Kimkim Trip Reviews

The guide and driver Robert was fantastic. He shows great knoledge as a guide, great driver and a very nice person.
We enjoy all the beautiful places and the trip plan was perfect.
Also very good hotels.

Hotel Reviews

Toravaig House Hotel

Isle of Skye

Authenticity & Character

Location

The place is nice but nothing around.

Staff

The reception girl was not very friendly but did her job.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Glenmoriston Townhouse Hotel

Inverness

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh

It is wonderful. It is a must place to visit in Edinburgh

Tomatin Whisky Distillery

Scotland

Very interesting . The guide was very good.

Quality of Experience

Highland Sheepdog Experience

Scotland

I loved it. Highly recommended

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Crafted a good first-order itinerary tailored to our interests with an efficient plan of travel. Documentation was easy to follow.

Utilized local knowledge to select well-located and pleasant accommodations. This provided value to us as we were not familiar with many of the locally branded hotels.

Communication during trip was spot-on: Kimkim let us know one or two times that they were there if we had any issues but did not over-communicate as some might do. In the end, did not require any assistance while traveling. Communication responsiveness during planning phase could be improved as client was required to reach out during several extended periods of “radio silence”.

Greater attention (QA/QC) required as critical review of final agenda and vouchers caught numerous errors/omissions (e.g. incorrect ferry tickets, missing vouchers, accommodations lacking confirmation numbers).

Would have appreciated advice or suggested booking of activity for a 4.5-hour visit to Aran Islands (Inis Mór). We identified gap and pre-booked in-demand tour prior to sell-out. Also added stop at Rock of Cashel that provided a nice visit and break in a 3 hour drive from Dublin to Cork.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inconvenient parking (public garage 2 blocks away). AC inadequate to maintain comfortable temperature.

Salthill Hotel

galway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dingle Harbour Lodge B&B

Dingle Town, Co. Kerry

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lacks lifts to 2nd floor (luggage) and AC

Brook Lodge Boutique Hotel

Killarney, Co. Kerry

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blarney Woolen Mills Hotel

Blarney, Ireland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Irish Dancing Show

Galway

Quality of Experience

Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher Day Cruise sailing from Galway

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self-booked off-road tour

Transport

Self-booked off-road tour

Guided Visit of Cork city Gaol ( Former Prison in Ireland)

Cork

Quality of Experience

Guinness & Jameson Irish Experience Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tickets for St Patrick Cathedral, Dublin

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Trinity Trails & Book of Kells Guided Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dublin Highlights and Hidden Gems Walking Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aggeliki picked some fabulous lodgings and made sure we had some memorable excursions for both adults and kids. We had a great time!!

Eric put together a great itinerary for our group of 7, with age ranges from 9 to 77. We were able to travel together in a large 4x4 van. The accommodations were very nice and ranged from cabins, to villas, to downtown apartments. Eric was able to put together an itinerary that allowed for both shared activities and separate activities based on physical capabilities. All the information provided was detailed, clear, and really made for a nice, relaxing, but also very adventurous trip. In 8 days, we were able to see many of the highlights of Iceland, but also had plenty of time for exploring and side missions. Overall fantastic trip!

Our 6-day Galápagos trip with kimkim, visiting San Cristobal, Isabela, and Santa Cruz, was outstanding in every aspect. Organization was seamless—transfers, ferries, and daily excursions all went flawlessly, and every detail was coordinated in advance, making the experience truly worry-free. The hotels were comfortable, clean, and charming, with attentive staff at each location.
Excursions and guides were a highlight: we explored iconic wildlife sites, went snorkeling with turtles and penguins, and enjoyed insightful guided tours to giant tortoise reserves and the Charles Darwin Research Station. The guides were exceptionally knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and engaging, making each activity both fun and educational. Special thanks to Viviana in Santa Cruz!!!
In Quito, the service quality continued at the same high standard. Special mention goes to Matteo, who was especially helpful—offering insightful guidance, arranging smooth logistics, and enhancing our city experience with his expertise and friendliness.
We highly recommend kimkim for a Galápagos and Quito adventure—well organized, reliable, with excellent guides, great service, and memorable experiences from start to finish

Our 6-day Galápagos trip with kimkim, visiting San Cristobal, Isabela, and Santa Cruz, was outstanding in every aspect. Organization was seamless—transfers, ferries, and daily excursions all went flawlessly, and every detail was coordinated in advance, making the experience truly worry-free. The hotels were comfortable, clean, and charming, with attentive staff at each location.
Excursions and guides were a highlight: we explored iconic wildlife sites, went snorkeling with turtles and sharks, and enjoyed insightful guided tours to giant tortoise reserves and the Charles Darwin Research Station. The guides were exceptionally knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and engaging, making each activity both fun and educational (special thanks to Viviana in Santa Cruz).
In Quito, the service quality continued at the same high standard. Special mention goes to Matteo, who was especially helpful—offering insightful guidance, arranging smooth logistics, and enhancing our city experience with his expertise and friendliness.
We highly recommend kimkim for a Galápagos and Quito adventure—well organized, reliable, with excellent guides, great service, and memorable experiences from start to finish

Our trip was amazing on so many levels and in so many ways. Mieke did an incredible job setting everything up. Our guides were great as were all the recommendations for restaurants. THANK YOU so much Mieke and everyone that made this a trip of a lifetime!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel des Galeries

Brussels

This hotel was amazing!! Great location. Very clean and well kept. I would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Great authenticity and character.

Location

Great location. In the middle of great shopping and restaurants, but still private and quiet.

Staff

Staff was very helpful and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vey clean and comfortable.

Comic Art Hotel

Ghent

We loved this hotel. The comic theme was very cool. It is in a great location as well and the staff was amazing!!

Authenticity & Character

Such great character and with the comic theme it is very authentic.

Location

The location is great. Right next to the canal and a couple blocks from all the action. It is perfect!!

Staff

The staff was amazing!! Incredibly helpful and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was very clean and very comfortable. Five stars for sure!!

The James Hotel Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Fantastic hotel!! It is very clean and the staff is very friendly.. Great location as well. We would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

This hotel has great character and authenticity. I really liked it.

Location

The location is prime. Close to shopping, restaurants and plenty of action, yet quiet and comforatble.

Staff

The staff was top notch. Very polite and very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

This hotel is very clean and very comfortable. Top rated on this too.

Boutique Hotel Beekhuizen, Velp

Velp

This hotel is stunning. It is so pretty. The staff was amazing as well. I would stay here again for sure!!

Authenticity & Character

Filled with character and authenticity.

Location

Being in the forest makes this extra special and incredibly beautiful!!

Staff

The staff was very kind and very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

This hotel was very clean nd incredibly comfortable.

Boutiquehotel Staats

Haarlem

This is an amazing hotel. The staff was fabulous and everything was very clean. I would definitely stay here again,

Authenticity & Character

This hotel has so much character. I absolutely LOVED it!!

Location

Staff

The staff was so friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean hotel and very comfortable as well.

Activity Reviews

Amsterdam - Private canal cruise

The Netherlands

A must when in Amsterdam!! Those Damn Boat Guys were amazing!! Very knowledgably and took the time to answer questions and educate us.

Quality of Experience

This experience was amazing!! You get to see the city from a complete different vantage point.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Outstanding!!!!

Transport

The boat was very comfortable and we all felt very safe.

Amsterdam - Grand Dutch food & history tour in small group

The Netherlands

This tour was exceptional. Our guide Bo was amazing!! I would highly recommend this to anyone.

Quality of Experience

This was well worth the cost and the time.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bo was exceptional. Very knowledgeable and very kind.

The trip that kimkim planned for our 2-week trip to Spain and Portugal was amazing! We didn't have to worry - everything was taken care of, from the drivers, to the guides, to the train tickets, it was an A-plus experience! We have 9 activities scheduled over our 14 day trip, and it is difficult to determine which one was our favorite. But the cooking class in Seville and the lunch at the vineyard (under a 2,000 year old olive tree) on our way to Lisbon were definitely up there.

I also had to rely on the team during our trip for a request, and they got back to me within 15 minutes. Truly exceptional work and wonderful planning by Beatriz. Would absolutely recommend kimkim to all our friends and we will never travel internationally without them.

Tim

Hotel Reviews

Torel 1884 Suites & Apartments

Porto

Accommodations were nice but did not feel as luxury as the prior places that we had stayed on our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We didn't realize that the suites would be apart from the main building.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palácio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel

Lisboa

The friends that stayed with us agreed that this might be the nicest hotel that they ever stayed in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palmares Signature Suites

Odiáxere, Lagos

If you like luxury accommodations with golf, pools, a Michelin-starred restaurant and access to the beach, this is the place to stay!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Everyone was accommodating to provide shuttles to beach and to apartment.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Regina

Barcelona

Beautiful hotel! Definitely set the tone for the trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Thelma was very professional and knowledgable about the area and the vineyards. She took us to a traditional Portuguese restaurant that was absolutely delicious and that we would never have found or chosen on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Sintra is very unique and our driver had family who grew up there so he knew how to get around easily and took us to some of the areas that were not as touristy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Secret Porto Walking Experience

Porto

Felt like we were just following our guide around while she walked ahead of us. Did not find our guide to be very engaging at all.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Boat Excursion Inside Benagil Caves

Portugal

The pictures from this boat trip were amazing! I've never seen caves like this in my lifetime.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Traditional Andalusian Cooking Class & Market Visit

Seville

One of our favorite activities! Chef Leo and Carmen were amazing! Great sense of humor, helpful, supportive. And also, the food we all made was delicious. Tried one of the dishes at a restaurant the next day - ours was much better!

Quality of Experience

Food

Gazpacho, spinach and chickpeas, paella

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit an Andalusian Olive Oil Estate

Portugal

Loved visiting the picturesque property. The guide was friendly and knowledgable. And the olive oil was delicious! A bottle of your choice is included with the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Visit of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Miguel, our guide spent extra time with us and asked what WE wanted to do. He then took us to a beautiful music hall in Barcelona before we even went to La Sagrada Familia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exclusive Tapas Culinary Experience

Barcelona

This first activity set the tone - and we were literally starting about an hour after got to the hotel.

Quality of Experience

Variety of foods and places was comprehensive

Food

Croquets, sangria, pinchos, Russian salad, etc.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Brais, was very enthusiastic and engaging. He introduced us to a lot of different types of tapas we would then encounter later in Spain.

Transport

We had a wonderful family trip to Ireland, guided by Eleanor. Our favorite hotels were Lough Eske near Donegal, which I highly recommend. We hit the jackpot on weather except for the Aran Island day, but honestly, it was so full of tourists, I'm not sure I'd enjoy that anyway. If I had to do it over again, I would stay in a hotel closer to Galway city center so we could walk to dinner and the bars. Galway is magical and loved the people and energy. The sights are amazing, but the reason to go is for the people!

Hotel Reviews

Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport

cloghran

The Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport was not very nice. It felt dirty and less than welcoming. However, it served its purpose as a place to stay before departure, but I wouldn't stay there again for other parts of a trip.

The Lodge at Ashford Castle

Cong

The Lodge at Ashford Castle was nice with lovely breakfast, but the lodge rooms weren't as good compared to Lough Eske. We were disappointed that even as guests, we couldn't tour the main castle unless we booked a meal there. The amenities on the property were wonderful, including falconry and archery, but the approach regarding castle access left me a bit dissatisfied.

Lough Eske Castle Hotel

Lough Eske Castle Hotel was our favorite. The garden suites were amazing, almost as big as my daughter's apartment! The grounds were beautiful, and the staff was wonderful. They had a great cab service that made it easier to explore. Just be mindful about the distance from towns, which was challenging for nighttime driving.

Bushmills Inn

Bushmills

Bushmills Inn was beautiful, like a little fairy tale. The staff were amazing, and everything was super nice. The only downside was the lack of AC during a heatwave, which made it a bit uncomfortable despite having a fan in the room. The food, people, and overall experience were great.

The Grafton Hotel

Dublin 2

The Grafton Hotel in Dublin was terrific. It was in a great location, allowing us to walk everywhere without needing an Uber or cab. The hotel was very clean, and the staff were super nice. I would say it's a wonderful hotel for being centrally located and to easily explore the area.

Activity Reviews

Slieve League Cliffs

Donegal

The boat cruise by Slieve League Cliffs was a fantastic experience. It was very neat, and we had a lot of fun seeing the cliffs from the water.

Rosapenna Golf Resort - St Patrick's Links

Donegal

The boys enjoyed playing golf at Rosapenna Golf Resort. They loved the experience and had a great time on the course.

Glenveagh National Park and Castle

Donegal

The visit to Glenveagh National Park and Castle was enjoyable. The natural surroundings were breathtaking, making for a peaceful and refreshing experience.

Carrick-a-Rede Bridge

Ireland

Carrick-a-Rede Bridge and Dunluce Castle were beyond anything we imagined. It was some of the coolest things we saw during our trip.

Carrick-a-Rede Bridge

Ireland

The Carrick-a-Rede Bridge experience was beyond our expectations, offering stunning views and a thrilling walk. Truly one of the standout highlights of our trip.

Guinness Storehouse Tour

Dublin

The Guinness Storehouse Tour and visiting Trinity College in Dublin were perfect ways to start the trip.

Guinness Storehouse Tour

Dublin

The Guinness Storehouse Tour was exciting and well-organized. We loved it as part of our first-day Dublin activities, pairing perfectly with the visit to Trinity College.

Traditional Sheep Farm Tour

Ireland

The Traditional Sheep Farm Tour at Killary Sheep Farm was super fun! We enjoyed the sheep herding demonstration, and watching the sheep shearing process was fascinating. The views from the farm were gorgeous, and both my kids got to hold a sheep. It was a delightful experience for everyone.

Surfing Lessons in County Sligo

Ireland

The surfing lessons in County Sligo were fun, but compared to Bundoran, the waves were not as good. I would recommend going to Bundoran for a better surfing experience and setting.

Highlights of the Wicklow Mountains National Park

Ireland

The tour of Wicklow Mountains National Park was terrific. Our guide was personable and took us to see extra locations like the forty foot from the show 'Bad Sisters'. We had a really nice time visiting the mountains and Glendale Monastery, capped off with a delightful lunch.

I am not one prone to overenthusiasm, but I honestly would give kimkim 6 out of 5 stars if I could. They were simply incredible - perhaps the most distinguishing accomplishment was them getting us tickets to the Ghibli museum for our trip. I did not think that much of it until I discovered asking others that NO ONE else had been able to get tickets.

That seeing the Ghibli museum was a dream come true for my son, leaving him almost in tears, made it that much more special.

But that was far from the only thing: we put forward an aggressive schedule of wants, assuming perhaps we could get half of them in. Eleanor did an amazing job finding us the bullet trains, planes, buses and private cars to allow us to somehow - manageably! - fit it all in.

The private car in Kyoto that allowed us to see the big three shrines there was particularly key - it was a comfy enough car to allow us to take catnaps between events and be fresh as a daisy for the next shrine!

The guides were also exceptional - Yukari who guided us through Tokyo, was impressive - with a great command of English, sense of humor, good energy - and a wealth of knowledge! - to keep us in good spirits through the entire day. Taku, Nammi and Michi were also first rate - guiding us through Kyoto as well as the nightlife of Kyoto and Osaka. Taku gave us a wonderful short list of key japanese words to know in addition to relating the history of the shrines. All very knowledgeable and positive.

And the drivers always seemed to pop out of nowhere to sweep us up directly at the exits and on to the next event.

We had a couple of crises I won't bother with the details of but suffice it to say that Eleanor and the KimKim team had the solution and saved the day - every time.

As a bit of an aside, I came from a week working with the KimKim agents in Vietnam and Thailand - and they were quite impressive as well. So, if you are planning a larger trip to Asia or just Japan, I cannot - cannot! - recommend them more highly. Spectacular.

Overall I would say the trip was a success. There were a few issues but those happen. Generally the tours were good as well as the guides. The hotels were good with the exception of our hotel in Paris being too hot and in a neighborhood that didn’t make much sense from a tourists perspective. Our itinerary was pretty intense and we might have scaled back some of the activities if we did it again. There were pleasant surprises regularly as you would expect when traveling to a new place. I would rate our tour company as fine. There were a couple of issues that cropped up on a Saturday and there was no response until Monday, so that was a bit frustrating. Overall 3.75 stars

Hotel Reviews

ROYAL ANTIBES Luxury Hotel, Residence, Beach & Spa

Antibes

Good location. The staff, especially the beach staff were pretty rude.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Beach staff were incredibly rude.

Cleanliness & Comfort

UP Ultimate Provence

La Garde-Freinet

Only one night but amazing place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Hotel Cezanne

Aix-en-Provence

Enjoyed this place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Silky by HappyCulture

Lyon

A little dated but serviceable. Only there one night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel de Bourbon Mercure Bourges Hotel

BOURGES

Only there one night but was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Littéraire Arthur Rimbaud

Paris

Not the location I would choose again. Do not stay on the top floor in the summer. The air conditioning cannot keep up.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Too far from key locations.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Perfume Tour in Nice - Atelier découverte

Nice

Fine.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sunset Hike & Aperitif in the Esterel Massif

France

Skipped

Kayaking in the Cap d'Antibes

France

Not close to where we were staying. Probably could have skipped this one.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was great.

Visit an olive oil mill & estate

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Restaurant | Food & Wine Pairing in Aix en Provence (4 dauphins menu)

Aix-en-Provence

Food was fine but there was no wine. This was essentially a dinner reservation.

Quality of Experience

Food

It was good but nothing special as I might have expected.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Lyon Gourmet Tour

Lyon

Nice time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discover Guédelon: A journey back in time

Bourges

It was pretty neat but exclusively French while we were there. All of the demonstrations etc were in French which was fine but would have been amazing if there was some English translation. The distance traveled would make this a difficult recommendation for an English speaking family.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marais Pastry and Chocolate Tour

Paris

Great tour and tour guide was fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Louvre Treasure Hunt (kids or teens tour)

Paris

Good amount of time for Louvre with kids.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Electric Bike tour of Paris' Hidden Gems - Small-group

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paris: Illuminations Seine River Cruise

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The concept of kimkim is great. We enjoyed the trip and it overall went well. After many trips with kimkim, we continue to be very happy, and we would clearly continue with Kim Kim.
Only one out of three hotels was not the best we would recommend due to very few sitting areas with A/C and internet, both accessible only in the lobby, but the location was really pretty.

Thank you Berat for planning a wonderful trip. We enjoyed our stay in Istanbul. Everything went smoothly. We had an excellent guide and a nice hotel.

Hotel Review

Armada Hotel

Istanbul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Crossing between Continents: Explore Kadıköy and Moda

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Dolmabahçe Palace

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

I’m

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Portugal was amazing! We originally planned to go to visit the NOS Alive music festival and decided to build a family vacation around that. I literally knew nothing about Portugal, and in my research, stumbled upon the Kimkim site. I entered my goals - see the country, have a little adventure and a little relaxation, and Pedro worked his magic. With his expertise of the country, he planned a perfect itinerary for our trip (which included myself, my husband and our 13 year old). Communication leading up to the trip was very responsive and we felt totally prepared as we departed on July 4th.

We were first greeted by our driver Pepe - he messaged us when we landed to let us know where to meet him. It was a very warm welcome, complete with waters, snacks and a comfortable ride north to Porto. We stopped in a couple of towns along the way - Obidos and Najare - and Pepe gave us tips about what to see, what to eat/drink, and the best spots to do it. He also knew that by the time we had lunch in Najare, the jet lag would kick in so let us rest for the remaining hour and a half to Porto. The hotel in Porto was fabulous - perfectly located near restaurants and a short walk down to the river. The next morning we met our guide Bernardo who gave us a walking tour of the city. He was very knowledgeable (and passionate!) and we learned a lot about the city's history, architecture and even his childhood. We loved Porto - such a vibrant city! We even climbed the Porto Bridge so we could get a view of the river and city - so much fun!

We also did a tour of the Duoro Valley. Ricardo was our driver for this day-long adventure. He drove those squirrely roads with excellence while filling us in on information about the valley (and showed us the cork trees - so cool!). We did a river boat tour and then visited a winery where we enjoyed a delicious meal and then had a private tasting and winery tour lead by Fabio.

Ricardo was again our driver down to Lisbon. We were sad to say goodbye to him but checked into our apartment and geared up for a walking food tour in Lisbon. Pedro was our guide and took us to a few of his favorite good spots while also pointing out some highlights of the city. It really helped us get our bearings right away. The next day, we were happy to be reunited with Pepe who took us out to the lovely town of Sintra. Beautiful palace and grounds and then afterward took us back along the water, thru the lovely town of Cascais and - importantly - gave us tips for how to get to the music festival the next day.

As an aside, the festival was FABULOUS! So clean and well run - and my daughter had so much fun watching Mark Ambor, Noah Kahan, Benson Boone and Olivia Rodrigo.

The next day we were off to The Algarve. Pepe had fortunately given my husband driving tips which came in VERY handy! We did a boat tour to see the Ponto da Piedade Caves - so fabulous. Our boat guide was Joao and he was assisted by his daughter Priscilla. He was very good at navigating the tight spaces of the caves - we were quite impressed!

We ended our trip in Cascais. We stayed at the absolutely fabulous Miragem hotel - the perfect way to end! We enjoyed a delicious meal in Cascais at Clandestino, and stopped at Santini for gelato (Pepe's recommendation) before heading back to pack up.

Pepe drove us back to the airport - a full circle moment - the perfect way to end the trip.

Pedro, our guide, was totally attentive to every detail. Not only was everything planned perfectly, but he also sent reminders to us every day so we felt equipped for the next day's activities. We also asked to make a change to a pick-up time and Pedro and his team adjusted it with no issues. I would absolutely recommend Pedro to anyone looking to visit Portugal. If you do go, please say hi to Pepe and Ricardo for us!

Thanks to Pauline and team for helping us create an amazing trip. It was a great combination of their expert recommendations and our personal requests with enough freedom to discover new places along the way.
Highlights include Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, and too many places to mention in the Highlands! We loved Inverness and the surrounding area. History, beauty, nature, and everyone is friendly and helpful. Shout outs to our hosts I. Edinburgh and Inverness, to Izzie at Tomatin (what a genuinely kind and knowledgeable person)!

Activity Reviews

Glenlivet - The Original Tasting

Scotland

Rick was a wonderful guide. We had a great time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tomatin Distillery Tour

Inverness

Terrific experience learning about Scotch whiskey production. Izzie is a great guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre tickets

Inverness

Our guide was knowledgeable and complete!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

We loved that we could skipthe line because we had tickets and the guidebook is a great souvenir!

Quality of Experience

Transparency , quick response , and very reliable. Bruno was amazing. I have to also thank all the private guides who helped us with this amazing Brazil experience

We had a great trip and Hiroshi and the team were great. One potential item for improvement would be improved communication during the planning stage. Sometimes we were confused about why our itinerary was set up the way it was, but when we asked for clarification the explanation always made sense.

Highlights of our trip were the Ryoken in Narai, Sushi in Osaka, day trip to Hiroshima, Kimono photoshoot and Kinstugi in Kyoto, walking the Nakasendo. Great trip.

Hotel Reviews

Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel

Osaka

The view!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku

Tokyo

Great location in Asakusa. Just be aware the neighborhood gets quiet after 8 PM, so if you want a later meal there are slim pickings.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Gora KARAKU

Beautiful facility with opportunities to improve service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The service is not up to par. For example dinner is included and we were asked for the time when we checked in. The food was fine, but the service was not. We were served a kaiseki meal in less than an hour. Servers hurried the experience and it was rushed and uncomfortable. The service is below average for a property of this caliber.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The onsen facilities were lovely.

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Amazing location in Kyoto, close to everything. Rooms were compact and breakfast was all tourists. I think this is typical for Kyoto at this time of year.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Byaku Narai

Nagano

Beautiful property in a quiet Japanese village.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Experience Making Your Own Sushi Followed with a Top-Notch Sushi Dinner

Osaka

My favorite meal of the trip. Outstanding Omakase experience.

Quality of Experience

Private Kintsugi Experience with Kiyomizu-yaki: Restoring Beauty with Gold and Silver

Kyoto

What a neat experience at a 7th generation family business.

Quality of Experience

Dressing Up in Traditional Kimono and Enjoy a Photoshoot!

Kyoto

I thought this would be silly, but it was a lot of fun. We all enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Our trip through the northern islands of Norway was perfect. From start to finish, Mathia provided expert advice. I almost always plan trips on my own and I was a little nervous to use this service without a personal recommendation, but after using Kim Kim and Mathia for this trip, I may never plan on my own again. Each place we stayed was unique and I feel like we got a good feeling for the different areas in the islands. All the activities planned were exactly what our family enjoy, and we especially loved the excellent whale watching experience, biking, and midnight sun kayaking. We had no hiccups during the trip, but Mathia was always quick to respond with any questions I had about hike or restaurant suggestions. Would highly recommend Kim Kim and Mathia!

Hotel Reviews

Reine Rorbuer

Reine

Our favorite place we stayed! We had cabin 21, which was the last one on the road. Very authentic, beautiful views.

Authenticity & Character

Old fishing cabin-very cool!

Location

Could walk to everywhere in Reine

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

So much space

Nordis Suites

Svolvær

Loved the location. Right on the harbor.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

No AC, so was pretty warm at night.

Quality Hotel Richard With

Stokmarknes

Great location. Close to sauna. Easy to walk around town. Large rooms. Loved the shuffleboard downstairs. Very large, wonderful breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon hotel Andrikken

Andenes

Good location in Andenes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Skagakaia

Bø

Very special locally-owned guest house. We had the apartment, which was perfect for our family of four. Lone’s dinners were delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views of the water were beautiful!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Oslo Airport

Gardermoen

Easy bus trip from the airport. Comfortable rooms. Large buffet breakfast. Good place to stay if heading back to the airport, but would stay closer to downtown if wanting to spend time in Oslo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good place to stay if heading to the airport

Staff

Friendly and efficient

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Midnight Sun Kayak Tour

Norway

Beautiful evening. We couldn’t go into the fjords because of the wind, but it was still a great experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bike Trip Around Hadseløya

Stokmarknes

What a great day! We loved spending the day with Robin and exploring the island. The biking was not too strenuous, and we were able to see so much.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Meet our Local Guide - Hike and Explore beautiful Hadseløya

Norway

Loved meeting Mathia and learning about life in Vesterålen.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tour with Skagakaia Guide

Norway

Beautiful evening hike. Loved talking to Katie and getting insights on life in Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Summer Whale Watching in Andenes

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This review is a bit overdue..my first time using KimKim, but the experience and service was over the top. I would highly recommend them and would use their services again for future travel.
I decided two weeks prior to dperature that I wanted to have a summer vacation with my kids; something that blended history, culture, and experience they will cherish. Liz was able to share her insights, relate to traveling with children and give her recommendations on what worked and didn't work.
We started off 5 days in Paris and concluded with 4 days in Nice. Certainly not enough time in either place. The itinerary was very structured; guides were very friendly, fluent in English, and provided the same level of service KimKim had assured.
Our trip started with a climb up the Eiffel tower, we also had a nice four hour guided tour of the city that was catered to children's interests. We were able to experience a cooking class in a local Parisian's home; had an art class with a professional painter, had the opportunity to bike and picnic through Versailles, saw the local home of the recent Football champions - PSG. The team then organized a seamless flight transfer from Paris to Nice, which was amazing and everything you would think of the French Riviera. We were guided through the local towns and then spent a couple beach days exploring the local towns and enjoying the Mediterranean sun.
Travel is an opportunity to see the world, meet people and connect with ones self. As a single dad, this was a trip that my children and I will remember, and I hope to have another KimKim experience next year!

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel du Couvent, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nice

Nice

This place is awesome...its an old convent that took ten years to build. The grounds are immaculate. The private compound sits atop a hill. It houses its own bakery, own fresh gardens from where all fruits and produce come from. The restaruants on site are very different but exceptional. The view from the pool / spa area are amazing. The hotel is situated in Old town - very walkable. but if you don't want that, the hotel provides golf carts to transport you around the old town vicinity. A very different hotel experience that I would visit again!

Authenticity & Character

Preserved the convent feel with a modern take on luxury

Location

Situated within Old town - walking to plenty of restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel de Suede Saint Germain

Paris

Very quaint, comfortable and clean hotel. The staff was very friendly. This was my first time in Paris. The location was excellent and room accommodations were very nice for our family of three.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private French Riviera Sunset Electric Cruise (with private transfer)

Nice

This was a nice realzxing boat ride through along the coast of the Mediterranean. We took a picnic basket from our hotel and had dinner on board. The boat is more like a pontoon boat. The guide was very friendly and willing to take us whyever we wanted to venture to. We did catch the sunset which was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monaco, Monte Carlo & Eze Morning Excursion

Nice

Our guide was super - she was a local from Nice, and was extremely knowledgeable on the whole region. She was very patient and was able to make the tour relatable to kids. We started in Nice, and headed east towards Ville Franche, Eze, Monaco and back to Nice...the four hours went by very fast.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Saint Germain Stadium Tour

Paris

Home of the Football Champions! This was a highlight for my son. The tour was very thorough and showed us everything from the grounds, the locker rooms, the press conference theaters. It walked through the trophy room and gave a nice history of the stadium

Quality of Experience

Learn about the History of Impressionism with a Private Musee d’Orsay Tour

Paris

I'm glad to chose this tour versus doing the Louvre...this was far more manageable and with the allotted time, this was perfect. The guide had a background in history and art and was able to relate to the children and keep them engaged for the full tour. She brought along art samples and relative lessons that piqued our interests.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Art activity for kids and family in Paris

Paris

This was one of my children's favorite activities. We found a spot outside across the river, overseeing the Eiffel Tower. The art class entailed us to sketch, paint what we saw. The class was guided by a professional artist who was extremely talented, but also very patient in teaching and helping the children. This was a very nice keepsake souvenir for the children and myself

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Versailles Bike Tour

Paris

Amazing experience to bike, picnic and explore one of the largest castles in the world. We biked over 8 miles voering the Versailles grounds. The tour started with a train ride from Paris to Versailles. We stopped by a local market to pick up food for our picnic. Then we headed to pick up our bikes. The guide was very nonweldable and the tour around the grounds were very thorough.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

French Dessert Cooking Class

Paris

We did a dessert making class - I was not expecting this to be in a local Parisians home. The instructor was a professional chef. The area was extremely clean, professional and very enjoyable. We were paired with two other families - which was very pleasant experience as well.

Quality of Experience

Private Discovery Tour of Paris Highlights

Paris

Our guide was a retired history teacher and also a grandfather. His experiences was able to hold children's attention for over 3.5 hours. The tour was very comprehensive and gave a nice lay of the land prior to venturing out around town. There are so many aspects of Paris that its impossible to cover on your own; it was very helpful to have this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eiffel Tower Stair Climb with Optional Summit Access

Paris

We climbed to the summit of the Eiffel Tower - the views are spectacular and quite an experience to go to the top.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

very knowledgeable and was able to relate to kids

It has been almost a week now since my dream vacation ended but the memories are still fresh and wonderful. Antonia and Sara, thanks for being the best travel agents.
It was indeed the trip of a lifetime, and I am so grateful and appreciative of the work Antonia and Sara did to help make it so magical. I can’t say enough good things about Antonia and Sara. This was my second time working with them and I could not have been more pleased with the outcome. Antonia and Sara were great with the entire process from planning to updates during the trip. Everything was perfectly executed. The entire experience was seamless and memorable. Nothing escaped their attention. They were easy to communicate with and always responded promptly to any requests I had. The arrangements they made were flawless. The hotels had everything I could ask for and more. The transfers from place to place were handled in the most efficient way,
This was truly a trip to be remembered for all the good reasons. I am forever grateful to Antonia and Sara for helping me create a dream holiday. They are much more than travel agents. They are my friends, and that means a great deal to me.
In closing, I look forward to planning another adventure next summer.

Thank you for everything!