Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our group of 26 (mostly) older adults from Laguna Presbyterian Church in California brought our own church history guide to Scotland to learn about our Presbyterian roots. Kateryna (Kate) was a wonderful, gracious specialist, always willing to find answers and solve problems. In Edinburgh, we loved our hotel location in Grass Market and the first-day walking tour by Chris. Another favorite was having tea in the Edinburgh Castle which we could not have arranged without Kate.
Although it rained one of our days on the island of Iona, most of the group would say Iona was the high point of the trip. Kate worked wonders to make this possible. She secured the hard-to-find accommodations on the island and arranged seamless private coach transportation via 2 ferries and a drive across the island of Mull.
All the other trips I have led were set itineraries with full- time guides and drivers. I found this custom trip much harder to plan and to lead. Choosing the right Edinburgh hotel, for example, took many weeks and several changes. As delightful as Kate was to work with, I will probably go with packaged trips in the future for the ease of planning and the luxury of a guide who leads us each day. If I ever want another custom trip, however, KimKim is the company I will call. You are wonderful! Kathy Sizer, retired Associate Pastor

Hotel Review

Apex City of Edinburgh Hotel

Edinburgh

Perfect location in Grass Market. A short walk up Victoria got us to the Royal Mile while an even shorter walk got us to Greyfirars and the National Museum of Scotland. Rooms were comfortable and staff was helpful. The only thing lacking was a restaurant and bar in the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Contemporary

Location

near the Royal Mile and Greyfriars

Staff

always helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great shower

Activity Review

Edinburgh Old Town Tour

Edinburgh

Chris was a great guide with entertaining stories.

The KimKim team of Leslie, who did the planning, Valentina who took care of logistics and Chiara, our ambassador provided a trip that reflected the things asked for when planning began. Each member of the team was very responsive and pleasant. We were very happy with each of the lodging selections. The excursions: e-biking in Tuscany and our guide Gabriel, truffle hunting (two guides were fantastic but I can’t recall their names) Florence in a Day with Castansa were excellent. Best of all was our private tour in Siena with Marta. She was just amazing.

We encountered two bits of confusion one at the beginning of our visit and one at the end. Both had to do with insufficient information. When we first arrived in Pisa the driver took us to the wrong address. There were two lodgings with very similar names. It was quickly sorted out by Chiara. The address of the hotel was close enough for us to walk. We recommend including the street address of destinations to avoid future mishaps. The second incident had to do with transit to the Venice airport. Our instructions were to meet the driver in front of our accommodation. The instructions were very similar to those for arrival at the Venice train station. There, however, we were met by an assistant who led us to the proper boat. We were expecting the same for departure as the instructions did not specify anything more than to wait in front of the hotel. Chiara put us in touch with someone who told us what boat to look for. The driver was unhappy about being kept waiting.

The other issue had to do with the Chianti e-bike excursion. We had to forfeit going on the outing because the cost to transportation to and from the meeting location was close to 400 Euros. In this instance the full cost of the excursion should have been shared before hand. I realize that it would have been wise to ask for the cost of each excursion to be itemized so better informed decisions could have been made.

Raj (the boss), Bipin (right hand man) and Bishnu (driver) all showed me an excellent time in Nepal and kept me safe.
I will definitely recommend them to my friends who want to visit this area in the future.

Rabin was my guide during my trek to the South Everest Base Camp. I honestly do not think I could have completed the trek without his guidance, help and encouragement. Rabin is an excellent guide.

Bijay (guide) and Vishnu (driver) were both excellent and highly recommend by me.

All of the drivers and tour guides were personable, informative and knowledgeable. I enjoyed each and every one, with a special fondness for Giannis, our guide for our Santorini food tour.
Also, special mention to Angeliki for keeping us informed when we experienced a couple of weather and travel issues. She answered all our questions promptly no matter what time we reached out, paticularly when our ferry from Santorini to Heraklion was delayed. All in all, I was more than satisfied with all steps of the process.

Hotel Reviews

Creta Blue Boutique Hotel

Hersonissos

Generally excellent. We wished there was more storage available for unpacking clothing, for example a dresser or cabinet.

Location

Fantastic location in a beautiful spot overlooking the city. Easy access to amazing restaurants, shops, etc.

Staff

Our staff interactions were mainly with restaurant personnel. They were all great, particularly the young woman serving our breakfast.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sole d'oro Luxury Suites

Santorini

Location

Would have preferred a location a little closer to the promenade.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Urban Stripes Athens

Athens

Frustrating not to have a representative available for late arrival and early departure.

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Crete Sightseeing: Rethymno - Argiroupolis - Kournas Lake - Chania from West & Her

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ritsa and George were fantastic

Transport

Gastronomy Gems 2026

Santorini

Great food, great tour guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thank you Aleksandra for planning a wonderful trip to SE Ireland. You did exactly what we asked, which was planning a flexible itinerary. This allowed us to add a few adventures and skip a few things depending on our timing. You were very responsive to changes during the planning as well as accessible when needed during our trip. You were excellent! 10/10!!

Following, is a review/feedback of each location;

Dublin:
Leinster Taxi from airport to the Schoolhouse Gastropoda Hotel - driver “Tony” was excellent, on time, even though our flight arrived 1 1/2 hours late. Tony gave us an informative ride and was a great introduction to Ireland.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Th Schoolhouse Gastropub. The front desk staff was friendly (Tina!!), welcoming and very helpful. The room was clean and had a great housekeeping staff. We appreciate having the restaurant on site for the included breakfast and also tried it for dinner, which was excellent. The wait for our dinner was very slow, however the water comped our drinks.

On our return to Dublin, Tina at the front desk allowed us an early midday checking to drop off our luggage, which allowed us to turn in our rental car more easily.

Dublin Private Walk Tour:
The tour guide, Mydie was sick and we were not able to do the walking tour. However, she comped us by getting tickets for the Hop On Hop Off bus tour, the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum (very well done and recommended for other visitors, and St Patrick’s Cathedral. She also gave us a monetary voucher for Bewley’s - a wonderful cafe which we highly recommend for visitors.

Merry Ploughboy Gastro Pub:
This was a great introduction to Irish food, music and dancing. The food was 3 of 5 stars.

While walking around Dublin, we also recommend the following sites:
- St. Stephen’s Green
- Sheridan’s Cheesemongers ( cheese shop -where we sampled cheese)
- John Kehoe’s Pub for a pint!

Rental car: We used Alamo Rental Car and picked it up at St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Center on the top floor. Staff was great but it was a challenge driving in and out of the tight parking garage.

Drive Dublin to Wicklow:
We drove through Sally Gap Drive to Powerscourt Waterfall and Powerscourt Gardens. We enjoyed the scenic drive and found it very worthwhile.

The Coachhouse stay in Roundwood was very nice and cozy with a lot of sitting areas, with lovely plants, some retail and a nice pub. We especially liked the option to have the included sit down full breakfast or eat in the attached bakery/cafe. However, we were not greeted when we arrived and searched for staff in order to check in. It was not made clear the options for breakfast. Wi-Fi only works on the first floor and not in guest rooms, which was inconvenient. We do recommend it as a lovely place to stay, however the manager was not friendly or customer service oriented. She was always rushing around and made us feel like we were inconveniencing her.

Monastic Glendalough was a very nice stop with amazing architecture. We also visited the Upper and Lower Lake. We recommend parking at the Visitor’s Center and entering the monastery from the parking lot. There are restrooms there as well as a place to purchase food/drinks. Having lunch at The Wicklow Heather in Brockagh County, Wicklow was a highlight. (5/5 stars!!) The bar area was very nice and there was a dining area called The Writer’s Room, filled with original editions of various Irish writers. Excellent service. Beautiful floral patio area for dining when weather allows. We took a side trip to Glenmacnass Waterfall from the parking area there is a wonderful view of the valley and Guinness colored waterfall.

Wicklow to Wexford:
We found out that the same company (Aramark) that owns The Coach House also owns Avoca Mills in Avoca. We took a tour of Avoca Mill with “Art” who was excellent and informative. We recommend visiting the shop and cafe at Avoca Mills. There were lovely wool garments made at the mill, blankets and scarves and gift items. The bakery had delicious coffee and wonderful baked pastries.

Visited Enniscorthy which included Vinegar Hill with a scenic view of the countryside. Visited the 1798 Rebellion Center (3/5) . Had lunch at The Cotton Tree Cafe (3/5) and a pint of Guinness at Stamps Pub (3/5). Stayed at the Riverside Park Hotel. Mediocre Hotel at best, musty, smokey and damp smell and rooms outdated. Breakfast was not as good as previous places on the trip. The pool facility was decent. Note: guests must wear a bathing cap or rent one to use pool area. This hotel did not match the description online.

Waterford:
Excellent walking tour with “Liam” was brilliant. The Waterford Factory tour was worthwhile and interesting.
Fabulous stop at Hook Lighthouse on the way to Waterford. Taking the tour of the lighthouse was VERY worthwhile. We bought tickets on site. Note: There were restrooms and a sandwich/soup restaurant on site in the old light keepers house. The Avoca Mill Gift-shop gives a 10% discount on a sales receipt for tickets to Hook Lighthouse.

Driving Note: We recommend rather that driving to New Ross to get to Waterford, take the East Passage Ferry which departs every 15 minutes. This was convenient because our lodging at Marsh Mere Lodge was in Arthurstown, very close to the ferry.

Marsh Mere Lodge was an absolute STAND OUT place to stay!! 5/5 stars!! Host Claire was fabulous. The home was filled with generations of antiques and was like a museum. Very clean and well decorated. Very personal touches with bottled water and cookies, coffee and tea. Breakfast was 10/10 - homemade full Irish breakfast including homemade breads and scones. Amazing view overlooking the sea wall of Waterford harbor. NOTE: The host does not accept payment from the travel agent, though the travel agent can make a reservation. The guest must pay host directly upon arrival.

Waterford to Kilkenny:
Beautiful drive to Rock of Cashel. One of the highlights of our trip. We had lunch at The Cellar Bar at Bailey’s Hotel in Cashel. Excellent service and excellent food. For visit at Rock of Cashel, park at Car Park just below the site.
Stayed at Kilkenny House Hotel (3/5 stars - nice lobby area and recently updated hotel, however no personal touches in rooms, no water bottles, etc.) Breakfast was included however there were breakfast items that had run out, pitchers empty, and not homemade items - more like a modest hotel continental breakfast.

Kilkenny Walking Tour (John Crommerford was “The Craic”!!! Ask for him! He was very knowledgeable and gave us nearly a three hour tour! Offered his contact information if we needed any help or advice while in Kilkenny. Loved visit to Rick Steve’s recommended bookstore “The Book Centre Kilkenny. Visited The Field Bar and Restaurant w/ live music. Our favorite spot was Tholsel Bar. Great live music and more modern pub vibe, with big open window in front . Had dinner at Kytelers Inn (4/5) Cozy ambiance and good food/service. NOTE: when parking in garages in Kilkenny, take note of closing hours. We had to call security after hours which cost us 25 Euro. Overall - Kilkenny was our favorite city we visited. For great shopping - we enjoyed The Kilkenny Design Center Kilkenny Castle yard across from the Kilkenny Castle. Great artisans, and met a soap maker Denise O’Conner at MySkin and 85 year old silversmith Des Byrne!

Return to Dublin:
Received VERY warm welcome back at The Schoolhouse Gastro Pub with note and chocolates on our bed. Enjoyed touring Trinity College and seeing The Book of Kells. We shopped on Dawson Street and the pedestrian mall in the city center. Highly recommend the Celtic Whiskey Shop. Staff was very knowledgeable and wrapped our bottles for airplane travel. Great ways to finish trip was a visit to Peruke and Periwig cocktail bar. Incredibly eclectic decor and drink menu currently based on Alice and Wonderland theme, but signature drinks change periodically an are created by the staff. The drink menu alone is a piece of art. we topped off our trip with a delicious dinner at The Schoolhouse Gastro Pub.

Due to a health issue, I was unable to travel through the French Riviera, which was a disappointment, to say the least. There was the added factor that I chose not to purchase trip insurance, so my two sons had the good fortune to enjoy the south of France in my place.

While planning with Liz, I was clear that I did want to visit the tourist spots, and she was so helpful in accommodating my wishes. My questions or concerns always received an immediate response. My two sons raved about the hotel, which was centrally located in Nice. Apparently, the pre-arranged tours that Liz had recommended were fabulous, but there was also time for self-exploration; the tour guides were warm and knowledgeable; transportation (including to/from the airport) was comfortable and easy (as it had been arranged for me--a woman of certain years with a very difficult knee), and the overall experience was magical.

I am sorry that I was unable to travel through the French Riviera, but there was a joy in seeing it through the eyes of my two sons. Kimkim did a fantastic job, and I would highly recommend Liz and Diliana.

I cannot recommend Nokathula and Kimkim highly enough. I tried to plan a 6 week trip to South Africa to pick my son up after the conclusion of a two year mission for our church, and tour the country. It was impossible. It was a complicated itinerary to start with, and it only got worse as my son weighed in with what he wanted to see and do. After much fine tuning, and confirmation I realized that I had misread the trip plan and I had an extra week that was unscheduled. This was 100% on me. Reservations had to be moved, tours and flights rebooked, the whole trip reworked, very close to my departure date. Somehow the itinerary I was very happy with, was significantly improved. The feedback and communication during the planning was exceptional. I gained a much better understanding of precisely how good it was when I was in country navigating the time difference at home.
Once my trip began, Nokuthula was in constant contact. The wonderful itinerary she planned , needed some adjustments because we fell in love with the Hyde Hotel in Johannesburg and wanted to finish our trip there. Seamlessly managed. When we missed a connecting flight to Durban, because I cannot navigate a 24 hour clock, vs a 12 hour clock, she had us rebooked on a later flight, our rental car switched and our guest house notified of our late arrival. Being able to have a wonderful hot meal after a terrible day was much appreciated.
Every place we were booked was special and interesting. Our two safaris were more than we had hoped for. Unembeza Lodge in Hoedspruit was such a surprise. Beautiful rooms in a community that has all sorts of animals roaming around. I prefer smaller, unique properties, and everywhere we stayed was charming, with exceptional service. Wilderness Manor Guest House was my sons favorite. Our room was beautiful, in a wonderful interesting house. Our hosts were so knowledgeable, and helpful. We would have missed out on an unforgettable hike without their encouragement. Breakfast was next level with extra homemade croissants for my son.
While in Hermanus, my son had a minor accident with the rental car. He misjudged the parking garage entrance and banged up the bumper. Nokuthula managed the whole thing, quickly and stress free. Something that could have been a considerable hassle, affecting the rest of our trip, was handled so we could continue on worry free.
Thanks to Nokuthula’s thoughtful planning, exceptional service while we were in country, my son and I had the trip of a lifetime. It was perfectly paced, with options and flexibility built in so we had the ability to move at our own pace within a structured itinerary. My goal when planning this trip was to show my son as much of South Africa’s wonderful and unique places as I could in the time we had. That goal was accomplished and a great deal more. We have been home a week, and with time to reflect on all we saw and experienced, this once in a lifetime trip continues to get better. Family and friends are amazed by all we saw and did. There is no way I could have planned a trip close to the one Nokuthula planned. Costs are an individual thing, but all I can say is, this trip was far and beyond what I expected. It was worth every penny. I would not hesitate to book another trip through Kimkim.

Just want to send a HUGE thank you out to our kimkim travel specialist for Iceland, Gudmundur Oli Palmason, aka “Gummi”, for the work he put into our 10 day trip to Iceland! Six of us circumnavigated the country and Gummi from kimkim made all of our arrangements according to our requests and interests, including booking us into WONDERFUL accommodations in remote areas so we would have the best chance of spotting the northern lights. We went whale-watching, spent time at 2 different geothermal lagoons, took a boat ride on the Iceberg Lagoon, saw seals and whales and reindeer and an arctic fox, along with so many amazing variations in topography and stunning views! We met and talked with people from around the world, and the Icelandic people are so warm and welcoming! This plan was truly the best of both worlds because we were traveling independently, but we were never alone because Gummi was always available to re-arrange activities when we experienced flight delays or rough weather or sea conditions. Our rental car, hotels, and purchased activities were all booked by kimkim, and Gummi provided detailed daily maps, a driving schedule, sightseeing opportunities, and a range of eating options for everywhere we stayed. The booking process was seamless and very efficient, and I would absolutely recommend traveling with kimkim for both experienced and novice travelers. And anyone lucky enough to work with Gummi in Iceland is in the hands of the very BEST! This experience was unforgettable!

Sharie & Kevin Bahr

A review our trip to S Korea: Thank you for flawless arrangements, transportation and interesting activities. The hotels were excellent with each having special advantages. The Hotel BOTANIK was close to markets and we loved the roof top garden. The La Valse had great views and was close to the downtown. Whistle Lark had a pool that was good for lap swimming, but too cool for lounging. The Nine Tree had the Insadong market right out the door. The hotels were so nice I am glad we did not opt for 5 star hotels. We enjoyed the K Cooking class and market tours in Seoul, Busan and Jeju. We missed the Gyeongbokgung Palace because it was closed on Tuesday. Climbing the Seongsan Ilchulbong crater in Jeju was great. The restaurant in Busan on the second floor of the fish market was over hyped. We enjoyed seeing the Gamcheon village in Busan and hearing its history. Great photos there. The Manjanggul lava tunnel was better than expected. But the DMZ third tunnel was arduous for Linda..
Our guides each presented unique Korean perspectives. Kory sincerely sought to impart a good impression to the visitor. Jade gave an honest and complete view of life as a young Korean. Sarah told us when we return next time we will be friends and not tourists - so sweet!

We loved Rovinj, Plitvice lakes but really loved everything. Food tour in Zagreb was great, Boat ride to Hvar and swimming in Brac were great. Everything was great and the weather cooperated.

Hotel Reviews

The Melegran

Rovinj

This hotel was our only disappointment in a wonderful trip. When we checked in, we were shown to the annex in the back through a dark alley, we climbed the first set of stairs and then another steep set of stairs and arrived in a room that was only big enough for a bed. When we needed to walk down the stairs, there was no motion light or switch so the first part of our descent was in darkness. The staff was friendly, we loved Rovinj but our stay could have been a disaster.

Authenticity & Character

See above

Location

Location in one town is convenient

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

See above

Hotel Degenija

Rakovica

We only stayed here one night but it was a great hotel with nice amenities

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riva Marina Hvar Hotel

Hvar

This hotel is in a fabulous location, has been remodeled, has helpful staff and is a great place to stay to see Hvar.

Authenticity & Character

Recently remodeled with spacious rooms

Location

Right on harbor

Staff

Helpful. Even stood in line with our luggage while we had breakfast before we the ferry.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Zagreb Leisure Day

Zagreb

We lived having free time in Zagreb to explore on our own.

Quality of Experience

Zagreb - walking food tour!

Zagreb

The was a fantastic introduction to Croatia. Hides combined history and a great food experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Privately guided walking tour of Kotor

Kotor

We had a wonderful guide and we joyed this walking tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Motor Boat Excursion to Brač & the Pakleni Islands (end in Hvar)

Split

We liked stopping at two islands, the chance to swim and see the beautiful scenery by boat

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Lovčen National Park & Cetinje

Kotor

The drive up the mountain was spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Needed a guide in Cetinje. We didn’t know what to see in town besides monastery.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Someone who could have given us more insulin Cetinje.

Transport

Hike to Lost Villages of Hvar, Croatian Peka Lunch

Croatia

This was a fun excursion - different from being in town. We walked down , which I would recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

The traditional peak lunch was delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately guided tour of Pula

Croatia

This was an interesting stop and good to have a guide to show us highlights and recommendation lunch spot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Free Day in Rovinj

Rovinj

Great. Loved having the day to explore.

Quality of Experience

Truffle hunting experience in Istria

Croatia

It was interesting and fun but hunting time was a bit short.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked to start hunt and walked so I can’t evaluate transport. There was an option to ride but we walked.

We hired to KimKim to provide local travel expertise. Our travel guide was not based out of Scotland and appeared that she wasn't all that familiar with touring Scotland. There was some very poor planning such as having us visit a distillery one day, drive and 1.5 hour to Inverness and then drive all the way back the next day to visit the distillery next door (owned by the same company) and then drive 1.5 hour back to Inverness again. A lot of Van time instead of touring time, we should have been booked to stay in Speyside at least the first night. Rachel was also not timely in her responses to us through the planning process. She would often set her own deadline to get back to us and then totally miss that deadline by weeks and only communicated once we reached out again. We wanted to have a final trip review with everyone a few weeks before the trip, some of the group had time where they couldn't meet due to another out of country commitment. She didn't get back to us so several in the group couldn't meet and get questions and concerns answered. Rachel and Highpoint Holiday hired Kilted Piper tours to take us around. Kilted Piper is based in Scotland and could have done a much better job of planning everything. KimKim should have went to Kilted Piper directly instead of going through HighPoint who then found Kilted Piper. We paid an extra layer of overhead for no reason.

Nikola was easy to work with and created a great itinerary for us to explore Slovenia, based on our interests and activity level preferences. We packed in a lot and, with the insight he provided, were sure to get in all the highlights with authentic experiences along the way. The details he provided helped us avoid frustration and mishaps on our self-guided tour too, which was especially nice. This allowed us to explore Slovenia fully and savor every moment of our vacation, Thank you Nikola and thank you Kimkim!

What an absolutely amazing trip ! The whole thing was pulled together within two weeks of departure date by Heidi who was phenomenal. We mapped out to Heidi what we were looking to achieve for our first trip to China and she absolutely nailed the brief perfectly. Each of our four guides are absolutely worthy of mention, Li, Coco, Ellen and Vivian, - thank you so much for your attention to detail and being the perfect hosts in each of the cities that we visited and going beyond. You really did make the trip so memorable for us all and so totally seamless. We wouldn’t have found time to do half the things that we achieved if it wasn’t for your local knowledge and familiarity with the landscapes, etc.
I have absolutely no hesitation or reservation in recommending Kimkim to anyone who is thinking of using them as a travel organiser and we will absolutely be using them again in the future for any further travel plans.

Mathilde from Kimkim put together an incredible itinerary for our scenic trip to Switzerland from the suggestions we made. Smooth plane to train transfers in Zurich to picturesque Lucern, ease in finding our hotels (beautiful accommodations), details getting to outstanding scenic hike in Stoos (with up close encounters with dairy cows collectively sounding their bells), unique cogwheel train ride to Mt Rigi, great restaurant recommendations, free time suggestions (that we followed), Jungfraujoch experience, Lauterbrunnen, Trümmelbach Falls, Glacier Canyon, charming Grindelwald, enjoyable resort town of Zermatt and indescribable views of the Matterhorn. Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, we topped it off with the Glacier Express Panoramic train ride from Zermatt to St Moritz. Switzerland now ranks among the top most beautiful places we’ve ever been! Thank you, Mathilde and KimKim, for a trip of a lifetime! Pictures will never do it justice, but the memories will! The Swiss Rail Pass was a perfect way to navigate city to city. And the SBB Train schedule remarkably efficient. Switzerland! You are a hidden gem!

Activity Reviews

Gornergrat panoramic train (return day-ticket & Priority boarding)

Switzerland

Quality of Experience

Transport

Self-guided day to Mount Rigi, the Queen of Mountains

Lucerne

This day as a self guided activity was so fun. Navigating the paddlewheel boat schedule, riding the cogwheel train, leisurely spending time at the top of Mt Rigi and listening to the self guided QR plaques, and finding a local pizza place in Vitznau built our travel confidence.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (Round-trip Tickets)

Zermatt

The opportunity to go to the altitude right next to the Matterhorn made it feel like I could reach out and touch it! And the technology in the gondola and lift systems was superior!!!! The Swiss are so smart!!!!

Quality of Experience

Views exceeded our expectations!!!!

Transport

Kateryna is amazing to work with! She is responsive, professional, accommodating and a pleasure to work with. This is my second trip with Kateryna making dreams become reality.
Thanks Kate, for everything!

Hotel Reviews

Gardette Park Hotel

Paris

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Windsor Hotel

Nice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Jas de Gordes

Gordes

It's definitely not Bacardi Rum (white) in the Bacardi bottle... Friendly staff. Breakfast great but other than that, very limited menu to choose from.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Passy Eiffel

Paris

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Seine River Gourmet Dinner Cruise with Live Music

Paris

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Eiffel Tower Tour

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Moulin Rouge Evening Performance

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Disneyland Paris: 2- Day , 2 Parks Entrance Tickets with Premier Access Pass

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The arrangements by Audrey were excellent. She was also very prompt with all communciations. All transfers and tours were well organized, except for a slight hiccup on the transfer from our Strasbourg hotel to the train station when the driver was a few min late due to a last-minute change by the company.
The tour guides were all knowledgeable and friendly.
Hotels: The reason for the 4-star rating for Audrey is the hotels. In general, we felt that the hotels did not merit the cost of the trip. We had requested 4-star hotels but except for the Hotel de Seze in Bordeaux, we would consider the other three hotels 3-star, even if technically designated 4-stars. In 2 instances we had to carry luggage up the stairs either to reach the elevator or to reach the room from the elevator. In general, the rooms were somewhat cramped for 2 people. In Amboise, the room was very hot and the hotel was unable to provide fans, saying that they were all in use, and so we did not have one available for even one of the 3 nights we were there.
On the plus side, the staff at all hotels were friendly and helpful. Breakfast buffets were plentiful. All hotels were well located.
Overall, the trip was very enjoyable and stress free. We appreciated the smoothness of the experience

Anna Marie thank you so much for the advice and suggestions you gave us. There were so many highlights and experiences we enjoyed. Each location was lovely, knowledgeable guides and activities. We brought home amazing and very special memories we will always share. Many thanks!

Working with Lucie and KimKim resulted in a trip that was the best experience imagineable for my daughter and I. I explained what I was looking for in a vacation in Germany and what I wanted was not a simple off-the-shelf tour. My vacation involved a combination of an initial trip to Munich followed by a tour of the Bavarian countryside and southwestern Germany that my daughter and I will never forget. Our experience kicked off with a tour of Nymphenburg Palace and and the Old Central city center of Munich. This was followed the next day by a tour of the historic Dachau Concentration Camp that is not to be missed. The last day included a guided tour of Oktoberfest with a genuine tent experience including ready-made friends together with food and drink. PROST! The guides for Oktoberfest and Dachau were arranged by KimKim with a knowledgeable family-owned tour company that was perfectly situated close to our hotel. They were wonderful. After Munich we were off on a cross country tour via rental car arranged by Lucie of various castles, palaces and historic sites across Bavaria and the foothills of the German Alps. Along the way, tours of various castles and palaces were arranged including Linderhof Palace, Neuschwanstein Castle, Lichtenstein Castle and the hilltop castle Hohenzollern were arranged. We even managed to throw in a tour of Hohenschwangau Castle that was not in our itinerary but the ample time provided in our schedule allowed. All of these planned excursions were situated close to charming towns like Fussen and Tubingen where wonderful hotels were booked by KimKim along the way. After a full but unrushed tour shedule each day, Lucie provided recommendations for great restaurants and shopping locations near our hotel to unwind and have a relaxing tasty meal. Where possible details such as tickets were arranged by Lucie and KimKim in advance, and where this was not possible, they provided detailed instructions on how to secure entry to everything we wanted to see. The German part of our trip ended with a drive through the Black Forest for a short stay at the spa town of BadenBaden and then down the length of the lovely hills of the Black Forest to the scenic Triberg Falls. There I couldn't resist purchasing a cuckoo clock at one of the many local shops that still make and sell these mechanical marvels. Finally, we were off by train with tickets arranged by Lucie and KimKim to Zurich for the final leg of our journey. After a short train ride, we were off for a tour of the city followed the next day by a trip for a tour of a beautiful small vineyard and wine tasting at Rapperswil on Lake Zurich and reservations for a delicious lunch at a restaurant overlooking the lake. I cannot truly say enough about how Lucie and KimKim made this once in a lifetime trip for me and my daughter an everlasting memory that we will always cherish. I highly recommend using KimKiim to take care of the details of any dream vacation that you wish to arrange.

Hotel Reviews

Boutique Hotel Helmhaus

Zürich

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Batschari Hotel Baden - Baden

Baden Baden

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Krone ****S

Tübingen, Germany

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sonne Füssen

Fussen

Absolutely beautiful nestled below a castle

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maritim Hotel Munich

Munich

Terrific Brunch!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Tübingen!

Tubingen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Munich

Munich

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transportation via a friendly driver in a wonderful Mercedes limousine

Estate Wine Tasting in Rapperswil

Zürich

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guide was fantastic. A unique experience

Transport

Höhenzollern Castle (Timed Entrance tickets)

Germany

This was a wonderful surprise. I actually enjoyed it the most of all the wonderful castles and palaces I visited and they let you take pictures inside!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial

Munich

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Oktoberfest Tour – Experience The World-Famous Party

Munich

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

As an experienced and very demanding travelers we had high expectations of hotels and activities on this trip.
Our travel specialist Maria Jose Jaramillo set the trip up as we asked and then helped us to tweak on the fly to make our experience even better.
She was friendly and constantly available for any of our concerns and I would highly recommend her to anyone.
Ray

It was an amazing trip. We saw not only historical sites but also countryside, desert, Beduin house, carpet factory/workshop, Nubian village on the Elephantine island, oldest Coptic monastery.
But it was so sad to see so much garbage on every corner and children playing there.
Aswan was the cleanest of all the cities we saw.
We especially liked Bahaa, who was an amazing storytellers. Other guides gave us lots of information but sometimes it was hard to see the forest behind the trees but all of them were very knowledgeable, with obvious passion for the history of their country. We were very impressed by our guides' abilities to read hieroglyphs.

Hotel Reviews

Steigenberger Omar Khayyam

Cairo

Authenticity & Character

Very nice hotel but just like any other high class hotel. Hard to talk about it's authenticity or character. It blends with other hotels of this category.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dahabiya Akhnaton

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Temple Hotel Luxor

Luxor

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Concorde El Salam

cairo

Quiet, clean, nice food selections.

Authenticity & Character

There was nothing "authentic" about it. Looked like any other western hotel.

Location

Staff

Very kind , helpful; some porters very a little bit too pushy.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Over Day Fayoum & Wadi Al Hitan

Egypt

The waterfalls look so much bigger than in reality

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Tour to Pyramids, Sphinx & Sakkara and Dahshour

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cairo/ White Desert

White Desert

Probably one of the most memorable part of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

The whole desert experience was wonderful

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our Beduin driver was not only an amazing driver but also the cook.

Transport

Day tour to visit Grand Egyptian Museum, Citadel of Salah El-Din & Old Cairo

Cairo

This museum needs more than 2 hours! There's so much to see there! Two hours allow you just to glance at the exhibits rather than absorb the enormity of history presented there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport