Kimkim Trip Reviews

Andreea did an amazing job planning our trip. We hit all the highlights of Banff, Jasper, and the Rocky Mountianer using the best providers. When unforeseen things popped up, she jumped to get them resolved. Thank you Andreea and Kim Kim for another great trip.

Our trip began in Casablanca where our driver Karim picked us up from our hotel. Karim was outstanding; pleasant and knowledgeable of the cities we visited & and an excellent driver. He was always on time & available; kind, helpful, & willing to help us with any questions. When visiting other cities & sites he always introduced us to our guides & was waiting for us on completion. One of my favorite guides was Sharib in Fez though all of the guides provided were great including ones provided at sites like the tannery & mosaic factory. They were not overly zealous in asking us to buy goods.
Cities visited; Rabat, where we stayed at the Sofitel. The hotel was beautiful with large beautifully appointed rooms & grounds. Service was excellent. We enjoyed the city.
Tangier started off poorly when there was no reservation for our stay. DO NOT PUT PEOPLE AT THE HILTON THERE FRONT DESK STAFF ARE SLOW & NOT HELPFUL ALMOST RUDE. The problem was eventually sorted out by your local representative. Compared to our other hotels & Ryads it was not even close in comparison. We did enjoy the city & the Hercules Caves. Chefchaoen is a beautiful city & lives up to its reputation, as the Blue Pearl. Lina Ryad & Spa was excellent in every way. Our final destination was Fes where we stayed at the Riad Fes & Chareaux. The Riad could not do enough for us during our stay, they anticipated our every need, remembered our names & provided excellent service. Highly recommend. Our tour of the Medina with our guide Sharib was great. Stops at the pottery & mosaic factory and the leather factory provided excellent souvenirs with minimal pressure to buy.
I would definitely recommend a visit to Morocco 🇲🇦 & these cities.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Fes - Relais & Châteaux

Fes

Fantastic, good location & excellent staff. Well appointed spacious rooms & Riad. Excellent food. Staff anticipated your every need and always recognized & acknowledged you

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Anticipated every need extremely polite

Cleanliness & Comfort

Turn down service. Spacious room & bathroom. Excellent a/c

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Everything was great. There was a real feel of authenticity of being in Morocco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Rabat Jardin Des Roses

Rabat

Fabulous from start to finish. Staff, rooms, grounds, location. Highly recommend

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Tanger City Center Hotel and Residences

Tangier

No reservation, poor customer service especially front, desk. Small rooms a/c not great

Authenticity & Character

Everything

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Cooking Class in Fes

Fes

Did not attend

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Chefchaoeun

Chefchaouen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private guided tour in Rabat

Rabat

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Hercules caves

Tangier

Self guided, will wait on line to control number of people in cave

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Most incredible trip ever! I wanted to plan this trip right … an unforgettable 7 days in Iceland with my family. It was daunting. And then I found Noga at KimKim. Wow! Wow! Wow! Our trip was flawless. From the perfectly planned itinerary that catered to our interests, to extra tips along the way and details I didn’t realize I’d need to know, to the easy messaging app and phone calls we had to make sure we had everything perfect and could ask questions … perfection. All of our scheduled events and hotels were also flawless. The team reached out to us while on our trip to check in and to even alert us of an erupting volcano that was happening on the island but researched and reassured us that it wouldn’t be affecting our itinerary and flights home. I would 100% recommend KimKim and Noga’s expertise to plan a trip to Iceland.

Hotel Reviews

The Hill Hotel Fludir

Fludir

Such a unique hotel! Loved the vibe and decor. Breakfast was good and the room was comfy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon

Hnappavellir

Such a beautiful location. It’s truly in the middle of nowhere. The decor and design of the hotel was stunning. The hot tubs and sauna with a view were an excellent touch.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Wish it was closer to any bit of civilization (restaurants, grocery), but we made it work.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vík Apartments

Vik I Myrdal

Beautiful spot to rest our heads. Lots of space and had all the amenities we needed. Right across the street from a grocery store and shopping.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Viking

Hafnarfjordur

Such a fun vibe!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was tight for a party of 5, but we made it work.

Fosshotel Stykkishólmur

Stykkishólmur

Cute little hotel. Could use fans in the rooms, but aside from that it was great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cute little town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Needs some fans in the rooms

Activity Reviews

Þingvellir National Park

Iceland

Very cool location. We parked at p3 and hit all the things we wanted to see. Didn’t find a good spot to see the clear water where the snorkelers were.

Quality of Experience

Geysir Geothermal Area

Iceland

Fascinating location.

Quality of Experience

Gullfoss Waterfall

Iceland

Stunning! If you go too late though, the bathrooms will be closed.

Quality of Experience

Gígjagjá (Yoda Cave) at Hjörleifshöfði

Iceland

Just a cave. Nothing special. But cool to see.

Quality of Experience

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach

Iceland

Beautiful location! If you’re coming from the west, drive over the bridge and park on the north side of the road. You’ll hit the lagoon and the beach at the same spot.

Quality of Experience

Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Hike from Skaftafell to Svartifoss Waterfall

Iceland

Steep walk up, but doable. Beautiful view at the top.

Quality of Experience

Horse Riding on Black Sand Beach

Iceland

Such a fun excursion. The guides were great. We got to see whales at the beach while riding too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reynisfjara Beach & Reynisdrangar Columns

Iceland

Very unique spot. Definitely recommend.

Quality of Experience

Dyrhólaey Arch and Cliffs

Iceland

Got to see puffins up close! Beautiful views of the beach and arch.

Quality of Experience

Sólheimajökull Glacier Walk

Iceland

What an incredible experience! Our guide, Haynee, was fantastic! Very informative. Very unique. Bucket list item for sure.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Skogafoss Waterfall

Iceland

Stunning location! Definitely hike to the top!

Quality of Experience

Seljalandsfoss & Gljúfrabúi Waterfalls

Iceland

Beautiful location. Fun to be able to go behind the falls. Definitely wear waterproof clothes head to toe. You will get wet.

Quality of Experience

Sky Lagoon Experience - Saman

Reykjavík

Wow. What an experience. This is a must-do!

Quality of Experience

Reykjavík City Walk

Reykjavík

Very cool tour. My kids were dreading this one, but by the end they were glad we’d done it. Our tour guide was great. Wish he’d added info on how to figure out how to say some of the language and also the folklore around trolls and elves.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked the whole time.

Explore Reykjavík

Reykjavík

Very cool tour. My kids were dreading this one, but by the end they were glad we’d done it.

Quality of Experience

Ytri Tunga Seal Beach

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Wasn’t expecting the trek out to see the seals … took forever to maneuver on the rocks during low tide. There weren’t many seals. If we’d skipped anything on our trip, it would have been this one.

Quality of Experience

Cliff Walk from Arnarstapi to Hellnar

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Very cool view. Our GPS said the cafe in Hellnar was closed, so we didn’t hike the whole was because that was going to be our stopping point.

Quality of Experience

Djúpalónssandur Black Sand Beach

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

A must see. Short hike down. Don’t miss the lagoons hidden behind the rocks on the right.

Quality of Experience

Kirkjufellsfoss

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

The view! Wow! This is a must see on the peninsula!

Quality of Experience

Gerðuberg Basalt Cliffs

Iceland

Beautiful! A must see!

Quality of Experience

I greatly appreciated not having to wade through all the details of planning things myself. In addition, our agent was very helpful with advice for additional things to do and in being a real-time resource. There was also a very nice range of activities for everyone to enjoy--activities that might have been busy or sold out if we had decided to pursue them without prior reservations. We had excellent tour guides: Geza in Madrid, Ana in Barcelona, & Alex in Montserrat. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again for an upcoming vacation.

Hotel Reviews

Gran Hotel Reymar

Tossa de Mar

We stayed in one of the 3 bedroom villas. The size of the villa and views exceeded our expectations. It was nice to have a common area and some room to spread out. The views from the terrace were absolutely stunning. The breakfast/dinner area offers gorgeous views of the water and the medieval city on the other side of the beach. The pool and adjacent beach area are great. The hotel is easily accessible to the main part of town but a little set apart, so not too busy or loud. Lovely and highly recommended.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gran Hotel Havana

Barcelona

An excellent hotel in the Eixample neighborhood. I really appreciated the location--very close to many historic sites and the Gothic Quarter--but also in a residential area. It felt less touristy but still very close to everything we wanted to see. Clean and absolutely met all of our travel needs. Would highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dear Hotel Madrid

Madrid

A very nice hotel right in the middle of everything. We were there during the busiest Pride events in 2025: parade, music, dance parties until 2:30 am. The black out curtains and nice thick windows ensured that sleeping was no problem. If you're looking for a quieter or slightly more residential location, this might not be the right choice for you. It was a great vantage point for exploration throughout the city. Staff were very helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

It was clean, basic, and absolutely met our needs

Location

"Right in the middle of everything". Excellent if that's what you're looking for, but could be too busy or touristy for some.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Excursion to Montserrat & Scenic Hike

Barcelona

I highly recommend this experience for a half day trip from Barcelona. The mountain and views are truly beautiful. The monastery, beautiful and peaceful. After transportation and the initial guided tour, we had about an hour or so free. I could probably have spent about a half hour more, but overall a lovely experience.

Quality of Experience

Absolutely gorgeous views, amazing monastery. There were appropriate options for people of all different physical abilities and interests--hiking, relaxing, religious services, museum.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alex was very entertaining and informative. There was a tiny bit of confusion about the actual time we were expected to leave, but not a big deal.

Transport

Private Visit of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Ana was a lovely tour guide and absolute fun! I would absolutely recommend her to other groups.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tapas Culinary Experience

Madrid

My family and I LOVED this experience. It was on a very hot July day in Madrid. I was worried that we would be too worn out to appreciate it. However.....it helps that the experience involves both food and alcohol! I'm embarrassed that I can't remember the definite name of our tour guide--Alberto or Alfonzo....definitely started with an "A". He was lovely and we clicked with the family of 5 from the UK. The not-too-touristy neighborhood was a definite win. I loved the historical background. I would absolutely recommend this as a wonderful experience--and one that will likely meet your dinner requirements, at least for us Americans that are used to eating at an earlier hour than Spaniards.

Quality of Experience

Excellent! And, a good way to end your (probable) long day of walking around seeing sites.

Food

All excellent

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hopefully, you can confirm our guide--was in the evening on Sat, July 5. He was wonderful...Alberto, Alfonzo, not totally sure!

Guided Visit of Madrid: History, Culture & Architecture of the Capital of Spain

Madrid

A wonderful overview of Madrid, hitting all the necessary highlights with some funny and informative stories along the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Geza was really friendly, funny, and very knowledgeable about Madrid history.

The guide and driver Robert was fantastic. He shows great knoledge as a guide, great driver and a very nice person.
We enjoy all the beautiful places and the trip plan was perfect.
Also very good hotels.

Hotel Reviews

Toravaig House Hotel

Isle of Skye

Authenticity & Character

Location

The place is nice but nothing around.

Staff

The reception girl was not very friendly but did her job.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Glenmoriston Townhouse Hotel

Inverness

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh

It is wonderful. It is a must place to visit in Edinburgh

Tomatin Whisky Distillery

Scotland

Very interesting . The guide was very good.

Quality of Experience

Highland Sheepdog Experience

Scotland

I loved it. Highly recommended

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Crafted a good first-order itinerary tailored to our interests with an efficient plan of travel. Documentation was easy to follow.

Utilized local knowledge to select well-located and pleasant accommodations. This provided value to us as we were not familiar with many of the locally branded hotels.

Communication during trip was spot-on: Kimkim let us know one or two times that they were there if we had any issues but did not over-communicate as some might do. In the end, did not require any assistance while traveling. Communication responsiveness during planning phase could be improved as client was required to reach out during several extended periods of “radio silence”.

Greater attention (QA/QC) required as critical review of final agenda and vouchers caught numerous errors/omissions (e.g. incorrect ferry tickets, missing vouchers, accommodations lacking confirmation numbers).

Would have appreciated advice or suggested booking of activity for a 4.5-hour visit to Aran Islands (Inis Mór). We identified gap and pre-booked in-demand tour prior to sell-out. Also added stop at Rock of Cashel that provided a nice visit and break in a 3 hour drive from Dublin to Cork.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inconvenient parking (public garage 2 blocks away). AC inadequate to maintain comfortable temperature.

Salthill Hotel

galway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dingle Harbour Lodge B&B

Dingle Town, Co. Kerry

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lacks lifts to 2nd floor (luggage) and AC

Brook Lodge Boutique Hotel

Killarney, Co. Kerry

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blarney Woolen Mills Hotel

Blarney, Ireland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Irish Dancing Show

Galway

Quality of Experience

Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher Day Cruise sailing from Galway

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self-booked off-road tour

Transport

Self-booked off-road tour

Guided Visit of Cork city Gaol ( Former Prison in Ireland)

Cork

Quality of Experience

Guinness & Jameson Irish Experience Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tickets for St Patrick Cathedral, Dublin

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Trinity Trails & Book of Kells Guided Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dublin Highlights and Hidden Gems Walking Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aggeliki picked some fabulous lodgings and made sure we had some memorable excursions for both adults and kids. We had a great time!!

Eric put together a great itinerary for our group of 7, with age ranges from 9 to 77. We were able to travel together in a large 4x4 van. The accommodations were very nice and ranged from cabins, to villas, to downtown apartments. Eric was able to put together an itinerary that allowed for both shared activities and separate activities based on physical capabilities. All the information provided was detailed, clear, and really made for a nice, relaxing, but also very adventurous trip. In 8 days, we were able to see many of the highlights of Iceland, but also had plenty of time for exploring and side missions. Overall fantastic trip!

Our 6-day Galápagos trip with kimkim, visiting San Cristobal, Isabela, and Santa Cruz, was outstanding in every aspect. Organization was seamless—transfers, ferries, and daily excursions all went flawlessly, and every detail was coordinated in advance, making the experience truly worry-free. The hotels were comfortable, clean, and charming, with attentive staff at each location.
Excursions and guides were a highlight: we explored iconic wildlife sites, went snorkeling with turtles and penguins, and enjoyed insightful guided tours to giant tortoise reserves and the Charles Darwin Research Station. The guides were exceptionally knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and engaging, making each activity both fun and educational. Special thanks to Viviana in Santa Cruz!!!
In Quito, the service quality continued at the same high standard. Special mention goes to Matteo, who was especially helpful—offering insightful guidance, arranging smooth logistics, and enhancing our city experience with his expertise and friendliness.
We highly recommend kimkim for a Galápagos and Quito adventure—well organized, reliable, with excellent guides, great service, and memorable experiences from start to finish

Our 6-day Galápagos trip with kimkim, visiting San Cristobal, Isabela, and Santa Cruz, was outstanding in every aspect. Organization was seamless—transfers, ferries, and daily excursions all went flawlessly, and every detail was coordinated in advance, making the experience truly worry-free. The hotels were comfortable, clean, and charming, with attentive staff at each location.
Excursions and guides were a highlight: we explored iconic wildlife sites, went snorkeling with turtles and sharks, and enjoyed insightful guided tours to giant tortoise reserves and the Charles Darwin Research Station. The guides were exceptionally knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and engaging, making each activity both fun and educational (special thanks to Viviana in Santa Cruz).
In Quito, the service quality continued at the same high standard. Special mention goes to Matteo, who was especially helpful—offering insightful guidance, arranging smooth logistics, and enhancing our city experience with his expertise and friendliness.
We highly recommend kimkim for a Galápagos and Quito adventure—well organized, reliable, with excellent guides, great service, and memorable experiences from start to finish

Our trip was amazing on so many levels and in so many ways. Mieke did an incredible job setting everything up. Our guides were great as were all the recommendations for restaurants. THANK YOU so much Mieke and everyone that made this a trip of a lifetime!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel des Galeries

Brussels

This hotel was amazing!! Great location. Very clean and well kept. I would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Great authenticity and character.

Location

Great location. In the middle of great shopping and restaurants, but still private and quiet.

Staff

Staff was very helpful and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vey clean and comfortable.

Comic Art Hotel

Ghent

We loved this hotel. The comic theme was very cool. It is in a great location as well and the staff was amazing!!

Authenticity & Character

Such great character and with the comic theme it is very authentic.

Location

The location is great. Right next to the canal and a couple blocks from all the action. It is perfect!!

Staff

The staff was amazing!! Incredibly helpful and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was very clean and very comfortable. Five stars for sure!!

The James Hotel Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Fantastic hotel!! It is very clean and the staff is very friendly.. Great location as well. We would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

This hotel has great character and authenticity. I really liked it.

Location

The location is prime. Close to shopping, restaurants and plenty of action, yet quiet and comforatble.

Staff

The staff was top notch. Very polite and very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

This hotel is very clean and very comfortable. Top rated on this too.

Boutique Hotel Beekhuizen, Velp

Velp

This hotel is stunning. It is so pretty. The staff was amazing as well. I would stay here again for sure!!

Authenticity & Character

Filled with character and authenticity.

Location

Being in the forest makes this extra special and incredibly beautiful!!

Staff

The staff was very kind and very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

This hotel was very clean nd incredibly comfortable.

Boutiquehotel Staats

Haarlem

This is an amazing hotel. The staff was fabulous and everything was very clean. I would definitely stay here again,

Authenticity & Character

This hotel has so much character. I absolutely LOVED it!!

Location

Staff

The staff was so friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean hotel and very comfortable as well.

Activity Reviews

Amsterdam - Private canal cruise

The Netherlands

A must when in Amsterdam!! Those Damn Boat Guys were amazing!! Very knowledgably and took the time to answer questions and educate us.

Quality of Experience

This experience was amazing!! You get to see the city from a complete different vantage point.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Outstanding!!!!

Transport

The boat was very comfortable and we all felt very safe.

Amsterdam - Grand Dutch food & history tour in small group

The Netherlands

This tour was exceptional. Our guide Bo was amazing!! I would highly recommend this to anyone.

Quality of Experience

This was well worth the cost and the time.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bo was exceptional. Very knowledgeable and very kind.

The trip that kimkim planned for our 2-week trip to Spain and Portugal was amazing! We didn't have to worry - everything was taken care of, from the drivers, to the guides, to the train tickets, it was an A-plus experience! We have 9 activities scheduled over our 14 day trip, and it is difficult to determine which one was our favorite. But the cooking class in Seville and the lunch at the vineyard (under a 2,000 year old olive tree) on our way to Lisbon were definitely up there.

I also had to rely on the team during our trip for a request, and they got back to me within 15 minutes. Truly exceptional work and wonderful planning by Beatriz. Would absolutely recommend kimkim to all our friends and we will never travel internationally without them.

Tim

Hotel Reviews

Torel 1884 Suites & Apartments

Porto

Accommodations were nice but did not feel as luxury as the prior places that we had stayed on our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We didn't realize that the suites would be apart from the main building.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palácio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel

Lisboa

The friends that stayed with us agreed that this might be the nicest hotel that they ever stayed in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palmares Signature Suites

Odiáxere, Lagos

If you like luxury accommodations with golf, pools, a Michelin-starred restaurant and access to the beach, this is the place to stay!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Everyone was accommodating to provide shuttles to beach and to apartment.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Regina

Barcelona

Beautiful hotel! Definitely set the tone for the trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Thelma was very professional and knowledgable about the area and the vineyards. She took us to a traditional Portuguese restaurant that was absolutely delicious and that we would never have found or chosen on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Sintra is very unique and our driver had family who grew up there so he knew how to get around easily and took us to some of the areas that were not as touristy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Secret Porto Walking Experience

Porto

Felt like we were just following our guide around while she walked ahead of us. Did not find our guide to be very engaging at all.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Boat Excursion Inside Benagil Caves

Portugal

The pictures from this boat trip were amazing! I've never seen caves like this in my lifetime.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Traditional Andalusian Cooking Class & Market Visit

Seville

One of our favorite activities! Chef Leo and Carmen were amazing! Great sense of humor, helpful, supportive. And also, the food we all made was delicious. Tried one of the dishes at a restaurant the next day - ours was much better!

Quality of Experience

Food

Gazpacho, spinach and chickpeas, paella

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit an Andalusian Olive Oil Estate

Portugal

Loved visiting the picturesque property. The guide was friendly and knowledgable. And the olive oil was delicious! A bottle of your choice is included with the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Visit of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Miguel, our guide spent extra time with us and asked what WE wanted to do. He then took us to a beautiful music hall in Barcelona before we even went to La Sagrada Familia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exclusive Tapas Culinary Experience

Barcelona

This first activity set the tone - and we were literally starting about an hour after got to the hotel.

Quality of Experience

Variety of foods and places was comprehensive

Food

Croquets, sangria, pinchos, Russian salad, etc.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Brais, was very enthusiastic and engaging. He introduced us to a lot of different types of tapas we would then encounter later in Spain.

Transport

We had a wonderful family trip to Ireland, guided by Eleanor. Our favorite hotels were Lough Eske near Donegal, which I highly recommend. We hit the jackpot on weather except for the Aran Island day, but honestly, it was so full of tourists, I'm not sure I'd enjoy that anyway. If I had to do it over again, I would stay in a hotel closer to Galway city center so we could walk to dinner and the bars. Galway is magical and loved the people and energy. The sights are amazing, but the reason to go is for the people!

Hotel Reviews

Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport

cloghran

The Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport was not very nice. It felt dirty and less than welcoming. However, it served its purpose as a place to stay before departure, but I wouldn't stay there again for other parts of a trip.

The Lodge at Ashford Castle

Cong

The Lodge at Ashford Castle was nice with lovely breakfast, but the lodge rooms weren't as good compared to Lough Eske. We were disappointed that even as guests, we couldn't tour the main castle unless we booked a meal there. The amenities on the property were wonderful, including falconry and archery, but the approach regarding castle access left me a bit dissatisfied.

Lough Eske Castle Hotel

Lough Eske Castle Hotel was our favorite. The garden suites were amazing, almost as big as my daughter's apartment! The grounds were beautiful, and the staff was wonderful. They had a great cab service that made it easier to explore. Just be mindful about the distance from towns, which was challenging for nighttime driving.

Bushmills Inn

Bushmills

Bushmills Inn was beautiful, like a little fairy tale. The staff were amazing, and everything was super nice. The only downside was the lack of AC during a heatwave, which made it a bit uncomfortable despite having a fan in the room. The food, people, and overall experience were great.

The Grafton Hotel

Dublin 2

The Grafton Hotel in Dublin was terrific. It was in a great location, allowing us to walk everywhere without needing an Uber or cab. The hotel was very clean, and the staff were super nice. I would say it's a wonderful hotel for being centrally located and to easily explore the area.

Activity Reviews

Slieve League Cliffs

Donegal

The boat cruise by Slieve League Cliffs was a fantastic experience. It was very neat, and we had a lot of fun seeing the cliffs from the water.

Rosapenna Golf Resort - St Patrick's Links

Donegal

The boys enjoyed playing golf at Rosapenna Golf Resort. They loved the experience and had a great time on the course.

Glenveagh National Park and Castle

Donegal

The visit to Glenveagh National Park and Castle was enjoyable. The natural surroundings were breathtaking, making for a peaceful and refreshing experience.

Carrick-a-Rede Bridge

Ireland

Carrick-a-Rede Bridge and Dunluce Castle were beyond anything we imagined. It was some of the coolest things we saw during our trip.

Carrick-a-Rede Bridge

Ireland

The Carrick-a-Rede Bridge experience was beyond our expectations, offering stunning views and a thrilling walk. Truly one of the standout highlights of our trip.

Guinness Storehouse Tour

Dublin

The Guinness Storehouse Tour and visiting Trinity College in Dublin were perfect ways to start the trip.

Guinness Storehouse Tour

Dublin

The Guinness Storehouse Tour was exciting and well-organized. We loved it as part of our first-day Dublin activities, pairing perfectly with the visit to Trinity College.

Traditional Sheep Farm Tour

Ireland

The Traditional Sheep Farm Tour at Killary Sheep Farm was super fun! We enjoyed the sheep herding demonstration, and watching the sheep shearing process was fascinating. The views from the farm were gorgeous, and both my kids got to hold a sheep. It was a delightful experience for everyone.

Surfing Lessons in County Sligo

Ireland

The surfing lessons in County Sligo were fun, but compared to Bundoran, the waves were not as good. I would recommend going to Bundoran for a better surfing experience and setting.

Highlights of the Wicklow Mountains National Park

Ireland

The tour of Wicklow Mountains National Park was terrific. Our guide was personable and took us to see extra locations like the forty foot from the show 'Bad Sisters'. We had a really nice time visiting the mountains and Glendale Monastery, capped off with a delightful lunch.

I am not one prone to overenthusiasm, but I honestly would give kimkim 6 out of 5 stars if I could. They were simply incredible - perhaps the most distinguishing accomplishment was them getting us tickets to the Ghibli museum for our trip. I did not think that much of it until I discovered asking others that NO ONE else had been able to get tickets.

That seeing the Ghibli museum was a dream come true for my son, leaving him almost in tears, made it that much more special.

But that was far from the only thing: we put forward an aggressive schedule of wants, assuming perhaps we could get half of them in. Eleanor did an amazing job finding us the bullet trains, planes, buses and private cars to allow us to somehow - manageably! - fit it all in.

The private car in Kyoto that allowed us to see the big three shrines there was particularly key - it was a comfy enough car to allow us to take catnaps between events and be fresh as a daisy for the next shrine!

The guides were also exceptional - Yukari who guided us through Tokyo, was impressive - with a great command of English, sense of humor, good energy - and a wealth of knowledge! - to keep us in good spirits through the entire day. Taku, Nammi and Michi were also first rate - guiding us through Kyoto as well as the nightlife of Kyoto and Osaka. Taku gave us a wonderful short list of key japanese words to know in addition to relating the history of the shrines. All very knowledgeable and positive.

And the drivers always seemed to pop out of nowhere to sweep us up directly at the exits and on to the next event.

We had a couple of crises I won't bother with the details of but suffice it to say that Eleanor and the KimKim team had the solution and saved the day - every time.

As a bit of an aside, I came from a week working with the KimKim agents in Vietnam and Thailand - and they were quite impressive as well. So, if you are planning a larger trip to Asia or just Japan, I cannot - cannot! - recommend them more highly. Spectacular.

Overall I would say the trip was a success. There were a few issues but those happen. Generally the tours were good as well as the guides. The hotels were good with the exception of our hotel in Paris being too hot and in a neighborhood that didn’t make much sense from a tourists perspective. Our itinerary was pretty intense and we might have scaled back some of the activities if we did it again. There were pleasant surprises regularly as you would expect when traveling to a new place. I would rate our tour company as fine. There were a couple of issues that cropped up on a Saturday and there was no response until Monday, so that was a bit frustrating. Overall 3.75 stars

Hotel Reviews

ROYAL ANTIBES Luxury Hotel, Residence, Beach & Spa

Antibes

Good location. The staff, especially the beach staff were pretty rude.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Beach staff were incredibly rude.

Cleanliness & Comfort

UP Ultimate Provence

La Garde-Freinet

Only one night but amazing place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Hotel Cezanne

Aix-en-Provence

Enjoyed this place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Silky by HappyCulture

Lyon

A little dated but serviceable. Only there one night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel de Bourbon Mercure Bourges Hotel

BOURGES

Only there one night but was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Littéraire Arthur Rimbaud

Paris

Not the location I would choose again. Do not stay on the top floor in the summer. The air conditioning cannot keep up.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Too far from key locations.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Perfume Tour in Nice - Atelier découverte

Nice

Fine.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sunset Hike & Aperitif in the Esterel Massif

France

Skipped

Kayaking in the Cap d'Antibes

France

Not close to where we were staying. Probably could have skipped this one.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was great.

Visit an olive oil mill & estate

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Restaurant | Food & Wine Pairing in Aix en Provence (4 dauphins menu)

Aix-en-Provence

Food was fine but there was no wine. This was essentially a dinner reservation.

Quality of Experience

Food

It was good but nothing special as I might have expected.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Lyon Gourmet Tour

Lyon

Nice time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discover Guédelon: A journey back in time

Bourges

It was pretty neat but exclusively French while we were there. All of the demonstrations etc were in French which was fine but would have been amazing if there was some English translation. The distance traveled would make this a difficult recommendation for an English speaking family.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marais Pastry and Chocolate Tour

Paris

Great tour and tour guide was fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Louvre Treasure Hunt (kids or teens tour)

Paris

Good amount of time for Louvre with kids.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Electric Bike tour of Paris' Hidden Gems - Small-group

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paris: Illuminations Seine River Cruise

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The concept of kimkim is great. We enjoyed the trip and it overall went well. After many trips with kimkim, we continue to be very happy, and we would clearly continue with Kim Kim.
Only one out of three hotels was not the best we would recommend due to very few sitting areas with A/C and internet, both accessible only in the lobby, but the location was really pretty.

Thank you Berat for planning a wonderful trip. We enjoyed our stay in Istanbul. Everything went smoothly. We had an excellent guide and a nice hotel.

Hotel Review

Armada Hotel

Istanbul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Crossing between Continents: Explore Kadıköy and Moda

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Dolmabahçe Palace

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

I’m

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Portugal was amazing! We originally planned to go to visit the NOS Alive music festival and decided to build a family vacation around that. I literally knew nothing about Portugal, and in my research, stumbled upon the Kimkim site. I entered my goals - see the country, have a little adventure and a little relaxation, and Pedro worked his magic. With his expertise of the country, he planned a perfect itinerary for our trip (which included myself, my husband and our 13 year old). Communication leading up to the trip was very responsive and we felt totally prepared as we departed on July 4th.

We were first greeted by our driver Pepe - he messaged us when we landed to let us know where to meet him. It was a very warm welcome, complete with waters, snacks and a comfortable ride north to Porto. We stopped in a couple of towns along the way - Obidos and Najare - and Pepe gave us tips about what to see, what to eat/drink, and the best spots to do it. He also knew that by the time we had lunch in Najare, the jet lag would kick in so let us rest for the remaining hour and a half to Porto. The hotel in Porto was fabulous - perfectly located near restaurants and a short walk down to the river. The next morning we met our guide Bernardo who gave us a walking tour of the city. He was very knowledgeable (and passionate!) and we learned a lot about the city's history, architecture and even his childhood. We loved Porto - such a vibrant city! We even climbed the Porto Bridge so we could get a view of the river and city - so much fun!

We also did a tour of the Duoro Valley. Ricardo was our driver for this day-long adventure. He drove those squirrely roads with excellence while filling us in on information about the valley (and showed us the cork trees - so cool!). We did a river boat tour and then visited a winery where we enjoyed a delicious meal and then had a private tasting and winery tour lead by Fabio.

Ricardo was again our driver down to Lisbon. We were sad to say goodbye to him but checked into our apartment and geared up for a walking food tour in Lisbon. Pedro was our guide and took us to a few of his favorite good spots while also pointing out some highlights of the city. It really helped us get our bearings right away. The next day, we were happy to be reunited with Pepe who took us out to the lovely town of Sintra. Beautiful palace and grounds and then afterward took us back along the water, thru the lovely town of Cascais and - importantly - gave us tips for how to get to the music festival the next day.

As an aside, the festival was FABULOUS! So clean and well run - and my daughter had so much fun watching Mark Ambor, Noah Kahan, Benson Boone and Olivia Rodrigo.

The next day we were off to The Algarve. Pepe had fortunately given my husband driving tips which came in VERY handy! We did a boat tour to see the Ponto da Piedade Caves - so fabulous. Our boat guide was Joao and he was assisted by his daughter Priscilla. He was very good at navigating the tight spaces of the caves - we were quite impressed!

We ended our trip in Cascais. We stayed at the absolutely fabulous Miragem hotel - the perfect way to end! We enjoyed a delicious meal in Cascais at Clandestino, and stopped at Santini for gelato (Pepe's recommendation) before heading back to pack up.

Pepe drove us back to the airport - a full circle moment - the perfect way to end the trip.

Pedro, our guide, was totally attentive to every detail. Not only was everything planned perfectly, but he also sent reminders to us every day so we felt equipped for the next day's activities. We also asked to make a change to a pick-up time and Pedro and his team adjusted it with no issues. I would absolutely recommend Pedro to anyone looking to visit Portugal. If you do go, please say hi to Pepe and Ricardo for us!

Thanks to Pauline and team for helping us create an amazing trip. It was a great combination of their expert recommendations and our personal requests with enough freedom to discover new places along the way.
Highlights include Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, and too many places to mention in the Highlands! We loved Inverness and the surrounding area. History, beauty, nature, and everyone is friendly and helpful. Shout outs to our hosts I. Edinburgh and Inverness, to Izzie at Tomatin (what a genuinely kind and knowledgeable person)!

Activity Reviews

Glenlivet - The Original Tasting

Scotland

Rick was a wonderful guide. We had a great time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tomatin Distillery Tour

Inverness

Terrific experience learning about Scotch whiskey production. Izzie is a great guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre tickets

Inverness

Our guide was knowledgeable and complete!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

We loved that we could skipthe line because we had tickets and the guidebook is a great souvenir!

Quality of Experience

Transparency , quick response , and very reliable. Bruno was amazing. I have to also thank all the private guides who helped us with this amazing Brazil experience