Kimkim Trip Reviews

Tricia helped create a trip in Norway focused on time in the fjords (including half a day of guide-led kayaking and another going out on a small boat to poke around a second fjord). Both experiences and the hotel we stayed at (the historic Kivknes, which may have one of the best fjord views possible) were amazing. The arrangements she made for train, ferries, hotels, experiences in Oslo, Flam, Balestrand, and the lovely Bergen all worked perfectly. She also, at my request, left us plenty of time to do activites that we planned on our own (sauna and swim in the Bergen fjord for instance). The daytime temperature was usually mid-70s and even the famous summer rain stayed away all but one day. (One minor glitch involving a pullout couch at the initial hotel was worked out very quickly using the KimKim emergency number -- and our own efforts with hotel receptionl.) If Tricia is typical of KimKim we would definitely use KimKim again. Norway was really wonderful

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Norge by Scandic

Bergen

I'm giving this 5 stars because we had 2 rooms on the top floor with amazing balconies overlooking a very scenic part of the center of town. The hotel is very convenient, very helpful and has great beds. They arranged a pullout couch in one room that I'd love to find for my own house. Really comfortable. The hotel has a great location for walking around Bergen, which is a very pretty cobblestone-y city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

The hotel has an amazing setting in the middle of the fjord in the tiny town of Balestrand. We stayed in the old historic section, which has tremendous character and great balconies with stunning views, but be aware that the rooms are small. No king-sized beds here! Also since this part is "historic" the rooms are decorated in an older style but with all the basic amenitites. We loved the rooms and would happily have stayed longer. The dining room, where an emormous buffet is put on for breakfast, is open and glassy and overlooks the water. You can also dine there. We lunched one day on the long back porch overlooking the water. The activities did -- kayaking, boating, cidering -- were all within a 5 minute walk. There are a couple small restaurants nearby. We saw lots of hikers, but did not do that ourselves.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Hotel The Hub

Oslo

A large hotel in the very downtown port area. Convenient if not that scenic an area. Everyone in the hotel was extremely nice and helpful. And the rooms were comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Depart Norway

Norway

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

John was our guide and despite having to walk in a downpour a lot of the time he was humorous, interesting about places and the history of those places and led us gently around the whole, mostly cobblestoned city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Balestrand Orchard Walk & Cider Tasting

Balestrand

Fun to hear about and see how cider is made. And then taste some of the ciders afterward.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Scenic Boat Trip to Fjærland

Norway

This was a private trip for just 3 of us with a captain --Tor -- whose family hails from Balestrand for generations. As a result he was a wealth of info throughout the trip about places and people. Tor was really fun and intersting, slowing at certain places to talk or let us drink from a waterfall (without leaving the boat or getting wet--very impressive). Extra info: he has great warm jumpsuits for all his clients. He also does fishing trips, though we did not do that part.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking in Balestrand

Balestrand

We had a guided kayak tours from the town of Balestrand which is so fantastic. A reason to visit again. Our guide "JT" was wonderful, helpful and just fun to kayak with. We were experienced kayakers and so he responded to that, but he often takes out people with no experience and clearly is a great teacher. There were 3 of us (adults) on this excursion and we all thought this was a highlight of our time in Norway.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a fabulous trip to Italy -- Rome, Naples, Pompeii Sorrento and Amalfi - with the help of KimKim's services! Every planned excursion/tour that Valeria helped us plan went off without a hitch. All the guides were top notch too.

My only wish is that we planned a little more down-time. With so many great things to see, it was easy to want to do it all. While we enjoyed the e-bike ride on the Appian Way, especially getting out of the city a bit, we probably could have skipped that one.

We highly recommend the golf-cart tour as a way to see the highlights in Rome after arriving from the states. While it was too early to check into our VRBO, we were excited about seeing the city while not having to do too much walking. Marco, our guide, was terrific! Also, Daniela, who coordinated our efforts on the ground during the trip was great too. She was on top of our itinerary and was always available for question or two.

Activity Reviews

Sorrento Coast & Capri Boat Tour

Italy

Boat ride guides were great but time on Amalfi not so great because it was SO crowded. Guide provided some helpful guidance about what to do on the island but it could have been clearer and a map of how to get back to the harbor from various locations on the island would have been helpful. He showed us this on his map but having our own copies would have been better. Guides made the trip on the boat a lot of fun and were engaging.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer to the Amalfi Coast via Pompeii UNESCO Archaeological Site

Italy

Our guide was SUPERB! We learned a lot from him during our two hour tour . He was one of the only guides that effectively adjusted how he presented information to engage the two teenagers.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Street Food Tour in Naples

Italy

This turned out to be a little different than I expected! While the food we tried was good and it was fun, it was less organized than I expected in terms of what to try, where to get it. The guide asked us what we wanted to try and we told her some things but it would have been more helpful if she had shown us a list of options so we knew what was out there. Also, there was long waits for some of the things we did want to try -- like pizza and pasta from Napoli - that took away from the overall experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cycle the Appian Way - Bike or e-Bike tour

Rome

This experience was good - not great. Tour guide pointed out a few things along the way but otherwise it was mostly an enjoyable e-bike tour that gets one outside of city centro. Of all the excursions we went on, this one I would consider skipping and having the free afternoon instead. Teenagers enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Colosseum, Forum Tour & Palatine hill

Rome

This is a GREAT tour for all, including teenagers! So much to see and learn about. Highly recommend. Exceeded my expectations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Small group tour of Vatican City , Sistine Chapel & saint Peter's Basilica

Rome

Very knowledgeable and friendly guide. Small group tour that only included two additional folks. We learned a lot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Trastevere & Jewish Ghetto Tour of Rome

Rome

Very knowledgeable guide. For some reason the guide thought the tour was 3 hours - not 2 - which meant she paced the tour a little more slowly than we would have liked - which was important since it took place before dinner on our second day in town and we were all a little hungry and tired. We ended the tour after about 2.25 hours - once we figured out the disconnect.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private golf cart tour

Rome

Guide was GREAT! Perfect way to start a visit to Rome after flying all night.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Location to meet our driver was very convienant.

A huge shout out to Tricia Cantlon and her team for making my family’s three week trip to Norway an experience of a life time. My 11 year old son and I were travelling with my 90 year old mother on this family adventure. Putting an itinerary together that would work for all of us required something different and Tricia’s work on pace, variety and activity selection really worked. We appreciated the opportunity to experience the character of Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen but were REALLY blown away by the beauty of the Fjords on our 10 day road trip out of Bergen. Having the flexibility to experience the fjords at our own pace for this portion of our trip was great. Tricia’s attentiveness to us while we were in Norway was also really helpful. She and her team were always super responsive and helpful when I had questions or concerns. They continued to gently guide us through the entire trip and this contributed to a sense of ease along the way that was lovely.

My family of 4 spent a memorable 2 weeks in Ecuador and Galapagos recently. I can't thank Isabel enough for our wonderful itinerary . She was so patient with us as we changed our itinerary 4-5 times during the planning. She was always willing to listen to our needs and accommodate to our requests. Her attentiveness continued even during our trip in Ecuador. I forgot my contact lenses which would have ruined the snorkeling excursions in Galapagos . Isabel went out of her way to find contact lenses and dropped them off at my hotel upon my return from Antisana National Park. This was completely above and beyond the call of duty. I so appreciated that.

I can not write this review without mentioning our AMAZING guide, Cristobal. From the moment he picked us up at the airport, we had nothing but first class treatment from Cristobal. He was personable, and knowledgeable. There wasn't anything we ask that he didn't know. His experience and recommendations gave us a close look at the Ecuadorian culture. It was something that we could have never experienced without his guidance. We would not consider going back to Ecuador without using Cristobal again as our guide.

Carlos in Lima was super knowledgeable about all of the different Peruvian foods, felt like I got an herbalist lesson along with an amazing historical overview of the culinary scene in Lima. Absolutely Wonderful.

Jaime was so kind and kept everything in order and expectations managed for the trip through Parachas and Ica.

Edwin in Cusco and the Inca trail and Machu Picchu I really cannot say enough. His knowledge of Incan history and his capacity to tell it through a captivating story was priceless. He clearly loves his job and feels passionate about his work. He was so supportive of my kids (12 and 16) throughout and kept them in mind- captured their attention and made all of the trekking doable. 5 stars.

The Mountain View experience in Maras in the sacred valley was a once in a lifetime experience. A hidden gem. So glad we had this adventure up there.

The river rafting, rock climbing and zip lining were incredible. So much fun for the whole family and all of the guides were so kind and supportive. Both of the adventure companies were amazing - top rate.

The only improvement I would make would be the hotel in Urubamba. The hotel was a bit removed from town and out dated. Not a big deal - just some feedback. I wish we had had a chance to stay in Oyantaytambo. Next time!

Hotel Reviews

Casa Andina Standard Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, Cusco

Clean, environmentally sound, free filtered water. Wish we had been able to spend a little longer there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Antigua Miraflores

Lima

Beautiful hotel with comfortable quarters for a family of three. Decent breakfast, coffee shop on site. Great location.

Authenticity & Character

Fantastic Peruvian ambiance

Location

Close to the water and between Barranco and San Isidoro

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

San Agustin Urubamba

Urubamba

The hotel seemed a bit outdated and many things were not working (fireplaces, pool, the hot tub was quoted at $80 - US dollars- for 1 hr usage, no filtered water available for free),

Authenticity & Character

Location

The hotel was a bit removed from town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cooper Hotel Boutique

Cusco

Cooler hotel was more than hospitable. Small and intimate, unpretentious, and the breakfast was amazing - made to order in the most amazing sun room. Fantastic location. Delicious teas. Super kind staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the town square

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Paracas, Ballestas Islands, Winery Tour, and Desert Adventure Day Trip from Lima

Peru

While this could have felt like a long day of travel instead it felt like a great adventure broken up into the most diverse experiences. I can’t believe all we saw and experienced in one day. From a boat ride in the morning, learning about bird fertilizer that was used even during Ican times! Penguins, sea lions, and more… to an amazing lunch and wine tour and tasting, to dune buggy riding and sand boarding in the desert! It was a packed day full of fun. The comfy van was a great transport to and from. Highly recommend, especially if you have kids!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lima Food Tour

Peru

This tour was a fun and easy way to get a good flavor of Lima. Carlos was incredibly knowledgeable about the medicinal value of all Of the rich variety of fruits and vegetables the Peruvian cuisine offers. His love for Lima and for food were infectious. Highly recommend. It was great for my 12 and 16 year old as well!

Quality of Experience

Food

Vegetarian friendly

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Had an incredible experience in Peru, and KimKim played a huge part. Whether arranging pick-ups from the airport, finding amazing hotels. assigning incredible tour guides, or making adjustments on the fly, the KimKim experience left me feeling confident that my trip would be time well spent. I especially enjoyed working with tour guides Javier in Macchu Picchu, Luz in Cuzco, and Sophia in Lima. Each was kind, knowledgeable, and flexible. I wouldn’t hesitate to travel with KimKim again. Thanks again to Liz for the excellent trip plan!

A memorable trip where Robi clearly exceeded in working on all details to grant the best experience and combining a bycicle trip with other outdoor opportunities to complement with beaches, swimming, snorkeling, paddeling. All the dinners suggested were outstanding, both with lovely local food and also beautiful views and location.
We prepared the trip in advance and Robi was also extremely responsive proving suggestions and alternatives while at the same time taking on board the multiple requests and suggestions.
During the trip Robi was always providing support and accommodating everybody’s request.
We have done other bicycle holidays in other countries, but this one was beyond special, and Robi had a significant responsibility on its success.

Day 1, Rui picked us up the first day and drove us to Obidos and Aveiro, and finally to our hotel in Porto. He balanced giving us information and quiet time perfectly. He even bought us some Ovos Moles! Very personable and a superb driver/guide.

Day 2, Celia took us on a walking tour all around our Porto. Our first hotel was perfectly situated and was an amazing hotel. Celia was wonderful to walk around with and provided a lot of information. We really enjoyed our 5 hour walk. The bifana and petiscos were tasty.

Day3, Pedro drove us to Guimaraes and Braga. Two amazing cities and we learned a lot of historical information about Portugal. Pedro was informative and personable. Almost forgot to mention the treat he bought us in Guimaraes, very good!

Day 4, Gea (sp?) drove us to Douro Valley. Fast and efficient. Stayed at Six Senses hotel - amazing place.

Day 5, Pedro picked us up at hotel and we toured Douro Valley. He took us to some awesome places/wineries and educated us on how port wine was made. We learned a lot. Lunch was at Quinta Nova, wow, amazing 4 course meal with wine pairing!

Day 6, Rui picked us up and we left Six Senses hotel and headed back to Porto. Rui gave us a lot of additional information about Porto, lovely city. This time we were across the river at The Yeatman Hotel. Perfect spot and allowed us to experience the other side of the river. Well thought out plan.

Day 7, Rui picked us up and transported us to the airport. Sad to leave Portugal, it was an amazing trip.

The planning, guides, hotels and whole experience was incredible. Kimkim did a really great job planning our trip.

We highly recommend Kimkim. Our guides were the best!

This trip, with my adult son, would not have happened without Emanuela and KimKim. Even as a seasoned indie (including a full year of independent travel) + business traveler, I did not have it in me to plan another trip that might get cancelled and unwound due to the ups and downs post-pandemic. So, for the first time ever I decided to seek out a travel agent and thank goodness I found KimKim.
The process is straight forward. Emanuela asked for our dream trip, and then proposed an agenda and set expectations given our very late decision (less than 2 weeks). We focused on our work and then an agenda arrived with cars, hotels, excursions (many off the beaten path) and restaurant recommendations. We were particularly amazed by the fact that Emanuela checked in daily and helped make requested changes along the way. Her restaurant recommendations were so amazing, particularly given my son is a vegetarian trying to eat in Iceland, that we became dedicated to her recommendations exclusively. We would have never found “one of the best chief in Iceland”@ Otto Matur og Dryldkur on our own.
In closing, I look forward to using KimKim for my next, less rushed trip.

Activity Reviews

Forest Lagoon

Akureyri

West Iceland

Borgarnes

Drive to Grundarfjordur via Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Iceland

I will return to the Peninsula -- it is the whole of Iceland compressed into a smaller space. Don't miss the Cave experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I bought the auto insurance for the first time (for window shields and tires) and we used it on Day 2 when we had a flat tire. Enterprise sent a repair man who fixed the tire while we had dinner in a nearby restaurant. Totally worth it! we saw many people with flats in Iceland.

We really had a great time in Istanbul and Cappadocia. Overall the Kim Kim Did a good job in helping us capture the authenticity that we wanted in this trip. The people were amazing, the sites were wonderful, and the food was great.

There were some small glitches. Firstly, after a long flight from the US, we didn’t have anyone waiting for us at the airport. Only after several texts and calls did someone finally come, but it did delay us significantly.

The facility in Cappadoccia, although cute and charming, had no air conditioning. In the dead of August, this made our time in the hotel quite uncomfortable And nearly intolerable. It was brought to our attention that the organizer of our trip was a partial owner of this facility, Which raises some conflict of interest concerns and why we didn’t receive better accommodations.

Booking this trip through my guide, Cami, was the best decision ever. She took care of everything. I had the piece of mind knowing that all my activities were taken care of. She was always accessible and responded very quickly. I had zero issues during my 2 weeks by myself in the Phillipines. She was even kind enough to give me suggestions for my off days. I wouldn’t go with any other company. 10/10 would recommend to anybody. I’m already planning my next trip and can’t wait to book with Cami again!

We had a week long trip along the southern part of Iceland and the golden circle. The process with KimKim was very efficient and the trip really was catered to our needs. Francesca was very helpful and knowledgeable. David from our ice cave tour was fabulous.

Good food recommendations.
Interesting sites to see (Belem, Sintra, Cascais)
Our specialist, Tiago, was very responsive and helpful. He helped us avoid some tourist traps.
I would definitely use Kimkim again.

KimKim came though again! This trip to Spain was our third using KimKim (the others were Greece and Costa Rica) and we could not have been happier. Beatriz and Karin at Espiritu Travel really listened to what we wanted and created the perfect trip. We were in regular contact during our trip to make sure everything went smoothly. It was truly a world-class experience. Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Gran Hotel Inglés

Madrid

Gorgeous design. First class staff. Wonderful location. Due to the age of the property, most rooms are on the small side. Nice spa, and a massage after a long day of walking was perfect. Chic bar. Alex the bartender made our stay extra enjoyable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique Casa del Poeta Sevilla

Sevilla

Unbelievably charming. Gorgeous antiques everywhere you look. Attentive staff. Central location. A/C works great! No complaints whatsoever. Perfect boutique hotel. And I’m picky.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable to main area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bless Hotel Ibiza—The Leading Hotels of the World

Ibiza, Islas Baleares

Truly deserves to be a member of the Leading Hotels of the World. Staff is world-class. Rooms/view/Facilities are incredible. If you want hedonistic luxury, this is for you.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Colón Barcelona

Barcelona

Location is great. View of cathedral is wonderful except for the Samsung ad. Remodeled room was nice. Stay away from the “classic” rooms with dingy carpets. Lobby is gorgeous. Staff are helpful, but we had problems with the Wi-Fi and a/c.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ibiza Kayak and Snorkeling Experience

Ibiza

Park Güell Small Group Tour

Barcelona

Private Guided Visit of Museo del Prado with an Art Historian

Madrid

Guided Visit of Toledo - Jewish Focused

Spain

Private Visit of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Nichole was incredibly informative, gracious, and flexible. We had some last minute challenges during our visit (unrelated to the planning) and Nichole had to do some super quick adjustments and really took care of us. We are very appreciative of her and would highly recommend!

Karen helped us plan our honeymoon to Mexico and we couldn't be happier with our trip.
She took everything we discussed on board and planned our 11 day trip with all our specifications in mind. The process of planning was very smooth and we had regular contact with Karen with additional updates to the itinerary. She was very receptive to any changes we needed to make and was extremely helpful in reorganising part of the trip when I made an error with flights.

The holiday itself was exceptional. We knew at all times who we needed to meet and where we needed to meet them and had daily correspondence with Ximena over What's app.
The mix of activities and excursions was exactly what we had hoped for and I feel like we got to experience a broad view of Mexico.
Our personal highlights were the food tasting and historical tours in Mexico City where we had private tours with some very experienced chefs.
We also got to experience some eco-tourism on the Yucutan and get an idea of modern Mayan culture. One of the best parts of our trip was the cultural emersion tour in Nuevo Durango. Because of these small tours we got to visit lots of hidden cenotes and small villages that we would otherwise never have been aware of.

Every day of our trip had an excursion planned but left plenty of time to explore locally in the evenings. I cannot recommend kimkim, and Karen in particular, enough. I would never have been able to plan such a varied trip without her.

Hotel Reviews

Fiesta Americana Viaducto Aeropuerto

Mexico City

Brief overnight stay between flights. Very nice and clean hotel with great airport shuttle service. Check-in was very straightforward and the staff were very helpful. Very clean and comfortable.

HM Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen

Beautiful and clean hotel with a great pool and bar service. Check-in was very straightforward but there is no elevator in the building so we had to carry heavy suitcases up 2 flights of stairs. Location was great and just a few minutes walk away from the main strip but far enough away that there was no noise at night. There's also a secure carpark which was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Gayser

Valladolid

Great location that was a short walk to the main square and restaurants. The room was clean and comfortable and the air-con was great. We were on the ground floor and there was a lot of noise with music playing in the lobby at night which made it very hard to sleep. The breakfast was limited, just toast and fruit, so we wouldn't have relied on it as a full meal for the morning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

too much noise from music playing in the lobby at night

Casa González

Mexico City

Great location with easy access to town and nice local restaurants. We felt very safe in the area and there were always plenty of people around. The room was beautiful and comfortable and the staff at the front desk were very helpful. Breakfast each morning was delicious with a good variety of Mexican and international food on the menu. Our only issue was with the timing of the room cleaning. We arrived back from trips late in the afternoon most days and our room hadn't yet been cleaned and on one occasion the cleaner arrived while we were in our room (around 4pm) and we had to leave for half an hour while the bathroom bins were emptied and the room cleaned. Despite this we really enjoyed our stay and would happily visit again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cabins in Nuevo Durango

We stayed in one of the cabins in Nuevo Durango as part of a cultural tour of the area and it was one of the best nights we spent in Mexico. The cabin itself is rustic and sparse but very clean and the bed was incredibly comfortable. The cabins each had a toilet and shower and mosquito net for protection. The wifi didn't stretch to the cabin but this didn't limit the experience in any way, and moreso created an unplugged, relaxing night. We had delicious lunch, dinner, and breakfast, all cooked locally and our guide, Jose, was really excellent at showing us around the area and bringing us to the cenote in the centre of the town.

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Float in the Muyil Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve with transportation from Cancun.

Cancún

Cannot recommend this tour enough. The reserve has a gentle current so we spent 40 mins in a very relaxing natural lazy river. Our guide filled us in on how the Mayans used the lagoon and pointed out native plants and fossils as we drifted along. We really didn't want to leave!

Shared biking experience through Teotihuacan "The City of the Gods"

Mexico City

Really pleasant morning biking around Teotihuacan with our guide. We got to visit one of the nearby caves and learn a bit about Aztec customs and auras which was fun! A light lunch was included which was enjoyable before heading back out in the sun. We also had a visit to a local craftsman who showed us how some of the obsidian ornaments are created. Our guide was great and full of information about the mathematics and construction of the pyramids. Really enjoyable tour overall

What a trip to Peru! It was an incredible family holiday. Even more so for not having done an adventurous trip before like this with our children (16, 14 and 11) mainly because of their age and then covid. I soon realized that I needed help planning this as there was such a lot or organize and (although I normally like to plan holidays myself) it was clear that I definitely needed help with this.

Martina was so helpful ... we went through each part of each day. We added places and activities that I knew I would like us to do and Martina made suggestions for those I didn't know or wasn't sure about. She put together an amazing itinerary for us. We were very busy but it was thoroughly enjoyable and very importantly manageable and fun for my kids.

I really also appreciated the support from the team in Peru. Information was provided for each day in advance (tickets, guide names, transfer details) and all the work was done for me and arrived via What's App on my phone .... which was so easy! Everything went very smoothly (which I think would not always be the case in Peru!) and the services provided were excellent ... very helpful as our Spanish is extremely limited.

I definitely would plan a holiday with Martina again!

Hotel Reviews

Tika Wasi Valley

Sacred Valley

Very pretty hotel. Very convenient location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tika Wasi Casa Boutique

Cusco

Very pretty hotel ... cozy and very authentic. The staff were incredibly helpful with everything. Breakfast was good. Very nice to have coca leaf tea any time you want it! We were very happy to go back there after our travels in the Sacred Valley.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

San Agustin Paracas

Paracas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The view, the pool, the location. A little threadbare generally but we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

Waman Hotel Machu Picchu

Can't recommend. Basic rooms, noisy all night. Awful breakfast. Our only bad experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything.

Pullman Lima Miraflores

Miraflores, Lima

Such a luxury! A real treat for the the beginning and end of the holiday.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Desert Camp

Huacachina

Incredible experience! Beautifully set up for us. A great adventure. Also, the sand boarding and buggy ride before were so much fun!!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pisac Inn

Pisac

Loved this cozy hotel. Food was amazing!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit of Islas Ballestas

Peru

This was good ... lovely to see the penguins jumping in the water.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Pisac archaeological site and market

Pisac

I didn't get to see very much of this as I wanted plenty of time in the market! What I did see was very interesting and I had an excellent guide ... Milton .... whose English was just incredible.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu and overnight in Aguas Calientes

Peru

The train ride from Ollyantaytambo to Aquas Calientes was great ... the views were amazing. The guide we had in Machu Picchu (Ana) was absolutely excellent. There was a small protest (very peaceful though) going on which she swiftly navigated us past and straight onto a bus up to Machu Picchu. We LOVED Machu Picchu. Ana's English was excellent. She was patient with our children mucking about (!!!). She had lots of information which was fascinating. Hotel Waman not great. We loved the hike to the top of Machu Picchu Mountain. Our 11 year old found it the easiest, funnily enough! It was much harder than expected but totally worth it and something we will never forget. The views from the top were out of this world! So glad we did this. The train ride down was HILARIOUS! There was dancing and a fashion show. So much fun!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Lima to Paracas, visit of the Paracas Reserve

Lima

This was really good ... stunning actually. We had traveled to Paracas to see the Ballestas Islands and I didn't really have much expectation for this reserve but it was actually incredibly beautiful and I'm really glad we went.

Quality of Experience

Food

The view! The guide was also excellent.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Paracas to Huacachina Sand duning and buggy

Paracas

Such a fantastic experience! Thoroughly enjoyed all of it ... the buggy ride, the sand boarding and the camping. All of our family loved doing this and we will always remember it!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacred Valley tour : Chinchero, Maras and Moray by bike

Peru

Great fun family day! Yuri was an excellent guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I personally want to thank Kimkim and Martin for having organized this wonderful honeymoon trip to Thailand ! We got everything we asked for in the short time span of the trip, and we have great memories of the main places in Thailand. We were active and moving the whole time, local guides and activities were simply amazing, and this really allowed us to go with the flow and discover in a really relaxed way. All the connexions were neatly set up so we didn’t have to worry about anything. Thai culture, cuisine, it’s people, beaches, natural parks, everything was there. Thanks for your service and your great know-how in creating great trips !

Robbie and his team are exceptional. These days, there are not many companies that put their heart and soul in their clients' wellbeing, .... well, Robbie and his team are the exception. They not only appreciate and please, but always think one or two steps ahead. When our group of 19 (ages ranking from 8 to 53!) arrived to Croatia, together with a heart-warming welcome speech, our bikes and equipment were already prepared according to heights, with our nametag on, water bottles nicely cooled and marked with names. Biking routes were perfectly selected - stunning views, no crowd, difficulty not too strenuous but challenging enough... Robbie's vans were always near us, looking after our security and the need to refill our bottles with fresh water. Arriving to any beach, suprise-suprise, snorkelling equipment already prepared for every kid.. During the 1 week, our overnight stays were perfectly organized in nice hotels, and our dinners were carefully selected and prepared in nice, traditional restaurants/ terraces. As for communication, besides absolutely fluent English spoken, Robbie and his team were also carefully watching the balance of "humanly close, but not invading". We will repeat for sure.

Our 14-day vacation started on the right foot with Alejandro picking us up at the Quito Airport and giving us an intro to the country's history on the way to the hotel. He was also great helping us through the airport for getting to the Galapagos and going home. The Old Town Quito Suites apartments were a perfect oasis for our family to relax between activities in the busy city. La Teleferico afforded a neat ride up the Pichincha volcano over Quito on our last day.

Jose and Oscar were our guides for Cotopaxi National Park. Lodging at Tambopaxi was surreal with the volcano looming closeby. Our family bike tour along the flanks of the volcano was 12 miles and mostly flat with a 5 mile gwntle downhill section ending at the Inca ruins and lunch. We all made it!

Christian took us to Mindo and guided us to El Quetzal's chocolate tour, the Tarabita and waterfall hike/swim, amazing lunch lunch spots, and San Tadeo birding, where we saw hummingbirds, a crimson-rumped toucans, and many pale-mandibled aracaris. The Terrabambu Lodge bungalows (deluxe and family) were so peaceful and the kids loved the pool and pizza with the view..
On the way back to Quito, Christian guided us to Pululahua Crater and Mitad del Mundo. We shared a lot if interests with Christian, especially a love for mountainbiking.

On Santa Cruz, Astrid met us on Baltra and was our guide, introducing us to Los Gemmelos, El Chato tortoise reserve, and the Charles Darwin Research Center. La Isla Hotel was an elegant and modern resting place.

Pablo was very helpful for the interns land ferry.
On Isabela, Ricardo guided us to Las Tintororas, where we saw blue footed boobies, penguins, a green sea turtle, and many fish. He was great especially with offering breaks with hot tea and cookies and for helping our boys set up for snorkeling.. Javier guided us up Sierra Negra and Volcan Chico... a long, but moderate level hike over staggering geologic features. His knowledge of the area's history and geology was fascinating.

Every activity was different, exciting, yet hard to rank since each was so wonderful. Our family spent a good 6 to 8 months reviewing and discussing options for our trip with Linda, and what we ended up with was perfect for our family... not over ambitious and we had some downtime at the end of each day... even with a few last minute changes. KimKim was always very accommodating. Everyone we met was also a pleasant experience. We had the trip of a lifetime and will miss everyone and everyplace.

Hotel Reviews

Terrabambú Lodge

Mindo

Wake up to the sounds of birds in this perfect spot above the Mindo Valley. Open view points, unique deluxe and family bungalows, a swimming pool, ziplines, swing, and bridges await. My boys spotted a pale-mandibled aracari from the parking area and many other birds can be seen from the restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Wonderful deluxe (rustic on the outside, but modern on the inside) and family bungalows.

Location

About 5 minutes from town across the river on the way up to the Tarabita.

Staff

Friendly service at the restaurant for meals and ziplinging/swinging.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spacious and clean bungalows.

La Casita de la Playa

Puerto Villamil

Our family stayed in two rooms (connecting door optional) for three nights on the third floor. Went to sleep and woke up to the sound of the ocean. Relaxing patio area shaded by palm trees with tables. Self-service mini bar in the office perfect for grabbing a soda (Fiora was our favorite) and soaking up the scenery. Soft, sandy 3 km beach three steps away. A short walk to shopping and resaurants. Breakfast is on the open, shaded 3rd floor patio. We loved it.

Authenticity & Character

Unique design and patio.

Location

Right on the beach.

Staff

Very helpful staff to offer great dining options.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Even with all the sand we dragged into our rooms each day, the staff somehow made it all immaculate the next day.

La Isla Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Modern vibe and elegant. Close to restaurants, shopping, and the Charles Darwin Center. Easy to set out from towards Tortuga Bay by foot.

Authenticity & Character

Modern and clean.

Location

On a quiet street, but close to everything.

Staff

Breakfast on the open main floor.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean rooms and soft beds.

Old Town Quito Suites

Centro Historico, Quito

A perfect oasis in the Old Town just a few blocks from the Basilica, a ~10 minute walk to Plaza Grande, and ~10 minute taxi to the Teleferico. Cafe San Blas just a few doors up the street for a nice dinner. Very helpful and friendly staff. We stayed in the Attic and Room with a View, both perfect for a family. Both so unique and beautiful.. Nicely stocked kitchen with agua pura, coffee, and food for breakfast or light lunch. We felt very safe there.

Authenticity & Character

Old world feel.

Location

Close to the Old Town and easy in/out of the city for getting to the airport (~45 minutes) and points north or south.

Staff

Very helpful at any hour to call for a taxi or hold luggage while exploring the town after checkout.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Modern kitchens and bathrooms, and agua pura and toiletries provided. Soft beds and couches. Quiet rooms... you would hardly notice you were in the city.

Tambopaxi Cotopaxi Lodge

Parque Nacional Cotopaxi

You can't beat this amazing lodge right inside the Cotopaxi National Park. The main lodge has a dining room with wide windows for gazing out at the landscape and TV area. VIP rooms are very warm and clean, each with a stove lit each night. There's even wifi in such a remote spot. Easy to set out on guided adventures like mountainbiking, hiking, and horseback riding.

Authenticity & Character

Neat lodge design fits in well with the rustic surroundings.

Location

Remote and wonderful setting. Viewing the perfect, snow-covered stratovolcano and wildflowers is an activity by itself. Our family did a moderate guided mountainbike ride (12 miles) to the Salitre Inca ruins.

Staff

Friendly staff. They even brought out a birthday cake for my son's 13th bday during our visit.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean rooms and common areas. Rooms are larger with extra chairs and a common indoor balcony/viewing area for the volcano.

Activity Reviews

Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

This is a 10 mile round trip out and back hike. The first mile ascends up to the Sierra Negra crater rim and then follows the rim on a relatively flat trail for a few miles to the pavillion. After that, the trail goes down hill and the landscape changes to bring you out to a series of lava fields and craters, including Volcan Chico. Circling around Chico, the trail comes back to the start.

Quality of Experience

A spectacular hike to two very different volcanic craters.

Food

A nice box lunch was provided by the guides including a sandwich, juice box, apple, and crackers.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was great for the kids and detailed the history and geology of the park, island, and volcanic feature as we past them. Probably the best part of the hike was our guide!

Transport

A taxi dropped us off at the trailhead with our guides and was there to pick us up to return to town.

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

The Charles Darwin Research Center has a small museum containing very interesting exhibits about the Galapagos islands and its research and conservation efforts. Several trails wind their way to the baby tortoises and the preserved tortoise, Lonesome George.

Quality of Experience

The museum exhibit texts were in Spanish and English.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very educated and provide an encyclopedia of information to us in just a short time.

Transport

We walked from town to the center and back. It was nice to stretch the legs after our flight.

Transfer to Quito Airport, Arrival to Galapagos & Highlands of Santa Cruz

Ecuador

The Quito Airport is about 45 minutes from the Old Town and very modern and clean, but small enough to get around and through security very easily. You can get your Transit Cards in advance and skip a line when going to the Galapahos. The Baltra airport is even more friendly and quaint... we were even greeted outside of baggage claim by a passing land iguana. Remember to have your $100/person cash national park fee ready at customs. We were met by our Charles Darwin Research Center guide and escorted on the airport bus to the Itabaca Channel ferry to Santa Cruz and then to a private van to head into the highlands. We stopped at Los Gemmelos (pit crater) and then El Chato tortoise reserve for lunch and a tour passing by several giant tortoises and down through a lava tunnel. Our last stop was to tour the Charles Darwin Research Center and see the famous Lonesome George and then the baby tortoises.

Quality of Experience

The whole day was planned seamlessly and each site was so wonderful.

Food

El Chato's menu was family friendly and delicious.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very informative and entainyained all of our questions.

Transport

Comfortable van and friendly driver.

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

Fun and relaxing (a little challenge to get around the outer islet) paddle through bright/medium blue waters and with luck see green sea turtles, penguins and blue footed boobies. Super experience for all abilities and families. After that, put a wet suit on (if not already on from the kayaking) and take a short walk to a calm lagoon to snorkel amongst colorful fish and green sea turtles.

Quality of Experience

Perfect gear and setting as an introduction to Isabela.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly guides adapt to each family member's abilities.

Transport

Taxi will drop you off at the kayaking Beach. A short walk on a boardwalk (barefoot is fine) for snorkeling. Taxis are waiting for when you finish up.

Mindo & Return to Quito

Ecuador

Our guide took us to El Quetzal chocolate factory to see the process of making chocolate and tasting several varieties. On the way back to Quito,, we stopped at Pululahua Crater, with is gently green surroundings contrasting to to the more harsh landscape of Cotopaxi.

Quality of Experience

Food

Good coffe and desserts.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide gave us a detailed history of the volcano and people living in and farming in the caldera.

Transport

Easy Detour off the road between Quito and Mindo.

Transfer to Mindo & Activities in the cloud forest

Ecuador

We saw our bucket list crimson-rumped toucans and pale-mandibled aracari at San Tadeo. Dozens of hummingbirds and some other small , colorful birds as well.

Quality of Experience

Friendly owners and staff. Beautifulcloud forest setting.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide helped my son spot birds, which he loved to point out to his mom either taking pictures or sharing the camera so he could capture.

Transport

Quick transport from and to Mindo for this afternoon activity.

Biking in the Cotopaxi National Park

Cotopaxi

My favorite (I'm an avid mountainbiker).

Quality of Experience

Nice mountain bikes and gear.

Food

Wonderful and balanced picnic lunch provided.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly, helpful, and informative guides rode with us (one on a mountain bike and one in a support van)

Transport

Our guides adapted to each family member's ability level.