Kimkim Trip Reviews

4.8
Based on 17,441 ratings
Read 17,441 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

First time Solo trip to North Vietnam
Vietnam | Jan 23 - Jan 26, 2023

Vinodan
Vinodan S.
Singapore | Reviewed on Jan 30, 2023
Had a wonderful time in Vietnam. All the places visited were spectacular and enjoyed it thoroughly. Trang was very helpful from the planning stage till my last day of my trip. She catered to all my requests and ensured that my trip was comfortable and had no hiccups. She went beyond to check up on me constantly and answered to my queries and doubts instantly during my trip. Very thankful to her for making my first solo trip a memorable one Read more

Had a wonderful time in Vietnam. All the places visited were spectacular and enjoyed it thoroughly. Trang was very helpful from the planning stage till my last day of my trip. She catered to all my requests and ensured that my trip was comfortable and had no hiccups. She went beyond to check up on me constantly and answered to my queries and doubts instantly during my trip. Very thankful to her for making my first solo trip a memorable one

Activity Reviews
Hanoi - Ninh Binh Group tour full day
Ninh Binh

Learnt a lot about the Vietnam history and culture

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Halong Bay - Hanoi
Halong Bay - Hanoi
Ha Long Bay

Beautiful landscape and scenery. Relaxing and a calm visit

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sapa - Ham Rong Mountain - Fanxipan Peak
Sapa

The view at the top was amazing and the travel via the cable car to there was short and smooth and was beautiful

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hanoi - Sapa by shuttle bus (6-7 hours) - Cat Cat Village
Sapa

Got to see the minority ethnicity and their culture.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Trang Pham
Trang
Trang Pham
Local specialist in Hanoi, Vietnam | Replied on Jan 30, 2023

Hi Vinodan,

Thank you much for your review and I’m so glad to be your local journey planner to have this chance to host your trip. I hope to see you again on your next trip to Vietnam and South-East Asia

Wish you all the best in life!

Best regards
Trang

Read all Vietnam reviews

Memorable trip but wouldn't use KimKim or Espiritu Travel again
Spain | Dec 20 - Jan 5, 2023

S
Suzy M.
Walnut Creek, CA | Reviewed on Jan 29, 2023
Planning and booking were just okay. I wouldn't use the service again. There were gaps between communication from Katerina which only became concerning as we were coming up on our travel date and hadn't received documentation. This was the most $ we had ever spent on a vacation and while I see the value of an app combined with some service from Katerina, I would have liked more hand holding. One of the main benefits I was hoping for and that was promoted was having someone local where we were... Read more

Planning and booking were just okay. I wouldn't use the service again. There were gaps between communication from Katerina which only became concerning as we were coming up on our travel date and hadn't received documentation. This was the most $ we had ever spent on a vacation and while I see the value of an app combined with some service from Katerina, I would have liked more hand holding. One of the main benefits I was hoping for and that was promoted was having someone local where we were traveling who knew the ins and outs of where we were going and could recommend great experiences. Virtually all experiences that were booked for us were available on Viator. On some occasions there would be a driver who would take us around or pick us up at a train station or airport while on others we were on our own. I couldn't quite understand the difference. We were traveling over the holidays and Katerina told us everything would be closed on Christmas and New Year's. I was a bit nervous but absolutely everything was open so I ended up booking activities for us at additional cost. Unsure what happened there, and is just an example where local information didn't pan out. On a couple of occasions I had to reach out to Katerina on the app but others at Espiritu Travel responded as apparently she was on vacation as the same time as us. They were very helpful. Katerina was also on vacation while we were planning the trip so that was the explanation for the delay in communication and why our travel documents were delayed. We were traveling for 3 weeks so would need laundry services. Katerina indicated the hotels would be able to provide but none of our hotels had laundry service. We were able to find laundromats. There were some other things like a flamenco tour that was a 15-minute cab ride shortly after a 3.5 car ride to arrive in Granada. We just didn't go, it was too much driving and a rest after arriving would have been better timing. I had requested 3-star hotels to keep the budget down but would have liked to have more input to the location of the rooms or option to upgrade. We also had two adult children w/ us, boy and girl, and needed twin beds. That wasn't available at (just) one of the hotels, they said it hadn't been requested by KimKim. In Seville there was only 1 tour planned (e-bikes, really fun), and then in Porto there was nothing planned at all so I spent more to book things. It was New Year's but again, everything was open. All that being said, it was a really memorable trip, some of our guides were fantastic, others just average which was fine. Bumps in travel are always expected but I wouldn't use KimKim or Espiritu Travel again and now that I'm more experienced I'd feel comfortable just planning the whole trip on my own. I read a lot of reviews before booking with KimKim and others seem to have had a great experience so not sure what to make of it.

Activity Reviews
Train Seville to Córdoba, Guided Visit of Córdoba, Train Córdoba to Seville
Train Seville to Córdoba, Guided Visit of Córdoba, Train Córdoba to Seville
Seville
Seville by E-Bike
Seville by E-Bike
Seville

Super fun. Be aware you don't actually cover much ground and you do need to drive through crowds. But really a lot of fun.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guided Visit: Alhambra & Generalife Gardens
Guided Visit: Alhambra & Generalife Gardens
Granada

The guides really make all the difference and this was a first-class experience. We toured with a group through all of the beautiful grounds. This is a must when you're in Granada.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guided Visit of Granada Through Its Scents
Guided Visit of Granada Through Its Scents
Granada

This was a really unique idea but I think they just haven't figured out the execution yet. It's intended to be a tour of the 'smells' of the city. The guide takes you around and pulls out small papers for you and then sprays them with a scent he referenced in his talk. He was very passionate about the idea, and we even ran into him later at Alhambra and he was very friendly, offering to help with any questions. I had asked our tour planner about this one a couple times because I didn't think it was a good fit for us but she thought it was. I wish I had more strongly declined.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Train Madrid to Toledo, Guided Visit of Toledo, Train Toledo to Madrid
Train Madrid to Toledo, Guided Visit of Toledo, Train Toledo to Madrid
Madrid

Toledo was a highlight of our trip and our guide Natalia was wonderful. She was born and raised in Toledo and was very knowledgeable and generous with information, even sharing her phone number with us if we had a problem while we were traveling. The train ride to Toledo was fine and Natalia and a driver picked us up. We took a cab back to the station at the end of the day and met a really fun cab driver. We were curious about the 'new' Toledo and we asked him to take us through that part of town which he obliged. Just a really nice person and we had a lot of fun.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tapas Culinary Experience
Tapas Culinary Experience
Madrid

We had done another tapas tour in Barcelona and while there was zero history shared, the guide was a lot of fun. Here was the opposite, he talked too much, not allowing enough time for the group to interact. The food and drinks were really good, however, and a couple in our group were vegetarian which was handled really nicely, there were good options.

Local specialist: Karenina Steinbach
Karenina
Karenina Steinbach
Local specialist in Madrid, Spain | Replied on Feb 03, 2023
Hi Suzy, thank you for taking the time to send us your review, it is important to me. I was pleased to read that you had a memorable trip to Spain and Portugal, however I understand that you felt that I fell short in some areas. I would like to address those points if I may. You mentioned that there were gaps in communication. I have referred back to our conversation in KimKim and I am not clear as to your meaning with gap as I can see that when you wrote to me, I always answered you... Read more

Hi Suzy, thank you for taking the time to send us your review, it is important to me. I was pleased to read that you had a memorable trip to Spain and Portugal, however I understand that you felt that I fell short in some areas. I would like to address those points if I may.

You mentioned that there were gaps in communication. I have referred back to our conversation in KimKim and I am not clear as to your meaning with gap as I can see that when you wrote to me, I always answered you back. I don't work on weekends so if you are referring to a time gap it could have been over a weekend or if your message came in late in the afternoon after I had gone home for the day. I was not on any vacation (except for one Friday, the 25th of Nov) from the time you inquired in Sep until I had my vacation starting on the 19th of Dec. Also I sent your detailed travel documents on the 1st of Dec for your trip departing on the 20th which is within our standard timeframe of 2-3 weeks before departure.

It is true, I was on family Christmas vacation during the time you were in Spain and Portugal, however I can see in the chat conversation in the app that when you wrote to us, one of my colleagues always responded to you in a timely manner. Over the holiday period, in addition to myself, there were several other people on Christmas vacation so the Espíritu Travel team work together to handle the travelers that are in country rather than have one person assigned.

In your itinerary, I provided lots of additional information for each place that you planned to travel including ideas for during your free time, information specific for the Christmas holiday as well as restaurant recommendations. I know the in and outs of each of the destinations that you visited but I am based in one location, in Madrid. In most of the places you visited, you had private tours with local guides who are always more than happy to also provide additional information and recommendations if you directly ask them. If there was a specific experience that you had in mind while we were planning the trip or even after you booked or during your trip, I would have been more than happy to have included it.

In regard to the difference in transfers, meaning ones that were included and not, the ones that were included were listed in the pricing summary before you booked your trip. Generally, we don't include the transfers to/from the train station because for longer trips such as yours with several train connections, it would increase the price so in order to keep within a stated budget, I did not include the transfer to/from the train station. However, if you had wanted them, I certainly could have added them but it was never indicated to me that you wanted all the transfers included. Even if after you had booked your trip and received your travel documents, if you had wanted to add them, I could have added them.

I personally spent Christmas last year with my family in Granada and I know that nothing was open on Christmas Day. One of the owners of Espíritu Travel has spent 3 New Year's Days in Porto and she confirmed to me that nothing is open on New Years Day. When you write ¨everything was open¨, do you mean that you were able to book an activity? The local guides with whom we work are not our employees, they can tell us what days they want to work and what days they don't. None of our local guides for those two places would confirm tours on Christmas Day or New Years Day. We only work with local guides who we know not Viator so I would not have just booked some random guide or tour for you.

In regard to the additional cost for these activities, I have seen in our conversation during the planning that you were asking me to lower the price so including more activities and or transfers would have increased the price.

All the hotels in which you stayed except the one in Porto have laundry services, I personally called the hotels. However, when I spoke to the Porto Charming Hotel, they told me they could send a person from the hotel to a nearby laundry with the your clothes. In regard to the laundry service at other hotels; Petit Palace Puerta del Sol confirmed to me by email (I can send you the email if you like) and by phone; Palacio de Santa Ines states on their website that they have laundry service; and both the Parador de Ronda and Be a Poet Baixa Hotel states on their websites that they have laundry service. So I am not sure why you were not able to have had your laundry done if you asked at reception.

If you refer back to the trip plan in KimKim, you are able to see that originally I had you booked on the fast train to go from Madrid to Granada. However, train tickets can only be booked 2 months in advance so on the day the tickets became available and I went in to purchase your tickets, the one and only morning train was already sold out because the 23rd of the Dec would have an very busy day for travel for Spanairds heading home for the holidays. So I booked a private transfer departing at 8,30 from Madrid so arriving to Granada early afternoon so you would have time to rest and have lunch. The Flamenco show was at 9pm so if you felt it was going to be too much for one day, one of colleagues could have changed it to a Flamenco show in Seville for example. Travelers have different styles of travel so I would need to know if you considered it too much for one day other travelers might not have considered it too much. Also, the venue for Flamenco is located in the historic part of Granada so it was in walkable distance from your hotel, 15 minutes.

In regard to the location of your rooms at the hotel and/or upgrades. Hotels would not be able to confirm to us the location of your particular room before arrival but if you needed a specific location such as lower floor or near an elevator, I would have been happy to have requested this with the hotel. I know that they wouldn't guarantee it to me but at least I could have made the request for you. There is always an option to upgrade a hotel room but again, during the planning phase of the trip, you wanted to keep the costs down but if you had wanted one, I could have certainly booked an upgrade for you. I requested two beds at each hotel which was reconfirmed just before your arrival. It is my understanding that after checking to the hotel in Porto that they did give you a hotel room with two beds. So all your hotel rooms had two beds as requested.

In Porto, when I sent you the revised trip plan after you asked me to include Porto, you went through each activity and put a a ¨like¨ next to day 11, 12 and 13. So indicating to me that you were ok with no activities for those days. In addition, one of the days was the first of Jan which as mentioned before we were not able to confirm activities for that day. My apologies for not suggesting activities for the 30th and 31st of Dec and that you had to organize them yourself. I would have been more than happy to organize them even after you had received your travel documents but I was under the impression that you were ok with having free days based on your feedback during the planning. Each traveler is different, some people want lots of activities and other don't so I have to rely on feedback from the traveler in order to know ones preference.

Lastly, I wanted to comment about the guided tour in Granada. This is a new experience (you were looking for local experiences, you mentioned) developed by the guide you had and we have had nothing but five star reviews, I am happy to go through our reviews to send them to you so you are able to ssee. I have reviewed our conversation regarding your questions about this tour, I never said it was a good fit for you, I only explained the details of the tour for you to decide if you wanted to included it or not.

I was saddened to read your review of me and Espíritu Travel given that you indicated that it was a memorable trip. You are able to see a near perfect rating of five stars for the company and myself. I always have the best interest of the traveler and to provide the best service possible so that they have memorable trips. I am sorry that you felt that I did not provide it, it certainly was not my intention.

Read all Spain reviews

We had a wonderful time!
Morocco | Jan 13 - Jan 22, 2023

Priya
Priya V.
Farmington Hills, MI | Reviewed on Jan 29, 2023
We had a wonderful time! We enjoyed the various terrain, nature and experience food and culture from different parts of Morocco. Especial thanks to our driver Amine who is awesome and made the trip exceptional by going the extra mile every step of the way for the entire duration of our trip! He accommodated us when our bags did not make it to Rabat from Paris, made calls to the airline in French and Arabic and made the round trip back to Rabat from Fes just to pick them up! Throughout he... Read more

We had a wonderful time! We enjoyed the various terrain, nature and experience food and culture from different parts of Morocco.

Especial thanks to our driver Amine who is awesome and made the trip exceptional by going the extra mile every step of the way for the entire duration of our trip! He accommodated us when our bags did not make it to Rabat from Paris, made calls to the airline in French and Arabic and made the round trip back to Rabat from Fes just to pick them up! Throughout he was very courteous and helpful with tips on how to navigate the different cities of Morocco and the sites and history. He recommended stops for food and pictures which truly enhanced our whole experience.
The guides Mustafah and Hassan are very knowledgeable and made our tours very informative. Hiking with our Guide Idris in Ourika valley was an amazing experience.

It was wonderful to sleep in the desert at Camp Chebbi . The staff though very young made up for it in enthusiasm. Then only surprise was their attempt at European style food😂. Also the camp was cold in January and we could have used extra blankets or throws near the Firepit. Here too the guides for camel ride and buggy were great!

Thanks KimKim for an amazing trip and off the beaten path Morocco experience.

Hotel Reviews
Riad Kaiss Marrakech
Marrakech

Thank you Najma for going out of your way to assist us with recommendations for local dining and entertainment.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Caravane
Ouarzazate
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Auberge Chez Pierre
Boumalne Dades
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Luxury Camp Chebbi
Merzouga
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Riad Fes - Relais & Châteaux
Fes

Great hotel and service

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Overnight in the Sahara Desert with Sunset Camel Ride
Overnight in the Sahara Desert with Sunset Camel Ride
Morocco
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hammam Visit: Traditional Body Scrub
Hammam Visit: Traditional Body Scrub
Morocco
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day Trip to Sefrou: The Garden City of Morocco
Day Trip to Sefrou: The Garden City of Morocco
Morocco

Thank you Mustafa for a greater guided tour snd authentic Berber experience

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Exploring the Imperial City and Medieval Medina of Fes
Exploring the Imperial City and Medieval Medina of Fes
Fes
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day Trip to Ourika Valley: Hike to a Waterfall
Day Trip to Ourika Valley: Hike to a Waterfall
Morocco
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Yassine Echcherki
Yassine
Yassine Echcherki
Local specialist in Morocco, New York, Spain | Replied on Dec 11, 2023
Dear Priya, We're thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful time and enjoyed the diverse terrain, nature, and cultural experiences throughout Morocco! Your appreciation for our driver, Amine, is heartening, and we're glad he went the extra mile to make your trip exceptional. It's commendable how he handled the luggage situation, showcasing his dedication and resourcefulness. We're pleased that our guides, Mustafah, Hassan, and Idris, contributed to your informative and enjoyable tours. The... Read more

Dear Priya, We're thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful time and enjoyed the diverse terrain, nature, and cultural experiences throughout Morocco! Your appreciation for our driver, Amine, is heartening, and we're glad he went the extra mile to make your trip exceptional. It's commendable how he handled the luggage situation, showcasing his dedication and resourcefulness.

We're pleased that our guides, Mustafah, Hassan, and Idris, contributed to your informative and enjoyable tours. The experience of sleeping in the desert at Camp Chebbi sounds magical, despite the chilly January weather. Your feedback on the European-style food attempt and the cold at the camp is duly noted, and we appreciate your understanding.

Thank you for choosing us for your Morocco experience. We're delighted to have been part of your memorable journey, and we hope to welcome you back for more adventures in the future! Please stay in touch, Yassine

Professional and easy to work with
Japan | Jan 22 - Jan 28, 2023

S
Serena V.
Atlanta, GA | Reviewed on Jan 29, 2023

Thanks to Irish and Kristy our first family vacation to Japan was a success! They found us great hotels in Tokyo (Karaska Hotel Premier Tokyo Ginza) and Hakuba (Hakuba Highlands Hotel) and helped us navigate the JR Rail Pass process to get us around Tokyo and to/from Nagano. They also arranged for a driver to pick us up and drop us off at the airport - which was a bonus with the luggage.

Local specialist: Irish S.
Irish
Irish S.
Local specialist in Tokyo | Replied on Feb 27, 2023

Thank you Serena! We appreciate you taking your time to express those kind words. It's been a pleasure planning and working with you. Hope you will visit Japan again soon!

Read all Japan reviews

Egypt is amazing but it's worth understanding what you get
Egypt | Jan 8 - Jan 19, 2023

Tom
Tom F.
Minneapolis, MN | Reviewed on Jan 29, 2023
I think KimKim as a platform is quite good - we had good responsiveness from the local agency. Egypt is a truly amazing place and I think, overall, the trip was a good success. I would not really hesitate to recommend KimKim or Egypt Promotions (EP) to work with. There were, however, a few glitches and recommendations I can offer. EP does a nice job of having a lot of people interact with us in terms of transportation - we had a glitch on the initial meeting at the airport and needed... Read more

I think KimKim as a platform is quite good - we had good responsiveness from the local agency.

Egypt is a truly amazing place and I think, overall, the trip was a good success. I would not really hesitate to recommend KimKim or Egypt Promotions (EP) to work with.

There were, however, a few glitches and recommendations I can offer. EP does a nice job of having a lot of people interact with us in terms of transportation - we had a glitch on the initial meeting at the airport and needed to have data and phone working to communicate with them. In our trip from Luxor, the rep was totally unaware of us not having tickets (booked by EP) and was completely unprepared to do anything about it - that was a bit of a shit show. Otherwise, the trip managers were cordial and helpful.

The guides we had were quite good. We had a private trip and the guides let us adjust as needed. Shahenda in Cairo and Muhammad in Aswan/Luxor were very knowledgeable with good English and good energy. Sha in particular know just what pictures to take and was really delightful to work with.

We did a driving trip to Alexandria - not sure that was entirely worth the extra time. The driver was almost falling asleep at the wheel at some points which was, obviously, disconcerting. We could definitely spent more time at the library in Alexandria visiting the planetarium, seeing the movie and visiting the exhibits.

Definitely do the dhabiya - it's a nice way to break up the trip between being inundated with facts and incredible sites and just relaxing and chilling along the beautiful Nile river. It would behoove EP to offer upgrades - we definitely had a luxury experience (the hotels were simply amazing) but one of our party would have liked the opportunity to book the "suite" room on the dahabiya and paid a bit extra.

We'd also suggest to EP to offer more details and options for the difference locations and let the guide work with the travelers to plan the day out. It seemed several days were pretty much planned out and then ended fairly early.

Tipping is always a bit of a mystery and, while EP gave us guidance for drivers/guides, we were less clear on who and how much to tip the trip managers and various other people. The tipping guidelines seemed quite a bit higher than what we read on the internet but I did not think they were unreasonable (e.g. $25/couple/day for the guide).

Lastly, I'd be suspect of the"government stores" and other places the guides take you - I don't really know what "government store" means and at least in Luxor, we bypassed the "cheap merchandise on the street" to go to a "reputable store with high quality goods" and I think that ended up being inaccurate - I believe we got the exact same goods on the street for about 1/2 the price as in the store. We bought an Egyptian cotton red sweatshirt that pills so bad it's unwearable.

So it may sound like we were not happy with the trip but that is NOT accurate. We DEFINITELY think you need to use a guide company to do this trip unless you speak fluent Arabic. EP was quite good, on time, provided good vehicles and very good guides, so I really do not hesitate in recommending them.

Hotel Reviews
Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan
Aswan

OMG is this place incredible. The grounds - gorgeous, the rooms - spacious and lovely. The overall experience was really excellent. Lots of good options in the hotel but, frankly, food was mediocre.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa
Luxor, Luxor Governorate

Another outstanding hotel. Good location close to the temples and really luxurious accommodations. Loved the pools, rooms was spacious - just a lovely place. The food at the hote, which seems to be a theme for us, was pricey and very mediocre.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Dahabiya
Luxor

This was definitely a highlight of the trip. The boat is well appointed, the staff attentive, the food very good.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Steigenberger Cecil Alexandria hotel
Alexandria

Great location next to the water. The hotel was very nice, breakfast adequate, not great. Try to get to Delices pastry shot nearby - outstanding.

Authenticity & Character
Elevator was classic.
Location
Lots of things to see right in the neighborhood.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at First Residence
Giza

Really nice hotel but in a neighborhood where there's not a lot you can really do. The breakfast buffet is really nice but with ANY buffet, it gets really old really fast - no more than 2 days... Rooms were great, view was great but I'd take an Uber to go out to eat and skip the restaurants associated with the hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Not a lot to do within walking distance
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Great soap, large room, nice bed.
Local specialist: Ibrahim Elaref
Read all Egypt reviews

Wonderful days in Costa Rica
Costa Rica | Dec 25 - Jan 9, 2023

D
Daniel A.
Canada | Reviewed on Jan 28, 2023
Costa Rica is incredible! So amazing! We (2 adults + 2 boys) planned our trip with Sergio from Serendipity Adventures focused on animals and nature for the end of December/beginning of January. The whole planning process was great, and Sergio was always easy to reach. I think that KimKim is a good option if you don't have much time to organize your trip. It was the first time I used it, and I think it was a good option at the present pace of my life. A review would not be enough to... Read more

Costa Rica is incredible! So amazing! We (2 adults + 2 boys) planned our trip with Sergio from Serendipity Adventures focused on animals and nature for the end of December/beginning of January. The whole planning process was great, and Sergio was always easy to reach. I think that KimKim is a good option if you don't have much time to organize your trip. It was the first time I used it, and I think it was a good option at the present pace of my life.

A review would not be enough to describe the unforgettable memories we have from our trip. We did Tortuguero, LaFortuna, Monteverde and Playa Conchal. Costa Rica's food is incredible and so tasteful. People are very very nice there. I was so sorry of leaving at the end.

My must-dos (which can be different from the rest of my family): Tortuguero canal ride (5-star to our guide Elston), LaFortuna waterfall, Arenal volcano hiking trail, Zip-lining with SkyAdventures, Monteverde village and cloud forest, Catamaran sunset ride in Guanacaste (we saw whales!).

Hotel Reviews
The Westin Reserva Conchal, an All-Inclusive Golf Resort & Spa
Playa Conchal
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
El Establo Mountain Hotel
Monteverde
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Evergreen Lodge
Tortuguero
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Chocolate & Night Hike Experience
Chocolate & Night Hike Experience
Monteverde
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano
Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano
Arenal/La Fortuna
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Baldi Hot Springs & Meal
Baldi Hot Springs & Meal
Arenal/La Fortuna
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Río Peñas Blancas Safari Rafting Experience
Río Peñas Blancas Safari Rafting Experience
Arenal/La Fortuna
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sloth Tour
Sloth Tour
Arenal/La Fortuna
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sky Adventures Zip Lines
Sky Adventures Zip Lines
Arenal/La Fortuna
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guided Boat Excursion Through the Tortuguero Canals
Guided Boat Excursion Through the Tortuguero Canals
Tortuguero
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tortuguero Village Visit
Tortuguero Village Visit
Tortuguero
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Sergio Bolaños
Sergio
Sergio Bolaños
Local specialist in Limon, Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 31, 2023

Hi Daniel, thank you very much for your kind words and for taking the time to write this review. We appreciate your trust in planning your trip to Costa Rica. I am very happy to hear that you had a great time! Pura Vida!

Read all Costa Rica reviews

Michael put together a wonderful adventure fo...
Colombia | Jan 19 - Jan 25, 2023

J
Jennifer V.
Oconomowoc, WI | Reviewed on Jan 28, 2023
Michael put together a wonderful adventure for us along the Colombian coast. We started in Cartagena and had the most magical 2 days exploring the city. Our tour guide Jhoker was incredibly knowledgable, kind and trustworthy. Unfortunately we received tragic news from home and could not complete the rest of our trip. Michael made himself completely available to us in our emergency and Jhoker, God bless his soul, came to pick us up at 2am to take us to the airport for an urgent flight... Read more

Michael put together a wonderful adventure for us along the Colombian coast. We started in Cartagena and had the most magical 2 days exploring the city. Our tour guide Jhoker was incredibly knowledgable, kind and trustworthy. Unfortunately we received tragic news from home and could not complete the rest of our trip. Michael made himself completely available to us in our emergency and Jhoker, God bless his soul, came to pick us up at 2am to take us to the airport for an urgent flight home. Michael worked tirelessly then to help us get refunded for whatever we could. He was a gem to have throughout the whole ordeal. I will absolutely plan another trip through Michael.

Activity Reviews
San Alberto Coffee Tasting
San Alberto Coffee Tasting
Cartagena

This was a fun experience; however I didn't think the coffee was anything spectacular

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Cartagena City Tour
Cartagena City Tour
Cartagena

Jhoker was a wonderful guide

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Michael Gold
Michael
Michael Gold
Local specialist in San Agustín, Huila, Colombia | Replied on Jan 30, 2023

Dear Jen,
thank you so much for your feedback and comments about your trip. It's a pity that you had to cut your trip short so early. Our whole team was with you in thoughts and of course we did our best to support you in this situation.
We are also happy that you are already planning to travel to Colombia again and we are looking forward to the next trip planning with you!

We wish you the very best.
Kind regards,
Michael on behalf of the whole Chaska Tours Team.

Read all Colombia reviews

My May trip was one of the best and most exci...
Iceland | May 13 - May 25, 2022

Christine
Christine C.
Bristol, CT | Reviewed on Jan 28, 2023

My May trip was one of the best and most exciting adventure travel I have had in many years and it was all because of Terry! She was an amazing trip guide, counselor and expert. Nothing went wrong, she was always available to help with clarification or make suggestions. I will use Kim Kim again for planning - their thoughtful and thorough knowledge of the country (and other place) makes them a go-to resource for travel and adventure!

Local specialist: Terry Stanley
Terry
Terry Stanley
Local specialist in Canada | Replied on Jan 29, 2023

Hi Christine, I'm so glad to hear that it turned out to be just as exciting as we'd planned! It was a total blast creating this for the two of you! Thank you for the wonderful review. All my best, Terry

Read all Iceland reviews

Costa Rica is a beautiful country. Loved obse...
Costa Rica | Jan 14 - Jan 23, 2023

Dawn
Dawn V.
Westmont, IL | Reviewed on Jan 28, 2023
Costa Rica is a beautiful country. Loved observing the wildlife, the ocean and rainforest. Randall did an excellent job at arranging the trip to my liking. He even arranged some last minute requests for us in a timely fashion. Thank you for your prompt and professional service Randall! Read more

Costa Rica is a beautiful country. Loved observing the wildlife, the ocean and rainforest. Randall did an excellent job at arranging the trip to my liking. He even arranged some last minute requests for us in a timely fashion. Thank you for your prompt and professional service Randall!

Hotel Reviews
Si Como No Resort & Wildlife Refuge
Manuel Antonio

Loved this place the rooms have great views of the ocean. The room is a good size and very clean. The staff is very accommodating.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Montaña de Fuego Mountain Resort & Spa
La Fortuna

The room was roomy and clean and the staff very friendly.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Near a busy street. But nice grounds
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Presidente
San José

The staff is wonderful and the rooftop restaurant is fantastic!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike
Manuel Antonio

An easy hike, beautiful park and great guide. I would recommend a guide because they have the expertise to point out things you might never find on your own.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Coffee & Chocolate Experience
Coffee & Chocolate Experience
Arenal/La Fortuna

A great tour with and informative guide

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Randall Jiménez
Randall
Randall Jiménez
Local specialist in San José, Costa Rica | Replied on Feb 03, 2023

Thank you very much Dawn for your review, I really appreciate it and it makes me happy to confirm that you had a good time during the vacation in my country, it took you a while to make it happen but it was worth it.

We hope to see you again in the future on a new adventure!

Best,
Randall

Read all Costa Rica reviews

Bangkok City Highlights Tour
Thailand | Jan 17 - Jan 20, 2023

A
Andrea M.
Gilbert, AZ | Reviewed on Jan 28, 2023

We used Kimkim to help us with a guide for our few days in Bangkok. Our guide "Jack" was most informative. We covered all the Bangkok highlights, Jim Thompson house, Flower Market, Grand Palace, Long tail boat ride, Wat Arun; Evening Tuk tuk food tour, Maeklong Railway and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.
I thought Jack did a great job. He and the driver even took us to the airport and Jack made sure we got checked in and showed us where to go.
My ONLY suggestion would be, I would have preferred a different service provider for the Food Tour. Otherwise, I thought it was all great.

Local specialist: Tom Zhou
Tom
Tom Zhou
Local specialist in Bangkok | Replied on Feb 03, 2023

Hi Andrea,

Thank you and glad to know you had a nice trip with us !
Thank you for your warm comments on our services and your valuable suggestion about the Food Tour. We will find more providers and improve the food tour experience.
Hope next time you will book another tour with us again to explore other destinations.

Read all Thailand reviews

40th Anniversary in Costa Rica
Costa Rica | Jan 17 - Jan 26, 2023

Iris
Iris M.
Harbeson, DE | Reviewed on Jan 27, 2023
This was my husband's and my first time to Costa Rica. We were celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary and it was an amazing experience. Sergio planned a wonderful trip and really personalized it for us. For the most part we had private or semi private transfers and/or tour guides and it really allowed us to interact with them and get a lot of information.
Our driver from San Jose to Arenal/La Fortuna was Charlie with Ride CR. He was great. We arrived at the airport at 1:30pm and we... Read more

This was my husband's and my first time to Costa Rica. We were celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary and it was an amazing experience. Sergio planned a wonderful trip and really personalized it for us. For the most part we had private or semi private transfers and/or tour guides and it really allowed us to interact with them and get a lot of information.
Our driver from San Jose to Arenal/La Fortuna was Charlie with Ride CR. He was great. We arrived at the airport at 1:30pm and we were hungry and he was kind enough to take us to a Soda (local outdoor diner) for pina coladas and traditional meal of casadas. It was delicious and a wonderful way to begin our trip. It was a 2 and 1/2 hour drive to the hotel but it flew by with our conversations with Charlie.
We arrived at our hotel The Springs Resort & Spa and were greeted by Antonio who gave us a yummy tropical drink and then a tour of the hotel and he then delivered our luggage to our room. Our room was spectacular with a huge picture window framing the volcano with a view from our bed. The balcony with hammocks was a great way to see and watch the animals. On our first morning we were able to hear howler monkies, so cool.
Our second day we went on a Safari Float tour with our tour guide, Carlos and one other couple. We saw monkies, sloths, birds and other animals. Carlos spotted animals and would stop and point them out for us. That afternoon we went on a Coffee & Chocolate Tour at Don Juan's and Maria was excellent at explaining the growing and processing from start to finish. We even got to make our own chocolate. We topped off the evening with dinner at Las Ventanas at the hotel and it was very good and beautiful views.
Our third day we went on a Private Hanging Bridges Walk. Our driver Paulo and guide Kenneth couldn't do enough for us. Kenneth pointed out many animals, insects and plants and also would show us through a scope and then was kind enough to take pictures for us through the scope. After the tour, Paulo had a delicious spread of refreshments consisting of fruit, drinks and chips.
The fourth day, we took a lake crossing a drive to Monteverde. The boat ride across the lake was beautiful but the van ride was a little scary because the roads aren't paved and very narrow but the drivers seem to know what they're doing.
We stayed for two nights at the Hotel Belmar and had a fabulous view with sunsets and at night the stars were so brilliant. I wish I could remember the names of all the staff because they were all so attentive and the food served at the restaurants was amazing. We did ziplining in Monteverde and it was exhilarating and I highly recommend that you overcome your fears and give it a try. You won't regret it.
Our final leg of the trip was spent a Playa Hermosa and we stayed at the Hotel Bosque. The location is perfect for swimming, animal watching and the restaurants along the coast are fabulous. We ate at several of them and we were not disappointed. We would recommend Roberto's, La Casita Del Marisco (had a 4 lb whole redsnapper and it was fabulous), and the Restaurant El Velero. The staff at the Hotel Bosque were very attentive and made a real effort to remember your name and interact. Roland and Diego were especially helpful.
Our driver to the airport was Jose with 3Monkies. He was really made a point to interact with us and give us information for future visits.
I know this is a long review but I hope it is helpful in making a decision to visit and enjoy this beautiful country. Thank you Sergio for planning such a memorable vacation.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Bosque del Mar
Playa Hermosa

Our room was ready as soon as we arrived. Although there were a couple of things that didn't work when we arrived. They were repaired promptly. The staff made an effort to remember your name and make sure you were happy. Roland and Diego were exceptional.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Belmar
Monteverde

Hotel location, rooms and dining were fabulous.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Springs Resort & Spa at Arenal
La Fortuna

Wonderful views and rooms are beautiful. Staff were very helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Sunset Catamaran Sailing Tour
Sunset Catamaran Sailing Tour
Costa Rica

The boat ride was very smooth and the staff very accomodating. Lots of food and drink served throughout. Beautiful sunset

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Treetopia Zip Lines
Treetopia Zip Lines
Monteverde

The weather wasn't ideal but the experience was so wonderful. The staff is very capable and professional.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Enjoy the Thermal Hotsprings at your hotel
Enjoy the Thermal Hotsprings at your hotel
Arenal/La Fortuna

We only used the springs once during our stay because we were so busy but definitely worth seeing The whole hotel is beautiful .

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk
Private Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk
Arenal/La Fortuna

Paulo and Kenneth made this such a memorable time. From the time we were picked up from the hotel they made an effort to point out animals and vegetation

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Coffee & Chocolate Tour
Coffee & Chocolate Tour
Costa Rica

Very informative. Maria our tour guide was very knowledgeable

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Río Peñas Blancas Safari Rafting Experience
Río Peñas Blancas Safari Rafting Experience
Arenal/La Fortuna

Our tour guide Carlos was very knowledgeable and made sure we saw as much wild life as he could find.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Sergio Bolaños
Sergio
Sergio Bolaños
Local specialist in Limon, Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 30, 2023

You are welcome Iris, it was my pleasure! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us and for taking the time to leave us a review. Muchas gracias!

Read all Costa Rica reviews

I love Brazil! The sights, the beauty, the vi...
Brazil | Dec 27 - Jan 10, 2023

Sandra
Sandra B.
Brushy Creek, TX | Reviewed on Jan 27, 2023
I love Brazil! The sights, the beauty, the vibrancy of the people and the culture! I wish I never left!! I was able to visit the best sights and hidden gems of Rio de Janeiro and move along to Salvador and immerse myself in the Afro culture, which was a personal favorite. I relaxed indulged in sand dune activities and saw the most beautiful scenery in Canoa Quebrada and then I visited Iguaçu Falls (experiencing the Argentinian and Brazilian side by boat and helicopter) which is a must for... Read more

I love Brazil! The sights, the beauty, the vibrancy of the people and the culture! I wish I never left!! I was able to visit the best sights and hidden gems of Rio de Janeiro and move along to Salvador and immerse myself in the Afro culture, which was a personal favorite. I relaxed indulged in sand dune activities and saw the most beautiful scenery in Canoa Quebrada and then I visited Iguaçu Falls (experiencing the Argentinian and Brazilian side by boat and helicopter) which is a must for lovers of nature!! Rachel always checked on me and made sure the guides were taking care of me every step of the way. I had wonderful and helpful guides. Guilherme was an extra special gentleman who went above and beyond whilst in Rio. Matcos, Leandro, Gabriel and my guide in Salvador Guia Joao Luis went above and beyond to make my time memorable! Thank you a thousand times over😊❤️

Hotel Review
Windsor Copa Hotel
Rio de Janeiro

Close to everything! The showers were amazing! Some of the staff were wonderful and others were just disinterested, but all in all a good experience.

Authenticity & Character
It’s a nice hotel, but nothing authentic or filled with character
Location
Copacabana beach was literally one street behind the hotel.
Staff
Front desk crew and some of the bell hops were friendly, however customer service can be improved amongst others.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The bed was comfortable and linens were clean and the water pressure was great. Stocked fridge
Local specialist: Rachel Vita
Rachel
Rachel Vita
Local specialist in São Paulo | Replied on Aug 02, 2023

Hi Sandra, Thank you for the fantastic review! We're thrilled you loved Brazil and had an amazing time exploring its sights and culture. It's wonderful to know that we were able to make your trip memorable and appreciate your kind words. We look forward to welcoming you back for more unforgettable adventures in the future! Safe travels and many more incredible experiences ahead!

Read all Brazil reviews

We had a fantastic trip!!! From start to end ...
Vietnam | Jan 17 - Jan 26, 2023

Susanne
Susanne O.
Norway | Reviewed on Jan 27, 2023

We had a fantastic trip!!! From start to end we felt we re well looked after. Planning, guide and driver where all aligned and very profesional. I would highly recomend using Alex for travels in Vietnam :)

Local specialist: Alex Nguyen
Alex
Alex Nguyen
Local specialist in Hanoi | Replied on Feb 01, 2023

Dear Susanne O,

Thank you so much for your kind review! I am delighted to hear that you and your family have enjoyed your trip to Vietnam. Your feedback will give us a big movtivation to deliver the better services to our customers in the future. I hope to see you again on your next holiday in South-East Asia!
Wish you all the best and hope to welcome you again in the future!
Alex

Hamid was the absolute highlight of the trip....
Morocco | Jan 22 - Jan 26, 2023

Tiffany
Tiffany M.
Shaw, DC | Reviewed on Jan 27, 2023
Hamid was the absolute highlight of the trip. A national treasure. He is so kind and funny and knowledgeable and has a true love for his country. We only had one day booked in the dessert and he really wanted us to try Berber pizza but we weren't going to have time. He surprised us by picking up a pizza before he picked us up from the Sahara then at our lunch stop he paid the restaurant to heat it up. It was so delicious and such a special experience. If we could give him 10000/10 we... Read more

Hamid was the absolute highlight of the trip. A national treasure. He is so kind and funny and knowledgeable and has a true love for his country. We only had one day booked in the dessert and he really wanted us to try Berber pizza but we weren't going to have time. He surprised us by picking up a pizza before he picked us up from the Sahara then at our lunch stop he paid the restaurant to heat it up. It was so delicious and such a special experience. If we could give him 10000/10 we would.

Hotel Reviews
Riad Ksar Ighnda
Asfalou

Another beautiful space however the floors were a bit dirty in the rooms. I could feel grit on my bare feet. Otherwise a fabulous stay. The food was delicious

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Dar Echchaouen
Chefchaouen

Such a beautiful property. I wish we'd stayed longer

Authenticity & Character
Location
O
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Riad Maison Bleue And Spa
Fes

Beautiful hotel and rooms. The only complaint was the hotel was so empty we didn't really feel comfortable eating in the dining room. So we just ordered some skewers and asked they were delivered to our room. But the staff was nice and the space was gorgeous

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Paradis Du Sahara
Merzouga

Though we almost froze to death (lol) we had a great time here. It was beautiful and comfortable. We wanted to try sand boarding but couldn't find the boards or anyone to ask about it. But overall a great experience

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Tour Fes with a Private Guide
Tour Fes with a Private Guide
Fes

Kamal was incredible. What a wealth of knowledge. We only had 4 hours but I could have listened to him all day. Absolutely brilliant.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Food Tour
Food Tour
Marrakesh

The guide was really great and knew a lot about the Medina. It felt more regular tour and less food tour. I had mentioned I was a chef during planning and had hoped that would be reflected in the tour however it felt like we were just going to random stalls, not "the best" ones like I have done on past tours. But like I said, he was a great guide and we did try several things - maybe this is the style that is done here. I would definitely recommend the guide to friends for a walking tour but maybe not food specific.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Megan Lower
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Photo taken by Tiffany M
Show 60 more photos
Read all Morocco reviews

Great trip, unforgettable experiences and per...
India | Dec 16 - Dec 30, 2022

Aleksandar
Aleksandar P.
Portage, IN | Reviewed on Jan 27, 2023
Great trip, unforgettable experiences and perfect organization by Jay and Bespoke Team. Spent a whole day in Delhi . The highlight were Chandni Chowk, or ‘the Moonlight Square', with the amazing rikshaw ride and visit to Qutub Minar.
Spent two days in Varanasi. Our guide Mr Singh did a fantastic job showing us all temples and finding the best seats for us during the Aarti.
Agra - our guide Brijesh Joshi did a phenomenal job introducing us to Taj Mahal and everything that Agra has to... Read more

Great trip, unforgettable experiences and perfect organization by Jay and Bespoke Team.

Spent a whole day in Delhi . The highlight were Chandni Chowk, or ‘the Moonlight Square', with the amazing rikshaw ride and visit to Qutub Minar.
Spent two days in Varanasi. Our guide Mr Singh did a fantastic job showing us all temples and finding the best seats for us during the Aarti.
Agra - our guide Brijesh Joshi did a phenomenal job introducing us to Taj Mahal and everything that Agra has to offer. The best thing was visiting a local village, not far from Taj Mahal. What an experience!
Ranthambore National Park - this was something that I had been waiting my whole life. Seeing a tiger in the nature, just couple feets away from you is a once in a lifetime event. This is the MUST see if you are visiting Golden Triangle.
Finally Jaipur - the purple city. Fantastic guide Mr. Ajit Singh. We really enjoyed seeing sites in this city.

I have to say one thing. We had the best driver ever. Mr. Balbir Singh Rana was an absolute dream of a driver and we could not thank him enough for making this trip perfect. He was always smiling, so peaceful, pleasant and calm while navigating the insanity of Indian driving/traffic/animals and all forms of transportation found on the roads. He kept the car clean and guided up to wonderful rest stops while en route to all the sights.

Hotel Review
Taj Palace Delhi
New Delhi

Fantastic stay and great service. Food is just amazing.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Local specialist: Jay Kajaria
Read all India reviews

This is the way to book a vacation!
Costa Rica | Jan 19 - Jan 25, 2023

L
Luciano C.
San Diego, CA | Reviewed on Jan 27, 2023
Nuria was great and made sure I had an amazing trip! I did not have any time to plan my trip so I relied on Nuria to take care of it for me. This is definitely how I plan on handling future vacations! Nuria took care of EVERY DETAIL and made sure everything went to plan. Nuria checked in on us from time-to-time and let us know when one of our drivers was running late. I cannot stress how great it was to not worry about making plans and booking everything. Thank you, Nuria! Read more

Nuria was great and made sure I had an amazing trip! I did not have any time to plan my trip so I relied on Nuria to take care of it for me. This is definitely how I plan on handling future vacations! Nuria took care of EVERY DETAIL and made sure everything went to plan. Nuria checked in on us from time-to-time and let us know when one of our drivers was running late. I cannot stress how great it was to not worry about making plans and booking everything.

Thank you, Nuria!

Hotel Reviews
Monteverde Country Lodge
Monteverde

This is definitely a "last resort" hotel. It wasn't terrible, but it did fall short in several ways. No AC (not awful since it's pretty cool in Monte Verde) No heater (can be a problem) Very thin walls (people talking outside might as well be in the room) Awkward layout (the bed light switches are behind the pillows of one of the beds. No power outlets near the nightstand) Restaurant is too small to accomodate the included breakfast (food was good, but several people were allowed to serve themselves only to realize they had nowhere to sit)

Authenticity & Character
Location
It's about a mile from the town center and down a large, steep hill. About 15 minutes down, much more back up.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
It's noisy, no ac, no heater, had ants and spiders.
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín
Liberia

Absolutely would recommend the Hacienda Guachipelín to anybody! The hacienda is on over 3,000 acres of volcanic jungle. The rivers, waterfalls, hot springs restaurants, etc are all on the hacienda property. Since they own the land, they also run the activities/tours on it. It was great to wake up and walk to the included breakfast, then walk across the street to meet our guide for the day's activity. I wouldn't rave about the rooms, but I have no complaints. If I find myself returning to the area I will definitely be staying here again!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Every single person was eager to help and extremely friendly. The bartender, Gama, was great to speak to each night!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Nuri R
Nuri
Nuri R
Local specialist in Costa Rica | Replied on Jan 30, 2023

Hello Luciano,

Thanks for such a lovely review and for trust me, it has been my pleasure to help you to organize this trip with your mom. I wish you both the best.

¡PURA VIDA!

Read all Costa Rica reviews

2-week family trip to Ecuador
Ecuador | Dec 22 - Jan 4, 2023

D
Diana H.
Canada | Reviewed on Jan 27, 2023
When I set out to plan a 2-week family trip to Ecuador, I was a overwhelmed with the many awesome destinations, activities and adventures to chose from as well as the logistics to get from one place to the next within the limited time that we had.
I reached out to Kimkim team for help and I was fortunate enough to have Lucia & Angel as my trip advisors - they were both amazing and thanks to their wealth of knowledge and experience, we were able to plan the perfect trip that included our... Read more

When I set out to plan a 2-week family trip to Ecuador, I was a overwhelmed with the many awesome destinations, activities and adventures to chose from as well as the logistics to get from one place to the next within the limited time that we had.
I reached out to Kimkim team for help and I was fortunate enough to have Lucia & Angel as my trip advisors - they were both amazing and thanks to their wealth of knowledge and experience, we were able to plan the perfect trip that included our top destinations and every adventure we wanted to experience while visiting this wonderful country.

We were in Ecuador from Dec 24 - Jan 4 and we had an excellent time exploring the history, culture, wildlife and all the unique aspects of its Amazonia and Galapagos that were unparalleled to anything we’ve seen or experienced before in our travels.

I must say that dealing with Lucia was exceptionally pleasant and easy so I have to send special thanks and appreciation to you Lucia! You made this wonderful trip possible and you were so patient, creative and wonderful in find options that suit our plan, time and budget to make this trip possible and super special!! Thank you for your amazing support throughout the planning process and even during and after our trip to make sure we were always well taken care of wherever we were. You are simply AMAZING!!!

Hotel Reviews
Posada del Mar
Santa Cruz

Exceptional and super attentive service from Carlos made our stay at this hotel extremely wonderful and truly memorable. The location is super convenient, walking distance from the ferry port and the facilities are very comfortable. The Views overlooking the harbour especially from the common area were amazing We enjoyed our stay tremendously and we felt right at home thanks to Carlos! Highly recommend staying here when in Santa Cruz!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Blue Marlin
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Galapagos

An OK hôtel, not great - accommodation; facilities and breakfast were just average, service was basic and transactional, nothing special to mention

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Napo Cultural Center
Quito

A very unique setting for a beautiful and extremely charming lodge - cabins are spacious and super comfortable and the best part is feeling like you are living in the wilderness of the jungle while in the comfort of your private space. The food was delicious and abundant, we were spoiled with fresh cold towels and refreshing natural juices after each adventure. Special shoutout to the chefs and the restaurant staff for doing an awesome job during each meal. But the biggest and best mention and thanks goes to the manager of the lodge and to our guide « Tyson « for making this whole experience so memorable and unique! Highly recommend it!!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Ikala Quito Hotel
Quito

Great hotel in a very good location, amazing service and staff are very friendly. Our room was very spacious and comfortable

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay & Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island
Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay & Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island
Puerto Ayora

Amazing adventure in a beautiful protected bay where sea turtles and white tip reef sharks roam freely and in high numbers. We kayaked through the Laguna and saw so many turtles and sharks up close from our kayak - it was so unique and special to be able to connect with nature and wildlife in such a way without feeling rushed and enjoy all these wonderful encounters!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure
Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure
Isla San Cristóbal

Wonderful experience but water was too cold to enjoy snorkeling - most of us couldn’t stay in the water for more than 20 minutes. We should have been given long wet suits not short ones. Also the guide was so cold that he was rushing us while going through the kicker rock passage.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Indigenous Encounter and Hike to Mama Cuna Path
Indigenous Encounter and Hike to Mama Cuna Path
Yasuni National Park
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Parrot Clay-lick Viewing, Visiting a Community Project & The Observation Tower
Parrot Clay-lick Viewing, Visiting a Community Project & The Observation Tower
Yasuni National Park
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Quito - Coca - Napo Cultural Center
Quito - Coca - Napo Cultural Center
Ecuador

Amazing, unique experience add super special y our guide « Tyson »

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Lucia Cazar
Lucia
Lucia Cazar
Local specialist in Ecuador | Replied on Feb 01, 2023

Thank you so much for these words, Diana!
We love helping travelers visiting Ecuador!
It was great having you here with us and I'm happy to hear everything went as expected and now you will treasure some beautiful memories from this trip :)
I hope you can come back to South America soon we will be happy to help you plan another great adventure!

Warm regards,
Lucia.

Read all Ecuador reviews

Would Do It Again In A Heartbeat!
Thailand | Jan 6 - Jan 23, 2023

G
Gregory G.
Federal Way, WA | Reviewed on Jan 26, 2023
What a great trip! After three years of COVID lockdown, this was our first vacation. We spent 18 days in Thailand and Cambodia. It was an outstanding experience. We couldn't believe how smoothly things ran. Pickups were on time, the accommodations were great and the guides knowledgeable and funny. Being the independent travel sort in the past, we have planned most trips ourselves but figured after three years we would be rusty and we had never been to this part of the world before. Emilie... Read more

What a great trip! After three years of COVID lockdown, this was our first vacation. We spent 18 days in Thailand and Cambodia. It was an outstanding experience. We couldn't believe how smoothly things ran. Pickups were on time, the accommodations were great and the guides knowledgeable and funny. Being the independent travel sort in the past, we have planned most trips ourselves but figured after three years we would be rusty and we had never been to this part of the world before. Emilie Khautisen, our KimKim trip planner did an outstanding job of arranging transfers, hotels and guides. It's easy to forget how important this is. For example, in many popular areas, there was no parking available. Our driver would drop us and the guide off and pickup us up later - no hassles. In Thailand, our guide, Tui stayed with us until we got on the overnight train from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai. It was late - 10PM and the train only stops at the station about 5 minutes. The train car numbers were in Thai. We would never have figured it out fast enough to avoid missing our ride. As it was, we had to run to the end of the train. Tui grabbed a bag and ran with us. This kind of help is invaluable. Local knowledge is priceless. We also had the flexibility to change the itinerary on the fly since it was just us, our guide and a driver most of the time.
We would highly recommend KimKim to anyone who wants a great travel adventure with minimum hassle!

Hotel Reviews
The Legend Chiang Rai Boutique River Resort & Spa
Chieng Rai

This is very large. Clean and quiet and the breakfast is great with an overview of the garden and river. There are even chairs to sit on by the river.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Chanalai Romantica Resort
Phuket

This place has a gorgeous, big crystal clear pool. The water was nice and cool. Important, given that Phuket can be very hot. It provides a nice respite from the bustle of the Pata Beach area which is very crowded. Our room was spacious and very comfortable. We were greeted with a welcome drink and ice cream and the staff arranged a city tour for us. This would make a great honeymoon place! This place was the best thing about Phuket for us.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rimping Village Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai

Very clean and comfortable and the staff was extremely helpful. The location is just across the river from the night market and there is another market nearby. Lots of street food available. There are even bicycles to check out if you wish.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Treeline Urban Resort
Siem Reap

This is truly a five-star hotel. Outstanding comfort and a great cooked to order breakfast each morning. Beautiful swimming pool.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Holiday Inn Bangkok Silom, an IHG Hotel
Bangkok

Comfortable room and great breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Staff stored our luggage for two days while we were in Cambodia.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Aonang Princeville Villa Resort and Spa
Krabi

The hotel location is outstanding, right across the street from the beach and all scheduling for tourist attractions. It's very busy here, being a tourist town. The lobby, pool and restaurant are clean and inviting. The was even a complimentary afternoon Thai pancake bar available. That said, the hotel has seen better days. Our room on the third floor (no elevator) was comfortable and had a nice view of the pool but the housekeeping service left a lot to be desired. The shower was dirty, the shower drain was clogged, the toilet seat didn't fit the toilet and in the morning, if you like to take showers then, it's a challenge as the water turns off and on in spurts. The water pressure gets better in the afternoon. The most frustrating part though was getting the hotel to replace towels. We started out with two bath towels and two hand towels. We were there for four nights and each day, we had one less towel even though we went to the front desk about this several times. By the last day, we had one bath towel between us. Only on our last night did we get back to 4 towels.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Housekeeping
The FloatHouse River Kwai
Chang Wat Kanchanaburi

What an incredible place! We wish we had more time there. you get to the hotel by boat and are greeted with a cool drink upon arrival. The floathouses are tethered to the bank and to each other in the fast flowing river. They go up and down a bit when a boat passes by and there is just slight movement that gently rocks you to sleep. The restaurant was also excellent. What a nice place for a tropical vacation!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Kanchanaburi to Ayutthaya Historical City / Overnight train to Chiang Mai
Kanchanaburi to Ayutthaya Historical City / Overnight train to Chiang Mai
Thailand

There is a lot to see in Kanchanaburi and thanks to Tui, our guide, we got to see a good portion of it. Loved Erawan NP. The falls are gorgeous and the water felt great! The fish like to nibble at your toes. We visited the JEATH Museum and walked over the Bridge on the River Kwai and stood back as a train went by. We then drove to Hellfire Pass and visited the museum and the took the trail to the rock cut where the prisoners worked in horrific conditions. After that we stayed the night at the Floathouse Hotel which you get to by longtail boat. We also visited the jewelry and food markets. In the morning we got to visit a cave with a Buddhist shrine before setting out for Ayutthaya. In Ayutthaya, Tui explained the history of many of the temples and took us to a great street market. Later we shared a beer with her and our driver at a nice restaurant before heading off to the train station for our overnight train to Chiang Mai. She stay with us the whole time. Good thing she did as the train was an hour late (apparently this is common) and only stops for 5 minutes at the station. Our tickets listed the car numbers but unfortunately for us, they were written in Thai on the cars. Tui got us on the right car before the train left (it took some running with her grabbing one of our bags). We couldn't have done it without her.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Emilie Khautisen
Emilie
Emilie Khautisen
Local specialist in Bangkok | Replied on Jan 30, 2023

Hello Gregory,
thank you so much for your kind words and very much appreciated for the praise.
We are happy you have enjoyed your trip, we will pass it to our guides too.
Hope to welcome you again to South East Asia soon
Emilie

Read all Thailand reviews

FABULOUS FAMILY HOLIDAY
Vietnam | Jan 4 - Jan 19, 2023

Dianne
Dianne M.
Australia | Reviewed on Jan 26, 2023
We recently completed a holiday in South and central Vietnam. After partially organising the holiday from Australia, I realised I needed some assistance from someone with local knowledge. I was travelling with my husband and my 3 older children. I'm not sure how I stumbled upon Kim Kim but after reading the reviews I thought I'd give them a go. I cannot express how fantastic they were. Throughout the planning stage I dealt regularly with Long. He was so helpful and provided so much advice... Read more

We recently completed a holiday in South and central Vietnam. After partially organising the holiday from Australia, I realised I needed some assistance from someone with local knowledge. I was travelling with my husband and my 3 older children. I'm not sure how I stumbled upon Kim Kim but after reading the reviews I thought I'd give them a go. I cannot express how fantastic they were. Throughout the planning stage I dealt regularly with Long. He was so helpful and provided so much advice and assistance in planning the trip. He responded promptly to all of my enquiries and replanned the holiday four times due to my changes of mind. Long made suggestions and recommendations and took into consideration everything I put to him. The trip plan Kim Kim provide is comprehensive and detailed. Little details that I may have missed were raised by Long and I cannot thank him or recommend him highly enough. When we arrived in Ho Chi Minh City we were contacted by Dat who became our Vietnamese contact person. He gave us his contact number and we conversed via whatsapp. Dat was in regular contact, confirming pickups, tours and transfer details. He was wonderful. When my daughter became unwell he gave us recommendations for assistance and kept in regular contact enquiring how she was progressing. We did a number of tours throughout our holiday and the tour guides Kim Kim use are just wonderful. They are punctual, patient and knowledgable and made our tours not only interesting but fun. Tuyen, Tuyn and our other guides are fabulous. Tuyen kept in contact with me via whatsapp and sent recommendations for restaurants and activities in our next destination which was so kind and very much appreciated. All of our drivers were great too, they drove safely and assisted us with luggage and stops. On Long's advice I really feel that we spent the right amount of time in each destination. The tours we did were a full day tour of Hue and then a 1/2 day bike ride through a village out of Hue. Both of these trips were excellent, despite the weather being awful. Tuyen our guide was fabulous and the sights we visited were really interesting. The trip to Bana Hills from Danang is one that I cannot recommend. This is definitely not Kim Kim's fault as I asked to go there. Please do not waste your time and money. If you want to go up, simply do the cable car up and back but don't waste a day there. The cable car ride was lovely, until the mist set in and we couldn't see anything. Our guide for the day Tuyn however was fabulous. We also visited the Mekong Delta and stayed on the Mekong Eyes houseboat. Whilst the experience was good, there is not a lot to see at the Mekong Delta, so I wouldn't go back. We also did a cooking class at Ms Vi's cooking school in Hoi An, what fun. This is a definite tour to do and the quantity and quality of the food is unbelievable. Our 1/2 day bike ride through the countryside and to the fishing village out of Hoi Ann was also lots of fun, although the fishing village is certainly not what we expected. Our guide on this trip (I'm so sorry, I've forgotten her name) was just lovely and made the trip really enjoyable.
So, would I recommend Kim Kim? 100% most definitely. Would I use them again? 100% most definitely. Thank you to Long, Dat, Tuyen and all of our guides and drivers. You helped to make our holiday unforgettable.

Hotel Review
Mekong Eyes Cruise

Whilst the trip was fun and the houseboat was interesting I was a little disappointed with the trip content. I thought we would see the floating markets that the Mekong Delta is famous for and found the village tour not very interesting. The staff on the boat were wonderful and spending time with other travellers was fun it is a long drive down and back for what you get.

Authenticity & Character
The houseboat is amazing.
Location
The tours lacked.
Staff
Very nice, very accomodating
Cleanliness & Comfort
Comfy beds, nice deck, authentic eating areas
Activity Reviews
Visit Can Tho on cruise (Mekong Eyes) (N)
Visit Can Tho on cruise (Mekong Eyes) (N)
Can Tho

The houseboat is great and the staff are lovely, but the trip lacked content. I think it's a long way to go for not a lot to do and see. We didn't see any floating markets which was why we wanted to go, however the people on our cruise who did do the 2 night version said there were very few sellers at the markets, which is not what you imagine when you see the images.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Cantho - Cai Be (Mekong Eyes) (N)
Cantho - Cai Be (Mekong Eyes) (N)
Can Tho

Can Tho was quite interesting from the river and on shore. The sweet and popcorn making place was good

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Cam Thanh Fishing Village Tour & Basket Boat Ride
Cam Thanh Fishing Village Tour & Basket Boat Ride
Hoi An

What a fun 1/2 day. Loved the bike ride through the countryside. The fishing village is 'interesting', we did have fun, whilst it's not that authentic it was still interesting a funny to see the men competing in a battle of the huge speakers on the water singing Gangnam Style. Otherwise the ride in the coconut boats was interesting and fishing for crabs fun. It is pretty there. Lunch was excellent but again way too much food.

Quality of Experience
It was a fun day. Favourite part was bike riding there and back
Food
Everything
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide (i'm sorry I've forgotten her name) was lovely.
Transport
Bikes were comfy and easy to ride
Ms. Vy’s Cooking class - Taste Vietnam street food tour, cooking class and lunch (N)
Ms. Vy’s Cooking class - Taste Vietnam street food tour, cooking class and lunch (N)
Hoi An

This was one of favourite things we did on our holiday. It was so interesting and fun. Our guide was fabulous. there is SO much food to eat and it is all delicious. We ended up taking our left over food with us and eating it over the next couple of days.

Quality of Experience
It was all great.
Food
Everything!!!!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Lovely, lovely guide
Transport
Leisure Time In Da Nang
Leisure Time In Da Nang
Da Nang

Danang is just lovely. There's lots to see and it is clean. the beaches and beach bars are great, the night markets are fun and Marble Mountains are a must. they a fabulous.

Quality of Experience
Day Trip To Bana Hills - Visit Golden Hand Bridge
Day Trip To Bana Hills - Visit Golden Hand Bridge
Vietnam

Bana Hills is awful. It is a pretend Disneyland without the atmosphere or rides. Some parts like the gardens and the cable car ride are great. It so out of keeping with Vietnam. It may be better in peak season (although I doubt it), but in Winter most things are closed. The food is AWFUL. It was a punish being there.

Quality of Experience
It is just awful
Food
The WORST food we ate in Vietnam
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Loved our guide, Tuyn
Transport
Touch the History of Former Imperial Capital - Hue Full Day Sightseeing
Touch the History of Former Imperial Capital - Hue Full Day Sightseeing
Hue

This is a really interesting tour and is full of history and landmarks

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Tuyen is fabulous
Transport
Clean and comfortable
Half Day Biking Around Hue Countryside
Half Day Biking Around Hue Countryside
Hue

Loved the bike ride despite the bad weather. Really enjoyed visiting the artist in his home and watching him paint and the incense making was fun. Was great to be out in an authentic village riding bikes.

Quality of Experience
Everything
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Fabulous
Transport
Bikes were good van transport clean and comfortable
Local specialist: Long Dao
Long
Long Dao
Local specialist in Vietnam | Replied on Jan 30, 2023

Dear Dianne,
Thank you so much for your kind review! I am delighted to hear that you and your family have enjoyed your trip to Vietnam. Your feedback will give us more detail to improve our service in the future. I hope to see you again on your next holiday in South-East Asia!
Wish you all the best and hope to welcome you again in the future!
Long

Read all Vietnam reviews

We had an amazing 16 days in Portugal ,, my f...
Portugal | Jan 10 - Jan 25, 2023

William
William P.
Slidell, LA | Reviewed on Jan 26, 2023
We had an amazing 16 days in Portugal ,, my family was celebrating my son’s graduation from Columbia University Masters in C/S. He wanted to go to Portugal and we are so glad he did. KimKim planned the whole trip , fabulous , 5 Star,, never could have done this amazing trip without ya’ll . Created fabulous lifetime memories with my wife and son ,, We are already planning a trip to Spain next year with ya’ll ,, once we pay for this one ,, 5 star all the way ,, Thanks , Kim Kim Read more

We had an amazing 16 days in Portugal ,, my family was celebrating my son’s graduation from Columbia University Masters in C/S. He wanted to go to Portugal and we are so glad he did. KimKim planned the whole trip , fabulous , 5 Star,, never could have done this amazing trip without ya’ll . Created fabulous lifetime memories with my wife and son ,, We are already planning a trip to Spain next year with ya’ll ,, once we pay for this one ,, 5 star all the way ,, Thanks , Kim Kim

Hotel Review
H10 Duque de Loule
Lisboa

Fabulous location and service ,, the outside bar was great , after a day of walking the hills of Lisboa

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: João Branco
João
João Branco
Local specialist in Lisbon | Replied on Jan 26, 2023

Hey William!
What an amazing experience was to have you traveling with us!
Glad you enjoyed every single day of your time in Portugal! Hopefuly, you will be able to return later on and create new memories :)
All the best,
João & Across Portugal Team

Why travelers love kimkim

Custom trips for independent travelers who are too busy to plan
Customize your trip with the help of a local travel specialist

Kimkim has handpicked the world’s top local travel specialists so you will have peace of mind and an unforgettable trip that meets your exact requirements.

Authentic travel experiences

Kimkim’s local specialists ensure that you will have the best experience based on up-to-date local insights. On top of that, the vast majority of your money will go straight to support and grow local economies.

Secure & easy booking

Once you are happy with the trip, you can easily book via kimkim’s secure payment platform.

Local support during your trip

You can always reach your local specialist with a quick message or call in case you hit a snag during your trip, or simply want some great local recommendations.