João Daniel

Joao did a great job responding to our feedback and creating a trip that met all of our hopes and expectations. The four guides that we worked with provided high quality tours and their depth of knowledge was remarkable. Pedro with Our Island assessed what our interests were and then provided us a tour of Faial focusing on the plants, helping us understand how the ecosystem was built with endemic plants, plants brought in by the ocean and then those brought by people. His passion for his island and culture stood out. John from Sao Jorge Island Tours was our guide on Sao Jorge and again, his knowledge and passion for his island made us fall in love with all we saw. Matthew with Tripix guided us around Pico Island and his understanding of the history and development of the wine culture helped us appreciate this rugged island. Our final tour was Andres with Green Generation on Terceira and his desire to get people out into the countryside and hiking shone through and he provided us an excellent experience. All of these tours were impressive with the guides being experienced professionals with so much knowledge.
Joao provided us with road books to guide our explorations on Sao Miguel and these were excellent with clear descriptions of areas to explore and good directions to get us there. The rental company that they linked us with provided good service and a solid car for our explorations. The studios and hotels that Joao reserved for us were comfortable and convenient.
The Azores were spectacular - the dramatic landscapes, wonderful food, and kind people made this an exceptional vacation.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Do Colégio

Ponta Delgada

This hotel was well located, provided a delicious breakfast with brewed tea, the staff were lovely, and the rooms were comfortable though a bit noisy. And the rooms had bathtubs!!

Authenticity & Character

The public spaces were well laid out and attractive. The rooms themselves were ordinary seeming hotel rooms.

Location

Great location, short walk to the waterfront and the restaurants.

Staff

Nice, responsive staff, very pleasant and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room and all of the public space was very clean, the beds were comfortable, and the bathtubs such a treat. The only drawback was that it was a bit noisy.

Azores Book Hotel

Angra do Heroísmo

Beautiful, comfortable, a delicious breakfast, and overall excellent.

Authenticity & Character

The book theme was well done and carried out throughout the hotel. The public areas were nicely set up and very comfortable. The room itself was ordinary but quiet and comfortable.

Location

The hotel was quiet as it was a bit outside of the main town which did mean we had a bit of a walk to explore Angra.

Staff

always polite and pleasant. Happy to answer any questions and were very accomodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, the beds were comfortable, and it was quiet!

Pico Studios

Madalena

Comfortable and an excellent location but the theme of the room was off-putting and the kitchen was not as well equipped as I would have liked. Loved that they provided a laundry facility with laundry soap.

Authenticity & Character

The theme of our room was grey and too modern and plastic for my taste. This was a studio.

Location

Walking distance to restaurants and the ferry.

Staff

We interacted with the staff person when we arrived and she was helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The studio was very clean and the bed was comfortable. We ran out of hot water one night as we didn't realize it was such a small tank.

As Casas da Riberia Grande

Ribeira Grande

Wonderful location - this was a studio and the kitchen was fully outfitted. The bed was comfortable and the parking made it easy to have a car in Riberia Grande. They provided a wash basin and clothesline!

Authenticity & Character

This was a modern studio but nicely decorated and very comfortable

Location

Our room overlooked a small church and the river

Staff

We didn't have staff on site but the individual who oriented us came from the hotel and was very thorough. They were also responsive to all of our questions.

Cleanliness & Comfort

No complaints what so ever

Activity Review

In the Shadow of the Giant: A Half-Day Guided Tour of Pico

the Azores

It was a cold, windy day and we were picked up from the airport to begin the tour. Matthew was excellent and did what he could to accommodate us given the weather. He provided a good overview of the history and ecology of the island.

Quality of Experience

Matthew's voice was a little quiet and so it was difficult to hear him at times. The second time we toured with him we asked him to speak up and he was much easier to understand.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Matthew was knowledgeable and accommodating.

Transport

The van was comfortable.

Joao's experience and advise were invaluable - guiding my wife and I through the planning process as well as while we were on the trip. All were glitch-free - quite important for us first-timers to Portugal. Traveling in the cities and in the regions we were in - as well as traveling to them/and through the country - was simple and stress-free. Of particular note are the service providers - transport and local guides - Joao used. They were knowledgeable, friendly, and engaging - well done to all. We began our trip in Lisbon, then on to Porto via high-speed rail, then to Lagos via rented car and finished our trip for our flight home back in Lisbon. Doing so allowed us to see a great deal of this beautiful country. Like many others before us - allowing 2 weeks would have been better than our 10 days, but maybe another trip sometime!

Hotel Reviews

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

Hard to beat the proximity the airport - very walkable to terminal 1 - though a free shuttle to the airport is provided.

Authenticity & Character

Location

If you want close to the airport this one is for you.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vila Galé Lagos

Lagos

Great location in terms access to the beach. A bit of a walk (not quite 2k) into town, but the walk is beautiful along the beach walkway. A large facility built to accommodate large touring groups and the summer throngs of visitors to the Algarve. The hotel lacks the cozy feel that boutique hotels have - but the pool and beach access are hard to beat. Food was so-so - especially the buffet-style dining built to for the masses. The smaller two non-buffet restaurants were better both for food and ambience.

Authenticity & Character

Large facility built to handle large numbers of guests.

Location

If you want the beach - hard to beat!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Exe Almada Porto

Porto

Located in the university area - very walkable to many of the sites of Porto. Highly recommend for this alone, but all other aspects of this hotel were excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Located in the university area - very walkable to many of the sites of Porto.

Staff

While all of the places we stayed at had helpful, friendly staff - this one really stood out. Whether questions about laundry service, places to eat, getting around town, etc - staff was fantastic .

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Great location in all respects - sites, restaurants, guides and other supporting providers. Many are easily walked to while others are just a short ride. Staff was very friendly and helpful - well-versed in English! (Thank you!)

Authenticity & Character

Boutique in nature, very much portrays the Portuguese culture.

Location

Great location in all respects - sites, restaurants, guides and other supporting providers.

Staff

With our limited knowledge of Portuguese - their English language skills were welcoming and welcome.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Guided Tour of Lisbon

Lisbon

We ended up not doing this excursion, but Jaoa did give us an abbreviated driving tour of Lisbon! Thank you Jaoa!

Cave Boat Tour

Portugal

A short excursion that is well worth the trip. The cliffs and caves were gorgeous from a distance and from within!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Funny, engaging and safe!

Transport

Guided Day Trip to the Douro Valley with Visit to Wineries, Lunch, and Rabelo Boat River Cruise

Portugal

A must-do for anyone visiting Portugal. Beautiful valley, great port wine and meet/visit wonderful places and people along the way.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pedro was energetic, engaging and an encyclopedia of all-things Portugal.

Transport

Food Tour - OPTIONAL (not included in the price)

Porto

Eat very lightly for this food tour - plenty of food and beverage along the way. Be prepared to walk a bit, but not excessive as a fair portion of the tour is at one market.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pedro is a great ambassador for Portugal!

Transport

All walking' of course, but not overly hilly or lengthy, Short distance between stops.

Full-Day Guided Tour of Cascais & Sintra

Portugal

The #1 best thing about this trip was our guide. Thoughtful, informative, flexible to our needs, fluent in English and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Of all the places we visited in Portugal, Madeira was definitely the highlight—a must-visit destination. The island’s beauty left us in awe, and having such wonderful guides there made the experience even more memorable. They went out of their way to ensure we saw the most breathtaking sights and views.

In Porto, we were fortunate to have Jelena as our guide, and she was truly one of the best I’ve ever had. She was incredibly informative, knowledgeable, and thoroughly prepared, which made exploring the city an absolute pleasure.

We also loved our time in the stunning Douro Valley, where we enjoyed a peaceful boat trip along the river—a perfect way to take in the scenery.

I left all the hotel suggestions up to João and the ones he booked were all well located.

João was wonderful to work with, he was extremely knowledgeable and helped steer us in the right direction in terms of tours and main attractions. He was also very responsive and helpful whenever I had any questions or comments both prior to the trip and during the trip, which was much appreciated! He provided a clear and transparent Road Book that listed all the activities with guide names and contact information, which made it very easy to find the right people (in a foreign country) and helped us plan out our day. Lastly, he personally drove from Lisbon to Lagos to pick us up, which we greatly appreciated and helped us maximize our time in Lagos stress-free. It was a pleasure working with him and I would reach out to him again the next I'm in Portugal.

We worked with very knowledgeable guides in each city, which helped us feel more connected to the people and culture of Portugal. Francisco in Lisbon was a great guide who was very knowledgeable about the history of the city and provided useful tips to help us avoid major tourist lines and optimize our time. He also recommended a wonderful restaurant that turned out to be our favorite meal of the trip. He accompanied us to Sintra and was a huge asset in helping us navigate crowded sites and optimize our day. He provided a ton of interesting background information on Pena Palance and Quinta de Regalaeria, which helped us appreciate the experience much more. He also insisted we try the local pastries in Sintra (which was a highlight of the day) and advised us to tour the National Palace of Sintra, which is a must-see and not too crowded.

In Porto, we worked with Manuel, who was very passionate about Porto and very eager to show us his home city. He gave us great advice on what to see or do in our down time and is very knowledgeable of the history of Porto. We felt very comfortable with and thought he was very patient with us as we took our multiple photos! He even gave me a small token to remember my trip, which I greatly appreciated the thought and gesture. In Porto, we did a Duorro Valley wine tour and had the best driver/guide Andres. He had such great energy, and was funny, lively, and passionate about the port wine industry! He gave us great tips of what to see and overall made our Duorro Valley experience more enjoyable!

Overall, we had a great time booking with Kim Kim, which allowed us to work with local experts on planning a customized action-packed itinerary. Kim Kim also took care of most of our transportation needs to and from the airport, train station, and hotels, which made our vacation much more enjoyable and comfortable. Lastly, all the guides were very knowledgeable, professional, and passionate about their job, which added to our overall experience! We would definitely work with Kim Kim again.

João planned an amazing trip for my group for our first time to Portugal! Originally we were supposed to be 2 people, but then added my mom halfway through the planning process and he was very accommodating in adjusting the reservations. He kept in contact with us the entire time we were there and was very knowledgeable everywhere we went. The excursions were perfect for our group and a great balance between activity/free time enjoying the cities we were in. We can’t wait to go back and thank you again to João for making our first trip to Portugal unforgettable!

Hotel Reviews

Eurostars das Artes

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

No

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Zawaia B&B

Lagos

Beautiful hotel but staff wasn’t consistently there to assist.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Someone being present more often throughout the day

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cave Boat Tour

Portugal

Nice easy way to see the beautiful caves in Lagos! Not too long of a tour so you still have the rest of your day to explore!

Quality of Experience

No

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing time visiting Portugal! Our travel Guide, João was the best and helped us plan the perfect trip! He was very knowledgeable and helpful in all our planning and was very accessible via text to answer any questions throughout our trip.
He was also our guide in Lisbon which was wonderful!
We couldn’t have had a better experience!

Hotel Reviews

Belmar Spa & Beach Resort

Lagos

Great resort with beautiful rooms, 3 pools , a nice gym, and beach access! Breakfast was great! Very friendly and helpful staff. Would definitely stay there again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Located in the center close to shopping, and most of the sights you would want to see in Lisbon. Staff was friendly and helpful. Great breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa dos Lóios by Shiadu

Porto

Very nice boutique hotel. The staff was very friendly and helpful, and spoke English which was a plus!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Within walking distance to most everything!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Algarve Caves Boat Tour

Portugal

A must when you are in Lagos! Loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cascais & Sintra Guided Visit

Portugal

Our guide João drive us out to Cascais and Sinatra and even booked a lunch for us at this very quaint restaurant on the beach! It was amazing! The beaches in Cascais are beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner with Live Fado Music

Lisbon

João planned this for us and it was a great experience! The food was authentic Portuguese food that was delicious! The Fado was amazing!

Quality of Experience

K

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Lisbon

Lisbon

João our guide was excellent! Got a very nice tour of the city, and a lot of the history of Lisbon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Port Wine Tasting Tour

Porto

Visited Ferreira winery and loved it! The Port wine tasting was excellent and brought a bottle home!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Six Bridges Douro Cruise

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Tour - OPTIONAL (not included in the price)

Porto

Our guide Andre was great! Very knowledgeable and did a great job explaining the history of Porto and the wine and food we tried! Loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel in Porto was very passionate about the city and gave us some good tips!
Andreas our guide to Douro valley was very funny and kept us engaged throughout!!