Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our trip to Scotland was amazing. Each location was different and beautiful and a good sampling of what we wanted to see in Scotland. Each lodging was also different but also beautiful. From quaint inns to personal cabins to luxurious hotels. We self drove so had a lot of flexible in what we did but the KimKim app was so useful in helping us decide what to do for the day. We did have some preset excursions. The Cairn distillery tour was very good and the Hairy Coo tour was really fun. And the castles....got to see castles in Scotland.

Hotel Reviews

N°11 Boutique Restaurant and Rooms Hotel

Edinburgh

Staff

Corriegour Lodge Hotel

By Fort William, Letterfinlay

The food was incredible and the owners so accommodating and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Bracken Hide Hotel

Portree

Location

Amazing views

The Ambassador Hotel

Staff

Very friendly

Atholl Arms Hotel

Dunkeld, Perthshire

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Old Town Tour

Edinburgh

The Cairn Distillery Tour & Lunch

Scotland

Highland Coo Tour

Scotland

Just returned from a wonderful week in Norway...planned by Mathia!!
Hotels were excellent....perfect location each one!! would highly recommend the Amerikalingen, Aurlandfjord, and the Belgen Bors!!!
Our guides were really terrific.... Mia in Oslo and John in Bergen....walked and talked and learned quite a bit...would have missed so much had we not used the guides.
Loved the experience of the FjordSafari....great crew!!!
Certainly enjoyed the ferry from Aurland to Bergen....
All was excellent despite a bit of rain....never slowed us down
Many thanks to all....especially to Mathia who planned the trip.... (A few small issues arose that were quickly (few minutes) resolved via text on the KimKim App. really excellent service before and during the adventure)

Dear Team,
Suzanne already wrote a review for both of us, but I would like to use this opportunity and to add, that it was Marc, who created our itinerary and even we didn't meet him, he was with us along the whole trip. It gave us a very good feeling of safety.
Deep thanks to Marc and to all the wonderful team!
All the best,
Yoram

Emile was responsive and patient in planning the trip and with questions during the trip.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Corte dei Greci

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Arte

St. Moritz

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Derby

Zermatt

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Steinenschanze Charming City & Garden Hotel

Basel

Great location. Next to train station

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Gornergrat panoramic train (return day-ticket & Priority boarding)

Switzerland

Quality of Experience

Lo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not as spacious as other trains

Water Taxi Transfer from Hotel to Marco Polo Airport

Venice

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

St. Mark’s Basilica with Terrace Access & Doge’s Palace | Semi-Private Tour

Venice

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Samantha was great in planning the variety of experiences we wanted on our first trip to Australia. She listened to our request for some outdoor adventures and some city activities. Highlights were snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef (a super cool trip on a sailboat), a tour of the spectacular Sydney Opera House and lots of Aussie wildlife - koalas, birds...
The Zoom call with Samantha before the trip was very helpful to clarify the timing and all the transfers, hotel details etc. We felt very prepared.
There were some last minute changes with a tour operator, I recommend using the kimkim 'emergency' number if the operators are not reachable.

We had an excellent, well oiled, smooth trip thanks to Eric and Offbeat. They set up all our hotel reservations, making sure breakfast included everywhere. We did most of the trip on our own, but the things he/they set up were great and all lived up to expectations. (horseback riding, whale watching. lagoon trip) Their daily plan was very helpful, particularly for the map, which really helped with day-to-day plans. One thing I would suggest is to add a separate map that includes all the stops-including the optionals. (i.e.-2 maps, one with all suggested and another with suggested + optional). What would be REALLY cool is to have an interactive map where one could add or delete stops of any kind. It was helpful that they reached out with warnings about some potential road issues. And they got back to us quickly when we corresponded on their urgent email. They added just the right amount of handholding we needed and their suggestions took into consideration most of our interests.

The kimkim team were helpful in our planning for the trip and made us aware of their availability if needed..they were very prompt in helping us exchange one tour for another. The hotels were all very nice and in great locations. We felt that 2 days in Flam would have been enough. Not thrilled with the Viking village.
Enjoyed the beach hike in Bodo with Ivar. He suggested we take the 2 hour ferry commuter trip to visit the islands.. we enjoyed that
The evening ferry from Bodo to Svolvaer was gorgeous because of the sunset. The RIB tour in Svolvaer was alot of fun
A memorable trip and Kimkim helped alot.

We had an excellent time during our two weeks in Spain (Barcelona, Granada, Ronda and Malaga). Excellent private tours, great itinerary, lots of free time and a relaxed travel schedule. The hotels were wonderful, and I love that all the in country travel was taken care, made everything so stress free. Highlights include the private Gaudi tour and bike tour in Barcelona, private tour of the Alhambra in Granada plus a lovely hike in the Sierra Nevada. All the guides knew their stuff. Thank you KimKim!

Nikola did a great job suggesting a workable plan for our trip to Slovenia.
He provided clear instructions & was always on hand to answer questions.
The guides, Maya & David he provided for our trip were fantastic & provided us with wonderful experiences.
Maya in particular used her own lived experience of the area around Piran to take us on back roads to take full advantage of all the area has to offer including a beautiful lunch place situated overlooking the Adriatic Sea - she also suggested what we could do to enjoy our time more fully.
Both drivers allowed us to make choices as to what we wanted to do according to the weather & what we felt we would enjoy.
They were both on time & courteous & friendly at all times always willing to answer our questions & shared their own life experiences so we got a full glimpse into life in Slovenia.

Hotel Review

Hotel Heritage

Ljubljana

This was a fantastic boutique hotel located in the old town of Ljubljana. The room was modern & extremely comfortable & the breakfast was superb - all the staff were attentive to our needs. We loved reading about the 400 year history of the building

Authenticity & Character

It’s 400 year old history

Location

It is right in the old town close to many restaurants

Staff

They were all great

Cleanliness & Comfort

All of it

Activity Reviews

Information & Documents - Slovenia

Slovenia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Postojna Cave Park & Piran

Slovenia

We had a great experience- our guide Maya was very helpful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the Beauty of the Bled Lake

Slovenia

We enjoyed this activity immensely

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had such an incredible week in Iceland! I traveled with my 10-year-old son, and Emanuela did a wonderful job helping us plan a trip that had the perfect balance of adventure, sightseeing, driving, and downtime.

From the beginning, Emanuela gave really thoughtful recommendations, including when to travel given that I would be self-driving with my son and the weather can be unpredictable. The itinerary was so well planned, with great hotels, manageable driving days, and a mix of experiences that we both loved.

My son unfortunately got sick right when we arrived, so we weren’t able to follow our itinerary the first day. The team was incredibly easy to reach and helped rearrange our Blue Lagoon visit for another day. It all worked out seamlessly, and we still got to experience everything we had hoped to.

And Iceland itself was absolutely spectacular. We were there right on the cusp of the season and were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights, along with the Golden Circle, glaciers, hot springs, rainbows, waterfalls, and more cute sheep than we could count. My son kept saying, “This is unreal. This is magic.” That pretty much sums up the trip.

I really appreciated Emanuela’s thoughtful planning, great recommendations, and the support when we needed it. It was such a special trip for my son and me, and one we’ll remember for a very long time!

Hotel Reviews

Hótel Kría

Vík

This was a beautiful hotel, great breakfast great location and views close to the school bus coffee but I think what it’s missing is some kind of central activity like a hot tub or something would’ve been nice here!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Eyja

Reykjavik

This hotel was great. The breakfast was really nice and the location was perfect. It’s out of the core so it’s easy to drive and park but close enough that you can just walk into the town easily and see beautiful views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Geothermal bakery

Golden Circle

This was honestly one of the coolest things we did! It was a beautiful sunny day, which was nice, and our guide was exceptionally passionate about what he was doing, and he had my son as a little helper since my son was the only child on the tour which made him feel special and made the experience much more interesting for my 10-year-old. The bread was delicious and the tour itself was just like 45 minutes and it was perfect really unique.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Stable visit and private horseback combo tour at Skeidvellir

Iceland

This was so awesome the girl that did the private lesson for my son was so sweet and nice 20 years old was very good with my son listening to him and teaching him and showing him all the things very patient and kind and caring. It was definitely one of the highlights of the trip for my son. He now wants to do horseback riding regularly lol

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Iceland has always been a dream destination for me, and when I heard there was an eclipse passing over the island I knew it was time to go!

We started trip planning very late so we were very grateful for Preeti’s help. We told her what we wanted to see and do while there and she made it all possible. Because of the coming eclipse a lot of places were booked and we never would have found the hotels and tours that we wanted without Preeti’s connections and expertise.

She laid out each day with lots of options for things to do and see; each tailored to our desires and we were never disappointed. Iceland is a truly magical place and Preeti helped us see as much as we could in the 10 day window that we were there.

The eclipse was obscured by clouds except of one brief moment, but we were never in the least bit sorry that we came. The weather is always a gamble but our lovely trip to this beautiful island could not be diminished by that.

We saw many sites that no doubt thousands have seen before but each one seemed to be so pristine and new as if they were newly discovered just days before.

I know it’s only a matter of time before we return to explore more of the otherworldly realm that is Iceland.

The trip was great. We began our adventure in Edinburgh. The airport pickup was flawless, and the Hoxton was fine except for billing error at checkout. The self-guided tours were great. The Hoxton is at walking distance of the start points for all the self-guided walking tours. The whisky tasting with Joanne was one of the highlights of the trip. She is a sommelier, with extensive whisky knowledge. We had food pairings with the guided whisky tasting. We highly recommend her and we may do in the future a remote (Zoom) whiskey tasting with her.
Next was Stirling which was a nice change in pace after Edinburgh. Our guide for the Stirling Old Town & Castle Private Walking Tour was Donnie. He is retired, lives in Stirling was very knowledgeable about the town history. From Stirling we drove to Inverness which was nice and our accommodations great. Our local guide for the private walking tour was good. We went to famous Hootananny Pub and had dinner and enjoyed live music. The atmosphere was amazing.

The rest of the trip went well except for driving the narrow roads to Portree and back to Glasgow from Fort William. Portree was nice but ourseeightsseing was limited by the seasonal rain.

Overall, excellent trip with outstanding support from Kate (Kateryna Garkavenko). Who helped us plan the trip to Scotland.

Activity Review

Private Scotch Whisky & Artisan Food Tasting Tour

Edinburgh

The whisky and Artisan Food Tasting was one of the highlights of the trip. Joanne, a sommelier, was extremely knowledgeable about whisky, food pairings and the history of Edinburgh. We highly highly recommend this tour with her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our 4th trip with KimKim and they have never failed to connect us with excellent local travel consultants.

Asko Merilainen of Project Matka, based in Melbourne, was our advisor for a 31 day trip around Australia. He put together an ambitious and comprehensive itinerary that kept us fascinated, delighted and tired by the end of the day. He dropped in rest days here and there, just when we needed them and always made suggestions for additional fun along the way. He took us from the tropics to the desert and back again and mid trip, when a surprise appendicitis stalled us for a week, he made sure we had everything we needed, changed plans and made it easy for us to resume our trip when we were ready. He has also been great about making sure we have everything we needed to complete the travel insurance paperwork. We highly recommend Asko and Project Matka. LGBTQ friendly too! Thanks everyone.

Taylor and Coraima were very helpful explaining the itinerary details. I liked the Nobel Peace Center and the Munch Museum in Oslo. The Fisheries Museum in Alesund was fascinating. We ate a lot of salmon, herring and cod. The buffet breakfasts were very good. The fjord trips gave me a good way to see what glaciers could do. The Floibanen Funicular in Bergen was very interesting.

The itinerary provided in the app needed many clarifications to make it flow chronologically, and to make it parallel the actual legs of the trip. Also, I would have preferred that any messages from KimKim came to me directly in email, and not through the app, because my iPhone would not allow me to access the trip chat area in the app, no matter what I tried. I could only see messages in the evening of each day on my iPad, which I didn't carry around with me, and my desktop, which I obviously didn't take with me.

The Kimkim website we used to book our trip to Italy was the first time we have used a travel service to plan such a trip. Every detail was arranged and planned out. Anita, our original coordinator who planned this trip to Italy covered not only the typical logistics, hotel, transportation, etc.. but was able to accommodate the most off the beaten path request to visit Giardini Di Pomona including arrangements to meet the owner Paolo Belloni, and arrange for a translator for our time at the gardens. We are delighted with how the trip was planned, leaving nothing to chance, and look forward to working with the Kimkim team in the future for other excursions we are planning to take. Thanks to everyone involved for all the planning and effort to make our trip such a success. Mark and Claudia

Taylor was as excited as we were about our visiting Norway-she had so many tips and hints that wouldn't be available anywhere else and she shared generously. Coraima and Chris really helped when we had questions about the app and other items. My favorite experience was the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo. The work being done there is critical to our future. Norway, of course, is best known for it's beautiful mountains, waterfalls, fjords and nature. I loved the train ride from Flam and the waterfall stop with the woman in red. The Fjord trips gave us the opportunity to really meet and learn about other global travelers as well as appreciate the farms and homes along the way. The culture and food walk was excellent-please tell the woman who led the tour (I did not catch her name) that she was a pleasure to spend time with. The Vikings are not to be missed-and the troll forest near the funicular was so special! Speaking of vikings, the dinner was OUTSTANDING! So much to share! Ronnye Schreiber

Hotel Review

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

This hotel was located in the midst of everything we wanted to do. It is a bit run-down. Their breakfast was excellent. Something I noticed in most of the hotels that differs from the US. In the US, there are generally tissues in the bathrooms. Not so in our first few hotels. Also, could have used a night light to get around.

Authenticity & Character

Just a bit run-down.

Location

Centrally located to all activities.

Staff

I really did not interact with them to have much of an opinion.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathroom and bed was clean and comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Worthwhile time spent with a very knowledgeable guide. We tasted foods at the new Fish Market, had sample of sausage from whale and other fish at the old fish market. Walked around Bryggen and visited a bar downstairs where local beer was offered. Stories of kings marrying commoners. Norway soup at another venue. Visited UNESCO site for artists. Lovely afternoon!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide really knew her stuff. I did not catch her name. If you can locate her, please tell her how pleased we were.

Geirangerfjord Cruise & Day Trip

Norway

The boat was new and very comfortable. We traveled 3 hours to Alesund, had 3 hours on land and then 3 hour return. I did enjoy the waterfalls and farms along the way. I downloaded the app on the boat and learned lots about the areas we passed-very useful and interesting. Lunch was at the Brasserie Posten where we had beet root, herring, and salad over toasted rye. Very traditional Norwegian food.

Quality of Experience

Fløibanen Funicular Ride

Bergen

What a quick trip up and down! I hardly noticed the ride- but at the top, we saw Troll Carvings (so much fun) in the dense forest. The cashmere goats were adorable. The view was inbetween raindrops, but that's Norway and to be expected.

Quality of Experience

A little less rain, Norway! LOL

Ægir Viking Meal Experience

Norway

They brought us to our seats upstairs right on time. The waiter was so helpful, especially when we had questions about the content of the food (I am lactose intolerant and was wary of the soup)-all was GREAT. And since we don't drink beer, he gave us a locally brewed hard cider-what luck!! The food was outstanding. And it was wonderful that the restaurant was night next to the hotel. After a long day of having fun, we were exhausted and the small distance made this easy.

Quality of Experience

Being with my husband of 53 years and enjoying ourselves sharing a new experience!

Njardarheimr Viking Village Day Trip with Nærøyfjord Cruise & Bus Transfer

Norway

The Viking Village was so much better than I expected. The docents, dressed in garb of the day, were excellent at explaining the history, closing, weaving, etc. The "fights" were fun to watch. The transportation to the village was easy and pleasant. One issue: we had a very hard time finding the Village after we got off the boat. There were competing directional signs and people that sent us in the wrong direction. Signage needs help.

Quality of Experience

Finding the viking village was a problem for us. The overall day was fun and interesting.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They answered all questions and were generally kind.

Transport

We got there in one piece! LOL

Edvard Munch Museum in Oslo (Tickets not included)

Oslo

One of the reasons we went to Norway was to see the original "Scream"- Bucket list satisfied. The museum had fabulous art, not just by Munch, but other Norway artists.

I appreciated the very personalized trip planned by Io. She is exceptionally responsive and understood the kind of trip we wanted....deeper immersion, fewer hotel stays and long car rides, some independent time to explore, great food and stellar accomodations. We absolutely loved every hotel: gorgeous Sol Y Luna, Belmond Sanctuary where we had the best food of our lives, and the warmth and location of Antigua Casona. Highly recommend all three. We loved the cultural immersion trips: Llama trekking and the Potato experience were standouts. Machu Picchu was of course stunning. I appreciated the recommendations for our free days and restaurants. Jimy, our guide was fantastic,knowledgeable, fun and flexible. I also appreciated Lisbeth's efforts to retrieve and return a hat I left in MP.

Overall it was a great trip, however, we had some really basic logistical missteps that caused hassles that should have been avoided on a high end trip such as this. I shared that feedback and frustration directly and felt that they did their best to address it, and treated us to a dinner to offset some of the hassle. This is the second time we've booked with kimkim and the first time we have encountered logistical difficulty on the ground.

Hotel Reviews

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

Beautiful, well located, exceptional service and food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Belmond Sanctuary Lodge

Machu Picchu

Absolutely beautiful, loved the ease of going the MP, exceptional service and among the best food we have every had, anywhere.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sol y Luna Hotel (Relais & Chateaux)

Urubamba

Exceptional, gorgeous and wonderful food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Flight to Cusco & Direct private transfer to the Sacred Valley w/assistance

Peru

Flight from CUSCO to LIMA I had to ask repeatedly for the boarding passes. We never received them until around 6 pm before our departure at 4 am. As a result of the late check in, we were in a very late boarding group requiring us to check luggage (we always do carry on and always plan for that) and weren't seated together. I shouldn't have had to ask repeatedly for the boarding passes. It would have been easier to handle this myself.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The drivers were fine on both airport transfers. The driver on the transfer from Ollantaytambo to CUsco never said a single word to us, even through a terrible drive over roads that made us nearly sick to our stomachs.

Transport

The route taken between Ollayntambo to CUsco after our MP visit should not be allowed by your company. It was deeply unsettling and extremely uncomfortable.

Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu) SV

Peru

The Belmond Sanctuary is well worth the price. We had two circuits on one day. Worth it, but it is alot so rest up!

Quality of Experience

Food

Best food of our lives.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Extremely bad transport experience. We were booked for a private driver up to MP. Turns out that is not even possible, and we missed the last bus up trying to scramble to get bus tickets. Eventually made it. Big hassle. The next day it then took us 6 hours to get to Cusco: bus ride down, late train and an absolutely harrowing drive from the train to Cusco via extremely deserted roads, many with previous rock slides causing the road to become one lane and very, very rough dirt roads. I know there must have been a different route through the mountains. It was a terrible drive. I don't know why we couldn't have gone directly from MP to Cusco and had our luggage delivered. A six hour, extremely uncomfortable journey was competely unacceptable on a trip like this. We loved MP, but the travel hassle in both directions really impacted our impression of what was to be a highlight.

Potato Experience in the Sacred Valley

Sacred Valley

This was one of our top experiences. We learned so much and the warmth of the family and stunning scenery on the drive made it so memorable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour to The Salt Flats of Maras, Llama Trek, Shared Pachamanca Lunch & Self guided tour to Ollantaytambo town

Sacred Valley

Loved this, especially the Llama Trek. We learned so much and our guide Jimy was fabulous. It is a very, very long day and the road to Ollantaytambo was really rough. The Pachamance lunch was delicious, but it was a long drive and we ended up there very late due to the road so we missed some of it. The food was excellent, though.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing 18-day trip focused on the NC500, the Outer Hebrides, the Highlands and Islay. We enjoyed spectacular scenery, historic landmarks, iconic hotels, and activities that fit our interests to a T.
In particular, the itinerary fit perfectly with our interests and we liked that we could choose from among options along the way.
We had three guides--at the Torridon Hotel a guide, whose name I didn't quite catch, took us on a nature hike that was spectacular, Donald Mathheson toured us around Lewis and Harris (2 days), and Dougie Mac Taggert took us on a lengthy coastal walk, escorted us to our Tour at the Kilchoman Distillery and ended with a walk through the RSPB Loch Gruinart. All were exceptional and very personable to spend a morning or day with.
We covered a lot of ground either on foot, in the car, or by ferry.

Hotel Reviews

The Loch Lomond Arms Hotel

With only a stay of about 17 hours, it is difficult to give much detail. Nevertheless, the interior had recently been updated and highlighted the interests, hobbies, and personalities of members of the Colcuhoun family who have been in the luss area for centuries.

Authenticity & Character

There are lots of details in the decor (guest room names, stuffed mountain lion on the landing up to our room, maps, taxidermized birds in cases in the bar, etc) Very atmospheric!

Location

Right on the shores of Loch Lomond, we had a nice stroll around Luss after we arrived. Quite the lovely spot. Had we been staying longer this is in a convenient location to explore Loch Lomond.

Staff

Because we were leaving in the morning before breakfast was served, the staff arranged for us to get a to do breakfast roll.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had a small room on the top floor for our one-night stay which was fine. Again, lots of details to notice.

Port Charlotte Hotel

Isle of Islay

Our room was okay and the bathroom quite small. It took a very long time for the shower to get hot water. PIllows were not very "fluffy" but we had been spoiled by previous hotels on this trip. By the same token, the more simple accommodation was just fine and seemed completely suited to the locale and flavor of Port Charlotte in a good way.

Authenticity & Character

The character seemed so authentic to the place and was clearly a popular dining venue with the locals. We arrived in the evening and the place was lively with people at the bar and restaurant, a change from the prior hotels that seemed to be mostly US tourists such as ourselves.

Location

The hotel is right on the waterfront which always makes me happy.

Staff

The woman who checked us in (the owner?) was very helpful and friendly with a good sense of humor.

Cleanliness & Comfort

One star removed for disappointing pillows.

Isle of Eriska Hotel

Benderloch

As we only had one night's stay, it's a bit harder to rate this hotel in its entirety. We didn't take advantage of the spa. We had dinner in the more casual restaurant, the Deck. We did wander around the island and enjoyed the views and encounters with both farm and wildlife. Our room was a bit on the small side and quite a climb to via a steep stairway.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel looks castle-ish and the interior is evocative of a manor home (not that I've ever lived in one).

Location

It is in a gorgeous setting, a private island. It's best enjoyed with a stay of a few nights to take advantage of all the activities to be had.

Staff

With just a one-night stay we can only comment on the staff who checked us in and out. the Deck restaurant staff, and our breakfast server. All were helpful and gracious.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The usual sparkling clean room and bath!

The Torridon

Achnasheen

This was quite exceptional between the stately, elegant stone building, the carriage houses, and the property with walking trails.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel building is stunning as are the grounds.

Location

Absolutely gorgeous! Lovely forest, loch, bar, restaurant, rooms!

Staff

Very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bath towels!!! I have never experienced such fluffy towels!

Marmalade Hotel

Portree

We had a very brief stay from early evening to early morning as we were transitioning from our stay on Harris and Lewis to heading towards the Applecross penninsula.

Authenticity & Character

It was very attractive.

Location

Convenient to the center of Portree. We were able to walk to a restaurant for dinner in 8 minutes. Parking can be challenging in town.

Staff

We only interacted with the person on duty when we checked in/out and the person who served us breakfast.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Broad Bay House

Back

Broad Bay House is located 15 minutes north of Stornoway and was built to be a Bed and Breakfast rather than converting a private home to such. On our first night's stay we enjoyed a sharing platter of seafood for dinner. It was ample, attractively presented, and very good. On specific nights they serve a plated dinner but our stay didn't coincide with this option,

Authenticity & Character

The guest rooms are toward the front of the house. The social space includes a dining area and comfortable furniture for relaxing. It is nicely decorated throughtout.

Location

It sits atop a cliff and overlooks the broad bay and beach. There is access to the beach quite near the house, We enjoyed walking on the beach at low tide.

Staff

We had some delightful conversations with the owner.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great bathroom!

The Dipping Lugger

Ullapool

Our room was absolutely gorgeous. It felt more like a suite with a small hallway leading off the bedroom to the spacious bathroom that had both a shower and free-standing bathtub. The food is amazing. We had 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts there. Dinner is a series of small courses which can be paired with wines for each course. Unique to this hotel is that breakfast is fixed and presented as small courses much like as the dinner. but with breakfast type food/dishes. No wine at breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Absolutely gorgeous inside and out.

Location

It is located on the Ullapool waterfront and very close to the ferry terminal/dock. There are interesting sites and attractions nearby.

Staff

The staff is very welcoming and personable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scourie Hotel

Scourie

Perfectly nice hotel. Room was on the small side. Lobby and public areas make it clear that this area is ideal for fishing.

Authenticity & Character

As mentioned above, the public spaces in the hotel make it clear that the area has good fishing.

Location

This is close to Handa Island. Unfortunately, we did not get to experience it as the weather did not cooperate.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Forss House

Thurso

Forss House is tucked away in the woods off the main highway. The main house has 4 or 5 rooms and there are also cottages, popular with the fishing crowd. Our room in the main house was spacious and comfortable. For dining, there is a dining room and a conservatory (a glassed-in porch) which was especially nice for breakfast. We had dinner at the hotel that was orchestrated very well. We began in the Bar where we were served Champagne and hors d'oeuvres. Then went into the dining room for dinner. The food was exceptional. We wandered the grounds and enjoyed the waterfall and the meandering river. The gardens around the house are lovely.

Authenticity & Character

The grounds and decor.

Location

It's off the main highway and surrounded by woods.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Good pillows!

Rocpool Reserve

Inverness

We only had a one-night stay at the Rocpool Reserve. The room was very attractive and unique in that the bathroom was downstairs from the bedroom. The bathroom was the most spacious I've ever encountered! Going downstairs when nature calls in the middle of the night might not be to everyone's liking. Other rooms may not have this same configuration. It was in a convenient location for us to explore Inverness on the afternoon of our arrival. Breakfast in the morning was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

The room configuration was certainly unique. Primarily, the decor is quite lovely.

Location

It's a relatively short walk to the center of Inverness. It is quite hilly and depending on where your wanderings in town take you, the walk back to the hotel can be a bit steep.

Staff

As our stay was quite short, our interactions with the staff were quite few, but all that we encountered were gracious and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kilchoman Distillery Classic Tour

Islay

Even though I'm not much of a whisky drinker, this tour was very well done. Very cleverly, they provide everyone (except the designated driver) a lanyard that supports a whisky tasking glass. As the tour progressed we sampled whiskies along the way.

Quality of Experience

We had an excellent lunch in the cafe before the tour. I highly recommend it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very informative tour leader.

Corrieshalloch Gorge National Nature Reserve

Ullapool

This was well worth a visit. We were fortunate to get good weather (meaning only a little rain). I highly recommend this reserve. As we are birdwatchers, we did have some nice birding along the Fern Walk. Combined with the path to the suspension bridge across the gorge, it makes for a long enough walk to work of that morning porridge with cream and honey.

Quality of Experience

Simply gorgeous

Harris Tour with Guide

Scotland

Day 2 with our driver, Donald, we toured around the coast of Harris. Because it is so mountainous, there isn't the same level of historic sights as on Lewis. The one historical site is St. Clement's Church with 15th century carvings and graves within. The west coast of Harris offered beautiful beaches.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful scenery!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Donald is the best!

Transport

Lewis Tour with Guide

Lewis

We were picked up at our B&B at 10 am and proceeded to the very northern tip of the island to see the lighthouse and the dramatic cliffs in strong winds. From there we made a brief stop at the Port of Ness, formerly a herring fishing port. Next we visited a small, but mighty museum, Comunn Eachdraidh Nis that highlights the local history. A small cafe provided a delicious lunch. Moving down the west coast, we visited the Clach An Truishal Standing Stone, The Shieling Barvas and Brue, Whalebone Arch, Gearrannan Blackhouse Village, a Harris Tweed factory, and Dun Carloway Broch.

Quality of Experience

By the end of the day we felt we knew what Lewis was and is all about.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Donald was the perfect guide.

Transport

We rode in Donald's taxi which was perfectly comfortable for the day's drive.

Half Day Guided Hike: Torridon Resort

Torridon

This was exceptional. Our guide took us on a wonderful hike on the Shieldaig Penninsula. We learned a lot and we quite on the same page in terms of interests and what mattered most to us.

Quality of Experience

Taking a spectacular trail we would never have found on our own.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very knowledgeable and a joy to spend a morning with.

Transport

Loch na Muilne

Lewis

Took a look. Pretty but did not blow our socks off (even the though the wind was blowing hard enough to do so).

The Summer Isles Boat Trip

Scotland

The Summer Isles Boat Trip had to be canceled due to rough winds and water, but we were able to go on the Whale and Dolphin cruise later in the afternoon in a high-speed RIB boat. No whales spotted but playful dolphins kept us entertained. We also saw Common Seals resting on the rocks.

Quality of Experience

They provide a suit and safety instructions.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgable.

Transport

Fun ride on the RIB boat!

Welcome to Ullapool

Ullapool

Ullapool is a nice town that occasionally gets cruise ships so the shopping along the waterfront is geared to tourism. The shops are more reasonable and of strictly local fare than some cruise ports we've experienced. From Ullapool we visited the Corrieshalloch Gorge and Nature Reserve which is a must see.

Drive, NC500 Thurso to Scourie

Scotland

Single track roads galore. Two great stops: Strathnaber Museum (the story of the clearances told well) and Smoo Cave (wild to see a river disappear into a cave).

Quality of Experience

The beauty of the coast drive was the hightlight.

RSPB Dunnet Head

Thurso

We had good weather although the wind was blowing furiously. We were past the seabird nesting time but saw a number of seabirds flying about. It's worth the walk to see the stacks.

Quality of Experience

Just returned from spending a month in Ireland. It was a memorable and enlightening trip. Adrian, our local specialist, did a fantastic /thorough job planning so we really got to see and experience a variety of cultural, historical, and natural wonders. We came away with a deep respect and admiration for the land and people of Ireland. The trip was not without a few bumps, though we were well supported by Adrian, who was very responsive. The mix of planned activities and free time allowed us to explore the best of Ireland. We were blessed with great weather and knowledgeable and gracious guides. It was great craic!!!
I am very appreciative of the "road book" and app as it made tracking and finding information easy. This is our second time using KimKim and we will likely use them again.

Hotel Reviews

Benedicts of Belfast

BELFAST

Great location, comfortatble room, great dining and entertainment options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Serendipity House Guesthouse

Derry

The check in process was great, the location wonderful,and the property very clean. Thought parking would be a issue but we had no problems. The room was a bit cramped...hard to move around. So small we had to leave our suitcases in the car. Too, the corner sink in the bathroon was barely accessible as it was blocked by the shower. Breakfast was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mount Errigal Hotel

Letterkenny

Comfortable with good dining and atmosphere.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riverside Hotel

Sligo

Central location with decent dining options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Woodside Lodge B&B

Westport, County Mayo

The room was very clean but the environment was a bit sterile. Given that you must drive to everywhere, we were dismayed that they didn't allow food in the room and where they allowed food, thcommon room ,appeared to be closed. And since it was marketed as a B&B, I found this a bit deceptive because they don't provide breakfast. Hosts did not check in with us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The room was well cared for but it felt like there was no one there.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Lane Boutique Residence

Galway

We loved this quirky hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Hard to put into words. It's tucked away yet in the center.

Location

Stones throw from town center. Walked everywhere..

Staff

So helpful!!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Killarney Riverside Hotel

Killarney

Walking distance from town. Large room though a bit crowded.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Service in the dining areas was great. They were a bit under staffed at the front desk; coukdnt alway find someone.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ashling Hotel Dublin

Dublin

Great location and service.

Authenticity & Character

They injected a bit of fun into the experience. For example, in the morning a staff member in the breakfast room woulld sing an irish ditti.

Location

Staff

Helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rock of Cashel

Ireland

Underwhelming.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit Brú na Bóinne and the Newgrange Tombs

Ireland

Excellent facility and tour. Remarkable history and experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

McConnell's Irish Whisky Distillery Tour

Belfast

Delicious!!!!! Always nice to learn about the inner working.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Titanic experience

Belfast

Loved it. Very thorough and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tickets for St Patrick Cathedral, Dublin

Dublin

Founbd the self guided tour a bit confusing. Lovd the catherderal---beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Belfast Political Taxi Tour

Belfast

Really enjoyed this. Great hearing from a "local". He was very accommodating and funny.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Bogside History Walking Tour

Londonderry (Derry)

Educational and inspiring.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free time in Derry

Londonderry (Derry)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Sligo Town

Sligo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ferry to Inis Mór (Ferry Only - Return Trip)

Ireland

Though we were unable to complete the bike ride...we were able to see the island and all it had to offer. Glad we went.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Give It A Go Evening Kayak Tour in Galway

Galway

This was a highlight!!! Beautiful scenery, exceptional guide...well woth it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Galway Food Tour

Galway

So much fun. Saw and learned things we wouldn't have with out the guide. The variety of food and drink was wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Entry into the Emigration Museum EPIC

Dublin

A must do. This interactive museum really educates and entertains.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free time in Dublin

Dublin

Great shopping and museums. Got to see things not on our planned itinerary.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dublin Highlights and Hidden Gems Walking Tour

Dublin

Very knowledgeable and entertaining guide. Tour helped us decide where to eat etc.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Diana was amazing, very detailed and on top of everything. This made our international trip very easy. I would highly recommend using the kimkim group for your travel.