Kimkim Trip Reviews

I found kimkim after a frustrating and disappointing experience with a local "luxury" travel agent. From the first trip survey and timely assignment to a local expert, I knew immediately I had found a fit.

I feel so fortunate that Ben was responsible for planning our trip because he clearly wanted to create a truly customized trip for my family - not regurgitate or cobble together other itineraries he'd already planned.

In our initial planning stage, Ben made sure to keep a momentum in our communication to ensure that we could secure any necessary activities or experiences in plenty of time. He also asked detailed questions and always took feedback to heart so that we could fine tune our overall plan and the activities for each day.

The kimkim itinerary system lists each part of the trip (transportation, hotel stay, experience, etc.) separately so it's very easy to do your own research of whether or not it's a fit for your needs and then provide your feedback and thoughts.

There were some very specific things that I wanted to include in the trip for our family that weren't typical and Ben found structured classes or local neighborhoods to explore for each one.

As the departure date for our trip approached, Ben made sure to provide all the necessary details and confirmation numbers we would need and the kimkim app made information easy to find whenever we wanted to check on specific details.

The guides that Ben assigned to us for each activity seemed hand-picked for the timing of the trip and specific goal.

Peter-san was calm and collected in the chaos of someone's first day in Tokyo as we moved through the city using public transportation.

Hitoshi-san took great care in mapping out a half-day bike tour through Takayama that allowed us to visit landmarks that would have otherwise taken a couple of days to see.

Amanda-san clearly loves sharing her vast knowledge of Kyoto along with accommodating some quick shopping requests since we had some extra time in our day.

At the end of our trip, Miki-san helped us navigate parts of Tokyo we hadn’t seen and shared daily trips and tricks that helped us enjoy the area like locals.

Akiko-san, our translator for the tofu making class, ensured we had clear instructions along with some added humor along the way. She also took the extra time we had after finishing class early to provide a quick walking tour of the area since she is an expert in that neighborhood.

Each person we interacted with was helpful, kind, and clearly enjoyed their role in the process.

Throughout the trip, Ben was in touch so even a minor hiccup could be addressed in a timely manner.

I highly recommend both kimkim and Ben!

Hotel Reviews

Karaksa Hotel Tokyo Station

Tokyo

This hotel is the perfect final destination in Tokyo because of its location and wonderful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto-Kiyomizu Gojo

kyoto

This room was well appointed, had comfortable beds, and even had a bathtub!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Takayama Ouan Hotel

This was the only hotel that didn't seem in the same class as the others. Not only was the room an awkward layout, but it was well-worn and even a little dusty. It may be that we just got a room that needed a little TLC compared to the others,

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Onyado Yuinoshou

At first, I wasn't sure that we needed to spend the night in Shirakawa-go, but once we arrived at the hotel, we knew it was worth it. Since we stayed here at the midpoint of our trip, it slowed things down in a way that we didn't feel we had to be moving all the time. The property is gorgeous and the views of the valley, soothing. Everything you need to enjoy the baths is provided and they even have a variety of special pillows you can take to get a great night's sleep.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Onyado Nono Kanazawa Natural Hot Spring

Kanazawa

Not only was the location just what we needed to explore the sights of Kanazawa, but the room was a great size for a family of four. Our room even had a little sitting area which allowed us to organize and coordinate our plans and our packing. This hotel had a breakfast buffet instead of a standard meal so we were able to try a variety of freshly prepared dishes. After the hustle and bustle of Tokyo - both Kanazawa and this hotel provided a wonderful opportunity to slow down a little bit.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The TOURIST HOTEL AND CAFE AKIHABARA

Tokyo

This hotel was a great fit for us because we could enjoy the high energy of the Akihabara area then return to a quiet street and neighborhood to decompress after a long day. The rooms were designed to use space efficiently and had all the necessary amenities. The breakfast options provided something for everyone and since they were freshly prepared for each person, they provided a great start to our day.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

⚾️ Afternoon Baseball Game at Meiji Jingu Stadium

Tokyo

If you are a baseball fan, a game in Japan is a must! It's easy to take public transportation, but make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes. You can bring food into the game so feel free to purchase some snacks while walking to the stadium. Or, there are plenty of food options once you arrive if you prefer.

Quality of Experience

🌿 Traditions in Tokyo: A Day of Tofu & Indigo Dyeing Experience

Tokyo

It's always fun to learn from experts. Kai-san's tofu workshop gave us the skills to make tofu at home. Akiko-san was the interpreter and the two worked so well together that it was seamless communication. Miki-san was our guide and she made sure to provide details about the area/neighborhood while helping us get to these smaller workshops located in places we may not have visited otherwise.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

🏯🍜 Kyoto Culture & Culinary Day: Kinkaku-ji, Nanzen-ji & Ramen Workshop

Kyoto

It was a great day in Kyoto with typical sightseeing and a quick food focus . Amanda-san is a highly knowledgeable guide who helped us navigate the Kyoto bus system while seeing the sights. We also got to make ramen noodles with Momo who clearly loves sharing the craft with anyone hoping to learn more. The ramen workshop also included lunch, so make sure to arrive hungry!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Cycling in Takayama

Takayama

Our guide, Hitoshi-san, took the time to hand-draw a map of our route and clearly explained it to us before we left. After all the walking we had done on the first part of the trip, it was nice to cover more ground on a bike and to experience Takayama in a different way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The public transportation from Shirakawa-go to Takayama

Japan

A beautiful ride through the hills.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Really enjoyed planning this amazing first trip to Japan. Marii listened to all of my requirements and helped me put together a trip that was memorable for all. We did encounter some glitches, but she rectified them and in the end everything worked out well
Tokyo stay at the Indigo Shibuya was amazing. The meiji shrine shinto ritual tour is highly recommended. We toured Tokyo on the east side with Molly and Yuri and had a great time exploring all the food choices and getting their recs for shopping and dining places in Asakusa and Akihabara. The sumo wrestling is just a fun family event so would rec.
Hakone Ryokan was superb and relaxing as an in between city stay
Kyoto was a favorite and we enjoyed our Tea Ceremony the most. The Gion tour was not necessary as we could have done on our own. The Thousands Tokyo is very well situated near the station allowing us quick in and out for exploration.
Hiroshima/Miyajima tour was well executed by our personal tour guide yuko who kept us on track but never made us feel rushed.
All of our train tickets were purchased ahead of time and we used our suica card for metro and short travel distances which worked great. Our guides were a big help in helping us navigate all this when asked.
I highly rec Kim Kim for those travelers that need some help with coordinating hotels, transfers and ideas for tours. I was fully involved in all the decision making with Marii guiding me along the way.
I really enjoyed our 2 main chats to put together all the days and tours which helped personalize our trip.
We were exhausted at the end of the day but really enjoyed the whole trip and will be back to Japan to enjoy at a bit of leisure. Awesome country with amazing people who were very welcoming.
We returned back to Tokyo for another day and loved the Wagyu beef and sake tasting tour. Probably should have done earlier in our tour so we could enjoy the correct sake for the rest of the trip!

Hotel Reviews

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Ginza PREMIER

Tokyo

After our other two hotels, this one is mediocre. But pricing of hotels in ginza are astronomical so this was more of a budget hotel, with a comfortable room. Breakfast was okay but not as nice as the other stays in Shibuya and Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

very basic

Location

Staff

helpful when needed but didn't go out of the way

Cleanliness & Comfort

clean but no real ambience

The Thousand Kyoto

Kyoto

Great location and the staff is very helpful with navigating the area and trains. Make sure to come out the central hall at the station to get to the hotel. We went out the wrong way. They were very helpful in transferring our bags back to Tokyo and it only took a few minutes on our end.

Authenticity & Character

beautiful lobby

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

room was big enough for the 3 of us

HAKONE GORA BYAKUDAN

Hakone-machi

A must for a first time traveler. But one night is enough.

Authenticity & Character

the decor in the room was amazing

Location

one with nature

Staff

treated us like royalty with great attention to detail

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya

Shibuya

Decent size room for 3 people. Well situated near Shibuya station but quiet. Breakfast was amazing and service excellent

Authenticity & Character

the decor

Location

Staff

everyone was very kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kimono Tea Ceremony Gion Kiyomizu (Private)

Japan

One of our favorite experiences. Very authentic and full of detail and beauty. She was so knowledgeable of the customs and rituals. They use excellent matcha so enjoy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tokyo to Hakone Transfer: Mt. Fuji and Hakone Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Driver

Japan

Our driver Gary was committed on getting us a view of Fuji which we somehow did for 15 min before the cloud cover came back. Took us to some amazing view points and never rushed us. Was a great resource on culture in Japan and ways to navigate the other cities. Spoke excellent English

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bring your music and enjoy on the drive!

Master Tokyo's Must-Sees: 5-hour Tsukiji, Akihabara & Asakusa Highlights Tour

Tokyo

Great way to get an understanding of the fish market and the offerings. It is overwhelming with instagram influencers swaying you to go to certain vendors. Our guides knew where to go for the best offerings and introduced us to so many dishes which helped with our choices later in the trip

Quality of Experience

Food

so many varieties to sample.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

navigating the metro/subway for the first time so it was helpful

Special Access: Join a Traditional Shinto Ritual at Meiji Shrine

Tokyo

Highly recommend to immerse yourself in to the shinto culture and get an inside peak at the shrine

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Palermo in general seemed a bit shabby ( a lot of trash everywhere) The food tour was fantastic , Our guide Angelo was wonderful and very funny.
Cefalu and Hotel Kalura were an absolute dream.
Tripani- on-street parking was challenging. Hotel Gancia - water was no potable!! Never encountered that before.
Castelemare del Golfo was very pretty and we loved our hotel. Parking was a challenge.

We had 4 guides Dolly, Hiroshi, Taka and Pete. All of them excellent guides and we had a great time with them.
Japan is a amazing place and the experience during this trip exceeds our expectations starting with the planning by Bella , the sightseeing and the hotels.
We loved all but we enjoy the most Kyoto and Hiroshima.

Hotel Reviews

Onyado Nono Kanazawa Natural Hot Spring

Kanazawa

Good tradition Japanese Hotel but also adapted to western clients

Authenticity & Character

Walking without shoes and quimono made our stay special. Also the public bath was vrry well equiped

Location

Near to a lot of restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Public bath

THE KNOT HIROSHIMA

Hiroshima

Great location and very comfortable room

Authenticity & Character

The variety of food in the breakfast

Location

Central place very near to the locations we visited

Staff

The staff was nice and the restaurant food and service were excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

All

Activity Reviews

Family-Friendly Day Trip Itinerary: Hakone – Lake Ashi – Kawaguchiko – Tokyo (Guide, Private Transfer)

Japan

Fantastic. Beautiful sightseeing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Public transport very well planned

Hiroshima's Legacy: Peace Memorial & Okonomiyaki（public transport）

Hiroshima

Very emotional and must to see the Peace Memorial Museum and Park

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Robi and his team planned the most wonderful trip for my family. He was even able to manage a last minute pivot . Fantastic guides and customer service!!

Activity Reviews

Oyster tasting in Mali Ston

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Ston

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Truffle hunting experience in Istria

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great experience from start to finish. The itinerary was well thought out, the local guides and city managers were excellent, and everything ran smoothly.

A special thanks to Shahd and Ahmed, who were incredibly attentive throughout the trip and always quick to answer questions. They did a great job helping us navigate the uncertainty when the conflict with Iran started and worked with us on itinerary adjustments as things evolved.

Would absolutely recommend them and would use them again.

I gave them a budget and they hit it to the dollar. Good follow up and check ins throughout the trip.

My favorite activities were the knife making and the gold leaf chopsticks. I really liked all the wood I saw in Japan. Tons of the signage is just a large slab with their name on it. I did bonk my head fairly hard by looking down at the floor construction while walking through a samurai house, the wood working was fascinating. The ceiling height not so much. 4 out of the 5 places we stayed were absolutely incredible, top notch. The hyatt in kanizawa, was not bad by any means. It's just the other 4 were much better.

Everything tour wise went great, each guide met us in our lobby and had local/native knowledge of the areas we toured. I asked each day if the driver would eat lunch with us, and was told no, and that I should not get him a lunch from the restaurant. That felt strange to me.

So much of the history has burned down and been rebuilt, but it was neat to see things that had survived

We had the most amazing trip organised by Caterina and the KimKim team, highlights were Lake Garda, Bologna and Sorrento, however the entire trip was fantastic.

Hotel Reviews

Kolbe Hotel Rome

Rome

Really clean and comfortable with a great outdoor garden area to relax in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central to the main attractions and the resturant district.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rosso 23

Florence

Neat and tidy Hotel, staff weren't as friendly as all other stops and not as helpful, and the breakfast was just ok.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good location out of the hussle and bussle and only a couple minute walk to the centre of town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

I Portici Hotel

Bologna

Very upmarket Hotel and quote luxurious, on the main street and a short walk to the sqaure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Césa Tyrol

Canazei

Very helpful staff and only a short stroll to town, and nicely renovated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Caesius Thermae & Spa Resort

Bardolino

Great location and really lovely Hotel, the staff were helpful and friendly, and had great ammentities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very central.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Exceptional clean and great size rooms.

Activity Reviews

Cycle the Appian Way - Bike or e-Bike tour

Rome

We didnt do it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private e-bike tour in Florence with Gelato

Florence

Fantastic trip and the guide was sensational, a lovely family business.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pizza and Gelato making Class (group tour)

Italy

This was ok, the quality of the pizzas were just ok, it is obviously hard to make dough and have it cure in the short time we were there, so maybe they could teach how to make the dough and go through the process however have some other bases there that were made the day before to make the end eating experience a bit better.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self explore Bardolino

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private excursion to Lucca and Pisa - access to the Leaning Tower included

Florence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Verona Day Trip

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day foodie tour in Bologna

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We enjoyed this trip very much and are very appreciative of the support we received from KIMKIM. We worked with Aleksandra for several months finding a way to include all the cities and areas we wanted to visit.
In terms of cities I think Dublin was our favorite. We liked the Mercantile Hotel - a great location, nice room, amazing breakfast and a very good bar and restaurant. We enjoyed the stores and pubs in the neighborhood a lot. The Hop On Hop Off bus stop was very close to our hotel and we used this system to make our way around Dublin.
We're so glad Aleksandra recommended the tour of 14 Henrietta Street. It was a little tricky to find but we had a very nice guide and appreciated his words about the history of the building.
The day tour of the Cliffs of Moher was disappointing. The bus was very cramped and Bill especially was uncomfortable because of no leg room at the seats. Galway was a big disappointment it was very crowded with tourists and we saw no charm in the city.
Kilmainham Jail was fascinating. The guide provided an excellent exposure to the many different eras of the jail including why people were jailed and executed there. Experiencing the small cells and limited access to the outside was chilling.
The Guiness Experience Tour was a struggle. It was packed with people - mostly young people who's purpose was to enjoy the free beer.
We were so glad to visit Trinity College and the Book of Kells. It was a graduation day for medical students so the plaza was filled with family members bearing numerous floral bouquets. It's too bad the books are being removed from the "Long Room" and it will be closed to the public for several years.
Edinburgh was our next stop and our lodging issue was extremely frustrating but NOT the fault of Aleksandra. We thought the apartment building had a lift but it did not. Only a very large spiral staircase and there was no way we could have handled that climb daily. Aleksandra was quick to respond and found us another hotel very close to the areas that we were scheduled to tour. My only suggestion about Edinburgh is that people who are considering Edinburgh need to understand how steep the streets are and how difficult it is go get around. Our food tour was excellent. The castle tour was very strenuous. The Real Mary King's Close was difficult due to uneven flooring and small doorways but the guide was very accomodating to the senior citizens. Holyhood House was very interesting to see - we enjoyed that opportunity very much.
Our hotel in Bayeux was very nice close - to the train station and the downtown area. We were a bit challenged by all the football fans who had filled the bars close to us to watch Arsenal but we enjoyed the fun, Our all day tour of the Normandy beaches was a real highlight of our trip. We booked this tour ourselves but I would suggest that KIMKIM include this gentleman for Normandy tours in the future. His name is Bertrand Saudrais and his email is [email protected].
Our hotel location in the West End was great. The changing of the guard was very crowded and took quite a long time but we wanted to see it. The Royal Mews was very interesting and our lunch at Buckingham Arms Pub was a great recommendation from Aleksandra.
Unfortunately our trip to the Victoria and Albert museum was cancelled. Bill had a cold and we both thought we needed a day off.
The river trip to Hampton Court didn't work out. It was raining heavily and the wind gusts were difficult. The boat did not have enough room for everyone and we ended up on the front deck chairs. After an hour we got off the boat and found a local pub where we enjoyed a great lunch and a very friendly group of people.
The next day our Hidden Pubs of London tour was a wonderful history of London pubs over the centuries. Drinking beer wasn't the focus but the guide Lynden was excellent. - very informed and very cognizant of all the people on the tour.
Our day long tour of Stone Henge, Bath and Windsor Castle began at 7:00 AM anded at 6:30 PM - a long day. However, the coach we had was very comfortable we covered many miles hearing from our guide and talking with our fellow tour people. All of the stops were just as we had hoped but it would have been nice to have more time in Windsor Castle - guess we'll have to go back.
On Saturday it was raining again as we waited in line at Parliament. Once we got inside we really enjoyed the different rooms for the various political groups. Very interesting.
Our last day we toured the British Museum that was very close to our hotel. Seeing the ancient artifacts from around the world was such a pleasure..
Overall, we were once again very pleased with KIMKIM. Aleksandra worked very hard to fulfill our wishes in the way that made the most sense. What we learned is that we may have over booked this trip with tours - we should have included at least one more day of rest.
As we talk to our friends about our travels we always mention the KIMKIM name so I hope you'll get some new customers.

We were excited for Kimkim to help us out with our planning for our Ireland trip. We were expecting a local expert and high level of concierge support. Cathy was part of Highpoint Holidays - which is a travel agent based in France. Cathy was NOT local to Ireland, although they claimed that they had local experts. The service we received was about average for a non-local travel agent. The places that were booked were ok, the hotels were decent and met our expectations - but we could have probably booked them ourselves. Two of the planned activities could not be scheduled - our dinner in Dublin and the food tour in Kinsale. We were reimbursed for those items - but were disappointed. We ended up booking our own food tour. We ended up NOT being able to attend the hurling match in Galway, because there was no adequate car service to get there. The drivers for the Giants Causeway and Dingle peninsula were just that - just drivers, not really private tour guides. A gruly local Irish travel agent, would likely have been able to advise our activities and make recommendations much better than what we got. While all the acommodations were ok, it was not the high end local concierge service that we thought we paid for -- we could have actually done most of the research ourselves and booked the trip on-line, likely for cheaper than we paid for. We still enjoyed the trip very much, because we were able to adapt and plan a lot of it ourselves - not sure we'll use this service again in the future for the price paid.

Hotel Reviews

Ashling Hotel Dublin

Dublin

Very American hotel. Large rooms, large tourist crowd. O

Authenticity & Character

Location

Need to Uber to get to most sights.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The White House Guesthouse

Loved this hotel. It was right in downtown Kinsale - EVERYTHING was in walking distance! The downside is there is no parking and no place to even temporarilly park to unload your luggage without blocking the main street.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was very nice. The hotel is on the main street and there was a true Irish wake on one of the nights we stayed there - so the street noise was VERY loud until about 3AM. Tough to sleep.

Countryside Retreat Dingle

Dingle

This was a place off the beaten track and quirky is a really good description of this place. It is NOT within walking distance of Dingle and to take a taxi was about 30 pounds one way. It is an old farmhouse that has been renovated. The bedrooms are upstairs. It worked for our purposes.

Authenticity & Character

Definitely old - there was an old farmyard next to it and cow pastures out back.

Location

Farther out from Dingle than we were expecting

Cleanliness & Comfort

There were dead bugs all over the windowsills. For an Air B&B - the kitchen supplies were on the lower side of adequate. There was a washer (but we didn't use it) - as there seemed to be a water pressure issue.

The Stone Cottage

The owner if this Air B&B was so very nice and accommodating. The directions provided by Highpoint Holidays put us in a cow pasture! There was a washer and dryer available (which was perfect since we had just come off of 7 days of hiking). It was a very quiet neighborhood near Castlebar. Loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ship Quay Hotel

Londonderry

This is a cute hotel in Derry close to everything. The room was great and breakfast was delicious - had porridge with a shot of Jameson whiskey (never had that before).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Malone Hotel

Belfast

The room that we had was really nice, large and plenty of space. The issue we had was the hotel was pre-paid. They took our credit card at the desk for "incidentals" similar to hotels in the United States - so we didn't think anything of it. They ended up charging us $600+. Then they said they made a mistake, so the refunded us. Then they said they made a mistaket with the refund - and - ended up charging us again. Since we paid with a third party (through Kimkim) - we had to go through them. Both Kimkim and us were unsuccessful in getting the charge reversed. We ended up going through our credit card company. It was a very stressful situation and the hotel manger that we dealt with was very rude and didn't listen to our explanations. While the accomodations were nice, the bar was nice, and the restaurant was decent - be wary of how they charge you.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kilronan House

Dublin 2

Average 3-star hotel. Typical European small room. Close enough to sites around the City. Very quiet area (which was really great).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Quiet neighborhood

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Musical Pub Crawl in Dublin

Dublin

NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING AND VERY FUN! Highly, highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Tour of Dingle and Slea Head

Ireland

This would have been amazing, if the weather had cooperated. The driver was nice, but very old. He knew the tour areas to stop and take us to. But it was a bit scary to be driving with him. He also ended up hitting his car on a wall. What we were able to see was quite nice. Ended up cutting our tour a bit short, because we were a bit uncomfortable with his driving. The car was immaculate and clean.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour Giant's Causeway and Antrim Coast

Belfast

Scenery was amazing. Driver was just that, just a driver - not a tour guide. Didn't really have the history and didn't really even know the legends about the Giant's Causeway. Great driver though, nice guy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Belfast Political Taxi Tour

Belfast

LOVED IT - one of the best things to do. Highly recommend if you're interested in Irish History at all.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was so helpful to us never having visited South Africa to have Janneke's local expertise. She took the time to get to know us and planned an experience that went beyond a checklist of attractions to connecting us with local people and providing us deeper insights into the country. Our highlight was time in Kruger National Park where we went on 6 game drives in just a few days. We saw the big 5 game animals, but we saw so much more and learned about the ecology of the bush and the history of the region. It was an unforgettable experience.

Hotel Reviews

58 On Hume

Randburg

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bambuu Lakeside Lodge

Hazyview

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ivory Wilderness River Rock Lodge

Hoedspruit

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The whole team knew our names, details about us, and what game we'd like to see within minutes. The food was amazing.

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Cotte Farm

Franschhoek

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lion's Head Sunrise Hike

Cape Town

I had an amazing morning hike up Lion's Head with Jodie from SLOW. I learned so much about the area and the ecology. And she prepared snacks for my birthday. Just a fabulous experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bo-Kaap Walking Tour

Cape Town

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kateryna (our KimKim agent), created an incredible and unforgettable UK adventure for us. We explored South England to Northern Scotland by rental car, train, sleeper train, bicycle and boat. This is the second time we have used KimKim to plan our travels and this once again did not disappoint. We will not hesitate to reach out agin when planning for our next destination!

My husband and I got married last October. We are 57&60 yo. This was a 2nd marriage for both of us and our dream trip was Ireland (especially as Joe and his family are Irish). I was trying to personally plan our honeymoon Ireland trip while feeling very time crunched and stressed with work and family obligations. . I googled self- driving itineraries as a jump off point not knowing where to start and Kim-Kim popped up. I had planned to do all the planning myself but after looking at the website and reading the reviews I decided to go ahead with filling out the questionnaire just to see. BEST decision ever!
The questionnaire is detailed but for a very good reason. They truly use it to make sure your vacation meets your needs on all fronts. Our specialist Claire got in touch asking some clarifying questions and then put together a tentative trip for us. At that point we made some revisions and added some days (because we decided to include Belfast to our trip). Claire was helpful, patient and did an excellent job. She incorporated things we specifically asked for (like accommodating a concert date we wanted) and made suggestions we would never have thought of…. it all culminated in a perfect honeymoon we will always remember…. We made so many wonderful memories and we can’t wait to go back!
My parents and siblings and kids have all decided to go to Ireland next year and Claire is helping us again. My family heard us gush about the experience made so easy by Claire and Kim-Kim and asked me to do the planning with her. We can’t wait!

FYI…I took the time (and paper) to print out our 17 day itinerary (trip book) for our Honeymoon including tips, excursion vouchers, directions etc.thinking it was good to have a physical copy… but honestly there was no need… I barely looked at that heavy folder the whole trip. The Kim-Kim app was so straight forward and easy to use with directions links to everywhere we were going (excursions, hotels etc) and links to our excursion vouchers with contact info for all the events, excursions and hotels. It was a breeze from the moment a driver picked us up from the airport to when we picked up our rental car through every stop along the way and finally returning the rental car on our last day. Everything well thought out and easy. 👌🤩 They know their stuff!
I am already using Kim-Kim again for next year and will definitely use in the future for other bucket list trips. Michelle & Joe Greaves

Hotel Reviews

Cliff House Hotel

Ardmore

Beautiful unique hotel. Restaurant was amazing, loved the cliff walk and wished we had more time to explore and utilize more of the amenities. We plan to go back!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful. Quite breathtaking!

Staff

So professional and helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fiddle & Bow

Doolin

Love love love the ambience and furnishings of those boutiques hotel. Beautiful and warm ambience. The restaurant was amazing and the staff great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to everywhere in Doolin.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crystal Springs B&B

Great property, location and accommodations. Owners are on-site and so helpful! The breakfast was amazing each morning ❤️

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable to town (Killarney) and on a pretty river.

Staff

Owners present and super helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided E-bike Tour Of Galway City

Galway

Great way to see overview of Galway … bikes were easy. Honestly didn’t need to be “e-bikes”. Barely used the power. Guide was informative and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Giant’s Causeway Clifftop Experience

Ireland

Our guide had been doing this for many years and had so much knowledge to impart about its history and also about the geology of the cliffs. It was a 5 mile hike going steadily up mostly and doable for us Florida “flat landers” 👌 Beautiful views… it was a beautiful day and so glad we did it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Titanic experience

Belfast

Did not disappoint. So interesting (and tragic)… personal stories of the people who built the ship. So glad we did it!

Quality of Experience

McConnell's Irish Whisky Distillery Tour

Belfast

Really enjoyed this distillery tour and tastings in a renovated jail. Staff was super friendly and enthusiastic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jameson Experience Tour Premium Whiskey Tasting

Ireland

Loved the behind the scenes tour and history. Nice lunch in their cafe. Bought (too much lol) whiskey to bring home.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our family (8 yr old boy, 11 yr old girl) had the most incredible trip to Belize, thanks to Alex, who crafted an itinerary with the perfect flow. Starting inland and ending the trip on the cayes was exactly the right balance — culture and adventure first, then pure relaxation by the water.

Every experience felt thoughtfully chosen. Cave tubing with Angel was unforgettable; he was patient, kind, and absolutely wonderful with our kids. Edegar brought so much energy and fun to our horseback riding day — the kids adored him. The farm had a little dog who came along and would bark and point out monkeys in the trees. Truly, all of our guides were amazing and made the trip feel special.

We stayed at Ka’ana, where the staff went above and beyond. They were incredibly accommodating, especially with our picky eaters — if they had the ingredients, they happily made whatever the kids needed. It made our stay feel so easy and welcoming.

On the islands, Ramon’s was such a fun place to stay. We loved the style, the atmosphere, and the whole vibe of the property.

Our snorkeling trip was the highlight of the beach portion — absolutely magical. We saw a manatee, sea turtles, sharks, angelfish, and even a huge stingray. It was one of those experiences you know you’ll be talking about for years.

Belize gave us the perfect blend of adventure, culture, and relaxation, and we couldn’t have asked for a better trip.

Hotel Reviews

Ramon's Village Resort

San Pedro

Such a fun place to stay. We loved the style, the atmosphere, and the whole vibe of the property.

Authenticity & Character

Location

3 min from the airport.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

our AC went off a couple of times in the middle of the night.

Ka'ana Resort Boutique

San Ignacio

Very intimate and special place. The staff went above and beyond. They were incredibly accommodating, especially with our picky eaters — if they had the ingredients, they happily made whatever the kids needed. It made our stay feel so easy and welcoming.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Horse Backriding Tour of the Xunantunich Maya Ruins

Belize

Horse back riding was the highlight for my son. The guides were helpful, patient and amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from San Ignacio to Belize City with Zipline and Cave Tubing Tour en Route

Belize

Cave tubing was unforgettable. We got to climb, cliff jump, swim and tube.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Barton Creek Canoeing Tour

Belize

Our guide Rudy was so knowledgeable and helpful. Literally every question my children asked he had an answer for. We learned so much about the culture, the animals and land. We were the only ones in the cave it was magical.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cacao Farm & Chocolate Making Tour

San Ignacio

Very knowledgeable guides loved going to the farm. The farm was extremely intimate and the kids learned a lot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coral Gardens/Manatee Snorkel Experience from Ramon's Village

San Pedro

Our snorkeling trip was the highlight of the beach portion — absolutely magical. We saw a manatee, sea turtles, sharks, angelfish, and even a huge stingray. It was one of those experiences you know you’ll be talking about for years. Angel our guide was amazing, helpful, excited and patient with the kids.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I cannot recommend Leny enough! From the very beginning, she took the time to get to know both me and my daughter and what we hoped to experience on our mother-daughter trip to Japan. She truly listened to our interests and created a personalized itinerary that was perfect for us. She arranged our train tickets, coordinated activities, and handled so many details that made the entire trip stress-free.

What really set her apart was the support her and her team provided while we were actually in Japan. Whenever we had questions or needed guidance, we could reach out through WhatsApp and receive quick, helpful assistance. It truly felt like we had someone looking out for us every step of the way.

Leny is incredibly kind, friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely cares about creating meaningful travel experiences. Thanks to her, my daughter and I were able to enjoy an unforgettable trip together and make memories that will last a lifetime. Her attention to detail, responsiveness, and personal touch made all the difference. I would absolutely use her services again and highly recommend her to anyone planning a trip to Japan or any other destination.

We used KimKim to help plan our 30th anniversary trip to Italy, and we could not have asked for a better experience. From the very beginning, our planning specialist, Fabio, was exceptional. He truly listened to what we wanted from our trip and was incredibly patient as we explored different ideas and made decisions. He provided thoughtful suggestions, helped us find wonderful places to stay, and created an itinerary that felt personal and perfectly suited to us.
Our journey took us to Lake Como, Venice, Florence (including a wine tasting experience in the Tuscany region), and Positano. Each destination was made even more special by the amazing guides and drivers who helped us experience Italy in such a meaningful way. Our tour guides were extremely knowledgeable, sharing the history, culture, and stories of each area we visited. They helped bring each location to life and gave us insights we would never have discovered on our own.
One of the highlights of our trip was the incredible drivers assigned to us in each location. We often had the same driver for multiple days, which allowed us to build a real connection and get to know each other. We spent many hours with them each day, and they became so much more than transportation providers. They shared stories about their families, their culture, and their lives in Italy, making our experience feel authentic and personal. They were also wonderful guides in their own right, telling us about the history and traditions of the places we traveled through.
Our drivers and guides were always friendly, helpful, and willing to customize our days whenever possible. When we wanted to make changes during the trip or add more time to explore certain areas, Fabio was always available and quickly helped make those adjustments happen. His flexibility allowed us to see even more and enjoy our time without stress.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime anniversary trip, and KimKim helped make it truly unforgettable. We are so grateful to Fabio, our guides, and our drivers for creating such a memorable and personal Italian adventure. We would highly recommend KimKim to anyone looking for a thoughtfully planned and customized travel experience.

Christine designed a trip to South Korea that was filled with memorable discoveries. We started with tours of Gyeongju and Busan, led by Anthony Sung. Anthony had just passed his national travel guide exam and was very knowledgeable and friendly. He took us to burial mounds, museums, and temples in Gyeongju and drove us to Busan, where we saw the fish market (possibly my wife's favorite event of the trip), Gamcheon Village, and markets and towers and the coast. On Jeju Island, we were escorted by Jimmie Koh, the son of a sea woman diver who took us to watch these remarkable people in action. Jimmie accommodated our challenges as 60-something tourists in leading us up 500 steps to the top of Sunrise Peak, and he catered to my background in geology by showing us the largest lava tube in the world and columnar basalts on the coast. Next, Jade Kim took us to Haeinsa Temple near Daegu. That was my favorite temple in South Korea, and Jade expertly described its importance in the history - and present practice - of Buddhism. All of our guides took us to amazing restaurants, and we felt that we sampled a lot of different cuisines by the end of the trip.

I was most impressed that Christine managed to weave our trip within the constraints of a separate itinerary that my student created. We were able to meet my student and his family at the beginning of the trip and to attend his spectacular wedding at the end, and the kimkim trip meshed perfectly with that. Most important, at every transfer, the kimkim drivers and guides were there to meet us, and Christine responded quickly to every email request.

This was the first time we used Kimkim, based on a recommendation by my college classmate. It was great - I chatted back and forth with Aleksandra to customize our vacation just the way we wanted. Then she took care of all the bookings - hotel, transportation, guides, theater tickets, attraction tickets. I usually do the planning for vacations in our family so it was hugely relaxing to not have to be the 'cruise director' on this one. Everything was great, especially the London Black Cab guides, Chris and Jack. We got to see everything we wanted, and had some free time as well.

I like Kimkim because of this customizability - as much or as little planning as you want, the price level you want, and elimination of all the hassle. On big travel events in the future, we will definitely utilized them again.

Hotel Review

Apex City Of London Hotel

London

Very friendly staff, and an excellent breakfast buffet. We fueled up every morning for adventure. And I confess we all enjoyed the tea / hot chocolate and biscuits in the evening! Housekeeping was also great. My wife loves coming back to a clean room and made bed when we are on the road.

Authenticity & Character

Great rooms, and I liked the emphasis on sustainability.

Location

Central to all the things we wanted to see in London - the Tower, British Museum, Eye, LSE.

Staff

The dining staff were all fantastic.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Housekeeping every night did a great job - it was nice to come back to a clean room. With hot chocolate and tea waiting for us, as well as filled water bottles.

Activity Reviews

Hampton Court Half-Day Tour

London

English Heritage does a great job with all the historic sites. Hampton Court is my favorite because of the range of history and the preservation of the artifacts. The audio tour is great, and the cafe was really charming - lunch in the gardens. Don't miss the Great Vine and the gardens.

Stonehenge and Bath

England

Had a great trip to Stonehenge. English Heritage did a great job making it fun for the kids as well, with photo ops and the mythical creature hunt. And Bath is just lovely - my favorite town in Britain. The Roman baths tour is awesome, and the whole town is relaxing.

Tower of London Beefeater Welcome & Crown Jewels

London

Kids loved the tower - they really got into the history, which I was surprised and gratified by. The Beefeaters are of course amazing - don't miss that on the tour.

Wow, just wow! My Husband and I travel quite a bit and are normally our own trip planners even when we go to other countries. This time we were visiting two countries in Europe, which was Switzerland and Austria, and I had just happened to come across kimkim.com and was tossing around the idea of using a travel specialist. I made an inquiry and was met with a very nice person Clemens! We decided after a few messages that we would just let him see what he could come up with for us and to our surprise, he had made a very detailed travel plan through both countries. And we had our initial video call and was quite impressed with his personality and his knowledge of both countries and how personal he was. He listened to what we were wanting and what was important to us and the plan was set into motion, so we hit the go button! Once we got our plan, we decided there was a couple of things we wanted to change, which was no problem. It didn’t feel like it was an aggravation for them. It just seemed that they were there to really, please us and give us a vacation worth remembering! about a week to 10 days before we left there was another video phone call to go through every last detail of our trip and everything was explained to me, and every minute detail from our pick up from the airport, to directions to bus stations times and train tickets, bus tickets, and when I mean, detailed, it was very detailed and step-by-step walk-through. It was quite lovely to have the app to refer to at any moment that we needed it. I downloaded the what’s app and could stay in connection with them at all times. There was only one hiccup in our plans which was one hotel that wasn’t already paid for when we were checking out and all I had to do is pick up the phone and call kimkim on WhatsApp and they immediately fixed the situation! And another time one of our trains was switched to a different train. I called. They immediately picked up and that was also fixed ASAP! As I said before, we have never used a travel agent or specialist and was a little bit nervous about doing it, but I after using kimkim will definitely be using them again! Your plans are light out before you like a well oiled machine! Clemens and his entire team were exceptional, professional, and very kind. If you have never like us, use a travel specialist before I highly recommend using them. I forgot to mention that we traveled first to Switzerland and then onto Austria! The stress that this team took away from me while traveling into these two countries was well worth the price which we thought was very reasonable. we were given suggestions on restaurants things to do. Tickets were put into motion and placed for us and it was just a seamless vacation! The beauty that we saw with the recommendations and the food that we ate was incredible! They will even give you suggestions on what to wear on these excursions! I cannot express to you, how pleased We were and are with this entire experience with this company. To Clemens and his team that were involved, thank you so much for helping us plan an incredible vacation!

Hotel Reviews

Jaz in the City Vienna

Oh my goodness, I cannot say enough about this hotel! The breakfast was insane! The staff were so precious! I am now called Mom by some of the girls there that work in the hotel! Every time we would walk in the door, their faces would light up and we just had a great time here! Made lifelong friends that when they come to America, they wanna come stay with me! Great rooftop bar and food and it felt like they were family by the time we left! Even the bar and restaurant downstairs is incredible! I actually cried just a little bit before I left this one! I made a lot of connections there!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Altstadt Hotel Stadtkrug Salzburg

Salzburg

A very old cool hotel! Loved our location! The staff was incredible here also!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leipziger Hof Innsbruck

Innsbruck

Located right next to a park, which was beautiful! Very nice upscale hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Beau Sejour

Lucerne

This hotel was absolutely stunning!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Restaurant Hirschen

This hotel was very old and beautiful just the way it was described! It was family owned, and we got to know the staff and everyone there and we have later found out that the restaurant is pretty famous. Its inside of this hotel and the food was incredible! The staff were so personable and made friends along the way here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Central Plaza Hotel

Zürich

Great location! Such a friendly staff, and the piano bar was amazing and the hotel was beautiful! Singing along with everybody there that was working there and had great conversation and a really good time!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Paragliding in Salzburg

Salzburg

We also did not get to do this excursion. We had called kimkim and they were more than willing to set up this experience for us, but unfortunately, it just did not work out on our end, but we watched so many of these and it looked like an incredible experience in My Husband really wanted to do it. It just didn’t work out for us to be able to do it.

Quality of Experience

Tip based Walking Tour by Prime Tours - Highlights of Vienna

Vienna

I cannot write this one because we did not attend. We were very tired from traveling and just wanted to be at the hotel and had dinner in that night. At the rooftop bar. I really wanted to do it and probably should have but just was exhausted.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Final Full Day in Vienna with a night of glamour & grandeur at the Vienna State Opera 🎼

Vienna

The opera was very good, it was our last night. I did leave early only because I was very swollen lol, at this point, we had probably walked 80 miles in two weeksand I just could not sit any longer but well worth going. Would like to have seen a little bit of a more traditional opera, but it was a beautiful building.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport