Kimkim Trip Reviews

The country is fantastic
The driver was superb
He was intelligent and drove carefully

He was very helpful
And knowledgeable and enjoyable to be with
He was a real asset and made the trip even better
Richard Bassin MD
Jean Bassin

Our guide Giulia was very attentive. Monitored train schedules and provided alternative routes. Drivers for more complex routes were excellent. Driving is Rome is especially challenging, so always use a driver of taxi service. Travel in Italy is stress free with Giulia.

This was our first experience working with Kim Kim. We are usually 'do-it-yourselfers' kind of planners and actually enjoy that part of it. But, wanted to give this a try as we really wanted to experience our first visit to Croatia with an eye to 'local' favorites. Sara exceeded all our expectations. We felt like we had an angel on our shoulders (and whispering in our ears) the entire time. Not only did she identify a nice blend of places to visit - from heavily visited to off-the-beaten-path, we really felt like the trip was curated for our own unique interests. The service was over-the-top comfortable, which took so much stress out of things like hotel bookings, transport and timelines. Sara had it all mapped out. Another big highlight were the local guides along the way. Each were so wonderful and informative. I do want to give a BIG shout out to our favorite guide, in Zagreb: Josipa (Jo). She is knowledgeable, passionate, funny and filled with SO much information that she connected locally, globally and personally with stories, legends and humor. Fantastic!

Hotel Reviews

Amadria Park Hotel Capital

Zagreb

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Adriatic

Rovinj

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bastion Heritage Hotel—Relais & Châteaux

Zadar

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Piazza Heritage Hotel

Split

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heritage Villa Nobile

Dubrovnik

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

House Flora

Rastovača

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Walking Tour of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Konavle Region Culinary Experience (small group)

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Split

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hvar Day Trip from Split

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Zagreb

Zagreb

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Plitvice Lakes National Park

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had a great experience overall.
The Tupana Lodge in Amazonas was terrific - wonderful activities and outstanding guides and staff.
The guide arranged for me in Salvador - Felipe Leal - was fantastic: informed, smart, friendly, thoughtful.
Camille did an incredible job planning and organizing and curating the trip that I has hoping for.
Just an excellent adventure all around.
Thank you to all involved!
Warmly,
Phillip Walzak

Kim Kim is a trusted outfitter that we have used a number of times for our trips in Europe. We use them mostly for our transfers and they have reliably moved us from point A ro point B on planes, trains, and ferrys. Our specialist Chris was also very helpful in choosing some outings along the way, although the main point of emphasis for us has always and will always be our transfers. Again, a trusted partner in European travel!

It was fine, but one of the lodging selections was terrible. The Desert Camp did not have consistent power, showers or align with our dietary needs. The team was flexible to change another trip element on the fly. The local guides for tours were informative and friendly. Our driver Hicham was especially wonderful.

The trip overall was very great! We had a rough start, not being able to check in early was not ideal would want to look at different options if we travel again and arrive early would want to get into a room and then with first tour being canceled and the rebooked on a different tour and then could not find that tour, eventually we did find them half way thru . All he other tours were good but I would say the Cheese Experience and Syrup Walffle factory are more tours for families with kids to enjoy! Zaanse Schans was great as well as Kimderdijk and our private tours in Delft and Antwerp were great also in Haage the Mauritshuis was very good but If there is captions in English we would not need the audio for those tours, overall a very great experience of a trip loved having the app was very helpful with the links with the maps I will definitely use Kimkim in the future thank you Matilde

Hotel Review

Hotel Mai Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the train station and easy to see sights

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Zaanse Schans Small-Group Half-Day Tour from Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Antwerp!

Antwerp

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Delft!

Delft

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Antwerp Private Historical Tour

Antwerp

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Rotterdam!

Rotterdam

Private walking tour of Delft & Highlights of the City

Delft

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

M

Transport

An unforgettable French adventure thanks in large part to Caroline's efforts in setting up all our transfers, train trips and tours. We started in Paris where we visited many of the iconic sites... Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Versailles ,Le Louvre and many more. A quick side trip to Strasbourg where I met my wife (Pam) over 50 years ago! Afterwards we took the TGV train to Nice... thanks to Caroline for setting up the Acces Plus since Pam is in a wheelchair. The service is invaluable for people with mobility issues or disabilities. We were met by Gilles Bertrand our chauffer/guide in Nice... one of the best tour guides we've ever had anywhere in the world! After Nice we travelled to Aix-en-Provence and spent several days there visiting the quaint towns. Another comfortable train ride from Marseille to Bordeaux where we spent 3 days sightseeing and visiting several chateaus in Medoc and St. Julien. The last leg was a comfortable train ride back to Paris. A trip of a lifetime.

Activity Reviews

Louvre Museum in Paris: entrance tickets & audioguides

Paris

Skip the line Eiffel Tower Tickets - 2nd floor with audioguide

Paris

Versailles in Comfort: Palace & Gardens by Golf Cart

Paris

Riviera Gems: Èze, Monaco, Monte-Carlo & Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

Nice

Full Day Exploration of Antibes, St-Paul-de-Vence and Cannes

Nice

Luberon Markets & Villages Day Trip

Aix-en-Provence

Le Pont du Gard & Avignon with a private driver from Aix en Provence

Aix-en-Provence

Seine River Gourmet Dinner Cruise - Privilege Service 6:15 pm

Paris

This is hard to write succinctly but I will try, Kimkim is great. I highly recommend working with them. Our local specialist Anita and team did a stellar job connecting us with local guides and smaller tours. Our stand out tour guide was Nuno from Get Lost Go Local. We could have talked to him all day. Nuno has a way of making you feel like a friend and really listens to understand and shares from the heart. We didn't have a single bad guide and so appreciate that they all shared their lived experiences.

Now for Anita, what a star, I feel like we asked so many questions had changes here and there and she was so helpful every step of the way. My sister recommended connecting with Kimkim and I am so glad she did.

Thanks so much!

The pre trip calls were unorganized and although we were requested to answer questions of most wanted to see the entire list of options was reviewed. More communication could have been completed via messages prior to travel.

The Sake tasting was disappointing. The tasting was in a small gift store/eatery. There was no real description on how sake was made and only a very quick description of what the color dots meant when given our 30 min (with a timer) to self serve for tasting. Taking us to a place that was a sit down and the host served you while giving a description of the process and what/why we should take or smell the certain aroma base on processing or area of the country it was made.

During the trip there we to many forms of communication and groups made. Karen touched on this during the trip, messages would get lost. Maybe make a WhatsAPP group for each day or tour guide - there would be information about Hiroshima in the HIroshima group but the tickets were sent to the main Karen group. Then you couldn't remember where everything was.

If Google maps is the recommended way to get around as it was then please automatically include a pin for the location.

We were very descriptive on the amount of luggage we would be carrying. We each had a roll carry on and one soft shell carry on. The driver to Mt Fuji was very surprised by this. He was very kind and informative

When scheduling tours please take better consideration of you group traveling and the distance between stops. For Tokyo and Kyoto I feel as these city's could have been better grouped to see things in closer proximity to each other vs trekking back and forth across the city.

10-22-26 A better understanding of the hotel and what we paid for. Breakfast was included. We felt rushed to complete breakfast and not miss/delay the driver. Meals at this location took 45-60 minutes.

Arriving in Nara - I was surprised the temple tickets were not included in out tour.

The cooking class with Majical tours was a flop. The host appears flustered and as if he had not done this prior. Items that were needed were not on location. The recipe for octopus balls was entirely too salty to eat.

The driver to the airport was falling asleep driving. This gave me very high anxiety and was very unsafe.

Hotel Reviews

Almont Hotel Nippori

Tokyo

Friendly, great location, and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Hoshi no Akari

Hakone

Staff was great and friendly. Enjoyed the traditional room. The bathroom was not clean, recommend removing the carpet from the toilet area to remove some of the urine smell.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fujisan Onsen Bessho SASA

Fujiyoshida

This place is absolutely amazing. Wish we had more time to spend here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo

Kyoto

Location was the best feature. The rooms are outdated and dingy. We left without paying for our laundry service (yes our fault) and it was hard to communicate to get this paid for. A hotel this large and upto date technologically a payment link is recommended to send invoices to customers vs having to give the credit card number over the phone. With a language barrier many it removes the concerns and reduces risks of fraud.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

update rooms, dingy feel

Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu

Osaka

A little far from the station to jump on the bullet train but shopping was right next door!! Enjoyed the bar area and room was very clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Watch Morning Practice at a Sumo Stable (Small Group Tour)

Tokyo

Wished it was an actual event vs training session but still loved it. Would have been great to get pictures with wrestlers at the end

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking. we struggled to find meeting place

PRIVATE Kimono Tea Ceremony Gion Kiyomizu – at the Registered Cultural Property

Kyoto

This is a MUST do. I was expecting a little longer ceremony but that was my own preconceived notion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taxi

Best of Mt. Fuji Private Tour: Highlights & Hidden Gems (English)

Japan

I don't have enough great things to say about Lewis!!. His knowledge of the area, culture, and honestly all things was enjoyable. His waterfall surprise was a highlight for the waterfall chaser I am. Lunch was fantastic. Having an actual local give this tour was such a delight.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Cooking Class and Sake Tasting with Local Supermarket Visit

Osaka

This was very disorganized and being in a group with ladies that can and do cook often I was expected more of professional CHEF demonstration.

Quality of Experience

Food

to much salt

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taxi

Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide

Tokyo

Our guide did great. He is so very kind and patient.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo to Hakone Transfer: Mt. Fuji and Hakone Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Driver

Japan

The guide was great once we got him talking!! Had lots of fun events lined up for us around Mt. Fuji.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Relax in Your Private Onsen and Savor the Dinner at the Hotel

Fujikawaguchiko

This place is heaven. The staff was kind and welcoming. The gardens - you need a half day to explore and soak up the amount of peacefulness that is around you. The beauty. The foot soak. I would return 100% and having the private onsen was delightful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Hotel Reviews

Tokyo Dome Hotel

Tokyo

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

Authenticity & Character

Accommodating to all visitors

Location

Lots around it so made a lot within walking distance

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well maintained hotel

SAKURA TERRACE THE GALLERY

Kyoto

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

Authenticity & Character

Felt a part of the area; loved the onsen

Location

Close to train station and two malls

Staff

Super friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amenities like onsen, bar area, and gym are great

Hotel Hankyu RESPIRE OSAKA

Osaka

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

Authenticity & Character

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

Location

By trains

Staff

Very helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Excellent common areas and room

Activity Reviews

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

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Liked it was a group tour

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was super knowledgeable

Transport

Meiji Jingu Cultural Walk with Tsukiji Market

Tokyo

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Transport

Helpful to learn the transportation with guide there

Mount Fuji Day Trip: Adventure around Lake Kawaguchiko

Tokyo

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent

Transport

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

Japan

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

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

Quality of Experience

Fantastic

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Nara City Tour, Overnight in Osaka

Japan

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

Quality of Experience

lol

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great driver and comfortable ride

Transport

Excellent

A Wonderful Paris Experience with KimKim Travel – Liz and Her Team Had Our Back!

KimKim Travel really shone from the very beginning of planning our visit to Paris. Liz was incredibly helpful and patient as we worked together to create an itinerary that reflected our interests, preferences, and travel style.

I had some very specific requests: transportation from the airport to our hotel; a hotel in Paris with a kitchen; days with little or no scheduled activity after full-day excursions; a hotel near Disneyland Paris; and transportation to the airport for our flight to Venice.

After much back-and-forth, we finally agreed on an itinerary. A few months later, my travel partner reviewed the plans and had some additional questions. Liz patiently scheduled a call with us, and we spent nearly an hour rearranging activities and clarifying transportation details—including when we would have door-to-door transfers and when we would use the Metro, Uber, or taxis.

A few days later, Liz sent us a video walking us through the entire itinerary in detail, complete with suggestions and helpful hints to make our trip as enjoyable as possible. That level of attention and support was outstanding.

And the outcome? A fantastic Paris adventure!

Our Paris Highlights

Arrival in Paris - KimKim arranged a private transfer from Charles de Gaulle Airport to our Citadines Bastille Marais hotel. That went flawlessly. Importantly, Liz respected our request to keep arrival day unscheduled. After a long flight from Los Angeles, we were grateful for the opportunity to settle in and relax.

A Gourmet Introduction to Paris

Our first activity was A Gourmet Voyage Through Paris: Lunch Experience on a Double-Decker Bus. It was a wonderful introduction to Paris's highlights while we enjoyed a delicious gourmet lunch. We even had our first up-close experience with the Arc de Triomphe!

Remembering D-Day in Normandy

KimKim arranged a full-day excursion from Paris to Normandy, visiting several significant D-Day sites. There was plenty of walking, but the experience was deeply meaningful and memorable.

Liz and her team absolutely hit it out of the ballpark with what was scheduled for us the following day. Knowing we didn't want another activity after our long day in Normandy, they arranged an early-evening Seine River gourmet dinner cruise. Wow.

We had premium seats, which I am certain didn't happen by accident! As we cruised along the Seine, we enjoyed fabulous food, a breathtaking sunset, and the beauty of Paris as it transitioned into night.

We also shared a photograph of ourselves with the KimKim team. They were genuinely interested in hearing about our experiences, and their enthusiastic responses made us feel as though we were sharing our journey with friends.

The Opéra Garnier

Our private exploration of the Opéra Garnier was another highlight. Our kind, patient, and handsome guide escorted us through the highlights of this magnificent historic building during a fascinating 90-minute tour. As we requested, we left the rest of the day unplanned so we could explore on our own.

Giverny and the Palace of Versailles

KimKim arranged our Giverny & Palace of Versailles: Art, Royalty & Gardens excursion.
This was a delightful surprise. I had visited Versailles in 2000, but I had never explored the gardens. The extensive gardens were absolutely amazing, and I actually enjoyed them more than the crowded Palace itself.

Our guide also took us to Marie-Antoinette's estate, specifically the Queen's Hamlet. That experience was, well, mind-blowingly fascinating. Such wealth!

A great excursion, for sure.

Père Lachaise Cemetery

Our two-hour private walk through Père Lachaise Cemetery was splendid.

This cemetery was one of my most memorable experiences during my 2000 trip to Paris, and returning did not disappoint. Our guide, Audrey, was delightful. We felt as though we had known her for years.

The Louvre

KimKim also arranged a private two-and-a-half-hour tour of the Louvre. This was one experience that didn't quite meet our expectations—not through any fault of KimKim. I had naively expected a general overview of the ENTIRE museum, not realizing it takes much more than two hours to cover it. So, a well-informed guide escorted us through one particular era within the museum and shared lots of historical details about the paintings.

It wasn't quite what we had envisioned. We made the best of it and were certainly impressed by the knowledge shared and the artwork we visited.

Disneyland Paris

Kim Kim arranged a private transfer from our Paris hotel to the Disneyland Paris Cheyenne Hotel. That went flawlessly.

However, we did encounter some accessibility challenges at the hotel. No porters and no luggage carts. As seniors, we were surprised to find no stairs providing access to the second floor. We also had to carry our luggage a considerable distance to reach our reassigned ground-floor room.

We shared our concerns and photographs with the KimKim team, and they were genuinely grateful for the information. It was clear that they wanted to learn from our experience to better serve future travelers - especially seniors.

Aside from the hotel accommodation issues, our visit to Disneyland Paris was splendid!

The KimKim Difference

Overall, we felt as though we were working with friends who were cheering us on throughout our journey.

We were even inspired to send Liz and her team photographs of ourselves enjoying the sights along the way. Their enthusiastic responses made the experience feel personal, and we appreciated knowing that they were genuinely interested in how our trip was unfolding.

This was my second trip planned with Kim Kim—the first was a five-day visit to Australia—and I remain impressed by the level of support they provide, especially while you are actually traveling.

Liz and her team were there for us when we had questions, when misunderstandings arose, and when we simply wanted to share the fun of our adventures.

Travel planning is one thing. Having a team that genuinely cares about your experience is something else entirely.

Thank you, Liz, and the entire Kim Kim team, for helping make our Paris adventure so memorable. I would absolutely recommend Kim Kim Travel to anyone looking for a thoughtfully planned, personalized trip with outstanding support along the way.

Hotel Reviews

Disney's Hotel Cheyenne

Coupvray

We did encounter some accessibility challenges at the hotel. As seniors, we were surprised to find no stairs providing access to the second floor. We also had to carry our luggage a considerable distance to reach our reassigned ground-floor room. Additionally, our room was cold and we were unable to get heat.

Authenticity & Character

It is decorated after the famed Disneyland Movie Toy Story

Location

The bus shuttle ride to and from Disneyland Paris was really handy - and never long waits between rides.

Cleanliness & Comfort

A wonderful gentleman gave us until 1:00 to check out instead of 11:00. That was so incredibly helpful for us as we prepared to travel to Venice.

Novotel Suites Paris CDG Airport

Roissy-en-France

A basic hotel. Clean, comfortable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Citadines Bastille Marais Paris

Paris

It was a bit farther from Paris's highlights than we expected, but it met our needs and was comfortable. Having a full kitchen is a real bonus. Judging by the amount of activity, this is a popular stay for travelers. We wished the hotel staff were a bit more accommodating in servicing our room. It was clear that it had to be done on THEIR schedule, not ours. So, subsequently, for two consecutive days, the room was not attended. We were provided ice, towels, and trash removal, which were promptly provided.

Activity Reviews

Graves & Greats: Père Lachaise Private Walk

Paris

Our two-hour private walk through Père Lachaise Cemetery was splendid. This cemetery was one of my most memorable experiences during my 2000 trip to Paris, and returning did not disappoint. Our guide, Audrey, was delightful. We felt as though we had known her for years. As a photographer and lover of old cemeteries, I found that the two hours flew by as we visited amazing graves, including Jim Morrison, Orson Welles, and Chopin. The cemetery is HUGE; no one can see the entire cemetery in two hours. But the two hours we visited were plenty to fill our cameras with delightful old graves.

Paris to Normandy: Remembering D-Day

Paris

Wonderful recap of the historic D-Day. Felt the tour was complete in the historic recount and sites of D-Day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Giverny & Palace of Versailles: Art, Royalty & Gardens

Paris

KimKim arranged our Giverny & Palace of Versailles: Art, Royalty & Gardens excursion. This was a delightful surprise. I had visited Versailles in 2000, but I had never explored the gardens. The extensive gardens were absolutely amazing, and I actually enjoyed them more than the crowded Palace itself. Our guide also took us to Marie-Antoinette's estate, specifically the Queen's Hamlet. That experience was, well, mind-blowingly fascinating. Such wealth! A great visit, for sure.

Private Louvre Museum Visit

Paris

This was one experience that didn't quite meet our expectations—not through any fault of KimKim. I naively expected a general overview of the ENTIRE museum, not realizing it takes much more than two hours to cover it. So, a well-informed guide escorted us through one particular era within the museum and shared lots of historical details about the paintings. It wasn't quite what we had envisioned. We made the best of it and were certainly impressed by the knowledge shared and the artwork we visited.

A Gourmet Voyage Through Paris: Lunch Experience on a Double-Decker Bus

Paris

It was a wonderful introduction to Paris's highlights, paired with a delicious fine-dining lunch. There is no narration. Just dining and enjoying the sights.

Early Seine River Gourmet Dinner Cruise

Paris

One highlight of our visit. As we cruised along the Seine, we enjoyed fabulous food, a breathtaking sunset, and the beauty of Paris as it transitioned into night.

Private Exploration of the Opera Garnier

Paris

The Opera Garnier is an incredibly beautiful historical site. How can one not be awed and inspired by its beauty? We had a private tour lasting 90 minutes, which seemed ample time to see the Opera Garnier gems.

We had an amazing trip to Japan! We visited Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Our guides Eric, Eiichi and Hiroshi were all knowledgeable, passionate, and highly accommodating to all of our needs. The sites we saw, activities we did, and food we ate, were all fantastic....it's hard to pick out the highlights.

The best part of working with kimkim was our specialist, Ben. If we could give him 6 stars, we would. Ben started with a great itinerary, gracefully answered our many, many questions and changes, and was incredibly responsive. We'd never been to Japan before, so we had tons of questions and details we wanted to understand. Ben answered them quickly, and thoroughly. We felt very assured prior to, and during our trip, that everything was covered, and we were hitting all the highlights we were most interested in. We can’t say enough good things about Ben. He was fantastic to work with.

We will definitely use kimkim again, and when we do, we’ll ask for Ben.

Our trip to Bhutan was one of our best ever. From exploring Bhutan’s Buddhist culture to challenging hikes and exploring stunning scenery, the trip was amazing from start to finish. Vishal organized every aspect of the trip, including exceptional hotels with kind staff throughout. We also really enjoyed our guides, Jimmy and Jumple, who went to great lengths to meet our every need. Seeing Everest on a clear day on our flight home was very special. We would work with Vishal and his team again in a heartbeat. Thank for a great adventure!

Overall
This was our first time working directly with a travel agent to arrange a personal trip, and it worked quite well. We really appreciated not having to make all of the arrangements ourselves without any personal knowledge of the country. Siena crafted a very nice trip for us in Greece. Communication with her and the team was good both before the trip and during it, and she took our input and preferences into account. The app provided the information we needed about the trip.

There was one hiccup regarding communicating about the Likinia Hotel in Monemvasia. In a message, information was provided on calling the hotel to get someone to help with our bags since it was some distance from where cars could go to the hotel over rough walkways. Unfortunately, that info was in a message rather than the information about the hotel itself, so we did not see it until days later. Info of that type should go into the main part of the app so that we are sure to see it. It would have saved us a fair bit of inconvenience that day.

The itinerary would have benefitted from a map showing where things are located. One of the suggested sites to visit was Mystra, which would have been a short detour from our route the first day. Not realizing that, we first drove to our hotel, then discovered that Mystra was over an hour back along our route to the hotel.

One minor usability suggestion for the app is that it would make sense to have it open at the current day rather than always opening at the beginning of the trip.

Shuttles
We appreciated having transportation already arranged, especially to pick us up from the Athens airport since we were very tired. It felt a bit odd to have just the two of us in a mini-bus, though.

The only slight hiccup came when on our ride to the airport. Because of a road closure for construction near our hotel, it was more difficult to reach. We messaged the company about the road closure, and they acknowledged it. Unfortunately, this information didn’t make it to the driver, so it took him an extra 15 minutes to reach us.

Hotels
All of the hotels were excellent, and we enjoyed staying at each of them. We would return to all of them.

Tours
We enjoyed all of the tours that were arranged for us, and the guides and drivers were all professional and prompt. I would recommend all of them, though I’m not sure I have their names except Hercules was our guide for the hike to the monastery.

Our visit to Liotrivi Mansion was, overall, very nice. We appreciated learning about the harvesting of olives and the making of olive oil. The pairing of their wines with individual small snacks added to the experience. The lunch was also quite nice. However, while the olive oil tasting sounded like something fun to do, I don’t think it is something we would do again. The Greeks might be that into olive oil, but I doubt most others are!

The hike to the Avgou Monastery was, perhaps, not adequately described. The scenery during the hike and, especially, from the Monastery were wonderful. However, the hike was more than one of us could handle due to a sore knee developed from climbing around Monemvasia and Mystra, so only one of us made it to the Monastery. While the hike was described as “invigorating” and the tour is listed as lasting 8.5 hours, it didn’t say the distance (8 miles or so) or the elevation gain/loss (maybe 1200 feet). I think both of us could have made the trip were it not for the sore knee, but having that information about the hike ahead of time would have helped us make a judgement on how suitable it was.

Visiting the Acropolis was a must-do for us during our visit to Athens. However, the crowds there made it less enchanting than it would be otherwise. I don’t know if there’s anything that can be done to have it be less crowded (e.g. different time to visit), though we understand it is probably the most-visited thing in all of Greece. It might have been a bit of a help to have a guide for just the two of us rather than being a part of a group since there would be fewer troubles in keeping the group together and ensuring everyone can hear. On the other hand, we did enjoy talking to the others on the tour, so there are some nice social aspects to being part of the group.

Ben was exceptional every step of the way. Communication before, during, and after the trip has amazing. He was available for the family every day and made adjustments as needed. Not to mention planning a dream itinerary for a family of 5. I highly recommend him and will definately book with him again. Thank you Ben!!

An Unforgettable Trip to Thailand & Vietnam! 🇹🇭🇻🇳✈️
Destinations: Phuket & Bangkok, Thailand | Da Nang & Hoi An, Vietnam
First, we want to give a HUGE thank you to Minah and Kimkim for helping us create such an incredible vacation experience!
I am normally the person who plans all of our vacations, but this trip was different. There were so many things I wanted us to experience, multiple destinations, and several flights to coordinate. Quite frankly, I just didn't have the time to map everything out myself.
During my research, I came across Kimkim. Of course, I did my homework and dug a little deeper to make sure the company was legitimate. Even though everything checked out, I was still a little skeptical. But I decided to take a leap of faith, and I am SO glad I did!
Minah Was Absolutely Wonderful! ❤️
Now, let me tell you… I asked a MILLION questions! 😂 And because I was still a little skeptical in the beginning, those questions often led to even MORE questions.
Through it all, Minah was patient, responsive, professional, and always willing to provide answers.
I gave her our budget along with a list of experiences that were important to us. She returned with several options, thoughtful recommendations, and suggestions that made our trip even better.
One recommendation in particular really stood out. I had selected a place I wanted to visit, but Minah suggested another location that offered a similar experience in what she felt was a much better setting. Thankfully, I trusted her judgment because the original location I selected actually closed before our trip! And let me tell you, the place she recommended was absolutely GORGEOUS!
She also suggested additional experiences that weren't originally on our list, including a fishing village excursion in Vietnam.
OH MY GOODNESS! That experience was AMAZING! 😍
From the cultural experience to the incredible food, it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. And I'm going to say something that might surprise a few people…
The food we enjoyed during that excursion was even better than some of the Michelin-starred restaurants we visited! 🤯🍽️
And trust me, those Michelin-starred restaurants were TOP TIER! That should tell you just how incredible the food was!
Our Tour Guides & Transportation 🌏
Throughout our trip, we experienced a combination of private tours and small-group excursions.
Our private guides and drivers were consistently punctual, friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. The transportation was beautiful, comfortable, and well maintained, which made traveling between destinations even more enjoyable.
We also want to recognize our wonderful tour guides:
🇹🇭 Phuket, Thailand: Pupae
🇹🇭 Bangkok, Thailand: Gifty
🇻🇳 Da Nang, Vietnam: Nu
Each of them helped make our experiences memorable, and we truly appreciated their hospitality and knowledge.
Another thing I loved was knowing that help was always available. If I had questions or needed assistance during our travels, I could reach out to Minah or the local contacts provided, and someone would respond quickly.
That level of communication and support gave us peace of mind while traveling internationally.
A Few Things Worth Mentioning for Future Travelers
Although we had an AMAZING experience overall, I do want to share a few things that could have been handled differently. My intention isn't to take away from how wonderful our trip was, but rather to provide constructive feedback that may help improve the experience for future travelers.
1. Phi Phi Islands Small-Group Excursion
We booked what was described as a small-group excursion to the Phi Phi Islands. However, when we arrived, there appeared to be approximately 40–50 people on the catamaran.
Personally, I would not consider that a small group.
When I reached out afterward, I believe I was told the group should have been closer to 30–35 people. Even that number seems fairly large for something advertised as a small-group experience.
It honestly felt as though the excursion provider was trying to fit as many people as possible onto the catamaran.
That said, we still had a GREAT time! The experience itself was wonderful. I would simply recommend that travelers clarify the maximum group size beforehand so expectations are aligned.
2. Vietnam eVisa Issues — An Expensive Lesson Learned
This was probably our biggest hiccup during the entire trip.
When we arrived at the airport in Bangkok to catch our flight to Vietnam, we were informed that there were errors on our eVisas and that we would not be allowed to board our flight.
Imagine being at the airport, ready for the next leg of your vacation, only to be told you can't go! 😩
We immediately reached out to Minah, who connected us with David. He was able to arrange emergency visas for us at a cost of $150 per person, allowing us to fly to Vietnam the following morning.

Thankfully, because our scheduled excursion was a private tour, they were able to adjust the timing to accommodate our delayed arrival. However, we still lost valuable time that we could have spent enjoying Vietnam.
We also had additional unexpected expenses, including another night at a hotel and transportation back to the airport the following morning.

Here is why I'm sharing this particular experience.
While we were at the airport, we were asked whether our travel agency had completed our eVisa applications for us. When we explained that we had completed them ourselves, we were told that travel agencies often assist with this process to help prevent errors.
We were never informed that this might be an option.

Now, I fully understand that we completed the applications ourselves, and I take responsibility for that. However, had we known assistance might be available, we certainly would have asked about it.

My recommendation to future travelers: If your trip requires a visa, ask your travel planner whether they can assist with the application or review it before submission. It could potentially save you time, money, and unnecessary stress.
I also believe this is an area where Kimkim could improve its process by proactively offering guidance or assistance with visa requirements.

3. Our Café Excursion
One of our scheduled excursions was a café day, where we planned to visit multiple beautiful locations.
Unfortunately, when the day arrived, we discovered that one of the cafés on our itinerary was closed on Mondays.

This is something that should have been verified during the planning process, especially since the excursion was scheduled in advance.
Now, here's the funny part…
The second location was SO BEAUTIFUL that we were actually happy to spend more time there! 😂❤️

We ended up not regretting missing the first café at all.
However, I do recognize that another traveler might have been extremely disappointed, especially if that particular location was something they had their heart set on visiting.
It's simply a reminder of how important it is to verify operating days and hours when building an itinerary.

I almost forgot to mention the hotel accommodations! 🏨
Since I had plenty of hotel points to use, I booked our accommodations in Bangkok myself. However, for Phuket and Vietnam, I wanted to experience local hotels, and Minah helped arrange those stays.
🌴 Phuket, Thailand – Orchidacea Resort
Beautiful, clean accommodations with friendly, helpful staff and a decent breakfast! Now, let me warn you about one thing… THE STAIRS! 😂 Be prepared to get your steps in! After the first day, we quickly learned that we could have the staff drive us up to our room, and that's exactly what we did! We still chose to walk down using the road instead of the stairs. But hey, if you love climbing stairs and getting in a good workout, this resort has you covered! 🤣 Overall, we really enjoyed our stay.
🇻🇳 Hoi An, Vietnam – Hoi An Rose Garden
We absolutely loved the location of this hotel! The staff was friendly and helpful, the breakfast was surprisingly good, and the massages were wonderful! The hotel appeared to be a bit older, and while the rooms were fairly basic, everything was clean and well-maintained.
The beds weren't quite as comfortable as we would have liked, but honestly, after our long days of exploring, we were so exhausted that it didn't affect our sleep one bit! 😂
Both hotels gave us the local experience we were hoping for, and we appreciated having accommodations that fit our preferences and travel plans.

Would We Book with Kimkim Again? ABSOLUTELY! ❤️✈️

Even with those few hiccups, we had an absolutely WONDERFUL vacation!

Traveling internationally, especially across multiple countries, comes with the possibility of unexpected challenges. What matters is how those challenges are handled and whether the overall experience delivers what you hoped for.
For us, it absolutely did!

Minah listened to what we wanted, respected our budget, offered recommendations that enhanced our experience, and remained accessible when we needed assistance.
Because of her planning and attention to detail, we were able to enjoy experiences we might not have discovered on our own.

And remember how skeptical I was in the beginning? 😂 Well, I can confidently say that I would absolutely use Kimkim again, and I would specifically request Minah!

Now that I've experienced the process firsthand, I feel much more comfortable trusting them with future travel plans.

To Minah, our amazing tour guides, drivers, and everyone who helped make this journey possible — THANK YOU! ❤️

You helped us create memories that we will cherish for years to come.

Thailand and Vietnam were everything we hoped for and so much more!

Would we do it all over again? In a heartbeat! 🇹🇭🇻🇳❤️

Thank you, Minah and Kimkim, for an unforgettable adventure!

Hotel Reviews

Orchidacea Resort

Phuket

Beautiful, clean accommodations with very friendly, helpful staff and a decent breakfast! Great location! Now, let me warn you about one thing… THE STAIRS! 😂 Be prepared to get your steps in! After the first day, we quickly learned that we could have the staff drive us up to our room, and that's exactly what we did! We still chose to walk down using the road instead of the stairs. But hey, if you love climbing stairs and getting in a good workout, this resort has you covered! 🤣 Overall, we really enjoyed our stay.

Authenticity & Character

It gave me the local vibe I was looking for.

Location

Staff

Very friendly and always helpful and available.

Cleanliness & Comfort

They were cleaning the facility constantly and our rooms daily or as needed.

Hoi An Rose Garden Hotel

Hoi An

We absolutely loved the location of this hotel! The staff was friendly and helpful, the breakfast was surprisingly good, and the massages were wonderful! The hotel appeared to be a bit older, and while the rooms were fairly basic, everything was clean and well-maintained. The beds weren't quite as comfortable as we would have liked, but honestly, after our long days of exploring, we were so exhausted that it didn't affect our sleep one bit! 😂

Authenticity & Character

It provided the character of Hoi An.

Location

We love the location! We could walk to restaurants, cafes, and stores. It provided the local experience we were looking for!!

Staff

Very helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Its an older hotel, but it was clean.

Activity Reviews

Phuket Giant Water Lilies & Temple Tour

Phuket

Amazing atmosphere, food, and staff. Our pictures came out great! We have received so many compliments.

Quality of Experience

Food

The mango-coco smoothies were unforgettable and the food we ordered was delicious.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pupae was an excellent tour guide. She was very knowledgeable. Our guide and driver were both friendly and accommodating. I would want Pupae again if/when I come back.

Transport

Beautiful and clean.

Explore Phi Phi, Khai Island by Speed Catamaran

Phuket

I only gave it a 4 because I wish it was less people. There were 40-50 people on our catamaran.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The transport to the facility was great. The catamaran was too full and the seats were too close.

Phuket Elephant Sanctuary

Phuket

We visited an elephant sanctuary, and what an incredible experience! You could really see the pride they take in caring for these beautiful animals and focusing on their health and healing. We started with a little education about how the elephants came to the sanctuary, their backgrounds, and how they're cared for. Then it was time to get involved in their daily routines! Each elephant has its own handler, and the bond between them is something special. Since they're together pretty much all day, every day, the elephants recognize, trust, and respond to their handlers. ❤️ Now, what did WE get to do? 🐘 Fed them watermelon, sugar cane, and a special elephant food mixture (don't ask me what it's called because I have NO idea! 😂). 🐘 Gave them a MUD BATH! Yes, we got down and dirty! 🤣 🐘 Finished things off by washing them up! Being up close and personal with these gentle giants was definitely an experience to remember! ❤️ Next up… COOKING CLASS! 👩🏽‍🍳🍜 After getting cleaned up, it was time to put our cooking skills to the test! We learned how to make our own Pad Thai! Now, let me just say… I'm glad they ALSO provided a delicious lunch with Pad Thai and plenty of other amazing dishes because MY Pad Thai didn't quite turn out the way it was supposed to! 🤣🤣 Hey, you win some, you lose some! At least I tried! 😂

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Floating Market and Temple Tour

Bangkok

Great experience. It was interesting to see how many vendors have stores at the floating market. Although I gave it a 5 my only concern was when we said we didn't want anything from a particular vendor our boat driver would sometimes still stop, not at our request, so they could try and talk us into buying. We did buy a few things but not from those where they purposely stopped. One vendor said she was the sister of they guy driving our boat. Now, if he told us ahead of time his sister was a vendor we probably would have waited and bought some things from her, why not support his family. However we already bought some items and were done by the time we reached her area. The Train Market and temple tour were also great. We visited during a festival and was able to experience the food vendors and dancing. The restaurant was a great choice. We would go back and eat there again.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Romantic Dinner on the Manohra River Cruise!

Bangkok

Beautiful cruise, awesome food, friendly staff, nice views! It wasn't crowded which made it more romantic. It was worth the money.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Countryside & Café Experience (B)

Bangkok

Beautiful location, great food, relaxing environment. Even with all the visitors that came in for photos I still felt calmness and was able to admire the beauty. I didn't feel rushed and the staff was very attentive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Fishing Villages & Hoi An Tour

Hoi An

OH MY GOODNESS! That experience was AMAZING! 😍 From the cultural experience to the incredible food, it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. And I'm going to say something that might surprise a few people… The food we enjoyed during that excursion was even better than some of the Michelin-starred restaurants we visited! 🤯🍽️ And trust me, those Michelin-starred restaurants were TOP TIER! That should tell you just how incredible the food was! More than expected!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ba Na Hills Tour from Hoi An

Hoi An

It was everything we expected and more. It rained during our visit, but for us it added to our experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring the Ancient Ayutthaya

Thailand

Great experience. My husband loves history and ancient architecture so this was the perfect for him.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimkim and our local specialist, Bella, made our trip to Japan an unforgettable experience. Every arrangement went smoothly, and Bella was able to create an itinerary that fully met our needs. Our local guides got us off to a good start in Tokyo and Kyoto, enabling us to navigate public transportation for our own adventures. Bella was available to us for any questions throughout the trip. This is our second Kimkim trip and we are sold on their service!

Hotel Reviews

Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel Tokyo / Ginza

Luxury experience with excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located in Tokyo

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kayotei Ryokan

This is Japanese hospitality at its finest. Tomo was our gracious hostess. Beautiful setting and gorgeous appointments within the ryokan.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Yamanaka is a walkable small town with artists and a local lacquerware factory that is very interesting. The nearby gorge is stunning.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui garden Hotel Kyoto Station

Kyoyo

Lovely hotel with gracious staff and a delicious breakfast. The room was small, but completely adequate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day tour by public transport in Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Nishiki Market , Artisan Experience and Gion

Kyoto

We thoroughly enjoyed our guide, who was personable and very responsive to our needs for the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Gardens, Philosopher’s Path & Tea Ceremony Experience (Private Guide & Public Transportation)

Kyoto

One of our favorite days, visiting the Botanical Gardens and the gorgeous scenery around the Philosopher's path, and the nearby Silver Temple.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Cultural Icons & Evening Food Experience (Private Guide & Public Transportation)

Tokyo

We enjoyed the history that our guide, Hal, shared with us. We covered both old and new parts of Tokyo.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great time in London. The people at the Georgian House Hotel were very informative. When we arrived in London, we were quite confused how to travel around the city. The representatives at the hotel were understanding and told us about the app for the city which included the underground transportation. We had no problems after that finding our way around. The breakfast was outstanding and the room was just what we expected, a lot of steps to get to your room and breakfast. The breakfast was always cooked to order.
We missed the changing of the guards because of weather, rainy and wet.
The Thames River Dinner Cruise was good but would have liked a lunch cruise because it was our first day in London and would have liked to see the city and not just the lights. The meal was excellent though.

Tea at the Savoy was wonderful. We enjoyed the atmosphere, the staff and the food.
The food tour was informative, with tasty food.
We visited the Tower of London, to see the crown jewels. Beautiful with so much history.
The Hop-on Hop-off Bus was fun. The headphones on the bus were unexpected and a joy while riding around the city.

On to Edinburgh: Let me address the hotel first of all. It was smallest room I have ever been in, No where to put your suitcase except on the floor. Then you had to pick it up and put it on the bed every time you need something. The hotel staff was very helpful and they had a lift, no stairs. No water in your room. Nice hotel but no accommodations.

Jacobite train was a long day. We spend about 4 hours on the train verses 3 hours on the bus to get to the train and 6 hours to get back to Edinburgh after the train ride. Even though the country is beautiful it was not my ideal day.
Sarah our food and drink tour guide was wonderful. Filled us with just the right meal and the drink to go with it.

We went to see the Jacksonville Jaguar play and it turned in to so much more. Loved out trip, The private transportation to and from the hotels was a wonderful thing for a new person in a strange city.

Mathias and Tom were very helpful and responsive throughout the planning process and the trip. Tom helped us getting an item lost on the train back which was above and beyond. We had a wonderful experience in a beautiful country thanks. To KimKim