Kimkim Trip Reviews

We have done lots of traveling and have always planned every detail of our trips, hotels, transportation, tours/attractions, etc, etc. This is the first time that we decided to use a Travel/Tour Service. I googled searched for the top travel services and KimKim was one of the recommended services. Everyone that assisted us with planning the Mexico City Tour have been top-notch, Ana, Luz, and Pablo our daily tour guide made this trip so memorable. Thank you

Hotel Review

Zócalo Central

Mexico City

The Hotel was in a beautiful area, lots of things to see and lots of restaurants. The Hotel staff were excellent, the Hotel is beautiful, and the rooftop restaurant/breakfast buffet was amazing. The Coffee and light snack Cafe in the lobby was also amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Thank you!

Mexico

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lucha Libre Experience & Mezcal Tasting

Mexico City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Museum of Anthropology and Chapultepec Castle

Mexico City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Mexico City

Mexico City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Casa Azul + Anahuacalli

Mexico City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was a relief having Anthony from KimKim helping us plan the trip. I became very overwhelmed with the planning aspect once we had decided against a cruise. From arranging transport from island to island, to strategically planning hotels, etc, it was so helpful having them take the reins and plan the trip. It was a huge weight off my shoulders.

We really appreciated the dedication of our guides to nature and the animals of the Galapagos. They were all very knowledgeable and you could feel the respect they had for the natural world. Julio, Darwin, Charlie and Enrique were fantastic. Darwin was perhaps the most animated and just as excited as we were about the animals we saw. The planned meals were very good. The transportation went off without a hitch. We loved both hotels and the service at both (La Isla and Iguana crossing). Joseph at La Isla went above and beyond also. Overall everything was great.

Great experience, seamless planning, unique experiences. Fantastic personalized support. Such a positive experience. Cant wait for our next trip!

Hotel Review

Hotel Elysées Céramic

Paris

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

French Cooking Class & Market Visit

Paris

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our first international trip and it was wonderful! Clemens, Andrea, and Kamila organized everything beautifully. We appreciated the use of the app and the team was always available for questions and recommendations.
The planned tours had personable, knowledgeable guides who made you feel like a friend. We especially loved our Vespa tour with Federico, Your Buddy on the Coast! We will definitely work with KimKim for our next trip!

We had a wonderful 14 day trip to Japan organized by Eleanor. It was our first trip to Japan, and we saw and did everything we wanted to and more. We have never used a service or tour group for our travels before this trip.

The itinerary created by Eleanor was completely manageable and ran smoothly- no problems at all. It was mostly self guided (our choice) but with selected guided sections that were very enjoyable and worthwhile. She kept in touch periodically along the way just to make sure things were going as planned.

There were many cities and adventures we wouldn’t have chosen without Eleanor’s recommendations (such as 2 short day hikes along the Nakasendo Trail and Kiso valley, tea ceremony in Kyoto, onsens and sentos at all hotels). The guides and drivers recommended by Eleanor were all excellent. Japan was absolutely memorable and fantastic on all levels. We look forward to going back. I highly recommend Eleanor and kimkim if you are planning a trip to Japan.

We loved our trip to Portugal. Pedro did a great job of listening to our needs and planning an amazing Portugal experience for the four of us. Our drivers were exceptional. Carlos and Ricardo were especially informative, fun and flexible during our day long rides.
The boutique hotels were special. We feel in love with the Hotel Britania in Lisbon. This was a perfect place to begin our journey. We also loved the hotels in Lagos (beautiful view of ocean) and the Miragem in Cascais(lovely pool and spa). The breakfasts were delicious and the staffs at these hotels were friendly and helpful. The only hotel that disappointed us was the hotel in Porto, the Eurostar. This was not Pedro's fault as he had given us options and we chose to be on the river. This hotel was sterile feeling and not particularly welcoming.
The itinerary was perfect and we loved all places we visited. The tour guides, Silvia in Lisbon and Sarah in Porto, were excellent. Our day in the Douro Valley was magical and we are all still talking about the amazing food we had at our lunch at the winery.
We are home with amazing memories that will stay with us and loving the country and people of Portugal.

1- Yental, the food tour guide was excellent and even cleaned bird crap from Maria's hair.
2- The Malt's Hotel in Harlem was beautiful. Henk and Annemarie were amazing owners, very friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating hosts. Very clean and excellent breakfasts . The stairs would be an issue if we were older or had knee or back issues. Thank God we are not there yet. We give them an A+
3 - The James Hotel was excellent, sleek and modern, but room 410 was too dark and would benefit from an additional standing light or brighter and dimmable ceiling lights. The $15 vouchers each per person, per day, were perfect for a delicious, hearty breakfast, plus evening snacks and drinks were great. The hotel staff and cafe personnel were professional, super friendly and helpful! A+
4 - The Huys van Leyden Boutique Hotel was so beautiful. The amazing breakfast buffet, plus made to order omelets and pancakes were sooo delicious. Our room #12 was clean and beautiful, also was our favorite hotel room on the trip. However, the stairs to our room and then the 2nd floor stairs to the bathroom would be an issue for some one older with mobility issues but we loved it! The outside rooftop patio was a special treat, but needed to be swept. We would suggest a total of 4 chairs outside, since we were traveling with another couple, and we had a lovely Happy Hour there. Love the green parrots and magpies flying around! The bed pillows were too soft and fluffy. Suggest the addition of 2 firm pillows per room. The staff there were excellent, friendly and most accommodating. A+
5. All of the museums, the canal tour, the Anne Frank House, the bike reservations, Keukenhof Flower Show and Parade, the trip to Gouda with the wine and cheese tasting were all excellent. It was extremely helpful to have all the ticket reservations made in advance, along with the train, bus and tram passes too! It was the trip of a lifetime in a magical country!

Hotel Reviews

Huys van Leiden

Leiden

see previous comments

Authenticity & Character

Authentic cultural hotel with a gorgeuous antique vibe!

Location

Close to everything we were seeing !

Staff

Amazing professional, patient, friendly and accommodating staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable. Suggest 2 firmer pillows per room.

The James Hotel Rotterdam

Rotterdam

see previous comments

Authenticity & Character

Authentic modern cultural experience

Location

Modern and sleek.

Staff

Amazingly professional and helpful staff!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Modern and clean

Hotel Malts B&B

Haarlem

see previous comments

Authenticity & Character

Authentic cultural experience

Location

Quiet and lovely

Staff

Superb!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was immaculate!

Activity Reviews

Leiden - Lakenhal Museum

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Keukenhof Flower Parade 2026

The Netherlands

Amazing flower parade ! A MUST DO!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We biked

Transport

By bike was amazing

Leiden - Hortus Botanicus

The Netherlands

Most plants were not blooming and the displays looked old and shabby. Really needs a clean up and up to date makeover.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gouda - Stroopwafel workshop

The Netherlands

The owner and tour person was excellent!!!!! Best Stroopwafels in all of the the Netherlands!!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gouda - Cheese Experience

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rotterdam - Day trip to Gouda

Rotterdam

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Delft - Delft blue pottery

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Delft - Vermeer Center

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Hague - Mauritshuis Museum

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rotterdam - FENIX

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Anne Frank House

The Netherlands

The only problem was the location of the headset activation numbers in each room! We had to walk in front of others already in the room. It was annoying to the visitors already there listening to the Anne Frank stories and to us. The activation numbers need to be relocated directly as you enter the room, on each side of the room entry, for better flow of visitors.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)

The Netherlands

Booking was a problem. They did NOT have our KimKim reservation, but were able to rebook us later that same day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Public transport pass Netherlands (OV chip card)

The Netherlands

The OV chip card did not allow us to use the public toilets!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very clean public transporation!

Haarlem - Day trip to Amsterdam by public transport

Haarlem

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Grand Dutch Food & History Tour in a small group

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Food and beverages were perfect and delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yental , our guide, was excellent!

Transport

Haarlem - Half-day trip to Zaanse Schans by public transport

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Haarlem - Self-guided cycling route to the Keukenhof & through the tulip fields

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Haarlem - Windmill de Adriaan

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Haarlem -- Frans Hals Museum

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim did a great job planning our trip to Greece. We stayed in Athens, Naxos and Santorini. The locations that we stay at were centrally located and nice. Our guides were great including Elena at the Acropolis, Elizabeth in Athens, Photos for the Athens nightlife, Alex in Naxos and Panos is Santorini. We had an awesome lunch at a culinary atelier in Vourvoulos that was fantastic! Angeliki was our travel agent and was always available to answer questions even over the weekend. It was a fabulous and memorable trip. The only fail was our accommodations in Oia which was a shared suite for 4 people which was very uncomfortable. Other than that, I would rate it a 10. Thanks for a memorable trip! Yamas!!

Hotel Reviews

Ode Villa Santorini

Santorini

Nice location but not as expected. The “junior suite” was more for kids and not 4 adults. The loft was a joke for 2 adults. You could not even stand without hitting your head!!

Authenticity & Character

Second suite not made for 4 adults. Needs more bathrooms and bedrooms.

Location

Located close to the waterfront and you could see the sunset from out deck

Staff

The man that made of breakfast was nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Second suite not made for adults. Place seemed old and not in good shape.

Castle Mansions

Naxos

Great accommodations

Authenticity & Character

Near the castle and you could see the ocean from our balcony

Location

Centrally located but tucked away so not too loud. Could see the ocean in the distance and near the castle.

Staff

Very nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and nice

Athens Woo Suites

Athens

This place was awesome and centrally located to everything in Athens. It was in the square with Athens church. The ladies at the front desk were friendly and helpful and the free breakfast was a great touch!!

Authenticity & Character

Small boutique hotel

Location

Centrally located and a great view of the cathedral and square.

Staff

Very friendly and helpful with recommendations

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and newly renovated

Activity Reviews

Cheese, Wine & Deli Tour in Naxos!

Naxos

Alex and Victor were great!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

George was awesome!!

Transport

Naxos Highlights Tour

Naxos

Alex was great and informative!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Authentic food especially the goat was great!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

George was awesome!!

Transport

All time classic Santorini 2026

Greece

Panos was great!! Very knowledgeable!! And the tour and the old city was fantastic. The lunch at the culinary school was the icing on the cake. Food was authentic and great!! We also visited a monetary on top of a mountain with a great view and then went to a restaurant/bar with a fantastic view. The whole tour and day was fantastic overall. Thanks Panos!! :)

Quality of Experience

Fantastic experience all around!!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver was amazing. We went up to a monastery on a tight rode and it was amazing that we came back alive!! They truly are professionals!!

Transport

Full Day Private Cruise to Panteronisia, Feira, Antiparos Town & Paros

Naxos

Beautiful ride. We went to a cave and blue lagoon. Also got off in Antiparos to look around. Very fun!!

Quality of Experience

Beautiful views!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was good.

Transport

Private Sunset Cruise with Catamaran Lagoon 380/400

Santorini

This was the best experience of our trip. We did not expect a beautiful sunset as it had been cloudy all day and were surprised by the most beautiful sunset ever! The crew was so nice and friendly and fun!! Maria our hostess was great!!!

Quality of Experience

Great crew and we had a fabulous time. The sunset was FANTASTIC as well!! Great finale to our trip!!!!

Food

Food was BBQ on the boat. Great experience!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Maria our hostess was awesome. The captain was great. She even took our picture. One of the crew was even dancing to our music selection. They were great and we had a fabulous time!!! Best part of the trip!!!!!!!

Transport

Our ride was short but memorable because we backed all the way down the hill at about 30 mph!! LOL

Athens Nightlife Tour: Music & Dance Experience

Athens

Photos was awesome! You truly got the flavor of Greek nightlife and their zest for life. He was fun to be around and his enthusiasm was contagious.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Photos was great!! So much fun and full of life. His enthusiasm was contagious and dancing was really fun!!

Transport

The Delicious Athens Food Tour afternoon

Greece

Elizabeth was awesome. Very knowledgeable and fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Acropolis, Museum & Mythology Tour

Greece

Our tour guide Elena was great. Very knowledgeable and provided good information.

Quality of Experience

I don’t think you could fully appreciate this experience without knowing the background info provided by the guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable and added enough info without being boring.

Transport

It’s amazing how good the van and bus drivers are in this country!!

We planned a week trip to Mexico. With 4 days in Valladolid and 2 days in Playa del Carmen. We had a great time.
Our transfers were all private and they showed up on time. We had 4 guided tours at Coba, Punta Laguna, Rio Lagartos, and Ek Balam. For our free day in Playa del Carmen we booked a snorkeling trip ourself from a recommendation from our assistant that we texted with via WhatsApp.

Hotel Reviews

HM Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen

More like a mainstream hotel. Loud AC unit and other guests made us a bit uncomfortable

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Mesón del Marqués

Valladolid

We loved this hotel. It was rustic and charming, perfect vibes for our honeymoon. Friendly and helpful staff. Two attached restuarants made it very convenient for breakfast and quick dinners when we didnt want to walk far.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Across the street from the main square in Valladolid

Staff

Helpful and most spoke good English.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ek Balam Archaeological Site & swim in a cenote

Mexico

We got to walk through parts of the ruins at Ek Balam with our guide. We climbed to the top and it was a great view. The cenote had jumping platforms and ropes. Lifejackets are available as well so it was easier to float around and enjoy the view out.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Cobá!

Mexico

Climbing to the top of the temple is a great experience. The only thing we had a hiccup with is our guide told us the bicycle taxi was not included and we would have to pay extra for it. We thought this was incorrect but did not say anything. Afterwards we were able to confirm our itinerary did say bicycle taxi included and the ticket stubs we took home with us said bicycle included as well. We ended up walking the 3 miles instead of riding so we were quite tired at the end of this activity when we didnt need to be.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A pink-ish day at Río Lagartos & Las Coloradas

Mexico

We really enjoyed this trip but you dont get as close to flamigoes as it appears. I thought we would be close enough to easily see them with the naked eye but the closest we got was probably at least 500 feet away.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Punta Laguna

Mexico

Wonderful. The Cenote is frightening to get into since it is so small but it was lots of fun. We saw Spider and Howler monkeys. Hiking, canoeing, ziplining, swimming, Mayan ceremony - so many things to experience here. All of the guides were very friendly. One of our guides got a ride home from our taxi and he showed us his property and beautiful gardens. It was so lovely to connect with him like that.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a private transfer to and from this activity.

Our trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands was amazing and all thinks to Karla! She was able to tailor a custom experience for our family of 5. We have a 5 year-old and up and people with varying levels of interests and abilities and Karla was able to craft the perfect blend of adventure, animals and culture. She was also extremely responsive along the way. Anything we needed to know or figure out and she was able to get it answered immediately. I highly recommend working with her and wouldn't hesitate to do so again.

We had a great time with a quick one-week stopover in Japan. Really enjoyed Kyoto gardens and temple/shrines. Picture and weather perfect day in Hakone - doing the loop - with the iconic snow-capped Fuji. Toyko is much to big for just 2 days - but loved the Palace Garden and the Asakusa area was buzzing.

Hotel Reviews

Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku

Tokyo

Very modern city hotel. Very clean quite and comfortable. Helpful staff. Breakfast buffet at their main building was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

It's a very modern hotel - clean, quiet and comfortable.

Location

Fun to be right in the Asakusa area and easy access to subway

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tokinoyu Setsugetsuka

Hakone-machi

Clearly a good resort experience with baths and very close proximity to the transit needed to make the loop

Authenticity & Character

If you like to dress up - they provide all the robes and such. Very nice hot baths and spacious rooms. However zero flexibility with set menu and over the food is average taste

Location

2 minute walk from train station / cable car

Staff

Had issues communicating and had issues with seating on reserved 2nd day dinner. We were first in lline for our shift and they sat us (initially in a dark corner table with no view of anything- while the many garden view tables were all open and available. After a few challenges trying to communicate our issue they finally re-sat us at a good view table. But it was not friendly and barely accommodating. No flexibility and as non Japanese speakers found communication bumpy.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Large clean room - plenty of towels and good garden view

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Nice quiet room. Really amazing breakfast buffet. Location next to train station made navigation and transfers really accesible

Authenticity & Character

Great shower - clean and comfortable - Japanese food available at breakfast buffet

Location

2 minute walk to train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean. Firm beds

Activity Review

Half Day Sagano Bamboo Grove & Arashiyama Walking Tour (Join-in)

Kyoto

Yuki our guide made this our top highlight of all our time spent in Kyoto. Especially enjoyed the pacing and allowing us some peaceful time to soak in the very private Zen garden. She also moved us thru the more busy tourist areas, finding great spots for pictures and explanations. Tofu lunch was amazing, best authentic food on our entire trip in a beautiful house (glad we ate there over the temple lunch which was not available that day). Plus she sent us over 50 photos she took of our day together. Yuki also was extra special post tour - riding the train with us to get us right to the market and taking extra time later to send suggestions for a shop in Toyko where we might find masks (we collect masks from our travels). Yuki made the whole day exceptional

Quality of Experience

Great locations, Guide and Learnings - highly recommend (especially for the less touristy stops)

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yuki is exceptional

Transport

it was a walking tour -

We could not fault the planning and attention to detail behind our four week trip to Portugal and Morocco. While we we were initially concerned about using a travel agent outside our home country, Australia, the trip planned by Marina from Kim kim was perfect. She communicated extremely well both during the extended planning phase and then while we were on the road and she was quick to deal with any issues that arose. A heartfelt thank you Marina. We really appreciate your efforts.

Hotel Reviews

Casa do Cedro de Medelim

Medelim

What are great, family run B&B! Lots of history, very comfortable, and located in a quiet little country town. Ideally located for visiting Monsanto. Excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

The history and decor

Location

Great for visiting Monsanto but be aware there are few local options for dinner. We ate at Monsanto!

Staff

The hostess was very attentive and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Zahia

Old Medina, Tangier

Excellent riad in a great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Nila

Chefchaouen

Great riad in the middle of the old town area. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect location! Once again, no vehicle access to the riad but staff were only too willing to fetch bags - much appreciated!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad El Yacout

Fès

It is hard to rate this hotel! Our first impression was a five star based on the amazing reception courtyard and historic decorations and appointments! However, our allocated room was in a very poor location overlooking a noisy alley. It suffered from some sort of drainage smells for which staff had placed a noisy electric air freshener in the room and the air conditioner malfunctioned. (Our early notes indicated that we would havea pool view room - which this was not). After raising concerns with Marina, there was rapid action to shift us to a pool view room which was vastly superior to our original room. If we had had this room from the start we would have rated this hotel five stars!

Authenticity & Character

The decor in this riad is amazing.

Location

Centrally located in the medina - perfect!

Staff

The staff seemed very unhappy that we did not like the room we were initially allocated. We got the impression that they were not happy to shift us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rating depends on which room is rated!

Hotel Xaluca SPA Aguelmame Sidi Ali

Beautiful hotel on a lake in the mountains. We loved the ski lodge feel and look of this hotel! Amazing use of rough hewed wood and stone throughout. The meals were excellent! Rooms were very large and comfortable

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very peaceful and great lake overview!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Merzouga Luxury Desert Camps

Taouz

We were a bit disappointed. Descriptions suggest this camp is set amongst the dunes and you ride camels to get there. In fact, the government moved all camps out of the dunes some time ago and now there are more than 100 camps all located on the fringes. We reached camp via a very bumpy 4x4 trip. The "luxury" camp is already starting to show its age and there was no orientation welcome to tell us what to expect. In the event, camels did eventually arrive and we had a pleasant ride into the dunes for sunset! We have previously done a desert experience in Dubai and it was far better organized and set up than this one.

Authenticity & Character

They could do a lot better but still enjoyable.

Location

OK but lots of other camps around us.

Staff

Only one young guy in camp most of the time. Hi tried very hard but was not well informed on our program.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We were in what looked to be the oldest tents in the camp. There were only a few other guests but the newer tents were not utilized.

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

What are greatly, family run guest house! The rooms are excellent and the owner is so friendly! The cook is also a family member and the included dinner and breakfast were excellent!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great for stopping enroute to the desert experience!

Staff

They were all so friendly!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Chergui

Marrakech

We really enjoyed this Riad, once we got used to the walk through the narrow, twisting alleys to the very unpretentious entrance door. Then, like so many other medina riads, it opens into a hidden world. It is inside the very large medina and we greatly enjoyed being able to wander at will.

Authenticity & Character

It is a beautifully restored original home with all rooms facing the interior courtyards. Authentic decor and furnishings.

Location

Great for wandering through the medina and we always felt very safe.

Staff

Very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was cosy and airy.

Senhora da Rosa: Tradition & Nature Hotel

Ponta Delgada

Very nice hotel. We were upgraded to a junior suite with a large balcony. Very comfortable! Not central in city but we were more interested in exploring the island so it was ideal!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect for us as we had a car.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

1872 River House

Porto

Nice location on the river but very crowded area. No air conditioning and the room overlooked an alley with little air flow into the room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good for walking along the river but most attractions involved a big walk up the hill!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms would be very hot in summer.

Octant Douro

Douro

A beautifully appointed luxury hotel on the banks of the Douro River. Everything was amazing and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay!

Authenticity & Character

Well designed and appointed hotel!

Location

It would be hard to beat this location!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada da Serra da Estrela - Historic Hotel

Covilha

A large, historic hotel with amazing views and very comfortable rooms. Our experience was impacted by large numbers of children filling pools, saunas, etc. It tends to be a family hotel with access to the nearby skinheads and mountains.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the Serra da Estrela nature park.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Évora Olive Hotel

Évora

Perfect location inside the old city walls and very comfortable but a bit sterile in design given its location.

Authenticity & Character

It seemed odd to have an ultra modern hotel in the old town.

Location

It was within the walls of the old city and easy to walk around the historic district.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

A grand old hotel in a very good location. Fantastic location near public transport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy access to most sites.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Our driver was very friendly, and did provide a bit of an overview of Sintra however suggested one historic property to tour but didn't accompany us... the signage in the property was not good- none in English so we wandered around not understanding what we were looking at and missing some highlights. We spotted other visitors with audio headsets after we were well into the property unfortunately and didn't have time to go back. We were then rushed off and didn't have time to explore further. Cascais and Estoril were time wasted. It would have been better to focus the day on Sintra only.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The driver was friendly and did take us to a local restaurant with local food up in a small village.

Exploring the Cork Tradition of the Alentejo

Portugal

We really wanted to learn more about cork, it's growing and production. This tour was great for achieving this.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Soul of Lisbon: Fado Dinner Experience

Portugal

We really enjoyed the restaurant, the staff, the food and especially the music.

Quality of Experience

Food

A Half Day Excursion to Medieval Óbidos

Portugal

A fascinating location, beautiful historic village. We didn't have a guide but enjoyed walking around. We were pleased our driver got us there early.

Quality of Experience

The history and beauty of the site.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver was helpful but it would have been nice to have someone to explain historic aspects.

Transport

It was fine.

Lisbon Roots: A Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

A wonderful experience. Our guide was enthusiastic, entertaining, informative and helpful. The food was pretty good also 👌 😋

Quality of Experience

The guide.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

N/A

Go West to Belém by Tuk-Tuk

Lisbon

The area really didn't have what we expected, though it was good to see the famous custard tarts being made.

Quality of Experience

Our guide was good, very friendly and informative. It was the area that was a disappointment.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver/guide was very friendly, informed, and a great tuk tuk driver... we felt very comfortable in her vehicle.

Transport

Explore Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Our guide was enthusiastic, informative, humorous and happy for questions. He gave us a wonderful feel for the old neighborhoods of Lisbon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide loves the old neighborhoods of lisbon and it came across making the tour very enjoyable.

Thank you Ada, and all those involved in organizing an unforgettable cherry blossom trip to Japan.

Hotel Reviews

Richmond Hotel Premier Tokyo Schole

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Onyado Nono Matsumoto Natural Hot Spring

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Morino Hotel

Kiso

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Taoya Kisoji

Tsumago

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Royal Park Hotel Kyoto Umekoji

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hiroshima Tokyu REI Hotel

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Karuizawa Hotel Longing House

Karuizawa

This was our least favorite town we visited, and our least favorite hotel. It is far from the hiking trail and the activity in the city. It had the least authentic Japanese vibe of everywhere we visited. The huge old dirty teddy bears sitting out in the rain were not a welcome greeting. The outstanding customer service we received throughout Japan was lacking in this town and this hotel. The room was fine. The breakfast was good. I would not recommend visiting this town or this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Throw away old disgusting giant teddy bears that contaminate both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Location

There could be a free shuttle from the train station.

Staff

No one at desk, have to ring a bell and wait.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Half-day Tokyo Highlights: Meiji Jingu & Senso-ji Temple

Tokyo

Naomi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a must going alone to Japan for the first time. Greg made everything super easy and even changed my trip when I had a major delay.

Monika was wonderful! She put together a great itinerary for us and she was very helpful in making a last minute change when weather prevented us from flying to Milford Sound. Hotels were excellent, the the dinner she had planned for us in Auckland was one we will not forget. I would highly recommend anyone planning a trip to NZ to partner with her.

Had a wonderful 2 weeks in and around Tuscany. Martina listened to our wants and needs and planned a fabulous trip - perfect accommodation, great tours, seamless travel and a great mix of cities and small villages. Lorenzo stepped in and provided awesome support throughout the actual trip - always accessible for whatever we needed. I cannot recommend them enough!

Hotel Review

Palazzo Petrus

Orvieto

Amazing service and such a beautiful room - cannot fault!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central to everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rialto Market and "Cicchetti" food tour

Venice

Georgia was great - took us to some hidden gems and historical places to sample traditional Venetian food and culture. Highly recommend - such good fun!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discover Orvieto Underground

Orvieto

Very knowledgeable guide and really interesting to learn all the history. Was well worth the visit!!

Hector and his colleagues put together a very high quality experience for the four of us. There are several components to a great visit anywhere and to the Pais Vasco in particular.

The Guides: We like to get to know a place through the experiences of the people who live there. We had two exceptional individuals who taught us so much about the places and people of this region. Both were intensely proud of their Basque heritage and region. Irena in Bilbao led us on an amazing Pintxos tour through the Casco Viejo (old city). Outstanding quality and lots of variety. The next day she also took us on a tour focused on the history of the City. Super knowledgeable. Our next guide was Jaime Izquierdo. We spent three days with him which included the trip from Bilbao to San Sebastián, a tour of San Sebastián and a tour of the region north of San Sebastián. One advantage of a private tour is the ability to make changes to the proposed itinerary. When we mentioned our interest in visiting Gernika (not on the original itinerary but an important place in Basque history) he was excited to make that change. And he also suggested visiting Biarritz nearby in France which was not part of the original plan.Again, super knowledgeable and just a real pleasure to spend three days with.

The Transfers: Every airport/hotel transfer was on time with great communication in advance from the driver

Lodging: The hotels in both San Sebastián and Bilbao were well located and high quality and the rooms were fine, with one exception that was quickly remedied by the local staff.

Support from the in-country agency: Espiritu Travel uses a great app—Trip Plan—that had our itinerary and suggestions for activities and restaurants. It also has a chat feature which we used several times to ask questions. It is staffed continually and their staff responded promptly.

Cost: We have traveled in Spain many times. The cost of this trip was expensive relative to our prior experiences. But it was worth every Euro.

Hector and his team have our gratitude for creating a great experience for us.

Excellent support from the guides : very professional, patient, we always felt safe, and we have learnt so much about swimming in water currents ! A specific mention of the effort made to deal with my specifict diet restrictions.
The combination of hiking, riding, rafting and kayaking is just one of a kind for this crossing of the country without any car transfer. Every day was amazing.

This was our second year using Kimkim to plan and schedule our vacation and if it's possible, we're even more pleased than last year. I can't say enough about how great a job they do from planning and customizing the perfect trip, to making sure every little detail is addressed. Giulia did a wonderful job planning our vacation and we were super impressed and appreciative with her checking in throughout our trip to make sure we had everything we need. The Vamoos app is fantastic and makes it SUPER easy to navigate. The guides were absolutely awesome! I have recommend to all my friends and people I've shared about our trips that you MUST go with Kimkim to plan your next trip! Thank you for making our trip to Italy such an amazing experience....now I need to Kimkim to start working on our next trip to Europe!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa Adele

Taormina

Gorgeous hotel, super friendly staff, great location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very kind and super helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Residence Amalfi

Amalfi

Great hotel, but if a quiet room is a must, make sure you don't stay in the corner.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great view, but very noisy

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Godfather and Mafia tour with Pasta lunch (from Taormina) - Small Group

Italy

The Godfather tour was amazing, I highly recommend it for any fan of the movie series

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Giuseppe did an amazing job! He was super knowledgeable

Transport

Mount Etna expedition and Etna wine experience

Italy

Tony was absolutely amazing! His knowledge of Mount Etna and the history made this an incredible experience! The lunch served as well was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

PERFECT day!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We loved Tony, what an amazing job he did!

Transport

Day trip to Capri Island from The Amalfi Coast - small group

Italy

What a great experience! We couldn't have asked for a better day! Both boat captains were amazing

Quality of Experience

The knowledge of the island from our captain/guide was incredible

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was was awesome

Transport

We had an ideal self-guided walking trip in southwest Ireland thanks to Kimkim connecting us with Ireland Walk, Hike, Bike. Dean Garrison from that company tailored 5 days of walking that perfectly suited our interests and abilities. We had superb communication with Dean as he tweaked the itinerary in response to our input. The transfers between hotels were flawless—all the drivers were really wonderful people. The hotels were wonderful, and the food at the Brook Lane in Kenmare was a special treat. When we had to modify the last day of hiking, Dean’s colleague Katie gave us instant support, suggesting not just one alternative option but three. We are already dreaming of coming back for another week of walking in Ireland. Truly, an amazing experience!