Kimkim Trip Reviews

4.8
Based on 16,542 ratings
Read 16,542 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

Very well thought out trip plan, great picks ...
Spain | May 17 - May 22, 2022

S
Shahenaz E.
Wakefield, NY | Reviewed on Aug 02, 2022
Very well thought out trip plan, great picks for both our hotels and activities. Beatriz, our local specialist really catered to our needs and was very helpful whenever we contacted her. Read more

Very well thought out trip plan, great picks for both our hotels and activities. Beatriz, our local specialist really catered to our needs and was very helpful whenever we contacted her.

Hotel Review
Las Casas de la JuderĆ­a
Seville
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Beatriz De Pablo Rocha
Beatriz
Beatriz De Pablo Rocha
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Aug 03, 2022

Hi Shahenaz! Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to write this review, I really appreciate it :) It was truly a pleasure to work with you to create this trip and help you along the way. Sending you my best regards, Bea.

Sublime Scandinavia!
Norway | Jul 5 - Jul 17, 2022

Marie
Marie H.
Odenton, MD | Reviewed on Aug 02, 2022
My husband and I recently made a very successful first trim to Norway and Sweden, spending a total of 2 1/2 weeks. The Swedish leg was straight-forward so we made all arrangements on our own. For Norway, we used KimKim Tours because we felt that the intricacy of the transportation system (in our case, a combination of domestic trains and ferries) was more than we were comfortable handling on our own. In addition, KimKim offered the maximum degree of customization compared to other providers.... Read more

My husband and I recently made a very successful first trim to Norway and Sweden, spending a total of 2 1/2 weeks. The Swedish leg was straight-forward so we made all arrangements on our own. For Norway, we used KimKim Tours because we felt that the intricacy of the transportation system (in our case, a combination of domestic trains and ferries) was more than we were comfortable handling on our own. In addition, KimKim offered the maximum degree of customization compared to other providers. They took care of booking all hotel stays, 'Norway in a Nutshell' train tickets from Oslo to Myrdal/Flam, ferry tickets to Balestrand and one dinner reservation there (Kviknes Inn), Fjaerland fjord excursion, ferry to Bergen, and a walking tour of Tromso. To reach Tromso from Bergen, we self-booked a 4-night Hurtigruten cruise; however this could also have been arranged through KimKim.
While in Norway, we traveled with friends from the US -- a couple who, in addition to participating in our jointly developed itinerary, requested tickets for a Grieg tour in Bergen and slightly different hotel arrangements so that they could extend their in-country travels to accomplish ancestral research. The KimKim system allowed us to view each others exchanges with the specialist which was most helpful. It’s worth noting that at the start, the four of us were set up as a single account. However we learned that the way the cancellation insurance was structured, if one couple had to cancel for any reason, then the other couple would be impacted. As a result, KimKim offered to split us apart though we had already put down a deposit. This was very much appreciated though there were some initial technical difficulties in accomplishing the split. Therefore we suggest that KimKim clarify this particular aspect of their offered insurance before any money is collected. In the end, the global covid-19 pandemic seriously interrupted our travel plans which began in 2019. Our trip was finally undertaken in 2022. KimKim held the money we had initially paid and applied it to the trip when conditions made it possible for international travel to be resumed.
Overall, our bi-country trip was a great experience. In Sweden we easily got around on our own. We rented an apartment in Stockholm, took the train to Gothenburg to visit Swedish friends and from there went on to Norway via bus to Oslo. Once in Norway, we followed our customized itinerary designed through use of the KimKim online platform with advice from KimKim's selected local travel specialist (in our case, Guide SĆør based in Kristiansand, Norway). As noted, the KimKim process allows maximum customization (up to 100%). For this to work well, the specialist needs to be given as much detail about the goals of the trip as possible. Upon request, the specialist was able to suggest specifics such as hotel bookings which we had the freedom to use or reject; we were also able to request that the specialist book alternative arrangements. In addition, the specialist advised us about days/hours of operation for various venues (e.g., restaurants, museums) so that we knew this before traveling.
A concern prior to departure was that the final itinerary was posted at least 2 weeks later than anticipated and was not packaged or delivered as expected. The itinerary was posted online in the system 'conversation' requiring us to then print a copy for travel as opposed to being sent to us in hard copy via regular or overnight mail. Nevertheless, the online version allowed us to move forward and provided reassurance that each booking requested had been made.
Land accommodations were all satisfactory (rooms were fine; included breakfasts were excellent). However, at 3 different hotels, our fellow travelers who had booked and paid (in full) in coordination with us, were told that that they had not yet made payment. The first such incident was resolved overnight by KimKim with no additional payment necessary. In the other two cases, our friends had to pay again and then get reimbursed by KimKim. This was accomplished timely but double-payment shouldn’t have been necessary. Apparently, there is a problem with the way things work 'behind the curtain' so to speak. It seems that KimKim uses a third party to accomplish hotel bookings rather than making or re-confirming them directly with each hotel. Other reviewers have similarly commented so our suggestion is that KimKim find a way to avoid this situation in the future. A similar, less concerning glitch occurred when we showed up at Kviknes Inn for dinner, i.e., the reservation noted in our itinerary was not recorded in the restaurant's log. Fortunately there was plenty of seating and no money had been paid in advance.
Of great value was KimKim's ability to advise us on the specifics of local transportation so that getting from one point to the next, whether overland or by water, worked seamlessly. Our helpful specialist secured passage for us, providing detailed input on the location of various stations and docks.
In summary, the degree of customization we sought led us to choose KimKim -- this is a strong selling point for the company. International travel, especially in the midst of a pandemic, can be fraught with problems so we were happy to have accomplished our journey knowing there were specialists we could reach if necessary. A final suggestion is that an emergency phone number to reach a ā€˜live’ voice after hours should be given to every client; using the number provided, we were only able to reach an answering machine. Luckily, because all hotels honored KimKim’s reservation requests on our behalf, the four of us we were never without accommodations and the various payment glitches were resolved.
Lastly, we’d like to personally thank Julia, Sonia and Kjeld of Guide SĆør. We believe that each worked very hard to make our trip a success in spite of the extreme impact of the pandemic.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Norge by Scandic
Bergen

Great hotel experience! Convenient central location in Oslo (within walking distance of the train station). Very friendly, helpful staff. The location is also very good for walking to other tourist attractions, i.e., historic buildings, lovely parks, the funicular (grand view of the city), fish market, quaint wharf area, and more!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo Gardemoen
Gardemoen

Wow - talk about convenience to the airport but not the typical 'airport' feeling. Excellent service and wonderful included breakfast.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Thon Hotel Opera
Oslo

Excellent accommodations very conveniently located steps from Oslo's Central Train Station. Very friendly staff and great breakfasts!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Balestrand Hotel
Balestrand

The Balestrand Inn is the perfect place to stay if you are looking for a small hotel experience with a great view of Sognefjord in the lovely rural community of Balestrand, just a short ferry ride from Flam. Staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, our room was clean and the coffee service on the main floor wonderful - best cappuccino ever! There is currently no meal service on-site but we were given a discount at the historic Kviknes Hotel for each of our meals.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Thon Hotel TromsĆø
TromsĆø

Tromso is very worth exploring and the Thon Hotel Tromso is the perfect place from which to stroll this Arctic city. Staff were very friendly/helpful and the breakfasts were excellent.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hurtigruten Onboard

Our 4-night Hurtigruten ferry ride from Bergen to Tromso was a major highlight of our 2 1/2 week trip to Scandinavia. It's remarkable how this mail/cargo line converted it's fleet so that tourist could enjoy the village-to-village travel experience in comfort as well as undertake several well-organized land excursions. The food was excellent - breakfast & lunch buffets, then seated dinners. We tend to avoid going on those enormous passenger cruise ships that overwhelm the places visited. Hurtigruten is a great alternative - the perfect way to enjoy the scenic Norwegian fjords and get a sense of the lifestyle in this remarkable country .

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Kjeld MejlkjƦr

Highly Recommend!
Spain | Jul 23 - Jul 31, 2022

Randi
Randi B.
Manhattan, NY | Reviewed on Aug 02, 2022
James put together a customized itinerary that was tailored to our interests. He listened carefully to what we were looking for, presented an itinerary, and worked closely with us to tweak it until it was perfect! Our drivers and guides made our vacation stress free and very informative. Most memorable were our cooking class in Barcelona, our ā€œCultural Triathlonā€ and flamenco night in Sevilla, hiking the Caminito del Rey, and visiting the Alhambra in Granada. Each hotel was beautiful in... Read more

James put together a customized itinerary that was tailored to our interests. He listened carefully to what we were looking for, presented an itinerary, and worked closely with us to tweak it until it was perfect! Our drivers and guides made our vacation stress free and very informative. Most memorable were our cooking class in Barcelona, our ā€œCultural Triathlonā€ and flamenco night in Sevilla, hiking the Caminito del Rey, and visiting the Alhambra in Granada. Each hotel was beautiful in its own way. I especially loved our hotels in Sevilla and Granada!
Once we arrived in Spain, James or a member of his team were always available and checked in with us regularly to make sure everything was going well. We really appreciated that!
I would absolutely recommend KimKim and specifically Tailor Made Andalucia if you are planning to travel to Spain!

Hotel Reviews
Gallery Hotel
Barcelona

Friendly, helpful front desk staff, large and modern rooms, excellent breakfast buffet! Perfect location for walking to just about everything or using the subway. Yummy gelato place across the street!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Hospes Las Casas del Rey de Baeza
Sevilla

Really pretty hotel with beautiful courtyard for breakfast and lovely pool and lounge area! Restaurant onsite with good food. Very relaxing to eat poolside!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Casa 1800
Granada

Perfect location for walking around the city. Tucked away from the noise on a small pedestrian street with lots of charm! Very peaceful, beautiful courtyard where afternoon tea and sweets are served… a really nice touch and much appreciated! Nice breakfast buffet as well. No elevator, so ask for help if your room is at the top of the stairs and your bags are heavy!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Front desk staff should offer to have someone carry bags for those whose rooms are on the top floors.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Guided Walk of the Gothic Quarter with Tapas Dinner
Guided Walk of the Gothic Quarter with Tapas Dinner
Barcelona

If you love history, this is the walk for you! Very informative tour guide! Tapas dinner was fun… we went to 2 places to experience some variety.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
A Cooking Class of Spanish Cuisine
A Cooking Class of Spanish Cuisine
Barcelona

Great experience! Class of 12 included retirees, a family of 6, and 4 others including us. Our chef took us shopping for the ingredients at the big market and gave us a tour of the market which was an unexpected perk. We made many different dishes and then sat at a big table to enjoy the meal. It was a unique experience, one of the highlights of our trip.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Cultural Triathlon in Sevilla!
Cultural Triathlon in Sevilla!
Seville

Our guide, Pilar, was exceptional. She clearly loves her city and loves to share its history and its charms! The horse drawn carriage picked us up at our hotel and took us to the Plaza de Espana. After the ride was finished, we walked to the river where our boat was waiting! The boat took us to Triana, where we learned some of the history, walked through the market, and did some shopping. It was a great trip!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day Trip from Ronda to Hike the 'Caminito del Rey' - Ending in Granada
Day Trip from Ronda to Hike the 'Caminito del Rey' - Ending in Granada
Spain

Very beautiful, cool experience. Perfectly safe.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: James Monro
James
James Monro
Local specialist in Sevilla, Spain | Replied on Aug 25, 2022

Hi Randi!

Many thanks for your detailed feedback and kind words. We're thrilled that you had a great time and it all came togther well! I'm especially pleased you loved the visits in Andalucia! It was a delight to plan it with you & have you travelling with us. Good luck with the Spanish course!
Un abrazo,
James

A seamless and unforgettable adventure
Iceland | Jul 14 - Jul 24, 2022

Amber
Amber G.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Aug 02, 2022
We had the best time in Iceland! Every single attraction Terry set on our daily itinerary and paid adventures were so beautiful and fun. We decided to book our trip through a travel agency, which we've never done before, because our Iceland adventure was part of a larger travel plan that we were already overwhelmed with booking. All through our time in Iceland, and since we got back, we've been congratulating each other on what a good idea that was! We heard from Terry, our travel... Read more

We had the best time in Iceland! Every single attraction Terry set on our daily itinerary and paid adventures were so beautiful and fun.

We decided to book our trip through a travel agency, which we've never done before, because our Iceland adventure was part of a larger travel plan that we were already overwhelmed with booking. All through our time in Iceland, and since we got back, we've been congratulating each other on what a good idea that was!

We heard from Terry, our travel agent, within a few hours of filling out our interest form. And she was amazing. She was responsive to our questions and our priorities, she worked with us as we chose and changed activities (often) and she was communicative about roadblocks.

And, to top it all off, she put in a ton of extra work--all in secret--to help me plan a surprise proposal in front of an Icelandic waterfall for my now fiancee! She was so helpful and excited about being my "secret agent," and she planned everything so perfectly. It all went without a hitch, and my fiancee hadn't expected any of it!

Thank you, Terry, for a trip of a lifetime!

Activity Reviews
Blue Lagoon
Iceland

A super relaxing first outing. What a great way to refresh and relax after a long trip!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Horse Riding on Black Sand Beach
Horse Riding on Black Sand Beach
Iceland

Very fun! We learned about the horses and got to do the Icelandic gait. It would have been fun to go on a bit of a longer/more varied route.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
It was horses. What's not to like?
Zipline Adventure Tour
Iceland

Wonderful guides and such a fun adventure! It was the perfect length, as well. Zoom zoom! Such a thrill!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Fantastic! Loved the history we got sprinkled in, and the wonderful good humor. Total sweethearts!
Transport
Whales and Puffins
Iceland

A trip highlight! What an amazing experience. The boat was comfortable. We were given coveralls to keep us warm, and the tour guide was passionate and articulate. We really learned something on this trip, and our tour guide made us as tourists feel very connected to the larger cause of animal conversation in this beautiful country. Also puffins rock.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
A+
Transport
Boats are fun.
Local specialist: Terry Stanley
Terry
Terry Stanley
Local specialist in Canada | Replied on Aug 03, 2022

Thank you so very much for your glowing review ; I'm blushing! I'm thrilled that you had such an amazing adventure but even more so that we were able to keep the proposal a secret. That was so tough for me (but so exciting as well)! Congratulations, you two!

1 Week / 3 Cities in Greece
Greece | Jul 23 - Jul 30, 2022

J
Joanna C.
Somerset, CA | Reviewed on Aug 02, 2022
Eleni did a wonderful job providing great lodging, locations, and experiences during our trip to Greece. We had a family of four with two teenagers and got to experience a little bit of everything. We had a couple hiccups with car rentals, but that didn't take away from how well organized the whole vacation was. The team was incredibly responsive during our trip 24/7 and every guide we interacted with was the best! If I ever go to Greece again, I would be happy to work with Eleni and her... Read more

Eleni did a wonderful job providing great lodging, locations, and experiences during our trip to Greece. We had a family of four with two teenagers and got to experience a little bit of everything. We had a couple hiccups with car rentals, but that didn't take away from how well organized the whole vacation was. The team was incredibly responsive during our trip 24/7 and every guide we interacted with was the best! If I ever go to Greece again, I would be happy to work with Eleni and her team! Thank you for the memories.

Hotel Reviews
NLH Monastiraki
Athens

It's very close to the Plaka district and within walking distance of most shopping and restaurants. The room was pretty basic, but quiet. Really the staff was the highlight of this location. Pretty amazing customer service.

Authenticity & Character
It's a fairly basic hotel room. Not bad in any way.
Location
It doesn't have the best curb appeal in the alleys of Athens city. But inside is secure and lovely.
Staff
Staff was amazing! They recommended good places to eat and were great at making us feel at home.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Thanos Village
Gialova

Our family all loved this location. Quiet. Private. Stunning views in all directions. I enjoyed being surrounded by all the plants. Air conditioning worked well, close to beaches, shopping, and food. Loved the balcony and pool.

Authenticity & Character
The surrounding area.
Location
The ocean views and easy access to shopping.
Staff
I never saw the staff. We never needed anyone for anything.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Klymeni Traditional Homes
Nafplio

Probably one of the coolest places I've ever stayed. The homes are so neat with all the stone, marble, and wood. Beautiful views from the balconies of the castle, town, ocean, churches, and lime trees. Very magical. Our whole family loved it. Quiet, safe, peaceful, romantic, cozy, and you have easy access to anything you want to do in the area.

Authenticity & Character
The design of the villas is magical.
Location
The views are amazing!
Staff
The staff could not have been nicer or more helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean and comfortable. Totally felt comfortable walking around barefoot
Activity Reviews
Private Sailing to Proti Island
Private Sailing to Proti Island
Greece

Captain Nikos ensured that this trip would be a favorite for the entire family! The blues of the ocean were to die for! The sea was so calm and clear. The company and snacks were awesome. We didn't even make it to Proti island... We were having way too much fun getting a customized private route through the bay. Would do again 100%

Quality of Experience
Favorite for the entire family!
Food
The coffee and peaches
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Captain Nikos was the best!
Transport
We've never been on a sailboat before. Super relaxing and fun.
Kalamata private Food Tour
Kalamata private Food Tour
Greece

A cant-miss highlight for a trip to Kalamata! The tour combined great food, wine, coffee, company, city sights, and history with memorable local interactions. Maria was like an immediate best friend to our entire family. You could tell she was incredibly passionate about the food tour and making sure we all had a blast. I would recommend her food tour to everyone!!!

Quality of Experience
Maria was the best!
Food
All of the food was delicious. Had to pace ourselves because the is so much and you want to eat it all.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sea Kayak above sunken Epidaurus
Sea Kayak above sunken Epidaurus
Nafplio

A wonderful combination of beauty, activity, history, fun, relaxation, good food, and good company. Kayaking on the sea was therapeutic. The water was so calm and beautiful. Very laid back. Snorkeling over the sunken city was a magical experience. Loved every minute of it!

Quality of Experience
The tropical feel and snorkeling
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guides had very different personalities and were all fun.
Transport
Easy drive in. Easy to park. Easy to find. Great location.
Private Epidaurus Guided Tour
Private Epidaurus Guided Tour
Greece

Unless you're a big history buff... This location is just okay. We liked our guide and all, but for the amount of time it took to drive out there and then walk around in the heat... I don't know that it was worth it. Also, so much of it is covered with or surrounded by modern construction equipment.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hiking Palamidi Castle
Hiking Palamidi Castle
Nafplio

So we had a private guide who took us up the back way through the forest to the castle which we thought was cool until we realized we could have just driven and parked at the castle. Also, by the time we got up there, the castle was closing in 30 min so we didn't get to see a lot of it before getting kicked out. And our guide didn't really tell us anything about the castle.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The only negative was that our guide seemed really tired or out of shape and we're a pretty athletic family that wanted to get up the mountain quickly.
Transport
Horse Riding in Nafplio
Horse Riding in Nafplio
Nafplio

The horseback riding would have been better if it hadn't just been around the town... I'm use to horseback riding being an opportunity to see countryside you normally wouldn't see by foot or car. Also these particular horses were difficult. They were either bitter or slow. However, our guide was terrific. The best part of the edventure was when we stopped riding horses and just hung out at his place for drinks and fruit.

Quality of Experience
Better horses and location
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The guide was friendly and generous
Transport
Private Acropolis & Agora Mythology Tour
Private Acropolis & Agora Mythology Tour
Athens

The ruins took a backseat to our guide Maria who was really fun, funny, and the best part of the experience. Our family arents really big on history so we mostly just wanted to see the pantheon for photos. As cool as it was, the only negative were the crowds. We liked that our guide has photos of what the structures use to look like. :)

Quality of Experience
Maria, our guide was the highlight for sure!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Our driver to the Acropolis was awesome!
Local Sunset Dinner
Local Sunset Dinner
Greece
Local specialist: Eleni Fotiou
Eleni
Eleni Fotiou
Local specialist in Athens | Replied on Aug 03, 2022

Dear Joanna,
thank you so much for the beautiful memories you shared with me and our team here in Athens. Most of all, I would like to thank you for the wealth of information in your feedback with regards to accommodations, activities, drivers and guides, because it is very important for us to know our travelers' experience and impressions. I would love to plan another trip in Greece or Italy (where I also specialize in) for your family in the near future!

Safe travels!
Eleni

Our Trip to Radda in Chianti, Florance and Sorrento
Italy | Jul 22 - Jul 30, 2022

N
n h.
Ankeny, IA | Reviewed on Aug 02, 2022
Fabio was very nice to work with. I think he was a little busy as sometimes we didn't hear back. We also didn't quite get the level of detail and communication that we would have liked to understand what he had planned and feel comfortable and confident in our trip. For instance, we asked for a boating experience and didn't realize until we got to the boat place that what he booked was a 9-hour excursion that was more focused on visiting towns than boating. We did very much appreciate some... Read more

Fabio was very nice to work with. I think he was a little busy as sometimes we didn't hear back. We also didn't quite get the level of detail and communication that we would have liked to understand what he had planned and feel comfortable and confident in our trip. For instance, we asked for a boating experience and didn't realize until we got to the boat place that what he booked was a 9-hour excursion that was more focused on visiting towns than boating.

We did very much appreciate some of the concierge's help while we were there. Our luggage was lost and she was very helpful in tracking it down and getting it to us. And the drivers were always on time. We didn't understand the purpose of the person who met us in Sorrento, as he didn't live there and didn't provide any helpful info. Neither he nor the concierge could help us with local restaurant info, etc.

We also didn't really understand who to ask for questions we had and felt like one person would say, no ask the other person, etc. which wasn't great.

We did really love the person who was with us in Radda, Felipo. We are glad we did too as even though we thought we were getting booked on totally different excursions, he ended up leading them all - a biking tour, a hiking tour, and even a cooking class.

All in all, we had a great trip, but feel there are some kinks that Kim Kim, etc. should work out.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Balestri
Florence

Very nice people, updated rooms done quite nicely. Very bizarre collection of Goofy figures in the lobby area that clashed with the vibe of the hotel. Great location. Not a very sound proofed room.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Palazzo Leopoldo
Radda in Chianti

Very bare bones hotel. Cheap towels, toilet paper, sheets. You have to pay to get a robe or an extra towel. We could hear word for word conversations of the people outside. It also wasn't cleaned very well, and the AC could not keep up with the extreme outdoor heat. I found most of the staff to be overly formal and one, when we requested an upgraded room, to be on the rude side. It is super old, so if you are looking mainly for historic character and not a higher-end experience, this may work for you.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Grand Hotel Capodimonte
Sorrento

We ended up enjoying this hotel, but giving it 3 stars because the first room they put us in smelled strongly of mold and had black mold around two of the vents in the room. It was also right next to the pool so we could hear the people at the pool in our room, and it also did not have hot water. The hotel initially said sorry we are booked when we tried to get another room, but I was persistent and magically they gave us a different room that did not have these issues. We loved that room. The other thing that was a bummer about this hotel was the pool. We had not had a break from our kids in years and so were bummed that the pool was full of kids being kids - it just was not at all relaxing and so we didn't use it other than the initial time we went. Very good breakfast. Really pretty hotel overall.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tough one - the initial room they put us in would get 0 stars, but the one we finally got did not have issues and was great.
Activity Reviews
Private biking tour with lunch & wine tasting
Private biking tour with lunch & wine tasting
Italy
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Organic cooking class in a typical farmhouse - semi private
Organic cooking class in a typical farmhouse - semi private
Italy
Quality of Experience
It was lovely, but quite hot
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Fabio Fasone

Totally customized 2 week family trip to Costa Rica (10 Jul - 23 Jul)
Costa Rica | Jul 10 - Jul 23, 2022

A
Anna L.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Aug 02, 2022
We've just come back from an amazing trip with another family to Costa Rica. Planned and supported by Yuliana, KimKim and Amazilia throughout. Fantastic service from start to end. Thank you Yuliana and KimKim/Amazilia. From the moment I contacted KimKim with a speculative query, KimKim’s responsiveness was immediately apparent. A local agent was assigned to help me plan the trip within 24 hours and thereafter, all queries were responded to, at maximum within 24 hours, or within... Read more

We've just come back from an amazing trip with another family to Costa Rica. Planned and supported by Yuliana, KimKim and Amazilia throughout. Fantastic service from start to end. Thank you Yuliana and KimKim/Amazilia.

From the moment I contacted KimKim with a speculative query, KimKim’s responsiveness was immediately apparent.

A local agent was assigned to help me plan the trip within 24 hours and thereafter, all queries were responded to, at maximum within 24 hours, or within minutes if my queries were sent within office hours of Costa Rica time zone, which I've noticed can often run to 7 or 8pm local time. Our minds were made up to choose KimKim to help plan our holiday within the first few interactions and supported by the excellent reviews they've received for trips all over the world.

We were not disappointed. Yuliana was the local agent assigned to us, she has been professional, helpful, and responsive throughout; irrespective of the number of questions I had and boy, I had a few questions as we knew very little about Costa Rica. Whilst there were a few tweaks to her draft trip plan, it had met the brief straightaway. We played around with hotels, number of nights at each destination and activities to suit our families. We had some specific requirements and date constraints as two of our teenagers were volunteering at a Turtle conservation centre in Uvita, in week one, therefore we had to fit in with their timeline. Yuliana helped us arrange the private transfer to collect them up from the conversation centre before picking the rest of the party up to our onward destination. She changed things around, provided additional options or clear feedback on suggestions where things may not suit, we really valued the honesty and her local knowledge.

The trips and transfers were done with a mixture of providers but we felt reassured that KimKim/Amazilia were there in San Jose to support if there were issues. The trip ran like clockwork, transfers were prompt, activities were enriching and fun and the guides were knowledge and entertaining. There were only a couple of hiccups which were not the fault of KimKim but they were on the case promptly and helped us resolve.

Hotel Reviews
Parador Nature Resort & Spa
Manuel Antonio

A large hotel, with beautiful ground and great facilities - multiple pools, 3 restaurants including a sushi bar, it's own crazy golf course and monkey trail. Rooms were not the biggest but adequate and well equipped. Small balcony, looking onto the courtyard. A wonderful local beach, Playa Biesanz which is walking distance but quite a steep walk. We felt the hotel was very security conscious, all entries and exits were questioned and confirmed for vehicles and pedestrian. Great ocean views. We loved the Pedro, the resident iguana!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Up a very steep hill, which put us off venturing out to try the local restaurants.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rooms were clean and comfortable, however, there was a faint damp smell to the linen.
Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco
Monteverde

Not the biggest hotel. More basic than the previous two we'd stayed in. We ended up being allocated a room without air con although it did have a fan. The hotel room was quite small but adequate. Storage was a bit of a challenge in that the hanging space was limited, within a short cupboard where my husband was not able to hang his shirt up without being crumpled. We had an issue with our plumbing which was quickly rectified. The grounds were very well maintained with beautiful planting. The hotel had a covered pool area with a good bar, a large jacuzzi and a large fire pit with seating which were popular in the evenings. There was a short walking trail around the grounds and plenty of outdoor seating, which I made use of to compensate for the smaller rooms. It's the only hotel out of 5 that had a menu option for breakfast, which was lovely.

Authenticity & Character
lovely grounds, with plenty of outdoor seating and a walking trail within the grounds. It was also very handy to have ramp access for the heavy cases on check out!
Location
Great location for access to Santa Elena, where we were able to sample the local bars and restaurants of which there are many.
Staff
responsive and friendly
Cleanliness & Comfort
Arenal Springs Resort & Spa
La Fortuna

Lovely hotel set in a lot of grounds. I like the lodge arrangements that was separate to the pool and restaurants. Good choice of restaurants, we particularly liked the Italian, the Sushi bar and the snack menu which was offered during the day. There was plenty of choice for breakfast and the service time from 6:30 helped with several of our early morning excursions. We preferred the evening meals from the other restaurants on site. There was a mix up upon checking where my acceptance of an upgrade for one of the rooms turned out to be a change the hotel had made, reducing our 3 room requirement to a single room which was upgraded to the Master Suite. Whilst this did come with a double room, it would not have worked accommodating with 2 families, 7 people. The hotel did insisted that we had to settle for this arrangement as they were full, fortunately KimKim were already on the case and by the time we went back to reception after assessing the room. Arenal Springs did provide us with another double room which we made work. That was an unfortunate start to an otherwise wonderful stay at Arenal Springs. We all loved the daily towel displays and chocolates and the Master Suite was luxurious with two in-room jacuzzis powered by Hot Springs, an indoor and outdoor shower and a hammock with a view of Arenal Volcano.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hampton by Hilton San JosƩ Airport
Alajuela

Good hotel, room size and facilities as you'd expect of a large chain.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Very convenient for the airport and the free shuttle was handy
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Cristal Ballena Boutique Hotel & Spa
Playa Ballena

Cristal Ballena is one of our favourites on the trip. The hotel was fairly small therefore an intimate feel. It was tucked away off the main road and had amazing views, floral, fauna and wildlife. We got best close up view of a sloth of the whole holiday at Cristal Ballena. The staff were attentive, the food was good. We had dinner at the hotel on all 3 nights we were there. Rooms were of a good size, with air con. We had a balcony with a view into the the hotel grounds, swimming pool, the ocean in the distance for incredible sunsets.

Authenticity & Character
Relatively small and intimate, with great staff.
Location
Tucked away from the main road. Well maintained and beautiful gardens. It would be 5 star if the beach was a bit more accessible. Great views and sunsets.
Staff
Friendly and attentive. They would often come over to let us know if wildlife had been spotted.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean and comfortable.
Activity Reviews
Whales & Dolphins Boat Tour in Marino Ballena National Park
Whales & Dolphins Boat Tour in Marino Ballena National Park
Costa Rica

A great adventure with a relatively small group. We were rewarded with sightings of plenty of dolphins and a turtle, even though the whales didn't make an appearance on that day. We liked the way the guide was in communication with all the other boats out with the same purpose so if one boat spotted wildlife, the others would rush to the same spot so others could also. It brought an additional element of excitement to the tour. We particularly loved the way the tour started and ended, where the passengers had to enter the boat from the beach rather than a jetty and surfing the waves to get back onto the beach! What fun. The fresh fruit was a nice touch.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Damas Island Mangrove Kayaking
Damas Island Mangrove Kayaking
Costa Rica

Thanks Alain and the other guides for a wonderful experience. We saw lots of wildlife, had enough freedom to go at our own pace although there were some quite competitive kayaks :). We appreciated the food at the end of kayaking.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guided Hanging Bridges Hike
Guided Hanging Bridges Hike
Monteverde

Thank you to our guide Phillipe, we thoroughly enjoyed the tour. We learnt a lot about Costa Rica's eco system and climate. The transfer was a little confusing, as it was a bus full and no communication about where we had to go at the beginning so we joined the main queue, along with the other bus loads. However, all was clear when we got to reception. We were assigned Phillipe as our guide. It was really busy at the time so Phillipe suggested that we did the bridges backwards, ie. from 8 to 1 to avoid the crowds. That worked really well.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike
Costa Rica

Thank you to our wonderful guide, Carla for spotting all the wildlife (we don't know how you manage to see some of the well camouflaged insects and animals), flora and fauna and particularly for help us take some tremendous photographs through your binoculars with our smart phones.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Callidryas Sloth Watching Tour
Callidryas Sloth Watching Tour
Arenal/La Fortuna

We spotted 7 in all, two and three toed sloth. We also saw plenty poison dart frogs, a Jesus Christ Lizard, howler monkeys and a tiger heron. Thank you to our knowledgeable guide and the local spotter who'd spent hours before tracking down the animals.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde
Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde
Monteverde

3 star, not because we didn't see as much as we'd like but because our guide whilst informative was less conversational. Again, he tried to avoid the crowds and the searches felt a little desperate towards the end. That said, we did enjoy it and managed to capture great photos of a glass winged butterfly, pit viper, hummingbird amongst others. Thank you for providing torches.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Pick up was slightly late. We came to the realisation that this can happen where there are multiple pick ups. The buses can get very full which can be a challenge for those over 6 foot.
El Silencio Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs
El Silencio Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs
Arenal/La Fortuna

Thank you Franklin, we believe he's one of the best. We were entertained. The teenagers even enjoyed the singing and the dad jokes ;). Hot and humid but we really enjoyed it. Franklin kept a good pace, although he did say at the beginning that we could ask him to slow down if we'd need him to. The heavens opened when we got to the thermal springs and for the most of our time in the springs but we enjoyed the experience nonetheless.

Quality of Experience
Food
Good choice
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Horseback Riding to La Fortuna Waterfall
Horseback Riding to La Fortuna Waterfall
Arenal/La Fortuna

This was never going to be our favourite activity, as a group we're not experienced, therefore I don't review the horse riding part. The 3 star review is because of the mismatched in expectations around the La Fortuna Waterfall and optional opportunity to swim. We didn't expect this to be a hike (at least 30 mins) down steep steps (and back up for the return) to get to the waterfall. We were prepared for a short walk but not this level of difficulty. The walk also didn't bring us to the waterfall, whilst it was visible at the end of the walk. For those who had opted to swim, they can cross the water with a further short walk to get to the waterfall. For those who had opted not to swim, there was no way to get to the waterfall and there was nowhere to stand/sit and wait for the rest of the part. We collectively felt that this detail need to be reflected in the activity description.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
PeƱas Blancas River Floating Safari Adventure by Raft
PeƱas Blancas River Floating Safari Adventure by Raft
Arenal/La Fortuna

What a finale activity for us. Once again, our guide was brilliant, knowledgeable, full of humour and chat thank you Martin. We had to do a little bit of work but not a lot given the flow of the river. Our activity was made some what more exciting by an unplanned rescue of a couple of stranded kayakers (both were rescued, unharmed and laughed about their experience).

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Yuliana Valverde
Yuliana
Yuliana Valverde
Local specialist in San JosƩ, Costa Rica | Replied on Aug 02, 2022
Hi Anna,
I hope you are well.
I am so happy to know you have had a great experience with us, and you have collected beautiful memories with your family here.
Also, I hope the children had the best experience volunteering at a Turtle conservation center in Uvita.
It is great to read your comments and your experience during your stay here in Costa Rica. It is important to know how was everything during your stay.
I am sure it will help us to grow as a company and continue creating the best...
Read more

Hi Anna,
I hope you are well.
I am so happy to know you have had a great experience with us, and you have collected beautiful memories with your family here.
Also, I hope the children had the best experience volunteering at a Turtle conservation center in Uvita.
It is great to read your comments and your experience during your stay here in Costa Rica. It is important to know how was everything during your stay.
I am sure it will help us to grow as a company and continue creating the best experiences for all our visitors.
I appreciate your time to leave this amazing review.
I hope you could visit Costa Rica again in the future. 😊
Kind regards,
Yuliana

Excellent travail de la part de Luisa... MERCI
Peru | Jul 26 - Aug 1, 2022

I
Isabelle R.
France | Reviewed on Aug 02, 2022
Luisa est une jeune femme pleine d'entrain de joie de vie communicative qui a su être à notre écoute et nous a concocté un planning de voyage au Pérou vraiment parfait et surtout correspondant à nos envies déterminées à l'avance.un grand merci donc à Luisa pour ce voyage plein de découvertes. Nous recommandons vivement et même plus encore. Read more

Luisa est une jeune femme pleine d'entrain de joie de vie communicative qui a su être à notre écoute et nous a concocté un planning de voyage au Pérou vraiment parfait et surtout correspondant à nos envies déterminées à l'avance.un grand merci donc à Luisa pour ce voyage plein de découvertes. Nous recommandons vivement et même plus encore.

Activity Reviews
Must sees in Lima
Must sees in Lima
Lima

On a dƩcouvert Lima dans d'excellentes conditions voir privilƩgiƩes

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Drive towards Paracas
Drive towards Paracas
Lima
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Overflight Nazca Lines & Sunset over the dunes
Overflight Nazca Lines & Sunset over the dunes
Peru
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Drive back to Lima from Paracas
Drive back to Lima from Paracas
Paracas
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Welcome to Cusco City
Welcome to Cusco City
Cusco

On a eu le bonheur de rencontrer Guido, notre guide local qui a ƩtƩ fantastique,communicatif, plein d'humour,un vrai coup de coeur pour Guido

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Cusco Walking City Tour
Cusco Walking City Tour
Cusco
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Moray circular terraces and soft hike to Maras salt mines
Moray circular terraces and soft hike to Maras salt mines
Peru

Exceptionnel

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Lunch at the Shores of Piuray Lake
Lunch at the Shores of Piuray Lake
Peru

Un endroit bien secret et authentique

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Chinchero Village & its archaeological park
Chinchero Village & its archaeological park
Peru

On y fait nos achats,on a passé un très très bon moment

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Ollantaytambo Village and Inca Site Exploration. Pinkulluna Hike
Ollantaytambo Village and Inca Site Exploration. Pinkulluna Hike
Peru

Guido, toujours Guido Ʃtait lƠ pour nous donner toutes les informations nƩcessaires et rƩpondre Ơ nos questions

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
 Pachamanca: Traditional Andean Underground Cooking
Pachamanca: Traditional Andean Underground Cooking
Sacred Valley

Beaux souvenirs

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Il est temps de remercier trĆØs chaleureusement notre chauffeur, discret, trĆØs sympathique et excellent conducteur
Machu Picchu Exploration
Machu Picchu Exploration
Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

L'endroit est juste magnifique et magique

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Dommage guide pas du tout Ć  la hauteur de nos attentes
Transport
Local specialist: Luisa Lafaix Raffo

Absolutely perfect trip top to bottom.
Italy | Jul 19 - Aug 1, 2022

Michael
Michael G.
Palo Alto, CA | Reviewed on Aug 02, 2022
Absolutely perfect trip top to bottom. White glove service all along. Alessandro was fantastic at both his plan for us and his willingness to work with us as the trip played out. Wonderful trip! Read more

Absolutely perfect trip top to bottom. White glove service all along. Alessandro was fantastic at both his plan for us and his willingness to work with us as the trip played out. Wonderful trip!

Hotel Review
CASTELLUCCIO PALUSSE
CittĆ  della Pieve (PG)

The owner of this castle is Katia, a charming woman who is full of life and brings her spirit to her work. Family cooked meals, amazing hospitality. I’d love to stay there again.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Katia is fanstastic!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Alessandro Bellaguardia
Alessandro
Alessandro Bellaguardia
Local specialist in Italy | Replied on Aug 02, 2022

Ciao Michael, thank you so much for this review! It was a great pleasure to work in the organization of this trip!

Thanks for choosing Italy!

Alessandro

Nicely planned, but not stress free
Portugal | Jul 4 - Jul 10, 2022

J
jo d.
Lexington, MA | Reviewed on Aug 02, 2022
Wanting a stress free anniversary trip, we booked with Marina. It was smooth sailing until we got the documents 1-1/2 weeks before the trip and had to make changes. Marina had us in for a 10am food tour when we were flying in at 7am. The original plan was for a dinner food tour. She also had us in for a car rental on a day we couldn’t pick it up. We needed to have payments refunded for these 2 services, and the refund was 1/2 what you see as the retail rate. The lack of transparency with... Read more

Wanting a stress free anniversary trip, we booked with Marina. It was smooth sailing until we got the documents 1-1/2 weeks before the trip and had to make changes. Marina had us in for a 10am food tour when we were flying in at 7am. The original plan was for a dinner food tour. She also had us in for a car rental on a day we couldn’t pick it up. We needed to have payments refunded for these 2 services, and the refund was 1/2 what you see as the retail rate. The lack of transparency with KimKim pricing meant that we didn’t know what we actually paid, or if the refund was a fair amount. Marina said it was.
After flying overnight with little sleep, we arrive at the airport at 7am and the private airport transfer to our hotel didn’t show up.. After an hour wait, we took a cab. Marina said they thought we were arriving close to noon, not sure why they would think that. Again, we were reimbursed for a private car at the same rate as a public cab That didn’t make sense to us as we could have just grabbed a cab to begin with. Why book a private transfer?
We had a lovely Jeep tour with Natascha to Set Cidades. Unfortunately it was foggy at the top of the crater, but we saw the blue and green lakes, and had a nice time with her. She was personable and informative.
We had a great day with Wilson, our guide for a 5 hour hike up to Lagos de Fogo. The picnic lunch was a bit meager, but we discovered these fabulous little cakes called quejadas, and then went to the shop in Villa Franco do Compo to eat more of them with some cappuccino. We also went to a swimming hole and drove along the coast on the way back to our hotel.
Our tour to Furnas with Paulo was very good, but he picked us up 25 minutes late. After our no-show driver experience at the airport, we were afraid that he wouldn’t come at all. It would have been great if he phoned our hotel to say that he was running late. However, Paulo was terrific, knowledgeable, and personable. We had a dinner of cozida in Furnas, and went to the the Ponca da Beira hot springs which were very relaxing.
Friday was our anniversary and Marina had booked us a table about 2 months ago, at our request, at the Associacao Agricola. When we arrived, they didn’t have our reservation! We were pretty upset as the restaurant was jammed. The maitre de took pity on us (it was our anniversary!) and we got a table after about a 1/2 hour wait. It would have been good if Marina confirmed the reservation a few days before the actual date.
All in all it was a lovely vacation but not stress free. We would have appreciated the itinerary a month before (as the original documents said) so that we weren’t going back and forth about arrangements and refunds days before we traveled, more fee transparency, and confirmation of our bookings so that we didn’t have to deal with no shows and back up plans.

Hotel Review
Octant Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada

The hotel staff was wonderful, very helpful and accommodating and there were plenty of them at any given time. The buffet breakfast was outstanding.

Authenticity & Character
Could have been a hotel anywhere in the world.
Location
On the harbor, a little bit of a walk into town.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Sete Ciudades Jeep Adventure
Sete Ciudades Jeep Adventure
SĆ£o Miguel Island

Natacha was wonderful. Too bad it was foggy, but that is not her fault!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hike Adventure to Lagoa do Fogo
Hike Adventure to Lagoa do Fogo
SĆ£o Miguel Island

Wilson was a quiet and competent guide. He took this at our pace, which is great because it was quite a climb! He offered some history and local context. The picnic lunch was meager and we carried it up ourselves. Somehow I was expecting more. Wilson was flexible in how we spent the rest of the day and we visited coastal towns. We were tired and happy at the end of the day.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Night Hot Springs in Furnas
Night Hot Springs in Furnas
SĆ£o Miguel Island

Paolo was a wonderful guide, setting the tone for a van full of strangers to have a good time together. He knows the island so well and shared his own story and knowledge generously. Dinner was great, the hot tubs were lovely. The only suggestion: he picked us up late, and could have called ahead to tell us that. Also, there were about 8 of us. After a private tours, we weren’t expecting 8 in a van. The drops offs at other hotels made it a longer night. But, the other folks were great company.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Marina Courtaut
Marina
Marina Courtaut
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Aug 09, 2022
Hi Joanne, Thank you for taking the time to write your trip review. I am glad you enjoyed your guided tours with Paulo, Natacha, and Wilson and I hope you enjoyed your stay at the Azores. As we mentioned when you book your trip, we normally send your travel documents no more than 3 to 2 weeks in advance since there are details from your trip that are still pending like the name of your guides. In any case, I sent you your travel documents on the 21st of June which was 14 days before your... Read more

Hi Joanne,

Thank you for taking the time to write your trip review. I am glad you enjoyed your guided tours with Paulo, Natacha, and Wilson and I hope you enjoyed your stay at the Azores.

As we mentioned when you book your trip, we normally send your travel documents no more than 3 to 2 weeks in advance since there are details from your trip that are still pending like the name of your guides. In any case, I sent you your travel documents on the 21st of June which was 14 days before your arrival on the 4th of July.

We understand that when we send you travel documents there can be last-minute adjustments and we address that by being as flexible as possible and always finding a solution.

The food tour in Ponta Delgada does not run every day and depending on the time of the week there is a morning food tour or an afternoon food tour. On your arrival day, the food tour was only offered in the morning. I calculated you would have enough time to get to the hotel from the airport, check-in and make it to the food tour without rushing. I offered you the alternative to move the food tour to another day but you mentioned that it would not work for you.

I am sorry about the arrival transfer, our transfer providers in the Azores were totally overloaded in July and they did not have the capacity to keep up with our quality standards. We have already changed our providers in the Azores, I was very disappointed with the way they handled this mistake.

I am as well disappointed that the restaurant did not have your dinner reservation... although I made the reservation 2 months in advance I had no way to prove to the restaurant that the reservation was confirmed since I made the reservation by phone. You can't make a reservation online. Your restaurant reservation and all your trip services were reconfirmed a week before your arrival, as we always do with all our clients.

When you change a car rental pick-up time if the difference between the old pick-up time and the new pick-up time is less than 24h the price of the rental car is the same. In this case, I changed the pick-up time less than 24h, and although the rental car agency did not offer us a refund, we refunded you.

In all refunds we reimbursed want we changed you for all the services, our margin is already included in those prices.

Warmest regards,
Marina

17 amazing days in Ecuador
Ecuador | Jul 13 - Jul 31, 2022

Sandra
Sandra S.
Spain | Reviewed on Aug 02, 2022
I can only highly recommend travelling to Ecuador with kimkim. My local agent, Alvaro, was absolutely incredible. There was no wish that he left unfulfilled and no question that he left unanswered- he was constantly available and I felt very much pampered and cared for. Moreover did the itinerary that he designed cover the best that this beautiful and diverse country has to offer: nature, wildlife, culture and history.
My local guides , who gave me exclusive tours and were shining bright...
Read more

I can only highly recommend travelling to Ecuador with kimkim. My local agent, Alvaro, was absolutely incredible. There was no wish that he left unfulfilled and no question that he left unanswered- he was constantly available and I felt very much pampered and cared for. Moreover did the itinerary that he designed cover the best that this beautiful and diverse country has to offer: nature, wildlife, culture and history.
My local guides , who gave me exclusive tours and were shining bright with an impressive wisdom of their country's history, local customs, and nature's wonders enriched my travel experience tremendously. They made sure that I got the best shots of the sights and wildlife, since I love photography, but also ensured that I learned a lot and broadened my horizon.
Thank you to the kimkim team for making this trip unforgettable, and most importantly, thank you Alvaro, for exceeding all my expectations on customer service.

Local specialist: Alvaro Pereira
Alvaro
Alvaro Pereira
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Aug 03, 2022

Dear Sandra!

I am so happy to read your review as your trip came really close to my heart being a solo traveler myself.

I hope that you were able to take a little bit of this country deep in your heart, and I wish that you come back soon!

Remember, I am a text way from a fantastic new journey!

My warmest regards,
Alvaro

We can't speak more highly about Emanuela
Iceland | May 26 - Jun 2, 2022

Danielle
Danielle N.
Davis, CA | Reviewed on Aug 01, 2022
We can't speak more highly about Emanuela and the services she provided for us. We had originally planned our trip with her for May 2020, and when covid hit we needed to cancel . Emanuela checked in with us over the summer and the following year and was always respectful of our concerns about Covid and never pressured us to rebook sooner than we were comfortable. Our trip this past May/June 2022 was spectacular. Emanuela kept in touch with us by text to be sure our trip was going well. We... Read more

We can't speak more highly about Emanuela and the services she provided for us. We had originally planned our trip with her for May 2020, and when covid hit we needed to cancel . Emanuela checked in with us over the summer and the following year and was always respectful of our concerns about Covid and never pressured us to rebook sooner than we were comfortable. Our trip this past May/June 2022 was spectacular. Emanuela kept in touch with us by text to be sure our trip was going well. We loved our accommodations in small guest houses and she even booked us at a horse farm. She made many personal recommendations for restaurants that we loved. We enjoyed the tours that we pre-booked, the Lava Show in Vik was excellent, the Lava Tunnel tour was fun and educational, and the Ice Cave tour was challenging and exciting. We lucked out during our whale watching trip and we saw 3 whales coming to the surface, flipping their tails multiple times. We even saw a puffin skimming over the ocean while feeding.
Emanuela's knowledge and experience of Iceland was evident in the recommendations she gave us that highlighted the beauty of the country, the magnificent waterfalls and the volcanic lava flows. Unfortunately we caught Covid and two of the three of us had to stay an extra 3 days. Emanuela helped us extend our hotel stay and access medical care. We highly recommend using Emanuela to plan your trip to Iceland.

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco
Emanuela
Emanuela Grieco
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Aug 02, 2022

Hi Danielle,
thank you so much for your beautiful words!
How wonderful has been to stay in touch with you and Hallie over the past 2 years and on your trips to Iceland in May and June.
My heart is filled with joy at reading your words and can not thank you enough for your lovely review and the time you took to write it.

All the best to the three of you and tons of love,
Emanuela

Best Experience Ever 😊 !!
Spain | Jul 23 - Jul 31, 2022

Neida
Neida J.
Lansdale, PA | Reviewed on Aug 01, 2022
I decided to travel to Spain with my college friend and we had some unique requirements, which in turn led us to James. After chatting with him and understanding his process, we knew we met the right person to guide us and get this trip pulled together, to cover the areas of Spain we wanted to visit. With patience and knowledge, James created the trip of a lifetime for us. I just returned, and wanted to share my feedback. If you want to travel to Spain, look no further. James and... Read more

I decided to travel to Spain with my college friend and we had some unique requirements, which in turn led us to James.

After chatting with him and understanding his process, we knew we met the right person to guide us and get this trip pulled together, to cover the areas of Spain we wanted to visit.

With patience and knowledge, James created the trip of a lifetime for us.

I just returned, and wanted to share my feedback. If you want to travel to Spain, look no further. James and his team were phenomenal!

The itinerary was perfect, the details were executed with perfection and we were cared for from the minute we landed to the minute we departed. We will have lasting memories of an incredible week.

Thumbs up šŸ‘šŸ» All the way!!

Local specialist: James Monro
James
James Monro
Local specialist in Sevilla, Spain | Replied on Aug 02, 2022

Hi Neida,

It makes our day to read comments like this!! Many thanks for taking the time to write and it was a real pleasure to have you travelling with us. We are THRILLED that the trip all came together well and that you enjoyed it so! I hope you'll remember the experience for many years to come!

Thanks again and un abrazo,
James

Fabulous time in Portugal!!!
Portugal | Jul 22 - Jul 31, 2022

C
CHRISTINE A.
Houston, TX | Reviewed on Aug 01, 2022
I know some people who plan trips on their own and feel travel agents don't add value. I have to say that Marta and Karin proved their worth as travel agents every step of the way. it was easy to message them during the planning process. They figured out pretty quickly what kind of hotels I liked. They provided a very nice mixture of activities (in city food and cultural tours, hikes, day trips to surrounding areas, kayaking etc.). Every detail of the trip was planned perfectly. Having... Read more

I know some people who plan trips on their own and feel travel agents don't add value. I have to say that Marta and Karin proved their worth as travel agents every step of the way. it was easy to message them during the planning process. They figured out pretty quickly what kind of hotels I liked. They provided a very nice mixture of activities (in city food and cultural tours, hikes, day trips to surrounding areas, kayaking etc.). Every detail of the trip was planned perfectly. Having drivers already scheduled and ready to go saved us so much time and were hassle free. The app they used to store all of our travel plans was fabulous. During our trip, they were available by phone or by chat. Everything went off without a hitch. Our tour guide in Porto, Tommy, was entertaining, friendly and knowledgable. Our hiking guide Carlos, who to us to Peneda-Geres National Park was so knowledgable about nature. Bernardo our guide to our Sintra day hike was great! Ana-Luisa, our food and cultural tour guide in Madeira was fabulous too! Luis who led our kayaking snorkeling adventure was great too. Thanks for a fabulous trip. We can't wait to use you again when we travel to Spain!!!

Hotel Reviews
Lisbon Marriott Hotel
Lisbon

Perfect for our purpose. We had one last night in Lisbon and wanted to be super close to the airport to catch a 5 am flight in the morning. The only thing that just meh, was the restaurant. That is typical of Marriotts however. Anyway, this hotel was perfect if you need a place close to the airport and want a good night sleep.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to airport
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado
Lisbon

The location of this hotel is its finest attribute. This hotel is within walking distance to a ton of restaurants, outdoor cafes, shopping, the waterfront, the tram.......pretty much everything! The rooms were beautiful. My only issue is the rooms were on the small side but other than that, this is a lovely hotel. The staff and concierge were very helpful in finding restaurants or anything we needed.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Fabulous!!! It is so close to many attractions and we really did not have to get in a cab to go where we wanted to go. We walked everywhere from this hotel
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Yeatman Hotel
Vila Nova de Gaia

This is a first rate hotel. We would go back again and take advantage of the World of Wine tour. We didn't have time this time around. The only issue with this hotel is it is about a 17 minute cab ride to most places. Ideally I like to stay in hotels where I can walk to restaurants and shopping. Other than that, it was fabulous. Also, net time we will definitely book their one Michelin star restaurant. Also I did not realize until we got there that this is a Relais & Chateaux property. Every detail of your stay is thought out and fabulous! I forgot to mention the breakfasts, which are included, were the bomb. Everything was delicious and plentiful. My favorite detail was the decorations they would put on top of the cup of cappuccino!

Authenticity & Character
Beautiful and spacious property. First class attention to all details of the stay.
Location
Beautiful views. Wish it were closer to town though
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Madeira
Funchal, Madeira

What can I say other than it was like I died and went to heaven. This hotel is soooooooo gorgeous. They were also very accommodating at this hotel and very attentive to service. We had an early flight to Madeira so we arrived at our hotel around 9:30am. They sent us to have a fabulous breakfast by the pool while we were waiting for our room. They were able to get us in our room by 11am. They also let us have a late check out on our last day of 1:30pm. I know these sound like small things but when you only have two days in Madeira, you want to maximize. The entire facility was gorgeous. It is set on a cliffside over looking the ocean. The rooms weren't spacious but so gorgeously decorated. Lovely gifts were left in the room, like a travel journal, a beach bag and a water bottle. They had two pools, a salt water and a chlorine pool. They were both large and gorgeous. The vegetation on the property was gorgeous. They breakfasts, which were included were fab. They had plenty of outdoor shaded seating for breakfast and lunch. The William, which is a one Michelin star restaurant was top notch. There was a deck down by the ocean, which you need to take a long stair case to reach. That was absolutely a gorgeous place to just to lounge!~ and watch the ocean and listen to the surf. This is such a special place! I can't wait to return!

Authenticity & Character
This is a renovated mansion. They kept photos and details of a previous area. You definitely felt you were at a very special place.
Location
Set on a cliff overlooking the ocean with absolute gorgeous views!
Staff
Attention to every detail and sooooooo polite and lovely!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Perfection!
Activity Reviews
Porto Foodie Experience
Porto Foodie Experience
Porto

We loved Sergio our tour guide. He was friendly, knowledgable and entertaining. It was a nice format so that we were able to chat with the other people in the small group. The wines we had were really good. My only criticism is that the food was just ok. The cheese and the sardine courses were good. The desserts/food they paired with the port were just meh. Some of the other courses, I plain old can't remember because they weren't memorable. In summary, the tour guide was great, the wine and port, really good and the food could be improved.

Quality of Experience
Food
Please improve the food that is paired with the port at the end.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Sergio was funny, entertaining and knowledgable.
Privately Guided Visit of Porto
Privately Guided Visit of Porto
Porto

Tommy Hogg reached out two days before the tour via What's app just to connect. He was easy to find at our meeting point because we were already connected on What's app. He was knowledgable and entertaining. He asked us a lot of questions to get us engaged with the subject matter and the tour. At the end of the tour, he helped us with directions for our next stop, a restaurant which was close by. I would highly recommend Tommy and the tour!!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Hiking & Cultural Excursion in Peneda-GerĆŖs National Park
Hiking & Cultural Excursion in Peneda-GerĆŖs National Park
Porto

This was a lovely trip to add on to a City stay. Having a day trip to a national park day trip to be outside with nature was a nice contrast to restaurants, tours and shopping. Carlos was a great guide. He was very knowledgable about nature. Everything about the day went smoothly, including the picnic, which was a nice touch. Carlos found out we had never been to Spain, so he took a little extra time to drive over the border, so we could say we have been to Spain!

Quality of Experience
Hiking and being outdoors with nature. The hike was challenging enough but not overly so.
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Carlos is just a very nice likeable and knowlegable guide!
Transport
Private Transfer  {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}, Guided Visit of Coimbra
Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}, Guided Visit of Coimbra
Portugal

This was a nice way to get from Porto to Lisbon and squeeze in a day trip to Coimbra too. The only glitch we had was the driver didn't really know the game plan as to where we should be dropped off and he didn't speak much English, which would have been ok, we were just thrown off because most of the other drivers were able to communicate well. Anyway, that was the only hiccup. Fabiana was a great tour guide and she also went out of her way to make sure we got reconnected with our driver as the tour was done. Coimbra is a university city and home to the country's most prestigious university. It was a nice bonus that Fabiana was a graduate of that University and she also is returning in the fall for her Master's degree. Coimbra is another picturesque city in Portugal! What is not to love! Fabiana was multi lingual (Portuguese, Spanish, English and I'm sure other languages). She was very knowledgeable! Thanks for the great tour!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Fabiana receives 5 stars, the driver receives 3 for not knowing where we were supposed to go and not reaching out to the company for information.
Transport
The drive was fine but as stated above, it is important that the driver be sure about where to drop tourists off in Coimbra. He just dropped us off at a random gate and it was really hard to figure out where to go from there.
Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour
Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour
Portugal

This was a fabulous way to get around Lisbon. If you haven't been on a Tuk Tuk tour, it is essentially being driven around on a golf cart type vehicle. This is the perfect way to get around Lisbon to see the highlights. I love walking but Lisbon is pretty spread out and very hilly. Ines was our tour guide and was so friendly and knowledgable. I know the tram (cable car) is famous and really cool but I have to say it was super crowded, which doesn't seem like a good idea during COVID times. The Tuk tuk tour was still ourdoors/open air but it was just the three of us and our driver. They essentially followed the same route as the tram tour. This trip was definitely worth doing and I would recommend it!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Ines was great!
Transport
Loved the Tuk Tuk. It is perfect for the narrow and bumpy roads of Lisbon !
Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets
Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets
Portugal

Sintra is a must see if you are in Lisbon. The car ride was only 35-40 minutes. You could do the bus tour to get up to the palace and the fortress but hiking was much more enjoyable and we really had great weather. The line to get into the palace was insanely long/crowded so we opted not to go inside. People were packed in like sardines. It was still well worth the trip to see everything from the outside however. Bernardo was knowledgable and guided everywhere so we didn't get lost. Hiking the stairs up to the fortress was a little scary. Once you make it to the top, the stairs back down are way less scary. People without guides didn't know there was a back staircase to get back down. Our guide was very helpful.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Introducing Funchal - Food & Cultural Tour
Introducing Funchal - Food & Cultural Tour
Portugal

We had only a few days in Madeira and this tour really hit all the food and cultural highlights. It was a small group and a nice way to meet tourists from all over the world. It is essentially a walking tour throughout Funchal with several stops at restaurants and cafes along the way. The quality of the food was great. Ana Luisa, our guide was very welcoming, knowledgable and fun. She was multi lingual also able to switch from English to German to Spanish. Don't eat much before you go on this tour because you will be absolutely full by the end!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Garajau Nature Reserve: Kayaking, Snorkeling & Cliff Diving
Garajau Nature Reserve: Kayaking, Snorkeling & Cliff Diving
Portugal

The description of this made it sound like we were going somewhere remote. It actually started from a hotel water front. This was fine with us however because our hotel did not have this option. This was a fun activity and my first time kayaking. The guide was great and I felt safe. Going out was easy because we were with the current. Save you energy for the way back against the current. The water was a little too rough to snorkel at the half way point (which was a more remote location)so we snorkeled close to the hotel when we returned. It was still lovely and the guide was very smart to be safe.

Quality of Experience
Super fun, out in nature
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Luis was great and entertaining and he kept us safe
Transport
Driver who picked us up and dropped us off was great
Local specialist: Marta Trzeciakowska
Marta
Marta Trzeciakowska
Local specialist in Madrid, Spain | Replied on Aug 09, 2022

Hi Christine, thank you for your kind words and this wonderful insight about your time in Portugal. I am very glad you enjoyed the trip and I hope we can stay in touch for your future adventures in Spain and Portugal. All my best, Marta

Exceeded All Expectations!
Croatia | Jun 30 - Jul 4, 2022

E
Erika F.
Costa Mesa, CA | Reviewed on Aug 01, 2022
I'll start by saying that I have never used a tour guide or a tour company prior to working with Robi through KimKim. But, once I started sharing the type of vacation we were looking for, it was immediately obvious that we were in excellent hands. Robi planned a customized itinerary that exceeded all expectations! We are a family of three (mom, dad and 14-year old teen) who wanted a multi-sport adventure that would be fun for all and avoid the touristy areas. Robi exceeded all expectations!... Read more

I'll start by saying that I have never used a tour guide or a tour company prior to working with Robi through KimKim. But, once I started sharing the type of vacation we were looking for, it was immediately obvious that we were in excellent hands. Robi planned a customized itinerary that exceeded all expectations! We are a family of three (mom, dad and 14-year old teen) who wanted a multi-sport adventure that would be fun for all and avoid the touristy areas. Robi exceeded all expectations! It was SO much fun and he took care of EVERY detail and all the logistics--from airport transportation, to hotels, to activities and everything in between. We swam in beautiful sea caves, toured the coast by boat, e-biked the wine country, kayaked among the oyster farms, had the most delicious grilled calamari, went to a secret beach (shhh!) and raced around on jet skis in Zuljana! I asked Robi if there were places I could go for a run in Ston (where we stayed) and he was kind enough to map out a new run for each day were there. Robi is also extremely knowledgeable about all-things-Croatia, so we learned so much about Croatian history, politics and people. Suffice it to say, there is no way I could have planned this much fun on my own. I can't imagine going back to Croatia unless Robi came with us! :)

Activity Reviews
Dubrovnik and Elaphiti islands - Lopud and Koločep private boat trip
Dubrovnik and Elaphiti islands - Lopud and Koločep private boat trip
Croatia
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore PeljeŔac penisula - multiactivity
Explore PeljeŔac penisula - multiactivity
Ston
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Robert Pinčević
Robert
Robert Pinčević
Local specialist in Croatia | Replied on Aug 01, 2022

Hi Erika,

thank you very much for your feedback and kind words, it means a lot!
I am very happy that i was able to contribute to your experience in Croatia and that we found the right fit!

Thank you for your trust, and for considering my recommendations and suggestions!!!

Wishin all the best to you and your family!!!

Many regards from Croatia!

Best

Robi

Excited to return and visit the rest of Turkey soon!
Turkey | Jul 12 - Jul 26, 2022

Ruchi
Ruchi K.
Portland, OR | Reviewed on Aug 01, 2022
Our trip to Turkey was excellent and had a great balance between history, culture, and relaxation. Trail Travel did a great job of making sure our transfers were seamless and ensuring we had the best experience at our hotels and sites. Berat was extremely helpful in going through multiple itinerary iterations after receiving feedback on the type of trip we wanted. What is great about this platform is that you really are able to personalize your trip rather than needing to fit into a rigid,... Read more

Our trip to Turkey was excellent and had a great balance between history, culture, and relaxation. Trail Travel did a great job of making sure our transfers were seamless and ensuring we had the best experience at our hotels and sites. Berat was extremely helpful in going through multiple itinerary iterations after receiving feedback on the type of trip we wanted. What is great about this platform is that you really are able to personalize your trip rather than needing to fit into a rigid, fixed pre-existing itinerary. Berat was also prompt with her responses while we were in Turkey to troubleshoot any issues we experienced with our hotels and logistics.

We spent 2 weeks in Turkey, going from Istanbul to Cappadocia to Antalya to Izmir before returning to Istanbul. During this time we developed a great camaraderie with our guide, Onder, who was very receptive in tailoring our activities and content to our interests and styles. He was extremely professional, always making us feel like we were welcome, and introducing us to many locals in each of the spots we visited. I also want to thank all of the van drivers (Mustafa, Ramazan, Erdogan to name a few), who presented us with clean, spacious vans and supplied us with water. Each spot that we visited had a wonderful charm of its own. If we had more time, I would have loved to add one extra day in Kas and a couple more days in Istanbul to fully experience the city. For our packed trip, it was helpful to have some later starts to balance out our very early ones in the beginning of the trip.

Our trip was wonderful, and we would definitely book again if we had the chance. Some suggestions for improvement for an even better experience via Trail Travel/KimKim:
- When booking domestic flights, ask about estimated luggage quantities/explain airline policies on luggage beforehand
- Ask about preferred flight timings when possible
- Develop some form of guide matching based on travel style and interests
- As much as possible, provide pricing breakdowns (esp. for hotel rates to compare)

Hotel Reviews
Otto Palace
Kumluca, Antalya Region

Otto Palace is a cute, no frills attached b&b that makes you feel like you are staying with family friends. This means that the hosts have good vibes and senses of humor, but service is very "chill" and relaxed, even when you require a little more assistance as guests. This serves as a decent base if you are planning a night in Adrasan as a launching point for a boat tour, but it might also be worthwhile to check out AirBnBs in the area.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
The hosts are friendly, kind, and relaxed with good sense of humor.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The beds were very comfortable and the rooms large. However, the rooms did smell like cigarette smoke and the AC was not working in either of our 2 rooms. We did mention the AC problem to our host and they were able to fix it. It seemed that the filters in both rooms were old and not properly maintained. When in Turkey it is expected that cats are going to be your new neighbors wherever you are. However, the cats on this property were much more aggressive than we were accustomed to. As we were eating our meal, they were consistently propping themselves on the table, scratching at us, and eventually jumped onto the table on the food we had ordered. For hygiene reasons, we didn't feel comfortable finishing our food that the cat had touched and had to leave an incomplete dinner. This caught us off guard especially since the cats seemed to be pets of the owners. However, when we asked if the owners could keep the cats away from the food (through broken Google Translate communication), there wasn't anything done.
Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton
Fatih Istanbul

We were greeted with warmth and friendliness at our first hotel in Turkey. I would like to specifically mention that Betul was particularly helpful. She escorted us to a restaurant for lunch just after we arrived and showed us around the property. Definitely venture out for food rather than sticking to the hotel's restaurants, as you can certainly find all sorts of food for a variety of prices in Istanbul. This hotel is tastefully decorated in an Ottoman style and is in a prime location near the most famous sites in Istanbul!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Do note that due to the strategic location, it can get noisy during the day and at night. This is a great base to see the important sites in Sultanahmet, but if you have more than a couple days in Istanbul, perhaps it may make sense to move to another neighborhood for the remainder of your time.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The bathroom was spacious and modern with consistent hot water. It was a pleasant surprise to find a hammam sink in our shower. One note - as a family of 4 sharing a small suite, we had one king bed and 2 makeshift twin beds. There was not a proper sofa bed - the staff just added sheets on top of the existing sofa and gave us a rollaway bed. For the purposes of our short stay, this worked out just fine, but these makeshift beds were probably not as comfortable as proper mattresses for a longer stay.
Kayakapi Premium Caves
Urgup / Cappadocia

Staying in a cave hotel was one of the highlights of our trip. Kayakapi is a beautifully kept, guest-centric hotel, with large, clean, and luxurious cave suites. We enjoyed using the pool and spa facilities, as well as exploring the hotel as a whole. We are frequent travelers and our stay at Kayakapi was definitely one of our best hotel experiences.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Staff are very open to input as they are continuously trying to make the hotel better. When we provided some feedback on how the already excellent rooms might be improved further (small things like adding more privacy to bathroom doors, adding fans, ensuring showerheads do not make bathroom floors wet, including more storage space in the bathroom), they noted every suggestion down in detail.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Beds were very comfortable for a 4 person family (1 king and 2 twins).
Ruin Adalia
Antalya

This hotel was included last minute to our itinerary due to an issue with our original hotel. It was a surprise treat, a gem in the middle of the Old City. The quaint property in the middle of bustling Kaleici is built over an archaeological museum open only to guests. We not only experienced comfortable rooms with a semi private terrace overseeing the beautiful grounds and mountains, but also were given a mini tour through the underground museum by Marcus, one of the archaeologists staffed at the hotel. We saw the layers of Antalya - Hellenistic, Byzantine, and Ottoman - wonderfully preserved.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Keep in mind that as it is in the middle of the most busy part of town, it can get noisy. This would probably apply to any hotel in Kaleici.
Staff
We did get stopped from entering the hotel a couple times due to their strict security, but didn't really see any of the other guests face this issue. However, they apologized immediately once the misunderstandings were cleared up.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Nisanyan Houses
SelƧuk

A very cute hotel in the cute town of Sirince. We received a friendly welcome, loved exploring the town from this hotel, and spending the evening on our little private porch.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
This was another hotel where we had 1 king bed and 2 somewhat makeshift twin beds. The twin beds worked well for our one night stay, but may have been a little uncomfortable for a stay longer than that.
La Kumsal Hotel
Kaş / Antalya

Sadly our stay at La Kumsal was the only hotel experience that was not overwhelmingly positive. We were excited about our 2 night stay at Kas to be close to the ocean and were told that the rooms that we had paid for were sea view rooms. When we reached the hotel, the staff member at the front desk was a little confused about our room types. Despite not knowing English, however, she was trying her best to communicate with us and let us know that the issues with our room would be resolved the next day. Unfortunately, our rooms smelled of smoke, the tables/desks were quite old with stains and markings. One of our rooms was looking right out in the main bar area with no privacy or view of the sea and the other was looking out at a small pathway with a sliver of a view from the balcony. The doors were a bit hard to open/close. The shower water was cold to lukewarm. However, the rooms as a whole, though very simple with some need for maintenance, were clean. We immediately notified Berat about our experience, just as feedback, and she promptly contacted the hotel's manager. The manager called us up afterwards. He seemed a little upset over our complaints but assured us that the problems would be resolved the next day and sent us a fruit basket. The next day we met the manager. He was a little cold and passive aggressive while explaining that the hotel was completely booked and that they could move us to a villa for extra money. Berat helped us navigate this conversation, and eventually we were able to move to their villa for our second day in Kas, without paying extra. The villa had a beautiful view with a private pool, beach area, and 3 bed/3 bath. This was definitely more than we were expecting for our room change at the hotel. While we had some unfortunate experiences with some of the staff and our expectations of the rooms, the outdoor areas such as the pool and dining areas are quite pretty. The villa was also great, and we enjoyed using the private pool. If you decide to stay at La Kumsal, be clear on what type of room you are getting - "seaside" or "sea front" or "sea view"!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
We felt that the manager was a little cold and passive aggressive. He was placing most of the blame on us and our travel agency, without trying to understand our situation fully. While we appreciate him moving us to the villa, he seemed a bit disdainful and disingenuous of our concerns, employing false sympathy, rather than just being authentic with his thoughts. Most of the waiters at breakfast and dinner were not paying us much attention. We would like to thank the staff member at the front desk who greeted us and one of the waiters, as they were very kind and helpful.
Cleanliness & Comfort
There is more effort placed on maintaining the outdoor spaces than on the indoor ones. This is fine for a simple beach town stay, but it did feel there was a disconnect between online images and what you see in person. Even the villa, which had beautiful outdoor spaces, was a little old in the interior. The showers were cold and the bathrooms were a little rough around the edges.
GAIA Alacati
Ƈeşme/İzmir

Wonderful boutique hotel in a great location. Breakfast was great and the attention to detail for decor was noticeable. Feel free to do your own research on restaurants and other services in the area, as some of the recommendations given by the staff were helpful, but possibly overpriced. We were also recommended a salon that overcharged us and actually hurt my mother's fingers during a manicure.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
One thing to note - the showers were cold after sundown
AJWA Sultanahmet
Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Another hotel we loved. Wonderful staff, well designed rooms, and some of the comfiest beds we've slept in! The breakfast was also delicious, and we enjoyed getting to know the restaurant staff.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul
Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul
İstanbul

Onder did a great job of introducing us to Istanbul!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus
Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus
İstanbul

Great way to get a different perspective of Istanbul

Sightseeing Around UƧhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys
Sightseeing Around UƧhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys
Cappadocia

We thoroughly enjoyed our three days in Cappadocia, and all the activities - hot air balloons, hiking, pottery making, etc.

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus
Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus
Turkey

The ancient sites of Aspendos, Perge, and Ephesus were marvelous, but in the middle of July it was extremely hot, which limited our ability to explore as much as we may have wanted.

Quality of Experience
Nothing - it was just hot!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Turkish Bath and Spa at Hürrem Sultan Hammam
Turkish Bath and Spa at Hürrem Sultan Hammam
İstanbul

Loved it! The Ab-ı Hayat treatment was one of our favorite activities of our trip.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul
Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul
İstanbul

In retrospect, I would have moved our itinerary around to give us 2 full days in Istanbul before heading off to Cappadocia. This would have been a great activity for the 2nd day of our trip. Unfortunately keeping this for the last day of our trip meant that we were a little too tired to fully appreciate the magnificent sites. With a little more energy, we definitely could have spent much more time at Topkapi Palace.

Local specialist: Berat Ornek
Berat
Berat Ornek
Local specialist in Turkey | Replied on Aug 16, 2022

Dear Ruchi,

Thank you so much for this review. We are so happy you had a positive experience during your trip to Turkey! It was a real pleasure to have designed the trip with you and glad to hear you'll be willing to come back again!

Thanks so much for the feedback and your spot-on suggestions too, we always try to make it better for our travelers and improve our excellent service as Trail Travel.

Best regards,
Berat

Anniversary trip to Italy
Italy | Jul 16 - Jul 24, 2022

S
Seth D.
Nashville, TN | Reviewed on Aug 01, 2022
Our trip to Italy was a bucket list trip for us without the kids to celebrate an anniversary milestone. Sonia, our trip planner, was diligent in putting together an itinerary that suited what we were looking for and diligently tweaked the plan until it was perfect. She found a real balance of city/lake/mountain that we wanted. We thoroughly enjoyed our private organic Prosecco tasting overlooking the hilly countryside, private pasta making class taught by the most personable chefs, and... Read more

Our trip to Italy was a bucket list trip for us without the kids to celebrate an anniversary milestone. Sonia, our trip planner, was diligent in putting together an itinerary that suited what we were looking for and diligently tweaked the plan until it was perfect. She found a real balance of city/lake/mountain that we wanted.

We thoroughly enjoyed our private organic Prosecco tasting overlooking the hilly countryside, private pasta making class taught by the most personable chefs, and hiking in the Dolomites with tour guide.

We usually plan trips ourselves, but in addition to putting together the trip plan, an unexpected benefit arose when our flight from the US was delayed by a day and Sonia’s team scrambled to adjust all of our arrangements without us having to do the extra work.

We highly recommend KimKim and Sonia in particular!

Local specialist: Sonia Vanzin
Sonia
Sonia Vanzin
Local specialist in Venice | Replied on Aug 01, 2022

Ciao amici! Grazie for your feedback. It was a pleasure to help you plan your anniversary trip and above all meet you in Treviso.
Waiting for you to come back to Italy with the kids! Ciao.

Great experience touring Peru!
Peru | Jul 16 - Jul 24, 2022

I
Irvinderpal G.
Santa Clara, CA | Reviewed on Aug 01, 2022

Liz Karen did a great job organizing a wonderful trip to Peru. Liz was patient in answering all my questions during the process and there were no surprises when there. All guides/drivers were on time, hotels and trains were as communicated. Quick support was available, and can highlight that when I had to use it twice the response was efficient and took care of the matter. Will recommend! Thanks

Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Liz Karen
Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Local specialist in Cusco | Replied on Aug 01, 2022

Hi Irvind,
Thank you so much for the great comments! I'll share your review with Paul and the rest of our team. I was very glad to help you with your trip and to meet you 😊!
Please take care and if somehow we can help in the future, just let me know. I will be always happy to help you!
Kind regards.
Liz.

Our trip was awesome. We had zero issues, it ...
Costa Rica | Jul 20 - Jul 31, 2022

L
Les A.
San Fernando, CA | Reviewed on Aug 01, 2022

Our trip was awesome. We had zero issues, it went very smoothly.

Local specialist: Sergio BolaƱos
Sergio
Sergio BolaƱos
Local specialist in Limon, Costa Rica | Replied on Aug 07, 2022

Hi Les,

I am so glad you had a great experience!
I saw a couple of photos of you kayaking in the mangrooves :)!

Thank you!

June 13-June 29, 2022: The Ultimate Custom-Made Luxury 16-Day Greek Honeymoon!
Greece | Jun 14 - Jun 29, 2022

Jacob
Jacob S.
Kirkwood, MO | Reviewed on Jul 31, 2022
Sunday , July 31, 2022 To Tasos, Georgia, Irene, and the entire Travel12 Support Team, I just wanted to let you know how pleased, happy, and ultra-satisfied that I am with my KimKim/Travel12 experience. You all are the ultimate professionals-everything was handled and executed perfectly! Rebecca was a GODSEND with all she did to assist me in putting together this custom-made luxury Greek Honeymoon! She was an absolute joy to work with! I’ll never forget the relationship we... Read more

Sunday , July 31, 2022

To Tasos, Georgia, Irene, and the entire Travel12 Support Team,

I just wanted to let you know how pleased, happy, and ultra-satisfied that I am with my KimKim/Travel12 experience.

You all are the ultimate professionals-everything was handled and executed perfectly!

Rebecca was a GODSEND with all she did to assist me in putting together this custom-made luxury Greek Honeymoon! She was an absolute joy to work with! I’ll never forget the relationship we forged. I am so grateful that I was fortunate enough to work her with on this labor of love. We spent hours and months planning and preparing-and then COVID hit and we felt compelled to postpone their honeymoon exactly one year later(Their 1st Wedding Anniversary was Sunday, June 12, 2022). I so appreciate all that you did to keep the prices the same for the trip, even a year later. They boarded their first flight of 3 to get to Greece at 0600 Monday, June 13! They returned from an ultimate luxury Greek Honeymoon on Wednesday,June 29 at 2100.

I had booked them first class seats on all of their flights-and they continued to get the ā€œRoyal Treatmentā€ since they were picked up at the Athens airport! Precisely what I wanted!

Jacob and Anna loved the upgrade you provided for them for the Welcome dinner and they got an upgrade for their rental car to a Mercedes. They thoroughly enjoyed the private tours with fantastic tour guides. The trip included Athens, Corinth, Epidaurus, Mycenae, Nafplio, Mykonos, Naxos, Santorini, Heraklion, Rethymno, Chania, and Elafonissi Beach, and the area around Chania. This was a the perfect custom-made, fabulous island hopping trip with what I think was a very good representation of your heavenly and gorgeous country!

All of the hotels(all 5 star hotels) gave Jacob and Anna the Honeymooner’s special touches(flower petals on their bed in the shape of a heart, complimentary wine, desserts, candy, bowls of fresh fruit, etc) upon arrival to their hotel room. The breakfasts in each hotel were amazing. They loved every detail of every day that we planned, but still had plenty of free time to do what they wanted and enjoy the restaurant cuisine and shopping at all of the places they went.

I believe their favorite was their time in Naxos-they had a beautiful hotel room with a private enclosed deck with their own jacuzzi-that opened up to a private courtyard. They loved the tranquil beauty of Naxos, and of course, the food! It was so nice that they were able to be at Agia Anna Beach(especially for Anna!)-what a nice touch!

Also they thoroughly enjoyed the small group(6 other people besides them)experiences of the Cooking Class and also the Olive Oil and Wine Tasting Tours in Crete. Just all the way around fantastic!

I can’t tell you how much happiness this trip has given me to have things go so smoothly and have all of the details taken care of by your team! They had a most memorable honeymoon and most certainly the trip of their lifetime! Jacob is my only child and I wanted to give him and his wife Anna the VERY BEST; and I want to thank you for providing that experience for them.

Tasos, I want to thank you for answering the phone on that Day 1 at a time that I’m sure was after hours for you and giving me the information and clarification that I needed-you were so patient and calming. Thank you to all of the support staff that responded to my questions and also reaching out to Jacob and Anna with details and guidance for everything they needed!

The other thing that I want to thank Tasos for is that even with Rebecca no longer being part of Travel12, and with the Covid pandemic and all of the resulting things that were affected-you were able to flawlessly and seamlessly make sure everything in the original trip remained the same-or even better!

You have an excellent system of communication! It is greatly appreciated.

Jacob and Anna kept in touch with me and sent pictures during the time they were there-they looked so happy in every photo. And Anna told me that this trip was a dream come true for her. They loved every minute of this 16 day trip.

I was really able to enjoy this trip vicariously-first by planning it and making sure all of the details were taken care of with your help-and then being able to see the joy and excitement that Jacob and Anna experienced-it was everything I hoped for and more!

By the way, the week that Jacob returned home, he told me how much he missed the Greek Food!

In Gratitude,

Cindy Henert

Hotel Review
18 Grapes Hotel Naxos
Naxos
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Local Transfer in Naxos
Naxos
Quality of Experience
Local specialist: Rebecca Carson

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