Kimkim Trip Reviews

Planning this family retirement trip with three generations along with Joao was very user friendly. From gastronomic and boat tours in Porto, kayaking and wine tasting in the Douro valley, hiking with Nuno in Serra da Estrella, time on the Algarve on a private boat excursion to the beautiful arches of Lagos, and then Lisbon
And surrounding areas (Sintra and Obidos) was smooth and seem less. We loved having a private drivers who were courteous and helpful ( shout out to Miguel and Luis!). There were some last minute changes due to timing and one one strike that affected our plans to see Pena Palace, but Joao was on it proactively with fun alternatives. Our ages range from 11-64 and this was a great trip of active outdoor activities as well as some more relaxing sightseeing.
We highly recommend the services and planning of Joao at Across Portugal!

Hotel Reviews

H10 Duque de Loule

Lisboa

This is a beautiful boutique hotel. The breakfast was fantastic, and would recommend, including that in any stay. And the staff were friendly and responsive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located and within 20 to 30 minutes walking of everything we wanted to see in the city. Close to restaurants as well.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had three rooms on three different floors in each of us were near a lot of noise. One room was in front of the elevator near the bar with a lot of traffic. One was next to an equipment room with a lot of machine noise. In addition the Wi-Fi went out for 36 hours, which normally wouldn’t be a problem on vacation, but it prevented my husband from doing work.

Pousada da Serra da Estrela - Historic Hotel

Covilha

This is a beautiful historic hotel in the mountains. It was beautifully appointed with fantastic grounds and proximity to hiking in Serra da Estrella.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

They were very friendly, and responsive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit: Óbidos

Óbidos

If you have children, do this! The most fun part of this trip was walking the entire city wall. The local town was cute as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Our driver, Luis, was great! We never saw Pena Palace as there was a government strike. Fortunately, our driver, noted that there was something wrong with the fact that the lines were short at the gate, where he dropped us off, and took the time to find out that there was in fact a strike, and we would not be able to get in. Joao, from Across Portugal, helped us with a last-minute change of plans to go elsewhere in the area. Also, our driver made excellent recommendations for a local lunch establishment on the way back to Lisbon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helpful with suggestions. Including a lovely local lunch establishment on the way back.

Transport

Private Chef at Home

Algarve

Ee stayed at a lovely Beach House in the algarve for five nights, and had a private chef on our last night. He arrived with two staff and everything including cutlery and dishes for a lovely meal experience. He catered to food preferences and presented us with a wide variety of local appetizers and main course.

Quality of Experience

Food

The multiple appetizers on the menu were fantastic! As was the desert. We enjoyed the main course, but above mentioned courses were superlative.

Private Driver Tour to Óbidos

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Miguel was great!

Transport

Discovering Lisbon by Tuk-Tuk

Lisbon

Fun, family activity, and a cute way to see historic Lisbon.

Quality of Experience

Our family of seven had two guides, both of which were excellent. They were very knowledgeable about the history of Lisbon, but create enough space to answer our questions and have organic conversation during the tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our drivers were great, even providing blankets when the weather got cool up on the hills.

Visit: Lagos

Portugal

We did a boat tour which was the highlight of this trip. Other than that, there is shopping and eating so not a ton of kids activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exclusive Panoramic Boat Tour to the Ponta da Piedade Caves

Portugal

Very interesting and unique rock formations. We loved having a private boat with the seven of us. Our captain and guide were very informative and easy to understand.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private your!!

Hike & Bite with Peaks, Paths, and a Delicious Picnic in Serra da Estrela

Serra da Estrela Nature Park

Beautiful experience and our guide Nuno was fantastic. The hike, as well as his knowledge of history, geology, and botany really contributed so much to our experience. He also was very accommodating with some last-minute changes because of weather to ensure our safety. His provision of a light snack on the hike, as well as our picnic afterward with local winds, cheeses, and even jelly that his grandmother made was very special. He also provided us with several recommendations of activities that enhance our experience in this area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking in the Douro River

Douro Valley

I would rate this experience as a five in terms of the fantastic scenery and seeing the valley this way. We did not realize this was going to take three hours and that it was unguided and that’s why I give this a three rating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Portugal

Quality of Experience

The ride and Miguel from Anthea were fantastic!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved Miguel’s flexibility and professionalism.

Transport

Two-Hour Private Cruise in the Picturesque city of Porto

Porto

We did a short boat ride and then a three hour kayaking trip. The beautiful Douro Valley was fantastic to see this way. Our only reservation is that we were dropped off from the boat and sent on our way alone without any offer of additional water or expectation that the kayak trip would be three hours long. In addition, weather was coming in and we were caught in the rain and lightning, thankfully, as we were finishing up, but there was no provision for pick up in case of this kind of weather. In addition, we had no guide. While we loved seeing the Douro Valley this way, I think expectations should be set about the actual kayaking trip if someone chooses it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver, Miguel from Anthea was as usual fantastic. We had no guide on the actual kayak trip, and on the boat there was a poorly recorded audio guide.

Transport

Exploring Porto's Rich History on an Exclusive Gastronomic Tour Through Time

Porto

This is the one experience in two weeks in Portugal that I would not recommend. We had a group of seven in the guide, walked very quickly in the front and spoke softly. We have done many food tours internationally, and got a lot more history and perspective on local culture, than were provided on this tour.. in addition, the restaurants we visited, were not the best representation of Portuguese gastronomy!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit: Porto

Porto

Puerto is a lovely city and we like the proximity to the Duro Valley, costa, nova, and the lovely town of Aveiro. We felt the 2 1/2 days we spent there were adequate in terms of timing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We loved Miguel from Anthea; he was very professional and courteous, as well as accommodating to our group of seven

Transport

Great ride for seven with lots of leg room in all three rows.

Stephen helped us plan a romantic 12-day trip to Scotland to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. I have wanted to go to Scotland forever, but there are so many things to do and see that I was very overwhelmed with the planning. Stephen and I went back and forth a few times to get the details just right, but in the end, we wouldn't have changed a thing. Stand out experiences from the trip were our walking tour of Edinburg with Gareth as our guide--wear good walking shoes. The wildlife safari in the Cairngorms National Forest with Steve--make a plan for breakfast because the tour starts before most places are serving; Steve provided tea, coffee and snacks. Our trip to the Fairy Pools on Skye was wonderful--I've never seen clearer water and the views are spectacular, but wear supportive shoes or hiking boots and if you're at all unsteady consider hiking poles. The three-island tour of Mull, Staffa, and Iona leaving from Oban harbor was also wonderful--pack a picnic and plan to eat it on Staffa. The views are amazing! There's a coffee shop near the ferry terminal where you can buy pre-made sandwiches. We went to 5 castles -- Edinburgh, Glamis, Urquhart, Dunvegan, and Stirling. All had their pros and cons but we loved them all. Urquhart on the banks of Loch Ness was my favorite; my husband's favorite was Stirling Castle. We also toured Culloden and Bannockburn battlefields. I was more interested in Culloden, but my husband enjoyed the story of Bannockburn -- the thing at Bannockburn is that you need to travel to various locations to get a sense of the battle, and not all the locations are marked. Our guide Murray did a good job explaining everything, but there's not much to look at. We didn't go into the educational center at the actual memorial--but I'd investigate it if you're interested in learning about this piece of Scottish history or maybe read an article or book. For me, I think this would have helped ground me in an understanding before visiting the battlefield sites. On our last day in Edinburg we had high tea at the Signet Library. They are one of the few places that offer a gluten free tea and it was an exceptional experience. As someone who needs to eat GF, you can often feel like you are compromising -- not here. One of the finest dining experiences of my life in a beautiful setting. Dinner at the Heathmont Hotel in Inverness was also exceptional. Also, I will say that I was worried about being able to accommodate my food allergies outside the major cities. I'm happy to report that while it was hard to find GF food outside of health food stores, the restaurants were able to accommodate me everywhere we went.

Hotel Reviews

Eden Locke

Edinburgh

This was a great location in the in New Town. An easy walk to shopping, restaurants and attractions. The staff was exceptionally friendly and I would have appreciated having the kitchenette if we'd stayed longer in Edinburgh. This was also one of the most spacious rooms we stayed in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Stirling Highland Hotel

Stirling

This was my least favorite of all the hotels we stayed it. The buildings were formerly a school and the guest rooms in particular feel very institutional. The hotel was fully booked the night we stayed and the staff seemed very overwhelmed. That said, it has a great location that's an easy walk to Stirling Castle.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perle Oban Hotel & Spa

Oban

Loved this hotel -- it was one of the most beautiful we stayed in. Very modern decor. Our room had an amazing view of the harbor and was very well located. The hotel restaurant, Baab was also exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautifully decorated rooms, lovely view of the harbor, clean modern bathrooms

Heathmount Hotel

Inverness

Beautiful, historic hotel in a quiet setting.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Angel's Share Hotel

New Town, Edinburgh

Nice hotel, great staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

They were great about storing our luggage, helping us order taxis and giving us tips on places to eat.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable bed, small but modern bathroom

Activity Reviews

Afternoon Tea at The Signet Library

Edinburgh

I am gluten intolerant, but I really wanted a high tea experience on our trip. When you eat gluten free, you just assume that your experience is going to be a compromise vs. that of anyone you're with. That was not the case here. Our table was tucked away in a little alcove, which gave a very private feeling. We were invited to select a personal pot of tea from an extensive list -- wine and champagne are available for an extra fee. This was followed by a several courses including a 3 tier platter of savory bites and a second one of sweets. Everything was 1-2 bites of meticulously prepared food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff we discreet and attentive. The tea was well-paced -- we never felt rushed.

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Visit to Urquhart Castle

Scotland

Right on the banks of Loch Ness, this was my favorite of the 5 castles we visited. The setting was especially lovely.

Quality of Experience

Culloden Battlefield private tour

Inverness

Our guide, Rhona, was very knowledgable about the battle and the history. She spent time setting the context and the background of the political situation and really helped us envision the full picture. We asked tons of questions and Rhona was very patient with us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cairngorms National Park Wildlife Tour with a Specialist

Scotland

I don't consider myself much of a nature person -- not a hiker or a camper and definitely not a bird watcher. That said, this was an amazing experience -- one of my favorites of the trip. Steve our guide was exceptional -- he took us to 4 different habitats in the Cairngorms and taught us all along the way. This is a 5-hour tour, but I could have spent 5 more hours learning from Steve.

Quality of Experience

The scenery is just amazing and Steve allows you to see a lot in a relatively short amount of time.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Steve was so knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna and a very nice person to spend time with.

Transport

Steve has a lovely Range Rover. Very comfortable.

Gardens & Grounds Admission tickets & Tour at Glamis castle

Scotland

Glamis is a beautiful castle -- exactly what you expect a castle to look like! There are only a few rooms to see and you get to learn a bit of history about the castle and the family. I enjoyed it, but it was not one of my favorite experiences in the end.

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

Gareth met us at our hotel and took us on a wonderful walk around Edinburg's new and old town, teaching us about the history and showing us the sites. It was a great way to orient ourselves to the city.

Quality of Experience

Gareth, our guide, was both personable and knowledgable

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Belize trip 2023

Our guide, Rene’, was very nice, helpful, & knowledgeable. I believe Francis was our guide for ATM cave. He was the same in every way as Rene’. I didn’t care for the ATM cave but my youngest son really enjoyed it. While I wouldn’t have chosen either place we stayed I was pleasantly surprised by both. Table rock was beautiful & the staff & food were amazing. Only thing I would add would be ac. Brisa Oceana was also great & in the perfect place that gave us access to everything the area had to offer

Overall our experience with Kimkim was perfect! Using Kimkim took away the guesswork and anxiety of traveling to a foreign country. Fabio was awesome - he was very prompt if we needed to contact him and he did a fabulous job of planning our trip.
Would like to comment on our day trip to the winery in Valtellina. While we thoroughly enjoyed our time at the winery, we all felt it was too long of a day in the car. Maybe the time spent in Valtellina could be lengthened instead of a short tasting and tour. We just felt like we spent an entire day in the car when we could have been using our time in Italy more productively.
On a positive note, the three hotels that Fabio picked out were absolutely perfect! The Palazzetto Madonna in Venice was the perfect family owned boutique hotel. The employee, Alain (not sure on spelling), always went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. The DBH - Boutique Hotel Lake Como was in the perfect location and very nice. Again, the employees always made us feel very welcome and were very attentive. The boat trip on lake Como was also fabulous and shout out to the boat captain Jacoba for a great day!! We felt that the best hotel was saved for last, the Hotel Helvetia! Absolutely beautiful views and we loved the town of Sestri Levante. We originally wanted to stay in the Cinque Terre, but there were no accommodations that we agreed upon. Fabio suggested Sestri Levante and we couldn't have been happier. We were able to visit the Cinque Terre and we had an amazing boat ride to Portofino and San Fruttuoso. Another shout out to the boat captain, Matteo. He also went above and beyond to make our day perfect! He was very informative of the areas and treated us to wonderful snacks and beverages. Thanks again to Fabio and Kimkim for creating the perfect trip to beautiful Italy!! Would definitely use Kimkim again and would highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Helvetia

Sestri Levante

This hotel is absolutely amazing. The most beautiful views and every amenity one could look for.

Authenticity & Character

Absolutely beautiful hotel with amazing views. Charming lobby when you first walk in. Old time charm with modern amenities!

Location

Perfect location. You can sit on the terrace and just gaze at the sea. Also, has its own beach and a few steps from restaurants and shopping.

Staff

Very polite and helpful! Always eager to answer any question we had. We arrived early and they were very helpful to get our rooms ready as quickly as they could!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very pleased with the rooms - bathrooms were modern, AC was on spot and bed was comfortable!

DBH – Boutique Hotel Lake Como

Como

This is a very nice hotel. It felt very new (I believe recently renovated?). Rooms were perfect...very modern feeling. Location was great - right next to the Duomo and steps to lake Como. Lots of restaurants and shops within walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

Very modern and beautifully appointed. Nice breakfast waiting in the breakfast every morning.

Location

Right next to the Duomo. Felt like we were right in the heart of Como, with lots of restaurants and shopping right outside the door. lake Como was just steps from the hotel. There was also a restaurant/bar right next door where you can sit outside and relax with a glass of wine!

Staff

Very attentive and friendly! Absolutely no complaints!

Cleanliness & Comfort

This hotel felt very modern. It had all the modern amenities and was extremely comfortable.

Palazzetto Madonna

Venice

This is the perfect hotel for Venice. Great location, right on the canal. The most friendly and helpful employees and outstanding accommodations. Morning breakfast was delicious and can be enjoyed out on the patio!

Authenticity & Character

An older boutique family owned hotel with loads of Venice charm.

Location

Right on the canal...we were delivered and picked up straight in front of our hotel where employees were waiting eagerly to help us with our luggage.

Staff

The staff always went above and beyond expectations. They were all very friendly and helped us with anything, from calling water taxis to helping us learn Italian phrases!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and rooms were outstanding. AC was perfect, bathrooms were modern, and beds were comfortable!

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Boat Tour | Portofino Marine Reserve & San Fruttuoso

Sestri Levante

This was the best excursion on the trip! Matteo was the BEST guide and boat driver, San Fruttuoso was unbelievable and we marveled at Portofino - both the marina with the amazing yachts and the town!

Quality of Experience

San Fruttuoso blew us away. Such a unique place and BEAUTIFUL. Boating the sea is amazing - such beautiful colors in the water. And Portofino was just beautiful with the flowers and amazing yachts.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cannot say enough about Matteo! He was amazing at his job - gave us so much information and insight to the area. He also was a fantastic host! Wonderful appetizers and wine and beer! He took very good care of us!

Transport

Matteo - made the day!

Valtellina Wine Tour

Lake Como

I'm giving this 3 stars because of the long amount of time we spent in the van. The wine tour and Valtellina valley were amazing to see, but not sure I would repeat this or recommend it due to the short time spent there and the long time spent in the van. We did enjoy the Villa Carlotta Botanical Gardens. We also enjoyed our lunch spot in Piazza Garibaldi.

Quality of Experience

Maybe more time spent at the winery or just a clearer understanding of how long of a drive it was to the winery,

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide at the winery was awesome! She was so knowledgeable about the production process and each of the wines. I would give her 5 stars!

Transport

Maybe if we had a more comfortable mode of transportation, the drive would have been more tolerable? 6 people in a van (especially the 3 in the back) for hours of driving was just not the most enjoyable experience.

Full-Day Boat Experience - Explore Lake Como

Italy

A wonderful day experiencing lake Como. Enjoyed the tour and the towns of Bellagio and Verrana. Absolutely beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Just beautiful scenery and towns. Had an amazing lunch at a restaurant right on the water. Also found a restaurant in Veranna where we shared a bottle of wine and enjoyed the scenery. Everyone we encountered were very kind and welcoming.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jacoba, our boat captain, did a fantastic job sharing information about different villa's, hotels and towns as we boated round the lake. He also had Prosecco and waters for us, which of course was very welcomed!

Transport

Again, Jacoba our captain, did a fantastic job sharing information with us.

Private Venice in a Day Tour

Venice

We all enjoyed this tour. Our guide was from Venice so was very knowledgeable. Learned a lot about St. Mark's and how Venice was "created".

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We asked the boat driver and tour guide to show us the "hands". That wasn't on the tour but they took us anyway!

Transport

Just amazing seeing the canals of Venice.

Great experience with the KimKim team. Everything went off without a hitch. All of the accommodations were nice. The tours and tour guides were particularly fantastic. Rui, Ricardo and Joana were the best. Very satisfied with our entire trip and will happily book through KimKim again. No ten day tour would go off perfectly and there were a couple of hiccups that weren’t a big deal but I would likely change if I had to do things over: 1. We had a rental car while we were in Lisbon. I understand why it was arranged but it really wasn’t necessary while we were there. 2. The room that was booked for our first three days was nice but it was called a family suite on the hotel’s website. It was really just one room with a pull out couch. It was spacious and the room and hotel were nice but we would have preferred two rooms. It wasn’t really a big deal but if I was staying at this hotel again I would be sure there were two separate rooms. 3. Our second hotel had two rooms and was wonderful but there was no pull out couch in the separate room. Luckily the hotel brought in a roll away bed and our youngest could fit on the smallish love seat. Problem solved. I would consider these issues minor inconveniences. Overall the trip was something that our family will never forget. Thanks so much to Tiernan for all of his hard work and a special thanks to our tour guides who took great care of us. Also NuNu was the best at driving us and taking care of us while we were traveling.

Hotel Reviews

Villa Baixa - Lisbon Luxury Apartments

Lisboa

The best. Such a great place. Would likely have preferred staying here for all of our nights in Lisbon. Glad we got to experience this place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super cool place and super clean.

The Pine Cliffs Resort

Apartado, Albufeira

So nice!! Would stay here again any time. Lovely hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

M'ar de Ar Aqueduto

Évora

Everything was terrific. Only issue was that the couch in the living area was not a pull out.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was so good.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casual Belle Epoque Lisboa

Lisbon

Very nice and people were super nice. Nice accommodations. The only hiccup was expecting the family suite would in fact have two rooms as might be the custom in the US. While this one appears to have two rooms on the website, it is only one room with a pull out couch. Otherwise the hotel was nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Caves of Benagil & Dolphins Cruise

Albufeira

Fun time. Great boat guides.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Cork Farm Tour + Lunch

Évora

Joana was awesome. We would have stayed with her the entire day. We were disappointed when we had to leave the farm. So beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Great authentic restaurant.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joana was so good.

Transport

Sintra Palace, Cascais and Estoril Coast from Lisbon

Lisbon

Great day with Rui and NuNu.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

As mentioned, NuNu and Rui were fantastic.

Transport

Private Fado & Dinner Walk

Lisbon

Ricardo was great. Enjoyed spending time with him.

Quality of Experience

Food

Food was great. Fado was wonderful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ricardo was great.

Transport

Walking.

Lisbon Jeronimos Monastery, Castle of San Jorge, Torre de Belem and Panoramic City Tour

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

NuNu and Rui were terrific. The best people which made the tour that much better

Transport

NuNu was awesome.

The tour guide for the Old City - Mariyana - was outstanding, she adapted the tour to our interests and the conversations we had wwere enriching. Goran was very helpful during both trips, and we had a very interesting tour of the wineries in the peninsula, as well as a very interesting walk in a local village on one of the islands. The driver was on time and polite. All in all a great trip. Thank you.

Hotel Review

Apartment Zicara

Dubrovnik

Very well located. Far from the noise but close enough to be only a few minutes from the walls of the Old City, and across the street from the cable car. The apartment was clean and functional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dubrovnik and Elaphiti islands - Lopud and Koločep private boat trip

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dubrovnik Old Town and the City Walls

Croatia

A remarkable site. The highlight was the walk on top of the city walls. Restaurants are everywhere but restaurants outside the walls should also be considered.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pelješac peninsula and Ston- triple atraction.

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My siblings (ages 52 & 54) and I (age 57) traveled to Lisbon and Porto, Portugal for our annual siblings trip from May 27 through June 4, 2023. Our wonderful guide Joao met us at the airport and stayed with us throughout the trip. Joao truly was a friend we have not yet met. He was friendly, punctual, conscientious, flexible, and informative. He had a plan in mind---as scheduled through Tiago, who by the way is very responsive to all communications before, during, and after our trip---during our tour but allowed us to pick and choose what we wanted to do and he modified the plan accordingly. We particularly liked the fact that Joao did not overwhelm us with information we would never retain. Have you had tours where you had to appear interested because the guide was gushing information like the water out of a firehose? Joao focused on the historical information we should take away from the trip and delivered it so that we can sip it, as if drinking wine. By the way, the food and wine here are incredible. We particularly enjoyed having coffees and multiple afternoon drinks with Joao at outside cafes to balance out the History Channel moments. He is well read and informed about Portugal and we all learned a great deal about Portugal's current state of affairs---the good, the bad, and . . . well there is no ugly in Portugal. We really enjoyed learning about the past and present about Portugal and highly recommend Joao for your trip. My sincere hope is to return to Porto---liked it better than Lisbon---when I turn 60 with my wife and see Joao again. Finally, Joao introduced us to the best football club in Portugal---Lisboa Benfica!

We planned our trip to Scotland May 23-June 4 2023 to celebrate our 35th Wedding Anniversary using KimKim for the first time. We were unsure of the process initially, but we were connected with Stephen who was very knowledgable and helpful. After several variations we landed on the perfect vacation! At this point partial payment is due, to confirm the vacation, with the final payment due approx one month prior to your trip. About 2-3 weeks before you leave you will receive your detailed itinerary including tickets and reservations for things like your accommodations, car rental, tickets to sites, private tours, etc. The package you will receive, via KimKim as a pdf, is very detailed and helpful. One thing we found is that the complete addresses for most locations was not included in the package, which made it a bit difficult when using the GPS in the rental car. Using our cellphone we would look up the location and input the post code to the GPS. (You may want to get the complete addresses before your trip, incase you are unable to use your cellphone.) All the bookings for accommodations, events, etc was perfect. Stephen and Celina from KimKim were even in touch with us a few times throughout the trip to make sure all was ok and that we knew how to contact them if needed.
Overall our special vacation was amazing... everything went as planned and the weather was better than we had expected. Having sunshine, warm temperatures and NO RAIN for our entire trip. We did a lot of walking, used the bus system (which was terrific) and experienced the welcoming and helpful people of Scotland. We travelled through much of Scotland, spending just enough time in each location and enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way. Since we are from Canada and not used to driving on the left, this took a bit of getting used to, but was fine. There are many roundabouts, which also takes a bit of getting used to. Road rules and signs were unfamiliar and different, so may be worth looking into ahead of time.
All of our accommodations were great, each being just a bit different from the last. Check in times were usually around 3 or 4pm so keep that in mind, as we arrived early for many of ours. (especially on the first day after travelling overnight). All the tickets for our excursions worked perfectly and we had no issues. Everything was booked and on time as planned. We wanted to immerse ourselves in the culture, and experienced the local food (haggis, big Scottish breakfasts, scotch and fish and chips), music,(bagpipes) pubs, etc. and we had a lot of fun doing it. Our private guided tours were great and highly recommended. The castles are incredible, the landscape was impressive and sometimes a bit scary driving in the highlands.
Lastly, just an FYI, since we are from Canada and due to our exchange rate our trip was expensive. The cost of the trip through KimKim was charged in US dollars and while in Scotland we felt the exchange again being charged in pounds. But, overall this was a trip of a lifetime and was perfect!

Hotel Reviews

Courtyard by Marriott SEC

Glasgow

Hotel was very close to airport (6 min walk to airport) , but approx 20 min from central Glasgow. We had an extra day here before our flight left, so we took the airport bus to the town center which worked perfectly and we spent the day touring around Glasgow. This is your typical Courtyard by Marriott hotel and did the trick.

Authenticity & Character

Location

close to airport, but not close to downtown

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perle Oban Hotel & Spa

Oban

This is a lovely hotel and very modern and spacious. We had a lovely view of the harbour. Perfect location, but no parking. We had to park in the railway parking lot across the street which was £3 per day. Restaurant for breakfast was spacious, but understaffed. Staff were friendly and helpful. Great little town for walking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ardrhu House Fort William

Fort William

Ardrhu House is in a secluded bay with beautiful views and beautiful grounds. The exterior is well maintained and the castle like building is lovely. It has many positive features, the spa, hot tub, outside sitting areas and sun room. The bedroom was a bit small but comfortable. It had an authentic feel. The staff were friendly and helpful. Food was great and the dining was enjoyable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not good signage and not easy to find.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was small and bathroom just had a tub. (no shower)

Canowindra Bed and Breakfast

Portree

Georgie and Rick were both friendly and very welcoming. This is a beautiful B&B and our room was spacious and well equipped. Modern and clean with a wonderful breakfast. Very relaxing. Georgie recommended Gasta Pizzeria and bar for dinner and it didn't disappoint. It was close by and had great pizza.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Initially this was a bit hard to find, but they have lots of signage to help you.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heathmount Hotel

Inverness

The exterior of this hotel may leave you feeling that the inside will be the same, but that is not the case. The rooms are modern, clean and well equipped. There is a restaurant/bar located in this hotel which was also had an amazing atmosphere. Food was excellent and the staff were all very helpful and friendly. The only issue is that there wasn't any parking in their small lot as it was full of the restaurant patrons. They did have overflow parking available in a small lot across the street.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We arrived on a Saturday night and didn't spend much time there on Sunday.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

B+B Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Amazing hotel and staff. Unfortunately, when we were there they had issues with the WiFi and the elevator wasn't working. ( we were on the 4th floor). Great location, great breakfast, and the staff were so welcoming and helpful. Liam especially went out of his way to help us out.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Stirling Castle Tickets

Scotland

Beautiful castle and surrounding area. Very high up and amazing. Parking lot was full so we had to park in a public lot and walk to the castle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Boat tour from Oban - see the coast of Mull

Oban

We had the perfect weather for this. Staff were awesome, very knowledgable and friendly. We had our tour booked for 3pm but asked if we could change to 10am, and were accommodated. Excellent narration.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day out on the Jacobite Train (of Harry Potter fame)

Scotland

This was so fun. The stopover in the town of Mallaig was nice, and just enough time to grab a quick lunch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Isle of Skye Whisky immersion at Torabhaig

Scotland

This was a beautiful distillery and our tour was great. Our tour was booked for 3pm but we arrived at 1:45pm and they were able to accommodate us at the 2pm tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Two hour cruise on the Canal and Loch - Loch Ness

Inverness

Boat trip was great and well narrated. Urquhart castle was a pleasant surprise and definatley worth seeing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Culloden Battlefield private tour

Inverness

Our guide was knowledgable and friendly. Again hard to locate her at the start of our tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

Kate was amazing, so knowledgable and friendly. Loved this tour. Meeting up with Kate at the start was difficult. We didn't really know what to expect and how to locate her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Afternoon Tea at the Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh

A bit disappointing. Food was great, but the experience didn't seem as authentic as we were expecting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

staff weren't very attentive

Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Edinburgh

Excellent, worth the visit. This is a must.

Quality of Experience

We took an 11 day trip all over the country, starting in Marrakesh, and moving to essouaria, onto the Sahara in Merzouga and then up to Fes, before concluding in Chef Chaouen. We were accompanied the entire time by our driver, Tariq, who was absolutely fantastic. He made sure we had everything we needed, was warm and funny, and had a flexible and hospitable spirit. We had a terrific time with him, and felt lucky to have found someone that matched so well with the family. We traveled with our three kids, who are ages 16, 18, and 20 and they also enjoyed his sense of humor and positive attitude. Can’t say enough good things about him! The Sahara trip was really memorable and the accommodation (both the owner of the camp and the staff - yousef and mostafa in particular) were so kind and fun.

Awesome awesome awesome. Connie was very knowledgeable about New Zealand and had lots of great tips on how to travel with kids. She got us some of the best tours, transfers, hotels, and recommend great activities. Will work with Connie again, for the next trip!

Hotel Reviews

Bolton Hotel

Wellington

Nice apartment style hotel. They do have a washer/dryer combo machine but we weren't able to get the dryer to dry.

Authenticity & Character

It's a nice apartment style hotel.

Location

It's a bit of a walk if you have kids if you plan on walking to Cuba street. It's really close to the cable car though.

Staff

Very friendly and helpful for any questions

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very spacious and clean

On The Point

Rotorua

Wow! This has to be the best hotel ever. It's more of a house than a hotel. My only regret is we stayed here for only two nights, wish we could have stayed here longer.

Authenticity & Character

Wonderful property, lots of character.

Location

Right on the water, breathtaking views

Staff

Amazing staff, super helpful and were glad to answer any questions.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just amazing place, recommend it to everyone

Scenic Hotel Te Pania

Napier

Modern hotel with what you would expect in the states. Has a restaurant downstairs and has okay food. Great location with access to walk around nearby shops. The suites are nice since the connecting room has its own bathroom, so a two bedroom suite will get you three bathrooms. Great of you have kids.

Authenticity & Character

Cool round design

Location

Right next to shopping and great views of the sea.

Staff

Didn't seem to friendly when I checked in. Also didn't offer to help with luggage when checking in. Check out the staff was very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Restaurant bathroom was dirty and we had to let the staff know that it needed cleaning.

Activity Reviews

TE Puia: Te Ra (Day Pass) Guided tour (90 minutes)

Rotorua

Great seeing the geysers and mud pits. They also have a kiwi house that has 3 kiwis. Great hit with the kids

Quality of Experience

Knowledge guide. Really great to hear from someone who grew up in the area and learning about their culture

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mitai Cultural Experience & Dinner

Rotorua

Great seeing the traditional dance and the new Zealand buffet was amazing too!

Quality of Experience

Food

Great traditional new Zealand Maori buffet!

Transport

Initially told 515 pickup time but didn't show up until 550.

Hobbiton Express -

Auckland

Kids really enjoyed it. Was also great seeing the movie sets. Really makes you want to rewatch the movies.

Quality of Experience

Pick up was timely and driver made pit stops so the kids could use restrooms or get breakfast.

Food

Good new Zealand buffet. Kids enjoyed it

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gave great commentary when driving to the site. Was good to hear about the background and culture of some sites while we drove by.

Transport

The seat I was on had a faulty seatbelt.

All the guides were excellent. I especially appreciated Silvia who took us on a hike and exploring Bellagio. She was outgoing, informative & prepared with hiking poles and other things, just in case. She customized our outing based on weather. She even brought supplies to make us tea once we arrived at the highest point.
Phillip was outstanding too. He customized our Bellagio bike trip to suit our needs. We were introduced to people we saw along the way & who knew him, which was a great way to learn about their culture. Janis & I discovered the most amazing restaurant for dinner that evening because Phillip showed us the property during our bike ride. We would have never experienced it without phillip’s help. He provided so much information & was very helpful to Janis when she needed to find a dentist.
Several of the guides took us on tours that were longer than the itinerary stated, because we were all having a good time. You can tell how much they enjoy sharing their knowledge by their willingness to spend time with us travelers.
The wine tour & tasting was amazing (in the Piedmont area) &i loved the truffle hunt. Both exceeded my expectations. I learned so much from each experience.
And WOW! The pesto making experience was a memory I’ll always cherish.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Stella della Marina

Monterosso

I loved this hotel & the hard working owner who carried our bags up the stairs, checked us in, was also the breakfast cook & server.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

STAR HOTEL ECHO

MILANO

Excellent breakfast buffet. Hotel staff was very welcoming too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Royal

Stresa

Beautiful hotel & property. I prefer hotels that are less fancy, however. The staff was adequate, but not as personable as staff in the other locations. The bartender, however, was very outgoing & friendly. The hotel restaurant would not allow us to order ala Carte for dinner. We prefer not eating two or three course meals.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

B&B Cortiletto d'Alba

Alba

I loved everything about this place. Their restaurant was a wonderful place for dinner too. The hotel had so much character. The owner went out of her way to help us find free parking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Andirivieni Bellagio Guest House

Bellagio

Authenticity & Character

Charming….

Location

I got a bit lost a time or two. My fault.

Staff

Very helpful by providing information about the town & restaurants.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wine Experience in Cinque Terre

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I’m

Cinque Terre Sunset Boat Tour

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pesto Experience

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cinque Terre Train Card

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cinque Terre Trekking Card

Cinque Terre

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alba & Barolo Exclusive Experience

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

!. Dinner cruise on the Seine - relaxing and beautiful.
2. Culinary tour in the 7th district (where we were staying).
3. Monet's Garden and House - very worthwhile. It was more beautiful than I imagined. Walked around the city of Paris
on our return. The area around the Eiffel Tower was full of people selling trinkets and wine, and seemed kind of
trashy. Notre Dame had a high fence around the renovation, but had lots of information about the project.
4. Normandy Beaches & American Cemetary - excellant guide, cold and very windy, lots of walking so wear good shoes.
5. Train to Loire valley - Be ready to get off quick, we missed our stop. Wine tasting and touring the vineyards. Stayed in
Sancerre, VERY hilly.
6. Went to a goat cheese manufacturing plant, learned about the process and tasted cheese. I do not like goat cheese,
but the cheese was delicious. Maybe because the French don't pasteurize their cheese. More wine tasting. Guide
was very knowledgeable.
7. Back to Paris to fly to Nice. A beautiful city on the French Riviera. Picture postcard perfect! We shopped, ate, drank
our way across the city. We were fortunate to get a sailboat cruise on the Mediteranean. We ate at a restaurant in
the town of Ese, or EZE. Did not get into the main restaurant , reservations have to be made 6 weeks in advance. The
drive and view were worth it. Spectacular!!!!!

I loved France. It is beautiful, historic. I was prepared to meet people who didn't care for the loud, brash Americans, but everyone was so helpful and nice to us. I would definitely like to go back! I struggled with swollen ankles and blisters from all the walking, but it was worth it.

This was the trip of a lifetime. Received first class treatment from start to finish. Our guide Leo-in Athens was friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating , even taking us to a cemetery, requested by one of us . In Mykonos our guide showed us her favorite spots, and we were not disappointed. Santorini guides Kostis and Lazarus were our favorites by far. Entertaining, passionate, friendly. We thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated every moment. Each boutique hotel had its own vibe. Breakfast delivered to our room in Athens and Santorini, and off the menu in the restaurant in Mykonos. Food was fantastic. Not one complaint about anything. Thank you again for making this happen.

Hotel Reviews

Senses Suites

Santorini

Plunge pool and balcony. Awesome view of the caldera. Clean and fresh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful with our luggage, and breakfast was amazing

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mykonos Bay Hotel

Mykonos

This hotel made us feel like we were special. The attention we received from staff was unlike anything else I have ever experienced.

Authenticity & Character

Everyone and everything at this hotel screams first class

Location

Private beach and balcony. Not far from restaurants and shopping.

Staff

Extremely friendly and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Foundry Suites

Athens

This hotel had an industrial vibe. Plenty of space with a terrace and view of the Acropolis. Absolutely stunning, and the staff was amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Industrial vibe

Location

It was very near restaurants and shopping

Staff

Gave us information on where to eat and made sure we had breakfast to go if needed.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Plenty of space , kitchen, terrace.

Activity Reviews

Depart - Time to say farewell to Greece !

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini - Free Morning & Santorini Catamaran Gold Sunset Cruise (Small group cruise)

Santorini

Quality of Experience

This is a don’t miss tour. Sunset was beautiful.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini - Sights, Wines & Clicks Private day tour

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini - Walk, Drink, Eat Sunset Small Group Tour

Santorini

Quality of Experience

lol

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini - The Island

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mykonos-Day Trip to Delos island & Mykonos Free Afternoon

Mykonos

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mykonos - Walking Tour with a Local

Mykonos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens - Acropolis at Sunset & Plaka neighborhood | Private tour with an archaeologist/guide

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens - Markets, Ruins & Ancient Athens Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens - Free time - What to do in the city on your own!

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens - The City

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Athens

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall we were very pleased with our trip to Colombia. The trip was well organized and balanced. In fact before the start I was a little worried, but it worked perfectly for us that out of 12 nights we spent three nights in each of four very different locations: Bogota, Pereira, Medellin and Cartagena. We definitely recommend this approach for first visit to Colombia.

Filipe and his team took care about every detail and all four local guides (David, Omar, Patricia and Sandra) were very knowledgeable and passionate about their country.

Fact is that we were quite lucky with the weather, but regardless of this we dare to say that going to Colombia in rainy season was the right decision and a great experience.

We loved our trip to Iceland and greatly valued the advice provided by our KimKim specialists. Navigating the coastline throughout the Westfjords was incredible, and something we probably would not have tackled without their help constructing a fabulous itinerary! In a country such as Iceland where the tourism infrastructure does not seem like it has caught up with the exploding consumer demand having assistance in planning your trip is important.

Hotel Reviews

Dalahyttur Lodge

We had no idea what to expect when we pulled up to this lodge, but we absolutely loved it. The rooms are really cozy and the views are tremendous. If you want to grab a meal you will love the food and service.

Authenticity & Character

Really simple, yet incredibly cozy and comfortable.

Location

Views are great!

Staff

They treat you well here!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and tidy.

Hotel Blönduós

Blönduós

Our favorite accommodation in Iceland. Everything about the hotel is top notch.

Authenticity & Character

Owners passion for this hotel and the town are amazing. He clearly has more in store and I am sure many others will notice soon enough if they haven't already!

Location

Cute little town on the coast. Can walk to a small beach line.

Staff

Very personable staff. The owner and Petur Oddbergur Heimisson very great to speak with.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and beautifully designed. A lot of care and thought has gone into this hotel.

Activity Review

Horse Riding Tour

Iceland

This was definitely one of our favorite tours we scheduled over our trip. This is a family business/farm and the passion for what they do is definitely felt. You will definitely see things from a different perspective from a horse than you will on foot at Lake Myvatn.

Quality of Experience

Horses and ride was beautiful. Loved they friendly sheepdog and tour of their farm post ride.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable and passionate about what they do

Transport

My trip to Morocco was wonderful; Hakim and the group of tour guides were incredible. I was able to cover a lot of ground quickly thanks to my wonderful driver Khalil.

If I could do it over again, I would change a few things. For one, I'd spend more time in Fes/Marrakech and make day trips to other locations (such as Chefchaouen and Volubilis). Rabat and Casablanca didn't have enough for a full day each, whereas more time could be spent exploring the older, more dynamic cities. I think a slightly longer trip would've been great to get used to the medinas a little bit more.

Hakim was excellent in setting everything up and for the most part I'm very happy with the quality of the accommodations and the guides on the trip. Everything went smoothly from day 1 and I am thankful for the help planning.

Hotel Reviews

Dar Baraka & Karam

Marrakech

Good hotel outside the heart of the medina; easy to find and get to from the main sites. Staff was not as helpful as other places (didn't speak English as well, which isn't a problem for everyone) but was still good. The room itself was great, very spacious and had a great bathtub.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not overwhelming in the middle of the medina but close enough to everything without being too noisy. Easy to find.

Staff

Staff was fine, no problems per se, just not as easy to communicate with.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Best room of the hotels I stayed in.

Dar Al Madina Al Kadima

Fès

Great location in the heart of the medina. The front desk staff was extremely helpful in organizing a wonderful hammam and pointing out good food spots. Everything was clean and on time; my favorite hotel I stayed at in my favorite city in the country.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the middle of everything

Staff

Extremely helpful front desk staff, very talkative and set me up with a wonderful hammam after a long day of travel.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Showers were a little bit hard to control but the room was spacious, clean, the bed was comfortable, and the wifi was great.

Puerta Azul

Chefchaouen

Clean room

Authenticity & Character

Location

Was about a 10 minute walk into the old medina; would've been nice to stay in the middle of town, not much else around the hotel

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and normal. Wifi was not particularly good but no problems with the hotel

Riad Dar Dar

Rabat

Located in the old medina; very easy to get in/out of the medina from here. Rabat is a quieter town than some of the other spots so not as much near here, but the rooms were nice, the food was good, and the front desk staff was helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kenzi Basma Hotel

Casablanca

The hotel was clean and spacious, food was good, and it was in a great location to walk towards the old medina/restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Felt very western, which was great for the first day

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Food Tour & Local Gastronomy

Morocco

The food tour was extremely fun and potentially the highlight of my trip. Tarik showed me 6 different stops, all in very different parts of the Medina, and each place we went was authentic and delicious. It was helpful to have someone demonstrate the best parts of the Moroccan cuisine in an orderly fashion. Even the snails were delicious!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour in Marrakech

Morocco

Youssef was a great guide and we were able to beat crowds at both the Saadian Tombs as well as the Bahia Palace. The information was clear and helpful and gave me a better understanding of the history of the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Guided Tour in Casablanca

Morocco

Abdelhadi was a great guide - his information was easy to understand and added a lot to my understanding of Casablanca as a city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Fes, Volubilis & Meknes

Morocco

Volubilis was an absolutely stunning spot. A guide is not necessary if you're somewhat in tune with how Roman cities work, but a bit of research beforehand goes a long way towards understanding what you're seeing. Spending a few hours there is totally worth it as either a day trip from Fes or a place to visit on the way. I was excited for Meknes but everything is closed for renovation, so I don't really have much to add. But per usual, my driver Khalil was great and took me to a wonderful restaurant there.

Quality of Experience

If you like history and ancient ruins, this will be a nice treat and is very different from the rest of the country. Use Meknes as a lunch spot after a morning trip.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Hammam & Massage

Morocco

This was a disappointing experience, compared to the hammam I went to in Fes. I was largely left unattended and the woman who was doing the hammam felt disinterested in the process as a whole. For the price I would much rather organize a more authentic experience than a touristy place like this.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour in Fes

Fes

Hafid was an incredible guide. Took me everywhere I wanted to go (city walls, old palace, through the souks) and brought me to great shops to find what I was looking for. His English was great and the city itself is incredible - easily my highlight of the country. Have already recommended him to friends/family who are traveling to Morocco.

Quality of Experience

The city was an incredible combination of history and markets, and the food was extraordinary

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hafid was incredible

Transport

Stephania and the KimKim team planned a 10/10 trip for my fiancé and I. We had a trip from Sunday-Friday all throughout Southern Italy and all of our expectations were met! Every excursion was great, all transfers were easy to find and on time, and hotels were to our liking.

Once again, it was an amazing trip and we would definitely use KimKim again!

Activity Reviews

Trastevere Afternoon Food Tour & Wine Experience

Rome

We loved the food and wine tour because it took us to places that we probably would have not gone to on our own. It was nice to see the history behind certain aspects of trastevere and meet new people! Chiara our guide was excellent in showing us around and was very well spoken and kind.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amalfi Coast Boat Tour From Sorrento

Italy

We loved this boat tour. It was great being able to go to two different cities and also seeing the amalfi coast and the scenic views. We also loved the authentic lunch included. Anna, our boat staff, was amazing! Please make sure she knows how great of a job she did

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maurice our guide for hiking nearby La Fortuna / Arsenal was the high point of the trip., I recommend him highly bec his knowledge of the area flora and fauna was amazing. Now I know what really big Howlers (monkeys) sound like - not for the timid!
The La Fortuna Hotel was very nice but spartan (facial tissues?). Breakfast was very good, we chose the restaurants in town rather than than dinner at the resort. The weather was perfect all week and beautiful sunsets in Tamarindo and Monteverde. A little too warm in Monteverde but if you don’t mind bugs the night air is very cool with the huge sliding doors open. There are no screens on the doors so I recommend the hotels offer mosquito drapery around the bed to get a restful sleep.
Tamarindo was nice with the beaches and pools and we enjoyed the catamaran team that ran things - very friendly - I recommend folks use them. My daughter accompanied me and she had a great week.

It didn’t rain which was good and bad. Beautiful Weather. WAVE Adventures is a top-notch company with many guides who were very entertaining, I recommend them. But the whitewater rafting was disappointing from the low water flow, mostly class 1 with a couple class 2. I was also in Panama and whitewater rafting was much better.

PS: We rented a car as we used different airports and got to see more, driving off the beaten path had some beautiful sights but leave extra time as about 50% of the roads were paved. I personally enjoyed driving like the locals, you get around faster.

Hotel Reviews

Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort

Tamarindo

On the ocean, great sunset views from the balcony patio

Authenticity & Character

Huge complex, we stayed in the older part close to the lobby and restaurant

Location

Staff

Just the nicest helpful people

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ficus Sunset Suites

Monteverde

Beautiful complex of suites along the hillside, we stayed in the sunset rooms at the top and the views were worth it. Rolling back the huge glass doors allows the cool night breezes to make the rooms great for sunsets and sleeping. As there are no window or door screens, I recommend the Ficus Inn install mosquito netting drapes over / around each bed so patrons can enjoy a restful sleep with the lights out. Unless you love flying bugs keeping you company! A nice eco-friendly hotel at the edge of town at a steep uphill road. Good parking, breakfast, and wi-fi. Pleasant staff.

Authenticity & Character

Eco-friendly

Location

Sunset views. Sound of big rigs struggling up the hill was distracting, I guess that’s what earbuds are for.

Staff

More knowledgeable staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Netting around/ over beds to keep flying bugs out of your ears.

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Very good hotel and grounds for the middle-tier resort. You should walk everywhere and skip the shuttle - burn some calories as the resort is on a steep vertical hillside. The best feature is the landscaping and water features. Don’t expect rooms like a Marriott, it’s spartan so spend your time exploring the outdoors. Good breakfast every morning. The town is close by if you desire a dinner out.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Maurice (guide) and Paloma (driver) were the high point of our trip

Quality of Experience

Small group, 4 people + guide was perfect size.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge imparted to us and seeing our guide show us so many plans and their uses.

Transport

Paloma the driver- and a very good singer!

Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River Class II & III

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great bunch of guides. Unfortunately water level too low, mostly class 1 with a couple class 2

Quality of Experience

See above

Food

We were hungry! I liked the cookies and beer!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The guides

Christina and the Kim Kim team were there for us every step of the way. Christina was so helpful in planning and logistics - we appreciated her pespective, suggestions and helpful tips! When we arrived in Norway, we had a few uncontrollable mishaps along the way and were thrilled that the Kim Kim team were so responsive to our questions and needs.

Kim Kim contracted a few different outfitters/guides for hiking and kayaking activities - all the guides were fantastic, they paced the activity to our level and shared so much rich Norwegian history as well.

Thank you Christina and Kim Kim for making this dream trip come true!

Stephania helped us to include many of our "wish for" experiences on our trip to Rome and the Amalfi Coast. Having the transportation set up in advance was fantastic and our drivers were really more like guides. Rino was the best tour guide we could have asked for. He took great pride in showing us the Amalfi Coast, pointing out the highlights in Positano, Amalfi, Furore and Sorrento. We were fortunate to have an extremely knowledgeable guide for our Vatican tour, whose father is also a guide. In fact, Rebecca was also born in the Vatican City so this was a special place for her share with us and she pointed out all of the "fake news" that the Romans had created centuries ago that is on display in the museum. We took a few boat tours to Capri and along the Amalfi Coast, but the boat tour to Positano was made even better by our Captain who stopped several times to let us jump in and swim near the Grottos. Our stay in Sorrento was made extra special by spending three nights in the Grand Hotel Capodimonte. This 4 Star Hotel has 5 cascading pools, with a view that will take your breath away. The Hotel Modigliani in Rome did not disappoint and is filled with very cool contemporary art and upscale furnishings. We loved it. In hindsight we might have asked to do too much as we were very tired after a 10 hour flight and missed our first ferry to Amalfi because we decided to sleep in. My suggestion would be to give yourself at least one day to just relax before getting into high touring mode!