Kimkim Trip Reviews

What a day. Boat rides, chair lift, trolly car and amazing views and shopping. Our tour guide Vincenzo “Vinnie” was fantastic and so helpful. He made our day special.

The chef and event was a night to remember.

The day was amazing. Great tour, great boat ride and spectacular event.

Great central location. Hotel a bit dated, however. Have to leave your room key at the front desk when you leave-that was a first.

Very good location with restaurants and shopping just steps from the front door. Be ready to walk up some stairs, but it’s worth it!

Great location and very friendly staff.

You’ll certainly get to know the food and culture! Hit a few places I would have never gone to-that was a gift. Certainly helps to have a good group of people and we did!

Crowded. Our gondolier didn't talk or offer any information. Just going through the motions. Short trip as well.

Must do. Food and fun the whole time. Die Die Die!!!! You’ll understand if you go.

The walk from Monterosso to the next town was the highlight of the few days there.

Thankful to have a good boat of fun people. The seas were a little rough so take your necessary meds or sea bands.

Knowledgeable hosts with tasty products. I ordered wine and olive oil to ship home!

Our guide was awesome and she sure loves Russell Crowe!

The Collector Hotel in The Hague was fantastic. It was really beautiful, had a nice room, and the staff were great. The location was excellent with no complaints whatsoever. Truly a pleasant experience all around.

The Hotel des Arts in Amsterdam was beautiful and historic, but it had its challenges. We had to climb four flights of narrow stairs with our luggage as there were no escalators, and it was unexpectedly warm, making it difficult to sleep. On the plus side, the staff were very nice, the breakfast was great, and the location was perfect. Overall, an okay stay but not without its discomforts.

The Teylers Museum in Haarlem was amazing! It exceeded my expectations with its quality and exhibits. A thoroughly enjoyable experience that I would highly recommend.

The Scheepvaartmuseum (Maritime Museum) in Amsterdam was a delightful surprise. It's very historical, and you get to go on boats, which I think both kids and adults would enjoy. It's a bit off the beaten path in terms of common tourist spots, but definitely worth a visit.

The Vermeer Center in Delft was disappointing. There were no real paintings, just a couple of rooms with not much to learn that we didn't already know from visiting other locations like the Rijksmuseum and Mauritshuis. It didn't meet my expectations.

We only had one night but we could tell this is a very nice hotel

Location was great. It is close to the main fun areas in town.

Stunning views and lots to do nearby

We loved this hotel. Best one of our trip

Great location. Close to the nice area of town with shops and restaurants and not too far from the Parthenon

Fun day. Trypiti beach is very nice. The town we stopped in for lunch was very interesting. Lots of driving around!

We had a blast doing this activity. Our guide Kristine was absolutely great. So fun. And the chef (forgot name) was also a hoot. And learned some tricks in the kitchen that we will use.

Fun day. It was very windy so we didn't get the normal day but it didn't matter. Other groups on the boat were fun and we had a great time.

We really enjoyed this activity. Mary - our guide sent us a Greek cookbook that she wrote. Really got to see some great things on this tour.

This is a must do if you have time in Athens

Great location

The hotel was adequate but if you are local, you would need to know to ask the front desk to turn on heating.

Quaint hotel that is very unique in a middle of a national park.

Weather was poor and we could not see everything.

Wonderful experience

We ran out of time so didn’t get to experience

This was cancelled due to high winds. Sky lagoon was fantastic. Amazing experience!!! Didn’t experience northern lights though

This event was cancelled due to high winds

Beautiful property and rooms with stunning views. Definitely a special treat.

Perfect location, charming hotel with easy access to all things Athens has to offer.

Amazing. Our guide, Elizabeth was excellent . Definitely a highlight of our time on Naxos.

The weather did not cooperate for this activity, which was not our boat captain’s fault, but I did feel like the tour should have been canceled since it was not conducive to swim, etc due to the weather.

Our hosts were very friendly and the food was excellent, but we signed up for a hands on cooking class and really didn’t get to do any hands on cooking, which is what we were expecting.

Our guide was super friendly and knowledgeable. Great tour.

We arrived at this hotel before check-in, and the staff were able to hold our luggage for us until check-in time. The hotel staff were very hospitable and helpful. There was a Lawson convenience store connected straight to the hotel, which was, of course, convenient. This hotel is also conveniently located about a 5 minute walk from Hiroshima station, which is huge and has a nice shopping mall attached to it. The amenities the hotel offered were nice. The breakfast was a good combination of Japanese-style and western-style. They had many local delicacies from Hiroshima, including rice, which was very good. We had a connecting room for our last few nights in Japan, in Hiroshima, which was nice, except for the fact that the double-sized bed took up most of the room, with not much room to move around the bed. The connecting room had two twin-sized beds, and ample room to move around. The bathroom was very small and had an actual bathtub with a showerhead included.

The hotel staff was wonderful, and the amenities were great. This hotel is conveniently located very close to Dotonbori, Namba station, and Shinsaibashi Station. It was very easy to walk around Osaka near Namba to many different shopping areas, shrines, and restaurants. We appreciated the rainfall showerhead on the ceiling of the shower. The daily snack and drinks available were a good supplement after returning to the hotel from our day's adventures. The breakfast had good food, especially the takoyaki (Octopus balls), but we would've liked to see more Japanese style breakfast than the western-style that was the majority of what was offered. The chicken karaage was also delicious and the western-style foods were tasty, but left something to be desired. We felt frustrated with only having two washing/drying machines for the whole hotel and had to try to time out doing our laundry perfectly to make sure we had access to the limited machines.

We arrived at the Richmond hotel mid-afternoon before check-in time, and the staff was still able to accommodate us and check us in early, as we had a scheduled reservation to get to soon after. Our hotel room was comfortable with the separated toilet from a Japanese style shower/bath. What made Richmond stand out was their social hour in the evening during which time they provided snacks and alcoholic and soft drinks. Their snacks were delicious and a nice reprieve after a long day of exploring. Their breakfast was also versatile, with a great mix of Japanese style and western-style breakfasts. Their Japanese curry, especially was so good and having made-to-order shabu-shabu was a great start to ours days. They also had make-your-own sushi bowls, which we took advantage of every day. They offered wonderful amenities, including two floors of Laundry available with a television channel that showed available washer/dryer machines. They also offered a tatami-mat coaster workshop, which my mother was able to take advantage of. It was conveniently located close to Kyoto station, which has many different restaurants available, depending on what kind of mood you're in for food, and of course access to the subway station.

We didn't know what to expect when we checked into our hotel in Hakone after a long day of adventuring through the mountains, but our expectations were exceeded. The staff were patient and gracious. The hotel room was beautiful and the private bathtub on the balcony was such a wonderful retreat after a long day, despite the mosquitoes outside. My mom took advantage of the private bath on another level and enjoyed it. The free alcoholic and soft drinks offered were next level, and it was a great opportunity to try their plum wine, local beer, sparkling wine, and sake, as well as the delicious, different flavors of sodas and soft drinks. They also offered free coffee, tea, and matcha lattes; all of which were delicious. The hotel is also about a 15 minute walk to the Hakone Yumoto Station. Yukata was provided for all guests, and guests were encouraged to wear them and slippers around the hotel, however, for taller or plus-sized people, and with bigger feet, the fit might be tight. We had a combo package that included dinner and breakfast, both of which were incredible multi-course and beautiful Japanese-style meals. For dinner, it was a set-menu 7 course meal with appetizers, sushi, sashima, shabu-shabu, and other local delicacies, all of which were intriguing, beautifully displayed, and delicious. The menu was in Japanese on beautiful washi paper with hand calligraphy. Breakfast was fairly similar in grandiosity with another set-menu and beautifully displayed dishes and a delicious meal. If you are adventurous and enjoy Japanese food, this is a perfect stay.

This hotel was conveniently located, right near Asakusa shopping, Sensoji Temple, and the subway stations. Their staff were so patient and helpful, and allowed us to check in very early in the morning when we arrived in Japan. Their breakfast buffet was the perfect combination of Japanese and Western-style foods, and every day it was so delicious. The made-to-order onigiri and egg dishes were wonderful. The hotel room was nice, including the separated toilet and the Japanese-style shower. The beds and pillows were very comfortable.

Our tour-guide met us in the morning at our hotel and took us on a bus to the Peace Memorial Park. We started at the Peace Museum, where we watched a half-hour long film, documenting the experiences and voices of survivors of the nuclear bomb in Hiroshima. The film and museum were difficult to witness, however, we think everyone visiting Japan should have a human obligation to visit Hiroshima and/or Nagasaki to understand the scale and aftermath of the nuclear destruction. The museum and Peace Park were thoughtfully designed and shared the real human impacts as a reminder of the horror of war. Going through the museum does not require a tour guide, and is likely a better experience to go through at your own pace. Later in the afternoon, we took a 45-minute ferry from the riverbank to Miyajima Island with our tour-guide. There, we visited the 50 foot tall Torii Gate, guiding travelers from the sea to the magnificent Istukushima shrine behind it. From the shrine, we climbed the mountain, visiting the Daisho-in Temple, a beautiful Tibetan temple, admiring the sea and mountains around and below. We explored several Buddhist temples up the mountain and one space where we were able to visit 88 different Buddhist Temples from all over Asia by just standing on a tile from each. The small town on the island had several different shops and restaurants. We were able to try matcha ice cream, coffee ice cream, honey-lemon ice, and tornado potatoes, all of which were fun and delicious.

Our travel agent Sandy, did a fantastic job giving us directions to the place, as it was not apparent from the street or GPS, but we were able to find it because of her support. Kasa-San and Mari-San (not completely sure of her name) were fantastic instructors and walked us through every step. They had already prepared the workstations before we arrived. They had started the fish dashi and chicken dashi, but we were given clear instructions in English for every other step. We made our own noodles from scratch and were even shown a special technique for kneading the dough. The instructors were fun, funny, and informative about the ingredients we used. They took their time explaining each step to us and also provided printed recipes for each part. The gyoza we made was a delicious appetizer and the ramen was incredible. We will definitely be bringing these tips and tricks to our cooking at home.

When we arrived for the tea ceremony, we were taken to dressing rooms, where employees allowed us to choose our own kimono, obi, and floral ornaments for our (the ladies) hair. The employees helped us get dressed, and braided/styled our (the ladies') hair. My husband was also dressed in kimono, as well. We were then given opportunities to take pictures using their gardens as beautiful backgrounds. We were then led into the tea room with fellow tourists. Our tea ceremony host, Dodo-San was patient, kind, and incredibly hospitable, as she showed us and explained the tea ceremony and making matcha tea, which we were all able to do ourselves. She walked us through all of the customs, and encouraged us to be in the moment with her and our fellow guests. The sweets that were provided were also delicious, especially the red bean paste sweet, and the tea was delicious, as well. The whole tea ceremony experience was an incredible glimpse into traditional Japanese culture. The Ninja museum was interesting, well-constructed, and informative. We would have preferred to walk through at our own pace without a guide, albeit, some information they gave was useful. The shuriken (ninja star) throwing was fun.

We took at least 5 forms of transportation to and through Hakone, moving between modes seamlessly. The train, rail-car, cable car, gondola, pirate ship, and bus were each so easy to use, and provided beautiful and unique views. Our guide was fantastic in showing us and explaining the sulfur springs and its surroundings, as well as sharing with us the Black hot spring eggs, and the summit of Mt. Fuji. The open-air museum was so cool, however, we would've liked to have spent more time there without having to rush. We weren't expecting to go on a pirate ship across Lake Ashi, but it was such a beautiful ride with an interesting background into the Dragon deities that are said to reside there. Gorgeous landscapes, wonderful art, and interesting history and explanations. The restaurant at the top of Mt. Hakone had absolutely delicious Japanese curry that we're still dreaming of.

Without a tour guide explaining the imperial family and the grounds, this would have been a lot less interesting. The garden is beautiful, but the historical sight leaves something to be desired. As the royal family resides in the actual palace, it is not accessible to tourists at all; only the gardens and grounds can be visited. There is a lot of walking through the grounds, including several steep hills. The view of the outside of the concert hall is beautiful and the smaller buildings, as well as the history of building the walls is very interesting.

Our tour guide Taka-San, messaged me several days before we were scheduled to meet with him, asking about our preferences and needs, and if he could reserve lunch for all of us at a local sushi restaurant. He was wonderful at communicating before, during, and after our day tour around Tokyo. He met with us at our hotel that morning, showed us how to use the subway station, answered all of our questions throughout the day, and imparted his extensive knowledge upon us. He took us to Meiji-Jingu Shrine, explained the Torii gates to us, the cultural practices, and taught us about the differences between Shinto and Buddhist shrines in Japan. Then, he took us to Tsukiji outer fish market, and was able to talk with local vendors on our behalf, allowing us to buy and experience delicious samples of wagyu beef and grapes. We also had lunch at a delicious sushi bar.

The restaurants and food choices were great, but there was too much food! We would have enjoyed sampling food more than full meals at each stop. We were so full that by the 3 stop that we could hardly finish!!!

I asked to change rooms so that we could have a view of the water. Our room was small, but the view was exceptional. They had two chairs in front of the window that were quite comfortable to sit and look out. The location on the water was what made this hotel special to me.

We were upgraded to a very large room, which was nice. The buffet was great. The staff was quite helpful.

The location is good. The room was clean and neat and adequate in size. The buffet breakfast at all of our hotels were excellent, but this one was especially good.

Initially, we were placed in a suite room in the historic section. We had to change rooms because that room had a steep wooden staircase from the bathroom up to the sleeping area. I would not recommend that room. The à la carte restaurant was excellent and we enjoyed two lovely meals there. Salmon was cooked excellently and the chicken in Norway is so tender.

Nice but crowded

Seeing the fjords from the water is quite different than from our land. It is more dramatic. The guide on the boat was quite informative and great to listen to.

We did the Sugar top hike. It was quite difficult, but I felt worth it to see the 360° views at the top.

it was a lovely day, but it was not a unique Norway experience.

we walked up instead of taking the Funicular up. We did write it down. The restaurant at the top was very nice. We did eat dinner there at sunset which was lovely.

Bergan is not on a fjord. It is one of the larger cities in Norway so I guess seeing it is part of the experience of Norway. I did not find it particularly interesting. We did eat dinner at the restaurant at the top of the funicular at sunset. It was lovely.

Loved the rib Safari trip.

It was a very hazy day, but still enjoyable to see the view

I did not enjoy the city of Flam. Alesund is a much prettier area without the cruise ship. We also took a very short hike and I would’ve enjoyed a longer one. Fjord Safari is an excellent organization and their guides are informative and fun.

I don’t believe we used this information. We had Reed on our own about Oslo and chose to do some things

Parlamento Boutique Hotel is in a good location. It was a little difficult to find the entrance but we found our way. The walls of the hotel are a little thin. We could hear water running between the walls. We figured someone had showered and the water was running down the pipes. The room was roomy and very clean. They even had a small refrigerator in the room which was really nice. They serve breakfast every day but we did not eat at the hotelt because one day our tour started early & there was a strike happening that day so we had to leave early. And the other day we wanted to get to the Trevi Fountain early. Andreo, worked the front desk for like 2 days straight, was a wonderful person. If we needed anything he took care of it!! He can help you find a restaurant, convenience store, liquor store. Anything you need. Very nice and happy to help the guests staying at the Parlamento. I don't know how much they charged for the room because our travel agent booked our rooms, train tickets & tours. I should ask for an itemized bill LOL.

This is a very unique hotel. The room we had was small but it had a queen sized bed and the room had everything we needed. One is not going to spend that much time in your hotel room. The patio where they serve a delicious breakfast and has a beautiful view of the ocean was incredible. They offer several choices for breakfast, coffee and Prosecco. The patio is a lovely place to enjoy your happy hour. They also have a hot tub for the use for guests. You will enjoy this after all the walking you will do. It is also a small hotel, maybe 14 rooms but they offer all you will need. We enjoyed being guests at La Torretta!