Kimkim Trip Reviews

4.8
Based on 16,004 ratings
Read 16,004 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

We enjoyed an amazing family vacation in Cost...
Costa Rica | Jun 4 - Jun 15, 2023

Tamar
Tamar H.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Jun 19, 2023
We enjoyed an amazing family vacation in Costa Rica thanks to Fiorella's trip planning guidance. Our teenagers loved the adrenaline rush of white water rafting on the Pacaure River's long rapids, including a class IV section as well a howling with the howler monkeys while hiking on the Arenal 1968 Volcano hike. We saw a lot of wildlife in Manual Antonio, were surrounded by Capuchin monkeys, swam in the ocean under the Toucans, and with the help of our guide had some excellent views of sloths... Read more

We enjoyed an amazing family vacation in Costa Rica thanks to Fiorella's trip planning guidance. Our teenagers loved the adrenaline rush of white water rafting on the Pacaure River's long rapids, including a class IV section as well a howling with the howler monkeys while hiking on the Arenal 1968 Volcano hike. We saw a lot of wildlife in Manual Antonio, were surrounded by Capuchin monkeys, swam in the ocean under the Toucans, and with the help of our guide had some excellent views of sloths and roosting bats. My husband and I most enjoyed the biodiversity in the rugged Corcovado National Park. It took a boat ride through a mangrove forest to get there and a small plane to return to San Jose, but was worth the effort. Our guide Manfred with the Corcovado Wilderness Lodge was an excellent storyteller about the interdependence of the wildlife in the rainforest. Our family was lucky to spot an immense mother and tiny baby tapir on our gorgeous hike. Many great memories of our 12 day adventure.

Local specialist: Fiorella Miranda
Fiorella
Fiorella Miranda
Local specialist in Costa Rica | Replied on Jun 21, 2023
Dear Tamar, I'm delighted to hear that you had a fantastic time in Costa Rica and that your family enjoyed a memorable vacation! It's wonderful that you had the opportunity to witness a variety of incredible animals, and I'm certain that your kids created some remarkable memories to cherish and share with others back home. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for placing your trust in our services. It was an absolute pleasure for all of us here at Serendipity Adventures to assist you... Read more

Dear Tamar,

I'm delighted to hear that you had a fantastic time in Costa Rica and that your family enjoyed a memorable vacation! It's wonderful that you had the opportunity to witness a variety of incredible animals, and I'm certain that your kids created some remarkable memories to cherish and share with others back home.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for placing your trust in our services. It was an absolute pleasure for all of us here at Serendipity Adventures to assist you throughout your journey.

Wishing you the very best.

Warmest regards,

Fio and the Serendipity Adventures team

Well planned itinerary and detailed communication made
Norway | May 27 - Jun 6, 2023

Chris
Chris T.
Windsor, CA | Reviewed on Jun 19, 2023

We enjoyed the trip put together by KimKim. All the transfers were easy to understand and having our e-tickets in pdf ahead of time made it all very easy. We enjoyed all the accommodations. And trip planning with Edzi before our trip was easy and communication was very good.

Local specialist: Ezdi Trejo
Ezdi
Ezdi Trejo
Local specialist in Kristiansand | Replied on Jun 19, 2023

Hi Chris.
Thank you for the nice review!
You got to see quite a bit of Norway as you traveled. I am very happy to see that you had a wonderful time here.
Best
Ezdi

It was a pleasure working together with you, making the perfect trip for the two of you.
Best,

All of the guides were prompt and very knowle...
Portugal | Jun 11 - Jun 18, 2023

Hayley
Hayley K.
Laredo, TX | Reviewed on Jun 19, 2023
All of the guides were prompt and very knowledgeable. We learned a lot about each city. Pedro was very responsive and answered all of our questions and even made some changes we requested once we arrived. Read more

All of the guides were prompt and very knowledgeable. We learned a lot about each city. Pedro was very responsive and answered all of our questions and even made some changes we requested once we arrived.

Hotel Reviews
Heritage Avenida Liberdade
Lisboa

Great location

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
NH Hotel Porto Jardim
Porto
Authenticity & Character
Location
Location was not ideal.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
NH Sintra Centro Hotel
Sintra
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rooms were a bit hot.
Activity Reviews
Private Historic Odyssey Walking Tour of Lisbon
Private Historic Odyssey Walking Tour of Lisbon
Lisbon
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour
Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour
Porto
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service
Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service
Portugal
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat
Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat
Portugal

It was not a traditional boat and no descriptions of what we were seeing.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guided Walking Tour to Sintra + Tickets to the Pena Palace
Guided Walking Tour to Sintra + Tickets to the Pena Palace
Portugal
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Pedro Luis
Pedro
Pedro Luis
Local specialist in Lisbon | Replied on Jun 19, 2023

Hey Hayley,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your positive feedback :) - it really means a lot.
It was great to have you & John travelling with us.
Your friend in Portugal - Pedro

Super personalized trip perfect for our family
Iceland | Jun 8 - Jun 16, 2023

Jessica
Jessica T.
Fargo, ND | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023

Terry was absolutely fantastic to work with. She helped us plan a super personalized trip to Iceland that fit our family to a tee. We were in a different location every night -- each place was so different. The variety added to the overall experience. Everything went smoothly. A trip of a lifetime. Thank you kimkim team!

Local specialist: Terry Stanley
Terry
Terry Stanley
Local specialist in Canada | Replied on Jun 20, 2023

Thank you Jessica for the glowing review! It truly was my pleasure putting this trip together for your family. And it was super fun to add in the genealogical aspect as well. Enjoy the many memories that you made. Cheers. Terry

A wonderful trip to Mexico
Mexico | Jun 1 - Jun 9, 2023

H
HENG CHEE L.
Malaysia | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023
Before my trip, many friends asked me not to visit Mexico for fear of safety. My 10 days visit was awesome. We spent 5 nights at mexico city, 3 at Merida and 2 at Cancun. Surprised Mexico city is so clean in the old town where we stayed. Streets are always clean, and people are friendly and do not pose any danger to tourists. Hardly see people smoking or getting drunk on streets. Our ite was well organised by Kimkim and Mr Rene. everyday is not tiring , giving us ample time to explore... Read more

Before my trip, many friends asked me not to visit Mexico for fear of safety. My 10 days visit was awesome. We spent 5 nights at mexico city, 3 at Merida and 2 at Cancun. Surprised Mexico city is so clean in the old town where we stayed. Streets are always clean, and people are friendly and do not pose any danger to tourists. Hardly see people smoking or getting drunk on streets.

Our ite was well organised by Kimkim and Mr Rene. everyday is not tiring , giving us ample time to explore on our own. The visits to tourists spots were well guided by professional guides and we were particularly impressed with Mr Pablo. George is also another guide who gave us good information of the sites we toured. Hotels chosen were pleasant and well located for us to walk around the old city .

Thanks to the Trip Sapp set up which is a group chat involving the group of 4 of us and the persons in charge of our tour. Special thanks to Liz for the daily update, advise and recommendations of what we can do. A very innovative way to assist tourists who will find such support assistance highly appreciated.

We have no hesitation to recommend our friends to visit Mexico and to use kimkim to ensure a memorable trip.

Thanks for a memorable visit to Mexico.

Local specialist: Rene Rodarte
Rene
Rene Rodarte
Local specialist in Mexico city | Replied on Jun 19, 2023

Hello Heng Chee!
I am so glad that your visit to Mexico was a pleasant one! There are many safe things to see and do in Mexico, a bit for everyone.

We are very pleased that the itinerary especially made for you was what you and your friends were looking for, I will make sure Lizy is also aware that you enjoyed your time in Mexico and left with a memorable experience!

Hope to hear from you again! How about the Baja area for your next visit?

An amazing 7 day tour of Lisbon and surrounding areas...
Portugal | Jun 7 - Jun 14, 2023

S
Sharon L.
Hong Kong SAR China | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023
We had an amazing visit to Portugal with our 80+ year old parents in early June 2023. We contacted a local specialist via KimKim to tailor a 7-day tour of Lisbon with a private car/guide and minimal walking, since our parents have mobility issues. Diogo and Tiago prepared a perfect itinerary for us, which included visits to Lisbon old town, Belem, the seaside town of Cascais and Cabo da Roca cape, the historical village of Sintra, the UNESCO World heritage site of Evora, as well as Mafra and... Read more

We had an amazing visit to Portugal with our 80+ year old parents in early June 2023. We contacted a local specialist via KimKim to tailor a 7-day tour of Lisbon with a private car/guide and minimal walking, since our parents have mobility issues. Diogo and Tiago prepared a perfect itinerary for us, which included visits to Lisbon old town, Belem, the seaside town of Cascais and Cabo da Roca cape, the historical village of Sintra, the UNESCO World heritage site of Evora, as well as Mafra and Ericeira. The pace of the tour was perfect and Diogo was a very informative and amusing guide. He was able to tell us a out the history of each place, as well as show us the best places to eat. We enjoyed our first time in Portugal very much and are planning to visit again!!

Local specialist: Tiago Filipe
Tiago
Tiago Filipe
Local specialist in Lisbon | Replied on Jun 22, 2023

Dear Sharon,

So glad that you enjoyed your trip and our country! I only spend a few minutes with you, but Diogo spoke very highly of you. In fact he asked me to tell you the following:

"Thank you for your kind words Sharon, it was a pleasure to show you our beautiful country, hope you enjoyed it and maybe come back some day with the rest of your family! All the best for you, your sister, parents and all the rest of your family and friends. Obrigado! Diogo"

Best Regards,

Tiago

Most Amazing Adventures Through Italy
Italy | Jun 2 - Jun 11, 2023

Julie
Julie G.
Lake Butler, FL | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023
Where do I start?! A million thank-you's to Chiara for an absolutely unforgettable trip to Italy. This was our son's graduation gift - his choice for us to travel through Italy. I worked with KimKim for our trip to Costa Rica last summer - and was very eager to see what would come about when I inquired about a trip through Italy. Chiara did an amazing job for us. She listened to my desires, was eager to swap things around, add and omit certain activities/excursions/change... Read more

Where do I start?! A million thank-you's to Chiara for an absolutely unforgettable trip to Italy. This was our son's graduation gift - his choice for us to travel through Italy. I worked with KimKim for our trip to Costa Rica last summer - and was very eager to see what would come about when I inquired about a trip through Italy.

Chiara did an amazing job for us. She listened to my desires, was eager to swap things around, add and omit certain activities/excursions/change accommodations to suit us. She focused on the location of our accommodations for my family, timing of excursions, and took care of all transport from getting off the airplane until 11 days later when getting back on the airplane. I LOVE these trips through KimKim - I do not have to lift a finger while traveling. I don't have to worry about the timing of anything - it is all done for me. We are a very well-travelled family, but on these in-depth trips, it is so nice to have a local expert of the country do the foot work for me. Chiara always responded quickly when planning.

One other thing I loved about working with Chiara and her team, is the App they provided me with just prior to our departure for Italy. It had all our itinerary/tickets/information on it, day by day, and it even had a chat/message feature that I used a few times to get in touch with someone when I had a question. They always responded immediately. I was also provided with a personal phone number to use 24/7 in case we needed anything. It was so reassuring that we had support if need be.

All of our tours and excursions were second to none. Private walking/historical tours of Venice, a private boat tour/excursion around the Venice Harbour and to Murano as well as a gorgeous gondola ride in the evening. In Florence we were given information of the many museums and churches to tour, walks and sights to see. Once in Sorrento, we had the most amazing private boat tour to Capri, spending the day visiting the island and boating the gorgeous waters. Once in Rome, we started with a Vespa Side Car Tour of the entire city, stopping off at the major sights, we had a private tour of the Colosseum as well as the Vatican. And again, in between, private transport (all were amazing and incredibly professional) and trains, made this a trip of a lifetime!!

I with I could personally thank Chiara and give her a big hug. I can plan a trip, but having someone who is a local and knows the country, the cities, the intricacies, makes all the difference. It was fun seeing our trip come together in the beginning, and now that it is over, I am filled with overwhelming gratitude to Chiara. I could not have done this without her. So, thank you.

In closing, I am incredibly excited to plan my next trip through KimKim. I tell all my family and friends about KimKim - I am hooked!! Will be a customer for life!! Thank you <3

Hotel Reviews
Locanda Leon Bianco on the Grand Canal
Venice

This is such a historical hotel - incredibly small (most in Venice are). The only reason I took one star away is because the reception (front desk) does not open until 8:00 a.m., as well as the breakfast - the first seating is at 8:00 a.m. Other than that, it is a quirky, gorgeous European hotel with an amazing location!!! My favorite was when the hotel manager was awaiting our arrival from the water taxi from the airport at their "pier"!! Great personal service!

Authenticity & Character
It's history - next to the oldest building in Venice.
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
We had an incredibly large room for a family of 4!!
Hotel Orto de' Medici
Florence
Authenticity & Character
Michelangelo learned to paint and sculpt in the courtyard of this hotel!! Beautiful, well kept, stunning architecture.
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Palazzo Guardati Hotel Sorrento
Sorrento

The location is the best part of this hotel. It is directly city-center. It is quick - you have to roll your luggage through a small alley between restaurants to get to it (what a memory!) - but that is part of the charm. The hotel itself is beautiful - the bathroom was amazing, but the rooms could be painted/decorated more of a Mediterranean style and this would work so much better than the harsh gold paint and very antique furnishings inside the rooms. As well, that picture of the pool you see is very deceiving - it really is the size of a hot tub - probably holds 6 people sitting. So I wouldn't go there for the pool, however, the rooftop / veranda with sun loungers is wonderful, amazing service for cocktails in the evening, and the most amazing views of Mount Vesuvius.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rooms could/should be updated with brighter, more modern, Mediterranean style decor/furnishings.
Monti Palace Hotel Rome
Rome

This was a beautiful hotel - much like most small European hotels, you see only the doorway from the street view, and then it opens up on the inside. The staff were incredibly attentive. The breakfast was superb - unfortunately due to early morning excursions/flights, we missed 2 of the 3 we were scheduled to have. Our room was incredibly modern, absolutely amazing bathrooms. Though it was loud - you could hear the noise in the streets at night - but that is Rome!! As far as location - Rome is so spread out - so this was a great location to the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain (a bit of a walk) and the Pantheon. However, anything is walkable if you are willing. Wonderful restaurants nearby. Just a bit far from the Spanish Steps/Borghese Gardens.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Murano Island Excursion
Murano Island Excursion
Venice

I didn't realize we would have the boat to ourselves for 3 hours!! Amazing. Nicolette was wonderful - super cool and informative! Loved her. Though - didn't love the hard sell of the man who brought us on the tour of the Glass Factory - we just wanted to look and he wanted to sell!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Evening Gondola Ride Venice & City Stroll
Private Evening Gondola Ride Venice & City Stroll
Venice

This was a wonderful insight into the city of Venice. It's one thing to go to a city, but to understand the city and see its intricacies is another thing. We love history and learning, and this was a wonderful, leisurely walking tour onto a private gondola ride!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Exclusive Capri Boat Tour from Sorrento
Exclusive Capri Boat Tour from Sorrento
Italy

Loved it - a must do!! Small groups (don't do those huge boats with dozens of people) only 8 people on our gorgeous boat, lunch, Capri, swimming, drinks, pictures, information, so much fun!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Vespa Sidecar Tour in Rome
Vespa Sidecar Tour in Rome
Rome

Best "welcome to Rome" tour ever. They touched on everything - we saw everything, stopped, learned so much history we otherwise wouldn't have. Rome came to life for us after this tour. Amazing and so much fun!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The Best of Colosseum & Ancient Rome With Exclusive Arena Access
The Best of Colosseum & Ancient Rome With Exclusive Arena Access
Rome

Our tour guide was amazing - though I don't think you need the VR experience. We really didn't use it. But I absolutely recommend Liv Tours for a private tour of the Colosseum - NO BIG GROUP TOURS. Private is the way to go - you will get a much better history and understanding of everything - there is so much to learn!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Vatican Tour & Sistine Chapel
Vatican Tour & Sistine Chapel
Rome

An absolute must when visiting the Vatican. We probably wouldn't have even gotten in without a tour/private tour (so many tourists), also, she gave meaning to the how/why/art/history of the Vatican, museum, it's rooms, the Sistine Chapel. Had we just gone in, we wouldn't have understood the intricacies of the art.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Chiara Donati
Chiara
Chiara Donati
Local specialist in Perugia | Replied on Jun 19, 2023

Dear Julie, working on this trip for your family has been a great pleasure. Thank you so much for taking time in reviewing your experience. I'm glad to know that your trip to Italy was unforgettable and that you had wonderful time. I will be more than happy to help you plan your next trip to Italy :)
I wish all the best and until the next time.

Excellent service from planning to wrap-up!
Norway | Jun 3 - Jun 15, 2023

Cynthia
Cynthia H.
Littleton, CO | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023
Our KimKim specialist in Norway, Tricia, was amazing from start to finish. We had a medical emergency while on our trip and had to change a lot of our plans. Tricia really stepped up and helped us out in our hour of need! I would absolutely use KimKim again for any future international trips. Read more

Our KimKim specialist in Norway, Tricia, was amazing from start to finish. We had a medical emergency while on our trip and had to change a lot of our plans. Tricia really stepped up and helped us out in our hour of need!

I would absolutely use KimKim again for any future international trips.

Hotel Reviews
Opus XVI
Bergen
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Alexandra
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Brosundet
Ålesund
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Exploration of Ålesund's Surrounding Islands
Exploration of Ålesund's Surrounding Islands
Ålesund
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Tricia Cantlon
Tricia
Tricia Cantlon
Local specialist in Oslo | Replied on Jun 20, 2023

Thanks for everything, Cynthia and Steve. So grateful that you were able to complete your trip with some adjustments and enjoy Norway. Sending my best to you both. Take care!!!

Athens/Peloponnese Trip
Greece | Jun 8 - Jun 13, 2023

Brad
Brad F.
Live Oak, TX | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023
Had the pleasure of taking part in a 5-day Athens/Peloponnese excursion at the conclusion of a Viking cruise. Eleni and her team did an amazing job coordinating the trip for our group of 20+ adults. The days were long to ensure we saw as much as possible during our short stay in Greece. Eleni and team were readily available to answer any questions and to smooth out minor issues. Read more

Had the pleasure of taking part in a 5-day Athens/Peloponnese excursion at the conclusion of a Viking cruise. Eleni and her team did an amazing job coordinating the trip for our group of 20+ adults. The days were long to ensure we saw as much as possible during our short stay in Greece. Eleni and team were readily available to answer any questions and to smooth out minor issues.

Hotel Review
Acropolis Hill Hotel
Athens

Location fantastic near the acropolis. Many restaurants/cafes were a short walk away. Rooms were small but efficient. Water pressure was amazing and A/C worked like a champ. Major downside was the small elevator (3 people max) making it hard to move luggage up/down the 6 floors. Lobby was dark all the time and not exactly inviting. Staff were nice and housekeepers did a great job.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Eleni Fotiou
Eleni
Eleni Fotiou
Local specialist in Athens | Replied on Jun 19, 2023

Thank you very much Brad. I am looking forward to welcoming you again to Greece or Italy!

All the best, Eleni

Booking the trip seemed almost too easy, yet ...
Portugal | Jun 11 - Jun 17, 2023

Jessica
Jessica L.
Durham, NC | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023

Booking the trip seemed almost too easy, yet the itinerary (Azores 6 days)was just about perfect for our family. The best parts were dinner with a host family on our day of arrival and the fabulous guides we had (Ruis, Deni, Diego) who took great care of us and taught us so much about the region. The scenery is spectacular, but they made us appreciate it on a deeper level. Each day was a new adventure, with different activities from the day before, and we enjoyed it all. Also loved our hotel (San Miguel Park), with great views of the city and easy walk to downtown.

Local specialist: Karenina Steinbach
Karenina
Karenina Steinbach
Local specialist in Madrid, Spain | Replied on Jun 19, 2023

Hi Jessica, thank you so much for taking the time to write your trip review! I am thrilled to hear you and your family had such a great time in Portugal. It was my pleasure to organize this experience for all of you. I will pass on your kind word to Ruis, Deni and Diego, they mentioned great things about your family as well. Again, It was a pleasure working with you and I'm very happy to hear you had a great time in beautiful Azores. Warmest regards, Karenina

Our guides were amazing!
Greece | Jun 10 - Jun 17, 2023

A
Amy A.
Charlotte, NC | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023
Our guides were amazing. I believe our guide in Athens was Marina--she was sweet and knowledgeable and attentive to our needs on a very hot, busy day at the Acropolis. Our guide Mary in Naxos was also unbelieveable. We felt like family after our day with her! Read more

Our guides were amazing. I believe our guide in Athens was Marina--she was sweet and knowledgeable and attentive to our needs on a very hot, busy day at the Acropolis. Our guide Mary in Naxos was also unbelieveable. We felt like family after our day with her!

Hotel Reviews
Noble Suites
Athens

Just know that this is more of an apartment building rather than a traditional hotel. However it was perfect for us because we didn't need the amenities of a traditional hotel (gym, lobby, public spaces, etc.) We had two small apartments for our family of three--very neat and clean with everything we needed (*except I could have used a magnifying mirror for makeup). Breakfast was large and delicious with everything we could ask for. The hotel (owner?) Mariana took care of our every need, including some medicine for a stomach ache, extra blankets and early morning breakfast when we had an early transfer. Also the neighborhood is nice with a short walk to the Acropolis and many good cafes.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Naxos Island hotel
Naxos

This hotel is in a cute, laid back beach town about a 10-15 minute drive to Naxos Hora. We loved the location, just steps from a beautiful beach with many cafes. You can rent sunbeds with umbrellas on the beach for about 10-15 Euros, and the cafes will bring you food and drinks. We also enjoyed walking to the beach cafes for coffee and breakfast every morning. Naxos was definitely the highlight of our trip. We would have liked a magnifying mirror in the bathrooms for makeup. The rooftop pool is nice.

Authenticity & Character
Location
We liked the beach location, but if you want to be in Naxos Hora you will need to drive.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Volcano View Hotel
Santorini

First the good parts. The view from this hotel is stunning. The staff is super friendly. However, we felt that the location wasn't great. It's on a super busy road and there is no place to walk to from the hotel. It's a 20 minutes outside of the closest town, Fira, which was our least favorite part of the whole trip. Fira is busy with cruise ship tourists and it was filthy dirty with trash overflowing the trash cans and all over the streets. Streets are mostly T-shirt/postcard shops and fast food joints. Oia is a slightly better choice of city, with a bit nicer shops and restaurants, but it's 30 minutes and 40-50 Euros cab fare away from the hotel. Also, the hotel is filled with large busloads of tourists and honeymooners. Not a great choice for our family of three including our 17 year old daughter. There wasn't one other kid at the hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Location
You need to take a cab or bus or shuttle to get anywhere from this hotel. It's on a super busy road too far to walk to anything.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
However, our room was super small. You could barely walk around the bed in the bedroom and the living area was uncomfortable.
Activity Reviews
Private Acropolis Hill & Museum Tour
Private Acropolis Hill & Museum Tour
Athens

Our guide was amazing--super knowledgeable and sweet and attentive to our needs on a hot, busy day at the Acropolis.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Naxos Food & Culture Tour
Private Naxos Food & Culture Tour
Naxos

Definitely a highlight of our trip. Mary was a truly wonderful guide--we felt like family when we left her. Naxos is just lovely and laid back and authentic. Shops pride themselves on handmade goods (food, art, etc) that have been in families for generations. We tasted Naxos potatoes, oil, honey, wine--all delicious.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Harris Bitsounis
Harris
Harris Bitsounis
Local specialist in Athens | Replied on Jun 19, 2023

Dear Amy,

First of all I am more than happy that you enjoyed your guided tours in Athens and Naxos and you enjoyed your overall experience in our beautiful sunny country. Furthermore, thank you very much for your feedback, as it is really helpful for us so we can become better and better day by day!

I will be more than happy to to organize your next experience either in other destinations in Greece or Italy!

Best regards,
Harris

Excellent job for we gave a bit of an unusual order to Joel, as...
France | May 29 - Jun 7, 2023

F
Francois-Xavier M.
Canada | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023
We gave a bit of an unusual order to Joel, asking him to find and plan a 4 days advanced intensive cooking class in Lyon with some ability to have a bit of English if possible from the teacher. as we are a true Canadian couple - half French and half English ! We also booked a boutique hotel in the Presqu'ile and a quick tour of the city on the first day to get oriented. . Joel was straightforward that was not a usual request, but he has delivered on our request. We had a... Read more

We gave a bit of an unusual order to Joel, asking him to find and plan a 4 days advanced intensive cooking class in Lyon with some ability to have a bit of English if possible from the teacher. as we are a true Canadian couple - half French and half English ! We also booked a boutique hotel in the Presqu'ile and a quick tour of the city on the first day to get oriented. .

Joel was straightforward that was not a usual request, but he has delivered on our request.

We had a fantastic week with 2 chefs (Alice and Basil) that went through Pastries, French classics, desserts and entremets. We also did a day of Lyonnaise cuisine assorted with small plates, some meatless dishes, petits fours, amuses bouches. Extremely fast paced and we went through about 50 total dishes in 4 days - it was difficult, a lot of work but exactly what we had asked and we could not be more happy with this week.

Jean-Alexandre did a good job at the lay of the land for the tour, good recommendations for restaurants and what not to do ! The hotel was well located, boutique with a good bistronomique restaurant, a good breakfast and quiet.

so all in all, it was the first time we worked with Joel and he really came through for this trip and we would not hesitate to have another trip with him and recommend to our close circle.

Well done. Merci.

Hotel Review
Hotel de l'Abbaye
Lyon

Excellent small boutique hotel. good service, good bistro, good breakfast, quiet and decent little bar. It is boutique, so don't expect Sofitel amenities !

Authenticity & Character
Old building renovated with taste.
Location
quiet. close to Perrache.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
quiet. Rooms are sized as per French standards.
Activity Reviews
Cooking class in Lyon
Cooking class in Lyon
Lyon

Excellent class with Alice and Basil. This was advanced, intensive and private 4 day class. We did over 50 recipes over the 4 days declined in several dishes in several meal formats. It is not for beginners and some level of French understanding is a must. If you want to dig deep into French cooking, this is a very good option. Everything was well organized, on time and extremely busy (what we wanted). Thanks for the great week.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Its a Peninsula!  Guided tour of Lyon town center
Its a Peninsula! Guided tour of Lyon town center
Lyon

Jean Alexandre was excellent. What else there is to say ! our 3 hours tour went very well !

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Joël Massé
Joël
Joël Massé
Local specialist in Lacenas, near Lyon, France | Replied on Jun 19, 2023

Bonjour François and Nicole,
Thank you so much for your kind and very positive feedback ! I'm glad that you've enjoyed this multi day cooking class. with Alice. That makes me comfortable to propose it to future travelers who could have the same expectations as yours. Also glad to hear that you've loved Hotel de l'Abbaye. Indeed we don't propose it to all our travelers, as it's a very boutique style one and some people prefer more classical and bigger hotels.
Your comments are definitely very useful for us !
Best
Joel

A trip of a lifetime
Peru | May 20 - Jun 2, 2023

Josette
Josette B.
France | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023
We chose to kick off our honeymoon in Peru as we wanted to do Machu Picchu Inca Trail. We had wanted to do the 4-day Inca trail and the local travel agency booked the incorrect permits, allowing us to only do the 2-day Inca trail and the 2-day Lares Trek with Alpaca Expeditions. As compensation for the mistake, Kim Kim did refund the difference and upgraded our hotels, which we appreciated. All the activities, local guides and hotels that Kim Kim booked were great. If we had not had had the... Read more

We chose to kick off our honeymoon in Peru as we wanted to do Machu Picchu Inca Trail. We had wanted to do the 4-day Inca trail and the local travel agency booked the incorrect permits, allowing us to only do the 2-day Inca trail and the 2-day Lares Trek with Alpaca Expeditions. As compensation for the mistake, Kim Kim did refund the difference and upgraded our hotels, which we appreciated. All the activities, local guides and hotels that Kim Kim booked were great. If we had not had had the issue with the Inca Trail, we would have given 5 stars all around.
Inkaterra Amazonia was a great all-inclusive option. We booked the supplemental Orinthology expedition, which was well worth the extra money and 4am wake-up.
We had a great local guide in Cusco, Flora, and I was glad that the afternoon of visiting the surrounding sites was organized as it would have been difficult to visit all the important archeological sites without a car/taxi. Flora also gave us some great tips for the Lares Trail (bring coca leaves and candies to give to the local communities, which they loved). We also did an unprogrammed stop on the way back to Cusco at a local alpaca textile shop where we learned about how the sweaters were made, the difference between real and fake alpaca sweaters and were able to shop directly from the craftswomen.
The Lares Trek was beautiful but the elevation was very difficult. Ricardo at Alpaca Expeditions did a great job with the logistics, ensuring that we were hiking at the right speed and explaining about the region. The 2-day Inca Trail, while not what we had initially expected, still allowed us to enter Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate. Of note, the tickets to Machu Picchu only cover 1 circuit, so if you want to see the full site, you would need to have multiple entry tickets booked.
The Titicaca Train between Cusco and Puno was truly a once in a lifetime experience that Kim Kim booked a few days before our arrival as the trains were closed until that date.
We had a great local guide in Puno as well, José, to visit the Uros floating islands and the village on Isla Taquile. (Tip: bring cash with you if you would like to buy nice weavings).
Our trip then went onto Bolivia and the connection between Peru and Bolivia was not handled by Kim Kim. We booked an early morning bus between Puno and La Paz. Getting to the bus was fine, but the border crossing was a disaster. Fellow Americans: get your visa done before leaving on your trip. Despite telling the bus drivers that I needed to buy a Bolivian visa, there was mass confusion at the border and everyone had different opinions on which order the stamps needed to be obtained and no one spoke English. One American couple on our bus was left behind at the border as they didn't have their paperwork organized and took too long sorting out their visas.

Hotel Review
Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica
Puerto Maldonado

Wonderful experience - delicious food, comfortable and beautiful cabanas, great excursions. No wifi or cell network, so it was a great way to kick off our honeymoon fully disconnected from the world (no temptation to check work emails!)

Authenticity & Character
Beautiful architecture and cabanas, all with open air with mosquito netting.
Location
Isolated in the middle of the rainforest. Opportunity to see wildlife right outside your cabana!
Staff
Our guide for excursions Hugo was great - very knowledgeable and great at spotting wildlife
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Fly from Lima to Cusco, Explore the City
Fly from Lima to Cusco, Explore the City
Peru

Pick-up at the airport was smooth.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Into the Amazon: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica
Into the Amazon: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica
Puerto Maldonado

Simple connection, we were picked up at the airport and they handled organizing storing our big suitcases

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Jungle Excursions
Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Jungle Excursions
Puerto Maldonado

All the organized and included excursions were great.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Jungle Excursions
Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Jungle Excursions
Puerto Maldonado

All the organized and included excursions were great.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Morning river journey and return flight to Lima
Morning river journey and return flight to Lima
Puerto Maldonado

Well organized, Inkaterra handled checking and printing our boarding passes

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Cusco Tour
Cusco Tour
Peru

Flora was a great guide - very knowledgeable and had good tips for our future Trek

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Trek Briefing
Trek Briefing
Peru

Good briefing, but there was a misunderstanding between Alpaca Expeditions and Kim Kim. We had to call Alpaca Expeditions as they did not show up at the scheduled time as they had our briefing down for a different day. The concierge at the hotel called and they showed up about 30 minutes later and the briefing covered everything we needed to know for the Trek.

Quality of Experience
reconfirm with trek company time and date of briefing
Inca Trail Day 1/4: Cusco - Piskacucho Km 82 - Llactapata- Ayapata
Inca Trail Day 1/4: Cusco - Piskacucho Km 82 - Llactapata- Ayapata
Peru

We did the LARES TREK as the local travel agency purchased the incorrect permits and only bought the 2 day Inca Trail permits. Beautiful views.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Inca Trail Day 2/4: Yuncachimpa - Warmihuañusca Pass - Chaquicocha
Inca Trail Day 2/4: Yuncachimpa - Warmihuañusca Pass - Chaquicocha
Peru

We did the LARES TREK as the local travel agency purchased the incorrect permits and only bought the 2 day Inca Trail permits. LARES Day 2 was less interesting as it was a downhill slope until lunch time and the rest of the afternoon was spent with other activities rather than hiking.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Inca Trail Day 3/4: Chaquicocha - Phuyupatamarca - Wiñayhuayna
Inca Trail Day 3/4: Chaquicocha - Phuyupatamarca - Wiñayhuayna
Peru

We did the Inca Trail 2 Day as the local travel agency purchased the incorrect permits and only bought the 2 day Inca Trail permits. Day 1 from km 104 - Beautiful hike with lots of stairs and other Incan ruins along the way. Seeing Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate for the first time is truly extraordinary.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Inca Trail Day 4/4: Wiñayhuayna - Machu Picchu - Cusco
Inca Trail Day 4/4: Wiñayhuayna - Machu Picchu - Cusco
Peru

We did the 2 Day Inca Trail as the local travel agency purchased the incorrect permits and only bought the 2 day Inca Trail permits. The 2nd day, isn't actually a hike, it is just visiting the actual archeological site. We were unaware that the entry ticket for Machu Picchu only covered 1 circuit, which means that you don't get to visit the full site. We would have preferred having more time at Machu Picchu, even if that means purchasing multiple entries to see the full site. The train back from Agua Calientes is quite a bit of fun.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Welcome to Puno: Free day
Welcome to Puno: Free day
Puno

The Titicaca Train was a first class experience and discovered the pisco chilcano! The train was beautiful, the scenery was beautiful, the food was delicious, the entertainment was great. Highly recommend! We're so glad Kim Kim was able to book this last minute for us once Peru Rail reopened the line a week prior as it certainly beat an 8hour drive!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Lake Titicaca Tour: Uros Floating Islands & Taquile Island
Lake Titicaca Tour: Uros Floating Islands & Taquile Island
Puno

Our guide José, was great. It was very interesting to learn about the local cultures here and how they were similar/different to other Quechua communities we'd encountered so far during our trip. The boat trip to Taquile Island was nice and the view from Taquile was beautiful with a delicious lunch.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Depart Puno
Depart Puno
Puno

It was nice to be dropped off at the bus, but we would have liked it if Kim Kim could handle the border transfer between Peru and Bolivia as it was a disaster.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Lima Free Day to Explore
Lima Free Day to Explore
Peru

As Lima is a very big city and the sites to see are very spread out, which means you need to taxi/uber between all visits. Having a guided tour of the city to bring us to the museums/sites to see would have been a nice addition to our trip.

Quality of Experience
Arrival to Lima: Free Day to Explore
Arrival to Lima: Free Day to Explore
Lima

Pick-up from airport was smooth.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Jessica Danker
Jessica
Jessica Danker
Local specialist in New York City | Replied on Jun 29, 2023

Thank you for all of your feedback! Happy to hear you had a lovely time and enjoyed your experience while in Peru.

Family trip for 10...
Italy | Jun 9 - Jun 17, 2023

Urmila
Urmila K.
Rosanky, TX | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023
Everything went very well.
I do want to comment about a few things.
First- Daniela was our concierge and she was great!! Very responsive and confirmed transfers and tours with us. I do think that I would have preferred a local guide for the St. Peter’s basilica tour rather than a German one. Our guide was difficult to understand and also did not know that the basilica was going to close early so our tour was only 1 hour instead of 2. The guide for the Roman forum and the... Read more

Everything went very well.
I do want to comment about a few things.

First- Daniela was our concierge and she was great!! Very responsive and confirmed transfers and tours with us.

I do think that I would have preferred a local guide for the St. Peter’s basilica tour rather than a German one. Our guide was difficult to understand and also did not know that the basilica was going to close early so our tour was only 1 hour instead of 2.

The guide for the Roman forum and the colosseum was excellent through LivTours.

The guide for pompeii was not too good. Although he knew a lot about pompeii, he was a bit too aloof- in my opinion- and should’ve been more directive in deciding about taking umbrellas and what parts to see before it started raining…

Our driver through the coastal towns did not stop in Amalfi and although it worked out, it was a change in what expected and eve Daniela was not aware.

Our hotel in Rome had poor AC in most of the rooms and did not really try to fix it.
We did discuss with them and with Daniela at the time of service so I waiting for a partial refund on this.

Some great things…
The location of all our hotels was excellent!
The cooking class was super fun and great location but again the description did not meet what we actually did.

On our free day in Sorrento, we took a boat tour with a small group to and around Capri and had an amazing time… I would recommend them as a tour you could use and partner with in future.

https://abnb.me/FQ1DUXYjJAb

Hotel Reviews
HOTEL DELLE NAZIONI
ROME

AC was not good / consistent in rooms and not good communication about it with the staff

Authenticity & Character
Location
Great great location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Grand Hotel De La Ville
Sorrento

Beautiful hotel. Breakfast staff was great and front desk was great. Bad Manager was rude.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Grand Hotel Vesuvio
Naples

Great location. Beautiful 10th floor. Strange that the pool and gym area was not open all the time and that the bathrooms were not in service near the pool. The jacuzzi was cold

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Private Colosseum guided tour & Ancient Rome
Private Colosseum guided tour & Ancient Rome
Rome
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Train Rome/Naples with transfers and 2h guided tour in Pompeii
Train Rome/Naples with transfers and 2h guided tour in Pompeii
Italy
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Cooking Class Experience Amalfi Coast
Cooking Class Experience Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast

Expectations based on description were different than what we actually did

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Driver and restaurant did not communicate so we waited almost an hour to be picked up
Transport
Visit of The Amalfi coast  Villages Full Day
Visit of The Amalfi coast Villages Full Day
Italy

Driver and concierge did not communicate about the plan that day. Turned out to be a gorgeous day and had a great time but good to see expectations accurately

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Early morning private Vatican Tour
Early morning private Vatican Tour
Rome
Local specialist: Fabio Fasone
Fabio
Fabio Fasone
Local specialist in Venice, Italy | Replied on Jun 30, 2023
Dear Urmila
Thank you so much for taking the time to submit a review for your Italy trip. We are delighted that you enjoyed your experiences and especially the professionalism and the core personnel of Your Custom Journey we are also happy that you enjoyed our guides through especially the service of our concierge Daniela
Thank you also for providing the critique of your hotel in Rome. I strive to provide the best experience for my guests and take negative comments seriously. This is a 4*... Read more

Dear Urmila
Thank you so much for taking the time to submit a review for your Italy trip. We are delighted that you enjoyed your experiences and especially the professionalism and the core personnel of Your Custom Journey we are also happy that you enjoyed our guides through especially the service of our concierge Daniela

Thank you also for providing the critique of your hotel in Rome. I strive to provide the best experience for my guests and take negative comments seriously. This is a 4* hotel we have used many times with great traveler reviews, but your comments have prompted us to send immediately our local Concierge to make an inspection and reconsider using it for future guests. Thank you also for sending your feedback for the guide in Pompeii again we have a longstanding relationship with our suppliers and as well as for the hotel we might reconsider working with this guide in the future

Thank you again for providing us with your feedback so that we can improve and perfect our services. It would be my pleasure to host you again in the next future for another exciting journey in Italy.

We did not understand that KimKim was just bo...
Norway | Jun 5 - Jun 10, 2023

Melissa
Melissa S.
Fort Worth, TX | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023
We did not understand that KimKim was just booking things for us and not a tour guide. We thought she was picking us up and and taking us from one event to the next. We had 2people in their 80’s and one in late 70’s the other 3 were in their late 50s. We didn’t know until we sent deposit that we were on our on to get to tours, and would never meet anyone from KimKim. She never ask our ages and anything about us. We have traveled we so many travel groups that pick us up from airport and take... Read more

We did not understand that KimKim was just booking things for us and not a tour guide. We thought she was picking us up and and taking us from one event to the next. We had 2people in their 80’s and one in late 70’s the other 3 were in their late 50s. We didn’t know until we sent deposit that we were on our on to get to tours, and would never meet anyone from KimKim. She never ask our ages and anything about us. We have traveled we so many travel groups that pick us up from airport and take care of us. We would never travel with this kinda of service again. It was terrible. We had to walk long distances with heavy suitcases and find our on way to each tour are train. This is very hard on a 88 year old person. All KimKim did was book 2 site seeing tours in Oslo ( which were a long walk to get to) 2 hotels, a train ride ( which we had to find our way too, ) and a lift up a mountain in Bergen. All of the tours were lovely but it was very hard on us old people to find our way and manage our on luggage.. This has never been the way we have traveled before. And it will never be the way we do it again

Hotel Reviews
Camillas Hus
Oslo

It was lovely and the breakfast was wonderful

Staff
Everything
Cleanliness & Comfort
Fretheim Hotel
Flåm
Authenticity & Character
Location
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Panoramic Bus Trip
Panoramic Bus Trip
Oslo

We would have enjoyed it more if it could have been totally in English

Fløibanen  Funicular Experience
Fløibanen Funicular Experience
Bergen

Loved it

Local specialist: Julia Plaschke
Julia
Julia Plaschke
Local specialist in Kristiansand | Replied on Jun 26, 2023
HI Melissa, thanks a lot for providing so detailed feedback. We are really sorry to hear that the service we offer was not the right for you. We do our best to offer 24/7 support over the phone, to be there for you during the whole trip, but we understand that this does not create the same experience as having a guide with you for your entire stay.
In Norway concierge service is not very common, only a few hotels offer it, thus we should have been more clear about it during the planning. We...
Read more

HI Melissa, thanks a lot for providing so detailed feedback. We are really sorry to hear that the service we offer was not the right for you. We do our best to offer 24/7 support over the phone, to be there for you during the whole trip, but we understand that this does not create the same experience as having a guide with you for your entire stay.
In Norway concierge service is not very common, only a few hotels offer it, thus we should have been more clear about it during the planning. We still hope that you enjoyed your stay in Norway and got to experience the beauty of this country.
Best,
Julia

Tour planning , hotels and tours were all ver...
Greece | Jun 9 - Jun 17, 2023

P
Pushpa S.
Alpharetta, GA | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023
Tour planning , hotels and tours were all very good. Naxos was spectacular. Would have preferred more options for Santorini hotel Read more

Tour planning , hotels and tours were all very good. Naxos was spectacular. Would have preferred more options for Santorini hotel

Hotel Reviews
Nissos Thira Hotel
Santorini
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Titania Hotel
Athina
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Lagos Mare
Naxos

Amazing hotel and staff!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Antonis Alexandrou
Antonis
Antonis Alexandrou
Local specialist in Athens | Replied on Jun 21, 2023

Hi Pushpa,

I hope that you are well and that you had a pleasant flight back home!!

It was great to welcome you to our country and meet you all in person!!

You were all lovely and your smiles and positive energy when you arrived in Athens, is something that I will remember for a long time!!

Thank you so much for the feedback. It's precious for us and I really appreciate it!!

Antonis

Our trip to Costa Rica was even dreamier than...
Costa Rica | Jun 5 - Jun 12, 2023

Kat
Kat E.
Roanoke, VA | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023
Our trip to Costa Rica was even dreamier than I imagined. Our specialist provided a great itenerary, including several adjustments I requested and he also answered all my questions about logistics, the culture, expectations, etc. The lodging options we ultimately landed on were wonderful, really unique spaces with decent amenties, great food and high quality service. He provided a couple of different options for the hot springs near Arenal volcano and we opted for the more luxurious option... Read more

Our trip to Costa Rica was even dreamier than I imagined. Our specialist provided a great itenerary, including several adjustments I requested and he also answered all my questions about logistics, the culture, expectations, etc. The lodging options we ultimately landed on were wonderful, really unique spaces with decent amenties, great food and high quality service. He provided a couple of different options for the hot springs near Arenal volcano and we opted for the more luxurious option for our anniversary, sooooo glad we did! He also recommended great sites to see like the Fortuna waterfall, and suggested a bike company to rent our own bikes since we didn't want to do any group tours and be on our own schedule. He was very patient and understanding through the planning process and we had absolutely no hiccups on our travels. The wildlife park in Manuel Antonio was also really cool, and the beaches there as spectacular as he described. It was truly a trip in paradise!

Hotel Reviews
Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel
San José

I like the local, unique feel of this hotel. The room was basic but nice and clean. The typical Costa Rica breakfast was decent. The surrounding streets in the area were a bit rough and it is near a busy/loud road, though we didn't hear it at night and they have locking gates/fence all around so we felt safe. We had a view of the town and mountainous backdrop from our room. There was a causal and tasty restaurant within walking distance, also a bank to exchange local currnecy

Authenticity & Character
older hotel but nicely maintained.
Location
in the center of several activites, near a big park with art museum
Staff
very nice and helpful people
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Lomas del Volcán
Fortuna

This place is VERY cool. It was slightly separated from the town La Fortuna, but only about 3 min. drive - wiht its own private road that leads you through the tropical forest and to a beautifull landscaped paradise. Each dwelling is a lovely mini house with 2 very comfy beds, tv, min fridge and coffee maker, many outlets including USB, good tv, big closet & drawers, AC, large bathroom with huge shower area and bidet. Best part is covered porches front and back with seating to observe the wildlife, view the volcano, eat and relax. There is also a nature trail at the end of the property into the forest, we saw toucans and heard the howler monkeys here! The pool with waterfall and big spa/jacuzzi is fantastic, the bar and restuarant was great with a tremendous breakfast buffet with both American and Costa Rican foods, pastries, custom chef bar, and fresh juices and fruits. Excellent service! We didn't have time to try the spa services but be sure you visit a hot springs at a neighboring hotel and also the Fortuna waterfall.

Authenticity & Character
submerged in local foliage that is well manicured
Location
secluded and lush surroundings, RIGHT at the base of the volcano with amazing views!
Staff
room was sparkling, front desk very nice, funny and great bartender
Cleanliness & Comfort
cozy beds, just enough amenities, private space
Espadilla Ocean Club
Manuel Antonio

This place was really cool and unique. We had our own 2-story house, with AC, two bathrooms & bedrooms, outdoor shower and rinse areas to clean off after the beach, and full kitchen. There is a great covered patio in the back outdoor dining set, hammock and a fun, cool little splash pool with jets! Lovely local flora and well lendscaped yards in between the bulidings. Nice open, covered hangout pad with basket chairs, games, grill, and security. They even have onsite laundry machines for you to use. The trail leads right to the beach through a short forest path. We heard howler monkeys in the surrouding trees each morning.

Authenticity & Character
cool decor, very tropical feeling
Location
close to beach and restuarants, also walking distance to the national park
Staff
The host was amazing, giving us great dinner recommendations and ordering a taxi for us. Security greeted us every day, helped us park and made sure the gate was open/ closed when we needed it.
Cleanliness & Comfort
clean service daily, even did the dishes.
Hampton by Hilton San José Airport
Alajuela

pretty standard for a hampton.

Authenticity & Character
Location
easy shuttles to the hotel, nearby resturants in walking distance.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Visit Club Rio Hot Springs
Visit Club Rio Hot Springs
Costa Rica

This place is TOTAL WOW!!! We lived like kings, enjoyed every single unique, beautiful and relaxing pool. The luxurious faclilites and amenities were out of this world and unlike anything we have experienced. Comfy seating and chairs everywhere, wide open spaces. We had a day pass and opted for the dinner package, the food was delicious. - a 3 course menu including dessert with plenty of tasty options. We orderd two differnt dishes and tasted eachothers, both were fantasitc. The swim up bar had good drinks, not too outrageous in cost and there were tvs everywhere. They also gave us second day access and we were happy to return.

Quality of Experience
This is a very special place, a windy road through the forest leads you here and reveals a world of luxury with views of the volcano and surrounded by lush forest.
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Olman Romero
Olman
Olman Romero
Local specialist in San Jose, Costa Rica | Replied on Jun 19, 2023

Hello Katrina & Brad,

Thanks for your kind words and excellent review!
I have no words to describe how happy I feel about the experience that you had in my country.

Thanks for every comment about each hotel and activity, that helps me a lot.

Let's hope that you can have more time in the future to continue exploring Costa Rica!

Pura Vida,
Olman

Dean & his team put an amazing itinerary toge...
Ireland | Jun 11 - Jun 16, 2023

Debi
Debi H.
Canada | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2023
Dean & his team put an amazing itinerary together for us, the B&B’s they booked for us were all so great! We appreciated the detailed itinerary and recommended sights at each location! We especially loved all the stops along the Great Atlantic Way. The boat trip to Blasket Island by far was our favourite excursion! We loved it all!! Read more

Dean & his team put an amazing itinerary together for us, the B&B’s they booked for us were all so great! We appreciated the detailed itinerary and recommended sights at each location! We especially loved all the stops along the Great Atlantic Way. The boat trip to Blasket Island by far was our favourite excursion! We loved it all!!

Hotel Reviews
Bambury Guesthouse
Co Kerry

Our room was luxurious! So comfortable and well appointed! The host and staff were all so friendly and breakfast was delicious

Authenticity & Character
Location
Perfect location! Just a 5 min walk to Dingle town centre!
Staff
Friendly & helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
So clean and the most comfortable bed!
Clayton Hotel Dublin Airport
Clonshaugh

What a lovely hotel, the rooms were comfortable, clean and quiet! We had dinner in the pub and it was really good. Breakfast was delicious

Authenticity & Character
Location
So close to the airport worked out perfectly
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Blasket Island Boat Tour from Dingle
Blasket Island Boat Tour from Dingle
Ireland

This trip was our favourite! We loved Billy & Alice, they were friendly, professional and so knowledgeable on the area. They really treated us to the best day!

Quality of Experience
No
Guides, Drivers and Staff
So much info provided, we loved it
Transport
The boat was fun
Local specialist: Dean Garrison
Dean
Dean Garrison
Local specialist in Ireland | Replied on Jun 19, 2023

Hi Debi

Many thanks for your wonderful review, and travelling with us this year.

It was a pleasure meeting you during your trip and its great to see you enjoyed your time so much!
We hope to see you again soon.

Kind Regards

Dean

Amazing family trip to Wales
Wales | Jun 4 - Jun 14, 2023

Samantha
Samantha D.
Broomfield, CO | Reviewed on Jun 17, 2023
KimKim was an integral part in planning our family (9 people including a child) trip to Wales. They offered us a wide range of experiences with our own private, local guides, who were all excellent and passionate about showing us their country. Our days included castles, mountain hikes, and dips in the ocean - our trip had too many highlights to list here. Most importantly, KimKim listened to our feedback during the planning stages, so our trip was unique and touched on all the items we... Read more

KimKim was an integral part in planning our family (9 people including a child) trip to Wales. They offered us a wide range of experiences with our own private, local guides, who were all excellent and passionate about showing us their country. Our days included castles, mountain hikes, and dips in the ocean - our trip had too many highlights to list here.

Most importantly, KimKim listened to our feedback during the planning stages, so our trip was unique and touched on all the items we wanted to complete on our itinerary while also leaving us some independence. They are very responsive; we needed some last-minute transportation and they worked with us to book our rides while in Wales (which totally saved us!).

All of our guides were on time, attentive, and worked with us to accommodate our family’s needs. It was a trip of a lifetime!

Local specialist: William Armstrong
William
William Armstrong
Local specialist in UK | Replied on Jun 26, 2023

Thanks Samantha - we enjoyed building this family trip in the heart of Wales. Happy to hear it went well for you all!

Greece - your way!
Greece | May 30 - Jun 14, 2023

Cassidy
Cassidy J.
Meridian, ID | Reviewed on Jun 17, 2023
Angela made planning this trip so easy and was very helpful along every step of the way. She was always very quick to respond with any questions or issues we had and made sure to communicate any trip changes to us by both messaging us and informing our guides to let us know. Our hotels were all clean, nice, and in great locations! Angela took into account my biggest request for accommodation which was to be centrally located and close to town/our activities. Most of our planned... Read more

Angela made planning this trip so easy and was very helpful along every step of the way. She was always very quick to respond with any questions or issues we had and made sure to communicate any trip changes to us by both messaging us and informing our guides to let us know.

Our hotels were all clean, nice, and in great locations! Angela took into account my biggest request for accommodation which was to be centrally located and close to town/our activities.

Most of our planned activities were great and exactly as described. Some of my favorite activities were the Athens Highlights Mythology Tour, Plaka Sunset Walking Tour in Athens, the Milos Off-Road Experience, the Catamaran Sunset Cruise in Santorini, and the Naxos Culinary Tour. All of our tour guides were knowledgeable and and enjoyable to listen to/interact with.

We really enjoyed the Naxos Culinary Tour and had a fun time with the tour guide Alex. It was great meeting the locals and watching the pottery demonstration and helping cook our lunch for the day on the farm. I would recommend adding into the description to skip breakfast or eat a very light breakfast because we were absolutely stuffed by the time we were done with the tour!

Naxos was our favorite island - I would highly recommend it! It had beautiful beaches as well as an immersive feel of actually interacting with locals outside of the tourism industry. We also really enjoyed our scuba diving lesson. I really appreciated that Angela took our interests into account when selecting our itinerary of islands because I know we wouldn't have enjoyed this trip if we did only the most popular islands.

Out of all of our planned activities there were 2 that need improvement/more accurate descriptions. The first being the Kimolos Tour from Milos. I really enjoyed the island of Kimolos but unfortunately we weren't able to get the full experience because all of the museums were closed on the day we went there. We had 3 full days in Milos so it seems like it would have been easy to schedule this on a different day. Additionally, our tour was impacted by a misread/miscommunication on the ferry schedules. The tour company planned for us to take the ferry leaving at 11:15am but didn't read the schedule closely enough and the ferry actually didn't come until 12:30pm so we missed out on over an hour of being in Kimolos. It was also our guide's first time doing this tour in Kimolos so that added to the fact that we didn't have enough time because he was having to find his way around. I will say at least our guide was very knowledgeable about Milos so as we waited over an hour for the ferry he was able to take us to some spots close by in Milos to show us so it wasn't a total waste of time.

The other tour that was not as described was the Magnificent Sunrise in Santorini. The description listed a "fully stacked breakfast box" and listed a bunch of goodies including eggs, yogurt, spinach pie, bread, etc. What we actually got was a stop at a bakery along the way where we each chose one pie and one beverage to take with us. I also expected that there would be some sore of nice area to relax in (like a sun bed or beach chair) but we were simply taken to the public beach area and told we could sit on the public bench and eat or walk along the beach. It was a bit awkward cause we sat on the bench and ate our pies while the driver and "guide" just sat in the car right next to us.

Overall we really enjoyed this trip. Most of all I enjoyed how easy to plan it was and how organized it all was.

Hotel Reviews
33 Solonos Suites
Athens

Love that we didn't have to deal with a lengthy check in process. We were given simple, easy to follow directions for getting our room key. Hotel staff was quick to respond when we had an issue with a tripped breaker and the power went out in our room. They arrived within about 30 minutes and got it fixed very quickly. Room was very modern and clean. Location was awesome -- close enough to be within walking distance of all major tourist attractions but also in a nicer, quieter location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Garifalakis Comfort Rooms
Milos

The owner of this hotel lived close by and was so nice! She remembered us and always checked in when she saw us. Check in and check out was easy and simple. Room was clean and comfortable. Only complaint with this hotel is the bathroom -- the floor is made of rocks which is uncomfortable to stand on and the shower is open to the room with no curtain so water gets everywhere even if you are careful.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close enough to walk to all restaurants and stores.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Blue Dolphins Apartments & Suites
Firostefani, Santorini

View from our shared balcony was breathtaking!! We also absolutely loved our breakfast tray each morning. So tasty and authentic. We also loved that we could choose the exact time we wanted our breakfast delivered and that we could eat out on the balcony and soak in the views each morning. One complaint was about the smells sometimes. Light sewage smell...

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Korali Palace Hotel
Naxos

We loved the breakfast each morning -- very authentic with lots of options for many different hot dishes and sides. The room was beautiful and clean. Staff was friendly and helpful. We loved our private balcony. Location was very close to shopping areas, restaurants, and the beach. Check in and check out was fast and easy and they were very helpful with our bags.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Athens Highlights Mythology Tour
Athens Highlights Mythology Tour
Greece

Our guide on this tour (Anastasia) was engaging and knowledgeable. Tour was well-paced and interesting for all participants. Tour group size was manageable and not too large.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Plaka Sunset Walking Tour
Plaka Sunset Walking Tour
Greece

One of my favorite tours. Our guide (can't remember her name) was so knowledgeable and entertaining for us. She had lots of anecdotes. She did great pointing out good spots to stop and take pictures and didn't make me feel bad for wanting to stop to grab a picture.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Boat Tour Unique Sailing Experience to Agistri Moni Aegina with round transfers
Full Day Boat Tour Unique Sailing Experience to Agistri Moni Aegina with round transfers
Greece

Loved the lunch served on board - lots of authentic greek dishes that were very tasty. There were long stretches of time of sailing in the morning and evening but it was very pleasant from the top deck. The islands we visited were beautiful!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sounio Sunset tour
Sounio Sunset tour
Athens

Enjoyed our time with the guide Elena and the driver Mario. They made the long drive interesting. I enjoyed seeing this temple very much and the sunset was beautiful!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Milos Off-Road Experience
Milos Off-Road Experience
Greece

Loved that we were able to go to less populated areas of the island which definitely made it seem more personal/special. The mines were very interesting to walk through and our guide got some great pictures of us! It was great that he was from Milos and was very knowledgeable about everything/everyone!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Sailing Tour Around Milos (Catamaran from Adamas)
Full Day Sailing Tour Around Milos (Catamaran from Adamas)
Greece

We saw some absolutely beautiful sites that we otherwise would not have been able to see on this boat tour which was really fun. Unfortunately the weather was very windy and it was a little chilly that day which had a big impact on our enjoyment of this tour. The morning was a bit stressful as there were several different boat tours all leaving at the same time with different companies and we did not know which one we were supposed to be on for a while as it was a bit of a madhouse. I think this day would have been more enjoyable if the boat cruise was a little shorter. By the end of the day we were worn out and sick of the constant wind/cold. The sea was pretty rough towards the end of the day too. The staff was all excellent and we did have a lot of yummy food. They did the best they could with the weather.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kimolos Tour from Milos
Kimolos Tour from Milos
Greece

There was misinformation regarding the ferry timing. We were picked up from our hotel at 10:15am to get to the ferry - literally less than 10 minutes from our hotel. We waited for over 40 minutes for the ferry which turned out not to be coming until 12:15pm! Luckily our guide was able to take us to the papafragas caves and talk with us about the history of those while we waited so we had something to do. We had more than 1 hr less in Kimolos than we originally should have had. Additionally - the museums were all closed so we didn't get to visit those. This was our tour guides first time doing the Kimolos tour so there was some confusion about where to go for certain sites which also wasted some time. I did really enjoy walking through the capital city and visiting some shops there. Personally, I would take out the beach time in Kimolos as the beach we went to was pretty rocky and spend more time at the sites unique to Kimolos.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
All time classic Santorini 2023
All time classic Santorini 2023
Greece

Best parts of the day were the archeological sites and museum. The tour guide for the first part of the day for the ruins and museum unfortunately was hard to understand and seemed to stop to explain stuff in weird locations, but I still enjoyed it. I also really loved the stop in Kamari for individual exploring/shopping. I also loved the look out view point from the highest part of the island. The parts that could use some improvement were the lunch/wine tasting and evening cocktail. I think the time spent at lunch and the cocktail was a bit too long. The view of the sunset for cocktails wasn't as good as I was hoping as well. The food during the lunch was pretty good, however. There were 2 different "beach" stops on the itinerary but it wasn't clear if there was going to be swimming or not so the communication on that end could be improved. Honestly the red beach stop should be removed from the itinerary as the beach is closed and the view is much better from a boat than you can see on land.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
I loved the guide in the afternoon -- he was very personable and knowledgeable about the island. The female guide in the morning was difficult to understand.
Transport
Magnificent Sunrise 2023
Magnificent Sunrise 2023
Greece

The description said "Your breakfast box will be filled with local, homemade goodies: country bread, Brioche, Cake, Biscuits, Honey, Marmalade, Butter, Yogurt with honey and walnuts, Fried egg, Country spinach pie, Juice/Coffee/Milk, Bread Sticks." What we actually got was a stop along the way at a bakery to pick out one pie and one beverage each. That is a big difference! Felt like they should have been prepared with the food already on hand so we wouldn't have to leave as early. Additionally -- I would have expected somewhere nice to sit with comfortable chairs or sun beds to relax and enjoy the morning. Especially since the beach there was fairly rocky so it is uncomfortable to sit/walk on. All we got was a public bench with graffiti on it. It was also awkward that the driver and "guide" were sitting in the car parked right next to us. I felt like we couldn't enjoy the "carefree day on the beach" with them sitting there right next to us waiting the whole time. If we had not done this activity and just had breakfast at our hotel we would have gotten a much better meal with a much nicer view and somewhere comfortable to sit.

Quality of Experience
Catamaran Sunset Cruise
Catamaran Sunset Cruise
Santorini

This was the perfect length to be able to enjoy sailing, swimming, and the food without growing tired. The weather was on our side for this sailing cruise, wasn't too windy. The dinner was very delicious with several different dishes to try. The staff was excellent and made sure we were all having a good time while also being safe. Only downside was the disembarkation back to the port which was very busy with lots of boats all unloading at the same time at a very small port.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Naxos Old Town Flavors
Naxos Old Town Flavors
Greece

Really enjoyed this tour and our guide Alex. The different tastings were fun and interesting. The highlight for me was the Venetian castle. The dinner was also very delicious at the restaurant. One improvement would be more stops for pictures along the way. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get many that evening.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Naxos Culinary Tour
Naxos Culinary Tour
Greece

We both loved this experience getting to see some of the Naxos country side on the way to the farm and pottery workshop. Unfortunately there was no olive oil factory/sampling as was included in the description. The pottery shop was very cool and watching the demonstration of the traditional Naxian designs was amazing! I loved getting to shop around for some unique handmade items to take home with me. We also really enjoyed the meal and learning how to make it as well as seeing all of the farm animals and helping to feed some of them!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Discover Scuba Diving in Naxos
Discover Scuba Diving in Naxos
Naxos

Our instructor was very helpful and good at explaining everything we needed to know to be safe in the water. It was fun that she pointed out different sea creatures while we were on the dive.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Angela (Aggeliki) Giannioti
Angela (Aggeliki)
Angela (Aggeliki) Giannioti
Local specialist in Greece | Replied on Jun 22, 2023

Dear Cassidy and Carter,

Thank you for the time to leave your feedback and thoughts on your trip.
I truly appreciate it.
Your sincere thoughts are taken into account and help us get better! So thank you!

I am really happy that you had a nice time in Greece with us.
I would love to see you coming back soon. There are so many other small islands, with that local feeling that I would love to show so and that I am sure you will fall in love with!
Until then take care, and have fun!
Yamas, from Greece,
Angela and the GA Trips team!

Why travelers love kimkim

Custom trips for independent travelers who are too busy to plan
Customize your trip with the help of a local travel specialist

Kimkim has handpicked the world’s top local travel specialists so you will have peace of mind and an unforgettable trip that meets your exact requirements.

Authentic travel experiences

Kimkim’s local specialists ensure that you will have the best experience based on up-to-date local insights. On top of that, the vast majority of your money will go straight to support and grow local economies.

Secure & easy booking

Once you are happy with the trip, you can easily book via kimkim’s secure payment platform.

Local support during your trip

You can always reach your local specialist with a quick message or call in case you hit a snag during your trip, or simply want some great local recommendations.