Kimkim Trip Reviews

I enjoyed three very full days in Madrid and four mofe relaxing days in Barcelona arranged by Hector Molina at Espiritu Travel. The hotel in Madrid, las Meninas, was small and very attentive, located in the center of the historic sector. I had excellent guides, Geza for a walking tour of the historic sector, who was very well-informed about history and current affairs in Spain, and Linda for the Prado, who did an amazing job of structuring our time in this extensive collection to cover my interests, making sure to bring me to Velazquez’ Las Meninas, and pointing out that Picasso, whose museum I visited later in Barcelona, spent several months deconstructing this painting. The hotel in Barcelona , Hotel Regina, was even more apt, being off the Placa Catalyuna at the top of las Ramblas, and close to transportation to all parts of the city. The guide, Adrian, drove a small group of us around the city, including the 1930s Olympic venue at Montjuic, a very informative stop at the Gothic cathedral (whose elaborate front was actually added in the 1900s), and arranging for us to have audio guides to the Sagrada Familia.

The entire vacation was very planned, ensuring that we covered all the sights at a decent pace. The local guides on each island were superb, helping us get the most of our trip. and giving us great insights That we had local support 24X7 was an added bonus! All in all, a great vacation and we look forward to our next vacation with Kimkim.

Kimkim put a wonderful family trip together for us. Costa Rica was amazing and we enjoyed every place we visited, activities in the areas, and our resort stays. This is our second time using kimkim and we plan to use it in the future!

Hotel Reviews

Shana by the Beach Resort

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sibū Boutique Hotel

Puntarenas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Country Inn

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

lol

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crowne Plaza San Jose La Sabana by IHG

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Catamaran Adventure with Snorkeling

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Trail Watching Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our English speaking guides were very competent and personable They recommended good local restaurants. We loved the onsens and hotels that Ada booked for us. Our hotel in Kyoto had excellent breakfasts featuring local specialties.

The trip as planned by Mieke at Kimkim was wonderful. Prior to traveling, she carefully listened to our preferences and adjusted the itinerary to our likes and needs. It was necessary to contact her once by phone and a couple of times via in app messaging and she was immediately responsive. The hotels were perfect as to location, amenities and atmosphere. All drivers were prompt and efficient. The one guide we had, Roland in Bruges, was a perfect mix of knowledge and humor, not overly into tedious detail, but just the right balance of information and informality.

Booking my mom’s 70th birthday trip to Scotland through Kimkim was one of the best travel decisions I’ve ever made. Stephen planned a truly beautiful journey from the moment we landed in Edinburgh until our plane took off nine days later. Every detail was thoughtfully arranged, allowing us to experience both the iconic highlights of Scotland and deeply personal moments tied to our family history.

Of course, even the best travel plans can encounter unexpected changes. When our itinerary was suddenly disrupted, Stephen and his team stepped in immediately and seamlessly organized a last-minute hotel stay in London along with train transportation to Edinburgh. What could have been a stressful situation turned into just another memorable part of the adventure thanks to their calm professionalism and quick problem-solving.

Throughout the trip we were able to visit our ancestral home and explore so many unforgettable places: Scone Palace, Blair Atholl Castle, the breathtaking Isle of Skye, and a captivating boat tour in Oban where dolphins followed alongside our boat. Every stop felt meaningful, magical, and perfectly paced.

This trip gave my mother memories she will cherish for the rest of her life, and I am incredibly grateful to Stephen and the Kimkim team for making her milestone birthday so special. I cannot recommend them highly enough for anyone planning a personalized and unforgettable journey through Scotland.

Allie, our guide from Inverness Tours, was excellent. Very knowledgeable, but not overwhelming, She was upbeat and accommodating to our wants/needs.

Our 12-hour bus trip to Isle of Skye featured one-of-a-kind beauty that I’m grateful we were able to see. I wish we could have stayed in some of the quaint towns longer. It was a tight schedule.

Overall, we were happy with the hotels and excursions. It was nice to have our trip well planned so we could enjoy the highlights of Scotland.

First the positives:
I loved using the KimKim travel planning chat and being able to include all travelers to ask questions and make changes. The itinerary and hotel options provided were wonderful and even when we didn't get our initial hotel requested, we had excellent 2nd choices. Ali and Said did an excellent job setting up the trip.
Our driver Maysaar was definitely a highlight of the trip for us. He was very friendly, super talkative when we asked him questions, but also quiet on long drives when we wanted to read a book or stare out the window. He was always available when we needed him for local rides to restaurants, and was really the main reason our trip went so smoothly. We considered him a friend by the end of the trip. I would highly recommend him to any of my travel friends.
The negatives:
The only negative experience we had was surrounding the few days to and from the Sahara (Merzouga, Erg Chebbi). We knew driving there would be a very long day, and it was. We expected 7-8 hours with stops, but it ended up being 10 hours. The drive from Merzouga to Ait Benhaddou was a bit worse. We expected a 6 hour drive, and it was also 10 hours (a 4 hour difference was quite large and more than expected). As a result, we weren't able to enjoy much of the hotel or area in Ait Benhaddou.
Overall, an excellent trip to Morocco and I would recommend it to others as well as recommending KimKim. I am planning to contact KimKim again for an upcoming trip.

My son and i had an amazing trip organized by Emanuela to Iceland around christmas break/new years eve.
She made it so easy for us. i had an idea of what i wanted to do, but gave Emanuela a general description of the activities we liked and she was able to match them perfectly. We based ourselves out of Reykavik, with daily tours to all the main attractions. And then she added a hot springs trip for NYC Eve day that was wonderful. When i changed the departure date to be a day later, she switched things around for me and suggested a 2 day tour out east to go hiking on a Glacier. this was the highlight of the trip. i didn't have to worry about a thing, and followed the itinerary. I would not have thought to hit the blue lagoon right off a red eye; but she highly recommended it and being one of the first people in the Blue Lagoon at 8am in the darkness and then watching the sun rise around 10am was an amazing way to start the vacation. Also Icelend for NYE was a wonderful time to go. Very little snow to hinder driving and the weather was cold but nothing out of the ordinary for someone that lives in the NYC area/USA. i wore my fancy ski pants a lot, sweater, jacket, boots and hat and was very comfortable.

Overall, working with Trang has been amazing!! She is well organized, fast responsive, kind and pleasant to work with well! She is considerate and listens to customers well. Overall flow of the teip from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam was outstanding! When we had an issue with hotel in Cambodia, Trang fixed it quickly and upgraded our room also :) most all guides and drivers were good and very knowledgeable and worked with us well. Best were two woman guides, Ms Susie in Chiang Mai and Ms Chandara in Siem Reap ... Susie and Chandara were exceptional in all aspects! Least effective was guide in Hanoi (Mr Quyet)... not very knowledgeable, poor planner and did not display basic guide tasks such as reviewing plans for the day ahead, prepping customers for unfamiliar experiences by explaining procedures and allowing for questions. Best of all drivers who was above and beyond in every aspect Mr Bo in Hanoi ... great trip overall. Will be more than happy to work with Ms Trang again for trips :)

This was my second trip planned by Esther with the Eco-Travel Boutique and another great trip. Esther will work with you to tailor what you are looking for in your trip. And just as important, she is very knowledgeable, which permits her to suggest things you did not know existed or that you never knew you could do.

We all have a choice when it comes to hiring someone to help us spend our precious time away from work. I am very pleased how this trip to Lesotho and Swaziland turned out and I believe Eco-Travel Boutique will assist you to experience similar results.

The trip was extremely well laid out - from the north - lake como - to the south - Sorrento - we saw the highlights of Italy in two weeks. The guides and activities scheduled were great. Each guide was terrific. KimKim did a great job again - this is our second kim kim trip.

However, the hotel in Rome was terrible and the one in Florence was marginal. The hotels in Belligao and Sorrento were great. But after our experience in Rome we asked to be upgraded in Sorrento.

The bike tour in Bellagio was a bit aggressive for our age - and we're in really good shape., I fell as our guide took us through a very narrow path - that was unnecessary. Otherwise the bids tour was fun.
'
Good idea to stop at Pompei on our way to Sorrento - that was well worth seeing. And both boat trips in Sorrento were terrific.

Great trip! We will use KimKim again - soon I hope. But we will request higher level hotels next time.

Our trip to Morocco was the trip of a lifetime!
It was one of the best travel experiences I’ve ever experienced. Our local expert Majid was outstanding in helping us plan, he listened to our wishes and was extremely easy to work with. Once in Morocco, we were greeted by our driver Hamza. Hamza was amazing, so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about his country, the culture and the people. We felt extremely taken care of and saw so many things off the beaten path due to Hamzas knowledge. Every Riad and accommodation chosen by Majid were absolutely beautiful. The city/ onsite guides he arranged were very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.
Majid kept checking in with us throughout our trip and was always available when we had a question. Majid even planned a surprise for my daughter’s 23rd birthday, by arranging for a birthday cake at our Riad in Marrakesh. There was not a single snag or any issues with anything during our trip. Working with local people was a wonderful experience, and it felt good supporting local businesses and people rather than big corporations. Morocco is a beautiful country with an amazing culture and amazing people. We can’t wait to go back.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Chbanate

Essaouira

Absolutely beautiful Riad inside of the Medina. Beautiful location, the owners were very friendly and welcoming. Beautifully designed and decorated

Authenticity & Character

The decorations, the furniture so beautiful

Location

Great location inside of the Medina

Staff

Very attentive and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Riad Touda

Marrakech

Beautiful Riad located inside the Medina of Marrakech. Staff was very accommodating and friendly

Authenticity & Character

Tastefully and beautifully decorated

Location

Right inside of the Medina with a beautiful roof top terrace

Staff

The two gentlemen working there were so sweet and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean

Hôtel Palm Dades

Boumalne Dadès

This is a beautiful hotel, so beautifully designed and decorated. The location is superb as it offers a beautiful view of Dades Valley.

Authenticity & Character

Very beautifully decorated with local art reflecting the amazigh culture

Location

Beautiful view

Staff

Everyone was so friendly and helpful. Nabil was very nice and shared a lot of knowledge about his country with us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean!!

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

This camp is insane!! Luxury in the desert. Beautifully designed tents, very authentic with a big focus on local amazigh culture and artisans.

Authenticity & Character

Wonderful integration of the amazigh culture

Location

Beautiful location in the Saharah

Staff

Everything

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean and comfortable

Riad Farouzi Fes

Fes

This Riad was one of my favorites from the trip. It was conveniently located right outside of the Medina. Staff went above and beyond.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful decor, the rooftop terrace was beautiful and had a great view of Fez.

Location

Super close to the Medina

Staff

So very welcoming and kind. Ibrahim was so attentive. When sitting on the rooftop terrace he’d bring us tea and cookies

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and bed was super comfortable

Dar Laman

Chefchaouen

Simple but beautiful Riad. Very welcoming and friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Charming, beautifully decorated

Location

The view from the Riad of chefchauen was amazing

Staff

Ibrahim was very attentive and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Explore the Blue City

Chefchaouen

Super cute city. Easily walkable

Quality of Experience

Everyone was very welcoming

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was the best!! Personnel at the Riad was very friendly and helpful

Transport

Our driver Hamza

Alex (travel agent), Josias (guide for 4 days), Marlo and Fernando (drivers), and our Tikal guide (already forgot his name, we’re soooo great. They were on time, patient, safe and knowledgeable. We couldn’t have had a better time on our activities. Our hotels in Panajachel, Guatemala City, Antigua and Xela (Quetzaltenango) were safe and very nice for a good price. Highly recommend Alex and Old Town Outfitter.

Hotel Reviews

Naif Boutique Hotel

Antigua

Very cute hotel. Only complaint was that our room was directly across from reception so it was at times loud. Loved the courtyard.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pensión Bonifaz

Quetzaltenango

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful views.

Location

Right in the heart of the city.

Staff

Helped carry our bags up lots of steps.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Regis Hotel & Spa

Panajachel, Sololá

Authenticity & Character

So cute. The natural warm springs tubs were awesome.

Location

Right in the heart of everything.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casona del Lago

Santa Elena

Amazing location. Very beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Left our bags in the middle of the lobby when they should have been behind the desk.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Barcelo

Guatemala City

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Pacaya Sunset hike

Antigua

We ended up getting horses for 300 quetzales each for the accent. So fun and affordable. Josias was a beast on foot up to the top. Almost beat us. He also made a great meal for us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Homemade authentic picnic. Nice work Josias.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Josias is a stud.

Transport

Marlo was awesome all of the days. Very safe.

Las Tierras Altas Ride

Guatemala

So fun. Long for a true beginner but so worth it to see the backcountry.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Josias was soft patient and friendly. Really really kind.

Transport

Kayaking & Hiking Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

Soo fun and beautiful. Had a great time cliff jumping, swimming off the dock, and super fun walking along the shore trail through the small towns. Felt very safe with our guide and had great views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Josias was amazing.

Transport

Boat Tour of Lake Atitlán Villages

Guatemala

Felt a little like a sales pitch for local businesses, but was excellent seeing the various towns and having the boats ready.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Tikal National Park

Guatemala

Must visit. Lemurs, Tucans, spider monkeys, our birds and Jaguars. Amazing archeological site. Worth the travel day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great English. Super knowledgeable and funny.

Transport

My clients had a WONDERFUL time on their trip.....

I do feel the communication portal could use a little work....... And I'm not a big fan of the final docs, Seems it could be easier to access and perhaps a little earlier than you provide them. (Minor details) (I tend to be old school and like physical docs)

Stephen was a pleasure to work with!

Transportation - 5-star between hotels and Isle of Skye. Vans fit 2 couples comfortably. Otherwise taxis were expensive.
Accommodations - No11 & Haar had small rooms but comfortable and clean. No elevator up the stairs was difficult. Inverlochey and Cameron House were over the top swank! Food and service at all places was great. The Michelin experience at Haar was a combo of art and culinary skills, expensive but a bucket list.
Meals - all breakfasts were outstanding. Hootenanny was a disappointment. Witchery was expensive, fish was good but steak for two was gristly.
Golf - tee time, buggies, caddies planned perfectly. Thank you Kate for changing Carnostie for Jubilee.
Itinerary - there was not enough time for the golfers to make the tours. These need to remain separate. The tours were wonderful. Only improvement was that the driver did not know anything about stops lists on the drive from St.A to Inverness. Loch Ness tour was exceptional.
Guides - all guides were top notch. Kerian at Edin. Sandy at Inverness and Isle of Skye. Secret food tour of Edin. Only negative was Richard on the St.A tour was overly politically bias and affected the experience.
Kate was very supportive throughout the planning, and during the trip. Great communication skills, very timely with responses and took action to help us out. Thank you very much Kate!

What a beautiful adventure. My wife long yearned to "tiptoe thru the tulips in The Netherlands" and Bas and kimkim made it happen in a very special way. Upon searching through the web, I landed on kimkim and Bas as our best bet to personalize a 15-day adventure throughout The Netherlands. We provided them with a brief profile of the type of travel we enjoy and a few touchstones that we would like to see. They made all arrangements for us and provided us with easy-to-use electronic tools that provided day by day and very explicit instructions of things available for us to see or do and how to best access them.

Starting in Amsterdam for three nights we had a personal walking tour guide to provide some history and show us the basic layout of the area. From there we had tickets booked to our major attractions Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, a canal cruise and lots of free time to explore on our own.

From Amsterdam we traveled by train to Hoorn for two nights where we once again had a private guided walking tour, historic harbor cruise, and a day trip to Medemblik for a museum ship cruise to Enkuizen and then returned to Hoorn by Steam Train.

From Hoorn we traveled to the island of Texel via train, bus, taxi and Ferry where we enjoyed three days of cycling and exploring around the island including a seal boat tour, and the most charming B&B run by a most charming and accommodating couple.

From Texel we spent two nights in Bergen at a quaint and cozy family hotel located in the center of the village where after a private guided walking tour we enjoyed cycling and inhaling the quiet ambiance of a very friendly Dutch village.

After Bergen we traveled to Leiden for the absolute highlight of the trip - Keukenhof Gardens Adventure which also happened to be Kings Day! Upon arriving in Bergen via bus and train we checked into a wonderful Boutique Hotel d' Oude Morsch located right in the middle of the village with an operating windmill eighty feet out our window. We had another walking tour to discover the hidden inner courtyard "hofjes" along with the many historic buildings and the University. Spent the following day at Keukenhof gardens where it was comfortably crowded due to the holiday but an over the top garden experience. The Tulips were in full bloom along with a lot of other aromatic and glorious flower species.

We then traveled to Haarlem for two nights by train and after another personally guided walking tour we rented e-bikes and cycled out to the beach and dunes areas enjoying the wild horses and birdsong along the way.

All in all a fabulous trip made easy and anxiety free by kimkim and Bas. The electronic tools included were the kimkim app, the 9292 transportation app and the RidewithGPS bicycle touring app.

From the time we stepped off the plane in Rome until we re-boarded for home 12 days later, we were well cared for by KimKim for a trip that was to celebrate my 70th birthday. Kimkim was our guardian angel to provide quick remedies to on-the-spot queries that often will occur, like, "We're here but where's our guide?"

Speaking of guides; Francisco, who called himself "The Mayor" of the food market, provided a very entertaining and tasteful tour with the food vendors that allowed an inside peek of what grocery shopping was like for the Florentines: Pastries, Schiacciata (bread), Bolita di manzo (boiled beef), wine, olive oil that ended with gelato, of course. He was knowledgeable about the history and of each establishment and was delightfully engaging.

Special thanks to Sylvia, who guided us through Florence to the "Academy" where opulent art awaited. Michelangelo's David cannot be described in words alone.

We have travelled enough to know that problems often occur (i.e., with communication and location drop-off points, but KimKim was diligent to check and double-check details. Julio was a young, skilled chef providing nstruction for preparing a dinner of pasta (made from scratch), saltimbocca and tiramisu. Moreover, his gracious demeanor after he learned we were misdirected by a miscue, was impressive. Afterward, the KimKim team was gracious to compensate us for the miscommunication.

The hotels were unique with expansive views yet cozy and comfortable, both in Florence and Sorrento. Day 5, I fell on the steps of our hotel room and luckily, only broke the fifth digit on my right foot. Instead of cancelling the rest of the trip, I was determined to tape the toe and go. KimKim provided alternate activities to minimize the last three days in Rome, such as a Vespa tour to replace the heavy walking requirements originally scheduled. Can't say enough about Grant and his cohort, Chinh who helped facilitate our schedule after the mishap.

If there is anything that could be improved, it was our accommodation in Rome. The beds were not comfortable, the elevators were ancient (small and slow) and the breakfast vibe felt more like a budget hotel than a celebration of sorts.

Thank you Kimkim for a memorable time and the work it took to put this trip together!

We had an amazing trip to Patagonia Chilena planned through KimKim. I first deal with Nara Matos, locally based in Puerto Natales, who helped us craft the itinerary based on our interests and some existing itineraries. She was extremely responsive including having a video call with me early on. We were also supported by Jessica Walker who was also very responsive including helping clarify for me which specific property showing up with a common name was the actual place of our dinner reservation. Having Nara and Jessica available while on country is definitely one of the benefits one gets for the premium one pays using KimKim versus trying to arrange everything oneself. They were both very friendly and great to deal with.
All of the hotels and excursions arranged through KimKim were top notch. Our Santiago city tour with Julio Contreras was an excellent introduction to the city and Chile. Julio was engaging, funny and very knowledgeable and I highly recommend him. We also enjoyed staying at the Hotel Ladro in Santiago’s Providencia neighborhood, chosen by KimKim.
Our excursion to try and see Condors by going up Cero Benitez outside Puerto Natales was also excellent. Our guide, Polo, was knowledgeable, fun to chat with, reactive to our needs and safety-conscious. The view from the top
was just incredible and we did see one Condor perched outside its cliff-face home.
The Puerto Natales hotel KimKim booked in which we stayed, Hotel Costaaustralis, was very good. In fact, we rebooked there unexpectedly when our flight back to Santiago was canceled and we had to fly the next day. We particularly enjoyed the view of the water and mountains from our room.
The highlight of our trip was the the three days/nights in the Patagonia Camp eco-resort. An incredible property, beautifully situated and staffed with warm and friendly and fun people. The two day hike excursions we did, Miradores and Historical Patagonia were amazing. The view of the “cuernos” of the Paine Massif across the lake at Mirador Cuernos was jaw-dropping. Not only because of the majesty of the rugged young mountains, but the natural prism-ing of the sunlight 8”into multiple colors that gave everything a magical feel.
The experience of being on the East side of Torres Del Paine for the historical excursion was a nice alternative to the previous day’s Miradores hike. We don’t see any pumas but saw plenty Guanacos and bird life. And at times we were the only one ls out in that massive landscape.
The food and drinks at Patagonia Camp were also excellent. We especially enjoyed the Sunday night bar BBQ our first night. Grilled meats (and veggie options) and wine outside was really nice.
We would use KimKim again as their role in helping craft a wonderful (though too short) introduction to Patagonia for our party (Mom, Dad, 24-year old daughter) was something we really appreciated. Thank you KimKim for helping craft some amazing memories for the three of us.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Ladera

Providencia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costaustralis

Puerto Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patagonia Camp

Torres del Paine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Condor Watching

Puerto Natales

Polo was a great guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago City Tour

Chile

Julio Contreras was an awesome guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing adventure trip in Laos, made especially great for being there during Lao New Year Celebrations. Organisation in advance, bookings and communications were excellent thanks to Steve. On arrival in Luang Prabang, local guide Phonsie provided first class service. He is most knowledgeable and so proud of Lao culture and history - the tour of temples and museums in Luang Prabang was very informative.
Equally, the time in Luang Namtha and the National Park was brilliantly led by Onh who took great care of us along with the local guide Mr Sing. All first class and they were able to tailor the hike to meet our requirements.