Kimkim Trip Reviews

Francisco was just absolutely amazing in helping me plan this trip. he was patient with all my changing requests, worked within my budgets. most importantly, he was always honest and that gives me the confidence to refer him to all my friends. His excursion choices were well thought out, with good companies. he went over and above his brief to help me with flight bookings that were not in his purview. he was always available on whatsapp, email. and responded quickly. my only regret is we could not meet. As he said, to meet, we have to now plan another visit to South America soon!
Thank you for everything

We engaged with KimKim because of a very positive experience to Spain last year Frances, one of the traveler had. We expected the KimKim standard to carry through.

This is my first experience in engaging an agent for a customized itinerary. Both of us had visited Japan before. We loved the country and was hoping to get a good glimpse of the cherry blossoms, thus a repeat itinerary was acceptable, while we were also hoping to see new things.

Shona as an agent was efficient in setting up an itinerary and responsive to our questions and requests during the month long planning. We were hoping for a more comfortable tour but amenable to public transportation even though we indicated excessive walking can be an issue. We were told that private cars would not be an option because of high season demand, even though some guides commented it was a surprise that we did not have a car.

Our transfers to and from hotels were handled well. The drivers were punctual and efficient. Our transportation via local subways and trains much less so, especially when some guides did not seem to be very familiar with the system. There were excessive walking, as well as time spent in figuring out the proper trains to take, acquiring tickets, or finding escalators/elevators. It was exhausting in a busy city. The situation was rectified on the last three days in Osaka when we were given taxi service to destinations. The Osaka experience was much more pleasant without the hassle of public transportation.

We had 6 guides during this trip. In general, I find the local guides to be average. Most of them were guides to take us from one destination to another, without depth of knowledge of the place. Their English language skills were mostly sub-par. I wonder about their qualifications of being tour guides than just being local. Learning about their personal background stories were more interesting than the knowledge I gained about the places from them. They were all friendly and polite. Some tried harder than others.

The hotels were ok. They all offer great breakfast buffet. The New Orani Hotel in Osaka was the best in terms of amenities and space, exactly the kind 5-star hotel we were asking for.

Regarding the logistics during the trip. I was not happy with the communication between the central office and the local guides. We had questions from a guide asking what hotel we were at in Tokyo, we had to tell another guide in Kyoto our new hotel, and one guide actually went to the wrong hotel because of the change which costed half the morning. That type of information should be communicated properly from the office.

We had to change hotel las minute in Kyoto, which had costed us substantially extra to secure during initial booking. We looked forward to staying in that 5-star hotel in a nice city. We ended up having to change hotel at the last minute because of a mix-up in reservation. Shona did well to get us a hotel quickly but there was a lot of anxiety and it was very disappointing. Shona was on top of things during our trip and responded quickly to the needs and other issues we encountered. She should be commended for her attention and willingness to compensate for shortfalls.

All in all, Japan is a very beautiful country with friendly people and a lot to offer. I would definitely consider visiting again but I would scrutinize the details more carefully to assure my experience meets my expectation.

Hotel Reviews

HOTEL MYSTAYS PREMIER Akasaka

Nice location. Comfortable bed and conveniently located. 7/11 store in basement and availability of free laundry are nice amenities. Buffet breakfast is very good. Room is a little cramped. Enough chairs to sit but almost no space to move around.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel New Otani Osaka

Osaka

Very nice hotel of 5-star quality. The room is spacious with chairs, coffee table and desk. The beds are comfortable. The buffet breakfast is excellent with high quality and variety of both western and Japanese food. The hotel lobby is linked to high end shops - fun to browse. Its location is right across from the river with a bridge to the Osaka Castle. Very pleasant walk.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Spot Early-Blooming Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo

Tokyo

Public transportation to the city sights quite hectic. We did not follow our exact original itinerary. Our customized itinerary allowed us a visit to the Fish Market, which is interesting with great seafood. The visit to the bottom of the Tokyo Tower was a waste of time and effort, especially since we were not scheduled to go up.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was ok to start the trip, but seemed to have lost interest in the afternoon and was in a hurry to finish up and get us back to hotel. He was walking at least 1/2 block in front of us :(

Transport

Take taxi or use private car to save time and energy.

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchiko Cruise and Oshino Hakkai

Tokyo

Mt Fugi boat ride on Lake Kawaguchiko was beautiful with perfect weather. Oshino Hakkai Village was very scenic with the small ponds. Great grilled fish.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

The touring of the various sites were good, very crowded in most places because of the high cherry blossom season. Beautiful sites, streets with interesting shops. Kyoto never disappoints.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is amazing. The boat ride was also very enjoyable. The scenery was captivating, just wish for more cherry blossoms. The Sagano Railway was supposed to be a highlight, but the guide did not know our booking was for a certain time and location. We ended up in the wrong station, and walked through the bamboo grove twice to the right station.. Also with advanced booking and assigned seating, the tour company should be aware of the direction of the train and booked us on the scenic side (water side). We were not able to enjoy the scenic water front, a bit disappointed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Nara

Nara

It was a long ride from Kyoto. We started late due to meeting location mixup. The guide was not given our hotel. BY the time we get to Nara, it was well past noon. Even the deer were full and not interested in our food. Nara is a nice city with long history thus the temples were all interesting. The guide tried hard and did her homework, but a more knowledgable guide might be able to give us more information. We were short of time and did not make it up the hill to see the city of Nara. IT was a long day as we were also heading to Osaka the same evening.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Osaka Castle, Umeda Sky Building and Shinsaibashi

Osaka

Even though it was a rainy day, I enjoyed the castle visit, the exhibit was nicely done. The city museum was also fun to visit, especially indoors on a rainy day. The Umeda Building has amazing architecture. Very enjoyable. The guide was not experienced, since she was very new, but she conducted herself well. Her English was also the best among the guides we had. The Shinsaibashi was very crowded, as expected. It was probably not the best option to put at the end of a long rainy day. We had good kobe beef dinner there though. We used taxi service for the day. Much better than negotiating subways. We were also just in town, so not very tiring.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

taxi service.

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour (Round Trip From Osaka)

Japan

Miyajima Island is beautiful. It has interesting touristy sights, eats and scenery, but not crowded. I was able to enjoy the sights and scenes without much anxiety. Hiroshima is a sobering experience. The Memorial and the Museum were all well done. I am glad I finally get to visit the site of such an important event in human history. The day was not rushed. Very enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Oysters!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vaseem was an incredible resource for our trip. As a busy working mom, I did not have the time to research, plan and book activities for our Spring Break trip to France . . . Finding KimKim and their team of experts solved all my problems! And, they curated a more amazing trip than I ever could. He also planned a few days in the south of France to a super fun area I would have never thought to explore. It was a welcome break from the busy cities we explored on the front end of the trip. I highly recommend Vaseem & KimKim!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel du Jeu de Paume

Paris

The Hotel Jeu de Paume was exquisite! It's in the perfect central location for all fun activities. Furthermore Terry at the front desk had incredible restaurant recommendations. We had a great 2 story room with 2 bathrooms which was a good fit for our family of 4.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central! Close to metro stops and all the things we want to see.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel de l'Amphithéâtre

This hotel is difficult to get to if you have a car. You have to park in the central parking and walk with your bags. The breakfast was lovely! Our room was small for 4 people, but the staff was great overall.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Discovery tour of Paris by vintage car

Paris

The discovery tour was so fun - a great way to see all of Paris in a mere 2 hours. The guides were fairly good, but one wasn't totally fluent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Had an awesome experience in Nepal thanks to Amanda, Chhiring, Pratikshya, and Rasheev. (sp?) We were met at the airport, brought to our hotel and after a short rest, met by Amanda and the guides and briefed on the whole trip. The trekking was full of amazing views and the city tours were informative and fascinating.

Our guide Doris in Sao Paulo for both the Avenida Paulista and Centro tours was great. She was really informative and friendly. We would encourage people to walk in the centro area, if the police presence is maintained, because it is very interesting. We didn't feel it was any more dangerous than San Francisco.
In Bonito and the Pantanal our guide was Miguel Aguilar. He was absolutely brilliant. He was really knowledgeable and very friendly. He also took great photographs that he shared with us. He is quadrilingual - Spanish, English, French and Portuguese, so I would definitely recommend that you use him for other guests to the area.
Our driver in the same area was Gerson. He was really good, drove very safely and was also great at spotting wildlife.

We loved all the activities we did in Bonito and the Pantanal. Posuada Aguape is a really great place, with fantastic staff and delicious food.

João contacted both of us once or twice daily on Whats App. He sent a schedule for the next day on the prior evening. All communication was detailed and very helpful. Any questions we had were answered quickly. We were never without support, if we needed it. As it was, everyone in the schedule was on time, completed their roles very professionally and went above and beyond our expectations! "Pepe" picked us up from the airport and was our driver and tour guide for the first part of our trip. Ivo carried on with driving for the next couple days and finally Sandre (sp) drove us back to the airport. All drivers were excellent as they provided comprehensive information on each place that we passed or stopped at. Without their expertise we would be looking at places and have no real understanding of the history or what we were seeing and experiencing. A big thanks goes to all three!

We took walking tours with Margareta (sp), Bernardo and Daniel. We learned of history, architecture, culture, politics and social norms. All guides were very well educated and readily shared their knowledge and enthusiasm for their local areas. We came away inspired and awed by how much we had learned! We recommend that everyone who goes to Portugal tries to get a walking tour with one of these guides!

We had two winery tours and 3 tastings from which we learned a lot about the individual winery and we developed an appreciation for the excellent wines and ports in Portugal. Another truly wonderful experience!

Our hotels were all wonderful and unique in their styles and architecture. João picked excellent places to stay and recommended wonderful restaurants close by. Every detail was anticipated and planned for by João.

We rented a car for 3 days and both the pick up and return was smooth and had wonderful service. The vehicle was so much better than anything we expected to find as a rental! Thanks to Marta who was especially wonderful! Everyone assured us that driving in Portugal was easy and we found it to be true. Of course we did not challenge rush hour in Lisbon!

We hope that we did not miss thanking anyone for their excellent services for indeed everyone did an excellent job! The people of Portugal were kind, courteous and we highly recommend having João and the whole team set up your vacation experience! Thank you!

We had 3 nights in Lisbon, 3 in Porto, 2 in Evora and 1 in Cascais. We travelled to Sintra and toured the Pena Palace and Park, Obidos, and their walled medieval town, Nazare, Porto with a walking tour and a tour of Sandeman Winery, Douro Valley and Quinta da Pacheca (both restaurant and winery), Coimbra, Fatima, Evora (walking tour).

Epic road trip, 4275KM from Oslo to Bodo. Mathia was very enthusiastic in the planning phase and very amenble to changing plans as the inital plan had far less driving but we were keen to see as much of Norway as possible and our kids travel well. First hotel and car hire were a short walk from the station so very convenient. Thon Opera let us check in early so we had a great day (in sun) exploring Oslo. Car hire was all organised by Mathia. Two nights in a fishing cabin in Aurland and the scenery was spectacular. Vking village was much better than I was expecting as did not feel like a tourist trap 'gimmicky show' but a village occupied by people clearly knowlegable and enthusiastic about Vikings! The cruise was also great and very cold! Then onto Loen. Accommodation was the most basic I think we had but was ok. We eat at the top pf the mountain in the restuarant. Views were incredible, ambience great (Very very quiet as we were out of season) and the food great. Onto Alesund and the best hotel we stayed at Brosundet. Lovely walk up to the viewing platform overlooking the city. If the sauna had been operational the morning we were due to leave that would have been perfect! Then onto Andalsnes and a hotel with great views. Another fantastic meal on top of the mountain with excellent food. Then onto Trondheim. Hotel had been awarded the best breakfast in Norway for multiple years in a row and it was very good! Trondheim woudl have been better in sunshine but it was grey, raining and cold but we found a great coffee (Norway seems a tricky place if you love your coffee!!) Then a very long drive up to Bronnoysund which was very beautiful. The hut we stayed in was good and overlooked a fishing farm and we had two nights here. We were able to hike through the hole in the mountain which was closed for work but the workmen let us through! Another advantage of being out of season! That day was very sunny and ended with an amazing sunset and the Northern Lights! The final longest drive was up to Bodo. We passed into the arctic circle, the landscapes were varied and beautiful. The arctic cafe was closed (Again out of season!) and the final accomodation was ok but we were again in rain and cold with no views of the spectacular scenery. Last day we flew back to Oslo and had a great day in the sun lazing in Olivia's, the italian restaurant on the dock. It was a perfectly organised trip and although this length of driving is not for everyone we cetainly enjoyed it. Mathia was in contact throughout, offering suggestions. 10/10 for enthusiasm. Thanks!

This was our first trip for my wife and I to Morocco, and it was amazing. Our driver Faisal was fantastic! He was pleasant throughout despite the long drives, was able to communicate easily in English, had a great sense of humor, and good knowledge base throughout the journey. Faisal even helped us out with some bargaining for purchases! We started in Marrakech, then travelled to Eit Ben Haddou, the Merzouga desert, Fes, Chefchauen, Rabat, and home via Casablanca. Highlights of the trip included knowledgable guides in Marrakech, Fes and Rabat for the souks and landmarks; a most memorable Tagine cooking class in Marrakech; an amazing 4-hour sunset camel ride in the Sahara desert, pottery making and tile tour in Fes; and so much more…. The accommodations in Riads, as well as in a tent in Merzouga were quite nice overall. Will definitely be using KimKim in the future!

Hotel Reviews

Riad Pachavana

Marrakech

Far from the souk. Leak in the ceiling in the bathroom.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Too far from the Souk

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ceiling leaked, shower terrible, shredded old towels

Riad Ksar Ighnda

Ait Benhaddou

Quiet and peaceful, clean, great buffet dinner

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Given the fact that it is in the middle of the Sahara desert, this was a wonderful way to spend two nights. Nightly local musicians, great food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Beautiful Riad - close to everything. Great food

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

In the Medina - close to everything. Great views from the terrace

Riad Kalaa

Rabat

Noisy location, AC did not work well

Activity Reviews

Indulge in a Three-Hour Cooking Experience at La Maison Arabe

Marrakesh

Fun, friendly staff, let you do all the cooking in a Tagine. Food was excellent!

Unique Journey from Ait Benhaddou to the Enchanting Merzouga Desert

Morocco

A must! Highlight of our trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Look

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Booking was a breeze and keeping up communication with changing plans was easy. We had a really great trip and our local guides were lovely.

Great tour of Morocco’s varied landscapes and cities. Sallam was an excellent driver, guide and in house historian. He made an extra effort to help us understand and appreciate Berber history and culture and Islamic traditions and practices. Morocco is a very welcoming country for Americans but Sallam is well known in his own right and everyone was happy to see him and this was extended to us. Thanks to Saede for his fabulous tour of Fez and the Medina. Plan on bringing an empty suitcase because it hard to resist all of the wonderful handmade crafts, rugs and leather goods!

The trip was outstanding, the planning, Organization. Visits, guides, tours, hotel and flight, recommendations…everything was perfect. Thanks to Cami who is tireless and would immediately reply to my queries and whatever concerns I had. Local guides were wonderful in each location were wonderful. Ana Santos, Cami’s representative and my guide in Manila was exceptional. There was not a single glitch, nor delay nor any problem.
Thank you Cami

Hotel Reviews

Bayleaf Intramuros

Metro Manila

Very central in Intramuros, walking distance to the touristic sites. Staff extremely helpful and attentive, good breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the heart of Intramuros the historical center of Manila

Staff

Very helpful and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable pillows and bed

Coco Grove Beach Resort

Wonderful resort in Siquijor, the grounds, the rooms, comfort, staff, the beauty of the place is outstanding.

Authenticity & Character

Location

I did not leave the resort as it was my R&R before starting my Philippines escapade

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Marco Polo Plaza Cebu

Cebu City

Very comfortable and clean . Has all the modern amenities. Staff very helpful and attentive

Authenticity & Character

Very modern

Location

Not central you need a car to visit

Staff

Very helpful zndxattentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Extremely clean

The Marison Hotel

Legazpi

Stayed only one night. The hotel is very central and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elysia Beach Resort

Donsol

Lovely hotel and nice location on a beautiful beach. However it is a bit neglected and needs an overhaul . The AC is very noisy and old. However it is comfortable with a beautiful swimming pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff is wonderful and very attentive and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hue Hotels and Resorts Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa

Wonderful and comfortable hotel. Near a shopping mall and restaurants in the area. Very comfortable

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Funny Lion El Nido

El Nido

Lovely hotel in the center of El Nido and walking distance from the market and the center. The staff is amazing and very helpful. It is clean and comfortable

Authenticity & Character

Very original and modern

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Two Seasons Coron Bayside Hotel

Coron Town

Lovely hotel in the heart of Coron with a beautiful pool and view esp during sunset. Extremely comfortable and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to the center but preferable using a tricycle because the road is not good

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Belmont Hotel Manila

Pasay City

Wonderful hotel near the airport. Great location if you want to he near the airport. Excellent breakfast, comfortable bed and pillows. A practical but very busy hotel. Walking distance from a shopping center and surrounded by variety of restaurants

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Manila Day Tour

Philippines

Excellent tour thanks to Ana Santos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family had a really amazing trip to Chile. Angel our tour guide was very knowledgeable and was very responsive. We had a packed trip and being a long country we had quite a bit of travel to do. Our trip to Rapa Nui was once in a lifetime one. Angel had chosen good hotels for us, and the tour guides he had arranged were all excellent. We have always been pleased with Kimkim(We used them in the past for Peru) and this time around too they did not disappoint us. We will definitely be using Kimkim again for our next adventures. However if you are going to Chile, Angel is your man!!!

Morocco was always a country I wanted to visit but, didn’t know where to start planning for a trip to a country so full of amazing places to see. I didn’t want to do the same things most tourist do, and I didn’t want to go with all the tourist info. expecting to see every single thing others see. I wanted to have this feeling of visiting a country I knew nothing about and be amazed with everything I see. Ali from Original Travels helped me get exactly that. He designed a trip where I was able to experience a bit of many places and I can not be more grateful to him. Everything flowed so well, and our guide/driver Ayoub just made it perfect. He was knowledgeable, attentive and on time. I didn’t have many extra requests but he always reminded me to let him know if I needed to stop at a certain place or if I needed extra time to explore. He became a friend and will miss the jokes and the interesting conversations about his country and culture. Our accommodations were incredible and the food at family restaurants while traveling from one city to another was just so good! Every place I visited had an impression on me I will never forget. People in Morocco are one of the nicest and respectful people I’ve know and I will be back. Hope Original Travels is still around when it happens because my trip with them was simply perfect. Thank you Ali, Ayoub, city guides and everyone in every Riad, tourist site, rest., cafe that welcomed us so kindly to Morocco. See you guys soon!❤️

Great trip, our trip planners were amazing! Very custom experience, and they helped us after hours and weekends with last minute flight cancellations, weather issues, etc. Cannot speak highly enough!

Our trip to Norway exceeded all our expectations! Mathia was great to work with, from working out our itinerary and throughout our trip! We spent the first night in Oslo and explored the city for a day, then flew to Narvik and were able to witness the northern lights twice!! Our snowshoeing adventure was beautiful, and our guide Hakon was wonderful! We also really enjoyed our dogsledding trip. Next we went to Tromso, where we visited Polaria, went on a fjord cruise, and then visited the Sami reindeer farm, where we fed the reindeer and slept overnight in a lavvu. Norway is a beautiful country, and March was a great time to visit.

Even though we did not travel in the summer, and there was a bit of snow, we really had a great time, and actually enjoyed seeing the white tops on the mountains.
The proposed itinerary was a good match to our preferences.
The guide to Preikestolen, Terry, was great. Overall, we really enjoyed the balance between boat trips and the walks in the nature.

We had a wonderful family vacation to Vietnam. Our group was three generations and included some family members born in Vietnam, returning to the homeland for the first time! Hien was incredible! She created an itinerary for us that took into account our various needs. She included activities that the kids loved, and also made accommodations for my mother-in-law who has limited mobility.
Every time I contacted Hien with questions or changes, she was quick to reply, accommodating and helpful! She was so informative. She also responded right away with a couple confusing things that happened in the country.
Our guides were great! We particularly enjoyed our day with Susan in Bana Hills, and our time with Coung in Hanoi. Both were friendly, easygoing, accommodating, pleasant and fun!
The hotels were great and Hien chose rooms that were perfect for our family unit, always selecting adjoining or combined rooms for us and our young children. The hotels were also very posh, much nicer than anything we could afford at home. We felt like celebrities.
The cruise Hien chose for our family in Halong Bay was also great, and the kids really enjoyed the activities.
Overall, I would highly recommend Hien and Realistic Asia. We will certainly choose them again if we have another chance to do so!

Hotel Reviews

Somerset Chancellor Court Ho Chi Minh City

The hotel had everything we needed for our stay in Ho Chi Minh City. I particularly appreciated the large fresh water container they put in our room so that we could refill our water bottles. It was conveniently located and had a very nice pool that was heated. We swam in the pool every day that we were there! The breakfast was also great, and included several options to order as well as a small buffet. The service was polite and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Sands Oceanfront Danang Hotel

This might be the nicest hotel I have ever stayed at. It was so beautiful and luxurious. The staff were polite and warm! The staff at the front door walked us across the street from the door of the hotel to the beach so that we didn't have to brave the traffic patterns alone, and they noticed us trying to get back and came to rescue us from the other side of the road when we needed to return! This was above and beyond any expectations that I have of service. Additionally, the rooftop bar and pool were extremely luxurious and posh. We didn't get a chance to swim because we had already been to the beach, but the view was spectacular. The breakfast was probably the best breakfast I have ever had at a hotel. It was an extensive buffet and every single thing was delicious. It was aided by the fact that you could see the entire 180 degree view of the beach including the giant Buddha statue from the restaurant. We also had dinner in the restaurant and it was a delicious and fabulous meal. All in all, I will remember this hotel forever!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Siesta Classic Ma May

Hanoi

This hotel had a beautiful colonial feel to it. The decor was beautiful, service was great, and room was excellent. The rooftop bar is like a nightclub and has fabulous wrought iron work that makes it look like a bridge. It was fun to have drinks up there and look at the city view. Our room was a suite, with two bedrooms, which worked great for us and the kids. The only down side was the lack of a pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in old town Hanoi.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Halong Capella Cruise

Halong

We had a one night cruise in Halong Bay with Capella. Our cruise director was Tom, Cruise director, which was cute! This cruise was very elegant. The decor and rooms all had that old world charm and were spotless and modern. We had three kids with us age 9, 11, and 14, and this was a great choice for our family. The activities the first day included kayaking, swimming, going down a giant slide into the ocean, and a cooking demonstration with participation from the audience. My kids took advantage of all the activities and had a great time. The second day we went on a short row boat ride through a cave. This was a good activity for the one elder in our party and we all enjoyed it. I think this cruise is a good choice for families with kids and most of the families on the cruise had kids in late elementary school through teen years. The accommodations were top notch and the activities were very fun.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tirant Hotel

Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Excellent hotel with beautiful decor. We liked the breakfast a lot and the pool was nice. Great location in the middle of old Hanoi.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Laluna Hoi An Riverside Hotel & Spa

Beautiful hotel on the banks of the river. Breakfast was lovely, the pool was lovely and the rooms were decorated in a very luxurious way.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dark & Bright Cave - Lan Ha Bay - Tuan Chau (Capella)

Ha Long Bay

Out of all the activities that we did, this one was not particularly memorable. The cave was tiny. Halong bay in general was amazing and the boat driver was great, but the actual activity didn't add much to our experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private day trip to Ninh Binh (Hoa Lu - Trang An - Mua Cave)

Vietnam

We had a very memorable and fantastic day visiting Ninh Binh. Our guide, Cuong, was friendly, warm and informative. We enjoyed our time with him. We all enjoyed climbing the 550 steps to the top of the lookout, and my son and husband actually went up both peaks. We have some great pictures. The boat ride was also very memorable. It was so interesting how the boat drivers rowed with their feet. Our boats stopped and we walked up another 87 steps for a view of the rice fields. This was amazing and beautiful. Definitely recommend this excursion!

Quality of Experience

Food

The included lunch was fabulous! We all enjoyed the regional food and drinks.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Halong - Lan Ha Bay - Frog Lagoon Area (Capella)

Ha Long Bay

We had a great time in Frog Lagoon. Our ship was fabulous, and we parked in Frog Lagoon for kayaking, swimming and using a giant inflatable slide. These were great activities for our family, which includes three kids between the ages of 9-14. They all loved the activities and the location. I highly recommend this excursion.

Quality of Experience

Day trip to Bana Hills

Vietnam

We had a lovely day trip with Susan, our guide. She was very knowledgeable, friendly and enjoyable to be around. She picked us up in Hoian and dropped us at Danang in the late afternoon. During the day, she took us up to Bana Hills and guided us to the Golden Hands Bridge, the gardens and on a couple rides at the amusement park. We were pretty exhausted after that and opted to return to Danang to take advantage of the beach, which was fabulous. Thanks Susan for your help and flexibility in accommodating the needs of our family!

Quality of Experience

Food

We ate at a buffet at Bana Hills that was German themed, but mostly included Vietnamese food. Everything was very tasty!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoi An Half-Day Sightseeing

Hoi An

James was our guide for our half day in Hoi An. Hoi An is beautiful and the old town is so quaint. First, we stopped for Bunmi, and really enjoyed the sandwiches. Then we toured around the old quarter, which has so much charm! James was very knowledgeable and is a local, so he knew many shopkeepers and sellers. He was flexible to meet the needs of our family and deposited us at our hotel. I didn't get enough of the old town, so I went back out to shop at the cute stores while my husband and kids went swimming at the hotel. I felt very safe and comfortable in this area, even as a foreign woman walking around by myself. I wish I had had a little more time in this area, it was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pedro was, and is, an Excellent specialist for planning and executing our trip to Portugal. During the trip preparation phase, Pedro guided us through exploring what we like, our expectations, interests, time in country, budget considerations and personal preferences. From there, we conducted a series of reviews and revisions until we, and Pedro, were satisfied with our trip. Prior to our travel, Pedro made final coordination with us and answered any final questions we had. Additionally, Pedro walked us through our daily rhythm of communication with him via WhatApp. During execution of our vacation, the communication were smooth and Pedro took care of any issues that arose.
A couple of highlights and accolades;
Personal Guided Tours of Lisbon and Porto were interested and helped us understand the history and culture of Portugal. Day trips to Cintra (City of Palaces), and Obidos/Nazare were fascinating and we highly recommend these visits. If you like Wine: the Douro Valley Experience is a Must Do! However, been cognizant of the Port wine, it has a kick and they serve it like water ; >
One of our Favorite Parts of the visit: Algarve and Lagos. The scenery of the Southern Coast of Portugal is BreathTaking and the weather was beautiful (Sunny, Warm, and low Humidity). We highly recommend a boat tour of the Coast thru the Caves with Panoramic Views….it was wonderful. We could have stayed in the Algarve area another week and still would want more time!
A couple of shout outs:
Pepe: Our Driver for most of the Trip - Absolutely Outstanding - He took care of us and provided details of Portugal throughout our travels.
Evo: Our Driver in the Porto area - congenial, caring, and knowledgable. Evo would not quit until we were fully satisified
Margarida: Our walking tour guide in Lisbon. Fantastic! She set the standard for the right mix of history, stories and culture and took care of us through rainy weather.
Joao: Our tour guide and story teller in Evora was a delight;

Pedro: We haven’t been this satisfied since we had a whole lemon meringue pie to ourselves. Thank You Pedro!

Constructive Comments: There is a lot of walking, which we enjoyed, but be prepared. Hotels in which we stayed were First Rate, Five Star; however, anything short of two nights in one place became challenging and we felt rushed. We recommend to slow your pace and enjoy the Portugal culture.

Overall an Outstanding Trip and Experience from Planning thru Exectuion.

Hotel Reviews

Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Lisboa—A Leading Hotel of the World

Lisbon

We enjoyed our stay at Tivoli Avenida Liberdade. It was very nice and we experienced a great customer service. The only downside was having to wait for the check-in, but they let us use the spa before the check-in to compensate the waiting time.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maison Albar Hotels Le Monumental Palace

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

M'ar de Ar Aqueduto

Évora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascade Wellness

Lagos

A Great Retreat with Breathtaking Views of the Southern Coast and Atlantic Ocean!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascais Miragem

Cascais - Portugal

This hotel was the last one of our trip and it was very unique being right on the coast, the view was amazing. I highly recommend staying at least two nights to have time to recharge.

Activity Review

To Eat Suggestion: Baía do Peixe

Cascais

The boat tour on the coast of the Algarve was a pleasant activity to do to enjoy the views of the coasts. However, we couldn't enter the cave for safety due to weather conditions, which made the activity be shorter and less interesting.

We did a 8 day tour to Costa Rica and KimKim helped it plan extremely well. The trip went very smooth. It was great to have them in the background, as we navigated the 8 days, every step of the way to include timely intervention with hotels and other services to verify the expected services were being provided. Their communication tool/service worked excellent for us. I am already planning to use their expertise for 3 more trips. Thank you for a memorable trip to Costa Rica that included central area San Jose city tour, Northern area Arenal/LaFortuna, and South west area National park/beaches. Jessica has been our contact who provided excellent timely help.

Lacey created the most perfect itinerary for our Thailand honeymoon. We had such an amazing time we extended our trip! We were taken care of the entire time and treated like royalty! This is our second time booking with KimKim, and it was exactly what we hoped for and more.

Hotel Reviews

Na Nirand Resort

Chiang Mai

Great hotel- absolutely gorgeous and a very short walk to the night market. It felt centrally located but still quiet. The pool was incredible.

Authenticity & Character

Location

easy walk to night market

Staff

so friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sri Panwa Phuket Luxury Pool Villa Hotel

Phuket

This is probably the best resort I have ever stayed at. We loved it so much, that we extended our trip to have more free time at the resort. The private infinity pool was amazing and had an incredible view. The private beach was also very nice. There are kayaks to use at the the beach, but we were told not to go in the water due to an abundance of jellyfish. We hope to come back to Phuket and stay at this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

far from the airport and excursions due to it's remote location, but short walk to shops/food.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Alms giving and jungle temple

Chiang Mai

Phi Phi Island & May Bay Discovery with Snorkeling by Hype Yacht Join-in Activity

Phuket

Quality of Experience

Bangkok symbolic temples

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiang Mai Off the Beaten Track by tuk tuk - joining activity (chauffer driven)

Chiang Mai

we loved that this was a private tour with the elephants

Quality of Experience

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manohra Dinner cruise

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Melting Pot of Trading

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Railway market & floating market

Bangkok

Lanna Lifestyle & Cooking Experience with A Local Family with lunch

Chiang Mai

A must do activity

Quality of Experience

Food

John Gray's sea canoe - Hong by Starlight joining tour

Phuket

Quality of Experience