Kimkim Trip Reviews

We loved our 10 day Honeymoon in Argentina! Matias did an excellent job scheduling everything including local car transfers, daily activities, meals and domestic flights. We loved having everything laid out for us ahead of the trip. Knowing that we didn't have to think about how to get a cab from the airports to the hotels or from hotels to activities was such a relief. We are so happy that we let Matias handle everything. All we had to do was show up at different times to meet waiting drivers and guides!

Hotel Reviews

Alma Del Lago Suites & Spa

San Carlos de Bariloche

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Entre Cielos Wine & Wellness Hotel

Vistalba

Entre Cielos is worth every dollar! This is truly a resort. We absolutely loved Entre Cielos and everything it had to offer, including the hamam spa. We wish we had stayed here longer. We stayed in one of the vineyard lofts (Pistachio). Waking up looking out into the vineyard and the mountains was amazing. The amenities and other offerings at this hotel were 5-star!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Madero

Buenos Aires

Nice hotel. Most of the people staying here seemed to be business travelers. We enjoyed the proximity to La Boca and Mercado de San Telmo. Hotel breakfast was decent, nothing too fancy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cooking Class: touring four regions of Argentina (with dinner)

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly Fishing Day

Bariloche

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Andes Trail & Kayak Campestre Style

Bariloche

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome Hike & Mate Tasting

Bariloche

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding at Quebrada Del Condor

Mendoza

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Biking the Vineyards

Mendoza

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Two Milongas

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Biking Buenos Aires: The Ultimate city tour

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Asado Dinner at El Fogón

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Angel did a great job of both agreeing an exciting itinerary with us, planning all the details and then communicating with us while we were on the holiday. The highlight was all the details around our visit to Torres de Paine - where he was able to plan ice trekking, boat trip, night in a refuge followed by night in a high end hotel with the iconic hike to the base of Torres de Paine at the end. It all went super smoothly as he had made sure we had good guides, had planned the time well and ensured it had the right level of adventure and comfort for us.

We also got a good mixture of time to explore on our own and planned activities, and he'd planned our bike tour around Lake LLanquihui well to be at the right effort level! Whenever we had questions or issues he was super quick to respond and was always knowledgeable and helpful.

We had a wonderful time on our 2 week tour through Vietnam. It was a well organized and thought out itinerary, with attention paid to our family dynamics (traveling with 2 young children). Trang was excellent at communicating with us, both before the trip and throughout our time in Vietnam, checking in with us via Whatsapp. She was also really helpful in arranging for luggage storage for our family (we were leaving an international post of 10 months, to return to the US, so we had lots of luggage!)

While Trang connected us with knowledgable guides at each spot, we had an exceptional time with Dat, in Central Vietnam. Some of our highlights from the trip included the day excursion from the cruise in Lan Ha Bay, exploring Hoi An and the coconut boats and relaxing at the beach in Mui Ne.

The good: entire trip was pre-planned so we literally just had to get ourselves to the airport. But from landing in Rome to leaving Rome 11 days later everything was taken care if.

If you have questions, or a driver is late, whatever, the person helping you via the app was super fast and responsive. Very white glove. For us, Rita was on point.

The highlights of our trip were a guided walking tour of Florence, which was simply amazing. I don’t remember our guides name, but she understood architecture and art and made the three hours absolutely fascinating. The other highlight was our cooking class in Rome, which was an absolute blast.

The less good: we were planning a day trip to the Amalfi coast. They said it was about an eight hour day. But the night before, luckily, we looked at maps and realized the drive from Rome to Amalfi was three hours and 15 minutes or more. So given that we were going to be in the car for approximately seven hours, we weren’t sure how it was going to be an eight hour day. When we contacted them, they said oh yeah actually it’s a 12 hour day. And of those 12 hours, yes we’re gonna be in the car 7 to 8 hours driving to and from Amalfi and then around the area once we’re there. We were just not psyched about spending that much time in a car and we’re disappointed that the trip was so misrepresented. They did change it for us so that we could do something else around Rome that day. We basically had a car that took us to some of the local villages outside of Rome and that was pretty fun. But it was certainly a lot cheaper than the 12 hour day to Amalfi coast and yet they didn’t offer to rebate us any money. So that experience was disappointing.

The other less good… we had a day trip to sienna from Florence. And why we loved Sienna, and our driver was lovely, it turns out that he was only a driver who dropped us off in Siena and we were on our own. We sort of thought that he would drive us to sienna and then take us around. Sienna. And because we misunderstood that we sort of got to sienna and didn’t really know what to do. Because we didn’t do any research we thought we didn’t have to. Again, the driver was lovely, but it was just sort of a strange misunderstanding.

The final less good…the cost. Look if you’re insanely wealthy and don’t care then don’t read this paragraph. But we spent quite a bit of money to hire Kim Kim, and in the end felt like we received a lot of drivers and several guided tours that we probably could’ve booked ourselves. And like I said when we changed our 12 hour Amalfi excursion to an eight hour excursion just around Rome they didn’t refund us any money.

So overall sort of a mixed bag for us. Not sorry we hired Kim Kim, but also not sure we would do it again. Lastly, I would like to thank everyone from Kim Kim, who was so lovely in dealing with us. They were very, very nice.

Everything was amazing!
Liz Karen was extremely responsive to our desires and changing needs and put together a wonderful itinerary which worked without a glitch!

Adam listened to what we were looking for and created a great itinerary for us. Loved the fact that he created Google maps itineraries for each day, that made our road tripping so much easier and was such a thoughtful detail. Furthermore he made great suggestions in case we wanted to do more than what had been aalloyed for each day- some of those ended up being extraordinary experiences which we loved. Our trip was beyond delightful, the activities selected and even the hikes he managed to sneak in (it’s late November and quite cold) were extraordinary. Hotels were great as well and were within our budget.
This is my 3rd trip with Kim Kim and I am definitely a fan! Will be consulting them for my next trip without a doubt.

Nhung helped us create an awesome itinerary for Vietnam and Thailand. It was 17 days, all private tours/transportation, concluding with a week on the beach in Phuket. Arrangements and logistics were flawless and went without a hitch.

I can highly recommend KimKim for a custom itinerary, based on your unique interests. You won’t regret it.

Hotel Reviews

Eleven Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 11

Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Paradise Elegance Cruise

Very comfortable room, and comfortable beds!!

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Acoustic Hotel & Spa

Hanoi

The rooms are very small. Aside from that, a lovely hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mekong Lodge

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eden Star Hotel & Spa

Ho Chi Minh City

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bangkok – Damnoen Saduak Floating Market – Jim Thompson House Museum – Bangkok

Bangkok

It was fun to go to the markets. However, Our tour guide at the gym Thompsen house spoke with a soft voice, and was it very difficult to understand. Because of this, I found it to be mostly somewhat boring.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Halong Bay, Overnight on Cruise

Vietnam

This was a very well organized cruise. There were plenty of things to see, and the time on the ship was maximized. Food was Varied and the staff was excellent.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Hanoi

Going through the local market was very interesting. And the egg coffee was a nice experience.

Quality of Experience

Lo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ho Chi Minh - Flight to Hanoi (without tour guide)

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cai Be visit - Ho Chi Minh City

Cai Be

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cu Chi Tunnels and Ho Chi Minh City Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta, Explore Ben Tre - Transfer to Cai Be

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip itinerary was well suited to our preferences, interests and needs. Tina did a fantastic job with selecting tours, sights and experiences that highlighted all Thailand has to offer. Our tour guides were knowledgeable and helpful. Mui was excellent. Hong by Starlight was an exceptional experience. Truly memorable.
The accommodations were stellar. Great locations, clean, and delicious breakfasts.
Tina was quick to respond to my questions and maintained strong communication leading up to and during our vacation, We had one minor situation arise. Tina resolved the issue quickly and without incident. I was thankful for her prompt attentiveness. I would absolutely book through KimKim again, and recommend Tina!

Erin and Nara were fabulous to work with in planning our trip to Patagonia. We found them very organized and quick to respond to any requests or questions. They provided us with a complete itinerary with every detail spelled out. We had an unforgettable experience hiking the W trek. Without their expertise and guidance I’m not sure how successful and enjoyable the trip would have been. We are KimKim fans we used them last year for a Spain/ Portugal trip also. We will definitely use their services again.

Hotel Reviews

Refugio Paine Grande

Puerto Natales, Chile

This is the biggest and busiest Refugio we stayed in. The dining room is large and can easily accommodate more people. Loved the bar area and ability to order a beer and pizza after a very long day of hiking.

Authenticity & Character

Fun Refugio. Lots of energy.

Location

Great location to spend our last night and hike to Grey Glacier to finish our trek.

Staff

Everyone was super friendly especially front desk staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean rooms and bathrooms.

Cabaña Los Cuernos

Puerto Natales

We stayed in the cabanas. They were very nice with two twin beds, great views of the night sky, pretty waterfall nearby.

Authenticity & Character

Fun Refugio vibe. Smaller group of people staying there.

Location

Great place to spend 2 nd night on W trek.

Staff

Friendly staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms and bathrooms were very clean.

Refugio Torre Central

Parque Nacional Torres del Paine Pedro Montt

This was our first experience in a true Refugio. What a great vibe and place to spend the night.

Authenticity & Character

True Refugio experience with shared bunk rooms and dining. Great place to meet other hikers.

Location

Perfect location to start W trek.

Staff

Everyone was friendly and attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean bunk rooms, bathrooms, and dining areas.

Hotel Costaustralis

Puerto Natales

Excellent hotel for a stay in Porto Natales. The location is perfect for exploring town on foot. The view from the front of hotel is beautiful. The staff and breakfast buffet were fabulous. Because it is located on a busy street it can be a bit noisy. The rooms facing the road have the best views but if noise is a concern, ask for a room not facing the road.

Authenticity & Character

Charming lobby and seating areas.

Location

Central location for walking around town.

Staff

Staff was very efficient and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were very clean and spacious.

Activity Reviews

Grey Glacier Boat Tour

Chile

This was a great way to end our W trek. The glacier has to been seen in person. Words don’t do it justice.

Quality of Experience

Smooth boat ride with informative guide on board.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

Nara was detailed and informative in her briefing. She answered all our questions.

Quality of Experience

We received all the information needed to make our trip stress free.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Shuttle transfers were on time and friendly drivers.

Transport

Discover the Beagle Channel - Full Day Penguins + Beagle Channel Navigation

Ushuaia

We enjoyed this experience and especially loved seeing the penguins. The Beagle Channel tour was informative. We feel that it would have been enough to just spend one day in Ushuaia since this seems to be mostly a port for Antarctica trips.

Quality of Experience

The penguins of course! So cute.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guide was fun and informative.

Transport

Clean bus transfer to penguins colony. It was a long dirt road to get there which we weren’t expecting.

Great Experience with Leo and kimkim. Leo understood our project and his proposal after a slight tune-up was perfect. The trip was incredible, from day one up to the end. We had a very interesting discovery of Las Vegas landmarks, and an enjoyable show by Shania Twain. But most of our trip was dedicated to discovering the wanders of National and State parks of Arizona and Utah. All the guided and self-guided exploration were perfect. The Grand Canyon was more than an experience, it’s an emotion, the sun set, and sun rise were magic, not to forget the star gazing events organized by the park rangers.
Antelope canyon guided tour was amazing, we had a wonderful and very insightful guide (Orin Yellowman). We were also thrilled to discover Snow canyon state park and the wonderful Red Mountain resort next to its entrance, for sure we will go back, only 2 hours from Vegas, worth going straight from the airport to discover the beauty of all the trail with very kind support from park personnel.
Thanks to Leo who helped us create the best vacation possible.

What an amazing, flawless, and fabulous trip! Thanks to Karen for helping us plan an exciting adventure. And thanks to Lisbeth for providing quick responses to any and all questions during our trip. We all fell in love with Peru and would definitely travel with KimKim again. Thank you for helping us create so many wonderful memories!

Renata was great at providing various updates through the planning process, and dealing with some changing schedules.
But we ended up doing a lot of the work that we thought a travel agent would assist with. For example, we often found the better way to travel throughout the country and which flights to take instead of relying on her. Also in the past travel specialists have provided us with "must do" things or provided more guidance, and we were kind of left to do a lot of that ourselves.

Further, there were some things - like making sure water bottles were in the cars - were completely overlooked.

Hotel Reviews

Belmond Hotel das Cataratas

Foz do Iguaçu

Worth the extra money to be in the park. Sunset in the tower is a must do.

Juma Amazon Lodge

Autazes

It was fun staying in the tree lodges. But, there was no a/c.

Hotel Intercity Manaus

Manaus

It was fine, but nothing special. Good breakfast.

Activity Reviews

Iguaçu Falls Hike on the Argentina Side & Gran Aventura Boat Tour

Foz do Iguaçu

Amazing and our guide here was awesome.

Adventures in the Jungle Lodge (JL - Day 2)

Brazil

Some great activities. Wish there was a little more to do.

Transfer by hidroplane & immersion in the rainforest (JL - Day 1)

Brazil

Thanks to Majid and Moha for making our trip to Morocco very memorable. I've never scheduled an expensive trip with someone over the internet, but Majid delivered. With our driver, Moha, we our six day journey from Casablanca to Meknes to Fez to Ouzoud Falls to Marakech and back to Casablanca met every plan and expectation. Of course, being in Morocco made the KimKim experience extra special. Besides the souvenirs and pictures, I return home with a vastly improved understanding of the diverse cultures of Morocco.

One piece of advice I would give to travelers to Morocco...get local currency in small denominations. Everyone expects a tip...even 2 dinars for a toilet trip visit. The ATMs don't give small denominations or coins. We even asked Moha to assist with breaking large bills. Majid provided guidelines on what amounts to tip who.

I would happily recommend Majid and Moha to anyone considering a trip to Morocco!

Hotel Reviews

La Maison Arabe Hotel

Marrakech

Best hotel staff of the trip. Best restaurant food of the trip. And we both got a wonderful hammam and massage at their spa. If our windows had double-paned glass like the Mövenpick in Casablanca, then maybe we wouldn't have to listen to the restaurant entertainment and client noises below our window.

Authenticity & Character

It really is a very charming and colorful place. The Jazz Bar pianist played familiar tunes and dinner could be had when we were ready. The staff seemed to treasure the place as well, which was refreshing to see.

Location

Easy walking distance to the old market square. Staff gave perfect directions.

Staff

They listened and always had a solution.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maybe we'd ask for a room that didn't look over the restaurant.

Widiane Suite And Spa

Bine El Ouidane

It may be difficult to find a 4 or 5-star hotel in this remote area near the Atlas Mountains. This hotel looks like a 5-star hotel, but presents as much less.

Authenticity & Character

Not Moroccan, not 5-star European.

Location

Ideal location as our trip from Fez to Marakech required an overnight stop, and this one was close to Ouzoud Falls.

Staff

Staff seemed unwilling to admit mistakes.

Cleanliness & Comfort

I ordered salmon for dinner half was raw. After using the toilet once, no more water came out of any of the spigots in our bathroom. Staff had it fixed during the dinner with uncooked food.

Dar Lys - Luxury Riad & Spa

Fes

We had some problems with low water pressure in our bathroom, but it was temporary. The breakfast and dinner were great, but since we were there for two nights, having other dining options would have been great. We were discouraged from entering the medina at night even though the hotel advertises its proximity as an asset.

Authenticity & Character

It was an oasis in a not so beautiful medina.

Location

In the medina, but we were told not to venture into the medina on our own.

Staff

They got up with us and made breakfast even when we had to check out early.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very nice place. Modern with very good dining. Our room overlooked the courtyard restaurant, so we heard music and ambient noise until 11pm at night.

Mövenpick Hotel Casablanca

Casablanca

They upgraded us to a suite!

Authenticity & Character

More western than Moroccan, but that was okay.

Location

It wasn't too far from the airport. But we arrived late and were tired.

Staff

Staff upgraded us to a suite. Probably noticed we were dead tired.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Double-paned glass kept obvious street noises out of the room for a very quiet rest.

Activity Reviews

Visit Majorelle gardens and Yves Saint Laurent with your private guide

Marrakesh

Would have enjoyed having lunch near this museum than in the old Jewish quarter. I don't know if this place gets enough publicity, but it should. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Walking tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Our guide was helpful and informative. May have overtired him considering he may have taken a cut from the rug purchases we made from the merchant he steered us to.

Horse Ride Carriage in Marrakech

Marrakesh

We almost didn't do it, but glad we did because it gave us more of a glimpse of the "new" Marakech. On the other hand, those poor horses seemed stressed to be in crazy city traffic.

Transfer to Bin El Ouidane

Morocco

Grateful for the few stops we made along the way (Ifrane, castle, lunch), otherwise the ride was long. You should consider having a guide who can get picked up at one location and dropped off down the road to give some background on the Berber culture of the High Atlas region.

Fes: Exploring the Imperial City

Fes

Guided Tour of Volubilis

Volubilis

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was well-informed

Transfer from Casablanca to Fez via Meknes

Morocco

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide at Volubilis was well-informed.

Architectural Elegance: A Journey through the Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

We loved the pacing of the itinerary that Ionnis built for us as well as the excellent hotels he recommended. Our guide Julia at Delphi was super patient when we were delayed by a road closure, Christine told the best stories in our group tour of the Aceopolis, and Sophia at Olympia was able to be 'nerdy' with me over the archaeology of the place. The Niche hotel in Athens was a bright spot with its views and excellent rooftop restaurant, Arachova felt like a magical little town and the Kaiafas Lake Hotel had the warmest customer service imaginable. The 3sixty was centrally located and made exploring Nafplio easy! This was a trip of a lifetime and I can't wait to adventure with kimkim again!

Hotel Reviews

Sofitel Athens Airport

Athens

Sofitel Athens Airport was convenient for our needs, being an airport hotel. It served its purpose well.

3Sixty Hotel & Suites

Nafplio

3Sixty Hotel & Suites in Nafplio was very professional and at a great location. It allowed us ample opportunity to explore the charming port city by foot, making it a fun and interesting stay.

Kaiafas Lake Hotel

Zacharo

Kaiafas Lake Hotel was charming, especially with the owner's personal touch at breakfast, which made us feel like family. It was heartwarming and made our stay very special during the off-season.

Almond House Suites Arachova - Adults Only

Distomo-Arachova-Antikyra

This place feels like a bed and breakfast in the best way! On the edge of town so noises won't keep you awake but still walking distance with some stairs, amazing views, great hospitality. Wish we had stayed a few extra days!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Niche Hotel Athens

Athens

Excellent customer service, beautiful rooftop bar/restaurant, and centrally located!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very accomodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ancient Athens Acropolis & Mythology Walk

Athens

We only had one group tour, which was the Ancient Athens Acropolis and Mythology Walk, and honestly, it was great. The guide was knowledgeable, and it was well organized. A wonderful way to explore the historical sites of Athens.

Savory Excursion of Nemea Vineyard Visits

Nafplio

The Savory Excursion of Nemea Vineyard Visits was a great experience, even though it was non-ancient related. Visiting two very different wineries was fascinating, and both offered unique tastings. The tour was so enjoyable that we ended up purchasing five bottles of wine to take home!

Private Ancient Olympia Visit

Greece

The Guided Visit to Ancient Olympia was exceptional. Our guide, Sophia, shared incredible insights and had a deep knowledge of Olympia's history. It was one of my favorite activities because we shared a special interest and got to explore in-depth.

Explore the Ancient Wonders of Delphi

Delphi

The Delphi tour was a fantastic experience. Despite a delay, the guide was super kind and waited for us. The exploration of the ancient wonders of Delphi was insightful, and our guide enriched the experience with their expertise.

We planned our dream trip to the Nordic countries, mainly to see the Northern Lights, which was a huge deal for us. We knew it was all up to nature, but we wanted to give ourselves the best chance of witnessing them.
We can’t thank Emerson enough for all his help from the start—he suggested the best places to go and connected us with top-notch tour providers. And we were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights on almost every tour we booked.
On our second day in Norway, our husky sledding ride was cancelled due to wild weather but Emerson sorted it out by rescheduling it. If it wasn’t for Emerson, we wouldn’t have been able to reschedule it, and the next day we were back on track for the ride. It was peak season, so we saw plenty of disappointed travellers whose tours were cancelled due to weather, but Emerson stayed in constant contact with all the providers, and everything went smoothly for us. Some of the places we initially wanted to visit didn’t live up to the hype, but the alternatives Emerson suggested were way better.

It was our first wedding anniversary during the trip, and since we were travelling, we didn’t think we’d be able to do anything special. But Emerson went above and beyond to make sure our anniversary day was one to remember.

The accommodation and transport he organised were perfect—everything ran like clockwork. There’s no way our trip would have been anywhere near as amazing without his help.

We honestly can’t thank Emerson enough for everything he did for us. Out trip was perfect only because of Emerson.

Hotel Reviews

Arctic Light Hotel

Rovaniemi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Levin Iglut Glass Igloos

Kitilä

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cahkal Hotel

Kilpisjärvi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Tromsø

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

O

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Aurora Ice Floating

Finland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Finnish Sauna Experience

Rovaniemi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chasing the Northern Lights

Kilpisjärvi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sámi Culture and Reindeer Herding Tour

Kilpisjärvi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Hunting Tour

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Husky Safari

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hilda was very knowledgeable and kind. She had suggestions on places to go and things to do during our free time. Highly recommend Hilda.

Hotel Reviews

Maitria Hotel Sukhumvit 18

Bankok

Nice staff Limited choices on breakfast. Very large rooms with nice beds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the metro but not the markets.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Best rooms

Baan Samui Resort

Surat Thani

Super sweet staff always willing to help or a answer questions. Big storm broke the elevator and we were on the 3rd floor. Also, shower would go get super hot for no reason. Breakfast was great! Best breakfast during our 12 day 3 hotel trip.

Authenticity & Character

Cute garden area

Location

Close to mall, resturants and spas.

Staff

Kitchen staff was super nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sabai Sabai Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

Hotel staff is very nice. Only complaint is the beds are very hard.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable to old town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very hard bed

Activity Reviews

Koh Phangan Sunset Cruise by Chantara Junk (Join-in basis)

Koh Samui

Trip was canceled due to storms.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Create and Release Floating Lanterns & Riverside Dinner

Chiang Mai

Wasn't what I expected. We made lanterns for the water goddess at a resturants. The resturant was on the water. Food was good and it had locals and music play.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Fun Cooking Experience With a Local Lanna Family

Chiang Mai

Very welcoming! Learning a lot about the Lenna family. Participated in a spiritual giving. So much yummy food. After cooking everything the family gives you a gift and all the recipes for the dishes you made.

Quality of Experience

The Lenna family.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Elephant Nature Park Tour (Join-in)

Chiang Mai

This activity was amazing. Thor our tour guys was fun and knowledgeable. We had a small group with us and everyone was laughing and enjoying the moment. You can really tell these elephants are well cared for.

Quality of Experience

Memories for a life time.

Food

Homemade Chiang Mai thai dish was delicious.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Funny, caring and make sure you are enjoying yourself.

Transport

Ashley was on top of all the details from start to finish, both before the trip and while Buthaina and I were in Vietnam. Even with some flight delays (to be expected), we were met by our drivers and guides without missing a beat. Great professional, courteous service. Accommodations were uniformly good (we especially enjoyed the Cozy an Boutique Hotel in Hoi An) and guides were very knowledgeable and friendly (especially Mr. Chung in Hanoi and Anna on the Mekong delta trip). Happy to give our highest rating.

To preface, we have used Kim-Kim 2 previous times and were pleased with the experience each time; this time was the exact opposite. The over arching issue was poor communication. Throughout the planning process we were very clear in our desires. When we expressed them, Andrea would agree and then present a plan which was different from discussed. This disconnect progressed for 3 weeks (2 months before the planned trip) when we finally called KimKim admin to step in for a better person to work with.

Gustavo jumped in to help, and honestly things did not improve significantly. Like before we would try and be clear about our desires and he would agree to our requests. Then he would present something different. As we got closer to the trip, there were also delays in responses to our questions. Excuses were given, always different, but the delays for prompt answers to our questions kept piling up. This affected our ability to make plans outside the official tour related events. We wanted to figure out meals, restaurant reservations, shopping opportunities etc. This was especially challenging and anxiety provoking since we were a travel group of 11 which included travelers aged 11 to 80, half of which were seniors. Gus kept making the excuse that we keep changing the plans. Our perspective is that the proposed plans have not been satisfactory and we keep catching the flaws.

Specific issues with our planning involved our desire to have a tour focused on food and religiosity for our visit to Mexico City. We wanted an overview type day - tour of the city and food tour at the beginning of the week were in CDMX. Then each day would have a mass/visit to church and as the week progressed we build on the great beginning city tour. Didn’t seem like a big ask - but they couldn’t do it. In the final itinerary, we were offered a city tour with food tour at the last day of the tour, the exact opposite of what we wanted. After we continued to push, they relented and placed a city/food tour on day 2 of our itinerary.

When day 2 arrived, our local guide Yuichi Pablo was very nice and educational. He took us a tour of Metropolitan Church and a limited walking tour of the city. But not a single food tour or sample. NOTHING. So when we got to lunch, we complained and also contacted the local tour operator, Ibis Murillo at Rutopia. They apparently knew nothing about the agreed food tour on the itinerary. This was maddening. So Yuichi’s adjustment on the fly was to take us to a sandwich shop.

To appease us, Yuchi promised to try and add food elements into our itinerary. To meet this end, he added a lunch stop at a touristy restaurant each of our tour days. As you can see, very underwhelming and disappointing. Yuichi was a wonderful guide in terms of meeting our goal for religiosity - he really understood the special history of the Catholic Churches we visited and helped us worship and attend mass each day. So kudos to that.

One final knock against our travel week is the driver they used for our week visit, Carlos. He drove a large Mercedes van for us and was a great driver and kept the vehicle clean. However he also had poor communications skills with Yuichi and the parent company, Rutopia. When he dropped us off for a site visit and then parked, he was always late upon returning to pick us up. The worst was on the second to last day of our trip, he dropped us off at Teotihuacan (pyramids). When we finished he did not come to fetch us for over 30 minutes - in the hot sun with our aged parents, aunts and uncle. Our guide Yuichi unsuccessfully messaged him in watsapp and called on his cell phone but he never answered. On the final day, we had early flights out of Mexico City and he was to pick us up at 4:40am. When he hadn’t shown up by 4:55 (15 minutes past the scheduled time) I used the whatsapp to contact our on call tour operator, Ibis. I sent her messages 2x with no response. I then tried calling Ibis directly and finally got hold of her. She proceeded to call our driver Carlos directly, but she said he wasn’t answering her phone calls. This was completely unacceptable especially on a travel day.

These poor experiences really tested our patience and dampened our excitement. It certainly ruined what could have been a great visit to CDMX.

Ultimately I cannot recommend KimKim based on this experience. We also caution travelers who decide to visit Mexico City to make sure they do NOT use Rutopia, or any travel firm that associates with them.

Ana is wonderful! Kind, understanding, responsive, and always on top of things! I don’t think we would be able to go to Argentina this year without Ana’s involvement! At the time when I didn’t have any chance of planning this trip your help was invaluable 🙏. I told all my friends about you. Thank you so much!

Hotel Reviews

Nido del Condor Hotel & Spa

San Carlos de Bariloche

Very nice hotel, about 15 min from the town center, 20 min from the port, and like 30 min from the airport. Rooms are very nice with a view of a beautiful lake! Comfortable beds! Large jacuzzi. Bath robes in the room. Fireplace. Restaurant on premises. Breakfast is quite good, eggs are excellent! Staff is very kind and attentive 🙏. Has a spa facility - with a pool, dry and wet saunas, and couple lounges. My only advice to the hotel management is to make sure saunas are working as it should. We stayed 5 nights and it was a pleasure. Thank you!

Authenticity & Character

These are very comfy and warm, wooden cottages with amazing view.

Location

about 15 min from the town center, 20 min from the port, and like 30 min from the airport.

Staff

My husband got sick one day and I had to bring him breakfast, everyone was helping to get everything together to pack it. 🌹 They also helped me with reservations to restaurants and one special fishing trip.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was great

O2 Hotel Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Basic hotel. Good location. The reason I gave 2 stars is the size of their beds. They are tiny! If the two single beds are together it’s an American queen size bed, not king. And if they are separate they are much more narrower than a regular single bed. On top of that, the pillows are very hard and puffy. And the fitted sheet for a single bed is larger than a bed. So basically you sleep very uncomfortable on the bare mattress all night (because the sheet will roll) and be tired with a neck pain in the morning. Unless you are small person and the queen size bed is ok for two people.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness is ok, but please change the mattresses, sheets, pillow, and buy new towels if you want your guest to be comfortable

Activity Reviews

Minitrek Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

expensive activity (due to price hike this year) but still so worth it! My favorite activity of the trip. The beauty, the size, the air, the feeling of being on top of the ice doesn’t translate well into pictures unfortunately.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trek & Canoeing in Lapataia Bay

Ushuaia

Was a great hike, and a fun easy calm rafting. very knowledgeable guide with great sense of humor. beautiful views, and good food for lunch.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walk with penguins on Martillo Island

Ushuaia

This was a very cute activity. There weren’t too many penguins yet, but a good amount still. Was fun to see them up close.

Quality of Experience

Just the intimacy of the island and penguins near by was very nice

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colonia del Sacramento - City tour

Argentina

I only liked this tour because our guide was very good. Otherwise I would prefer to take a public bus into Colonia, and not waste time stopping at the chocolate factory.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the City

Buenos Aires

It was a very good “introduction to the city” tour, kind of a kaleidoscope of little bits of every borrow. Good for people who don’t have much time in Buenos Aires. Otherwise I would skip it and just tour every neighborhood separately.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tango Show & Dinner at La Ventana

Buenos Aires

We had a quick group tango lesson (by the same guy and a girl who danced in the show later), dinner, and a show. Everything was great! The lesson was fun. Food and wine were excellent. And the show was fantastic! The level of professionalism is top notch (very different from the dancers you see in La Boca restaurants or dancing on the streets). We really loved this night!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Absolutely beside myself at how well-planned our trip to Italy was. Anita and her team did such an incredible job taking our vision and making it much more than we could have imagined. I feel like we took such a unique trip that we will be reminiscing about for the rest of our lives. Everything from the off-the-beaten-path tours to the smooth and professional drivers and transfers...we were blown away at the experience. Thanks so much!

Hotel Reviews

La Maison du Sage

Florence

What a cool, unique guest house in such a fun part of town!

Authenticity & Character

The art deco decor was so cool while still giving a very cozy environment.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and super comfortable. The couch/daybed was an amazing touch. We loved!

Pietra Campana Italian Villa

Orvieto

Cannot give this villa enough praise. The location is absolutely breath-taking. The service and warmth of the staff was so wonderful. The spaciousness of the room was also wonderful. Highly recommend!!

Authenticity & Character

I felt like I was staying with a family member in the Italian countryside.

Location

Unbelievable panoramic views of Orvieto, while still being a very short drive from the city.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sorrento City Hotel

Sorrento

Great location and attentive staff. The breakfast had wonderful variety and felt very homey.

Authenticity & Character

Small but well thought out. Not the coziest hotel I've ever been to, but gets the job done well.

Location

Right on the main street of Sorrento. Very easily walkable and lively.

Staff

Kind staff. Breakfast attendants were very warm.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Full Day Amalfi Experience

Italy

It rained the whole day but we made the most of it. Was really fun to travel the Amalfi Coast during off-season. If there's any way to request Giuseppe as your driver/guide, you MUST!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Giuseppe was top notch!

Transport