Kimkim Trip Reviews

Salvo and Petre (Our driver for all things Sicily) were incredible.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Griffe

Rome

Loved the bartender!! He was fun! The shower was extremely small but used to American bathroons

Authenticity & Character

Location

great to be a part of the action in central Rome but was a bit noisy at night

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Residenza Fiorentina

Firenze

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Reception staff not seen unless checking in or out. When had a question about the room temperature was dismissed as that’s just the way it has to be

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Livingston

Syracuse

Everything about this hotel was amazing from location to staff!

Authenticity & Character

the view of the sea from our room made the stay so enjoyable.

Location

we liked it because it was just far enough away from the hustle.

Staff

every single person was attentive and wanted to make sure everything was perfecto!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Rome Airport Hotel

Fiumicino

A nice Segway to getting back to American life.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Beach day in Noto area

Syracuse

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was so amazing

Transport

Our driver for 3 days was absolutely amazing. He went above and beyond.

Central Food Market & Tuscan Cooking Class

Florence

The whole experience from the market to the class was 5 star all the way

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our chef was fun!! The wine flowed as we were waiting for the pasta to cook!

Ortigia Walking Tour: The Heart of Syracuse

Italy

This honestly was a GREAT EXPERIENCE with Salvo! He knows the history of not just this area but all of Syracuse.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vatican Tour with Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica

Rome

I mean it’s the Vatican!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Frascati Tour: Enjoy Wine Tasting & Visit "Castelli Romani" area

Italy

Such great knowledge of the area. The wine is spectacular ordered a lot and they graciously are shipping direct to us

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide and staff were very knowledgeable about the area

Transport

Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour with Roman Forum

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Winery tour in Chianti Area

Italy

The winery itself is beautiful, it’s big production!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

very quiet

Private driver at disposal

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. I feel the guides are essential, as they give you insights into the city and country. Without them I feel you would miss out on a lot of interesting facts.

After an initial miscommunication on the Athens hotel the trip was great. Elen did a great job planning the itinerary and the outings. All the guides were excellent - great insights and knowledge but also articulate and personal. The food and wine tastings were very enjoyable. Naxos stands out as our favorite destination but Athens and Santorini were also great experiences. We absolutely loved the people, the food, the wine and the history!

Hotel Reviews

Electra Metropolis

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ammothines Cycladic Suites Naxos

Naxos

Amazing hotel, staff and location! Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Best bar and restaurant in Greece

Location

Walk across the dune to the sea!

Staff

Can't say enough about the staff, wonderful experience.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Family owned and everyone has bought into making it great.

Agali Houses

Firostefani 00

Fantastic views, lovely people and great location. The only issue could be the stairs - there are a lot of stairs to walk steeply up each time you leave the hotel. It's the price to pay for magnificent views of the caldera.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Mountain of Zeus Hike & Traditional Lunch

Naxos

George was an amazing guide, funny, personable and great insights and knowledge. Highly recommend this hike with George!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I cannot say enough good things about this trip. Kimkim's questionnaire process made the planning aspect easy to begin and Arianna handled everything else with excellence. The information given to us beforehand as far as cultural tips, food recommendations, etc. was all so helpful. Once we finally arrived to Italy and began our trip, everything worked out perfectly and my first time traveling abroad could not have been made any easier on myself. All of our reservations went off without a hitch, all drivers were on time, all instructions easy to follow, etc. We were even able to check in early to each accommodation -- a bonus! And each accommodation exceeded our expectations. It is hard to pick out one experience as our favorite... We loved every single one of our tour guides and each big group excursion we did turned out fabulous. Our Italian Travel Ambassador was easily accessible during business hours and quick to respond to any questions or concerns we had. I loved how she checked in at the end of everyday as well as provide details of the following day's itinerary and important information so that we did not have to frequently check our actual itinerary. I will not travel without Kimkim again!

Our trip to Belize and Guatemala was amazing!

All the logistics were taken care of by the KimKim team and Columbus Guatemala Travel. The entire trip was effortless, and we got to spend all of our time and energy exploring and experiencing the amazing culture, nature, and people of the region. The team just told us when they were picking us up, and everything else was taken care of. Transportation, lodging, entrance fees and national park permits, lunch, everything. Communication from the team was great: we always knew what to expect and we had an easy path for asking questions. The vehicles were new, comfortable, had great AC, and all the drivers were excellent.

All the local guides were wonderful, but one guide truly stood out. Selwin was the best guide I've ever experienced on any trip, anywhere. The Isla de Flores hotel was a local gem! And the ATM Cave tour was spectacular!

Thank you!

Hotel Review

Isla de Flores

Ciudad Flores Petén-Flores

This hotel was wonderful. The location was perfect, the hotel was beautiful, the staff were friendly, it was comfortable and best of all, filled with local charm!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

ATM cave - Actun Tunichil Muknal

Belize

This tour was spectacular. It combined the fun and thrill of swimming and spelunking, the natural beauty of the cave, and awe inspiring ancient Mayan artifacts. I still can't believe this cave is open to the public, providing access to these ancient artifacts in their original environment.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The transport is good, but be forewarned: the road to the cave is very rough and takes a while. Get comfortable, and enjoy the ac in the van.

Our family had a wonderful trip to Croatia. It is such a beautiful and interesting country. Our guide Bruno was excellent.
He helped us organize the itinerary, which included both history and nature. While we were in the country, he was in touch with us every day to see how we were doing and to advise us about the schedule for the next day. We were able to modify some parts of our schedule as required, which was very helpful. We would highly recommend this trip and our guide!

We were sceptical at first as we had never done a private trip before. Hassan is Moroccan and with just a bit of input as to our aspirations he put together a five day trip that exceeded our expectations several times over. From pick up at our hotel in Marrakesh to drop off at the airport, our driver Ismail was fantastic. His easy personality and humor made us feel relaxed. Immediately we knew we were in good hands. Ismail generously shared his knowledge of Morocco’s history as well as explaining to us about the lives of Moroccan people both in the past and today. He was thoughtful, suggesting rest stops for coffee and bathroom breaks, and stopping at places and sites that were not on the itinerary but close by and unique. One highlight was a hiking tour through traditional Berber villages with Mohammed, a local guide, ending at his traditional home and having lunch prepared by his family. The landscape, the kind and gentle people we encountered, plus the culture of Morocco made this trip truly memorable.

We had booked KimKim for guides in York, England and the Yorkshire area. Tatiana, our English contact, provided us with knowledgeable local people who were wonderfully responsive to our interests. It was a great time for us. Thank you, KimKim.

Simply put, we will never travel abroad again without using KimKim. Aleksandra was extremely helpful in the planning of the trip, coordination of everything and even during the trip when we had questions. Once you try KimKim you will never travel any other way.

Hotel Reviews

Corriegour Lodge Hotel

By Fort William, Letterfinlay

Absolutely love this place. Former hunting lodge turned boutique hotel run by a mother and son duo. If you stay here, do not dine anywhere else other than at the lodge. The food was not only the best meal we had in Scotland, but one of the best I have had in the last year, and we dine at many high-end restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hootananny

Inverness

Rooms were very nice and clean. Checking in was a bit strange, not real front desk, etc. Many other hotels in same area that I would probably opt for if I went back to Inverness.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Another Place, The Machrie

Port Ellen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Never stayed in a Virgin hotel in the past. Will seek them out going forward. Perfect room. Perfect service. Perfect location. Perfect bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Iveagh Gardens Hotel

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room2 Belfast Hometel

Belfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Belfast Food Tour

Belfast

Just not what it was described. Guide was interesting but showed up with very little planned. Led with well this restaurant is closed, and that one is closed. Kind of like he was winging it as we went along. Told us we were ending with ice cream which I envisioned would be in a nice shop/creamery. Literally went into a convenience store where we got scoops from the attendant. Ice cream was fine, just not what you would expect on a "Food Tour".

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Edinburgh Old Town Tour

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Scotch Whisky & Artisan Food Tasting Tour

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Let’s start with the good. The visit to Ostia Antiqua was amazing. Our guide was the best and very engaging. We also very much enjoyed the trip to San Gimignano, Siena and Chianti was enjoyable with the wine tasting.

Here are areas of improvement:
The level of information provided on exactly what we were getting or not getting at each site was not sufficient.
More detail on timing of events was needed.
Getting the some details of our trip more than 2-3 weeks before departure would have enabled more planning.

Our plane was delayed in arriving to Rome and we missed our first train ride to Florence and had to purchase new tickets for $444.35 . I felt like we should have been advised to wait to purchase the train ticket to Florence upon arrival. Instead we had a significant unexpected expense at the beginning of our trip.

The hotels we stayed at were good but not outstanding. Probably the one in Assisi was the best. Our reservations were incorrect in two of the hotels as they had the reservation as all one queen beds when one of the rooms were 2 twin beds. The shower in our room in Rome did not work correctly.

We did not have enough information on how to get back from Ostia Antiqua nor how long the trip would last.

Not having the English guide for the Vatican gardens nor the Scavi tour at St. Peter’s scheduled were disappointments as planning a year in advance, I would have expected those could have been arranged.

We did appreciate having other items offered to compensate for not getting what we had been planning for, but when paying a premium for travel services we would have expected more.

Hope these comments can be accepted as constructive feedback.

We enjoyed Italy very much and in the end had a wonderful trip.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Ginori al Duomo

Florence

Nice mid-level hotel. Images over stated the

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Il Palazzo

Assisi

Great location but need to know that it takes effort to walk there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trevi Palace Luxury Inn

Rome

Road was a bit too crowded. Shower had mold in our room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shower to work correctly and no dirty moldy grout in shower

Activity Reviews

Uffizi Gallery and Accademia Gallery

Florence

Great but crowd control is over whelming

Quality of Experience

Private tour in San Gimignano, Siena and Chianti

Italy

Enjoyed this trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free afternoon in Assisi

Assisi

Enjoyed going to Basilica. Sam Domiano, and walking from tops of hill down to the Basilica

Quality of Experience

Assisi Walking Tour

Assisi

We did this on our own

We had an unforgettable experience in Greece! Angela planned such a great trip for us. She was always available and helpful in planning all the details. The hotels were beautiful and perfect locations. The excursion to Dilos was a favorite of ours and her recommendation to do the Caldera hike in Santorini was a hit! All of the people we met were so welcoming and hospitable. Our favorite guide was George in Mykonos! He was instantly engaging and passionate about sharing his home and all the special places. We would recommend Angela to our friends and family if they ever decide to travel to Greece!

Hotel Reviews

Ava Hotel & Suites

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the heart of everything

Staff

Attentive and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Absolute Mykonos Suites & More

Mykonos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

So friendly and welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sole d'oro Luxury Suites

Santorini

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Happy Cretan Suites

Malevizi, Crete

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Most welcoming and friendly , so hospitable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Athens Highlights Mythology Tour

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mykonos Island Tour - Like a Local!

Mykonos

Our guide made this experience amazing George was so engaging and shared he love of his home with us. He was so genuine and enthusiastic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rhenia & Delos day cruise

Mykonos

Really loved going to Delos It was enough time to walk and hike the island and enjoy the history The boat ride was fun and the staff was very welcoming

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Planning trip: Kimi did great job helping us to create interesting itinerary and as real itinerary execution showed, it was good balanced itinerary with efficient usage of our travel time. Unfortunately, Kimi started working on Tibet permit very late and it made us very nervous. We arrived in Chengdu without knowledge and confirmation if we have Tibet permit . Only Sophie's ( Sophie is probably Kimi's coworker) good and clear emails during first days of our trip clarified all necessary details .
After all payments were finalized Kimi stated that she missed flight from Lhasa into Xi'an to include in trip price. Now they asked to pay extra money through PayPal. Not sure how valid this request.
We worked with 3 guides : Michael ( Chengdu -Rilong with hiking) , Gelek - Tibet, and Jerry - Xi'an. All 3 guides were knowledgeable, responsible and flexible. They did great job

Hotel Reviews

Tibet Hotel Chengdu

Chengdu

This hotel has everything what you need. Their breakfast exceeded all my expectations. 10-20 dishes, juices, tea, coffee, pastries , all was super.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to river, shopping malls, no problems with taxi

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Siguniang Shan Hotel

Rilong

Hotel's rooms had multiple problems like temperature thermostat were broken ( I had 28-30C in my room 4 nights and reception was not cooperative to fix it ). Breakfast had limited number choices , no juices and terrible coffee.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tangka Hotel

Lhasa

Comfortable rooms with good breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Qomo Langzong Hotel

Shigatse

Everything worked there and breakfast had multiple selection with good quality food

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Noble Hotel Xi'an

It is truly luxury hotel where you enjoy your stay. Breakfast was awesome with everything what you even can't imagine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Shuangqiao Valley Hiking

Rilong

Unique place, great hike

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Changping Valley Hiking

Rilong

Great Hike. No luck with weather, it was drizzling 90% of hike time

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wolong Gengda Panda Research Center + Dengsheng Gorge Hiking (3 hours)

Wolong

Wolong Gengda Panda Research Center is amazing. We saw multiple Pandas and place was not very crowded. Dengsheng Gorge Hiking was not prepared. Stairs were destroyed by recent flooding and we had to turn around . It was muddy with crossing couple of local creeks. It is not a problem for our group if we knew in advance and put proper hiking shoes and proper hiking clothes. But we expect easy hike and were not prepared to actual trail conditions

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Tibet Highlights Tour: Explore Norbulingka, Drepung Monastery, and Jokhang Temple

Lhasa

It was absolutely unique tour with very knowledgeable guide Gelek.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Haizi Valley Hiking

Rilong

It was challenging hike with multiple muddy sections . Surrounding views are fantastic

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Essence of Tibet Tour: Explore Potala Palace and Stroll Through Old Barkhor Street

Lhasa

Gelek's tour of Potala Palace was fantastic. Instead of Stroll Through Old Barkhor Street we attend Jokhang Temple

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Xi'an Highlights: Ancient City Wall, The Terracotta Warriors and Horses

Xian

Terracotta Warriors and Horses is absolutely unique archeology museum only it was too crowded. Ancient City Wall was very interesting addition

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lhasa – Shigatse| The Stunning Palcho Monastery, Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon, Karuola Glacier

Lhasa

It was long day with exploring nature jewels : Yamdrok Lake and Karuola Glacier. Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon is far away from our route, not sure why it was included.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shigatse–Lhasa | Enjoy the rest of your day in Lhasa

Lhasa

It was primary drive with visiting Shigatse Monastery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We visited Chiang Mai, Krabi and Bangkok. Overall, Kim Kim did an outstanding job booking our itinerary. Hoa Tran was our trip designer. Hoa and the rest of the team did an outstanding job.

We researched different agencies comparing different cities, hotels and excursions to fit into our budget and our goals for the trip. Kim Kim / Exotic Voyages was not the lowest cost option, but they presented the best hotel options and offerings. Hoa was very patient with us throughout the process. We went through at least 8 iterations of our itinerary before settling on the final plan and decision. Hoa was helpful and responsive throughout the process.

We started our trip at Chiang Mai. We were greeted at the airport by our local guide, Ms. Kanyavee (Mona), and the driver. The team promptly took us to our hotel and made sure that we were settled in. Mona was clear in guiding us through our the plan for the Doi Ithanon excursion. At Doi Ithanon, we saw a few waterfalls, saw how local villagers lived, and had a chance to enjoy a very nice lunch during the trip. At the end of our trip to Chiang Mai, Ms. Mona made sure that we got through our check-in for our next flight. She was super helpful with making sure that our luggage passed the inspection process.

After Chiang Mai, we spent three days in Krabi. On one of the days, we went to Hong Island on a speedboat. The speedboat ride was amazing. In terms of snorkling, the water was nice and warm. However, we only saw small fish, sea urchins and sea anemones. Our hotel had amazing food. On our last day, we asked to see if the driver can come a little later so that we could grab breakfast before we left for Bangkok. Hoa was accommodating and helped us make the change.

Our last visit was to Bangkok. We arrived around 1 PM. Despite that, our local guide, Ms Ae, got us checked in early. While our excursion into Chinatown wasn't supposed to start until 5 PM, Ms Ae took us to visit the local mall. We got in a quick bite, haircut, and shopping before our excursion. Make sure that you add Terminal 21 to your list of places to visit. The food court had a broad offering of food for ridiculously low prices. We ate for a party of 4 for about 500 bahts. Ms. Ae then took us to visit Chinatown. Our visit included two stops at Michelin starred restaurants. The noodle at the restaurant was one of our favorite dishes.

We visited the floating market and train market the next day, along with a visit to the Wat Pro temple in the afternoon. The markets were a treat. Wat Pro was also great. On our third day in Bangkok, we visit the temples at Ayutthaya. It was a nice excursion, but it was a 90 minutes ride from Bangkok. If we had known that you can visit an elephant sanctuary and ride elements, we would have added that to the itinerary. Note that the elephant sanctuary at Chiang Mai is about a 5 hours excursion. You can do a much less intensive event at Ayutthaya for less time.

On our final day, we were on our own. We wanted to keep one day for shopping in Bangkok before our departure. We also squeezed in dim sum at Sui San restaurant. Our tour guide then picked us up at the hotel to take us to the airport. Ms Ae made sure that we got through the check-in process, helped us with our VAT registration and directed us to the right gates before she left. Note that Ms Ae called the hotel manager on our behalf to allow us an extra 2 hours before check-out to give us time to shop in the morning.

Our local tour guides were phenomenal. If we could give them a 6 rating, we would. They not only provided us with incredible insights into the culture and history, but went out of their way to make sure that our stay was comfortable. They intervened with local businesses when we needed help communicating with them. Our trip would not have been as fun without them.

Finally, Hoa checked in with us constantly throughout our trip. She made herself available to us to help with anything we needed.

The Kim Kim team was incredible. We would highly recommend them. We will use them for future trips.

Both our tour guides for Thailand were wonderful. We really appreciated AE who took us around Bangkok. She really went the extra mile to show us how to get around and gave us helpful info when we were on our own.

Hotel Reviews

De Chai The Colonial Hotel & Spa

Chiang Mai

This hotel was centrally located where we could walk to many restaurants. The room was clean but did have some quirks like the TV was to the right of the bed and in front of the bed. It was also difficult to keep the room temperature to where we were comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to many restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Varana Krabi Hotel

Although it rained during our time in Krabi, the Gym and Olympic size pool were excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not as many restaurants near this hotel.

Staff

The staff was very accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were very clean and well maintained. There were a lot of mosquitoes since we were on the 1st floor.

Solitaire Bangkok Sukhumvit 11

Bangkok

The ventilation was not good at this hotel. Rooms smelled musty and felt damp.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We were able to get around easily from this hotel but traffic was horrendous at all times of the day.

Staff

Staff did not seem very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms felt old and the TV did not offer connection to Netflix.

Activity Reviews

Doi Inthanon National Park - A Nature Walk and Culture

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hong island by joining speedboat (S)

Krabi

We visited multiple islands but it felt rushed. There was not much to see when snorkeling.

Quality of Experience

It would have been better if we didn’t go during rainy season.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

We loved all the food that was recommended to us. The pork satay and crispy roast pork in a noodle soup were so delicious!

Quality of Experience

Food

All the food was delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

First time riding in a tuk tuk. It was a bit scary at times as we weaved in and out of traffic at high speeds.

Railway Market & Floating Market

Bangkok

We enjoyed seeing the train pass by but the people there were incredibly friendly which made the experience even better.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Symbolic Temples

Bangkok

The reclining Buddha is a must see. It is difficult to imagine how big it is until you see it in person.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Back to The Glorious Days of Ayutthaya Kingdom

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

The head of a Buddha that was inserted into the tree.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ashley kept us very informed and planned a great trip. Guide KC was amazing. Friendly, knowledgeable. Our driver was very safe. Had an amazing trip.

The trip was amazing, the booking experience was easy and Erica understood what we wanted to see and arranged everything. The tour of the monasteries in Meteora were incredible, great tour guide. The hiking trip to Pan's Cave was equally memorable with another wonderful guide. The food tour of Athens was a major highlight as well.

Activity Reviews

Sunset Monasteries & Hermit Caves Excursion

Meteora

The monasteries are just incredible, our tour guide was knowledgeable and energic

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Corycian Cave Hike

Delphi

Great experience, our guide was fun and knowledgable, worth the walk

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Evening Neighborhood Food Walk

Athens

Definitely one of the highlights of the trip. The guide was amazing, she was charming, energetic, and super knowledgable. The food was fantastic and getting to know the background really made it special

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip to Switzerland was nothing short of AMAZING! We worked months in advance with a planner who helped us come up with a custom made itinerary full of adventure and to fit our budget. As our travel time approached the original planner had left the company, but Valentine made a smooth transition helping us make small tweaks and answering all our questions. We were so grateful for being set up with the Swiss Travel Pass as it allowed us to travel freely by train, boat, bus, cable cars and even gave us free admission to museums in Zurich as well as Chateau de Chillon in Montreux. Valentine provided us with the special vouchers we needed for certain things that were not included in the pass, such as our visits to Schilthorn, Rochers-de-Naye and for priority seating on the Gornergrat panoramic train to visit the Matterhorn. A highlight of the trip was our E-bike tour of Lauterbrunnen and Valley of 72 Waterfalls. Cuba was our tour guide for the day and he did an excellent job taking us along on the bike paths at a pace that allowed us to enjoy the stunning views of the valley and mountains. Seeing the Trummelbach Falle as part of this tour was an added delight! Each day we built in enough time to really enjoy the places we were visiting and exploring. Hiking was spectacular coming down Rigi Kulm to Weggis and hiking up above Oeschinen Lake. We also decided to hike from Stechelberg to Lauterbrunnen after visiting Schilthorn -Piz Gloria. This hike was very easy on a paved trail. Another fun excursion we experienced was riding the Chocolate Train out of Montreux. The day featured tours of cheese, a castle, and chocolate at Cailler factory. I highly recommend having a cup of hot cocoa at Cailler! It was the best I ever had even after all the chocolate samples! We enjoyed having all our lodging close to train stations on travel days and each place was close restaurants, stores and a Coop was always near by for picking up snacks for hiking. Every place had friendly people working reception, were clean, comfortable and provided breakfast. Switzerland is a beautiful country with lovely people. We are so grateful to have visited and will treasure the memories.

Hotel Reviews

Boutique Hotel KARL

Luzern

The staff at reception were friendly, knowledgeable and willing to help us with exploring the area on our first days in Switzerland. Our room was very clean and the breakfast was perfect for starting our days.

Authenticity & Character

It’s located along side the river and has a small boutique feel.

Location

It’s walking distance to everything you need in Lucerne.

Staff

Very friendly and welcoming.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was spotless upon our arrival.

Hotel Weisses Kreuz

Interlaken

As a family of three adults traveling together our lodging was spacious and provided all the room we needed.

Authenticity & Character

It has an old world charm to its setting.

Location

It is located in downtown Interlaken close to both train stations. We got to experience seeing the paragliders from our balcony.

Staff

They were friendly and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ambassador Zermatt

Zermatt

A great place for a family of 3 adults to stay. We had plenty of room. Seeing the Matterhorn from our balcony was an added bonus!

Authenticity & Character

It is a very comfortable place and the swimming pool, sauna and whirlpool felt like a spa day!

Location

It was basically across from the train station. Very easy to access on our arrival and departure.

Staff

They were very kind and offered ideas of places to visit in the village.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was clean and the beds comfortable.

Hotel La Rouvenaz

Montreux

This was a nice hotel located close to the lake and walking trail. As a family of 3 adults we had to checkout two rooms, but this worked out fine for us.

Authenticity & Character

It has old world charm and character.

Location

Very close to reaching everything you need to from here.

Staff

Very polite, kind and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable and meet our needs.

Swiss Night by Fassbind

Zurich

Located on a quiet street and still close to walk to downtown and lake area.

Authenticity & Character

Everything is themed with farm cows. There was a beautiful light design on the ceiling that gives the room added charm.

Location

On a quiet street.

Staff

The lady who welcomed us was extremely nice and helped us understand the bus system in Zurich.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well kept and comfortable for our needs.

Activity Reviews

E-bike tour Lauterbrunnen & Valley of 72 Waterfalls

Switzerland

A great way to tour and experience Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen!

Quality of Experience

The whole tour was amazing!

Food

The picnic lunch was perfect! Healthy too!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cuba did a nice job telling us about the area and rode at an easy pace so we could enjoy the views!

Transport

The bikes were all in great working order.

Swiss Travel Pass

Switzerland

Our travel pass helped us travel Switzerland with ease. It’s great because the travel pass is more than just a train pass. It includes access to ride boats, buses, trams and visit museums. It also gives you discounts for other activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-guided day to Mount Rigi, the Queen of Mountains (tickets)

Switzerland

We were blessed to visit in a clear beautiful day. The views hiking from the top of Rigi to Weggis were spectacular!

Quality of Experience

The beauty of Mt Rigi , the spring flowers and glacier blue water.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ease of using Swiss travel pass

Transport

It was fun to experience a boat ride taking us to tram from Mt Rigi.

This was our first time using Kim Kim and based on our experience I would definitely use them again. All the tours and guides they set up for us were great. We enjoyed all the tours we did. All the drivers were professional, had clean cars and were on time. Honestly no complaints over all. Obviously this being the first time I used them, there are things I would do different next time. Just knowing how they work and set things up is helpful for the next time. If you are thinking of using them. Make sure you tell them exactly what kind of hotels you like, if you like group or private tours, private or public transport. They will help you get exactly what your are looking for. Adam and Lea did a great job and even when we had a little glitch while we were on the trip, Lea immediately responded and took care of it quickly.

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Flores

Porto

This was one of my favorite hotels of whole trip. Perfect location for Porto and so European and charming but very high end in service and feel. Would highly recommend and I would definitely stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the walking street of Flores and super close to walk to all things

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Wine House Hotel - Quinta da Pacheca

Lamego

The property was definitely a 5 star property and the setting beautiful. We stayed in the wine barrel room and I would not do that again if I went back. The majority of the hotel are normal rooms and I do not know what they were like because we didn't see one, But the wine barrel room while a beautiful setting and a cute idea was just very small. I think for a younger couple or for only one night it would be ok. But we were there three nights and are a bit older and used to a bit more luxurious room and we just didn't love it. There was nothing wrong with it, just not my thing. Hotel was beautiful though, restaurant great, staff great. Sitting out by pool with a spritzer in the afternoon was divine. I will say it's a bigger hotel for the area and a big winery so it gets a lot of bus tours or tours doing winery tours. So I think now that I've been to the area, if I went back I would choose something smaller that didn't have so much traffic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palácio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel

Lisboa

We got upgraded to a suite when we arrived and it was beautiful, This hotel was top notch, highly recommend. It was up on one of hills so if you don't like to go back up the hill to your hotel then it wouldn't be good. But we loved the location and could walk to everything. The breakfast was fabulous and the bar was great in the evening. Loved everything about this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Quinta das Lágrimas

Coimbra

The hotel is on the opposite side of the river from the town, so it is a bit of a walk to town to get to tours or to see anything. If you don't mind being out a bit more in the outskirts then it's beautiful old hotel that has a lot of history and character to the property. Definitely explore the gardens and property if you stay in this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

The setting of this hotel above the cliffs in Lagos was stunning and nice. It did feel a bit dated and needs a little refresh. We had an ocean view suite and I'd say the decor was very basic at best. But clean and completely satisfactory. There were very few chairs around pool which I found odd. It wasn't crowded so it wasn't hard to get a chair necessarily so maybe they bring more out as it gets closer and closer to high season. But there was definitely things broken here and there and the golf course looked completely neglected. But honestly the two things that made it so I would not choose to stay there again were the fact that there were zero plugs in either of our bathrooms for a curling iron or hair appliance. Nor were there any by any mirror anywhere in our large suite. That was so odd to me. And the other things was they had the thermostats in rooms locked so you could only lower your a/dto like 21 degrees. I just feel like a 5 star hotel that I am paying quite a bit of money to stay at should allow their guests to set the room at what temperature they like. This is definitely a family oriented hotel. Seemed like lots of small families from the UK on long weekend there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sintra Day Trip with Visit to Pena Palace

Lisbon

I believe Philipa was our guide. She was great. We had 7 people in our group and had a great day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Lamego Day Trip

Portugal

Pedro was awesome. I honestly wasn't sure about what there could be interesting to see in Lamego, But he showed us so many great things in this small quaint town. We found out he is a sommelier and he does a lot of wine trips and since there was a sparking wine producer close in Lamego we ended up stopping there an d it was so cool. Highly recommend Pedro for curated wine days

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local Food Walk

Porto

Joao was a great tour guide. It said we were in a small group, but it was just us. We ate so much food and he took us so many places and was delightful. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Joanina Library & University of Coimbra Visit

Coimbra

Eva was our guide for this and the Coimbra food walk. She was so cute and spoke such great English. We enjoyed both tours with her so much. I'd say if people are short on time, skip the food tour and just do the library and university and a general city tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Douro Valley & Wine Estates Day Trip

Portugal

Andreia and her husband gave us a great wine tour. We saw the valley and got to go to two small wineries that was fun since we were staying at one of the bigger ones. She took us on a boat tour down the Douro River and the lunch was so huge. We completely enjoyed our day with her.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Benagil Cave Visit by RIB

Lagos (Algarve)

I was unsure what to expect from this RIB boat trip. But I was so glad we were on a small boat and not a big catamaran or something. Definitely worth it to get in to smaller spaces. We got lucky because sea was so calm on the day we went so no bumpy ride. Loved it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great time thanks largely to all of your work. All of the hotels were really nice and we particularly liked the one in Seville (our fave) and the one in Barcelona (our 2d fave). The locations were great and the staff at each one was very helpful.
The tour guides were all at least very good and some were excellent! The drivers showed up on time and often gave us their own version of the city tour! I would say that the pick up at the train stations were not as smooth as some of the others, but our last driver called and told us exactly where he was going to be, and we met him there. If the other drivers could be asked to do that, I think future travelers would find things that much easier.
Truly, we talked often about what a great job you and your team had done for us and except for those few “ hiccups,“ it is hard to imagine how things could have gone any better. Thank you for making our first trip to Spain so much fun!

Review and comments on trip to Scotland May 2025
From Donald Hamburg and Jan Prokop
May 28, 2025
Dear Kim and Alex:
From our very first correspondence and in all our contacts with you, we advised you that the principal purpose of this trip was landscape photography, generally in the Highlands. That goal was often repeated. As it turned out, the very first landscape photo was taken on day 7 on the Isle of Skye. Poor planning on your part and our inadequate review of the itinerary you proposed created unnecessary problems with our trip. Comments below:
Day 1 and Day 2 in Edinburgh were sufficient. Day 3 not necessary at all. The Bonham was very good.
Day 4 Allen, our driver/guide was very good. The tour of St Andrews golf course was very intersting and the guide was excellent. Pine Trees hotel in Pitlochry was very good. The manager was very helpful and a delight. He offered to drive us to the restaurant, but said it would be a hike to walk back to the hotel. Had to cancel the dinner reservation as there was no transportation from the restaurant. We dined at the hotel. What was your reasoning for us to stay in Pitlochry? We could have taken the train from St. Andrews straight to Kyle.
Day 5 the train to Inverness was ok but the first-class tickets and reserved seats were not honored. The conductor told us our seats were taken and that there were no seats in Coach A. We managed to get seats in Coach C. We will send you the reserved seat tickets if you need them to get a refund for the first-class seats.
The two nights in Inverness were totally wasted. No need to go there at all. The Lock Ness cruise and visit to Urquhart Castle were an unnecessary diversion. We could have travelled from St Andrews straight through to Kyle. The Kitchen restaurant was very good in Inverness, tho service was very slow.
Day 7 the train to Skye was fine. The Marmalade Hotel was too far from town and there were NO taxis. We could not keep the dinner reservation because there was no transportation.
Days 8 and 9 were basically the whole trip. The guide, Neil MacLeod, was fabulous. The Talisker tour was a waste of time. It was all about getting us into the gift shop. The trip through Trossachs National Park became redundant. Neil tried to make it as interesting as he could, but mile after mile of barren hills with not much to photograph was a disappointment. Day 9 should not have ended in Loch Lomond. Another 32 miles and we would have been in Glasgow. Why did you make a dinner reservation the Cameron Grill 17 miles away from the hotel when there was no transportation and after we had spent 8 hours in a car with Neil? Neil could have taken us to Glasgow or he could have left us off in the village of Luss and a new driver could have taken us to Glasgow. No need to stay at the Loch Lomond Arms hotel. We dined at the hotel – again.
Day 10. The Kimpton hotel was fine. We spent the day on a sightseeing bus and got to see a lot of Glasgow.
Since we knew very little about the geography of the Scottish Highlands, we had no knowledge of the distance between towns or the distance between our hotels, the restaurants, and the towns. In all, much too much down time and the purpose of the trip (landscape photography of Scotland’s fabulous scenery) was not fulfilled.
Donald and Jan