Kimkim Trip Reviews

My friend and I were planning a girls trip to take a break from our mommy duties and experience Switzerland, and working with KimKim made the entire process seamless from start to finish. My friend initially booked through KimKim, and we were connected with Valentine, who helped us plan an absolutely incredible trip.

I can’t emphasize enough how easy and stress-free the entire experience was. Valentine took all of our ideas—everything we wanted to do, the places we hoped to visit, and the budget we had in mind—and turned it into a truly magical itinerary. Every detail was thoughtfully planned, allowing us to fully enjoy our trip without worrying about logistics.

Honestly, I’m not sure how we would have been able to coordinate all of the activities and hotels on our own. Thanks to Valentine, everything flowed perfectly. It was such a smooth, enjoyable process with an unforgettable result.

I would highly recommend using KimKim for anyone looking to plan a trip like this in the future.

Working with Eirini was so easy. she listened from the very beginning as to what we were looking for in our vacation and then magically made it happen. She worked within my budget and each adventure was better than the last. Our drivers were always waiting for us, always spoke English beautifully, and made sure we arrived to our next destination safely and on time. Our guides were knowledgeable. We had just enough down time to spend walking through towns and experienced the people around us. I would highly recommend Kim Kim Travel Agency and Eirini specifically.

I had the best time in Costa Rica. Adam was so helpful and the place we stayed was amazing. I missed my flight getting there and Adam arranged for someone to pick me up at the airport. That was so nice because it was upsetting and stressful and having Kim Kim to help me made it so much better.

The place we stayed was amazing. We all want to go back and bring our families. The people at our resort were all so nice. It was like a wellness retreat. We loved the people, the place, the food and the tour we did ( the hike and waterfall) we all enjoyed.

I would let people know to bring cash 😊
I will call Adam again to help with another trip.

Hotel Review

Hotel Aguas Claras

Puerto Viejo

This place is so special and amazing. We all loved it. The people are also very friendly and food was delicious. We all want to come back.

Authenticity & Character

What makes this place so special is how you are in paradise and not too big or crowded. It is a 4 hour drive from the airport but worth it. You stay in a beautiful house surrounded by trees. The people are so personable and friendly and the food is amazing too. You eat lunch on the beach with only a few tables which makes it so special. I would highly recommend this place.

Location

It is a 4 hour drive from the airport but was worth it. It is truly gorgeous.

Staff

They all were so nice 😊

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cahuita National Park Snorkel & Rainforest Hike

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

We weren't able to do the snorkeling but the hike to the waterfall was a lot of fun. I would let people know to bring some cash.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

good locations for hotels, easy use of transit, great tours and suggestions, enjoyed the world heritage windmill visit, a better explantion of providor of boat cruise.

Hotel Reviews

The Collector Hotel

The Hague

great service and advise for transit use by staff, excellent breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mai Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Great staff, luggage didn't arrive for 2 days provided some necessitiew

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rotterdam - Kinderdijk windmills by water shuttle

The Netherlands

great experience and visuals

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

better explanation od subway to boat dock, got info from hotel staff

Transport

both public transit and boat ride not well explained.

Delft - Royal Delft Blue Pottery

The Netherlands

did't go went to the Vermeer Museum for an explanation of his works and techniques that was informative

The Hague - Mauritshuis Museum

The Netherlands

great, audio guide infrmative

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

public transit and walking

Haarlem - Cycling to the beach of Bloemendaal

The Netherlands

great experienc, beautiful scenery, regret only doig short ride secondary to weather.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

bike staff great

Transport

Amsterdam - Day trip to Haarlem by train

Amsterdam

great experience and visuals

Quality of Experience

Transport

public trans port good, a little better explanation on nhow to get to the boat shuttle and what to expect would have been appreciated

Amsterdam - Anne Frank House

The Netherlands

Had gone to the dutch resitance museum prior so we were a little desensitized to all the horrors, realizing if they were not discovered so close to the end they might of survived was crushing.

Quality of Experience

Transport

we walked from the resitance museum to this location, street scenrey was great, had a bit to eat prior to visit

Amsterdam - Resistance Museum

The Netherlands

great historic information, we walked there from our hotel

Quality of Experience

Transport

we walkes that day extensively

Amsterdam - Explore wetlands by canoe (2hr)

The Netherlands

change of pace good visuals

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

our guide thru wetlands great

Transport

public

Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum

The Netherlands

Fun actually met an old friend from 40 yeats ago and toured the museum with them.

Quality of Experience

Transport

public

Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)

The Netherlands

swithed fro recorded to skipper on explanations

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum

The Netherlands

very informative, easy to get to!

Quality of Experience

Transport

Amsterdam - Private guided historic city walk

The Netherlands

guide knowledgable and gave us the tour we wanted

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Public transport pass Netherlands (OV chip card)

The Netherlands

ease to use

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

public transit easy to use, private walking tour was great,

Transport

public transit great

Gustavo helped me plan a fantastic trip to Greece for our family. He patiently worked with me to craft a the itinerary for the unique trip I had in mind, spanning the North to the South, that I would have been hesitant to plan on my own. The Kimkim app and chat/comment functions made planning the trip so much easier than the typical email back and forth, as I could see the detail in all of the hotels and tours we were considering. When I needed to speak in person to Gustavo, that was easy to schedule as well.

All of the guides on our trip were amazing and extremely knowledgeable. Two of our guides (in Mycenae and Monemvasia) were even trained archeologists! Our hiking guides in Meteora and Bali Canyon were experienced guides as was our river rafting guide in the North and our kayaking guide in Epidaurus. We loved our truffle hunting and pasta lunch in the forest as well as our Acropolis tasting tour (a great way to stay awake on our arrival day)! The positives are truly too numerous to mention.

The hotels we picked with assistance from Gustavo all met or exceeded expectations, and each of our car transfers were seamlessly executed, to our pleasant surprise. Communications while in country were easy and responsive when we inquired about making some adjustments for transfers during the course of the trip.

I would not hesitate to use Kimkim again for our next trip and recommend them without reservation!

Hotel Reviews

One&Only Aesthesis

Athens

The bungalows with private plunge pool and patio for each room were jaw-dropping. Every amenity was given thought. Excellent hotel service at check-in and at beach.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect place to relax and unwind before flying back to U.S.

Staff

We had a great experience with the exception of our dinner at Ora restaurant where service was extremely slow and inattentive, especially given the pricetag. However the breakfast experience and staff was fine.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bungalows were exceptional.

Kinsterna Hotel Monemvasia

Monemvasia Peloponnese

Beautiful hotel with spectacular grounds and authentic feel. We loved our villa with room for all. Breakfast was phenomenal and we enjoyed the pool, padel and spa amenities. Great start to the wind-down and relaxation part of our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful and comfortable!

Location

It was a short cab ride away from the town of Monemvasia but still worth the tradeoff.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Authentic Greek resort feel.

Epoch House & The Orange Shop

Nafplio Greece

Hotel was very conveniently located in Nafplio which made up for its shortcomings (lack of restaurant and amenities).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel and rooms were clean but beds were lumpy and uncomfortable unfortunately.

Tsikeli Hotel Meteora

Meteora

Although a “3-star” hotel we very much enjoyed our stay and having some additional rooms to spread out in. The affiliated restaurant had great food and the hotel staff was very accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A short walk from the larger town of Kalabaka but still very convenient.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Electra Metropolis

Athens

Conveniently located with excellent breakfast on rooftop restaurant overlooking the Acropolis. 5 star status commensurate with a city hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easily walkable to Acropolis and neighborhoods.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Truffle Hunting & Mushroom Museum Tour

Meteora

This experience was a nice interlude to our Meteora hiking adventures. It was cute spending some time with the truffle hunting dog, and the picnic lunch of freshly made truffle pasta in the wood was a memorable experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Delicious -I wish we could have shipped it home to eat again!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rafting Adventure in Meteora

Meteora

Although not the Vikos Gorge, and although rapids were only Level 2-3, we still enjoyed our day on the water. Rafting guide was great and it was a unique and beautiful experience rafting amidst the Meteora rocks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Pindus Mountain Villages & Trikala

Meteora

Guide was knowledgeable and van driver good but tour overall was not so interesting to warrant the 7 hours dedicated to it. History of archaelogical excavations was most interesting part.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Sunset Hermit Caves Hike

Meteora

This was our first intro to Meteora and we enjoyed having knowledgeable and experienced guide and hiker to help familiarize ourselves.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See above. Transfer arrived timely and worked closely with our guide.

Transport

See above.

Guided Wine Tasting in Historic Athens

Athens

We lived our guide who was knowledgeable about Athens neighborhoods although not wine. The tour was a nice tour of neighborhoods but did not comport with tour description in many respects.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Neighborhoods of Athens Discovery Walk

Athens

Enjoyed seeing non-touristy neighborhoods and secret ruins along with major attractions such as government buildings.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Acropolis & Highlights Walk with Food Tastings

Athens

Guide was knowledgeable and kept us engaged despite jetlag.

Quality of Experience

Incorporation of tasting in tour broke things up and avoided us having to figure out dining plan during out first day.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Meeting points could have been better explained, the tour company for Saint Micheele did not provide the transit {10 passenger van that you descibed.] We were placed on a bus with alot of people, we got a tour with another couple who were spanish, single guide thru the abbey, slowed visit time because of double translation

Hotel Review

Hotel Brighton

Paris

great location, staff is very helpful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

From Paris to Mont-Saint-Michel: Abbey, Village & Bay

Paris

guide was great, put on bus with alot of people instead of the small coach for ten as promised or explained in your guide. Unfourtunaely guide had another couple who only spoke spanish, slow time thru abby tour because of double translation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

guide great transit large bus, put on last, poor visibilty of country side.

Transport

large bus, poor sitting put on last, no ten passenger coach

Early Seine River Gourmet Dinner Cruise

Paris

resonable meal and little miss communication with staff served expresso at end of dinner instead of decaf coffee latta, graet bridge sites an explanation of the various bridges would have been great to enhance the experince,

Quality of Experience

Food

served expresso instead of decaf latte after dinner, not corrected

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

used privat transport fromVersailles to the river that was good, we arranged that

Paris Museum Pass

Paris

We used it for visisiting the Louvre for & hours [art overload] and to go to Versailles, It would of helped to gett a better handle on its use.

Quality of Experience

🔸 Eiffel Tower : Reserved Access to the Summit + Audio guide

Paris

better on start point, we actually went to the tower first and denied access, went to location thanks to MAPS APP, eventually founf the guide, a better explanation on this would have helped, we thought the confirmation number was our access to the tower.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Notre-Dame & Sainte-Chapelle Visit with Priority Access

Paris

excellent guide, knew the history and archectecture

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hidden Corners Bike Trip

Paris

great guide, felt safe with the streets taken

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a wonderful family trip. It was great getting to spend time with our adult children for a whole week. We loved the experiences that were booked-had a great time with all of them. The problems arose with transportation being to our hotels and to different excursions. It started at the airport and tying to find the driver. My husband was texting the driver because we had a long customs wait. When we tried to call the number wouldn’t work so had to keep walking around until we stumbled upon him and he was where he said he would be waiting. We were given times to meet our drivers for excursions and miss transportation because we were given the wrong time. Had to contact excursions and get on the next van. Our next excursions was a catamaran tour. My husband contacted the company and we found we had to walk down the beach to meet the group. We walked down the beach and they did not have our name on the reservation. We were given the wrong place to meet however the gentleman with the excursion company was able to contact someone and they had space on the boat where we were. Catastrophe averted again. Everything turned out fine but when spending this much money for a trip-all of the details and hassles should have been taken care of for us. We are seasoned travelers from all over the US, Europe,Central America, and Africa-when I am in charge and planning things then I expect to handle lots of issues but when I pay for another-I expect them to handle the details.

What a wonder-filled, awesome experience! I am unable to express the magnitude of our enjoyment and appreciation for your plans, support, and careful analysis and follow-through in creating a vacation we could only have dreamed of!

Hotel Review

Hotel Brighton

Paris

Fabulous room and view! Nice breakfast room. Supportive, kind staff. Could benefit from a doorman at intervals.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely.

Location

Are you serious? It's literally at the Louvre and Musée de l'Orangerie and , convenient to Musée d'Orsay and subway.

Staff

Kind and responsive; offered professionalism when we needed it with a taxi driver ~ simply outstanding.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were a wee bit cold but so well appointed.

Activity Reviews

Paris Museum Pass

Paris

It was great to allow us the freedom to decide which museums we wanted to visit - we took time to hire a driver to access Versailles - we would have like to have had more time in the gardens (but plan to return in the future ;) and then spent 7 HOURS on another day at the Louvre! Really excellent planning with personal flexibility to allow personal choices to plan our time....superb service with Kimkim!

Quality of Experience

From Paris to Mont-Saint-Michel: Abbey, Village & Bay

Paris

It was fun to be on a bus and see a bit of the countryside, although most of the way is, by necessity, on highways with obstructive (but beautiful) trees limiting sightseeing. The bus was very comfortable, however the guide, while very kind and knowledgeable was very loud and repeating herself in English, French and Spanish which was annoying at intervals.

Early Seine River Gourmet Dinner Cruise

Paris

The site was easy to find, and the staff let us board even before the scheduled time because it was a bit rainy. We had lovely, unobstructed seating and a fabulous, light dinner with a welcome selection of options.

Quality of Experience

Food

Light, delicious fare

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Attentive, accomodating, and competent staff

🔸 Eiffel Tower : Reserved Access to the Summit + Audio guide

Paris

I didn't acquire an audio guide. The guide was courteous but managed the logistics of getting to the tower and negotiating the elevator access, then said good-bye. We were so very crowded in the lift.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Notre-Dame & Sainte-Chapelle Visit with Priority Access

Paris

The guide was courteous, well-informed, and responsive, i.e., carefully retracing to various exhibits in response to our questions. Simply a lovely experience.

Hidden Corners Bike Trip

Paris

Super fun, safe, and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff were prepared, experienced, kind, encouraging, and sensitive to safety, which allowed a relaxing opportunity to enjoy riding the streets of Paris.

Our experience with KimKim was outstanding from start to finish. As first-time international travelers, we were a bit nervous about planning a 40th birthday trip abroad, but Alexia, our travel specialist based in Montpellier, made the entire process completely stress-free.

Alexia listened carefully to what we wanted, created a perfectly tailored itinerary, and handled every detail with professionalism and care. From accommodations and transportation to activities and local recommendations, everything was thoughtfully arranged and seamless. Her communication was excellent throughout the planning process, and she was always quick to answer questions and provide guidance.

Because of Alexia’s expertise and attention to detail, we were able to relax and fully enjoy our trip without worrying about logistics. She turned what could have been an overwhelming experience into an unforgettable adventure. We started our trip in Paris, then traveled to the medieval Provincial town of TourTour, and finished our stay in Nice. Every part of the journey was an absolute dream!

We are incredibly grateful for Alexia’s help and would highly recommend KimKim—and especially Alexia—to anyone planning a trip abroad.

The trip was outstanding in every respect. The itinerary was arranged to match our preferences, the hotels were lovely, and the guide was knowledgeable, caring and friendly. Long, our contact at Kimkim, checked in with us almost daily to see how we were doing. We would definitely book future trips with them.

Elena was a dream to work with and flawlessly dealt with our shifting numbers, optional day activities and requests all the way through the trip. We dined at a long list of amazing places including a family home and Michelin-star restaurants. Highly recommend!!

We loved our guides. In Bangkok, Nana took great care of us. My daughter and I added an afternoon with her to see “local neighborhoods” and it was our favorite. Highly recommend. She took us to the flower market; we saw great street art; a unique tea shop and a small chocolate shop.

In Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, we loved our time with Pong. We learned so much from her and felt her love for Thailand through her stories and interactions with local people. She also helped me navigate food since I am celiac and eat gluten-free. She is a true host with a warm and caring manner.

We loved learning about Buddhism and the history of Thailand from both Pong and Nana.

We particularly loved our bike tour in Chiang Mai (thanks Hockey). And loved the Elephant Sanctuary - highly recommend. The cooking school was perhaps our all time favorite cooking class - and we have done them all over the world. Again, great attention to my need to avoid gluten by our chef Tom.

We would not recommend the floating market outside Bangkok. It was way too touristy for us.

We finished our trip in Koh Samui. The hotel manager Aimee was so good at welcoming us and making sure we had a perfect stay. And we had a lovely lunch at The Cliffs and a beautiful dinner at The Four Seasons.

We did wonder about accommodations on the other side of the island where the water seemed a bit clearer and more blue bc of the rock and sand. But we had a lovely visit to that side of the island.

Hotel Reviews

Hyatt Regency Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

Samut Prakan

Great hotel for last night. Good restaurant options and really nice pool!

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riva Vista Riverfront Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai

Really nice rooms and property. Had nice facial at spa. Restaurant and bar were nice with great breakfasts. restaurant could not handle our group of 13 guests for dinner very well … even though we had reservation. If you have large group, you might choose differently. That said, the service team was very polite and responsive; there just weren’t enough of them.

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Culture Samui

Ko Samui

Great service! Aimee too great care of us. Had really delicious, impromptu dinner for our group of 13. Loved the fire show!

Location

Wished we were on other side of island where water is clearer. There is also a beach club with booming bass next door that was sometimes annoying. Thankfully it did not go on all day.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mode Sathorn Hotel Bangkok

Bangkok

Really nice hotel with excellent service.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Smile Lanna Hotel Chiang Mai

Loved this property with a beautiful pool. Wished it had a bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Grandma Home Cooking school - Private Morning Class

Chiang Mai

Our favorite cooking class ever! Tom was the perfect teacher and really took great care to navigate my dietary restrictions (celiac).

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-day Nam Phrae by Electric Bike (hilly, fully paved roads)

Chiang Mai

Great day with Hockey!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (Morning session)

Chiang Mai

LOVED this!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Doi Inthanon National Park - A Nature Walk and Culture

Chiang Mai

Loved this!!! Learned so much from Pong and had authentic trip to a village.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Khantoke dinner at traditional Lanna family

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Golden Triangle - Chiang Rai Sightseeing & Art

Chiang Rai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Serene Chiang Rai by night

Chiang Rai

Loved our time here … and Pong was the perfect host.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Railway Market & Floating Market

Bangkok

Enjoyed train market but floating market was too touristy. Would have preferred a different activity given how far away it was.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

Loved this!!! nana helped me navigate being gluten free!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Symbolic Temples

Bangkok

nana was amazing!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 2 1/2 week in Chile was fantastic! We travelled to the Atacama, Lake District, Valparaiso, the Casablanca Valley, Santiago and Rapa Nui. Our Kimkim team worked with us on several iterations of planning to fine tune the experience to align to our goal to experience the history, culture and beauty of Chile while staying within our budget. I appreciate the time Riwal took to suggest options for us to consider. The Kimkim app made it easy to keep track of the various versions of the itinerary.

In Chile our local Kimkim team was in contact daily, providing updates and helpful suggestions. A big shout out to Thaiss and Riwal for their support throughout. We enjoyed our guided trips arranged by Kimkim and valued the independent travel suggestions they shared. We returned with great memories and pictures. We’ll definitely plan trips again with Kimkim.

Hotel Review

Casa Kalfu

puerto varas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cochamo Town and Termas del Sol - Relax at the Hot Springs

Chile

What a wonderful, relaxing experience. Lunch was surprisingly good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Denis handled the rough unpaved roads with great skill.

Visit the Saltos del Petrohue, Todos Los Santos Lake and Osorno Volcano

Chile

We hoped to hear and learn more about local history from our guide.

Quality of Experience

We covered alot of the area and saw lots of beautiful areas. Wish we learned more.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

Visit Frutillar Town in Llanquihue Lake - Half Day

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Would have liked more historical info at each of our stops.

Transport

Transfer from the airport to your hotel in Puerto Varas

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Tour Orongo Volcano

Easter Island

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rano Raraku Volcano & Anakena White Sand Beach

Easter Island

Quality of Experience

P

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Trip- Red Rocks, Lagunas Altiplánicas & Atacama Salt Flats

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

My

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Visit to "Valle de La luna "

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Astronomical Tour - Atacama Desert

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rita put together the trip of a lifetime! This was our first trip to Italy (won’t be our last). My family and I thank you!

Activity Reviews

A True Taste of Tuscany: Olive Oil & Wine Tasting

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tuscany at Sunset: A Wine & Dinner in Chianti Vineyard

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pasta Cooking Workshop & Wine Tasting in a Countryside Estate

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dear Rachel/KimKim Team,
I hope you are well. I am writing regarding our recent London trip arranged through your company. While we appreciated some aspects of the planning, there were several arrangements that did not meet our expectations and significantly affected our experience.
Before I get started I want to mention that our liaison Rachel went on vacation just as we were beginning our trip, so that we had to ask for help from whoever was covering for her. The person we worked with did their best to help with the problems as they arose.
Key concerns and misalignments:
Accommodation: We were placed at the Tower Hotel near the Tower of London. As seasoned visitors to London, we do not view this placement as valuable or appropriate for us, since we were not seeking a Tower of London–focused experience and have substantial familiarity with the city.
I have already raised this issue with Rachel but got a response that most people just love the Tower hotel. This kind of response is not helpful and I find it dismissive.
Also, we were placed in a room that did not have an accessible bathroom, which meant we had to move to a handicap room. That’s fine but the room was not particularly nice or comfortable. All in all, we did not enjoy the Tower hotel, and in particular their breakfast was absolutely appalling.
Tour/activities: We had explicitly stated that we were not interested in group tourist activities. Nevertheless, we were signed up for two large sightseeing bus experiences. When I discussed the overview with Rachel, I did not understand that we were going to be placed on a large tour bus or I would never have agreed to that arrangement. Once I realized what we were in for, I requested to cancel day two.

Mobility and transportation:
We explicitly informed KimKim that both of us are over 70 and that public transportation in London, as well as extensive stair-climbing, would not be suitable. Despite this, we were advised to use public transport and participate in activities involving multiple stairs, including two large sightseeing buses. This was uncomfortable and impractical and did not align with our accessibility needs. Once again, when I brought this issue up with Rachel I felt dismissed and not heard. I was very clear with Rachel during our conversations that we have, and my partner who is 80 has, mobility issues. I think a more experienced person might have picked up on this aspect of our experience. On the contrary, the response I got from Rachel clearly indicated that somehow, we should have just sucked it up and gone down into the tube, even though we both struggle with stairs and long walks. Here is the response I got from Rachel.
“Tower Hotel is positioned right beside Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, offering one of the most iconic and scenic settings in the city. It also has excellent public transport connections (Underground, DLR, and river services), allowing easy access across London.
As London is a large city, even centrally located hotels often require some use of transport depending on the day’s activities, and taxis are frequently used for convenience rather than necessity”
Clearly written by a person who doesn’t get accessibility concerns, and the kinds of issues older people can face doing something that seems simple to a younger person
When we arrived at the train station at Matlock on May 28th, the transportation hired by the company didn’t show up for over an hour. Calling the company eventually resulted in someone showing up, but the following days the company failed to turn up and we had to find local transport, including our transport to Chatsworth. The new company required us to pay in cash which ended up costing us 60£ for three trips.
Btw, for some reason we were not booked with first class train tickets. I have to say I find it a bit outrageous that we paid 14,000 for the tour services, and they we had to fight to get decent transportation and first-class train tickets and that we were booked on cheap group tours. What were we paying for? I am struggling to understand the value offered at this point.
When we arrived at the train station at Moreton on Marsh, we discovered that there was no assistance to get to the hotel. I ended up having to drag my partner’s suitcase the two or so very bumpy blocks to the hotel in the extreme heat that was happening at that time. We ended up having to book a taxi for 15£ to avoid having to drag our luggage. Not to mention that there was a huge over the track ramp we needed to cross to get to the train and there was no assistance at the train station. Luckily we met kind people along the way who gave us a hand or I would once again have had to drag all of our stuff over the ramp.
Cost transparency: We have repeatedly requested a detailed, itemized breakdown of all charges (accommodation, transportation, activities/tickets, service fees, and any markups) and the net amounts paid to third-party suppliers. To date, we have not received a clear breakdown, making it impossible to verify charges and value.
Summing up, I am requesting the following:
A detailed, itemized cost breakdown for our trip, including:
o Accommodation for each place and what was included
o Transportation: transfers, and private transport
o Activities/tickets: names, dates, per-person costs
o Service fees, markups, and any other charges
o The total charged to us by your company and the net amounts paid to third-party suppliers

This was a very important trip for us. We often travel to Europe, but we are getting too old to do complicated booking and arrangements. We thought that the KimKim service would do the heavy lifting for us, and they did step in to help solve problems, however the problems were usually caused by our liason not listening to us or just not putting a lot of thought into what would be good options for us. To be honest, the person we were working with seemed distracted and not easy to contact prior to our trip and of course she was unavailable to us during 90% of the trip!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel du Vin & Bistro

Tunbridge Wells

This is a super nice hotel with large rooms. The bathroom was also great. The restaurant has really amazing food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just a short walk to the high street

Staff

The staff at this hotel were so incredibly nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

The White Hart Royal Hotel

Gloucestershire

This hotel is nice and our room was very interesting but they don't seem to have enough staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the high street so you can walk to many different restaurants and to the town market

Staff

The staff seemed really overworked and few and far between

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Peacock at Rowsley

Matlock

Very comfortable and nice hotel with a great staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The hotel wasn't near anything but that didn't really matter to us.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Tower Hotel

London

This was a very basic hotel. We had an accessible room which was ok however for some reason accessible rooms don't get coffee makers? So strange. The room looked out on a roof with some large machines or fans stuck on them. The coffee at breakfast was literally the most terrible tasting coffee I have ever had in my life. The concierge at the hotel was very good however. There was also a laundry place nearby which really came in handy. The worst thing about the hotel was the location, it was miles from everything that we wanted to do in London. We racked up huge bills taking taxis and Ubers to get places because we couldn't navigate the public transportation because of accessibility and time constraints.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The accessible room was very basic and not particularly comfortable and their was zero view, which was why KimKim put us in there

Activity Reviews

Taxi Transfers in and around Matlock (2)

Matlock

The company that was engaged was very shady and didn't show up as planned. I highly recommend that you find a new company and never use this one again. We ended up finding some local drivers and paying them ourselves.

Return Taxi Transfer from Matlock to Chatsworth House

Matlock

The company that was engaged was very shady and didn't show up as planned. I highly recommend that you find a new company and never use this one again. We ended up finding some local drivers and paying them ourselves.

Taxi Transfers in and around Matlock

Matlock

The company that was engaged was very shady and didn't show up as planned. I highly recommend that you find a new company and never use this one again. We ended up finding some local drivers and paying them ourselves.

Canterbury, Dover Cliffs & Castle and Leeds Castle is included

London

The tour guide on this trip was beyond nice but the trip was very hard for us because the bus was not comfortable and we basically rushed around too many places with no stop for lunch. Going to Dover was just too much. We had barely no time to enjoy Canterbury cathedral. Leeds castle was nice but once again being rushed around with a group of people is something I was hoping to avoid on this trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I spent my whole time in the bus with my knees crushed up against the seat in front of me. Getting in and out of the bus was a real challenge because of the narrow steps

Kate at KimKim planned a two week self guided/train tour of the UK. We provided our interests and Kate planned our itinerary. Kate nailed it the first time. The hotels were outstanding. Our private guides were awesome, especially, Jacob in Oxford, Allen in Edimburgh, John in Inverness and Delianne in London!
Kate was comminicating with us throughout the tour and answered a few minor questions we had as we moved through the stops. We couldn't have asked for more! Onto the next trip!!

Our trip was amazing! And the Kim Kim team were a pleasure to deal with! Always respsonive and ready to help! They made our trip easy and stress free and also tailored our trip to our liking! Would highly recommend.

Valentine was awesome! She definitely exceeded our expectations for our girls trip! Switzerland was absolutely beautiful! We had so many highlights with our trip— paragliding, E-bike tour, Park hotel!

Hotel Review

Park Hotel Vitznau

Vitznau

This was one of our favorite hotels!! The service was outstanding and the spa and grounds were so beautiful! We will definitely be back!

Authenticity & Character

Right on the water, every room is unique

Location

Not far from Stoos

Staff

Helpful, outstanding, exceptional

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lake Como - Private boat tour - 2 hours

Switzerland

Awesome way to see Lake Como! Our guide Fabio was very knowledgeable and showed us beautiful homes!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free time in Lake Como

Switzerland

Self-guided day to Mount Rigi, the Queen of Mountains

Lucerne

It was beautiful! Good for sightseeing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paragliding in Interlaken

Switzerland

Awesome views and instructors that made you feel comfortable and confident! Once I landed I wanted to do it again! Thrilling experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot Tub boat for rent (from December to March)

Switzerland

This was a unique experience! Perfect for relaxing after a long day of activities. The lake water was chilly, but refreshing. We were able to quickly warm up with the hot tub! The Bluetooth audio was an added bonus!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

E-bike tour Lauterbrunnen & Valley of 72 Waterfalls

Switzerland

This tour was a highlight on our trip! It was a perfect mix of adventure and sightseeing! Our tour guide Marceau was very attentive and knowledgeable!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to New Zealand was absolutely amazing, and Monika played a huge role in making it everything we hoped it would be. She worked closely with us to design a schedule that fit exactly what we wanted, and her local expertise helped make the trip feel smooth, thoughtful, and stress-free.

When weather created a need for some changes while we were already in country, Monika was incredibly helpful and responsive. She communicated clearly, helped adjust plans, and made things happen so we could continue enjoying the trip.

My husband, teen daughter, and I had a wonderful time and saw so many incredible things. This trip was especially meaningful because it was our 20th anniversary, and I had dreamed of visiting New Zealand for 30 years. The trip did not disappoint. We had some amazing experiences that we will remember forever.

We especially loved Queenstown and the helicopter tour where we landed on a glacier. We had a blast on the Shotover River boat trip, toured Lord of the Rings filming sites, spent Christmas Eve gazing at the stars from a hot springs pool during a night sky tour, and took a boat tour to see dolphins, penguins, and seals. The natural beauty of the South Island is breathtaking.

We also had the amazing experience of seeing a kiwi hatch at the hatchery, which looked like a scene from Jurassic Park. Hobbiton was a wonderful visit as well, especially for anyone who loves the movies. These are only a few highlights from an unforgettable trip.

We all agreed that we will use a travel agent for future international trips because this experience showed us how valuable it is to have someone knowledgeable, responsive, and supportive helping along the way. We would absolutely work with Monika again.

Our trip was all around amazing. We ended up in Oslo for two warm days and enjoyed our tour with Stieg. The Thon hotel was a great location. Note:/fisheriet Bjorvika restaurant is wonderful and in a cool neighborhood. Train to Flam, then Aurland. There was a hiccup in the taxi but ferry or bus is a good alternative. The fisherman’s cabin in Aurland was really special..on the water literally and simple but amazing views. We highly recommend the sauna and dipping on the pier. Breakfast was particularly nice in an old historic house with a nice spread. The Fiord Cruise was amazing as was the Stegstein viewpoint. Ferry to Balestrand and the hotel Kniknes was outstanding. Loved walking around the town (a great local restaurant Pearl of the Harbor , run by a Ukrainian with a Norwegian flavor). Note the hotel has no elevator and a lot of stairs to climb to our room. We were fine but some may not be. The cider tour and tasting was fantastic….and impressive history. Bergen was great ..as was the tour with John…a lot of local knowledge. The Hotel Terminus …very nice room, and location. Personally we felt that there were too many groups and events and not catered to individuals as much. . Loved Bergen , roaming around, food, and the funicular. We went early up the Funicular and highly recommend the walk down. Then the Hurtigruten….the fiords were spectacular…so glad we did it. And Trondheim. we LOVED the hotel Britannia….really top notch spot in every way. The Breakfast buffet was the most impressive I have ever seen and the service impeccable. Walking tour with Wanda was perfect. She is very knowledgeable and very entertaining with her stories. We also love the Bakklandet neighborhood and restaurants. Trondheim was really a lovely little city….turned out to be one of favorites!

I wanted to thank Christine (planning), Hera (Seoul), and Luke (Busan), you made my family’s first trip to Korea an AMAZING experience! You are all so knowledgeable and helpful from pick up from the airport from the first day, I felt we were in great hands. Our local guides, added great touches to our experience and provided solid additions and suggestions to enhance our experience. I will definitely highly recommend to my friends and family your services.