Kimkim Trip Reviews

I just want to remind KimKim that one way that I evaluate value is by seeing how much I paid per day. In my case it was $460/day. I understand that all agents involved need to make a profit to stay in business. However, I felt that on days 1, 3( guide was with me for 1 hour), 4, 9 and 10- I had free days which meant that the costs were primarily transportation and hotel( hotels that I stayed in Guatemala under $125/day). Please factor this in when you quote a price.
My comments by day are below
Day 1- took hotel shuttle which arrived 30 minutes late and picked up 4 other passengers, so we left the airport 60 minutes after arrival.
Day 2- prompt pickup from airport, good experience in Tikal.Good hotel in Flores.
Day 3- guide was with me for 1 hour( we had to wait to pick up his spouse) who accompanied us.
Day 4- Transportation and met with Chris. Camelias Inn is a good hotel, however their towels/sheets and pillow covers smell( I gave them this feedback, it is also mentioned in many Tripadvisor reviews)
Day 5- Hike to EarthLodge was un-necessary. I would skip EarthLodge all-together.
Day 6- Great hike to Pacaya
Day 7-Car troubles on the way to ChiChi, delayed arrival, but great experience. Isla Verde was a great hotel.
Day 8- Good day of hiking and kayaking.
Day 9- Free day, back in Antigua -I felt that I should have left that day.
Day 10- Free day in Antigua , flight at 1130p
Rudy- who was with me for the hikes in Antigua, Pacaya volcano and kayaking in lake Atitlan was fantastic!
I will be back to do the Volcano Acatenago. Thank you for organizing

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Isla Verde

Santa Cruz la Laguna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Camelias Inn

Antigua

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sheets, towels and pillow-covers smell

Hotel Barcelo

Guatemala City

Airport shuttle does not arrive on time

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Take very long to check-in, 45 minutes to check in 3 people at midnight with 2 staff members

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isla de Flores

Flores

Near the Parque Central- can be a little noisy if there are town celebrations( which was on when I stayed). Hotel staff not very knowledgeable or helpful in guiding tourists regarding things to do.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near town Center can be noisy

Staff

Not knowledgeable about details of town events- there was a rodeo as part of the town celebration which they were not aware of

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kayaking & Hiking Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not applicable

Pacaya Sunset hike

Antigua

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Earth Lodge Hike (stay overnight)

Guatemala

Good location, scenic- limited options for dinner. I would probably skip this

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not applicable- we hiked to this lodge

Excursion Into Actun Kan Caves

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Took the short trip 30-45 minutes, I thought we would do the long 3 hour trip

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Stopped at guide's home for 20 minutes to pick up his spouse

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My wife and I just completed a wonderful trip to Australia. It's been a lifelong dream of mine to visit ever since my sixth-grade teacher showed us slides of her trip to the other side of the planet.

I worked with Paula to plan our trip. Paula is a superstar! Her expertise in planning our lifelong bucket-list trip to Australia was invaluable. She took the time to determine our capabilities as an active couple in our 60s, as well as our travel preferences, including our preferred level of hotel accommodations and general interests. The information she gathered led to a perfectly paced trip. Long daily excursions were interspersed with shorter ones, and a day off around the middle of the trip was greatly appreciated. The accommodations Paula booked were wonderful, ranging from very nice to luxurious. Breakfast was included at several of the nicest hotels, providing an incredible start to our day. To be honest, some of the best food we had was found at these hotels. Another area where Paula exceeded our expectations was transportation. Throughout our entire trip, our transportation was expertly planned. Buses, air travel, and personal car service went flawlessly; not having to rent a car and drive on unfamiliar roads was a huge stress reliever.

Highlights of our trip included riding camels, interacting with kangaroos, snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, and viewing sunrise and sunset at Ayers Rock/Uluru. Most importantly, we learned more about Australia, its people, and its history. We found the people of Australia to be, in general, more polite and at ease than what we are used to experiencing. Our trip preceded Australia Day by one day, so we saw some of the preparations for their annual day of national celebration. The theme this year was "Reflect, Respect, Celebrate" – we found these three words very refreshing. Our trip, thanks to Paula, has led to a deep fondness for Australia and its people.

Hotel Reviews

Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa

Port Douglas

The Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa is a gorgeous place with lots of potential. We loved the plunge pool in our room and the main pool area was fantastic, but the resort was terribly short staffed during our stay. Staff were eager to help, but there were issues like a broken safe, non-working phone, and bugs on the counter. The food quality was exceptional, though there were only two servers who struggled with the demand. I believe they are hiring and will improve as they sort staffing issues out.

Sails In The Desert

Yulara

Sails in the Desert was a nice stay. The outdoor area was beautiful, and I appreciated the complimentary breakfast. However, it didn't wow us like the Hyatt hotels did, but that might be due to the desert setting. The hotel had some minor issues with the doors not fully sealing shut, but we've experienced that in desert hotels before, so it wasn't a big deal for us.

Park Hyatt

Sydney

This is my all time favorite hotel. The location, style and service was some of the best I've experienced in my 66 years.

Authenticity & Character

Amazing architecture, the building is shaped around the Harbour.

Location

We were able to walk to the world famous Sydney Opera House as well as dozens of restaurants and ferry services.

Staff

Top notch. Everyone treated us with a smile and an offer to help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was spectacular, the shape and amenities were exceptional. The most interesting and complete room I have ever stayed in.

Grand Hyatt

Melbourne

Great Hotel with an unbelievable breakfast buffet. We were there for the Australian Open and the venue is walkable from the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The Australian Open is walkable from the hotel.

Staff

Everyone is so very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Daintree Cape Tribulation (was & 4WD Bloomfield)

Australia

The Full Day Daintree Cape Tribulation tour was very nice despite some road delays due to a cyclone that had hit the area previously. Our guide was friendly, and we had some engaging conversations. It was a peaceful way to explore the rainforest, though waiting in one-lane traffic was a bit tedious.

Full Day Snorkelling Outer Reef (from Hotel)

Port Douglas

We very much enjoyed our time on the boat as well as in the water. The company did an amazing job taking care of all our needs.

Uluru Sunrise with Breakfast

Uluru

Well worth having to get up very early. The quiet and peacefulness was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Max our guide was amazing. He is from Germany but acted like he was from Australia...A great personality.

Private Wildlife Habitat Experience

Port Douglas

We absolutely loved interacting with the Koalas and Kangaroos.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enric our guide was fabulous!

Sunset Camel Ride

Uluru

I highly recommend this activity. The camel ride at dusk is spectacular. You also have time to interact with the camel you rode after the excursion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I'm good at writing, but am unable to string together a list of superlatives to describe just how awesome KimKim, their Colombian representative Michael Gold, and the local guides/drivers were on our recent trip to Colombia.
Michael assembled the perfect trip to fit our priorities and time frame. He adapted to a one day weather travel delay we encountered in the United States - rebooking hotels, excursions, and flights.
The guides were friendly, accommodating, flexible, and well-informed. The "handoffs" with drivers were seamless.
I highly recommend KimKim without reservation.
Craig H.

Our trip to Guatemala was fantastic!
Chris Gwinner our planner, did an outstanding job with connecting us to beautiful accommodations, Incredible personal tour guides Edgar,Vinny,Caesar !!& Well planned out logistics.
Tikal, Lake Atitlan,Antigua were amazing places to tour and learn about Mayan history.
Chris was always available for questions that we had and gave his recommendations from the planning
stages & throughout our vacation.
He even took the time to meet with us in Antigua ,face to face and ask about how our vacation was going.
I highly recommend Kim Kim travel agency, and Chris Gwinner as a trip planner .
Thank you, Olga & Jeff

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa Rustica

Antigua

Nice hotel ,but the bed was very hard. But Chris got us into another nice hotel with a lot more comfortable bed

Hotel Casona del Lago

Santa Elena

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Utz Jay

Panajachel, Sololá

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Tikal National Park

Guatemala

Boat Tour of Lake Atitlán Villages

Guatemala

Day Hike to Pacaya Volcano

Guatemala

Antigua Coffee Tour by Bus with De La Gente

Guatemala

The absolute best trip of our lives celebrating our honeymoon. Kelly was so responsive and easy to work with. She planned the most memorable honeymooon along with our aunt. We saw the best of Thailand, from city, to jungle, to lake, to forest, to beaches!!! We felt so in touch with the culture and had spectacular food while staying at fabulous resorts. We would recommend this trip to anyone and everyone! 15/10!!

Yiannis John spiro yiannis were all excellent guides with expertise in greek culture food
and history They really show their mastery of living the greek life

Hotel Reviews

The Editor Hotel Athens

Athens

The Editor Hotel in Athens was a nice place to start the trip. The breakfast was nice, and the staff were very helpful in giving directions around the city which was much needed in a big city like Athens. It was comfortable for my stay.

DOM Boutique Hotel

Heraklion

Staff was helpful about the city

Authenticity & Character

In the middle of the city

Location

Next to coast

Staff

Knowledgeable about city

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathrooms clean

Kydon, The Heart City Hotel Chania

Chania

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathrooms

Activity Reviews

Knossos Palace Small-group Mythological Tour

Greece

The Knossos Palace Small-group Mythological Tour was the only time I was with a few more people, and it was very informative. I learned so much about Greek mythology, including stories about Zeus, Fina, and the Minotaur. It was a dream experience.

The Ultimate Food Tour Of Chania Villages

Chania

Yiannis was excellent

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge

Transport

Safety

Private Guided Athens Food Tour

Athens

John was excellent

Quality of Experience

Explanations excellent

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thorough explanations

Transport

Safety

Free Afternoon in Athens

Athens

John was excellent

Quality of Experience

Thorough and explain everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge

Transport

Safety

Acropolis of Athens Small-group Afternoon Walking Tour

Athens

Guide was excellent

Quality of Experience

Knowledge of guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Answered questions

Transport

Safety

I am happy I did this trip, but there was no cultural activities, no gastronomical activity, no great architecture, no museum at all, no connexion with the locals. It is checked off my list, but will never return. All is formatted for americains, so we loose the costaricain feel. Food is very average. The facilities are not up to date in terms of hotel offering. At at the end, it is not worth theEXCESSIVE amount of money it requires to be visited. There are planty of places around the world to visit beside Costa Rica and that would be equivalent or more offering for the price paid....

Hotel Reviews

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

noce hoel near beach,

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cipreses

Monteverde

very disapointed with this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

lodge very cheap, not service no AC, no fridge no hooks, amenities are very minimal. Breakfast very fade.

Location

Staff

they try to accommodate, but the hotel does not offer much.

Cleanliness & Comfort

the roof is made of corrugated steel and since it rained, we were not able to sleep at all. We left as early as we could.

Wyndham

Tamarindo

the best of our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

a bit far from the downtown, but it was ok for us since we have a car.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Montaña de Fuego Mountain Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

This hotel requires serious renovation. Mold in the shower. Windows and doors broken. Again, we have to put our stuff on the floor since there are no place to habg or put it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villas del Caribe

Puerto Viejo

AC not too noisy. Clean, close to ocean. Staff nice, restaurants nearby. Miss some hooks to hang our clothes, jackets, etc. We have to put our stuff ont the floor.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aninga Lodge

Limón, Tortuguero

It is always interresting to sleep in the jungle, but when it is raining 24 hours per day, it would have been noce to be able to close the windows, to allow to dry and to sleep. There are no hooks to let our clothes dry or to hang our luggages.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Auténtico Hotel

San José

ok, not more, we stayed there only few hours. Basic offering.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hampton by Hilton San José Airport

Alajuela

very noisy. But clean, close to the airport. Close to americain standards.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Air conditionning so noisy, dont expect to sleep!

Activity Review

Snorkeling at the Catalina Islands

Costa Rica

Snorkeling at the Catalina Islands was enjoyable, but it felt like the local customer service in Tamarindo was lacking. It seemed like the staff took tourists for granted, which affected the overall experience.

Overall the trip was a bit challenging in that spending only 2 nites in each of the 3 islands was tiring after a couple of hours riding speed ferries followed by water activities like snorkeling requiring more speed boat rides. I relied on motion sickness pills after a terrible motion sickness episode initially.
My recommendation for other tourists is spend at least 3 nights on each island.

Excursions or activities on San Cristobal and Isabela were well organized and carried out well by the local guides, etc.
Activities on Santa Cruz were, imo, waste of time and money. They did not meet my expectations and I could have skipped them.

The Galápagos Islands were amazing in that I saw how the marine and sea animals can coexist harmoniously.

Nicholas did a good job except one miscalculation of the dates on his part costed me extra several hundred dollars. Ouch!

Activity Reviews

Transfer to the airport for your flight back home (Departure)

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No English. But the driver was very sweet.

Transport

Free Morning Until Departure

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay & Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity

Puerto Villamil

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colonial Quito City Tour & the Middle of the World

Quito

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We absolutely loved Mr. Betty and Mui during our time in Thailand. They made it personal and were just so easy to get along with.

Tiago was a great specialist. He set up the Azores trip perfectly. Although the weather (January is an iffy proposition) was not cooperating for some of the days, Tiago continued to check in with suggestions. Most importantly when the car rental agency was having system issues, Tiago was available immediately by phone and follow-up to provide additional support and help take corrective actions. As we consider additional trips to Portugal I would absolutely engage Tiago again.

We have been very impressed with kimkim as a whole. With all our flight interruptions and delays you were able to get us back on track. Having contact people in Peru was exceptional. My only 2 star would be our guide to Machu Picchu. He was very hard to understand and pretty hyper. Everything else was excellent!

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Inn Lima Airport

Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Mapi by Inkaterra

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the activities we were doing

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay

Urubamba

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to our excursion

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Machu Picchu Excursion: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide hard to understand and we felt rushed at times

Transport

Stunning scenery in the Sacred Valley

Ollantaytambo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Review of Our Recent Australia & New Zealand Trip using KimKim

The planning process with our KimKim representative, Paula, was excellent. She was knowledgeable about both Australia and New Zealand. I usually handle trip planning myself, but since this trip was over four weeks long and covered two countries, I felt it was complex enough to need expert help. Paula worked to ensure all our objectives were met and provided some valuable suggestions we wouldn’t have known otherwise.

Australia

Sydney
If I were to optimize our time in Sydney, I wouldn’t have scheduled the harbor cruise, e-bike tour, and food tour all within three days. The history and sights were somewhat repetitive. I would recommend only the harbor cruise and the bike tour, spread over two days. Spending two days at the beaches of Manly and Bondi over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day was enjoyable, but I wouldn’t have stayed a fifth day in Sydney.

Cairns
Cairns was beautiful. Visiting the Great Barrier Reef and snorkeling is a must-do. However, the reef wasn’t as colorful as I expected, so it’s important to set realistic expectations to avoid disappointment. I recommend spending a couple of days here and visiting one of the islands to explore different parts of the reef. Instead of our second day in the rainforest—which required a long drive and wasn’t particularly interesting—I would have preferred an additional day on the reef. Perhaps a guided tour would have made the rainforest visit more engaging, but we rented a car and explored on our own.

Brisbane
Brisbane was one of our favorite cities, with its beautiful winding river serving as a key mode of transportation. We spent New Year’s Eve there, and it was the perfect size for the occasion. Our twenty-something daughter also enjoyed the nightlife. The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was a good experience, though it was disappointing that you can no longer hold the koalas. We spent close to $1,000 on the extra koala and platypus experiences, which were not worth the money. On our second day, we drove to a national park in the Gold Coast hinterland, which was fantastic—we even swam in a waterfall. The Gold Coast itself, however, was underwhelming—very commercialized, similar to Fort Lauderdale, FL, with hotels lining the beach.

Tasmania
Tasmania was one of our favorite places in Australia. While Hobart itself isn’t particularly special, the nearby animal sanctuary was a highlight, especially the nighttime tour. Driving around the island at our own pace was great. Due to limited hotel availability in the Freycinet area, we stayed in a house called Little Wren, but I wouldn’t recommend it for just two nights—we missed the convenience and comfort of a hotel. The Wineglass Bay boat tour was great, though if you’re prone to seasickness, you might want to skip it. In hindsight, we should have cut one day from Tasmania—there was no need to stay an extra day in Launceston.

Melbourne
Melbourne was good, though our experience was affected by one member of our group coming down with a cold/flu, which lowered our energy levels. We missed the penguin experience and instead spent time in urgent care. We took a four-hour e-bike tour of the city, which was enjoyable, and an eight- to nine-hour wine tour of the Yarra Valley, which was also good but felt a bit long, especially after three weeks of travel.

New Zealand

After Melbourne, my husband and I continued to New Zealand while our children returned to college. New Zealand was even more beautiful than Australia.

South Island (Queenstown & Beyond)
Queenstown was our favorite destination of the entire trip—you could easily spend five days here. The town and lake were stunning, and highlights included Milford Sound, Mount Cook, the Shotover Jet speedboat ride, and four-wheel driving along historic gold-mining roads. I recommend spending a night in the mountains, possibly in Arthur’s Pass. Christchurch, on the other hand, was just okay—nothing particularly notable.

North Island (Rotorua & Auckland)
Rotorua itself was just okay, but the mountain biking in the Redwood Forest and the whitewater rafting over a waterfall were incredible adrenaline rushes. The Mitai Maori dinner was worth experiencing, though it felt a bit cheesy at times.

Auckland was a good city with a nice harbor, though it lacked a strong identity. Our day trip to Waiheke Island was a highlight. We stayed at the beach after the tour and had dinner on the island before returning to Auckland.

Overall Reflections & Learnings
1. Trip Length – Four to five weeks was too long. Three to four weeks would have been ideal, as we could have covered all the highlights with less downtime and wasted travel time.
2. Hotel Quality – The moderately priced hotels were lower-end than we would have preferred, especially in the cities. In major cities, we often ended up in Chinatown, on a steep hill, in tiny rooms, or in hotels with limited services (e.g., no gym) and slightly outside the main areas. Next time, I would upgrade to a higher-tier hotel in the big cities for better comfort and convenience.
3. Flight Scheduling – Since the local travel agent booked our flights, I assumed the flight times would align with our agreed itinerary, but in some cases, the flights left much later than expected. This led to some destinations feeling too long, others too short, and significant shifts in planned activities. I would pay closer attention to flight schedules next time.
4. Local Travel Agent Support – The local travel agent in Australia was not very responsive, especially on weekends and holidays, which was frustrating at times.

Would I Use KimKim Again?

Probably—especially for a more complex trip, a destination outside of my usual experience, or a trip longer than 10 days involving multiple countries.

Hotel Reviews

Voco Auckland

Auckland

Best room overall. Again on top of mountain very down on the harbor which was tough for a handicapp walker. Limited just going out down the street to an uber ride. Confusion on check in and parking of car expensive.

Authenticity & Character

High rise

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Millennium Rotorua

Rotorua 3040

Very old and run down

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scenic Hotel Cotswold

Christchurch

Quirky and awkward. With the trolley being the main source of transit it would have been better to be closer. We were far out of central town. Big room a bit run down.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds and pillow comfy

Scenic Suites Queenstown

Queenstown

Hotel hallways were uphill and a bit of a maze. Room was big and good shower. Bed and pillows comfy. Nice balcony overlooking mountains and lake. On the top of a massive hill which wasn’t convenient to restaurant and bars and tours as a handicap person. Lots of Ubers to go 3 blocks. Downtown would have been better.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Welcome Melbourne

Melbourne

Location in Chinatown not great. No valet or Parking which was super challenging. Small rooms, limited services, breakfast included was good but not sure if a good value.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leisure Inn Penny Royal

Launceston

A bit quirky and dark.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A bit too run down and quirky.

Little Wren

Coles Bay

As shown but very small. One small bathroom on different floor than bedrooms not ideal with handicap. Shower broke and fixed but late for dinner because of it. No extended checkout was a bummer.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Too small and limited bathroom.

Ibis Styles Hobart

Hobart

No food available after 8pm. Not much service. Gym and pool were nice. Breakfast included was good again not sure on value.

Authenticity & Character

High rise

Location

Staff

Limited

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed and pillow comfy. Nice bathroom.

Mercure Brisbane King George Square

Brisbane

Good overall. Valet was on and off. Self parking city not ideal. The hotel and rooms were a bit worn. Roomy enough in size. Breakfast was included and very good. Again unclear on cost so not sure if value.

Authenticity & Character

High rise.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed and pillows

Oaks Cairns Hotel

Cairns City

Updated and close to GBR attractions. Due to handicap would have preferred uogeade to hotels right at docks to avoid walking again 3-5 blocks. No valet or parking of rental. Street packing was not ideal. Breakfast included was good but not sure what we paid for it so value unknown.

Authenticity & Character

Fairly vanilla

Location

Not ideal for walking Handicap

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed, pillows and size of room all great.

Hotel Ibis World Square

Sydney

Neighborhood not great, very small rooms, overall a bit worn. Not concierge so little guidance on navigating the city or restaurants etc. Four block walk to major transit which is fine unless you have a person in your group with disabilities related to walking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed and pillows comfy

Activity Reviews

Taste of Waiheke Island

Australia

Great day however this trip didn’t go to brewery and subbed in another winery which was a bummer. They said your info was a year old.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mitai Cultural Experience & Dinner

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Rotorua

Rotorua

The town is run down. The geysers were sort of commercialized and cheesy compared to something like Yellowstone, Wyoming USA. The redwood Forest was amazing and we ended up renting mountain bikes riding through them, which was great. We also took a white water rafting trip over a waterfall, which was a great, adrenaline rush and super fun and safe.

Quality of Experience

Full Day Mount Cook Tour (Queenstown to Christchurch)

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Essential Queenstown

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Milford Sound Coach/Nature Cruise/Fly (ZQN return)

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walter Peak Farm and Gourmet Barbecue Lunch

Australia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Yarra Valley Food & Wine Day Trip Private

Australia

4 winners are too much. I bit too long.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wineglass Bay Cruises Morning Wineglass Bay Cruise - Sky Lounge including Lunch

Freycinet

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rough seas cause vomiting

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary Night Visit

Hobart

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Brisbane

Brisbane

Quality of Experience

Full Day Michaelmas Cay Cruise (from Hotel)

Australia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Sydney Classic Tour - E-Bike

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Taste of Sydney Tour

Sydney

No driver promised, too much walking, not very knowledgeable, had already heard it all in harbor cruise so repetitive. Food not that interesting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Harbor Experience Cruise

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Couldn’t hear guide very well on outside decks

Yuliana was amazing-all our transportation went smoothly and the information she provided before was very helpful. I especially loved the cooking class and organic garden tour with information on medicinal plants. Our tour was just the 2 of us and we had much more hands on than other tours that came through at the same time and the food we made was amazing. We saw lots of wildlife especially at Cariblue on on the Cahuita Park hike. Our lodging in Monteverde was in town and allowed us to explore. Yuliana did a great job of prioritizing everything we hoped to do on this trip.

Hotel Reviews

Auténtico Hotel

San José

Good location and beautiful grounds. Room was small and AC unit made a ticking noise which was distracting. Cramped bathroom/shower

Authenticity & Character

A tour hotel but nice restaurant/breakfast

Location

able to walk in the area and explore parks, coffee shops

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Noisy AC unit and small bathroom but adequate. The shelves next to the desk helped organize since the bathroom was small and not much space for suitcases

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Loved the proximity to St Elena and walkability. Lots of steps up and down on property-could be a problem for some but not for us. Pleasant and helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

Nice grounds and gardens

Location

Walkable to town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

spacious room and bathroom

Montaña de Fuego Mountain Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

Rooms were beyond tired. Our first room lacked hot water and the shower and tub faucets didn't work. Very odd layout in both rooms. Second room had tepid water but the shower was above the jacuzzi tub which had a crack in the bottom and was hard to stand in but since there is no partition next to the tub the tile floor got wet and was perilous. The second room was nest to a busy highway and there were people near the highway cheering late at night. There was no WIFI in that portion of the property so we had to walk back to the office to access. The thermal pools were cool but that was probably due to the persistent rain. Nice walking trails although challenging in the mud. Found monkeys in the trees and lots of birds-saw Toucan at the pool, turkeys in the trees, hummingbirds

Authenticity & Character

The pool area was lovely and the staff delightful. The thermal pools were cool due to rain. Worth hiking to the Maleku Village & learning about indigenous culture

Location

Arenal came out from under the clouds one morning-nice view

Staff

Very friendly and helpful staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

See description of rooms above

Cariblue Beach & Jungle Resort

South Puerto Viejo

Saw sloths in the trees. Expect the early morning Howler monkey wake up call but that made us feel closer to nature. Easy walk to the beach and good restaurants-especially Beach Break. Good breakfast. Nice to have filtered water dispensers all around for easy access. Pleasant bar staff.

Authenticity & Character

Felt like we were in the jungle

Location

Great wildlife on site and easy walk to beach

Staff

Very pleasant staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

clean comfortable spacious bathroom and room

Park Inn San José by Radisson

San José

Very helpful staff and nice rooms. Good breakfast. Easy to get transportation from the hotel to explore.

Authenticity & Character

Location

had only 1 night here not a lot of time to explore around the hotel

Staff

Very friendly and helpful at recommending places to eat and transportation

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quiet room and nice bath/shower although the sliding door on the bathroom was noisy

Activity Reviews

Cloud Forest Reserve Hike

Monteverde

Learned about bromelias and tree ferns. Heard more birds than we saw but did get to see a Quetzal and went to the hummingbird cafe at end and saw 4 species of hummingbirds. Saw enormous tree ferns and learned about the filming of Jurassic Park in Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guide was informative, beautiful area-lush

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Informative, pleasant

Transport

organized

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience

Monteverde

Our guide did not drink coffee so emphasized the chocolate and sugar cane more but informative. Enjoyed tasting all the coffee roasts in the visitor center. Loved seeing the coffee beans on the trees. Very interesting to see the steps in cocoa bean processing and chocolate

Quality of Experience

The tasting in the chocolate part and cane joice was good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pleasant guide

Transport

organized

Traditional Cooking Class - Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Private garden tour was amazing with more information about native medicinal plants. The cookiong class was very hands on and we loved the food we made-can't wait to make gallo pinto at home! The chef did not speak much English but fortunately I speak a fair amount of Spanish so it worked out.

Quality of Experience

Loved the hands on

Food

The food we made was excellent although I need more practice on the tortillas

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great garden tour guide who was also our driver and we had enjoyable conversation to and from the farm

Transport

see above

Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Enthusiastic guide who was quick to find things for us to see with her spotting scope. Loved the waterfall

Quality of Experience

Beautiful views from the bridges

Guides, Drivers and Staff

great guide who was sensitive to members of group with anxiety about the bridges

Transport

accommodating

El Silencio Volcano Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great guide and we learned a lot about medicinal plants. Unfortunately if was raining so not much wildlife but that can't be controlled-hike was shortened because of rain.

Quality of Experience

Weather dampened the experience-views were gone

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was personable and informative

Transport

organized and efficient

Cahuita National Park Snorkel & Rainforest Hike

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

We were expecting the possibility of snorkeling per our itinerary but were told we were only registered for the hike-as it turns out the weather did not allow anyone to snorkel. The guide was amazing and we saw lots of white faced monkeys, Jesus Christe lizard, howler monkeys, learned about local plants and had a lovely time cooling off in the water on the beach

Quality of Experience

great guide and lots of wildlife

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide

Transport

organized and convenient

Kimkim arrangements and itinerary for New Zealand was great. Thank you Paula for making the trip super memorable and organized.

Trip to Norway was amazing! Loved the cross-country skiing, dog sledding, and snow mobiling. The tour guide for the snow mobiling, John, was great and very accommodating. Everything went smoothly and it was easy to get around.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Alta

Alta

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quality Hotel Saga

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Hunt with Photographer

Alta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arctic Floating Adventure (Evening)

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kvaløya Husky Sledding Excursion (Self-Drive)

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Cross-Country Skiing in Tromsø

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Dinner Cruise

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snowmobile Adventure

Alta

Great experience going into the backcountry into the mountains. Scenery was beautiful and had a great time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

John was a great guide! Very knowledgable, experienced, and accommodating. Great and interesting guy altogether.

Transport

We planned our New Zealand trip with Nats and had an amazing experience. Right from the start there was great communication and the trip was tailored to what we were interested in. We were able to make changes and additions to the draft itinerary and weren't made to feel like an inconvenience at all for doing so. Prior to the trip, there were regular check-ins and any pre-travel paperwork was provided to ensure our arrival was seamless. One of our interests for the trip was to see some of the Lord of the Rings filming locations. With Nats also being a LOTR fan, he was able to provide additional suggestions we had not even thought of! I thoroughly enjoyed the day-by-day schedule along with recommendations for stops/attractions in each destination. We were provided vouchers for each of the planned activities ahead of time so we could bring them with for easy check-ins as well. Nats went above and beyond by meeting up with us during our trip and treating us to the delicious cream horn dessert. This trip exceeded our expectations and Nats will be our go-to should we ever make it back.

Activity Reviews

Glenorchy Lord of the Rings 4WD Tour

Queenstown (NZ)

The information provided during this tour was interesting, but if you do your research ahead of time for some of the LOTR filming locations - you could go by yourself without a guide. The 4WD vehicle did allow you to get to some of the harder to get to places - but the "filming locations" there were off in the distance (the guide pointing at a far off mountain peak and saying that was were X scene took place).

Quality of Experience

Although the weather was not ideal, we still had a good time.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Motuara Island Bird and Day in the Sounds

Picton

This was a long day, but completely worth it! The cruises to your destinations were so beautiful and we had a once in a lifetime encounter with a large pod of very playful dolphins along the way. The hike to the top of Motuara Bird Island was short and I would have liked more time to check additional birds off of the list, but saw new ones that would have been hard to find in other locations. The Queen Charlotte Track was just right for us - any longer and we would not have made it back to the ferry in time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zipline Original Canopy Tour

Rotorua

We had never ziplined prior to this and it was AMAZING. The guides were very knowledgeable and provided a great tour. It was very interesting to hear about the conservation efforts this company puts forth to ensure their forest, the plants and birds are protected. Would highly recommend for anyone interested in supporting local conservation efforts and want to have fun while doing so!

Quality of Experience

Great guides and a fun group

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Super knowledgeable and friendly

Transport

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour, with a Lunch at the Party Marquee

Matamata

For a LOTR fan this is a MUST. It was a magical experience to say the least.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoa did an incredible job planning a two week trip to Thailand for us! She was very kind and patient with us during the planning process and gave us her opinion on different trip options. While in Thailand, our guides Pom and Ying were very knowledgable and made sure we had a great experience. This was the trip of a lifetime!

Tina did a great job It was a very good trip. Hotels and schedule were all nice. It was very affordable but still top rate!

Hotel Reviews

M Village Hotel Ton That Dam

Ho Chi Minh

Great location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Laluna Hoi An Riverside Hotel & Spa

Hoi An

Great location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hanoi Matilda Hotel

Hanoi

Great lication

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the center of old town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Signature Cruise

Hanoi

Great food. Clean

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

One night is plenty

Veranda Lodge Hua Hin

Hua Hin

Lots of character. On the beach , clean great for the price

Authenticity & Character

Original design. Trees

Location

Can’t get closer to the beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cu Chi Tunnel visit

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I’m

Transport

Emilia and then Augustina responded to our queries rapidly and accurately. Diego our guide: ponctual, professionnal, knowledgeable and has great music in the car!!! Had great tips to improve our sighseeing experiences as well as shopping adventures. I had a bit of a medical problem: without me asking him, he accompanied me to the pharmacy and facilitated the purchase of what I needed. Favorite moment: everyday. Everything stood out. The mountains, the scenery, the food and wine. In my everyday life, I avoid having discussions by text messages or emails. The KimKim way of doing business is exclusively in this manner. A zoom call to start the planification process would be very efficient and facilitating. Email exchanges afterwards would then be ok.

Hotel Reviews

Villa Vicuña Hotel Boutique

Salta

High-end french-style hotel. Lovely with excellent breakfast. Staff were exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Infinito Hotel

Buenos Aires

Room on the small side for two people, two beds and luggage. However very clean and quiet. What made this hotel great was the staff: whether to tell us how to use subway, where to get off, etc. which restaurants in the area etc. they made a point of giving us all the info we needed. Standard breakfast with egg dishes on request. Good location.

Authenticity & Character

Standard hotel with all standard services offered

Location

Staff

They made our stay more enjoyable. Gave us tons of useful information so we would have to go through Google searches.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms a bit small.

Marqués De Tojo Hotel

Purmamarca

Rooms were quite large and very clean. Overall, very quiet and not far from the center of this small town. Decor might need to be refreshed a little bit with a coat of paint. This being said, would stay there again, no worries. The air conditioning unit started spilling water in the room during the night. Staff were located quickly, everything cleaned up rapidly. They offered another room: we declined since we were leaving in the morning. Standard breakfast with eggs made up on request.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Las Marías Hotel Boutique

Tilcara

Amazing views for the room, staff were more than helpful, providing advice and hints for matters we did not even think about. They arranged for restaurant reservations and transportation efficiently. Definitely a plus to stay there. Hotel and rooms are beautiful as well as the gardens.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pristine Camp Salinas Grandes

Jujuy

Out of this world experience, a must, even for one night. 5-star accommodations with amazing food and wine. Personnel were more than helpful and available for everything. Would recommend without hesitation.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Quebrada de Humahuaca, visit of the Hornocal

Argentina

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our first visit to Portugal so we decided to work with a professional travel company. We are glad we did.

Kim Kim exceeded our expectations! From the first contact with our representative (Helena Fernadez) until we were dropped at the Lisbon airport for our flight home, everything went exactly as planned.

Over a one week trip with visits to Lisbon, Porto, Evora, Obidos, the Douro Valley and numerous other villages and towns, there was lots to do. What stood out for us was the quality of the Portuguese food, the wine and the hospitality of the people. All came together for an enjoyable seven days.

We interacted with guides, drivers, restaurant staff, hotel representatives and other individuals along our trip. All afforded a warm level of service and care. But certain individuals went above and beyond.

Our driver from Lisbon to Porto and back Mr. Nuno Neves was exceptional. He shared his love of Portugal with us, facilitated our visits to small interesting villages and seemed always to be looking out for us. Well done Nuno. Much appreciated.

When we were in the Douro Vally, it was my wife’s birthday. Our guide/driver Bruno took that as his challenge to ensure we had a special visit. From tasting wine on the river cruise, to having the owner and guests of a small family restaurant high above the valley sing Happy Birthday in Portuguese. Very special.

It was a wonderful week. Thank-you to all the kim kim staff for making it happen for us.