Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had an amazing trip with great recommendations from our planner!
Kimkim was very attentive to our asks and preferences and they were so helpful when certain things in our itinerary got canceled due to weather!

Hotel Reviews

Galaxy Hotel Naxos

Naxos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kastro Suites Santorini

Santorini

Absolutely the most perfect location.. amazing views .. the actual rooms were dated tho. The bathroom showers didn’t stay up (needed to hold the shower head w one hand while washing hair w the other). They have very limited staff. One guy practically did everything!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

They could have more staff. Only had one main guy!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Athens Cypria Hotel

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Photo shoot in Santorini

Santorini

Great must do!!! They take you to the most amazing locations that you would never find on your own

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini Highlights with Wine

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great guide with Waylan throughout Bali. He made our experiences personal and emphasized the cultural perspective of the Balinese. Our car and drivers were always on time and new where to go. Having a family group of 8 was never challenging for our planners and we were able to be flexible with adding things in our itinerary like coffee tasting, plowing the rice fields and elephant rides.

Hotel Review

The Melaya Villas

Bali

A beautiful, private resort. The villas were gorgeous, large and very private. One of the best beaches we saw on Bali!

Authenticity & Character

Location

A remote area that offered a chance to relax away from crowds.

Staff

Very attentive staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Telaga Waja Rafting

Indonesia

It was beautiful and the guides were very experienced. We did not paddle once, which was a disappointment for our family.

Quality of Experience

Would like more participation from the attendees

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Cooking Class

Indonesia

This was an amazing experience with our large family. The food was top notch and the location and beauty of the resort was amazing. We even hiked to a rice field and plowed a field with some oxen. A highlight of our entire trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling in Menjangan

Indonesia

Our best snorkeling adventure. We felt very safe with a mix of swimming expertise in our family group. The guide was fantastic with doing small training swims first. Excellent!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Island Hopping in Komodo Island

Indonesia

We felt that the beauty of the islands was amazing. The island hopping and snorkeling wasn’t communicated as well as it could have been. And the snorkeling was dangerous and not safely led.

Quality of Experience

Better trained guides for snorkeling

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family was so lucky to have been assigned to Bea for our trip to Spain. She was fantastic. From the beginning, she listened to what we valued and had a lot of helpful input. She suggested many more ideas to consider than what we could fit it, so that we could choose what sounded best.

The greatest thing about Bea was her quick response time. We had the basics of the trip finished quite early, but she had to wait on us for new passports to arrive, and then we went through some revisions as our flights changed. (She was beyond reasonable and quick when our entire trip added a day.) During the trip, we had more questions and required a bit of hand-holding with small details and she was unflappable during this time. Cheerful, quick, and full of good advice. KimKim uses a really efficient app during the trip so that communication is in real time.

It was hard to choose where to start our trip. I picked the route which was loosely based on the suggested trip plans on KimKim's website. We ended up starting in Madrid, and heading south with stays in Sevilla, Granada, and Malaga. We had short visits in Segovia, Ronda, Nerja, Frigiliana, and an activity in Marbella.

Our family includes 3 teen boys so our choices aligned with their interests. Bea hooked us up with a hot air balloon ride which was magical. We also enjoyed a segway tour in Madrid, a few walking tours including the Alhambra, an olive oil estate visit outside of Sevilla, a visit inside the caves of Nerja, a flamenco show in a cave above Granada, and a canyoning excursion near Marbella. On our own we booked a mountain biking day for the boys for our added last day. The fellas most enjoyed the adrenaline activities of canyoning (think swimming through a cave, sliding down natural slides on your behind, and doing 3-9m cliff jumps.) They also loved the hot air balloon ride. I am thankful that the early start time of that aligned with our jet lag near the beginning of the trip. We encountered some really special surprises too: our segway guide in Madrid, David, took us to a small, unremarkable door behind a convent. Inside was a cookie "business" being run by the nuns of the church. We never saw a human. We went in and spoke through a speaker about what we wanted to purchase, and a packed box of cookies appeared in this little door in the wall. During a walk in the very hilly whitewashed town of Friginiana, we came across a local cat rescue with a viewing window of the "gatos." This was our family's jam, and we never would have expected to find it set amongst the small, hilly lanes of the village. The boys were also happy to find the filming location of Naboo from Star Wars in Sevilla. Many teen photos were taken there, second only to cat photos.

The hotels that she recommended fit well with our expectations of location, family sleeping arrangements, and yes, air conditioning :) Our favorite hotels were the two times that we stayed in H10 properties in Sevilla and Malaga. Our Granada hotel was very charming. We enjoyed several dining experiences despite the kids not feeling tapas at every turn. We ended up at a few steak houses and mercados (markets) for even more choices. Our favorite spot for chocolate y churros was Cafe Futbol in Granada. Our favorite restaurant was a pizza place, also in Granada, called La Piccola Carmela. They had a fancier sister restaurant for authentic Spanish tapas. Our favorite place to eat in Malaga was Pampa Grill. Every breakfast was lovely. Zero issues.

I should add a last shout out to the incredible drivers that Bea chose for our longer drives. Our favorite driver was Jesus Ferreira, who we had twice. We loved him, and he really made the time spent so special. He took us to a spot that wasn't planned because he had a hunch, and he was right! We also liked Angel in Malaga and Alberto Zabala in Sevilla.

Our family had taken one trip to Europe before, which I planned. Despite it going well, when I began my research for this trip, I was dreading the legwork. The hours of planning, researching, and figuring timing of trains and when to reserve what, complete with FOMO about things that I didn't know existed. While reading family trip blogs I came across KimKim. I was intrigued and filled out an interest form. We were assigned to Beatriz, and it was like a local angel was inside of my head. She took away almost every worry and I cannot express my relief. We didn't look back. I highly recommend KimKim and Bea. We will use them again.

Hotel Reviews

H10 Casa de la Plata

Sevilla

This hotel was perfect for us. The H10 in Sevilla had probably the best staff that we encountered. The gentleman (Fran?) that checked us in had very good advice and ideas. Everything was modern and clean, beds were good, and we appreciated their decorating style. Irreverent art. Good location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Despite Sevilla not being much of a car town, this hotel is very close to a large square by the mushroom. (If you see it, you will know what I mean.)

Staff

Beyond helpful. Kind, smart, great english after we attempted spanish with them.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa 1800

Granada

H10 Croma Málaga

Málaga

This was our favorite hotel on the trip. It was in a good location and was very stylish and airy. At first, we arrived and thought that we were located too far away from the beach. But quickly we realized that all of the action that we wanted was in the area near us. Everything was nearby. The mercado was a half block away. The hotel rooftop was perfect - big enough for options but not a crazy DJ party like the RIU in Madrid. Loved the rooftop pool, small restaurant, and lounge area. Our family was given two rooms. One had a balcony deck so big that it wrapped around the corner and had a 2nd section with sun loungers. Room 801, btw. The other room was a tad larger but had two small balconies. Also great. Room 809. The breakfast was good. Decor was nice. The lobby has water and small snacks/treats out at all times.

Authenticity & Character

This hotel isn't quaint - it is new. However, that is a big part of Malaga. Lovely decorative tiles surround all of the decks.

Location

Close to everything that we wanted. About 100 restaurants within 4-5 blocks.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Really responsive air conditioning.

Activity Reviews

Madrid City Highlights by Segway

Madrid

We really liked this. We were all new to segways, but the learning curve isn't bad at all. The tour guide was a younger guy. He had a lot of information. For our teens, I'd maybe give him a "4" because he told about more history than they needed. He did take us to a few "hidden gems" that we wouldn't have found otherwise. I gave the activity vendor a 4 because two of our five segways had some slowing issues when accelerating, which suggests a not-super-thorough maintenance system. They were not dangerous at any time, but they weren't as easy to control as the other 3.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hot Air Balloon Ride Over Segovia

Madrid

This was breathtaking. So glad that we had the opportunity to do it. I don't know why, but I had expected a more private experience. Instead the balloon held around 16 people. That was fine. The pilot had flown balloons for 23 years and was a pro. I was slightly worried when he gave a safety speech in spanish. I only understood an arm gesture and the word "important," which was concerning. Luckily some other riders clued us in that he was talking about landing positions, and they explained what we should do. We floated over Segovia and there was no bad place in the balloon. He steered it so that everyone was able to see each angle. We were in the air for over an hour. Our landing was perfect - no big bumps or tipping over. After the staff cleaned up the gear there was a small breakfast and a toast.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The pilot was amazing. The staff was kind and energetic

Transport

I am referring to the shuttle to and from the airport. They were proficient. The balloon pilot was a 5+

Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Ronda & White Villages

Spain

We were lucky to get Jesus Ferreira Franco as our driver, two different times. I think his business is called Luxury Granada? What a kind, knowledgeable man. He became a friend by the end of our trip. Courteous, polite, caring, prepared, with excellent stories. This was, without a doubt, the best driver that we could have had. He made our trip better. Our sons all said that they missed him after we needed to have a different driver later on.

Quality of Experience

This driver had great stories - I'm sure that he could be quiet if that is what you prefer. We wanted to hear it all. He also had a big cooler of waters to hand out and lent us umbrellas for our time in Ronda during a freak bit of rain.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Love Jesus F.F. KimKim should book him whenever possible.

Transport

Monumental Seville on Foot & Visit Real Alcázar

Seville

Our tour guide was named Carolina. She was great with teenagers and was open to what we wanted to see. Some of our kids really wanted to see the area that was used for the filming of Star Wars - Naboo - so we headed over there. We spent a lot of time in the palace, and then headed over to the Jewish Quarter. She even escorted us to a restaurant that we wanted to try for their tapas.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Spain's Liquid Gold: Visit an Andalusian Olive Oil Estate

Spain

I gave this 4 stars because our kids were totally not into it. I liked it a lot, and I think that culture and history can be absorbed by things that aren't museums and famous monuments. The estate was really old and had the original equipment from the 1600's. We learned a lot about different olive varieties and mediterranean-area production. We saw the apparatus and had an oil tasting. There was a driver to the estate and back, so everything was so simple. It was located about 20 minutes from downtown Seville.

Quality of Experience

I loved that it was different. Not a museum :)

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was kind and knowledgeable. Driver was great!

Transport

Discover Granada’s Iconic Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Spain

I imagine that there are tons of tour guides for the Alhambra. It is really important to see. We had no trouble finding our guide at the meeting place. He was knowledgeable and told us a lot about the gardens (which we did first) and the Alhambra. You really do get more than seeing it alone. Although, to be fair, we did not listen to any audio tours so cannot compare.

Quality of Experience

I liked hearing the more "secret" things, like about how oleander was used in the garden because the staff didn't like a certain female nobleperson. Oleander is beautiful but poisonous, which was how the staff described this woman.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide took us through a wood product shop at the end. This was the only time on our trip that we felt like American tourists, like he was going to get a kickback from any sales of wood items. Kind of soured us a bit. I'm pretty sure that this was rare because there were not many people in the shop.

A Night of Flamenco in a Sacromonte Cave

Granada

This was the most authentic way for us to see the dancers. It felt a bit touristy, but the location was definitely built into the side of the mountain and the dancers were amazing. They worked! You really need to see flamenco at some point in Spain. We ran into a family in our hotel that had arranged a lesson somewhere, and they had to perform for an audience after their lesson. This was somewhere else. We weren't that committed. Happy to just watch. It was just the right amount of time.

Quality of Experience

The guides and drivers provided were excellent. There were some scheduling problems with getting the car and attending the tea. Many in the group were unable to attend tea as they were picking up cars. The tea was just okay, a little stuffy and didn’t seem very Scottish (what ever that is). Also the car return schedule was unrealistic as there was not enough time allowed. This wasn’t a big problem and we worked it out. The Highland tour guides were very nice, but this was not very interesting. I don’t think going to the cliffs of Moher by boat was a good idea. The seas were very rough and many people were very sick. Arran island was very fun. The best was the Irish house party. I wish we had more time in a small village with traditional Irish music. We may have to return. All in all, or trip was well organized and you did a good job trying to meet our varied wishes. Thanks Carol

Hotel Reviews

Skeffington Arms Hotel

Galway

Interesting hotel. They do have a problem with unpleasant odors in the hallway. Breakfast was just okay, location was good for the boat trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fonab Castle

Pitlochry

Authenticity & Character

I expected an older castle.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eden Locke

Edinburgh

Lovely, very modern and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Argyll Guest House

Glasgow

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Belvedere Hotel

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Free time in Inishmore (Aran Island)

Ireland

Renting bicycles and touring the island was a definite treat. The scenery is so unusual and beautiful that we were spellbound the entire time.

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Very interesting, I would have enjoyed a guided tour.

Quality of Experience

Loch Lomond Cruise - Inversnaid Circular

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Irish Dancing - The Irish House Party (Dinner & Show)

Dublin

The meal was ho=hum and took way too long to be served. Fortunately, the Irish music after was awesome!

Quality of Experience

It was great to be exposed to the local history. We have nothing to compare in America.

Food

We ate fish and chips until we could take no more. We tried, but, haggis and blood pudding are definitely an acquired taste.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Their open friendliness.

Transport

The drivers were friendly and knowledgeable.

Private transfer in town

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Glasgow

Glasgow

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Afternoon Tea at The Signet Library

Edinburgh

With our short time I would have preferred to do something with more Scottish influence.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cairngorms National Park Wildlife Tour with a Specialist

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blair Atholl Castle Entrance tickets

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Blair Athol Distillery's Whisky Connoisseur Experience

Pitlochry

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My family and I flew to Dublin, Ireland. From there we traveled to Galway, Cork, Limerick, Cork, Cashel, and then back to Dublin-via Kildare.

Our travel specialist Svetlana planned our trip perfectly-in that we didn't move through the countryside to slowly or to fast and our accomodations were fantastic.

Further, the stops Svetlana planned for us, (sometimes ones that we would not have chosen for ourselves) turned out to be reals gems-the Kilbeggan Distellery and the Irish National Stud & Gardens-and we treasure the visits. Not to mention the usual stops: Cashel, The Book of Kells, The Cliffs of Moher, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Blarney Castle ... almost too many to mention.

Needless to say, my family loved Ireland, loved the Irish and had a wonderful time!

Adam helped us out in the very beginning with the planning but I also worked with Jessica for putting together the final details of the trip. All of the vendors and guides were top-notch. Very communicative and easy to get ahold of using What's App. We planned a mix of activities - from guided walking tours to bus trips to self-guided beach days. We had a wonderful vacation!

Activity Reviews

Historic Art & Architecture Walk

Valencia

Our guide was so informative and really made the experience interesting. Highly recommend this!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Camp Nou Experience Guided Visit with Skip-the-Line Tickets

Barcelona

We loved visiting Camp Nou. The stadium is under construction so we did not get a chance to tour inside. We were limited to the museum, but it was still very interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Caves of San José Day Trip

Valencia

Such a unique and interesting activity! My kids loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Legends Museum & Bernabéu Stadium Visit

Madrid

This is self-guided, it was not a guided tour. You walk through at your own pace with other tourists. It was an amazing experience and a must-see for all football fans!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Toledo Family Experience & Sword-Making Workshop

Madrid

Such a unique and interesting activity! It is off the beaten path a bit, so do not be surprised when your cab pulls up to an industrial area. You do not get to make your own sword, so that was a bit misleading. You can purchase a sword to take home or have shipped to you. All in all, this was very interesting and the guides were so knowledgeable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Beatriz was the best!!! So so helpful & had all the best tips. We had the best trip EVER thanks to her :)

Hotel Reviews

Vincci Larios Diez

Málaga

Such a beautiful hotel in a beautiful location! Loved the rooftop bar & the views!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parador De Nerja

Nerja Málaga

Views from the hotel are breathtaking! Amenities are so clean & well maintained & staff is very friendly!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa 1800

Granada

Best hotel I’ve ever stayed in!! So much character, each room was a little different & the courtyard was beautiful. Absolutely loved the amenities here with the breakfast & tea with the free drinks/coffees! Life saver on a trip like this :) Staff was so nice as well!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dear Hotel Madrid

Madrid

Very nice hotel located right in the middle of things :) The rooftop bar and pool were so cool! Absolutely loved the views from our room & the terrace

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Free Day to Explore Málaga & Beyond

Málaga

Best first day! We arrived and had time to settle in then we got to explore! We found an awesome restaurant for dinner then went to the beach at night, hotel staff was so friendly & got us checked in immediately!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit of Historic Málaga

Spain

Our guide was so informative and kept us all interested! Lots of cool places in the city we would not have picked up on if not for this tour :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Sailing on the Mediterranean

Málaga

Beautiful views! Staff is so friendly & accommodating :) It does get chilly once the sun starts to set so definitely keep in mind because lots of people were cold by the end!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Frigiliana Hike with Wine Experience

Málaga

One of my favorite experiences of the whole trip! What a beautiful town!! The hike itself was the most amazing hike I have ever been on, I took so many photos to capture everything :) Our tour guide was kind, went at our pace, and offered to take photos of our group :)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Granada Through Its Scents

Granada

Such a unique experience & so worth it! Very informative too & a great way to learn your way around the city :) Our tour guide was the best!! She was super interesting & funny as well! Loved the little box of scents you get at the end too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Night of Flamenco in a Sacromonte Cave

Granada

Coolest experience ever!!! My entire family was in awe afterwards! The performers were all so beautiful and talented, you couldn’t take your eyes off them!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Granada’s Iconic Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Spain

Beautiful views! I learned a lot about the Alhambra & the history of the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sierra Nevada by Bike: From Peaks to Valleys

Granada

Another must do!!! Kind of scary but also super cool & totally worth a fall or two! They go at your pace & at first it is definitely nerve wracking but once you get the hang of it it’s no problem! You will definitely be a little sore for a few days afterwards but nothing too bad. The views are incredible & the staff takes lots of photos and videos for you during the trip!! The included lunch was so fun too & a good way to boost your energy :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hands-On Cooking Class in Granada

Granada

One of my favorite experiences & memories of the whole trip :) the little building & room where this class took place was so cute & felt like home. Annabelle was the sweetest teacher!!! One of my favorite people we met on our trip, she taught us all so much about the Spanish language, the food, & the culture! It is very hands on, she hardly touched a thing! Everything we made was soooo good & we were able to save the recipes to make on our own at home :) It was so nice to be able to sit at the table afterwards & eat with everyone. Annabelle definitely made the experience even better!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Madrid’s Old Town

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From City to Countryside: Exploring the Wines of Las Vegas de Madrid

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Norway this past June was absolutely amazing! Mathia worked with us to ensure our itinerary was smooth and connected us to fantastic guides and places to stay.....most importantly he navigated the ferry and train time tables to ensure we were on the correct boats/trains for our trip! Without his guidance we would not have connected with local guides like Stig...our guide when we visited Oslo. Stig was so knowledgeable and fun. He walked us around the city sharing the highlights of Oslo and small lesser known facts the while easily conversing and making us feel like his special guests...not tourists. We wanted to see as much as possible in Norway so after two days in Oslo we flew to the Lofoten Islands. Mathia booked us in a fantastic place....historic and charming...the Svinoya Roburer. We had excellent weather and toured the entire island chain under blue skies and sunshine. Epic views and enjoyed the beach under the midnight sun. Our next flight took us to Bergen. Once again Mathia connected us to John who expertly guided us through the beautiful town of Bergen, sharing the history and ensuring we got to experience the fantastic views that the city has to offer. Mathia booked us on the Norled ferry from Bergen to Balestrand. Balestrand was our favorite place we visited. Do not get me wrong....all of our locations were amazing...but the small village charm of Balestrand, the special Kvicknes hotel and our special tours there made our visit so special. We toured and tasted at the local Cidery. The tour and tasting was intimate and so very interesting. The cider was delicious. Mathia booked us with the ultimate tour guide in Norway, Tor! Another local born and raised in Balestrand, he knew everything about the town, the area and was the warmest funiest man we have met in a long time. He took us up a side fjord, stopping at farms, amazing waterfalls and of corse the glacier. Tor made Balestrand special!
Mathia then booked us on the famous Flam railway to head back to Oslo. It is rated one of the top train rides in Europe and it did not dissapoint.
Norway is beautiful. The people we met in Norway were very special. I would highly recommend a trip to Norway and I would highly recommend working with KimKim and Mathia to plan your visit. I hope to go back to Norway...if nothing else than to eat the delicious fish soup.

Wow what an amazing trip. From the moment a thought was planned Camellia planned our trip and communicated every small detail perfectly, from a small idea of ours a 17 day trip through Vietnam and Cambodia was formed. Our entire trip was professionally organised down to the finest detail. Every guide and driver arrived well before the schedule time, all guides spoke great English and were extremely knowledgable. Thanks for a wonderful trip. Most highly recommended.
Pam, Dean, Ben & Georgia

Aline and Bastion planned an amazing trip to France for me, my son and daugher-in-law, 3grandchildren ages 10, 8 and 4 and my daughter. We visited Paris, Normandy, Aix and Marseilles, traveling by train. Everything was planned out and went as smooth as silk - no unexpected surprises, even with 3 children! The places that we stayed in each location were perfect for our family, all of our train travel was arranged, and the tour guides that were arranged for us for Normandy, the Louvre and Versailles were great with the children, as well as the adults. Restaurant recommendations were great and took into consideration that we were traveling with children. Bastion was in touch with us almost everyday checking to see that everything was going smoothly and he answered each question promptly, I highly recommend both Aline and Bastion for France and will definitely use them again for future travels!

Hotel Review

« Travel to the Old Time » - Notre Dame - 3BDR/ AC

Paris

This was a great place, with plenty of room for our group of 4 adults and 3 children - ages 10, 8 and 4. It was very clean and had all we needed in a galley style kitchen. Also it was quite beautiful with the many stone walls. We felt very secure and it is in a great location with restaurants, grocery, pharmacy and markets all very close. Would definitley stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

American D-Day Experience - Full Day Private Tour

Bayeux

Jonathan was a wonderful tour guide for our family trip. He was great with the adults as well as the children, making our trip to Normandy and Mont St Michel both interesting and fun for everyone. He selected great places for us to eat and was very knowlegeable about the history of both places He presented the information in a way to was wat interesting to young and old.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Treasure Hunt at the Louvre (Private/3Hours)

Paris

Thank you Aline and Bastion for lining up Alexandra of Family Focus while we were visiting Paris! Our tour of the Louvre and Versailles with Alexandra of Family Focus Tours was one of the highlights of our recent trip to France. My grandchildren (10, 8 and 4) immediately felt right at home with her. She expertly manuevered us through the crowds to the front of display and presented the most interesting historical information. We all learned so much. Also she added so many extra touches to entertain the children ( work and coloring books, treasure hunt, etc) - they were completely engaged throughout both tours. And there were extras for the adults also, as we all peformed a dance in the ballroom at Versailles, despite the crowds! I highly recommend her!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mathia was very responsive to all emails and inquiries, and empathetic to a sudden pet illness that prevented my husband from going on the trip. He was very flexible in what he would schedule/book and what we could book on our own. All walking tours were excellent with Stig in Oslo and John in Bergen. Tor in Balestrand for the fjord boat tour is not to be missed. All very friendly and engaging guides. Will definitely use Kimkim in the future!

Marina planned a great 10 day trip to Portugal. The hotels where we stayed and the activities she booked were great. The trip exceeded our expectations. Communication with Marina and our local contacts was easy. I felt like she understood what we were most interested in seeing and took into consideration the pace we wanted to travel. I would recommend using KimKim for your future travel!

Hotel Reviews

NH Collection Lisboa Liberdade

Lisbon

Right in the heart of the city. Great pool area. Rooms are a good size. Great breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Vine House—Quinta São Luiz

Tabuaço

Beautiful!! The views couldn’t have been better.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Prettiest view from the deck of our hotel room

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great place to spend the night before an early flight. Can walk to the airport but the hotel also provides a shuttle

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just needs some updating. Pool area was very nice

Activity Reviews

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Master the Art of Azulejos: A Boutique Tile Workshop

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Douro Valley Wine Tasting & Quinta Lunch

Douro Valley

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

River Boat Experience in Douro Valley

Douro Valley

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self Drive {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Aveiro

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Transport

Hands-On Cooking Class with a Local Chef

Porto

This activity was canceled but our local kimkim Representative let us know right before we started walking to the cooking class. The chef took us to dinner instead to a Michelin chef’s newly opened cafe. We spent the evening with him and spoke with the chef as well. The meal was delicious and the company was just as good!

E-Bike Experience Through Historic Porto

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Peneda-Gerês National Park Experience: Easy Hike & Cultural Experience

Porto

Great hikes. Beautiful waterfalls. Loved our guide Nuno. Great local lunch at a nice restaurant at the park.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ana did a great job of creating a trip for us that fit our needs. We went through several iterations to get it right and it was worth it. Komodo Island and the snorkeling in that area were world class. The Bali beaches are probably best for younger groups (20 somethings), but our guide, Eka, quickly figured out an alternative, the GWK statue, which was fantastic. The best part was that we were the only clients; we weren't part of some larger group that had to complete a pre-programmed itinerary. The flexibility made a huge difference. I strongly recommend Ana and our driver Eka for your Indonesian trip.

Everyone was very accommodating. We didn’t have to worry about anything. Best vacation we have had. Thank you so much !

Hotel Reviews

Petinos Beach Hotel

Mykonos Cyclades Islands

Everyone was amazing!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Katikies Chromata Santorini - The Leading Hotels of the World

Santorini

The staff were amazing!!! Best vacation we have ever had. Thank you for your hospitality. It was impeccable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Sunset Caldera Catamaran Cruise

Santorini

The ride was fun and but scary very different terrain from the normal. You should be on good shape to do it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We have again had a great experience working with KimKim. Sebastian was very responsive to adapting his plan to match our needs and interests. The Olive Farm tour was absolutely terrific, and we also thoroughly enjoyed the Albi Food Tour. Nastia does an outstanding job of making it fun and interesting. The car rental experience was smooth, and the we loved both of the hotels that Sebastian booked for us.

Hotel Reviews

Grand Plaza Hotel

Andorra la Vella

This is a lovely 5 star hotel. The staff was terrific. The breakfast was lovely and delicious. The room was comfortable and very well appointed. I highly recommend this hotel and wish I could have stayed longer.

Authenticity & Character

Really cool art in the hotel!

Location

We were within 20 minutes walk of everything we wanted to see and do. Great location.

Staff

Kind, helpful, responsive -- they made us feel comfortable and welcome.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was perfect!

Hotel Alchimy

ALBI

Our room was large, gorgeous, and comfortable. I never wanted to leave! It is such a treat for the eye as well as comfortable and luxurious. I had the best meal of metric in their dining room. Exquisite! We would return to this hotel in a heartbeat.

Authenticity & Character

So beautifully decorated, so cool, a fantastic experience!

Location

In the old part of the city and walkable within 5-10 minutes of all the sights.

Staff

Everyone was kind and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was beautifully maintained.

Activity Reviews

Guided visit of an olive grove and mill estate with olive oil tasting

Albi

We liked everything about this experience -- our guide was informative and friendly. We learned about the farm, about growing olives, we walked the fields. It was so neat. Then we had a tasting of olive oils and olive products. The owner came to meet us and gave us an extra gift. We were treated so well. What a delightful experience!

Quality of Experience

We learned so much, got to spend time in the beautiful outdoors, tasted delicious products, and met lovely people.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was able to answer all our questions and taught us so much. She was fantastic.

Albi Food Tour

Albi

This was so much fun! We got a walking tour of Albi along with three food stops. The first was a fabulous patisserie where the baker puts mystery ingredients inside of pastries and you get to guess what they are. We got three different delicious pastries there, plus a drink, all while sitting with a lovely view of the river and the old town. After walking by the cathedral and visiting the cloister, we stopped at a confectioner's shop and got to have delicious macarons. Our final stop was so cool - a rooftop restaurant (the highest in Albi) with a view of the city to enjoy while having a glass of wine or cocktail and sharing an enormous charcuterie board with three cheeses, pate, many meats, peppers, pickles, and lovely crusty bread. It was a lovely capstone to a terrace experience.

Quality of Experience

Amazing food at special places we wouldn't have found on our own.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nastia is a 5-star guide!!

Aleksandra was great to work with. She is super responsive to all questions and emails. She works hard to solve any problems that may occur during the trip. She took the burden of planning the trip off my shoulders and gave us a great experience.

Liz Neal was our specialist for this trip and she did an amazing job, especially given the relatively little time she had to make so many arrangements. I believe we started communication around the second week of March for a trip that would start middle of June. And though she was focused on the Australia part of our trip she also helped us in getting to Singapore from Perth, and then from Singapore home four days later. During the arrangements we spoke live a couple of times and had lots of chats back and forth through the KimKim communication portal, which was very handy. And Liz was incredibly responsive and adaptive to a couple of unexpected changes we had to make to our itinerary.

I am blessed to have a wonderful daughter who loves to travel. Our flights to Australia and from Singapore were long, but seemed to go by fast because I knew she was really appreciating all that we were doing together. And Liz has kids too, so I appreciated her consideration of an adult and youth traveling together. There are so many highlights from our trip it's hard to know where to begin. I had been to Sydney before for business, so I sort of knew my way around, but like the entire trip, having transportation to and from the airport to our hotels was incredibly convenient.

And when we arrived at the hotel, Liz had sent us a packet containing a convenient little booklet of our whole itinerary, along with information guides of the different places we were going. I used these a lot, so that was a nice bonus. Of course, Liz had already provided digital versions of our flight and trip itineraries but it was still nice to have a convenient little booklet I could carry with me and refer to a lot.

Liz booked us on the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb at sunset, which was stunning. Our guide, Meg, was enthusiastic and very considerate of all the members in our team. This was definitely a highlight of our trip. We got awesome pictures, and we had plenty of time that day and the next to walk around and even take a ferry to Manly. We were then picked up and taken to the airport for our flight to Cairns. By the way, all of the drivers were very personable, and gave us advice on other things to do during our stays.

For the snorkeling of the Great Barrier Reef out of Cairns, we had an incredible time, and really appreciated how close our hotel was to the marina and the nice restaurants. We snorkeled at three locations, the guides were awesome, and my daughter was beating me into the water each time.  We felt very comfortable with our surroundings and even swam off in different directions. We have both SCUBA dived as well and really didn't think there was much of an advantage to diving in such a relatively shallow are. The food on board was wonderful and we had incredible weather. In fact, we had great weather the whole trip. I really think visiting Australia, especially the northern part, in the winter, is the best way to go. The water at the Reef was warm.

After Cairns, we flew to Darwin. Oh, by the way, it was very thoughtful that a credit for food and drink was arranged for our domestic flights in Australia. It was nice to have a sandwich and drink during those flights. Darwin was another great place for us to visit and our day trip to Kakadu and Litchfield were incredible. At Kakadu, seeing the rock paintings, doing the Yellow River boat tour (so many crocodiles!) and then we took a flying tour of the whole park, which was an extra option, but incredibly worth it. The wetlands, rock formations and even the uranium mine, were all very interesting to see from the air, much of which you couldn't access by land.

The next day's Litchfield experience was a smaller tour, involving a lot of swimming at springs and waterfalls. Our group got to know one another very well and everyone was especially impressed with my daughter's songwriting and performing experience. We must of played her songs from YouTube several times! And this reminds me that during our whole trip my daughter was included in everything and made to feel very welcome. That's wonderful for the father of a teenager to see.

So eachj days of our trip involved vastly different activities, and going on to Broome was no exception. SO far in our trip we had one night in Sydney, two in Cairns, three in Darwin, and then two nights in Broome. Our first evening involved a sunset cruise that included wonderful appetizers and a swim behind the boat in a large net. This was wonderful, the water perfect. The next day we were up really early to fly out to the Horizontal Falls in a seaplane. This is a must-do! We had an incredible time. After our water landing, we taxied over to a pontoon hotel where we swam next to sharks, and a wonderful breakfast and then went in boats to see the Falls up close. After that we flew back but went a little bit different way so we could see some other interesting coastal features. Then that evening, we did a one-hour sunset camel ride. I recommend Red Sunset Camels. They are the best!

Finally, we flew to Perth for two nights and did the Hop On Hop Off bus tour around the city. We hadn't made any plans for our visit but knew that the bus was a great way to see the city and useful as a taxi service for getting around. We ended up touring the Bell Tower (you get to ring the bells!) and the Perth Mint, where you get to see an actual liquid gold pour. After that we walked all the way around King's Park, which was beautiful, much of it along the water. Our hotel was a convenient walk to the marina where we could start our tour.

After Perth, we left for Singapore, which was recommended by Liz as a better way to go, rather than trying to visit Singapore before Australia, especially with flying into Sydney. So, this was a fantastic trip for us, creating memories we will always treasure. If I return to Australia again, or perhaps New Zealand, I will want to use Liz Neal and KimKim for all my travel arrangements. They know what they're doing!

Thank you.

- M Zumwalt

My wife and I were recommended to Kimkim by friends of ours who had used your services a few times. Chris, our agent, was very easy to work with. He laid out an entire itinerary for our trip to Greece based our on desires. It was the best vacation we have ever taken. The hotels we stayed in were perfect in terms of location and amenities.

Rashi was our contact for our trip. The trip went quite smoothly except on parts where she suggested we take buses. They didn't alway run as she indicated and in a few towns it was really hard to find the bus station. The road book should have included a map to the bus stations. Our accommodations were wonderful and the baggage transfer was flawless.
The roadbook was confusing at times when trying to follow the alternative routes. The GPS was excellent.

Activity Review

Walking day : Champex - Bovine/Fenêtre d’Arpette - Trient

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip to Italy was amazing. It was stress free knowing all the logistics had already been put into place by KimKim. Chiara was terrific to work with and very dedicated to ensure all details were put in place. The transportation services used made it easy to travel between the multiple cities stress free. The hotels selected were in prime
areas in the center of town, were clean and offered everything we needed. We loved every tour we selected and the guides were all very knowledgable, friendly and made sure we were safe at all times.

We will definitely be using KimKim for our next adventure!! Thank you for everything!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Punta Molino

Ischia

Beautiful resort! Friendly staff, clean rooms and first class staff. We loved the breakfast buffet with ocean views!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Rosa dei Venti

Positano

Beautiful hotel rooms, located in a prime area of Positano.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Balestri

Florence

Great location and friendly staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lunetta Hotel & Spa Roma

Rome

Great hotel in the center of town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Downhill To Florence Bike Tour

Italy

Amazing bike tour in the countryside. We loved our guide and the route he selected. We stopped at a lovely Boutique Olive Oil farm for a tour and tasting. The host was knowledgeable and friendly treating us like family.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly, knowledgeable, considerate

Transport

Private Walking tour Path of Gods

Italy

Beautiful hike along the Amalfi Coastline.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable, friendly and ensured our safety.

Transport

Full Day Tour Amalfi Coast with Lunch

Positano

The full day tour along the Amalfi coast was stunning! The driver customized the tour to our wants and needs and was very knowledgeable about the area. We had a delicious lunch with beautiful ocean views. Best tour of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver Mossimo was friendly, knowledgeable and a great driver!!

Transport

All Rome in one day: Golf cart, Colosseum & Vatican Private guided tour

Rome

Great tour of the city, making it very easy to get around to see as much as we could in one day. Absolutely loved the tour guide. He was knowledgeable, funny and a great navigator around the busy summer traffic and crowds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport