Kimkim Trip Reviews

Kim Kim and Liz did a wonderful job planning and executing our trip to France. From the first planning discussion to the final run through of our itinerary we felt that Kim Kim understood our needs and would provide a wonderful travel experience. We weren't disappointed. Highlights of our days in France were visiting the Avignon area of France. What a beautiful place with lots of varied things to do and see. We especially liked the day channeling Van Gogh through St. Remy and Arles.

We probably over booked ourselves during our two days in Paris. It was quite a marathon but we did and saw so many wonderful sights including Versailles, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Orsay Museum. Wish we could have spent more time in Paris but now we are motivated to return.

Traveled as a group of four friends to the Andalusia area of Spain. Our travel specialist Raquel worked with our group and put together 12 day itinerary that met all of our needs perfectly. We loved the kimkim app which had ever detail of our day to day plan, tours, tickets, recommendation , etc and we referred to it non-stop.

Our trip was seamless, from our airport pickup in Seville, car rental, hotels, tours, tickets…through to the end. As per our request, and of course with Raquel’s assistance we were able to hit all the places on our wish list. We visited Seville, Cordoba (day trip), Cádiz, Grenada, Rhonda, Malaga and day trip to Nerja.
Our hotels in each location were in excellent locations for walking in the historic districts and meeting locations for tours. All accommodations exceeded our expectations with attentive staff, beautiful rooms, and delicious breakfasts included. We particularly enjoyed the H10 hotels that we stayed at in Seville and Malaga.
Our arranged private tours were exceptional with local knowledgeable tour guides. They all had educations and backgrounds that enhanced the experiences. We had a great variety of history, culture, food, and fun with lots of laughs along the way.

Hotel Reviews

H10 Casa de la Plata

Sevilla

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

H10 Croma Málaga

Málaga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Monumental Seville on Foot & Visit Real Alcázar

Seville

Cory was a delight to plan our trip with! We had a diverse group and she helped us to find something for everyone. Cory also helped us to feel prepared with how to use the transit systems and feel confident we could get where we needed to go, on time. We really enjoyed Kyoto, with our guide Pam. We got to see so much and appreciated having a local point of view. We also enjoyed the fast pace of Tokyo with Karin who adjusted our itinerary to maximize lower traffic times at high traffic sites. We so enjoyed our adventures in Japan.

Hotel Reviews

Hakone Kowakudani Onsen Ryokan Mizunoto

Hakone

The hotel is unique and the hot springs were enjoyable. The included meals were not great, we had much better traditional meals.

Authenticity & Character

Location

There is a garden just across the road and the hotel is in a quite area. It was not ideal to have to walk bags up the hill after a long bus ride

Staff

Staff was kind. We had logistics trouble with the bus not running on time. Staff was kind but unable to help us resolve the issue.

Cleanliness & Comfort

KAYA Kyoto Nijo Castle

Kyoto

Location was nice, it was a walk from the train station but staff were very friendly and helpful. We had a great stay and the beds were comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Helped us get a taxi for 6 on short notice for dinner!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel the Celestine Tokyo Shiba

Tokyo

We had a very nice stay!

Authenticity & Character

Location

There was a walk to all mass transit, a doable 10min walk but of note if you have luggage.

Staff

Very kind. We had to check in early and leave bags, they were in our rooms when we returned, stress free!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Akihabara Anime & Gaming Adventure Tour

Tokyo

This was a unique tour. Our guide was kind and knowledgeable about the area. We had expected more of a focus on anime than the general area and hipsters but it was a unique experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was great. Made things feel comfortable and accessible. Took us to places we likely would not have walked into without the guide.

Tokyo Night Food Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

We loved this experience! A highlight of the trip! The guide was outstanding and the food was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Japanese Calligraphy Experience (Nara)

Japan

This was an exceptional experience! We had a great time learning and creating together. The setting was just beautiful, a lovley garden out back and such kind host.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Outstanding! We were not rushed and they were kind about our artistic attempt!

Private Kyoto Temples & Gion Tour

Japan

Pam was wonderful! We saw so much and really enjoyed our adventure!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony with Kimono Wearing (Higashiyama)

Japan

A beautiful experience! Would recommend for anyone looking for a unique and authentic experience.

Quality of Experience

Getting dressed in a kimono was fun and unique!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full day exploring Meiji Jingu, Harajuku & Shibuya

Tokyo

A great introduction to Tokyo! Covers a lot of ground and is an orientation to the metro system if you haven’t used it before

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our first experience working with Kimkim’ and everything went excellently! Maria Grazia did an amazing job with our arrangements from our initial consultation to arranging the final details of our trip.
She provided us with options at each stage of the planning and put together an itinerary that was perfect for us. I loved the sweet hotel she booked for us (great location within walking distance of many sites/sights) and our private tour guides (Stephani, Martta, Elena) were exceptional!! We appreciated the self-guided options and restaurants she recommended. We will definitely reach out to Kimkim again. Thank you!

Hotel Review

La Maison du Sage

Florence

Sweet little hotel, wonderful breakfast service, helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

Small, nice furnished

Location

Easy to walk to many places

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Uffizi and Vasari Corridor Guided Tour: a Journey Through Florence Artistic Masterpieces

Florence

Stephani was amazing! Congenial, engaging, and incredibly knowledgeable with a wealth of experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tour guides breadth and depth of knowledge

Transport

Private Siena Guided Walking Tour with Duomo

Italy

Love leaning abt seina…the distinct districts, the horse races

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A Guided Hiking Adventure in the Heart of Chianti

Italy

Was interesting but was a hot day and walking is gravel roads got a bit tedious.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Walking Tour of Florence with Accademia Gallery & Duomo Visits

Italy

Very long lines a duomo so did not get in..enjoyed the babtistry

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A Guided Tour and Tasting at a Tuscan Olive Oil Mill

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This was our first experience with Kimkim and we were very pleased. All of our coordinated transport in Portugal was executed flawlessly. It would be nice if all of our drivers would make contact in advance, especially when connecting to trains and airlines. Our first guide for Peña palace, Juo, (can’t remember the spelling) was a wealth of knowledge, not only of the palace but of Portugal and the region. Our first hotel in Lisbon, AlmaLusa Baixa could be improved upon. The room was very small and missing paint on the walls. There was construction on the next building and in front of the hotel that obstructed the view of the plaza from the patio. Location was good though.
We had a nice high speed train ride up to Porto. It would be nice to know where your assigned train car will be on the arriving train. We were assigned the number 1 car but didn’t know which end of the platform our car would be on. We and others guessed wrong and had to run to the opposite end. The train stops are brief and luggage racks fill quickly.
We very much enjoyed our stay in Porto. Great hotel and location. Nice private river cruise with Douro Captain. Would have been nice to go further upstream but our tall mast would not clear the first bridge.
Our favorite destination was our b&b in Peso da Regua. A beautiful property overlooking the town and Douro river. We had an excellent hike in wine country with Naturimont and learned much about the region. Our wine tasting tour the following day at Quinta Barqueiros D’Ouro was outstanding. I apologize for not remembering names but our host was the son of the vineyard owner and he was very good. The time at Vinhos Verdes was anticlimactic and we could have passed on.
Our arrival and first whole day in Lagos was very enjoyable. Beautiful resort and location on the coast with trails close by and enjoyed old town Lagos inside the fort walls.
Sadly we missed our sea kayak trip when we became ill for the last three days.
Good and informative ride back to Lisbon for our last night . Probably didn’t need the planned transport as the hotel is on the airport property and has a 24 hour shuttle.
All in all we’re very happy with Kimkim’s planning and execution of our trip to Portugal.

Hotel Reviews

Mercure Porto Centro Aliados

Porto

Our stay at the Mercure Porto Centro Aliados was outstanding. The hotel was a hidden gem with a simple exterior but a lovely interior featuring a lobby bar and a large courtyard with a pool and garden. It was located downtown, yet the courtyard provided a peaceful retreat. I enjoyed spending time there, and the overall experience was excellent.

AlmaLusa Baixa & Chiado

Lisbon

The AlmaLusa Baixa & Chiado hotel in Lisbon was disappointing. The rooms were very small and needed some maintenance. Although the location was decent, the view was ruined by construction fences. We also had trouble getting a late checkout, which was inconvenient. Overall, I would not stay there again.

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

The Cascade Wellness Resort in Lagos was a wonderful place to stay. It felt like a resort rather than a boutique city hotel. We had a suite with two separate areas, which was perfect for us. The hotel was expensive but worth it, especially since it helped us relax when one of us wasn't feeling well. The location and amenities were excellent.

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

The Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto hotel was nice and very close to the airport, which was convenient for our early morning flight. The hotel's proximity helped reduce some of that stress.

Activity Reviews

Private Pena Palace & Sintra Village Half-Day Trip

Lisbon

Our guide for the Private Pena Palace & Sintra Village Half-Day Trip was fantastic. He didn't just give a tour of the palace but also filled in many blanks during the travel to and from the palace. We had great conversations about the palace, the city, the country, government, and economy. He was very knowledgeable and good-natured, which made the experience very enjoyable.

Private Douro Valley Hike

Portugal

The Private Douro Valley Hike was a highlight of our trip. We walked about twelve kilometers through the beautiful countryside with hillsides, vineyards, and historical sites. The guide shared a lot of interesting information about the area, the vineyards, and the local history. It was a great day and a wonderful way to experience the Douro Valley.

Private Douro & Vinho Verde Wine Tasting

Portugal

The Private Douro & Vinho Verde Wine Tasting was enjoyable, especially the first vineyard we visited which was a small family-run operation with beautiful settings. We learned a lot and enjoyed their wines. The second stop at the Vinho Verde was pleasant but less impressive, and since we don't drink much wine, it was less memorable. Overall, it was a nice experience.

Private River Cruise with Wine & Food Platter

Porto

The private river cruise was good and relaxing. Although we were a bit disappointed that we couldn't see the bridge built by the same company as the Eiffel Tower because the boat's mast was too tall to pass under the first bridge. The cruise stayed in the same area, but the crew was good and the food and wine provided were fine. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience.

If I could give Bella 10 stars I would! When my husband was alive we travelled all over the world and NEVER have I experienced the quality of care, professionalism, attention to details and kindness that Bella extended to my girls and myself. My desire, booking this trip was to have a "once in a lifetime experience" celebrating two big birthdays - my daughter's 60th and my 90th and I couldn't have made a wiser choice. The two local guides Peter and Hiroshi were delightful and what a treat and surprise it was at the end of our trip to be presented with a video of the many photos they took along the way. . This was my first time traveling to Japan and I was impressed with how welcoming and polite the Japanese people are, and how immaculate the country is - their toilets are remarkable compared to every country I have visited, including the United States. Thank you Bella

Our trip to Spain and Portugal was our second time using KimKim and we were as pleased with this trip as our first trip. They worked with us to put together our travel plans and come up with our itinerary. They coordinated our travel from city to city and were available if we needed their assistance. Our hotels were exactly as we requested, historic and easily within walking distance to the old city centers. Our guides were knowledgeable and proud to talk about their cities' history. In particular, our Gaudi guide Ruth was very helpful and knowledgeable about Gaudi and made our tour very enjoyable. Our drivers /guides were also very knowledgeable and helpful, in particular Rubin and Cesar. On our travel days KimKim was in touch with us to ensure that there were no issues.

Our local France specialist Audrey was wonderful. She did a great job helping us plan the trip tailored to our specific interests. She replied to our questions promptly and was available for a zoom call.
Our 2 week trip which included Paris and Provence went smoothly. Audrey was easily available when we needed to verify a few of the planned activities. Our personal tour guide at the Louvre was great. We took a guided group day trip to Normandy which was very informative and personally quite a “moving” experience.
We rented a car in Provence and toured many of the local hilltop villages which were lovely. We liked staying in Villeneuve-les-Avignon, much quieter than Avignon. The restaurants there were great as was the hotel. The Roman history in Nimes, Uzes and the Pont du Gard were worth the visit.
The Carrieres de Lumiere show and Les Baux de Provence were wonderful.
We enjoyed hiking the Sainte Baume Mountains and the Calanques National Park near Cassis. The views were stunning.
We flew out of Nice, were surprised by it’s beautiful architecture and lovely seaside promenade.

Hotel Reviews

Aquabella Hotel & Spa

Aix en Provence

Location just outside the old city was perfect. We did not use the spa, sauna, pool etc. Too busy seeing the sights.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Villa Victoria

Nice

Good location, They upgraded us to a bigger room which was very nice. Lovely garden space in the back.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Panthéon

Paris

Room was small but we loved the location in the Latin quarter. Easy to walk to Notre Dame and even the Louvre. The restaurant next door had great French food. We ate there for dinner three nights.

Authenticity & Character

Location

As above, easily walkable. Quiet.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

L'Atelier

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon

Great location. Loved the town. Parked the car in an outdoor free parking lot just a few minutes walk from the hotel. Very safe. Lovely, old hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-day excursion from Paris of D-day beaches - U.S. sector

Paris

We did not know that we would be going with a group. So you might want people to know that they will be driving in a van with 8 other people for several hours each way. Our tour guide was an enthusiastic, very knowledgeable young man who gave us a lot of history about D day and took us to several locations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided visit of the Louvre Museum

Paris

Our private guide was great. She took us to less crowded areas where she could spend time telling us the history of certain ancient pieces. Would highly recommend her!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half-Day Visit to the Royal Versailles with Private Transfers

Paris

We downloaded the app and went along at our own pace, inside. The fountains outside were not running. Because of the time of the year there were no flowers or colorful gardens but we walked for about an hour outside. Five hours was the right amount of time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was very friendly, and professional.

Transport

Visit & Wine Tasting at Clos du Calvaire

France

We had our own private tour of the vineyard which was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable, friendly, . Enjoyed the wine tasting and of course bought some bottles to bring home!

Hop-on hop-off in Paris - 1-day pass

Paris

A nice way to get your bearings of the city on the first day and see the highlights while being driven! The audio didn’t give much information.

Quality of Experience

Caterina & Anna, We had the most amazing trip. Every step was seamless! Hotels and tours were perfect. Thank you for making our trip to Italy & Sicily memorable.

Mathilda provided incredible service! The detailed itinerary was perfect. So easy to travel with this as our written guide. When we had a question, she was responsive.

Hotel Reviews

Grand Hotel Cravat

Luxembourg

Great location. Wide variety of breakfast items. Front desk staff very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Heidelberg

Heidelberg

Nice bar. Amazing breakfast. Walking distance to restaurants and local activities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adina Apartment Hotel Nuremberg

Nürnberg

Washer dryer combo in the room. 5 minute walk from the train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Schiller5 Hotel

München

Perfect location. 1/2 block to se the Oktoberfest parade. Nice restaurants within very easy walking distance. Safe walk to the Oktoberfest grounds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sonne Füssen

Fussen

Quaint and intriguing decor. Close to restaurants. Great restaurant/bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel NH Collection Salzburg City

Salzburg

Candy in the lobby! Outdoor patio seating. Close to a great local pizza place and an Asian restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adina Serviced Apartments Vienna

Wien

On-site laundry was not convenient nor easy to use, which is why we stayed here. Breakfast was a 5 minute walk across busy streets. Staff was not helpful nor very friendly. Our bed was up against a wall. Close to great restaurants and the train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Archibald At the Charles Bridge

Prague

Close to everything we wanted to see-Charles Bridge, the Prague Castle, the river and good restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Luxembourg 1-day Private Guided country tour

Luxembourg City

Paulo was great. Even though he wasn’t technically a tour guide, he performed like one! Took us to several wonderful places. Very cordial and accommodating.

A wonderful day out to the German wine road, set in the lovely Pfalz countryside

Heidelberg

We loved this tour! Man Fred was amazing. Knowledgeable, friendly and funny! Excellent wine and lunch.

Oktoberfest Tour – Experience The World-Famous Party

Munich

Werner gave a great tour and history. Fun guy. We enjoyed Oktoberfest-the beer, the vibe, the music, the wait staff.

Private Tour to Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castle

Füssen

Salzburg Introduction

Salzburg

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Claudia was wonderful!

Transport

Bike tour Sound Of Music Musical

Salzburg

A bit scary bike ride through town-lots of traffic, no helmets, but loved our guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Grand Tour - Schönbrunn Palace (entrance ticket and audioguide)

Vienna

Very much appreciated a 9:30 entrance as the crowds later were too much!

Quality of Experience

Prague Introduction Walking Tour

Prague

We loved Miriam! She was amazing. Learned so much history, etc.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So lovely! Knowledgeable, provided tips for a great experience in Prague (where to eat, where to shop).

Prague Castle (Entrance tickets)

Prague

Go early! A bit confusing on what our ticket covered, cost of audio. Recommend a local tour guide to get more of the local history perspective.

Beer & Baroque Tour of Prague

Prague

We got Miriam again for this activity, which made the entire experience amazing! Great beer and onion soup. She customized our time with her. Skipped the 2nd brewery and walked the momentary neighborhood. She then took us back to the Prague Castle for a tour of the cathedral (our ticket was good on the 2nd day since we had not been able to tour then cathedral the day prior).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Apple Strudel & Prezel cooking class incl. dinner & music

Salzburg

Great hosts. Such a fun activity!

Vienna Folklore Dinner show

Vienna

Amazing event. Orchestra, ballet and opera all in one evening. Amazing evening!

Quality of Experience

Food

Heidelberg Castle (entrance tickets to buy on-site for 11€ incl. funicular)

Heidelberg

No access to the inside of the castle so we did not rate this event as memorable.

Quality of Experience

Nuremberg Full City Walking Tour: Old town & Rallygrounds

Nuremberg

Wow. The history here was so impactful. Our guide, Nick, was incredible passionate and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Nazi history. Tragic. Not to be missed.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everything was well planned no issues with transportation. We were a group of 4 and enjoyed our visit in Italy. We visited Venice, Florence, Rome and Sorrento and all of our arrangements went smoothly thanks to Kimkim.

My son and I just returned from a fantastic trip to Japan. Sandy was wonderful to work with. She patiently answered all of my questions and offered insightful suggestions for the itinerary and daily activities. The hotels were exceptional and perfectly located for our needs. We especially loved The Ace Hotel in Kyoto. The drivers and guides were reliable and checked in via WhatsApp with meeting locations. Our time with Yoshie in Tokyo was particularly special. Sandy coordinated all of the trains and transfers and checked in several times during the trip to make sure that things were going according to plan. Highly recommend Sandy and the KimKim team.

The trip was great. Last day in Santa Cruz was almost a waste but we worked with Deigo to give us some free time to walk around rather than just sit at the airport. The Break and Breakfast in GYE was good but the location was not good. We had one night there and left to go walk but there was nothing we could get to, including bars.

All guides were outstanding. They went above and beyond. Loved the SINTRA Tuk Tuk and the Douro valley tour. Sofia in Lagos was exceptional in her knowledge of history and culture. The grotto boat tour was also great. Each city had its own charm and ambience.

My wife and I had an absolutely spectacular trip to South African and Zimbabwe! Lize Enderstein, who was our travel agent, did a great job of mixing South Africa's cities -- Capetown and Johannesburg -- which allowed us to get a good understanding of South Africa past and present with amazing safari experiences, two in South Africa and one in Zimbabwe. And of course, Victoria Falls was as spectacular as promised.
Our guides, particularly Zane in Capetown and Natasha in Johannesburg, were outstanding and highly recommended. They were knowledgeable, flexible, and caring.
Our accommodations, both in the cities and on safari were terrific. We had great safari experiences, terrific food, and very hospitable and attentive staffs. We saw the Big Five several times over as well as a panoply of other animals. For the record, our favorites were the leopards and elephants.
Overall, it was a spectacular and memorable trip that made the long travel to get to South Africa from the US worthwhile. We highly recommend working with Lize for anyone who is considering a similar trip.

We used Kimkim to plan our trip to Costa Rica to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. Adam was our expert in organizing our itinerary and WOW, did he do a great job. In ten days, we visited three very distinct areas of Costa Rica. We didn’t have a favorite destination because each offered such unique experiences.

In Puerto Viejo, we enjoyed great accommodations at Banana Azul and the beautiful black sand beach. The restaurant on the grounds was lovely and offered great food. Adam arranged a snorkeling and a nature walk around the coast. Pablo, our guide was fabulous and felt like a longtime friend! He even gave us a wonderful recommendation for a Jamaican restaurant, the Dutch Pot!

Adam arranged a day trip to the Jaguar Rescue Center, Bribri Chocolate Tour and Waterfall day trip. The visit to a cocoa plantation operated by an indigenous family was amazing. We learned so much about their lives and traditions. Enrique was our guide and also translator on the plantation. He was very friendly and fun to be with. We enjoyed roasted bananas filled with freshly ground cocoa, that we were invited to help in the preparation. This was a very delicious treat! There were wonderful crafts on site to purchase. This visit was followed by a hike and refreshing swim under a waterfall! This was a highlight for me!

Our next destination was La Fortuna. We stayed at Tabacon Thermal Resort and Spa! We highly recommend room 504! Thank you Adam, for getting us, perhaps the best suite on the property!! We had a clear and dramatic view of the Arenal Volcano from our patio, while utilizing our own hot springs soaking pool. We spent so much time on the patio observing the beautiful surroundings. Also, the staff at Tabacon treated us like family! We enjoyed some great meals. We were given special attention on our anniversary evening with a special dessert and a champagne toast! I highly recommend partaking in a massage and exploring the hot springs! Adam also arranged a coffee, chocolate and sugarcane farm experience at Northfields. Valerie was our guide through this tour and she was a pure delight!

Our final destination was Koora Hotel Monteverde! The accommodations were gorgeous! We were in the midst of the Cloud Forest! This hotel had the most comfortable bed that we had ever slept in. Adam arranged a tour of the Cloud Forest. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we left with so much information about the cloud forest.

The high point of our time in Monteverde and perhaps Costa Rica was dinner at San Lucas Treetop Dining. We were picked up at our hotel by our server, and new friend, Lucas! Yes, we laughed that his name is the same as the restaurant! Lucas guided us through a culinary journey with paired wine tasting, through Costa Rica! I was brought to tears when we first arrived because of the beauty and tranquility of the site. This was a mind blowing culinary experience!

In closing, Adam arranged our transportation throughout Costa Rica through RideCR. RideCR was always on time! Our favorite driver was Alfonso. Our favorite drive was from La Fortuna - Monteverde, where we took a van to a boat, to cross Lake Arenal, to another van! All three drivers on this journey were very professional. We especially loved our boat ride by Kevin. He pointed out highlights of the lake! It was a gorgeous day and a pure delight! Roy took us the rest of the way. The final drive on this journey had some bumpy roads, twists and turns, but we felt completely safe with Roy!

Adam!!! We send you endless gratitude and appreciation for this life changing experience!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Banana Azul

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

We loved beginning our trip in Costa Rica at Hotel Banana Azul. The staff was so friendly, everyone from the front desk to the restaurant staff. We'd love to return again someday.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Koora Hotel

Monteverde

We enjoyed the entire staff! Everyone made us feel very welcome. Jason was especially helpful in helping us arrange a tour to Curi Cancha Reserve. This was one of the highlights of our trip and we especially enjoyed the guide that he secured for us. Koora had the most comfortable bed that we experienced on our trip to Costa Rica!

Authenticity & Character

The Koora Hotel is exceptional in design and beautifully fitting into the beauty of the cloud forest.

Location

Staff

Everyone was so helpful, especially Jason at the front desk.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport

San Jose

We stayed here our last night in Costa Rica before flying home. It served the purpose of being clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We liked being so close to the airport because we had to leave the hotel at 3:30 AM for a very early flight.

Staff

I'd especially like to thank the gentleman that took us to the airport. He was very friendly and helpful even at the grueling hour of 3:30 AM.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Cahuita National Park Snorkel & Rainforest Hike

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Pablo and our captain were so much fun! We had a blast on our snorkeling tour and the beautiful walk through Cahuita National Park. We had a perfect day and were thrilled with everything that Pablo shared with us! I have learned that a guided tour is always best because we would have not noticed and experienced as much without the trained eye of Pablo. We wish we could have spent more time with him. He really took such great care of us and also helped us walk away with such amazing photos.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Farm Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

Valerie was our guide and what a wonderful guide she was! She kept us so engaged with information on the wide world of coffee, chocolate and sugar cane. She completely altered our view of how to appreciate coffee and chocolate. We were also quite impressed with the beautiful grounds and the very simple and clear demonstrations. The gift shop was wonderful as well. We have returned home with coffee beans, chocolate and even one of their cleverly designed t-shirts.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Treetop Dining Experience with Wine Pairing

Monteverde

When we were planning on trip with Kimkim, we found ourselves quite intrigued and excited about our time at St. Lucas Tree Top Dining. We love and take great joy in unique dining and this was, by far, our most amazing dining adventure as we "traveled" through on a "taste of the regions of Costa Rica." We were picked up at our hotel by Lucas, who was our driver, server and our proclaimed new friend. Arriving for our meal, I was brought to tears with how incredibly beautiful this place is. My husband and I found ourselves anticipating each course, accompanied by the perfect wine pairing with each dish. Each dish surprised and delighted us. The chef is extremely creative and talented. We were celebrating our 40th Wedding Anniversary and Lucas made our time extremely special. We'd love to return to this fulfilling experience in the future with family and friends.

Quality of Experience

Food

Every course was an absolute delight! Its amazing how this meal took us on such a delightful culinary journey!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What an amazing trip! We spent 19 days visiting Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Slovenia and Croatia. We did it all! Hot air balloon ride (owner Grega was very entertaining and made us feel safe) , biking around Prague, dinner cruise on the Danube, truffle hunting and oyster farms were some of our favorites.

Nikola was very attentive and easy to work with. He explained every option in the planning stage even taking multiple phone calls to answer all our questions The nightly check ins to ask about our day and give details for following day were so helpful!
Highly recommend this trip and especially Nikola!!!!

Hotel Review

Splendida Palace

Split

All the staff were extremely friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half-Day E-Bike Tour of Prague

Prague

Gary went the extra step to continuously check the radar to make sure we wouldn’t get caught in the rain. It was nice to see Prague from high above the city.

Quality of Experience

P

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Walking Tour of Bratislava

Vienna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot Air Balloon Flight Over the Bled Lake

Croatia

Definitely a highlight! The owner, Grega puts on quite the show.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Budapest Food Tour

Budapest

Our guide, George, was very knowledgeable of the city and its food. Was fun to taste some of the local food with someone who could explain its history. I even got a goulash recipe to try at home!!! Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

BUDAPEST – Restaurant Suggestions

Budapest

Pierrot in Buda part.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From the time we got off the flight and were met by Anaiah ( I hope I spelt her name right), everyone was extremely kind. Flora kept in touch at all times, sent daily reminders of the next day, as well as the boarding passes for the next destination. The hike and lunch in Tiero Del Fuego was an incredible experience, the guide was informative and patient with our group. Vanessa Haines and Sol spent the day informing us about Patagonia region as well as Argentina on the long drive to El Chalten. Beatrice in Iguazu was wonderful and informative, taught me a thing or two. Victoria and driver Charlie on our way to San Antonio De Areco were informative about the ranchers life. Our driver Herman from and to the Bueno’s Aires Airport gave us a lot of information about the city, city spots of interest. We experienced wonderful hospitality at every hotel. The views from Hotel Madera of the skyline, Acebos in Ushuaia of the city below and the Beagle Channel, Xelena in El Calafate with a view of Lake Argentina, Mercure in Iguazu surrounded by the rain forest, and finally Paladino in Buenos Aires overlooking the park.
Mayra took her time on that first phone call to understand the experience I was seeking in Argentina. The trip and the way it was planned, was exactly how I wanted it. I left Argentina with love, love for its cultures, love for its cuisine, its landscapes, beauty of the land, and most of all its people. Thank you for making this a wonderful and memorable trip.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Madero

Buenos Aires

Authenticity & Character

Warm welcoming clean, staff very helpful, breakfast was very good.

Location

Nice walk to the Puerto Madera region, great restaurants, shops, Ecological reserve

Staff

Kind and generous

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room had a great view of the skyline, felt comfortable like home.

Los Acebos Ushuaia Hotel

Ushuaia

What a view !!!! Food at the restaurant was very good.

Authenticity & Character

Cozy, great views

Location

The view and the proximity to the glacier

Staff

Kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was extremely clean and comfortable view from the room of the bay below was amazing. A must to watch sunrise and sunset.

Xelena Hotel & Suites

El Calafate, Santa Cruz

On the shores of Lake Argentina. Experienced beautiful sunset and sunrise. We were upgraded which was kind. The swimming pool area is so beautiful. Breakfast was really really good.

Authenticity & Character

Location, cleanliness, the view … a must to experience sunrise and sunset

Location

On the shores of Lake Argentina … this is the view

Staff

Very kind attentive and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

Mercure Iguazu Hotel Iru

Puerto Iguazu

We were upgraded as a courtesy thank you. The suite in the middle of a rainforest was absolutely beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Spider shape … how the room blended into the trees beyond was beautiful

Location

View of the subtropical rainforest

Staff

Very very kind, including the gentleman at the gift store. Very courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

This suite felt like home … thank you

Palladio Hotel Buenos Aires—MGallery

Buenos Aires

What a view of the park and the skyline. It’s at the heart of the city. We were upgraded to a suite, thank you with a wonderful view of the park. The suite was luxurious, very comfortable. Our room was cleaned and spotless every day of our stay. The front desk was extremely helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Luxurious

Location

Great view of the park, close proximity, city center

Staff

Very kind, helpful and hospitable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very very clean and spotless

Activity Reviews

Small Group City Tour

Buenos Aires

A lot covered from history to culture to neighborhoods

Quality of Experience

Bus was very comfortable

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A lot of information given which was really helpful

Transport

Safe and comfortable

Explore Ushuaia National Park

Ushuaia

Words are beyond me at the beauty around. Our guide was immensely patient and informative. The lunch at the end of the hike was very delicious with a great view of the river

Quality of Experience

Beautiful Landscape all around

Food

One of the best lunches I had

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hospitable, kind and generous. Made us feel at home.

Transport

Safe, comfortable ride

The Blue Safari

El Calafate

Diana our guide was wonderful. This is a definite must see in Patagonia

Quality of Experience

Beauty of the land

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Diana thank you for being so very kind, you were just wonderful

Transport

Safe and smooth.

Visit El Chalten

El Calafate

Sol the driver and Vanessa the guide were absolutely wonderful. We felt at home, it felt like four girlfriends on a road trip. Route 40 is beautiful as you drive past ranches along the Lake Argentina, and onto Lake Viedma as the skyline of Mt. Fitz Roy and Cerro Terra comes into view

Quality of Experience

Beauty of the land

Food

The boxed lunches we had fresh from El Calafate were delicious. The portions were large enough I had the second half for dinner. The snack bars … so good…

Guides, Drivers and Staff

What started as driver and guide they became soul sisters to my friend and I

Transport

Sol was wonderful, gentle soul. I am so grateful to have met her and glad she was our driver.

Explore the Argentine Falls

Puerto Iguazú

To be at the rim of Iguazu Falls is indescribable. Our guide Beatrice was absolutely wonderful. She was warm, caring and informative.

Quality of Experience

The landscape, the rainforests, and of course the Falls. How do you put into worlds the experience of watching Iguazu Falls up close and personal?

Food

Ice cream in the Iguazu park was the best I’ve had

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Beatrice was absolutely wonderful.

Transport

Comfortable and safe

Tango Show & Dinner at La Ventana

Buenos Aires

The tango lesson was a fun warm up. Dinner was good. Dessert was delicious. The show was good.

Quality of Experience

Couldn’t see all sorts of the show from Where I was sat

Food

Dessert was good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He was a gentle soul, on time and waiting for us after the show

Transport

As above

Navigation Sea Lions (Yatch)

Ushuaia

The landscape

Quality of Experience

Landscape

Food

We were offered hot chocolate

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Warm and affectionate

Transport

The view

Estancia Gaucho Day

Buenos Aires

The food was amazing The horse ride was good. The time for us to walk around the ranch and understand their life was wonderful. The dancers were a special treat with a horse and rider show to end our wonderful day here

Quality of Experience

All of it was a unique experience

Food

The empanadas were very good, the main meal was delicious as was the dessert

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Victoria and Charlie were kind informative

Transport

Good and comfortable

We have experienced the most wonderful introduction to Portugal. Pedro and the Across Portugal Team planned the perfect week for us. Our drivers Ivo and Ricardo took such great care of us all along the way from suggesting the best restaurants to helping us join a grape stomping tour at the last minute during our stay in the Douro Valley. Our tour guides in Porto and Lisbon were both so knowledgeable and such a great treat to spend the day with. We couldn’t have asked for better planning. Thank you Pedro for such a memorable week in your beautiful country!

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Flores

Porto

Lovely and convenient location.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely courtyard

Location

Easy to walk to everything.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Vintage House

Pinhão

Beautiful location on the River.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely lovely view of the river from our terrace.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Liberdade

Lisbon

Great location and friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Active Japan trip. Cannon was extremely helpful throughout the planning of our Japan trip as well as during the trip when he was very accessible by email and the kimkim app. The transportation arrangements showed off Japan’s great transportation infrastructure and provided us with a nice variety of ways to experience it. Also a nice variety of places to stay and things to do.

Hotel Reviews

the b asakusa

Tokyo

Small rooms but otherwise very nice

Location

Fuji Kawaguchiko Resort Hotel

Fujikawaguchiko

Great view from hotel room. Popular with those who liked onsens but we didn’t do that. Food was good

Location

Near the lake

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean

Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo

Kyoto

Great location

Location

Near train station

Hotel Vista Osaka Namba

Well located. Good breakfast.

Location

Near busy part of Osaka which was interesting

Staff

JR Clement Inn Imabari

Ehime

Good location. Helpful staff

Location

Near train station

Staff

Helpful. Spoke English well

Benton Guesthouse, Nostalgic Showa-era Private Full House Rental

Lots of room. Choice of beds. No breakfast but near to store. Near cycling route and they catered to cyclists.

Authenticity & Character

Tatami mats or western bed options.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Green Hill Hotel Onomichi

Onomichi

Great location at the end of the cycling route and near the train station.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice that they had coin laundry as we were due for that.

Shinagawa Prince Hotel

Tokyo

The buffet breakfast was disorganized and crowded, even at 6am. Staff in bar/restaurant on 39th floor were rude, snooty and overbearing. The view was nice but didn’t make up for the cover charge, service charge or overpriced drinks. Lots of additional amenities but they all came at significant extra cost.

Location

Near train station but not some of the more interesting neighbourhoods.

Staff

Give people a table to sit at in buffet and make it larger.

Cleanliness & Comfort

At least it was clean

Activity Reviews

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi, Arakurayama Sengen Park & Oshino Hakkai

Japan

Oshino Hakkai was crowded and we could have skipped that. The Sengen Park hike was good but unfortunately the mountain was not visible due to cloud. The lake was nice

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Polite. Nice vehicle. Traffic was terrible and it took 3.5 hours from the Tokyo hotel. Would have been better to leave earlier probably. Driver seemed to be looking at his phone a lot while driving (not just the phone for maps)

Kayaking on Lake Kawaguchiko with Mt. Fuji views

Fujikawaguchiko

Guide was great. Scenery wonderful. Sturdy kayaks. Rest of our kayaking group was experienced too, so we got to travel well down the lake. Nice view of Fuji from the lake

Full Day Nara City Tour, Overnight in Osaka

Japan

Certainly worth seeing this area for the temple and the ridiculous number of deer.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Local Food Walking Tour (Join-in)

Osaka

Enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide. We were the only two in the group so we were able to try the foods and places that we hadn’t already experienced.