Kimkim Trip Reviews

I was a little skeptical about using kimkim at first-- but it proved to be a thoroughly convenient and helpful service in planning our trip(s) to Morocco and Portugal. The travel planning services provided by Ali and Said at Original Travels were excellent! Ali and Said were always responsive to our questions and the 6 day custom trip they planned for us through Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains and Erg Chebbi exceeded our expectations. Our driver, Tarik, was excellent. We spent 8-10 hours a day with him driving from one location to the next and really appreciated his good humor, knowledge of the local area and very safe driving skills.

Hotel Reviews

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

We were pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness and quality of the rooms in this newly renovated hotel. Dinner and breakfast were also very good.

Four Seasons Resort Marrakech

Marrakech

We've stayed at Four Seasons all over the world. This location maintains Four Seasons well-deserved reputation for excellent service, beautiful rooms and grounds, and delicious on-site dining.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Desert Luxury Camp Erg Chebbi

Merzouga

It's a LONG journey to get here-- but when you're riding a camel off into the Sahara dunes and coming back to dinner and a fireside performance, it's all worth it!

Cleanliness & Comfort

For being in the middle of the desert, this location didn't lack any comforts, including A/C.

Riad Ksar Ighnda

Ait Benhaddou

While the rooms are 3 stars (clean, but relatively small), what really sets this property apart are its beautiful gardens and grounds and the views of the valley. Don't miss the chance to explore the mosque, hammam and bakery in the buildings next door .

Activity Reviews

Dine with a local family

Morocco

This was the perfect activity for our first night in Marrakech. Dinner was absolutely delicious and our kids enjoyed the chance to talk with the young son of the family who prepared our meal.

Quality of Experience

Family Visit to the Majorelle Gardens

Marrakesh

This place was cool, but we could probably have skipped it in favor of more time exploring other parts of Marrakech. A little too 'instagrammy' for our tastes.

Quality of Experience

Marrakech Family Food Tour

Marrakesh

Great experience walking through the markets with multiple stops to try soup, snails, olives, bread, tagine and fresh juice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Super knowledgeable guide. Really enjoyed spending time with Hannan.

I was a little skeptical about using kimkim at first-- but it proved to be a thoroughly convenient and helpful service in planning our trip(s) to Portugal and Morocco. The travel planning services provided by Pedro at Across Portugal were excellent! He and his team were always responsive to our questions and the 9 day custom trip they planned for us through Lisbon (including trips to Sintra and Belem), Algarve and Cascais was exactly what we hoped for. We particularly appreciated the thoughtful welcome gift upon arrival at our Lisbon hotel and Pedro's responsiveness when our hotel in the Algarve, Cascade Wellness Resort, did not meet our (admittedly) high standards. Our driver, Andre, was one of the highlights of our trip. He was great with our kids and we really enjoyed our conversations with him.

Hotel Reviews

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

We have admittedly high standards when it comes to our resort hotels. Unfortunately, despite what appeared to be their best efforts Cascade Wellness just didn't meet the mark. Our first apartment (#511) was very disappointing-- a not insignificant walk to the main dining areas/pools with a view of the roundabout, combined with worn/dirty furnishings, dirty linens and black mildew rampant in the shower areas. We were disappointed enough that for only the 2nd time in my life, we requested a room change. The second apartment (#1111) was an improvement in terms of cleanliness/pool access. Overall, however, this resort needs refurbishment. The carpets/couches/draperies in both apartments need to be deep cleaned to remove stains and the furniture is noticeably dented and scratched. In the three days we spent poolside, the pool bar by the 'sand' pool never opened (we were there in mid-June and the pool was in use by many people). Landscaping does not appear to be watered regularly and walkways between buildings were in need of repair. We only ate at the hotel once after being unimpressed with our lunch, preferring either to go out and order in via UberEats. The front desk, however, did try to be helpful, providing good restaurant recommendations and, after moving us, checking to see if the new apartment was an improvement. Bottom line, this is not a 5 star, or even a 4 star, resort.

Location

Resort was convenient to Lagos and other towns, but given the environment (set on a cliff above the ocean) no easy beach access or easy ocean views.

Staff

Staff was fine-- but other than one woman at the front desk who really helped us with dinner reservations and with moving our apartment, service did not particularly stand out.

Cleanliness & Comfort

As noted in my review, our initial apartment was dirty enough and in bad enough repair overall that we requested to be moved to a new apartment. Stay away from Apartment #511.

Heritage Avenida Liberdade

Lisboa

Great location, well appointed, clean rooms (the port in the rooms is a nice touch).

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Great location, beautiful ocean views with a balcony. Large rooms (our adjoining rooms had dressing room area(s) larger than many hotel rooms). Only stayed one night so can't speak to the pool and other services.

Activity Reviews

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Sintra is a can't miss stop on your visit to Portugal and, at the suggestion of our driver, Andre, we combined our visit to Pena Palace with a visit to Quinta Da Regaleira and a quick lunch in the old town area-- which made for a perfect day trip from Lisbon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andre is a MAJOR asset to his employer. We really enjoyed our time with him and his excellent recommendations. We will recommend him to others and request him as our driver on a return visit.

Transport

Very comfortable Mercedes vans were used throughout all of our transfers.

Exclusive Panoramic Boat Tour to the Ponta da Piedade Caves

Portugal

Lovely private boat tour along with coast. Knowledgeable, pleasant guide and appreciated the mid-ride port sampling and that our son got to help drive the boat. Would have liked the option to jump in the water at some point, but recognize that was not part of the itinerary.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vincenzo provided outstanding travel service, creating an amazing experience for our highly customized southern Italy journey (Sicily, Amalfi Coast, Puglia). He was very attentive to our desires and crafted a perfect itinerary to fulfill all our trip goals. We were extremely happy with the choice of destinations, the activities and the accommodations. He was very responsive to our inquiries before and during the trip, providing answers and solutions within a very short time, so we always felt well supported during the planning process and during the development of our journey. Vincenzo did an excellent job coordinating the local guides and hotels, and documented all local contact information for all activities providers. This was important for small adjustments during the itinerary, i.e. due to weather related changes. We are very thankful to Vincenzo and the local guides and activities providers and hotel staff that we encountered during our trip. Everything went as planned with zero issues. The kimkim travel service model is excellent and the app is very competent. We will be back with other trips for sure.

Hotel Reviews

Boutique Hotel Re Federico

Ortigia

A fantastic boutique hotel in the historical island of Ortigia, walking distance to waterfront and Duomo piazza. Great breakfast in the apartment or in the adjacent cafe. Valet parking

Authenticity & Character

a huge beautiful apartment with art and large terrace

Location

historical town and next to the waterfront of Ortigia

Staff

very helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Hotel Miramare

Sorrento

Very tasteful boutique hotel, a huge apartment with sea view and private terrace. Swimming pool overlooking the sea. Walking possible to town and marina (1.2 miles). Good breakfast. Parking available on premises.

Authenticity & Character

boutique attributes, old flair feeling, marble checkered floor in the apartment

Location

Overlooking the sea

Staff

respectful and courteous

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept, minor issue on the bed sheet, resolved immediately

Il Nido

Amalfi

A family and quaint hotel overlooking the sea. Room with enormous terrace with fantastic sea view. Walking to Amalfi center (1 mile). Very good breakfast. Parking on premises.

Authenticity & Character

a family hotel, old Mediterranean flair

Location

sea view, walking distance to historical center

Staff

Extremely friendly and courteous

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Ai Terrazzini

Matera

In the historical center, a beautiful renovation that brings you to the diverse past of Matera. Our apartment room was likely an old round ceiling grotto. Very good breakfast. Only parking garage outside the old city (walk to hotel 1 mile)

Authenticity & Character

perfect match of the town's white stone and grottos

Location

in the center of old Materal

Staff

friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Hotel La Pensione Svizzera

Taormina

Great Sea view room, walking distance to the pedestrian historical town full of restaurants. Rooms slightly dated, but not a detractor. Personalized very good breakfast service and happy hour. Coordinated parking nearby.

Authenticity & Character

Old fashioned Mediterranean flair

Location

Sea view, next to historical town, Greek theater, top of castle trail

Staff

all friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Hotel Politeama

Palermo

The hotel is very professional, in a perfect location next to the pedestrian zone and close to the main Palermo attractions (Norman palace, Duomo, Opera, Quatri-Canti). The breakfast is excellent, one of the best we experienced. Rooftop bar and restaurant overlooking the Politeama. Valet parking.

Authenticity & Character

professional

Location

a perfect location next to the pedestrian zone

Staff

great service

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Viacolvento Boutique Hotel

Marsala

A beautiful boutique hotel in the center of the pedestrian historical center and near restaurants. Excellent breakfast. Tight free parking in front of the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

a boutique hotel with great taste layout

Location

in the historical center and close to the pedestrian zone with restaurants

Staff

great touristic information and recommendations

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Palazzo de Noha

Lecce

Amazing boutique hotel with very personalized treatment. In the Lecce historical town, this renovation yielded a great comfortable room and facilities. Art and designer objects. Minibar with water, soda and juice complimentary. Excellent breakfast with very fresh local food and juice. Rooftop bar with sun/shade lounge and mini pool. Valet parking.

Authenticity & Character

beautiful art, tasteful facilities

Location

in the historical heart of Lecce

Staff

the best we met in Italy, personalized caring

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Hotel Piazza Bellini & Apartments

Naples

Professional and modern - young and fresh, no frills. Walking to the pedestrian historical zone and pizza places. Good breakfast in the open courtyard. I wish our balcony was renovated like others we saw, so was not really usable. Staff said no other was available. No parking and restricted driving zone.

Authenticity & Character

young and modern in the historical neighborhood

Location

next to historical town

Staff

courteous and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had one of the balconies which were not renovated, so its floor looked molded, ugly and run-down, not usable. Room inside was clean

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Sicily!

Italy

Sicily was a Beautiful place. From Palermo be sure to visit CEFALU (incredible historical town, water and hike to the Castelo)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Walking Tour of Palermo

Palermo

Martina is a local and she provided an amazing experience. She is very knowledgeable and was able to connect the diverse cultural history of Palermo (Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Norman, Modern) in a very thoughtful and witty manner. We visited all the historical highlights and market, and felt we got to know well this beautiful and interesting city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to the Valle dei Templi

Italy

You get to walk around the awesome monuments

Quality of Experience

Guided tour of Valle dei Templi

Italy

Enza was an incredible guide and provided a lot of the history and context for the greek culture in Agrigento and all around Sicily.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Tour of Syracuse

Syracuse

Thanks Giuzy for being flexible as we had to move the tour. Professional and efficient tour. Unfortunately we did not get to go inside many of the sites with her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mount Etna Tour

Italy

We had a great hike and lunch with Emiliano and learned all about this active volcano. He is a local and a geologist and displayed his great knowledge and passion. They had a car trouble and much delay before we could start, but in the end all was well

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Capri Boat Tour

Italy

Our captain Pepe was excellent - we visited all highlights around the island and got to sail through the Faraglione di Mezzo: The middle rock, which has an arch. Beautiful trip

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Boat Tour around Ortigia

Syracuse

Francesco and Gianni provided a wonderful experience. Due to weather we had to move the trip, which was accomplished flawless. An amazing way to see Ortigia and swim on the sea next to the Byzantine castle. Excellent boat and service!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided tour of Modica - the Baroque town of chocolate

Italy

Graziella was incredible. She is also a restaurant and Olive plantation owner and we learned so much not only about the town and churches history, but much about the wonderful Italian food (olives, pasta, capers, etc). What a creative way to show the local culture and history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Welcome to Sorrento!

Sorrento

Very interesting town, larger than the others in the coast, but less expensive, with an extensive street market (buy here rather than other places like Capri or Positano) and a nice beach and Marina area with great restaurants. Our hotel with sea view was excellent

Quality of Experience

Half day group boat tour of the Amalfi Coast

Italy

Beautiful boat trip, we hugged the coast all the way to Positano and learned about all the most significant places of this amazing coast. We go to take incredible pictures, especially from the sloped hill of Positano and its quaint houses.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Matera guided tour

Matera

This ancient grotto and white stone town is incredible and is perched on the hill overlooking the beautiful valley. It is a very unique destination with a history that dates back 8,000 years. Renato is a local and shared his family history, and made it interesting (though at times a little repetitive). It was interesting to say the least.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Welcome to Puglia!

Italy

An incredible beautiful and interesting region, with still relatively low key tourism and without the crowds. Great service everywhere and high quality of boutique hotels and restaurants

Quality of Experience

Welcome to Lecce!

Lecce

Amazing historical town - it is called, deservedly, the Florence of the South. Towns to visit from this base include: Alberobello - home the Trulli Ostuni - the Citta Bianca Otranto - beautiful seaside Polignamo-al-Mare - another beautiful historical coast town. And drive the Adriatic blue sea view road from Santa Maria di Leuca to Otranto - beautiful!

Quality of Experience

From the start of planning with our guide Svetlana to the end of the trip, everything came together with ease. We did not have a lot of time (8 days including to and from Canada) to explore Ireland, but Svetlana helped me hone in on what was most important to us and how best to travel while there. It was our first time travelling with our youngest son and we were thrilled to share this adventure with him. Our hotels were very comfortable and welcoming - our favourite was The Salthouse Lodge in Ballycastle, where we stayed for 3 nights to allow us to explore the area. The Beresford Hotel in Dublin was our first stop and Robert at the front desk was both entertaining and extremely helpful. There was the right amount of tours - the Titanic Experience and Black Cab tour in Belfast and the Guiness Tour in Dublin. The itinerary was flexible enough that we could add or subtract experiences as we wanted, so ended up doing Bushmills Distillery visit and a tour in Londonderry, as well as high tea at the Merchant Hotel in Belfast. When there was a glitch in the Black Cab tour timing, Svetlana was easily contacted and she sorted everything out very quickly. It was very helpful to have the breakfasts included each day and it was never difficult to find wonderful places for the other meals. We are already thinking about our next visit to Ireland and other adventures in the world and would definitely use KimKim again to be able to design the best experience with professional and skilled guidance helping every step of the way. We were able to relax in a way we have not done on past tours with other companies. Many thanks to Svetlana for helping to make this a memorable trip.

Every aspect from planning to the trip itself was incredible! Our trip planner, Christina, asked questions and got to know our family and what was important to us before planning. She then prepared an initial plan and asked for comments. She worked with us to meet our price point and then made many revisions and offered advice throughout the whole planning period. She planned so perfectly that our trip went amazingly smooth. It was such a nice convenience to have all of the accommodations and transportation booked in advance, and Christina put a lot of thought into our accommodations and their proximity to our modes of transportation, making our travel very easy. This trip was done solely on planes, trains, ferries, buses and a couple taxis. The tours she booked for us allowed us to see everything we wanted. Everyone from our tour guides to taxi drivers were so nice, accommodating and very knowledgeable. Our itinerary included Oslo, Aurland, Bergin, Alesund, Andalsnes and Trondheim as the main hubs, with cruises on the UNESCO fjords, trips on the Flam and Rauma railroads, and private tours to other destinations with many waterfall stops along the way. Although it was all wonderful, one highlight was the gondola ride in Andalsnes and dinner at Eggen restaurant at the top. Norway is a very beautiful country with diverse areas, awesome hikes, excellent art installations, living history museums, excellent restaurants, wonderful fjords and really nice people. We are very thankful to Christina for making this trip so amazing, comfortable and perfect for our family. We highly recommend using Christina and KimKim as a trip planner.

The tour guides were very good on our trip.
Veronika had some awesome parts of the trip set up for us.
I loved the train trip to Flam and the pastry class in Copenhagen.

Our trip went off FLAWLESSLY! I am so impressed with Angela- our KimKim contact in Greece. The tours she set up for us were perfect for me, my daughter and two grandsons, ages 5 and 9. She checked in with us regularly- which gave us an extra layer of comfort and security.

Our hotels in Athens, Santorini and Rhodes were just what we needed- comfortable, clean and in wonderful locations.

Our Driver to Delphi, Dimitris, was an absolute pleasure, The guide his company provided was very knowledgeable and especially attentive to our 9 year old- who is fascinated with Greek Mythology and requested a visit to Delphi. We stopped for lunch at a gorgeous restaurant on the way home.

Eleni, our guide at the Acropolis was equally fantastic. Her "Young Heroes Tour" was perfectly age appropriate.
The Sunset Cruise in Santorini included a wonderful hike on the volcano. Seeing Akroteri was excellent.

In Rhodes, we were taken care of by the most amazing driver- Nikos from Manos Tours. He was so informative, great with our little guys and so proud of his culture and country.

I will definitely use KimKim for future travel. It left us free to enjoy and learn while they took care of all the details. VERY well done- many thanks!

Hotel Reviews

Kyria Boutique House

Plaka, Athens

This hotel is not fancy- but it's comfortable, clean, has a wonderful staff and a great breakfast on the rooftop with a view of the Acropolis. The location is outstanding! However, not good for someone who can't do stairs.

Authenticity & Character

Cute "Shabby Chic" decor

Location

Right next to Acropolis, Plaka etc

Staff

Magda and Maria were great!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blue Dolphins Apartments & Suites

Firostefani, Santorini

Authenticity & Character

Great vibe, pretty decor

Location

In Firastefani- not in the thick of things, but plenty of good restaurants and shops. Gorgeous view.

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lots of stairs. No pool on site.

Sunrise Luxury Apartments Rhodes

Rhodes

Self catering- has a kitchenette, grocery store on the corner. This worked out very well for us, traveling with kids. Lots of restaurants nearby, a quick walk to beaches and old city. Anna at the front desk was fantastic. Overlooking the ocean- great view. On a busy street, but it quieted down by about 10pm. Not fancy, but served our purposes very well, Again- no elevator so not good if you can't do stairs

Authenticity & Character

Modern- doesn't feel Greek but that was not important to us.

Location

Easy walk to everything. Great view.

Staff

Anna is a lovely person who took great care of us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Young Heroes: a Family Mythology Tour

Athens

Perfect for our 5 and 9 year old boys.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Delphi Full-Day tour

Greece

Driver Dimitris was wonderful. Our guide was very knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Greek Wedding Show

Santorini

Very fun- but lots of Greek dialog , so had some trouble following the plot. But I'd still recommend it, because it was very entertaining.

Quality of Experience

We guide you in the Past 2024

Greece

Excellent information, guide and transportation

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights of Rhodes

Rhodes

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver Nikos was outstanding

Transport

Friendly, knowledgeable, and a totally great human being!

Butterfly Valley

Rhodes

Gorgeous- but difficult if you can't do stairs

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Again- wonderful Nikos!

Sunset Volcano Cruise 2025

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wonderful trip that met all of our expectations! Seamless travel, checked off all our boxes in terms of time available, budget and goals.

Hotel Reviews

Angel's Share Hotel

New Town, Edinburgh

Great location - we walked everywhere and had no difficulty using the tram to and from the airport. Interesting boutique hotel with good size rooms and a great breakfast in their elegant bar. Helpful staff, happy to store luggage. Great treats, water and hot drinks in rooms. Although displayed with the complimentary water, the Pringles will be charged. The Rod Stewart room needs a new mattress.

Inver Lodge

Scotland

Elegant, spacious hotel with lovely mountain and loch views. Excellent restaurant and service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heathmount Hotel

Inverness

Comfy, pretty hotel with friendly, helpful staff and a good breakfast. We loved the 15 minute walk to the town center.

Authenticity & Character

Comfy lounge and bar area, pretty decor

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Seaview Hotel

Wick

Rustic hotel in a very sparsely populated area. Excellent service and a great restaurant. Tired, old room but adequate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean but old and worn out

The Royal Hotel Portree

Portree

Great location overlooking the pastel buildings on the harbor. Adequate room and breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Garrison

Fort William

Great location, parking at back of hotel, very small but comfy room, with great breakfast/bar area with good espresso machine available 24/7.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Stirling Highland Hotel

Stirling

Nestled below the incredible Stirling Castle and near to some great restaurants, interesting comfortable hotel in old grammar school, easy courtyard parking, breakfast room busy and a tad cramped.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Blair Atholl Castle Entrance tickets

Pitlochry

Two hour cruise on the Canal and Loch - Loch Ness

Inverness

Not the prettiest scenery but searching for Nessie is a must. We visited the quaint village of Dores, enjoyed lunch at the Dores Inn, and got to meet Steve Feltham who has lived in a caravan next to the Inn. Looking for. Eddie since 1991.

Evening cruise on Loch Linnhe

Fort William

Such a beautiful area and the light through the clouds was breathtaking. Knowledgeable commentary on Black Houses, tides and local culture

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Inverness Bike tour

Inverness

Alison our tour guide was very experienced and knowledgeable. It was hailing minutes before our ride, but she assured us that she had checked the radar and it would be fine, we enjoyed biking through the Ness Islands where we met the grumpy anti-biker lady that Alison had been trying to appease for many years, biked along the Caledonian Canal to the locks, and then through a nature reserve alongside the Beauly Firth

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Smoo Cave Tours

Scotland

Even a small amount of rainfall results in the inner cave tour being cancelled. One can still enjoy the view of the waterfalls at the entrance and the stunning beauty of the surrounding cliffs.

Day out on the Jacobite Train (of Harry Potter fame)

Scotland

A steam train ride through beautiful scenery. We were expecting some kind of narration about Jacobite history and Harry Potter settings. There was no narration or written history offered. Perhaps it would be better to catch the regular train to Glenfinnan, hike to get a great view of the aquaduct , and get a wonderful video of the steam train crossing. Then take the regular train to Mallaig for lunch in a pretty harbor town.

Champagne Afternoon Tea at the Ivy

Edinburgh

We had two friends join us and the staff were flexible and worked this out for us. Lovely champagne high tea in a beautiful setting, but pricey.

Fishing Villages of Fife & St Andrews from Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Great day trip with Peter, an entertaining and knowledgable tour guide/driver. Taking a regular train to St Andrews and stopping off at a fishing village would be a far more affordable option.

Working with Kat made our trip go seamlessly! Every detail was taking care of and we had an amazing time in Scotland. We had the pleasure of experiencing private tours of the Highlands which made for an unforgettable time.

Andrea planned the trip of a lifetime! Our guides, especially Lucia in Florence and Mariapaola in Rome were so knowledgeable and clearly had pride and love for their city! The winery and olive oil tour in Tuscany was fabulous, such a great experience. Our cooking class with Cecelia was so memorable, it was lovely to be warmly welcomed into her home to learn and share a meal. The boat to Capri, with Angelo as our captain, was lovely. He made sure we saw beautiful and interesting sites along the way.

Every transfer was seamless and on time. The detailed itinerary that Andrea provided ahead of time answered all our questions and was so accurate! We would recommend Kimkim highly!

Hotel Reviews

Palazzo Veneziano Venice

Venice

Staff was friendly, breakfast buffet is absolutely amazing!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Residence

Amalfi

Staff was so friendly, and service was wonderful. Room was cleaned twice daily. Location was beautiful. With terrace overlooking the water

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Spadai Florence

Florence

Beautiful room, great location, breakfast buffet was lavish and delicious!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Martis Palace Hotel Rome

Rome

Friendly staff, beautiful room. Bathroom shower was a little difficult to figure out, as was the room temperature.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hidden Venice and cicchetti experience

Italy

This was a fun activity to see the hidden streets and taste some local foods. Guide was a little difficult to understand.

Florence private guided walk including Accademia Gallery

Florence

Must do! Seeing the statue of David was truly awe-inspiring. Lucia was a wonderful guide, knowledgeable, friendly, a pleasure.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Chianti Full Immersive Wine & Olive Oil Experience from Florence (small group)

Florence

Enjoyed this immensely! Our driver was excellent, and the wineries were beautiful, informative. Wine was delicious, as was the food. Small group was delightful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pompeii ruin visit with a private guide

Italy

Such an interesting side trip, definitely worth doing! It was a little tiring after the visit and lunch at the winery right before, but glad we did it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome Private Guided Walk

Rome

Good way to start our time in Rome. The Parthenon especially was amazing. It gave us the sites before we really dug into the rest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Colosseum and Roman Forum - Private guide

Rome

So incredible to actually see and hear about these area that you’ve always heard about. Our guide was so knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cooking Class

Italy

This was so special as we were warmly welcomed into the instructor’s home and the cooking class was just for us. We loved every minute of it!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Italy

Absolutely the way to see Capri, rather than the regular ferry boat. It was fun with a small group, had the opportunity to swim, saw beautiful sites along the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel - private guide

Rome

This was the most awe-inspiring visit ever. Our guide, Mariapaola, was so very knowledgeable, and took great care to make sure we got to see everything that was important to us. Truly a special visit

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Irene Lappa worked with me to create a wonderful trip for my granddaughter, her mother, and me. We visited Venice, Rome, and Sorrento in early June, 2024. Irene was always responsive to my many questions, listened to my ideas, and eventually a thorough and detailed itinerary for us. Every detailed was considered. The included train travel between our destinations, transfers, hotels, and guides, even restaurant and things to do suggestions. Our tours were either private or small group and the guides were wonderful. My granddaughter especially loved her glass blowing class on Murano, our cooking class in Rome, and our tour to Capri and swim. It was great having contact people in each place in case we had issues. The whole trip was perfect. The only thing I might have changed was not as many early morning tours! My many and heartfelt thanks to Irene and the KimKim team.

Hotel Review

Ai Reali Hotel Venice

Venice

Perfect! Getting dropped off at the hotel's dock off the Grand Canal in Venice was magical. The hotel was immaculate, breakfast yummy, and staff wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

close to everything

Staff

Answered all our questions and concerns.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Grand Canal Private Orientation Tour

Italy

This was alright, but we were very tired and it was hard to take everything in.

Venice Night Walking Tour

Venice

I always think a walking tour in a new place is a great way to get a lay of the land. This is a good activity for arrival.

Private St. Mark's Basilica & Doge’s Palace Tour with Exclusive Access to Secret Rooms

Venice

We had a private tour and our guide was wonderful.

Murano Glass Demonstration & Walking Tour

Venice

The real focus of this experience was the glass demonstration for my granddaughter, which she loved. The walking tour was fine.

Early Morning Vatican Tour

Rome

Express Colosseum Tour

Rome

This was a small group tour and our guide was, again, wonderful. My only complaint was our start time was very early and we missed breakfast again!

Pasta & Tiramisu Making Class

Rome

LOVED this

Private Pompeii Tour

Pompeii

Again this was a private tour. We were met at the Naples train station by our guide and driver and transferred to Pompeii. Our guide did a great job bringing meaning to the huge area and keeping us out of the sun!

Capri Island & Grottos Boat Tour from Sorrento

Sorrento

This was one of our favorite tours. Although the Blue Grotto was closed my granddaughter was able to swim from the boat. Drinks were served on the way back to Sorrento and it was a lovely day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Amalfi Coast Driving Tour

Italy

Although my husband and I have driven the Amalfi coast years ago it was wonderful having a driver for this tour. It was also a good way to see more of that area. The driver was great at finding places to park and making sure we had enough time in each stop. After very busy Positano and Amalfi it was lovely reaching quiet Ravello and having lunch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our two guides, Francesca and Elena? were wonderful. Knowledgeable, friendly, easy to be around.
The hotels were exactly what we were looking for on this trip.
The bike tour was great. The ebikes themselves had operation issues, but we managed.
The olive oil tasting stop was a highlight.
Casamar is a must go restaurant for anyone in that region. Reasonably priced and incredible experience.
The boat ride was less than awesome. I should have taken your recommendation to hire a small boat guide directly from the beach. The large boat was unable to approach the shore and even though it was a sailboat, we just used the smelly diesel engine the whole time. This is the only part of the whole experience that we would not repeat - and I can only blame myself. You warned me that sailing trips in this area are not really a thing and I forced the issue. Jessica, the captain of the boat was great, but the boat ride experience itself - not so much.
The drivers from and to the airport were great. They were on-time, professional, friendly.
You had suggested we spend a night or two in wine and olive country. I declined to include that in the itinerary because we do not really drink wine, but the bike tour through the ancient cities was one of the best parts for Lynn. When we come back we will want to spend more time in these villages, maybe more biking and exploring?
Kayaking was cool. Javi, our guide, was a seasoned professional from the Basque country. Made us want to explore that area. We landed on a secluded beach and did some snorkeling. That was also a highlight.
Hiking the Cami de Ronda was great. Met a group of Americans from our home town!!
My favorite part of the entire trip was swimming at the Platja de Ros. This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in my life. I would like to maybe go back with a larger family group and explore the beaches on that whole peninsula.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/wv9ZWnQvmwT3w7gp7
Many people told us that we were lucky to be there so early in June because after June 23rd, the whole area is very crowded. In fact, this last week, there were already many school groups in Llafranc and Calella. They occupied much of the beach. If we go back to these places, it would be good to keep that in mind.
Thanks again for your help on all of this. If we are fortunate enough to keep working in our current jobs, we will reach out to you again.

Marion was great, super attuned to custominzing the trip for the perfect mix of hiking, history and culture to fit our interests…

Hello, I will be honest in my review, and hopefully not too critical.
Overall our trip was fine but not outstanding. Part of that may be that we have always been fit and healthy, and now in our mid 70's we not as energetic or willing to accept annoyances.
Hotels....the 3 hotels we stayed in were nice hotels in general, and all had friendly, professional, and helpful staff. All breakfasts were good as well.
Our first hotel experience though, was challenging. Our assigned room at the Norge was the smallest room I can ever remember, and we were there for 5 nights. Our only other choice, which we opted for, was a much larger room with a pleasant view. This was in a handicap accessible wing on the ground floor with wide hallways which were used to store extra furniture. This, combined with food smells from the restaurant, and the stained carpet made for a less than appealing sense of arrival each time we came to our room. In addition, we had to pay $470 CAD extra to the hotel for the room.
It seems that all our hotels in Norway used the same company for interior room design. All were minimalist, with zero or only one drawer for clothes. This is unacceptable for stays of several days....no place for socks, underwear, PJ's, dirty clothes etc. It ends up with shoes and clothes strewn all over the place.
Regarding the guided tours, we were pleased,
Although we recognize much of Norway is about the water, we spent too much time on boats, even considering the one we missed. The ferry from Bergen to Stavanger was very nice. We went to the oil and gas museum in Stavanger, which was very interesting.
regarding you contact people, we started with Kristina, then over to Fenne, then to Rufo. Rufo was helpful in last-minute rescheduling of our Cornelius dinner.
I sent 2 messages requesting light bedding in our rooms. None of the hotels had the requests on file when we checked in, so we had to deal with that in various ways. The bedding issue was important to us, especially sing none of the hotel have air conditioning.
Thank you,
Randy Byrne

Activity Reviews

Oslofjord Dinner Cruise

Oslo

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Nina is very good

Great Summer Waterfall and Fjord Tour

Bergen

A bit too long

Fjord Cruise & Seafood Dining Experince

Bergen

Private Oslofjord Island Hopping Nature Walk

Oslo

Full-Day Private City Excursion

Oslo

Mariann was very good

Our trip planned by Tasos at KimKim Travel was the best vacation my Husband and I have ever taken! Tasos worked to organize our customized Greece trip by listening to what we wanted to do and not do. We flew from Tucson, AZ, to Atlanta, GA, then to Athens, Paros and Santorini Islands. We spent 4 days on the mainland of Athens while also traveling to Meteora and Delphi. The history is like none other in the world! The Plaka District is the place to stay for the history in all of Athens in my opinion and The AVA Boutique Hotel where we stayed had amazing breakfasts every morning and treated us superb. Very comfortable suite w/kitchen. They even gave us welcome and parting gifts! Totally unexpected. In Athens, we visited the Parthenon, Acropolis Hill, the Ancient Agora, National Archaeological Museum. Very historic and great history learned.
Michael was our Tour Guide for The Acropolis & Ancient Athens Mythology Tour, he was wonderful, funny and a great historian.
George was our Private Transfer Driver who drove us safely to Meteora, the oldest Olive Oil Producer in Greece with ancient olive Grove and Delphi and he was great too! He added stops along the way at no additional cost so we could get some beautiful pictures by the sea and history (battle of Thermopylae) that he provided himself. Meteora and Delphi were humbling. The history there and the stories of the Monks from the past to today we will never forget! By the end of the three travel days we were friends with George and he too gave us a parting gift of his very own harvested olive oil and oregano! We're enjoying both today as I write this:)!
George, delivered us to the Athens Airport and we flew to Paros Island. The plane was small and we were cramped. Husband is 6'5" and I'm 5'10" so hard to get around that. Fortunately, it wasn't a long flight.
We loved Paros, didn't want to leave. Don't recommend anywhere that we traveled in Greece to snorkel. Did bring our gear but no coral, sea floor is black rock or rock from volcano eruption and/or earthquakes. Did see lots of small fish though. Water is a beautiful turquoise and just the right temperature in June to swim and enjoy. Don't wear your smart watch in the salt water!
Paros is an amazing Island. Old authentic with new development just as Tasos mentioned. We wanted beaches and that's why Tasos recommended Paros. We spent 4 nights on Paros. Town of Naoussa (where we stayed) and Parikia were great to visit, dine, shop and just go around at our own pace. We had great meals and service everywhere we ate. Never had a bad meal. We stayed at the Contaratos Beach Hotel. Right on the water. Had an amazing balcony that looked right out on the gorgeous pool and then the Sea. The view was fantastic. Employees were awesome at hotel. Always smiling and willing to help whenever needed. Tasos recommended a full day boat trip that we met great people on and had a huge meal that was delicious. All the beer, wine, other beverages and food you wanted. We traveled to many islands, swam and snorkeled. Great day! Naoussa and Parikia were so much fun! We used Panos as a private transfer driver throughout our stay and he was very friendly and kind too.
We took a ferry from Paros to Santorini Island. Very crowded but moved well. We were comfortable on the ride. We arrived on Santorini along with 7 other "Cruise Ships" that day! Santorini is way too crowded at this time of year. Yes, the island is beautiful but don't recommend going here. Way too crowded and expensive. Everything here was more than double the price of Paros and other Greek Islands that are spectacular. Our hotel, Petit Palace Suites, was fantastic. Great view of the caldera, off the crowded track. Room and Employees were fantastic. We took a morning Catamaran Caldera Cruise and thoroughly enjoyed the cruise, ship crew and getting to know the people cruising with us. The town of Oia was beautiful but disappointing because it was way too crowded. Did come away with great pictures from the island though. Wasn't impressed with the sunset. We have prettier sunrises and sunsets in AZ;). We also attended a wine tasting that we were supposed to sip wine, learn about their old vines and the centuries long winemaking process that we would only find in Santorini, but, we were only entitled to sip 4 wines and didn't have any tour or learn about their winemaking process. I think that lasted for 30 minutes. There was no view that I recall either.
After two nights in Santorini, we started our return by flying to Athens late on day 3. However, our flight was cancelled due to weather in Athens. Tasos set us up with "Travel 12" Customer Service through Whatsapp to communicate from the beginning of our trip to the end. Travel 12 was with us all along the way, while Tasos left us to enjoy our trip but monitored the communication. Immediately, Travel 12 was there to support us by offering to find us a hotel with transfers. My Husband stood in line for over 2 hours with Aegean Airlines (partner of Delta) to determine what they were going to do with us. We had to catch a connection the next day at noon for the US out of Athens. We did have insurance and was assured the hotel and flight changes would probably be covered according to Travel 12 so that was a relief. Travel 12 consulted with Tasos and he advised to wait to see what Aegean would do for us because if they offered a hotel with transfers back to airport the next morning our insurance would not cover what Travel 12 was working on for us and that's exactly what happened. Aegean covered transfers and another night stay on Santorini. The hotel was decent and the transfers were timely and just as expected.
Once we finally arrived home in Tucson, AZ, our bags did not. However, Delta tracked them out of Athens and were delivered to our home 2 days later in tact with nothing damaged.

Hotel Reviews

Ava Hotel & Suites

Athens

Wonderful place to stay, great employees, fantastic breakfasts (best on the whole trip!) receive both welcome and parting gifts from them!

Authenticity & Character

Old world classy charm! Chandeliers everywhere!

Location

Historic old city with walking distance to Acropolis.

Staff

Staff was always smiling and exceptionally attentive! There were Employees who stood out but I'm sorry don't remember their names.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was perfect regarding the cleanliness and comfort. Loved the bathroom! Very beautiful bathroom ceiling and chandelier in bedroom:)!!

Monastiri Guesthouse

Kalampaka - Meteora

Beautiful view. Old world charm. Didn't care for different levels in hotel room and bath. Breakfast was just okay. Staff very kind and attentive.

Authenticity & Character

Old world charm. Don't know the history but imagine the hotel is very old with renovations.

Location

Walking distance to town. Loved the town.

Staff

Very helpful and kind!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel was very clean, bed wasn't too comfortable though. Hard mattress.

Fedriades Hotel Delphi

Delphi

Smallest bathroom we've ever showered in. Bed and breakfast very nice though. Great location in town to stroll around in.

Authenticity & Character

Nice feel. Didn't get authentic or a character feel here. Small accomodations.

Location

Right in town you can stroll around in. Ate at great restaurant across the street for dinner.

Staff

Did their job. Was only a one night stay.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was very clean and comfortable beside the small shower that sprayed the whole bathroom.

Contaratos Beach Hotel Paros

Naousa

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Authenticity & Character

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Location

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Staff

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Petit Palace Suites

Santorini

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Authenticity & Character

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Location

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Staff

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything here was PERFECT! Didn't want to leave!!

Avra Hotel

Rafina, Attica

Didn't stay here because our flight from Santorini was cancelled.

Authenticity & Character

Didn't stay here because our flight from Santorini was cancelled.

Location

Didn't stay here because our flight from Santorini was cancelled.

Staff

Didn't stay here because our flight from Santorini was cancelled.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Didn't stay here because our flight from Santorini was cancelled.

Activity Reviews

Acropolis & Athens Mythology Tour

Athens

Highly recommend it. Michael our tour guide was great!

Quality of Experience

Highly recommend.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highly recommend.

Transport

Highly recommend.

Local Transfer in Athens

Greece

Great - Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

The Driver - George!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved George!

Transport

Very safe, informative and helpful!

Meteora Sunset Tour

Meteora

Remarkable, will never forget this experience. One of a kind, breathtaking and amazing history.

Quality of Experience

Remarkable, will never forget this experience. One of a kind, breathtaking and amazing history.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Remarkable, will never forget this experience. One of a kind, breathtaking and amazing history.

Transport

Very safe and comfortable!

Private Tour of Delphi

Greece

Tour Guide was exceptional regarding the history information shared. She even extended the tour time because we were her last tour for the day and she wanted us to have all our questions answered.

Quality of Experience

The history and Tour Guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Perfect!

Transport

Perfect!

Lunch with Olive Grove View

Greece

Owners were very informative and lunch was delicious! View spectacular!!

Quality of Experience

Remarkable, will never forget this experience. One of a kind, breathtaking and amazing view!

Food

Meals were delicious at the Olive Grove and in Delphi!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

George was very kind, safe driver, shared great historic info, took us to stops that were on the way and even shared a parting gift of his own olive oil and oregano produced from his home! Loved George!

Transport

Very safe and great vehicle!

Local Transfer in Paros

Paros

Panos was very kind, safe and informative about the area.

Quality of Experience

Highly recommend!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highly recommend!

Transport

Safe and convenient!

Antiparos Day-Trip

Paros

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Quality of Experience

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Food

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Transport

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Santorini Highlights with Wine

Greece

Guide and tour was great - tired us out though in the heat. Wine tour was disappointing. Wasn't a tour and we had a sip from 4 wines (lasted about a half hour). Did end up having lunch at the winery and that was very good.

Morning Catamaran Caldera Cruise

Santorini

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Quality of Experience

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Food

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

Transport

Highly recommend! Great Crew, food and beverages and people touring that we met!

The Greek Wedding Show

Santorini

Cancelled because it was too late in the evening for show start and we were tired and sunburned.

Quality of Experience

Cancelled because it was too late in the evening for show start and we were tired and sunburned.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cancelled because it was too late in the evening for show start and we were tired and sunburned.

Transport

Cancelled because it was too late in the evening for show start and we were tired and sunburned.

Our 16 person tour van from Bath that included Stonehenge, Avebury and Cotswold village was okay. The van was full and I felt quite cramped in comparison to a similar tour we had taken in Iceland. Driver gave no instruction about moving one’s seat around to give everyone an opportunity to sit up close or not. We were on time and the van was already fully seated so we were trapped in the rear seat for the entirety of the day. Shouldn’t have been my responsibility to complain rather than provide some up front guidance. L

We had such an incredible trip to Patagonia! Jimena was terrific to work with, she provided us multiple options for our trip the end of May. Everything was so organized and easy. Great choices in hotels and the public and private transportation was so convenient.
Once we were in Puerto Natales, we wanted to adjust our trip and add a hike to the Torres del Paine towers in addition to most of the W that were already planned, so Nada and Jimena worked their magic and made it happen.
Highly recommend Patagonia in April or May! Yes, it’s cold but manageable and you basically have the park to yourselves, including staying at the Refugio’s. Pedro, our guide, was terrific and so much fun. We really enjoyed our time with him.
It was a trip of a lifetime, we couldn’t have been more pleased with everything!

Harris was helpful and listened to everything I wanted out of the trip. He even took the extra step to call and walk me through some questions I had

Hotel Reviews

Volcano View Hotel

Santorini

Amazing view and good !

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Editor Hotel Athens

Athens

Great location and nice room. No view from our room though.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Saint Andrea Paros Seaside Resort

Naousa

Beautiful room and ambiance throughout. Friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

A bit far from town but we had scheduled a private driver so it worked out

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Local Transfer in Paros

Paros

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour in the Blue Lagoon

Paros

Food was absolutely incredible ! Staff were friendly, fun, knowledgable, and engaging

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Catamaran Caldera Cruise

Santorini

Food was absolutely incredible ! Staff were friendly, fun, knowledgable, and engaging

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Acropolis Hill & Museum Tour

Athens

Knowledgable guide !

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loved the agent who took our ideas for the trip.
Francesca and Maria were great! Lucy was amazing as were her friends who guided us in Pompeii and Naples.
Yes, Kimkim is expensive but ALL your needs, wants and every transfer is perfect!!
I used them for Madrid and Barcelona with the same perfect results.

Giulia was very responsive but I was not very happy with my trip.

- shuttles only run once an hour to/from the hotel, the shuttles stopped running at 23:30 so we had to pay 50+ euros if we wanted to enjoy a full night out. One morning our travel agency booked excursion was booked at an early morning time and the shuttles were not running yet so we had to pay for transportation
- the hotel itself catered to an much older crowd (average age was about 70 years old) this wasn’t ideal for two women in their 30s and I really wish there was more thought put into that since we relied on the travel agency to have a better idea of the ideal place based on what I shared with the company (this was the biggest point of frustration for us)
- the path of the gods were very far and I wish we knew how difficult and costly it would be just to get to the start of the path. It was mentioned that this would be a “half day” excursion but getting there and back plus the hike would have been 8+ hours.
- the boat excursion to Capri only shared a limited amount of alcohol. I could understand wanting to ensure no one was drunk or unsafe while swimming but there shouldn’t have been any limitations on the way back to Sorrento. If there is a set amount of drinks allowed per person with the excursion then that should be laid out beforehand.