Kimkim Trip Reviews

From the start of planning with our guide Svetlana to the end of the trip, everything came together with ease. We did not have a lot of time (8 days including to and from Canada) to explore Ireland, but Svetlana helped me hone in on what was most important to us and how best to travel while there. It was our first time travelling with our youngest son and we were thrilled to share this adventure with him. Our hotels were very comfortable and welcoming - our favourite was The Salthouse Lodge in Ballycastle, where we stayed for 3 nights to allow us to explore the area. The Beresford Hotel in Dublin was our first stop and Robert at the front desk was both entertaining and extremely helpful. There was the right amount of tours - the Titanic Experience and Black Cab tour in Belfast and the Guiness Tour in Dublin. The itinerary was flexible enough that we could add or subtract experiences as we wanted, so ended up doing Bushmills Distillery visit and a tour in Londonderry, as well as high tea at the Merchant Hotel in Belfast. When there was a glitch in the Black Cab tour timing, Svetlana was easily contacted and she sorted everything out very quickly. It was very helpful to have the breakfasts included each day and it was never difficult to find wonderful places for the other meals. We are already thinking about our next visit to Ireland and other adventures in the world and would definitely use KimKim again to be able to design the best experience with professional and skilled guidance helping every step of the way. We were able to relax in a way we have not done on past tours with other companies. Many thanks to Svetlana for helping to make this a memorable trip.

Every aspect from planning to the trip itself was incredible! Our trip planner, Christina, asked questions and got to know our family and what was important to us before planning. She then prepared an initial plan and asked for comments. She worked with us to meet our price point and then made many revisions and offered advice throughout the whole planning period. She planned so perfectly that our trip went amazingly smooth. It was such a nice convenience to have all of the accommodations and transportation booked in advance, and Christina put a lot of thought into our accommodations and their proximity to our modes of transportation, making our travel very easy. This trip was done solely on planes, trains, ferries, buses and a couple taxis. The tours she booked for us allowed us to see everything we wanted. Everyone from our tour guides to taxi drivers were so nice, accommodating and very knowledgeable. Our itinerary included Oslo, Aurland, Bergin, Alesund, Andalsnes and Trondheim as the main hubs, with cruises on the UNESCO fjords, trips on the Flam and Rauma railroads, and private tours to other destinations with many waterfall stops along the way. Although it was all wonderful, one highlight was the gondola ride in Andalsnes and dinner at Eggen restaurant at the top. Norway is a very beautiful country with diverse areas, awesome hikes, excellent art installations, living history museums, excellent restaurants, wonderful fjords and really nice people. We are very thankful to Christina for making this trip so amazing, comfortable and perfect for our family. We highly recommend using Christina and KimKim as a trip planner.

The tour guides were very good on our trip.
Veronika had some awesome parts of the trip set up for us.
I loved the train trip to Flam and the pastry class in Copenhagen.

Our trip went off FLAWLESSLY! I am so impressed with Angela- our KimKim contact in Greece. The tours she set up for us were perfect for me, my daughter and two grandsons, ages 5 and 9. She checked in with us regularly- which gave us an extra layer of comfort and security.

Our hotels in Athens, Santorini and Rhodes were just what we needed- comfortable, clean and in wonderful locations.

Our Driver to Delphi, Dimitris, was an absolute pleasure, The guide his company provided was very knowledgeable and especially attentive to our 9 year old- who is fascinated with Greek Mythology and requested a visit to Delphi. We stopped for lunch at a gorgeous restaurant on the way home.

Eleni, our guide at the Acropolis was equally fantastic. Her "Young Heroes Tour" was perfectly age appropriate.
The Sunset Cruise in Santorini included a wonderful hike on the volcano. Seeing Akroteri was excellent.

In Rhodes, we were taken care of by the most amazing driver- Nikos from Manos Tours. He was so informative, great with our little guys and so proud of his culture and country.

I will definitely use KimKim for future travel. It left us free to enjoy and learn while they took care of all the details. VERY well done- many thanks!

Hotel Reviews

Kyria Boutique House

Plaka, Athens

This hotel is not fancy- but it's comfortable, clean, has a wonderful staff and a great breakfast on the rooftop with a view of the Acropolis. The location is outstanding! However, not good for someone who can't do stairs.

Authenticity & Character

Cute "Shabby Chic" decor

Location

Right next to Acropolis, Plaka etc

Staff

Magda and Maria were great!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blue Dolphins Apartments & Suites

Firostefani, Santorini

Authenticity & Character

Great vibe, pretty decor

Location

In Firastefani- not in the thick of things, but plenty of good restaurants and shops. Gorgeous view.

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lots of stairs. No pool on site.

Sunrise Luxury Apartments Rhodes

Rhodes

Self catering- has a kitchenette, grocery store on the corner. This worked out very well for us, traveling with kids. Lots of restaurants nearby, a quick walk to beaches and old city. Anna at the front desk was fantastic. Overlooking the ocean- great view. On a busy street, but it quieted down by about 10pm. Not fancy, but served our purposes very well, Again- no elevator so not good if you can't do stairs

Authenticity & Character

Modern- doesn't feel Greek but that was not important to us.

Location

Easy walk to everything. Great view.

Staff

Anna is a lovely person who took great care of us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Young Heroes: a Family Mythology Tour

Athens

Perfect for our 5 and 9 year old boys.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Delphi Full-Day tour

Greece

Driver Dimitris was wonderful. Our guide was very knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Greek Wedding Show

Santorini

Very fun- but lots of Greek dialog , so had some trouble following the plot. But I'd still recommend it, because it was very entertaining.

Quality of Experience

We guide you in the Past 2024

Greece

Excellent information, guide and transportation

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights of Rhodes

Rhodes

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver Nikos was outstanding

Transport

Friendly, knowledgeable, and a totally great human being!

Butterfly Valley

Rhodes

Gorgeous- but difficult if you can't do stairs

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Again- wonderful Nikos!

Sunset Volcano Cruise 2025

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wonderful trip that met all of our expectations! Seamless travel, checked off all our boxes in terms of time available, budget and goals.

Hotel Reviews

Angel's Share Hotel

New Town, Edinburgh

Great location - we walked everywhere and had no difficulty using the tram to and from the airport. Interesting boutique hotel with good size rooms and a great breakfast in their elegant bar. Helpful staff, happy to store luggage. Great treats, water and hot drinks in rooms. Although displayed with the complimentary water, the Pringles will be charged. The Rod Stewart room needs a new mattress.

Inver Lodge

Scotland

Elegant, spacious hotel with lovely mountain and loch views. Excellent restaurant and service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heathmount Hotel

Inverness

Comfy, pretty hotel with friendly, helpful staff and a good breakfast. We loved the 15 minute walk to the town center.

Authenticity & Character

Comfy lounge and bar area, pretty decor

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Seaview Hotel

Wick

Rustic hotel in a very sparsely populated area. Excellent service and a great restaurant. Tired, old room but adequate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean but old and worn out

The Royal Hotel Portree

Portree

Great location overlooking the pastel buildings on the harbor. Adequate room and breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Garrison

Fort William

Great location, parking at back of hotel, very small but comfy room, with great breakfast/bar area with good espresso machine available 24/7.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Stirling Highland Hotel

Stirling

Nestled below the incredible Stirling Castle and near to some great restaurants, interesting comfortable hotel in old grammar school, easy courtyard parking, breakfast room busy and a tad cramped.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Blair Atholl Castle Entrance tickets

Pitlochry

Two hour cruise on the Canal and Loch - Loch Ness

Inverness

Not the prettiest scenery but searching for Nessie is a must. We visited the quaint village of Dores, enjoyed lunch at the Dores Inn, and got to meet Steve Feltham who has lived in a caravan next to the Inn. Looking for. Eddie since 1991.

Evening cruise on Loch Linnhe

Fort William

Such a beautiful area and the light through the clouds was breathtaking. Knowledgeable commentary on Black Houses, tides and local culture

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Inverness Bike tour

Inverness

Alison our tour guide was very experienced and knowledgeable. It was hailing minutes before our ride, but she assured us that she had checked the radar and it would be fine, we enjoyed biking through the Ness Islands where we met the grumpy anti-biker lady that Alison had been trying to appease for many years, biked along the Caledonian Canal to the locks, and then through a nature reserve alongside the Beauly Firth

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Smoo Cave Tours

Scotland

Even a small amount of rainfall results in the inner cave tour being cancelled. One can still enjoy the view of the waterfalls at the entrance and the stunning beauty of the surrounding cliffs.

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

Scotland

A steam train ride through beautiful scenery. We were expecting some kind of narration about Jacobite history and Harry Potter settings. There was no narration or written history offered. Perhaps it would be better to catch the regular train to Glenfinnan, hike to get a great view of the aquaduct , and get a wonderful video of the steam train crossing. Then take the regular train to Mallaig for lunch in a pretty harbor town.

Champagne Afternoon Tea at the Ivy

Edinburgh

We had two friends join us and the staff were flexible and worked this out for us. Lovely champagne high tea in a beautiful setting, but pricey.

Fishing Villages of Fife & St Andrews from Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Great day trip with Peter, an entertaining and knowledgable tour guide/driver. Taking a regular train to St Andrews and stopping off at a fishing village would be a far more affordable option.

Working with Kat made our trip go seamlessly! Every detail was taking care of and we had an amazing time in Scotland. We had the pleasure of experiencing private tours of the Highlands which made for an unforgettable time.

Andrea planned the trip of a lifetime! Our guides, especially Lucia in Florence and Mariapaola in Rome were so knowledgeable and clearly had pride and love for their city! The winery and olive oil tour in Tuscany was fabulous, such a great experience. Our cooking class with Cecelia was so memorable, it was lovely to be warmly welcomed into her home to learn and share a meal. The boat to Capri, with Angelo as our captain, was lovely. He made sure we saw beautiful and interesting sites along the way.

Every transfer was seamless and on time. The detailed itinerary that Andrea provided ahead of time answered all our questions and was so accurate! We would recommend Kimkim highly!

Hotel Reviews

Palazzo Veneziano Venice

Venice

Staff was friendly, breakfast buffet is absolutely amazing!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Residence

Amalfi

Staff was so friendly, and service was wonderful. Room was cleaned twice daily. Location was beautiful. With terrace overlooking the water

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Spadai Florence

Florence

Beautiful room, great location, breakfast buffet was lavish and delicious!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Martis Palace Hotel Rome

Rome

Friendly staff, beautiful room. Bathroom shower was a little difficult to figure out, as was the room temperature.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hidden Venice and cicchetti experience

Italy

This was a fun activity to see the hidden streets and taste some local foods. Guide was a little difficult to understand.

Florence private guided walk including Accademia Gallery

Florence

Must do! Seeing the statue of David was truly awe-inspiring. Lucia was a wonderful guide, knowledgeable, friendly, a pleasure.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Chianti Full Immersive Wine & Olive Oil Experience from Florence (small group)

Florence

Enjoyed this immensely! Our driver was excellent, and the wineries were beautiful, informative. Wine was delicious, as was the food. Small group was delightful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pompeii ruin visit with a private guide

Italy

Such an interesting side trip, definitely worth doing! It was a little tiring after the visit and lunch at the winery right before, but glad we did it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome Private Guided Walk

Rome

Good way to start our time in Rome. The Parthenon especially was amazing. It gave us the sites before we really dug into the rest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Colosseum and Roman Forum - Private guide

Rome

So incredible to actually see and hear about these area that you’ve always heard about. Our guide was so knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cooking Class

Italy

This was so special as we were warmly welcomed into the instructor’s home and the cooking class was just for us. We loved every minute of it!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Italy

Absolutely the way to see Capri, rather than the regular ferry boat. It was fun with a small group, had the opportunity to swim, saw beautiful sites along the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel - private guide

Rome

This was the most awe-inspiring visit ever. Our guide, Mariapaola, was so very knowledgeable, and took great care to make sure we got to see everything that was important to us. Truly a special visit

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Irene Lappa worked with me to create a wonderful trip for my granddaughter, her mother, and me. We visited Venice, Rome, and Sorrento in early June, 2024. Irene was always responsive to my many questions, listened to my ideas, and eventually a thorough and detailed itinerary for us. Every detailed was considered. The included train travel between our destinations, transfers, hotels, and guides, even restaurant and things to do suggestions. Our tours were either private or small group and the guides were wonderful. My granddaughter especially loved her glass blowing class on Murano, our cooking class in Rome, and our tour to Capri and swim. It was great having contact people in each place in case we had issues. The whole trip was perfect. The only thing I might have changed was not as many early morning tours! My many and heartfelt thanks to Irene and the KimKim team.

Hotel Review

Ai Reali Hotel Venice

Venice

Perfect! Getting dropped off at the hotel's dock off the Grand Canal in Venice was magical. The hotel was immaculate, breakfast yummy, and staff wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

close to everything

Staff

Answered all our questions and concerns.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Grand Canal Private Orientation Tour

Italy

This was alright, but we were very tired and it was hard to take everything in.

Venice Night Walking Tour

Venice

I always think a walking tour in a new place is a great way to get a lay of the land. This is a good activity for arrival.

Private St. Mark's Basilica & Doge’s Palace Tour with Exclusive Access to Secret Rooms

Venice

We had a private tour and our guide was wonderful.

Murano Glass Demonstration & Walking Tour

Venice

The real focus of this experience was the glass demonstration for my granddaughter, which she loved. The walking tour was fine.

Early Morning Vatican Tour

Rome

Express Colosseum Tour

Rome

This was a small group tour and our guide was, again, wonderful. My only complaint was our start time was very early and we missed breakfast again!

Pasta & Tiramisu Making Class

Rome

LOVED this

Private Pompeii Tour

Pompeii

Again this was a private tour. We were met at the Naples train station by our guide and driver and transferred to Pompeii. Our guide did a great job bringing meaning to the huge area and keeping us out of the sun!

Capri Island & Grottos Boat Tour from Sorrento

Sorrento

This was one of our favorite tours. Although the Blue Grotto was closed my granddaughter was able to swim from the boat. Drinks were served on the way back to Sorrento and it was a lovely day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Amalfi Coast Driving Tour

Italy

Although my husband and I have driven the Amalfi coast years ago it was wonderful having a driver for this tour. It was also a good way to see more of that area. The driver was great at finding places to park and making sure we had enough time in each stop. After very busy Positano and Amalfi it was lovely reaching quiet Ravello and having lunch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our two guides, Francesca and Elena? were wonderful. Knowledgeable, friendly, easy to be around.
The hotels were exactly what we were looking for on this trip.
The bike tour was great. The ebikes themselves had operation issues, but we managed.
The olive oil tasting stop was a highlight.
Casamar is a must go restaurant for anyone in that region. Reasonably priced and incredible experience.
The boat ride was less than awesome. I should have taken your recommendation to hire a small boat guide directly from the beach. The large boat was unable to approach the shore and even though it was a sailboat, we just used the smelly diesel engine the whole time. This is the only part of the whole experience that we would not repeat - and I can only blame myself. You warned me that sailing trips in this area are not really a thing and I forced the issue. Jessica, the captain of the boat was great, but the boat ride experience itself - not so much.
The drivers from and to the airport were great. They were on-time, professional, friendly.
You had suggested we spend a night or two in wine and olive country. I declined to include that in the itinerary because we do not really drink wine, but the bike tour through the ancient cities was one of the best parts for Lynn. When we come back we will want to spend more time in these villages, maybe more biking and exploring?
Kayaking was cool. Javi, our guide, was a seasoned professional from the Basque country. Made us want to explore that area. We landed on a secluded beach and did some snorkeling. That was also a highlight.
Hiking the Cami de Ronda was great. Met a group of Americans from our home town!!
My favorite part of the entire trip was swimming at the Platja de Ros. This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in my life. I would like to maybe go back with a larger family group and explore the beaches on that whole peninsula.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/wv9ZWnQvmwT3w7gp7
Many people told us that we were lucky to be there so early in June because after June 23rd, the whole area is very crowded. In fact, this last week, there were already many school groups in Llafranc and Calella. They occupied much of the beach. If we go back to these places, it would be good to keep that in mind.
Thanks again for your help on all of this. If we are fortunate enough to keep working in our current jobs, we will reach out to you again.

Marion was great, super attuned to custominzing the trip for the perfect mix of hiking, history and culture to fit our interests…

Hello, I will be honest in my review, and hopefully not too critical.
Overall our trip was fine but not outstanding. Part of that may be that we have always been fit and healthy, and now in our mid 70's we not as energetic or willing to accept annoyances.
Hotels....the 3 hotels we stayed in were nice hotels in general, and all had friendly, professional, and helpful staff. All breakfasts were good as well.
Our first hotel experience though, was challenging. Our assigned room at the Norge was the smallest room I can ever remember, and we were there for 5 nights. Our only other choice, which we opted for, was a much larger room with a pleasant view. This was in a handicap accessible wing on the ground floor with wide hallways which were used to store extra furniture. This, combined with food smells from the restaurant, and the stained carpet made for a less than appealing sense of arrival each time we came to our room. In addition, we had to pay $470 CAD extra to the hotel for the room.
It seems that all our hotels in Norway used the same company for interior room design. All were minimalist, with zero or only one drawer for clothes. This is unacceptable for stays of several days....no place for socks, underwear, PJ's, dirty clothes etc. It ends up with shoes and clothes strewn all over the place.
Regarding the guided tours, we were pleased,
Although we recognize much of Norway is about the water, we spent too much time on boats, even considering the one we missed. The ferry from Bergen to Stavanger was very nice. We went to the oil and gas museum in Stavanger, which was very interesting.
regarding you contact people, we started with Kristina, then over to Fenne, then to Rufo. Rufo was helpful in last-minute rescheduling of our Cornelius dinner.
I sent 2 messages requesting light bedding in our rooms. None of the hotels had the requests on file when we checked in, so we had to deal with that in various ways. The bedding issue was important to us, especially sing none of the hotel have air conditioning.
Thank you,
Randy Byrne

Activity Reviews

Oslofjord Dinner Cruise

Oslo

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Nina is very good

Great Summer Waterfall and Fjord Tour

Bergen

A bit too long

Fjord Cruise & Seafood Dining Experince

Bergen

Private Oslofjord Island Hopping Nature Walk

Oslo

Full-Day Private City Excursion

Oslo

Mariann was very good

Our trip planned by Tasos at KimKim Travel was the best vacation my Husband and I have ever taken! Tasos worked to organize our customized Greece trip by listening to what we wanted to do and not do. We flew from Tucson, AZ, to Atlanta, GA, then to Athens, Paros and Santorini Islands. We spent 4 days on the mainland of Athens while also traveling to Meteora and Delphi. The history is like none other in the world! The Plaka District is the place to stay for the history in all of Athens in my opinion and The AVA Boutique Hotel where we stayed had amazing breakfasts every morning and treated us superb. Very comfortable suite w/kitchen. They even gave us welcome and parting gifts! Totally unexpected. In Athens, we visited the Parthenon, Acropolis Hill, the Ancient Agora, National Archaeological Museum. Very historic and great history learned.
Michael was our Tour Guide for The Acropolis & Ancient Athens Mythology Tour, he was wonderful, funny and a great historian.
George was our Private Transfer Driver who drove us safely to Meteora, the oldest Olive Oil Producer in Greece with ancient olive Grove and Delphi and he was great too! He added stops along the way at no additional cost so we could get some beautiful pictures by the sea and history (battle of Thermopylae) that he provided himself. Meteora and Delphi were humbling. The history there and the stories of the Monks from the past to today we will never forget! By the end of the three travel days we were friends with George and he too gave us a parting gift of his very own harvested olive oil and oregano! We're enjoying both today as I write this:)!
George, delivered us to the Athens Airport and we flew to Paros Island. The plane was small and we were cramped. Husband is 6'5" and I'm 5'10" so hard to get around that. Fortunately, it wasn't a long flight.
We loved Paros, didn't want to leave. Don't recommend anywhere that we traveled in Greece to snorkel. Did bring our gear but no coral, sea floor is black rock or rock from volcano eruption and/or earthquakes. Did see lots of small fish though. Water is a beautiful turquoise and just the right temperature in June to swim and enjoy. Don't wear your smart watch in the salt water!
Paros is an amazing Island. Old authentic with new development just as Tasos mentioned. We wanted beaches and that's why Tasos recommended Paros. We spent 4 nights on Paros. Town of Naoussa (where we stayed) and Parikia were great to visit, dine, shop and just go around at our own pace. We had great meals and service everywhere we ate. Never had a bad meal. We stayed at the Contaratos Beach Hotel. Right on the water. Had an amazing balcony that looked right out on the gorgeous pool and then the Sea. The view was fantastic. Employees were awesome at hotel. Always smiling and willing to help whenever needed. Tasos recommended a full day boat trip that we met great people on and had a huge meal that was delicious. All the beer, wine, other beverages and food you wanted. We traveled to many islands, swam and snorkeled. Great day! Naoussa and Parikia were so much fun! We used Panos as a private transfer driver throughout our stay and he was very friendly and kind too.
We took a ferry from Paros to Santorini Island. Very crowded but moved well. We were comfortable on the ride. We arrived on Santorini along with 7 other "Cruise Ships" that day! Santorini is way too crowded at this time of year. Yes, the island is beautiful but don't recommend going here. Way too crowded and expensive. Everything here was more than double the price of Paros and other Greek Islands that are spectacular. Our hotel, Petit Palace Suites, was fantastic. Great view of the caldera, off the crowded track. Room and Employees were fantastic. We took a morning Catamaran Caldera Cruise and thoroughly enjoyed the cruise, ship crew and getting to know the people cruising with us. The town of Oia was beautiful but disappointing because it was way too crowded. Did come away with great pictures from the island though. Wasn't impressed with the sunset. We have prettier sunrises and sunsets in AZ;). We also attended a wine tasting that we were supposed to sip wine, learn about their old vines and the centuries long winemaking process that we would only find in Santorini, but, we were only entitled to sip 4 wines and didn't have any tour or learn about their winemaking process. I think that lasted for 30 minutes. There was no view that I recall either.
After two nights in Santorini, we started our return by flying to Athens late on day 3. However, our flight was cancelled due to weather in Athens. Tasos set us up with "Travel 12" Customer Service through Whatsapp to communicate from the beginning of our trip to the end. Travel 12 was with us all along the way, while Tasos left us to enjoy our trip but monitored the communication. Immediately, Travel 12 was there to support us by offering to find us a hotel with transfers. My Husband stood in line for over 2 hours with Aegean Airlines (partner of Delta) to determine what they were going to do with us. We had to catch a connection the next day at noon for the US out of Athens. We did have insurance and was assured the hotel and flight changes would probably be covered according to Travel 12 so that was a relief. Travel 12 consulted with Tasos and he advised to wait to see what Aegean would do for us because if they offered a hotel with transfers back to airport the next morning our insurance would not cover what Travel 12 was working on for us and that's exactly what happened. Aegean covered transfers and another night stay on Santorini. The hotel was decent and the transfers were timely and just as expected.
Once we finally arrived home in Tucson, AZ, our bags did not. However, Delta tracked them out of Athens and were delivered to our home 2 days later in tact with nothing damaged.

Hotel Reviews

Ava Hotel & Suites

Athens

Wonderful place to stay, great employees, fantastic breakfasts (best on the whole trip!) receive both welcome and parting gifts from them!

Authenticity & Character

Old world classy charm! Chandeliers everywhere!

Location

Historic old city with walking distance to Acropolis.

Staff

Staff was always smiling and exceptionally attentive! There were Employees who stood out but I'm sorry don't remember their names.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was perfect regarding the cleanliness and comfort. Loved the bathroom! Very beautiful bathroom ceiling and chandelier in bedroom:)!!

Monastiri Guesthouse

Kalampaka - Meteora

Beautiful view. Old world charm. Didn't care for different levels in hotel room and bath. Breakfast was just okay. Staff very kind and attentive.

Authenticity & Character

Old world charm. Don't know the history but imagine the hotel is very old with renovations.

Location

Walking distance to town. Loved the town.

Staff

Very helpful and kind!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel was very clean, bed wasn't too comfortable though. Hard mattress.

Fedriades Hotel Delphi

Delphi

Smallest bathroom we've ever showered in. Bed and breakfast very nice though. Great location in town to stroll around in.

Authenticity & Character

Nice feel. Didn't get authentic or a character feel here. Small accomodations.

Location

Right in town you can stroll around in. Ate at great restaurant across the street for dinner.

Staff

Did their job. Was only a one night stay.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was very clean and comfortable beside the small shower that sprayed the whole bathroom.

Contaratos Beach Hotel Paros

Naousa

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Authenticity & Character

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Location

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Staff

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Petit Palace Suites

Santorini

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Authenticity & Character

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Location

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Staff

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Avra Hotel

Rafina, Attica

Didn't stay here because our flight from Santorini was cancelled.

Authenticity & Character

Didn't stay here because our flight from Santorini was cancelled.

Location

Didn't stay here because our flight from Santorini was cancelled.

Staff

Didn't stay here because our flight from Santorini was cancelled.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Didn't stay here because our flight from Santorini was cancelled.

Activity Reviews

Acropolis & Athens Mythology Tour

Athens

Highly recommend it. Michael our tour guide was great!

Quality of Experience

Highly recommend.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highly recommend.

Transport

Highly recommend.

Local Transfer in Athens

Greece

Great - Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

The Driver - George!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved George!

Transport

Very safe, informative and helpful!

Meteora Sunset Tour

Meteora

Remarkable, will never forget this experience. One of a kind, breathtaking and amazing history.

Quality of Experience

Remarkable, will never forget this experience. One of a kind, breathtaking and amazing history.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Remarkable, will never forget this experience. One of a kind, breathtaking and amazing history.

Transport

Very safe and comfortable!

Private Tour of Delphi

Greece

Tour Guide was exceptional regarding the history information shared. She even extended the tour time because we were her last tour for the day and she wanted us to have all our questions answered.

Quality of Experience

The history and Tour Guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Perfect!

Transport

Perfect!

Lunch with Olive Grove View

Greece

Owners were very informative and lunch was delicious! View spectacular!!

Quality of Experience

Remarkable, will never forget this experience. One of a kind, breathtaking and amazing view!

Food

Meals were delicious at the Olive Grove and in Delphi!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

George was very kind, safe driver, shared great historic info, took us to stops that were on the way and even shared a parting gift of his own olive oil and oregano produced from his home! Loved George!

Transport

Very safe and great vehicle!

Local Transfer in Paros

Paros

Panos was very kind, safe and informative about the area.

Quality of Experience

Highly recommend!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highly recommend!

Transport

Safe and convenient!

Antiparos Day-Trip

Paros

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Quality of Experience

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Food

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Transport

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Santorini Highlights with Wine

Greece

Guide and tour was great - tired us out though in the heat. Wine tour was disappointing. Wasn't a tour and we had a sip from 4 wines (lasted about a half hour). Did end up having lunch at the winery and that was very good.

Morning Catamaran Caldera Cruise

Santorini

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Quality of Experience

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Food

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Transport

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

The Greek Wedding Show

Santorini

Cancelled because it was too late in the evening for show start and we were tired and sunburned.

Quality of Experience

Cancelled because it was too late in the evening for show start and we were tired and sunburned.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cancelled because it was too late in the evening for show start and we were tired and sunburned.

Transport

Cancelled because it was too late in the evening for show start and we were tired and sunburned.

Our 16 person tour van from Bath that included Stonehenge, Avebury and Cotswold village was okay. The van was full and I felt quite cramped in comparison to a similar tour we had taken in Iceland. Driver gave no instruction about moving one’s seat around to give everyone an opportunity to sit up close or not. We were on time and the van was already fully seated so we were trapped in the rear seat for the entirety of the day. Shouldn’t have been my responsibility to complain rather than provide some up front guidance. L

We had such an incredible trip to Patagonia! Jimena was terrific to work with, she provided us multiple options for our trip the end of May. Everything was so organized and easy. Great choices in hotels and the public and private transportation was so convenient.
Once we were in Puerto Natales, we wanted to adjust our trip and add a hike to the Torres del Paine towers in addition to most of the W that were already planned, so Nada and Jimena worked their magic and made it happen.
Highly recommend Patagonia in April or May! Yes, it’s cold but manageable and you basically have the park to yourselves, including staying at the Refugio’s. Pedro, our guide, was terrific and so much fun. We really enjoyed our time with him.
It was a trip of a lifetime, we couldn’t have been more pleased with everything!

Harris was helpful and listened to everything I wanted out of the trip. He even took the extra step to call and walk me through some questions I had

Hotel Reviews

Volcano View Hotel

Santorini

Amazing view and good !

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Editor Hotel Athens

Athens

Great location and nice room. No view from our room though.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Saint Andrea Paros Seaside Resort

Naousa

Beautiful room and ambiance throughout. Friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

A bit far from town but we had scheduled a private driver so it worked out

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Local Transfer in Paros

Paros

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour in the Blue Lagoon

Paros

Food was absolutely incredible ! Staff were friendly, fun, knowledgable, and engaging

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Catamaran Caldera Cruise

Santorini

Food was absolutely incredible ! Staff were friendly, fun, knowledgable, and engaging

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Acropolis Hill & Museum Tour

Athens

Knowledgable guide !

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loved the agent who took our ideas for the trip.
Francesca and Maria were great! Lucy was amazing as were her friends who guided us in Pompeii and Naples.
Yes, Kimkim is expensive but ALL your needs, wants and every transfer is perfect!!
I used them for Madrid and Barcelona with the same perfect results.

Giulia was very responsive but I was not very happy with my trip.

- shuttles only run once an hour to/from the hotel, the shuttles stopped running at 23:30 so we had to pay 50+ euros if we wanted to enjoy a full night out. One morning our travel agency booked excursion was booked at an early morning time and the shuttles were not running yet so we had to pay for transportation
- the hotel itself catered to an much older crowd (average age was about 70 years old) this wasn’t ideal for two women in their 30s and I really wish there was more thought put into that since we relied on the travel agency to have a better idea of the ideal place based on what I shared with the company (this was the biggest point of frustration for us)
- the path of the gods were very far and I wish we knew how difficult and costly it would be just to get to the start of the path. It was mentioned that this would be a “half day” excursion but getting there and back plus the hike would have been 8+ hours.
- the boat excursion to Capri only shared a limited amount of alcohol. I could understand wanting to ensure no one was drunk or unsafe while swimming but there shouldn’t have been any limitations on the way back to Sorrento. If there is a set amount of drinks allowed per person with the excursion then that should be laid out beforehand.

Absolutely amazing experience with Kim Kim Travel Agency!

From the moment we started planning our trip to Turkey, Kim Kim Travel Agency exceeded our expectations in every way. Their personalized service and attention to detail made our journey through Istanbul and Cappadocia unforgettable. Volkan was an amazing guide through the two cities, giving a glimpse into the historical and current day Turkey as a local. He also recommended the best food places, shopping stores and was considerate of the food, health and age related concerns of our group.

In Istanbul, we were immersed in the rich history and vibrant culture of the city. Our knowledgeable guide brought the ancient streets, majestic mosques, and bustling bazaars to life with captivating stories and insights. The itinerary was perfectly balanced, giving us enough time to explore the iconic landmarks like Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, while also allowing us to savor local cuisine at charming restaurants.

Cappadocia was a dream come true. The landscape was otherworldly, and Kim Kim Travel Agency arranged an exceptional itinerary that included a breathtaking hot air balloon ride at sunrise, visits to the surreal rock formations, and explorations of the underground cities. Every detail was taken care of, from our comfortable and unique cave hotel accommodations to seamless transportation between locations.

What truly set Kim Kim Travel Agency apart was their dedication to ensuring a personalized and memorable experience. They took the time to understand our interests and preferences, tailoring the trip to suit our desires. Their local expertise and connections provided us with authentic experiences and insider access that we would have never discovered on our own.

The communication and support from Kim Kim Travel Agency were top-notch throughout the trip. They were always available to answer questions and provide assistance, ensuring that our journey was smooth and enjoyable from start to finish.

If you're considering a trip to Turkey, I wholeheartedly recommend Kim Kim Travel Agency. Their passion for travel, combined with their exceptional service, will ensure that you have a truly unforgettable adventure. We can't wait to book our next trip with them!

Hotel Reviews

Gullu Konaklari Sirince

Izmir

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sirkeci Mansion Hotel

Istanbul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kale Konak Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Turkish Bath and Spa at Hürrem Sultan Hammam

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

lol

Transport

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot Air Balloon Tour at Sunrise

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Avanos: Discover the Centuries-Old Ceramic Tradition

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pamukkale and Hierapolis

Pamukkale

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our second journey with KimKim, and specifically the remarkable travel agency Mobee Travel / Tomorrow Travel, to explore France was an absolute delight.

Amandine expertly curated various itineraries for our return trip, meticulously booking everything and providing us with detailed vouchers, daily itineraries, and travel guides for each event, destination, and hotel. The standout feature of our experience was the unwavering support from Amandine and her colleague Valentine throughout our trip. For instance, during a strike at the Musee d’Orsay, they promptly informed us and swiftly rescheduled our private tour around the disruption. When we arrived at the museum, we bypassed the long lines of uninformed visitors, thanks to Valentine, and our guide was there to ensure we were among the first to enter when the doors opened. This level of service exemplified the seamless nature of our trip.

Every detail of our journey was flawlessly executed. Our private drivers were punctual and flexible, all vouchers worked seamlessly, and our first-class seat assignments on the high-speed train were perfectly convenient. The tours were led by guides who spoke excellent English and were personable, knowledgeable, and friendly.

Amandine and Valentine eliminated the stress of planning a two-week adventure through Paris, Bordeaux, and back to Paris. We never had to worry, knowing they were always accessible via the KimKim app or a phone call. Their dedication and attention to detail made our trip to France unforgettable.

Hotel Reviews

5* Hotel Napoleon Paris

Paris

This was our second stay at the Hotel Napoleon and it was exactly the same top experience we remembered from 2022 (we even remembered some of the same staff). The hotel is exquisitely decorated in gorgeous traditional classical French finishes and furniture. No detail was spared anywhere. The breakfast was always wonderful and the woman who works there (I wish we could remember her name) was a delight every single morning when she served us delicious cappuccino coffees and individual orders of poached eggs. She also acted as an informal concierge and provided us an excellent restaurant for lunch and a top chocolatier to pick up gifts to bring home. She made our mornings even better. The bar was another lovely place to have a drink and sometimes snacks. The service was excellent and the staff wonderul (they even tried to teach us some French words). We had two small problems with the toilet and the hotel immediately sent people to repair the problem quickly. We were very impressed and wished we had service like that at home (LOL).

Authenticity & Character

Gorgeous hotel. We want to decorate our home like the hotel.

Location

Perfect location to the Arc d’Triumph, the metro, tour buses, restaurants and of course famed shopping

Staff

Lovely professional people from checkin to checkout, including the people who took care of our baggage.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quiet, comfortable, lovely room.

Hotel Le Burdigala

33000

Here's an improved version of your hotel review: --- **Exceptional Hotel Experience in Bordeaux** From the moment we arrived, we were treated exceptionally well at this fantastic hotel. Rodrigo at the front desk checked us in and seamlessly took on the role of concierge, arranging our restaurant and taxi reservations for several days. His dedication, along with the rest of the front desk staff, was outstanding. The bellhops greeted us daily, inquiring about our experiences and making us feel genuinely welcomed. Our room was one of the largest we have encountered in French hotels, both well-appointed and functional. Comfort was paramount, evidenced by a menu detailing the different types of pillows available—all of which were exceedingly comfortable, as was the bed. Breakfast was a delightful experience, served in a lounge-like setting with elegant tables, sofas, and oversized chairs. The staff were incredibly accommodating, keeping us supplied with endless cappuccinos and Americanos. Upon request, they even prepared eggs to our individual preferences. Dining at the hotel's restaurant, Madame B, is a must. We enjoyed an excellent and affordable meal on our first night, complemented by superb service and lovely decor. The hotel's location just north of the city center is ideal—quiet at night yet only a 10-minute walk to the heart of Bordeaux. Additionally, the nearby tram stops make exploring the city convenient and effortless.

Authenticity & Character

Large rooms, large lounge for breakfast

Location

Short walk to city center, yet away from all the bustle and hustle

Staff

Everyone at the front desk, especially Rodrigo were excellent, including the bellhops

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great selection of pillows for the bed

Activity Reviews

24/7 assistance in case of emergency

France

Our travel agents, Amandine and Valentine were always available to help us during our trip. At one time they called us to alert us to disruption due to a strike at the museum. They quickly rescheduled everything for us to avoid the disruption. Another time we needed the car service to arrive earlier than scheduled and they made that happen. Lastly, we had problems getting to a cheese making class (rain in Paris, no cars, no taxis, no ubers) so we called them to let them know we could not get to the event.

Quality of Experience

They called us to alert us to a strike and rescheduled events around the strike to make everything uneventful

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All our guides were knowledgeable, spoke fluent english and were friendly and accomodating.

Transport

All transports were excellent, polite and overly helpful.

Private Guided Visit of Orsay Museum

Paris

Vivian was our tour guide and she was lovely, knowledgeable and friendly. She walked us through the entire museum and highlighted many of the more important paintings, all along allowing us to wonder about to other paintings. Having Vivian as our guide made seeing all the art in 2 hours a pleasure.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cheesemaking workshop and cheeses and wine tasting (small group/2hours)

Paris

We never made it to this tour due to rain, no taxis and no ubers. Tried to take the metro but still had too far to walk that we gave up and notified the agency we cannot get there.

Transport

Giverny and Monet’s Garden Half-day trip from Paris in a Small-Group

Paris

We enjoyed this tour and our guide was very entertaining (cannot remember his name, but he was young, had a pony tail and wore his signature Celtics basketball jersey). The ride in the van to and from was comfortable. Our guide provided a good orientation and we never felt rushed and had plenty of time to explore the gardens, the house and water lily pond on the other side. After seeing Giverny, we have a better appreciation for Monet.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very entertaining guide and driver. Spoke very good english.

Transport

Very comfortable van and we could control the temperature and vents overhead

La Cité du Vin - Bordeaux Wine Museum - Entrance Tickets

Bordeaux

Interesting museum but the tour on the first floor was odd and not my cup of tea (too much using your imagination in a very non-vineyard like environment). Second floor was interesting to see so many exhibits, but after awhile it was information overload and we shut off the audio guide and just walked around and looked at various exhibits. The wine tasting on the top level was okay. The best part were the amazing views of Bordeaux from up high. The wine, was meh and not really a place to enjoy a fine wine. You would not be missing too much if you skipped this venue. I would rather have used the time to see another vineyard and speak with the people there.

Picasso Museum - Entrance tickets

Paris

Very good, large museum with over 5000 items to see, however it can be a bit overwhelming. We decided during the tour that we are not really fans of contemporary art, especially Cubism (it is just a little too abstract for us). We eventually rushed through the museum because we were getting overwhelmed and not a huge fan of this important contributions to the art world.

Quality of Experience

It can be overwhelming to try and see over 5000 pieces

Musée de l'Orangerie: Entrance tickets & Audioguides

Paris

Beautiful smaller museum in a gorgeous park across the river from the Musee de’ Orasy. We enjoyed seeing the two massive oval rooms of Monet’s Water Lilies (4 massive canvases in each room). It was a peaceful place to enjoy the paintings (although many people kept trying to stand in front of the canvases to take selfie videos which was annoying). We went to the lower lever where a different collection of exhibits existed but by this point we were mentally drained having been to Giverny the day before and Musee de’ Orsay in the morning so we speeded our way through the lower level (which was very busy with patrons)

Quality of Experience

Lunch/Dinner at Madame Brasserie

Paris

We enjoyed our gourmet dinner at Madame Brasserie on the 2nd level of Eiffel tower. It was impressive that they sat and served the entire restaurant at the same time and the service was very good. The views were even better as we walked around the 2nd level before and after dinner.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Medoc & Saint-Émilion Wine Tasting Small Group Day Trip

Bordeaux

Ben was our tour guide for the day and he was very friendly, personable, and knowledgeable. He provided us great transportation and was informative and entertaining along the way. He made time for dialog on general topics to keep the trip interesting. We enjoyed the one Medoc winery and wished we could have seen more of Medoc. We saw two wineries in St. Emilion and had a relaxing and enjoyable lunch at one with wine pairing.

Quality of Experience

Food

We enjoyed our picnic style lunch at the winery in St. Emilion

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ben was a very good guide and driver.

Transport

Nice comfortable van

Gourmet Food & History Walk

Bordeaux

Dorian was our guide for this walking tour and this was his first time providing this particular tour. He was very knowledgable and informative and attentive to us. He spoke very good English and we enjoyed everything he showed us. We covered a lot of ground and there was quite a not of walking. The food part was minimal at best. We had three food stops: 1. Purchased for us 2 cannellini's to eat while we walked 2. Sat outside at a small gourmet ham/pork shop for some exotic pork charcuterie 3. Cheese shop where we were given two packages of different cheese to take with us while we walked - very minimal information about the cheese and no where to sit to eat it. Overall, we learned a lot from Doreen, and we walked a lot. Just do not come hungry and expecting to eat much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My daughters and I planned a girls trip to Africa. Four countries (South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia) in 3 weeks was no small feat for first time visitors. We reached out to Kimkim for help and they connected us with their local specialist Esther Reumpol of The Eco-Travel Boutique.
Esther, through the Kimkim platform, made the whole planning process easy. Her suggestions based on our given budget, interests and preferences helped us narrow down what we wanted to do. From the time we connected till the time we got home, Esther was in constant contact, coordinating, revising, confirming and checking in.
The result of her patience with our itinerary revisions was perfect! The accommodations she booked were superb, the transfers to and fro like clockwork, our last minute tour bookings accommodated and all our inquiries patiently and promptly answered.
Esther is also a miracle worker. My luggage, amongst some other passengers, was offloaded from our flight from Nelspruit to Victoria Falls. We were taking a morning chartered flight to the Okavango delta the day after and there were no more flights from that airline coming in that day or the next. All I had were the clothes I was wearing. All my necessities, toiletries and medicines were in my luggage.
I call her a “miracle worker” because on this chartered flight, you can only check in soft luggage with a weight limit of 20 kg inclusive of hand carry. My luggage was in a hard case and weighed 25 kg which I was planning on repacking to a duffle for our 4 night stay at the Delta. I had resigned myself to accepting that I would not get to see my luggage until I got back to Victoria Falls but Esther, somehow, made the airline deliver my luggage to the heart of the delta. This was the airlines responsibility and was not part of Esther’s obligation to us. I can just imagine how many phone calls she had to make, while she herself was away on a work trip and I am truly grateful.
Our biggest thanks to the KimKim team, Esther and Lucy, our concierge, for making our first visit to Africa the most wonderful and memorable experience. It was a palate teaser that makes us want to go back, stay longer in each country and explore more of what Africa has to offer.