Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had the most wonderful time in Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast and Polignano a Mare. Fabio took such wonderful care of us. He was very accessible and informative. Some highlights:
- The boat ride around Capril was wonderful! Our skipper, Luigi, was fantastic
- Our hike on the Path of the Gods was beautiful. It was a little more difficult than I expected, but our guide, Roberto, was great and was patient with us. Our driver that day, Ciro was wonderful.
- One of our favorite days was the road trip, and in particular - Ravello. What a beautiful town! Our driver that day, Marcello, was great!!!
- The cooking class at Chez Barone was so much fun - and yummy! We all had a really special time there
- In Polignano a Mare, the Masseria Aquaterrae was stunning. We were so pleasantly surprised. All of the staff were so kind and thoughtful and attentive. The rooms were beautiful and the grounds were amazing. The whole thing was so peaceful and enjoyable. One thing to note is that the location is not within walking distance of the town, but the front desk is more than happy to arrange for cabs.
- Our bike trip was definitely a highlight! Nico was a wonderful and friendly guide.
Thank you so much for everything!!!

My daughter and I enjoyed our trip very much. It was a great mother/daughter experience. Our hotels were all in great locations, close to the things we wanted to do. As I am 73, I was a little disappointed that some hotels did not have elevators as it was difficult for me to carry my bags up stairs. Otherwise, the hotels were all good, and the staff at the hotel in Bordeaux were particularly helpful and "sympa."

We also enjoyed the excursions arranged by Mathilde through A la Francaise. Two stood out in particular - the wine tasting in Bordeaux with Ben and the prehistoric art excursion with Anne. Both were interesting, well-informed, and simply lovely people. The only disappointing excursion was the one to Cassis, which consisted of a ride to Cassis with little commentary and 2 hours on our own. However, the guide that day told us it was her first week, so the trip may become more interesting. The scenery in and around Cassis was stunning though.

Train travel went well. There were some problems with the car rental because I damaged the car. The deductible was much higher than I expected, but it was noted on the voucher I received right before departure. In future, I think this deductible should be pointed out to the traveler with the option of booking their own car rental separately. That would have saved me a good deal of money.

Overall a very good trip, and I appreciate Mathilde's help with settling the insurance claim.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Madame

Bordeaux

Good location near the old city, but very near a bar that stayed open late. Street noise was very loud until the early hours of the morning. Breakfast was disappointing. There was no breakfast area, so a tote with a minimal breakfast was left on the door. However, the people working the reception was very nice and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Breakfast, sound proofing

Location

Very central to the old town, but the area was noisy until early morning hours.

Staff

My daughter left a bag in a taxi, and they tried to help her retrieve it.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Novotel Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

Tremblay-en-France

The hotel was just average and really had little character. However, it was very convenient for getting to our departure gate to fly home. It was hard to find because there are 2 Novotels at the airport, and we walked the entire length of the terminal to find we had gone to the shuttle for the wrong Novotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aquabella Hotel & Spa

Aix en Provence

With beautiful hotel and grounds, this hotel was our favorite. It was an easy walk to the center of town, and we had a delicious meal in their restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful grounds, nice room.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel de l'Amphithéâtre

Nîmes

Great location very near the amphitheater. There was no elevator, but the man at the reception offered to carry up our bags. Good selection at breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Donjon – Cœur de La Cité Médiévale

Carcassonne

We liked this hotel that was very close to the castle. The hotel provided staff to pick up us and our luggage at a remote parking area. The service was prompt and available for the return to our car.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Villa des Consuls

Sarlat-la-Canéda

I loved this hotel, but it is not the best choice for older travelers. There is no street access to the hotel, and parking is quite far away, which made dropping off luggage impossible. In addition, there was no elevator. So for me, it was difficult getting my luggage to the hotel and up to my room. For younger travelers, it would be great due to its excellent location.

Authenticity & Character

Nice, big room and a pretty courtyard with tables and chairs.

Location

It was in the heart of the city on a back alleyway, where it was quiet. If handling luggage is no problem, this is a great hotel.

Staff

The staff we met were very nice, but there were very limited hours where the reception was manned.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Historic City Walk

Bordeaux

This was a good excursion, but it was pouring rain during much of it. Our guide Margot was a great sport and tried to make the experience enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

The problem was the pouring rain since it was a walking tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

n/a It was a walking tour.,

Cassis Day Trip with Calanques Boat Cruise (Ticket not included)

Aix-en-Provence

The area was beautiful, but the tour was really just a ride to Cassis with one stop at an scenic viewpoint.

Gourmet Food & History Walk

Aix-en-Provence

Good tour that ended with a cheese and wone tasting at the end. Tour guide was competent but not extraordinary,

Paleolithic Art of the Dordogne Shared Full Day Trip From Sarlat

France

Our guide Anne was a great guide and fun person. She answered all our questions and offered suggestions about places to see and wines and foods to try. Rouffignac was not as impressive as Font de Gaume, which I have visited before. However, Rouffignac offers a train while you have to walk at Font de Gaume.

Two wine regions within a day - Saint-Emilion and Medoc

Bordeaux

Fun day; lovely picnic; and Ben was a phenomenal guide. He was knowledgeable and personable.

Pont du Gard (Entrance tickets)

France

The site and the museum were very impressive. Highly recommend.

There were multiple agents we worked with besides Tomaz. In general many of the guided trips we booked had time to walk or drive by sites but did not allow sufficient time to go inside structures to experience them. My brother Dan submitted a more detailed review by email and I added comments. We received responses from KimKim indicating our comments would be reviewed.

Our family of four just returned from a fabulous trip to Portugal! Kimkim connected us with Pedro who, from the start, was excellent to work with. We spent 9 days in Portugal...starting in Porto and working our way to Lisbon stopping for a night in Alcobaca and Cascais. Pedro's suggestions were spot on. The overall itinerary he developed, drivers (Ivo, Carlos, Claudia), guides (Taisa, Sarah, Sarah, Margarid), tours (e-bike, port tasting, walking, wine tasting, fado dinner), hotels, restaurant recommendations, etc were all excellent. The service and value we received was first class. As an example, my daughter was very disappointed for forgetting something in the hotel in Alcobaca...I asked Pedro if there was anything he could do...he worked his magic/network and the item was reunited with my daughter on our arrival in Lisbon. Simply amazing. He was connected with us throughout the trip and we tweaked a few things along the way...no request was too much! We had a wonderful family trip with fond memories that will last for a long time! Pedro had a huge part to do with that and we all are very grateful. So glad to have worked with him and his company. Thank you, Pedro!

We had never used KimKim previously and this was a test run for my husband and me. I hired KimKim because I did not have the time to devote to planning a trip. My understanding was that we were paying a premium to an agent so that they could do the hard work of planning our trip and we could rely on our agent to create an itinerary, provide vetted hotels, guides etc., answer questions and provide detailed information so that I would not have to devote too much time to the planning process. This did not work out exactly as I thought it would - details below.

Overall I thought KimKim was good, but it was too expensive for the amount of service that was provided and the ultimate result should have been great rather than just good given the price we paid. Let me start with what they did well - the web portal was easy enough to learn to use and our specialist Aleksandra was responsive to changes in our itinerary and to follow up questions. Aleksandra was also polite and professional. KimKim did a good job with providing good guides. Our guide for the City of Edinburgh and for a day trip to St. Andrews were both very good, and I would recommend them to others. The bookings for hotels and guides were organized and we had no problem with the hotels saying they didn't have our room, or guides not showing up on time, etc. The hotels where we stayed in Edinburgh, Inverlochy and on the Isle of Skye were all very good choices.

KimKim did not do a good job with some things. For instance, they were not great with booking restaurants - the places they recommended were quite touristy and we were clear that wasn't what we wanted - we ended up booking nearly all of our restaurant reservations ourselves. A much bigger issue is that they did not mention anywhere in our itinerary or in any correspondence with us that we needed to advance book the ferry from Mallaig to the Isle of Skye. This was an important detail as the ferry books up in advance during the high season, and we could not get onto the ferry and therefore ended up driving an extra 80 miles, missing the ability to sightsee on parts of the Isle of Skye that we had been planning to do that day. Needless to say, this was hugely disappointing and I think is a basic job of our booking company where they dropped the ball. This made me think that our agent was not a local and clearly did not know this and did not think to ask anyone with more local knowledge. Our expectation was that we were getting advice from a local and clearly that was not the case. The other thing that was spectacularly badly was that the last hotel we stayed in was absolutely atrocious. It clearly hadn't been renovated in a very long time and smelled musty and was just plain disgusting frankly, and the dining options were beyond awful. It was not a place where anybody would want to stay, and I have absolutely no idea why Aleksandra booked us there. Most of the trip was wonderful, but that was a terrible way to end and unfortunately it is the last thing we took away from our time in Scotland.

My recommendation is to be very hands on: (1) make sure to independently review the hotels to make sure that they meet your satisfaction, and provide detailed guidance as to what you're looking for, (2) make sure to doublecheck your itinerary and ask the questions that you would ask if you were planning the entire trip yourself. This of course means that you're putting in much more time in the planning process, which kind of defeats the purpose of hiring KimKim in the first place. I might be willing to try the service again, but in a much more active manner.

Duncan arranged a very comprehensive/detailed wonderful plan for us to complete Iceland’s ring road! We loved the route, sites, and unique lodging/breakfasts. The car rental process was very efficient and loved the onboard wifi capability. This was our 3rd KimKim trip and we are going to use again!

Hotel Reviews

Fosshótel Reykholt

Reykholt

Modern lodging with great restaurant/breakfast and staff! Our room was very spacious and included a small table with comfy chairs to enjoy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Hellnar

Hellnar

Very pleasant place to rest/refuel! Restaurant and staff were great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alva Hotel Brautarholt

Reykjavík

This was very proximal to walking to sites downtown but we came early and without central reception on site—it was more challenging to call ‘home’. This was one hotel we also were not able to get our 3 ‘separate beds’ but all was very feasible. They were doing major renovations so lots of construction activity in the ‘lobby’. This will be nicer when all renovations are done!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Laugarbakki

Laugarbakki

The hotel is very remotely located and was just getting started with this season. Staff were fine. Breakfast was great—(dinner was OK just not the caliber have been having). We had them move us to a room with 3 separate beds which they did accommodate. It was in a building that did not seem to have others in—so felt abit more isolated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vogafjós Farm Resort

Myvatn

Very sweet farm setting and decor of ‘cabin’/dining area. Dinner and breakfast were fabulous! Vista of sheep grazing plus seeing their dairy cows get milked/tended to—while overlooking the acreage was very cool (for this ‘farm girl’)!

Authenticity & Character

Lodging was across the road from the dining/reception area. But very pleasant stroll to access or to walk in the eve on paved off road trails.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Árnanes Country Hotel

Höfn

Really liked the cabin like lodging! Could get a glacier brewed beer when checked in (price reasonable)! Staff lovely and breakfast was tasty/adequate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Litli Geysir Hotel

Haukadalur

We were early in their season and at their non-connected hotel. It met our needs for 3 people well.

Authenticity & Character

The main hotel/restaurant were very top notch! Right across from the geysers…

Location

Staff

I had misplaced my phone and called after leaving to have them check space. Given lower staffing this took abit of time & a few call backs. But I appreciated their efforts!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Hallormsstadur

Egilsstadir

Very lovely and large space ‘in the forest’! The hotel had just opened for the season so not many people there yet or lots of staff. But breakfast was grand and staff were very pleasant & helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Abit out of the main town but lovely setting. We loved having access to out doors to sit in the evening!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Katla by Keahotels

Vík

Very comfortable lodging with access to lovely dining facility/hot tub/sauna.

Activity Reviews

Katla Ice Cave

Iceland

Very fun activity! It was fun to get into the ‘back country’ with big vehicle and then to explore on glacier trails that staff keep having to affirm are safe for walking on (with crampons). The caves and sites were glorious to take in!

Quality of Experience

Note to anyone who may have challenges with balance or endurance—this could be abit much for some. We really enjoyed but are used to walking with crampons on ice & in good shape!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide/driver was very well versed on the area and entertaining/informative.

Transport

The Geothermal Vok Baths

Iceland

Loved the non-sulfur hot bath! Also enjoyed being able to dip in cold lake water from one of the hot baths. Very cool building/shower rooms etc. Only comment for possible improvement—is that some of the equipment getting in/out of baths were kind of green/slimy/slippery. It may be tough for them to impact this—but seems like they could have been cleaned.

Quality of Experience

Rye Bread tour (Geothermal bakery)

Iceland

Great job by seasonal staff! Lovely space to wait in (by geothermal spa)…

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

i’m

Vidgelmir cave guided tour

Iceland

This was a great educational and physical experience! Guide did a great job preparing us and leading us through activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

During the trip we had to making some changes and Vicky was readily available and putting the effort forth that created an amazing experience with little hiccups. She was extremely attentive to changes, and ensured that we were abelk to complete everything we wanted to do at all the different locations we went to thorughout the tirp. There was maintenance on one of the items that caused her to have to reorganize our trip pretty last minute. She did amazing handling these changes!

She managed to fit everything we wanted to do and add suggestions for us in a 12 day trip to Australia which was already amazing and allowed us to enjoy our trip stress free!

Hotel Reviews

Rhapsody Resort

Surfers Paradise

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa

Port Douglas

Off the beaten path, really good for someone seeking a quiet vacation full of poolside relaxing. The hotel was amazing, the room was bueatiful and guest service was amazing. However the breakfast was the same everyday, and for us it was a bit to far off the path.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Premium Guided Dive Trip - Outer Great Barrier Reef

Port Douglas

The dive instructor only handles small dive groups of around 4 people max, it ended up being just myself and partner on our introductory dive. It was phenomnial and everyone was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was my fourth trip with Kimkim. While Audrey was responsive and ensured our bookings were confirmed, we did not receive as thorough of services as previously obtained by other specialists. Our other Kimkim specialists would check in with us before and throughout the trip, provide contact information (with the specialist and not just the company hosting the excursion) in case of any issues, and provide critical information for navigating the destination. We did not receive any of this for our trip to Paris and had to do much more research to ensure a safe and comprehensive experience. Audrey did provide us with the essential information, but we feel we did not receive the great Kimkim experience we're accustomed to.

Nadine is exceptional! I have used Kimkim for several trips, and this was, by far, the best experience with a specialist. Nadine was responsive and knowledgeable, ensuring we had all the information needed for a safe and fun trip. I truly appreciated all of the additional tips, recommendations, and the welcome package at the hotel. Finally, our airport transfer driver, Robert, and the hotel hostess, Lisa, were phenomenal. I am genuinely grateful for Nadine and her helping curate an unforgettable experience!

Full disclosure, I am a Kimkim employee, but the experience with the team helping me plan my trip to Spain was incredible as always and it was so easy booking everything through them and knowing I have a team supporting me as a travel in case anything were to go wrong! Thank you!

We are experienced and demanding senior travellers and Bianca was very responsive to our specific needs and responding to our questions in a timely fashion. We had to change our plan and she was able to make the appropriate changes. She proved to be knowledgeable and experienced as a travel advisor and planner.
We had an interesting and informative visit to Johannesburg based on travel guides recommended by Bianca. Victoria Fall was breathtaking and the accomodation at the Phezulu Guest Lodge was very enjoyable. Chobe and staying at the Chobe Bush Lodge with morning safari outings and the afternoon boat trips were amazing. Okavango swamp and Pom Pom Camp was outstanding with very personal service and staying among the animals with knowledgeable guides we found all the animal we wanted to see. The Pom Pom Camp was a very special experience.

Hotel Reviews

Pom Pom Camp

United Kingdom

Very personal service with a limited number of guests. We had safari outing to our selves most of the time. The food was good. The tent accomodations with open bathing areas was spacious but a bit warm in the afternoons. Staying among the animals was unique and watching them from the balcony was captivating. This was the peak experince of the trip and Ryder our guide knew where to find the animals including leopards, wild dogs as well as lions, elephants and giraffes . A magical experience with outings in the morning and late afternoons.

Authenticity & Character

Definitely a lot of character and the personal attention of the staff

Location

Isolated and staying among the animals next to a watering hole

Staff

Always address by name, our guide ate meals with us and the service was great

Cleanliness & Comfort

The tent rooms were spotless, just two small issues, the rooms were very hot in the afternoon and the need to be careful about the use of lights at night to avoid invasion by the insects

Chobe Bush Lodge

Kasane

The rooms were very spacious and modern with large bathroom area and balconies. Location near the Chobe river was great. Very helpful staff that were very responsive when we needed their help. I would say that the food was a bit disappointing.

Authenticity & Character

Large thatched building that was very spacious.

Location

On the Chobe River

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great rooms

Phezulu Guest Lodge

Victoria Falls

As small hotel near Vic Falls and all that we needed for our stay. Staff were very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Premier OR Tambo Hotel

We liked the spacious rooms, the location next to the airport was perfect and the staff were helpful and professional

Authenticity & Character

Not sure what to say about character, but the staff were friendly and helpful

Location

next to the airport

Staff

Very helpful staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Okavango Delta Safari

Okavango Delta

The morning and afternoon safari outings were amazing. Ryder our driver and guide was very professional and knowledgeable and we found all the animals that we wanted to see plus a few surprises

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very personal and friendly service and when one of our party was a bit sick they when out of their way to help him feel better

Transport

You have to be ready to be shaken a bit during the game drives

Chobe Safari Day

Botswana

The safari drives were nice but the best was the boat outing on the water since all the animals are drawn to the water. Seeing the elephants swim/walk through the water was great and the wallowing hippos.

Quality of Experience

Great sightings of animals on land and from the water.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Some of the drivers were a bit fast. They need to clean the area where they stop for morning tea as there seemed to be a lot of used toilet paper around the area.

Transport

Keep the speed down

All of our guides and experiences were top notch. We were clearly communicated with throughout the trip the entire team was helpful in making sure we had a great time. We will definitely be using Kimkim again next time we travel.

Our trip to Greece was a trip we will never forget! Overall, the experience was fantastic. We had one issue where there was a miscommunication with the date we were arriving and leaving, Angela quickly jumped to action accommodating us with a hotel for us to stay at that first night in Athens and adjusting our stay in Santorini. The taxi for us to get to the port in Athens never showed up to pick us up to the hotel, we had to get a cab and Angela made sure we were reimbursed. She made sure everything was fixed and checked in to make sure our trip ran smoothly.

The excursions Angela selected were absolutely amazing and were catered to what we were interested. There was a perfect mixture between "touristy" attractions and tours that took us through how the locals live. It was all so informative about the history of Greece.

Naxos was hands down our favorite island we visited. I WILL BE RETURNING THERE! It was not full of people and felt very traditional. We loved the scenery, the food, and the people we encountered on Naxos. We went on a fishing tour with Evan with Naxos Fishing Experience and had the best time. He ended up giving us a good bit of fish to take and one of the restaurants cooked it for us! A truly unforgettable experience.

Overall an amazing trip! :)

Our trip consisted of Sossusvlei (2 nights), Swakopmund (2 nights) and Damaraland (3 nights)
We opted for a driver and guide and this was a significant part of the enjoyment of our trip. Vincent Taylor is not just a driver and guide but a senior person with in-depth knowledge and experience in Namibia and the region which provided us with deeper insight into Namibia and visiting places that other might miss. I would encourage others visiting Namibia to consider having a driver and guide since 80% of the roads we travelled on were not paved and distances between gas stations and facilities are far, driving around 5 hours every other days is tiring even as a passenger and if something happens having a local expert is helpful. Travelling on your own would be a completely different experience and much less interesting. The dunes of Sossusvlei are like a gigantic art installation with the changing light and shadows on the dunes with the unique vegetation and salt pans. The accommodations at the Desert Homestead Lodge were super with the roomy individual cabins. Swakopmund with its cooler temperatures was a relief from the heat, the Swakopmund Luxury Suites were comfortable and a good location. We would encourage visitors to do the combination cruise on the bay in the morning and the Sandwich Bay dune ride in the afternoon, both were memorable. Damaraland was unique to be staying among the boulders and going out one morning for tracking the desert elephants which we found and appreciated. Afternoons were too hot to do very much. We could have done with a less fancy accommodations at Camp Kipwe but it was very unique and beautiful. Travelling the roads and experiencing the vastness of Namibia was an experience in itself. The final accomodation at the Windhoek Luxury Suites was fine with a restaurant in a courtyard mall in the Spanish style was quite unique and enjoyable. The staff at all the accommodations were very helpful, friendly and professional.
The CapeTown portion of the trip was totally different. Staying at the Commodore next to the wharf was very handy for restaurants and shopping. Hotel staff were helpful and friendly was we were able to do most of the things that CapeTown is famous for. A great final stop on our very memorable trip.

Hotel Reviews

The Commodore Hotel

Cape Town

Our room overlooked the city and Table Mountain.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Being next to the wharf is probably the best location in Capetown because of the mall and the restaurants and bars near by

Staff

Very helpful with a few issues and needs that we had

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Windhoek Luxury Suites

Windhoek

Quite and peaceful.

Authenticity & Character

The restaurant neary by in a Spanish style mall was quite unique

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Camp Kipwe

Windhoek

This is a top end hotel set among boulders on a hill in the desert and barely visible from a distance. Each hut has a outdoor bathroom that we liked. Bar at the top of the hill for sunsets. Food was great and staff were friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel is part of the landscape, very unique and special

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Swakopmund Luxury Suites

Swakopmund

Good location and helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

Nice place, very modern design

Location

Near the beach and restaurants

Staff

Staff were very helpful when we had some problems

Cleanliness & Comfort

Desert Homestead Lodge

The setting of the hotel, the main building with a thatched roof and tasteful design and facilities. The rooms were large and very nicely done in a rustic way

Authenticity & Character

Unique design

Location

Beautiful setting

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Premier OR Tambo Hotel

Great for being near the airport. Helpful and friendly staff. Nice rooms and a good restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Friendly staff

Location

Near the airport

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Twyfelfontein Tour

Damaraland

Tracking the desert elephants was a great experience in a dry river bed. We did find the elephants and a few giraffe. The cultural center experience was interesting. The petroglyphs were interesting though the trail is a bit difficult. The organ pipes and black mountain were interesting but not as much as the other activities

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We will press repeat in capital letters

Every guide and every place was amazing. The trip was so well organized that it felt stress free. It felt like a trip of a lifetime. We already have given several friends, family and even complete strangers your name and recommended you highly..

Hotel Reviews

Tigh Grianach Bed and Breakfast

Barra

This definitely earns the title of 5-star. Spotless, comfortable. Jackie is an amazing cook, gifted hostess and kind and friendly. Rob our tour guide was over the top. He was very knowledgeable, personable and accommodating. He took interest in researching information about Donna’s family even after the tour was over. When he finds info he emails me and we will keep in touch. Wow.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Oban Bay Hotel

Oban

Clean, beautiful views, friendly and accommodating staff.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Coolin View

Portree

Loived everything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Bluebell House B&B

Inverness

Ken was friendly, organized and a great cook. Too bad he got sick the next morning and we missed breakfast but the place was pristine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Garrison Hotel

Fort William

Clean, with everything we needed very handy and accessible.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Stirling Highland Hotel

Stirling

Clean, comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

24 Royal Terrace

Edinburgh

Very clean and unique.

Authenticity & Character

Location accessible to most sites.

Location

Great breakfast and great location.

Staff

Very accommodating. Karen needed a charger and they supplied one to borrow.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean- room tidied everyday.

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Good- informative. But short. Didn’t take us in to anything. Was just an introduction.

Quality of Experience

Longer more detail

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One way to Mallaig on the Jacobite Train (of Harry Potter fame)

Scotland

Was extremely hot.

Quality of Experience

The tour guide was great. Told us about sites along the way in time to take pictures.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was a pleasure working with Emerson. He gave us a framework from which we planned our trip, made suggestions of things we wouldn’t have done, especially our day trip to Tallinn,
Estonia. The guides he found for us were all very good. Logistics were easy. The whole trip went smoothly and was great fun.

Hotel Review

Hotel F6

Helsinki

Hotel F6 was wonderful. The room was great, service was excellent, and the people were nice. The breakfast was fantastic, and the hotel's location was very convenient. We stayed there for four nights and had no complaints.

Location

Activity Reviews

Sauna Tour

Tampere

You can’t go to Finland without going to sauna. Our guide, Matti, is a sauna expert. He took us to a beautiful place, taught us how to “do” sauna, and made the afternoon very special.

Guided Hike in the Archipelago Sea

Helsinki

The guided hike was in a beautiful location, although it was a beginner-level hike. Since we are pretty big hikers, we probably would have enjoyed a more challenging route. The people we went with were very nice, and the guide was excellent. It was a good experience overall.

Tallinn Day Trip

Helsinki

The Tallinn day trip was a big plus and not something we had originally planned. The ferry ride was fine, and our guide was knowledgeable and proud of his country. We learned a lot about the old city of Tallinn and Estonia. It was a fun and unexpected addition to our trip.

Canoe Tour on Lake Näsijärvi

Tampere

Initially apprehensive about the canoe tour, it turned out to be a great experience. We were all in one canoe with our guide, who was fascinating and knowledgeable about his business, which included plowing a skating route on the lake in winter. The lake was beautiful, and the weather was perfect.

The trip checked all the boxes. The food tour was good (the guide was pretty soft-spoken and there were 14 in the group.). The hotel was perfect for the location - it could not have been more convenient. However, because of the child safety closures on the windows, they only opened a few centimeters so there was no airflow and it was especially warm weather. I can't imagine staying there in the summer with no AC. Additionally, the windows for our room were over the back alley so we heard the midnight glass recycle dump from the nearby restaurants when they closed. I felt quite poorly on Sunday, so that may impact this next comment, but I would send people to Rosendal first, then to Flam. We went to Flam on Saturday and Sunday to Rosendal. After 5 hours on the boat Saturday, in the "King of the Fjords," the Roesndal trip was slightly disappointing in comparison. It was still lovely, but one's mind naturally compares to prior similar events. But like I said, I was feeling quite poorly Sunday, so it might have just been my mood. We had great food and really enjoyed our time. My husband had never been and enjoyed the Sognefjord the most. I usually plan all our trips and appreciated being able to just "show up" for this without having done much work.

Hotel Review

Scandic Torget

Bergen

The location can not be beat. It has got to be the most convenient location in old town Bergen. The breakfast was fabulous. They said they started serving at 0730 but when we went down around 0700 to get coffee, they let us get started early since we had an early ferry. However, I can't recommend it for summer travel. The windows have child locks on them to keep kids from falling out (good thing) but they restrict air flow so significantly, that we baked all night long without airflow or air conditioning. And our room faced the alley so we heard the midnight glass recycle from the nearby restaurants. If you're going in the cooler weather, stay here. If not, find a place that might be cooler for sleeping.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Fjord Cruise to Rosendal

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bergen to Flåm "The King of Fjords" Sognefjord in a Nutshell Day trip

Bergen

We loved this experience. It's such a lovely day on the boat (in good weather).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fløibanen Funicular Ticket

Bergen

You need to do this while in Bergen. Then walk down - that was one of our favorite parts of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Food and Culture walk in Bergen

Bergen

Great tour to local eating/drinking establishments. The guide was great, if a bit soft spoken. I recommended this tour to others we met later in our trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tina did an exceptional job of putting together an amazing adventure for a family of 4 (2 adult sons). The activities were wonderful, the hiking guides were superb. The actual rental units were fantastic and unique. The locations were perfect. We enjoyed especially amazing views in Hvar and Dubrovnik. The central locations in Rovign, Split, and Zadar were perfect. We managed 3 beautiful hikes, 2 day long boat rides, river kayaking, truffle hunting, mountain biking, national park visits, a rental car, multiple ferries all without even a hiccup. Well done Tina. Well done Kimkim. Thank you.

We recently had the most amazing trip thanks to Nadine, and we can't thank her enough for the incredible experience. From the moment we told her what we were looking for this trip, and met her in person, it was clear how kind and thoughtful she is. Nadine accompanied us throughout the journey, ensuring that every detail was perfect.

What truly stood out was her remarkable attention to detail. On May 19th, she surprised us by booking a stunning hotel in Belgium to celebrate our anniversary. Her thoughtful gesture made our special day even more memorable.

Nadine went above and beyond, making sure everything was perfectly organized. She patiently taught us how to navigate each mode of transportation, making the entire trip smooth and stress-free.

Her warmth and dedication transformed our trip into an unforgettable adventure. We felt so cared for and looked after. Thank you, Nadine, for your incredible service and making our journey so magical. We can't wait to travel with you again!

We even got the chance to meet in person Nadine, and Emma; who also did a wonderful job making our special trip :)
A big shout to the kimkim team and Beat the Dutch!

Suki, Daniel, and Julian

When thinking of the best trip imaginable, I had nothing but ideas and no direction. Thats where the travel team came in ! They brought to action all my Irish dreams. This trip was full of adventure and beautiful sights, and it was coordinated beautifully by Claire. From the pick up at the airport to every nights stay, all accommodations were book, confirmed, and enjoyed without problem. The places we visited were beautiful and the drive around the country was filled with spectacular views. The first few days were spent in Dublin, and the local rail system was well utilized. It was advised that we go to a small fishing village Howth, and while there I wish we would have known to do the cliff walk.... this was a missed opportunity. We also visited Malahide (not on our itinerary) and we wish we could have spent an entire day here. There is a castle worth seeing with paid admission, adding this to the itinerary would have been a great addition. The hotel in Dublin was comfortable with great breakfast options. We did partake in the cocktail tour at Roe and Co distillery, and this by far was the most fun part of Dublin. Next stop was Galway, and this was wonderful. Highly recommend we-wheels electric bike tour, and the authentic Italian restaurant "Osteria". Next stop, Cliffs of Moher. I would reccomend seeing the cliffs from a more local point of view, and booking a Doolin cliff walk tour. This would have been about a 5 mile walk but really worth it. This night we were supposed to stay in Doolin but our hotel was actually in Ennistymon. We stayed at "Falls House Hotel and Spa" and I would not recommend this town or hotel for a stay. The bed was not comfortable and the dining was less than impressive. Next stop, Dingle. We loved dingle and exploring the town, next trip I would love to stay multiple days here. Slea Head drive is the most beautiful of the country and highly recommend taking your time driving it. The cliffs of Kilkee, which start and end at a coffee shop, were absolutely stunning. Defiantly recommend! Kenmare was a cute town, but would have rather stayed in Killarney or had a few nights stay in kenmore to drive to surrounding towns. We did hear of a night time kayak on a bioluminescent lake which would have been an amazing addition that we did not get. There are also nightly shows in Killarney of Irish dancing, which I would have liked to pay, book, and watch. Last stop, Waterford. Highly recommend a private tour of the factory. Overall, we really enjoyed the trip and the travel team !

Hotel Reviews

Butler Townhouse Kilkenny

Great hotel, Breakfast was tasty. Easily walk to the castle.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Happy Pig

Kenmare, Co. Kerry

Lovely bed and breakfast ! The owner was friendly and cooked an amazing breakfast. The rooms were clean and very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cute and quaint, can drive to town for dinner or shopping.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dingle Bay Hotel

Dingle

Loved this hotel. Staff very friendly, and easily walked to dinner and shopping. Also, parking is available.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Falls House Hotel and Spa

Co Clare

This Hotel is not in a great location. While the surrounding is pretty, the town does not have much to offer. The beds were very uncomfortable and the room temperature was too warm. The food was available, but was not tasty for the price.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Stay in Doolin and not here.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean but not comfortable.

The Hyde Hotel

Galway

Breakfast here is great, hotel was clean and comfortable, staff is wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

There is no onsite or free parking.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Fleet

Dublin

Great room with comfortable beds and large breakfast selection. This hotel is great location for walking the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easily walkable

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kilkenny Castle

Kilkenny

This was a nice experience, I would not spend a whole day at the castle but I would spend a whole day in Kilkenny exploring other things. I wanted the castle to show more history or to tell a story, but many of the rooms were empty from character.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Waterford Crystal Factory Tour Private Tour

Waterford

I would highly recommend this activity. The factory was very interesting and intimate.

Quality of Experience

Being alone with the tour guide allowed us to ask questions and take time with each stage of the process.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dingle Food Tour

Ireland

I don't think this tour was worth it. The food was not impressive. I was expecting more of a local flare to the offered food, that was not what was provided. However, we did enjoy the guide and the stop at the local brewery to learn more about irelands beer market and his local business.

Quality of Experience

We did not enjoy the stops on the tour and food offered.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very nice tour guide

Transport

Walked the town, easily walked.

Guided E-bike Tour Of Galway City

Galway

Electric bike tour is highly recommended. Our tour guide was great and the bike was easy to operate.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Roe and Co Distillery FLAVOURS Experience

Dublin

This was the most fun experience in Dublin. I am not particularly fond of whiskey, that being said this experience was exceeding expectations and served delicious cocktails. Our tour guide and bar master was not only charming, but knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

uber/taxi to location