Kimkim Trip Reviews

My daughter and I did an art tour of the Netherlands. Bas from Beat The Dutch did such a great job matching expectations to our budget. I didn't know what to expect, having never used KimKim before, but overall, it was really great - we were comfortable, safe, and were able to move between cities and sites with ease on public transport, thanks to pre-loaded OV chip cards Beat The Dutch provided. Everybody involved did a wonderful job.

Every city we visited was scheduled well, with four star hotels or wine resorts or a farmhouse run by a local family. We loved the accommodations but mores loved the personal attention given by Raquel and Eugenia. When we had any question or issue, they were responsive at every turn. The personal tours were all memorable and each guide was unique and interesting. Wine and champagne tours were all fun and the explanations of the champagne making and wine making process, visiting the cellars and touring the wineries was fantastic. Raquel and Eugenia helped us book museums and the history and art was overwhelming and fascinating. Even when we could not get a reservation at a famous restaurant, Botin in Madrid, they were able to get us in. They were so kind and helpful. We would HIGHLY recommend them and the Kim Kim Website to anyone looking for excellent service and planning for a trip to Europe. We would use them again anyway we want to go on another European Vacation.

Hotel Reviews

Arte' Boutique Hotel

Firenze

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was extremely attentive and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Altarocca Wine Resort

Orvieto

Beautiful setting. Peaceful and serene with country setting and very nice accomodations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Intur Palacio San Martin

Madrid

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Sometimes preoccupied, but responsive when asked.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tenuta La Santissima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wine tour in Chianti

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Orientation tour of Florence with visit to the Accademia

Florence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Siena city tour

Siena

Our tour guide, Claudia, was so knowledgeable and sweet. Asked for our questions and left time for us to think about what we wanted to know. Listened and interacted so well. Showed interest in us and was very responsive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Claudia was awesome.

Transport

Montalcino: visit and wine tasting

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Daytrip to Reims and the wine region of Champagne

Paris

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Versailles and Giverny small group

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day orientation tour in Paris

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Datrip to Montserrat and Penedes wine region

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gaudí Highlights tour

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Prado and Retiro tour

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tapas tour and Old Town walking tour

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Boutique Hotel Galatea was fantastic! Everyone greeted us warmly and the accommodations were comfortable. Our waiter at the complimentary breakfast was most helpful with providing restaurant recommendations for the Florence segment of our trip. Veronik with the Vatican tour and Martina from the Travestere Food Tour were excellent guides and Michela from Michela Home Restaurant gave us the most memorable experience.
The highlight of Florence was most definitely the Tuscany Vespa Tour and the wine/olive oil tasting at Castello di Poppiano! Ben and Alessandro were wonderful guides and made the experience even more special.
Our private transfer driver from Salerno to Sorrento, Massimo, was so very generous and helpful. We made a special request to make a quick visit to the small town of Colliano before being taken to Sorrento. Massimo went above and beyond our expectations for that side jaunt.
Sorrento was breathtakingly beautiful! Unfortunately, bad weather prevented us from enjoying some of our activities. The full day driving along the Amafli coast was absolutely gorgeous, though not an experience I would recommend, due to the extreme traffic and lack of time that we were able to spend exploring each of the towns. However, our driver Angelo was wonderful and made the 9 hours more pleasant with his positive attitude and serenades.

Hotel Reviews

Aquae Romanae Bed and Breakfast Sorrento

Sorrento

Although this was the largest of the rooms and the proprietor was extremely friendly and helpful, this was our least favorite accommodation. The facility is listed as a Bed and Breakfast, but they no longer provide breakfast since COVID. The bathroom was only separated from the bedroom by a floor to ceiling glass partition. A portion of the glass was frosted to provide some privacy, however, it was still rather uncomfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful. Gave restaurant suggestions. Immediately came when we had a slight issue with the key at the gate.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The shower area was not as clean as other accommodations and the lack of private bathroom was noticeable.

Boutique Hotel Galatea

Rome

The staff was soooo welcoming, friendly. and helpful. The breakfast was good and the personalized service was outstanding. The gentleman waiter from the morning breakfast service personally wrote down restaurant recommendations for us for the next city on our trip. The room was small but clean and comfortable. We would definitely stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dedo Boutique Hotel

Florence

Compared to our experience in Rome, the staff was not as friendly. We did have a couple of maintenance issues, which were resolved to our satisfaction. There was a lot of variety for breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very near the Arno River and quite walkable.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tour: Positano, Amalfi & Ravello

Italy

This was our least favorite activity. The extreme traffic and lack of time we were able to spend exploring the towns of Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello detracted from the overall experience. Our driver, Angelo, made the experience much more pleasant.

Quality of Experience

Due to the traffic, one day just wasn't enough time to fully explore what each town had to offer. More than half of the day was spent in the car.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Angelo was so genuinely nice and joyful. He made the ride through chaotic traffic as enjoyable as possible.

Transport

The car was clean and comfortable. Angelo takes pride in his work and it shows!

Secrets Walks of Sorrento: Street food by Locals

Italy

Our guide, Hugo, was fantastic and very knowledgeable. We would have preferred that more of the street food we sampled was savory, and not all sweet.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Uffizi and Accademia - Skip the line tickets

Florence

The Birth of Venus and David truly were magnificent! The skip the line tickets are essential.

Quality of Experience

Tuscany Vespa Tours

Florence

Best day in Florence!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ben and Alessandro were fantastic!

Transport

Market Tour & Cooking lesson

Rome

Best day ever!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Michela was so wonderful! She made us feel like life-long friends.

Transport

Rome Food Tour

Rome

We had the guide all to ourselves!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour with Roman Forum

Rome

We don't recall our guide's name, but she was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Rome

Veronika was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eliise organised an awesome 7 day trip in Norway for us. Communication and payment was easy in lead up to travel. Support during travel was great over whatsapp. We were a little unlucky with the weather (strong winds and heavy rain) which obstructed some of the views for our hikes with blanket fog - but we still made the most of our time. Some of the hikes were challenging but rewarding (many stairs!!). We found the local people in Norway very friendly and polite, and fresh Cod was delicious - recommend ordering fish on the menu!
We enjoyed the icy mountain tops of the Lofoten Isands and even tried out Arctic surf lessons which was very fun and a bucket list item! We would go through Kimkim again for travel.

Dean organised an awesome 10 day adventure through Ireland for us. Communication and payment in lead up to the trip was easy, and support during travel over whats app or online was speedy. Any little hiccups were resolved instantly and we had an absolute blast. Highlight of our trip was a day bike riding around Aran Islands and buying locally hand made woolen sweaters. The weather was freezing and we had a windy ferry ride (rug up!) but that didn't stop us having a fantastic time. Had the best fish and chips of my life in Ireland. Would recommend organizing your travel through Dean and his team.

Elisa organised an epic ten day adventure for us through the West Fjords and south coast of Iceland. Liaising and payment in lead up to the trip was simple and Elisa was very helpful if we encountered any hiccups during the trip. We appreciated the support over Whatsapp when travelling. Elisa met up with us briefly and gifted us some Icelandic goodies which was a very sweet touch. The highlight of the trip was certainly the west fjords which was the slightly less traveled part of Iceland - beautiful sweeping scenery that we could take in over days of driving with 100 photo stops. We couldn't get enough. Recommend ordering fresh Cod when available on the menu - it was always delicious. Iceland was a very expensive country which we were anticipating. Certainly a once in a lifetime trip though! We would book through KimKim again.

Francesca organised a fabulous trip to the Faroe Islands for us. Contact and payment in lead up to the trip was simple and quick. We were a little unlucky with weather on the trip, which unfortunately resulted in morning ferry cancellations to Mykines (we tried three days in a row!) but we appreciated Francesca and her colleague's support to keep re-booking the ferry so we could keep trying. Anytime we had little hiccups we received prompt assistance from KimKim. Highlight of the trip was a day out on Kalsoy Island (beautiful black basalt wall where James Bond gravestone is erected given scenes filmed in the iconic 'No Time to Die' film). Tip: arrive at least an hour early to get in line for the 10-car-max ferry to go across to Kalsoy Island as queues build quickly and we were unable to get the morning one, but tried again and got on the afternoon one. (also bring a phone charger+ any medication in case you get stuck there for the night if weather turns or the return ferry is full). Food can be a little hit and miss (and expensive) in Faroe Islands if you are a bit fussy like myself, but fresh fish (especially Cod) was always delightful. Despite much of our trip leaving the islands as a blanket fog of mystery with the weather, we had a great time and would book through KimKim again.

Nuria went way beyond in helping me plan trip. She even made several suggestions that were definitely much needed.

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham

Tamarindo

The hotel is on a hill over looking the ocean. They offer an hourly shuttle but only to two different inconvenient locations. Also because it faces west for the incredible view there is no shade around the pool. The bed was very comfortable but the only covering was a very thick comforter so I asked for a lighter cover and they brought another heavy comforter.

Authenticity & Character

A very upscale hotel but not a lot of authenticity.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kokoro Mineral Hot Springs

La Fortuna

The location and setting were amazing with views of Arenal Volcano. I stayed in a stand-alone bungalow that was very comfortable. The staff were simply wonderful. The only negative was that the jacuzzi was drained but the natural hot mineral pools were excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Views of Arenal Volcano nestled in the jungle.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Palo Verde Jungle Boat Tour & Guaitil Pottery

Costa Rica

The boat engine was so loud and the guide sat at the front talking with a group of photographers. I had to ask many times what he was talking about. Also it was billed as visiting an authentic Guantil Village to observe the generations old pottery making. There was no visit but a single guy who set up a table in the cafe where we lunched. He made a small clay pot and showed us photographs of the painting process. Very lame.

Quality of Experience

Food

The authentic meal at the end of the boat ride was very tasty (chicken, rice, beans) but by the time the chicken dish came to me there was only a skimpy leg. I asked for a bigger piece that all the others had but there was none.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver informed us there would be 1 maybe 2 stops. The 1st stop was a quick restroom break where he announced 10 minutes. The 2nd was at a souvenir shop/cafeteria. I thought it would be another 10 minute restroom stop but after a long time I couldn't find him so I asked another tourist and she said she didn't know how long the break was but the driver was in the cafeteria having lunch!!!

Transport

Snorkeling at the Catalina Islands

Costa Rica

This was billed as snorkling but really was a scuba trip that catered mostly to the scuba divers. The snorklers felt unimportant. There was no instruction on using the equipment.

Quality of Experience

This is the fault of the tour but the water was extremely choppy and not clear at all. I sat out the 2nd snorkle due to the water choppiness.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

More attention to the snorklers. My tube was faulty and the guy in the water with us didnt understand and kept trying to adjust the mask.

Transport

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Rafting Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

I was pleasantly surprised to be the only one on the raft with the guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and friendly, pointing out things along the way I never would've seen. He also went into detail about these sights. At the end of the very relaxing float he took me to an eco farm for snacks made entirely from ingredients from the farm.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was by far the best zipline experience I've had!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Horseback Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

So so ride mostly through a flat open field.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jean Carlo really made sure our honeymoon was planned perfectly! Everything went very well and we had the best time in Costa Rica! Can't believe it's over already :(

Hotel Reviews

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

This hotel was so nice! It was extremely clean and the staff were all so nice and helpful. We loved feeling like we were out in nature but also was just a few minutes walk from restaurants and souvenir shops. The wifi was spotty at our room, but the staff told us in advance that they were having some wifi issues due to the high winds the area had been impacted by. It wasn't too much of a problem and was nice to disconnect from the outside world for a few days while we stayed here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

The resort was so nice! We had issues with the key card when we first checked in, but the hotel staff resolved the issue right away and had someone come up to the room to give us our new key cards. The room itself is a bit away from the restaurant, pools and main lobby but they had shuttle come around and pick us up and we didn't mind walking a couple times to get a nice workout in. The food was amazing and the hot springs at the resort was so much fun to relax and visit.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pachira Lodge

Tortuguero

The lodge itself was really nice, but not as much privacy as we would have liked. You can hear your neighbors extremely clearly and the wall dividing the rooms don't go up all the way. Other than that, the pool was really nice to relax at and we were able to see plenty of wildlife at the lodge itself. We were greeted by some monkeys right outside of our room which was a pleasant surprise!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, San Jose Aeropuerto

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the airport but not very close to the city

Staff

Staff was very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cloud Forest Reserve Hike

Monteverde

We had such a good time on this tour. We told our guide Carlos that we wanted a more active hike so he was able to find the best route for us. At the beginning of our hike we saw two rare birds, the Quetzal. They were so beautiful and Carlos told us that about 10% of folks who come to the forest ever get a chance to see them so we were pleasantly surprised! It was also great seeing how excited he got when he spotted the birds! I told Carlos I also wanted to see the clouds and he said it might be tough but was able to find a good place for us to see the clouds which was really nice. We ended the hike at the cafe which also has hummingbird feeders and there were hummingbirds everywhere which was really cool to see up close!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall & Arenal Volcano Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was probably our most favorite tour during our entire Costa Rica trip! Our guide, Alfredo, was the best! He was able to give us so much information and spot all kinds of snakes and animals. He was also very friendly and would joke around a lot which made the whole experience very enjoyable. He also recommended we eat at the end of the day which we greatly appreciated because the food was very heavy and we probably wouldn't have been as comfortable with the Waterfall if we had eaten before. The food was very delicious! Alfredo also made sure to pack some fruits and drinks for us as well as towels which we weren't expecting, so that was such a nice little touch!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Exploration of Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero

The Tortuguero national park was a fun tour to check out. We saw a lot of different animals and birds. We weren't prepared with binoculars so we didn't get the best views of the animals. It was very impressive that the guide was able to spot animals from so far away. Being on a boat for the tour was a nice little touch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit to the Tortuguero Village

Tortuguero

The visit to the village was nice. I think we were just exhausted from the travel that we would have liked to be able to get settled in a bit more before we had to go on the guided visit. Also because it is not the busy tourist season, it was a bit sparse and we probably would have been ok if we stayed for only an hour instead of the full two hours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zip Line (Canopy) Monteverde

Monteverde

I love heights and getting an adrenaline rush so this activity was right up my alley. I had done zip lining before but this was really a great experience. The longer zip lines was truly amazing and really felt like you were flying across the forest. They also have different options for those who are more adventurous called the Superman where you zip line on your stomach and the Tarzan Swing which is like a mini bungee jump almost.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were so pleased with all of our guides. Each one was so professional and caring. All of the drivers were on time and helpful with explaining where we should be especially with transport on Ferry’s.
Overall the trip was phenomenal! Greece was more than we expected! The hospitality and care given far exceeded our expectations! Thanks to our incredible travel agent Angela who coordinated all of our tours and transports and hotels. She made sure everything flowed beautifully. Thank you for a wonderful trip!!

Hotel Reviews

Artion City Boutique Hotel

Iraklio

Hotel was nice but room was small. We were only there a short time so it was fine.

Staff

Very helpful and gave us recommendations for dinner which we liked very much.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Classic Hotel by Athens Prime Hotels

Athens

This was a nice hotel for staying in the city close to restaurants and shops. Room was small but it worked since we weren’t in our rooms very much.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to places we could eat and shop

Staff

Very professional and helpful with directions

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and well kept - breakfast was very nice.

Sole d'oro Luxury Suites

Santorini

Hotel is beautiful location is perfect away from crowds. Very private rooms. Loved the private jacuzzis!

Location

Staff

Staff was very helpful we were spoiled!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The staff went above in cleanliness with the jacuzzi area and patio. Room was very clean as well.

Aeolos Resort Mykonos

Mykonos / Chora

The resort was beautiful and the owner and employees were extremely hospitable. We definitely want to return.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location was convenient but not in the middle of town which we liked.

Staff

They were so friendly and accommodating! Best service by far we have received!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Knossos Palace & Authentic Crete with Local Experiences from East P9

Greece

This was a full day of exploring Crete. We enjoyed everything included especially since we were only there one day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was awesome! She was so nice and very knowledgeable. We enjoyed this day.

Transport

Driver was great and was able to get us around to each location on time.

Exploring the Myth of Santorini

Greece

Reservation at Oia Gefsis (no meal included - only a reserved table)

Greece

Restaurant was beautiful - food was amazing! We had the very best table on the rooftop for the spectacular sunset thanks to our amazing travel agent - Angela- thank you!

Quality of Experience

Rhenia & Delos day cruise

Mykonos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Delphi & Arachova full-day tour from Athens

Greece

This was an interesting experience. Leaving the city and seeing more of the countryside and small villages around Athens was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver and guide were very professional and knowledgeable.

Transport

Plaka Sunset Tour with Greek Cocktails

Athens

This was a nice experience. We enjoyed having the one on one with our guide who was very knowledgeable and fun!

Quality of Experience

Loved seeing Plaka!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide made this experience very special! She was great!

Athens Highlights Mythology Tour

Greece

We enjoyed this very much! Group was great and guide was extremely knowledgeable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My 5 days trip to Morocco can be best described as hits and misses.

Pre trip notification and prompts are spot on. We get reminders a few days before our trip on things to watch out for and contact details. We give credit for that.

The driver assigned to us throughout the entire trip is very good. His name is Karim from Original Travels. Very service orientated, soft spoken and gave us good insight before each point of interest. He cleaned the car every day, drove safely and has good temperament.

The licensed guide assigned to us at Fes (as part of our package) on the other hand, is disappointing to say the least. He is more interested to get us to shop (I guess he gets a commission) rather than giving us the details of each place of interest. Through our half day tour, we have to stop many times, waiting for him to finish his conversation with friends he met along the way and at one point in time even to wait for him to pay his personal bills. I don't think he has respect for our time as tourists there. He asked for our tips even before we started our tour! Clearly unprofessional! We went back to our hotel at 1400hrs, clearly disappointed with our experience at Fes.

We stayed a night at Odyssee Center Hotel at Casablanca, 2 nights at Riad Braya (Ambassador Suites), 1 night at Dar Jasmine and finally a night at Riad Mokhtar Tanger. Brief comments on each hotel as follows (based on the rooms that we were assigned):

Odyssee Center Hotel: I will rate this hotel at most 2 stars (out of 5). Water pressure from shower head is weak and irregular with intermittent bouts of cold and very hot water. Towels came with patches of yellow stains. Very dim room, facing a dilapidated abandon office building, Not a comfortable stay.

Riad Braya: Service staff at this hotel is excellent. Very friendly and prepared to roll up their sleeves to serve their guests. The Ambassador Suites that we stayed is large but not ostentatious. We were disappointed that TV is not working and despite the service staff best efforts, it was blacked out throughout our 2 nights stay. Fortunately, we have Netflix to watch on our ipad! I will rate this riad at 4 star. Bed is comfortable, water pressure is good and breakfast is tasty.

Dar Jasmine: The best room (even though we were given a normal room) we had throughout the 6 days trip. The hotel staff are all out to please and impress their guests! View is breath taking and everything looks new and works in the room. Breakfast is excellent and plentiful. I will highly recommend this hotel at Chefchaouen. A 5 star experience!

Riad Mokhtar Tanger: Unfortunately we ended our trip with a 2 star experience. Given a very dim room with dirty carpets and worse of all, air conditioner is not working. Toilet flush doesn't work properly too. Wanted to change a room but front desk lady went back home right after handing us the keys. Fortunately, we can draw some cool air by opening our windows (at the expense of noise coming from adjoining streets). Cannot imagine staying in this room in the middle of summer!

Ioannis was an excellent resource throughout this trip. We found plenty of fun activities and places to visit in Chania and Heraklion with their help.
Every minor hiccup with quickly resolved by Ioannis for us which made everything stress free!
Thank you, Ioannis for an amazing experience and I am sure I will be using you as a resource again the next time I visit Crete and Greece!

Hotel Reviews

Capsis Astoria Heraklion

Heraklion

Perfect hotel for a visit to Heraklion, very walkable to all the food sites and food in the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elma's Dream Apartments

Chania

Very nice hotel, a longer walk from the central city but very close to nice clean beaches and very helpful staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Samaria Gorge Hiking Day Trip

Chania

This is the second time I have hiked the gorge and It is always an amazing and breathtaking experience. Having the help of getting out there and back through this trip was a huge help.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Catamaran Cruise

Greece

Perfect way to end your trip to Heraklion with an amazing day cruise to Dia! The water was incredible and the staff was friendly and amazing. Overall very fun and relaxing trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Palace of King Minos and the House of Minotaur

Heraklion

Our guide was amazing and was a wealth of information about Crete during the Bronze age! Knossos and the museum are a must-see in Heraklion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vineyard Visit with Wine, Olive Oil, Honey Tastings

Chania

The Chania wine tour was a must! We had a lot of fun with our guide and the small group tasting local olive oil and wine!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The professionalism and hospitality of all the staff from Active India Holidays, including tour guides, driver and itinerary designers are top notch and exceeded my expectations. I felt treated like royalty everyday with the utter most consideration and care. Ravi and Priya planned an unforgettable two weeks Golden Triangle - Rajasthan tour for me that allowed me to gain a deep appreciation and admiration for India's rich history and cultural contribution to our humanity! They were were also very flexible and accommodating with providing me professional photographers at major sight seeing spots and left me with great memories both in the mind and in print! The tour guides were all very knowledgeable and did their best to ensure I had an amazing time.
Finally I had the best driver Venud who took such good care of me every day and enjoyed our conversations from long drives from city to city.
I highly recommend Active India Holiday to anyone planning a trip to India, whether for their first time or return visits. I myself will be planning more trips with them!

Our trip to Italy was booked on Kimkim through Ina, who ensured that my requests were taken care of as they arised during the planning process. For the actual trip, everything was seamless - the drivers, tours, and hotel accommodations. I especially recommend checking out the Amalfi coast and Pompeii! You won’t regret the nurturing assistance of Kimkim’s booking agents.

Hotel Review

Arcadia Hotel Venice

Venice

A charming hotel in Venuce with ultra-polite staff and the most amazing breakfast served in an elegant room!

Authenticity & Character

The dining room is superb!

Location

Easy walking distance to restaurants

Staff

Very courteous staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything you want in a hotel room in historic Venice!

Activity Review

Amalfi Coast Driving & Ferry Boat Tour From Sorrento

Sorrento

Very knowledgeable driver to usher us to our ferry to see the breathtaking Amalfi coast.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Entire trip met our expectations regarding hotel quality, logistics and service by Marina and The Espiritu team.

Our issues were all with booked events.
The coordinator, Carlos, for the Alhambra tour directed us to stand alone at the wrong meeting point without asking a question. Then he failed to look for us while we stood only 15 meters away. Luckily, we found Edo in the Alhambra and had a great experience.
The flamenco show started 30 minutes before our scheduled time.
The tapas tour started 30 minutes after our scheduled time.

This was an absolutely incredible trip. Soukina, our driver, was among the best I've ever had. She was affable, resourceful, funny, flexible, and always punctual. The trip organizer, Saïd, went above and beyond to make this a memorable trip. For example, while in Merzouga, he responded to my last-minute request to stay with a Berber nomad family that night, and somehow he was able to make it happen! He also arranged for us to stay with a lovely host family in Dades for a couple of nights. The local guides, particularly in Marrakech, were knowledgeable, flexible, and worth spending time with. Our local food tour in Marrakech was special. Thank you so much, Saïd and Soukina, for your professionalism, skill, and efforts, which made this terrific every day we were there!

Activity Review

Marrakech private food tour

Marrakesh

Our guide on this trip made this such a memorable experience. She's smart, affable, and clearly passionate about her work. She was able to help us to try everything we had on our list, including stuffed spleen and steamed sheep head, finding us some of the best places in Marrakech that we had ever tried. Thank you!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome: 1. Our private walking tour guide was extremely knowledgeable, attentive and very flexible to our wishes. She spent extra time with us and guided us back to our hotel so we wouldn't get lost. 2. Our Colosseum and Forum Liv Tours guide was also knowledgeable, attentive and funny! The most memorable point of interest was St. Peter's Basilica. The Navona Colors hotel has a great location, wonderful staff and well appointed rooms.

Bologna: Our food tour guide was sweet and, as a native, was very knowledgeable about all things Bologna. She provided us with local specialties in a uniquely local setting. She also guided us back to our hotel. Our local travel specialist, Andrea, went out of his way to procure a last minute dinner reservation on a busy Sunday night at a local's restaurant which proved to be delicious! Our hotel, The Hotel Touring, has a great location, wonderful staff, nice bar and spacious rooms.

Venice: 1. Our hidden Venice walking tour and cicchetti experience was disappointing. The guide seemed rushed and distracted and our food was unappetizing and not very special. Also, she left us quite a ways away from our hotel with vague directions on how to find our way back. 2. Our Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica tour guide was very enjoyable and knowledgeable, although we would have preferred a smaller group or private tour. The Hotel Flora was quaint and offers a beautiful courtyard and dining room. All staff was friendly, helpful and very attentive. Andrea again was immediately available to reschedule our airport transportation when our flight time was changed. Walking around the more quiet areas, getting ourselves lost and found again, marveling at the architecture and enjoying the local wines was our favorite thing to do in Venice.

Malissa did a wonderful job working with us to put together a fantastic itinerary for our ten-day trip through Japan (Tokyo > Hakone > Kyoto > Osaka). During the planning phase, she provided numerous options based on interests and budget and was quick to respond to questions. The itinerary documentation was detailed and allowed us to focus on enjoying our experiences. We had friendly and knowledgeable guides: Jared was welcoming when we arrived rather jet lagged and helped get us situated, Harold took us on unique activities and Seiho gave us lots of ideas for our free time. We loved soaking in the onsen baths at Hakone Kowakien Ten-y and making sushi at Cooking Sun Osaka.

Activity Reviews

Rickshaw Ride in Arashiyama

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Kyoto

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sushi-making Experience

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tea Ceremony in Kyoto

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour of Hakone

Hakone

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I booked our trip to Croatia through KImKim, a Company that we had never used. We were assigned to Anna-Maria to arrange our trip. She worked diligently and put together a terrific itinerary (Hotels, Cars, Guides etc). We booked our trip through her. I was under the impression that we would take the trip and that was it. I was wrong. Anna-Maria was in contact with us the entire trip. Any question, problems, changes, etc. were handled efficiently with personal contact via email or text or by phone. If you want to tour Croatia, Bosnia, etc. she arranges everything with efficiency and terrific local knowledge. I highly recommend Anna-Maria, without reservation !

Activity Review

Fairytale castles & delicious wine

Zagreb

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights:
- Our driver
- Sigiriya guided tour
- Traditional meal in Dumballa
- Tea factory tour and tasting in route to Sri Padya
- Guided sunrise hike up Sri Padya
- Free time in Galle
- Hotel Welligama

Recommendations:
- Better communication regarding travel duration (too much time in car)
- More transparency regarding how trip fee is being used (hotels, guides, activities, food, etc.)
- Ensure drivers know best route between destinations (fewer kilometers does not always mean fastest route)