Marina Courtaut

Marina was excellent. Thanks to all of her insights and help we enjoyed a trip we’ll never forget. Marina put us with outstanding guides who made places come to life in food, history, art, photos and stories we’ll remember forever. read more

Marina was excellent. Thanks to all of her insights and help we enjoyed a trip we’ll never forget. Marina put us with outstanding guides who made places come to life in food, history, art, photos and stories we’ll remember forever.

Hotel Reviews

Exe Almada Porto

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

Staff was very kind and helpful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

Great guide, great food.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

Clara, our guide, was outstanding. Fun, friendly and high- energy which was infectious. Her pride of Porto was clear and really engaging

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Olive oil & River Cruise

Porto

Roi, our guide, was very knowledgeable and engaging. Really helped us understand the area well

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening of Fado

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Food

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Our guide was so knowledgeable about the history and neighborhoods of Lisbon. We came away with a much greater understanding of Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Day Excursion to Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Lisbon

Our guide, Paola, was outstanding. Fun, friendly, engaging and very knowledgeable. He showed us the highlights of course but it was all the out of the way authentic places he took us to and his personality that made this day so special for us. Hands down the best guide we had in Portugal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip Planning
Marina was excellent in working with us on our trip. We made so many changes and she was very patient throughout the process. She was very knowledgeable regarding places to visit in Spain. For example, she recommended seeing the Blancos pueblos, which we knew nothing about. We loved them! She was very accessible when we were on the trip. She responded immediatley when we messaged her through the app. I would work with her again.
The only thing I would improve is the... read more

Trip Planning
Marina was excellent in working with us on our trip. We made so many changes and she was very patient throughout the process. She was very knowledgeable regarding places to visit in Spain. For example, she recommended seeing the Blancos pueblos, which we knew nothing about. We loved them! She was very accessible when we were on the trip. She responded immediatley when we messaged her through the app. I would work with her again.
The only thing I would improve is the initial overall trip planning. I wish she had asked us more about hotel choices and location prefernces. The hotels were nice, but in very crowded touristy areas. We prefer to stay in less touristy areas even though it may be further away from attractions/historic sites.
Tours. Exceptional tour guides in Granada- Alhambra and Cordoba- Mezquita. Other guides were good. Tapas tour and Paella class excellent too.
Only disappointing guide was Montserrat. We had to take the cable car at our own expense because the guide was late picking us up. He was very disorganized and not informative compared to other guides we noticed at Montserrat. I think everyone in our group was disappointed with him. Nice man though.

Activity Reviews

Tapas Culinary Experience

Barcelona

Our guide was great. We went to less touristy places for tapas and the food was great!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half-Day Excursion to Montserrat

Barcelona

Our guide was late picking us up so we had to take the cable car at our expense to get to Montserrat. We were late for our tour but he got us in. Other guides were giving history, showing photos on their iPads while we were waiting in line, but he did none of that. It was akward. Then he told us our tickets included a movie and exhibit on Montserrat, but when we went he reallized we had to pay extra. It was very disappointing. He was a nice man but shouldn't be a tour guide! I'm giving 2 stars because Montserrat is a beautiful spiritual place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour of the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens

Spain

Our guide was fanatastic. He was so knowledgeable regarding the history of Alhambra. He kept us on a schedule which was good because it was very crowded. A woman in our group had toured the Alhambra 8 times (she lives in Spain and has many visitors). She said it was the best tour guide she ever had. That speaks volumes!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Walking Tour of Ronda

Ronda

We had a private guide. He was excellent. It felt more like we were walking with a friend verus a guide. He took so much time with us and went over our alloted time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked.

Day trip to Córdoba

Seville

We had a private tour guide. She was very knowledgeable regarding the history of the sites we visited. She was excellent. Her englilsh was very good too. She recommended a local spot for lunch and we loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We took the train which was really easy

Marina did a wonderful job in planning our trip. Things changed when our flight was canceled and she needed to rebook several of our tours. Had a little hiccup with understanding what we wanted but that was due on our end because we were traveling and couldn’t explain expectations to her well.

First and foremost, thank you to Marina, our travel advisor, for putting together an amazing honeymoon for us! We thoroughly enjoyed each of the cities, the experiences, and the restaurant recommendations. All the hotels were comfortable, authentic, and the staffs worked very hard to make us feel very welcome. The guides to the person (especially Gaspar in Barcelona and Rafael in Sevilla) were all excellent and we learned so much in each place we visited. The customer service, including from... read more

First and foremost, thank you to Marina, our travel advisor, for putting together an amazing honeymoon for us! We thoroughly enjoyed each of the cities, the experiences, and the restaurant recommendations. All the hotels were comfortable, authentic, and the staffs worked very hard to make us feel very welcome. The guides to the person (especially Gaspar in Barcelona and Rafael in Sevilla) were all excellent and we learned so much in each place we visited. The customer service, including from Marina and those who covered for her on the weekend, was also excellent. We would definitely use Marina again for Spain next time we visit and kimkim for other countries. In all, thank you for helping us put together a memorable honeymoon. We will be forever grateful!

Activity Reviews

Tapas Culinary Experience

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Flamenco Show

Granada

Quality of Experience

Day trip to Medieval Girona & Dali Museum in Figueras

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had a wonderful and memorable time in Madeira, in particularly in Funchal. Marina did an exceptional job in selecting my hotels, activities, and guides. I spent three unforgettable days with Lido, from Green Devil Safari. I left the island with tears in my eyes because I wasn't sure that people as nice, accommodating, and generous as Lido still existed in this world. Both Marina and Lido were instrumental in creating memories that will last me a lifetime and beyond. I can't thank them... read more

I had a wonderful and memorable time in Madeira, in particularly in Funchal. Marina did an exceptional job in selecting my hotels, activities, and guides. I spent three unforgettable days with Lido, from Green Devil Safari. I left the island with tears in my eyes because I wasn't sure that people as nice, accommodating, and generous as Lido still existed in this world. Both Marina and Lido were instrumental in creating memories that will last me a lifetime and beyond. I can't thank them enough. I will be back to the island soon, and I won't hesitate to hire the services of Marina and hopefully Lino. I want to thank them both from the bottom of my heart. My vacation on the beautiful island of Madeira well exceeded my expectations. Thank you, Marina.

Hotel Reviews

Castanheiro Boutique Hotel

Funchal

The room was extremely clean. The location was perfect, and the staff was exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The fact that it was at a walking distance from the promenade.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eira Do Serrado Hotel & Spa

Funchal

Authenticity & Character

The view into the Valley of the Nuns was exceptional.

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Funchal: Dolphin and Whale Watching

Portugal

It was unfortunate that we got to see the dolphins just for a brief moment but I understand that there are very elusive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marina was a huge help from start to finish! My friend and I were so excited to visit Portugal and Marina took much of the stress out of all the planning. We had great private tours and excellent guides chosen for our many tours in the different places we went visit. We loved so many of the unique experiences provided on this trip, for example, the private tour of Tomar, the Peña Palace, our small group tour of Douro Valley, our private hike in the national park, and our jeep tour on the... read more

Marina was a huge help from start to finish! My friend and I were so excited to visit Portugal and Marina took much of the stress out of all the planning. We had great private tours and excellent guides chosen for our many tours in the different places we went visit. We loved so many of the unique experiences provided on this trip, for example, the private tour of Tomar, the Peña Palace, our small group tour of Douro Valley, our private hike in the national park, and our jeep tour on the Azores. There were a few bumps in the road as one of our tours was cut short in Sintra (two hours instead of 8) and one tour in Porto started at a different time than given. The hotels were well chosen for each location and close to many things that we wanted to see and experience. On the whole, I would definitely use Kimkim again for a trip in the future. Marina (and those coewas very quick to respond when there were any issues and helpful when we needed information. I appreciate all of the time and effort that went into the planning and organization of our Portugal trip! I will have memories for a lifetime!

We had an amazing and memorable trip to Spain thanks to Marina! She was so wonderful to work with, very detailed, very thoughtful, and so patient with all of our requests and changes. All of Marina’s recommendations were five stars from restaurants to tours to cities, hotels, as well as well thought out travel arrangements that were most convenient. We first traveled to Madrid where our very kind personal driver took us to our first hotel. The hotel was in a central location next to Plaza... read more

We had an amazing and memorable trip to Spain thanks to Marina! She was so wonderful to work with, very detailed, very thoughtful, and so patient with all of our requests and changes. All of Marina’s recommendations were five stars from restaurants to tours to cities, hotels, as well as well thought out travel arrangements that were most convenient. We first traveled to Madrid where our very kind personal driver took us to our first hotel. The hotel was in a central location next to Plaza royale, the location was super convenient and within walking distance to all central Madrid attractions,. The breakfast was great at the hotel. The hotel rooms were a bit small for a family room, but it worked out OK. Our first tour of Madrid was with Antonio. He was a local. He was so knowledgeable and sweet. I believe we spent about four hours touring the city with him on a walking tour and we had a really great time. He made the tour wonderful We really loved the culture in Madrid and all the sites were definitely a highlight, the next city was Seville. Our hotel was only about a 15 minute walk from the Cathedral of Seville, which was so fascinating. There were many restaurants and shops near the cathedral and it was an area we spent quite a bit of time around. We had a bike tour of the city’s main attractions with Fernando , he was the best we had so much fun. The bike tour was totally relaxing and enjoyable and we got to see all the highlights of the city. Another great tour that marina recommended. We also had a cooking class that we took and learned to make local Spain dishes. We shopped at the local market and had a really great time. Highly recommended . Our hotel was super nice and comfortable in a central location and definitely offer the best breakfast of all the hotels we stayed in . Marina recommended really fantastic restaurants and made all of our dinner reservations, and in each city we stayed in, our teenage daughters would ask did Marina make that dinner reservation?… as they knew if she made the reservation it was going to be good . The third city we visited was a day trip to Toledo. We ended up taking a taxi instead of the train that marina recommended simply because we were tired and just wanted to get there and the drive was not too far. We did pay extra but decided on the convenience over the price. Toledo was a lot of fun. We really enjoyed our day there and we were so happy that Marina recommended this day trip, another highlight on our trip. Our next city was Granada. On our way to Granada we had a private driver take us to Caminito del Rey, where we did a 5 mile hike through the canyon. This was a beautiful hike. It was a mellow but long hike, guided, something not to miss… the only negative to this was we were hiking in the heat of the day and we did all get super overheated by the end of the hike. I think next time we would want to do it early in the morning to avoid the heat of the day otherwise well worth it so beautiful, highly recommended. We then arrived to Grenada, which was one of our favorite little cities and absolutely our favorite boutique hotel. We only stayed two nights in Grenada and we all had wished we were there for three nights, we stayed in the historic San Pedro district. Our hotel could not have been a better location. It was quiet and a bit off the main path and close to everything . The rooms were big we had plenty of room to spread out, super comfortable. We saw a very memorable flamenco show in a cave in the historical gypsy neighborhood,.., we once again had wonderful local meals. It was really fun to shop there and walk around the town. We had the best view of the Seville castle from our hotel room. I apologize I’m not giving all the formal names as I do not have the itinerary right in front of me. Granada was a favorite stop and honestly difficult to leave. Our last stop was a flight to Barcelona…. while we didn’t wanna get back on a plane it was the best and fastest route to Barcelona from Granada. Barcelona is a huge international hub, really an amazing city with lots to offer, Marina made reservations at all the best restaurants of course, our hotel had a City Terrace rooftop view that we spent quite a bit of time relaxing on enjoying wine, very nice hotel rooms, small but nice and decent breakfasts. It was a central location where we could walk everywhere… we loved visiting La Sagrada Familia and the Picasso museum, there were so many sites to see in Barcelona we didn’t get to them all. We did cancel a day trip which we really wanted to do but our teenage girls were very tired so still on our bucket list to see more of Barcelona as well in the surrounding areas. On our last night we ended vacation with a Sunset sail boat cruise in the Mediterranean with a guitar concert, it was a really nice end to an amazing trip. All thanks to Marina. Our experience with Marina and Kim Kim has been nothing short of perfect and we will certainly be planning future vacations with Kimkim. We highly recommend Marina as well. She was so patient and so responsive, she thought of everything, we loved working with her. The Trip App was the most convenient itinerary we have ever used, so easy too.

Hotel Reviews

Petit Palace Posada del Peine

Madrid

Super convenient location to the plaza Royale and all Madrid attractions rooms were super small though

Authenticity & Character

Historical and we had a lovely balcony

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Petit Palace Puerta de Triana

Seville

This hotel had very nice rooms. They were small, but super nice and clean and this hotel offered the best breakfast of all the places we stayed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Super convenient location close to everything within walking distance, especially the Seville Cathedral

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palacio de Santa Inés Hotel

Granada

I can’t say enough about this hotel. This was our favorite hotel of all places we stayed. The rooms were super big the hotel was very historical. The views were amazing. The location was fantastic and within walking distance to everything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yurbban Ramblas Boutique Hotel

Barceolona

This was a nice hotel and a central location. The rooms were super updated and nice small but very nice. Our favorite feature of this hotel was the rooftop terrace. It was so beautiful. They offered a mini bar and snacks and there was plenty of seating. The hotel was also very centrally located within walking distance to many things.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Visit of Madrid: History, Culture & Architecture of the Capital of Spain

Madrid

Antonio was the best we really enjoyed our tour with him. He was a local and New so much and he was so friendly and fun to spend time with.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private City Bike Tour

Seville

Fernando was the best we had a really great time on this bike tour. We saw so many attractions that we otherwise would not have seen. It was a relaxing chill experience so much fun Fernando was so kind the bikes for super comfortable. It was definitely a highlight.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Andalusian Market Visit & Cooking Class

Seville

Another great experience we learned local recipes, and had a fantastic time touring the market. This event was so much fun.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Caminito del Rey

Spain

This was really a beautiful, breathtaking experience. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver, Antonio was the best he took us from Seville to the hike and then on to Granada. He was exceptional and when we got off the hike and we were overheated, he was right there with an air-conditioned, comfortable car awaiting us. It was perfect.

Flamenco Show

Granada

This was such a memorable experience. We were in the prime location of history for flamingo shows in a cave in the old gypsy district. The musicians and flamenco dancers were incredible. What a memorable experience we had.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Easy and scenic walk from our hotel

Barcelona Sailboat Experience & Spanish Guitar Concert

Barcelona

This was a nice close to a wonderful and memorable trip. The Mediterranean was quite choppy that day, so it definitely added some spark to the boat ride, but we also cruise through the bay, which was very calm are skipper was so sweet and we had a guitarist who never missed a beat despite some waves out in the Mediterranean the views were amazing and we all had a wonderful time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marina did a fantastic job on our entire trip and we loved all of the planned activities and outings

The wine trip and private cooking class were fantastic!

All transportation services were on time a so nice.

Marina provided personal customized service and even helped me get my sunglasses that were left at the hotel in Porto shipped to our next hotel. Her service is excellent read more

Marina did a fantastic job on our entire trip and we loved all of the planned activities and outings

The wine trip and private cooking class were fantastic!

All transportation services were on time a so nice.

Marina provided personal customized service and even helped me get my sunglasses that were left at the hotel in Porto shipped to our next hotel. Her service is excellent

Hotel Reviews

Porto Charming Hotel

Porto

Breakfast was nice every day. The hotel staff was nice and the property was very clean. Also the location was convenient to everything

Authenticity & Character

Location

3 blocks from the main area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dear Lisbon Bordalo House

Lisboa

Excellent location. Rooms were generous and we had a double balcony view of our area

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tivoli Lagos

Lagos

This was a resort property that was very nice. Breakfast was yummy every day. The staff were very helpful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Be Poet Baixa Hotel

Lisbon

Only there for 1 night. It is close the the main city area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

Our guide was great and the stops were fantastic. We got a great overview of the food and wine of Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Porto Cooking Class

Porto

What a great activity! Our chef was fantastic and we had a great time

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Wow! Is all I can say. An absolute must do! Our guide was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Coimbra

Portugal

Our driver was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening of Fado

Lisbon

Very nice dinner and Fado. Room was a little warm

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

A bit quick and could have been a little more time seeing sights. It was a good overview of the old city but could have been a little more in depth.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Catamaran Trip to Benagil Caves

Portugal

The trip was great and views amazing. Crew of catamaran was super nice. Had drinks and snacks available and provided water activity equipment as well

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Algarve Sunset Experience

Portugal

This was the perfect end to our trip! Site’s beautiful and our guide great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Entire trip met our expectations regarding hotel quality, logistics and service by Marina and The Espiritu team.

Our issues were all with booked events.
The coordinator, Carlos, for the Alhambra tour directed us to stand alone at the wrong meeting point without asking a question. Then he failed to look for us while we stood only 15 meters away. Luckily, we found Edo in the Alhambra and had a great experience.
The flamenco show started 30 minutes before our scheduled time.
The tapas tour started 30 minutes after our scheduled time.

Our recent trip to Portugal was amazing and exceeded our expectations! The trip started in Porto, and our hotel was nice, our city/culinary tour with Angela was great! We enjoyed the market, oldest restaurant in Porto, and all the food and knowledge that Angela shared with us. Emanuel was a great follow up and shared his perspective of the city , allowing us to explore on our own afterwards. Wilson and the Douro Valley tour was a true highlight with lunch at Maos vineyard. We can hardly wait... read more

Our recent trip to Portugal was amazing and exceeded our expectations! The trip started in Porto, and our hotel was nice, our city/culinary tour with Angela was great! We enjoyed the market, oldest restaurant in Porto, and all the food and knowledge that Angela shared with us. Emanuel was a great follow up and shared his perspective of the city , allowing us to explore on our own afterwards. Wilson and the Douro Valley tour was a true highlight with lunch at Maos vineyard. We can hardly wait for our wine to be shipped!
Marina really listened to what we wanted and the Portugal Boutique Hotel was a pleasure to stay in. Tony took us to Fatima on the way which we really appreciated. While in Lisbon, we had a great tour of the city, explored on our own, and were taken by Marta to the castle, stopped to look at cork trees, and finished the day at a roadside restaurant for a delicious lunch. With Marta, we felt as if we were with a friend showing us her country.
Final trip to Lagos in our rental was without incident, and we marveled at the landscape. Our final hotel was just gorgeous and we could not have been happier! Food, wine, and catamaran trip just highlighted the beautiful country of Portugal.
Final review? This trip was absolutely beyond our expectations on all levels! It checked all the boxes for us and we were sad to leave! Thank you to Marina for making it happen for us!

Hotel Reviews

The Editory House Ribeira

Porto

Nice minimalistic hotel. Very helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Portugal Boutique Hotel

Lisbon

Great large room with all the comfort of home!

Authenticity & Character

Location

One block from square. Near everything.

Staff

Helpful, prompt!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vivenda Miranda

Lagos

What a beautiful hotel and perfect location!

Authenticity & Character

Great good, great service, beautiful rooms!

Location

The views were incredible!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

TRYP Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

Walkable from airport, nice quiet room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

No need for dinner after this experience. Wonderful, great tour all around!

Quality of Experience

So much to see, do, eat and drink !

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Angela was a great guide and took really good care of us. She shared life experiences and was very knowledgeable!

Privately Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Nelson was a lot of fun and knowledgeable. He changed our Douro River Cruise to happen prior to our tastings which was fine but the boat was full and we had to sit inside. Still great views though. Our tastings were wonderful and lunch at Maos Vineyard was beyond expectations! The owner Rafael joined us in his dining room and the food and wine was excellent! Can’t say enough about the whole experience! Fantastic!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Excursion to Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Lisbon

Great trip to Peña Palace, Sintra and lunch at roadside cafe!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marta was excellent, very knowledgeable about the towns, the surrounding area. She shared her life story with us, made us feel like friends, and made stops along the way to look at cork trees, visit a fire station, and enjoy a regional lunch. Great day!

Transport

Catamaran Trip to Benagil Caves

Portugal

Nice ride, attentive crew, great views of the caves from the ocean. Little bit too cold for us to swim but others took advantage.

Quality of Experience

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Coimbra

Portugal

We changed the stop and visited Fatima instead. Tony was a good driver who was very agreeable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Good walk about in Lisbon with a stop to taste some Eduardino!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I had the absolute pleasure of working with Marina at KimKim to plan our honeymoon to Spain, and I cannot express enough how grateful we are for her exceptional expertise and incredible dedication. Marina made the entire process a breeze, taking away any worries or stress that we had about planning a trip to a country we had never visited before.

From the very beginning, Marina's warmth and professionalism shone through. As first-time international travelers, my husband and I were feeling... read more

I had the absolute pleasure of working with Marina at KimKim to plan our honeymoon to Spain, and I cannot express enough how grateful we are for her exceptional expertise and incredible dedication. Marina made the entire process a breeze, taking away any worries or stress that we had about planning a trip to a country we had never visited before.

From the very beginning, Marina's warmth and professionalism shone through. As first-time international travelers, my husband and I were feeling a bit overwhelmed by the logistics and intricacies of planning a honeymoon. However, Marina's extensive knowledge and experience put us at ease. She patiently listened to our desires and aspirations for our honeymoon and took the time to truly understand what we were looking for.

We explained to Marina that we wanted a romantic and immersive experience, where we could truly soak in the beauty of Spain's nature, architecture, and culture. And let me tell you, she exceeded all our expectations. Marina's deep understanding of the country, combined with her innate creativity, resulted in a meticulously crafted itinerary that catered perfectly to our desires.

One of the aspects that made working with Marina truly outstanding was her invaluable insider knowledge as a native Spaniard. This added a level of authenticity and depth to our trip that we would not have achieved otherwise. Marina was able to suggest activities and private tours that were "off the beaten path," allowing us to uncover hidden gems and experience Spain in a way that felt more intimate and personal.

In fact, two of our most memorable experiences during the honeymoon were activities that Marina initially suggested, and at first, we weren't particularly drawn to them. She encouraged us to visit a Sevillan olive oil estate, where we learned about the intricate process of olive oil production and indulged in a tasting that left our taste buds dancing with delight. Additionally, Marina arranged for a private tour of Granada's St. John of God Basilica and St. Bruno Monastery, led by the remarkable Ruth. We were completely captivated by Ruth's deep knowledge of history, art, religion, and culture, and her engaging storytelling and sense of humor made our tour truly enchanting.

Throughout our journey, we were continually impressed by the quality of the tour guides Marina had in her network. Each guide was not only incredibly knowledgeable but also passionate about sharing their love for their respective regions. They went above and beyond to ensure that our experiences were immersive, informative, and truly unforgettable.

Thanks to Marina's impeccable planning, attention to detail, and unwavering dedication, we had the honeymoon of our dreams. Every aspect of the trip, from the carefully selected accommodations to the seamless transportation arrangements, worked harmoniously to create an experience that exceeded our wildest imaginations.

As we reflect on our time in Spain, one thing is certain: Marina's expertise and guidance were instrumental in making our honeymoon an unforgettable journey. Her professionalism, creativity, and genuine care for our experience truly set her apart. We are eternally grateful for her tireless efforts in crafting a trip that perfectly encapsulated our desires and allowed us to fall even more deeply in love with Spain.

In the future, without a doubt, Marina at KimKim will be our go-to resource for all our travel needs in Spain. Her unparalleled expertise, unwavering commitment to excellence, and ability to create personalized and extraordinary experiences make her an invaluable asset for anyone seeking an unforgettable adventure in this captivating country.

Thank you, Marina, for curating a honeymoon beyond our wildest dreams. Your passion, dedication, and exceptional service have left an indelible mark on our hearts, and we eagerly look forward to our next adventure with you at the helm.

Activity Reviews

Visit an Andalusian Olive Oil Estate

Seville

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided visit of Monasterio Cartuja and Basilica de San Juan de Dios

Granada

Marina arranged for a private tour of Granada's St. John of God Basilica and St. Bruno Monastery, led by the remarkable Ruth. We were completely captivated by Ruth's deep knowledge of history, art, religion, and culture, and her engaging storytelling and sense of humor made our tour truly enchanting. Our experience with Ruth was one of the highlights of our honeymoon, as we learned so much from her!! 10/10 recommend Ruth for all tourists visiting Granada!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great trip well organized Marina is amazing

Our trip to the Dominican Republic was amazing thanks to Kimkim and our local travel specialist Marina. The trip was well-planned and customized appropriately to our needs and wishes. This service allowed us a stress-free trip preparation experience and enabled us to enjoy traveling to a country where we we not fluent in the language. All of our accommodations, drivers and excursions were awesome! We got the authentic travel experience we wanted, and learned so much about Dominican history... read more

Our trip to the Dominican Republic was amazing thanks to Kimkim and our local travel specialist Marina. The trip was well-planned and customized appropriately to our needs and wishes. This service allowed us a stress-free trip preparation experience and enabled us to enjoy traveling to a country where we we not fluent in the language. All of our accommodations, drivers and excursions were awesome! We got the authentic travel experience we wanted, and learned so much about Dominican history and culture during our stay. We much appreciated the included meals, which featured nutritious, locally grown products, and enabled us to sample Dominican cuisine.

An important note to mention however is, if you are like us, and want to support small local businesses, it is good to come prepared with a mindset on what you want to purchase or how much you can spend prior to entering shopping spaces, and being prepared to negotiate on price (or even politely say no). Although the majority of the vendors we encountered were easy-going and helpful, several of the vendors at Tres Ojos National Park were overly aggressive and tried to overcharge for their products. Being prepared for this and having basic level Spanish helps the traveler immensely in these situations. This was a minor issue however, and did not detract from what was an overall great trip to the stunning Tres Ojos limestone caves.

Our most memorable excursion was the hike adventure to El Limon Waterfall, where the views were breath-taking. We were fortunate to have a wonderful guide Andres, who took great care of us on this challenging trek through the forest and rocky landscapes.

Our day trip to Playa Rincon and Caño Frio was also memorable for the natural beauty of the Samana region and our knowledgeable guide Frank, who gave us a wealth of information on Dominican life. This was a relaxing way to spend the last day of our trip.

On the last morning of our trip, we encountered a problem when our driver had car trouble and was not able to pick us up for transport to the airport. It was a simple process for us to contact our travel specialist Marina, who came through for us and arranged for an alternate driver (Cabayeron), who was diligent about getting us to the airport safely and on time. Kudos to Marina for exceptional local travel specialist support during this trip. We love the Kimkim business philosophy and would definitely use Kimkim again for future trips. We whole-heartedly recommend Kimkim to other travelers.

Hotel Reviews

Hodelpa Caribe Colonial

Santo Domingo

Great hotel for a stay in Santo Domingo. It is conveniently located in the Colonial Zone area with many restaurants and historic places to visit within walking distance. Our room was clean and comfortable. Hotel front desk staff were professional and very responsive to our needs. Complimentary breakfasts were delightful and featured many local dishes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mosquito Boutique Hotel

Las Terrenas

Mosquito Boutique was delightful place to stay. Located right on the beach, the views were exquisite, especially at sunrise and sunset. The onsite restaurant was very convenient for dinners, and also provided an awesome daily breakfast for hotel guests. The overall vibe of the place was very relaxed and friendly, and hotel staff were very accommodating. Our room was clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Los Tres Ojos National Park Excursion

Santo Domingo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Adventure to El Limón Waterfall

Samaná

Quality of Experience

Food

The Dominican lunch provided by Restaurante Santi after our hike was awesome!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day excursion to Playa Rincón

Samaná

Quality of Experience

Food

The local lunch provided onsite at the beach was wonderful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing trip! Guides that deserve special mention were Teresa, our bike tour guide in Seville and Vincente our guide at the Alhambra. read more

Amazing trip! Guides that deserve special mention were Teresa, our bike tour guide in Seville and Vincente our guide at the Alhambra.

Hotel Reviews

Only YOU Hotel Atocha

Madrid

Great location opposite train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Opposite train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Smart Suites Albaicin Apartments

Granada

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private City Bike Tour

Seville

Very good tour with Teresa. Great having a local showing us around. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Tour of the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens

Spain

Needed more information about where to meet our guide. We didn't have a voucher and were told where the meeting place was. There were so many guides and it was confusing trying to find which group we were with.

Valencia Urban Wine and Tapas Tour

Valencia

Guide Maria was lovely but didn't have much information about us or what we were expecting from the tour. From our perspective, we thought we'd be part of a bigger group going to a variety of tapas bars. We enjoyed the tour, due to our lovely guide, but probably needed more information about this tour.

The guides we had were all excellent and most of all very kind. Marina did a great job for us. The only hotel that we found to be just ok was the Don Carlos. Uber drivers we contacted for a ride to some of our tours did not want to come to our hotel but asked us to come out to a very busy circle. The problem with that was that we had no internet out there and had a difficult time identifying our drivers. The traffic around the Don Carlos is very congested. We might have preferred staying... read more

The guides we had were all excellent and most of all very kind. Marina did a great job for us. The only hotel that we found to be just ok was the Don Carlos. Uber drivers we contacted for a ride to some of our tours did not want to come to our hotel but asked us to come out to a very busy circle. The problem with that was that we had no internet out there and had a difficult time identifying our drivers. The traffic around the Don Carlos is very congested. We might have preferred staying closer to the start of our food and walking tours.
We were challenged by driving directions. Our GPS in the rental car did not work. Because we are of a certain age this was our first time traveling with our phone as our primary guide. My understanding is that Portugal Trails does map out your trip with specific directions via GPS which would have been helpful. My big takeaway from Portugal was the kindness of the Portuguese people.

Our trip to Madrid and Barcelona included several great private and small group tours which were almost all very kid-friendly and enjoyable. Our Boqueria tour and paella cooking class was the most engaging and fun, while our tour with Matt to Costa Brava and Girona was a beautiful and relaxing chance to visit the quieter parts of Catalunya. Our Madrid hotel was great and centrally located, while our Barcelona hotel was located in a grafitti-filled neighborhood with tons of homeless people... read more

Our trip to Madrid and Barcelona included several great private and small group tours which were almost all very kid-friendly and enjoyable. Our Boqueria tour and paella cooking class was the most engaging and fun, while our tour with Matt to Costa Brava and Girona was a beautiful and relaxing chance to visit the quieter parts of Catalunya. Our Madrid hotel was great and centrally located, while our Barcelona hotel was located in a grafitti-filled neighborhood with tons of homeless people which was a bit of a long walk from all attractions. Overall, everyone enjoyed Madrid and the day trips to Toledo and other smaller cities the most.

Marina planned an excellent trip to Spain that was truly off the beaten path! For all of our excursions, we had local guides who were personable, knowledgeable, and extraordinarily helpful for any questions we had or recommendations for places to eat. We greatly enjoyed our bike tour of Barcelona that hit many of the famous Gaudi houses, our small group tour of Montserrat accompanied by a wine tour, our private tour of La Sagrada Familia, our cooking class where we made paella, and multiple... read more

Marina planned an excellent trip to Spain that was truly off the beaten path! For all of our excursions, we had local guides who were personable, knowledgeable, and extraordinarily helpful for any questions we had or recommendations for places to eat. We greatly enjoyed our bike tour of Barcelona that hit many of the famous Gaudi houses, our small group tour of Montserrat accompanied by a wine tour, our private tour of La Sagrada Familia, our cooking class where we made paella, and multiple private walking tours that got us quickly acclimated to each city we visited! Marina was always available for any questions we had and offered additional recommendations for places to go and eat.

Our trip was everything we had hoped it would be and Marina made it happen! I had a very limited amount of time to plan this trip and she made herself available to answer any questions or concerns we had. I will absolutely use kimkim again and highly recommend it. Marina is the icing on the cake!

Response time while in Spain was also exceptional. We had a couple of questions during our travels and we received help almost instantly.

Thank you for making our trip so memorable! read more

Our trip was everything we had hoped it would be and Marina made it happen! I had a very limited amount of time to plan this trip and she made herself available to answer any questions or concerns we had. I will absolutely use kimkim again and highly recommend it. Marina is the icing on the cake!

Response time while in Spain was also exceptional. We had a couple of questions during our travels and we received help almost instantly.

Thank you for making our trip so memorable!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel España Ramblas

Barcelona

Don't recommend. Location is good but that's it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

in the center of the gothic quarter

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Windows fogged and mold. bathrooms not comfortable and could be cleaner. Not great

Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona

Barcelona

Perfect location in Barcelona. Safe, friendly, beautiful, clean. We'd love to visit again. They treated us like royalty! Food was terrific as well.

Authenticity & Character

They keep true to the history and it's exceptionally maintained

Location

Staff

Can't compliment enough

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Aigua Blava

Costa Brava · Girona

Beautiful location and private beach. Very helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beach! Views!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, comfortable. I wish they had more food options. Breakfast was great but after our first night, we left for meals elsewhere. Only drink service at pool. It would be awesome if they offered some kind of food service poolside instead of chips and prepackaged icecream.

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Montserrat & Penedès Region Wine Tasting

Barcelona

Our guide made it special for us. Super friendly. Llopart winery was very fun!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking Excursion

Spain

Guide was great! Beautiful day and plenty of time to jump off of rocks and swim. Beautiful way to experience the seaside of Spain and it's ocean wildlife.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We’ve traveled extensively through Europe and always planned our own trips but we didn’t have time to plan this year. Luckily we found kimkim which focuses on independent travelers.

Our journey started in Barcelona. We flew to southern Spain rented a car and stayed in Granada, Seville and ended our trip in Madrid.

Marina planned a wonderful trip for us. From the moment we started planning and throughout the actual trip Marina and her team were very responsive and always available to... read more

We’ve traveled extensively through Europe and always planned our own trips but we didn’t have time to plan this year. Luckily we found kimkim which focuses on independent travelers.

Our journey started in Barcelona. We flew to southern Spain rented a car and stayed in Granada, Seville and ended our trip in Madrid.

Marina planned a wonderful trip for us. From the moment we started planning and throughout the actual trip Marina and her team were very responsive and always available to answer any questions.

All the activities Marina organized went off beautifully. The guides we had for each walking tour of the cities were on time and excellent.

In Barcelona we enjoyed a tapas dinner and Marina got us excellent seats at a concert in the marvelous Palau Música and tickets to Gaudi locations.

Loved the Scents tour of Granada and all the recommendations given of what to do and where to eat in each city. We had a particular interest in Pedro Almadovar and Marina provided lots of information from film locations to where he lived and personal background.

The app was incredibly helpful and easy to use so all four of us knew the itinerary. The tickets were easy to pull up in the app and guides phone numbers available.

Thank you Marina for all your help. We look forward to using kimkim again.

Hotel Reviews

Midtown Apartments

Barcelona

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eric Vökel Boutique Apartments - Madrid Suites

Madrid

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chez Moi - Plaza Nueva Luxury Apartment

Granada

Incredible views of Alhambra from apartment and rooftop. Meticulously cleaned. Management very helpful. Loved this place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Luz de Sevilla Apartment

Seville

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tapas Culinary Experience

Barcelona

Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Guided Visit of Granada Through Its Scents

Granada

Tour of the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens

Spain

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Flamenco Show

Granada

Quality of Experience

Guided Visit of Seville

Seville

Self Drive {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Córdoba

Spain

Cordoba is a wonderful stop along the way to Madrid.

Guided Visit of Toledo

Spain

Take this day trip. High speed train excellent. Cathedral fabulous. Toledo incredible.

Guided Visit of Madrid: History, Culture & Architecture of the Capital of Spain

Madrid

Great experience- everything met or exceeded our expectations. Marina and staff were accessible and responsive to any questions or concerns during the planning and the trip itself. We loved our custom itinerary and the travel app they provided us for the trip. We’ve recommended Kimkim to a number of family and friends. read more

Great experience- everything met or exceeded our expectations. Marina and staff were accessible and responsive to any questions or concerns during the planning and the trip itself. We loved our custom itinerary and the travel app they provided us for the trip. We’ve recommended Kimkim to a number of family and friends.