Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had a wonderful trip to Brazil. Sara is very helpful, resourceful and incorporated all the requests we had for this trip. As this was a trip to visit Brazil and attend a family wedding, we had to take multiple flights in Brazil and all the arrangements were so nicely arranged. We had no issues from the airport to hotel, all the hotel reservations were very good. We had a wonderful tour guide in Rio who showed us around beautiful beaches and old Rio with so much of culture.
We have already recommended our friends to go through KimKim travels and talk to Sara. We had a transportation issue at the wedding and Sara's team helped us resolve it with one phone call from me. We so much appreciate Sara to help us and enjoy our entire stay!!!!

Rita

Enjoyed the private tour with Linda via Walk/Hike/Bike - very knowledgable including historically. Great day with her and taking in the various sights. Some things about the trip were a bit confusing via the site we downloaded to the phone versus what came over via email including tickets for various excursions via boat. Linda helped us with one of them which helped it make better sense. We used Kim Kim in the past for our honeymoon to Italy and it was an awesome experience where they truly tailored the trip, had rooms with champagne upon arrival and spoke with her as we set up the travels. In this instance the same attention to detail was not there and we did not even know our resource was going to be away during our travels if we had questions so it was a bit of a scramble to send notes via kim kim site to commuincate. With that said, the trip was beautiful but would spend at least 2 days in Dublin in retrospect. We lost the day due to a delayed flight so did not get to a few places we intended to see in Dublin. Did like the way we traveled via car and driving from Kenmare to Killarney was absolutely beautiful (but this drive was via word of mouth and not recommended from the agency). We happened to talk to locals who made recommendations on the suggested routes for the drive. I still enjoy using Kim Kim and would likely do it again but be sure to be more active with questions about what to do or see when traveling to Ireland. Finally - would say to anyone driving do not be shy. I was nervous at first driving opposite side of the road but you get used to it quickly. There are some very narrow streets but go at your own pace - it is not too bad. This trip was for our 1st anniversary so thought there would have been something more on the day but maybe this was missed by the agent?

Hotel Reviews

The Galmont Hotel & Spa

Galway

Very nice hotel and spa, can use all facilities. The breakfast was buffet style so not as good as some other places but the location was perfect. It was a 5-6 minute walk to downtown Galway and the shops/pubs. This hotel was very convenient and the room was very nice as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to downtown pubs/shops

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Doolin Inn

doolin

Enjoyed the small town charm of the hotel. I thought they had the best restaurant and menu with some very different things to try. The room however was extremely HOT and the bathroom was extra hot. There is no A/C, they had an occilating fan in the room. We were a bit uncomfortable. Also in the evening ensure you have everything you need because there will be nothing open and the front desk closes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Really need A/C in the room. It was HOT and the bathroom - extra hot

The Brehon Hotel

Killarney

This hotel was a bit out of the way so need a car to get to Killarney. We had a large room which was nice and the breakfast was very nice, can order from menu. Ross Castle and Muckross House are nearby via short drive. Town of Killarney was very nice. Walk would be a bit long.

Authenticity & Character

Location

I think it just requires a car ride to downtown Killarney - bit of a longer walk but nice hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The River Lee Hotel

Cork

Location of this hotel was perfect. Breakfast was fantastic each morning. Walking distance to few of the local pubs. Enjoyed the hotel bar as well, very nice hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ashling Hotel Dublin

Dublin

Nice hotel, great breakfast located in walking distance to Nancy Hands pub and the Guinness tour.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cliffs of Moher Cruise

Ireland

Cliffs were amazing, but I would say the trip to the island of Inis Mor was even better. Best pictures and views were from Inis Mor where you literally can look over the edge (dangerous but incredible). Added Dublin, Doolin, Galway pics here as well.

Quality of Experience

Dingle and Slea Head Guided Drive

Ireland

We had a private tour for this part of the trip and certainly recommend it. We had Linda who was the former owner of the Walk/Hike/Bike and she was very versed in Ireland history so the conversation and lessons were fantastic. There are many spots we would not have known about without some big time research, and it was nice to not have to drive for a day and sit back and take in the scenery.

Quality of Experience

The places to see - Sleighead was nice and the wife loved the town of Dingle

Food

The food was great in Sleighead at the little bar at the end talking with Sean (bartender) and Rocky (his buddy).

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Walk/Hike/Bike and Linda our guide was fantastic and very versed in Irish history

Transport

Mini-van guided tour was great to sit back and relax vs. drive for a day.

Liz did a wonderful job helping us with our delightful trip to see 4 very different regions of Australia. All of the accommodations and transfers as well as the air arrangements went off like clockwork. Using Liz and Kim Kim really helped us maximize our time and have us a great flavor of the places, people and foods of Australia. We will definitely be using KimKim and Liz for future trips. Next on our South Pacific bucket list: New Zealand!
Well done,
Tob and Penny Trickey

We almost always do all of our own planning and booking for foreign travel, but while googling Morocco destinations we came across kimkim and decided to give them a try. Saïd put together an incredible, flawless itinerary that hit all of our requests on the nail, within our budget. And he was always available, seemingly at any time of day or night, to answer questions or offer advice. And we were accompanied for the entire trip, from airport to the Sahara and back again, by our skillful, courteous and immensely organized driver/guide/new friend Noureddine! Our riad in Marrakesh was beautiful, we had a wonderful guided tour of the Medina and souks, and Noureddine led us to fun and varied restaurants, while accounting for the four of us being a mix of omnivores, vegetarians and vegans. The drive from Marrakech to Merzouga and the edge of the Sahara is a long way, but the route through the gorges and Amazigh/Berber villages of the Atlas Mountains was beautiful and fascinating, and we stopped frequently for viewpoints, lunch, and bathroom breaks. And once again Saïd arranged for very high quality accommodation at beautiful riads, and some memorable breakfasts and dinners. It was thrilling to see the dunes of Erg Chebbi appear and grow on the horizon, and when we arrived at our camp at sunset we got straight on to the camels for a dune trek — magical. Our camp on the edge of the dunes had air conditioning units, flushing toilets and showers, and was operated by 6 lively young Amazigh men who fed us, sang, danced and played drums with us, and helped us try sandboarding! All in all it was an amazing week of sights, sounds, tastes, smells, laughs and memories. Thank you Saïd and Noureddine for everything you did to introduce us to your spectacular country!

The travel arrangements were perfect. Lodging was just right for our needs, very comfortable, conveniently situated and with wonderful breakfasts.
Train transportation and rental car use went smoothly without any problem.
Valentine' s planned itinerary for two active travelers was wonderful. Kayaking, eBiking and hiking excursions all very memorable. The towns and sites visited were well thought out to give us a lasting memory of our Switzerland trip.
Valentine's attention to detail was amazing.
We hope to use her talent as a travel agent again in the future.

Activity Reviews

Mount Rigi, the Queen of Mountains (Group tour/7 hours)

Switzerland

Beautiful vistas and enjoyable hiking

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Panorama Hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg (Experience Level: Beginner - Accessible to everyone!)

Switzerland

Awe inspiring ! Enjoyed having our private experienced mountain climbing guide to tell us stories about climbing the various famous mountains in view.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private guided visit of Chillon Castle

Montreux

Enjoyed our private guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Summer Kayak Tour Lake Brienz (Private/Approx. 3 hours)

Switzerland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gornergrat panoramic train (return day-ticket & Priority boarding)

Switzerland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

E-bike tour Lauterbrunnen & Valley of 72 Waterfalls

Switzerland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Italy was exactly as you see it in post cards.

There was too much walking for us, however. Two of our hotels (4 nights each) were down in the marina so we were forced to walk up and down many, many stairs and hills to the restaurants, towns , etc. Comfortable shoes are a MUST.

Anacapri, Positano and Sorrento (main squares) were our best stops.

Capri and Amalfi were very busy and difficult to get around (taxis and buses were packed and hard to get).

The weather in September is unstable (rain, wind, high 60s/low 70s) so it's challenging to know what to wear each day.

Overall, it was worth it and we recommend it at least once. KimKim was a great service.

Our trip to Tokyo was awesome! Ayumi, Yumi, and Chieko, our guides, were super helpful and made our 8-day adventure seamless. Angel helped us plan everything and was really flexible with any changes we wanted. We picked our own hotels and she worked them right into our itinerary. We loved every minute of it — it was the trip of a lifetime, and we’re already thinking about checking out different cities next time!

Activity Reviews

Full Day Nikko Toshogu Shrine and Kegon Falls

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Samurai Museum with Experience + Kimono Tea Ceremony at Tokyo Maikoya

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Day Tour with Tsukiji Outer Market & Senso-ji - East & Central

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Discovery with Meiji Shrine, Shinjuku Gyoen, Gotokuji Temple & Shibuya Sky

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Joao did an incredible job planning our trip to Portugal. The communication thru the WhatsApp was great! When our flights to Lisbon got cancelled and everyone in our group ended up landing the next day at different times Joao made sure that everyone was picked up when they landed. Taking the stress off of us at that point was greatly appreciated. Joao also sent us a message every day letting us know our schedule for the next day and what time the driver would be at the hotel to pick us up. The drivers were all very informative and professional. I would definitely recommend them to drive as I would not want to drive in Portugal. All of our excursions were fun, but I think the one that everyone liked the most was the visit to the Quinta da Pacheca winery. Our tour guide Fabio was great, and we learned a lot about port wine. The boat excursion thru the Douro valley was beautiful and they held the boat for us because our lunch at the winery took longer than expected. When they tell you that the trip is all about you, they mean it. They all went out of their way to make sure that we saw everything we wanted to see and try all of the local food and drinks. I really enjoyed all of the places that we stayed as well. Joao did a great job of putting us in the middle of the city in Lisbon & Porto, close to everything that we wanted to do and see. I would highly recommend Joao and his team at KimKim as they made our trip to Portugal very memorable to say the least.
Kelly & Susan Snyder

Hotel Reviews

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

The Cascade Wellness was good, but it didn't quite live up to the five-star rating in our minds, especially after staying at the Monumental Palace. The resort itself was beautiful, but some aspects, like the service and amenities, could be improved. We had some nice staff and some staff that didn't really care about what we were talking about. Also, they had just started adding a tip into your bill at the restaurant / bar but didn't tell you about it. So, if you didn't notice it then and you tipped them, they got double tips. It just would have been nice if they pointed it out.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel needs some TLC in places.

Location

Beautiful location but just a little far from town.

Staff

I think maybe they were short staffed at times.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were two double beds put together. Why not just one king bed?

Heritage Avenida Liberdade

Lisboa

Great location, the breakfast was really good, staff very friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect location in Lisbon. A lot of places to see within walking distance.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Beautiful hotel - wish we could have stayed longer.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maison Albar - Le Monumental Palace

Porto

All of the employees at this hotel go out of their way to make sure that your stay is wonderful. Would highly recommend it and it is very centrally located in Porto.

Authenticity & Character

Absoulety beautiful hotel.

Location

Centrally located to a lot of really good restaurants and bars.

Staff

Everyone was so nice and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The entire hotel is very clean.

Activity Reviews

Indulge in Elegance on a Guided Winery Tour Infused with Tastings and a Delicious Lunch

Portugal

Quinta da Pacheca was well worth it. Fabio was a great tour guide, and we got to see a group stopping the grapes. Their wine is amazing, and I think everyone should do this tour as the lunch that we had was incredible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver told us to keep an open mind about the Port wine we were going to try since we didn't like the last winery and he was absolutely right. Completely different experience than the day before.

Exclusive Panoramic Boat Tour to the Ponta da Piedade Caves

Portugal

Seeing the caves from the water was amazing. Glad we got to do it. They cancelled our original booking due to weather but we got to squeeze it in before leaving Lagos.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

Our driver, Ricardo, was great. It is kind of a long day in the car, but the scenery was beautiful, and we learned a lot along the way. The boat tour along the Douro River was fun, and we really enjoyed the wine tour and lunch at Quinta da Pacheca.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Flavors of Port Wine - Sip & Discover

Porto

I wouldn't do this wine tour. Sandeman didn't give us very good Port wine to try and I have to tell you that all of us didn't want to have it ever again. We kept an open mind and the next winery we went to was so much better.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

The palace was good to see, and we are glad that we went. Our driver, Petro, was very informative and the place he took us to for lunch was beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Petro was informative and we saw a lot in that one day.

Transport

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

The Fado experience was something I think everyone should do when they visit Lisbon. The meal that we were served wasn't that good at all. Probably the worse meal that we had in the 12 days we were there.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Planning our first trip to Southern Spain was enjoyable and productive with Dalia. We had several phone calls so that we could decide the type of trip we wanted to take. The selection of activities, hotels and general logistics suggested ended up in an itinerary that we both enjoyed. As the KimKim portion was the last week of our month European adventure, it was a relief to have this adventure planned out with the level of details we could not have done ourselves. KimKim and the local resources were top-notch.

We absolutely loved our 11 day trip to Switzerland!! Everything went smoothly and the scenery was Gorgeous!! Our favorite day was our small group E-bike tour by Flying Wheels that started in Interlaken and took us all the way to Lauterbrunnen where we experienced the Valley of 72 waterfalls! Our tour guide was Jost and his friendly personality and knowledge of the area made the trip so enjoyable!

I am a Senior Luxury Hospitality Executive and when encountered with planning a family trip to a foreign place we turned to Kim Kim. The websites self navigation of selective itineraries set the perfect stage to engage with Siena. Siena carefully listened to our particular goals and established a thoughtful and personal itinerary. Once we landed on the final travel experience, Lea arrived to assist with making all the reservations. Between the two of them they executed a flawless international travel experience of a life-time. The accommodations, activities, transfers, personal guides and travel couldn't have been better. Excellent Job! Thank you!

Our “Active Autumn” Finland and Estonia trip was perfectly planned by Emerson. It was just the eight amount of “active “ for us ( active seniors) with guided - hikes , city explorations and a bogshoe hike ! The knowledgeable guides were the best part of our adventure - Kieto from Green Cap tours gave us several hours of detailed Finnish history and culture while exploring the city center and ferry to Suomenlinna Island. We also had a food tour with him later in the week and discovered my favorite delicious Salmon soup ( Lohikeitto) . Christopher from Est Adventures provided an amazing amount of fascinating history and current lives of Estonians pre and post Soviet Union occupation. Berit was our naturalist and guide on perhaps our favorite adventure hiking in a beautiful bog an hour outside of Tallinn. Another highlight was our small group Archipelago Excursion with Jeff from Taiga Times . We hiked in yet another gorgeous setting through woods and along the granite shoreline and enjoyed our tasty lunch prepared on site by Jeff.
The hotels chosen by Emerson were charming and well located and the arranged drivers were always exactly on time and also so helpful with local suggestions. One of which was to visit Helsinki’s new Odi library which was amazing - filled with people of all ages and they let out tools, guitars for use in their studios and trailers!
All in all a well planned, wonderful nine days in Finland and Estonia.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Kakola

Turku

The Hotel Kakola, located in Turku, wasn't to my taste. It's an old prison converted into a hotel, so it had a rather gloomy atmosphere with dark gray walls and barbed wire patterns on the curtains. The whole theme was quite unsettling. On a positive note, the service was good, and the staff at the desk were friendly and helpful. The breakfast had a variety of options, but it wasn't as good in quality as the other places we stayed.

Hotel Fabian

Helsinki

Hotel Fabian in Helsinki was our favorite stay during the trip. The hotel has a special designation on TripAdvisor, and it did not disappoint. The rooms were cozy and the service was excellent. Highly recommend!

Activity Reviews

Bogshoe Hiking Tour

Tallinn

The Bogshoe Hiking Tour in Estonia was an absolute highlight! The nature and scenery were stunning, and it was a unique and enjoyable experience. We would definitely recommend this to other nature lovers.

Taste of Helsinki & Tour of Suomenlinna

Helsinki

The Taste of Helsinki & Tour of Suomenlinna was just okay for us. The ferry ride was enjoyable and our guide did their best to make the tour interesting, but the historical aspects of the old fort on Suomenlinna didn't quite capture our interest. It might be more appealing to history buffs, but it wasn't entirely to our taste.

I did my first trip to Japan, 16 days and all by myself. I found it incredibly challenging planning, navigating and booking the things I wanted to do. I had literally spent weeks researching experiences and reading reviews of tours and trying to figure out which ones to do before I gave up. So did another first - booked the whole thing through Kimkim. SO GLAD I did. Shona my local guide was amazing. She totally heard and understood my wants and needs and every step of the way was right there with answers and advice. The tours and experiences she booked were exactly what I wanted and all were excellent, and it all stayed in my budget. I'm absolutely going to book every trip through Kimkim from now on.

The most memorable trip that we had of all trips till date. We would like to sincerely thank Moonika (KimKim) for the fabulous experience, meticulous planning and seamless execution. Utmost patience and giving out details with so many queries before finalization of the itinerary. Transparency and unwavering commitment towards client servicing (over so many days) was the hallmark of the entire experience.

Throughout our 10 days in Finland, there was not a single glitch. Choice of activities and more importantly choice of service providers for each of the distinct activities was fabulous (the reason I say this is because all activities were not given to a single service provider, and we did one northern light activity on our own which was a disappointment compared to the norther light hunting organized by Kim Kim).

Special mention of the service providers for each of the activities:
1) Helsinki City tour walk: Lesley was very good in taking us through Helsinki city to the important landmark. Clear in her explanation and had a lovely time

2) Antti for northern light hunting: This was the one of the best experiences and i would say blindly go for Antti if one gets a chance to go for northern light hunting. Here is the guy who has true passion for northern light hunting. He puts in slightly more than 6 hours for the hunt and just wanted to ensure that we get very good sighting as much as possible. He kept driving and outpacing the clouds and tried to see multiple places to get a good sighting. In our 3rd citing place, we got a good glimpse. While we were returning, all of us were asleep since it was well past midnight. He makes a stop (which he could have well avoided) and wakes us up since he has seen something good. Will never forget that moment.

3) Ranau Zoo visit: Another very good experience. Oren is such a lively person with very good sense of humour. During our drive to Ranau Zoo, he explained us the reason the norther lights phenomena with so much clarity and details. It was fun experience with his explanation about the animals and his capturing of the pics for the different animals. Another individual who loves his job thoroughly.

4) Korouoma Canyon Wilderness Hike: Very different and another fabulous experience of a nice trek. Gabor initially came us a kind of a reserved guy and then as the trek went by he was all fun. His one liner timings were hilarious. Very good activity and here too Gabor was very patient with us given that we were halting almost everywhere to click our own pics with nature apart from plucking and eating berries all along the way. Loved the wood chopping and fire making activity with nice plant-based hotdogs. Will definitely recommend Gabor too as a tour guide.

5) Sauna by the lake: Wow what a location just by the serene lake. Nice, pleasant weather. Justin was our tour guide and again a very good experience. She made us very comfortable and arranged everything for us seamlessly. We had nice sauna experience along with a dip in the lake and repeating this sequence more than once. Justin provided us with nice berry juice and berry tarts

6) Amethyst mine and canoeing in Pyha: So far all activities were very good experience fun and hence the bar was automatically set high. In Pyha, we meet the man Jukka who was with us for almost 3 days. He is simply superb. Always smiling, accommodating and absolutely fun loving. He kept with our changing needs with no fuss and made our stay and experience absolutely fabulous. Amethyst mine small trek and the mine experience was very unique and fun. Canoeing experience with Jukka at helm was outstanding and will remain etched forever in memories.

All our stay at Hotel Glo Art, Artic Light Hotel and Kurula's Resort were very good and comfortable. We also loved the overnight train journey both ways.

All the above experiences were made possible thanks to the fabulous itinerary prepared by Moonika without which it would have been just not possible.

Strongly recommend KimKim

Hotel Reviews

Kurula's Resort

Pyhätunturi

Fabulous location, ambience

Authenticity & Character

Sauna with Jacuzzi by the lake

Location

next to the lake, simply wow

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arctic Light Hotel

Rovaniemi

Authenticity & Character

Sauna experience and the rooms

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Overnight Train

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Home Hotel Jugend

Helsinki

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Amethyst Mine Photographing Tour

Pyhä

Canoeing Experience on Pyhäjoki River

Pyhä

Another wow experience

Sauna Experience by the Lake

Pyhä

Another wow experience

Reindeer Farm Visit (No Safari)

Rovaniemi

Korouoma Canyon Wilderness Hike

Rovaniemi

Finnish Sauna Experience

Rovaniemi

Ranua Wildlife Park Visit

Finland

Flexible Northern Lights Hunting

Rovaniemi

Wow

Tallinn Day Trip

Helsinki

Helsinki City Walking Tour (2h)

Helsinki

Our trip to Turkey was absolutely amazing and so memorable! Everything was planned so perfectly when it came to the private transfers and the guides and tours. Our guides Emre in Istanbul and Effe in Cappadocia were amazing and did a wonderful job at making sure we got the full experience in both places. Our driver Mustafa also was great and very timely.
Our travel agent Berat curated such a nice trip for us and was always available when needed.
KimKim once again has been an amazing experience for us and we will definitely be using this agency again for our next adventure.
Thank you all!

Planning our trip to Norway was an incredibly enjoyable experience. It felt easy to communicate with Christina and I felt she really understood my requests and created a really excellent itinerary for us. We also worked with Tricia, Linda and Tom who were very responsive with messages and questions and exceptionally helpful in making bookings and small changes when needed. They all went above and beyond and made our week in Norway so seamless. Will definitely be booking more trips with Kimkim! Thank you so much for everything.

Hotel Review

Thon Hotel Stavanger

Stavanger

Breakfast was amazing! Comfortable rooms, clean, incredibly modern. The snacks and free tea/coffee at reception was very welcome after big days exploring Stavanger and around

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Guided Overnight Hike to Trolltunga for Sunset/Sunrise

Norway

Absolute highlight of our trip! Everything about it was incredible. A must-do!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our travel expert, Lea, put together our trip to Greece that met and exceeded our needs and expectations. Most everything went smoothly and when a small glitch occurred they were there to correct things immediately. An unexpected one day taxi strike occurred in Athens and Lea arranged for a private professional driver on short notice. Can't praise her and Welcome Pickups enough every step along the way. Every driver was on time friendly and courteous. Tours and guides were terrific especially the full day personalized tour of Delphi. It was a VIP experience. We were also very pleased with the 3-5 star accommodations that were all centrally located, safe and clean. I had never heard of Kim Kim before this trip and relied on the reviews of previous travelers before taking the chance. Add my voice to the strong supporters of Kim Kim!

Hotel Reviews

Be My Guest Hotel Athens

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Athens Airport

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arkadi Hotel

Chania

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blue Dolphins Hotels & Villas

Firostefani, Santorini

The view and breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

City Lion

Heraklion Crete

Brand new apartment. Excellent location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adriani Hotel

Naxos Town

Central location, safe and clean. The homemade breakfast will be forever remembered. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Delphi Day Trip

Athens

This not only kicked off our Greek holiday but turned out to be a highlight. A VIP experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was such a stress reliever knowing that everything on our trip was already taken care of while we were there - we didn't have to deal with organizing cars, researching companies to use, or following up with providers because it was all taken care of. Eirini was so helpful in the planning process, had great recommendations, and was honest about what to expect with different options. She was very patient with me as I changed my mind many times to get the trip exactly how we wanted it. It would've been nice to continue to communicate with Eirini while we were on our trip for continuity, but we were handed off to lovely travel support individuals who took care of us while we were on our trip. We would absolutely use Kimkim again for the peace it provided us in not having to worry about a thing while we were on our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Abelonas Retreat Sunset & Sunrise Lodgings

Santorini

This hotel is in a great location - many restaurants literally steps away. It was quiet and had views of both the sunrise and sunset which are hard to get on the island. Yannis was helpful at reception. There is breakfast made to order and delivered to your room every morning. There are beautiful views although somewhat (minimally) obstructed by the location (restaurants, electric wires). The reason for 4 rather than 5 stars is that the room could use some updating, the bathroom sometimes would smell, and the shower was TINY. Overall, a very laid back vibe, excellent location, and good views.

Authenticity & Character

Very cute room, but could use some updating.

Location

Great spot, close to a lot of restaurants and walking paths.

Staff

Yannis was very friendly and helpful, but some of the other staff were not as hospitable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was surprisingly comfortable as well as the chairs and tables set out to relax. There's a great outdoor lounge area above the hotel and pool where you can enjoy the views.

Atelier Inès Arts & Suites

Napoli

We did not have a great experience at this hotel. From the time we arrived it was unorganized and confusing. When we first arrived, the car was unable to drive down the small road to the hotel and so we were dropped off and someone came to get us, but couldn't find our reservation once we arrived. After eventually finding it, the staff seemed unorganized in what to do next. We were given a key ring with about 6 different keys on it to get in and out of the building and the gates around the building. Our room, although a nice size, was dark with only one window that looked out into an alley - it felt like we were in the basement. We weren't staying long so we wanted to potentially order food to be delivered, but there wasn't an identifiable front desk or reception area where we could ask for help. Luckily we ran into Ines, one of the owners who was lovely and welcoming, but was busy and unable to help us at that time. We ended up venturing out to find food and staff came to apologize later and offered us complimentary drinks. They also provided us with yogurt and fruit for the morning since we were leaving very early for the airport, which was kind. The bed was very comfortable and the bathroom had a nice sized shower.

Authenticity & Character

I believe this hotel probably had more to offer than we were able to explore in the short time we were there.

Location

Hard to get to. Two sets of gates to get in and out. Room looked out into an alley.

Staff

Increased communication/organization among staff would help customers to feel more at ease when arriving. Knowing where and how to get access to staff when needed would have been helpful as there was no reception area.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was clean, bed was comfortable.

Villa Gianlica

Praiano

10/10 I would go back here again and again. The property is GORGEOUS, not only the views, but the terraced gardens and the combination of old and new construction is just beautiful. The staff was lovely and very helpful, especially Marica, and Tomaso. The made to order breakfast as well as the buffet was delicious and food was prepared using the food that is grown on the property. My birthday happened to fall while we were staying on this trip and the staff surprised me by bringing out a small cake and candle and singing happy birthday to me in Italian at breakfast - it was so kind and unexpected. There is a bus stop right outside of the villa as well as two markets and a couple restaurants all on the same small road. Don't miss out on staying here!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was so friendly, helpful, and kind. Marica and Tomaso helped us with recommendations and making reservations and went above and beyond.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, great housekeeping - Oxana was wonderful.

Activity Reviews

Sunset Kayak Private Tour in Santorini

Santorini

After an initial snafu with transportation, we were able to reschedule this tour for the following day. The staff were SO friendly, and really made the experience so fun and enjoyable. We felt cared for and that safety was a primary focus for the staff as they checked out certain areas before bringing us through. We were able to go at our own pace and adjust as needed. John was our guide and he was so kind, knowledgable, and easy going. He took many great photos for us so that we didn't have to worry about losing our phones. We stopped at a private cove to swim and eat and had the most beautiful views of the sunset. Nolan was another tour guide who was very friendly and Adonis, the owner was so kind and helpful. After we expressed how much we enjoyed one of the snacks from the tour, he made sure we had some to take home with us at the end of the tour and personally walked us back to our car.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Amalfi Coast to Naples with Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius en route

Italy

This was so much more than just a private transfer! This was also a full day tour with one of the most helpful and thoughtful drivers, Raphaele. We started early and drove through the Amalfi coast towards Pompei while Raphaele pointed out different areas and provided information about where we were. At one point I was feeling unwell from all the winding roads and he made me feel very taken care of by stopping, offering suggestions, and making sure I felt comfortable the rest of the ride. He offered local tips and information and shared about how his family lives and enjoys the area. He recommended a wonderful place for a wine tasting with paired food for lunch at the base of Vesuvius and made a reservation for us while we toured Pompei. Claudia was our VERY knowledgable tour guide in Pompei. We would NOT have had the same experience without her knowledge and guidance. Our only down side was that we could've spent hours longer learning from Claudia! After our Pompei tour and lunch at Casa Setaro winery, Raphaele took us up Vesuvius and allowed for us to explore. It was a very windy day which made it cold so be prepared with a sweater as the temperature is much different at that altitude. On the drive to Naples, Raphaele shared with us his limoncello recipe and made recommendations for where to dine in Naples. He navigated the bustling traffic in Naples well and we felt safe and cared for the whole time. Raphaele felt like an old friend by the time we were done!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Raphaele was our favorite driver while on this trip. Claudia was so knowledgable and I feel like I could listen to her talk all day about Pompei!

Transport

Full Day Tour: Positano, Amalfi & Ravello

Italy

We really enjoyed being able to get the highlights of the area without having to rent a car or scooter to get there. We spent an hour in Positano walking around, going to the beach, and getting a coffee. The driver, Vito, made the day totally flexible so we could decide what to do that best fit our needs and wants for the day. Vito would drop us off, make suggestions as to where we could explore, and wait for us so that we could explore independently. We decided to drive from Positano through Amalfi, and go straight to Ravello before it got too crowded which was a good call. We had a lot of time in Ravello and were very pleased with our time there exploring on our own. On the way back we decided to skip Amalfi as it had gotten SO busy that it didn't look enjoyable. It would've been nice to see some more scenic sites on the way back since we didn't stop, but we just went back to the hotel.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver, Vito, was very helpful with suggestions and offered to take photos of us in front of beautiful scenic lookouts, but he was VERY talkative and we are more quiet so that felt a little tiresome after a full day together.

Transport

Santorini Hikes & Bites Private Tour

Santorini

Unfortunately, we woke up sick the day of this tour and had to cancel least minute. Unfortunately, we were unable to receive a refund because of the last minute cancellation, but the travel support did try and find us substitute options. Unable to review this tour as we had to miss it.

Full Day Capri Boat Tour from Praiano

Amalfi Coast

The boat was beautiful and relaxed. It was nice that we were able to stop and swim on the way back and were greeted with champagne once we got out of the sea. However, we were warned before we got on the boat that the seas were rough due to a storm the day before. I've never been sea sick in my life, but was sick for an hour on the way to Capri (one of many people who were sick that day). The skipper/captain didn't speak a lot of English and wasn't very helpful and didn't go through any safety briefings before we took off. Because of the difficulties with the language barrier, I was momentarily left at the dock on Capri along with two other passengers as the boat sailed away. My husband and other passengers on the boat were able to explain to the captain that we needed to be picked up.

I cannot say enough great things about Vincenzo, Elisa and the Kimkim team for planning our amazing trip to Italy! From start to finish, the entire experience was seamless and stress-free. Vincenzo took the time to understand what we wanted from our vacation and crafted an itinerary that perfectly matched our interests and preferences.

Every detail was thoughtfully planned—from the charming accommodations to the knowledgeable guides who gave us an authentic feel for each city. The team was always available, providing prompt and helpful communication throughout the trip, which made us feel completely at ease. Whether it was exploring the rich history of Rome, the beauty of the Amalfi Coast, or indulging in the local cuisine, everything was flawless.

Thanks to Vincenzo and Kimkim, we had the trip of a lifetime! We cannot recommend them enough for anyone looking to plan an unforgettable experience in Italy. We will definitely use them again for our future travels!

Hugs,
Daniel and Christine Negalha

The planning and then putting the itinerary into action was perfect. A wonderful experience we had. After the first 48 hrs, we settled down and relaxed, went with the flow, and driving through the countries of Albania and North Macedonia was delightful. Superb roads like driving on a pool table at times compared to roads in Scotland. Loved our itinerary which was prepared by Ed beforehand taking into consideration our likes & dislikes. The places and accommodation we visited were ideal, beautiful and would never have considered these hidden gems.