Kimkim Trip Reviews

What an awesome trip! Kateryna did an exceptional job working within my budget and creating an itinerary that struck the perfect balance between seeing the sights and truly experiencing the UK. The communication before and during my trip was clear and informative, which made everything so smooth. I loved driving through the beautiful English countryside—it was such a relaxing and scenic experience. One of my favorite moments was the boat tour on the Thames, which offered a unique and peaceful perspective of the area. Overall, I felt like I got an authentic taste of the UK and came home with amazing memories (and plenty of photos!).

Hotel Reviews

Malmaison Oxford

Oxford

The Malmaison Hotel in Oxford is truly in a unique location. I absolutely loved my room—it was beautifully and appropriately decorated, with decent ventilation, a comfortable bed, and a lovely bathroom with a fantastic shower. The restaurant was incredible, offering an unforgettable dining experience. But what truly stood out was the staff. They made me feel incredibly welcome and genuinely cared for. I had just been in a minor car accident right before my arrival, and the staff showed such understanding and compassion as I checked in after a tough situation. Their kindness made all the difference in my stay.

Authenticity & Character

Staying in a historic castle/prison was exceptionally unique. The decor throughout and in-room was fun!

Location

Walkable to everything. Felt very upbeat and lively.

Staff

I couldn't be more grateful for each staff member who helped me throughout my stay. A fantastic team!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and tidy.

Phoenix Hotel

London

The hotel room was compact but clean and practical. Although there was no air conditioning and the walls were quite thin—I could hear the neighbors overnight—I still slept very well. The breakfast was excellent, and the location was unbeatable, with easy access to shops, eateries, and the London Underground. The area felt safe and was very accessible, making it a worthwhile stay despite the minor inconveniences.

Authenticity & Character

Flet generic. Like a medical facility.

Location

Close proximity to retail and transportation.

Staff

Extremely helpful staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Overall, the hotel felt very clean.

Activity Reviews

Tower of London Beefeater Welcome & Crown Jewels

London

This was an incredibly immersive historical experience. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the unique history of this location, with architecture reflecting different periods over time. The Crown Jewels exhibition was absolutely incredible, and I loved the afternoon views of the Tower Bridge set against the London skyline. Overall, I learned a great deal and found the visit both educational and highly enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great conversations with the guides! Definitely engage them to optimize your visit!

Thames Cruise with Dinner

London

The late evening river cruise was an amazing experience. The opportunity to capture photos and take in the expansive views of London at a leisurely pace exceeded my expectations. While the dinner was a bit awkward since I was traveling solo and surrounded by couples and families, I still valued the experience. The food was average—comparable to what you'd expect at a large wedding reception—but the overall ambiance and perspective of London made it worthwhile.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus

London

The hop-on hop-off bus was a lot of fun and a great way to see several sights in London in the open air. The staff were very friendly, and the onboard experience was excellent. I especially enjoyed the drive through Knightsbridge, even with the traffic—it gave me time to take in the beautiful surroundings. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience.

Quality of Experience

I was frustrated that they were not able to validate my pre-paid ticket.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Extremely friendly and understanding staff.

Transport

The onboard experience was great but locating stops was a challenge.

First, I have to thank Martina, Elisa, Alessia, and the rest of the Authenticus Italy team for their guidance and patience in working with us to plan my 50th Birthday trip to Rome, Naples and the Amalfi Coast. It really was the trip of a lifetime. Martina was so attentive to my wants and needs and was so helpful in picking an ideal itinerary of experiences that were special and unique to our preferences. She even included extra-special touches like a special surprise rooftop concert!

The hotels chosen were all in fantastic areas close to major sites and activitites, and very clean and comfortable and the breakfasts included helped get our days off to a nice start. The car services we had also were nice and made it so much easier to navigate the longer journeys of our trip with ease. The tours we had were all so in-depth and educational and the guides we had were incredibly knowledgable and entertaining. They helped show us things we never would have been able to find or do on our own. The meals and wine tastings and other foodie experiences were also fantastic, giving us a taste of how the locals live. The Vespa food tour of Rome, the tour of Pompeii, wine tasting on Mt. Vesuvius, the hike in the Amalfi mountains, and the Fiat tour to Positano were just a few of the amazing things we experienced. We took so many pics and made so many memories to last a lifetime!

We did have a few miscommunications once we landed in Italy (mostly due to me not getting the correct kind of eSIM for phone service beyond just WiFi/data) but they were handled very swiftly and efficiently with no impact to our itinerary or the enjoyment of any of the activities. I have learned from my mistake and now know what to do in the future!

In the end, I would not hesitate to use Authenticus Italy's services again and have already recommended them to friends and colleagues who are thinking of planning trips to Italy.

Grazie mille!
James and Jake

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Residence

Amalfi

Gorgeous hotel. Clean, comfortable, and being right on the beach was a huge plus.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Santa Lucia Naples

Naples

Beautiful hotel with spacious rooms. It was clean, comfortable and the closeness to the waterfront was nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Manfredi Suite

Rome

Clean, comfortable and close to major attractions. The breakfast is also nice!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Limoncello Experience & Tasting

Italy

We love LaLa! She was so sweet and helpful in guiding us through the process of making limoncello and the tasting, giving us a glimpse into her family's business, Valenti Positano. Besides the limoncello, we got to sample many more of the tasty treats Valenti makes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fiat 500 Tour

Italy

Andrea was great! It was tough for us 3 tall guys to fit in the tiny car but once we rolled the top down we were good to go! The sights along the winding road to Positano were incredible and Andrea took such fantastic pictures of us and the car in some of the most beautiful settings you could imagine.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting on Mount Vesuvius

Italy

This was such a treat! Everyone at the Cantina del Vesuvio was so enthusiastic about us making the most of the experience while serving up delicious wines and food in a stunning setting. A real highlight of the trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Tour of Napoli

Naples

Ivan was a nice guide, taking us around to places we'd never thing to visit on our own or places that would be difficult for first-timers to get to. His knowledge of the history of Naples was so fascinating and impressive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Surprise gift activity

Rome

The rooftop opera concert on the Terazza Borromino was such a thoughtful touch! It really was special and even the light sprinkle of rain didn't put a damper on the evening.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Tour of Rome

Rome

Anna Maria was such a sweet guide. Since we had already done some walking around on our own, we skipped a few of the usual tourist spots and Anna Maria was grateful to get to go "off script" a bit and take us to some places she usually doesn't go to.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Premium wine tasting and dinner in Rome

Rome

Alessandro at Rimessa Roscioli was fantastic! His knowledge and passion for wine and food was infectious. The restaurant, especially the private wine tasting dining room, was super nice and homey. The wines and foods were also superb.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Early Access Tour of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel

Rome

Our guide Sev was a font of knowledge, guiding us through the often overwhelming halls of the Vatican with humor and his endless insight of the art and history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vespa Tour with Food Tasting

Rome

Pedro and Chris were so nice and helpful. They zipped us around Rome with speed and we got to taste delicious foods and see sites off the beaten path that we would not have been able to access as easily on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit to the Colosseum, Palatin Hill and Roman Forum

Rome

Laura was a wonderful guide! So knowledgable and helpful in giving us a fantastic experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marina was wonderful to work with, she listened and really captured all the best adventures for our first trip to Portugal. When we had to make adjustments - we really appreciated her understanding and patience. Marina and her team were very accessible leading up to and during our trip. The entire trip was great! The best parts were our private boat trip on the Douro River in the Douro Valley and our private day trip to Sintra and the Atlantic Coast of Lisbon with tour guide "Nuno". I can't wait to plan our next trip and I will highly recommend KimKim to my friends.

Activity Reviews

River Boat Experience in Douro Valley

Douro Valley

The private river boat experience on the Douro River was a highlight of our trip. It was a special anniversary celebration, and the two young men who took us on the boat were lovely. Thanks to our specialist Marina, we had a bottle of sparkling wine waiting for us, making the occasion even more special. It felt personalized and intimate, exactly what we wanted. The attention to detail and the effort to make it a memorable day were much appreciated!

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

The private day excursion to Sintra, Cascais, and Estoril was fantastic. Our guide was not only lovely but truly knew the best timings to visit each destination, allowing us to explore before the crowd of tour buses arrived. This made our experience feel personal and serene as if we had the sites to ourselves. The guide was incredibly flexible, allowing us to adapt our plans to fit our interests and pace, including accommodating a special lunch request. It was a day well spent, and we loved every moment of it!

We had an amazing time visiting Lisbon, Lagos & Cascais. The history, people & food were all spectacular. Highly recommend private driver Gold car services for day trip to Sintra. Nuno was great to spend the day with us. Marissa was in contact with us throughout the booking process & all suggestions and activities were spot on. It was great being able to keep in touch every day as she checked in each day to assure all was going smoothly. Any little request was addressed with the greatest efficiency. We could not have asked for more. We will definitely use Kim Kim again!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

D. Manuel I - Charming Residence

Lagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bairro Alto Hotel

Lisboa

Great location & amazing breakfast with city views. Staff was wonderful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit: Cascais

Portugal

Marissa suggested this stop. What a great town/ city. Love the mix of the charming town with the beach & coast.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exclusive Panoramic Boat Tour to the Ponta da Piedade Caves

Portugal

Beautiful way to see the caves & coast

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Belém on a Scenic 2-Hour Tuk Tuk Tour

Lisbon

Great way to see Belem, monastery & the wonderful custard tarts!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour & Tastings

Lisbon

Our guide as terrific. History & details walking all over the city, followed by the wine tasting. Overall great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I do not think I would this company again for future trips. While we had a mostly enjoyable vacation, there were several avoidable mistakes made for our trip to Switzerland.

The initial issue was that our company waited for about four weeks after our deposit to arrange our hotel reservations. At this point, one of the hotels was full, so the company switched us to a different hotel. That hotel ended up being our least favorite, with stiff beds and no one at reception for much of the day. I believe it was the same tier hotel as the one quoted, but it begs the question as to why they delayed four weeks.

The second issue, which was much larger, was that they booked one hotel room for our trip when we had requested two. When I caught their mistake, the tour company’s response was that this was our fault, since we did not catch their mistake on their first itinerary. They wrote saying we needed to pay them an additional $1300 to get the second room. I had to call Kimkim to sort it out, and ultimately we received the two rooms that we had requested. However, this experience left a bad taste in our mouths given the initial response and having to argue about it. And for the record, follow-up communication from Kimkim was non-existent: I heard nothing from either company for a week while this was being resolved, which was stressful, and in fact never received a single follow-up from Kimkim about it at all.

The third issue was another attention-to-detail mistake. The tour company told us they made seat reservations for our train trip to Jungfrau, a popular tourist destination. This was written, in bold, on our itinerary. When we got to the station, we encountered hundreds of people, and we got stopped at the turnstiles and turned back for not having reservations at all. Two ticket attendants confirmed that we were holding non-reservation 2nd class tickets, and we were told to wait in line for the next available train with open seats. Long story short, our 1.5 hour trip took 3.5 hours, as we waited a full two hours in line, as train after train filled up with pre-reserved travelers and tour groups. This was a truly miserable experience.

My conclusion is that the time needed to double-check and correct the tour company’s mistakes could be better spent simply planning the trip on my own.

Activity Review

Funky chocolate workshop

Switzerland

This was an enjoyable experience. We learned a bit about chocolate, got to taste many varieties from dark to white chocolate and each made three chocolate bars.

Quality of Experience

This was a fun time.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

There was no guide or driver, so this rating isn't really for anything.

Transport

There was no transport.

I am impressed!

Thanks to Liz and team for curating a well planned trip. It was my first time to South America and she made the trip planning so effortless for us. Great follow-ups and prompt responses.

The ground team was great, pick-ups and transfers were on time. The local tour guides were great and enthusiastic in the tours.

Definitely will book with KimKim again.

Activity Reviews

Shared Palcoyo Trek: Small group

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Road was bumpy through the mountains

Observatory Train to Machu Picchu OW, Lunch at Tinkuy & Machu Picchu Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Briefing about your future tour/trek

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flight from {{start_location}} to Cusco & Private tour to The Sacred Valley

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The LATAM flight was delayed for 1 hour

Private Peruvian Food Tour in Artsy Barranco

Lima

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was absolutely amazing and everything went flawlessly! We would 100% use KimKim again! The detailed itinerary made everything so easy!

Activity Reviews

Private Pompeii Tour with light lunch

Pompeii

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Vatican Guided Tour

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local transfer in Rome

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Express Colosseum Tour

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amalfi Coast Boat Tour From Sorrento

Sorrento

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gelato & Pizza Making Class

Rome

Marco was the best!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

There was some great things and a couple that should be changed or addressed for future customers. The last hotel, in Sorrento, was nice but our room had stairs (two floors) with no handrails. Plus, a lot of steps to get from the room to the amenity and to the street. Breakfast service was bad. We got to breakfast at 9:00 and all food was picked over and not replenished. The people there acted like they did not like working there. Heliopolis, I think was the name. All the guides were great. Seems we spent too much time traveling to all places. Not your fault. All drivers were on time and helpful.
Sailing was great..............weather was good. Guides got us around a lot of lines.

Good coordination on your part...........

We'd do it again...............might should have put the last hotel closer to the airport in Athens...........1 hour each way.

We had a great trip planned by our local specialist, Valentine. We wanted to see all of the main tourist attractions and not have to worry about lines, group tours, scheduling things ourselves. Everything was specified to our needs. She paid great attention to us traveling with our parents, needing something more slower pace but still being able to see as much as we could. We really enjoyed the diverse locations - Nice and Paris! and got to experience parts of the cities which are also outside of the go-to tourist spots (which we really enjoyed!) Our individual tour guides, Sebastein, VM, and Anya were also very helpful in providing recommendations for food spots, local recommendations for shopping and seeing things around our neighborhood. We cannot wait for our next trip to France.

Our trip to Greece was perfect. Tasos was absolutely the best to work with along with Travel12 and kimkim. He planned the trip with just the right amount of scheduled tours and time for us to explore on our own.
The transfers were always on time and friendly and eased any worries we may have had about getting around.
Our hotel in Athens was in a great location, where we were in walking distance to many things.
Our guide, Demi was so knowledgable and nice! We loved having her as our personal guide. Our walk up the Acropolis and seeing the Parthenon and other ruins was breathtaking.
We really loved Paros and the Contaratos Beach Hotel! So relaxing and the staff was awesome, especially Eri who was always there to help. Great hotel!
Our favorite part was Petra Farms with our personal your with the owner and the farm to table lunch. W will never forget this beautiful setting and view along with the amazing food and wine!
Santorini was still a bit busy even though we were there in early October. Our hotel, Kastro Suites has literally on the edge of the cliff in Fira with the walking trail directly beneath us. The view was fabulous. We boat cruise on our final day there was a perfect way to cap off our trip.
We would highly recommend kimkim, Tasos and Travel12.
Thank you for planning the perfect trip of a lifetime.

Hotel Review

Contaratos Beach Hotel Paros

Naousa

This was a beautiful and relaxing hotel on Paros. It had everything; comfortable room with wonderful patio with ocean view, pool with bar and food,beach, great breakfast and dinner available in the evening. The staff was amazing and made you feel at home. We didn't want to leave.

Authenticity & Character

It felt so comfortable with the separate patio areas and easy access to the pool, beach, breakfast and dinner.

Location

Great beach, not in a busy area but within walking distance to everything in Naousa.

Staff

The entire staff was amazing, but Eri was so helpful and kind. We really enjoyed meeting him.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was very clean and super comfortable!

Activity Reviews

Caldera Cruise & Volcano Visit

Santorini

The cruise was wonderful. We did not get off the ship at the volcano due to my husband's mobility issues. This left quite a bit of time in the boat docked while others hiked around the volcano rim. Had we known that this hike would be over an hour, we would have taken a book to read. But just enjoying the relaxation in the sun was nice too.

Quality of Experience

Food

The dinner served on board was very delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini Highlights with Wine

Greece

This tour gave us a wider view of Santorini. Our guide Harry was great, along with the driver. They were a great team.

Quality of Experience

Harry's knowable information about Santorini.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Harry and the driver.

Transport

Clean, comfortable and relaxing.

Private Farm Tour with Lunch

Paros

We had a personal tour with the owner of Petra Farms. It was so relaxed and we learned so much about farming on Paros. The setting and views were breathtaking. The food and wine was fabulous. This was our favorite experience in Greece.

Quality of Experience

The personal tour with the owner and the relaxed atmosphere.

Food

The lunch was wonderfully fresh with their farm grown tomatoes, capers, olives, and herbs; spanakopita, bread, wine and baklava.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was amazing. He knew the owner and was always prompt.

Transport

Prompt, friendly, clean and courteous.

Athenian Democracy: Acropolis & Ancient Agora

Athens

Our personal guide, Demi was wonderful. She was so knowledgable and had a great sense of humor. My husband has some mobility issues with walking and she reassured us that there was no hurry and could walk at his pace. She helped him many times with the climb to the top of the Acropolis. We loved this experience!

Quality of Experience

At our pace and Demi who was so sweet!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and knowable.

Transport

On time, friendly drivers and clean vehicles.

We had a great trip planned by our local specialist, Stephania and Klio. We wanted to see all of the main tourist attractions and not have to worry about lines, group tours, scheduling things ourselves. Everything was specified to our needs. They paid great attention to us traveling with our parents, needing something more slower pace but still being able to see as much as we could. We really enjoyed the diverse locations - Rome, Florence, and Venice! and got to experience parts of the cities which are also outside of the go-to tourist spots (which we really enjoyed!) Our individual tour guides, Roberto, Laura, and Christine, were also very helpful in providing recommendations for food spots, local recommendations for shopping and seeing things around our neighborhood. We cannot wait for our next trip to Italy.

Claire did an amazing job of helping us plan our trip. Every reservation was exactly as she said it would be. Not only did she do a great job with the itinerary before we left, she also touched base with us on the trip to make sure all was going well. Having spent 40 years in the travel business, I was extremely pleased with her attention to details.

Dublin transfer to the airport to pick up the car - driver right on time
Car Rental - Europcar was good
Titanic Experience in Belfast - interesting
Taxi Tour in Belfast - Paul was very informative
Ferry to Rathlin Island - perfect and they allowed us to return early
Bogside History Tour in Derry - very interesting and informative. Sorry, but I cannot remember his name.
Hotels: Excellent other than the Warren in Belfast. The Warren was quirky but not my favorite. Loved the Ghan House
Dinners: Land to Sea in Dingle - wonderful

Hotel Reviews

Ship Quay Hotel

Londonderry

The Ship Quay Hotel in Derry was fine, not deluxe, but clean. The staff was really nice, especially in both the bar and dining areas. We appreciated the wonderful location and friendly service.

Elephant Rock Hotel

Portrush

The Elephant Rock Hotel in Portrush was a nice stay. Although nothing particularly stood out, the location was fine, and overall, it served its purpose well. We had a comfortable stay.

The warren Belfast

BELFAST

The Warren Belfast was not very clean, especially the bathroom where both the soap dispenser and shower were very dirty. There was no closet, just a couple of pegs for clothes, which was manageable, but the hygiene was a concern. Breakfast was self-service with no utensils provided to pick up the bread, making it seem a bit unsanitary

Ghan House Hotel

The Ghan House is lovely as is the staff. The dinner was very good. We needed an earlier breakfast than what is normally served, and it was no problem. This was definitely one of our favorite hotels during a 23 night trip!

Authenticity & Character

Felt like stepping back in time.

Location

Five minute walk from the town.

Staff

Everyone was very friendly and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heatons Guesthouse

Dingle

The hotel is on the edge of town, but an easy walk into town to the restaurants. The room was large and comfortable with a sea view. I appreciated the hot tea and chocolate cake when we checked in!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Bogside History Walking Tour

Londonderry (Derry)

We spent two days in Derry. Did this tour on the first day. It was an eye opener for an American.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking tour

Belfast Political Taxi Tour

Belfast

Very interesting. It was interesting to see the Irish side of the "Troubles". It was not always the same as what we were seeing in the U.S.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great London Taxi

Land to Sea : Michelin Recommended dining

Dingle Town

Absolutely exquisite!

Quality of Experience

Our driver, Ayoub Benala was with us for 15 days. Although he does not yet have his qualifications to be a quide he was extremely knowledgeable about his culture and the history of the areas we visited. He was generous and excited to share this knowledge.
He was reliable and accessible. We were three friends with different needs. He was sensitive and aware of this and adeptly handled all circumstances with grace.
We all became very fond of Ayoub and feel fortunate to have had him as our driver .

We had a wonderful time visiting Italy and Andrea was a wonderful resource and planner for us! He was detail oriented and always replied promptly with any questions we had! All our guides and drivers were prompt and courteous and the guides were very knowledgeable and informative. Skipping the large lines for the Vatican and Colliseum was wonderful . It made our first trip to Italy so easy! We would use Kimkim again in a heartbeat!

Our group of six worked with Chris to plan most of our two-week trip and then we took it from there and went on to a couple islands. Chris met with us online several times to work out our itinerary and came to meet us on our last night in Greece. He was very good to work with on our plans. He was open to our ideas and he followed through to adapt to our requests, including taking a ferry ride through the Corinth Canal, seeking out archeological sites in Crete, and lunching in Arechova on our trip to Delphi.
Our guides were excellent. In mainland Greece Panagiota Kankali gave us a superb introduction to Athens and Georgia took us on an informative visit to the Acropolis. Yannis drove us to Delphi and for three additional days around Nafplio and was engaging and knowledgeable and truly kind. In Crete we had guides and drivers through GS Tours, and their staff were wonderful. Spiros Daudakis was exceptional in his passion for his country's history and culture and willingness to spend many hours answering our constant questions, and Ariadne was thorough and flexible in showing us the beauty and offerings of Chania. Our driver Yanna was very smart and enthusiastic and engaging, and Nikos was kind and competent and helpful.
The hotels were each in central locations and were quite comfortable. We stayed at the Hotel NLH Monastiraki in Athens, and even though there was a street closure due to a festival on our departure day, Yannis managed to find a way to bring the van close to us. In Nafplio we stayed a Adiandi and Amymone, which is a boutique hotel with a beautiful breakfast cafe across the street with a view of the sea. In Chania, Crete, we stayed at Elia Zampeliou Hotel, which was in an old stone house that was located in the center of the old town and very comfortable. In Heraclion we stayed at the Olive Green which was a newish functional hotel for one-night stopovers before the ferry to the islands and spatially well-outfitted. All the hotel staff were very helpful and friendly. Some of the hotels required ability to climb stairs.

We thought the whole trip was exceptional, and we especially loved Crete. We spent a lot of time in museums and in archeological sites and we climbed lots of stone steps and walked long distances and were glad for good preparation. And we ate vast amounts of delicious food.

We had a wonderful trip to Chile. From airport pickup, to the tour of Santiago and Valparaiso, both driver Eliseo and guide Claudio were amazing. All the tours in our next stop in San Pedro de Atacama turned out well. We did have some questions with the transportation, but Jesse was super responsive when we reached out for confirmation. After a busy few days of tours, our last stop in Pichilemu was a delightful change of pace. Hotel Alaia offered an incredible setting and the staff were all so welcoming. Overall a great trip and we are looking forward to visiting Chile again!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Alaia

Pichilemu

Spectacular setting and views. Staff was all very friendly and accommodating. Food was excellent. They have a long list of provided activities, but be sure to contact the hotel about them or book ahead of time.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cumbres San Pedro

San Pedro de Atacama

Nice resort with great pool and spa. Offered a shuttle between the hotel and town which is nice, but required as it is a little ways outside. The food was ok, but menu somewhat limited.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Eco Boutique Bidasoa

Santiago

Great view of the mountains. Felt safe with several walkable restaurants. Nice Breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Valley of the Moon Tour

San Pedro de Atacama

We didn't really know what to expect from this tour, but it was great. The guide and driver were both top notch. The hike was a pleasant surprise and the food spread and cocktail at sunset were delightful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I wish we knew dropoff was at the center of town, but generally good

Tour of Tatio Geysers

San Pedro de Atacama

Very cool. Long drive to see the Geysers, but was a beautiful spot. There were extra stops on the way back we were not anticipating. The tour dropped us in the town center and unfortunately the hotel shuttle wasn't running yet, so was a somewhat long walk back after a very early morning.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The bus did break down, but they had a new one waiting

Explore the Atacama Salt Flats & Lagoons

San Pedro de Atacama

Layana Travel did a great job with communication and the tour was incredible. The tour guide and driver were great. The meals were somewhat lacking compared to other tours nearby, but were just fine.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Stargazing Experience

San Pedro de Atacama

The stargazing tour itself was very cool. The pickup and drop off were being changed/coordinated through WhatsApp somewhat last minute. The drivers did not speak any English, but the tour itself did have a translator.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valparaíso & Wine Tour

Santiago

The wine tour and tasting were great. Claudio suggested having lunch at the winery, which was delicious. The tour of Valparaiso was interesting, informative and scenic.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago City Tour - Private

Chile

Claudio was informative and very accommodating to our interests. A great start to the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

great attention to detail in the planning.

Omar is the best as a guide and driver.

Hotel Reviews

Riad El Palacio

Chefchaouen

our room was two floors with a narrow winding staircase. Tough to carry bags up.Noise from the lobby could be heard into the evening.

Riad El Amine Fès

Fes

Activity Review

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

We have just returned from an amazing two week trip to the wine regions of Burgundy and Bordeaux in France. Marianna arranged the perfect trip for us. From wine tastings at chateau's to visiting the Dordogne region and viewing the prehistoric cave paintings in the Vezere Valley (Lascaux 4), we had a wonderful time!

In addition to the above, highlights of our trip were
- Private Wine Tour in a vintage car from Bordeaux (Pessac - Leognan)
- Full-day trip including Château de la Brède and Bazas village
- Visit of The "Hospice de Beaune", and an afternoon in Côte de Nuits
- Visit at La Cité du Vin (wine museum in Bordeaux)

Marianna provided us detailed information and tickets for our trains between cities, and and who, when and where we would meet our guides. Our guides on these tours (Rodolphe, Galaad, Kaio and Julian), were all very knowledgeable and fun to be with.

Marianna suggested we stay at the Residhome Bordeaux which worked out very well. It's located right on Tram line B which took us within a short walk to meet our tour guides, for less than 2 euros. Any private tours we went on we were picked up directly from our hotel!!

We highly recommend KimKim for your travel needs, and in fact, we are looking forward to working with them on upcoming trips to Costa Rica and Japan!!

Hotel Review

Residhome Bordeaux

Bordeaux

The rooms are a bit small if you get a studio. We opted for a 1 bedroom which was just perfect for us. Best part of this hotel was it's location in the city. We thought it would be difficult to be outside the city center, but with the tram being so close, it was not a problem at all! We did not have breakfast at the hotel. It looked wonderful, but we opted to grab something from the local bakery. There were many good restaurants in the area.

Authenticity & Character

It's a long term stay hotel (we spent 6 nights there), so not a lot of character...

Location

Access to tram lines, good restaurants

Staff

All the staff at the front desk were helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was clean and the bed was comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Visit at La Cité du Vin (tickets)

Bordeaux

The visit to La Cité du Vin in Bordeaux was interesting but a bit too much. We stayed for about an hour and enjoyed the wine tastings and the beautifully presented exhibits, but it exceeded our level of interest quite quickly.

Full Private Day of Dordogne and Sarlat Exploration

Bordeaux

The full private day of exploration in Dordogne and Sarlat was a fantastic experience. We had a great guide, Rudy, who took us to the West Coast and a quaint village. He was charming and knowledgeable, enhancing our trip significantly as we explored the beautiful area. Having a guide made the long day far more insightful and enjoyable.

Pyla sand dune & Arcachon Oyster - Full day Tour

France

The tour to the Pyla sand dunes and Arcachon oysters was really great. Our guide, Kyle, who was Brazilian, was knowledgeable and engaging, making the experience delightful despite some unfortunate weather. Although I'm not a huge seafood fan, the tour itself was incredibly well-organized and worth the trip.

Our guide Ayoub provided excellent service -he was very attentive to our needs and desires and very flexible when we said we did not want to make some specific stops in favor of doing something else. The local guides were for the most part excellent, especially Hanan in Marrakesh and Sharif in Fez. Yasmin in Tangier was also lovely. I appreciated the opportunity to see so much of Morocco and to participate in a wide range of experiences.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Le Pèlerin

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ksar El Kabbaba

Skoura

An amazing stopover after the desert experience - we were able to rest and relax and enjoy the pool, the garden and the beauty.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Ghita

Fes

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Dar Mounir

Chefchaouen

Lovely staff but bed was uncomfortable, there was no safe or water provided in the room and breakfast was not as good as other locations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Mokhtar Tanger

Tangier

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Marrakech Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

A fabulous experience - Hanan did an excellent job selecting food establishments that provided delicious food and could tell us about Moroccan cooking and eating customs.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Hanan is an excellent guide, knows so much about the Moroccan history and Marrakesh and very sensitive to our needs.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Skoura to Marrakech: Crossing the High Atlas

Morocco

We enjoyed the stops we made to the rug cooperative and to the gorge, and were pleased that we could remove some stops off the list as well to enjoy our time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morocco Last Nomads Experience: Tea, Tales & Desert Adventures

Merzouga

The desert was amazing but we did not see or meet with the nomad family as promised. It was challenging to be in the desert in such extreme heat.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Fez to Merzouga Desert

Morocco

The trip was very long, and maybe should be broken up.....

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dine with a Local Family

Morocco

While I appreciate the effort put into making this delicious dinner for us, it was challenging to talk with and interact with our hosts.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Tangier: Where Two Worlds Meet

Tangier

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Chefchaoeun

Chefchaouen

The guide was informed but not listening to his guests and was most focused on the shopping experience.

Quality of Experience

My recent trip to Peru was nothing short of magical, and I can confidently say it has carved a permanent place in my heart. From the vibrant streets of Lima to the breathtaking heights of Machu Picchu, every moment was an adventure filled with unforgettable experiences. Martina, Lionel, Jaime were amazing a organizing this adventure and Eddy was the best guide ever

Starting in Lima, I was captivated by the city's energy and rich culinary scene. The blending of modernity with historical charm is remarkable, and I indulged in some of the finest Peruvian cuisine. Dining at a local cevichería was a highlight—fresh, zesty ceviche paired with a pisco sour took my taste buds on a delightful journey.

Next, I ventured into the lush Amazon rainforest. The biodiversity here is astonishing; every trek through the greenery brought new surprises, from vibrant birds to playful monkeys. Our guided tours were insightful, offering a deep understanding of the ecosystem and the indigenous cultures that thrive there. The tranquility of the Amazon was a refreshing escape from the world's hustle and bustle.

Cusco, the old capital of the Inca Empire, welcomed me with open arms. The blend of Spanish colonial architecture and Incan ruins is awe-inspiring. I strolled through its picturesque plazas, explored the vibrant local markets, and marveled at the stunning Sacristía of the Cathedral. The warmth of the local people made every interaction memorable.

The Sacred Valley was a true highlight, boasting stunning landscapes and ancient history. The terraced hillsides of Ollantaytambo and the charming village of Pisac showcased the ingenuity of the Incan civilization. The breathtaking views and serene atmosphere offered a perfect backdrop for reflection and appreciation of the natural beauty surrounding me.

Of course, the crown jewel of my trip was the iconic Machu Picchu. Arriving there felt like stepping into a dream. The mist-covered ruins set against the majestic Andes mountains took my breath away. Exploring the ancient site, I marveled at the architecture and imagined what life was like for the Incas. Watching the sunrise over Machu Picchu was an experience I will cherish forever—it was a moment of pure magic.

After the tranquility of Machu Picchu, I set out to see the vibrant colors of Rainbow Mountain. The hike was challenging but incredibly rewarding. Standing at the summit, surrounded by those breathtaking hues, I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and gratitude for the natural wonders of our world.

To conclude my journey, I visited the serene Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. The floating islands of the Uros people offered a fascinating glimpse into their traditional way of life. Cruising on the lake while soaking in the stunning views was a perfect way to reflect on my unforgettable trip.

In summary, my adventure in Peru was beyond my wildest dreams. The stunning landscapes, rich culture, and vibrant people made for an incredible experience. I wholeheartedly recommend this journey to anyone seeking adventure and beauty. Peru has truly stolen my heart, and I cannot wait to return!