Odynovo Tours Co., Ltd

Judy helped us plan a 14 day Japan holiday for a family of 7 with ages 11 , 16, 26, 47, 50 , 57 yr old
It was a 4 centre holiday Tokyo , Hakone , Kyoto and Osaka
We booked our own hotels separately but Judy arranged transfers and guides and booked some events for us - e.g. Samurai stable , Gyoza cooking lesson , Shibuya Skytree, Samurai museum - that we had to make our own way to via public transport or walking but with the Suica card that was manageable . All the things she booked for us were excellent
Before the trip Judy was very quick with her responses to our many detailed questions and very quick to advise and adapt the itinerary when we changed from a 17 day trip to a 14 day trip . We felt very confident in her hands
When we got to Japan everything was seamless . Judy continued to be very quick to respond . The various guides and drivers she’d arranged WhatsApped us the day before we were meeting them with times and other details . We felt very well looked after .
The Kyoto guide (Yuki ) and driver ( Shu ) were particularly good . Yuki’s English was very good and she really enhanced our 3 days of Kyoto sightseeing . Shu San the driver was very very courteous - he was always dressed smartly and got out to open the door and shelter us with his umbrella every time we left the car!
It is difficult to pick a favourite moments from the trip as I I enjoyed every minute from start to end but the following I really enjoyed but didn’t expect to as much as I did
- Teamlab planets - so much more interactive than I expected
- Tsukiji food market - one of the best food markets I’ve ever been to . The sushi restaurant recommended to us by our guide Yoshi was fantastic .
- Hakone Kowakien Tenyu hotel with private bath , particularly good for those of us who weren’t comfortable with the hotels open onsen , which btw were excellent too .
- Hakone - open air art museum . Quite a few famous artists work there including Picasso , Anthony Gorman , Henry Moore
I would highly recommend using Judy at KimKim to plan a Japan trip . The service was provided was very tailored and flexible e.g. we were allowed to book our own hotels but I’m sure Kimkim would have booked those for us too if we’d asked

Christine was very helpful in helping us create an itinerary that accommodated our needs. She took all our ideas into consideration and helped us plan the perfect trip!

Hotel Reviews

ENA Suite Hotel Namdaemun

Seoul

This hotel was great. The staff was very kind and helpful and the room was perfect.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shilla Stay Busan Haeundae

This hotel was beautiful! The room was a little small, but overall a great experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Seoul Highlights

Seoul

This was such a fun day! Seeing the palace was especially wonderful. We loved learning about the culture of Seoul from our amazing tour guide, Jung.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jung was amazing. She was so knowledgeable and catered to our needs, which at times was hard because we traveled with our 3 month old. Jung was so accommodating and kind! Our driver was also very kind and transported us safely.

Transport

Discovery of Gangnam: K-Star Road, Garosu-gil, and COEX Mall

Seoul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Busan Highlights: Culture, Nature, Local Life & Cafe

Busan

We loved our time in Busan! We had an amazing tour guide, Sunni, who helped us see so many incredible things in the short time we had there. She was so knowledgeable and very accommodating to our needs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family Felxible Day in Seoul with Seoul Forest

Seoul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Relaxing & Flexible Time with Seoul Korea Temple (with 8-hour Private Car & Driver Service)

Seoul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was amazing and we loved the people and all of the places we visited. We had some minor glitches with checking in, including the wrong hotel name and address on the Kim Kim platform and differences in the checking in names on the reservations. We would have like more transparency in the room size; especially for the 3 nights or more in some of the cities we stayed in. Couple of hotels in the big cities, Tokyo and Osaka, the rooms were really tiny and it was difficult to walk around in the room with our suitcases and no closets to hang our clothes or put away our suitcases. Perhaps this could have been discussed with the perspective clients. The locations of the hotels in the 3 big cities were great and we were close to the metro stations. It was a bit difficult getting around on our own and we were glad to have a guide from the first day who bought our ticket and helped us navigate. For any tourists who isn't use to mass transportation, it is definitely worth hiring an English speaking guide to help get around. Taxis are pretty expensive so if you have a lot of suitcases, it's worth pre arranging transfers from the airport, and train station to the hotel. We had a couple of outstanding guides. Anna in Hong Kong and Hiro our guide for Osaka. Both were excellent and really made the tour extra special. We loved our Hakone stay, wonderful Ryokan and Japanese Teppanki dinner as well as the Buddhist monastery. If your guests can afford it, one more night stay would be recommended for either place. The weather was lovely in Mt Koya so we really enjoyed easy walks throughout the area. There were some nice cafes and restaurants in case your guests don't like vegetarian meals. We loved the Osaka aquarium which we found out later is the largest aquarium in the world. I would recommend that as an alternative to Nara. I heard from some of my friends who have been to Nara that they weren't crazy about Nara. However, we had bad weather so Nara that day was not an option. Food was very reasonable in Japan and even in the big cities. The best breakfast was the one in Ten-yu and the hotel in Kyoto. The breakfast in Osaka and Tokyo were ok. If any of your guests are going to H.K, I would highly recommend the Langham at Tsimsha Tsui . The hotel is a 5 star hotel and very reasonable for what you get. The breakfast is very expensive...38.00 usd per day, but we went to a local coffee shop and had breakfast there. Do not recommend Macau if your guests aren't interested in gambling. It was disappointment and the lunch at the casino wasn't great. However Lantau island is very relaxing and well worth it.
In all it was a great trip and Shona did a great job!!

This is our 4th trip with kimkim, and you have always been our first choice whenever we plan a holiday. We genuinely love the service you provide, especially the quality of hotels and the excellent network of local tour guides you have.

Regarding our Japan trip, Winnie was very patient and supportive throughout the planning process. It took a little time for her to fully understand our requirements and for us to get familiar with her working style, but overall, it was a really good experience.

One area where I feel there could have been improvement is in suggesting more experiences and activities proactively. We were hoping for more unique and exciting options beyond the usual sightseeing, rather than having to research and request additional experiences ourselves. A few more personalised recommendations and suggestions from Winnie would have made the trip even more memorable. Nevertheless, I would still give her a 5-star rating for her patience, dedication and willingness to accommodate our requests.

A special thanks to Winnie and kimkim team for arranging the complimentary Sagano Romantic Train ride as a birthday treat. That was a lovely gesture and much appreciated!

The hotels provided were good, and the tour guides were knowledgeable, energetic and dedicated.

Overall, it was a wonderful trip, and we truly appreciate the efforts of the entire kimkim team. Thank you for continuing to make our holidays memorable. We look forward to choosing kimkim for our future travels as well!

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier

Tokyo

The hotel was peaceful and comfortable, with a lovely city-view room. The staff were very friendly and supportive. The only drawback was the limited halal, vegan and vegetarian options at breakfast. Even the omelettes were prepared using the same pan as ham and other ingredients, making it difficult for Muslim and vegetarian travellers. A separate pan and a few more dietary-friendly options would have made the stay even better.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable distance to ginza shopping streets.

Staff

Very decent and helpful staff ,listened patiently to our queries.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed liner are changed after 3 days

La Vista Fuji Kawaguchiko

Hakone

We loved the vegetarian dinner, the beautiful views and the convenient location. The staff were polite and well-behaved, and the rooms were clean. However, we did find a cockroach on the balcony. It would also be helpful to clearly label vegan, vegetarian and halal food options, as most dishes contained pork or beef. Better dietary labelling and more suitable options would greatly improve the experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Rooms with Fuji views are amazing

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Nagoya Premier

Nagoya

Felt the rooms n bathroom very too tiny n the breakfast spread was not that great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Loved the breakfast spread, with plenty of options! It would be even better if halal and Muslim-friendly food items were clearly labelled and available . The room was comfortable, although the toilet was a little too small. The location was excellent, close to malls and the train station. Taxi travel can be slightly expensive due to the distance, but public transport is very convenient. Overall, a great stay, especially for the breakfast and location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cross Hotel Osaka

Osaka

The location was perfect, just next to Dotonbori, and the ambience was lovely. However, the room was quite small and noisy due to its location on the main street. Breakfast had very limited options, especially for halal, vegan and vegetarian preferences. While the location and ambience were excellent, the noise and limited breakfast choices affected the overall experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Asakusa, Harajuku & Shinjuku Highlights

Tokyo

Though this trip was helpful coz it helped us know about the train system in Japan it was a tiring journey as a lot of walking is required and we felt we could have added Shibuya also to it but time was not sufficient which was a little disappointing.

Quality of Experience

Felt we should have taken private tour rather than train as too much of walking on the first day itself of the tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was very patient, kind, and helpful. He assisted us with the train details and was very decent and supportive throughout.

Transport

Confusing n tiring

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi, Oishi Park and Shiraito Falls

Japan

Our guide n the driver were very good..especially the driver she drove so smooth n nice we were very comfortable guide also was very helpful n did help us with buying local farmer grapes

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

1-Day Tour from Nagoya: Kamikochi Guided Hike in the Japanese Alps

Japan

This was our dream destination,again we wish we would have got some more time here though it was tiring we enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Fushimi Inari & Arashiyama

Kyoto

This day had a lot of activities packed in enjoyed all of it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Special thanks to the driver he was very proactive with helping us with umbrellas while entering and leaving the car as it was raining and even the guide even though he was very old he was so energetic and kind

Transport

Special thanks and appreciation to the driver very decent and helpful.

Private Transfer from Kyoto to Osaka via Nara with Osaka Castle

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ada did an absolutely amazing job with planning our 12 day Japan trip. We loved all the activities - sumo wresting match, sake tasting (although could use less time learning the history), TeamLabs, food tours, and all the small group and private tours. Kimiko was absolutely amazing - we had her as our guide for both Tokyo and Hakone - she was thoughtful, informative, and truly felt like we were with a friend taking us on tours in their home country. We had a great time exploring Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, and Osaka - all of the food was delicious, we did not have a bad meal. We did more private tours, which allowed us to customize how much time we wanted to spend at different areas ex. we loved Nara and were able to spend more time there and less time at Osaka Castle, which we enjoyed simply taking pictures of. We loved our hotel in Tokyo, away from the touristy areas. Kyoto and Osaka were in the tourist areas, which made it easier to walk everywhere, but felt more chaotic. Overall, would recommend KimKim (second trip with them) to plan and coordinate the trips - we didn't have to worry about anything before, during, or after the trip.

Activity Reviews

Lake Ashinoko Tour with Mt. Fuji Views

Japan

This was the highlight of our trip - we loved the ropeways to the top of the mountain, amazing views of Mt Fuji and the pirate ship across the waterway.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kimiko was absolutely amazing! Our driver was great as well.

Transport

Loved the Alfard - comfortable car and drive into the mountains.

Asakusa Sumo Club: Sumo Show Admission with Chankonabe in Tokyo

Tokyo

This was surprisingly a great addition to our trip. We had a fun time learning and watching the match. It was very entertaining.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My daughter's Sweet 16 trip was amazing thanks to KimKim.

First off, I did not expect all that received. Our driver picking us up in a luxury van and made us feel like queens. He was helpful, kind, and polite. A great first impression.

I was pleasantly surprised when our tour guide, Christina arrived and purchased a cake for my daughter as a gift from KimKim. That was such a beautiful surprise and we were so appreciative.

I have so much to say about our tour guide, but I will try to keep it brief. Christine and her husband, Young were truly the best. Christine not only showed us around, and planned a perfect tour, but also educated us so well. We were not sure we wanted to the Hanbok dress up, but Christine suggested we both do it, and we were so happy she did. Not only did she guide us around the area, but the amount of details she knew about Korean and other Asian history was beyond impressive.

I try to make sure my daughter learns during her experiences, but we both learned so much from Christine in that two days. Not just about history, but about trends, cultural norms, and we even discussed places we all attended in the U.S.

Christine and Young made sure we were able to do everything we wanted, and more. She gave us appropriate time alone, as well. It was perfectly balanced.

Honestly, I was disappointed with the kpop dance experience. I don't see that as a fault on KimKim. I see it as a fault on the dance company. They had reached out to me months before my trip and asked which song we wanted to dance to, I told them one of my daughter's favorite k-pop songs. They never responded. Then when we arrived, they somehow had no clue we were coming. They started late, and of course ended on time. Luckily, Christine and Young did handle the situation and kept reassuring us throughout this terrible experience. And while the instructor was very sweet, I was so upset that it was clearly just thrown together. And of all the amazing kpop songs and groups, they chose a song/group my daughter dislikes instead of the song I requested. This was the one disappointment, but it was a big one as my daughter knows so many kpop dances so this was to be a highlight of her trip, but it was a major failure.

But back to KimKim. This was such a seamless experience outside of the dance studio making it less than stellar. My daughter now wants to study abroad in Seoul thanks to the amazing experience this agency put together. I must also give special thanks to the others who provided assistance including the driver that took us to the airport. And last, but not least, Jessica, my local specialist. Jessica communicated so well. She was so flexible during this entire process. And everyone I have communicated with at KimKim provided customer service very timely. Thank you so much!

Hotel Review

voco Seoul Myeongdong By IHG

Seoul

The hotel was so clean and the staff was so nice. They greeted us whenever we walked by. They were so helpful. At checkin, they gave us each boxes of treats to celebrate my daughter's birthday. As someone that only speaks English, I had no problem communicating with the staff. They were so helpful whenever I needed them. The included breakfast was great. There were so many options for us. The wifi was a good speed. I had no issues connecting. Since I am a status member of the hotel, they did allow me late checkout which was perfect timing to keep my room later before heading back to the airport. I am beyond happy with my stay.

Authenticity & Character

It almost felt like a home away from home.

Location

Right near transportation

Staff

Everyone was so nice and communicated well.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bedding was very comfortable and the room was clean.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Gyeongbokgung Hanbok Dressing & Namsan Tower

Seoul

My daughter and I felt like princesses! The dress rental was so easy. And we learned so much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seoul Modern Culture Day: Han River Cruise & K-Pop Experience

Seoul

We got lots of pictures! My daughter so much of her kpop idols and was able to get merch which was at the top of her list. The cruise was so peaceful and beautiful that it made my daughter want to study abroad.

Quality of Experience

It was a calm day, yet full of things to see.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guides, Christine and Young, are amazing.

Transport

Our guides had transportation. One stayed in the car for fast and easy pick up and drop off. It was so convenient and saved a lot of time.

K-Pop Dance Class & Short Video Shooting

Seoul

I was very disappointed. They clearly had not planned for us to show up despite having contacted me and asking which song my daughter wanted to dance to. When I told them, they never responded. And were obviously unprepared. They finally got everything situated thanks to my tour guide. But we started late and ended on time. So we lost time we paid for. And the dance almost thrown together at the last second. Long story short, we danced to a song/group my daughter dislikes when this was supposed to the best part of her trip. She loves plenty of kpop artists, but we had to dance to something we weren't feeling at all. While the choreographer was sweet and the camera experience was cool, I was highly upset at this experience. We were not feeling this music, or this experience as a whole.

Quality of Experience

Follow up to find out if the customer is showing up.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The choreographer was nice. But the experience would be better if the staff was prepared for us to show up.

Transport

Christine and Young did great getting us in and out of there. They even came in to translate and get the matter of the studio not expecting us handled. They also came in and cheered us on at the end.

All of our local guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and so helpful! All pickups and rides were always very punctual and the guides had excellent local tips and suggestions. We appreciated how smoothly everything went!

Activity Reviews

Tour the Bangkok City with a Night Food Tour

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zabb E Lee Thai Cooking School (Morning or Evening Course)

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Experience

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Create and Release Floating Lanterns & Riverside Dinner

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christine did an excellent job coordinating and organizing our trip. We had a handful of issues related to weather that she helped to mitigate by providing updated itineraries, additional suggestions, and getting us in touch with guides with minimal notice. She's a highly skilled professional

Hotel Reviews

Imperial Palace Boutique Hotel Itaewon

Great place, very modern amenities and centrally located. The only issue is the bathroom was strangely designed and was essentially a wall-to-wall glass cube!

Authenticity & Character

Centrally located; easy to access

Location

About 7-10min walk to the subway

Staff

The staff was very kind and spoke good English, especially the breakfast crew!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The size of the room was perfect for two travelers

Benikea Hotel Seosan

Seosan

Great place, very modern amenities and centrally located. The only issue is the bathroom was strangely designed and had a large window in it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff went out of their way to ensure my wife and I had extra pillows, which was great for our rest!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Mt. Hallasan, Tea Plantation and Spirited Garden Tour

Jeju Island

We only did a portion of this tour because the weather was so bad. Our guide did a great job repositioning what we did during the day, but I don't feel comfortable providing a full scale rating of the experience simply because we didn't see much of the island.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Excursion to Korean DMZ + Suspension Bridge Tour

Seoul

Our guide did an excellent job coordinating with other tour groups to get us into the DMZ, and we enjoyed exploring this borderland between North and South Korea with his guidance. The suspension bridge tour was less compelling to us, but that's okay.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Go on a Hiking Tour of Bukhansan and Ancient Seunggasa Temple

Seoul

This was an incredible hike and tour of the temple and was probably the highlight of the trip for me. It is a large scale temple complex with a Buddha at the very top and a lovely little temple cat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sightseeing in Seoul: Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village & N Seoul Tower

Seoul

Largely this ended up being a photography tour for me and my group and the girls dressed up in hanboks for when we were on the palace grounds. It was gorgeous and a lot of fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

She's on her game!!!! I'm planning for a return trip 2027 to China. Heidi was spot on.

Hotel Reviews

Beijing Novotel Peace Hotel

Bejing

In excellent neighborhood. Hi end location.

Location

Staff

Took care of anything l needed.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless

Mercure Xi'an Downtown

Property has a wonderful breakfast buffet. Top Class food.

Authenticity & Character

High-end quality.

Location

Staff

Hampton by Hilton Zhangjiajie Seventy-two Wonder Towers

Zhangjiajie

Registration on 20th floor. Hard to find propertie is hard to figure out.

Authenticity & Character

That alone should tell you a lot!

Location

I had birthday while there, they left me a wonderful surprise.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

They know how to take care of their customers. I'm coming bacnn̈

Liuhua Hotel

Guangzhou

Not the quality of the others. Needs updated. Dirty in places. People working were nice. (Needs repairs) Location is excellent if shopping for clothing or watches.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Overall property, needs to be looked with in.

The Royal Pacific Hotel and Towers

Hong Kong

Location was 5 Star an plus. Room size was very small. Maybe 210 square feet. Property made up for room size in service, location, quality of employee. Excellent property.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Guangzhou Watch Markets & Historic Shamian Island

Guangzhou

Everyone should experience this local operation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The drivers, staff, guides are far above what I expected! This would be a good company to work for.....

Transport

They helped me in car. Took me where ever I would like an was always ready to go on down to next event.

Absolutely phenomenal trip from start to
Finish. Everything was thought of and well planned out. The choices were on point. I appreciate the local considerations in planning the trip and Cannon was fantastic throughout the planning and trip itself.

Hotel Reviews

Tokyo Dome Hotel

Tokyo

Great location and amenities. Really good area of Tokyo and hotel was spacious. Great morning breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Accommodating to all visitors

Location

Lots around it so made a lot within walking distance

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well maintained hotel

SAKURA TERRACE THE GALLERY

Kyoto

Loved this hotel - great location to many things and the amenities are great. The breakfast was awesome and loved the vibe of the lobby area around the fire pits.

Authenticity & Character

Felt a part of the area; loved the onsen

Location

Close to train station and two malls

Staff

Super friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amenities like onsen, bar area, and gym are great

Hotel Hankyu RESPIRE OSAKA

Osaka

Hotel was well situated and very modern. Close to the train station.

Authenticity & Character

Didn’t feel like a big hotel but had relaxing vibe

Location

By trains

Staff

Very helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Excellent common areas and room

Activity Reviews

Osaka: Guided Walking Tour with a Native Expert – Top Sights

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Liked it was a group tour

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was super knowledgeable

Transport

Meiji Jingu Cultural Walk with Tsukiji Market

Tokyo

Excellent day seeing sights and hearing all the history. It was very comprehensive in nature. The guide really infused history and culture in the whole walk and we carried that thru our whole trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She was excellent and gave us many other recommendations for the city

Transport

Helpful to learn the transportation with guide there

Mount Fuji Day Trip: Adventure around Lake Kawaguchiko

Tokyo

Really nice to spend the day out and about the area. Guide was very informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent

Transport

Kyoto’s Cultural Treasures: Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Kiyomizu-dera & Gion District

Japan

An entire day learning the history and seeing many sights. Really enjoyed the time with the guide as we went thru the city. It was good to learn to navigate the buses. Guide is flexible to time and interests too. We packed in a lot in a day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

This was super fun to dress up and learn the history of the team ceremony. We really enjoyed this cultural immersion.

Quality of Experience

Fantastic

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Nara City Tour, Overnight in Osaka

Japan

We really enjoyed the day in Nara both for the sites, the deer and the restaurant we stopped at. It was a great place to spend time.

Quality of Experience

lol

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great driver and comfortable ride

Transport

Excellent