Kimkim Trip Reviews

A honeymoon that we will not forget.
A big thank you to Nada and team to plan and organise the whole trip despite the short timeframe and the little present we received. Special thanks to the driver Hassan who was super friendly and helpful.
We love discovering Jordan with Amani tours.

Florin was great. We went on a 9 day tour. Bucharest, Brasov, Sibiu, Sighisoara, Gura Humorului, Sighetu Marmatiei and Cluj. Saw amazing castles and 14/15th century churches. Florin also had a few surprises…we took a cable car up the mountain as it snowed, went in an ice house,stopped at a family owned pottery shop and had an amazing lunch. All the hotels were great and the dinners were delicious. Florin is very knowledgeable in Romanian history…we learned a lot. When we had an unexpected event,our van broke down on a holiday he managed to to get us a brand new van within a couple of hours against all odds,
I would highly recommend Florin to anyone who wants to visit Romania and learn about the countries history and culture and see it’s beautiful sights.

Hotel Reviews

Ibis Styles Bucharest City Center

Bucharest

We stayed two nights at the Ibis Styles Bucharest City Center, which offered comfortable accommodations and a convenient location for exploring Bucharest.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bella Muzica

Brasov

Our one-night stay at Bella Muzica in Brasov was lovely, as the hotel had a charming atmosphere and was centrally located.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sighisoara

Sighisoara

Our one-night stay at Hotel Sighisoara in Sighisoara allowed us to experience the town's unique character, as the hotel was situated within the Citadel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bucharest city tour

Bucharest

The Bucharest city tour was informative and interesting as we visited the Parliament and learned about the history of the city. Although we enjoyed our tour, we preferred the smaller towns to Bucharest.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Brasov to Sibiu with Fagaras Citadel

Romania

Bucovina to Maramures with the Merry Cemetery and the Wooden Churches of Maramures

Romania

We toured the beautifully painted monasteries and unique cemeteries. There were wooden tombstones that were hand-painted.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bucharest to Brasov with Peles Castle, Bran Castle and Brasov walking tour

Romania

Our journey from Bucharest to Brasov included visits to the stunning Peles Castle and the famous Bran Castle, also known as Dracula's Castle. The Brasov walking tour allowed us to explore the charming town. Pels Castle was a highlight of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had waited for 3 years for this trip to happen. It got cancelled by Covid, but Kimkim didn't give us any fuss about holding off the money we had paid. We are so thankful.
In the beginning, we had Abdel as our plan coordinator, he was always prompt and very helpful with requests and changes. Few Weks prior to the trip, Said took over and assisted us during the trip. During the time in Morocco, Said was always there to answer questions and help. We had a lot to thank Said for his attention and kindness. We made a last-minute decision to change hotels in Marrakech and Casablanca. Said rearranged for us timely without problems. We loved 2ciels hotel Marrakech that Said picked for us very much. 2 thumbs up for Said.
Now, we can't miss our personal driver and guide, "Ayoub". You are a rock! Ayoub is kind, humble, easygoing, and he is a safe driver. Our lives were basically dependent on him for 12 days, and he got us through and around the country safe and sound. In Fes, we bought a pair of sandals. After 2 days of wearing, the sole peeled off. When we arrived at the next town, Ayoub offered to take them for a repair. And voila, the next morning, we got shoes back with new soles, of much better quality. On top of that, he wouldn’t accept the repair charge from us. Thanks a bunch, Ayoub!
Finally, Ayoub does what he loves. He is passionate about showing his country, people, and culture to us. He is happy to share and we are excited to learn, thus, the experience is so fulfilling and fun. We had an amazing trip in Morocco!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Odyssee Center

Casablanca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Xaluca Dades

Boumalne

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Pachavana

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kasbah Titrit

Ait Ben Haddou

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Boumalne Dades to Aït Benhaddou via Skoura & Ouarzazate

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ait Benhaddou to Marrakech via Tizi N'Tichka pass

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Delight in Your Free Day.

Morocco

Quality of Experience

We went to Ourika fall, and had a very good hike. It was a beautiful river and fall. We had a great time hiking with our hiking guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quick Tour of Casablanca with your Driver-guide

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Casablanca to Chefchaouen via Rabat

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Drive from Chefchaouen to Fes via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Dades Valley via Todra Gorges

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was fenomenal from beginning to end. It was more than what I expected. It was so perfectly crafted for what we wanted.

We started at Bangkok where we had the sweetest, kindest and nicest guide we could have asked for (Annie). She made the Bangkok experience so much better. She had fun facts about every site we visited, knew her history, was really passionate about her work and was always prepared for any eventuality. With her we visited the different palaces and temples, went to Chinatown for our food experience, night tour of the city and she pointed us out to great food and places to visit on our day off.

I must confess that Bangkok was not my favorite but I in general don't like large cities. Our hotel W22 was exactly what we asked for. However, the location left some to be desired. If the exact same hotels was somewhere different I would go back. The rooms were simple but nice looking and clean, it was styled very nicely, it was just the unexpected surrounding areas and somewhat questionable characters, so the location was not my favorite. in the street. But I never felt unsafe and with all and all it was very accessible, close to site, food and bars. Now this was not Kim Kim's first recommendation, they had proposed some other more fancier hotels, but since I was in somewhat of a budget this hotel was Ok and met all our needs. Plus Annie picked us up almost every day, took us where we needed to go and made sure we knew how to get around, expected prices and gave us tips to navigate the city when we were not with her. She was always on time and ready for anything.

From Bangkok we went to Ayutthaya, Annie and Kim Kim arrange for all transportations and accommodations, which were just great. (PS: I really loved being assisted and greeted at the airport to be able to fastrack all lines and process to enter the country).

Ayutthaya was fantastic, even though the heat was overwhelming, so if you go do it before April. The ancient city is so large that you should plan for a couple of days if you like ruins and to walk around and be transported in time. If I would have done something different, I would have skipped the summer palace altogether to get to Ayutthaya much earlier. That way I would have beat the crowds and the heat, because by the time we got there it was got painfully hot. I don't mind waking up early so I wish this would have been a choice or we could have gone the night before to be there much earlier, since Bangkok is really not far. I would rather leave really early, get there as soon as they open and once, I finish visiting all the places I wanted be giving the option to go to the summer palace or not. Unfortunately for us there wasn't much of a choice, we were driven to the palace directly. There wasn't really much to see aside from the spacious gardens, most buildings were closed so I really didn't see the point of stopping there. Definitely go to Ayutthaya, stay the day, enjoy the city, see the ruins at sunset, explore it again in the morning and then go back to wherever you are traveling. It is worth the trip and time. Our hotel in Ayutthaya (Kantary Hotel) was great, had a nice pool with a great view. The rooms were beautiful and very spacious.

Annie went above and beyond her job to make us feel confortable and welcomed, her kindness and graciousness will be something I will remember always. She was a trooper and a fantastic photographer, I think we have hundreds of pictures of us which we often don't take. She send them all to us and now we have more wonderful memories! If we go back to Bangkok or any surrounding areas I would ask to be paired with her again.

After we went to Chiang Rai, what a fun little city. Our hotel was amazing, I think my favorite one, based on style. The Nak Nakara was a relatively small Lana Style hotel, confortable, beautifully kept, really well maintained and with lots of personality. It had a really nice pool that we got to enjoy in the evenings a very convenient restaurant and close to fun evening markets. Everyone there was lovely and helpful, they helped us arrange for tuk tuks to take us places. Our guide Mr Chuan was great. He was nice, knowledgeable and pleasant, he was very accommodating and kind, he let us do the visits in our own time, never pressure us or rush. The golden triangle was interesting, and we did also the food experience. But it was all the variety of temples we visited that made this place so memorable. Do visit the white temple and black house and if you have time go to the blue temple. We also discover a funky little bar, restaurant, hanging place
the Chivit Thamma Dat, this was recomended by our hotel staff. What a nice place to end our days. We ended going there in the evenings for food and drinks, to relax by the river and enjoy the view. It really rounded up our little adventure. 5 stars for Chiang Rai. We loved it.

On to our favorite place Chiang Mai.

We stayed inside the old walls and had the most amazing guide, Mona (Ms Kanyavee). Our hotel Thai Akara was great! Also a Lana Style hotel, a little more modern than the others, was perfectly locatate. Everything and anything was reachable by foot. Our street was awsom, we had food, markets, bars, temples, spas a barber and even a laundramat all within walking distance. The people were amazing, the pool was great (it was really hot in May). Our favorite person was our guide Mona.

Mona was so much fun to spend time with. She was knowledgeable, spoke excellent English, very well rounded and make each day fun. She was never intrusive and so, so kind. With her we did a food experience which was great and she was flexible enought to acomodate to anything we wanted, took us around the city and went with us to the Jungle temple (my favorite) on to a hike, waterfalls, coffe farm and a monk blessing. We went with her to the Doi Inthanon National Park (A must go if you can) She was great! Thanks Mona!!!

Finally we ended this three week trip in Krabi. We stayed at a resort and that may be the only place I would not recommend. It was supposed to be a 4 star resort but I am sorry to say maybe a 3. The Beyond resort at Krabi has seen better days and is somewhat run down. The first room we received was really substandard and I had to raise a complained about it. And while we had issues with our room, the staff was so accommodating and understanding. We were promptly moved to another room but it was an inconvenience. Now the resort staff will make up for it, what an amazing staff they have, every single one of them. Including the manager who called me to apologize for the room. With some TLC the resort can recover, the grounds are great, I loved the beach and pool and absolutely love that they were very kitty friendly (as most of Thailand is). The pool was nice and the restaurant was OK... but no worries cause just next door there was a fantastic restaurant, bar and spa.

At Krabi we spend most of the time on boat tours, island hopping, visiting beautiful beaches and snorkeling. One recommendation though. I don't think it is needed to book this experiences ahead of time. On our day off we coordinate through the hotel a private boat. This was so much better than the joining tours and the price difference was very small. But do it there, all the prices as consistent and listed everywhere so there is little chance for anyone to take advantage of you. They really cater to tourist and I am sure that way will be much more affordable than booking them ahead of time. I do recommend the speed boat to Phi Phi islands. If you are choosing to do Kayaking at Ao Thalane don't do the whole day. The best part was the first part of the trip through the canyon, absolutely breathtaking. The kayaking through the river was nice and fun but not as amazing as the first part of the day.

All and all I give this trip a 9 out of 10. With very, very few inconveniences that were promptly resolved by our specialist Lacey. I want to give kuddos to her, since she was always attentive and in the few instances, we had an issue she was easy to reach and prompt to help us.

Hotel Reviews

Nak Nakara Hotel

Chiang Rai

Cute Lana Style hotel. Well located, confortable, clean and good looking rooms. Great pool, amicable and hospitable staff. Close to everything we needed. Perfect for our visit.

Authenticity & Character

Love its character. It had a mixed of modern while still traditional. Lovely looking gardens, perfectly manicured, open aired areas, great pool

Location

Close the night bazar, on a quite road, with easy transportation.

Staff

Oh the staff!!! Very young but so helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cant complaint! Clean confortable rooms and shared spaces.

W22 by Burasari

Bangkok

More like a 3 1/2 stars. The hotel itself is very nice looking. It is great for a short stop. The pictures do give credit to the hotel. It is the location that left me hesitant to give it a higher rating. However while this hotel is not for me. It is in the heart of China Town close to everything. So give it a try, you may like it.

Authenticity & Character

The decorations are very nice (I wish it had a bar or snack area). The hotel is charming in its own way. It looks lovely inside and it was perfect for spending a couple of nights. It did meet all our needs.

Location

The location was not for me.

Staff

The staff could have been a little more helpful, but they were nice. It is a small hotel so there isnt too many people there who can help you with simple things like calling a cab or helping you negotiate with a Tuk Tuk driver (which in all other hotels we stayed, we were assisted with).

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotels is impeccably clean and the rooms while on the small size and confortable.

Kantary Hotel Ayutthaya

Fun hotel with excellent rooms and a rooftop pool with a view. Great restaurant.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were beyond spacious, really clean and confortable. Excellent choice of hotels

Thai Akara - Lanna Boutique Hotel

Chiang Mai

I love this hotel. The location was excellent, everything was close by and an easy walk. The days were hot so the pool while a little small was really a nice treat. The pool and restaurant staff was lovely, engaging and helpful. They remembered us and try to make sure we had a good time. I love the hotel style with its airiness and decorations. But it was really the location that made it great.

Authenticity & Character

Charming, modern with loads of traditional character. Extremely convenient and fun.

Location

The hotel is on a tiny side street and is very inconspicuous. You could miss it if you don't know it is there. The hotel is spacious and so very confortable. In close proximity to absolutely anything you may want. Close to temples, city center, night markets, food markets, restaurants, bars, laundromats (the hotel offers this service, but right next door for a fraction of the price you can have everything washed and delivered to you in the same day), spas, little tiny Thai Massage places (don't pay for the fancy ones, cause these small ones are a jewel). Really great location.

Staff

The pool and restaurant staff was amazing. We didn't really interact much with the rest of them, we didn't need to but i am sure they are also lovely! The pool staff knew our order, were engaging without being intrusive, always attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Really confortable, tidy, immaculately clean.

Beyond Resort Krabi

Krabi

I really wanted to love this place, but it is a bit rundown. It needs some TLC, a coat of paint and some more maintenance. However, I loved the beach area, the pool was fun and the staff was the nicest people we have encountered. The staff made up any shortcomings the hotel had. But I was expecting more, and I was a little disappointed by it. I spoke with the manager, and he told me they are starting renovations in the summer of 2023. So, trust but verify that the reno has been completed. If yes, then try it. If not, then depending on what you are looking for give it a try. Since we spent most of our time out of the resort, we didn't miss much but if you are a resort type of person be aware of its shortcomings. The restaurant food is a little generic, the drinks are not the best, the furnishings in the rooms and common areas are outdate and need to be upgraded. The overall look is rundown, it seriously need painting and the palm trees need to be replaced since many are dead. The rooms are weirdly spacious, but there is no airflow to the bathroom, which gets ridiculously hot and humid with a very uncomfortable smell, which we could not pinpoint where it was coming from. It was really somewhat sad, because I can picture it in its better days and I can see the potential for it to be much more. But the staff!!! The staff is amazing, hospitable, caring, serviceable, attentive and I can go on and on how incredibly nice they were.

Authenticity & Character

It has seen better days. This leaves much to be desired.

Location

The beach is really nice, you just need to wait for high tide and you can walk for miles. It was lovely! Very accessible and the staff helped us to arrange transporation and tours. You can just walk out and will find little taxi, tuk tuk stands. Walking disatance on the beach are other bars and restaurants all with amazing views. I like that the area we were in was quite and didnt have the overwhelming hecticness of Ao Nang or Raily Beach.

Staff

Lovely people all of them.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It wasn't unclean, it is just that a place that is rundown makes you feel a certain way. It was confortable with some question marks. I do adminer trying to save enegery but this made the rooms really hot and uncomfortable when you arrive and I have no idea what was up with the bathrooms. I guess it is just poor desing. The comun areas especially the lobby really need better ventilation and an investment in better more powerful fans. I understand the open concepts but it was uncomfortably hot and the tiny celling fans barely blew any air. The furniture is outdated so that contributes to the overall feeling that the hotel is past its prime.

Activity Reviews

Phi Phi Island By Joining Speedboat

Krabi

They are beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guide for the joining tour was very nice. He made sure we were confortable and he was funny to boot!

Transport

The speed boat are really confortable.

Golden Triangle - Chiang Rai Sightseeing & Art

Chiang Rai

This was so fun!!! I cant believe how corky some of the places we went to. So creative and a great combination of modern and spiritual with a touch of irreverent and fun while still absolutely beautiful. Impresive array to talent in the best possible way. White temple and black house are a must see while in Chiang Rai.

Quality of Experience

So much fun!!!

Bangkok - Ayutthaya

Thailand

I loved this place, but please go there first and then to the summer palace. Timing is everything and when you are visiting in the middle of the summer this should be taken into consideration. This place is magical and should be appreciate.

Quality of Experience

Really good

Food

We ate at the hotel and Annie (bless her soul) bought us all sort of disserts, drinks and snacks, which were absolutely delicious. I took them with me and munch on them for the remainder of the trip.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved our driver and guide (Annie). So much fun and kind. Annie even bought me a fan because I was overheated and uncomfortable. She was the best!

Transport

Those vans are great!!! So confortable and spacious, I guess next time I will travel by land if they are available.

Morning Alms Giving & Jungle Temple

Chiang Mai

This was my favorite day along with the visit to Doi Inthanon. The jungle temple is so beautiful, so serene, so different. This is more of a spiritual experience. The temple is not as grandiose as the ones in the cities but it has such a vibrancy and quietness. The jungle, mountains and design is a rest for the soul.

Quality of Experience

A lot of this had to do with our guide, she was patient and lovely, she welcomed every question and was insightful and kind.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Both driver and guide (Mona) were fantastic. I can say enough good things about Mona. She was great, non intrusive and never pushy. She was insightful and knowledgeable but not stuffy and always kind and fun. We really enjoyed our time with her. She was open and welcomed all our questions, she was great at explaining us and giving us background especially related to Buddhism and the temples without being preaching or judgmental. She really made us feel very confortable. We really recommend her

Transport

Loved our driver and our van. Van is spacious and very well kept, inmaculate and clean. They provided for any need, had cool water at hand all the time. It was great.

Doi Inthanon National Park - A Nature Walk and Culture

Chiang Mai

What a fun day and break from all the temple sight seeing. The park was lovely and the waterfalls beautiful. The treck was not difficult (but there were some steep stairs). We loved getting coffee and having lunch at the Karen village. The twin chedis were quite a contrast to the lovely walk and beautiful natrue. The waterfalls were my favorite part.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Four Islands by Longtail boat Joining tour

Krabi

We didn't get the speedboat for this, we got the long tail boat. We had a lot of fun but boy the crowds! It is still amazing and a must do!

The tour was well planned and we thoroughly enjoyed all the locations on the tour. But one would always hope that vacation could last a bit longer so that we could have spent more time in Palermo, Noto and Taormina especially!

Special accolades go to our friendly guide Rachele in Palermo who is extremely professional and has a wealth of knowledge to share; Selina our top notch expert guide for Piazza Armerina; and Roberta our very informative guide in Lake Como who is both enlightening and entertaining.

All in all we had a fabulous time and wouldn't say no to revisit Sicily!

I was initially skeptical but Fabio and Kimkim did not disappoint! If you are reading this and maybe on the fence, don’t be, you won’t regret it. AND if you are lucky enough to have Fabio, you will be in great hands! We had high expectations and a short planning time and Fabio did amazing listening to our wants and must haves for our trip to Sicily. In the end we had a well thought out trip planned for us and everything coordinated, the usual stress was removed! We spent a little extra and Fabio did a great job at getting us drivers to take us to the sights we couldn’t walk to as well as we had some private tours vs. group. Highly recommend these in Sicily if in the budget! The tour guides (Max, Alessandra, Julia, Larissa and Greta!) were amazing and we felt like we were visiting friends who were giving us a tour. They were all so knowledgeable, fun and just great people. It was our anniversary and Fabio added some great touches to make the trip special as well. Lastly, the accommodations, were all in great locations, staff were super helpful and spoke English and made our stays easy and welcomed. We were so pleased with Fabio, and Kimkim, we will use the service again. We couldn’t have planned a better trip ourselves and this was so stress free! Don’t wait, see the world!

Hotel Reviews

Grand Hotel et Des Palmes

Palermo

Such a great hotel! The interior is well done and its location is fantastic to walk to shops, sights in Palermo, and restaurants. The staff were all super helpful and very polite and accommodating. Of the places we stayed throughout Sicily (3 places) this was the best. Also, what really stood out was the breakfast and the staff at breakfast! They were amazing, polite and high attention to detail to help the customers. You will not be disappointed here.

Authenticity & Character

Just a beautiful hotel

Location

Perfect location for Palermo, shops, historic sites and food!

Staff

Super thoughtful and helpful. Especially the staff in the dinning room!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The best hotel we stayed at in Sicily (out of 3 hotels).

Hotel Villa Carlotta

Taormina

Wonderful views, walk to all the shops and restaurants! Have breakfast looking outside at the water and Mt. Etna it was amazing! If you can, stay in the tower room! Definitely worth it and amazing! Would definitely recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Such a unique hotel with historically personality. Especially the tower room!

Location

Amazing location for walking to everything with wonderful views.

Staff

Staff were super helpful, polite and spoke English with us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The entire place was very clean and the room was super comfortable.

Grand Hotel Wagner

Palermo

We stayed here for less than 24 hrs due to flight schedule but so that is the only reason not giving 5 stars. The hotel has a more old world style than the others we stayed at but was really nice (not old world dirty). Staff were all very nice and helpful. If we stayed longer we could give more of a review

Authenticity & Character

Old world character

Location

Great location to shops and restaurants

Staff

Staff was great and polite and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was super clean

Activity Reviews

Palermo Street Food Tour

Palermo

Alessandra was so much fun and made this experience so enjoyable! It is worth checking out the markets and doing this tour to learn some background and history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Palermo & Ballarò Market

Palermo

Max was amazing and such a knowledgeable person! He made this tour and was super accommodating so we could avoid what we already have seen and instead see Mondello.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Max our guide was so much fun and such a great person! By the end he was one of our friends we could just hang out and have dinner with!

Transport

Monreale & Cefalù | Full Day

Palermo

Two beautiful locations for very different reasons. Overall Cefalu was probably the winner with its amazing views and fun shops. Both are worth the visit and Julia our guide was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Segesta & Erice Full Day

Palermo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Larissa was a book of knowledge! We learned so much for her during this visit, much of which was not the usual information.

Transport

Mt. Etna Tour on a 4x4 Jeep with Local Winery

Taormina

Quality of Experience

The views of Etna and going into the cave was special

Food

Wine pairing and location was fantastic. Food was amazing that was paired.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very nice and knowledgeable.

Transport

Evening Food Tour of Catania

Taormina

Great experience and definitely worth having a guide to show you the best places.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Greta our guide was so much fun! She was full of information and had us laughing a lot. We will always remember Greta and the fun we had eating the street food in Catania!

Transport

Had the most amazing 10 day trip throughout Morocco! Starting with the superb itinerary by Sharon to our wonderful guide Amnay and driver Waleed. From the sites, food, experiences and awesome hotels, I definitely recommend Using KimKim

Our trip to Costa Rica was absolutely awesome thanks to the shuttle service, hotels and excursions we planned on Kimkim. We arrived at the airport and our driver from Ride CR was there to meet us as expected. Albeir was friendly, professional and attentive to our needs. When we requested a lunch stop on our 3 hour trip he chose a small restaurant overlooking Lake Arenal and the volcano that had delicious, affordable food and was just busy enough. ALL of the drivers at Ride CR were punctual, professional, friendly people (Tim, Albeir, Marcos, etc.) Each one was sure to point out sights and provide optional stops for photo ops, points of interest and tell short stories about life in Costa Rica. We enjoyed the travel within our vacation because of this.
All of the hotels we stayed at were as described. Check-in and check out were a breeze. The only excursions we chose were a night hike and a sea kayaking and snorkeling trip. The team that picked us up and guided these adventures were friendly, knowledgeable and supportive.
I would highly recommend Kimkim to plan another vacation for us. It was so easy and made what would have been a logistics nightmare as simple as clicking a button.
Thank you Brittni and Jessica at Kimkim for your time and energy answering questions and the support.

Hotel Reviews

Catarata Eco Lodge

San Carlos, Costa Rica

The Catarata Eco Lodge was clean and had an amazing view of the volcano. The grounds were filled with beautiful flowers, lush greenery and was well groomed but still looked very natural. The pool was nice and was well maintained. We ate in the restaurant for dinner one night and the food was OK. Birds and howler monkeys were in abundance! They are a 10-15 minute walk downhill to the outskirts of La Fortuna whee there were a few restaurants, coffee shops a market and artisan shops. It was safe to walk to and from this area but at night we chose a cab due to our concerns with wildlife and walking on a dimly lit road that has cars at night. One negative to the Catarata Eco Lodge was that the rooms are all open near the top of the wall (there are screens) which makes privacy between the rooms is non-existent. We could hear our neighbors sneeze, use the bathroom and almost participate in their conversations. Luckily, we were only in our room at night and fell right to sleep from a busy day.

Authenticity & Character

Colorful, lush and clean

Location

10-15 minute hilly walk to shops and restaurants

Staff

Friendly, knowledgeable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean room, beds were hard but fine if you like that

Mar Inn Costa Rica

Monteverde Costa Rica

The Mar Inn was clean, comfortable and had a fabulous view over the mountains and offered a peek at the pacific. Like most other places in Monteverde it is on a hill. Be prepared to walk down a decent hill to go into town (less than 10 minutes) and back up for a market, lots of shops and restaurants. When we checked in we were offered a 'free' upgrade to a slightly bigger room with an amazing balcony. Of course, we gratefully said 'yes!' . All was great until the following day we wanted to nap but it was hot in our room, we looked and looked for the remote for the wall mounted fan unit (no ceiling fan) and couldn't find it. We went to the front desk and were told that because we took the 'upgrade' it would be $10 per day extra for AC or the fan. We politely declined. I would recommend this place but be certain t ask for details if offered an upgrade.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Like anything else in Monteverde, on a hill

Staff

Responsive and available during posted hours

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were hard but if you like that you'll be fine

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Clean, quiet and so convenient to the beach and shops and restaurants. The Karahe had the most comfortable beds and a balcony that just beckoned you to sit out on and listen to the birds, watch monkeys and hear the surf. This hotel was also very conveniently located- a brief walk down the beach (15 minutes) and you're in a little beach village that had a convenience store, beach shops and restaurants. If you wanted more options the bus takes you a quick 5-8 minute ride up the very steep hill for less than 50 cents per person to an abundance of options for dining and shopping or 20 minutes to Quepos for anything you would need or want. I would not recommend the restaurant here for dinner as the food was overpriced (even for a tourist spot) and rather unappetizing. (it seemed like they piled shredded lettuce and drizzled ketchup and mayo over our chicken tacos) The staff were helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable to dining and shopping options. Easy beach access

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless grounds and room. Super comfy beds

Activity Reviews

Monteverde Cloud Forest Night Walk

Monteverde

Knowledgeable guide found tree frogs, nesting birds and explained things about the flora and fauna of the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ocean Kayaking & Snorkeling Adventure

Manuel Antonio

Had a great time. Charlie was a fabulous driver and Marcos was a knowledgeable and attentive guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Food was a buffet at the Tucanes restaurant. Delicious but a bit disorganized.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ummm…Kimkim was awesome. And I’ve already recommended them to my closest friends….people I’m very considerate of who I recommend. Easily THE best planning service we’ve used. And such great local market intel that made our trip. Every recommendation was spot on…and we took them all to make the trip of a lifetime. We will definitely use kimkim again!!!

Activity Review

Manuel Antonio National Park Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide Linda was AWESOME and so easy to work with. We threw a lot at her -- lot of requests and preferences -- but she did a great job creating a great itinerary for us. And if we had any feedback or wanted to make any changes, she was so easy to work. We got to do everything on our travel wish list and would absolutely work with Linda again on our next Ecuador trip.

Activity Review

Visit Quilotoa Crater Lake, Transfer to Baños

Ecuador

This was one of the highlights of our entire trip! Such a stunning location (and a good hike/workout!)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We enjoyed a most fabulous 10-day trip in Cambodia! The local expert Steve planned a wonderful multi-city stay that included famous sites and even a circus and all transfers were flawless. The hotels and resorts were 5-star, beautiful and clean with exceptional service. Most importantly, our guides were top notch! They were knowledgeable about the sites, flexible with requested changes and took us off the beaten path when we showed interest in something not on the itinerary. Many thanks to all and we will definitely book with KimKim.com again.

Activity Reviews

Angkor Thom (morning)

Siem Reap

Loved every minute of this place and wish we had more time, but we had to depart for lunch.

Apopo Landmine detecting rats (private tour)

Siem Reap

This facility and the rats are wonderful! The experience was eye-opening and holding the trained rat was incredible.

Phare, the Cambodian Circus (Seat A , reserved seating)

Siem Reap

The acrobats and performers showed their skills in a cute, engaging storyline. Really enjoyed this evening!

Just returned from our first trip to Italy and we couldn't have done it without the help of Alessandro. This was by far the best trip we have ever been on and are already planning when we are going back! Alessandro listened to exactly what our needs were with 2 teenagers and customized an amazing itinerary. From hotels, private drivers, trains, tours- Alessandro did it all for us! He was always available to answer questions and checked in daily during our trip. I am so happy I found KimKim and can't recommend them enough. The best 50th birthday gift for my husband and memories to last a lifetime!

Vishal impressed me from the moment I started our work together planning our Itinerary; helped by his excellent English.
He quickly had a good understanding of what we wanted to do and see in Bhutan and planned a really good varied trip given it was a our first visit to the Kingdom.
We had the most brilliant trip and everything worked so well; undoubtedly due to a lot of hard work behind the scenes by Vishal.
He was incredibly flexible and made last minute changes to our itinerary as needed/requested.
I was particularly taken by the care he took to ensure we acclimatised properly for the altitude we would experience on the Dagala trek which we chose because we wanted a real wilderness mountain experience with exceptional views where we would be unlikely to meet other tourists.
Vishal put together an excellent team to look after us. They provided a great service in really very challenging conditions on the trek given we had very cold unseasonal weather coupled with very strong winds/rain at nights and even woke to good snow cover one morning. Chelap , the cook, along with Daza and Doji his assistants produced excellent food every day including hot lunches on the trail. I was amazed at how versatile they were and managed to produce a roast chicken one evening! The horsemen Thinley and Sangay did a great job keeping their 10 ponies to task. Tashi , the guide, and driver Sonam were also great hosts and we really appreciated their company throughout our 2 weeks in the Kingdom.
We cannot thank Vishal and his team enough for all their hard work in making our trip so special. I can highly recommend him if you are thinking of a trip to Bhutan.

Hotel Review

Dhensa Boutique Resort

Punakha

An excellent choice of Hotel. Great views and very comfortable rooms with extremely friendly staff. The food was also very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

views coupled with peace and quiet.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Paro - Transfer to Punakha

Bhutan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver Komang was always very helpful and professional

We had an amazing time in Costa Rica and greatly appreciated the work Bryan did to plan and coordinate all of the incredible experiences. While we are traveling, any time we had a question, issue or needed to make a change, the Kim Kim team was responsive and helpful- which made us feel like we had a friend in Costa Rica to ensure we had a great time. Overall- truly amazing experience and once in a lifetime adventure for our family!

Hotel Review

Nayara Tented Camp

Fortuna

What a dream…I cannot recommend of express more how incredible this hotel and their staff is, every aspect of the stay was well thought out, and executed. From the facilities to the food to the little things (like providing free laundry service and frog exploration tours at night with their amazing driver) this place sets the bar for excellence.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Surf Lesson in Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canopy Zip Line Tour and Fauna Exihibitions at Selvatura

Monteverde

The absolute best experience- we LOVED it!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Going through kimkim made planning the trip so much simpler. I told them what we wanted and they made the necessary arrangements. It was nice not having to research hotels, activities, or transportation. It took a few days, even a week at times to get a response through the website regarding our trip, but they were able to provide satisfactory answers to my questions before we began our trip. It was my first time traveling to Egypt, so I was unaware of the checkpoints and permits required when leaving the cities to places like the Giza Plateau or the Sphynx. The specialists and guides ensured that all the required permits and information were already provided, so that when we were stopped it was just a minor delay (we didn't have to anything, the driver and our guide handled all the interactions). For all of our excursions we were met in the lobby of our hotel by our specialist. This is very important, because I made the mistake of thinking the taxi outside the hotel was our transfer to the airport. It was not! So I ended up paying almost $50USD for something that was already arranged. Our specialist contacted me after we left, alerting me that they were in the lobby waiting for us. I explained that it was my error and not theirs. They remined me that a representative would always meet us in person in the hotel lobby each time. About halfway through our trip we decided to change some of the experiences we originally paid for. After some communication the kimkim team was able to accommodate our requests and change our itinerary.

Overall Egypt was an incredible place to visit. The history is legendary and to see first-hand the Sphynx, Giza Plateau, Valley of the Kings, and the thousands of artifacts in the museums was incredible! The only note of caution I have is that when you travel to these places, there will be lots of people wanting to help you (maybe to get a better view or a better picture, or to offer to take a picture for you). They are generally polite, but very pushy. If you allow them to assist you in any way they will ask for compensation. If they assist you and you refuse I've had them follow me through the area (we were in the tombs at the Valley of the Kings) or bring out their "boss" who simply wants me to take care of their "employees" (this was at the Giza Plateau). Sometimes they will hand you trinkets for "free" but then pester you for a donation. We refused them and the person literally placed them in our hands and then asked for money. Even in some gift shops someone will offer to help you and in return they'll ask for a commission after paying for the merchandise. We're fairly polite so we were taken advantage of. To avoid this, simply don't allow them to assist you at all (don't let them touch anything of yours), and don't engage in any conversation with them.

Beatriz was awesome to work with and made our trip smooth sailing. Teresa in Sevilla was very congenial and informative. we enjoyed her company and insights on our tour . unfortunately i have lost the name of the lady who took us to the flamenco show but she was delighful and showed great enthusiasm for the dance and explained some of the intricacies of the dance. Our tour of Cadiz was also exemplary and Adriana did a great and energetic presentation of the sights. i would say, in retropect, that i would have taken only one day in Cadiz and added it to either Sevilla, Ronda or Malaga. These three cities were the best.

Hotel Review

Gran Hotel Miramar

Málaga

Beautiful; the staff was amazing . the food was great. The room was awesome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tapas & Flamenco Experience

Seville

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Spanish Guitar Experience

Ronda

Amazing trip! Guides that deserve special mention were Teresa, our bike tour guide in Seville and Vincente our guide at the Alhambra.

Hotel Reviews

Only You Hotel Atocha

Madrid

Great location opposite train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Opposite train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Smart Suites Albaicin Apartments

Granada

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private City Bike Tour

Seville

Very good tour with Teresa. Great having a local showing us around. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guided Visit: Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Granada

Needed more information about where to meet our guide. We didn't have a voucher and were told where the meeting place was. There were so many guides and it was confusing trying to find which group we were with.

Valencia Urban Wine and Tapas Tour

Valencia

Guide Maria was lovely but didn't have much information about us or what we were expecting from the tour. From our perspective, we thought we'd be part of a bigger group going to a variety of tapas bars. We enjoyed the tour, due to our lovely guide, but probably needed more information about this tour.

Soufiane, our driver and day-to-day guide, had excellent food recommendations, kept us hydrated with fresh water in the car each day, and was a friendly and welcoming. He was flexible with our wants and schedule and tried hard to make our travel as seamless as possible. We would certainly recommend him to others! His company, Original Tours, a local KimKim partner, selected first-rate accommodations.

Hanan, our food tour and Marrakesh guide, was outstanding! We especially enjoyed the food tour where she found us excellent local spots to sample a wide variety of local dishes. Friendly and informed, a tour with Hanan is a must for visitors to Marrakesh!

Activity Reviews

Marrakesh Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

One of the top three experiences of our trip! Hanan was an excellent guide. Want to see the real Marrakesh? Do a food tour.

Private Transfer from Merzouga to Aït Benhaddou via Dades Valley

Morocco

Excellent stop! A highlight of our trip worth 2-4 hours depending on your interest in local history. A beautifully preserved location!

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Hanan did an excellent job contextualizo fue the history and day-to-day life of Marrakesh. Would highly recommend!

Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride

Morocco

Excellent! Camel ride was a highlight.

Ait Benhaddou to Marrakech via Tizi N'Tichka pass

Morocco

Soufiane was a great driver for all of our transfers. We always felt comfortable with him at the wheel, even on small mountain roads. On our way to Marrakesh, he shared more about what makes the city special to him, and it was a welcome preview for our time in there. We appreciated his invitation to dinner at his house even though we were unable to go given our schedule.

I have absolutely no complaints. Everything was so well planned. The hotels were outstanding. Except the Amalia. It was a bit cramped for 3 people but we managed. My hat off to Christos and all his tour guides and drivers. They were outstanding 👏 👌

Hotel Reviews

Belvedere Hotel Mykonos

Mýkonos City

Breath taking. Fabulous view, room service was excellent 👌

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathroom

De Sol Hotel & Spa

Thera

Love the view and the breakfast. Outstanding. Room was very comfortable with 3 people.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amalia Hotel Athens

Athens

A little cramped for 3 people and the bathtub was a bit high for elderly people. We had to be very cautious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness of the bathroom. Lots of hair on the floor behind door.

Activity Reviews

Acropolis & Flavors of Athens

Athens

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Catamaran Caldera Cruise

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Mykonos Island Driving Tour

Mykonos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Santorini Wine Tour

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Santorini Driving Panorama

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport