Kimkim Trip Reviews

It’s been several months since I returned. This trip goes down in memory as one of the best…and easiest! Kim Kim made super easy for my friend and I to travel to South Africa. They worked with us to customize a trip suited for our interest. Nadia was incredible - checking in on us all the time and helping make quick decisions if travel changed due to weather or other things. The guides they recommended were incredible- some we still keep in contact with. I’m planning my next two trips with Kim Kim because this experience was so special.

Activity Review

Full day penguin safari - Cape Peninsula

South Africa

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We visited India in Dec/Jan 25 as a family and it was amazing!
Active India team were great, especially Aditya.
Everything was exceptionally organized.
We visited Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Ranthambore and Varanasi and we had the most amazing time.
Would definitely recommend Active India to everyone

Tour operator in Vietnam & Cambodia created a well planned itinerary that matched our travel style & interests. They gave quick responses to our questions before our trip & during our trip & chose excellent guides & drivers with nice cars. Tracked our movements during the trip to make sure all was going well. Good hotels. Excellent platform for planning & communication. Highlight was meeting a family of a tour guide where they shared roasted sweet potatoes & corn. And another guide took us to his favorite off the beaten track eating places & taught us how to eat native fruits in the market. A memorable experience besides experiencing the best food!

Hotel Reviews

Angkor Village Hotel

Good location in Siem Reap, beautiful grounds & rooms. This was our favorite hotel of our trip. We didn’t want to leave. The rooms were fabulous. With the first walk-in, beautiful spa/meditation music playing from the room’s music system. Pure Nirvana.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful tropical grounds with huge Cambodia inspired decorated rooms.

Location

Walking distance to good restaurants & night market (Pub Street).

Staff

Very courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect

Thanh Lich Royal Boutique Hotel

Had a room under the restaurant & was noisy. They did change my room the next day which was quieter but heard rats in the ceiling during the night.

Authenticity & Character

An Asian style but so poorly maintained didn’t work.

Location

Close to the promenade.

Staff

Courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Was clean at least.

Hoi An Delicacy Hotel & Spa

Hoi An

Great little hotel in Vietnamese decor. Good location walking distance to Hoi An old town.

Authenticity & Character

Vietnamese decor & peacock theme throughout.

Location

Walking distance to Hoi An ancient town

Staff

Always helpful. All of the staff remembered our names, where we came from & when we were checking out. Truely amazing.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless.

Emeralda Tam Coc Resort

Luxury resort but not too pretentious. Great location.

Authenticity & Character

Vietnamese decor with beautiful tropical grounds & pool.

Location

In Tam Coc a quieter location than Ninh Binh city center but still near restaurants & shops.

Staff

Always helpful & courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless.

Victory Star Cruise

Hanoi

Advertised as a replica junk with sails but there were no sails. It was poorly maintained. Needed painting, wall paper peeling, picture frames broken & the anchor system so rusted I thought it could break at any moment. Towels like sand o Paper & faded. Outside furniture faded. The staff was courteous & helpful & food quite good. Just the boat was poorly maintained. And the false advertising of having sails. Not good at all.

Authenticity & Character

Maintain the boat as noted above. Don’t advertise as having sails.

Location

Ha Long Bay too touristy. Over tourism at its worse.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were hard as rocks. Was clean though.

Palago Boutique Hanoi Hotel

Hanoi

Just as pictured & noted.

Authenticity & Character

Felt like we were in Vietnam with the decor. Not a huge hotel which felt more authentic.

Location

In a good part of town & close to the places we wanted to go.

Staff

Yes. So nice & helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yes even the beds were comfy.

Activity Reviews

Siem Reap: Explore Angkor Complex Temples

Siem Reap

Temples amazing.

Quality of Experience

Remotes uniqueness

Food

Local restaurants with excellent local food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide always informative & helpful.

Transport

Buffet Dinner with Apsara dance show

Siem Reap

Show was just ok but too many tourists. Going through the buffet with that many people was a bit disgusting. Too touristy.

Quality of Experience

Food

Just average. Too many people to serve excellent food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was the best.

Transport

Our driver was there for us immediately after the show because we wanted to get out of there fast to beat the hundreds of people that would be leaving at the same time.

Hanoi - Halong Bay Cruise - Overnight on boat

Ha Long Bay

Too touristy. Would skip or just take a day tour. Too many boats & tourists.

Quality of Experience

Limit number of boats to at least half allowed in Ha Long Bay

Food

The buffet was excellent & serving staff professional.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cambodia is a great country to visit

We used KimKim for two parts of our Philippines trip - canyoneering in Cebu and a city tour in Manila.

The canyoneering tour was great. The driver was fine. He did a good job driving but didn’t interact with us or tell us much about the country. The drive itself was intense - few street signs or lights, lots of people and animals in the road, people driving in the wrong lanes - it was not for the weak of heart.

The canyoneering tour guides were incredible. We had 5 guides for our group of nine. It seemed like a lot in the beginning until we got in the canyon and needed every one of them to help lead us through. They did an excellent job navigating us through and taking so many awesome pictures. They’re clearly professionals because they knew all the good spots for pictures! That tour was a highlight.

The city tour of old Manila wasn’t great. Ana was very nice and accommodating. She took us to the hotel to drop off our bags and then drove us to a local restaurant to get lunch. She was very helpful in helping us order at the restaurant and making recommendations. But when it came to the actual tour of the old city I don’t think it hit the mark. She essentially just walked us through the different locations. They was very little sharing of the story of the country or the importance of the buildings and what they meant to the country or to the people. We had to ask her questions to get an understanding of what we were seeing and the resemblance. Ana was in a difficult situation because our group consisted of different age groups though and varying levels of interest. So she may not have known how to read our group and the appropriate way to guide us.

Overall our trip was amazing and would definitely recommend KimKim for the planning to others.

Hotel Reviews

Shangri-La Mactan

Beautiful hotel, slightly dated though.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the charm and decor.

Location

Awesome location, on the beach, lots of chairs at the pool and beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A/C was clutch!

Paolyn Houseboats

Coron

The house boat is spectacular. The accommodations were better than I expected and the service was as good as any 5 star resort. The location can’t be beat though. Truly a memorable experience that defined our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the middle of a beautiful lagoon with clear waters

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our boat was the best and it felt pristine inside. Everything was perfect.

Conrad Manila

Pasay City

I wouldn’t stay here again. Although the service and rooms were incredible, they were very strict about their Hilton Honors rules which are different from other Hiltons. I’m a Diamond member and typically get free breakfast for the guests in the rooms that I reserve but here they only allow two people the free breakfast, regardless of paying for two rooms. It was disappointing that their rules were so different because I would have stayed somewhere else if I knew.

Authenticity & Character

Very charming and well decorated for the holidays.

Location

Conveniently located next to the Mall of Asia. Not too far from the airport.

Staff

Superb service, everyone is very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manila Day Tour

Philippines

The city tour of old Manila wasn’t great. Ana was very nice and accommodating. She took us to the hotel to drop off our bags and then drove us to a local restaurant to get lunch. She was very helpful in helping us order at the restaurant and making recommendations. But when it came to the actual tour of the old city I don’t think it hit the mark. She essentially just walked us through the different locations. They was very little sharing of the story of the country or the importance of the buildings and what they meant to the country or to the people. We had to ask her questions to get an understanding of what we were seeing and the resemblance. Ana was in a difficult situation because our group consisted of different age groups though and varying levels of interest. So she may not have known how to read our group and the appropriate way to guide us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

More engagement, ability to share the history and culture of the country.

Transport

Great driver!

Canyoneering in Kawasan Falls

Philippines

The canyoneering tour was great. The driver was fine. He did a good job driving but didn’t interact with us or tell us much about the country. The drive itself was intense - few street signs or lights, lots of people and animals in the road, people driving in the wrong lanes - it was not for the weak of heart. The canyoneering tour guides were incredible. We had 5 guides for our group of nine. It seemed like a lot in the beginning until we got in the canyon and needed every one of them to help lead us through. They did an excellent job navigating us through and taking so many awesome pictures. They’re clearly professionals because they knew all the good spots for pictures! This tour was a highlight.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kept us safe, expert at navigating those roads!

This mother-daughter trip was organized by the awesome Aleksandra, who helped us in every step of the way with hotels, activities, tours, and everything we needed to have a great trip. We visited London, Edinburgh, Inverness, Glasgow and Dublin.
I will write as much as possible for each city.
- London: The hotel in London was comfortable, although the beds were very small, everything else was good, especially the room cleaning service. The breakfast was excellent. Our private Royal tour with Diana in Spanish was very good, the walking pace was calm and she explained in a detailed way the places we visited. The Shakespeare's Stratford and Cotswolds tour was nice, however, the time in each place was short and the group was very large which made it difficult for us to follow the guide. The Afternoon tea at Fortum & Mason was amazing, we had a great time and the manager explained every single detail about this tradition to us.
- Edinburgh: The hotel in Edinburgh was nice, the room was comfortable, large, and clean. The breakfast was good but limited in the dishes that they offered. We asked for a decaf coffee and they reluctantly gave us a press full of coffee, it wasn't until we spoke to the manager that they brought a cup and apologized. The hotel's location is excellent, you only need to take a bus to get to the center and the hotel's area is calm. Please, warn others NOT to take the tram, it is too far from the hotel. The Old Town private tour was rushed, full of relevant information and interesting historical facts. Gains, our guide, is an amazing guide, and patient, he allowed me to translate to my mom the information he was sharing with us. Possibly not fully appreciated because we visited the old town at night. The St Andrews & Kingdom of Fife tour was very nice, our guide shared great information, and he gave us the correct amount of time for each stop without rushing. Many places, especially the cathedrals like St Giles and St Andrews were closed during the whole time we were there.
- Inverness: The Ness Walk Hotel is the best hotel we've ever visited. It is a gem of Scotland. Inverness is a really small town but the hotel has a great location. Everything about the hotel was amazing, from the customer service to the hotel room, simply wonderful. The Ultimate Isle of Skye Tour was great, Emma showed us relevant sites during the tour. The bus was full and it was kind of uncomfortable but everything we visited was amazing.
- Glasgow: The Adress Hotel has very basic and small rooms. The bathroom is too small, especially the shower. Service upon arrival was slow and the hotel keys were disabled when we wanted to go up to the room. Absolutely NO ONE helped us with our bags, we were just told “There is an elevator”. I recommend this hotel for a few days for its good location but everything else is bad, to be honest. We booked a free tour online in Spanish with "Somos Escocia", highly recommended.
- Dublin: We honestly didn't have enough time in Dublin. This city is amazing, the people are warm and nice, and the city is lively and fun. The Cliffs of Moher was a great tour, the weather was amazing that day but the description said "small group" and it was a big group! like 40 people in a big bus. The tour was not bad at all but it wasn't a small group tour.

This was our first KimKim experience. We were initially hesitant but in hindsight our concerns will unwarranted. We had a terrific nearly flawless 14-day trip to Japan, and Sandy was absolutely fantastic! The iterative process of developing an itinerary was effective and efficient. The organization and accessibility of the information, itinerary, travel, details, and logistical material was terrific. Sandy was respectful of our preferences and budget. We balanced a few private tours with other days that were self guided on a couple of occasions where there was need for intervention with a hotel to straighten out something unexpected, Sandy was swift and effective. We typically plan trips ourselves, but hesitated to do so for this trip. Yes, there is a premium paid to get this type of assistance, but there was value in the additional cost and we would absolutely consider KimKim again for any travel that was beyond our comfort zone in self planning.

Activity Reviews

Shirakawago Day Trip from Kanazawa (With Hida Takayama)

Kanazawa

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Samurai Sword Experience for Adults in Kyoto

Kyoto

Kitschy and not at the same level as other activities. Samurai instructor was great but museum and tour were subpar.

Quality of Experience

Ikebana, Flower Arrangement Workshop in YANAKA, Tokyo

Tokyo

Terrific experience. Educational and fun! Great neighborhood for exploring as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guides and drivers were fantastic. Loved the hotels and all the excursions.

Hotel Reviews

Candeo Hotels Osaka The Tower

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Great location and staff. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day City Tour: Tokyo Skytree, TeamLab, Shibuya Crossing

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Hi

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Best part of the trip by far. Very authentic and memorable experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Antonis planned an amazing trip for our family. I'm writing this review a little late, but even 2 years later we all talk about how this was hands down our best vacation EVER. It was truly special. We would of never known about these fabulous, boutique style hotels. We did not have to think about a single thing as Antonis planned all the details. There was a transfer planned at every location, which made it so easy for a family of 5. We aren't usually the type of people that plans things ahead or use a travel agent, this was the first and definitely won't be our last. Pairing people with local specialist is such a great idea, because these specialists know the ins and outs as they are locals and can truly give you a unique experience. Thank you, Antonis!!

Tina helped plan an excellent trip. She took care of every detail.
In Bangkok, the private temple and Chinatown tours with Leena were fantastic.
Our stay in Phuket was also great. Loved the elephant sanctuary and kayaking adventure.
Will be happy to use Kimkim again in the future.

We had a wonderful trip and Paula did a great job pulling together such a fun trip given how logistically challenging it was with the IM 70.3 race being in Taupo. The hop on hop off ferry/bus ride to Waiheke Island was perfect for our first day, easy to access the ferry, take our time visiting little shops, do some archery and wine tasting. We loved the MSocial hotel in Auckland with super helpful staff, clean comfortable rooms, perfect views and great location. The rental truck worked perfect for all of our luggage and bike case. It would have been helpful to have more detailed instructions about how to navigate the rental return as there are two terminals at Auckland and two rental returns.
Raglan was my daughter's favorite place and we could not get enough of the bakeries and huge black sand beaches. The Coromandel area is absolutely beautiful. On our drive there we stopped at a Lavender Farm to pick blueberries and have some lavender/blueberry icecream. Although Whitianga is a lovely town, we would have preferred to stay in a town either on Hot Water Beach or closer to Cathedral Cove since that is where we spent most of our time and the driving is quite challenging on the very hilly curvy roads there. Also our stay at the Sovereign Pier was not as we hoped since it really was not a 4 star (more just a poorly supplied rental place) and was on a marina not near the beach at all so the description of this place was misleading.
Other than that we had an amazing trip and thankful for KimKim scheduling all our tours which were fantastic.
Thank you so much.

Our 9-Day Morocco Trip with KimKim Travel and MOBT Global

My husband and I recently had the pleasure of experiencing a fantastic 9-day trip to Morocco, organized by KimKim Travel and MOBT Global. The entire journey was thoughtfully planned, smooth, and packed with unforgettable experiences. From start to finish, we couldn’t have asked for a better way to explore this stunning country.

Trip Planning with Yassine (KimKim Travel)
The planning phase of the trip was exceptional. Yassine, our travel specialist at KimKim, was incredibly helpful in tailoring our itinerary to match our interests. He was responsive, offered great advice on what to see and do, and ensured we had the right balance of cultural exploration, relaxation, and adventure. From the bustling streets of Marrakesh to the serene blue of Chefchaouen, every destination was carefully chosen to give us a well-rounded experience of Morocco. The biggest highlight was spending Christmas Eve riding camels and camping in the Sahara Desert—WOW, what an experience! Our only wish is that we had more time to fully soak it all in.

Our Driver: Souifiane
A huge highlight of our trip was our driver, Souifiane. For 9 days, he was with us every step of the way, making sure we were comfortable, informed, and safe as we traveled across Morocco. Souifiane was not just a driver, but a guide in his own right—his knowledge of Morocco’s culture, history, and hidden gems made the trip even more enriching. Whether we were navigating the winding streets of Fes or cruising through the desert, he was always punctual, friendly, and willing to go the extra mile to make our experience better. This included his recommendation for a Hammam spa—an unforgettable experience that will never be repeated.

The Destinations
• Marrakesh: The vibrant heart of Morocco, Marrakesh was the perfect start to our trip. From the souks of the Medina to the majestic Jardin Majorelle, we explored the city's lively markets, historical palaces, and stunning gardens. The energy of this city is electric, and we loved every moment of it.
• Ouarzazate: Known as the "Gateway to the Sahara," Ouarzazate offered a glimpse into Morocco's cinematic history. The Atlas Film Studios were a highlight, and the nearby Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was a spectacular stop—straight out of a film set.
• Merzouga: No trip to Morocco would be complete without visiting the Sahara Desert. Riding camels into the dunes of Merzouga at sunset was an unforgettable experience. We spent the night in a desert camp under the stars, which was absolutely magical. The silence and beauty of the desert were unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
• Fes: Fes was an intriguing mix of old and new. The labyrinthine Medina was a maze of ancient history, with vibrant artisan workshops, centuries-old mosques, and the famous tanneries. It was a fascinating place to dive deep into Morocco’s cultural heritage.
• Chefchaouen: The "Blue City" was a highlight of the trip. Walking through its narrow streets lined with blue-washed buildings felt like stepping into a dream. The tranquility of the town, combined with its picturesque setting in the Rif Mountains, made it a perfect place to relax and explore.
• Casablanca: Our final stop, Casablanca, offered a contrast to the other cities—modern, cosmopolitan, and bustling. The Hassan II Mosque, perched on the edge of the Atlantic, was an awe-inspiring sight and a perfect way to cap off our trip.

Overall, this trip to Morocco exceeded all my expectations. The seamless coordination with Yassine and the excellent service provided by Souifiane made everything easy and stress-free. The country itself is mesmerizing, with a rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, and incredibly warm people. I highly recommend KimKim Travel for anyone looking to explore Morocco in a truly personalized and immersive way.
Thank you, Yassine and Souifiane, for making this journey so unforgettable. We will definitely be back for more adventures in this beautiful country!

Wow so much to say...........
I travel to Jerusalem, my tour guide is in Jerusalem. I will be traveling to Istanbul, my guide is in Istanbul. I vacation to Lapland and my guide is in Detroit/Estonia?? Emerson was too far away to be very helpful.
The hotel, Arctic Light Hotel, was very nice. The breakfast buffet wonderful. The front desk people very professional and nice. But was this hotel **** hell no! The room size was the size of my walk in closet in Texas. Amazing to say, there were no dresser draws or night stand tables with draws. So there was no where to unpack your suite cases. So we had one suite case on the coffee table, one on the chair and two on the floor. I went to the front desk and stated you have no dressers!! The attendant said I "went on line and saw the photo of the room, yes you do!" Went on line........ ?? Later I complained to the 'manager', we have no dressers. He walked up to the room and explained that the shelves on top of the closet were the draws for the cloths. If we were from Finland, six foot six, that explanation would still be laughable. But being Italian/Hispanic at 5 feet and five feet six, we needed a chair to put anything on those shelves.

I learned with the tremendous influx of tourists, that these tourist locations needed to hire workers from other countries. So as stated, the front desk people were all class, but some of the workers had little knowledge of their location. So for an excursion to say meet at the 'wild about Lapland' office location, and the hotel front desk is Googling where the office is, and our guide chilling in Estonia has no clue either, it added to the stress. To be honest, my old age did not help. Siri and hard to pronounce street names did not help 'maps'. Plus the I-phone was under six layers of cloths. With the 8 year old and the -25 C weather conditions, the fear of wondering around the city was petrifying. As you know, all the tours stated best be on time or will happily leave without you. Since 99.9% of the travelers are taking excursions, the hotel staff needs to know blindly where ALL these meeting locations are. Don't give me an address. Tell me walk out of the hotel, first left, walk up the street with the Christmas trees, pass Burger King .........

More fun things.........the driver from the airport. was nice until he got to the hotel. Then he happily put all the suite cases in the snow outside the hotel and asked if we needed help. Nah, just leave the f-ing suite cases in the snow. So he brings a couple into the hotel ten feet from the van, and starts to 'sing and dance' for a tip. Not tip given and stormed back into the street. On the way home, the driver, without asking, brought the suite case into the airport and was tipped. He was thrilled!

The 'Snow Hotel' and dinner probably the best of the trip. Unfortunately, mental blunder by the tour guide in Estonia. We were all finished with dinner at 21:30, and the bus to bring us back to the hotel was not to come until 23:00. So while Emerson was keeping warm, we were trying to avoid frost bite waiting for one and half hours in the ice cold lounge with the -25C temp.

The snow mobile excursion was great. But please don't mention a class to teach you how to drive one. Press the button to start, press here to go is not a class to manage the vehicle. I'll mention this here. We dressed and had cold winter cloths. We did not have to wear those unsightly winter jump suites over all our cloths. I imagine it's a legal issue. "We recommend that you wear our cloths and boots over your cloths so that you look like meat balls" The last two trips I refused. I was dressed plenty warm. This was the worst part of the trip for the wife. She being short, these outfits made her look so bad. Dressing the eight year old was difficult, and then putting the jump suites on ourselves was not fun. Plus on all the tours, they were yelling HURRY UP the tour was getting ready to leave!! We should have gotten to all the tours 1/2 hour earlier. But your excursions companies wish to jam as many tours into the day to generate as much cash as possible.

Emerson from Estonia, you can't book tours on the weekends at 8 am when the dinning facilities at the hotel don't open until 8. Or tell me where to get something to eat for the grand-daughter in the snow? Or how to eat with two pairs of mittens on?

But I saved the best for last. Where did you get this clown from? JOHKA 358-40-544-53854
The first 'Northern Lights' tour was cancelled. I was the one who e-mailed you when at 12:30 two days later I had heard nothing about a new tour. I got an email from you and notification from the front dest to be ready in the hotel lobby at 19:00. This Johka arrives 15 minutes late and then yells at me because the lights were better hours ago and he was unable contact me. Then he states he is driving to Sweden! So I said yeah, but the 8 year old and I are going to pee again before leaving.
By the way the wife was vomiting; food poisoning, the last two days of the trip and did not go on any excursions. Yes I know no refunds, since your company is so cheap, but not one of your people even said "I'm sorry she is not well" or "I hope she feels better". Not one! Very sad. Back to this clown.......We get into the van with a 7 and 10 year old girl and a wealthy mother. We drive into a snow bank, and this guy says to you want to take a portrait? I am thinking a portrait? With the grand-daughter totally covered up and only her eyes showing, and me looking like a balloon? No. I am thinking he will take a picture, go on line, google images Northern Lights Finland and photo shop. The only thing we had seen was mist'. He never explained what he was doing. Or his plan. This is when I would tell any of your clients get female tour guides. Females have brains, and men are dumb as dirt.

This Johka was a perfect example, dumb as dirt. The tour description stated Northern Lights 7 PM. Lasting 4-6 Hours
Ladies, imagine going on a eight (8) hour excursion and the driving never saying does anyone have to pee? Or are any of you children 7,8 and 10 year old girls hungry? WTF (For Emerson in Estonia this means What The F--k) It was only the children's mother who told me she requested that he found a bath room. So dumb as dirt says there is a 7 Eleven and gas station one hour away...........What??

We were given a box of cookies and juice. The children ate close to two hundred cookies. They were starving.
After driving around half the arctic, I asked him when we were heading home. He told me we were still in Sweden. It was 01:30. He told me we were another one and 1/2 hours from the hotel. Losing it, I told him he was getting 7, 8 and 10 year old children home at 3:00 in the morning? The girls didn't enjoy anything concerning the Northern Lights. The best part of the trip was eating ice cream at 7 Eleven. When we got back to hotel I told my baby let's get you into bed......it was 3 am. Your driver, I hope he wasn't expecting a tip, yelled out next time make sure you review the excursion details......I did later, tour time 4-6 hours. Not 8 hours. He wasn't the one to wake up the baby in four hours to the Zoo tour scheduled for the next day.
If I wasn't with my grand-daughter, I would have kicked his Finnish Ass right out side the hotel. The zoo tour guide the next day, a woman sweet like sugar, said I hope. it wasn't her company. They have an 'family friendly' tour a 7-11 tour and a longer Northern Lights tour. Emerson, just had a mental error booking us on the wrong tour. But none of the tours was listed as eight hours. If my wife, remember who was back at the hotel vomiting that no one cared about, would have choked his ass right in the snow bank.

Hotel Review

Arctic Light Hotel

Rovaniemi

I forgot.......when you travel to Europe the hotel rooms are the sizes of walk in closets. Our room had no dresser draws. It had no night stands/tables. There was no where to unpack or put your cloths. The front desk was highly professional and helpful. The hotel lobby very pretty and classy. The breakfast buffet just great. The breakfast buffet can't open at eight, if people have excursions that start at eight. The hotel is too expensive to have breakfast included in the price, and opens too late to capitalize on it. The location is perfect but some of the seasonal workers were unfamiliar with their surroundings

Authenticity & Character

just nice

Location

Right near main street with all the Christmas trees.

Staff

All class!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Flexible Northern Lights Hunting

Finland

I guess I should have known that with the naked eye you see nothing special in the Northern Lights. Only with a special camera and filters or computer enhancement do you appreciate the bright colors that you see on postcards or mugs. Oddly enough, taking photos of white haze and mist with my cell phone actually some color showed up. Our guide Johka avoid. He was an absolute jerk. He forgot he had three young girls on our tour. He never asked them if they had to pee or if they were hungry. He seemed to be more interested in their mother when she said that her husband was vacationing in Florida alone. They talked for hours while I was totally ignored. The trip should have lasted 4-6 hours. Our tour returned at 3 am, eight hours later, with all the children having non-refundable excursions in the morning. How pathetic. Then this ass outside the hotel when I tell my grand-daughter let's get you in bed, his response, "Next time read the excursion description". This clown had no common sense. He had no idea whom his passengers would be. He made no adjustments now knowing the ages of the children. I just hope this rich American womana from CA tipped him well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Get a female tour guide who has some. motherly instincts and common sense.

Transport

Don't put young children in a van for eight hours

Ranua Wildlife Park Visit

Finland

In Texas at the zoo the animals look half dead it is so hot. Here the animals were half hibernating or under ground due to the cold. The eight year old still had a blast

Quality of Experience

Food

Is the only food in Finland mashed potatoes and meat balls?

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide....sorry for forgetting her name (tall skinny white girl) was sweet like sugar and my grand-daughter just loved her,

Transport

Reindeer Safari in the Nature of Lapland

Rovaniemi

Great for kids Should have been given two sleds Two adults and an eight year old too tight and squished in one sled.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The owner of the Reindeer farm really did not have command of the English language. Hard to understand

Transport

SnowHotel & Ice Dinner Experience

Rovaniemi

very cool (cold) place. Grand-daughter enjoyed the hotel the best

Quality of Experience

Food

Dessert in ice dish very cool. It is just impossible to enjoy a hot meal when the temperature is -25C

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The experience and the dinner ended at 21:30. The return driver showed up at 23:00. What were we suppose to do for the other one and 1/2 hours??

Family Husky Safari

Finland

very cool and lots of fun feeding the dogs great for kids with the price of the excursion, I think we had to pay for the food to feed the dogs. Kind of cheap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I got yelled at for taking out my cell phone to take pictures.........I. understand the reasoning but kind of sad

Transport

Snowmobile Safari to Santa Claus Village

Finland

Nice Excursion Needed to spend more time teaching how to drive a snow mobile. No snow in south Texas. The above would have decreased some of the anxiety level.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All people want to take photos of their trip. Bad enough the I-phone is hidden in 6 layers of clothing, don't yell at people for taking out their cell phones to take pictures.

Transport

Mar and the entire Kim Kim team made our trip fantastic. We really appreciated the real time help when we had travel hiccups to help us find solutions (or reservations). The plan she set out for us made logical sense and we also got to maximize our time and see the best of Norway in the winter. LOVED the Flam train ride and all the activities in Flam. Mar and her team were very approachable with any and all questions and also very responsive. The only complaint would be that sometimes our taxi's did not accommodate our travel party and luggage, but we were able to work around this. I want to go back!

All of the transfers worked out seamlessly. We loved all of our guided tours and excursions with only one exception, which is impressive. Kim Kim was great to work with and had good ideas for things to do. We had only 8 days for our trip, but we were able to do so much and the planning made that possible. Would highly recommend working with Kim Kim!

Hotel Review

Hotel Eco Arenal

Fortuna

Affordable hotel with very nice breakfast and very comfortable beds. Beautiful grounds. Restaurant within walking distance. Easy to get to town via car/Uber/taxi. Friendly and helpful hotel staff. Cleanliness was average. The toilet are was not closed off from the room, only had a 3/4 door, making privacy a challenge. Showers were fine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

away from the bustle of town in a beautiful setting by a river, lots of wildlife

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

cleaner walls and bathrooms. install full doors to give toilet area more privacy.

Activity Reviews

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

Everything about this experience was incredible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & EcoTermales Hot Springs Visit with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was difficult to execute well because it was 2 very different activities merged into one. We were unable to complete the volcano hike because of extreme rain and lightning. We started the hike, but only proceeded to get drenched and muddy before turning around to go back to the bus. The rain made it impossible to even see anything beyond the path below our feet. The guide told the agency we canceled the tour, although the elements (lightening) made it unsafe to continue the hike. The guide was not proactive about guiding for this trip - he was basically an escort. We then sat in traffic in our wet clothes on the bus before arriving at the hot springs resort, only to learn that we couldn't enter the facility until our previously scheduled arrival time. We waited in the lobby there for 30 minutes. Would not recommend these 2 tours together. I'm sure the volcano hike is amazing though! The hot springs were incredible. Highly recommend those to everyone. Food buffet was great there too.

Quality of Experience

Amazing hot springs resort. Less amazing hike experience.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

incredible swim in the waterfall. did not matter that there were many people present - it was still so magical.

Quality of Experience

Semi-Private Surf Lessons at Tamarindo Beach

Tamarindo

The guides were so nice and we had a great time. The surf shop was excellent. Highly recommend them.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

our guides and all the staff - so friendly and helpful

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

Guide and trip were stellar. Would highly recommend this activity to anyone.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I want to thank Original Travels for planning an amazing trip to Morocco for our family of 3.Communication was on point and they delivered a 100% on everything from booking the Riads, Sahara camp to organizing knowledgable tour guides in different cities for us. Our driver Mustafa was friendly , sociable and took very good care of all our asks. Our tour guide Sharif in Fes gave us a great insight of the old city life ! Overall we came back with warm memories and would definitely recommend this company to anyone!

Hotel Reviews

Barceló Casablanca

Casablanca

Staff

The staff was not friendly, must be big city attitude

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Jasmine

Chefchaouen

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

We had a great time at this camp. The tents were clean and well decorated and equipped. The food was amazing and in the eveneings there was live Berber music performances around a camp fire! The sunset camel ride is a must!

Authenticity & Character

The staff consisted of Berber peole and we got to learn about their culture

Location

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Ksar Ighnda

Ait Benhaddou

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Absolutely fabulous trip. It was well organised and we had the best time and cannot fault the logistics.

Anna-marie and team did an amazing job planning our family trip to South Africa and Zimbabwe. From unique local experiences we never would have discovered on our own to ensuring our trip had enough to engage and inspire both kids (ages 10 and 12) and parents, I can't recommend their services enough! You won't be disappointed!

Happy New Year, Raquel! We had a FABULOUS and MAGICAL time in Spain! We can’t thank you enough for making this trip for our family of nine, run so smoothly and efficiently. Our drivers were top notch, always on time, courteous and very helpful, and the vehicles they transported us in were very comfortable, roomy, and accommodating. Your choices of hotels for us were AMAZING!..very clean, friendly staff, centrally located, and within walking distances to a lot of places we wanted to visit. The guides for all of our tours were very well educated, knowledgeable, and willing to go above and beyond their call of duty to answer any additional questions we might have, recommend eating places, and very patient when we needed to add an additional stop along the way to grab a water and/or a snack. The 15th birthday celebration for our granddaughter was a hit! She loved the cake, the balloons, the food, and the ambience in general. We were very pleased with how quickly someone always responded through the chat when we had questions, or needed existing reservations changed. We look forward to planning our next trip through KimKim, as you truly made our 50th Golden Anniversary a very memorable one!
Gloria and Jose Ramirez
Wimberley, TX

Hotel Review

Eurostars Puerta Real Hotel

Granada

Beautiful hotel with great amenities, super friendly staff, clean and spacious rooms, and a delicious spread for breakfast! Location is superb!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Barcelona Highlights: Guided Walk & Iconic Sagrada Família

Barcelona

This place is beyond belief!…a must see in person to really capture all of its beauty and exquisite detail. Dani, our tour guide, did an excellent job explaining the history of every corner of this amazing place!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Margoth was really helpful and on top of everything from planned activities to unplanned circumstances (changing plans, illness, etc). The guides took amazing care of us and were great guides!

Hotel Reviews

Sofitel Baru Calablanca

Cartagena

Cannot say enough about the level of service in every detail of our stay. One of best hotels I’ve been to.

Authenticity & Character

Great international vibe. Incredible food. Breakfast buffet fantastic!

Location

Remote, tranquil spot, away from all but other guests.

Staff

So accommodating!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless. Beautifully appointed everything and aesthetics and decor gorgeous .

Hotel Capellan de Getsemani

Cartagena de Indias

UNIQUE hotel. Tranquil inside. Great service. Perfect location.

Authenticity & Character

Rooftop great! Food great!

Location

Located in area with many art galleries, shops, activity

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

York Luxury Suites Medellín

El Poblado, Medellin

Great place, great location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Shopping, restaurants all nearby. Beautiful area.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel immaculate and well run!

Activity Reviews

Dinner Reservation at Andrés Carne de Res

Medellín

Andrés Carne de Res was also an amazing culinary experience in Medellín. The reservation was definitely worth it, and the food was excellent.

Dinner Reservation at OCIO / OCI.Mde

Medellín

The dinner at OCIO / OCI.Mde in Medellín was amazing. The food and atmosphere were fantastic, making it a perfect dining experience.

Chocolate Tasting and Colombian Cacao Experience

Cartagena

This was blast. Our guide Koko was a lot of fun and knew her chocolate!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mangrove Tour with Local Fisherman (Late afternoon)

Cartagena

Fascinating experience and don’t have to go far from city to do it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mo

Transport

Our guide and driver were fantastic

Christmas Lights Medellin Night Tour

Medellín

Worth seeing!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mo

Transport

The Best of Medellín City Tour Highlights (with Comuna 13)

Colombia

Learned a lot and saw a lot of the city. I highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport