Kimkim Trip Reviews

We have just returned from the most unforgettable trip to Indonesia. This was the first time we used a travel agent to organize our trip, and I admit I was a bit nervous about how it would turn out. But what followed exceeded all our expectations—by far the best family holiday we have ever experienced!!!
At the planning stage, Laura and her team carefully guided us through various options for hotels and activities, taking the time to listen and understand exactly what we wanted. We had several conversations with Laura to ensure our trip would be exactly tailored to our needs. She patiently answered every question, offering invaluable advice and tips on what to expect. Before we set off, she even created a WhatsApp group so we could stay connected during our journey—her dedication and care made us feel very supported.
Laura did an outstanding job!! Her organization was impeccable; she responded to our messages promptly and checked on us throughout our stay, making us feel genuinely cared for. Her attention to detail turned this trip into a once-in-a-lifetime experience!! The hotels were the most beautiful we have ever stayed in, and the adventure activities were very well organised. We were blessed to have two amazing drivers: Windy in Sumatra and Puja in Bali—both so warm, friendly, and welcoming. They ensured that we arrived on time for every activity and flight, making the entire experience smooth and safe.
I cannot recommend KimKim highly enough as a travel partner. Thanks to Laura and her incredible team, we experienced an holiday filled with wonder, excitement, and heartfelt moments. Truly, this was a holiday of an incredible lifetime that we will cherish forever!!!

Hotel Reviews

Puri Santrian

Denpasar

Very nice hotel by the beach. Staff were friendly and welcoming! Variety of pools located in different places were great. The food in the restaurant was delicious and there was a lot of variety especially at breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Menjangan Dynasty Resort - CHSE Certified

Pejarakan

Wow, what an absolutely breathtaking hotel! We stayed for 4 unforgettable nights and truly didn't want to leave. Nestled in the most stunning spot in north Bali, this place felt like a hidden gem. Our stay in the Cliff Tent Pool Villa right by the shimmering sea was nothing short of magical. The villa was beautifully designed, and every tiny detail was thoughtfully cared for, creating a space that felt truly special and welcoming. The hotel restaurant was simply incredible! The variety on the menu was extensive, and every dish we tried was bursting with flavor and passion. The staff were genuinely wonderful—so warm, welcoming, and friendly, making us feel right at home. The surrounding grounds were immaculately maintained and spotless, adding to the overall serenity and beauty. We fell deeply in love with this hotel and, genuinely, didn’t want to leave this paradise!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arya Arkananta Resort & Spa

Ubud

The hotel is amazing!! When you first get to the parking lot, a golf cart will pick you up and take you to the hotel, which is just about a 5-minute ride. The hotel is set right in the middle of rice fields, making it feel really authentic. We stayed in a bungalow-style room located by the pool which was clean and spacious. All the staff were super welcoming and friendly and the food at the restaurant was incredible!! We were very lucky to have a massage in the spa, a little treat from our travel agent. It was very nice!!

Authenticity & Character

The hotel has a lot of character because of its location, and it’s really nicely decorated and well maintained.

Location

Hotel located in the middle of rice fields. Great location as not far from Ubud town centre

Staff

Staff were very welcoming and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean hotel

Wisma Leuser Sibayak

Bukit Lawang

Good accommodation! Basic rooms with everything you need before going on the jungle trip. Food in the restaurant was great and the staff were friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Experience Snorkeling in Menjangan

Pemuteran, Bali

This was genuinely the most incredible snorkeling experience we've ever had! We stopped twice to explore the vibrant underwater spots around the island of Menjangan—each more breathtaking than the last—before sharing a delicious lunch on the island itself. The fish and coral were so bursting with colour and life that it took our breath away; we even had the chance to spot a turtle! It was truly unforgettable and absolutely stunning. One of our guides had a GoPro, capturing our underwater moments in videos and photos, which we were so grateful to be able to purchase afterward. We higly recommend this trip—an adventure that will stay with us forever!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Family Rafting Adventure on the Ayung River

Ubud, Bali

Thrilling experience! The scenery down the river was beautiful! Our guide who took us on this trip was very welcoming, friendly and funny!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trek Leuser Park (overnight in tent) day 1

Bukit Lawang, North Sumatra

What an unforgettable experience!! We had the most wonderful time ever! Witnessing orangutans in their natural habitat was truly breathtaking! Our guides for the two-day trek were incredibly funny and made the whole experience so much fun. They thoughtfully provided us with food during the day and genuinely looked after us, throughout every step. After five hours of trekking, we finally arrived at the jungle camp, where we were warmly greeted by our amazing guide Windy. She was absolutely incredible, helping us settle in for the night. The evening meal was absolutely delicious and filled us with joy!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Planning our trip with KimKim was quite easy. Louis was flexible in our requests for changes and provided prompt responses. We requested specific luxury hotels and he was able to provide feedback or suggestions on the hotels we asked or provided better options. We also had to move our trip by a week and that was accommodated well. We did 10 says total which is too short as we went to 6 cities starting and ending in Casablanca and included the Sahara desert overnight tour. Next time we would definitely space it out more.

We opted to have a driver and travel by car the entire trip rather than flying. Our driver Said was incredibly attentive, thoughtful and we thoroughly enjoyed his company. He provided a lot of suggestions and also was a tour guide for us when we didn’t have a hired tour guide for the driving part of our tour. He found and suggested some excellent restaurants during the road trips as well. Said was also available to us 24/7 to take us to places that we had booked separately from KimKim.

Overall we would book again with KimKim and would request Said as the driver.

Activity Review

Hammam Visit: Traditional Body Scrub

Morocco

I don’t remember place we were taken to but it was not traditional as we didn’t get to see any of the baths. We only got the scrub and it was so rushed.

Quality of Experience

Aleksandra was a wonderful guide, always responsive and flexible. She helped us with everything and was always available during the trip for any last minute changes.

Lucy went above and beyond to ensure we got everything we wanted for our trip.

We recently returned from a 10-day family trip to Greece for my husband and I and our 4 kids and we could not have been happier with the service provided by Angela, our travel agent.

From the very beginning, her communication was absolutely incredible. She responded quickly to every question—often even out of hours and on weekends—which gave us so much confidence and peace of mind during the planning process.

Every detail of our trip was perfectly coordinated. The drivers communicated seamlessly with the boat drivers and other transfers, making everything flow effortlessly and allowing us to truly relax knowing all logistics were taken care of. There was only one very minor change to our itinerary (due to ferry time changing), and Angela not only notified us immediately but had already taken care of coordinating with the drivers so there was no stress on our end.

Her accommodation choices were spot on—very comfortable, well-located, quite luxurious and perfect for our family. The activities she suggested were equally fantastic, giving us a great mix of culture, relaxation, and fun.

What stood out most was Angela’s dedication. Nothing was ever too much trouble for her, and she went above and beyond to make sure our experience was smooth and enjoyable from start to finish.

Overall, we highly recommend Angela. She is truly wonderful and made our trip unforgettable.

Noga and Nick were both really easy to work with and so helpful. The trip was great and exhausting on 4 old ladies but we had a great time and the weather couldn't have been better. After our terrific late afternoon zodiac tour looked for a restaurant and the closest one we went to was already booked and weren't taking any more reservations. We did not get into a town that had any restaurant and the only gas station had closed their restaurant at 8pm. We arrived just after that time. On the next day we were 20 km from our hotel and we had no idea if it had dinner service so we found a place in town to eat, which was really nice, as we didn't want to take the chance of not having service and driving back to town and possibly missing a nice meal again. As it turned out when we got to the hotel, it did have dinner service.

The only recommendation is to ensure travelers where restaurants are and their hours. The hotels were very nice, especially the Landhotel.

Joao and team provided an exceptional service for our family trip to Portugal. Having someone with local knowledge helped us find great hotels and tours. We were pampered with airport transfers, private walking tours in Lisbon and Porto, wine tasting in Duoro region, hiking in the mountains with a guide who shared with us pumpkin jam made by his Mom with local bread and cheese. While using drivers for Lisbon, Porto and Duoro we rented a car to travel to the mountains and Algarve and Portugal roadways are easy to drive. Our time in the Algarve was our highlight, kayaking, hiking and swimming. We finished off with two relaxing days in Cascais where pool time was a perfect end. Joao and team checked in daily to let us know timing for our next day which was lovely as I didn’t need to think about these details. Their support in planning our trip as we tweaked and changed activities, dates etc was fantastic and took away tons of hours of internet research and gave us the confidence in what we were booking. And they did all the booking. Truly exceptional service and local knowledge. I would recommend Across Portugal to anyone planning to visit Portugal.

Hotel Reviews

Pousada da Serra da Estrela - Historic Hotel

Covilha

Cool location up the mountain. Restaurant was ok, but not great. We found a pub 5 mins up the hill further that had more atmosphere and good food for our second night.

Authenticity & Character

Interesting history.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Montebelo Lisbon Downtown Apartments

Lisboa

Great location to central historic district of Lisbon. Nice 2 bedroom unit. Self check in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Self check in, so only connection with staff was through What’s App.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vila Galé Cascais

Cascais

A little dated. Very family friendly.

Authenticity & Character

While situated adjacent to historic buildings, this is more of a standard hotel and is dated.

Location

Close to the coast, and the Inferno. About 15 mins walk to town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Condes de Azevedo Palace

Porto

Wow. We walked into our two bedroom suite and we couldn’t believe how nice. Great location for sightseeing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great access to sightseeing historic sights and river front.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Small Group Kayaking to Ponta da Piedade Grottoes

Portugal

Great trip….small kayak tour…it was just the four of us. Lovely coastline to explore and helpful guides.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

Driver was knowledgeable. We learned about cork trees!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Indulge in Elegance on a Guided Winery Tour Infused with Tastings and a Delicious Lunch

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hike & Bite with Peaks & Paths

Serra da Estrela Nature Park

Local guide shared with us locally made products including his Mom’s pumpkin jam. Our hike was adjusted due to wild fire risk that closed the National Park. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna and trails we did at the peak.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Great way to see the highlights of the city and go back to spend more time inside. Incredible knowledge of the city and history. The train station is beautiful and tells such a story.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

Be ready to walk with Claudia. We did almost 20,000 steps thru short cuts that only a local would know. Lots of historical knowledge and a wonderful private wine tasting and charcuterie at the end.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Portugal

Very neat experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Due to wild fire risk Sintra palace was closed and our driver was hesitant due to traffic to travel into the village. We were a bit disappointed in hindsight. Lovely lunch restaurant recomendation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lots of personal recommendations and history to share.

Transport

Gummi planned a wonderful trip for me and my partner to Iceland! The schedule hit the major sites around the Ring Road without feeling too crowded or busy. Gummi's daily insights guided us to the best spots in each location. He selected great hotels, and it was awesome to have detailed driving directions for every day (particularly when the names are difficult for non-Icelanders!). We also really appreciated having restaurant recommendations for each stop.

There is such great comfort with a service like KimKim. When there was a minor snafu and I sent Gummi a WhatsApp message after 10pm, he immediately called me and handled it with the hotel clerk (in rapid-fire Icelandic!).

Overall, if you're thinking of visiting Iceland, you want Gummi directing your travels!!

Hotel Reviews

Hótel Grímsborgir by Keahotels

Ásborgir

This was a good spot for Golden Circle adventuring. The room was very nice, and great hot tub!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Stykkishólmur

Stykkishólmur

Nice enough hotel, but a bit generic. Easy to walk to spots in the cute town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sigló Hótel by Keahotels

Siglufjörður

Very charming location, nice rooms (the window seat was particularly lovely).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Berjaya Hotel Mývatn

Mývatn

This hotel had great character, and I loved the hot tub!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshótel Vatnajökull

Höfn

The hotel was nice, but very tiny rooms, and the location was a bit far away from town without good reason.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Magma Hotel

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

I loved this hotel! The setting was beautiful, and the cabins were particularly lovely. Great dinner, too.

Authenticity & Character

I loved the small detached cabins.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

CenterHotel Plaza

Reykjavík

This hotel was in a great location and an easy resting place for a stay in Reykajvik. The rooms are on the small side, but with everything you might need.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located and easy to get to everything within a short walk.

Staff

We forgot a pair of sunglasses, and they kept them safe until we returned a week later.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Silfra Snorkeling Adventure

Golden Circle

This was a very cool (and very cold!) activity! The tour operator was first-rate, making sure we were properly kitted out. Seeing the crystal clear water was a wonderful and unique experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Icelandic Food Walk

Reykjavík

I loved this tour -- great food (including some off-the-beaten path options) and a lovely chance to meet other travelers.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Horse Riding on Black Sand Beach

Iceland

The horses were lovely, but this wasn't the most exciting outing -- just walking in a straight line to the nearby beach. There isn't much scenery on this path different from anything you could easily see on your own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guides were all friendly and welcoming.

We enjoyed an adventurous and memorable family trip to Bosnia, Montenegro, and Croatia. Nikola did a great job crafting and arranging an exciting itinerary, and providing excellent support during the week of our trip!

We made it home from an amazing adventure. Thank you so much for all the work you did in planning our trip! It truly was exceptional. I'll leave a review too, but quickly, we had many highlights.

First was for sure the stay in Aurland at the Wangen Apartments. The view was spectacular (we had a full double rainbow end-to-end just outside our window the first morning!!), the sauna and swim was incredible, and the zipline/bike ride through Flam was so adventurous and fun!! I highly suggest you put the Kest Tasting at the Hotel Aurlandfjords on your radar. It was by far and beyond one of the best tasting experiences we've ever had - Norway and beyond (including the seafood one at the end of our trip, which was also delightful).

We really enjoyed the cider tasting at the apple farm in Balestrand. Definitely keep that on your to-do list for folks. If I had known earlier that they also were a restaurant I would have definitely gone back again. The food-pairing with the ciders was so good!! And it was one of the 2 sunny days we had while we were in Norway, so it was nice to hike around the orchard with the fjord views in the blue sky background. The glacier trip was worth it, but unfortunately the guide was the absolute worst one we have ever experienced in our years of travel! haha, he was an American and seemed basically annoyed the whole time that he even had to be hanging out with tourists. But that didn't stop our good time. The Hotel was nice in the lobby areas and dining room. Our bedroom was clean, but definitely not the feel of the older part of the hotel.

We loved Bergen! We aren't city folk, but did enjoy the quaintness of it. Hotel was a good location for getting around. We went up the funicular twice to hike around up there. Kayaking in the north sea was dreamy, the guide lovely. It did say in the notes that we'd have lunch on an island, but that wasn't the case. It was after we returned at the base camp. But that was just fine with us. The trip to Rosendal was nice except for that it was Sunday and all the shops were closed. But that didn't matter because we took the waterfall hike and it was the 2nd sunny day of the trip so we savored the outdoor time in the sunshine! It was lovely!

You are correct, we did have a snafu on the departure day. The driver wasn't there as stated at 8:30am, and we were there 10-min early. There was no contact information for me to reach out, and I hadn't heard anything from them, so we just grabbed a cab. Thanks for the refund!

Overall it was a lovely trip! This is the first time we've not rented a car or a campervan, so that took some adjusting to. I know that Norway lends itself to transport without a car, but we often times felt like we were a little stuck in the tourist spots and couldn't enjoy all the hikes you gave us recommendation for because we would have needed a car to get to them.

Thanks again! We will keep KimKim in mind for future travel.

If you’re looking for an incredible trip, we can’t reccomend Kimkim enough! This was our first time using a travel planner, and it was the best decision we have ever made. We booked a 10 day Scotland honeymoon, and Salome took care of Eid everything. From thoughtful notes and upgrades, to taking the time to listen to exactly what experiences would make our time away perfect, to being available while we were away, we couldn’t not be more pleased. We will definitely be repeat customers!

Hotel Reviews

Angel's Share Hotel

New Town, Edinburgh

This hotel felt so upscale in downtown Edinburgh! We loved the chemex coffee in the room, the high ceilings, comfortable bed, and the restaurant downstairs was so lovely!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lawriestone Guest House

Fort William

This was one of our all time favourite places to stay on our holiday. The view from the chairs in our room will forever live in our memories as one of our favorite spots in Scotland. Our hosts were so friendly and had great recommendations of places to visit and a great hike. We cannot recommend this guest house strongly enough!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Bosville Hotel

Portree

The food was absolutely incredible- location was perfect, and our accommodations were great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Druid House B & B

Inverness

Our accommodations were amazing!! We loved the space, the big beautiful room and bathroom, and our host was so thoughtful! The on site massage was a lovely added touch!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cairngorm Hotel

Aviemore

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leonardo City Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Excellent accommodations, attentive staff, delicious breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cruise across the Loch Ness including a Visit to Urquhart Castle

Scotland

We loved the boat ride, the guide and information about the loch, and the time on the shore exploring the castle is highly recommended!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Rothiemurchus by Horseback Trek

Aviemore

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thank you to Kadri & Fenne for helping me plan & book our exquisite girls’ trip to Norway! From the recommended adventures (glacier kayaking, RIB tour of the Finnabotn Fjord, & Loen Skylift) to our drives to the Vøringsfossen waterfall, Lovatnet, the Jostedalsbreen National Park, the Kjenndal Glacier & the Borgund Stave Church, our trip was full of water, mountains, waterfalls, skinny roads, roundabouts, more tunnels than I’ve ever seen in my life, & absolute beauty. Kimkim was extremely responsive for any questions we had along the way, guiding us when we got confused & ensuring we had all of the information we needed. The team ensured we had a memorable trip in a land foreign to us, guiding us (as requested) off the beaten path into the backroads & beauty of Norway. I highly recommend using KimKim for your travel needs, & I will be using them again in the future - 10/10!!

Activity Reviews

Loen Skylift (round trip tickets included)

Loen

The Loen Skylift did not disappoint. The views at the top are amazing!

Quality of Experience

A fun trip up & down!

Transport

Felt safe the entire ride.

Finnafjord Safari by RIB

Balestrand

The RIB tour was awesome! We went to the Finnabotn Fjord to experience quiet solitude in nature. It was beautiful, & the boat ride was fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lars was a great tour guide - very friendly & knowledgeable.

Transport

The boat ride was fun!

Glacier Kayaking Excursion

Norway

This was an amazing experience! Our tour guides, Maria & Jens, were excellent in teaching us the proper way to kayak & guiding us to the glacier for lunch & viewing. It was a very fun day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Maria & Jens were fun guides!

Transport

We drove ourselves, following Jens & Maria in their car.

We all loved our trip to Norway, it was fun and full of adventures. Our hotels were very comfortable and in great locations. Food was very good. I was also surprised how clean and comfortable mountain huts were.
I will definitely recommend you to all my friends who are planning to go to Norway.
Best of luck, Irina

Activity Review

Romsdalsstigen Via Ferrata - Intro wall

Åndalsnes

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Another amazing trip using KimKim we had a fun filled adventure I recommend kimkim for any trip their personal touch to detail and times is suberb. Always readily available to answer any question or issues before during and after our trip. Jane worked timelessly with Kathleen to make this trip excellent her colleagues helped us during the trip with questions Kim Kim with always be my number one choice to use on any future trips thank you to all and especially to Jane for a memorable experience

Hotel Reviews

Castle Hotel

Dublin

Rooms were perfect for a large group

Authenticity & Character

Very clean and detail of authenticity

Location

Walkable to all areas of Dublin

Staff

Staff was very helpful and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfectly clean

Clontarf Castle Hotel

Dublin 3

Although our time at clontarf was short it was beautiful

Authenticity & Character

Had the character original castle with details of authenticity perfect stay

Location

Location was out of the hustle bustle of Dublin was nice

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fraser House Inverness

Inverness

This was my personal highlight stop of our trip beautiful area amazing home beyond my dreams

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful charm authentic bed and breakfast charming home

Location

Inverness riverfront beautiful area walking dustanxe to shopping eating and old charm church’s historic areas

Staff

Leila I can’t say enough her hospitality and friendliness always so helpful I for sure will be coming back to enjoy such a peaceful area

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were beautifully arrangedd and comfortable newly renovated and such detail to charm and decor spotless clean

Royal Scots Club

Edinburgh

Beautiful loved the detail throughout the hotel all staff was pleasant and extremely helpful the rooms were spotless

Authenticity & Character

Lovely the character and detail to keeping with the hotels old charm

Location

Perfect location

Staff

Always pleasant and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was amazing it was clean and comfortable and perfectly setup

Activity Reviews

Night out at the Merry Ploughboy + Transport, show and a meal

Dublin

Loved the everything about this night food staff singers and dancers so much fun

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guinness & Jameson Irish Experience Tour

Dublin

Funnnnnnn!!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blarney Castle, Rock of Cashel & Cork Tour from Dublin

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cliff of Moher tour from Dublin

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Transport

Dublin: Afternoon Tea Vintage Bus Trip

Dublin

Loved this tour so unique and absolutely fun

Quality of Experience

Food was great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Perfect and fun

Transport

Such a cute ride

Dublin Private Walking Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day out on the Jacobite Train (of Harry Potter fame)

Scotland

It was a great tour only part that was not desirable was the train ride a lot of hype anout Harry Potter but was just a steam train ride on an oppressive hot day and the train had no windows that opened it was very hot

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Isle of Skye & Eilean Donan Castle

Inverness

Besutiful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was fun and knowledge

Transport

Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Tour

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

It was great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thank you to Kateryna who scheduled a wonderful vacation for my family (all 7 of us)! We spent 5 nights in London and 2 nights in Paris.

» Day 1 - We flew from NY JFK to Heathrow on an overnight flight. Sleeping on the plane helped us feel a little refreshed, but it takes a few days to become totally adjusted. There was a car service set up to take us directly from the airport to the hotel. We dropped our luggage at the NYX hotel (check-in isn't until 3) and then set out on a 3 hour private Black Cab tour. We needed two cars because of our group size. Our guides Lee & Matt were knowledgeable, entertaining, and hilarious. They have a preset tour that they do, but were super flexible and took us to Abbey Road because I'm a huge Beatles fan. Everyone loved the tour! After the tour, we were dropped off at the Borough Market where we got some of London's famous Strawberries and Chocolate cups. Then we walked about 35 minutes to the London Eye to finish off our day.

FYI - The NYX hotel is in the Holborn district of North West of London, a beautiful area. Also, throughout our trip, we tipped about 10 pounds per hour for our tour guides, which they very much appreciated.

» Day 2 - We did a Royal London two hour walking tour beginning at 10am with our guide Delianne. This included seeing the changing of the guard, Buckingham Palace, St. James’s Palace, Clarence House and the Green Park. Delianne is an expert in royal history and shares great stories about the rituals of the British monarchy.

In the afternoon we visited Westminster Abbey, a historic Gothic church in London, famed for hosting British coronations, royal weddings, and burials since 1066. It houses the tombs of monarchs like Elizabeth I and Edward the Confessor, memorials to literary giants such as Shakespeare and Dickens in Poets’ Corner, and the Coronation Chair used in every royal crowning since 1308.

» Day 3 - We took day 3 as a free day and split up to do different things. In the morning, some of us went to do a tour of Tottenham stadium while others visited Kensington Palace. Both groups had a great time and you couldn't go wrong with either choice.
In the afternoon we spent a few hours at the Churchill War Museums. If you love history and all things WWII, this is a must see.
FYI - Uber and cabs can get you everywhere you want to go, but the London Tube/subway was super easy to use and I definitely recommend using this transportation at least a few times.

» Day 4 - We went to the Tower of London, a historic citadel and castle. The Tower was originally a fortress that has served as a royal palace, prison, treasury, and is the current home to the Crown Jewels. We all absolutely loved the Beefeater-led tour!
FYI - Our Beefeater was named Andy Murray (just like the British tennis star).

After the Tower, it was off to see the state rooms at Buckingham palace.
FYI - There are 775 rooms in the palace, but you'll only get to see less than 20 state rooms. The most impressive part of the visit was the grand staircase.

We then set out for a 3 hour Cruise with dinner on the river Thames. Dinner was delicious, and the nighttime views of London from the Thames were absolutely breathtaking.

» Day 5 - We had a private driver take us about an hour away to the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio. My family are huge Harry Potter fans, and they loved seeing the behind the scenes tour and the original film stages. We spent 5 hours there in the studio. This is a must stop if you're a Potter fan!

» Day 6 - We took the Eurostar train from London to Paris, France. A driver took us from the train station to our Paris hotel, Les Jardins d'Eiffel where we dropped off our luggage (check-in is at 2pm) and walked the 10 minutes over to the Eiffel tower. The hotel location was phenomenal, in a beautiful neighborhood with tons of restaurant options, beautiful Parisian cafes, and plenty of gift shops.

We thought London was great, but Paris (IMHO) was far more beautiful.

FYI - Even though we don't speak any French, we never had any communication problems anywhere. Everyone we spoke with could speak very good English, especially in this area.

We had nighttime Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets and loved going to the top which gave us great picture opportunities and a sunset view of Paris. As an added bonus, don't miss the Eiffel Tower sparkle!

» Day 7 - We did a 2.5 hour private Louvre Museum visit and our tour guide Pat was our favorite guide of all! She brings you through the museum at a perfect pace and we saw so many beautiful famous works of art, including selfies directly in front of the Mona Lisa!!

After the Louvre, we walked around neighborhoods, had dinner, and relaxed before our early morning commute back to the airport.

FYI - You can tap to pay for just about everything both in England and France, but plan on having English Pounds and French Euros for tipping.

In summary, this trip gave us memories we’ll cherish forever—from laughing with our guides to watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle at sunset. Traveling with family can be chaotic, but this journey was pure magic. KimKim planned a beautiful fulfilling vacation for my family, and I'd highly recommend them.

wonderful 8 day vacation for my family!

We had the best trip planned with KimKim. I had an idea for what my itinerary would look like and they executed these plans perfectly. They were flexible with as much or as little involvement in certain parts of our trip. We worked with Caroline who was so responsive. Our driver was Nyoman who was so patient and helpful always. And our guide was Putu, he was so helpful as well and was so informative, it was great to just have someone follow rather than figuring it out on your own. Especially with 5 children and an elderly mother. We would definitely use KimKim again.

We had an amazing time on our trip to Indonesia. Loved the sights and our hotel properties. The guides and drivers went out of their way to help make the trip special. They were especially helpful when seeing the major sights such as waterfalls, hiking and temples. If I had one aspect that I would have changed it would have been getting and paying for larger transportation. We were 4 healthy Americans with a good amount of luggage so the car was very tight for us. Many of the days included long drives.

Hotel Reviews

Puri Santrian

Denpasar

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arkamara Dijiwa Ubud

Bali

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Plataran Bromo

Wonokitri

This was an exceptional property and a wonderful staff. Loved all aspects.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Artha Cottages Tumpak Sewu

Lumajang

The breakfast was a bit weak but satisfactory

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta - MGallery Collection

YOGYAKARTA

Wonderful property.

Rimba Orangutan Eco Lodge

Kumai, Pangkalan Bun

Considering where we were out in the jungle, having air-conditioning and a warm shower was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jakarta Airport Hotel

Jakarta

Finding the hotel upon arrival was a bit difficult but it was convenient being in the airport for next mornings early flight.

Activity Reviews

Travel from Ubud to Sanur via Sukawati Market

Indonesia

Enjoyed the market. The traffic in Bali is just crazy and time consuming.

Canoe & Trekking at Bratan Lake

Indonesia

This was a great day with an amazing local guide. Loved being on the lake and also seeing the local area where the vegetables are grown and the jungle area.

Experience Taman Beji Griya - Purification Ritual

Indonesia

Beautiful cave and waterfall and ritual experience.

Sunrise Trek to Mount Bromo

Mount Bromo, East Java

Both the sunrise and hike to the top of Mt Bromo were exceptional experiences. An amazing site.

Visit Tumpak Sewu (overnight Artha Cottage)

Indonesia

I did not go into the falls as I did not feel that I would be physically able to handle it. My husband did the falls. He loved the experience but said that it was quite challenging.

Visit Borobudur Temple

Yogyakarta

Exceptional site.

Candi Rejo village tour with horse cart

Yogyakarta

Enjoyed the time around the village and seeing the farming.

Visit Prambanan Temple and see Ramayana Show

Yogyakarta

Exception sites

Cycling Tour at Plaosan & Prambanan Temple Area (morning program)

Yogyakarta

Amazing sites. Loved riding through the village. Great experience seeing the locally grown fruit.

Borneo: Rimba Lodge – Kumai – Airport

Pangkalan Bun

Borneo: Rimba Lodge – Pondok Tanggui – Camp Leakey – Rimba Lodge

Pangkalan Bun

Just loved seeing the the monkeys and orangutans. Time on the boat on the river was great.

Borneo: Airport – Kumai – Proboscis Tour – Rimba Lodge

Pangkalan Bun

Loved being on the boat during the day and using the hotel at night. The whole experience was over the top.

Our trip to the Galápagos was truly unforgettable, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. From the very beginning, Tamer and our local contact, Ariel, went above and beyond to make sure every detail was perfect. Traveling with a 12-month-old daughter could have been challenging, but they personalized the trip in such thoughtful ways that we always felt comfortable, supported, and able to enjoy ourselves fully.

The islands themselves are breathtaking—spectacular views, dramatic landscapes, and incredible wildlife everywhere you look. The activities were seamlessly organized and offered just the right balance of adventure and relaxation. Snorkeling was a highlight, with crystal-clear waters and amazing marine life, while the hike up Sierra Negra was an awe-inspiring experience we’ll never forget.

Thanks to the care and professionalism of the team, we were able to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime trip without stress. I would highly recommend both Kimkim and this wonderful team to anyone considering the Galápagos.

Trip was amazing and Melanie did a great job putting everything together. We did have an issue where our driver didn’t show up, and we didn’t have tickets to one of the gardens, but the KimKim team handled the issues quickly and issued refunds immediately. The trip was perfect and everything we could have wished for our honeymoon! Will definitely use KimKim again.

Thanks to Tiago, and the kimkim concept, we had one of the most memorable, and incredibly immersive trip to Portugal. Tiago, with his patience, client centric and client driven approach, planned a superb trip of 15 people with a mixture of foodies, adventure junkies, relaxers, adults and teenagers. No one felt that their desires and needs weren't met by the trip and everyone relaxed, enjoyed, and got to experience a wide spectrum of activities.
The hotels that Tiago recommended were spectacular with tremendous service. It is the service that is unobtrusive, but the staff was ready to service your needs, even before you knew you had a need. The hotel in Douro was particularly impressive. Tiago also organized a private wine tasting in Douro along with a picnic. We thought the picnic would be few snacks - but this was something straight out of a luxury travel magazine. The table was set on a beautiful shaded perch overlooking the Douro valley with mist blowing to cool us down. A selection of wines, juice, water along with a large spread of healthy and fresh food and desserts. Tiago and the winery even had laid out blankets and pillows under a tree for us to relax after lunch. Simply amazing.
Similarly in Porto, Tiago had arranged a food tour that was out of this world with a great guide in Ricardo. The tour was such a hit that everyone in the group has now decided that no matter where they travel, they will always do a local food tour.
Throughout the planning, which took a better part of 6 months, Tiago was patient, accommodating to our wishes and changes, provided us input when felt it was needed, but never rushed us or pushed us any agenda.

This is our third time we have used Kimkim and as an initial skeptic I am now a total convert.

Thank you,

Hotel Reviews

The Albatroz Hotel

Cascais

Fabulous location, great staff, unbelievable breakfast, rooms with character and good local touches.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Infante Sagres

Porto

Hotel was great as a property, but after coming from Albatroz and Torel in Douro, the service was a let down. We could not get our rooms till 630 because someone was using our room and the hotel not once apologized and acted as if this shouldn't be an issue. Breakfast was "meh" and staff was not at all attentive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Torel Quinta da Vacaria - Douro Valley

Peso da Régua, Vila Real District

Simply Amazing!! No words would fully describe the amazing property, the simply fabulous staff, and the service that is beyond exceptional, but never intrusive. Your needs are answered and met, always positively, even before you know you have a need.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Portuguese Cooking Lesson - OPTIONAL (not included in the price)

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Picnic and Wine Estate Visit in the Douro Valley

Douro Valley

This was an experience so good that I'd rather not tell anyone about it so this doesn't become what everyone wants and the special, unique and luxury nature goes away.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Tour - OPTIONAL (not included in the price)

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy Dinner with Live Fado Music

Lisbon

Good to have the experience but its too long, and can get tiring if you had a long day already. Food was not at all impressive.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Cruise of Lisbon

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Azulejo Tile Workshop

Lisbon

Just know that this takes time so plan the day accordingly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport