It has been a wonderful adventure. We have many many pictures that record all our travels.
Our personal agent was Emerson and he answered all our questions during the planning stages and some small issues during the actual trip. In the planning stages, he worked to schedule what we wanted to do, what we wanted to see, with our preferred travel times, the kinds of hotels we like, and the types of tours that became very meaningful as the 10 days progressed. We had a phone meeting which...
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It has been a wonderful adventure. We have many many pictures that record all our travels.
Our personal agent was Emerson and he answered all our questions during the planning stages and some small issues during the actual trip. In the planning stages, he worked to schedule what we wanted to do, what we wanted to see, with our preferred travel times, the kinds of hotels we like, and the types of tours that became very meaningful as the 10 days progressed. We had a phone meeting which really helped the backs and forth, about a month before all the details were finalized, and was always responsive to messages sent through the website. He gets an A+!!!!!
During the trip, we were in regular touch by text with Emerson, and again he was SO responsive and we applaud him for helping us like that. All those small issues related to drivers not being in the location given to us in our instructions. That is the only area of planning that needs improvement. For example, we were told to be at the door to the lobby of our hotel, but the driver was around the corner at the restaurant entrance, making us almost late for an inner city bus.
The tour guides were excellent in explaining history and culture and answering numerous questions we had. We enjoyed hearing from the diverse group of people who guided us on their experiences too, as not all were Finnish and one had lived in the US. That made for great conversations and we loved that the tour guides shared their stories with us, plus gave us all kinds of information on Finnish history.
We would definitely work with KimKim in the future.
Hotel Reviews
Apartment with Sauna in Kluuvi
Helsinki
The apartment was really nice. We didn't expect 2 full bathrooms, a nice addition since we were traveling with our adult son. The primary bedroom was roomy and the bathroom nicely setup.
Our only issue was the pre move-in process, which we had to complete more than once as our data submitted before we left the US wasn't there when we needed to get our keys. We also found it difficult to find some information, and luckily our travel agent stayed in touch with us to guide us and get the info we needed.
Location
Easy walk into the middle of Helsinki and to the National Cathedral where we were attending a wedding.
Staff
Issues with the pre move in process.
Lapland Hotels Tampere
Tampere
Breakfast was amazing and the restaurant had great choices when we didn't go out for dinner. The room was clean and comfortable, although a bit small for Americans!
Solo Sokos Hotel Turun Seurahuone
Turku
Breakfast was lovely and the restaurant had great choices when we didn't go out for dinner. The room was clean and comfortable.
Activity Reviews
Towers of Tampere Tour
Tampere
Liked our time in Tampere with Peter but the tour was laid out oddly so we lost some time in getting around via bus and tram. Being at each of the 3 towers gave us a great opportunity to see different areas of Tampere. It made less sense to us that we went from our hotel, across town via tram to tower #1, a long walk back to the observation from a hotel only a block from where we started, then a bus ride to tower #3 at the amusement park. That bus ride was so long because lots of riders were going to the park and traffic was backed up. Each location was good to see, and the walk across town gave us a feel for the city, but the transport took away from the experience.
Food
We ended with a lovely lunch.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
See above comments.
Tallinn Day Trip
Helsinki
Our guide was Christopher Robert. We liked our tour so much we referred my brother and his wife, who were in Tallinn a few days after our trip there, to him. Christopher took us to many different areas of the town, which we didn't realize had such a mix of old and new. We navigated a meeting of heads of state which blocked some streets but didn't interfere with our walking, very different from the US security around such events. We loved that Christopher shared his background including time in the US, and how that played into the tour and his expertise on the places he showed to us.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
all walking....!
Riina was our guide and despite a constant drizzle, she showed us the old city of Rauma. We wandered the narrow streets, saw lace being made by a small shop run by women who do this all by hand, toured a small church and saw many old buildings that explained the history of the old town.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
all walking....!
Helsinki City Walking Tour (3h)
Helsinki
Our guide was Ruslan. He took us all around the center of Helsinki, meeting us where expected at the train station and then ending the tour with recommendations for authentic food! He was knowledgeable and fun to talk to, including my brother and his wife who were in Helsinki at the same time although not touring with us for the duration of our vacation. He planned the tour to meet our request to show us the history, which we learned was not as many years as that of other parts of the country, being the capital only about 200 years.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
All walking....!
Magical Taiga Forest Hike
Helsinki
SO SO much fun.
Quintos was our guide. He shared his story of being an environmentalist and working to show the national forests in both the Helsinki and Lapland areas to folks like us. He really loved showing us where all the goodies (fruits/berries/mushrooms) would soon be growing, making our lunch of salmon soup, and walking through different areas of the forest. He seemed extremely knowledgeable.
Quality of Experience
We enjoyed hearing of his move to Finland and what made the country special to him, while we shared a bit of ourselves.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Quintos was our driver and guide, and made the trip easy.
Unveiling Turku: History, Culture, and Culinary Gems
Turku
Laura from Magni Mundi was our guide for a 5 hour walk and lunch throughout Turku. She was very knowledgeable about the history of the town, and the current conditions. We liked how she blended history with today.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Great tour guide.
Transport
We walked, Laura picked us up promptly where we were told to be.
Local specialist: Emerson Siimer