Kimkim Trip Reviews

Tom planned an amazing itinerary for us in Norway. Words can’t describe how well it went for us. From the modes of transportation, hotels, and activities he selected all were wonderful. Vilde in Bergen gave us a great tour and provided the best restaurant recommendation. Tom really listened to what we were looking to do and our preferences when he planned out our itinerary. Thank you for planning a perfect dream vacation for my siblings and I to take with our Mom!

Activity Reviews

Fjordsafari

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

People were so nice and helpful!

Transport

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Having a local guide take us around Bergen was great. It was a wonderful experience to walk around with somebody local to see and hear a more personalized view and history of the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vilde was great!

Flor & Fjære Garden Cruise

Stavanger

Flor & Fjaere was so unexpectedly amazing. We weren’t sure what to expect when we picked the activity, but we were in awe of the gardens and scenery. The venue and the meal was a one of a kind experience that would be very difficult to duplicate anywhere else.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I was skeptical of the value of using KimKim to book a recent trip to Italy, but I am taking the time to write this review because my experience was overwhelmingly positive.

Our guide, Fabio, did an amazing job helping us plan and execute our trip. There were five people on my trip, and four unique schedules. I appreciated that Fabio had no issue with us booking our own lodging. It provided nice flexibility. Fabio seamlessly coordinated our various schedules (e.g., people flew in and out on different days, some people visited five cities, some visited three or four, etc.), and the travel between various cities was worry-free. Every driver was professional, punctual, and extremely courteous.

Similarly, the activities recommended and planned by Fabio were varied and enjoyable. I didn’t feel that any of the tours or excursions were overly touristy, and most of the groups were comfortably small. Additionally, I felt that Fabio did an excellent job scheduling toward our specific interests rather than recommending cookie-cutter options. While some events and activities were particularly memorable, all of the activities were enjoyable.

Finally, I’d be remiss not to specifically mention the most outstanding part of Fabio’s service: his real-time availability and problem-solving abilities during our trip. We experienced a variety of minor issues that would have been much bigger headaches without Fabio. For example, my wife’s luggage was lost upon our arrival in Florence and she had an extremely difficult time arranging for its pickup. One call from Fabio remedied the situation. Similarly, another member of my group experienced sun poisoning and Fabio was able to obtain prescription medication for her within a day. We also found that Fabio was an excellent resource for finding/making/changing restaurant reservations and making real-time changes to our daily schedule. It is difficult to overstate the value of having someone that speaks the relevant language and knows the region readily available to troubleshoot issues both big and small. It brought a peace of mind that is hard to properly articulate.

The bottomline is I never thought I’d use, much less recommend, a service like KimKim, but if its agents are half as good as Fabio I will be using it for all future trips abroad.

Our family of five had an amazing trip to Iceland. I am so appreciative of the itinerary Duncan put together for our family. You could tell he listened to our families’ interest in planning the trip. Finding activities to interest three kids ranging from 19 to 13 in age. The country of Iceland is unlike anywhere we have traveled, pictures do not do it justice.

We had a chance to see a lot of the country during our visit. Driving in Iceland was very easy especially with access to Wi-Fi in the car. That made a huge difference. Duncan provided a detailed map with optional stops to see waterfalls, glacier views, beaches and hiking trails. We definitely made the most of our time seeing all the must see stops and some hidden gems.

We were very fortunate with the weather with very little rain and just a couple of heavy wind days. Our boat ride out to Melrakkaey Island to see the puffins was canceled due to the wind.

We did a number of activities- snorkeling, snowmobiling, a glacier hike, a zodiac lagoon ride and lot of gorgeous hikes. The tour companies were all great. It was an easy check in process and our guides were friendly and shared lots of information about Iceland.

For our family having a detailed plan and a variety of areas to explore at our own pace works best. We could stay longer at a location, stop for lunch on our schedule, skip or add stops depending on where the day takes us. This would have been a different trip if we had been sitting on a tour bus or trying to plan our a trip on our own. This was a perfect blend.

Hotel Reviews

Fosshotel Hellnar

Hellnar

The location is amazing- stunning view of the ocean. We spent a lot of time looking for whales from the balcony. The rooms were clean and comfortable. The staff was very friendly. There is a cliff walk just off the hotel that has gorgeous views of the coastline.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Núpar

Kálfafell

The hotel is in unique location with a beautiful view and a small individual balcony. The rooms were clean and comfortable. The restaurant food was good but the service was just so-so. We drove about 20 minutes away to the closest town for dinner outside of the hotel after the first night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wish the blackout shades covered more of the window

Guesthouse Flúðir - Grund

Hrunamannahreppur

This was our least favorite hotel. The rooms were clean and the staff was friendly but the location wasn’t great nor was it close to activities we had planned. We didn’t have hot water for showers. The restaurant however was good. We had a very nice dinner our first night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

S

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eyja Guldsmeden Hotel

Reykjavik

Unique hotel. The rooms and beds were very comfortable. Breakfast had great options and the bar/lounge was open late. It doesn’t have a view of Reykjavik or the harbor but it’s a short walk to the harbor. This hotel had the best blackout shades, we all got a great night’s sleep.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Vatnshellir Lava Cave Tour

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

This was a fun stop and really interesting to see

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Silfra Snorkeling

Iceland

This was such a unique experience. It is definitely cold but worth it. The water is crystal clear. Our guide was great and very funny. He also took these awesome digital photos while we snorkeled that we purchased for at a reasonable cost

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Myrdalsjokull glacier snowmobiling

Iceland

We loved this experience. Amazing view of the glacier while you are out on the ride. The snowmobiles were easy to operate even for a first times. My kids 19, 17 and 13 had so much fun. Our guide was great and we had a chance to stop half way through to soak in the scenery and take some photos. I would highly recommend this activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Skaftafell Glacier Hike

Iceland

We were able to do a hike on the lower part of the glacier. It was an easy hike- not quite what we were expecting based on the photos. We did the 3 hour hike but that includes the ride to and from the glacier and the walk to get to the ice cap. If I were to do it again I would select the 5 or 7 hour hike that takes you further into the glacier. But it was still a great activity that we all enjoyed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Anna was fantastic- very knowledgeable and answered lots of questions.

Transport

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon Zodiac boat tour

Iceland

Amazing experience- not to be missed. It’s hard to describe and pictures don’t do it justice but the lagoon is stunning. We also saw several seals sunbathing on icebergs. If we had time we would have gone a second time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

You can tell the guides love what they do, proud of their country and care about conservation

Iceland Thermal Bath Experience

Iceland

This spa was amazing. The seven steps were perfect. And the location is beautiful looking out at the water. The large glass window in the sauna just adds to the relaxation. We went to 3 thermal spas and this one was the clear favorite.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

David was responsive and helped us craft a tour that was personalized for our interests. The trip offered excellent variation.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa Deco

Bogotá

The hotel is in a nice location. The rooms are attractive. The hotel is small so you feel more welcome and cared for as compared to large hotels. The problem was that the room faced a busy street. So, I was kept awake by roaring motorcycles, cars honking, people talking on the street... This particularly affects me because I am a light sleeper.

Waira Suites

Leticia

The Leticia hotel was nice. The food was good. We were only in the hotel one night and we left early in the morning so it is hard to say much about it. The Puerto Narino hotel was excellent. The breakfast was good. The location was good. The staff were friendly.

Hotel Akuamarina

Santa Marta

The room was fine. The breakfast was good. The location was a little ways away from the tourist area but it we could comfortably walk to the area. The location seemed like it was not entirely safe but that may just have been our imagination. The hotel does not look like much from the street. Nonetheless, there were no issues whatsoever.

Quetzal Dorado Ecolodge

Zaino

An absolutely beautiful hotel. The main area had a fabulous view. The rooms were gorgeous - totally unique from anything we have ever been to. The food was excellent.

Waira Selva Hotel

Puerto Narino

See the comments with the Waira Suites in Leticia.

Hotel Don Pedro De Heredia

Cartagena de Indias

The hotel has character. Our room was quiet but our friends were in a room that faced the street. The noise kept them awake. The staff were friendly and helpful. We did not eat breakfast at the hotel because our boat tour started too early. The breakfast they packed for us was good.

Activity Reviews

Fruits of Colombia Food Tour

Bogotá

Fabulous guide. She was informative, friendly, and helpful. We were surprised that there was so much to learn about the fruits (e.g., their benefits).

Bogota's Essentials (City Tour & Monserrate)

Bogotá

The guide was superb. She was informative, friendly, and helpful.

Leticia & Puerto Nariño (4 Days/3 Nights)

Leticia and Puerto Nariño

Being in the Amazon was an experience of a lifetime. Our guide was incredible.

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

Our friends went on this and said that it was excellent.

Walking tour in Cartagena's Historic Center

Cartagena

Our guide was very knowledgeable.

Rosario Islands Day Trip

Cartagena

Our friends went on this and had an excellent experience and said that the island was beautiful. My wife had food poisoning (likely from food eaten on the walking tour). So, we did not go on the tour.

Cartagena Street Food Tour

Cartagena

The food was tasty. The guide was knowledgeable. We were a little nervous about whether all of the street food was safe to eat or not. Nonetheless, there were no issues.

The guide throughout our trip was Eduardo. He was fabulous. He was very enthusiastic, knowledgeable, accommodating, thoughtful, funny... The four of us on the tour would highly recommend him.

Aside from one issue, the itinerary was excellent. In our planned itinerary, we were supposed to have a day going to Portobello.on day 5. This was to be either via train (if it was running) or otherwise by car. When we arrived in Panama that day was switched with the Panama Coast to Coast Land Route. Since the land route takes us to the Colon area and Portobello is in the Colon area, I assumed that it was just a printing error. On day 5, when our guide described where we will be going (the Panama Coast to Coast Land Route), I asked if that included Portobello. He said, “No”, and had no explanation as to why we were going there rather than Portobello. Reyna did not ask us about the change in the itinerary.

After the entire trip, the four of us discussed what we liked and disliked. Everything was excellent except we all felt that there was too much time spent on the Panama Canal. Most of the Panama Coast to Coast Land Route day was spent at the observation area for viewing how the Panama Canal locks worked. It ends up that was entirely wasteful because it is essentially identical to the next day where we were on a boat trip through the Panama Canal locks. That boat trip provided the same knowledge that we had already heard at the observation area the previous day. So, we all felt that we had wasted a day and could have saved a lot of money by shortening our entire trip by one day and not missing anything important.

Reyna was a challenge to work with. (All of this is by memory rather than me checking everything.):
- She often had very delayed responses (e.g., it seemed like she typically responded a week after a question, at least until we were close to going on the trip). I do appreciate that 24/7 responses are an unreasonable expectation. David, for our Colombia kimkim tour (which we went on just before going to Panama), was able to reply in a reasonable time frame. I enjoyed working with him.
- There were a number of misunderstandings. It felt like Reyna did not have time to closely check what was previously said in our communications.
- It seemed like she did not really know what could be seen from Panama City. In other words, she did not offer any ideas beyond what is easily found on the web. At one point we were looking for activities for one more day and we decided that Portobello was the best option for the ideas she gave us.

Hotel Review

Riande Granada Urban Hotel

Panama City

The hotel was excellent. I asked for a three star hotel and the Riande is four star. That is fine if there was not much of a price difference.

Authenticity & Character

It had the "big" hotel feel.

Location

It was not within walking distance of anything interesting. It felt like the location was safe, which was important to us. There were a number of restaurants nearby.

Staff

Friendly, helpful...

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable. Our room was on the side facing the outdoor bar. We were kept awake by the loud music coming from the bar. We did not sit in the bar because the music was so loud that it was difficult to talk to each other.

Activity Reviews

Canal Rainforest Boat experience

Panama City

We had to leave early to be the first to the area where food was offered to the monkeys. (Once the monkeys were fed by anyone, they would not come for other people offering food.) It was exciting watching them come onto the boat for food.

Chagres National Park and Embera Indians

Panama

It was informative. On some tours, one only sees traditional dancing, which does not say much about the culture. On this tour, we learned a lot and there was plenty of time for us to ask questions. The lunch was excellent.

Partial Transit in Panama Canal

Panama City

This was interesting to experience and see how the locks worked. The caveat is that the trip is slow (not that it is anybody's fault.) Going through the first lock was exciting, the second lock was interesting, and the third lock was just a repetition.

Casco Antiguo Walking tour

Panama

Eduardo was informative. Nice to taste that very expensive coffee.

Coast to coast trip to Portobelo

Panama City

We were not taken there.

Krešo planned a trip of a lifetime for us. As very discerning travellers, it’s hard to impress us but he totally exceeded every expectation!
Iceland was filled with adventure (ice climbing, glacier snorkeling, kayaking through ice bergs) stunning vistas and beautiful topography. We would go back again and again.
Thank you Krešo and team for an absolutely perfect and flawlessly planned experience!

We had wonderful trip which was arranged by the KimKim team in Mexico. From the start to the finish the arrangements were flawless. The tour guides that took us around were very informative, kind and patient. We were very impressed with Pablo Yuchi for his detailed knowledge of Mexican history, anthropology and culture. Jorge for his boundless enthusiasm and spirit. Both guides in San Miguel de Allende and Gabriella in Puebla also needs special mention. In Oaxaca Senor Jose proved to be extremely kind and informative. On the whole we could not have enjoyed Mexico more without your planning and guidance. I will certainly recommend your team to my friends and acquaintances. Thank you very much.

Hotel Reviews

Zócalo Central

Mexico City

Very well located. The restaurant on 6 th floor had amazing with an amazing view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

That it was in historical center of Mexico city

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The free food and drinks at the coffee shop is an added bonus.

La Morada Hotel

San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato

The hotel is well located and has great character. The only drawback was that there was no air conditioning as the weather was extremely warm in June. However they provided us with a cooler which at night was very pleasent since the ambient temperature had cooled down.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

CARTESIANO URBAN WELLNESS CENTER

Puebla

Authenticity & Character

Location

The hotel is at the edge of the centro historico. So everything is in walking distance. Loved the luxury and the cutting edge design of the hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were very comfortable.

Hotel Tabáa Oaxaca

Oaxaca

The hotel is pleasent but does not provide for any breakfast options. However the management and staff went out of their way to accommodate all our requests.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Visit to the National Museum of Anthropology

Mexico City

One of the best. Well worth the visit. To have an understanding of the pre Columbian era of Mexico this checks all the boxes.

Quality of Experience

Our guide Pablo Yuchi

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

As frequent travelers, this is by far the most memorable and unique trip we've been on. Going through Morocco Immersion Tours allowed us to experience parts of Morocco that we wouldn't have seen had we planned the trip ourselves and gone to just the major cities. Our driver Rafik was an informative guide and great travel companion during our two weeks, which was important as we spent a good amount of time in the car driving between locations (the drives themselves were beautiful, don't let the distance between stops deter you!). One of our favorite days was spent with Amnay (Sharon's brother in law) at his house in the Valley of Roses--not only did we help make absolutely delicious food (we’re still thinking about the berber pizza and how to recreate it at home!), we were able to walk around his property and get a much better idea of how people live in Morocco. Amnay is also a guitarist, so it was very fun to hear some Berber music and jam with him a bit! Another highlight was riding the dunes in the Sahara on a 4x4 with Rafik and the local driver—a very fun day, and included a visit to a local nomad family for some tea and soccer! Overall, the best parts of the trip were the ones experienced off the beaten path and with very friendly locals, so we’re very thankful to Sharon for setting everything up and to Rafik for being an excellent guide, introducing us to the “real” Morocco outside of the cities, and letting us get to know him and his country over an incredible two weeks.

Hotel Reviews

Riad al Rimal

Marrakech

Very friendly and helpful staff--fantastic! Rooms were a bit small but the breakfast was great and the Riad itself was beautiful and in a great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chez Ichou

Dades Gorge

Staff was friendly, room was large and very clean. Breakfast was pretty good. Dinner was not excellent and a bit boring (not much variety), if the itinerary had allowed it we probably would have requested to eat elsewhere the second night, but we had a full day planned!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Madu Luxury Camp

Merzouga

This Riad was AMAZING!!! So beautiful, amazing views, every common area was so well decorated and comfortable, the pool area was stunning--we commented several times that we wanted to come back to stay there for a week! Of note, the room we stayed in had multiple levels--the bed was a step higher than the rest of the room so we definitely face planted a few times during the night going to the bathroom (not a big deal to us but could be to others).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Merzouga Dunes Camps

Merzouga

Comfortable tents, good food, attentive staff. We were the only 2 people staying in a camp that sleeps ~30 so that was cool :)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ksar Timnay Hotel

Midelt

Overall a good option and I realize options are probably limited in this area, and we had to stay there because the drive was too long to make in one day. The room was very large, unfortunately water pressure was not the greatest and the meal was acceptable but not exciting.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Al Makan

Fès

Very friendly staff, welcome tea and cookies were great :) The room was nice and the roof deck where you could eat dinner was STUNNING! Amazing view of the city and the sunset.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Hicham

Chefchaouen

Room was very nice, common areas were beautiful, meals were quite good, staff was very friendly. Great location in the main square!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

ONOMO Hotel Casablanca Airport

Nouaceur

A necessary stay--very convenient to the airport. The food and drinks were not great and there were ants all over the floor in the restaurant. I'd stay there again but I wouldn't be excited about it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Front desk staff was very helpful, restaurant staff was inattentive and it was really hard to get someone's attention to get seated (they were probably short staffed).

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tour of Desert Region

Merzouga

Amazing!! Had a perfect day riding the dunes, having tea with a nomad family, and experiencing the desert region

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Tour was interesting and informative. It seemed like we may have skipped a couple stops from the itinerary or he glossed over some items and was fairly low energy. We were also jetlagged and not firing on all cylinders so I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. One of the less memorable tours though.

Private Cooking Class w/ Souk Tour

Morocco

The food we made was delicious, the chef was a very gracious host and it was cool to not only learn some recipes but also see how people live in Marrakesh. The language barrier made interacting fairly difficult.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakech to Dades Valley via Ait Ben Haddou

Morocco

Beautiful drive, Rafik gave a good tour of Ait Ben Haddou and found some shady spots to rest for a bit since we're wimps in the sun :) Also a cool little market at the entrance.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day with the Locals in the Valley of Roses

Morocco

Can't say enough great things about this day! Amnay and the host family were very welcoming and we made a delicious meal, had a great walk around the valley, and had a great time listening to and playing music!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dades Valley to Merzouga via Todgha Gorge & Tinghir

Morocco

Beautiful drive!

Camel trek to your Camp

Merzouga

Very cool experience! Just the right amount of time spent on the camels and our guide leading the camels was very friendly and took lots of great pictures

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Midelt to Fes via Azrou, & Ifraine

Morocco

The stop to feed the monkeys was really cool! A very unique experience. It was also cool to tour the fossil processing center and we bought some cool fossil items.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

Our guide was amazing!! Very friendly, very high energy, extremely engaging and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Volubilis and Meknes

Morocco

The guided tour of Volubilis was very unique and you definitely needed a tour guide to get the most of the experience. Meknes was a good place to stop for lunch and there were some good shops in the area we stopped.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Orientation Walk & Free Afternoon in Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

We went on an amazing walk with Rafik around the Medina. We ended at the spanish mosque at a stunning viewpoint to watch the sunset--we spent almost 2 hours sitting on the wall enjoying the day and the view :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip itself was incredible for the most part. We started off a bit rocky with Kimkim as it took much longer than they said to get us in touch with the local travel agency. I think it was close to a week before I had the discussion with a Kimkim employee and then another 5ish days before getting in contact with the local agency. From everything I read, it said 2-3 days, which was misleading. We had booked our own hotel, but needed assistance with the tours and planning / coordinating everything. Sonia did an awesome job scheduling everything out and even recommended one tour (Tivoli), which we absolutely loved. We also loved the other activities that she suggested (pizza making class, which was much better than we expected, food tour, and winery). All of the tours and tour guides booked were top notch. There wasn’t a single one that was even just “good”. They were phenomenal. All of our cars and transfers were nearly seamless as well. I was told that i would receive a welcome packet upon arrival and so I didn’t need to print anything. Our concierge did not have that for us, so we had no printed documents. This wasn’t ideal and I would have printed everything on my own had I know. Our concierge then said she would message us every morning with our plans, tickets, vouchers, etc for that day. She didn’t. I had to constantly sign into Kimkim and check times, meeting points, schedules, etc, which was not convenient, especially when we were in places with lower quality cell service. We did experience an issue during the trip, as the agency was to book us an overnight stay in Naples (while we kept our main hotel in Rome). We arrived at the hotel after a long day to learn that the agency messed up and booked it for the night before. Understandably, I was irritated and embarrassed. We had a long, hot, sweaty day and were looking forward to relaxing in a luxury hotel with a sea view. The hotel offered to accommodate us in an inferior room, which we did not accept. I had tried to text and call our concierge so she could look into it, but by the time she got back to me, we were in a taxi on the way back to the train station. Upon arrival at the train station, we went to the customer service desk to change our tickets, which were scheduled for the next day. Our concierge was irritated that I handled the ticket change myself, but I was not going to stand around the train station waiting for somebody else to do something, especially when we had a short window of time to catch the next train. I communicated with her before and during of my intentions and what I was doing, so there would be no duplication of effort. After she confirmed the hotel error and got in touch with the agency, I didn’t hear from her for the rest of our trip. She did not add anything to our trip. (We did receive a refund for the room and transfers that needed to get cancelled). Overall, our trip was amazing and our tours were awesome, but many of the conveniences that I was told we would have and that I would have expected were lacking. And the mistakes made were unfortunate, annoying, and not in line with “luxury” service.

Hotel Review

Hotel Eurostar Excelsior

Naples

As mentioned in the main review, the agency made our hotel reservation for the day before we were to arrive and as such, we did not stay. The staff at the hotel was amazing. They were patient and understanding as we tried to get our concierge on the line to figure it out, eventually printing us a train schedule and getting us a taxi. Also, before we left, they gave us a bottle of water each. I would 100% recommend the hotel based on the service we received in a trying time.

Staff

Activity Reviews

Small group tour of Vatican City , Sistine Chapel & saint Peter's Basilica

Rome

This tour was amazing and our guide was great! She had so much history and knowledge to share and I felt enriched. That said, the Vatican museums are absolutely crazy, packed, hot, and difficult to enjoy with thousand upon thousands of other people and the current of the herd.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Group pizza making class

Italy

Monica was our chef and was awesome. I could not have asked for anybody better. She was fun, engaging, and entertaining. Fabio was great and full of personality. We enjoyed this so much more than we thought we would. We are so excited to use the lessons we learned at home with our kids.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rome Underground & Catacombs Tour

Rome

This was one of our favorite tours / activities. Our guide was Andy the Aussie. He might be one of the best guides I’ve ever had at any activity ever. I learned so much from him and his experience and knowledge made this tour what it was. I would not hesitate to take any future tour from him and might even pay a premium for him! He was great and it was awesome seeing the Roman lasagna layers with him.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Angela was consistently responsive and organized a highly enjoyable, well-paced, luxury driving tour of Greece.

Hotel Reviews

Meteora Hotel

Kastraki

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

33 Solonos Suites

Athens

The rooms were relaxing and indulgent with a welcome bottle of wine, nespresso and Greek youghurt. Great Samba coffee shop across the street. Highly recommend Kiouzin restaurant around the corner for dinner.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Oniro City

Athens

I'd recommend this hotel for its friendly customer service, yummy breakfast and luxurious rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Olympion Asty Olympia

Ancient Olympia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ganimede Hotel

Galaxidi

Of all the rooms we stayed in (5 different luxury hotels in Greece) this understated hotel had the best breakfast, most user-friendly rooms ( Kitchenette, locations of electric outlets, towels, etc). Loved the welcome glass of fresh lemonade and the homemade Greek yogurt. Great location in a non-touristy seaside town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Millenia: The Ultimate Mainland Tour: Nafplio, Mycenae, Olympia Day 1

Greece

This is a truly memorable experience for those who. are genuinely curious about history. What an amazing guide (Helena) and experience! Literally stepping in the footsteps of King Agamemnon and seeing the archaeological artifacts in the museum was a revelation. I had tried to read the Iliad many times before and after this visit not only could get through it but thoroughly enjoyed it. The experience made Greek history come alive in a way I couldn't have imagined. Bonus experience in seeing tablets with two earlier alphabets. The guide was so well informed I could ask her about any object in the collection and she could explain it to me. I would have missed so much without her expertise. My 14-year-old really like it too - note she loves Greek mythology.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide's depth and breadth of knowledge made the experience fun and educational.

Transport

Athens Highlights Mythology Tour

Greece

Guide was great but we spent a lot of time waiting in lines.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Millenia Tour: Meteora Day 4 - Return to Athens

Greece

This ranks in one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, and I've seen a lot of the world. People his opinion I trust told me the same and they were absolutely right to guide me here. Just go in to see this with a guy to have that level of a knowledge was just fantastic. Thank I had had more time, I would've taken an extra half day to go on a long hike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She was so informative about the history and importance culturally of what we were seeing.

Transport

Wouldn't want to drive these roads myself and I love to drive....Glad our guide was so competent.

Millenia: The Ultimate Mainland Tour: Delphi & Amfissa Day 3

Greece

The site and the museum were captivating. Without a private guide I wouldn't have had anywhere near the experience. As an example I wouldn't have known the importance of Antinoos or the twins of Argo's.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valeria did an amazing job planning so many wonderful details for our trip to Rome, Florence, Tuscany and Porto Ercole. We are a family of 4, with two boys. She arranged activities and hotels that fit our needs perfectly. Communication throughout the planning process, preparing for departure, and throughout our trip was top notch. I was a bit concern using a travel agency that I had not heard of prior, but I was overjoyed with the results. All three hotels were elegant, perfectly located, peaceful, and with the exact amenities for our family. The transportation (pick-up/shuttles, train, and rental car) were all done very well and with ease. The activities were something I definitely could not have figured out myself and were outstanding. We did a gelato making class, a gorgeous and delicious cooking class in a Tuscany farm home (actual home of the cook), individual truffle hunting and memorable meal in a family homestead, culinary walking tour in Rome (YUMMY!) and amazingly informative and individual tours of Vatican, Colosseum and Roman form, and Florence historical walk (highlights). Everything was very high quality and well suited for our family. The team made sure we had clear directions for every event and had local representatives make sure we got transported everywhere for the transitions. The level of high quality care and results was better than I could have dreamed of and we are so grateful to the Kimkim team (especially Valeria and Daniela) for the outstanding trip that we all agree was a trip of a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

AgriHotel Villa Ambra

S.Albino +39 0578 798055SI

Beautiful hotel with an amazing staff, great spacious and well appointed rooms, delicious breakfast and cocktails, very nice pool and well located for a Tuscany adventure.

Authenticity & Character

Modern but classic

Location

Need a car but it is a great central place to get to lots of places around Tuscany

Staff

Helpful, friendly, very attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Pendini

Florence

The best location, great clean place. Although it is right in the heart of Florence, it is quiet and well equipped. Every details was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Can get to everywhere with an easy walk.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Della Conciliazione

Rome

Great location near the Vatican. Wonderful staff. Very nicely appointed room (suite) with plenty of space for a family of 4. We had a luxurious view from the patio.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We could see St. Peter's Cathedral from our room!!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Fantastic gelato making class!

Florence

Fun, informative, and tasty class. Our kids love it, not just for the best gelato that they made, but because it was informative and an unique experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

No transport provided - within walking distance

Truffle hunting in Val d'Orcia

Italy

Family run truffle hunters but they also have a farm, winery and beautiful property that served delicious truffle based meal. We had are wonderful time in our private truffle hunt. We learned a lot about truffles, the hunting business, the dogs, and the market. We found 7 truffles! Great activity for the whole family.

Quality of Experience

Food

Wine and food were amazing. Our boys even enjoyed gelato with truffles. Meal fit for royalty

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class in Val D'Orcia

Italy

The most unique and memorable experience on our trip filled with amazing experiences! On a private farmhouse of the cook (that is also a winery) it is the most picturesque location. The cooking class was so informative and fun for all of us. My kids can't wait to make the focaccia and Pici pasta themselves at home. The interpreter was very helpful and the host was the most charming and lovely person. We were honored to be at her kitchen.

Quality of Experience

Amazingly beautiful setting, gracious host/cook, delicious meal and a very unique and special experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private golf cart tour

Rome

Fun, efficient, and informative way to see the majority of the all best sites around Rome. In a three hour time frame we saw and learned so much about the classical sites of Rome. The driver was outstanding at getting us around and sharing history, culture, and knowledge about Rome.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Florence and Accademia City Tour

Italy

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and able to get a great overview of the history of the city and the important people that influenced Florence. We a great overview of all the highlights on this private tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

n/a

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Colosseum, Forum Tour & Palatine hill

Rome

Amazing, private, and full of history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable and able to provide a great overview of all the important details for each location.

Transport

Pitigliano and Sovana

Italy

Very detailed and informative view of ancient history and these amazing places.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica

Rome

Wow! We can't believe we experienced this.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free day in Porto Ercole and in the area

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Aperitivo Tour

Rome

Really great classic food and sites. A wonderful way to experience the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was my first time using KimKim. I was skeptical of the utility of "travel agents" in 2023. However, with my own job, I simply did not have time to research and plan a 2 week trip to New Zealand.

The process was simple: Let the travel agent know your travel dates, preferences, and must-do activities. They then present a proposed itinerary. You can discuss changes/additions, and then the travel agent revises the proposal. Once the itinerary is finalized, you pay part of it up front. You pay the rest when accommodation/travel/activities are booked.

Around 2 weeks prior to the trip, you receive an intro letter, trip booklet, and voucher booklet. The trip booklet is the most important item as it contains the itinerary and activity details. The trip booklet was a little cumbersome and confusing to read, but at the end of the day, it contained almost everything you need to know.

We were skeptical receiving the travel agent's activity vouchers, because it did not contain any direct vouchers, tickets, or receipts from the vendor, only information and reference numbers. But, we did not have any issue when we showed up for accommodation/travel/activities - we were always on the list.

By and large, our trip was without a hitch. Our travel agent even made some changes to our plans during the trip at our request. He was prompt in responding to requests and questions. A few activities got cancelled due to weather, but we received a refund. That is of course not the travel agent's fault.

We were not fans of using Europcar as the car rental company. Their processes were haphazard and they charged us for scratches that occurred before we ever used the car. I've rented quite a few cars in my day, and have never had issues with any other car rental companies. This was one of the few negatives.

Overall, we were pleased, and I will likely use KimKim again.

AMAZING!!! We knew when our daughter said she wanted to take her senior trip to India that it was going to be a trip of a lifetime... but we never imagined it would be as amazing as it was! This was in HUGE part to Jay!!! Jay was incredible during the entire booking process. He listened to feedback, gave wonderful recommendations and everything he booked was perfect. During the trip he was equally as responsive when we added excursions. I would recommend Jay and Bespoke India Holidays to everyone!!!

In Delhi, our guide, Raj, was very knowledgable and it felt like we were walking the streets, riding tuk tuks, and visiting temples/sites with a friend. He was easy to talk to and answered all our questions. He took us to an absolutely delicious lunch and we even convinced him to eat with us! We loved all the sites in Delhi, and our favorite was the incredible Qutb Minar. Our teenage daughter was also very grateful to Raj for making her feel safe at this monument while several other Indian tourists were wanting to take photos with her and following her. We also loved immediately getting to see an Islamic Mosque and Hindu Temple in the same day. The trip would have been incomplete without our walking tour of Chandni Chowk - a must for any visitor to Delhi. Our hotel was wonderful in Delhi also.

We also were very glad to have our driver, Raj, with us from Delhi through Jaipur. Raj was very knowledgable on the drives about the different cities, crops and interesting things we didn't know. He made sure to stop for us at very nice restrooms and eateries. We felt like we were leaving a friend behind when we said goodbye to him in Jaipur.

In Agra, our guide, Kumar, was also very knowledgable about everything we saw. We loved having guides that were local to the area and knew and loved their rich history. Kumar took us to Agra Fort - which blew our minds. We were so excited to see the Taj Mahal, that seeing this was just awe inspiring. We loved learning all the history of Agra and it's incredible sites. Agra Fort was followed by "baby Taj" which was so stunning that we kept wondering how everything could get better and better... but it did! Kumar took us to see the Taj Mahal during sunset and then sunrise the next morning. I would tell everyone to do the same. Seeing and walking around the Taj Mahal is a breathtaking experience on it's own - but having Kumar there to talk about the history and take the perfect photos for us was perfect!! I could have stayed at the Taj Mahal all day... for days. It was almost a spiritual experience to learn the history all day... and then to see it and touch it and go inside. It was a top experience in India for me. After seeing the Taj at sunrise (which was the best time), Kumar took us to Fatehpur Sikri, which we hadn't given much thought to... but it blew our minds again! We loved all the history of the wives' palaces and the view of the village too. It was an amazing addition in Agra! Our hotel in Agra was great!

We next went to Ranthambore for the night. We felt like royalty when we arrived at our hotel (palace)!! The hotel was literally one of the most incredible places we have ever stayed! It was nice to relax that afternoon/evening also. We went for an early morning safari - and while we didn't see a tiger... there is no way we could complain about the spectacular views and animals we did see. The guide and driver were great.

We drove to Jaipur after the safari. In Jaipur, which was so different than Delhi and Agra, we went for a wonderful night tour of the bazaar with our guide, Hitesh. Hitesh was a wonderful guide and provided interesting cultural insights! He took us to see many unique places in the bazaar and bought us a delicious Jaipur treat!! The next day he took us to the Amber Fort, Panna Meena ka Kund and Jaigarh Fort. We really liked how he would explain all the history and then let us explore before the next location. He also took wonderful photos of us. Amber Fort was also an incredible gem in Jaipur - it blew us away, especially the painting that has survived. We went to Jantar Mantar which was very unique and cool. The City Palace tour was also wonderful. We wish we would have spent more time in the bazaar's in Jaipur. It was so different from Delhi and was very pleasant to walk around in. The hotel was great in Jaipur.

We flew to Udaipur the next day - and I must say that we took four flights domestically in India on IndiGo, and they were spectacular. What a great airline!! All of our flights were on time and all IndiGo employees were professional and kind. They handled and diffused difficult situations with grace and made all the flights relaxing.

In Udaipur, we were again blown away by our hotel! It was right on Lake Pichola!! Our driver, Umesh, and guide, Mukesh, were both great in Udaipur. Mukesh took us through Udaipur to see Jagdish Temple, a beautiful garden and City Palace. City Palace was amazing as well as the temple. The boat ride was so relaxing and wonderful too. We were treated to a great show in Udaipur where we saw traditional Indian dances and music. It was thrilling. The special part of our hotel was the AMAZING view of the nightly flight of thousands of fruit bats close enough to see their fangs!!! It was also in a great part of the city that we felt very safe walking around and shopping in. We added a tour the next day to a Ranakpur Jain temple... and that was literally one of the other mind blowing sites on the trip! I would tell anyone going to India that it's a must see!!! The drive was beautiful and totally worth it. Mukesh made sure to stop at great restrooms and a delicious restaurant for lunch afterwards. The temple was absolutely amazing for so many reasons and we couldn't believe it's rich and long history.

We flew to Madurai next - and just like in America, the south is different. Not better or worse, just different - and wonderful!! I am so glad our daughter wanted to see the Meenakshi Temple - it was her favorite site! Our guide, Vasand, took us on an epic trip the first night. We rode tuk tuks into the temple (that was a real thrill) and were able to witness a very special religious Aarti ceremony inside the temple. We felt honored to be able to witness that and have time before the ceremony to learn from Vasand about the different statues and rituals. Vasand was another guide that we felt like we were walking around town with a friend. He was comfortable and knowledgable and very easy to talk to.

In the morning, we met our driver, Sujidh, who would drive us for the remainder of our trip. He was a wonderful driver, knowledgable and kind as well. He went above and beyond even trying to make me aware of a sporting event he knew I wanted to see since we connected as fans of the same EPL club team!

Vasand took us through a flower market and banana market in the morning, going slow enough to let us interact with the vendors and even buying us flowers and bananas!! He went at our pace (which was slowing down by this time in the trip) and took us for a walk around the Meenakshi Temple in the daytime so we could see all the incredible workmanship. We drove by the biggest water tank in Tamil Nadu and then visited a temple and the Gandhi Museum. The hotel in Madurai was another marvel to us! We felt like we were in a jungle, yet just off the road!

The next day we drove into the mountains to Thekkady. What a little piece of paradise!! The drive in and out of the mountains was absolutely gorgeous and our driver, Sujidh, knew so much about all the crops and cities along the way. We went to a wonderful spice plantation with our guide, Cedu, who knew everything about all the spices. We went on an unforgettable boat ride inside the Periyar National Park and saw many elephants, water buffalo, deer, wild boar, and birds. It was perfect!

The next day we drove through the clouds on our way to Alleppey in the backwaters of Kerala. This was another experience that blew our minds. We needed the day to relax, but the beauty was just awe inspiring. We saw a new lifestyle and we just loved to see a part of their lives on this totally unique journey. The boat and its crew were just all amazing and we wish we could have stayed another day there too! This was a really nice relaxing point in the trip and provided a break from the rest of the tour. The cooking was especially delicious on the boat.

We went to Cochin the next day, and this was definitely the most humid of all the locations! We were shocked actually, as we were driving down from Thekkady, we could already see some Christian influence, but Cochin was full of Christian influence. It was fun to see the Jewish area and then all the different buildings with influence from China, Holland, Portugal and England. The Chinese Fishing Nets were a highlight for me. I loved the history and watching them work today. We also loved the old dance form of Kathakali and martial art form of Kalarippayattu.

We very much appreciated and loved each guide/driver talking to us about their religion, families, and the history of their individual states in India. Our daughter wanted to come to India because she loves Indian food and wanted to learn about their history, religions and culture. We all fell deeply in love with the people we met, the culture and even more of the food! We hope we make it back to India again and when we do, we will absolutely be connecting with Jay and Bespoke India Holidays!

Angela (Aggeliki) our KimKim rep in Greece planned an amazing 14-day trip! We loved everything about this trip. She couldn’t have planned it any better. We were in Athens, then on to Milos, Santorini and Crete. Transportation from hotels to the ferries was all arranged and easy. The hotels Angela selected were nothing short of fabulous, with break taking views and great locations. She customized each tour for us and even made changes once we were in Greece. We especially loved the rib boat tour in Milos with Captain Paolo Farinola. She checked in with us as soon as we arrived and throughout the trip. It was perfect!!

Hotel Reviews

xenodocheio Milos 5*

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Breeze Boutique Hotel Milos

Pollonia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Andronis Luxury Suites

Santorini

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nana Princess Suites, Villas & Spa

Hersonissos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rib Boat 8.5m Rib boat //300hp engine round of Milos - 8 pax max

Greece

One of the highlights of our trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Best of Milos half-day tour

Greece

Reservation at Oia Gefsis (no meal included - only a reserved table)

Greece

Lovely place to watch the sunset.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Luxuries of Mirabello with Spinalonga and Agios Nikolaos from East

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All time classic Santorini 2023

Greece

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Sunset Cruise

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

Active India - Golden Triangle
June 2023
Active India was assigned responsibility for our five day tour of India (from Delhi to Jaipur to Karauli and Agra) after I contacted Kim Kim ton help arrange our visit. The Active India team, led by Ravi Tickoo, jumped right on the assignment and with just a couple of emails, we had our itinerary all set. As promised, our driver and another Active India staff member met us at our hotel in Delhi and in no time, we were off to our first destination. Our driver was incredibly skilled at navigating considerable traffic and always had cold water available, stopped at rest stops as needed and accommodated every request we had. The hotels we stayed at we quaint and culturally unique (including staying at the king’s home in Karauli!) and we were treated like royalty throughout. We had great and knowledgeable guides throughout and everyone was on time, fully informed and totally coordinated.

Nothing’s ever perfect but when we made a request for a change, it was accommodated immediately. We enjoyed the culture of every city and historic site, ate extremely well (and inexpensively) and were driven in an extremely (and well air conditioned) car.

We heartily recommend Active India for any of your India travel and tour needs and especially want call out Ravi, Priya, Vidon and our wonderful guides for their attention to our every needs. Ravi contacted me regularly throughout the trip to make sure we were enjoying ourselves and had every need met. I’ve been in the hospitality business for many years and never experience such wonderful service.

Chris, I would like to thank you for the fantastic trip you planned for our family and friends in Greece. When I look back on my pictures of our stay in Athens and Santorini Island, I am in awe of the beautiful experiences, from the meet and greet @ the Royal Olympic rooftop restaurant overlooking the Acropolis to the Taste of Athens foodie tour.

In Santorini, there were a few mishaps with the El Greco hotel and Sunset Catamaran Cruise, however the access to the mini disposal bus to the beautiful Sunset tapas at Melitini Oia, the flying dress, and the wine tour at Estate Argyros. It was simply a wonderful trip.

I appreciate your patience in working with Simply Travel to plan this vacation. I highly recommend Chris and the Kim Kim team when you want to plan a trip to Greece; they are indeed professionals. :-)

Kind Regards,
Karen D. Huff
Simply Travel Agency

Hotel Reviews

Royal Olympic Hotel Athens

Athens

The rooms are outdated, and the staff could have been more friendly. However, I enjoyed the views of the Acropolis from the rooftop, and our meet and greet dinner was good. The hotel is in an excellent location for walking to the city. Karen

Authenticity & Character

The rooms need to be updated and the beds are very uncomfortable

Location

Staff

Rude

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had to move one of the traveler's rooms because of the stains on the floor. When we spoke with the staff, they were rude to me and I have to continue to fight for a better room.

El Greco Resort Hotel Santorini

Santorini

I am giving the overall rating of 2 stars because I booked a two-bedroom Villa, and upon arrival, I was told there had been a mistake, and my booking was canceled. They presented me with three different options and told me they would make a price adjustment on the rooms since I would not have a private pool. When the travel agent contacted the hotel for the price adjustment, they refused and stated that the rooms they provided were equivalent to the Villa. This was not the case, and I am very disappointed that I could not get a price adjustment when the mistake in my booking was due to a hotel system error. How is a villa comparable to a standard or Loft room (the upstairs loft is small with low ceilings and should only be for children under 5, anyone over 4'3+ would not be able to stand up in the upstairs loft) If this were a North American Hotel chain the customer would have been treated fairly? I believe buyers beware. Disappointed Customer and NA travel agent

Authenticity & Character

The hotel and rooms are simply decorated and feels like it belongs to the town if Fira

Location

Great location, close to the town of Fira.

Staff

The service staff was very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel was very clean and comfortable

Activity Reviews

Flavors of Athens Food Tour

Athens

Great tour and the tour guide (Gregory) was very knowledgeable and the best way to get to know the city, culture, and food.

Quality of Experience

The lunch at the end of the tour was delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very nice and kind tour guides

Transport

The vans were clean and luxury!

Minibus on disposal

Santorini

Our tour guide picked us up and took the group on a guided tour of the Fira and the winery. Yonnes was very knowledgeable of Santorini Island. It was a good start to our stay on the island.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Diamond Caldera Sunset Cruise

Santorini

The sunset private cruise was one of the best parts of our stay on the Island! The crew and food were terrific! It reminded me of the TV show - Below Deck Mediterranean! The crew and the BBQ dinner was top chef and the crew was professional and very friendly.

Quality of Experience

Simply the best!

Food

We had Shrimp Pasta, grilled chicken, and pork steaks; I thought I was on a super yacht!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Five Star crew

Transport

Luxury

It was a delight to work with Francesca in planning the trip. She developed an itinerary that was perfect for us. The tours she booked were great as were her restaurant suggestions throughout Iceland. We loved how she gave us daily optional activities. The hotels we stayed at were very nice. We needed to make a few changes in our itinerary because of flight cancellations. Michele and Francesca were very responsive adjusting hotels and activities.

Things we loved:
1. Locations of all our hotels in Athens, Naxos and Santorini.
2. Sunset cruise in Santorini - Sunset Oia were amazing (food and staff)
3. Trip to Delphi
4. Trip in Naxos. Since it was private, we could spend more time on things we liked.
Things we did not love so much:
1. Would have preferred a private tour in Athens. The visit to the Acropolis was at noon and very hot and it should have been done first thing in the morning before the crowds came. Also we were the first ones picked up and wasted 1.5 hrs waiting for others to get picked up. The drive by tour of Syntagna square was a waste and we had do it again on our own to enjoy. The private tour would have included Acropolis, archaeological museum, syntagna square, walking tour of plaka and monastriki square.
2. Would have preferred a private tour to Delphi. It would have been faster and more enjoyable.
3. Would have preferred a better hotel in Santorini. Felt a bit cramped overall.

Hotel Reviews

Lagos Mare

Naxos

Great location and ambience and the staff was amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Ambience was great and the layout was amazing.

Location

Just a 15 walk to the beachfront

Staff

They were friendly and we had great conversations with them by the pool.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had nothing to complain about.

Titania Hotel

Athina

Great location with walking access to all sights in Athens. Great view of the acropolis from the 11th floor breakfast area. Amazing breakfast buffet with lots of choices. Did not like their bathrooms for the family suites with the sliding foldable glass door. Very uncomfortable and cramped.

Authenticity & Character

Bathrooms for sure

Location

We could walk to acropolis, monastriki square and plaka neighborhood very easily. Syntagna square was very close as well.

Staff

Very friendly and quick service.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything

Nissos Thira Hotel

Santorini

Great location but did not like the cramped rooms. Meant more for small families with limited luggage or backpackers.

Authenticity & Character

Location

5 min walk to the bus terminus with buses to Oia and Kamari. 15 min walk to Atlantis Hotel where we began our coastal walk towards Oia. 10 min walk to Fira central where there are plenty of restaurants and shops.

Staff

Staff should help visitors carry their suitcases to their rooms. We were 2 flights down and had to carry our own big suitcases up and down.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Panoramic Sightseeing of Athens

Athens

Would have preferred a private tour that could be customized to what we wanted to see. Wasted 1.5 hours picking up other guests. We visited Acropolis around noon when it was too hot and the kids did not enjoy that at all.

Quality of Experience

Smaller group tours or private tours

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was too chatty towards the end

Transport

Good comfortable bus

Delphi, the Navel of the Earth

Athens

Amazing trip to Delphi. The guide was knowledgeable but sometimes too chatty that the kids lost focus. We did not like the food at the restaurant in Delphi village. It was downright horrible. We would have preferred stopping at a restaurant of our choice. The trip lasted from 7:30am to 7:30pm. A private tour would have been faster.

Quality of Experience

Less talking by the guide and choice of restaurants. The restaurant on the tour was horrible.

Food

Everything. Appetizers to dessert were all horrible

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Island of Naxos

Naxos

Great private tour of Naxos. The guide was knowledgeable but sometimes too chatty. Towards the end we just wanted some quiet time to wind down. We were able to spend extra time in places we liked and change the itinerary based on time.

Quality of Experience

The olive oil tour and city tour along the way was amazing. We bought some olives and spices at the local stores.

Food

Great food and views. We had kids with allergies and they were able to accommodate us.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Sunset Cruise

Santorini

Amazing boat and liked the crew. Liked that it was semi private and not crowded. Food served on board was amazing and there were accommodations made for allergies and vegetarians.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a thoroughly enjoyable trip. The activities, Mountain Bike riding, zip lining, hiking up the Cotopaxi Volcano and rafting were so much fun. Our guide was exceptional, very knowledgeable about his country, the various fauna and birds. Our unplanned visit to a chocolate factory was excellent. Christian Chalcualan made the trip for us. Nothing was too much trouble for him. The owner of the biking tour Eric, our Cotopaxi guide Luis and Ronnie the rafting and Kayaker were all top notch people.

Unfortunately the 1st 3 hotels were not up to a standard that we would wish on anybody. All 3 suffered from poor or not enough food. Location were either remote or in a dangerous area (the receptionists comment), all had hot water issues and one of them was in the middle of a road building site with deep mud on the access. To arrive at a hotel 5 miles from anywhere to be presented with a box room, awful food (boiled beef of some description), heating was a very noisy fan and heated blankets on the bed and no hot water was disgraceful: no signal to call our guide to get us out was annoying.

We’d had enough at this stage and after reviewing the next disaster in the middle of a noisy environment we paid over $200 to stop at a 4 star hotel. The final 3 hotels were outstanding just superb and everything we’d hoped for in the 1st place.

Overall a trip made memorable by our guide and mentor Christian. His tried to hide his embarrassment at our accommodation but it was obvious he was in a difficult position.

Hotel Reviews

Kitu Hotel

Quito

Dangerous area, no facilities after hours. Mainly a hostel. A few drunks worn and tired.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The dangerous area.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Worn out hotel with poor facilities.

Casa de Piedra

Mindo

Clean and comfortable accommodation. Inadequate hot water supply with very low pressure. No out of hours facilities. This hotel is in the middle of a road upgrade program. Access into and out of the hotel to the town was wading through mud and various building sites. Breakfast was very small and we asked for more bread. We got an extra croissant. We left went into town and stocked up.

Authenticity & Character

Location

right in the middle of major building works

Staff

When available friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms where great but hot water was an issue.

Cuello de Luna Mountain Lodge

El Chasqui - Pastocalle

Just no! 5 miles from anywhere. Food was appalling. lump of boiled beef of some description, polenta and lentils for our evening meal. Breakfast was adequate and plenty. Room was a box room. The suitcase was in the way so i put it in the hall. No heating except for a very noisy fan that was on all night and a heated under blanket. No hot water and no-one to complain too until the morning. More suited to a budget backpacker who just wants a mattress.

Authenticity & Character

Oh yes a very old dated ranch type environment

Location

Remote valley

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean but no real facilities. No hot water until we complained in the morning.

Hotel El Jardin Aleman

Puerto Misahualli

What a great place with many animals, birds and character. Staff were very attentive when needed. the room was comfortable and spacious.

Authenticity & Character

Claimed to be a jungle hotel and it was. Authentic with character.

Location

Beautiful location on the riverbank.

Staff

When we saw then they were helpful allowed us privacy but were there when needed.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well maintained

Termas de Papallacta

Papallacta

Great staff (especially Jennyfer on reception) Outstanding food. To come out of your room and step into a hot spring 24/7 was amazing. Rooms were well appointed. Some great walks around the hotel and the spa treatments were fantastic

Authenticity & Character

well thought out hotel.

Location

In a valley at 3000m with hills either side stretching to 4000m. Great walking out of the hotel.

Staff

everyone was very attentive. Nothing was too much trouble.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless rooms and facilities especially the spa.

San Jose de Puembo Quito Airport, an Ascend Hotel Collection

Puembo, Quito

Location not brilliant but the on site facilities more than compensate for it. pools, spa various activities. Animals wandering the ground. it sits on a 40km bike route out the back of the hotel. Bikes for hire. Food was excellent and the rooms very well presented with tea and coffee making facilities. The staff were all very good and attentive.

Authenticity & Character

Modern built accommodation for the main annex.

Location

40 minutes from Quito but only 20 to the airport.

Staff

Attentive and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Excellent very clean and well presented.

Activity Reviews

Jatunyaku River Rafting - Papallacta

Ecuador

Mad mad fun. The guide Ronnie was a real character. Level 4 & 5 rapids. Serious safety brief before we setup. The best new experience of the trip.

Quality of Experience

An absolute hoot af an adventure. But safe.

Food

A small adequate beach picnic half way down the river.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

2 real characters full of fun.

Transport

Bicycle day tour: Nono - Mindo

Ecuador

The 40km ride down the hills from the clouds, cold and mountain tops down to the rainforest was amazing. Eric the owner and his staff made us so welcome and ensured we also had some genuine Ecuadorian experiences in a local restaurant

Quality of Experience

Food

Real Ecuadorian experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great bunch of guys

Transport

Mindo – Canopy - Cotopaxi

Ecuador

Great fun. 10 rides over the rainforest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Cotopaxi Hacienda to Hiking in Cotopaxi National Park, then onto Baños

Ecuador

An amazing experience. We hiked from 3400m up to 5010m. the mountain guide was awesome. Knew his stuff, refused to let us push it and guided us at a pace he believe we should be comfortable at. Very hard work in the thin air. As an experience hiker and off piste skier this was probably one of the hardest things I have done. At 69 years old to reach 5010m to the glacier was a personal best for me. We arrived in the area to sunshine and volcano was there in all its glory. As we came to the end of the climb the volcano started to erupt smoke and ash but we were in no danger but it was an awesome sight.

Quality of Experience

The experience of a lifetime that will stay with me.

Food

Greta food in a local restaurant.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This guy really knew his stuff.

Transport

I've never used a travel agent before, and Kristy has gone above and beyond what I expected. She was accommodating to my constantly changing travel plans and quick to find alternatives that better met the needs of my family. She was there to assist and direct us at every turn of the journey, which went without a hitch. I doubt I'll ever go back to organizing my own travel again.