Kimkim Trip Reviews

Thank you for such a lovely trip. Our guide was not only knowledgable, but able to communicate well. She explained the culture past and present, architecture, flora and answered our numerous questions. Our trip was unforgettable.

Joao’s planning and little surprises like room upgrades and event tickets were top notch. We would recommend in a minute. The guides and drivers were all really good, on time and providing context to everything we were seeing. They added other things to see ideas as well along with restaurant suggestions when we were on our own. Our only negative. Although we gave Joao a specific budget, which sets certain limitations, our hotel had some aging issues. It’s part of a bigger chain and probably just hasn’t hit the list for renovations yet. Again, overall a fantastic experience. Thanks.

Mar and her team made things so easy! I’m usually one who plans her own trips, but between work and managing a home renovation, it was just too much. Mar was so great to work with and so responsive. Our Norway trip was a dream.

We reached out to KimKim to help plan a 10 day trip for me, my husband, our daughter, and my in-laws to London and Edinburgh. We wanted to base our trip off of a group tour itinerary that we found, with some changes and additions to the attractions each day to ensure everyone got to do and see the things most important to them. Marion worked with me for almost a month, adjusting things to help fit our budget and recommending things to help us get everything into the trip. She was VERY patient and always kind, which I appreciated, because I couldn't make final decisions without consulting the others. I never felt pressured in any way (also much appreciated). She truly felt like a trusted friend who was helping me plan a dream trip.

The "roadmap" packet we received before we left had great information. There were directions, times, details, and estimates on how long it would take us to get to the meeting points. All of the tour companies we used were wonderful. In England, we did a large tour one day to Windsor, Stonehenge, and Bath and a more intimate (16) person to Oxford, the Cotswalds, and Stratford Upon Avon. The guides were knowledgeable, helpful, and really fun. She arranged transportation to Harry Potter Studios which was a highlight for multiple members of the family. We also did several two walking tours in Edinburgh- one large group (Harry Potter tour) and one with just a guide and our family (walking tour of Edinburgh). Both were excellent! We got a rental car one day to drive to St. Andrews, and Marion arranged that for us as well. While I love planning things, working with a travel partner like KimKim really helps to make sure things are covered. Everything was easy and seamless.

While we were gone, I only had to reach out to KimKim once to clarify a detail, and they responded quickly. There is no way that we could have done everything that we did without Marion's expertise and guidance. Everyone got to see and do their bucket list items and we all agreed it was the trip of a lifetime. My family kept thanking me for planning everything but Marion and KimKim definitely deserve the credit. We will DEFINITELY use this service again, and I would be delighted to work with Marion again.

Hotel Review

Caledonian Sleeper

London

We absolutely loved this part of our trip. We were a little nervous because another travel agent had not recommended sleeper cars on trains, but it seemed to be the best use of our time, so we decided to give it a shot. My husband and I got a connecting room with out 12 year old daughter, and my inlaws got their own room. All of the rooms had bunkbeds and the rooms are TINY. If you have large suitcases, you are better off having them store those and working out of an overnight bag. Because we had an empty bunk in our daughters room, we piled all of our luggage on there. **We could not figure out how to open the door between our rooms, but we found out in the drinks car that they come around and do it for you once the train gets moving. We went to the bar and got drinks and snacks (adult beverages for us and hot chocolate for my daughter). They were short staffed and couldn't do large meals but at 11pm we weren't looking for that. We met some other travelers who were going home to Edinburgh and talked to them about restaurants, etc. It was a nice way to wind down before bed. We were laughing going to bed that no one was going to sleep, but we all slept AMAZINGLY well. The bed was firm and comfortable, and the provide earplugs and eye masks. My in-laws, who are 70, agreed that it was a great night sleep. In the room there is a tiny sink that you can use to wash your face and brush your teeth. There are toilets in each train car and we never had an issue being able to use one when we needed to. We didn't have breakfast on the train 1) because we wanted to sleep in and 2) you arrive really early, so we just went straight to breakfast in Edinburgh. I would highly recommend it. It was a fun experience- leaving London and waking up in Edinburgh. Because we slept through the journey, we had more time to explore in Edinburgh which was a huge value to us.

Authenticity & Character

We enjoyed everything about it!

Location

Staff

My husband left his tablet in our room and had to run back through the train station. The conductor personally escorted him back to our room to check, where he found it between the mattress and the wall.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean! We had no issues or concerns at all.

Activity Reviews

London Eye timed entry tickets

London

The evening we went, it was not crowded at all, so our group of 5 got a "room" all to ourselves. The pace is nice and slow so those of us who get motion-sickness were not bothered at all. It was our very first activity after arriving and checking in, and it was nice to get to take in ALL of London, from every direction, for our first event. My husband and I rode on it almost 20 years ago, so it was fun to come back and do it again. You can't beat the views!

Quality of Experience

Hop-on, Hop-off Bus

London

We had a wait a while to get on the bus, but after that it was smooth sailing. We had downloaded the app and talked about the stops that we wanted to get off at and what we wouldn't mind passing by. My father-in-law really wanted to see Buckingham Palace and stop at a Hard Rock Cafe (he collects shirts). The audio commentary that you get to listen to is really good-- not boring at all. There was only one stop we didn't get to make because we ran out of time. We spent a really fun day getting to see so many different parts of London.

Quality of Experience

Easy to hop on and off--- covered everything we wanted to see without worry

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Harry Potter Studio Tour from London (with transport)

London

The bus we took was very nice! The studios are 45 min- 1 hour outside of town but we were very comfortable. The studios are overwhelming (in a wonderful way). The guide told us a lot of people spend 4 hours there, which is how much time we had, so it was great. There are passports you can stamp along the way. There are the sets, costumes, design pieces- with fun additional facts. There are also several areas where you can create videos of you riding a broom throughout different areas of Hogwarts and London. My daughter and father-in-law both did it and the videos are hilarious. There is a huge cafeteria about halfway through with a good variety of options. We stopped and had lunch and then went back for butterbeer ice cream. If you are a Harry Potter fan, this is a MUST DO!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Windsor, Stonehenge & Bath from London

London

Our driver and guide were both wonderful on this trip. We were on a really nice bus, and it was full. We were not able to sit together but we would reconvene once we got to each destination, it was fine. We thoroughly enjoyed each place. At Windsor, we were the first to arrive and so we were the first ones in. There are a couple of highlight areas and you need to choose what you want to do because you have a limited time at each place. We went to the Royal Apartments and marveled at everything we saw. There is so much art, history, and space! On the way back to the bus, we grabbed lunch to go at one of the sandwich shops in the train station that you walk through. Stonehenge is very cool to go to, but it has it's own microclimate and it was insanely windy! There is a path from the main parking lot to Stonehenge, and there is also a bus that will drive you the 1.5 miles. Because of our time limits, we all took the bus. If I came back, I would make a day of it so we could walk through the country side. We grabbed a snack at the cafe there, which is packed. Bath was by far the favorite. We want to come back and spend several days in Bath because the town is so beautiful. The baths themselves were a great site. It is a self-led walking tour throughout. Once we were done, we had about 45 minutes to kill, so we walked around and got ice cream.

Quality of Experience

We got to see so much in one day. Each item could be their own day trip but it was a wonderful way to get a good taste of each place in a limited amount of time.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was wonderful! Very personable and friendly.

Transport

Safe and comfortable.

Small Group - From London: Oxford, Cotswolds, and Stratford Upon Avon Tour

London

We really enjoyed this small group tour. It was much more intimate and we got to know several of the others on the tour. Stratford Upon Avon was beautiful. We got to tour Shakespeare's home which was so interesting, and the guides who worked there were very engaging and helpful. After that, we had some free time to explore. The day we were there, there was a large famers market on the river with food trucks and vendors of all kinds. That was an added treat! From there we went to the Cotswalds. We drove through these precious, tiny towns, and it was obvious that larger tour buses would not be able to get down a lot of those roads. We stopped for lunch in a beautiful village, but we only had about 1 hour to to find a restaurant, get seated, eat, and get back to the bus. With it being Sunday, a lot of the restaurants were offering Sunday roast or more formal meals. Since we didn't have time to research the village beforehand, we felt a little panicked about finding a restaurant that could seat us and serve us in the allotted time. We made it, but if I could change anything, I would allow 2 hours here so we could walk around and find a place we actually wanted to eat and enjoy ourselves rather than rushing through. Finally, we got to Oxford. This is a beautiful area and we had the most time here. Besides going into the one building (which is the setting for a scene in Harry Potter where the students are learning to dance), we had a lot of free time to go into shops. That was fun, but it was very touristy. My husband opted to go to the free Natural History Museum and he loved it. I would have been happy to have spent less time here and more at the Cotswalds. Our guide was very nice and talked a lot during the roadtrip portion. He was very entertaining!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Overall great-- I just wish we had allotted the time a little differently.

St Andrews Walking Tour of the Old Course

St Andrews

We arrived about noon and were able to eat lunch in the Clubhouse before the tour. The food was good and we could see the practice greens so it was good people watching, The guys went on the tour and loved it. The girls went into St Andrews and shopped and visited the University. St Andrews is a beautiful city! We were very happy we made the day trip out of Edinburgh.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Our rental car was really nice. Everything was set up for us and it was super easy!

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

Gareth was a fantastic guide! He was very personable and friendly. He took us off of the Royal Mile and around parts of Edinburgh that we never would have seen. There was no Harry Potter on this tour but my 12 year old still enjoyed herself very much. My husband asked a ton of questions when we were in between locations and we had some great conversation. He was very sweet about taking pictures of us so we have a few family shots that aren't selfies! It was really nice to have a guide to ourselves rather than being in a large group setting. Everyone agreed that this tour was a highlight of the trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gareth is a gem!

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

We had a lot of fun exploring all of the areas of the castle grounds. We spend a lot of time in the jails because my daughter was intrigued with it. There was a lot to see and do, and the self-guided tour aspect of it makes it more enjoyable because you don't have to stay with a crowd. You definitely want to book in advance because we heard a lot of people who were upset that tickets were sold out for the day.

Quality of Experience

Having had a previous trip to Mongolia end disastrously when the van we were using with a driver who spoke no English broke down for 36 hours in the wilderness (no phone signal, people, roads etc), I was apprehensive about coming back, so I chose Kim Kim and their partner company, Mongolian Secret History, to organise a 4 day tour of the things that I had missed on the last time I visited. I previously set up a tour themed around Genghis Khan, to see where he was born in Dadal, where he found the golden horn, the heart shaped lake where he proclaimed himself Mongol leader and the Mongol era intriguing walled necropolis of Oglogchiin Khorem, the Berenveen monastery and a Mongol war camp. The car breakdown of the last trip, which was caused by going through rivers several feet deep meant we hadn't seen the monastery and Oglogchiin Khorem, so a 4 day trip ensured that we did that.
The trip was initially postponed, as after booking in 2020, Covid struck, so I ended up going back this month (Sep 2023) mainly to see Oglogchiin Khorem, but also the monastery and deer stones nearby.
The communication from first Chris and later Oyunerdene was incredibly good - I loved being able to dial them up on the computer and ask questions; both were helpful and friendly throughout. The trip went pretty smoothly - itinerary as it said on the packet and pick ups/timings as planned.
Oglogchiin Khorem is really fascinating - I have visited 90 countries and have a keen interest in history, but walking round the 3 km of walls which stretch to high on the mountainside, made me really wonder what this Mongol era place contains - on the sides going up the mountain, the walls are 18 feet high and the effort to build this must have taken a huge effort - I spotted to ancient graves on the east side - wonder who is buried there. When the archaeologists do dig, I hope that grave robbers haven't beaten them to it - could Genghis Khan be buried somewhere in the complex - well the location is right in the heart of his homeland - midway between the heart shaped lake, where he found the golden horn and his birthplace in Dadal, so it is possible, but who knows, though the experts seem pretty sceptical. In any case, the walls are extensive and the views from the top spectacular, so for me it was well worth a visit.
Bereeven monastery was also interesting - the monastery dating to the 1700's does have some original outbuildings and was once home to 6,000 monks, but now has just one monk left - aged 76, you would feel he might be lonely, but while we were there, 2 other sets of visitors turned up, so maybe he actually has more company each day than most old people do. A beautiful location for the monastery too, with hills, lakes and rivers nearby.
So all in all a good trip and I can recommend Mongolian Secret History and Kim Kim - mainly because of the good back up support, but also because the driver and vehicle were good and they were happy for me to tell them what I wanted to do and then sort out the logistics for me.
If you are interested in Genghis Khan, this is a part of Mongolia that attracts few visitors, so the nomads are hospitable and my guide said that the nomads were very different to those in the tourist areas, who ask the tourists for money and treat them as cash cows - my hosts were welcoming and friendly. A bonus was seeing a horse branding occasion, something not at all set up for tourists, some westerners would baulk at this, but it is important to remember that for nomads, it is vital for them to be able to show that they own a particular animal, and they do without question take very good care of their animals.
Anyone wanting to see the sites of Genghis Khan should aim for the statue where he found the golden horn, the Mongol war camp nearby, the heart shaped lake, Oglogchiin Khorem and Dadal. That would probably mean a 5 day tour from Ulan Batar I'd have thought.
One additional bit of advice - if on a tight budget, if you like spicy food, try the Korean restaurants in Ulan Batar - you order one plate of food for around $5 and get about six other plates of sides free - my favourite place was on a road next to the State Department Store, going north from Peace Avenue on the east side of the store - the humble place called Korean Cafe had fabulous food and was dirt cheap.
I also stayed at Gana's Guest House on the western side of Ulan Batar - for $15.50 a night I got a comfortable en-suite room with hot water 24/7, in a ridiculously quiet area allowing a perfect night's sleep, with a comfortable bed and very nice owner, Gana, who allowed me to use his computer for free and store luggage. Previously I stayed more centrally and although it is probably around 15 minutes to walk to the dead centre of town, this location is better than staying centrally as central Ulan Batar is full of traffic and noise, so what you gain from being at the centre of things, you will lose in terms of too much noise and loss of sleep.
Overall a great trip and so I wanted to share to help other future travellers, as finding a good and reliable company can be a nightmare, as my previous trip showed.

We had the most amazing trip! Joao was always available and responsive to answer questions. Each driver was professional and courteous and the van was always extremely clean and comfortable. The itinerary that Joao put together was fantastic- it was the perfect blend of activities that we all really enjoyed. This trip truly exceeded all expectations. Thank you Joao and kimkim!

Joao and his team did an amazing job. We had a great experience from booking to his daily check in and agenda. 10 days, 3 locations all tours, and private drivers were great!! Thank you,

Robert created the most magical experience for us. We were two female travelers and felt safe and cared for the entire time. He kept us informed every step of the way. He also took into account our likes and dislikes and planned accordingly. We wanted outdoor adventures with history and that’s what we got. It was just perfect.

Hotel Review

Guest house and aparmtents Ankora

Skradin

Very nice and close to everything. They have a hot tub and brew their own beer!

Authenticity & Character

Surrounded by olive trees, vines and old buildings.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arrival in Split and transfer to accommodation

Split

Explore Split & Diocletian's palace

Split

Great tour guide. He had really good info and was also part of city council so he answered all our other questions about tourist impact on the city

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We were able to have a very comprehensive driving holiday thorough Norway. Our intent was to travel as many of the historic roads as possible over mountains and down to fjords. The views were impressive and the routes did not disappoint. In planning we got good advice on the travel distances (and time it would take) and were told when we were being too ambitious in what we wanted to do in one day. We were booked into some really great accommodation that met our style of travel and we appreciated having someone to phone for their thoughts when small travel troubles came up. Norway is an impressive country and Kim Kim helped made our trip very memorable.

Both of the hotels we stayed at in Montreal and Quebec worked well. Our food tour in Montreal was a favorite for all four of us. The guide was exceptional and the food was wonderful and different. Okay, I'm not a pureed liver person, so I passed on that, but that's just me. If I liked liver, I'm sure it would have been great. The ride on the inspirational ferris wheel was fun! The tour we did of Old Quebec was also very enlightening and again, the guide was fun and very informative. UBER and cabs worked great for getting around when we weren't walking. The Five-course dinner cruise was okay, but I think I would skip it on another trip. I enjoyed the food on the food tour more, and while the lights at night were pretty, I'd rather see the shoreline in the day time. We took a cab to the waterfall and enjoyed that. Carl was very helpful and Kim Kim again came through for us.

Hotel Reviews

Le Saint Martin

Montreal

The hotel was located in the downtown area which was a very busy area and hard to find an grocery stores, but it was convenient, clean , very comfortable, and the people at the hotel were always helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It's fine, but in a rather busy, trafficy area. Next time, I think I'd like to be closer to the older area.

Staff

The staff were friendly, welcoming, knowledgable, and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel Le Concorde Québec

Quebec

The big circular restaurant at the top made it easy to find when we have been our walking. The location was conventient to everything we wanted to see. I loved our room. Beautiful view out of two sides since we had a corner window. Looked out at the lights of the city and the river.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Worked well for us since we like to walk. Convenient for taking UBER or a cab to the Falls, the airport, and whereever else we wanted to go if we couldn't walk that far.

Staff

The staff could not have been more pleasant or helpful, at all levels. One of us dropped a ring down the drain whlle showering because there wasn't a drain cover, but maintenance quickly came up and retrieved it.

Cleanliness & Comfort

All the areas seemed well cleaned and taken care of: the entry way, waiting area, restaurants, rooms, elevators.

Activity Reviews

Mile End Montréal Food Tour

Montréal

This was one of our favorite parts of our trip to Canada. The Food Tour included six interesting, tasty examples of local food, and they were DELICIOUS and fun to try. Our guide was exceptional. She was fun, knowledgable, and tuned in to our needs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was the best.

Transport

No problems.

Old Montreal VIP

Montréal

We enjoyed having some open time to just head out and see what we could see. Stopping by local shops and restaurants was fun. We had a fun time riding the Inspirational Ferris Wheel. Beautiful weather.

Quality of Experience

Just relaxing, hanging out , and walking around discovering the city was fun.

Old Quebec Walking Tour

Québec City

Our guide was a fun guy, and we enjoyed being in a group of just the four of us. He had done a group of 45 the day before, and I would. not have been interested in a group that large.

Quality of Experience

Excellent guide, fun activities, educational.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide seemed to know what he was doing and he did it well.

Transport

We walked and it was close enough from our Hotel to work out well.

Our guides for each of the planned events we fantastic, knowledgeable and very personable. We saw some amazing sites in France. My wife's favourite was Chateau Chambord and mine was the food tour we did in Paris.

The arrangement of transfers to and from hotels, railway stations and airports made the entire logistical experience fantastic. We were fortunate enough to have the same driver multiple times in Paris and he went above and beyond to help me when I left my mobile phone in his car on departure day.

Justine did an amazing job of planning and advising and was responsive and helpful throughout the journey with the few hiccups we had

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Le Clos d'Amboise

Amboise

Hôtel du Rond-point des Champs-Élysées - Esprit de France

Paris

Hôtel de l’Horloge

Avignon

Le Marquis by Inwood Hotels

Paris

Activity Reviews

Villandry, Azay-Le-Rideau & Vouvray wine tour - Full Day

France

Chambord, Chenonceau & Lunch at the Château - Full Day

France

Eiffel Tower Summit Ticket

Paris

Seine Cruise with Commentary

Paris

Back to Medieval Paris with Notre Dame, St Chapelle & Conciergerie

Paris

unfortunately we missed this activity as my wife was unwell. We were not able to reschedule it

Saint Germain des Prés Food Tour

Paris

Louvre Museum Private Tour

Paris

Saint Remy, les Baux de Provence, Pont du Gard

France

Highlights of Provence : Chateauneuf du Pape and Luberon

France

Mathilde's knowledgeable and instantly responsive communications and advice during the planning, adjustments and coordination of our itinerary and logistics was awesome leading up to and throughout our five day anniversary trip. The kimkim site paired us with the perfect travel professional for Paris and, undoubtedly, anywhere in France.

Everyone on the staff of the "boutique" Hotel Baume where we stayed in the Latin Quarter catered to our every need with amazingly friendly, accommodating and professional service. We couldn't be happier with how this most memorable trip worked out for us and high recommend the kimkim online platform for staging a similar travel experience!

Our vacation in Paris, Versailles and Giverny was wonderful. So much history, so many beautiful sights, and everyone we met was friendly and polite.
Beginning with Thomas, who picked us up at the airport and gave us a mini-lesson in French language and culture, on the way to the hotel. He also gave us the first views of the Arc De Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. We later visited both sites for some amazing views. We were lucky enough to also have Thomas as the driver to pick us up from the hotel for our trip back to the airport.
The Hotel La Bourdonnais was elegant, clean, in a very nice and convenient location. The staff were very polite and attentive. The only problem we experienced was when the air conditioning system broke down on one or more floors, including ours, before our last night there. The staff provided us with a fan which made the room comfortable just the same.
Our private guides, Karim for Versailles, Robert for the Louvre and Alex for Giverny were extremely knowledgeable and also attentive to our needs.
The show at the Moulin Rouge was really entertaining and done in good taste.
Finally, the dinner cruise was unbelievable. The food was excellent, the service was very attentive, the live band was exciting and enthusiastic, and the views were unforgettable.
A big thank you to the staff at KimKim for being so helpful and flexible with our needs and preferences.
Hope to visit other parts of France in the future.
Regards,
Claudio

Hotel Review

Hotel La Bourdonnais - Tour Eiffel

Paris

The Hotel La Bourdonnais was elegant, clean, in a very nice and convenient location. The staff were very polite and attentive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Lots of nice eateries nearby, but the best part was that it's only a 10 -15 minute walk to the Eiffel Tower.

Staff

The staff were very polite and attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half day guided tour of the Palace of Versailles with priority access in a small group (1 to 15 people)

Paris

Karim, our private tour guide for Versailles was extremely knowledgeable and also attentive to our needs.

Quality of Experience

The gardens and the artwork in Versailles are amazing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Karim, out private tour guide, was exceptionally knowledgeable of Versailles. His English vocabulary is extensive and his pronunciation is superb. Always point out good spots for photo taking and volunteering to take the photos.

Transport

Vehicle was clean and comfortable. Karim, the private tour guide, gave us quite a bit of info about French culture and language along the way.

Eiffel Tower Summit Ticket

Paris

The Eiffel Tower itself is pretty awesome, also when seen with a miniature of the Statue of Liberty in the foreground. The views from the top are spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Hop-on Hop-off Bus Paris

Paris

The Hop-on Hop-off Buses offer a really good introduction to Paris. Stop or pass by many of the main sights in Paris. Buses run frequently which makes it a very good way to get around. The issue we had was that there was no clear end-time for the buses. Seems that each driver decides when his shift is ending and ends his route at whichever stop is next at that time. So, two drivers could stop working at different times, at different stops.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Murders and Mysteries of the Louvre

Paris

The Louvre museum is one of the foremost museums in the world. It is immense, with 9 miles of corridors. You could spend days, actually weeks, admiring the artwork. Robert, our guide, was a wealth of information. He guided us through several sections of the museum, all amazing. The only let-down was the crowd at the Mona Lisa. You almost have to elbow your way through, in order to get to the front. I wish the curators would take a cue from the curators of The Last Supper in Milan, where only a small number of visitors is allowed to see the painting for a set number of minutes, then they're ushered out and the next small number of visitors is allowed in. That avoid the crowds and everyone has a front row view of the masterpiece.

Quality of Experience

The Louvre museum is like a whole world of masterpieces.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner show at the Moulin Rouge

Paris

The show at the Moulin Rouge was really entertaining and done in good taste. Several "circus" acts along with a lot of dance numbers with many glamorous dancers. The show was really entertaining and done in good taste.

Quality of Experience

Half-day tour to Giverny from Paris

Paris

Alex, our private guide, just like the other private guides, was extremely knowledgeable and also attentive to our needs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

Finally, the dinner cruise was unbelievable. The food was excellent, the service was very attentive, the live band was exciting and enthusiastic, and the views were unforgettable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helena was always prompt and made the process easy. She made great suggestions and helped us plan a great trip to the Canaray Islands.

Hotel Review

JOIA El Mirador by Iberostar

Costa Adeje

We've traveled a lot and this was one of the best places we've ever stayed. Great location. Wonderful, friendly staff. Set up well. No kids. Just the right size. They thought of a lot to help make the stay so comfortable. LOVED IT!

Authenticity & Character

Everywhere you looked this place was lovely

Location

Gorgeous views. Walk to the beach in 2 minutes if you want.

Staff

Very friendly and accomodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless

Activity Reviews

Teide Excursion in Safari Jeeps

Spain

What we got to see what great. Our guide was wonderful. Loved Teide National Park.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Massage in SPA Sensations Iberostar

Tenerife

I wouldn't get massages here again. They weren't great. Not much pressure. Climbed on the table (I always think that is inappropriate).

Quality of Experience

Day Excursion to the Island of La Gomera

Tenerife

Long day but worth it. Only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because it is long, but that's no ones fault.

The entire process working with Chris was extremely streamlined and easy. He really listened to our wants and desires and tailored our vacation to what our preferences were. We knew we wanted to spend one week in Italy and one week in Greece for our engagement, but didn’t really know specifically where in those countries we wanted to vacation. Chris, who is from Greece, suggested the amazing island of Naxos, something we never would have considered without his guidance! Our tours and excursions were amazing, and we really appreciated the attention to detail from the time of the tours to the private transfers, which were extremely convenient. We also really appreciated the locations of the accommodations that were just outside of the main, noisy, areas, but close enough for us to walk into town. We can’t imagine doing another large vacation without KimKim.

Sarah, thanks for working with us to organize our trip for 4. You worked with us to tailor the trip to incorporate our interests and preferred accommodations. I appreciate the pivoting you did in response to the weather and your availability and communications. This was our first Kimkim trip and I recommend then without reservation.

Best experiences include Ina, an exceptional guide in Split. I so appreciate guides that can share an understanding of history and current social and political topics that impact the location. She was insightful and articulate. Keep her busy! Also a best was the wine guide Grgl Natkovic. Since we are from California wine region, we were interested in the industry in Croatia. While the local winery we first visited I would not recommend as part of future tours (good ambiance but mediocre wine), the wine we sampled at his family village was outstanding. His enthusiasm regarding H'var and the commentary he provided travelling from H'var city to Stari Grad was great. Here is a young entrepreneur to watch. Positive experiences with Marco for the walking tour of H'var. This walking tour and Marco's knowledge of the local plants was great. The walk through the countryside and "abandoned" villages was excellent. I would suggest an option to visit the interior of one of these houses to see what life in the village would be like. Also, Evo in Dubrovnik, is a guy who can pilot a boat like no body I know.

The accommodation selections were excellent. The drop off in Split could have been closer to the accommodation. The location of the accommodation in Split, H'var and Dubrovnik was convienient and well located.

Well done.

Hotel Reviews

Pellegrini rooms

Split

Great location in Split. Very good aesthetic. You won't be disappointed.

Authenticity & Character

Good aesthetic, modern but a nod to the stone around you.

Location

Practically built into the wall of Diocletian's Palace.

Staff

Always helpful. Thanks for the beach towels.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and tidy.

Heritage Hotel Dea

Hvar

Good location. Family run but three young brothers and a second family.

Authenticity & Character

While this was a heritage hotel, with well stocked mini-fridge. If you are interested in aesthetics like architect, the authenticity was a little off in the patio and interior.

Location

Great central location. Nice steps

Staff

Run by two families. Both nice. Staff was the best part of this location.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Prijeko Palace

Dubrovnik

Great location and staff. Great breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

While I appreciate the themed rooms, they felt a bit dated and busy. Felt like it would be a very ritzy place in 2000 - even though it was decorated in 2015. The exterior and the balconies are great.

Location

In the heart of the old city.

Staff

Always helpful. Breakfast staff excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well done. Rooms were made up while we were at breakfast often.

Activity Reviews

Guided Walking Tour of Split

Split

Ina, awesome, articulate, intelligent. Could hang out with her for a day and chat no problem. Highly recommended.

Quality of Experience

Ina, again outstanding.

Croatian Cooking Class

Split

We enjoyed this. Particularly, the market experiences and fish market.

Quality of Experience

Lots of food to share. Much fun prepping it,

Food

Good easy recipes well handled by our chef/guide.

Hvar Wine Tasting Excursion

Hvar

Grgl, the guide was amazing as was his family village and winery. The commercial winery we visited needs an alternative.

Quality of Experience

Grgl's wine and company was outstanding.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again Grgl was an outstanding guide.

Transport

Comfortable and easy.

Free Day in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Morning swim at the south end of the walls was great.

Quality of Experience

Hike to Lost Villages of Hvar, Croatian Peka Lunch

Hvar

These "abandoned" villages were wonderful as was the walk through the countryside. The native plants we plant as ornamentals in California. The rock walls were astounding and worth the walk.

Quality of Experience

Recommended! With some humor as well.

Food

Very nice food and location

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marco was entertaining and informative.

A Wonderful Family Trip to England & Scotland

Our trip was amazing. We did have a jammed packed itinerary, but it was great! So much to see/do/learn and boy did we! Traveling solo adult with (2) almost teens and we were all happily engaged. A nice taste of both England and Scotland.

KimKim did a fine job of planning my trip and itinerary. My specialist, Rita, is a pro and knows the land, the sights and tours, and the local accommodations. I had a few mishaps, a communication glitch or two, and of course some weather changes and cancellations. However, the responsiveness of Rita and the KimKim team was generally excellent, and I appreciate their assistance with my travel.

Kudos to the team for organizing a truly spectacular trip of a lifetime! From my first inquiry with KimKim to the interactions with the local specialist team, communication was flawless. The itinerary was perfect! Anna-marie checked in with us periodically throughout the trip to ensure all was going well. The accommodations were amazing throughout the trip and the activities were perfect. The first safaris out of Simbavati allowed us to see the big five and many other animals. Our tour guide for excursions out of CapeTown (Wendy) - Peninsula/Penguin tour and wine country - was exceptional! Perhaps one of the most memorable was the Pangolin Photo Safari - and we are by no means photographers. The pictures we captured under the expert guidance of Sara will be treasured memories of our trip. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in South Africa and appreciate all of the efforts by the team to make it so. We highly recommend the KimKim/Elgin Africa team!!

Patrica is 5 star, above and beyond checking in with us