Kimkim Trip Reviews

I began working with Kimkim Travel about a year ago to arrange a tour of Egypt, a lifelong dream I could finally realize.

Aya from Sun Pyramids Travel contacted us and worked very hard to help create an itinerary that not only met our desires, but was within budget as well. She is timely with her responses, given the 10 hour time difference, and cheerfully made adjustments as requested. We finally met her on our last evening in Egypt and are so happy to have become friends.

As for the actual trip, Aya's arrangements were nearly perfect. Our transports were always on time or within a few minutes, and our transport agent kept us informed.

We had three tour guides during our stay. Mohamed Allam in Luxor, Samir Gaber in Aswan and Sam in Cairo. All three were excellent, with broad knowledge of Egyptian history, and they took very good care of us, walking at our pace, offering rest stops or refreshments, and answering our questions. They were upbeat an cheerful throughout.

As with any tour of a foreign country, there were a few minor issues that caught us by surprise, but in every case, those were resolved quickly and to our satisfaction.

Our sincere thanks to the entire Sun Pyramids team, and to Kimkim for making the connection. We have had a remarkable experience in Egypt that we will forever remember.

Of all the trips I've taken with Kimkim, this was the most challenging. China presents special challenges for US citizens, and it would have been VERY helpful to get help from Kimkim prior to travel. Here are some examples:
Obtaining a China visa was very time consuming, very challenging, and very worrisome. The on line China visa is very difficult to figure out. Our visa applications were rejected a couple of times, adding a strong amount of stress as our trip date approached (we didn't receive visas until 1 week prior to our trip). Call me (+1 651-894-3410) and I can give you more info.
Setting up Alipay was challenging. Could have used help filling this out ahead of time.
I was told WeChat Weixin-pay wouldn't work in China. It did.
No one told me Alipay would not work in Hong Kong. I was very worried I wouldn't be able to pay for meals, groceries, etc since I didn't have the Hong Kong version of Alipay. Apparently Alipay can only be used in Hong Kong by people from mainland China (not foreigners), or people with only Chinese credit cards. We were not told this
Also, Hong Kong uses different money than mainland China. We were not told this. Luckily we find a few spots that take credit cards.
We are supposed to take public transportation (subway) on Saturday Aug 29 to meet for our second Hong Kong tour but without Alipay how can we do that? I ask Lisa to set up a ride to and from the tour.
We didn't know that we had to fill out exit forms for leaving Hong Kong to enter mainland China. One of our guides (Chas?) helped us fill out these on-line forms but had to charge us extra to do so. Be happy to discuss this further via phone

Hotel Reviews

Longji One Art Hotel

Incredible hotel with gorgeous views of the rice terraces!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

everybody was helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zhuanjiacun Hotel

Huge breakfast buffet offering great Chinese cuisine and western breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

INCREDIBLE night drone show right across the street from the hotel (Saturday and Sunday nights). I suggest you tell all your guests about this show. Also an amazing night flyboarding show, and palace across the bridge from the park

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Peony City Hotel

Luoyang

I think this was the hotel with the revolving rooftop buffet? Very cool!

Activity Reviews

Zhangjiajie Park Tour - Glass Bridge & Tianmen Mountain

Zhangjiajie

Amazing to go up to the 999 stairs!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cable Car, Big Buddha, Fish Village and Beyond

Hong Kong

Great to see the Giant Buddha. As mentioned earlier we needed help (a driver) instead of subway to get here

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Trek from Ping'an Zhuang Village to Jinkeng Dazhai Yao Village

Longji

I didn't think rice terraces would be anything special. I was wrong! This was beautiful and our guide did a great job!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See the Terracotta Army

Xi'an

Really cool to see this, unfortunately EXTREMELY crowded

Quality of Experience

Hiking along the Majestic Great Wall, Summer Palace

Beijing

Good idea to drive a ways and see the Great Wall with fewer people (vs the Starbucks or McWall section as they call it) in Beijing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half Day Exploring the Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill

Guilin

Reed Flute Cave was a surprisingly a GREAT experience. I had low expectations for a cave tour, but the lights were incredible!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hike through the breathtaking Terraced Fields around Ping'an Zhuang Village

Longji

As mentioned earlier, this was a surprisingly great experience. I had low expectations coming in, but it was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Overall, an excellent experience. Alex was a pleasure to work with in terms of planning the trip and Esmeralda was a fabulous local guide and tour leader. We thoroughly enjoyed the services provided and had a fantastic time in beautiful Guatemala.

Our guide Nikola did an amazing job on our trip. The communication was great and we got an email every night to clarify the next days activities. He was available at any time if we ran into any issues.

Hotel Reviews

Balatura Split Luxury Rooms

Split

Comfortable and quaint. Tucked away for privacy and quiet. The breakfast was delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Ease of check in and closeness to shopping and restaurants.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beach Bay Hvar

Hvar

Beautiful hotel with an excellent breakfast. The staff was amazing and friendly. Beautiful views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Views were amazing. Closeness to lots of restaurants.

Staff

Staff was very welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were very comfortable

Villa Filaus

Beautiful house and grounds

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to beach, shopping, and restaurants

Staff

Staff was friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Walking Tour of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

The wall at Dubrovnik is a must see experience if you visit this city.

Quality of Experience

The beauty of the city within the walls is incredible. The history is worth knowing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide grew up in Dubrovnik and knew the history well

Transport

Our driver was prompt and friendly

Sea Kayak Tour - Pakleni Islands

Croatia

Kayaking was amazing. Our first time kayaking in the sea.

Quality of Experience

Our guide was very fun and knowledgeable about Croatians history.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was fun to kayak with

Transport

The boat captain was experienced and knowledgeable

Full Day Boat Tour to Blue Cave & Pakleni Islands

Croatia

The blue cave is a must see!

Quality of Experience

The group of people on the boat was fun we met some great people from all over

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff was friendly and knowledgeable

Transport

The boat captain did a great job and provided our group with an incredible experience

Day Trip to Plitvice National Park from Split

Split

The park is beyond stunning

Quality of Experience

The tour guide was great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was prompt and friendly. He made us safe and comfortable

Transport

Driver was great

The whole trip was phenomenal. Alicia helped create an amazing trip! Iceland was beautiful and Alicia created an itinerary that let us see all the locations we asked for in addition to others we didn't know to ask to see. It was tailored to our interest and we had a fantastic time

Pauline did a wonderful job putting together an itinerary for my 50th birthday girls trip to France. I provided a general overview of what we wanted to do and she came back with an itinerary that included accommodations we were happy with and a few tours/activities we were pleasantly surprised with, particularly the private panoramic tour of a quaint Champagne village while viewing the beautiful vineyard landscapes.

Hotel Reviews

Hyatt Centric Reims

Reims

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chouchou Hôtel

Paris

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private transfer from the railway station to the city center (hotel)

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Panoramic tour with a local guide

Reims

We loved this tour. I don’t think we paid attention that we would be going through a vineyard and were pleasantly surprised. The views were amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Art of Pairing Cheese & Wine

Paris

Loved this, the presenter was very knowledgeable, enjoyed meeting other travelers, the wine and cheese quantities were perfect.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Eiffel Tower Stair Climb to Level 2 + Elevator to the Top - Guided tour

Paris

Tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Night Cruise on the Seine with Music & aperitif (With drinks included - 1 glass of Wine)

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided visit and tasting at Mumm

Reims

Excellent tour, guide was friendly and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We were celebrating our 25th anniversary with a bucket list trip to Greece and Egypt. We opted for a private experience on our Egypt part and it was truly an an amazing experience. We were taken care of really at the moment that we landed to the moment that we had to leave.

It is such a delight to have someone else take care of all the logistical details and really take the care to ensure that we are having a great time which Kim Kim and their operator Memphis tours provided us. Our tour managers Islam Essam and Abdelrahman Mohammed ensured we also knew what was next.

We had some special tour guides who are very knowledgeable and also did a great job curating the experience. Dr Osama sharaf in Cairo and Mahmoud in Luxor gave such a detailed, yet curated explanation of the many pyramids, tombs and temples. It's like we got a degree in Egyptology in a week which we quite enjoyed.

Experience was very safe and we never felt like there was any risk to us which was a credit to both our tour operator and Egypt just being a great place to visit.

Tip: Make sure to look up the weather and your quality and plan accordingly. We did that and we were in great shape.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel is booked by the traveler

cairo

Decor is a bit traditional here but we enjoyed it and the service was really top notch. The butler did a great job of decorating room to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in a way that was really special.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sonesta St. George Nile Cruise

Luxor

The sonesta really is a luxurious boat but it does appear to be a little dated at times. The food is truly amazing and gets better all the time. The staff is very caring and goes out of the way to ensure that you are comfortable and are taking care well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at First Residence

Giza

The four seasons is a bit more of a modern hotel with elegant decor that we really enjoyed. We had dinner at the hotel restaurant which was really delightful because it was poolside and we had our own Cabana to enjoy local Egyptian food. We really have no complaints and just enjoyed the sleeping and the overnight stay before we got on a plane

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Luxor West Bank Cruise Tour 🚤

Nile Cruise

We did this one around midday and I was starting to get warm. You learn quite a bit about one of the Queens and so interesting seeing the backstory of the ancient royalty

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kom Ombo & Edfu Temples Cruise Tour 🚤

Nile Cruise

We got to do this early in the morning before it got too hot and it was really cool to see the temple and was really our first one and so we got a great introduction to it

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Disembarkation - Luxor East Bank Cruise Tour 🚤

Nile Cruise

We did this evening light show. That was really great and then the next morning we came back to get the daytime view which was in the morning and it was not too hot yet. It's really amazing to see so many different temples and kings in just one place. It's really like the central place where you can learn so much about Egyptian royalty

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pyramids & Grand Egyptian Museum

Cairo

This was our first experience in Egypt and really amazing to see the pyramids. We got such a great explanation from Dr. Osama on Egyptian history. As we looked at pyramids and the sites around it. You get a chance to write some camels which is pretty fun and a great way to get started

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Embarkation - Aswan Nile Cruise Tour

Nile Cruise

This was a fun trip where we got to take the boat ride out to see the temple and learned a lot about the s1 temples there. Great trip overall!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ryan organized our hotel and walking tour in Quebec City, and our train trip to Montreal. We were quite pleased with our arrangements. Our walking tour guide in Quebec City with Terry was outstanding. Terry was extremely knowledgeable about the history and evolution of Quebec City. He had interesting facts that we never would have known had we not taken this tour. It was a highlight of our trip.

The Kim Kim team and our incredible specialist, Erica made this process so incredibly easy! Not only easy but personalized. We truly had the time of our lives and I know this trip would not have been what it was if it wasn’t for the Kim Kim team. Thank you all!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel du Tasso

Sorrento

Best hotel we have ever stayed at!! The staff went above and beyond and truly became our friends. We promise to return and we stand by it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rinuccini Relais Hotel

Naples

Staff was incredible! It was a bit difficult to locate but that’s standard for a big city like Naples

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Positano & Amalfi by Boat

Sorrento

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Winery Visit & Tasting of 5 Wines

Sorrento

We absolutely adored Fabio!! He was so knowledgeable and fun. We ordered several bottles as a special souvenir!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This trip could not have been better! Tomaz, Zala and their Grand Cuvee Travel team were so great to work with. The communication was timely, and our changes to the itinerary were handled easily. Once we were in Europe the communication on What's App worked splendidly, We even had to roust Zala out on a Sunday when there was a glitch in our tickets to the Schonbrun Palace. She was very available and helpful.

All of the hotels that were booked were excellent and very fun and each one different. The location of the Hotel Golden Star in Prague was terrific, especially in the evening watching the touring people come up and down the street to the Palace above us. The Hotel das Tyrol in Vienna was charming and unique with all of the art in the rooms and the common areas, plus the "old" elevator was fun for travel to the room and back. The Hotel Moments in Budapest was very modern and located on Andrassy St. which is a shopping hub. Our room had a wonderful "skylight" window that filled most of the back wall and had a direct view of St. Stephans Cathedral, which was beautifully lighted at night. All of the breakfasts in each of the hotels were filled with good variety and local flavors. We never went hungry!

The tours that Grand Cuvee booked were all very good. English was spoken clearly and well for us. All of the guides (there were 4 in total; three cities) knew the history so well and took us to the best attractions. We did a lot of walking, but were able to sit and rest as needed. Our Budapest guide, Richard, was so good and listened to our needs and adjusted accordingly. Our guide to the countryside in Prague was very helpful and I think that she enjoyed helping us get out of the city and into the country of her birth. The daily schedule that Grand Cuvee provided was very helpful, especially when we were on our own to get around, such as to the trains and for the Schonbrun Palace in Vienna.

The transfers from the airport and to/from the trains went very smoothly as we had hoped. We were helped with our luggage on the train by the other passengers close by, so that helped as well. The trains were quiet and smooth, sometimes traveling 120-140 mph!

This is the second journey that we have traveled using KimKim as our source. Both times, they have provided excellent local tour planners who have been so very helpful. I have recommended KimKim to a couple of my friends because we have been so pleased with how the whole system has worked for us!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Golden Star

Praha

The hotel is so very well located, just one block below the Palace and St. Stephens Basilica. The room we had was on the first floor and looked out on the street where the touring people were walking up to and back from the Palace. They have a restaurant open for lunch and dinner, and it was very fun to sit outside having our wine and beer and watching the people come and go on the sidewalks below us. Our room had two bathrooms, so it was very convenient for us both to get ready in the morning. The breakfast buffet was plentiful with good variety. The staff at the front desk were very helpful and friendly, and they all spoke very good English for us!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutiquehotel Das Tyrol

Wien

This is a small 30 room hotel on the main shopping street of Vienna, very well located near the Museum Quarter. It has a very unique decor, with art works in bright colors throughout the rooms and the common areas. There is a very nice bar area with many guest tables in which breakfast is served each morning. The breakfast is not buffet, but instead is prepared for each individual. The four floors are served by an "old" KONE elevator that is fun and unique. I would easily choose to stay here again if in Vienna!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Moments Budapest

Budapest

The Hotel Moments is a recently renovated property and they have done a really fine job with the work. It is 5 floors of sleeping rooms, all arranged around a six story open atrium lobby. The staff were very helpful and accommodating. There is a Lebanese and Syrian Restaurant on the main floor at the entrance which serves as an eating room for the breakfast buffet, but it is a good choice for dinner as we discovered for two nights. there are also several other restaurants and bars within an easy walking distance, and it is about 5 blocks from the Moments hotel to the river Danube.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided tour of Prague

Prague

This tour could have been an hour shorter, although there were so many sights and ground to cover! Our guide, Marketa, was on time and waiting for us in the lobby of our hotel as promised. She was very knowledgeable and interested in being sure that we had a full appreciation of the centuries of history of Prague. We think that she talked non-stop for the full four hours, and in hindsight, we should have asked her for more rest breaks and a bit less of the history lesson. Marketa certainly is a very-qualified tour guide and proud of her country.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exploring the Countryside Around Prague

Prague

We wanted to have a day trip around the countryside outside of the busy city. Our guide, Katrina, was excellent! Once we described the experience that we were seeking, she did a fantastic job in showing us, with pride, the countrysides surrounding Prague. She took us to see the Karlstein Castle and village, as well as some of the farmlands surrounding Prague. Katrina's English was perfect as she herself has traveled extensively in the USA.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided walking tour of Vienna

Vienna

Our guide, Mojca, met us in our hotel lobby, and we immediately headed off into the Museum Quarter and then to the "ring" boulevard that surrounds the main government and church buildings. Mojca is from Slovenia and is very proud of the history of Vienna. She described the reign of Maria Theresa and all of the good that she brought to the people of Austria and beyond. The tour was 3 hours, and we covered a lot of ground and buildings in that time. As in Prague, we afterwards thought that we should have stopped a bit more to rest. We also grew somewhat tired of the constant running commentary.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Guided Pest Walking Tour (3 hours)

Budapest

Our tour guide was Richard, and he was an excellent guide for us! At the beginning of the tour, we told him that we would like to take some rest breaks along the way, and that we did not need to know every little detail of the history. He took our suggestions well and we had an excellent tour, including a stop for coffee before climbing a lot of stairs getting to the top of the Buda side. We visited almost all of the "must see" sites, missing only Gellert Hill, the Citadel, and Heroes Square. We, on another day, took the Hop On Hop Off bus and saw those sites of interest. Our hotel room looked out on St. Stephens Basilica so we were able to see it from the front, on the tour, and from the back from our window.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Richard was very knowledgeable, spoke clear English and it turns out that he only books for touring English speaking folks.

Danube bend day trip from Budapest

Budapest

This trip was supposed to be by motor coach one direction and by boat back to Budapest, but the low water level of the Danube had forced cancellation of all the boat traffic. So, we rode with Richard in his comfortable Mercedes SUV and enjoyed a full day of seeing the towns and villages along the Danube. We made three stops, each of very interesting places. The first was an artistic village that was historically Serbian and had the largest Serbian Orthodox church in the world. The second was at an ancient fortress castle, high up on a mountain that then overlooks the beautiful bend of the Danube. The final stop was to the largest Catholic Basilica in Hungary. All along the way Richard was full of information but did not give us sensory overload! It was raining on the way back to the hotel, but Richard was a good driver.

Quality of Experience

It would have been better if the river level hadn't been so low

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Caroline did an amazing job throwing this grip together last minute for me. I (in pure Steven-fashion) waited until the last minute to book for Oktoberfest. Literally - everything went off perfectly. Can't recommend Caroline enough!

Italy is a beautiful country with friendly caring people. We thoroughly enjoyed our three plus weeks of travel there. Upon the heartfelt recommendation of one of Kelly’s best friends, we welcomed KimKim’s help planning our road trip around southern Italy. Some of the accommodation and tour arrangements worked very well; others did not. Part of the issue may have been that we did not get an Italian SIM card (was that expected? If so, please clarify to future KimKim clients) We only had connectivity on lodging wifi. Perhaps hotel staff expected Linnea to need more help, special linens (rubber sheets?) or not be able to function as a regular guest. How did they get that impression?

Rather than review each hotel and tour in the app or on the website, because we cannot see our individual submissions after pressing send, we have chosen to submit all our feedback in one post. I would suggest KimKim fix that aspect of the detailed itinerary online.

Day 1:
Private transfer from airport to hotel worked well. Marco was a very professional and friendly driver. Meeting at the airport went smoothly and he mentioned that Rome is best enjoyed walking, which was already how we had planned to experience the city.
Parlamento Boutique Hotel was comfortable. Perfect location, good breakfast and Andrea, the concierge, was informative and greeted us warmly. Recommend.

Day 2:
Guided tour of Sistine Chapel: We got there early and the driver dropped us off with only an address where we felt lost because the meeting place was a small, hot storage locker establishment with no seating, so we chose to sit on a stoop outside to wait for the rest of the group to arrive. The audio aids did not stay on our ears and the guide was very hard to hear and understand. In such a crowded place as the Vatican museum, it was hard to keep up her pace and we felt rushed. We would have preferred a smaller group for the tour. There was also no communication about returning to our hotel which would have been helpful, so we walked, which ended up being wonderful.

Day 3:
The breakfasts at Parlamento were tasty.

Day 4&5:
Bacoli: Cala Moresca Hotel had beautiful views. The location was wonderful. Parking was good and the restaurant had delicious food. The staff was welcoming and friendly. Recommend.

Day 6:
Pompeii Hotel Maiuri: Good location to visit Mt. Vesuvio, Pompeii and Herculaneum. Friendly, helpful staff and good parking. But only a few restaurants within walking distance so had to dine at the sister restaurant across the street twice. The food was okay but nothing special.

Day 7:
Met Andrew who was an enthusiastic guide who, upon realizing that Linnea is a strong woman, helped us plan the rest of our exploration of Pompeii. Spent the entire day walking the ruins.

Day 8:
Both of us climbed Mount Vesuvio in the morning! Explored Herculaneum in the afternoon. The two museums with the boat and the jewelry (specifically recommended by who we thought might have been the manager/owner of Hotel Maiuiri) were interesting and we learned a lot about the difference in the eruption effects of Pompeii versus Herculaneum.

Day 9:
Pompeii to Salerno: Mediterranea Hotel and Convention Center. Parking easy and safe. We swam across the street at a beach club. 8 euro. Restaurant at Hotel was excellent! Highly recommend.

Day 10:
We took a ferry to Amalfi and Positano. Fun ride and beautiful views of the coast. Kelly preferred Positano over Amalfi due to the intense crowds.

Day 11:
Drove to Paestum which was incredible! Wondered why more people weren’t there. Amazing museum and intact Greek temples! One of the most memorable places we visited. Highly recommend for history and archeology buffs.
Our accommodation in Scalea (La Suite del Faro) that night was difficult to find and check into because we had no SIM card, thus had to ask neighbors for directions and once found, ask other guests to call manager. It would be helpful for KimKim to insist on or pay for an Italian SIM card for better/more consistent contact. Many mornings we would leave the hotel, not knowing we had texts from the next accommodation. That being said, La Suite del Faro had an excellent location, beautiful sunset, nice pool/breakfast area but we were in a small back room with no sea view. Why? Were they told Linnea could not handle stairs?

Day 12:
Tropea: Tropis Hotel. Arrived and were told by Kimkim that dinner is included but our print out said only breakfast. Called hotel reception which confirmed only breakfast. Wonderful sea view room on top floor of upper building.

Day 13:
Previously told by KimKim that we could not book a boat ride to Stromboli, due to Linnea’s age/medical reasons? Kelly had NO issues booking a “Stromboli by Night” tour the night before. Had a marvelous trip to Stromboli, walking around and then seeing the eruptions at night on the boat. One of the highlights of our trip. Perplexed and disappointed by KimKim not being able to arrange this for us.

Another confusion arose regarding meals at the Tropis Hotel. After we checked in, KimKim asked us “if they explained dinner to you” which the hotel had not, so Kelly called down to the lobby and asked if we had breakfast only or “half board”. We were informed we had breakfast only, which matched our detailed KimKim itinerary. We returned to the Tropis Hotel late the night of the Stromboli boat tour and were asked by the desk clerk why we had missed dinner the last two nights and we said because we called hotel reception the first night and he said that we had breakfast only. The KimKim print out we had listed breakfast only. So we tried to get the missed meals refunded and the staff said they would contact KimKim. We ate dinner at the Tropis Hotel the next night and the food, served buffet-style, was mediocre at best. Compared to all the other restaurants at which we ate, including the local seafood place within walking distance in Tropea (called Angelo’s which Kelly found the first night, while on WiFi) we would recommend breakfast ONLY at the Tropis Hotel. Kelly is grateful we only ate one dinner there and would appreciate the hotel kitchen be notified.

Day 14:
Enjoyed rest day at the Tropis Hotel pool. Recommend Hotel for lodging but NOT dinner.

Day 15:
Tropea to Rossano. El Castella was definitely worth a stop. Free entry, beautiful site. Tenuta Ciminata Greco. 5 stars. Historic building and grounds, located in Olive groves, vineyards with amazing view, pool area, easy parking. Emanueule explained everything and had many offsite dinner options detailed in print out. Would highly recommend this lodging, especially for extended visit. Saw Codex Purpureus and bought Licorice at the factory.

Day 16:
Drive to Matera. Agriturismo Nonna Rosa is located next to a working cement factory in an isolated dry, dusty area. Campers in an empty, old quarry. The restaurant was not open. Innkeeper could not find our reservation because it was under Lorenzo’s name. Why does KimKim not make the reservation under the traveler’s name? Few trees at the location, flies invaded our room; aside from overpopulation of cats, did not think it is still a working farm ,which is what we assumed an Agriturismo to be. Parking, yes but far from the Matera sites. We parked the next day near the Matera ZTL and walked around town, which was wonderful. Would highly recommend Matera to visit, but not stay at this lodging.

Day18:
Drive to Monopoli. Olive Oil tour at Oleificio Luigi was amazing. He is clearly passionate about his craft. Spent 4hrs exploring centuries old olive trees, mill used by Luigi’s ancestors followed by tour of current yet still outdated olive oil processing machines.Learned about all aspects of growing, processing and tasting olive oil from a third generation grower. Only two other folks on the tour which was finished with food, wine and the store. Only day it poured rain and he had spare umbrellas to share. Highly recommend!

Day 19 through 22:
Self guided visit via Ostuni to Santa Maria di Leuca. L’Approdo Hotel was wonderful.

Day 22:
Tivoli. MOM Apartments had a good location but was not a true B&B. When we arrived, we checked in at the associated restaurant whose employees spoke little english, were not overly welcoming and charged us for the stay. We did not know whether it was paid for by KimKim due to the fact that we only had connectivity on WiFi, which we could only access after paying for the room which had a complicated keypad plus card access system. The water in the bathroom only worked if the bright lights and loud fan were on. The window did not open wide so we were unable to open the wooden shades. We had to walk to the pasticceria on the way to Villa D’Este for our “breakfast” which consisted of a cappuccino and cornetto.None of the other breakfast options we had up until then been accustomed to such as: eggs, meat, cheese, yogurt, muesli, fresh fruit etc. Our room was not made up, which was not that important but we did not get more coffee pods or water for the second morning. Parking cost over 40 euro for our stay. Would not recommend this accommodation except for a fluent Italian speaker.

Day 24:
Tivoli to Rome. B&B Hotel. Could not find our booking since it was under “Lorenzo”. Second time this happened. Great location for returning car to the airport the day before our flight out.

Summary:
Thank you for helping us have a good trip. We suggest KimKim always use traveler’s names to book reservations.Total transparency that KimKim uses a sub-contractor (Italy Charme) to book reservations. Most hotels met or exceeded (Parlamento Boutique Hotel, Cala Moresca, Tenuta Ciminata Greco) our expectations, but would not recommend Agriturismo Nonna Rosa in Matera to anyone or MOM Apartments in Tivoli to non-italian speakers.

Also please do not make assumptions about someone’s gender or age. If it’s a legal problem, have travelers sign a waiver. Linnea walked from the Hotel to Villa Borghese on the day we arrived, back from St. Peters after our tour of the Vatican, to and around the Forum in heat. She walked around Pompeii for 8 hours and climbed Mt. Vesuvio. We took a ferry from Salerno to Amalfi and Positano and a “Stromboli by Night” tour from Tropea which we were told by KimKim was unavailable.

We will be happy to answer any questions KimKim has regarding this review. Use Linnea's number: +1 (305) 509-2732. KimKim's services must have worked well for Kelly's friend and other not as experienced travelers, but for us, after letting KimKim know we had booked a complete two week driving tour of Sicily by ourselves, we expected KimKim to come through for us with the specific accommodation and tour requests we had. Kelly is happy for the travelers for whom KimKim works, but we personally will not be using your service again.

Hotel Reviews

Parlamento Boutique Hotel

Rome

Authenticity & Character

No downsides. Definitely would recommend!

Location

Walked everywhere around Rome from here

Staff

Andrea more than welcoming and informative

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kettle in the room!

Cala Moresca Hotel

Bacoli

Beautiful View

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful views. Good Food. Make sure you know driving up the hill is non-trivial so expect to eat dinner there.

Location

Staff

Bartender awesome. Front end staff had assumptions re: octogenarian.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Weirdly large and sterile room. only an ottoman to sit on. But spectacular corner room with balcony.

Hotel Maiuri

Pompei

See detailed review

Authenticity & Character

Location

Could have been closer to restaurants within walking distance

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mediterranea Hotel & Convention Center

Salerno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Suite del Faro

Scalea

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tropis Hotel

Tropea

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tenuta Ciminata Greco

Corigliano-Rossano

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Agriturismo Nonna Rosa

Matera

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mom Apartment Rooms&Suites

Tivoli

Authenticity & Character

Not a B&B

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

B&B HOTEL Roma Fiumicino Aeroporto Fiera 1

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Pompeii Walking Tour

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wine and olive oil tastings in the countryside!

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband and I had a wonderful 2 week honeymoon in Italy thanks to kimkim and the Storywalking team. They listened to our preferences and budget. The coordination they provided was incredible and made things stress free. Private transfers to and from train stations/airports/hotels were lovely to not have to schlep our luggage. We especially loved our boat tour around the Amalfi coast, home restaurant experiences in Tuscany and Rome. All of our guided tours were stellar, especially tours of the Borghese Gallery and the Colosseum and Forum in Rome. The in-country support was excellent. We had a text reminder of our next-day itinerary every evening and swift replies to any questions. We will use kimkim for every big trip.

Hotel Reviews

Relais Della Rovere

Colle di Val d'Elsa

Beautiful location in a small Tuscan town. Easy to reach by car. Walking distance to a stunning nature trail.

Authenticity & Character

Was an ancient monastery

Location

Felt tucked away in the countryside but easy drive from Florence. Close to a beautiful nature trail

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Howard Firenze

Florence

Beautiful little hotel in an excellent location. Get a luxury feel without breaking the bank.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maison il Conservatorio

Sorrento

Lovely, relaxing getaway in Sorrento. Excellent location near the walkway/lift to the beaches. 24h concierge. Excellent breakfast spread.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Montani Hotel

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right near Piazza del Popolo

Staff

Andrea was lovely and helpful with recommendations

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Borghese Gallery tour

Rome

The best museum in Rome. Don’t miss this one. Our guide, Marco, was excellent and made the art come alive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We just completed 9 days in Iceland and had an amazing adventure! Being in Iceland for the first time, our experience with Kimkim and our local travel consultant Gudmundur Oli (Gummi) was exceptional! We liked that Gummi was a native Icelander and could provide excellent, first-hand knowledge of the best places to see and experience. From the initial trip planning and throughout our time in Iceland, Gummi was always available to answer any questions and provide guidance. The Kimkim App and WhatsApp tools were very useful for communications. We accessed the Kimkim App on our phones that had our daily itinerary and all relevant information, maps, reservations, etc. easily accessible. We had a very action-packed itinerary that covered primarily the West and South Highland areas. The specific areas that we really enjoyed included the geothermal lagoon experiences (Laugaras Lagoon was our favorite), old town Reykjavik (great restaurants like the FishMrkt and Fjallkonan), the Golden Circle (including the Geothermal Bakery Experience and Geysir Geothermal area), stunning waterfalls (so many, but our favorite was the striking blue waters of Bruarfoss), hike through the lava formations to Sigoludgljufur Waterfalls, the town of Vik (Vík i Myrdal Church hilltop views and Sudur-Vik Restaurant), Diamond Beach and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, and the Icelandic Food Walk in Reykjavik (our guide Minty was exceptional!). And, we saw the Norther Lights! Incredibly beautiful country, highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Hótel Grímsborgir by Keahotels

Ásborgir

Great location near the Golden Circle. Helpful staff. Good breakfast. Dinner was very good but quite expensive. The room was nice, clean and functional.

Authenticity & Character

The main building has a good vibe.

Location

Great location near the Golden Circle.

Staff

Front desk staff was friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, functional room.

Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels

Reykjavík

Good location, near the marina. Welcoming hotel with apartment type rooms and common gathering spaces. Good breakfast. Parking was limited to street parking adjacent to the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Unique hotel/residence. Lots of cool gathering spaces.

Location

Close to the downtown area with many shops and restuarants.

Staff

The front desk staff were very helpful and were happy to answer any questions.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We liked the 'home like' feel to the apartment style rooms.

Fosshotel Núpar

Kálfafell

Good location along the southern ring road. Ample parking and good breakfast. Very plain, functional room.

Authenticity & Character

Very plain hotel with limited character.

Location

Good location along the southern ring road.

Staff

Team was friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and functional room.

Arnarstapi Hotel

Snæfellsbær

Great place to see the Northern Lights, and they have a camera on the tv system that you can use to monitor status of the Northern Lights. Very plain and basic, but clean and functional rooms. Nice views from our room of the Arnarstapi coastline. Breakfast was not included and hotel restaurant was expensive. Very limited other options nearby. Good location and lots to see along the coast within walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

TV had a channel with northern lights camera but it did not work well (poor connection).

Location

Walking distance to the ocean coast, arches and a monument. Northern Lights can be viewed well here when visible.

Staff

Found a cork screw to open our bottle of wine.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Good, basic newer clean room - no frills.

Hótel Lækur

Hella

Nice cottages in the countryside, clean and functional. Good views of sheep grazing in the fields, horses in the distance and creek nearby.

Authenticity & Character

Cute cottages in the countryside.

Location

Location was accessible to the ring road.

Staff

Staff was friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, functional rooms with nice living space in the cottages.

Alda Hotel Reykjavík

Reykjavík

Great location, friendly/helpful front desk staff. Nice breakfast and Starbucks adjacent to lobby. Clean and functional room.

Authenticity & Character

Functional hotel.

Location

Great location near many shops and restaurants.

Staff

Front desk staff was very helpful and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Functional, and clean rooms. Inside rooms without an outside window access can be a bit stuffy with limited air circulation.

Activity Reviews

Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching Excursion

Reykjavík

We cancelled this activity 24 hours in advance due to poor weather conditions and schedule conflict.

Icelandic Food Walk

Reykjavík

We really enjoyed this experience. Minty our local Icelandic guide was exceptional! The variety of restaurants, food, beverages and stories/history was great!

Quality of Experience

Great guide and specific, local food/beverage experiences.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Minty was the best guide, very engaging and knowledgeable!

Transport

Walking throughout the city from place to place was comfortable, even in the rain.

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon - Zodiac Adventure

Iceland

This experience was cancelled by the service provide due to poor weather conditions/wind.

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

Very unique experience. Interesting opportunity to walk across a large lava flow field to the access point and to step down into the lava cave. The wooden walkways/steps made access easier. Interesting geology that was well explained by our guide. We did not see any stalactites or stalagmites as stated in the activity description.

Quality of Experience

Unique geology and history of formation.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was very knowledgeable.

Transport

Good wooden walkways, but in windy conditions to/from access point can be challenging.

Geothermal Bakery Experience

Golden Circle

Really enjoyed this unique experience. Appreciated the history and using the local ground geothermal properties for cooking. Break was very good!

Quality of Experience

Unique process and quality of the bread/result was excellent.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very knowledgeable and engaging.

Transport

Easy walk to shoreline to see the process of geothermal baking.

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

Very unique experience. Landscape was beautiful. Ice caves were limited and did not fully reflect marketing pictures (some blue ceilings). Super jeep vehicle was unreliable and not properly maintained. Parts of the path up to the ice cave access was slippery and steep.

Quality of Experience

Reliable vehicles and better time management by all guides to efficiently move groups into/out of caves. A lot of standing around waiting on others.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was resilient through vehicle difficulties. Thankful for the guide from Poland who was able to get our vehicle jump started!

Transport

The vehicle was not properly maintained. They gear shift/transmission did not work properly. Vehicle was in low gear the entire drive to the ice cave area. It did not restart after view point and needed a jump start by another guide's vehicle. The driver had to leave the vehicle running for over an hour while we went up and into the ice cave area.

Laugarás Lagoon - Lerki

Iceland

Really enjoyed this lagoon experience. Seemed more authentic and relaxing compared to other lagoons. Less crowded, friendly staff, very nice facility and views of the bridge/river/landscaping.

Quality of Experience

Very good!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly staff.

Transport

Good location and experience after a long day!

Mr. Ju, Mr. Eric, Mr. Ye, and any other tour guides were all great. Shibuya was a great spa, was totally taken care of and relaxed, it is an experience. Rob was great from the very first communication to guiding us as we were in Japan. Great trip and using KimKim was such a positive experience, will use it again. Thank you!

All guides were wonderful.

Hotel Reviews

Innside Lima Miraflores by Melia Hotels International

Miraflores

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Colca Lodge

Cercado, Yanque

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Intiqa

Puno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Andina Premium Cusco

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica

Puerto Maldonado

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Chimu Floating Island and Luquina Community Homestay

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Machu Picchu Excursion: from Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu - Cusco

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Puglia and Basilicata in southern Italy during late September 2026 was amazing. Our KimKim guide, Fabio Ilardi lived up to his name. He was fabulous! Our 10-day trip started in Monopoli. It is a charming town and an excellent base for our day trips to Polignano a Mare, Ostuni, Martina Franca and Alberobello. The wine tasting experience at Puglia Pop was delightful, too. Then we traveled by private car to the ancient city of Matera. We were fortunate to arrive on the evening of their annual candlelight celebration , “Matera Cielo Stellato”, in the historic section of the city. The one-hour event, when electric lights were turned off and the old city was illuminated by candles, was accompanied by choirs and musicians. It was breathtaking! We finished out trip with a two-day stay in the port city of Bari, which has a warren of winding back streets and alleys in its historic center that we discovered during a wonderful small-group food tour.

All of our hotels were well-located and clean with excellent staffs. The private transportation to and from all of our side trips and between hotel destinations was an added bonus. The food throughout our trip was delicious. Lots of homemade pasta and seafood accompanied by delectable Puglian wines. Fair warning to other travels: this trip requires a lot of walking, often on steep stairways to hotel rooms and historic sites. You need to be relatively fit to follow this itinerary. But it is worth every step!

Hotel Reviews

Palazzo Giuditta

Monopoli

The Palazzo Giuditta was unique and quirky. On the plus side, it was well-located in the historic district and had a view of the harbor. The rooftop terrace with its two shallow plunge pools and lounge mats was lovely. The staff was very responsible and the daily breakfast at a nearby restaurant was delicious. On the negative side, there were 59 steps up to the room, and upon opening the door, another 29 steps down to the bedroom, which was small but adequate. The mattress was firm and the small balcony overlooking a side street was nice. The bathroom, however, was ridiculous! It was huge with a massive round jacuzzi tub (which we never used), a tiny sink and a small shower. There were no horizontal surfaces for toiletry bags and other personal items. But the oddest feature was there were no drawers or storage furniture of any kind. Just one rack for hanging clothes. We spent five days living out of our suitcases on the floor!

Authenticity & Character

Add some furniture with drawers1

Location

Great spot for exploring the historic center of Monopoli. A short walk to the train station for day trips

Staff

Very attentive, especially Gabrielle.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean. Nice bed linens. Hotel-provided robes and slippers.

Palazzo Degli Abati

Matera

We stayed in a beautiful light, bright room with a vaulted ceiling. It was originally part of a 17th century monastery. The window overlooked the canyon and we had access to a lovely small terrace. The bathroom was adequate and it had a nice warm shower—once we figured out how to use the dials!

Authenticity & Character

The hotel includes rooms carved from caves and is on the site of a former monastery.

Location

The view from the terrace of the hotel’s restaurant overlooking the ancient Sasse area of the city was breathtaking.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

JR Hotels Grande Albergo delle Nazioni

Bari

The Grande Albergo delle Nazioni is a lovely property overlooking the harbor with a beautiful rooftop pool. The restaurant served an excellent daily breakfast with beautiful views.

Authenticity & Character

Clean, contemporary design but could use some updating.

Location

The hotel is short distance form the historic area with a nice walk along the seaside promenade.

Staff

The front desk staff was extremely helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

firm mattress. Nice bathroom. Hotel robes and slippers.

Activity Reviews

Day at Leisure in Ostuni | Private Transportation Included

Monopoli

My husband and I enjoyed the hour-long ride through the Puligian countryside to the hillside town of Ostuni. Our driver Ivan stopped along the way for a panoramic photo opportunity of the “white city”. We spent a few hours strolling the back streets of Ostuni, visiting churches and stopping for a mediocre lunch in a street side cafe. The bruschetta included some rich stracciatella cheese that triggered some severe stomach issues for my husband, who lost a day of sightseeing the next day as he recovered from the illness.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Winery Experience: Wine Tasting, Traditional Lunch & Martina Franca Visit

Italy

I visited the Puglia Pop winery solo as my husband was still recovering from his lunch-induced stomach illness in Ostuni the previous day. The winery is the result of the collaboration of two legacy winemakers from Puglia and Spain with a vision for the future of Puglian wines. Everything about the winery is a delightful from the well-appointed tasting rooms to the high-design concepts of the winery bottles. I had a private tasting experience with my guide Valentina . She introduced me to six different wines including a light and refreshing white and rose wines and some deep and complex reds. All the wine tastings were accompanied by delicious local cheese , meats and bread. I ordered a case to be sent home and can’t wait for it to arrive. This was one of my favorite experiences in Puglia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Ape Calessino Tour: Matera Highlights & Terrace Aperitivo

Matera

The ape tour of the ancient Sasse area of Matera with our guide and driver Vito was one of the highlights of our entire trip. Vito, a well-traveled native of Matera, provided us with so much personal history and context of the UNESCO-designated city of Matera, why it was once labeled as the “Shame of Italy”, and how it has evolved into a major tourist attraction and the favorite site for hundreds of filmmakers. Mel Gibson’s movie, “Passion of the Christ”, launched the city’s reputation as an ideal location for historic films and the many winding streets and piazzas served as a backdrop for a car chase scene is the 2021 James Bond film “No Time to Die”. Our fascinating tour of the historic sites was capped off with a delicious apertivo on a hotel terrace overlooking breathtaking views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marina - Trip Advisor - special thanks for making this first experience to Europe and Mallorca so memorable. The patience she showed me with all of my asks, changes, and delays was so appreciated. Everything recommended was spot on for what I (and my husband) needed for this vacation. We did find ourselves a little frustrated with driving to Palma due to the distance, but on our last day we found the Port of Pollença so we were able to enjoy an easy dinner and night out without commuting. I realize the great, talked about restaurants were near Palma but they were some fine options in Pollença too!

Hoposa Niu - loved the staff (special thanks to Xisca, Veronica, Paola), the complimentary breakfast, the restaurant, and Cala Barques. The rooms were a bit small (maybe it is Europe style since we didn't have anything to compare it too) but it was great.

Sail Palma - loved our captain and Patricia. Overall great experience to see that side of Palma.

Wine Tasting - it was a lovely experience. The group being small, the knowledge shared, the friendliness was amazing. Where we thought we were going to go to like a vineyard, the small winery style was great. Downside was the hot/humid status in the building but survivable.

Hotel Review

Hoposa Niu

Pollensa

Great location in Pollença with Cala Barques steps away. The rooms were a bit small (maybe European style since I am limited on my points of reference). The staff are fabulous and super welcoming and friendly. We enjoyed the complimentary breakfast as well as the restaurant for lunches. It was quiet all around, even with babies present, and made for a relaxing trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great for Pollença and exploring the Northeast side of the island. The commute to other locations (Palma/Soller) is pretty far.

Staff

Xisca, Paola, Veronica, housekeepers, everyone was pleasant, welcoming, helpful, and responded promptly to any needs we had.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Mallorca by Sea: A Boutique Sailing, Tapas & Snorkeling Experience

Spain

The description of the activity provided was spot on. What we were told to expect was exactly what we got. We enjoyed the crew from the moment we entered the gates. The time out at sea was perfect.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Patricia was so sweet and a great bartender.

Transport

Mallorca Wine Tasting Experience in Palma

Mallorca

Such a great experience with a knowledgeable owner who gave a lot of history and general understanding for everything tasted and more. I hate I am forgetting his name, but he was so sweet and made our 2 turned to 3 hour experience a memorable time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spain Important Trip Information: Please Review Before Departure

Spain

Overall drivers and guide were great.

Hotel Reviews

Amadria Park Hotel Capital

Zagreb

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Urban Hotel Ljubljana Center

Ljubljana

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Melegran

Rovinj

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Degenija

Rakovica

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Time Boutique Hotel

Split

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Neptun Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Zagreb Private Guided Walking Tour

Zagreb

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very informative and on time

Transport

Privately Guided Tour of Rovinj

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately guided tour of Pula

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable and on time

Transport

Guided Walking Tour of Split

Split

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly On time Knowledgeable

Transport

Ljubljana - Privately guided walking tour

Ljubljana

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Lake Bled and Castle (end day in Ljubljana)

Zagreb

Would've like it more doing more in the city we only did the castLe Felt rushed and would've liked to do the island

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taking the time to show the town

Day trip to Hvar for a private wine tasting excursion (to and from Hvar by ferry)

Split

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Groznjan and Motovun

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Dubrovnik's Old Town

Croatia

Loved the fort and surroundings

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

On time and knowledgeable

Transport

Many thanks to Noga and the team for filling our 8 days in Iceland with so many wonderful experiences. As it was our first trip to this island country, we wanted to see the classic Golden Ring highlights as well as cover the beauty of the west and southwest coasts in the short-lived fall season. The itinerary flow was perfect from arrival at KEF to our departure. Each day's itinerary was full and required some focus to manage travel times and meet timed entries on occasion, but it was all in the plan. Rain and wind were often present, but it was accounted for in our outfits and did not stop us from pressing forward. We skipped only a couple of the add-on stops not because they wouldn't be interesting (geyser & crater) but because stopped to smell and eat the tomatoes in a very cool greenhouse bistro. We did both the Blue Lagoon (right after getting the rental car at 0900) and Sky Lagoon (seventh day, after an invigorating 3-hour Icelandic horse-back ride in the morning). We really enjoyed the "Thor's Valley" backcountry Jeep ride day. All four accommodations were unique and comfortable in their own way. As a bonus we got to enjoy the Northern Lights on our final two evenings. As we are only a five-hour redeye flight away, we will definitely consider a follow up trip.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Eyja

Reykjavik

A cool place just on the edge of downtown and an easy walk to the sights. Street parking was available and free but did fill up so we didn't move once we got our spot for the one night. We took a chance and dropped in at 2 PM and they were able to accommodate an early check-in. Breakfast was not in the rate and was pricy ($30US I think) so we got some light fare at a city market.

Authenticity & Character

Very cool vibe in the lobby/lounge and room

Location

Easy walk to downtown and church

Staff

Accommodated early check in and helpful with walking guidance

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and spacious

Hótel Lækur

Hella

Our favorite of our four accommodations. Set back in the SW countryside surrounded by fields and grazing animals. Dinner and breakfasts were very delicious and filling. We did the riverside cabins which were spacious and quiet. Great place to step outside at night to see the Northern Lights on the last night.

Authenticity & Character

Farm country vibe with modern accommodations

Location

Beautiful farm country 8 miles outside of Hella. Horses and sheep grazing right outside of our riverside cabin window

Staff

Very responsive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

New, clean, warm, and spacious.

Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels

Reykjavík

Very unique & quirky establishment on Reykjavik harbor. No parking on site but you can pull up to the door (alley side not street side) and drop off luggage quickly. Parked on the street a few blocks away which wasn't too bad cost wise for a night. Breakfast included and it was great. Easy walk into downtown for food, shopping, and sights. Saw the Northern Lights over the harbor despite all city lights.

Authenticity & Character

Cool artwork and space layout for both common areas and rooms

Location

Great location on harbor but no hotel parking.

Staff

quickly checked us in. Helpful for local advice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great spacious room. We were worried about city lights, but room had excellent blackout curtains.

Fosshotel Stykkishólmur

Stykkishólmur

Great place on the hillside overlooking the little village. Good onsite parking. Included breakfast was very well done and filling

Authenticity & Character

Nothing overly exciting thought did have a friendly hotel cat in the lobby

Location

Lovely views of harbor and village

Staff

Helpful and efficient

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean and spacious

Activity Reviews

Thórsmörk Super Jeep Experience

Iceland

A great full day off road enjoying the backcountry. Nine of us on the tour loaded into a large Mercedes offroad vehicle. Perfect for full offroad riding and river crossings. Many stops to take in caves, waterfalls, glaciers, and rivers. Midpoint we stopped for an opportunity for a self-paced 45-minute moderate hike to a summit for a great view of the valley. We chose to only hike halfway and enjoyed the views seen in my picture below.

Quality of Experience

A gorgeous day off the beaten path.

Food

We chose to have the lunch provided. Very filling vegan option.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The ride was very large but very capable for the terrain.

Horses and Hot Springs

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching Excursion

Reykjavík

It was a well-run experience though in mid-September there were not a lot of whale sightings to be had. As our guide/spotter/photographer Matteo reminded everyone, we are going into the wild, not an aquarium. He did get four pictures of the animals we saw on the trip which the tour company emailed to us upon request (as they did not have my email thru the Kimkim booking).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Matteo was well spoken and engaged. He told us a lot about the whales and marine life and Icelandic history around them.

Transport

Ship was well outfitted. Allow time before or afterwards to tour the ship store and museum (It is literally a ship they converted to serve as a floating based of operations.)

Seljalandsfoss & Gljúfrabúi Waterfalls

Iceland

Seljalandsfoss was as wonderful as you see in all the pictures. Didi the walk around back and enjoyed the view. We did not make the trek to Gljúfrabúi as we'd spent all day in Icelandic rain and wind.

Friðheimar Tomato Farm Visit & Restaurant

Iceland

We got there too late for the main farm and restaurant, but the Bistro next door was open & pretty magical. Great food and ambiance. We each had tomato soup and split a burrata & tomato ravioli and a cheesecake with tomato jam.

Quality of Experience

Explore Stykkishólmur

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Seemed to be a nice town with several good restaurants. it was our base for exploring Snæfellsnes Peninsula so did not walk around here.

Hraunfossar

Iceland

This was an optional addon from Noga, our KimKim advisor, and was well worth the divert along the 'silver ring' as we drove from Reykjavik to Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Though not as large as Gullfoss, the span and setting made the falls very charming especially with the fall colors.

Cliff Walk from Arnarstapi to Hellnar

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

The seas were rough that day so we got quite the show of wind, sea, surf along the path. Paths were well marked and easy to traverse. Be sure to get a selfie with the large stone troll statue.

Kirkjufellsfoss

Iceland

A beautiful sight though Iceland weather wasn't presenting the most beautiful views the one day we had available to see it on the way to the west coast. No regrets including it in our itinerary.

Þingvellir National Park

Iceland

A must-see site on the Golden circle that we enjoyed. Iceland challenged us again at this locale with both calm cool weather as well as 40 knot rain & wind in the face. Took the walk from the visitor center to the overlook, down the split to the waterfalls and over to the parliament building. All very interesting

Djúpalónssandur Black Sand Beach

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

This was our first black sand beach and it was very beautiful, accented by a somewhat stormy day.

Vatnshellir Lava Cave Experience

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

A well-run experience to see the effects of lava on Iceland up-close. The chambers were very unique and full of great sights and sounds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was very informed on the geology and local history of the venue.

Sky Lagoon Experience - Saman

Reykjavík

A beautiful, well-run facility and experience. Did the full experience with the 7(?) stages which you get to do once. Rest of the time is relaxing in the lagoon and enjoying the views of the harbor.

Quality of Experience

Deildartunguhver Hot Spring

Iceland

A stop on the silver ring that worked out wonderfully for us for different reasons. A friendly Icelandic Sheepdog was running loose in the parking lot, greeting all the arrivals. We are dog people and to get to see & pet this adorable, unique breed pup was big bonus points for us. The hot spring was interesting but not much to see. There is a vendor on site selling snacks and Icelandic hot dogs. If you bought food, you could sit in his large greenhouse and enjoy it in comfort. Did I mention there was a dog ;)

Explore Vík

Iceland

Vik was a quaint little town. Icelandic weather challenged us this day this some stormy weather, but it did not stop us nor this influencer in front of the iconic Vik church taking a gigabyte of photos. We did go to the wool shop recommended in the KimKim Vik write up to a) meet the dogs, and b) get some locally sourced and produced Icelandic wool sweaters. Big win on both counts. We lunched at the Black Crust Pizza place which was delicious.

Skogafoss Waterfall

Iceland

Grand falls along the coastline drive between Vik and Reykjavik. We stopped to take it in from the base; weren't up for the 500 steps to the overlook.

Blue Lagoon Premium Admission

Iceland

We landed at KEF at 0630 and were in the Blue Lagoon by 0845. It was a great wake up and re-invigoration after our 5 hour redeye from BWI. Crowds were not bad and you could find some quieter spots beyond the main lagoon to enjoy the experience. The premium experience was nice with the different mud treatments and the robe for lounge outside the water.

Explore Reykjavík

Reykjavík

We really enjoyed this town. We spent our first and last nights in Iceland here and got to do some exploring of the downtown, old town, shops, and sights. We even got Northern Lights from our downtown hotel, which was a bonus.

Quality of Experience

Shop keepers were friendly and conversant in English

Gullfoss Waterfall

Iceland

Best of all the falls we saw during our trip. A very expansive visitor center/diner/gift store on site.

Quality of Experience

Spectacular views of the falls and surrounding landscape

Reynisfjara Beach & Reynisdrangar Columns

Iceland

A beautiful view though we were getting angry, rainy, windy Iceland weather during our visit. Still glad we stopped to see them. The 'sneaker waves' are no joke. They would hit the columns and much of the beach very quickly.

Dyrhólaey Arch and Cliffs

Iceland

A beautiful site challenged by an angry Iceland weather day. No regrets stopping and getting some good views of the arches, lighthouse, and beaches. We were a few weeks late to see puffins but maybe next time. ;)