Kimkim Trip Reviews

This is our second trip with kimkim and it did not disappoint! We worked with Jane and Marine-Heloise, and they were a dream team! They put together a two-week trip with the highlights of London and Scotland based off the things we enjoy. Every day was an adventure filled with new discoveries with ample free time to add things along as we went.

I LOVE to travel and have FOMO - but I also don't have the time to do a ton of research for the best places to see and visit.

The roadbook guide is extremely detailed with times and places we needed to be with notes about how long it took to get to each place via walking or public transport. All of the arranged private drivers were on time, and very kind. There was no confusion about where we were supposed to be, or when we supposed to be there. These ladies nailed it.

We had such an amazing trip and love the flexibility that kimkim offers. We had a mix of private tours, group tours, and self-guided tours. Each was unique, fun, and educational.

My only regret is that we didn't have more time in the UK. It is such a beautiful country with so many more things to discover. The people, the food, the history, the landscape - it was all so wonderful!

Hotel Reviews

Citadines Trafalgar square

London

We were only here one night, and we came in late and left really early. We didn't really have a chance to spend time in the area. The lobby was clean - the staff was great. The room was nice because it was the only place we all 4 got to be together in one room. The room was clean but definitely needed a few touch ups in the bathrooms. Nothing crazy - we just noticed peeling paint, other handyman stuff.

ibis Edinburgh Centre South Bridge - Royal Mile

Edinburgh

Great location!!! Walking distance to royal mile. 4 stars only because the bathrooms were a little odd.

Moxy York

York

This was our favorite hotel of the places we stayed. The lobby is so cute and fun. Great breakfast and the staff were kind. Perfect location - close to the Shambles. We were only here for one night - we'd definitely stay here again and if we're back would like to spend 2 days in York.

The Resident Liverpool

Liverpool

We were only here one evening but this hotel has a great location - close to the downtown area. The rooms were neat ahc clean! We had a bit more room in these units that was much appreciate!

ibis Styles London Southwark – near Borough Market

London

Cute hotel - clean rooms - great staff! Perfect location next to Borough Market and so much great food!!!

Authenticity & Character

Cute lobby - lots of style

Location

5 minutes walking distance to the market and tube.

Staff

Everyone was kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean hotel

Activity Reviews

Deer & Owl Encounter

England

The drive from Edinburgh to Aberfeldy was beautiful. The guides at Highland Safari Park are knowledgeable and you can tell they really and care about what they are doing. We had a great time here. The deer experience on the grounds was neat and we got to feed them. The Safari was fun off roading and we got to view stags through telescope lens in their natural habitat. It was mating season so you could hear them everywhere!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Private transfer driver was amazing - he was happy to share knowledge about the area.

Afternoon Tea at the Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh

Afternoon tea was a treat! And a great break in the day at the castle. The castle is impressive - we came through the front entrance at the Royal Mile. To truly see how expansive this castle is, walk around the outside of the grounds and view from the back side. It is enormous, and terrifying, and beautiful!

Magical Mystery Tour

Liverpool

We stopped in Liverpool for this tour - my daughter and husband love the Beatles. They enjoyed this tour.

Oxford and Cambridge Tour

London

Another long day trip but worth it. The campuses are beautiful! I just wish had a bit more time in each location. They allotted about 1.5 hours at each stop. Once we finished walking through, we didn't have a ton of time to walk through the town squares.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Harry Potter Studio Tour from London (with transport)

London

I love Harry Potter - probably more than our kids! We had a great time at the studios.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Watch a Football Match!

London

One of our favorite days! None of really watch sports but we fell in love with Ted Lasso and wanted to see a match in person. What an experience! I would highly recommend this to anyone visiting.

Quality of Experience

Windsor, Stonehenge & Bath from London

London

This was one of our longer days but totally worth the time. The guide was humorous and knowledgeable. The coach was comfortable. My favorite was Stonehenge - my family loved Bath the most.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hidden Gems Food Tour - Tower Bridge to Borough Market

London

This was a great tour especially given the location - we went through the Borough Market which was right around the corner from where we stayed. The guide was very knowledgeable about food in the market but also the history of London. Two of us are vegetarian and he accommodated our dietary lifestyle with ease.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable!

Tower of London Timed Entry Tickets

London

The beefeaters are great guides - lots of humor. We chose to do the 45-minute guided tour with them as opposed to the self-guided audio tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hop-on, Hop-off Bus

London

I love these tours - we didn't get to complete the whole route as we hopped on late...but what we did get to see was fantastic!

Mr. Ngima Sherpa had to change our original itinerary due to horrendous rainfall which destroyed road and bridges to alternate itinerary with uttermost conditions of safety of us. New itinerary was totally satisfied one with serious concern of our safety. Our trekking guide, Ang Geld Sherpa took care of us from beginning to an end. He was not only excellent guide and also very kind and caring person. We felt like as we were trekking with our son who care of his parents. Our porter, Purna was also excellent member of our trekking.

Our experiences in Nepal was most fascinating travel experience. We thanks to Kimkim to connect us with best ones in Nepal.

I feel so incredibly lucky to have found Ivan and his wife!! They helped me plan the best trip ever on super short notice very quickly!
I absolutely would not have been able to organize a trip this well without their help. They know all of the locals guides for booking tours and making arrangements that we would never have been aware of otherwise. These tour guides were fantastic and all locals. I was also able to change the times of some of the tours last minute due to flight changes which was very helpful.
I could not recommend them more highly and want to go back!

Everything went so smoothly and as planned. Lorena L. listened to what we wanted out of the trip and the trip delivered. Our driver and guide for the Atacama, William and Lorena, were kind, patient, and knowledgeable and funny. Our drivers and guide for the Uyuni portion of the trip, Iván, Carlos, and Jhonny, were also kind, patient, knowledgeable, and funny. We had two cars in Uyuni since there were four of us. My husband and I only had the driver, Iván, who was great, so sweet and caring. He knows the area so well that he could be a guide except that he doesn’t speak English. (I speak Spanish so not a problem for us.) in Uyuni we went on miles and miles of dirt, sand, and salt. Some might find that grueling, but we loved it all. The three men I traveled with are all avid photographers and they were thrilled with the photos they got. We’re so glad we did this trip and used KimKim for the second time.

Melanie was so knowledgeable and helpful during all phases of our trip. The tours she selected all turned out wonderful, all our tour guides were welcoming, friendly, and highly knowledgeable in the local history. Highlights included Klaas for the e-bike tour of the aqueducts and our guide Elissabetta for our colosseum tour. Our hike for the path of the gods included a great stop at a shepherds farm for a cliff top meal which was an amazing experience!

The whole trip was memorable, in such small space of time we managed to cram in so much largely down to the planning by our local specialist Camille.
All transfers were a breeze and visiting local attractions with the guide meant we skipped queues and maximised out time and overall enjoyment.
I would definitely recommend kim kim and will be using them again for our next trip.

Hotel Reviews

Amazon Premium Lodge

Manaus

Considering this was in the Amazon the lodge was amazing. Staff were amazing and super helpful and had fun with google translate to communicate some of the conversations. We were really well looked after, the food was tailor made for my wife as she was a vegetarian. Rooms were clean and comfortable and given the location you have to expect some bugs, we had fun with 2 tree frogs in the room, but they were harmless. AC unit in the room was a god send as even thought there was no wifi or tv in the room it was fine as all the activities planned throughout the day meant we were on the go most the time.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Intercity Manaus

Manaus

It was adequate for a nights stay but felt the hotel lacked character.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arena Copacabana Hotel

Rio de Janeiro

Great location on Copacabana beach and the staff were very friendly and looked after guests coming in and out. Rooms were clean and spacious and ideal to lounge in during the evening, shame they did not have smart TVs but there was a large section of free channels. Had a lot of choice for breakfast and the rooftop bar had great views of the surrounding area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Farewell to the Amazon - Return to Manaus

Brazil

It was sad to leave the Amazon and the transfer back seemed to quicker and after a drop off to downtown Manaus we were safely dropped off if good time at the airport.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adventures in the Jungle Lodge (AP- Days 2 & 3)

The Amazon

All the activities were amazing and very varied and insightful, our guide was excellent and looked after us extremely well

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer & immersion in the rainforest (AP - Day 1)

Brazil

The boat trip our of Manaus was lovely but then the speedboat trip to our lodge was spectacular. Bus transfer was a bit squashed as we have lots of out tourists so the only negative would be to have a slightly larger mode of transfer or not over book passengers

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking to Pedra Bonita

Rio de Janeiro

Lovely hike, just the right pace and not too challenging. Our guide was very knowledgeable and very friendly. Spectacular views at the top.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Carioca lifestyle with lunch

Rio de Janeiro

Really insightful walking tour and nice and lovely local authentic lunch

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Corcovado & Christ the Redeemer Tour

Rio de Janeiro

Once again our guide knew all the tricks to get us through quickly and best places to sit on the tram and for pictures at the top.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf) at sunset

Rio de Janeiro

Had an excelled guide and she knew all the tricks to skip the queues which meant we maximised our time at Sugar Loaf. Having a drink and some nibbles on the terrace bar was amazing as the views were spectacular ...shame it was misty as we did not get to see the sunset but you can imagine it would be spectacular. There was even a DJ performing at the top and there was a very safe and friendly vibe with all the locals and visitors.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lize was always patient with our planning of this trip. She was supportive, constructive and responsive in our communication emails.
Her ideas for the itinerary were excellent 👌
There were so many highlights of the trip, we cannot single one out.
The hotels were great and staff helpful.
Having a pre programmed satnav certainly helped with driving and navigating, especially on the long, remote roads around Namibia.
We would certainly recommend your company to family and friends.

Our group of six is just back from Greece -- it was one of our best trips. We'd worked closely with Chris to plan the two week plus trip asking for superb guides, excellent 3-4 star hotels, restaurant recommendations and a sensible plan of action. I felt a culture gap working with Chris, he was rather laid back and we were slightly anxious about arrangements. Happily, everything worked out beautifully. Of the guides Spiros Daudakis was delightfully impressive. A history buff, he was engaging about all aspects of Greek history and we spent two full days with him - bombarding him with relentlessly with questions. He is exceptional. Although we only had 5 hours with Panagiota Kankali, we felt she was terrific fun and truly excellent. A+ in her introduction to Athens and her explanations of culture - and so engaging. Both were kind enough to take us to fabulous places for lunch - Panagiota to the Athens fish market and Spiros to souvlaki in Rethymno! True, the food was great but both were cultural experiences. We also enjoyed Vera who was knowledgeable and interesting. Turning to drivers, we must give a huge shout of appreciation to Yannis P. who chauffered us for four days. He gave us the feel of being taken around by family, a favorite uncle. He's so widely read and personable that we loved the time we spent with him and getting his take on Greek life. Yanna was another fabulous driver who we were with for a lovely day. Lastly, Nikos was excellent, though our time with him was shorter. Our hotels were perfect. Restaurant recommendations were most appreciated, though it must be said that the food across all Greece was just spectacular. And our game plan worked beautifully for our group. So Chris was able to do it all and be laid back! Thank you, Chris for all your work on our behalf.

What an awesome trip! Kateryna did an exceptional job working within my budget and creating an itinerary that struck the perfect balance between seeing the sights and truly experiencing the UK. The communication before and during my trip was clear and informative, which made everything so smooth. I loved driving through the beautiful English countryside—it was such a relaxing and scenic experience. One of my favorite moments was the boat tour on the Thames, which offered a unique and peaceful perspective of the area. Overall, I felt like I got an authentic taste of the UK and came home with amazing memories (and plenty of photos!).

Hotel Reviews

Malmaison Oxford

Oxford

The Malmaison Hotel in Oxford is truly in a unique location. I absolutely loved my room—it was beautifully and appropriately decorated, with decent ventilation, a comfortable bed, and a lovely bathroom with a fantastic shower. The restaurant was incredible, offering an unforgettable dining experience. But what truly stood out was the staff. They made me feel incredibly welcome and genuinely cared for. I had just been in a minor car accident right before my arrival, and the staff showed such understanding and compassion as I checked in after a tough situation. Their kindness made all the difference in my stay.

Authenticity & Character

Staying in a historic castle/prison was exceptionally unique. The decor throughout and in-room was fun!

Location

Walkable to everything. Felt very upbeat and lively.

Staff

I couldn't be more grateful for each staff member who helped me throughout my stay. A fantastic team!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and tidy.

Phoenix Hotel

London

The hotel room was compact but clean and practical. Although there was no air conditioning and the walls were quite thin—I could hear the neighbors overnight—I still slept very well. The breakfast was excellent, and the location was unbeatable, with easy access to shops, eateries, and the London Underground. The area felt safe and was very accessible, making it a worthwhile stay despite the minor inconveniences.

Authenticity & Character

Flet generic. Like a medical facility.

Location

Close proximity to retail and transportation.

Staff

Extremely helpful staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Overall, the hotel felt very clean.

Activity Reviews

Tower of London Beefeater Welcome & Crown Jewels

London

This was an incredibly immersive historical experience. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the unique history of this location, with architecture reflecting different periods over time. The Crown Jewels exhibition was absolutely incredible, and I loved the afternoon views of the Tower Bridge set against the London skyline. Overall, I learned a great deal and found the visit both educational and highly enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great conversations with the guides! Definitely engage them to optimize your visit!

Thames Cruise with Dinner

London

The late evening river cruise was an amazing experience. The opportunity to capture photos and take in the expansive views of London at a leisurely pace exceeded my expectations. While the dinner was a bit awkward since I was traveling solo and surrounded by couples and families, I still valued the experience. The food was average—comparable to what you'd expect at a large wedding reception—but the overall ambiance and perspective of London made it worthwhile.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus

London

The hop-on hop-off bus was a lot of fun and a great way to see several sights in London in the open air. The staff were very friendly, and the onboard experience was excellent. I especially enjoyed the drive through Knightsbridge, even with the traffic—it gave me time to take in the beautiful surroundings. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience.

Quality of Experience

I was frustrated that they were not able to validate my pre-paid ticket.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Extremely friendly and understanding staff.

Transport

The onboard experience was great but locating stops was a challenge.

First, I have to thank Martina, Elisa, Alessia, and the rest of the Authenticus Italy team for their guidance and patience in working with us to plan my 50th Birthday trip to Rome, Naples and the Amalfi Coast. It really was the trip of a lifetime. Martina was so attentive to my wants and needs and was so helpful in picking an ideal itinerary of experiences that were special and unique to our preferences. She even included extra-special touches like a special surprise rooftop concert!

The hotels chosen were all in fantastic areas close to major sites and activitites, and very clean and comfortable and the breakfasts included helped get our days off to a nice start. The car services we had also were nice and made it so much easier to navigate the longer journeys of our trip with ease. The tours we had were all so in-depth and educational and the guides we had were incredibly knowledgable and entertaining. They helped show us things we never would have been able to find or do on our own. The meals and wine tastings and other foodie experiences were also fantastic, giving us a taste of how the locals live. The Vespa food tour of Rome, the tour of Pompeii, wine tasting on Mt. Vesuvius, the hike in the Amalfi mountains, and the Fiat tour to Positano were just a few of the amazing things we experienced. We took so many pics and made so many memories to last a lifetime!

We did have a few miscommunications once we landed in Italy (mostly due to me not getting the correct kind of eSIM for phone service beyond just WiFi/data) but they were handled very swiftly and efficiently with no impact to our itinerary or the enjoyment of any of the activities. I have learned from my mistake and now know what to do in the future!

In the end, I would not hesitate to use Authenticus Italy's services again and have already recommended them to friends and colleagues who are thinking of planning trips to Italy.

Grazie mille!
James and Jake

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Residence

Amalfi

Gorgeous hotel. Clean, comfortable, and being right on the beach was a huge plus.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Santa Lucia Naples

Naples

Beautiful hotel with spacious rooms. It was clean, comfortable and the closeness to the waterfront was nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Manfredi Suite

Rome

Clean, comfortable and close to major attractions. The breakfast is also nice!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Limoncello Experience & Tasting

Italy

We love LaLa! She was so sweet and helpful in guiding us through the process of making limoncello and the tasting, giving us a glimpse into her family's business, Valenti Positano. Besides the limoncello, we got to sample many more of the tasty treats Valenti makes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Dolcevita: Vintage Fiat 500 tour

Italy

Andrea was great! It was tough for us 3 tall guys to fit in the tiny car but once we rolled the top down we were good to go! The sights along the winding road to Positano were incredible and Andrea took such fantastic pictures of us and the car in some of the most beautiful settings you could imagine.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting on Mount Vesuvius

Italy

This was such a treat! Everyone at the Cantina del Vesuvio was so enthusiastic about us making the most of the experience while serving up delicious wines and food in a stunning setting. A real highlight of the trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Tour of Napoli

Naples

Ivan was a nice guide, taking us around to places we'd never thing to visit on our own or places that would be difficult for first-timers to get to. His knowledge of the history of Naples was so fascinating and impressive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Surprise gift activity

Rome

The rooftop opera concert on the Terazza Borromino was such a thoughtful touch! It really was special and even the light sprinkle of rain didn't put a damper on the evening.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Tour of Rome

Rome

Anna Maria was such a sweet guide. Since we had already done some walking around on our own, we skipped a few of the usual tourist spots and Anna Maria was grateful to get to go "off script" a bit and take us to some places she usually doesn't go to.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Premium wine tasting and dinner in Rome

Rome

Alessandro at Rimessa Roscioli was fantastic! His knowledge and passion for wine and food was infectious. The restaurant, especially the private wine tasting dining room, was super nice and homey. The wines and foods were also superb.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Early Access Tour of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel

Rome

Our guide Sev was a font of knowledge, guiding us through the often overwhelming halls of the Vatican with humor and his endless insight of the art and history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vespa Tour with Food Tasting

Rome

Pedro and Chris were so nice and helpful. They zipped us around Rome with speed and we got to taste delicious foods and see sites off the beaten path that we would not have been able to access as easily on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit to the Colosseum, Palatin Hill and Roman Forum

Rome

Laura was a wonderful guide! So knowledgable and helpful in giving us a fantastic experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marina was wonderful to work with, she listened and really captured all the best adventures for our first trip to Portugal. When we had to make adjustments - we really appreciated her understanding and patience. Marina and her team were very accessible leading up to and during our trip. The entire trip was great! The best parts were our private boat trip on the Douro River in the Douro Valley and our private day trip to Sintra and the Atlantic Coast of Lisbon with tour guide "Nuno". I can't wait to plan our next trip and I will highly recommend KimKim to my friends.

Activity Reviews

River Boat Experience in Douro Valley

Douro Valley

The private river boat experience on the Douro River was a highlight of our trip. It was a special anniversary celebration, and the two young men who took us on the boat were lovely. Thanks to our specialist Marina, we had a bottle of sparkling wine waiting for us, making the occasion even more special. It felt personalized and intimate, exactly what we wanted. The attention to detail and the effort to make it a memorable day were much appreciated!

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

The private day excursion to Sintra, Cascais, and Estoril was fantastic. Our guide was not only lovely but truly knew the best timings to visit each destination, allowing us to explore before the crowd of tour buses arrived. This made our experience feel personal and serene as if we had the sites to ourselves. The guide was incredibly flexible, allowing us to adapt our plans to fit our interests and pace, including accommodating a special lunch request. It was a day well spent, and we loved every moment of it!

We had an amazing time visiting Lisbon, Lagos & Cascais. The history, people & food were all spectacular. Highly recommend private driver Gold car services for day trip to Sintra. Nuno was great to spend the day with us. Marissa was in contact with us throughout the booking process & all suggestions and activities were spot on. It was great being able to keep in touch every day as she checked in each day to assure all was going smoothly. Any little request was addressed with the greatest efficiency. We could not have asked for more. We will definitely use Kim Kim again!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

D. Manuel I - Charming Residence

Lagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bairro Alto Hotel

Lisboa

Great location & amazing breakfast with city views. Staff was wonderful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit: Cascais

Portugal

Marissa suggested this stop. What a great town/ city. Love the mix of the charming town with the beach & coast.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exclusive Panoramic Boat Tour to the Ponta da Piedade Caves

Portugal

Beautiful way to see the caves & coast

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering Belém's Charm on a Tuk-Tuk Ride

Lisbon

Great way to see Belem, monastery & the wonderful custard tarts!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour & Tastings

Lisbon

Our guide as terrific. History & details walking all over the city, followed by the wine tasting. Overall great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I do not think I would this company again for future trips. While we had a mostly enjoyable vacation, there were several avoidable mistakes made for our trip to Switzerland.

The initial issue was that our company waited for about four weeks after our deposit to arrange our hotel reservations. At this point, one of the hotels was full, so the company switched us to a different hotel. That hotel ended up being our least favorite, with stiff beds and no one at reception for much of the day. I believe it was the same tier hotel as the one quoted, but it begs the question as to why they delayed four weeks.

The second issue, which was much larger, was that they booked one hotel room for our trip when we had requested two. When I caught their mistake, the tour company’s response was that this was our fault, since we did not catch their mistake on their first itinerary. They wrote saying we needed to pay them an additional $1300 to get the second room. I had to call Kimkim to sort it out, and ultimately we received the two rooms that we had requested. However, this experience left a bad taste in our mouths given the initial response and having to argue about it. And for the record, follow-up communication from Kimkim was non-existent: I heard nothing from either company for a week while this was being resolved, which was stressful, and in fact never received a single follow-up from Kimkim about it at all.

The third issue was another attention-to-detail mistake. The tour company told us they made seat reservations for our train trip to Jungfrau, a popular tourist destination. This was written, in bold, on our itinerary. When we got to the station, we encountered hundreds of people, and we got stopped at the turnstiles and turned back for not having reservations at all. Two ticket attendants confirmed that we were holding non-reservation 2nd class tickets, and we were told to wait in line for the next available train with open seats. Long story short, our 1.5 hour trip took 3.5 hours, as we waited a full two hours in line, as train after train filled up with pre-reserved travelers and tour groups. This was a truly miserable experience.

My conclusion is that the time needed to double-check and correct the tour company’s mistakes could be better spent simply planning the trip on my own.

Activity Review

Funky chocolate workshop

Switzerland

This was an enjoyable experience. We learned a bit about chocolate, got to taste many varieties from dark to white chocolate and each made three chocolate bars.

Quality of Experience

This was a fun time.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

There was no guide or driver, so this rating isn't really for anything.

Transport

There was no transport.

I am impressed!

Thanks to Liz and team for curating a well planned trip. It was my first time to South America and she made the trip planning so effortless for us. Great follow-ups and prompt responses.

The ground team was great, pick-ups and transfers were on time. The local tour guides were great and enthusiastic in the tours.

Definitely will book with KimKim again.

Activity Reviews

Shared Palcoyo Trek: Small group

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Road was bumpy through the mountains

Observatory Train to Machu Picchu OW, Lunch at Tinkuy & Machu Picchu Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Briefing about your future tour/trek

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flight from {{start_location}} to Cusco & Private tour to The Sacred Valley

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The LATAM flight was delayed for 1 hour

Private Peruvian Food Tour in Artsy Barranco

Lima

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was absolutely amazing and everything went flawlessly! We would 100% use KimKim again! The detailed itinerary made everything so easy!

Activity Reviews

Private Pompeii Tour with light lunch

Pompeii

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Vatican Guided Tour

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local transfer in Rome

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Express Colosseum Tour

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amalfi Coast Boat Tour From Sorrento

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gelato & Pizza Making Class

Rome

Marco was the best!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

There was some great things and a couple that should be changed or addressed for future customers. The last hotel, in Sorrento, was nice but our room had stairs (two floors) with no handrails. Plus, a lot of steps to get from the room to the amenity and to the street. Breakfast service was bad. We got to breakfast at 9:00 and all food was picked over and not replenished. The people there acted like they did not like working there. Heliopolis, I think was the name. All the guides were great. Seems we spent too much time traveling to all places. Not your fault. All drivers were on time and helpful.
Sailing was great..............weather was good. Guides got us around a lot of lines.

Good coordination on your part...........

We'd do it again...............might should have put the last hotel closer to the airport in Athens...........1 hour each way.

We had a great trip planned by our local specialist, Valentine. We wanted to see all of the main tourist attractions and not have to worry about lines, group tours, scheduling things ourselves. Everything was specified to our needs. She paid great attention to us traveling with our parents, needing something more slower pace but still being able to see as much as we could. We really enjoyed the diverse locations - Nice and Paris! and got to experience parts of the cities which are also outside of the go-to tourist spots (which we really enjoyed!) Our individual tour guides, Sebastein, VM, and Anya were also very helpful in providing recommendations for food spots, local recommendations for shopping and seeing things around our neighborhood. We cannot wait for our next trip to France.

Our trip to Greece was perfect. Tasos was absolutely the best to work with along with Travel12 and kimkim. He planned the trip with just the right amount of scheduled tours and time for us to explore on our own.
The transfers were always on time and friendly and eased any worries we may have had about getting around.
Our hotel in Athens was in a great location, where we were in walking distance to many things.
Our guide, Demi was so knowledgable and nice! We loved having her as our personal guide. Our walk up the Acropolis and seeing the Parthenon and other ruins was breathtaking.
We really loved Paros and the Contaratos Beach Hotel! So relaxing and the staff was awesome, especially Eri who was always there to help. Great hotel!
Our favorite part was Petra Farms with our personal your with the owner and the farm to table lunch. W will never forget this beautiful setting and view along with the amazing food and wine!
Santorini was still a bit busy even though we were there in early October. Our hotel, Kastro Suites has literally on the edge of the cliff in Fira with the walking trail directly beneath us. The view was fabulous. We boat cruise on our final day there was a perfect way to cap off our trip.
We would highly recommend kimkim, Tasos and Travel12.
Thank you for planning the perfect trip of a lifetime.

Hotel Review

Contaratos Beach Hotel Paros

Naousa

This was a beautiful and relaxing hotel on Paros. It had everything; comfortable room with wonderful patio with ocean view, pool with bar and food,beach, great breakfast and dinner available in the evening. The staff was amazing and made you feel at home. We didn't want to leave.

Authenticity & Character

It felt so comfortable with the separate patio areas and easy access to the pool, beach, breakfast and dinner.

Location

Great beach, not in a busy area but within walking distance to everything in Naousa.

Staff

The entire staff was amazing, but Eri was so helpful and kind. We really enjoyed meeting him.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was very clean and super comfortable!

Activity Reviews

Caldera Cruise & Volcano Visit

Santorini

The cruise was wonderful. We did not get off the ship at the volcano due to my husband's mobility issues. This left quite a bit of time in the boat docked while others hiked around the volcano rim. Had we known that this hike would be over an hour, we would have taken a book to read. But just enjoying the relaxation in the sun was nice too.

Quality of Experience

Food

The dinner served on board was very delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini Highlights with Wine

Greece

This tour gave us a wider view of Santorini. Our guide Harry was great, along with the driver. They were a great team.

Quality of Experience

Harry's knowable information about Santorini.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Harry and the driver.

Transport

Clean, comfortable and relaxing.

Private Farm Tour with Lunch

Paros

We had a personal tour with the owner of Petra Farms. It was so relaxed and we learned so much about farming on Paros. The setting and views were breathtaking. The food and wine was fabulous. This was our favorite experience in Greece.

Quality of Experience

The personal tour with the owner and the relaxed atmosphere.

Food

The lunch was wonderfully fresh with their farm grown tomatoes, capers, olives, and herbs; spanakopita, bread, wine and baklava.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was amazing. He knew the owner and was always prompt.

Transport

Prompt, friendly, clean and courteous.

Athenian Democracy: Acropolis & Ancient Agora

Athens

Our personal guide, Demi was wonderful. She was so knowledgable and had a great sense of humor. My husband has some mobility issues with walking and she reassured us that there was no hurry and could walk at his pace. She helped him many times with the climb to the top of the Acropolis. We loved this experience!

Quality of Experience

At our pace and Demi who was so sweet!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and knowable.

Transport

On time, friendly drivers and clean vehicles.

We had a great trip planned by our local specialist, Stephania and Klio. We wanted to see all of the main tourist attractions and not have to worry about lines, group tours, scheduling things ourselves. Everything was specified to our needs. They paid great attention to us traveling with our parents, needing something more slower pace but still being able to see as much as we could. We really enjoyed the diverse locations - Rome, Florence, and Venice! and got to experience parts of the cities which are also outside of the go-to tourist spots (which we really enjoyed!) Our individual tour guides, Roberto, Laura, and Christine, were also very helpful in providing recommendations for food spots, local recommendations for shopping and seeing things around our neighborhood. We cannot wait for our next trip to Italy.

Claire did an amazing job of helping us plan our trip. Every reservation was exactly as she said it would be. Not only did she do a great job with the itinerary before we left, she also touched base with us on the trip to make sure all was going well. Having spent 40 years in the travel business, I was extremely pleased with her attention to details.

Dublin transfer to the airport to pick up the car - driver right on time
Car Rental - Europcar was good
Titanic Experience in Belfast - interesting
Taxi Tour in Belfast - Paul was very informative
Ferry to Rathlin Island - perfect and they allowed us to return early
Bogside History Tour in Derry - very interesting and informative. Sorry, but I cannot remember his name.
Hotels: Excellent other than the Warren in Belfast. The Warren was quirky but not my favorite. Loved the Ghan House
Dinners: Land to Sea in Dingle - wonderful

Hotel Reviews

Ship Quay Hotel

Londonderry

The Ship Quay Hotel in Derry was fine, not deluxe, but clean. The staff was really nice, especially in both the bar and dining areas. We appreciated the wonderful location and friendly service.

Elephant Rock Hotel

Portrush

The Elephant Rock Hotel in Portrush was a nice stay. Although nothing particularly stood out, the location was fine, and overall, it served its purpose well. We had a comfortable stay.

The warren Belfast

BELFAST

The Warren Belfast was not very clean, especially the bathroom where both the soap dispenser and shower were very dirty. There was no closet, just a couple of pegs for clothes, which was manageable, but the hygiene was a concern. Breakfast was self-service with no utensils provided to pick up the bread, making it seem a bit unsanitary

Ghan House Hotel

The Ghan House is lovely as is the staff. The dinner was very good. We needed an earlier breakfast than what is normally served, and it was no problem. This was definitely one of our favorite hotels during a 23 night trip!

Authenticity & Character

Felt like stepping back in time.

Location

Five minute walk from the town.

Staff

Everyone was very friendly and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heatons Guesthouse

Dingle

The hotel is on the edge of town, but an easy walk into town to the restaurants. The room was large and comfortable with a sea view. I appreciated the hot tea and chocolate cake when we checked in!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Bogside History Walking Tour

Londonderry (Derry)

We spent two days in Derry. Did this tour on the first day. It was an eye opener for an American.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking tour

Belfast Political Taxi Tour

Belfast

Very interesting. It was interesting to see the Irish side of the "Troubles". It was not always the same as what we were seeing in the U.S.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great London Taxi

Land to Sea : Michelin Recommended dining

Dingle Town

Absolutely exquisite!

Quality of Experience