Kimkim Trip Reviews

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and would confidently rate it an 8 out of 10—truly amazing. It exceeded our expectations and left us with many wonderful memories. Below, we’ve outlined both the highlights and constructive suggestions, organized by location:

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🌍 Overall

Positives:

- The activities were engaging and well-suited to our interests.
- The itinerary offered a great balance—enough planned experiences during the day while still allowing time to explore independently.
- Almost all guides sent us a welcome message before meeting us, including a few key details that made us feel reassured and well-prepared.

Constructive:

- The agency could have provided a list of optional activities for our free time or instructed the guides to offer suggestions. We were the ones initiating questions about recommended places, shows, or things to do.

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🏯 Beijing

Positives:

- Our guide respected our personal space, allowing us to enjoy meals alone. He even gave us a small gift at the end of our time together, which was a thoughtful touch.

Constructive:

- We felt the guide could have shared more explanations and interesting facts during the visits. His English was limited, and although we initially gave him a good score, in comparison to other guides, we realized we may have missed out on important information.

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🏮 Xi’an

Positives:

- We had a wonderful experience with our guide, Susan. From the moment we met her, she greeted us with contagious positive energy and genuine warmth. Her passion for the job was evident in the way she shared fascinating and unique historical facts throughout the tour. Susan consistently found the best vantage points for us to view each site, ensuring we were always perfectly positioned to take in the beauty and significance of every location. She also offered us a goodbye present, which was a very kind gesture.

Constructive:

- We were disappointed with the hotel and its service. The staff didn’t speak English and made no effort to communicate. Thankfully, our guide was there to assist; otherwise, we would have struggled.
- For example, when I asked about the laundry service, a receptionist pointed me to another guest, who, despite not speaking English, kindly walked me to the laundry area.
- The room had a strong tobacco smell, even though it was supposed to be a non-smoking hotel.

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🐼 Chengdu

Positives:

- Our guide was extremely efficient. When, apparently, the hotel had only one night booked and we had an issue with the car, she immediately took action—even though it was already late in the evening. Her english was impressive.
- The hotel was amazing and very well located. The breakfast was immense and of extremely good quality.

Constructive:

- The car provided did not meet the luxury standards promised in our package. However, this issue was also handled efficiently.

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🏞️ Guilin & Yangshuo

Positives:

- The hotel was outstanding—breathtaking views, incredibly friendly staff, well-thought-out amenities, delicious food, and a warm farewell gift of fruit and biscuits. Truly 5-star service. We loved it and hold it very dearly.
- Our guide was very passionate about his job. He constantly shared insights about the places we visited and offered local treats like fruits and juices. He also introduced us to an amazing coffee shop, which we loved—especially since we’re coffee enthusiasts. We appreciated the agency’s thoughtful gesture of offering us coffee, which truly felt like home.

Constructive:

- During the river cruise, we were not placed in the premium area despite having selected a luxury package. We were left wondering why our tickets didn’t reflect that.

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🏙️ Shanghai

Positives:

- The hotel room was comfortable, with a good bed and a spacious bathroom.

Constructive:

- Upon arrival at the airport, we were greeted by someone other than our assigned guide. While this person was very friendly and engaging, we would have appreciated being informed in advance that our guide wouldn’t be meeting us.
- We were told by this person about the meeting time for the following day. Had we been in contact with our guide earlier, we might have opted to start the day sooner.
- I tried to contact our guide via WeChat, but he didn’t accept the invitation until we actually met.
- We didn’t feel the hotel met 5-star luxury standards. The breakfast staff seemed disengaged, and the food on the first morning appeared stale and lacked quality.
- The location wasn’t ideal—we had to walk about 30 minutes to reach the Bund.

That being said, although we’re pointing out a few less positive aspects, we absolutely loved visiting China — it truly surpassed our expectations, and everything ran so smoothly. The way the platform works made us feel reassured throughout, and Carol’s responsiveness was outstanding. We are seriously considering using KimKim for all our future travels.

Thank you again!

Kateryn did an excellent job planning our trip for us and making all of the arrangements.

Experience in London
- Greg, our tour guide for the private black cab tour was probably the best guide we had on the trip. He looked at our itinerary and customized the experience so that we saw other sights that we would not have otherwise seen. He gave us the lay of the land so that we could easily navigate the city. He also provide excellent recommendations for dinner and lunch options while we were there. He even kept in contact during our trip and went above and beyond by helping secure reservations at Blacklock in Soho (steak house) after we were unable to make them ourselves (The best dinner we had on our trip)

We also had an amazing lunch at Dishroom (Indian) based on his recommendation.

The rest of the tours out of London were great. Greg was just the best of the bunch.

The Accommodations in London were good. The hotel had a nice lounge area where we were able to meet at the end of the day for a cocktail and conversation. Some of the uber drivers did complain about pick up and drop off because of the busy street out front. Overall it was a positive experience and I would recommend the hotel in the future.

Experience in Bath
The activities in Bath were enjoyable. The Abby tour that took us to the top of the bell tower was an unexpected surprise.

We received a recommendation on our train ride to have high tea at the Royal Crescent. This was a highlight of our time in Bath. Our waiter was great an walked us through the experience. He also secured dinner reservations for us that evening.

I would not recommend our hotel in Bath, The Henrietta House. The two single rooms were in the main building and were nice, but the two couples were put in an axillary building down the street that was dirty, smelled, and had no air conditioning. It was disappointing.

Experience in Oxford
The hotel in Oxford, The Randolph Hotel by Graduate by Hilton, was AMAZING! The room was spacious and well appointed. The staff was very curious and very helpful. The concierge gave us the lay of the land, made recommendations for spots to check out and secured reservations for dinner on our behalf. This was very helpful because it was an open day for Oxford University which made it very busy in town with all the parents and prospective students visiting.

I was so impressed with the experience at the Randolph Hotel that I changed my reservations for an up coming trip to Knoxville to the Graduate property there.

The visit to Blenheim Palace was nice, but our party agreed that we would have rather had our walking tour of Oxford first and then spend the rest of the time exploring the college and city. After our walking tour was over, most of the places of interest that were pointed out during the tour were closed and we did not have the time the next day to check them out be fore we had to depart for the airport.

Overall the trip was an excellent experience. We had wonderful guides and made memories that will last a lifetime.

Thank you, Kate for planning such a great experience and communicating with us along the way.

Hotel Reviews

The Randolph Hotel, by Graduate Hotels

Oxford

We loved our experience at this hotel. It was well decorated and the staff was great! I highly recommend this hotel. After my experience at this property, I changed a future reservation to a Graduate property in the town I will be visiting.

Authenticity & Character

Well appointed rooms and the lobby and bar were beautifully decorated. It gave us a true Oxford experience.

Location

Great location, very convenient to all areas of town.

Staff

Wonderful people! The concierge was very helpful at giving tips for places to check out and made dinner reservations for us on a very busy night in town.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was spacious, clean, and very well appointed.

Henrietta House, a member of Radisson Individuals

Bath

The majority of our party was placed in an auxiliary building down the street from the main hotel. We were placed in basement rooms that were dank and smelled of sewage pipes. The carpet was worn out and torn. There was no air conditioning. If staying here, demand to be in the main building. It was much nicer.

Authenticity & Character

Bring the axillary building up to the standards of the new building

Location

The location was convenient

Staff

The staff was helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was worn out, dank, and had no air conditioning.

The Academy London

Our group enjoyed our stay here. The staff was friendly and the rooms were nice. We took advantage of the common areas to relax and enjoy a cocktail after our tours were finished for the day. It was a little far out to walk to the main attractions (especially in the rain), but Ubers/Taxis were easy to get. The continental breakfast was also very good.

Authenticity & Character

It was a unique hotel that was intimate and had a lot of character

Location

It is a little too far to walk to main attraction in the city, but easy to secure transportation

Staff

Very friendly and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was very clean and comfortable

Activity Reviews

Iconic Oxford Private Walking Tour

Oxford

This was another highlight for us. Our guide, Tom, was a recent graduate from Oxford - he taught us about the history of the school and also was able to give us a glimpse of modern student life. After the tour we felt like we had a good feel for the town and places to check out.

Quality of Experience

Our guide was great and we all found it very interesting.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tom was an excellent guide sharing insight about the history of the school and modern student life

Bath Abbey's Tower Tour

Bath

The bell tower tour was an unexpected surprise

Quality of Experience

It is a beautiful church and the bell tower tour was a unique experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guides on the tour were entertaining and informative

One Day Trip to Hampton Court, Canterbury and White Cliffs of Dover

England

Beautiful place to visit. It was under a bit of renovation while we were there, but the history behind the property was very interesting. We skipped the Canterbury and White Cliffs because by the time this tour rolled around we were exhausted from our other tours and wanted to spend more time in London visiting some of the sites and shops.

Quality of Experience

Visiting Hampton Court and learning about the history behind it

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Eddie was great, surprised us with a stop in Richmond and was a wealth of information along the way.

Transport

Clean, comfortable van for party of 6

Thames Cruise with Dinner

London

This was fun but not a highlight of the trip. The food was ok. The staff did not speak English well, so it made it hard to order drinks. But The views were great along the way.

Quality of Experience

The food was ok but the views were nice

Food

The food was ok - banquet chicken and potatoes

Guides, Drivers and Staff

our waiter did not speak English well, and it made things difficult when ordering

Transport

It is a mass transit boat.

Tower of London Beefeater Welcome & Crown Jewels

London

The history of this place is amazing

Quality of Experience

Seeing the crown jewels and learning about the history of the towner

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This was self guided with headphones.

Stonehenge & Jurassic Coast Private Tour

London

Cash did a great job getting us to our destination Stonehenge and the Jurassic Coast are majestic places to visit.

Quality of Experience

It is Stonehenge and the Jurassic Coast...

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cash was great. He even stopped and got us chocolates to share on the ride back.

Transport

The van was comfortable for our group of 6.

Discover London in a Private Black Cab

London

Greg, our guide was amazing!!! He tailored the tour to our interests and made recommendations along the way. He also stayed in touch during our trip and secured dinner reservations at a nice steak house for us. This was probably the best tour we took on our trip.

Quality of Experience

Greg was amazing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Greg was amazing

Transport

Car fit all six of us comfortably. Also, Greg was Amazing.

We had a wonderful experience working with our travel agent, Kate, to plan our recent trip to England. Everything was handled so thoughtfully from start to finish.

The accommodations were excellent—comfortable, well-located, and a perfect fit for our needs. We especially loved The Randolph Hotel in Oxford - the staff, accomodations, and location were phenomenal! Our itinerary was especially impressive, as our limited time was used so efficiently. We were able to see and do so much without ever feeling rushed, which made the trip both enjoyable and memorable.

We began the trip with a Private Black Cab tour with Greg, who tweaked our tour to focus on London sights that interested us most, and he even acted as our personal photographer at hidden photo spots! Our last tour was a Private Walking Tour throughout Oxford with Tom, who was incredibly knowledgeable about both Oxford history and the current student experience.

Transfers between cities and activities were smooth and reliable thanks to the very good car services that were arranged, as well as two train rides. This made getting around stress-free and allowed us to focus on enjoying ourselves.

One of the things we appreciated most was how accessible and responsive Kate was throughout the trip. Anytime we had a question or needed a little guidance, she was quick to respond and incredibly helpful. It gave us great peace of mind knowing we had that kind of support while traveling abroad.

Overall, the planning and service exceeded our expectations. We would absolutely recommend Kate to anyone looking for a well-organized, enjoyable, and worry-free travel experience.

This trip was well organized and there were several times that when things didn't go right the KimKim guide made sure our experience was perfect. We had a tremendous time and felt assured that anything that we needed was taken care of. Ask them about restaurants too, they know all!

Hotel Reviews

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

I loved the Bergen Børs Hotel. It was tremendous and centrally located, which made exploring Bergen very easy. We had a loft room to accommodate my family, and it worked out great for us.

Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel, Oslo

Oslo

The Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel, Oslo, was extremely packed during our stay. However, it served its purpose since we weren't spending much time there. It was a bit away from the center of everything, but overall, it was fine for our short stay.

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

The Kviknes Hotel in Balestrand was fine and met our needs. It's old and doesn't have a lot of amenities, but this Euro-style accommodation seemed perfect for the location, especially since we were mostly out exploring and only needed a place to sleep.

Activity Reviews

Mathallen Food Court Visit

Oslo

The Mathallen Food Court Visit was unfortunately a miss for us. We didn't realize it was closed on the day we attempted to visit, so we ended up finding something else to do.

City Excursion by Bike

Oslo

Great guide who led us throughout the city (easy to bike the entire area).

Finnafjord Safari by RIB

Balestrand

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Fun guide who painted a vivid picture of the history of the Bergen waterfront

My wife, Lindsay, and I had a fantastic 30th anniversary trip -- BIG THANKS to KimKim as well as our travel planner Melanie Rapuano! We also had nice help from Giovanna, with Italy Charme (partnered with KimKim). This was a special vacation not just because of our anniversary, but also because I wanted to go to the town where my Italian side of my family is from. The challenge? It's a VERY small town in a relatively remote area of the Basilicata region.

Melanie and the KimKim team made everything easy. Yes, I could have booked most of the trip on my own. But it would have been SO much more time consuming...which company should I rent a car from? Which hotels are the best for our needs? Where should we go first, second, etc...? All of these kinds of questions are where Melanie was a tremendous help. She was ALWAYS available...before and during the trip. She listened to what we wanted, asked a number of questions at the beginning of the process, and then NAILED IT with every aspect of the trip -- from the hotels she chose for us, to the fast answers to every question, every detail was taken care of.

Here's where we went:
* Flew into Naples from Atlanta (USA)
* Spent two nights in Salerno, with a day-trip to Positano / Amalfi coast.
* Picked up a rental car and drove to the Basilicata region...stayed two nights at Aura Glamping (HIGHLY recommend!) and visited my family's hometown of Accettura, as well as two incredibly beautiful nearby towns (Pietrapertosa and Castlemezzano)...did the zipline between both towns, billed as one of the longest and highest in Europe.
* Drove to Matera and stayed one night (incredible town!)
* Drove to Tropea, in Calabria, and stayed 5 nights. Melanie helped arrange for a private snorkling trip as well as a cooking class in the countryside -- both were PERFECT and very memorable.
* Drove back up to Naples and spent two nights there, including a walking food tour of the town, before flying back home.

I would highly recommend KimKim. And if you're traveling to Italy, request to work with Melanie -- she's the BEST!

Glenn

Hotel Reviews

Napoli Tree - Lungomare

Naples

Fantastic B&B very close to the waterfront.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rocca della Sena

Tropea

We will be back. That should say enough! It's a great hotel, with friendly staff and a to-die-for view, perched right above the beach.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Excellent location with easy access to the beach and many lidos (we enjoyed Lido Charley for food, and Lido Costa Degli Dei for it's great position on a sandy part of the beach).

Staff

Big thanks to Georgia at the front desk (such a nice person!) and to Francesco, behind the bar (appreciate the grappa and also the fact that he knew how to make a great Old Fashioned!).

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and super comfortable!

Aura Glamping Experience

Accettura

This is owned by my 3rd cousin, Giuliano. So, yes, I'm a little biased. But I would say this even if he wasn't my cousin -- Aura Glamping is AMAZING! If you want a relaxed place to stay, off the beaten track, and have plans to be in the Basilicata region...you need to consider Aura Glamping!

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views of Accettura and the surrounding countryside are amazing!

Staff

Giuliano is a gracious host, and he brings a morning breakfast in a beautiful picnic basket...complete with everything you could want!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The "yurt" was spotlessly clean, and has a very nice bathroom with toilet, sink, shower, bidet -- a true luxury in a camp setting (the reason for calling this "Glamping!"

Hotel Montestella

Salerno

A very nice hotel, close to the waterfront and ferries that take you to the Amalfi coast. Great shopping and restaurants within walking distance from the hotel. They have an awesome breakfast as well! The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that we arrived a little early and our room wasn't ready. We waited for nearly two hours in the lobby...the person at the front desk never told us when our room was ready (despite walking by us several times, and seeing my wife asleep in the lobby). Checkin was supposed to be 2:00. We still hadn't been told the room was ready, and had to go to the front desk and ask if it was ready yet. The response? "Your papers?" AGAIN -- this was annoying but we were early, so I kind of understand. Otherwise, the hotel was fantastic!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The lobby, breakfast area, and rooms were spotless. The only downside was that the paint was peeling from above our terrace and dropping in large pieces onto the table outside of our room.

Activity Reviews

Naples walking food and historical tour

Italy

Very nice walking tour of Naples. I wish there was more food involved, but we learned a lot!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Cooking Class in the Tropea Countryside

Tropea

Excellent class -- highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Costa degli Dei - Tropea Capo Vaticano in a Dinghy!

Tropea

Melanie made this extra special by booking a private snorkling tour, rather than this larger group that we had initially planned to be with. So, I can't really provide a review of this trip "by dinghy." Instead, we were on a bow-rider outboard engine boat, skippered by a guy named Lorenzo. He was an incredible host and knew all the best spots to snorkel. Lorenzo also has a vast knowledge of the local history -- we not only had a great time snorkling, but also learned a ton!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our experience with KimKim, Elisa and Lorenzo was fantastic. The hotels in Rome and Florence were in the perfect location and so unique and wonderful. Our drivers were all wonderful and communicative. The tour guides took us on the most unique adventures and took the time to show us special, authentic local eateries, artisans and cultural areas. The hotels, tours and transportation were all flawless. Everything was timed perfectly I can't say enough about the wonderful experience we had on our trip. I highly recommend and will absolutely use them again!

* We really enjoyed our stay at The Glam. The hotel was ideally located and close to many historic sites which allowed us easy access by walking or taxi. The hotel was comfortable and the breakfast was very good.
* Campo de Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Food Experience was an excellent, memorable experience. Our guide, Lisa, was outstanding.
* Private Guided Tour of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum was another wonderful experience. Our guide was able to navigate us through the crowds and provide us with the history we needed to bring the surroundings to their former glory. She was a very knowledgable and personable guide.
* Taking the train to Sorrento was a little overwhelming if you aren’t an experienced train traveler. We were targeted by a young person who impersonated a railway employee offering to help us. She showed us how to read the schedule and grabbed our bags to take to the appropriate platform. When the train arrived, she carried them onto the train. Then she demanded that we pay her 20 euros per person for the “service I provided.” We were all tired and flabbergasted at this point, so we gave it to her. Later we realized, we had been scammed. I recommend that you warn others to watch for this type of con at train stations. Most 70 year old Americans don’t travel by train, so they aren’t accustomed to the machinations of train stations. We are perfect targets.
* Sorrento - the town is quaint, but very, very over crowded. This part of the journey did not start well. Our driver dropped us off at the wrong apartment, so we stood outside of it with our luggage trying to communicate with the apartment caretakers via cell phone about where we were. When he finally figured out that the apartment was the wrong one, he told us to grab our luggage, and he told us where to walk . He met us along the way.
* Villa Sofia - I cannot recommend it to anyone. The beds were extremely hard and left the four of us with back aches. Frankly, it was like sleeping on a board. There was no shampoo, no bath soap and one large towel per adult for a three-day stay. Every Air B&B where I have stayed has basic amenities. The decor was authentic Italian style which would be a plus for some travelers. It did not compensate for the negative aspects of the villa.
* Private driver along the Amalfi Coast - excellent! Our driver deserves a medal for his skills in navigating the twists and turns of those steep mountain roads!! He provided us with interesting facts and history about the towns along the Amalfi Coast, and reserved a restaurant for us where we had an incredible meal overlooking the Mediterranean. We stopped in two of the towns where we had sufficient time to explore and shop. He crafted the time according to our needs. He was an outstanding guide.
* Capri Islnd and Anacapri - beautiful island, but the day was overloaded. There were too many activities planned for this day. By the time we took a boat to the island, rode a jeep to the top, jumped on a cable car, took a tram, etc., we were exhausted. There was no down time to explore on our own. The guide was pushing us to the next activity. She was good friends with the other guides; they kept telling us how good our guide was. It was like attending a sorority party of guides. The chosen restaurant was terrible. We were stuck in a corner with no view and our waiter was the rudest server I have ever encountered. I asked if I could have my dressing on the side. He yelled out, “IMPOSSIBLE!” He never came back to the table. The next waiter was not much better. Our guide had to intervene because the waiters could not understand basic English. I recommend a different restaurant for future travelers!
* Free day - we really appreciated a free day to roam around!
* Hotel Palazzo Vannoni - we loved this hotel! The original frescos on the ceilings were magnificent! The owners were so welcoming and hospitable. Levanto is the perfect place to stay. It is not overly crowded and allows easy access to the rail system connecting the villages of Cinque Terre. Exploring the villages is a unique and incredible experience; those memories will last a lifetime.
* Hiking and Wine Experience - this was an exhilarating experience! My husband and I cannot give enough kudos to our guide, Elizabeth. She was the best of the best!! There were several moments when my courage lagged on those mountain trails, and she rallied the adventurer in me. Our hike was followed by a delicious wine and food tasting experience. Elizabeth made sure we were returned safely back to our hotel. She wins the prize for most outstanding guide in our journey.
* Connection to Florence - I’m not sure how there was no advanced knowledge that a railway connection was closed causing a last minute change in the itinerary to be made that ended up costing over $500. Usually railway construction projects are communicated far in advance. Regardless, two railroad connections schlepping luggage is too much for most American senior citizens.
* Hotel ll Guelfo Bianca - great hotel centrally located in Florence. We were able to support the local economy in the central market, view the Duomo, and walk among the beautiful pieces of art and architecture that is found everywhere in this amazing city. The hotel prepared an early breakfast for us because we were picked up at 3:30 a.m. to be taken to the airport.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Palazzo Vannoni

Levanto

Authentic frescos on the ceiling. Warm and friendly staff. Fantastic location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Sofia

Sorrento

The beds were extremely hard. The amenities provided were sparse. Be prepared to bring your own shampoo and bar soap. Only one large towel was provided per adult for a three-day stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Glam

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cinque Terre Hiking & Wine Experience

Italy

Day Excursion to Capri Island and Anacapri

Italy

OVERCROWDED itinerary

Private Full Day Amalfi Experience

Italy

Private Guided Visit of the Colosseum & Ancient City

Rome

Campo de’ Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Food Experience

Rome

This was my first time using Kim Kim, and the experience couldn’t have been easier. When planning our trip, their feedback and response was extremely timely and very helpful. They made accommodations when requested and the properties they suggested were wonderful. We loved the lava cave experience and the Húsafell hot springs. All hotels were excellent. The links with suggestions and directions on the app provided excellent guidance! Unfortunately our whale watching tour was canceled because of weather, but they refunded our money immediately.
We had hesitated traveling on our own with a car, but they made the experience very easy. We would definitely use them again!

We have used Kim Kim for our trips to Spain, Scotland and Italy. Love the personalized service and small group tours. They are always helpful when we have questions and like how you send messages daily on our trip.
Our recent trip to Italy with KimKim Travel was absolutely amazing! We visited Venice and Florence, and everything about the experience—from planning to the final day—was seamless and memorable.
In Venice, we were enchanted by the romantic canals, rich history, and stunning architecture. The local guide provided by KimKim was knowledgeable and engaging, making our gondola ride and visit to St. Mark’s Basilica even more meaningful.
Florence was equally unforgettable. From walking through the Uffizi Gallery to seeing Michelangelo's David in person, every moment was well-organized and thoughtfully curated. The food, the culture, the art—everything exceeded our expectations.
KimKim Travel did a fantastic job tailoring the itinerary to our interests, and the communication throughout the planning process was smooth and responsive. Every transfer, tour, and accommodation was arranged with care.
We highly recommend KimKim Travel for anyone looking to explore Italy without the stress of planning. This trip created memories that will last a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

La Maison du Sage

Florence

Wow!!! Such a great B&B/hotel. Loved the atmosphere and the rooms. Felt like i was at home. All the staff was great. The breakfast and service was wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Such a unique B&B with a front desk.

Location

Across the street from Basilica of Santa Croce and short walk to everything

Staff

Amazing staff. Daniel is the bomb. Got us reservations where we wanted you go and suggested great restaurants.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great/clean/love the patio

Hotel Ca' d'Oro

Venice

This was a nice hotel. Pleasant and helpful. Not a fdn of their breakfast. The view out our window was beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half Day-Trip to Pisa from Florence

Florence

There was not enough time. It took over an hour to get there. Wish we chose to do something else on our 1/2 day adventure.

Masterpieces of the Renaissance: Uffizi Gallery Tour

Florence

Great to have an expert walk you around to see the important art work. Our your guide was wonderful. She pointed out things you might walk by.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Best of Florence Walking Tour with David & the Duomo

Florence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Murano Excursion with boat

Venice

Great idea. Not a fan of this tour. Too expensive and rushed us off the island to Burano. Wanted to walk around. They only catered to people spending thousands of dollars. Did not like the jewelry. Wish we could of gone yo another site.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to a Peggy Guggenheim Museum and Palace

Venice

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome Walking Tour to Venice: The comprehensive view of the Floating City

Venice

Great walk around Venice with a very knowledgeable local.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ok

Thank you so much Svetlana for this amazing trip. We enjoyed every bit of it, with the best time in Killarney. From Monika's thorough tour of Dublin, to the personal tastings at each distillery. Especially at the Pig's Lane, Louise Walsh was amazing in going thru some of their liquors in the most gorgeous speak easy style private bar. The quaint hotel Earls Court, was also so amazing, I didn't catch the hostess name when we arrived that evening but she was very helpful with any questions and recommendations. Every morning at breakfast, Agnes and Anna greeted us with smiles and laughter, setting the tone for a fantastic day. We didn't get to explore much of Galway, it was just SO busy and the hotel was right in the center of it, being a newbie to driving it was intimidating. Speaking of that, driving in Ireland was the BEST way to get to see it. From the busy streets to the back roads we got to experience the very best travels. Small dinners such as The Purple Door Cafe in Leenane to Hazel Mountain Chocolate in Oughtmama Co Clare. And SO much in between. Just an amazing time! Thank you so much for the fun and the memories!!

Hotel Reviews

Lawlors Hotel

Naas

We stopped here for an overnight stay on our way to Dublin airport. ( only 45 minutes to the airport ) It was a great experience!! Hate we didn't get there in time to enjoy it. The rooms were spacious and the staff was very friendly. The lobby is a beautifully designed area.

Authenticity & Character

Spectacular

Location

Great location especially if you are heading to airport

Staff

Great staff, they even mailed some things for me.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, very comfy and we even got an upgraded room! Thank you all!

Earls Court House Hotel

Killarney

This hotel is by far the best I've ever stayed at. The rooms are spotless, and the location is perfect—close enough to everything, yet not too close. The staff was incredible; I didn’t catch the hostess's name, but she was so helpful and accommodating. Every morning at breakfast, Agnes and Anna greeted us with smiles and laughter, setting the tone for a fantastic day.

Authenticity & Character

Love the ambience

Location

Perfect location

Staff

Everyone was very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Could've lived here :) it was all great.

Maldron Hotel Sandy Road Galway

Galway

Great room, location is ok, would've loved a less traffic area. Food was great and service was good.

Authenticity & Character

Hotel is good, but we were spoiled at the Davenport. :)

Location

I would prefer a less busy location, but that is me.

Staff

Awesome staff, they were very nice and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

A little on the dirty side but would stay again if need be.

Davenport Hotel

Dublin

The staff here are amazing in every way. Would love to go back, great food here also!

Authenticity & Character

The ambience to the staff, it is brilliantly done!

Location

Staff

They take care of any needs and go beyond .....

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great rooms and very comfy bed!

Activity Reviews

Killarney Brews & Views

Killarney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sheep Dog & Shearing

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kilbeggan Distillery

Kilbeggan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Dance, Music & Dinner

Dublin

This show is great! I could watch them all night, great energy and skills. The food and drinks were great also.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Book of Kells & Old Library

Dublin

This place is amazing, the books that the college actually still gets to have access to is amazing. Loved this

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Dublin

Dublin

Monika was amazing and very informative on the area. She is so friendly and we enjoyed our exploration with her. She even walked us up to our next booking at the Book Of Kells.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were pleased overall. The guided excursions were a nice feature, especially the Undredal cheese tasting and Stave church tour. The fjords cruise was awesome and a must-do for anyone traveling in Norway. Linking things together with train and ferry was a nice feature- 2 modes of travel rare in the US.
The hotels were conveniently located with awesome breakfasts all-around.
Our only complaint was the substandard hotel room in Stockholm that was small with bathroom barely usable- perhaps 3 times the size of an airline bathroom- very small!

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Gamla Stan

Stockholm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Can walk to anywhere in Gamla Stan

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean yes, bathroom extremely small.

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

Quaint, charming. Very good breakfast. Convenient to everything in this small village.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Oslo City

Oslo

Smallish rooms, especially by US standards. Awesome breakfast Great location to walk central Copenhagen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

very helpful for restaurant ideas

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Loved the background history along the way

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

sometimes hard to hear what guide was saying as he was walking and the crowds limited how close we could be to him

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

enjoyed learning and seeing things not in the tour books

Quality of Experience

we all loved stopping at the coffee shop, Tim Wendelboe.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stig was great.

Luggage Transfer between Oslo and Bergen

Norway

quite convenient not to lug around heavy suitcase if one can do without some items for a few days.

Quality of Experience

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

Must do!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We met the KimKim team online. The vibe & the communication was instantly there. So, we were off.
From the port of entry to Belize, drivers, tour guides, & constant communication from Catherina & her team, we were lead through our Belizean trip with ease. The biggest surprise was our daily guides, Leo & Jeronimo. They both filled the silence with history, interest, and favorite food stops. We fell in love with the classic Belize cuisine, so we were taken to a grocery & guided to select local spices for back at home.

Our favorite hotel was the Ka'ana Resort in San Ignacio. The grounds were a traveler's paradise, the restaurant was carefully curated, the rooms were comfortable & beautiful and the staff gracious beyond expectations. This I would rate 10/10.

We were driven to the ruins at Caracol, the baboon sanctuary, and after taking a water taxi to the island of San Pedro, the Searious Adventures guide took us snorkeling at Hoi Chan. After snorkeling we were driven to Shark Ray alley for shark feeding and a bit more history of the reef and the animals that live there. All of these experiences were chosen by KimKim. All of these adventures were memorable, and irreplaceable.

On our free day, we drove our golf cart one hour away to the Secret beach on San Pedro. We were told by one or 2 travelers not to bother, but this is a MUST go! Secret beach has walk in swimming, bar service on lounge chairs under palms and umbrellas. tables to dine IN THE water! Shopping, music. It was the perfect way to wrap up our trip.

All in all, we are very happy! We will meet again, KimKim. Happy travelling!

The Baltics were great. Loved our trip and adventures.

Hotel Reviews

Savoy Boutique Hotel

Tallinn

A little outdated and old fashion but not in a good way.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Neiburgs Hotel & Restaurant

Riga

This was a fantastic hotel. The room was large and beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MICHAELSON boutique HOTEL

Klaipeda

Great historic building with lovely but small rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vilnia

Vilnius

Very nice hotel. I would gladly stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tallinn Highlights Tour

Tallinn

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gauja National Park Tour

Riga

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Riga Old Town & Central Market Walking Tour

Riga

Quality of Experience

L

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Riga - Klaipeda Private Transfer with Stops at Lake Plateliai & Hill of Crosses

Lithuania

Quality of Experience

O

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Beautiful Curonian Spit

Klaipeda

Long day but beautiful

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kaunas City Walking Tour

Lithuania

Beautiful city, so charming!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vilnius City Walking and Driving Tour

Vilnius

Great and informative

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

K

Transport

The guides were amazing, the trip memorable and out of this world.
Thank you
Catherine

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Villa Paradiso Taormina

Taormina

My favorite hotel! Service impeccable, the food : out of the world. Perfect location and the gardens perfect. Thank you

Authenticity & Character

Loved the old world feel with modern amenities

Location

Location central to so many things to do

Staff

Personable and wonderful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean no complaints loved the little balcony overlooking the gardens

Hotel Corallo

Sorrento

The view was beyond expectation! Service, exceptional, room just beautiful loved the balcony.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

CC Palace Hotel

Roma

Beautiful hotel in a perfect location Excellent service

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit of The Amalfi coast Villages Full Day

Italy

So much history and beauty a worthy tour. A must for old world beauty and history

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Etna wine group tour

Italy

The food and wine were impeccable The tour on Etna was amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset boat trip along the Taormina Coast

Taormina

I will come back and f DD o this again and again … just perfect in every way

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Late afternoon Sicilian cooking class

Italy

The cooking class was incredible The food amazing Chef!!!! Thank you !!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Our Chef was Amazing and a great teacher

Transport

Private tour of Tivoli Full Day Trip

Rome

Once in a lifetime tour Mind blowing .. the history and sheer beauty The guide Alice was amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Small group tour of Rome highlights by Golf Cart (6 people - 3 hours)

Rome

Loved our tour guide Alice!!! She was incredibly knowledgeable…. Took us to the most amazing places!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Cusco and Machu Picchu guide - Edy - was amazing. He was so knowledgeable and passionate about all things Inca. He was extremely respectful and enhanced our experience in every way!

We worked with KimKim on our honeymoon and they were wonderful! They really customized the itinerary to our preferences and built the perfect trip for our specific personalities. We also appreciated how much free time we had as we like to explore on our own, it was the perfect balance of relaxation and activity. We would recommend KimKim to anyone planning a big trip who wants to truly enjoy it and not have to think about the little details.

Activity Reviews

The Best of Colosseum & Ancient Rome With Exclusive Arena Access

Rome

We had a wonderful tour with Valentina, one of our favorite guides. She was so knoweledgable and fun to hang out with!

Highlights of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Rome

Loved Luca and his robust knowledge of the Vatican.

Secrets Walks of Sorrento: Street food by Locals*

Italy

This was not a food tour, it was more of an orientation to the city. It wasn't what we expected and I wouldn't categorize it as a food tour to avoid dissapointment.

Amalfi coast boat tour from Sorrento (Amalfi & Positano)

Italy

One of the best days we had!

Cinque Terre sunset tour: visit, aperitif and snorkeling*

Italy

This tour was awesome, we loved Chiara and Marco. We really enjoyed swimming and enjoying local food and wine.

Portofino Paddle & Pesto

Italy

Filipo was great, it was a super fun tour!

Orientation Tour of the Cinque Terre - Half Day Private Group

Italy

Such an amazing time, we loved Heidi!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything was perfect! Our trip was better than we hoped. The choice of activities, the pace and the advice suited us perfectly.

Thank you very much to Vicky who was very available before and during our trip

Unfortunately I only experienced the first few days of the tour as I had a medical problem and needed to head home. The hotels were great, and my one day on the tour where we visited the mosque in Casablanca was fantastic. I was unsure why we were dropped off at a mall for the afternoon.

The only disappointment was the driver and van. It was very uncomfortable and should have had at least a chilly bin with drinks and better seats for the long trips and hot weather. I think this was sorted for future days after I left.

The driver had very limited knowledge and was really just a taxi driver. He also used his phone while driving which was very dangerous as he was unsure of directions.

I did appreciate the ride back to Casablanca so I could catch my flight home.

This trip to North Vietnam arranged by KimKim was more than we could have asked for! Every amenity, the hotels, the transport and the guides - MIA in Hanoi and ZoZo in Sa Pa were amazing, informative, accommodating and fun. We travelled to Hanoi, SaPa, and Ha Long Bay. The food was excellent everywhere and they provided bottled water at every turn. We had many activities that KimKim arranged and they all were fantastic. We love Kim Kim and Ashley!!

Guides were great and very knowledgeable. Penelope was my favorite(Acroplis and food tasting tour) followed by Yannis who drive us to Delphi. The views were incredible. Definitely a trip of a lifetime.

Hotel Reviews

Manos Small World Santorini

Santorini island

Very clean and wonderful staff. Did not like the fact that there were over 60 stairs to get to the rooms. Luckily there was a bellhop that carried our luggage up and down for us. Excellent view off the patio of the coastline and sunset.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location but a lot of stairs to get to the rooms.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Galaxy Hotel Naxos

Naxos

Great views and loved the pools. Breakfast buffet was also very good. Close to the beach and short walking distance from town. Friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Athens Cypria Hotel

Athens

Hotel was very clean but had extremely small elevators. And the rooftop bar next door played extremely loud techno music until after 1am, so I had to sleep with ear plugs. Breakfast buffet was incredible. Hotel staff was very accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Sunset Caldera Cruise

Santorini

My favorite activity by far. Had a private catamaran for just the 3 of us. George & Dmitrios were great. Got to swim in a few spots in the Aegean sea. Food was excellent as well and the sunset was incredible.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The transport driver from the hotel seemed to be in a hurry. Was driving fast and honked his horn often.

Traditional Cooking Experience at Village Farm

Naxos

This was my least favorite activity. Host was very gracious but we made stuffed vegetables as the main meal. Thought we would be making an authentic Greek dish. Although we did make homemade tzatziki sauce which was excellent. We did get a tour of the farm, but it was way up on a hillside so we didn’t get to stroll through the town as the description stated.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mythology Sunset Walk and Wines of Naxos

Naxos

I liked Iliana a lot. She was very knowledgeable. I especially liked the symposium we had while drinking wine. The sunset at the Temple of Apollo was incredible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Day Trip to Delphi

Athens

Yannis was our driver and was great. Tour guide was ok. The lunch spot was excellent with a great view.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Acropolis & Highlights Walk with Food Tastings

Athens

Penelope was my favorite guide. Learned a lot from her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Didn’t realize it was all on foot.