Kimkim Trip Reviews

This was one of my favorite trips. My husband and I were completely overwhelmed with the care and enthusiasm provided by the kimkim team. Berat and Murat put together a stunning itinerary and Hulya and Murat were on point to have it flawlessly executed.

Our guides Zekiye, Efe, and Ozan were truly some the highlights of the trip. Their warm concern and enthusiasm about showing us the best of Turkiye and its outstanding history made us feel like we were apart of the family. I hope other travelers get a chance to meet these amazing hosts. The drivers were all puctional and kind and the mode of transportation was luxurious.

The hotels were top notch , the Ciragan Palce, the Hotel Taskonaklar,, the Swiss hotel Izmir, and especially the Caresse Resort and Spa.

The restaurants chose for us to enjoy dinner were sublime

The tremedous archeolgical ruins and palaces and Mosques were breathtaking. We were allowed to spend ample time at each to really learn about the history.

Hotel Reviews

Ciragan Palace Kempinski Hotel

Istanbul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Taskonaklar Cappadocia

Nevsehir

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Swissotel Buyuk Efes Izmir

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Caresse Resort + Spa, Bodrum

BODRUM

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Akra Antalya Hotel

Antalya

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whirling Dervish Ceremony at Saruhan Caravansarai

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ceramic Tradition in Avanos + Light Hiking in the Love Valley

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Roman Theater of Aspendos and the Ancient Town of Perge

Antalya

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Dolmabahçe Palace

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Bodrum: Bodrum Castle, Underwater Archaeology Museum and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

Bodrum

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Priene: A beautiful ancient Ionian town

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Bodrum to Antalya via Euromos + Aphrodisias

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Eternal Flame of Chimera

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Urla: History and Gastronomy

Turkey

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

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Ephesus Archaeological Museum + House of Virgin Mary

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Beautiful Antalya: Explore the Old Town

Antalya

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Izmir: The Beautiful Port City of the Aegean Sea

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Göreme-Uçhisar Hike

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Wine + Romance in Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Beautiful Cappadocian Valleys: Zelve, Paşabağ and Uçhisar Fortress

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the ancient sites of Miletus and Didyma

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Italy was absolutely incredible. Everything place we visited seemed more amazing than the last, and the tours and guides were wonderful. The hotels were in excellent locations, and every pickup was right on time. We didn’t have a single glitch or negative moment throughout the trip.
The itinerary had a perfect blend of nature and cities, and we loved every minute of it. Everything was thoughtfully arranged, and the whole experience felt perfect from beginning to end. We’re so grateful to the team who planned it! They were fantastic at communicating throughout the entire trip! We highly recommend them!! Caterina and Anna were the best!

Alfonso and Uhaina at Basquelands Way planned an perfect vacation for my husband and I. We hiked the camino and they got our bags moved to the next location flawlessly. They set up an amazing guided tour of the guggenheim bilbao. They responded to all questions and requests instantly. And Alfonso shared tons of knowledge about the region on a few guided activities. We even threw a few curveballs at them and they kindly accomodated us. I highly recommend their service.

Cannon was amazing. He helped plan the trip making revisions as we discovered places we wanted to see. A few days before we left he reviewed the itinerary with us, answering our last minute questions, which was super helpful. His suggestion for Kim Kim to provide private transportation for us from and to the airport made the trip so much easier. We took one suitcase that was larger than carry on, and he arranged our train tickets to provide space in the oversize luggage area of the train car, making managing our luggage as we moved from town to town easy. He really "listened" to our description of the kind of trip we wanted. We ended up with the perfect mix of group tours, a private tour for one day and lots of time on our own. The hotels were great, and he helped in the planning so we only stayed in 4 cities ( I did not want to move too often) but the helped us get some day trips to other cities/sites we wanted to see. He listed in our itinerary directions for using public transportation and times of day to visit certain sites. Once we were in Japan, he responded to our questions with suggestions for transportation (IE when a train or taxi was the best option) and restaurants. His restaurant suggestions provided us with a wide variety of various types of Japanese dishes. Cannon responded quickly to our questions. He often offered options for site seeing with the pro and cons of each. We had a great time and are thankful to Cannon,

Hotel Review

The Hotel Sanraku Kanazawa

Kanazawa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hidden Fushimi Inari Hiking Adventure: Discover Kyoto Beyond the Crowds

Japan

The hike was great. We saw and learned so much on the way to Fushimi Inari. Our guide was very knowledgeable. It was fairly strenuous; my knees are weak and I used a hiking stick. There were lots of stairs, some without rails. I am so glad I did this hike and would do it again.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

1 Day Tour from Kanazawa: Shirakawa-go, Gokayama and Wood Carving Village

Kanazawa

The day was great. I appreciated the stops especially seeing Ainokura and being able to make paper! The transportation was good, group size large enough to enjoy others insights and small enough to be able to ask questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All were courteous, helpful and considerate. Guide very knowledgeable.

Transport

For those of you who simply want the readers digest version of this Review... Best trip ever and don't go anywhere else! Being retired Navy and traveled the world, I wasn't too concerned with planning my trip. However with this being my Wife's first time overseas I wasn't taking any chances. Having done research regarding KimKim company I decided to give them a shot. From the very beginning "ANNA" was Phenomenal!!! I provided her with my wants and time frame and she made it all happen... And then SOME!! As for my trip details.. Flew into Athens Greece and was greeted by our "Driver". No, wasn't picked up in a YUGO but a clean Merc. Benz. Driver was very informative and respectful. First hotel was in the heart of Athens which proved to be wonderful. My wife and I were able to walk to all the sights to include the trip ANNA planned out for us. Two days in ATHENS then of to NAXOS Island. Flew there and again picked up by our "Driver". First Class as it was everytime we were picked up. Again, walking distance to the marina where all the fun happens. Took a ferry to Paros Island and took in the sights there as well. Took an Awesome Ferry from Naxo to Athens and flew home. Trip was 8 days and perfect. ANNA maintained contact with us throughout our trip and ensured we had no needs or issues. She was even available on the weekend and ensured we made it home safely. Truly went out or her way to ensure we had the best trip ever. She also plans trips to Italy so.. Anna will be recieving a call soon! Can't say enough about all the places we stayed and friendly service by all the staff!! Again, Anna Killed it and can't say enough about her and the company!! Don't waste another minute kicking idea's or other companies around. KIMKIM is the way to go!!! Thanks ANNA for all you have done! Mike

Hotel Reviews

NLH KERAMEIKOS - Neighborhood Lifestyle Hotels

Athens

Room and STAFF were fantastic!!! Only stayed one night but room was Awesome.. Had a huge balconey that overlooked downtown ATHENS.. Looking forward to going back soon!!

Authenticity & Character

Up to date and wonderful room!!

Location

Walking distance to all the fun!!!

Staff

Went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed..

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elevators were a little tricky... but very cute!! Place was wonderful!!

14 Reasons Why

Athens

From the minute we walked in my wife and I felt like we were family. Lyna greated us and ensured we had any and everything we needed.. Room was tight, but didn't really spend much time there anyways. Took in the sights and ate some wonderful food. Looking forward to going back soon!! Breakfast was stupid GOOD. Billy was attentive and the cooks were awesome. Breakfast was so good and so big it was hard to eat another meal... But my wife and I managed!! Five Thumbs UP!!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Naxos Green Village Hotel

Naxos

OMG!!!! Room was astonishing.. We were greeted and I wish I wrote down her name, but she was there everyday and always had a smile. Never hesitated to ensure my wife and I had everything we needed. Our room came with a Sauna.. Can't share the photo but... WOW!!! Cat's ran around like they owened the place which was pretty awesome.. Spent some unexpected money on Cat Food which was a huge treat for my wife and I. Almost took one back home!! Room came with breakfast voucher for the Cafe' on site. The owner and staff were flawless!!! Wish I had names to put out there but can't say enough great things about them all!!! We were walking distance to the Marina were all the fun happens!!! Great time looking forward to going back soon!!! Mike

Authenticity & Character

Looking forward to going back!!!

Location

Walking distance to Marina.. STAFF and CAFE' ROCKED IT!!!

Staff

Beyond AWESOME!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Was like coming home everyday... STAFF and Cleaning crew.. Priceless!!!

Activity Review

Early Access To The Acropolis & Old Athens Walking Tour

Athens

Tour guide Ms. Lydia was awesome.. very informative and was willing to answer everyone's questions. Great trip recommend the smaller group as we did...

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lydia was wonderful!!!

Transport

I highly rate my first Kim Kim experience. I wanted an authentic local tour without the hassle of trying to plan every last detail myself. Minh and the team were incredibly responsive and easy to work with. I loved the online platform where I could comment on itinerary tweaks. I was amazed at how little back and forth was required before we finalised our dream trip with all the inclusions.

This holiday truly felt like a holiday because every last detail was managed by KimKim and I got to have a proper break while immersing the family in incredible scenes, culture and food. From a cooking school with the patriarch of a Vietnamese family (on my son's 14th birthday celebration) to a sunset bike tour through Ninh Binh's villages... we created so many core memories for the kids.

May (Sapa trekking guide) was so knowledgable and great with our teenagers https://www.instagram.com/p/DeJG8R5k81l/?img_index=6

Quang (guide for Hanoi and surrounds) was very flexible with day to day plans

Thuy was a fantastic Operations Manager and with Minh's expert help, swiftly took on board our request for a hotel upgrade in Hanoi. I loved the ease of communicating with the team on Whatsapp and felt very supported throughout the journey.

Hotel Reviews

Solare De Monte Hotel & Spa

Hanoi

The rooftop pool was like a bath in the hot weather. I do not recommend this hotel if it's +35 degrees and you need cooling down. We also didn't appreciate being kicked out of our room in the midday heat when we weren't leaving for Sapa on the overnight train until 10pm. Not sure whose responsibility this was to communicate to us, but it was one of the very few disappointing moments in the trip. Would recommend suggesting that future guests are offered a late checkout for onward comfort.

Local Homestay in Ta Van Village

Sapa

The hosts were wonderful and couldn't do enough to care for us. The location was divine right on the river. Hot tip: there's a gorgeous pool next door that you can pay to use if you need a refresh!

Le Clos Du Fil Hotel

Ninh Binh

Stunning property that exceeded expectations. Ninh Binh was my favourite stop overall. Loved the location, friendliness of the staff, extensive fresh breakfast and stunning pool :) Perfect spot to recharge.

Renea Cruise

Wow wow wow. How cool having expansive cabins that look straight out at the stunning views! https://www.instagram.com/p/DeTbDKkk0eI/?img_index=8

New Livitrans Train

Such a fun experience and while cabin quarters were tight, it was a very comfortable trip. Loved waking up to the coffee and hot chocolate service.

Activity Reviews

Cuc Phuong National Park

Ninh Binh

Wouldn't recommend. Least favourite activity overall. The wildlife tour was drawn out and the museum dated and unecessary. The whole National Park felt like a dated relic :( We were all left wishing that we got to Ninh Binh sooner in the day.

Hanoi - Street food on foot tour - Overnight train to Lao Cai

Vietnam

SO COOL! A real highlight of the trip. Quang was an amazing guide. He opened our eyes up to so much yummy Vietnamese food: https://www.instagram.com/p/DeXEaSEk70C/?img_index=3.

Free in the morning - Limousine bus back to Hanoi

Vietnam

Hùng was an incredible driver throughout our trip and deserves to be commended. We were so grateful to be transported so comfortably and reliably throughout our stay.

Cook & Dine in a 100-year-old Family House

Ninh Binh

This was a really special experience. We shared an unforgettable evening with 63yo Roi who invited us into his family home for a cooking class but gave us so much more. It was also a cultural immersion, a life lesson, as well as a birthday celebration for 14th Noah with a special cake organised by Kim Kim. Many thanks!

Kim Kim did a great job introducing us to Korea. Organization was superb as were the experiences and customization to our requests. The local guides were superb! Highly recommend! did

We had the most marvelous, wonderful trip to Croatia and Slovenia. Spent 14 days there and every one of them was great. I thank Sara so much for her help in planning and making the necessary arrangements for this trip. I thought I could do this on my own but realized I needed help. Sara provided great suggestions and was with us every step of the way. From hotel arrangements to restaurant recommendations we were so impressed. Sara provided local guides in every city we visited and they were bright, enthusiastic and added so much to our experiences. Our drivers were always on time and we felt safe and glad to have each of them. I can't say enough of how great this trip was for us and give Sara 5 stars for everything she did to make this possible. If anyone is considering these destinations, you will not be disappointed. Croatia and Slovenia exceeded my expectations for beauty, cleanliness, friendly people and great food!
Thanks again Sara.

Hotel Reviews

Beach Bay Hvar

Hvar

This hotel was located in a great location. Clean and spacious room. Helpful staff. One of the bests meals EVER at the Mediterraneo Restaurant in Hvar. Not connected to the hotel but in walking distance. Fun place to be.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Degenija

Rakovica

Not a lot of choices by Plitvice National Park but this hotel was more than adequate. Clean and convenient to the park. Hotel had a restaurant across the path which was good.

Villa Tuttorotto

Rovinj

We loved Rovinj and this hotel was in a great location. Spacious room and clean. Fantastic bathroom - I like a good bathroom which is a requirement for me. One of our best meals was in Rovinj. Don't miss this city of going to Croatia.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Could walk everywhere from this hotel. Harbor and downtown area.

Staff

very helpful and polite staff - always remembered us when we came and went. Felt like family

Cleanliness & Comfort

One of the best bathrooms ever! Entering this charming hotel and then entering this room with an enormous bathroom was truly unexpected. Wish we could have stayed longer.

Activity Reviews

Private Walking Tour of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

We had two different guides in Dubrovnik and both were wonderful. They were able to explain the history of the city as well as general history of the country before, during and present. We learned so much about the homeland war of 1991 and breakup of Yugoslavia. Fascinating. They both went above and beyond insofar as the time they spent with us and their overall knowledge of the city and country.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hvar Half-Day Private Island Tour (Afternoon)

Hvar

We had a great guide in Hvar who drove us all over the island explaining so much about life there. This was a half day tour and we enjoyed every minute. Learned a lot and felt safe and comfortable the entire time. He took us to a konoba which was so much fun. He made the day really special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

To say that Nikola and Kim Kim was great is an understatement. Everything went exactly as planned. Every evening he confirmed the next day’s activity and made sure everything was going well. If we had a question it was answered immediately. All hotel choices were in the best locations and all tour guides were excellent. Ferry tickets showed up when they were supposed to and descriptions of who was to pick us up were right on.

Violaine was very communicative in setting up our itinerary based on phone conversations and chat exchanges. She modified some aspects as we moved forward with planning in accordance with our requests. She also was in touch with Migen our guide throughout the trip to assist in changes as weather dictated. We appreciated her responsiveness and follow through.
Migen was outstanding in his knowledge, energy, and driving skills. His ability to share history, culture, and personal experiences greatly enhanced all aspects of the trip. When weather changed our plans, he quickly adapted the itinerary, spent hours rearranging our ferry, and expanded what we were able to see and experience despite the rain.
Migen's talent as a guide on the ground exceeded our expectations, and we are grateful we were traveling with him!
The cities and experiences we enjoyed:
Tirana, Berat, Alpeta Winery, Gjirokaster (including Ardenica Monastery and Apollonia), Langarica Canyon, Ksamil and Butrint, side trip to Corfu (with an excellent guide) , Himare, Llogara Pass, and Kruje.
Migen was with us every step of the way, highlighting history, landscapes, and culture. His contributions were priceless.

Hotel Reviews

Faces & Places Boutique hotel

Tirana

Lovely, restful, conveniently located, but a bit difficult to find. Great spot for walking around Tirana. Welcoming staff!

Authenticity & Character

Restful, comfortable, good breakfast

Location

Great for walking - a bit challenging to find

Staff

Welcoming, helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rose garden Hotel

Gjirokastra

Quiet; lovely; beautiful views

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Friendly, attentive, great breakfast

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arameras Beach Resort

ksamil

Relaxing; beautiful views, attentive staff, great restaurant

Authenticity & Character

Views

Location

Staff

All the staff were responsive, helpful, and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bella Venezia Historic Boutique Hotel

Corfu

Beautiful hotel; great location; exceptional staff.

Wait n sea

Himare

Comfortable rooms; great breakfast; attentive staff; lovely setting.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Panorama Kruje

Krujë

Stunning views; superb location; exceptional breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mangalemi

Berat

Steps away from attractions; attentive staff; great food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sightseeing tour of Tirana

Tirana

Migen, our guide made this a memorable day.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Migen is extremely knowledgeable

Transport

Comfortable transport for four of us.

Wine tasting in Alpeta Winery

Berat

Our host was witty, welcoming, and entertaining. Wine and nibbles were excellent

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discovering Corfu – guided exploration of the island

Corfu

Our guide assigned to Corfu was excellent. She provided a very enjoyable walking tour and food sampling. She was attentive, very approachable and entertaining.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

we had an amazing trip. There were a few glitches (car rental agency requiring passport to rent that we didn't have on us) but a call to Mathilde helped straighten everything out. The other problem is the date we wanted to go to the Ann Frank house they were doing some maintenance, so we rescheduled for the day we got back to Amsterdam. Unfortunately that day we were exhausted from traveling by train and didn't go and we were told the tickets we unrefundable, so that was upsetting. The tours we had were amazing with wonderful guides. I cannot remember the name in Haarlem, but we had Charles in Brussels, Flak in Cologne, Jeremy for Neuschwanstein, Agatha in Salzbourg and Mamon in Strasbourg. We had a guide for Dachau whose name started with an A too. All were outstanding!!!! I do need to contact Mathilde as we are supposed to get a partial refund for car rental that has not yet appeared.
Mathilde was extrememely easy to work with and very responsive to all my questions and needs. I would not hesitate to recommend KimKim to everyone I know, and I would certainly use again!

Activity Reviews

Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial

Munich

Our guide, I think his name was Achim was great. There was a lot to cover and sometimes he moved a little fast but all in all I would not hesitate to recommend him. He gave us so much information, I thought I knew a bit on the subject of concentration camps but there was much I didn't know. The day was very warm and we were in the sun a lot so that was a bit uncomfortable, but you can't control the weather. I felt that Achim was passionate about the subject and wanted us to learn as much as we could. I highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Oktoberfest Tour – Experience The World-Famous Party

Munich

Our guide (I forgot her name) was really good and passionate about Oktoberfest, We learned the history behind it and how the festival has evolved over the years. We also learned how they get ready for the fest and about the buildings they put up and take down every year. The tent experience itself was less than perfect. It was 84 degrees when we were there and we were packed in like sardines. I saw other areas in the tent that people were not that crowded in that looked much more comfortable. This is not the guides fault, it is the tour company that has an area they are putting us in. It was so hot and crowded at our table it was hard to enjoy yourself. After our chicken (which was delicious) we left and went to another tent by ourselves that was much more comfortable and the tables not as crowded.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Neuschwanstein Castle Full-day tour

Munich

It was a pleasant bus ride out there and our guide Jeremy was very informative and fun. We had some time before and after the castle tour to get something to eat and shop. Upon Jeremy's advise we took the tram instead of walking the whole way and were glad we did. Even taking the tram you are doing a lot of uphill and downhill walking. And in the castle you are going up and down circular staircases.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I am so appreciative of all of the helpful advice, support and arrangements made by Olivia! This was our first trip to Japan, and she patiently provided options and advice to build an itinerary around our interests and budget. With Olivia, we were able to build a good mix of planned activities and unplanned free time, and set a relaxed pace that best suited us. Once we were in Japan, she was also extremely helpful in making some last minute changes when an excursions and or hotel accommodation did not go as planned. We had a wonderful trip. Thank you, KimKim!

We really enjoyed our trip to Croatia. Has been on our list for a long time and KimKim helped make sure it did not disappoint. The trip was well planned and the logistics made it easy. virtually all the local guides were fantastic and had lots of knowledge to share. Great driver and transport throughout. Ivan was the key to making it all happen. Would recommend him and KimKim and we believe we got great value for our spend.

Niko was may guide driver. He did incredible job!!! He is an expert historian! The ancient history is incredible. I really enjoyed old town Kotor, Old town Budva, Berat, Butrint and all the castles!!! Of course the Raki was excellent!!!

We were very happy with all arrangements except a slight snafu in Paris when the guide didn't have Notre Dame on his schedule, but it was quickly resolved

My wife and I completed an awesome trip to Amsterdam, Florence, Tuscany and Venice. Marianna at KimKim was outstanding, helping me plan the trip, setting it up and being available before and during the trip to deal with any questions I had (and I had plenty). Marianna among other things helped me incorporate some aspects that I used airline miles to book outside KimKim, saving me significant money. Some highlights on the trip included: an informative and romantic private Amsterdam canal cruise on a wonderful boat hosted by a delightful captain Sebi of Sebi Tours; an informative Florence Golf Cart Tour through Florence hosted by Echo Florence Tour; incredible hotels, including Castel Monastero in Tuscany; and a wonderful private tour of St Mark's Basilica in Venice.

I highly recommend KimKim. This was our second trip using KimKim (the other to Portugal 1.5 years ago). I will use KimKi again for our next trip

This was not our first experience utilizing kimkim, but was different from previous trips in that Alfonso and his team were in communication with us frequently and were immediately responsive to any question or concern. That level of attention was new and very much appreciated.

The trip met our expectations for what we hoped to experience in Spain with attention to details. Thanks, Alfonso, for a great job!

Activity Reviews

Private City Walk & Royal Palace Experience

Madrid

Our guide was fabulous and the experience very educational.

Quality of Experience

Our guide was superb!

Flamenco Experience

Spain

The show was beautiful and much more entertaining than I was expecting!

Cooking Class in Seville

Seville

We have taken cooking classes on several trips. This one was excellent! Our paella and cold tomato soup were delicious!

Prado Museum Private Visit with an Art Historian

Madrid

Our guide made this experience more than enjoyable. Background info on the artists and paintings/sculptures made the tour rather fascinating!

Private Electric Tuk-Tuk Adventure

Madrid

We had a lot of fun zooming around city highlights and enjoying a beautiful evening on our tuk tuk tour. Not easy to get good pictures while on board the vehicle so the stops were much appreciated.

We had a great experience in Korea! Our local guides, Sebastian, felt like a host! He was so kind and knowledgeable, both about Korea and about the logistics we needed to get where we were going with great views. The food was so fun, our cooking class with Hello K was amazing upstanding and street food was so fun we did it for dinner several nights! Jessica was helpful and easy to work with. We went to 2 countries on our trip and Jessica helped make sure we had what we needed when, to make things easy! The logistics all went very smooth which is a real benifit for big trips!

Hotel Reviews

L7 Myeongdong by LOTTE

A lot to love about location, getting there was a journey but once there you are in the heart of it all! Not 5 star because it’s a very busy hotel with only 3 elevators, it was quite common to have an elevator arrive already over full and having to wait for 2 or 3 rounds. There are not accessible stairs so there were times we needed to factor 10min into transit time just to get though the elevators!

Authenticity & Character

Fun place, nice beds! The roof top access was fun!

Location

Staff

Overall staff was helpful and kind. Needed help with laundry and one staff members was unkind and unhelpful. Not a language barrier just unhelpful and ultimately we went to 7-11 to get change as the machine was broken.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Not every room has carpet but we stayed in 2 that did and it was visibly gross and stained. Slippers were provided and used!

Cassia Sokcho

Sokcho

What a unique place! The views were so unique! The hotel was huge and expensive. Pool access was an extra charge, as were most of the unique features. The finishes to the hotel were interesting, there was a leak in our bath tub and one of the other rooms the tub didn’t fully drain and was wet upon check in, like it wasn’t level so water pooled on one side. Our stay was safe and we had a lot of fun, but there was a premium cost for anything beyond just the room and the resort style location was not ideal to explore beyond the property, even to eat.

Authenticity & Character

The views were unique, the food was good. It was a resort and felt like one!

Location

Not near anything, a pro and a con. Nice if you want the feeling of exclusivity and being on a reesort, con if you want to explore or see a new area.

Staff

Staff was helpful, we needed to have the early breakfast even though it was already full and they worked to get us settled, even bringing the tickets to our room after check in.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Korean Full-Course Meal Cooking Class at Local Home with Local Market Experience

Seoul

This was son outstanding experience! The host was so kind, the tour through the market was fun, we got a few snacks to try! The cooking itself was an introduction in language and culture as we got to connect with authentic cooking with the idea that we could do this in our own homes later!

Quality of Experience

Outstanding! It was fun and accessible, even if you don’t normally cook

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Host was outstanding! Kind, fun and upbeat! Her passion was clear!

Transport

Transport was self arranged and harder to navigate than expected. We had planned an hour to get there, all predictions said 30min and we got there 3min late! No one’s fault and it was not ideal.

Visit the Picturesque Seoraksan National Park with Shinheungsa Temple

Sokcho

This was outstanding! Beautiful park, we loved the views and the cultural experience at the temple.

Quality of Experience

We. Pyle the used another 1/2 a day here! We only hit the highlights of the park with little extra time to explore.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sebastián knew when we needed to be where so we we had a great time!

Transport

All the logistics went very smoothly!

Explore Nature on the Way to Sokcho: Garden of Morning Calm, Nami Island, Gangchon Rail Park

South Korea

These should all be separate reviews! We had a great day! Garden of Morning Calm: This garden was a delight! We could have used more time here to explore and enjoy the garden! Lots of great spots to appreciate the garden with benches and lovely paths to walk down! Nami Island: What a fun and unique place! We didn’t know much before going, just there for the nature and it was so nice! We needed more time to explore. The ferry ride over was nice but for logistics we were only able to spend about 90min actually looking either. Lots of lovely nature spots, statues, art and of course little shops and restaurants. Rail park: this was our least favorite of the 3 activities. We had fun, lots of laughter and smiles. It was a little hokey and we would have preferred more time in our other spots but it was fun and I would recommend the experience! Overall a great day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Korean Folk Village, Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, Icheon Ceramic Experience Tour

South Korea

We had a great time and this day was not what we thought it would be. Fortress . The fortress was a nice piece of haired and gave context to Seoul. Glad to have seen it and enjoyed the tour but was more of an extension of the previous tour where we had gone to the palace. Village: The village was nice, it was during October so there were ghost decorations and lots of kids and families there enjoying the day. Lines were long and crowds were high. Our guide did a great job of finding less busy spots to share about the history and show unique things.I had not realized this was more of a historial theme park, part entertainment part history. Reminded me of a renaissance festival. Nice but not what I had in mind, probably should have done more research. Ceramics: this was great fun and it felt like we were a last minute addition. We enjoyed making our clay pieces and we’re disappointed to learn they were going to be broken down, you don’t get to take it home (or ship it home) so it was just the experience of creating, fun, worth doing and not what we had expected. We also did not learn much about pottery or ceramics or the significance of pottery to the region. Just made clay art! We had a great time, would recommend it and you don’t get to keep the piece you make and the experiment is all about making the piece.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sebastián was great! Took us to a great BBQ place! The pottery people were kind and accommodating! We had some laugh out loud lunate barrier moments that everyone managed with grace!

Transport

Explore Seoul Highlights

Seoul

This was a busy day! We saw so much and still feel like we only scratched the surface! We had been told we might not go up the tower but we did and I would highly recommend going up!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Soleil really took the time to hear what our heart’s desire were for our trip to Japan. Thank you Soleil, for your sensitivity, charm, attention to detail and professionalism. Soleil and her colleagues prompt d us every step of the way so we knew what was next in our itinerary, which was comforting.

In northern Okinawa Aoka created an oasis of calm. I have been reflecting on our time together particularly the discussion with the Shaman and our profound discussion of being in the moment, praying to our ancestors and reflections in the window of the villa. Fascinating how we are in the moment and at the same time our moments because our memories. Will always have fond memories of Aoka and the restorative, peaceful, nurturing time we spent together. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You🙏🏾 For the peace….

Thank you Ayumi for you patience and understanding with our late start. We really lucked out with having you as our guide; the sensitivity, creativity, and flexibility made our day with you serene. As a Mother you can understand how profound it is that Victoria wanted to hold hands with you. ❤️

I recommend and endorse KimKim wholeheartedly for your travel sojourns and expeditions.

Warm regards,
Dr and Mrs Bayley

We had a wonderful time with our Yogyakarta guide and driver, Dilla &Parlan. Seeing Borobudur and Prambanan was a highlight of our trip and they made getting to both fun and easy to see.

The travel from Yogyakarta to Bromo and Ijen could have been overwhelming given the distance but our guide/driver Aldo was the best. His excellent English, sense of humor and being an all around fun person made the time go quickly. The hotels and regions we stayed at for the hikes were beautiful. Our Bromo guide Teguh was the best guide we had during the trip. We’d heard about the possible crowds at Bromo but with his guidance felt like we had the mountain to ourselves. And he always knew how to get the best photo to capture the beauty. The region around Ijen is stunning filled with terraced rice fields and coffee plantations.

Snorkeling in northern Bali at Menjangan Island was spectacular- incredible corals, endless fish and sea turtles. The drive from north Bali to south was fascinating and possibly some of the steepest roads I’ve ever seen. Pecatu (Uluwatu) is beautiful being high up on the cliffs with amazing views. Really enjoyed relaxing and recharging here.

Hotel Reviews

Teras Hotel Ijen Banyuwangi

Banyuwangi

Beautifully designed building in a lovely setting.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The terraced rice fields surrounding the hotel are beautiful.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta - MGallery Collection

YOGYAKARTA

Great location, well appointed with a lovely pool and helpful friendly staff. Breakfast was great and one of the most extensive we’ve very seen. Our room overlooking the pool was perfect.

Authenticity & Character

Historic character

Location

Near Malioboro Street and great coffee options in walking distance.

Staff

Very nice and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jiwa Jawa Bromo

Beautiful location and grounds. The gallery was also lovely.

Authenticity & Character

The grounds are very well maintained and nice to wander in.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Menjangan Dynasty Resort

Lovely beach setting with great snorkeling access. Buildings are beautiful and the layout of the space is great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Front desk staff were lovely and helpful. The food service staff were a bit forgetful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

VANARA Resort & Spa

Pecatu

Incredible buildings with beautiful designed rooms/ villas and the view is spectacular. The restaurant and breakfasts were some of the best food we had in Indonesia- I’m still thinking of the lovely breakfasts. Staff were incredibly kind and thoughtful- always helpful and anticipating your needs. We had an early checkout and they offered breakfast to go which was so perfect.

Authenticity & Character

Villas are designed to capture the views and with great attention to detail. The afternoon snacks in the room are also lovely.

Location

The view over the cliff to the ocean was incredible during the day but even better at sunset. Don’t be surprised by the drive in- it is a bit out of the way but completely worth it.

Staff

The staff were always kind, attentive and helpful. The resort uses texting rather than landline phones - which I didn’t know how I’d feel about but it works great and isn’t at all obtrusive. Also, because the restaurant is so highly regarded and the location so amazing people come to have drinks and dinner but the staff quietly gives preference to those staying at the hotel- which is lovely.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Visit Taman Sari Water Palace

Yogyakarta

Interesting to see but small and not much information. Did also enjoy the shadow puppet makers stall outside the exit- truly incredible to see the process.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dilla explained the space well but there isn’t much left to the building.

Transport