Kimkim Trip Reviews

Christine was personable patient and reliable. I wish she could plan my whole life! I enjoyed working with her

Doris did such a great job planning our trip. She put us as the most wonderful hotels, paired us with great guides who knew the city well & went above & beyond to make our trip a wonderful experience. We felt so cared for and had awesome communication all the way through. I highly recommend Doris.

Hotel Reviews

Peridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ibis Saigon Airport

It was helpful to be so close to the airport but the place itself is no frills.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Hyatt Saigon

Ho Chi Minh City

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Sai Gon city sightseeing

Ho Chi Minh City

Loved our guide so much. He had such a great personality & we learned so much from him

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Review for KimKim 1 December 2025

My wife and I decided to sponsor a family trip to Spain. Our trip would be for a week for the 6 of us. Our planning time with KimKim and agents, Alfonso and Uhaina was very easy. We established our basic budget, hotel preferences, transport needs, and places to visit. The communications were by text and went very well. We opted out of having our local transportation needs met by the trip provider. We were confident that we could use the metro and cabs. Indeed, we found the metro and taxis easy to use. We did request airport transfers, and they were provided, with good drivers and nice cars, meeting us right on time and in the right place.
Unfortunately, I took a hard fall on our second full day and had to spend the night in the emergency room in Barcelona. I was unable to continue with the remainder of the trip, which included several site visits and a three-day trip to Seville. KimKim made all of the necessary adjustments.
We did not get refunds on any flights, events, or hotels that were cancelled. In addition, there was no hospital insurance, a fact that we knew from the beginning.

KimKim helped us make the most of a difficult time, and I would recommend them to a friend.

We had an absolutely wonderful trip to Madrid and the canary islands. Our accommodations were perfect and our excursions were excellent. Of note we very much enjoyed the wine tasting in Las Vegas Madrid and stargazing in Las Palmas.

Our family trip of 16 was absolutely incredible, and we loved every suggested location and hotel. Our guide, Hamid, and our driver were truly the BEST! They went above and beyond to make us feel safe and to ensure that all of our needs were taken care of — including those of my 5-year-old son. THANK YOU for making this trip unforgettable!

Our trip to Brasil was absolutely wonderful. Each city we visited offered something uniquely beautiful (Sao Paulo, Paraty, and Rio)—from vibrant streets and stunning landscapes to rich cultural experiences that left us inspired. We were especially touched by the warm, kind-hearted guides (John- Sao Paulo, Lucas- Rio, and Gusto our driver) and knowledge-driven experts who accompanied us along the way. Their passion, interaction, and care added so much depth to our journey.
Every moment felt memorable, and the seamless planning made the experience even more enjoyable. Thank you for an unforgettable trip. We would happily use KimKim's assistance again for future adventures!

Hotel Review

George V Casa Branca

São Paulo

Thank you for you patience and accomodations, thoroughly enjoyed our stay

Authenticity & Character

Enjoyed the vibe, a great start to the journey we took through different parts of Brasil

Location

All you need is near by!

Staff

Accommodating and attentive to our families needs and very respectful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, and comfortable especially after a day of travel. Thank you

Activity Reviews

Corcovado & Christ the Redeemer Tour

Rio de Janeiro

This tour was truly mesmerizing from start to finish. Christ the Redeemer was absolutely fascinating—an awe-inspiring sight and a wonder of the world that feels almost unreal when you’re standing beneath it. The entire experience felt like a once-in-a-lifetime moment, something I know I’ll carry with me forever. A wonderful tour that left me breathless in the best way.”

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Sugar Loaf & Rio City Tour

Rio de Janeiro

This tour through Rio and up to the heights of Sugar Loaf became the shining highlight of my time in Brasil. Every moment felt like stepping into a living tapestry—rich with culture, layered with history, and framed by sweeping views of the bay that seemed to stretch into eternity. Standing above the city, wrapped in its golden light, felt like a once-in-a-lifetime gift. For anyone coming to Brazil, this experience isn’t just a tour—it’s a breathtaking journey you’ll carry with you long after you’ve left

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lucas and Gusto, thank you for making this adventure so memorable.

Transport

Walking Tour of Paraty

Paraty

Paraty was such a beautiful city. The walking tour gave us great insight into its history and cultural relevance. We loved it—informative, engaging, and wonderfully interactive!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We loved Rafa, interactive and knowledgeable. Thank you so much

Transport

São Paulo Express

Brazil

Loved the tour—exciting, engaging, and filled with so many fascinating historical highlights. Every stop added something special to the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

John was exceptionally kind and wonderfully interactive throughout our journey. His passion for his country was evident in every story he shared and every place he introduced us to. We especially loved the historical sites he guided us through—each one brought to life with his knowledge and enthusiasm. Thank you for such a wonderful and enriching experience.

Transport

It was a lot of travel to go back 500 years in history to Machu Picchu but I will never forget it.
I especially liked how knowledgeable our tour guide was of the history of Machu Picchu and was easily able to answer all of our detailed question
Booking me in the hotel on the square in Cusco was great as the view of the square ( spent hours people watching) and the Christ Statue glowing at night overlooking the city. Later touring Pukamoqo hill, a place that was already considered a spiritual site by the Inca civilization I was very interested in learning it was donated to the city in 1945 by Palestinian Arabs who migrated to this part of Peru as a refuge after the Second World War.
I loved the ancient Andean sacredness that was prevalent all around the country
Thanks for the opportunity to briefly experience the culture and want to go back for more in depth indigenous food and cooking classes.

I highly recommend KimKim.com (Prestige Asia) for your next trip to Thailand . They made this the easiest (and cheapest) getaway to plan last minute. Airport to hotel transfer, booking, and checkin were all convenient and the cars and rooms exceeded our expectation. Our guides were with us full days and were punctual, prepared, thoughtful, and gracious. In Bangkok, Game, and driver, Dan, were flawless. I loved that they were our guides both days waiting to pick us up in the lobby, stayed engaged all day, anticipated every need (water, food, breaks -etc) and even made Bangkok traffic a bit less nerve wracking. I literally couldn't stump Game no matter what question I asked and her introduction to traditional Thai food and culture reflected her thoughtful listening and getting to know us. The temples she chose for our visit were beautiful; but her timing on each beat the rush and capitalized on the events of the day like the monk's morning chant, afternoon blessings at the reclining Buddha , and changing of guards at the Palace. Her faith and love for her country and its history was reflected at each place and it made our visit so much more spiritual and impactful.
In Chiang Mai, Kan was a force of nature! She picked us up for an evening street food tour and drove us herself. She expertly navigated rush hour traffic while pointing out the things to see on our route. We visited a few temples before the street food market and Kan's timing was perfection. We caught the monks evening chant at one, a beautiful sunset on the temple with the golden domes, and an after dark experience at the last that cast the scene in a whole new and beautiful way. We got to see the place lit up and experience it in a more quiet reflective way. Kan knew many of the monks and watching their interaction was fun. She pointed out the monk school and Buddhist university nearby and helped us understand the process and call to becoming a monk. Kan pointed out the differences between the culture, language, and temples in Bangkok and those in Chiang Mai. She really made it feel like a completely new experience though we spent the previous two days at temples. At the street market Kan knew everyone! She was like a local celebrity with vendors greeting and joking with her. She listened to our taste and needs and found exactly the right things for us to try and even a place to sit down and enjoy it in the busy market where such was limited. We absolutely couldn't have had that experience without her guidance. Her love of the city and ability to make us feel at home in it gave us the courage to venture out on our own and enjoy it the next day.
In Phuket, we had our only small group tour- having done only private tours in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Even that felt personal and tailored to our needs. We were picked up at our hotel and taken to the pier for our speedboat tour to Ko Phi Phi island. After breakfast and a brief (and hilariously colorful) introduction at the pier, we were assured in boarding our covered speed boat with about 30 other people. I was immediately so grateful not to have been on the larger much slower boat that seemed to herd tourists! Our guide Pineapple was so much fun. She danced and joked and entertained everyone. She and the young man with her were the life of the party. They kept everyone entertained on the ride out to the islands but also made sure we were safe, accounted for after every event, and well fed and hydrated. Our group was fantastic and so much fun. I was happy to spend this time with them. Later our long boat captain was also amazing offering to take photos for us, finding amazing spots away from the crowds, and even assisting me when my sea legs failed.
On every tour, in every hotel, in every car or transport, at every meal, I felt heard and considered by our tour planner Minah. David and Lily were also amazing help on the phone when we landed and I had questions. Most of those questions were really just them reassuring my own uncertainly because I had never been on a tour that was so reliable and so anticipatory of my needs.
I genuinely couldn't be more grateful to KimKim.com for an absolutely flawless, fun, and spiritual trip. I am 100% certain it was so because of them. While I could have likely spent the time to research and book most of it myself I would have most definitely missed the context and connection they brought and most certainly would have been a lot more stressful had I not had their expert help.

We had an excellent experience with Adrian and team from High Point Holidays. Their communication was clear and timely from start to finish, making the entire planning process stress-free. The team offered thoughtful recommendations that perfectly matched our interests, and every detail was handled with care. Thanks to their guidance, our trip was seamless and memorable. Highly recommend to anyone looking for expert travel advice and great service!

Our walking tour through Dublin was a highlight of the trip thanks to our fantastic guide Sandra. Her knowledge, enthusiasm, and warm personality brought the city’s history, culture, and stories vividly to life, and the time flew by as we explored.
She was incredibly knowledgeable about Dublin and Ireland, sharing historical facts, local legends, and personal anecdotes in a way that was easy to follow and always engaging.
The route covered many of Dublin’s key sights as well as a few hidden corners that we would never have found on our own. The guide also gave excellent tips on where to eat, drink, and explore later, which really helped us make the most of our time in the city. This walking tour was an excellent way to get oriented in Dublin, learn about its past and present, and experience the city through the eyes of a local. I highly recommend Sandra and her tour to anyone visiting Dublin who wants an informative, fun, and memorable experience.

We had such a great time with Sorcha on this food tour and are so glad we booked it for our Thanksgiving celebration. The tastings were delicious and the places we visited were the perfect way to experience the local scene.
Our guide Sorcha was friendly, fun, and clearly passionate about her job.
Each stop was well chosen, offering generous portions and a great mix of flavors. The walk between tastings was just right and helped us see different parts of the neighborhood along the way. I highly recommend this food tour and guide to anyone who loves good food and wants a fun way to get to know the city.

Kim Kim is the best “one stop shop “ that provides you with the most wonderful local tour guides that make your travels easy and unforgettable!

Hotel Reviews

Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport

,Santry, Dublin 9

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Connacht Hotel

Galway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Killarney Heights Hotel

Killarney

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Langtons Hotel Kilkenny

Kilkenny

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

InterContinental Dublin, an IHG Hotel

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Galway Evening Food Tour

Galway

We had such a great time with Sorcha on this food tour and are so glad we booked it for our Thanksgiving celebration. The tastings were delicious and the places we visited were the perfect way to experience the local scene. Our guide Sorcha was friendly, fun, and clearly passionate about her job. Each stop was well chosen, offering generous portions and a great mix of flavors. The walk between tastings was just right and helped us see different parts of the neighborhood along the way. I highly recommend this food tour and guide to anyone who loves good food and wants a fun way to get to know the city

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dublin Private walking tour

Dublin

Our walking tour through Dublin was a highlight of the trip thanks to our fantastic guide Sandra. Her knowledge, enthusiasm, and warm personality brought the city’s history, culture, and stories vividly to life, and the time flew by as we explored. She was incredibly knowledgeable about Dublin and Ireland, sharing historical facts, local legends, and personal anecdotes in a way that was easy to follow and always engaging. The route covered many of Dublin’s key sights as well as a few hidden corners that we would never have found on our own. The guide also gave excellent tips on where to eat, drink, and explore later, which really helped us make the most of our time in the city. This walking tour was an excellent way to get oriented in Dublin, learn about its past and present, and experience the city through the eyes of a local. I highly recommend Sandra and her tour to anyone visiting Dublin who wants an informative, fun, and memorable experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tina planned an amazing 8-day trip for my group across Bangkok and Phuket, and overall, we had a truly great experience. The itinerary was full, well-organized, and we made incredible memories together.
For the Bangkok portion, our tour guide Leenna was wonderful. She was knowledgeable, kind, and gave us the perfect amount of information without overwhelming us. We also loved having the same driver throughout our time in Bangkok — it made everything smooth and stress-free.
There were a couple of areas that could be improved for future travelers. Several parts of the itinerary mentioned stopping by temples, but it wasn’t clearly stated that we would be entering them. Because of that, we weren’t prepared with the proper attire and ended up having to purchase clothing almost every day. It would be really helpful for clients to know ahead of time when temple attire is required.
When we arrived in Phuket, our guide Ben was very sweet, but she talked a lot, to the point where it became a bit overwhelming and didn’t allow us the autonomy to just enjoy and soak in the beauty of Phuket at our own pace. We still had an amazing time at all of our excursions — everything we did was incredible — but the guiding style felt a little intense at times.
Another small challenge was that in Phuket we did not have one consistent driver, and we weren’t given advance information each day about who our driver would be. Not knowing who to look for during pickups was nerve-wracking at times, so having either a consistent driver or clearer daily communication would make a big difference.
Despite those minor issues, the trip was truly amazing overall. We had a fantastic time, created beautiful memories, and I’m very happy we went. Thank you to Tina for helping us plan such a memorable adventure!

Jacquie was awesome, very attentive, even outside work hours. Our trip was amazing and all of our group vacation couples will be using Kim Kim again.

Hotel Review

M/Y Tribute Superyacht

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The yacht is brand new after a major refab!

Activity Review

Chinese Hat (Santiago Island) & Rabida Island

Cruise Ship

These islands had the best snorkeling of the trip! Sharks, sea lions, morays, octopuses, marine iguanas - it felt like we saw it all.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Olman developed a comprehensive plan based on our requested activities. He was very quick to respond to any of our questions and found that everything was well organized. Everything went smoothly as we progresses through our holiday.

Trip was excellent - Paul did a great job planning the entire amazing adventure. All details were taken care of - the guides were all excellent, the crew of the Monserrat was very attentive and each step from meeting our group at the airport when we arrived to when we departed was all taken care of. This was our 4th adventure planned by KimKim and it won't be our last.

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Inn Quito Airport, an IHG Hotel

Tababela

Great location close to the Airport for early morning departures

M/Y Monserrat

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Sailing around was wonderful on a small ship.

Staff

Crew was friendly - the guides were able to provide so much information on what we would see, where we would travel to. They provided a wonderful video of our adventure on the Monserrat.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were rather small (but it is a small ship) recommend that suitcases be duffle bags or carry on size. Rooms were very clean

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Great location, super friendly staff and lovely rooms

Authenticity & Character

Lovely hotel with large rooms

Location

Staff

The staff was very attentive and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patio Andaluz

Quito

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

North Seymour Island

Cruise Ship

Santiago Island: Buccaneer's Cove

Cruise Ship

Santiago Island: Egas Port

Cruise Ship

Isabela Island: Vicente Roca Point

Cruise Ship

Fernandina Island: Espinoza Point

Cruise Ship

Isabela Island: Urbina Bay

Cruise Ship

Isabela Island: Tagus Cove

Cruise Ship

Santa Cruz Island: Bachas Beach

Cruise Ship

Quito Cooking Class

Galapagos Islands

Great experience - the chef and sous chef were wonderful and we really enjoyed "preparing our lunch"

Quality of Experience

Quito City Tour

Galapagos Islands

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was an extremely smooth trip - no issues what so ever

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Just wonderful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Senda Monteverde Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

No view from our room

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Royal Corin Thermal Water Spa & Resort - Adults Only

Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cloud Forest Reserve Privately Guided Hike

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Treetopia: Tram, Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ja

Night Walk at Children's Eternal Forest

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very nice guide - the fitness level of the group was too different - we ended up doing a stroll rather than a hike

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Michelle, taking a break at the Westwood lodge after the Heli Hike today and thought we should give you some feedback so far. In a word, AWESOME!
We enjoyed Christchurch on our own, walking 10 miles both days we were there. The Earthquake Museum is worth it and the Tram hop on hop off also a good idea especially for those who don't want to walk 10 miles a day. We had a tremendous meal at 27 steps in CC. Also, the roses in the Botanical gardens were spectacular.
The train ride to Greymouth was terrific too. We wound up with three breakfasts basically and barely recovered before they fed us lunch. The scenery was awe inspiring and the audio tour pretty good if a bit long near the end. Rental Car is pretty cool.
Probably the best part of the trip so far has been Selwyn and Elizabeth at the Awatuna Lodge. We ate dinner there the first night and it was so good we did again the second. I doubt you'll find a better restaurant meal anywhere. They sat with us both nights for Cocktail hour and have super interesting pasts. The view from their place is beautiful overlooking a wild beach.
The bike ride was pretty spectacular, especially going through the rain forest. It was a bit more challenging than expected. The distance is deceiving. The elevation changes are pretty big so we had to walk the bikes some and go really slow on the steeper downhills. Also, a bit rougher. Great experience, but at the upper bound of our abilities. "easy" apparently has different definition in NZ!
Drive to Franz Joseph was a bit of an adventure because we left some stuff in a closet at Awatuna and had to double back. No worries. Made our Kayak trip and enjoyed the guides and the lake.
Westwood Lodge is good, but nothing really can compare to Elizabeth and Selwyn.
We have gotten super lucky on the weather everywhere. Had a bit of rain to start our bike ride but that stopped after 2 hours and were fine. Yesterday it rained all day when we were driving but stopped as soon as we got to the Kayak site. We had one of the best days anyone could remember today for our Glacier hike. Heli Hike was a hit too. Everyone was great and hike itself just the right amount of challenge and time. It's just a unique experience.
Last, we have really enjoyed the people everywhere. NZ is a beautiful place filled with genuinely nice people. We've met more great people from the AU, Britian, and for some reason, tons of Dutch!
We'll check in later as we head into our next adventures.
Kevin and Marge
Michelle, just wanted to let you know the rest of the trip has gone smashingly well. Wanaka was so interesting, and you were right about the 4-wheel drive adventure. We had 5+ hours with a native Kiwi and learned everything about your country. The Alpine Resort Wanaka accommodations were our least favorite of the 4. Not a good walk to town and we had a couple of minor issues with the unit we had. It is a great place for folks who have kids though. For us the more intimate setting of a B&B is best. Which brings us to our second favorite stop the Monte Cristo. What a treat. The staff was fantastic, the wine tasting really fun and the location is beautiful. The two bike rides out of Clyde were fun but pretty challenging. Especially the one around the lake. E bikes were a must. We would never have made it pedaling. The track is pretty challenging, and we got to experience lovely 75KMH NZ winds. We were fine if not a bit tired. The second day ride was the opposite. Flat to downhill the whole way with a huge tail wind. Very different landscape. I would recommend both trips just let folks know it will be challenging.
The fly-cruise-fly was also another unbelievable experience. We got lucky that they had a lot of rain before we came so the waterfalls were spectacular. The flights were a lot of fun too especially with Ben our pilot looking like our son in law.
We're in Queeenstown now staying at spectacular place, the Queenstown Park Boutique. People are just as nice as all the other places and it's a great location.
Thank you again for an outstanding trip. We love your country and your people.
Cheers
Kevin and Marge

Genuinely incredibly well done, I almost wish I asked for less freedom some days because basically everything planned was awesome. I plan on coming back to japan in the not-so-distant future and hope to use the service again then.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Keihan Tsukiji Ginza Grande

Tokyo

Cool eco conscious hotel

Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu

Osaka

Cool spot with train access, cool local area is far from shin osaka but central to all sights

ALA HOTEL KYOTO

Kyoto

Spitting distance from the station, nice vibe and staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Marunouchi

Tokyo

Kind staff, very stylish

Shin Kado Ya

Awesome. Just really great very traditional, be careful walking around though this place is kind of a maze.

Authenticity & Character

Just really classic vibe and service

Location

Hill top view of the sea in private bathroom, come on now

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Have a go at kintsugi, a traditional Japanese art concept

Kyoto

Fun and relaxing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Homely Experience of Cooking Okonomiyaki with a Japanese Grandmother

Osaka

Fun again not sure if I just got lucky with my group or not but it wound up being really enjoyable

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Japanese Tea Ceremony at a Space Enveloped in Japanese Beauty in Kyoto

Kyoto

This is the quintessential tea experience, no need to look further, its perfect here.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Izakaya Tour in the Lively Nightlife of Shinjuku

Japan

Did not go into this with high expectations, maybe we just had a great group, maybe we got lucky with friendly locals but it was blast

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Scenic Hakone Adventures and Transfer to Kyoto

Japan

Hakone is beautiful but be warned if you start at the point I did it takes several hours to get to odawara for the train in just travel time, plan where you will stop accordingly.

Go on a hike and Take a closer look into the depths of Fushimi Inari

Kyoto

Fun, need to be fit enough for it though which thankfully I was. But it is not a easy trial at the end.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Tour of Kyoto: Timeless Beauty & Cultural Highlights

Kyoto

My guide was awesome and we managed to get on some hidden paths to avoid the crowds at thier worst

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Watch a Live Sumo Show Up Close with Local Hotpot

Tokyo

Not bad, only one I wasn't over the moon over, felt like a medieval times style gimmick but that could be me being too harsh

Full-Day Guided Tour of Tokyo: Iconic Sights, Culture & City Vibes

Tokyo

Awesome , just great fun got to glimpse everything and we could dodge crowds

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Absolutely loved our guide and driver in Santiago. They were both so friendly and informative and attentive to what we wanted to do. The Atacama desert was beautiful. Recommend staying close to town so can walk to restaurants. The Lake District was our favorite- so green and lovely and Puerto Varas is a lovely town to walk around. There were many days where we had to get up very early for flights or tours so be prepared for that. Having the What's Up group when we were there was terrific- we got reminders for our tours and could ask questions and get timely answers while on the trip. So we never felt we were "alone" in Chile.

Hotel Reviews

Solace Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

Loved this hotel. Great breakfast, good location, nice size room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Pueblo de Tierra

San Pedro de Atacama

It was a bit of a far walk into town and did not have a restaurant for dinner - so it would take 20 minutes to walk to a nice restaurant. Room was spacious and nice outdoor sitting areas.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Castillo Rojo

Santiago

Such history in this building-- it was a pleasure to be in it and the neighborhood is terrific.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Puerto Montt & Puerto Varas City Tour

Chile

Not really a tour. We slowly drove around Puerto Varas and driver pointed out a few sites. He seemed surprised that some things, such as the church, were closed for a holiday. He did take us to a market. We walked along the wharf in Puerto Montt. But instead of telling us where to eat in Puerto Montt, he told us to eat at the airport, which was disappointing and not right. None of this seemed like a tour of the two towns, but more like a leisurely drive to the airport.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Saltos del Petrohue - Todos Los Santos Lake & Osorno Volcano

Chile

The National Park and all the waterfalls is just beautiful, a lovely little walk. On the mountain we chose to stay at the ski lodge and not take the lift up but it was still a great view.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiloe Fauna: Ancud, Caulin & Penguins of Puñihuil

Chile

Chiloe was very interesting and the ferry across the beautiful lake was lovely. Unfortunately it was raining when we went to see the penquins and they were hiding.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Tatio Geysers - Morning tour

San Pedro de Atacama

Be prepared to wake up very early for this tour. Guide was terrific and so knowledgeable of the science behind the geysers. And she prepared a great lunch for us. Plenty of opportunity to see flamingos.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Trip- Red Rocks, Lagunas Altiplánicas & Atacama Salt Flats

San Pedro de Atacama

A very full day with an excellent guide. The two meals, set up as a picnic, were just wonderful. Very windy during the walk but worth it. Guide gave us ample photo times. The scenery was just amazing. I mentioned to the guide that I was looking for wild flowers and he kept pointing them out to me. Very, very nice.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Astronomical Tour - Atacama Desert

San Pedro de Atacama

I thought we would be using a higher grade of telescopes. We certainly saw planets, moon, etc., but it was not the incredible viewing I thought it would be.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting, Valparaiso and Viña del Mar- Private Tour

Santiago

The winery was lovely and appreciated the cheese and chocolates with the wine. Valparaiso was pretty in spots but not worth as much time as I thought it would. Loved walking on the beach in Vina del Mar. The lunch restaurant was a very nice spot and the food was good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chilean Food Tour & Picnic with a View of Santiago

Santiago

Loved shopping in the market and having the picnic. The park isn't actually that nice but the view is fine. Our guide and driver were terrific in setting up the food and tables and we enjoyed eating and chatting with them.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, this was a spectacular trip that hit it out of the park. We had a pretty ambitious itinerary over 10 days - three countries, four cities - several out of city day drips. I was quite happy with how this trip came out and learned a lot about an area of the world I have never been before. Clemens was receptive to my feedback and wants and was able to put together something special.
I consider myself a pretty experience and skilled traveler and don't generally use KimKim or other travel agents, but when I want a trip that is jam packed across many cities AND without any of the headaches that come with planning on your own, I use kimkim and this is the third time I have used the service. It certainly comes with a pretty high price tag, but that being said for me the value is turning the stress of planning to someone else while I'm trying to enjoy the experience and journey.
There were so many highlights between Prague, Salzburg, Austria and Budapest. I wish we had more time in Vienna - I guess I'll just have to return! Day trips to Bohemian Saxon National park in Czech Republic/Germany was outstanding - our guide Sarka was fun, informative and eclectic! She make the small group trip a really fun vibe. We enjoyed a personal driver/tour with the amazing Gerhart in Salzburg going between several Alpine lake villages ending on top of a mountain overlooking the Alps and Salzburg at sunset. We loved Budpest, walking all over the city, the river cruise, and the Jewish Quarter with all the ruin bars/restaurants. We spent a few days/tours with Judit who helped us with wine tasting in Vilany among other things and had a great time with her. The whole trip was tidy, informative and enriching to us.
Like any long trip with multiple parts, there were some minor hiccups here and there and it was helpful to know that Clemens and his local support Andrew / Avellera were a phone call or text away - we needed that a few times and were met with pretty instant help. This is what make the help of excellent travel professionals worth the cost. Thank you all

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Moments Budapest

Budapest

Definitely our favorite hotel of the trip. Excellent location, comfy and modern room with amenities. Beautiful building. Restaurant was busy but otherwise good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Extremely good location - a 3 minute walk from Basilica St Stephen and the parliament building not too far from there. We walked several miles around this city and the hotel was centrally located.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Rathaus - Wein & Design

Wien

This is a beautiful and clearly newly updated hotel. We only stayed one night, but loved the location - about 10-15 minute walk to the main museum/palace areas and in a slow enough side street that felt safe and quiet. Cool wine theme they are sticking to. The room was large, big airy windows, and a wine bar/restaurant that was "open" 24 hours - we didnt exactly test this out, but we did try to sit for a glass of wine before leaving and they did serve us but don't expect a dedicated wine expert all times of day.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel am Mirabellplatz Salzburg

Salzburg

This was a great hotel! Location was great, very close walk to the old city and ~10-15 minutes walk to the train station. Hotel room could use some cosmetic renovations, but otherwise everything was very functional, clean and working. We were upgraded to a larger room which came with a bathtub. We really enjoyed the breakfast in the morning - the best of the four hotels we stayed at during out 10 day trip! The woman who greeted and helped us in the morning in the dining room was so warm and inviting - I did not get her name, but I shout her out anyway :)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Front desk staff was excellent - chocolate at check out is a nice touch. The dining room staff was super friendly and remembered us even though we were only there for two days.

Cleanliness & Comfort

MOODs Charles Bridge Hotel Prague

Prague

This was not our favorite hotel. We maybe got an unlucky room assignment, but we arrived to a very hot room and as the cooling system was turned off for the season (reasonable as it is November) the advice was to open the window, which is also completely reasonable, unless your room only has a skylight, and no windows that open. The staff were not super helpful in helping us with this though it was advertised they had fans. All of this being said the location of this hotel is spectacular - a block from the Vlatava river and Charles bridge a 5 minute walk. As we don't spend a lot of time in hotels to begin with, we made do and survived to the next location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Climate control - if you cannot open a window to control climate, offering a fan or a portable cooling system when the room is very hot. This should be expected at a four star hotel.

Activity Reviews

Day Tour of Pécs and Siklós with Villány Wine Tasting

Budapest

This was a long day - there was over 5 hours of driving with a much smaller amount of time on the ground so I feel like I could have spend my last day doing something with less sitting in a car - that being said all of the experiences were excellent and worth visiting. Pecs is a small cultural city and was fun to visit - the ancient Roman ruins were probably the highlight. It was a Sunday so a lot closed and not super vibrant but fun none the less. The wine tasting in Vilany was excellent and I learned a lot about Hungarian varietals. We did have a bonus stop at Judit's museum - Monument Park the sculpture park that showcases old communist statues and is a very interesting and important commentary of the era.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hungarian Meal in a Local Home (Dinner / Lunch)

Budapest

This was super fun, and as people who like to eat and cook, we did both and learned a lot doing it! The tour started at the main city market - our guide actually missed us/there was a missed connection and we started the tour ~30 minutes late due to this but the experience was so good it made up for lost time. We cooked with a small group in a local apartment retrofitted for cooking class. Experiencing with with fellow tourists felt genuine and we sat and ate the food we made like a new group of friends eating a home cooked meal - which it was. I have already incorporated the recipes into my daily cooking.

Quality of Experience

Food

Evening Cruise and Dinner with Champagne

Budapest

This was a four course dinner cruise along the Danube with live music. The food was really good and service was prompt and friendly. The boat does several loops and you see some of the same sights a few times, but they are all beautiful and worth seeing over again!

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

Budapest City Tour

Budapest

Judit is a lovely woman who has a lot of love and caring for her country and city - she was opinionated and charismatic but kind and informative all at the same time. the best qualities for a tour guide! We saw a lot of special things and got a feel of the city upon arriving. Well designed for the remaining days of our tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Spanish Riding School Training

Vienna

I will preface this review with the fact that I am a rider and lifelong equestrian and made this a required stop on our tour - but WOW was this spectacular. As a horse person, I found the training session even more special and intimate than the performance. You are able to see two 30 minute sessions of the SRS professional riders doing schooling rides on the amazing stallions, first the high level older horses and then the younger "young and wild" (per the announcer haha) 5-6 year olds. If you are a horse person or are fascinated by horses in general, you will love this. There is a ton of nuance to what they are doing a there is an announcer that does a decent job of explaining the high level stuff.

Quality of Experience

🎵 Magical Vienna: Classical Concert Extravaganza 🎶

Vienna

The musicians were phenomenal. To hear their performance of this work was a privilege for sure. The venue itself is old and therefore somewhat difficult to navigate and not physically super comfortable. This particular concert was in the smaller of the two music halls - I didn't know either of them existed in the world prior to my showing up so I didn't have a preference but if you're a music head and want to be in the grand music hall, double check before booking this.

Quality of Experience

Tip based Walking Tour by Prime Tours - Highlights of Vienna

Vienna

Our guide was SO good - We learned so much, there were moving and emotional parts to her tour regarding the history of this extremely beautiful and significant city. We sadly had to leave slightly early as we had a VERY short amount of time in Vienna and therefore a packed itinerary. Christina was extremely knowledgeable and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hallstatt, St.Gilgen,St Wolfgang Salzkammergut from Salzburg

Salzburg

Gerhart was our guide for this full day outside of Salzburg. We were privy to visit Hallstatt early and in the off season - it is a spectacular Alpine lake town that apparently is over touristed and has strict regulations that we did not have to deal with for the aforementioned reasons. It is really pretty and charming. There is a small ancient Roman ruin display/free museum that was an added bonus. Bad Ischl was next stop which was lovely, beautiful and had great historical significance. St Woflgang was next and thoroughly stunning. Lots of world history, old churches, and gorgeous views. We were blessed to end the day on Gaisberg mountain - overlooking much of the Austrian Alps and all of Slazburg and the valley extending dozens of miles in either direction. We ended were on sunset - this guide was great. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gerhart was excellent, highly recommend! He clearly did a lot of Sound of Music tours (which we were not on) but got a side bit of his experience doing that as well!

Transport

Very comfortable Mercedes :)

Bohemian-Saxon National Park: HIKERS' TOP 3 HIGHLIGHTS

Prague

Outstanding, incredible nature and views in this lovely national park. This is a FULL day trip - over 12 hours with our guide who was also our driver. It was a small group (seven of us total) and there was one pair in our group that was ill prepared for the day - seemingly not their fault as they signed up for a less strenuous hike and were directed to our group to consolidate. I would keep that in mind if trying to book a more or less strenuous hike with this company. That being said, it was not very strenuous for us who are fit and active regular hikers and we saw many sights, went over the border into Germany, and spend time with a great group of travelers as well as a vibrant and fun guide. A large lunch is included, you won't be hungry. There is a fair amount of driving to/from (4+ hours) in a passenger van.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sightseeing Evening Cruise

Prague

Great, short boat ride. There is a small indoor area and a rooftop - we were lucky that while it was raining all day, the hour of our tour was dry and we enjoyed the rooftop view and fresh air much more than indoors. A great way to see the sights and enjoy a drink or two.

Quality of Experience

Prague Food Adventure: A Half-Day Culinary Journey

Prague

This was a spectacular tour - our guide Chris was not only invested in the food of Czech republic but how the food is connected to the people, the land and the history. He was aware of our pescatarian diet ahead of time and was able to highlight a tremendous abundance of Czech food, and beer/wine! It was a rainy day which did not subtract even a little from the quality and experience. HIGHLY recommend if you're into food and history while walking around with a friendly guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately Guided Tour Old Town Prague & Jewish Quarter

Prague

We arrived after a red-eye for this tour so while we may have been tired, it was necessary to get a grip of the city and the people. It was a Saturday evening and our guide Ildigo/Indigo was lovely. She is a quirky and opinionated woman in all of the best ways - we learned a lot and used what we learned to guide our evening and next several days in the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I have used Kim kim in the past for trips to Morocco and Jordan. Both those trips worked out really well. I'm not a normal tourist. I've been working in Archaeology for the past 15 years since I retired. I have 12 field seasons and quite a few papers to my credit. I guess I would fall in the category of a high demand customer..

I originally did not choose Kim Kim for the trip that I just finished to Egypt. I chose a different company and that turned out to be a big mistake. I approached KimKim to help me salvage the last week of the trip and they did a spectacular job. In addition to a two day visit to the GEM, which they helped me navigate in view of my specific interests, I did a trip to Tell el-Armana. It's not on the normal tourist trail, and the fact that they were able to put the trip together in such a meaningful way with such short notice really meant a lot to me. They had a lead guide looking after me and specific guides for specific sites. I found all the guides to be very engaging. Nothing that we think we know in Archaeology is an absolute truth and being able to discuss bearing points of view with the guides is to me the hallmark of a world class company.

Khaled Ali handled the logistics in the office and did a superb job organizing all my last-minute requests. They had a primary Guide take care of me.. his name was Samara (Mohammed Monaem). He did a great job getting me from place to place in an in Fischer Manor, but what I enjoyed the most was hard discussions about the interpretation of Egyptian history and historical events. The narratives that are developed about history are never completely black-and-white and to have a guide who could discuss those things just added so much to the trip.. they also provided a local guide in the mania and tell el- Armana areas and his relationship with the local staff helped a lot.

My hero was a guide that they obtained for me to visit GEM, Rania. GEM is overwhelming. I've done a lot of work with museums and I was more than impressed with the way they've organized their material. At the same time I have very specific interest and my guide Rania mapped out a very efficient route through the museum and then helped me find the restoration stela of Tutankhamun. My AI search engine actually had Gavin me five different locations for the stela, two of which were not at GEM. I was panicked, but I shouldn't have worried. I was in good hands..

All in all, it was a very well done trip in some trying circumstances.

The trip and all the arrangements were amazing. All the guides and drivers were where they were supposed to be and everything went off without a hitch!
The Monserrat yacht was a bit of a disappointment. The cabins were much smaller than the pictures implied, and the storage space was inadequate. The guides, Javier and Karem, were excellent; however, there should be more information provided BEFORE the trip detailing the level of activity involved. We found that some of the hikes were too strenuous for my wife. While she was okay with skipping some of them, she was disappointed that she missed out on some of the wildlife and scenery she was hoping to see.
The Quito excursions were well done and our guides, Alex and Roberto, were very capable, friendly and well informed.
The hotel accommodations, the Patio Andaluz in Quito, the Acacia Hotel in Puerto Ayora, and the Holiday Inn in Quito, were excellent! The hotel staffs were uniformly friendly and quite welcoming. We would recommend all of them!

Hotel Reviews

M/Y Monserrat

Quito

The cabins were much smaller than implied by the pictures on their website. The storage space was inadequate (we ended up storing one suitcase in the shower); and the bathroom was small and somewhat awkward to use. While the yacht was in generally good condition, there were some areas that needed attention (sticking windows, minor rust, etc.). The onboard excursion staff was very good. They were very informative and very competent. And very friendly! The crew was friendly too but suffered from some communication miscues as English was not always understood. It did create some confusion at meal times. The ship did not offer any diet soft drinks.

Authenticity & Character

See comments

Location

Staff

Excursion staff was excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

Unfortunately, it’s probably not possible to increase the cabin sizes but better disclosure would have helped.

Holiday Inn Quito Airport, an IHG Hotel

Tababela

While this was a more conventional hotel, and did not have the charms of the other hotels, it was a very nice property. The staff was friendly and helpful. The restaurant was quite good, with a nice selection of food choices and reasonable prices. The rooms were quite comfortable with all the necessary amenities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

This is a wonderful place to stay in Puerto Ayora! The rooms are large, very well appointed, and the beds are very, very comfortable! Carolina and her staff were wonderful- very friendly and helpful, with excellent recommendations for dining. The included breakfast was amazing- fruit, yogurt, granola, fresh juices, eggs cooked to order, various breakfast meats, toast, potatoes- if you left hungry it was your own fault! Highly recommended!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Best staff of all!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patio Andaluz

Quito

Fabulous location; excellent staff - warm and welcoming! The hotel building is a historic location and has been completely renovated. Lovely large rooms with comfortable beds. The only negative is the spiral staircase to the upper level bedroom- rather steep and narrow and a bit difficult to maneuver in the dark. Otherwise, a nice hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Quito City Tour

Galapagos Islands

Nice walking tour of Quito.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito Cooking Class

Galapagos Islands

Loved this activity! Hands on class where we got to eat the fruits of our labor! Really enjoyed this.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport