Kimkim Trip Reviews

Pedro and his team were great to work with. They listened to ours needs and made adjustments when necessary. Our trip was streamlined and organized. It was a once in a lifetime trip!

Loved most everything except the very long days of bus trips. It was a bit too much. The hotels were good and the tours were good. In retrospect I would have included some down time but we enjoyed seeing the country. Thanks Ruth for all the time you out into making our trip and adventure.

Hotel Reviews

Rendezvous Heritage Hotel Auckland

Auckland

Older hotel needs some updating but nice. There are better choices in the area. The german restaurant in the hotel however is terrible. They need to rethink that space. Both our dinners were disgusting but my husband ate his anyway.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pullman Rotorua

Rotorua

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Distinction Christchurch Hotel

Christchurch

Authenticity & Character

O

Location

Grand Suites

Motel so get your bags to your room yourself. But very nice room. Probably the best in the town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

QT

Queenstown

Nice hotel but we had the back side view of a side of a mountain and a construction site. So ask for the view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adina CityLife Wellington

Wellington

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

America's Cup Sailing Experience

Auckland

Super nice. Took the ride on a real Americas Cup Racing boat. Helped the crew raise and lower the sails. It was a great way to end our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Auckland Best of Both World: Bush and Beach - Full day

Auckland

The guides are great. The morning was a city tour and the afternoon volcanos, rain forest and the black sand beach (hot sand but beautiful). We've done a lot of this already so it was a repeat. But nice if your first time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Eco Thermal Park Tour - Waiotapu & Waimangu

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Rotorua to Auckland Hobbiton and Waitomo Tour

Rotorua

Fun day at Hobbiton. Fan or not will enjoy the day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was great! Very animated and fun.

Transport

Te Po Combo - 90 Minute Guided Tour & Evening Experience

Rotorua

Fun cultural event to learn about the people, have dinner and to see Geysers

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Left without us but they had another vehicle get us back to the hotel

Zealandia Twilight Tour - Private tour

Wellington

We are not usually bird watchers but this place is amazing. Theyre trying to restore this habitat back to pre settlers and succeeding. We saw 3 Kiwi which are extremely endangered and a bunch of other endangered birds and a few reptiles. Way better then expected.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Interislander Ferry - Picton to Wellington

New Zealand

Nice ride. But be quick to get your spot. We bought an upgrade to an area and didnt end up sitting there because we thought we were in the right spot. It was fine we had nice seats in the front of the ship.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coastal Pacific Train - Christchurch to Picton

Christchurch

Nice and comfy ride. Theres food on board. Great scenery including a huge pod of Dolphins feeding in the water.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Akaroa & Harbour Cruise

Christchurch

We loved this day. The ride wasnt terrible and the boat was nice. Our driver was great. The guy that owned and drove the boat was also the builder of thr boat which is amazing. We didnt see many Dolphins, we also saw tiny penguins and seals. Nice day. Great little town. Lunch was delicious too.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Transfer Tekapo to Christchurch

Lake Tekapo

Innercity bus. Crowded and we were last on so we couldnt sit together. 4 hours of crowded uncomfortable bus. 2 thumbs down from us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Grand Traverse Scenic Flight

New Zealand

I was scared my husband thought it was great. We had a very windy day and they needed to use a different plane for the flight. But at 3000 feet it was much better. Amazing views! I couldnt wait to be on the ground.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Crater Experience (Cowan's Observatory)

New Zealand

Amazing star gazing. Our guide was a super enthusiastic astronomer. We are not but it was interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skyline Gondola Ride

Queenstown (NZ)

Fun!

Quality of Experience

Transport

Full Day Milford Sound Van/Cruise/ Van (Shared small group tour)

Queenstown (NZ)

The tour was great and our first for our trip. Our guide was amazing he knows so much about the area and vegetation. Very nice too. The bus ride however was too long. With the bus and the boat it was 12 hours. Long day!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boutique Wine Tour - Half Day

Queenstown (NZ)

Fun day drinking wine and talking to people from all around the world. Iy was a lovely day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable and super friendly

Transport

What another terrific trip we had thru the KimKim portal. Working with Liz Neal and her staff was truly a blessing since we had generated quite an aggressive "vacation" down under. In those 2-weeks we had a # of airline tickets, hotel stays, transfers to/from airports/hotels and excursions. It went like clockwork on the receiving end as all went very smoothly. I felt comfortable knowing that the major details had been put in place and that I could count on airline tickets being correct, hotels were ready for us and ride transfers were always there when expected. We could concentrate on merely enjoying the trip.

We saw & did many things on our trip and still trying to decide which major activity was our favorite:
NZ Gondola & Luge
NZ Shotover Jet Boat
Sydney Opera House
Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb
TAS Port Arthur tour
AUS Rottnest Ferry & Island

We'll have many lifetime memories from this trip and also opens the possibility of returning to these areas to spend additional leisure time.

Thank You so much for all your help in setting up our trip, and making it a reality, Liz. It was a pleasure working with you on this one and looking forward to the next trip.

Hotel Review

Copthorne Hotel & Resort Queenstown Lakefront

Queenstown

Loved this hotel for its location, easy walking distance to our needs and beautiful room view. There was only 1 King sized bed in our room but worked out just fine for the 2 of us travelers. Friendly and helpful staff were an added bonus.

Authenticity & Character

The views of the mountain range "Remarkables" and Lake Wakatipu were constantly viewable from our large room window. Very pleasing to watch the weather roll across them in an ever-changing kalidescope of patterns.

Location

We had excursion meeting points on nearby Shotover Street. The heart of Queenstown was a nice, easy walk along Lake Wakatipu.

Staff

Very helpful with local maps, check-in/out and information about the area.Comfy

Cleanliness & Comfort

Large comfy bed, clean room and fresh towels

Activity Reviews

Full Day Port Arthur Tour

Hobart

Having read several books about this area and time, I thought I was mentally prepared for the experience. I was amazed at at how serene and beautiful the area had become over the years. The historical plaques located by the major structures were very informative and helped remind visitors how awful a place it was during its heyday. Very much enjoyed the short harbor cruise as well as the gardens, Such a lovely place now...

Climb the Harbor Bridge

Sydney

This may be one of the best highlights of our trip, actually climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Such a surreal experience where, despite being so high, felt very comfortable, due to our pre-training and strapped securely into the harness. The views were amazing along the way and the stories of the build fascinating.

Quality of Experience

The fact that we were actually climbing the bridge along the walkways, ladders and girders was astonishing! Being elevated above the vehicular traffic below was exciting, especially when climbing the ladder between lanes 7 - 9 with the cars, buses and trains whizzing past!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a fantastic guide, Kat, who helped familiarize us with our climbing gear, made us feel comfortable during the climb and provided many interesting facts about the bridge and surrounding area with friendly banter and timely jokes. Thanks again for the wonderful time, Kat!

Rottnest Island Cycling & Snorkeling Trip

Perth

Yet, another highlight of our trip was going to Rottnest Island. What a blast it was to ride bikes on the well paved paths, snorkel in the beautiful blue waters of the Indian Ocean and see all the cute little Quokka's. Really enjoyed biking around the island and going as far west as possible to Radar Reef and Fish Hook Bay.

Quality of Experience

Enjoyed the freedom we had to set our own pace and see and do what we wanted . Would've liked it better if our bikes had been E-Bikes rather than just pedal bikes.

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Have seen numerous times on television this iconic masterpiece. To actually be there in person to touch, feel and see the building was a bucket list item. An amazing work of sculpture, art and functionality all rolled into one design.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent tour guide who really knew her stuff. I liked that we all had headphones and could easily hear and understand what the informative guide was saying.

Full-Day Jet-Boat Adventure & Funyak River Safari

Queenstown (NZ)

This trip was canceled due to weather but we separately booked the Shotover Jet Boat ride on the Dart River in its place and super happy that we did! This review pertains to the Shotover ride instead. Such a beautiful and pristine area with the river and mountain ranges. Our boat ride was exhilarating and our driver, Hamish, was the best. He knew how to handle that boat and make it dance on the shallow water, coming perilously close to the nearby cliffs and then 360's where possible. Woo-Hoo!

Quality of Experience

Thrilling jet boat ride with a great driver!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our boat driver, Hamish, could not only thrill us with his expert handling, but also told a lot of background and history of the local area as well as the boat design

We really enjoyed our trip to Vietnam. Our favorite experiences were ha long bay, our bike trip through hoi an, and our stay in nha Trang. Both Ky and A were amazing, friendly, and knowledgeable guides.

Activity Review

Hoi An biking thru country side + visit ancient town

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alba booked us an incredible trip to Barcelona and Madrid. Her attention to every detail made the trip truly easy and enjoyable for us. Guides Anna in Barcelona and Carmen in Madrid were knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful; we've had private tours in multiple cities and never had better experiences. We wanted a special trip to celebrate some recent life events, and we got everything we wanted and more! We will definitely be back to KimKim, and to Alba should we return to Spain.

Hello Joseph, I wanted to give you a feedback about Andrew who was great with us during our trip who was able to answer all our questions and adapt according to our needs. Andrew is very professional and I plan to come back with my mom and would like to do the same trip with Andrew again. The trip was fantastic and very interesting we saw everything we wanted to see. Compared to the hotels they were all very good but on the 2nd a lake navaisha the room was not terrible and the food too. And for the last one in masai Mara this one was top but no wifi in the room which is a pity. So much for my little return I wanted to thank you and thank Andrew.

Maria,
Hello.
Marty and I got back one week ago. Here are my/our thoughts on our trip to Sicily.
It was a little confusing picking up our car in Catania as the car rental was a little ways away from where we thought. We got to our B&B, but couldn't drive on the street because it was blocked for the final day of St Agata! Our host, Luca, took Marty to paid parking several blocks away . Luca had changed our room because of the noisy festival, I wish he hadn't, but maybe he just wanted to be nice ? Luca was a great host, we loved having the outside upper deck for breakfast and late afternoon coffee.
The next morning, Margherita, our very knowledgeable and friendly and friendly and TALKATIVE met us. After 2 and a half hours, Marty and I said our thanks and went to the garage to get the car to go to Mt Etna. This was a longer trip than we thought! When we arrived we walked around Silvestri crater in the howling wind, it is magnificent! We drove back in the later afternoon, got a bit lost, while using our GPS, arrived back into the city at rush hour and realized we had not eaten since morning! This day was too busy!
Reminders to have snacks and water for these excursions would be good.
We loved Taormina, Grace was a wonderful tour guide, we bought snacks by the Greco-Roman Theater and ate while looking out over the Ionian Sea. We enjoyed talking with Grace, she has a very good manner. Taormina is a beautiful town. and we got to enjoy it without lots of people!
We didn't go to Acireale as the drive didn't make sense and was out of our way, and we wanted to get to the fish market.
The drive to Syracusa was ok until the end when our GPS sent us around, around, around! We drove down a no driving street and asked someone for help, who was our guide, Salvatore! He had been waiting for us!There was/is no parking on the street of our B&B, so S took Marty to a paid parking spot, then they came back for an intense tour with Salvo. Salvo was very knowledgeable , but talked non stop and we were very ready to relax after hours of driving. We would have enjoyed more getting to know what the Ortegians are like as a people . Stefano, our B&B host was very friendly and we loved having great breakfasts on the upper outside deck.
The next day we walked to the Archeological ruins in Syracuse. We had a self -guided tour here and it was magical! We stayed for hours and walked back to Ortegia. We did not go to Ragusa Ilba, Modica , Scicli or Noto. We wanted to enjoy Ortegia and not rush around so much. This was right for us. Besides the driving was very stressful, and driving for us was not very fun.
Day 7- To Agrigento via Enna. Enna was very windy and no visibility, so we moved onto Agrigento. Octavio our host was very nice.
He gave us lots of pastries and packed us sandwiches for lunch. Great dinner at Nucci near the B&B.
Valley of the Temples tour with wonderful Claudio! Very knowledgeable about the different plants, trees, animals as well as temples! He grew up in Agrigento and used to visit the temples as a child many years ago. After the tour we drove to Scala Dei Turchi. It was very difficult to find , even though there were signs for it everywhere! It turns out the walk to the beach had been closed due to recent vandalism. Beautiful spot, though.
To Palermo! We did not go to Cefalu, but spent the afternoon at Mondello, very pretty, the water is so clear. We got to our B&B, but our street was for pedestrians only! Our wonderful host Dani greeted us and Marty incredibly found a free parking space very near our B&B! We did not move our car while in Palermo, as there was plenty to see in that great city. Palermo walking tour with wonderful Marilu. She was very knowledgeable, and enjoyed conversations about the people, food, politics. We had a very good time with her. The rest of our time in Palermo, we walked, walked, walked! We loved walking the Ballaro market and eating prawns at the lively Vucciria market.
Our last night in Sicily, we had a wonderful dinner at Osterio Lo Bianco. The atmosphere was just right, popular, red and white checked tablecloths, regulars, and even small dogs. Delicious green minestrone, grilled vegetables, rosemary potatoes, pasta ragu, local wine and tiramisu. Perfect!

Francisco and his team were excellent. They went above and beyond in helping me and our family plan this trip. They communicated on time and outside of business hours to ensure that we are able to get what we needed during our trip. The trip has so many little details that is hard to remember especially when booked so far in advanced. Everything went smoothly. It requires effort in all parties.
The tours were also very good. The guides and transfer from Turismo Selknam were very efficient and organized in getting us to see the King Penguins. Paulina was very knowledgeable of the area - Punta Arenas, Porvenir/Tierra del Fuego.
The hotel La Yegua Loca is a very charming boutique hotel and has a great restaurant. I got a lot of souvernirs here including the serving wood board , wool slippers and stuffed penguin and sheep.

Torres del Paine is very beautiful but relatively small to drive. We have a 6 year old so the maximum hike that we can do is about 1 to 2 hours. We stayed outside of the park called Morenna Lodge. The restaurant chef is very good and the overall service is good.

The real highlight of our trip is the Estancia La Peninsula. Alejandro the tour guide is very humorous and knowledgeable of the area. Macleod, the captain of the boat is very good with kids. My husband and I have no experience with horses so he ride with my daughter. She was so comfortable with him the she fell asleep briefly during the ride.

All of the other hotels that Frnacisco picked also have very good customer service.
My only regret is not staying longer. Chile is really worth to visit. Don't forget to try Calafate sour and Austral calafate. I plan to return in the future and hopefully be assigned to Francisco and his team again.

Hotel Reviews

Morrena Lodge

Torres Del Paine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Best Western Patagonia / Hotel Borde Glaciar

Puerto Natales

Location

Staff

Hotel Diego de Velazquez

Santiago

Service was good, close to cable car but the area was too loud/thin windows

Staff

Hotel Boutique La Yegua Loca

Punta Arenas

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Estancia La Península Full Day (Car rental)

Chile

Quality of Experience

I

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tierra del Fuego - King Penguin (Car rental)

Punta Arenas

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Navigation Excursion - Serrano Glacier and Patagonic Lunch

Chile

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The KimKim experience was a wonderful one from start to finish! They planned for us a 7-day Costa Rica experience that was tailored to our needs and included time in Manuel Antonio as well as La Fortuna. Activities included horseback riding, zip lining, national park hikes, volcano hikes, thermal springs and more. All the activities were super fun, transportation to and from the locations were luxurious and on time. All the drivers and tour guides were super nice and knowledgeable. Olman and Graciela, who managed the tour from the KimKim side, were extremely accommodating and eager to build the trip we had envisioned. When we decided to extend the beach stay by a day at the last minute, Graciela was able to make it happen. I highly recommend KimKim for any vacation experience!

Hotel Reviews

Park Inn San José by Radisson

San José

I stayed at Park Inn San Jose by Radisson for one night. Since we arrived late and left early, there wasn't much to say about the stay. The hotel was fine and served its purpose as a comfortable and relaxing stopover.

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

My stay at Karahé Beach Hotel in Manuel Antonio was a mix of experiences. The location was fantastic, and the breakfast was delicious. However, the room we had was basic and had some issues with bugs due to a door that didn't close properly. On the contrary, the beachfront rooms were amazing, offering a different level of comfort and views. Overall, the hotel had its pros and cons, but the beachfront rooms were definitely worth considering.

Location

Staff

Hotel Magic Mountain

Fortuna

Hotel Magic Mountain in Arenal was a wonderful place to stay. The hotel had everything we needed, and the surroundings were beautiful. The amenities were great, and the overall experience was very positive. It was a comfortable and relaxing place to unwind after a day of activities.

Location

Staff

Activity Reviews

El Silencio Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

The El Silencio Hike and visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs was a great combination. Despite the pouring rain during the hike, the experience was fun and enjoyable. The highlight was our guide, Monica, who was amazing. Her knowledge and enthusiasm added to the overall experience and made it truly memorable. It was a day filled with adventure and relaxation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Monica was an amazing guide!

Transport

Horseback Riding Tour

Manuel Antonio

The horseback riding tour in Manuel Antonio was a great experience. The location where we rode and had lunch was enjoyable and fun. The guide, was fantastic and added to the overall experience. It was a memorable activity that I would recommend to others.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Extreme Zipline

Arenal/La Fortuna

The zip lining experience in Arenal Volcano was fantastic. Despite my initial concerns due to vertigo, the guides were helpful and made the activity enjoyable. The location for zip lining was excellent, and the guides were both helpful and fun. It was a thrilling and memorable experience that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My children and I had an amazing trip to Morocco. We felt so safe and well taken care of. My driver, Redwine was the best. He made us feel so comfortable and whenever there was a problem he would find a solution. My guide, Hanin was also amazing and adjusted his tour to meet my needs. Hakim did an amazing job putting together our itinerary. I will definitely be using KimKim in the future.

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Hike in Imlil Village, Return to Marrakech

Morocco

Morning Hot Air Balloon Experience

Marrakesh

Although we had to contend with lots of weather issues our trip was great. Unfortunately , we had to miss 2 of our planned excursions due to the wildfires and rainy weather. Francisco was always speedy in his responses and helpful in reorganizing our days. Chile is an amazing country. The diversity of the landscape from north to south is wonderful.

Margarita and her team went above and beyond to ensure that we had a wonderful trip to Colombia. Thank you for taking such good care of us! Everyone we worked with was friendly, helpful and polite. I couldn't ask for more. Muchas gracias

Hotel Reviews

Rosario Del Mar by Tequendama

My one-night stay at Rosario Del Mar by Tequendama in the Rosario Islands was good overall. The accommodation was basic with no balcony or view, but the staff was extremely nice. The experience was decent, but not excellent due to the simplicity of the room.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patio del Mundo

Medellín

I stayed at Patio del Mundo in Medellín for three nights and found the hotel to be fabulous. The location was perfect, the staff was very friendly and helpful, and the overall experience was excellent. I highly recommend this boutique hotel for anyone visiting Medellín.

Location

Staff

The Refuge at Río Claro Reserva Natural

Medellin

My one-night stay at The Refuge at Río Claro Reserva Natural had a few issues. It is an eco hotel with a low cost, but the staff seemed inexperienced and didn't provide the level of service we expected. The location was not ideal, and the accommodation could have been better. Despite these challenges, the staff was friendly, which was a plus.

100 LUXURY SUITES

bogota

During my three-night stay at 100 LUXURY SUITES in Bogotá, I found the hotel to be excellent. The neighborhood was lovely, but it was a bit far from the downtown tourist areas, which was a minor inconvenience. The hotel itself was nice, although the distance from the main attractions was a small drawback. Overall, the experience was fabulous, and I would highly recommend this hotel.

Location

Staff

Activity Review

Barú & the Rosario Islands

Colombia

The islands and the beach were great and the snorkeling was fun, but there wasn't so much to see underwater.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Valentina was great, good English, and informative. The boat driver and his son were delightful.

Transport

Jason (and later Paul) at Kimkim did a nice job planning our itinerary, accommodating specific scheduling needs, and answering questions. We appreciate them. The tours we did in San Pedro de Atacama area were pretty much on the "standard list" of tours, so it was not really unusual or personalized. Guide Nicolas was notably good.

Our 14 day trip to Colombia was fantastic!
Michael helped us plan an awesome itinerary that was filled with adventure. Our local guides were so much fun to meet. Maylin in Bogotá was so kind and knowledgeable. We really did a lot in one day. Bogotá far exceeded my expectations! While in the Amazon, Yair showed us true adventures including monkeys, sloths, dolphins and even an anaconda!! Salento and the Cocora Valley was truly beautiful. Carlos knew a lot about the flora and fauna and was considerate in bringing me walking sticks! Tayrona National Park is really cool ( actually hot and humid!!), with monkeys, blue tailed lizards and toads. You can hear the howler monkeys as you trek through the jungle ...all pointed out by our kind and helpful guide, José. A refreshing swim in the Caribbean and then a beachside lunch is a wonderful way to cool off before the hike back. Jaime was our delightful guide around the Victoria Coffee farm and waterfalls. We also had a really good lunch with her.
Our driver for several occasions was Juan Carlos. He took us from the airport in Santa Marta to Tayrona to Minca and all around that area and then on a 4+ hour drive to Cartagena! He stopped for photos and brought us bottles of cold water! He drove very safe and we felt very secure on the very curvy mountain roads of Minca.
While seeing Cartagena, Evelyn, with her fun and spirited personality, took us around showing us history and where to find the best shopping and restaurants.
Our hotels were really nice. The drivers were on time and EVERYTHING went according to schedule. We could not have planned such a fantastic vacation on our own. We felt like VIPS and realized our private tours seemed to far surpass any of the others we saw or heard about. No regrets. A trip of a lifetime for sure! Thank you once again, Michael Gold!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa Tere

Cartagena

Mixed feelings here. Hotel has great potential with current downfalls such as poor breakfast choices and service. Room was small with 2 double beds. Did not look like the photo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good location

Staff

Restaurant staff person was very unhelpful and unattentive . Just poorly managed breakfast. Cheap pillows, blankets. We were fine, just seemed lacking compared to our other stays.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Could be improved if they tried.

Mundo Nuevo Eco Lodge

Santa Marta

The grounds her were beautiful. Our actual rooms were OK.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were small, up a steep hill. Lots of rules. We wanted to dry our towels before travel the next day, but not allowed to.

Senda Koguiwa

Santa Marta

Absolutely beautiful! Awesome balcony! Awesome lobby and grounds, and pool. This was the highlight hotel of our trip. The little monkeys at breakfast were a fun surprise as well as walking along the river. Also swam in the pool, had cocktails and massages. Great!!

Authenticity & Character

Great

Location

Beautiful

Staff

Nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Salento Plaza

Clean, delightful breakfasts

Authenticity & Character

Cute outdoor area with lots of plants, beautiful sunsets

Location

Near everything in town

Staff

Restaurant staff especially kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were nice, not so private as everyone can walk by and see right into your ( bed) room

La Ceiba Amazonas

Really rustic, but what would you expect in the Amazon?!

Authenticity & Character

Simple, rustic. Has what you need. Great private decks! Liked the communal meals to meet new people

Location

In MI aqua, an indigenous pueblo

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds, bath were fine.

Waira Suites

Leticia

Clean, modern feel. Pools looked tempting, but we didn't have a chance to use them. Restaurant staff was fun and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing to be improved upon, just not super interesting

Location

Seemed very central for our needs. Easy access.

Staff

Friendly restaurant staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and fresh

Hotel Muisca

Bogotá

Really unique. So old and interesting. Breakfast was good. Slightly noisy for sleep due to the way the hotel was set up. Still, we enjoyed it

Authenticity & Character

Super quaint, interesting architecture. Old-time European feeling.

Location

Great for sightseeing

Staff

Main reception was fine

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, small rooms. Fine.

Activity Reviews

Cartagena City Tour

Cartagena

Fun time checking out the historical and current stats of the city.

Quality of Experience

Evelyn was fun and spirited! Great tips on shopping!

Quality of Experience

Evelyn was fun and spirited! Great tips on shopping!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Long drive from Minka to Cartagena. Interesting to see the non tourist cities.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Long drive from Minka to Cartagena. Interesting to see the non tourist cities.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Long drive from Minka to Cartagena. Interesting to see the non tourist cities.

Transport

Juan Carlos is a great driver.

Transport

Juan Carlos is a great driver.

Transport

Juan Carlos is a great driver.

Nature, Waterfalls & Coffee Farm in Minca

Colombia

Loved spending time with Jaime. She is a real gem!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jaime and Juan Carlos are so nice!

Transport

Juan is an excellent and very consciousness driver.

Hike Tayrona National Park

Colombia

Seeing the animals was awesome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jose and Jose were great!

Transport

Coffee Farm Tour in Finca Buenos Aires

Salento

Very interesting, beautiful countryside. My favorite views of Colombia!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver from Peoria to Salento was not as friendly as most. From Salento to Peoria, REALLY FRIENDLY!

Transport

Cocora Valley & Salento

Colombia

I was glad I requested the hiking poles for this trek. It was so beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very careful drivers

Transport

Open Jeep Ride was really fun, especially to the coffee farm!

Flora & Fauna in the Amazon (4d/3n)

Leticia and Puerto Nariño

Our guide added specialists to each area, for example to the monkey/ primate trek; to the Sloth trek in Peru.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Got to see an anaconda!!

Transport

Bogota's Essentials (City Tour & Monserrate)

Bogotá

Awesome, learned SO much from Maylin. She did a super job.

Quality of Experience

So many places covered in one day!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Well educated and spoke great English .

Transport

No issues

This was our first experience using a travel agent and will be our last! Although Costa Rica is a beautiful country, our vacation felt very much like a pre-package, impersonal trip comprised of very touristy activities selected from a pre-approved list (no variations, no deviations, no personalizations). Costa Rica, or at least the regions we were sent to, were just huge tourist meccas, overflowing with garish billboards, cheap souvenir shops and ramshackle hotels.

We stayed at two resorts - Los Lomas del Volcan in LaFortuna and The Parador Nature Resort in Manuel Antonio. Both were a bit dated but nice. But without a car, you were at the mercy of the local cabs ($10 to drive the 1.5 km into town on the un-walkable road) or the capricious shuttle schedule offered by the resort. We had to spend almost all your time within the confines of the resort.

Which I guess is fine and might be what many people like. And if that is your vacation objective, then these two properties would be fine.

The adventure activities were, once again, very touristy and focused more on “schlock” than really giving any sort of education about coffee growing or chocolate production. We did a safari raft adventure through Canoa Adventure that was fun. But that was followed by a “hike” to la Fortuna falls which consisted of a young man just driving us to the falls and letting us walk to the falls. Not sure that was worthy of any sort of fee.

BUT - if you are into zip lining and lying around a pool, both resorts would be just fine.

The biggest disappointment was the service provided by KimKim. I am just going to give one example (there were many others). Our last day at Manuel Antonio, we had to check out of the room by 11:00 but our shuttle was not arriving until 3:00. Everything was packed. No air conditioning in the resort (other than the bedrooms which we had to leave). Restaurants on the resort did not open until noon (also not air conditioned). We asked at the front desk if there was something we could do or a place to go. They had no suggestions. Total waste of a day, just sitting around, trying to stay cool and waiting for the shuttle.

And then, the shuttle takes us to downtown San Jose for the night - we had an early morning flight the next day. But we arrived so late we could not do anything in San Jose. So why not just have us stay at an airport hotel, complete with a free airport shuttle, and allow us to 1) sleep a little more in the morning 2) take advantage of the free breakfast and 3) not have to pay the cab fare to the airport.

Terrible planning. If I had planned this myself, I would have taken these timing issues into consideration. But clearly, KimKim did not care. And when I mentioned something, I received a tepid response, thanking me for my patience and saying they would take this into consideration for the future.

Sigh!!!

I know I sound like a complainer - and I am not. I was just expecting (hoping) that when you pay for a travel agent, more care would have been taken and the responsiveness would be greater. In the future, i will go back to doing my own research, booking my own hotels and excursions and mapping out the vacation myself. It just seems, for me at least, the travel agent offered little or no value.

Sorry.

Hotel Reviews

Parador Nature Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

Very beautiful setting. Our stay was somewhat marred because it was very hot and we were just not used to 100 degree temps. Other than the rooms, nothing is air conditioned. Yikes. But beautiful vistas. Nice pools. No beach access (except along a rather rocky path)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Air conditioning went down for a bit but they were very quick to repair and gave us a tray of chocolate covered strawberries for our trouble. Extremely nice gesture.

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Very nice property. But it is located 1.5 km from the main road, and the access is along an unwalkable road. You are forced to take a $10 cab to get into the town. But the property itself is very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just not near anythign

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We never did get hot water in our shower and despite repeated requests, the staff did not really seem to care!!

Park Inn San José by Radisson

San José

I don’t know why anyone would stay here. The hotel itself is nice enough but it is in a horrible location - not walkable to much of anything. Just a place to sleep.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Safari Float & Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Good experience and we were able to see many animals. Our guide did a great job. But they sort of dragged the whole thing out to make the “experience” last about an hour longer than necessary. However, that seems to be typical of much if everything we did in Costa Rica.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rainforest Chocolate Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Just too “schlocky”. Too much time was spent with the guide trying to be cute/funny/whatever. Spitting the chocolate seed??? Too much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Silencio Volcano Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Guide was very knowledgeable. Excellent experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Travel to Arenal - Doka Coffee Tour

Costa Rica

Very package, tourist activity, but the guide was knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisa did a fantastic job creating a memorable itinerary for The Philippines full of snorkeling and beautiful water activities! The resorts were great and snorkeling guides (Rap Rap - Palawan) top notch. She was also extremely responsive in following up both before and during the trip, addressing questions or concerns regarding excursions and resort stays.

Hotel Reviews

Seda Lio

El Nido

Loved this property and its location! Rooms were comfortable. Resort was very laid back. Pool and outside restaurant and bar areas near beach were favorites.

Authenticity & Character

nicely developed property

Location

on beach, beautiful sunsets, very laid back atmosphere, close to airport.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

room floors were vinyl so harder to keep clean. I would recommend using tile or possibly steam mops to keep sandy floors clean.

Henann Resort Alona Beach

This place was amazing! Beach, pools, bar area, restaurants all top notch! We loved our Pool Villa and could have stayed here for a few weeks. The spa was also amazing. Very comfortable, good security, great food.

Authenticity & Character

nicely developed and expanded property. pool villas were the best!

Location

on beach - beautiful property

Staff

very accommodating and service oriented

Cleanliness & Comfort

room was great! housekeeping very responsive and kept things clean.

Shangri-La Mactan

Nice large property with pools, activities and good restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

very accommodating and service oriented

Cleanliness & Comfort

rooms are a bit tired and need updating

Activity Reviews

Balicasag Island Diving and Snorkeling Tour

Bohol Island

Boat was much better for this excursion. Crew awesome. Scenery great. We saw many dolphins, snorkeling phenomenal.

Quality of Experience

comfortable boat, good snorkeling, dolphins, food!

Food

good variety, tasty food. plenty to eat.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

comfortable boat, had restroom. crew was professional and helpful. captain was great.

Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour in Bohol

Bohol Island

very small, uncomfortable and noisy boat considering cost. guide was experienced and accommodating. saw some dolphins. snorkeling added and was good. guide was really awesome. island was okay. lunch good.

Quality of Experience

Food

good hot meal, plenty of food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

larger more comfortable boat!

Hilutungan and Nalusuan Island Hopping Tour

Cebu City

We actually did not go to areas on itinerary. This issue was addressed by KimKIm with local excursion provider. We were disappointed with the remote island we visited. Guides and boat crew were good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full- Day Chocolate Hills and Tarsiers Tour

Bohol Island

Tarsiers were interesting but a very limited tour. We could have passed on Chocolate Hills. River cruise with lunch was enjoyable!

Quality of Experience

Food

buffets with lots of people can be challenging

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

small car, not that comfortable.

Lacey planned the perfect trip for us.
I was a little apprehensive about using what felt to me like a random travel agency website but it was a wonderful experience all the way from planning it to the plane ride home. Lacey met all of our needs and requirements and was incredibly helpful. We wanted an active, culture filled trip with a little bit of relaxation time on the beach and we got exactly that. Our adventures with elephants were with sanctuaries that seem to treasure their animals. All of our guides were incredibly kind and helpful. Chiang Mai was our favorite part of the trip and I wish we had flopped it around so that the city was last so I could have spent all of my money and extra room in my suitcase at the night market.

We absolutely adored our guide, Pukie, in Chiang Mai. If you go to Chiang Mai I hope you are lucky enough to meet her.

Hotel Reviews

Thavorn Beach Village Resort & Spa

Phuket

This hotel has stunning views, amazing staff and so much to do.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It's only a few minutes from Patong Beach and the shopping and nightlife there but the traffic is so intense it was nearly a 40 minute drive.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our Jungle House

Khao Sok

The hotel itself is so unique and fun to be at. I would caution travelers to just be aware of the heat and bugs and brace your heart for that before arriving. There is no AC and on my first day here I was so hot, and with no escape from the heat, I just wanted to leave. But, after getting used it, I really enjoyed my surroundings, the animal life and the very friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hot and bug but that's literally what you're signing up for

Na Nirand Romantic Boutique Resort

Chiang Mai

This place was lovely. I felt to relaxed and cared for here. The staff was friendly and thought of everything for us. When our van was late they were calling the place to make sure someone was on their way and they had towels ready for us when we visited an elephant sanctuary. And not that we wouldn't have paid for it but it was the only hotel in Thailand we stayed at that offered us bug spray for free. The tea we had when we first arrived was to die.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel is in the middle of the city but the aesthetic and tree walled surrounding makes it feel completely separated. The atmosphere is very zen.

Location

Only a 5 minutes walk from the night market!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Once we would leave for the day they would come in and tidy up. They even arranged my makeup on the counter and put it in a little container.

Activity Reviews

John Gray's sea canoe - Hong by Starlight - Joining excursion

Phuket

We loved this tour. The group of people were larger than we expected but it didn't matter because you are paired off with one person on a canoe and that feels like the real tour. Our guide was Tar and he was kind, knowledgeable and took photos of us with my phone. He pointed out animals, fish, and cool shapes in the rocks. They also served authentic and unique dishes we hadn't found yet.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (Full day)

Chiang Mai

We really loved getting to hear about the elephants. Their names, history and relations were super interesting. We liked feeding them and making their medicine. We really appreciate seeing that they are free animals. We liked that they explained that any activity would end as soon as the elephants showed they didn't want to participate anymore.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phi Phi Island & Maya Bay Discovery with Snorkeling by Hype Yacht Join-in Activity (Nov 15th to Apr 16th)

Phuket

It's a really great tour but I had read the description with the wrong thought process. "Sunset sailing, relax, have a drink, dance, until the sun goes down." To me this meant like a romantic sunset tour after snorkeling during the day but is in fact a party yacht with WAY MORE PEOPLE than you would expect to join you on the boat. It really wasn't my vibe and I did not enjoy it but for someone looking to have drinks with their friends and dance, its perfect. Not the tour's fault but monkey beach was packed and tourists were throwing rocks at the monkeys which just made it really sad. They shouldn't have to but its not like the guides come with to the beach to force adults to behave.

Quality of Experience

Food

I had put down that I am lactose intolerant and this was something they struggled with a bit.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ana did an INCREDIBLE job with our trip. The hotel choices were amazing, the excursions were so worth the visit and the guides were such wonderful human beings. ❤️❤️ We loved every second. I'm an experienced traveler but this was my first time taking my young daughter out of the country on my own and everything was seamless. The transfers were so easy. Flor was so kind to give us the best intro to Buenas Aires. Maria made the gaucho day extra special. And of course Coti was the perfect guide for the Iguazu portion of the trip. Everyone was so kind and patient with my daughter. We had the absolute best time thanks to Ana and her team! She was so easy to work with and helped build the absolute perfect trip for us. Worth every penny!

Hotel Reviews

Loi Suites Iguazú Hotel

Puerto Iguazú

Jungle paradise. This was like the hotel version of glamping. Of course we loved the pools and the food and the environment was absolutely incredible.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

CasaSur Palermo Hotel

Buenos Aires

Loved our stay here. Clean rooms, helpful staff, good breakfast, great part of town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy access to food and bars

Staff

So helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Brazil Falls & Birds Park

Argentina

What a great day!! The birds were so neat! We loved walking around inside the cages with them. Also, the Brazil side of the falls is nothing to miss!! I'm so glad we got to see the falls from both sides and walk out to the Devil's Throat. I have never in my life seen such an incredible sight. We also got to add on a boat ride under some of the falls! Be prepared for a fun ride and to get soaked!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Coti, once again, was the perfect guide

Transport

Visiting the Argentine Waterfalls of Iguazu

Argentina

Wow. What a day. Coti (I hope I'm spelling that correctly) was the perfect guide for such incredible sights. I've seen pictures but there's nothing like walking around and above the falls and feeling the mist. An absolute must do.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Coti was the best!!

Transport

Estancia Gaucho Day

Buenos Aires

This was such a beautiful experience. Our guide, Maria was amazing. The ranch was beautiful and the afternoon and activities were so enjoyable. Just think fresh air with beautiful scenery and delicious food!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Maria was amazing!

Transport

Tango Show & Dinner at La Ventana

Buenos Aires

These performances were amazing!! Even my 10 year old enjoyed every second.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our time to Columbia was amazing. It was a last minute trip but Andrea was so great at putting it all together for us. She was able to switch hotels easily when the one we wanted was not available. Communication with her was fantastic and she is such a lovely person. She was a joy to work with!
Columbia is such a beautiful country with such interesting history and culture. Each destination had its own special appeal. The food was incredible, activities were fun, the people are so friendly and we never felt unsafe. Columbia is a must visit in South America.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Punta Faro

Isla Mucura

Beautiful beach hotel in the middle of the Caribbean, like staying on a deserted island

Authenticity & Character

Felt very relaxing and low key

Location

Surrounded by beautiful Caribbean water

Staff

Staff was very nice but as a non-spanish speaking person it was a little difficult to communicate as none of the waitstaff spoke any English so at times they were a little hesitant to approach to us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room is a little no frills. Service at beach was limited

Casa Pestagua Relais Châteaux

Cartagena de Indias

Such a beautiful hotel!

Authenticity & Character

So charming and beautifully decorated

Location

In the middle of town

Staff

Friendliest staff yet!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was amazingly comfortable

Bio Habitat Hotel

Quindío, Armenia

Unique and beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Cool layout, fun vibe

Location

Great views with lush surroundings

Staff

Everyone was very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Cielo Hotel

Medellin

Beautiful small hotel with incredible restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Felt very inviting

Location

Walkable to nightlife area but could have been a little closer.

Staff

Staff was extremely nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Coffee Farm Experience

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cocora’s Towering Giants, Acaime’s Flying Jewels & Salento’s Coffee-Scented Streets

Colombia

Not for the faint of heart. It was a very long hike but really beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colorful Colombia: Hike to Guatapé Rock, Guatapé & Peñol-Guatape Reservoir

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Moroccan journey was an unforgettable experience, thanks in no small part to our exceptional local driver, Karim. Traveling with my wife, Kamilla, we found in Karim not just a driver but a true gem who went above and beyond to accommodate our every need. Whether it was adapting our itinerary on the fly, navigating the complexities of acquiring wine in Morocco, securing a SIM card, or his current endeavor to find a rare part for my Toyota bus, Karim's punctuality, responsiveness, and meticulous care for the car made our travels seamless and comfortable.

The trip itself was an immersive plunge into the vibrant culture and stunning landscapes of Morocco, though admittedly, it was a bit more packed than our usual travel pace. Over the course of nine days, we felt we bit off more than we could comfortably explore, spending considerable time on the road and visiting an array of destinations.

In hindsight, there are places we would recommend skipping to future travelers, such as Casablanca and Chefchaouen. Despite Chefchaouen's photogenic allure, we found that its beauty alone didn't justify the visit. Instead, allocating more time to the desert and Marrakech would have been preferable, offering deeper immersion into the essence of Morocco.

Our guided tours varied in quality; the guide in Fes was outstanding, engaging us with the city's rich history and culture, whereas the guide in Marrakech left something to be desired in terms of engagement. Opting for some spontaneity, we canceled planned activities towards the end of our trip to enjoy some leisure time.

The hamam experiences also stood in stark contrast; the one in Fes fell short of our expectations due to its thin walls and a less than vigorous massage, unlike the superior experience in Marrakech.

Dining was another area where we took the reins, choosing to explore beyond the tourist-targeted restaurant recommendations. Our adventurous spirit paid off, as we discovered the authentic delights of street food in the medinas and markets, without any adverse effects, despite Karim's understandable concerns.

The camel ride, though longer than anticipated, led us to a fantastic camp and a memorable Berber night. In retrospect, an additional night there would have been cherished.

Accommodations throughout were generally good, with friendly staff. However, our initial room in the Marrakech hotel was surprisingly small for a 5-star establishment. After discussing this with the reception, we were graciously upgraded to a significantly larger room at no extra cost, aligning more closely with Western standards of luxury. This experience underscores the importance of requesting superior rooms or suites when booking.

The organization of the trip was impeccable, allowing us to enjoy a worry-free experience. We wholeheartedly recommend this journey for those looking to dive into the heart of Morocco, with the caveat of pacing the itinerary to allow deeper exploration of its most enchanting sites.

Karim's role in our adventure cannot be overstated; his professionalism, kindness, and dedication greatly enhanced our Moroccan experience, making it a truly worry-free and deeply enriching journey. For anyone considering a trip to Morocco, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable adventure, Karim and the team come highly recommended.