Kimkim Trip Reviews

This small hotel was delightful and the staff was always helpful when we needed recommendations on things to do. It's location right across the street from St. Michel was a bonus. The atmosphere every evening for happy hour was fantastic taking place on the plaza in front of the church steps. The bartender made some amazing craft cocktails and we enjoyed sitting and people watching as we wound down our evening.

Great location and fantastic large room. Most importantly, air conditioned! We happened to be in Tours France during an early heat wave and coming back after touring wineries and having dinner to a comfortable air conditioned room was most appreciated. David and the staff were friendly and accommodating during our three night stay.

This dinner was fantastic and we were treated to a window seat that looked out over the central plaza and river bank. Food and wine were amazing and the cheese course for dessert featured a delicious selection of interesting cheese varieties.

Our guide was delightful and our first wine tasting was great with the winery staff taking time to explain the wines and the process of how the wines were grown, produced and bottled. Our second tasting stop was more of a hard sell on the owners preference for the sparkling wine they produced. Lunch was provided there and it was a great selection of cheese, charcuterie and fresh salad with a nice red wine paring. Saint -Emilion was amazing but we were only allowed 45 mins before we needed to be back to meet the driver for our return to Bordeaux.

Our guide, Marion, for the tour of the amazing Castle Azay-le-Rideau, the Vouvray wine tour and the Chateau Villandry was amazing. She was so knowledgeable and was obviously a subject matter expert on the history and lifestyle of people who inhabited the Caste and Chateau.

This tour was worth the short train ride from Tours to Amboise. The castle and Da Vinci's resting place and home were very enlightening.

Hela was so engaging and knowledgeable about the history of Bordeaux and took us on a walking tour of some great local wine and culinary shops.

Our guide for this private tour was a former Lieutenant Colonel in the French army and current winery co-owner. Very knowledgeable and took the time to take us first to the vinyard to explain the cultivation, pruning and harvesting of grapes before taking us to the wine cave for a tasting. This was a hightlig for us and we learned so much about appelations, terrior, and thcuteriee types of grapes allowed in the production of wines in the Lorre Valley. The tasting in the cave was accomapnied by a great selection of Cheeses. Really enjoyed this tour.

We wished we had alloted more time to tour this museum. It's multimedia and interactive exhibits were immersive and informative. Our wine tasting experience there was top notch and an experience not to be missed.

Our guide was delightful and knowledgeable but the trip was short and it's highlights were really just the history of the bridges we passed beneath and some overview of the architectural rules governing development and restoration of the city's building facdes. We schduled this for the afternoon after Cite du Vin and wished we had spent more time at Cite du Vin

Wish it was longer!

The Charme Spagna Boutique Hotel in Rome was a little gem! The room was comfortable and quiet, breakfast was excellent, and the staff were so kind and accommodating. My family arrived very early in the morning in Rome. Although our room wasn't ready, the staff kept our luggage while we explored. They were able to open the room to us earlier than expected, which was nice since we were jetlagged. Of all the hotels we stayed in, my children enjoyed the breakfast and snacks here the most. Our room even opened to a lovely patio, where we enjoyed our meal. The hotel is also in convenient walking distance to Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.

We enjoyed Hotel Leone with its lovely pool and patio, delicious breakfast, quiet but convenient location, and friendly staff. Our family of five had two rooms, which were conveniently assigned next to each other. Because it was so hot when we visited in July, we were glad to have the pool. We only wish it had stayed open past 7 PM.

We found the accommodations at The Republic to be outstanding. We were graciously welcomed at the front desk. Our family of five was assigned two spacious and comfortable rooms. We were even treated to a surprise bottle of Chianti when we arrived. Because it was so hot when we were visiting in July, we were happy to have a nice, luxurious shower in the room. Our family also enjoyed the breakfast with its variety of hot and cold foods, fruits, and beverages.

Hotel was basic. We arrived into terminal 3 at Jakarta. Yuqqa had selected a hotel in terminal 2, but we flew out of terminal 1 the next morning. Why so much movement. Spending the night at the terminal we arrived at would have been much easier and better.

Absolutely fantastic. Was our favorite hotel of the trip. Grounds were magnificent and the staff was great.

A beautiful resort right on the ocean

VERY basic, but we expected that. We were only there to access the hike, which we never did.

Gorgeous views of the harbor

The highlight of the trip was the MonaLisa 3. The crew was great. Boat was lacking only one small thing, places to sit. There were no chairs. A couple of benches but nothing else. Everything else was great. Our guide Robert was absolutely sensational. By the end of the trip it felt like we were hanging out with a friend who was a local. When we had the problem with the Wae Rebo hike Robert saved the day. He was amazing looking for Komodo Dragons. He made up for all of Yuqqa's mistakes. One of the best guides I have ever had.

Ten stars. Best day of the trip. We saw eight Komodo Dragons! Two terrific snorkeling experiences. We will remember this day for the rest of our lives.

A little bit touristy and poorly scheduled as mentioned previously. View was magnificent.

Fantastic

Very authentic. Loved the hike through the rice fields

Excellent breakfast buffet and restaurant. Great resort for active vacationers such as swimming, working out, yoga, rock climbing, Muay Thai boxing.

Great location, only 15 minute walk to Terminal 21 shopping mall. Very busy hotel. Breakfast buffet staff were not very friendly though. Some guests were sitting with their bare feet on the couch and coffee table in the lounge area.

Great location, only 15 minute walk to Terminal 21 shopping mall. Excellent breakfast buffet.

Great location, only 15 minute walk to the night market. Good breakfast buffet.

Great place to go hiking and learn about the Hmong people native to the area.

Wonderful activity for all ages and to buy souvenirs.

The kids enjoyed learning about the temple and the craftsmanship involved in the silver pieces. They loved making their own key chains out of aluminum.

Very interesting tour about the history of the temple.

Highlight of the trip. Learned how to take care of elephants, feed them, make paper from their poop, and bathe them.

Great place to play on the beach, snorkel, and dine on the beach.

Fun activity for all ages. No paddling required if you hire a guide to paddle for you. Beautiful scenery. Lots of animals to see.

Great way to try the street food without the fear of getting sick.

Such a great fit! The staff was welcoming and very accommodating and helped in any way you needed. Felt spoiled while we were there.

Made this truly an amazing way to end the trip. It was amazing.

Loved trying all the famous and delicious foods of Paris!!

This is a truly exceptional hotel! The lobby is absolutely gorgeous, the room was massive and elegant, and the hotel and wait staff could not have been more gracious and helpful. I could not give a higher recommendation for this hotel!

The food and drinks on this tour were fabulous, and each stop presented a unique view of Glasgow. However, the true highlight of the tour was Megan, our tour guide. Megan was full of personality and highly knowledgeable about the venues, the food, and Glasgow in general. She made the tour a very enjoyable experience for all of us.

Such a unique experience with a beautiful location, welcoming host, and delicious food!

Very convenience location! The most amazing breakfast buffet!

Awesome convenient location! Spa was very nice. Breakfast was huge and delicious.

Loved everything about this hotel! Even the restaurant had incredible food and the breakfast was perfect. The only issue was no elevator - so walking the steps to the top floor but that is Europe for you. Perfect location, perfect place!

Great hotel and super friendly staff. The suana and fitness were under construction and not usable. That is the only reason for the 4 stars.

Nice hotel but farther from where we wanted to be. The suite was amazing but the a/c didn't work well.

Loved this .Exactly what we were looking forward to.

This is an incredibly long day. You will sweat and be exhausted. It is something to know ahead of time. We didn't anticipate how much of a hiking day this would be - lots of elevation and steep hills.

This was more informal than we were expecting. I think we just had the wrong expectations. We dressed up but then most were in shorts and tshirts.

Dana was great but we were so tired after just arriving in Prague from a long day of travel. We shouldn't have booked something right at our arrival.

Amazing hotel, just beautiful. Staff and amenities and the attention to detail was superb. Cannot rate highly enough.

Lovely stafff and great location. Rooms are a bit dated but very comfortable .

The resort is lovely. The grounds and accommodation are beautiful & the pool and private beach superb. the staff are just lovely and the breakfast is great. My only small criticism is that the resort is a 15 minute ($20 aud) grab ride from Chaweng. As such I think the resort should offer a regular free shuttle service in and out.

Didn't do it. Was told there was nothing open on the island on a Monday, it was super hot and wondered why it was suggested.

This was not a pleasant experience for the family as a whole. I enjoyed the massage as I like a firm remedial massage however my family hated it. I don't understand why you would recommend this type of experience. It would have been so much nicer if it was a relaxation massage with oil not a pounding. Really disappointed

As our plane was late, we only went to the food street. We felt rushed through the street and not really able to stop and look at things. At the end we found out we weren't going to go back up the street. We ended up having dinner in a nearby restaurant. We did not need a guide to do this.

This was a great morning. The elephant sanctuary is wonderful and to be up close to the elephants and see them thriving in their new environment was wonderful.

Nina was a wealth of information, however we didn't really want to know every intricate detail about each temple. She was lovely but when I tried to explain that the family was losing interest she didn't really understand. In the end we cut the tour short.

We had a great day and the company we used were very professional and lovely. Unfortunately we got bad weather and the second dive was very average.

There is no point in going on this day trip if the weather isn't perfect. We were ill equipped. It was wet and cold. We could see nothing as there was a fog completely blacking out the views and the pagodas. We felt it was a waste of a day.

This was a really fun day. The food we cooked, our guide and the whole experience was wonderful

This was sold to us as a small group tour. I do not consider 30 plus people a small group. the trip to the first island takes nearly 2 hours. You are squashed in a speedboat with your knees touching the seat in front of you. You cannot see out of the boat unless you stand up. The destinations are pretty but are overcrowded with 100's of people on similar excursions. You spend too much time at each place and it is like herding sheep.

Excellent location, friendly staff, nice breakfast, lobby was great! Room was small with no view.

Excellent location, fabulous breakfast (best of our trip), free mini bar, great rooms (but no view). One staff member in the bar was very unpleasant on more than one occasion but all other service was great!

What a special treat! Excellent view of the water. Comfortable beds. Clean house. Nice to have all en suite bathrooms and laundry!

Wonderful staff from the moment we walked in (with a champagne toast). Superb made to order breakfast. Whole inn was incredible. Cozy and comfortable room with amazing views! Can’t say enough positive!! Quiet and peaceful!

Really nice family owned inn. Rooms were super clean with great Scottish plaid decorating and clean and cool bathrooms. They got up 30 min early to get us breakfast before our flight out. Really fresh and yummy breakfast.

Guy was amazing! So much energy and so knowledgeable. He was extremely interested in the history and economics of London. We felt so fortunate to spend the morning learning and laughing with him!

Best experience enhanced by having Guy walk us through and sharing his knowledge and passion. I think the audio guide would have been good but we were fortunate to have a special tour!

Gareth was very knowledgeable. We loved his stories! Learned so much in our three hours with him. Best way to start our time in Edinburgh

Such a cool distillery. So much history. And loved that they stressed “to go” bottles to avoid drinking and drinking. Got to take home three samples and a Dalwhinnie glass to enjoy at home.

This was our favorite Riad! The beds were very comfortable, and the breakfast was excellent! Super fresh, delicious and in a beautiful courtyard.

This riad is beautiful but it lacks in creature comforts. The beds are super firm, which was a problem for us side sleepers (our hips hurt!). They put an extra comforter down for us but it only marginally improved comfort. The bathroom towels provided were old and worn. The toiletries weren't as nice as we were expecting for a 5-star place. At breakfast, we were served stale bread. Needless to say, we were disappointed.

Rooms were beautiful and comfortable. Breakfast was solid (not memorable but that means it wasn't bad either :)). Our favorite part of this riad was the pool. They have you reserve an hour for your group, so it was private. This turned the experience into a really wonderful one! Its a beautiful pool and we enjoyed our time together there.

Classic hotel. A little warm despite AC on the upper 8th floor. But otherwise comfortable. The staff were super nice and provided us with a little to-go breakfast at 5:30 am! (We were leaving for the airport and breakfast typically starts after 7am). We appreciated it.

The highlight of our trip! Volubilis is a can't miss! Impressive roman ruins. Guide was solid.

The guide was limited in his knowledge of the local history.

Driver was punctual and professional.

The guide gave a very broad overview of the mosque with limited information. The least informative guided tour we had during our entire trip. However, the mosque was worth visiting.

This was really fun. We were essentially immersed into a mosaic/pottery co-op. The pieces they were selling seemed on the expensive side (we paid $250 USD for a tagine). But we figured we would be supporting the artisans.

It was a solid spa experience, but nothing about it makes it stand out. We appreciated the convenience of it being in our riad but the fact that the riad was disappointing in many other ways it makes it hard to be enthusiastic about this experience.

Solid experience. Solid guide, though he could have expressed more enthusiasm for the content he was sharing. We appreciated the shops we were shown (tannery, argan oil)

Great location, beautiful views from the balcony. Claen and comfortable. Delicious breakfast delivered to your room.

Great location close to shopping and restaurants. Clean, comfortable and updated rooms.

Great location near shops, sites and restaurants. Friendly staff. Very comfortable and clean rooms,

Great tour for travel around Santorini. Sakis was our guide and he was very knowledgeable and shared lots of history and local insight. Akrotiri was fascinating and as a bonus in an enclosed space out of the sun. Megalochori was a quaint village and the cave house tour was very interesting.

Conveniently located near Tokyo Tower and Daimon station. There are many convenience stores just steps away, and plenty of restaurants, izakaya, and bars within easy walking distance. That said, it's a fairly quiet neighborhood, so if you are looking for lots of excitement and nightlife, it may. not be the best location. We stayed here with our 2 kids, 12 and 15. They had their own room, but we felt like it was very safe. The room was clean and well-stocked with eco-friendly amenities. We actually stayed here twice -- at the beginning and end of our trip -- it was close to some stores and restaurants that we wanted to visit in Roppongi and Azabujuban. The staff is friendly and attentive, always willing to help to call a taxi. There are refreshments and coffee in the front lobby as well as a lovely library lounge stocked with a variety of books. We enjoyed the healthy breakfasts with plenty of Japanese and western foods. The only small snag we had was that we were supposed to have breakfast included for all of us (4 people, 2 rooms) and initially we were told only one room included breakfast. We had help from our travel specialist to correct this but the internal hotel system and process were a bit inefficient in handing the situation. There were coin-operated (and IIRC they might have also accepted credit card payment) laundry machines on the 4th floor (both washer and dryer) but it sometimes takes some patience and planning as there were only two machines for the entire hotel.

This place was amazing - our favorite stay during our 2 weeks in Japan. When you first walk in, you are greeted by staff who take your luggage and direct you to put your shoes in lockers (2 people per locker). The locker keys are kept at the front desk in exchange for your room key. The entire facility has tatami mats, which felt so nice and cool under our feet. On the way to our room, we passed an area where we could pick from 4 or 5 different types of pillows (buckwheat, double fold, etc.) The room itself was quite spacious - we had 4 futons on raised platforms. I pushed two together as a makeshift king bed for hubby and me. The fridge was stocked with bottled water. There were pajamas that you could wear throughout the facility in the rooms, and you can exchange them at the front desk if you need another size. Near the lobby there is also an area where you can pick out a yukata (cotton kimono robe) and obi (belt) in assorted sizes and colors. Other amenities include a lounge where you can get probiotic drinks, filtered water, popsicles, and noodles, selection depending on the time of day. In the welcome lounge, there were cold teas and sake, plus a sweet treat in the evening. One of the highlights of this hotel was the public and private baths. We were feeling modest, so we opted for the private bath - there are 5 rooms available on a first come, first serve basis. Often there was no wait, and when we did have to wait, it was a fairly short time. There are no showers available in the bath facility as guests are asked to shower in their rooms before bathing. The private baths were beautiful - each one had a different shape and there was a lovely but secluded outdoor space. The breakfast buffet was outstanding. The selection included different types of traditional Japanese foods, but also some western, Korean, and Chinese dishes plus a salad bar, cereals, and desserts. It was almost overwhelming! If you go during peak periods you may have to wait for a table, but the turnover was fairly quick. Last but not least, there are onside massages available. We went for massages twice during our stay, and my favorite was the foot massage - perfect after a long day of walking in the extreme heat and humidity. It was pretty easy to get a same day appointment, and prices were very reasonable. This is truly a special place that I hope to visit again if I'm ever in Kyoto.

This was probably my least favorite accommodation on our trip. It was fairly conveniently located, but the front desk staff was unfriendly at check-in, and the included breakfast only had 2 choices (yogurt with granola and an egg sandwich) that you had to select ahead of time. We ended up just getting breakfast for our kids at a nearby conbini. There wasn't much in the immediate neighborhood, but you could walk to Hondori fairly easily, though that mean passing through a red light district. It never felt unsafe, but there were a lot of signs with provocative pictures of young women, and when we walked through with our tour guide she was a little embarrassed. The room was well appointed with a mini kitchen and in-unit washer dryer, which we made good use of. Not a bad stay, but I wouldn't choose to stay here again.

I have stayed at this temple a few times before, starting with a couple of hiking trips in the mid 90s. At that time, we took the train partway and then hiked up to the mountain top. We had basic tatami rooms with several futons and not much else, which was perfect for my budget at the time. I remembered the shojin ryori made with mountain vegetables and koya-dofu as well as a sesame tofu. Then I brought my husband to Rengejo-in during his first trip to Japan in 2008, and he fell in love with it too. In fact, we came straight here from Kansai International. On that trip, we also woke up early to join the 6 am chanting ceremony. The food was delicious and generous in portion. I remember that the doorways were all lined with paper --very traditional -- and we could faintly hear other guests coughing in the distance. Not a problem, but part of the rustic nature of staying in a Buddhist temple. This time, we brought our 2 kids, 12 and 15, with us. We got a ride directly there from Kyoto. Our room, booked by our Kimkim travel specialist, was the beautiful and luxurious Himalaya Junior Suite. It was truly stunning, with a beautifully decorated large tatami room with closets and private bathroom with floor to ceiling windows overlooking a garden. We had a small table with a teapot and snacks, and a mini-fridge and safe. The room was also stocked with yukata and a short jacket that you could wear over it for cooler weather (not necessary in June!) The bathroom was very modern, with a washlet (and lid that opens and closes automatically), beautiful shower and bathtub, and two sinks! The cherry on top: a fancy hairdryer and skin care products. To be honest, I saw how pricey this room is to book, and I'd never choose it for myself, but I am grateful that Eleanor chose this to give us an unforgettable stay. It's worth noting that there are standard rooms in the shokubo with a shared bathroom that are much less pricey. After a quick trip to Family Mart (about 20 minutes away on foot) to stock up on extra snacks for the kids, we adults joined the 5 pm meditation, which started with a brief explanation in English and Japanese, followed by about 40 minutes of meditation. I've gone to a meditation center a couple of times, so it wasn't too bad to sit for 40 minutes. Then we enjoyed our sumptuous dinner in a private dining room, which was served on 2 raised trays with several small dishes (different types of tofu, rice, pickles, vegetables, mushrooms, tempura, soup), and they brought in a third tray with more dishes after we sat down on our cushions. The meal looked like a work of art and we loved it, but our kids filled up mostly on rice --one prefers meat and the other is still picky about vegetables. Luckily we were supplied with an extra large bowl of rice and a pot of green tea for refills. There isn't much to do otherwise, but you can walk around the gardens, and there is a small common room with a TV. We ventured out for a walk and found several other temples and shokubo very close by, as well as a pagoda and children's park. We also discovered an izakaya (Ima-chan) nearby on the opposite side of the street as well as several vending machines with hot and cold beverages and snacks, but we were still full from dinner (I ate some of my kids' food too because it was so tasty and healthy). There are baths for men and women, but the men's bath was already full so we used the bath in our suite instead. The next morning, we checked out and left our luggage near the front for a few hours while we took the bus (about 10 min walk from the temple) to Okuno-in. Another lovely and memorable stay at the beautiful Rengejo-in!

This is a nice no-frills hotel with a public bath and very convenient location just a block from Sapporo station. You can choose amenities from the lobby. We had two rooms for our family of four, with our kids across the hall from us. We saw a lot of Asian tourists, and very few Westerners. On the second floor there is a restaurant that has free drinks and snacks available in the evening (though the desserts had always run out when we checked), plus some vending machines, and ice machine, and men's and women's baths with one coin-operated washer dryer in each. The room was very clean but pretty compact, and every day we got 2 bottles of water and fresh pajamas from housekeeping. The breakfast buffet wasn't huge but had a more-than-adequate selection of Japanese and western foods and a chef who prepared the crepe of the day. The front desk staff were always very courteous and helpful. I missed the opportunity to take advantage of this, but the breakfast tickets could also be used at Kitano Gurume, a seafood market and restaurant that offers a free shuttle for both pick-up and drop off (reservation required). We don't eat much breakfast, so next time I'll definitely save my ticket to use at Kitano Gurume instead! In addition to Sapporo station, there were a few department stores and underground shopping areas nearby, as well as plenty of restaurants, izakayas, and sake bars on nearby streets. It was a 15 or 20 minute walk to Ramen Alley and Tanukikoji shopping arcade. Because Sapporo is not humid like the places we visited in Honshu, it was quite pleasant to walk around in the city, especially in the evening.

The guide was great the weather very poor