Kimkim Trip Reviews

Peridot hotel: awesome breakfast, hotel is beautiful! The people/employees are wonderful!
Zoom: great guide and patient with us
Driver/transportation: transportation was awesome and roomie! We loved it! The driver was nice and professional, just didn’t interact with us much, probably due to the language barrier.
Ashley: she truly coordinated and I loved that she was readily available. We had times when we wanted to change the itinerary a lil and she responded quickly and we are greatly appreciative.
Vietnam: hot and humid! You have no control over that. The sites were nice and I learned some, but I sweated daily!

Activity Reviews

Cu Chi Tunnels & Ho Chi Minh City Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

I learned the most here and I liked it’s interactive nature-that u could touch and experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dark & Bright Cave - Lan Ha Bay - Tuan Chau (Capella)

Ha Long Bay

The caves were not much of a cave, more like an opening. The cruise had great employees but I was happy it was only one night. That was sufficient to enjoy the cruise. The water in ha long bay was not well taken care of. Some debris around even when we were enjoying the water.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi City Sightseeing & Street Food Tour

Hanoi

Food tour was great! Some great eats!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We are so grateful for Maria’s help in planning our trip to Sicily. In addition, the responsiveness of Maria, Barbara and Jessica (from Storywalking) when we decided within a few days to cancel and then changed our minds to go on with the trip with about 36 hours notice. We literally called them in the middle of the night to rebook everything and within a few hours they did it. We were on the fence to going due to the fires and the airport issues but everything went so well. We are so appreciative of every little detail they put into our trip and their continuous check ins with us. And to have a cooking lesson in a home was over the top wonderful. Thank you!!!

Hotel Reviews

Apartment in Catania

Catania

It was a little small but overall we really liked the location.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful.

Location

Loved having the breakfast place nearby and good restaurants below.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were very comfortable.

Apartment in the historic center of Palermo

Palermo

Loved the spaciousness of the apartment, it is huge!! The location was also amazing right within walking distance of everything!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect walk to everything.

Staff

We asked for a lot of recommendations and Roberto was helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Apartment in Taormina with Panoramic Views

Taormina

Loved the location and the views!

Authenticity & Character

Spot on!

Location

Loved walking down the hill a bit for breakfast.

Staff

Great communications.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Fishing Experience near Catania

Italy

The weather conditions prevented us from doing the fishing trip. No fault of anyone!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

N/a

Transport

N/a

Arancino Cooking Class

Taormina

We were running late and missed the class!

Quality of Experience

We had a hard time finding the right door.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

N/a

Transport

Cooking Class at a local's home in Catania

Catania

The best meal we had in Catania and Sicily! To be welcomed into someone’s home and then to enjoy the food making and get to eat it all at a local’s home was the best! Angelou was perfect teaching our 12 year old, too. He was comfortable learning in her home.

Quality of Experience

Being in a locals home and learning more about life in Palermo was unique. So much better than a cooking experience in a classroom type setting. Plus it was a private experience so we were able to relax.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Palermo Street Food Tour

Palermo

We added a few people to the overall tour and it worked out great! Plenty of food experience for all! A great sampling of local street food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Palermo Private Walking Tour

Palermo

We had so much fun with Marilu. She was fantastic, knowledgeable and was flexible with the tour as it was so hot. She brought us to her favorite coffee place, poked our heads in the door of a shoemaker and more. It was history in motion with the tour of sights and sounds.

Quality of Experience

Marilu’s insights and knowledge were perfect. She knew it was hot and adjusted with almond granita!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking and listening and learning along the way.

Private Mount Etna Guided Jeep Tour

Italy

Our tour was great and tour guide was super knowledgeable and knows everything about Mount Etna. You could tell Marco grew up with the volcano and loved sharing what he knows. The kids listened to what he was teaching!

Quality of Experience

Perfect guide and tour

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He answered questions and we felt safe with his experience level.

Transport

My trip to Iceland was cut short due to illness, Eric helped to secure a refund for a ⛴️ that was booked through KimKim and assist with paperwork for travel insurance.
He was very helpful in securing accomodations and making last minute changes for our small group.

Kimkim is a fantastic concept- who knows better to plan your trip than a travel agent from the country of your destination? Arianna, our local specialist, was not only knowledgeable, she was extremely patient, totally professional, and tremendously helpful. We had no idea what to do or where to start and Arianna had it all under control. Her planning did not disappoint, everything about our trip was beyond our expectations!! We made adjustments to our itinerary several times, and she was there immediately to discuss our options and suggestions. We had many video conferencing calls...often past her workday hours due to the time difference. Once in Sicily, her colleague-Barbara was in contact with us several times a day, confirming transportation and the itinerary schedule. The transportation was first rate as well. There were always on time and very accommodating. My elderly father is not the most mobile, and our drivers made every attempt to get us as close as possible to our sites. I could continue with this glowing review, but suffice it to say that our experience was outstanding! I would recommend them to anyone who is planning a trip! I will be using them again :)

I love this service. I’ve always planned my own trips in the past, but this one just felt right for outsourcing as I didn’t know the country that well and didn’t feel like doing all the research. Gustavo was my guide and now having completed my trip, I must say I’m glad I gave myself this gift. He was able to book each of my requested activities - my favorite being the farm experience in La Fortuna, Costa Rica (I made my own chocolate truffle from scratch and made freshly-pressed sugar cane juice!) I liked this service so much that I booked my next trip while on this trip!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Villas Lirio

Quepos

Lirio is like at the midpoint between Manuel Antonio National Park and Quepos. Quepos is the town next to the boat harbor and feels like a legit Costa Rican town. The restaurants and inns towards Manuel Antonio all feel like overpriced tourist traps. As for the hotel itself, I thought the “towel card” was strange. It’s a laminated card that says if you lose the card, you’ll be charged $20. I never used the pool, but it did look nice. The room was very clean, and the housekeeping came daily. The bed felt old and was made of springs. I appreciated that they had a restaurant since I arrived late in the evening, I was able to eat dinner and stroll back to my room. The wifi doesn’t cover all rooms. I was in room 303, and I had to sit next to the window with my iPhone in order to get signal. Forget about cellular; even with full bars, you don’t get squat. I like that they let me park my locally-rented moped in the garage for free.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Country Inn

La Fortuna

Consider the location before booking. I like that fact that it’s outside of town, so it’s relatively quiet except for the loud diesel trucks that roar down the road. On the downside, I was without a car and had to walk into town (20 min each way) to find lunch and dinner (the inn only serves breakfast). The room was good. Hot rain shower, everything was clean, breakfast was good, and towels were changed daily. I didn’t care for the $16 charge for laundry (even though I only had 2 items),

Authenticity & Character

It’s very much an inn

Location

It’s a bit far from town to walk

Staff

Staff was nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Los Campesinos Farm Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

The family that owns this farm is so sweet and hospitable. I would absolutely book this farm experience again just to make another piece of homemade chocolate and freshly-pressed sugar cane juice.

Quality of Experience

Food

I was served a home cooked lunch, which was one of the best meals I had in Costa Rica.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valeria, Deborah and Daniela were amazing. Questions were answered immediately. It was very comforting to be met at the airport and given help boarding the train to Naples. All hotel reservations and bookings were seamless. No stress. Just enjoyment. Would recommend this team highly.

Hotel Reviews

Mediterraneo Hotel

Sant Agnello

An incredible seaside resort. The views of the ocean were breathtaking. The Vista Sky Bar was exceptional. The daily breakfasts were perfect and the service unparalleled.

47 Boutique Hotel

Rome

Excellent hotel. Centrally located. Friendly staff. We loved the daily breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private golf cart tour

Italy

The private golf cart tour was a fantastic way to see the city. It was flexible and allowed us to see many sights in a short amount of time. In retrospect, this could have been a good alternative to the long tours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class @ Fattoria Terranova - Sorrento

Italy

The cooking class was a wonderful experience for the whole family. We enjoyed cooking various dishes and the farm-to-table concept added to the charm. The only downside was a bit of a wait for our driver afterwards

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Rome

Again, the guided tour was good but felt a bit long. The quick walkthrough of the Sistine Chapel was pleasant.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Small group tour of Colosseum with Arena access, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum

Rome

The guided tour was informative, but it felt long and a bit tiring, especially in the heat. If I were to do it again, I might opt for a shorter tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip included 2 days in Athens area, 3 days on Paros and 4 days on Santorini. It was a wonderful trip with timely transfers and very high quality hotels. Cici, our Athens food and Acropolis guide, was superb! She has a PhD in Archeology and studies Mythology for fun. We hit a number of small local specialty food spots, and then walked up to see the Acropolis. It was a perfect taste of Athens. On to Paros, which is beautiful and has many great restaurants on the water front and top notch water sports (windsurfing, wing foiling, speed boat tours) which we enjoyed thoroughly. If anything, we just wish we had more days on Paros - it was our favorite - and the Summer Senses hotel was very relaxing with great views. Santorini was classic Greek islands with lots of great food, shopping and a truly beautiful and luxurious sunset catamaran ride with grilled seafood for dinner. We also had some fun adventure on a Kayak tour of the southern coast of Santorini, and did some more windsurfing and Wing Foiling at the Namely beach. We were two families with 5 teenage kids and everyone loved it!

We had an amazing trip to Kruger National Park, Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) & Choble National Park (Botswana). Lucy's recommendation of places to stay plus all the game drives/boat cruises were spot on. We got to see the Big 5! The people at the Lodges we stayed were fantastic and so so hospitable esp in Tremisana (a special shout out to Mamma Di, who manages the F&B). The rangers in all the locations were so knowledgable and took their time to explain about the animals and their habits. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed this trip and definitely recommend this trip. A big thank you to Lucy for the organisation (even though there was a small hiccup in Chobe)

Hotel Reviews

Chobe Safari Lodge

Kasane

The hotel got our stay package wrong initially but it all ended well. We had a wonderful stay here, from room comfort to the food and the game drives/river cruise. The breakfast and dinner serving choices was great. A special recognition to housekeeping staff, Penny, for her initiative and honesty to check the room on our checking out and notice we had left a handphone in the room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shearwater Explorers Village

Victoria Falls

We stayed 2 nights here to visit Victoria Falls and the Elephant Sanctuary. The staffs at the front office and housekeeping were friendly and helpful. The rooms were adequate with all the amenities and good supply of hot water. The restaurant within the resort needs BIG improvement.....service was poor. Staffs were busy lingering amongst themselves at the counter and quality of food is poor. Breakfast serving was a major disappointment as quality of products at the buffett spread was poor.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sunrock Guesthouse

Johannesburg

Stayed 1 night. Good location as it is near the airport if you are on transit.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Needs improvement on the heating

Tremisana Game Lodge

Hoedspruit

Basic lodge with homely feel. The staffs, from housekeeping, kitchen and rangers, were all so friendly and made our stay there so memorable. Will definitely stay in this Lodge if we were to visit Kruger again

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

1 Night Kruger Safari

South Africa

Great day spend in Kruger National Park....

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Activities at Chobe Safari OR Bush Lodge

Botswana

Great time doing both the river cruise and morning game drive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls

We thoroughly enjoyed our day visiting the fall.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Through the eye of an elephant

Victoria Falls

We had a wonderful time lerning about elephants here at the Sanctuary plus got to interact with the elephants.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Cruise - Signature Deck

Victoria Falls

We were a little disappointed with the trip....maybe our expectations were set a little too high.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

3 night 4 day Tremisana

South Africa

We saw what we came to see!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 8-Day visit to the tropical paradise of Costa Rica made us realize that life is good, it is very, very good.About the size of the American State of West Virginia, Costa Rica is a legend for its natural beauty, biodiversity and of course, its people.
It's our first time to use KimKim as a travel planner app when planning this trip. It matched us with a Costa Rican travel outfit, Serendipity Adventures. From the initial planning stage to the final execution, our local contact, Bryan Leon, tailored our 8 day visit ( as per our request and budget) to include a good introduction to the country. He did this by letting us sample the unbelievable landscapes of Arenal, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio along with fun activities like trekking, zip lining, night walk in a cloud forest, guided nature hike ,and swimming in the ocean. Bryan was a complete pro in responding to our queries and a valuable local resource we truly relied on.In addition, Nancy and Charlotte from the main office in San Jose also made sure everything was seamless.
We had local guides who made sure that this trip was for the ages. Alex Quieros picked us up at our fantastic hotel in San Jose and drove us to Arenal where we experienced the rain forest and its wildlife. Alex was an awesome guide and driver. He conducted himself with professionalism, kindness, and charm. We felt very comfortable and safe with him. His driving skills were impeccable and he was a delight to talk to. Our second guide, Marianus ,took us on a volcanic hike and later a visit to the La Fortuna waterfall. He was engaging, immensely knowledgeable, and so much fun to be with. Our third guide, Andreas, was skillful at spotting wildlife with a tripod telescope. As both a certified guide and a researcher, he wowed us with his expertise in local flora and fauna.
In addition to the wonderful guides, Serendipity Adventures, made sure that we stayed at top-notched accommodations. Each of the places we stayed made thoughtful little gestures ( we were marking our wedding anniversary and we had bottles of wine waiting for us to enhance the celebratory mood).We were also impressed with the level of attention.
Overall, this short but immensely satisfying visit happened because of the expertise and professionalism of the crew at Serendipity Adventures. We can't wait to come back and we are already telling our friends and neighbors about our fantastic trip to beautiful Costa Rica. Pura Vida!

First and foremost, Angela was fantastic. She listened to what we were interested in and did not just do the standard greek itinerary. She was very responsive to our questions and always very professional even when we asked the same question twice. She also was super responsive during the trip when we had questions the day of - - she typically responded within minutes. As someone who travels quite a bit, I appreciated her approach and attention to detail.

In terms of the trip, we are not big fans of looking at historical stuff. We are more nature, wildlife and beach people. Having said that:

- we flew into Athens and landed around noon local time. We checked into our hotel and walked around to Zeus' temple and the parliment for the changing of the guard. We then did an organized tour of the Parthenon, which was great. We liked the tour guide and he was very informative. There is also a large museum at the base that I am sure would of been interesting to visit, but we skipped it in favor of island time.

- we loved milos.. Angela recommended it after listening to what we were interested in. It is not as touristy or crowded as the other islands but has a ton of picture perfect beaches. we rented a car (note the streets are very narrow, so be forewarned) and had a great time. We did the catamaran cruise which we loved - fantastic. we also did a 3 hour see kayak tour - we liked it as well, but it is not for everyone as it can be moderately strenuous.

- we enjoyed santorini. the buildings built into the cliffs are something to see and the views are fantastic. The shops and restaurants are nice, but duplicative. We are not big dress up for pictures people or bigger shoppers so although beautiful, Santorini is probably a once in a lifetime visit for us. We did a hummer tour which was nice - drive to various picture spots and then a nice lunch. We also did a catamaran. Other than the beautiful sunset at the end, it was good but not great compared to the milos one.

None of these critiques are about Angela or even Greece, but just observations to help you plan the trip.

Hotel Reviews

Art Maisons Oia Castle Luxury Suites

Santorini

We enjoyed our stay at Oia. The hotel was beautiful, like a cave built into the hill. However, we would have preferred a pool that was more in the sun.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vira Vivere Houses

Plakes

We stayed in an apartment-style housing at Vira Vivere Houses. Initially, we weren't impressed by its location as it wasn't by the water. However, as we explored the island, we realized that most accommodations were similar. The unit was nice, and the owner was accommodating!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Niche Hotel

Athens

We enjoyed our stay at the Niche Hotel in Athens. It was clean, nice, and had a lovely restaurant on top where we had breakfast. Its central location was also a plus.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hummer Ride Safari without meal

Santorini

Our Hummer tour was okay. We drove up to the top of the mountain, to the monastery, and a few other places. The guide was nice and did a good job. However, the excursion starts on the other side of the island, about a 45-minute drive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Sunset Cruise 2025

Santorini

The Santorini catamaran cruise was good but not as enjoyable as the Milos catamaran cruise. The crew was nice, the food was good, and it ended on a beautiful sunset. However, we felt the sights were not as pretty as in Milos.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sea Kayak in Milos

Greece

We also did a sea kayaking activity in Milos. The guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and we had no complaints. The experience was enjoyable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Sailing Tour Around Milos (Catamaran from Adamas)

Greece

Our all-day catamaran cruise in Milos was fantastic. The crew was great, and the snorkeling spots were good. We were with multiple other people, but it didn't detract from the experience. We loved this tour more than the one in Santorini.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Acropolis Afternoon Tour

Greece

The Acropolis tour was a great experience. Our guide was very informative, respectful, and overall a nice guy. While we are not that into history, the tour was enjoyable. However, unless you are really into Greek history, I wouldn't recommend it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dennis, Humberto and Alex were excellent guides. They were friendly, knowledgeable and had positive attitudes

Amazing trip.
Athens: our tour guide CC (spelling?) was fantastic. Super knowledgeable and fun. Took us to great spots. And found coffee right away! She was true pleasure. Five stars.

Paros:
The hotel, Summer Senses, was terrific. Beautiful and clean. Best pool set up anywhere. Gorgeous rooms.

The private boat tour, Seacrest, with our guide Thanos, was a highlight. Thanos was the best. Beautiful swimming and cliff jumping.

We found great windsurfing at Golden Beach.

All dinners transport and ferry were easy and very well planned.

Santorini:

The private sunset oía catamarán outing was fantastic. The guides were fine and prepared a lovely dinner on the boat. But they were a bit unfriendly with us and each other. And they vaped which was a bummer. But overall, a wonderful experience.

The hotel, Nikki Beach, was beautiful but the vibe was poor for us. Maybe we just didn’t understand the platform the hotel presents at the outset so we were a bit disappointed by the loud house music all day long at the pool. But we just stayed away during the music hours. Won’t go back, but it was comfortable and clean and very nice.

The sea kayak tour was great. Joe and Adonis were wonderful and welcoming and knowledgeable. We would recommend that highly.

Seetha: she was wonderful. Very responsible and planned a great trip for us. We could not have had a better trip thanks to her!

Sarah was incredible to work with throughout our planning stages and then she and Ivan were super communicative during our actual trip. Not once did we have to worry about any logistics, everything was handled seamlessly. We were able to just fully immerse ourselves in the experience and make memories. Thank you from all of our family for building and executing the trip of a lifetime!!!

Tiago helped me plan a perfect 12 day itinerary covering Portugal from the north to the south. My family is still raving about the trip! He was very helpful an extremely responsive. I wanted something partly guided and partly on our own with a driver. He was able to accommodate this and tailor the itinerary to our needs. Once in Portugal, our driver João took excellent care of us. He was very friendly and flexible with our plans. We had a great time chatting with him during our longer car rides between cities. Our guide Joel in Lisbon was also very good. Extremely knowledgeable and passionate about showing others his beautiful city. We started in Porto, went to Duoro Valley, then Lisbon and finally Algarve. Tiago had many suggestions for accommodations, and we were very happy with those we chose. 10/10 would recommend Kim Kim and the local company in Portugal.

Hotel Reviews

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

Fantastic location with access to cliff walks. Great amenities. However, during the peak tourist season, the hotel needs more staff. Everyone was very friendly and doing they best they could, but service was slow. I would consider it more of a 4 star property, though my family and I had an amazing time.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sheraton Lisboa Hotel & Spa

Lisbon

Good location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta

São João da Pesqueira

This was by far my favorite hotel in Portugal. The location and views were stunning. It was a magical experience staying in this property in the Duoro Valley

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sé Catedral Hotel Porto, Tapestry Collection By Hilton

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the heart of old city! Everything walking distance

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cascais & Sintra Guided Visit

Portugal

Joel was also our hide for the day of visiting Cascais and Sintra. We saw many different areas on this beautiful drive. He even hooked us up with a lunch reservation at one of the most coveted restaurants by the beach, and we got the best table! We had an amazing day visiting all these areas.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon - half day guided visit

Lisbon

Joel did an amazing job at showing us Lisbon in one afternoon. He knew to use a vehicle in order to cover more neighborhoods and included some stops for walking and getting some local drinks and pastais de Belém. He was extremely knowledgeable and very experienced. We thoroughly enjoyed this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Porto (Half-Day Guided Walking Tour)

Porto

We had a great time doing the walking tour of Porto. We definitely covered areas we would not have made it to otherwise. Highly recommended.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Where to start -- my husband and I were very skeptical about using a tour agency. We've traveled all over the world and never needed an travel agent. But now we have kids (ages 2 and 4) and we wanted to maximize our time in Colombia (a place we'd never been). So we cautiously decided to work with Michael.... The experience was so amazing that now I want Michael to plan EVERY trip ever ever take -- he's that good.

Michael prepared our entire trip with tons of amazing options. It was a bit out of our budget so we asked him to pair down...then we got cold feet and thought "oh we can do this ourselves". So we limited our trip plans even more. Well, we arrived in Bogota and Michael had helped us with the first leg. We were so blown away by the people he had selected for us and how smoothly everything went that throughout our trip we had him add back in more and more from his original itinerary. And honestly, I wish we had taken his advice on a few more tours. We skipped out on doing the food, fruit and market walking tours and my friends who did do them, loved them.

Michael was so patient with us, so kind, and so understanding as we made decisions and then changed our minds. He was on call while we were in Colombia and his response time was incredible. I always felt like we had back up support for whatever we wanted. The PDFs KimKim provides are worth the investment. You know exactly what you are getting into. We had ton of questions and Michael answered everything.

You will not regret working with Michael! I just gave my Mom his info, lol.

Hotel Review

Casa Tayrona Los Naranjos

Beautiful and some of the best salads I've ever had.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Peñol Boulder & Guatapé Boat Trip

Medellín

Loved, loved, loved our drive and tour guide! Cauldia and William were great for our entire trip and we were with them all day. They shared amazing stories and we just really enjoyed their company the whole time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short review: KimKim and our specialist Harris are the best!! I was referred to KimKim by a friend, and now I will refer KimKim to everyone I know.
Longer review: 18-day trip through 4 cities in Italy and 2 in Greece went so smoothly that it helped us all to relax and actually enjoy our vacation! Harris had fine-tuned our hotel rooms (2 in each city, as we were traveling with our 2 teenagers) and the hotels were all great. One big curveball that Harris and his team took in stride was that a few weeks before departure, I ruptured my Achilles tendon... meaning I was going to have to use a knee-scooter the entire trip. When I informed Harris, he quickly reconfigured some of our 'small group' tours into 'private' tours so we could move at our own (slower!) pace. The guides that he connected us with were all so great, so knowledgeable, and so passionate about their cities that I can't imagine just walking by all the architectural and cultural places that we saw without the guide's knowledge and stories... my whole family learned so much!
All the transfers and logistics went very smoothly... it was comforting knowing that we had transport waiting at train stations or airports, especially when seeing other passengers coming off our same flights and having to wait or even fight for random cabs. Our drivers were great stewards of their cities, some sharing with us the history of the view we were experiencing on the way from the airports to our hotels! So great to know that everyone truly cared that we were having a great trip.
Conclusion: I typically am the 'planner' of all our family trips, and it was a bit of a stretch to turn those duties over to a travel company like KimKim, but... I am so glad I did! Worth every penny. Harris did a tremendous job throughout, great communication with me as to how I wanted our trip to look (more history and beachy, less foodie, etc) and he configured great tours and put us right in the middle of the action with his hotel recommendations. It seems trivial to say, but the logistics (drivers, pick-up and drop-off times, and the amazing quality of the vehicles themselves) are sometimes the things that derail trips... but we didn't even have to think about that because, after the first pick-up from the airport, I knew Harris had set us up with first-class people on his team for the entire trip.
The app/website provided by KimKim was super helpful. All of my family had it on their phones, so if they had a question about "What are we doing today?" it was all right in the app! So helpful to be able to relax and just let the schedule happen, rather than trying to scramble every day to try and book tours, wait in lines, or miss out on things.
During the trip, the KimKim team had a direct WhatsApp chat with me, checking in on me every day or so. It helped to know that if I did have any questions, delays, or issues somebody was readily available to help out. We used it a few times to notify drivers that our plane was late, and once to find our guide who was meeting us at the (very crowded!) Colleseum. It was great to use the WhatsApp chat with the KimKim team to coordinate, rather than somehow having to keep track of every guide and driver's number for the entire trip. Very smooth.
Conclusion: Just do it. Use KimKim to plan your vacation so you can actually enjoy your vacation!! 5-stars!

Hotel Reviews

Makris Beach Hotel

Kamari

This hotel was amazing. They even went out of their way to juggle rooms around to accommodate me on the first floor due to my mobility issues. It made my stay really comfortable and enjoyable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Capo d'Africa—Colosseo

Rome

The hotel was generally good, but there was a slight hiccup with the front desk staff. Being on a knee scooter due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, I had some specific needs, which weren't always handled in the most accommodating way.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Olimpia

Venice

This hotel was great with a lovely breakfast area out back. It was very nice and made for a comfortable stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Acropolis Guided Tour

Athens

The guide was super into it and explained a ton of stuff about the Acropolis. He even positioned us right in front of the Acropolis for a great view.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Morning Florence Highlights Walking Tour

Florence

This tour was good. Florence is a pretty flat city, so it was manageable even on my knee scooter. The guide was knowledgeable and friendly.

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Private Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour

Rome

This tour was great. Being able to go at our own pace due to my mobility issues was a big plus. The tour guides were very understanding and accommodating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I want to say thank you to Mathilde and her team for helping me create memories that will last me a lifetime and beyond. I can't rave enough about the exceptional services provided by Mathilde. She was patient, accommodating, flexible, and always available. Every single guide Mathilde paired me with was incredibly kind, generous and knowledgeable. My vacation in France far exceeded my high expectations. I will not hesitate to enlist Mathilde's help again if I ever travel to France or Switzerland for that matter. She is remarkably excellent and I would highly recommend her to anyone. Mathilde, merci beaucoup.

KimKim and Christina were wonderful to work with. Five of us traveled to Norway to meet relatives and see the places where my husband's grandparents were raised. Christina worked out every detail including hiring a boat to take us from Molde to the small island of Tautra. The boat driver was very nice and waited 4 hours to take us back. The Thon Hotels were very nice and had great buffet breakfasts. I have trouble walking very far, so we were able to stay within 2 blocks of the train station in Oslo. Sometimes we hired a cab to get around, which was quick and easy. We especially enjoyed the 5 hour train trip between Bergen and Oslo; the scenery in Norway is beautiful! The 2 teenagers enjoyed the zipline and bike ride. We liked the ferry ride in Flam and the Hurtigruten cruise. It was a trip of a lifetime! We were in Norway 12 days and met 23 relatives! Thank you , Christina, and KimKim!

Going on a solo trip to Slovenia, I was unsure on how to plan it by myself which led me to Kimkim. The planning phase with Nikola went very well and he was attentive to my requests on my likes & what I really wanted to experience. On arrival, he ensured everything was sent over to me with detailed day-by-day plan. Since this was a self-drive trip, he also included the best route to take during the drives. I honestly did not expect this level of detail and care which only made my experience better. All the hotels, activities and visits were aware of my diet restrictions.

Nikola, thank you for making this trip one that I would not forget and for being attentive and always available.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Degenija

Rakovica

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Residence Rovinj&

Rovinj

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Soča

Bovec

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

ECO Boutique Hotel AMS Beagle

Spodnje Gorje

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close proximity of Bled and a walking distance to Vintgar Gorge

Staff

Very attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Urban Hotel Ljubljana Center

Ljubljana

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Truffle Lunch with Presentation at Local Family Estate

Croatia

A very friendly family with a long history in truffle hunting. The hosts were very welcoming and you can feel their excitement in sharing their history and truffle story

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

Zipline Adventure Over the Soča Valley

Slovenia

One of the best locations to do a zipline

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Hot Air Balloon Flight Over the Bled Lake

Slovenia

This was the highlight of my trip. Although I was reluctant to be in a hot air balloon, but it was so surreal.

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Private Walking Tour of Ljubljana

Slovenia

A great way to start the trip, the guide was very helpful.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

My trip to Nicaragua was truly one of the best trips I've ever taken. Two things made it particularly amazing. First, I want to thank Emily, my trip organizer, who managed to put together a spectacular itinerary for me based on my interests and feedback. We went through several iterations with where to go/what to see/where to stay, etc, and she always responded quickly and kindly. I really felt like her goal was to make me happy, and she did not seem to mind all my questions and changes as we went through the process. I actually looked at a few other personal organization services like kimkim, but Emily went above and beyond to deliver the best itinerary for me, which included lots of walking, nature, culture, museums, seeing the big sights (Leon, Esteli, Granada, Ometepe, San Juan Del Sur, etc). I have a friend who was born in Nicaragua, and he looked at my final itinerary and said "this is nearly perfect...with this you will see as much as you can in 9 days).

The second aspect of my trip which made it great was my personal guide, Oscar Lopez. Somehow I seem to always have had luck with guides, but Oscar was absolutely wonderful, and probably the best guide I've ever had. Thank you to Emily for pairing us up! Oscar was so affable and easy going, and of course his English was perfect. He would give me a brief overview of the day's events in the morning (using a map to show me where we were going) and then in the evening give me an update of what was to come in the morning. If we said we would meet up at X time, he was *always* there and I think probably 10-15 minutes early! Another thing I really liked was he always offered to take a picture of me, or a video..so it felt more like my friend was there than a tour guide. He even took pictures when I did not ask, and then would faithfully send them to me at the end of the day. He was very chatty and extroverted, and willing to answer all of my many questions about all sorts of things. We had some great conversations during our drive around the country. He came to realize how much I liked hiking and walking, so if there was a chance to do extra hiking he always offered it (ie. "Let's do the difficult hike back up the volcano, Clare!" or "Here's road I've never been on...let's hike up there and check it out!"). If I wanted to add something or make changes, that was always fine and he'd say "You are the boss; it is your trip". He is an incredibly kind, thoughtful, generous, intelligent, wonderful person who became my friend. The next people who get him as a tour guide will be very fortunate indeed!

I thought overall the hotels I stayed in were fantastic, except for maybe one, and I think that has to do with there not being enough hotels in that city (Esteli). I felt very well prepared for my trip and only wish it could have been longer. I cried at the end, I was so sad to leave. I had a fantastic time and it will remain one of the best trips of my life.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Estación San Juan del Sur

San Juan del Sur

I really enjoyed this quaint little hotel, and don't judge the hotel by its facade! It looks a bit odd on the outside and rundown, but the interior rooms are very clean, bright, spacious, and well decorated. I had my own little balcony and it is mere steps from the beach. I picked this one over the Hotel Victoria and I am overall glad I did. My only not so great comment would be that the breakfast included is served across the street at a restaurant, and while the view from there is amazing (you are right on the beach!), the breakfast itself was probably the worst I had in Nicaragua. It was edible, but I would not pay to eat there again, which is odd, as I had a dinner there the night before and it was really tasty. Anyways, the hotel was great and I would stay there again...had a mini fridge which I found really nice to have while traveling.

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Cleanliness & Comfort

Finca San Juan de la Isla

Altagracia

Who would have thought there would be a 5 star experience like this on the island of Ometepe? Truly this is one of the most unique and most amazing places I have ever stayed. I had my own little bungalow right on the beach, and only heard the waves and monkeys at night. It was so peaceful and serene. One of the few places I stayed in all of Nicaragua with a hot shower as well! It was super clean. The staff were so friendly and helpful, and the restaurant provides great service and food at very reasonable prices. I only wish I could have stayed here longer (like a month!) It is a magical place and I can't wait to come back.

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Plaza Colon

Granada

Loved this hotel! The hotel gets 5 stars, and Victor at the front desk gets 10! :) The hotel itself is just gorgeous and you feel like you are walking around at one of the finest resorts in the world. The rooms are huge, with patios and huge bathrooms. My room was spotless, and the AC was so nice to feel after walking around in the hot / humid city! This was one of the few hotels I stayed in as well which actually had working hot water in the shower. I could have stayed here a week. The breakfasts were very yummy, and they had a pool. It's right smack in downtown and within walking distance of everything. Victor at the front desk is a total star...helped me out and answered questions...always smiling and happy to help. I was ready to move in and only wish I could have stayed here longer! I saw other people mention the noise, but my room was in the back away from the street, so it was very quiet at night. Totally loved this hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Victor was amazing!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Arcos

Estelí

Not my favorite hotel, but my guide told me it is one of the best in Esteli, so there you go! On the plus side, it was very quiet, had working AC, there is a restaurant downstairs, and the staff are all very nice. It is in walking distance from the city center. On the not so great side...the rooms look out into a hallway, the lights are fluorescent (feels sort of like a hospital), the hot water in the shower does not work, and I ended up being attacked by bed bugs (at least 30 bites). The room felt clean, but I had bites all over my stomach and legs and torso for days after. I would try to find someplace else if I go to Esteli again.

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

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Hotel El Convento

León

I absolutely loved this hotel! So clean, wonderful staff, great breakfasts, and nice icy cold AC! One of the best hotels I stayed in during my trip. Great location as well right in the middle of the city. Would stay there again in a heartbeat.

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

San Juan del Sur Hiking

San Juan del Sur

We hiked so much! Oscar showed me all around the city and was willing to keep going much longer than I was! I loved getting to see so much of the town.

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Canopy tour San Juan del Sur

San Juan del Sur

Super fun! It was much more than I expected, and the ride to the top was scary but the driver made me feel safe. Great value, and I was so happy Oscar could do it with me.

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Ometepe Highlights

ometepe

Oh, I loved this island! I only wish that I could have had Oscar as my guide instead of Donald. Donald was very good, but I got very spoiled by Oscar and all the extra things he did for me. Nonetheless, Donald was quite good and made sure I got to see as much as possible. The driver of the car, Elma (Alma?) was also really nice and I enjoyed having a woman along for a bit!

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Mombacho Volcano - Crater Trail

Granada

Loved our hike to the top! Oscar made sure I got to see everything, was able to take my time.

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Granada - Las Isletas Boat Tour

Granada

This was much more than I expected! I loved seeing all the little islands, getting to take a walk on one, and being able to feed a mango to a monkey!

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Masaya Highlights : Artisan Market, The White Villages (Pueblos Blancos)&Masaya Volcano

Nicaragua

This was very fun! I loved the hike to the active volcano, and Oscar made sure I got the best views. I enjoyed the little artisan market and seeing how pottery was made. We made a few stops and got to do some extra walking.

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Esteli - Tisey Nature Reserve & El Jalacate (-L-)

Estelí

Really enjoyed this day. Oscar went out of his way to make sure I saw the whole reserve, the waterfalls, and an extra hike to the top of a mountain so that we could make the most of our Sunday. I was supposed to have the afternoon off, but it was Sunday, and everything was closed. Oscar found an extra hike we could do and filled the day with more fun things for me. Above and beyond treatment. I was so grateful.

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Miraflor Nature Reserve

Estelí

Probably one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. Our guide, Carlos, was amazing. Started out as a 20 minute walk and turned into 3 hours...and a great jeep ride back to the city!

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León - Juan Venado Island Motorboat Tour

León

This was so fun! The guide was so good at spotting things to see!

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Cerro Negro sandboarding tour

León

Really enjoyed the hike to the top and then sliding down. Oscar made me feel very safe and it was super fun. Wish we could have done it again, but would have been quite a hike again to the top!

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Leon - City Walking Tour

León

Oscar did a wonderful job showing me the city.

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