Kimkim Trip Reviews

I would say this event on our Costa Rica trip stood out as one of the best adventures. We loved meeting with Huber and his family. The extent of knowledge Huber had of the vegetation, the wildlife and the growing patterns of the produce was impressive. We loved going through and tasting the different leaves and bark and guessing what each one was. It was also really fun to actually pick the produce that we would be using later for the cooking portion of the class. The cooking process was truly authentic being in Huber's family kitchen. It was such an amazing experience! The three of us (me, my husband and our 19yo daughter) prepped the food and I helped Huber's mom (Haidy?) with cooking the arroz con pollo and while husband and daughter put together the salad with fresh pickings from the yard. We also learned how to make fresh tortillas (I've already bought the ingredients back here at home!) and made those straight on the cooktop. I got to learn to make my favorite Central American side of fried Plantains and am so excited with that knowledge. The family was more than generous with sharing their knowledge, time and space with us. These kind of authentic experiences are what I enjoy best about visiting other cultures. Highly recommended!

I've been snorkeling before, but this was such a great experience. Jeffery was our guide and Nico, el jefe, picked us up and helped along the way. We felt accomplished taking the kayaks to the island. Then Jeffery spent the time walking us along the island teaching us about the wildlife. I find Costa Ricans just love their planet and everything that provides for them! We snorkeled in shallow water and while the sea life wasn't as bright or colorful as some places, I've been, it was still magnificent to see. When we got back we enjoyed a treat of fresh pineapple and mamon verde. I loved being introduced to a new food while on a snorkeling adventure! Jefferey and Nico were fabulous guides and we hope to run into them again on our next visit to Costa Rica!

We very much enjoyed our private excursion with Mariano! We live in Arizona and love to hike and were enthralled with the chance to hike in a very different atmosphere with very different plants and critters. My head was on swivel as I was searching high in the trees for monkeys and sloths and low on the ground for frogs and snakes. Our group consisted of me, my husband and our 19yo daughter. The trails were great to follow and the end of May was a great time because there weren't too many others on the path. Now I'm scared of walking on things where I can see the ground, but the hanging bridges were fine as long as I didn't look down! What a great experience! Now our guide, Mariano, was so very knowledgeable and just as excited as us with each find. If there is a way to ask for a guide on this adventure, Mariano is your guy!

A lovely quiet riad not too far from the car dropoff point. Had the best viennoiseries for breakfast - really fresh and fluffy! Comfortable room and great bathroom. Enjoyed the rooftop and the lounging chair and table outside our room. Beautiful courtyard, airy and light. A great experience.

True glamping in the desert. Did not expect a real shower, bathtub and toilet. All with running hot and cold water. Very comfortable. Impressed with the food - catering out in the desert cant be easy and to provide such a variety of dishes for breakfast and dinner is a real feat. Food was delicious and fresh. Nice area after dinner to listen to music and look up at the desert sky. Would recommend at least two nights there. During the second day, we were booked for quad biking in the dunes and we were given the courtesy of a day room at the Nasser Palace (same ownership?), which had a lovely refreshing pool to dip and sit in till the afternoon expedition. This was a real treat. To just relax by a pool and have lunch to avoid the heat.

Did not expect such a lovely riad in the middle of nowhere! It was a welcome break from the long car drive to Marrakesh from Merzouga. Great hotel. Fabulous and extensive dinner buffet - to cater for all tastes. Huge variety of entrees and desserts. Staff very courteous. Rooms roomy and well appointed. Very quiet and peaceful.

Conveniently located, not far from the car drop off point. We had a lovely top floor room with a private outdoor balcony/rooftop space. Very comfortable and clean and cool. Thank goodness for AC!!! (it hit 40 degrees plus while were were there!) Staff were friendly and helpful. Easy to find and go to and from. Nice to sit on the ground floor in the courtyard and just chill out. Quiet and relaxing.

Enjoyed our tour immensely with local guide. The medina is such a labaryinth - you really need a local to take you through. Such a special medina. All those different sections, spices, butchers, herbalists, tanneries! Not to mention the madrassas, mosques and other historic places.

Highly recommend at least two nights in the desert. So special. Nothing like it. Had beautiful weather day of arrival and a leisurely camel walk into the sunset. The second day we experienced a sand storm - so really appreciate the landscape and the way it can change so suddenly.

With this tour you really appreciate the landscape and the difficulty of travelling over it. It's a bit awkward or strange to visit a Berber village - yes, a little touristy, but you do get an appreciation of the hardships of living in this harsh environment, and understand why some have chosen to live in a village instead of continuing life as a nomad.

Son and hubby loved the experience of zooming up and down the dunes on the quad bikes. They are heavy and quite stable. I'm a total wuss. So relieved when the tour guide took over for me. Got to appreciate the vastness of the desert. Goes on till through to the horizon. Quite amazing.

This was our first introduction to Morocco. A lot to learn and absorb - especially when one doesnt have any background in Moroccan history. The Hassan II Mosque is a must see. The scale and the workmanship is outstanding. Intricate and stunningly beautiful. And one of the very few mosques in the world where non-Moslems may visit. There is a museum in the medina on the history of Casablanca - worth stopping and spending more time here.

Great massage. Feel super clean and refreshed afterwards.

Fascinating roman ruins. Our guide was a little rushed. But you can wander and go at your own pace. It is a big site. Who knew that the largest Roman ruins in North Africa are here! Some well preserved mosaic floors. You're in the sun, with no shade. So wear a hat!

Really enjoyed our local guide Hanyn. This was a "must do" tour - got to eat some real local foods and was able to recreate our steps and go back the next day to some of our favorite stalls. Loved the fresh mesmen pancakes, yoghurt drink and traditional harira soup. Lots to eat and taste. Be adventurous - snails, stews and stuffed pitas. Go with an appetite. Guide was very attentive to allergies. Lots of fun and an opportunity to try some real local food. Not just for tourists!

Lovely former royal city. Enjoyed our walk around and exploration of the medina. Our tour was on a Friday - so many shops closed - keep in mind that on Fridays one may have to adjust one's schedule to take into account noon prayers, etc. Our guide was really interesting and knowledgeable. Nice smaller city to roam around. Not so crowded!

A great introduction to Marrakesh and its medina. Hanyn was very informative and gave us a lot of history and cultural perspective. There's lots to see - only a question of how much stamina one has to see it all! All the palaces and madrassas were so beautiful - easy to get overwhelmed by the tilework and painted ceilings. Quite spectacular.

First class facility and equipment. Teachers and commentary were excellent. All instructions were very clear and concise. Well thought out and presented class. Easy to follow - even for non-cooks. And of course the test is in the eating! Ha ha, you get to eat what you cook - lots of food. Beautifully arranged and a smooth operation. I cant wait to try cooking with a tagine at home!

A truly luxurious experience in a lovely hammam and spa. A real exfoliation scrub - you feel so much cleaner afterwards. A great way to end our trip in Morocco. This is a 5 star treatment. The staff are wonderful and you really feel pampered and taken care of. Even my hubby and son enjoyed it!!

What a fun "ice hike"! Walking around the glacier and eventually on the glacier was fantastic. The guides were all very knowledgable and eager to share. The glass of whisky with glacial ice at the end was a nice touch!

It's impossible to describe the beauty of the falls. Pictures can not capture even part of the experience. Every angle you see something new and different. Truly amazing!

Unfortunately we had a lot of rain the day before the bike tour and the roads were too muddy to navigate. Our guide still took us on a nice ride near the hotel and pointed out lots of fun facts about the trees and the jungle. The Kayak trip up the river was "ok". Don't get me wrong, standing in Argentina, being able to see Paraguay and Brazil and then kayak for a couple of hours on a beautiful day is hard to beat. But, at the end of the day, it wasn't terrible adventurous or exciting.

Words can not describe the sheer beauty! Every trail leads to a more unique and breathtaking view.

The boat ride up the river and into the Devil's Throat is a must do. After seeing the falls from above and from the sides, riding right up to the base is amazing. So much fun!

The hotel was really nice, clean, close to everything, room was spacious, aesthetically pleasing and has an amazing rooftop.

Cute hotel close to everything, Clean and nice rooftop. The food in the restaurant was good. Family suite should however have an option of a two full size beds instead of a queens with a pull out sofa.

We had a family room with a loft. We had twin beds downstairs with a full bathroom. Loft upstairs with a queens size bed had bathroom with a small shower. It was four adults we should have had the option of a queen size bed on the bottom floor.

Cute hotel, aesthetically pleasing,clean and has a beautiful rooftop. The beds however were hard

We loved the location of Hotel Ruzzini Palace; staff were exceptional and very friendly. The hotel has a cozy bar offering great cocktails -- the perfect place to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail and unwind at the end of each day. Great breakfast with plenty of selections.

We loved this hotel because the views were unmatched! From our seaside room, we could see Napoli, Mount Vesuvius, the Sorrentine Peninsula and the Bay of Sorrento. That itself was an experience we will never forget. The rooms were spacious as were the bathrooms (ample vanity top). Loved that the beds were situated in the center of the room to take advantage of the unbelievable view. Plenty of storage space and plenty of space to move around within the room. (Note that we would not want a room that was NOT seaside as those overlook the parking lot and have no view.) Although the hotel feels a bit dated stylistically, it is clean and again, the views -- day and night -- more than make up for it. The Bar and Restaurant areas are large with floor to ceiling windows as well as outdoor seating. The pool and garden areas are beautiful. We enjoyed soaking in the Sorrento sun while enjoying the view. The only downside to the hotel is that it is not easily accessible to town. The hotel does run an hourly shuttle service that often does not have enough seating for those who wish to use it during peak hours...in those cases, the shuttle runs a loop to ensure that all guests are accommodated. We always took a cab back from town rather than waiting for the shuttle. We would definitely return to this hotel!

Very spacious rooms; ours had a terrace. Kind, friendly staff. The Kraft hotel has breathtaking 360 degree view of Florence and its surrounding areas from the top floor terrace that feels like a garden. Such a great place to enjoy a meal and/or drinks. The espresso martinis were exceptional! Located near the US Embassy, we appreciated that this was a quieter neighborhood...an approximate 15 minute (easy) walk to the Duomo area.

This was an interesting hotel that felt more like an Airbnb. This was our least favorite hotel, but I suspect this was based on our own personal taste and preferences. We had 2 rooms -- ours had the large terrace which was nice, but the room felt cramped with minimal storage space (hard with 2 suitcases and carryons) and a bathroom with no counter space at all. The breakfast area was undergoing construction so all breakfasts were delivered to the rooms. Ours was delivered 20 minutes late -- ordinarily not a big deal except that we were being picked up for a tour. The main desk closes at 8pm which means that the front doors are locked as well. Also, there were no stairs to the 2nd floor; only a small elevator that accommodates no more than one person/one suitcase or 2 people. There was a staircase next to our room but it was locked. From a potential fire perspective, this made me nervous.

Love this! Giovanni was a great guide who led us on a walking tour of the popular sights and quiet neighborhoods. We especially liked walking through the market. He was so knowledgeable and friendly. Pace of the tour was not rushed; it was low key and very personalized. We enjoyed cichetti sandwiches and my husband's first Aperol spritz in a quieter neighborhood square...enjoyed the accordion player which was a bonus! Giovanni then took us to an authentic Venetian restaurant...both he and the owner offered up lots of meal suggestions before we were free to order as we liked. Ended our tour with tasty gelato!

Mario Messineo was our tour guide. He met us at the hotel and from there, we proceeded to the Accademia. There seemed to be some confusion about our tickets as he did not have them with him when he picked us up; we had to stop to get them. No big deal. We were able to skip-the-line. The tour was good though it was at times difficult to hear Mario given his soft spokenness and the noise of others. Headphones might have been helpful.

This was one of the highlights of our trip. We started with a tour of San Gimignano. Hilaria was our guide and she was so informative about the village. She worked to tailor our time around what we wanted, so we began with a stop for coffee, toured the village and came across one of her friends, a musician who played a hammered dolcima...magical! Wish we'd had more time here. We then ventured to Terra Di Sovernaja, a family owned winery led by so Federico Montagnani. We tasted 3 whites and 3 reds as well as 7 different olive oils from the winery. As proof that we enjoyed this tour, we ordered several cases of wine and olive oil to enjoy at home. This experience was made complete with a traditional Italian meal created by his mom, Nonna Silvama! Our final stop was to Il Colombaio where we enjoyed wine tastings with a focus on chianti Classico...again ordering several cases to enjoy at home. This was a stress-free trip with a private driver safely transporting us throughout the day.

Personally, we felt a visit to each of these towns was too much for one day. At our request, we spent about an hour at a ceramics factory to purchase items to ship, so that admittedly cut into our time, but even so, we didn't have enough time to really experience and appreciate each of these towns. The time spent in each of these 3 villages was no sufficient for anything more than shopping and/or eating. If we were doing this again, we would opt for 2 days.

Such a fun experience! We started with a tour of the lemon grove -- didn't previously realize how much there was to know about growing lemons! Enjoyed a leisurely "lemon tasting" that included limoncello, lemon sorbet, lemon marmalade and assorted appetizers. This lemon tasting was an unexpected surprise. From there, we enjoyed a private cooking class with Rosaria. There was a lovely outdoor kitchen with our own private dining area. We made ravioli and gnocchi, eggplant parmesan and tiramisu for dessert. While the menu was "standard" and nothing out of the ordinary, per se, the overall experience exceeded our expectations. A special thanks to Chef Rosaria and to Francesca, our lemon grove guide. We left with small gifts, including a bottle of limoncello, assorted marmalades, and cooking aprons.

We enjoyed the golf cart tour, although it broke down 5 times in the middle of busy traffic! Not our driver's fault, but it was a little scary. Great way to see all the sights, stopping just a few times for pictures.

We toured the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and Basilica with Barbara, our private guide whose knowledge of all things Vatican and enthusiasm for same was astounding! Although ours was a private tour, Barbara used headphones with us so that we could clearly hear her among the crowds.

Location is great. Staff support ok. Housekeeping below standard.

Concierge staff is very knowledgeable and helpful.

Rooms are airconed and spacious.

The actual experience fell short of what was detailed in the itinerary. - There was a scenic drive of Swiss countryside, but we were not told or explained by the driver guide that we were actually going through this so-called UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch - There was a visit to the Kambly place, but we were surprised to find out that the group of 3 was enrolled in a 2-hour cooking class. We were NEVER told ahead of time.......that certainly wouldn't fit the profile of the group. And there was NO sampling session at Kambly. - There was NO sampling session at Emmentaler either. - We passes through a lot of farmhouses but there was no stop at any of them. We did stop for pictures at the top of some kind of farmland (with a Switzerland Grand Tour signage).

We didn't expect a farm walk, even less so, a walk on the high grounds/farm/forest at Sonnenberg. We also didn't expect doing cheese tasting on a bench with cheese and wine brought along in the backpack by the guide Dave. But it turned out we enjoyed the tour VERY much. The green fields, the grazing cows, the cheese and wine, and also Dave's stories were all a great delight!

Places we visited are special and memorable........particularly the Beatus Caves and the boat ride on Lake Thun. Interesting though that the guide Mike usually just left us at the entrance or at a certain drop point, and we were just given maps to walk around on our own. Is that the standard practice of being a driver/guide?

Great location, comfortable rooms, and very friendly staff. The breakfast was hearty and a great way to start our busy days.

Easy walk from the train station and near the beach. The restaurant across the street was one of the best we tried in Italy. Loved that the hotel offered free beach towels and bike usage.

A little out of the way but walkable to all the sights. Hotel check in is across the street at another property which was a little confusing but we figured it out.

Location is good for exploring Salerno but the property is aging. Our room had water damage on the walls and a shower that leaked. Breakfast was good. Lots of street noise at times from our room. Staff was efficient but aloof compared to staff at other properties.

This experience was a little weak. We enjoyed that it was a private experience but it was quick. We were just told the ingredients, instructed how to make it and then ate it. Enjoyed the local wine.

Incredible sights made all the more spectacular by our wonderful private guide Paolo. He made the place come to life and delivered his tour with passion and care. Wonderful experience!

The group tour of the Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel was very impersonal. The guide did not connect and the entire experience seemed rote and without feeling. The guide company was not real clear about what we were doing and were slow to get things started. Overall this was a painful experience.

Loved the private guide who got us in quickly. He was a little had to understand but it was helpful to have his insights

This was one of our favorite experiences in Italy. Incredible staff, amazing views, delicious food. This was amazing.

Rafaela was incredibly knowledgeable and fun to be with. Pompeii is incredible and she made it even better. There was a mixup on the times of our tour so she was rushed and we didn’t get a full 2 hours but we made the most of it.

Beautiful historic hotel but no lift!

Unable to stand in the shower because of slippery marble floor. Wore flip-flops to shower! Great breakfast. Staff was often not helpful. Refused to give us a second luggage rack.

Didn’t use it. Walked to everything

Guide was very knowledgeable and pleasant.

Special

Not to be missed!

Very, very informative and made us really appreciate Bruges. Roland’s was exceptional.

The hotel is in a good central location yet is very quiet at night. The buffet breakfast was ample and varied. The desk staff were very pleasant and helpful.

This was our favourite hotel of our 5 week trip. We loved the view from our room of the Alhambra and the large bathroom. The lady who made me "dos huevos fritos" for breakfast each day is a really lovely person!

We really enjoyed this full day excursion and it was easy to navigate the train travel from Seville to Cordoba. Our tour guide, shared her enthusiasm for Cordoba and her extensive knowledge of Moorish occupation in Spain. Visiting the Mezquita was one of our trip highlights.

This was great night with delicious food and wine! We could not eat all of the food! The waiters were pleasant. The walk up the hill was challenging but the effort was worth it.

We thoroughly enjoyed this tapas tour! The guide introduced us to some tapa that we might not otherwise have chosen and the company of other people was fun! The food was plentiful as was the drinks. It was a great night.

Our tour guide was terrific and her passion for The Alhambra shows. The gardens and the building are beautiful and we loved out visit.

It was lovely to be out on the ocean on the catamaran. Even though the weather was cold & windy we had a great time and we got quite close to the coastline at times. The staff were very pleasant and the simple but fresh lunch was tasty and satisfying.

This was our best tour of our trip. Paulo is one fabulous tour guide and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves in his company. (I mean who doesn't connect with a man who loves spreadsheets!) His knowledge about Portugal is immense and he answered all of our questions. We had a great lunch at his family restaurant where we were greeted like family and had the best meal of our trip - the famous Bacalhau à Brás. It was a thoroughly and enjoyable day!

It was pouring with rain when we did this walking tour with Megan but she was completely unphased by that and we walked on regardless. It was a great introduction to Spain & Madrid and we really enjoyed it.

Our guide combined a walk of hilly Granada with local history, tapa tasting and flamenco. We liked going into the local bars and trying tapa but I could not eat some of it due to my dietary requirements. We got to the Flamenco quite late and were placed at the back of the room and we did not have a very good view of the dancers' feet. We did not realise that we were to eat after the Flamenco at 10.00 pm. We were too tired by then so said farewell to the guide and went to bed.

Jesus is a real gentleman and a lovely man! He is warm and kind and funny and we had a great day with him. He gave us some very useful driving tips .

We loved our guided tour of Seville and seeing the Alcazar was a real treat.

We are so glad we took this tuk tuk tour rather than try to walk it ourselves. We saw so much more that we would have if we had walked and the hills are exhausting. Our guide was knowledgeable and very friendly.

This was a really enjoyable tour. We not only enjoyed some great food and good wine, but we also explored the labyrinth of streets in the Alfama District; something we would not have had the courage to do on our own for fear of getting lost!

We loved this guided tour and the walk up the hill was made easy with the information stops. It was great that our tour guide is local and is actually a student at the University so we learnt a lot about the customs of the University and about Coimbra itself.

After some initial mix up with the location of the driver, the tour of Porto was really good and we even stopped for a shot of coffee on the route!

Our final guided tour of our 5 week journey in Spain & Portugal did not disappoint. Our driver was enthusiastic and engaged and the narration of our sights was entertaining. The itinerary was well planned and visiting the amazing Sagrada Familia was a tour highlight!

This was another fabulous experience and the tour guide was young and vibrant and full of enthusiasm for the pintxos of Bilbao. We went to some interesting places tucked away in local Plazas that we would otherwise have missed. The food was plentiful and delicious and the wines were fabulous and also plentiful. I really appreciated the effort that was made to cater for my food allergies.

Great tour with a lot of ground and sites covered. It's a long day with a lot of riding but the sights and scenery make it all worthwhile.

This hotel is directly across from old town, and a very easy walk away from all major attractions. The pool is overlooking the river and a great spot to spend during the hottest parts off the day. The room was nice and great staff.

Everything about this hotel is great but it is a dated look and feel. I think the rooms need to be renovated at some point to keep up with other five star accommodations.

This ship has great food service, and rooms. It is a practically brand new luxury yacht which is beautiful and comfortable. When the ship goes to its overnight docking location its not very far from land, and its in a cove with many other boats. I think we would have enjoyed more movement so we were able to see more of Ha Long Bay. The excursion we did ( kayaking) was boring and every boat in the area seemed like they were doing the same thing.

Amazing Historical Hotel with great staff. We enjoyed our stay here. The vibe is definitely professional business and wealthy tourists but we still had a nice time.

A must do for coming into Saigon, made the trip so much easier.

The hotel could use some upgrading. The bed was comfortable, our view of the lake was nice. The amenities were fine, but you pay extra for everything.

Really nice, modern design with plenty of space to have breakfast, a drink or just relax in the lobby. The rooms were comfortable and had everything you need.

Good location for walking about Melbourne. Breakfast was varied and good! The rooms are small, but clean and comfortable beds.

Nice rooms and comfortable beds. Great amenities like laundry to free! Convenient to the whole resort. Pool was on the chilly side.

We loved having a place to cook a meal ourselves. The pools were nice and private. Laundry was convenient. Location in the middle of town was very convenient.

Definitely gets you a feel of the city! It's right in the middle of Chinatown, a bustling area with lots of shops and restaurants, and ambience. Close to transportation options.

We arrived late in the evening and the receptionist was helpful in directing us to restaurants nearby. The rooms are comfortable.

Mt Terawana crater hike was a great experience - maybe almost half the fun what the wild ride in and out. The crater hike was amazing, terrific views, quite windy at the top and the path down to the crater bottom was unexpected but also quite fun. The guides here definitely patient with our group as some folks had a harder time, they informed us about the geology of the area, and always gave us time to remove the "gravel" from our boots.

What a day - one of the real highlights of the trip. The day started out overcast but by the time we got to the Sound it was beautiful and clear (apparently not the usual experience for a place that measure rainfall in the 10+ meter/year). Again, we had very good guides from the driver (Chou) from Queenstown to the guide on the boat tour on the Sound. The scenery was truly amazing everywhere you looked! We were able to see dolphins and seals in the Sound.

Dan was our guide and gave us the opportunity to experience just a hint of this Great Trail - it makes us think we really need to come back and do this whole trial! While this wasn't a Lord of the Rings tour - he pointed out some of the sites used for filming and explained how Queenstown has become a filmmakers - "go-to location". Wonderful tour and really funny conversation with Dan and Adrian - time as too short.

Visited four wineries and tried some tasty varieties. John was our guide - he was friendly (what would you expect from a Canadian - also made for an interesting discussion of the Stanley Cup playoffs just underway), knowledgeable, and made sure we stopped for some great sites for photos.

We took the gondola ride at dusk and got to see the beautiful views as the sun set and stars came out - we also ended up signing up for the buffet as we were told it was the best buffet in town.

Wildlife Habitat private tour was lovely the way they made a natural habitat and the Lily was a great guide and made us very much feel like VIPs. It was wonderful to get a close up view of some of the beautiful birds, had another koala encounter (can't get enough of those), but also had encounters with a black cockatoo and a frogmouth.

We had our formal Opera House tour next, and it was really a wonderful way to learn more about this extraordinary architectural achievement. Our guide was great. I can't remember the name, but he had recently won an employee photography contest. It is easy to see why a tour of the Opera House is a "don't miss" experience as the thought that went into each space (including the restrooms) is clearly evident. We spent some of our free time after this walking along the harbor to the botanical garden and you can take classic photos of the Opera House along the way.

The Phillip Island Go West Tour with guide, Chris R. was fantastic! He was funny and personable with plenty of information on the area and animals. Our favorites were the Moonlit Sanctuary, petting the koala was well worth it! Phillip Island was beautiful - the Nobbies were truly beautiful and the penguins, so so cute. We hit it at molting season, so there weren't as many penguins coming in a night, but it was still amazing!

The Hidden Gems Arcades and Lanes tour was such fun! Fiona was a great guide, she knows so much about Melbourne that we learned a lot. It was also a great way to see parts of the city we might have missed if we hadn't done the tour. The chocolate was a nice treat along the way!

The Great Barrier Reef snorkeling adventure was an adventure! We had very choppy waters and it made for a rocky trip to and from the reef. The guides, especially Isaac, were accommodating and helpful. They knew I was not a strong swimmer, so they kept and eye on me and helped me out when I needed a boost. Seeing the reef was a highlight of the trip. Amazing to view it with my own eyes!

The Great Ocean Tour with Terry, from Go West. We enjoyed the stops along the way and the scenery was stunning. We actually saw a koala in the wild, but not where we thought we would. The evening at Twelve Apostles was beautiful, with a sunset view and a quick trip down to the beach, it was amazing.

was Bondi Beach with James from the volunteer life savers group. Our beach day was windy and rainy so it was fun to hear about the history and just stroll along and see the sites. The weather was windy, so we didn't swim, but the walk was one fantastic view after another. The "city art" along the beach was everything from fun to amazing.

Sunset tour and BBQ with guide, Hayley was amazing. She was able to teach us about the Ananu people, and the stories they would share with us. The short walk to the watering hole was a highlight. Sunset vista was amazing. The BBQ was so nice, meeting people from all over the world. The food was great and plentiful.

Hike in Kata Tjuta also had stunning views and amazing conglomerate rock. We got great snacks to bring along and eat at the viewpoint. Our guide set the pace was a little too fast for me, we just didn't have enough time to look around, and really enjoy the views around us. There was a definite split in the group where the faster ones went ahead, waited for us, but then moved on as soon as we caught up. I'm not completely out of shape either. That made it a challenge, but the it was worth doing.

Mossman Gorge Adventure with the walk and river float was a tremendous experience. Francisco was a great guide - he was fun on the river float - highlighting the plants that are trying to kill us and the beauty of the forest. The spiders were something else - amazing to see and the rainforest was amazing. The smoke ceremony with Tim was educational and a great way to start the forest walk. We stopped for lunch in a cute little town with good food and parrots all around us! They provided some snacks along the way for the hike.

The dinner and Harbor cruise - a beautiful evening with great views of the city, Harbor bridge, and Opera house. This cruise in the harbor made for a very pleasant evening - service was great - Philip had a hard time staying at the table as the sites along the harbor were better outside. Food was good. We did have to change this reservation so we didn't really have a window seat - part of the reason Philip kept going outside.

The evening drone show was cancelled due to wind. But we did get a lovely wine and cheese basket and enjoyed a laser light show. The location is very nice and the staff gave great customer service.

Early morning at the Field of Lights was spectacular! The glowing light of the rising sun, the beautiful lights stretching out in front of the amazing Uluru. Thoroughly enjoyed this tour. The guides were pleasant and provided coffee and treats as the sun came up.

Drive from Cairns airport to Port Douglas was scenic. Driver was not super talkative, but that's fine.

Our tour of the Blue Mountains with Steve. He commented on how the traffic in the city was pretty minimal that morning - maybe because everyone was already on the way to the Blue Mountains. It was a holiday and quite crowded which decreased our enthusiasm as the short hikes felt a bit more like being in a queue. Nevertheless, there were some lovely sites, but living with mountains very near, we could definitely see the appeal of hiking out into the park to better enjoy nature.

As Lord of the Rings/Hobbit fans, this was a truly enjoyable way to spend some time on a rainy day. This day almost didn't start off well as there was some confusion about the pickup location but luckily one of the van drivers spotted us and caught us up with the correct van for the trip to Hobbiton. Hobbiton was charming, even in pouring rain. The detail in the hobbit home that we could walk through. We could've spent a lot of time looking around.Lunch at the Green Dragon pavilion was delightful.

The glow worm kayak tour was very fun and the glow worms were just amazing but mostly we were glad that we weren't the kayak that tipped over - the guide was great about helping everyone out and it was some considerable work The glow worms should not be missed if you're in New Zealand.

The Whirinaki forest walk was up next - this was very much one of the most memorable and enjoyable parts of the entire trip. Our guide Tom was perfect for us - full of information and pointed out all kinds of great things along the trail. His 30 years in conservation introduced us to so many amazing things about the New Zealand rain forest and the challenges that New Zealand is facing on the conservation front - just a truly amazing day.

The Cultural center for dinner and a Maori experience . We had listened to New Zealand history from the perspective of European-descendants and it was great to get some of this from the Maori perspective. Lots of food and an elaborate show after made for a great evening.

Excellent location near the train station and on the edge of old town. Our room was on the alley where they were doing major construction, so it was quite noisy. The breakfast buffet was very good and had lots of selections, including some vegan ones.

No two rooms are alike, so be sure to understand the exact room you're getting. Ours was quite spacious but a little funky, with a tub in the room. The view from the bathroom was amazing, up towards the Jungfrau. The buffet breakfast was the best one of our entire trip - plenty of options, including some great vegan ones.

Great location and value. Loved being near the train station and old town. One of the most popular restaurants in the entire area is on the 1st floor.

Well situated above the city of Lugano and easy walking distance to old town and other sights. Our room had a partial view of the lake, but there were a couple huge construction cranes polluting the view. The property itself felt a bit dated.

Wonderful - close to metro and easy to walk to shopping and resturants. The breakfast was a perfect way to start each day!

Wonderful! Hightly recommended.

Such a beautiful hotel with a top notch breakfast. By far my favorite hotel from all our travels!

Ruairi was a wonderful guide and host with an extensive knowledge of the food offerings of Dublin. Quite possibly the best falafel I have ever had!! Nothing like a Guinness, but even better when you have some history of Michael Collins, local lore, etc! Highly recommend this event!

Bucket list item done! Truly breathtaking to see in person. Needed another hour or two for more exploring!

The Maldron Hotel Belfast City was located in a great location for restaurants and catching our day tour to the Giants Causeway. The bed was comfortable and the breakfast was good. We would stay here again.

This was probably the least liked hotel of our trip. Our room was toward the back of the hotel and was very small. It also had no ceiling fan or window that one could open wide so the room was uncomfortably warm. Thoughtfully the hotel provides a small fan (which should have been a clue) which helped a little, but not enough. There was a tiny space in which to put our small suit cases, with one being on the floor, The hotel was close to restaurants and the boardwalk. On the plus side, the breakfast was delicious and they had menu items you could order freshly made (i.e., avocado toast, Irish breakfast).

The Castle Hotel is set within nine elegantly restored Georgian townhouses with rooms full of period pieces. We had a fairly large room with a four poster bed and a nice sized bathroom. We had a choice between the full Irish breakfast or a ala carte selection.

Business class hotel with nice sized room and comfortable bed. Delicious breakfast!