Kimkim Trip Reviews

I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for your excellent management of our 27th anniversary reunion trip to Goa. The entire experience, from trekking to the waterfall, fishing, BBQ dinner, accommodation, transport, and dining, was absolutely fantastic, and we all had an amazing time.

Your impeccable planning and attention to detail ensured that everything ran smoothly throughout the trip. The trek to the waterfall was exhilarating, and it allowed us to reconnect with nature and appreciate the beauty of Goa. The fishing experience was equally enjoyable, filled with excitement and laughter as we cast our lines and reeled in our catches.

The BBQ dinner at Calamari was exceptional. The mouthwatering food, cozy ambiance, and joyous company made for a truly remarkable evening. We savored delicious grilled delicacies while reminiscing about old memories and creating new ones. It was a delightful experience that brought us all closer together as we danced to the music

Additionally, the choice of accommodation was good. The facilities were comfortable, clean, and provided the perfect respite after our adventurous days, especially the swimming pool. The transportation arrangements were seamless, ensuring that we could easily explore different parts of Goa without any hassle. And, of course, the delightful dining experiences throughout our trip left us satisfied and eager to taste more of the local cuisine.

Your dedication to making our anniversary reunion trip unforgettable is truly commendable. Your expertise and hard work made it a stress-free experience for all of us. We appreciate your efforts in ensuring that every aspect of the trip was well-planned and executed flawlessly.

Once again, thank you, Ravi and Bhushan, for organizing such a fantastic trip. It exceeded all our expectations, and we are filled with wonderful memories that we will cherish for a lifetime. Your contribution made our 27th anniversary reunion truly memorable, and we couldn't be more grateful.

Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors.

Hotel Review

Santana Beach Resort

Santana Beach Resort is a great choice for families, couples, and groups looking for a relaxing and affordable vacation in Goa. The resort is located right on the beach, close to restaurants and bars, and has a nice pool and helpful staff. The family rooms are spacious and comfortable, with everything you need for a stay with 3 adults .The breakfast is good, with a variety of options to choose from. The pool is a great place to cool off on a hot day, and the staff are always happy to help with anything you need. The resort is an older property, but it is well-maintained and the gardens are beautiful. Overall, Santana Beach Resort is a great value for money and a great place to stay in Goa. Overall, I would recommend Santana Beach Resort to anyone looking for a relaxing and affordable vacation in Goa.

Authenticity & Character

Traditional

Location

Close to beach and restaurants

Staff

Helpful and courteous

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well maintained

Activity Reviews

Tambdi Surla Temple and Waterfall - Offbeat Goa, an Unforgettable Experience

Goa

Trekking to the Tambdi Surla Temple and Waterfall with guide Sameer was a fun and energetic experience. The route was challenging enough for a moderately fit person, and the views along the way were stunning. Bathing in the stream of water at the waterfall was a refreshing way to cool off after the hike. Sameer was a knowledgeable and helpful guide. He shared interesting facts about the temple and waterfall, and he made sure that everyone in the group was safe and comfortable. Overall, I would highly recommend this trek to anyone looking for an adventurous and rewarding experience in Goa.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Fishing in Goa and Barbecue Dinner

Goa

My friends and I went on a fishing trip with Active India and had a great time! The fishing equipment, boat, and staff were all top-notch. We patiently waited for the fish to bite, and in the end we were able to catch 3 fish and a crab. As a bonus, we also got to see a pod of dolphins swimming nearby. The sea was calm and the weather was perfect for fishing. Overall, we had a great time on our fishing trip and would definitely recommend to others

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring a Different Side of Goa - enjoy white water Rafting in Valpoi river

Goa

The activity was closed due to seasonal restrictions.

Quality of Experience

NA

Guides, Drivers and Staff

NA

Transport

NA

John Ventura is very knowledgeable of this tour. He made very interesting fir everyone to enjoy. He gave enough for our favorite photo sessions to get the most of these beautiful scenery for keeps. He made plans well for us to get great experience
Mike- driver is excellent as well. He's a safe driver.
Both maintain good communication for our great trip.

Our tour guide Joao is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He's very passionate about everything and very accommodating to all our requests.
The whole Canadian Rockies are awesome especially the mountains..
Our driver Mike very well experienced…

Hotel Reviews

Residence Inn by Marriott Calgary Downtown/Beltline District

Calgary

Fairmont Banff Springs

Banff

Location

Forest Park Hotel

Jasper

Location

Staff

Mountaineer Lodge

Lake Louise

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore around Banff

Canada

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jasper to Banff

Jasper

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour guide

Calgary Int. Aiport ( YYC)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Follow the Icefields Parkway to Jasper

Canada

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Discover Banff and it's Wildlife

Banff

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Columbia Icefield Excursion

Canada

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Tour Guide, John was very accommodating, flexible and knowledgeable of all the places we visited. He was patient with us who loved to take pictures and sometimes, with loud voices. We all were satisfied with the experiences in the Rockies because of our experienced Tour Guide, John.

The Coach driver also, very patient, fun, accommodating and good teamwork with John.

Best driver, Mike really made us felt safe.

Thank you, Carl from the Kimkim Team for giving us John and Mike!

Hotel Reviews

Residence Inn by Marriott Calgary Downtown/Beltline District

Calgary

Amazing Room, loved it! As we were in group, we enjoyed our stay. We regret that we stayed only 1 day. This is the best Hotel of all the 4 Hotels in this travel. The Staff at the Desk super helpful! The Breakfast, free was the best!

Authenticity & Character

We could stay in this Hotel for a long time. Rooms were huge, with kitchen and nice beds.

Location

Closed to places we went. Safe place.

Staff

Very helpful and friendly!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Floor, Room and bathroom. Beds and pillows were comfy.

Fairmont Banff Springs

Banff

Nice views.

Authenticity & Character

I think because it is famous.

Location

Views.

Staff

The Staff at the Desk was no friendly. I think free Bfast is a plus in every Hotel esp. The expensive ones.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed and Bathroom.

Forest Park Hotel

Jasper

Simple, quiet and clean. Bfast free also, a plus.( tho nice if we could have boiled eggs).🙂

Authenticity & Character

The Restaurant in the Hotel great service, esp. Steve. We had Dinner there twice. The Room was good size and clean.

Location

Nice view and closed to places of interest to see.

Staff

Attentive to our Bfast. Our group placed in 1 room so we have good conversation.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathroom and floor in the room.

Mountaineer Lodge

Lake Louise

Clean and Quiet. Breakfast included, a plus.

Authenticity & Character

The view and the cleanliness.

Location

Close to places to see.

Staff

Yes, the Desk Lady who was fix our T.V.(not sure of name "Saki")

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was comfy. Only problem was we had a hard time bringing our luggages upstairs since no elevator.

Activity Reviews

Private Discover Banff and it's Wildlife

Banff

We saw Elks, Bear, goats and birds. We were inside the Coach but was able to take lots of pictures.

Quality of Experience

Seeing the wildlife was amazing. Not afraid to hike in the trail because we know our Tour Guide really knew the places.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Attentive and really nice!

Transport

Safety.

Explore around Banff

British Columbia

Beautiful trails, mountains, Falls and Lakes! Amazing pictures we took, enjoyed the views.

Quality of Experience

The hiking trails to see the Falls, mts,lakes and Fall Foliage. Also, trees covered with snow. Amazing wildlife, Bears, Elks, Goats and birds.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly, knowledge, patience and not bored with us. Safe driving...

Transport

Safety.

Jasper to Banff

Jasper

Spectacular views. We were given chance to take pictures, to use washrooms and to eat. Safe driver and Tour guide well expwrienced!

Quality of Experience

The vast knowledge of the Tour Guide, John and the safe driving of the Coach, Mike.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Their patience and friendliness.

Transport

Safe and patience. Attentive and we'll experienced.

Columbia Icefield Excursion

British Columbia

It was spectacular! Worth going there and had a wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience

The Glacier experience. More pictures to remember the Amazing views.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Safety. Knowledge.

Transport

Very safe driver. Attentive.

Follow the Icefields Parkway to Jasper

British Columbia

It was amazing Rides and the Views spectacular! Coach very comfy and both Tour Guide, John and Driver Mike were wonderful!

Quality of Experience

The Amazing places, Lakes, Trails and Mountains. We took lots of pictures. They gave us good times to enjoy the places. Thanks John and Mike!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly and helpful. Patient and kind.

Transport

Safety, clean and very comfy!

Tour guide

Calgary Int. Aiport ( YYC)

John was there to meet us. We bonded so easily. He was friendly. Then, the Coach driver Mike was there right away with his amazing new Comfy Coach and sooo clean!

Quality of Experience

The weather, the Tour guides knowledge and flexibility and patience. The teamwork between the Coach Driver, Mike and our tour guide, John made our trip amazing and safe!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Giving us the time to take pictures, allowing us to use washrooms, listening to us and also, giving us suggestions. Respect and friendliness. Knowledge of this trip. Flexible when weather not good for the day.

Transport

Coach Driver, Mike was amazing! He made us felt safe. Best driver ever! Always accommodating esp, when we love to take pictures of beautiful sceneries.

Angela was very attentive the whole time we were there, which was so helpful, if there was anything we needed. Communication was so easy and she was very responsive. Also, we loved all our tour guides so much, and accommodations (I especially loved my hotel in Milos, which was more local, old-school. Extremely peaceful, family-owned place. I loved it.). And she was very flexible in working together to put the trip together, ie if I wanted to make my own accommodations somewhere (which I didn’t end up doing) she was fine with that and would arrange any rides to/from that alternative location, which I thought was great. Overall, a very good experience with KimKim. Angela, thank you thank you!!! I hope I have the opportunity to work with you again!!

Our trip to Greece was a fantastic adventure. Our private guides were very knowledgeable and pleasant, we particularly enjoyed Silvia as she was so enthusiastic and fun. Our drivers were nice and we enjoyed their commentaries on their local areas. We asked for higher end hotels and we got them !! We stayed at some very nice hotels, the rooms, staff and food were all fabulous. We went to several towns Athens, Nafplio, Nafpaktos, Chania, Heraklion and Santorini. I loved the hanging monasteries in Meteora. I think that my favorite place was Chania in Crete. A beautiful town and waterfront with great restaurants and shopping and not nearly as many people (tourist) as Santorini. Dimitrios was great, always making sure that we were aware of our schedule and answered any questions we had promptly.

The trip was wonderful, the thoughtfulness of the trip planning exceeded our expectations. We had a wonderful new driver that was kind and thoughtful and available for our every need. Learning about Morocco and seeing so many beautiful and historic sights was a dream. We definitely crammed a bit much into our trip so we would advise not too do quite as much as we did because there were some long travel days. Overall a once in a lifetime experience.

Activity Reviews

Afternoon Guided Tour in Casablanca

Morocco

Guided Tour in Fes

Fes

Guided Tour of Volubilis

Morocco

HOT but worth it.

Afternoon Guided Tour in Chefchaouen

Morocco

Afternoon Guided Tour in Rabat

Morocco

Free Day to Relax and to Enjoy the Beach in Casablanca

Casablanca

Transfer to Fes, Volubilis & Meknes

Morocco

Long travel day but our driver made it worth it with roadside stops and great driving.

Guided tour of Meknes

Meknes

BEST TOUR OF THE TRIP. Our only female guide, she was kind and thoughtful and explained the city well. We were pressed for time and she worked with our timeframe and driver seamlessly. Give this woman a raise!

Food Tour & Local Gastronomy

Morocco

Honestly this wasn't the best. We already had spent 5 hours on another tour in the medina and this guide took us to the same spots. Also, no meal was provided as it stated. And our guide also did not take us to the right location at the end, leading our driver to worry and wait for over 4 hours.

The drivers to and from the airport, train station and hotels were fantastic. The boat ride on Lake Garda with Fabio was great. He was a wealth of information, He made it a lot of fun.

The boat ride on Lake Como was nice. The boat captain did not offer much information. We had to ask him to even take our photo.
The hike around Lake Como was great, but it was a little long. We were hiking for 8 hours with a 1.5 hour break for lunch.

My husband and I just got back from our 10-day trip in Greece. We started our trip by visiting Athens for a few days. Our hotel was a perfect fit. Close to a lot of things so it was easy to walk around to find places to eat and visit. It was also very clean, and the staff was super friendly.
-We did the Mythology walking tour. This was a great way to see various Greek Mythology sites and learn a little bit about their history. I would recommend this tour.

Our next island was Kefalonia. We were hesitant as we didn't know much about this island. We are SO glad we went as it was beautiful. The water was amazing. Again, our hotel was very clean and nice. We sat on both the public and private beach.
-We also did a private 1/2 day island tour. Our tour guide was great and very knowledgeable. It was a great way to see and learn about the island.

We finished up our visit by going to Santorini. Again, we really liked out hotel the staff was very friendly, and the hotel was clean. Maybe the only down fall was it's more in the middle of the island, so it made it harder to walk to places to eat. At least a 45min walk. But we liked that it was quieter and away from the big crowds.
-We did a BBQ boat cruise to see the sunset. It was fun to see Santorini from the water. I would recommend. We booked an e-bike tour while we were there and that was probably one of our highlights of the trip also.

Probably the only down fall of our vacation was the amount of flying we had to do between locations. But that was pretty minor in order to be able to see various locations.

Overall, I would book with KimKim again! Our trip was so smooth, and we loved all the things we did. Everything was exactly like it said it would be and we never had to worry about a thing!

It was so nice to have the freedom to do the activities we wanted to to but also have the security of knowing you were being looked after and the convenience of all the transfers at airports and hotels. All of our guides were helpful and informative. We did have one issue with a hotel and Julian and Ana did a great job of getting us re-situated in a new hotel within 2 hours! The next night we received a complimentary bottle of wine for our inconvenience.

This is our second time using KimKim. We were very satisfied with the first experience, but disappointed with the plan on this trip to Crete. Overall we had a great time on the island; the suggested hotels were generally good, the locations were excellent, the excursions the advisor planned and the guides who led them were excellent.
The major reasons for the lower ratings are because we didn't feel this trip was really customized for us as we had hoped. While we wanted to see the major historical and important sites on Crete, we otherwise requested to stay/see "off the beaten path" places; we felt that we spent too much time in Heraklion (where 1 day is adequate but we had 2 1/2) and Rethmynon where a 1/2 a day would be adequate but we had 2 days). Fortunately we travelled in early October so Crete was not terribly crowded. We were especially disappointed with the beach location, Georgiopoulis. It is a very touristy town and not a particularly pleasant area. The hotel was comfortable, (Georgiopolous Beach Hotel), but it did not have its' own beach access (we had to pay), we had a meal plan so we could not go to other restaurants and the management was unpleasant. For a beach experience, we would suggest going to another island or finding a way to go to the south coast of Crete (hard to access). The specialist arranged a village tour from Rethmynon which was excellent, but the town itself only requires half day. The main attraction in Heraklion was Knossos but we had an extra "free day" during which we ended up going on a wine tasting excursion that we planned ourselves. We really enjoyed the town of Chania, but had extra time during which we planned our own excursion to a more beautiful beach on the west coast and a visit to an olive oil /honey tasting venue on the last day when we had to check out from the hotel mid day but did not fly out until early evening. The accommodation in Chania was very well located, but a 3rd floor walkup with no lift, no manager on site and included breakfast which was a few blocks away (though good restaurant).
Overall, it did not feel that the advisor put a lot of thought into the trip plan and only partially understood the kind of travel we wanted to do. While we found ways to fill the time and really enjoyed our stay on Crete, we were disappointed in the advice from KimKim and felt that the cost exceeded the value.

Dear Karen,

Thank you for your feedback on our services. We appreciate your positive comments and acknowledge your concerns.

We're actively working to address any issues you've raised and appreciate your input in helping us improve.

Sincerely,

Antonis

Hotel Reviews

Pepi Boutique Hotel

Rethymnon

Beautiful hotel. Great breakfast. Lovely outdoor area for relaxing. Good location (if you want/need to be in Rethmynon)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Athens Airport

Athens

Very nice and comfortable hotel literally across the street from the airport. Very convenient for an early morning flight.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Consolato Boutique

Chania Town

Consolato is a couple of rooms in a 3 story building in downtown Chania. The location is excellent, the room is very comfortable and the manager is lovely. She was accommodating in every way. Our major complaint is that we were on the top floor and there was no elevator. Breakfast was excellent, but was provided at a restaurant about 3 blocks from the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

you have to be willing to go to a 3rd floor walkup

Georgioupolis Beach Hotel

Georgioupoli

Location is nice--across the street from the beach but the hotel itself has no beach of their own. We had to pay a vendor to go to the beach. We had a 1/2 board plan and while the food was good, we would have preferred not to eat at the hotel every meal. The town /beach is very touristy and crowded. Our room was very nice but the hotel is a couple of attached buildings with a strange floor plan and no elevator to the level on which we were staying. The staff in the dining room and front desk were nice but we did not like the manager whose primary concern was the rating we would provide at the end of the trip.

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Olive Green Hotel

Heraklion

Excellent location, very comfortable, nice staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elia Ermou Athens Hotel

Athens

Very nice and comfortable hotel. Central location easily accessible to toursit sites and restaurants in downtown Athens. We were only there overnight.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The 7 villages of Apokoronas (Private Tour)

Chania

Very interesting tour to some beautiful areas outside of Chania. We learned a lot about the crafts , traditions in these local villages. Would highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour of Eleftherna and Rethymno Villages

Rethymno

Very interesting tour of some mountainous villages outside Rethmynon. We saw some very ancient sites and learned about life in these small villages. Would highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Palace of Knossos & the City of Heraklion

Heraklion

Excellent tour guide. Very knowledgeable. Provided a lot of information and answered many questions. Highly recommend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Magnificent Athens

Athens

Excellent tour; guide was very knowledgeable and spoke excellent English. We learned a lot about the Acropolis.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

good driver

Transport

This was our first experience using the help of a trip planner, and it won't be the last time we do that! We were beyond satisfied with the experience overall, and especially grateful for the unflagging support, patience and insights of our Athens-based connection, Chris Gravas. From start to finish, he was helpful, available, and supportive. He started us off with a very inclusive trip plan and let us make many custom adjustments to it. However, we took nearly all of Chris's suggestions for hotels, private tours and self-guided options, and every one of them was a winner. We had fabulous local tour guides, particularly in Athens and Meteora, as suggested by Chris. The hotels were charming and comfortable, as we requested. The itinerary included a stop in Delphi that we hadn't considered until Chris suggested it, and we were so glad we did that. Chris even offered to meet us in Athens to answer any questions or concerns, and we spent a fun and relaxing evening there with him at a great restaurant. Our tour of Greece, from Athens to Delphi to Meteora to Corfu was very special and one of the best trips we have ever taken.

Hotel Review

Tsikeli Hotel Meteora

Meteora

We loved our stay at Tsikeli Hotel. It is beautifully and very conveniently located in Kastraki Village with views of the Meteora monoliths. We could walk to many places from there. The room was modern and comfortable. We enjoyed the restaurant as well. All the meals there were delicious, and the staff was friendly and welcoming.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Meteora Hiking

Greece

This was probably our favorite guided tour. Our hiking guide, Chris, was particularly great. He paced the hike to our abilities and still took us to amazing places around and on top of the monoliths of Meteora. We had toured most of the monasteries on our own (amazing also) but felt we really connected with the magic of this place on the hike with Chris, away from the other tourists, up close and personal with the landscape in a unique way. Chris knew everything about the flora, fauna and geology there and shared so much with us. Truly a notable day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Delphi Ancient Footpath Hiking

Greece

Due to heavy rains the day before, we had to make changes to the hike as described. However our guide Hilda was amazing, and we hiked through the nearby town of Chrisso, and through an enormous olive grove, one of the largest in Greece. The hike was not only beautiful but really interesting, as Hilda knew the area so well and shared much about the importance and use of olive trees in Greece. Loved it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Acropolis Guided Tour

Athens

Fantastic guide! She was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about sharing her expertise. We learned a lot, and loved the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helena did an exceptional job in planning our wonderful 3 week visit and tour around Spain! The whole kimkim experience is terrific from the start, asking questions and gathering information to understand and accommodate our interests: preferred types of activities, length of time available, budget, travel dates, food interests, physical abilities and/or limitations, willingness to fly/take trains/buses, self-drive, preferred accommodation level, tour group sizes, etc.!! Then Helena created a custom excursion for us based on those imputs, and we had a blast! She was very knowledgeable of all aspects and areas of travel in Spain, and was also available and responsive (or other agents over the weekends) during the trip to advise or answer questions. Very professional and enjoyable experience!!

It’s the first time my husband and I used Kim Kim for one of our trips and we’re very happy we did. Helena was our local specialist and she did a fantastic job with not only the planning of the the itinerary but with keeping in touch with us every step of the way. She was personable, made all the changes we asked for and made sure everything went very smoothly throughout our trip. The hotels were beautiful, their locations were great and the included breakfasts delicious! Also, all the trains we took were on time and our guides in each city were very interesting. Anne Marie, in Barcelona was great, Hector in Madrid was awesome, Laura at the Alhambra was very knowledgeable, Andrés in Seville was personable and funny and the young girl at the Hacienda Guzmán (olive oil estate) really knew her stuff!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel España Ramblas

Barcelona

This hotel was amazing! Most of it is decorated in the Art Nouveau Style (which I love) but the rooms were all remodeled with a contemporary look. The breakfast was one of the best of our trip to Spain.

Authenticity & Character

Perfectly decorated Art Nouveau Style especially because it’s in Barcelona!

Location

Near the lively Ramblas , near several restaurants and a subway station.

Staff

Everyone at the desk, on the roof top and at the breakfast was very helpful and nice!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Whole hotel was supper clean and the rooms were spotless!

Only YOU Hotel Atocha

Madrid

The best hotel for the one last night we were in Spain. Right across the Atocha train station where we arrived from Seville and close to museums I still wanted to see on our last day, like the Reina Sofia Museum.

Authenticity & Character

Very contemporary looking hotel, very lively lobby, a “breakary” to have some sweets and a nice restaurant.

Location

Superb location by train station, restaurants, museums, parks, etc

Staff

Everyone was so accommodating at the front desk! Firmin was super helpful and friendly!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were one of the most comfortable beds I’ve ever had in a hotel and the bathroom was super clean!

Hospes Las Casas del Rey de Baeza

Sevilla

This hotel was beautiful with gorgeous courtyards and Bougainville growing everywhere. The breakfast was amazing too and the room very big and sumptuous!

Authenticity & Character

This hotel was very special in that it had the feel of a bed and breakfast with all the amenities of a hotel. In other words the perfect combination of both.

Location

The location was perfect because it was in a more quiet neighborhood yet within walking distance of the historic center of Seville.

Staff

Staff was very nice and helpful with anything we needed from calling us a cab to offering us hot breakfast in the morning!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Exceptional cleanliness in the entire premises of this i hotel!

Hotel Casa 1800

Granada

This was one of the most interesting hotels on our trip to Spain because it was so picturesque! The decor was rustic and at the same time contemporary! We loved the way it looked!

Authenticity & Character

As I said above the very Spanish style of the Hotel looked very authentic to the region it’s in. Loved it!

Location

It couldn’t have been a better location, near the action but away enough that it was quiet at night. Also near the Alhambra.

Staff

Everyone from front desk to breakfast staff was amazing! We needed a to go breakfast very early one day and they had it all ready for us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean hotel and very quaint!

7 Islas Hotel

Madrid

Hotel was at a great location almost right on Gan Via and near many attractions. Breakfast was very good!

Authenticity & Character

Very contemporary looking hotel! Breakfast was excellent, lots of variety!

Location

Near most attractions and across from a conveniently located market.

Staff

Everyone at the front desk and at breakfast was very helpful and personable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were amazingly comfortable! Bathroom was spotless!

Activity Reviews

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

Spain

Amazing tour of an olive oil plantation and processing plant. We learned a lot from our lovely and friendly guide. Not only did we see how olive oil is processed now a days but how it was done in the 16th century. We also got to taste the delicious olive oil they obtain from the olives that grow there.

Quality of Experience

What stood out the most was the way they used to do the whole process in the old days. All the vats, the grinders, the containers are still there for us to see how involved the entire method of extracting the olive oil was back then… fascinating!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was young but very knowledgeable so she showed us when olives are ripe to be plucked from the trees, the different olive trees from different countries, the process of extracting the oil from the olives nowadays and back in the day. She let us taste some of their finest olive oils at the end of the tour. She also gave us a gift of two olive oil bottles. Very visitor friendly place!

Transport

A van came to pick us up at our hotel to bring us to the Estate. The lady driver was on time and waited for us at the estate to bring us back. Everything went according to plan.

Monumental Seville on Foot & Visit Real Alcázar

Seville

Once again we had a wonderful guide, Andrés, who showed us not only the old part of Seville like the Cathedral and the Giralda but also the Alcázar. The interesting thing about the Alcázar is that it’s decorations have Muslim elements as well as Christian elements and that makes it very unique . Also Andrés told us very intriguing stories about the Catholic king that had it built.

Quality of Experience

This was a magical tour and the quality of the experience unique! We totally recommend it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We really enjoyed Andrés’ tour because he made the palace come alive with the details he told us about the king and the court. No drivers in this tour it was a walking tour.

Guided Visit: Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Granada

This was one of the most impressive and iconic places we saw in our Spain trip. We really enjoyed every minute of it! We had seen videos of this palace but there’s nothing like being there in person immersing yourself in the experience with a very knowledgeable guide.

Quality of Experience

Excellent quality of experience! We learned so much about the history of Spain by going on this tour and also learned so much about Muslim culture and art! It’s totally worth it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Laura, was fantastic! Her background was in archeology so she knew a lot about the Alhambra and it’s history. No transpor was needed for this tour.

Transport

Walking Madrid’s Old Town

Madrid

This private guided visit was great! Hector, our guide, was an expert on the history and culture of Madrid. He pointed out several buildings including the famous Royal Palace and showed us places where Madrileños spend their nights having a good time with friends.

Quality of Experience

We wouldn’t have learned so much about Madrid if we didn’t take a private tour like this, with only the guide, my husband and I.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hector our guide was very personable and we engaged in very interesting conversations about not only Madrid but the rest of Spain and other countries. No drivers were necessary on this tour, it was supposed to be a walking tour of the center of Madrid.

Barcelona Highlights: Guided Walk & Iconic Sagrada Família

Barcelona

Absolutely loved this attraction! Was here in 1981 and it was so wonderful to see the finished inside of the Basilica! Not to be missed if you’re in Barcelona.

Quality of Experience

The excellence of the work of Gaudí and the history behind it is what makes this an extraordinary experience!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Anne Marie was very knowledgeable and had interesting things to tell us that made it a very special experience!

Transport

We used the Subway to get to the Sagrada Familia and Anne Marie explained how to use the Metro which helped us the next day when we needed to go somewhere else in Barcelona.

Matías was simply amazing! From day one in the planning process to the continuing support while in country, to the ENTIRE team on the ground in Argentina! I wouldn’t, couldn’t recommend any other agency! Just over and above service for the entire experience…..

Rita did a great job. She understood our needs, she was very attentive and she was quick to respond. She crafted a great trip for us and made the whole planning process easy. We ended with a perfect fit.
Our guides, drivers and tours were outstanding. Everything went smoothly, drivers were on-time, pleasant and very informative. Dani (Taste of Lisbon), Sylvia (tuk-tuk), David, Anna, Pedro, Mauricio, Miguel (he was "new" - only 10 days with the company but really, really good) were wonderful. The highlight of our trip was our private luncheon and wine tasting in Cambres/Douro Valley with Manuela - owner/hostess and her son Antonio at their vineyard. It was the highlight of our trip!
The hotels were exactly as we wanted. They were comfortable, spotless, staff was very knowledgeable and helpful and the locations excellent. My Suite Lisbon, Pestana Pousadas Porto (elegant!), Hotel Mondego and Melia Lisboa Aeroporto all very good.
We've been back home two days and we're missing Portugal. It's a lovely country and the people are genuine and warm.

Hotel Reviews

My Suite Lisbon

Lisbon

The hotels were exactly as we wanted. They were comfortable, spotless, staff was very knowledgeable and helpful and the locations excellent (all in historic areas which allowed for easy access to everything). My Suite Lisbon, Pestana Pousadas Porto (!!!), Hotel Mondego and Melia Lisboa Aeroporto all very good/excellent. Locations were ideal for touring important sites, staff were exceptional and I'm missing my breakfasts in Portugal. The only small bump was pick up at Lisbon Airport upon arrival. It was somewhat problematic. We've been back home two days and we're missing Portugal. It's a lovely country and the people are genuine and warm.

Authenticity & Character

Very spacious, very clean, charming garden

Location

Neighborhood filled with nice restaurants. Easy access to funicular and San Justa Elevator and all the places you wanted to see.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yep. Squeaky clean and lots of space - multiple rooms.

Pousada Porto - Rua das Flores

Porto

Elegant! Breakfast beyond compare. Really good location. Easy walk to restaurants and various sights. Super helpful and knowledgeable and patient staff. Very classy and the best in every way!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful artwork, historic building that was remodeled and retained original bones/architecture, must see/use swimming pool/waterfall, great workout room

Location

Step outside the front to and walk to all of the historical sites, wonderful restaurants, and a lovely little square nearby with live music and nice people out to enjoy the evening.

Staff

Knowledgeable, patient, and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfection. Fresh flowers, spotless

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

Quick efficient check in and out. Very nice staff. A veritable feast for breakfast. Breakfast service started at 4:00 AM for early flights but refreshed regularly (we ate at 8:00 AM and it was delish) Convenient shuttle to the airport departure location.

Authenticity & Character

Squeaky clean

Location

Quiet hotel next to the airport.

Staff

Super pleasant

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mondego

Coimbra

Excellent location. Authentic facade/building (late 1880s) with very modern and super comfortable updates.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the modern interior design

Location

Everything within walking distance

Staff

Really informative. Walked us through ticketing process for the University and gave us the best suggestions for our self directed tour. Expalined details with map included!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Squeaky clean

Activity Reviews

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Mauricio was our driver/guide in Duro Valley and the Duro Valley was awesome. We spent the day together and we didn't want the day to end. Mauricio was wonderful in every way and we learned so much about the wine region. We had a private luncheon and wine tasting in Cambres/Douro Valley with Manuela - owner/hostess and her son Antonio at their vineyard. - Quinta de Tourais. winery. She served the meal in her dining room and it was charming and delicious (five star meal) . It was the highlight of our trip! We've been back home several days and we're missing Portugal. It's a lovely country and the people are genuine and warm.

Quality of Experience

Simply a marvelous day in every way.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mauricio was a phenom. It was a 7 hour day including the private wine tasting and 5 star meal at Quintas de Tourais and boat tour on the Douro River. Mauricio maintained interesting dialog and added relevant references to literature, nature, ect. throughout. I would look forward to spending the day with him again. One of our favorite pictures is Mauricio on the river boat holding up a wine glass filled with water from the Douro River. The water is sparkling clear.

Transport

The car was a high end model, new, clean and super comfortable.

Lisbon Roots: A Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

The tour guide, Dani, was delightful. She was knowledgeable about the foods and their ethnic origins as she took us around to the various neighborhoods in historic Lisbon. Food/ginjinha/wine tasting was top shelf in each location and she was highly entertaining and fun - great sense of humor. As a small group tour, we all enjoyed the food very much as well as enjoying each other over some delicious foods. It was a very special afternoon. We would highly recommend this tour with Dani.

Quality of Experience

Dani explained the origins of foods. She personalized the tour. It was very fun and enjoyable in every way.

Food

Superb tasting sample. A great variety of foods from various locales.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guide was fun and informative. She was warm and friendly and understood food.

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Our tour with David was very good. We hit all of the highlights in the three cities but also included some great stops, Boca do Inferno and Cabo da Roca. Really impressive and so glad they were included. The natural wonders were a nice compliment to the city splendors.

Quality of Experience

Really enjoyed the tour and David did an amazing job with his explanations. He made a special stop so we could see cork trees and eucalyptus trees up close and personal. He understood our interests and took them into consideration making adjustments along the way.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

David was a super star driver/tour guide.

Transport

Very comfortable car.

Explore Lisbon by Electric Tuk-Tuk

Portugal

Sylvia knew her way around the city and did a great job explaining the sights and historical importance.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very pleasant and knowledgeable.

Transport

The tuk-tuk was fun but temperatures were very high and the tuk-tuk top was transparent plastic so we were hot. Also, driver facing forward was hard to hear.

Private Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

Pedro did a superb job showing us the splendors of Porto. We enjoyed his guided tour and the fun facts he expanded on related to some of the sights. ex. Dom Luis bridge, a double decker crossing the Douro River between Porto and Gaia completed 1885 (vs. Dom Luis I bridge). Dom Luis I was king of Portugal at the time but he didn't come for the opening of the bridge so its simply called the Dom Luis by the locals. We found the time spent with Pedro to fly by quickly and his tour so interesting that we wished we had more time together.

Quality of Experience

Such a well spoken and knowledgeable guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pedro was so well informed. Very pleasant and a warm personality too.

Transport

Very comfortable car. All the vehicles were spacious, clean, new upscale.

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Nazaré & Óbidos

Portugal

Anna did a marvelous job driving and as informative guide. She took us to Obidos and Nazare. We learned about big wave surfing sport in Nazare and we're eager to find the documentary on YouTube. We were offered the option to visit Fatima and we very pleased to have made to visit. It was an excellent option that was mentioned and it fit nicely into our travels for the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Anna was charming and offered an option to visit Fatima. Really glad we made the stop during our travels for the day.

Transport

Car was very comfortable. (all of the cars were nice, clean higher end vehicles). Anna was a good driver and did a great job explaining the history to us while traveling.

The trip was spectacular and would only have been better if the weather had cooperated. We did almost all the activities including the optional ones that Jenny included in our trip plan and had a lot of fun. The accommodations were very good and typically nicer than expected with clean rooms and friendly staff. We especially enjoyed the Glacier Hike and the Glacier Lagoon zodiac ride. Plan to take advantage of the many hot spring spas throughout Iceland. We really liked the GeoSea spa but also some of the smaller ones like the Secret Lagoon were also nice. Be prepared for driving in the Westfjords, the roads can sometimes be harrowing. If we changed anything about the trip it would be to trim some of the optional items as doing almost all of them we ended up driving over 2000 miles. In addition to the Iceland weather and road conditions sites I would highly recommend downloading the Parka.Is app to make paying parking fees easier. We hardly used any cash as virtually everywhere took our Visa with tap-n-go convenience. You MUST also have a debit or other card that has a PIN code for buying gasoline as most stations are automated and won’t take credit cards. The KimKim team was awesome and very responsive to changes we needed to make on the fly. Our trip advisor Jenny was incredible and put together an amazing Iceland experience for us that included all the things we were interested in.

Some tips we learned: be prepared for changeable weather and wind and have lots of layers that you can mix and match. We were there in late September and my typical apparel was long underwear, long sleeve T-shirt, medium to heavy weight hiking pants. long sleeve shirt, fiberfill shell jacket and a knit cap. If there was rain or high winds I’d add a rain shell and zip-on pants rain proof pants. Good waterproof hiking shoes, gloves and a scarf or neck warmer are important also.

Lastly, our rental car came with a plug in WiFi access point with an internal battery. It had unlimited data so we used it in the car, in our room at night ( often better than the hotel WiFi) and even walking around with it in a pocket. As long as it could connect to the cell service It allowed us full internet access, WiFi calling, texts, etc. without using our own cellular data. I highly recommend this add on. Cell service is pretty good even in relatively remote areas but wifi can be very spotty.

Activity Reviews

GeoSea Geothermal Sea Baths Experience

Iceland

You haven’t had a real hot springs experience until you try salt water. It’s an incredible feeling on your skin. The walk up bar at the far pool was very convenient 😁

Quality of Experience

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon Zodiac boat tour

Iceland

The glaciers floating in the lagoon were spectacular! Especially some that had recently flipped to expose the deep blue ice that hadn’t been exposed to the air. Large stable zodiac with a great skipper took us right among the ice.

Quality of Experience

Seeing the ice bergs up close was great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly, helpful and safety conscious

Transport

Glacier Hike

Iceland

Grab your crampons, harness, helmet and ice axe and go glacier stomping.!! Very fun and educational and a bit strenuous. A must do in Iceland!

Quality of Experience

Such a unique experience to actually walk on the glacier ice

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge and helpfulness on the ice

Chris was easy to reach and always on call if we needed anything during our two week honeymoon. From the planning phase through execution Chris was responsive and kind in making sure we had an unforgettable trip. All of the drivers and tour guides we had through Chris’s agency were top notch, welcoming, and knowledgeable.

The tour guide we had in Chania for the Wine and Olive Oil tour, Andres, was a standout. Our driver in Santorini, Lefteris, was also a standout.

Most of our hotels were wonderful.

I would suggest not booking with Veneziano Boutique Hotel in Heraklion. It was not an adequate hotel even for the two nights we were there. The smallest bathroom with no door to the shower leaves water everywhere when showering. There is no staff there after 3 or 4pm, so hopefully you don’t need any assistance.

The cooking class is Naxos was excellent, but unfortunately, my husband has a dairy allergy, and this was not communicated to the leader of the class. She felt so badly that my husband was unable to eat some of the foods she planned for us to make. She handled it wonderfully and altered some of the recipes where she could, but ultimately, this was not her fault. This is not a complaint but more of a warning to anyone doing a cooking class to be more pushy when it comes to making sure that the allergies were taken care of especially for such an expensive excursion. Being dairy free in Greece was hard enough! It didn’t ruin our honeymoon in the least.

We would recommend anyone book through KimKim and with Chris. Especially while I was planning our wedding, knowing that our honeymoon was being simultaneously planned gave me peace of mind.