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Meree was absolutely incredible and helped us out while we were traveling. Will definitely recommend KimKim to others and specifically to our friends wishing to travel to Norway.

Would like to thank Julia and her team for making our trip a memorable one. They helped us curate the best itinerary possible based on our travel dates. The hotels booked for us were at the perfect locations keeping our comfort in mind and all the activities booked and things to do suggested by them ensured we have a good time. We interacted with a number of guides for this trip on KimKim but want to have special mention to Julia & Meree as they helped us out with some last minute changes with our bookings and reverted to our queries promptly.

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Astoria

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Flåmsbrygga Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byparken

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ms Nordlys

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Oslo - Sights & Museums

Oslo

Free Day in Bergen - Board Hurtigruten

Hurtigruten

Ride the Ulriken Cable Car

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tromsø: Aurora Borealis Tour

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

As in all trips there were a few bumps along the way. Our first hiccup was the lodging at Svolvaer. Apparently there was a mix up in the confirmation and billing process and we were required to pay for the room. We got in touch with KimKim and Julia responded promptly and efficiently and the problem was resolved. We would rate the accommodation (Scandic Svolvaer) as over priced and mediocre. The room was so small that my husband could almost touch opposite walls in both directions with arms outstretched. Certainly would not recommend it to anyone.

In Geringer we were scheduled for a RIB boat. We had the tickets but unfortunately our itinerary didn't indicate which company it was with. Karolina had indicated to us that the tours are all day and you just show up for one any hour starting at 10. Once we found the correct company we were told that our slot was 10 only. Thankfully they had an opening at 4:00 and we were able to go.

In Faerland we were scheduled for a mountain hike. Our "guide" was a 19 year old who knew very little about the area and said almost nothing the entire hike. He seemed more interested in getting it over so he could home and play video games. We are in very good shape but felt that he had no clue that people 3 1/2 times his age might want to stop once in a while just to enjoy the scenery and rest. The highlight of the hike was when his cousin appeared at the summit and we had a chance to talk with him. He was foraging for mushrooms and told us a lot about the forest in the area and what to look for.

In Aurland our lodging (Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri) was disappointing.
Our room was large and clean but was on a busy corner with a lot of traffic and had very thin shades that did not block out the glaring streetlight. We asked for another room but were told that they were all like that. We were confirmed for three days in Aurland which was a huge mistake. We departed the second day and booked a room at Fossli Hotel which was absolutely wonderful! It was not busy, served excellent food and the service and staff were very welcoming. The room was recently remodeled and was immaculate and comfortable. All of the windows and and balcony door in our room had blackout shades. It was a lovely stay with a beautiful view and great history. When we looking we were given some options in Eidfjord by Meree and we appreciated that. However once we got to Eidfjord and saw the cruise ships we were relieved that we found Fossli Hotel rather than one in a very touristy town.

The Naerøyfjord boat tour was ok. After our road trip viewing some of the most beautiful scenery of fjords and mountains and small farms dotting the countryside it was a let down. Too many tourists and certainly not the most beautiful scenery in Norway.

Looking at the plan now, we would have avoided Flam...cruise ships and wandering tourists everywhere. The train ride to the top was ok. We did the bike ride down however and that was great!
Three days in Aurland was a mistake as well.
Bergen was ok but also very touristy.

In reviewing our trip we feel that we did most of the work. We planned the route, secured our rental cars, booked all of our flights and found most of the lodging. In our initial conversation with Karolina we emphasized that we don't like "touristy" places and we are always searching for unique lodging when we travel. She gave us a few good suggestions but attention to detail and understanding our kind of travel was lacking. Many of the details were not tended to and our last few messages with questions and requests were not answered.

We have traveled extensively and are always looking for out of the way spots, unique lodging and a chance to get to know the culture and people of each country that we visit. "Canned" travel on cruise ships, "nutshell itineraries" and whirlwind travel to see everything is not what we want.
We had a great trip despite the bumps but will most likely opt to plan our own adventures in the future.

Our experience with Kimkim was outstanding. The planning of our trip to Norway (primarily focused on Oslo and Bergen) went well, and we got quick responses to any questions. The itinerary turned out to be a good mix of planned activity and the chance to explore leisurely. The only day that was packed was our Norway in a Nutshell day, traveling between Oslo and Bergen, and we were pretty tired after that. The hotels where we stayed were excellent.

I always felt that if we needed help, we could get it right away from a call to Kimkim. As it turned out, we didn't need help.

We are older travelers and did this trip entirely by public transportation. We are glad we did it and will likely come back to Scandinavia again.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Grand Hotel Oslo

Oslo

It is a very comfortable hotel in a great location. The service was outstanding. I would go back there again.

Authenticity & Character

The feeling of being in a grand old hotel

Location

In the city center close to the harbor (easy walking distance) and museums

Staff

Staff helped us get taxis when needed and were very efficient

Cleanliness & Comfort

It had the level of cleanliness I would have expected from a grand hotel

Hotel Norge by Scandic

Bergen

This renovated hotel is "hopping." There is a great deal of activity going on there, and it has a very contemporary vibe. I liked staying there except that the hallways are dark and the signage is a bit hard to read. Still, I liked staying there and the location is great. It is close to the train station, the KODE art museums, and the university. The harbor is not far away either.

Authenticity & Character

Like a modern international hotel

Location

Close to all the things we wanted to see

Staff

Good service, though our laundry order was mishandled because we weren't informed that there was no service on weekends.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very good housekeeping service

Activity Reviews

Oslofjord Sightseeing Cruise

Oslo

Loved seeing the ships in the harbor and then the islands/peninsulas with houses on them!

Quality of Experience

Fun to talk with other people on the trip

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nice older ship

Fjordcruise to Hardanger

Bergen

We enjoyed the cruise and the trip to Rosendal. It was a pleasant day to experience the water and the scenery. We liked Rosendal as well.

Quality of Experience

We particularly liked the cruise on the water. It's fun to look at the houses and also the fisheries (salmon farms).

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very professional

Transport

Very nice ship

Karolina planned the itinerary for a 10-day scenic/hiking trip through western Norway for my husband and me in August 2022. Kimkim's excellent secure online communication system made it really easy to for me to send my comments as the itinerary was being developed. Karolina was very prompt in responding to and adjusting the itinerary per my comments. My only complaint is that after I approved and paid 100% for the trip (I think in June), it took a long time to get final confirmation of all my bookings. In fact, I did not get firm confirmation of all of my bookings for the trip until just a week before my departure from the US. Karolina was unavailable due to vacation twice during this period and said another associate would get in touch with me but that other associate never provided any updates. In the end, everything worked out and the trip went very smoothly. I was especially thankful that per my request, Karolina made the reservations for the electric charging station at Hotel Ullavang and for parking at P3 for our hike to the Trolltunga (a must as if we did not have the parking reserved, we would have had to hike an extra hour uphill). Also, much thanks to Julia who I was able to communicate with via Whatsapp during our trip with last minute issues or questions. Julia was awesome and responded almost immediately each time I Whatsapp'd her with a question. Thanks to the Kimkim team for a fabulous trip in western Norway!

The trip overall was great. The hotels and itinerary were very good. The plan was well thought out, allowing me to really see many of the highlights of Norway The value was good, but not great. I could have saved money booking it myself. However, there were many glitches. Two of the hotels had the wrong information about my stays, and the email trail showed that KimKim made the mistake, not the hotel. In some cases I was forced to pay after already paying for the entire trip up front. I had to consistently inquire about tickets and how to get from point to point. In some cases I was not given any information on how I was getting to the next point until the day of departure. This is what I thought I was paying for! In addition, I had to lay out bus fare which I still haven't been reimbursed for. So, although the trip was very good, KimKim made errors that should have been avoided. I was willing to forgive the first large mistake, as mistakes happen. But, as nearly each day arrived with a new problem I must conclude this was the result of incompetence.