Kimkim Trip Reviews

An outstanding trip with Natalia preparing a wonderful itenerary and guides. Natalia was amazing - dealing with a 14 hour delayed arrival, which turned into landing at the same time as the Argentinian soccer team after winning the world cup (mass chaos at the airport and travel) to getting us safely to our hotel. The trip was designed perfectly for us - with Natalia creating a curated adventure - addressing areas we wanted to see and things we wanted to do. All the guides were great - Jessica Zimmerman in BA, Laura in Iguazu and Jorge in Salta. Each of them worked well with our family (adults and a 14 and 17 year old). Would highly recommend this team to anyone considering a trip to Argentina

Hotel Reviews

Pleno Palermo Soho

Buenos Aires

Highlight hotel of the trip - staff and location cannot be beat. Great breakfast and nice amenities (rooftop pool + small gym). Would definitely stay again

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great neighborhood but quiet street

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loi Suites Iguazú Hotel

Puerto Iguazú

Great hotel and place to relax following long hot days at the park

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kkala Boutique Hotel

Salta

Truly boutique experience in a quiet neighborhood but walkable to downtown Salta

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Las Marías Hotel Boutique

Tilcara

Lovely hotel in a developing area

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel was clean but rooster next door made mornings a bit too early

Activity Review

Colours of Humahuaca

Tilcara

Great selection led by Jorge (guide), most unusual and remarkable part of our trip. Colors and views are amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

kimkim.com is a reliable website for booking our Costa Rica trip. Drivers and tour guides are punctuated and professional. Vehicles are clean. Our tour specialist, Jessica is responsive and helpful. Our family enjoyed the holiday trip so much. We will definitely book future tours from kimkim again.

Activity Reviews

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer San José to Arenal with Rafting on the Balsa River en Route (Class II & III)

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nocturnal Frog Excursion & Traditional Costa Rican Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth & Bird Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Horseback Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience (English Tour)

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I apologize for the late review for this trip to Norway. We enjoyed every minute of the trip and we were able to rely on the help of our guide and communication with Kim Kim along the way. We had one issue with our hotel in Oslo but KimKim went above and beyond in helping to find a better room which suited our needs as two independent women travelers.

Both Oslo and Bergen were memorable and of course the beautiful boat ride we took from Flam to Bergen through the Fjord country. I cannot wait to go back and see more of Norway. Thank you for making this part of our travels go smoothly and finding us such outstanding accommodations along the way. Traveling in off season (October) was a little rainy but mostly just perfect for seeing many things without crowds. We even had 3 perfect sunny days in Bergen!
Warmly,
Gerri Sweeney

We really enjoyed the pace and activities on our trip. The kids were not looking forward to the walking tour in Spain but Beatriz made it so much fun. The cooking class in Seville was wonderful too. So much fun for the whole family. The train rides to each destination was fun too. Between Seville and Granda we hiked/walked Caminito Del Rey. The kids really enjoyed this adventure. Each place we visited had something unique and memorable.

Hotel Reviews

Dear Hotel Madrid

Madrid

Great location in the city. The accommodations for a family of four were good. Great breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very professional and nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Petit Palace Puerta de Triana

Seville

Seemed out dated. Rooms were small and had tile floors. Would recommend a small carpet by the bed. Bathrooms and rooms need makeovers. Breakfast was lacking. Staff were great and rooms seemed clean however.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eurostars Puerta Real Hotel

Granada

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Madrid for Kids - Walking Tour with Activities & Snacks

Madrid

Beatriz is absolutely awesome! We had so much fun on this tour. We highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Flamenco Experience

Spain

Was fun to watch. Was one hour in length. We wish the couple would have danced more together as they spent a considerable amount of time dancing solo. Other than that, they put on a good show.

Guided Visit of Alhambra for Families

Granada

Alberto was our guide. He is very knowledgeable about everything. This was a good thing and a bad thing as he would talk forever about tiny details. The kids got bored very quickly with our pace.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Traditional Andalusian Market Visit & Cooking Class

Seville

Such a fun thing to do as a family. We are vegetarian and they helped us make dishes without meat. The kids were awesome and tried everything they made!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thank You Meree for planning our Norway trip. Apart from the fact that we fell ill largely due to the harsh cold winter, we had great fun and enjoyed our vacation. Very happy that we managed to catch the highlight of our trip which was the northern lights.

Thank you once again and looking forward to engaging your services again in the near future.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Torget

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Cecil

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Hotel The Hub

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer to the Ice domes

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spend the morning in the ice domes and transfer back to the city

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Hunt by Bus

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Bergen to Oslo scenic train route - Bergensbanen

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mostraumen Fjord Cruise

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luggage Transfer Service

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had an amazing experience in Spain for the holidays! Yuri, our Kimkim specialist, was fantastic- flexible, patient and responsive. I cannot say enough about him- I was nervous at first booking a trip through this service- despite the reviews- because I was unfamiliar with Spain and also the idea that KimKim curated our experiences. That said, I would heartily recommend the service to anyone who is interested in traveling to a new-to-them location and wanting to have an authentic experience.
All of the tour guides provided to us- Laura for the Tapas tour in Madrid, Diana for the Toledo tour, Carlos for the trip to the White Villages and Ronda, to Nico (our family fave) for the in depth walking tour of Seville and Richard for the Montserrat Abbey experience- were amazing, knowledgeable, personable and warm. They were truly invested in the tours they gave- providing history, and context to the sights we saw.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Gravina 51

Sevilla

This hotel was fantastic!! Upon check in we were told our room had been upgraded, we were greeted with a glass of Cava with an additional bottle in the room. It was luxuriously furnished, and we really enjoyed our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Very much a boutique hotel, a gem nestled in the City

Location

Side street location- quiet and restful but not isolated

Staff

All the staff were kind, personable and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were well appointed, and had good sized bathrooms and wonderful beds

7 Islas Hotel

Madrid

We liked this hotel a lot- lovely rooms, spacious and well furnished. Its located on a side street but still extremely accessible to major streets. As a result, our rooms were blissfully quiet.

Authenticity & Character

Great art work that made the decor feel special

Location

Staff

Bar man was great- friendly and personable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable rooms, good size. Only issue was we had been given a room with two twin beds- and when I inquired, was told that it was all that was available. (The hotel did not seem full though)

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Walk Through Seville

Seville

Nico was fantastic!! He demonstrated his love of the City during our walk- highlighting not just the typical tourist spots but providing color and depth from a historical perspective on our tour. Using a combination of humor, facts and in depth knowledge of Seville, he gave us possibly the best tour of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Great, comprehensive look at Seville

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cannot compliment Nico enough- he made the tour come alive!

Transport

This is a walking tour- so be prepared to walk! That said, everything was flat and easy to navigate

Flamenco & Tapas Night

Madrid

Laura was great- very articulate and wonderfully knowledgeable about the foods and drinks we had.

Quality of Experience

Food and tour guide was great

Food

Nice array of food and wine

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Laura was great

Transport

As mentioned earlier- would benefit from knowing and mapping locations prior to meeting -

Toledo Day Trip and Winery Experience

Madrid

Toledo was a wonderful City- so rich in culture and interesting on so many levels The winery was lovely and the wine was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ronda & White Villages Day Trip

Seville

Carlos- our guide, made this trip so much fun. He was engaging and informative and kept our attention throughout this (long) tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Comfortable van

Day Trip to Montserrat & Lunch at a Farmhouse

Barcelona

For this (larger) tour we had Richard as our tour guide- he was funny and engaging. He clearly was having fun on the trip- which made it fun for us! Very informative

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I cannot speak highly enough of the team at kimkim based in Iceland. During the planning phase, Francesca was highly communicative, accommodating, and responsive. Then, when we arrived in the midst of a blizzard and subsequent wind storm that forced all roads to close for 24+ hours, Sigurour was a godsend, helping us cancel and book and rebook and reroute all of the planned activities and hotel reservations that had to be changed without warning. He advised us on when and where to go, what to see, what to skip, etc. and was consistently available to respond to ever-shifting circumstances. I am a very experienced traveler, having lived abroad for most of my adult life, and juggling the logistics of this trip due to weather were beyond me. I am deeply grateful and appreciative for the flexibility, responsiveness, and kindness of the entire kimkim team and will treasure my memories of the adventure for a lifetime.

Ms. Jina and Ms. Yaya were great guides. The overall experience and everyone we had contact with was professional, helpful, and extremely welcoming.

Hotel Review

Smile Lanna Hotel Chiang Mai

Authenticity & Character

The interior design and little unique things in the room . Many breakfast options

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Bangkok City Tour With Grand Palace and Long-Tail Boat Ride

Bangkok

I like the personalized/private experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Night Food tour with Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

We’re pescatarians so limited food experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Got to experience a Tuk tuk ride

Drive to Kanchanaburi with Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Thailand

Bright and colorful day. Lots to ser

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kanchanaburi Tour

Kanchanaburi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Chiang Mai Temple Hopping with Doi Suthep

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Elephants Day Care at Baan Chang Elephant Park

Chiang Mai

Great experience. Let guest know about the cats before arrival. Make it a shorter day or private transportation option.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Fun Cooking Experience With a Local Lanna Family

Chiang Mai

Such a rich, beautiful experience

Quality of Experience

Everything

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phi Phi Island

Phuket

Beautiful island . A lot of the time was spent traveling in the boat

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Moo Ban Dek tour

Kanchanaburi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Samir was through and reasonable to work with. He was always engaging and responsive to numerous questions during trip planning. He helped in planning the trip, flexible to many changes requested and supported us during the trip.I would highly recommend Samir to plan your trip to Jordan

Thx
Ravi

Thank you Kim Kim for great organization and service of our private tour. It was worth it. All 3 guides; Ibrahim (Istanbul), Nihat (Cappadocia) & Tunc (Izmir region) were really personable and gave really informative tours, patient and attentive service for my elderly mum and her friend who came with a walking stick. We really enjoyed our time in Turkey; even more so in Cappadocia and Izmir region (Ephesus, Sirince & Pamukkale). We want to give special mention to Tunc who proactively helped organize a paragliding experience for me and also a hot air balloon ride in Pamukkale for us as we didn't manage to do it in Cappadocia due to foggy weather; he managed to cater to my expectations as well as my mum and her friend. Thank you once again! We will definitely book with you the next time we plan to travel again. :)

Hotel Reviews

Kelebek Special Cave Hotel

Nevsehir

Amazing view. Love the fire place and the interior decoration of our room. Location is a bit challenging for elderly people to walk up from town center but it has an amazing view and sumptious breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Love it that we're staying in the fairy chimney itself

Location

Amazing view

Staff

All of the staff were very hospitable and helpful except for one person at reception who looked very grumpy

Cleanliness & Comfort

nice hot showers and fire place

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

We stayed in a cottage that comes with a huge common kitchen and dining room... looks amazing. Our room and bathroom is so charming, big but cozy; beautiful decoration. Breakfast with the view of Sirince was delicious and enjoyable. We wished we stayed a week instead of only a night at this beautiful place.

Authenticity & Character

Charming and quaint big room with nice fireplace setting and marble shower, outside balcony for some peace and quiet; great decoration

Location

Perched atop a hill with an amazing view of Sirince

Staff

Helpful porter who carried all our heavy luggage uphill.... so thankful but we felt so bad for him doing all the carrying

Cleanliness & Comfort

comfortable beds, fireplace, hot water for showering

Doğa Thermal Hotel & Spa

Denizli

Very commercial; not used to seeing so many tour groups after staying in boutique hotels our entire trip but the spa facilities were very good. The button of the toilet flush fell off and it took the concierge a bit of time to understand what happened before they manage to fix it.

Authenticity & Character

It's good for a commercial hotel but not our usual preference

Location

Staff

Some challenges speaking English

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spa facilities, comfortable bed

Sirkeci Mansion Hotel

Istanbul

Room was comfortable but the towel hanger fell off...Thankfully they managed to quickly fix it.

Authenticity & Character

Very quaint and charming interior decoration

Location

Situated in Old Town Istanbul

Staff

Very friendly and prompt

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice warm water for showering in cold weather

Activity Reviews

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pamukkale and Hierapolis

Pamukkale

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Hagia Sofia / Blue mosque was under renovation

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

learn how to use the tram in Istanbul :)

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Avanos: Discover the Centuries-Old Ceramic Tradition

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Very crowded on the weekend... but otherwise very interesting experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering the Ihlara Valley and Light Hiking Along the Melendiz River

Cappadocia

scenic walking trial ... highly recommend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whirling Dervish Ceremony at Saruhan Caravansarai

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Izmir: The Beautiful Port City of the Aegean Sea

İzmir

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Ephesus Archaeological Museum + House of Virgin Mary

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Where to start and what to say is not easy because words can’t necessarily do justice to how amazing of a trip was planned for us and the excellent treatment we received from both our trip planner Linda and our stellar tour guide Milton!
From the very start what made KimKim standout was how effective and efficient Linda was in communicating back and forth to understand what Stephanie and I were looking for in an experience. Linda surpassed all our expectations with the itinerary and the details that went into each day to make sure we got to enjoy a range of activities. Linda constantly checked on with us during the trip too in order to make sure everything was beyond satisfactory showing an awareness to go above and beyond…even with a surprise visit in person to give it the personal touch!!
For anyone that gets lucky enough to book a trip through Linda you will feel privileged!!
Milton as a tour guide only elevated our trip from there and his personality, photography skills, knowledge of the respective areas we visited, enthusiasm and ability to understand speaking English made it a SUPERB holiday!!! There’s sincerely not enough positive we can share about Milton in a review!!!
Two things comes to mind for anyone taking time to read this…one is Ecuador is incredible and is the most diverse and characteristic country this well travelled couple has been to and secondly you WILL want to ONLY book through Linda with KimKim. No matter if the investment is higher than other operators…the decision will be the best decision you could make for yourself!!!!

Landed in San Jose airport after a 3 hr delay in flight. Drove to Kokoro Resort at La Fortunat. Our overnight stay in Kokoro resort was good.Hiked the base of Arenal Volcano about to for about 3.5 hrs on lava rocks to top of volcano base and elevation of 3500ft.. Saw some venomous viper snakes in the parking lot curled up on the tree.
Melanie, our guide was very helpful since we were slower than rest of the young group Melanie walked with us. Was a beautiful hike, thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend to those who are interested in nature.
Lunch ar Indian restaurant was pretty good, especially after the challenging hike. In the evening the hot springs bath was relaxing. The Kokoro staff was helpful. Would recommend this resort.
We were transported by private bus, boat and car from Arenal to Monteverde. Very windy and cold place. We had a great time at Aventura park zip lining the 7 legs. It was an exhilarating experience for both of us since this was our first time. The town is hilly, and after a good meal it is good workout after a walk up and down the hills.
We had night hike in the rain forest of about 2 hrs The knowledgeable guide explained the flora and fauna that we spotted during the night. This is a recommended hike.
We were disappointed with Mar-Inn hotel. They wanted us to put the used toilet paper after defecation in the trash can in the restroom instead of flushing down the toilet.
The next day we were driven to Manuel Antonio. Nice drive from top of the hill to sea level becoming progressively warmer.
We had good 4 hr walk thru the National park Rain forest. We saw a variety of flora and fauna which the guide was explaining in detail, We spent some time on the beautiful Espedillo beach. We then went to Quepos for lunch and got back to the hotel.
The hotel Tibulia Tree was ok, like cabin on the hill nestled among tall trees, but is too far from the beach. Would have wanted it to be closer to the beach.
On the whole we had a good time. Kimkkim had made good arrangements for the trip except for those noted above(. I would recommend Kimkim for for trip planning.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Kokoro Mineral Hot Springs

La Fortuna

Our overnight tay in Kokoro resort was good. In the evening the hot springs bath was relaxing. The Kokoro staff was helpful. Would recommend this resort.

Authenticity & Character

Location

hotsprings but there was no coffee in the room.

Staff

Very courteous and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mar Inn Costa Rica

Monteverde Costa Rica

Good location. We were disappointmented the Mar-Inn hotel. They wanted us to put the used toilet paper after defecation in the trash can in the restroom instead of flushing down the toilet.

Authenticity & Character

Like any other motel

Location

Good location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We were disappointmented the Mar-Inn hotel. They wanted us to put the used toilet paper after defecation in the trash can in the restroom instead of flushing down the toilet.

Tabulia Tree

Manuel Antonio

All good. but no coffee in the room. There was coffee maker but no coffee powder.

Authenticity & Character

Location

too far from the beach. Had to take the bus everywhere

Staff

Very courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were very helpful. Since we were slower than rest of the group, Melanie, was with us all the time while the rest of the group went much faster.

Transport

100% Aventura Zip Line Monteverde

Monteverde

Awesome experience if you are not scared of heights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Excellent hike trhu the rainforest. Very educational. Adrian is an excellent guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great time in Columbia Margoth planned a great trip would like to stay longer next time to see more of the beautiful Columbian nature and culture . Our guide was very kind and helpful thank you for a wonderful trip

We had a really good time in Switzerland.
It was a wonderful experience!
Interlaken and Zermatt were absolutely memorable! We loved all the Christmas markets as well which was incorporated into the visit. Basel Christmas market was especially amazing!

Excellent communication and quick response from the local tour specialists, when we needed questions answered while in 🇨🇭
Very good sense of responsibility demonstrated by the local tour guide/team, which is much appreciated. We predominately worked with Tomaz & Zala. Melita & Ester helped too.
The hotels arranged for us were pretty good too with excellent customer service.

Overall, it was a lovely experience and great Christmas spent in Switzerland this year.
So THANK YOU for making it happen.

I was impressed with the service and speed of Dennis in setting up my perfect honeymoon vacation. We planned a city (San Jose), mountain (Monteverde), and beach (Uvita) in Costa Rica and all went down without a hitch. The hotels that Dennis selected were perfect and customer-service oriented. The Grano de Oro Hotel (San Jose) was professional, quiet, and accommodating. The complimentary breakfast (casado) was delicious, along with a special dinner at the same restaurant. The El Establo Hotel (Monteverde) was also very organized. The Monteverde hotel scheduled us for an amazing night walk, and a wondrous hanging bridge hike. The private transfer drivers to each location were on-time and friendly. The biggest hangup to the vacation was getting there--we had a 10+ hour delay for our flight out of the U.S. Fortunately, the Whatsapp emergency line for GWA was fast, responsive, and accommodating. Dennis, Karla, and Mariana were all wonderful to help us keep on-schedule and in-contact with our hotels/drivers.

Hotel Reviews

Grano de Oro Hotel

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cristal Ballena Boutique Hotel & Spa

Playa Ballena

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Snorkeling in Isla Caño

Costa Rica

Through Bahia Aventuras, we snorkeled off the Cano island. We saw sea turtles, reef sharks, and even a pair of humpback whales!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience (English Tour)

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Charlotte helped create an amazing experience for our family over the Christmas holiday. She honed in on the perfect balance of adventure, luxury, and leisure, accommodating the desires of our 7 person party. Not to miss are La Paz, canyoning near Arenal, the organic farm experience, and our gracious guide Juan Carlos. Pura Vida!

Hotel Reviews

Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas

Guanacaste

Lovely boutique hotel with an amazing staff. Transportation was very easy and accommodating to our many activities and dinners. Food was great, although lunch service was a bit slow. Cleanliness and amenities were top notch. Beach is not very swimmable due to lava rock, but better beach is only a few hundred yards away.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Peace Lodge

Vara Blanca

Many wonderful surprises await. The kids loved the waterfalls, trout fishing, and of course the amazingly designed guest rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pristine. In the middle of the jungle. Wow.

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

It is a very expansive resort and a shuttle was needed to get around if in a hurry or torrential rain. If only the lobby had a fresher look and welcome amenities, the rooms had more comfortable bedding, and the restaurant have a more quality breakfast, you could almost call this a luxury resort.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Rafting + Canyoning

Arenal/La Fortuna

Do not miss the canyoning and rafting. Incredible. Osvaldo was an amazing river guide. The best! The men of our canyoning adventure led us into some of the most amazing corners of this beautiful land, ensuring we were (safely) having a fantastic time. Roy, Jiro, and Steven were stand outs. Thank you for an unforgettable experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Relaxing on a riverside beach with fresh cut local fruits… just lovely!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class with Organic Farm Fresh Ingredients

Arenal/La Fortuna

Uber and family are amazing hosts. What an education and beautiful dinner experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Hand made tortillas, fresh garden juice, chocolate making, and a gorgeous dinner.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Surfing Lesson

Costa Rica

Our instructors were so patient and knowledgeable! Everyone in our party were surfing within minutes. Not to miss!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Costa Rica

Absolutely gorgeous! Animals, waterfalls, lunch, and a pretty vigorous walk. A brilliant day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

The kids loved seeing the wildlife, but we were hoping for more animal sightings. Juan Carlos’ knowledge and tour were exceptional. The pace and depth of his instruction was perfectly attuned to the interests of our group. The bridges are intimidating at first, but by the last ones the fear has dissipated and you are fully the element. Such a great way to see the jungle!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our first family trip to Paris and I wanted to make it special. Ambre-Marie worked with me for six months to plan this! She was patient and kind with my questions and changes. Ambre-Marie was very responsive! The tours and dinners were well worth it!

Pierre-bike tour-well done with the Place Vendôme, the Palais Royal, the Roman ruins, and St. Sulpice explanations!! Loved meeting at the Place Vendôme. We enjoyed the coffee and croissant in the middle!! My college kids both thought he was awesome!! He was high energy and engaged the whole time!!!

Thibeaut-Meeting the French-Latin Quarter tour and chocolate/pastry tour-both informative and friendly. He was kind and thoughtful and courteous the whole time! We liked how he discussed both modern and historical events and helped us with finding stores after our tour. He handled both a small group and large group well.

Eiffel Tower dinner-wonderful view and easy to get in! All inclusive! Very special!

Seine River tour-perfect view!!! I would just include location of the dock, but we were early and had plenty of time to find it.

Knowing how quality your tours are, I probably would have asked Ambre-Marie to book the Louvre, Notre Dame, Christmas concert, St. Chapelle, Sacre Couer, dinners.

Everything turned out excellent and quality! I will tell others about your services!!!

Activity Reviews

Electric Bike tour of Paris' Hidden Gems - Small-group

Paris

Our guide was Pierre and he was exceptional! We met at the Place Vendôme which was particularly exciting! His explanation of history was clear and well thought out. We enjoyed biking through the streets-my college kids really loved this! The Palais Royal stories are super memorable. Good storytelling skills. Then, off to the Roman ruins! Wow! Who knew!? Then, St. Sulpice-excellent art explanations!!!

Quality of Experience

Strong knowledge of history

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly, engaging, funny, smart!

Transport

Exciting and adventurous

Gourmet dinner on the Eiffel Tower - Menu Gustave

Paris

Wonderful location of table!!!

Quality of Experience

All inclusive

Food

Desserts stand out

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly

Transport

Latin Quarter Guided Walking Tour - Semi-Private

Paris

Thibeaut was happy go lucky and informative! He mixes some current fun facts with historical ideas. We went to different places than our bike tour. Our understanding of French food has increased tremendously!!

Quality of Experience

Loved the cheese explanations

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved the croissant and bread explanations

Transport

Good to walk to burn off the calories 😂😂

Private gourmet pastries & chocolate tour in Saint Germain

Paris

This is soo fun and you eat soo much! The macarons, chocolates. This was my loved language! Super fun for kids and families of all ages!!

Quality of Experience

Excellent choices and greater appreciation of food!! Loved the tiny streets and historical areas in St. Germaine that we not have known about!! Cafe where Jefferson went, Ernest Hemingway, space invader signs, explanation of ship on signage, explanation of middle aged St. Germaine church.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thibeaut appreciates and honors the history and culture as well as people. Very humble, kind, happy and interesting guide. He was energetic and joyful and positive!!

Transport

Lots of walking to burn calories 😂😂

Paris Dinner Cruise

Paris

Perfect location of table near window!! Thank you!

Quality of Experience

Excellent food, important sites!

Food

Loved the escargot

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fun waiter!

Transport

Beautiful and serene boat!

Private Transfer from Paris hotel to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)

France

Both transfers were on time, helpful, spacious!!

Quality of Experience

Very friendly

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Service oriented

Transport

Clean, spacious

On our first trip to Vietnam, we wanted to have a nice balance of nature and city trips, learn about culture and explore the cuisine - so we worked with Ashley to build a custom-made itinerary, which turned out to be an unforgettable trip. She has been most helpful to accommodate all our needs, quickly turned around every request and also supported when we had some emergencies due to a forgotten luggage while in Vietnam, always checking in to ensure we enjoy it all. Mr Tu, our tour guide took us to wonderful places and helped us experience the life of the local people in very unique ways. It was real fun travelling with Tu, he explained all we wanted to know about history and culture, and was extremely flexible when we had special requests to explore & try things outside the itinerary - all to ensure we get the most out of our trip! Highlights of our trip: Pu Loung trekking and village tour, boat rides, Hoi An trip, cooking class with Madam Ai. We highly recommend it all!

Hotel Reviews

Aira Boutique Hoi An Hotel & Villa

Hoi An

Authenticity & Character

Really nicely done design, lovely garden and pools

Location

By the most beautiful beach, close to town

Staff

Super nice & helpful staff - we left a luggage behind and they immediately sent someone with a bike to catch us at the airport, we are most grateful for their kindness!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pu Luong Retreat

Thanh Hoa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Clos Du Fil Hotel

Ninh Binh

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful design

Location

Right at the city center, but still very peaceful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

PVT Culinary Experience With Chef

Hanoi

We started with a small tour to the local market, which was really great to learn about all the ingredients. Then Madam Ei gave us an incredible class making super yummy dishes in her own kitchen - most wonderful chef and amazing person, we are very lucky to learn from her.

Quality of Experience

Amazing menu and unforgettable cooking experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Madam Ei is the most wonderful chef

Transport

Trekking to Kho Muong and Uoi Villages

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Quality of Experience

Just the perfect length of walking in the jungle and amongst the village, also went to a cave which was truly beautiful.

Food

We had lunch in a remote village, was so yummy and collected our own oranges from a garden

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The local guide accompanied us on the trip

Transport

I searched for a local travel agency in Colombia on kimkim and Margoth was the first one who responded to me. From the beginning to the end of our trip, she was always very quick to respond and very clear with her communications. She was informative and always notified us if there was any changes. Throughout our trip, she made every effort to accommodate our needs and even offered a half-day makeup city tour due to a misunderstanding! Whenever we need her, she was just a text message away. Lol! That certainly brought peace to our minds so we were able to enjoy our trip.

We would strongly recommend her to anyone who wants to visit Colombia as she represented the highest standard of professionalism!

Thank you, Margoth!

Activity Reviews

Guatape and El Peñol

Colombia

Amazing

Coffee Farm Day Tour

Medellín

Fun, educational, and interactive!

Half Day City Tour of Bogotá

Bogotá

Very Knowledgeable and friendly guide

Christmas Dinner at Andrés Carne de Res (Andres D.C.)

Bogotá

Very unique restaurant.

Half-Day City Tour in Medellín

Medellín

I learned a lot within this half day tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Suggested Sunset Drinks at Café del Mar

Cartagena

It’s the best spot to see the sunset.

Quality of Experience

We were very impressed by how Margoth went out of her way to fix things quickly when they didn’t go as planned!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone is friendly and professional. The guides are knowledgeable and accommodating!

Transport

The driver and guide were always on time!

Private Boat to the Islands

Cartagena

Our guide and crew members were very friendly. But they spoke limited or no English which made it difficult to communicate. The other problem was that the engine quit working. We had to turn around to go back to the port. About 45 minutes later, we switched to another boat…… We understood that was out of their control but couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed….especially we paid $800 for this boat tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fluent English speaking guide and reliable boat.

Airport Transfer: {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} & Guatape and El Peñol Tour

Colombia

The Guadape and El Penol tour was one of our favorites !

Quality of Experience

No

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at El Cielo - Please confirm on your side

Colombia

We all agreed this dinner was an unforgettable experience. It was like a therapy!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dinner Reservation at Tierra (Chapinero)

Bogotá

The tacos are amazing!

Dinner Reservation at Candé

Cartagena

The food is good.

Mangrove Tour with Local Fisherman

Cartagena

The fishermen were very friendly.

Walking Tour of Cartagena Old City

Colombia

Our guide was very knowledgeable,

Dinner Reservation at Marea

Cartagena

Great location and seafood.

Dinner Reservation at Alma

Cartagena

The food was good.

Paragliding over Medellín

Medellín

It was a great experience and fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral and Guatavita Lake Tour

Bogotá

Amazing underground cathedral

Chorrera Park with Waterfall

Bogotá

My favorite outdoor activity!

Depart Colombia

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ali, Said and Abdel at Original Travels put together an absolutely fantastic itinerary for my husband and I to experience some of the wonders of Morocco recently. The two of us were expertly driven by Faisal for the 17 days, who also provided advice along the way. The local guides Original travels organised, most of them called Mohammed but in one case Ahmed, at every point were great: knowledgeable, helpful and so friendly.

Morocco is a fascinating country with its diverse rugged landscapes, fabulous architecture and rich cultural history. For us the highlights were Chefchaouen, Merzouga and Essaouira.

The distances are big in many cases and the array of choices potentially bewildering. It was good to have the know-how of Original Travels supporting us, dealing withal the details while we just had to enjoy ourselves!