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active 3 hours ago

Justine Stewart

Hello! I am Justine and come from Sydney, Australia where I grew up surfing on the world-famous Manly Beach. After finishing university I travelled the world and ended up in North Canada where I developed my love of the mountains. After 3-years in North America splitting my time between the mountains of Canada and the beaches of Hawaii, I moved to Chamonix, France where my time is spent hiking, climbing and skiing in the stunning Mont Blanc Massif. Ten years on, I now share my time between Chamonix and the UK where I love exploring the beautiful West Country of England, the Scottish Highlands and the stunning West Coast of Ireland.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"My two great loves are the French Alps and the UK and I adore helping people experience the best of both of these parts of the world! Whether you are looking for a mountain adventure, a history and food-filled ramble through the countryside or a luxurious castle stay, I'm here to help you create your perfect journey using my local knowledge. "

How did you get involved in travel?

"My parents are great travellers and I have always roamed around the world with them - we even lived in Bali for a year when I was 3 years old! My gap year was spent backpacking the world and since then travel has remained a very important part of my life. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"Fresh out of high school and on my gap year before I started university I spent a year travelling around Europe with my best friend. On our way to the beautiful Isle of Skye in the Scottish Highlands, we stopped at Elieen Donan castle to take some photos. The locals were having a big ceilidh in the castle and invited us to join! We spent the whole evening being twirled around the castle to the tune of bagpipes followed by an amazing meal. Highlander hospitality at its finest!"

Top itineraries and travel advice

Favorite experiences

Hike to Lac Blanc in the French Alps

Enjoy a full day trekking in beautiful Chamonix, hiking to the one-and-only Lac Blanc (Lake Blanc) set at 7760 feet (over 2300 m). This route is set in the Chamonix Valley, offering panoramic views of Mont Blanc, the most famous peak in the French Alps.  You can start in the village of Les Praz,...

Recent trip reviews for Justine

Perfect 2 days in London and week in Scotland
Scotland | Jun 27 - Jul 5, 2025

C
CAG
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Jul 06, 2025
We had a wonderful trip to London (2 days) followed by a week in Scotland. Justine set us up with two fabulous walking tours (thanks Guy and Gareth) and the best hotels! Highly recommend. Loved Edinburgh! Read more

We had a wonderful trip to London (2 days) followed by a week in Scotland. Justine set us up with two fabulous walking tours (thanks Guy and Gareth) and the best hotels! Highly recommend. Loved Edinburgh!

Hotel Reviews
The Clermont London, Victoria
London

Excellent location, friendly staff, nice breakfast, lobby was great! Room was small with no view.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Market Street Hotel
Edinburgh

Excellent location, fabulous breakfast (best of our trip), free mini bar, great rooms (but no view). One staff member in the bar was very unpleasant on more than one occasion but all other service was great!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tarradale Cottage
Portree

What a special treat! Excellent view of the water. Comfortable beds. Clean house. Nice to have all en suite bathrooms and laundry!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Cleanliness & Comfort
No 26 by the Sea
Oban

Wonderful staff from the moment we walked in (with a champagne toast). Superb made to order breakfast. Whole inn was incredible. Cozy and comfortable room with amazing views! Can’t say enough positive!! Quiet and peaceful!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Loch Lomond Guesthouse
Arden, Loch Lomond

Really nice family owned inn. Rooms were super clean with great Scottish plaid decorating and clean and cool bathrooms. They got up 30 min early to get us breakfast before our flight out. Really fresh and yummy breakfast.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Royal Morning Private Walking Tour
Royal Morning Private Walking Tour
London

Guy was amazing! So much energy and so knowledgeable. He was extremely interested in the history and economics of London. We felt so fortunate to spend the morning learning and laughing with him!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Yay for Guy!
Entry tickets to The Churchill War Rooms
Entry tickets to The Churchill War Rooms
London

Best experience enhanced by having Guy walk us through and sharing his knowledge and passion. I think the audio guide would have been good but we were fortunate to have a special tour!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide
Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide
Edinburgh

Gareth was very knowledgeable. We loved his stories! Learned so much in our three hours with him. Best way to start our time in Edinburgh

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Dalwhinnie Classic Distillery Tour
Dalwhinnie Classic Distillery Tour
Scotland

Such a cool distillery. So much history. And loved that they stressed “to go” bottles to avoid drinking and drinking. Got to take home three samples and a Dalwhinnie glass to enjoy at home.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Justine Stewart

Once in a lifetime
Scotland | May 14 - May 30, 2025

J
J P.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Jun 11, 2025
We thoroughly enjoyed all the excursions that were planned for us. Phil from Ollies tour was super funny and informative. The other guides were very informative and knowledgeable. Ireland was our favorite country and the scenery was amazing.
I would not recommend driving to the Isle of Skye if you are self driving. It is a very long ride there and back and in my opinion not worth the time.
Enjoyed Scotland scenery and excursion on the Outlander tour.
Read more

We thoroughly enjoyed all the excursions that were planned for us. Phil from Ollies tour was super funny and informative. The other guides were very informative and knowledgeable. Ireland was our favorite country and the scenery was amazing.
I would not recommend driving to the Isle of Skye if you are self driving. It is a very long ride there and back and in my opinion not worth the time.
Enjoyed Scotland scenery and excursion on the Outlander tour.

Hotel Reviews
Harbour Hotel
Galway

Very friendly staff and accommodations were very good. Breakfast was good

Authenticity & Character
Good value. Food and breakfast was good
Location
Convenient.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everything was very clean.
Kilmuir Park B&B
Isle of Skye

Isle of Skye was our least favorite places. The drive was too long to get there and back. You were asked to remove your shoes upon entering the house. Even though they had sufficient room for a dining area, you were put into your own dining area to eat. You were separated from other guests. Food was premade in the morning and was cold and tasteless. We left a day early because we did not feel comfortable and did not want to drive for long periods to see anything.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
It was very clean.
Hotel du Vin & Bistro Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Authenticity & Character
Location
Easy to find and convenient to hop on hop off
Staff
Everyone was very friendly
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room was very comfortable and clean
Pax Guest House
Dingle

Amazing bed and breakfast. Had a gorgeous room with awesome views.

Authenticity & Character
Beautiful BnB. Very nicely decorated and homey feeling
Location
The location was good. Close to town and easy to get to.
Staff
Five stars isn’t enough for the staff. They were awesome. Loved Susan. Super friendly staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
Cahernane House Manor Hotel
Killarney

Beautiful old home refurbished into a hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Everything about it is authentic looking.
Location
Easy to get to town. Very safe feeling
Staff
Staff was very nice.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bunchrew House Hotel
Bunchrew

Very authentic hotel on beautiful grounds.

Authenticity & Character
Beautiful hotel and surroundings.
Location
Staff
They were very nice and accommodating.
Cleanliness & Comfort
We got there a day early and we were able to stay in the same room.
Trinity Townhouse
Dublin

Very nice hotel. A little trouble parking to unload Streets are very narrow.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Within walking distance to hop on hop off bus.
Staff
Very friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room was very clean and comfortable
No.26 By The Sea
PA34 5AQ

Hotel was a converted home. Room was the smallest of all we stayed in. No where to put things in the room. Would definitely upgrade the room. Breakfast was the BEST of all the hotels we stayed at. Made to order. Always hot. Chef was amazing and friendly.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Within walking distance to Oban and right on the water
Staff
Everyone was super friendly and nice. Chef was the best
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room was to small
Activity Reviews
Welcome to Galway Walking Tour
Welcome to Galway Walking Tour
Galway

Was unable to take the walking tour. Arrived to late

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Aran Island Tour - Day Trip to Inisheer from Galway
Aran Island Tour - Day Trip to Inisheer from Galway
Galway

Tour and tour guide was amazing. Very accommodating

Quality of Experience
Food
The food was not included
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Ollies tours was amazing and Phil was great
Transport
Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center tickets
Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center tickets
Wales

We did not go to the visitors center.

Royal Edinburgh Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour
Royal Edinburgh Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour
Edinburgh
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Irish Dancing Show
Irish Dancing Show
Galway

Show was very entertaining

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Took our own taxi
Transport
Trinity College Library : The Book of Kells Experience
Trinity College Library : The Book of Kells Experience
Dublin

Was unable to attend.

Archaeological Tour of the Dingle Peninsula
Archaeological Tour of the Dingle Peninsula
Scotland

I love the small guided tours. It was very fun and informative

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Killarney Jaunt & Afternoon Tea
Killarney Jaunt & Afternoon Tea
Killarney

The ride was ok.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Driver was nice.
Transport
Roaming the Ring of Kerry: Portmagee & Skellig Ring Small Group Tour
Roaming the Ring of Kerry: Portmagee & Skellig Ring Small Group Tour
Killarney

We were the only two people on this tour. The tour guide was a local who was able to give us a lot of history.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private transfer
Private transfer
Dublin
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Talisker distillery Tour
Talisker distillery Tour
Scotland

Was unable to take tour since we left that morning

City Highlights Walking Tour of Inverness
City Highlights Walking Tour of Inverness
Inverness

Did not take the walking tour.

Loch Ness Cruise, Outlander & Whisky Tour
Loch Ness Cruise, Outlander & Whisky Tour
Inverness

The tour and boat ride were very good.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Both guides were awesome and a lot of fun
Transport
Welcome to Alnwick!
Welcome to Alnwick!
Alnwick

We did this all on our own.

Local specialist: Justine Stewart

Justine was a delight to work with. Her exper...
England | Apr 12 - Apr 19, 2025

K
Krystle C.
Bayville, NJ | Reviewed on Apr 21, 2025

Justine was a delight to work with. Her expertise on London, Scotland, and York created a wonderful and memorable trip for my family of five. Having her and her team on call whenever we had questions while traveling was a plus! We felt safe knowing that we would have an answer right away.

Thanks for organizing our trip.. I will be in touch when we are ready to visit France 😊

Local specialist: Justine Stewart

The beautiful island of Ireland, with its warm and welcoming people.
Ireland | Sep 14 - Sep 27, 2024

Julie
Julie E.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Oct 06, 2024
Every aspect of our trip to Ireland that Kim Kim helped us plan was absolutely wonderful!
We loved our two day stay in Dublin. The Dublin Food and Drink tour was a blast and a great way to see some of the city and learn about and taste traditional Irish food. I can’t remember the tour guide’s name but he had a great personality and really made the tour even more enjoyable. We also loved the Historical walking tour. We learned so much about the history of Ireland and Dublin in...
Read more

Every aspect of our trip to Ireland that Kim Kim helped us plan was absolutely wonderful!
We loved our two day stay in Dublin. The Dublin Food and Drink tour was a blast and a great way to see some of the city and learn about and taste traditional Irish food. I can’t remember the tour guide’s name but he had a great personality and really made the tour even more enjoyable. We also loved the Historical walking tour. We learned so much about the history of Ireland and Dublin in particular.
We loved Donegal town and Harvey’s Point hotel. Our day tour with Henry was fantastic and we especially loved the Slieve League Cliffs. Henry was so knowledgeable and loved spending the day with him. He recommended great restaurants and pubs for music.
We loved the drive to Galway by way of Achill Island. This was a great recommendation to take the long way and fit in the island.
On our way to Doolin, we stopped at the Cliffs of Moher visitors center and walked out to the cliffs. The views were spectacular but this area was very touristy and crowded with huge tour buses.
We loved our afternoon ferry out to Inisheer island and the bike ride all around the island. One of our favorite tours for sure!
I think perhaps Dingle Town was our favorite…. staying at the Pax House was unlike any place I’ve ever stayed. The rooms, the scenery from the common rooms and our bedrooms, and the beautiful breakfast prepared by the owner was simply amazing. An experience never to be forgotten! The Archaeological Tour of the peninsula was great. So beautiful!
Really enjoyed Killarney and the Cahernane House Manor. The National Park Walking Tour was nice and the Ring of Kerry Day Tour was great. Aiden, our tour guide was very knowledgeable and had so much good information about Ireland’s history and that area in particular. He was so enjoyable to spend the day with.
The last night of our trip at the Cashel Palace Hotel was beautiful with a wonderful breakfast the next day.

Hotel Reviews
Cahernane House Manor Hotel
Killarney
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Cashel Palace Hotel
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Shamrock Inn
Doolin
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Pembroke Townhouse Dublin
Dublin
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Harvey's Point Hotel
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Pax Guest House
Dingle
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Guided Killarney National Park Walking Tour
Guided Killarney National Park Walking Tour
Killarney
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Ring of Kerry Private Day Tour
Ring of Kerry Private Day Tour
Kenmare
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Archaeological Tour of the Dingle Peninsula
Archaeological Tour of the Dingle Peninsula
Ireland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Aran Island Tour - Day Trip to Inisheer from Doolin
Aran Island Tour - Day Trip to Inisheer from Doolin
Ireland
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
DAY TOUR: Highlights Of South Donegal
DAY TOUR: Highlights Of South Donegal
Ireland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Historical Walking Tour of Dublin
Historical Walking Tour of Dublin
Dublin
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Trinity Trails & Book of Kells Guided Tour
Trinity Trails & Book of Kells Guided Tour
Dublin
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Welcome to Donegal!
Welcome to Donegal!
Ireland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Dublin Food and Drink tour
Dublin Food and Drink tour
Dublin
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Justine Stewart
Justine
Justine Stewart
Local specialist in England/France | Replied on Oct 07, 2024
Mary & Julie, Working with you to create this trip was an absolute JOY! The planning phases were so great and collaborative...I feel like you were so responsive and enthusiastic about everything we spoke about. The roadbook chat we had just before you left was filled with lots of laughs and it was so nice to meet you both face to face! And to top it off, you all had a fab time on the actual trip which is why we do what we do! I'm so happy to have shared some of my favourite bits of... Read more

Mary & Julie,

Working with you to create this trip was an absolute JOY! The planning phases were so great and collaborative...I feel like you were so responsive and enthusiastic about everything we spoke about. The roadbook chat we had just before you left was filled with lots of laughs and it was so nice to meet you both face to face! And to top it off, you all had a fab time on the actual trip which is why we do what we do!

I'm so happy to have shared some of my favourite bits of Ireland with you (but keep Pax on the downlow will you! We don't want everyone going there! haha ) and have you love them as much as I do.

If you fancy coming to England or Scotland, I would LOVE to work with you again! It has been the best :)

Thank you so much,

Justine & the High Point Holidays Team

All hotels and hotels staff were amazing. We ...
Ireland | Sep 14 - Sep 27, 2024

Mary
Mary R.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Oct 06, 2024
All hotels and hotels staff were amazing. We loved all os the tour guides. Our favorite ones were:
1. Donegal Tour Guide - Henry
2. Ollie Tours - Eleanor (Aran Island bike tour)
3. Mossies Tour- Helen (archaeological tour of Dingle Pen)
4. Killarney Guided Walks - John O’Connor (Killarney National Park)
5. Killarney Touring Co - Aiden O ‘Donaghue ? (Ring of Kerry)
Read more

All hotels and hotels staff were amazing. We loved all os the tour guides. Our favorite ones were:
1. Donegal Tour Guide - Henry
2. Ollie Tours - Eleanor (Aran Island bike tour)
3. Mossies Tour- Helen (archaeological tour of Dingle Pen)
4. Killarney Guided Walks - John O’Connor (Killarney National Park)
5. Killarney Touring Co - Aiden O ‘Donaghue ? (Ring of Kerry)

Hotel Review
Pax Guest House
Dingle

We are 65 years old and have traveled quite a bit. This is our favorite hotel we have ever visited. The setting was so quiet and peaceful. The view was gorgeous. The hospitality and breakfast was the best we have ever experienced. I could go on and on. It was perfect in EVERY way.

Authenticity & Character
It is small enough to make each customer feel cherished.
Location
Beautiful views. Easy walk to the village.
Staff
Waitresses and housekeepers were so friendly. The owner introduced himself personally to all guests and asked if he could be of help.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Ring of Kerry Private Day Tour
Ring of Kerry Private Day Tour
Kenmare

Very beautiful tour even in bad weather.

Quality of Experience
The views were gorgeous. The bog village village and the sheepdog demonstration were amazing!,,
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Aiden was great,,,
Transport
Guided Killarney National Park Walking Tour
Guided Killarney National Park Walking Tour
Killarney

The park was beautiful - not crowded - many deer. It felt like a magical place.

Quality of Experience
The park is beautiful and not crowded.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
John was so much fun! Burst out in Irish songs sporadically. He loves hiking like we do.
Transport
Archaeological Tour of the Dingle Peninsula
Archaeological Tour of the Dingle Peninsula
Ireland

Wonderful history shared with us.

Quality of Experience
The sunny weather allowed us to see amazing views. What a special place!! Not as crowded as the Ring of Kerry.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Helen was a great tour guide. Very knowledgeable about the local history and very friendly.
Transport
Aran Island Tour - Day Trip to Inisheer from Doolin
Aran Island Tour - Day Trip to Inisheer from Doolin
Ireland

We over the bike tour. Such a magical island. Wonderful scones.

Quality of Experience
The remoteness of the island and seclusion of the inhabitants made us feel as if their lives haven’t changed much in the last few years.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Eleanor was very friendly and knowledgeable. Great sense of humor.
Transport
Bikes were the way to go!,,
DAY TOUR: Highlights Of South Donegal
DAY TOUR: Highlights Of South Donegal
Ireland

Whoops - see above post

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Welcome to Donegal!
Welcome to Donegal!
Ireland

The tour guide was very personal and shared so much history

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our tour guide was amazing - so knowledgeable in the history of the area, so friendly
Transport
Local specialist: Justine Stewart
Justine
Justine Stewart
Local specialist in England/France | Replied on Oct 07, 2024
Mary & Julie, Working with you to create this trip was an absolute JOY! The planning phases were so great and collaborative...I feel like you were so responsive and enthusiastic about everything we spoke about. The roadbook chat we had just before you left was filled with lots of laughs and it was so nice to meet you both face to face! And to top it off, you all had a fab time on the actual trip which is why we do what we do! I'm so happy to have shared some of my favourite bits of... Read more

Mary & Julie,

Working with you to create this trip was an absolute JOY! The planning phases were so great and collaborative...I feel like you were so responsive and enthusiastic about everything we spoke about. The roadbook chat we had just before you left was filled with lots of laughs and it was so nice to meet you both face to face! And to top it off, you all had a fab time on the actual trip which is why we do what we do!

I'm so happy to have shared some of my favourite bits of Ireland with you (but keep Pax on the downlow will you! We don't want everyone going there! haha ) and have you love them as much as I do.

If you fancy coming to England or Scotland, I would LOVE to work with you again! It has been the best :)

Thank you so much,

Justine & the High Point Holidays Team

Memorable adventure
Ireland | Aug 28 - Sep 17, 2024

Dennis
Dennis B.
Henderson, NV | Reviewed on Sep 30, 2024
Memorable adventure We were in Ireland for three weeks, from Aug 28 to Sept 17. This was our first trip to Ireland, and everything went well. We mostly followed the itinerary Justine had set up for us, though we did skip a couple of items when we found other things we chose to do instead. Among the highlights, actually, were two stops we added on our own — the medieval town of Athenry and its castle (which we learned about when we just happened to tune in to a TV program on the town on one... Read more

Memorable adventure

We were in Ireland for three weeks, from Aug 28 to Sept 17. This was our first trip to Ireland, and everything went well. We mostly followed the itinerary Justine had set up for us, though we did skip a couple of items when we found other things we chose to do instead. Among the highlights, actually, were two stops we added on our own — the medieval town of Athenry and its castle (which we learned about when we just happened to tune in to a TV program on the town on one of our first nights in Ireland) and the ruins of Sligo abbey, which were spectacular. We'd recommend both to other travelers to Ireland. We spent a little over four days in Dublin (for logistics reasons, we chose to put Dublin at the end of our trip, rather than the start), but we could have spent our whole three weeks there and not seen all the things there are to see and learn there. We skipped the Guinness brewery tour Justine had set up in favor of a visit to the Irish National Archaeology Museum. Fascinating! That's another thing we'd recommend to other travelers. Think: bog bodies!

And, while we skipped the Guinness tour, we did sample plenty of Guinness on the trip. We also skipped a 2.5-hour walking tour of Dublin. We did plenty of walking without the tour! :-) We did make use of three-day passes we bought for one of the hop-on/hop-off bus companies in Dublin. On previous trips to big cities in Europe, we’ve found those buses make good, cheap alternatives to taxis and they also allow you to take a load off your feet and see a bit of the city in comfort.

The driving on the “wrong” side of the road/car was no big deal after the second day. We had a car for the first two weeks. Driving on some of the "L" roads -- one-lane but two-way -- could become pretty interesting, we found.

We would recommend skipping Peter Curtin’s storytelling session in Lisdoonvarna, were we to set up a trip for other travelers. That was really the only experience we thought wasn’t worth the effort. His stories weren’t really stories or of much interest, honestly. Nice enough guy, but … meh.

We drove through much of Ireland, from Dublin airport through Cork, Galway, Kinsale, Kenmare, Dingle, Westport, Doolin and all along the south and west coasts and up as far as Donegal, before our days in Dublin. The Aran Islands tour to Inisheer was great, as were the Cliffs of Moher, Slea Head Drive, Achill Island, etc. There were no stops on our trip that I would suggest skipping. The Blasket Islands Centre was really interesting. The EPIC museum was different and interesting, but it took a bit to figure out what they were doing. Essentially, the museum recounts how people of Irish heritage -- we lucky few -- have basically taken over the planet! :-)

We’d love to go back for more of Ireland. We’d like to find more castles and more ring forts to explore if we ever go back, and a full week in Dublin wouldn’t be too much. But we wanted to pack as much of Ireland into our three weeks as we could, and so we had a busy three weeks — but very enjoyable.

My ancestry on my father's side is Irish, and we are relatively certain that the family sprang from County Donegal, in the far NW corner of Ireland. As we got our tickets to see Donegal castle, the man behind the desk asked if either my wife or I had Irish ancestry. When I told him I did, he said there were lots of people in the area who had the same last name as mine or the recognized spelling variations of the name. And just as he said that, a van went by bearing the name of a plumbing company with one of the spelling variations of our last name!

This was our second trip through Kimkim (you arranged Greece for us a couple of years ago) and we’ve been happy with both trips. We are pretty independent travelers who prefer a sort of loose itinerary and a set of car keys to getting on a bus with 50 other people each morning for a package tour. Justine took good care of us and checked in by phone when we were in Ireland.

Hotel Reviews
Greenmount House Luxury B&B

Beautiful spot right on edge of Dingle. Great rooms and lots of lounge areas for relaxing. And Dingle town is terrific! Attended a trad music concert in St. James Church that was very, very good. Would highly recommend that experience to folks traveling to Dingle in summer.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Castle Hotel
Dublin

Smallish room with water stain on ceiling, but otherwise clean and comfortable. Nicely located near O’Connell Street and only about 1/2 block from stop for hop-on/hop-off and city buses. Fairly good restaurant and good breakfasts. Hotel is in several old Georgian buildings that have been connected into one hotel, making the corridors kind of interesting.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Gateway Lodge
Donegal
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Wyatt Hotel Westport
Westport

Small room but located right in downtown Westport. Great breakfast!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Knockaguilla House Bed & Breakfast
Doolin

We ended up cancelling our reservation at this hotel and making one at a hotel closer to town. Simply too far outside town, and we didn’t want to be driving one-lane roads after dark.

Harbour Hotel
Galway
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Happy Pig
Kenmare, Co. Kerry

Loved this one. Irma, the owner, had tons of great suggestions for us, and she was a delight to talk to. Highly recommend! And the breakfasts were terrific!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Kinsale & Spa
Kinsale

Beautiful hotel, but too far out of town. Would have much preferred something in Kinsale proper.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
King Sitric Guesthouse
Howth

Breakfasts were terrific. We only stayed here one night, but we ate dinner in their restaurant that night. I had crab claws that were out of this world!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Trinity Trails & Book of Kells Guided Tour
Trinity Trails & Book of Kells Guided Tour
Dublin
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Aran Island Tour - Day Trip to Inisheer from Doolin
Aran Island Tour - Day Trip to Inisheer from Doolin
Ireland

The island was fantastic. Our guide was great and we spent about a half hour chatting with Gail, the daughter of a shop owner on the island. She was very interesting. Only downside: the driver of our van on the island dropped us at the foot of a steep hill leading to the island’s castle, then told us we’d have to walk back to town because he had to go meet another ferry coming from the mainland. “It’s only 5 minutes,” he told us. Forty minutes later, we trudged into town. Not impressed. But Ollie’s guide service refunded the cost of that part of our trip. The driver also wouldn’t stop at the shipwreck on the island because he was worried about getting stuck behind the horse-drawn buggies. Ferry on way back to mainland took us past Cliffs of Moher, which are spectacular. Dolphins played in our ferry’s wake for much of the trip back to mainland. Great day, except for that bus driver’s actions.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Mixed. Our guide on the ferry ride and for part of the island visit (I think his name was Phil)?was terrific. Van driver, not so much.
Transport
Entry into the Emigration Museum EPIC
Entry into the Emigration Museum EPIC
Dublin

This is a different kind of museum, a largely audio-video experience. Basically, it’s the story of how those of us of Irish ancestry — we lucky few — have taken over the planet!

Newgrange and Knowth Day Tour from Dublin
Newgrange and Knowth Day Tour from Dublin
Dublin

Guides were great, and the archaeology was fascinating. One of the highlights of the trip!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tickets for St Patrick Cathedral, Dublin
Tickets for St Patrick Cathedral, Dublin
Dublin
Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Abbey
Ireland

Beautiful drive to and beyond the abbey. Also, make sure to stop at grave of WB Yeats about five miles beyond abbey. All very interesting. Setting of the abbey is spectacular and the drive thru Connemara is incomparably beautiful — until you get to County Donegal, which is drop-dead beautiful in a whole different way. We saw lots of Ireland, and virtually all of it was gorgeous, but Connemara and Donegal are in a class by themselves.

Quality of Experience
Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center tickets
Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center tickets
Ireland

The cliffs are beautiful and spectacular, whether seen from sea or land, and the visitor center is very well done. Our tickets were for somewhere around 11 or 11:30 am, but we got there shortly after they opened and got right in.

Quality of Experience
Storytelling experience in Doolin/Lisdoonvarna
Storytelling experience in Doolin/Lisdoonvarna
Ireland

Not a total waste of time, but not one of the trip’s highlights, either. Peter’s stories of the Burren were not terribly interesting or informative. Nice enough guy but not an experience we’d rate anywhere near the top of our Irish experiences. And we'd recommend not including it on other travelers' itineraries.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Kenmare Heritage Walking Tour
Kenmare Heritage Walking Tour
Kenmare

Passed on this one in favor of just strolling on our own, seeing stone circle, etc.

Don & Barry's Kinsale Historic Stroll Walking tour
Don & Barry's Kinsale Historic Stroll Walking tour
Kinsale

Good and interesting Irish history lesson.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Cork City History Tour
Cork City History Tour
Cork

We passed on this one.

Jameson Experience Tour Premium Whiskey Tasting
Jameson Experience Tour Premium Whiskey Tasting
Cork

Really enjoyed the premium whiskey tasting presentation.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Justine Stewart
Justine
Justine Stewart
Local specialist in England/France | Replied on Oct 07, 2024

Dennis!

Thank you so very much for your wonderful review - I love the level of detail you have provided! It has been so great working with you...and all of your messages we received over the course of the three weeks you were travelling were a great source of entertainment at the office!

I am so glad that you enjoyed your huge adventure! And love even more that you were so happy to fit lots in and go exploring on your own...you guys really fit a huge trip into just 3-weeks!

Thanks so much for choosing to work with us :)

Justine & The High Point Holidays Team

History, Food and Fun
Scotland | Sep 4 - Sep 18, 2024

Maureen
Maureen P.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Sep 25, 2024

For me, the highlights of our tour were the city guides in Inverness and in Edinburgh . The Hebridean Tour in the Isle of Lewis was outstanding, and I would have planned more trips with Hugh had we had more time. We had the B&B plan at our lodgings over the two weeks and the food was very good and hearty. We had good times hiking for three days on the West Highland Way, and around the many castle trails in Stornoway.

Local specialist: Justine Stewart
Justine
Justine Stewart
Local specialist in England/France | Replied on Oct 07, 2024

Hi Maureen!

Thank you so much for your review :) This was an incredible trip to help create and you certainly saw a lot during your time with us! From the West Highland Way to the far reaches of the Hebridean Isles, you saw parts of Scotland that others don't even dream of!

I shall pass on your high regards to Hugh! He will be so chuffed to hear what you have said!

All the best and thank you so much for trusting us with this adventure!

Justine & The High Point Holidays Team :)

Ireland/Scotland
Ireland | Sep 3 - Sep 19, 2024

Ralene
Ralene G.
Flagami, FL | Reviewed on Sep 21, 2024
We loved the fact that we had walking tours in each city the day we arrived and the trip got better and better each day. I couldn’t have planned this trip on my own. All the different places we stayed kept us excited for what was next. The best dinner we had was at Rufflets in St Andrew’s. If we were too tired to go out to eat, the locations we stayed served very good food. Read more

We loved the fact that we had walking tours in each city the day we arrived and the trip got better and better each day. I couldn’t have planned this trip on my own. All the different places we stayed kept us excited for what was next. The best dinner we had was at Rufflets in St Andrew’s. If we were too tired to go out to eat, the locations we stayed served very good food.

Hotel Reviews
One Devonshire Gardens - Hotel du Vin
Glasgow
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The room was huge with the tallest ceilings I have ever seen.
The Machrie
Islay Island
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
restaurant staff was excellent
Cleanliness & Comfort
very comfortable beds and linens
The Manor House
Oban
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bunchrew House Hotel
IV3 8TA
Authenticity & Character
Location
A bit out of town but it was peaceful and quiet
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rufflets St Andrews
St. Andrews
Authenticity & Character
Loved staying in the Shepard Hut. We used the amazing copper bathtub after a day of golf.
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Market Street Hotel
Edinburgh
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Glenlo Abbey

Beautiful.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
We had a slow leak in the tire of our car. The bellmen pumped up the tire for us and made sure it was still at the right PSI for our drive to the airport that morning.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Cahernane House Manor Hotel
Killarney
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Perryville House
County Cork
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Trinity Townhouse
Dublin

location was great.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Johnnie Walker Tasting Experience - Whisky Explorers
Johnnie Walker Tasting Experience - Whisky Explorers
Edinburgh
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide
Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide
Edinburgh

Great learning the history.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private transfer in town
Private transfer in town
Ireland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Galway Evening Food Tour
Galway Evening Food Tour
Galway

food was very good. There was so much we couldn’t finish it.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center tickets
Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center tickets
Ireland

Lots of people there but was worth to see.

Quality of Experience
Guided Killarney National Park Walking Tour
Guided Killarney National Park Walking Tour
Killarney

We walked through the forest on trails. Fun to see something we would have never discovered on our own.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Richard Clancy was great!
Transport
Kinsale Walking Group Food Tour
Kinsale Walking Group Food Tour
Kinsale

Walking through town and learning history.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
A Round of Golf at Jameson Golf Links, Portmarnock
A Round of Golf at Jameson Golf Links, Portmarnock
Ireland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Justine Stewart
Justine
Justine Stewart
Local specialist in England/France | Replied on Sep 26, 2024

Ralene & Vince!

I'm so glad you enjoyed your holiday with us! You were so amazing to work with...totally open to any suggestions I made and so lovely to communicate with :) You managed to see so much of both countries and I'm glad you loved the places, guides and experiences we chose for you...with some wonderful golf courses squeezed in too!

Thanks so much for choosing to work with us!

Justine & the High Point Holidays Team

Fantastic trip, couldn't have done it without...
Ireland | Jun 19 - Jun 28, 2024

B
Barret S.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Jul 15, 2024
Fantastic trip, couldn't have done it without KimKim, and Justine and Fanny were terrific!
First two days in Dublin were great, loved Number 59, the food and drink tour was so fun and informative, and our guide, Collum was great. Guinness Factory is a must!
Don't let the car rental people talk you into a bigger car! As you know, when we arrived at the Maldron in Cork, my husband stood in a hotel parking spot while I went to get the car; the hotel only has like 10 spaces out front. As he...
Read more

Fantastic trip, couldn't have done it without KimKim, and Justine and Fanny were terrific!
First two days in Dublin were great, loved Number 59, the food and drink tour was so fun and informative, and our guide, Collum was great. Guinness Factory is a must!
Don't let the car rental people talk you into a bigger car! As you know, when we arrived at the Maldron in Cork, my husband stood in a hotel parking spot while I went to get the car; the hotel only has like 10 spaces out front. As he stood there, a gentleman (local to Ireland) pulled in the spot, hitting my husband in the knees, demanding him to move, saying, 'we don't do that here". My husband moved but was very angry as was I when I returned seconds later with our rental. Anyway, the hotel was very busy and didn't give great directions to the parking garage 3 minutes away, I was flustered and drove down a very narrow street, hitting a concrete ballast on the left bumper as I was making a left turn. I finally made it back to the hotel and found a spot to park, but the damage was done. We ended up getting very drunk at the bar hotel and didn't do anything in Cork.
The next morning Europcar said they were bringing us a replacement car when I finally reached them to make the report, and I got a reference number. A tow truck came and picked up the wrecked rental. After several hours of waiting, I called Europcar and got passed around a phone chain, no one could find the reference number or report of my accident, and told me it would be 24 hours before I was given a replacement. Upset at this news, as we had already extended our check out time at the Maldron, we took a taxi to the airport. We were able to secure another rental after putting down a $2000 deposit with the threat that if ANYTHING happened to this car we would lose our money. This put quite the damper on the day and overall experience as the Europcar people were a nightmare to deal with.
Anyway, on to Killarney which we absolutely fell in love with. The Dromhall was really nice. It was such a pleasure to meet Richard and take the hike around the National Forest after our experience in Cork, and the weather was beautiful. Unfortunately because of the accident we were late arriving to Killarney and did not get to take our boat tour. In speaking with Richard, he recommended not driving the Ring of Kerry after hearing about our driving ordeal, as well as we really didn't have time. He recommended we just go to Kenmare, which I really wanted to do, but we again were a little shy of driving due to the threat of losing our money. We had a beautiful evening in Killarney at the Killarney Brewing Company and did some shopping.
On to Dingle, which was delightful. An Capall Dubh was a great place to stay, we went on a boat tour of the cliffs, had fish and chips at Harrington's, dinner at Paidi O Se's. The next morning was our anniversary and we lit a candle at St. Mary's and walked the labrynth. It was awesome to be on the coast. We stopped in Adare Village on our way to Doolin and had lunch at The Arches, which was delicious.
Doolin was gorgeous! Our accommodations were beautiful and Ceol na dTonnta was great.
We really enjoyed our talk with Peter Curtin. Such a fascinating man! However, his pubs are not open on Mondays and Tuesdays, and we almost missed him because his assistant changed the time but didn't tell him! We had him all to ourselves. After the talk we had a good dinner and some Irish music at McGann's pub.
The Cliffs of Moher are breathtaking and that was amazing. We did not hire a celebrant to renew our vows, that was really expensive! It was special nonetheless. We went back to Peter's Roadside Tavern that night for dinner and also heard some live music.
Galway was wonderful as well as the Hardiman Hotel, probably our favorite accommodation, They had valet parking too! Very helpful. I really enjoyed the shopping and we had a great meal in a pub around the corner.
When flying out of Dublin, you should probably start the morning there. The drive from Galway (and my planning) got us to the airport too late to make it through customs to catch our flight home on Friday; Delta said we needed to be there 3 hours in advance. We were lucky enough to get a room at the Camden Court Hotel and had another fun night in Dublin. We had lunch at the Bleeding Horse and dinner at the hotel restaurant Ivey, which was really nice for our last night!
No problems flying out the next day, Delta worked hard to get us home. Aer Lingus was striking so the airlines were busier than usual, which added to the long customs lines.
We had a wonderful adventure and will totally book our next trip through Kim Kim. Justine was awesome and Fanny was really kind and helpful with me during the car rental accident!

Local specialist: Justine Stewart
Justine
Justine Stewart
Local specialist in England/France | Replied on Jul 17, 2024

Barret!

Thank you so much for this incredible recount of your trip! I was so gutted for you guys when I heard about the rental car, but am thrilled that everywhere else seemed to exceed your expectations and help you have the best Anniversary Adventure ever!

It was so wonderful planning this with you and I'm really happy we got to create something magical for your 30th Anniversary!

All the best,

Justine & the High Point Holidays Team

A great family trip to Ireland
Ireland | Jun 26 - Jul 5, 2024

M
Mary C.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Jul 09, 2024
We had a great trip to Ireland -- and a great collaboration with our specialist Justine. We did not want to go on a tour and we wanted to tailor the travel to our preferences. Justine helped us explore scenarios, and then bring the plan to life with excellent suggestions for both places to stay and memorable activities. Having support with accommodations and travel took the stress out of planning and also let us spend our planning and research time on the fun activities we wanted to do.... Read more

We had a great trip to Ireland -- and a great collaboration with our specialist Justine. We did not want to go on a tour and we wanted to tailor the travel to our preferences. Justine helped us explore scenarios, and then bring the plan to life with excellent suggestions for both places to stay and memorable activities. Having support with accommodations and travel took the stress out of planning and also let us spend our planning and research time on the fun activities we wanted to do. Justine suggested two of our favorite actives on the trip -- a tour of Slea Head with Mossie and a walk through the Gap of Dunloe. It was also nice to know we had KimKim's help if our plans were thrown off by any disruptions - especially since the airline we were flying was on strike. It was our first time working with KimKim, but I would definitely do it again -- the perfect level of support for how we like to travel. Thank you Justine for all your wonderful help and responsiveness!

Hotel Reviews
The Fairview Boutique Hotel
Killarney

The Fairview has a great location and the rooms were nice. The service was not at the super high level we experienced elsewhere -- but we enjoyed our stay.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Wilder Townhouse
Dublin

Excellent location and service! We loved it.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Nice quiet location -- and the prettiest neighbor we encountered in Dublin
Staff
Great service from people who were kind and fun to interact with.
Cleanliness & Comfort
George Hotel Limerick City
Limerick
Pax Guest House
Dingle

It would be hard to improve on anything at Pax House - the location is beautiful, the service is excellent and the breakfast was a highlight of our trip. We loved it!

Authenticity & Character
Location
The beautiful view of the harbor is so lovely and peaceful!
Staff
We particularly enjoyed meeting Michelle -- she was so kind and helpful and made our experience very special.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
A Private Half-Day Tour of the Dingle Peninsula
A Private Half-Day Tour of the Dingle Peninsula
Ireland

We had a wonderful morning with Mossie. He is a very experienced guide -- funny, knowledgeable, great conversationalist and kept a relaxed pace with lots of time for us to enjoy each stop. He showed us lots of beautiful places that we enjoyed all the more for not having to worry about driving the narrow roads. We loved touring with Mossie and very highly recommend!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Gap of Dunloe & Lakes of Killlarney Boat Tour
Gap of Dunloe & Lakes of Killlarney Boat Tour
Ireland

This was one of our highlights of the trip. We got very lucky with a cool, sunny morning - perfect for enjoying the incredibly beautiful surroundings. While we did see other people and, of course, the jaunting carts, we were mostly on our own and to enjoy the peace and beauty around us. The board ride back to Killarney was another highlight -- a perfect way to appreciate the National Park from the water.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our boat driver did a nice job of highlighting some of the nature, history and beautiful views on the way back through the lakes.
Transport
Guided Killarney National Park Walking Tour
Guided Killarney National Park Walking Tour
Killarney

Richard is a knowledgeable and relaxed host - like having a friend in Killarney. We enjoyed two hours of exploring the park, learning about some of the history and the natural environment and Richard also gave us great recommendations on pubs and other places to check out in Killarney.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Dingle Distillery Tour
Dingle Distillery Tour
Ireland

We enjoyed the tour - but our guide talked so much it went from 60 minutes to 90 minutes which felt a bit dragged out.

Local specialist: Justine Stewart
Justine
Justine Stewart
Local specialist in England/France | Replied on Jul 11, 2024

Mary!

Thank you so very much for your wonderful review :) It was so lovely getting to know you as we made this trip together. You had such a strong idea about what you were hoping for on this trip and I'm really glad that what we came up with really fulfilled that!
Mossie, Rich and the team at PAX are always incredible experiences for visitors and I'm super happy that you loved them as much as I do!
I wish you all wonderful travels going forward!
Justine & The High Point Holidays Team