Kimkim Trip Reviews

Norway June 2026 Review
We used KimKim for the second time to help with itinerary, activities, lodging etc for a 2 week trip to Norway. We were very happy with how everything turned out, much like our first trip two years ago using KimKim to visit Ireland.
We were delighted to work with Mathia on all our planning, especially as he lives in the area where we were spending quite a bit of time. To have someone that is boots on the ground and intimately familiar with where you are traveling is invaluable.
Outside of spending a couple days in Oslo (beginning) and Bergen (end), we spent the majority of our time up north in the Lofoten, Versteralen, and Senja islands. Incredible scenery, activities, people and food. It is hard to pick a favorite, but a few highlights were our stay in Reine (the Reine Rorbuer was our favorite lodging, so historical and authentic), the Trollfjord silent (electric boat) cruise in Svolvaer, the bike ride around the Versteralen island, and pretty much all of Senja - we stayed in Mefjordvaer and thought it was the perfect location.
When traveling to this part of Norway, the weather can be rainy and it it’s important to be flexible on plans, on short notice. This is where working with Mathia was so helpful. Not only did we have great communication and rapport with Mathia during the planning phase of the trip, he checked in with us regularly, and assisted in adjusting plans where needed. An added bonus was getting to meet him in person in Versteralen. Although the plan was to do a hike with him, weather was not great, so he had a good plan B to tour a historical home in the area and then we had coffee and just chatted for awhile after that. You learn so much from spending some time with people who are local, and Mathia being willing to do that with us was so special and meaningful,
So kudos to everyone involved in helping make this trip a reality for us, and to those who may be traveling to Norway, I hope you can work with Mathia as well. He is an awesome trip planner, really listens, has great communication, and is just a very special person.

Hotel Review

Reine Rorbuer

Reine

Our favorite accommodation was definitely Reine Rorbuer in Reine. The retrofitted fishing cabins over the water were rustic but cozy and authentic. The location was stunning, and the place had a very special charm and character that we loved. It wasn't the most luxurious, but it was perfect for us as we prefer mid-range accommodations and don't spend much time in hotels. The breakfast was amazing, and the nearby restaurant and a little Italian place in the village were fantastic. Overall, it was a very special and beautiful place to stay.

Activity Reviews

Arctic Trails Hike

Svolvær

We did the Arctic Trails Hike with a wonderful guide, but unfortunately, it rained the entire time. We had to cut the hike short since the views were not visible due to the weather. Despite the rain, we made the best of it and appreciated the flexibility of the guide and the experience overall.

Bike Trip Around Hadseløya

Stokmarknes

The bike trip around Hadseløya was a fantastic experience. It was about 26 miles around the island, and it ended up being just the two of us and our guide, who was an amazing local in his seventies but very fit. He had lived on the island for 40 years and shared many interesting stories. We had lunch halfway through the ride, and the scenery was breathtaking. It was a full day of biking and learning about the local culture, which made it very special.

Trollfjord Cruise

Norway

The Trollfjord Cruise was really awesome. Even though the weather was not perfect, drizzly and overcast, it was still a great experience. The cruise was a highlight of our trip and we enjoyed it very much.

We had a great time in Japan. I love the Kimkim app. Everything is well organized and it was very easy to get the day-by-day details. It is convenient that you can add attachments like the Shinkansen tickets. I wasn’t sure how that was going to work, especially since it was our first time taking the bullet train.

Eleanor did a great job putting our itinerary together. It was very easy to communicate through kimkim to work on the itinerary. It was easy to communicate with Eleanor during our trip.

The tour guides were fantastic. Yumi, Asuka and Yukiko were all very knowledgeable and communicated well. They each had notebooks with more details during our tours.

I researched about how much the hotels and tours would cost before I connected with kimkim. So when Eleanor asked about the budget, I was able to give her the budget. She stayed within our budget.

The only thing that I would do differently is to add a couple of days to our itinerary. I would add at least one day of “rest” after three days of touring or maybe even after each day of touring. But the itinerary was built on what our planned stay already was.

Overall, I am very pleased with how this trip worked out. Our itinerary went as planned. It was a great trip and experience. I will definitely use Kimkim again.

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza gochome

Tokyo

Nice hotel in the middle if Ginza. Very nice breakfast. The hotel has three washer and dryers for the entire hotel, This hotel was the last one we stayed in on our trip. So I wanted to do some laundry, but the washer/dryers were in continuous usage late at night and even early in the morning. I gave up in doing the laundry! Fortunately, we had enough clean clothes to finish out our trip. If we really need to do laundry, I would have/ could have used the hotel’s laundry service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the train stations, site seeing , restaurants and stores

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Forza Osaka Namba Dotonbori

This kind of an unusual location in the middle of the Dotonburi. We didn’t realize that we couldn’t take a car right up to the hotel. Our driver dropped us off on a street as close to the hotel ad possible. The hotel is a bit obscure. The lobby is on the third floor. We quickly figured it all out.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It is a great location for exploring the Dotonburi.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Very nice location. It is close to the Shinkansen station so we were able easily walk to the hotel. The cafe had great breakfast with lots of selections.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the train station, restaurants and department stores

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Tsukiji

Tokyo

The rooms were comfortable. It was great having a washer/dryer in the room. I didn’t have to pack as much since I knew that we coul wash our clothes. The breakfast was very good with lots of selection. I was disappointed that the restaurant was booked out for a private event our first two nights there. Usually we like to eat at the hotel on our first day if arrivals.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was close to everything - train stations, restaurants, 🏬

Staff

Everyone at the front desk were very helpful,

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer from Kyoto to Osaka via Nara

Japan

We started to tour in Nara-machi. We visited two old homes, We visited Nara Park. Our first activity at Nara Park was to feed the deer! Then we walked to Todaji temple and saw the great buddha daibutsu. Daibutsu-san was awe inspiring. The Kasuga shrine area is beautiful.

Quality of Experience

The Diabutsu is beautiful and breathtaking.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Asuka-san and the driver were very nice.

Transport

Family Kyoto Sightseeing: City Highlights & Arashiyama

Kyoto

We learned a lot about Japan’s history. Nijo castle was very interesting. The singing floors were a special experience. At first, we thought there were birds nearby. Asuka-san is very knowledgeable. She had a book containing a lot of information that she used to explain the history. The Arashiyama bamboo forest was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Asuka-san and the driver were very nice.

Transport

Hakone Exploration with Mt. Fuji Views & Volcano

Japan

We really enjoyed the tour of Hakone. The ropeway to Owakudani, and boat ride on lake Ashi and ropeway to mount Komagatake. Yumi-san was very knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Yumi-san was very knowledgeable. She prepared us for what to look for before the cable car reached the top of the area where it opened up over Owakudani area where we could see the volcano area. That definitely helped us pay more attention as we came over the top. She told us about the black eggs so we definitely bought and ate some!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver was aware of the traffic by using a gps navigator app. He told us how long it would take to reach Hakone. On the way back to our hotel, traffic was building up so the driver(I think his name was Oh-san), took the backroads to save time, which was a fun and scenic drive. And he saved a lot of time.

Transport

From Osaka: Himeji World Heritage with Scenic & Culinary Kobe

Osaka

Himeji castle tour was amazing. We learned a lot. Yuki-san did a great job explaining the history of the castle and Japan. We then had lunch nearby. Afterwards we toured the Kokoen garden. Then we proceeded to the Herb garden in Kobe. We were late getting to the garden and didn’t have time to walk down through the garden.

Quality of Experience

The notebook that Yuki-san was very good with lots of information.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alexia was responsive in handling the logistics of our trip. However, I substantially designed the itinerary myself, so my feedback relates to the execution rather than the planning.

My primary disappointment was the selection and oversight of the local guide. For a premium private travel experience, I expected much stronger vetting and quality control. When concerns arose, I did not feel that my interests as the client were the primary focus. Instead, I often felt that the priority was accommodating the local vendors.

I also would have appreciated more proactive advocacy on our behalf once it became clear that the guide was not meeting expectations. Ultimately, the execution fell well short of the premium experience we were expecting.

Activity Reviews

Towers of Notre-Dame Before Hours

Paris

This was, without question, the highlight of our trip to Paris and exceeded every expectation. Having access to Notre-Dame before it opened to the public made the experience incredibly special. The peaceful atmosphere allowed us to fully appreciate the beauty, history, and significance of this remarkable cathedral without the crowds. What truly made the experience exceptional, however, was our guide. She was engaging, exceptionally knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and wonderfully prepared. Every moment was filled with fascinating history, architectural details, and stories that brought Notre-Dame to life. She had an incredible ability to answer questions, adapt the conversation to our interests, and make the experience feel personal rather than scripted. If you have any interest in history, architecture, or French culture, this experience is absolutely worth adding to your itinerary. It was the finest guided experience of our trip and one we will remember for years to come.

Quality of Experience

The exclusive early access transformed the entire visit. Being able to experience Notre-Dame in a quiet, uncrowded setting made it feel far more meaningful. Combined with an outstanding guide who continuously shared fascinating history and architectural insights, the experience felt immersive, educational, and truly memorable.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was exceptional—engaging, highly knowledgeable, enthusiastic, well prepared, and genuinely passionate about Notre-Dame. She made every moment interesting and brought the cathedral's history to life

Transport

Transportation and logistics were seamless. Everything ran on time, allowing us to focus entirely on enjoying the experience.

Private Paris Fashion Experience & Immersive Store Visits - Day 1

Paris

This was, unfortunately, the most disappointing experience of our trip. We booked a private experience expecting a highly personalized, engaging, and seamless day. Instead, the tour felt unprepared, disjointed, and largely unengaging. There were extended periods of silence with very little historical context, conversation, or storytelling, and much of the day felt like simply walking from one location to another without the added value that a private guide should provide. The guide's attention frequently seemed divided by coordinating other tours and promoting her own book, leaving us with the impression that our experience was not her primary focus. There were also unnecessary delays and awkward lulls caused by transportation and logistical coordination that should have been anticipated in advance. Additionally, portions of our itinerary were changed without consulting us, and I found the guide's communication style to be abrupt at times. I was also uncomfortable with the repeated insistence on handling my personal phone after I had declined. In contrast, our private guide at Notre Dame was exceptionally engaging, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and well prepared. That experience demonstrated exactly what we expect from a premium private guide and made the shortcomings of this experience even more apparent. My advice to future travelers is to confirm who your guide will be in advance and ensure your expectations for the style of the experience are clearly communicated. A great guide can make a private tour unforgettable; unfortunately, this guide made what should have been a highlight of our trip the most disappointing part of it.

Quality of Experience

The experience would benefit from being far more engaging and personalized. There were extended periods of silence, very little storytelling, and limited historical or cultural context. A private guide should provide insights, conversation, and perspective that guests could not easily obtain on their own. The tour often felt like simply walking between locations rather than a thoughtfully curated private experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide should be more attentive to the guests and less focused on other responsibilities during the tour. Throughout the experience there were frequent phone calls and messages coordinating other tours, as well as discussion promoting her own book, which made us feel that our tour was not her primary focus. I also believe guests' personal boundaries should be respected. I was uncomfortable with the repeated insistence on handling my personal phone, and my decision to decline should have been accepted without question. Finally, I would recommend stronger vetting to ensure guides are engaging, enthusiastic, well prepared, and professional in both their communication and demeanor.

Transport

Transportation logistics should be much better coordinated. There were unnecessary delays and idle periods while transportation was being arranged, which interrupted the flow of the day and contributed to long stretches where nothing was happening. A private guide should anticipate these logistics in advance so transitions feel seamless and guests remain engaged rather than waiting while arrangements are made.

Great trip to Argentina. I visited Buenos Aires, El Calafate and Salta. Everything went as planned, all the tours and transfers were always on time. Great service all around.

Hotel Review

Dazzler by Wyndham Buenos Aires Palermo

Buenos Aires

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Full-Day Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

Impressive. This was probably my favorite tour of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Im a repeat client of Kim Kim, and there’s a reason why I keep coming back! What an AMAZING trip!! My dad and I took a father-daughter trip to Australia and after getting very confused with so many different options we connected with Samantha and her colleagues. They made an amazing itinerary and all the guides they booked were amazing. Towards the end of the trip we had to cancel an excursion last minute, and Samantha and her team handled it so well and even got us a partial refund. 100/10 recommend:)

Activity Reviews

Half Day Highlights of Sydney

Sydney

Northern Beaches & Ku-ring-gai Chase Day Trip

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Australia Zoo & Mooloolaba Beach Day Trip

Brisbane

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Brisbane & Lone Pine Day Trip

Brisbane

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a perfect trip. Every stop was great. The accommodations were amazing. Our guide and the local guides were top notch, providing the right amount of detail and taking good care of us. Our guide/driver was friendly, punctual, and a very safe driver. Morocco is a beautiful country with friendly people. When we return to Morocco, we will request Moha again.

My experience with Leny and the Kimkim team was wonderful. Leny found excellent hotels for us to stay in with sights very close by-- for example, we were in walking distance of Zojoji Temple in Tokyo, and Nijo Castle, Nishiki Market, and the Gion district in Kyoto). She reserved all the trains we needed and got us tickets so all we had to do was walk onto the train. She booked the experiences we were hoping for (kabuki, an onsen that was spectacular, the Studio Ghibli theme park) and several walking tours including one of the Arashiyama area with Hiro that was particularly good. She left lots of flexibility for us to choose our own activities each day,. She was present and helpful, along with Noemie and the rest of the team, before and during the whole trip. We're so grateful for what turned out to be the trip of a lifetime. Highly recommend.

We had an amazing trip to Japan, and I want to extend a heartfelt thank‑you to the Japan travel experts who helped plan and support our journey. Mina, Nicole, and Carinta were all incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and responsive. Their guidance before and during the trip made everything seamless. We loved the suggested itinerary, and every hotel we stayed in was wonderful—each with its own charm and perfectly located for exploring the cities and towns on our route.

The small details arranged in advance, such as providing a pocket Wi‑Fi and pre‑purchasing most of our train tickets, made a huge difference in keeping our travels smooth and stress‑free.

We visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Kanazawa, and the Nagano region, and had a local guide in each location: David in Tokyo, Marcelo in Kyoto, Iris in Kanazawa, and Motoo in Nagano. All of them were fantastic—personable, insightful, and skilled at showing us incredible places we never would have found on our own. We also appreciated having time to explore independently with suggested itineraries, which gave us the perfect balance of guided and private experiences.

Some of the highlights of our trip included the Meiji palace (Tokyo), Tenryu-Ji and Kinkaku-ji (Kyoto), Kanazawa castle and Kenroku-en gardens (Kanazawa), and the Mausoleum of Fuku Obuse and Hokusai museum (Nagano).

Thanks to everyone on the team for making our trip such a wonderful and rewarding experience. This is the second trip we’ve planned through Kimkim, and both have been exceptional.

Hotel Reviews

Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku

Tokyo

Great location and a good place to start our trip to Japan. Wonderful breakfast at both locations!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hotel Sanraku Kanazawa

Kanazawa

Loved this place and the breakfast was amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Local Private Guide Full Day Nagano (9h-17h)

Nagano

We had such a wonderful day with Motoo exploring Nagano. He had some great ideas of places to go and having a car to explore the area with him was invaluable. Although the snow monkeys did not appear, we loved the hike, and the shrine and Hokusai museum were exquisite. He also had a great suggestion for a lunch place in Obuse that we enjoyed. Spending the day with Motoo was the perfect way to end our trip. Motoo went out of the way to help me find a yukata to take home to my father too. I was so appreciative of his caring about this.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local Private Guide Half Day Kyoto (4h)

Kyoto

We really enjoyed spending the day with Marcelo.

Quality of Experience

Pocket wifi 1 day to 1 month

Japan

Having the pocket wifi was invaluable.

Local Private Guide Full Day Tokyo (9h-17h)

Tokyo

We loved spending the day with David. He was a wonderful guide, very knowledgeable and friendly, and did a great job of showing us around Tokyo~

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

He guided us on how to get around on the Tokyo subway.

Maryem was very professional, accommodating, and flexible to meet our travel needs. Very proactive and planned with professional care and thoughtfulness. She was easy to reach via email, texts, and phone call.
The platform is pretty nice and navigable as it provides detail information about the trip plans, our hotel, and activities.

Our driver, Khalid is the Man!!!
While on our trip Khalid ensured that we always knew exactly what the next step was, and the hand-off between him and the hotel staff or tour guides was seamless.

He was the perfect driver for our journey. He always greeted us warmly with a smile and cold bottles of water. On routes that stretched anywhere from 4 to 7 hours between cities, he shared fascinating insights about the areas we passed through and thoughtfully planned stops along the way to break up the long drives.

Fadil was our first tour guide on this trip and a great representation of Moroccan pride and hospitality. He eagerly shared his wealth of knowledge with personal antidotes and historical gems. My guy is the unofficial mayor of Rabat and everybody knows him.

Hassan was an awesome Tour Guide in Marrakesh.
He was very knowledgeable and funny storyteller. Our visits to the King's Palace, the Hammam and local food tour were amazing.
The local food tour was a great opportunity to explore traditional dishes and snacks. I also got to enjoy some sheep head and other interesting foods. Hassan took great pictures and videos of us as we enjoyed our time. He was very patient to stop and wait while we made short shopping stops.

Throughout the trip, the vehicle itself was clean and comfortable, and we deeply appreciated the small but meaningful touches which included having water, snacks, and meals provided right on time throughout our travel as well as care and concern with our luggage and belongings. Beyond the logistics, Khalid was easy to talk to and shared wonderful personal stories that made the long drives feel like time spent with a friend rather than just transportation.

We cannot recommend Miriam and Khalid highly enough. If you want a trip that is meticulously planned, flexible, and a travel experience filled with genuine care from start to finish, you want this team by your side.

Thank you Kim Kim!

This trip was our Honeymoon and it was absolutely fantastic. We went to three different countries, stayed in fabulous accommodations, always had a driver there to get us to and from the airport on time. We loved the tour of the Louvre, as well as the walking food tour in Paris. The tea and walking tour in London was so much fun. And we loved the guinness storehouse and the perfect pint tour in Ireland. Jessica listened to everything we wanted and made it the best trip ever.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Jeanne D'Arc Le Marais

Paris

The front desk staff at this hotel was fantastic. They were so kind. The views were incredible and it was in a great location. loved the breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Club Hotel Quarter St. Paul's

London

The staff knew it was our honeymoon, and upon arrival there was a bottle of wine in our room and cute little rose petals and electric candles! It was such a sweet surprise. We loved it. We were visiting London during the heatwave and the front desk was able to provide a fan for us and help cool the room down which was much appreciated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Fleet

Dublin

This hotel was fabulous. It was the most comfortable bed, insane water pressure, and kind staff. They let us stow our bags while we explored the city before check in. Absolutely fabulous!

Authenticity & Character

Location

This hotel is on the main street in Dublin with so many fun pubs and souvenir shops. Perfect central location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Official Bridgerton themed Afternoon Tea for two at the 5* Lanesbourough Hotel

London

We LOVED this. The food was so good, the atmosphere was super fun, the tea was phenomenal. Would do this again and again.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Le Marais Food Tour

Paris

This was so fun!! it was a small group of us and SO much food. The guide was so kind and funny, I def recommend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mona Lisa first viewing and Semi-private Louvre museum tour

Paris

This was so fun. It was just us and a guide, so basically our own private tour! She was so knowledgeable, got us in to the museum quick and easy, and I def recommend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cliffs of Moher and Galway from Dublin

Dublin

The tour guide for this trip was so awesome!! So glad we were able to see so much of Ireland. Def recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guinness Storehouse: entry ticket + perfect pint pub tour

Dublin

We LOVED this tour. It was a self tour through the storehouse which was so much fun, and then a tour with two other couples to a handful of the pubs with the “best guinness” in Ireland. The tour guide for the perfect pint was so knowledgeable and kind and it was so much fun. Would def recommend this!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very pleased with how this trip turned out! It was worry free from one stop to the next with someone awaiting our arrival at every transition- this alone made it so easy to relax and enjoy each new adventure. The drivers and guides were top notch and a wealth of information. Paola arranged ideal accommodations and activities aT every destination. Our favorite was snorkling in the lava tunnels!

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Super accommodating and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

The front desk staff was soooo accommodating and friendly and helpful. The breakfast staff was so engaging and the food was wonderful. Location was also ideal and within walking distance to most everything in town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff here go out of there way to help and be sure your happy!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

This is a must do. So many amazing creatures to see here and the landscape itself is so unique! Our guide and boat captain and crew were all amazing and helped make this a once in a lifetime experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip to Italy. Caterina planned a perfect vacation and Beatrice was an exceptional local specialist. All of our tour guides and drivers were wonderful! We can’t wait to return to Italy and will definitely book with KimKim again!

We have many lovely memories from our trip to Iceland. While our local specialist had many good suggestions for sites to see and things to do that I may not have discovered on my own, the planning process was sometimes frustrating. Response times for questions were often too long, sometimes a week at a time. Most importantly, when I asked if two weeks was time enough to see and do all the things I had on the list, I was told it was. Unfortunately, this was not the case and we had already booked our flights when I figured that out. On the positive side, the accommodations our specialist booked were for the most part quite nice. Her suggestion to take a zodiac tour of the Jokulsarlon Lagoon rather than the amphibious boat was great . It was one of the highlights of our trip. She also recommended a wonderful shop, Handradinn in Hofn, for hand knit Icelandic sweaters. Lastly she had a good knowledge of hiking trails and which roads would be accessible in early June.

My friends and I had a wonderful time in Morocco. Our local guide Jamal was amazing. He was always attentive, had great recommendations, and made sure we were comfortable the entire trip. The planning process with Hamza was very smooth. Saïd was very responsive to all of our questions even after we returned home to the US. Overall, a very possible experience.

Our first stop was Seoul and our Driver/Guide was Jun and he was so fun that nothing felt awkward. It was more like a friend was showing you around his town. He always had ice cold water waiting for us in the car when he picked us up from each stop along the way.

Our first stop was Soonski Hair Salon in Hongdae. The staff was friendly and the snacks were yummy. The cuts we received were all really well done. However, my stylist changed from the person who cut my hair so they'd never seen my pictures of what I wanted and she didn't speak much at all so it's kind of my fault that my style wasn't at all what I wanted because I didn't speak up. (It was my first day in Korea so I was still nervous about using the little bit of Korean I have!) The problem was when checked out, they'd upsold my daughter with a Keratin treatment that was over 100,000 won without checking with me. I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they thought she was older than 16 and was making her own monetary decisions, but if you're taking your kids who don't speak the language make sure your not separated when they're giving them the prices at the start. Also I just noticed that my itinerary says a deposit was taking at the time of booking and that it would be deducted from the total. It definitely was not deducted on the day. The experience was fun and the quality was good, just a few problems that probably could have been avoided if I spoke the language better.

Gyeongbokgung Palace was beautiful, but we didn't have enough time to enjoy it properly. The hanboks we rented had a 3 hour rental, which you'd think would be plenty but it left us rushing back to the shop without having fully enjoyed the palace. Jun was great about getting us a good spot to watch the changing of the guard and making sure we were in the right place to be near the front of the line for pictures afterwards.

Myeongdong was so vibrant and I wish we'd had more time there as well! We did Daiso which people online recommended, honestly it was just a very tall Dollar Tree. We came back in the evening for the night market which was full of yummy things but be prepared- it was busy, so many people that just getting to the stalls and back out of the flow of people was difficult.

Kukkiwon was a fun short stop. They didn't have any practices on the day we went. If I was thinking it would have been better to see if someone could check their schedule for us ahead of time. I did happen to see a post by seoul.tkd on instagram posting a schedule of public Taekwondo displays happening while we were there. We managed to catch the team performing at the DDP and it was amazing! I highly recommend looking into the exhibition schedule if you're interested in Taekwondo.

K-Star Road was cute and quick, all the designer shops with their incredible buildings was actually worth seeing there as well!

HiKR Ground was more than we expected it to be! It wasn't very busy and had lots of kpop dance sets for the kids to dance in. There was a spot for karaoke and when you got to the top there were fun cultural things to do like making layered stamps and finding maps of the area. Definitely worth a stop if you have kids that like kpop. Won't take all day.

A private driver took us from the hotel to the station to catch the KTX to Busan. He was very thorough and walked us all the way through the station with our luggage to make sure we knew where we were going. I think his name was Mr. Choi and my entire family was very impressed with his super cool executive vibe and style.

Hotel B'amu was our favourite hotel. The view, the location, the interior. Everything was amazing and the staff was friendly. The breakfast was the only downside. The fresh squeezed orange juice was a hit but the rest of it left a lot to be desired. I don't know if the breakfast was extra but if it is, opt out and go to one of the many amazing cafes nearby instead. I can highly recommend La Feuille and their amazing salt bread.

Gamcheon Cultural Village was beautiful and our wonderful guide in Busan did a great job of helping us understand the history of the village, how it ties into the Little Prince and it's current situation. I have to say though, (even though we're tourists as well, so it sounds hypocritical) a lot of the tourists in this area were incredibly rude and it was nice that we had Danny on our side to stand up for us!

Spa Land was definitely something worth experiencing and my family is still raving about the tiny fish that nibble your feet! Even if you don't decide to go full au naturel and rest in the baths, there are still plenty of rooms to experience.

We did both BUSAN X the SKY and Busan Tower. They both had their own charm. X was full of kpop stuff and lots of instagrammable spots whereas the Tower was more historical, calm and had resident cats you could pet outside!

The Panstar Miracle from Busan to Osaka was a total experience!! I wish we hadn't been so tired so we could have enjoyed the night view longer. But the on ship buffets and swimming in the pool on deck after sunset were definitely things we'll remember for a long time!

We were uncertain if we needed yet another tall building experience but the tickets had already been purchased for Umeda Sky Building. Thankfully it WAS different. The top is open air so it's a very different experience from the others.

Osaka was our least favorite city on the trip but had the best guide. Mie was so prepared! She had files and photos and knew all the history of the places she took us. I was a history major in university so her level of research was very impressive and made the temples, shrines and castle more interesting than they would have been just reading the signs.

We snuck in a day at Universal Studios and honestly I wish we hadn't. The anime aspect of the park was over hyped and under delivered. It was very much just like a smaller Universal Florida. If I did it again I'd rather experience more of Japan instead.

Nara Park is not to be missed!! Perhaps one of my family's favorite days. The deer were adorable and wonderful and terrifying all at once and I would 100% do it again. Remember to bring plenty of cash for the deer biscuits!

If you have the time I definitely suggest the Tokyo Samurai Museum with Experience + Kimono Tea Ceremony at Tokyo Maikoya. Both completely different experiences and both amazing. The staff here was so friendly and engaging and helpful.

Tokyo Dome was our least favorite hotel and as most of the things we wanted to do were in Shibuya or Shinjuku the location wasn't the best. The area also gets very crowded and overwhelming before and after shows at the Dome, so if you don't plan your timing you might get stuck in the mobs of people.

Meiji Jingu was an amazingly tranquil walk and was beautiful.

Senso-ji Temple was the most capitalist temple I've ever been at... it was definitely overwhelming and didn't feel like a spiritual experience at all, it's definitely touristy. I cannot say we didn't buy souvenirs and street food here though, because we definitely did. Just keep in mind it's more of a sightseeing day than a spiritual one.

CAPPINESS Capybara Cafe. Not a cafe. Not even kinda. There are 3 capybara here, one was kept outside the whole time and they didn't volunteer why. They did seem to be treated well and appeared to be happy. The price of 4,000 yen for 40 minutes is definitely a bit high for what you're getting though. Especially since there were 3 groups of people and only two capybara to interact with.

Ninja+Kabuki Tokyo. This was such a cool show!! They have an interactive portion at the end for you to come up on stage and try out some of the moves if you're interested. The drummers were incredible and they had one performer who was a total acrobat and was flipping everywhere. I'm not sure why we had a bar hopping experience connected to the end of ours but we have kids so it wasn't something we were interested in. Just make sure if you get this booking that it only for the show unless you're interested in the bar hopping part.

Hotel Reviews

Tokyo Dome Hotel

Tokyo

Tokyo Dome Hotel was disappointing. The check-in process was confusing and frustrating, especially with two connecting rooms. The standard room was unimpressive and lacked amenities like soda or alcohol in the fridge, contrary to what the website said. However, after contacting the agency, they helped us move to a premium floor, which was much nicer. The location was not practical as it was far from the main areas we wanted to visit. The area also gets really busy because of the events at the Tokyo Dome. I would stay somewhere more central like Shibuya or Shinjuku next time.

Location

Hotel Keihan tenmabashi ekimae

Hotel Keihan tenmabashi ekimae in Osaka was comfortable and had good breakfast. The location was good, and it had nice amenities like a washer/dryer with laundry detergent provided, which was better than the first hotel in Seoul.

Bamu Hotel

Bamu Hotel in Busan was our favorite hotel by far. The room was amazing with a view of the beach and a big spa in the middle of the room. The staff was really friendly, and even though it was a small hotel, everyone was very welcoming. The location was ideal. Directly on the beach with loads of restaurants and cafes nearby. If we make it back I'm going to make sure we stay over a Saturday so we can see the drone show over the beach. The breakfast was the only downside. The fresh squeezed orange juice was a hit but the rest of it left a lot to be desired. I don't know if the breakfast was extra but if it is, opt out and go to one of the many amazing cafes nearby instead. I can highly recommend La Feuille and their amazing salt bread.

Authenticity & Character

Location

HOTEL THE BOTANIK SEWOON MYEONGDONG

Seoul

HOTEL THE BOTANIK SEWOON MYEONGDONG was my kids' favorite for breakfast. From now on the sound of Fur Elise will mean that there are fresh waffles ready somewhere nearby. The hotel overall was lovely and had a nice breakfast. It was a comfortable place to stay in Seoul and was close to restaurants and convenience stores.

Location

A separate washer and dryer in the room. Essential!

Staff

The breakfast staff was incredible but the front desk staff were always a bit standoffish and unapproachable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Trendy Hongdae Hair Salon | SOONSIKI Hongdae Flagship Hair Salon

Seoul

The staff was friendly and the snacks were yummy. The cuts we received were all really well done. However, my stylist changed from the person who cut my hair so they'd never seen my pictures of what I wanted and she didn't speak much at all so it's kind of my fault that my style wasn't at all what I wanted because I didn't speak up. (It was my first day in Korea so I was still nervous about using the little bit of Korean I have!) The problem was when checked out, they'd upsold my daughter with a Keratin treatment that was over 100,000 won without checking with me. I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they thought she was older than 16 and was making her own monetary decisions, but if you're taking your kids who don't speak the language make sure your not separated when they're giving them the prices at the start. Also I just noticed that my itinerary says a deposit was taking at the time of booking and that it would be deducted from the total. It definitely was not deducted on the day. The experience was fun and the quality was good, just a few problems that probably could have been avoided if I spoke the language better.

Full Day City Tour with Tempozan Ferris Wheel and Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

Osaka

The Full Day City Tour with Tempozan Ferris Wheel and Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan was enjoyable, especially the aquarium. However, the ferris wheel was slow and not very exciting, so it felt unnecessary given the other tall attractions we had already visited.

Full Day Haedong Yonggungsa, Blue Line Train, BUSAN X the SKY and Traditional Market Tour

Busan

The Full Day Haedong Yonggungsa, Blue Line Train, BUSAN X the SKY and Traditional Market Tour was not as expected. The blue line train was a regular crowded train, not the small colorful capsule train shown in pictures. We were unsure if we could get off and back on during the trip, so we just stayed on the train. Clearer instructions would have improved the experience.

Tokyo Samurai Museum with Experience + Kimono Tea Ceremony at Tokyo Maikoya

Tokyo

The Tokyo Samurai Museum with Experience and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Tokyo Maikoya was amazing. The staff was wonderful, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

CAPPINESS Capybara Cafe Tokyo

Tokyo

CAPPINESS Capybara Cafe Tokyo was a bit confusing due to miscommunication about reservations. I thought I needed to make the reservation myself, but it turned out it was already booked and paid for. We had to rearrange our schedule to fit it in, but the experience itself was enjoyable.

Ninja+Kabuki Tokyo

Tokyo

The Ninja+Kabuki Tokyo show was great and the kids enjoyed it. However, the address provided in the itinerary was incorrect, which caused us to spend a lot of time finding the location. Also, the booking included a bar hopping tour that was not suitable for our family and was not mentioned in the itinerary.

Aleksandra was amazing as usual. She planned a vacation for our whole family of 10 to Ireland last year and it was a dream come true. So we thought of no one else to help us plan for a wedding in Dublin followed by a trip to Copenhagen.
We wanted to start the trip with a visit to see Irish relatives who lived 3 hours away from Dublin airport and we didn't want to drive. Aleksandra arranged our bus trip to Dungarvan and our hotel. All of her recommendations exceeded our expectations and did not break the bank! The hotel she picked for us was beautiful, perfectly located and reasonably priced. After our visit we headed to Dublin for a gorgeous wedding at the Luttrellstown Castle. It was a like a fairy tail. After visiting sights Aleksandra throughout Dublin, we headed back to the airport to fly to Copenhagen. This was our first trip there and it did not disappoint. Copenhagen is a blend of historic fairy-tale charm and modern, minimalist Scandinavian design. Aleksandra booked us in a beautiful hotel right in the center of it all and because of her recommendations we didn't miss a thing. Before your next trip, call Aleksandra!!

Take it from us, call Kimkim and ask for Aleksandra before you book your next adventure!!

The trip was amazing. You guys are impeccable about thinking about all of the little details that matter when you are traveling. All of our guides were excellent - great people and so knowledgeable. The highlight for me was Summer Senses - that resort is incredible and the concierge Mimi was a standout. We appreciate everything that you did to help us and although we were initially not wowed by the Santorini Princess it ended up being quite lovely. Thank you for everything.

Hotel Reviews

Sofitel Athens Airport

Athens

Great airport hotel

Santorini Princess Luxury Spa Hotel

Santorini

The hotel is in a great location and is very pretty. The pool is small and there is no gym.

Authenticity & Character

Location

No better place to see a sunset.

Staff

Tried to be very accomodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was very clean.

Summer Senses Luxury Resort

Paros

One of the best hotels I have stayed in!

Authenticity & Character

So beautiful

Location

Beautiful landscape and walkable to restaurants.

Staff

Mimi the concierge was the best and we loved George the bartender.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elia Ermou Athens Hotel

Athens

Great hotel - ideal location. Good massages. For those that like to workout the gym is a little small.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Santorini Cultural Highlights Guided Tour with Wine Tasting

Santorini

Really appreciated how Theo customized the tour to what we wanted to see.

Quality of Experience

The only thing I would comment pn is that we decided to eat dinner at the wine tasting and it felt like they forgot about us and part of the wine tasting when we got our food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Fishing Boat Private Experience with Fresh Fish Lunch

Santorini

Team was awesome and really made it so nice for us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Nothing better than eating what you catch.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Small-Group Full-Day Cruise Around Antiparos & Despotiko

Greece

Boat and crew were awesome and so were the sights.

Quality of Experience

So beautiful and I can't believe how good the lunch was.

Food

All of it. It was so good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Cooking Class in Paros

Paros

Maria was terrific. We loved hearing about her family and how she came to do these classes. Her team was super fun and the food was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Acropolis & Athens Old City Private Guided Tour

Athens

Guide was so knowledgeable and easy to be with. We had a great time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

very responsive both before, during and after the trip and great selection of activities and hotels. Something we should have asked at orientation, but was not as clear that we would have the same guides/vehicle throughout which was a nice pleasant surprise, but went in not knowing how the actually safaris/ guides would work. Also was mentioned would be more comfortable flying back, but was not told upfront that it would be transfers back in the Safari Jeeps and bumpy roads which is why we originally did not opt to fly as assumed would be an easier drive to airport. Also had to ask several times about a refund for one activity but eventually was resolved.

Activity Reviews

2nd Day Full Day Safari Experience at Serengeti National Park

Tanzania

same as before great guides and lots of animals seen

Half Day Safari Experience at Tarangire

Tanzania

same as before great guides and lots of animals seen

Evening Game Drive

Kenya

same as before great guides and lots of animals seen

Full Day Safari Experience at Ngorongoro

Kenya

Saw so many animals and great guides.

Coffee Tour in Ngorongoro

Ngorongoro

was a nice cultural experience but was less about the coffee, was assuming was a larger plantation/farm that focused on coffee.

Guided visit to the Birding Sanctuary in Ngorongoro

Ngorongoro

was not a guided visit, but the hotel was nice and there were a lot of birds to observe just walking alone in hotel

Hot Air Balloon Safari at Serengeti

Tanzania

highlight of the trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Safari Experience at Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park

great park, was long day having a travel from Arusha then full day safari so maybe some preparation ahead of time about options for a break etc.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Long trips and vehicle was very bumpy with bad suspension so was tough for person who has to urinate frequently or for my elder mom with back issues.

Tanzanian Inspired Flavours

Tanzania

Was a great cultural experience, but was quit long for one day right after travel.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From the time we selected our itinerary, until the time we dropped off the rental car (we did a self-driving tour), we had an incredible experience. The accommodations, restaurant recommendations and personal navigation plan made it effortless on our part. When our flight to Iceland was significantly delayed, our Kimkim representative was responsive and tweaked the itinerary immediately. He was always available to answer our questions which was a comfort.
Iceland is a magical place unlike anywhere else in the world. It has breathtaking waterfalls, geysers, hot springs, glaciers, etc. So go relax and have fun building life-long memories.

Hotel Reviews

Stracta Hotel Hella

Hella

The staff were attentive to our needs. The breakfast offered a variety of options and the hotel was centrally located to the sites. The facilities offered made for a great experience. One of our rooms even had a private hot tub.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Konvin Hotel by Reykjavik Keflavik Airport

Keflavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Baron

Reykjavík

The hotel is located in the heart of old Reykjavik, so walking to shops, restaurants and the harbor was enjoyable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful answering our questions and making recommendations.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vík Apartments

Vik I Myrdal

The rooms are clean and have everything you need. Laundry is on site and a variety of restaurants and shops are within easy walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

Immerse yourself in this unique experience surrounded by ice. It's like being transported to another world.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Amphibian Boat

Iceland

When will you get another chance like this to experience the glaciers up close and personal!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reykjavík Puffin Watching

Reykjavík

They are just the cutest! Our kids loved seeing them.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horses and Hot Springs

Iceland

You get up close and personal with the land and thermal hot springs. Breathtaking scenery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hello KimKim - a brief note and thank you for your key role in what was a such a memorable and wonderful experience in Norway - your staff was super responsive from start to finish, the accomodations and transfers booked for us worked beautifully throughout, the events were well paced, everything came together as well as we could have hoped for. It was, as labeled, an "Amazing Hiking Trip in the Hardangerfjord Region" and Norway, its physical beauty and welcoming people, will be cherished memories.
Much appreciated, Andy