Kimkim Trip Reviews

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.

Hotel Reviews

Ippokampos Beachfront Hotel

Naxos

This hotel was also nice with a good location and friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Athina Luxury Suites Santorini

Santorini

We had the honeymoon suite here. It was fantastic with roses and petals decorating our room along with champagne and cake. It was a wonderful experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elia Bettolo Hotel

Chania

This was a lovely hotel. They gave us a honeymoon dinner and had champagne and a charcuterie board in our room. It was a wonderful experience. The staff was accommodating and the location was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Veneziano Boutique Hotel

Heraklion Crete

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Didn’t meet the staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shower didn’t have a door and bathroom was so small.

Activity Reviews

Traditional Village & Family Home Cooking in Naxos

Naxos

This could have been a really great experience. However, the host was not informed of our dietary restrictions. My husband is allergic to dairy and I do not eat seafood so the host had to change the recipe for us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the Wonders of Wine and Olive Oil

Chania

This was a fantastic experience. The guides were top-notch and we felt taken care of. It was a well-done activity and didn't feel like a tourist trap.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall , the trip was great.
Good hotel selection.
Transport between locations went well
Emergency number worked well
A few issues with documentation:
The trip detail update/vouchers arrived as we were leaving for the airport, so no time to print/ review prior to our departure.
There were some inaccuracies in the trip plan/voucher.
1) incorrect pick-up location indicated for Vesuvius & pompeii tour. We were late & nearly missed the tour
2) Incorrect pickup time indicated on trip detail for skydiving tour
3) Vouchers did not include e-ticket link for Vesuvius & Pompeii. This caused entry issues & we needed to stand in line & buy a ticket for pompeii
4) trip detail indicated guided tour for Vesuvius & Pompeii. The actual tour included a driver only. A guide at Pompeii would have been helpful

This trip started four months before we eventually landed in Madrid. My personal contact is Patricia and what a gem. She listened and adapted to my many many requests. She was quick to give her expertise and opinions on my decisions to make this a memorable experience. Even one week before she still was reaching out to confirm , by phone our understanding of this involved itinerary. Her selection of guides, Anna, Blanca, and all our drivers were magnificent. This was a 50th anniversary gift to each other and Patricia made this trip along with every choice a stresses and unforgettable moment of Spain.

Hotel Reviews

CoolRooms Palacio de Atocha

Madrid

We loved the private location off of the street. You fall into a backyard paradise with the outdoor covered breakfast space viewing and listening to the fountain/pool and accompanied with lounging furniture. But the breakfast was so outstanding with eggs made to order and the cappuccino, perfect. The waitstaff was like a 5 star restaurant. Christina, Aveleno at the reception desk always smile and accommodating. But our last night surprise was we decided to just have our dinner meal at the hotel for convenience. WOW! This was our Best meal. The food flavors, presentation, our waiter. It was a 5-star food experience and should Not be overlooked as one of your choices in Madrid

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Christina and Avelno?

Cleanliness & Comfort

H10 Palacio Colomera

Córdoba

We loved the location but we kept getting lost since the Jewish Quarter is made up of the smallest streets and maze network for both automobiles and people. But the charm the ancient architecture was stimulating. The hotel had an arched gateway with chairs/tables/flowers that you could just sit and people watch. But two other interior spaces were only for guests and they are the gems of the hotel. One, (which we didn’t know) was the smoking area. Beautiful but sorry was smoking space. The other much larger and felt Moorish architecture with Vasquez bigger than life on the walls but perfect for a glass of wine with tapas before dinner.

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Location

Staff

Another group of extremely friendly and supportive young staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel NH Collection Granada Victoria

Granada

The location was fine but it is a very busy busy intersection that wasn’t our favorite choice. But taxi stand one block away made it perfect for sightseeing and restaurants. The room was dark and the buffet was not at the same level as other hotels. The coffee and cappuccino was just inferior but still didn’t buy Starbucks.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Boutique smaller staff but more personal attention

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Gravina 51

Sevilla

Fabulous fabulous fabulous! Beautiful sophisticated immaculate again Boutique with flair. Everyone at the reception desk, Thomas, Rosarioetc and then the breakfast staff just outstanding and there to make your moment better.

Authenticity & Character

Gorgeous feel with quality of decor.

Location

Staff

Rave reviews for everyone at this hotel

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everywhere you looked it was clean and fresh

Activity Reviews

A foodie escape to Sherry Wine Region & Cadiz

Spain

I felt that the length of this journey was not up to the advertising of what it offered. The wine sherry was very disappointing because it felt like it lacked any atmosphere where it was abd the speech was very non emotional, too much remote like speech. The sherry was just OK also. Then Cadiz was nothing to do or visit. Just a beach with people. The best part was with our guide where she choose a great beach restaurant away from Cadiz. We watched the wind surfers but the food selection was great along with plenty of wine

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening out for flamenco & tapas in Triana Quarter

Seville

High end performance and so professional done. Our guide said that these where the best of the best that we had seen and very special to hear castinates being played.

Quality of Experience

5stars but just performance. The food fell short and was expecting a better experience after a phenomenal Flamenco night.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked

Private guided tour of the Habsburgs' Quarter & Royal Palace

Madrid

Every room was special in the design and purpose that it was used during the King and Queen. The story behind how it changed as the leadership changed and what they did with the space.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Can’t remember but another very intelligent and a plethora of facts that we enjoyed. Use him again for any small or personal size group.

Transport

Private guided foodies evening tour: Tapas in Malasaña

Madrid

We loved the three locations that our English/Spanish guide had chosen. He built upon each location and food/wine experience and we talked a lot about the Spanish style.

Quality of Experience

Food

The three locations of variety of hams

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lize did such a good job putting together this custom trip for my husband and I. We particularly loved that we had a private guide (Andrew) in Capetown. It made our experience so personal and unforgettable. We also could not say enough amazing things about the safari lodge where we stayed (Arathusa). I could have stayed there for months! This is the very first time I have ever used a “travel agent” and I was so pleasantly surprised. I did not have to worry about a thing. Lize was great at making sure all transfers, rides, tours, etc were all taken care of. She was even great about checking in on us and being accessible while we were on our trip. Thank you, Lize!!

I feel that this trip most of the attraction is very repeating. Almost the whole of the 15 days we are viewing lakes and mountains. If want to do other activities,wr still have to pay extra, and the tickets are very expensive. Other than that the instructions for our bookings are also very blurred. Some places we are required to make advance booking but we are unaware in the end we have to pay extra inorder to visit the lakes tour. Thus, overall this trip was a very bad experience for me and my family.

Fei was very responsive in communication and provided a great snap shot of the western side of Japan. Going to the Japanese Alps was a great experience! Many itineraries leave this area of the country out in favor of the top cities and I think you miss a lot if you don't go to these areas. We enjoyed our bike ride through the rural areas as well as seeing areas from the Samurai and Edo time.
During our travels Fei checked in to make sure we were doing ok and having a good time. Was nice to know she was still available even after everything was booked.

Hotel Reviews

Kamikochi Lemeiesta Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

TOKYU STAY Hida-Takayama Musubi no Yu

Takayama

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hyatt House Kanazawa

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half Day Cycling in Takayama

Takayama

We were actually in Hida, which is much smaller and different than Takayama. We got to see a more rural area that is not very touristy and it was a great peek into areas that still do rice and family vegetable farms. In addition we went to a beautiful shrine overlooking the farm land and the mountains in the distance.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Shirakawa-go Tour From Kanazawa to Takayama

Kanazawa

I am very glad we got to see the smaller village before going to the larger more touristy Shirakawa-go. The museum part of this village was really good. There was hardly anyone over on that side and it was much more interesting than the main village. Eating at the soba noodle cafe was also good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Every service, every activity, every detail was perfectly planned by Bruno. He was highly communicative and helped us choose a great vacation fitted to our timeline, likes, and needs. We were able to visit Split, Hvar, Korcula, and Dubrovnik while we were in Croatia. He recommended wonderful restaurants and accomodations for us that left us never ever needing to worry. The accomodations were top notch, including traveling between them. He scheduled some activities for us that truly made the trip. One of them was a private tour /driver named Goran who took us from Korcula to Ston and then to Dubrovnik. Goran was friendly and quiet a lovely person. He gave us a great history of Croatia and took us to Ston for a oyster fishing boat experience and to walk the walls. In Dubrovnik, we had a private tour guide named Paulina who was also quite lovely. She walked us all over the city and showed us the hidden secrets that I'm sure none of the big tours received. This trip was amazing and it really is all thanks to Bruno. If you are on the fence about booking with Bruno or with the site, please take my advice and do it. 10/10 I will recommend to anyone who wants the trip of a lifetime

Yuri was so helpful and accommodating throughout the entire planning process. I had very specific things that I wanted to do and he was able to help me plan the perfect trip to Spain.

In all fairness, it seemed Stephen, not Sarah, did the planning. Unfortunately we encountered many issues with our itinerary. We were in frequent communication with staff since Stephen was on holiday during the majority of our trip. A few issues included tours ‘not paid for’, car rental issues ( wrong car, no gas in car), insufficient coordination time between tours. The staff worked feverishly to make course corrections but this is not how an expensive trip is coordinated and managed, it created much stress for the 4 people traveling. In addition, we were 2 couples traveling and there was significant disparity in rooms. We consistently had a lower quality and level of room and to date no compensation has been made from the tour company. In fact, all communication since the tour ended have gone unanswered. Very dissatisfied and I would not recommend the local company nor will I use kimkim again, which is quite disappointing since I really thought they had a good business model.

Hotel Reviews

The Glasshouse Hotel

Edinburgh

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kingshouse Hotel

Glen Coe

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Redwood House Hotel

Greshornish

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Royal Hotel Stornoway

Stornoway, Isle of Lewis,

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Albannach Suites

Lochinver

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Staff

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The Royal Highland Hotel

Inverness

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Malmaison Aberdeen

Aberdeen

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Angel's Share Hotel

New Town, Edinburgh

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Culloden Battlefield private tour

Inverness

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cairngorms National Park Wildlife Tour with a Specialist

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dunnottar Castle Tickets

Scotland

Quality of Experience

St Andrews Walking Tour of the Old Course

St Andrews

Quality of Experience

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Transport

The Military Tattoo Show

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Secrets of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile - walking tour with castle tickets

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full day from Stornoway - Westside Historical Circle and Uig and Bernera District.

Stornoway

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Wildlife Spotting Boat Tour

Lochinver

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Cruise of Mull, Iona and Staffa Islands

Scotland

Quality of Experience

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Transport

Rhomtrip drivers were excellent and arrived in very clean vehicles. They were on time and very courteous. The gentleman who picked cass and Stacey up on October 5 was delightful and shared much about the city on our travels to the airport.

Madrid wine tour excellent, fun informative. Would definitely recommend.

Prado museum visit and lunch at Botin was incredible. Our tour guide was an absolute delight. Cassie’s art history was extensive and we gained knowledge of Spanish history as well. The experience of the oldest tavern for vermouth and dinning at the oldest restaurant made for incredible memories and storytelling back home.

Local market and cooking class. Excellent chef , easy to understand. You’re of the local market for food most interesting. Amazing recipes and food. Exceptionally clean facility.

Park Guell La Sangrada
Incredible history as told by our guide. A must to visit when in Barcelona.

In terms of hotels
Petit palace Posada Madrid. Liked this hotel best if the three we stayed in. - very clean, best beds and pillows of the three hotels we stayed at. The location was right down in-the walkable city. Excellent stay. Super shower. Excellent hotel breakfasts. Great coffee. There was a food attendant overseeing the breakfast which made for a personal experience.

Hotel Silken Seville was my least favourite hotel due to location. Too far from the downtown area. It is right next to the football stadium if you were to attend a football game. The beds and pillow though clean were not as comfortable as the Petit palace Posada. Coffee not so good. Very large hotel.

Astoria Hotel -Barcelona Good location to the walkable shops. Excellent breakfast. Has a roof top with a small pool. Nice to have a drink and see city lights. Closes at 900pm. Bed/pillows good.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Astoria

Barcelona

Good location, excellent breakfasts. Super shower. Beds and pillows good. Nice roof top area to have a drink sit in smaller pool or exhort the city lights.

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Silken Al Andalus Palace

Seville

The beds and pillows not very comfortable. My daughter had to use an antihistamine with in 30 minutes of entering the room. Must have been something in the air. The hotel is large. The hotel is quite a distance from the tourist places to visit.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The people at the tourist desk were very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed and pillows

Petit Palace Posada del Peine

Madrid

Best beds and pillows, so comfortable best I have experienced. . Super location. Amazing hot and cold breakfast. Lovely hotel front desk gentleman named Jon-So helpful. Will definitely stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the shops and cafes and the plaza

Staff

Jon was so pleasant. So helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds and pillows

Activity Reviews

Park Güell & La Sagrada Família Experience

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local Market Visit & Cooking Class

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Prado Museum & Cultural Walk with Lunch at Botín

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Day Trip to Madrid Wineries

Madrid

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Saed is an excellent organizer. We enjoyed his company. Noor UD Din. Great Guide. Very well informed and knows how to keep the group busy. All of the people who stayed with us while in Morroco were excellent. And we will sure to return

I just completed a 6 day tour of Morocco highlights. Hakim was very helpful planning several site visits in Fez, Marrakech, Essaouira, and Casablanca despite my limited time. The riad stays were beautiful and guides knowledgeable. Thanks for all your support.