Kimkim Trip Reviews

Just back from a wonderful Golden Triangle Tour of India with Bespoke India Holidays. We have begun referring to this trip as "India for Beginners" because we have realized that we have barely scratched the surface of this vast nation, and that's with a very full 8 days of it under our belts! Jay, who organized our trip, placed us in terrific hotels with great breakfasts and wonderful service -- shoutout to Taj Palace in Delhi, and Trident Agra in Agra. (We self-booked at the Hyatt Regency Mansarovar in Jaipur, which was also excellent though a bit out of the way.) Our local guides in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur (Mr. Kumar, Mr. Vishal) were amazing historians and great storytellers, inviting us into the region's rich history of Moghul leaders through visits to incredible sites and monuments, while answering our endless questions as we traveled along. This was a family trip with our two daughters (13 and 17), so we were glad to have some built-in "down time" for hotel pools and relaxation around some very full days. Girls especially enjoyed the shopping in Jaipur and the rickshaw ride through Delhi, and a family highlight was the Heritage Walk through the small village overlooking the Taj Mahal in Agra -- it granted a unique and unexpected perspective on our time in India. WE LOVED OUR DRIVER MR. VINOD. Seriously, he's a total rockstar of navigation and steering clear of cows in traffic, people, rickshaws, Tuk-Tuks and the constant honking of horns. A note on timing: Our trip was the week before Easter and at the very end of the tourist season for these areas because it gets HOT. Pack your hats and sunglasses and sunscreen, and wear loose linens for these hot days if you are planning for the same time frame. TIP your guides and driver generously - they work hard to make the trip amazing for you - service in India is unparalleled and we travel a lot!

Activity Reviews

Nahargarh fort visit

Jaipur

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Sightseeing Tour of Delhi

New Delhi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Galtaji Temple visit

Jaipur

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaipur Sightseeing tour

Jaipur

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Agra – Jaipur (via Fatehpur Sikri)- (240 km- 5 to 6 hours by car)

India

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Agra Sightseeing

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mughal Heritage Kachhpura Village walk with high tea

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family of five had the most incredible time in India. Jay crafted the perfect itinerary for us, and was always professional and highly responsive when we asked questions or made specific requests (particularly for our daughter's birthday). All three of our guides along the Golden Triangle (Raj in Delhi, Brijesh in Agra, and Hatesh in Jaipur) were so warm, engaging, and knowledgeable. And our driver for the week, Jasvinder, was always on time, waiting for us with a smile and cold bottles of water. We felt so welcomed and so well taken care of our our 10 days in India. We highly recommend the team at kimkim!

From the first contact until the end of my trip, Ashley was the most amazing "travel agent" I have ever had! Hotels and tours where exactly chosen to my needs and communication was perfect and easy going.
I want to thank all of my guides who made this trip so wonderful, starting with the fabulous Ms Hay who showed me secret places in Hanoi and surroundings, followed by the mountaineer Mrs Lala in Sapa and Victor the cruise guy in Ha Long bay.
Mr Minh who took me on a food tour in the magical town of Hoi An and Mr Hays Vietnamese cooking class, a must for every visitor. Another highlight, the Cu Chi Tunnels & Ho Chi Minh City Tour with Ms Han and the day trip to the Mekong Delta with Ms Linh. You should not miss the Saigon Vespa tour after dark... super exciting, and I was so lucky to have Ms Linh at my side, we always had a pool position at the traffic lights ;-). Last but not least, Mrs Marada in Siem Reap, Cambodia, who had an answer to any question you asked her about the magical place of Angkor Wat and its surrounding temples.
I also have to mention all of our drivers who always drove carefully, and all of the cars were in perfect condition.
And of course, not to forget kimkim.com... I love the concept and will always come back to book further trips with you!

Gary was awesome helping us out. He went above & beyond our expectations. We were very pleased with the flight, car service & hotel he organized for us while visiting Australia from the States. He was able to also give us some insight on the areas we planned to see. Would definitely recommend him & the KimKim team, thank you all!

Activity Reviews

Drop Off Your Rental Car at the Airport

Australia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Beach & Dune Tour with Sandboarding

Australia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pick up your rental car at Cairns for your trip to Undara

Canberra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My trip to Guatemala was amazing. I honestly didn’t expect it be so fantastic. I’m not a big traveler so I just went with knowing what I was told. Eduardo setup a great itinerary for me with what I had in mind in Antigua and lake Atitlan. Our driver Antonio and guide Esmerelda were so personable, friendly, caring and communicative. I didn’t realize how private our group would be it was Que fancy!! They All really felt like family when touring with them. So much fun and one of the best trips I’ve taken. I recommend this tour group when visiting Guatemala! You won’t regret it, for us, our trip went smoothly and we will be back again!

We had a wonderful time on our customized trip to Costa Rica. We loved the Los Lagos resort with the trails, butterflies, and hot spring pools. We added on a hike to the Sloth Park, what a great place! We enjoyed some of the restaurants in La Fortuna for fresh fish and seafood. We wished we would've known to bring swimwear to the La Fortuna waterfall. We jumped in with our clothes anyway. Monteverde was really unique. My favorite excursion here was the night hike! Don't skip it! We also loved the zip lining. We added on a tour of La Trapiche coffee, sugar cane, and chocolate. Lots of tasting and really enjoyable. Next we went to the Manuel Antonio area. Our hotel had a great location right outside the park with a 2 minute walk to the public beach. We really enjoyed the beach a lot. We added on a Mangrove boat tour here which we all loved. Our catamaran tour included snorkeling but we didn't see anything. I wouldnt recommed it. The water was cloudy and it was hard to swim because they didn't provide fins! Our drive to the San Jose Airport was uneventful except we didn't realize the car needed to be returned in a nearby town vs the airport. Once we figured that out the process was smooth.

Activity Review

Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde

Monteverde

This was my favorite excursion. Our guide was amazing and showed us so much. We saw 2 kinds of toucans and a toucanet, a mot-mot, other birds also. We also saw a tarantula hunting, 2 types of viper, and many interesting insects. I wouldn't skip this one!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very good at finding the wildlife and had a telescope to zoom in.

Transport

This was our first time to Greece. Angela was so very helpful, knowledgeable and patient as we worked with her on the itinerary. She made great suggestions and helped make sure we got the most out of our trips. Along with tours, we had ample free time to explore on our own. Perfect balance.

The trip was fabulous!
Four nights in Athens. Our hotel had a balcony with a view of the Acropolis. It was quaint, quiet and everyone was so helpful. Fabulous breakfasts. Walking tour of neighborhoods and Acropolis tour-wonderful. Great dinner restaurant recommendations.

Off to Crete for three nights. Candi got us checked in and bent over backwards to make sure our every need was met. Alex spent two days touring us around the island. Private wine tour/tasting and private olive oil press and tasting. Then two fabulous lunches created especially for us.

Final destination of Santorini for three nights. Wow!! Another quaint hotel with amazing breakfasts, views, hot tub on balcony. Super sized room with couch. Again, absolutely divine. Sunset tour with wine tasting and then hike from Ioa to Fira. Our guide thought of everything and we never felt rushed, tired or bored. Surprise!! He made a video of our hike and recommended two fabulous restaurants to us. We immensely enjoyed both.

This is the third time we have used Kim Kim and we ONLY have good things to say about them.

While there, we talked to other tourists. They told us their guides were actually drivers and didn’t know the history of the places they were visiting. Not Kim Kim! Every tour guide we had was beyond knowledgeable. Am very inquisitive and ask many questions. Each tour guide always knew the answer to my maaaaaanny questions.

Can’t recommend Angela and Kim Kim enough. They make traveling so easy and enjoyable.

Olman put together a great trip plan for our 25th anniversary/delayed honeymoon trip. I asked him lots of questions before we went and he answered all of them promptly. I had never been to Costa Rica previously. I just knew we wanted a birding trip with snorkeling and ziplining. Our guide, Abelardo, was THE BEST! He is an avid birder and loves doing birdwatching trips. We are mid 50's, out-of-shape women, and he gently encouraged us to go further when we were tired. The result was 302 bird species seen! After speaking with Abelardo, I am very happy I chose to book a private tour and not do a group trip. I feel we saw many more birds, had a much more personalized experience, and got to see things we would not have seen with a group. The hotels Olman chose were wonderful. The only improvement would have been if Abelardo was staying at the same hotel with us every time. Overall, it was an amazing trip and we are looking forward to coming back to see the rest of the country!

Hotel Reviews

Park Inn San José by Radisson

San José

We stayed here one night before leaving Costa Rica. It was the Easter week holiday, so nothing was open near the hotel. We ate lunch in the restaurant while waiting for our room to be ready. It was OK. We both ordered pizzas and the bottoms were not well cooked. The room was nice, but nothing special. A noisy party arrived late in the evening and I could hear everything they were saying, so the walls are not well soundproofed.

Authenticity & Character

It was like any other large chain hotel.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trogon Lodge

San Gerardo de Dota

I enjoyed the grounds of the hotel with the water, paths, and fish ponds. Most of the staff did not seem happy or friendly. Breakfast was unimpressive and we arrived 15 minutes early and were ignored. The paths were slippery, despite the rocks for traction, and I fell while going to our room in a light mist. The paths were also slippery when completely dry. The trail was not well-maintained and went sharply up a mountain in a series of switchbacks. The gift shop, where we were supposed to be able to buy glass water bottles, had a disappointing lack of merchandise. The nightly hot water bottles were a nice touch, but they arrived too early. By the time we went to bed, the bottles were merely lukewarm. There was a note to take short showers because the water was heated by natural gas. I waited longer for hot water than actually showering.

Authenticity & Character

Very rustic

Location

Staff

None of the staff seemed very friendly or happy.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parador Nature Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

This is a very nice hotel. They have a variety of activities for all types of guests. We went to walk the Monkey Trail, but part of it appeared very steep and not well-maintained. We got to the scenic overlook, but could not continue because a tree had fallen over and was blocking the path. We enjoyed watching the antics of the monkeys. We experienced massages in the spa. The staff and the experience were wonderful and extremely relaxing. Breakfast was very crowded and seating was difficult one day. I appreciated that there was an adults-only pool. Unfortunately, the pool bar was in the family pool. The room was very nice and the patio was a nice place to watch the sunset.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Lapas Rainforest Eco-Resort

Tárcoles

The grounds of the hotel are very nice. We were in the treetop room. The room smelled of mold when we first entered. The other treetop room was closed (presumably for repairs). The room was showing its age in that the floor sloped and the ground could be seen between the floorboards. I enjoyed the private patio, but the floor was badly scraped by opening and closing the patio door. The staff seemed friendly and the restaurant was good. We did not use the pool, but there appeared to be several hot tubs available. The walking paths were easily accessible.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cala Lodge

Monteverde

It was nice to be able to watch the birds at the feeder while we were eating breakfast. Also, the menu explained the local sources of the food we were eating. They also had products for sale made by local artisans. The room was spacious and airy, but very dark at night. Maybe we should have brought a nightlight.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Coast Beachfront Hotel

Tamarindo, Guanacaste Province

The hotel is right on the beach and is away from most of the other hotels and restaurants. It was easy to walk down the beach to get to the busier part of town. Breakfast was delivered to the table outside our room. We were next to the pool, which was convenient. The hotel did not have a restaurant, but there were several restaurants nearby.

Authenticity & Character

A nice, small hotel that did not feel super "touristy."

Location

Not in the middle of the busy section, but close.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín

Liberia

The hot springs with the mud were interesting. Unfortunately, the hot springs got very crowded and the walk from the lockers to the hot springs was very long. The rooms were very nice. We tried all the restaurants and were pleased with the food. The staff was very friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Natural Caño Negro Lodge

It was convenient to walking trails and we saw monkeys on the premises. The food was good and the staff seemed friendly. The air conditioning unit was being replaced in the unit next to ours, so a breaker appeared to trip repeatedly and we lost air conditioning. The repair staff made sure our air conditioner was working before they left for the evening.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We noticed centipedes in the room.

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

I liked having an individual cabin, but the room had a slightly moldy smell when we entered. We turned on the air conditioner to moisture removal mode and the smell cleared up. The restaurant was very nice and the food was delicious. We only walked part of the trail because we did not see many birds and it was very steep.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maquenque Eco Lodge

Boca Tapada

LOVED the treehouse room!! We were in the furthest treehouse from the lodge, and being old and out of shape it made getting to the treehouse a challenge, but it was worth it! We loved the outdoor shower option. It rained one day we were there, so we spent the day in the treehouse listening to the rain. Coming back from dinner, we had bats circling under the tree house catching insects. The next morning, they were under the eaves of the treehouse - very cool! The staff was super friendly and accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

The treehouse in the jungle was amazing

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tirimbina Rainforest Lodge

Sarapiquí

The hotel was nice and the trails were well-maintained. Walking on the hanging bridge over the river was amazing! We saw poison dart frogs and learned how cacao is processed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Poas Volcano Lodge

Vara Blanca

The hotel was very nice. I only wish we had more time there to explore the grounds and the trails. The food was very good, the staff was friendly, and the room was very clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Nature Walk at Danaus Ecological Park

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great location for a bird walk. We were able to see lots of new birds.

Snorkeling to Catalina Islands

Costa Rica

I felt like an outsider on this trip. We were not really greeted at the dive shop, we were not offered wetsuits like other guests (not that I wanted one, but still, it's the principal). It seems like the guides on the boat were more concerned with those going scuba diving than those going snorkeling. Once in the water, the snorkeling guides did not do much as far as guiding. It would have been nice to have some idea of what kind of fish we were seeing as we swam. Plus, a lot of the other swimmers were oblivious to what was going on around them. I had adults swim into me multiple times. It would have been more understandable if it were a child, but it was adults! The second time we were in the water, a girl was stung by a jellyfish and wanted to return to the boat. The guides pushed the group out into deeper water, away from the jellyfish, but we were just waiting in the water for the boat to come back around to pick us up. They had no way to signal the boat for the girl who had been stung.

Quality of Experience

I loved snorkeling, but the guides could have offered more

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had no insight as to what fish we were seeing

Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

The hot springs were wonderful and I am glad that only a limited number of people are allowed to visit each day. The hot springs were not overcrowded. We were able to visit all of the pools and had a wonderfully relaxing experience.

Visit La Paz Waterfall & Gardens

Costa Rica

The waterfalls were beautiful and I am glad we went to see them. I wish I knew better to expect so many stairs! I don't think we made it to all of the waterfalls. I enjoyed seeing so many hummingbirds and lunch was very good.

Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

The walk through the jungle and over the hanging bridges was a strenuous trip. It was raining by the time we finished the walk. We were expected to immediately then transition to ziplining and be able to climb to the platforms. We decided that ziplining in the rain did not sound like fun. Instead, we were able to exchange our ziplining tickets to be able to see the sloths, the butterflies, or the reptiles. It seems like we should have been able to do more than just one activity.

My husband and I picked Morocco fairly randomly for our honeymoon. We knew we wanted a true adventure - somewhere completely unfamiliar to us and truly immersive. Neither of us knew much about Morocco, and the KimKim sample itineraries looked intriguing - so we went for it! Best decision EVER. Morocco is beautiful in every sense of the word. The landscape is diverse - mountains, desert, ocean, etc, the people are so kind and welcoming, and the culture is incredibly vibrant. There is a wonderful mix of old and new - centuries-old medinas are blocks away from brand new shopping districts. And the FOOD - absolutely incredible! There are so many flavor combinations and methods of cooking that we had never experienced before, and it is clear that Moroccan food relies heavily on fresh, seasonal ingredients and traditional spice mixtures.

Planning the trip was a breeze, as usual. Our trip planner Yassine was responsive, knowledgeable, and definitely took all of our input into consideration. Our trip also happened to fall during Ramadan, and Yassine was a huge help in prepping us for that. Every experience went smoothly, all of our travel between cities and experiences was prompt and easy, and our accomodations were all lovely, clean, and felt safe.

Going to another country where you don't speak the language, are completely unfamiliar with the culture and geography, and have no idea what to expect, sounds daunting and overwhelming. But with KimKim it was easily the best trip of my life, and it is an experience I will remember forever.

Activity Review

Hammam Visit: Traditional Body Scrub

Morocco

I have never experienced anything like this but it was incredible! I felt slightly apprehensive going in, but ultimately I really enjoyed it! I have never felt so exfoliated in my life! Despite a significant language barrier, everyone was very friendly and made sure to treat me like any other guest! I do wish we had been given a better idea of what to expect. It was a great experience, but definitely not quite what I was expecting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We (family of 4, including 2 teenage boys) recently completed an 8-day trip to Turkey with Trail Travels and it was AMAZING! We visited 3 cities during this trip - Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Antalya.
The country is beautiful, rich with culture, history, and great food. I have been to Turkey before for work, but it was first time with family so was bit apprehensive how the experience would be.. but Trail Travel did a fantastic job taking care of us and customizing our daily itineraries to accommodate our interest and energy level. Berat (from Trail Travel) who I have been working with for a couple moths, found the time to come meet us in person in Antalya… that was a nice personal touch. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and easy to engage, especially our tour guide – Erdem in Istanbul, super nice guy.

In terms of the trip – given we had 2 active teenage boys, the hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia was certainly the highlight, followed by the impressive mosques and grand bazar in Istanbul. The weather wasn’t the best, but nothing we couldn’t manage with a light jacket. Kelebek Special Cave hotel and Goreme Open Air Museum in Cappadocia was great experience as well. On the other end – the food tour in Istanbul was bit disappointing and we would probably skip that in future. Another reason for this – since Turkey has so much great food you end up eating for lunch and dinner. the food tour doesn’t really make sense. Similarly, the Ramada Plaza hotel by Wyndham in Antalya, though great location was disappointing given they closed their pool and game room which the boys were looking forward to.

Overall, great trip and likely we will do it again... maybe only focus on 1-2 cities next time.
Irfan Siddiqui

We had a very positive experience with our planning through Kim Kim. Our trip planner, Yuliana, was extremely responsive, and recommended interesting excursions, and good lodging. We visited San Jose, and really enjoyed the Museo Del Oro. We went to the waterfall Gardens at La Paz, and really enjoyed that. We visited the Arenal volcano and La Fortuna. We’d recommend a hotel in the town of La Fortuna to have access to more shopping and dinner options. We really enjoyed the sky adventures experience in Arenal. We went to the Monteverde cloud forest. Cute town nearby and we had great lodging. We enjoyed a sunset, horseback riding tour that we arranged on our own, and that was a really memorable experience. Then we went to Manuel Antonio and enjoyed the beach and the national park. That was where we saw the most animals. Overall, we had a tremendous trip, appreciated the ongoing support from the Kim Kim, and Amazilia ongoing Travel Support while we were in Costa Rica, and would definitely recommend their services and a visit to Costa Rica. The private transfers that they arranged were great and the drivers were always on time and very nice! Pura Vida!

Hotel Reviews

Hampton by Hilton San José Airport

Alajuela

Good location, close to airport, easy shuttle to airport. Pool on site. Clean and comfortable rooms. Very serviceable. Recommend a top floor room because the hotel guests wake up early and make a lot of noise above you.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shana by the Beach Resort

Manuel Antonio

Good hotel. Very steep climbs on premises. Access to the beach on a private trail. The beach is where all of the snorkel excursions take you, so you can just rent a kayak and snorkel on the beach and save yourself a lot of money. Nice breakfast. Rather expensive Dinner menu. Good pool including adult only pool. Lots of monkeys on the property (balconies). Lots of birds. We saw toucans on the property! The rooms were a little dated and in need of some maintenance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Difficult to get to restaurant options on foot, but the golf cart driver was able to shuttle us to the Korean BBQ restaurant, Carambola, up the hill. It was delicious.

Staff

When the air-conditioning didn’t work in our first room, it took quite a bit of negotiating to get a new room.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had two king beds for a family of four, which was nice.

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Gorgeous grounds. Wonderful spacious room. Terrific restaurant. Made to order breakfast. Beautiful, well-maintained, short trail on the property. Lots of outdoor seating and picnic tables to enjoy the views. Extremely friendly and helpful staff. Very nice pool area. Our best hotel by far!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable to town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Extremely comfortable beds. Very clean. Immaculate property. Spacious room.

Montaña de Fuego Mountain Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

Far ($15 can ride) from La Fortuna. Very dated. Some amenities were closed. Hot springs pool needed to be skimmed cleaner. Nice breakfast buffet with omelette station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel

San José

More of a hotel for business travelers. Didn’t have a swimming pool. But close to a nice park. If you’re going to spend time in San Jose, you may want to be closer to the town center where the museums are located. But the hotel was well maintained, comfortable beds, nice staff, and good breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to park but 30 minute walk to museums.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

The cloud forest was beautiful. However, we were underwhelmed by our guide. Expect to see more flora than fauna in the cloud forest. Spent too much time milling around the gift shop and café areas and then in the cloud forest.

Quality of Experience

More time in the park. Wish the guy had used his scope to point out more interesting flora and fauna.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Spent too much time milling around the gift shop and café areas and then in the cloud forest.

Transport

Zip Lining - Hanging Bridges & Aerial Tram

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great nature guide, beautiful scenery, amazing zip lining. Nice lunch included.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San José - Arenal - Visit to La Paz Waterfall & Gardens

Costa Rica

Nice hike. We were self guided. Nice lunch buffet included. Enjoyed the waterfalls and animals.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had such an incredible trip and I would not hesitate to recommend kimkim and Cami in particular. From the initial booking, Cami was really responsive and receptive to our requests and gave us really great advice. The trip itself was just perfect and exactly what we had hoped for. The Philippines is such a beautiful country and the trip was really good value compared to other holidays I’d seen. A special shout out to Jhonas in Coron, and also to Christian from The Funny Lion in El Nido who led our complimentary beach tour to Papaya Beach (highly recommend staying in The Funny Lion in El Nido and leaving a day free so you can take the complimentary tour - the beach is so beautiful!). Thank you for everything!

Dear KimKim,
I am writing this review in Miami on my way home to San Francisco following our two week trip to Chili. Lorena and Jesse provided a fantastic itinerary. Our lodgings and points of interest suggestions were excellent (especially Futangue and Peyuhue). On their advice, we had no issues renting a car and locating our destinations. It would have been helpful to know details of the bookings (ie meal plans) and tours just to make tipping appropriate. Thank you for the prompt refunds of tours we chose not to take. We enjoyed the beauty of this country and the warm reception we received by everyone.
This is my second trip with KimKim and I would definitely use them again.
Thank you for everything!!!
Sherry (Marian and Danny)

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Cabaña Del Lago Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

We loved the big rooms and view of the beautiful lake. Having the pool across the street was also a plus. Great location to town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Puyehue Wellness & SPA Resort

Puyehue

Over the top buffet meals. Good location to the National Park but plenty to do right at the hotel. We loved experiencing the giant hot pools! Beautiful area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Futangue Hotel & Spa

Futangue

Amazing place in every way!!! Cozy, wonderful meals, clean and comfortable rooms. We loved this one!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Pucon Indomito

Pucón

Oops I put my review for Pucon in the Santiago section.

Hotel Ladera

Providencia

To be fair, we arrived in Pucon at the end of the high season. There were very few people in the hotel (which was good) but breakfast was super sparse as was the hot water. Great location close to town and parking was secure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to town and near the lake.

Staff

No coffee and no effort to get more.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Trekking in Alerce Andino National Park

Puerto Varas

This beautiful park was an hour and a half drive from Puerto Varas the last section on a dirt road. Again, not all of the trails were open because of the weather but we were able to experience an easy walk to the falls and see the giant Alerce trees. The trail was well marked and the ranger was informative. It was well worth the drive to experience fishing villages on the coast and the beautiful lush landscape and river on this hike.

Excursion to Petrohué Falls

Chile

We were able to visit these falls on the day we drove from Puyehyue. It was a beautiful day and despite the lower water levels due to the time of the year, the Petrohue Falls and river were beautiful and well worth the drive. We were also able to visit Todos Los Santos lake and drove to the top of the Orsono volcano for some beautiful views of the valley that same day.

Free day in Puyehue

Puyehue

Historical hotel amazing food and thermal pools. A wide array of activity options (guided tours of the park, horseback riding, tennis, guided nature walks) available through the hotel activity desk.

Quality of Experience

Free day in Futangue

Futangue

This was our favorite spot!!! The location was magical!!! The hotel rooms, staff, food and facilities were top notched!! The weather was not clear when we visited so we missed the views from the top of the mountain but still enjoyed the beautiful setting and tropical landscape. We enjoyed the common spaces with comfortable seating and roaring fire places.

Quality of Experience

Absolutely amazing!!!

Geometric Hot Springs

Pucón

What a unique spot!!! It was a beautiful one hour and a half drive from Pucon but well worth the drive on a dirt road. Once again, best to travel in an SUV vs a Sedan. We spent three and hours investigating these natural hot springs set in an amazing tropical landscape. These pools were quite different then the man made thermal pools in other areas because of the setting and waterfall. We met travelers from all over world and appreciated the soak after our volcano hike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

N/A

Ascent to Villarrica Volcano

Pucón

We visited when the volcano was under a yellow alert so we were unable to hike to the crater. Still it was an amazing experience with beautiful views of the area.

Quality of Experience

One of a kind but not recommended for people not use to hiking at elevation.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ricardo and Hermin were terrific. Once again we had a private tour. They were informative about the area, helpful with equipment and adjusted their trekking speeds to fit our abilities.

Transport

Full-Day Huerquehue Hiking

Pucón

This park was a 50 minute minute drive from Pucon. It is a dirt road so best maneuvered by an SUV vs a Sedan. We had no trouble finding the park and the trail was well marked. We visited during the fall so we had no trouble making a reservation but apparently it is quite popular so best to register online beforehand. At the entrance, the fee is only collected in pesos.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

N/A

Transport

N/A

Santiago City Tour

Chile

It was nice to get out and walk the city of Santiago after a long flight from San Francisco. Our guide Philipe was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide. We appreciated walking the less touristy areas of the city in addition as well as the traditional centers. Chile's history is fascinating. He recommended a great restaurant for dinner as well!

Quality of Experience

We had a private tour!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide and driver were right on time!!!

Transport

Our guides and drivers through out the trip were prompt, knowledgeable, pleasant and seemed to enjoy their work. Most spoke good English and were keen to practice.
Valentina who was the local chief support was great..she responded quickly and gave me the assurances we needed.

Hotel Reviews

Australis Cruise Ship

Santiago

First luxury cruise...very well run, efficient,pleasant knowledgeable staff, clean, well stocked..delicious meals, very scenic routes and fun interesting shore trips..we had great weather..and about 2/3 passenger capacity as it was the fall..a great time to go..fewer people..more attentive service...

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cabo De Hornos

Punta Arenas

Lovely modern hotel in central location..gorgeous art work,great food, staff were pleasant and helpful...we overlooked the central square which was very attractive..

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costaustralis

Puerto Natales

After tripping around it was great to stay in a modern upscale hotel Good location in town, on the water, breakfast very satisfying, staff helpful, gorgeous art work..

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hosteria Kau Kaleshen

Gdor. Gregores 1256, Z9405 El Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina

Plain older place, clean,good location,helpful English speaking staff, breakfast just barely ok...no protein...tired looking fruit...

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Weskar Lodge

Puerto Natales

Very comfortable room...pleasant staff..buffet breakfast was ok..dinner menu was basic..

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Boat Tour to Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers

Chile

Tour boat packed with people...weather was good..some sun and cloud.. visited first glacier which was amazing...meal was ok at a local hall..

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park

Chile

Wow..first exposure to the scenery mountains. Sky...guide and driver were knowledgeable pleasant helpful and seemed to enjoy their work..a great day..

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Dinner Experience

Santiago

This was a really great idea and our hosts were pleasant generous and the meal itself very good..4 courses plus wine..our guide and host played guitar and because they are friends there was much warmth during the evening..

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago City Tour

Chile

Our guide was pleasant knowledgeable and loved his job...we walked a great deal...took the metro..and learned more about the city its history and local sites...helpful for our first day as we could then get around on our own...

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valparaiso to Santiago - Wine Tour

Valparaíso

Visit was pleasant..lovely location and tasty lunch..wine tastings were fruitful...our driver was pleasant and courteous..

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour along Beach towns

Chile

Our guide was very pleasant knowledgeable, courteous, spoke good English,..we had a very pleasant day driving south to Isla Negra and stopped along the way...he went out of his way to help us see around Neruda's summer house there even though it was closed..

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valparaiso Tour

Chile

Soledad was great..she was informed, gave us needed practical information and a pleasant person to work with

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour of Viña del Mar & Valparaiso

Viña del Mar

Driver and guide Soledad were the right people to get us started in Chile..they were very helpful, pleasant and introduced us to the country and city

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was amazing! Working with Lacey to plan exactly what we wanted to do was one of the easiest processes. She was very responsive no matter what day it was. (does she ever get a day off?) She was patient with me as I had to check with other travellers to answer her questions sometimes. She was very knowledgeable and gave us great advice on hotels as well. It was great that she gave us choices.

Pom in Bangkok was very knowledgeable and a lot of fun. He had a great sense of humour and could answer all of our questions. The W22 hotel was in a great location for walking around Chinatown. We moved through the sights quickly and efficiently and he knew where to get the best souvenirs, how to barter and where it was appropriate and he found us all the great foods to eat. I felt like we ate our way through Thailand.

Mona was fantastic, she was also very knowledgeable, answered all of our questions. She offered so much information about Chiang Mai and the surrounding area. We wished we had more time there. The Thai Akara is a beautiful hotel and we spent some time relaxing in the courtyard by the pool. The cooler weather was a welcome change from Bangkok. The Elephant Sanctuary was definitely a highlight for all of us in my group. We met some wonderful young people on our ride out there and back. One thing we were not expecting was the red taxi ride out to the sanctuary. We had been in air conditioned coaches all along and then to ride in the back of the red taxi was unpleasant. The street food tour was amazing with so much great food. Mona and our driver Aude were so friendly. Mona's tips about the night market and the accessibility from our hotel on foot was great. The temple and the blessings by monks were both very spiritual for me and a great way to start the day. The extra stop at a cute little coffee shop was a nice touch and it was nice to get to know Mona a little bit on a personal level. We will definitely come back to this area of Thailand and spend more time.

Phuket was hot and humid. The Cape Penwa hotel was divine. The breakfast buffet was huge, the beach was lovely and the service excellent. We only had limited contact with Kai because of the type of experiences we had there but she was able to ensure we had a driver when we needed one. She was very responsive to all my questions via what's app throughout our stay and got us tickets to the cabaret on the last night. She was also very knowledgeable and so helpful.
The island and snorkeling tour we went on was enjoyable but we were surprised at the size of the boat and group with us. We were all given a coloured wristband when we arrived but no further instruction. We almost missed our briefing and the group leaving because no one called out colours or anything. There was a large, loud group at the back of the boat that never moved and so some of us had to fight for space inside out of the sun. (one of them laid down in the back and went to sleep so we had to climb over her to get off the boat) There was not enough room out of the sun for all of the people on the boat. The snorkeling was great for us that are experienced snorkelers but if you were a first time snorkeler, there was no instruction, rules, what to do and what not to do. The masks were handed out and we jumped in. The buffet was horrible. The food was edible but it was small, no service and we were left alone. The tour could have been much shorter, we had way too much time at each stop and the beaches had no lounge chairs or anything. We would not do this tour again.

We absolutely loved our trip to Thailand and will definitely return for a longer visit.

Hotel Review

Thai Akara - Lanna Boutique Hotel

Chiang Mai

Beautiful, well situated hotel. The courtyard area around the pool was quiet, and the pool bar staff were attentive. Breakfast buffet wasn't large but had lots of choices as well as a small menu for eggs made fresh. I would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Charming, courtyard around the pool like an Oasis

Location

Options for restaurants and bars, and the night market within walking distance.

Staff

Always helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was comfortable and the bathroom had both a tub and a shower

Activity Reviews

Railway Market & Floating Market

Bangkok

The markets were like nothing we had experienced before. We had so much fun, and bought original artwork, souvenirs and elephant pants. You have to get some elephant pants, great for going in temples and so comfy for the flight home.

Quality of Experience

Food

ate all kinds of new foods

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pom was amazing, knew so much and helped us buy and barter.

Transport

Lot's of walking, so make sure you have good shoes on

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

This was a wild ride for sure. The tuk tuks are an adventure in themselves but we had a great guide and great food all evening long. We started in a restaurant for some Thai food and then went out on the street which was much different than it had been during the day.

Quality of Experience

Food

All the food was so good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pom was amazing and got us all the food we wanted to try

Transport

Tuk Tuks are fun

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (Afternoon session)

Chiang Mai

Words cannot express how we feel about the elephant sanctuary. This sanctuary is a no riding sanctuary which is an important distinction for us. These elephants are rescued from working and begin ridden. We fed them, interacted with them, got up close. We made and fed them their medicine, Ken was great at teaching us lots about the elephants, and we all learned new things. We watered them and had a big water fight. It was simply a great afternoon.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff at the sanctuary were amazing

Transport

Did not know about the red taxi and it was hot and uncomfortable

Morning Alms Giving & Jungle Temple

Chiang Mai

This was an experience like none other we have had. The temple in Chiang Mai was so different from the flashy gold ones in Bangkok. We really loved this experience and the blessings from the monks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Charming Night And Night Street Food Tasting

Chiang Mai

Temple was beautiful. Food was great, Mona was helpful and knowledgeable. We were stuffed by the time we were done eating.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mona and Aude were beyond helpful and friendly.

Transport

Manohra Dinner Cruise

Bangkok

Food was incredible 5 star for sure, views spectacular and staff were able to answer questions about what we were seeing as we floated past.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nuria was great - I wish we could work with her for all our trips!
Normally I book everything myself; but this trip came together on short notice, and I don't have any knowledge of Costa Rica, so I found KimKim and got connected to Nuria. She sent a first itinerary almost immediately, and it was very close - one iteration, then all booked, which was a good experience to start with. And I thought it would be done there. But as it turned out, there were some unforeseen issues on my side that required adaptation on-the-fly, and Nuria came through again in amazing fashion, saving what could have been a ruined trip. I truly don't know what we would have done without her. Thanks so much and pura vida!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Kokoro Mineral Hot Springs

La Fortuna

Very pleasant small hotel (a dozen rooms or so). Onsite hot spring. Beautiful lush setting and very friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort

Tamarindo

Very large property. Three pools, lots of rooms, big breakfast area, several different restaurants. Beachfront. Service was good, breakfast was good, and even though it was the most crowded time of year the only thing in short supply was pool chairs in the shade - everything else was quick and easy and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Horseback Ride to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

A great experience all around. Our guide was fantastic (I think his name was Joshua but I am not sure); the horses were delightful; the waterfall is very impressive. We did get rained on quite a bit, since it's the rainforest, even though it's the "dry" season. You will love it - and, do bring a poncho!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling at the Catalina Islands

Costa Rica

José and the whole crew were great - extremely helpful and gregarious. But, there just wasn't that much to see; the water wasn't that clear, and apart from some reef fish nothing much showed itself. They definitely know what they're doing, so I'm confident they picked the best spot, and the equipment and everything else was great - so my guess is that the conditions around Tamarindo just aren't that great in general. If you're dying to go snorkeling, by all means go with this group; but if you've snorkeled elsewhere then maybe consider other activities around Tamarindo (of which there are many).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had wonderful, caring, knowledgable guides. Josee did a wonderful job in planning our perfect trip. It was amazing.

Hotel Reviews

Pullman Paris Roissy CDG Airport

Roissy-en-France

Good location to airport and had a business center with computers that worked

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Churchill 3*

Bayeux

The place is fun and a good location to places to see. One drawback - no elevator & some trouble accessing internet connection while we were there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice buffet breakfast

Villa Madame

Paris

My sister & I love to walk and this was located so that we could walk almost everywhere. We could enjoy the flavor of Paris, the city of light!

Authenticity & Character

Quiet room, uniquely Parisan - modern but homey

Location

Very central to lots of attractions

Staff

Great breakfast service & food

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tour of Omaha and Utah Beaches & Normandy Landings Sites

Bayeux

The guide was very good. He had heart wrenching and miraculous stories of events most of us had never heard before. The museums were very well done & interactive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mont-Saint-Michel day Tour

France

Our guide was great and we had nice people in our small group. The van was comfortable for travel. Pack a lunch and get there early.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day guided tour of Versailles with private transfers

Paris

Our guide was super! It was an unbelievable place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lunch cruise on the Seine (Premier Service included)

Paris

It was pricy, but worth it. The food was gormet, which was not really what we are used to, but interesting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Murders and Mysteries of the Louvre

Paris

We could take our time to see things we wanted to see. The Lourve couls use some easier, more user friendly signage. The lockers were great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Eiffel Tower Summit Ticket

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

When we lost a package we had purchased they tried to help us.

TBH I was wary of Kimkim until I actually spoke to Sharon and wish I had made that move earlier. I am used to more convo than tech in planning a trip but all was fine.
More driver than guide I would say, Yassine was charming, great driver, calm and efficient. He was always on time and smiley and we enjoyed his company - a really good person. Tough gig as we did a lot of miles every day in order to get out to the Big Dunes and he was fasting so must have been hard and he was understandably keen to get to our destinations for sundown.
The highlights were many and varied but Big Dunes was a big hit, the southern side journey back to Ouzarzete was stunning, lunch by the road sides, Berber pizza and the small souk in Rissani, our lovely last Rhiad was an oasis after the long drives and the must see of Jardin Majorelle is magical. Lower lights - we were sad not to hike or walk in the monkeys fingers (not sure why we didn’t) and whilst the Kzr in Boumain Dades was excellent, I was a bit frustrated by the carpet showroom. I wouldn’t stay in Ouzarzete if you don’t have to - the Khasbar is empty and a bit too spotless relative to those still occupied and we did see a lot of them!
All in all we were happy, loved Morocco, certainly would go again and would use Morocco Immersion but more likely would fly in and out of different cities.
The boys said they felt they’d been away for 2 weeks, not 5.5 days, and seen loads.

Hotel Reviews

Merzouga Dunes Camps

Merzouga

Dinner was v good. Breakfast felt v much like “ the morning after the night before”.

Authenticity & Character

A bit modern and not traditional although not sure how to improve if want comfort.

Location

Staff

A bit laid back and casual

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Nesma Suites & SPA

Medina, Marrakech

Great location as first stop to see Marrakech. Staff were friendly and v helpful. Pretty Rhiad and nice cool pool and comfy sun beds. Breakfast was great. Would stay again.

Authenticity & Character

Wasn’t too spotless - felt more traditional

Location

Easy to find.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Merzouga to Ouarzazate via Draa Valley

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was the first time for my sister and I to Morocco. We learnt ALOT about berber culture and history from our driver-guide Karim who is truly the best out there.

Blessed to have Karim who was also attentive and caring like a friend. He was understanding, and patient with us every step of the way. We were intensely curious about Karim's background as he was raised with a nomadic family in the Atlas mountains. He openly shared his life, his family, and his goals with us, and took us to see people and places we would have never discovered on our own. After two weeks in Morocco, we felt sad to leave Karim, our new friend. We could not have hoped for a better experience in this country so rich in history and tradition. I cannot emphasize enough that you will be in great hands if you turn over your trip planning to Abdellah and Karim. They are absolutely the best. We will be forever grateful to them for sharing their country with us.”

Thank you Karim! Hope to hear more from your knowledge on Morocco and berber history and culture again in the future.

This trip was supposed to happen in 2020 so it was big deal to us to finally make it happen in 2023! Partly because with our kids finishing school and schedules not likely to align easily again it could be our last chance to have a full family vacation. I can't say enough about the organizing and how completely all the details were handled which started with Yuliana. And once in Costa Rica we were also fully supported by our local contact, Graciela. We had the best time and I am so grateful to everyone who made this happen. We loved the hotels in Tamarindo and the Arenal region. We have nothing but praise for our drivers, Gustavo Lopez, Greivin, Fernando and Lee. Having someone else do the driving made the trip that much nicer and these guys know how to navigate Costa Rican traffic! A special thanks to Greiven for stopping to show us a Macaw, Sloths, Coati and Lake Arenal (where we also had a great lunch) along the drive.

The Hotel Tamarindo Diria was beautiful, with great staff and location. Each day we enjoyed the amazing breakfast while taking in the view over looking the ocean as well as from our room and while chilling on the cabana bed (!!!).

The Hotel Los Lagos in the Arenal region was also beautiful with its multiple pools and the walking path up to the observation point. In this area we went on a guided hike with Mauricio, who is a wealth of knowledge on local animal and plants and a lot of fun to hang out with too! That day was full of Howler Monkeys, Sloths, birds of all kinds and an unbelievable amount of edible plants! Mauricio is full of knowledge including historical and current information.

While in this area we also had a great day of Ziplining and White Water Rafting where we also saw wildlife including a Tucan, both of which were amazing, totally safe and done with incredibly friendly and knowledgeable guides.

We will go back, even if we won't all go together. We fell in love with the country and the people.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Very beautiful property as well as location with the volcano in view and the natural hot springs.

Authenticity & Character

Great food and gardens.

Location

Wildlife around the property, walking paths including to Los Lagos and a view point for the volcano although you can see the volcano from practically anywhere on the property.

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were very clean and the beds were great. They even made up some great towel animals for us each day!

Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort

Tamarindo

Beautiful location, wonderful breakfast overlooking the ocean, great staff, awesome pools, cabanas and right on the beach!

Authenticity & Character

It's a lovely property with cool decorations as well.

Location

Right on the beach and in the heart of town.

Staff

So polite and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, nice rooms with everything you need.

Activity Reviews

Zip Lining Adventure & White Water Rafting Class II & III

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal 1968 Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

The guide, Mauricio, is a wealth of knowledge, personable and fun to hang out with. The area was great to walk through, but with the guide, it became a real experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Eco Thermales buffet was awesome!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fernando was waiting for us at the end of each of the activities - no waiting and such a great singer too!