Kimkim Trip Reviews

4.8
Based on 22,154 ratings
Read 22,154 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

Nikola was very attentive and friendly. He c...
Croatia | Sep 15 - Sep 28, 2026

Lisa
Lisa G.
Houston, TX | Reviewed on Oct 04, 2026
Nikola was very attentive and friendly. He checked in every day with us and even helped make a last minute change.
Every detail went smoothly and according to plan. Makes for a relaxing vacation, especially when you are older and dont want to deal with stress and how to get around.
Read more

Nikola was very attentive and friendly. He checked in every day with us and even helped make a last minute change.
Every detail went smoothly and according to plan. Makes for a relaxing vacation, especially when you are older and dont want to deal with stress and how to get around.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Sumratin
Dubrovnik

Again we had a room with a nice view. if it was closer to the water it would be 5 stars! Very nice spa.

Authenticity & Character
Location
This hotel is outside of the old city. A very nice area to relax and enjoy Dubrovnik away from the massive tourist crowds.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel
Hvar

We had a harbor view room. So nice to watch the boats and people from the window! The breakfast was wonderful. the staff was super friendly and polite. ( even after enduring their busy tourist season! )

Authenticity & Character
Location
Cant say how great it was to be right in the harbor area with a view of the sea.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Balatura Split Luxury Rooms
Split

Nice room. Tough to get luggage up three flights!

Authenticity & Character
Location
So close to the main area of Split
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Teatro Verdi Boutique Hotel
Zadar
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Staff was friendly and helpful about the area.
Cleanliness & Comfort
House Flora
Rastovača

Room was fine. Location great for the park. No one was there to greet us, or explain breakfast and where to eat at night. Breakfast was cold, but okay.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Never met anyone who was staff!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Squero
Rovinj

Nice view, good location!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Manda Heritage Hotel
Zagreb

Nice hotel and friendly staff. Nice location

Authenticity & Character
Location
Easy to walk to places of interest.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Driving in Croatia
Croatia

We did just fine driving. Only had a few mistakes in navigation- one which actually worked out to save us from a traffic jam due to construction! LOL Had parking lined up for us at each stop, so all went very well.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Kind of hard to find the drop off point in Split.
Transport
Konavle Region Culinary Experience (small group)
Konavle Region Culinary Experience (small group)
Croatia

had a very lovely evening at a local family's farm we prepared some food and enjoyed the pristine beauty of this region

Quality of Experience
A great experience away from the hustle of Dubrovnik. Such a beautiful location.
Food
Very nice dinner and friendly family in the beautiful setting.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Half-Day Island of Hvar Tour & Wine Tasting at Family-Owned Winery (Afternoon)
Half-Day Island of Hvar Tour & Wine Tasting at Family-Owned Winery (Afternoon)
Hvar

We enjoyed being away from the crowded area and seeing life on the Island. The stari grad area is very nice. We even visited a deserted town to see how people lived just 100 years ago. We drank wine in a beautiful cellar at a private winery too!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sea Kayak Tour - Pakleni Islands
Sea Kayak Tour - Pakleni Islands
Croatia

We had to cancel this due to illness. I think this would have been better than the boat ride tour, but I was too sick to go due to a cold.

Private Walking Tour of Dubrovnik
Private Walking Tour of Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik

A good way to better learn about the old city.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
We rode the local bus back to our hotel- we missed our stop, but the bus driver helped us get back to it via another bus!
Full Day Boat Tour to Blue Cave & Pakleni Islands
Full Day Boat Tour to Blue Cave & Pakleni Islands
Croatia

We did not get to go to the Blue cave and the Pakleni islands due to weather. Since it was late September having more stops where you did not have to jump in the water would have been nicer, as the water and the wind made for a cold day to my standards.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Walking Tour of Split
Private Walking Tour of Split
Croatia

A great way to learn about the history!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private Walking Tour of Plitvice Lakes National Park
Private Walking Tour of Plitvice Lakes National Park
Croatia

Nice beautiful park.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private Walking Tour of Zagreb
Private Walking Tour of Zagreb
Zagreb

We had a very pleasant and informative walk with our guide. She even greeted us with a local Croatian gift and helped get us duct tape to repair our suitcase the airlines crushed.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
She was so easy to be around and very informative.
Local specialist: Nikola Vojvodić

We had a very well organized trip with lots o...
Turkey | Sep 28 - Oct 2, 2026

Lisa
Lisa G.
Houston, TX | Reviewed on Oct 04, 2026
We had a very well organized trip with lots of activity planned in just a 3 day time frame. Our tour guide Mehmet was very knowledgable and easy to be with for 3 whole days! Buse was at our finger tips if we needed her. The drivers were on time and the rides clean and comfortable. Read more

We had a very well organized trip with lots of activity planned in just a 3 day time frame. Our tour guide Mehmet was very knowledgable and easy to be with for 3 whole days! Buse was at our finger tips if we needed her. The drivers were on time and the rides clean and comfortable.

Hotel Review
The Artisan Hotel Istanbul

Nice spacious room. Good breakfast. Located close to Taksim Square. Staff was very polite.

Authenticity & Character
Modern hotel with nice rooms
Location
Close to Taksim square and the Bosphorus
Staff
Friendly and accomodating
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Bosphorus Dinner Cruise
Bosphorus Dinner Cruise
İstanbul

Enjoyed the entertainment. The food and timing by the staff was on point. Something you should do once while visiting Istanbul. Enjoyed having transportation to and from the event.

Quality of Experience
Food
Food was fine for serving over 100 people at one time. Offered a variety of Turkish dishes and a choice of 1 of 3 main courses.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Two Continents tour with Dolmabahce Palace
Two Continents tour with Dolmabahce Palace
İstanbul

Palace gets quite busy, having a guide and pushing through is helpful.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide Mehmet helped to plan our day so I could actually step onto the Asia continent by taking us to a look out point park. Got to add another continent visited to my list LOL the park look out was great.
Transport
Old City Tour with Hagia Sophia and Topkapı Palace
Old City Tour with Hagia Sophia and Topkapı Palace
İstanbul

Very busy day to see all this together, but worth seeing them.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Istiklal Street Food Tour with Galata Tower
Istiklal Street Food Tour with Galata Tower
İstanbul

Enjoyed getting to know a bit more about culture of Istanbul and seeing the Tower.

Quality of Experience
Food
My personal taste that some items were not too tasty.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Buse Nur Erkan

We had the most amazing trip. Lorenzo did such a g...
Italy | Sep 25 - Oct 1, 2026

Lynn
Lynn O.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Oct 04, 2026
We had an amazing trip. Lorenzo did such a great job of planning exactly what we asked for! Her information and detail and quick response time was so good! Everything was done well.
Andrea (our specialist) was also incredible. He was very helpful in getting us all the fine details and maps in place. He checked on us daily to see how things were. Quick to respond and did a great job of pivoting when we asked! Our divers were wonderful as well. On time, polite, friendly.
Read more

We had an amazing trip. Lorenzo did such a great job of planning exactly what we asked for! Her information and detail and quick response time was so good! Everything was done well.
Andrea (our specialist) was also incredible. He was very helpful in getting us all the fine details and maps in place. He checked on us daily to see how things were. Quick to respond and did a great job of pivoting when we asked! Our divers were wonderful as well. On time, polite, friendly.

Hotel Reviews
Antica Locanda Leonardo
Milan

It was difficult to find and for our driver to park and unload and load our luggage. Location was good and walkable. Lots of stairs and not as easily to navigate. Lots of keys and doors to get through.

Authenticity & Character
It was authentic
Location
Walkable to sites
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The room was stark, comfort ok, above the train . Bathroom small.
Malga Ra Stua Refuge

Pretty setting with horses and pigs! A creek running alongside of the valley.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Pretty valley setting
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The best towels and shower!
Fanes Mountain Hut

Quaint, beautiful setting. Friendly staff. Great food.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Attentive, freindly
Cleanliness & Comfort
So clean with great showers. Even a hairdryer!
Scotoni Mountain Hut

Sits in a beautiful valley, lots of space. Loved the llamas!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Hard hike to get there. Beautiful pristine setting.
Staff
Very friendly and fun to be around
Cleanliness & Comfort
So clean and comfortable
Dibona Mountain Hut
Cortina d'Ampezzo

Clean, good food just hates the shared bathroom experience

Authenticity & Character
Location
The setting up in the mountains and watching the sunset was beautiful.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
No shared bathrooms
Hotel Cortina

Perfect location. The staff very helpful, especially Luca. The restaurant in the hotel was fabulous and the staff, jelly, was great!

Authenticity & Character
Lovation
Location
Right in center of town, walkable to everything.
Staff
Luca was so friendly and helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Arrival in Cortina
Arrival in Cortina
Italy
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Arrivederci Milan
Arrivederci Milan
Italy

Very far. But car and driver were great. Clean and comfortable

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Return to Cortina
Return to Cortina
Dolomites

Great location and staff!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Loved Luca at the hotel!
Transport
Hike to Malga Ra Stua
Hike to Malga Ra Stua
Dolomites

The hike was very pretty going down. Cappuccino in the valley. However the switchbacks up the road was sooo very steep! 37% gradient! Thank goodness for poles!

Quality of Experience
Hike to Rifugio Fanes
Hike to Rifugio Fanes
Dolomites

The pivot was worth it! Pretty hike! Going back below the tree line

Quality of Experience
Kimkim is very flexible and willing to help improve your experience!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hike to Rifugio Scotoni
Hike to Rifugio Scotoni
Dolomites

Getting here was the hardest thing we had ever done. Wish we knew there was an option to take the cable car to the top of Lagazuoi.

Quality of Experience
Very steep. Cable car option would have been nice.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Busy place in Laguzuio, very touristy.
Transport
Hike to Rifugio Dibona
Hike to Rifugio Dibona
Dolomites

The hike there was hard, very uphill but in the forest!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Drivers were prompt, friendly, safe. Had water for us. The cars very clean and comfortable.
Transport
Cars clean and comfortable
Local specialist: Lorenza Cannarsa
Lorenza
Lorenza Cannarsa
Local specialist in Città della Pieve | Replied on Oct 05, 2026

Dear Lynn,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. It was a real pleasure to design this journey for you, and Andrea and I are both so grateful for your kind words.

Knowing that you came home with such wonderful memories is the best reward for our work. We hope Italy has left a little piece of itself with you, and that we'll have the chance to welcome you back for a new adventure someday.

With warmest wishes,
Lorenza

All of our guides were amazing! They took tim...
Portugal | Sep 19 - Oct 2, 2026

Melody
Melody M.
Atlanta, GA | Reviewed on Oct 04, 2026
All of our guides were amazing! They took time to answer all our questions and provided recommendations for local restaurants that were off the beaten path. Read more

All of our guides were amazing! They took time to answer all our questions and provided recommendations for local restaurants that were off the beaten path.

Hotel Reviews
MeraPrime Gold Design Hotel
Lisbon
Authenticity & Character
Location
Excellent location to restaurants, shopping and a lot of history.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa dos Ofícios Hotel
Tomar
Authenticity & Character
Location
Great location to downtown restaurants, shopping.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Évora Olive Hotel
Évora
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Jardim da Batalha Boutique Hotel by Shiadu
Porto
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Quinta de Casaldronho Wine Hotel
Lamego

Beautiful views of valley from our balcony, Restaurant food and staff were amazing!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Sapientia Boutique Hotel
Coimbra
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
PortoBay Marquês
Lisbon
Authenticity & Character
Location
Just the location was far from downtown
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Pousada Castelo de Óbidos
Óbidos

Wonderful castle hotel on top of hill in Obidos, great view of city!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Portugal - Important Trip Information: Please Review Before Departure
Portugal - Important Trip Information: Please Review Before Departure
Portugal

Great overall review of FAQ

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Douro Valley Wine Experience & River Cruise
Douro Valley Wine Experience & River Cruise
Douro Valley

Raphael was very thorough with the wine experience. He shared his love of wine making and long history of his family.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril
Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril
Portugal

Disappointed we could not go to Peña palace. Evidently our guide Nuno did not get information in time to book tickets. We definitely enjoyed Nuno and his enthusiasm during our trip however.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Nuno was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic.
Transport
Get to Know Lisbon with a Local
Get to Know Lisbon with a Local
Lisbon

Alex our guide was wonderful. He is passionate about history and sharing his city with us.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Alex was the best!
Transport
Local specialist: Marina Courtaut
Marina
Marina Courtaut
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Oct 05, 2026

Hi Melody! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience! It was a pleasure helping you and your group plan your Portugal adventure, and I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the variety of hotels, experiences, and destinations throughout the trip 🤩

Tailored experience and excellent communication with KimKim specialist throughout Trip
Scotland | Sep 10 - Sep 19, 2026

M
Michael M.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on Oct 04, 2026
My wife and I went to Scotland and Ireland for our 25th wedding anniversary. We were ready to book with a big tour group but wanted something more intimate and tailored to our interests. Aleksandra with KimKim helped us plan a trip based on our interests, took care of the hotels, in-country travel and tickets, and set up guided walking tours. We just had to show up. Aleksandra was very accessible and responsive at all times, even rearranging some scheduled events for us while we were on our... Read more

My wife and I went to Scotland and Ireland for our 25th wedding anniversary. We were ready to book with a big tour group but wanted something more intimate and tailored to our interests. Aleksandra with KimKim helped us plan a trip based on our interests, took care of the hotels, in-country travel and tickets, and set up guided walking tours. We just had to show up. Aleksandra was very accessible and responsive at all times, even rearranging some scheduled events for us while we were on our vacation. Prior to booking, we exchanged messages and set up a zoom meeting with Aleksandra to get an idea of what our budget would get us, quality of hotels (we decided to spend a little more to get nicer hotels), and what we might like to do/see. Using the app was great. All tickets and confirmations were stored there. We were impressed with all of the hotels Aleksandra booked for us. She also booked pickup from the airport, inter-hotel, hotel-airport, etc. It was worth every penny and we had a wonderful time. We ended up skipping some of the walking tours because we wanted to explore on our own, on our own time. KimKim was most helpful because it seemed overwhelming to book various hotels in different cities, schedule train rides, and schedule/arrange sight-seeing. We would definitely use again if we explore a different country.

Hotel Reviews
Leonardo Royal Hotel Edinburgh
Edinburgh,

The rooms were very nice. The staff seemed overwhelmed at times. Walk through one of the closes to get to Royal Mile. Very close to train station. Only one elevator operating, which was frustrating at times.

Authenticity & Character
One elevator down. Rooms nice.
Location
Staff
Seemed overwhelmed at times.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rooms very nice, beds very comfortable.
Kingsmills Hotel
Inverness

Very charming and stately hotel, very friendly staff, lovely rooms. About 15 minute walk to downtown Inverness.

Authenticity & Character
Lovely.
Location
Great location, but might have been nice to be a little closer to downtown Inverness.
Staff
Very friendly and accommodating.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Comfortable beds, spacious rooms.
Trinity Townhouse
Dublin

We loved this hotel. Charming, had character, and on a quiet street in the heart of Dublin. Near to everything. Would definitely stay again. Staff was very friendly.

Authenticity & Character
Charming.
Location
A quiet street, and right in the heart of Dublin, a short walk to everything.
Staff
Very friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rooms were very nice. Beds were very comfortable.
The g Hotel & Spa
Galway

Hotel was very nice, rooms were spacious and comfortable, staff was very friendly. However, the location is in a very high traffic area that was time consuming and tedious to access by vehicle. About a 1.8 km walk to Eyre Square.

Authenticity & Character
The rooms were beautiful. It's a nice hotel. New.
Location
Nothing. Just lousy traffic in the area. Or as they say there: the traffic is "mad."
Staff
Very friendly and pleasant. Accommodating.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Beds very comfortable.
Local specialist: Aleksandra Sheb

Thank you for such an amazing tour of Egypt!
Egypt | Sep 24 - Oct 3, 2026

Jim
Jim S.
Phoenix, AZ | Reviewed on Oct 04, 2026
I began working with Kimkim Travel about a year ago to arrange a tour of Egypt, a lifelong dream I could finally realize. Aya from Sun Pyramids Travel contacted us and worked very hard to help create an itinerary that not only met our desires, but was within budget as well. She is timely with her responses, given the 10 hour time difference, and cheerfully made adjustments as requested. We finally met her on our last evening in Egypt and are so happy to have become friends. As for... Read more

I began working with Kimkim Travel about a year ago to arrange a tour of Egypt, a lifelong dream I could finally realize.

Aya from Sun Pyramids Travel contacted us and worked very hard to help create an itinerary that not only met our desires, but was within budget as well. She is timely with her responses, given the 10 hour time difference, and cheerfully made adjustments as requested. We finally met her on our last evening in Egypt and are so happy to have become friends.

As for the actual trip, Aya's arrangements were nearly perfect. Our transports were always on time or within a few minutes, and our transport agent kept us informed.

We had three tour guides during our stay. Mohamed Allam in Luxor, Samir Gaber in Aswan and Sam in Cairo. All three were excellent, with broad knowledge of Egyptian history, and they took very good care of us, walking at our pace, offering rest stops or refreshments, and answering our questions. They were upbeat an cheerful throughout.

As with any tour of a foreign country, there were a few minor issues that caught us by surprise, but in every case, those were resolved quickly and to our satisfaction.

Our sincere thanks to the entire Sun Pyramids team, and to Kimkim for making the connection. We have had a remarkable experience in Egypt that we will forever remember.

Local specialist: Aya Yasser

Of all the trips I've taken with Kimkim, this...
China | Aug 27 - Sep 17, 2026

SANDRA
SANDRA V.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Oct 04, 2026
Of all the trips I've taken with Kimkim, this was the most challenging. China presents special challenges for US citizens, and it would have been VERY helpful to get help from Kimkim prior to travel. Here are some examples:
Obtaining a China visa was very time consuming, very challenging, and very worrisome. The on line China visa is very difficult to figure out. Our visa applications were rejected a couple of times, adding a strong amount of stress as our trip date approached (we didn't...
Read more

Of all the trips I've taken with Kimkim, this was the most challenging. China presents special challenges for US citizens, and it would have been VERY helpful to get help from Kimkim prior to travel. Here are some examples:
Obtaining a China visa was very time consuming, very challenging, and very worrisome. The on line China visa is very difficult to figure out. Our visa applications were rejected a couple of times, adding a strong amount of stress as our trip date approached (we didn't receive visas until 1 week prior to our trip). Call me (+1 651-894-3410) and I can give you more info.
Setting up Alipay was challenging. Could have used help filling this out ahead of time.
I was told WeChat Weixin-pay wouldn't work in China. It did.
No one told me Alipay would not work in Hong Kong. I was very worried I wouldn't be able to pay for meals, groceries, etc since I didn't have the Hong Kong version of Alipay. Apparently Alipay can only be used in Hong Kong by people from mainland China (not foreigners), or people with only Chinese credit cards. We were not told this
Also, Hong Kong uses different money than mainland China. We were not told this. Luckily we find a few spots that take credit cards.
We are supposed to take public transportation (subway) on Saturday Aug 29 to meet for our second Hong Kong tour but without Alipay how can we do that? I ask Lisa to set up a ride to and from the tour.
We didn't know that we had to fill out exit forms for leaving Hong Kong to enter mainland China. One of our guides (Chas?) helped us fill out these on-line forms but had to charge us extra to do so. Be happy to discuss this further via phone

Hotel Reviews
Peony City Hotel
Luoyang

I think this was the hotel with the revolving rooftop buffet? Very cool!

Zhuanjiacun Hotel

Huge breakfast buffet offering great Chinese cuisine and western breakfast

Authenticity & Character
Location
INCREDIBLE night drone show right across the street from the hotel (Saturday and Sunday nights). I suggest you tell all your guests about this show. Also an amazing night flyboarding show, and palace across the bridge from the park
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Longji One Art Hotel

Incredible hotel with gorgeous views of the rice terraces!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
everybody was helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Hike through the breathtaking Terraced Fields around Ping'an Zhuang Village
Hike through the breathtaking Terraced Fields around Ping'an Zhuang Village
Longji

As mentioned earlier, this was a surprisingly great experience. I had low expectations coming in, but it was great!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Half  Day Exploring the Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill
Half Day Exploring the Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill
Guilin

Reed Flute Cave was a surprisingly a GREAT experience. I had low expectations for a cave tour, but the lights were incredible!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Hiking along the Majestic Great Wall, Summer Palace
Hiking along the Majestic Great Wall, Summer Palace
Beijing

Good idea to drive a ways and see the Great Wall with fewer people (vs the Starbucks or McWall section as they call it) in Beijing

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
See the Terracotta Army
See the Terracotta Army
Xi'an

Really cool to see this, unfortunately EXTREMELY crowded

Quality of Experience
Zhangjiajie Park Tour - Glass Bridge & Tianmen Mountain
Zhangjiajie Park Tour - Glass Bridge & Tianmen Mountain
Zhangjiajie

Amazing to go up to the 999 stairs!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Trek from Ping'an Zhuang Village to Jinkeng Dazhai Yao Village
Trek from Ping'an Zhuang Village to Jinkeng Dazhai Yao Village
Longji

I didn't think rice terraces would be anything special. I was wrong! This was beautiful and our guide did a great job!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Cable Car, Big Buddha, Fish Village and Beyond
Cable Car, Big Buddha, Fish Village and Beyond
Hong Kong

Great to see the Giant Buddha. As mentioned earlier we needed help (a driver) instead of subway to get here

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Lisa Sun

Fantastic experience in Guatemala!
Guatemala | Sep 27 - Oct 3, 2026

A
Arnold D.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Oct 04, 2026

Overall, an excellent experience. Alex was a pleasure to work with in terms of planning the trip and Esmeralda was a fabulous local guide and tour leader. We thoroughly enjoyed the services provided and had a fantastic time in beautiful Guatemala.

Local specialist: Alex Coronado
Alex
Alex Coronado
Local specialist in Antigua Guatemala | Replied on Oct 05, 2026
Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback and for sharing your perspective as a travel advisor and specialist, Arnold. I really appreciate your notes on the trip. I’m glad the planning and execution went well with Esmeralda’s help. She’s amazing, and I couldn’t agree more with your kind words about her. I had the sense that the trip may have felt a little rushed for your family, but I’m glad you made the most of it. Thank you again for your generous comments. I hope our paths cross... Read more

Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback and for sharing your perspective as a travel advisor and specialist, Arnold. I really appreciate your notes on the trip.

I’m glad the planning and execution went well with Esmeralda’s help. She’s amazing, and I couldn’t agree more with your kind words about her.

I had the sense that the trip may have felt a little rushed for your family, but I’m glad you made the most of it. Thank you again for your generous comments. I hope our paths cross again, and please feel free to reach out if I can help with anything in the future. I’d also be happy to share some advice if you’re planning a trip to Belize.

Take care, and best from Antigua, Alex

Our guide Nikola did an amazing job on our tr...
Croatia | Sep 25 - Oct 2, 2026

Stacy
Stacy W.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Oct 04, 2026
Our guide Nikola did an amazing job on our trip. The communication was great and we got an email every night to clarify the next days activities. He was available at any time if we ran into any issues. Read more

Our guide Nikola did an amazing job on our trip. The communication was great and we got an email every night to clarify the next days activities. He was available at any time if we ran into any issues.

Hotel Reviews
Villa Filaus

Beautiful house and grounds

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to beach, shopping, and restaurants
Staff
Staff was friendly and helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Beach Bay Hvar
Hvar

Beautiful hotel with an excellent breakfast. The staff was amazing and friendly. Beautiful views.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Views were amazing. Closeness to lots of restaurants.
Staff
Staff was very welcoming
Cleanliness & Comfort
The beds were very comfortable
Balatura Split Luxury Rooms
Split

Comfortable and quaint. Tucked away for privacy and quiet. The breakfast was delicious.

Authenticity & Character
Ease of check in and closeness to shopping and restaurants.
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Private Walking Tour of Dubrovnik
Private Walking Tour of Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik

The wall at Dubrovnik is a must see experience if you visit this city.

Quality of Experience
The beauty of the city within the walls is incredible. The history is worth knowing
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our tour guide grew up in Dubrovnik and knew the history well
Transport
Our driver was prompt and friendly
Full Day Boat Tour to Blue Cave & Pakleni Islands
Full Day Boat Tour to Blue Cave & Pakleni Islands
Croatia

The blue cave is a must see!

Quality of Experience
The group of people on the boat was fun we met some great people from all over
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The staff was friendly and knowledgeable
Transport
The boat captain did a great job and provided our group with an incredible experience
Sea Kayak Tour - Pakleni Islands
Sea Kayak Tour - Pakleni Islands
Croatia

Kayaking was amazing. Our first time kayaking in the sea.

Quality of Experience
Our guide was very fun and knowledgeable about Croatians history.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide was fun to kayak with
Transport
The boat captain was experienced and knowledgeable
Day Trip to Plitvice National Park from Split
Day Trip to Plitvice National Park from Split
Split

The park is beyond stunning

Quality of Experience
The tour guide was great
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our driver was prompt and friendly. He made us safe and comfortable
Transport
Driver was great
Local specialist: Nikola Vojvodić

The whole trip was phenomenal. Alicia helped ...
Iceland | Sep 12 - Sep 20, 2026

martin
martin j.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Oct 03, 2026
The whole trip was phenomenal. Alicia helped create an amazing trip! Iceland was beautiful and Alicia created an itinerary that let us see all the locations we asked for in addition to others we didn't know to ask to see. It was tailored to our interest and we had a fantastic time Read more

The whole trip was phenomenal. Alicia helped create an amazing trip! Iceland was beautiful and Alicia created an itinerary that let us see all the locations we asked for in addition to others we didn't know to ask to see. It was tailored to our interest and we had a fantastic time

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Reykjavík Saga
Reykjavík

Great location, walking distance to everything (no need to drive anywhere) and start was awesome.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hótel Klaustur
Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Miðhraun - Lava Resort
Stykkishólmur

Family friendly, fantastic rooms, great restaurant and a hot spring that is a must when there.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Green Geysir Cottage
Bláskógabyggð

The hotel was fantastic, clean comfortable and very homie. Only thing I would say is if there's a way to turn off the lights from the walk away and the porch at night to see the northern lights.

Authenticity & Character
Location
It's away from city lights which is a huge plus for the northern lights
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Black Beach Buggy Tour
Iceland

We had a great time doing this. Our tour guide took too is to a third location that we feel was the best stop.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hvammsvik Hot Springs
Iceland

Great way to start your trip.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Reykjavik Food Walk
Iceland

Our food tour is a must if you are visiting. Not only did we try a bit of every restaurant (oh and come hungry because you do eat a lot) our tour guide Katrín Elíasdóttir was extraordinary. We were on a good and history tour with her and I would recommend her to anyone.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
We walked around
Local specialist: Alicia Jean-Talon

Fabulous trip to Reims and Paris!
France | Sep 25 - Oct 1, 2026

Alicia
Alicia S.
Atlanta, GA | Reviewed on Oct 03, 2026
Pauline did a wonderful job putting together an itinerary for my 50th birthday girls trip to France. I provided a general overview of what we wanted to do and she came back with an itinerary that included accommodations we were happy with and a few tours/activities we were pleasantly surprised with, particularly the private panoramic tour of a quaint Champagne village while viewing the beautiful vineyard landscapes. Read more

Pauline did a wonderful job putting together an itinerary for my 50th birthday girls trip to France. I provided a general overview of what we wanted to do and she came back with an itinerary that included accommodations we were happy with and a few tours/activities we were pleasantly surprised with, particularly the private panoramic tour of a quaint Champagne village while viewing the beautiful vineyard landscapes.

Hotel Reviews
Chouchou Hôtel
Paris
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hyatt Centric Reims
Reims
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Guided visit and tasting at Mumm
Guided visit and tasting at Mumm
Reims

Excellent tour, guide was friendly and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Night Cruise on the Seine with Music & aperitif (With drinks included - 1 glass of Wine)
Night Cruise on the Seine with Music & aperitif (With drinks included - 1 glass of Wine)
Paris
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Eiffel Tower Stair Climb to Level 2 + Elevator to the Top - Guided tour
Eiffel Tower Stair Climb to Level 2 + Elevator to the Top - Guided tour
Paris

Tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The Art of Pairing Cheese & Wine
The Art of Pairing Cheese & Wine
Paris

Loved this, the presenter was very knowledgeable, enjoyed meeting other travelers, the wine and cheese quantities were perfect.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Panoramic tour with a local guide
Panoramic tour with a local guide
Reims

We loved this tour. I don’t think we paid attention that we would be going through a vineyard and were pleasantly surprised. The views were amazing!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private transfer from the railway station to the city center (hotel)
Private transfer from the railway station to the city center (hotel)
France
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Pauline Mathieu

We were celebrating our 25th anniversary with...
Egypt | Sep 23 - Sep 29, 2026

A
A W.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Oct 03, 2026
We were celebrating our 25th anniversary with a bucket list trip to Greece and Egypt. We opted for a private experience on our Egypt part and it was truly an an amazing experience. We were taken care of really at the moment that we landed to the moment that we had to leave. It is such a delight to have someone else take care of all the logistical details and really take the care to ensure that we are having a great time which Kim Kim and their operator Memphis tours provided us. Our tour... Read more

We were celebrating our 25th anniversary with a bucket list trip to Greece and Egypt. We opted for a private experience on our Egypt part and it was truly an an amazing experience. We were taken care of really at the moment that we landed to the moment that we had to leave.

It is such a delight to have someone else take care of all the logistical details and really take the care to ensure that we are having a great time which Kim Kim and their operator Memphis tours provided us. Our tour managers Islam Essam and Abdelrahman Mohammed ensured we also knew what was next.

We had some special tour guides who are very knowledgeable and also did a great job curating the experience. Dr Osama sharaf in Cairo and Mahmoud in Luxor gave such a detailed, yet curated explanation of the many pyramids, tombs and temples. It's like we got a degree in Egyptology in a week which we quite enjoyed.

Experience was very safe and we never felt like there was any risk to us which was a credit to both our tour operator and Egypt just being a great place to visit.

Tip: Make sure to look up the weather and your quality and plan accordingly. We did that and we were in great shape.

Hotel Reviews
Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at First Residence
Giza

The four seasons is a bit more of a modern hotel with elegant decor that we really enjoyed. We had dinner at the hotel restaurant which was really delightful because it was poolside and we had our own Cabana to enjoy local Egyptian food. We really have no complaints and just enjoyed the sleeping and the overnight stay before we got on a plane

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Sonesta St. George Nile Cruise
Luxor

The sonesta really is a luxurious boat but it does appear to be a little dated at times. The food is truly amazing and gets better all the time. The staff is very caring and goes out of the way to ensure that you are comfortable and are taking care well.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel is booked by the traveler
cairo

Decor is a bit traditional here but we enjoyed it and the service was really top notch. The butler did a great job of decorating room to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in a way that was really special.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Embarkation - Aswan Nile Cruise Tour
Embarkation - Aswan Nile Cruise Tour
Nile Cruise

This was a fun trip where we got to take the boat ride out to see the temple and learned a lot about the s1 temples there. Great trip overall!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Pyramids & Grand Egyptian Museum
Pyramids & Grand Egyptian Museum
Cairo

This was our first experience in Egypt and really amazing to see the pyramids. We got such a great explanation from Dr. Osama on Egyptian history. As we looked at pyramids and the sites around it. You get a chance to write some camels which is pretty fun and a great way to get started

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Disembarkation  - Luxor East Bank Cruise Tour 🚤
Disembarkation - Luxor East Bank Cruise Tour 🚤
Nile Cruise

We did this evening light show. That was really great and then the next morning we came back to get the daytime view which was in the morning and it was not too hot yet. It's really amazing to see so many different temples and kings in just one place. It's really like the central place where you can learn so much about Egyptian royalty

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Luxor West Bank Cruise Tour 🚤
Luxor West Bank Cruise Tour 🚤
Nile Cruise

We did this one around midday and I was starting to get warm. You learn quite a bit about one of the Queens and so interesting seeing the backstory of the ancient royalty

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kom Ombo & Edfu Temples Cruise Tour 🚤
Kom Ombo & Edfu Temples Cruise Tour 🚤
Nile Cruise

We got to do this early in the morning before it got too hot and it was really cool to see the temple and was really our first one and so we got a great introduction to it

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Mohamed Abdeltawab

Trip to Montreal and Quebec City with help from Ryan
Canada | Sep 9 - Sep 16, 2026

Sarita
Sarita T.
Monroe, CT, USA | Reviewed on Oct 03, 2026
Ryan organized our hotel and walking tour in Quebec City, and our train trip to Montreal. We were quite pleased with our arrangements. Our walking tour guide in Quebec City with Terry was outstanding. Terry was extremely knowledgeable about the history and evolution of Quebec City. He had interesting facts that we never would have known had we not taken this tour. It was a highlight of our trip. Read more

Ryan organized our hotel and walking tour in Quebec City, and our train trip to Montreal. We were quite pleased with our arrangements. Our walking tour guide in Quebec City with Terry was outstanding. Terry was extremely knowledgeable about the history and evolution of Quebec City. He had interesting facts that we never would have known had we not taken this tour. It was a highlight of our trip.

Hotel Review
Lofts de la Barricade
Québec

Great location and very comfortable for 4 persons

Authenticity & Character
Location
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Ryan Walker

I would love to discuss the details of our tr...
Croatia | Sep 16 - Sep 25, 2026

C
Carole G.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Oct 03, 2026

I would love to discuss the details of our trip with you, Ivan if you would like to set up a time.

Local specialist: Ivan Cosic

Time of our lives!
Italy | Sep 14 - Sep 21, 2026

Samantha
Samantha W.
Omaha, NE | Reviewed on Oct 03, 2026
The Kim Kim team and our incredible specialist, Erica made this process so incredibly easy! Not only easy but personalized. We truly had the time of our lives and I know this trip would not have been what it was if it wasn’t for the Kim Kim team. Thank you all!! Read more

The Kim Kim team and our incredible specialist, Erica made this process so incredibly easy! Not only easy but personalized. We truly had the time of our lives and I know this trip would not have been what it was if it wasn’t for the Kim Kim team. Thank you all!!

Hotel Reviews
Rinuccini Relais Hotel
Naples

Staff was incredible! It was a bit difficult to locate but that’s standard for a big city like Naples

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel du Tasso
Sorrento

Best hotel we have ever stayed at!! The staff went above and beyond and truly became our friends. We promise to return and we stand by it!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Winery Visit & Tasting of 5 Wines
Winery Visit & Tasting of 5 Wines
Sorrento

We absolutely adored Fabio!! He was so knowledgeable and fun. We ordered several bottles as a special souvenir!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Day Trip to Positano & Amalfi by Boat
Day Trip to Positano & Amalfi by Boat
Sorrento
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Erica Gerakos

Three Cities of Elegance and History: Prague, Vienna, and Budapest
Czech Republic | Sep 14 - Sep 26, 2026

Warren Ben
Warren Ben S.
Denver, NC, USA | Reviewed on Oct 03, 2026
This trip could not have been better! Tomaz, Zala and their Grand Cuvee Travel team were so great to work with. The communication was timely, and our changes to the itinerary were handled easily. Once we were in Europe the communication on What's App worked splendidly, We even had to roust Zala out on a Sunday when there was a glitch in our tickets to the Schonbrun Palace. She was very available and helpful. All of the hotels that were booked were excellent and very fun and each one... Read more

This trip could not have been better! Tomaz, Zala and their Grand Cuvee Travel team were so great to work with. The communication was timely, and our changes to the itinerary were handled easily. Once we were in Europe the communication on What's App worked splendidly, We even had to roust Zala out on a Sunday when there was a glitch in our tickets to the Schonbrun Palace. She was very available and helpful.

All of the hotels that were booked were excellent and very fun and each one different. The location of the Hotel Golden Star in Prague was terrific, especially in the evening watching the touring people come up and down the street to the Palace above us. The Hotel das Tyrol in Vienna was charming and unique with all of the art in the rooms and the common areas, plus the "old" elevator was fun for travel to the room and back. The Hotel Moments in Budapest was very modern and located on Andrassy St. which is a shopping hub. Our room had a wonderful "skylight" window that filled most of the back wall and had a direct view of St. Stephans Cathedral, which was beautifully lighted at night. All of the breakfasts in each of the hotels were filled with good variety and local flavors. We never went hungry!

The tours that Grand Cuvee booked were all very good. English was spoken clearly and well for us. All of the guides (there were 4 in total; three cities) knew the history so well and took us to the best attractions. We did a lot of walking, but were able to sit and rest as needed. Our Budapest guide, Richard, was so good and listened to our needs and adjusted accordingly. Our guide to the countryside in Prague was very helpful and I think that she enjoyed helping us get out of the city and into the country of her birth. The daily schedule that Grand Cuvee provided was very helpful, especially when we were on our own to get around, such as to the trains and for the Schonbrun Palace in Vienna.

The transfers from the airport and to/from the trains went very smoothly as we had hoped. We were helped with our luggage on the train by the other passengers close by, so that helped as well. The trains were quiet and smooth, sometimes traveling 120-140 mph!

This is the second journey that we have traveled using KimKim as our source. Both times, they have provided excellent local tour planners who have been so very helpful. I have recommended KimKim to a couple of my friends because we have been so pleased with how the whole system has worked for us!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Moments Budapest
Budapest

The Hotel Moments is a recently renovated property and they have done a really fine job with the work. It is 5 floors of sleeping rooms, all arranged around a six story open atrium lobby. The staff were very helpful and accommodating. There is a Lebanese and Syrian Restaurant on the main floor at the entrance which serves as an eating room for the breakfast buffet, but it is a good choice for dinner as we discovered for two nights. there are also several other restaurants and bars within an easy walking distance, and it is about 5 blocks from the Moments hotel to the river Danube.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Boutiquehotel Das Tyrol
Wien

This is a small 30 room hotel on the main shopping street of Vienna, very well located near the Museum Quarter. It has a very unique decor, with art works in bright colors throughout the rooms and the common areas. There is a very nice bar area with many guest tables in which breakfast is served each morning. The breakfast is not buffet, but instead is prepared for each individual. The four floors are served by an "old" KONE elevator that is fun and unique. I would easily choose to stay here again if in Vienna!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Golden Star
Praha

The hotel is so very well located, just one block below the Palace and St. Stephens Basilica. The room we had was on the first floor and looked out on the street where the touring people were walking up to and back from the Palace. They have a restaurant open for lunch and dinner, and it was very fun to sit outside having our wine and beer and watching the people come and go on the sidewalks below us. Our room had two bathrooms, so it was very convenient for us both to get ready in the morning. The breakfast buffet was plentiful with good variety. The staff at the front desk were very helpful and friendly, and they all spoke very good English for us!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Danube bend day trip from Budapest
Danube bend day trip from Budapest
Budapest

This trip was supposed to be by motor coach one direction and by boat back to Budapest, but the low water level of the Danube had forced cancellation of all the boat traffic. So, we rode with Richard in his comfortable Mercedes SUV and enjoyed a full day of seeing the towns and villages along the Danube. We made three stops, each of very interesting places. The first was an artistic village that was historically Serbian and had the largest Serbian Orthodox church in the world. The second was at an ancient fortress castle, high up on a mountain that then overlooks the beautiful bend of the Danube. The final stop was to the largest Catholic Basilica in Hungary. All along the way Richard was full of information but did not give us sensory overload! It was raining on the way back to the hotel, but Richard was a good driver.

Quality of Experience
It would have been better if the river level hadn't been so low
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Guided Pest Walking Tour (3 hours)
Private Guided Pest Walking Tour (3 hours)
Budapest

Our tour guide was Richard, and he was an excellent guide for us! At the beginning of the tour, we told him that we would like to take some rest breaks along the way, and that we did not need to know every little detail of the history. He took our suggestions well and we had an excellent tour, including a stop for coffee before climbing a lot of stairs getting to the top of the Buda side. We visited almost all of the "must see" sites, missing only Gellert Hill, the Citadel, and Heroes Square. We, on another day, took the Hop On Hop Off bus and saw those sites of interest. Our hotel room looked out on St. Stephens Basilica so we were able to see it from the front, on the tour, and from the back from our window.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Richard was very knowledgeable, spoke clear English and it turns out that he only books for touring English speaking folks.
Guided walking tour of Vienna
Guided walking tour of Vienna
Vienna

Our guide, Mojca, met us in our hotel lobby, and we immediately headed off into the Museum Quarter and then to the "ring" boulevard that surrounds the main government and church buildings. Mojca is from Slovenia and is very proud of the history of Vienna. She described the reign of Maria Theresa and all of the good that she brought to the people of Austria and beyond. The tour was 3 hours, and we covered a lot of ground and buildings in that time. As in Prague, we afterwards thought that we should have stopped a bit more to rest. We also grew somewhat tired of the constant running commentary.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Exploring the Countryside Around Prague
Exploring the Countryside Around Prague
Prague

We wanted to have a day trip around the countryside outside of the busy city. Our guide, Katrina, was excellent! Once we described the experience that we were seeking, she did a fantastic job in showing us, with pride, the countrysides surrounding Prague. She took us to see the Karlstein Castle and village, as well as some of the farmlands surrounding Prague. Katrina's English was perfect as she herself has traveled extensively in the USA.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guided tour of Prague
Guided tour of Prague
Prague

This tour could have been an hour shorter, although there were so many sights and ground to cover! Our guide, Marketa, was on time and waiting for us in the lobby of our hotel as promised. She was very knowledgeable and interested in being sure that we had a full appreciation of the centuries of history of Prague. We think that she talked non-stop for the full four hours, and in hindsight, we should have asked her for more rest breaks and a bit less of the history lesson. Marketa certainly is a very-qualified tour guide and proud of her country.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Tomaz Martinek

Amazing Munich, Berlin & Vienna Trip
Germany | Sep 20 - Oct 2, 2026

Dr. Steven
Dr. Steven W.
Atlanta, GA, USA | Reviewed on Oct 03, 2026

Caroline did an amazing job throwing this grip together last minute for me. I (in pure Steven-fashion) waited until the last minute to book for Oktoberfest. Literally - everything went off perfectly. Can't recommend Caroline enough!

Local specialist: Caroline Kennedy
Caroline
Caroline Kennedy
Local specialist in Lyon | Replied on Oct 05, 2026

Thank you so much, Steven!
It was an absolute pleasure putting this trip together for you both , even with the last-minute challenge thrown into the mix! I’m so happy to hear that everything went so smoothly and that you had such a fantastic time!

Thank you again for trusting me with your trip and for taking the time to leave such a lovely review. I hope I get the chance to plan another adventure for you in the future!

Warm wishes,
Caroline

Many good lodging choices but overall not a good match for us
Italy | Sep 2 - Sep 26, 2026

L
Linnea C.
Boston, MA | Reviewed on Oct 03, 2026
Italy is a beautiful country with friendly caring people. We thoroughly enjoyed our three plus weeks of travel there. Upon the heartfelt recommendation of one of Kelly’s best friends, we welcomed KimKim’s help planning our road trip around southern Italy. Some of the accommodation and tour arrangements worked very well; others did not. Part of the issue may have been that we did not get an Italian SIM card (was that expected? If so, please clarify to future KimKim clients) We only had... Read more

Italy is a beautiful country with friendly caring people. We thoroughly enjoyed our three plus weeks of travel there. Upon the heartfelt recommendation of one of Kelly’s best friends, we welcomed KimKim’s help planning our road trip around southern Italy. Some of the accommodation and tour arrangements worked very well; others did not. Part of the issue may have been that we did not get an Italian SIM card (was that expected? If so, please clarify to future KimKim clients) We only had connectivity on lodging wifi. Perhaps hotel staff expected Linnea to need more help, special linens (rubber sheets?) or not be able to function as a regular guest. How did they get that impression?

Rather than review each hotel and tour in the app or on the website, because we cannot see our individual submissions after pressing send, we have chosen to submit all our feedback in one post. I would suggest KimKim fix that aspect of the detailed itinerary online.

Day 1:
Private transfer from airport to hotel worked well. Marco was a very professional and friendly driver. Meeting at the airport went smoothly and he mentioned that Rome is best enjoyed walking, which was already how we had planned to experience the city.
Parlamento Boutique Hotel was comfortable. Perfect location, good breakfast and Andrea, the concierge, was informative and greeted us warmly. Recommend.

Day 2:
Guided tour of Sistine Chapel: We got there early and the driver dropped us off with only an address where we felt lost because the meeting place was a small, hot storage locker establishment with no seating, so we chose to sit on a stoop outside to wait for the rest of the group to arrive. The audio aids did not stay on our ears and the guide was very hard to hear and understand. In such a crowded place as the Vatican museum, it was hard to keep up her pace and we felt rushed. We would have preferred a smaller group for the tour. There was also no communication about returning to our hotel which would have been helpful, so we walked, which ended up being wonderful.

Day 3:
The breakfasts at Parlamento were tasty.

Day 4&5:
Bacoli: Cala Moresca Hotel had beautiful views. The location was wonderful. Parking was good and the restaurant had delicious food. The staff was welcoming and friendly. Recommend.

Day 6:
Pompeii Hotel Maiuri: Good location to visit Mt. Vesuvio, Pompeii and Herculaneum. Friendly, helpful staff and good parking. But only a few restaurants within walking distance so had to dine at the sister restaurant across the street twice. The food was okay but nothing special.

Day 7:
Met Andrew who was an enthusiastic guide who, upon realizing that Linnea is a strong woman, helped us plan the rest of our exploration of Pompeii. Spent the entire day walking the ruins.

Day 8:
Both of us climbed Mount Vesuvio in the morning! Explored Herculaneum in the afternoon. The two museums with the boat and the jewelry (specifically recommended by who we thought might have been the manager/owner of Hotel Maiuiri) were interesting and we learned a lot about the difference in the eruption effects of Pompeii versus Herculaneum.

Day 9:
Pompeii to Salerno: Mediterranea Hotel and Convention Center. Parking easy and safe. We swam across the street at a beach club. 8 euro. Restaurant at Hotel was excellent! Highly recommend.

Day 10:
We took a ferry to Amalfi and Positano. Fun ride and beautiful views of the coast. Kelly preferred Positano over Amalfi due to the intense crowds.

Day 11:
Drove to Paestum which was incredible! Wondered why more people weren’t there. Amazing museum and intact Greek temples! One of the most memorable places we visited. Highly recommend for history and archeology buffs.
Our accommodation in Scalea (La Suite del Faro) that night was difficult to find and check into because we had no SIM card, thus had to ask neighbors for directions and once found, ask other guests to call manager. It would be helpful for KimKim to insist on or pay for an Italian SIM card for better/more consistent contact. Many mornings we would leave the hotel, not knowing we had texts from the next accommodation. That being said, La Suite del Faro had an excellent location, beautiful sunset, nice pool/breakfast area but we were in a small back room with no sea view. Why? Were they told Linnea could not handle stairs?

Day 12:
Tropea: Tropis Hotel. Arrived and were told by Kimkim that dinner is included but our print out said only breakfast. Called hotel reception which confirmed only breakfast. Wonderful sea view room on top floor of upper building.

Day 13:
Previously told by KimKim that we could not book a boat ride to Stromboli, due to Linnea’s age/medical reasons? Kelly had NO issues booking a “Stromboli by Night” tour the night before. Had a marvelous trip to Stromboli, walking around and then seeing the eruptions at night on the boat. One of the highlights of our trip. Perplexed and disappointed by KimKim not being able to arrange this for us.

Another confusion arose regarding meals at the Tropis Hotel. After we checked in, KimKim asked us “if they explained dinner to you” which the hotel had not, so Kelly called down to the lobby and asked if we had breakfast only or “half board”. We were informed we had breakfast only, which matched our detailed KimKim itinerary. We returned to the Tropis Hotel late the night of the Stromboli boat tour and were asked by the desk clerk why we had missed dinner the last two nights and we said because we called hotel reception the first night and he said that we had breakfast only. The KimKim print out we had listed breakfast only. So we tried to get the missed meals refunded and the staff said they would contact KimKim. We ate dinner at the Tropis Hotel the next night and the food, served buffet-style, was mediocre at best. Compared to all the other restaurants at which we ate, including the local seafood place within walking distance in Tropea (called Angelo’s which Kelly found the first night, while on WiFi) we would recommend breakfast ONLY at the Tropis Hotel. Kelly is grateful we only ate one dinner there and would appreciate the hotel kitchen be notified.

Day 14:
Enjoyed rest day at the Tropis Hotel pool. Recommend Hotel for lodging but NOT dinner.

Day 15:
Tropea to Rossano. El Castella was definitely worth a stop. Free entry, beautiful site. Tenuta Ciminata Greco. 5 stars. Historic building and grounds, located in Olive groves, vineyards with amazing view, pool area, easy parking. Emanueule explained everything and had many offsite dinner options detailed in print out. Would highly recommend this lodging, especially for extended visit. Saw Codex Purpureus and bought Licorice at the factory.

Day 16:
Drive to Matera. Agriturismo Nonna Rosa is located next to a working cement factory in an isolated dry, dusty area. Campers in an empty, old quarry. The restaurant was not open. Innkeeper could not find our reservation because it was under Lorenzo’s name. Why does KimKim not make the reservation under the traveler’s name? Few trees at the location, flies invaded our room; aside from overpopulation of cats, did not think it is still a working farm ,which is what we assumed an Agriturismo to be. Parking, yes but far from the Matera sites. We parked the next day near the Matera ZTL and walked around town, which was wonderful. Would highly recommend Matera to visit, but not stay at this lodging.

Day18:
Drive to Monopoli. Olive Oil tour at Oleificio Luigi was amazing. He is clearly passionate about his craft. Spent 4hrs exploring centuries old olive trees, mill used by Luigi’s ancestors followed by tour of current yet still outdated olive oil processing machines.Learned about all aspects of growing, processing and tasting olive oil from a third generation grower. Only two other folks on the tour which was finished with food, wine and the store. Only day it poured rain and he had spare umbrellas to share. Highly recommend!

Day 19 through 22:
Self guided visit via Ostuni to Santa Maria di Leuca. L’Approdo Hotel was wonderful.

Day 22:
Tivoli. MOM Apartments had a good location but was not a true B&B. When we arrived, we checked in at the associated restaurant whose employees spoke little english, were not overly welcoming and charged us for the stay. We did not know whether it was paid for by KimKim due to the fact that we only had connectivity on WiFi, which we could only access after paying for the room which had a complicated keypad plus card access system. The water in the bathroom only worked if the bright lights and loud fan were on. The window did not open wide so we were unable to open the wooden shades. We had to walk to the pasticceria on the way to Villa D’Este for our “breakfast” which consisted of a cappuccino and cornetto.None of the other breakfast options we had up until then been accustomed to such as: eggs, meat, cheese, yogurt, muesli, fresh fruit etc. Our room was not made up, which was not that important but we did not get more coffee pods or water for the second morning. Parking cost over 40 euro for our stay. Would not recommend this accommodation except for a fluent Italian speaker.

Day 24:
Tivoli to Rome. B&B Hotel. Could not find our booking since it was under “Lorenzo”. Second time this happened. Great location for returning car to the airport the day before our flight out.

Summary:
Thank you for helping us have a good trip. We suggest KimKim always use traveler’s names to book reservations.Total transparency that KimKim uses a sub-contractor (Italy Charme) to book reservations. Most hotels met or exceeded (Parlamento Boutique Hotel, Cala Moresca, Tenuta Ciminata Greco) our expectations, but would not recommend Agriturismo Nonna Rosa in Matera to anyone or MOM Apartments in Tivoli to non-italian speakers.

Also please do not make assumptions about someone’s gender or age. If it’s a legal problem, have travelers sign a waiver. Linnea walked from the Hotel to Villa Borghese on the day we arrived, back from St. Peters after our tour of the Vatican, to and around the Forum in heat. She walked around Pompeii for 8 hours and climbed Mt. Vesuvio. We took a ferry from Salerno to Amalfi and Positano and a “Stromboli by Night” tour from Tropea which we were told by KimKim was unavailable.

We will be happy to answer any questions KimKim has regarding this review. Use Linnea's number: +1 (305) 509-2732. KimKim's services must have worked well for Kelly's friend and other not as experienced travelers, but for us, after letting KimKim know we had booked a complete two week driving tour of Sicily by ourselves, we expected KimKim to come through for us with the specific accommodation and tour requests we had. Kelly is happy for the travelers for whom KimKim works, but we personally will not be using your service again.

Hotel Reviews
B&B HOTEL Roma Fiumicino Aeroporto Fiera 1
Rome
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mom Apartment Rooms&Suites
Tivoli
Authenticity & Character
Not a B&B
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Agriturismo Nonna Rosa
Matera
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tenuta Ciminata Greco
Corigliano-Rossano
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tropis Hotel
Tropea
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
La Suite del Faro
Scalea
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mediterranea Hotel & Convention Center
Salerno
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Maiuri
Pompei

See detailed review

Authenticity & Character
Location
Could have been closer to restaurants within walking distance
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Cala Moresca Hotel
Bacoli
Authenticity & Character
Beautiful views. Good Food. Make sure you know driving up the hill is non-trivial so expect to eat dinner there.
Location
Staff
Bartender awesome. Front end staff had assumptions re: octogenarian.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Weirdly large and sterile room. only an ottoman to sit on. But spectacular corner room with balcony.
Parlamento Boutique Hotel
Rome
Authenticity & Character
No downsides. Definitely would recommend!
Location
Walked everywhere around Rome from here
Staff
Andrea more than welcoming and informative
Cleanliness & Comfort
Kettle in the room!
Activity Reviews
Wine and olive oil tastings in the countryside!
Wine and olive oil tastings in the countryside!
Italy
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore Pompeii Walking Tour
Explore Pompeii Walking Tour
Italy
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour
Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour
Rome
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Melanie Rapuano

No better way to plan a big vacation
Italy | Sep 16 - Sep 29, 2026

Angela
Angela C.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Oct 03, 2026
My husband and I had a wonderful 2 week honeymoon in Italy thanks to kimkim and the Storywalking team. They listened to our preferences and budget. The coordination they provided was incredible and made things stress free. Private transfers to and from train stations/airports/hotels were lovely to not have to schlep our luggage. We especially loved our boat tour around the Amalfi coast, home restaurant experiences in Tuscany and Rome. All of our guided tours were stellar, especially tours of... Read more

My husband and I had a wonderful 2 week honeymoon in Italy thanks to kimkim and the Storywalking team. They listened to our preferences and budget. The coordination they provided was incredible and made things stress free. Private transfers to and from train stations/airports/hotels were lovely to not have to schlep our luggage. We especially loved our boat tour around the Amalfi coast, home restaurant experiences in Tuscany and Rome. All of our guided tours were stellar, especially tours of the Borghese Gallery and the Colosseum and Forum in Rome. The in-country support was excellent. We had a text reminder of our next-day itinerary every evening and swift replies to any questions. We will use kimkim for every big trip.

Hotel Reviews
Casa Montani Hotel
Rome
Authenticity & Character
Location
Right near Piazza del Popolo
Staff
Andrea was lovely and helpful with recommendations
Cleanliness & Comfort
Maison il Conservatorio
Sorrento

Lovely, relaxing getaway in Sorrento. Excellent location near the walkway/lift to the beaches. 24h concierge. Excellent breakfast spread.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Howard Firenze
Florence

Beautiful little hotel in an excellent location. Get a luxury feel without breaking the bank.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Relais Della Rovere
Colle di Val d'Elsa

Beautiful location in a small Tuscan town. Easy to reach by car. Walking distance to a stunning nature trail.

Authenticity & Character
Was an ancient monastery
Location
Felt tucked away in the countryside but easy drive from Florence. Close to a beautiful nature trail
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Borghese Gallery tour
Borghese Gallery tour
Rome

The best museum in Rome. Don’t miss this one. Our guide, Marco, was excellent and made the art come alive.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Jessica Proietti

Amazing Journey In Iceland!
Iceland | Sep 23 - Oct 1, 2026

Robyn
Robyn P.
Saint Louis, MO, USA | Reviewed on Oct 03, 2026
We just completed 9 days in Iceland and had an amazing adventure! Being in Iceland for the first time, our experience with Kimkim and our local travel consultant Gudmundur Oli (Gummi) was exceptional! We liked that Gummi was a native Icelander and could provide excellent, first-hand knowledge of the best places to see and experience. From the initial trip planning and throughout our time in Iceland, Gummi was always available to answer any questions and provide guidance. The Kimkim App... Read more

We just completed 9 days in Iceland and had an amazing adventure! Being in Iceland for the first time, our experience with Kimkim and our local travel consultant Gudmundur Oli (Gummi) was exceptional! We liked that Gummi was a native Icelander and could provide excellent, first-hand knowledge of the best places to see and experience. From the initial trip planning and throughout our time in Iceland, Gummi was always available to answer any questions and provide guidance. The Kimkim App and WhatsApp tools were very useful for communications. We accessed the Kimkim App on our phones that had our daily itinerary and all relevant information, maps, reservations, etc. easily accessible. We had a very action-packed itinerary that covered primarily the West and South Highland areas. The specific areas that we really enjoyed included the geothermal lagoon experiences (Laugaras Lagoon was our favorite), old town Reykjavik (great restaurants like the FishMrkt and Fjallkonan), the Golden Circle (including the Geothermal Bakery Experience and Geysir Geothermal area), stunning waterfalls (so many, but our favorite was the striking blue waters of Bruarfoss), hike through the lava formations to Sigoludgljufur Waterfalls, the town of Vik (Vík i Myrdal Church hilltop views and Sudur-Vik Restaurant), Diamond Beach and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, and the Icelandic Food Walk in Reykjavik (our guide Minty was exceptional!). And, we saw the Norther Lights! Incredibly beautiful country, highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews
Alda Hotel Reykjavík
Reykjavík

Great location, friendly/helpful front desk staff. Nice breakfast and Starbucks adjacent to lobby. Clean and functional room.

Authenticity & Character
Functional hotel.
Location
Great location near many shops and restaurants.
Staff
Front desk staff was very helpful and accommodating.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Functional, and clean rooms. Inside rooms without an outside window access can be a bit stuffy with limited air circulation.
Hótel Lækur
Hella

Nice cottages in the countryside, clean and functional. Good views of sheep grazing in the fields, horses in the distance and creek nearby.

Authenticity & Character
Cute cottages in the countryside.
Location
Location was accessible to the ring road.
Staff
Staff was friendly and helpful.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean, functional rooms with nice living space in the cottages.
Fosshotel Núpar
Kálfafell

Good location along the southern ring road. Ample parking and good breakfast. Very plain, functional room.

Authenticity & Character
Very plain hotel with limited character.
Location
Good location along the southern ring road.
Staff
Team was friendly and helpful.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean and functional room.
Arnarstapi Hotel
Snæfellsbær

Great place to see the Northern Lights, and they have a camera on the tv system that you can use to monitor status of the Northern Lights. Very plain and basic, but clean and functional rooms. Nice views from our room of the Arnarstapi coastline. Breakfast was not included and hotel restaurant was expensive. Very limited other options nearby. Good location and lots to see along the coast within walking distance.

Authenticity & Character
TV had a channel with northern lights camera but it did not work well (poor connection).
Location
Walking distance to the ocean coast, arches and a monument. Northern Lights can be viewed well here when visible.
Staff
Found a cork screw to open our bottle of wine.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Good, basic newer clean room - no frills.
Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels
Reykjavík

Good location, near the marina. Welcoming hotel with apartment type rooms and common gathering spaces. Good breakfast. Parking was limited to street parking adjacent to the hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Unique hotel/residence. Lots of cool gathering spaces.
Location
Close to the downtown area with many shops and restuarants.
Staff
The front desk staff were very helpful and were happy to answer any questions.
Cleanliness & Comfort
We liked the 'home like' feel to the apartment style rooms.
Hótel Grímsborgir by Keahotels
Ásborgir

Great location near the Golden Circle. Helpful staff. Good breakfast. Dinner was very good but quite expensive. The room was nice, clean and functional.

Authenticity & Character
The main building has a good vibe.
Location
Great location near the Golden Circle.
Staff
Front desk staff was friendly and helpful.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean, functional room.
Activity Reviews
Laugarás Lagoon - Lerki
Laugarás Lagoon - Lerki
Iceland

Really enjoyed this lagoon experience. Seemed more authentic and relaxing compared to other lagoons. Less crowded, friendly staff, very nice facility and views of the bridge/river/landscaping.

Quality of Experience
Very good!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very friendly staff.
Transport
Good location and experience after a long day!
Glacier Ice Cave Experience
Glacier Ice Cave Experience
Iceland

Very unique experience. Landscape was beautiful. Ice caves were limited and did not fully reflect marketing pictures (some blue ceilings). Super jeep vehicle was unreliable and not properly maintained. Parts of the path up to the ice cave access was slippery and steep.

Quality of Experience
Reliable vehicles and better time management by all guides to efficiently move groups into/out of caves. A lot of standing around waiting on others.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guide was resilient through vehicle difficulties. Thankful for the guide from Poland who was able to get our vehicle jump started!
Transport
The vehicle was not properly maintained. They gear shift/transmission did not work properly. Vehicle was in low gear the entire drive to the ice cave area. It did not restart after view point and needed a jump start by another guide's vehicle. The driver had to leave the vehicle running for over an hour while we went up and into the ice cave area.
Geothermal Bakery Experience
Geothermal Bakery Experience
Golden Circle

Really enjoyed this unique experience. Appreciated the history and using the local ground geothermal properties for cooking. Break was very good!

Quality of Experience
Unique process and quality of the bread/result was excellent.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide was very knowledgeable and engaging.
Transport
Easy walk to shoreline to see the process of geothermal baking.
Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience
Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience
Iceland

Very unique experience. Interesting opportunity to walk across a large lava flow field to the access point and to step down into the lava cave. The wooden walkways/steps made access easier. Interesting geology that was well explained by our guide. We did not see any stalactites or stalagmites as stated in the activity description.

Quality of Experience
Unique geology and history of formation.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guide was very knowledgeable.
Transport
Good wooden walkways, but in windy conditions to/from access point can be challenging.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon - Zodiac Adventure
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon - Zodiac Adventure
Iceland

This experience was cancelled by the service provide due to poor weather conditions/wind.

Icelandic Food Walk
Icelandic Food Walk
Reykjavík

We really enjoyed this experience. Minty our local Icelandic guide was exceptional! The variety of restaurants, food, beverages and stories/history was great!

Quality of Experience
Great guide and specific, local food/beverage experiences.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Minty was the best guide, very engaging and knowledgeable!
Transport
Walking throughout the city from place to place was comfortable, even in the rain.
Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching Excursion
Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching Excursion
Reykjavík

We cancelled this activity 24 hours in advance due to poor weather conditions and schedule conflict.

Local specialist: Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Guðmundur Óli
Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Oct 05, 2026
Thank you for the kind review Robyn, I'm happy to read that you had a great time in Iceland.
Regarding the ice cave tour. I know from personal experience as an ice cave guide that the caves are constantly changing. Unfortunately, they are not always as impressive as they look in the promotional pictures, but I think that can be said about anything, as promotional pictures always show locations at their best.
I'm sorry you had some car troubles. Even the best maintained cars can break down; I...
Read more

Thank you for the kind review Robyn, I'm happy to read that you had a great time in Iceland.
Regarding the ice cave tour. I know from personal experience as an ice cave guide that the caves are constantly changing. Unfortunately, they are not always as impressive as they look in the promotional pictures, but I think that can be said about anything, as promotional pictures always show locations at their best.
I'm sorry you had some car troubles. Even the best maintained cars can break down; I know that as a driver guide. Although their cars are not brand new, I know they do maintain them constantly and it's very rare they have any trouble. Unfortunately, it seems like you got unlucky in that aspect. I hope it didn't affect your overall experience too much.

All the best
Gummi

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