Kimkim Trip Reviews

We loved our trip to Australia and Connie was very patient and helped to plan the perfect trip for us. She responded immediately to any questions I had . We had wanted a trip to see more " nature " and she suggested Tasmania. She advised that we rent a car ( which we were hesitant to do ) . But, it was perfect and fun going out of our comfort range. The driving turned out to be so laid back and easy , and such beautiful scenery ! We visited Cradle mountain first and then on to Hobart. Thanks Connie !

Hotel Reviews

The Grace Hotel

Sydney, NSW

Location

Walking distance to Barangaroo/ The rocks - Perfect !

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cradle Mountain Hotel

Cradle Mountain

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ibis Styles Hobart

Hobart

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location. Within walking distance to many attractions

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Taste of Sydney Experience

Sydney

Loved this tour ! It was perfect for us especially since we had only 1 day in Sydney. We started at a nearby hotel within walking distance. Our guide was very informative and fun and we were able to experience foods that we probably would not have if we were on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exceptional guide. Very fun and knowledgeable. He seemed to genuinely love what he was doing.

Devils @ Cradle After Dark Feeding Tour

Cradle Mountain National Park

Great experience if you love animals . Not only do you get to see Tasmanian devils, but Quolls which are endangered species as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bruny Island Day Trip

Hobart

So much fun and the food tastings were fantastic ! Cheeses, honey, beer and lunch !

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful experience with Karenina (Kim Kim tours). She gave great suggestions for our free days. And great suggestions for restaurants. Karenina checked in daily to make sure everything was going smoothly and that we were enjoying ourselves. The tasting tours were with great tour guides and we got to taste authentic Spain dishes. In Portugal we are with Margarida and Emilia. Margarida welcomed us into her home and shared a delicious authentic Portuguese meal with us. It was a fabulous trip! Highly recommend Karenina!

Activity Review

Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Great tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The guides, KimKims service and Vietnam were all amazing, I would strongly recommend going! I've not used an online travel agent like this before but having done it once I will definitely use it again for future trips. Thanks again KimKim!

Hotel Reviews

Hong Ngoc Dynastie Hotel & Spa

Hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Homestay Mr. Binh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Homestay Mr Don

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sapa Relax Hotel & Spa

Lao Cai

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cozy Boutique Cruise

Halong,

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hoi An Rose Garden Hotel

Hoi An

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Queen Ann Hotel Saigon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanoi - City tour full day

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi – Muong Lo, Nghia Lo, Explore Thai Ethnic People

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Muong Lo – Mu Cang Chai – Trekking

Mu Cang Chai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Hike in Mù Cang Chải - Transfer to Sapa

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ho Chi Minh - Ben Tre - Ho Chi Minh (2,5 hours transfer)

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sapa - Lao Chai - Ta Van - Sapa

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cu Chi Tunnels and Ho Chi Minh City Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Lan Ha Bay Cruise

Lan Ha Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lan Ha Bay - Fly to Hue, Transfer to Hue City

Lan Ha Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoi An - Tra Que Village & Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoian - My Son half day tour

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our local specialist Carmen was very responsive to our questions and would quickly update our itinerary with great suggestions. I never felt pressured or rushed, and I appreciate her checking in on us before, during, and after our trip. Our favorite highlight was a private tour of Sintra with a local guide (Marta): we were treated to plenty of sightseeing, but we never felt fatigued or overwhelmed. Additionally, our overall experience in Lisbon and the Algarve region were exceptional. Everything else such as private transfers, car rental, dinner reservations, alerting restaurants of our food allergies, etc. went smoothly. We will use this travel agency again.

Owen planned an amazing trip for us. Every little detail was taken care of. We will definitely use a kimkim again!

I highly recommend Sangita as a guide for anyone planning a trip to Nepal. She did an excellent job of organizing the perfect trip for me, tailored to my specific requests. From the moment I began planning the trip, Sangita was attentive and responsive, and during the trip, she went above and beyond to make sure everything ran smoothly, even accommodating some last-minute changes.

The accommodations were exactly what I was looking for, and the various guides and companions were all pleasant and knowledgeable. I had a wonderful time exploring Nepal, and I know that Sangita's guidance and expertise played a big role in making it such a memorable experience.

If I ever have the opportunity to travel to Nepal again, I will definitely be reaching out to Sangita. I highly recommend her to anyone planning a trip to this beautiful country. Thanks, Sangita!

Hotel Reviews

Local teahouse / Lodge

Annapurna Region

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Parkside

Chitwan , Narayani

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Traditional Stay

Mangalbazar, Kathmandu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautiful Kathmandu Hotel

Kathmandu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Durbar Himalaya

Bandipur

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Peninsula

Pokhara

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Meraki Wellness Retreat

Budhanilkantha

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Relaxation Massage at Seeing Hands Nepal

Kathmandu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My friend and I signed up for the Manaslu Circuit group trip and loved it! Our specialist Amanda answered all our questions super thoroughly and was there for us through the whole process. Even after the trip too! All the people from the Kimkim office were super generous and helpful mid-trek, and were very accommodating and flexible when we had to end a day earlier. Same goes for our guide Sonam, who is the sweetest person and a wonderful guide. She really wants the best memorable experience for everyone she guides and it shows how much she cares. She is very social and fun, and clearly knows the trail and accommodations very well. The circuit itself was stunning and everyday had different environment, views, and cultural villages. We were super happy with our booking through kimkim because we also felt it was more organized than other groups on trail and we didn’t have to worry about anything. The itinerary was very flexible and allowed for changes due to weather conditions or personal preference which was super nice as well. All in all, would definitely use Kimkim/Himalayan Trails again!

The delay at the airport for more than an hour was frustrating. The driver was less than apologetic. His name is Alfredo and he was also the driver that took us to porto. This ride was better and he was on time and courteous

The hotel 1908, our pick, turned out to be a highlight of the week. It and its staff are amazing. Highly recommend. Daniella our food walk tour guide was very very good and her tour was special. She is so passionate for her country. We give her 5 stars! The tuk tuk ride was good and informative. The fado dinner and show was also great the food was excellent and good musicians, we enjoyed the evening. Our day trip to sintra and caiscais with our guide Paulo Pires was amazing. 5 star ⭐️ tour guide and tour. He became our friend and made the tour and day so very special. A highlight of the trip. We then made our way to porto to the exe Almada hotel with a stop in coimbra. Our guide was looking for 4 people and it wasn’t Sarah, instead it was a guy who replaced her. He was ok but not very animated. The tour was a 3 star. Our exe room was good but w a terrible brick wall for a view. We opened our window as the ac didn’t work and the fumes from parking garage below were not tolerable. Would suggest requesting a view. The vintage car tour started out quite confusing for us and our guide Sandra Tavares. We expected to be picked up by someone in the vintage car but it turned our that after half an hour our guide who was asking around for her guests “ the mctavish couple from Hong Kong” was really our guide and she was given the wrong guest info. She then clarified that the tour was a walking tour for an hour n a half fist then followed by the car tour. Once we sorted it out the tour was great. I would recommend the description of the tour be clarified so that the description is clear that we are walking first then the car later….the Douro valley and boat tour w Nelson was 5 star. Our lunch at a private farm was another highlight of the week and Nelson is absolutely top notch. He was very good. It was a special day spent w him that day. Thru out the week most guides were looking for 4 people and co fused. Hope this helps Rob n Fran Crawford

Spectular trip. Our guide Silvia was outstanding, she took absolute care of us from soup to nuts. We knew we were in the best of hands and have recommended her and Kim Kim to all our friends

Accommodations:
1) April 5-8: Pros: The Waters B & B: Excellent; private, comfortable, fantastic views, well appointed, romantic, amazing in unit breakfast, quiet. Cons: Had to drive to restaurants but small price to pay for this very special B&B. Would highly recommend.
2) April 8-10: Pros: The Peppertree B&B: Quaint, beautiful grounds, quiet, amazing communal breakfast. We had fun conversations, Heidi, the owner was terrific and helpful. Cons: Had to drive into town for any restaurants, etc.; clean but older room furnishings, needed portable heaters which worked fine, pool is not operational, exercise room is in a shed that is open to the elements.
3) April 10-12: Furneaux Lodge: Pros: Fantastic grounds, terrific one story end unit with great views and privacy, well appointed, clean, great and helpful staff, good restaurant on site with reasonable prices considering everything must be boated in, easy access to hikes. Would highly recommend.
4) April 12-14: Distinction Hotel: Pros: Excellent full service hotel, great location, on-site parking, well appointed rooms, easy access to many restaurants, bars and other services/shopping.
Cons: No exercise facility. They now use a gym a block away. Would highly recommend.
5) April 14-17: Te Anau Lodge: Pros: Excellent staff, helpful and friendly, average B&B breakfast definitely inferior to The Waters and Peppertree, beautiful grounds.
Cons: Very small room and tiny bath (3'6"' x 8'+/-) The room backed up to the kitchen with the staff staring to make breakfast at 5:30 AM...we could hear them. Needed a car to get into town. No amenities. Much better accommodations in town with walking distance to restaurants and shops. I would NOT recommend.
6) April 17-18: Doubtful Sound/Southern Secret overnight boat: Pros: An absolutely fantastic experience. Adequate accommodations but that is not why you go on this excursion. Unbelievable views, terrific crew, met wonderful guests.
This is a must do.
7) April 18-19: Te Anu Lodge: We arrived back in Te Anau around 12: 30 PM. We did not stay at the booked Te Anau Lodge there as it made absolutely no sense to be there and then drive 2+ hours to Queenstown in the morning to catch a flight to Auckland and then back to LA and then to Denver. In our opinion, this was a gross error on Chelsea's part. We subsequently drove to Queenstown after we arrived in Te Anau and booked lodging (double expense since Te Anau Lodge was already paid for).
Activities:
April 5-8: Abel Tasman Natl Park: Wilson's Touring company: Kayaking one day and boat tour which dropped us off for a hike back to Apple Tree Bay. Very well organized company. Well trained staff and the kayak adventure and hike were very fun. Would recommend
April 8-10: Wine tour: We asked Chelsea to book us a private wine tour, after literally weeks we never heard back from her and kept inquiring in which she said she had not heard back from the tour company. Disappointing. I booked a wine tour on line with no problem. The wine tour was excellent.
April 10-12: Furneaux Lodge: Took a 12 KM hike from Punga Lodge back to Furneaux. Would recommend
April 12-14: Dunedin: Private tour of Larnach Castle and communal boat tour to view Albatross then an on land tour of the penguins. Very fun and well organized. Our tour guide, John was friendly and knowledgeable. I would recommend.
April 14-17: Te Anau: Glow Worm tour and next day Jet boat tour: Both were fun, interesting and we would highly recommend both activities. 2 hour hike on the Kepler track after the Jet boat tour.
April 17-18: Doubtful Sound/Southern Secret overnight boat excursion: A must do.
Transportation:
All forms of transportation and transfers were well arranged and had our reservations. However, the plane from Blenheim to Dunedin was originally to depart at 1:30 PM and we got notification that it would depart at 4:15 PM. We contacted Chelsea and she confirmed the plane would depart at 1:30 PM. Since we had conflicting information we called Air New Zealand (no easy feat getting through to them) and it was confirmed to be at 4:15 PM.
Also, Chelsea said we were to meet our Doubtful Sound van at the Te Anau Holiday Park but also stated in the app that we were to be picked up. We called and tour company and confirmed we were to be picked up at our lodging.
Overall, Chelsea did a good job but it should be know that we gave her the itinerary we wanted which was from another travel agent we had booked the tour with in 2020 but were unable to go due to Covid.

Hotel Reviews

The Waters Bed & Breakfast

Tasman

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Peppertree

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Distinction Dunedin Hotel

Dunedin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Te Anau Lodge

Te Anau

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Beaches, Bays and Seals Guided Sea Kayaking Trip Including Picnic Lunch

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wilsons - Abel Tasman National Park Cruise and Walk

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Blenheim

Blenheim

Chelsea was supposed to book a private tour but said the tour company never got back to her. We booked a tour on line in about a 1/2 hour of research.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marlborough and Sounds

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula

Dunedin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Castle to Cruise Tour & Penguin Place

Dunedin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Te Anau Glowworm Caves

Te Anau

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Te Anau and Manapouri

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Pure Wilderness Jet Boat with Fiordland Jet

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking tracks in and around Te Anau

Te Anau

Quality of Experience

Doubtful Sound Overnight ex Te Anau with Fiordland Cruises

New Zealand

A must do experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Depart New Zealand

New Zealand

After the Doubtful Sound excersion we were booked to stay again in the Te Anau Lodge. The next day we would have to drive 2+ hours to Queenstown to begin our journey home. We realized this made no sense. So after we were dropped off after the cruise we drove straight to Queenstown and booked a hotel in Queenstown. We had to pay for double bookings. This should have been planned by Chelsea.

Quality of Experience

My husband and I had a fantastic time on our trip. We were greeted by our taxi driver Robert and driven to our first hotel. We continued to see and use Robert’s services throughout our trip and we enjoyed his company and tips so much! Our favorite part of the trip was riding our e-bikes around the flower bulb region and seeing all the farms in bloom. It was well organized and throughout and we appreciate Mieke’s tips/advice/and services so much!

Hotel Reviews

Het Spoorhuis

Uithoorn

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dikker & Thijs Hotel

Amsterdam

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fletcher Hotel de Witte Raaf

Noordwijk

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Amsterdam - Private canal cruise

The Netherlands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was overall amazing. The tours and guides were exceptional. From Keysii at Cahuita Tours to the Panache crew in Tamarindo. The van drivers (Fernando and others) were helpful and on point. We had a little hiccup with phone calls to Amazilla Travel in Tamarindo, but it did end well. Special shout out to Umami Hotel staff, Tony and others for being so hospitable, a lovely boutique Hotel. Royal Corin was very posh and the pools were very nice. Thank you Olman for a well planned vacay!

Hotel Review

Umami Hotel Garden Spa

Puerto Viejo

Great staff. Beautiful people, met some great folks. Easy walk in to town.

Authenticity & Character

Slow and easy

Location

Easy walk to town

Staff

Very accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fresh and clean

Activity Review

Guided Hike in Cahuita National Park

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Thanks to Keysii we had a great trek. Saw all the good stuff

Quality of Experience

Food

Chicken at Cocos was the bomb.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great boat ride. A saving grace.

The Costa Rican adventure for our family of four was great. We started in San Jose where we hit the Children’s Museum, then hit a Crocodile tour before spending two nights in Manuel Antonio where we enjoyed a guided hike of the park. We loved our hotel - La Vela Boutique Hotel. Great staff, great pool / lounge area, lots of resident wildlife. We then went to Osa Península and stayed at the Aguila de Osa, which had excellent service, beautiful accommodations, and wonderful day trip options. A highlight was snorkeling at Isla del Cano. We ended with a final night and morning in San Jose where we visited the market before driving to the airport.

Kimkim made this trip so easy… the transportation was seamless and on time! I felt we were able to maximize our experience due to the detailed planning. I wouldn’t have been able to arrange everything they did. Our kids (ages 5 and 8) had a great time.

Hotel Reviews

La Vela Boutique Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Inn San José by Radisson

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aguila de Osa Rainforest & Marine Adventure Lodge

Drake

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Jungle Crocodile Safari

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On Christmas Day 2019, I told my then-82-year-old father that I was going to take him to France in 2020 to visit the places our ancestors lived in the 17th century before immigrating to La Nouvelle France (present-day Quebec and Nova Scotia). Dad is the family historian and an accomplished genealogist, so this was my effort to make a dream come true for him, though it turned out to be a tremendous gift for myself. The pandemic delayed our plans, but our trip to France in April 2023 ended up being both worth the wait and worth every penny/euro spent. The return on our investment was remarkable, with quality accommodations, expert guides, wonderful assistance from our private driver, and some delicious meals included. Truly, this trip was among the very best experiences of my life, and I will be forever grateful for it.

We started to plan by highlighting the locales we most wished to visit, and then Josee, our local specialist, recommended excursions, secured expert guides, and made arrangements for accommodations. At every step she was professional, helpful, and encouraging. My father is in good health, but he has some stamina/mobility issues, so I wanted to establish some safeguards to ensure his comfort and access to all we wished to see. Josee could not have been more helpful! Not only did she help me prioritize places to visit, she also made sure that we had private guides, a driver with a wheelchair in his van for my dad to use as needed, and an emergency number to call in case of any glitches. We only had to use the emergency number once when plans for one night's accommodations fell through; in a matter of minutes, Josee helped us secure an alternate place to stay, at no extra charge to us.

It's hard to express how meaningful this trip was for my father and me. Our time in Paris was nothing short of magical, with a lovely stay at Les Villas des Artistes, in walking distance to wonderful restaurants, bookshops, Les Jardins de Luxembourg, and more. A luncheon river cruise on the Seine was the perfect way for Dad to see the sights of the city, and we enjoyed a marvelous tour of Sainte Chapelle with an expert guide, who also walked us over to see Notre Dame from the outside, and the Parisian Flower Market. An excursion to Monet's gardens in Giverny with another guide, Paul, was absolutely wonderful. He was a font of knowledge about Monet's life and art, and he also was able to tell us a lot about the surrounding areas and their history as we drove between Paris and Giverny.

Our driver, Christophe, who would stay with us for 6 of our 9 days in France once we left Paris, picked us up and brought us to Chartres for the next leg of our journey. He was courteous, attentive, professional, and helpful. Chartres is a lovely, walkable town, with the Chemin de Memoire offering great opportunities for exploration and reflection. Our guide for a tour of the Chartres Cathedral and the surrounding medieval town, Claire, was incredibly kind and knowledgeable, and the sights we saw were breathtaking.

We ended up staying in a small town in Perche, L'Aigle, for the next stop, in a community near to the village where the first ancestor of our family name came from, Tourouvre. We enjoyed exploring L'Aigle (look for the beautiful "Remarkable Trees of France," and the small Eglise Saint Martin), but the highlight was when our driver took us to Tourourve, where we went to the church where our ancestor was baptized and saw his name on a plaque. The church is called L'Eglise Saint-Aubin, and it includes stained glass windows commemorating the immigration of many people from Perche to Quebec in the 17th century. It is a must-see for Franco-American and Quebecois visitors with roots in the area. A nearby museum, Les Museales de Tourouvre, has a permanent exhibition devoted to these immigrants, and we stumbled upon it in a stroke of good luck. The person at the admissions desk even gave us a printout of the materials they had in their digital archive about our ancestor. I should add that our driver wasn't expecting this side trip, and he was very understanding and patient during what turned out to be the most personally meaningful day of our trip.

We next spent two nights in Bayeux in order to tour sites associated with D-Day: Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery, Pointe de Hoc, and a drive by the British Cemetery. Our guide, Stephane, was brilliant, and I only wish we'd had more time to spend with him! He even followed up with additional photos and resources for us to peruse at our leisure. On our own, we also managed to squeeze a visit to the Bayeux Tapestry museum to see the famed 11th-century tapestries commissioned by William the Conqueror to document and celebrate his conquest of England. This was an unexpected addition to our itinerary, and we felt so fortunate to be able to see it. Our stay in Bayeux at L'Hotel Lion D'Or was spectacular, and the Bayeux Cathedral was another special stop.

Finally, we went to Liseux to celebrate the centenary of the beatification of St. Therese de Liseux, an important figure in our Franco American family's Catholic faith tradition. It was sheer luck that our visit coincided with this celebration, though when I said so to our wonderful guide, Ria, she said that it was, "providence." In any case, it was an event never to be forgotten, and the tours of the visitor's center and the basilica were moving and informative. The Mass itself, led by the Cardinal, and attended by over 1,000 people, including many members of the clergy, was beautiful.

I will recommend KimKim to anyone planning a trip abraod, and especially to those travelling with or as elderly people who next a little extra tlc. I know that I will turn to KimKim again in the future, and I am so very grateful for this trip.

Megan St. Marie
President, Modern Memoirs, Inc.
www.modernmemoirs.com

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel A la Villa des Artistes

Paris

A lovely boutique hotel, with excellent continental breakfast. The surrounding neighborhood includes terrific restaurants (La Closerie des Lilas, Le Dome Montparnasse, creperies near la rue Montparnasse) and not-to-be-missed bookstores, Tschann Librarie and Tschann Jeunesse, and the Jardin des Grands-Explorateurs and Les Jardins du Luxembourg are less than a 1/2 mile away on foot.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel Mercure Chartres Centre Cathédrale

Chartres

We were very happy with this hotel. It was comfortable, and there were restaurants within walking distance. We also had time to explore the surrounding area and visit the Chemin de Memoire.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Au Petit Paradis

Sainte-Gauburge-Sainte-Colombe

We had a mix-up with our reservation, but the innkeeper was understanding and recommended another hotel nearby. This place would be great for people with their own car who want to stay in the countryside.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Cosy Bayeux

Bayeux

Hotel Le Lion d'Or et restaurant la Table du Lion

Bayeux

A fancy and special hotel with beautiful rooms but no elevator. Such a great way to cap our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kyriad Lisieux

Lisieux

This was our least favorite among all the hotels due to its location and lack of things to do in the area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Back to Medieval Paris with Notre Dame, St Chapelle & Conciergerie

Paris

Our guide was knowledgeable, and we enjoyed the tour of St Chapelle. Unfortunately, the Conciergerie was closed early, but the company said they would credit our account. We also visited Notre Dame but couldn't tour it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lunch cruise on the Seine (Premier Service included)

Paris

The lunch cruise was fabulous, with delicious food and great views of the city. It was an excellent way for my dad to see parts of the city without having to walk too much.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-day tour to Giverny from Paris

Paris

Our guide, Paul, was knowledgeable and friendly. Monet's gardens were spectacular, and we had a fantastic time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour of Chartres (2-hours)

Chartres

Our guide, Claire, was wonderful and knowledgeable. The tour of the medieval part of the town and the Chartres Cathedral was breathtaking and moving.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

D-Day U.S beaches tour

France

We had a guide named Stefan, who had spent 40 years studying the history of the battles of Normandy. The tour started with a visit to the British cemetery, followed by a trip to Omaha Beach, the American Cemetery, and the visitor center. We also visited Pointe du Hoc.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private tour of Lisieux (2-hours)

France

The private tour of Lisieux was a serendipitous experience. The tour guide, Maria, was a devout Catholic with extensive knowledge of the saint's life and the memorial site

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ana and the team at Shanti helped us plan and book a phenomenal trip through Bali! She had all the local knowledge needed to help us customize our itinerary to our interests and prioritize activities that worked for us. She set us up with amazing local guides, including our driver for the week (Rusna!), a trail guide on Mt. Batur, and a guide through the highlights of Ubud. Most importantly, she was an on the ground, local contact available throughout our trip to answer questions and help us with any changes. Highly recommend the KimKim custom planning experience broadly and Ana and her Shanti team specifically!

Hotel Reviews

De Moksha Eco Friendly Boutique Resort

Tabanan

Gorgeous grounds, great food, and exceptional staff. Loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful, scenic grounds but not located near other amenities. Felt isolated.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arkamara Dijiwa Ubud

Bali

Beautiful grounds, super helpful staff, and comfortable room. They provided a shuttle to central Ubud during regular hours and had special agreements with approved taxis that they could book on our behalf in off hours. The front desk was always accessible via WhatsApp.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Joya Biu Biu Resort

Jimbaran

Gorgeous, cliff side location. Drinks and extra amenities were a bit expensive compared to other places, but overall experience was positive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A/C in our room was hit and miss and the room was definitely "rustic."

Activity Reviews

Experience Ubud VW Safari Car Tour

Ubud, Bali

Superb driver who customized the day trip to our interests...and also took fantastic photos (an unexpected bonus!)!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunrise trek to Mount Batur

Indonesia

Tough climb with gorgeous views!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Goa Gajah Cave

Indonesia

This was a super super touristy place. As one of our first popular temple visits we did, we weren't aware and equipped to stop a guy from coercing us into a tour and insisting on payment at the end. We felt trapped in a guided tour we didn't actually ask for and in a show of performative religion that didn't feel respectful to the actual roots of the place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit the UNESCO Jatiluwih Ricefield

Indonesia

One of our favorite stops on the trip! An absolutely gorgeous walk through rice terraces with scenic mountain views beyond. We would have loved to spend more time enjoying this place!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great trip had a wonderful time.
My only complaint is the lack of communication once the fee was paid.

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Nice place but not much to do after awhile

Quality of Experience

Horse Riding Tour

Iceland

Beautiful location, beautiful horses and amazing guides

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Whale Watching Olafsvik

Iceland

saw hump back whales, sperm whales, orcas, dolphins and puffin, my children were over the moon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to the Dominican Republic was amazing thanks to Kimkim and our local travel specialist Marina. The trip was well-planned and customized appropriately to our needs and wishes. This service allowed us a stress-free trip preparation experience and enabled us to enjoy traveling to a country where we we not fluent in the language. All of our accommodations, drivers and excursions were awesome! We got the authentic travel experience we wanted, and learned so much about Dominican history and culture during our stay. We much appreciated the included meals, which featured nutritious, locally grown products, and enabled us to sample Dominican cuisine.

An important note to mention however is, if you are like us, and want to support small local businesses, it is good to come prepared with a mindset on what you want to purchase or how much you can spend prior to entering shopping spaces, and being prepared to negotiate on price (or even politely say no). Although the majority of the vendors we encountered were easy-going and helpful, several of the vendors at Tres Ojos National Park were overly aggressive and tried to overcharge for their products. Being prepared for this and having basic level Spanish helps the traveler immensely in these situations. This was a minor issue however, and did not detract from what was an overall great trip to the stunning Tres Ojos limestone caves.

Our most memorable excursion was the hike adventure to El Limon Waterfall, where the views were breath-taking. We were fortunate to have a wonderful guide Andres, who took great care of us on this challenging trek through the forest and rocky landscapes.

Our day trip to Playa Rincon and Caño Frio was also memorable for the natural beauty of the Samana region and our knowledgeable guide Frank, who gave us a wealth of information on Dominican life. This was a relaxing way to spend the last day of our trip.

On the last morning of our trip, we encountered a problem when our driver had car trouble and was not able to pick us up for transport to the airport. It was a simple process for us to contact our travel specialist Marina, who came through for us and arranged for an alternate driver (Cabayeron), who was diligent about getting us to the airport safely and on time. Kudos to Marina for exceptional local travel specialist support during this trip. We love the Kimkim business philosophy and would definitely use Kimkim again for future trips. We whole-heartedly recommend Kimkim to other travelers.

Hotel Reviews

Hodelpa Caribe Colonial

Santo Domingo

Great hotel for a stay in Santo Domingo. It is conveniently located in the Colonial Zone area with many restaurants and historic places to visit within walking distance. Our room was clean and comfortable. Hotel front desk staff were professional and very responsive to our needs. Complimentary breakfasts were delightful and featured many local dishes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mosquito Boutique Hotel

Las Terrenas

Mosquito Boutique was delightful place to stay. Located right on the beach, the views were exquisite, especially at sunrise and sunset. The onsite restaurant was very convenient for dinners, and also provided an awesome daily breakfast for hotel guests. The overall vibe of the place was very relaxed and friendly, and hotel staff were very accommodating. Our room was clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Los Tres Ojos National Park Excursion

Santo Domingo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Adventure to El Limón Waterfall

Samaná

Quality of Experience

Food

The Dominican lunch provided by Restaurante Santi after our hike was awesome!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day excursion to Playa Rincón

Samaná

Quality of Experience

Food

The local lunch provided onsite at the beach was wonderful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights of our Portugal Adventure:

Helena arranged an amazing itinerary that gave us a taste of Portugal and we'll be back. We appreciated Helena's responsiveness and ideas. She was also great at helping with problem solving when we realized that we couldn't make our connecting flight.

1. Our Douro Valley visit to small family run quinta Maos e Irmaos with personal wine tasting & pairing with owner Rafael followed by wine lunch prepared and served in the family dining room. We really enjoy getting to know the people and the culture so this experience was PERFECT for us. Also we loved our driver Rui Queiroz, who was extremely personable and informative. He gave us a great dinner recommendation in Matosinhos at O Valentim . We were lucky enough to have Rui as our driver to Coimbra as well. We especially loved the stop at the Buçaco Forest and Rui took us to Restaurante Mugasa for piglet which he added on his own since he knew we were big foodies!
2. Day trip to Sintra with our amazing driver/guide Paulo Ferreira Pires...we actually wished we had more time in Sintra. Paulo took us to this really cool small family owned restaurant called Refugio do Ciclista. Again we loved this little hole in the wall family run place where we got to meet the owners. The tour of the Palacio nacional da Pena and gardens were amazing. Afterwards Paulo took us to his wife's restaurant, The Bristol for a welcomed coffee and traditional pastries.
3. Our stay at the Convento do Espinheiro was by far the best of all of the accommodations. We loved wandering around this incredible historic site.
4. Jeep Safari of the cork forest with Joana ....Joana was a wealth of knowledge and we really enjoyed learning about cork. Folowed by the Olive Oil estate tasting with João Rosado...we loved this small family run estate and having a lovely lunch prepared by his wife.

All in all it was an amazing adventure and Helena did a GREAT job. Thank you so much.

Our guide Pietrus was the best. Loved the lodge. It went smooth all the way around

Pascu Robredo gastronomic tour in Balboa was excellent

Gastronomy tour in Oviedo was not what we expected. Noella was a lovely guide and taught us so much about the city. She gave us a history tour, not a food tour we were expecting.
She walked us around the city for two hours and showed us pictures of food on her before she took us to eat.
This would have been wonderful if we had not expected a food tour.

Hotel Review

Puebloastur Eco-Resort Wellness & Spa

Cofiño, Parres

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

The Best of Pintxos Gastronomy Experience

Bilbao