Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our local specialist was Sara. She took the time to understand what we like to do and see on holiday. She then put together an amazing 2 week itinerary in and around Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The guides she choose were outstanding especially Alberto. We had a special request that had never been requested before but she was able to set up the event that day brilliantly. We wuld highly recommend Sara as a local specialist for Brazil and especially Rio.

Hotel Review

Pousada Apple House Paraty

Paraty

Pousada Apple House in Paraty was a unique special hotel. Each room has a personal pool which made the stay even lovelier.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It is a short drive out of town but in a quiet neighborhood.

Staff

Attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very nice rooms and grounds.

Activity Reviews

Rio Green Tour: Into the Tropical Urban Forest and Among the Imperial Palms

Rio de Janeiro

Again Alberto was the best.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rio in a Day: Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, Selarón Steps and More*

Rio de Janeiro

Alberto was our guide. He is the best. He knew the history and the best times to fully experience the main attractions of Rio.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Behind the scenes of the carnival

Rio de Janeiro

Carnival is a special event in Rio. We got not only a superb tour but also a samba demo and an understanding of one of the most iconic events of Rio.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Recipe Brazilian Cooking Class in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

We learned to cook many of the traditional dishes of Brazil. We have used many of them after we returned to the US.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

sewing and embroidery course

Rio de Janeiro

This was an amazing experience that was new to Sara and the team at Kimkim. She was able to arrange a day with an extraordinary seamstress.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was a pleasure to work with Bastien and Ailene on our road-trip from Avignon to St. Remy, Aix en Provence, St. Tropez, and Cap D’Antibes. They were responsive, helpful and provided great guidance on structuring and scheduling our itinerary. We enjoyed the charming hotels suggested; and their help with train tickets, transfers and car rental made our journey seamless.

Activity Review

A Day Trip from Aix en Provence to Cassis Village, Calanques Boat Ride & Provence Wines (Small Group Tour/8Hours)

Aix-en-Provence

Our guide, Alex, we knowledgeable and entertaining. He relied on our group to determine the trajectory of our tour - within the general parameters set by the tour company - and made our day fee “custom-designed”.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

1. Alexandro the driver in Tuscany was superb. He was very friendly and helpful and always seemed happy to go above and beyond what was required. When he dropped us at the hotel in La Spezia he made sure we could get in. He should meet us with a sign with our name so he is easy to find when we first met him at the train station in Florence.

2. The guide, Elena, to the Uffizi gallery in Florence was wonderful. She was friendly and very knowledgeable and made the viewings much more meaningful than if we had been alone.

3. We should be instructed to have a cell phone with an Italian number or have roaming on our phone as it seems to be vital to communicate

4. We should be forewarned of hotel tourist taxes.

5. The First Hotel in La Spezia was not good. It is an electronic check in. There is no front desk. Your instructions were to go to the front desk and have them arrange a taxi. We tried calling the hotel and listened to a recording telling us that the next available operator would take our call. It then hung up. We tried several times as we also wanted to report that the air conditioning did not work. It made for a very uncomfortable two nights. It would appear that this hotel was not vetted before booking us there.

6. We also tried calling the 24 hour number for Espíritu and could not get an answer.

7. The driver who picked us up at the Naples train station was very difficult to find. Our train was approximately 15 minutes late. I naively assumed the driver would know this. When we got off the train there were approximately 10-12 people standing in the arrivals area with name cards. None had our names. We tried to call the number given in the Trip Plans app but it did not work at all. We looked around for a while and then contacted the Espíritu person via messenger. He sent us the location of the driver. As we were unfamiliar with the area we had great difficulty finding him. We had to message the Espíritu person several times. It seemed that it was somehow our job to find the driver rather than the other way around. When we finally found the driver, I asked him why he hadn’t been at the arrivals area. He said that instruction was not in his contract. He seemed to feel that it was our fault that he had to wait an hour. He was not aware that the train had been delayed which he could easily have known if he had gone inside and checked the arrivals board.

8. The hotel in Pompei was very nice!

9. The guide to Pompei and Herculaneum, Viviana, did an excellent job of showing us the important parts and explaining the history of the locations.

10. The hotel in Sorrento was good. The location allowed us to easily walk to where we wanted. There was difficulty finding our driver when it was time to leave Amalfi. He initially went to the incorrect location. He was then trying to call an incorrect number. We had earlier informed our Espíritu contact of the only number that should be used to reach us while we were in Italy. We naively assumed that he would pass along that information to all of our upcoming drivers, guides, etc. When we learned that our Amalfi driver was still using the incorrect number, we made the effort to instruct our Espíritu contact to make sure that he passed on that piece of information.

11. Some of the drivers often did not display the level of service we expected from a KimKim trip.

12. The trip to Capri was enjoyable although we found it to be very crowded in most areas.

13. The exclusive guide (Francesca) on our first night in Rome was very good and provided an excellent tour and historical background on some major sights.

14. The colosseum and Roman Forum were very interesting and the guide, Manny, was very good. He was very knowledgeable and was able to answer all of our questions.

15. The gastronomical tour went very well. Our guide kept the tour interesting by giving us commentary on the food we were eating as well as the history of the places we went. It would have been better if she had introduced herself as we never learned her name.

16. The Vatican including the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica are amazing but very crowded. Our guide hurried us through and had poor English. The radios we were given for the tour were not very good quality. She also did not introduce herself.

17. The location of our hotel in Rome was central to the places we visited and so was a good selection.

18. In every case on this trip where we had to meet a guide it would have been helpful if we knew the name of the guide and/or the tour company in advance. Several times we had to ask various guides if we were supposed to be with them. They would usually ask us for a registration number which we did not have.

19. When we investigated this trip with KimKim we were quoted a price which we agreed to pay. Later, we requested that additional items be added to the trip and were quoted an additional cost. We agreed to the quoted price. When we attempted to make a payment, the cost was found to have increased by $50 with no explanation. When we queried the additional cost, we found that the price had risen by another $6.52. A rather poor explanation was given for the price increase. Then the $6.52 disappeared but the additional $50 remained. We are very disappointed by this lack of professionalism. When we are quoted a price and agree to it, that is the price we expect to pay. This sudden switching of prices leaves us with a very bad impression of KimKim. If a mistake was made in the original price quote, it is too late to make a change. A professional organization would know this fact and ensure that the error was kept within KimKim. Because of this fact, there is little chance that we will choose KimKim services in the future or that we will recommend KimKim to others.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Navona Colors

Rome

We did not stay at this hotel.

Hotel del Mare

Sorrento

Great location within easy walking distance of everywhere we wanted to go. This hotel caters to the North American traveller.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Helpful and always available.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel del Sole

Pompei

Excellent hotel. A spacious room. A great location.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely and roomy with great decor.

Location

Close to the Pompei ruins

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Spezia by The First

La Spezia

Very difficult to get into. No front desk. No person on duty. Impossible to reach anyone.

Authenticity & Character

Better signage

Location

Staff

It would have been helpful if there were staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The air conditioning did not work and the phone number of the hotel answered with a recorded message and then hung up.

Activity Reviews

Guided Visit: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Italy

These are both amazing places but very crowded. We were rushed through much of the museums and did not get much time to appreciate all that was there to see. The Sistine Chapel is so crowded that it is difficult to move.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide did not introduce herself and spoke poor English. The radio transmitter/receiver systems we were given to use so that we could hear her explanations and instructions were poor quality.

Transport

We walked.

Campo de’ Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Food Experience

Rome

Once again we were not given any information as to who our guide was or what company was providing the tour which made it difficult to find our guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

An interesting set of foods in various locations made this a worthwhile experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was wonderful as she gave us history lessons of the areas we visited as well as the food we were eating. She did not introduce herself.

Transport

We walked.

Colosseum & Roman Forum Visit: Arena Access, Gladiators Gate & Ancient City

Italy

A good guide although we had difficult finding him as the meeting point is for several different tour groups and we were not given any information as to the name of the company or person leading the tour. The colosseum and Roman Forum are very interesting to see although both are quite crowded.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked

Exclusive Private Guided Visit of Rome Highlights with Pantheon Entry & Trevi Fountain

Rome

An excellent guide. On this occasion we were told the name of the company that was providing the tour and the guide met us at the designated location with a sign indicating who she was.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked.

Amalfi Coast Sunset Cruise

Italy

This was probably a great cruise for most but the sea was quite rough that day which made me seasick

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

After the trip the driver who came to pick us up went to the wrong location. He was trying to reach us at a number that was no longer in service even though we had instructed the trip organizer of the only correct number that should be used.

Guided Visit to Pompeii with Archeaologist

Italy

A fascinating place with a tremendous amount of history learned. A knowledgable guide.

Quality of Experience

The guide observed that a cruise ship had docked that day and reversed the order of our excursion so that we were not so crowded.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cinque Terre Sunset Cruise & Aperitif

Cinque Terre

A great experience. It included swimming in the Mediterranean and barbecued prawns and swordfish prepared on the boat. One of the best meals of the entire trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting and Typical Tuscan Lunch in San Gimignano

Italy

Lunch was good but the wine was mediocre

Quality of Experience

A better winery

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tuscan Day Trip to Siena and San Gimignano with Lunch & Wine Tasting

Italy

The towns are nice and worth a visit. The wine at the vineyard was mediocre.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit of Uffizi Gallery with an Art Historian

Florence

A superb guide who knew the gallery and its art intimately.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver was superb

Very helpful and timely assistance.
Amazing experience!

Activity Reviews

Explore the archaeological site of Teotihuacan

Mexico City

Very cultural rich

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adventure in Tulum

Tulum

Epic

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chef's Table Experiencie

Mexico City

Def highlight of the trip

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip around Spain from Madrid through Rioja region to San Sebastian and Barcelona. We really enjoyed the recommendations made by our Kimkim guide Marina in each city, the restaurant recommendations came in especially handy! Each of our guides for various tours were wonderful. Manuel gave us a unique tour of Toledo that allowed us to see old hidden caves. In Rioja, Itziar provided us with a wealth of knowledge about wine and we loved the ability to have more private tastings at smaller vineyards. Jaime gave us a wonderful tour of some smaller towns along the Basque coast.

Activity Reviews

Train Madrid to Toledo, Guided Visit of Toledo, Train Toledo to Madrid

Madrid

We had a lovely day being shown around Toledo. From driving around town for panoramic views to walking through various parts of town to tour old underground caves and churches, we really enjoyed the entire day with our guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gastronomy & Wine Tour with a Sommelier

Barcelona

Our guide in Barcelona was fun to walk around with and learn about different wines from all around Spain. She took us to lovely, less touristy part of Barcelona for samplings of a variety of different wine and food pairings.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

San Sebastian Pintxo Experience

San Sebastián

This was one of our favorite activities because we had a great guide and fun small group. Additionally, each of the pintxos we tried were delicious. Our guide Sarah was very sweet and prepared a further paper guide with recommendations for pintxos and things to do in San Sebastian

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private La Rioja Wine Day Trip

Spain

We loved getting to do wine tastings in an intimate setting. It was also nice to tour smaller production wines and try some unique wines in addition to the traditional Rioja varietals. We also enjoyed getting to learn about the grapes and vines during harvest season!

Quality of Experience

Food

Our guide took us to a great local restaurant for lunch

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tapas Culinary Experience

Madrid

This was a very fun activity and we thought the guide was fun and engaging! It is a good activity to meet other travelers as well.

Quality of Experience

Food

Good variety of food and good amount of food and drinks!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The support I received from Eleanor and other people I spoke with at off hours time was great! Overall the package was excellent and well done and it provided us with nearly everything we needed. There are a couple of suggestions I have that may make travel for others coming to the UK a bit easier. I am open to having this discussion by phone so that we can more easily go over things. I am usually available around 10:00 AM Central Standard Time (Chicago) so if this is something that would be of value to you I would love to do that.

Hotel Reviews

Henrietta Hotel

Covent Garden

We stayed at the Henrietta Hotel in London and it was wonderful. It felt like a cozy bed and breakfast with excellent service and very nice facilities. The location was perfect, right in Covent Garden, allowing us to walk to many places and easily access public transportation. We were very happy with our stay there.

The Relais Henley

Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

The Relais Henley was the most luxurious accommodation during our trip, with a spacious room and lovely bathroom. However, parking was quite challenging as the hotel had limited spaces, and we had to park several blocks away. Despite the inconvenience, the hotel itself was fantastic with excellent service.

Tuddenham Mill

Bury St Edumnds

Tuddenham Mill in Bury St Edmunds was a beautiful place to stay. The rooms were large and impressive, and it had a unique character being a renovated old mill. The apple juice from a local apple farm was fantastic. The only real drawback was the challenging walk with our luggage due to steps and stairs. But overall, it was a lovely experience with excellent service.

Activity Reviews

Visit The Victoria and Albert Museum

London

The Victoria and Albert Museum was a delightful surprise. Initially added as an afterthought, I found it more enjoyable than the British Museum with its impressive and beautifully laid-out exhibits. I'd love to return and spend more time there in the future.

Hampton Court Palace

London

Our visit to Hampton Court Palace was really enjoyable and impressive. We loved exploring the historical aspects of the palace and the entire experience was worthwhile.

Kadri was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with on my Norway itinerary. My experience was seamless and memorable in a way that would not have been possible without her assistance. There were many highlights of the trip, not least of which was catching the northern lights in Tromsø on the Aurora dinner cruise. No doubt I will utilize Kimkim again in the future!!

Abdellah was excellent. During the planning, he incorporated our requests, responded promptly and was always available.
We were very pleased with our driver, Illayce (excuse my misspelling). His driving was excellent, was always prompt and shared many interesting stories making a personal connection. Our guides-Hannan and Sharif were well informed and personable.
Our accommodations were very nice. The hotel in Boulmane Dades was adequate, but not as luxurious as other; however, the meal served was fabulous and the best we had.
The camel ride and evening in the desert was a highlight of the trip.
All in all, we were very happy with the plans and accommodations arranged by Kimkim.

Hotel Reviews

Dar Jasmine

Chefchaouen

Beautiful views--please advise travelers of the number of steps...well worth it, but better to be prepared for the over 100 steps!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Early morning departure and staff was quick to carry our luggage-and pack a to go breakfast!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Amani

Fès

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Evening entertainment was very nice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elegancia Riad Boutique & SPA

Marrakech

Lovely accommodations

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

The least luxurious of all of our hotels, but was clean and adequate. The best meal we had in Morocco!

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Drive from Chefchaouen to Tangier Med Harbor

Morocco

Early morning departure and Illyace was on time and as always personable. He was a fantastic driver for our entire journey!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Chefchaoeun

Chefchaouen

Guide was personable, but he talked rapidly and was often difficult to understand

Transfer from Dades to Merzouga via Todra Gorges & Erfoud

Morocco

Illyace made the drive enjoyable--stopped for authentic Barbeque lunch which was delicious

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Sharif was well spoken and gave us good information.

Marrakech Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

A good variety of foods presented

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hannan was very informed and pleasant

Transport

We originally booked a trip to Atacama as part of our Chile trip, but our plans changed after we discovered we were expecting a baby. Angel very kindly offered to take us around Santiago instead, having been our main point of contact for the original Atacama booking.
It was great to meet Angel. He was as enthusiastic in person as over email :) Our tour was informative, interesting and very fun!
We would happily recommend Kim Kim and Angel to others seeking a professional and friendly tour in Chile.

The goal of our trip was to celebrate our 30th anniversary in a way that would allow us to relax and experience the beauty and wonder of Portugal without worrying planning all the details. Once Marta understood what we enjoyed, she planned a fabulous vacation for us. Our accommodations allowed us to access desirable historic sights and walking paths, ocean beauty within several minutes. The tours Marta booked, like biking through Porto, visiting the Douro Valley, walking through Lisbon and visiting Sintra created memorable experiences as each guide was excellent, personable and well versed in their area of expertise.

We had an excellent time and will certainly my use KimKim again.
While initially we had to get aligned with Renata, she was great. Renata went out of her way to meet our needs before the trip and during the trip. Really appreciated her.
Our guide in Rio, Bruno was sensational. We loved having him. Would recommend him to anybody. Truly amazing.
The anavilhana lodge was truly beautiful. All the personnel there were excellent. Nothing but accolades.

Hotel Reviews

Arena Copacabana Hotel

Rio de Janeiro

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arena Ipanema

Rio de Janeiro

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge

Manaus

Absolutely amazing!!! Loved all the personnel especially the guides.. Kendrick, Ramon, etc Truly an amazing experience e

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Days at the Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge

The Amazon

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Tour of Sitio Burle Marx, Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

Simply amazing… truly awesome experience

Quality of Experience

Everything was super organized and the follow up made by the team was amazing and highly appreciated

Our trip was fabulous! All of the hotels were really nice and their locations were close to all the attractions. Our tour leaders were great, and very knowledgeable on the subjects at hand. All of our transfers were on time, and the drivers were very cordial. All of the sites that Martina suggested were great, and we loved the different wineries she selected for us to visit. We would definitely use kimkim again in the future.

Activity Review

Private boat tour of Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre

This boat tour was one of our favorite activities of our whole trip. Our host was great, knew the area well, and his English was perfect. He even had bread, pesto, and wine made by his neighbor on the boat for us and it was all exceptional!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Susan and I had an amazing Italy experience. Our guides were so knowledgeable and very friendly. We were extremely lucky to have beautiful weather during our trip. All the excursions were so wonderful! The only thing I was taken back by was the amount of people in the Colosseum and the Vatican- it was difficult to listen to the guide, take pictures and stay with the group. But, I guess that’s to be expected… The only suggestion I have- would be to make visitors aware if they are going to the Vatican/Sistine Chapel, that they need to cover their shoulders and knees 😊..
I want to Thank you again, Francesco, for such an awesome adventure❣️🇮🇹

Hotel Review

Trevi Collection Hotel

Rome

Very helpful staff…Amazing breakfast…Great view

Authenticity & Character

Staff and views

Location

You are steps away from the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Vatican & Sistine Chapel - Small Group Tour

Rome

Just overwhelmed! The beauty within these walls.

Quality of Experience

Sooo many people- felt rushed and stressed

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Colosseum, Roman Forums and Palatine Hill

Rome

Unbelievable! Glad we had a guide- lots of people going through and lots of steps- wear comfy shoes..

Quality of Experience

Capri self guided day-trip with hydrofoil tickets

Sorrento

Beautiful, narrow roads-but they know hiw to maneuver them😳

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We didn’t crash or get run off the road😂

Amalfi Coast experience from Sorrento

Sorrento

So much beauty in one place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roberto was a great guide- full of history and humor- lived him!

Transport

Explore Pompeii on the way to Naples

Italy

Can’t believe how much has survived over the centuries. How the people lived, the politics, the businesses and the design of the city.

Quality of Experience

The history

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Anna was a perfect guide and great sense of humor!

Transport

Pizza and gelato making class

Florence

Never made pizza or gelato before. The ingredients were basic, but the end product was delicious!

Quality of Experience

The chefs

Murano, Burano and Torcello Excursion

Venice

Love, love, loved visiting all 3 islands

Quality of Experience

The guide was super! Walking through the streets, visiting the shops

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Gondola Ride

Venice

Just a wonderful way to go through the back alleys

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

On his phone the majority of time

Transport

What an amazing trip! Our specialist Dalia and her team did an awesome job of coordinating all aspects of our trip and satisfying our wishes of great food adventure and iconic sites. Our drivers Francesc and Ali were the best! They made the long drives to and from our destinations very enjoyable with stories and language tips. Our boat captain David was amazing. Took us to places that no other boat would’ve gone and showed us amazing sites.

Activity Reviews

Sailing along the Costa Brava - Exploring its many coves and caves

Costa Brava

We had a private excursion with our captain David around the coast of amazing cliffs. He found secret caves and coves that made the day unforgettable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking in Tossa de Mar

Costa Brava

Kayaking in Tossa de Mar was amazing! Our guide took a small group of us around the coast and into caves and coves for spectacular views, crystal blue waters and amazing stories!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had booked what was to be a lux vacation, and paid $1200 per person for four nights. Included were hotel rooms and professional private your guides.
The trip started badly when we tried to check into our first hotel and the reservation was missing. The Kimkim team fixed this, but it caused unnecessary stress.
Likewise, there were no contact details for any of the guides, so getting in tough was always challenging, and wasting our tour time.
While the first hotel Olympion Asty was reasonably within the range of our expectations, the second hotel, Grove Seaside was a disaster. Dated, wrecked rooms, inedible food, sketchy neighborhood. How maintains a 4* rating is a mystery and should have been disqualified by Kimkim.
The third hotel Mystra Grand was very nice and should have been the standard for all the hotels we stayed in.
The last hotel, Elite City, was likewise not very acceptable. The lobby and the main building were OK, but the separate villas where the rooms were located were wrecked, dirty, even our door didn't close properly because someone had kicked the door in and it wasn't fixed.
The guides were all good. Professional, knowledgeable, prompt, pleasant, even entertaining.
Our biggest complaint is the price we were charged for the trip. If we had booked the hotels ourselves, we would have paid 550 euros per couple for the 4 nights. The tours would have been further 400 euros per couple. But we were charged 2200 euros per couple, which is a ridiculous upcharge for a very unsatisfactory experience full of hassles.
I would not recommend Kimkim to anyone, certainly not for anything that required some research and planning.

Hotel Reviews

Elite City Resort

Kalamata

Beaten up and unfriendly. Nice lobby, ok breakfast, terrible rooms. Our basement 'garden view' room looked out on a piece of weedy lawn. The door had been locked on and not repaired. The room had been flooded and all the baseboards and bottom of the furniture were swollen and buckled. Need I say more?

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mystras Grand Palace

Sparta

Beautiful spot with amazing views. Decent and comfortable rooms. Great staff. Very acceptable and varied food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Grove hotel Drepano Nafplio

Nafplio

Old, dirty and in a poor location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Olympion Asty Olympia

Ancient Olympia

A good standard for a decent unpretentious hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self-guided Exploration to Caves of Diros

Greece

Did not get there.

Quality of Experience

No comment

Self-guided Activity to Explore the Medieval Town of Mystras from Kalamata

Kalamata

Did not go Mystra. Kalamata is OK but nothing much to see.

Quality of Experience

Skip it.

Sparta History Walk

Greece

Very nice and fun guides but not much to see. Sparta doesn't have much antiquity and the town is rather poor.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Old Town Walk & Palamidi Fortress Visit

Nafplio

Patty was a knowledgeable and fun guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self-guided Day Trip to Mycenae, Epidaurus and Corinth

Nafplio

We had two guides. The first one was knowledgeable but a little boring. Because we wasted 30 mins locating him, we missed out on a lot of the tour. The second guide Patty was very interesting and fun.

Quality of Experience

Private Ancient Olympia Visit

Greece

Maria was a very entertaining and knowledgeable guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Returned two days ago from an amazing trip to Morocco.
Mouad, our driver and main host was a delight. He was always cheerful, loved pleasing us and showed his pride in his culture, heritage and country every step of the way. He shared with us some insights on the native customs, products and sites. He was eager to please and made sure all our needs were met. No one could ask for a better host.
Majid, although it was always virtual, he was always responsive to any questions we had and checked on us throughout the trip to ensure everything was to our liking.
Truly gold medal service from these two gentleman.

Hotel Reviews

Elegancia Riad Boutique & SPA

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

I felt like I was staying in a Riad in days of yore. The roof top was perfect.

Location

Just steps away from the Medena.

Staff

So helpful and so patient with travel weary guest.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Location, location, location.

Location

It is in the Sahara. No other place like it.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just the whole glamping experience. The room was beautifully appointed and clean.

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

This hotel is a true treasure. The staff was so helpful and the food and accommodations were outstanding.

Authenticity & Character

The staff.

Location

The canyon is beautiful

Staff

See above

Cleanliness & Comfort

Recently renovated and absolutely beautiful.

Activity Reviews

Camel trek to your luxury camp

Merzouga

Just so much fun. Wish we had more time there.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes: Exploring the Imperial City

Fes

Our local guide, a native of the Medina, Hiram (sp?) was so knowledgeable about the city. He showed and acted with great care and concern when one of our party became ill. He also showed us knocks and crannies of the Medina that only a native could show us. Enjoyed local food and artisan crafts.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Private Sightseeing Tour in Rabat

Rabat

Love our guide, Joseph. Loved the Kashbar we visited.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We enjoyed our time throughout Greece. The hotel in Athens was clean, the workers were friendly and the room is okay. It nothing spectacular. Acropolis was great to see and our guide was great. We had a good time but Athens felt like just another big city in many ways.

The Hotel- Milestones- in Naxos was fabulous and, Myrta, our host was over the top. She made us feel like family, the bed was like sleeping on a cloud, the patio/hot tub area facing the beach was so relaxing both to enjoy breakfast in the morning and to end our day at night. The food was more than anyone could consume and all of it was outstanding. We had some things we were accustomed to and then so local Greek favorites.
Our cooking excursion in Naxos with Kastos was so special. To experience true farm to table was educational, fun and delicious. We loved seeing how true Greeks live in that area and we learned alot.
We loved the food tour in Naxos but would have preferred to have it at the beginning of our stay there because we saw parts of the island we had missed before then. Our guide, Natalia, was informative, excited about her job, and made the whole experience.

The hotel in Santorini was in a perfect location and had a nice amount of space with separate bedrooms, bathrooms and a great room. Artemis was a wonderful host, helping us find drivers for any additional excursions that we chose to do on our own.
The cooking/wine tasting excursion was exceptional. It might have been my favorite excursion that KimKim planned for us. The chef was so detail oriented and very personable. He made sure we knew how to convert the recipes to our measurements in the United States and he also allowed us to take pictures of all of the ingredients so I can replicate the dishes at home.
The boat tour of the island was lovely. We had perfect weather for it and our captain and crew were excellent. The food was very tasty to be something prepared on a boat. It was the only way to see the different variations of the island's topography.
The six hour tour of Santorini was nice but there were only two things we saw that we hadn't discovered on our own before we got to this. It would have been better to put it at the front of our time on the island. The winery and the monastery were still very enjoyable.

The fast ferry wasn’t what we expected. ... FAST. The first one didn’t feel fast at all because we were on the boat almost 6 hours but it was a relaxing way to travel. The Fast Ferry to Santorini was fast.

Hotel Reviews

Anthemis Suites

Santorini

Artmeis was a wonderful host, greeting us immediately and allowing us to check into our room (really more like an apartment) early. We had a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchenet with a family room. It was nice to have space to spread out and it was fabulous when it came time to pack up our luggage to fly home. He was extremely helpful with recommendations for restaurants and even made several reservations for us. He found us a driver when we didn't have one prearranged through KimKim. We had to leave well before the normal breakfast hour to make our flight home and he stocked our refrigerator with some cold breakfast foods for us so we could eat before we left. The location of this hotel was perfect for us and it was very quiet. The only way it would have been better was if it had a water view, but it was more than worth the trade off.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was convenient between Firra and Oai.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Milestones Naxos

Naxos

Milestones Naxos was by far my favorite place to stay. The room was gorgeous, and the hospitality by Eliza, who worked at the front desk, was unparalleled. She treated us like family, going out of her way to make us feel special with gestures like offering lemonade during the day and arranging transport to a nearby restaurant. The breakfasts were generous and the cleanliness was exceptional. The peacefulness of the location, with breathtaking views and serene surroundings, made for an unforgettable stay.

NLH Monastiraki

Athens

Our stay at NLH Monastiraki was okay but not spectacular. The staff was accommodating, allowing us to leave our luggage early even though we couldn't check in right away. The room was fine, but we were disappointed by the balcony view, as it overlooked a street frequented by delivery trucks—not what we expected. Breakfast was similar to that offered by a Hampton Inn—decent, but not exceptional. A bit of a surprise was having to pay $5 for a cappuccino, as the staff member didn't show me how to use the machine myself. The rooftop bar was a letdown due to inappropriate music being played, but the view of the Acropolis was beautiful.

Activity Reviews

Traditional Cooking Experience at Village Farm

Naxos

The Traditional Cooking at a Naxian Village Home was an amazing experience. We enjoyed it immensely, especially as our chef, a young family member, shared wonderful stories and insights into the family and culture. The simplicity and authenticity of the cooking was wonderful, and the time flew by as we were so engaged with the experience.

Old Town Food Walk

Naxos

Natalia was AMAZING and so much fun. She knew more than she could share about Naxos and the shop/restaurant owners clearly love her as well. This would have been best to do our first day there.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Caldera Catamaran Cruise

Santorini

So fun and relaxing. It gave you a view of the island you wouldn't have otherwise and a great LAST adventure to have on the island.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights Day Trip from Fira to Oia with Winery Visit

Santorini

The review was more based on the timing of the trip. Doing it at the end wasn't wise. It should have been a first thing for us because much of what we saw was something we had already discovered on our own. The guide was precious.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Santorini Shopping Trip

Santorini

I loved wandering around Santorini and talking with the shop owners and learning about them and the area they were located in within the village. To say I supported the economic development of Santorini was an understatement. We brought back wine, artisan jewelry and some clothing.

Quality of Experience

Self Guided Beach Day in Naxos

Naxos

We had truly planned to have a beach day, which was walking distance from our hotel, but we opted to rent a car and drive around the island because we found it so charming. We were so thankful we did. We found some fifth generation potters and toured their place and ordered pottery to be shipped home.

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Historic Churches Walk

Athens

We chose to use this time to enjoy a glass of wine, people watch and do some shopping.

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Local Markets Visit

Athens

We were able to knock around the city but we were exhausted. It would have been better if we could have checked in early to take a 1-2 hour nap so we would have more energy.

Cooking Class & Wine Tasting Experience

Santorini

The Cooking Class and Wine Tasting experience in Santorini was phenomenal. It was well-organized, and everything from the class instruction to the wine tasting was perfectly executed. It made for a spectacular and memorable day enjoying the culinary delights of the region.

Acropolis Temples, Ruins & Museum Visit -

Athens

The Explore Acropolis & Acropolis Museum tour was absolutely incredible. Our guide was incredibly informative and kind, making the experience memorable. She managed the pace well, accommodating slower-moving participants while keeping everyone engaged. Her genuine interest in sharing knowledge and helping us made this tour a highlight of our trip.

We had an amazing trip to Greece that was an authentic adventure exploring the islands with wonderful tours and excursions planned by Kimkim!

We did a mythology-focused tour of the acropolis in Athens that was really interesting and the tour guide made the day lots of fun.

We spent the majority of our time in Paros which was selected for us by Kimkim because it is a less-crowded, but beautiful island. We went kayaking with a wonderful company that gave us a feel for the culture and the sea we were exploring. We had a delicious hand-prepared picnic on a stunning island and snorkeled and swam as part of the experience.

The Aloni hotel was in a quaint area of Paros and very close to restuarants and shops. We did need a car to explore on our own and get to all the planned tours, but it was easy to take care of on our own. Our favorite experience on the island of Paros was the cooking class at Antezina where we made a traditional Greek meal and ate with a small group of tourists. It was a great way to learn about the culture and enjoy making a meal together with locals. We took a short ferry to Anteiaros for a few hours to see a beautiful ancient cave and hike around the beaches. We also did a e-bike excursion that was a terrific way to explore the island from a different perspective. On this tour, our guide Flora made a delicious picnic that we ate as we watched the sunset. This was incredible! We also had time to just relax at the beach and enjoyed Golden beach the most where we hung out a restaurant called Blue.

We then went to Milos for a few days and had the opportunity to go sailing, snorkeling and swimming around the island. It was a little windy, but that made it all the more fun and exciting. The captain was really friendly and the chef cooked an amazing meal onboard. We then went to Sarakaniko beach which was just beautiful. We rented a car on Milos as well to help get around the island easily.

Overall, the experience included just the right amount of planned activities to allow us to relax and have chill time. I would definitely book my next trip with Kimkim. Having never been to Greece, they selected wonderful activities that gave us a great feel for this amazing country.

Thank you Kimkim!!

Hotel Review

Aloni Hotel

Paros

The room was very comfortable and clean with nice views of the sea. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The location was quaint, but close to many restaurants and shops. Highly recommend this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Sailing Cruise with Lunch

Milos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Couples E-Bike Excursion to Delion and Agios Fokas

Paros

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Greek Cooking Class

Paros

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sea Kayaking Adventure

Paros

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The most important thing to say is that from KimKim's initial intake representative to our local specialist Dean who handled our planning and trip, they listened to what WE said we liked, did not like, and wanted. We have never used a travel agent or planner before, because we had never found that before. I kept waiting for the shoe to drop, as they say. Probably had a bit of an edge in the beginning because I was just 'Waiting for it'. We knew Ireland would be wonderful; we didn't know we would meet a travel planner that was great as well.

Will mention one more thing. We tested the offer of 'Call or chat me any time' a few times during the trip, often from the middle of nowhere (our favorite places). Dean knocked it out of the park each time. Whether it was helping us find an obscure place, sleuthing some history for us, or locating where we could purchase a hard to find electronic device.