Kimkim Trip Reviews

The whole experience was just awesome. It started with Alfonso carefully planning the trip, making lol the reservations and providing us with detailed, day-by-day itinerary. We had great local guides in every city that we visited - Gerardo in Madrid, Helena in Cordoba, Gloria in Malaga, Ana and Lenka in Granada. All of them made sure that this was an unforgettable vacation. And Alfonso kept in touch throughout the trip to make sure we didn’t forget all our connections and trains. I will definitely use kimkim again!

KimKim matched us with Justine Stewart:

We are a mother (62 yo) and daughter (31 yo) who contacted several Travel Services before embarking on our Christmas Adventure to Ireland and Scotland. We chose KimKim because they matched us with Justine Stewart. Justine is the only person (out of five different agencies) who read our initial email and what we envisioned for our trip and truly captured what we imagined from day one. She was a delight to work with throughout the entire planning phase. Justine came up with wonderful suggestions for us. She was informative, responsive, and fun to work with. I was excited every time I received a chat message from Justine. She was effusive, warm, engaging, and down to earth. Her excitement in the planning stages made the trip fun to plan and then amazing to experience. Early in the planning phase, when we realized we needed to change the airport/city we were flying into, which affected our initial itinerary, Justine handled the adjustments smoothly. She was also helpful with my questions about travel insurance and gave me good advice and tips in that area. We traveled during the weeks surrounding Christmas, and although Justine was on holiday herself for part of that time, she still took the time to check in with us to make sure all was well. We feel like we made a new friend in Justine.

Claire and Eva
We were also well taken care of by Claire and Eva at KimKim, who helped us out over the two days we needed assistance due to a snowstorm.

Hotels in Ireland:

Cashel Palace – We pulled in at night to an amazing view of this grand accommodation. We drove down a long driveway and saw the beautiful red brick lit with lights. Once we arrived, we were given a tour and were delighted and amazed at the beauty of this hotel. They have a lovely Drawing Room, a cozy bar, and several wood-burning fireplaces. We took advantage and enjoyed them all. Our room was elegant, and we even had a Christmas tree!

Adare Manor – We felt like we were walking back in time when we entered this amazing hotel. From being greeted by friendly porters in the driveway to seeing the enormous Christmas tree in the reception area to the helpful tips and tour provided by the lovely Anne – we were swept up in excitement from our first moments there. We had a delicious lunch in the gorgeous Drawing Room while sitting next to another beautiful Christmas tree. We enjoyed a fun walk from the hotel into Adare Village, visited charming little shops, and saw the amazing thatched-roof buildings. Our dinner in The Carriage House was outstanding.

Glenlo Abbey – The front desk staff was very friendly. They informed us that they had upgraded our room – and it was spacious and lovely. The grounds around this hotel afforded us a beautiful walk.

Waterloo Townhouse – We had a cute room painted in soft pink overlooking a little backyard.

Hotels in Scotland:

Ness Walk - This is a lovely hotel. We were greeted with a glass of champagne and treated well during our stay. The hotel is elegant and situated on a beautiful river walk along the Ness River. We ventured out and walked down the river and across a bridge into a delightful area of Inverness. We discovered a most incredible place – Leakey's Bookshop.

The Fife Arms is our favorite place we've ever visited. We fell in LOVE with The Fife Arms. They covered the outside of the hotel in twinkly lights, and there was a brightly lit Christmas tree across the street. Every restaurant (The Clunie Dining Room, The Flying Stag) and every room (the Drawing Room, Elsa's Bar, The Tea Room, the Reception area) was an absolute joy to experience. I wished for a wood-burning fireplace on this trip, and this hotel had three amazing fireplaces that were burning and crackling at every moment. The entire experience, the amazing hotel, the afternoon tea, the reindeer parade, the amazing meals, the Christmas stocking on our door in the morning – was all magical. We arrived to find a bottle of champagne chilling in our room and complimentary tastes of whisky and gin with drink biscuits if we desired. The Fife Arms' incredible staff made our Christmas trip truly unforgettable. We greatly appreciated Rachael Henley (General Manager) while dealing with stress and uncertainty due to our car transfer service. She gave us such reassurance that all would be well. We felt safe and taken care of as she reached out to the car transfer service on our behalf and had her team assist with information on weather conditions and snow gates. She and her team assured us we would figure it out. They were able to offer us accommodations for an extra night. All of their hospitality and kindness during our trip went above and beyond.

Hotel Du Vin & Bistro - This was an ideal location for us as we wanted to explore Old Town Edinburgh, which was mere steps away. The Night Manager, Paul, went above and beyond for us. On one occasion, a glass bottle shattered inside my nylon carry-on luggage bag. Paul cleaned and repaired it. On another, we had an airport pickup at the hotel at 5:45 am. Paul had takeaway coffees and croissants waiting for us, along with updated flight details and gate information, making our journey home smoother.

Outstanding Hotel employees:

Adare Manor - Anne
The Fife Arms - Rachael (GM), Sam, Josh, Alex
Hotel du Vin & Bistro - Paul

Great Drivers:

Dermott Coffey – to Cashel Palace – He was fantastic, warm, engaging, and fun!
Tony – to Adare Manor – Tony was great! He had quite a sense of humor.
Frank – Galway Taxis – to Dublin - Frank was professional and provided a quiet ride to Dublin.
Dave – Elite Transfers Dublin – to Dublin airport – Dave was warm, friendly, and funny!
Ahmed – Inverness Taxis - airport to Ness Walk and then to Braemar. He was professional.
David – VChauffeur.com – Braemar to Aberdeen - He was fantastic! David was professional, kind, funny, and compassionate. David's service was unparalleled.
Adrian – Edinburgh Executive Travel – to Edinburgh airport – professional, sense of humor, nice service

Wonderful Tours:

Galway Food Tours - Gina (Regina)
Gina was a delight on our Walking Food Tour in Galway. She was punctual, friendly, informative, and fun. Gina had an easy demeanor and kept the conversation flowing throughout our 2.5-hour tour. We fell in love with Galway, and Gina was a huge contributing factor as she wound us in and around Shop Street, the pedestrianized thoroughfare in Galway.
• We started our morning with a taste of delicious coffee at Little Lane Coffee Company, which showcases Irish Specialty Coffee Roasters.
• Then we stopped in at an amazing French Chocolaterie called Truffle. We enjoyed a raspberry-filled croissant and some divine chocolates. There was an actual wall of running chocolate that was amazing!
• We popped into Ean for wine and two delicious small plates.
• Next on our tour was Tigh Neachtain, a pub that opened in 1894, which we learned was the former home of Richard Martin, an animal rights activist and abolitionist. We enjoyed learning about the colorful history and sat in one of the small, cozy booths known as a "snug." We tasted oysters, mussels, meatballs, soda bread and beer.
• Next was a visit to the upstairs of a fine foods shop called McCambridge's, where we tasted three spirits – Irish Whiskey, Irish Poitin, and Irish Apple Brandy.
• We finished the tour with delicious Murphy's Irish Ice Cream.
During our tour, Gina also recommended three other locations – and we managed to make our way over to all three after the tour. We stopped in and bought some books at Charlie Byrne's Bookshop, which was enchanting. We visited the King's Head, another historical pub, for a pint of Guinness. After a lovely walk to the fishing village in Galway, where we captured wonderful photographs, we went to Gina's final recommendation, Sheridan's Wine Bar. It was cozy and charming!

Dublin Tour Guide - John Caffrey
We felt immediately at ease when John greeted us at our hotel. He was such a warm, friendly, and engaging person. His wealth of knowledge, facts, and fun stories made the day fly by much too quickly. We visited a museum, the National Art Gallery, and Dublin Castle, as well as interesting statues and monuments to Patrick Kavanagh, Oscar Wilde, and George Handel. We passed by impressive government buildings and a war memorial and walked around the Trinity College campus. John treated us to coffee, biscuits, ice cream, and an Irish coffee along the tour! We felt so comfortable with John that we ate dinner with him at a nice pub where we enjoyed Irish stew and Guinness to complete our experience. We saw so much in Dublin in one day and would have missed so much on our own. John created a truly memorable experience.

Inverness Tours – Edinburgh Tour Guide - Scott Guthrie
We originally planned to do a full-day Outlander tour with Scott Guthrie. After the delay in our trip, we decided to cancel the tour since we ended up with only one day in Edinburgh instead of three. Ian, the owner of Inverness Tours, suggested the alternate plan of a walking tour in Edinburgh with the same guide, Scott Guthrie, who could show us some Outlander locations in Edinburgh. We agreed to a 2-hour tour. Scott Guthrie arrived wearing a kilt and a smile. He made our shortened visit to Edinburgh magical, intriguing, captivating, and memorable. We were thrilled to spend this time with him. He was a gentleman and a gem. He took us on an amazing tour that included some of the history and politics of Edinburgh, intriguing sites connected to the Harry Potter books and movies, and a couple of amazing Outlander filming locations. Scott was warm, friendly, entertaining, and fun. We ended up spending almost 4 hours with him and loved every minute. We continued exploring Edinburgh on foot for the rest of the day with a greater appreciation for the city and its fascinating history. We logged 37,351 steps on our walking app!

Restaurants in Ireland:

• Mikey Ryan's Bar & Kitchen – an amazing dinner! Classy and cozy environment.
• Cashel Palace – really nice breakfast
• Adare Manor
o The Drawing Room – fabulous lunch served in a beautiful room next to a Christmas tree
o The Carriage House – elegant and delicious dinner, amazing service!!
o The Gallery – gorgeous, high-ceiling room for breakfast
• Kai – We had an outstanding meal in a cozy environment!
• Glenlo Abbey breakfast room - a beautiful room and great breakfast service
• Aniar – 23 unique tastings! We were amazed as the dishes just kept coming. The Manager and Waiter who served us were beyond attentive and fun!
• The Winding Stair – This was a cozy, warm, welcoming place for dinner. We had a window seat and enjoyed the most delectable food!

Restaurants in Scotland:
• Kitchen Brasserie – We enjoyed a window seat and a delicious meal at this delightful restaurant.
• The Fife Arms
o The Clunie Dining Room – The staff is amazing and attentive. The food is excellent.
o The Flying Stag – It has a fun and funky décor; the food was outstanding!
o Afternoon Tea – They served an amazing assortment of sandwiches and sweets with coffee, mulled wine, and juice in a lovely, multi-windowed room with comfortable chairs and a wood-burning fireplace.
• Scran & Scallie – twinkly lights outside ushering us into a festive, charming restaurant with excellent food!
• A Wee Taste – charming, met the owner, delicious meat and cheese charcuterie board, lovely wine!

We will absolutely use KimKim's services again. They matched us up with an incredible travel agent – Justine Stewart! We were assisted before, during, and after the trip with all questions and concerns. THANK YOU!

Hotel Reviews

Ness Walk

Inverness

This is a lovely hotel. We were greeted with a glass of champagne and treated well during our stay. The hotel is elegant and situated on a beautiful river walk along the Ness River. We ventured out and walked down the river and across a bridge into a delightful area of Inverness. We discovered a most incredible place – Leakey's Bookshop.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel du Vin & Bistro Edinburgh

Edinburgh

This was an ideal location for us as we wanted to explore Old Town Edinburgh, which was mere steps away. The Night Manager, Paul, went above and beyond for us. On one occasion, a glass bottle shattered inside my nylon carry-on luggage bag. Paul cleaned and repaired it. On another, we had an airport pickup at the hotel at 5:45 am. Paul had takeaway coffees and croissants waiting for us, along with updated flight details and gate information, making our journey home smoother.

Authenticity & Character

Nice, casual hotel in the heart of Old Town Edinburgh. Definitely has charm and character.

Location

Steps away from the Royal Mile and Old Town Edinburgh. It was SO convenient for us.

Staff

The Night Manager, Paul, went above and beyond for us. On one occasion, a glass bottle shattered inside my nylon carry-on luggage bag. Paul cleaned and repaired it. On another, we had an airport pickup at the hotel at 5:45 am. Paul had takeaway coffees and croissants waiting for us, along with updated flight details and gate information, making our journey home smoother.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adare Manor

Adare

We felt like we were walking back in time when we entered this amazing hotel. From being greeted by friendly porters in the driveway to seeing the enormous Christmas tree in the reception area to the helpful tips and tour provided by the lovely Anne – we were swept up in excitement from our first moments there. We had a delicious lunch in the gorgeous Drawing Room while sitting next to another beautiful Christmas tree. We enjoyed a fun walk from the hotel into Adare Village, visited charming little shops, and saw the amazing thatched-roof buildings. Our dinner in The Carriage House was outstanding.

Authenticity & Character

Every room and space in the hotel was amazing - The Reception area with a fireplace and enormous Christmas tree, the Drawing Room, which serves food, has a bar and looks out over the back of the property, the amazing high-ceilinged Gallery where they serve breakfast and afternoon tea, The Tack Room - a classy bar and lounge.

Location

The hotel sits on a beautiful and spacious property. It is lovely for walks or a horse and carriage ride. It is within walking distance of Adare Village.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cashel Palace Hotel

We pulled in at night to an amazing view of this grand accommodation. We drove down a long driveway and saw the beautiful red brick lit with lights. Once we arrived, we were given a tour and were delighted and amazed at the beauty of this hotel. They have a lovely Drawing Room, a cozy bar, and several wood-burning fireplaces. We took advantage and enjoyed them all. Our room was elegant, and we even had a Christmas tree!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

We were greeted by wonderful staff and given a warm welcome and a tour.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were so comfortable!

The Fife Arms

Braemar

The Fife Arms is our favorite place we've ever visited. We fell in LOVE with The Fife Arms. They covered the outside of the hotel in twinkly lights, and there was a brightly lit Christmas tree across the street. Every restaurant (The Clunie Dining Room, The Flying Stag) and every room (the Drawing Room, Elsa's Bar, The Tea Room, the Reception area) was an absolute joy to experience. I wished for a wood-burning fireplace on this trip, and this hotel had three amazing fireplaces that were burning and crackling at every moment. The entire experience, the amazing hotel, the afternoon tea, the reindeer parade, the amazing meals, the Christmas stocking on our door in the morning – was all magical. We arrived to find a bottle of champagne chilling in our room and complimentary tastes of whisky and gin with drink biscuits if we desired. The Fife Arms' incredible staff made our Christmas trip truly unforgettable. We greatly appreciated Rachael Henley (General Manager) while dealing with stress and uncertainty due to our car transfer service. She gave us such reassurance that all would be well. We felt safe and taken care of as she reached out to the car transfer service on our behalf and had her team assist with information on weather conditions and snow gates. She and her team assured us we would figure it out. They were able to offer us accommodations for an extra night. All of their hospitality and kindness during our trip went above and beyond.

Authenticity & Character

Elegant and classy, combined with such amazing charm!

Location

It is situated in the beautiful Cairngorms National Park. Breathtaking scenery! It is an ideal area for walks.

Staff

Sam provided fun, friendly, engaging service in the Clunie Dining Room. Josh was helpful in keeping guests and their car transfer services apprised of the snow conditions and snow gates. Alex helped us with booking an extra night when the snow conditions and our car service kept us from departing. Rachael is an amazing general manager who got personally involved in solving our travel issues.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were clean, comfortable, and beautiful. The beds were so comfortable.

Glenlo Abbey

The front desk staff was very friendly. They informed us that they had upgraded our room – and it was spacious and lovely. The grounds around this hotel afforded us a beautiful walk.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It is a short taxi ride away from the amazing city of Galway.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private transfer to or from the airport

Dublin

Dave with Elite Transfers Dublin picked us up early in the morning to take us to Dublin airport. We were leaving Ireland and flying to our next destination, Scotland. Dave was warm, friendly, and funny! He had some helpful tips for the next leg of our adventure, and he had us laughing on the way to the airport as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Outlander tour from Edinburgh

Edinburgh

We originally planned to do a full-day Outlander tour with Scott Guthrie. After the delay in our trip, we decided to cancel the tour since we ended up with only one day in Edinburgh instead of three. Ian, the owner of Inverness Tours, suggested the alternate plan of a walking tour in Edinburgh with the same guide, Scott Guthrie, who could show us some Outlander locations in Edinburgh. We agreed to a 2-hour tour. Scott Guthrie arrived wearing a kilt and a smile. He made our shortened visit to Edinburgh magical, intriguing, captivating, and memorable. We were thrilled to spend this time with him. He was a gentleman and a gem. He took us on an amazing tour that included some of the history and politics of Edinburgh, intriguing sites connected to the Harry Potter books and movies, and a couple of amazing Outlander filming locations. Scott was warm, friendly, entertaining, and fun. We ended up spending almost 4 hours with him and loved every minute. We continued exploring Edinburgh on foot for the rest of the day with a greater appreciation for the city and its fascinating history. We logged 37,351 steps on our walking app!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Christmas at the Fife Arms

Scotland

The Fife Arms is our favorite place we've ever visited. We fell in LOVE with The Fife Arms. They covered the outside of the hotel in twinkly lights, and there was a brightly lit Christmas tree across the street. We arrived to find a bottle of champagne chilling in our room and complimentary tastes of whisky and gin with drink biscuits if we desired. I wished for a wood-burning fireplace on this trip, and this hotel had three amazing fireplaces that were burning and crackling at every moment. On the first day, we enjoyed their afternoon tea, the reindeer parade, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, a drink in Elsa's bar, and a delicious dinner in The Flying Stag. On Christmas morning, we awoke to a Christmas stocking on our door. We enjoyed a lovely Christmas Brunch, which they staggered for guests at different times. We went on a couple of walks around the charming town of Braemar. Every restaurant (The Clunie Dining Room, The Flying Stag) and every room (the Drawing Room, Elsa's Bar, The Tea Room, the Reception area) was an absolute joy to experience. This trip was magical!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Ultimate Day in Dublin - Private Guided Tour

Dublin

We felt immediately at ease when John greeted us at our hotel. He was such a warm, friendly, and engaging person. His wealth of knowledge, facts, and fun stories made the day fly by much too quickly. We visited a museum, the National Art Gallery, and Dublin Castle, as well as interesting statues and monuments to Patrick Kavanagh, Oscar Wilde, and George Handel. We passed by impressive government buildings and a war memorial and walked around the Trinity College campus. John treated us to coffee, biscuits, ice cream, and an Irish coffee along the tour! We felt so comfortable with John that we ate dinner with him at a nice pub where we enjoyed Irish stew and Guinness to complete our experience. We saw so much in Dublin in one day and would have missed so much on our own. John created a truly memorable experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Galway Food Tour

Galway

Gina was a delight on our Walking Food Tour in Galway. She was punctual, friendly, informative, and fun. Gina had an easy demeanor and kept the conversation flowing throughout our 2.5-hour tour. We fell in love with Galway, and Gina was a huge contributing factor as she wound us in and around Shop Street, the pedestrianized thoroughfare in Galway. • We started our morning with a taste of delicious coffee at Little Lane Coffee Company, which showcases Irish Specialty Coffee Roasters. • Then we stopped in at an amazing French Chocolaterie called Truffle. We enjoyed a raspberry-filled croissant and some divine chocolates. There was an actual wall of running chocolate that was amazing! • We popped into Ean for wine and two delicious small plates. • Next on our tour was Tigh Neachtain, a pub that opened in 1894, which we learned was the former home of Richard Martin, an animal rights activist and abolitionist. We enjoyed learning about the colorful history and sat in one of the small, cozy booths known as a “snug.” We tasted oysters, mussels, meatballs, soda bread and beer. • Next was a visit to the upstairs of a fine foods shop called McCambridge’s, where we tasted three spirits – Irish Whiskey, Irish Poitin, and Irish Apple Brandy. • We finished the tour with delicious Murphy’s Irish Ice Cream. During our tour, Gina also recommended three other locations – and we managed to make our way over to all three after the tour. We stopped in and bought some books at Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, which was enchanting. We visited the King’s Head, another historical pub, for a pint of Guinness. After a lovely walk to the fishing village in Galway, where we captured wonderful photographs, we went to Gina’s final recommendation, Sheridan’s Wine Bar. It was cozy and charming! Gina helped us to engage with the charming city of Galway. Thank you!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide and driver Reda was incredible! My husband and I had a great experience thanks to him and his expertise. Thank you!

Veronika was great at helping us plan our trip in Stockholm and Kiruna. She was well organized and had lots of good ideas, and was flexible to work with. I would totally recommend her!

Franck planned a three week trip for us in New Zealand, and we left feeling like we did it all. The planning process was easy and done through the messaging platform. We felt confident showing up that all the details were taken care of from airport pick-ups to daily activities. While traveling we ran into a couple of issues like a cancelled flight, and Franck was quick to help us course correct. I would book again using Franck and Kimkim!

Linda was incredible. Helpful, kind, patient and very responsive. I loved working with her. She gave great recommendations and was there every step of the way. 10/10!

I had a great vacation with my guide, Karim. He was with us throughout our adventures, and was very well informed about the culture, the country, and the various places we visited. He was also attentive to our needs during the vacation I will come back again to see the rest of Morocco with Karim as my guide.

Overall it was a very good experience.. Ecuador is a beautiful country . Certain things that I would mention which needed more clarification / improvement were/
1- we did not like our guide to. Be switched on the 3rd day in Quito.
2- I know the time may have been a factor but Cotopaxi should have been mentioned and may be we should have done Cotopaxi over a whole day in Quito . We could have done the Ewuatir by ourselves.
3-Amazon was fantastic especially our guide Jefferson . We should have been told about the electricity situation . My husband and I have to use a Capp machine and we couldn’t on the first night . It was just by chance that we were talking to our guide the next day that he said that they will provide electricity for our hut for the full night for an extra fee of $30 - so we did that.
4- Galápagos was beautiful and heavenly. Unfortunately our gude was not very organised. He should have given us a written itinerary. He gave us directions to gear stores without the address and it was very confusing. We almost missed our second day’s boat . We tried to contact him but he wasn’t reachable . On our last day he wanted to pick us up from the hotel at 10 a.m. when our flight was at1 p.m. The airport is literally 3 minutes away and we didn’t have to sit there in the heat for 2 hours . Even the counter was not open . According to the guide (Fernando) those were the instructions given to him by Kimkim.
Lastly, if I hadn’t asked we would have never seen the tortoise. I remember asking Alvaro and he told me we could see them on any island. How could you have planned a trip for us without including the tortoises? I paid $80 for a 4 hour trip for the tortoises .

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Algarrobos

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nicky Amazon Lodge

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Amazing

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very very friendly and awesome food

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

The first two nights the room with one bed was extremely small . We did get a better room after our return from the Amazon .

Authenticity & Character

Quaint and clean

Location

Not accessible from the main part of the city . Would have preferred to have stayed in the main city

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was too small and had very few outlets

Activity Reviews

Welcome Back to Quito

Ecuador

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Farewell Cuyabeno! Return to the City

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Indigenous Experience & Discover the Jungle at Night

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encountering at Lobos Island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

This was ok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adventure in the Amazon

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to the Jungle! Entering Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Wow

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Otavalo Market - Quito

Quito

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colonial Quito City Tour & the Middle of the World

Quito

Too long

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We have fallen in love with Morocco and in large part that is because of the wonderful experience your company organized for us. We very much appreciated the flexibility and the attention to every detail that was part of the planning process. It made this trip effortless and truly allowed us to relax and enjoy every moment without once having to worry about the logistics.
We also are very grateful that we had Karim as our guide and companion through our time here. He brought this country to life for us. His stories and his knowledge and his care for us was an important part of what made this trip truly memorable for us. He made the people, their lives and their values real for us. We felt privileged to have him as our guide and feel that we are leaving behind a friend in Morocco.
We started our trip in Casablanca and then spent the next few days driving around the country visiting Rabat, Fes, and Marrakech. Along the way we stopped at so many beautiful vista points and had a chance to truly take in the beautiful and varied landscape. We even had tea with a local Berber family and laughed with their children and played with their baby goats. This would not ordinarily be something we would think of doing on a trip - but small touches like these made this trip feel personal and meaningful. We were more than tourists - we were given the opportunity to meet the real people and to break bread with them.
Every location we stayed at was exactly what we asked for and exceeded our expectations as we stepped into breathtaking Riads.
This trip was truly memorable and we have already shared your contact information with family and friends who are considering a trip to Morocco.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Fes Nass Zmane

Fes

Imagine walking down the maze of narrow streets of a Medina and then arriving at a door in a high wall that opens into a magical place that transports you to everything you ever imagined Morocco to be. This is Riad Nass Zmane. This Riad is beautiful and we enjoyed their lavish breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Absolutely beautiful Riad. Your sense will be overwhelmed by the sheer splendor of the interior.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Beautiful Riad and wonderful staff. This Riad is an oasis in the middle of the Medina and provides a wonderful place to escape from the hectic pace of Marrakech. Just hang out in the courtyard and enjoy the lovely surroundings with the sound of running water and the lush greenery. The food has been great and we were very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kasbah Titrit

Ait Ben Haddou

While we were excited about staying at a Kasbah - the actual experience was not ideal. The electricity in the room kept flickering and the heating would turn off and then start flashing several times in the night. Making for a very unrestful night. The only available shower had no walls or curtains and the shower head sprayed water everywhere - so it was impossible to shower without flooding the entire bathroom. The dinner was a set menu and we had only the option to select our meat without any indication of how it would be prepared. While the meal was delicious - we felt like we were somewhat trapped and didn’t have the option to pick something else. Perhaps the experience would be different during the high season - we were the only guests at the Kasbah and would not care to repeat the experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

There are no restaurants within walking distance which means we have no choice but to eat at the hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We discovered used underwear left behind in the room by a previous guest. Made us suspicious about the degree of cleanliness of the room overall.

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

You have the option to either take a camel or car to the location. In either case you can enjoy the desert sunset and sunrise. This camp was nothing short of luxurious. From the comfort of a fully equipped tent with running water and the warmest beds to a full service dinner and fantastic breakfast buffet. The evening entertainment was offered by the staff with drums and local songs and dances. If you would rather stargaze - this is the perfect place to do it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mövenpick Hotel Casablanca

Casablanca

Typical tourist hotel with all the necessary amenities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Conveniently close to major attractions

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

We found that the tour of the Fes Medina became too overwhelming and long for us. Four hours of navigating very small and narrow alleys and lanes lost it's charm quite quickly. Also the spots we visited had restricted access - such as the mosque and other religious sites. While this makes sense as these are locations that are in daily use - it left us wondering what we were there to see when all we could do was hover near the entrance. A shorter visit into the Fes Medina would have been preferable. While our guide was well informed - we did feel like he had a list of things he was meant to check off his list and he was completing the task at hand. This was a contrast to our experience with our driver guide - who was really responsive to our curiosity and areas of interest, thus creating an experience that felt personal and meaningful. We enjoyed the visit to the local pottery cooperative and would have liked to spend longer there choosing some things to bring home with us - however our appointed guide rushed us through because he wanted us to visit a location that he said would close early. We did not actually head to this location until many hours later and were there with several hours to spare before their closing time. Overall - out of all the places we visited - Fes turned out to be our least favorite tourist spot - although our stay at the Riad there was wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Casablanca to Fez Passing via Rabat

Morocco

Gorgeous views and pristine beaches.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Truly a magnificent mosque. Photographs can’t do it justice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quick Tour of Casablanca with your Driver-Guide

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Karim, our driver/guide met us at the airport and immediately made us feel welcomed and cared for. We had received some concerning news from home as soon as we landed in Casablanca and were considering returning home right away. Karim was so empathetic and willing to adjust the plans as needed. Fortunately we did not need to cancel our trip and Karim’s sensitivity to our situation was very much appreciated.

For our first time to Japan, Fei made a trip where we really got to see a lot of Japan. Our guides were great people who had exceptional knowledge of Japan and the places and things we saw. They made us feel welcome and helped us explore their cities and points of interest.

Hotel Reviews

Nagoya Tokyu Hotel

Nagoya

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Green Plaza Hakone

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shibuya Stream Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Very comfortable beds, quiet, very clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half Day Nagoya Castle and City Museum Tour

Nagoya

Lots of things were closed due to New Years Holiday But the Toyota Museum was excellent. definitely worth the time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Nara: Temples, Deer, and Historic Streets

Kyoto

The rich history and the Great Buddha were amazing and well worth the time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

The samurai and ninja museum was quick and interesting. The Tea ceremony was fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Hiroshima

This was a great tour but it would be better as two days. We were rushed to see everything before it closed. Hiroshima tour is very in depth and heavy and deserves to be appreciated. Miyajima was really impressive and worth the trip from Hiroshima.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Izakaya Cooking Class (small group tour)

Kyoto

The cooking class was so much fun. It was very easy as the staffed had prepared a lot of the ingredients but the recipes were easy and tasty.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked through the neighborhood from our hotel.

Full Day City Tour with Tokyo National Museum and Senso-ji Temple

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchiko Cruise and Oshino Hakkai

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Given that we put the trip together at the last minute in peak season, they did a great job. Other companies told me that they were sold out and couldn't help us, but Kim-kim was able to put something together for us.

The whole trip was excellent. Hesham Nour was our Cairo and Alexandria guide. He was excellent. He helped find good local restaurants and taste good local food.
Ahmed was our Luxor, Edfu and Aswan guide. He was excellent.

Overall the trip was excellent. A few things that I suggest are:
A) The Nile cruise overall is ok. It is for sure not new and not 4+. I would rate it 3. The staff in the cruise are good but the floor was creeky and the carpet was not well laid. The bathroom was a bit leaking. I would suggest to prefer another cruise. Sightseeing and other things in the cruise are good.
B) There were too many staff changes. The guides were consistent but the drivers changed often. I prefer I stick to a team so that I get to know them better. Before I knew someone a new one comes in.
C) I would suggest kimkim to suggest an appropriate tipping guide. Other travel agencies do that. I had to read other blogs for tipping guide.

Thanks to the whole team for making it a memorable experience.

Hotel Reviews

Steigenberger Achti - Luxor

luxor

A very good hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in heart of the city.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Baharia Camp

Bahariya

The hotel was ok. A 3 star

Authenticity & Character

The staff are good

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hyatt Regency Cairo west

cairo

This is excellent. The front desk staff were very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It is very close to the pyramids

Staff

The staff helped us with international charges.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Activity Reviews

Visit Valley of the Kings - Hatshepsut temple - Sail to Edfu

Luxor

Quality of Experience

Look

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Over day Alexandria

Cairo Int. Airport (CAI)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Abu Simbel temple and Aswan

Aswan

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Edfou temple and Kom Ombo temple

Edfu

Quality of Experience

Look

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bahariya - Cairo

Bahariya

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver was ok. We had to keep telling him to close the windows as it was noisy

Transport

Visit Karnak Temple and Luxor temple

Egypt

Quality of Experience

Ok

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cairo - White Desert

Bahariya

The trip was good. But a long travel to the desert. Not very convenient for restrooms.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day tour to visit Grand Egyptian Museum, Citadel of Salah El-Din & Old Cairo

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hesham took us to an excellent restaurant to taste Kushari.

Transport

Pyramids, Sphinx, Sakkara, Memphis and camel ride

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a big trip for our family of four -- myself, my husband and our two daughters, age 9 and 12. Galapagos isn't an easy place to get to from the U.S. with the multiple flights and the overnight in the mainland. I had no idea how to go about planning all of this and found it all a bit intimidating. Thank goodness I found kimkim and Alvaro our trip planner. I had never used a service like this. But now I don't think I will ever plan a trip alone again. Customizing a trip with Alvaro ahead of time (with multiple back-and-forth versions of the itinerary) and then having all the guides meeting us along the way and all the decisions made beforehand made the trip so much less stressful. In fact, it wasn't stressful at all! I could just enjoy each experience, each day, each hotel, and not have to worry about anything. Alvaro was immediately responsive on whatsapp text throughout the trip. Note: I have traveled widely. I don't think I've ever been anywhere with people as kind as the Ecuadorians. Not once in two weeks did someone try to upsell me anything. Everyone just generally wanted to be helpful and to make sure we had a good time and enjoyed this incredible opportunity to be with the animals. Our local guides, in particular, Edison in San Cristobal and Julio (unparalleled in my view) in Isabella, were incredible. We miss them!

Hotel Reviews

Blu Galapagos Sustainable Waterfront Lodge

Puerto Ayora

This hotel is interesting because it is built into the mangroves. You can easily walk to the main strip or to the Darwin Center. And it is quieter because it isn't in the center of the action, which I liked. But I didn't really love that there wasn't really a great place for us to hang out. There's the tiny area where they serve breakfast with one couch and two chairs where you can see all the marine animals right there. And there's a little area on the upper level with a hammock. But not much more. The breakfast isn't terrific here but it is adequate. No amenities. Was our least favorite of the hotels. Much preferred Golden Bay in San Cristobal and The Albermarle in Isabella (which was beachfront and had a pool and a nice area to hang out for the kids.) Unsure if there are better options on the waterfront for families.

Golden Bay Galapagos – Specialty Boutique Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal

Our favorite hotel of the trip.

Location

Easy to walk everywhere.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Guayaquil, Puerto Santa Ana

Guayaquil

Great hotel to overnight at on way to and way back from the Galapagos.

Location

10 minutes from the airport and right on the promenade with restaurants and access to the cool 444 steps to the light tower.

Staff

So friendly. We forgot a pair of pants and they held them for us for our return.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean.

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

This was a trip highlight. We loved walking around the ranch and seeing the giant tortoises. Lunch was amazing too.

Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

This is a complicated one to review. It is three hours on a boat there and three hours on a boat back and you have to leave at 5:45 a.m. This is really to get to see the scenery and a chance to see the penguins. (But if you go to Isabela Island you see more penguins.) I was anxious about the boat because we did an activity called San Cristobal 360 with the roughest boat ride of our lives. This boat ride, like Alvaro assured me, was nothing like that. It was relaxing and we were able to pass the time resting, sleeping and enjoying the boat. The crew was great and the chef even prepared omelettes for us when we didn't want the fish they were serving. My husband had an amazing experience swimming with a penguin that he said was the highlight of the trip for him -- even with three scuba dives and endless other snorkels.

Kayaking on Tortuga Bay

Puerto Ayora

We had seen so much good marine wildlife in San Cristobal and Isabella that this kayak was a bit of a letdown. But we really, really enjoyed snorkeling with the marine iguanas in an adjacent area. My husband was ecstatic at this part. (Rare to get to be in the water with the swimming iguanas.) And the big beach is gorgeous.

Puerto Villamil Stand-Up Paddle Boarding

Puerto Villamil

This was our least favorite activity of the trip. I think we booked it instead of the volcano because I didn't think my kids would be up for a long, hot hike around the crater. But note this is not a chill SUP like the photo shows. You should have some SUP experience for this two-hour SUP into a strong current. Ended up kayaking with the girls.

Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity

Puerto Villamil

Great activity. The snorkel is the best part.

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

Snorkeling at La Loberia kicked off our trip and it was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We loved Edison our guide!

Hello Johanna did a great job of pulling together our amazing trip to Peru and the Galapagos. There were some small snafus in terms of timings but overall it was a great time. We would definitely go again. Our local guides were amazing and we learnt so much from our experience.

Hotel Reviews

Iguana Crossing Boutique Hotel

Galápagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms facing the ocean are gorgeous. But the internet leaves a lot to be desired. But that’s the Galapagos for you. ❤️

Hotel Solymar

Galápagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Mapi by Inkaterra

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

JW Marriott El Convento Cusco

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Puerto Villamil: Day 1

Isla Isabela

This was ok would have been good to know that this was a hike tour in high heat. Would Likely not have done as heat intolerance

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly to Santa Cruz Island & Tour Charles Darwin Station

Galapagos Islands

The tortoises are just amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short Inca Trail Day 1: Hiking to Machu Picchu via Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Puerto Villamil: Day 2

Isla Isabela

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mostly great
Couple of the hotels were a little short of what we wanted but given I chose them , then no fault of agent
Everything was smooth
Transport was good and the two main drivers we used very courteous and safe and reliable
Communication with agent via WhatsApp was also very good although difficult when away from
WiFi

Original Tours is a solid 5 stars-Said was always available through WhatsApp and he replied quickly -
Make sure you have WhatsApp installed on you phone before you leave your country
Below are my thoughts, not my wife's
Our driver Soukaina was incredible. She stopped whenever we asked to take pictures, or to get honey, or for the view. She was always on time and checked in with us to make sure everything was fine at the Riads we stayed in. Her laugh is infectious, and she alone gets 10 stars for being the only women driver in Morocco
Hanan- our tour guide in Marrakesh, 5 stars, was informative, friendly and was easy to have discussions about current and past Morocco. Walking thought the Palace she explained in details the family structure at the time of the Palace first resident. We met another group that had her as a guide and they too spoke highly of her
Mahomed, our Fez guide, 0 stars. He took us to a rug dealer, which we did not ask for. after some time there I told him we are done look at the carpets. Instead of him moving on, he said "you don't need to buy, just look", he then proceed to inform us how the shop could ship the carpet home. He took us to places that gave him a cut if we purchase anything. Though out the tour he would point out certain things but not really go into detail, and was not easy to have a discussion with. I could fill a page on this tour guide.

Hotel Dar Mounir - 5 stars - good location everything worked in the room
Riad Ghita - 4 stars, due to a draft coming in though the winder that the heater could not compete with, TV was broken. Host was wonderful, her breakfast and dinners were stunning
Tiziri Luxury Camp-5 stars- host were incredible. only recommendation is drive to the camp, take the camel to the sunset. 2 hours on the camel is 1.5 hours too much.
Riad Ksar Ighnda-3 stars only because it is in the middle of no-where and seemed pricey for what they offered
Palais Sebban 5 stars mostly due to the New Years Eve Party. The host was making sure people were dancing and having fun. The staff were dancing and having as much fun as the guest. I applaud the host that she included everyone at the party, which had a fire dancer, belly dancer, magician and a all women group that got the part going. Not to mention releasing doves at the beginning.

Rachel designed an incredible trip for me, my husband, and my 6 year old son. She provided great advice on what to do and what to avoid. (For example, she told us not to take the train from Edinburgh to London, as it wasn’t the experience we thought it would be.) I would certainly use her again to plan another trip.

Just returned from a 15 day trip to Thailand. Our local specialist Kelly did a fantastic job planning this for us. She was very responsive, always available during the trip and very accommodating of the last minute changes we had.
We visited Bangkok, Khao Sok and Phuket. The local guides at all 3 places did a great job. They were friendly and informative. We had transportation and support every step of the way.
The only negative, which was a small blip in a 15 day trip, was the Phi Phi Island excursion in Phuket. Our request for the entire trip was private tours but this one was not and the excursion itself was not worth it.
We provided feedback to Kelly and she was very understanding. Following this we checked on another excursion we had scheduled and when we realized it was also a large group tour we decided to cancel. Kelly was able to help us cancel and get a full reimbursement even though it was last minute. Her support was truly appreciated and made this just a small blip in our vacation.
We highly recommend KimKim and Kelly. We will be using them again in the future.

Hien was our tour organizer and helped us design the perfect balance of sights and activities including Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, and Siem Reap. Very nice hotels, smooth transfers, and knowledgeable guides. Learned a lot about the history, culture, and day to day lives of Vietnamese and Cambodian people, including a lot of nature, historic temple ruins, some hands on experiences at small farms and communities, shows, and delicious cuisine. She also checked in by WhatsApp daily to confirm everything was running smoothly. Highly recommended if you want to maximize your travel experience!

Louise commitment to have a memorable trip in this amazing country was excellent. She done a great job booking all transportation which was my main concern. Very prompt in answering all my questions and requests. Well-deserved five stars!
Few feedback and recommendations:
- I had doubts about motels accommodations but seams that the motel 59 on Cron street at Franz Joseph was much better than Heartland hotel in Queenstown regarding facilities.
- At Franz Joseph, due to weather conditions, my heli trip was cancelled but I manage to find a driver to take me to Okarito. Was a great trip, see the beach and do the Trig walk, great views. I recommend having this option for the case another tourist facing same situation.
- The tour with Gray Line from Franz Joseph to Queenstown was split between two drivers. That was fine as was no need to transfer baggage, but the second driver was driving very fast and unsafe, even I mentioned to him that is driving very fast for a big bus he continues to do so. I was very uncomfortable and thinking even to make an official complain.
- At Milford Sound, thanks to the guide from RealNZ - Alisja, I could have a flight back to Queenstown. My wish was to have a helicopter tour on this trip, but the flight with the small plane and great pilot going around on top of the mountains can't describe how wonderful have been. :) RealNZ is a top class Tours Company! Five stars from me :)
- The tours with Cheeky Kiwi and Cheeky Kea were great, good drivers, funny and share information about areas we were passing.
- As a conclusion, the tours companies should give drivers enough time for the trips, their clients are tourists and want to stop more often in places of interest to make photos and enjoy the views.

My top two experiences are flying over the mountains and Mitai Maori cultural history experience.

As an overview I can say I had an amazing time. I'll share my experience with family and friends and hopefully I can come again.

Thank you Louise and thank you Kim Kim!

Adina Tutu.

Hotel Reviews

Oaks Auckland Hotel (Prev. Nesuto Stadium Auckland)

Auckland

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sudima

Christchurch

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sudima Lake Rotorua

Rotorua

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

58 On Cron

Great hotel, big room, very clean, kitchen with all you need.

Location

Only 5 minutes walk from center but quite and great view of the mountains.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bella Vista Christchurch

Christchurch

Activity Reviews

Explore Queenstown on Your Own

Queenstown (NZ)

Mitai Maori Village

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Glacier Valley Shuttle

Franz Josef Glacier

Quality of Experience

Depart New Zealand

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Transport

Rotorua to Auckland, Hobbiton

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Real Rotorua - Thermal Path Tour

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Milford Sound Coach/Cruise/Coach inc lunch ex ZQN

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TSS Earnslaw Farm Tour & Dinner

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport