Tetiana Smal

We loved the private tour to Windsor Castle and Hampton Court with David. And, actually the free day the we were given by accident in both London and Paris were wonderful. Next trip we will schedule a free day intentionally. Paris was a blast. The D' Orsea was not to be missed. We could have gone back for a second day.

Tatiana was ever attentive and super positive. Next up, Venice!

B

Thank you so much for making our trip so memorable, Tetiana! You made the whole process easy and enjoyable.

I left a message after returning home on 5/25, but I wasn’t sure if it went through. For some reason, my phone had an issue so I couldn’t log in while I was in London for a family event, so I wasn’t able to write sooner.

Tetiana was responsive, helpful, and quick to answer questions. Thanks to her planning, we could relax and enjoy the trip without worrying about the details. We’re really grateful for her help.

And please let Ciaran and Jimmy know that we will always remember them whenever we think of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland—they were truly amazing and made the experience extra special.

We’re very grateful for everything and would happily recommend KimKim and Tetiana to anyone planning a trip!

Tetiana was only a phone call away and was able to direct and assist us with ANY and ALL aspects of our journey. I was very hesitant to go with Kim Kim after I received an initial rejection from your team because your team was not ready to work within my budget. All this changed when Tetiana reached out to me and worked patiently and diligently to come up with a travel itinerary that suited our family’s needs. She was there with us every step of the way. We are truely grateful to her for enabling us to complete our last family vacation with our elderly parents and my brother who is recently in remission from esophageal cancer. God Bless Tetiana!!!

Hotel Reviews

Hilton London Heathrow Airport

It was ok - it was picked for its convenience to the airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel Dress Code

Paris

Tiny rooms and dated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central

Staff

Understaffed at night so the African gentleman stated that he could not help us as he was by himself.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sink was blocked and the staff was not really helpful because he stated that he was by himself.

Melia White House Hotel

London

Very clean and excellent customer service.

Authenticity & Character

Like any other 4 star hotel. Nothing unique.

Location

Centrally located

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean rooms but the carpets in the common areas were stained and worn.

Activity Reviews

Private Louvre Museum Visit

Paris

Sebastian our guide was beyond excellent!!

Quality of Experience

Guide was very well versed with historical events.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very patient with my elderly parents

Transport

Vijay is an excellent driver and very helpful to my elderly parents.

Paris Icons in Four Hours: Private Drive & Stroll

Paris

Once again, Sebastian and Vijay made a great team!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very comfortable and convenient.

Transfer to Desired Location

London

Quality of Experience

I

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover London in a Private Black Cab

London

Chris was great!! He was very informative. Initially we had a hard time following his accent but then we got the hang of it and he used the Mike on the second day so that my parents could hear him better in the back.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ancient Monuments & Historic Salisbury Tour

United Kingdom

Always awesome to see Stonehenge. Plan to return during the solstice when one is allowed to be up close and personal and partake celebrating the solstices with the Druids.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer to the International Train Station

United Kingdom

The driver dropped us off about 1/2 a block away from the station and we had to lug our luggage and walk the rest of the way which was tedious for my parents.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

In the summer of 2025, we decided to make a trip to Scotland to experience the culture, visit historical sites, and explore the country. After seeing a review for KimKim trip planning service, I messaged them about assistance with our planning, and I was soon contacted by Tatiana. Tatiana worked with me over the months that followed to build a plan that we felt would touch upon all our key desires for the trip. I can’t offer enough praise and gratitude for all the wonderful help we received from Tatiana; especially including when we requested her help to make changes in the middle of the trip.

Our trip then was from 6-16 March 2026, and we began our visit in Edinburgh, which included tours of Edinburgh castle, Rosslyn chapel, St Giles cathedral, and Old Town. We also included Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral and a side trip to Kircaldy for a Fife Flyers hockey game (for several years we have been acquainted with an American player on the team). All these activities were truly wonderful and memorable. Stuart was our Old Town guide and he was excellent. Especially memorable though was our tour to Rosslyn chapel with Rafal, who was a truly amazing guide.

We next went to Stirling and visited Stirling castle. We took the tour with the castle guide, and that was fascinating and wonderful. Then after visiting the castle we moved on to Loch Lomond for a night at the Cameron House. Due to a satnav (GPS) miscue on my part, we didn’t drive through as much of the Trossachs National Park as I had planned, but the views we did see were marvelous. Also, the Cameron House is a fantastic property and superb place to visit, with some local sites and sights to explore as well, and we would probably want to stay there again (and a bit longer) if we ever returned.

Our next adventure was to travel north along Loch Lomond and then head west to Oban. The A82 roadway along Loch Lomond is truly an experience, with breath taking views and also sometimes some heart stopping sections of narrow, winding roadway. Turning west onto the A85 roadway to Oban featured more spectacular views, and a very scenic and peaceful drive without the occasional frights of the A82. Our arrival in Oban was just in time for a walking tour, and our guide David was excellent, sharing the history of the town and taking us to several sites of special interest.

We stayed several days in Oban, and this was truly the highlight of our time in Scotland. As we visited in mid-March, there were no crowds and so the town was very peaceful and calm. We ended up with a room looking out on the bay, and we actually spent quite a bit of time just relaxing and enjoying the beautiful view. We did miss our planned Isle of Mull tour, but we made up for it with a tour of the Oban distillery, home of Oban whisky, and as well visiting some other local castle and scenic viewpoints. Additionally, the No17 Promenade hotel we stayed at was truly a gem, including simply outstanding personal connections with the staff and a superb restaurant. We didn’t want to leave.

We decided to modify the final days of our journey, for a variety of reasons, so we didn’t visit Glasgow or Kirkcudbright as we had originally planned. Instead, we ended our journey in Edinburgh and caught up on a few of the things we didn’t see at the outset of the trip, including some sites and sights around Old Town and Victoria Street; the latter being the area said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series by author JK Rowling.

We are very grateful for everything we experienced and for all the opportunities to meet wonderful people in Scotland. Likewise, all the help and support from Tatiana and KimKim. This was a tremendously fulfilling experience and we have lifelong memories of our wonderful adventures in Scotland.

Hotel Reviews

Apex Waterloo Place

Edinburgh

We liked this hotel quite a lot. It was in a good location to walk around the center of Edinburgh. It's a short walk to the train station, for those that use the railways. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and they take excellent care of guests and the facility itself. We were also very grateful for the wonderful morning breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

It retains the charm of being in a historic area of Edinburgh, with updates that keep it fresh but without ruining the authenticity.

Location

The hotel is very well located for walking around to many of the major attractions in the Old Town and New Town areas of Edinburgh.

Staff

The staff were friendly, personal and professional.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness was superb. Overall comfort was excellent. I regret I have to say that the bed was too hard, and it made for uncomfortable sleeping for my wife.

Cameron house

This is a gorgeous property in a very scenic setting. The staff are simply marvelous and were above and beyond any expectations.

Authenticity & Character

The original areas of the property have the old, grand feeling of being in almost a palace like setting. Very beautiful in every aspect. The rooms were simply amazing.

Location

This is a very beautiful property, and it is situated in a very scenic area. It may be better suited for golf enthusiasts, due to what I was given to understand is the fine golfing nearby. Nevertheless, the local scenery is plenty good enough reason to want to stay here.

Staff

The staff were extremely friendly, professional and helpful. They offered plenty of good insight into the area and sites or sights that were worthwhile. Simple excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was kept impeccably clean, and everything was extremely comfortable. The room was very luxurious.

No17 The Promenade Hotel

Oban

This hotel was the highlight of our accommodations in Scotland. Initially we were in a smaller room toward the back of the property, but as fortune would have it, we were able to move to one of the largest rooms in the front, with spectacular views. The staff here is simply amazing; very personal, attentive, and capable. We didn't want to leave this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

They have done a superb job with setting a cozy, comfortable, yet stylish, perhaps even a little quirky, character to this property. We found it incredibly charming, calming and peaceful.

Location

The hotel is just outside of the town center, along the boardwalk of the bay. This makes it within walking distance of the town but still away from the hustle and bustle of even this smaller town. The views of the bay from the property were simply marvelous.

Staff

5+ stars for this staff. They were simply the friendliest, most personal, attentive, and capable staff we encountered. It was just a pleasure to even stop by and chat with them for a moment or two each day.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The property is exceptionally well maintained, and accommodations are very clean and comfortable. Our first room was quite cramped unfortunately, but more fortunately we were able to upgrade to perhaps the best room in the hotel. That room was simply oustanding; a mix of old and new style that harmonized perfectly, extremely comfortable, and with a bay view that was perfect.

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh

Edinburgh

This hotel offers a more modern vibe, despite its location practically in the heart of Old Town. The exterior retains the historic look of 100-200 year old architecture, but the inside is generally done in a well-appointed and modern look. The rooms took a bit of getting used to, as they are organized a little differently from other hotels, but the design actually works extremely well. The rooms are all white, which seemed a bit sterile in appearance, but that didn't ruin what was otherwise a very comfortable room. The staff was superb, and extremely friendly, professional, and responsive to guest needs.

Authenticity & Character

The exterior retains the Old Town character, while the inside blends old and new without becoming garish or awkward.

Location

If you want to be in the heart of Old Town Edinburgh, this hotel is the perfect location. A relatively easy walk to the train station as well as most of the big attractions.

Staff

The staff were just wonderful. My wife was not feeling well, and the staff helped us without exception. They even remembered me well enough to ask me how she was doing whenever they saw me, and they asked her directly as soon as she was moving around again. Very personal attention that is hard to beat.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel is kept very clean, and the accommodations were very comfortable. Our room did not have a good lounge chair however. There was something of a lounger extending off the side of the bed, but it was a little awkward and not especially comfortable. It was very comfortable to just sit on the bed however, due to a large, padded backboard on the wall.

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Castle & Old Town Private Tour

Edinburgh

The Edinburgh castle is a wonderful historic site. Unfortunately, we did this tour almost immediately after we arrived in Scotland, and we were very tired from traveling. We probably didn't get as much out of the visit as we could have. Because of a flight delay we didn't arrive in time for our scheduled Old Town private tour; however, we made it up later in our trip (and it is reviewed separately).

Private Tour to Rosslyn Chapel and Castle

Edinburgh

This site is wonderful, and our tour guide Rafal was amazing. He picked us up and drove us to the site, and then walked us through all the important sights, with tremendously good commentaries on it all. 5+ stars. He also took us to a couple spots along the way that weren't originally planned. The Rosslyn chapel and castle is a wonderful bit of history, and with the amusing connection to the movie the DaVinci Code.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Rafal was amazing. We would have been pleased to have him with us for every tour.

Transport

It was simply nice to have the guide drive us, rather than try to drive, park, etc, on our own.

Oban Guided Town Walking Tour

Oban

Our guide David did a wonderful job walking us through the small town and taking us to a few sites of special interest. We enjoyed learning more about this little port town. Overall, Oban was the highlight of our trip to Scotland due to the peaceful environment. We were told it's extremely busy and crowded in the summer however, so that might be a planning consideration.

Edinburgh Old Town Tour

Edinburgh

The Old Town private tour by Stuart was excellent. He was extremely knowledgeable and expertly guided us through the area to be sure we saw little details we never would have experienced on our own. Stuart was very personable and his commentaries ensured we learned so much more about this historic part of Edinburgh.