Kimkim Trip Reviews

The planning was good although there were some things that my husband and I thought could have been improved. Regarding the tour, our time in Quito was great and we had a fabulous bike tour with Jonathon. However, some of our group went to Cotapaxi, and to go to that altitude the first day of the trip seemed risky for a group of seniors. The hotel in Quito was great, transfers were seamless, and the trip itself was excellent. Mathias was very responsive but several times did not answer all of our questions and we had to ask them multiple times. A packing list could have been sent out early in our planning to allow us to purchase any items we might have been lacking. Payments should have included the items we were paying for and our names on them without us having to request it. Information on baggage restrictions could have been given to us as part of the information package. Overall, we were pleased with our trip and would recommend booking a trip through kimkim to others.

I was concerned about investing in the Kimkim service. It was perfect for us. The planning and execution were exactly what we needed.

We had an excellent trip to Vietnam, and we were extremely happy with the organization and support provided by Doris. She was very responsive, during all phases of our trip, and very helpful as well. She was a great travel resource for us. The guides she picked for us in every location were very good, spoke very good English, and were friendly, knowledgeable, informative, and fun. Doris was the reason we had such a good experience in Vietnam. She set us up with an excellent itinerary, which allowed us to see much more than we initially expected. Vietnam is a country with lovely warm people, excellent food, and really fun adventures. We highly recommend it, and we highly recommend Doris.

Hotel Review

Peridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

This was our favorite hotel, among many very good hotels. Their breakfast buffet was astounding. Excellent helpful staff.

Location

Activity Reviews

Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta, Explore Ben Tre - Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam

Brian was an excellent guide. Very much enjoyed this experience. Guests should be given a heads-up about the traffic and resultant length of the car trip back and forth.

Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh - XO Saigon by Night - Experience Vietnam on Two Wheels (Group tour)

Ho Chi Minh City

The motorbike night tour of Saigon on Two Wheels was a very unique and wonderful experience.

Lan Ha Bay - Hanoi - Fly to Hue

Vietnam

HaLong/LanHa Bay: total winner. Great experience.

Explore Hoi An Ancient Town and Street Food Tour

Hoi An

Hoi An was terrific. Very much enjoyed.

Ninh Binh - Bai Dinh Pagoda - Mua Cave

Ninh Binh

Very much enjoyed the Mua Cave and the Bai Dinh Pagoda was incredible.

Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc - An Hien Garden House - Enjoy some local specialty cakes in Hue 

Hue

Very much enjoyed the Garden House and the Tomb

Hiking in Mai Chau, Explore local villages (Xom Kha, Ban Te and Na Meo)

Mai Chau

Loved biking thru the local villages

Hue: Thuy Bieu Ecovillage, Cooking Class & Imperial Citadel

Hue

This was a very fun boat ride and Cooking class. Highly enjoyable.

Ninh Binh - Lan Ha Bay, Overnight on Indochine Lan Ha Cruise

Vietnam

Our time on the Indochine, cruising the really amazing HaLong Bay, was a wonderful experience.

Morning Free - Afternoon Half-Day City by Legendary Russian Jeep GAZ69 Or USA Army Jeep (VBTJ1)

Hanoi

We loved this half day tour, and we loved our guide, Brian. We saw and tasted and experienced so much, and he was really fun. Total thumbs up.

Quality of Experience

Very well planned and executed by KimKim. Super well organized by Doris.

Food

Everything. So tasty, so rich in flavor

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides and drivers were excellent.

Transport

Super easy, super helpful, super efficient

We just completed a trip and had such a wonderful experience! Elana and Wilman were tremendous and so pleasant to interact with. I definitely felt that they really cared about our experience. Elana put together an incredible itinerary and my dad and I had so much fun. Each activity was awesome and our schedule was thoughtfully put together so everything flowed. It always felt like we got the very best rooms at each property. The people working at the zip line at Selvetura Park were so awesome, as we’re the river rafting crew. We had a blast and also felt very safe. Our drivers were consistently kind, fun and informative. The only change I would make is to not stay at L Establo. The property was too large and spread out and the breakfast was a cattle call with tour bus attendees. I would absolutely tap into this entire team on a future trip and refer kim Kim and serendipity to any and all of my friends and family!

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport

San Jose

We were extremely surprised by how nice of a stay it was here. They had a beautiful hotel with lush environment. The rooms were very basic, but nice with comfortable bed and great shower and very clean. There is a Denny’s adjacent to the property and we were extremely close to the airport with a free shuttle. I would absolutely stay here again for proximity to the airport.

Authenticity & Character

It is what it is and it does practical well

Location

Close to airport! Beautiful sunset as well

Staff

Friendly and prompt

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed and linens were very nice. The room was extremely clean. There was a comfortable chair in the room to lounge in.

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

I wish I could give it six stars. The hotel is in the most beautiful setting with incredible views There are lots of good restaurants that someone can walk to from the hotel. They make amazing food and drinks, and the breakfast was spectacular I loved that they had a resident cat! The air conditioners worked great, and the rooms were spacious and well designed. There were macaws flying around in the trees on the property! This was my favorite hotel

Authenticity & Character

It’s incredibly charming and beautiful

Location

The views! It’s also close to a lot of things and desirable places to walk to, including a mini grocery store and ATM.

Staff

Everyone we spoke to was wonderful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were very beautiful inside and outside, and the views were epic

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

The design is very modern and clean and it is a huge and beautiful property. It is so steep and large that moving from place to place requires a shuttle even for people who love physical activity. We had to pay $20 each, just to take a walk on the trails above the property And this seems odd to me The breakfast was also chaotic and stressful with tons of people from tour buses. We did not find it, relaxing at all

Authenticity & Character

It’s very nature oriented with beautiful views

Location

The location is walkable to downtown and in a beautiful setting with tremendous views. It’s just such a steep and spread out footprint.

Staff

The front desk staff were wonderful and the shuttle drivers were very nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were pristine

Arenal Springs Resort

La Fortuna

Very friendly and wonderful service. Pristine property that has a lot of nice walking and animal viewing right from the property. Delicious food and amazing Hot Springs

Authenticity & Character

It is well laid out and thoughtfully designed

Location

The view of the mountain is so beautiful and the property is lush. There’s a lot of fun things to do for couples or families.

Staff

Amazing service

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were pristine

Activity Reviews

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} - Visit La Paz Waterfall

Costa Rica

This was better than I expected. The waterfall walk and walk around the animal habitats was really fun. We loved the hummingbirds so much. It’s very lush and beautiful. It can be really chilly with the strong mist so bring a good jacket and definitely a raincoat.

Quality of Experience

Food

It was nice that lunch was right there so we didn’t have to go somewhere else, but I would opt out of eating there next time.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We were lucky to have this driver twice and he was so kind and knowledgeable. He took us to great stops along the way and made the drive fun. We really enjoyed the smoothie and such that he pulled over for us. He was a very safe driver.

Transport

Savegre Whitewater Rafting

Costa Rica

We had such a good time. This was my dad’s favorite activity.. The river was so beautiful and our boat guide was super knowledgeable about the environment and birds. He handled the river with strong mastery of the currents and made us feel extremely safe. The other guys on the team were hilarious and so fun to be around. We saw the sunset from the river and it was gorgeous!

Quality of Experience

I wish that dinner was not included in this event. The meal afterwards was awkward because everyone just wanted to go home.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Our guide was amazing and taught us so many things. We saw an incredible variety of plants, animals, and reptiles. Including a Ferdinand’s (sp?) snake! The activity was tailored to suit our time commitment, which was perfect.

Quality of Experience

It’s a national park for a reason. It’s stunningly, beautiful and not too large. You will see a huge variety of animals.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Tour with Meal

Costa Rica

We were pleasantly surprised by how nice of an experience this was. There weren’t a ton of the people on the boat and the people joining us were so fun to talk to. The team manning the ship played great music And yummy food. We saw a gorgeous sunset and snorkeling was a blast!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All Day Adventure at Selvatura, including Zipline, Hanging Bridges, and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

The zip line guides were incredible! They made us feel so safe and they were very attentive. I loved spending the time with them. The guy who took us around the butterfly reptile area was wonderful as well.

Quality of Experience

O

Food

Beautiful setting, nice service and delicious food!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Walk in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Monteverde

I really enjoyed this experience and the guide was very knowledgeable. It was fun to see a tarantula and scorpion and many other critters and learn about the background of the forest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I’m

Transport

Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was an enjoyable day, but I wish we had only done two of the three activities. The hanging bridge tour took far far longer than was expected and went on too long. We did like our guide though. The waterfall was beautiful and I’m glad we saw it. I would pass on the hike because the visibility is often so poor and the hike was really just a steep short walk.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food was delicious and it was fun to talk to the other guest

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We originally planned a bucket list trip to Norway to see the northern lights, Alex was our first connection to kimkim and was fantastic to work with he helped change and tweek things to our interests, while in Norway carina was right on it when I needed her assistance for a booking! Norway in a nutshell was an unexpected delight because it seemed like it was going to be so complicated but turned out so easy with every ticket for train bus and boat all going perfectly! I would highly recommend using this team of travel experts , one added bonus was every driver picking us up at airports and hotels were 100%on! Thanks for my epic trip of a lifetime

The trip was incredible! Our driver Yassine was amazing, as he went above and beyond to ensure our enjoyment and safety. Each of the stays were beautiful and beyond hospitable. Moreover, the organized activities were perfectly curated.

Johanna did a fantastic job organizing our trip to Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls for us! We got to do everything we wanted to do:
* A bike tour of Buenos Aires
* A tour of both the Brazilian and Argentinian sides of Iguazu Falls
* A cooking class, a wine tasting and a tango show

All of this wrapped in a package that allowed us to relax and enjoy ourselves. Johanna's colleagues picked us up from the airport, took us to our hotel, picked us up for the side trips. We didn't have to worry about a thing! We hope to be able to use KimKim again in the future.
Thank you Johanna!

I want to highlight the service we received from our driver, Ayoub. Apart from being an excellent driver, always being available, always being on time, and being extremely knowledgeable and caring about our experience, Ayoub was one of the main factors to the excellent overall experience we had. For a 23 day trip, Ayoub was critical to our experience. We couldn’t say enough good things about Ayoub, all without any reservation. We are very grateful to Ayoub for everything he did for us.

Mohamed was a pleasure to deal with in arranging our trip. He was extremely responsive. For the most part, we are very pleased with the itinerary he came up with that we worked on together. In retrospect, we would have made one small change only and that was where we spent NYE. The trip was very well planned.

The only issue we had was the choice for some of the places we stayed. Star ratings are not necessarily consistent with North American ratings.

When we were in Morocco, Said was our contact. Once again, Said was very responsive and caring. We had a few glitches here and there with specific bookings and changes. Not all were solvable but Said did what he could and where something couldn’t be fixed he was concerned that we were satisfied with whatever resolution he could find.

Overall, we had an excellent trip and the service we received, particularly from Ayoub, was a big contributors to that experience.
Allan and Susan, Dec24-Jan25

I just want to remind KimKim that one way that I evaluate value is by seeing how much I paid per day. In my case it was $460/day. I understand that all agents involved need to make a profit to stay in business. However, I felt that on days 1, 3( guide was with me for 1 hour), 4, 9 and 10- I had free days which meant that the costs were primarily transportation and hotel( hotels that I stayed in Guatemala under $125/day). Please factor this in when you quote a price.
My comments by day are below
Day 1- took hotel shuttle which arrived 30 minutes late and picked up 4 other passengers, so we left the airport 60 minutes after arrival.
Day 2- prompt pickup from airport, good experience in Tikal.Good hotel in Flores.
Day 3- guide was with me for 1 hour( we had to wait to pick up his spouse) who accompanied us.
Day 4- Transportation and met with Chris. Camelias Inn is a good hotel, however their towels/sheets and pillow covers smell( I gave them this feedback, it is also mentioned in many Tripadvisor reviews)
Day 5- Hike to EarthLodge was un-necessary. I would skip EarthLodge all-together.
Day 6- Great hike to Pacaya
Day 7-Car troubles on the way to ChiChi, delayed arrival, but great experience. Isla Verde was a great hotel.
Day 8- Good day of hiking and kayaking.
Day 9- Free day, back in Antigua -I felt that I should have left that day.
Day 10- Free day in Antigua , flight at 1130p
Rudy- who was with me for the hikes in Antigua, Pacaya volcano and kayaking in lake Atitlan was fantastic!
I will be back to do the Volcano Acatenago. Thank you for organizing

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Isla Verde

Santa Cruz la Laguna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Camelias Inn

Antigua

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sheets, towels and pillow-covers smell

Hotel Barcelo

Guatemala City

Airport shuttle does not arrive on time

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Take very long to check-in, 45 minutes to check in 3 people at midnight with 2 staff members

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isla de Flores

Flores

Near the Parque Central- can be a little noisy if there are town celebrations( which was on when I stayed). Hotel staff not very knowledgeable or helpful in guiding tourists regarding things to do.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near town Center can be noisy

Staff

Not knowledgeable about details of town events- there was a rodeo as part of the town celebration which they were not aware of

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kayaking & Hiking Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not applicable

Pacaya Sunset hike

Antigua

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Earth Lodge Hike (stay overnight)

Guatemala

Good location, scenic- limited options for dinner. I would probably skip this

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not applicable- we hiked to this lodge

Excursion Into Actun Kan Caves

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Took the short trip 30-45 minutes, I thought we would do the long 3 hour trip

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Stopped at guide's home for 20 minutes to pick up his spouse

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My wife and I just completed a wonderful trip to Australia. It's been a lifelong dream of mine to visit ever since my sixth-grade teacher showed us slides of her trip to the other side of the planet.

I worked with Paula to plan our trip. Paula is a superstar! Her expertise in planning our lifelong bucket-list trip to Australia was invaluable. She took the time to determine our capabilities as an active couple in our 60s, as well as our travel preferences, including our preferred level of hotel accommodations and general interests. The information she gathered led to a perfectly paced trip. Long daily excursions were interspersed with shorter ones, and a day off around the middle of the trip was greatly appreciated. The accommodations Paula booked were wonderful, ranging from very nice to luxurious. Breakfast was included at several of the nicest hotels, providing an incredible start to our day. To be honest, some of the best food we had was found at these hotels. Another area where Paula exceeded our expectations was transportation. Throughout our entire trip, our transportation was expertly planned. Buses, air travel, and personal car service went flawlessly; not having to rent a car and drive on unfamiliar roads was a huge stress reliever.

Highlights of our trip included riding camels, interacting with kangaroos, snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, and viewing sunrise and sunset at Ayers Rock/Uluru. Most importantly, we learned more about Australia, its people, and its history. We found the people of Australia to be, in general, more polite and at ease than what we are used to experiencing. Our trip preceded Australia Day by one day, so we saw some of the preparations for their annual day of national celebration. The theme this year was "Reflect, Respect, Celebrate" – we found these three words very refreshing. Our trip, thanks to Paula, has led to a deep fondness for Australia and its people.

Hotel Reviews

Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa

Port Douglas

The Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa is a gorgeous place with lots of potential. We loved the plunge pool in our room and the main pool area was fantastic, but the resort was terribly short staffed during our stay. Staff were eager to help, but there were issues like a broken safe, non-working phone, and bugs on the counter. The food quality was exceptional, though there were only two servers who struggled with the demand. I believe they are hiring and will improve as they sort staffing issues out.

Sails In The Desert

Yulara

Sails in the Desert was a nice stay. The outdoor area was beautiful, and I appreciated the complimentary breakfast. However, it didn't wow us like the Hyatt hotels did, but that might be due to the desert setting. The hotel had some minor issues with the doors not fully sealing shut, but we've experienced that in desert hotels before, so it wasn't a big deal for us.

Park Hyatt

Sydney

This is my all time favorite hotel. The location, style and service was some of the best I've experienced in my 66 years.

Authenticity & Character

Amazing architecture, the building is shaped around the Harbour.

Location

We were able to walk to the world famous Sydney Opera House as well as dozens of restaurants and ferry services.

Staff

Top notch. Everyone treated us with a smile and an offer to help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was spectacular, the shape and amenities were exceptional. The most interesting and complete room I have ever stayed in.

Grand Hyatt

Melbourne

Great Hotel with an unbelievable breakfast buffet. We were there for the Australian Open and the venue is walkable from the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The Australian Open is walkable from the hotel.

Staff

Everyone is so very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Daintree Cape Tribulation (was & 4WD Bloomfield)

Australia

The Full Day Daintree Cape Tribulation tour was very nice despite some road delays due to a cyclone that had hit the area previously. Our guide was friendly, and we had some engaging conversations. It was a peaceful way to explore the rainforest, though waiting in one-lane traffic was a bit tedious.

Full Day Snorkelling Outer Reef (from Hotel)

Port Douglas

We very much enjoyed our time on the boat as well as in the water. The company did an amazing job taking care of all our needs.

Uluru Sunrise with Breakfast

Uluru

Well worth having to get up very early. The quiet and peacefulness was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Max our guide was amazing. He is from Germany but acted like he was from Australia...A great personality.

Private Wildlife Habitat Experience

Port Douglas

We absolutely loved interacting with the Koalas and Kangaroos.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enric our guide was fabulous!

Sunset Camel Ride

Uluru

I highly recommend this activity. The camel ride at dusk is spectacular. You also have time to interact with the camel you rode after the excursion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I'm good at writing, but am unable to string together a list of superlatives to describe just how awesome KimKim, their Colombian representative Michael Gold, and the local guides/drivers were on our recent trip to Colombia.
Michael assembled the perfect trip to fit our priorities and time frame. He adapted to a one day weather travel delay we encountered in the United States - rebooking hotels, excursions, and flights.
The guides were friendly, accommodating, flexible, and well-informed. The "handoffs" with drivers were seamless.
I highly recommend KimKim without reservation.
Craig H.

Our trip to Guatemala was fantastic!
Chris Gwinner our planner, did an outstanding job with connecting us to beautiful accommodations, Incredible personal tour guides Edgar,Vinny,Caesar !!& Well planned out logistics.
Tikal, Lake Atitlan,Antigua were amazing places to tour and learn about Mayan history.
Chris was always available for questions that we had and gave his recommendations from the planning
stages & throughout our vacation.
He even took the time to meet with us in Antigua ,face to face and ask about how our vacation was going.
I highly recommend Kim Kim travel agency, and Chris Gwinner as a trip planner .
Thank you, Olga & Jeff

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa Rustica

Antigua

Nice hotel ,but the bed was very hard. But Chris got us into another nice hotel with a lot more comfortable bed

Hotel Casona del Lago

Santa Elena

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Utz Jay

Panajachel, Sololá

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Tikal National Park

Guatemala

Boat Tour of Lake Atitlán Villages

Guatemala

Day Hike to Pacaya Volcano

Guatemala

Antigua Coffee Tour by Bus with De La Gente

Guatemala

The absolute best trip of our lives celebrating our honeymoon. Kelly was so responsive and easy to work with. She planned the most memorable honeymooon along with our aunt. We saw the best of Thailand, from city, to jungle, to lake, to forest, to beaches!!! We felt so in touch with the culture and had spectacular food while staying at fabulous resorts. We would recommend this trip to anyone and everyone! 15/10!!

Yiannis John spiro yiannis were all excellent guides with expertise in greek culture food
and history They really show their mastery of living the greek life

Hotel Reviews

The Editor Hotel Athens

Athens

The Editor Hotel in Athens was a nice place to start the trip. The breakfast was nice, and the staff were very helpful in giving directions around the city which was much needed in a big city like Athens. It was comfortable for my stay.

DOM Boutique Hotel

Heraklion

Staff was helpful about the city

Authenticity & Character

In the middle of the city

Location

Next to coast

Staff

Knowledgeable about city

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathrooms clean

Kydon, The Heart City Hotel Chania

Chania

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathrooms

Activity Reviews

Knossos Palace Small-group Mythological Tour

Greece

The Knossos Palace Small-group Mythological Tour was the only time I was with a few more people, and it was very informative. I learned so much about Greek mythology, including stories about Zeus, Fina, and the Minotaur. It was a dream experience.

The Ultimate Food Tour Of Chania Villages

Chania

Yiannis was excellent

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge

Transport

Safety

Private Guided Athens Food Tour

Athens

John was excellent

Quality of Experience

Explanations excellent

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thorough explanations

Transport

Safety

Free Afternoon in Athens

Athens

John was excellent

Quality of Experience

Thorough and explain everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge

Transport

Safety

Acropolis of Athens Small-group Afternoon Walking Tour

Athens

Guide was excellent

Quality of Experience

Knowledge of guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Answered questions

Transport

Safety

I am happy I did this trip, but there was no cultural activities, no gastronomical activity, no great architecture, no museum at all, no connexion with the locals. It is checked off my list, but will never return. All is formatted for americains, so we loose the costaricain feel. Food is very average. The facilities are not up to date in terms of hotel offering. At at the end, it is not worth theEXCESSIVE amount of money it requires to be visited. There are planty of places around the world to visit beside Costa Rica and that would be equivalent or more offering for the price paid....

Hotel Reviews

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

noce hoel near beach,

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cipreses

Monteverde

very disapointed with this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

lodge very cheap, not service no AC, no fridge no hooks, amenities are very minimal. Breakfast very fade.

Location

Staff

they try to accommodate, but the hotel does not offer much.

Cleanliness & Comfort

the roof is made of corrugated steel and since it rained, we were not able to sleep at all. We left as early as we could.

Wyndham

Tamarindo

the best of our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

a bit far from the downtown, but it was ok for us since we have a car.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Montaña de Fuego Mountain Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

This hotel requires serious renovation. Mold in the shower. Windows and doors broken. Again, we have to put our stuff on the floor since there are no place to habg or put it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villas del Caribe

Puerto Viejo

AC not too noisy. Clean, close to ocean. Staff nice, restaurants nearby. Miss some hooks to hang our clothes, jackets, etc. We have to put our stuff ont the floor.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aninga Lodge

Limón, Tortuguero

It is always interresting to sleep in the jungle, but when it is raining 24 hours per day, it would have been noce to be able to close the windows, to allow to dry and to sleep. There are no hooks to let our clothes dry or to hang our luggages.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Auténtico Hotel

San José

ok, not more, we stayed there only few hours. Basic offering.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hampton by Hilton San José Airport

Alajuela

very noisy. But clean, close to the airport. Close to americain standards.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Air conditionning so noisy, dont expect to sleep!

Activity Review

Snorkeling at the Catalina Islands

Costa Rica

Snorkeling at the Catalina Islands was enjoyable, but it felt like the local customer service in Tamarindo was lacking. It seemed like the staff took tourists for granted, which affected the overall experience.

Overall the trip was a bit challenging in that spending only 2 nites in each of the 3 islands was tiring after a couple of hours riding speed ferries followed by water activities like snorkeling requiring more speed boat rides. I relied on motion sickness pills after a terrible motion sickness episode initially.
My recommendation for other tourists is spend at least 3 nights on each island.

Excursions or activities on San Cristobal and Isabela were well organized and carried out well by the local guides, etc.
Activities on Santa Cruz were, imo, waste of time and money. They did not meet my expectations and I could have skipped them.

The Galápagos Islands were amazing in that I saw how the marine and sea animals can coexist harmoniously.

Nicholas did a good job except one miscalculation of the dates on his part costed me extra several hundred dollars. Ouch!

Activity Reviews

Transfer to the airport for your flight back home (Departure)

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No English. But the driver was very sweet.

Transport

Free Morning Until Departure

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay & Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity

Puerto Villamil

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colonial Quito City Tour & the Middle of the World

Quito

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We absolutely loved Mr. Betty and Mui during our time in Thailand. They made it personal and were just so easy to get along with.

Tiago was a great specialist. He set up the Azores trip perfectly. Although the weather (January is an iffy proposition) was not cooperating for some of the days, Tiago continued to check in with suggestions. Most importantly when the car rental agency was having system issues, Tiago was available immediately by phone and follow-up to provide additional support and help take corrective actions. As we consider additional trips to Portugal I would absolutely engage Tiago again.

We have been very impressed with kimkim as a whole. With all our flight interruptions and delays you were able to get us back on track. Having contact people in Peru was exceptional. My only 2 star would be our guide to Machu Picchu. He was very hard to understand and pretty hyper. Everything else was excellent!

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Inn Lima Airport

Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Mapi by Inkaterra

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the activities we were doing

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay

Urubamba

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to our excursion

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Machu Picchu Excursion: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide hard to understand and we felt rushed at times

Transport

Stunning scenery in the Sacred Valley

Ollantaytambo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Review of Our Recent Australia & New Zealand Trip using KimKim

The planning process with our KimKim representative, Paula, was excellent. She was knowledgeable about both Australia and New Zealand. I usually handle trip planning myself, but since this trip was over four weeks long and covered two countries, I felt it was complex enough to need expert help. Paula worked to ensure all our objectives were met and provided some valuable suggestions we wouldn’t have known otherwise.

Australia

Sydney
If I were to optimize our time in Sydney, I wouldn’t have scheduled the harbor cruise, e-bike tour, and food tour all within three days. The history and sights were somewhat repetitive. I would recommend only the harbor cruise and the bike tour, spread over two days. Spending two days at the beaches of Manly and Bondi over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day was enjoyable, but I wouldn’t have stayed a fifth day in Sydney.

Cairns
Cairns was beautiful. Visiting the Great Barrier Reef and snorkeling is a must-do. However, the reef wasn’t as colorful as I expected, so it’s important to set realistic expectations to avoid disappointment. I recommend spending a couple of days here and visiting one of the islands to explore different parts of the reef. Instead of our second day in the rainforest—which required a long drive and wasn’t particularly interesting—I would have preferred an additional day on the reef. Perhaps a guided tour would have made the rainforest visit more engaging, but we rented a car and explored on our own.

Brisbane
Brisbane was one of our favorite cities, with its beautiful winding river serving as a key mode of transportation. We spent New Year’s Eve there, and it was the perfect size for the occasion. Our twenty-something daughter also enjoyed the nightlife. The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was a good experience, though it was disappointing that you can no longer hold the koalas. We spent close to $1,000 on the extra koala and platypus experiences, which were not worth the money. On our second day, we drove to a national park in the Gold Coast hinterland, which was fantastic—we even swam in a waterfall. The Gold Coast itself, however, was underwhelming—very commercialized, similar to Fort Lauderdale, FL, with hotels lining the beach.

Tasmania
Tasmania was one of our favorite places in Australia. While Hobart itself isn’t particularly special, the nearby animal sanctuary was a highlight, especially the nighttime tour. Driving around the island at our own pace was great. Due to limited hotel availability in the Freycinet area, we stayed in a house called Little Wren, but I wouldn’t recommend it for just two nights—we missed the convenience and comfort of a hotel. The Wineglass Bay boat tour was great, though if you’re prone to seasickness, you might want to skip it. In hindsight, we should have cut one day from Tasmania—there was no need to stay an extra day in Launceston.

Melbourne
Melbourne was good, though our experience was affected by one member of our group coming down with a cold/flu, which lowered our energy levels. We missed the penguin experience and instead spent time in urgent care. We took a four-hour e-bike tour of the city, which was enjoyable, and an eight- to nine-hour wine tour of the Yarra Valley, which was also good but felt a bit long, especially after three weeks of travel.

New Zealand

After Melbourne, my husband and I continued to New Zealand while our children returned to college. New Zealand was even more beautiful than Australia.

South Island (Queenstown & Beyond)
Queenstown was our favorite destination of the entire trip—you could easily spend five days here. The town and lake were stunning, and highlights included Milford Sound, Mount Cook, the Shotover Jet speedboat ride, and four-wheel driving along historic gold-mining roads. I recommend spending a night in the mountains, possibly in Arthur’s Pass. Christchurch, on the other hand, was just okay—nothing particularly notable.

North Island (Rotorua & Auckland)
Rotorua itself was just okay, but the mountain biking in the Redwood Forest and the whitewater rafting over a waterfall were incredible adrenaline rushes. The Mitai Maori dinner was worth experiencing, though it felt a bit cheesy at times.

Auckland was a good city with a nice harbor, though it lacked a strong identity. Our day trip to Waiheke Island was a highlight. We stayed at the beach after the tour and had dinner on the island before returning to Auckland.

Overall Reflections & Learnings
1. Trip Length – Four to five weeks was too long. Three to four weeks would have been ideal, as we could have covered all the highlights with less downtime and wasted travel time.
2. Hotel Quality – The moderately priced hotels were lower-end than we would have preferred, especially in the cities. In major cities, we often ended up in Chinatown, on a steep hill, in tiny rooms, or in hotels with limited services (e.g., no gym) and slightly outside the main areas. Next time, I would upgrade to a higher-tier hotel in the big cities for better comfort and convenience.
3. Flight Scheduling – Since the local travel agent booked our flights, I assumed the flight times would align with our agreed itinerary, but in some cases, the flights left much later than expected. This led to some destinations feeling too long, others too short, and significant shifts in planned activities. I would pay closer attention to flight schedules next time.
4. Local Travel Agent Support – The local travel agent in Australia was not very responsive, especially on weekends and holidays, which was frustrating at times.

Would I Use KimKim Again?

Probably—especially for a more complex trip, a destination outside of my usual experience, or a trip longer than 10 days involving multiple countries.

Hotel Reviews

Voco Auckland

Auckland

Best room overall. Again on top of mountain very down on the harbor which was tough for a handicapp walker. Limited just going out down the street to an uber ride. Confusion on check in and parking of car expensive.

Authenticity & Character

High rise

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Millennium Rotorua

Rotorua 3040

Very old and run down

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scenic Hotel Cotswold

Christchurch

Quirky and awkward. With the trolley being the main source of transit it would have been better to be closer. We were far out of central town. Big room a bit run down.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds and pillow comfy

Scenic Suites Queenstown

Queenstown

Hotel hallways were uphill and a bit of a maze. Room was big and good shower. Bed and pillows comfy. Nice balcony overlooking mountains and lake. On the top of a massive hill which wasn’t convenient to restaurant and bars and tours as a handicap person. Lots of Ubers to go 3 blocks. Downtown would have been better.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Welcome Melbourne

Melbourne

Location in Chinatown not great. No valet or Parking which was super challenging. Small rooms, limited services, breakfast included was good but not sure if a good value.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leisure Inn Penny Royal

Launceston

A bit quirky and dark.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A bit too run down and quirky.

Little Wren

Coles Bay

As shown but very small. One small bathroom on different floor than bedrooms not ideal with handicap. Shower broke and fixed but late for dinner because of it. No extended checkout was a bummer.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Too small and limited bathroom.

Ibis Styles Hobart

Hobart

No food available after 8pm. Not much service. Gym and pool were nice. Breakfast included was good again not sure on value.

Authenticity & Character

High rise

Location

Staff

Limited

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed and pillow comfy. Nice bathroom.

Mercure Brisbane King George Square

Brisbane

Good overall. Valet was on and off. Self parking city not ideal. The hotel and rooms were a bit worn. Roomy enough in size. Breakfast was included and very good. Again unclear on cost so not sure if value.

Authenticity & Character

High rise.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed and pillows

Oaks Cairns Hotel

Cairns City

Updated and close to GBR attractions. Due to handicap would have preferred uogeade to hotels right at docks to avoid walking again 3-5 blocks. No valet or parking of rental. Street packing was not ideal. Breakfast included was good but not sure what we paid for it so value unknown.

Authenticity & Character

Fairly vanilla

Location

Not ideal for walking Handicap

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed, pillows and size of room all great.

Hotel Ibis World Square

Sydney

Neighborhood not great, very small rooms, overall a bit worn. Not concierge so little guidance on navigating the city or restaurants etc. Four block walk to major transit which is fine unless you have a person in your group with disabilities related to walking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed and pillows comfy

Activity Reviews

Taste of Waiheke Island

Australia

Great day however this trip didn’t go to brewery and subbed in another winery which was a bummer. They said your info was a year old.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mitai Cultural Experience & Dinner

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Rotorua

Rotorua

The town is run down. The geysers were sort of commercialized and cheesy compared to something like Yellowstone, Wyoming USA. The redwood Forest was amazing and we ended up renting mountain bikes riding through them, which was great. We also took a white water rafting trip over a waterfall, which was a great, adrenaline rush and super fun and safe.

Quality of Experience

Full Day Mount Cook Tour (Queenstown to Christchurch)

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Essential Queenstown

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Milford Sound Coach/Nature Cruise/Fly (ZQN return)

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walter Peak Farm and Gourmet Barbecue Lunch

Australia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Yarra Valley Food & Wine Day Trip Private

Australia

4 winners are too much. I bit too long.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wineglass Bay Cruises Morning Wineglass Bay Cruise - Sky Lounge including Lunch

Freycinet

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rough seas cause vomiting

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary Night Visit

Hobart

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Brisbane

Brisbane

Quality of Experience

Full Day Michaelmas Cay Cruise (from Hotel)

Australia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Sydney Classic Tour - E-Bike

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Taste of Sydney Tour

Sydney

No driver promised, too much walking, not very knowledgeable, had already heard it all in harbor cruise so repetitive. Food not that interesting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Harbor Experience Cruise

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Couldn’t hear guide very well on outside decks