Kimkim Trip Reviews

Doris arranged a great personal tour for us. From pick up at the airport, drives to various hotels and locations and back to the airport for departure, all was pleasant and comfortable. Doris got back to us immediately if we had any questions. Our guide, Mr. Cau and driver, Mr. Huy were professional and caring. We had a wonderful stay in Vietnam. Our only regret is that we did not allow ourselves more time to explore this fascinating and ancient country.

Our group of eight had an amazing trip to Italy thanks to the planning and preparation of Arianna at kimkim. It was a relief not to have to worry about the details.

The guide for the walking tour was outstanding. The guide for the bike to Chianti was good, bikes and safety measure were not great. The bike team for Fiosole was outstanding as was their equipment. A transfer should have been recommended given the distance and obscurity of the meeting point. Again, the distance to the bike trip in Bellagio from our hotel should have been pointed out. It seemed there were closer options available for ebiking. Boat trip was fine. Both hotels were great, especially Villa D'Este. Thanks for all!

Wow and Incredible
We had an amazing experience in Kenya and Tanzania. Stephan pulled together an adventure that was perfect for us! We saw everything on our Must-See list and more. The guides and lodging were all great. The transportation was safe and convenient. The welcome booklet from Stephan was so valuable. Because of it we had everything taken care of and had no problems in either country.
Kenya:
Stephan and our Guide/Driver Norman from Truly Swahili were at the airport to greet us when we arrived in Nairobi. On the drive to the 1st hotel, we went over the plan and discussed logistics. This was great so when we took off the next day for Lake Nakuru, we were ready.
Norman was our driver and guide while we were in Kenya. It was great to have the same person the whole time we were there. Norman was great, what a nice and caring person. He is also a great guide. He found so many birds and animals. It is amazing to watch him work. The number of small hidden birds he saw was incredible. We would have never seen as much as we did without him. We spent 2 full days on Safari in the park with Norman. We would do it again
Skynest Residences by CityBlue - this was an apartment/hotel which I really appreciated. We stayed here twice as we were going in and out of Kenya. The unit had clothes washing machine which was helpful. We did not have to pack for the whole time we were away. The people were all very friendly, the unit was clean and comfortable. The view from the roof of the building was wild. Nairobi is HUGE!
Sopa Lodge Nakuru - This is a beautiful lodge above Lake Nakuru. The views are incredible. The location is in the park, so our safari began when we woke up with Zebras just nearby. The room was clean and comfortable. Maggie and Mary in the restaurant took amazing care of us!!! They were so friendly! We felt welcome and safe the whole time
Cliff Lodge Sunrise Boat Safari. This was fun. We were treated to a boat cruise on Lake Nakuru. We were able to cruise the shoreline to find all sorts of different birds, and 100’s of Pelicans and Flamingos. It is an early start, so a delicious breakfast is provided. Milka really knew her birds and what we could expect to see. And the Milka/Suleman team were great together spotting everything!
Tanzania
This time we were met at the airport by Truly Swahili’s Irene and our guide Kaka. We met our driver Jambo the next day. More on Kaka and Jambo later! Irene went over the plan for our 8 days in Tanzania on the drive to the hotel in Arusha. This was great so we again knew what to expect.
Sanna Boutique Hotel in Arusha was quite nice. It had an amazing rooftop view, and we were just at the base of Mt. Meru. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. Gofrery in the restaurant talked birds with us and made sure we were always ok! It was a good stay before the long drive to the Serengeti.
Kaka and Jambo our guide and driver. I do not think there is enough good to say about these 2 guys. They were a power team! Driving is long and challenging. Jambo got us where we needed to go every time. We were so impressed how he knew how to get around in the Serengeti. There are no roads or signs, yet we always arrived at our lodge at the end of the day. Jambo has crazy skills to be able to drive and find birds and game as we go. Then there was Kaka, he was joy to be around. He saw the positive in everything. And he also saw everything. He knew what was most important to us (birds) and took us to the places that had birds. He knew where a fig tree was that all sorts of bird life. Amazing! Both Kaka and Jambo listened to us, stopped the car when we asked and never rushed us to get going again. Both laughed easily and knew so much! We were able to enjoy the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater game drives to the fullest! The combination of being in Tanzania with Kaka and Jambo was incredible. I will want these 2 to guide me next time. Tanzania without Kaka and Jambo – I don’t think so!
The Acacia Seronera Luxury Camp was amazing. It was the iconic staying in a tent-cabin in the Serengeti. What fun. We heard lions from our bed the 1st night. That is not something that happens in the USA! The rooms were clean and comfortable. There were plenty of people to escort us to our room in the dark. So, we always felt safe! Mariska took care of us in the restaurant, and she was great! The lodge is doing a big update and from what we saw it will be even more luxury than it was for us!
Karatu Simba Lodge – we enjoyed this lodge a lot. It was also clean and friendly and safe. The rooms were very comfortable. Sitting on the deck looking over the hills and farms was beautiful! The meals were buffet style so there was lots of variety and all of it was very tasty!
A last minute add on to our trip was Lake Manyara Biking, Canoeing & Cultural Experience with lunch, instead of a second day in the Ngorongoro crater. This turned out to be one of the most memorable days of our trip. This one we went into not really knowing what to expect. Teresa from The Cultural Tourism Programme in Mto Wa Mbu was an excellent guide. We learned more details about the different tribes and their cultures and skills. We have the opportunity to purchase art from small local artists. We had a traditional Tanzanian lunch prepared for us in a Banana Plantation. YUM! Biking through the village was an interesting ground view of the area. We enjoyed the day! Now I think we will always add a cultural day to any trip! Had I known more about the day I would have brought more cash with me. We encountered so many different people all who are so proud of what they do! I wanted to bring home a little of everything they made.
Irene met us again before we headed to the airport. How wonderful to have a personal touch to be sure the trip not only met our expectations but exceeded them. Stephan took this time to call us and check in before the long trip home as well. 5 Stars!!! Will Recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Skynest Residences by CityBlue

Nairobi

This was an apartment/hotel which I really appreciated. We stayed here twice as we were going in and out of Kenya. The unit had clothes washing machine which was helpful. We did not have to pack for the whole time we were away. The people were all very friendly, the unit was clean and comfortable. The view from the roof of the building was wild. Nairobi is HUGE!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Karatu Simba Lodge

We enjoyed this lodge a lot. It was also clean and friendly and safe. The rooms were very comfortable. Sitting on the deck looking over the hills and farms was beautiful! The meals were buffet style so there was lots of variety and all of it was very tasty!

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was a good balance between getting to the Ngorongoro crater and having out day in teh village of Mto Wa Mbu.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sopa Lodge Nakuru

Nairobi

This is a beautiful lodge above Lake Nakuru. The views are incredible. The location is in the park, so our safari began when we woke up with Zebras just nearby. The room was clean and comfortable. Maggie and Mary in the restaurant took amazing care of us!!! They were so friendly! We felt welcome and safe the whole time

Authenticity & Character

Very 'classic' safari lodge. It was everything you woud expect .

Location

It is in the National Park so Safari is just out side the lodge.

Staff

Maggie anfd Mary - AWESOME. Everyone was friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was large and comfortable. The Lodge its self was beautiful

Sanna Boutique Hotel

Arusha

It had an amazing rooftop view, and we were just at the base of Mt. Meru. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. Gofrery in the restaurant talked birds with us and made sure we were always ok! It was a good stay before the long drive to the Serengeti.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Godfry - He was awesome.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Acacia Central Serengeti Camp

We ended us staying at another Acacia lodge in the Serengeti ..... The Acacia Seronera Luxury Camp was amazing. It was the iconic staying in a tent-cabin in the Serengeti. What fun. We heard lions from our bed the 1st night. That is not something that happens in the USA! The rooms were clean and comfortable. There were plenty of people to escort us to our room in the dark. So, we always felt safe! Mariska took care of us in the restaurant, and she was great! The lodge is doing a big update and from what we saw it will be even more luxury than it was for us!

Authenticity & Character

another classic safari -tent lodge. It was amazing

Location

I mean we are IN the Serengeti. The location can not be any better!

Staff

everyone so friendly. Mariska was a special person.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sunrise Boat Cruise on Lake Nakuru

Nakuru

Cliff Lodge Sunrise Boat Safari. This was fun. We were treated to a boat cruise on Lake Nakuru. We were able to cruise the shoreline to find all sorts of different birds, and 100’s of Pelicans and Flamingos. It is an early start, so a delicious breakfast is provided. Milka really knew her birds and what we could expect to see. And the Milka/Suleman team were great together spotting everything!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Milka and Suleman

Transport

Evening Game Drive at Lake Nakuru National Park

Nakuru

Norman was a amazing guide. Lake Nakuru is beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Safari Experience at Serengeti National Park

Tanzania

WOW The Serengeti is Amazing. But we had the BEST gukdes Kaka and Jambo! They made more amazing than it was going to be anyway!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

JAMBO AND KAKA!!!!! YES!

Transport

Full Day Safari Experience at Ngorongoro

Tanzania

What an amazing place. there is SOOOOOO much to see

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had the absolute best time in Ha Long Bay- everyone was so kind, the scenery was incredible, the boat was swanky, and the excursions were very fun. Kimkim made everything super easy and everything between travel was extremely organized. 10/10 recommend!

Elena was amazing! She first met with our family to check on what type of trip we were envisioning and developed an initial itinerary that we were we able to modify as needed once we met and discussed with her. She was accessible and always responsive when setting up trip meetings. She put together a trip that was the perfect match for our family—it included history, a few days for relaxation, site specific experiences (eg, cooking class, day trip to island, visit to winery, bike tour) and excellent recommendations for restaurants and things to see and do during downtime at each location. Each tour guide that she arranged for us was friendly, engaging, and knowledgeable and were great resources as we were learning about each city. Elena always kept in close communication via What’s App to be sure that we always had up to date information for the upcoming day’s itinerary and to respond to any questions that we might have. She also arranged private transport or high speed train tickets when available and feasible to take any stress away from transport. I would highly recommend Elena for anyone wanting to travel to Italy!

Hotel Review

Hotel Luna Convento 4* Amalfi

Amalfi

This hotel is a jewel! The views overlooking the coast are amazing. The converted monastery is beautiful with its original cloister and with beautiful original tilework everywhere throughout hotel. It is also conveniently located steps away from the main city center of Amalfi. Everyone whom we encountered at Hotel was so friendly and always happy to help with anything needed. Would also highly recommend Hotel Restaurant Verranda—amazing food, service, and meal time views to enjoy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rome Private Guided Walk

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Really enjoyed our tour guide, Maria Paolo! She was friendly, knowledgeable, and engaging and a great resource as we learned about Rome.

Florence private guided walk including Accademia Gallery

Florence

Fadi, our tour guide, was amazing! He was friendly, knowledgeable, and engaging! We thoroughly enjoyed his tour of the Accademia Gallery and introduction to Florence. He also gave us great recommendations for restaurants and things to do while we were there. Highly, highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Florence bike tour (small group)

Florence

My family and I really enjoyed this tour. I will say that if you’re older in 70s and not used to riding bikes that you would want to opt for a walking tour. My parents are in their 70s but given how crowded some of the areas were where you are touring, they were not comfortable navigating bikes in squares full of people and down alleyways shared with fast driving taxis and scooters.

Quality of Experience

No

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Siena guided tour

Italy

Alice was a wonderful guide. She was a native of Siena and was knowledgeable, friendly, and engaging! We loved learning about this beautiful city and its rich history!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Winery visit with wine tasting and light lunch

Italy

This lunch was in the most beautiful location in Tuscany. The winery staff were so friendly and knowledgeable as they reviewed the wines, olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and food that we were sampling.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport from Florence to the Tuscan winery was wonderful. We were driven by Max, who was so friendly and gave us history and information about everything we were passing during transport.

Pompeii ruin visit with a private guide

Italy

Salvadore was an excellent tour guide. He kept our 11 and 13 year old completely engaged, as well as the rest of family, as he have us history of Pompeii.

Quality of Experience

No

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Capri Island from The Amalfi Coast - small group

Italy

The boat captains on way to Capri were wonderful, showing us beautiful sites and points of interest on way to island. The Isle of Capri was absolutely beautiful! We highly recommend chair lift up to Monte Solaro for some breath-taking views! Also thoroughly enjoyed captains stopping on way back to Amalfi to allow us time to swim in the clear aquamarine water of Mediterranean.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & Colosseum Tour Full Day Combo

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel skip the line ticket

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Accademia Gallery - skip the line entrance

Florence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pizza and Gelato making class in Rome - small group

Rome

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum & Roman Forum skip the line ticket

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great trip to Morocco. We would suggest others considering a similar itinerary take 16 days to do the trip, rather than our 11days. Many long days in the car brining us to amazing sites, but little time to enjoy the destination as often arriving early evening and leaving at 9am the next day. Wonderful stops along the way, but there was nowhere near the time needed to avail of them all based on how our trip was booked. Recognize driving in Morocco takes longer and thus 300km trip will likely take at 10 hours with a lunch stop.

Morocco is a wonderful place to visit. Original travel was great and our driver and tour guides where fantastic. The Riads were beautiful and it will always be a memorable trip! Although it is a long drive the overnight in the Erg Chebbi - the Sahara dessert dunes was amazing. We are very grateful for our tour guides, particularly navigating the amazing Median of Fez. The history and culture we learned from them enhanced the trip immeasurably.

Activity Review

Marrakech Family Food Tour

Marrakesh

So fun to explore the Market with Yassin. We tried so many different foods, learned a ton and had a great opportunity to ask all of our questions about life in Morocco in an informal open way. Kids had a great time as well and the flexibility of the tour worked well for our family.

Most of our guides were good. A few should be noted that we’re not
Hugo in Lisbon historical tour. Knew his history but did not engage with us except to give out his facts. He was our weakest guide. The food tour in Porto should have chosen more place with some good atmospheres she gave us tastes of the regional food she was charming but the places we ate in were underwhelming
Arriving in Porto for guest stay at casa de campanhia must arrange transportation with a driver who can take you to the hotel entrance. We are dropped below a long steep cobblestone street and had to drag our suitcases all the way up. Unacceptable! The hotel was fantastic! The drive to Nazaré and Óbidos were very touristy and not for us. The grahams tasting and th Quinta do crasto tasting were lovely. In Lisbon the Bairro alto hotel has some issue. The room that you booked for us was unacceptable! They had a tiny closet , no drawers, 1 stories no to share and a toilet that your knees knocked against the bidet. This is something you as agents should be aware of. Perhaps if we were local staying for an overnight if might have been ok. We paid extra and moved into a suite. The restaurant and bar were great! Please not about the class of hotel you book was poor.
Your app works great and you’re always available. Well done! Guides should be vented for knowledge and room s should be checked before booking

Hotel Reviews

Casa da Companhia - Vignette Collection

Porto

Exquisite hotel. Convenient location

Authenticity & Character

Location

It’s on the major walking street if you have a room overlooking this it might be noisy

Staff

Everyone kind and helpful

Bairro Alto Hotel

Lisboa

The staff was wonderfu. The room That was booked for us was UNACCEPTABLE It had 1 sink, the toilet faced the bidet and your knees knocked into it. There were no drawers and the closet was possibly 18” wide. Maybe it would hold 2 jackets. We had been traveling for 10 days. There was no place to put anything. We paid extra and moved into a larger room that was lovely. This experience should not happen As agents you should be aware if the types of accommodations

Authenticity & Character

Rooftop garden and restaurant were great

Location

Easy access

Staff

Very kind and hwkpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

Guide was sweet and knowledgeable. We tasted regional food but the places selected lacked atmosphere. I think more thought could be given to this as we’ve been on many food tours around the world

Quality of Experience

Researched this trip quite a bit. I don’t think seeing Nazaré or Óbidos was necessary. Heavy tourist spots with same shops over and over

Food

The restaurants we booked on our own were excellent. Better feedback from your company would be helpful

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mixed review. Hugo who did our historical tour in Lisbon was unexciting and poor other drivers were more engaged

Transport

On time or waited for us

Tour and Tasting at Grahams ’s Port Cellar

Porto

Excellent tour highly recommend. Topped with a tasting

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All guides were lively except Hugo on our historical walking tour of lisbon

Transport

Everyone arrived on time

My trip was independent. Kim Kim planned about half the itinerary, including lodging and the car rental. This part of the itinerary was fine!
I also spent time in Waterton Lakes, Glacier NP, Winnipeg and Churchill.
Since Glacier NP was outside Canada, I was told I had to make my own arrangements for that park. That sounds like a strange policy.
I also had to make my own arrangements for Waterton Lakes, Winnipeg and Churchill, which are in Canada. I am not sure of the reasoning behind this. I used Booking.com for all my lodging and the accommodations and it worked out fine.
The travel agency would not book a small group tour (2-6 people max), 4x drive, to see the Polar Bears in Churchill. They said they only worked with a company that transported large amounts of people (30+) in massive transport vehicles.
I make my own arrangements for small group tours and my tours were fantastic!

The car company - Avis - gave me a credit for a half empty gas tank when I picked up the car.
I have not seen this refund from Kim Kim yet.

We had a fantastic trip to South Korea. Jessica organised everything to perfection, all to our personal needs. Nothing was too much trouble and all our requests were met.
The hotels were good, guides were good and very informative and also happy to change the itinerary on a day if needed.

We would highly recommend Jessica and kimkim.

Shona was exceptional in her communications and responsiveness to our feedback, when planning the trip. She provided great suggestions for activities and answered any questions I had, promptly and thoughtfully. Once travelling, Shona kept in close contact, checking in and advising us of activity details. She was always available with any questions we had and was very accommodating of some last minute changes we made. The trip components that she arranged were fantastic and the activities were always top-notch, fun and interesting. The drivers were great: great communication, reliable and very competent. The Private tour guides we had (Slash, Andy and Tan) all had different styles, which was fun, but they were all great. They were reliable, personable, knowledgable, great communicators and very flexible. They accommodated our interests really well. The small tour group guides, through Magical Trips (Max and, sorry, I did not get the name of the Sumo guide), were very good and those tours were really fun. We were so happy with the trip itinerary and everyone supporting the itinerary. Thank you!

Activity Reviews

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

The Sumo experience in Tokyo was so much fun! The leader of the experience was really good, and I'm grateful that it was suggested as an activity. It was a unique and enjoyable part of the trip.

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

The Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku was fantastic! The tour guide was great, and it made experiencing Japanese cuisine memorable. I'm glad we did it, as it truly added to our enjoyment of the trip.

Feed Deer At Nara Park

Japan

Feeding the deer at Nara Park was really fun. The deer are much smaller compared to those in the US and are quite habituated to people. It was an amusing experience with these tiny, hungry creatures.

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Tokyo

The Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi and Oishi Park was amazing. The guide and driver were both wonderful and the scenery was breathtaking.

Tokyo Highlights Day Tour - East & West

Tokyo

The Tokyo Highlights Day Tour - East & West was a flexible and enjoyable experience. Our guide was knowledgeable and accommodating, even suggesting alternative activities when we felt like changing our plans. It was a lovely way to explore Tokyo without feeling rushed.

Sebastian did a wonderful job planning out trip and customizing it to meet exactly what we were looking for. We particularly enjoyed the boat tour of Calanques National Park, and the incredible views in Chamonix!

Alvaro put together a wonderful trip for us! He and Josselyn took amazing care of us and made sure we were escorted every step of our trip which we greatly appreciated. Every single guide was very knowledgeable and passionate about the Galápagos Islands and all of the wildlife. We loved all of our guides but especially, Darwin, on Isabela Island! All of our accommodations were lovely and the staff at Hotel Acacia was particularly friendly and helpful. It was a trip of a lifetime! I will highly recommend KimKim! Thank you for helping us create such beautiful memories!

I really appreciated the flexibility and responsiveness of Marta our travel agent. We made a number of adjustments in the planning stage and ended up with an itinerary that allowed for some structure and lots of time for spontaneous activities. Our driver, Nelson to the wine country was excellent! The wineries we visited were independent and we felt like we had a very personal experience with both the Quinta da Costa and Maos wineries. The wine was excellent too! Our second driver, Pedro took us from Porto to Lagos and was professional and accommodating. Great time on our private deep-sea fishing excursion. Finally, our Sintra Heritage hike with professional guides was challenging but a real chance to experience that area and see the Pena Palace. I admit we cut it a little short when they offered to drive us to the furthest western point, Cabo da Roca, then made us a reservation at a fabulous restaurant. Everyone was fabulous and listened to our interests. Marta was willing to do as much or as little of the planning that we wanted. I highly recommend KimKim and Portugal!

Activity Reviews

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Loved the wineries we visited but ended up going to a second winery and skipping the boat.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

Guide was entertaining and knowledgeable. Our group was 60+.

Big Game Fishing

Portugal

Didn't catch the Big one but caught a bunch of smaller tuna. There was a little confusion about the arrival time, but they quickly accommodated with the confirmation information from Kimkim.

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Óbidos

Portugal

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

Great guide. Adjusted pace to all of our levels. This was challenging and not for a beginner but not too advanced. Would have liked a little more information about what to bring, picnic, etc. Guides very personable, knowledgeable on history but not overwhelming. Made some suggestions to see some not so touristy sights. Wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vintage Car Tour of Porto

Porto

I little different than described. It was primarily a walking tour with the Vintage Car Tour at the end. That was a bit of a surprise. The tour guide was knowledgeable and if you're interested in lots of the country's history, this was a great start.

I was planning our first trip to Japan and while researching I stumbled upon KimKim. What a fantastic find!!!! It is hard to find a travel agency with on location experience. KimKim has a terrific platform that helps to identify your needs and wants in a trip and then they connect you with a travel agent who is an expert in that location. We were connected with Leny in Tokyo. She was AMAZING!!! After filling out the questionnaire she came up with a couple of suggested itineraries. We then scheduled a phone call to discuss in further detail our thoughts about the itinerary. That really put my mind at ease, to talk to a real person and get instant feedback! We made modifications to make the trip exactly what we wanted. Leny was helpful every step of the way. She made a VERY detailed schedule for us. Organized wonderful tours and experiences. The hotels were terrific. Then she took customer service to the top level. When we were in Japan she was available for support throughout our trip! One time I could not find my train tickets and she mailed them again to me as I was at the station!!! Now that is support!! While being fairly well travelled, I was very nervous having never been to Asia. Leny put my mind to rest. She was absolutely incredible throughout this entire process. This was a very special trip to celebrate my birthday. It was a trip of a lifetime and I owe a huge part of that success to Leny at KimKim. THANK YOU LENY!!!

Hotel Reviews

The Thousand Kyoto

Kyoto

Absolutely beautiful hotel. Gorgeous rooms. Delicious breakfast. Great location!

Authenticity & Character

Elegant Japanese style.

Location

Right near the train station which is a plus in Kyoto.

Staff

Attentive. At the ready to help in any way they can.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everywhere was spotless. The room was absolutely beautiful. Loved the Pjs.

The Hotel Sanraku Kanazawa

Kanazawa

Beautiful hotel and lovely room! Great bath products.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier

Tokyo

The lobby is beautiful. The breakfast is very good. The room was very small.

Authenticity & Character

The lobby is beautiful but the room was very small. And the carpeting in the hallways needs to be replaced.

Location

Beautiful view from the lobby of the Tokyo Tower!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

VERY small room. Comfortable but small.

Gora Kadan

Hakone

Loved the Ryokan experience! Beautiful hotel. The onsen was amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful location!!! Near the outdoor museum which was fabulous!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything! The gorgeous room. The onsen. Massage chairs.

The Blossom Hibiya

Minato

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Choi, a front desk trainee, who helped us sort out our plane tickets home. She was a lifesaver!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hidden Gem Food Tour (adults only)

Tokyo

Great mix of restaurants to try. Learned lots of interesting facts about the Japanese culture. Ray was a good guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half-Day Tokyo Tour with English-Speaking Guide

Tokyo

Good way to get a crash course in Japanese history and the Shinto and Buddhist religions. Very nice to have a guide show you around and take you from sight to sight.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Best of Tokyo's Shopping & Food: Japanese Cultural Experience

Tokyo

This was a wonderful tour. Chees (our guide) took us to a mix of food stops and shops. She explained the history and the culture. It was a great way to see traditional or old Tokyo. There is so much tied into the art of Japanese craft. We also got to appreciate the architecture of the area. It was really informative and interesting.

Quality of Experience

The mix of food, shopping , architecture and history

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was great!

The Old Quarter of Tokyo - Yanaka Walking Tour

Tokyo

This was a group tour and the group was a little too large. The guide Meyu was very good. Informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kanazawa Half Day Tour (Private)

Kanazawa

Really enjoyed walking around the Geisha and Samurai areas. The architecture was so beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very nice but not very interesting.

Treasures of Kyoto: Geishas & Traditions Private Tour

Kyoto

Our guide really made the Geisha quarter come to life. So interesting!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was interesting to have a guide who was not Japanese, but had lived in Japan for over 25 years. Her English was excellent.

Full Day Kyoto Tour with English Speaking Guide and Public Transportation (Private)

Kyoto

Great way to see a lot of Kyoto's highlights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kyoto Arashiyama Best Spots 4h Private Tour with Licensed Guide

Kyoto

BEAUTIFUL part of Kyoto! Enjoyed seeing the shrines and the nature of the area.

Quality of Experience

The variety of areas we were able to walk around.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was wonderful! His English was excellent since he had grown up in the US for 18 years.

Private tea ceremony 〜Feel Zen experience〜 (45min)

Kyoto

This was our least favorite experience. The "tea master" was very formal in her explanations. And it is not her fault, but we do not like the taste of Macha. This was a waste of our time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip to Norway was organized with care and quality. We had to make a number of changes and KImKim was always incredibly helpful, efficient and understood exactly what we were looking for. thank you to KimKim for an unforgettable experience!

Activity Reviews

Private Floating Sauna Experience

Norway

Quality of Experience

Fjord Cruise & Seafood Dining Experince

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

At the Cornelius the staff was fabulous

Transport

12 days in Crete. Time well spent from the mountain tops from hiking to the relaxing beach days and a bit of the city life. I left the planning to Sienna and Lea from KimKim! I let them know my interests and must dos. They did not disappoint! From the pickups to excursions that were planned for me, I have no words for the people and their knowledge, hospitality and love for their country and profession was remarkable. Hand chosen hotels were in great locations. My favourite was in Chania, Mirabile luxury suites, the host and staff always willing to give suggestions on where to eat and best places for site seeing.
So many memories but if I had to choose, my favourite was hiking to Preveli beach with my tour guide George. Highly recommend having him guide you on any hike.

So many excellent experiences we were unlikely to have found on our own without Michelle’s insights and help. The Road to Mesopotamia tour in the lovely town of Geraldine is a prime example. Our tour guide for the day, Wayne, was charming and knowledgeable and our interactions with the farmer, Malcom, made for memories we’ll have for a lifetime.

Hotel Review

Fiordland Lodge

Te Anau

Stunning, quiet, very personalized experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It’s outside of te anu a ways, but beautiful view, excellent food, and a beautiful tranquil setting.

Staff

Staff were lovely. This is a thoughtful, family run lodge.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Te Pā Tū Māori Feast & Performance

Rotorua

Fantastic opportunity for an evening of immersion in Māori culture. The experience is largely delivered by the younger members of a Māori family. Their pride and delight at sharing their culture is on display here. Supper is shared at the table with one of the family members followed by a delightful, full throated performance by these impressive young people.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A short trip from the welcome centre to the site by bus includes narration from one of the elders. Hilarious and informative, complete with singalong on the return.

Transport

We travelled to Australia for 3 weeks in October, 2024. I had been attempting to plan the trip myself before I found Kimkim. As soon as I got connected to Kimkim, the planning was amazing. Our specialist, Vicky, was incredibly helpful. We communicated multiple times to insure that we chose the best itinerary to fit our needs. She arranged everything: domestic flights, all airport pickups and drop offs at our hotel, hotel reservations, tours both private and small group with hotel pick ups, private tour guides, and even recommended additional activities and restaurants. Every connection was seamless and we had no stress. She was also in touch with us throughout the tour to be sure all was going well.
I enjoy planning travel, but I could not have put together this 3 week, 5 city adventure on my own and had it run so perfectly without Kimkim and Vicky. Thank you so much!
Judy McKenzie

Francesco did an amazing job! Although I had one little hiccup, no fault of KimKim or Francesco, it was me - he worked to get it resolved and it was even on a Sunday afternoon when he was not working!!!! He is the best!

I have used KimKim twice now in Morocco and Italy & both times they exceeded my expectations. I will use them again when the need comes up.

Thank you Francesco and your whole team - amazing trip!!!!

Hotel Reviews

Relais 147

Taormina (ME)

Beautiful!!! great location and beautiful property - Rohid was extremely friendly, helpful, and nice. I loved my stay here. It's right in the middle of everywhere you want to be in Taormina - you just need to walk out the front doo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

so easy to get wherever you wanted to be, or stay local and explore the many restaurants and shops

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel brunaccini

Palermo

This not my type of hotel. I am long past the age of "slumming it". And as a solo traveler did not feel safe. The hotel, while very nice on the inside is right in the middle of the slums. Right below my balcony, that was on an alley, was homeless people. I did not feel safe here at all. As soon as I walked in the front door, while I was waiting to check in, I knew I had to leave. I just had a feeling that it was not a good place for me to be. First the front door to the hotel is always locked - you have to be buzzed in. This should tell you something about the area. The hotel staff is rude and arrogant. They are not helpful and definitely NOT pleasant to interact with. I had a 3-night stay and left after the first night. I paid for 2 nights somewhere else and lost money just to get out of there. The only reason I stayed the first night was because I got there later in the day and did not want to leave in the dark. The noise level is ridiculous, and in the evening there was a band that played in the courtyard alley until midnight - loudly. The room was large, but lighting was terrible, the bathroom lighting was the worst. The only thing that comes to mind is a saying we use at work - The hotel is like putting lipstick on a pig. I don't care how "nice" you make it - the location and rudeness of the staff will never make it nice......

Authenticity & Character

Location

everything! awful area - not safe

Staff

Rude and arrogant - and I don't even know why - it's not a Four Seasons....

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed & pillows extremely uncomfortable. Poorly stocked mini bar, bad lighting

Activity Review

Palermo Street Food Tour

Palermo

did not take this, skipped the tour to leave the area, cannot comment

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport