Kimkim Trip Reviews

Planning my trip to Georgia with the help of Keti was very smooth and I appreciated her prompt responsiveness. Our guide Reti was courteous and very knowledgeable; we really enjoyed spending the day with him. However, I thought the visit of the David Gareja monastery as well as the visit of the Sinanghali town were underwhelming. Nevertheless the nature on the way to David Gareja was stunning and if you want to see beautiful landscapes that's a great road to take.

Adam did a fantastic job for us !

We had a wonderful trip to Scotland and really enjoyed our experience with Kimkim. Kate was kind, responsive and helpful throughout both the planning and the trip itself. Whenever we had a question or needed something changed, she was quick to help.

Ness Walk in Inverness was one of our favourite stays and a great recommendation and I wished we spent more time there! We also had an amazing private tour with Sandy, who was very knowledgeable and made the experience so enjoyable. Our journey to Skye with Anca was another highlight, she shared so much with us along the way and made the drive itself part of the experience.

We also really appreciated Kate’s flexibility when we decided last minute to spend our final night in Edinburgh instead of Glencoe. She helped rearrange our transportation and organised a driver for us, which made the change much easier.

Our only disappointment was Glencoe House. We had specifically asked for a castle experience and were happy to pay more for it, but our reservation was in one of the separate lodges rather than the main house. This was mentioned in the itinerary, so I also take responsibility for not looking more closely, but I do wish the difference had been highlighted more clearly given what we had originally asked for. Kate did try to help once we raised our concerns, which we appreciated.

Overall, we had a beautiful and memorable trip, with so many highlights including the Highlands, Skye, the castles and seeing the Jacobite steam train crossing Glenfinnan Viaduct which as harry potter fans was the best thing in our trip! And Ian our driver was so understanding and helped us in arranging the viewing at the right time so we dont miss the jacobite train
.
We really appreciated all of Kate’s support and efforts throughout our journey she’s amazing ♡

Hotel Reviews

Glencoe House

Ballachulish

I’m giving it 3 stars because, although the lodge itself was clean, comfortable and well equipped with food, it wasn’t quite the experience we had hoped for. We wanted to end our trip relaxing in the main house, but our reservation was in the lodge instead. The hotel also doesn’t have a restaurant or lounge that lodge guests can use for tea or relaxing, as the main house is made up of private suites. So even though we were staying on the property, we didn’t really get to experience the house itself. If you’re looking for more of a castle-style experience, I’d recommend booking one of the suites in the main house. We had booked for two nights but ended up staying for only one.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Monkstadt 1745 - Luxury Lodge

Linicro, Isle of Skye

We stayed one night here in the lodge as we had requested twin beds, and the sea view was beautiful, especially at sunset. We also enjoyed having tea at the hotel, it was so cozy we loved it! It was lovely to connect the stories we heard throughout the trip with the history of the hotel. So interesting and one of our favorite stays

Authenticity & Character

The history

Location

We loved the sea view

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ness Walk

Inverness

The best hotel we stayed at during our trip! The service was amazing, and every member of staff was incredibly helpful and welcoming. We also loved the beautiful river views from the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Bonham

Edinburgh

Amazing hotel the staff are so friendly and its located near deans village. We had an issue in the room which we highlighted to the front desk and they quickly resolved it and changed our room.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel has amazing history

Location

Its a walking distance from Edinburgh castle and so close to deans village

Staff

The staff were so understanding and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Inverness Walking Tour

Scotland

This was our favorite tour with the amazing Sandy. Sandy was an amazing tour guide in Inverness! We really enjoyed our time with him and learned so much throughout the tour. He was very knowledgeable, easy to talk to and made the experience really enjoyable for us. We really appreciated the time we spent with him and would definitely recommend him.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alnwick Castle Tour – The Real Hogwarts from Harry Potter

Edinburgh

As Harry Potter fans, we were so happy to visit Alnwick Castle and see the filming locations! Our trip started from Edinburgh, and our driver was informative, friendly and had a great sense of humour. He shared lots of interesting information about the places we passed on the way to the castle and back. We really enjoyed our time there, although it became very windy later in the day so we couldn’t enjoy the archery. Even if you’re not a Harry Potter fan, there are different shows and activities to enjoy, and the castle itself has so much history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dunrobin Castle

Inverness

I absolutely loved Dunrobin Castle. The castle itself was beautiful and full of character, and I really enjoyed exploring the interiors and learning more about its history. Unfortunately, it was raining during our visit so we didn’t get to properly explore the gardens, but the castle was still one of the highlights of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Finland was the trip of a lifetime! Highlights were hikes in the forest with a break to eat Finnish sausages grilled over an open flame, riding a bike in Helsinki to a public sauna and experiencing the hot sauna, followed by a dip in the cold ocean water, canoeing in a beautiful lake, visiting a Medieval castle, eating salmon soup, drinking coffee, learning about Finnish history, and more. Our guides were knowledgable, punctual and friendly. The pace and variety of activities were perfectly orchestrated.

Anders put together a wonderful trip that included Denmark, Sweden and Norway!
We had a lot of questions about lodging, tours, transportation, and the most spectacular things to visit.
Anders answered every one of them.
Transportation in Scandinavia is clean, on-time, and reliable.
We loved the combination of old historic architecture and new innovative architecture.
The highlights were the fjord cruises, Flam, Alesund and Oslo.
But truly, everything was great.
Everything and everyone is green and earth-friendly. The water in Scandinavia is great!

We feel like we saw all of the must-see places and we look forward to visiting again!
Thanks Anders!

Hotel Reviews

Quality Hotel Ålesund

Ålesund

wonderful view!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amerikalinjen

Oslo

great location wonderful room!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Axel Guldsmeden

Copenhagen

wonderful breakfasts

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

wonderful meals

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Flåm Railway Round-Trip Experience

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Njardarheimr Viking Village Day Trip with Nærøyfjord Cruise & Bus Transfer

Norway

tour guide was authentic!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lucie made planning this trip so easy! She was very good at getting back to me promptly with a proposed trip and then was great to deal with when making modifications to it to create the perfect plan. She did a wonderful job organizing all the car, hotels, and excursions and made it very easy for us and had a lot of great suggestions. When we had an issue or two on the trip (eg one hotel wanted to charge me again for the room), she was very helpful and got them resolved. We had an amazing time and I'll definitely look to use Kimkim again!

Hotel Reviews

Residence Inn Frankfurt City Center by Marriott

Frankfurt

Very large updated room that was easy for parking and getting down to the waterfront and other areas for walking and dining.

Authenticity & Character

modern room.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Schwarzwaldhotel Gengenbach

Gegenbach

The hotel was fine, but it was more like a destination resort where companies go to have big meetings and not near much. The room was a bit dated and had a funny smell.

Authenticity & Character

The spa entry was nice, but the inside of the hotel was ordinary and even a bit dated.

Location

Nothing much near it.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel BurgGartenpalais

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

This was a neat old building in a quiet part of town that was still easily accessible to the main sites. Driving to it though was quite a challenge through the many small pedestrian streets!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

a bit dated, but that kind of added to the authenticity.

Hotel Domizil Erfurt

Erfurt

This place was really neat! I was our own little apartment with a balcony right on the main street. We loved it! Getting in though was a bit complicated because no one was at the desk when we arrived at 6:30pm even though it was supposed to be staffed until 7pm. But once I figured out how to contact someone, the key was available in a lock box.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Had almost no staff interaction.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wilde Aparthotels Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie

Berlin

Beautiful room!

Authenticity & Character

More a modern hotel.

Location

Could walk to many sites.

Staff

Very friendly, but the entrance was a little hard to find and there is no proper reception area.

Cleanliness & Comfort

I couldn't figure out the room cooling system - involved having to have switches in the right place and multiple remote controls. The accessible shower was weird too and my kids got water everywhere that I cleaned up each time.

Activity Reviews

Frankfurt Panorama Cruise (1h)

Frankfurt

It was a nice cruise to hear about the city. We liked where is launched from also that had a lot of restaurants and vendors.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rothenburg walking tour

Germany

We really enjoyed learning about the town during the walk. The guide was very friendly and knowledgable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Erfurt Private Walking tour

Erfurt

Great walking tour to learn about the city and also about life in East Germany from a lovely lady who lived through it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Cold War and behind the Wall

Berlin

Unfortunately, we couldn't find parking or the tour and missed it! That was a real disappointment. I tried calling the tour company phone number given, but n o one picked up.

We had the best trip with Gummi! He made it so special and was great, kind, full of Icelandic knowledge and reliable. He also planned really exciting excursions tailored for our group! The bus we had was perfect for us and we got to see and do many of the major sight-seeing must-dos in Iceland. We could not have done this trip without his expert help and hospitality. So, so grateful.

Activity Review

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

This was AMAZING!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I literally googled travel agency and found KimKim, read the reviews and gave it a shot. Pretty risky but worth the gamble. Erika was knowledgeable and accessible. She listened to what we wanted from our vacation and delivered an itinerary that matched our needs. Each stop along the way was planned out perfectly. All travel accommodations between islands and for our excursions were seamless. We enjoyed the local tour guides that we were set up with and just had the most memorable time. Everything was planned in the app and just made it easy for us to relax and enjoy. I never leave reviews. If you’re on the fence about booking your trip with KimKim just do it.

We've taken several trips with KimKim and this one had more hiccups. Dislikes:
1. Zehra's company subcontracted the work to another company and that caused too many issues. That was also not disclosed to us. That ended up being a big deal, contributing to my low star ranking
2. Guidance and the FAQs in our travel packet were all about Turkey, but our trip was to Georgia so that was a huge miss. I wanted the same guidance but for the location we were visiting...
3. The hotel in Kutaisi was TERRIBLE. there was mold in the showers, the food was sub par. Our entire group could not wait to check out of that dump.
4. While we enjoy full, busy days, it was often too rushed - too hard to get to things on time and we didn't have any space to linger longer when we wanted to.
5. No beach club was booked for us despite the back and forth with Zehra. This could have been a miscommunication but we really thought we'd asked her to book the beach club for us. This was in Batumi
6. Two of the hotels didn't have the correct bed set up for some of our party which was VERY explicitly discussed up front. While it was resolved, it was incredibly unfortunate that we had any issues at all. This was unacceptable and honestly I still don't understand how/why it happened.

Likes:
Overall, we had a great trip and I think KimKim did a much better job resolving the issues with our travelers. Unlike our Sicily trip which I'm still mad about the lack of resolution for one of our travelers.

Overall, I used to be very high on using and recommending KimKim. Now, i'm on the fence.

My dad worked with Katie to plan this trip, and it turned out great! I really appreciated the balance between guided/scheduled events and free time. It gave us the freedom to explore while also participating in some extremely interesting tours. At one point, we had a small issue with our tour guide not showing up. Mathia at KimKim, however, was able to rebook us for a tour for later in the day. It is really nice to know that KimKim has someone available if anything goes wrong! This trip was also a great balance between city and nature. Bergen and Balestrand were the perfect places to stay. I would definitely recommend this trip!

Both hotels were amazing, especially the Limeni Village Hotel, that was just fabulous! I could spend the rest of my life there!

The Athens Manor Houses were also super nice, but it was a bit of a shame that the breakfast room is downstairs without any windows. The breakfast was great, though, they even had all the ingredients for pancakes with bacon and maple syrup :)

And the guide of the food tour was really great, I forgot his name unfortunately, but he is a great guide, very fun, knowledgeable, and really good in getting warm with a group of people :)

Hotel Reviews

Athens Manor Houses

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Limeni Village Mani

Lakonia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Evening Neighborhood Food Walk

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Both Nikola and Antonia were great. Super easy to work with, responsive and they crafted a perfect family vacation. We had the best mix of downtime and excursions. The app outlined our daily outings and also we got a text each evening from Nikola providing additional details. I will definitely use KIMKIM travel again to plan a trip. It made everything so easy and transparent.

Hotel Reviews

Korcula Hill

Korčula

Great location. Spacious, but our apartment clearly had smokers in it before - it was hard to overcome. The apartment could use some updating (no bedside tables, safe was not bolted down, etc.). Still, for what we needed it was totally fine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our apartment clearly had housed numerous smokers before us.

Balatura Split Luxury Rooms

Split

This was a sweet apartment-type boutique hotel. Lovely rooms. Located very close to the old city/palace. The staff was super sweet and accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heritage Villa Nobile

Dubrovnik

Sweetet botique hotel in Dubrovnik with the loveliest staff, rooms and garden. The breakfast was 10/10

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Day Trip to Krka National Park & Gastro Experience at Local Winery

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Food

The winery lunch was lovely!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Private Boat Tour to Blue Lagoon & Island of Šolta

Croatia

Marin was great. It was a lovely day on the water.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Information & Documents - July & August

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was great. My only disappointment was the accommodations at three of our hotels. The group consisted of seven people ages ranging from 63 to 76. A few hotels had stairs that were difficult to navigate And no lift available. Also two hotels had no AC and one didn’t have a fan and no AC. One of our high lights was the food tour In Kinsale. It was awesome.
Overall the trip was well planned and we all enjoyed it!

Overall the trip was successful. Everything planned worked like a clockwork.the drivers were polite smart and I enjoyed talking to each one of them.they spoke perfect English. The tour guide in Riga was exceptional. She knew a lot about architecture art and history. She went well over her time slot to accompany me to different areas to experience the city..
The same goes for Rolanda in Kaunas who was extremely informative and friendly..
Ramune in Vilnius was one of the best. Not only her vivacious and energetic personality but her knowledge and efforts to learn more about me and from me. I must point out that she visited the towns I requested a few days beforehand so she can learn and prepare herself. That is remarkable.
Emerson and Moonika were on top of things and were accommodating,responsive. I had the pleasure of meeting them both.
Ad I mentioned to Emerson ,I would not recommend the Koventa Seta hotel in Riga but rather choose a smaller more intimate hotel . This one was noisy ,it has a few bldgs which don’t have elevators that they don’t tell you even when you check in.
I will definitely choose KimKim again for my future travel.

Hotel Reviews

Neringa Hotel

Vilnius

Great location rooms and staff. I love the rooftop bar and view

Authenticity & Character

I love an old bldg which is modern and slick

Location

Staff

Villa Santa Hotel

Cesis

One of the most beautiful places on this trip. Quite serene and simply elegant . The dinner at the restaurant is top notch. Breakfast unfortunately starts at 8:30 which is late for early risers. The manager was willing to accommodate me for a 7:30 room service but the kitchen was not prepared and I received it 30 minutes late. It would have not been an issue but I had preplanned a guide and driver picking me up. I suggest to staff to open early to accommodate the guests.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lydia Hotel

Tartu

Clear cut modern hotel. With everything you need. The restaurant for breakfast is clean spacious and elegant, it has everything you need.warm and pleasant staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

My City Hotel

Tallinn

A beautiful old town charm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Pleasant friendly accomodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Konventa Seta Design Hotel

Riga

The location is fantastic but the hotel has 5 bldgs all on the same old street. The ONLY BLDG which has a lobby is the main one where the reception is. It has a restaurant across the main bldg which serves as a beer garden during the evening. Extremely noisy if you stay in one of the bldgs close by. The restaurant for breakfast is excellent. Most of the bldgs they assign to you DO NOT have elevators.they don’t tell you this when you check in. I asked for a high floor so they gave it to me upon checking in not fleeing me I am in a separate building without an elevator. Upon asking the front desk they responded I should have known!. The room was above the noisy rest where music was on until 2 am. I would think twice before staying there again..

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Too busy can be more accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Kaunas Jewish Tour

Kaunas

Rolanda was one of the best guides. Pleasant fluent in English very knowledgeable in her history .

Quality of Experience

Vilnius City and Jewish History Walking and Driving Tour

Vilnius

Very good guide ant tour

Riga Old Town & Central Market Walking Tour with tasting

Riga

The guide was fantastic. Unfortunately I forgot her name but she was very knowledgeable of the history and architecture. She went the extra miles to accommodate me and walked extra time to see a very different area of the city

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gauja National Park's Hike

Cēsis

Beautiful scenery although the guide’s English could be better. She was not very talkative and didn’t know much of the history. It was a very long walk of 12 kms.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Trip to Lahemaa National Park

Estonia

Our guide Kristo Parne is very good. He is polite knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor. I highly recommend him

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tallinn Old Town Walking Tour

Tallinn

Jonas is a pleasant experienced tour guide

From a planning and booking standpoint Katie did a great job taking my family's feedback into account and suggesting options for activities based on that combined with her knowledge of Norway. We had a group of six with ages ranging from 11 to 70, and everyone had a great time! There was a minor hiccup when our guide for a walking tour of Bergen did not arrive on time, but that got worked out in short order after I posted a message in the Kim Kim app. Delaying that activity to the afternoon actually ended up being better for us because the weather improved and we got an awesome guide named Thomas. We particularly enjoyed our time in Balestrand in the middle of the trip with the highlight being a private sightseeing tour via boat of the surrounding fjords. Our guide, Thor, did an amazing job tailoring that experience so everyone in our family found it enjoyable despite the "hyper-nature" conditions (it rained most of the time). For the most part, everything related to transportation and lodging went smoothly. I will certainly consider engaging Kim Kim again for trips in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Zander K Hotel

Bergen

Everything seemed cramped throughout the hotel with rooms and bathrooms being extremely tight on space. It was tolerable, though, considering we only stayed for one night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

Beautiful hotel located in a beautiful area and a charming town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

This hotel is easy to get to when taking the light rail from the airport, and it's within walking distance of the shops and restaurants surrounding the harbor. Rooms are nice, clean, and spacious. Bathrooms are a bit tight with tub/shower entry/exit requiring a bit of athleticism. Restaurant menu wasn't child-friendly but the single dinner we had there was excellent. I would stay here again in the future.

Authenticity & Character

Charming with ornate woodwork.

Location

It's close to a stop on the light rail, the train station is right across the street, attractions in the city center are within walking distance.

Staff

Everyone was friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Viking Heritage Walk with a Local

Bergen

There was some sort of misunderstanding between Kim Kim and the local provider of the service which resulted in no guide showing up at our hotel at the designated time. Upon posting a message in the Kim Kim chat to report that, someone from Kim Kim worked with the local provider to arrange a meetup later in the day. That ended up working out better in the end because the weather was better in the afternoon than it was in the morning. Thomas was a great guide and we really enjoyed the history, knowledge, and cultural insights that he shared.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Øvre-Eide Gård Farm Visit

Bergen

This was a hit with the kids! They got to brush and ride a horse, cuddle sheep and rabbits, hold a chicken, and eat some tasty treats.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was a bit difficult for taxi drivers to find.

Scenic Boat Trip to Fjærland

Norway

Thor made this a great experience for our family despite the "hyper-nature" conditions (it rained almost the entire time).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Late last fall I started looking at trips for the family and found a National Geographic trip to Portugal that looked interesting. My daughter-in-law (part of the family going on the trip) found KimKim online, and that is how we started communicating with Pedro Luis. We had a few written conversations then spoke on the phone to work out what itinerary options seemed best. The price was higher than the group tour, but it was also definitely much more flexible and that had a lot of appeal for us. So we signed up for a two-part tour: the first part (Lisbon, Algarve, and Cascais) was for the 3-generation family, and the second part (up to Porto for 3 nights) for the 2 retired folks after the younger ones returned to the US for work and school. It all worked out perfectly.

I'm not sure what is the most memorable part of the trip. So many places were interesting and/or fun. The Pena Palace, Joanine Library in Coimbra, the Douro Valley, the various boat tours--all these and more were great.

A few more detailed comments: (1) The itinerary that Pedro worked out was perfect for the family. Everyone enjoyed the trip immensely. (2) It all worked: the expected tickets were all booked, the hotels were all booked, drivers showed up when and where they were scheduled to show up. Everything was very smooth, with no glitches. This is how it is supposed to happen! (3) All of the drivers, boat captains, and tour guides were competent, polite, very informative, gracious, sufficiently flexible, attentive to our needs, and responsive to our requests. For example, on two occasions, we didn't really want a large fancy lunch; we just wanted a sandwich. In each case, the driver knew of a not-so-touristy place that had exactly what we wanted. And oh my, those sandwiches were simply the best! I'm sure they knew of other fancier restaurants if that is what we had asked for, but we didn't want that. (4) All the drivers, boat captains, and tour guides spoke English at a sufficiently high level for effective communication, which was great. Communication was never a problem and we really enjoyed visiting with them all. (5) The hotels were spectacular. Very lovely choices. The staff at all the hotels were all very professional and helpful and again, all spoke English. (6) We had no issues to resolve, but I felt confident that Pedro or one of his colleagues would have been available to help resolve any problems if they had occurred. Pedro regularly kept in touch with us during the trip and provided us contact information in case of any problem.

In summary, let me say that I am generally reluctant to recommend much of anything because other people have different perspectives and so I usually resist "recommending", but we have already recommended KimKim to one family member who plans to travel to Spain in the near future and to one couple who we chatted with in an elevator ride!

Thanks, Pedro, for a great trip. We really enjoyed our time in Portugal.

Hotel Reviews

Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Lisboa—A Leading Hotel of the World

Lisbon

We really enjoyed this hotel visit. The kids in particular loved the pool. The breakfast buffet was over the top.

Location

The hotel is across from the beach, but you have to walk about a block to an underpass to access the beach. The beach is not the main attraction at this hotel, however. On the beachfront across from the hotel there some restaurants. The first one we went to was fine. Another time we tried another one: the Gloria. The food was good but the prices were exorbitant....they charged separately for everything. We had to pay almost as much for a 2-person lunch as we normally paid for a 6-person full dinner. This is not the fault of the hotel, but if you stay there, avoid the Gloria.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Liberdade

Lisbon

We were just here for 1 night, but it is a fine hotel.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean? Definitely. Comfortable? Yes. Perfect? Not quite. The room had a huge number of light switches, and we never did figure out how to get them to work the way we wanted. During the night, in order to leave the bathroom light on, we ended up unscrewing the lightbulbs on the lamps next to the bed to turn them off for the night.

PortoBay Flores

Porto

The hotel has 2 parts: an older building that was completely redone and a new one. We were in the older part, which has some "outlet" insufficiency issues. Also, the pool was a small, indoor pool, more like a sauna when we were there. I imagine that it would be great in the winter, but other hotels might offer a better pool experience in the summer, esp for kids. But the hotel was otherwise lovely and we enjoyed our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The location seemed reasonable central. It is on a pedestrian way, so motorized traffic is very limited. Cabs and authorized cars can drop off and pick up right in front of the hotel, however.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was clean and generally comfortable. We were in the older of the 2 buildings. There was only one outlet by the desk, and a lamp was plugged into it (we unplugged it), and the outlets beside the bed were behind very heavy end tables. The light switches were extremely confusing, and we never did figure out how to keep the bathroom light on as a nightlight during the night while turning off the interior closet lights.

Activity Reviews

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

We really enjoyed the trip. Our captain was from the area and very knowledgeable. We learned a lot. The scenery is amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porto Tuk Tuk Expedition: A Vibrant City Adventure

Porto

Our driver gave us a wide-ranging tour of Porto. Very informative, so we learned a lot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not tuk-tuk's fault, but the roads are very bumpy and the tuk-tuks don't absorb the shock well. Someone who cannot withstand a lot of jostling or folks with some types of back problems maybe should avoid this trip.

Indulge in Elegance on a Guided Winery Tour Infused with Tastings and a Delicious Lunch

Portugal

The food was fabulous and the tour very interesting. My husband really enjoyed all the wine; alas, I just can't drink very much (it goes to my head so very fast--a few sips is all that I can handle), but I sure wanted a lot more of that red port than I could drink.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour was great!

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

We had a wonderful driver, great food at the winery, great wine at the winery, wonderful boat tour...all good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver and the boat captain were all first-rate.

Transport

Charming Small Group Tour 2-Hour Sailing Cruise on the Tagus River

Portugal

We had a great captain and crew, a learned a lot about Portugal as well as local sights. Since this sail was over dinner time, our travel agent arranged a picnic lunch for us, and it was fabulous. We all had a great time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Sintra's Fairytale Villa with a Private Driver and Pena Palace Tickets

Portugal

We loved the visit--quite a palace and the entire day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Private Driver: Exploring the Algarve’s Hidden Gems

Portugal

The only "bad" part was a bit of fog that happened to roll in at the wrong place at the wrong time, a very unusual occurrence., so it was sort of special that we got to experience it. Our driver had great suggestions on which places to go. He knew a great little out-of-the-way non-touristy place for lunch that was perfect.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jorge was great!

Transport

Exclusive Boat Tour to Ponta da Piedade Grottoes with a Swimming Stop

Portugal

Our captain was great, and attentive to the passengers. Because the ride was over lunchtime, our travel agent had arranged some snacks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour with Ginjinha & Pastel de Nata

Lisbon

Very interesting walk. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and helpful, so we learned a lot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

There was no driver involved, but the guide was extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and pleasant.

Our trip through Peru was absolutely incredible! So much of that comes down to the thoughtful planning and care from Jimena. Right from our first planning message—and from the moment we landed in Lima until we flew out of Cusco—everything ran seamlessly. Jimena took the time to figure out exactly what we wanted, striking the perfect balance between iconic highlights and authentic local experiences.
Traveling with two teenagers (ages 16 and 18!), I was blown away by how well the itinerary fit our family. Every day brought amazing new experiences—from biking through Lima and tasting our way through local markets to hiking the Sacred Valley, exploring Moray and the Maras salt ponds, and of course, taking in Machu Picchu.
A huge shoutout to Guido, who was an absolute rockstar of a guide. His knowledge of Peruvian history and culture brought every site to life, and he had an amazing knack for keeping everyone entertained and curious. We always felt like we were in the best hands. Machu Picchu was unforgettable, and even though rainy weather kept us from getting the full view at Humantay Lake, the hike itself was still unbelievable—as was Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain! Experiencing Cusco and the Sacred Valley gave us such a rich look at Peru beyond the typical tourist trail.
Jimena made the whole journey feel effortless. Transfers, hotels, timing—it all clicked into place so we could just relax and soak it all in. This was our first time in Peru, and it blew all of us away. We came home with incredible experiences and lifelong memories.
If you’re planning a trip, work with Jimena—and if you get Guido as your guide, consider yourself super lucky!

Hotel Reviews

Tariq Boutique hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tierra Viva Valle Sagrado

Urubamba

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Innside Lima Miraflores by Melia Hotels International

Miraflores

Very nice hotel. Excellent location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Machu Picchu Exploration

Peru

Transfer to Lima Airport

Lima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Although there were a couple mixups in the booking process, our trip was flawless. Roy gave me sightseeing options I would never have thought of doing myself, such as the Flam rail tour which was one of the highlights of our trip. Jacob covered our itinerary changes and mixups very conscientiously and professionally. Our food tour in Oslo was wonderful . Having luggage transported from hotel in Bergen to Oslo hotel was a life saver.

The only thing I would offer to have made this trip planning go a bit smoother is to have booking and planning be more simultaneous during the extremely busy tourist season. We would be going with one plan and later find out the hotel or transportation was not available. This was an experience that I encountered during a Kimkim trip to Croatia also, so is not unique to this tour company.

All in all, we had a fabulous trip and it was made much better by booking with Kimkim rather than the plans I had originally made on my own.

Hotel Reviews

Radisson RED Hotel, Oslo Airport

Ullensaker

We were only in this hotel one short night and I can barely remember it being anything but very nice

Authenticity & Character

Nicely decorated

Location

Easy walk from train and airport. We had a family visit and it was an convenient pickup and drop-off with their car.

Staff

friendly and helpful staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable like all hotels we were booked in.

Comfort Hotel Karl Johan

Oslo

Location, meals, cleanliness and staff were very excellent

Authenticity & Character

Typical Comfort Hotel. Clean, efficient and friendly staff

Location

Short walk from train station was much appreciated. Not too far to walk to ferries, restaurants, and sightseeing

Staff

Always happy to please, never too busy

Cleanliness & Comfort

Flåmsbrygga Hotel

Flåm

Beautiful furnishings and comfortable beds. It's definitely a nice hotel but I'd never pay the going rate (thank you Kimkim for covering this)

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful furnishings

Location

Located right by the train station in the heart of Flam

Staff

very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

beds and bedding were top notch. There was a terrible smell coming from the shower drain but once we took a shower, it faded a bit

Comfort Hotel Bergen

Bergen

Our first introduction to the fact that hotels in Norway are very efficient, not big on space, and have fabulous breakfasts included. This hotel was very clean, everything was in working order and the checkin/check out process went very smoothly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good location near all the sights we ere hoping to see

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Nærøyfjord Round-Trip: Fjord Cruise & Scenic Shuttle

Flåm

I'm not sure what the scenic shuttle is all about. We never found the bus we were supposed to get on but a driver who thought we needed a shuttle to our hotel found us and drove us to the Viking Village. That ride is mostly through tunnels so it's not very scenic. The Viking Village is very interesting but we didn't really need that much time there, so I got a tattoo from the tattoo artist in residence. The Fjord cruise was wonderful. It's a very comfortable boat and the scenery is spectacular. We were very lucky with the weather being clear and relatively warm.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The driver that was hired to take us to the hotel that we no longer needed was very informative, efficient and friendly.

Dinner recommendation: Olivia Tjuvholmen

Oslo

We didn't get there

Luggage Transfer Service

Norway

This was SOOOO helpful. We were in Norway for a wedding in Oslo and had brought a gift that required a large piece of luggage. There was no way we could have managed it on the Flam Railway. I had put the wrong hotel name on our paperwork (Karl Johan Hotel instead of Comfort Hotel at Karl Johan). They got it right and I was so happy to see it when we arrived Oslo.

Quality of Experience

We didn't have to be responsible for our luggage.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Never met them but they got the hotel name changed to the correct one

Transport

It arrived at the right location!!!!!

Street Food Tour Oslo

Oslo

This tour involves a lot of walking in a somewhat out of the way area, so we saw a bit of Oslo that we would not have otherwise seen. The group size was a reasonable size, it didn't feel like we were being herded around. The food samples were interesting, delicious and generous. As a side note, Jay Ternaven of JayWay Travel, was taking this tour with us, considering it as an offering for his tours. So the guide was probably trying very hard to impress.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

knowledgeable, answered all questions politely, considerate of special diets in each location

Transport

It was a walking tour and everyone walked quite well

If you are planning a trip to Africa, do yourself a favor and work with KimKim, specifically Anne Marie and Janneke. They planned an absolute masterpiece of an itinerary for our family and provided extraordinary in-country support from start to finish.

The Ultimate Stress-Free Experience
An itinerary like ours had a lot of moving parts, multiple countries, border crossings, and virtually every mode of transportation imaginable (commercial planes, bush planes, helicopters, and private cars). On paper, the logistics looked incredibly complicated, but in reality, everything was 100% seamless. Anne Marie and Janneke held our hands through the entire journey, taking every ounce of stress off our shoulders so we could just be present and soak in the experience.

Unforgettable Highlights Across Every Stop
We packed our days with activities, and every single location delivered something truly special:

Johannesburg: A powerful, eye-opening tour of Soweto that gave us such deep context and appreciation for the culture and history.

Kruger National Park: Unbelievable game drives and breathtaking wildlife encounters.

Cape Town: Going up Table Mountain offered stunning views, and visiting the African penguins at Boulders Beach was an absolute favorite for everyone.

Victoria Falls & Zimbabwe: Seeing the Falls from the air via helicopter was surreal, and our village tour in Zimbabwe was a deeply moving, beautiful experience that connected us directly with the local community.

Botswana (Chobe & the Okavango Delta): Pure, untouched paradise with world-class safari experiences on both land and water.

Incredible Lodging & Warm Hospitality
Every single lodge and hotel chosen by Anne Marie and Janneke was phenomenal—luxurious, comfortable, and perfectly suited to our group. But beyond the beautiful settings, what truly set this trip apart was the people. In every town, lodge, and country we visited, everyone was exceptionally warm, welcoming, and friendly.

Perfect for the Whole Family
Traveling with a mix of teenagers and adults isn't always easy to balance, but they nailed it. Every activity was engaging, fun, and age-appropriate for everyone. The teens were completely captivated from start to finish—which is no small feat!

Bottom Line: This was truly a trip of a lifetime, made completely effortless by world-class travel planners. Thank you to Anne Marie, Janneke, and the KimKim team for your care, precision, and warmth. We couldn't have asked for a better African adventure!

Hotel Reviews

Pioneers Lodge Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls,

Our stay at Pioneers Lodge in Victoria Falls was wonderful! It delivered the ideal combination; it has all the great amenities of a large hotel, while retaining all the quaintness, warmth, and character of a small, intimate property. Some Highlights: Gorgeous Design: the design and ambiance of the lodge are full of charm. It has a historical luxury vibe that is really lovely. Spacious Family Room: We stayed in a family room that worked brilliantly for the four of us. It was beautiful, clean, comfortable, and gave us all plenty of space to relax. Lovely Courtyard & Pools: The property centers around a beautiful, lush courtyard. The family loved having access to two great swimming pools, which were perfect for cooling off after a long day of sightseeing. Additionally, the daily breakfast was fantastic, and the bar area offered a wonderful, relaxed atmosphere to unwind with a drink in the evenings. Lastly, the staff were warm and accommodating. They went out of their way to make us feel welcome. Every interaction was met with genuine friendliness and great hospitality.

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Victoria & Alfred Hotel

Cape Town

You simply cannot top the location. Being situated right on the V&A Waterfront meant were steps away from great dinning and shopping along with beautiful views of Table Mountain and the harbor. It made exploring Cape Town feel completely safe, easy, and stress-free. A few highlights: Amazing Breakfast: The morning breakfast spread was absolutely delicious—fresh, high-quality, and offered something wonderful for every palate before a full day of sightseeing. I highly recommend opting to have breakfast at the hotel. Accommodating Staff: The hospitality was top-notch. The staff was incredibly warm, welcoming, and eager to help with anything we needed to make our stay seamless. Beautiful Property: The hotel itself is clean, modern, and has elegant interiors, and comfortable, stylish rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ivory Wilderness River Rock Lodge

Hoedspruit

Our stay at Ivory Wilderness River Rock Lodge was nothing short of magical from start to finish. Everything about the property met and exceeded our expectations, creating an authentic and high-end bush experience we will never forget. Beautiful Property, Great Rooms & Delicious Food The lodge itself is stunning, perfectly nestled in the bush with peaceful surroundings and incredible views. The Rooms: Spacious, comfortable, clean, and beautifully appointed to blend luxury with nature. The Food: Absolutely delicious! Every single meal served was fresh, flavorful, and memorable. Phenomenal Game Drives with Ingrid While the accommodations and meals were top-tier, what truly made our trip extraordinary were the game drives. Our guide, Ingrid, was outstanding. Her expertise and tracking skills are amazing, she had an incredible knack for finding wildlife and tracking down unforgettable sightings. Just as importantly, Ingrid tailored the entire safari experience to suit our family group, which included teenagers. Keeping kids fully engaged for hours on end can be hard, but Ingrid connected with everyone effortlessly, catered to our group's pace and interests, and made every single drive thrilling and educational.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

58 On Hume

Randburg

We stayed at 58 On Hume as part of our African itinerary planned through KimKim (organized by Anne Marie and Janneke), and it completely blew us away! It was the absolute perfect home base in Johannesburg. To say the hotel exceeded our expectations would be an understatement. The rooms were spectacular: spacious, stylish, spotless, and far nicer than we could have ever anticipated. But what truly set 58 On Hume apart was the incredible team. The staff was accommodating, treating us with such genuine warmth and attentiveness that we felt completely pampered from the moment we arrived. The food was perfect. The entire property feels like a peaceful, luxurious oasis in the city—offering plenty of space and comfort for both the adults and teenagers in our group.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Soweto Bicycle, Walking, or Tuk-Tuk Tour with Traditional Lunch in Outdoor Kitchen

Johannesburg

Absolutely amazing experience that shouldn't be missed. It provided a historical context and understanding that was really amazing. The guides were wonderful and kind.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family of 4 thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Peru thanks to the planning and execution of the KimKim team and associated travel guides. Liz allowed me to curate a trip that was family friendly for our young children while also allowing for adventures that the adults would enjoy as well, exploring history, cuisine, and local culture.
Our favorite guides were Nataly(Cusco area), Natali(Cusco city), Pamela(Machu Picchu -kids), and Roderigo(Machu Picchu).

Muchas Gracias to the team for making a dream trip a reality!

Activity Reviews

Shared Pachamanca Lunch Farm Tour

Sacred Valley

Sacred Valley’s Hummingbirds

Sacred Valley

Shared Painting on Ceramic Pucara Toritos

Cusco

Adventure with Allco and his friends tour in Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Shared tour to the Planetarium Cusco (May - August) w/assistance

Cusco

Private tour to Moray Terraces & Maras Salt Mines: Picnic and Paintings

Peru

Moray and Maras and picnic were amazing but our guide took us off itinerary to a high pressure sales textile factory which we did not enjoy

Urban Kitchen Experience

Lima

Shared Lima Fountains Tour

Lima

This was super fun but we felt rushed and couldn’t enjoy the park

Private Half-Day Cusco Walking Tour: Sacsayhuamán, Qoricancha & San Pedro Market

Cusco

Self guided Trek to Huayna Picchu

Peru

With children we instead hiked the smaller mountain but it was incredible!

Private Sacred Valley Experience: Andean Animals & Clay Art Traditions

Peru