Kimkim Trip Reviews

Sarah & Ivan of Royal Croatian tours, were fantastic. They helped us plan and schedule everything, cars, hotels, local guides and experiences. We were so happy to have their local expertise even before our trip started but once we were traveling they were invaluable. They found us wonderful accommodations at every location that were perfect for what we wanted and had transportation all arranged. Almost everything went like clockwork and was very well arranged, the only things that went wrong were two cancelled ferries due to weather and in both cases we contacted Sarah and Ivan and they immediately helped devise a back up plan and arranged when necessary a driver to our next destination with no delay . They were quick to respond to any questions and always available by WhatsApp, even at 6 am when our ferry was cancelled at the last moment. We would highly recommend Sarah and Ivan for Croatian travel and Kimkin made it very easy to stay connected with them.

Great interactions with the our guides and our travel agency was first rate. Very responsive to our needs and excellent choices on accommodations.

Vishal planned an unforgettable 9-day trip to Bhutan for us with the perfect balance between cultural activities, stunning hikes in the Himalayas, and incredible food. Our guide Pema and our driver Sonam were both fantastic and they went above and beyond to make sure that we had a great time traveling in Bhutan by personalizing our itinerary each day. We really enjoyed authentically connecting with locals throughout the trip at local spots and sharing tea with monks at some of the amazing monasteries. Bhutanese people are incredibly friendly and we could not have asked for better hosts. We would highly recommend working with Vishal and his team to plan an unforgettable trip to Bhutan!

Wow, so much to mention. The hotel accommodations were excellent and well located. The entire agenda was very well planned and detail oriented. The guides were very good, special kudos to Joao. Diogo was extremely responsive to all our needs.

I would definitely recommend you to friends and other relatives.

Hopefully we can plan another trip with you as well.

Great time, thank you so much for a first-class vacation!

Árisa our guide was the most beautiful person
She went out of her way to make sure everything was perfect for us.
Both our tour guides for our whale shark experience and firefly experience were
Lovely too and very knowledgeable.
Overall we had an amazing time

We were very pleased with all the aspects of our trip. I think it’s important to realize the smaller hotels have lots of history and sometime interesting room set ups, but everything works and the breakfast included feature is a real plus as the Scots put on a feast that sets you up for the day. We did not use a guide, but we hired local taxi drivers on three occasions that took us around Lewis, Harris, Skye,, and From Fort William back to Edinburg. Each had lots to tell us and teach us about the places we were. It was nice some days to go slow and stay on our own timeframe, hike, eat light and explore the local town.
The Edinburg B&B had a broken elevator and a story they were waiting for a part but I think that’s a long way out, but we found young men to haul our bags. Broadway House on Lewis is a gem, food , view, accommodations, proprietors. HEB360 local guide A+. RAASAY Distillery and the island itself a highlight. We got a taxi driver from Portree to go over on the ferry with his car and drive us all around the island before checking in…totally a must to do. The Distillery, like so many places, is waiting for more waitstaff to appear for the summer after college gets out. They are a small distillery working on how they want to grow, and share dining days with the inn next door.Lovely hikes there and an amazing view back at Skye. Garrison Hotel in Fort William is also a gem, Small rooms but we had every single thing thought out to be comfortable and charming staff. NEVIS Taxi a real find too, who took us to Edinburg. Hotel Du Vin a bit gloomy lobby and room but spacious and food , staff wonderful and a great location. A last stop before the airport. Security and check in for Edinburg airport , under a lot of construction can take more time than you think so give yourself a bit extra. Luigi from KIM KIM made it all . The plus is having everything paid for, the ability to edit a trip with your own preferences with someone who knows the area. A MUST is to book restaurants AHEAD of time. Everyone is short staffed and Skye in particular was difficult so were were glad we booked ahead as many other tourists ate from the grocery store shelves! We took ferries and taxis and planes.
The hospitality and the humor of the Scots is just wonderful.

Sometimes, when you are most lucky, a trip becomes an indelible, lifetime memory. We chose Türkiye as our destination because of the amazing history and beautiful, varied geography of the region. Berat was our KimKim travel planner, and she organized an experience for us that we could have never arranged on our own. The itinerary she designed allotted the time we had to the cities/places we wanted to see in the perfect segments. The accommodations she chose for us were unparalleled for location, views, and service. The transportation was unfailingly top notch and professional. Berat recommended the perfect tours and she arranged a special request visit for us to a local business that is an area of particular interest and it was a highlight of our trip. (I am amazed at how she did this!) We did the balloon experience in Cappadocia (a bucket list item), and she chose, from the many options, a truly expert operation. This incredible memory will never dim!
The hospitality of the Turkish people is legendary. And the true magic of our trip was the assistance of the local guides. Hattie in Cappadocia, Erdem in Istanbul, and Alp in Antalya- all were amazing. Having the insight and the assistance of guides intimately familiar with everywhere and everything you will encounter enriches every precious moment. These special guides can take you exactly to the sites and experiences that will make your trip unforgettable.
Thank you to each individual who helped make our trip the amazing, seamless experience it was!

My parents had always dreamt of going to Morocco and now that they're in their 70s we wanted to make that dream come true.

Before the trip, Said was excellent in working with us to modify the trip details to accommodate them. He always communicated back right away.

When they arrived in Morocco, they were met by their driver, Karim. He spoke English well and was knowledgeable and nice. He made them feel comfortable throughout the trip.

The hotels that were selected were great and many of them were beautiful. The tours they took were fantastic to see the sights. They also enjoyed their own time wandering around the cities.

My dad said this trip was everything he ever dreamed of and was very happy he got the experience. My siblings and I were happy they had the opportunity to go and could have peace of mind knowing there was someone nearby who could help them if they needed it.

everything was amazing and worked out so perfectly. the timing of all activities, tours, adventures worked great with plenty of free time to explore. all recommendations could not have been better! can not thank you guys enough! min need to worry to get anywhere as the drivers and guides are so professional yet social and friendly! i can’t wait to use kimkim again for my next adventure!!!!

Robi and his team were absolutely over the top. It was a dream vacation. His guides and drivers were knowledgeable and professional. All of his recommendations were spot on. Robi was available 23/7 to answer any question. Our only regret was that we did not get a chance to meet Robi in person and thank hi. We missed him by 5 inured in Mali Ston.

Super velicanstveno. hvala

Megan and team were fantastic to work with throughout our booking experience and were available for any questions or changes we had with our itinerary.
Perfectly balanced as we truly felt we experienced Morocco. Rabat-the Blue City-Fes-Sahara-Marrakech-Essaouia.
Ali was a wonderful driver and guide. We would highly recommend using Megan’s team for any trips.

Our driver Ilyace was punctual always. Great English speaker. Very knowledgeable and always, always helpful. Took us to some very good eating places while on the road and also arranged for a great guide (Hannan) in Marrakech. We shortened Ilyace to “Ace” because we liked him so much. While on the road, if we wanted an outing booked, Ace was on the phone to Said and job done. The Riads were opulent. In all, very pleased with the total KimKim performance. Thanks to all.
Frank W

Hotel Reviews

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Beautiful room, fabulous breakfast. Just do it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

5 minute walk to the Medina square

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Braya

Fes Medina

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elegancia Riad Boutique & SPA

Marrakech

All staff were very attentive to our wishes. From putting beer in the freezer to be sure it was frosty cold after a day out in the heat to making my phone calls for me as my phone was disfunctional. Don’t even think about it. Staying here is an automatic choice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Hannan , our lovely female guide tailored our tour to our specific wishes, taking our wives to the proper souks and stalls for our shopping etc. She made it a great experience for the girls and it was easygoing for us guys. Thanks Hannan.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I cannot say enough about the amazing experience I had with Camila! We shared with her all of our ideas for our trip via the messaging app on kimkim and she made the entire planning process a breeze. She was quick to reply and executed all of our ideas perfectly! From the moment we arrived in Bolivia, all of our tour guides and drivers were prompt and genuinely amazing human beings to work with! We are so thankful for the amazing knowledge our guide, Al, provided throughout our time in the salt flats and Potosí! Our drivers Gonzalo and Omar were also amazing to work with and our tour guide for Tiwanaku and la Paz, Carlos, was so incredibly kind and knowledgeable. He made sure we got the most authentic Bolivian experience, which we greatly appreciated. I highly recommend doing the private tours as we got to make some additional stops at local cafes and markets that were so amazing to experience. I loved all of the food! I highly recommend staying at hotel Luna salada on your trip in the salt flats, as well as Stannum in la Paz! Bolivia is amazing and I am so grateful for the people, culture and amazing sites I was able to see thanks to Camila and the kimkim team!

Activity Reviews

Night bus La Paz - Uyuni

La Paz

The bus was incredibly comfortable and Clean! Great meal in the evening, as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The bus was super comfortable.

Day-Trip to Tiwanaku & Lake Titicaca

Bolivia

Carlos was such a knowledgeable and personable guide! We thoroughly enjoyed our entire experience in tiwanaku! We also really loved the restaurant he took us to for lunch and the authentic Bolivian meal we got to experience! Try the llama! The boat ride on lake titicaca was also a major highlight and we loved learning about the papyrus boats!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gonzalo is an excellent driver!

Explore the amazing Uyuni Salt Flats

Bolivia

By far my favorite part of the trip, although it was all so amazing and so hard to choose! Our guide and driver prepared a picnic on the salt flats for us with authentic Bolivian food which was such a treat and so cute! We also loved hiking up Incahuasi island! Al was so knowledgeable and such a joy to have guiding our 3 day tour! We also loved the star gazing at night and Al knew all the most amazing photos tricks! We captured some amazing shots our friends couldn’t even believe were real!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide was great to be around, he instilled confidence and comfort. He was very knowledgeable and articulate. His range of knowledge was broad from cultural insights to birds, animals and trekking! Just fantastic. Our driver was wonderful as well, great to talk with and not to mention a very good driver. I highly recommend.

We had a truly amazing trip to Greece thanks to Rebecca and her team members with KimKim! Our arriving flight was delayed multiple times and she was always responsive and our pickup was there on-time at 1:30 a.m. The next morning we were met by a friendly GrecianLux concierge, taken for coffee at an adorable place for a brief orientation. We felt very warmly welcomed. Our archaeologist guide in Athens, Nikolaos, was exceptionally knowledgable, making our private tour of the Acropolis an early highlight. We spent several days touring the northwest mainland with our scholar guide, Babis, who was definitely both of these and much more. He gave us many fantastic guided tours, including a very memorable tour of the Meteora monasteries. He also pointed out special points of interest for us all along the way -- all the time skillfully navigating the national highway system! Every hotel was excellent and perfectly suited to what we requested. Our time staying at Apeiros Chora in Zagori is especially noteworthy for the rich heritage and charming proprietors. We had a lot of travel experience before this trip and hesitated to hire help; in the end we're so glad we did and just thrilled that we let KimKim do so much of the planning. The trip was an absolute dream.

Hotel Reviews

Hermes Hotel

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Archontiko Mesochori

Meteora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Apeiros Chora Zagori

Zagori

Here are some of the things that we loved most about Apeiros Chora: - The heritage of the 19th century Zagori mansion, beautifully restored to retain its original charm. - The proprietors, warm and welcoming hosts who are passionate about sharing their love of the Zagori region. - The location, in the heart of the Zagorochoria known for its small stone villages and alpine beauty. - The amenities, including comfortable rooms, a delicious breakfast, and many others that we didn't have the time to try (like the sauna and spa).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Siora Vittoria Boutique Hotel Corfu

Corfu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Athens - Acropolis at Sunset & Plaka neighborhood | Private tour with an archaeologist/guide

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking Meteora's Hermit Caves - Afternoon Adventure

Meteora

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zagori - Bridges & Villages Hike Half Day

Zagori

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Athens

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Depart - Time to say farewell to Greece !

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I think the company needs a lot of help with the planning. The only reason why we tried this service was to see if it would be easier to plan a trip through an agency. Overall, I would go the route of hiring a driver for the stay and book everything else on your own.

Pros:
- Our tour guide was Nadir/Samir is AMAZING! Could not say more positive things about , he really went out of his way to make our stay comfortable and pleasant. Always early ready to take us anywhere. Very knowledgeable about Jordan.

Cons:
- We requested specific rooms with the agency, the contingency to book with them was to get a specific room and we booked months in advance. They promised the room and after we paid, they changed two of our hotels without any communication.

- The hotel rooms that were given to us were not the ones that was in the itinerary. When we inquired with the hotel, they said they couldn't do anything. We were not going to fight it but again lack of transparency from the agency.

- The places that were covered for food by the agency were honestly bad. You could tell the food was the same in every spot and not authentic, I wish we would get more freedom to get authentic food that was covered or we would have opted out.

- Many of the experiences included were already included with the hotel so not much that the actual agency booked on our behalf.

The trip was outstanding. The itinerary set up by Jessica worked perfectly. I had a bit of a physical issue and we had to make some last minute changes and everyone was helpful and it worked out great. Daniel our lead guide going up the mountain to the zip line stayed with me most of the way to make sure I was safe at all times. The raft trip on our second day was fun and just enough. Our lunch at The Mountain View Experience was breathtaking. Edwin was our guide and companion the last three days. I can't say enough about his knowledge and advice as we adapted some of our hikes. Machu Picchu was breathtaking and as special as we had imagined. The mountains and Inca sites were spectacular. Thanks for doing such a good job taking care of us.

Hotel Reviews

Tierra Viva Cusco Centro

Cusco

Great location in the historical section of Cusco. Rooms were ideal

Authenticity & Character

Spanish influence in design, once inside you wouldn't know you were in the middle of the city

Location

close to everything. Allowed us to wander without getting lost

Staff

Everyone was extremely helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Albergue Ollantaytambo Boutique Hotel

Cusco

spent two night here in the Sacred Valley. Unbelievable botanical garden inside the walls of the complex. Staff very accommodating, food in dining room was excellent

Authenticity & Character

Location

next to the train station and central to all Sacred Valley activities

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Mapi by Inkaterra

Cusco

modern, luxury hotel in the center of the town of Machu Picchu. Location was great, staff helpful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Via Ferrata & Ziplining

Peru

it was a once in a lifetime experience. Probably a bit more than I should have taken on given my age and physical condition, but Danny was by my side the whole making sure I felt safe

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rafting in the Urubamba River

Peru

just enough class 2's and 3's to make it exciting. Our guide had great knowledge of the area and history. Very enjoyable day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short Inca Trail Day 2: Machu Picchu Guided Tour and Return to Cusco

Peru

Edwin was outstanding with his knowledge. Very enjoyable to spend time with him

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an intensive 9-day tour planned, so it was critical to get the right guide and driver. We also wanted a short time break, even if it meant having an extra long day to make up the sites missed.
We were fortunate to acquire one of the best guides in Israel, Ille, and an excellent driver in Michael. Ille spoke very good English and had an encyclopedic knowledge about everything. He also knew everyone and was able to get us singular access to important sites, even with dense crowds and long lines. Ille is very personable and accommodating and was able to make several day-to-day adjustments to our schedule to better fit our needs. For example, we swapped out going to Haifa for traveling through Bethlehem on the way back without problem.

We were extremely impressed by Jerusalem, of course, but Masada was much different, and more dramatic, than I had pictured. Also, the vide of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv couldn’t be more different. Btw, we felt extremely safe in every sector of Old Jerusalem, even walking at night outside the walls. The same for Tel Aviv.

Tel Aviv

Hotel Reviews

The American Colony Hotel

Jerusalem

This is an iconic and historical hotel. It’s very pricy but this was our last big splurge., The garden grounds alone are worth a stay. The staff are absolutely first rate and very attentive and helpful. The large rooms are magnificent. Ours had a balcony overlooking a peaceful courtyard. Each night chocolates were delivered. The included breakfast is so massive, with at least fifty stations of all sorts of freshly prepared items, that there was no way to taste them all. There is also a lovely indoor garden restaurant. The American Colony hotel is located within easy walking or taxi distance of the Damascus Gate. There are also many good restaurants in the area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Extremely attentive and knowledgeable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Some days our rooms were cleaned twice, with lovely chocolates delivered.

Tal By the Beach Hotel

Tel Aviv

A beautiful hotel located just two walking blocks from the beach and a string of excellent seafood restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful, but I had trouble with getting taxis. I think it was more of a language problem. A great guy next to me at an ice cream shop used his app to get us a taxi back to the hotel.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tel Aviv City Tour ( Tel Aviv & Jaffa)

Israel

I went on a private group tour of Tel Aviv and Jaffa and it was a great experience. Our guide, LA, was amazing and knew all the right places to take us. We were able to skip lines that would have taken a long time otherwise. Overall, it was a fantastic trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Old City Jerusalem

Israel

I was part of a private group when we visited the Old City of Jerusalem. Our guide was LA and he was very knowledgeable and knew all the right places to take us. It was an unforgettable experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jerusalem, Mount of Olives and Mt Zion

Israel

Our group visited Mount of Olives and Mt. Zion with our guide, LA. He was extremely knowledgeable and made the experience highly enjoyable. It was fascinating to explore these historical sites.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Yad Vashem, Ein Karim and the Israel Museum

Israel

In a private group tour, we visited Yad Vashem, Ein Karim, and the Israel Museum. Our guide, LA, was very knowledgeable and provided great insight into the history of the museum exhibits. I particularly enjoyed the Israeli National Museum.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip to Masada & Qumran

Israel

We had a great day trip to Masada and Qumran with our guide, LA. The experience was interesting, and it was clear our guide knew the history of these sites very well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

STAY PUT JERUSALEM / FREE DAY / OPTIONAL TOURS

Israel

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

JERUSALEM / HAIFA / CAESAREA / ACRE / TEL AVIV

Israel

We had to change our plans and ended up not going to Haifa, Caesarea, and Acre due to feeling unwell but instead traveled directly from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. However, we were able to visit Palestine, which proved to be an extremely interesting experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Had a lovely time! Chris did an amazing job organizing hotels, transportation, and guides in Athen, Crete and Santorini. Everyone was phenomenal and would use them again!

Trip planner/co-ordinator, Mieke, has been very professional and patience in putting the trip plan together over more than 2 years, due to multiple disruptions such as COVID-19 locked down. She is always responsive, obliging and accommodating to our requests and made changes swiftly.

We are also very happy and grateful for having Mr Maarten Ablij as our private diver to Zaanse Schans, Edam and Keukenhof. He is very gentle, polite and punctual in picking us from accommodation in the morning.

In summary, we had an enjoyable and wonderful time in The Netherlands, especially the visits to Anne Frank House, Naturalis, Boerhaave, Windmill de Valk, Madurodam and Keukenhof. We also loved the Dutch food such as bitterballen and stroopwafel.

Thank you Beat the Dutch Travel and Mieke for the good job well done.

Hotel Reviews

Dutch Golden / Velvet Lodge

The Hague

Hotel staffs are friendly and checking in/out was easy and fast. Room is of a good size, clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Refurnished old building with a nice welcoming vibe

Location

Within 10mins walk from The Hague Central railway station.

Staff

Both Oscar and his staff are super friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Was not told test the clean would not be cleaned and no towels changed on Koningsdag!

Inntel Zaandam

Zaandam

Disappointed with the check in experience and scare we had. We arrived at 11.30am but was too early as room was not ready. Returned to check in at 7.30pm and being assigned a room on 5th level. However, when we opened the door, we were astonished to see coats hanging on the coats hooks and a big luggage on the luggage rack. Went back to front desk and was told that staff from previous shift had failed to update hotel records when the customer made a room change. Although a new room was cleaned and assigned to us with a complimentary buffet breakfast for the next morning, but we were still very shaken that security and privacy are breached.

Authenticity & Character

Pretty architecture and colors like lego blocks stacked together

Location

3mins walk from Zaadam railway station

Staff

Not competent and did not honor promise.

Cleanliness & Comfort

House keeping did not empty out garbage and replaced clean disposal cups. However, room is big like a small studio with kitchenette.

Activity Reviews

Museum Card Netherlands

The Netherlands

Very convenient and budget friendly to have museum card if planning to visit many museums.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Public Transport Pass Amsterdam

The Netherlands

OV card is handy and can be used on almost all kinds of transportation.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Daytrip to Cheese Farm, Edam and Zaanse Schans

The Netherlands

Not worth going to the cheese farm. A very short brief about the history of the farm and various cheeses, then being led to shop. Too commercialise! There is nothing much to do and see at Edam. Zaanse Schans is too crowded within tourists. Walking paths are narrow and hard to pass through when people were standing around to snap pictures of the windmills. Too commercialise and need to pay entrance fee to almost every sights inside the windmills.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private driver Mr Maarten Ablij is very nice and patience

Keukenhof & tulips fields by private transport

The Netherlands

The botanical garden is very well organised with many different types of tulips, other floral, trees and water features.

Quality of Experience

Need more than 2hours to enjoy the garden

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport