Kimkim Trip Reviews

From the beginning of the whole booking process, Rebecca’s has been amazing ! She was very thorough throughout the planning process. Our tour guides George and Theo were absolutely incredible! We had so much fun with the two of them and they really showed us all around Athens! The rest of the trip was just as amazing on the other islands and everything was so smooth. From the clean hotels, to the luxury car transfers it couldn’t have been smoother. We are so happy we booked with this agency and HIGHLY recommend to anyone looking to book! Thanks for a dream vacation!

Dat did a great job listening to our likes and what we were looking for on our trip. We booked our trip with very little notice and he created a trip we will talk about for years! His team met all our bucket list items. I can not express enough how great our guides were. They took such good care of us. Our drivers made getting places easy. Our hotel locations were spot on for being close to anything we wanted to do, or getting to any place easily. It was an amazing trip. Thank you!

Ina was a fantastic trip planner. I wanted off the beaten path experiences and she really over delivered. We had adventures in Greece even the locals had never heard of! I will also say that Amy issue that arose (a few small things) and they had me straightened out literally within 5 minutes. I’d recommend them again and again.

Hotel Reviews

Avra Hotel

Rafina, Attica

Commuter hotel of tourists. It was very serviceable.

Leto Nuevo Hotel

Nafplio

Great hotel, great location, gorgeous views. It is a bit of a hike up the hill or stairs to get to the town/sea. I note this for people who may struggle with it. Hotel was comfy, great ac, great breakfast and bathrooms were roomy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fedriades Hotel

Delphi

Didn’t love this one and actually checked out a day early. The room was extra small, the bed very hard with small, flat pillows, couldnt get the ac to work and burned up at night. My panoramic view was seen over a huge roof, so not quite as advertised. No parking anywhere. Small bar but unattended. On the bright side, clean, breakfast was super and the town is adorable. It will only take about an hour to explore the whole things. Wonderful restaurant across the street with a better view. Walk to Delphi in 10 minutes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NLH Monastiraki

Athens

Great location. Great roof top bar (must do!). Very clean. Great ac. Rooms a little small but that’s how it goes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

5 minute walk from monastraki square and plaza.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Triple Swim Day Trip near Corinth

Greece

A lovely day spent waaaay off the beaten path. It was a little awkward at first since we picked our guide up on the side of an exit in a parking lot to a cemetery. However, she was lovely. We drove over an hour to get to the hiking spot to go to the waterfall. I will say that we weren’t prepared at all. The “gentle river trekking” was actually walking and climbing up a rapid river, over boulders, loads of large rocks in freezing cold water. At the end was a beautiful water fall - which I got in to and thought I may have died it was so cold. That said, it was very invigorating and honestly felt healing. You need special hiking shoes for this - we only had sneakers. The rest was easy and oh so beautiful. The lunch boxes were so special and delicious as was the dinner at an adorable local taverna. Our guide was wonderful.

Sea Kayak above sunken Epidaurus

Nafplio

Such amazing activity and the guide was simply the best. We really enjoyed an easy day of paddling, some history, a lovely walk, some beach time and overall just a perfect day. Snorkeling the old Roman villa was a real highlight.

Honey Farm Tour

Delphi

A real highlight of our trip! We didn’t know what to expect but we thought this was the bees knees (pun fully intended!). We spent a few hours privately with a bee keeps in the middle of an ancient olive orchard learning all about the bees. The honey was divine.

Private Tour of Delphi

Greece

Great tour with a knowledgeable guide. She was a little late and left a little early but overall a phenomenal experience. Delphi was one great highlight and felt so spiritual.

Lunch with Olive Grove View

Greece

Delicious lunch with amazing olive oils and tapenades. Seriously good. Loved sitting down and learning from the owner about his history, the ancient groves and its importance. We did not go into the grove or see production, however. It was a lovely lunch and we bought all the products with breathtaking views.

Saronic Islands Day Cruise

Athens

This was a nice day trip. We had VIP package which was nice. The pro’s were that you get to see 3 islands, spend a day at sea, VIP lounge with your own waitress, and first on/off. That said, you only get a little time on the islands, the food was meh, and it’s a lot of people. If I had to do it again, I’d charter my own boat.

Acropolis & Athens Mythology Tour

Athens

The best! We really enjoyed the unique tour and focus on both mythology and history. Our guide was funny, engaging and thoughtful. She made sure we had shady spots and rocks to get out of the sun often. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My husband did most of the planning with Petra but she helped me immediately when I contacted her after our stay in Bled when I left my silk pillowcase there. She arranged for it to meet up with me at the end of our trip! The tour guide Jasmina who led our food tour of Ljubliana was terrific - friendly and knowledgeable. I would say that the only things I think would have been useful were to know in advance how things work in Piran with the car and not to drive through the castle in Goriska Brda! We were clueless at first about getting to our hotel but one call to Hotel Piran and we understood what to do. In GB, the signage didn't really indicate that one shouldn't drive through the castle and that you park on top and walk from there. Luckily, we made it through without scraping any walls (of the car or castle!). Lastly, we didn't realize that Roundabout was the name of our tour services once in the country rather than kimkim but obviously, that became clear right away. Luka at Hotel Cubo was amazing. He was so friendly and warm and even loaned us the hotel's laminated map of Slovenia to return at the end of our trip. The whole experience was fabulous and we highly recommend your services!

I would highly recommend kimkim and Tasos at Travel12.
We had a very intentional agenda to experience historic Greece, it people, food, culture and history in a relatively short 10 day window, with a group of 8 adults. After trying to make the arrangements ourselves, we realized we couldn't really understand the quality of restaurants, accommodations, historic sites, and local guides, as well as arrange transfer easily. Therefore we reached out kimkim, who paired up with Tasos, at Travel 12.

Tasos understood exactly what we were looking for. He located quality, knowledgable guides. The guides were patient with our numerous questions, and gave you time to explore and absorb the experience beyond the "set" times. We experienced every site and activity we had desired. The trip even included a roundtrip flight to Crete, to learn about Minoan culture, the start of western civilization.
The transportation vehicles Tasos arranged were modern, clean, spacious air-conditioned vehicles. We were fed delicious, healthy, local food, in abundance, prepared fresh. We sampled each of the native Greece wine varietals.
Tickets were obtained in advance so we spent minimal time waiting in line. If there were questions or clarification needed day or night, we could contact travel12 for information, or to confirm a pick-up time and place. We didn't have "down time" working out logistics.

I can't say enough about the value Tasos and Kim Kim added to the trip. It was a hassle free experience, of high quality venues. We are already contemplating a return trip to Greece or Magna Graecia, in Italy. We will definitely return to these services in the future.

Activity Review

Sailing & Gastronomy in the Athenian Riviera

Athens

What an amazing evening! We sailed out of Athens to enjoy a sunset cruise aboard the Aiolis, eat freshly prepared Greek Cuisine, and enjoy local wine varieties. One highlight was swimming off-shore in the evening, in 20 feet of crystal clear Aegean Sea water. The captian, Yani, shared nautical tales, and gave us insight into the Greek attitudes and beliefs. He and the first mate brought course after course of local Greek food, that they prepared in the ship galley. By the end of the evening we understood the Greek mindset of welcoming the stranger, sealed with much laughter and two rounds of Ouzo as we pulled into port.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very personable and energetic crew to make the most of your experience

I didn't ever think I would use a travel agent. It's not very "millennial," but with a wife in medical school, two-year-old at home, and a full-time job, I decided to take my dad's advice and try out KimKim to plan our honeymoon vacation to Greece (after three years of delays due to the pandemic).

I couldn't have been more happy with my choice! Eleni and Mariliza were fantastic and picked out guides, tours, and experiences that were exactly what my wife and I were looking for. It was such a relief not to have to book hotels, worry about transportation, etc. The service was really out of this world and deeply refreshing to someone used to scrounging for deals on AirBnBs and fretting over public transit when traveling abroad.

In particular, my wife and I loved our experiences hiking in Meteora and Zagori. Our guide (Jim) in Meteora was very knowledge, but also hilarious and a great story-teller. We had a blast the whole time. I had never even heard of Vikos Gorge until Eleni suggested it, but ended up loving hiking out in the remote mountains of Eprius. Our guide (Athena) in Vikos was patient, engaging, and very attentive to our level of fatigue/comfort through the hike. The restaurant recommendations we got throughout the trip were also fantastic--with so many options to choose from (esp. in Athens) it was great to be able to pick from a smaller list. We never had a disappointing meal!

We also appreciated that Eleni/Mariliza were willing to let us "take the reigns" toward the end of the trip. My father is Greek and we wanted to spend time visiting family in Kavala. Eleni/Mariliza arranged a very smooth transition from the part of the trip they planned with the time that we spent seeing relatives. It was reassuring to know that they were there and available to help if we needed them, but not pushing us to buy/do things that we didn't want or need to.

Overall, we are really happy. Next time we take a big trip abroad, we will definitely use KimKim. This was so much better and more relaxing than doing everything ourselves. Now that I've tried a modern travel agency, I don't think I can ever go back. :)

we are very happy that we called KIMKIM and Lucia was the best person we talked to . we talked to her multiple times for last 2months for the tour and she was always available to talk and we got great advice and answered all our questions.
She guided us for the trips ,excursions and local smart shopping , hotels ....etc
I would recommend KimKim and Lucia to anybody looking for tour to Ecuador and near by Latin countries .

Transportation arranged by Lucia along with local Guides were great too. Alexandro the driver at Quito was the best.
Marco at Quito as guide and Indira at Santacruz ( Galapagos) were very good.
Danny on last day at Quito was OK , he was rushing us .

Over all we are very happy with Lucia and her teak.

Kalpesh and Jagruti Parikh from USA

We planned a trip to Italy with KimKim and it was absolutely amazing. Everything was planned well and our agent was alert and responsive to every request we put in. I will definitely use Kimkim in our next adventure. You will not go wrong with Moreno from Kimkim he is amazing to deal with.

Never having used the services of KimKim/Storywalking, I must say I had a little skepticism since all was developed through emails and no real “fave to face” conversation. Well, I’m here to say that this was perhaps one of the BEST planned trips I have ever taken! Everything went like clockwork. From the planning of Chiara, who listened to what I wanted in a trip, to Jessica and Barbara assisting us during the journey…they were all superb! Easily accessible for questions and able to adjust and assist exactly as requested. We certainly were able to experience a true taste of NW Italy and Chianti. All the excursions, drivers, train tickets, car rental all were perfect! We could not have asked for better execution during a trip. I think our favorite spots were the Royal Victorian Hotel in Varenna and the Hotel Belvedere in Chianti. Not to say the Buranco
BnB in Monterosso was not great, just a different experience. We really enjoyed visiting with Mary, one of the winery/BnB owners and the food and wine were fantastic.
I would definitely use KimKim/Storywalking again!! Many thanks to all of you who assisted in planning this trip, especially Chiara, with a perfect 10 for this trip!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!

Hotel Reviews

Lancaster Hotel

Milan

Great location if you want to spend the day visiting the Cathedral.

Authenticity & Character

Very Milanese!!

Location

Other than proximity to Cathedral, might be a little too distant for other sights.

Staff

Attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

No complaints!!

Agriturismo Buranco

Monterosso al Mare

Sort of hard to get to but worth the effort! Outstanding views and location!!

Authenticity & Character

We stayed in Casa Blanca one of only 4apartments in this winery/BnB.

Location

Easy walk into Monterosso and train station and ferries, shops and restaurants.

Staff

Outstanding care!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Could use a little updating in the apartment with regards to AC/ceiling fans.. but… overall was great.

Belvedere di San Leonino

Castellina in Chianti

Love, love, love this hotel!! The views were spectacular!! Very authentic country farm/winery hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Felt like we were part of the area. Very authentic!!

Location

Easy to get anywhere you wanted to go in Tuscany.

Staff

Very attentive!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean!!

Hotel Nazionale

Desenzano del Garda

Good location for visiting the main areas of Desanzano. Close to restaurants and ferries which were both within a 8 minute walk from hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Very stale hotel. Felt like the hotel was more for your groups than individuals.

Location

A little off the beaten path but close enough to what we needed.

Staff

Not very friendly towards Americans.

Cleanliness & Comfort

All was good, except for the view overlooking the Audi dealership.

Hotel Royal Victoria

Beautiful hotel and location in Varenna, Lake Como!!

Authenticity & Character

Really felt special at this hotel.

Location

Accessibility to village and ferries.

Staff

Very attentive !!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nothing was missed or left to chance.

Activity Reviews

Wine Experience in Cinque Terre

Italy

Unfortunately we did not participate in the event as we were exhausted. Sorry to miss this,

Cinque Terre Trekking & Train Card

Italy

So easy to view all 5 villages!!

Truffle Hunting with Lunch

Italy

Very interesting! Great winery!

Quality of Experience

So much good food and wine!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marengo, our truffle guide was great along with his truffle hunting dogs. Great learning experience.

Transport

We drive our rental car. Very easy.

Sirmione Walking and Boat Tour & Scaliger Castle

Italy

Wow!! Great tour!! Beautiful surroundings and so interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Varenna and Bellagio Tour

Italy

So beautiful! Our guide was very knowledgeable and attentive to our questions.

Quality of Experience

Enjoyed learning more about the history of the Melzi family.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All great!

Transport

Took the ferry and enjoyed all.

In the footsteps of Leonardo Da Vinci - Last Supper- Skip the Line Guided Tour

Milan

So glad we had a tour! Amazing guide and tour.

Quality of Experience

Our guide was great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Attentiveness!!

Transport

On time!!

We just returned from a 14 day trip to Spain. Dalia did a great job coordinating all of our transfers and accommodations. We planned a busy schedule so didn’t give much time for ourselves but saw all of the major sights we were hoping to see and got a real feel for Spanish h culture. Highlights included the tapas and flamenco tour in Sevilla with Manuel. My husband did an e-bike tour in the mountains and the e-bike wine tour in Barcelona was wonderful. Too bad we both got sick and had to miss a couple of events but we made the most of it. We would go back to Barcelona and Mallorca and spend more time relaxing

Activity Reviews

Madrid Tapas, Taverns & History group tour

Madrid

Lots of walking. Great opportunity to see local places and taste native foods

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Madrid Highlight group tour with Royal Palace

Madrid

Very informative tour of this major landmark.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

E-Bike wine tour in the Penedes - Half day trip

Barcelona

Collin was an excellent guide for the bike tour and Albert was our guide for the wine tour. Beautiful day away from the crowds.

Quality of Experience

Guides we’re excellent. The winery was wont

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very helpful and informative. Loved the private winery tour

Transport

Train was easy

Kayaking on the Guadalquivir river

Seville

Would not recommend. Restroom was gross, not even by third world standards. Staff was impersonal. They only had one boat and it was leaking. Almost tipped over near the end when boat wave swamped us. Mikele was guide and did a great job though, despite a leaking kayak. Scenery was OK.

Quality of Experience

Different company with better boats

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sevilla & Tapas & Flamenco Small Group Evening Tour

Seville

Wonderful tour. Not too long and food was great. Manuel was wonderful - he loves flamenco and shared his passion with us

Quality of Experience

Manuel

Food

Spinach. Angry potatoes

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Train to Granada for group tour of the Alhambra and transfer to Sevilla

Spain

Wry impressive site. Tons of walking. Many stairs

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver Javier was excellent. He held our luggage and drove us to our hotel in Seville

Transport

Drach Caves and Porto Cristo day tip

Spain

Nope. Major tourist trap. Extremely crowded and not worth the effort. Dark and many stairs. Stay away

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was nice and helped us get in even though we were late arriving. He also took us to a pearl factory on the way back to our hotel. Thank you Pedro

Transport

We drove our rental car and Pedro helped navigate

Hanna set up a great trip for us. Every hotel had our reservation and we were able to check in effortlessly. The details in the trip plan were thorough and we were able to see every sight we wanted to see. The organization of the trip plan was helpful so that we were able to know what was coming up and how long it would take to get there. We have never done a self-drive holiday before, but definitely will again. We don’t like being led around in a tour group, and the flexibility of self-drive gave us the convenience of a tour with the freedom of taking our own holiday.

Activity Review

Katla Ice Cave

Iceland

Super fun. A bit physically challenging, but in a good way. You go right inside an ice cave on a glacier and then through it to come out on the other side to hike on the glacier a short way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lizbet was great. She understood our preferences and tried to accommodate them.

The first accommodations were perfect. I challenged lizbet on the second accommodations and she said we were booking late and that was all she could get. I would not recommend the Stracta Apartments. There are no restaurants nearby, no host or anyone to talk to, not sure about the safety there, so I did not go out to run by myself, and, very frustrating, it is not on Google maps. Making it difficult to navigate.

Kayaking was cancelled due to wind.

Missed hot pools due to baggage delivery system breaking at the airport causing a 2 plus hour delay.

Ice cave tour was outstanding
Food recommendations were very helpful.
Maps and turn by turn guide got us to all out destinations.
Lizbet, thank you for the descriptions of all the nearby waterfalls and other tourist attractions. Extremely helpful.

Hotel Reviews

Aurora Hotel at Reykjavik-Keflavik Airport Terminal KEF

Keflavík

Excellent dinner there. Lots of vegetables with main course.

Authenticity & Character

Had an exercise room. Bikes worked, never got tread mill to work.

Location

Could walk to rental car return and terminal. Wonderful location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shower was small

Stracta Apartments Orustustaðir

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

No host. Not sure about the safety there. I did not go out to run by myself.

Authenticity & Character

It was clean. Had a full kitchen

Location

Get your road on Google maps. Grade the road more often. 7 km of potholes!

Staff

Never saw any one

Cleanliness & Comfort

There are only 2 kitchen chairs to sit on. There are no chairs with soft cushions.

Hotel Eldhestar

Ölfus, Hveragerði

Very quiet, clean and it was so much fun to see and hear the horses. Sorry we did not have time for a ride. They recommended a wonderful hike for us. Thank you.

Authenticity & Character

Great to hear and see the horses

Location

No road noise. Did hear the wind though

Staff

Loved yhe hike they recommended

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bath room was quite large

Activity Reviews

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon Kayaking Tour

Iceland

Very disappointed, cancelled due to wind. When is it not windy the there? Provided full refund

Quality of Experience

Katla Ice Cave

Iceland

Best part of the trip. Hawk, our guide , was so enthusiastic, knowledgeable, fun to be with.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enthusiasm of guides. Each vehicle group is kept separate so small groups, easier to hear.

Transport

My "guide" was a lovely man, very friendly and prompt. But he wasn't really a guide. I spent a day touring Pablo Neruda's homes because I thought I would learn more about the poet from him. Instead I went to each home and listened to a repetitive audio tour. Not what I thought I was paying more for. I do want to reiterate that this was not Orlando's fault, he was very kind and considerate every step of the way. But the planning by the agency was poor.

I had a pleasant experience planning my family’s trip to Morocco using KimKim and working with Majid. Majid made great suggestions about an itinerary and places to stay which were all amazing.

Our driver and guide Youssef was friendly and fun. He was always available and on time and a pleasure to spend our time with. When my son got a stomach issue ( dont eat pizza!!) Majid and Youssef worked together to alter our trip and assist in adjusting our hotel stay.

The local tour guides that Majid arranged and that Youssef worked so well with were very knowledgeable. We learned so much and covered a lot of ground.

Our trip was truly fantastic. Thank you Majid and best regards to our dear driver Youssef!!!

Hotel Review

borj-des-cascades-ouzoud

ouzoud

We were unable to stay due to change in itinerary due to illness. We were very disappointed when the hotel did not reimburse us anything.

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Meknes & the Roman Ruins of Volubilis

Fes

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was engaged. Spoke very fast so we missed things.

Transport

Youssef always the best !!!

Fes: Exploring the Imperial City

Fes

Fantastic and full day. We saw and experienced it all. Our local tour guide was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner with a local Family in Fes

Fes

Rio:
positive:
Daria was excellent in responding to messages.
itinerary was good. Guide was good for us and guide let us enjoy the sites without any time restriction.
Negative:
2 last minute issues with itinerary.
1) show in rio we wanted to see was not available on Tuesdays in May but we were taken to the show and then only we were told there was no show so our much anticipated evening and show became disappointment. they did arrange some other activity free but still one evening is ruined
2) another day, coffee farm visit was re arranged day before to evening from morning. this caused us to cancel our original plan in the evening,

Iguzu falls:

Excellent Guide: Luis was amazing . all went well with the plan

Hotel Reviews

Arena Copacabana Hotel

Rio de Janeiro

Hotel in excellent location. Breakfast and restaurant food was good. Need renovation of washroom

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

JL Hotel by Bourbon

Foz do Iguacu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Argentinian Side Falls Tour regular

Foz do Iguaçu

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Parque das Aves - Birds park

Foz do Iguaçu

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Brazilian Side Falls Tour regular

Foz do Iguaçu

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Favela Tour private tour

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to a historic coffee farm

Rio de Janeiro

good experience if you haven't seen any coffee farm or small towns. but it is a long drive almost 2,5 hrs one way. not sure it is worth the experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tijuca Forest and Botanic Garden private tour

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sugarloaf, Santa Teresa and old Rio

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christ the Redeemer & city tour private tour

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Churrascaria Carretão do Lido

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My wife and I have been dreaming of a trip to Morocco since 2020. When we got married earlier this year, we knew right away where our honeymoon would be. Our to do list was long- we wanted to see all of the sights and cities but didn't know where to begin with planning.

There are hundreds of travel agencies in Morocco and we are so incredibly lucky to have found Kimkim, along with Original Travels. Said and his team helped plan our entire weeklong itinerary, taking all of our requests into account. In a weeks time, we've seen the blue city of Chefchaouen, the imperial city of Meknes, the historic medina in Fez, spent time in the desert by Merzouga, Aït Benhaddou and Marrakech.

Each city has brought with it a unique and individualized experience, and memories that we know will last a lifetime. Our driver Faisal has been incredibly accommodating and hospitable, he is the reason why our trip has been so memorable. From his firsthand knowledge of Morocco's history, to making sure I had enough caffeine to make it through the early mornings, Faisal gave us a truly authentic experience.

It was evident from the minute we met Faisal that he has a deep love for his country and Moroccan culture and is eager to share it with his clients. This is clearly not just his job, but his passion. He played a pivotal role in the trip of a lifetime for us that we will forever cherish.

Having never used a travel agency before, I had reservations about putting my vacation in the hands of others. But I can say without any hesitation, this has been the best vacation we've ever had and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Said and Faisal for anyone planning a visit to Morocco.

Eduardo was very helpful on the planning of our trip. We are very thankful of his help and all the help of the driver Arturo as well all the guides , Diana, and Esmeralda.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Barcelo

Guatemala City

We had a terrible experience at this hotel. The first night we got there we had to call reception because there was water on the bathroom floor and the toilet was leaking. They said that they will move us to a different room but later told us that there weren’t any rooms available. So they sent someone to fix the toilet but it leaked the next day. We called reception again at 8 PM and someone else came to dried up the floor and put out towels on the floor. Both maintenance guys didn’t know what the problem was. They just kept drying the floor. We had to called reception one more time at 1AM because the noise of the water that was leaking woke us up. At this point they wanted to move us to another room and we said no thank you. We were leaving that day. We won’t ever ever come back to this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jungle Lodge Tikal

Peten

The room was nice clean. Unfortunately the sink was not working properly. The water was not going down. The food at the restaurant was good and the people at the front desk were helpful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eco Hotel Uxlabil

We had a terrible experience there. There was a bar close by and the music was very loud. The music didn’t stop until midnight and then the dogs started barking until 4AM. The next day the music started again at 9AM. The lake is beautiful and peaceful but it’s so sad that the loud music ruined our stay there. It seems that they don’t care about the tourists. We won’t ever go back there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Camino Real Antigua

Antigua Guatemala

We had a great time at the Camino Real Hotel. People are very caring and helpful there. The rooms are very clean. The food at the restaurant is amazing! I forgot my phone and Fitbit chargers there and they emailed me to let me know. I was so happy to get the chargers back. Arturo the driver was able to pick them up at the Camino Real Hotel and brought them back to the hotel that we were staying at in Guatemala City. We would go back to the Camino Real in a heart beat!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Scenic Drive to Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canopy Tour in Tikal National Park

Guatemala

Javier and Kevin were very helpful and very nice people.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunrise Tour of Tikal National Park

Guatemala

Our guide Oliver was very knowledgeable. Our driver Eduardo was very nice too. We enjoyed the sunrise very much. Oliver even let us used his binoculars to see the monkeys.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eduardo’s van was very comfy. The seats had headrests.

Guatemala City Tour

Guatemala

We enjoyed going to the National Palace, Cayala and the market. The only thing is the traffic is terrible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flor de Ixcaco weaving process

Guatemala

Delfina was very knowledgeable. We enjoyed this activity very much. The store was very pretty too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver Arturo was an excellent driver. We enjoyed his company very much.

My husband and I did a 10 day trip to Athens, Naxos, and Santorini and had a blast. Angela was the absolute best! Anything we needed she made it happen and made sure our trip was stress free. We would highly recommend her!

Organized, friendly and knowledgeable guidance

I thoroughly enjoyed planning a family trip for four adults with Lisa and her team. I had loads of questions when I started planning and plenty of last-minute annoying questions, each time Lisa and her associates answered them quickly and accurately. Lisa helped me lay out an itinerary, then suggested activities based on our interests.

Sea kayaking in Ålesund with Daniel at Uteguide, Bergen Past and Present with Magda and the walking tour of Copenhagen were standout experiences.

The hotels they booked were all very comfortable and when hotel that I requested was unavailable, they put me on a wait list and we ended up staying there. They also obtained a last-minute upgrade for our hotel in Copenhagen.

Their work was excellent all around.

Hotel Reviews

MS Richard With

Tromsø

We are not people who go on cruises so we were pleasantly surprised with our over all experience. The MS Richard With is a working cargo ship as well as a cruise ship so it's a pared down cruise experience is my impression. Lots of folks sitting with their knitting looking out on the fjords as we sailed by. As for food, we only opted for breakfast, which was excellent. We were very comfortable and had a very nice time. The best part was when a crew member spoke about certain islands we were passing and their history.

Authenticity & Character

I mean, it's the Hurtigruten, it doesn't get much more authentic than that.

Location

Sailing up the coast of Norway is a special experience.

Staff

Friendly and safety oriented.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms on a cruise ship are small, generally, but these were very well laid-out and comfortable.

71 Nyhavn Hotel

Copenhagen, Denmark

This hotel is a located in Nyhavn which is a very busy area. The hotel is near the sound, just around the corner from the theater and Ofelia Plads, a five minute walk from a pedestrian bridge that crosses the sound and about an eight minute walk from Kongens Nytorv, where the Royal Ballet is. The area between those points can be packed but it's about one of the prettiest areas in the city. We were in junior suites on the top floor, each had a sitting area or desk with a sleeping area upstairs under the eaves. The rooms were very comfortable, pretty and sunny. They can get warm from the sun and being at the top of the building but there is a window that opens and air-conditioning. The staff were EXTREMELY helpful, going out of their way to make sure we were aware of issues with road closures the day of our departure and helping us strategize the best way to get to the airport. The breakfast is very nice with lots of options and good coffee.

Authenticity & Character

The decor is beautiful in a warm and welcoming way.

Location

It is very close to the sound and an easy walk or bike ride to various attractions.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Britannia

Trondheim

Hotel Britannia is a luxury hotel that really lives up to its reputation. The rooms are beautiful. The facilities--gym, pool, sauna and spa--are well-appointed. The whole place smells good. The staff is friendly and professional. The breakfast is out of this world good.

Authenticity & Character

The breakfast, especially the herring.

Location

It's down the street from the royal residence and a ten minute walk from the Cathedral.

Staff

The staff remembered me when I returned with a follow-up question.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was in impeccable condition.

Heimen Hotel

Bergen

This is a good location because you are within a ten minute walk to anything you would want to see or do but it's a quiet street. We were there the weekend the local football team won the Norway cup and the town was going nuts but we couldn't here any of it from our hotel. Staff is helpful if not overly friendly. The lobby is nice to hang out in with tea and coffee available and the breakfast was high quality with lots of selection and good food. They do need to do a little bit of work on their rooms. The furniture is in noticeably poor shape and there are no black-out shades which can make sleeping in the summer months a bit difficult.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A quiet street that is a ten minute walk from most areas of interest.

Staff

The staff is very professional and can answer any questions you may have.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Copenhagen Card

Copenhagen

We used the Copenhagen card to travel out to the Louisiana Museum, it covered both the train and entrance to the museum. We also used it for the Rosenberg Castle and the metro. The number of attractions are staggering. We were biking around the city, but if you are relying on trains and busses or want to take day trips this is must have.

Day at the Tivoli Gardens

Copenhagen

Tivoli Gardens is the 19th century prototype for our modern day theme parks. It is smaller than modern ones but it is so well designed that it feels much bigger than it is. The rides are fun, there is excellent food to be had and the landscaping is incredibly beautiful. We were there in spring when the flowers were in early bloom. We went on a Friday night when they have free concerts. The concert area was packed with locals coming to hear a very popular Danish rock band. There's also a laser show, a philharmonic and panto. Or if shopping is your thing, there are tchotchke shops galore.

Quality of Experience

Private tour Copenhagen walking tour

Copenhagen

We loved this tour and the tour guide. It is a two and a half hour walking tour that is worth every minute so wear comfortable shoes and maybe do some extra miles at home before your trip. Our guide had lived in the US for many years so her English was excellent. Her knowledge of the history of Denmark and Copenhagen is extensive but she is such a good story teller that she makes it come alive in interesting a surprising ways. She was able to customize the tour on the spot according to our interests which she picked up on through conversation.

Quality of Experience

Smart and engaged tour guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sea Kayaking In Ålesund

Ålesund

I would recommend this for people who have some familiarity with kayaking. You don't need much experience but there are some tricky spots where it helps to know how to handle the kayak. That said, our guide did an excellent job of covering the basics, getting us geared up and in the kayaks.

Quality of Experience

There is nothing like seeing any part of the Norwegian coast from the water. We saw lots of fish and a habor seal up close.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Daniel was knowledgeable, had an easy and accessible instruction style and was a calm and low-key presence.

Past & Present City Walk

Bergen

Madga did an excellent job of explaining the history of Bergen and Norway. Her comments on Byrggen and Hanseatic heritage were especially enlightening. We covered a fair bit of ground, but the pace is gentle and she took care not to exhaust the members of the tour.

Quality of Experience

Where do we even begin.. our trip to Morocco that was put together by Original Travels couldn't have gone any better. We worked with Mohamed during the planning stage. He was very knowledgeable and patient. We were all over the place in terms of trying to see everything in a short amount of time. We kept changing our minds and without hesitation he made the adjustments to our itinerary and kept reassuring us that we would be able to see everything we had hoped for.

Once we arrived in Morocco we were greeted by our driver, Soukayna. We cannot say enough good things about her! She truly made our trip spectacular. She always had a smile on her face, personable, funny, professional, safe and an amazing driver, calm, always early, resourceful, and went above and beyond to make sure we had the most memorable vacation. She even made sure that our 5 year wedding anniversary was not forgotten and surprised us with a cake she was able to source from a local family in Merzouga. We couldn't imagine seeing and experiencing Morocco with anyone else. Soukayna started off as our driver and ended as our family she was truly the hardest goodbye of our trip!