Kimkim Trip Reviews

Adam helped me put together this trip at late notice. He did a stellar job! Barcelona was great and Tossa de Mar at the Costa Brava was even better, with the Kayaking & snorkeling experience as the highlight. Can't wait for the next trip.

Hotel Reviews

Room Mate Anna

Barcelona

Stylish hotel staffed by friendly people. Location is perfect, walking distance from many sights and next to the Passieg de Gracia metro stop. Nice vibes in the lobby and rooftop restaurant with somewhat loud music, which i liked but may or not be for everyone. Room was well appointed, and overall nice, but cleanliness could use some attention. Nothing too bad, but bathroom could use a deep clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Next to Passeig de Gracia metro stop and walking distance from many restaurants and sights

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathrooms not spotless, could use a deep clean.

Hotel Diana

Tossa de Mar

Hotel Diana is a true gem with character. The location is perfect, a couple of steps from the beach (just across the street which has mostly pedestrians) with a view of the Mediterranean. Staff is super friendly and happily shared recommedations for tapas bars, which were very in point (esp bar La Lluna!). My room was big with a partial ocean view. The building structure is European, ie not very sound proof and the furniture isn't the newest, but it didn't bother me since the character and style more than compensated for this. I would highly recommend this hotel to travelers who value comfort and authenticity.

Authenticity & Character

Hotel feels small and intimate

Location

Steps from the beach and 5 minute stroll the old town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Kayaking & Snorkeling in Costa Brava

Costa Brava

Really cool kayaking experience from Tossa de Mar. The coastline is rugged, with lots of rocks sticking out out of the Mediterranean, caves and bays. Mattias, the guide and instructor, was a true professional, guiding us through choppy waters on the way back as the wind has picked up. He was very communicative and pointed out different rock features and led us to nice snorkeling bay with a cool cliff jump (about 15 meters high, fun and slightly scary!).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was really great to have kimkim's and Coraima's help planning our trip. It took so much of the work off of us to find guides, secure tickets, etc. We really enjoyed the local guides we had, many who were from the local region or experts in their specific area.

Activity Reviews

Costa Brava Hiking, Kayaking & Swimming Day Trip

Barcelona

Great day trip. Short hike, kayaking and swimming. The guide was knowledgeable and truly enjoyed his job.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Secrets of Bilbao Bike Ride

Bilbao

This tour shared the history of Bilbao through a wonderful bike ride through the city. The ride was easy and accessible to those who have limited biking experience. Our guide was truly amazing! His knowledge was extensive and he provided great recommendations for other activities and places to eat in Bilbao.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Local knowledge, provided local recommendations

Transport

Hike, Boat & Lunch on the Bay of Pasaia

San Sebastián

This was a fun experience but would share with folks up front the extensive hiking involved. The boat trip is also very short .

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Andrea and Guiliana arranged an amazing 9 day trip of Italy.

We have two Adult sons (19 & 23) and we wanted to take them to Europe as a family before out oldest started full time work. After deciding on Italy we were happily assigned to Andrea & Guiliana (they work as a team, it's really quite seamless between the two of them)

It seems like Guiliana did most of the specific planning for us (and she was the one we did the video chat with) so I'll refer to her mostly for the rest of this review (even though I know Andrea was working on it also)

After an initial back and forth she put together a initial itinerary - it's tough because we have two parents who would be happy sipping wine in a terrace, or who don't mind strolling through a church or museum and learning the history and two boys who want to 'do things'.

Anyway after we were sort of back and forth on the initial itinerary she set up a video conference -- this worked REALLY well, I think she was better able to understand our situation and she did a great job explaining what she was thinking. After another few weeks of back and forth we had settled on a plan.

You put a lot of faith in a travel agent like this -- You can read the descriptions of where you are staying and what you are doing but it's really hard to know how special it will be. Suffice to say it was incredibly special. The guides they arranged were extremely knowledgeable and super accommodating, the hotels were much nicer than we were expecting and the arrangements were perfect (the timing of trains, pickups, etc)

we mostly did private tours (a few small groups) and the folks they arranged for us were a delight (I get the sense that they have some good deep connections with really good guides who take on smaller groups)

The only little hiccup was weather related (which obviously no one can control) and our trip to Capris was cancelled due Andrea was in contact with me throughout the morning (we weren't certain until the last moment if it would happen or not) and he promptly issued a refund for that activity.

One little tip -- make sure you have whatsapp installed and linked to your number -- it's the best way to get ahold of them while traveling.

Hotel Reviews

Ca' Pozzo Inn

Venice

cool little hidden hotel that is pretty central and easy walking to everything in Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Navona Essence Hotel

Roma

Very nice small hotel that is centrally located with a nice breakfast and staff

Antica Residenza Amalfitana - Rooms

Amalfi

Fun place in almafi Almafi is a small city and this little hotel is for old school. It's impossible to find so the manager meets you in the town square and walks you up to the room, the rooms are cute and quiet.

Activity Reviews

Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel skip the line ticket

Rome

Our guide (Mariapaola) has an archeology background (but probably also an art history!?1) -- she is incredibly knowledgeable and has amazing energy. The Vatican is huge, what I really appreciated was her ability to point out a few small things to focus on (either a small collection or some small part of a statue or picture) and how she can put it in a greater context.

Sunset E-bike tour of Florence and Piazzale Michelangelo with gelato in a small group

Florence

This is a must do -- you get out of the city and ride bikes in the hills around Florence. The day we went the weather was amazing.

Hidden Venice and cicchetti experience

Italy

Super fun local guide shows you around Venice and let's you sample food... what's not to like?

This trip was almost like a dream vacation! We were extremely pleased with the care and attention to details from Wendy and Julieth at The Colombian Trip- both in the planning process and during our trip.

Colombia is one of the most beautiful countries I've visited. We loved the country, the people, the natural beauty and the architecture, the fashion, the gastronomy and above all the tour guides were all amazing!

We felt safe every step of the way. Having the tour company suggest and plan the day trips and the sightseeing was very helpful. This was the most spontaneous trip I've ever been on and it's because we felt confident of the Kimkim and The Colombia Trip team to keep us not only safe, but in 4 and 5 star accommodations and they sure delivered!

The tour guides were all college educated, knowledgeable and proud to share their history and culture. They were kind and patient and easy going to make last minute changes to accommodate our needs. Even when one of us had a fall and felt it was wise to be seen at a medical clinic, Wendy sent a translator to the clinic to accompany us. That was not part of the plan of course! But knowing they were on top of everything at all times was golden!

We had private drivers accompanied by the tour guides or translators at all pick ups and transfers once we landed into Bogota. We had 3 domestic flights and many transfers in between the cities and regions we visited. The Amazon River was incredible too. Sergio Leon was with us for the entire 3 days of the Amazonas. He stayed in the same hotels as us and accompanied us on the ferry and the private boat ride into the Amazon River and provided rain boots for our walk into the rainforest and full of wisdom about the region as he guided us (alongside indigenous guides).

Luis Mi Barreto was our guide in Bogota. Clau Rodriguez was our guide in Medellin. Keyla Merino was our guide in Cartagena. They were all absolutely incredible!

I would highly recommend working with KimKim and The Colombina Trips for a seamless travel experience. All you need is to open your wallet (haha), pack your bags and get on the plane. The rest is all taken care of.

Hotel Reviews

Sofitel Bogota Victoria Regia

Bogotá

Sofitel definitely delivered a 5 star experience. I just wish we had more time to enjoy the fabulous breakfast buffets.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Waira Suites

Leticia

This was the best hotel option in Leticia. The owner/ manager, Ismael, was the only person who spoke English. We left our documents and valuables with him along with our luggage in safe keeping so we could travel light to Puerto Narino. He also made sure we enjoyed our on site restaurant experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was basic accommodations and in line with our expectations of the Amazonas region.

Waira Selva Hotel

Puerto Narino

They upgraded us to a different room with the view of the Amazon River! What more could we ask for! It was just what we expected. Basic, clean, rustic accommodations. Friendly staff, who did our laundry every day @ no charge. Of course we tipped everyone generously along the way.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Don Luis by Faranda Boutique

CARTAGENA

This was absolutely THE BEST boutique hotel I've ever stayed in!!! It's like stepping back in time... and right out of a movie scene! Incredibly charming, old world Colonial, arches, pools, friendly staff who greet you with welcome drinks as soon as we walked into the lobby. Highly recommend a stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patio del Mundo

Medellín

In a desirable El Poblado neighborhood. Walking distance to chi chi restaurants and clubs. Beautifully decorated and charming landscape design. The phone in the room didn't work. So if we needed to reach the front desk staff, we had to use WhatsApp to reach them. But that meant we were texting at odd hours and not knowing if that individual was on duty or not. Breakfast was lovely in the back patio. Friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The phone in the room didn't work.

Activity Reviews

Cacao Island Natural Connection

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover La Candelaria & The Monserrate Hill

Colombia

Luis Mi Barreto was our tour guide. He was very knowledgeable, friendly and flexible to meet our needs.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover and learn about Leticia

Colombia

Segio Leon was our tour guide here. He accompanied us for the 3 days we spent in the Amazonas and Leticia was one of those days. He stayed at the same hotels as us and literally spent full days showing us around.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mocagua Island & Puerto Nariño

Colombia

An unforgettable experience! A must see at least once in a lifetime!

Quality of Experience

Food

Farm to table food, very simple ingredients and fish. Absolutely one of the best meals on the whole trip!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had to take a boat ride to the island. It was wonderful.

Social Transformation In Medellín

Medellín

Clau Rodriguez was our guide here. She was absolutely wonderful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly, flexible and sensitive to our needs

Transport

Walking Tour

Cartagena

Keyla Merino was our tour guide here. This was absolutely a highlight tour of our trip to Cartagena. She was so proud to tell us about the troubled past in Colombian history and the positive changes to make the country safer but also the economic impact of tourism and international investors on the locals and their resistance on gentrification.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This was our first trip planned with Kimkim. I was a bit hesitant at first, but I am so glad we had them help us! Christina was very knowledgeable and listened to what we were looking for and made recommendations based on this - it felt personalized. We customized our week and ended up spending more time in Balestrand (highly recommend if it's not raining) rather than Bergen in order to enjoy more hiking. All of the hotels were exactly or better than expected. The detailed itinerary included tickets, and when we weren't able to open them during our trip, Christina very quickly sent us the PDF attachments. 10/10 recommend and will use Kimkim for future travel.

Activity Review

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

Stig was so fun! We found that we had a lot of interests in common, so it was really great to hear his insights on food, music and architecture, along with all the historical aspects of Oslo that we wouldn't have known just from reading and walking by ourselves.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

KimKim travel and Antonis were absolutely AMAZING. Took my 3 older kids to Greece and we had the most wonderful vacation. Antonis planned the most Perfect vacation for us and had every detail covered. Had no worries at all! We stayed at gorgeous locations and he had the best itinerary planned out. I will most DEFINITELY use KimKim travel whenever I travel outside of the US! And I will use Antonis next time I’m in Greece! Thank you for the best lifetime experience!!!

Hotel Reviews

Senses Suites

Santorini

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Majo Suites Hotel Naxos

Naxos

Authenticity & Character

Location

The

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The George Hotel

Mykonos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MET34 Athens

Athina

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Catamaran Sunset Cruise

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Island of Naxos

Naxos

Quality of Experience

O

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting at the Mykonian Farm

Mykonos

It was not what we were expecting. Pretty boring and too long. Didn’t seem like the guy telling us about the one really cared about it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rachel booked a thoughtful itinerary and the team was helpful while we traveled

Hotel Reviews

11 Cadogan Gardens Hotel & Apartments

London

Great location, just two blocks from Sloane Square with easy Tube access and fantastic eateries nearby. Good breakfast, friendly and helpful staff, and excellent rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to Tube station, lots of restaurants and shopping nearby but still a quiet area at night

Staff

Staff helped with navigating the Tube and noticed our schedule

Cleanliness & Comfort

Henrietta Hotel

Covent Garden

Small with lots of character

Authenticity & Character

Location

This area has a vibrant night life with easy access to theatres and restaurants. The night noise could be an issue for some people.

Staff

Manager was especially understanding

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Driving Tour in London

London

The driver hadn't been advised of the suggested itinerary, the city was clogged with soccer fans, and being jet lagged, we weren't feeling great, but he adapted and showed us a few notable places.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Westminster Abbey

London

Great to have a Blue Badge Guide along to show us around and point out details. There's so much history and beauty within these walls.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Blue Badge Guides always know how best to sequence the visit to a very popular site

Transport

We took the Tube, met our guide upon exit, and walked the area

Travel by First Class Return Train from London to York

England

The National Railway is great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guide for a York Tour

York

Nick was excellent! So fun and knowledgeable, and paced perfectly. He even made special goody bag knowing we had teenagers in our family. He arranged lunch and it was fun to dine with him and become better acquainted. And he pointed out a few things to do after our time with him ended.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

York Minster

York

So glad we had Nick along to guide our visit

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jorvik Viking Centre, York

York

The museum staff provide enthusiastic historical site interpretations in full costume. Lots to discover here.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Canterbury Cathedral

England

Quality of Experience

Private Walking Tour of London

London

Patricia definitely knew the schedule and didn't have us wasting time waiting. We saw the changing of the guard en route from St. James to Buckingham as well as the guard at the nearby barracks, traversing some lovely gardens en route.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tower of London

London

We would have liked to slow down a bit, but we were scheduled up to closing time. Patricia helped us see the highlights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A Day Trip to Windsor and Oxford

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

St Paul's Cathedral

London

By this point in our trip, we'd seen multiple cathedrals, so we asked Patricia for the "highlights" version and she excelled

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Guide at Windsor Castle

Windsor

Debbie is a steward at Windsor and helped us avoid crowds and told wonderful personal stories.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Windsor Castle & Windsor

England

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Walking Tour of Oxford

Oxford

Our visit was perhaps not all our guide had planned, due to testing at the various colleges.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It is impossible to answer what were our most memorable places, activities or people we interacted with on our trip. Why? Because in 18 days we traveled to three countries (Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro). Ten cities/towns/areas in Croatia, two in Bosnia & Herzegovina and one in Montenegro. Every day, every place, every experience from drivers to tours & guides, to hotels & personnel, to restaurants & staff, and everyone and thing in between was amazing. The people of these places in Eastern Europe are so genuine and real it absolutely warms your heart and makes you want to embrace them in every way you can. Working with Antonia in planning our sojourn to Sara, who watched over us every day, was a perfect experience. This was not just a trip or vacation; it was an enlightened education and life experience.

Esther, our local specialist, designed our trip perfectly and according to our tastes. She found the perfect lounge in a private reserve for the Safari of our dreams next to the Kruger National park. Umkumbe bush lodge was amazing. We had the honeymoon suite and our guide, Ezaan, was great. We saw 4 of the Big 5 (lions, elephants, rhinos, and cape buffalo) with her and many other animals. We were lucky enough to see and take very nice pictures of a leopard (one of the Big 5) on our way from the airport to Umkumbe Bush Lodge. Also, Elzaan entertained us by showing wild herbs, exotic birds, chameleon... Then our stay in Cape Town was very nice. We stayed at the Lawhill Luxury Apartments (very nice and well located in the V&A Waterfront. We enjoyed the African Dinner Show and Drum experience at the Gold restaurant. The next day we enjoyed the Hop on Hop off around Cape Town and the Table mountain by cable car. On our last day, we had a full day private tour around the Cape peninsula. There was a misunderstanding with Esther for the time of the pickup that morning. She scheduled the pickup at 9am while we had 8am in our trip plan. I recommend to always confirm the next day activities with your local specialist at the end of the day before. We managed to have our pickup at 9:30am. Our driver, Abdoul, was great and explained very well all the landmarks along the drive. He managed the time and schedule perfectly before driving us to the airport for our return flight at the end of the day. We drove the scenic shore line, went to Cape of Good Hope, saw the African penguins, and we had a great lunch in a very nice restaurants next to the ocean. Overall, our trip to South Africa was amazing and so memorable.

I can't say enough about Helena. She was very considerate of what we wanted to do and see during out time in Portugal and Spain and understood the type of travelers that we were - her recommendations were spot on. The Cascade Wellness Resort and Spa in Lagos Portugal was a great recommendation and we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the area. In Cordoba, our guide Patricia was engaging, knowledgeable and gave us a wonderful tour of her city. Similarly, our hiking Guide Jaime was fantastic as he led us on a rigorous hike from village to village in the mountains outside of Grenada - we enjoyed our lunch with him and the kids really liked talking with him about endurance running! I wish I could give Helena a hug in person, she really made this trip a perfect one for our family.

Hotel Reviews

Palacio Mariana Pineda Hotel

Granada

Great location! Easy walking to everything and a very unique and historical building.

Authenticity & Character

This was an historical hotel and artifacts and antiques were on display in the lobby and in the open courtyard outside of our room.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was not very comfortable and the pillows were extremely flat. There was quite a bit of dust in the room, but these were very minor issues compared to the location and uniqueness of the hotel.

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

The staff were courteous and attentive, the food was amazing and the views and adjacent running/hiking paths were breathtaking. We also took advantage of the gym and the wonderful pools.

Authenticity & Character

Location

easy to drive to town and get on the paths that ran along the coast for a walk or run

Staff

very responsive and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wine Tasting & Lunch at a Portuguese Quinta

Spain

The food was fantastic and the wine pairings were spot on. The best part was the brief tour of the vineyards and the background information on the unique soil and climate that make the Algarve region such a distinctive wine region.

Quality of Experience

The host was gracious, engaged and informative.

Food

Train Seville to Córdoba, Guided Visit of Córdoba, Train Córdoba to Seville

Seville

Cordoba was a fascinating city with an interesting history. The old town was beautiful and it was enjoyable to stroll and meander through the alleys and narrow streets.

Quality of Experience

Having a guide made the experience very personal

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Patricia was so lovely, knowledgeable and engaging, I highly recommend her anyone wanting to experience the true Cordoba.

Algarve Kayaking Trip to Benagil Caves

Spain

Beautiful! Lots of fun and the guide was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing customized trip for our extended family. Sarah and all her staff were very accommodating, especially when my son had a medical issue.

Hotel Reviews

The Royal Hotel Portree

Portree

Very helpful staff; big room. Decent breakfast. Great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tulloch Castle Hotel

Dingwall

An older mansion converted into a hotel. No elevators. Great fun. Good pub and very nice breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Garrison

Fort William

Crazy wet room for a bathroom. Water went everywhere. Otherwise, nice room. Good breakfast in the morning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wet room as a bathroom was a bit of an issue.

Angel's Share Hotel

New Town, Edinburgh

Lovely hotel with a great location. Staff at breakfast is a bit unprepared. But the breakfast is good. Nice bar in the evening. Bit of a water issue in the bathroom with the shower water going all over. Has a small elevator which is a plus with a big bag.

Authenticity & Character

Very cool

Location

Staff

Helped us make dinner plans.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Water everywhere from the shower.

Activity Reviews

Dalwhinnie Distillery tour

Scotland

Lovely - chocolates were great. Would have loved our guide to have been Scottish.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Scottish guides

Transport

Private guided tour with driver/guide in Skye

Scotland

Excellent! Regan was amazing and pivoted very easily when there were changes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Two hour cruise on the Canal and Loch - Loch Ness

Inverness

This was a stunning cruise!! Beautiful views and great information from the guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable

Transport

Isle of Skye Whisky immersion at Torabhaig

Scotland

Very interesting and thorough tour of the distillery. Nice tasting. Very nice gift shop area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable

Transport

One way to Mallaig on the Jacobite Train (of Harry Potter fame)

Scotland

Wow! Regan came through and got us tickets after ours were originally cancelled. For anyone who loves Harry Potter and trains, this is a great trip. The scenery was wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guides on the train were amazing, pointing out specific sites. Very friendly and kind.

Transport

Stirling Castle Tickets

Scotland

This was a great tour of the castle. The guide inside the castle was very good and knowledgeable. The gardens were beautiful. The cafe was lovely.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was very good and knowledgeable.

Transport

Secrets of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile - walking tour with castle tickets

Edinburgh

Our guide Gareth did a great job considering the rain and the crowds. Very interesting facts.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very nice and knowledgeable.

Transport

Champagne Afternoon Tea at the Ivy

Edinburgh

Fabulous tea experience!!! Staff was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff at the Ivy were wonderful

We had a lovely time in Italy and really did appreciate all the pre-planning done. Our logistics and travel in between locations was very thorough and understandable.
ROME- Our guided tour in Rome was fabulous due to Marco, our guide and our getting it done early before the crowds/heat. Getting our daughter delivered to the hotel was seamless as well. The hotel was nice but a little small as far as space goes. The elevator was hit or miss. The best part was the rooftop area where we could escape the crazy crowds. The included breakfast was nice but nothing great. We stumbled onto several good restaurants but would have liked maybe more recommendations and actual reservations due to said crowds.
FLORENCE-The cooking class was our favorite part and Thomasso our chef was superb. Some of our best meals were in that class. Our wine tour was also excellent and Christina was fun. Great locations and not too far from city center. Our hotel was great…again the gathering space was very small for us but we found a little bar right across the street that made up for that. Very centrally located and was VERY LOUD Saturday night until the early morning hours. One room smelled strongly of cigar smoke but we made it work. Better breakfast at this hotel. As in Rome, you really need reservations for both food and tours which we didn’t have enough of. The Duomo line was around the building everytime we passed and it wasn’t’ open often enough for us to go through with the time we had.
LAKE COMO-Beautiful location and much less crowded than other two locales. We didn’t really have any set plans for Como and that was probably a mistake. I arranged a private boat tour of the lake and it was lovely…Lake Como Boat Tours was responsible and Ricardo was very thorough and sweet. We rode the funicular up to Brunate and would have liked to know more about this area as it was right near our hotel. We got on it very early in the morning so we didn’t get in the crazy lines but nothing was really open at the top. However, the views were fabulous and so was the weather. I guess the takeaway from saying you want to go to Lake Como is that is a huge area and I wasn’t aware that the Villas were so far from the town of Como. WE did not see either Balbianello or Villa Carlotta due to their distance away and no tickets available. The ferry, which we were told would be the best way to get around the lake, had ridiculously long lines every morning and it was very hard to figure out where you really needed to go. I think more planning would have been helpful as far as that goes. Restaurants were easier in Como but we did try to go to one that was simply the rudest we have been treated in a while so I suggest not even trying at Numeronove…they have great reviews but it was very obvious that they did not want Americans in their establishment. One place that we really enjoyed in COMO was Vineria Vitani…very nice kid behind the bar and lovely atmosphere for wine tasting.
Overall, it was a fantastic trip and not having to worry about traveling between cities was great. We did run into terrible delays at Milan airport on the way out and would advise not to use that airport no matter the cost. We missed our connecting flight into London, had to scramble to get on a flight to another state inside the US then had to drive home from there. It was brutal. I suggest connecting in the states to an airport that goes straight to your destination. Lessons learned!!

Overall a fun and memorable trip. Peru has a lot to offer and the Team (Francesca from Cusi Travel) helps decide the things to do according to the kind of trip you want (leisure, adventure etc). They were really helpful to accommodate our requests and response was prompt.

The guides were fantastic and removed the language barrier. Special thanks to our guides Edwin (Maras Moray), Sonia (Machu Picchu) and Manual (Amazon Rain Forest).

The hotels and the food arranged was also exactly what we asked for.

Hotel Reviews

Hacienda Herrera Tambopata

Puerto Maldonado

Great place

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa San Blas Boutique

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vertical Sky Suites

Ollantaytambo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rainbow Mountain Trek

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Moray & Maras, and ATV Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vertical Sky Luxury Suites

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Lake Sandoval and Night River Cruise

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short Inca Trail Day 1: Hiking to Machu Picchu via Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The guides were all wonderful!
John (Lake Sandoval)
Alex (Biking, Salt Mines, Moray)
(Machu Pichu(
and
Luz (Rainbow Mountain) were prompt, professional, insightful, and generally fantastic.
This was a great tour. All transfers/connection worked and all accomodations were clean and pleasant.

Raquel picked great hotels. Cliff Bay in Madeira was absolutely amazing. The private tours were wonderful. The cooking class in Porto with Chef Sara Verde with just the three of us cooking lunch was such a treat. Hiking with our guides in the Peneda-Gerês National Park was breathtaking. A great trip.

Hotel Reviews

Pestana Vintage Porto

Porto

Busy area of Porto, so you have to want to be where the action is. Balcony room a must. River view adds so much. Fantastic breakfast and staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the middle of the River scene.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable beds.

Douro Suites

Ribadouro

Location

Portugal Boutique City Hotel

Lisbon

Boutique hotel next to their much larger hotel in the center of Lisbon’s tourist area. Great staff. Smallish room without any view. OK breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect.

Staff

Always helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Cliff Bay

Funchal

WOW! What a beautiful property. Access to the ocean. Indoor/outdoor pools. Amazing breakfast in beautiful restaurants with outdoor eating in the gardens. Great room with ocean views. Short walk to downtown.

Authenticity & Character

Gardens. Can not be described with words. Just beautiful.

Location

Close to downtown. Ocean access.

Staff

Responds immediately to requests.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything perfect

Activity Reviews

Introducing Funchal - Food & Cultural Tour

Portugal

Cancelled due to holiday.

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Driver just OK. Did adapt to our requests but didn’t adapt to issues in Cascais and never got to Estoril.

Quality of Experience

Needed to adapt to conditions.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Coimbra

Portugal

Personable driver. Could have provided more information on Coimbra.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Experience in the Douro Valley & River Cruise

Douro Valley

Didn’t do this tour.

Guided Visit of Porto's Architecture & World Heritage

Porto

Excellent personable guide. Great insight into Porto’s history with multiple recommendations for shopping and restaurants.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Excursion in Peneda-Gerês National Park

Porto

Two great hikes and tour of the old city.

Quality of Experience

Food

Nice local restaurant.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Personable and engaging. Chose two beautiful hikes.

Transport

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

Guide was great. Tour was a good introduction to the city. She took us to ethnic food areas that were outstanding. It is unlikely that we would have discovered these intimate areas.

Quality of Experience

Food

pastel de nata

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half-Day Hike Larano Cliff footpath

Portugal

Didn’t do this tour.

Porto Cooking Class

Porto

Cooking lunch with Chef Sara Verde in her restaurant was a highlight of this trip. She was a wonderful host.

Quality of Experience

Food

Cooking in the Cataplana pans. Chef gs e us directions to a kitchen supply store to buy them!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Madeira East Island 4x4 Private Adventure

Portugal

Great investigation of the Northwestern part of Madeira. A little too much time in the 4X4. Longer stops would be better.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable. .

Transport

Vehicle was old and felt somewhat unsafe. Seat belts were not functioning correctly.

All the guides and drivers did a very good job.
Some of the busrides were a little long, and a ½ day or a hole a day at the beautiful beach of Kalamata would have been a nice relaxing time.

All of the restaurants were good. The best food was at the Port of Nafplio.

Self-driving was an excellent option for our family of 4 to see so much North Central Costa Rica had to offer.
Our family's favorite activity was Tubing the Rio Celeste. Our guides stayed with us to make it fun and safe. They stopped at great spots for swimming and rope swinging. This made it so magical for my kids.
A close second favorite was a cooking class at Maquenque Eco Lodge. We walked through their organic garden selecting our ingredients and then cooked with the chef. Andres was a fantastic guide in several of our activities there.
We wanted to see unique animals in nature and a great guide and eco lodge is necessary to achieve this. Our guide Andy at Forest Alive walked us through Monteverde preserve and pointed out amazing flora and fauna, the most exciting moment was watching the male and female Resplendent Quetzal return/leave the nest.
We had delicious food at all our eco lodges. I appreciated the locations that were selected for us because they matched our values and preferences perfectly.
Final Tip: self- drive is safe for families who will use a map app at all times, drive during daytime only, pay close attention to an ever-changing road system, and rent a 4x4 vehicle which is necessary in the mountains.

Our guide in Athens was outstanding. The mythology tour he provided was great. He responded to our small group adjusting to our needs.
George who accompanied us on the bus trip portion of our stay was very helpful and personable. Our tour guide in Olympia was a little frustrating. . She had a set spiel and didn’t seem to be able or willing to adapt to our group. The other Troy guides were OK, although they, too, had set spiels that were somewhat rigid.
The logistics of our time worked well. The trip was competently organized.

Hotel Reviews

Amalia Hotel Athens

Athens

Good location and nice facilities. The rooftop bar/restaurant has a wonderful view of the Acropolis.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Divani Palace Acropolis

Athina

The hotel is very nice. I liked the Amalia better as a location, although this one is actually closer to the Acropolis. It is on a very narrow side street that requires navigating turns to get to a more pedestrian friendly area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Pelops Olympia

Ancients Olympia

Older hotel, but good and clean. Nice location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pharae Palace Hotel

Kalamata

This was a nice hotel across from the beach.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Olympia Tour & Transfer to Kalamata

Greece

I wrote about the tour guide earlier. We ended up feeling quite ruched to get through the site. As a result, we didn’t get to do what we had really planned — a family race in the stadium.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The driver was wonderful and the bus very comfortable.

Athens Highlights Mythology Tour

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Corinth, Epidaurus & Mycenae Tour with overnight in Olympia

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Planning the trip to Greece with Kimkim was so stress free. I typically plan travel on my own but this made it so much easier, We loved knowing all our transportation and ferries were booked and we just had to show up. Our guide for the Acropolis, Angela, was so knowledgeable and enjoyable. Our food guide in Athens, Yiota, went the extra mile and took us to see the changing of the guard on the way back to our hotel. They seemed like friends and not just tour guides. Another memorable tour was our wine tasting tour in Santorini. Angelo, our guide and sommelier was so fun and knowledgeable. We had very few issues along the way but when we were challenged, the Kimkim team was very responsive and helpful. I would definitely use them again!

Visiting the church in old town Kalamata where my grandfather and our acetate baptized was a highlight for me. Also seeing the historic sites was a wonder especially the Acropolis, and Olympia.