Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had an amazing trip to Greece that was an authentic adventure exploring the islands with wonderful tours and excursions planned by Kimkim!

We did a mythology-focused tour of the acropolis in Athens that was really interesting and the tour guide made the day lots of fun.

We spent the majority of our time in Paros which was selected for us by Kimkim because it is a less-crowded, but beautiful island. We went kayaking with a wonderful company that gave us a feel for the culture and the sea we were exploring. We had a delicious hand-prepared picnic on a stunning island and snorkeled and swam as part of the experience.

The Aloni hotel was in a quaint area of Paros and very close to restuarants and shops. We did need a car to explore on our own and get to all the planned tours, but it was easy to take care of on our own. Our favorite experience on the island of Paros was the cooking class at Antezina where we made a traditional Greek meal and ate with a small group of tourists. It was a great way to learn about the culture and enjoy making a meal together with locals. We took a short ferry to Anteiaros for a few hours to see a beautiful ancient cave and hike around the beaches. We also did a e-bike excursion that was a terrific way to explore the island from a different perspective. On this tour, our guide Flora made a delicious picnic that we ate as we watched the sunset. This was incredible! We also had time to just relax at the beach and enjoyed Golden beach the most where we hung out a restaurant called Blue.

We then went to Milos for a few days and had the opportunity to go sailing, snorkeling and swimming around the island. It was a little windy, but that made it all the more fun and exciting. The captain was really friendly and the chef cooked an amazing meal onboard. We then went to Sarakaniko beach which was just beautiful. We rented a car on Milos as well to help get around the island easily.

Overall, the experience included just the right amount of planned activities to allow us to relax and have chill time. I would definitely book my next trip with Kimkim. Having never been to Greece, they selected wonderful activities that gave us a great feel for this amazing country.

Thank you Kimkim!!

Hotel Review

Aloni Hotel

Paros

The room was very comfortable and clean with nice views of the sea. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The location was quaint, but close to many restaurants and shops. Highly recommend this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Sailing Cruise with Lunch

Milos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Couples E-Bike Excursion to Delion and Agios Fokas

Paros

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Greek Cooking Class

Paros

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sea Kayaking Adventure

Paros

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The most important thing to say is that from KimKim's initial intake representative to our local specialist Dean who handled our planning and trip, they listened to what WE said we liked, did not like, and wanted. We have never used a travel agent or planner before, because we had never found that before. I kept waiting for the shoe to drop, as they say. Probably had a bit of an edge in the beginning because I was just 'Waiting for it'. We knew Ireland would be wonderful; we didn't know we would meet a travel planner that was great as well.

Will mention one more thing. We tested the offer of 'Call or chat me any time' a few times during the trip, often from the middle of nowhere (our favorite places). Dean knocked it out of the park each time. Whether it was helping us find an obscure place, sleuthing some history for us, or locating where we could purchase a hard to find electronic device.

We had an amazing time. Every place and every tour we had was a nice experience. We learn so much from the places we visited. We highly recommend your agency.

Hotel Reviews

BH Bicentenario

Bogotá

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa de Isabella, a Kali Hotel

Santa Marta

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa Tere

Cartagena

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

14 Urban Hotel

Medellin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit the Salt Cathedral at Zipaquira

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bogotá Walking Tour

Bogotá

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tubing on Don Diego River

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Tayrona National Park

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Bay Cruise

Santa Marta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rosario Islands Day Trip

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local Market Experience: Bazurto Market

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena City-Tour by Bike

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Peñol & Guatapé

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee-Culture Tour

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Medellín Transformation Tour (Public Transportation)

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We used Sarah and Fanny from the Kim Kim agency to plan our trip to France and they were wonderful! They are vey professional, knowledgeable and helpful throughout the whole process. It made our trip so much more enjoyable to have all the details sorted out and planned in advance. The guides were also very friendly and accommodating to our needs and wants.

Activity Reviews

A day with a sommelier around the Rhone Valley

Avignon

Loved the time spent with Kelly. He was so knowledgeable and fun! Would do it again!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Provencal cooking class in a local's home

France

Loved our chef Gil! We had a great time with him and it was an excellent way to spend time in Provence. We highly recommend this!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dinner Cruise in a Michelin restaurant

Paris

We were nervous about this as we did not want to have "touristy" experience and the meal and the experience in the boat were amazing. One of our most memorable dinners and experience in Paris!

Quality of Experience

Food

Private tour of the Louvre

Paris

Our tour guide was very good! She was efficient in the presentation of the things we wanted to see and I loved all the knowledge she shared about the art and the museum overall. We really enjoyed our time with her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Montmartre Walking Tour

Paris

Our tour guide, Emily, was wonderful! She was very knowledgeable and gave us very interesting information about the area and its history. We loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Words cannot describe what a fantastic trip we had in Croatia. Daniela and her husband Rob were put together the perfect itinerary that exceeded expectations. Accommodations (mix of hotels and air b&b's, activities, transfers, transportation....everything was like a well oiled machine. Everyday, we looked forward to receiving the next day's activities with pins for all destinations, food recommendations from best gelato to best seafood! We felt like we had a guardian angel and were always able to contact them via What'sApp. Indeed, on our way home, we left our mobile phone in the cab. We called Rob and within 15 minutes the driver returned to the airport. Crisis averted!

When we were trying to decide whether or not to book through Kimkim, we read the reviews. Several mentioned the "lack of transparency in pricing". Honestly, the quality of our trip; the reassurance that all accommodations were solid; knowing we had a reliable contact in case of any issues was worth every penny! We won't hesitate to book another trip and for anyone considering travel to Croatia Rob and Daniela were 6 stars!

Trip to Porto and Santiago de Compostela

Porto - guide Eduardo knew his history of Porto and Portugal. Eduardo provided a great walking tour of the old areas of Porto and provided helpful hints on places to eat.

Douro Valley - guide Marlene. Provided a wonderful day of touring including a special place "off the beaten path" that had amazing views of the valley. Tours and tastings at the Maos &Irmaos family estate winery where we were invited by the owner to sit and taste the ports and an amazing light lunch as he told us the history of his winery. The oranges in olive oil with oregano was extra special. Walked a bridge designed by Eifel , visited another winery, took a river cruise and returned to Porto. Full Day experience that was extraordinary and Marlene was an amazing guide.

Ponte de Lima - Nuno (driver and guide) from Portugal Nature Trails drove us from Porto to Ponte de Lima and once there provided all the information we needed for our Camino walk. He also gave us information regarding places to eat in certain cities. Marta (Portugal Nature Trails) was now our contact person for anything we needed on the trail.

Santiago de Compostela - guide "Meri" - was great. She knew so much information about Santiago de Compostela and the Cathedral and knew all the "hidden" ways to see things without the crowds.

Day trip to Cies Isles - Che our driver to Vigo was great to talk to and gave us an interesting account of growing up in Spain. He was prompt picking us up at the hotel and taking us to the Vigo Port and was there to pick us up when we returned. Tickets for the boat ride were provided in our app and there were no issues.

Day trip to Muxia and Finesterre - Our guide Carlos and driver Borah (not sure if spelling is correct) were wonderful. Carlos provided us with so much information about the Camino and the country of "Galacia" much more than we could remember.

All the hotels we stayed in were excellent and our luggage transfer worked very well.
Overall the trip was amazing, the guides were excellent, hotels were super and KimKim (Marta )and Portugal Nature Trails (Marta) did an excellent job.
Thank you.

Activity Reviews

Where the Camino Ends: A Guided Walk Through Santiago

Santiago de Compostela

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Meri was wonderful

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Quality of Experience

visiting a family owned winery and having a meal with the owner

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marlene provided so much information about the Douro Valley

Transport

Private Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

Quality of Experience

having a private tour guide was great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We hiked around several small towns west of Lisbon. The amount of information that we received about the different places, restaurants, etc before we went was comprehensive. The hotels/accommodation was first class. The Ride with GPS app used to help us navigate back roads and wilderness paths worked amazingly well. The weather was perfect for hiking (I would not want to try it in July/August). A moderate level of fitness is required - about 9-15 km hiking/day (but there are options for getting rides). Our luggage was always waiting for us at the next hotel. And the drivers were friendly, knowledgeable, and punctual. (The weather for our hikes was great- essentially sunny, without any rain. We had some afternoon rain one day in Lisbon). Our "Get to know Lisbon with a local" was top notch- walking through the streets of Lisbon, seeing the highlights, and learning history. We cooked (under supervision!) a delicious meal with Cooking in Lisbon, and had an enjoyable evening with 9-10 others).

Amazing experience in Switzerland! Top experiences were Sea Kayaking on Lake Brienz with our guide Ryan, the amazing hike (and flexibility with weather) with Marta and the biking into Lauterbrunnen with George. Top notch location that met all the asks (Mountains, lakes, activities, food, and views).

Activity Reviews

Mount Pilatus, the golden round trip!

Switzerland

The location and route was great. However it will be a big party (~40 people). We realized we like smaller groups and tours that provide better flexibility with timing and weather. The guide was great (Daniel) and helped heard the group around across multiple forms of transportation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

E-Bike Adventure: Exploring Lauterbrunnen and the Enchanting Valley of 72 Waterfalls

Switzerland

Great way to see a lot of the area! Very accessible and great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The turquoise hike in Interlaken!

Switzerland

10/10 experience. Would recommend. Super flexible with weather and forecasts and making the most of the beautiful country and scenery. Loved it and set the standard for the remaining activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marta was awesome!

Transport

Chocolate workshop in Interlaken!

Switzerland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayak tour on Lake Brienz

Interlaken

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What a brilliant trip! My girlfriend and I spent two weeks travelling from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. Realistic Asia planned every detail to seamless perfection. We visited all the must see sights along the way (Pu Luong, Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay, Hue, Hoi An), and at every turn KimKim / Realistic Asia had planned great activities for us, top hotels, and seamless travel. There were also very flexible throughout the trip, constantly tailoring things to our preferences. A massive shout out to our travel agent Long for all his help, and to our guide KC who was truly brilliant. I have already recommended KimKim / Realistic Asia to some of my friends and will certainly recommend them to more!

Activity Reviews

Private Jeep Tour Saigon by Night: Foodie & City tour ( Updated )

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

"Spirit of Rêu" - Half day Cooking Class Tour

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Touch the History of Former Imperial Capital - Hue Full Day Sightseeing

Hue

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Halong Bay - Luon Cave - Disembarking (Essence Pioneer Cruise) - Updated

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Onboarding cruise - Amazing Caves (Essence Pioneer Cruise) - Updated

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Trip Exploring The Natural Beauty of Trang An & Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Remote Villages of Ban Khoang & Ta Giang Phin

Sapa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trek to Lech Dzao & Thanh Kim Villages

Sapa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi Jeep City Tour - Train Street Coffee

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi Evening Walking Street Food Tour

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 10-day trip to Greece was, in a word, memorable. I had never heard of Kim Kim before but I have to say that they provided a great service in planning the trip and a great way to enjoy it. Highlights of our custom-designed itinerary included the walking tour of the Acropolis and Plaka district of Athens with guide Angela, the catamaran cruise around Santorini, the Greek cooking evening on Naxos with guide/driver Spiros and hosts/instructor Yannis and Maria. We were met at every stop by drivers organized by Welcome Pickups and all of these were punctual, friendly and informative.
Many thanks to Lea and Gustavo for all their work in planning and setting up all the detailed arrangements.

Hotel Review

Agali Houses

Firostefani 00

We were a little surprised by the number of steps down to the hotel, but the views from it were spectacular, with very nice outdoor spaces and friendly, accommodating staff. Special thanks and kudos to the porters who lugged our cases up and down the steps!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Spectacular views

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Local Markets Visit

Mykonos

Following Lea's advice we had a very nice walk around the narrow streets near the old port, with a nice lunch along the way.

Family-Run Vineyard & Olive Grove Visit with Tastings

Mykonos

This was a nice activity but not outstanding in my opinion. I felt that the tour of the 'garden' was a bit rushed. However, like the Naxos farm visit, it was great to see something of the island that wasn't a typical tourist stop.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self Guided Beach Time in Naxos

Naxos

We had a very nice day at Agrios Prokopios. This included a very nice lunch and leisurely stroll along the foreshore.

Private Traditional Cooking Experience at Village Farm

Naxos

This was a special opportunity to meet and interact with "real" Naxians who were very welcoming and hospitable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver/guide (Spiros) was very informative, friendly, and keen to give us a great experience.

Sunset Caldera Catamaran Cruise

Santorini

This was a great afternoon/evening! The number of people on the cruise was appropriate to the catamaran so that we didn't feel crowded at all. The crew were very friendly and helpful and the barbeque meal was very good too.

Quality of Experience

Opportunities to swim in geo-heated and regular water. Spectacular views of the geology of Santorini.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self-Guided Hike From Fira to Oia

Santorini

We didn't really do this activity because the steep terrain made it a bit intimidating.

Private Acropolis & Highlights Walk with Food Tastings

Athens

Quality of Experience

Angela

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Angela, was very knowledgeable and friendly. She did a great job in adjusting the tour to fit our pace and interests.

We planned a 9 day trip to Norway and Copenhagen and worked with Kadri. It was such a pleasure working with Kadri, she had great ideas, worked to keep the trip within our budget and was always quick to reply. The interface on the KimKim app is one of the best we have worked with.
All of the arrangements made worked out well and our travel went smoothly. We enjoyed all of the experiences and excursions. The walking tour in Bergen was terrific, and Serena was one of the best guides we have met. The food tour in Oslo let us experience local foods we might not have otherwise tried. The trip from Oslo to Flam provided incredible scenery and the Flam railway was highlight. We enjoyed the sauna experience- being able to jump into the fjord and then back into the sauna was a truly memorable experience. Kayaking in the fjord, even in some rain, was one of the best parts of our trip. In Bergen, we were able to find a window of sunny weather which was the best time to ride the funicular. Our hygge tour in Copenhagen was relaxing and informative- Jackie did a good job and we enjoyed getting to know the other folks on our tour.
The transfers were mostly easy, but in copenhagen we decided to take a taxi to the airport because if we used public transport there would have been a lot of walking and transfers while carrying our luggage. The luggage transport service from Oslo to Bergen made that part of the trip much easier.
The hotel in Oslo was OK, but the hotel messed up our reservation for a double room. We appreciated that KimKim tried to help. The location of the hotel in Bergen was perfect- and it was a nice, but small room. The hotel in Copenhagen was our favorite for the trip. It is a bit outside the main attractions but easy to reach with public transit.

Vincenzo and Gabriele were fantastic! Very responsive and easy to deal with. Their help in organizing the tours, train rides and pick-ups/drop-offs was great. However, their ability to find and curate the right accommodations for our needs/wants was tremendous - we loved every hotel we stayed in - it was exactly what we wanted :) Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Borgo d'Itria - Trulli Resort

Monopoli

Borgo d'Itria - Trulli Resort was charming, but not quite as spacious as previous accommodations. We faced an issue initially with the air conditioning, but it was resolved promptly. This wouldn't have bother us much, but the room was more compact than expected, lacking a window for air ventilation until the AC was fixed.

La Casa Di Lucio Hotel Relais

matera

La Casa Di Lucio Hotel Relais in Matera was truly special, featuring rooms built into caves. Although carrying luggage across cobbled streets was challenging, the unique room more than made up for it. The location highlighted the historical richness of Matera, making for a memorable stay.

Relais Vignale & Spa

Radda in Chianti SI

Relais Vignale & Spa in Tuscany provided a fantastic view and a charming room with a little terrace. However, their restaurant was overpriced and underwhelming. Despite the dining disappointment, the overall experience in the hotel and Radda town was positive.

Hotel Miramare

Sorrento

Hotel Miramare on the Amalfi Coast offered a stunning view from the terrace, which we absolutely loved. We enjoyed leisurely evenings on the deck with takeout. It was quite a distance from the center of Sorrento, about a 25-minute walk with some hilly parts and limited sidewalks. It didn't deter us, but it's something to be aware of. The hotel met our expectations for a relaxing stay.

Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco

Florence

The Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco in Florence was lovely with a large room featuring a beautifully frescoed ceiling. The bed was very comfortable, the breakfast was nice, and it was within walking distance of the city center, making it very convenient. Easy access for taxis was an added bonus. Everything worked well, including the elevator and shower. Overall, it was a great stay with no complaints.

Activity Reviews

Private Gondola Ride

Venice

The Private Gondola Ride in Venice was a lovely experience, offering views of the city from the water. Unfortunately, the ride was shorter than expected, lasting only 18 minutes despite a 30-minute booking. We're glad we did it, but this mismatch in advertised versus actual duration was a little disappointing.

Visit a traditional lemon grove & taste local Limoncello

Italy

The tour of the lemon grove was enjoyable and family-run, located about a half-hour walk from our hotel. While the setting was lovely, we were caught off-guard by mosquitoes and the tour duration change from one hour in our booking to two hours on the day. However, the opportunity to buy Limóncello at the end of the tour was great and we really enjoyed it.

What an amazing trip! Our specialist Georgia and her team did an awesome job of coordinating all aspects of our trip and satisfying our wishes of great food, adventure, and iconic sites. Our guides Lucia and Alessandro showed us more than the sites …they shared off the beaten path stops and great stories! Would definitely recommend Kim Kim!

Hotel Review

Grand Hotel De La Ville

Sorrento

Beautiful hotel! Walking distance to all of Sorrento. The food and service truly 5 star!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Our server Antonio made us feel like we were the only guests in the hotel.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Day Along the Amalfi Coast

Italy

Our guide Alessandro was amazing. He knew what we wanted to see and experience and took us to all those special places. He knew we loved to cook and took us to Gargiulo for an olive oil tasting! Another stope was Ceramiche Casola ceramics factory. Lunch at Calajanara Restaurant with a table overlooking the sea was breathtaking. And what’s not to love about Positano?

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Cruise Along the Amalfi Coast

Italy

Due to weather this excursion was cancelled

A Day to Explore Sorrento

Italy

Loved Sorrento! Clean, easy to get around, beautiful!

Quality of Experience

The Pearl of the Mediterranean: A Day on Capri Island & Anacapri

Italy

Beautiful experience! Our guide Lucia was amazing! She shared history and stories that made the island come alive! She wanted us to remember our day and had us posing for pictures instead of us taking selfies all day!

Quality of Experience

Lucia!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

There was a lack of communication regarding who where and when to get our tickets for the ferry to the island. Should have had that information the day before

Vesuvius Volcano Guided Excursion with Wine Tasting

Naples

The experience was amazing! How many people can tell their friends and family they climbed Mt Vesuvius? Our drivers Eddie and “Peppie” were awesome!

Quality of Experience

Climbing an active volcano!!!

Food

Great pasta and wine pairing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Their personalities

Transport

From Market Stalls to Street Food: Discovering Naples

Naples

The tour of Naples was great! We were able to get oriented so that we could easily explore on our own the next day. We weren’t prepared for so much fried and dough based foods however

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Trip was just Amazing!Berat and our Guide Volkan were very accommodating and helpful.
All the Hotels were very Comfortable .Transportation provided was A+.Dinners provided by the Company were outstanding and at beautiful locations.I felt completely safe in the hands of this Company.
Berat was very responsive and helped us with every little thing we asked for.She Surprised me with a birthday Cake on the boat in Istanbul which was so thoughtful!Would love to go back to Turkey 🇹🇷 again.

Paros is amazing and highly recommend the Paliomylos hotel. I would skip Santorini as it was jammed with cruise ship tourists but the shops are lovely. Also, the guides Kimkim travel work with for tours in Athens are superb.

Jessica has provided an outstanding service from planning, booking and following up with us throughout the trip. She provided accurate, on time and detailed information for each day. When we had question, Jessica replied very quick. She always made sure that we received the responses that we needed.

Hotel Reviews

Lotte City Hotel Jeju

Jeju

Very disappointed for a 4 stars hotel. The check in staff was not friendly and slow. The hotel is old. The restaurant for breakfast is old and need a lot of renovations. The food is not quality and has poor choices . The coffee is awful even Korea is known for good coffee. I don t recommend this hotel to my family and friends.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

SIGNIEL BUSAN

Busan

We were lucky to have a corner room on the upper floor with amazing ocean and mountain / city view. The beds are comfy. Room was clean . The breakfast buffet is outstanding I enjoyed very much. I also enjoyed very the lounge for tea, cocktails … The hotel has beautiful infinity swimming pool. Good location for evening walk but it s a bit far away from the shops and center of Busan. Overall I had a good stay I would come back to Signiel. The concierge services staff is outstanding . The check in services need to be more efficiency especially at the 3 o clock check in time when many guests checking in at the same time.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful hotel

Location

Good location with beach walk

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lahan Select Gyeongju

Gyeongju

Nice hotel with excellent buffet and beautiful scenery on the lake

Authenticity & Character

It’s a typical big chain hotel. The hotel needs some touch up’s

Location

Great location for a getaway from busy Seoul

Staff

Average service like big hotel chains

Cleanliness & Comfort

It s clean nothing special

Hotel 28 Myeongdong

Seoul

Beautiful small hotel. Staff are all friendly very attentive and give excellent services. Very comfortable bed. Very clean room and bathroom . The hotel always smelled very nice. Excellent location. One bad comment is the breakfast which has very limited choices for a small luxury hotel, same food was served, not much choices of fruits . Overall I had an enjoyable stay.

Authenticity & Character

Charming

Location

Convenient to walk to shops and restaurants

Staff

Excellent customer services

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed is super comfy. Room smells very nice. One bad comment is the AC very noisy . We had to turned it off but the it was hot During the night

Activity Reviews

Half Day Hyeopjae Beach, Spirited Garden and Green Tea Plantation Tour and Arte Museum

Jeju Island

Another excellent visits in Jeju island. Beautiful beaches. It was interesting and different to discover a beautiful bonsai garden. Mrs Susie gave excellent services and very attentive to make sure we had a good time in Jeju

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Busan City Tour with Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

Busan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gamcheon Village, BIFF Square and Jagalchi Market

Busan

Interesting visits beautiful view of Busan from different spots on the mountain . Excellent lunch with fresh seafood at the fish market. Best fresh abalones, clams that I have never had. Not mentioning the marinated crabs , typical Busan . Another unforgettable meal. Thanks Mr. Jade Kim.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto Tour

Gyeongju

Love love the visit. Highly recommended. The best is the lunch at a local tiny restaurant who makes their own tofu . Thanks Mr. Jade Kim for introducing to us home made cuisine. Most memorable meal.

Quality of Experience

I

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Gyeongju National Museum and Tumuli Park Tour with Night View

Gyeongju

Beautiful scenery , museum , Very interesting . I enjoyed the explanations provided by Mr. Jade Kim.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent tour guide, fluent in English, Mr. Jade Kim is native from Busan that why he is very knowledgeable of the history and the area . He made sure we enjoyed the visits and learned about Korea history. He was open to accommodate our interests and not sticking to the itinerary.

Transport

Full Day Suwon and Yongin Tour From Seoul

Seoul

In my opinion there was not much to see. I did not like the lunch fried chicken . The restaurant is not clean . I did not enjoy the walk to the local market after the lunch, there was nothing to see and it s quite filthy. I do not recommend to spend have these places in the itinerary.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Seoul City Tour with Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village

Seoul

The visit to the palace and the village was interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr. Micky seems knowledgeable. Have a little accent that sometime it was difficult to understand. Overall he gave a very good service

Transport

We had such a great trip. Majid was great at meeting our specific needs for the trip and was so responsive before and during you could not ask for more. We were 5 friends traveling together and were in a van all nine days. Our drive and guide Moaud was so delightful!!. He made sure we were well taken care of and went above and beyond to share his country and culture with us. His radiant smile greeted us every morning and never stopped the whole day. I can't say enough about Mouad or how much he made our trip special.

Our guide Yoesph, in Rabat was great. He had a great depth of knowledge and was able to answer all of our questions. and we had a lot. I would highly recommend him if you are going to the capital city.

In Fes we had a whole day in the Medina with Hikam. He grew up in the Medina so he knows every crook and cranny. He shared a out of the way place for mint tea, it was great. Then we stopped for fava bean soup (Basarra) with the locals it was great. You can't miss with him as your guide.

Ali took us around the old medina in Marakeesh and he was a wealth of knowledge and knows his history inside out.
Later that day we went on a food tour with Hamid. He took us to some local places where we tasted some chic pea soup (harira) and Moroccan doughnuts that were great. Then the tangier restaurant was the best ending. You can't go wrong with Hamid as your food guide.

Don't miss going the Sahara desert camel ride with a stay at camp. We wish we would had two nights there, next time. The Dades Gorge was an unexpected surprise and another day to hike would have been nice.

Our trip was so fun and we all would go back.

Hotel Reviews

Mövenpick Hotel Casablanca

Casablanca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

the rooms were dark, the internet was not working and beds were rock hard

Elegancia Riad Boutique & SPA

Marrakech

This was a very authentic and beautiful Riad. I would stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Such a beautiful hotel and completely unexpected. The food was outstanding!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff was so helpful and charming

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great bathrooms

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

I flight like I was an Arabian princess

Location

It can't be beat

Staff

Very attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

The whole thing was amazing for being in the middle of the desert

Activity Reviews

Hammam Spa & Massage in Marrakech 3 PM Session

Marrakesh

Loved the overall experience. The service was great. I would do it again.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakech – Visit Of The City ( No Drive).

Morocco

It was interesting tour but really fast paced without time to enjoy the medina

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ali walked really fast and then we would spend a long time at each site.

Transport

Dades Gorge – Ouarzazate – Ait Benhaddou – Telouet – Marrakech ( 5 Hour Drive)

Morocco

Loved looking at the kasbahs.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mouad was fantastic. We had a guided at the Kasbah we stopped at and he was fantastic.

Transport

Hiking & Cultural Immersion in the Atlas Mountains

Boumalne Dades

We ran out of time for this. The was scheduled too tight. This should be reviewed.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Erg Chebbi – Tinejdad – Todra Gorges – Tinerir – Dades Gorge( 4 Hours)

Morocco

The scenery was stunning and very unexpected. The stops along the way were great. The hotel was a very unexpected pleasure and the food was outstanding

Quality of Experience

Food

The food at the hotel was amazing!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Camel trek to your luxury camp

Merzouga

This experience exceed expectations. The sceenery was stunning and the camp was a dream come true.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We loved everyone who helped us with the camels and at the camp. So accomodating.

Transport

Transfer to Merzouga: Middle Atlas Mountains to the Sahara

Morocco

Long drive but so interesting. The landscape was amazing. We stopped and saw the monkey which was fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mouad made the day great.

Transport

Dinner with a local Family in Fes

Fes

This was a bit of a disappointment. The family was lovely and so was the food. They had small childern and they were very distracting from the experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes: Exploring the Imperial City

Fes

Loved every minute of our tour of Fes. The Medina was beyond expectations. My sister was dupped out of $20.00 outside of our Riad. Mouad and Hikam found the man and got my sister's money back. Was above and beyond what was expected. Also we had a member who was sick and Mouad and Hikam got her water and cumin which really helped. They both were fantastic.

Quality of Experience

loved the entire day, mosaics, mint tea, bassari soup, leather shop and weaving shope

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hikam was great. He knows the Medina so well and was so kind. I loved it.

Transport

Guided Tour of Volubilis

Volubilis

Loved our walk through the ruins. It is a beautiful spot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I believe Abdul was our guide. He was very fun and entertaining. He made was could be dry very enjoyable.

Transport

Transfer to Fes via Moulay Idriss, Volubilis & Meknes

Morocco

Mouad was the best in making this drive fun

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Blue City

Chefchaouen

We walked the city on our on and it was great. The hotel was lovely

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Casablanca to Chefchaouen via Rabat

Morocco

This is a long drive but it was beautiful and Moaud made it fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Moaud made sure we were comfortable. He stopped at some great places along the way. We always enjoyed our drives with Mouad.

Transport

Half-Day Private Sightseeing Tour in Rabat

Rabat

Rabat was lovely. I had no idea what to expect but was so impressed with the beauty and how clean it is. Loved the kasbah

Quality of Experience

nicely paced and just the right amount of information

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yoseph was a wonderful guide. He gave the right amount of information, he paced it so it was engaging but not rushed.

Transport

Marrakech Food Tour

Marrakesh

We loved the food tour. Hamid was great. He was knowledgable and very kind. I would recommend him and the food tour to anyone traveling to Marakeesh

Quality of Experience

Food

loved the soup, doughnuts and the tangier!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hamid was excellent.

Transport

We had a guide for the acropolis, and for Chania. Both guides were excellent.

Hotel Reviews

Blue Dolphins Hotels & Villas

Firostefani, Santorini

Beautiful hotel with amazing views of the harbor. Very helpful and friendly staff. I would definitely recommend it, except it's not a good choice for anyone who has difficulty with steps.

Authenticity & Character

Traditional Santorini character -everything painted white and built into the hillside. Lots of steps.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kydon, The Heart City Hotel Chania

Chania

A very nice, modern hotel in a perfect location just across the street from the historic section of the city. Lots of shops and restaurants in the area. The buffet breakfast is amazing and delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Modern hotel with all the modern amenities.

Location

Across the street from the historic section of the city.

Staff

Staff was very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Noma Hotel Athens

Athens

The hotel was very nice and centrally located within easy walking distance of all the attractions. However, it's located in a very busy pedestrian area which was sometimes noisy well into the night. Also, a church located across the street rang the church bells every morning at 6:30.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Within easy walking distance of all the sights.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Acropolis & Athens Mythology Tour

Athens

Our tour guide was great. He gave us lots of information about what we were seeing without it being overwhelming. He also did a great job of maneuvering our group though the crowds and occasionally stopping to make sure we were all still together and for us to take a brief break. Lots of walking, hills and steps.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Andrea was extremely helpful and really understood our requirements. It was very beneficial to have someone in-country to provide immediate assistance, which we did require a few times throughout the trip. He was helpful, as were the drivers and the person people who managed the AirBNB's.

All in all, we had a wonderful trip!

Hotel Reviews

Casa Lucienne

The apartment was in a perfect location. The apartment was clean and well decorated. My only piece of feedback is that for a family of 5 adults, the bedroom with the trundle bed was too small for an adult and the mattress was just adequate. The room is large enough to have a double bed, or if you are going to keep a trundle, get a better mattress and then it should not have a footboard, as tall people do not fit comfortably.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Piazza Bellini & Apartments

Naples

The family style room and the room for 2 were very comfortable and spacious. Staff was friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Colosseum Luxury View Apartment

Our family of 5 adults were very comfortable in this apartment and if was very close to the activities in Rome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cooking Class *****

Italy

Chef was very good and the location was fantastic. There is very little cooking involved; we got to prepare the food, but we didn't get to cook it....

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Capri Island from The Amalfi Coast - small group

Italy

It was a very rough ride with Jolly Boats and the captain was by himself, so it's extremely difficult to stop, dock and man the boat with just one person. Definitely should have had 2 people managing this boat ride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pompeii ruin visit with a private guide

Italy

Knowledgeable and passionate guide! I had been there before, but he opened more doors, and we saw new items of interest.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine tasting in Pompeii area including light lunch

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naples guided walk

Italy

Betta was a wonderful guide! She really listened to what we wanted to do, and helped us to get around the city!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum and Roman Forum - Private guide

Rome

Tour was good. The original guide was swapped out the last minute, so the meeting place was very confusing.....

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum & Roman Forum skip the line ticket

Rome

Good to skip the line.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel - private guide

Rome

Our guide was amazing!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel skip the line ticket

Rome

Guide was amazing! We truly enjoyed this tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome Private Guided Walk

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip solid, but not perfect.
Renata was super helpful and very responsive. She was very good, and a pleasure to deal with in setting things up. A big thank you to her!!

The hotels were good, and very much inline with what I had asked for. That worked well. I am happy with the quality of the hotels given the quality/star level I requested. They fit the bill and were what I wanted and needed.

The logistics and information about contacting guides, and WhatsApp info was great, and very helpful in staying connected with guides.

The guides were all satisfactory to very good. It varied. Their English was all very good, and so there was no communication problem. Orico Soni Machado was fine to ok in Foz. He did was was needed, but he was busy preparing to leave on a personal trip the next day, and seemed distracted by that. He did though get me to the helicopter excursion, and that worked well; he clearly knew the area. His nephew helped to the final transfer to the airport, and helped me get boarding passes; he was responsive and communicative. Orico was fine, but I think he was ready for his personal trip the next day. The use of a group tour for the Argentine side worked very well, and the local guide, I've forgotten his name, did a fine if outstanding job keeping us moving and keeping track of us. This also kept costs down, and did not need to be a private trip. Good decision on that.

The best guide was Rocco Belletti. He also did both transfers to and from Paraty. He was very kind, and helped me understand Brazil, and gave me much information in general about his time as an immigrant to Brazil from Italy. He was top notch. He also gave me great recommendations on restaurants, and food to try and enjoy. He also went above and beyond and recommended a free Samba concert in Paraty. This ended up being one of the highlights of my entire trip because it was so nontouristic and filled with locals.

In Rio, Patricia was very professional, and did her absolute best to keep me safe and interested. She was very protective as I mentioned my concerns about safety. In my one free half day, things were fine, but I almost had my cell phone stolen from my shirt pocket on a street with people on it, during daylight. I only mention this to make you aware of this as Rio clearly remains a semi dangerous city. There is nothing Patricia could have done differently, and she was not on this half free day. It was after the group tour to Sugarloaf and Cristo the Redeemer. Again, it was a good decision to do those as group tours, and there would be no advantage to do those privately. The transfer to the airport was fine, on time and safe.

Overall, however, the private tours in both Paraty and Rio just seemed to lack something. They were only ok, and not terrifically interesting. In particular, the gold tour in Paraty just did not seem to have much of a point other than a short hike, the tasting at the end was rather perfunctory, and not super interesting. In addition, the Rio tours were ok, but I guess I did not learn too too much, but I did get good photos. Maybe I was expecting too much, but the private tours, though I did see what was advertised in the trip information I was given, just seemed uninspired. Not sure if I would not have been better off with more group, public tours to different areas rather than private tours in those two areas.

Lastly, the travel book info packet was very helpful having all the info in one place and in one document. It was very well organized and had all the info I needed in an organized fashion. Thank you Renata for that, and answering all my questions.

If any questions about my comments, feel free to contact me. I'm happy to elaborate.

Hotel Reviews

Windsor Martinique Copacabana

Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro

Authenticity & Character

Safe place

Location

Great location between Copacabana beach, with easy walk to Ipanema beach

Staff

Very courteous and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

I felt very safe in this hotel

Taroba Hotel

Foz do Iguacu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada do Principe

Paraty

Loved this hotel. Best on the trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Group Tour Corcovado and Christ the Redeemer + Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf)

Rio de Janeiro

Group tour was best way to see the iconic sights where there is not much to add other than seeing the two landmarks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Carioca Lifestyle and Carnival Culture (by Public Transport)

Rio de Janeiro

Not sure what we really were seeing, but just walked old part of the city and saw many churches. Did not really seem like we had a precise plan of what we were going to see. It was ok, but no real theme to it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gold Trail Tour

Paraty

Rocco was great, just the activity did not seem to have a lot of point to it other than a short hike outside of Paraty

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Tour of Paraty

Paraty

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring the Brazilian Falls & Bird Park

Foz do Iguaçu

I did the bird park on my own, and Orico was helpful during the Iguazu Falls portion of the half day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Group Tour Argentinean Side Falls

Foz do Iguaçu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport