Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our trip to the Azores - Sao Miguel was wonderful. João was amazing with his suggestions and the jeep tours we did were so special because the tour guides were unbelievable. They were friendly, patient, knew what they were doing and just love their country. Our highlights were Vila Franca do Campo Islet, we took the ferry and spent the afternoon there - this was really beautiful and the ferry on the way back loops around the island which was unexpected. We loved the unexpected fabulous views at Castelo Branco and the adorable tower that sits there waiting for you to explore. The abandoned hotel at Sete Cidades is eery cold with fabulous views. Our hotels were great but the best thing at the Pedras do Mar Resort was the walking/hiking trail along the coast - views were unbelievable.

Hotel Review

Pedras do Mar Resort & SpaOpens

Fenais da Luz, Ponta Delgada

Location

The access to the walking/hiking trail along the coast

Activity Review

From Tea to Thermal Baths - Small Group Jeep Tour in Furnas

the Azores

Eduardo was excellent. We enjoyed his island knowledge and expertise. The Cozido das Furnas was a great filling meal - we really enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was fantastic; a few hiccups along the way, but overall it was great. We now know how much we can handle in a given day and need a day off in the middle of travel. The Delighted Tour Company was especially good, although the guide was 10 min late which required us to miss the shuttle and had to practically run up the hill to the Pena Palace. We made the tour, albeit a little late. Rui, the guide for Belen walking tour of Lisbon, was the best tour guide. He spoke slowly and was so knowledgeable. The Sagres Off-Road tour was a disappointment with the guide dropping us at places while he ran errands! His name was Tiago. The group tour also that was supposed to be a private tour in Porto was a little disappointing, too. The guide just left us behind —- us older & slower folks. Thank you for refunding difference of tour private to tour group. The winery tour in Douro Valley was long, but fun. Very chatty guide for that. He told us his life story! The info given on a lot of tours is overwhelming. We would have liked more of an overview, not the encyclopedia version. Maybe that’s too hard to change. The Alma Luis Hotel in Lisbon was the best experience, so utterly kind and inviting atmosphere. They gave us little gifts everyday! They truly appreciated our patronage. The Timbre Virtudes Hotel in Porto was very out of the way, it required us to get Uber each day just to get to places; also they lacked adequate coffee service in the a.m. As we said, we do like the private car pick-ups, very nice. Finally, we do like KimKim and plan to use you again! ❤️

We spent an amazing 10 days in China, always accompanied by knowledgeable guides. Bonnie, our guide in Shanghai, was so happy and proud to show us around her city! She was very knowledgeable, kind and patient, always willing to make changes or pivot to other interests of the group and was so capable in dealing with a few glitches we had at the train station. Alvin, our guide for Huangshan and the spectacular Yellow Mountain was a pleasure to be with as we hiked up the mountain on our way to the amazing Up Cloud Villa where we stayed for one night. I cannot recommend this small, luxury hotel enough! The rooms were gorgeous and comfortable, the food was delicious and the staff went above and beyond at all times. They not only provided exemplary service but also led us through various crafting experiences, even setting up Mah Jong for us and offering to play with us to complete the foursome. Truly an experience worth having to wake up on the mountain before the crowds for a sunrise hike! Alvin then took us to a gem of a protected town for our stay at the SU House Hotel where we were surprised by an amazing show for the mid autumn festival that was being celebrated that day. The fire works, dragons, lanterns overlooking the lake was mesmerizing! Florence, our guide in Hangzhou, showed us around her beautiful city with grace and precision. She was so knowledgeable and informative of the history and growth of such a lush and progressive city. She was also very open to a change of plans for a whole day as we got to know the city better.
Not our first trip to China but always leave the country wanting more. Cannot recommend it enough and Heidi from Kim Kim was a pleasure to work with and understood so well what we envisioned.

Hotel Reviews

The Silk Lakehouse, Shangri-La Hangzhou

A truly beautiful luxury hotel next to the stunning lake. The rooms are well appointed and very comfortable. Spectacular buffet breakfast and staff were all kind and mindful. Would definitely recommend for an enjoyable stay in Hangzhou!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Huanghsan SU House

A beautiful hotel nestled in a protected town with gorgeous rooms and spectacular views over the lake and town. Had a wonderful stay at this little treasure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

UPCLOUD SHUGUANGLI VILLA

Can't not say enough wonderful things about the UPCLoud! What a gem on the mountain! The rooms are beautiful and so comfortable with every detail thought about. The staff are the true stars! They were so attentive and kind providing a warm and engaging experience. If you have the opportunity to stay her absolutely do it!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The St. Regis on the Bund, Shanghai

Beautiful Art Deco inspired hotel right on the Bund. Walking distance from so many hotspots in Shanghai with spectacular river views over Pudong.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Experience Tea Culture in Hangzhou: Meijiawu Tea Village

Hangzhou

A fun time spent with NaNa, a local tea producer in Hangzhou. Spending time with her in her home teaching us about the local teas, flavors, and history, was a great way to spend an afternoon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

ERA Intersection of Time Acrobatic Show 2

Shanghai

The show was entertaining with some great stunts. Not sure the price is worth the duration of the show and the time spent in transportation. Would not say it is a must do in a city so full of activities and nightlife.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Magnificent Huangshan Mountain

Huangshan City

A visit to the Yellow Mountain is an absolute must! The beautiful views, spectacular rock formations and manicured hiking trails are very worth the climb.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day in Hangzhou: West Lake and Lingyinsi, Feilai Peak & Six Harmonies Pagoda

Hangzhou

Hangzhou is a truly vibrant and interesting city. The West Lake tour in a boat was a really enjoyable experience. The visit to Lingyinsi, a spectacular temple and grotto sculptures was the highlight. Only thing that would suggest is to be willing to do the tour as early in the morning as possible to avoid the heat and crowds. The area opens at 7 am and is definitely worth the early wake up.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The van was the oldest of the vans throughout our stay.

Highlights of Shanghai with Yu Garden and the Bund

Shanghai

Shanghai is an impressive, clean and safe city absolutely worth a visit!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy the Historic Villages in Huangshan

Huangshan City

Really enjoyed a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Honcun. A beautifully preserved town with nice shops and wonderful views. Definitely worth a stop.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

As a frame of reference, I am lifetime Premier Gold on United (over 1MM miles) and at my level of British Air I was able to get upgraded to The CONCORDE when it was still flying. I have travelled extensively for both business and leisure in my life and am very aware of service quality. Following are my observations/reviews of my trip to Dublin and Scotland from 9/17 through 9/30 2026.

During trip planning, I advised KimKim that I had mobility limitations with regard to walking and this had significant impact on my ability to fully or even partially take part in most walking tours. I accept that my limitations are my own concern and that they had no understanding of the extent of my limitations, but I feel that they may have not factored it in. I say that because KimKim booked a trip for us in Sep 2025 with the same limitations and we had far less walking tours. I probably should have questioned the tours for this trip but I trusted them after last year.

DUBLIN

Trinity Townhouse Hotel: A
A boutique hotel with nice spacious rooms. Limited on-site amenities and dining options. Very good location. Note: there are no lifts.

Private walking tour: D
I was unable to finish the 2.5 hour tour and had to end it within the first hour and taxi back to the hotel. My wife did continue the tour and reported that she rated it a B+. I was concerned that they scheduled such a long walking tour for me and that it was in the morning of our arrival from the US.

St Patricks: F
I was unable to go to the cathedral after the aborted walking tour.

Wicklow Mtns, Glendalough, Kilkenny tour: C (rained most of the day)
The bus was reasonably comfortable and the guide and driver were pleasant. The scenery on the tour was very nice.
I was unable to walk the trails at Glendalough (the primary purpose of that part of the trip) but I did go into the visitors center (an additional 4 euro fee) while the others were walking. There was a very informative 15 min video of the history of the area that was well done. We toured the Kilkenny castle which was okay as castles go. We were limited by time and rain and were not able to see the Kilkenny town. Overall, the tour tried to do too much within the available time.

Guiness and Jameson tours: Jameson - B / Guiness - F
The Jameson tour was very well done. The man who did the presentation was excellent - informative, cordial, and humorous. The tasting was informative - it was interesting to actually see how the tastes differed based on how the products were prepared.

I can honestly say that the Guiness tour was a complete and colossal waste of my time. Unfortunate because i had been looking forward to it. Where do I start? We were told by a cabby that it is the most populated tour in Europe and based on our experience it may well be. The line to get in from outside was measured in blocks - we got in upon arrival as part of a tour group (the single and only advantage of being in the group). Once inside it was so crowded one could hardly move around. The major attraction of the tour was the Gravity Bar at the top of the facility where you could redeem your tour coupons for a glass of Guiness. We were never given the coupons by our tour guide so we never got our Guiness. Also, there were so many people we could not sit or really take advantage of the view. Our guide rushed our group so much through the facility that we never really got a chance to appreciate the tour itself. I couldn’t tell you one significant thing about Guiness except that they treat their employees well (which we learned from a taxi driver on our way there). As an aside, that driver showed us around some interesting things to see in Dublin which helped to somewhat save the day for me. (Also note that we took the taxi from Jameson to Guiness because I could not make the walk). We did see the old hospital/museum and he took some pictures of us.

I have to say that the guide for the Guiness tour was a major disappointment. While trying to be entertaining, he failed to be informative. The way he rushed us through the Guiness tour was appalling. I would advise some additional training or a new profession.

GLASGOW

Kimpton Blythswood Hotel: A+
A five star hotel with everything that one would expect from same. Comfortable room and nice restaurant. Excellent location.

Glasgow Essentials Tour: F
Once again unable to take the tour. My wife did take the tour and rated it a B.

Wee Food Tour: F
Again not taken. My wife did take the tour and really enjoyed it, rating it an A.

Train travel to Inverness - very nice comfortable ride with lovely scenery and WiFi for most of the trip.

INVERNESS

Ambassador Hotel: B+
A comfortable hotel in a good location. Lots of stairs but there is an elevator. A bit quirky layout with rooms laid out in a highly irregular fashion. Restaurant on-site with an acceptable menu. Our room was very nice though the bathroom was a little tight. But, for 500GBP per night I think we could have done better.

Inverness Walking tour: F
Again not taken. My wife did take the tour and rated it an A.

Loch Ness Cruise: A+
We took a bus tour to get to and from the cruise. The driver was very informative and made the trip enjoyable. The river cruise itself was very nice. Comfortable boat, excellent narration, toilets and food/drink on board. We had rare clear sunny weather and the views were spectacular.

Urquhart castle: F wife rating it an A-

Isle of Skye tour: F and A
A wonderful tour with an excellent driver (Roy Martin). The weather was an F. The isle of Skye was an A.

This day we both started to feel sick with cold symptoms probably contracted from the bus tour.

Candor Castle: F Wife rated it an A.

Culledon Battlefield: F Wife rated it a B

Train to Edinburgh: Not as nice as the earlier trip, but perfectly fine until we got to Edinburgh station. We looked for a taxi and were told to take an escalator or a lift. When we got to the escalator, the up side was not working. When we got to the elevator it was not working. We were then told to walk up a long steep ramp. So two elderly people with luggage trekked up this 150 yard ramp to get to the taxis. At least the taxi driver was very helpful. I am the one with mobility limitations but my wife was hammered by the walk up the ramp to the taxis.

EDINBURGH

Courtyard by Marriott: F
Check-in was uneventful except that whoever booked the room (KimKim) did so under the wrong name. The hotel tells me they cannot correct the error or they won’t get paid - really? So now i have to explain to everyone at the hotel that my booking name is wrong.

Our room overlooks a major trash/recyling area for the hotel and we get to listen to them dumping glass and cans into the bins. Keep in mind, this goes on all day while we are stuck in our room because we are sick. And continued into the night. Last heard after 9 PM.

After breakfast the first morning we returned to the room to find that our key cards would not unlock the door. I took the cards to reception which was crowded with incoming people. They asked for ID (my ID was inside my locked room). They then remembered that my name was wrong so they remembered me and reprogrammed the key. Tried to unlock the door then and it still did not unlock. Went back to reception and tried again. Key still did not work but they had sent someone to check it. He had to replace batteries in the lock. This event alone would have made us late for the tour if we were taking it. After breakfast the second day the same thing happened. Needed to get maintenance again to reset the lock mechanism. I’m getting afraid to leave the room.

Showered this morning. Water pressure was very low. Shower is not enclosed and was drafty. Towels were okay for me but not my wife and compared to our other three hotels were not very quality. Very disappointing but consistent with our experience at this hotel. Toilet seems to keep running frequently.

Day before check-out I stopped at reception (waited in line) to ask what if anything I needed to do to check-out the next day. The room was pre-paid and I left a credit card on file for other charges. The person who helped me said all I had to do was drop off my keys in the express check-out box. Upon leaving the next day that is what I did. As I left the hotel to get into my taxi a hotel employee chased me out of the hotel to tell me I hadn’t paid my incidental charges. He was quite accusatory and argumentative and I told him about my conversation the day before with his colleague. I was not happy. He made some vague comment about what would happen if I did not come back and pay it. My taxi was waiting. I went back and once again told them (loudly) what I had been told the day before. I paid it on my card, the same one they had on file. I advised them that this was the worst hotel experience I had had in a long time. Maybe forever and I left. Thank goodness. This was a terrible hotel experience that ranks as bad or worse than the Guiness tour.

Dining at the Witchery: F-
We were unable to do this dinner because we were both so sick. So we may be charged a 150GBP no-show fee.

Edinburgh walking tour: F
We were unable to take this tour, but did cancel it before pick up.

Edinburgh castle tour: F
Also unable to take this tour.

Had dinner at Mamma Roma. Nice dinner. Extensive (maybe too much so) menu. Excellent service.

Hollyrood Palace: me - B wife - B+
Managed to make this tour. There was walking and stairs but within what I could handle. It was self-guided with free audio headsets. Interesting stories and reflections on what life may have been like when the castle was in everyday use.

Had lunch at a place called Cafe Vivo near the Palace - the worst fish/chips I have ever had. Room service for dinner.

Roslyn Chapel: A
Excellent driver and guide (Christof). Interesting place with many stories. Filming location for the ending of The Davinci Code.

Glenkinchie Distillery: A+
An excellent tour with a great guide (Willie). Very informative and fun. The tasting was excellent. Lots of stairs, but I managed okay with proper motivation.

David Connor
1 352-804-3910

Hotel Reviews

Courtyard By Marriott Edinburgh

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

Courtyard by Marriott: F Check-in was uneventful except that whoever booked the room (KimKim) did so under the wrong name. The hotel tells me they cannot correct the error or they won’t get paid - really? So now i have to explain to everyone at the hotel that my booking name is wrong. Our room overlooks a major trash/recyling area for the hotel and we get to listen to them dumping glass and cans into the bins. Keep in mind, this goes on all day while we are stuck in our room because we are sick. And continued into the night. Last heard after 9 PM. After breakfast the first morning we returned to the room to find that our key cards would not unlock the door. I took the cards to reception which was crowded with incoming people. They asked for ID (my ID was inside my locked room). They then remembered that my name was wrong so they remembered me and reprogrammed the key. Tried to unlock the door then and it still did not unlock. Went back to reception and tried again. Key still did not work but they had sent someone to check it. He had to replace batteries in the lock. This event alone would have made us late for the tour if we were taking it. After breakfast the second day the same thing happened. Needed to get maintenance again to reset the lock mechanism. I’m getting afraid to leave the room. Showered this morning. Water pressure was very low. Shower is not enclosed and was drafty. Towels were okay for me but not my wife and compared to our other three hotels were not very quality. Very disappointing but consistent with our experience at this hotel. Toilet seems to keep running frequently. Day before check-out I stopped at reception (waited in line) to ask what if anything I needed to do to check-out the next day. The room was pre-paid and I left a credit card on file for other charges. The person who helped me said all I had to do was drop off my keys in the express check-out box. Upon leaving the next day that is what I did. As I left the hotel to get into my taxi a hotel employee chased me out of the hotel to tell me I hadn’t paid my incidental charges. He was quite accusatory and argumentative and I told him about my conversation the day before with his colleague. I was not happy. He made some vague comment about what would happen if I did not come back and pay it. My taxi was waiting. I went back and once again told them (loudly) what I had been told the day before. I paid it on my card, the same one they had on file. I advised them that this was the worst hotel experience I had had in a long time. Maybe forever and I left. Thank goodness. This was a terrible hotel experience that ranks as bad or worse than the Guiness tour.

Authenticity & Character

it is like a poorly run US hotel in a historic and character-filled city

Location

Staff

training and customer service and attitude

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything about this hotel needs improvement generally clean. Had to request servicing. Exposure to exterior recycling noise at all hours was terrible.

The Ambassador Hotel

Ambassador Hotel: B+ A comfortable hotel in a good location. Lots of stairs but there is an elevator. A bit quirky layout with rooms laid out in a highly irregular fashion. Restaurant on-site with an acceptable menu. Our room was very nice though the bathroom was a little tight. But, for 500GBP per night I think we could have done better.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kimpton - Blythswood Square Hotel, an IHG Hotel

Glasgow

Kimpton Blythswood Hotel: A+ A five star hotel with everything that one would expect from same. Comfortable room and nice restaurant. Excellent location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trinity Townhouse

Dublin

Trinity Townhouse Hotel: A A boutique hotel with nice spacious rooms. Limited on-site amenities and dining options. Very good location. Note: there are no lifts.

Authenticity & Character

See over all review

Location

See overall review

Staff

See over all review

Cleanliness & Comfort

See over all review

Activity Reviews

Private Glasgow Essentials Tour

Scotland

Glasgow Essentials Tour: F Once again unable to take the tour. My wife did take the tour and rated it a B.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Glasgow Airport to Glasgow

Glasgow

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Dublin to Dublin Airport

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dublin Private Walking Tour

Dublin

Private walking tour: D I was unable to finish the 2.5 hour tour and had to end it within the first hour and taxi back to the hotel. My wife did continue the tour and reported that she rated it a B+. I was concerned that they scheduled such a long walking tour for me and that it was in the morning of our arrival from the US. St Patricks: F I was unable to go to the cathedral after the aborted walking tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle

Scotland

Loch Ness Cruise: A+ We took a bus tour to get to and from the cruise. The driver was very informative and made the trip enjoyable. The river cruise itself was very nice. Comfortable boat, excellent narration, toilets and food/drink on board. We had rare clear sunny weather and the views were spectacular. Urquhart castle: F wife rating it an A-

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Ultimate Isle of Skye Tour from Inverness

Inverness

Isle of Skye tour: F and A A wonderful tour with an excellent driver (Roy Martin). The weather was an F. The isle of Skye was an A.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Clava Cairns, Culloden and Cawdor Castle Private Tour

Inverness

andor Castle: F Wife rated it an A. Culledon Battlefield: F Wife rated it a B Train to Edinburgh: Not as nice as the earlier trip, but perfectly fine until we got to Edinburgh station. We looked for a taxi and were told to take an escalator or a lift. When we got to the escalator, the up side was not working. When we got to the elevator it was not working. We were then told to walk up a long steep ramp. So two elderly people with luggage trekked up this 150 yard ramp to get to the taxis. At least the taxi driver was very helpful. I am the one with mobility limitations but my wife was hammered by the walk up the ramp to the taxis.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Inverness Walking Tour

Scotland

Could not attend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Wee Food Tour of Glasgow

Glasgow

Could not attend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rosslyn Chapel & Glenkinchie Distillery Private Tour

Edinburgh

Roslyn Chapel: A Excellent driver and guide (Christof). Interesting place with many stories. Filming location for the ending of The Davinci Code. Glenkinchie Distillery: A+ An excellent tour with a great guide (Willie). Very informative and fun. The tasting was excellent. Lots of stairs, but I managed okay with proper motivation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Edinburgh Old Town Tour

Edinburgh

Could not attend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough & Kilkenny Tour

Dublin

Wicklow Mtns, Glendalough, Kilkenny tour: C (rained most of the day) The bus was reasonably comfortable and the guide and driver were pleasant. The scenery on the tour was very nice. I was unable to walk the trails at Glendalough (the primary purpose of that part of the trip) but I did go into the visitors center (an additional 4 euro fee) while the others were walking. There was a very informative 15 min video of the history of the area that was well done. We toured the Kilkenny castle which was okay as castles go. We were limited by time and rain and were not able to see the Kilkenny town. Overall, the tour tried to do too much within the available time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guinness and Jameson Irish Whiskey Experience Tour

Dublin

Guiness and Jameson tours: Jameson - B / Guiness - F The Jameson tour was very well done. The man who did the presentation was excellent - informative, cordial, and humorous. The tasting was informative - it was interesting to actually see how the tastes differed based on how the products were prepared. I can honestly say that the Guiness tour was a complete and colossal waste of my time. Unfortunate because i had been looking forward to it. Where do I start? We were told by a cabby that it is the most populated tour in Europe and based on our experience it may well be. The line to get in from outside was measured in blocks - we got in upon arrival as part of a tour group (the single and only advantage of being in the group). Once inside it was so crowded one could hardly move around. The major attraction of the tour was the Gravity Bar at the top of the facility where you could redeem your tour coupons for a glass of Guiness. We were never given the coupons by our tour guide so we never got our Guiness. Also, there were so many people we could not sit or really take advantage of the view. Our guide rushed our group so much through the facility that we never really got a chance to appreciate the tour itself. I couldn’t tell you one significant thing about Guiness except that they treat their employees well (which we learned from a taxi driver on our way there). As an aside, that driver showed us around some interesting things to see in Dublin which helped to somewhat save the day for me. (Also note that we took the taxi from Jameson to Guiness because I could not make the walk). We did see the old hospital/museum and he took some pictures of us. I have to say that the guide for the Guiness tour was a major disappointment. While trying to be entertaining, he failed to be informative. The way he rushed us through the Guiness tour was appalling. I would advise some additional training or a new profession.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See review

Transport

We just got back from a 12 day trip to Croatia. We worked with the KimKim specialist Nikola and the itinerary was perfect. We started in Zagreb and got a rental car delivered directly to our hotel. We made our way down through Zadar and the Plitvice National Park. We had the freedom to stop at little towns like Rastoke, Sibenik, and Trogir. Nikola even helped coordinate with the rental car company to get it picked up in Split. We then stayed in Split and ferried over to Havar and then Korcula and ended in Dubrovnik. We had city tours in each city and an amazing boat excursion in Dubrovnik. Our guides were wonderful. We also had plenty of leisure time to do our own things. The biggest luxury this trip provided was every place had "luggage assistance" or someone there to greet us and help get us to the next lodging location or excusion. My Mother-in-law said she felt like royalty. We booked this trip with the help of KimKim because my in laws are in the late 70s and I needed to know they could physically do this trip. Navigating transportation and luggage with them has started to become a challenge. With this trip, they were taken care of all along the way. Every evening we received a text from Nikola letting us know the exact schedule the next day. Nikola was always available and responded immediately when we messaged him on the trip with any questions or needs we had. The accommodations were wonderful and the app was extremely user friendly and easy to get the documents/tickets we needed. This was a trip of a lifetime and I would recommend and use KimKim again in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Villa Malo More

Dubrovnik

This villa was amazing. If we would have known how nice this stay would be, we would have added anither day to the trip! The private pool, the restaurants, the views...gorgeou!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Wish it was closer to old town but the views and luxury made up for that!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Korcula Hill

Korčula

This was a beautiful apartment located in the hills of Korcula. We had access to a lovely beach near a fun restaurant. We loved the apartment set up with multiple bathrooms, gorgeous deck, and a washer/dryer!!! Only complaint would be how far away it is from Old Town and the cost to get back and forth. Initial was easy to arrange rides with the shuttle and taxis but was expensive to go back and forth.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Forkira Luxury Villa

Hvar

One of our favorite places we stayed at our entire 12 day trip to Croatia. These apartments were amazing. The location and decor was luxurious. We loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Marmont Heritage - Adults Only

Split

This hotel is right at the heart of Split. Only complaint is the parking but that is an issue for all of Split and not the hotels fault. Our room was cute with a great view of the Split narrow streets below.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

When we arrived at the hotel, we were trying to navigate working with our travel agent, the car rental company, and the hotel regarding out rental car pick up. We were told by our agent to park the car and let the hotel know where it is at and the rental car company will come and get it. When we arrived, the hotel check in women was not happy that we parked the car (since its paid parking) and wish we would have called the hotel first and not parked. The hotel has a couple of spots reserved we could have used. We understand why she was frustrated but several times she criticized our travel agent for not giving us the hotel number and telling us to call before parking. I understand there was a miscommunication and it meant she needed to coordinate with the rental car company and figure out where we parked the car but she was very unprofessional to criticize our travel agent for this miscommunication. Our agent was wonderful our entire trip and did not need to be criticized because of this. She could have handled it all very differently. She could have had us move the car to the new spot, like we offered, or be annoyed without making that very clear to us. This was just a very negative beginning to our stay all for us to have the luxury of getting our rental car picked up for us. We were thrilled that it was getting picked up and we did not need to return it ourselves.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bastion Heritage Hotel—Relais & Châteaux

Zadar

This was a beautiful hotel in the best location! From the moment we arrived and they handled our luggage and car, we felt very taken care of. The breakfast was wonderful with buffet and items to order. We loved being able to leave the car and walk everywhere we needed to easily. It was a wonderful stay in Zadar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect location!!!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Manda Heritage Hotel

Zagreb

This was a nice hotel in a great location. We were able to walk easily to all things we wanted to see. They bring delicious breakfast to your room, which was a nice treat. They also have an ice maker in their breakfast area which we loved having access to. The bathroom was large with a lot of counter space and the room was spacious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to walk and do all the highlights of the city

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Driving in Croatia

Croatia

This was such a great way to see so many small towns along the way from Zagreb to Split. The car was delivered to the hotel and picked up from the next hotel. It was wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

This was a wonderful tour and loved the guide and seeing all we saw.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Tour of Korčula

Korčula

Great little old town and we enjoyed learning about the history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Private Island of Hvar Tour (Afternoon)

Croatia

This was a fun treat to see other towns around rhe island of Hvar. We loved this day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Plitvice Lakes National Park

Croatia

Loved our guide and loved this park!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Elafiti Islands - Private Half Day Speedboat Tour

Dubrovnik

This was one of the highlights of the trip. Weather and itinerary was perfect. Guide was the perfect balance of information but left us alone to enjoy each other and the views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Split

Croatia

This was a great tour and it includes the cellars of the Palace which was awesome. We felt like we got to see and learn about all we needed to in Split.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Zagreb

Zagreb

Jo Jo was amazing. She was fun and positive and we really enjoyed all she took us to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Japan was fantastic. Shona did a wonderful job catering to our requests for a balance of historical places and modern experiences. We especially liked Nijo Castle and Shinjuku.

Our individual guides, Miwa Aoki and Katsumi Ishikawa, were amazing. I would highly recommend both for Tokyo and Kyoto, respectively.

The drivers, tours, and hotels that Aleksandra chose were all professional and outstanding, with a shout out to Paul Clarke. Would strongly suggest including Northern Ireland in the trip.

This is my 3rd time using Kim Kim and Violaine did not disappoint. We had a great trip and she put a great plan for us in place and she was great about answering our many questions:)
Our local trip "assistant," Amarda with Breathe in Travel was fabulous. She met us in person with a few fun momentos and she even rebooked a boat trip for us (thankfully it was possible) due to weather. Thanks Amarda!

We didn’t get to know Liam as he was on vacation. Jane was easy to work with by email, French speaker was very accessible but her accent was hard for me to understand on the phone.

Driver Darren in Glastonbury was very professional, fun and interesting.

Verdant Seafood bar and our lodging in Falmouth were wonderful.

We didn’t love Glastonbury.

Once we got to London we started using the tube. Drivers not necessary and I missed our pick up time with the driver back to the airport as I hadn’t stopped to realize you had lined him up.

Nice hotel in London and Kew was delightful!

Thanks very much!

Hotel Reviews

The Crown Hotel

Glastonbury

This hotel is right on the main intersection in Glastonbury.. one night there was a wedding in the hotel, so a lot of loud music. A good place if you are really into being part of the action in Glastonbury.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Fine for what it is, But not quiet and a lot os stairs

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Star & Garter

Falmouth

This place was so charming, with an amazing view of Falmouth Harbor. We didn’t get a chance to eat in the little pub, but it looked very nice. Check in required us to find a key in a lock box and let ourselves in.

Authenticity & Character

You walk through the tiny restaurant to get to the room. An old building that is part of the fabric of the town.

Location

Amazing view

Staff

No staff. Maybe directions to hotel from train…

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Chamberlain

London

Nice hotel and great breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Used by business travelers as well as tourists. Seemed to be part of the neighborhood

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Entry tickets to historic Kew Gardens

London

Easy subway to a lovely station and short walk to Victoria Gate. There are tours and a tram, but we found it easy to wander through on a September weekday, starting with the great broad walk.

Quality of Experience

Transport

The experiences you booked for us were all well handled and enjoyable. The guide we had for Notre Dame was very good. My personal best was the visit to the Gaume cave. It was a small group and we climbed rock steps up to the entrance. The man who guided us took lots of time to show us things and to really explain all the images we were seeing. It was meaningful to me to know we were seeing the real drawings and to reflect on how old they were!

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel & Spa Les Glycines

Les Eyzies

The staff was friendly and helpful. The hotel was lovely and the history of the building was interesting. Bistro was good. Our gourmet dinner was good too. Location was walkable to more of the town and the river. Did not use the spa.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable to town and across the road from the river.

Le Square Louvois 4*

Paris

Staff was wonderful especially the woman who ran the breakfast room. The entire staff was helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

I wish the hotel was in a more centrally located area to where we wanted to tour. Had to uber a lot. Nothing right around the hotel to visit.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Les Hauts de Loire

Onzain

We were unaware when we arrived that there were no openings at the on site bistro for dinner. We had to go and plead with the staff at the bistro to find us a time to eat. The bistro is apparently not owned by the hotel. You should have your clients make a reservation ahead of time for their arrival evening. Also the hotel did not at first gave us reserved for their arrival evening even g gourmet dinner we had vouchers for and tried to tell us we did not have a reservation! Once we showed them the vouchers they seated us and the wait staff and meal were excellent. I believe it was confusing for them to have both room reservations just under Mr Blood’s name as when we checked out they did not have the Samuelson name anywhere which made it confusing. I would suggest if you are booking two rooms for separate couples that you do not put them both under one Jane.

Authenticity & Character

Older well maintained beautiful grounds

Location

Staff

One of the front desk staff who we believe was a manager was rude

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room furnishings could be modernized

Activity Reviews

Dinner at Les Hauts de Loire Gastronomic Restaurant

Blois

The sommelier and our waiter were delightful! Helped make the evening a success. Food was good as were wine pairings. Hit off to a bad start when the hotel did not have us on their reservation list and then there was a question about whether we needed to pay! We were able to straighten out but I do not think the management if the hotel was very good.

Visit of Milandes Castle (Entrance Tickets Included)

France

Interesting to learn more about Josephine Baker’s life

Visit Font-de-Gaume cave (Entrance Tickets Included)

France

Already described this in earlier part of this review. Liked it better than the other two cave experiences

My wife and I have just returned from our 13 day trip to Norway. It was wonderful! All of the kimkim-organized activities, hotels, and transportation went off without a hitch. Of particular note were:
1. Norway is a spectacularly beautiful country. Our boat rides and train voyages (particularly the ride from Bergen to Oslo), allowed us to appreciate the jaw dropping beauty of cities, fjords, waterfalls, and farmland.
2. Each city we visited was beautiful, with impressive old and new architecture. We had great walking tours of Tromso (led by Jurgen), Oslo (led by Björn, a retired architect) and Bergen. The guides were knowledgeable and open with personal observations about their lives in Norway.
3. The hotels were all very nice, located in the center of each city. Breakfasts were ample and delicious. Rooms were small, but comfortable.
4. We loved having a car for a couple of days to tour the Lofoten Islands. Gorgeous!
5. We took multiple flights from airports large and small. A beautiful way to get around the country, with no delays or connection problems.
6. Norway has a multitude of fascinating museums: historical, cultural and artistic. The few we visited in Tromso and Bergen were great, as was a brand new one outside of Svolvaer dealing with the cod fishery!
Thanks, kimkim, for designing a great vacation customized to our interests, and paced just right for us.

Hotel Review

Karl Johan Hotel

Oslo

Lovely hotel, great location, delicious breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the middle of town, walking distance to all activities.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Oslofjord Evening Cruise with Prawn Buffet

Oslo

This is the one activity which we found disappointing. It was a nice boat ride around the harbor and islands adjacent to Oslo, but there was no commentary or information about what we were seeing. (one could get some information on an app). The dinner consisted of a buffet of peel – yourself shrimp, bread, and lettuce. Drinks were available for purchase.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No commentary

Transport

Pretty sailboat, but of course we did not sail.

Fløibanen Funicular Ride (Tickets not included)

Bergen

Gorgeous view from the top. There are restaurants, kids playground, and hiking trails at the top as well.

Quality of Experience

Spectacular view.

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Four of us and a guide walked through the center of Bergen, trying some typical snacks and also having a light soup lunch. The highlight of the walk was exploring the UNESCO historic area, the site of.the Hanseatic League trading activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Geirangerfjord Cruise & Day Trip

Norway

This cruise through Geirangefjord was very comfortable and the scenery. Unbelievable. The crew provided helpful commentary throughout the trip. Town of Geiranger is basically a tourist locale, which didn’t interest us too much, except for a very cool walk up along the waterfall at the edge of town. There are longer hikes available in the area.

Quality of Experience

Driving the Lofoten Islands: Nature Stops Along the Way

Norway

Wow! As was promised, the Lofoten Islands are spectacularly beautiful. And although the roads are narrow, we did not find driving difficult.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful!

City & Polar History Walk

Tromsø

Jürgen, our guide and lifelong Tromso resident, was totally open, sharing his thoughts about his life and his city. He took us through the Arctic Explorer and the Sami museums. This tour was a highlight of our visit.

Quality of Experience

Interesting town, excellent guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent guide

Private City Walk

Oslo

Our guide Bjorn, a retired architect, was knowledgeable, friendly, and open to a wide ranging discussion about the city. This tour was a high point of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was delightful.

A huge shout out to Anita who made our voyage absolutely amazing and unforgettable. She listened carefully to our needs as we tweaked the itinerary. This was not only a vacation, but a reconnaissance trip to determine if we want to spend more time in Milan. Anita and set us up with a local private guide (Marco) who literally led us by the hand on walking tours, day trips to Lake Como, and even took us on the metro to our date night! In addition, the location of the apartment could not have been better. Right on Mercato (market) street; restaurants and groceries within a block, two blocks from Sforza Castle and Parco Sempione, and around the corner from a metro line. Our private guides, tours, and pasta-making night at Chef Rapheal's place were pitch perfect. It could not have worked out any better.

In short, you're the best, Anita!! GRAZIE MILLE!!

The itinerary that Clo prepared for us was exactly what we wanted and the hotels she booked for us were great.
We had a wonderful trip !

I had an excellent experience traveling around Morocco with Kim Kim! The entire trip was very well organized, and everything went smoothly from start to finish.
A special thanks to Hassan, who planned the trip so well and made sure everything was taken care of. Our driver and road tour guide, Mohammed, was fantastic, making the long drives comfortable, enjoyable, and stress-free.
The local tour guides, Sallam and Hakim, were also great and helped us learn more about Morocco’s history, culture, and traditions.
The accommodation and stays were good throughout the trip, and overall, everything was well arranged. From the planning to the transportation and guided tours, the entire experience was excellent.

Our trip was nothing short of amazing Things I would not do again are the Lava cave tour and the 8 hour super jeep ride while there was nothing wrong with them, they just were not very exciting or showed us anything spectacular or unusual.

The guides on all the tours were very good and informative We have no regrets except that she flew Iceland Air and are now fighting to get back over $12000.00 in flight charges. That has nothing to do with Kimkim. Y'all were wonderful and I would not hesitate to use your services again.

Sincerely,
Tom McDonald

Hotel Reviews

Kerbyggd Luxury Houses

Selfoss

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Búrfell

Vik

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Panorama Glass Lodge (West Iceland)

Akranes

They couldn't get rid of the cloud cover for the night we were there:))))))

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not as secluded as advertised.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Búðir

Búðir

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hike from Skaftafell to Svartifoss Waterfall

Iceland

longer hike than stated

Quality of Experience

Brúarfoss

Golden Circle

Quality of Experience

Kerið Crater

Iceland

small hole with water in it Nothing to see here

Quality of Experience

Explore Vík

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Geysir Geothermal Area

Iceland

Small geysir!!! Nothing really spectacular

Quality of Experience

Gullfoss Waterfall

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Búðir Church

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Quality of Experience

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

Again too short of a cave. Pictures indicated that we would be walking through a cave for some distance. It was interesting and beautiful just to short

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kirkjufellsfoss

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Efstidalur II Farm Bistro

Golden Circle

Quality of Experience

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

way to small of a caveI we have been to many cave and this one was like a cave entrance . would not recommend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seljalandsfoss & Gljúfrabúi Waterfalls

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Zodiac Boat

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Djúpalónssandur Black Sand Beach

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Quality of Experience

Dyrhólaey Arch and Cliffs

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Hraunfossar

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Thórsmörk Super Jeep Experience

Iceland

Not that rouged or fun. Our guide ,Jon, was wonderful!!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Expecting a more truly Jeep ride and adventure

Skogafoss Waterfall

Iceland

Way longer hike than stated

Quality of Experience

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Cliff Walk from Arnarstapi to Hellnar

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Quality of Experience

We couldn't be happier with the service that Kim Kim and their team provided! Lucie made planning our trip very easy. From planning to arrival & departure, everything was great! We really appreciated the personal attention that Lucie, our travel organizer gave us! She listened carefully to our trip requests and made herself available whenever we asked to meet with face-time or a phone call! Lucie helped make our 50th anniversary dream trip a reality! All of our requests were honored from our hotels to excursions and beyond. The Kim Kim app was also very helpful as our trip itinerary was right at our fingertips and included maps and information about everywhere we traveled. We would not hesitate to recommend Kim Kim or to use them again ourselves in planning another trip!

Hi Kimkim,
Our trip to Greece was EXCEPTIONAL! We went as a group of 6 (3 different couples), and Chris was flexible and made it work for all of us (special room reservations, etc.). The tours were all high-quality- we really couldnt pick one that was better than the rest. The hotels were also all just right for our group - very good quality and in the "quiet areas" as we wanted. Chris highly recommended the island-hopping private boat tour, and we all agreed that was a highlight of Greece. All in all, we love dour experience with Chris and with KimKim!

Book your trip with Emanuela right now. She listened carefully to what I wanted and gave us the perfect trip. Iceland was amazing and all of the excursions were perfect for myself, sister and 82 year old mother. After a trip to the Blue Lagoon, we went on a Northern Lights trip in a Super Jeep with Thomas and lucked out by seeing a beautiful show just as we were returning to Reykjavik. The next day we did the Golden Circle with our guide Gretar and loved the geyser and waterfall. Lunch at the Tomato Greenhouse is a must - try the tomato IPA. The next two days were spent on the Southern Coast tour. This was a bigger group, but not too big. Our guide Christina did all she could to make our trip exceptional. The icebergs, canyons and waterfalls were amazing. I cannot recommend Kimkim or Iceland enough!

Hotel Review

Hotel Klettur

Reykjavík

The hotel Klettur was exactly what we wanted - nothing too fancy, but really nice. I took off one star because our shower didn't work on the first morning we needed it. The breakfasts were really good. The staff was helpful and nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was easy to walk anywhere.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights & Stargazing

Reykjavík

Thomas took us everywhere he could to try to find us the lights. As we drove back into Reykjavik, we finally spotted them. Thomas extended the tour so we could see the incredible show. Thanks Thomas!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

2 Day South Coast tour on small group tour - Day 1

Iceland

Our guide Christina worked tirelessly to make our trip just perfect. The sights were breathtaking.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Such a great trip! Cathy did an amazing job. We had no worries about traveling throughout the country. Our accommodations were fabulous, especially the Clontarf Castle hotel. All of our tours were so much fun, and we learned so much about the beautiful country and its amazing history. We especially enjoyed our private tour of Cork with Maurice.

Liz Karen was fantastic and thorough in planning out my itinerary, and all the guides and drivers were wonderful! They were reliable and helped me with every stage of my trip. Peru is truly beautiful and I loved my time in Cusco and Machu Picchu! I enjoyed seeing Pisac and Ollantaytambo -- the views and the history! I felt the altitude and breathlessness, so I highly recommend hiking preparation for all the steps, drinking lots of filtered water and coca tea, and taking altitude meds. I didn't have much time to acclimate so those helped. Javier was my guide for my circuit at Machu Picchu and provided a lot of interesting info about Incan culture. If you plan to hike Huayna Picchu, I suggest taking the 8 am slot because I took the 10 am slot and it was hotter and I got dehydrated from the intense climb. The guards also close the HP trail at 1 pm so you'll have more time to summit and not feel rushed if you take the first entrance. Pablo was our terrific guide at Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain and helped us with nose spray and trekking poles to adjust to the altitude. It was worth the views! I would've needed more time to acclimate so I'm glad I chose Palccoyo and not Vinicunca (but I'd love to visit there as well). Lastly, driver Dionicio was fantastic and took me around Cusco to the Inca Museum, Cristo Blanco, and an alpaca textile shop, as well as a restaurant where they served cuy and had a great view of the city. The hotel staff at Tika Wasi were very helpful and friendly and assisted me with ordering food delivery when I was tired after my day tours. Watch out for unauthorized taxi drivers at Lima Airport and only use the free shuttle to the hotel! From start to finish, Peru was magnificent and I'd love to return! Thank you to kimkim and Andean Travel for a great experience!