Kimkim Trip Reviews

Marisa did a wonderful job of planning my 8-day trip to Portugal, making sure to include my must-sees, and adding in a few stops/activities I didn’t know I wanted to do, but in the end am so glad I did! No idea where to start with highlights, as everything was great. My drivers (from Porto to Douro Valley, Douro Valley to Lisbon via Aveiro and Nazaré, Lisbon to Sintra) all felt like guides - super knowledgeable about the region I was visiting, and wry engaging. It was like hanging out with a good friend. They all also offered recommendations for places to visit, eat, etc., and offered to/in some cases did make reservations for me. Above and beyond what I expected! And the guides for my walking tours in Porto and Lisbon were fantastic, too. I learned about the history (plus some hidden secrets) and culture in Porto and Lisbon. Hotel selections were great … very centrally located, safe areas for a solo female traveler, close to everything. I absolutely loved the day in Douro Valley - from the tour, tasting and lunch with pairings at Quinta da Pacheca to the Vintage House hotel! And the day in Sintra (Peña Palace and gardens) plus the drive and stops along the coastline on the way back were perfection! I will visit Portugal again, and hope to use KimKim and Across Portugal to help with the planning!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

A great location I’m Lisbon, especially if you’re looking to shop. It’s also close to a couple Metro stations, and not a far walk from the the plazas throughout Lisbon.

Authenticity & Character

A more modern hotel in the inside, but the Library Bar was a charming place to have a drink while deciding what to do next in Lisbon!

Location

Metro and train stations nearby, close to good, local restaurants. As a solo traveler I felt very safe walking to and from this hotel by myself at night.

Staff

Everyone was so friendly, but Erica at the front desk was particularly helpful. She made dinner recommendations and helped get reservations at cool places on a busy summer weekend!

Cleanliness & Comfort

My bed was super comfy.

The Vintage House

Pinhão

I loved the idea of staying in a former winery! The location was great - really nice view of the river and vineyards from my room. I had dinner at the hotel and the food was great. If I had had more time, I would have spent some time at the pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Porto Royal Bridges Hotel

Porto

Great location, perfectly situated between the river and city. My room was beautiful, and staff was friendly.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel was more modern than I thought it would be. That said, the lobby was comfortable and welcoming.

Location

Easy walking distance to the river or into the city to see the market, Santa Catarina chapel and Santa Catarina Street shopping.

Staff

Everyone I met was friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

I absolutely loved this day trip. My guide (Pepe) didn’t give me a time limit, so I spent close to three hours exploring Peña Palace and gardens, and then visited the Sintra National Palace and had lunch on the main square in Sintra (recommendation from my guide for a great restaurant - Cafe Paris.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My guide even stopped on the side of the ride so I could see a cork tree up close. He also didn’t mind - was actually surprised - that our dat ended an hour and a half late. We saw so much and he seemed genuinely happy to show me.

Transport

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

My guide, Pedro, not only provided a great tour of the city and its history and culture, it shared really great tips for how to navigate the seven hills of Lisbon via elevators and cables cars! Felt like I was hanging out with a good friend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

A nice boat ride, but there was no one talking/sharing info about what we were seeing. As a solo traveler, it was a little boring and awkward (though still got to see some beautiful wine country so not all terrible).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Indulge in Elegance on a Guided Winery Tour Infused with Tastings and a Delicious Lunch

Portugal

Interesting tour; good info about Quinta da Pacheco and how it’s different from the other wineries in the area. And for the tasting, they didn’t hold back - offered two reserve wines, and 30 yr port and a vintage port. Very impressive! The lunch with wine/port pairings was also great. Food was amazing, and the view of the property was spectacular!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My driver, Miguel, was very knowledgeable and fun. And the winery guide offered a lot of great facts about the winery.

Transport

The Flavors of Port Wine - Sip & Discover

Porto

Interesting tour of the cellars. And great tasting. Mine was the only o e paired with a cheese plate, so that was a little awkward (I sat at a table by myself). But enjoyed the experience overall.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

My guide (Bernardo) shared so much about the history and culture of Porto. I loved every minute!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

The drive from Porto to Douro Valley was beautiful … every time I would say “wow, this is gorgeous,” my driver, would say, “wait, it gets better,” and it did! Miguel was incredible - very knowledgeable about the region, the wine and port, and recommended a great extra stop (Amarante) because we had plenty of time before my winery tour and lunch.

Quality of Experience

Douro Valley is beautiful. Even if you’re only a causal wine or port drinker, it’s worth the time!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Miguel went the extra mile to make sure I enjoyed the day, with an extra short stop in Amarante to see an old cathedral and try pastries at a local cafe.

Transport

Car was very comfortable.

We highly recommend using kimkim to plan your trip to Sicily. Moreno was able to answer all our questions during the booking process and throughout our trip. It was great to have a local person help us since they know the area the best. We enjoyed a wonderful cooking class, a great boat ride, a fun day exploring scenes from the Godfather, an adventurous day at Mt. Etna, and a delicious chocolate tasting class. All of our tour guides were wonderful, and we were thankful to have tours with less than 12 people and sometimes even private tours! All the hotels booked through kimkim were beautiful and in great walking distance to all the attractions and restaurants we planned.

Hotel Reviews

Palace Catania | UNA Esperienze

Catania

Cleanliness & Comfort

Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel

Siracusa

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Villa Paradiso Taormina

Taormina

This hotel is in a wonderful location! The staff was friendly and the views were great.

Location

Activity Reviews

Etna Jeep Tour

Taormina

More hiking than we anticipated, but beautiful views and cooler temperatures!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excursion to Modica, chocolate workshop and Sicilian passito wine tasting in a local family winery

Italy

Informative, fun, and delicious!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Godfather Movie Set Tour

Taormina

Wonderful experience going to the Bar Vitelli, the church where Michael and Apollonia got married, and the Castle where many scenes were filmed. Savoca is a lovely town to walk around as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Trip along the Taormina Coast

Taormina

Our trip was nice and relaxing.

Cooking Class in Taormina

Taormina

We had a wonderful cooking class with Massimo. It was a fun experience and it was nice working with the others in our group. The food was delicious! We love that we were sent the recipes after our class.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Review of trip to KENYA
All I can say is “WOW! “ What an incredible adventure! Thank you!
Well planned, well guided, well executed! Every place we stayed was comfortable and clean and the food was exceptional. The guides were excellent, informative, patient
and accommodating.

There were great cultural experiences: most notable was the Maji Moto Cultural Camp where I wore my “shouka” with pride among my Maasai brothers!
At the “Olpal” bush camp, I slept on a fragrant bed of leaves under the stars after a night of dance, chants & goat roasted on the fire. I was even blessed by a Maasai elder. It was such a highlight! Before I departed Maji Moto, I took part in ”warrior training” with 6-8 young Maasai men and witnessed first hand why they were a fearsome tribe in the day. Now I would describe them as gentle & jovial!

There were historical highlights: We toured the Nairobi National Museum and learned of the intense commitment of Ann Thompson who chronicled the life of the tribesmen and documented the flora of Kenya in her art .
We also visited the Karen Blixen Museum and grounds. She respected the native tribesmen and worked tirelesssly to improve their treatment by the British colonizers. Her writings include “Out of Africa” & a movie chronicles her heroic efforts on behalf of the African people.

As well, the nature adventures were spectacular from hands-on feeding of the gentle giants at the Giraffe Center to “up close” orphan young elephant feeding at the David Sheldrick Trust in Nairobi. And of course safari game drives in the Masai Mara National Reserve where in our first hour out we saw a big leopard in a tree! It just got more exciting from there with cheetahs “jetting” across the plains after wildebeest, lion cubs in “nursery time” while their moms luxuriated in solitude & a “ baby-free” nap close by, a pair of “honeymoon lions” taking a break in the hot afternoon sun, birds galore gloriously colored, tons of Zebras, elephants, topi, waterbuck and water Buffalo, hyenas,giraffe, hippos, warthogs, ostrich, gazelles, impalas, baboons & colombo monkeys, etc!
Everything ran like clockwork and we received lots of practical information on how to best manuever in Kenya from Richard and Stanley, our guides. I will always be grateful for their care and concern.
I say, by all means, go with KimKim!

We had an amazing time in Costa Rica. It was great to work with KimKim on the planning and execution of this trip. We visited 4 regions and stayed at 4 resorts so the logistics were significant. The resorts we stayed in were terrific. Loved the hot springs at Los Lagos. We stayed in the villa at Los Lagos and there was plenty of room for the 9 of us. We greatly enjoyed the white water rafting. Our guides were awesome! The experience was a ton of fun for kids and adults. The river was clean and the food was very good for a lunch buffet.

Mariano was out guide through the rain forest and he was so knowledgeable. The lunch location was beautiful as it was at the base of the volcano with a terrific view, although the service was the slowest we experienced on the trip. The hike down to the La Fortuna waterfall was no joke. We are all fairly fit and able to do it but I think you need to make sure you forewarn people of how strenuous both up and down are. But how worth it!!! That was quite the experience.

The boat ride to Monte Verde was simple and had it not been foggy we would have had great volcano views. You also need to warn people that they need to be physically able to carry luggage long distances as we had to carry our luggage from the boat to the bus which was parked quite a distance away. The ride to Monteverde was very picturesque. El Establo was a terrific resort. We loved the pool area every afternoon during the rain. You have to get used to the fact that you are basically in a tree house while staying there but the views when the clouds cleared were awesome. Breakfast was delicious as well. Our zipline experience was top notch. Lots of fun and lunch after was nice.

The trip from Monteverde was a long one but we enjoyed the view. The biggest negative I have is that we were forced to stop at a seafood spot that was 10 minutes from our resort. We were in the van for 4 hours and I had asked to stop in Jaco or somewhere closer before we left. I was told the other place would be better but it is insane to be in the car for 4 hours and stop 10 minutes from the resort. The food was not very good. In fact my husband and 2 sons did not order and I did not eat my salad. You cant even get a beer there after a 4 hour car ride. This was the only time I felt frustrated that we were being taken advantage of because there must be some kind of kick back for someone otherwise I have no idea why we were taken to this place.

Los Altos and Manuel Antonio were our favorite. The penthouse was amazing. Views were breathtaking. The resort was so nice as were all of the workers. Our guide in manuel antonio was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Highly recommend him. We loved our kayak tour also although it was very physical with having to paddle against the current. The guides were terrific.

I would suggest limiting some of the back to back to back excursions. We were not able to do the cooking class - I honestly cannot imagine if we had tried after that long ride. We also canceled the catamaran because it literally takes people to the same spot we had been on in the kayaks. I would make sure you let people know so they can pick another option or at least are aware it will be the same excursion. Also it looks like there was a larger speed boat that was rentable and would have fit our group. That boat allowed for jet skis, tubing, snorkeling etc and would have been something our group would definitely have been interested in.

The food and the people were wonderful. Costa Rica is a truly beautiful country. We appreciate all of the help and support we received from KimKim during our planning and traveling. I would definitely recommend KimKim to friends and family!

As someone who has traveled to over 30 countries, I can easily say that this was the best trip of my life and the best trip of my wife's as well!
When we booked the trip, we were both excited and apprehensive. While we had used Kimkim before, we were not familiar with East Africa.
From the pre-booking process, to the entire trip, and even post-tripm our host/guide, Nicholas of Animal Kingdom Safaris was the best that we could ever ask for and truly feel that we made a friend for life!
From the hospitality to the humor to allowing us to use his camera to making sure we were well taken care of: Nicholas did it all! One specific example is when our bags got delayed from the United States. Nicholas was in constant commnication with the airlines, organized the bags to be flown to a nearby airstrip, and had a colleague pick it up for us. I could never have imagined doing that without him.
Since returning, I have told dozens of family / friends about the trip and Nicholas!

Amazon Tupana lodge was incredible - Carlos was incredible, and the scenery, excursions, and just hanging out at the lodge was relaxing. Saw monkeys, a tapir, and of course Blue the macaw that hangs around on site. Sunrise and sunset were beautiful!
Foz do Iguaçu was better than we could ever have imagined. Rainbows, waterfalls, and the boat ride into the falls from the Argentina side was so much fun! Pictures will never do it justice!
Rio was fun as well, Alex our guide was amazing and did an excellent job. He also set us up for the day after, and recommended perfect places on the beach! Great trip all around, the travel was acceptable (we wanted to do lots of things so crammed in late nights) with no delays and easy to get around.
Rachel was wonderful, responsive, and always on top of our tickets and itinerary. Great planning and definitely will share this trip with others!

We were overwhelmed with planning our trip to Portugal for 3 couples for 2 weeks, but luckily we found Kimkim, who made it so easy. They connected us to a wonderful local agency, Across Portugal, who worked with us to create a customized trip within our budget. Our trip included private transportation when needed, private tours, and some time on our own with a rental van for 5 days. We visited Lisbon, Sintra, Porto and the Douro Valley, Serra da Estrela, and the Algarve. The hotels were beautiful and tours were top notch.

Rinolda was exemplary. She has been very resourceful and responsive from the onset and continuing well into the trip.
Her suggestions and arrangements were very well suited for us. The itinerary was perfect.
She guided us through some hurdles we put ourselves into.
My utmost favorite place was Thorsmork. The volcano huts were akin to a luxury hotel. The scrnery and hiking were spectacular. I enjoyed all the hiking trails.
Golden circle was nice and is a must do but was dispensable for me. The day with all the falls also was okay for a first time visitor but I wouldn’t go back. Hveragardi was mind blowing. So was Glymur hike, Vestmannayer, and Landmannlagur.
Blue lagoon was good , again, as a first time visitor.
All the food recommendations were amazing given we are vegan. Hotels were very well selected. Favorite was Hotel Klaustur.
Rinolda even made time to meet us personally. I am overjoyed that we chose to go with Kimkim, especially Rinolda. Sorry, I forgot her associate’s name whom also we called a lot and who was also very attentive and helpful.

There are so many good things to say about Simon and the trip he planned for us. Let me start with our initial plan. He created so many fun and interesting things for us. Some weren't quite for our family so Simon was responsive to help choose different activities that were a prefect fit. Once we had everything all in place it turned out that we couldn't get the dates we had planned for. Within a few hours Simon had rebooked everything on our new dates. I can't imaging doing this myself, this alone was worth it.
Simon sent us our detailed itinerary a week before the trip so we could be comfortable in planning our timing, moving around the country.
When we landed in France we were greeted by a beautiful Limo that took us straight to the hotel. The Hotel in Paris was an apartment and nicely located for us to get around the city by Metro. The accommodations were clean and the breakfast each morning was very nice. We made good use of the coffee machine. We explored the city and loved our river cruise of the Seine at night. We also took the opportunity to climb the Eiffel Tower. After a long night of travel we found the cruise to be a perfect way to start the trip.
On day two we all loved the ride out to the palace of Versaille. The kids loved exploring the rooms and the gardens. When we returned to the city we explored the Jardins du Luxembourg on Simon's recommendation. It was perfect.
On day three we did a treasure hunt of the Louvre with the kids. We got to see all the important parts of the museum and the kids loved learning and seeing all the beauty of the museum.
Our next day took us by train to Marseille. Our first impression was a little off, but this was in large part due to the protests that were going on. However the hotel was in a great location and allowed us to get where we needed to go easily. After a good sleep we woke up to a new town. The streets had been cleaned and the energy was much better. Here again Simon was an excellent communicator for our trip. We had planned a morning cruise out to the Calanque national park, but the wind and the sea prevented us from going. Simon gave us plenty of notice and cancelled the excursion and provided a full refund very quickly. In the afternoon we did the e-bike tour of Marseille. The kids claimed this was the highlight of our whole trip. The views were spectacular, the exercise was fun and I highly recommend this as a way to connect with the city. Thanks to Simon notifying us that we couldn't sail in the morning. We were able to book a dinner cruise of the harbour and sea for the evening when the seas had calmed. This also was a highlight.
Then we were off to Nice. The train ride was smooth and easy. We checked in to another centrally located hotel that was cozy and again served a nice breakfast. We went and did some shopping and spent the afternoon splashing in the sea.
On our final full day we took a very lovely ride into Monaco. Our guide was very informative and it was a beautiful city. Definitely worth seeing. And of course getting to do a lap of the course of the Monaco Grand Prix was fun for everyone.
Upon returning to Nice we had more time to play in the Sea.
On our final day our limo to the airport was right on time and delivered us to the airport for a safe flight home.
Our family was so impressed by Simon and our kimkim experience. We had amazing things to do everyday and Simon created the trip of a lifetime for us. We are grateful!!

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel Aria

Nice

A nice hotel. Rooms were clean with a nice washroom. The breakfast was very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to walk to the Sea

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maison Saint Louis Vieux Port

Marseille

Rooms were small but that is to be expected. We had a decent view. Very warm in the rooms. The breakfast was good. The location was very close to the harbour.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Citadines Bastille Marais Paris

Paris

The apartments were clean. The breakfast was very good. The location was close to several Metro lines allowing you to get around easily.

Authenticity & Character

It was a more modern feel.

Location

close to the Metro, easy to get around Paris

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Palace of Versailles Half day trip (Skip the line, audioguided & gardens) by minivan from Paris

Paris

This was a beautiful look at history. The palace is immaculately maintained and it made you feel a part of the history of the culture and country. The gardens are so vast you could spend days there. We loved the hall of mirrors and the artwork is truly a site to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

DU Half-day excursion to Monaco, Monte-Carlo, Eze & La Turbie

Nice

A visit to Monaco was well worth it. And we were pleasantly surprised to have the visit tot the village of Eze on the trip. It was quite the contrast of the old city of Eze and the activity and grandeur of Monaco. Our driver was very knowledgeable and was very good and navigating the busy streets. It was fun to do a lap of the Formula 1 course.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

clean

Marseille Fada Guided Ebike Tour

Marseille

The whole family said this was the highlight of our vacation. This is the only way to see a city. Our guide was knowledgeable and able to navigate the city with ease. The e-bike made it possible for us to cover a lot of ground. The view were spectacular and we were able to cover so much. They had a bike for my son and my daughter was just a little small but loved riding in the buggy behind me.

Quality of Experience

Just the best way to see the city

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fantastic

Louvre Treasure Hunt (kids or teens tour)

Paris

This was the best way to see the Museum. Our guide, Marine, was knowledgeable and fun. She told wonderful and engaging stories that kept our kids interested and fascinated. My wife and I were able to enjoy the stories as well and we saw all the the best of the Louvre. We were by the lines and avoided the crowds. We all learned a lot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable, fun, and a great storyteller. We loved Marine!!

Paris: Illuminations Seine River Cruise

Paris

This was the perfect way to start our vacation. The cruise is beautiful at night showing off Paris at sunset. There is lots of room and the views are spectacular.

Quality of Experience

The view of the city

Our experience working with Mariliza was amazing! She booked great experiences and accommodations for us for the entire trip. It was really nice to not have to worry about setting up really anything on our own. Mariliza really understood what we were hoping to do while on our trip, and we would not have wanted to change a thing. Santorini was such a beautiful island and Mariliza was even able to upgrade our accommodations there to a private villa, which was so beautiful. Our experience working with the KimKim team and Mariliza was great and I would definitely recommend to anyone thinking of planning a trip!

Hotel Reviews

Blend Hotel Athens

Athens

This hotel was very centrally located to tons of restaurants, cafes and shops. It was also a pretty short walk (20 minutes) to get to historical sights like the Acropolis. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful for our first time to Greece.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aspronisi Luxury Villa

Megalochori, Santorini

The staff here was amazing! They are extremely friendly and go out of their way to make sure you have a perfect stay. The view from the hotel pool was beautiful and did not get old to look at.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The view from the pool was amazing! Only a short walk to restaurants and grocery stores.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Caldera Hike

Santorini

We were not staying near Oia or Fira so this hike was really cool to get to see both of those towns in Santorini. The hike was long, but very worth it. You get many incredible views along the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

⛵ Sunset Sailing Tour & BBQ on a luxury catamaran

Santorini

This was the coolest experience we did in Santorini and has to be a must do for anyone traveling there. The guys working the boat were super fun and helpful. They made sure you had everything you needed. The food was also amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Cheers & Dine

Santorini

It was really cool to learn the history of wine making in Santorini. We had a lot of fun with our tour guide and other people on the tour with us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens Highlights / Mythology Tour

Athens

Really awesome tour to see 3 different historical sites! We like these kinds of tours because it gives you background and history on what you are seeing rather than just taking pictures to say you were there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I am very glad I chose to experience Morocco with Kimkim team. Both me and my sister were very happy with the itinerary as we experienced the culture and met amazing people who made us feel welcomed. Said was very prompt with replies and helping us tailor our interests prior to our trip. Upon arrival, we were welcomed by Reda, who made sure our road trips were safe and comfortable. He is definitely an exceptional person on navigation and sharing knowledge on local cultures with us. Our guide in Fes, Amina was very knowledgable and shared so much insight on the Medina. We absolutely loved our Moroccan desert experience from camel rides to the beautiful Eco-Friendly Tirizi Camp greeted by Yusuf and team. Last but not least, we met a sweet soul Hanan, who showed us around Marrakech, who has an exceptional knowledge on the beautiful buzzing city. Thank you so much for this wonderful experience and keep working from the heart to connect with people traveling to experience a beautiful country rich with culture and art.

Julien organised our Tour du Mont Blanc trip for us with no drama, and it was great to have all the planning sorted, as well as the app/guidebook and maps all available. The WhatsApp was also really helpful for live support when needed.

Mark was great on the first 2 days of private tour.

The first driver on pick up was late but our flight was also late so maybe not his fault. Also not too personable but also maybe not his fault due to flight being late so maybe he's in hurry.

The cooking class was great.

Also the train stop and transfer was a bit tight for novice train riders like us. 10 minute window was stressful but we made it.

Rest of transfers and tours were great. Everything very smooth.

Our hiking guide Erlend Berne with Explore Lysefjorden was a highlight of our trip!! He was our favorite hiking guide during our trip! We would highly recommend adding the photo package to any hike so that you can capture the awe inspiring moments of the hike with a professional eye and camera.

Hotel Reviews

Hofslund Fjorhotel

Sogndal

We loved being right on the Fjord! It was great to have a balcony. No vegan options at breakfast except for peanut butter toast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fjelleventyret Gårdsovernatting

Skjåk

This farm was very charming and nice addition to our trip. I was completely different from the other hotels. Unfortunately, they really did not have any Vegan options and the town of Lom did not have much to offer either. The surrounding country side and sound of sheep bells at the farm made our stay very enjoyable though. There was in apartment laundry but no clothes dryer.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the farm!! I wish we could have had more time here to ride the horses.

Location

Staff

Although there were no real vegan options, the chef tried to acomodate our food choices.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bardøla Høyfjellshotell

Geilo

Room was extremely small and shower was the size of an RV shower. The laundry required Krons and hotel could not exchange cash.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was clean.

Fleischer's Hotel

Voss

Quite a dated hotel but room was more spacious and it was nice to have a balcony. Limited Vegan options for breakfast and in city of Voss.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Coffee maker was not clean.

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

It was worth it to upgrade our room for a bit more space. There is laundry available at this hotel which was a blessing after some grueling hikes and not so fresh clothes. Vegan breakfast options were good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

If traveling in the summer, request a fan!

Thon Hotel Maritim

Stavanger

Recommend requesting a room that faces the lake as the ally is quite loud. Vegan breakfast options were good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

If traveling in Summer, request a fan.

Activity Reviews

Floating Sauna

Norway

Not really a highlite for us.

Quality of Experience

Kayak in Fjærlandsfjord

Norway

This was a nice change of scenery for us. Our guide was a sweet heart and told us stories about the region.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Hike to Sverrestigen Viking Trail

Voss

This hike was moderately difficult. It was unlike any other guided hike that we have done. It felt very backwoods and did not really follow a trail. Our guide was delightful and the lunch she prepared was great!.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

There was nothing specifically wrong with the tour but just not a "have to do" thing while in Bergen.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kjerag Summer Hike

Stavanger

Must do hike. This is a moderate to hard hike but with Erlend as our guide, he made it enjoyable and doable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flor & Fjære Garden Cruise

Stavanger

Quality of Experience

Food

Vegan meal was the best we had while in Norway!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pulpit Rock Sunrise Hike

Stavanger

Amazing, must do hike. We highly recommend the sunrise hike!! This hike is easy to moderate. Erlend was a wealth knowlege and takes phenomenal, high quality pictures.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Where can I start reviewing my trip to Guatemala? From the beginning Eduardo was amazing in answering all of my questions and planning the trip the way we wanted it. He knew how important it was for us to visit Guatemala after living for 40 years abroad. He planned our trip where not only we learned about the culture, but saw amazing places and met very interesting people.

From the moment Don David (our driver for the duration of the trip) picked us up at at airport until the moment we finalize out trip, his service was extraordinary. He drove us from Guatemala City to Antigua Guatemala. Quetzaltenango, Solola, Chichicastenango, back to Guatemala City (at 3:45 am) for us to take the plane to visit Tikal, picking us up at the airport again, take us to the Hotel Barcelo and picking us up again at 4:30 am to go back tot he airport. His service was incredible. He was always very cordial and will let us know about places and landmarks he thought were interesting or important for us to know.

Now about our tour guides throughout the trip. First, let me tell you about our primary guide, Diana. Such a young, energetic and fantastic tour guide. She is extremely knowledgeable about Guatemala's history. She not only took her time to explain to us each of the places we visited, but also gave us ample time to take pictures, make purchases, eat, and look around. Diana never made us feel rushed and never left us alone in any of the places we visited. She took her time to explain the places we traveled to even told us about the other trips she has done with other groups.

Don Oscar in Chichicastenango was great! The place is incredible. Don Oscar was super knowledgeable about Chichicastenango and its history. If you love to buy items traditional from Guatemala, Chichicastenango is your place.

Don Oliverio (tour guide) and Fernando (driver) in Tikal: From the moment our plane landed in Flores, Don Oliverio and Fernando were already waiting for us. They both made sure we had what we needed for this trip. Our recommendation is to plan to buy bug spray, sun screen and water once you get to Flores (They took the sun screen and bug spray at the airport in Guatemala). Before we started the tour, they took us to a store to buy these items. Don Oliverio explained to us from the temples, royal houses, plants, animals, to the history of the Mayas in Peten.

The hotels: excellent! No other words to describe the cleanliness, comfort and service. In every hotel, we had complementary breakfasts (which were delicious). My favorite hotel: San Buenaventura Hotel in Lake Atitlan. We had our breakfast overlooking the lake and volcano. Amazing experience.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Barcelo

Guatemala City

I've been extremely blessed to have traveled to many places around the globe. Hotel Barcelo is for sure a 5 Star Hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

San Buenaventura Hotel

Panajachel, Sololá

Loved this hotel. We were able to have breakfast right on the garden overlooking the lake and volcano.

Authenticity & Character

Loved all of the pictures hanging around.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique Casa Morasan

Quetzaltenango

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were super comfortable. Very nice suite

Casa Antigua

Antigua

We stayed two different nights in this hotel. The first room was very very, but the second one, was extraordinary! Very good service and breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the middle of town and super close to everything. Loved the store right next door,

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

The history and amazing architecture is incredible!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Chichicastenango Market

Lake Atitlán

The colors!!!! They were so vivid all throughout this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fuentes Georginas

Guatemala

If you are looking for a place to relax and enjoy the health benefits of these water, you must definitely visit Fuentes Georginas.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Antigua Historic Walking Tour

Antigua

Diana was our Tour Guide. She was very punctual and started the tour on time. Very knowledgeable. She never rushed us. We were able to take pictures, buy things and look around. She never minded repeating information or answering our questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I want to commend Margoth and the entire team we worked with for the wonderful work they do. I was looking to plan a vacation with my mom when I came across the KimKim website. From the curiosity phase they were quick and friendly. Once I committed, they made sure we were prepared for our trip by contacting us ahead of time with important details like immigration forms and a summary of what to expect ahead of the trip. The hotels as guides were A+. David the guide in Bogota was extremely knowledgeable, patient, and kind. All of our drivers were also very punctual and made sure to stay on schedule. The restaurant recommendations we also superb. On our second leg, we went to Cartagena where again we were met with a great guide. Jose Miguel was very warm and also very knowledgeable. We arrived before check-in and he made sure to wait with us until we were able to get up to our room. We were also connected with the same driver for the entirety of our time in Cartagena and Emerson was a charming and funny guy. He made great conversation and like all the other drivers he was always punctual. There were 2 small instances when we had different drivers and this is when we started to see how how much care Margoth and her team had for our trip. On our trip to a beach club, we had some rain and the driver was late so they made sure Jose Miguel was there to meet us upon our return. He ensured we safely got back to our hotel with a Taxi. He made sure to take down the Taxis info and he ensured a safe arrival. Our favorite activity in Cartagena was the dance class. I would definitely make it longer or make it a multi-day activity on another trip. The last leg of our trip was to Baru. On the way to the dock, I left my cell phone in the back seat of the car and the driver returned immediately to return it. Again, the best service and care from this team. At the Sofitel, we ran into a small medical issue and I reached out to Margoth and her team after hours she immediately escalated the issue and got us some help. Last but not least, we had purchased some jewelry and she had Felipe send us all the info. We arranged to get to the airport and bit earlier to process the tax refund however, the counter would not take our digital copies and they rushed a messenger to the airport with hard copies so we could claim our refund. Again, this team went above and beyond. We were able to process the refund which was about $700 and we made our flight. I had never used a travel agency before and now I may never go back to planning my own trips. This was an incredible experience. Thank you for helping me create wonderful memories with my mom.

We had an amazing trip to Iceland! Eva did a great job outlining the best stops and planning our accommodations. We loved the hotels, food, and excursions. Iceland is the most beautiful place I have ever seen!
10 out of 10 for the Super Jeep Tour of Valley of Thor
10 out of 10 for the Glacier Lagoon
I would recommend water proof boots and rain coats!!

Hotel Reviews

Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon

Hnappavellir

Adorable hotel. We loved the hot tubs, restaurant, and sheep right outside our window! It is a great location for getting out to the Diamond Beach and Glacier lagoon but nothing nearby. There is no shopping (grocery or supplies) or restaurants within 20-30 min.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vík í Mýrdal

Vík

Restaurant was delicious!! Rooms were small but nice. Location was great- easy walk to shopping and quick drive to many activities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Across the street from major shopping center.

Staff

They dried our boots in the boiler room- so nice!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reykjavik Residence Apartment Hotel

Reykjavík

We loved this hotel! They deliver a basket of delicious breakfast foods each afternoon and fresh bread each morning. They also have free laundry machines to use!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

One block off the main strip.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Iceland

Our guide was amazing!! We loved this boat trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This once in a lifetime trip took months of planning and coordination. The first leg of the trip to Easter Island went off well with a few minor hiccups but that is to be expected and was resolved quickly. The guides were awesome and it was a great experience. Not so awesome was the Calama section of the trip. Let me start with the positive. The guides were very knowledgeable and I had an ok time. Now for the negatives. I was picked up from my accommodation during the time window provided but I expected to be dropped off at my hotel at the end of the day but instead was left in the middle of a city I did not know and was told this is where the tour ended. Are you kidding me??? I had no idea where my hotel was located and it was dark. The guide provided directions that made no sense so I had to beg her to go with me. She said it was not part of her job but she was gracious enough to go with me. I would never have found it on my own with the directions she had provided. The next day I knew what would happen and the guide provided directions. Fortunately it was not that far from my hotel. The following day was going to be the highlight of the tour going to the geyser. When I got to the hotel I received a message that my pick up to the airport was going to be at 9:30am. The tour started at 4:30 am so I thought I would have plenty of time to make the connection. She then told me that I would not get back from the tour until 11:30am. Are you kidding me again??? I would miss my flight if I went on the tour. She then said I can take a private tour for $100. I told her I am not paying for that. This itinerary was months in the making so Kim Kim should have known about my flight as I provided the information months before and the itinerary said I would be picked up at 10:40am. That would be enough time to get to the airport. I was devastated as this is the only time I will make this trip and I felt that someone dropped the ball. This is not my first tour with Kim Kim. The previous tours were mostly problem free. I expected this would be as well and at this point I am not sure if I would recommend them to anyone.

Just finished our 2nd trip with kimkim.
Irene was our planner and she exceeded in all aspects. Revised the intierary perfectly to accommodate our needs was always accommodating. All hotels choosen for us were in comfortable and in amazing locations, walking distance to anything we wanted too see or do.
Activities throughout the trip provided knowledge, amazing sites and all food tours had excellent selections.
Overall a great vaction with amazing tour sites, delicous food/drinks, picture perfect beachs. Memories for a lifetime. Thanks again kimkim and to Irene!

Hotel Reviews

Residenza Il Hotel Campanile

Sorrento

In a amazing location, right across the street from the best Gelato to finished every night

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very nice lady

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heliotopos Hotel

Santorini

Amazing balcony view, could of stayed on it all day.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

SanSal Boutique Hotel

Chania

Great location with awesome rooftop bar and infinite pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Caldera Cruise & Volcano Visit

Santorini

Very cool day, nice swimming spots on a nice boat with delicious food.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini Highlights with Wine

Italy

The tour guide made this enjoyable. Would of been nicer to maybe visit more vineyards. Sight seeing spots are nice though.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Olive Farm Visit & Lunch in Archanes

Heraklion

Nice to learn a little bit about the process and how to read olive oil labels. Owenr is very passionate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Balos & Falassarna Beach Tour with Lunch

Chania

View point of balos is very cool, this day was one of our favorites. Falassarma beach was super chill with the right amount of wave action to have some fun in the water. Very nice day that ended with delicious food

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driving Tour in Chania Mountains

Chania

Was nice to see the moutinan side of chania, the highlight of the trip is the local resturant they brought us to that was run by a family with no electricity and only used firebeds to cook. The owner was amazing and made sure we're having a good time. He served us a overwhelming amounts of diffent meats. Best goat I ever had.

Quality of Experience

Food

Very good meats

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver very friendly and resturants owner was awesome,

Transport

Trastevere Afternoon Food Tour & Wine Experience

Rome

Food selections and wines were great

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly

Pizza Cooking Class in Napoli

Naples

Was cool but maybe I had my hopes up a little for a pizza class in Naples. don't really due much to making the pizza besides the dough that you don't use "dough has to rise"

Amalfi Coast Boat Tour From Sorrento

Italy

Provide plenty of drinks, picture perfect swimming spots. Even served us raw sea orcants.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sorrento Sunset Sea Kayak Tour

Sorrento

Was a cool experience, that ended with a amazing sunset. Definitely happy I was familiar with a kayak. The ocean is a little rough and I could see how some would of been anxious paddling through the rockinlet to the swim area.

Christina in Rome and Cristina in Verona were both GREAT! We also loved Daniel in Venice / Murano. I really appreciated how transportation was included and well planned for us. Made the trip seamless . Andrea was very patient with us when we called with questions.

Hotel Reviews

Ca' Pozzo Inn

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Oasi Boutique Hotel

Levanto

Air conditioning marginal

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Roma

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Indigo Rome - St. George

Rome

So close to everything. Great roof top bar/ restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

In an older part of Rome

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided tour Doge's Palace and St Mark (small group)

Venice

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exclusive Murano & Burano islands visit (private service)

Venice

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Verona guided walk - private guide

Italy

Quality of Experience

No

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pisa guided walk

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bike ride in Tuscany Countryside from Florence (small group)

Florence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Florence private guided walk including Accademia Gallery

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pizza Making Class

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel - private guide

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel skip the line ticket

Rome

Quality of Experience

Private Colosseum Underground Tour with Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Rome

The tour guide for underground tour was very hard to understand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome Private Golf Cart tour

Rome

ChristinA the guide was great. Pantheon was my favorite but she hit any spot we wanted

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport