KimKim matched us with Justine Stewart:
We are a mother (62 yo) and daughter (31 yo) who contacted several Travel Services before embarking on our Christmas Adventure to Ireland and Scotland. We chose KimKim because they matched us with Justine Stewart. Justine is the only person (out of five different agencies) who read our initial email and what we envisioned for our trip and truly captured what we imagined from day one. She was a delight to work with throughout the entire planning phase. Justine came up with wonderful suggestions for us. She was informative, responsive, and fun to work with. I was excited every time I received a chat message from Justine. She was effusive, warm, engaging, and down to earth. Her excitement in the planning stages made the trip fun to plan and then amazing to experience. Early in the planning phase, when we realized we needed to change the airport/city we were flying into, which affected our initial itinerary, Justine handled the adjustments smoothly. She was also helpful with my questions about travel insurance and gave me good advice and tips in that area. We traveled during the weeks surrounding Christmas, and although Justine was on holiday herself for part of that time, she still took the time to check in with us to make sure all was well. We feel like we made a new friend in Justine.
Claire and Eva
We were also well taken care of by Claire and Eva at KimKim, who helped us out over the two days we needed assistance due to a snowstorm.
Hotels in Ireland:
Cashel Palace – We pulled in at night to an amazing view of this grand accommodation. We drove down a long driveway and saw the beautiful red brick lit with lights. Once we arrived, we were given a tour and were delighted and amazed at the beauty of this hotel. They have a lovely Drawing Room, a cozy bar, and several wood-burning fireplaces. We took advantage and enjoyed them all. Our room was elegant, and we even had a Christmas tree!
Adare Manor – We felt like we were walking back in time when we entered this amazing hotel. From being greeted by friendly porters in the driveway to seeing the enormous Christmas tree in the reception area to the helpful tips and tour provided by the lovely Anne – we were swept up in excitement from our first moments there. We had a delicious lunch in the gorgeous Drawing Room while sitting next to another beautiful Christmas tree. We enjoyed a fun walk from the hotel into Adare Village, visited charming little shops, and saw the amazing thatched-roof buildings. Our dinner in The Carriage House was outstanding.
Glenlo Abbey – The front desk staff was very friendly. They informed us that they had upgraded our room – and it was spacious and lovely. The grounds around this hotel afforded us a beautiful walk.
Waterloo Townhouse – We had a cute room painted in soft pink overlooking a little backyard.
Hotels in Scotland:
Ness Walk - This is a lovely hotel. We were greeted with a glass of champagne and treated well during our stay. The hotel is elegant and situated on a beautiful river walk along the Ness River. We ventured out and walked down the river and across a bridge into a delightful area of Inverness. We discovered a most incredible place – Leakey's Bookshop.
The Fife Arms is our favorite place we've ever visited. We fell in LOVE with The Fife Arms. They covered the outside of the hotel in twinkly lights, and there was a brightly lit Christmas tree across the street. Every restaurant (The Clunie Dining Room, The Flying Stag) and every room (the Drawing Room, Elsa's Bar, The Tea Room, the Reception area) was an absolute joy to experience. I wished for a wood-burning fireplace on this trip, and this hotel had three amazing fireplaces that were burning and crackling at every moment. The entire experience, the amazing hotel, the afternoon tea, the reindeer parade, the amazing meals, the Christmas stocking on our door in the morning – was all magical. We arrived to find a bottle of champagne chilling in our room and complimentary tastes of whisky and gin with drink biscuits if we desired. The Fife Arms' incredible staff made our Christmas trip truly unforgettable. We greatly appreciated Rachael Henley (General Manager) while dealing with stress and uncertainty due to our car transfer service. She gave us such reassurance that all would be well. We felt safe and taken care of as she reached out to the car transfer service on our behalf and had her team assist with information on weather conditions and snow gates. She and her team assured us we would figure it out. They were able to offer us accommodations for an extra night. All of their hospitality and kindness during our trip went above and beyond.
Hotel Du Vin & Bistro - This was an ideal location for us as we wanted to explore Old Town Edinburgh, which was mere steps away. The Night Manager, Paul, went above and beyond for us. On one occasion, a glass bottle shattered inside my nylon carry-on luggage bag. Paul cleaned and repaired it. On another, we had an airport pickup at the hotel at 5:45 am. Paul had takeaway coffees and croissants waiting for us, along with updated flight details and gate information, making our journey home smoother.
Outstanding Hotel employees:
Adare Manor - Anne
The Fife Arms - Rachael (GM), Sam, Josh, Alex
Hotel du Vin & Bistro - Paul
Great Drivers:
Dermott Coffey – to Cashel Palace – He was fantastic, warm, engaging, and fun!
Tony – to Adare Manor – Tony was great! He had quite a sense of humor.
Frank – Galway Taxis – to Dublin - Frank was professional and provided a quiet ride to Dublin.
Dave – Elite Transfers Dublin – to Dublin airport – Dave was warm, friendly, and funny!
Ahmed – Inverness Taxis - airport to Ness Walk and then to Braemar. He was professional.
David – VChauffeur.com – Braemar to Aberdeen - He was fantastic! David was professional, kind, funny, and compassionate. David's service was unparalleled.
Adrian – Edinburgh Executive Travel – to Edinburgh airport – professional, sense of humor, nice service
Wonderful Tours:
Galway Food Tours - Gina (Regina)
Gina was a delight on our Walking Food Tour in Galway. She was punctual, friendly, informative, and fun. Gina had an easy demeanor and kept the conversation flowing throughout our 2.5-hour tour. We fell in love with Galway, and Gina was a huge contributing factor as she wound us in and around Shop Street, the pedestrianized thoroughfare in Galway.
• We started our morning with a taste of delicious coffee at Little Lane Coffee Company, which showcases Irish Specialty Coffee Roasters.
• Then we stopped in at an amazing French Chocolaterie called Truffle. We enjoyed a raspberry-filled croissant and some divine chocolates. There was an actual wall of running chocolate that was amazing!
• We popped into Ean for wine and two delicious small plates.
• Next on our tour was Tigh Neachtain, a pub that opened in 1894, which we learned was the former home of Richard Martin, an animal rights activist and abolitionist. We enjoyed learning about the colorful history and sat in one of the small, cozy booths known as a "snug." We tasted oysters, mussels, meatballs, soda bread and beer.
• Next was a visit to the upstairs of a fine foods shop called McCambridge's, where we tasted three spirits – Irish Whiskey, Irish Poitin, and Irish Apple Brandy.
• We finished the tour with delicious Murphy's Irish Ice Cream.
During our tour, Gina also recommended three other locations – and we managed to make our way over to all three after the tour. We stopped in and bought some books at Charlie Byrne's Bookshop, which was enchanting. We visited the King's Head, another historical pub, for a pint of Guinness. After a lovely walk to the fishing village in Galway, where we captured wonderful photographs, we went to Gina's final recommendation, Sheridan's Wine Bar. It was cozy and charming!
Dublin Tour Guide - John Caffrey
We felt immediately at ease when John greeted us at our hotel. He was such a warm, friendly, and engaging person. His wealth of knowledge, facts, and fun stories made the day fly by much too quickly. We visited a museum, the National Art Gallery, and Dublin Castle, as well as interesting statues and monuments to Patrick Kavanagh, Oscar Wilde, and George Handel. We passed by impressive government buildings and a war memorial and walked around the Trinity College campus. John treated us to coffee, biscuits, ice cream, and an Irish coffee along the tour! We felt so comfortable with John that we ate dinner with him at a nice pub where we enjoyed Irish stew and Guinness to complete our experience. We saw so much in Dublin in one day and would have missed so much on our own. John created a truly memorable experience.
Inverness Tours – Edinburgh Tour Guide - Scott Guthrie
We originally planned to do a full-day Outlander tour with Scott Guthrie. After the delay in our trip, we decided to cancel the tour since we ended up with only one day in Edinburgh instead of three. Ian, the owner of Inverness Tours, suggested the alternate plan of a walking tour in Edinburgh with the same guide, Scott Guthrie, who could show us some Outlander locations in Edinburgh. We agreed to a 2-hour tour. Scott Guthrie arrived wearing a kilt and a smile. He made our shortened visit to Edinburgh magical, intriguing, captivating, and memorable. We were thrilled to spend this time with him. He was a gentleman and a gem. He took us on an amazing tour that included some of the history and politics of Edinburgh, intriguing sites connected to the Harry Potter books and movies, and a couple of amazing Outlander filming locations. Scott was warm, friendly, entertaining, and fun. We ended up spending almost 4 hours with him and loved every minute. We continued exploring Edinburgh on foot for the rest of the day with a greater appreciation for the city and its fascinating history. We logged 37,351 steps on our walking app!
Restaurants in Ireland:
• Mikey Ryan's Bar & Kitchen – an amazing dinner! Classy and cozy environment.
• Cashel Palace – really nice breakfast
• Adare Manor
o The Drawing Room – fabulous lunch served in a beautiful room next to a Christmas tree
o The Carriage House – elegant and delicious dinner, amazing service!!
o The Gallery – gorgeous, high-ceiling room for breakfast
• Kai – We had an outstanding meal in a cozy environment!
• Glenlo Abbey breakfast room - a beautiful room and great breakfast service
• Aniar – 23 unique tastings! We were amazed as the dishes just kept coming. The Manager and Waiter who served us were beyond attentive and fun!
• The Winding Stair – This was a cozy, warm, welcoming place for dinner. We had a window seat and enjoyed the most delectable food!
Restaurants in Scotland:
• Kitchen Brasserie – We enjoyed a window seat and a delicious meal at this delightful restaurant.
• The Fife Arms
o The Clunie Dining Room – The staff is amazing and attentive. The food is excellent.
o The Flying Stag – It has a fun and funky décor; the food was outstanding!
o Afternoon Tea – They served an amazing assortment of sandwiches and sweets with coffee, mulled wine, and juice in a lovely, multi-windowed room with comfortable chairs and a wood-burning fireplace.
• Scran & Scallie – twinkly lights outside ushering us into a festive, charming restaurant with excellent food!
• A Wee Taste – charming, met the owner, delicious meat and cheese charcuterie board, lovely wine!
We will absolutely use KimKim's services again. They matched us up with an incredible travel agent – Justine Stewart! We were assisted before, during, and after the trip with all questions and concerns. THANK YOU!
Hotel Reviews
We pulled in at night to an amazing view of this grand accommodation. We drove down a long driveway and saw the beautiful red brick lit with lights. Once we arrived, we were given a tour and were delighted and amazed at the beauty of this hotel. They have a lovely Drawing Room, a cozy bar, and several wood-burning fireplaces. We took advantage and enjoyed them all. Our room was elegant, and we even had a Christmas tree!
Staff
We were greeted by wonderful staff and given a warm welcome and a tour.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The beds were so comfortable!
We felt like we were walking back in time when we entered this amazing hotel. From being greeted by friendly porters in the driveway to seeing the enormous Christmas tree in the reception area to the helpful tips and tour provided by the lovely Anne – we were swept up in excitement from our first moments there. We had a delicious lunch in the gorgeous Drawing Room while sitting next to another beautiful Christmas tree. We enjoyed a fun walk from the hotel into Adare Village, visited charming little shops, and saw the amazing thatched-roof buildings. Our dinner in The Carriage House was outstanding.
Authenticity & Character
Every room and space in the hotel was amazing - The Reception area with a fireplace and enormous Christmas tree, the Drawing Room, which serves food, has a bar and looks out over the back of the property, the amazing high-ceilinged Gallery where they serve breakfast and afternoon tea, The Tack Room - a classy bar and lounge.
Location
The hotel sits on a beautiful and spacious property. It is lovely for walks or a horse and carriage ride. It is within walking distance of Adare Village.
The front desk staff was very friendly. They informed us that they had upgraded our room – and it was spacious and lovely. The grounds around this hotel afforded us a beautiful walk.
Location
It is a short taxi ride away from the amazing city of Galway.
The Fife Arms is our favorite place we've ever visited. We fell in LOVE with The Fife Arms. They covered the outside of the hotel in twinkly lights, and there was a brightly lit Christmas tree across the street. Every restaurant (The Clunie Dining Room, The Flying Stag) and every room (the Drawing Room, Elsa's Bar, The Tea Room, the Reception area) was an absolute joy to experience. I wished for a wood-burning fireplace on this trip, and this hotel had three amazing fireplaces that were burning and crackling at every moment. The entire experience, the amazing hotel, the afternoon tea, the reindeer parade, the amazing meals, the Christmas stocking on our door in the morning – was all magical. We arrived to find a bottle of champagne chilling in our room and complimentary tastes of whisky and gin with drink biscuits if we desired. The Fife Arms' incredible staff made our Christmas trip truly unforgettable. We greatly appreciated Rachael Henley (General Manager) while dealing with stress and uncertainty due to our car transfer service. She gave us such reassurance that all would be well. We felt safe and taken care of as she reached out to the car transfer service on our behalf and had her team assist with information on weather conditions and snow gates. She and her team assured us we would figure it out. They were able to offer us accommodations for an extra night. All of their hospitality and kindness during our trip went above and beyond.
Authenticity & Character
Elegant and classy, combined with such amazing charm!
Location
It is situated in the beautiful Cairngorms National Park. Breathtaking scenery! It is an ideal area for walks.
Staff
Sam provided fun, friendly, engaging service in the Clunie Dining Room.
Josh was helpful in keeping guests and their car transfer services apprised of the snow conditions and snow gates.
Alex helped us with booking an extra night when the snow conditions and our car service kept us from departing.
Rachael is an amazing general manager who got personally involved in solving our travel issues.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The rooms were clean, comfortable, and beautiful. The beds were so comfortable.
Hotel du Vin & Bistro Edinburgh
Edinburgh
This was an ideal location for us as we wanted to explore Old Town Edinburgh, which was mere steps away. The Night Manager, Paul, went above and beyond for us. On one occasion, a glass bottle shattered inside my nylon carry-on luggage bag. Paul cleaned and repaired it. On another, we had an airport pickup at the hotel at 5:45 am. Paul had takeaway coffees and croissants waiting for us, along with updated flight details and gate information, making our journey home smoother.
Authenticity & Character
Nice, casual hotel in the heart of Old Town Edinburgh. Definitely has charm and character.
Location
Steps away from the Royal Mile and Old Town Edinburgh. It was SO convenient for us.
Staff
The Night Manager, Paul, went above and beyond for us. On one occasion, a glass bottle shattered inside my nylon carry-on luggage bag. Paul cleaned and repaired it. On another, we had an airport pickup at the hotel at 5:45 am. Paul had takeaway coffees and croissants waiting for us, along with updated flight details and gate information, making our journey home smoother.
This is a lovely hotel. We were greeted with a glass of champagne and treated well during our stay. The hotel is elegant and situated on a beautiful river walk along the Ness River. We ventured out and walked down the river and across a bridge into a delightful area of Inverness. We discovered a most incredible place – Leakey's Bookshop.
Activity Reviews
Private Galway Food Tour
Galway
Gina was a delight on our Walking Food Tour in Galway. She was punctual, friendly, informative, and fun. Gina had an easy demeanor and kept the conversation flowing throughout our 2.5-hour tour. We fell in love with Galway, and Gina was a huge contributing factor as she wound us in and around Shop Street, the pedestrianized thoroughfare in Galway.
• We started our morning with a taste of delicious coffee at Little Lane Coffee Company, which showcases Irish Specialty Coffee Roasters.
• Then we stopped in at an amazing French Chocolaterie called Truffle. We enjoyed a raspberry-filled croissant and some divine chocolates. There was an actual wall of running chocolate that was amazing!
• We popped into Ean for wine and two delicious small plates.
• Next on our tour was Tigh Neachtain, a pub that opened in 1894, which we learned was the former home of Richard Martin, an animal rights activist and abolitionist. We enjoyed learning about the colorful history and sat in one of the small, cozy booths known as a “snug.” We tasted oysters, mussels, meatballs, soda bread and beer.
• Next was a visit to the upstairs of a fine foods shop called McCambridge’s, where we tasted three spirits – Irish Whiskey, Irish Poitin, and Irish Apple Brandy.
• We finished the tour with delicious Murphy’s Irish Ice Cream.
During our tour, Gina also recommended three other locations – and we managed to make our way over to all three after the tour. We stopped in and bought some books at Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, which was enchanting. We visited the King’s Head, another historical pub, for a pint of Guinness. After a lovely walk to the fishing village in Galway, where we captured wonderful photographs, we went to Gina’s final recommendation, Sheridan’s Wine Bar. It was cozy and charming!
Gina helped us to engage with the charming city of Galway. Thank you!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The Ultimate Day in Dublin - Private Guided Tour
Dublin
We felt immediately at ease when John greeted us at our hotel. He was such a warm, friendly, and engaging person. His wealth of knowledge, facts, and fun stories made the day fly by much too quickly. We visited a museum, the National Art Gallery, and Dublin Castle, as well as interesting statues and monuments to Patrick Kavanagh, Oscar Wilde, and George Handel. We passed by impressive government buildings and a war memorial and walked around the Trinity College campus. John treated us to coffee, biscuits, ice cream, and an Irish coffee along the tour! We felt so comfortable with John that we ate dinner with him at a nice pub where we enjoyed Irish stew and Guinness to complete our experience. We saw so much in Dublin in one day and would have missed so much on our own. John created a truly memorable experience.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Christmas at the Fife Arms
Scotland
The Fife Arms is our favorite place we've ever visited. We fell in LOVE with The Fife Arms. They covered the outside of the hotel in twinkly lights, and there was a brightly lit Christmas tree across the street. We arrived to find a bottle of champagne chilling in our room and complimentary tastes of whisky and gin with drink biscuits if we desired. I wished for a wood-burning fireplace on this trip, and this hotel had three amazing fireplaces that were burning and crackling at every moment. On the first day, we enjoyed their afternoon tea, the reindeer parade, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, a drink in Elsa's bar, and a delicious dinner in The Flying Stag. On Christmas morning, we awoke to a Christmas stocking on our door. We enjoyed a lovely Christmas Brunch, which they staggered for guests at different times. We went on a couple of walks around the charming town of Braemar. Every restaurant (The Clunie Dining Room, The Flying Stag) and every room (the Drawing Room, Elsa's Bar, The Tea Room, the Reception area) was an absolute joy to experience. This trip was magical!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Outlander tour from Edinburgh
Edinburgh
We originally planned to do a full-day Outlander tour with Scott Guthrie. After the delay in our trip, we decided to cancel the tour since we ended up with only one day in Edinburgh instead of three. Ian, the owner of Inverness Tours, suggested the alternate plan of a walking tour in Edinburgh with the same guide, Scott Guthrie, who could show us some Outlander locations in Edinburgh. We agreed to a 2-hour tour. Scott Guthrie arrived wearing a kilt and a smile. He made our shortened visit to Edinburgh magical, intriguing, captivating, and memorable. We were thrilled to spend this time with him. He was a gentleman and a gem. He took us on an amazing tour that included some of the history and politics of Edinburgh, intriguing sites connected to the Harry Potter books and movies, and a couple of amazing Outlander filming locations. Scott was warm, friendly, entertaining, and fun. We ended up spending almost 4 hours with him and loved every minute. We continued exploring Edinburgh on foot for the rest of the day with a greater appreciation for the city and its fascinating history. We logged 37,351 steps on our walking app!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private transfer to or from the airport
Dublin
Dave with Elite Transfers Dublin picked us up early in the morning to take us to Dublin airport. We were leaving Ireland and flying to our next destination, Scotland. Dave was warm, friendly, and funny! He had some helpful tips for the next leg of our adventure, and he had us laughing on the way to the airport as well.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
