were a little more "private" but the oversized jacuzzi was awesome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Plaza Hotel Lucchesi

Florence

Rooftop pool makes this hotel probably the best option in the center of florence.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Tour of the Vineyard and Lunch with Wine Tasting in Furore

Italy

The wine was some of the best we had in Italy. The vines are 200+ years old and producing absolutely stunning quality wine. paired with the local lunch, this was one of our favorite experiences, set above Positano with a view unparalleled.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A superb, 4 city vacation in Italy with a very customized itinerary with every travel detail and ticket clearly laid out with no work on our part. Every taxi/boat driver was available on time in every transfer point (8+) as soon as we got off the train/plane. Unique cooking experiences, private tours of the Vatican, and so much more. In a country where we didn't know the language and there were various unknowns, our travel reps (Jessica and Barbara) were available every step of the way giving us daily reminders. I 100% would use this service again as our experiences were one of a kind!

Activity Reviews

Private Evening Gondola Ride Venice & City Stroll

Venice

Our guide was fantastic (Ontavia I believe) who knew so much of the city. Personable, friendly, and knowledgeable. We learned so much about Venice along with the private walk that made it comfortable. Then the gondola ride was one of the best things we ever did while she dropped us off. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Market Tour & Cooking lesson (morning tour)

Rome

Fantastic!! Michaela took us to get the best, fresh food from the market. Outgoing, fun, and friendly telling us every step and asking every detail of what we like, what to try, etc. This felt like one of the most local experiences we ever had with a lot of fun. We learned to cook pasta with her, my wife and I while enjoying the best appetizers and meal. This was so personal, unique, and local that you can't miss out. Plus prosecco, wine, and a fantastic air conditioned apartment with a rustic feel that you can't replicate!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I cannot say enough good things about Jessica Proietti and Storywalking. From planning our special trip to Italy to being with us every step of the way, during our vacation.
Jessica showed much patience with us as we changed the number of people attending, changing dates and changing cities we wanted to visit. We ended up with seven iterations of itineraries! We ended up having 8 people touring together from Rome to the Amalfi Coast, and then our vacation continued with 4 of us going north to the Dolomites and Lake Como. Jessica was able to coordinate our different flights schedules, price points and varying interests in activities. One month before our trip was to begin, my daughter decided to join us, and Jessica was able to include her in everything. And then, unfortunately, four people had to cancel at the very last minute and Jessica was able to provide some refunds and juggle around the cars and hotels.
We booked multiple private drivers and had many private transfers. All were wonderful, friendly, and professional. Our private driver and tour guide for Herculaneum and Pompeii were fantastic. I highly recommend the private guide. We also booked an Exclusive Capri Boat Tour from Positano. It was an 8-hour excursion with snorkeling and swimming, with a stop in Capri and another island for lunch. Again, the captain and guide were friendly, fun and professional. They also had a variety of snacks and drinks. The hotels Jessica booked for us met our needs and requests perfectly.
Once the itinerary was set, Jessica and Barbara were available to us, using their app AXUS, any hour of the day. They would respond in minutes to any questions or concerns we had. I have to mention one such issue that Jessica resolved by going above and beyond. The self-serve ticket kiosks were not working at the Bologna train station, and we were not able to get our tickets printed or downloaded. Jessica went to the Milan train station and sent me pictures of our tickets, so we did not miss our train!
In the end, Jessica took the worries of planning away from us and provided us with fantastic service, planning and guidance.

All the guides were excellent. I especially appreciated Silvia who took us on a hike and exploring Bellagio. She was outgoing, informative & prepared with hiking poles and other things, just in case. She customized our outing based on weather. She even brought supplies to make us tea once we arrived at the highest point.
Phillip was outstanding too. He customized our Bellagio bike trip to suit our needs. We were introduced to people we saw along the way & who knew him, which was a great way to learn about their culture. Janis & I discovered the most amazing restaurant for dinner that evening because Phillip showed us the property during our bike ride. We would have never experienced it without phillip’s help. He provided so much information & was very helpful to Janis when she needed to find a dentist.
Several of the guides took us on tours that were longer than the itinerary stated, because we were all having a good time. You can tell how much they enjoy sharing their knowledge by their willingness to spend time with us travelers.
The wine tour & tasting was amazing (in the Piedmont area) &i loved the truffle hunt. Both exceeded my expectations. I learned so much from each experience.
And WOW! The pesto making experience was a memory I’ll always cherish.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Stella della Marina

Monterosso

I loved this hotel & the hard working owner who carried our bags up the stairs, checked us in, was also the breakfast cook & server.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

STAR HOTEL ECHO

MILANO

Excellent breakfast buffet. Hotel staff was very welcoming too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Royal

Stresa

Beautiful hotel & property. I prefer hotels that are less fancy, however. The staff was adequate, but not as personable as staff in the other locations. The bartender, however, was very outgoing & friendly. The hotel restaurant would not allow us to order ala Carte for dinner. We prefer not eating two or three course meals.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

B&B Cortiletto d'Alba

Alba

I loved everything about this place. Their restaurant was a wonderful place for dinner too. The hotel had so much character. The owner went out of her way to help us find free parking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Andirivieni Bellagio Guest House

Bellagio

Authenticity & Character

Charming….

Location

I got a bit lost a time or two. My fault.

Staff

Very helpful by providing information about the town & restaurants.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wine Experience

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I’m

Cinque Terre Sunset Boat Tour

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pesto Experience

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cinque Terre Train Card

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cinque Terre Trekking Card

Cinque Terre

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alba & Barolo Exclusive Experience

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I have travelled to Europe many many times but this time, I felt like a VIP! From the very first moment when my travel companion, Debra, and I, Janis, were met at the airport by a nicely dressed man who drove us in a Mercedes to a beautiful modern hotel in Milan, I was impressed. And first impressions count! The hotel in Milan was perfectly located next to the train station, which made it so easy for getting around, especially to the city center. Our room was lovely. Great way to begin our trip! We did spend more than an hour that first afternoon trying to find the car rental location, in preparation for the next morning. We didn't have the name of the local agency, even though I had inquired, only the umbrella company. And the local agency was located a couple of blocks away from the train station. We did finally find it, but it was a struggle. When we picked up the vehicle the next morning, it was very dirty inside. It had not been cleaned at all. And it had no gas.
So we had to immediately fill it. This was the only low point in our trip.
We proceeded to Merano and spent three nights there, really enjoying the little town I had booked accommodations in: Marlingo.
So, then we left for the KimKim portion of our trip, stopping first in Bellagio. Our accommodations were in the old part of the town, in a neighborhood all locals knew, so even when we got lost walking, we were kindly directed to our accommodations. (I'm now going to rate the activities and guides on a 10-pt scale, with 10 being outstanding.). The first morning our guide Silvia showed up at our hotel, exactly on time, and we set off for some incredible hiking with her. She was wonderful and we enjoyed her and her knowledge of the area immensely. She even brought a coffee heater with her and snacks so we could overlook Lake Como on our break. I can't say enough good things about Silvia. What a gem! (10!)(However, we puzzled over how much to "tip" all of our personal guides and drivers. That would be a good thing to include in trips for visitors like us, especially since it was just the TWO of us.)
The next day, we walked to the bicycle rental, got fitted for e-bikes and met our guide Philip. He was also FABULOUS! He took us all over, on steep roads, through narrow streets and on to the top of the mountain, where he recommended a restaurant, which we ended up reserving for that night's dinner. When I had a little accident the next day, I was able to contact him for a dental recommendation. He too is a gem! (10!)
Then we moved onto Stresa. What a lovely old 'classic' hotel, and right next to the ferry to the islands. Very convenient.
Without any guided tours there, however, it didn't have the same engaging 'personality'/ambience for us as Bellagio did, because of Silvia's and Philip's warmth and charm.
Next, we drove to Alba and our hostess at Cortiletto d'Alba was extraordinarily warm and welcoming. She couldn't do enough for us, including showing us where the free parking was! Our meals there (breakfast was included, but we also had dinner there two evenings) were wonderful. Each of our accommodations was so unique from the previous. We truly enjoyed the variety. Silvie was our guide through Alba, and she was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot. (8). Finding the restaurant for lunch was a little confusing, but it was delicious. That morning, driving into the hills for the wine tasting was a real adventure, as the roads there felt more like old narrow 'wagon trails.' But we found it, and joined six others in a lovely wine tasting with the most sensational views. It was phenomenal. (10!) Having both been in Tuscany, separately, on trips a few years ago, we relished the beauty and the quiet of the Piedmont. There were few people - not like in Tuscany. We'd go again in a heartbeat!!
And the truffle hunt: what an experience that was! We were again picked up by a driver in a very nice car, up to where we met the trifalau and his girl dog Buca. The driver left, and the three of us plus Buca tramped through the woods. When the trifalau (Carlo, I think) gave the signal, Buca began sniffing around through the woods, starting to dig when she smelled a truffle buried deep in the earth. We found two truffles, and learned SO much about truffles. It was an experience I've wanted to have for years; this was exceptional! (10!)
Then we drove to Genoa, where we were met by our driver who drove us to Monterosso. What a joy not to have to schlept our bags onto a train. Again, VIP treatment and we loved it!
And we so enjoyed our accommodations in Monterosso: perfect location in the village and the host was so kind to us. Francesco was our guide from Corniglia to Vernazza and he was excellent and very caring. (9)
The pesto making experience was such GREAT FUN! Both being cooks, we appreciated all the little insights Simone told us about the hands-on process. We each got an apron, we were fed heaps of food for lunch, and every couple received a half bottle of Cinque Terre wine. (10!)
The sunset cruise was a little disappointing. We didn't have the name of the company, only the name of the boat. Locals tried to help us, but told us the boat (by the name we had - Guiliana) was moored in Monterosso. It was only with the help of six locals that we finally connected with the right boat company. It was other guests scheduled for the same boat that made our departure even later. There were 14 of us plus the driver/guide. Most people had to sit on the flat padded part of the boat, but we chose the rear where we could sit with our feet on the boat's floor (much more comfortable). The appetizers (foaccacia) were stale and tasteless. We fed the pieces to the seagulls. The guide opened up 11 bottles of Prosecco but Debra and I only drank a few ounces as it wasn't very good Prosecco. The sunset was beautiful and the guide told us a bit about each of the five towns. (7)
The driver back to Genoa was right on time (actually early) and he dropped us at the appointed places, Debra to the airport and me to the train station, for my trip to Nice.
Jessica was a joy to communicate with and make such a customized plan. I was impressed by AXUS - what a helpful and informative app! I can't recommend Jessica enough. During the trip, Barbara too was such a help, and always available despite the hour of our needing assistance or clarification. On a scale of 1 - 10, STORYWALKING gets an 11!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Stella della Marina

Monterosso

Authenticity & Character

Clean and modern. Lots of stairs however!

Location

Staff

Host/owner/manager is such a hard worker; he does it all; and very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

B&B Cortiletto d'Alba

Alba

The staff is so warm and welcoming; truly exceptional people. Location is perfect, very close to the old part of Alba. There is free parking, although it can be difficult to find. Delicious food, for breakfasts, and dinners are exquisite (make reservations; it's popular!)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Royal

Stresa

Classic, old style hotel - very elegant - beautiful location. Free parking on site. Right next to the ferry to the islands. Fabulous breakfast buffet. Our room had a lovely balcony.

Authenticity & Character

Charming "old world" feel

Location

Just off the water, a short walk to the main portion of Stresa along the water

Staff

Bartender

Cleanliness & Comfort

Andirivieni Bellagio Guest House

Bellagio

Authentic, charming accommodations. Free parking right at the entrance. Good staff. Terrific location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

STAR HOTEL ECHO

MILANO

Location

Right next to the train station; you can go anywhere in Europe from here!

Cleanliness & Comfort

A beautiful and modern hotel, filled with art - really a knockout!

Activity Reviews

Cinque Terre Sunset Boat Tour

Italy

Pesto Experience

Italy

Alba & Barolo Exclusive Experience

Italy

The Ghisallo Family E-Xperience

Bellagio

Philip gave us four hours.

Bellagio peak: Monte San Primo

Italy

Cinque Terre Trekking Adventure: Explore Italy's Coastal Wonders

Italy

Wine Experience

Italy

I forgot to include this in my overall review. Perhaps it's because it wasn't much of a event. The vineyard owner was late. She took us through her family's vineyard, describing different methods of growing the vines. Then set us up at the table with the first of four wines to taste. Then she was through with us. Establishment was short staffed and the wine shack is on the public trail. So it took us a while to figure out that we weren't going to be served the other three wines unless we asked at the wine shack. The employee apologized and tried to make up for our being ignored. The wines were just okay.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had to wait a long time for a bus because the first bus was too crowded. And the only way down after the event was to walk, or wait two hours for a bus. Good thing we were prepared with good walking shoes and walking sticks - otherwise I would not have been able to cope with the rocky steep trail. I don't think this was worth it.

This Italy trip was fantastic. We travel and speak directly with Valentina, Jessica, and Barbara as Italy experts to make this trip go smoothly and exciting. Our private's guides, Manuela in Florence, Sara in Venice, and Selenia in Rome, were outstanding. They are competitive and knowledgeable.

Siena was a surprise because we didn't know that we would like it so much. In "la Bellissima Florencia," we have a great time taking Tuscan cooking classes with our chef Tomasso and his incredible team of chefs. Venice- St. Marks Basilica was astounding. Venice's food is excellent. I eat at Agli Alboretti Hotel, and the chef is excellent. Gondola thru canals and the vias were terrific, wonderful time for shopping.

We love it, and our next personal trip will be retaken with KimKim. Thank you, guys, for this beautiful travel time.

Hotel Reviews

Boutique Hotel Galatea

Rome

It is like a secret place deep inside Rome. Walking distance to everything. Cozy, charming, clean, and accessible.

Authenticity & Character

Cozy and charming. It is like we live in a Rome neighborhood.

Location

Walking distance to everything

Staff

Knowledgeable. Take care of everything. We like the service a lot.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Hotel agli Alboretti

Venice

Old building with authentic decoration of Venice Bay. Cozy, charming, and excellent restaurant. The restaurant annex to the hotel is terrific. One of the best food I ever taste. The fish soup is terrific. Really delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Charming, authentic old Venice building.

Location

Quiet location. Near everything at the same time.

Staff

The staff was great. Attentive, responsive. The restaurant staff was excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean.

B&B Hotel Firenze City Center

Florence

Good, but they allocated us to a handicapped room with water excess outside the shower door thru the floor.

Authenticity & Character

Bathroom

Location

Accessible to so many places within walking distance.

Staff

Attentive but not responsive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Water excess outside the shower door thru the floor.

Il Battistero 

Siena

Cozy, personal, private, quiet, great view, excellent host. Perfect!!

Authenticity & Character

This hotel has an old aqueduct and storage for wine downstairs which have a fantastic story about its construction. Go to check.

Location

Walking distance to everything and, at the same time quiet neighborhood.

Staff

Attentive, responsive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It's a medieval building with suppressive accommodation. It was fantastic.

Activity Reviews

Colosseum Tour with Underground, Arena & Gladiator Gate with Roman Forum

Rome

Fantastic tour with guide Selenia providing detailed explanations and descriptions of sites; perfectly knowledgeable, energetic, and well-expressed guide, willing to answer all questions, big and small.

Quality of Experience

Selenia has a deep knowledge of history and she brings it to life. We got so much more than we would have if we had simply walked through as tourists. She answered questions and added interesting historical facts. She made our trip perfect.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fantastic tour with guide Selenia providing detailed explanations and descriptions of sites; perfectly knowledgeable, energetic, and well-expressed guide, willing to answer all questions, big and small.

Transport

high-quality transportation

Dine. Taste. Learn

Rome

Great Time. Excellent food. We love the wines.

Quality of Experience

Very good food and the quality of the "tapas", fantastic.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The host was terrific. Very knowledgeable and charming.

Transport

High-quality transportation

Venice Walking Tour with St. Marks Basilica and Gondola Ride

Italy

This is a pretty good trip. Venice was outstanding. Our guide (Sara) was excellent. A combination of knowledgeable, personable, and humorous at the same time. It was well worth seeing the Square and the Basilica. I learned a lot and was on a private tour avoiding lines on a crowded day. So, it was perfect.

Quality of Experience

This is a pretty good trip. It was well worth seeing the St. Marks Basilica. OMG, what a place. I learned a lot and was on a private tour, avoiding lines on a crowded day. So, it was perfect.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide (Sara) was excellent—a combination of knowledgeable, personable, and humorous at the same time.

Transport

High-quality transportation.

Florence, Giotto Bell Tower - ticket only

Florence

Good trip. Excellent views of the city.

Quality of Experience

Good trip. Excellent views of the city.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very respectful and attentive.

Transport

High-quality transportation.

San Lorenzo Food Market & Tuscan Cooking Class

Florence

It was perfect. I love to cook, and this experience was fantastic—easy techniques to perform some Tuscan recipes.

Quality of Experience

Beginning with the market to pick the ingredients was terrific. The whole class was straightforward to follow. The interactions with the chefs were excellent.

Food

Terrific. The best Ragu sauce I ever taste.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of them are great. Respectful and knowledgeable.

Transport

High-quality transportation

Guided Tour of Florence Duomo with access to the Dome

Florence

Special place. Botticelli's work is outstanding

Quality of Experience

Amazing place. Impressive work of art.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of them are great. Respectful and knowledgeable.

Transport

High-quality transportation

Best of Florence Walking Tour with David & the Duomo

Florence

Great visit with amazing detailed information from our guide Manuela, and even the occasional joke. Perfect also because you get to skip the long lines.

Quality of Experience

The academy surprises me. I never tough the David sculpture is so awesome.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of them were very respectful and attentive. Very professional and knowledgeable.

Transport

High-quality transportation.

First of all, Jessica was fantastic, not just in helping us design our trip, but even more so in helping us during the trip when the inevitable small problems happen (like trying to find our guide, coordinate our rides, etc.). She was available at all hours and responded to our texts within minutes...even on Sunday! She was extremely pleasant, knowledgeable and demonstrated that she genuinely cared that we were enjoying our time. Finally, every guide and driver we worked with wase extremely knowledgeable, friendly, fun and professional. They really made a huge impact on our trip!

I look forward to using the Kim Kim service in the future and if we go back to Italy, I would love to work with Jessica again.

Thank you for a wonderful trip!
Ron Rowan

Jessica was always ready to answer questions and work with us as we changed our original plan to the final one. The private tour guides arranged for us for each area were excellent. Especially notable for mosaics and artwork were;
1. The Duomo in Monreale
2. the Villa Romana Casale

My husband and I enjoyed a very relaxing and wonderful 15 days trip in the Amalfi Coast and Sicily in early October.  We contacted Jessica, a travel specialist for Italy through kimkim.com.  Within a week of speaking to Jessica, she arranged a private tour for us and we were on a flight to Rome.  

Jessica was very efficient responding to our requests or updating changes before and during our trip to Italy. From the airport pickup to each destination, our trip was seamless and relaxing.  We enjoyed the central location of all our hotels and B&Bs which allowed us to walk everywhere and enjoy excellent meals with locals.  All the tours arranged by Jessica were very enjoyable and interesting.  We learned so much about Italian and Sicilian history, culture and art through our excellent tour guides.  In particular, Tony gave us a wonderful tour of the Cathedral of Monreale and Marta gave an excellent tour of the Ancient Villa Romana del Casale.  Our drivers, Ciro, Stefano and Fabio are great drivers and are very friendly.  We also enjoy lots of free time exploring on our own, visiting small old fishing villages and swimming in the crystalline waters of the Tyrhennian and Ioninan Seas.  We have so many beautiful memories.

We can’t thank Jessica enough for this very enjoyable last minute trip and for frequently checking in with us to make sure our time in Italy was going smoothly and according to plan.  We would highly recommend her to anyone thinking about traveling to Italy.  

Hotel Review

Grand Hotel Royal

Sorrento

Grand Hotel Royal, Sorrento is the best hotel from our Southern Italy trip. It is centrally located in Sorrento with many nice restaurants near by. This elegant 5 star hotel is located at the top of a cliff with an elevator to the beach. The view from the beautiful garden and our balcony were magnificent . The staff was great and breakfast was delicious! It's so enjoyable and relaxing staying at the Grand Hotel Royal.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Catania: Food & Folklore

Catania

Enjoyed the sounds, taste and color of this delicious fish market tasting tour. Giusi our tour guide is excellent and we enjoyed the delicious green drink and fried seafood from her restaurant. The tasting menu from other restaurant and cheese sampling were great too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

w

Guided Tour of Villa Romana del Casale

Italy

Seeing the incredible story telling mosaics in the Villa Romana del Casale was very impressive. Our excellent tour guide, Marta made this tour very interesting and lively. The vivid depiction of the captured animals and ostrich being loaded into a boat was awesome.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monreale, Cefalù & Castelbuono Tour from Palermo

Italy

It's amazing seeing the beautiful mosaic Bible stories all around the Cathedral of Monreale. Thanks to our terrific tour guide Antonio who made this tour very interesting and enjoyable! We had a wonderful time walking through the lovely town of Cefalu with many interesting shops and we tasted the best warm meat and sausage rice ball there. It's so wonderful cooling off and swimming at the beautiful Cefalu sandy beach.

Quality of Experience

Limoncello Tour & Tasting

Amalfi Coast

The Limoncello Tour with Chef Fiore was lot of fun. The wonderful meal from his restaurant was so delicious and I learned many different ways using lemon in my cooking from this tour. Thank you Chef!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ciro is an excellent and friendly driver. We enjoyed his service to the Amalfi Coast and Limoncello tour.

Transport

Exclusive Capri Boat Tour and Blue Grotto by Sorrento

Italy

We are so glad that we found Jessica on kimkim to help us plan our 30th Anniversary trip to Italy and Greece. She worked with us to create the perfect itinerary and made herself available to us in case we needed anything whatsoever while we were traveling. Knowing we were in such good hands made our minds at ease, which is so important when you're on the go for two weeks! It was a truly magical trip.

Jessica provided incredible guidance and support to make sure our group of 12 had both detailed transfer, tickets and guides for the things we wanted to do and also plenty of free time to explore on our own. Yulia's walking tour of Pompeii was so well informed and detailed, I loved every bit of it!
thank you

Jessica was incredibly responsive and helpful.

Daniella was a great tour guide. I would recommend that she let folks know upfront how much food will be provided on the walk and tasting tour. We were all very full after eating our homemade pizza that it was difficult to try the other items.

Yulia was amazing! Mount Vesuvius, the wine tasting, and Pompeii were a highlight of my trip.

The boat tour was also a blast. No complaints.

Jessica did an excellent job booking this trip! She was attentive and there for us whenever we had questions or concerns. She booked all of our drivers and experiences. We started in Rome with a 8 hour tour with Paola. She was so good and very knowledgeable. Hotel was cute. We then took a train, which she also booked for us down to Salerno where we had a driver, Chico drive us down the Amalfi coast, stopping in Ravello, which was our favorite, then Amalfi, and ending in Positano. Most beautiful place I’ve ever been. Our guide was great! We then stayed in Sorrento. Such a cute town! We also enjoyed the hotel here too. Next day we went to Capri Island and Andrea was our guide for the day. He was excellent! So personal and also very knowledgeable about the area. We had a fantastic time and also did the blue grotto. Next day we went to Pompeii. I don’t remember our tour guides name but this was also a very good experience. We enjoyed this service very much and would recommend it to anyone who is traveling. Loved the private tours and guides and individual attention. My only suggestion is that we didn’t know about needing money for the bathrooms and it would have been nice on our car drives, we took a lot of them, to be offered water.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Montani

Rome

Concierge was great! So concerned about our luggage not making it. Call the airport and just truly wanted to make the situation not stressful. He very helpful with providing a map of where to go and places to eat.

Authenticity & Character

Cute little apartments.

Location

Centrally located

Staff

So caring

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean

Hotel Capo d'Africa—Colosseo

Rome

Nice hotel right next to the coliseum. Roof top restaurant with views of the coliseum.

Authenticity & Character

Rooftop restaurant

Location

Walking distance to all major monuments and museums.

Staff

Attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean

La Casa dell'Orologio

Sorrento

So cute in the middle of Sorrento Square. Walking distance to the pier, 15 minutes. Room had a cute balcony and nice decor.

Authenticity & Character

Decor was cute

Location

Near the square

Staff

Answered any questions we had

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Activity Reviews

Dine. Taste. Learn - Dinner

Rome

Fun to learn about the wine and cheese from the region.

Pompeii Private Morning Tour from Sorrento

Italy

Mario was a great tour guide! My only complaint is that I didn’t have enough time there

Private Deluxe Capri Island Trip

Italy

Andrea was our guide. He was friendly and knowledgeable, spoke good English. Capri was amazing and the views are breathtaking. We also did blue grotto which is definitely an experience. He even provided money for us when we didn’t have any to us the bathroom.

Half Day Tour from Salerno to Sorrento (Transfer) and Sorrento to Salerno

Italy

Chico was a great tour guide. We learned so much about this region of Italy. Ravello was our favorite and would have liked to spend more time there.

Quality of Experience

Great!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So friendly and knowledgeable

Transport

I felt very safe

Explore Rome in a Day

Rome

Paola was our guide and she did great! Wish I had a little more time at some of the areas, like the Vatican.

Quality of Experience

Small group. There was 4 of us.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and knowledgeable

Transport

N/A

We had used Kim Kim in the past for a trip to Costa Rica. Everything from the activities to the accommodations, guides and support were exemplary. Unfortunately, our experience with our recent trip to Italy was not as great and I do not think I will be using Kim Kim or recommending Kim Kim in the future, which is sad given our first experience was so positive.

For starters the price was absurd. We paid $20,000 for a 2-week trip for 5 (3 children and my husband and I)-over $1,400 per day. This did not include food or flights and did not include most of our entertainment/activities. We stayed in 4-star hotels and had several activities and several train rides as well as multiple private transfers included. I understand this is expensive and I had thought the price may be reasonable at the time until I started asking our guides, transfers, and hotels for the amount they had been paid and compiling a spreadsheet of this. I understand there will be a premium going through a travel agency, but this was borderline fraudulent and not at all congruent with our prior Kim Kim experience. My family is from Sardinia and so we began planning our own activities using them as well as a family friend who is a local travel specialist in Italy who reviewed our prices and itinerary and basically concluded we were conned.

Second the planning was extremely sloppy. We did not receive the actual schedule with times in PDF format as we had before with costa Rica. Everything was through the app. Multiple links did not work so I had to frantically call Jessica from the train station in Venice when the train tickets Kim KIm had uploaded to the app had the wrong link and were not there (we almost missed our train). Jessica had EXCELLENT communication as was available 24/7, however I feel if that if the trip was planned better, I would not have to had to be contacting her so frequently. It was annoying and stressful to constantly be on What’s Ap instead of enjoying our vacation. Our schedule told us that in Venice our transfer back to the train station would meet us at the hotel this was not the case and we waited in the hotel until the driver called the hotel and told us to walk the quarter mile to the canal for the transfer. I would have been happy to do this if it had been communicated. Our driver in Florence was late to pick us up to the train station for the transfer. Our driver in Sorrento could not find our hotel, and again for our transfers given the hotel location it was not possible to be picked up at the hotel as the itinerary said, but we had to walk to a street corner, Jessica communicated this the day before, (again not a big deal, but helpful to know all of this ahead of time and put in the itinerary before we left so we knew what to expect and were not constantly having to check whats app, bother Jessica and clarify all the transfers) Our driver to drive us to the airport on departure to Rome was also 30 min late bc he had a 6:30 pick up despite the 6am pick up listed on our itinerary.

The planning was also not well thought out. We had 2 full days in Florence, one free day to visit Uffizi and dell’Academia etc and one day of a private bike tour. Kim Kim planned Monday for our free day to visit the major attractions including the Uffizi (listed in our itinerary) however did not take into consideration that these major museums and galleries are CLOSED on Mondays!!!! This made no sense and despite traveling all the way to Italy/Florence, we were unable to see the Uffizi. Seemed like a major oversight and not something I would expect using an Italian travel agency for a $20,000 trip. Sardinia was similar. A free day on Pelosa beach, however there was no mention that we needed to buy tickets to go to the beach, so again on our planned beach day we were unable to go bc there were no tickets!!!! It seems like this would have been important info to put in the itinerary, let us know about.

I have nothing but positive things to say about Jessica. She went above and beyond and was readily available and an excellent communicator. However, as wonderful as she was, I would’ve preferred to just enjoy our trip and not have to be in constant communication with her about details that were not well spelled out/thought out in the itinerary. Jessica was not assigned to us until after the trip was built, so I’m guessing most of this was all out of her control.

We enjoyed the chosen hotels/accommodations except for Florence (location of this one was too close to large amount of vagrants/beggars, and the kids were scared walking back to the hotel, the staff were also not friendly, and the room was stuffy and hot and did not have enough beds so 2 of our children had to share a twin bed). We enjoyed the planned activities (mask painting, scavenger hunt in Dodge’s palace were both excellent, gelato making excellent, bike tour in Florence excellent).

At the end of the day our trip was still amazing, and these were minor inconveniences, however the whole point of using a travel agency is to not have to worry about the minor details/logistics. And again, after a perfectly executed trip in Costa Rica (a much less developed country than Italy too!), the planning on this trip was extremely disappointing, between this and the price gauging, this will be our last Kim Kim trip. I hope a large portion of the $20,000 we paid goes to Jessica, because she is worth her weight in gold!

Hotel Reviews

Monti Palace Hotel

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cuore di Sorrento Suites

Sorrento

Authenticity & Character

Location

hard to find, otherwise great location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alghero Resort Country Hotel

Alghero

loved it

Authenticity & Character

Location

not walking distance to anything, worked well for us bc we had a car

Staff

staff make this place. they go above and beyond. cannot say enough great things about the staff here

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Albani Firenze

Florence

not good for families

Authenticity & Character

Location

near area where vagrants hang out, kids were scared walking back to hotel, would NOT stay here again

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Giorgione

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tour Amalfi Coast: Positano, Amalfi and Ravello

Italy

Really liked our driver Rosario, however would probably not do this tour again. Was SOOOO crowded and most of our day was spent sitting in the van in traffic (likely the same of any of these tours).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Snorkeling excursion in Bosa coast

Italy

rained out/cold, didn't go

Downhill bike tour in the hills around Florence (San Gimignano) #2

Italy

Piero was excellent, we really enjoyed our time with him. I had done bike tours in Tuscany in the past and only critique of this trip/route was there were some roads with cars and some street crossings which weren't ideal with the kids. Piero was extremely conscious of this and safety centered, the prior tours I'd done were all in the countryside. the lunch was the best meal we had in florence/tuscany. SO GOOD!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide 10/10

Transport

van was very comfortable and roomy.

Private Gelato Making Florence Class

Florence

not what we were expecting but still a good experience, we were in small room in back of gelato shop, very authentic experience and Tulio was great with the children. wasn't quite as hands on as we were expecting though.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Venetian Mask Painting & Family Scavenger Hunt in the Doge’s Palace

Venice

Rosana did excellent job engaging the kids and also teaching them about the history of Doge's palace. LOVED the mask painting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a wonderful trip traveling through Venice, South Tyrol, and the northern lakes region of Italy. Jessica helped us book a sensible itinerary, with stays at boutique hotels (often recently renovated) that we would not have easily found ourselves. She set us up with several terrific local tour guides, including a family-owned restaurant where we made pasta in a private class and enjoyed a fabulous meal overlooking the countryside. Post-pandemic, the tour guide industry has shrunk as people have changed careers, so it is definitely worth going through a knowledgeable and connected travel agent.
Jessica was also extremely responsive and sensitive to our budget objectives. We also through her a last-minute curveball in adding a friend's child to our reservation the week before we left, and she was able to maneuver quickly to arrange this for us, saving us time and stress. I highly recommend her and the kimkim platform for a well-planned vacation.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel San Giuseppe

Cernobbio

Rooms are clean and comfortable enough, with air conditioning. We only give it 4 stars because it wasn't as nice as the other hotels where we stayed. However, we loved the very personalized service by Maurizio and his family who own the hotel. Great restaurant - we had dinner there one night. A little gem.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Loved Maurizio!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Borgo Stazione Bike Inn

Valeggio sul Mincio

We loved this place, also recently renovated. Nice continental breakfast. Staff were so friendly. The only issue with the kids' room with the hammock was that the shower is open to the room - just glass - so there isn't privacy on that front. Our treehouse suite also had a lovely soaking tub next to the shower. You can rent your Lake Garda bikes directly at this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Goldenstern Townhouse

Bolzano

gorgeous, artful decor, newly renovated. We had a spacious suite. We loved this place. They had a great interior designer. Wonderful continental breakfast included.

Authenticity & Character

Location

central

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ca' dei Proverbi Suites

Venice

great location, newly renovated

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cooking Class - How to prepare the famous Valeggio Tortellini (Wednesday and Thursday morning)

Italy

don't leave Italy without doing a cooking class! We were all inspired to go home and make our own pasta! Kids especially loved it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The historic centre of Bolzano

Italy

Highly recommend - Bolzano is such an interesting town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Best of Venice tour: Murano Island & St. Mark's Basilica

Venice

Our tour guide lives in Venice and was so knowledgeable and personable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport