Kimkim Trip Reviews

This was my third (or was it fourth) excellent trip that was planned by Esther Ruempol with The Eco-Travel Boutique. She is really good at listening as to what you want to see or experience and can come up with things you never knew existed or that you wanted to do.

Mauritius and the Seychelles were excellent and I am already looking into a trip to Zimbabwe planned by The Eco-Travel Boutique.

So if you looking into a trip to almost any part of Southern Africa, and countries off the coast of Africa, like Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles, you should consider reaching out to Esther.

Winnie listened to us and helped build a very special itinerary.

Thais was outstanding and made herself available for us at all hours. Thank you for creating an amazing trip!!

Considering the many flights, shuttles, ferries, hotels, excursions and guides, this was one of the smoothest trips we have ever had! All of our accommodations were exceptional. The guides were knowledgeable and friendly, we really enjoyed them all. There was one though, Foutis was his name, October 8, the 3-7pm walk. It was a great walk in some old neighborhoods with a stop for amazing ice cream. But at the end he said, now I will take you to your dinner reservation. We were surprised by this. We asked who made the reservation and he replied that he did not know. Then he proceeded to take us to a restaurant we had no idea about. It wasn’t the best experience. Just curious if you were aware of this. It all worked out fine.
We all felt our itinerary was a good mix of activities and down time. Even though we missed Paros, we were happy to experience the other side of Milos which someone we had met had suggested that area. We learned a lot about Greek history, culture and landscape. I can’t say I had a favorite island or activity, all were unique and very fun. The food was awesome. There is so much to praise. Thank you so much for all your planning and making this a wonderful trip to remember. And thank you for helping us through the cancelled ferry and change of hotels and all our questions. We would absolutely love to use Kimkim in the future! The whole team was excellent! Thank you so much! I highly recommend you to my friends.

Jorge was very helpful pre-trip and set up the entire itinerary- the highlights of the trip was the Sky pod lodge up in the cliff

Hotel Reviews

Casa Andina Premium Arequipa

Arequipa

Clean, Helpful staff and amazing ambience

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aranwa Pueblito Encantado del Colca

Arequipa

Clean, Helpful staff and amazing ambience

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Casa Andina Premium Puno

Puno

Absolutely perfect location and amazing Ambience. Great staff and very clean

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Andina Premium Cusco

Cusco

great location and great staff. Very clean and great bar....very clean rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

SkyLodge

Urubamba

Was waiting for this adventure for last 15 years and did not disappoint. Awesome and amazing. Nicely challenging but not impossible

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Walking City Tour in Arequipa

Arequipa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colca Canyon: From Arequipa to the Colca Valley

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Colca Canyon 2/2: The Condor’s Cross View Point & Journey to Puno

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trang was amazing to have as a resource, and our guides for our Ha Giang loop were amazing! Hoay and Luan were our guides. Our guide Liam for the Indochine Cruise was also amazing! Food was great across the board, and we had a very enjoyable time. We appreciate Trang’s hard work, and coordinating everything for us. It made our honeymoon very enjoyable. We loved seeing how beautiful Vietnam was and our accommodations were lovely.

Activity Reviews

Ha Giang Easy Rider - Day 01

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ha Giang Easy Rider - Day 02

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

The guides

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They were very lovely and professional, and also very fun guides

Transport

Halong Bay, Overnight on Cruise (Day 2: Indochine Grand Cruise)

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was an amazing trip. Due to a medical issue, we had to adjust our itinerary on the go and Hiba was attentive, quick and flexible. Our driver, Youness, who was with us for 21 days was perfect for us: an incredibly good driver, kind, patient, attentive, always available and very very resourceful. (I had a medical emergency and he immediately found a doctor along the way) He also suggested great restaurants . He was just an incredible human being.
As for the guides, we loved our guides: the guide in Casablanca who really made our visit to the
Mosque informative and enjoyable. The other guides: Otman in Marrakech , who was very patient and committed to showing us what
interested us and really knew his way around the Medina as well as the other highlights such as the Saadian Tombs. He was very generous with his time and he also recommended great restaurants. Abdullah in Essaouira was wonderful, introducing me to the city’s history including the Jewish Quarter, the port and ramparts as well as great shops for things I was looking for. He was very attentive, caring and very generous with his time. Igleos sp? In Rabat was great - very knowledgeable and really interesting. He organized the tour really well so that we didn’t have to walk too far (we both have lung conditions) and we got to see all the highlights. Farid in Meknes was an excellent guide, pointing out elements that I would have missed. in addition to the driver, the guides make the trip and these guides were the best.

Hotel Review

Barceló Anfa Casablanca

Casablanca

This hotel was great for comfort, food and service. Zineb at Reception was amazing and always willing to go out of her way to help. This is a large and busy hotel and luggage will sit in the open waiting for departures or check-ins. Mehdi was great and really looked after our luggage as well as eager to help with anything else we needed. I would definitely recommend it

Location

Fairly close to the sights

Staff

Always eager to help

Cleanliness & Comfort

Housekeeping was very good

Activity Reviews

Guided tour of Hassan II mosque & the Habbous medina

Casablanca

Excellent guide who gave thoughtful information as well as facts. He also arranged a golf cart for us to travel the long distance between the entrance and the mosque

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive to Marrakech with stop at Oualidia

Morocco

We stopped for the oysters and the lagoon. The lagoon and sea are really beautiful and the town is a little more authentic looking.

Quality of Experience

The landscape

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech's Monuments

Marrakesh

Otman was a super guide ensuring that we got to see everything we wanted to see. The highlights are well worth seeing: especially the Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs.

Quality of Experience

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech's Medina & Souks

Marrakesh

The Medina in Marrakech is huge and thanks our guide, Otman, we got a good overview of both the lower end and higher end of the Medina.

Royal Hammam and Spa treatment at La Maison Arabe SPA

Marrakesh

We only had facials due to medical conditions. It was the most amazing facial I ever had! The women were wonderful and washed my hair afterwards as we were going to a nice restaurant afterwards.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a great time on our trip to Finland. Alise did a first rate job of working with us to find activities that aligned with our interests, plus following up while we were in country to make sure everything was going off smoothly, coordinating on-the-fly adjustments with the tour operators when the weather didn't cooperate, etc. We arrived at our hotel on the first night to find a goody bag left for us by Alise, waiting in our room!

Some especial highlights from our trip were:
Aurora watching tour in Inari
Joining a Sami family for cooking and eating a meal together
Visiting a husky farm
The amythest mine in Pyha/Luosto was also a nice side activity.

Hands down the best accommodations was the LapinTintti eco-cabin in Inari. The other accommodations were very nice, but they were businesses, and felt like it. Terhi, our host at the eco-cabin, is on a whole different level, down to a container of hand picked cloudberries waiting for us.

There were two items I would suggest as an opportunity for improvement:
1. The KimKim app was only OK. It had the locations, times, and descriptions. On a previous trip we used an app that offered a range of sites of interest for each day on your trip, with descriptions, locations, best times to visit, etc.
2. The overnight train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi got the job done, but is not super pleasant even with the sleeper car. There wasn't anything "wrong" with it, but trying to juggle two fifty-somethings, all of our luggage, etc. made for a rough experience. Nothing that Alise or KimKim could have done differently, and I would have loved it if I were 20 years younger, but it is something to be aware of.

Hotel Reviews

LapinTintti Eco-Cabin

Inari

A+: This is a guest cottage owned by a couple, who pay exceedingly good attention to detail, in a wonderful setting. Far off the beaten path, with abundant nature and views. One warning: you need to go down a flight of stairs to get from the sleeping area to the bathroom during the night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Village Inari

Inari

The aurora cabin is a nice idea, but didn't really add much to the experience. We were there when the place was almost empty, but I can imagine that it would feel cramped at full occupancy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Fabian

Helsinki

A very nice city hotel (with a great breakfast spread), but nothing overly special.

Overnight Train

It's a train with sleeper cabins. It gets you where you need to go, but best suited for the adventurous young couple.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Lapland Hotels Ounasvaara Chalets

Rovaniemi

Pleasant, but that's about as far as it goes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kurula's Resort

Pyhätunturi

Very nice. They weren't serving breakfast while we were there, so they LOADED the fridge with a ridiculous assortment of foods for us to make our own breakfasts. They also had an option for us to do some laundry mid-trip so we could pack less.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close enough to town for convenience, far enough for peace and quiet.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Home Visit and Local Food Experience (Summer/Autumn)

Inari

The highlight of our trip. After four hours of spending time together cooking, conversing, meeting the family, etc. it was one of the most impactful times we had. This is *not* a touristy accommodation. This is a wonderful woman welcoming us into her home.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Not applicable.

Transport

Not applicable.

Husky Farm Visit and Wagon Ride

Pyhä

Meeting the dogs, getting mauled by puppies (our choice), a ride behind a team of 12.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Finnish Sauna Experience

Rovaniemi

A wonderful wood fired sauna *way* out in the woods.

Quality of Experience

Wonderful guide, Great facility

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It is a long way from Rovaniemi (about 45 minutes)

Northern Lights Hunting Tour by Car

Finland

We were taken out to a great spot to see the aurora.

I speak as the organizer of this bespoke trip to Romania. My late partner Linda was battling pancreatic cancer when she asked me to take over the arrangement of this trip to her native Romania. I think she wanted this trip in the works to have a peak experience to look forward to if she survived, and to give to her friends and family if she did not make it. Unfortunately, she passed away before the trip -- instead departing on another trip we are all signed up for eventually. Linda chose Romania because her paternal ancestors emigrated from there to Detroit, Linda's birthplace. Linda had been to Romania before to explore where she came from, but she felt she had missed some important experiences, among them the painted monestaries and particularly the village of Mihoveni, near Suceava in Bukovina, her ancestors' home. Irenne as the travel planner for Secret Romania did a wonderful job of asking me what we wanted from the trip, adding experiences that we did not know to ask for, and putting together all the logistics needed to make the trip successful and enjoyable. (Along the way, she was amaziningly patient and good-natured with all of our questions and requests.) Our guide Florin, was extremely knowledgeable about all things Romanian along our route, plus being patient, warm, and kind. Our driver Bogdan was excellent -- our safety and comfort were clearly his highest priority. Before the trip I was not sure that I would have chosen a trip to Romania as my top destination. But once I got there and experienced the history, the culture, and the people, I realized that this was a chance of a lifetime to experience an extremely beautiful country and an extraordinary culture. Our trip culminated with the opportunity to spread some of Linda's ashes on the lovely flowers in the garden of the church that played such an important role in the lives of Linda's forbears. All in all, six stars on a five star scale. The trip of a lifetime thanks to kimkim and the staff at Secret Romania.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Dukat

Gura Humorului, Suceava Romania

Comfortable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Sighisoara Binderbubi - Hotel & Spa

Sighisoara

Comfortable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Continental Forum Bucharest

Bucharest, Romania

Comportable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near everything we wanted to see.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Armatti

Brasov

Comfortable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sonnenhof

Suceava

Comfortable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sighisoara to Bucovina with the Red Lake and the Bicaz Gorge

Romania

The Bicaz Gorge was spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Bucharest to Brasov with Peles Castle

Romania

Peles castle was like a mini-Versaille, but ina more spectular setting in the mountais.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zarnesti Cliffs and Bear Watching

Romania

Seeing the bears in their natural environment as a treat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Viscri and Sighisoara

Romania

Loved the UNESCO World Heritage aspects of this wonderful places.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Bucovina

Gura Humorului

The painted monasteries were unique and amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Suceava

Romania

The village life and buildings museum was very informative. The city fortress, destroyed by the Turks and now beng restored, was impressive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Mihoveni

Suceava

This was a very specific add-on in response to a request. We wanted to see the Ciofus' and other related families' graves in the local cemetary -- and to spread some of our beloved Linda's ashes in the church flower garden. Linda made me promise, and Irenne as planner, Florin as guide, and Bogdan as driver make it happen. A promise made, a promise kept.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very comfortable Mercedes minibus, expertly driven.

Free time in Bucharest

Bucharest

The museum regarding Romanian history, especially the communist period and the revolution against that government, were fascinating.

Quality of Experience

Beyond amazing! Angeliki was incredibly responsive and her recommendations couldn’t have been better. My husband thinks she may have been AI she was so good, and maybe she was, but I kept calling her my friend! She was so kind when I’m sure I was asking too many questions! :) She even recommended a last minute spa on a rainy day that was fabulous! For my first international trip, she couldn’t have been a better guide. Further, all of our tours were top notch, professional, safe, and truly wonderful. One of our tour guides (a local) even indicated we had booked with one of the best tour companies in the area - I had no idea but they treated us wonderfully, and the vehicles were all nice, new, safe. From start to finish, the process couldn’t have been better. Wonderful restaurants were suggested and recommendations were made based on timing each day. Truly couldn’t have loved Greece, this trip, and Angelikis help more. I wish it wasn’t over! A dream vacation!

Hotel Reviews

Athens Woo Suites

Athens

Simple, clean, quaint hotel. Wonderful location right in the middle of the sites. The sweet ladies working here made all the difference! So kind and helpful and welcoming! Bed was also soooo comfortable and the breakfast was delicious!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

So kind!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Milos Breeze Boutique Hotel

Pollonia

Beautiful! Our weather wasn’t great and it was still beautiful. They had a main jacuzzi and our room had a jacuzzi and neither were kept warm. This was rhe only negative to our stay. We even asked but no one followed up. We were told it would be about 90 during our tour, but it was always cold. For October we would have loved to sit outside in the hot water, but they never heated them. I did love leaving all our windows open. Very private with a wonderful view. The hotel was clean and the staff was kind and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Adamantas would have been more central. Our guide did recommend a place here but I went for a nicer hotel instead. I would still choose this location again as the hotel was just that special. Also, Pollonia is quaint and quiet.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grace Hotel Santorini, Auberge Resorts Collection

Santorini

Breath taking. Beautiful. The staff went more above and beyond than any place I have ever been. I felt like royalty here and the staff worked so hard, I almost wanted to jump in and help them! Truly a wonderful place!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Full Day Sailing Tour Around Milos (Catamaran from Adamas)

Greece

We had a cold day but George and Yanis were wonderful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing experience using kimkim to plan our dream honeymoon. All of the local guides and excursions were amazing! We got to work with Melanie and she curated exactly what we wanted to sites to see and the perfect mix of excursions and relaxation. We would highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Santa Chiara

Venice

Lovely beautiful hotel, close to the entrance to Venice so you don’t have to drag out bags around and close to the train station. On the water, with lovely views and a beautiful building! Breakfast was also great

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Corte dei Sogni Boutique Hotel & Spa

Florence

Great hotel, close to everything in Florence, including the train station! Staff was lovely

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Navona Colors

Rome

Great location, super friendly staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maison Kalea

Sorrento

Absolutely beautiful hotel! Loved the colors, the patio, and the staff were excellent. Located a little off the beaten path so it was relatively quiet and away from crowds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Terrazza Core Amalfitano

Amalfi

Amazing rooms, so spacious and with a beautiful ocean view!! Hard to find the entrance and get to the hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Small group boat excursion to Capri from Sorrento

Italy

One of our favorite excursions! Great boat ride and time to spend on Capri.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Panoramic trail nicknamed The Path of the Gods + Transfer from Sorrento

Italy

Amazing views, great experience! Not much of a hike due to stopping frequently.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Cinque Terre

Florence

So beautiful! Wish we could have spent more time in the towns!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A day among the most beautiful mountains in the world: the Dolomites

Italy

Unfortunately had a cloudy day but Christiano was great and we enjoyed the trip!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseo and Roman forums adventure

Rome

We had an amazing tour guide, who shared so much knowledge!! Unfortunately we did not get to see the inside of the colosseum due to it being closed

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vatican & Sistine Chapel Highlights with St. Peter's Basilica

Rome

We had our own private tour, and it was amazing! So much knowledge and beautiful art

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Semi private Chianti and San Gimignano tour

Florence

Our tour guide, Andrea, was amazing!! So much fun at the wineries! We enjoyed seeing Michael Angelo square and visiting San giminiano as well!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Ruins of Pompeii & Winery on the Vesuvius

Italy

Pompeii was so cool, bummed that we did not get to see Mount Vesuvius but winery was fun!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pizza Workshop

Sorrento

So fun!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My trip to Morocco with KimKim was fantastic. Our driver/guide, Mohammed was wonderful. He was always punctual, polite and professional. He added ideas and opportunities to enhance our travel. One example was caused by an impactful rainstorm. Roads were closed and we couldn’t execute our planned itinerary… Mohammed contacted a family member and they provided a memorable event for us including a lunch in their home - so welcoming - as well as DELICIOUS! We truly valued that day -
All of our local guides were fabulous. Knowledgeable and accommodating. We especially enjoyed Salim in Marrakesh.
Thank you for your careful planning on our behalf - we look forward to another adventure with you.
Barbara Haydon

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Odyssee Center

Casablanca

This hotel was the only one that fell below a 5star rating for us. Our room was fine but breakfast was very poor - overcrowded and overcame the staff’s ability to serve well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy walking to restaurants and sites

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Hanael Garden & Spa

FES

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful Riad

Location

We enjoyed being within the mefina

Staff

Professional

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Gorgeous camp

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the Sahara - hard to beat!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautiful room and bathroom

Elegancia Riad Boutique & SPA

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Perle d'Eau

Essaouira

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not too much to see - accommodated our needs

Staff

The dinner was excellent!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Fes walking guided tour : No drive

Fes

Informative, good local guide

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes to Merzouga Sunset Camel Ride via Midelt & Erfoud

Morocco

Long camel ride but worth every minute!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

H or Eiichi. Was a welcome site after our battle to get to Japan due to our plane break down. Each took us to our first castle boy would thrill and climb after several days in Osaka we went to Hiroshima and H even came with us. How nice that made it even better. H made sure we knew how to find the Shinkansen the day.
Hidio now join us what I’m gonna call my favorite city you so easy to get around and find food shop. I loved it and if it wasn’t for Heidi, we would not have had the spectacular Buddhist temple at Nora due to some rain that day we had to change things up and he was very happy to help us out thanks Hideo for all you did

Now it’s time for the big city Tokyo here we were joined by Ryuggi he took us to this cute little town where we were able to see Mount Fuji and all its glory. He also showed us all the big tourist areas in Tokyo even the ones that you maybe don’t want to go into which I appreciate it since I was aware of them.

And finally, we ended our trip at Disneyland. I loved it the rides the people the merchandise it was fantastic thanks Ben for all you did to make this an unforgettable trip.
Oh, I almost forgot Ben. Thank you so much for that video. That was very cool. You’re the best.

It’s been a great experience booking our trip through KimKim.
The guides were exceptional, fun and made our travel an amazing experience.
Rob did a fabulous job putting our trip together.
He checked in with us on a daily bases, gave us a heads up with what was happening on a daily bases. He made sure we got everything we need.
The drivers did a great job getting us where we needed to be.
The transportation from the airport to the hotel was flawless.
This was our first time in Japan. What a great country.
We highly recommend KimKim.
It’s worth spending the money.

Hotel Reviews

Imperial Hotel

Tokyo

This hotel is located in a wonderful spot next to little local alleys and restaurants. Old world and modern, right next to Ginza. The service is amazing, the staff is super friendly. This hotel is very luxurious with art deco design. We loved the breakfast in the 17th floor with amazing views. Best breakfast buffet we have ever seen. Again the service is amazing! It has several different restaurants. The champagne bar is fabulous.

Authenticity & Character

Art Decco design - Frank Loyd Right

Location

In the heart of everything Old world with little alleys and restaurants. Located right next to Ginza - short walk

Staff

Best service ever

Cleanliness & Comfort

Couldn’t be better

Hakone Hotel Kajikaso

Hakone

If you are looking for authentic Japanese charm this is the hotel for you! What an amazing experience. We had our own hot spring in our room. The breakfast was authentic Japanese. Located in the heart of Hakone. Very charming little town. We had Mountain View’s with a large window. Waking up in the morning having tea and a great view of the mountains.

Authenticity & Character

Old charm Japanese

Location

Authentic Japanese experience

Staff

Great service very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yes

The Thousand Kyoto

Kyoto

This hotel is very modern. Great service! It’s located right next to the train station. We loved the hotel caffe/ bar. Breakfast was good. There are so many restaurant located around this hotel that made it very convenient. This hotel is hosting a lot of travel groups mainly from the US. We loved our room very modern Japanese style. It’s in the heart of everything either walking distance or just a few train stops away.

Authenticity & Character

Very modern Japanese

Location

Very convenient location

Staff

Super friendly service

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very minimalistic Japanese design

Activity Reviews

Guided Tokyo City Highlights, Imperial Palace, Sushi Making & TeamLab Planets（Guided Tour；Public Transport）

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Food

Everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great overall Tokyo experience

Transport

Our guide

Tokyo’s Historic Temple and Glittering Skyline Moments（Guided Tour；Public Transportation）

Tokyo

Amazing experience Our tour guide Roy was amazing

Quality of Experience

Our tour guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Super friendly and knowledgeable

Transport

On time and great drivers

Private transfer from Tokyo to Hakone via Mt. Fuji

Japan

Great experience! Guide and driver

Quality of Experience

Driver and guide - Views - Hotel

Food

Everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable

Transport

On time very efficient

Guided tour to Nara by private transfer: Temples, Shrines, and Tame Deer Adventure; Return to Kyoto

Kyoto

This was an amazing experience - One the it’s kind

Quality of Experience

Best guide - with local experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide shared local favorites that I didn’t want to miss - we had the best sushi lunch as well as home made mochis - vintage finds at local places

Transport

Great driver

Day tour by public transport in Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Nishiki Market , Samurai and Ninja Museum; Authentic Tea Ceremony（Guided Tour；Public Transportation）

Kyoto

Great experience - our guide Yvonne was amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yvonne customized our experience by adding personal favorites

Transport

Our guide

Hozugawa River Boat Ride and Arashiyama Exploration. (Private Guide &Public Transportation)

Kyoto

Great place! Go early Very crowded place

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide

Amazing trip. The plan laid out by kimkim was exceptional. There were a couple of hiccups but a kimkim rep was quick to address. Will use kimkim to plan my next vacation for sure!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Navona Colors

Rome

Perfect location. Very quiet. Staff was outstanding. Very small hotel with good size rooms. Lots to do close by.

Authenticity & Character

Small Hotel with clean rooms and great staff.

Location

Close to Piazza Navona and easy walking distance to many other sites (Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps).

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Hermitage

Florence

The location of the hotel is perfect. Very close to Ponte Vecchio and lots of shops. Staff at the hotel is super friendly. Unfortunately, we had a room on the 4th floor directly under the kitchen for the rooftop restaurant. Avoid rooms 413 and 414 at all cost. Awoke one night to the new folks across the hall yelling "QUIET" at the top of their lungs. It was not ideal for rest. It's also where they prepare for breakfast. Quiet window is about 12:30am to 6:30am. Staff stated they were fully booked and could not move us to another room. I never thought I would have to use noise cancelling headphones to sleep in a hotel. Avoid the 4th floor at all cost! There can be a bit of a wait for the elevator as it fits 3-4 people and it's the only way for folks to get to the rooftop restaurant (which is very popular). It's quite busy from around 12pm to 10pm. Stairs are sometimes the only option.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything!

Staff

Staff are very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel is spotless. Very clean and the staff works very hard to keep it that way. Stop putting folks in room 413 or 414! They have to know its a problem spot!

Hotel Touring

Bologna

Great Staff and super clean hotel. Breakfast is awesome! It is located close to many restaurants and sites. Rooms are very good size. Comfortable and quiet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ai Mori d'Oriente Hotel

Venice

It is located in a quiet part of Venice. Restaurants are very close by. A little more walking to get to the more popular sites (20-25 minutes) but very manageable. Rooms are great size and super comfortable and clean.

Authenticity & Character

You can see the character in the floors and furnishings throughout the hotel.

Location

Quiet area with a nice and quiet bar area next to a canal. 5 minute walk to many restaurants.

Staff

Everyone is fantastic! Helpful and attentive at all times.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds are very comfortable and the staff is always making sure everything meets your expectations.

Activity Reviews

City Highlights by Golf Cart

Rome

We got to cover a lot of ground on this tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable and pointed out many areas that were away from the larger crowds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Grand Canal & Hidden Waterways Gondola Ride

Venice

It is a 30 minute tour with no guide.

Quality of Experience

It just wasn't for us.

Vatican & Sistine Chapel Highlights with St. Peter's Basilica

Rome

This is the busiest place I have ever been. So many people in one place. It would be very difficult to navigate without a tour guide.

Quality of Experience

You can't improve the tour. The guides do a great job and it's a great tour. The sheer number of people in one place can make it overwhelming.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guides allow you to see as much as possible and provide valuable information regarding what you are looking at in each area.

Private City Walk with Michelangelo's David

Florence

It was a very informative tour through the streets of Florence on our way to see the David. And the insight provided as we observed all the art and, especially the David, was awesome!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bolognese Discovery Walk

Bologna

This is a good tour to get help you see a lot of things you might miss on your own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Flavors of Modena: Cheese & Balsamic Experience

Bologna

If you like parmigiano reggiano and balsamic vinegar, this is the tour for you. Nice quiet drive out to the farm where they make the cheese and a wonderful tasting of different parmigiano. The history of the making of balsamic vinegar is amazing. Great tour and great food tastings.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pisa, Siena & San Gimignano Day Trip with Lunch & Wine Tasting

Florence

This is a must trip if you have the time. It's a full day but worth it. The lunch and wine tasting, along with San Gimignano were the highlights of this trip for us.

Quality of Experience

Food

The lunch and wine tasting combo was great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very clean and comfortable transportation!

Morning Culinary Discovery Walk

Florence

This is a great place to meet the smaller shop owners and enjoy the fine foods of Florence!

Quality of Experience

The market was great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Toni was the absolute best guide of our entire trip. Her local knowledge of the people and the places is great.

Traditional Boat Ride to Visit Murano & Burano

Venice

This was a great experience. Away from the large crowds in Venice and seeing the smaller islands was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Venetian Foodie Walk

Venice

Tried lots of different foods on this tour. It was nice getting to the local shops.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discovery Walk with St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Visit

Venice

This was 2 separate tours. We did a discovery walk in the morning (2 hours) and the St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace in the afternoon (2.5 hours)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Both our guides were great!

This trip was Amazing! Diana Mota is a superb travel expert for her country of Portugal. From our first contact, I knew Diana would be a great person to work with. As a travel agent myself and having never traveled to Portugal, I relied on her expertise throughout the process. She carefully listened to our desires, likes and dislikes, to create a tailor-made vacation for us. This was my first time using kimkim and I will definitely utilize their services for other clients. The timings of all activities from the drivers to adventures were all on time and well described. Diana's travel agenda was well planned and well timed for all that we wanted to see and do.

The drivers from Carlos whom first picked us up from Lisbon to Porto, Ivo for a beautiful experience in the Douro Valley, Riccardo on our journey from Porto through Coimbra and Tomar back to Lisbon, and the two drivers in the Algarve to/from the Albufeira station to Lagos were all professional, courteous, on-time, and so knowledgable. Many thanks to them. Our guides were also outstanding, Sara in Porto, Margredia in Lisbon, and Fia on our Ponta da Piedade boat trip
were all so pleasant and extremely knowledgable. We greatly enjoyed all the time they spent with us to make our trip even more enjoyable. We left Portugal with a much better understanding of the people, places, culture and food. A truly outstanding trip. Thank you Diana and all for the constant communication and updates.

Dennis Sindel

Hotel Reviews

NH Hotel Porto Jardim

Porto

Great location in Porto, staff was always so friendly and helpful. Room was well maintained and very quiet. The breakfast facility and quantity and quality of the food was great. Would definitely recommend this hotel and stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very near everything in the old town of Porto

Staff

All truly wonderful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Hotel, though older, was excellent in character and quality. We were fortunate to have been upgraded to a mini-suite. The suite was great, plenty of room. Hotel is well maintained. Staff courteous and very friendly. Breakfast was excellent. Would definitely recommend it and stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

Deliteful hotel

Location

Need to be able to walk in Lisbon or take locale transportation. Lisbon's attractions are very spread out.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Marina Rio

Lagos

Wonderful location a short distance from the old town but still a short walk. We were fortunate to have a marina view room with a small balcony. It was great just to sit on the balcony and enjoy the view. Breakfasts were great. Even has a rooftop pool and a rooftop terrace .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

They all were so friendly, kind, and helpful. Many have been there a long time which tells you a lot.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

We were only there for about 12 hours as our train was late coming in and we needed to be at the airport in the early AM so it is hard to give a full rating. The room was nice, small, but very clean. The overhead shower did not work as the knob controlling it came out. Not a big problem as there was still a hand held shower head. I mentioned it on check-out and they would get it fixed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We could walk to the airport, no transportation needed.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Flavors of Port Wine - Sip & Discover

Porto

A great learning and tasting experience. Our guide, Pedro, was very informative and we learned a lot about Port wine. A neat experience on the Gaia side of Porto.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explore Sintra's Fairytale Villa with a Private Driver and Pena Palace Tickets

Portugal

Wonderful place to visit, quite crowded, but not as bad as during the summer. Once you got through part of the castle, it thinned out and you were able to wonder around easier. Beautiful and amazing place. We felt it was less over-the-top than a place like Schoennbrun outside Vienna. Felt very nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pepe was great

Transport

Nice Mercedes vehicle

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Sara was an outstanding guide. She really knows and loves her city and that was very apparent. We felt that we had a much better understanding of Porto beyond what the guidebooks/reviews give.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sara was great

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

Ivo, our driver, gave us a wonderful experience on a day trip to the Douro valley. He asked us exactly what we would like to see and do. Our focus was to see the area, take the 1 hour boat trip, and get and overall perspective of what happens in the valley. We did not visit any wineries as that was not our focus. I am sure the Quintas would be lovely to visit but that was not our goal. He took us to some quaint areas, gorgeouse views of the valley area, and even stopped at one of the 5 locks so we could see how that functioned. A great day out of the city. The restaurant in Pinhao he recommended, the Veladouro, was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

see review of the boat trip

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

Great walk of the Alfama and Biaxia areas of Lisbon. Margareda was an excellent guide give great perspectives on the city, the culture, and the people. She gave a great history of Lisbon of the pre and post 1755 earthquake happenings in the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exclusive Panoramic Boat Tour to the Ponta da Piedade Caves

Portugal

We were fortunate to have a private tour, arranged by kimkim, with Fia as our guide. She was so informative about what we were experiencing and had a great knowledge of the area and the coastline.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Italy was absolutely perfect! A special shout-out to our tour guides: Giovanni in Rome and Martina in Florence. They were extremely knowledgeable and provided excellent tours. Our contacts at kimkim were also extremely helpful in planning. Anita provided us with some great experiences and made the trip as smooth as could be. And Nadia, our point of contact during our travels, was very responsive and accommodating to any questions or additional requests we had. I'd recommend kimkim to anyone looking to plan a long trip. Kimkim made it a thousand times easier!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Monte Cenci

Rome

Great hospitality and great location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Horto Convento Florence

Firenze

Quiet and comfortable. And Ginger the Convent cat is adorable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Relais Santa Chiara Hotel - Tuscany Charme

San Gimignano

Great location and the view is incredible.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Claudia took excellent care of us each morning at breakfast, providing gluten free options.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palace Catania | UNA Esperienze

Catania

Beautiful hotel and good location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Ventimiglia

Palermo

Beautiful palazzo and comfortable. Only drawback was that it was a bit noisy outside at night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Too noisy to sleep. Only complaint.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover the Vatican: From the Museums to the Sistine Chapel

Italy

We had a great guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Get Inside the Colosseum with Arena Access

Italy

Giovanni was a lot of fun and gave us a great experience. Worth every penny to avoid the crowds and lines too. We were confused about where to meet up, but they called us and waited for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Florence on Foot: Michelangelo’s David & Duomo

Italy

Great tour! Didn't realize we weren't going inside the duomo though. But overall a lovely experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Mt Etna: Volcano Hike & Lava Cave

Catania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Scenic Horseback Ride in Tuscany

Italy

Amazing experience! Calming, and a beautiful way to meet the locals and see the countryside.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Italy -Important Trip Information: Please Review Before Departure

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dining & Wine Tasting in the Vineyard Rows

Italy

Great wine and delicious food. Accommodating to gluten free as well.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Just finished an incredible week in Vietnam that was perfectly planned by Long Dao. He got the style and pace of the vacation my wife and I wanted and was very open and patient to my requests when I wanted something different from the original plan. From the moment we landed to the moment we got dropped off at the airport to leave, Long and his team had everything set up. I had tried to price out the same itinerary on my own, and was not even able to get the entire schedule in before the cost was more than the package quoted and that did NOT include any transfers or pickups. I would whole heartedly recommend booking with Long Dao, and with KimKim. I will definitely use them both again!

All the guides were wonderful and so knowledgeable about the topics they covered. Maria Paola was amazing. The Private tour of the Capri midland off positano was my most memorable event. I would recommend KimKim to anyone looking to book a trip. The app and Andrea (my contact) were so seamless and always there when I needed them just a text away!

We (2 couples) began planning our Japan adventure about 10 months before travel began. There is so much information on the internet about cities to visit, hotels to stay in and sites to see that it can become overwhelming. Ben answered my many, many questions in a timely and concise manner. He helped us to choose which places to see and which might not be our priority. Once we arrived in Japan Ben remained in contact with us, offering help when we needed it and flexibility when we wanted to make some changes to our well planned itinerary. Ben worked with local agents when we had to replace a guide and to make tweaks when the weather did not cooperate for a tower visit.
We spent 15 days in Japan, travelled by trains, tramways, cars and buses to 5+ cities and had the most amazing experience. We would highly recommend Ben and KimKim when booking a trip to Japan!

Activity Reviews

Tokyo's Culinary Heritage: Tsukiji Market, Aritsugu Knives & Sushi Making (by Public Transportation)

Tokyo

Be prepared for a street food market like you’ve never seen before. The knife store is one of the oldest in Japan and is still used by chefs to make their knives. This is not a tourist attraction like some other knife shops.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ryuji is an amazing guide.

Miyajima’s World Heritage & Serene Temples: Guided Full-Day Tour with Public Transfer & Ferry

Hiroshima

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Site seeing boat there. Fast boat back

Tokyo Highlights: teamLab Planets & Ginza Shopping (by Public Transportation)

Tokyo

Team Lab Planets is such an amazing experience. It can’t really be categorized as a museum but it has interactive museum like qualities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ryuji is incredible at getting you through and around all of Tokyo on public transportation

Transport