Kimkim Trip Reviews

Esther was great to us through the whole planning of our trip. She would answer questions quickly and effectively. She made the process smooth and easy. She would check in with us throughout our trip to make sure things were seamless. I cannot recommend her enough, thanks to her we had a great trip.

Just back from a very memorable trip to Rome. Valeria set up the entire trip and it really couldn't have been better. She is a pleasure to work with and we are already looking forward to working with her for our next trip.

Esther was more than helpful from start to finish with helping us plan our trip months in advance and also being very accommodating while we were in South Africa so that we make sure we are on the right track. The Shalati Train on the Bridge was by far the most amazing all inclusive everyone in our group has been to. From the views you had to the top of the line food and drinks provided. We also had a kind knowledgeable game driver and waiter that the Shalati pairs your group with while we were there. Would definitely stay again and recommend to anyone going to Kruger.

Overall I was very pleased with the accommodations except the place in Sintra. We wee in the basement and the smell of mildew was overpowering. I got sick there and i think the dampness and mold didn’t help. The guiding in Sintra was excellent. I was impressed with all the guides knowledge and education regarding history and sites. When we arrived in Porto after a long, long day I was exhausted and had no energy for walking around. Aviero was a delight and Coimbro was fascinating for the Knights Templar history. I loved exploring the churches, particularly the very old one and seeing the signs of the original templars. I also loved the recreation of Solomon’s temple. Boggles the mind it could be so beautiful. The lodgings again were beautiful. I loved the history of the castle we stayed inn in Coimbro and also loved the hotel in Evora as it had a. Living suite. That makes it so much nicer when traveling.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Quinta das Lágrimas

Coimbra

This is visually the most beautiful place we stayed. Our room was small but we were only there one night and really didn’t have time to enjoy any of the grounds. The decorations inside the building are fabulous and the story associated with it is so interesting. Quite lovely and the staff are lovely also.

Authenticity & Character

Well, I wasn’t in love with it. We had a guide/driver so it was okay but we love to be able to walk into town

Location

Well, i

Staff

Very accommodating and pleasant, especially the reception area and the bartender.

Cleanliness & Comfort

These bathtubs all over Portugal are death traps for older people especially as there are no grab bars and are so slippery. This was true for all but one place we stayed where there was a walk in shower. Don’t remember which one but that is a real hazard and not just for really old people like me

Heritage Avenida Liberdade

Lisboa

Decor fabulous and staff very nice and accommodating

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful hotel and location

Location

Loved it. We could walk out the door and were right in the middle of things.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Again, bathtub is dangerous

Chalet Saudade

Sintra

Our stay at Chalet Saudade in Sintra had its ups and downs. We were put in the basement, which had an overwhelming smell of mold and was quite damp. I complained to the landlady, but her solution to keep the doors open wasn't practical since we were out during the day. However, the receptionist was exceptionally kind and helpful, and our room setup with a living room and big bedroom was nice. The location was good for walking into town.

Activity Reviews

Porto Douro Cruise

Porto

This wasn’t really a big deal and I could have skipped it without missing anything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I was impressed with the level of education, all graduates of college and post graduate work.

Transport

The cars were fine.

Half-Day Walking Guided Tour of Porto

Porto

On the day we arrived in Porto, I was pretty exhausted and hungry. Our guide was really nice and took me to a market where I found something delicious to eat, a breaded dome with chicken inside. Unfortunately, I didn't have much energy for the walking tour itself.

Tomar - the Military and Religious Base of the Knights Templar

Portugal

I absolutely loved visiting the Military and Religious Base of the Knights Templar in Tomar. I'm a big history buff, and this place was a highlight for me. The guide even found a book on the Knights Templar for me that I took home to my grandson. Reading it opened up a whole new world for me to explore.

Discover Magical Sintra

Portugal

Sintra was wonderful and I particularly liked our guide for his temperament and humor. I would definitely recommend it to anyone!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a great and memorable trip and want to thank Adam for arranging it. In particular, he and Michele were very quick to respond when an airline flight cancellation delayed our arrival by one day. All of our reservations in Iceland worked out perfectly, and the recommended stops were well chosen.

The car rental was also trouble free and comfortable (Kia Sportage). We actually never used the WiFi device because we had continuous cell coverage everywhere (ATT). We did struggle a bit with the driving plans as rendered through Google and Apple Carplay. This combination got easily confused in its sequencing if we deviated slightly from the plan, requiring frequent reloading of the map. Having a map point for each of the suggested stops would help a lot to simplify things.

We also have a few specific highlights and suggestions for future consideration:

Landmannalaugar: We followed the Google drive plan to road F26, which is well travelled, and then were told to make a sharp right onto F208, which at that point appears rarely travelled and likely impassable without a high-clearance vehicle. The Google course line also followed F225 for part of the drive ,which our plans says to avoid. It was getting late in the day and rather than risk getting stuck we chose to backtrack to Highway 1. A much better solution in this area would be to include a series of GPS turn points, rather than depend on Google.

Hella to Vik: we really enjoyed Gluggafoss, which had hardly any other tourists. In contrast, Seljalandffoss was mobbed with people, and was in shadow when we arrived. However there is an equally nice waterfall facing Highway 1 just a few km to the east, with hardly any people (on a small pull-out). We also stopped at Eyjafjallajokul Bakery on the highway for lunch; they have good sandwiches and plenty of parking and a WC.

Vik to Hofn: closer to Vik we found the “moss heath” very interesting (thick moss growing on basalt). We also liked the glacial lagoon and Diamond Beach. Hofn may once have been the lobster capital of Iceland it’s not anymore. Harvesting was recently prohibited due to over-fishing. We had a nice dinner at Otto’s but lobster was not on the menu.The hotel in Hofn was fine but oddly configured–no elevator, and you have to carry your bags up one flight of stairs and then down another, even if your room is on the ground floor. The staff does offer to do it for you however.

Hofn to Egilsstadir: As a geologist I found the Blabjorg green ignimbrite very interesting. I would suggest a slight modification of the descriptive text, to emphasize its origin from glowing hot clouds of ash, broken rock fragments, and gases that rushed down the slope of a volcano. This is similar to what covered Pompei in 79 AD. Petra’s stone museum was also interesting for its very large and diverse collection.

Some of the recommended restaurants in Egilsstadir were closed, but the hotel restaurant was quite good. We also visited the Hallormsstadur forest south of town. This was a nice contrast to the other areas, and we enjoyed taking a short hike on the trails through the trees.

Egilsstadir to Lake Myvatn: This was our favorite area due to the varied volcanic landscape. You might add to the description of the Grjotagj spring that it is inside a lava tube! We also liked the Krafla geothermal area and crater and the Dimmuborgir lava towers. Hotel Laxa was our favorite hotel of the trip; we had beautiful picture-window views of the surrounding landscape from our room. We were also lucky to see a nice display of Northern Lights.

The private volcanic tour near Husavik was excellent; our guide Gunnar was extremely knowledgeable and pleasant. He is a local native and we liked getting to know a real Icelander! We also visited Dettifoss but the water was very muddy, making for a less appealing brown waterfall.

Lake Myvatn to Laugarbakki: Godafoss waterfall was one of our favorites. This drive also crossed a lot of very dramatic glacial landforms such as U-shaped valleys in the mountains. Hotel Laugarbakki looks a bit run-down from the outside but the interior looked like it has been freshly renovated. We had a very nice 2-room suite. Our second-favorite hotel.

Laugarbakki to Reykjavik: The hotel was fine aside from some traffic noise (room facing the street). Its location was perfect however, and we had a nice dinner a block away at Garazie Trattoria. The helicopter tour was fantastic! We also visited Sky Lagoon and enjoyed it despite the cold 65 kph wind gusting over the water. A nice end-point to the trip and a chance to relax before the flight home.

FANTASTIC
Accommodations were all good; Hofsstadir Country Hotel was excellent.
Daily itineraries were very helpful; optional activities were great so we could pick and choose.
Map points were super helpful.
We added a hike at Hallormsstadur Forest - turned out to be one of our favorite things.
Ferry ride was interesting/fun and the zodiac boat tour was a big hit.
We would absolutely return to Iceland and use Rinolda as our travel specialist.

Activity Review

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon zodiac boat tour

Iceland

Guide patiently waited in one spot until a piece of glacier fell off!

Overall, we had a fabulous trip.

Our driver and guide, Lenka in Prague is amazing. I wish she could have stayed with us for the entire trip!!
Our hotels in Prague (Rott) and in Budapest (Moments) were both fantastic. We didn't like our hotel in Vienna as much. It wasn't as convenient as the other two and the rooms were not as nice. Our drivers in Budapest were great. (Gergo and Gyula) and tour guide (Tibi) was fabulous as well.

Kimkim made the process very easy and I would use them again.

Hotel Review

Hotel Rott

Prague

We loved staying at the Hotel Rott, Prague. The location is fabulous! Rooms are very clean and comfortable and the breakfasts are great! I would stay there again!

Location

Perfect location in Prague!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided tour of Prague

Prague

Lenka was fabulous! We don't have any recommendations, just wish we had more time in Prague!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip to UNESCO Kutna Hora

Prague

This is worth the trip when you go to Prague! Again, Lenka was fabulous!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided tour of Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov

If you go, have lunch at Papa's! I wish we had more time here, but worth the time we spent. Very beautiful!! Lenka was the perfect tour guide and driver!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Danube bend day trip from Budapest

Budapest

The Danube is beautiful and this day trip is a must when you go to Budapest. Ask for Tibi!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mathia paid attention to our desires for our visit to Noway and planned an amazing trip tailor-made for us. He was helpful in the initial planning stages, the pre-trip last-minute details, and all along the way during our travels in Norway. We could not have been more pleased with our adventure and the services of Mathia and KimKim. Highly recommend this firm for anyone wanting to plan a trip that includes the things you want to see and experience.

Hotel Reviews

The Tide Rorbuer

Sørvågen

Staying at The Tide Rorbuer in Reine was lovely. It was a great location right on the water, and the accommodations were beautiful. We really enjoyed our time there.

Scandic Nidelven

Trondheim

Scandic Nidelven in Trondheim was fine, but parking was a bit of a hassle. We had to park a distance away and pay quite a bit for it. However, the hotel itself was downtown and convenient for exploring the area.

Wangen Apartments by Flåmsbrygga

Aurland

Our stay at Wangen Apartments by Fjord Resort in Aurland was amazing. It was a really nice place, and being right on the fjord made for a picturesque setting.

Zander K Hotel

Bergen

The Zander K Hotel in Bergen was another great accommodation. Everything was lovely, and the breakfast was excellent.

Activity Reviews

Private Lofoten Tour

Norway

The Lofoten Islands tour was probably my favorite part of the trip. We had a tour guide for the whole day, and it was just wonderful. The scenery was breathtaking, and we were able to explore so much. It was a full day of adventure and beauty that I won’t forget anytime soon.

Short Hike with a Local in Bergen

Bergen

The hike in Bergen was a highlight of the trip as well. Our guide was very accommodating. We realized the initial hike planned might have been beyond our abilities, so he adjusted it for us. The new route was still challenging and offered great views, making the experience memorable.

Loen Skylift

Norway

The Loen Skylift was an exhilarating experience. The views from the top were simply breathtaking and worth every moment. A must-do if you're in the area!

Our main guide, Omreg, was extremely knowledgeable and very nice.

The guides for elephant washing/tubing and orangutan trekking really knew their stuff and were fun.

The local specialist, Yuqqa, did a great job on very short notice putting this trip together. She is an excellent communicator and is very responsive.

Hotel Review

Mega Inn Lodge

North Sumatra

Authenticity & Character

Location

right on the river that a monkey troop crosses several times per day

Staff

super helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Trek in Gunung Leuser National Park

Bukit Lawang, North Sumatra

We saw 6 orangutans in 3 hours!

Quality of Experience

Food

The hotel restaurant is very good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Doris, my travel specialist was an incredible partner to me, not just helping me plan my trip but staying in touch with me regularly while I was in Vietnam. One notable moment took place when typhoon Yagi was scheduled hit Northern Vietnam while I was in Hanoi. Doris proactively called me with the option to fly out of Hanoi (to Saigon) a day early to avoid the Hanoi airport closure, which I agreed to. Doris then booked for me a new flight, hotel reservations and transportation to and from the airport. While I’m sure this was very time consuming for Doris, it was all seamless for me.

I had an incredible trip that included Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sapa and Saigon. Many thanks to Doris for a memorable trip!

This was our first time working with Kimkim. We worked with Mathilde and she did a fantastic job planning this trip for us! We decided to take this trip about a month before the travel date. Mathilde understood the essence of the timing and was extremely responsive and made herself available frequently so we could plan the trip details quickly. The purpose of our trip was to attend a concert in Vienna (Coldplay yay!) and she seamlessly planned our trip around the concert so we could utilize our time effectively to explore the cities as well. She also gave us useful insights on the concert which helped us use our time effectively and that increased our excitement for the concert! During the planning calls, we informed Mathilde that we like to explore cities on our own. She was very responsive and personalized the itinerary further to suit our needs by making a list of attractions we could see at our own pace. The recommendations for each city were excellent!

All the hotels were fantastic and centrally located making it easy to get to the main sights. The breakfast at all the hotels was scrumptious!

The airport transportation was punctual and the providers were excellent. It made airport transfers in a couple of cities very seamless. All the train bookings were handled well and our travel was seamless thanks to all the bookings. We had to reach out to the emergency helpline as we missed a train in Munich (since we couldn't follow the German announcement about a change in platforms at the last minute :( ). The support team was super prompt in getting back to us and checked in on us to ensure we were able to resolve it and get on the next train to our destination. Thank you!

Mathilde personalized the day trips to our preferences and we absolutely loved them. Kimkim's local partners who conducted the day trips were punctual and the guides enthusiastically shared information throughout the trip. It was fun to interact with them and learn about the region. The conversations with the guides made the day trip fun and memorable.

Overall, we absolutely loved working with Kimkim, especially Mathilde. She helped us make the most out of our trip so we could enjoy our concert and also travel around and take in the sights. We also appreciated that Mathilde checked in on us regularly during the trip. Truly a fantastic trip! Definitely look forward to planning the next trip with her soon!

Hotel Reviews

KING's HOTEL First Class

München

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance from Munich's train station and close to main sights

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

IMLAUER Palais Mirabell - Hotel am Mirabellplatz Salzburg

Salzburg

Clean and comfortable hotel. Breakfast was excellent!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Theaterhotel & Suites Wien

Wien

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Golden Well

Prague

Excellent luxury hotel. Located at the end of a quiet street. Loved it. Excellent on-site restaurant with the best views of Prague.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Munich Airport

Oberding

Authenticity & Character

Modern hotel

Location

Conveniently located at the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Munich Walking Tour of the Old Town

Munich

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hallstatt + Lakes & Mountains District + The Oldest Salt Mine in the world

Salzburg

Guide was excellent. Was punctual and very fun to speak with. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Vienna

Vienna

Quality of Experience

The Sisi Ticket (3 imperial attractions on 1 ticket!)

Vienna

Quality of Experience

Welcome to Prague

Prague

Quality of Experience

Český Krumlov: Renaissance & Baroque Pearl of Southern Bohemia

Czech Republic

The transport was excellent. The driver was very punctual and the car was comfortable and impeccable. Made the journey very enjoyable. The personalized walking tour in Cesky Krumlov was awesome! The guide shared a lot of insights and booked lunch at a very nice traditional Czech restaurant. She also walked us through the lesser known streets in town which was excellent. Excellent guide, highly recommend working with her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

24/7 assistance in case of emergency

Germany

Very responsive suport. They gave us suggestions to resolve the issue when we missed our train and checked in on us to ensure we got on the next train to our destination.

Quality of Experience

Our Mother-Daughter trip to Croatia was wonderful with many thanks to Anna-Maria! She listened to our every wish, crafting a personalized itinerary that was the perfect balance of adventure, relaxation, and cultural immersion, while taking into consideration our budget and interests. All of the selected accommodations were comfortable and in prime walkable locations with great amenities. The personal guides were all friendly, punctual, and shared with us so many interesting facts and information about each city and island. Highly recommended!

After being home for a couple days and reflecting back on our trip I’m convinced we wouldn’t have had nearly the amount of authentic experiences if it weren’t for our guide, Tarik. The logistics that he took care of were priceless. Handling and navigating all of the driving, the pickup and drop offs. He called ahead to all of our accommodations to make sure they knew we were close and to have someone ready to handle our bags. He was funny and knowledgeable. He also was understanding in our needs as four middle aged woman who always needed to pee. I can’t recommend Tarik enough. We had the greatest time. The planning and communication on the kimkim side was also unmatched. I will for sure be using them again for future travels. A special shoutout to Tarik’s trainee, Hamza. He has a bright future in the travel industry.

Hotel Review

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

How cool was this place!? The fact that these guys can make you forget you’re in the middle of the dessert is wild. So comfortable and fun. Great food and an amazing musical experience. This is a must do.

Authenticity & Character

It’s unlike anything else out there.

Location

Staff

To say that just one of the staff made it great would be a disservice to each of them. As a whole they were great.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were crazy comfortable.

Activity Review

Dine with a Local Family

Morocco

This was so cool. It’s a real look into the daily lives of real people. They welcomed us like we were family. Prepared a great meal. They talked and joked with us. Answered and asked all sorts of questions. It was a real treat meeting this family.

The trip was absolutely amazing. Our organizer (Robi) did everything he could to make sure our trip ran as smoothly as possible. The whole trip exceeded our expectations. The accommodations were very nice and the bike tour went smoothly. Our guide (Goran) did a magnificent job by taking on scenic and less busy routes. He adjusted the routes to tailor to our skill level and continued to ask for input. He was very knowledgeable about the area and provided history of the area and points of interest. He was very personable and we were so happy we lucked out with such a great guide! We would definitely use Kimkim again if we do something similar in the future. We will also be recommending to our friends.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Marko Polo

Korčula

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scalini palace

Dubrovnik

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ostrea

Mali Ston

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cycling On Pelješac Penisula To Ston

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival in Split and transfer to accommodation

Split

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Split & Diocletian's palace

Split

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cycling on Korčula island with options

Korčula

Quality of Experience

9

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cycling on Korčula island -Day 2

Korčula

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cycling Mljet island and National Park

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dubrovnik Old Town and the City Walls

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Goodbye Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were so happy with Robi. He looked after us so well. He was kind, funny and knowledgeable. All our accommodation was great. Robi was happy to adjust our schedule at any time and replace it with some other activity. Thank you Robi!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Dubrovnik

Zagreb

Great position and good breakfasts. Older rooms but everything we needed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central

Staff

Very friendly staff at the counter and at breakfast.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Slamič

Ljubljana

Loved this hotel. Great location. Great staff and great breakfast,

Authenticity & Character

Family owned hotel that makes it feel more personal,

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Valamar Riviera Hotel & Residence

Poreč

Good position, good breakfast and nice touch with happy hour in the dining room from 5.00. - 6.00 pm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Degenija

Rakovica

Loved this hotel. Absolute charming. Incredible restaurant and a real gem.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Teatro Verdi Boutique Hotel

Zadar

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heritage Hotel Santa Lucia

Split

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sorgo Palace

Ston

Quaint and friendly hotel. Breakfasts are great. This hotel is older but situated in a village away from lots of tourists. Breakfast was really good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Apartment Zicara

Dubrovnik

Location just outside city walls. Nice terrace overlooking parts of the old city. Some kitchen items available.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Explore Zagreb

Croatia

It was nice to walk around some of the sites in Zagreb and take a little time to settle in.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were picked up from the airport in a friendly and timely manner. Otherwise we were able to explore Zagreb on our own with suggestions from Robi.

We recently returned from an incredible trip to Costa Rica that Priscilla planed for me. From start to finish, everything was impeccably organized, making this journey truly unforgettable. She was very responsive and tailored the trip to my liking.

Right from the beginning, the planning was seamless. She was helpful and responsive, ensuring every detail was covered. Whether it was answering questions or adjusting the itinerary.

The activities were the highlight of the trip. From thrilling zip-lining through lush canopies to an amazing water rafting tour, each adventure was perfectly planned.
Transportation was top-notch. The transfers were punctual, clean, and comfortable, making it easy to go from one region to the other without a hitch. The attention to detail in arranging smooth connections between destinations was much appreciated.

The accommodations exceeded my expectations. Each hotel was carefully chosen for its comfort, location, and service. Waking up to breathtaking views and enjoying luxurious amenities added an extra layer of enjoyment to the trip. My favorite hotel was Arenas del Mar.
Thank you Prici.
Pura Vida =)

Dimitrios and his team developed an outstanding trip itinerary. They were flexible and went out of their way to satisfy. In Athen we experienced the best tour guide (Effy/Effie) we have had during our 35 years of traveling. She is outstanding! All hotels/resorts were 5 star. I will recommend Be A Greek to anyone going to Greece. We will use them next time we go.

Activity Reviews

Dinner at Orizontes Restaurant

Athens

Only one site stands above the Acropolis- it is Orizontes. Entire city view! Wonderful service and delicious food.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Concierge-Class Small-group Sailing Cruise to Delos & Rhenia islands

Mykonos

Excellent!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner at Electra Metropolis

Athens

Must dine at Roof Top Restaurant - no equivalent views of the Acropolis throughout Athens.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Acropolis & Acropolis Museum Private Guided Tour

Athens

It's why you go to Athens. Request Effy (Effie) as your guide - she is outstanding!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Santorini Cultural Highlights Guided Tour with Wine Tasting

Santorini

Do it on your last night - lasting memories of a magnificent sun- set dinner cruise. Only way to cap off a totally wonderful vacation. Amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, we were very pleased with our trip. The itinerary was excellent. All of the accomodations, with the exception of Gabriel House in Cork, were wonderful as were the restaurant and pub recommendations. The main issue we had with Gabriel House was the location, being quite a distance from Cork city centre. Plus, we were assigned a room on the top floor (not KImKim's fault, just something for you to be aware of) which made it impossible for us to haul our full suitcases up 4 flights of stairs. We transferred a few essentials into a duffle bag and carried that. up. The room was spartan; felt like a dormitory room and the bathroom was barely big enough for one person to maneuver in. Concerning Cork, I know we asked to include that location in the itinerary, but we chose to instead drive down to Kinsale after finding Cork rather dirty and uninviting.

We were pleased to find all the reservations confirmed, including the taxi to/from the Dingle Way hike. We were especially pleased with the hike. We didn't particularly care for the 2.5 km part on the road leading to the Blasket Centre, but we understand why the Blasket Centre was chosen for a pick up location.

Lastly, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a daily check-in text message at the beginning of our trip. I know we had ways to reach out to KimKim had we had any problems, but we liked the check-ins as it felt like KimKim was keeping track of where/what we were doing. Then, the day before we were to go on the Dingle Way hike, I reached out with a question. My phone indicated that KimKim received and read the message, but we heard nothing back for 4 days. We were surprised and taken aback at the sudden lack of communication. I know I could have called, but we assumed all would work out with taxi pick up which it did.

Hotel Reviews

Ashling Hotel Dublin

Dublin

Great location, very nice hotel.

Authenticity & Character

it is just a nice hotel; much like we would stay in anywhere

Location

within walking distance of most of the sights in the city, or a short walk to public transportation

Staff

very friendly reception and restaurant staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Galmont Hotel & Spa

Galway

A modern, functional hotel in a great location

Location

within walking distance to city centre

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fiddle & Bow

Doolin

We actually stayed at the Doolin Inn which was delightful. We loved the small, unique character of this inn and it was in a great location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Killeen House Hotel

killarney

A quaint inn a nice distance out of Killarney. We really appreciated being away from the more touristy and busy city of Killarney.

Authenticity & Character

Location

it was on the edge of Killarney National Park with great access to the Ring of Kerry and without being in the heavily populated city of Killarney. We ate both our dinners in the bar there and found the food to be excellent.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tower View

Dingle

Another nice, small inn located close to city centre

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fernroyd House B and B

Cork

We stayed at the Gabriel House. See my comments in the general section.

Authenticity & Character

Location

way too far from city centre.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cliffs of Moher Cruise

Ireland

We took a combo cruise to Inishmore then to the Cliffs of Moher. We enjoyed seeing the Cliffs from the water more than from the top.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Aline and Bastien planned a wonderful trip for us to Paris and Normandy! This is our second trip utilizing KimKim and we find their model very good for our needs. I appreciated how accessible they were for questions on the What's App when we arrived and throughout our visit. We began trip by flying to Paris, then "trained" to Bayeux for several days in the French countryside visiting Mt. St. Michelle one day and then Normandy. The local tour guides they arranged for us were ALL terrific! Charles gave us a wonderful experience at Mt. St. Michelle and we appreciated all his shared knowledge, sense of humor and even his singing:-). Jonathan (Normandy) gave us a very enlightening and enjoyable D-Day experience despite the pouring rain! He was energetic and so fascinatingly full of history about this important place. Aline and Bastien had arranged lovely chateau accommodations near Bayeux that were so gorgeous and restful. Excellent restaurant and bar on site, even a sweet set of donkeys grazing peacefully in field. The staff at our chateau were all delightful! Our final day we returned to Paris by smooth, quiet train. We then packed two days worth of touring into one as our airline had canceled our flight at beginning of our trip (after we waited 7 hours through repeated delays in Boston). Thus, since we lost our first day in Paris, we strove to pack everything in on our last day. Remarkably it all worked! Trained 2.5 hrs early AM, brought bags to hotel near Notre Dame, walked to Louvre, toured there (Mona Lisa! I had just read The Davinci Code which begins in the Louvre and discusses some fascinating details about the Mona Lisa...as well as The Divine Feminine...) taxied to Montmartre where we enjoyed a Gastronomy tour with Aude, a delightful and very informative young lady tour guide sharing about the amazing delicacies and history of the area, taxied to Eiffel Tower to meet Anna for our graciously rescheduled tour from Monday She was remarkably prepared with much to share and good visual aids to emphasize our learning as we traveled up to the top and visited stops on way down. Fully enjoyed Anna and her thorough tour! We added our Siene commented cruise back on to close our touring which was very fun and finally had a late Italian meal back near our hotel. A comfortable sleep, a surprisingly efficient and delicious breakfast at cafe nearby and then the transfer service Bastien arranged arrived in timely manner to return us to Charles DeGaulle Airport. If only our air travel had gone more smoothly on both ends, but this was the airlines and not a KimKim responsibility. We look forward to arranging future travel with KimKim. Thank you again Aline and Bastien!

Bon jour! Our trip to France planned by Lise was all that we imagined it to be. We visited three places Paris, Aix en Provence and Nice. Although it felt like a whirlwind everything went smoothly as far as transfers, hotels, guides and the sights that were selected for us. In Paris we had 4 amazing guides and tours. Our guides Raphaelle, Emilie, Agathe and Gil in Paris were truly experts at their craft. We learned things we had never expected and were so impressed with their enthusiasm and kindness towards us. Between the cafes and the tours we definitely feel another trip is in order as this was just a taste.
Aix en Provence was our favorite I think overall. The four villages we visited in Luberon with our guide Carolina were absolutely a feast for the eyes and the senses. Magnificent views, great food, and of course the smell of lavender. It was a carefree day of taking this all in and meandering through the shops nestled in the mountains. Truly another place to return to.. two days was not enough. Carolina was well informed and gave us the freedom to enjoy a relaxing day of leisure.
And then finally Nice, Eze and Monaco. What can I say about these place except beautiful beaches, beautiful views and delicious food and wine. What a great way to end our trip and say goodbye to France. This is not goodbye though it is au revoir for now.
From not knowing anything but Paris, Lise took what I had asked for and made it a reality.. I am truly grateful for her assistance and recommend this service to everyone. Merci Beaucoup! Annamarie Aigotti