Kimkim Trip Reviews

Father- daughter Iceland trip

We had a wonderful time experiencing the geologic wonders and friendliness of Iceland.

Noga was our primary contact in preparing our trip.
She did an amazing job and was in regular communication with us for our father-daughter trip to Iceland.
Noga was flexible in rearranging 2 travel days to better utilize our time.

Nick was our contact while we were in Iceland and was quite helpful when events beyond his control occurred. - cancellation of glacier snowmobile trip.
- we were disappointed in this cancellation and were surprised that the snowmobile outfitter would cancel because " the number of reservations for that day were not enough". I would suggest using a different snowmobile outfitter.
My prior experience with snowmobile adventures had been that the excursion took place whether all reservations were filled or not.

The accommodations were quite nice and very comfortable.

Some special highlights included the breakfast convenience, hikes through Skaftafell and Svartifoss, Reynisfjara black sand beach, Reykjavik, and Myavtn geologic wonders.

We would highly recommend Kimkim for Iceland trip planning.

Tom Tulisiak
Leann Tulisiak

Hotel Reviews

Skuggi Hotel by Keahotels

Reykjavík

Berjaya Hotel Akureyri

Akureyri

Vogafjós Farm Resort

Myvatn

Hotel 1001 Nott

Egilsstadir

Hali Country Hotel

Hali

Hotel Katla by Keahotels

Vík

The Greenhouse Hotel

Hveragerdi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Reykjavík

Reykjavík

Icelandic Food Walk

Reykjavík

Explore Akureyri

Iceland

Husavik

Iceland

Geological Wonders of Lake Myvatn

Iceland

GeoSea Geothermal Sea Baths Experience

Iceland

Whale Watching Safari by Traditional Boat

Iceland

Explore Djúpivogur

Iceland

Vestrahorn Mountain

Iceland

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Zodiac Boat

Iceland

zodiac boat excursion canceled due to high winds

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach

Iceland

Hike from Skaftafell to Svartifoss Waterfall

Iceland

Explore Vík

Iceland

Reynisfjara Beach & Reynisdrangar Columns

Iceland

Dyrhólaey Arch and Cliffs

Iceland

Skogafoss Waterfall

Iceland

Seljalandsfoss & Gljúfrabúi Waterfalls

Iceland

Gullfoss Waterfall

Golden Circle

Geysir Geothermal Area

Golden Circle

Hike to Reykjadalur Hot Springs

Iceland

Þingvellir National Park

Iceland

Blue Lagoon Premium Admission

Iceland

Vök Baths Experience

Iceland

We had the most wonderful trip to Portugal thanks to Kim Kim and our planner Hector!!
He did a great job by giving us plenty of time in three different locations and a wide range of experiences. Probably our favorite was a winery that ended up being so much more than we could have guessed! The hotels were nice and all very different from each other. Check in processes were seamless. The only thing I would have changed was to go with his original hotel recommendation in Evora (we chose to downgraded for pricing). I have used other travel planning services in the past and was not nearly as impressed. You even get an app to keep you on target! We’ll use them again and again!

Hotel Reviews

Lagos Avenida Hotel

Lagos

Our room was spacious by European standards and very comfortable. The patio was nice and the rooftop pool was awesome, beautiful views! The restaurant was also very good and this hotel has an amazing included breakfast; not just a buffet but menu ordering. A very easy walk to the harbor.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Évora Olive Hotel

Évora

Our room was very tiny and I didn’t love the concrete floors. It was very clean though and had a mini fridge. The lobby is beautiful and the restaurant is quite good. If we had an upgraded room I think I would have enjoyed it more

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Our room was very big for European standards and included a mini fridge. The hotel is a bit older but comfortable and everyone was very nice. The fifth floor terrace to hang out on was spacious and beautiful. An easy walk to all the riverfront activities and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wine Tasting & Lunch at a Portuguese Quinta

Portugal

You will not leave hungry! Multiple courses paired with wine and all very good. A small tour after

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine and Gourmet Experience in Alentejo

Portugal

This was such an incredible experience, probably our favorite of the trip. Without giving away too much this is far more than a normal winery visit

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Very informative way to get to know the city

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Soul of Lisbon: Fado Dinner Experience

Portugal

Wow! What a welcome to Portugal. The food was amazing, the music was magical, and you got unlimited wine; can’t beat it!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We could not have been happier with our trip to Peru. We worked with Anne and Jesus in planning the perfect trip which included multiple hikes and interesting tours. We loved Blanca who took us on a walking food and art tour in the Barranco district in Lima that was incredible. The best ceviche we have ever tasted. And we can't say enough about our guide Edwar who guided us through Cusco's history, the Sacred Valley, the short Inca trail and Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain. He was knowledgeable, upbeat and took great care of us. He felt like family by the end of our 8 days touring with him. Peru was so beautiful and we hope to make it back.

Adam provided me with a tailored experience featuring everything I told him I wanted to see. He made reservations and the most adorable and comfortable hotels which had incredibly friendly staff. He provided detailed maps each day for me to follow and offered many optional sites tailored to my interests. I feel like I truly immersed myself in Iceland and was able to experience everything it has to offer.

I was very pleased with the effort given by Gormunder and the Kimkim team to not only plan a very organized and thoughtful trip but they also adjusted to last minute flight changes to re-set portions of the schedule. The restaurant recommendations were excellent, the hotels selected offered a wonderful experience, the itinerary and time of driving was super helpful, and insight of where to park and what activities you could do after the main stops was insightful and added dimensional joy to the trip. I would certainly book with them again. Shoutout to Gormunder for being present and available with any questions we had. His responses were very timely and helpful.

Loved the hotel and its location to really cool places in France! The pickups were also great and weather was beautiful!

A few suggestions for others:

The walk to Tower from Latin quarter was more like 1hr-30 minutes, we took uber back. We’re in great physical shape to do it except we almost missed our scheduled time slot.

Also, meet up with our guide for Luve tour was a miss and could’ve been improved. Another tour-guide saved the day and got on the phone to help us get to proper location.

We did not get to tour the steps up to Notre Dame towers, this could’ve been arranged if we had been more informed of our options.

Perfect hotel, perfect location, more casual “local” restaurants recommendations next time. We loved ARTABAN restaurant just steps away from hotel.

The City Tour was the highlight of our trip- we loved it! Finally, the drivers from train station and to Airport were excellent!

We will use Kimkim again!

Thank You,
Mike/Cathy

We had very few ideas of what we could or should visit in Colombia. Margoth, the local specialist, helped us work out a most satisfactory experience and even made it easy to visit a friend in her home outside Medellin. We had a great time, felt well taken care of always and enjoyed getting to know more about this beautiful and friendly country. We had a specific driver and guide for each area we visited and each was knowledgeable and helpful. The trip could not have gone more smoothly!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Capellan de Getsemani

Cartagena de Indias

There was a lot of city road work going on while we were there, but Hotel Capellan served as an oasis from that, cool, comfortable, right in the heart of the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Senda Watapuy

Santa Marta

A piece of paradise right outside Tayrona National Park. A pleasure to visit in its own right.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Cielo Hotel

Medellin

Beautiful hotel in the heart of a beautiful city - clean and attentive!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Depart Colombia

Colombia

Walking Tour of Cartagena Highlights (Old City)

Colombia

Tayrona National Park Tour

Colombia

Welcome to Colombia!

Colombia

Rum Tasting with Chocolate Pairing

Cartagena

Half-Day Coffee Farm Tour

Medellín

The Best of Medellín City Tour Highlights (with Comuna 13)

Colombia

Minca Tour with Local Cacao Farm and Marinka waterfalls

Colombia

Loved getting to see the farm and the view was spectacular. A true gem.

We enjoyed our interactions and the service provided by KimKim and our local specialist, Kathrin for our New Zealand adventure. Kathrin was able to plan a great trip for us, within our budget, and was very responsive when we needed to contact her before and during our trip. KimKim kept us notified of how to contact them during the time their offices would be closed due to a national holiday during our stay.
Highlights of our three week trip were the Newton Heights B & B in Akaroa, where we were treated very well by hosts Gail and Brendan in their beautiful and well appointed B & B, The Starlight Gourmet Kayak Tour - Glowworm Caves - our guide, Aaron, was knowledgeable, friendly and helpful, and the time we spent in Aoraki, which included the Tasman glacier terminal lake cruise - the Glacier Explorer staff were all professional, friendly. informative and helpful.
The longest time we stayed in any one place was two nights. We wanted to see as much of the country as we could during the time we had. The only thing we would do differently would be to stay longer in a few of the locations.

After using Anita to help us book our Portugal/Spain trip last year, I knew we had to use her again for our Italy trip this year. I told her the different cities that we wanted to visit and she made a customized itinerary to fit our trip. This was especially difficult since we had four families and one infant. After a few iterations, she was able to put the perfect trip together. The app was extremely helpful because it told us where we needed to be, at what time, and who was going to pick us up. I don’t think we will be booking another trip without KimKim and Anita.

Hotel Reviews

Be Mate Apartments

Rome

Really beautiful apartment with plenty of amenities. The only thing that took away from this place was that they are building a metro station right outside and they were doing construction around 6 am every morning besides the weekend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A lot of construction happening across the street. Woke us up at 6 am every morning.

Staff

Very responsive host

Cleanliness & Comfort

Horto Convento Florence

Firenze

This was a great location. We could get to every place within 15-20 minutes of walking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Away from the crowded parts but close enough that we could walk to wherever we needed to go

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Canada Urban & Chic

Cozy and close to the airport which is what we needed for our quick stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hands-On Roman Pasta Cooking Class in the Historic Jewish Quarter

Rome

This was such a fun class! Our instructor was amazing and we loved all of the food we made. I would highly recommend this tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Beneath the Eternal City: A Journey Through Rome’s Catacombs & San Clemente

Rome

The most surprising tour for me. I didn’t know about the catacombs and it was such an interesting tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome Unearthed: Guided Walk of Colosseum & Ancient City

Rome

One of the most impressive tours we did in all of Italy. It is truly incredible how big the colosseum is. The ancient city was also a great addition to this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the Vatican: From the Museums to the Sistine Chapel

Italy

This was another tour that could have easily been a whole day. There were so many pieces to see and there were rooms upon rooms of amazing artwork.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Masters of the Renaissance: A Journey Through the Uffizi

Florence

I wish we had more time on this tour. It was so good and there are so many things to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Tuscany: Chianti Winery Visit & San Gimignano

Florence

Such a fun trip. One of my family’s favorites. We had two stops which was plenty. We learned a lot about the vineyards and sampled so many types of wines.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Ligurian Excursion: A Full-Day Escape to Cinque Terre

Florence

It was worth the trip but it is about two hours away. We felt a little pressed for time in each town. I think it would be better if we only visited two places instead of three

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Florence on Foot: Michelangelo’s David & Duomo

Italy

The best tour you can do in Florence!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Best of Milan Guided Walk

Italy

This was perfect for us since we only had an an afternoon in Milan.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We hit the ground with enthusiasm and excitement and were not disappointed. The accommodations were perfect for us with The Niche in Athens being our favorite. The reception and staff at all of our stays made us feel warmly welcomed and well supported. Hiking the Imbros Gorge on Crete was a stunning experience and we enjoyed eating, shopping and exploring the charming town of Chania. On to Santorini! We loved Hotel Keti and the staff. The many steps kept us in shape for our long walk from Fira to Oia. It was a challenge but we would to it again! Santorini Sea Kayak provided us with a wonderful and entertaining day of paddling and spectacular views along the coast. Adonis and Nolan were the best guides ever! We were also treated to a homemade lunch.

Naxos was a treasure and a sweet change of pace. Although the winds were gusty and it was a bit chilly we stilled loved the island. One of our favorite tours was with Natural Cultural Tours. Our guide Christos was over the top fun, knowledgeable, and entertaining. Sadly we said goodbye the Greek Islands as we headed back to Athens and our long journey home. Thank you Kim Kim for giving us this opportunity!

Activity Review

Private Countryside Walk: Naxian Villages & Local Food

Naxos

I can’t say enough about how incredible our trip to Greece was — and a huge part of that was thanks to Siena and the entire team at KimKim. From start to finish, everything felt seamless, thoughtful, and so well planned.

Even the rainy weather during our Acropolis & Mythology Walk in Athens couldn’t dampen the experience. Our guide, Michael, was hilarious, engaging, and incredibly knowledgeable. Our Delphi day trip was equally memorable, and the lunch stop on the drive home — arranged by our driver Chris — ended up being one of the highlights of the entire trip.

In Chania, our History & Foodie Tour was absolutely delicious (and VERY filling), and our guide Aria was genuinely lovely. We were also lucky enough to have Nikos as our guide for both the Milia Mountain wine & olive oil tasting and the Balos Lagoon/Falassarna Beach tour — and he was truly exceptional. He had such a warm, welcoming energy that he made both excursions feel relaxed and personal. We also met wonderful people on each of our small group tours, which made the experience even more special.

Eva at the Alcanea Boutique Hotel was beyond kind and accommodating. The suite was beautiful, and the location honestly couldn't have been more perfect.

One thing I especially appreciated was how supported we felt the entire time. Having contacts for every transfer and knowing KimKim was available if anything went wrong made traveling abroad feel easy and stress-free.

I would HIGHLY recommend KimKim to anyone planning a trip. We made memories we’ll never forget — and I know we’ll absolutely use them again in the future.

Laurent set up the most incredible trip for us! All of the accommodations he booked were top tier. He put together a trip that was truly tailored to our interests and what we wanted to do, all while staying within budget and still providing luxury experiences. We loved the private tours that were set up for us to learn about history and cultures of the towns we were in. We also had the best time at our glamping experience in Lake Bled. Truly the best trip!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel R Palazzo

Dobrota, Kotor

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lapad

Dubrovnik

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ribno Alpine Resort - Luxury Glamping

Bled

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sanje ob Soči

Bovec

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mrak 4*

Ljubljana

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Boat trip in Kotor's Bay

Slovenia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Planning a pilgrimage as meaningful and complex as the 88 Temple Pilgrimage in Japan requires extraordinary coordination, care, and expertise — and our travel specialist Angel, exceeded every expectation.

From the very beginning, every logistical detail was handled with precision and professionalism. The itinerary was thoughtfully organized, transportation was seamless, hotel arrangements were comfortable and perfectly located, and every reservation — from temple visits to dinners — was flawlessly executed. The timing throughout the journey was exceptional, allowing our group to experience the pilgrimage deeply without ever feeling rushed or overwhelmed.

What truly made this experience unforgettable was the incredible team assigned to accompany us. Every member of the support staff was attentive, knowledgeable, kind, and deeply committed to ensuring our group felt supported throughout the pilgrimage. Their cultural understanding, patience, and ability to anticipate our needs created a sense of ease and trust that allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the spiritual and personal aspects of the journey.

The dinner experiences were another highlight — beautifully selected venues that introduced us to authentic Japanese cuisine while also accommodating the needs of our group with care and thoughtfulness. Every day reflected an extraordinary level of preparation and attention to detail.

Coordinating a large group on a pilgrimage of this scale is no small task, yet everything felt effortless because of the dedication and excellence behind the scenes. We are profoundly grateful for the care, professionalism, and heart that went into creating this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I would recommend this agency and Angel as the best team without hesitation to anyone considering a pilgrimage or group journey in Japan. Their expertise transformed an already meaningful trip into something truly extraordinary.

we had a great trip to Guatemala and Belize. What two lovely countries with som much culture. Definitely worth a trip. Antigua (with the various day tours), Tikal and also Xunantunich and Caye Caulker in Belize.

The local travel agents, did a fantastic job, were always available and responded to our needs and requests. When we didnt like a hotel (as it just didnt look as advertised) they found an alternative..

If there is one thing i would wish for it is that there were better hotels - which were never offered to us (we had originally said we prefer 4 star but ended up largely with what i would call mid to lower end 3 star. We did on our own when there see better hotels and would have loved to book them (some were the same price eg., in caye caulker) or at least have the option.

Everything from start to finish was wonderful. Ariel helped us plan our trip and he was very responsive to our questions and requests! His communication with us throughout our trip was excellent. We began our trip in Quito. Our driver, Cristobal, was very helpful. He gave us suggestions for things to do in the city, and types of Ecuadorian foods to eat. More significantly, he walked us through the airport to get us to the Galapagos - customs, check in, and location of the security gate for our flight. Once in the Galapagos we had outstanding guides and Kimkim boots on the ground help. In San Cristobal, Ian made sure we were at the right places and on time. In Santa Cruz, Viviana gave us an outstanding Highland Tour. We’d highly recommend this tour as you can get up close to the giant tortoises in their natural environment. Scuba Iguana was an outstanding dive outfit. Our dive guides, Gabby and Kike, were awesome. We’ve dove in multiple places around the world and we’d say that Scuba Iguana was the best thus far - and we thought the others were good too! Staff is friendly and fun. They make a point of knowing your name, comfort level, and help every step of the way. We felt spoiled. While in Santa Cruz, my husband came down with a bad bacterial and viral infection that left him very dehydrated. We couldn’t have navigated this issue without the help of Kimkim boots on the ground. Many thanks to Diego, Veronica, and Tatiana for helping with Spanish translation, rearranging our stay, and ensuring we were well taken care of throughout a stressful situation. I will definitely work with Kimkim again on future trips.

Hotel Reviews

La Isla Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Clean and comfortable. Breakfast each morning was very good. Centrally located with many attractions within walking distance. Staff was very helpful and friendly. Loved the shower - it’s huge!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Galapagos Sunset Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Centrally located and close to many attractions

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casona de La Ronda

Quito

Small boutique hotel with outstanding service. Clean and comfortable, friendly staff. We had a great breakfast at the hotel and dinners were wonderful too!

Authenticity & Character

Loved the architecture

Location

In the heart of the historic district and walking distance to many sights.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover Isla Pinzón & Playa La Fé

Puerto Ayora

Scuba Diving - Another day to dive in Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

Scuba Diving - Another day to dive in Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

Hammerheads!!

Scuba Diving - Day Trip from Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

Scuba Iguana is a top notch dive outfit. Highly recommended!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gabby and Kike were super! The captain of the boat, Enrique, was very good. Jose helped out with dive gear, snacks and lunch- outstanding.

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

Fun to see the giant tortoises in their natural environment.

Quality of Experience

Food

Outstanding!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Viviana was very knowledgeable.

Transport

Snorkel at Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido)

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Certainly not the fault of the guides - visibility was not great. Make sure you don’t go when there’s a full moon. Apparently it impacts what you can see.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This review comes a year post trip but it was an unforgettable experience in that it was my husband's and my 70th Birthday celebration vacation. Helena, our KimKim coordinator was fantastic. We made 6 major changes in our plans and she was patient and perfect throughout. The trip was very customized in that my son traveled with us through Spain- Madrid, San Sebastian and Barcelona-and then it was just my husband and me in Portugal (Porto, Lisbon & Lagos). The domestic transportation, international connections, tours (cultural, food & wine) were amazing with no glitches whatsoever. We not only traveled to the major cities, listed above, but also small neighboring fishing villages, monasteries, walled cities with palaces, wineries and churches. Antoni Gaudi"s Basilica de la Sagrada Familia has got to be my favorite church of all that I've visited.

Hotel Reviews

Portugal Boutique City Hotel

Lisbon

A lovely , clean and spacious centrally-located hotel. We were given pasteis de nata the evening before we checked out!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Praktik Bakery

Barcelona

The highlights of this hotel were the amazing early morning aromas of baking breads and pastries and the breakfasts served. The negative is the teeny, tiny rooms with no place to put clothes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hooks or racks to put clothes

Zenit Convento San Martin

San Sebastián

The Zenit Convento San Martin was one of our favorite hotels- a remodeled convent-spacious, good breakfast, bar and was 2 blocks away from La Concha Beach and about 10-15 min away from the Old Town where delicious pintxos abound.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Douro Valley Highlights: Wine, Olive Oil & River Cruise

Porto

More beautiful blue tiled buildings in Pinhao, a winery tour and tasting at Croft, a panoramic river cruise topped off by a delicious traditional Portuguese lunch of cured meats and cheeses, grilled fish, and a moist, multilayered cake with a light syrup sauce....and, of course, wine! Oh and then there was another wine tour at Veira de Sousa and another Pastel de Nata before calling it a day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner With Locals: A Homemade Portuguese Experience

Lisbon

This experience was cancelled and replaced with a dinner at a restaurant that had several Prado singers. The dinner was great and the music was wonderful. We never figured our why the dinner with locals was cancelled but we made the best of what we were given.

Food

Explore Porto’s Hidden Gems with a Local Guide

Porto

Porto has a lot of hills so my favorite part of this tour was the boat ride on the Douro River, a good way to get a perspective of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. In the evening that we had to ourselves we had reservations to dine at Tapa Bento, in the train station. The tapas were fantastic especially the oxtail dumplings and steamed clams. On the way we stopped for another Pastel de Nata.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taylor’s Port Wine Experience with Tasting

Porto

The morning before the tour we had some time to ourselves and went to a second breakfast at the majestic Majestic Cafe. Beautiful restaurant with lots of mirrors, glass, marble and a French toast treat called a Torrija. Crispy, sweet, eggy and delicious. After walking in the neighborhoods we stopped to try Ginjinha, a cherry liqueur in a dark chocolate cup. Yummm! The lady helping us was so friendly. For lunch we tried the soft and tasty pork sandwich, the Bifana at Conga, Casa das Bifanas. So we were prepared, somewhat ,for our Port tasting experience... Man did we drink a lot of Port at Sandeman! Our server served us 5 types of port and I could not finish most of them. Possibly because port tends to be sweet and has a higher alcohol content but, technicalities aside, the wines were delicious and she was very informative about the process of making Port wine.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Inside Benagil Caves by Boat

Portugal

It was fun sitting on the saddle-like seats on the speed boat and seeing the coast from the water side.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Montserrat Mountain & Explore Penedès Wineries

Barcelona

Beautiful drive through vineyards. Our tour of Albet i Noya Penedes winery was perfect. Delicious wines, tasty charcuterie plate and gorgeous green hillside vistas. The Montserrat Monastery was imposingly perched on the side of the mountain and the views into the nearby valleys were spectacular. Although we did not get to see the Black Madonna up close, she was still beautiful from afar.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Market to Table: Cook Authentic Spanish Dishes

Barcelona

Visiting market places is one of my favorite things to do to really see how the locals live and eat. The chef who toured us through the market and then brought us to her kitchen, overlooking the plaza was a well-prepared and knowledgable cook. We made a Spanish tortilla, seafood paella and creme catalan. The wine flowed freely and there were snacks of meats and cheeses to keep us student cooks fortified.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My adult son is a quiet person and the chef kept trying to draw him out, to the point where she was a bit obnoxious. Some people just aren't comfortable yakking it up and after 1 or 2 attempts at getting him to open up, she should've let him be.

Barcelona Highlights: Guided Walk & Iconic Sagrada Família

Barcelona

I had read about the history of Antoni Gaudi's Basilica de la Sagrada Familia before coming to Barcelona but to see it in person...whoa!...It was an experience of a lifetime. The sculptures and decorative detail both inside and out, the way it was positioned to use the rise and fall of the sun to create sunrise and sunset colors within the church. What an amazing sight!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit of San Sebastian

San Sebastián

The guided visit of San Sebastian was helpful in that it made getting around San Sebastian easier so that we could spend our free time sightseeing and visiting our favorite Pintxo bars with confidence. We especially enjoyed the views of the bay, central San Sebastian and the tour of the Church of St Vicente Martir.

Quality of Experience

The Pintxos

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guides and staff were very knowledgable, accommodating and friendly.d

Transport

Toledo Highlights Day Excursion

Madrid

I thought the train ride to Toledo from Madrid was a nice way to travel. Our guide was born and raised there and was very proud of "his town." The small alley ways, stone streets, the expansive courtyards were very visually appealing. The ornate and imposing Cathedral of St Mary of Toledo stood out in my mind because there were burial sites with the bronze plaques on the floor for several Cardinals and suspended above each of the sites was the cardinal's hat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Madrid’s Old Town

Madrid

I think visiting the central market was eye-opening with all of the meats, cheeses and fresh shell fish. There's so much history compared to our homeland, the US. Even the restaurants that have lasted more than 100 yrs are commemorated with bronze plaques in the sidewalk.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Zarautz, Getaria & Zumaia: A Basque Coastal Excursion

San Sebastián

Zarautz had gently rolling hills and lush green vineyards, overlooking the ocean. Getaria was also covered with green farmlands as well as having a busy port city with lots of boats. Zumaia had tall cliffs facing the ocean.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San Sebastian Pintxo Experience

San Sebastián

I ate and loved things I didn't think I would ever like- anchovies. Also the foods I love were only made more fantastic by the presentation and accompanying ingredients. Bar Sport was my favorite with their Gildas and Foie Gras over veal toasts. I would go back to San Sebastian in a heartbeat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I think we walked to the meeting place.

Tapas & Tradition: A Madrileño Evening

Madrid

It was wonderful starting our Spain vacation with a tapas food tour. Between the wines, vermouth, Spanish tortilla, jamon, sausages and peppers, our guide was enthusiastic, informative and friendly. A truly wonderful welcome to Spain

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From the first driver who picked us up at the airport, to the hotel workers, taxi drivers, and tour guides, everyone was extremely friendly and helpful. We had the most wonderful experience and felt like royalty everywhere we went, that’s how good the service was! Our trip planner, Eirini, listened to our wishes and advised us on the best times to visit as well as suggested places worth seeing during the time we were not taking tours. I have never had a better vacation and will absolutely use KimKim in the future!

Hotel Reviews

18 Micon Street

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Authenticity & Character

Location

On a small side street so can be hard to find but seemed to be a safe area and we had no issues

Location

On a small side street so can be hard to find but seemed to be a safe area and we had no issues

Staff

Very helpful and thoughtful! We had to leave earlier than breakfast time and the staff left out a bag full of breakfast for us to take! Very sweet (the food was also great)

Staff

Very helpful and thoughtful! We had to leave earlier than breakfast time and the staff left out a bag full of breakfast for us to take! Very sweet (the food was also great)

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness & Comfort

Honeymoon Petra Villas

Santorini

The views are to die for but beware there are many stairs!! Can’t have cliff side views without putting some work in. Food was good at the restaurant but you can get better in town

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to many restaurants, walking distance to Fira. A drive from Oia. Hard to find your room sometimes as it is somewhat of a maze

Staff

Staff was always going above and beyond to make sure you have a great time!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Avgoustos Suites

Naxos

The bedrooms are to DIE for, from the double rainhead shower to the high tech blinds and the personal hot tub. We didn’t want to leave!! Quiet area and lots of privacy

Authenticity & Character

The food in gorgonna tavern below (as well as the breakfasts they serve in the hotel) changed my life!!! Literally, I’m trying to recreate the recipes at home

Authenticity & Character

The food in gorgonna tavern below (as well as the breakfasts they serve in the hotel) changed my life!!! Literally, I’m trying to recreate the recipes at home

Location

Wish it were closer to the port (you have to rent a car if you want to be in town) however the quietness and calmness of the area was refreshing

Location

Wish it were closer to the port (you have to rent a car if you want to be in town) however the quietness and calmness of the area was refreshing

Staff

The owner welcomed us before our room was ready with wine and a local charcuterie and sat and talked with us, telling us about the local things to do and what Naxos is known for. We have never had better service at a hotel!!!

Staff

The owner welcomed us before our room was ready with wine and a local charcuterie and sat and talked with us, telling us about the local things to do and what Naxos is known for. We have never had better service at a hotel!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean from the first day we got there to the last day we left. Housekeeping was great!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sea kayaking experience

Santorini

Our tour guides, jiannis and Nolan, were extremely friendly and fun to be around. They had as much fun working as we did being on the tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini wine tour

Santorini

We did not know that we had a private tour until the day of, which made our day! Having your own private driver and tour guide makes you feel somehow famous

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran day cruise

Naxos

Very difficult to have perfect weather for something like this, possibly something you want to wait for the week of to book. We were both freezing and got sunburned at the same time

Quality of Experience

Nothing to do with the staff, they were amazing. The weather was just freezing due to the breeze which made the experience difficult to fully enjoy

Food

The food was all freshly prepared from scratch right on the boat!! Authentic and tasty

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Villages of Naxos food tour

Naxos

If you have any doubts, stop and just book it!!! We will be talking about this tour for years to come!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Life changing. We made sure to get good olive oil and honey before returning home!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was awesome! All the people we interacted with Kimkim were exceptional. We had bad weather in Santorini and they were able to reschedule our Catamaran sunset cruise so we didn’t miss anything! The local tour guides were all great very knowledgeable and personable!
We loved every place we visited
The rooms were all great and located in the heart of things easy to get around. All breakfast that was included was great except our place in Santorini could have been improved it lacked in comparison to the other places.
We would recommend KimKim without hesitation and will use them for future trips
Sydney was very helpful and patient!

Hotel Reviews

Elia Zampeliou Hotel

Chania

Great location awesome view of the bay everything was close

Authenticity & Character

In the middle of everything loved the balcony

Location

Walked everywhere beautiful balcony views

Staff

The breakfast staff was excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable

Abasa Suites

Santorini

Room was very large bathroom was very spacious staff was nice and helpful

Authenticity & Character

Breakfast was not as good or plentiful as the other places

Location

It was quiet and removed from all the tourist

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Argo Boutique Hotel

Naxos

It is walkable close to beach it was noisy but not sure you can control and it was a little small

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

More knowledgeable about surroundings

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sweet Home Hotel

Athens

Host were exceptional breakfast was great! Good location close to everything

Authenticity & Character

Homey comfortable and safe

Location

Close to everything

Staff

Pleasant always creates us when coming and going

Cleanliness & Comfort

Small but comfortable had a chair to sit nice balcony

Activity Reviews

White Mountains Excursion with Wine & Olive Oil Tastings

Chania

Beautiful drive

Quality of Experience

Beautiful views

Food

Excellent food selection and more than enough to eat

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very smart and informative

Transport

Self Guided Museums of Chania

Chania

Quality of Experience

Private Guided Walk Through Old Town Chania

Chania

Goody was great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Goody was great

Transport

Self-Guided Local Markets Visit

Chania

Cute town

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Santorini Shopping

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Sunset Caldera Catamaran Cruise

Santorini

Could have been an hour shorter probably because it was cold

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Fira to Oia Hike

Santorini

Amazing views hike was moderate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lily was very energetic

Transport

Self Guided Beach Time in Naxos

Naxos

The weather didn’t allow us to enjoy

Quality of Experience

Private Countryside Walk: Naxian Villages & Local Food

Naxos

Great time with Christos food was excellent

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Christos and kostos were both very friendly

Transport

Self-Guided Local Markets Visit

Naxos

Quality of Experience

Evening Neighborhood Food Walk

Athens

Nice assortment of food to try

Quality of Experience

Look

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Clea was fantastic and knowledgeable

Transport

Ancient Athens Acropolis & Mythology Walk

Athens

Very informative and interesting great tour guide Sophia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We stayed close and were able to walk

Self-Guided Local Markets Visit

Athens

Loved walking around and exploring things

Quality of Experience

Overall, we had a very good experience with Kimkim and enjoyed our two-week trip to Europe. Our travel specialist, Leslie, was knowledgeable about the destinations and provided excellent suggestions for hotels and activities. Many of the recommendations contributed positively to our trip and helped us discover experiences we may not have found on our own. We especially liked Patrizia who escorted us through Bellagio. Also, our driver, Rolant spoke excellent English and was fun, which made traveling enjoyable.

However, there were several areas where the planning process could have been improved. One of the biggest issues was that the final itinerary was not provided in a timely manner. While we had shared the cities we wanted to visit, flights, and some hotels and activities we were interested in, we were not really asked which activities we specifically wanted included or excluded from the schedule. Much of the itinerary was created without our direct input, and we did not receive the finalized schedule until shortly before departure.

As a result, we ended up requesting multiple changes while we were already traveling. Although adjustments were eventually made, handling itinerary changes during the trip itself was stressful and time-consuming. In several cases, activities had already been booked and charged to us even though they were not things we were particularly interested in doing, which unfortunately resulted in lost money.

Another frustration was the lack of pricing transparency. When we requested a detailed cost breakdown for hotels, transfers, and excursions, we were told that this was not possible and that only percentage allocations could be provided. A more itemized breakdown would have helped us better understand the value of the services and make more informed decisions during the planning process.

In summary, the trip itself was very enjoyable. The destination expertise was strong, but better communication, earlier itinerary finalization, more collaboration on activity selection, and greater pricing transparency would have significantly improved our experience.

Catherina and her team helped plan a memorable family vacation in Belize! We have a large family and Catherina was able to accommodate everyone based off of age and physical abilities. The trip was planned perfectly and everything went smoothly so we could enjoy our time together!

Hotel Reviews

ITZ'ANA RESORT

Placencia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sweet Songs Jungle Lodge, a Muy’Ono Resort

San Ignacio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Laughing Bird Snorkeling.

Placencia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monkey River Wildlife & Manatee Watch Adventure.

Hopkins Village

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaguar Preserve

Belize

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maya Cacao Belizean Experience

Belize

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Green Iguana Conservatory

San Ignacio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

ATM Cave | Actun Tunichil Muknal

Belize

Quality of Experience

I

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Leisure Day.

Belize

Xunantunich & Barton Creek

Belize

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport