Kimkim Trip Reviews

We have returned from an amazing 2 weeks in beautiful Vietnam. Our tour operator, long Hoang Long, delivered on every detail of the trip - and there were many! HIs responsiveness and attention to detail were incredible. There are so many ; connections / Rendez-vous's / Guides / Car connections, etc. required on a trip like this . Everything worked out perfectly.

Sometimes -- you don't know how good a tour operator is until something goes wrong. The ability to recover quickly and right the ship is the true mark of the quality of the service. When we had minor missed connections on this trip - Long was VERY responsive and navigated the recovery quickly.

We enjoyed the day spent in Hoi An best . Seeing the craft villages by bicycle , attending an unexpected festival, and interacting with all of the very enthusiastic school kids was quite memorable. It was great having English speaking guides who could answer our myriad questions on Vietnamese ; culture, economics, tourism, politics and lifestyles.

Hotel Review

Lynnaya Urban River Resort

Siem Reap

This hotel delivers a great, calming vibe right in the heart of the city. Walking or short tuk tuk to everywhere you might want to go.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

VIP Fast Track Service

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Transport

Full day Angkor sightseeing and Ta Prohm temple

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Island Hoping & Snorkeling Trip by Speed Boat

Phu Quoc

The snorkeling experience is quite disappointing. In fact -- I would suggest you stop selling this as a snorkelling experience, - there are very few fish to see. Only small fish and some nice coral. I think this area is over fished by the locals. [ See all the fishing boats at night! ] The island is kind of over touristed , - too many tourists, for the size of the beach. Kind of a hectic wave of tourists getting off boats and sharing a very tiny beach.

Quality of Experience

Food

A lot of food , but not well cooked or presented. Restaurant is fairly primitive.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Handicraft - Tra Nhieu Village

Hoi An

This was my favorite day and activity. Riding bikes got us closer to the people and daily lifestyles. Was great that it was not very crowded with tourists.

Quality of Experience

Food

Really enjoyed the restaurant in the rice field .

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide

Cu Chi Tunnels & Half Day City Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Driver was great. The Guide spoke very good English and was able to answer very specific questions on; Economics and Vietnamese customs. However, he has given the Tunnels tour one too many times and is bored with the experience. Kind of rushed us through with no real conversation or insights.

Transport

Hoa Lo Prison - Huu Tiep Lake - Vietnam Military History Museum - Ho Chi Minh Complex (S)

Hanoi

OUr guide needed a audio device and the guests headphones to effectively tour this crowded sight. This was not provided. He did not bring any extra insights and expected us to simply read all the panels, etc. No editorial was offered!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

More insights.

Transport

My trip to Chiang Mai and Laos went exactly as planned by Doris! Someone was waiting for me as I arrived in Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang, Paske, and Vientiane. All of my guides were courteous, spoke clear English, were knowledgeable, and friendly. My drivers all drove very safely in clean, well maintained vehicles. My favorites were 1) visiting the Elephant Sanctuary outside of Chiang Mai; 2) the Plain of Jars; 3) the scenic yet bumpy drive to/from the PoJ; 4) swimming & zipline at Xangvieng; 5) the many beautiful waterfalls near Paske.

Long time but now is my review. Since I work also in tourism , for the trip I knew what I wanted to see and expérience for the time I had.
Loved the expérience. NICK was really fast responding while preparing the trip. Even if we are living on another continent. It was not as easy while I was on place. But the compagnies you work with are 👌.
NICK listened to my wish and needs and everything seemed possible!
Explinations of how the procedures of communication would be during the trip, would have help at first. But after Singapore, communication with Jason was easy!!
Driver/guides were pro!! We loved Joseph!!! And Vincent! Expérience shows 😊
Our drive from Singapore to Malaisia was long...the driver didnt realy speak english.
Very good driver but since the trip is 4h if we could have a conversation with him would have made it perfect.
A few things promise were not done. Exemple: meal at our last tour in Langkawe..
For us it's ok. But usuly not for the clients. That woul'int pass. Promise less and give more is a winner.
Thank you for everything and we will highly recommand your business!

Rachid our driver made our trip easy and enjoyable. He was able to get hard to find items and was available for us day & night. He was always cheerful, friendly & eager to help. I can’t praise him enough.

The trip was just wonderful! Thanks for all your help.

Majid was a dream to work with. He created an amazing itinerary for our trip to Marrakech. Ask for our tour guide, Hamid! He was the best for our family and 3 kids. Gave us great history and background but not too much to overwhelm the kids :) The driver (also named Hamid) was phenomenally kind and also drove us to Essaouira. I only wish I had found Majid sooner and had not spent so much time on my own trying to piece together an itinerary! The only part I would recommend that families skip is the camel tour and Agafay desert dinner because it was crowded with tour groups. There is more in Marrakech that I would have liked to see instead.

This was my first trip internationally for my husband and I( age 73) in more than a decade. I had never planned a trip like this ever before. I chose KimKim Travel because of the way they interacted with me. So many details I had no clue about. The agent named Monika was so kind and knowledgeable in the way she presented everything in a digital world. It made it so easy to navigate. All of the suggestions she made were spot on, and the accommodations were perfect for us. The activities she suggested made it very memorable for us. We loved every aspect of it and met people along the way who enhanced our journey. We will definitely come back and we already have learned where we would want to explore on a second trip to New Zealand. Monika kept in touch with us and that was very comforting in a Country we had no knowledge of. The car rental, hotels, excursions, and plane tickets were thoroughly explained so we could navigate the instructions easily. Even so, we laughed at our silly mistakes, like driving around a round-a-bout three times until we got the correct directions. The Glow Worm hike in the dark was exhilarating. Relaxing at the Polynesian Spa in Rotorua was awesome. ÑEw Zealand people are so kind, helpful, and friendly. Thank you for being our guide!

Hotel Reviews

Museum Apartment Hotel

Wellington

One of my favorite hotels. You do have to pay for parking, but we walked everywhere. Close to the museum, wharf( where everyone gathers and hangs out). Easily walk to restaurants and shops.

Authenticity & Character

The various pieces of art are worth a look and gaze

Location

Staff

Always helpful to answer our questions

Cleanliness & Comfort

The kitchenette was well stocked with fridge, cooktop, oven, dishwasher, and washer dryer.

The White Swan

Wairarapa

Very small boutique hotel. The room was spacious and lovely. We slept like logs in the amazing soft bed. The restaurant is great. Most of the staff were amazing.

Authenticity & Character

It’s quirky yet elegant.

Location

Quaint village with nice shops and restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Crown Hotel

Napier - Ahuriri

Very modern hotel with gorgeous views. Kitchen is so helpful. Bed is ultra comfortable. Love the jetted tub.

Authenticity & Character

Cool design, easy parking, good location

Location

On the water, walk to coffee and restaurants.

Staff

Michelle and Michelle were both so friendly and helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Regal Palms Resort

Rotorua

In the heart of Rotorua. A great place to relax after a hike. The place has a coin operated laundry as well. Essential for the minimalist traveler. Absolutely loved the heated tile floor in the bathroom! Crisp white sheets, heavy cotton towels, and a kitchenette. We could stay for a week.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

So friendly and helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Waitakere Resort

Waiatarua, Auckland

Like being in a European lodge. Comfy, quiet, luxurious room

Authenticity & Character

Quiet, cozy, friendly for all. You want to walk around in your socks

Location

Overlooks Auckland hills and woods

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kingsgate Hotel Autolodge Paihia

Paihia

The room was modern, the sheets crisp, white, and smooth. The bath accommodations were lovely. You can walk right out the door and get to shopping, ferries, or restaurants easily.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the heart of Paihia. Easy to navigate around every day

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lovely beds, sheets, bathroom

Auckland City Hotel

Auckland

The accommodations were very nice. We ate in the restaurant and got coffee from the barista every morning. The location in the heart of the city made it easy to walk to restaurants, shops, and the ferry. A great place to retire every night.

Authenticity & Character

Small, boutique hotel with friendly employees.

Location

In the future, I would spend more money and stay down on the wharf. You have to walk several blocks to get to shopping and restaurants.

Staff

Always willing to answer questions or make a phone call, or recommend restaurants

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable bed

Activity Reviews

Gannet Safaris

New Zealand

Spectacular views of gannet colonies. I was amazed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very know, edgeable and friendly guide

Transport

Glowworm Tour Nocturnal Adventure

Rotorua

I had no idea what to expect. Our guide, Stephen was so knowledgeable and took care with guiding us in the dark. He took all the pictures and sent them to us the next day. Such an awesome experience in the wilds of New Zealand.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stephen was prompt in picking us up at our hotel. His knowledge of the area is invaluable.

Transport

Comfortable van ride.

Te Puia - Thermal valley guided experience with Haka performance and Hangi lunch

New Zealand

This facility was a great place to learn about Aotearoa and its peoples. The luncheon was good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Polynesian Spa

Rotorua

Soak in the hot pools, see the views of the surrounding hills

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Waitangi Treaty Grounds

New Zealand

We enjoyed the tour and performance. The dinner was so good and we met some great travelers from around the world d the world. Learning about Maori customs made my trip more memorable.

Quality of Experience

Maori people

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Always so friendly

Transfer from accommodation to car rental depot (Corporate Cabs)

New Zealand

Driver was on time, friendly, and got us to where we needed to be.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Auckland Highlights Tours – Half Day

Auckland

Our guide and driver, Donna was a friendly knowledgeable Māori woman. We enjoyed her talks and the places she took us to. We still say the coffee shop and chocolate shop she stopped at in Devenport was the best!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide, Donna was so great and knowledgeable

Transport

Comfortable van to ride in.

Trang our local specialist was super responsive and catered our trip for group of 6 including a 9 and 11 year old children. I think the planning advice was good. She was helpful too when I had questions about Hanoi hotels and logistics. She advised printing out VN visa which was helpful. We did see an eco village at the sapa mountainside during our trip which I think we would have preferred to stay at because it really captures sapa well. We spent 2 night and 3 days in sapa coming from Hanoi. It was cool that we could hire a tour guide and a private limo van the entire time. The “limo” van unfortunately wasn’t very comfortable and felt like a pickup truck. We had been in other limo vans in Vietnam and unluckily we got a real beat up one. The ride to sapa was rough. Happy we made it safely though. The tour guide was nice but didn’t demonstrate much knowledge of sapa. He had only guided for 6 months.

Overall I would use kimkim travel again but maybe stay at an ecolodge and figure out how to get a better limo van and more knowledgeable tour guide but sometimes it’s hit or miss.

Hotel Review

Pistachio Hotel Sapa

Bfast was amazing. Prob the best we had in Vietnam. Beds comfortable and very spacious rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hanoi - Transfer to Sapa (Private Limousine)

Vietnam

Car was very uncomfortable. Felt like a pickup truck. We had other limo vans that were very comfortable in VN, just not this one. Driver was rough. Lots of sudden stops

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I can’t emphasize enough what an amazing trip I had to Morocco thanks to Sharon, Omar & the others I met during this week long trip through the Atlas Mountains, Sahara Desert, and into Fez. The rich mix of experiences was made possible because of their knowledge of the country. As always it’s the people who make a trip special, and I met some amazing people. I highly recommend this trip!
I chose to do this solo with a guide because of health issues. I couldn’t believe how reasonably priced it was to do it this way. It allowed my guide to tailor the trip to my interests and abilities. And in the end I felt like I had made friends along the way.

KimKim did an excellent job with our trip itinerary and we had a terrific time exploring three beautiful places in Costa Rica. Every driver and tour guide arrived on time (even early) which is pretty phenomenal, and it was refreshing to find that each driver and tour guide was so very proud of their country. The drivers discussed sites, landmarks and pointed out interesting things during the drives. We enjoyed Marvin from the airport to Arenal, Roy to Rio Celeste (our favorite), Alex to the Gulf of Papagayo. and Joshua to the airport. These men were very nice, patient, and simply terrific drivers, and made us feel like friends.

All in all, we had a great itinerary and enjoyed all of our resorts and activities, smoothly moving from one location and activity to the next. KimKim's procedure of allowing you to adjust the itinerary they put together to your liking was a nice touch. Communications were excellent!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

Staying at this resort was a nice way to end out trip. We enjoyed the beach, the pool, the bar (happy hour!) and the restaurant. We were able to walk down the beach one night to a local restaurant where we heard live music during our dinner. The monkeys playing in the trees around the pool was a nice touch! The included breakfast was great, food was tasty and service great.

Authenticity & Character

Pretty nice well-maintained grounds. Room had a nice sitting area and deck.

Location

Had a nice beach and lounge chairs to use. Trees all around up from the water added shade which was nessessary.

Staff

Staff was attentive and nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rio Celeste Hideaway Resort

Bijagua

This 4-star resort was spectacular! Our cabin was absolutely beautiful. It was big and spacious with a private deck and outdoor shower! We greatly enjoyed brewing coffee and enjoying it on the patio each morning. Patio is covered so let it rain! The resort grounds are so nice, with paths and walking trails! We took hikes on the well-marked resort trails from our room down to the blue river and through the rain forest. Around the hotel were all kinds of birds and animals, we spotted Coatis and even an Agouti, so cool. We greatly enjoyed the beautiful pool and we hung out some at the swim up bar. The restaurant was terrific and the service staff were superb throughout! Our only caveat with this resort is that if you don't have a rental car, it's not easy to leave it to explore the surrounding area on your own (no Ubers or taxi's are around we were told). Of course we got picked up twice for our tour/hikes.

Authenticity & Character

Love the cabins/rooms. And the grounds were impeccably cared for.

Location

Just a gorgeous spot, nice in sun or rain! Can walk down to see the blue river in a few spots.

Staff

Every staff member we interacted with was professional, nice, and helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms are gorgeous, from deck, to sitting areas, to beds, to bathroom and shower, to outdoor shower.

Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs

La Fortuna

This resort is pretty. We had our own cabin which was very quiet and nice overall. We greatly enjoyed the hot springs, grounds, pool, and pool bar. We liked the fact that we could eat by the pool after visiting the hot springs instead of having to go to the restaurant. The included breakfast was fantastic, lots of options. The staff was very friendly and helpful. We note that the cabin we had could use a little TLC, especially the bathroom. Also, the resort did have a water issue the 2nd night and we were without water for several hours.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the grounds, just note that the cabins may need a little care.

Location

Nice spot. Was easy for our drivers to pick up and drop off.

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Morning Sailing and Snorkeling Adventure

Costa Rica

We had a lovely time riding the 40 foot sailboat, with drinks on the way to snorkeling (lots of cool fish to see), and snacks and drinks on the way back. The crew was terrific and attentive, the views from the boat were superb.

Quality of Experience

Was a nice snorkeling spot, excellent sailing experience, good drinks and snacks!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff was friendly and super attentive.

Transport

They did an awesome job getting us to and from the boat safely.

Introduction to the Gulf of Papagayo

Gulf of Papagayo

We enjoyed the beach, the pool, the bar (Happy Hour!) and the restaurant. We were able to walk down the beach one night to a local restaurant where we had live music to our dinner. The monkeys playing in the trees around the pool was a nice touch!

Quality of Experience

Happy hour, nice beach with lounge chairs, easy to walk beach and to other restaurants.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Drivers on time and excellent. Staff was friendly and helpful.

Transport

Alex was nice, full of information and a good driver.

Rio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Private Hike

Bijagua / Rio Celeste

This hike was conducted by Oscar who was a nice guy, very knowledgeable (told us so many facts about the area and blue river) and guided us well. We saw snakes, then the blue river, the spectacular waterfall, and then the joining of the two rivers that cause the water to be blue. Oscar explained everything in great detail. On our hike back out of the park, we had a Tapir sighting!

Quality of Experience

A nice hike, great guide, and beautiful views!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable and friendly!

Transport

Right on time, quick ride.

Tapir Valley Nature Reserve Night Walk

Bijagua / Rio Celeste

This hike/walk is right through the rain forest at night, some of the footing was slippery and muddy, but the boots and headlamps they provided were a great help. We saw lots of frogs, snakes, spiders, and birds. Then our guide Anthony got word that there was a Tapir nearby so we hightailed it to go see it. That was fabulous! The funny thing was, on the way back to the Hideaway we also saw a Tapir on the side of the road, which our driver slowed for us to view.

Quality of Experience

Guide was excellent and it was cool to be in the forest at night.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

On time, nice people, excellent guide!

Transport

On time and easy. On the way back, driver spotted a juvenile Tapir on the road and stopped so we could see it and grab some photos!

Private Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

We loved our guide Roy, he was so nice and shared his amazing knowledge and took his time to tell us all about the Volcanic area, animals, plants, and interesting things. The hike was a highlight of our time in Arenal and we greatly enjoyed it. It was a beautiful day and the views we encountered were amazing.

Quality of Experience

Just a beautiful day for a nice hike with a great guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roy picked us up at the resort and was our hike guide. He was terrific!

Transport

Roy had a nice vehicle and pointed out many things during our drive. He was early too!

Liz, Diliana, and the whole team helped us plan the perfect trip. We felt heard, supported, and in safe care from the beginning planning stages all the way to our arrival back home. It was so incredibly nice to have our trip organized by day, tickets available in one place, and clear instructions/directions on where to meet for different experiences we had planned. The team really provided a stress-free experience! I cannot say enough how valuable that is to me! In the rare instance that I needed to reach out to them, they were responsive and helpful. This is my third trip planned with KimKim and I'll be planning more. A++ service and professionalism.

Hello, my daughter and I spent 10 days in Australia, and with only that amount of time , we got a very good taste of what Australia is all about, so if you are ever uncertain about 10 days being enough time, the answer is absolutely. Vicky, our specialist, is exceptional, and if planning a trip I would highly recommend using her. She put together a trip that was truly some of Australia's highlights. We spent time in Sydney, the outback, particularly Uluru, and the Great Barrier Reef. Each area had something different to offer. The beaches in Sydney were beautiful, with great shopping. We stayed at Ayers Rock Resort, with great tours to Uluru, and again, lots of local shopping. We visited a huge cattle ranch which was very interesting and saw plenty of sunsets with amazing clear nighttime skies. And finally, we went snorkling in the Great Barrier Reef, which I feel was the best part of our entire time. It was truly a wonderful trip.

My husband and I just returned from 10 days in Finland - primarily based in Helsinki with a few days in the Finnish Lapland.

What an amazing trip!

Emerson and Lilla helped us plan the perfect adventure. Walking day tours in Helsinki, Porvoo, and Estonia, husky sledding, snow shoeing, Northern Lights hunting (and despite a cloudy evening - success in seeing them), a wilderness day in the beautiful snow. Comfortable accommodations in Helsinki (great locations!) Plus, it was a dream come true staying at the Northern Lights Ranch near Levi.

Emerson and Lilla thought of everything - making it one of the best vacations we have ever had!

Activity Reviews

Tallinn Day Trip

Helsinki

Took the Tallink ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn. Stassi was a fun tour guide - she gave us great tour of Olde Town and was very informative of Estonian history and culture!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wilderness Day

Finland

We spent a lovely morning walking in the snowy forest with Taru! Perfect way to see the area!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aurora Tour by Van

Levi

Despite a cloudy night with low percentage of seeing the Northern Lights, Jan found us some and they were magical! It was unforgettable experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Husky Safari (10km)

Levi

Pauline and her team were great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Snowshoeing Adventure

Finland

Loved that this was a private excursion! Kasper was great! Patient and kind, and a lot of fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Helsinki City Walking Tour (2h)

Helsinki

Despite a rainy morning for the tour, Jola was fun and shared so much about Helsinki and the Finnish culture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porvoo Private Day Tour

Helsinki

Filipe was a delightful tour guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

In the summer of 2025, we decided to make a trip to Scotland to experience the culture, visit historical sites, and explore the country. After seeing a review for KimKim trip planning service, I messaged them about assistance with our planning, and I was soon contacted by Tatiana. Tatiana worked with me over the months that followed to build a plan that we felt would touch upon all our key desires for the trip. I can’t offer enough praise and gratitude for all the wonderful help we received from Tatiana; especially including when we requested her help to make changes in the middle of the trip.

Our trip then was from 6-16 March 2026, and we began our visit in Edinburgh, which included tours of Edinburgh castle, Rosslyn chapel, St Giles cathedral, and Old Town. We also included Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral and a side trip to Kircaldy for a Fife Flyers hockey game (for several years we have been acquainted with an American player on the team). All these activities were truly wonderful and memorable. Stuart was our Old Town guide and he was excellent. Especially memorable though was our tour to Rosslyn chapel with Rafal, who was a truly amazing guide.

We next went to Stirling and visited Stirling castle. We took the tour with the castle guide, and that was fascinating and wonderful. Then after visiting the castle we moved on to Loch Lomond for a night at the Cameron House. Due to a satnav (GPS) miscue on my part, we didn’t drive through as much of the Trossachs National Park as I had planned, but the views we did see were marvelous. Also, the Cameron House is a fantastic property and superb place to visit, with some local sites and sights to explore as well, and we would probably want to stay there again (and a bit longer) if we ever returned.

Our next adventure was to travel north along Loch Lomond and then head west to Oban. The A82 roadway along Loch Lomond is truly an experience, with breath taking views and also sometimes some heart stopping sections of narrow, winding roadway. Turning west onto the A85 roadway to Oban featured more spectacular views, and a very scenic and peaceful drive without the occasional frights of the A82. Our arrival in Oban was just in time for a walking tour, and our guide David was excellent, sharing the history of the town and taking us to several sites of special interest.

We stayed several days in Oban, and this was truly the highlight of our time in Scotland. As we visited in mid-March, there were no crowds and so the town was very peaceful and calm. We ended up with a room looking out on the bay, and we actually spent quite a bit of time just relaxing and enjoying the beautiful view. We did miss our planned Isle of Mull tour, but we made up for it with a tour of the Oban distillery, home of Oban whisky, and as well visiting some other local castle and scenic viewpoints. Additionally, the No17 Promenade hotel we stayed at was truly a gem, including simply outstanding personal connections with the staff and a superb restaurant. We didn’t want to leave.

We decided to modify the final days of our journey, for a variety of reasons, so we didn’t visit Glasgow or Kirkcudbright as we had originally planned. Instead, we ended our journey in Edinburgh and caught up on a few of the things we didn’t see at the outset of the trip, including some sites and sights around Old Town and Victoria Street; the latter being the area said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series by author JK Rowling.

We are very grateful for everything we experienced and for all the opportunities to meet wonderful people in Scotland. Likewise, all the help and support from Tatiana and KimKim. This was a tremendously fulfilling experience and we have lifelong memories of our wonderful adventures in Scotland.

Hotel Reviews

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh

Edinburgh

This hotel offers a more modern vibe, despite its location practically in the heart of Old Town. The exterior retains the historic look of 100-200 year old architecture, but the inside is generally done in a well-appointed and modern look. The rooms took a bit of getting used to, as they are organized a little differently from other hotels, but the design actually works extremely well. The rooms are all white, which seemed a bit sterile in appearance, but that didn't ruin what was otherwise a very comfortable room. The staff was superb, and extremely friendly, professional, and responsive to guest needs.

Authenticity & Character

The exterior retains the Old Town character, while the inside blends old and new without becoming garish or awkward.

Location

If you want to be in the heart of Old Town Edinburgh, this hotel is the perfect location. A relatively easy walk to the train station as well as most of the big attractions.

Staff

The staff were just wonderful. My wife was not feeling well, and the staff helped us without exception. They even remembered me well enough to ask me how she was doing whenever they saw me, and they asked her directly as soon as she was moving around again. Very personal attention that is hard to beat.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel is kept very clean, and the accommodations were very comfortable. Our room did not have a good lounge chair however. There was something of a lounger extending off the side of the bed, but it was a little awkward and not especially comfortable. It was very comfortable to just sit on the bed however, due to a large, padded backboard on the wall.

No17 The Promenade Hotel

Oban

This hotel was the highlight of our accommodations in Scotland. Initially we were in a smaller room toward the back of the property, but as fortune would have it, we were able to move to one of the largest rooms in the front, with spectacular views. The staff here is simply amazing; very personal, attentive, and capable. We didn't want to leave this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

They have done a superb job with setting a cozy, comfortable, yet stylish, perhaps even a little quirky, character to this property. We found it incredibly charming, calming and peaceful.

Location

The hotel is just outside of the town center, along the boardwalk of the bay. This makes it within walking distance of the town but still away from the hustle and bustle of even this smaller town. The views of the bay from the property were simply marvelous.

Staff

5+ stars for this staff. They were simply the friendliest, most personal, attentive, and capable staff we encountered. It was just a pleasure to even stop by and chat with them for a moment or two each day.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The property is exceptionally well maintained, and accommodations are very clean and comfortable. Our first room was quite cramped unfortunately, but more fortunately we were able to upgrade to perhaps the best room in the hotel. That room was simply oustanding; a mix of old and new style that harmonized perfectly, extremely comfortable, and with a bay view that was perfect.

Cameron house

This is a gorgeous property in a very scenic setting. The staff are simply marvelous and were above and beyond any expectations.

Authenticity & Character

The original areas of the property have the old, grand feeling of being in almost a palace like setting. Very beautiful in every aspect. The rooms were simply amazing.

Location

This is a very beautiful property, and it is situated in a very scenic area. It may be better suited for golf enthusiasts, due to what I was given to understand is the fine golfing nearby. Nevertheless, the local scenery is plenty good enough reason to want to stay here.

Staff

The staff were extremely friendly, professional and helpful. They offered plenty of good insight into the area and sites or sights that were worthwhile. Simple excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was kept impeccably clean, and everything was extremely comfortable. The room was very luxurious.

Apex Waterloo Place

Edinburgh

We liked this hotel quite a lot. It was in a good location to walk around the center of Edinburgh. It's a short walk to the train station, for those that use the railways. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and they take excellent care of guests and the facility itself. We were also very grateful for the wonderful morning breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

It retains the charm of being in a historic area of Edinburgh, with updates that keep it fresh but without ruining the authenticity.

Location

The hotel is very well located for walking around to many of the major attractions in the Old Town and New Town areas of Edinburgh.

Staff

The staff were friendly, personal and professional.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness was superb. Overall comfort was excellent. I regret I have to say that the bed was too hard, and it made for uncomfortable sleeping for my wife.

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Old Town Tour

Edinburgh

The Old Town private tour by Stuart was excellent. He was extremely knowledgeable and expertly guided us through the area to be sure we saw little details we never would have experienced on our own. Stuart was very personable and his commentaries ensured we learned so much more about this historic part of Edinburgh.

Oban Guided Town Walking Tour

Oban

Our guide David did a wonderful job walking us through the small town and taking us to a few sites of special interest. We enjoyed learning more about this little port town. Overall, Oban was the highlight of our trip to Scotland due to the peaceful environment. We were told it's extremely busy and crowded in the summer however, so that might be a planning consideration.

Private Tour to Rosslyn Chapel and Castle

Edinburgh

This site is wonderful, and our tour guide Rafal was amazing. He picked us up and drove us to the site, and then walked us through all the important sights, with tremendously good commentaries on it all. 5+ stars. He also took us to a couple spots along the way that weren't originally planned. The Rosslyn chapel and castle is a wonderful bit of history, and with the amusing connection to the movie the DaVinci Code.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Rafal was amazing. We would have been pleased to have him with us for every tour.

Transport

It was simply nice to have the guide drive us, rather than try to drive, park, etc, on our own.

Edinburgh Castle & Old Town Private Tour

Edinburgh

The Edinburgh castle is a wonderful historic site. Unfortunately, we did this tour almost immediately after we arrived in Scotland, and we were very tired from traveling. We probably didn't get as much out of the visit as we could have. Because of a flight delay we didn't arrive in time for our scheduled Old Town private tour; however, we made it up later in our trip (and it is reviewed separately).

The trip was enjoyable because the main details were taken care of and we could thoroughly enjoy oursevles! Alfonso was responsive to our interests and suggestions as we planned the trip resulting in accomplishing our main goals while traveling. Once we arrived in Spain, we had all the details and tickets needed and an instant contact for any questions or concerns that came up during the week. I would highly recommend!

Activity Reviews

Private City Highlights Walk

Madrid

A wonderful overview of the history of the city and the ability to learn the area as we walked around.

Cooking Class in Seville

Seville

Included a tour of the market as well as cooking main Spainish dishes. It included a large meal!

We did not see the Northern Lights, but had wonderful experiences.unfortunately I do not remember all the names but will just reference the experiences.The Ranua Zoo,
The Husky ride,the Reindeer farm,the Amethyst mine,the Snow Hotel,the Arkticum
Museum were all worthwhile.
The accommodations were excellent.
We enjoyed Helinsku as well and the island we visited which was previously a fort.
Lilla was our main contact and was very helpful, answering all our questions.

My daughter and I had an amazing time traveling from Osaka to Kyoto to Hakone and Tokyo. Marii was incredibly thoughtful in suggesting activities based on our interests and worked with the tour operators to accommodate her food allergy. The kimkim team was so helpful in sending daily reminders for activities, answering our questions while traveling and preparing tickets ahead of time. It made the trip much more relaxing while allowing us to fit in several cities over 8 days.

The time of year was lovely- pre cherry blossoms so fewer crowds- but we did see plum trees in bloom! The group tours were small and very personalized. It was nice to have time to ask questions. Our favorite activity was traveling from the Hakone hot spring (lovely!) to Tokyo with such a friendly driver who took us to several spots to view Mount Fugi, including by cable car and boat. We were fortunate with a clear, sunny day. It is a special site to see! Also highly recommended any tours to see the temples and Gion district in Kyoto and Osaka dotonbori district at night for the lights and food!

Activity Reviews

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

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No

Transport

Transfer from Odawara Train Station to Hakone Hotel

Hakone

Quality of Experience

M

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Casual Pontocho Evening Food Tour

Kyoto

Talk was an incredible guide a delightful to spend an evening with trying loc as l food and sake. He was particularly helpful quite navigating a food allergy. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima by bullet train from Osaka

Osaka

Efficient way to see Hiroshima and Miyajima in one day but it did not felt rush. Incredible tour guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

O

Transport

The whole travel team treat us like family, JJ our tour guy was amazing answer all our questions we had.

5 stars for an Australian vacation amazingly planned by Samantha, Alejandra, and Lea!

Quick back story, our son decided last minute to study abroad in Sydney. As the saying goes, “fruit doesn’t fall from the tree”, so we too decided last minute to visit. I began researching and quickly became overwhelmed. As a referral from a friend, we tried kimkim. I went online, set a budget and filled out a questionnaire. The actual next day, I had a call with Samantha. Soon after, we had an itinerary including airport transports, hotels, activities, flights, rental cars- you name it.

Once we arrived in Sydney, we were randomly selected for customs and were running behind- I had a missed call (had my phone on silent) and message from Alejandra that our driver was waiting for us. Because we went to Australia right after the busy season, a couple tours we had booked were canceled. Alejandra immediately had solutions and took care of the details for us. This service and care is priceless!

We toured Sydney, climbed the harbor bridge and had a delightful sunset cruise. The itinerary had built in time to meet up with our kids and see what life as a student in Sydney looks like.

My husband and I flew to Cairns, transferred to Port Douglas to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef and visit the Daintree rainforest. The tours Samantha and Alejandra set up for us were out of this world and so memorable.

After Cairns, we flew to Brisbane and drove to Byron Bay to meet up with our kids for some much needed beaching (cocktails and wondering too).

If you are on the fence or overwhelmed like I was, reach out to kimkim. They will tailor your trip to you and will handle all of the little glitches that come along with great adventures. 5 stars- absolutely recommend!

Vicky put together a busy and well-tailored two-week tour of Australian places for us. Small-group and private tours were first-rate, and her very detailed itinerary (59 pages!) offered many options for free time and dining.
The guidance we provided about preferences meant that our tour was geared to our interests very well. Any problems were due to miscalculation on our part: there was a LOT of walking on the tour and my husband had greater mobility limitations than we had expected. Generally, guides were extremely helpful in working around this and there was only one scheduled event that we had to cancel. We also tended to look for dining closer to hotels (and these were excellent).
Great guides included Helder in the Blue Mountains, Andy at Uluru, Errol on the Ocean Road from Melbourne and Jennifer in Hobart. Sue Ann at the Sydney Opera House was also wonderful. All the guides and tour companies showed good planning and a lot of expertise about their local areas and their history and wildlife.
Overall, our tour went very well and was extremely enjoyable.

Ruth did a great job planning our trip, meeting all our expectations of excursions, hotels, tours etc. Byron Bay was an eco friendly special place to enjoy the beach, surfers, and the downtown area and the penguin excursion was definitely a favorite. Great job Ruth, thank you again!!!