Kimkim Trip Reviews

Great 21 days to Thailand - Kimkim team provided guidance throughout the trip They were available when there was last minute changes or issues. Favorite excursions were interactions with elephants - both in Chiang Mai and Koh Samui. Another favorite was a private charter of a catamaran in Koh Samui where they brought us to pig island. Only negatives were sometimes the group excursions were long - they could have been cut shorter (Kayak, road trip from Chiang rai to Chiang Mai) Overall a very memorable trip !

Hotel Reviews

Siam Mandarina Hotel

Samutprakarn

I’m not sure I would stay at this hotel again

Authenticity & Character

Location

It’s a sketchy area - close to the airport

Staff

Restaurant staff was extremely slow. We left our EarPods at checkout and they wouldn’t mail them to us

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crazy weird noises

The St. Regis Bangkok

Bangkok

Over the top luxurious hotel with great amenities - rooftop pool and fantastic gym. It also had the best buffet breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel (Booked on Your Own)

Koh Samui

Absolutely loved our stay at the Anavana resort. It felt like a true Thai resort with individual huts. It’s a very small resort so it’s not crowded and the restaurant view on the beach was fantastic

Authenticity & Character

Thai huts in a tropical setting

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Avista Grande Phuket Karon Mgallery

Phuket

Very nice hotel with beautiful pool and very nice rooms. The buffet breakfast was excellent

Authenticity & Character

A very nice hotel especially at night with all the lights

Location

It’s in a bit of a weird location as it’s across the public beach but you can still walk to all the restaurants

Staff

Desk staff were excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eden Beach Khao Lak Resort & Spa

Phang Nga

Very busy resort but with a Thai feel. The lobby and restaurants are all in bamboo therefore you feel like you are in the tropics. Our room was nothing special but the other rooms closer to the beach seemed nicer.

Authenticity & Character

Bamboo lobby on stilts

Location

Resort is close to all the restaurants

Staff

The checkin staff was great but it was difficult to get service from the pool bar staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was clean

Meliá Chiang Mai Hotels & Resort

Chiang Mai

Very beautiful modern hotel with great amenities such as a pool , bar and nice gym

Authenticity & Character

It’s very modern therefore not your typical Thai hotel with character.

Location

Across the street from the markets

Staff

The concierge was great

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed super comfy

Le Patta Hotel Chiang Rai

The hotel was close to the walking street but it’s on was located on a busy street.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The hotel is closed to the walking street and street food but it’s on a busy street

Staff

The staff was very nice and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel is clean but the room could use some refurbishing. Lots of mosquitoes in the area

Dusit Suites Hotel Ratchadamri, Bangkok

Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Newly renovated modern hotel

Location

Great location - central location but quieter as among all the luxury hotels.

Staff

All staff in Thailand are excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was comfortable

Activity Reviews

Elephant Day Care at Patara Elephant Farm

Chiang Mai

We got to see several elephants rose freely including two 1 year old ( who were funny and kept escaping)We were 4 people to take care of 2 elephants - loved the one on one experience. The fruits at the end were sufficient for a snack

Quality of Experience

Love the one on one with the elephants

Food

The fruits were great as a snack but it wasn’t a meal. We had sticky rice too.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Not too much English but the staff was great

Transport

Similan Island - Small Group Tour

Thailand

Loved the similar islands although this is definitely not a small group - we were about 40 people side by side in A speed boat. It’s still worth it as the water is beautiful. There are a lot of other tour boats - so it’s crowded. The food provided after by the company was ok - not great.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food at the island was good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A larger boat with less people would have been better

Grandma’s Cooking Experience

Chiang Mai

We loved our cooking experience at grandma S kitchen. Extremely well organized. They would prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and we got to cook and eat - a soup, pad Thai and a curry and dessert. They would clean up our station in between courses. Very efficient excursion with a funny chef

Quality of Experience

Quality of ingredients

Food

Delicious meal

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fatbike Countryside Explorer

Chiang Mai

We ended up being the only two on the excursion. The bikes were in amazing condition. The guide was great and patient ( very safe when we had to cross highways). The lunch provided after the bike ride was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiang Rai - Chiang Mai via Mae Kampong with Lunch

Thailand

Loved visiting the blue temple early without the crowds. The white temple was magnificent. Our guide was excellent. The drive to Mae kampong was extremely scary as the drive was unsafe. We never got to see the village and walk around as the driver was scaring us and we missed the meeting point. Unfortunately that made our excursion a disappointment

Quality of Experience

H

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide excellent. Driver awful

Transport

Golden Triangle and Mekong River Boat (Private)

Chiang Rai

The guide was excellent and informative. Enjoyed the Opium museum I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 as the golden triangle was interesting but not scenic as expected. . It was fun going to Laos but the vendors are a bit pushy.

Quality of Experience

Food

The local restaurant was delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was excellent

Transport

Driver was great - boat ride to Laos was fun

Samui Islands Yacht Charter – Sunset Trip

Koh Samui

Excellent catamaran excursion with great attentive staff, delicious snacks and great bbq. Would charter from blue voyage again.

Quality of Experience

Catamaran was clean and in good shape. The different unexpected snacks were great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very attentive but still kept their distance so we could enjoy family time

Transport

I give KimKim lots of credit for finding this very obscure trip for me. I have an interest in prehistoric rock art and wanted to find a way to visit Serra Da Capivara National Park, which has very few foreign visitors because of its remoteness in northeast Brazil.
That said, I had very little interaction with KimKim following the booking. Once I had the WhatsApp number of my local guide, I stayed in contact with him.

Our trip was fantastic! Hassan did a great job planning a perfect variety of activities and matched us with excellent guides and the very best driver, Ismail. Accomodations were nice with centrally located locations. Loved our special Ramadan dinner with the family in Fez. Ismail was super friendly and knowledgeable about the area. He was very flexible and even showed us several sites we were not planning to see. Ismail was the best gift we got in Morocco. Thank you KimKim for another wonderful trip of a lifetime.

Hotel Reviews

Euphoriad

Rabat

Riad Laaroussa

Fez medina

A special place. Hidden deep in the Medina. Beautifully decorated. Very traditional. Lovely art and more.

Authenticity & Character

Gorgeous room with extra large bath. Sitting area, slippers, comfortable beds.

Location

Staff

All very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Very nice. Great location in the center of the beautiful Medina with a lovely roof top terrace and views for days. Note to guests: no elevator and lots of steps to enter hotel and possibly 3 flights to 3rd floor.

Authenticity & Character

Authentic. Lovely fireplace in main dining room which came in handy in early March due to cold rainy weather.

Location

Center of the Medina.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Even the couch (made into a bed) was comfortable to sleep on

Activity Reviews

Explore the Blue City

Chefchaouen

Best guide! A young PhD student so eager to share his country with us. As a bonus, he was also a photographer and helped us find great spots for our photos and took some excellent shots of us .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pottery & Mosaïc workshop

Morocco

This is really a shopping opportunity. There was a very short demonstration of tile carving (which was fantastic) but most of the time was spent shopping :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner with a local Family in Fes

Fes

What a special treat. Lovely family - very open to sharing their life and family with us. Food was delicious. Highly highly recommend to all travelers!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hi Vicky

Once again thank you so much for all your assistance in planning my Sydney visit .

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL CITY .....

My guide Steve was amazing and the guide that took us to the mountains wow such a young man but so knowledgeable about Australian history and everything actually

thumps up 2 both

See you next year again Australia

Perth and outback

take care Vicky

Regards

Hotel Review

Own Accommodations Arranged

Authenticity & Character

Location

Shangri-la Sydney

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bondi-Bronte Culture & Coast Small Group Walking Tour

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Blue Mountains Wildlife Full-Day Sights and Hiking from Sydney

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

Sydney Bridge Climb Summit

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sydney City Small Group Walking Tour (Small Group Tour)

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I had the pleasure of working with Trang to plan a recent trip to Vietnam and Cambodia> I had never used Kim Kim prior so was a bit nervous. No need to be, I was impressed with the service received! From the very beginning, Trang was incredibly responsive and organized, answering all of my questions promptly and thoroughly. She took the time to understand my travel preferences and crafted a customized itinerary that perfectly suited my interests.

Every detail of the trip was well planned.For our 2 week trip we saw 7 cities with the help of 4 different regional tour guides and drivers. 3 of the guides were great, one l was not as knowledgeable as I would have hoped. All guides and drivers were punctual and reliable . I felt completely at ease knowing everything was taken care of. During the trip, everything went smoothly. Trang was in constant contact checking in on us most days. She accommodated minor changes such as changing what we wanted to tour with 24 hours notice.

What stood out the most was how Trang anticipated my needs before I even realized them, ensuring that I had the best possible experience. Her attention to detail, professionalism, and genuine care made my trip to Vietnam and Cambodia unforgettable. I highly recommend their services to anyone looking to travel to this amazing part of the world!

Hotel Review

Indochine Premium Cruise

Amazing ship with luxurious cabins and some of the best meals we experienced on our trip. Ha Long bay is spectactular nd would highly recommend this premium cruise

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Siem Reap: Banteay Srei - Pre Rup - Tonle Sap Lake - Dinner with an Apsara Dance Show

Siem Reap

The temples were breathtaking and a "do not miss". Unfortunately Tonle Sap lake was in low water season(mid march) and thus we were unable to get the full experience including getting to see floating villages. While the long drive out did allow us to see Cambodia and small villages, it did not feel a good use of a half day. Aspara dance was entertaining. Food at the dinner was mediocre.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Siem Reap - Explore Angkor Complex Temples

Siem Reap

We had an absolutely amazing 2 days exploring the Angkor Wat complex with our guide! From start to finish, the experience was unforgettable. Our guide was knowledgeable about the history and culture of the site, which made the tour even more enriching. . He was attentive to our pace, ensuring we had time to explore and ask questions, while also making sure we didn’t miss any of the key highlights. The temples were breathtaking. I would highly recommend booking a guided tour of Angkor Wat to anyone visiting. It’s a must-see, and having a knowledgeable guide and a comfortable van and thoughtful driver (provided cold water and a cold towel at every stop) made it even more special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoi An Countryside - Lantern Making - Gardening & Basket Boat Ride (HUT19) - Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An

Enjoyed getting out to the countryside farm area.

Hue City Tour

Hue

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Saigon By Night Food Tour - Experience Vietnam on Two Wheels (Private Tour)

Ho Chi Minh City

Good to do at night once the sun goes down for a more comfortable experience. Was a ton of fun riding on the back of scooters and getting to know more about life in HCMC from our guides. Feel like we got a good feel for the city as covered alot of ground. The food was good , but was secondary to the scooter experience. We'd been in country for over a week so had already experienced similar foods.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

HaNoi- Ninh Binh: Visit Hoa Lu & Trang An Grottoes

Vietnam

Do not miss this amazing site of the Trang An grotto boat tour. The caverns are unique and made for a unforgettable experience.

Hanoi City Tour & Half-day Sightseeing and Taste Local Food by Legendary Russian Jeep GAZ69 Or USA Army Jeep (VBTJ1)

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Every transport person, every guide was incredible.

Hotel Review

Hotel Fabian

Helsinki

Hotel Fabian was probably the most modern among our accommodations. We did face a minor issue with a pipe under the sink that fell out and caused some water to spill everywhere. However, the staff was prompt in fixing it immediately. This dedication to customer service was impressive. Overall, the room was immaculate, just like I require, and it was a pleasant stay.

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Tour with Professional Photos

Finland

The Northern Lights Tour was absolutely wonderful. Our guide, whom we called the 'Lights Hunter,' went above and beyond to ensure we had a memorable experience. We stayed out late into the night and saw the beautiful auroras with shooting stars that added a personal touch to the experience. This tour left a lasting impression on me.

Reindeer Adventure

Levi

The reindeer adventure was amazing. The host shared so much knowledge about the reindeer and treated us to a wonderful experience. We even got to feed the reindeer, which was a delightful experience, something I can't do back home in New York. This was truly an astonishing experience, and it broadened my understanding of these majestic creatures.

Husky Safari

Finland

The husky safari experience was fabulous! It was a beautifully serene and gorgeous experience. We got to pet the huskies and saw sixty eager dogs ready for their sledding run. Even though there was a little mishap with my daughter-in-law falling off the sled, and her mom breaking her pinky, it was an unforgettable experience.

We just returned from a fabulous trip thru Southern Spain planned by KimKim. Marta was our travel specialists and she did a wonderful job.

Itinerary--Malaga-Granada-Ronda-Seville
Had tickets for the Picasso museum in Malaga, which is far better than the Picasso Museum in Barcelona. Tickets were wonderful as we walked right in past a very long line of people waiting who had not purchased pre-timed tickets. Stayed at the Only You Hotel. Hopping place with very lively bar.

Granada was our favority city. Very walkable. Stayed at AC Marriot Palace, centrally located by the University. Marta arranged a flamenco show in Sacremonte, which is not to be missed. Daytime tour of the Alhambra with our guide Marta was fantastic.

Travelled to Ronda via private car. Although countryside was beautiful, it rained most of the way.

Our hotel in Seville was amazing--the Palacio Villapanes, an SLH hotel. The bathroom was luxurious and my daughter appreciated the full soaking tub.
Took a walking tour of the Triano market with cooking class--made paella from scratch. That was also one of the highlights of our visit.

We never needed to use the emergency phone # as every single driver, transfer, guide, ticket etc were expertly arranged in advance by our agent. Hassle free vacation. Loved it.

The planning was easy to do and adjust as needed and the 2 hotels we stayed at were awesome. We stayed 3 nights at Arenal Manoa near La Fortuna. Our room was spacious, but somewhat dated. But the grounds were gorgeous as was the pool with the swim up bar. There were plenty of thermal pools on the premises, but none of them were really warm. Breakfast was full of plenty of delicious items to eat including an omelette bar.

The second place we stayed at was La Mariposa, which did live up to its fame of the most gorgeous view. The infinity pool was huge and so refreshing. They also had a good breakfast spread. We thought it was strange though that they had no body wash for guests (we ended up buying a large soap) and they were still using little plastic containers for the amenities which does not feel very eco-friendly at all. There was an older gentleman at the front desk when we checked in that was very rude and I have seen other comments about how they were poorly treated upon check in. All the other people who worked there were lovely though.

As far as our time with serendipity adventures, who was the local tour company, the drivers were where they needed to be when we needed them, but unfortunately, they obviously do not take good care of their vehicles because our first car broke down halfway through our ride to La Fortuna. We had to wait over an hour for another driver to show up and finish the way in another car. Then the driver that was going to take us back to the airport in San Jose, shows up with a flat tire. They did make good and found a driver for us about a half hour later and we were fine for our flight but that would be my one criticism. All of the guides we had for rainforest tours were very knowledgeable and friendly. If you do have a guide going through the rainforest, though, make sure they have binoculars or a telephoto lens so you can really get a close up of the animals. Our first guide, unfortunately, had neither nor did he have his laser pointer to actually show us what he was looking at so that made it more difficult but the second guy had what we needed.

Very easy to book. Our whale watching got canceled and I received a refund with a week of returning. Had a great experience. Our travel agent was very responsive when we had questions. We loved Iceland and can’t wait to travel there again.

All guides were knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The guide at the Alhambra was somewhat difficult to understand. There was a snafu in Cordoba- no guide met us. It took almost one hour for a guide to appear. None-the-less she was excellent.
All hotels had central locations. The hotel in Madrid was noisy. The hotel in Granada was charming and our favorite. The "boutique" hotel in Sevilla had very small rooms and dangerous bathrooms. In addition to a slippery shower floor (not safe for an older traveler) the shower faucets were difficult to use and very hot. The hotel is aware of this problem and tries to provide a tutorial when you check in. This hotel provided a champagne celebration which was appreciated.
All of the hotel breakfasts were excellent. All of the drivers were courteous and professional. Your support staff was helpful- especially when the EWR-LIS TAP Air flight misconnected and when the SEV-LIS-EWR flight was cancelled entirely. Based on this I have learned that TAP Air is an unreliable airline.

Our recent trip to Panama was so extremely well organized. Emily, our travel coordinator, did an excellent job and when there was an issue, she jumped in and got it fixed. We appreciated her communication with us along the way. Our trip started in Panama City and our tour guide Luis was EXCELLENT! He knew so much about everything and was open to answering all our questions and engaging in conversation about what was so special about his country. He took us to a wonderful restaurant in Old Town for lunch. Our driver, Luis #2, was always prompt and helpful. We appreciated both of them immensely. We really enjoyed the private boat tour with Luis in Gamboa. Being on the lake with the ships passing through the canal was a once in a lifetime experience. It exceeded our expectations. Boras del Toro was very laid back and the Isle of Colon boat tour with Miguel was amazing. We loved Starfish Beach. The food at the local restaurants in town was very good too, Our driver there was also prompt and went above and beyond to see that we were well taken care of. It was a nice way to wrap it all up before heading back home with a one night stay downtown with the rooftop bar overlooking the city. Our driver back to the airport was also prompt and courteous.

Hotel Reviews

Playa Tortuga Hotel & Beach Resort

Bocas del Toro

Hotel was probably an incredible resort at one time but is in need of some maintenance and cleaning. The attention to detail was not there. Pool water was not clean and pool and beach loungers were not comfortable. Room was musty but that resolved after a few hours of having the air conditioner on . Stains on the sofa fabric. Breakfast was good. We moved after one night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not in the center of town but only a 10 minute drive away.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tryp Panama Centro by Wyndham

Panama City

Clean, spacious room. Beautiful rooftop pool and bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gamboa Rainforest Reserve

Gamboa

Spacious room and bathroom. Loved the balcony with the hammock overlooking the rainforest. Hotel also had a beautiful lobby and nice food options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Tour Guide on the truck tour of local wildlife was very good, especially for a no cost option.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Central Hotel Panama

Panama

Perfect location in the heart of Old Town. Beautiful hotel. Excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self guided day - Time at leisure in Panama City

Panama City

We were on our own and went to the Amador Causeway and rented bikes and rode up and down the causeway with the locals on the bike path. That was a lot of fun!

The best of Isla Colon and surroundings

Bocas del Toro

Seeing things from the water gives you a whole other perspective. We enjoyed both Bird Island and Starfish Beach!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

MIguel was an excellent boat operator and guide. We enjoyed being with him

Transport

Our driver had to deal with road closures due to construction. He would park and walk us to make sure we got to where we needed to be. The same experience in picking us up. I consider that excellent service!

Rainforest boat tour

Gamboa

Exceeded expectations. Luis, our guide, again was exceptional. Between seeing the ships traversing the Canal on the lake and meeting some local wildlife up close and personal, it was a great way to transition from the city to the jungle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Panama History and Cultural Experience

Panama City

Luis, our tour guide was exceptional!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Hosteria Senderos was a wonderful Inn. The food was amazing. Design Suites in Calafate is beautiful with great views and rooms, however the dinner we had there was poor at best. The breakfast bar was good. We did find an excellent Restaurant, Morrison, and ate there twice. The W Trek was fun. The food was decent and we had good weather. Overall things were smooth and we enjoyed it. Thanks Erin and Nora.

Hotel Reviews

Hosteria Senderos

El Chalten

Quaint and Perfect for trailside convenience.

Authenticity & Character

Mountain Town

Location

Closest to some of the most challenging Mountains in the World.

Staff

Superbly Gracious!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rustic but clean.

Hotel Las Torres Patagonia

Torres del Paine

Outstanding Service, Food and accommodations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Nestled between Streams and Mountains.

Staff

Outstanding Front Desk Help!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pristine

Activity Review

Perito Moreno Boat & Walking Tour

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I thought I already let you know my thoughts, but I will repeat them here.
While Costa Rica is an amazing country that I have visited four times, this trip had serious problems with transportation. The van that was supposed to be handicapped accessible was totally unsafe and uncomfortable. Even though your company tried to make adjustments, it was still a problem. There was one night when we were all stuck on a narrow, winding road for over 20 minutes. It was dangerous and frightening, as well as jostling. There were other times when the van couldn't make its destination. The first tour we took had several stairs that were not wheel-chair accessible also.
I feel like you should not be calling yourself a company that can serve handicapped (wheel-chair) clients.
In the future you should let people know the limitations and give better advice about where to travel within the country. I know the road conditions are not your fault, but it is your responsibility to let travelers know the situation.
In a positive note, the people and the hotels were wonderful!

Activity Review

Private Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

This is the best planned trip I have ever been on. Katie’s help was beyond expectations! The itinerary was seamless and easy to follow! Senja was my favorite place on the trip. It is the most beautiful place on earth. The fjord trip from Flan was another favorite. The guided city tours were exceptional giving a good overview and local content about history and the people. I love Norway and what it stands for: protection of the environment , free education and healthcare, low crime, emphasis on healthy living, recycling, electric transportation, care for its people. It was a spectacular vacation and I was sad to leave. The glaciated peaks and arctic air and water will be forever in my mind. Thank you so much for a beautiful trip! And Katie you were wonderful! I have never experienced the kind and thoughtful connection you provided on any tour I have taken. You are one of a kind. I would definitely book with you again.

Hotel Reviews

Flåmsbrygga Hotel

Flåm

Room was right next to breakfast area. Very convenient.

Location

Staff

Didn’t use the staff much. Just to check in

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

Easy access to train to the airport. There was a fire alarm at 2 am that had us leave the hotel and stand in the cold for about 1/2 hour .

Location

I liked the location. It was easy to use the buses and train

Staff

The staff was excellent. They helped me locate my iPad at the airport . A lady was on the phone quite awhile to ID my iPad . I took the express train in picked up my iPad and came back in an hour.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

Nice hotel centrally located. The down comforters are too hot.

Staff

Staff was helpful and answered all of out questions

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Mefjord Brygge

Mefjordvær, Senjahopen

We had a house so we each had our own bedroom. That was nice for Chris because I snore. It was comfortable, local and not fancy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The snow capped mountains and fjords were breathtaking

Staff

Everyone was helpful and guides were entertaining. However, they were not up on the geology of the area.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Not much really. It was an authentic local wood house.

Norwegian Wild

Vangsvik

Authenticity & Character

Location location location

Location

This hotel is across the street from a national park. The views from the cabins are breath taking across the fjord.

Staff

They went the extra mile.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Flight from Southern Norway to Tromsø

Norway

Flight was a normal flight. Got this picture out the window

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

Guide was good. Probably walked 10 miles that day. I loved walking thru the different neighborhoods. We got a museum pass for use after the tour and the next day. Put in a lot of walking. Plus learned how to use the busses!

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

This fjord was very special . I think all people visiting Norway should experience it. Pictures don’t do it justice.

Quality of Experience

Felt like I was in a National Geographic video! The beauty was overwhelming!

Transport

The ferry was perfect! Comfortable and easy to view surroundings!

Mostraumen Fjord Cruise from Bergen

Bergen

Lots of waterfalls!

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

The guide was well informed and gave us lots of history. The only improvement would be to not talk while walking . It was hard for me to hear everything. If the guide stopped and faced us while talking it would have been alot better.

Free day in Senja

Senja

Went for a walk in the national park. There was fresh powder and it was beautiful. We didn’t need snow shoes so that was nice.

Arctic Boat Safari in Senja

Senja

Best part was watching the sea eagles and seagulls dive for fish. We got a really good show. Pictures were hard to get.

Discover Senja

Senja

It was a blustery day with high winds. We did see a lot but it was very cloudy and overcast. The tour guides did a fair job considering the conditions.

Northern Lights Safari

Senja

It’s hit or miss to see the northern lights but our guide made them available to see

Quality of Experience

Good informative guide

We had a wonderful trip to Central Vietnam thanks to everything that Lucy arranged (drivers, tour guides etc.)!

Activity Reviews

Hoi An Walking Tour & Making Lantern - Joint in tour

Hoi An

It was fun to experience the culture show and make paper lanterns!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip To Bana Hills - Visit Golden Hand Bridge

Vietnam

Loved going up the cable car, seeing the waterfalls, and exploring the Golden Hand Bridge and surrounding area!

Quality of Experience

Beautiful area to explore

Food

Good lunch buffet--a lot of variety!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Trinh was an amazing guide and the driver was great!

Transport

The transport was nice and they always provided us with water!

Touch the History of Former Imperial Capital - Hue Full Day Sightseeing

Hue

Trinh was an amazing tour guide--very knowledgeable about the history of Hue and everything that we saw! Plus, she took photographs of my sister and me. She was so thoughtful and amazing!

Quality of Experience

Beautiful architecture and history

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing drivers and tour guide (Trinh)!

Transport

Drivers were friendly and on time!

This was a last minute trip during the end of the high season. Monika was great in collaborating on the type of trip we wanted, responsive to changes and available whenever we needed something. She made it happen despite the time crunch! The quality of the tours was excellent - smaller groups, professional and well informed. Great overall experience!

Hotel Reviews

Heritage Queenstown

Queenstown

It was fine a bit of a walk to town, not a lot of character, regular sized hotel room.

Distinction Te Anau Hotel And Villas

Te Anau

Nice but a little dated.

Bella Vista Motel Wanaka

Wanaka

Lake Tekapo Holiday Homes

Lake Tekapo

Great - a little far to walk to town.

Activity Reviews

Funyak Safari

Queenstown (NZ)

I would have given this 5 stars, one of the best days of the trip, loved the scenery and the rafting. However while the guides were really good, the Jetboat operator was driving dangerously close to large objects (rock walls, bridge stantions, etc.) that if we had hit one people could have been badly hurt or killed. I have been operating power boats for a long time and was shocked that he was putting our lives in danger for a few "thrills." Not okay. He also got my daughter very wet on a very cold and windy day without warning. Not great. The picnic was A+.

Onsen Hot Pools

Queenstown (NZ)

Nice if you want to soak in a hottub outside of town, nice view, but not something I would do again.

Bike the wineries

Queenstown (NZ)

This was a lot of fun. Outfitter great. Recommend doing most of the biking first!

White Rafting Kawarau River

Queenstown (NZ)

Water was to low so this was cancelled.

Walk the famous Milford track and cruise on Milford Sound

New Zealand

Guide was great, it's a long day. Recommend if you can not driving a long way to your next destination. We booked this late so had to drive to Queenstown at the end of the day, due to no availability in town (Te Anau).

Te Anau Glowworm Caves

Te Anau

Very interesting. There was a child crying which wasn't great, not sure why they allow young kids. Guide very knowledgable.

Mou Waho Island self guided

New Zealand

Very nice mini-trip and hike.

Mt Cook half day Heli Hike

New Zealand

Hike and tour itself and guide were great, however we waiting over 2 hours until our flight was ready, which we were not expecting.

The Crater Experience - stargazing Tekapo

Lake Tekapo

I'm a big supporter of dark sky initiatives, unfortunately due to the 1:30am booking we were booked on the previous (incorrect) night and had some issues rebooking it, although with Monika's help we ultimately did. Very late time, so not sure I would do it again unless an earlier time was available; made it harder to enjoy and tired the next day. Alternative is to find a dark sky in the area yourself.

Through KimKim we were connected with amazing Colombian agents from Aracanto, Margoth and Felipe. Everything was planned and reserved online easily, and when we arrived for our first day we were welcomed with a gift (travel necessities and more) and by our guide.
Everyday was an adventure with guides and reservations made at enticing restaurants....restaurants we would have never known to book. Each guide not only told stories, they had lived the stories of the city. They were able to connect us personally to the land, town, city or region with their own encounters. Plus everyone was so passionate about their region and proud to share the diversity of Colombia.
At the end of our trip I unfortunately fell ill, BUT Margoth went the extra mile to assist us. I will never forget the care and extra work she magically did to ensure our comfort.
Thank you KimKim for creating a collection of highly knowledgeable and caring agents worldwide.
Much Gratitude~Dorrinda Carlson

We loved our trip. Our guides and tours in Buenos Aires were wonderful, and the Ventana Tango Show was a big highlight. Iguazu Falls was great to see and it was fun getting drenched going under the waterfall. We really enjoyed our day driving to Aconcagua Provincial Park, and our guide was fabulous. Wine tasting in Mendoza was fun, and we loved the lunch at the winery. Bariloche was beautiful, and our kayaking experience in the rain was magical. We feel like we really got to experience Argentina and we had a lovely time!

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Kayak & Trekking at Lake Mascardi

Bariloche

The kayak guides were excellent and the rain gear was awesome. We paddled in the rain and stayed dry. It was a fun experience and we were the only ones on the lake. The "picnic" they gave us for lunch was amazing, and showed they put a lot of care into it. The hiking part of our day was cancelled due to rain, so we didn't experience that.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day History and Cooking

Bariloche

The scenery was beautiful and our guide gave us good info. The cooking class was disappointing. We folded an empanada and dipped some meat in breadcrumbs, but we didn't actually learn how to cook anything.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Wineries and Olive Factory Tour

Mendoza

Especially loved the small winery. The winemaker was fun and interesting. We visited 3 wineries and there was not an olive factory tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day High Andes with trekking to Durazno Gorge

Mendoza

Loved this activity. Beautiful scenery and fabulous guide. Nice pace of the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was a lot of driving, and the vehicle was really comfortable. Especially appreciated the hooks and places to put things at each seat.

Great Adventure Boat Trip (Iguazú National Park)

Puerto Iguazú

Loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Iguazú Falls Argentine side

Puerto Iguazú

Loved the hiking and going under the waterfall on a boat. Beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

There were 6 of us and the guide didn't always count us. A few of us took a wrong turn at a junction when the guide was far ahead.

Transport

Half Day Brazilian Falls tour

Argentina

It was nice, but the Argentina side was better.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner & Tango Show

Buenos Aires

Food was good and the show was thoroughly entertaining.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Buenos Aires City Tour

Buenos Aires

Our guide was wonderful. Got a good overview of Argentina's history and culture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Grafoodie Tour

Buenos Aires

Thoroughly enjoyed seeing the graffiti murals, tasting the food, and learning more about the Argentinian culture and history. Our guide was fabulous.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was knowledgeable and fun to be with.

Transport

On time, polite, good driver.

We loved our vacation in New Zealand and hope we have the chance to come back for more adventures!

Some highlights:
-Afternoon Wilderness tour: great guides, good pace, informative
-Hobbiton: on time early morning pick up, tour was lovely - wish it could have been longer; lunch was very worthwhile. Hobbiton was a magical place to visit, truly special. The transfer to transport service was smooth (though our luggage sat in van trunks and got a bit warm, so good thing we carried around any heat-sensitive items)
-Te Ra Guided Experience at Te Puia Rotorua: we learned a lot on this tour despite the misty rain - the bubbling mud pools were neat to observe and so cool to see our first kiwi birds of the trip; very easy to get to via Uber from our hotel
-Zealandia: AMAZING! We probably heard bird song (and cicadas haha) more than we saw creatures, but we did see numerous Kakas, Tuataras, a North Island Robin, several Shags, and THREE Little Spotted Kiwis. Will and Judy, our guides, were lovely.
-Full Day Lord of the Rings Tour: of course you have to use your imagination and visualize how the film crew turned locations into movie sets, but it was neat to see several of the sites. No pictures allowed on most of the tour, though it was neat to see various artists at work. And of course funny photos with Bilbo's trolls outside were fun. No 'Rivendell Ripple' at the end of the tour so that still remains a mystery...
-Gondola: really cool ride up the mountain; easy to find ticket pick up location; views were spectacular; we are glad we didn't book the buffet lunch at the restaurant at the top as we had a lovely lunch at Bespoke Kitchen at the base of the gondola
-Walter Peak High Country Farm Excursion: really cute and fun tour; loved seeing all the farm animals and even though the interaction was brief, we enjoyed feeding and petting the sheep, cows and goats. High tea was delicious! We would revisit many places, but we would love to do the horseback riding tour and high tea at the farm.

Some things we wish we knew in advance:
- Early check-in at the QT Auckland hotel was $150 NDZ. We got an extra bonus hour in NZ as our flight landed over an hour early, so we're grateful for our airport pickup (Warren - he was very welcoming and knowledgeable!) monitored our flight and was able to pick us up and we were able to check into our hotel early, so it all worked out.
-The afternoon wilderness tour included a stop for lunch! We didn't know that in advance, so we spent time in the morning finding a place to pick up a sandwich and be at our pick up location on time. Had we known there was a lunch stop where we could purchase lunch, we would have spent time in the morning doing something else.
-On the way to Hobbiton from Auckland, the transport included a stop for breakfast about 1 hour into the journey. Had we known we could purchase breakfast along the way, we wouldn't have had to coordinate a to-go breakfast with the hotel and ask for our early departure to be accommodated (hotel breakfast started at 6:30am, but our pick up was scheduled 6:30-6:45am). The breakfast stop had two different cafe/restaurant options that had a lot to offer - breakfast sandwiches, pastries, coffee, tea, etc.
-New Zealand domestic flights have next to no security (especially in the tiny Rotorua airport)! HUGE difference from the US. We did get the last sandwich at the tiny Rotorua airport cafe, which was lucky... will be good once the full cafe is available there. At Wellington airport, we are glad we got a bite to eat before going to our gate because there is only one tiny cafe option once you go through security and there's a whole large food court and set of souvenir shops BEFORE security.

Some things we would change:
-The ferry to Waiheke Island was nice, but we would have skipped the hop on/hop off bus as they weren't really able to keep to the drop off/pick up schedule, making pickups unpredictable and long waits thus less time for exploring. We would have rathered figuring out the public bus that runs seemingly more smoothly and regularly. We also needed a map that showed restaurants & shops, not just vineyards - such a highlights map didn't seem to exist and google maps wasn't as helpful as it usually is in other locations.
-Outside of really anyone's control but hotel management's: the lighting in all the hotels were pretty poor, to varying degrees; plus the light switches were overly complicated (too many combinations and permutations to try to figure out how to turn a few on or the bathroom lights on and not the entire room! never have had such complicated lighting at a hotel. Other travelers on tours we were on mentioned the same thing at their hotels so the issue seems pretty common.).
-In Auckland, we should have not included breakfast at the hotel. It was OK but we would have enjoyed going to local cafes instead as the hotel breakfast menu and continental breakfast didn't offer much that we enjoyed.

Hotel Reviews

Crowne Plaza Queenstown

Queenstown

Nice, clean, quiet hotel. If you are on the top floor (7th) be prepared for stairs - the elevator only goes to the 6th floor - not an issue for us but for some guests it might be. Definitely in the top 2 for breakfasts of the 4 hotels we stayed at. The location was very convenient for all of the activities we did!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Naumi Hotel Wellington

6141

Great location on Cuba St. Having front and back entrances led to some confusion for pick ups for drivers but in the end it worked out. Interesting interior design... some quite dizzying (especially elevator and carpeting). Decent breakfast offerings. Very nice morning staff. The lighting in the room wasn't very good, and too many on/off switches. The bathroom was squeezed into a very tiny room (shower, sink & toilet all in behind a door) and there was no shower curtain so water escaped easily and only one person at a time could access the bathroom.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pullman Rotorua

Rotorua

Lighting in room was OK in comparison to other hotels. Bathroom set up was one of the best. Clean and quiet hotel and our room view was decent too. Overall the breakfast offered had a good variety (very long line at the coffee machine though!).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

QT Auckland

Auckland

Nice, clean, good location. Room lighting was horrible. We would have skipped the breakfast inclusion.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Skyline Gondola Ride

Queenstown (NZ)

This was more fun than we expected. It was amazing to see the views. It will be even better once they finish construction on the larger observation deck.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walter Peak High Country Farm Excursion

Queenstown (NZ)

We LOVED this! The tour was fun and the high tea was so good. We'd definitely consider coming back for the horseback riding or the eco tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Lord of The Rings Tour

Wellington

This was a fun tour. Neat to see where some of the movie scenes were shot. The tour of the Weta Cave was neat too though couldn't take pictures during most of it. Enjoyed learning about the artists and seeing their work in action.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zealandia Twilight Tour - Private tour

Wellington

One of the biggest highlights of our trip!! We saw a variety of species (and heard even more) and were very lucky that we got to see THREE kiwi just waking up and starting their night. Truly incredible conservation work being done at Zealandia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guides were fantastic. Thanks, Will and Judy!

Transport

We had a lovely conversation with our driver, Sarah, both ways. She was friendly and understanding that our tour went a bit over than planned. We appreciate her time and flexibility.

Mitai Cultural Experience & Dinner

Rotorua

Great cultural experience. We happened to be there when there was a competition going on so the usual performers were away and the performers we saw were younger (late teenage years / early 20s). We wouldn't have known if the hostess hadn't revealed that info as they were phenomenal!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TE Puia: Te Ra (Day Pass) Guided tour (90 minutes)

Rotorua

This was a nice tour though it was raining the day we were there. I'm sure it would be incredible if we had better weather but nonetheless we made the best of it and really enjoyed learning from our guides. We saw the geyser on the livestream just before the tour started - it ended up too steamy to see anything once we were out there! It was very cool to see the bubbling mud as well as the kiwi birds at their kiwi conservation station.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Auckland to Rotorua visiting Hobbiton with lunch

Auckland

Just as magical as I imagined! We had beautiful weather to enjoy Hobbiton. The tour does start with a tour bus ride with a little bit of a cheesy video but it's such a small part of the tour. Amazing how they've set it all up again and are preserving the hobbit holes. Loved every minute and didn't want to leave! The lunch was very satisfying.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Wilderness Experience

Auckland

This was a great afternoon activity. Friendly, informative guides. At the end at the beach, the guides set up a table with some treats (cookies, juice, tea, manuka honey).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

India was a culture shock. We were constantly surprised, and had a thrilling time learning. We saw so many world heritage sites, we ate so much great food, we had so many incredible experiences. All of this was possible only because of our team. Or driver in the north Puron was indispensable, he safely navigated streets and traffic that we found intimidating (terrifying at times) without any difficulty, just another day. Add to that his excellent knowledge of the country and his charming demeanor, he was a cornerstone of our trips success. Additionally the office team was incredible, they helped us plan a action packed trip (just the way we like it) and when there was trouble, like our flight being canceled 30 min before it was supposed to board, they were on it, 20 min later we had new flights, they helped us reschedule events on the fly, and made excellent recommendations. The local guides they chose for us were always professional and knowledgeable. They went to great lengths to make sure we had an excellent time, doing things like explaining how to get through long lines, and advocating for us in crowded, and tense situations. We are very happy with this experience. Would use again.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Pride Plaza Aerocity

Delhi

close to the airport. Easy check in and check out, very clean and comfortable.

Abad Turtle Beach Resort

Mararikulam, Alappuzha, Kerala

Great spot, nice room, lots of little fun things, like the butterfly garden. Food was excellent

Authenticity & Character

Character for days

Location

Strangest part of our India trip was how empty the beach was here. Almost no one on the beach or in the water. It beautiful sand positioned perfectly to watch the sunset. So strange to have there be no one there. But also very peaceful.

Staff

one time a front desk person chased us for a 1/4 mile to hand us some keys. She could have shouted to get our attention but didn't want to seem rude. They really took good care of us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Houseboat

an incredible experience. Lots of comforts for a boat

Authenticity & Character

Location

traveled the back waters and made sure not to have the sun in our face for all parts of the journey

Staff

Great cook, and a captain that left us with no worries. Even though they spoke little English we never had any issues.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well taken care of. My one note if anyone is reading this is to remember to bring your own alcohol. We were told there wouldn't be any and so were able to plan ahead. I'm from Wisconsin, I'm not getting on a boat without a beer.

Fragrant Nature Kochi

Kochi

great place, great new years party!

Authenticity & Character

beautifully decorated lobby with plants.

Location

close to all the historic attractions, very walkable.

Staff

helpful, curious, friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

it's hot and humid in Cochin, but we were always happy in the hotel. rooftop pool area was particularly lovely

Narain niwas palace

Jaipur

a beautiful place, but it's historic nature came with some downsides. Power was unreliable, and we were on the top floor without an elevator, this was difficult for some in our party. But great food, great location, excellent staff

Authenticity & Character

more character then I have ever experienced

Location

close to all the sights

Staff

obviously take great pride in their hotel

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean! yes very much so. Comfort was a little more difficult because of the age of the building. But would stay again

Hotel Dev Vilas, Ranthambore

Great experience, lots of little customer service extras, truly lovely

Authenticity & Character

Location

quick drive to safari pick up

Staff

really good, they were very aware of us and our schedules, made sure we got dinner if out late, hot towels to wipe off the dust of safaris when we got back. Lovely holiday celebration,

Cleanliness & Comfort

hot water bags in the bed!!! never knew something could be so cozy

Grand Mercure Agra

Agra, UP

Comfortable hotel with great staff

Authenticity & Character

saxophone playing Santa really did it for me

Location

easy access to the fort and the tomb

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zone Connect by The Park

Authenticity & Character

It's a modern hotel that was nicely situated downtown

Location

right next to a mall and many food options

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bathe, Paint and Feed- A life-time experience with elephants at Elephantastic

Jaipur

Elephants have been rescued and are living a different life now at the enclosure. They were very docile and happy to take food from us (they knew the drill) We loved getting to make eye contact, give them scratches and in general interact with such an intelligent beautiful animal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

would like to have learned more about the elephant we were with "Lucky"

Morning and Evening game drives at Ranthambore (Sharing Jeep):

Ranthambore

Reserving early to get a Gypsy would have been better, but I really can't complain, we saw a tiger and a couple leopards and a jackal, and mongoose, and owls and deer and eagles, and it delivered. It was also very uncomfortable but you don't notice when the animals are out

Guides, Drivers and Staff

guides often only knew one or two things about each animal, they were not wildlife experts and were not fluent in English. Probably the guides in Gypsies know more. They were good at pointing animals out

Transport

the Canters were packed, as a 6' guy I was folded into my seat in a vehicle with seemingly no suspension. To be succinct, canters suck.

Explore the marvelous and historic monument : Agra Fort

Agra

Didn't even know this existed, but it's arguably more amazing than the Taj. Loved it, loved learning about it.