Kimkim Trip Reviews

We wanted to experience multiple areas of Ireland as a family but didn't want to drive. Emily set us up with stays in 3 cities and got us to each by train.

We started in Killarney with stunning scenery and a charming, vibrant downtown. Our Ring of Kerry Tour was the perfect length and Michael was an informative guide but didn't dominate the trip. Cannot recommend the Kells Sheep Dogs demonstration enough. Highlight of the trip. We took a carriage tour of the Killarney National Park - Mikey, our guide, was a hoot and turned us on to the local pubs to try.

Cork was a quick stop and a colorful city with people who are very proud of their heritage. Blarney Castle is impressive but don't miss out on the gardens. We wanted Irish Session Music and we got it at Sin e'. Our cab driver also recommended the Corner House and those two both had tremendous atmosphere and music.

Dublin has yet another vibe than the other areas. We went on several tours - Molly was great at the Jameson experience. You can't go wrong in Temple Bar but hit THE Temple Bar early. We really enjoyed the Palace Bar and its adjoining Whiskey Bar. JR Mahon's also had great session music. The EPIC museum felt like the best way to end the trip.

We took a 13-hour bus trip from Dublin out to the west coast for the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren and Galway. Barry, our driver, gave us enough breaks and a lot of interesting history along the way. You cannot beat the majesty of views. It's long day to cross the country and back so we were glad we scheduled it in between Dublin days.

Cannot thank Emily enough for building a trip that was exactly what we wanted while making it seem effortless.

Hotel Reviews

Academy Plaza Hotel

Dublin

Great value in Dublin right off O'Connell street. Quick walk to the river and pubs. Lovely staff. We found our normal double room spacious and updated. Others in our party had a small double and a single that were very tight, so understand what you're booking. Would stay there again for sure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Leon at the desk could not have been more welcoming. The bartenders were very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maldron Hotel Shandon

Co. Cork

Bit of a hike from the training but we had a lovely turret room. Room was very clean and the views were expansive. Bathroom was very updated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Castle Lodge

Killarney

Friendly staff, great location, good food charming decor. Just a little trouble regulating the heater in the room. Wonderful for walkability to the part and the downtown pubs, restaurants, shopping and the train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Jameson Distillery Dublin - Bow St. Experience

Dublin

This was so much more than we expected. The facility itself is very cool with shops and a unique bar. Even though Jameson isn't distilled here, they celebrate the heritage so well and so a great job of interactively demonstrating how the distillation process works. The tasting room was so well done and our tour group was so friendly thanks to our excellent guide, Molly. Will recommend to everyone to gets to Dublin.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Molly was great!

Free time in Dublin

Dublin

The Temple Bar area was colorful and fun with the pubs and restaurants. We sampled many and saw Irish music sessions in some places along with modern performers at others. The city center is every walkable. We found that cab drivers and bar tenders were great sources of intel on places to try.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trinity College Library : The Book of Kells Experience

Dublin

Really well done tour of the facilities even though the books have been decanted. Enjoyed the interactive presentations

Quality of Experience

Cliff of Moher tour from Dublin

Dublin

The Cliffs are stunning and worth the long drive from Dublin. We enjoyed our lunch in Doolin - the staff at McGann's was ready and waiting for us. Doolin itself is a lovely village. The Burren is like nothing we've seen before. Wish we could have spend more time in Galway but we did get to spend time in the quaint shopping area and hear busker and see murals. The people could not have been nicer. Barry, our driver, was very accommodating and kept us informed of the schedule. But it was a long day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bus didn't have charging ports. The pocket in the seat in front of us was ripped.

Dublin Castle ( Closed from 1st June 2026 to mid-January 2027)

Dublin

State rooms are nice but you don't get to see much as it's not large. It's not an expensive ticket, but if you're expecting Windsor Castle, this isn't it.

Quality of Experience

Visit Blarney Castle and Kiss the Stone

Ireland

We were lucky to visit in the afternoon when it wasn't so busy with tour buses and cruise excursions. Got right through the VERY steep climb to the top of the castle to kiss the stone. Had a great time learning about the castle and touring the amazing gardens.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided tour to the Ring of Kerry

Killarney

Michael as an excellent guide. The Kells sheep dog demonstration was a highlight of our whole trip. The tour was paced well with enough time to enjoy multiple areas.

Quality of Experience

Kells Sheep Dog Show, View from lunch in Waterville

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We were stopped for quite a while by and accident on the road. Michael somehow made up the time so we didn't miss anything. He was very informative without distracting from us taking in the views.

Transport

Very nice bus

The trip was amazing. The farm in Sorrento, boas ride, everything top notch.

Hotel Review

Hotel Villa Gabrisa

Positano

This hotel was perfect. The room, the view and the people. Also one of the best artichokes I ever had at the restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The view

Staff

So friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cooking class in Sorrento

Italy

This was my favorite part of our trip. Thus farm and family was perfect. My sister and I cooked and ate in the kitchen with the family.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We went thru a lot of iterations. Sandy was very flexible and invariably polite and responsive.

Both guides were excellent. Mr. Tan went above and beyond to help me deal with the logistics of additional adventures in Japan.

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingugaien Tokyo Premier

Tokyo

we were pleasantly surprised by how big the room was

Authenticity & Character

it's ok. Standard westernized hotel without much character but no problem

Location

Location is fine. Only thing better would be closer to Tokyo station. Not really possible to take subway with luggage. But no complaint. Tokyo is so huge that we can't really comment on location. Near a very nice park which we enjoyed.

Staff

very helpful with some addtional requests

Cleanliness & Comfort

everything

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kanazawa-Eki Nishiguchi

Kanazawa

very nice but nothing really special. Rooms small for US but nice for Japan. Great bathroom. Good restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

standard westernized hotel. No complaint but nothing special

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

love the pajamas

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tokyo City Tour

Tokyo

Mr. Tan was super nice and knowledgeable. He changed the experience since we'd already been to the imperial gardens

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchiko Cruise and Oshino Hakkai

Tokyo

We loved being in the nice private car. Definitely an upgrade from a bus. The driver really knew the area and took us to a great small local restaurant

Guides, Drivers and Staff

so nice

Transport

big comfy private car

Kanazawa Highlights: Gardens, Castles & Samurai Secrets

Kanazawa

Really nice to walk around with Summer

Hello, I would like to share my comments about our Vietnam trip.
Overall, our Vietnam trip was a delightful experience, and everything went seamlessly according to the plan.
The local agent was good, the drivers were very good. The guides were nice/polite and eager to help. Maybe they should be more knowledgeable. Their English level was rather poor.
One thing that spoiled our trip was the Hotel in Hanoi. Despite spending our last two days in a beautiful little place, our accommodation was subpar
One thing that I recommend is for the travel agents to be more specific about the hotels/list, provide at least two options, and let the clients decide. I booked the hotels without knowing the exact level/price of each hotel. I have made clear that we wanted 4/5 star hotels.
Hue, Ha Long Bay, and Hoi An were unique experiences. We particularly enjoyed the Ecolodge at Mai Chau; it was an excellent idea. Additionally, the cruise was excellent.
Thank you,
Lena Pateraki

Hotel Reviews

Laluna Hoi An Riverside Hotel & Spa

Hoi An

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pilgrimage Village Hue

Hue

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Paradise Sails Cruise

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lalita Boutique & Spa Ninh Binh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mai Chau Ecolodge

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Mai Chau - Ninh Binh - Hoa Lu, Ancient Capital - Tam Coc Boat Trip

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi Culture & Walking Tour

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hue- My Son Holy Land - Hoi An

Hoi An

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Halong Bay - Hanoi - Fly to Hue

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ninh Binh - Halong Bay Cruise - Overnight on boat

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Mai Chau

Mai Chau

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was amazing. Our drivers, Daniel, Hugo, and Greddy, were all excellent and ensured we were comfortable as we made our way to our destinations. The itinerary created by Kim Kim was perfect and ensured that we were able to experience the beautiful countryside of Costa Rica.

From our first inquiry to KImkim about a private tour in Morocco, to when we said Good Bye to our incredible driver, Samir, at the airport in Casablanca, our experience couldn’t have been better.
Mohammed worked on the planning with us to make sure our itinerary was exactly as we wanted it. He was very responsive to all of our questions and concerns, answering emails day and night. Thank You Mohammed!
We were greeted at the airport in Casablanca by Samir, who we would be spending the next 16 days with. From our first handshake to our last hug we became family.
Aside from being our driver Samir was a fountain of information about all things Morocco, including information on every site we passed on a daily basis. He got to know our interests quickly and went out of his way to find things we were looking for. I unfortunately got sick on the 2nd to last day and was hotel bound for 2 days. Samir stepped up and brought us food and medication to ease my symptoms-
Thank You Samir!! Couldn’t have done it without you!
And lastly a shout out to Said who was the “ local contact” who helped us with a minor glitch at one of our hotels and got the problem fixed- Thank You Said.
I wouldn’t hesitate to travel with Kimkim again and would encourage anyone to give them a try.
Happy Travelers
Joan and Hugh

How to begin this review—there are so many things to say, but probably should start with what every traveler wants to know—How safe is it? Without a doubt Samir Gummaoui is the safest driver I have ever ridden with anywhere, anytime in my life.
Whether on the mountain roads or in the crazy, frenetic chaotic Medinas’ one lane streets barely wide enough for one car let alone pull carts, pedestrians galore, bikes and motorcycles all vying for the same space—he was calm, pleasant, patient and managed it all with only centimeters of space to spare much of the time.
And another aspect of safety was his subtle, unobtrusive, backstage way of keeping an eye on us to make sure we managed the culture and environment safely and got to see all the wonderful things Morocco has to offer.

After safety, as a traveler, it’s the people you meet. And the first Moroccan we met was Samir who greeted us at the airport with a smile and genuine genial demeanor that never changed in three weeks. His opening comment was that he and his car were ‘ours’ and we were now ‘family’. And it seemed that we truly were.
Although there are apparently restrictions on what he can or can’t do as a ‘driver’ (he’s not a ‘guide’) in terms of where he could accompany us, we wished that he could have and would have loved to share dinners with him from time to time to just continue our discussions about so many things relating to Morocco and the world in general.
He is quite knowledgeable and a great conversationalist and along the way pointed out so many things that we would not have been aware of. He was wealth of knowledge about everything Moroccan—people, culture, customs and history. He made a ten hour trip from Fez to Merzouga seem like nothing. And importantly, he knew when to stop for breaks to walk around to enjoy the scenery and move our legs.

Samir went out of his way many times to make sure that we were cared for. When my wife became ill the last two days of our trip, he brought her meals and some medications I’d asked for to our room as she was not able to go to a restaurant. Again, to him, we were ‘family’ and he was looking out for us in every aspect.

I also want to give a lot of credit to Said who worked very hard behind the scene to correct some last minute hotel issues not of KimKim’s making. It being high season, there were very few hotel/Riad options, but they made it work for us in a very suitable way.

KimKim has been, from the start, a very easy company to work with. We planned a ‘non-standard’, longer than usual itinerary and Mohammed patiently worked with us to make it all happen to our liking. Also, would compliment their staff on being very quick to respond to any message we sent to them any time in the planning process.

I would highly recommend KimKim and all their staff and – to be sure, and if there is any way you can arrange for Samir to be your driver (and new family member) do not miss the opportunity!!

Happy Travelers
Hugh and Joan

Hotel Review

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

This was a most unique experience. We rode camels for 2 hours to reach the camp, stopping to watch the sunset in the Sahara along the way. An experience of a lifetime. The camp was luxurious, the food amazing and the staff were there to please, pamper and have fun

Authenticity & Character

the uniqueness

Location

the Sahara desert

Staff

everyone

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Transfer from Fez to Merzouga Desert

Morocco

It was a long road trip that didn't seem that long due to the scenery along the way.Then to end up gazing at the Sahara desert was truly amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

moroccan salads

Guides, Drivers and Staff

everyone was friendly and helpful

Transport

in a word Samir

Wolfgang, our KimKim guide planner did an excellent job planning our trip to Dublin and Galway, Ireland. Then on to Edinburgh, Iverness, Isle of Syke, Ft Williams, and Stirling Scotland. He listened to our wish list and provided activities accordingly. In Ireland we enjoyed the ferry ride to Inis Mor and met our guide Thomas for a horse drawn carriage tour of the island. Back to Galway for an entertaining Celtic dinner show. Next up, Scotland whose beauty was remarkable (we said "wow" a lot). In Edinburg we toured the city and the castle with our private tour guide Kieran of Local Eyes Tour. All of the accommodations planned were spot on. A little less driving time would have been appreciated, but we were able to see so much of the country, I shouldn't complain. Kudos to Wolfgang

Hotel Reviews

Inglewood House & Spa

Alloa

What an amazing hotel. Room was very spacious and clean. Loved staying here , close to the city with ample parking. Very beautiful grounds. Great restaurant. Great staff. Would stay again. This was our last night and it was a welcomed stay at this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Garrison Hotel

Fort William

parking was a plus, but room was too small. It was clean and staff was nice, good for one night and move on.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

River Ness Hotel, a member of Radisson Individuals

Inverness

Amazing staff, the concierge was so helpful and accommodating can not say enough nice things about him. Rooms were clean. we lucked up being able to park on the street in front of hotel, as it was Saturday afternoon only had to pay a couple hours then rest of week end was free. Close to shops and restaurants. Would stay again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Downtown, close to everything.

Staff

Great staff, we really liked everyone.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Skeabost House Hotel

Portree

One our favorite places we stayed. Plenty of parking, great restaurant and great staff. The grounds are breath taking. Do not pass up a stay here. It's away from everything which after staying in the cities we were visiting the country was a nice break. Loved it, would stay again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Surroundings were amazing

Staff

Great staff, felt like we were in Downtown Abbey, they really make you feel special.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Residence Inn by Marriott

EDINBURGH

Parking next door, rooms were clean and efficient. Breakfast was good. Staff was friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good for business trip, ok for family on those on vacation.

Staff

Could have been a little more helpful with parking arrangements and information.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Iveagh Gardens Hotel

Dublin

No where to check in to start, city tram tracks in front could not stop to unload luggage. parked a block away had to unload on curb wait for wife to take half our luggage to Hotel where someone was suppose to meet her and take in while she returned to get the rest. No one helped. I had to park the car 7 or 8 blocks away in a massive parking garage. then walk to hotel. Staff not concerned at all with all this. Hotel was fine accommodations were clean and room was spacious enough. Will not stay again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

no parking close, no where to unload luggage.

Staff

Attentive to guest needs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Western Hotel

galway

Parking provided a big plus. Staff was very helpful, room was clean and the breakfast was very good. In the heart of the city easy walk to city square, with pubs, shops, and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sheraton Athlone Hotel

Athlone

Parking close, rooms clean, and staff was great. Restaurant was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In middle of town.

Staff

The staff was outstanding took very good care of us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Stirling Castle

Stirling

Getting to the Castle was an adventure but once there it is massive and impressive.

Quality of Experience

Blair Athol Distillery's Whisky Connoisseur Experience

Pitlochry

This was a pleasure to tour the guide was quite entertaining and knowledgeable. Would highly recommend tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide made the Tour

Kilbeggan Distillery

Kilbeggan

Would have been an amazing tour but we were exhausted from flying in that day from the US. So, we left for the hotel before the tour later that day. Facility was very impressive and we toured the grounds and took pictures. Would recommend the staff were very nice and would go again when we could stay and do the tour.

Loch Ness

Ireland

This was a great ferry ride to Urquhart Castle along side the famous Loch Ness, no we did not spot Nessie but it was fun looking out for her. The Castle was one of the many castles we saw in Scotland and this one was one of our favorite. Take the ferry there and back Jacobite Tours did a fabulous job.

Quality of Experience

You get to see so much from the ferry, when you get off and tour the castle and back to the dock was very impressive.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone is so friendly, we fell in love with the 2 ladies at the gift shop at the Loch ness hotel.

Transport

Ferry is in great shape so no worries.

Experience Edinburgh Walking Tour: Unveiling the Historic Charms

Edinburgh

Kieran our tour guide met us for a magical tour of Edinburg. So very knowledgeable of the city and it's history. We were so educated and entertained of all the things we would have never known if not for this tour. He took time to answer all of our questions. Can not say enough good things about the guided tour. One of the highlights of our vacation, or as they call it holiday. Thank you very much, and we highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions.

Shared Horse & Carriage Trip

Galway

You will fall in love with Thomas. I could listen to him talk all day. Being borne and raised on Inis Mor he is so knowledgeable of it's history and shares his history. Can't say enough nice things about him. I would go back to Inis more just to do a tour with him.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Claudia, Lucia and Carla were terrific! They each brought their knowledge and passion to our tours. We enjoyed all our time with them and would highly recommend them for other travelers. The transportation arrangements were excellent. The drivers were punctual, friendly and helpful. The vehicles were spotless and comfortable.

Two recommendations if I may: 1) Depending on where the pickup spot is for the walking tour of Lisbon, I would offer transportation back from the farthest point. The last 20 minutes or so of walking back was a lot for us older travelers. 😀. 2) If a train is available with good seating, it might be more time effective from Porto to Faro. At least offer the option.

Patricia was fantastic, responsive and attentive!

Hotel Review

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

The location was lovely, the spa was terrific. Our experience at the Bistropub was mixed since no reservations are available. The wait was long and the service was very slow.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the boardwalk/ cliffs. Quiet, natural surroundings and beauty.

Staff

Extremely attentive to all our concerns. Special kudos to the spa therapists who were excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The apartments are very clean, however the appliances including the wash machine/dryer and iron did not work properly. Only one hair dryer was provided for two rooms/bathrooms.

Activity Reviews

Transfer from Lisbon to Porto stopping in Obidos & Aveiro

Portugal

Claudia chose beautiful spots to enjoy the transfer between the two cities; Obidos and Navare. She consistently chose authentic Portuguese goods and cuisine at terrific stores that we would not have been able to discern.

Quality of Experience

The restaurant in Navare, Pangeia, was outstanding. The food was superb and we had a beautiful view of the coast. I highly recommend the restaurant.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vasco, our driver, was such a kind man. He gave my husband a gift for his birthday! Claudia brought candles and arranged for a special dessert for my husband. They could not have been nicer.

Transport

Comfortable, clean and timely.

Douro Valley Tour

Portugal

Our guide Lucia made the trip even more special by sharing her family winery estate with us. We were thrilled to see the entire Douro valley from the top point of the mountain. We also loved having a family style lunch at the other local winery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lucia was excellent. We also loved Alda and Lionel, our drivers.

Transport

Private Sailing Experience in the Algarve Coast

Portugal

The sailing was fantastic- the boat was terrific with a very friendly and capable crew. I would highly recommend this experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Moonika is a wonderful organizer and very responsive. I changed my mind about a few things and she did her absolute best to make it work for me.

My favorite part was being met and escorted to my next location by very reliable drivers in very comfortable cars. It took all of the worry away to know I would be met on time.

Moonika was always available when I needed her and she was totally involved in every bit of my trip.

In addition, she is kind, sweet and competent! She will care for you like family.

Finland and Estonia expertly managed by Emerson and the team. Everything went like clockwork, on-time, every time. I asked Emerson to plan for some history, nature, good walks and that was delivered. I had read up some history about Estonia and Finland but I still had many gaps, so with the tours and the sites I visited these gaps were filled
All the guides were informative, on-time and courteous but most of all they were all full of small anecdotes of the places we visited and sites we saw. Alvaro our guide for the Helsinki city tour was excellent giving us a brief history of Finland and how Helsinki came to be, also great advice on local delicacies. Filipe our guide for Porvoo was great with the history and show us great place to take pictures. Elena in Saumeleena was excellent with the historical perspective and strategic importance of this fort/base. While Jeff who took on the Taiga magical nature walk was a delight with his expertise on all things natural in the forest. As I come from Asia, these forests are quite different and hide magical berries, mushrooms and birds.
The hotels booked were OK, the good part was their location; all close to interesting sites and plenty of restaurants.
Transports, pick ups were excellent.
All in all well worth it. Thanks to Emerson, saved me a lot of time by coming up with the itinerary and very fast response times.

Guide Mike was fantastic! Great attitude, lots of information, took us on extra trips not in itinerary and walked us to specific shopping stores! Jim got friendly as time went on trying to use his English skills. Loved the cold water and wash cloths! I'm keeping Mike's card just in case I need it again.

Well organized and very professional,
Patricia was very responsive.
transportation vehicles were first class as were the drivers.. Claudia was a great guide in Lisbon. Lucia in Porto and Carla in Lagos also, we’re fantastic.
1st class trip

Nadine was a dream to work with - responsive, helpful, and kind. She designed an amazing trip for us to experience as much as we could during our first (but definitely not last) trip to the Netherlands. Due to severe weather in the States, we were unable to make our flight to Amsterdam. I emailed Nadine and before waking the next day, she had rearranged our schedule so we could salvage as much of our original plans as possible, including reissuing train tickets. The planned activities hit all the highlights so we got a great introduction to Dutch lifestyle, culture and history. The hotels she selected were exceptional and all conveniently located for rail travel between the cities and towns. For us, our favorite experiences included the restored village of Zaanse Schans. The windmill museum there was exceptionally done. Haarlem was delightful in every way and riding e-bikes through the National Park to the North Sea was a fun adventure. The gardens of Keukenhof should not be missed. I could have stayed there all day because it was so beautiful! Gouda was another place that we loved and could have spent more time there too. Of course, the cheese is legendary and well worth every bite! Riding bikes through the polder landscape was beautiful and fascinating. Thank you Nadine for helping us put together a fantastic trip!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Royal Bridges

Delft

Conveniently located to train station and market square in Delft.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel des Arts

Amsterdam-Centrum

Centrally located hotel. Friendly staff. No elevator in building from 1733. Smaller but nicely decorated room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Relais & Chateaux Weeshuis Gouda

Gouda

Unique hotel conveniently located to the market square. Lovely room!

Authenticity & Character

Old building with a ton of history. Totally modernized.

Location

Very convenient to the market square. Easy 16 minute walk to the train station.

Staff

Very helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutiquehotel Staats

Haarlem

Exceptionally cool vibe. Delicious breakfast. Conveniently located. Helpful, friendly staff. Exceeded our expectations!

Authenticity & Character

Lots of character. Exceptionally designed and appointed.

Location

Close to the train station and to the central market area.

Staff

Very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Amsterdam - Canal cruise (join in)

The Netherlands

Excellent tour, just in the hard rain. Of course, no one can control that. Canal boat guide was very funny and very knowledgeable and gave us an informative overview of the city as seen from the water. He even provided blankets and hot water bottles to keep us warm during the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Public transport pass Amsterdam

The Netherlands

This card became my security blanket! I knew I could get anywhere. The public transportation in the Netherlands is AMAZING to begin with and this system is so easy and convenient.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gouda - Cycle tour through the polder landscape

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flower auction, bulb fields & Keukenhof excursion

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family trip to Costa Rica was an incredible experience. We originally planned it for March of 2020. The world shut down a day before we were scheduled to leave. Our travel experiences did not disappoint and more than made up for the fact that we had to put our trip on hold. We are appreciative for Kimkim for honoring our plans and letting us postpone our trip. The itinerary for our replanned 2024 adventure was adapted to the fact that our kids are older and we had many adventures.
The first lodging we stayed at was Las Brisas de Arenal, a family owned hotel that consists of separate lodging buildings. Carlos and his family are kind and we still exchange what’s app messages with him. Our daughter (8 years old) fell in love with their dogs and we all loved the parrot Matilda. The picturesque surroundings are amazing and relaxing. Lounging in the hammock on the patio outside our room overlooking the Arenal volcano puff stream into the air was a wonderful way to siesta in the afternoons. The breakfasts of fresh fruit, coffee with warm milk, eggs and toast sustained us before our adventures daily.
Out first experience was a river float tour on las Peña Blancas. We saw so many animals including sloths, iguanas, toucans, monkeys, piranas, and other beautiful birds.
Other favorites was zip lining above the canopy and soaking in the hot springs. The volcano hike was a bit much in the heat of the afternoon for our kids.

After La Fortuna, we traveled south to Manuel Antonio. La Mariposa hotel was accommodating and we all love the breakfasts and swimming in the infinity pool each day. The view of the ocean, seeing the parrots and monkeys in the trees was like a dream. The surrounding beaches are beautiful. Restaurants are within walking distance. We went in a waterfall daylong adventure that was a family favorite, exploring 5 different waterfalls that included a natural waterslide, and a delicious lunch.
We learned so much information and history about Costa Rica on all of our planned trips. Everyone we met was kind. The culture and people are welcoming and shared so much of their beloved country.

We highly recommend traveling to Costa Rica, planning a trip with KimKim and learning about our world. Our trip expanded our horizons and we will look to take another family adventure in the near future.

Hotel Reviews

Brisas Arenal Hotel

La Fortuna

Las Brisas de Arenal feels like our home away from home. A family owned and operated hotel that is surrounded by the beauty of Costa Rica! We would stay there again! Carlos and his family (including dogs) are friendly and made us feel welcome. We were able to relax there in between daily adventure around La Fortuna. We highly recommend Las Brisas.

Authenticity & Character

Family owned and operated. Genuine people centered. Beautiful!

Location

We traveled through the cloud forest to get to Las Brisas. All of our trip was planned with transportation arranged for day trips and the hotel wasn’t too far.

Staff

We really enjoyed getting to know the staff. We formed a connection that we keep to this day through what’s app messages.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was cleaned daily. It was comfortable and relaxing. We kept the AC on due to the heat and had no issues.

Park Inn San José by Radisson

San José

The Park inn was a good stop overnight in San Jose before going out the next day back to the US.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel seemed a lot like those in the States and met our needs.

Location

An ideal location with a quick van ride to the airport.

Staff

The staff were kind and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms and common sizes are clean and comfortable

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

La Mariposa is within walking distance to many restaurants. We were comfortable in our room and loved the beautiful view of our room overlooking the ocean. The breakfasts were delicious . The staff were kind and accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

La Mariposa has character and charm.

Location

The location is a good spot. There is a shuttle to and from the beach multiple times per day. We had transportation arranged for our day trips which was a good plan.

Staff

The staff were all friendly and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

The grounds and rooms were very clean.

Activity Reviews

Morning Catamaran Adventure with Barbecue

Manuel Antonio

The catamaran trip was a chance to be out in the ocean. We didn’t see any dolphins. The crew was friendly. The snorkeling portion was fast and we would have liked more time in the water. The slide in the boat was fun for the kids.

Quality of Experience

More time snorkeling

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and knowledgeable crew

Transport

Transport via van was efficient, close to our hotel.

Manuel Antonio National Park Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

The park was crowded given it was Easter week. We had already seen so many animals on our trip. The guided tour was worth it as we met people who visited the park without a guide and had trouble seeing animals.if we were to go again we would go for the beach alone. It was beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Adventures Ziplining

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a family favorite! What an exhilarating experience! The whole excursion was fun and we highly recommended it.

Quality of Experience

We had never been ziplining before. Whizzing above the canopy was so fun.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everything was fully explained.

Transport

The transport was easy and our ride back was timely.

Arenal Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

The rainforest hanging bridges tour was a chance to see poison dart frogs in their natural habitat. We learned about the primitive and secondary forests and the importance of tourism in Costa Rica.

Quality of Experience

A great experience. So much fun and informative

Food

The food provided was delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We learned so much about the history of Costa Rica!

Transport

Smooth and quick

Arenal Volcano Hike & Paradise Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

The volcano hike was in the heat of the afternoon and was a bit much for our 8 year old. We learned a lot! Would probably spilt this up as an excursion separate from others if doing it again.

Food

The food at the hot spring was buffet style and we all were very hungry. It was decent.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was knowledgeable

Transport

The van ride was smooth and quick

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

We loved the river float. We saw so many animals, sloths, monkeys, iguanas, lizards, fish, and birds. Our kids loved paddling the rafts and even had a chance to take a cold dip in the river. The river float was a perfect first adventure in Costa Rica. It was fun, relaxing, and we learned so much.

Quality of Experience

The experience really was wonderful! Seeing animals in their natural habitat that we would only otherwise see in a zoo was a really great experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guides and driver were friendly and knowledgeable. And they truly love what they do!

Transport

The transport was great. The air conditioned van was really nice.

Self-Guided Manuel Antonio Beaches

Manuel Antonio

We ended up relaxing at the hotel, opting for the pool over more adventures to the beaches.

Really phenomenal experience with BTD travel… Nadine was amazing at setting up an itinerary based on our interests. It was highly customized and flexible, and her communication throughout our trip was invaluable. Would absolutely use this company!!!

The KimKim team was helpful throughout the planning stages as well as while we were on vacation. While in Colombia, Michael had our back. We called on him many times to ask questions, get advice, and to add/make changes to our plans. Michael and his team were super responsive.
The tours he set up were spectacular, guides were friendly, comfortable to be with and very knowledgeable. The vans were clean and in good condition and the drivers were courteous and obliging to all our needs.
Joey, our guide to Minca, stood out as he had so much information to share about the country, the culture, people and the birds. He picked out a great lunch spot with the locals that we enjoyed very much.
My only concern was the boat ride home from Baru. The tour guide should have insisted that we return to the mainland at 2:00 instead of letting us stay and enjoy the beautiful area. The seas were extremely rough in the late afternoon and the boat ride was difficult with little kids aboard.

We had a great trip with great planning. We had many new experiences in sights and culture. We enjoyed the contrast between quieter small towns of Bergen and the hustle of Amsterdam. Every part of our trip was an adventure and all our connections were planned and easy to manage. We especially enjoyed Keukenhof and the dunes of Bergen. We loved our e-bikes and all the fine food!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Heerlijkheid Bergen

Bergen

This hotel was clean but the service and breakfast were not at the standard of the other hotels we stayed in!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heavens Hotel

Hoorn

Very friendly and helpful receptionist!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ambassador City Centre Hotel

Haarlem

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hoorn - Private boat tour historic harbor

The Netherlands

Our tour was excellent

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Public transport pass Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Mieke: Your pass that you provided was so helpful and easy to use!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Haarlem - Canal cruise

The Netherlands

The guide was great!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Private Grand Dutch Food & History Tour

The Netherlands

Dirk was very good and knowledgeable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Daniela and Robi created an unforgettable experience.

We lost our passport. Daniela and Robi immediately jumped, contacted everyone and had the hotel staff look for it, and got the driver to bring the passport to the airport!! From the time we alerted Daniela on the What's App within 10 minutes the superior staff at Hotel Marul (Maia) and our driver (Simon) found the passport and had Simon back on the road driving the passport to us. Unbelievable assist and save.

The What's App group chat between us and Daniela and Robi was fantastic. I can't express how awesome this communication tool was for our trip but I will try. I downloaded our entire group chat of 1 week's time into Microsoft Word (without photos or links) it became a 34 page document. 34 pages !! (9,000 words, for context this review is 823) That's 5 pages of fully written out directions, recommendations, questions, answers per DAY. And it doesn't include all the photos or links, the links were so easy. BAM I have the address and the walking/riding/biking/driving directions instantly.

As I try to describe this level of service, all I've come up with is highest end / white glove / concierge service. Daniela and Robi had our every concern and acted more like family or friends. We cannot thank them enough.

Daniela crafted a perfect trip. That isn't fair. Daniela crafted a dozen perfect trips for us as we kept changing our minds until we settled on an itinerary. Even then small additions were added and dropped day by day depending on our energy level. Daniela took the time to get to know what we wanted and the trip really proved how much effort she put in.

Robi was our tour guide on several occasions and translator on several occasions. I'm semi-famous for asking hundreds of questions (note the 34 page What's App group) and Robi handled each historical fact, each TV reference and more over and over. He also gave me some great video links to watch for more info. My personal highlight was learning about Ston, walking the walls of Ston and the fresh out of the sea oysters at the oyster farm. Incredible. Our day at Plitvice Lakes was my second favorite, a 37,102 step day for us on our Fitbits. BTW I tried to talk my wife out of doing Plitvice but she begged and Daniela urged we go, so glad we did.

Gordon, dropped our car off and picked it up from us. Made life very easy. Company was Lutar I think and they gave us a wonderful car.

Steve, apartment rental via Marul Hotel. Poor guy, I needed help at midnight and he drove over to help.
Simon, security and driver at Marul Hotel. Drove us to the airport and then drove back and forth again to drop our missing passport.
Maia at Hotel Marul, found the passport within 9 minutes of Daniela calling her. Thank you !!

Other notables. Šibenik, we walked the 3 fortresses. Western history would have been very different if this battle went another way. Dubrovnik what can we say, it's a must see for a reason. Split and Diocletians Palace was my wife's favorite, I loved it as well. If we go back we would like more time in Split.

Hard to explain. We had the country to ourselves. Roads were sparsely used, getting meals was easy, the worst crowds were very modest and often we felt we purchased some exclusive package. For example, our cooking class is normally 20. In April, it was just the 2 of us. Another example, I drove into the automated toll booth lane which I could not use and spent 2 minutes figuring out the problem. (btw, Daniela had warned me about this as I reviewed my notes) Normally by now there would be 10 cars behind me trying to get thru the toll. Nope, I merely went 50 meters in reverse and went into the next toll lane. The highway was empty, go ahead and drive it.

Language: Everything, and I mean everything was available in both Croatian and English, every sign, every menu, everything. We only met 1 person who spoke limited English the entire trip and he ran the Oyster Farm and we had Robi with us to translate. Although, honestly even here we could have gotten by.

Hotels. Location, location, location. Perfect, everything was within walking distance. The Hotel Marul and the Hotel Degenija and its nearby restaurant (Plivitice) both stood out as high end experiences. Hotel Skradinski buk was cute and we loved the staff and the perfect walking distance to the boat to Krka. Probably our favorite breakfast as we got to interact with other guests if we wanted to and we did.

Airports Split and Dubrovnik so easy, so empty, and everyone speaks English.

Could I say more, yes, will you read it, no. So that's it....

Our trip was memorable thanks to our guide William Chang. His services and behavior were very nice and professional.
I understand Shirley Fang from KimKim was the one who made the choice of our guide. Apart from this excellent move I appreciated her quick, knowledgeable and pleasant communication. Everything she arranged for worked perfectly well and according to our wishes.
We enjoyed very much the south of Taiwan (like Kenting) and the city of Tainan.
The best about Taiwan - people (everywhere) and food (everywhere).

Margil was our guide for 9 days during our trip to Albania. He was an absolutely amazing!. He was patient, kind, funny, responsible, and trustworthy. He explained each day with detailed plans and carried through with these plans. We were impressed with Margil's knowledge; not just with the understanding of specifics of the tour but with world wide comprehension. The four of us felt very safe with Margil, especially when driving the coast in Albania. Margil was open to ideas from us and didn't' get offended when we wanted a change in the itinerary. We would recommend Margil to anyone wanting a great vacation to Albania.

Ed, was very valuable when planning our whole trip. He was patient to work with us and plan a beautiful, memorable trip to Albania. From the restaurants to the lovely hotels to the continuous communication , we would recommend Ed (KimKim) to our friends and family. It was also a nice touch, that Ed showed up throughout travels in Albania.