Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our trip to Peru was absolutely amazing, thanks to the excellent planning and support from Liz and the team at kimkim. Every detail was meticulously organized, and we had no logistical issues whatsoever.

While we packed a lot into a short amount of time, which led to some early mornings and long days, this was a lesson for us in future travel planning. Overall, the personalized and attentive service made our experience unforgettable. We will be returning to Peru and would definitely use kimkim!

Hotel Reviews

Casa Andina Premium Cusco

Cusco

We love the stay in Cusco, it was amazing. The hotel had a colonial feel with lots of history. I wish we had more time to enjoy it, but our tight schedule didn’t allow for it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

GHL Hotel Lago Titicaca Puno

Lago Titicaca, Puno

The hotel in Puno was also very nice, and we had more time to enjoy it compared to the other hotels. The setting was lovely, and it provided a great base for our Lake Titicaca adventures.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa del Sol

Machu Picchu

Casa del Sol was beautiful and luxurious. The only downside is that we didn’t get to spend much time there because of our packed schedule. It had a lovely spa and nice rooms, making it a place I’d love to return to.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Lima Airport

Lima

Our stay at the Holiday Inn Lima Airport was brief but practical. It’s a standard airport hotel, which was convenient for our early flight the next day. Nothing special but it served its purpose well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu)

Peru

We did enjoy the train and land transfer back to Cusco, but the Pachamanca Farm Experience wasn’t quite what we expected. It was interesting to see the traditional cooking method, but it felt like a lot of effort for what it was. We might have preferred spending more time in the city.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour to Chinchero, Moray, Maras & Train to Aguas Calientes

Peru

Taking the Observatory Train to Machu Picchu was a highlight. The lunch at Tinkuy was delicious, and the tour of Machu Picchu was incredible. The guides were informative, and having a day and a half there made it even more special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

NV Private tour to The Sacred Valley

Peru

I really enjoyed our private tour to The Sacred Valley. It was a beautiful introduction to the region, and we had no logistical issues which made the experience smooth. The Sacred Valley itself was stunning and walking around was a great way to start our adventure

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour to Llachon & The Uros by boat

Puno

Our private tour of Lake Titicaca, including Llachon and The Uros islands, was phenomenal. The floating islands were unlike anything we had seen before, and having a private boat and guide made it feel very personalized and luxurious. This part of the trip was absolutely worth it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Prior to this trip I had never used a travel specialist, but I knew that a road trip along the southern coast of Iceland would require local knowledge. After a short session with the kimkim rep, I was matched with Emanuela. She is the best! Emanuela created an itinerary that included everything on our bucket list. We received our trip details well in advance, and were able to make adjustments as needed. Each adventure was so fun, well-timed, and led by friendly, knowledgeable guides. Some real standouts were the buggy adventure in the Golden Circle by Amazing Tours and kayaking the Glacier Lagoon with Iceguide. The hotels selected for us were comfortable. The staff at City Center Hotel in Reykjavík could not have been nicer. Emanuela and her team came through when we needed them most. Two days into our trip, I got a call that one of our boat tours had been cancelled. As soon as I messaged Emanuela, she went into problem solving mode. She was able to arrange for a different Puffin tour later in our trip. It was such a relief to know that I didn't have to pause my trip to figure out what to do. It put us at ease knowing that there was someone local for us to contact if (when) we needed anything. I highly recommend planning your trip with Emanuela!!

Activity Reviews

Katla Ice Cave

Vík

Hiking on a glacier was a unique experience. The ice cave itself is short (we went in July) but beautiful. This special place is ever changing, so no two trips will be the same. Our guide was knowledgeable and patient as everyone on the tour made their way over and around the glacier.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lava Tunnel Activity

Iceland

This was our first activity in Iceland; what an introduction to the country! The guided tour takes you to the end of the tunnel and then you can make your way back at your leisure-giving all the time you need for pictures. The way down is well marked and easy to travel.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jokulsarlon Glacier Kayaking Adventure

Iceland

This was a once in a lifetime experience! Everywhere you looked felt like a National Geographic photograph. If you enjoy kayaking, this is by far the best way to experience the glaciers. We saw glaciers collide and flip (from a safe distance) and seals playing in the lagoon. Our guide was super friendly and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Buggy tour in the Geyser Area

Golden Circle

So. Much. Fun. It ended up being just the two of us with our guide. We had a beautiful clear day, so we had a full view of the glacier as we zipped along the F-roads passing Gulfoss and the geyser.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Eliise came up with a great itinerary for us and Fenne did a wonderful job booking hotels, ferries, etc. This was our first experience with kimkim and we were extremely satisfied with the service. We will certainly work with them in the future with other travel adventures!

It's hard to know where to begin, this trip was so well planned for our family! We were a group of six traveling which included my dad who has limited ability to walk any distance. We did not have a clear vision of our itinerary. Eleonora created the perfect plan encompassing Rome with an open air tour, Tuscany which included a breathtaking stay at a farm house with wonderful food and hospitality and the Italian Riviera with just the right amount of planned guided tours as well as open time to relax and explore. All transportation was prearranged and every driver and tour guide were delightful, professional and on time! We were wowed by the level of service and warmth provided throughout the trip. This was a trip of our lifetimes and we are grateful we found kimkim and that we were able to work with Eleonora. kimkim is an excellent resource and portal made communication and transactions very simple with all the details in one place. Our group will all highly recommend! Sincerely, Joan S-C

Eric did a great job in helping us plan our trip to Iceland. He presented us a very detailed plan and provided us a lot of information about each location he recommended for us to visit and also other locations as options.
He was always responsive to our needs and we had a few phone calls to discuss details about the trip.
We highly recommend Eric as an Iceland expert.

Activity Review

Solheimajokull Glacier Hike

Iceland

Probably the best experience of the trip. Our guides weee great , especially Elena , who took us on to the glacier.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Responsive, helpful, well paved

We had a wonderful time, thanks to Margaux’s planning of our journey through Germany. This trip allowed us to learn so much of Germany’s history and culture. Our favorite tour guides were Peter, Steve, Rob, Aileen, Sarah, and Michael who brought us through Berlin, Nuremberg, and Munich. They were the guides who really stood out. Not only did they know so much of the history and explained everything so well, but they were so friendly and fun!
If there was anything I would change about our trip, it would be to spend a couple of days somewhere on the French Riviera to rest and relax before coming home. Margaux was so supportive and flexible throughout our trip, of which we are so appreciative!

Eleonora did a fantastic job for us. She put together a trip for us knowing we had one member of our party who had limited mobility, she put together the perfect itinerary for us.

Also we had some needs during the trip and Eleonora was on top of everything, quick communication and took care of our every need.

Not sure how it could have been better.

Thank you Eleonora!

Our trip to Indonesia was fantastic, thanks to Ana! We visited Mt. Bromo, Borobudur, and Prambanan in quick succession. The trip required careful consideration for transportation between these locations, and all transfers were made easily. Our guides spoke enough English so that we could communicate most of the time. Our hotel in Borobudur had the best customer service we have ever experienced, anywhere around the globe. There were a few stumbling blocks along the way, but overall the trip was excellent. Thank you, Ana, for your insights and hard work!

Hotel Reviews

Lava View Lodge Hotel

Very basic but can't beat the location!

Authenticity & Character

Bare bones but it worked.

Location

Great views of Mt. Bromo. Visit late afternoon and go to lookout point (short walk).

Staff

Restaurant waitstaff especially pleasant.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness.

FM7 Resort Hotel Jakarta

Tangerang, Banten

Basic and gets the job done. Closer to the airport would be better.

Location

Closer to airport would be better.

Staff

Very basic. Good enough.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Plataran Borobudur Resort & Spa

Borobudur

The staff at Plataran were nothing short of exceptional! I cannot overstate how superlative the customer service was. Every person, every day, went out of their way to make sure we had an unforgettable experience. I wish we could have stayed longer.

Authenticity & Character

The staff makes this hotel exceptional.

Location

Views of Borobudur!

Staff

Polite, friendly, helpful and always respectful and courteous. They went out of their way to help us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was spacious and well appointed. The A/C worked very well, thank goodness!

Dusun Jogja Village Inn

Yogyakarta

Great location, loved the decor, comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the South American/Mexican decor.

Location

Walk to ATMs and eateries.

Staff

Restaurant staff especially helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was spacious and comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Borobudur Temple, Pawon Temple, Mendut Temple, and Yogyakarta Market

Indonesia

Must experience. But be sure to visit Prambanan.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kota Gede District, Plaosan and Sewon Temples, Prambanan Temple and Ramayana Show

Yogyakarta

Do not miss Prambanan! Rent bikes or walk to all the other smaller temples as well. Worth it! Reminiscent of Angkor WAt.

Quality of Experience

No crowds at the temples on the perimeter--very special.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunrise Trek to Mount Bromo

Mount Bromo, East Java

Get up early and go go go to sunrise! You'll see the light change on Mt Bromo, exposing the layered look of the ridges, etc. Gorgeous!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was adequate but not exceptional.

Transport

Good jeep driver. Not an easy task.

As an avid traveler, I spent some time trying to find a travel agent that would be able to plan the type of trip I wanted for my first trip
Down Under. Vicky worked with me consistently throughout the planning process. She was absolutely amazing with answering my questions, providing suggestions, and even helping with one of the tours that cancelled last minute. She was super considerate of our priorities and even was thinking of switching something to make sure my mother was happy during the trip. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Vicki and would highly recommend her plan your trip to Australia.

Vicky from Kimkim helped us setup the graduation trip of a lifetime. We had a fantastic time going from Sydney to the Hamilton Islands to Cairns and finally the Daintree Forest. The entire family really enjoyed the experience. Vicky worked with us to find the right places and she really helped with some amazing excursions and tours. Too many to name but Naomi who did the all day Sydney tour was great as well as Blue Mountain and Hunter Valley. Snorkeling and scuba diving on Great Barrier Reef in the Hamilton Islands and Cairns was something we all wanted to do and met every expectation and the some. The Silky Oaks Lodge in the Daintree Forest was also as an experience to remember and one of the nicest places we've ever stayed and the tour from Grant was a real trip. The entire family will remember this trip for a long time. One more shoutout to Vicky from kimkim who went above and beyond before and during the trip.

Hotel Review

Silky Oaks Lodge

Finlayvale

One of the best hotels we've stayed at. The place was just simply the best. The views, the resort, the furnishings, the staff and service, the food......Everything was great. I would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Cabins nested in the jungle next to a river

Location

The Daintree.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Sydney Full Day Tour Including Sydney Opera House, Bondi and Manly

Sydney

Naomi gave us a great tour. Really enjoyable and memorable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Best!

Jesse is one of the best in business! This was my first time in South America and I have been a bit anxious through the entire plan, but working with Jesse and her team has given me so much of comfort. It is still ongoing, have few more trips to complete, but so far every single transfer, tour guide every one went above and beyond, humbled me with the hospitality and guidance! She was able to guide me with practicality of what can be accomplished and maximizing the overall experience. I am looking forward to engaging her again when I am back next with my whole family! Thanks Jesse!

Activity Reviews

Bariloche Circuito Chico Half Day tour

Bariloche

Thanks to the guide for engaging me and answering me with all the questions in English!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

7 Lakes Tour to San Martin de Los Andes

Bariloche

Thanks to the guide for engaging me and answering me with all the questions in English!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Victoria Island & Arrayanes Forest

Bariloche

Thankful for the tour guide who walked me through in English!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Perito Moreno Blue Safari

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Thanks to the guide for engaging me and answering me with all the questions in English!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thanks to the guide for engaging me and answering me with all the questions in English!

Transport

Nats did a fabulous job of customizing our itinerary to our requests and preferences. He was knowledgeable and flexible, and designed a trip that was perfectly paced for our family. He made some recommendations that we would not have thought about doing, and each was right on the mark. He provided additional helpful general information about travel in New Zealand so that we did not have to do a lot of additional research. Maybe most importantly--he remained available and helpful throughout the entire trip. He helped make adjustments in real time when our flight was delayed and when we had an issue with our rental car. We are truly grateful and would absolutely recommend him to anyone traveling to New Zealand.

We hired kimkim to book a last-minute trip to Norway, with about a month's notice. That's a tall order and we were very grateful to have someone else manage all the details that we couldn't have done ourselves in that short amount of time. Overall, they did well listening to our needs and offering suggestions, and Kadri was very patient explaining the options. The hotels were mostly wonderful. We loved The Bergen Bors Hotel - they have the best breakfast buffet (abundant and varied and high quality) of any European or American hotel I've ever stayed at, and the staff were exceptionally helpful with our questions. It was also perfectly located. The Brosundet Hotel in Alesund was in a great location but the rooms we stayed in (on the fifth floor) had deep, odd roof angles and we had to bend over when walking around the bed so as not to smash our heads on the sharp corners. Which happened anyway.

When we were in the planning phase, kimkim suggested a variety of different itineraries but did seem to stick to certain routes. For example, when we were booking activities in Bergen the cable car experience was recommended. Luckily, I had read various reviews online and it seemed to be the consensus that the funicular gave more bang for the buck - that is, it is much more convenient to find and has an equally stunning view. Not sure why kimkim still recommends the cable car but we were very happy to have asked them to book the funicular instead. There was also one mistake, where kimkim booked a sauna experience with several particulars promised, but those particulars were not at the sauna when we used it. kimkim was very responsive and refunded our money for that experience, which I very much appreciated, as it was quite a disappointing experience.

Some of our truly amazing experiences were activities that I had discovered through my own research, as opposed to some of the typical tourist suggestions offered by kimkim. In that sense, if I'd had the right amount of planning time I think I could have planned an equally good trip myself. On the other hand, they had great suggestions for hotels and some of the activities. You do pay a premium to use kimkim, but in our case, in the end it was worth it because of the time crunch.

Hotel Reviews

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

Quirky in a good way. Great location on the fjord.

Authenticity & Character

The old parts of the hotel are fun. Feels like you’ve gone back in time.

Location

On the fjord is fantastic. But not a lot to do in the town.

Staff

Competent front desk, but not overly helpful or friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

The Bergen Børs Hotel had excellent service, and the staff were really helpful. The breakfasts there were amazing. However, the rooms were small, and there wasn't anywhere to put clothes, so we had to live out of our suitcases, which was a bit inconvenient. Despite that, I would go back because the staff made our stay pleasant, the breakfast and the location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy access to everything.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Storage for clothing

Hotel Union Øye

Norangsfjorden

Hotel Union Øye was fantastic and definitely my favorite part of the trip. This was one hotel I specifically requested, and it did not disappoint. The area was beautiful, and I wish we could have stayed there longer to explore more.

Hotel Brosundet

Ålesund

Our stay at Hotel Brosundet was our least favorite. We had two rooms, and both had strange slanted ceilings with awkward angles, making it hard to move around without hitting our heads. It was quite uncomfortable, especially considering the price. However, the location was great, and the service was fine

Activity Reviews

Geirangerfjord Cruise & Day Trip

Norway

We ended up canceling this the day before due to seasickness, but kimkim would not refund our money..

Private Floating Sauna Experience in Ålesund

Ålesund

We were booked for a sauna that had cool water barrels to dip into. Apparently there was a mixup and we were scheduled at the wrong sauna. Dirty harbor water, so no jumping in to cool off. On top of that, we learned that the hotel we were staying at had their own sauna which was free and we didn’t even need to book something separate. I sent an email to Kim Kim right away about our disappointment and they refunded all our money for that activity, which I really appreciated.

Quality of Experience

See above

Boat trip with a local guide (Hotel Union Øye guests)

Øye Innlandet

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Hotel Union Øye

Norway

Fantastic hotel, super friendly and helpful staff. Food amazing, location phenomenal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nothing about the hotel, but there is a lot of windy roads get there

Fløibanen Funicular Experience

Bergen

Loved the funicular and plenty of places up top to hike. Wish we’d had more time to be able to do that.

Quality of Experience

Really fun, though crowded up top

Past & Present City Walk

Bergen

Great guide with excellent information , vast historical knowledge and stories. Very worth it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Didn’t use transport

Our family of 5 recently embarked on a journey through Italy with the help of Kimkim, and every step of the way was remarkably smooth and enjoyable. From the initial planning stages with Stephania to the seamless adjustments made by Tasos and the meticulous coordination by Klio, our experience was nothing short of top-notch.

**Planning and Coordination**
Stephania meticulously tailored our itinerary to meet our needs and budget, ensuring every detail was thoughtfully considered. Tasos went above and beyond by swiftly accommodating last-minute changes, which enhanced our trip and made it even more memorable. Klio's consistent communication throughout the journey reassured us that every aspect was meticulously planned and executed.

**Elimination of Stress**
Traveling can often be stressful, but Kimkim truly eliminated any anxiety. Private transfers greeted us at every destination, providing a luxurious and hassle-free experience. The detailed itinerary was invaluable, offering insider tips on navigating the Vatican, capturing the best photo opportunities at the Ponte Vecchio, and securing reservations at fantastic restaurants and beach clubs.

**Exceptional Support**
The Kimkim Care Team was readily available for any last-minute questions or concerns, offering peace of mind throughout our travels. Their responsiveness and dedication meant that we could focus entirely on enjoying our trip without worrying about logistics.

**Conclusion**
Kimkim took care of all the heavy lifting, allowing our family to immerse ourselves fully in the beauty of Italy. Thanks to their expertise and impeccable service, our journey was not only stress-free but also filled with unforgettable moments. We cannot recommend Kimkim highly enough for anyone planning their next adventure.

Friends of ours recommended using KimKim for the trip we were planning to Switzerland. Not ever having been there, there was so much we wanted to see and not enough time to do it. With the help of Clothide, our travel agent assigned through KimKim, she was able to help us plan an amazing trip. It took quite a bit of back and forth for us to get everything just the way we wanted it, but she was very patient and professional through it all. When we found out on our way to Zermatt on the train that we couldn't get there due to flooding, we reached out to Clothide who, with her colleagues, were able to get us checked into our next hotel in Montreux a day early, cancel our Zermatt hotel, and get us a partial refund on our excursion we were unable to use in Zermatt. Without their on-call support throughout our trip we would have been completely stressed and not sure what to do next. Thank you, KimKim (and Clothide!), we will most certainly be recommending you to friends!

This is the second time we've used kimkim to book a trip (the first was Paris two years ago), and our experience was again fantastic. This time, I was even more "hands off" in terms of planning - I basically let kimkim know the dates we were flying into Munich and out of Vienna, and let them know we love history, culture, and food & wine experiences.
Tomaz, Zala and team did the rest!

I really appreciate the hotels the team booked for us. Given our lack of knowledge about the areas we were travelling in, we would have had to spend countless hours (and stress!) trying to decide on these small, boutique hotels in the heart of everything....and we probably still would have booked some questionable spots. Tomaz, Zala and team made sure we were in great hotels, in great areas and close to all the transit options we needed.

Our guided walking tours were all excellent! In Munich, Salzburg and Vienna, we started with private walking tours to get a sense of each city. The guides were all fantastic, and the tours helped get us oriented and ready to appreciate all our other experiences.

And speaking of other experiences, we loved our History and Beer tour in Munich, our Baroque Music Dinner in Salzburg and we adored our Vienna food tour with Christof!

The crown jewel of guided experiences on our trip was our tour and wine tasting in the Wachau Valley. Tomas was an extraordinary guide and host. His love of wine, his connection to people & place in the region, and his own long-standing experience as a winemaker added a wonderful dimension to our day. We tasted apricots right off the tree (still warm from the sun!), saw the commanding presence of Melk Abbey, cruised the Danube and visited Durnstein and had the most memorable and delicious wine tasting and lunch at the Lagler Winery. Tomas also introduced us to one of the next generation winemakers in the region, and we brought home some incredible "souveniers."

There is so much more I could say, but I'll end by recommending travel by train between Munich, Salzburg and Vienna (such a lovely way to see the region!) and for using public transit in all three cities - it's easy, much more efficient than driving, and you see and experience so much more!

Hotel Reviews

K+ K Hotel Maria Theresia

Wien

Great location, close to transit and a LOT of great restaurant options! In walking distance of the museum district and so much more.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Elefant

Salzburg

Extraordinary location on a medieval street with a charming patio!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mercure Munich City Centre

Munich

Great location by the Alstadt and close to the train station. Breakfast was fantastic and we loved trying all their different gins and tonics!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wachau Valley wine tour

Vienna

The crown jewel of guided experiences on our trip was our tour and wine tasting in the Wachau Valley.  Tomas was an extraordinary guide and host.  His love of wine, his connection to people & place in the region,  and his own long-standing experience as a winemaker added a wonderful dimension to our day.  We tasted apricots right off the tree (still warm from the sun!), saw the commanding presence of Melk Abbey, cruised the Danube and visited Durnstein and had the most memorable and delicious wine tasting and lunch at the Lagler Winery.  Tomas also introduced us to one of the next generation winemakers in the region, and we brought home some incredible "souveniers."

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vienna's Sweet and Savory Food Scene

Vienna

This was SUCH a fun (and tasty!) experience. Wolfli has a great team of guides....we loved our time with Christof! The food, the markets, the beverages.....it was all shared with great stories and local highlights. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided walking tour of Vienna

Vienna

Our guide was exceptionally knowledgable about the history, cultural history and heartbeats of Vienna!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Classic Concert in Salzburg with dinner

Salzburg

The musicians and singers were wonderful and the food was good! Loved the setting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided walking tour of Salzburg

Salzburg

Our guide provided a warm welcome to this charming city, it's history and it's community. Born and raised in Salzburg, she was able to share context and worldviews that helped us appreciate this beautiful place, all the more!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bavarian Beer and Food Evening Tour

Munich

Our guide was so friendly and provided entertaining insight aboutn Munich's beer culture and history!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private guided tour of Munich

Munich

We loved our guide and all the context she provided for the unique-ness of Munich!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We knew that planning a 3-week Southeast Asia vacation for my family would be too difficult and overwhelming by ourselves. I'm so happy we went with Hien to help us plan our vacation itineraries for Vietnam and Thailand! I gave her some ideas of places we wanted to visit, as well as some experiences we wanted to have and she ran with it and came up with an amazing itinerary of cultural experiences, historical tours, foodie tours, eco-tours, etc. We've been back home for a week now and have had time to reflect on our whole trip. The trip was absolutely AMAZING. Everything was planned out perfectly. We always knew we would have a guide greeting us at the airport. We knew we would have a guide/driver to our tours and other scheduled events. The lunches and dinners that were set up especially for us were top-notch. We always knew once we had a new guide, we would have their number and they would be available to answer questions we had or help us out when needed. They were also great picture-takers and we got some wonderful family pictures of our trip! Thank you so much for planning such a wonderful and not-soon-forgotten vacation for our family! We were able to get a taste of what true Vietnam and Thailand are, aside from the usual tourist-trap type locations. The local families we spent time with were so welcoming and the kids really appreciated the local life and customs we partook in. Biking through the villages and rice paddies was an amazing experience that we all are still talking about. The elephant sanctuary in Thailand was also a hit among all family members. What a once-in-a-lifetime experience it was! I want to give accolades to our guide, Cuong, who we had in Hanoi and Ninh Binh. He was an amazing guide and an absolute life-saver when we had to find medical care for our son, as he helped us find what we needed and acted as an interpreter. He truly is top notch among guides and we are very thankful we had him! He was so knowledgeable about everywhere we went and even changed up our schedule in Ninh Binh to better suit what we were looking for in a local experience, to make it that much more meaningful to us.

Hotel Reviews

Chanalai Garden Resort

Phuket

Lovely hotel, well decorated, friendly staff in the restaurant. Close to beach, pool was very nice. Rooms were clean. We had booked a twin room for our kids but they did not have one available upon check-in, so we had to wait until the next day for one to be available and then move all their belongings. They didn’t allow us late checkout on our last day, but they did store our luggage for us and allow us use of the facilities until our later flight that evening, which was much appreciated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Charme Hotel

Amphoe Muang, Si Phum, Chiang Mai

Hotel looks nice from the outside but the rooms are dated. The shower and bathroom could use a good scrubbing. The bed was rock hard. We had no hot water the first day. They did fix the hot water the second day and brought a mattress topper, which helped a lot. Staff were not very friendly either. They did allow us a late check out the last day, which was appreciated with a later flight.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Plenty of restaurants in walking distance

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

True Siam Rangnam Hotel

Phayathai, Rajthevee, Province

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Silverland May Hotel

Very nice hotel. Very clean with impeccable service and helpful and friendly staff. Large breakfast selection.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aqua of The Seas Cruise

Room was spacious and clean. Not much to do on board in the evening. There was a very loud and obnoxious large group that ravaged the buffet the first day until the second day when everyone was given plated meals. Their children were also loud and uncontrollable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location - Halong Bay

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hidden Charm Ninh Binh

Ninh Thang, Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh

Lovely accommodations and close to everything. Amazing views!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dal Vostro Hotel & Spa

Hanoi

Nice accommodations and great location right in the center of the Old Quarter. Hotel staff were extremely nice and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the center of it all. Lots of shops and restaurants close by.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Doi Inthanon National Park (N)

Chiang Mai

Hiking through the jungle and seeing the rice paddies and wildlife was an experience! The waterfalls were beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiang Mai Half Day city tour - Monk Chatting

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Maeklong Railway Market and Damnoen Saduak floating market - Half-day

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

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Bangkok Evening Food With Tuk Tuk Tour

Bangkok

The tuk tuks were a lot of fun and the food sampling we did was really cool and delicious!

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Cu Chi Tunnels & Half Day City Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

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Food

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Day Trip to the Mekong Delta (Ben Tre)

Ho Chi Minh City

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Food

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Ho Chi Minh City Full Day Sightseeing with Temples

Ho Chi Minh City

We visited Cho Lin market, Thien Hau pagoda, Ong Bon temple, Independence Palace, Central Post Office, Book Street, and Jade pagoda.

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Trung Trang Cave - Tuan Chau - Disembarking Aqua of The Seas Cruise

Ha Long Bay

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Boat Trip Exploring The Natural Beauty of Trang An & Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital

Vietnam

We actually changed up our itinerary this day and went to Tam Coc instead of Trang An. We went through many caves and had a beautiful scenic view at the Kh Gioi Ravine. Visited the Bich Dong Pagoda and Chus Ha Ha Pagoda. Went motor biking in the evening, which was an absolute blast.

Quality of Experience

Awww

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ninh Binh - Biking trip to Tho Ha village, Nho Quan

Ninh Binh

We loved biking through the village and rice fields. We enjoyed our cooking class and going through the Galaxy Grotto caves.

Quality of Experience

Food

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Hanoi fullday city tour with Jade Temple

Hanoi

Another great day with our guide, Cuong. We had a full day with a visit to the Hang Be market, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison, Jade Temple, and finished with a water puppet show.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Hanoi Street food walking tour (S)

Hanoi

Cuong was an amazing guide for this street food tour. We got to experience some of the best eats in Hanoi. It was so much fun and the egg coffee was top notch!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Bangkok City Tour Full Day (RA)

Bangkok

The temples and the Grand Palace were beautiful!

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Hanoi - Lan Ha Bay - Onboarding Aqua of The Seas cruise

Vietnam

The caves were cool and the scenery of Halong Bay was beautiful.

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Food

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Phuket Hanuman World Zipline Adventure 32 Platform ( private transfer )

Phuket

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Half day Chiang Mai Elephant Jungle Sanctuary - Join tour

Chiang Mai

The highlight of our time in Thailand! Such an amazing experience to be all hands on with these beautiful creatures!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fantastic trip, couldn't have done it without KimKim, and Justine and Fanny were terrific!
First two days in Dublin were great, loved Number 59, the food and drink tour was so fun and informative, and our guide, Collum was great. Guinness Factory is a must!
Don't let the car rental people talk you into a bigger car! As you know, when we arrived at the Maldron in Cork, my husband stood in a hotel parking spot while I went to get the car; the hotel only has like 10 spaces out front. As he stood there, a gentleman (local to Ireland) pulled in the spot, hitting my husband in the knees, demanding him to move, saying, 'we don't do that here". My husband moved but was very angry as was I when I returned seconds later with our rental. Anyway, the hotel was very busy and didn't give great directions to the parking garage 3 minutes away, I was flustered and drove down a very narrow street, hitting a concrete ballast on the left bumper as I was making a left turn. I finally made it back to the hotel and found a spot to park, but the damage was done. We ended up getting very drunk at the bar hotel and didn't do anything in Cork.
The next morning Europcar said they were bringing us a replacement car when I finally reached them to make the report, and I got a reference number. A tow truck came and picked up the wrecked rental. After several hours of waiting, I called Europcar and got passed around a phone chain, no one could find the reference number or report of my accident, and told me it would be 24 hours before I was given a replacement. Upset at this news, as we had already extended our check out time at the Maldron, we took a taxi to the airport. We were able to secure another rental after putting down a $2000 deposit with the threat that if ANYTHING happened to this car we would lose our money. This put quite the damper on the day and overall experience as the Europcar people were a nightmare to deal with.
Anyway, on to Killarney which we absolutely fell in love with. The Dromhall was really nice. It was such a pleasure to meet Richard and take the hike around the National Forest after our experience in Cork, and the weather was beautiful. Unfortunately because of the accident we were late arriving to Killarney and did not get to take our boat tour. In speaking with Richard, he recommended not driving the Ring of Kerry after hearing about our driving ordeal, as well as we really didn't have time. He recommended we just go to Kenmare, which I really wanted to do, but we again were a little shy of driving due to the threat of losing our money. We had a beautiful evening in Killarney at the Killarney Brewing Company and did some shopping.
On to Dingle, which was delightful. An Capall Dubh was a great place to stay, we went on a boat tour of the cliffs, had fish and chips at Harrington's, dinner at Paidi O Se's. The next morning was our anniversary and we lit a candle at St. Mary's and walked the labrynth. It was awesome to be on the coast. We stopped in Adare Village on our way to Doolin and had lunch at The Arches, which was delicious.
Doolin was gorgeous! Our accommodations were beautiful and Ceol na dTonnta was great.
We really enjoyed our talk with Peter Curtin. Such a fascinating man! However, his pubs are not open on Mondays and Tuesdays, and we almost missed him because his assistant changed the time but didn't tell him! We had him all to ourselves. After the talk we had a good dinner and some Irish music at McGann's pub.
The Cliffs of Moher are breathtaking and that was amazing. We did not hire a celebrant to renew our vows, that was really expensive! It was special nonetheless. We went back to Peter's Roadside Tavern that night for dinner and also heard some live music.
Galway was wonderful as well as the Hardiman Hotel, probably our favorite accommodation, They had valet parking too! Very helpful. I really enjoyed the shopping and we had a great meal in a pub around the corner.
When flying out of Dublin, you should probably start the morning there. The drive from Galway (and my planning) got us to the airport too late to make it through customs to catch our flight home on Friday; Delta said we needed to be there 3 hours in advance. We were lucky enough to get a room at the Camden Court Hotel and had another fun night in Dublin. We had lunch at the Bleeding Horse and dinner at the hotel restaurant Ivey, which was really nice for our last night!
No problems flying out the next day, Delta worked hard to get us home. Aer Lingus was striking so the airlines were busier than usual, which added to the long customs lines.
We had a wonderful adventure and will totally book our next trip through Kim Kim. Justine was awesome and Fanny was really kind and helpful with me during the car rental accident!

Wonderful trip! Alberto was excellent from KimKim. Couldn’t have been better! Marina, our walking tour guide in Venice was great and so was Chris in Rome and MBS Blu Charter boats was excellent in Sorrento. Hope to plan another trip again soon!

Nothing but a positive experience for us working with Marion and the team at KimKim! Her knowledge of the area on the front end helped plan a most wonderful vacation for our family! While on our trip, the team was very quickly responsive if we had any questions or needs. I highly recommend their services if you're planning your next dream vacation :)

Hotel Reviews

Park Plaza London Riverbank

London

Great location and service. Clean hotel with friendly and prompt staff. We enjoyed our stay here very much.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

River Ness Hotel, a member of Radisson Individuals

Inverness

Beautiful hotel in a central and historic area of town. Nice and quiet for resting, super clean as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Royal Hotel Portree

Portree

This hotel was "tired" and not the cleanest, BUT the location is perfect for your Portree visit and met our basic needs for sleeping there as we explored the Isle of Skye.

Authenticity & Character

Old hotel, tired, and could use a bit of an update. Floors looked and felt dirty, could probably use replacement.

Location

Located right on the water, and in the heart of everything you could want to do and see in Portree.

Staff

The morning breakfast manager was amazing, but the rest of the staff was short and definitely overworked. Their tiredness made you feel as if you were troubling them to give your food order, or mention something that needed to be cleaned in your room that was missed by the cleaning crew.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was comfortable, bathroom was clean, just tired fixtures, etc. The flooring could use updating as well.

The Whispering Pine Lodge

Loch Lochy, Spean Bridge, Scotland, PH34 4DZ

Amazing hotel right on the water! Quiet location, great food in the restaurant with a good variety and the rooms were spotless. Would stay there again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lodge on Loch Lomond

Luss, Argyll & Bute

BEAUTIFUL hotel and location! Staff was friendly and efficient. We would go back, given the chance, and stay a few nights longer to really savor the grandeur of this location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eden Locke

Edinburgh

Beautiful place and location is perfect for exploring Edinburgh on foot, or by other transportation means.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Caledonian Sleeper Train (Scotland Version)

Scotland

LOVED, loved riding on and sleeping on the Caledonian Sleeper to London! The club car was fun and had massive windows for taking in the sites. Our room was comfortable and gets very dark when you're ready to sleep. Breakfast delivered to your room was tasty as well.

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Visit the Kelpies

Scotland

GREAT site to see! Enjoyed it with our whole family :)

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Changing of the Guard Guided Tour

London

We absolutely loved this tour! Our guide, Simon, was fun and knowledgable and kept our small group together through the crowds. We learned a TON and will always remember this activity.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Harry Potter Studio Tour from London (with transport)

London

AMAZING location and tour for Harry Potter fans! Exceeded our expectations by a mile! SO many props, costumes and sets... a great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The bus transport was great - just a bit hard to find. Don't hesitate to ask other bus drivers where your specific bus is parked.

Hop-on, Hop-off Bus

London

A really fun activity to do while you wait for your hotel room to be available, like we did. Saw a lot of great sites around London from the comfort of our double decker bus top row seats :)

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Two hour cruise on the Canal and Loch - Loch Ness

Inverness

This cruise was so nice! Very knowledgable speaker who gave the two hour tour. Loved seeing the Loch and learning all about it.

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