Kimkim Trip Reviews

Caroline did an amazing job throwing this grip together last minute for me. I (in pure Steven-fashion) waited until the last minute to book for Oktoberfest. Literally - everything went off perfectly. Can't recommend Caroline enough!

My husband and I had a wonderful 2 week honeymoon in Italy thanks to kimkim and the Storywalking team. They listened to our preferences and budget. The coordination they provided was incredible and made things stress free. Private transfers to and from train stations/airports/hotels were lovely to not have to schlep our luggage. We especially loved our boat tour around the Amalfi coast, home restaurant experiences in Tuscany and Rome. All of our guided tours were stellar, especially tours of the Borghese Gallery and the Colosseum and Forum in Rome. The in-country support was excellent. We had a text reminder of our next-day itinerary every evening and swift replies to any questions. We will use kimkim for every big trip.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Montani Hotel

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right near Piazza del Popolo

Staff

Andrea was lovely and helpful with recommendations

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maison il Conservatorio

Sorrento

Lovely, relaxing getaway in Sorrento. Excellent location near the walkway/lift to the beaches. 24h concierge. Excellent breakfast spread.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Howard Firenze

Florence

Beautiful little hotel in an excellent location. Get a luxury feel without breaking the bank.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Relais Della Rovere

Colle di Val d'Elsa

Beautiful location in a small Tuscan town. Easy to reach by car. Walking distance to a stunning nature trail.

Authenticity & Character

Was an ancient monastery

Location

Felt tucked away in the countryside but easy drive from Florence. Close to a beautiful nature trail

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Borghese Gallery tour

Rome

The best museum in Rome. Don’t miss this one. Our guide, Marco, was excellent and made the art come alive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We just completed 9 days in Iceland and had an amazing adventure! Being in Iceland for the first time, our experience with Kimkim and our local travel consultant Gudmundur Oli (Gummi) was exceptional! We liked that Gummi was a native Icelander and could provide excellent, first-hand knowledge of the best places to see and experience. From the initial trip planning and throughout our time in Iceland, Gummi was always available to answer any questions and provide guidance. The Kimkim App and WhatsApp tools were very useful for communications. We accessed the Kimkim App on our phones that had our daily itinerary and all relevant information, maps, reservations, etc. easily accessible. We had a very action-packed itinerary that covered primarily the West and South Highland areas. The specific areas that we really enjoyed included the geothermal lagoon experiences (Laugaras Lagoon was our favorite), old town Reykjavik (great restaurants like the FishMrkt and Fjallkonan), the Golden Circle (including the Geothermal Bakery Experience and Geysir Geothermal area), stunning waterfalls (so many, but our favorite was the striking blue waters of Bruarfoss), hike through the lava formations to Sigoludgljufur Waterfalls, the town of Vik (Vík i Myrdal Church hilltop views and Sudur-Vik Restaurant), Diamond Beach and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, and the Icelandic Food Walk in Reykjavik (our guide Minty was exceptional!). And, we saw the Norther Lights! Incredibly beautiful country, highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Alda Hotel Reykjavík

Reykjavík

Great location, friendly/helpful front desk staff. Nice breakfast and Starbucks adjacent to lobby. Clean and functional room.

Authenticity & Character

Functional hotel.

Location

Great location near many shops and restaurants.

Staff

Front desk staff was very helpful and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Functional, and clean rooms. Inside rooms without an outside window access can be a bit stuffy with limited air circulation.

Hótel Lækur

Hella

Nice cottages in the countryside, clean and functional. Good views of sheep grazing in the fields, horses in the distance and creek nearby.

Authenticity & Character

Cute cottages in the countryside.

Location

Location was accessible to the ring road.

Staff

Staff was friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, functional rooms with nice living space in the cottages.

Fosshotel Núpar

Kálfafell

Good location along the southern ring road. Ample parking and good breakfast. Very plain, functional room.

Authenticity & Character

Very plain hotel with limited character.

Location

Good location along the southern ring road.

Staff

Team was friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and functional room.

Arnarstapi Hotel

Snæfellsbær

Great place to see the Northern Lights, and they have a camera on the tv system that you can use to monitor status of the Northern Lights. Very plain and basic, but clean and functional rooms. Nice views from our room of the Arnarstapi coastline. Breakfast was not included and hotel restaurant was expensive. Very limited other options nearby. Good location and lots to see along the coast within walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

TV had a channel with northern lights camera but it did not work well (poor connection).

Location

Walking distance to the ocean coast, arches and a monument. Northern Lights can be viewed well here when visible.

Staff

Found a cork screw to open our bottle of wine.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Good, basic newer clean room - no frills.

Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels

Reykjavík

Good location, near the marina. Welcoming hotel with apartment type rooms and common gathering spaces. Good breakfast. Parking was limited to street parking adjacent to the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Unique hotel/residence. Lots of cool gathering spaces.

Location

Close to the downtown area with many shops and restuarants.

Staff

The front desk staff were very helpful and were happy to answer any questions.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We liked the 'home like' feel to the apartment style rooms.

Hótel Grímsborgir by Keahotels

Ásborgir

Great location near the Golden Circle. Helpful staff. Good breakfast. Dinner was very good but quite expensive. The room was nice, clean and functional.

Authenticity & Character

The main building has a good vibe.

Location

Great location near the Golden Circle.

Staff

Front desk staff was friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, functional room.

Activity Reviews

Laugarás Lagoon - Lerki

Iceland

Really enjoyed this lagoon experience. Seemed more authentic and relaxing compared to other lagoons. Less crowded, friendly staff, very nice facility and views of the bridge/river/landscaping.

Quality of Experience

Very good!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly staff.

Transport

Good location and experience after a long day!

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

Very unique experience. Landscape was beautiful. Ice caves were limited and did not fully reflect marketing pictures (some blue ceilings). Super jeep vehicle was unreliable and not properly maintained. Parts of the path up to the ice cave access was slippery and steep.

Quality of Experience

Reliable vehicles and better time management by all guides to efficiently move groups into/out of caves. A lot of standing around waiting on others.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was resilient through vehicle difficulties. Thankful for the guide from Poland who was able to get our vehicle jump started!

Transport

The vehicle was not properly maintained. They gear shift/transmission did not work properly. Vehicle was in low gear the entire drive to the ice cave area. It did not restart after view point and needed a jump start by another guide's vehicle. The driver had to leave the vehicle running for over an hour while we went up and into the ice cave area.

Geothermal Bakery Experience

Golden Circle

Really enjoyed this unique experience. Appreciated the history and using the local ground geothermal properties for cooking. Break was very good!

Quality of Experience

Unique process and quality of the bread/result was excellent.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very knowledgeable and engaging.

Transport

Easy walk to shoreline to see the process of geothermal baking.

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

Very unique experience. Interesting opportunity to walk across a large lava flow field to the access point and to step down into the lava cave. The wooden walkways/steps made access easier. Interesting geology that was well explained by our guide. We did not see any stalactites or stalagmites as stated in the activity description.

Quality of Experience

Unique geology and history of formation.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was very knowledgeable.

Transport

Good wooden walkways, but in windy conditions to/from access point can be challenging.

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon - Zodiac Adventure

Iceland

This experience was cancelled by the service provide due to poor weather conditions/wind.

Icelandic Food Walk

Reykjavík

We really enjoyed this experience. Minty our local Icelandic guide was exceptional! The variety of restaurants, food, beverages and stories/history was great!

Quality of Experience

Great guide and specific, local food/beverage experiences.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Minty was the best guide, very engaging and knowledgeable!

Transport

Walking throughout the city from place to place was comfortable, even in the rain.

Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching Excursion

Reykjavík

We cancelled this activity 24 hours in advance due to poor weather conditions and schedule conflict.

Mr. Ju, Mr. Eric, Mr. Ye, and any other tour guides were all great. Shibuya was a great spa, was totally taken care of and relaxed, it is an experience. Rob was great from the very first communication to guiding us as we were in Japan. Great trip and using KimKim was such a positive experience, will use it again. Thank you!

Our trip to Puglia and Basilicata in southern Italy during late September 2026 was amazing. Our KimKim guide, Fabio Ilardi lived up to his name. He was fabulous! Our 10-day trip started in Monopoli. It is a charming town and an excellent base for our day trips to Polignano a Mare, Ostuni, Martina Franca and Alberobello. The wine tasting experience at Puglia Pop was delightful, too. Then we traveled by private car to the ancient city of Matera. We were fortunate to arrive on the evening of their annual candlelight celebration , “Matera Cielo Stellato”, in the historic section of the city. The one-hour event, when electric lights were turned off and the old city was illuminated by candles, was accompanied by choirs and musicians. It was breathtaking! We finished out trip with a two-day stay in the port city of Bari, which has a warren of winding back streets and alleys in its historic center that we discovered during a wonderful small-group food tour.

All of our hotels were well-located and clean with excellent staffs. The private transportation to and from all of our side trips and between hotel destinations was an added bonus. The food throughout our trip was delicious. Lots of homemade pasta and seafood accompanied by delectable Puglian wines. Fair warning to other travels: this trip requires a lot of walking, often on steep stairways to hotel rooms and historic sites. You need to be relatively fit to follow this itinerary. But it is worth every step!

Hotel Reviews

JR Hotels Grande Albergo delle Nazioni

Bari

The Grande Albergo delle Nazioni is a lovely property overlooking the harbor with a beautiful rooftop pool. The restaurant served an excellent daily breakfast with beautiful views.

Authenticity & Character

Clean, contemporary design but could use some updating.

Location

The hotel is short distance form the historic area with a nice walk along the seaside promenade.

Staff

The front desk staff was extremely helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

firm mattress. Nice bathroom. Hotel robes and slippers.

Palazzo Degli Abati

Matera

We stayed in a beautiful light, bright room with a vaulted ceiling. It was originally part of a 17th century monastery. The window overlooked the canyon and we had access to a lovely small terrace. The bathroom was adequate and it had a nice warm shower—once we figured out how to use the dials!

Authenticity & Character

The hotel includes rooms carved from caves and is on the site of a former monastery.

Location

The view from the terrace of the hotel’s restaurant overlooking the ancient Sasse area of the city was breathtaking.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Giuditta

Monopoli

The Palazzo Giuditta was unique and quirky. On the plus side, it was well-located in the historic district and had a view of the harbor. The rooftop terrace with its two shallow plunge pools and lounge mats was lovely. The staff was very responsible and the daily breakfast at a nearby restaurant was delicious. On the negative side, there were 59 steps up to the room, and upon opening the door, another 29 steps down to the bedroom, which was small but adequate. The mattress was firm and the small balcony overlooking a side street was nice. The bathroom, however, was ridiculous! It was huge with a massive round jacuzzi tub (which we never used), a tiny sink and a small shower. There were no horizontal surfaces for toiletry bags and other personal items. But the oddest feature was there were no drawers or storage furniture of any kind. Just one rack for hanging clothes. We spent five days living out of our suitcases on the floor!

Authenticity & Character

Add some furniture with drawers1

Location

Great spot for exploring the historic center of Monopoli. A short walk to the train station for day trips

Staff

Very attentive, especially Gabrielle.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean. Nice bed linens. Hotel-provided robes and slippers.

Activity Reviews

Private Ape Calessino Tour: Matera Highlights & Terrace Aperitivo

Matera

The ape tour of the ancient Sasse area of Matera with our guide and driver Vito was one of the highlights of our entire trip. Vito, a well-traveled native of Matera, provided us with so much personal history and context of the UNESCO-designated city of Matera, why it was once labeled as the “Shame of Italy”, and how it has evolved into a major tourist attraction and the favorite site for hundreds of filmmakers. Mel Gibson’s movie, “Passion of the Christ”, launched the city’s reputation as an ideal location for historic films and the many winding streets and piazzas served as a backdrop for a car chase scene is the 2021 James Bond film “No Time to Die”. Our fascinating tour of the historic sites was capped off with a delicious apertivo on a hotel terrace overlooking breathtaking views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Winery Experience: Wine Tasting, Traditional Lunch & Martina Franca Visit

Italy

I visited the Puglia Pop winery solo as my husband was still recovering from his lunch-induced stomach illness in Ostuni the previous day. The winery is the result of the collaboration of two legacy winemakers from Puglia and Spain with a vision for the future of Puglian wines. Everything about the winery is a delightful from the well-appointed tasting rooms to the high-design concepts of the winery bottles. I had a private tasting experience with my guide Valentina . She introduced me to six different wines including a light and refreshing white and rose wines and some deep and complex reds. All the wine tastings were accompanied by delicious local cheese , meats and bread. I ordered a case to be sent home and can’t wait for it to arrive. This was one of my favorite experiences in Puglia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day at Leisure in Ostuni | Private Transportation Included

Monopoli

My husband and I enjoyed the hour-long ride through the Puligian countryside to the hillside town of Ostuni. Our driver Ivan stopped along the way for a panoramic photo opportunity of the “white city”. We spent a few hours strolling the back streets of Ostuni, visiting churches and stopping for a mediocre lunch in a street side cafe. The bruschetta included some rich stracciatella cheese that triggered some severe stomach issues for my husband, who lost a day of sightseeing the next day as he recovered from the illness.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marina - Trip Advisor - special thanks for making this first experience to Europe and Mallorca so memorable. The patience she showed me with all of my asks, changes, and delays was so appreciated. Everything recommended was spot on for what I (and my husband) needed for this vacation. We did find ourselves a little frustrated with driving to Palma due to the distance, but on our last day we found the Port of Pollença so we were able to enjoy an easy dinner and night out without commuting. I realize the great, talked about restaurants were near Palma but they were some fine options in Pollença too!

Hoposa Niu - loved the staff (special thanks to Xisca, Veronica, Paola), the complimentary breakfast, the restaurant, and Cala Barques. The rooms were a bit small (maybe it is Europe style since we didn't have anything to compare it too) but it was great.

Sail Palma - loved our captain and Patricia. Overall great experience to see that side of Palma.

Wine Tasting - it was a lovely experience. The group being small, the knowledge shared, the friendliness was amazing. Where we thought we were going to go to like a vineyard, the small winery style was great. Downside was the hot/humid status in the building but survivable.

Hotel Review

Hoposa Niu

Pollensa

Great location in Pollença with Cala Barques steps away. The rooms were a bit small (maybe European style since I am limited on my points of reference). The staff are fabulous and super welcoming and friendly. We enjoyed the complimentary breakfast as well as the restaurant for lunches. It was quiet all around, even with babies present, and made for a relaxing trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great for Pollença and exploring the Northeast side of the island. The commute to other locations (Palma/Soller) is pretty far.

Staff

Xisca, Paola, Veronica, housekeepers, everyone was pleasant, welcoming, helpful, and responded promptly to any needs we had.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Spain Important Trip Information: Please Review Before Departure

Spain

Mallorca Wine Tasting Experience in Palma

Mallorca

Such a great experience with a knowledgeable owner who gave a lot of history and general understanding for everything tasted and more. I hate I am forgetting his name, but he was so sweet and made our 2 turned to 3 hour experience a memorable time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mallorca by Sea: A Boutique Sailing, Tapas & Snorkeling Experience

Spain

The description of the activity provided was spot on. What we were told to expect was exactly what we got. We enjoyed the crew from the moment we entered the gates. The time out at sea was perfect.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Patricia was so sweet and a great bartender.

Transport

Many thanks to Noga and the team for filling our 8 days in Iceland with so many wonderful experiences. As it was our first trip to this island country, we wanted to see the classic Golden Ring highlights as well as cover the beauty of the west and southwest coasts in the short-lived fall season. The itinerary flow was perfect from arrival at KEF to our departure. Each day's itinerary was full and required some focus to manage travel times and meet timed entries on occasion, but it was all in the plan. Rain and wind were often present, but it was accounted for in our outfits and did not stop us from pressing forward. We skipped only a couple of the add-on stops not because they wouldn't be interesting (geyser & crater) but because stopped to smell and eat the tomatoes in a very cool greenhouse bistro. We did both the Blue Lagoon (right after getting the rental car at 0900) and Sky Lagoon (seventh day, after an invigorating 3-hour Icelandic horse-back ride in the morning). We really enjoyed the "Thor's Valley" backcountry Jeep ride day. All four accommodations were unique and comfortable in their own way. As a bonus we got to enjoy the Northern Lights on our final two evenings. As we are only a five-hour redeye flight away, we will definitely consider a follow up trip.

Hotel Reviews

Fosshotel Stykkishólmur

Stykkishólmur

Great place on the hillside overlooking the little village. Good onsite parking. Included breakfast was very well done and filling

Authenticity & Character

Nothing overly exciting thought did have a friendly hotel cat in the lobby

Location

Lovely views of harbor and village

Staff

Helpful and efficient

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean and spacious

Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels

Reykjavík

Very unique & quirky establishment on Reykjavik harbor. No parking on site but you can pull up to the door (alley side not street side) and drop off luggage quickly. Parked on the street a few blocks away which wasn't too bad cost wise for a night. Breakfast included and it was great. Easy walk into downtown for food, shopping, and sights. Saw the Northern Lights over the harbor despite all city lights.

Authenticity & Character

Cool artwork and space layout for both common areas and rooms

Location

Great location on harbor but no hotel parking.

Staff

quickly checked us in. Helpful for local advice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great spacious room. We were worried about city lights, but room had excellent blackout curtains.

Hótel Lækur

Hella

Our favorite of our four accommodations. Set back in the SW countryside surrounded by fields and grazing animals. Dinner and breakfasts were very delicious and filling. We did the riverside cabins which were spacious and quiet. Great place to step outside at night to see the Northern Lights on the last night.

Authenticity & Character

Farm country vibe with modern accommodations

Location

Beautiful farm country 8 miles outside of Hella. Horses and sheep grazing right outside of our riverside cabin window

Staff

Very responsive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

New, clean, warm, and spacious.

Hotel Eyja

Reykjavik

A cool place just on the edge of downtown and an easy walk to the sights. Street parking was available and free but did fill up so we didn't move once we got our spot for the one night. We took a chance and dropped in at 2 PM and they were able to accommodate an early check-in. Breakfast was not in the rate and was pricy ($30US I think) so we got some light fare at a city market.

Authenticity & Character

Very cool vibe in the lobby/lounge and room

Location

Easy walk to downtown and church

Staff

Accommodated early check in and helpful with walking guidance

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and spacious

Activity Reviews

Dyrhólaey Arch and Cliffs

Iceland

A beautiful site challenged by an angry Iceland weather day. No regrets stopping and getting some good views of the arches, lighthouse, and beaches. We were a few weeks late to see puffins but maybe next time. ;)

Reynisfjara Beach & Reynisdrangar Columns

Iceland

A beautiful view though we were getting angry, rainy, windy Iceland weather during our visit. Still glad we stopped to see them. The 'sneaker waves' are no joke. They would hit the columns and much of the beach very quickly.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Iceland

Best of all the falls we saw during our trip. A very expansive visitor center/diner/gift store on site.

Quality of Experience

Spectacular views of the falls and surrounding landscape

Explore Reykjavík

Reykjavík

We really enjoyed this town. We spent our first and last nights in Iceland here and got to do some exploring of the downtown, old town, shops, and sights. We even got Northern Lights from our downtown hotel, which was a bonus.

Quality of Experience

Shop keepers were friendly and conversant in English

Blue Lagoon Premium Admission

Iceland

We landed at KEF at 0630 and were in the Blue Lagoon by 0845. It was a great wake up and re-invigoration after our 5 hour redeye from BWI. Crowds were not bad and you could find some quieter spots beyond the main lagoon to enjoy the experience. The premium experience was nice with the different mud treatments and the robe for lounge outside the water.

Skogafoss Waterfall

Iceland

Grand falls along the coastline drive between Vik and Reykjavik. We stopped to take it in from the base; weren't up for the 500 steps to the overlook.

Explore Vík

Iceland

Vik was a quaint little town. Icelandic weather challenged us this day this some stormy weather, but it did not stop us nor this influencer in front of the iconic Vik church taking a gigabyte of photos. We did go to the wool shop recommended in the KimKim Vik write up to a) meet the dogs, and b) get some locally sourced and produced Icelandic wool sweaters. Big win on both counts. We lunched at the Black Crust Pizza place which was delicious.

Deildartunguhver Hot Spring

Iceland

A stop on the silver ring that worked out wonderfully for us for different reasons. A friendly Icelandic Sheepdog was running loose in the parking lot, greeting all the arrivals. We are dog people and to get to see & pet this adorable, unique breed pup was big bonus points for us. The hot spring was interesting but not much to see. There is a vendor on site selling snacks and Icelandic hot dogs. If you bought food, you could sit in his large greenhouse and enjoy it in comfort. Did I mention there was a dog ;)

Djúpalónssandur Black Sand Beach

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

This was our first black sand beach and it was very beautiful, accented by a somewhat stormy day.

Sky Lagoon Experience - Saman

Reykjavík

A beautiful, well-run facility and experience. Did the full experience with the 7(?) stages which you get to do once. Rest of the time is relaxing in the lagoon and enjoying the views of the harbor.

Quality of Experience

Vatnshellir Lava Cave Experience

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

A well-run experience to see the effects of lava on Iceland up-close. The chambers were very unique and full of great sights and sounds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was very informed on the geology and local history of the venue.

Þingvellir National Park

Iceland

A must-see site on the Golden circle that we enjoyed. Iceland challenged us again at this locale with both calm cool weather as well as 40 knot rain & wind in the face. Took the walk from the visitor center to the overlook, down the split to the waterfalls and over to the parliament building. All very interesting

Kirkjufellsfoss

Iceland

A beautiful sight though Iceland weather wasn't presenting the most beautiful views the one day we had available to see it on the way to the west coast. No regrets including it in our itinerary.

Cliff Walk from Arnarstapi to Hellnar

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

The seas were rough that day so we got quite the show of wind, sea, surf along the path. Paths were well marked and easy to traverse. Be sure to get a selfie with the large stone troll statue.

Hraunfossar

Iceland

This was an optional addon from Noga, our KimKim advisor, and was well worth the divert along the 'silver ring' as we drove from Reykjavik to Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Though not as large as Gullfoss, the span and setting made the falls very charming especially with the fall colors.

Explore Stykkishólmur

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Seemed to be a nice town with several good restaurants. it was our base for exploring Snæfellsnes Peninsula so did not walk around here.

Friðheimar Tomato Farm Visit & Restaurant

Iceland

We got there too late for the main farm and restaurant, but the Bistro next door was open & pretty magical. Great food and ambiance. We each had tomato soup and split a burrata & tomato ravioli and a cheesecake with tomato jam.

Quality of Experience

Seljalandsfoss & Gljúfrabúi Waterfalls

Iceland

Seljalandsfoss was as wonderful as you see in all the pictures. Didi the walk around back and enjoyed the view. We did not make the trek to Gljúfrabúi as we'd spent all day in Icelandic rain and wind.

Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching Excursion

Reykjavík

It was a well-run experience though in mid-September there were not a lot of whale sightings to be had. As our guide/spotter/photographer Matteo reminded everyone, we are going into the wild, not an aquarium. He did get four pictures of the animals we saw on the trip which the tour company emailed to us upon request (as they did not have my email thru the Kimkim booking).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Matteo was well spoken and engaged. He told us a lot about the whales and marine life and Icelandic history around them.

Transport

Ship was well outfitted. Allow time before or afterwards to tour the ship store and museum (It is literally a ship they converted to serve as a floating based of operations.)

Horses and Hot Springs

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thórsmörk Super Jeep Experience

Iceland

A great full day off road enjoying the backcountry. Nine of us on the tour loaded into a large Mercedes offroad vehicle. Perfect for full offroad riding and river crossings. Many stops to take in caves, waterfalls, glaciers, and rivers. Midpoint we stopped for an opportunity for a self-paced 45-minute moderate hike to a summit for a great view of the valley. We chose to only hike halfway and enjoyed the views seen in my picture below.

Quality of Experience

A gorgeous day off the beaten path.

Food

We chose to have the lunch provided. Very filling vegan option.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The ride was very large but very capable for the terrain.

Eric did an outstanding job! He was responsive and easy to communicate with. All of the accommodations and the excursions went smoothly. The Magma Hotel spoiled us early on and our first dinner of the trip at Rauda Husid was one of the best of the trip. Another favorite was Birki in Hofn. The Katla Ice Cave tour and then the Glacier hike were outstanding as was Thingvellir. An optional hike that I thought was spectacular was Mulagljufur canyon although we would classify it as moderate rather than easy. There were just too many spectacular sights to list. I’m sure we could have saved some money by trying to plan the trip ourselves but using KimKim was well worth it. It was very relaxing and truly a trip of a lifetime!

Activity Reviews

Katla Ice Cave Superjeep tour

Iceland

Really interesting and fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Edgar was really fun and informative but also focused on safety.

Earth Lagoon

Iceland

Very different from the other 2 lagoons we went to. The steam and blue water made it a bit interesting. Staff person at the front desk was a little rude.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Person at the desk was rude

The Geothermal Vok Baths

Iceland

This one had a little bit more of a party atmosphere and was more crowded but still fun. It was interesting to be able to jump into the lake then back into the warm water.

Quality of Experience

Skaftafell Glacier Hike

Iceland

Felt very safe and the guide was very informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Laura was great.

Laugaras Lagoon

Iceland

Beautiful view and very nice facility, products, etc. We had excellent drinks here.

Quality of Experience

Every detail of our trip was accounted for. Every person we interacted either from the driver who picked us up at the airport to the driver that dropped us off for our return flight was positive. Most of all, our local specialist Eirini was amazing during the planning process and throughout the trip. I wi definitely use KimKim again and have already recommended them to others.

Hotel Reviews

Ilioperato

Santorini

Best view and most uniquely authentic accommodation we experienced on our trip. Highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

The pictures don’t do it justice. I mean our bathroom was a beautiful cave carved into the cliffside. Breakfast outside on our private patio overlooking the Caldera was truly amazing!

Location

Fantastic views and short drive to almost anything

Staff

I could tell the high season was coming to an end as there were few staff visible. But all our needs were met and they were very courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The AC didn't cool the room well but the temp dropped at night and they provided a fan

Aeolos Resort Mykonos

Mykonos / Chora

Our favorite place to stay on our trip thanks to the level of genuine care they took for every detail. The manager provided customer service at a level that I haven’t experienced in years.

Authenticity & Character

Pools and bars at all 3 pools are fantastic.

Location

close to lots of local shops/restaurants

Staff

Can’t say enough about the staff. They are in a class all their own.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless

Azur Hotel

Vouliagmeni

Great staff, food, accommodations. Would definitely stay again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to Athenian Riviera

Staff

Breakfast was amazing too

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arion Syros

Hermoupolis, Syros

More of a bed and breakfast. Amazing view and great location. Staff were wonderful and very accommodating. Homemade jams were divine!

Authenticity & Character

The hotel itself was adorable with a winding staircase and beautiful patio

Location

Walkable to shops and restaurants

Staff

Especially the ladies at breakfast!

Cleanliness & Comfort

InterContinental Athenaeum Athens

Athens

Great place to easy into the transition of US to European lifestyle. I mean they even have washcloths!

Authenticity & Character

Pristine establishment with a European flair. Breakfast was amazing!

Location

Staff

They were all so very helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

E-bike tour at Fokos Beach

Mykonos

Amazing views and the owners really make this tour! Such a happy, upbeat, warm interesting couple. Even their dog was smiling! Oh and they had a few of the most vibrant peacocks I’ve ever seen!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Acropolis guided tour

Athens

Definitely worth the climb. Views are fantastic. Go on the late afternoon/evening tour as its a bit cooler and views may be clearer.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was amazing. Felt like family and provided great history and folklore.

Transport

Horseback riding at the Black Sandy Beach

Santorini

Adventurous! Scenic! Beautiful! Lovely horses and guides. Definitely would do it again.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guy who manages the facility was fantastic and shared some great stories.

Transport

The Greek Wedding Show!

Santorini

If you are not a theater or musical fan, skip this one and spend your time milling around the ahops instead. I enjoyed the over the top acting and comedy but my husband did not.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pistachio Orchard & Factory Tour

Aegina

Guide was great and provided interesting info about the all aspects. The factory/plant was not operational at the time of the tour and it was quite hot inside.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Athens walking food tour

Athens

Our guide made the event.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our first time going to Africa so we felt the need to work with a travel agency to ensure we had a good trip. Booking through kimkim was very easy and our local specialist, Maryem, was highly communicative from the beginning. From the moment we arrived in Morocco, everything was highly organized. Our local guide, Khalid, was extremely professional and knowledgeable about Morocco. He ensured we stayed on schedule and and kept us updated every step of the way. Our local guides were all great, especially Hakim in Fes. The hotels were all beautiful and every experience was interesting and unique. We had a wonderful trip and couldn't be happier we selected this option. 12/10 experience.

Hotel Reviews

Elegancia Riad Boutique & SPA

Marrakech

This riad was really beautiful. The wood carvings and decor were stunning. It was extremely quiet and very restful. The breakfast was insane.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

This is a local hotel owned by a trio of brothers. The food at this hotel is NEXT LEVEL. This was by far the best food experience we had in all of Morocco.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

This is a luxury camp in the middle of the Sahara. We took camel rides to the camp. The service was wonderful and the experience was fantastic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Le Calife

Fez Medina El Makhfia

This is a small boutique hotel that recently expanded to add extra rooms and a spa. The owners were so interesting and the service was fantastic. We really enjoyed our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Walking tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

We had a lovely tour of Marrakech with a local guide. It was very informative and we learned a ton.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Camel trek to your luxury camp

Merzouga

This was probably the coolest experience of the trip. You take camels through the Sahara to your luxury tent camp. This was well organized and very beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes walking guided tour : No drive

Fes

Hakim was our local guide in Fes and he was extremely knowledgeable about the city. He navigated us though the medina and took us to all the interesting spots for crafts. We thoroughly enjoyed this experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My sister did most of the planning with Sara but it seemed to go very well.

Kimkim made our girls’ trip to Paris absolutely seamless! The team was incredibly responsive, attentive, and always quick to help. Their exceptional service made our trip truly special. We highly recommend Kimkim and would absolutely use them again!

From the planning segment with Sharon to the drop off to the airport Kim Kim was fabulous! They provided personalized attention to our small group tour of 3 and were able to accommodate all of our requests. Our tour manager Abdelhadi was available at all times to book restaurants, drive to specialized tours and was so friendly and personable he became like family at the end. We were only there 4 full days but packed a lot in thanks to Kim Kim Travel. Couldn’t recommend the and higher. 10 Stars from us!!

Hotel Reviews

The Original Camp

Traditional tent cabins were spacious and accommodating. They had a lovely pool, bar and night time show that was amazing!! Breakfast was the best we had in Marrakech! The camel ride to watch the sunset is a Must do!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Proximity to city but felt like you were out in the desert!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Nesma Suites & SPA

Medina, Marrakech

Traditional Riad in the heart of the old city (Jewish quarter) with beautiful gardens and tastefully appointed. . Great location and personable staff. Lovely breakfast provided daily.

Authenticity & Character

Everything

Location

Very accessible to souks and restaurants

Staff

They were ALL so pleasant and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Afternoon Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Our guide was very knowledgeable about the history of Marrakech and made the tour entertaining!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Camel Trek to Desert Camp

Agafay

The sunset Camel ride was amazing and the dinner with the show was very entertaining. The man that did the fire show was incredible!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Breakfast!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Excursion to Ourika Valley

Morocco

The tour of Berber village and home was very special to get a glimpse of their culture. Lunch on the river was a treat!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sara is the best! She was very patient with us and put together an unforgettable trip for us. We loved the food tours in each city and how seamless all the travel and lodging was.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Cortiina

München

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lulu Guldsmeden

Berlin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MAISON MARSIL Boutique Hotel

Cologne

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bavarian Beer & Bites: An Authentic Evening Tour Through Munich’s Brewing Traditions

Munich

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Street Art Photo Tour & Workshop

Berlin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taste Berlin: Evening Food Tour in the Capital

Berlin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bavarian Fairy Tale: Full‑Day Neuschwanstein Castle Adventure from Munich

Munich

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All of our guides were great. Gary Shane Ben Don and the captain on the boat were wonderful. Joel was good but he got a bit political but we ignored it. Our favorite was the flight around Denali and the boat trip to the glacier, but all tours were eye-opening. The hotels were all good. We saw a ton of wildlife (even a moose walked right outside our deck in Denali!) The landscapes are amazing, beauty everywhere. Beware if you go mid to late September. Some resturants and tours closen for the season around Sept. 20th.

Activity Reviews

Ultimate Anchorage and Turnagain Arm Private Full Day Tour

Anchorage, AK

Shane our guide tailored the trip to our liking. We were outside Anchorage and saw many beautiful things, mountains, etc. He was knowledgable. Only thing was the animal park. Although it was interesting and the animals were innlarge enclosures, it still is essentially a zoo and we saw most of the animals in nature later onnour trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Anchorage city tour

Anchorage, AK

Very interesting, really learning about the city and immediate outskirts. Learned also the history of Anchorage.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naturalist Walking Tour in Denali National Park

Denali National Park, AK

Very beautiful. Easy walk, learned alot about the plants and some animal information.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

See Denali's peak via plane

Denali National Park, AK

If you are in Denali, you must do.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise

Seward, AK

Cold but so beautiful. Saw so much wildlife. Glacier was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tours were very good. Very satisfied.

Dear Kate.

Sorry for not finishing this sooner. It turned out I had jet lag longer than I thought, and of course arriving back didn’t just mean I could stop and take account right away. As John Lennon said, Life happens when your busy making other plans.

In any case. Here is my over summation of my trip you helped plan for Scotland.
I will not comment upon the flights to or from there since that is really a completely separate and overall headache inducing tangent. So will merely say to anyone who might listen. Don’t book a flight with Iceland air. Moving on…

Transportation both gong and coming to and from most locations were reliable and covenant. With very friendly drivers all around.

The first leg of the journey in Edinburgh, which lasted from Saturday through Monday was very inviting and convenient with regards to both the hotel, Apex, as well as its proximity to all that we had scheduled to accomplish. Highlights especially were the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle and The Johnny walker experience (though it was slightly disappointing we couldn’t purchase anything we sampled). Along with the pool in the hotel.

Our journey to the highlands on Tuesday was long but beautiful. And our tour of Dalwhinnie Distillery as well as their bar and staff were well stocked, informed and friendly. The only downside was that because the tour was essentially in the early afternoon, by the time we arrived at our hotel in Pitlochry, I was pretty well sauced and had to struggle the rest of the day to make sure I didn’t pass out before sunset. Overall the accommodations and the breakfast the next day however were the nicest we had thus far.

The Next day our Train was delayed, and we had to maneuver ourselves to The Redcliffe In inverness with a little more effort than was expected. However, once we were settled in, the accommodations were actually the most spacious, comfortable, as well as enjoyable concerning its location, beer garden, and food. Along with the next day, which took us down Loch Ness, and to the castle by the sea. Up until then I would say it was the most fulfilling day in terms of expectations. And of all the places I would personally return to I would say Inverness was the place.

The next day, Friday started off wonderfully. In fact, I would say for me and maybe even my dad the highlight of the trip up to that point was the morning trip and personal tour of the Highlands near Craigmore. Both our drivers were extremely friendly and informative. And we even got relatively good weather considering the time of year. Truly a magnificent time spent out in the Scottish wilderness. With hardly a soul seen.

Which is probably why the rest of the day, and sadly by extension the trip was such a come down. But then you knew this was coming. But I have to speak honestly. Perhaps it was the expectations, or maybe just the contrast from where we had just come from. Yet when we arrived at St Andrews, and tried to check in to what I assumed was a hotel, we instead found our selves locked out of the place without a single person to answer the doorbell, nor an explanation of how to check in. We had to wait for someone’s wife who was already staying there to come down and let us in. and even then not a single brochure, pamphlet, or even map of the city was waiting for us. I had to try and get the owners on the phone, and was spoken to quite rudely for not knowing what either our room # was or how to enter or exit the flat. On top of that, our room was three floors up with no elevator (A perk I would have declined had I known from the get-go considering my several heavy bags and my fathers age.) As well as staying in what was up till then by far the smallest room we had been in so far. Completely false advertising to all the photos broadcasting the place. So from the complete headache of trying to “check in” the cramped and falsely sold space we had, and the indifferent rudeness of the owners, my dad and I were more than miffed. We were at the time outright angry. But of course, you knew that by my immediate messaging of you. Which had a cascading effect on the rest of the trip.

Admittingly we probably overreacted at the time. Feeling the need to find more spacious and overall welcoming accommodations, I was ready to split the coop after a single night, and pulled the trigger on a flat in Clydebank Glasgow. Which meant we only got half a day at St Andrews golf course. And having to forego our city tour, only to find ourselves basically in a cultural dead zone for an extra two days. Disappointing to be sure, especially considering my dads love for golf, and our expectation of relaxing for the last leg of the trip. But I will take most of the blame for the overreaction. However, I must admit it wouldn’t have had to happen anyway if there was at least a better sense of transparency concerning what we where we were headed. It is what it is. Just let future travelers know what to expect if they get room 1 there.

That’s about all I have to say, as the last two days at the Jubilee hotel were honestly refreshing and completely low key, and really just a necessary
preparation for the hell day we had to get back home. But like I said, that’s outside the realm of your teams input. Ultimately it was a very fun memorable trip. And like all trips had it ups and downs. But at least we made it home in one piece, and I would personally return certainly to the highlands and inverness especially. Maybe we will plan one again in the future.

Sincerely and gratefully
Nicholas DuShane-

Activity Review

Cairngorms National Park Wildlife Tour

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I became very frustrated with the KimKim process to not provide cost exposure throughout the planning process. I do not have any idea what costs were except for the total overall cost at the end. I still have no clue what costs for hotels and activities, or anything you guys booked were. This made the planning process very frustrating and I will most likely not use you again for this reason.

I suggest you share cost as part of the decision making process when working with your customer on planning a trip.

I do ask if you can send me an itemization of my cost items for learning purposes.

Our trip to the Azores - Sao Miguel was wonderful. João was amazing with his suggestions and the jeep tours we did were so special because the tour guides were unbelievable. They were friendly, patient, knew what they were doing and just love their country. Our highlights were Vila Franca do Campo Islet, we took the ferry and spent the afternoon there - this was really beautiful and the ferry on the way back loops around the island which was unexpected. We loved the unexpected fabulous views at Castelo Branco and the adorable tower that sits there waiting for you to explore. The abandoned hotel at Sete Cidades is eery cold with fabulous views. Our hotels were great but the best thing at the Pedras do Mar Resort was the walking/hiking trail along the coast - views were unbelievable.

Hotel Review

Pedras do Mar Resort & SpaOpens

Fenais da Luz, Ponta Delgada

Location

The access to the walking/hiking trail along the coast

Activity Review

From Tea to Thermal Baths - Small Group Jeep Tour in Furnas

the Azores

Eduardo was excellent. We enjoyed his island knowledge and expertise. The Cozido das Furnas was a great filling meal - we really enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was fantastic; a few hiccups along the way, but overall it was great. We now know how much we can handle in a given day and need a day off in the middle of travel. The Delighted Tour Company was especially good, although the guide was 10 min late which required us to miss the shuttle and had to practically run up the hill to the Pena Palace. We made the tour, albeit a little late. Rui, the guide for Belen walking tour of Lisbon, was the best tour guide. He spoke slowly and was so knowledgeable. The Sagres Off-Road tour was a disappointment with the guide dropping us at places while he ran errands! His name was Tiago. The group tour also that was supposed to be a private tour in Porto was a little disappointing, too. The guide just left us behind —- us older & slower folks. Thank you for refunding difference of tour private to tour group. The winery tour in Douro Valley was long, but fun. Very chatty guide for that. He told us his life story! The info given on a lot of tours is overwhelming. We would have liked more of an overview, not the encyclopedia version. Maybe that’s too hard to change. The Alma Luis Hotel in Lisbon was the best experience, so utterly kind and inviting atmosphere. They gave us little gifts everyday! They truly appreciated our patronage. The Timbre Virtudes Hotel in Porto was very out of the way, it required us to get Uber each day just to get to places; also they lacked adequate coffee service in the a.m. As we said, we do like the private car pick-ups, very nice. Finally, we do like KimKim and plan to use you again! ❤️