Kimkim Trip Reviews

Duncan did a fantastic job laying out our vacation! Gave him some hints of what we wanted & didn't want to see and accomplish and a taste of places that would be fun to stay to help him understand our family goals. Nicely done! We spent most of our time in the country areas, which we couldn't have been happier -- got us out of most of the tourist areas. Our itinerary had interest places marked to stop which was really nice. The first place we stayed, Hótel Varmaland, the restaurant's food was amazing! Our daughter had the Ribeye and said it was the best steak she has ever had. Our son got the lamb - out of this world -- nothing like the lamb in the States; we ate a lot of lamb during the trip. We had the pork chops -- some of the best we have had - food all came from local farms and it showed -- just fantastic! Iceland is an amazing place and highly recommend a visit -- Duncan made the trip very easy with way-points to stop and things to explore. Highly recommend the ice cave & glacial tours too.

My family and I had an amazing experience in Spain thanks to KimKim service, led by Alfonso and his colleagues that arranged everything during our 10 day tour through northern Spain. My colleague initially recommended KimKim given she had a very positive experience. While I was initially a little reluctant given it’s mostly an online only set-up experience, I was very pleased with the overall experience from start to finish.

Alfonso and his team set us up for amazing experience which started in Madrid (2 nights), wine region Rioja (2 nights), San Sebastián (3 nights) and finally Barcelona (2 nights). Starting in Madrid, we met with Gerardo, a local expert on Madrid and Spanish history. We walked through Madrid with Gerardo over two days. He was excellent guide and showed us amazing sites; experienced Tapas at local markets; went to a few museums and experienced the royal palace. Of particular interest was our site visit to the Prado museum. Gerardo was spectacular guide throughout the museum and knew exactly where to go and the history of each of the major art exhibits.

We then transitioned to wine region and two absolutely amazing experiences at two local vineyards. The first day, we were able to walk to a local vineyard (Luis Canas)from our hotel (Hotel Vuira) and the second day, we were blessed to have Alfonso meet us and we rode E bikes throughout the wine region on an absolutely gorgeous day and ended the day with an outstanding wine tour and lunch visit to Murua vineyard.

Upon arriving in to San Sebastián we adored the town and really enjoyed walking around experiencing tapas places on our own. As an American, most can attest, our education curriculum rarely spends time on Spanish history. Most of our emphasis is on WW1 and 2 and the countries most involved, therefore our curriculum rarely covers Spain. If you’re a western educated traveller, do yourself a favor prioritize Spain on your next trip. The history is fascinating and of particular interest is the Basque region, its people and its culture. You may not find a more amazing gastronomy experience and culture anywhere in the world! The food and people are amazing! For our second day there, Alfonso met us at our hotel and we enjoyed another full day of great history and experience. On our last day in the region we completed a day trip to Balboa for a cooking class (which was amassing!) and a excellent visit, with an expert guide (Susanne) at the Guggenheim Museum. Do not skip this part of your Basque region visit! I’d also comment that when driving through the area, it offered amazing scenery, Swiss like mountain beauty.

We ended the trip in Barcelona with a great walking tour and an amazing sailboat experience in the Barcelona. Bay to observe the sun go down. Amazing way to end our trip.

Bottom line, there is no way we could have planned this on our own, or derive such a sequence of experiences through some travel book or website. The KimKim’s ability to liaise and build a travel experience with local travel experts was hands down the best way to go. I’m particularly pleased with Alfonso and his teams ability to connect with local experts in each region that created a lasting, educational and rich cultural experience for my family. Our kids learned a lot and what was most inspiring is Alfonso’s disposition and approach to life as a guide, father, expert on Spanish history and culture. He and his team left nothing to chance and took great care for each and every detail.

When we return to Spain again we will, without question, work directly through KimKim and Alfonso’s travel company!

Excellent trip. Our guides were great, informed, took questions, etc. Our guide for Istanbul Safak Emre Kilic was +++excellent. 2 suggestions:
1. The rooms at Rose Mansions Sinasos were very good. However our room only had 2 small windows. It was hot sleeping. I would suggest they provide a fan in the room to at least get some air circulation. Also a small refrigerator would be nice to be able to have some cold water.
2. The room at our shortened night in Istanbul was also very good. However it is above a Pub and was very difficult to get to sleep with the loud music, etc. both inside and outside in the street. The activity in the street was still going on when we left the hotel at 2:35AM. Great room but poor location especially since we tried to get to bed early because of our early departure.

Hanna did an excellent job of creating an itinerary with activities for everyone in our party (of six) to enjoy.

Activity Reviews

Myvatn Nature Baths

Lake Mývatn

A must when in Iceland. A nice break to recharge for our more demanding activities.

Horse Riding Tour

Iceland

These horses are amazing! I have some experience riding and I fell in love with this beautiful breed. I learned about their fascinating history and enjoyed the awesome views and scenery on our ride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Barbara and her talented young helper were beyond attentive and professional.

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon Zodiac boat tour

Iceland

You never know what you might see! Our guide was awesome and very knowledgeable. According to her, she has the best job in the world!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Katla Ice Cave

Iceland

We loved this activity! It was a bit more demanding than what we expected (which we welcomed)! Let's just say you are on ice....so be prepared. Dress warm with appropriate footwear (spikes will be provided).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jakop was a great guide. He was enthusiastic and very attentive to the needs of everyone in his group. He loves what he does!

Transport

The ride to the ice cave in the super jeep was pretty cool.

Rye Bread tour (Geothermal bakery)

Iceland

This was a nice activity for our first day in Iceland. We landed and went directly to the bakery for an interesting , relaxed, and family friendly demonstration. You instantly learn that Iceland is a unique land.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

West Glacial River family rafting

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Matilde was very helpful with planning our trip to Germany and Switzerland. She communicated often with me, and listened to alterations of the original planned trip. Once in Europe, I found that everything was well thought out and organized. I had zero glitches during our trip. I had no worries from a planning perspective. All accommodations were good, and planned activities were just right. I highly recommend KimKim and especially Matilde.

Gudmundur made everything easy! Everything he chose was time well spent. Every day was so different! It was really helpful to have the wireless router. We will be using Kimkim services again!

Hotel Review

Hótel Kría

Vík

A comfortable place to rest after a very active day! Delicious food. Updated.

Authenticity & Character

Near the Kria nests

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Glacier Hike & Ice Cave Visit

Iceland

Terrific! I felt safely guided during this once in a lifetime experience

The Secret Lagoon

Iceland

Great to experience a natural pool

Aggeliki was outstanding! She always ensured that our goals and needs were met! She was extremely responsive and timely with her replies. I highly recommend her to any other client!

Hotel Reviews

Mirabile Luxury Suites Chania

Chania, Crete

This hotel advertised they have staff to assist with the luggage until 18:30, which was not true in our case. After a full day traveling, we had to carry our baggage up a steep flight of stairs just to get to the lobby level/registration. It would have been helpful to know that ahead of time. The rooms were very nice, clean and modern. And this was the first hotel that provided washcloths - which may seem like a small thing, but to those of us used to using washcloths daily, it was a huge bonus. The location was great and very convenient to many restaurants and shopping and the port.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Not much interaction with the staff as they were not around much.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Creta Blue Boutique Hotel

Hersonissos

Definitely off the beaten path and just outside a cute village. It is worth it though. The view is incredible and the staff is very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Abelonas Retreat Sunset & Sunrise Lodgings

Santorini

The room with the loft where we stayed was a bit deceiving. You could not even stand up straight in the loft nor the bathroom that is up there. I would not recommend this unit for 4 adults, but if traveling with younger kids it should work ok. The main bathroom with the shower is tiny. For women who shave their legs, good luck doing that in this shower. The staff is awesome, which helps to make up for some of these downsides.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Classic Hotel by Athens Prime Hotels

Athens

It’s a bit difficult to find, but it’s very clean and the staff is very friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The “Just Wow” Trip: Balos Beach. A Lagoon For Bliss.

Greece

If you are considering this be prepared for a 30 minute hike (and I mean hike) down to the beach. There are limited beach umbrellas, so you might want to bring your own. And then you have to hike out after soaking up some sun. OR your guide can take you to the 7minute hike spot for pictures and then drive you to another beach that have food/drink/restrooms close by plus MANY umbrellas and cabanas to rent. That’s what we opted for - now keep in mind this was towards the end of our trip, so we were getting a little worn out 😊 But this was beautiful and a very relaxing experience for us. Our guide provided food and water for us, so we didn’t have to worry about that either. Highly recommend and you might consider the alternative path that we took!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Knossos Palace & Authentic Crete with Local Experiences from West P9

Greece

Our guide made this what we wanted. We were able to modify our stops according to what we had already experienced. She was able to adjust our agenda on the fly. This one did not disappoint.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Sunset Cruise 2025

Santorini

This could be an alternative excursion to the sunset kayak tour. The staff was nice and the food was good. It was great to interact with other travelers from all over the world too. Great excursion

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Black Waters Sea Kayak

Greece

The crew makes this an awesome excursion! Kayaking is fun, no doubt, but with their energy, positive attitudes and stories/ details - it was even better! Highly recommend!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Dazzling Day Trip to Hydra Island from Athens

Greece

You have to go to Hydra! It is such a quaint island. No cars!! Lots of stairs, so be prepared. Well worth it to carve out time. If the weather (including the wind) conditions do not cooperate, you will not be able to go to the beach. This was our experience, however our guide more than made up for it with stops at some of the local establishments that he was familiar with.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens Highlights Mythology Tour

Greece

Our guide made this trip awesome. She was very knowledgeable, friendly and prepared. She made this trip very worthwhile and educational.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kuriko(Hakone day trip guide)was SUPERB. Professional,Well informed,patient,friendly and it was a pleasure to spend the day with her.
Melanie(Gion walking tour guide) was pleasant but did not give good information or history about the area. No depth of local knowledge.
Josh ,our Nara day trip guide was very good. Well informed, pleasant. Came very prepared for the day with lot of pictures in folders.
Amongst experiences:
Owl cafe
Sumo experience were both exceptional
Esp thanks to Angel for quick responsiveness and well planned itinerary with attention to detail.

Hotel Reviews

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Great location, helpful staff. Good sized room(deluxe twin). Excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gora Kansuiro

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Old world Charm, attention to detail.

Location

Scenic, lush green.

Staff

Polite,helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

This was an amazing experience!! The wrestlers and guides were so kind and helpful and fun to spend time with! They shared their history and profession with us, and we had a very fun afternoon with them. This is a MUST SEE experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eric created the perfect itinerary which balanced the driving time with sightseeing and hiking. He gave us some fantastic restaurant recommendations and also was super helpful with budgeting for food and gas. He responded to all my questions in a polite and timely manner. An amazing experience, thank you!

Activity Reviews

Whale Watching in Akureyri

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon Zodiac boat tour

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Solheimajokull Glacier Hike

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Silfra Snorkeling

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sky Lagoon

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Kim Kim company is great!! The guides are very professional and informative. Our main contact person Angela was very helpful every step of the way. She was able to make any requested last minute adjustments to make our trip more comfortable and convenient.

Angela planned us an amazing Greece experience! Thank you!
We spent 12 days in four different cities which gave us the ability to see so much more than staying in one place the entire time.
Athens (3 nights)
Santorini (3 nights)
Heraklion (2 nights)
Chania (3 nights)
We had private transfers and personal tour guides for each excursion that exceeded our expectations and made us feel so special. Each tour guide had so much knowledge and could answer every question we asked.
Santorini was beautiful but expensive. I would suggest not buying too many souvenirs there because they cost about twice as much as the other islands. I would recommend taking a sunset kayak excursion with Sunset Black Waters Sea Kayak. We got to have lunch and snorkel on one of the beaches. We took an HS 2024 Catamaran Sunset Cruise the next night and met some wonderful people and saw a breathtaking sunset.
My favorite hotel was Creta Blue Boutique Hotel. It was an adventure getting to the hotel through all the narrow roads but it was sooooo worth it! Friendly staff and an infinity pool with great views. Walking distance to what they call a "village" with restaurants and shops galore.
Overall, it was a once in a lifetime adventure that was beyond my expectations!

We loved our trip to the Yucatan! We traveled from Cancun to Tulum to Vallodalid and ended our trip on la Isla Holbox. We especially loved our accommodations in Tulum which were tucked away in a neat little area surrounded by plants, had a beautiful pool, and wonderful breakfast. We were able to walk easily to the main street to explore. We also loved our stay in Valladolid which had my sons' favorite breakfast and walkability to the main shopping/restaurants.

We enjoyed all of our tours and adventures and felt that they were nicely spaced out and easy to check in and experience. Some of our favorites were the Sian Kaan, Cenote Sac Actun and Punta Laguna. We felt that the guides all cared about our safety and enjoyement as well as our desire to learn about the area.

Monica was very helpful when we had a flat tire and got us a recommendation for where to get it fixed right away.

Our rental car agency was professional and prompt in dropping off our car the first day and meeting us at the airport to pick it up the last day.

Our least favorite spot was Cancun. We were only there one night but we would rather have gone right to Tulum :)

We truly enjoyed our adventures and look forward to having Kim Kim plan another adventure for us soon.

Hotel Reviews

Spirit Holbox

Isla Holbox

Great location on the beach! The pool was cool but not very deep. Nice restaurant and breakfast but you had to pay for dinner which was very expensive and not too many choices. Nice staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel boutique Saastah

Valladolid

Beautiful, wonderful breakfast, nice laundry service, wonderful pool

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Don Diego

Tulum

This was AMAZING! Although it did not have air conditioning it was still our favorite. It had a wonderful staff and a nice small feel. It was close to walk to restaurants and downtown but felt safe and tucked away. We loved the resident animals and the laundry service was a nice added bonus!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ambiance Suites

Cancun

This had a lovely breakfast and was clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

This was not close to anything you can walk to

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Chichen-Itza site with an English speaking guide

Mexico

This was an outstanding tour! He was our favorite guide. He was so funny and gave us a great look into the mayan culture

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Punta Laguna

Mexico

This was really fun! It was an adventure for sure! This includes a zipline and a drop into a very deep cenote that you have to climb out of so be sure to be strong to be able to do this portion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat tour in the Natural Reserve of Sian Ka'an

Mexico

This had an amazing breakfast and lunch with it! We loved the float and although we didn't see any manatees we still had a great time in the mangroves

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I was introduced to Tom Christer with Ethical Travel in Norway through KimKim. Tom was responsive, knowledgable, willing to express his own opinion when asked, and flexible to our travel requests. Highlights of our stay included Stavanger and climbing Pulpit Rock, Aurland via ferry and rail, Alesand via overnight ferry, and Oslo. Tom arranged local guides for us both for the Pulpit Rock climb and a 3 hour walking city tour of Oslo. Both were excellent.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Brosundet

Ålesund

Best hotel in Alesand. It is just charming and one can easily just hang out in the lobby by the fire or at the spa when not experiencing the town. Rooms are a little small but appointed very nicely. Food is excellent. Overall, it is a first class hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Victoria

Stavanger

Authenticity & Character

Charming.

Location

Ideally located close to shops and restaurants.

Staff

Very helpful. They even arranged breakfast bags for us as we had to leave at 5:30 am for an early morning ferry.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel No13

Bergen

Super location, very welcoming staff, art deco rooms, quiet. Not a 5-Star hotel, but nice and pleasant for a short stay in Bergen.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hurtigruten

Bergen

Older ship. We had an outward facing room, but the window view was fully obstructed by a life boat. Also, our room was very very small. For three people we would have gladly paid for a nicer and larger room if that option had been presented and explained to us. The boat is old, but well maintained and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was very nice but did not have as much knowledge of the local attractions that you would normally expect from a larger hotel conciegre.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amerikalinjen

Oslo

Loved everything about this hotel. Ideally located, super friendly and helpful staff, fantastic breakfast, comfy bar, and beautiful large rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

A great introduction to Oslo. We did this on our first afternoon in the City.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Would recommend Stig to anyone. He is local to Oslo and loves the City.

Embark Hurtigruten

Norway

An older boat. Our cabin for 3 was extremely small. We had an outside view, but our window looked directly into a life boat. Would have paid for a larger and nicer cabin if given the choice. Food was good but nothing special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Flåm to Aurland

Norway

Driver ran a few minutes late as he got tied up on another ride, but he was super nice and told us a lot about the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Viking Dinner at Ægir BryggeriPub

Norway

Even though this experience is commercialized and designed for tourists, we really enjoyed it. The food was excellent and we enjoyed trying all the items on the plank.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Stegastein Viewpoint

Norway

An amazing view.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transit Between Stavanger and Fjord Line Terminal

Stavanger

Right on time. Clean van and a good driver.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

Quality of Experience

In addition to the phenomenal views, our trip was made even more special as a traveling teenage choir from the United States was on our boat and we stopped in the middle of the trip for them to sign a song. Very cool!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very nice modern boat with lots of outdoor viewing space.

Pulpit Rock Classic Summer Hike

Norway

Our guide picked us up and returned us to the hotel as well as accompanied us on the hike. She was wonderful, sticking with the slower hikers and allowing those that wanted to go faster hike at their own pace. We were concerned that the weather would prevent us from making it to the top as it was raining hard and quite windy when we left the parking lot. Fortunately, it calmed down after the first few minutes and even cleared up enough at the top for us to see the fjord. This is a definite bucket list item.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aleksandra planned our family an amazing vacation with London Stratford as our home base and side trips to downtown London, Oxford and Bath. We liked everything about our trip from the hotel to the tours and tour guides. Most importantly, Aleksandra was so accommodating while planning and during our stay in London. We had to make some last-minute changes to our itinerary because of family reasons and she was easy to reach and took care of everything. She answered all of our questions and checked on us each day even on weekends. I highly recommend Aleksandra and KimKim.

Hotel Review

Hyatt Regency London Stratford

London

The hotel is conveniently located right next to the London Stratford train station which is fantastic for travelers. The hotel was nice and the breakfast served daily was very good. It was difficult for taxis to find because it's located within a shopping/restaurant type mall so always send your GPS location to your taxi driver.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Smoke alarm went off in middle of night so no water, a/c, elevators until mid-morning

Activity Reviews

Beatles Private Walking Tour

London

This tour is not just for intense Beatles fans. It's for anyone who is interested in learning about the Beatles and seeing different parts of London. Our guide, Michael Purvis, was amazing. He took such good care of us. He is a musician and had so many interesting stories and pictures to share with us. Even though it was a misty day, we enjoyed every minute of this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason

London

We had a slight itinerary change and had afternoon tea at the Savoy and I'm so glad we did. It was very special. They provided excellent service; the setting was beautiful, and the afternoon tea was delicious. They even packed up a box for our daughter who was unable to attend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exclusive Guided Tour in Buckingham Palace

London

We thoroughly enjoyed this tour. Buckingham Palace is stunning. The self-guided tour was very well-done.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bath and The Cotswolds

London

We changed our itinerary slightly and ended up going to Stonehenge and Bath. Both were definitely worth seeing. It was a beautiful drive too. We had a nice lunch at the Derby in Bath and enjoyed touring the Roman Baths. We were thankful to visit Stonehenge and happened to be there when it was not too busy. Our tour guide, Alam, was fantastic. He was so kind and patient with us and very knowledgeable. He made sure we saw the best views and sites.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Oxford University Punting Tour

England

What a fun, relaxing excursion this was for our family. Our guide was so nice and knowledgeable. We enjoyed this punting tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

British Museum Private Tour

London

The British Museum is worth seeing but it is extremely crowded. It probably depends on when you visit it. We had to wait in long security lines to get in and then it was hard to see exhibits at times. Our tour guide was late so that did not help.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Retired Royal Guard Central London Walk

London

We highly recommend this tour. David Lombardi is an excellent tour guide. He has such a unique background that affords him inside information that other tour guides would not have. We learned so much and were interested the entire time. He was extremely professional, knowledgeable and interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Iconic Oxford Private Walking Tour

Oxford

Our tour guide was fantastic. First, we were an hour late because of London traffic and he was so nice and accommodating. He was extremely knowledgeable and an excellent storyteller. Very interesting tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Round Trip to Oxford - Private Transfer

London

Our driver to Oxford went above and beyond traveling through horrible traffic to Oxford and back. Also, he was extremely accommodating when we had a family issue that delayed our return. He was very kind.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was a great trip that included a bit of the Isle of Skye but mostly focused the Western Isles (Outer Hebrides). These are beautiful locations but a bit tricky to navigate on your own. Without Kimkim, it would have taken me forever to figure out all the buses and ferries. Aleksandra designed a perfect trip for me, balancing travel, my favorite activities at the locations and time to just be there and explore on my own. She also picked great places for me to stay: it was a good mix of homely and comfortable. I liked every single one of them, though they were very different in their vibe. Staying in the Lewis Castle in Stornoway was probably the most memorable one; the Edinbane Lodge that dates back to 1543 (no kidding, for real, it's an old building re-furbished into a top-notch accommodation with superb dining experience) was also quite an experience. My B&B host Elizabeth from Barra was absolutely lovely (but she wants to retire, so I was lucky I guess).

Olha was a constant support over WhatsUp, which was great because changes of weather meant some of the activities had to be adjusted short-notice. Every single person I got to interact with was kind and open. I felt truly welcome in every location. All my drivers (Alan, Murdo, Roddy, Alasdair, Brian) told me stories about the place and its people, all of them were native Gaelic speakers so I got to pick and practice a few words: that was important for me. I learned so much about the history and the contemporary life on Skye and Western Islands. Murdo is a musician and a very authentic, fun person to be around. As a bonus, I got to hear a Gaelic song he wrote and performed! A surfing lesson with Eli (I probably misspell the name here) was amazing - the location and the weather made it a very special experience. Kayaking on Barra with Ben and Chris was also fun and relaxing. We got to see many seals who would just pop out of the water near the kayak and stare at us for a few seconds before diving back.

I would definitely go back to Eilean a' Cheò and na h-Eileanan Siar again and would definitely ask Kimkim team again to help plan it. These places are treasures for those who love nature and who appreciate simple, kind, honest and trusting communities with deep roots and oral history of resilience. The trip has left me with many cherished memories, stories to share, a sense of healing and a deep appreciation of true Island hospitality and kindness. Mòran taing.

Hotel Reviews

Edinbane Lodge

Edinbane

This place is very special. It dates back to 16th century and looks very picturesque. Once you step into your room, you are amazed at the level of luxury. You could watch TV while taking a bath, if you wished. My room also had a patio with a gas fireplace that I enjoyed for a few hours in the evening. It's very atmospheric: great combination of old and modern. Their dinners are famous. If you stay at this lodge, I highly recommend booking a dinner experience as well. Also, check the pottery workshop nearby: you won't be able to go away without a souvenir.

Authenticity & Character

A lodge that has been a lodge since 16th century. It has all the character that comes with the time it's been around

Location

It's a tiny place. Very quiet.

Staff

Friendly, helpful, graceful

Cleanliness & Comfort

I loved sitting by the fire in the patio. I also loved the tea set from the local pottery workshop. It's beautiful and great to see they support their neighbor's business.

Carnan B&B

Castlebay

The host greeted me with tea and chocolate cake! She is lovely, but she wants to retire, so I think we should leave her alone :-))) Her little pet dog is very friendly and fun - we became best buddies.

Authenticity & Character

It's a lovely house. A real house where a real family lives. Gives you a sense of home

Location

It has a great view to the castle in the bay.

Staff

Elizabeth is very welcoming, kind, attentive and good-natured. She gave me lots of good advice where to go and what to see.

Cleanliness & Comfort

A very comfortable home away from home

Lews Castle

Stornoway

Where do I even start :-))) You get to stay in a real castle! My room was under the roof and looked out over the roof tiles to another tower. The refurbishment is very modern, of course. There is a shower, a bathtub, a fridge a coffee machine and a tea kettle. But somehow it still feels like a castle. That's how a modern castle room should look like :-) I particularly enjoyed opening the front door of the castle with my own key when I came back form my daily explorations. It felt like a lot of fun just doing that. And then you get inside, there is a hall, a staircase and the place is your temporary "home."

Authenticity & Character

It's a castle! Does not get any more authentic than that :-) During the day it's a museum. You can do a tour of the rooms with augmented reality app - I highly recommend doing that

Location

Stornoway center is a walking distance. But the castle itself is surrounded by a forest with many paths - great for walking, biking, exploring, relaxing...

Staff

There is always someone in the building but they give you your own space and are only there if you need help. Very friendly, gave me plenty of good advice on the first day and then just let me be - exactly what I wanted.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless clean, spacious, my room was full of light and sunshine, the bathroom was always warm, which was important because the weather was a bit chilly. Great comfortable bed, tea kettle, very relaxing atmosphere, could also hear the sound of rain on the roof (which I love)

The Bracken Hide

Portree

It's a lovely location on a slope overlooking Portree, with a view to the harbor. I loved having my own pod that was warm and cozy. The days were rainy, but the pit-pat of the rain on the roof made it even more cozy to be inside.

Authenticity & Character

I loved staying in a pod. The inner decor was very cozy.

Location

The view

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

I loved the warm floor! :-) makes a huge difference when you come back cold and soaked with rain. The place was warm and dry and the wet clothes would dry quickly as well

Activity Reviews

Taxi

Scotland

Brian told me a few stories while on the road. Also gave me the advice to use the opportunity and have dinner at the place where he dropped me off. Thank you. I would have missed an amazing dining experience, if not for this advice. That was a perfect ending to my perfect Islands getaway.

Quality of Experience

In general, all the taxi pickups and transfers were hassle-free, all of them were super friendly

Guides, Drivers and Staff

very genuine. I don't know how to explain it, but it's just that they were all very friendly and somehow very "authentic" welcoming locals.

Transport

always clean, always comfortable, always warm on cold days

Sea Kayak Trip

Barra

I had two sessions. One was a one-on-one trip with Ben. It's very relaxing to be on the water and take it at your own speed. We did a good round and saw lots of seals. We also did a round around the castle in the bay. The other one was with Chris and his daughter (sorry, can't remember the name). They are all a great family - all very friendly, experienced and attentive. The second was with a group on a sunny day - so that was also a lot of fun and very picture-pretty, but no wildlife.

Quality of Experience

We swapped a few stories while on the water. Ben is a great companion. He was guiding, spotting wildlife, telling about me about the local traditions, good advice on where to eat and what to try, some funny stories. Felt like a great day on the water with a good friend. The group trip was great too, people watched out for each other, everyone was a good sport.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Easy going but attentive to detail, good fun

Lewis Surf Lessons

Scotland

This was my first ever surfing lesson and I am glad it took place on Lewis. We had the whole huge beach to ourselves, since you are going to get wet anyways, you don't need to worry about the rain and it being not exactly the warmest day :-) It was very atmospheric, you could feel the power of the sea (which you have to respect). I think if I did not have a one-on-one lesson and a lot of support from the instructor, I would never manage to get as far as I got. She was great - very encouraging and easy going. It was pure fun but also a good challenge (did I feel it the next day :-))) ). There are also caves on that beach that can only be visited at low tide - we took a short stroll after the class to check them out.

Quality of Experience

the location is amazing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

easy-going, attentive, fun

Taxi to Surf Lesson

Stornoway

Alan MacKenzie is a great travel companion, equally good at sharing and listening. I am very grateful he was the one to welcome me to the Western Isles. I think it sat the tone for the rest of my stay and travel.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Attentive, tactful

Transport

Isle of Lewis Heritage: Private Day Tour from Stornoway

Scotland

My driver and guide, Murdo, was just great. He is very authentic, a local through and through who told me so many interesting stories about the Isle of Lewis, it's history, it's people. And these stories did not feel like stories from the book. They were real stories, lived by the people or passed by the people from one generation to another. The Callanish stones are a very special cite to visit. The Black Houses were also very interesting to experience.

Quality of Experience

The bridge over the Atlantic! :-)

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gaelic heritage, knows every road and path and settlement, great sense of humor, honesty

Transport

service was great, excursions were either fabulous or just meh.

There were some excursions that we weren't prepared for, like the waterfalls. We didn't have bathing suits or towels, didn't realize the atmosphere was more like an amusement park rather than a walk in nature that we were expecting.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Porto

Dubrovnik

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Korsal

Korčula

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Prijeko Palace

Dubrovnik

Nice hotel located in Old Town AC is not the best, a bit noisy due to being right above restaurants-lots of street noise. Staff was good, however, they messaged up a reservation at the restaurant and 1 of the staff, a young blonde woman was quite rude.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dubrovnik to Korcula, stopping to visit Ston + the Peljesac Peninsula for wine tasting

Croatia

Loved the driver through wine country!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Good sized vehicle for 4 hot and sweaty travellers

Day Trip to Montenegro

Dubrovnik

Really not much to see. Water, restaurants and souvenir shops. We got that pretty much every where.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Same car as on trip to Mostar. See those comments.

Private Boating Excursion to the Elaphiti Islands

Dubrovnik

Gorgeous water!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to Mostar

Croatia

Just not to my liking. Didn't get to see much of Mostar and spend time meandering in the market place due to the guide spending a lot of time talking about the war. Important but when you have limited time it was not fun to stand in the sun when you wanted to get into the city.

Quality of Experience

A lot of driving for not much time.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Older vehicle, felt cramped. Didn't discover how the AC worked until the trip was 1/2 over.

E-bike tour in Dubrovnik with lunch

Dubrovnik

Great experience with Mislav, aka Super-Slav! Fun guy and a great tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer from Dubrovnik to Korcula (stopping in Ston / Peljesac Peninsula along the way)

Croatia

Our trip to Spain including Madrid, Seville, Granada, Málaga and Barcelona was out of this world fantastic. Raquel is an empathic, loving and expert travel specialist that our family appreciates beyond words. She worked with us to personalize our choices, destinations, hotels, costs and needs while we were on the vacation. She has been there at every turn when we are planning, traveling and having questions during the whole process. I would recommend her to everyone and anyone that is planning a trip to Europe in the areas she covers. Please treat her with respect and kindness and she deserves these in full measure. I can only say thank you Raquel and KimKim for their expert assistance. She is like family to us.

We booked our holiday to Egypt through KimKim Travels. Our contact was Mohamed Nabil. He provided excellent advice and support in the booking of our trip and was also kind enough to help when we made amendments to our schedule and wishes. He was always prompt, helpful, friendly and professional in his interactions and communication. Without him, our trip would not have been as enjoyable and smooth. 5 Star Servicr. Sincere and heartfelt thanks.

Hotel Reviews

Pyramisa Luxor

Luxor

Beautiful hotel right on the Nile. Comfortable rooms and excellent facilities.

Authenticity & Character

Decor and cuisine

Location

Close to Luxor Temple

Staff

Very helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super

Royal Great Pyramid INN

Giza

Excellent staff especially Ahmed, Youssef, Khalid and Mo Salah! Beautiful location and views of Pyranids of Giza. Highly recommended

Authenticity & Character

Excellent

Location

So close to pyramids

Staff

Friendly and courteous

Cleanliness & Comfort

Superb

Activity Reviews

Trip to Pyramids, Memphis, and Sakkara

Egypt

Beautiful Do enjoy the camel ride

Quality of Experience

Guide Mahmoud was excellent

Food

Very good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mahmoud was excellent

Transport

Excellent

Nile Pharaoh Dinner Cruise Cairo

Cairo

Superb

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip Hot Air Balloon Ride in Luxor, Egypt

Luxor

Excellent . Guide Mr Mansour was excellent

Tour to High Dam, Philae Temple, and Obelisk

Aswan

Guide Abdul was excellent and knowledgeable

My sincere apologies for the delay in responding to your invitation to review our KimKim-organized trip to Norway of June 24-July 7. The truth is that there is little I can add to the glowing and comprehensive account Robin submitted. The experience made me regret that – and wonder why – I had delayed so long in visiting Norway, having always wanted to.

The country was even more beautiful than I had anticipated (I was particularly struck by the abundance of flowers, both wild and cultivated, everywhere we visited), but more striking still was the unfailing friendliness, warmth, efficiency and readiness to be of help of everyone with whom we came into contact, from hotel staffs to guides to taxi and transfer service drivers, all of whom were knowledgeable, personable, flexible and utterly dependable. (In my case they courteously fielded requests for assistance that I’m sure a less technologically-challenged guest would not have troubled them with – I came away with a deeper appreciation for the achievements of Scandinavian bathroom-fixture and lighting design, and renewed chagrin at my dim-wittedness in mastering its use!)

I would find it difficult to single out any particular guides for praise, but was most grateful for the unflagging energy and enthusiasm of Ole in showing us the highlights of Hamar and Lillehammer (from the glorious sunlit morning exploring the Domkirkeodden to displaying the view from the apartment he has had purchased atop the “world’s tallest wooden building” Mjøstårnet – where he also showed us a video introducing us to the Norwegian comedy team Ylvis – to plying us with delectable jordbær and cream), as well as for Randi’s astuteness, aplomb and adaptability during our damp but delightful short stay in Ålesund. She is certainly someone I would keep on your short list of guides for anyone visiting that area.

In brief, it was hard to return home (and would have been hard even had “home” not been as unsettled a place as many of us now find it). I can only hope I will be granted enough years to make another trip over, in which I can see some of the things we had insufficient time to get to in the two weeks we were there – e.g., to see more of the three great open-air museums (the Norsk Folkemuseum, Maihaugen, and Sunnmøre) we were introduced to, and to visit the sites associated with great Norwegians that we noted in passing but couldn’t include in our schedule, such as the homes of Ibsen, Kirsten Flagstad, Sigrid Undset, Grieg and Ole Bull, among others.

You and your colleagues surely merit the highest praise (and quite possibly canonization) for your patience and professionalism in putting together a travel plan that met such a complex set of requests, and for dealing so promptly and capably with such small emergencies as arose while we were there. I would be only too happy to recommend your services to anyone I knew who might be hoping to visit Norway.

With many thanks and sincere best wishes,

Jennifer Boger

Normally I don't write reviews, but I felt that the service I received made my trip 100% more enjoyable.

Starting with the planning of the trip, Andrea was really easy to work with. We went over our price range, the ideal trip (walking tours, food tours, both smaller and larger cities, incorporating some relaxation, experiencing true Italian experiences). We booked 4-5 months in advance of our trip. The booklet we received that outlined the trip had all the details, and went over where to meet each guide at what time, and how long it would take. It had every train, event, and other travel tickets were provided timely. Every hotel they booked was in a really good location in our opinion. Every guide was great and would text us the day before letting us know who they were and where to expect to meet them. The most important aspect of the trip was how they handled our transportation issues that arose.

During our trip, the Italian train companies went on strike midway through our trip. The team at Kimkim communicated that this was going to be an issue the minute they knew and went to work on finding a solution. Within 24 hours they had booked a private transport service that would take us away from the regional trains and booked us on a different train in a different city that was hopefully guaranteed. Everything ended up working out great, the train they booked was not cancelled, and they stayed in constant communication with us the entire time. It truly felt that we were not alone and allowed my wife and I to enjoy our honeymoon instead of stressing about this issue. I will definitely be using Kimkim in the future and recommend their services to any individual.