Kimkim Trip Reviews

Beatriz did an amazing job with our trip! Some of my favorite highlights of the trip were the food tours in Barcelona and Porto, the tour in Girona, and the winery lunch & tour in the Douro Valley. Our hotel in Barcelona was in the perfect location.

Our family trip to Thailand was incredible. Memories to last a lifetime! Hoa planned the perfect trip for us and we couldn’t be more grateful. Thanks for everything!!

My husband and I finally fulfilled our dream of visiting New Zealand/Aotearoa to celebrate our 15th anniversary, and we could not have done it without our KimKim agent, Uma. We had a general idea of what we wanted to do, and she helped design a travel plan that captured everything we wanted and more.
During the trip, she and her colleagues remained in touch for any questions or support we needed. There were a couple of instances where we had to adjust our plans due to the weather, and Uma and her team were ready with alternate suggestions that were equally as amazing as the original plan.
Everything was perfect--from our hotel accommodations, restaurant suggestions, rental car and ferry arrangements, and activities. We literally could not have planned this trip ourselves.
I highly highly recommend using Uma and her vast knowledge to plan your trip to Aotearoa and anywhere else in the world!

Great experience! Leny was fantastic to work with and created an amazing family trip that we'll never forget!

From start to finish we could not fault the level of service provided by kimkim. From our first enquiry right through to the end of our wonderful trip, everything was seamless. Lisa was very helpful and proactive in dealing with us and nothing was too much trouble to look into for us/answer. The guides and drivers in Beijing, Xi'An and Shanghai were all excellent and so keen to share knowledge and history of the area. The organisation was top class and we were never worried or concerned about any of the arrangements.

Hotels were great - all clean and in good locations.

One thing to note (as a UK visitor) that squat toilets are common there (most/many places also have western style toilets) and toilet paper is not (as a general rule) provided in public toilets - just one thing to be aware of

A fabulous trip to China - wouldn't hesitate to use kimkim again and have already recommended them to friends.

Hotel Reviews

Novotel Peace Beijing

Beijing

The hotel was in a nice area and conveniently located to walk to eating places and shops. The reception area/foyer and bar/lounge area were very nice. The room we were in was clean and spacious but more than a little "tired" looking, particularly the bathroom/shower area which was very rusted and as a result didn't look especially clean. Staff were nice, limited English but able to communicate. Good range of options at breakfast. Beware of the bar closing earlier than stated hours, it notes being open until 11pm but when we asked for a drink one evening at 10.30pm were told the till was already closed so we couldn't get one. Overall a good experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eastern House Boutique Hotel

Hotel was lovely, spotlessly clean, nice room, not the biggest room ever but more than adequate for our needs. Little or no English spoken by staff which did make things a little challenging sometimes but nothing that couldn't be overcome. We were not in the hotel for very long but we did like it. Breakfast was good.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sunrise On The Bund

Loved this hotel. Great location for being able to walk down and along the Bund and the hotel itself was beautiful. Room was lovely with nice toiletries in the bathroom and a nice easy chair in the bedroom. We ate dinner in the restaurant on the ground floor and very much enjoyed what we had. The staff were pleasant and friendly. The spa was also very nice - had a massage which was most enjoyable and a nice swim in the pool. Would stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was easy walking distance to water front

Staff

All friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Highlights of Shanghai with Yu Garden and the Bund

Shanghai

A fabulous day spent in Shanghai - view from Shanghai Tower was amazing, the Yu Garden was spectacular to see and the delicious dumpling lunch was also a highlight.

Full Day Great Wall and Olympic Park Tour

Beijing

Our stand out highlight of the holiday - it was amazing to be standing on/walking on the Great Wall. I am glad we were there early in the day, as it gets very busy, very quickly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

See the Terracotta Army

Xi'an

Loved seeing the Terracotta Army - the sheer scale was breathtaking. Would highly recommend.

We had such a fantastic trip to Thailand! We were initially hesitant to book through KimKim because the price was so much lower than through the other travel companies we considered, but we took a chance and are so glad we did! KimKim reps met us at each airport on our trip and transported us to our hotels, taking away so much travel stress. The hotels they booked in each of our destinations (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, & Koh Samui) were all great and in fantastic locations. We knew we weren’t booking luxury hotels and we didn’t expect luxury amenities, but we were very pleasantly surprised with how luxurious our accommodations were. Each hotel was very clean, very safe, and very comfortable — and had gorgeous swimming pools, very nice and spacious rooms, and delicious breakfasts included — far more than you get with included breakfasts in the U.S.
Leo, our guide in Bangkok, was a delight—striking the perfect note between taking us to all the sites and experiences we were excited about while also giving us plenty of time to rest and enjoy our vacation. We particularly enjoyed visiting the palaces and temples and trying out the foods in the markets and night markets. Leo even helped us order! We arrived in Bangkok early and had 2 days on our own. We spent those visiting Benchakitti and Lumphini Parks - which I highly recommend — and the Snake Experience, where we saw how anti venom is made by extracting venom from live cobras — this turned out to be a favorite experience of the teens in our group! We also visited the Jim Thompson House and the indoor floating market at the IconSiam shopping mall. If you have more time, I recommend all of these experiences. And, on the recommendation of a friend, we went to the Akara Sky Hanuman high rise rooftop dining & show experience— we had a blast and the views were spectacular!
The highlight of our Chiang Mai visit — and possibly of our entire trip— was the elephant sanctuary! Getting to interact so closely with the elephants was unreal. Do not skip that experience!!! The rest of Chiang Mai was less exciting — the drive to the mountain top and to see the waterfall and gardens was beautiful and easy for everyone in our group. We were worried my 75 year old mother might struggle — but easily did it all, and did it in flip flops! And the cooler temps at the top of the mountain were a welcomed respite from the heat. We also walked the city in our own to see the temples and the old wall. Protip: I asked ChatGPT to create a 3 hour walking tour that started at our hotel and took us to the major temples, then I imported that tour into Googlemaps. Worked great! Personally, I would have enjoyed having a guided tour and learning more about each temple, but the self guided walking tour was all the rest of my group was interested in after spending so much time in more impressive temples in Bangkok.
We purposely ended our trip in Koh Samui so we could have some relaxing beach time. My only criticism there is that the Pig Island excursion was awful and not something I would recommend. Instead of a charming encounter with pigs like we expected, we were told on the boat ride over that the pigs are very dangerous and bite off tourists’ fingertips EVERY DAY. They’re also quite aggressive. One sow rammed me when I was just sitting at a table because she wanted to lie where my feet were. It hurt and cut my leg and left a bruise. I would not take young children on this excursion at all because I don’t think they would appreciate how dangerous and aggressive the pigs are, and there are so many adorable piglets, I don’t think a young child would be able to resist touching them or trying to hold one.
While we were there, a pack of wild dogs attacked a piglet and began eating it live right in front of us — truly horrifying! — ans the piglet screamed for help. A group of tourists intervened to stop it and scare off the dogs, but I doubt the piglet survived. My 13 year old was crying at this point and went to go sit on the boat. And then, again and again, two or three boars chased down and raped sows in front of us, clearly against their will. At one point they did this right under a table of tourists, using the tourists to corner the sow so she couldn’t escape while 3 boars attacked her. Eventually we all sat on top of the tables for safety until it was time to leave.
The snorkeling portion of the Pig Island trip was also lackluster. Very poor visibility and a location that could be described as mid — at best.
But Pig Island was the only part of our entire trip I wouldn’t recommend, and it was so indescribably bad that we’ll be laughing about it for many years to come.
We ended our time in Koh Samui at a restaurant that was recommended by a local — Lanlandaw Viewpoint Restaurant. I highly recommend this! The front desk staff at the hotel (who were wonderful!) helped us arrange it all. A driver from the restaurant came to pick us up and then drove us about 20 minutes over rutted dirt roads up a mountain to the restaurant, which featured a spectacular overlook and view and great food. Be advised, it’s cash only —no credit cards!
All in all, a spectacular, almost seamless, vacation that was everything we hoped for and even better than we expected. We will certainly use KimKim again and we’re already talking about where we should go for our next trip!

Here's my full review it will be lengthy. We started planning our trip with Kim Kim about 18 months in advance. Our agent was Angela. She was very thorough and helpful throughout the whole process. The original group was around 15, which eventually whittled down to three. So as you can imagine there were many adjustments that Angela handled in stride. There was a significant time difference (10 hours), and Angela always got back to me within a day with answers to any questions that I had. I'm not going to lie I was nervous that everything wouldn't be to my liking as we're a world away from Greece. Angela took care of all our travel arrangements down to the very last detail. Day 1 we arrived in Athens, our driver was waiting for us and we were able to communicate with him before stepping off the plane using what's app. Make sure you download the app, because it is the best tool for communicating with your drivers and your travel agent during your stay. We arrived at our 1st hotel with no fuss. The only hiccup was our room wasn't available at the allotted time. We were very tired from almost a 24 hour trip so this was a little frustrating. The staff did offer us free drinks and told us to explore the city a little. We were too tired so we just waited until the room was available. Other than that the staff was helpful with things to do in our area and the hotel was centrally located. Everything was within a 15 minute walk which was perfect! Our tour guide Michael on our 2nd day for our trip to Acropolis was outstanding! I became sick on the tour and he took his time and was genuinely concerned for my well-being. I appreciated that more than he'll know. He was super friendly, answered our groups questions and very knowledgeable about Athens. 10/10 as far as guides go! I highly recommend this tour if you love history. Day 3 we're off to Mykonos. Once again our driver and ferry is set up for us. What a major convenience not worrying about how to get around Greece. The ferries are quite the experience for 1st timers. You have to get in where you fit in as far as getting yourself and luggage on board and off. 😂 But once you do it that 1st time you know what to expect. We did this 3x hopping to different cities. It was quite the experience. We were booked in club level seats so we're quite comfortable during our journey (usually 1.5 -3 hour trips). I enjoyed watching the sea each time. Mykonos Princess Hotel was so beautiful! The views were spectacular and the service was top tier! The staff was excellent and they saw to our every need. We had a boat tour that was fun as well. Next was Santorini. The views, shopping, tours were my favorite! We had land and sea tours in Santorini. The panoramic tour with Santorini luxury travels was excellent! Maria our tour guide, along with her trainee Kimberly and driver Eddy were unmatched! Maria was so welcoming I felt like I was with family. She explained the history of Santorini so well she could have been a professor. It was a beautiful outdoor history lesson. I loved hearing about the culture of this beautiful city. My favorite was the next day and we had our Sunset Catamaran tour. The boat ride was incredible. The views unbelievable! The food they served delicious. That alone cinched my trip for me! We stayed at this quaint boutique hotel, Sole d'oro. The staff was amazing and attentive here as well. Each morning they served us breakfast of our choice (included with our stay) and we ate it outside on our porch. Think little cottages with a patio. The hotel was about a 10 minute walk into the heart of shopping and restaurants. Just perfect! Our last stop was Heraklion, Crete where we stayed at the Happy Cretan Suites. Now this was my favorite resort by far! We wanted our last 2 days of Greece to just be about relaxation before our long journey home. The rooms and grounds were magnificent 5 stars all the way. We never left the resort as everything we needed was provided. Live music, massages, yoga and the food was amazing. Hands down this has been the best 50th birthday trip for me and my family. I would definitely do it again. Angela thank you for guiding us through this whole process. It was an unforgettable experience for us! Perfection! ❤️🫶🏾❤️

Hotel Reviews

Ava Hotel & Suites

Athens

Centrally located near shops, attractions, restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mykonos Princess Hotel

Mykonos

The scenery, staff are all amazing! Definitely giving you the most amazing views of Mykonos!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful views

Location

Not to far from the heart of the city and ports.

Staff

Very attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautiful rooms

Sole d'oro Luxury Suites

Santorini

Such a cute intimate cottage feel. It feels like your at home, but better!

Authenticity & Character

Location

10 minute walk next to shops and restaurants

Staff

So attentive, patient and friendly. It was like talking to friends!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Happy Cretan Suites

Malevizi, Crete

If I could give them 10 stars I would! The beauty of the resort. The staff, amazing! The services offered, everything was excellent. It's family friendly.

Authenticity & Character

The rooms were comfortable for a family of 3

Location

You are overlooking the Aegean sea

Staff

Very friendly always did everything with a smile. Very welcoming.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Athens Highlights Mythology Tour

Greece

Our tour guide, Michael was exceptional. He was knowledgeable, funny and friendly! I became ill on the tour and he made sure to take his time and was genuinely concerned. I appreciated that!

RM Round Transfers to Mykonos port area for the Cruise

Mykonos

Everything was taken care of. I highly recommend arranging for any transfers and drivers. Kim Kim does it for you. It will save you the hassle of worrying how to get around the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Panoramic Tour 2025

Santorini

Maria was my favorite tour guide. She was so knowledgeable. It was like talking to my auntie telling me about my family history! I just loved her! You can tell she definitely enjoys her work!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Sunset Cruise 2025

Santorini

It was amazing touring Santorini by sea. The sunset was perfection. The food was great!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rhenia & Delos day cruise

Mykonos

We loved going to the islands and exploring.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private round transfer anywhere in Santorini

Santorini

All of our drivers were prompt, friendly, and knowledgeable. We enjoyed talking to them about the locals and what to explore.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We have used Kimkim before and loved the experience. However, this trip was deeply disappointing. My husband’s bucket list item was to do a private Inner Circle tour of Stonehenge. When we booked with Aleksandra, we specifically asked to secure this tour as soon as possible because we knew it could fill up. Her response was, “We always have guides for that. It’s no problem.”

Well, it was a problem. We were at Stonehenge during the summer solstice, when it’s closed for private tours. Aleksandra didn’t inform us of this until right before our trip. Had we known this back when we booked three months earlier, we could have adjusted our itinerary — for example, visiting Stonehenge at a different time or going to Spain first.

Summer solstice happens at the same time every year, and Stonehenge’s closure for private tours is a predictable, annual event. If Aleksandra were truly an expert on England, she should have been aware of this and flagged it immediately. Even more frustrating, had she reached out to a guide when we requested it in March, she would have discovered the conflict then, giving us time to adjust our plans.

This was a major letdown on what was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

There were many other things she missed the boat on. We went to castle combs for three nights with no car and no grocery store in town. There were only two restaurants in town and one you needed a reservation When we told people we had no car there they couldn’t believe it. Oh, and no taxis. So we were stuck at the same restaurant for three days. Although, lovely town. Go for only one night or just lunch.

Hotel Reviews

Fox Den Cottage

Castle Combe

Authenticity & Character

Location

Castle Combs was beautiful but nothing to do for three nights. Only two restaurants no grocery store

Staff

Neighbor doesn’t seem too happy with renters.no staff to ask questions

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hoxton, Southwark

London

The one good thing about the trip. Hotel was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Walking Tour of Big Ben and Westminster Abbey

London

Guide was good.

Stonehenge and Bath

England

We liked our guide but so many problems! For example we booked Bath but Aleksandra said oh sorry it doesn’t make sense to go to Bath. She told us a week before we left. Because of timing, we couldn’t do Bath. This was soooooo frustrating. She messed up so many times.

Quality of Experience

On our private tour, we were standing outside a fence because Kimkim messed up the tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was great.

Transport

Overall we had a great time. The locations were varied and interesting. The guides and staff were friendly and accommodating, the food was delicious, and we enjoyed the activities and for the see lots of wildlife. It's a trip we'll remember for a long time.

2 areas could use improvement: 1. Managing guests' expectations. Sometimes we weren't informed about things that would have made the experience better, like that we were to spend one night on a houseboat in Porto Jofre. B/c no one told us this, including Sara, we didn't pack clothing for the next day, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and medication. Luckily we did ok and the staff helped once they realized the situation. But all we needed was 1 guide to tell us we were going to be spending a night away from the lodge and we would've packed properly. That said, staying overnight in Porto Jofre is a must as you need to be up early to see the animals and it's too far from the lodge.

2. One guide, Yann, needs more guidance in dealing with people. He's knowledgeable in plants and animals and he did a great job helping my partner w/ a bad hip get up and down from a difficult view location and on other trails. But he could've provided more info on what we should expect, how long things take, and difficulty. By not telling us that we could swim at some waterfalls, we neglected to change into bathing suits. On a hike around the lodge, he didn't take opportunities to check in with us to see how we were doing. There was a place about halfway where my partner and another guest with a bad hip could've turned back to the lodge. Instead they ended up continuing too far and struggled to make it back. He also needs to learn to take responsibility for mistakes and apologizing. One night he told 3 of us we'd need to be up the next morning at 4:30 to take a sunrise hike when he meant 5:30. Maybe he got the numbers mixed up in English but 3 of us heard him say 4:30. He refused to acknowledge his error and apologize which made things awkward going forward.
Otherwise great trip.

Hotel Reviews

Reino Encantado Pousada

Nobres - MT

If you're going to Nobres, this is a cool place mostly b/c of easy access to the Saloda River for snorkeling. Also near the lake where macaws go at sunset. Comfortable rooms, friendly staff, and delicious food, plus lots of animals, like burrowing owls, curaçao, and macaws on the grounds.

Authenticity & Character

You'll def know you're in Brazil

Location

Has easy snorkeling and not far from lake w/ macaws

Staff

Friendly and served good food and drinks

Cleanliness & Comfort

UeSo Pantanal Lodge

UeSo is a nice place to stay in the Pantanal w/ comfortable rooms, friendly staff, and delicious food, plus lots of animals, like macaws, capybara, and caiman, on the grounds. There's also a tower you can hike to to get a bird's eye view of the landscape. But be warned, it's quite far from Porto Jofre on a washboard road where you'll spend at least 1 night on a houseboat to see jaguars, otters, and other animals. The houseboat is also comfortable, though beds are small, and also delicious food. Just be prepared for the long journey there and back.

Authenticity & Character

Well decorated, many animals around the grounds

Location

Far from Porto Jofre but that can't be improved

Staff

Most were great, one guide needs improvement

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cantos da Mata

Chapada dos Guimarães

This is essentially a collection of guest rooms run by a woman named Sandra. It's a fairly convenient location near the town and also the scenic locations in the area. Breakfast is included and was well prepared. The rooms were fine for sleeping. The shower was adjacent to the toilet and required squeegeeing to push the water down the drain and away from the toilet. This place is about 1 km down a washboard road from the main highway so be prepared for a bumpy ride to and from

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near the town and also scenic stops

Staff

The woman who prepared breakfast was very nice and did a good job

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to the Chapada dos Guimarães! First tour

Chapada dos Guimarães

Chapada dos Guimarães is a small cute town w/ a covered main street w/ restaurants and boutique shops. Outside the town is a scenic plateau where people gather at sunset to gaze down at the valley. There are also trails that lead to waterfalls where you can swim. It's a good intro to this part of Mato Grosso. We enjoyed the variety. It was also our first opportunity for sucos and sorvete.

Quality of Experience

Waterfalls to swim in, nice hikes

Food

Got our first taste of suco, pastel, and sorvete

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yann was informative but wish he'd share more info ahead of time

Transport

Discovering the Chapada dos Guimarães full day

Chapada dos Guimarães

A long hike to a beautiful waterfall we could swim in. The plateau at sunset.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Nobres - tours

Mato Grosso Norte

Snorkeling in a river is different and cool. The current just takes you along. The lake where people go to watch the sunset is really to see dozens of macaws gather

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wish Yann had told us in advance about macaws, but he was good at positioning binoculars over phone camera lens to take closeup pix

Transport

First day at the Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

It's a bit of a drive from Nobres. We stopped at a pasteleria for lunch. which was good. One of the pastels had caiman, tastes a little like chicken. We arrived at UeSo right before dinner. Nour greeted us w/ Caipirinhas which is a good way to start the experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Pastels are interesting. Food at Ueso is delicious and there's a lot of variety

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day 2 at Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

We left Ueso for what we thought was a full day excursion but would return that night. Surprise! We ended up spending the night on the houseboat in Porto Jofre. Seeing jaguars was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Jaguars, wildlife along the road

Food

Food on the houseboat was good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wish they'd told us in advance we were overnighting on the houseboat but they were very nice once they figured out we didn't know about it

Transport

Wildlife along the way. It's a long drive.

Last day at Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

Yann led us on a tour around the lodge before we had to depart for the airport. He did say the hike was 2 km but at the halfway point didn't check in to see how we were doing. This would've been a point where those who were tired could turn back toward the lodge. Instead we kept going and it was too much for some. My partner and I went a bit further but ended up leaving the tour and heading back to the lodge on our own. The ride to the airport in Cuiaba was faster than I thought. Thought it would be 3 hrs, Pedro Paolo made it in 2.

Quality of Experience

Checking in w/ guests halfway through the hike

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide could check in w/ guests halfway through the hike

Transport

Got to airport faster than I thought

Jaguar Full-Day Safari – From UeSo Pantanal

North Pantanal

This was the best day of the tour. More jaguars including one swimming. A family of giant river otters. A capybara w/ birds in its ears. We felt lucky that we got to see all these animals. Followed by a long drive back to Ueso but Nour did his best to make it go fast

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They're good at spotting animals

Transport

day 3 at Ueso Pantanal Lodge

North Pantanal

I did a hike w/ Nour to the tower while my partner rode a horse. We saw a lot of caiman. In the afternoon we kayaked on the river.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was great. We really appreciate Hector's assistance with the planning. All of our guides were great, with Nuno being the BEST on our daytrip to Cascais and Sintra! He was informative, kind and entertaining. Our second favorite guide was Rachel on our Cominito Del Rey tour. For the most part our drivers were also fantastic, with the exception of Julio. We had to wait a little bit for him to pick us up (even though he said he was there) but what was most disappointing was that he clearly was not well. He coughed and sniffled repeatedly and very frequently spat out the window. I'm pretty sure as a result of his apparent symptoms our daughter who was sitting directly behind him fell ill during our trip. In fact, there were sputum tracks on the passenger side window from his spitting.

Hotel Review

BessaHotel Liberdade

Lisboa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Concierge was super helpful. Breakfast waitstaff were very kind to refill our water bottles each day for our adventures. We love the wonderful fragrance in the hotel lobby.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Flamenco Experience

Spain

We enjoyed the cultural experience but the location could have been better to our hotel.

Algarve Kayaking Trip to Benagil Caves

Spain

Super cool experience. Our kids loved the kayak tour and seeing the caves.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

Our guide was great. We appreciated his pride in his country and culture.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Get to know Porto by E-bike

Porto

This was a great way to see and experience Porto, especially with active teens.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lisbon Fado Dinner Experience

Spain

Great production.

Food

Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour

Spain

This was our least liked experience as it was difficult to take in the sights. It may have been better if both seats faced forward. (we faced each other). Our guide, however, was easy to hear as he had a headset.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Spain

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Nuno!! As I mentioned before, Nuno was our favorite guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family Friendly Seville City Tour

Spain

We had great tour of Seville. Our guide was very knowledgeable and clearly had a passion for history. There were a few discrepancies from the description in our itinerary and the actual tour which was fine but not sure if we actually covered all that was intended.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Málaga Wine & Gourmet Experience

Málaga

The tour was ok but not our favorite. I'm not sure I would call this a Wine and Gourmet experience. We had sangria but no wine. Actually, I think it was considered a Tapas tour.

Quality of Experience

It might be nice to be able to choose from menu items ( especially if you have a picky eater, like my son)

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Excursion to Caminito del Rey

Spain

We really enjoyed this excursion. Rachel, our guide was also very good and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything about our trip was exactly what we wanted and more. We truly feel like we experienced Wales. Alex did an exceptional job planning the trip. Our driver guide, Riki, was far exceeded our expectations and truly took good care of us. Being 2 senior women from Iowa, we had no idea what to expect. We felt truly safe, secure and well taken care of on our journey. The Welsh people were genuinely friendly and welcoming. The scenery was beautiful and the towns quaint.

Hotel Reviews

The Angel

Abergavenny

Lovely room and accommodations. Delicious food. Very hospital.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to shops and restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Llys Meddyg

Newport

Quaint 60's vibe. Very good food at the restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Very authentic and rich in history

Staff

Could not locate staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spiders

Penmaenuchaf Hall Hotel

Dolgellau

Wow! Truly an experience in different way of life. Spectacular in all ways and authentic to its setting.

Authenticity & Character

Definitely updated without removing the character of a manor house

Location

Beautiful gardens and countryside! Not close to town.

Staff

Very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautiful and clean!

The Bull Beaumaris

Anglesey

Very retro. rooms. Large and roomy. Wonderful restaurant at the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Retro feeling and fun decor

Location

Castle within walking distance

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Relais Henley

Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

Truly luxurious accommodation. Did not serve an evening meal on a Sunday. Breakfast was great. Beautiful view right along the Thames. Many shops within walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful setting

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Thames River Cruise

Wales

Would have liked to see more estates. Did get to watch some rowing races

Cadw Explorer Pass - 7 Days

Wales

Only used it 2 times and would not work on day 7 at the Castle in Anglesey.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Portmeirion Village

Wales

Very unique experience.

Conwy Castle

Ireland

Amazing medieval town with all the walls enclosing the city and the castle.

Our Edinburgh city tour was excellent. Our guide was a passionate history student at the local university and was exceptionally knowledgeable.

In contrast, our city tour of Inverness was not so great. Our guide was a local volunteer and community activist but looking back, I am not sure the tour helped us at all. Timing was poor as the market was closed when our guide took us there.

Hotel Reviews

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Authenticity & Character

Old building, well maintained and renovated.

Location

Walking distance to everything!

Staff

Helpful, available and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bunchrew House Hotel

IV3 8TA

Looks great, seems understaffed. Dusty, old, needs a deep cleaning, maybe replace some carpets. My sense was that they think they are better than they are, staff are pretentious. The menu is very different, only ate there once but wouldn’t recommend the dining room.

Authenticity & Character

Old, history. Felt like a castle.

Location

Need a taxi or car. No Uber in the north regions.

Staff

All were fine, when you could find someone. No one at the front desk.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Marcliffe Hotel & Spa

Pitfodels Aberdeen

Staff excellent. Parking is a problem with construction and loss of land to an adjacent development.

Authenticity & Character

Golf theme and many famous golfers have stayed here.

Location

Remote from downtown.

Staff

The bellman was a character, joking, making us smile and a true loyal employee.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cameron house

One of the best hotels we have ever experienced.

Authenticity & Character

The addition to the original building was done exceptionally well.

Location

Excellent! Right on the lake!

Staff

Lots of them, knowledgeable and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cannot get any better!

Hotel du Vin & Bistro Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Awkward location, no valet, nowhere to park.

Authenticity & Character

Maintained the character of an old building.

Location

Central location.

Staff

Not many staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Old Town Tour

Edinburgh

Our guide was passionate, knowledgeable and a pleasure to be with.

Quality of Experience

Learned so much history.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We met at the hotel entrance.

Guided Exploration of Haddo House

Aberdeen

This location is off the beaten path but an important part of our trip because of family connections. We were pleased to see a photo of our great grandfather in the wall of the cafe!

Explore Glen Affric, Culloden, and Clava Cairns Tour

Inverness

Very interesting.

Quality of Experience

History

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Microphone did not work.

Private Inverness Walking Tour

Scotland

We could have done this walkabout on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything very helpful and always very responsive. This was our second time using KimKim (first time Iceland, this time Japan) and we will definitely do so again. We were a little spoiled with amazing deeply customized support for Iceland, but our Japan support was still excellent - highly recommend!

I chose Kimkim randomly when I decided to travel to Thailand and could not be more pleased.

Bella helped me plan a trip based on my interests which included pickup from my arrival through ten days of robust activities and to my departure.

My driver Chin was fabulous from the first pickup. My guide Leena met me at the hotel where we embarked on a public transportation tour of Bangkok. It was a wonder way to get the local pulse. Two sky trains an express boat all added to my wonder. Her knowledge of the history and culture was impressive. I experienced Wat Arun and learned about its design and how broken teacups from China were used in the design. We visited the Emerald Buddha, The Reclining Buddha, and the Main Palace. All with rich detail from Leena. Explored Chinatown had a meal and took the subway back to my hotel.
The next day She and Chin took me to the Railroad and Floating Market pointing out the sea salt fields along the way. She even helped me resolve an exchange problem.
Chin brought be to the airport to Chaing Mai where I met Lilly my guide and Text the driver. Lily showed me the city and temples much different than Bangkok and stayed with me throughout my engrossing Elephant experience and lunch. Lilly also traveled with me to the airport to be sure all went well

The next elements of my trip were equally well coordinated. From Chiang Mai I was met by a driver in Samui who took me my boat to Koh Tao and helped me check in. I was met in Koh Tao by a driver who brought me to an extraordinary Beach resort hotel My beautiful room was 75 feet from the shore.
There I was picked up for an outstanding snorkeling trip with a side mountain hike. Tons of fish and giant sea turtles

At my next trip was well coordinated with drivers taking me to boat and airport where I was met in Phuket by my guide Ben with driver She gave a wonderful tour of Phuket. Viewing from high above the area and exploring Chinatown and old Portuguese building. My trip culminated with a visually stunning and exhilarating speed boat tour of the iconic James Bond islands and boat ride into a cave and a canoeing adventure under and through huge monolithic rocks rising from the sea.
Once again picked at airport and Chin in Bangkok who brought me to my departure flight.

This the adventure of a lifetime artistically organized and executed by Bella who I hold in great esteem.

If you thinking of travel to Thailand or elsewhere in Asia , save your money and call Bella at Kimkim.

Hotel Reviews

Koh Tao Beach Club Resort

Surat Thani

I was blown away by my room close to the beach and well appointed

Authenticity & Character

Charming l

Location

75 feet from the shore Close to the port I watched the sunset from my bed.

Staff

The massage therapist was outstanding.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect

De Charme Hotel

Amphoe Muang, Si Phum, Chiang Mai

Great staff beautiful hotel

Authenticity & Character

It felt right

Location

Close to walking street market and temples

Staff

Helpful Friendly Efficient

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well maintained

Layalina Hotel

Phuket

A hidden gem Set off the Main Street the hotel opened into a wonderland. Small hotel. Huge room with everything zi could ask for

Authenticity & Character

Charming delightful comfortable

Location

Right on the beach with breakfast served on room terrace

Staff

Could not be more attentive and personable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Attention to detail wonderful facility and room a gem

Activity Reviews

A visit to Mae Klong Railway market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market!

Bangkok

The markets were a feature. My guide Leena made it even more special

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge attentiveness and personal toucj

Transport

Bangkok city tour with a food tasting at Chinatown!

Bangkok

Couldn’t ask for more. My guide made the experience more wonderful than the sites themselves. She made me feel special. The choice to travel either mass transit brought me close to the culture

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chin was fantastic

Welcome to Chiang Mai!

Chiang Mai

My guide Lilly gave me a personalized tour of the city and temples and provided great insight into how to spend my free time. Adapted tour to meet my interests

Quality of Experience

Ancient temples

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Comfortable timely efficient

Eco-Elephant Care Full Day

Chiang Mai

More than I had hoped for. The facility guide was amazing I learned much about elephants and interacting with them. Beyond expectations

Quality of Experience

Learning about and feeding the elephants with various food type. Feeding them helped to connect when interacting in the wild and water

Food

The lunch buffet rivaled restaurants amazing Tom Yum soup

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lilly made sure I had everything I needed. I enjoyed her company and attentiveness

Transport

Always there great drive

Snorkeling Trip!

Koh Tao

Multiple sights amazing fish and turtles a side trip up a mountain safe friendly wonderful

Quality of Experience

Food

Excellent buffet

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The crew was remarkable

Transport

Short ride to hotel

Phuket Half-Day City Tour

Phuket

My guide Ben gave me a personalized tour of the city based on information she drew from me. Tiger Kingdom was perfect

Quality of Experience

Tiger kingdom. Ben’s caring detailed manner

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phang Nga bay or James Bond island by speed boat

Thailand

The lead guy Bobbi made the amazing sights more remarkable. Always ready with a helpful funny answer.

Quality of Experience

Great island tour cave exploring canoeing and buffet on the Muslim Island

Food

Hardy full Thai buffets

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Organized intelligent entertaining and safety conscious

Transport

Smooth ride comfortable van

Every aspect of the trip was carefully and beautifully curated. This was the first time that we took a trip organized by an agency.
Maryem was very responsive from the beginning of the planning and organized an amazing trip for our family of five. She planned an unforgettable trip beginning and ending in Marrakesh, with a 4 Day Loop across the Atlas mountains through Dades Valley into the desert. Every Riad and Kasbah we stayed at were great. The camel ride at sunset to the luxury camp under the stars was a highlight not only of this trip but of any trip we’ve taken.
Aside from the planning, the most valuable aspect of the trip was our driver and guide, Omar. He not only drove us safely from place to place and provided historical and cultural information on Morocco and the places we visited, but he exemplified the hospitality, sincerity and friendliness of the Moroccan people. He connected us with local guides in the specific places we visited, who were also great. We particularly enjoyed walking through some of the small villages and appreciating the local people, local food, local culture, music and economy.
During the trip, we were able to communicate with Maryem to tweak our itinerary, which we left flexible (purposefully) for the final day and a half. We spent a 1/2 day with Omar, appreciating the Jardin Majorelle, Berber Museum and Yves Saint Laurent museum.
Overall, it was an unforgettable eight days in Morocco and we are looking forward to returning again with the same agencies (Morocco Imersion) and Kim Kim.

Hotel Reviews

Riad al Rimal

Marrakech

Wonderful Riad. Well appointed rooms. Our three older kids stayed in one room and my husband and I stayed in another. Breakfast was amazing. The employees were very friendly and professional. The location was very well situated within the Medina.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kasbah Tiziri

Kelaat Mgouna

Michelle runs an incredible Kasbah in the mountains. Rooms were very comfortable, the layout of the property was authentic and allowed for room enjoy the property from various perspectives. A wonderful place to go after a busy day touring. We only wish we could’ve stayed longer.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sahara Stars Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Everything about this particular stay was so memorable from start to finish from the camel ride across the Sahara into the camp at sunset, to sand boarding down the dunes, followed by dinner and drumming.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Chamaa

Ouarzazate

We were very pleased with our stay here. It was a more western style hotel. Very nice pool and dining set up near the pool was also lovely. Staff were very professional and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakech to Dades Valley via Ouarzazate

Morocco

We toured Atlas Studios, and our local guide there, Mohammed, made a couple of movie trailers starring our family! We had such a blast there. We could appreciate many of the sets from gladiator one at gladiator two at this studio. I got to be Cleopatra in a movie trailer.

Quality of Experience

The Atlas studio tour was so unique and fun, highly recommend.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide at Atlas Studios, Mohammed, was super knowledgeable and made a couple of fun movie trailers for our family as souvenirs.

Transport

Merzouga to Ouarzazate via Draa Valley

Morocco

Return trip to Marrakesh via Atlas mountains. New landscape to enjoy.

Dades Valley to Merzouga Camel Trek via Todgha Gorge & Tinghir

Morocco

Spectacular landscape. Riding the camels at sunset into the luxury stars camp, and the entire stay at the camp was the highlight of the trip if there had to be one highlight. This is a do not miss experience.

Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou

Morocco

Unique environment and you will recognize it from the movie, Gladiator. Our driver/guide, Omar, brought us to meet an elderly lady who lives in the settlement. She gave us a tour of her home, complete with courtyard full of goats and sheep. It gave us a glimpse into the life of a local woman who makes this famous old city her home.

Antonia was the absolute best! She was overly helpful and attentive both before our trip began and during the entire trip. I even texted her at midnight one night and she responded back within five minutes. She took our suggestions to heart and she implemented a wonderful and individual itinerary for our family. I would definitely work with Antonia and Kim Kim again!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Sanje ob Soči

Bovec

This hotel is wonderful. We were able to stay in the 3 bedroom plus the upstairs room and we absolutely loved this as we had room to spread out. There is a washer/dryer in this room as well which was so convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Penzion Berc

Bled

We are a family of five who stayed here the beginning of June, 2025. It was absolutely wonderful. The e-bikes were a great addition as well and were free of charge! You will not be disappointed in your stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy access to lake bled and the town around. Plus use of e-bikes for free.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Angelo d'Oro Holiday Home Silva

Rovinj

This hotel is right in the middle of old town. It was charming and very easy to get around in. We loved this place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Malo More

Dubrovnik

This hotel was beautiful. The pools were amazing and the workout room was great. The breakfast was also amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

16 Lakes Hotel

Rakovica

We had two rooms here and it was great. The rooms were very large and welcoming. The restaurant was a great addition to, as well as the workout room and pool. We would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heritage Hotel Santa Lucia

Split

We absolutely loved the charm of this hotel. We had connecting rooms so that was definitely an added bonus. The restaurant and breakfast were lovely. We will definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Porta Maestra Hvar

Hvar

This place was GORGEOUS. Stephani was absolutely amazing and made sure were were well taken care of. Our room was amazing and we will definitely seek this hotel out again because Hvar was one of our favorite places.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel A'mare

Zadar

The hotel is a great stop. Hotel was well kept and the restaurant was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

art'otel Zagreb

Zagreb

Beautiful hotel in the middle of Zagreb.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tandem Paragliding over the Soča Valley

Bovec

10/10 recommend! These guides were professional and I felt extremely safe with them. They are calming and reassuring and fun too! Overall, if you want to paraglide, pick this company!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

This was a fun trip through Dubrovnik! The guide was able to tell us a lot about her home town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Presentation of Traditional Silk Production in the Konavle Region

Croatia

This was so much fun. Wish we had more time here to see the whole presentation! Definitely felt the guide was knowledgeable and loved this tradition.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sea Kayak Tour - Pakleni Islands

Croatia

Loved this activity. Our guide was nothing short of professional and he was so easy to talk with. We had an excellent time on this trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Mostar & Blagaj

Split

This was a great trip. We had a lovely time in Mostar. Blagaj was extremely busy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rafting Experience on Soča River

Croatia

This was hands down one of our favorite rafting trips we have done. Guides were super fun and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Split

Croatia

Our guide was so knowledgeable about Split. She definitely made the tour great! We learned so much about the history of Split. It was also fun seeing some of the movie sets from game of thrones show.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Ljubljana

Croatia

We loved this tour. Our guide was amazing. Wish we could have stayed longer.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot Air Balloon Flight Over the Bled Lake

Croatia

Once in a lifetime! Guide was amazing and very knowledgeable about piloting. The views were amazing and breathtaking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pottery class at family estate

Plitvice Lakes

Make this a part of every itinerary! This family was amazing and we felt so comfortable and at home here. The pottery class was so much fun and the meal that was prepared was the best meal we had all trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bike Adventure in Brijuni National Park & Visit to Fažana

Croatia

We had a great time on this bike tour. It was calming and beautiful and our guide was so knowledgeable about the park.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Hike of Plitvice Lakes National Park - (Lower & Upper Lakes)

Croatia

Our guide was amazing and professional. He was very knowledgeable about the national park and the animals/plants too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Full Day Boat Tour to Blue Cave & Pakleni Islands

Croatia

We had a great time on this trip. It was a lot of stops to see and time to swim. We also ate at a great restaurant too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the most amazing trip to Italy! Sonia was such a gift in the planning process. She tailored the trip to our preferences and we felt like we experienced so much of the wonderful Italian culture and sites in 12 days!

Sonia was very responsive and set us up with amazing tour guides (Samantha at the Vatican, Ricardo on the golf cart tour and Gabriel in Tuscany) who brought the regions to life for us. Whenever we had questions, before or during the trip, Sonia and her team were quick to respond and problem-solve. We plan to use Kim Kim again in the future for our travel plans!

Aleksandra was amazing in guiding us with our first trip overseas to London, Paris, and Normandy. She was able to develop an awesome itinerary based on our desired sightseeing requests as well as offer additional points of interest to consider and she coordinated and purchased tickets for the tours, hotel accommodations, drivers, and other modes of transportation. All we had to do was book our flights.

The trip could not have gone any smoother with little to no issues during the ten day trip. She also checked in with us to make sure things were going well. You could not go wrong with Aleksandra!

Hotel Reviews

Blakemore Hyde Park Hotel

London

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Plaza Elysées

Paris

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chambres d'hôtes du Bas Manoir

A great countryside bed and breakfast outside of Caen for our stay in Normandy. The owners were quite friendly and delightful. The residence was built in the 16th century and was bombed on D-day, which made it that much more special to us.

Authenticity & Character

A 16th century residence and bombed on D-day, how authentic can you get!!

Location

Staff

Very friendly older couple.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel A La Villa des Artistes

Paris

Right in the heart of Paris! What more could you want!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Palace of Versailles Day Trip With Driver Guide

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thames Cruise with Dinner

London

Relaxing evening on the Thames with great food and sights from the river.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus

London

Great place to start your stay by getting your bearings and layout of the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Churchill War Rooms & WW2 Westminster Private Tour

London

One of my favorite tours as a World War II buff. Plenty of history and gives you and understanding what went on in the bunkers!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City & University Tour – Oxford Walking Tours

England

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I'm thrilled to share our incredible 9-day family trip to England, which exceeded our expectations in every way. I would rate our overall experience a 9/10, and I cannot recommend both England as a destination AND our amazing travel agent Kateryna highly enough!

What made this trip truly special was having everything seamlessly handled for us. Kateryna arranged all our accommodations, transportation (including private drivers and train tickets), and event tickets. The peace of mind that came with having every detail professionally managed allowed us to simply enjoy our vacation. Her expertise really showed in the quality of experiences she curated for us. And any time we had a question while on the trip, she was extremely quick to respond.

We explored London, York, Oxford, and the charming Cotswolds villages. Our itinerary was perfectly balanced, including iconic sites like Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, cultural experiences at the British Museum and Harry Potter Studio, and unique adventures like our Secret Food Tour in Soho.

The private drivers and guides were a game-changer - traveling on our own timetable with just our family was luxurious and efficient. The trains ran smoothly with easy-to-navigate stations. Special shout-out to Eddie from Good Vibes Tours, who made our day absolutely memorable!

The Grand in York was phenomenal - spacious rooms, perfect location, and their afternoon tea was the epitome of a proper English experience. The Academy in London had great atmosphere in its Georgian townhomes setting, though some service issues arose. The Malmaison in Oxford served its purpose with a good location.

Early June was ideal - beautiful weather with minimal rain, and manageable crowds since schools weren't out yet. The food scene was excellent, especially our food tour with Tom King and that unforgettable afternoon tea at The Grand.

Bottom line - Kateryna created a trip that perfectly balanced must-see attractions with unique experiences, all while handling every logistical detail. For anyone considering England, I highly recommend both the destination and Kateryna's professional services. She made our family vacation absolutely magical!

Hotel Reviews

The Academy London

The location of the hotel was great -- close to tube stations and great restaurants. Our room was large; however, the bathroom was small. My biggest complaints resolved around service. Our room safe wasn't working when we arrived. I reported it multiple times and was assured that maintenance would look at it. Even though we were there four nights, it was never fixed. I requested extra blankets twice -- they never arrived. I also requested a room that didn't face the street and was assured the room didn't. However, when we checked in, it did.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Grand, York

North Yorkshire

The Grand was amazing. The hotel itself is beautiful. The location was fantastic - close to the train station but also close to local attractions. Our room was extremely large and well appointed. The bathroom was amazing. And the food was great. We ate in the bar as well as having afternoon tea in the restaurant. Both were delicious. And the afternoon tea was everything a proper English tea should be.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Malmaison Oxford

Oxford

The location of the hotel was fantastic. Close to the train station while also being close to the local attractions. It's a renovated prison which gave it an interesting character. My biggest complaints were that the rooms were very small, only one elevator worked, and the restaurant was overpriced.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was clean. It was the size of the rooms that made it not very comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Discover London in a Private Black Cab

London

Our black cab tour was awesome. Our driver was so friendly and knowledgeable. Despite having a grumpy teenage girl with us, he was excellent at making her laugh and enjoy the experience. We really enjoyed the tour and learned a lot!

Tower of London Beefeater Welcome & Crown Jewels

London

The Tower of London was pretty much everything I expected. It was an enjoyable experience and full of history.

Thames Cruise with Dinner

London

The Thames Cruise with Dinner was really enjoyable. The food exceeded my expectations, which were initially low due to it being a cruise. My only subtle complaint, unrelated to the tour itself, is that it was summer, so it didn't get dark until towards the end of the cruise, but the skyline was gorgeous once it did.

Stonehenge & Jurassic Coast Private Tour

London

Our driver, Eddie, suggested a substitute tour for the planned Stonehenge & Jurassic Coast tour due to weather, and it ended up being awesome! We visited a couple of castles, Canterbury Cathedral, the White Cliffs of Dover, and an old pub from 1610. It was a day full of surprises and great experiences.

The Royal London Tour: Changing of the Guard and More

London

The Changing of the Guard tour was fun, although our tour guide wasn't as engaging with kids compared to others we had on the trip. She mostly talked to me and my husband, which was fine, but it could have been better tailored for my daughter.

British Museum, self-guided tour

London

The British Museum was good and offered a large collection of exhibits. We enjoyed our self-guided tour there.

London Secret Food Tour

London

The London Secret Food Tour with Tom was so much fun! He engaged with different couples throughout the evening, making it personal and enjoyable for everyone. We had a great time tasting various foods in a small group setting.

Westminster Abbey

London

Westminster Abbey was wonderful, although I preferred York Minster as it was so much less crowded. Regardless, the history and architecture were stunning.

Amazing Tour of Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio with Private Transfer

London

The Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio tour was fantastic, definitely a highlight of the trip for my daughter. Our driver was flexible and even got us there early, allowing extra time to enjoy all the magical details.

Iconic Oxford Private Walking Tour

Oxford

The Iconic Oxford Private Walking Tour was a great experience, led by a charming Oxford student. Unfortunately, it did fall during their school finals though so we weren't able to view all of the rooms of the Bodleian Library which I had been looking forward to.

Cotswolds Tour, Oxford to Bath

Oxford

The Cotswolds Tour from Oxford to Bath was a wonderful experience, greatly enhanced by Christopher, our driver who engaged well with my daughter.

all of our guides were great - very knowledgeable and on time and respectful and the transportation arranged was ideal!

Hotel Reviews

Pera Palace

Istanbul

great location history and a very accommodating and friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

the breakfast included was excellent - very authentic and over the top in selections and quality of food

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

the rooms were great and the common areas lovely in every way.

Hotel Taskonaklar Cappadocia

Nevsehir

great location - great views and super fun to be in this cave hotel

Activity Reviews

Cappadocia E-Bike Tour - Full Day

Cappadocia

Guides were great - bikes were great- super fun day!

Wine Pairing Dinner at Revithia Cappadocia

Cappadocia

this restaurant had a great view and the staff was super friendly but the food didn't feel super authentic and was a bit fussy. that said, the plates, bowls and the serve ware was very artsy and amazing!