Kimkim Trip Reviews

The tour itself was well organized, with many interesting sites and activities. Guatemala is a fascinating country, where everyone was extremely friendly. The hotels were very comfortable and accommodating.

The cooking class was delightful and fun. I don’t think I’ll ever have the wherewithal to recreate the delicious meal! The hike up the Takaya volcano was a good challenge and a thrill, with great views when we finally arrived at the summit. Seeing the Maya ruins at Tikal National Park was unforgettable; hard to know that an entire civilization has disappeared but left monuments only one can imagine what went on there.

The day hike to the Volcano Chicabal on the last day before we left to return to the U.S. was unrealistic, as it meant about 8-10 hours driving along with a 2-4 hour hike. If it had been a day earlier it could have worked, but once we realized the problem it couldn't be changed due to the guide’s schedule and we chose to return directly to Guatemala City.

Safety was an issue that had been mentioned. The KimKim drivers were very careful. Our representative at Outdoor Adventures, Alex, took extra precaution when he heard of a political disturbance in the country. We much appreciated this precaution.

All told, the guides were very pleasant.

The trip would have been greatly enhanced if the guides had better proficiency in English and had provided more information about the sites, the history and all the land we covered. There were times when one of our guides seemed to stray way ahead of us that left us a bit confused, if not deserted. That said, he did return but it didn't always feel like he was there for us. It would have helped if the guides paid more attention to our safety and paid more attention to where we were on the trails and among the ruins, rather than lead and not look back to where we were.

Thank you for a memorable experience in your loving Guatemala.

All best,
Judith and Barbara

We had an amazing trip and Denise was very thorough and engaged throughout our trip. We had some cancellations due to weather and Denise was very involved in figuring out a plan B. I can not say enough about the KimKim model of putting a trip together. They can customize a trip or put together a planned itinerary. We have used KimKim for a number of big trips now and can say this is, by far, the best way to efficiently organize a trip. I highly recommend them and Denise is the Bomb putting a New Zealand trip to fruition. Thank you so much for your professionalism and expertise in making our dream trips a reality!
Rhonda McCoy

Hotel Reviews

Grand Suites Lake Tekapo

Lake tekapo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Rees Hotel

Queenstown

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Awesome

The Cinema Suites

Te Anau

Authenticity & Character

Location

O

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

PRIVATE BOUTIQUE WINE TOUR

Queenstown (NZ)

Ben was an amazing driver/guide. He was knowledgeable and charming, loved this tour!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Te Anau Glow Worm Caves

Te Anau

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fiordland Pure Wilderness Jet

Te Anau

Alex was the best driver and hostess EVER!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a terrific time in New Zealand recently and it was in large part to the arrangements that Vicky at KimKim made for us. She recommended and booked hotels in both Aukland and Queenstown; activities in both cities and worked with us to help us create the adventure we wanted in New Zealand. The hotels (Hotel Britomart in Aukland and Sofitel in Queenstown) were beautiful and catered to our every need. The staffs were attentive and engaging. Vicky planned a trip that allowed us time for curated activities but also time for us to explore and experience New Zealand. The Waiheke Island gourmet wine and food tour was everything we hoped it would be. We had a terrific time with guide Grant and small group of fellow travelers. The real surprise of the trip was how enjoyable the Milford Sound tour was. The views were amazing and Katy, the tour guide did a fantastic job explaining the region, the wildlife and the sights we saw. All around -- this New Zealand trip was an experience we will never forget. We are so grateful for Vicky's care and attention throughout the process. She even spent time with us just prior to travel to go over each day and last minute considerations and suggestions.

Hotel Review

The Hotel Britomart

Auckland

Perfect in every respect. Great staff, terrific room, great restaurant and in the very heart of city by the docks. Wonderful experience!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Boutique Wine Tour

Queenstown (NZ)

Phil was a great guide. We enjoyed the day with him. We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at the vineyard -- the views and ambiance as well as the amazing charcuterie platter that the winery prepared. The tastings were all good. The final tasting at Kinross with Brian was by far the best. Brian was skilled as well as knowledgable on the wine he was sharing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Excellent lunch at the winery's bistro.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Milford Sound Scenic Tour & Cruise – Ex Queenstown

Queenstown (NZ)

Breathtaking views and scenery. Katy our guide and driver was exceptional.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Katy was excellent -- knowledgeable and safe.

Transport

Large, Comfortable Mercedes Van w/Wi-Fi and comfortable seats.

Waiheke Island - The Gourmet Food & Wine

Auckland

Exactly what we had in mind. Grant the guide was perfect for the role. The entire day flew by.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was planned with careful attention to our goals and the driver and guides that we had were excellent. Youssef was our driver from start to finish and he was not only a punctual and excellent driver, but he also made a point of checking in with us when he wasn't driving to make sure everything was going well.

Truly nothing was left to chance. It was a lot but I have all week to recover! EVERY guide was incredible! Knowledgeable, engaging, fun!! No better way to experience ALL the things ! I can’t thank them enough!!

Dear Camila

Peggy and I want to express our sincere gratitude for your hard work and professionalism on our travel arrangements. You went above and beyond to ensure our trip was smooth and stress-free. 
Your attention to detail and professionalism was evident throughout every step of the process. I’ve traveled for over 40 years for work and pleasure (about 4 million miles) and about 20 years ago I stopped using travel agents because they didn’t seem to get the details right, nor value of bookings they were offering. They didn’t seem to care about anything but finalizing the paperwork and moving on to the next booking.

Then a family member used Kimkim and I decided to contact the company. From day one you listened, asked good questions, and helped immensely with changes to the itinerary. We particularly enjoyed the Vamoos app and the fact that every local agent you coordinated with was prompt, friendly, and very caring. This allowed us to relax and fully immerse ourselves in the experience. 
I would like the contact name of a supervisor or office owner where you work so we can tell them how elated we are with you and the team of professionals that your company has assembled with what seems to be the sole purpose of making our traveling life superb. We have honestly never experienced anything like it and will tell others to reach out to Kimkim when they want an exceptional travel experience.
Best regards,
Joe Veltri
Ps. You may think we’ve overused the word “professional” but we cannot think of a better word to describe the dedication and commitment to excellence that characterizes your work.

Had a wonderful week in the Placencia area, staying at UMaya resort which is lovely. Kim Kim arranged several excursions for us and they went without a hitch. We felt so well cared for by the Kim Kim team who were watching weather and juggling options for us that best fit. Couldn’t be happier with Kim Kim as our travel agents.

We had an exceptional experience with KimKim during our trip to Morocco, which included Casablanca, Fes, Chefchaouen, and Marrakesh. From start to finish, the entire journey was thoughtfully designed, extremely well organized, and remarkably low-stress for us as travelers.

Every single day was well planned, with a perfect balance of sightseeing, cultural immersion, and downtime. The itinerary flowed smoothly, logistics were seamless, and we always felt well taken care of. It was clear that a great deal of expertise and care went into planning this trip.

A very special thank you to our guide and driver Ismail, who was outstanding. He was professional, knowledgeable, courteous, and always attentive to our needs. He made long drives comfortable, explained local history and culture with depth, and ensured we felt safe and relaxed throughout the trip.

We also want to commend all the other tour guides we met along the way. They were extremely well qualified, well educated, articulate, and highly mannered. Their passion for Moroccan history, architecture, and culture truly enhanced our experience in each city.

Overall, this was a beautifully executed trip that exceeded our expectations. If you are looking for a well-organized, culturally rich, and stress-free experience in Morocco, we highly recommend KimKim without hesitation.

Hotel Reviews

La Maison Arabe Hotel

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Faraj Suites & Spa

Fès

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Taj Chefchoaune Luxury Hotel and Spa

Chefchaoun

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel & Spa Le Doge

Casablanca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer Casablanc to Chefchaouen via Rabat

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Fes, Volubilis & Meknes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot Air Balloon Ride

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes walking guided tour : No drive

Fes

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hammam & Spa Session 5 Pm at your Riad Accommodation .

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Blue City

Chefchaouen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hammam Spa & Massage in Marrakech 3 PM Session

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Architectural Elegance: A Journey through the Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My travel agent, Jeab, set up an amazing trip to Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam over one month. I had no idea of exactly where I wanted to visit and what I wanted to see, but Jeab and I discussed my interests and the types of things I wanted to see and do.

Jeab set up an amazing month-long trip to a variety of different locations, including Singapore, Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pakbeng, Luang Prabang, Siem Reap, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City.

I toured many different Buddhist temples, took a two-day cruise down the Mekong River, took walking and floating food tours, learned how to plant and harvest sticky rice, took tours on electric bicycles and motor scooters, stayed in a 5-star resort, and generally had an exceptional trip!

I cannot emphasize enough that Jeab hit the mark with setting up flights and rides to and from airports, all of the tours, and all of the information necessary to obtain online Visas for all of the countries.

Jeab, KimKim, and Vio Travel made my trip to Southeast Asia an experience that I’ll never forget. I highly recommend their services!

Brian Grumbling
Virginia Beach, VA
USA

Hotel Reviews

L'Hôtel du LAC Hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Laluna Hotel & Resort

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Lanna Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

4 Monkeys Hotels Bangkok

Bangkok

Located in the middle of Bangkok, it was conveniently located near many tours

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

My Dream Boutique Resort

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Luang Say Lodge

Pakbeng

I had my own separate room, which was a “hut” with all the amenities

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bella Nara Phuket Naiyang Beach

PHUKET

Love the breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Odys Boutique hotel

Ho Chi Minh City

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Borei Angkor Resort & Spa

Siem Reap

This resort is amazing! I rarely stay at 5-star hotels, but this is definitely one I recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Amenities galore

Location

It’s located in the middle of town

Staff

They took great care of me from the moment that I arrived

Cleanliness & Comfort

Plush bedding

Activity Reviews

Phare Circus

Siem Reap

The Phare Circus was a unique cultural experience. It was made even better by getting the VIP treatment in that we were able to keep the aluminum water bottle as a memory of the event.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Michelin Guide Street Food by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

This was a memorable tour of Chinatown, while getting a chance to taste different foods. Make sure you’re hungry, because the food is filling.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Surin and The Moken Village

Thailand

This was an amazing visit to an island of “gypsies”. Very interesting tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

After a lot of back and forth with Amr , we got the trip we wanted and it was good. The guides were amazing : Hesham with his knowledge was very thorough in Cairo and Mohammed in Upper Egypt was very very flexible . We changed our itinerary daily to avoid the crowds ( especially on the cruise part ) and he was always accommodating and ready to suggest alternatives and we managed to have some temples ( Karnak and Abu Simbel ) almost devoid of crowds . I wouldn’t do the cruise again because all the tourists from the boats go to the sights at the same time so maybe with a car and driver you can change the timings.
The problem was at Fayoum , where the driver that took us into the desert had a very rundown 4x4 and was driving like a madman . We didn’t feel safe with his driving and thinking that the car would stop in the middle of the desert where there was no cell reception and no one in sight for miles .

We had a great experience working with Lorena and her team. Our trip was amazing. Patagonia was stunning and to have a perfect, flawless itinerary was the cherry on top. Everything was planned out for us and there was always help available for questions or concerns. Any issues were solved almost immediately. We especially loved our private guide through Torres del Paine José. He made the trip that much more special. An unforgettable time.

I had a wonderful experience and fell in love with Costa Rica!

Hotel Review

Casa del Sol

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Chef Service

Manuel Antonio

Very professional and talented chef

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Catamaran Adventure with Meal

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Villa Vanilla Spice Tour

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

El Santuario Canopy Adventure Tour

Manuel Antonio

All of the tour operators were kind and helpful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Savegre Whitewater Rafting Adventure

Manuel Antonio

We had wonderful raft captains

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loved the tour guide

-Private Chef Service-

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ocean Kayaking Adventure

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Camila was excellent: consistently responsive AND informed/connected in designing a trip to Patagonia that exceeded our expectations. In short, she listened well and curated an excellent trip based on our wants/needs. Her contacts/selection of local guides in Bariloche, Calafate, and El Chalten were excellent, especially that of Julian in El Chalten!

One piece of feedback: the booking of flight travel and transport to/from airport pick up times could have been improved. Specifically, (1) when we decided to extend our KimKim Argentine travels with a new trip to Iguazu Falls at the end of our travels from Patagonia, a new ticket should have been issued for a flight from Bariloche to Iguazu, with a stop in Buenos Aires. Instead, a second round trip ticket was added for the travel from Buenos Aires to Iguazu. This necessitated a stressful dash thru BA airport to pick up our luggage and recheck our bags to Iguazu. (2) While all drivers were excellent and always punctual, pick up times should have been better coordinated in the transports between Calafate and El Chalten, and again from El Chalten back to Calafate. Both times had 7:00 AM pickups which created slack time in El Chalten without access to hotel room (from 9-3) and at the airport in Calafate (from 9-2).

Hotel Reviews

Gran Meliá Iguazú

Iguazú National Park

This hotel is a world-class gem showcasing a piece of the breathtaking beauty of Iguazu Falls directly from its infinity pool.

Authenticity & Character

It’s worth every penny! To really experience the falls, stay a minimum of two nights.

Location

The location of the hotel with its connectivity to the trails in the park that lead directly to the falls is its key attribute. It’s also a 5 star luxury hotel that delivers on all fronts: rooms, amenities, dining, grounds and staff.

Staff

To a person, the staff is superb!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Splurge: Book a room with the view of the falls. You won’t be sorry.

Mercure Iguazu Hotel Iru

Puerto Iguazú

Exceptional linens and bed quality! Lovely setting among lush jungle plants. Excellent breakfast and sold dining in restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Lush jungle setting

Location

About a 30 minute drive to falls

Staff

Staff seemed inattentive and not particularly happy…Of all hotel staff of our 19 nights of stays in Argentina, this staff was the most UNINSPIRED.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed and linens were exceptionally comfortable/high-end

Hotel Lunajuim

El Chalten

There are not of good choices in this town so this one, which was mediocre, might have been the only option But the rooms were of poor quality, very noisy, lacking any kind of decoration. Purely functional

Authenticity & Character

Location

One night at a local bar there was a very noisy band playing very late.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Try to make the rooms look better?

Xelena Hotel & Suites

El Calafate, Santa Cruz

This is a premium hotel with air conditioning that is geared to large groups. Excellent accommodations and staff, as well as excellent restaurant for breakfast, lunch, dinner and bar. It’s not readily accessible to town, but does provide a reliable hotel bus service.

Authenticity & Character

Great views of lake!

Location

Reliable and comfortable hotel bus service into town!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Design Suites Bariloche

San Carlos de Bariloche

Hotel rooms are spacious and restaurant provides excellent breakfast and dinner! However, the location is not walkable into the city (and doesn’t have AC).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not walkable to city

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palladio Hotel Buenos Aires—MGallery

Buenos Aires

Excellent location with exceptional rooms, breakfasts and welcoming staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Brazil Falls

Argentina

While viewing the falls in their entirety from the Brazilian side was remarkable, this was the least favorite part of our travels. The time to transition thru customs between Argentina and Brazil, plus the actual travel time to/from the hotel to the falls (about 4 hrs total) , coupled with the crowds on the Brazilian side diminished the experience. The Brazilian falls felt very commercialized when contrasted to the Argentinian side and less well maintained.

Quality of Experience

See above

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was most gracious/kind/informed, but his English skills were not as solid as all other guides.

Transport

Prompt, polite driver who had a car with strong air conditioning!

Estancia Cristina Discovery Trek

El Calafate

EXCEPTIONAL! Hard to describe the contrast of landscapes and climates experienced during this trip…Often, it felt as if we were hiking between differing planets; at other times, it was as if we were in a movie setting where a dinosaur or caveman might make an appearance! Also, the packed lunch and the location for lunch: EXCELLENT ! In addition, the boat was a magnificent vessel and the captain took extraordinary care to provide multiple viewing access points to the icebergs.

Quality of Experience

This was an unusual, robust and absolutely SPECTACULAR experience. Definitely 5 star/high quality, from the design of the boat, to the national park hiking guide, to the well maintained and pristine setting. landscape.

Food

Excelente sandwiches and snacks well suited for a long hike!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Blue Safari

El Calafate

This was one of the most impactful and stunning experiences of our entire Patagonia trip! The boat trip to view the glaciers up close and to experience the floating icebergs is difficult to describe: the beauty, the clarity of the ice/waters, the contrast of sea and sky yielded innumerable pictures and memories for a lifetime. We had an exceptional guide with solid scientific grounding peppered with humor !

Tronador Hill Trekking

Bariloche

Black glacier and calving in real time were spectacular! Our guide also provided pics that showed the changing face of the glacier from various viewing points we visited. That was eye opening/sad.

Quality of Experience

This was our first viewing of a glacier. The scale and the floating icebergs were impressive! (NOTE: However, the impact of viewing Tronador would not be as impressive if a traveler has already visited Perito Moreno .

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Patricia was excellent, sharing historical context that framed what we were viewing. Also, she shared a lovely less traveled hike to a waterfall.

Transport

Panoramic Hike

Bariloche

This a great first day must do activity. It provides visual perspective to the vastness of Patagonia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nativo Experience - Lakes and Caverns

El Calafate

Good to get a cultural oversight of Patagonia

Quality of Experience

Loved the dinner in the cave and seeing/learning about the cave pics

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tango Show & Dinner at La Ventana

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Iguazu Falls Great Adventure

Puerto Iguazú

This is a MUST DO!

Quality of Experience

Great guides

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I really enjoyed all of the guides very much.
They were knowledgeable and friendly and made our tours very engaging and entertaining.
My favourite place and guide was Carcassonne (Natalie) as it felt like a lengthy conversation with great scenery 😊

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Florence Nice

Nice

Centrally located and a pillow menu!

Authenticity & Character

Focus on eco friendly solutions

Location

Not far from the sea, old town, dining

Staff

Front desk worked hard to ensure our comfort Breakfast area was very crowded, despite being there in the quiet season. Staff worked hard to keep the area clean and stocked

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel de Cambis

Avignon

Beautiful room in the centre of everything!

Authenticity & Character

Classy and comfortable

Location

On the main drag, so easy to find dining and attractions

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aragon

Carcassonne

Off season requires more direction and help than what was provided by the front desk

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the fortress

Staff

Offers to help find open places to eat during the day and for dinner. We were left to wander around

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-day excursion to Monaco, Monte-Carlo & Eze

France

So many different experiences on this tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

As a local resident he provided us with historical information as well as personal anecdotes. Very informative!

Transport

Nice Evening Food Tour

France

Every stop allowed us to sample (and purchase if we wished)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Leo was quiet but very friendly and knowledgeable

Transport

N/A foot tour

Châteauneuf du Pape wine tour

Avignon

The two wineries were so different! They both provided an interesting perspective on wine making in the region

Quality of Experience

Seeing the oldest winery was very interesting

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Emile’s family experience in the wine industry made this tour very informative

Transport

Safe comfortable travel

Guided tour of Carassonne

France

The site is incredible. I definitely recommend having a guide as there is so much to see and learn about

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Natalie was very informative and allowed us to ask questions nonstop

Transport

It was a foot tour (an N/A would have worked best here)

All of our excursions and guides were amazing. The hotels were well situated for the sites we were seeing. Having all the train tickets booked in advance was fantastic and their timings were great. The only negative on our trip was the night hotel staff at the Aragon hotel in Carcassonne. During our tour of the walled city we noticed that only a couple of stores / cafes were actually open even though the internet listed large numbers of restaurants as open. For this reason we asked the lady at the hotel reception desk if she could assist in calling some nearby restaurants to see if any were actually open for dinner. The lady declined to assist and said you’ll just need to go by yourself to see if they are open. Without phone service or transportation we couldn’t easily get to these places to see if they were actually open. This level of customer service sucks. Hotels being booked though Kim Kim should be prepared to assist travelers staying with them and have a list of open restaurants or make calls to verify if a place is actually open for dinner.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Florence Nice

Nice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel de Cambis

Avignon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aragon

Carcassonne

Hotel was clean but night desk person was not helpful. She would not assist us in calling some restaurants to see if they were actually open given it was the off season. Instead she said you’ll need to go to them to see if they are open. The internet showed all restaurants as open but in reality very few actually were. Without phone service or transportation it was not possible to just go by places to see if they were open. In all of my travels this is the only hotel that I’ve been to where they wouldn’t assist us in finding a place to eat. Poor customer service!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-day excursion to Monaco, Monte-Carlo & Eze

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nice Evening Food Tour

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Foot tour no transport needed

Châteauneuf du Pape wine tour

Avignon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided tour of Carassonne

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Was a walking tour so no transport needed

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

The itinerary that was planned for us enabled us to see three of the most interesting areas in Costa Rica - Arenal, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio. All three hotels were luxurious and we used their restaurants and pools. All four drivers taking us between the airport and the three hotels were timely and efficient. The activities were strenuous for us older folks but we saw beautiful scenery, lush rain and cloud forests and all sorts of exciting spotting of animals and birds.
Bela led our first tour of hiking up Arenal Volcano and going down to the waterfall, with just one other couple. We had a private tour with Mariano to the Hanging Bridges near Arenal. We enjoyed the coffee and chocolate tour with Randy at Don Juan. Marvin guided us through the dark at the Children's Eternal Forest and showed us many nocturnal animals and birds. We walked around the Hanging Bridges on our own at the Selvatura Park and got a tour with a group of the Sloth, Butterfly and Reptile buildings. We had a very good private tour with Ivan at Manuel Antonio and got close-up views and pictures of sloths, monkeys and all kinds of other creatures through his long Zoom lens. The catamaran ride was very lively and fun, with dinner and dancing around the boat. Finally, Alex was very informative on our ride back to the airport.
There were only two minor inconveniences. We didn't get a note that the Hanging Bridges tour on Monday was changed from 8:00 to 10:00 but we found out when our concierge called the Serendipity Office. And our room (and apparently all the rooms) at the Sibu Lodge was much too chilly.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Great views of the ocean and sunsets. A very large and comfortable pool. We enjoyed breakfast, dinner and desserts at Le Papillon Restaurant. The room was very spacious and well-laid out, with a wrap-around balcony overlooking the pool and bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The highest point in town, for great views.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Huge king-size bed and a great shower - and the views!

Sibū Boutique Hotel

Puntarenas

Beautiful grounds. We enjoyed our two breakfasts and two dinners at the restaurant, which was just a few steps from our room. There was no pool or exercise room, but there was a shuttle to a sister hotel a few minutes away with those facilities. The only issue with the hotel is that the room was freezing the entire time. The staff told us that there is air conditioning but no heat in their rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good views of the surrounding areas. I walked into town one day and it was extremely hilly.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Warmer rooms!

Arenal Springs Resort

La Fortuna

Beautiful grounds and room. We had fine dinners at their two restaurants and swam in the "hot springs" pool. And the first thing we saw when we left our room was a view of the Arenal Volcano among the clouds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Lush surroundings, a spacious room and views of the volcano.

Staff

Great breakfasts and dinner and the concierge called the Serendipity office to find out the starting time for our toor.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Catamaran Tour with Meal

Costa Rica

The breeze made the ride very comfortable on a hot and humid day. We had great views of the towns, beaches and islands and got to see a few dolphins when we went out a few miles. Then we stopped at a cove for swimming and snorkeling. One of us did a little swimming with a life jacket, while the other took pictures of videos of all the younger passengers jumping or sliding into the water. Then we had a very tasty dinner of beef and vegetables on a skewer, pasta and fruit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The van that picked us and others up from various hotels had mostly young and very loud passengers. When we got to the marina, it was unclear for a while where we should go - and where we would be picked up at the end. But it was well-organized and we made it on the boat and back to our hotel.

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

It was very crowded, even at 8:00 in the morning - it took us 20 to 30 minutes just to get through the entrance to the Park. Ivan was an outstanding guide. He was able to identify many kinds of animals through his long Zoom lens and took pictures with our cameras through the view finder - so we have great photos of sloths, monkeys, crabs and many other forms of wildlife, along with palm trees. We stopped at the cafeteria a little over halfway through our walk and he got fruit and a fruit drink for us there. The best part was seeing close-up female monkeys carrying their babies on their backs through the trees near the beach.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day at Selvatura including Hanging Bridges and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

There were a lot of people at the reception building and it wasn't clear to us for a while that we would walk around the cloud forest and the hanging bridges on our own - and then have a guided group tour of the sloth, butterfly and reptile buildings. We saw a monkey and a quetzal on our walk, by noticing where guides were pointing their zoom lenses. We had a very good guide (didn't catch his name) in the sloth and butterfly buildings.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We didn't know in advance that Selvatura Park provides bus transportation back to the hotels in town. We thought we would have to look for the same bus that picked us up.

Night Walk at Children's Eternal Forest

Monteverde

Our guide Marvin was very patient and thorough in making sure we were safe walking in the dark and showed us many animals, such as lizards, birds and an armadillo. We had a little trouble adjusting to walking up and down in the dark, but we made it "out of the woods" safely.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Randy, the Don Juan tour guide, was very friendly and knowledgeable. We learned a lot from him on the process of growing coffee beans and cacao and how they turn into coffee and chocolate. We had a few hands-on activities, such as making our own chocolate bar or cookie. And we bought about 10 bars of chocolate at the gift shop to bring back to our friends and relatives.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

There was a lot of up and down hill walking. Mariano recommend the best hike for us so that we went over 3 of the covered bridges and saw a fair amount of wildlife.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

The volcano hike was very strenuous for us, but we did the best we could. We saw ants, butterflies and a toucan. One of us went down the 500 stairs to the waterfall and swam a bit in the pool on the left, while the other stayed on top and took pictures.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bela was very respectful of what we could and couldn't do.

Transport

From sorting trip details- airport transfers, hotel suggestions, tour… things went pretty seamless for our group of 8 traveling to Hokkaido to ski. Managing how to get from point A to point B with all of our ski gear. Then 4 of us went on to tour Tokyo. Kimura our tour guide in Tokyo was very knowledgeable and going to the temples, shrines, fish market, gardens and lunch spot was fantastic. He even made us a dinner reservation!

Hotel Review

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

Beautiful hotel in great location- right near shiba park and Tokyo tower. Subway nearby. But if up for walking- also easy to get to nearby neighborhoods

Authenticity & Character

600 year old bonsai tree. Great book collection

Location

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Tokyo Highlights Day Tour with Tsukiji Outer Fish Market

Tokyo

Kimora was very knowledgeable and thoughtful. Took us to beautiful temples and shrines. Made us a dinner reservation! Our driver was very safe and courteous as well. Would highly recommend this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All were fantastic

Transport

Clean vehicles with space for our group and ski gear

Without a doubt, this was the best vacation of our lives. It all started with Kathrin interviewing us via email and a video call. She listened to what our interests are and put together an amazing agenda. We spent three weeks exploring the beauty of New Zealand. Kathrin took care of every detail, reservation, tickets, guides, equipment, etc. From our guided hike on the Routeburn Track with Angelo, an amazing bike ride with Marcello in the Redwood forests of Rotorura, a spectacular Alps to Ocean (A2O) bike ride from Lake Tekapo to Oamaru and many other activities, we were both challenged and catered to. Kathrin knew this was a retirement gift to ourselves and we were congratulated at our accommodations and were seated at the best tables in restaurants I think because of her. New Zealand has much to offer the traveler. Not just the beauty of the outdoors... the vendors who take you on outings such as Jake and Unique w/ Rotorua Canopy Tours or Alex with Waimarino, they are professionals as well as very friendly. We also were very thrilled to do the Te Pa Tu Maori Cultural Experience. The food and Maori people were exceptional. There is so much more to mention but suffice it to say that Kathrin at KimKim made this so easy with work she did and the plan she gave us in her TravelBook. We were never in doubt about where to go and what to do. Thank you, Kathrin!

Overall we had an amazing Honeymoon with Kimkim. All of our needs were met and there weren't too many speed bumps which made the trip feel personalized.

Hotel Reviews

Little National Hotel Sydney

Sydney

Great location and staff. The room was small since it was in a city but exactly what we needed!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palm Bungalows

Whitsundays, Queensland

It was nice having our own little bungalow but we were right next to a busy street and there were a few bugs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

bugs!

Coral Sea Resort

Airlie Beach

The view of the water was absolutely breathtaking to walk into!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Grand Chancellor Brisbane

Spring Hill

The hotel was bit far from the city and on top of a hill so it was difficult to get to but it helped us get our steps in!

Authenticity & Character

Location

location was at the top of a hill

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

Sydney

Really cool birds eye view of the city but it is a bit of a longer experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked there!

Wildlife, Waterfalls & Wine Day Trip

Sydney

Great trip but bring your bathing suits!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A lot of driving on windy roads!

Heart Reef & Whitehaven Beach Helicopter Flight

Hamilton Island

Worth every penny! The view, the private beach, everything was perfect.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skydive Airlie Beach

Airlie Beach

What better way to cross off a bucket list item other than doing it with a beautiful scenery!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary Highlights

Brisbane

An absolutely incredible experience! We got to feed the kangaroos before the park even opened with a private guide. Can't recommend this enough!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We took an uber to this activity