Rutopía

I would like to give a Big Thank You to Luz, our local contact. It was like she was right behind us all the time making sure we had a memorable and safe experience. We was very reachable and responsive. A great problem solver and a pleasure to work with.

All the drivers were prompt and most were friendly. Our driver guide for the trip to the butterflies was Pablo and we spent a wonderful 11 hours with him. All the other local guides were very knowledgeable and some had interesting backgrounds.

Our trip was very well organized, with drivers and guides on time and completely knowledgeable. Our guides in Izamal, Chichen Itza and Meridad were outstanding! The drivers were excellent as well! The Hacienda Merida was a gem of a hotel, located in the heart of the Historic District. The rooms were very spacious and colonial style, with a delicious breakfast. El Meson del Marques in Valladolid was lacking. The location is excellent, but rooms are tiny, with no amenities at all! Not even a bathroom hook! Kind of disappointing, although their restaurant is outstanding! Much, much better than the two recommendations we got for Museo de la Gastronomica in Merida and El Atrio del Mayab in Valladolid. Our excursion to Rio Largartos was special, as was Ek Balam! A special shout-out to Luz Ma, who helped me greatly all during the trip, with questions and concerns I had. She went out of her way to be in touch with me immediately and make everything right. I would definitely recommend Kimkim for anyone looking to go to Mexico. Thank you for all of your help in making my trip so special.

Hotel Reviews

Hacienda Merida

Mérida

Beautiful, colonial style mansion, in the heart of the Historic District. The rooms were spacious and comfortable, the staff friendly and accommodating and the breakfast was fresh and delicious! Would definitely stay here again!

Authenticity & Character

Character, beauty, details.

Location

The best location in the heart of the Historic District.

Staff

Friendly and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were very comfortable, bathroom was large and stocked, all perfect.

El Mesón del Marqués

Valladolid

This hotel gets three stars because of its location. The hotel is nice looking, with lots of trees and plants all around, but the rooms are sorely lacking in everything! Uncomfortable beds and pillows, no hooks in the bathroom, tiny rooms, etc. I requested and paid for a "balcony" room, and got a "Juliet" balcony room. No room for a chair to sit! Was disappointed. The restaurant is outstanding and wished I had eaten there for dinner, instead of the recommendation we got.

Authenticity & Character

Lots of things!

Location

Heart of the city.

Staff

The front desk reception was lacking in knowledge and not helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bad beds/pillows.

Activity Reviews

Dining recommendations in Mérida

Mérida

Unfortunately, we did not like the two dining recommendations we were given: Museo del Gastronomica and El Atrio del Mayab. Very mediocre food. Do not understand why so many people are there.

Quality of Experience

All activities and drivers were where they were supposed to be.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All very knowledgeable, spoke very good English, friendly and helpful.

Transport

Clean, friendly, knowledgeable, on time.

Explore Yellow Izamal: the City of Hills

Mexico

A very cool experience, small town, great guide, nice ruin you can climb for a view. Definitely worthwhile!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Tour of Merida: The White City

Mérida

Excellent tour guide with tons of knowledge and information! Showed us the biggest local market, explained everything we were looking at, walked up to monuments, museums, etc. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A pink-ish day at Río Lagartos & Las Coloradas

Mexico

It takes a while to get there, 2 1/2 hours, but worth it! You take a small boat far into the bay to see all kinds of birds, crocodiles, etc. Had lunch in the Captains house, locally done. Interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ek Balam Archaeological Site & swim in a cenote

Mexico

Mayan ruin in the jungle! Again, try to get here as early as possible, as it gets very hot in there! Climbed and walked around and then to the cenote and lunch, which is on the same premises. Lunch was EXCELLENT and the cenote is huge and beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Chichén Itzá, Wonder of the Maya World

Mexico

What can you say about this?! Outstanding! Be there at 8am when the gates open. It takes about 2 1/2 hours to really see the place, which is bigger than you think. All kinds of vendors waiting to get in at 8am as well. Lots of bathroom facilities around too. EXCELLENT guide here! We really had a great time here. The total Mayan experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our entire trip was wonderful and went smoothly. Our contact Luz Ma was attentive and checked in daily. Our excursions were perfectly curated and a special shout out to our driver Victor when we were in Merida. Our accommodations were exceptional.

Hotel Reviews

Hacienda Merida

Mérida

Spacious rooms, attentive staff and great location. Wonderful breakfast. Shout out to Armond

Authenticity & Character

High ceilings- “seperate houses” with dedicated pools

Location

East to get to the plaza and trendy 43-47 street

Staff

Always kind and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Overall nice

Hotel Can Cocal eco boutique

El Cuyo

Felt like being with family

Authenticity & Character

So small and eco friendly

Location

At then end of town and short walk to the beach

Staff

Every single person provided great service, Aretzia (maybe spelling wrong) was the perfect initial contact person. She was very helpful with letting us know about the hotel etc… she is so kind and thoughtful. LUIS! Well he made our day everyday. His enthusiasm and joy was contagious. Jose was always interested in talking to us and made us feel like friends. All the staff are exceptional.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable bed

Hotel Posada San Juan

Valladolid

This was like coming home every day

Authenticity & Character

Gorgeous rooms and sitting area for breakfast

Location

Not far from the plaza

Staff

Kind and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved the sitting area outside the room. Bed comfortable. Quiet

Activity Reviews

Street Food Tour in Merida

Mexico

Laura was the perfect guide. She thoughtfully picked out great places to eat. Her interactions were genuine.

Quality of Experience

Aww

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Víctor from Ricalde was outstanding

Transport

On time and Comfortanle

Uxmal, a city with Puuc style

Mexico

Our guide was so knowledgeable and interesting.

Quality of Experience

Perfect amount of time

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again…Victor

Transport

Visit to Lol Ha cenote in Yaxunah

Mexico

Not crowded cenote… what a treat!

Quality of Experience

Our guide was so thorough and educational

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was wonderfil

Transport

Cooking Cochinita Pib with locals at Yaxunáh

Mexico

Def a highlight of the trip. The education and then able to help with the meal was special.

Food

Cochinita pibil!

Welcome to El Cuyo

El Cuyo

El Cuyo is a gem

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The taxi was in poor shape- ripped seats and dirty.

Beach days in El Cuyo

El Cuyo

Just what we hoped for

Chicken Itza and Siam Ka’an were fantastic experiences made eve better by our guides. Ana Sophia did an outstanding job planning the trip and itinerary. Once there, our local specialist Luz arranged for pickup and all the on-the-ground coordination as well as informing us the night before what the next day’s activities will be.

Hotel Review

Blue Diamond Luxury Boutique Hotel

Playa del Carmen

A nice hotel, but maybe getting a bit long in the tooth. Helpful staff. The pool is nothing special and the beach is just okay. It was all inclusive so food and drinks are part of the package. Be sure to bring ample cash and make sure to tip, and tip often. Three large projects are being developed right next to it which may be a bit overwhelming in the future. I’d give the Blue Diamond a solid four stars…but definitely doesn’t approach a five-star property.

Authenticity & Character

Nice gardens.

Location

It’s going to get pretty crowded in that neighborhood in the next couple of years.

Staff

Very helpful staff…be sure to show your appreciation by tipping.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms are nice and spacious

Activity Reviews

"Playa del Carmen Authentic Local Experience"

Playa del Carmen

Great guide on our food tour. Went to a number of “hole-in-the wall” spots that most tourists would miss.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Had to arrange for our own transportation for this trip

Cooking Class in the Mayan Community Nuevo Durango: A local feast!

Mexico

A good authentic experience with a Mayan family. We ground corn, made masa, and made the tortillas. A lovely guide helped with translation and explanation to enhance our experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Helping to make the meal

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Ancient Canal Experience in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve with transportation from Playa del Carmen (afternoon)

Playa del Carmen

Beautiful area. Lots of wildlife. Great boating experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fantastic guide and boat driver. They spotted a lot of wildlife

Transport

Thank you!

Mexico

All of our arrangements were done well. We enjoyed both the provided tours and exploring on our own. Our guides were very knowledgeable and great people to talk with as well. The drivers for our transfers were also wonderful. I think one thing that will always stay with me is the feeling I got as I climbed the steps at Monte Alban, knowing that those same steps were once walked upon by the Zapotec people very long ago.

Hotel Reviews

Casa González

Mexico City

We have stayed at this hotel twice now, it is always clean, the gardens are beautiful and a pleasure to sit and relax in after a day of exploring. The breakfast they offer is as good as you will find in any of the restaurants nearby.

Authenticity & Character

Like the city itself, it is a mix of newer amenities but, with that old world look and charm.

Location

It is located in an area that is very walkable to many sites in Mexico City.

Staff

The staff is warm and friendly, as well as always being ready to help, rather you need something in your room or a recommendation.

Cleanliness & Comfort

This is. Very clean hotel, they also offer laundry service for a reasonable fee.

Majagua

Oaxaca

It felt like some of the staff was exhausted and overworked. The bar was supposed to be a restaurant too but all we saw was a rudimentary breakfast. Most of the staff were pleasant and helpful, but others, not so much. The facility was quite pleasant looking and most things worked well.

Authenticity & Character

New and modern but I prefer traditional.

Location

Adjacent to a great park with lots going on and one of the best Italian restaurants I’ve been to - Arte Italia.

Staff

Mostly fine.

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Sueño Hotel & Spa

Puebla

The room was clean and nice, but we noticed that the lamps by the bed kept flickering and upon inspection the wiring for them was scary. The restaurant was kind of spendy with a limited offering. The breakfast that came with the room was okay at best, and also very limited.

Authenticity & Character

A bit too much spa like for our taste.

Location

The location was good, near most of what you will want to see in Puebla.

Staff

The staff were wonderful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was clean and comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Puebla City Tour & Talavera Workshop

Puebla

Bottom line - I’d do it again.

Explore the history and crafts of Oaxaca through Monte Alban, Arrazola, Cuilapam and Coyotepec.

Oaxaca

Fabulous!

The guides provided were certainly of high calibre particularly Fermin at Anthropology museum and victor who took us to Guanajuato.
The highlights were Rosario butterfly sanctuary,
Guanajuato and the Anthropology museum.
The charm of San Miguel was magical too.
The friendly Mexicans and the great food made the trip memorable.

This trip was AMAZING!! Every day was non-stop enjoyment – adventurous explorations of Mayan history & culture, beauty of all kinds, and delicious food.
We had about 9 different guides, and every single one was excellent, sharing lots of info, but always in an interesting way. Carlo, our driver for 3 days, proud Mayan speaking perfect English, was simply amazing, as a driver, assistant, and very knowledgeable ambassador for Mayan culture and people.
Valladolid and the archaeological wonders of Chichen Itsa, Yaxunah, Ek Balam and Tulum were all fascinating, and the tours of them quite educational. This 77-year-old successfully climbed the 106 steep, narrow steps of Ek Balam's Acropolis, a former royal palace & temple, and the panoramic views of the surrounding jungle from the top were amazing!
Other highlights:
Imagine me comfortably, peacefully floating in the middle of the beautiful Lol-Ha Cenote.
A private boat ride in Rio Lagartos - Las Colorades was a wonderful adventure in nature - flamingos, mangroves, a great variety of birds perched along the shore, and getting up close to a few crocodiles.
Our private "cooking class" in Nuevo Durango was a rich traditional Mayan cultural & gastronomical experience.
Snorkeling at the Caribbean coral reef – enjoying seeing a big ray, several turtles (some getting very close), & lots of beautiful fish.
Being in an underground river surrounded by thousand-year-old stalactites and stalagmites - a fascinating experience.
Enjoying a wondrous variety of tacos and other foods during our food tour in Tulum.
In conclusion, we want to give all the people at kimkim and Rutopia who were involved in our journey High Accolades for a fabulous vacation. Ana Sofia patiently crafted a trip that was rich and full of marvelous activities, in a balanced itinerary that was structured perfectly to be full, but not tire us out in any way. It was full of Mayan culture, history, architectural wonders, natural beauty, fascinating wildlife, vivid colors, delicious food, basically non-stop enjoyment, and fun! The Real Hispano hotel is beaufiful, authentic, and conveniently located in colorful Valladolid. The Piedra Escondida in Tulum is a tropical secluded beach Paradise!
Ana Sofia patiently worked with us, really listened and understood our desires, concerns, and limitations. In a word, she cared about us and about creating an amazing trip for us. When a proposed activity or location wasn’t right, she cheerfully did more research and replaced it, leading to a truly personalized, nearly perfect, amazing trip of a lifetime!
And then there was Luz Maria from Rutopia, our loyal WhatsApp buddy, cheerfully and competently accompanying, supporting, and caring about us every day of the trip. What a gift! – giving us daily information, helping us in so many ways, answering our questions, really hearing our concerns, and fixing “problems” whenever possible. Just being there for us every day. Making sure that Ana Sofia’s beautiful plan was well implemented. Wow.

The trip was amazing , fabulous part of the country and we are so happy to enjoy the wonderful organized trip by Kim Kim> Rutopia . Highlights of our trip was Catamaran in Bacalar, the hotel we stayed in Valloldid so glad they could arrange the passport drop , the Mayan lunch in Punta Laguna.
What could improve
The experience after lunch in Punta Laguna was not very interesting- could skip
Add a sunrise by beach tip
The cancellation of the taxi last minute was not pleasant.. glad we could manage Uber
For you Ibis I think was good to know we could call you in need , when we called you were available for us to help. You could be more proactive in following up what you mentioned us you would do. Like proactively responding. I found it easier to reach out to the supplier directly -it was efficient!
Regarding the organization, the eSIMs , the transport van and drivers , the guides.. all of it was nicely done ✅ thanks you for such awesome lifetime experience.. we highly recommend you, Rutopia and Mayan side of Mexico! Loved it

Activity Reviews

Visit Chichén Itzá, Wonder of the Maya World

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Immerse Yourself in the Peaceful Yokdzonot Cenote

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sailing Tour in the Bacalar Lagoon

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the archaeological site of Tulum

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Mayan Lunch

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Coba by bike!

Cobá

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Look for spider monkeys in Punta Laguna

Nuevo Durango