Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our party of six was airport-weary when we arrived, and we are grateful that The Mitre let us check in early. The staff was friendly and helpful, especially Elwyn. We had 3 rooms and they were all excellent. The beds were comfy and housekeeping was attentive. (Thanks, Anju!) Breakfasts accommmodated all sorts of tastes, from fresh fruit over waffles to the full English breakfast. The location in Greenwich is extremely walkable with a convenient tube station and a neighborhood with its own personality, with less crows and hustle/bustle of central London. We would return here in a heartbeat. Thanks!

Our party of 6 adored the atmosphere at The Northey Arms. From the stately stone exterior to the charming upscale pub vibe to the inventive menu and the inviting outdoor seating, we loved this location. The rooms were inviting from the moment we walked in. Of course, a property can only be as good as its staff, and the staff of The Northey Arms functions like a well-oiled machine. The manager, Maddy, clearly has a top-notch training program in place, since all of the employees were a cut above. Katie, Chloe, Lottie, Marie, and Richard were all professional, friendly and helpful. The little touches like fresh flowers on the tables did not go unnoticed, and the food was memorably delicious. The mini-chocolate chip cookies served with tea were ever so yummy, and when we had to leave early on our last morning prior to the serving hours for breakfast, Maddy was kind enough to pack chocolate croissants for us to take along. We would return here in a heartbeat!

Sandra and Chris have created a delightful retreat in north Wales. Tastefully decorated common areas and bedrooms, a yummy snack and convenient tea tray/amenities in each bedroom, very cozy beds with down comforters. Breakfasts tables are laid beautifully and delicious breakfast served in attractive style. Sandra was very helpful with logistics and planning for local activities, transportation options, and recommendations.

Graham and Laura have created a delightful retreat in Oxford. Our party of 6 travelers had 3 rooms and all of us enjoyed our stay immensely. The property has an inviting drive up to a quaint country home and stables. The rooms have been beautifully updated with modern amenities, but with an attractive nod to their historic past. Two of the rooms had private backyards, and the peacocks wandering through the courtyard on occasion were an added bonus. The drawing room had a piano and sheet music as well as board games and a large table. The bedrooms contained an extremely helpful notebook with recommendations for activities and restaurants, as well as easy-to-follow instructions on transportation. Breakfast was delicious and plentiful, and while eating breakfast we had the added bonus of watching riders astride their show jumping horses. When the airline moved our flight 2 hours earlier, the staff kindly packed 6 take-away breakfasts with yogurt, fruit, croissant and juice for the ride to Heathrow.

We did not have a retired royal guard because we requested someone more knowledgeable of history and culture--we weren't interested in the "royal gossip." We were absolutely thrilled with our tour from Blue Badge Guide Olga B. Her love and appreciation for London are contagious! She gave an excellent balance of history and modernity, and was more than willing to answer every question and tailor the tour to our particular interests. She spoke to some local merchants and we were allowed to pop in and see notable features of their shops (such as Winston Churchill's tobacco merchant). She also made wonderful recommendations of what to do with our remaining time in London. We highly recommend Olga's tour for those who want to make the most out of their 3-hour overview of London.

Our punter, Angus, gave us a delightful trip and added helpful commentary along the way.

Overall a good experience. Didn't realize we'd be in a room with our friends while doing the hammam! Also, two of us had skin reactions after which took a number of days to heal. I don't think it was the fault of anything the spa used - probably just over sensitive skin. But something for people to consider before doing this if thorough exfoliation isn't something you're used to or have sensitive skin.

Really just a place to stretch your legs. Not a noteworthy hike. Seeing the monkeys on the side of the road with their babies was fun though!

This day was very long so I think driving straight to Fes and not stopping at Volubilis and Meknes would have been a better choice for us. Volubilis was interesting but it was just too much for a day.

This was quite disappointing. There were so many tourists, souvenir stalls, and our guide gave us almost no information. His accent was extremely hard for us to understand. But he didn't speak very much. He spent most of his time on his phone or speaking to other tourists and jumping into their photos. I didn't learn anything about this place from the visit.

Saw a panoramic view of the city, wandered the markets, and visited a mosaic workshop and tannery. Would recommend all of it!

Did the ATV tour which was fun. Again, I would have loved a little introduction before we set off. Our guide did not speak English, so that was a bit challenging too, especially since there had been no intro.

No instructions given. Just walk up to the camel and get on and off you go! I would have appreciated a little intro in order to feel more comfortable.

We had berber pizza and a berber family owned restaurant. It was delicious and I'd recommend travellers go there for a great meal and nice hospitality. However this was a little different than we had expected. We thought we were going to a berber family's home and eating with them.

Loved this hike. Giving it a 4 though because there seemed to be a bit of miscommunication as we thought we had asked to reduce it to 1.5 hrs and it ended up being the full 3 hrs. It was a beautiful hike and we were glad we had gone that long in the end, but would have brought more water/sunscreen if we knew the length. It also ended with a meal at our guides home which was fantastic and we were thankful for. However, again the communication was a bit off on this morning. We didn't realize we were having this lunch until right when we were leaving for the hike. And as we were asked after to pay for the lunch, it seemed odd we weren't made aware of it before hand. I still don't see it in our original itinerary either. So it felt like a bit of a surprise.

A cool sight to see. The most interesting thing was watching a nomadic woman collecting water from a spring at one end of the gorge. As for walking through cool rock landscapes though, the 3 hr hike we did later when we got to Boumalne Dades was more memorable.

Environment, location and grounds AMAZING! Water/shore views from the dining area and some of the private cabins. Beautiful garden views for other cabins/rooms. "Older" property but cared for and maintained very well. Staff were professional, friendly and very accommodating. Menu options for restaurant were a great variety of culture/local food and some "tourist" friendly options. Included breakfast was fabulous and NOT a buffet style. Blue Crested Jays, hummingbirds and bumble bees were active around the dining area and a treat to start the day with. Pool and bar located right on above the sandy beach. Beautiful scenery and little walking trails leading to the beach. You can walk from the hotel shore along the water to the little town of Playa Santa Cruz. Tiny little town along the ONE island highway. Little shops, bars, restaurants, market stalls, homes, hostiles, etc. very cute and lively with music, BBQ and people enjoying themselves. Rooms are a bit "outdated/old school" for Western standards - but everything was clean, functional and usable. A/C in the room worked great. Custom tile in the shower, and we were able to use the existing outlets/plugs to charge our devices. Location made "up" for outdated decor. Comfortable deck chairs and hammock on our own private entry patio was very nice to see the sunset/sunrise with a drink to relax. Considering it's an island in a 3rd world country it was actually VERY doable, comfortable and safe. Would stay there again just as it is. VERY happy with our experience here.

Let me start out that Emily had suggested a different hotel to begin with. From the photos of the other one and this one, Bahia looked "more authentic/cultural/historical" rather than very "Western". We were already booked at several "nice/some-what luxury" accommodations. We wanted to experience a bit more authenticity/culture while we were traveling. So Emily had originally planned something different for us, I requested based on the pictures and reviews I saw - to change her suggestion to the Hotel Bahia. Also Noted: Your company, people, general public and/or travelers do not always know about local construction, improvements, road closures, etc. ahead of time. So that was NOT the fault of Emily or anyone involved with your company. I'm sure when there's an actual paved road and not dozens of trucks, tractors, pavement processors, etc. directly in front of the hotel and in either direction for 2-4 blocks it is nice, convenient and in a great close to water location. However we experienced a dirt, pot holed, water filled, muddy main road lined with construction vehicles and cones. Which like I stated before - is necessary and glad they are making improvements, but it's sorta a shock from what we were initially expecting. We made the best of it, and our guide Cesar was very helpful, had already wrapped our luggage in plastic to protect it from the rain and mud, he made sure we were taken directly to the hotel in a car and delivered right to the sidewalk in front of the hotel. He also was going to be helping coordinate the next days activities and he shared that he had a brother in Real Estate and his sister helps him with their touring company. He was very professional, friendly and informative. The hotel is historic - a bit over 150 years old. I think one of the first on the island - so the history, the architecture and design are very interesting and unique. It has most of the original pine and hard wood paneling, trim and structure which were very well maintained and taken care of. The over all facility was clean, maintained and there was always a staff member at the front. They did give us extra towels when we asked and were friendly and accommodating. The first day/night they were a bit stand off-ish and sorta "paranoid" to answer our questions. But the following few days everyone warmed up. The upstairs common balcony was a nice spot to have (bring your own) cocktail/beer and watch the sunset. The reason for the 3 stars is that it definitely was a "down-grade" from our previous rooms. It was very small, very basic, out-dated, outlet plugs were questionable and we had to "jimmy-rig" our chargers to stay in the wall. Bathroom was super tiny (as I realize over 100 year old construction would be), no refrigerator or microwave - they did have a small lockable safe. No actual closets or drawers - all open bookshelf like corner unit which was functional. Garden view consisted of their side yard and the adjoining street. Some effort was made with a few plants - but it was basically the side of the property/building. We kept the curtains closed. The sheets were clean, pillows were adequate no blanket or comforter - only sheets. We used extra towels for a makeshift blanket. A/C did work. Hardware on door to room was very questionable - it was the only place that we used our 2 safety devices for traveling. Overall it was functional, clean and we were able to sleep, shower and dress. For an island in a 3rd world country I'm sure it's considered decent to acceptable. And like I said, we managed and worked with the situation realizing that we ARE traveling. But something to consider for your company and future travelers - is to look up any disruptions in normal services, etc. so everyone knows what they are getting into and can choose to stay or make other arrangements.

The room we had was very large with many windows. We had a king-size bed that was very comfortable. Our room had a very large private outdoor furnished terrace with a wonderful view. The bathroom was beautiful and very modern. There was a private garage which our drivers could pull into. This was very helpful as the street was very narrow with lots of traffic. There were many good restaurants in close proximity. The managers were very helpful and provided us with a shower seat upon request. They also had a cane to loan us. My only criticism would be to get a smart TV that we could either use Mirroring or something that would allow guests to sign into Netflix.

This hotel is world class. The grounds were exquiste. The view of the Temples and the sea were extraordinary. The restaurant had an interesting menu. The room itself was small, but attached to the room is a private plunge pool so it is hard to complain. The staff was very happy to pick us up in golf carts if we found it too long a walk. There is nothing nearby so you have to eat at the restaurant or take a cab elsewhere.

Without the private guide we would not have truly appreciated this site. We have seen mosaics in other places but this villa was so impressive. Each mosaic told a different story and our guide explained them all to us and put them in context for the time. She pointed out many details that we would never have noticed.

This was different than originally planned due to our abilities. We did not go to the Rustic Farmhouse but stayed in Ortigia. We had a snack at the market and then went through the food part of the market with the Chef, Allissia. Then she sent us back to her town villa via Velocar and we cooked and ate there. She was delightful and very knowledgeable. It was amazing how much we cooked in a short period of time. We couldn't eat all the food!

This was one of the highlights of the trip. We actually made cannellonis including the shells and filling. My husband is lactose intollerant and Carlo had lactose free ricotta cheese and also lactose free buffalo mozzerella for his lunch. I was able to take the walk through his farm garden but unfortunately it was too difficult for my husband . there was another couple there and we had a lot of fun with them. We made pasta as well and then we had a magnificent lunch. Carlo was a good teacher and has a beautiful home and setting for this experience.

Comfortable and beautiful hotel centrally located in Split. Highly recommend.

OMGosh! Ivana was amazing! She brought the history of Split to life in an energetic and enthusiastic way. I had been to Split before yet I learned so much more from Ivana than from any of my other guides. Great recommendations for dinner, too.

Wonderful winery. Met some great people from Norway there.

Quality Hotel Ålesund stood out as our favorite accommodation during the trip. The rooms were spacious compared to the ones in busier cities, which was a refreshing change. The location and overall atmosphere made it very pleasant to stay there. I would happily stay there again.

Only stayed here one night but it was nice and the staff was great. Great breakfast buffet; three kinds of brunost (brown cheese), I was in my glory!

Great location only steps to the Fish Market and a five minute walk to Bryggen and the nearby shops, restaurants and pubs. Room was nice, and comfortable.

Our stay here included Constitution Day. The KimKim team recommended this hotel as it was in the middle of the festivities and directly on the parade route, which was fantastic. They also requested our room to be in the back of the hotel since the celebrating goes into the night and we had an early flight - very thoughtful and appreciated. We didn’t have a view as we knew going in, but preferred the quiet, and the room was comfortable. Breakfast was great.

The Geirangerfjord Cruise & Day Trip was the highlight of our activities. It was breathtaking, and the experience was intimate with only about 45 people on the boat. Everyone seemed like-minded, appreciating the beautiful scenery, which made it a truly memorable excursion.

We enjoyed this. Nothing fancy, but ok. We’d do it again but first would see what other sauna options there might be in Alesund.

The Norway in a Nutshell Day Trip was a bit disappointing for us. While it was a detailed tour, it felt rushed especially at the stop in Flam, where we had only 45 minutes to explore. The train, bus, and boat sequence was interesting but it was a very long day. The boat ride was crowded and more like a social event for the large tour groups rather than an exploration (to be fair, a few days earlier we had done the Geirangerfjord cruise on a much smaller boat so perhaps we were spoiled). We wish we had more time to truly enjoy the surroundings. That said, we did enjoy many aspects of the day. For someone with limited time in the area it’s a good option.

We enjoyed our cruise and time in Rosendal. A highlight was the hike we did, walking from the town to Hattebergfossen Waterfall Trail, a loop trail. Beautiful.

Hotel was in the perfect location. The breakfast was decent with a hot and cold selection. The rooms were not very large but clean with a large bathroom. There were complimentary snacks and drinks in the refrigerator. Staff were friendly. They were very helpful when we needed a taxi to the rental car location from the hotel. Overall a great place for our first few days in Portugal.

The hotel lobby is beautiful. The location is across the street from the drawbridge to go across to restaurants and shops. This location is in walking distance from the area that has many restaurants and shops and also the farmers market and fish market are very close as well. The rooms were small but very clean. They divided the bathroom area from sleeping area with a curtain. The set up actually reminded me of a hospital room in the United States. It was unique. Staff was frinedly. This hotel has the absolute best breakfast in an attached restaurant. They offer off a menu and there is a buffet of items. All food at this breakfast was amazing.

This hotel was hard to find. It literally is down a small alley. It is a unique and beautfuil hotel. We were upgraded to a jr suite. You walk in there is a sitting area with a kitchenette then the bedroom and bathtoom were upstairs. We were very tired when we arrived and only stayed one night. The breakfast was an offer of cold and warm options. The staff was frinedly. Overall a great place but parking is difficult and it is not the easiest to get to.

Perfect location in Porto. There is a restaurant in the hotel and a few just outside the door. The rooms were small but clean. We never really had a cool room, we did advise the front desk we thought the air conditioning might not be working but nothing really came of it. We did sleep with our window opened which automatically turns the air off as it was just too hot in the room. The breakfasts were a mix of cold and hot options. They were yummy. The staff was accomodating. There is a warm pool there we did not use but very pretty.

This hotel was very close to the airport. We stayed here our last day in Portugal. We ate dinner in the restaurant attached and it was good. The breakfast offered is in the same restaurant and has tons of options. The rooms were large and comfortable. The outlet at the bathroom that is part of the blowdryer would not let me plug in it may have been overused so I could not use my straightener but that is a petty concern. The shuttle took us to the airport pretty much on time it ran every 15 minutes.

Very nice tour and walk. Natlalia took us off the beaten path to many small local extablishments. All were excellent and the proprietors were friendly and talkative.

Marta was extremely knowledgable and was willing to talk about many various topics. She was very personable and knew here way around to provide us with the best experience possible!

Our boat tour included awesome coastal views of cliffs and beaches. The caves were amazing. Our boat operators and guides were very happy and knowledgable. They joked around alot and made everyone feel comfortable.

Our guided tour was very thorough and infomative! Emanual Maia knew so much history and information. He helped us better understand Portuguese culture and life. Emanual took us to many interesting places that we would not have found on our own. Additionally, he made several restaurant recommendations and sent me links to them to explore later. Emanual was an excellent guide. He was very friendly and personal and treated us like family.

The National park was beautiful! Great nature hikes to waterfalls and swimming in the pools surrounding them. Was such a great experience and totally unique and awesome! Elena did an excellent job of taking us around the park, lunch, and a walk in the local villiage. She provided great insight and information about the park and people. She even had us help plant a few tree seedlings and water them for future planting to replenish the forrest. It was a great day and well worth our time. We are so glad we did this excursion!!

I can't remember our guides name but she is from Argentina and did an AMAZING job at engaging with us and also enjoying the history and nature of it all! She was fantastic and so what this activity!

This was the most beautiful place we stayed in Norway. From the owner to everyone working there you made our stay so special. We can’t wait to come back and stay longer.

Perfect location for Oslo stay.

Very modern hotel and clean

Amazing location in Bergen

Our guide was a very special person and we felt like friends in just a few minutes with him . As a small ground 4 he would pick us up and take us wherever we wanted to go and some places we didn’t know about.

The Private Oslofjord Island Hopping Nature Walk was really well organized, and our guide was very informative and sweet. It was a bit challenging with the ups and downs, so I would definitely recommend bringing a hiking stick especially for older guests. Overall, it was a great way to explore the islands and enjoy the scenery.

The Food & Culture Walk in Bergen was enjoyable, although a bit long. The first stop had a huge cinnamon roll that seemed excessive, especially as it was too much after breakfast. I think the sequence could be improved by offering the cinnamon roll at the end so people can take it away if they're too full.

The Fjord Cruise to Rosendal was the highlight of my husband’s and my part of the journey. It was quite cold, but the ferry was nice with a lovely breakfast bar. You could get a variety of hot and cold drinks, making the experience very enjoyable. The scenery was spectacular, and the weather held up beautifully!

If you are expecting twin beds, mention it immediately at check in. The default sheet arrangement is to unite the beds into one large bed.

Really pretty hotel. Breakfasts very good, very good service.

Loved it.

It worked. As you know, the transportation that gave us a headache was the train from Porto to Lisbon. Fortunately the strike was over, but we wasted a lot of time going early to the station. Nothing anyone could do about it.

This was very enjoyable. Guide was very good.

Lisbon is a very large and fascinating city. Also very congested with cars and tourists. After taking the TukTuk tour I realized that I needed a slower pace and more information about each historical site. I guess it would be fine for an amusing ride and overview.

Our guide was very personable and knowledgeable. I think his name was Felixberto, but now I find that my Trip Plan has disappeared from the app, so I am not sure of the spelling. We enjoyed the hike and the beautiful park. The crowds in Pena Palace were pretty bad. Our guide did cut the day short, however, since we started heading back to the hotel at 1pm. Fine with us since it was raining a bit.

Touristy

Guide was extremely knowledgeable and shared his personal experience without overloading us with facts.

The best experience in Lisbon. Our host opened her home to us as if we were family, and her dinner and wine selections were excellent.

I don't remember anything in particular that stands out.

Good tour of the wineries. Great lunch at the last one on the trip.

Great location great amenities

Great hotel. Cute and charming

Perfect location — roof top nar exceptional— pub and dinning was awesome

Great location- cute bar overlooking the bay

Centrally located

So much easier to have a driver for the day so we both could enjoy the amazing island

Location Was on small street and a bit of a walk to get to downtown eateries

Fabulous - Steps up and down were a challenge for some folks!

Only challenge the ran out of water one morning but they accommodated us by giving a room to shower!

Picked gem here Angela! A good final two nights - on water, near downtown, wonderful breakfast everything!

We loved this hotel!!!!! This is probably in our top three (maybe even top two) hotels we have ever stayed in. When we left this hotel for Porto, and checked into the hotel there, we kept saying "it's not the Britania"! Our room was spacious, and well appointed. The dining room area, and the bar area were cozy and homey. But it is the staff that makes this hotel what it is. Every morning, the dining room staff remembered I requested almond milk and automatically brought it out to me, they remembered our names, and that it was our 30th anniversary. They were so kind and helpful. It truly was an absolute delight to stay at this hotel.