Kimkim Trip Reviews

A Month in France -- everything went very well. TLDR: Highlights for me were the hotels, the restaurants gastronomique, the expos in Paris and swimming in the bay at Villefranche-sur-mer. The rooms were almost all exceptional. We had asked to be booked into Adéle et Jules in Paris and that was a bit of a step-down from the other hotels so that is on us. We remembered it as being better, but in comparison to the others, it was not. Breakfasts were also all great. The nights full of sirens at Le Terrasse made it difficult to sleep when jet lagged and it was impossible to get onto the rooftop cafe near sunset. The room and breakfast were awesome though -- the view was stunning. All the tours were great although I didn't buy any of the wines (I drink a lot of Bordeaux and NorCal wines so I'm spoiled.) We did buy a bottle of champagne as a gift to my French teacher though! Highly recommend the day trip to Reims to see the cathedral and taste champagne. All the drivers were great although the pick up at CDG was around 40 minutes late. Aix en Provence hotel to the train station was also late, but there appeared to have been a misunderstanding about arrival time -- it was OK but a little stressful. Also I didn't mention how much we liked the other hotels! Lyon had an amazing location and the view from the window of the river was really something (and the closed windows were very sound proof!) The garden and food at the hotel in Aix were phenomenal -- the walk to town was not ideal, but it was only 8 euros for a taxi home and they were easy to get. The expo in Aix of Toulouse Lautrec was great too -- thanks for getting the tickets ahead of time. And finally, Villefranche-sur-mer had the best ocean view for chilling out and we spent a lot of time on the balcony. There was the little issue at check out in that they had no record of pre-payment, but the extra charge was easily cancelled when the day crew took over the front desk. As I say to my family, "No complaining on the yacht." :-) Thanks again for everything and all your help.

Mostly the trip was great. However, there were definitely a few places that could have been improved. Number one is logistics. For the Monemvasia portion, there was a lot of driving back and forth that could have been reduced by better planning. For instance, the day we went to Nafplio, we went right by Mystras. We could have combined the two and gotten rid of a fair amount of van time. Additionally, the Mani tour we took covered the same roads we took when going from Kalamata to Monemvasia. Could have been combined, thus less van time, and more time for something else. Besides the logistics, there were two activities that I wasn't thrilled with. First, the tour of Mani region with Leah was basically all day in the van. There should have been more stops and activities along the way. For instance, there was an interesting cave near our route that we could have visited, etc. The other tour that didn't go especially well, was the tour of Palamidi Castle. The bike around that tour was great. The reason the castle tour didn't go well, was because we were a little late for the tour and our guide (Matinni?) was not happy. She tried to abbreviate the tour, and as such, we didn't see much, or learn much, on the tour. We were all dissapointed. Otherwise, the guides were very good and knowledgeable and did a good job of answering our questions, of which there were many. Additionally, the tour company did a good job of trying to adjust to the weather and changing tours around to accommodate weather issues. I think that with a bit more thought to logistics, and understanding the group needs better (no long van rides as a tour) the trip would have been fantastic.

Hotel Review

Villa Vager Mani

Mani, Peloponnisos

What a cool place! So interesting as a place to stay, and very friendly hosts. My favorite place to stay on the whole trip.

Authenticity & Character

It's age, arrangement for rooms and overall beauty.

Location

It was a bit far from town, with no easy transportation options.

Staff

The Owners

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room had a lot of space and was very unique and comfortable.

Activity Review

Guided Hike Through Ridomo Gorge

Greece

Fun to have a day in nature with some educational opportunities, but mostly just a really fun hike. I really enjoyed the rock scrambling and being out in nature away from lots of people.

Quality of Experience

See above

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide understood what we wanted to get out of the hike.

Transport

No problems. On time.

Isabel helped us create our dream honeymoon in Puerto Rico! She even helped us out when we were on the Island and late for excursions or needing adjustments.

We had a great trip. Our guides were knowledgeable and interesting. They helped us understand Greek history and the significance of what we were visiting. We ate well and did a variety of activities. Our group was interested in an active vacation (walking, hiking, e-biking, etc) and Gustavo was able to customize our tour to accommodate that. We preferred to spend several days in one location instead of moving hotels every day, and the way the tour was laid out that worked fairly well.

Hotel Reviews

Athens Manor Houses

Athens

Great location, good rooms, nice breakfast. It was nice to be able to walk out the door and be in the heart of Athens. We were able to walk to many of our activities here.

Authenticity & Character

Our room was right on the street but not noisy at all. Several of the walls of the room were thick rock and the ceilings were high. It had a lot of character.

Location

The hotel was on a smaller road just off a main street right in the middle of Athens. It was very convenient to all our tours there.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Vager Mani

Mani, Peloponnisos

The staff was great. The breakfasts were lovely. We ate out on a terrace with a nice view. Each room was very different. Ours was huge with a view of the sea and a small private terrace.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The place has a lot of character, but it is in the middle of nowhere. We had to take a van or get a taxi to go anywhere. There were 2 taverns you could walk to, but that's all there was of the local "town".

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kinsterna Hotel Monemvasia

Monemvasia Peloponnese

This hotel seems like it's a destination all in itself. They have a fantastic breakfast buffet with lots of locally harvested items. There are two swimming pools, walking trails, horses, bee keeping, grapes (wine), olive and fig trees on the property. There are multiple activities each day. For us, since we were going to other locations for tours, we didn't take advantage of all the options at the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

The rooms were interesting. Ours had a vaulted rock ceiling and a nice bathroom with a heated floor. The place is huge. The gardens were spectacular.

Location

This hotel isn't in Monemvasia proper. It's on a large estate with lots of activities. It seems more suited to doing things on the property (olive harvesting, honey extracting, horses, wine tasting, swimming, etc) than as a base to do other things. We went to Sparta from there and it was a long drive. We also went to Monemvasia proper and had to get a taxi to get back to the property.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

This was one of the nicer hotels we stayed at.

Sofitel Athens Airport

Athens

The only reason to stay at this hotel is because it's a short walk across one street to get inside the airport. We had a very early morning flight so this was convenient. They did make us box breakfasts since we were leaving our rooms at 4:00am, which was nice. They had a pool and a spa but there is nothing around the hotel to do. It's between a highway and the airport building.

Authenticity & Character

It's a huge, faceless hotel. The food was twice the price of any of our other meals.

Location

The airport is a 2 minute walk from the hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leto Nuevo Hotel

Nafplio

The location of this hotel was great. It was easy to walk to various things, and there was a nice view. The breakfast buffet was nice. But our room had a tiny bathroom and the second set of stairs to the room were steep with a low handrail. It had maybe just a little too much "character" for us.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel had a bit too much character. The bathroom was tiny, and when it rained water came up from under the vinyl tile floor. We had to climb 2 steep sets of stairs to get to our room.

Location

The hotel was located in the older part of town. It was easy to walk to restaurants, the port, the castle on the hill behind the town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The tiny bathroom was a bit of a trick to navigate. (Our knees hit the wall in front of the toilet.)

Activity Reviews

Private Acropolis & Highlights Walk with Food Tastings

Athens

Our guide was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions. He gave us an interesting tour which we really enjoyed. We saw the main highlights of Athens this day, walking the whole way. We ended up at "the best Gyro place" in Athens which really was very good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide had a PhD and was very knowledgeable and interesting.

Transport

The best part is we didn't need transport! We walked from our hotel.

Private Cooking Class in Nafplio

Nafplio

This class was really well done. Everything tasted great. The recipes were things that we think we will actually make when we are home -- not too complex and no strange ingredients. We really enjoyed the chef. We also got some great restaurant recommendations from him. We ate at one of them the next night and had a great meal.

Quality of Experience

This was one of my favorite experiences.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The chef was great - he was a good teacher.

Transport

Our van driver showed up on time both ways.

Private Tour of the Villages of Mani (from Kalamata)

Kalamata

Our driver was knowledgeable and interesting, but there was a lot of driving. I thought we might have stopped at several of the villages to look around, but we only stopped at the furthest one and then retraced our path back to Kalamata. The region was interesting with a rich history and the views were pretty, but it was a lot of driving.

Quality of Experience

There was a lot of driving. I thought maybe we would get out at several of the villages and look around, but we really only stopped at the furthest town and then drove back the same way. Then it turned out the next day when we were moving from Kalamata to Monemvasia, we retraced most of the same roads and stopped, again, in the same village. Perhaps in hindsight doing this activity on the moving day might have made more sense.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver gave us a running description of what we were looking at, and of the history of the region - which was very interesting. She was very good.

Self-Guided Lycabettus Hill Visit

Athens

I took the funicular to the top, while a couple of our folks walked up. It turns out there are no views from the car because it's underground. I ended up walking down with the others in our group and it wasn't that far. The views from the top were nice, but there wasn't much to do other than eat at the restaurants which we didn't do because we had other meals planned. The walk to and from our hotel to the base of the hill was a workout in itself. The only minor complaint was that on the original itinerary this was listed as a morning activity, but we had an e-bike tour at 10:00 am so there wasn't time to do it after breakfast and before the tour. Some of us skipped this, and some of us did this in the afternoon between other activities.

Private Guided Trip to Mystras with Traditional Lunch

Monemvasia

The tour of the old city was very interesting, and the restaurant for lunch was great. Apparently the big hall had been closed for years going restoration and was open now. It was well done with a large display of fantastic costumes from the period. The room itself was huge and impressive. The other buildings were interesting to see. We started at the top and walked down amongst the ruins. The restaurant afterwards was great. We got to eat outside in a glass room with nice views that stayed warm - completely outside would have been a bit cool. We had a really nice meal there. The only scheduling issue was that Sparta was quite a drive from Monemvasia. We spent quite a while in the van. But I wouldn't have wanted to miss this tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

The restaurant was very good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

E-Bike to Gialova, Voidokilia Beach & Kalamaris Waterfall

Greece

The weather (and a local event) precluded us going to the beach but we did an alternative e-bike tour that was great. We biked around Messene. on small roads among olive trees, ate fresh figs, visited an old monastery that was lovely (Andromonástēro), and saw the ruins of an ancient sports complex that a guy made his life's work to excavate. Our guide was knowledgeable and brought a picnic to end our bike tour with.

Quality of Experience

I really enjoyed the alternate bike location at Messene. We were on dirt roads with no traffic for most of the ride, and we saw lots of interesting things. The monastery is definitely a hidden gem (Andromonástēro).

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vineyard Hike with Lunch & Local Wine

Monemvasia

We walked through vineyards and olive orchards. Our guide was a 4th generation local and she was great. We really enjoyed hearing about the history of the region and about the ages and different varieties of olive trees. The wine tasting was nice and the meal afterwards was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

The meal was lovely.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We really enjoyed talking with our guide as we walked around the property.

Nafplio E-Bike Adventure

Nafplio

We ended up going to a different location but it was more interesting than what was scheduled. We had an interesting discussion about politics and history with our guide, which we really enjoyed. The e-bikes were very nice and worked well. We did go to the castle but I feel like we missed some of the more interesting parts of it. Our tour of the place was done by another guide and it seemed pretty cursory.

Quality of Experience

The e-bike tour was great. The castle tour was ok.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our e-bike guide was good. The castle guide was just so-so.

Private Coastal Hike with Picnic

Nafplio

This was less interesting than some of our other activities. We walked along the coast to an old church where we had a small picnic. We had the same guide as the day before but this day he spent a lot of time on the phone and seemed less interactive with us.

Quality of Experience

We saw this path from the e-bike tour the day before, so the scenery was nothing new. If the day had been warmer, a swim would have been nice. But this time of year it was too cool.

Self-guided Tour of Monemvasia

Greece

We missed having a guide while touring this town. It turns out that our hotel could have given us a guided tour if we had known to arrange it in advance. The town was interesting, and we hiked to the church at the top of the hill, but we really didn't know the significance of what we were looking at. It started to rain so we ended up getting a quick bite in a cafe and then taking a taxi back to the hotel.

Culinary Walk, Olive Oil Tasting & Lunch

Kalamata

We enjoyed this tour but because of the schedule we were pretty tired when we started. This was our fault - we should have talked to the guide right away about what we needed. As it was, we walked around Kalamata more than we probably should have. The spice shop was interesting, and our olive oil tasting was really good - i found it very interesting. But the coffee shop was lost on us because most of our group doesn't drink coffee, and the rest didn't want strong coffee at the end of the day. When it was time everyone was too tired to go eat the meal that was scheduled. We felt bad about that - we should have talked to the guide about moving things up. The guide did help us get taxis back to our hotel at the end of the tour.

Quality of Experience

The olive oil tasting was great.

Transport

We ended up taking 2 taxis back to the hotel because it wasn't in Kalamata proper.

Authentic Athens Awaits: The Petralona Experience

Athens

I really enjoyed this tour. We walked through a residential neighborhood of Athens. Our guide told us about the history of that region, and then we ate at a local restaurant. The food was great, and it was nice to be outside of the touristy parts of town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was very knowledgeable and interesting.

Historic Highlights E-Bike Excursion

Athens

We did get to see several sites that were too far to walk. We did end up riding on some busy streets, which may be impossible to avoid, but that was a bit unsettling. We enjoyed seeing the changing of the guards at the presidential palace, which included an additional parade and more pageantry because apparently Amal Clooney was visiting the president that day.

Quality of Experience

Julia and the team at Kimkim made travel planning so delightful! They were quick to respond to any questions, concerns, or needs. Having team members located in Europe made support readily available while traveling through different time zones.
Kimkim was easy to work with while in the planning stages of our trip. They gave us several options, were flexible when we chose to do our own thing, and were extremely helpful in organizing it all in the end. Making it seamless and easy for us to enjoy the journey while they planned and organized all the details of our day to day. They focused on supporting the Portuguese culture and used locals employed in local tourism, which I appreciated.
Our itinerary included travel both by train and private drivers, which often were also our guide for the day. I loved using the Kimkim app. where our schedule was simple to follow and easy to use while boarding the train or confirming a guided excursion. I never had to wonder where a ticket or confirmation number was, nor worry if I had misplaced it!
Each guide was excellent. They were knowledgeable, personable and timely, often giving additional suggestions as they got to know us. I always felt safe and respected.
Our hotels were always located in “the perfect spot”. Loving to walk, we were easily able to get to many sites and used Ubers when necessary, making it a quick and easy return.
Some of our hotel rooms were very tight for space. (Jardim da Batalha Boutique Hotel in Porto: very quaint w excellent breakfast!!) and (Hotel Oslo in Coimbra)
Not spending much time in the room made it tolerable, but a bit more space would’ve been a nice comfort.
I especially enjoyed our hotel in Evora; Hotel Albergaria do Calvario. It was an old convent that used to make olive oil. The charm, comfort and excellent breakfast it provided won’t be forgotten. The rooms were large and very comfortable!
Residence Inn in Lagos was in an excellent location, but could’ve used some updating.
All staff throughout our journey were helpful and knowledgeable!
Our last night in Lisbon we stayed at Melia Aeroporto: very conveniently located by the airport, even when schulpping luggage!

Tuk-tuk in Lisbon was a great way to see highlights, avoid crazy traffic and pedestrians, and learn about the city. We had an exceptional guide, Antonio, who went out of his way to pick us up and then drop us off where we were planning to have dinner. Highly recommend!!

Would highly recommend a day trip to the Schist Villages(not supported by kimkim yet) but easy to set up. Our guide Miguel was wonderful to spend the day with.
The coast is beautiful and a must to see. I prefer the less traveled areas myself. We went to Sintra, Peña Palace, (which was impressive) and were to follow that w Quinta da Regaleria, but our guide Louis(highly recommend!!) thought it would way too much to fit in one day, so he suggested an alternative plan which included time along the coast, which was lovely!
Lots of great memories and will highly recommend Kimkim to others!

Hotel Reviews

Jardim da Batalha Boutique Hotel by Shiadu

Porto

Rooms are small but it has a quaintness to it, has an excellent breakfast and the staff were awesome!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful and always pleasant with a greeting!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms very tight for space

Hotel Oslo Coimbra

Coimbra

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Albergaria do Calvário

Évora

Excellent place to end and start your day!! Comfortable and very spacious room, excellent staff, breakfast, and the charm is lovely!

Authenticity & Character

Great historical place.

Location

Staff

Eye pleasant. Were able to leave luggage prior to room availability.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Exceptional!

Residence Lagos

Lagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to everything!

Staff

No staff generally seen except for morning kitchen staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Needs a little TLC.

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

Had a lite diner which was likely the worst food of my time in Portugal. Disappointed, when there wasn’t much for other options. Breakfast buffet looked excellent however! Nice job with that!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Vila Nova de Gaia Port Lodges

Porto

Enjoyed our ramblings through the ups and downs of this city.

Douro Valley Day Trip with Wine Tastings & River Cruise

Porto

Enjoyed our two winery stops, the views, and drive through the countryside.

Quality of Experience

Great wine tastings in a beautiful place.

Food

Our lunch stop was very tasty.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All were exceptional and very knowledgeable.

Transport

Private Exploration of the Costa Vicentina - Hiking on the West Coast, Lunch & Coastal Sightseeing

Lagos (Algarve)

Fun easy hike with beautiful views while learning about the area.

Quality of Experience

Food

Local! 🤗

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide, Joan,(John) that made the day enjoyable, relaxed and informative.

Transport

Timely, text with updates.

Private Sintra & Cascais Day Trip with Pena Palace & Quinta da Regaleira Visit

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Enjoyed the hearing about the history of the Palace and Monastery.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ponta da Piedade Kayaking Adventure

Lagos (Algarve)

Unfortunately, due to large swells and changing weather, this got canceled.

Quality of Experience

N/A

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I got a text regarding the weather change and the need to cancel or reschedule our kayaking adventure. Humberto reached out to me as soon as he was aware of the adverse weather to see if we could reschedule, but unfortunately, we weren’t able to do so. I appreciate their willingness, efforts and also knowledge in regards to the safety of their clients!! On my bucket list list for next visit.

Transport

N/A

Atlantic Coast Scenic Transfer: Arrábida, Porto Covo, Vila Nova de Mil Fontes and Lagos

Portugal

We were so lucky to have Luis as our private driver again. He wasn’t hired as a guide this day, but he took that role on and continued to share his knowledge with us, finding the perfect places to stop to enjoy the beautiful scenery, eat a great meal and make the drive to Lisbon fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Walk

Coimbra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lagos Evening Food Walk

Lagos (Algarve)

Fun, fact-filled evening with a wonderful variety of of foods to sample in small local restaurants.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Tuk-Tuk Experience Along the 28 Tram Route

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bussaco Forest Walk

Coimbra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Walking Tour: Exploring Lagos Old Town

Lagos (Algarve)

A very easy walk around the city.

Quality of Experience

Loved all the designs in the walkways, the beautiful beaches, and vibrant riverwalk area.

Although my wife and I are experienced travelers, we felt we needed help in planning our trip to Norway. We engaged the Kimkim team to assist in planning and are very glad we did! The team solicited our input as to what things we wanted to do and see on our trip. From there, they booked the hotels, travel and excursions for the six day trip. The hotels were all very nice, especially our waterfront room at the Flåm Marina Hotel. Breakfast was included at each stop which was convenient. All the travel and connections were flawless. The excursions provided by the Kimkim team exceeded our expectations. We enjoyed the private sauna experience in Flåm as well as the waterfall hike, which we would have overlooked if we had booked things ourselves. We had walking tours in Oslo, Flåm and Bergen, and our guides (Minji, Luis and Thomas respectively) were friendly and knowledgeable. As it was off season in Norway, we were in small groups which made for a more intimate and casual experience. All of our tickets, confirmations and vouchers were stored on the Kimkim app which made for easy access. The team was also very responsive and available by chat whenever we had questions. Overall we were delighted with the trip and highly recommend Kimkim as a travel planner!

Hotel Reviews

Flåm Marina

Flåm

Small hotel, situated on the waterfront in Flåm. The staff was very friendly and we had beautiful view of the fjords and mountains right from our deck! Only a five minute walk from the Flåm railway.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the water

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Det Hanseatiske Hotel

Bergen

Right in the harbor area, one block from the Mount Floyen funicular. Close to everything! Friendly staff and rustic charm.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Ten minute walk from the train station and from harbor. Friendly staff and pleasant accommodations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Floating Sauna Experience - Flam

Flåm

Lot of fun! This is not something we would have booked ourselves but glad we did! Floating sauna, 192 degrees F, water was 46 degrees F if you dared make the plunge!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Viking Valley Njardarheim (enterance tickets included)

Gudvangen

Interesting re-enactment of Viking life. As it was off-season, there were not many people around, but those that were, were friendly and knowledgeable. We got to shoot the bow and arrow as well as learn axe throwing. Our visit included a 45 minute guided tour in English which touched on aspects of Viking life back in the day.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Waterfall Hike & Stegastein Viewpoint Experience

Norway

Luis, our guide, first drove us to a lookout atop a mountain overlooking Flåm. The views were glorious! Then he brought us on an approx 4km hike up to a waterfall, which was also very pretty.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Luis was a good guide!

Transport

Essential Oslo Walking Tour

Oslo

Minji, our guide, was very friendly and knowledgeable. As it was off season, my wife and I were the only ones in the group, so we had a private tour!

Quality of Experience

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Our guide, Thomas, was friendly and knowledgeable. We had a number of stops and discussed some of the cultural and historical aspects of Bergen.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Karla did a great job putting together an itinerary for our one week Ecuador trip. Transfers, hotel check ins, and activities were all well coordinated. We enjoyed a large variety of activities and a combination of private and group day trips, as the itinerary encompassed highlights of the central part of the country. If you are excited to travel, but not about the planning, Kim Kim is a good choice!

We couldn’t have asked for a better experience for our once-in-a-lifetime mother-daughter trip than our Immersion Morocco tour. Our driver, Ahmed, was reliable, punctual, informative, funny, fun, and thoughtful. After 11 days and almost 2000 kilometers and many hours of sharing each other’s music and trading stories about families, sports, everyday customs and courtesies, it felt like we parted as friends who’d learned a lot about each other’s country.

Aside from some weather-related changes in itinerary, everything ran smoothly. All the hotels were lovely and in good locations for further exploration on our own. The city guides were professional and knowledgeable and added much to our understanding of what we were seeing, whether historical sites or architecture or everyday life in souks and villages. We really did feel “immersed” especially when we were welcomed into homes for home-cooked meals (always better than any restaurant) and a memorable excursion through a Rose Valley village.

We had tried to prepare for the trip by reading about Morocco but nothing came close to the detail and nuances we gained from Ahmed, our city guides, and just getting ourselves off the beaten path.

We highly recommend Morocco Immersion to anyone and will definitely use them again if we are lucky enough to return (which we DO plan to do someday!).

Hotel Reviews

Riad Nesma Suites & SPA

Medina, Marrakech

Lovely staff. Beautiful building with quiet nooks and a lovely roof top. Great location...on the edge of the souks, easy walking distance of the Djemaa el-Fnaa, easy landmarks to find our way home.

Authenticity & Character

The tile work, the interior "courtyard",

Location

See above

Staff

Always smiling . They made us feel welcome in every way.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless,

Kasbah Tiziri

Kelaat Mgouna

Gorgeous compound...buildings and garden. Excellent service. 5-course dinners!

Authenticity & Character

Restorations are faithful to the style while also having modern comforts

Location

Looks out over open space in the valley

Staff

Super attentive proprietors

Cleanliness & Comfort

No complaints or issues at all.

Sahara Stars Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Our "tent"/"cabin" was absolutely gorgeous

Authenticity & Character

Probably not as authentic as if we were actual nomadic people, but one could easily imagine what life would be like

Location

In the Sahara, facing beautiful dunes.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Nila

Chefchaouen

Absolutely gorgeously renovated buildings in the heart of the old city. Decorated with a modern touch (contemporary art) mixed with tradition.

Authenticity & Character

A blend of modern and tradition.

Location

Super easy access to the souks, main square, the river, and trails.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Farouzi Fes

Fes

Super comfortable. Rooms are off the balcony of a central atrium. Really pleasant rooftop. Gorgeous floor-to-ceiling tile and carved plaster decor.

Authenticity & Character

Spectacular tile and carved plaster decor

Location

Staff

Absolutely wonderful. friendly, attentive to our needs. Amazing breakfasts!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bathroom fixtures were a little outdated but were absolutely serviceable

Hotel des Oudaias

Rabat

A little older and less "fancy" than other places on our trip, but definitely comfortable, clean, and well-staffed. Best tea of our whole trip! The dining room had very interesting art work and paintings. Had an elevator! Definitely felt hotel-like after all the beautiful riads we'd been in during our trip.

Authenticity & Character

You knew you were no longer in a riad. But definitely comfortable in a traditional hotel way.

Location

A little bit more of a business feel to the neighborhood; near the medina but a little removed from it.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Our tour with Hicham was our introduction to Morocco and we couldn't have asked for better. He seemed tuned to what visitors need to know to enrich their experience of Marrakesh, and Morocco generally. History, architecture, everyday life, stories behind sites, civics and governance, food, the decoration of the buildings...

Quality of Experience

Really well-planned walk that took us past the main sites and locations, with in-depth explanations, and many nooks and corners of the souks.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Punctual, professional, knowledgeable, friendly, responsive to questions.

Transport

Hicham was right on time to meet us at our riad for an amazing walking tour through old Marrakesh

Our trip to Patagonia was all that we had hoped for and more. We not only took an amazing cruise but visited areas that others rarely get to see. Our trip to the Marble Caves stands out. It was a challenge to get there but well worth it. Luis, our driver, was excellent. 65Had basically came down to details from our original trip not being set up for our eventual trip. 2 times drivers were expected to pick us up and 2 times they had the wrong timing on their information and we were left stranded. Marcela however, always got the issue fixed. We had a few difficulties with drivers/guides unable to speak English, but we were always able to figure it out.
My favorite part of the trip was our 2 days Puma hunting. Our guide and driver did an outstanding job and we saw 2 Pumas.

Activity Review

Photo Safari Puma Tracking

Patagonia

I really enjoyed this portion of the trip. We spotted 2 Pumas on our 2nd day. They were very far away but it was thrilling nonetheless. It became a bit tedious when we travelled the same area over and over but I know they were looking in the best spots.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eleanor was absolutely stellar. She planned an amazing trip for us that surpassed our widest expectations. She was responsive, helpful, and generous with ideas and suggestions. She is a star.
Our accommodations were all fabulous, particularly the Ryokan in Naishima, the hotel in Kyoto and in Wakka.
All of the guides were great, but our Hiroshima guide was truly outstanding.

Hotel Reviews

Naoshima Ryokan Roka

Naoshima

This ryokan is outstanding! It is probably the most amazing place I have ever had the pleasure of staying. The location is perfect for accessing art on the island, and the tranquil 8 room setting, replete with private baths in the room, is wonderful. The meals are exquisite, with perfectly prepared Japanese delicacies in artful presentation. A nice in a lifetime experience.

Authenticity & Character

This is a serene and sophisticated ryokan in a tranquil setting. Every need will be catered to.

Location

The hotel is in walking and biking distance to The New Museum and to the art houses in town. Complimentary electric bicycles and shuttle service are available on site.

Staff

The staff is courteous and will meet your every need.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Stunning, spacious rooms with private baths overlooking beautiful outdoor areas.

Wakka

Ehime

The location of this beautiful hotel is perfect. Located on the water, the views are stunning and the food is amazing. We stayed in one of the 8 private large separate units that included a hibachi dinner on the porch of the unit. It was one of the best meals f our trip.

Authenticity & Character

The tranquility of the location and the meticulous service are outstanding.

Location

This hotel is in an exquisite location on the water. The views are beautiful.

Staff

Lovely, helpful staff who go above and beyond to provide the guest with a comfortable experience.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kyoto Umekoji Kadensho - Private Bath Facility

This hotel provides an upscale and authentic experience. Tatami mats throughout the facility ensure cleanliness and tranquility. The baths are large and lovely, and the food is excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Located across from a train station with a five minute ride to central Kyoto.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Full Day Miyajima Island and Memorial Park Tour

Hiroshima

This is a must-do experience for any visitor to Japan. The Peace Museum is a moving and profound experience. I will never forget it, and I believe every visitor should experience it in order to fully appreciate both history and human behavior.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was fantastic. She had a comprehensive understanding of Japanese history, culture, and Japan’s historical importance.

Transport

Pros: nice hotel, great driver (Reach) and guide Sen Soeu. Soeu had a very pleasant demeanor and knowledgeable.
Cons: we would have liked to know before that we were going in to really poor areas. Also it would have helped to know when and how much to tip at each stop.
Lastly we were not happy that you could have gotten us a Visa express back in Saigon.

I normally don't use a tour company, but I was so grateful for Eleanor's help guiding me. She was very patient, flexible and knowledgeable. She was great working with us to get the trip within our price point and she had really good suggestions about where to stay, what to see and what to do. She guided us every step of the way and our trip turned out to be great. We want to give a huge shout out to our tour guide Seiya Maegawa. He was awesome and really made Kyoto come alive.

We spent 3 nights in Tokyo and found the city exciting and generally easy to navigate. Our tour guide Toru was knowledgeable and helpful. The 1/2 day group was fun also. 2 nights in Hakone with a stay at Hakone Hotel Kajikaso, a vey nice place with in room pool or public onsen baths. The are is mountainous and very quiet. Quite crowded at lake Ashi but fantastic stroll on the old Tokaido trail to mountain side tea house. 2 nights in Takayama, a cute old city area and very nice compact old village area Hida in sato that is walkable from the hotel. 2 nights in Kanazawa with village visits Asako on the way there then a city tour with Nicola. Both guides were excellent and full of knowledge. 4 nights in Kyoto with a great second day tour with Yasuko. The old Gion area and Arashiyama area were very crowded, go early in the morning. The train station has a light show in the evening between the 4th and 10th floor that is near the food courts and exceptional. The day to KIX airport we stopped at Osaka castle and found that well worth the visit. Overall the trip was a great learning experience, Suica cards, subways, trains, buses and a great deal of walking. Have fun

Esteban was an exceptional guide! He was flexible, a wealth of knowledge and fun to be around. Esteban was professional and provided us a great experience in Guatemala!

I'd like to thank Mayra and the team she worked with to coordinate a very smooth experience on our Argentina trip. The coordination of hotels, domestic flights, transfers, guides, tours, etc all worked very well. I traveled with our two sons and they also enjoyed this trip. Thanks again

Hotel Reviews

Dazzler by Wyndham Polo Hotel Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Courteous staff, nice breakfast options, central to Buenos Aires

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rochester Bariloche

San Carlos de Bariloche

Breakfast delivered to the room; beautiful view of the lake. Staff very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Northern Buenos Aires Exploration & Childhood Memories

Buenos Aires

Our guide, Valeria, was extremely knowledgeable. In a few hours, we covered a lot of sights in Buenos Aires. My thanks to her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Navigation to Victoria Island with VIP Cabin

Bariloche

Knowledgeable staff; we highly recommend the VIP Cabin which made the trip extra special

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Majid did a phenomenal job planning our wonderful adventure in Morocco. He patiently listened to everything we wanted, thoughtfully refining the itinerary until we somehow managed to fit it all into our nine-day trip!

We were greeted at the airport by Hamid, our enthusiastic and amiable escort for the first few days as we explored Marrakech and the Agafay Desert. In Marrakech, we stayed at Riad Idra, an unbelievably beautiful and enchanting riad tucked inside the Medina and a fantastic home base for exploring the city. Our Marrakech guide, also named Hamid, was exceptionally knowledgeable and showed us all the highlights of the Medina, followed by an amazing evening food tour. We even ate snails!

Next, we headed to Alkamar Camp in the desert for a magical camel-riding and overnight glamping experience that was truly once in a lifetime.

From there, we were met by Ziad, who would be our driver for the majority of the trip. I cannot say enough wonderful things about him. Kind, attentive, and incredibly thoughtful, Ziad took care of us like an older brother every step of the way. He even came to pick us up from dinner one evening in Chefchaouen when I was simply too tired to tackle all the stairs!

Our next stop was Rabat, where we were guided by Osman, a native of the city who really brought it to life for us. He introduced us to all the major sights as well as some of his favorite hidden gems. We spent the night at The View Hotel, which was a luxurious and comfortable place to stay.

From Rabat, Ziad drove us to Fes, where we stayed at Palais Amani, another beautiful and charming riad. We especially enjoyed the hammam and the wonderful mint tea that greeted us upon arrival. Our one suggestion would be for kimkim to try to secure a larger room for two friends traveling together, as our room was a bit on the small side. Our guide in Fes took us to so many fascinating places, including workshops where local artisans create beautiful ceramics, which was a particular highlight.

Finally, we made our way to Chefchaouen, the enchanting Blue City. Our guide there was wonderful and introduced us to the many talented artisans and craftsmen who make the city so special. We stayed at the Taj Hotel, which was lovely, although it involved quite a climb up many stairs. If possible, we would recommend that future travelers be accommodated somewhere a little more centrally located within the Medina.

We were truly sad to say goodbye to Morocco after such an incredible adventure. Every destination offered something special, and the people who helped us along the way made the experience all the more memorable. From Majid's thoughtful planning to the wonderful guides, drivers, and accommodations, the entire trip was exceptional.

We would wholeheartedly recommend Majid and kimkim to anyone looking to plan a Moroccan adventure. You will be in wonderful hands!

Our driver Younesse Bouabid was outstanding. We can’t say enough good things about him. He shared insights and was always on call if we needed anything or had questions.

My wife and I have just completed an amazing trip to Portugal, using KimKim to help plan our 21 days there. Before I go any further, I want to say how invaluable the KimKim app was during the trip. Everyday’s itinerary was easily accessible, with the names of hotels, guides, drivers and their contact numbers.

We had many excellent guides and a few really stood out. Our Lisbon’s walking tour guide, Pedro A. impressed us with his historical and cultural knowledge of the city, plus it was exciting to have a shot of Ginjinha at 11 in the morning. In Porto, Carlotta guided us about and showed us the most important site in the city, the hospital she was born at. Carlotta also does food tours and directed us to a delicious dinner and a great evening of conversation with the owner. Our tour of the Douro Valley with Pedro was exceptional, with wine, port and olive oil tasting. Our tour guide to Peneda-Gerês National Park was a spunky woman named Inês. She joyfully led us on trails ending with beautiful waterfalls and a small village with a traditional lunch. On Madeira our rental car was waiting for us to explore the tropical island on our own. We hiked with Margarita through lush forests to beautiful waterfalls. Paulo, a professor of biology and geology, educated us about the world of cork production.
Hector and Espiritu Travel exceeded our expectations with the itinerary he designed from our initial thoughts for Portugal.
KimKim will be at the top of our list when planning our next trip

We had an incredible experience with the KimKim service. The personal touch, individual attention to our specific wants was much appreciated. Our tour guides were very experienced, friendly and very accommodating. We cannot thank you enough. Our trip to Hakone was exceptional, our Architectural Tour Guide in Gion was entertaining and filled us with a sense of awe. Our self-guided day that you planned for us in Arashiyama was the best experience.
I cannot thank you enough. I will not hesitate to use your services again on our next adventure.
I know you did not orchestrate our last impression of Mount Fuji as we flew away, but I kind of think you had a hand in it.

Activity Reviews

Kyoto’s Traditional Beauty & Samurai Heritage Experience

Japan

This was a great tour. We not only toured Kyoto and was awestruck with the temples and shrines but traveling via, trains and local buses was a lot of fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Day in Tokyo: Tradition, Culture, and City Views with Tsukiji Outer Market

Tokyo

This particular tour was exhausting. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable but was very tired and less enthusiastic as the day went on.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hakone Exploration with Mt. Fuji Views & Volcano

Japan

Chun was over the top awesome. This day goes down as one of our favorite days ever.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

Our tour guide was a college student who was very friendly and personable but the attractions that he took us to was not appreciated. Having said that the two sites we went for dinner were very good, where we had dessert- was a miss.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ginza Architecture Walking Tour

Tokyo

This tour was exceptional. The explanations and history behind these iconic buildings in Gion was incredible. Our tour guide was incredible, he had an iPad to provide visuals and extra reading material if we were interested.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Portugal was fantastic! Julia and Summer did a great job setting everything up and communicating throughout the process. Everything flowed smoothly, and we had the nicest people as tour guides and drivers. I have already highly recommended Kimkim’s to a few people, and will continue to do so. Thank you all for a wonderful experience.