Kimkim Trip Reviews

The planning process, our driver, and each and every guide…all were spectacular and exceeded our expectations!

The service was exceptional with special attention to my needs and of my group. Chiara was so great and Alesandra our driver to Santa Caterina was wonderful!
The tours were so informative and helpful.
Martina met us at train station was very helpful and kind.
It was a pleasure to meet all of the drivers and tour guides!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Principe di Villafranca

Palermo

Authenticity & Character

Unique and very charming

Location

Room was very comfortable and clean

Staff

Always willing to assist me as I needed cane to get around.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Always good service

Hotel Capri Sorrento - Adults Only

Sorrento

Authenticity & Character

Excellent rooms and facilities

Location

Close to city center

Staff

All the staff were very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were luxurious and breakfast was superb

Orazio Palace Hotel

Rome

All of the accommodations were very nice

Authenticity & Character

Luxurious again beautiful rooms

Location

Close to city center and attractions

Staff

Always helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Cavour

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel San Michele

Cortona

Beautiful quaint location my favorite of all!

Authenticity & Character

Old world charm felt like I was staying in an villa

Location

City center was steps away and location was so beautiful

Staff

The girls at front desk were so helpful especially with help our car

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private cooking class at Podere il Casale in Pienza (self-drive)

Italy

Our host made us feel like we were home

Quality of Experience

Food

Everything was delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cinque terre from Florence (SEMI-PRIVATE)

Italy

Would have liked to be able to spend more time at this location. Felt a bit rushed

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

For me the amount of buses and trains was difficult

Private Colosseum, Forum Tour & Palatine hill

Rome

Amazing and beautiful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica

Rome

Overwhelmed by the beauty

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Golf Cart Tour of Rome by Night with Drinks

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit of The Amalfi coast Villages Full Day

Italy

Beautiful breathtaking views

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was excellent

Transport

Full Day Guided Tour of Palermo - Visit Monreale

Italy

Monreale was gorgeous wished to have an extra day in Palermo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Florence and Accademia City Tour

Italy

Loved Alesandra are guide she was very knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip to Iceland with kimkim
A special thank you to Guðmundur Óli (Gummi), who was incredibly patient and helpful throughout the planning process.
Our group changed from more than 20 people to just 13, and he handled all the adjustments with great care and flexibility.
We really appreciated his recommendations and the beautiful places included in our itinerary.

The hotels were excellent, and we were very happy with the accommodation choices.
A big thank you also to our driver, Bessi from Moonwalker, who was so helpful, accommodating, and cooperative throughout the trip.
We truly appreciated his care and flexibility, especially when the weather affected our plans.

Unfortunately, we experienced heavy rain on our arrival day and throughout the following day, which meant we had to skip some planned stops for safety. This was entirely due to the weather and beyond kimkim’s control. The team did their best to adapt the itinerary so we could still enjoy our time in Iceland.

All 13 of us came away very happy with the experience. Thank you to Gummi, Bessi, and the team for helping us create such lovely memories of Iceland. We would happily recommend them

Our guides Pedro in Lisbon and Manuel
In Porto were exceptional.

My wife and I decided to go to Italy as a "Big Trip." We found we were quickly overwhelmed by all the seemingly amazing places; we didn't want to do a bus tour, and we also didn't want our first time in Italy to be a cruise. Enter Kimkim: we were paired up with Melanie, and she was a fountain of information and extremely helpful. She worked with us through a number of different itinerary iterations; we even ended up revamping the trip because of some flight changes and date adjustments. She was always there to help. At booking, there were some additional pivots due to availability changes, and it worked out great.

The trip itself was overall amazing, 17 days total. We stayed in Sorrento, Florence, Venice, and Rome, and had numerous other tours to visit nearby attractions. We got to see everything we wanted to. Melanie and Agota were there every step of the way with daily reminders and check-ins over WhatsApp. We had trains and cars and boats on this trip, and it all worked out great.

The tour guides and drivers we had were great, happy to answer questions or talk about things in the area. The private food tours were one of the highlights, for certain. The small group tours were also intimate and educational. I wish I could remember all our guides' names.

If I had one tip for others, it's make sure you are specific with the tour outlines and your desires. We mistook a couple of tours as "small group" on the itinerary; turns out the "small group" was the two of us on a coach with 40+ others. The tours were done well, we just were expecting something different.

It's not just about when things are going well that matters, it's also how it's handled when they don't. The one hotel still had Agota's name on the reservation, and we had some confusion with driver pickup locations due to a hotel change. But it was all quickly rectified and didn't hold up our trip at all. A couple of tours were early starts, and the hotels couldn't supply the included breakfast, so we were issued compensation. One of the tours ended up being quite different than the agreed itinerary, and they quickly worked with us to find a happy resolution.

Any time we're considering complicated itineraries in a place where we don't know where to even begin, I would happily use Kimkim again.

What a great 12 days in Japan! Hilda was an excellent organizer and helper from beginning to end. We had very specific things we wanted to do that were not that easy to arrange (i.e. hiking parts of the Nakasendo Trail) and Hilda managed it with grace. Her attention to detail (including photos of train stations and visitors centers, obtaining train seats that had the luggage space right behind the seats, arranging knowledgeable and personable tour guides, etc) was exceptional. We were traveling with our 30 year old daughter, so having logistics taken care of but not being with a big tour group, was really important to us. Thank you for a memorable trip!

Hotel Reviews

Magome Chaya

Tsumago

Great experience in a charming town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kanazawa Chaya Ryokan

Lovely rooms and exceptional service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Matsumoto Hotel Kagetsu

matsumoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tokyo Day Tour with Tsukiji Outer Market & Senso-ji - East & Central

Japan

Yukari our guide was excellent. We enjoyed using the subway.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yukari was knowledgeable, enjoyable to be with, easy to understand, and took us to a great lunch place.

Transport

Lived taking the subway.

Half Day Nara Park & Todai-Ji Temple

Japan

Very fun petting the dear and swing the castle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our first experience with KimKim or any private travel company and we would say it was excellent. Their recommendations were all good, including what tours to take and in what hotels to stay, the guides they provided were always knowledgable (some were superb) and their Corbieco Travel's communication to us was always timely and helpful.
Emrah, our local specialist was more than patient with our many questions and trying to accommodate our needs. He was an excellent resource and a wonderful person. Our guide in Cappadocia, Canon was superb as was Umut in Ephesus.

Overall, we had a great and memorable experience and would use KimKim again and we have already recommended the Turkey team to others

My trip to China was incredible!

Mike was a local agent, how know when, where to head to the mountains. I enjoyed our great conversations and his company.

I felt secure and taken care off at every moment which is quite important for a solo traveler like me.

The planning by my local specialist was great, she tailored the trip to my needs and budget.. could not say more than Amazing service!!

This is my third trip planned by Kim Kim, will keep traveling using their services.

Activity Reviews

Marvel at the Picturesque Landscape in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Zhangjiajie

The mountains are spectacular, it is worth the trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tianmen Mountain – Skywalks, Cliff Roads & Heaven’s Gate

Zhangjiajie

The fog was disapointing.. so be aware it can happen!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wellington by Blue Orchid Hotel was an excellent choice for accommodations during our trip. We could walk or take Uber Boats water taxi to all venues in London — Westminster Abbey, Churchill War Rooms, Tower of London, London Eye and Victoria Palace Theatre. The tour bus tour to Kent for stops at Leeds Castle, Canterbury and Dover was particularly enjoyable thanks to our guide, Debra.

Hotel Review

Wellington Hotel by Blue Orchid

London

The rooms were comfortable. The location was ideal. The staff was friendly and professional. Anthwin’s espresso martini is the best!

Authenticity & Character

More spacious lobby.

Location

Walking access to Abbey, Museums and theatre.

Staff

Lobby bar staff were attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice shower.

Activity Reviews

Tower of London Timed Entry Tickets

London

Particularly enjoyed speaking with guide located near Crown Jewels and getting full description of how specific items are still used during annual ceremonies and other special royal events.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We arrived via Uber Boats water taxi.

Tickets to Westminster Abbey

London

There was a fairly large crowd present during our visit.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Walked to venue.

Small Group - From London: Oxford, Cotswolds, and Stratford Upon Avon Tour

London

Disappointed that coach tour finished two miles from start point.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Would have preferred an option of a smaller group tour.

Canterbury, Dover Cliffs & Castle and Leeds Castle is included

London

Very nice for a coach tour. Enjoyed visiting all three locations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Debra was an excellent host.

Transport

Would have preferred a smaller group tour if offered.

Hampton Court Palace - Half Day Tour - With return transport

London

Museum displays were great and grounds were impressive. Missed seeing the altar room as it was closed on the day of our visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Entry tickets to The Churchill War Rooms

London

Impressive amount of information contained in the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walked to venue.

An Evening at the West-End! Tickets to a Show of Your Choice

London

The show, Hamilton, was fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Excellent voices.

Transport

Walked to venue.

Cloak & Dagger

London

Great review of London history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Main guide was quite good. Assistant was difficult to understand at times.

Transport

Walked to venue.

We absolutely loved our trip to Turkey! Everything was seamless - transfers, meals, hotels - no problems. Our guides were tremendous- Zekiye in Istanbul, Efe in Cappadocia, and Mr. Ozan in Izmir. Zekiye whizzed us through lines and found wonderful local experiences for us. Efe gave us excellent historical context, and Ozan's enthusiasm for his home city and the historical sites was infectious. Every minute of this trip was a delight - we are already talking about returning to Turkey soon!

Activity Reviews

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Zekiye was the best guide! She zipped our way through the city - her knowledge helped us quickly navigate crowds and find wonderful local experiences.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimkim representative, Aleksandra was fantastic! Always friendly, responsive and professional! Our drivers, were first rate! Thanks to all for the help in making the experience awesome! Doug Johnson

Our October 2026 journey through Japan was a culturally rich, stunning, and unforgettable experience. For two weeks, we traveled from Tokyo to Hakone, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka and Kobe. - each destination offering its own unique beauty, history, and warmth. This trip was more than a vacation; it was a year long project brought to life through the dedication of Elizabeth and the incredible support of our local travel specialists Maru with MYTravel - as well as the local
guides who ensured we experienced Japan with depth, comfort, and authenticity.

The kindness, professionalism, and cultural insight of our guides made this trip one we will remember for the rest of our lives.

Upon arrival in Japan through our final departure, Maru went above and beyond to ensure every transfer, guide contact, and train station pickup was clearly communicated. When an issue arose, she resolved it quickly and thoughtfully. Her presence allowed us to enjoy Japan without worrying about the details. The coordination from Elizabeth and Ivan also contributed greatly to the success of this journey.

Local Guide Services
Kyoko was an exceptional guide who gave us an unforgettable day exploring Tokyo! We visited the beautiful Imperial Palace Gardens, the incredible Senso-ji Temple, the peaceful Meiji Shrine, and the famous Shibuya Crossing. We walked 9 miles throughout the day, taking in the sights, culture, and energy of this amazing city. Kyoko did a wonderful job guiding us through Tokyo and making the experience both memorable and enjoyable. We also enjoyed a fantastic lunch, with a great vegan restaurant for the girls and a delicious pork restaurant for the guys! We were exhausted by the end, but in the best possible way! We highly recommend Kyoko to anyone looking to experience the best of Tokyo.
Anime Lovers Tour with guide Nori- Nori was a great guide, but unfortunately, the tour itself fell short of our expectations. Rather than focusing on the history and culture of anime, much of the experience centered on shopping along Takeshita Street for souvenirs and tchotchkes. The Samsung Galaxy and TeamLab virtual experience was a fun and enjoyable highlight. Overall, I would recommend this tour primarily for kids who enjoy shopping and anime-themed merchandise, rather than those looking for a deeper understanding of anime culture.

Wasake – Sake Experience with Instructor Anh was outstanding. We had so much fun tasing 13-15 different Sakes while learning about the sake-making process and what makes each on unique. Anh was knowledgeable, engaging, and made the experience so entertaining. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Japan.

Tokyo Sumo Tour with guide Key. This was an unforgettable experience! Key met us at the train station in Kawasaki and took us to a sumo stable, where we learned about the demanding life of a sumo wrestler and watched an impressive demonstration by two wrestlers. When volunteers were invited to participate, we got to learn some of the stretching and movements ourselves—it was so much fun! The experience ended with a traditional sumo hot pot lunch shared with the wrestlers, making it even more special. Key was a wonderful guide, and this was a unique cultural experience we highly recommend!

Odaiba District Tour with Zain
The Futuristic Odaiba District tour was disappointing. Although the guide tried to accommodate us, he had been misinformed about who he would be meeting and expected to conduct the tour in Taiwanese. He was not knowledgeable about the area, leaving us to Google buildings and landmarks ourselves. This guide should not be assigned to American travelers and Zain should be more knowledgeable of the areas he is exploring with travelers.

Hakone with Mochi
Mochi was an EXCEPTIONAL guide who went above and beyond to make our Hakone experience unforgettable! From exploring the Hakone volcano, visiting Hakone Shrine and its famous Peace Gate on Lake Ashi, to touring the historic Hakone Checkpoint and sailing across the lake, every stop was memorable. Mochi truly went the extra mile when dinner plans became complicated, ensuring we found a suitable dining option. The following morning, he made a special stop so we could witness Mt. Fuji in all its majestic glory! His thoughtfulness, flexibility, and dedication made this an outstanding experience. We highly recommend Mochi to anyone visiting Hakone!

Hiroshima with Wais
Wais was equally exceptional. His depth of historical knowledge and ability to convey Hiroshima’s past with clarity and compassion made our visit truly meaningful. His approach and engaging explanations left a lasting impression. We then went on a food tasting tour and we had a fun time sampling Hiroshima’s local specialties, including okonomiyaki, onigiri, mochi, momiji manju, and ice cream with mochi. Even with some picky eaters in our group, everyone enjoyed trying new things and experiencing the local food culture.

Hiroshima Museum - Day with guide Toshi
Our day with Toshi was another excellent experience! He was flexible, attentive, and genuinely committed to making sure we had a meaningful visit. We spent ample time at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which was especially important to us, before exploring more of Peace Memorial Park as Toshi thoughtfully explained the significance of each area. We then visited beautiful Miyajima Island to see Itsukushima Shrine and its iconic floating torii gate. Toshi made our day both memorable and meaningful, and we highly recommend him as a guide!

Geiko/Maiko Tea Ceremony in Kyoto – This was an outstanding cultural experience! We learned how to prepare traditional matcha tea and gained fascinating insight into the dedication, discipline, and demanding life of a Geiko/Maiko. It was a wonderful opportunity to experience an important part of Japanese culture firsthand. A memorable and enriching experience that we highly recommend to anyone visiting Kyoto!

Kyoto and Nara with guide Naoko
We spent three wonderful days exploring Kyoto and Nara with Naoko, who was truly exceptional! She consistently anticipated our needs before we even had to ask, making every day seamless and enjoyable. In Kyoto, we visited the iconic Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, beautiful
Nanzen-ji Temple, the stunning Golden Pavilion, historic Nijojo Castle, and Kennin-ji Temple. We explored the charming Gion district, admired Yasaka No Tou, and enjoyed browsing the shops and sampling local specialties at Nishiki Market. In Nara, we visited the famous Deer Park and the impressive Great Buddha Hall.
Our days were filled with walking, exploring, and discovering Japan’s rich history, culture, and beauty. Naoko’s knowledge, thoughtfulness, and incredible attention to detail made these three days truly unforgettable. We highly recommend her to anyone visiting Japan!
Bamboo Forest Guide with guide Akira. Our day with Akira was another memorable adventure exploring Kyoto’s beautiful temples, peaceful Zen gardens, and the magnificent Bamboo Forest and Okochi Sanso Garden. One of the highlights was lunch at Shigetsu, the traditional Zen vegetarian restaurant, where we sampled an array of dishes we could barely identify! It was a fun and unique culinary experience that gave us a taste of Japanese Buddhist cuisine. Akira made the day special as we continued discovering Japan’s rich culture, history, and beautiful scenery. Highly recommended!

Himeji and Kobe tour with Aki. Aki gave us a fantastic day exploring Himeji and Kobe! We began with a visit to the magnificent Himeji Castle, an impressive Japanese landmark. We then headed to Kobe, where we enjoyed a delicious sampling lunch featuring the famous Kobe beef. Our day ended at the beautiful Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens, where we took in the stunning scenery and peaceful surroundings. Aki made the experience enjoyable and memorable, combining Japanese history, incredible food, and beautiful landscapes. Highly recommended!

Hotel Experience in Osaka
Upon arriving in Osaka, we encountered a significant issue with our hotel reservations. Our itinerary included two rooms with two beds, yet the hotel informed us that no such rooms were available because the reservation had not been made correctly.
We immediately reached out to Maru, who quickly provided alternative hotel options that met our needs. After considerable discussion with hotel management, they were able to accommodate one of the two rooms. While we appreciated the eventual resolution, the service at the Osaka hotel was disappointing and did not reflect the hospitality we experienced elsewhere.

Other Hotels
All other hotels—especially those in Kyoto and Tokyo—provided excellent hospitality, cultural warmth, and comfort. Their service and attention to detail enhanced our experience at every turn.

Overall Impression
Japan is a country of extraordinary beauty, deep history, and gracious hospitality. Our two week journey was enriched by the professionalism and dedication of guides like Kyoko, Mochi, Wais, Naoko, and Toshi, whose knowledge, warmth, and genuine care shaped our experience in unforgettable ways. This trip was a culturally wonderful, once in a lifetime experience made possible by the thoughtful coordination of Maru, Elizabeth, Ivan, and the many local guides who supported us along the way.

WE just returned from an INCREDIBLE Japan trip
Sandy customized all as I asked her and understood my needs
We mostly did all our tours organized by her or her suggestions
It was VERY useful and convenient having an agent on the ground in Tokyo-all her tips were amazing -I messaged her often in the day and being on the same time zone was amazing.She even helped me on packing items -We took carry on only so I had space to shop.She educated us on cabs and trains and tipping.
I LOVED all the hotels she picked out-we reached a stage where we had seen enough temples and shrines and she pivoted and we were so happy with her choice.
Friends of ours were there at the same time and I think ours was better organized -we did 2 nights Tokyo-then drove to Fuji and the lakes on our way to Hakone-we spent 2 nights there-then bullet train to Kyoto for 3 nights and then bullet train to Uno to get ferry to Naoshima for 2 nights-art island -then bullet train back to Tokyo for 5 nights-you dont need to go to the other mountain or another big city-Japan is so frenetic and busy that its good to do CITY_COUNTRY_CITY_COUNTRY _CITY
We loved it-the country is the best country I have traveled to and I have traveled a lot-the people are so polite and kind and humble-the food is outstanding and everything about it -bar a cab driver on the last day trying to rip us off was perfect

From the first discussions with Sarah through the actual trip, the interactions with everyone were pleasant and professional. The trip was well planned and well conducted. The drivers showed up when they were supposed to, the guides were ready for us when we arrived, and all ticketing and other arrangements were handled. It was a most stress-free experience. The little things mattered, such as identifying ahead of time that one of our ferry schedules had changed, so they booked a flight for us at no extra cost. The extra nights booking in Bohol was a nice touch because of a late flight.
Special mentions to Ed, our driver in Luzon for several days, our guides Bridget. Paula, and Aladdin in Luzon were amazing. Our boat guide in Coron was also wonderful but his name escapes me. Our local contacts were always ready to help when needed.

Leny did a great job helping us plan our trip to Japan. She was very helpful in answering our questions along the way and being available while we were in Japan as well. Thanks for a great trip!

It was the trip of a lifetime. My wife and I were taken care of from the minute we landed in Naples, Italy till the minute we boarded our return flight home. The drivers, guides, excursions, line free admissions and experiences were 100% first rate. Chris and Maria put together a vacation that was completely worry and question free. We were informed in advance who, what and where we were going to experience each day to come. The drivers and guides were native of each city and area we visited and were incredibly personable and knowledgeable about the history and shorter routes. They gave us wonderful recommendations on additional places to visit or eat and even set up reservations where applicable. I learned about kimkim from a friend. Now, I will be the friend who tells others about kimkim for their travel plans. If another travel destination is in future, we will most certainly reach out to kimkim to see if that location is in their planning abilities.

Tours were excellent and guides knowledgeable. Debra on the Kent trip was especially good.

Hotel Review

Wellington Hotel by Blue Orchid

London

Staff was amazing. Having a good restaurant and bar on premises was really nice. Rooms were clean and roomy enough. Great Indian restaurant attached to the hotel. Best of all was location. We were able to walk to many attractions.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Activity Reviews

Tower of London Timed Entry Tickets

London

Quality of Experience

Tickets to Westminster Abbey

London

Audio guide was very helpful. Kind of crowded

Quality of Experience

Small Group - From London: Oxford, Cotswolds, and Stratford Upon Avon Tour

London

Thought this would be a smaller group. Guide was okay but not great. A bit disappointed to be left a mile further away from our hotel than we began. Maybe this tour was too ambitious since we could have used more time at each stop.

Quality of Experience

Smaller bus size, more time in each place

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canterbury, Dover Cliffs & Castle and Leeds Castle is included

London

Our guide Debra was wonderful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hampton Court Palace - Half Day Tour - With return transport

London

Have always wanted to visit. Audio tour excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Entry tickets to The Churchill War Rooms

London

An Evening at the West-End! Tickets to a Show of Your Choice

London

Hamilton was outstanding

Quality of Experience

Transport

Easy walk from our hotel

Cloak & Dagger

London

Fun take on the history of London. We got to see several things we might have missed as they were off the beaten track.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Review of KimKim trip for Henry Newman and Lisa Belvito France October 2026

Overall review – the trip was excellent. Most things went smoothly and were as planned, with a few exceptions that will be detailed following.
The process of working with Sebastian was good. It took a couple of calls for him to understand that we did not want to spend time in Paris. Once that was resolved he was very responsive to our interest, made good suggestions and replied in a timely manner.
We did have some trouble getting English tours for Mont St Michel and the oyster tour in Cancale. It seemed like we had to press a few times before getting alternatives. In the end it worked out fine.
Properties – all the hotels were lovely, well located for our needs and the staff was very helpful.
We did request at least a queen bed in each. In St. Malo and Bordeaux, we did not have queens – they seemed to be doubles. We would have preferred to discuss this in advance and explore the options (location, pricing etc) of upgrading to determine ourselves if we wanted to upgrade.
Note for people driving – we rented a car for the trip and needed parking. I believe Sebastian made sure that all the hotels had parking available. The location he gave us in St. Malo was especially well done since he kept us outside the old city where there is no parking but close enough to walk.
However – it is critical that guests contact each hotel well in advance to arrange for parking. The spaces are limited and if we had not reached out to each hotel early, we would not have gotten a parking space. You can assist future guests by advising them to make parking arrangement in advance.
Day by Day
We made a lovely stop at Giverny on the way to Bayeux – a nice alternative for those interested.
Villa Lara , a family-run hotel, was great. Paul and Julian were very fun and accommodating for our evening cocktails.
D-Day Sites Tour was very well done. Our guide Violine (??) did a great job giving is the history and creating a sense of what was happening during this period in history. She answered all our questions and accommodated our needs given a rather rainy day. The Airborne museum was also a highlight.
Sadly, the tapestry was on display in Britian, but we enjoyed a quiet day exploring Bayeux.
Mont Saint Michel - easy to get to and the directions look us right to the parking lot. Although it was a bit crowded the process was smooth and the walk to the Abbey was nice.
We ended up with an audio guide due to lack of an English tour. This was the best audio guide we have ever seen! It really provided excellent information and perspectives across the centuries. Perfect if there is not a tour in your language or for anyone who prefers self-guided option.
Saint Malo As mentioned – the hotel location was just the right place for access to parking and access to the intra muros district. We spent a nice day discovering the old town of St. Malo.
The suggestion to visit Cancale on our own since we could not get an English tour of the oyster farms was a great idea. We spent time at Pointe du Grouin and then visited Cancale. Lots of fun sitting by the water eating oysters and watching the oyster farming.
Due to rainy weather, chilly we didn’t drive as much of the coast as suggested.
Bordeaux – another lovely hotel centrally located for everything we wanted to enjoy. Excellent staff – very helpful especially since we were there when some of the riots occurred. They ensured that everyone was informed and safe, so we had no issues.
We had some mix up with our market tour which we have shared with Sebastian.
The itinerary said - Marché des Capucins Lénaïc, a local passionate wine-lover, is your guide to this emblematic Bordeaux neighborhood. You'll learn about its fascinating history while exploring the colorful market. You will stop at three different stalls to hear artisan producers explain their work and techniques and to sample local wines and season products, which could include cheese, oysters, stuffed cod, and more.
Your tour ends in a nearby wine cellar for brunch, enjoying wine and other local specialties. You will have the opportunity to taste six different wines matched with food purchased at the markets. This is a friendly and relaxed experience away from the hustle and bustle of the city above!
Unfortunately, this is not the experience we got. We stayed in the main area, visited 4 local shops for small tastes. There was no market and no brunch or food and wine pairing. It seems the local tour company switched out our planned tour for a different experience which was disappointing.
We did, however, visit Marché des Capucins on our own.
Sauternes Wine and Medoc Wine tours The next two days of touring Sauternes Wine and Medoc Wine were excellent. Ugo our guide was knowledgeable, engaging, informative and a great driver. We learned a lot about wine and life in the area.
Wine Tasting in St. Emilion Our guide for this tour (she did not tell us her name) was pleasant but not very engaging. We were in a rather noisy van with 4 other people, and it was impossible to hear what she was explaining in the back of the van. We did ask her to speak up a few times but to no avail. For small groups in a van, you might consider using a mike so everyone can hear.
The location and tasting were was enjoyable.
Le Monastère de Saint-Mont this was an amazing property with such a lovely family running it. Beatrice arranged a full day tour of the region with Armagnac and wine tastings and lunch with a local guide. KimKim might want to coordinate with these people for others who want Armagnac experiences as you didn’t seem to know anyone in the region.

Had a great time, Sophie made everything super easy and smooth throughout my trip to the UK. Would definitely recommend!

There not enough words to convey the absolutely phenomenal job Leny and her team did for our first trip to Japan. From the hotels to the tours and tour guides Mitsu Kumiko, Rio Suzuki, Claire, and all the rest whom I wish i had written their names down as well were amazing, so friendly and knowledgeable. The level of care each tour guide gave was unmatched in any other tours I've taken in my travels. Our itinerary was seamless and Lenys team went above and beyond with little extras that were so appreciated! The ability to be able to contact a team if we were running late or if a situation arises made for such a secure feeling. The hotels picked were stellar. Simply put i will now need Leny and her team to assist with every future international trip I take in the future as well as a 2nd trip back to Japan.

Hotel Reviews

Kinnotake Tonosawa

Hakone

The location, food, room and amenities experienced were unmatched.

Authenticity & Character

The hotels attention to detail, the robes and slippers for comfortability

Location

Surrounded by nature yet accessibility to the village below was perfect

Staff

Our welcome to the hotel was incredible and assistance with our luggage to our next hotel

Cleanliness & Comfort

The robes and rooms made us never want to leave

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

The library

Location

So central to so many great areas to visit in walking distance

Staff

All the staff was amazing

Cleanliness & Comfort

All the room amenities

Hotel Resol Kyoto Shijo Muromachi

kyoto

Loved the accesible washers

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza gochome

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

This was one of the most western style hotels we stated in but it still kept so much of what I love about japan hotels I stayed in. The public bath, the amazing staff

Location

So close to so many stores, restaurants

Staff

So helpful with our bags as we arrived well before check in and left after check out but we're able to enjoy our days knowing our bags were safe and waiting

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room and downstairs

SOKI KANAZAWA

Kanazawa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Literally right across from the market and so close to the

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

HOTEL AMANEK HidaTakayama

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Experience Old and Nostalgic Tokyo: Yanaka Walking Tour

Tokyo

Amazing attention to our interest in the route, knowledge of the subject matter

Quality of Experience

The level of attention to how we were and what we wanted to see

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was so kind and genuinely wanted to ensure we had a wonderful time

Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo forest & Garden Half-Day Walking Tour

Kyoto

This was a great tour we were able to see some of the area without crowds and those that were we were able to have the guide navigate us through quickly and efficiently

Quality of Experience

Wonderful locations to explore

Food

This was the only place we were taking to eat in the entirety of our 14 days that was not enjoyed. Unfortunately not as delicious as all the other places we ate

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was so sympathetic to the needs of the people on the tour

Vegetarian Best of Shibuya Food Tour

Tokyo

Absolutely phenomenal food, the tour guide was so great

Quality of Experience

So many great places to try all of the best foods

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Claire was amazing she had so many wonderful stories and was incredibly knowledgeable about the restaurants and the food

Matcha Kyoto Green Tea Tour – Daytime

Kyoto

The quality of the places we visited for this tour were amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

Honestly made me enjoy matcha when I never had before

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Takayama Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Guide

Takayama

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mitsubishi Kumiko was honestly a shingles star among all the other equally wonderful guides we had, but her enthusiasm and lovely little touches such as a personalized little booklet with our pictures done was so outstanding!

Transfer from Takayama to Kanazawa, including a visit to Shirakawa-go

Japan

A personal driver and luxury car, the amazingly lovely history of the village while being able to enjoy it with as little other people as we were there early was amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver was incredibly gracious

Transport

The driver and car were both just spectacular

Relaxing Evening: Private Onsen and Kaiseki Dinner

Hakone

The private onsen made me a new person, so relaxing. The food was delectable and divine out of this world

Quality of Experience

The bath surrounded by nature, the food - each course outdid itself

Oboro | Mindful Tea Ceremony in a 100-Year-Old Kyoto Teahouse

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

The solemnity and reverence that the tea master showed and explained was so spiritual

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tea master made this experience so much more. You could feel the reverence in every movement